http://blog.alanriley.com Commentary on life and faith by Alan Riley Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:52:09 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) If you ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=352 This morning the dwindling number of people in the Metro Atlanta area who read the print version of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution are in for a change. In a desperate (some would say vain) attempt to forestall or possibly even prevent the historic daily from going the way of ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=353 One of his church members described Pastor Fred Winters as "a happy soul."  He had good reason to be. Fred Winters was the loving husband of a wonderful wife and the proud father of two beautiful daughters.  He was by any standard of measure highly successful in ministry.  He bucked the ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=354 For someone who was raised by a father who was a "militant atheist" and whose press secretary once told reporters, "We don't do God," Tony Blair sure does talk about God a lot these days.   Admittedly, it has always been difficult to pin down Mr. Blair.  In ten years leading ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=355 Last week, on the eve of his historic inauguration as this nation's 44th President, an opinion poll showed that Barack Obama enjoyed an 80% approval rating from the American public as he takes office. At the beginning of his Presidency, Barack Obama faces an opportunity unknown since at least ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=356 I have written several times here about my father-in-law, Rev. Asa Dorsey, who over the last 76 years has become a legendary figure in North Georgia. (See links to articles below). On December 23, as we were preparing to spend Christmas Day at his home with the family, Asa suffered ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=357 I generally have disdain for the custom of making New Year's Resolutions. But for some reason this year I find myself looking ahead to 2009 with a sincere desire to do better in an area of my life. So, despite the obvious hypocrisy of a resolution mocker becoming a ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=358 They Can Be Taught The Big Three CEOs are appearing on Capitol Hill again today and amazingly they have swallowed their pride - or more likely acquiesced to political realities - and are NOT traveling to DC on their corporate jets. In a strange case of art, or at least comedy, ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=359 At the very least, it was a public relations nightmare.  It was most certainly a clear sign that they don't get it.  At worst, it was a vivid display of the kind of management insight - or lack thereof - that has caused the Big Three automakers to teeter on ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=360 We church folk have a world of our own that we live in most of the time.  We have our own language (with words that most people outside of the church don't understand), our own diet (fried chicken for the most part!), our own songs, and our own singers. Every ... http://blog.alanriley.com/wordpress/p=361