Finding God in the Tornado

I was going to write on a particular issue this week, but the devastating May 20 tornado  in Moore, Oklahoma and other places cause every other story to take a back seat.

Our hearts are broken as we hear of the loss of life, homes, schools--even whole neighborhoods-- that took place in a matter of minutes.

We especially ache for the families who lost children at Plaza Towers Elementary School where many drowned or were crushed by fallen debris.

These sobering natural catastrophes cause great pain for those who experience them, but they are also used to remind all of us of a number of important truths--ones that relate to children, compassion, and our need of a Heavenly Father.

Click to read more ...

Being Fair to Jimmy Carter

The highly combustible Benghazi hearings which started today have rightly focused Americans on the importance of international events.

Last week I attended an international conference in Panama with three hundred leaders from South, Central and North America. It included a delightful trip along the Panama Canal, one of the wonders of the world--where we marveled at the sight of huge container ships that brought five million dollars a day into the Panamanian economy and also at the lush tropical paradise which included crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas and toucans.

But the most instructive moment for me was a dinner conversation I shared with a long-time friend from Argentina who is both an attorney and highly influential political leader in that nation. What he told me about Jimmy Carter taught me a lesson on the importance of fairness.

Click to read more ...