Musings

By Myrna Conrad Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. During this time, we receive cards and hear songs about “peace on earth good will toward man.” In fact, when the angels heralded the birth of Jesus they said, “And this will be a sign for you: You will find...

By Gueary Clendenning In our culture, we think of the day as starting in the morning and ending with night. In the Biblical culture, the opposite is true. Genesis chapter 1, verse 5 reads: “...and the evening and the morning were the first day.” In the Jewish calendar, the sabbath...

By Rick Moore As a very stylish twelve year old, I wore my Panama Jack hat whenever possible. The truth is, I was more concerned about impressing others with my debonair style than keeping the sun from harming my skin. Since fellow students were not cool enough to wear such...

By Rick Moore Buying presents for others is easier when you know what they like to collect. When someone asks me what they can buy for my mom, I let them know she collects teapots, which makes selecting a gift for her simple. My dad used to collect rare and...

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer, and summer was in full bloom in America. The nation experienced mostly beautiful weather. The Midwest had highs in the 80s, The Southeast experienced temps even higher. Temperatures in the Florida panhandle exceeded approximately 173 degrees. But it’s important to remember that it...

By Rick Moore In the eleventh and twelfth grades, students were permitted to leave the school campus for lunch. I remember asking my friend Terry if he wanted to go to the pool hall to get a chilly cheeseburger. He responded by saying his dad would “skin him alive” if...

One of our very own Bay Life writers, Kenneth Books, has published a humorous, politically incorrect book. “These are a Few of the Things that I Hate” is composed of essays, all put together in a calendar format. The 327-page book is designed to prompt belly laughs throughout the year. From...

By Myrna Conrad There are so many discrepancies in our world today that it is hard to know who or what to trust. Trust is a “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.” I do believe that it is harder to trust today than it...

By Pastor Doug Stauffer Over my four decades in the ministry, one of the most frequently asked questions revolves around the purpose of life and how to recognize the will of God. I always point out one truth first: God made us in His own image, intending for us to...

By Pastor Doug Stauffer I cannot count the number of times I have cautioned people to check their motives. Why do you do what you do? The “ends justifying the means” usually involves doing something questionable to achieve a positive outcome. Those who justify wrongdoing by pointing to the positive...