The book of Genesis is filled with some of the most exciting stories in the Bible. It includes Abraham’s calling, Abraham having lunch with G-D, Lot’s capture and rescue, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham’s offering of Isaac, Elizezer’s trip to find a bride for Isaac, Isaac’s wedding, and the deaths of both Abraham and Sarah. The book continues as we read about the birth of Isaac and Rebekah’s twin sons Esau and Jacob. The family's narrative continues as we learn of the growing...

A few years ago, I served as a chaplain for our local sheriff’s office and as part of my training I was required to watch a video about how con artists are able to cheat people. The person who had made the video was a former con man who now consulted with law enforcement. In the video, the former con man made the comment, “It is easy to con people because most people are willing to deceive themselves if they get the outcome they desire.” In other words, the majority of people are willing to...

In colonial America, there was a mother who had a wonderful recipe for chocolate chip cookies which she made with love. She baked her cookies lovingly in the oven of a wood burning stove, which had to be watched carefully. She made the cookies with fresh ingredients such as eggs from her chickens, milk and butter from her own cow, and with flour made from wheat grown on her family's farm. The sugar, however, she had to purchase when she made trips to the city a few times a year. Once her...