During the earthly ministry of Jesus there were two very influential rabbis, Hillel and Shammai. Both having a large number of followers, two schools of thought were formed that shaped Jewish law and tradition for centuries. Hillel was known for his humility, patience, and compassion, leaning more toward inclusiveness and leniency. Shammai was known for being strict, disciplined, and exacting in his interpretation of Jewish law. Although the two schools disagreed on many legal and ritual matters (over 300 disputes are recorded), Jewish tradition general followed the rules of Hillel’s school because of its compassion and practicality. The teachings

When my girls were young, we were headed to what I believed would be a time of financial challenges. Seeing this as a teachable moment, I sat them down, preparing them for the changes that may occur. I could tell by Stephanie’s expression she was too young to process what I was saying, but Sara listened intently. Evidently there was a word I’d used repeatedly because when I finished, Sara looked at me and asked, “What does 'sacrifice' mean?” Upon providing the definition she said, “I don’t like that word.” You know who else doesn’t like that word? Everyone.

St Augustine said, “In the essentials unity, in the non-essentials liberty, but in all things charity.” If you count the number of major, nationally recognized church denominations the number is estimated between 200 and 300. If you include independent and non-denominational groups the number may well exceed 1,000. That’s a lot of “liberty.” When it comes to the non-essentials of the Christian faith, we have a hard time getting along. I’ve seen churches split over everything from divine healing, to wearing high heels to church. Imagine the uproar in the congregation when the artist painted Adam and

This month marks the 5 year anniversary of my move to Sun City in Georgetown, TX. A 55+ “golf cart” community with three 18 hole golf courses, and all the amenities you could want. With a population of 15k+, it’s considered “resort-style” living, where I put more daily miles on my golf cart than I do my truck. Rick Idell drove back with me after my recent trip to California. To say he fell in love with this place, and Texas, is an understatement. Not long before he left, he was already making plans to return.