Opinion

Life doesn’t always go according to plan. A job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster, or unexpected family change can happen when we least expect it and often at the most inconvenient time. While we can’t predict the future, we can take steps today to feel more confident and secure about whatever comes next. Preparation isn’t about dwelling on worst-case scenarios. Instead, it’s about creating peace of mind and building a strong foundation for yourself and your loved ones. By taking a few proactive steps now, you can be better equipped to handle life’s challenges when the unexpected occurs.

I’m at the age where people ask me what I will do after I retire. When I tell them I have no idea, they say, “Well, you’ll have more time to fix things around the house.” That’s when my wife begins laughing uncontrollably. I’ve been called many things, but “handyman” is not one of them. When I was growing up, a handyman existed only to help little old ladies who didn’t have a man around the house. Any home with a “real man” had no reason to employ someone to fix the plumbing, the roof, or the electricity. I forfeited my real man card long ago.

“Noah’s Ark resting place ‘100 percent confirmed’ after 4300 years.” That’s what a recent headline in Great Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper breathlessly announced. Most of us grew up being lectured,…

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:13.

Monday morning after a weekend of birthday parties, pumpkin patches, soccer games, errands, and church. You haven’t had a chance to catch your breath, and the week is already starting. Then your child shuffles down the hall and says the dreaded words: “I don’t feel good.” Not again. That’s the third time since school started six weeks ago. As a mom of three, I’ve been there. Suddenly you’re calling the school, calling the doctor’s office, and digging through the cabinet for cough medicine. If it feels like your child is sick more than they’re well this fall, you’re not alone.

explore the origin of some common sayings. After writing several columns about phrases like, “that takes the cake,” and “dead as a doornail,” many of you suggested some others. I figured I had better write another column about those idioms now, or someone would accuse me of “beating around the bush.” Where did that one come from? Oddly enough, it originated from hunters, hundreds of years ago. According to the website “Mental Floss,” it alluded to hunters who would shake bushes and weeds to scare out birds, rabbits, or similar creatures. The critters could then be caught or snared in nets.