Halloween & Candy Canes

While most people have been shopping for Halloween the past few weeks, I saw Christmas lurking behind the rows of candy, costumes and fake spiders at the store yesterday. On my way to the dairy section, I passed an end cap full of candy canes in several sizes and flavors. And while I haven't yet seen any overt signs of the approaching holiday season or heard Christmas tunes on the radio, it would be nice to actually get through October before Christmas muscles its way to the forefront. Thanksgiving is the next holiday, and I believe we all need to slow down and spend a moment reflecting on all that we have to be truly thankful for.

God Has Our Back

It's easy to get down and forget that God has our back when times get tough. My pastor has recently been preaching on the armor of God found in Ephesians 6. Each piece of armor used by Roman soldiers represents ways in which God helps us to stand firm against the devil's schemes. What he said about the breastplate really stuck in my mind. The breastplate, which represents God's righteousness, is not just a covering for the chest, but as my pastor explained, is better defined as body armor which covers the back as well as the chest. God has our back. That sure is good to know!