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Good Days...Bad Days With Maureen Pratt

Here in Southern California, the awards season is winding down. For the past few months, a crescendo of award ceremonies, large and small, has built up to last  Sunday night’s festivities, and I think that, at least for now, all will be calmer for not having “And the winner is…” around every corner! But, wait!…

When you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness especially one that is very serious and affects many aspects of your life, you might feel overwhelmed by the amount and variety of information available to you. The moment you leave the doctor’s office, your head might start spinning with what he or she told you and the…

If you are rushed, tired, angry, or in great pain when you pray, you might find that your prayers are more general than specific. For example, “Please, Lord, take away my pain,” or “Please help all those who are suffering.” It’s good to place all our petitions to God in prayer, but even more effective…

It’s been building up over the past few years, but this year, it seems to truly be turning into a swift and powerful waterfall – it’s the number of devotionals available to us, especially those to observe during Lent! And I, for one, am pruning before I even start! It’s not that I don’t appreciate…

Lent begins tomorrow, and today, many people will be indulging in overindulgence so that they can “tank up” before depriving themselves (mostly) of whatever they choose to give up for Lent. (I realize that doesn’t fully describe “Fat Tuesday,” or, “Mardi Gras,” but I choose to be general about it.) You see, I don’t really…

These days, I have often found the following Scripture verse coming to mind: “Do not conformyourself to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”  Romans 12: 2 It’s an excellent reading to remember at…

Today, as we celebrate love in all it’s forms, I encourage you to “pray love.” What do I mean by this? First, pray that God’s love may cover all those whom you hold dear, including yourself. Ask that His goodness and comfort may permeate your lives, inside and out. Next, pray for those whom you…

As a teenager, it seemed as if I was always getting sick. “Regular” things, like colds and flu, and “Really Wierd Illnesses” that, in hindsight, were probably manifestations and flares of the lupus I would later learn that I have. It wasn’t easy being sick so often. I missed out on school classes and other…

There’s no way around it – if we want to be happier, we have to laugh more. And the best way to start is with ourselves! Over the past few years, I’ve watched the body of research around the health benefits of laughter grow. Besides releasing positive hormones that create more of a sense of…

We’re thick in the “hero” season, with holidays and other celebrations focused on individuals or concepts (such as Valentine’s Day and love) that remind us of the heroes in our lives. Martin Luther King, J.r., Day in January and Black History Month this month; Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday and George Washington’s Birthday in February, Purim in…
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