Meals are an important event at my house. Not just because we love food, but because we love being together. There is a special feeling about joining hands around the dinner table, giving thanks, and sharing stories about the day while partaking in a wonderful meal Melissa’s prepared. “How was work today?” the kids will say, or I’ll ask them, “What’d you learn in school?” It’s how I was raised. It’s how I want my children to grow up.

His name is Travis Keese. He paints. In fact, he has become one of the sought-after wild life artists around. He is interesting. He is in love with the Texas hill country. Best of all, he is a Christian.

Jesus is “the Word” (John 1:1). He has explained (1:18) the Father, the invisible God, to us. When the Word became flesh and dwelt among men, He taught “as one having authority” (Matt. 7:29), for He authored the very message He spoke. That makes what Jesus said important.

I “rendered to Caesar” today. Our property taxes are late after January 31, so I sent in the payment to avoid the penalty. I didn’t enjoy watching the mailman take that check away, but there are some things in life you just do out of necessity. I suppose paying your taxes is one of them.

Sadly, some people see their service to God in the same way. It’s a matter of “have to” instead of “want to.” There is no joy or happiness involved in it, only a mere going through the motions. To them, discipleship itself has become a tax or a burden rather than a blessing.

Character is the accumulation of qualities that distinguishes one person from another. Character is not just one single trait, but the accumulation of all a person is, the sum total of all his traits.

Someone has suggested that reputation is what others think us to be, character is what God knows us to be.

How does a person develop and maintain a good character?

Each of the gospels is unique. God did not give us just one story of the life of Christ, although that would have been sufficient. He chose to tell it from four perspectives, through the eyes of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Though they all worked from the same information and through the same medium of inspiration, each author had their own purpose and appeal.

Prayer is such a privilege, such an exalted advantage. It implies connection to the Almighty, an adjoining to our Creator. What joy to pray and know we will be heard. What unspeakable joy! “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if ye ask anything according to His will, He heareth us” (I John 5:15). I doubt there could be a better or more blessed assurance than to know that God not only knows who we are, but hears what we say.

That time of year has crept up on us once more: the holiday season. Beginning this week, the rest of 2009 will be a mixture of quick trips to the deer lease, in and outs to family gatherings, and extended vacations related to seasonal travel. One way or another, most of us will be on the road. And, is it just me, or have you noticed that gas prices are conveniently on the rise as well?

The Proverbs of Solomon are poignant, pensive, potent, and perennial. They are poignant in that they are profoundly moving; they tend to pierce to the very heart of the person who will listen to them. They are pensive, producing deep feelings, possessing the potential to influence lives, to cause decisions calculated toward improvement and better management of ones life. They are potent, filled with moral power, the kind that often causes drastic moral changes and deliberate course alterations. And they are perennial. Their effectivity remains even after they have been applied.

One of my favorite memories of growing up is watching Hee Haw with my family. That variety show gave me an appreciation for bluegrass music and for artists like Roy Clark, Buck Owens, and especially Grandpa Jones. I still smile when I think about their skits, performances, and corny, cornfield jokes.