Mama Always ~ L.A. Brown, Author

It was a beautiful morning, it really was. The sky, a brilliant blue, I had one dog, Izzy, snuggled up against my back, snoring. Another dog on the floor, blissfully sleeping, and a puppy, who really isn't a puppy anymore, pawing at my blankets, snuffling at my neck, encouraging me to get up because he had to pee. Typical morning. As is my routine, I began my morning thanking God for His protection through the night, His new mercies, and the Lord's Prayer...then I continued with my intercession for the day. Because I do not say 'amen' at the end of the Lord's Prayer, for me, it means that my prayers are ongoing throughout the day. I came to find out last week, that I am not the only one to do that...a man who is a wonderful music minister does so as well. As I continued my morning routine, let the dogs out, fed the cats and fish, and made my coffee, I continued in intercession, praying for a dear friend who is fighting to get well. She was in a horrific car accid...

With all of the hustle and bustle that we experience during the Holiday Season, it so easy to overlook little things. We are so busy trying to make sure that every stocking is filled, that underneath the tree is bursting with packages; that our menus are set for that Christmas party or the dinner with family that we forget.....a lot. I don't know when the tradition of gift giving started, to be honest, at six o'clock in the morning one would be hard pressed to find me researching anything. However, this was laid on my heart, so with fingers on the keypad, here I go.  Like I said, I do not know right off the top of my head when exchanging gifts on Christmas became a tradition, perhaps it started on that starry night so many many years ago in Bethlehem when the Magi came bearing gifts for the newborn King. How do I know it was a starry night? The Scripture plainly says that the Magi were following a star that appeared in the sky and that they followed it to their destination, B...

I've heard that saying, or variations of that saying most all of my life. I think that I heard it most in the seventies when my ability to shop on my own came into being. As a kid, I remember that my dad always did the grocery shopping. I don't remember much, but he was and still is, to some extent, into value shopping....i.e., the biggest bang for your buck. Nowadays, this is not so much the case as he is really trying to buy more Made in U.S.A. products than not, so now I suppose he comparison shops when it comes to where stuff comes from and then the value after that. I guess we can all benefit from "comparison shopping" not only in our grocery shopping trips but also in our daily decisions in life. Think about this for a minute, folks. Say you're going to be upgrading your t.v. to a flat screen because (mama says) you need more room (of course, you need to admit it guys, this idea really floats your boat because now you can watch football, baseball, NASCAR...

Currently, I am reading a book called The Harbinger and quite frankly I have to admit that it is interesting. That said, however, I will tell you that as in the Left Behind series of books, I will take this as fiction through and through. I cannot deny that there are some interesting facts that have been presented, but the Bible says that for a prophet to be considered from Him, that he first must be able to pass muster, so to speak. The prophet who claims to have revelation from God must have a spotless record, that is, everything must come to pass with 100% accuracy. Period.  To me, I would think that is the only qualification that there must be. (Deuteronomy 18:21-22   21  And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the  Lord  has not spoken?’—  22  when a prophet speaks in the name of the  Lord , if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that  is  the thing which the  Lord  has not spoken; the proph...

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' ( Matthew 22:36-39 ).  Throughout my Christian life I have read this verse over and over again. I have even striven to do what it commands, but, alas! too many times I fall so short of what I am supposed to do. Some time ago, while I was yet in my infancy in Christ, I had the opportunity to help someone in need and failed in that task. To this day, that woman's eyes haunt me and I will never forget the sorrow I felt at letting God down. I know that He has long since forgiven me and forgotten this lack of action, as they say, "as far as the east is from the west", but it will forever be a reminder to me as to what should have been the first of many times that I have helped when help was nee...