Tag: holidays

First Sunday of Advent

Post author By Kevin Spear
Post date December 1, 2019

Cartoon of a boy rejoicing because Christmas is coming — Christmas is Coming! ©2006Kevin Spear

I love this time of year because the anticipation is building. True, yesterday, I lamented how Christmas music in some areas has been playing for a month. but this is where the excitement of Christmas becomes real.

This morning, I get to teach the lesson to our elementary kids at Salem church. We will start with the prophecies in Isaiah 9, 53 and Micah 5. In churches across the world, the first candle of Advent will be lit.

In the darkness, a single candle of hope begins. After a few days of Thanksgiving and gratitude for the present, we can focus on hope and anticipation for the future.

Tags Advent, anticipation, Christmas, Christmas and holiday season, holiday, holidays, hope, prophet

motivation

Attitude of Gratitude on Turkey Day

Post author By Kevin Spear
Post date November 28, 2019

Cartoon of a turkey dancing on a table while a family looks on. The caption says, "This was one Thanksgiving the whole family would remember!"

My prayer for each one of you this morning is that you find something to be grateful for.

Show love to your loved one, even if they have different opinions than yours.
Talk about the good memories
Talk about the funny times (dancing turkey cartoon anyone?)
Be generous with praise and stingy with criticism
Tell a loved one something you appreciated about them or something you’ve admired about them

You may have experienced pain and heartache this year. If that is the case, remember the good time too. For no matter how dark the circumstances, there are always rays of light.

On this day, take some time to have an attitude of gratitude.

Tags gratitude, holidays, Thanksgiving

motivation

Costumes and Goals in the Making

Post author By Kevin Spear
Post date October 31, 2019

Some people go to great lengths in order to find the perfect Halloween costume. They may spend weeks perfecting the look, the character, the effect of their fear-producing ensemble tonight.

Others are more like me. When I was little, it didn’t occur to me to think of a trick-or-treat costume until October 30. I knew I was going to get candy no matter what I looked like. I blame Charlie Brown. Everyone in the Halloween special seemed to gravitate towards cutting holes in a bedsheet and going as a ghost. That seemed a perfectly reasonable costume to me.

Drifting into Halloween seems perfectly acceptable to me. Drifting through life is not. It is far better to plan your life than to drift through it. There may be a nice costume awaiting you in the linen closet, or your Grandpa’s attic. But if you want a fulfilling life, it is far better to plan what that looks like and reach for it.

Tags goals, Halloween, Halloween cartoon, Halloween costume, holidays, planning

Business Cartoons

Happy National Coffee Day 2019!

Post author By Kevin Spear
Post date September 29, 2019

Cartoon of two men talking in a kitchen: "My Major disappointment from working at home is I have no one to blame for a bad cup of coffee."

O coffee, coffee, how sweet the brew!
Caffeine to me, oh thus you imbue.
It brightens me on the way to church,
Your sweet bitters, I do always search.

Happy National Coffee Day! I plan to celebrate with friends in children’s ministry and the lobby this morning. As my cartoon demonstrates, it is better to share it with friends and coworkers than all by your self.