On either side of a potentially violent conflict, an opportunity exists to exercise compassion and diminish fear based on recognition of each other's humanity. Without such recognition, fear fueled by uninformed assumptions, cultural prejudice, desperation to meet basic human needs, or the panicked uncertainty of the moment explodes into violence.

Never spend your money before you have earned it.

I hate to see complacency prevail in our lives when it's so directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.

Today we are engaged in a deadly global struggle for those who would intimidate, torture, and murder people for exercising the most basic freedoms. If we are to win this struggle and spread those freedoms, we must keep our own moral compass pointed in a true direction.

Good ball players make good citizens.

Let us learn together and laugh together and work together and pray together, confident that in the end we will triumph together in the right.