The Guinness Book of World Records keeps track of some very unusual records. One is, "The longest time living in a tree." A man named Bungkas went up a tree in Benkes, Idonesia in 1970 and has been there ever since. He lives in a nest he made from the braches and leaves of the trees. People have repeatedly tried to get...

Leo Cummins once wrote up a list of "Murphy's Laws" for ministers. They include the following: 1) The amount of flack received on any one subject is inversely proportionate to that subject's real value. 2) For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism. 3) If weather is extremely bad, church attendance will be...

The movie, "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" has revived interest in Tolkein's fantasy. It also has people talking about truths the book addresses. Much discussion centers on the ring itself. The ring is the most powerful of several rings that are abroad in this fantasy world. It can make the wearer invisible. It also...

Blandon Churchyard, where Winston Churchill is buried, is like many similar village churchyards. There is a lich-gate at the entrance. Here the bearers could wait with the casket until the minister came out to escort them into the church. If the weather was inclement, they had some shelter beneath the roof of the lich-gate. Over...

Dianne Odell, of Jackson, Tennessee, has lived an extraordinary life. Her story received nationwide attention when reported by Bill Poovey of the Associated Press. The story reveals a woman of remarkable courage and patience. Dianne has spent 51 of her 54 years in an iron lung. Very few iron lung patients remain. This device...

There is an old tale about a man named Androcles. He was a runaway slave in Rome. He stopped and risked his life to help a wounded lion attending to his wounded paw. There was nothing in it for him, at least he thought. Later, Androcles was caught, jailed, and sentenced to be killed by facing a lion. When he faced a lion in...

In the delightful movie Monsters Inc., an entire society of monsters finds their fuel source in the energy created from children's frightened screams. The heroes of the movie discover that children aren't so bad and that they can generate energy from their laughter even more than from their screams. Could it be that laughter and...

The Trojan War was over, and Ulysses was on his way home about to leave the enchanted island where Calypso lived. She came down to the beach where the ships were putting out to sea and said, "Say good-bye to me but not to the thought of me." At the cross, men said good-bye to Christ, but not to the thought of Him. And...

The First Family, George W. and Laura Bush, have always included a scripture verse on their Christmas cards. Laura Bush had to change the verse on the card in light of the Sept 11th tragedy. What verse do you use for the first Christmas after such a trauma? She chose to use Psalm 27:13, which says, "I am still confident in this:...

Several years ago, Ann Landers printed in her column a poem that depicts Gossip speaking. Among other things, Gossip says, "I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves because I have no name and no face. Once...