What have we done to Joy at Christmas? I know Christmas is still 24 days away — but who knew? Advertisements for Christmas have been ubiquitous since July — sometimes, even earlier! The race to win more consumer’s cash is more competitive than the Kentucky Derby’s Run for the Roses! Yet how, in all the rush, do we find Joy?

Several weeks ago, there were Facebook posts reminiscing about the Sears Christmas Book. (For you young folks, that was a commercial annual tantalizing tome, published by a world-renowned retail store). Many a child lay on the living room floor from late October until December 24, joyfully looking at pages of toys. Their hope lay on the enticing toys, enchantingly displayed on those wonderful pages; that Santa Claus would bring some of these to them on Christmas Eve.

Even now, TV screens, billboards, and in every other possible way, we are continuously assaulted by ads shouting Christmas Joy can be bought right here! Not so fast. The Joy of Christmas, as we all know, cannot be bought. All the sales, festivities, food, and frivolity put together do not in themselves create Christmas Joy. 

The truth is that JOY is not limited to, nor created by Christmas. Even though it may be difficult to silence the shrill sirens of sensationalism, to find joy at Christmas time; we must focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Media voices, time pressures, personal schedules, all collude, tending to pressure our psyche away from true joy.

Susan Krauss Whitbourne PhD, in a Psychology Today article wrote of ways to bring more joy into our lives. Spoiler: none of them includes the typical pitch of typical “Christmas Joy” hawkers. Dr. Whitbourne found that simple everyday approaches, tend to bring that deep, abiding sense of happy contentment; in a word, joy. She also pointed out that by … inserting joyous moments into your daily experiences, long-lasting effects can foster your fulfillment… adding to your deeper sense of joy.

What have we done to the Joy of Christmas? We have smothered it with elaborate ersatz promises. Joy doesn’t happen that way. As Dr. Whitbourne’s article points out, …joy has the unique potential, compared with happiness, to foster the kind of well-being “derived from living in alignment with one’s values, purpose, and personal growth.”

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

A national survey on gratitude, commissioned by the John Templeton Foundation, showed that Americans believe that gratitude is important. Important findings include: 

• More than 90 percent of those polled agreed that grateful people are more fulfilled, lead richer lives, and are more likely to have friends.
• More than 95 percent said that it is anywhere from “somewhat” to “very” important for mothers and fathers to teach gratitude.
• 93 percent of those polled agreed that grateful bosses were more likely to be successful, and only 18 percent thought that grateful bosses would be seen as “weak.”

These results from the survey make us appear skilled at gratitude. However, the survey exposed what they call the “Gratitude Gap.” We think we are better at expressing gratitude than others are. But there is the rub. Indicators in the survey showed gaps in whom and how we acknowledge those to whom we express gratitude. The study also indicates the lack of actual accurate memory that most people have about expressed gratitude. And a caveat, most people don’t want to admit if they are less expressive of gratitude. But only one percent saw no reason to be grateful.

Turning our attention to our personal attitudes of gratitude: How attentive are you to expressing the gratitude you feel? A good metric for expressing gratitude is how do you feel when someone expresses gratitude to or for you? As in “I am so glad you are my friend,” or in other ways that offer you specific gratefulness.

A friend of mine recently took “Angela,” an elderly widow, who had no family, to a medical procedure. Throughout the journey, Angela kept saying “Thank You!” My friend had the time, transportation, and knowledge of how to properly provide the support her friend needed. Angela did not take her friend’s support for granted. She specifically spoke of immense gratitude.

Sadly, my father couldn’t fully grasp the concept of gratitude. He believed that kindness, or any kind of help or gift was an exchange, so to speak. He thought, “You did this for me; I must do equal or more in return for you.” For some of us, accepting acts of kindness is difficult. Many people believe that they must be stoic or that accepting help is a sign of weakness.

In a few days, our nation will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It is a festive, wonderful, and usually excellent family time of expressing gratitude. It can also help us begin a personal pattern of expressing gratitude daily. 

“Thank You”; two words, spoken considering small or large deeds, are solace for the soul.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

“That makes no sense!” I thought, as I overheard a couple of teenagers talking. The words and terms they were using did not compute in this adult brain of mine. Later, as I pondered that snippet of conversation I chanced to hear, I remembered my college years. My group had done just that — we concocted words, spoke disconnected sentences, and created a malapropism just for our group. Specific groups of people, especially teenagers, enjoy having their own “in-group” language.

In 1965 “The In Crowd” hit the charts wildly. A refrain from the song is …we got our own way of walkin’ we got our own way of talkin’ …it’s what the In Crowd does. If you have run across the confusing 6-7 term, you have stumbled upon an age-old coding practice. years

Just as the senseless terms my friends tossed about ago, and as Doby Gray did in The In Crowd, that coding practice remains today.

Madison Burgess, a journalist at Tyla who writes on culture, gives insights to 6-7:

6-7’s significance is what Shakespeare’s Macbeth said in the play by the same name; …full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Certain writers consider “6-7” an inside joke that has no technical definition or signals being part of in-group language or group-speak. Other linguistics experts compare “6-7” to previous slang expressions, noting it serves more of a social function than a literal one. And lastly, there is a trend of non-traditional “words,” like phrases or slang, chosen to capture a cultural moment. 

That Dictonary.com selected 6-7 as the Word of the Year may highlight a trend of non-traditional words, phrases, or slang, designated to capture a cultural moment. It could also be deemed as an insider’s joke. Strange, unconventional verbosity often serves as an attention getter. I’ll bet you just looked up 6-7, just in case it could add the hopeful flavor you needed for your esoteric expressions.

And then, there is the sinister, divisive “dog-whistle,” explained by Meriam-Webster when used in politics:an expression or statement that has a secondary meaning intended to be understood only by a particular group of people. To my mind, use of such subversive terms is not only dishonest, but also divisive. In our current cultural climate, there is a clear and an extraordinary need to be straight forward and home in on interpersonal discussion. Jesus made that truly clear.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution ran a story this past Sunday about Paul Anderson, once “The World’s Strongest Man.” More than half a century ago, Mr. Anderson not only held that moniker, but also set Olympic records and an astonishing number of similar titles. Paul Anderson is local hero in Toccoa, GA, his hometown for “putting (the small town) Toccoa on the map!” — bringing the small-town recognition and positive press coverage.

The young Paul Anderson searched junk yards and scrap metal dumps to find items heavy enough for him to lift and build strength. He searched for actual “heavy lifting.” He knew such difficulty would bring the kind of results he sought.

In a manner of speaking, we all have heavy lifting to do. Many times, that heavy lifting may tear us down instead of building us up. Heavy lifting is from poor choices or ruinous attitudes. When we become wearied by anger, fear, shame, or regrets, we are carrying heavy weights. Such weights chafe our relationships, daily work, and, in adverse ways, canker our very being. 

Paul Anderson deliberately searched junk yards for scrap metal to build up his strength. He made the weights work for him. In a like manner, we can make our heavy lifting work for us. A critical part of building strength and character is to purge ourselves from seeking “unnecessary heavy lifting.” Certain matters are none of our business, so keep out! Steer clear. Life is too short to take on extra trash to tote.

Too often family and friends take on heavy lifting, thinking they are helping, when they were becoming enablers sliding down poisonous, slippery slope. When I was earning Certification as a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, we learned to never thoughtlessly jump into the water to save a drowning person, lest both the “lifesaver” and the victim both drown. Assess the danger, plan the process, and protect the outcome. 

Too often, I have gotten angry only to learn that I made an early mistake — misjudging circumstances or someone. My worst faux pas was a call to finalize an event; I became angry because “…they had not done any planning for the event…” only to discover I had called the wrong number! No wonder they knew nothing about the “plan!”

Perhaps asking “Why?” should be the first step in any heavy lifting. And if something must be done, there are ways, as Paul Anderson discovered, to lift with purpose.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

Today is Halloween. Halloween is a less than sacred day that occurs one day before a Sacred Day, “All Saints Day.” All Hallows’ Eve, over time, morphed into Halloween. We celebrate All Saints Day on November 1 each year as Christians recount the memory of those who have died in the past year. This custom, observed during worship service on All Saints Day, is a Solemn ritual. Each name is read, a candle is lighted, and a bell tolls — as a sacred time of remembering the life of each Saint (Christian member) who died in the past year.

Latinos celebrate Día de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead. We mistakenly call it “Mexican Halloween,” but it isn’t. The Day of the Dead and its significance is closely related to All Saints Day. Secular celebrations have hijacked these sacred celebrations, transforming them into raucous carnivals, more focused on death, horror, and frightening festivities.

As has happened to Christmas and Easter, Halloween has hijacked the celebration of sacred events, metamorphosing them into something barely resembling their original intent and meaning. It becomes especially difficult to discern their significance in light of the hype of commercialism.

According to Forbes, …Halloween is not only the most profitable festival in the USA but also in the world. The estimated total consumer spending for Halloween in 2025 is projected to be $13.1 billion, a record high. This spending includes $3.9 billion on candy, $4.2 billion on decorations, and $3.5 billion on costumes. This holiday’s commercial success is driven by a combination of factors, including the extended holiday season, early shopping habits, and the influence of online trends. Halloween’s profitability continues to grow because Halloween is celebrated in thirteen countries, each with their own unique traditions and customs for celebrating the holiday.

“Trick or Treat” reigned as the heart of Halloween for children for years. However, cruel tricks, various criminal activities, and other nefarious deeds seem to have pushed children’s activities to safer places. Our church, along with various other organizations, hosts “Trunk or Treat” events. Members and neighbors park their cars with trunks open toward a walking pathway. Decorated automobile trucks are filled with candy and other treats for children. The event lasts several hours and features other activities, including music and a cake walk. Child safety and fun-filled entertainment are the focus of a safe and fun-filled event.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

Today is United Nations Day. The words of the Secretary General of the United Nations: “We the peoples of the United Nations…” These are not just the opening words of the United Nations Charter – they define who we are. The United Nations is more than an institution. It is a living promise – spanning borders, bridging continents, inspiring generations. For eighty years, we have worked to forge peace, tackle poverty and hunger, advance human rights, and build a more sustainable world – together.”

Noble goals are not always popular or well-received by everyone. Greed, hatred, racism, and blind patriotism throw grit into the mechanisms of meaningful and harmonious comity. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, world leaders often reminded us — We are in this together. Modern space explorations often give us pictures of Planet Earth in contrast with the Cosmos. We live on a tiny boat spinning in the Universe. More than we are willing to admit, we all need each other.

People are different, communities are different, and countries are different. Nations represent their current leadership’s opinion, resulting in dramatic policy shifts. The United Nations, flawed as it is, allows an opportunity for open dialogue, understanding, and positive direction for the peoples of Planet Earth. Living together in symbiotic relationships is possible. Compromise, in the best sense of the word, is not only desirable, but also possible. 

Compromise, too often, is seen as weak or flaccid. The root word comes from the early 15^th Century: The sense of “a coming to terms, a settlement of differences by mutual concessions” is from extension to the settlement itself. The meaning “that which results from such an agreement.” To reach an agreement, there must be give and take. Both sides must be able to give as well as to receive.

According to Britannica, one of the greatest compromises was the Compromise of 1850. Compromise of 1850, in U.S. history, a series of measures proposed by the “great compromiser,” Sen. Henry Clay of Kentucky, and passed by the U.S. Congress in an effort to settle several outstanding slavery issues and to avert the threat of dissolution of the Union. The crisis arose from the request of the territory of California (December 3, 1849) to be admitted to the Union with a constitution prohibiting slavery. The Apostle Paul urged the Church at Rome to open your hearts to one another, as he worked to bring them into agreement. 

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

I heard an apparently smart student say, ” I’m bored!” My immediate thought was that person is either using the wrong term or is not nearly as smart as he appears (or thinks himself) to be. Genuine boredom, according to Merriam-Webster: the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest. Therefore other than a temporary weary or restlessness, boredom arises from initiative deficit.

There has always been opportunity for the human mind to create something interesting — imaginary or real — out of nothing. It is inherent in our God-given soul. I am writing on a laptop computer. Soon I will send this text through cyberspace (that unseen mysterious Ethernet) to my Editor, who will save my bacon, correcting my errors. From this desk, it is hard to image how the first written communication were accomplished!

Connected Translations offers a brief glimpse into the first written communications — The most noteworthy events in humankind’s story might be marked by the first appearances of writing. In our minds, we probably hold images of clay tablets bearing strange markings and of ancient scribes hunched over their work. But how much do we really know about the origins of the first writing? Was it invented separately by different cultures or did written language somehow spring up all at once? Like so many other significant developments by early humankind, was written language a ‘tipping point’ in human history?

Photo Credit – Stefan Roelofs

Immersion into boredom need never happen. My friend, Charles, is deeply interested in Geology. Riding down a long same-ole-same-ole, nondescript section of the Interstate, he sees eons of geologic history. He stops, takes pictures, and can explain in detail which era in which a particular stratum of rock developed. revealing light, life, and brilliance from that dumb piece of rock! Doing that, he makes rocks interesting. Rising from boredom, and digging deeply into– well, anything that you consider boring, you can find great opportunity… Each of God’s Creations provide opportunities for in-depth study and new insights.

Just consider Dr. Goodall, regarded as “the world’s preeminent chimpanzee expert.” She started out about, basically as a young child interested in Tarzan movies. Some people considered Tarzan movies boring. Dr. Jane Goodall died recently. She spent her entire life doing what many may consider the most boring of all time, living in the wild, watching chimpanzees.

Our amazing world beckons us, indeed, compels us to never be bored.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

In my humble opinion, a homemade biscuit comes as near to being the Swiss Army Knife of foods as any food. They adapt easily and well to almost any menu or combination, egg and cheese biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, or any other breakfast combination. Biscuits adapt easily as a topping or crust for casseroles, pies, or almost any oven-baked dish. 

Jimmy Dean, a few decades ago, made famous the phrase, Pass the biscuits, Please! a funny country song with the underlying theme “I just can’t eat without bread.” In years past, when most meals were cooked at home, made-from-scratch biscuits served as the basic bread. Soon after Paige and I married, we sat down for an enticing meal. I looked at our table and said, “Oh, sweetheart! You made tea cakes!” She burst into tears and said, “No. They are biscuits.” They were as flat as a sheet of copy paper! Although Paige was a good cook, she had never made biscuits before.

Growing up in Deepstep, I was surrounded by relatives. Our farms joined borders or were close together, with most parcels having been part of original land grants centuries before. Therefore, it was customary to visit and eat with our numerous relatives. One Sunday after church, we visited Aunt Ada, Grandaddy’s sister. The large table was filled with luscious food, and the room was crowded with relatives. After eating, the young cousins played well into the afternoon. Tired and hungry, again, we went back to the kitchen. Aunt Ada gave each of us a “bore hole biscuit.” They were large, fluffy, and delicious biscuits. She said, “Here. Hold this biscuit. Turn it on its side and poke your finger into the top side. We did, and she poured sorghum syrup in, filling the hole. It was a wonderful, hand-held afternoon treat!

Southern Living wrote this about biscuits — If there’s one thing Grammy’s known for, it’s cooking with lots of love—and sweetness, of course. These easy biscuits (which call for honey in the dough) are sure to please any day of the week, especially since they don’t require much hands-on time.

One segment of a Time Management Seminar I used to teach included an example of how Paige’s grandmother made biscuits. Her description of Grandma Lindsay’s biscuit making was so metered that every batch — which she made at least twice a day — turned out with exacting precision and mouth-watering taste. We never forget things like that!

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

When I think of Palm Trees, I think of those tall, skinny, Florida or Hawaii trees, standing firm against hurricane force winds. However. I have learned that there are six different kinds of Palm trees, right here in my home State of Georgia. According to Matt Gardener, of Gardening Bank, There are at least five different palm trees growing in Georgia: They are, Saw palmetto, cabbage palm trees, Mediterranean fan palm, windmill palm trees, and dwarf palmetto palm trees which are among the most popular types of palm trees in Georgia. 

I am not even close to being an expert on Palm trees. But I am fascinated by their resilience and adaptability. Wind, water, cold, and heat seem bo fail at destroying them. Growing up in middle Georgia, along the Fall Line, I was familiar with the Palmetto Palm. They were prolific on Buffalo Creek, bordering the eastern edge of Deepstep, GA, my hometown. The Palmettos cover the Oconee River Swamp, further downstream as Buffalo Creek flows into the Oconee River.

We often used Palmetto fronds in decoration for play productions at Georgia Southern University, gathering them from Ogeechee River lowlands nearby campus. Golf course managers seem to love the Palmettos as ground cover in the rough of their golf courses.

It may be a stretch to make something of an analogy between Palm trees and human beings; for one thiing, we migrate. Even though Palm trees do not, migrate per se, to some degree, they do. The Buffalo Creek Palmettos, mentioned above are an example of such migration. Florida is about 300 miles South of the source of Buffalo Creek, with prolific Palmettos all along its banks. My sorta informed guess is that when Native Americans ages ago using that creek as a transportation avenue, likely spread plants and seeds as they camped alog its banks. Not to mention hurricane force winds of the past, probably dropping whole plants .

These palms, as did human beings, not only survived atmospheric assaults, but also thrived in new locations. I see an interesting and vital symbiotic relationship between Palm trees, yes, even the Palmetto Palms, and human beings. This glimpse is only a microcosm of The Creation; we are all related, and need each other. When greed, avarice, and egomania take over, God’s magnificent Creation suffers. When we live together in harmony, we thrive.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025

I live about one mile from Interstate 85, inside the I-285 Perimeter. There are massive thoroughfares that pass next to residential housing. Along the way, GDOT has placed noise abatement screens, metal or concrete. For residents in those areas, those screens help. My house is upstream, off a tributary of the North Fork Peachtree Creek. Although there are numerous trees in-between, it is not unusual to hear the din of city traffic, especially under certain weather conditions.

Many urban buildings, especially churches, utilize acoustical engineered structuring inside the building. These products reduce excess noise and enhance clarity. Leonardo da Vinci made significant contributions to the science of sound, including understanding of sound waves. Modern technology fine-tunes such studies to adjust to audience size and seating arrangements.

With politics, geography, industry, population, and, well, cell phones, noise increases exponentially– inside our heads and outside our bodies. Our very soul silently screams for noise abatement. So, how do we turn off the noise? We can’t. And don’t want to. Not entirely, anyway. It’s like having a baby monitor that could disturb your sleep. Yet you will not turn it off, because a tiny life depends on your hearing their distress signal.

There are ways to manage noise, that ubiquitous noise you can’t/won’t turn off. Physical barriers aside, noise inside our heads must become the focus of our journey toward noise abatement. It may very well require physical adjustments to your environment and actions including meditation, deep breathing, or listening to music.

Back in the early 1960s, a Meme became immensely popular. You’ll remember GIGO — Garbage In Garbage Out. The same goes for our brains, a point well taken by James Allen: 

Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage (fruits) of opportunity and circumstance. Grandmother Veal often said, “You cannot help it if birds fly over your head. You can, however, prevent them from nesting in your hair!” Simply stated, my grandmother was sharing a mantra for life — while we may experience temptations, we should try our best to resist them.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2025