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Articles from Cory Kemp | Selfgrowth.com
- Meanwhile Back at Camp - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2010 from Cory KempLent has begun. When last we saw Jesus he was in the wilderness fending off temptation. So, what are the disciples doing? What are they up to? For that matter, what are we up to? The Bible doesn’t really go into the personal lives of the twelve we’ve come to know as Jesus’ disciples. We ...
Views: 946(1 vote) - Personal Value - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2011 from Cory KempWhat determines value in our culture? It has been said that real estate is all about location, location, location. Designer labels are keen indicators of what is special and important in clothing, jewelry and shoe lines. Trend-setters lead us toward what the next great vacation destination ...
Views: 1268(1 vote) - Think Love - by Submitted on Feb 14, 2013 from Cory KempAnne Shirley, heroine of the book Anne of Green Gables, taught me a thing or two about love. Having grown to the age of twelve in an orphanage, she finds herself relocated to Prince Edward Island, to the home of an aging brother and sister hoping to keep their small farm running with the help ...
Views: 1444(1 vote) - Visually Paired - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2012 from Cory KempEllie, my friend of thirty years, once pointed out to me, “You are just such a good liar . . .” She wasn’t making a general moral statement, but observing a simple truth: She regularly forgot that I was legally blind because I was so good at pretending I was not. Fitting into a sighted, ...
Views: 1588(1 vote) - Our Best - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2012 from Cory KempBefore the holidays people love to share stories about gifts they are giving. After Christmas, it’s all about what we have received. Giving and receiving is an old cadence, worthy of repeating. Two colleagues confirmed that belief for me in seeing their delight over a new tablet one received ...
Views: 1563(1 vote) - Timeless Truth - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2012 from Cory KempSpring fashions rolled out over the last month or so. Being aware of such matters never occurred to me until I started shopping in front of the television. What can I say? It’s fun, convenient, and the home shopping networks have chatty gals willing to spend their time telling me what ...
Views: 1427(1 vote) - With Thanks - by Submitted on Nov 22, 2010 from Cory KempAs is our custom here in the United States, more of us travel to be with family and friends than at any other time of the year. Fascinating, isn’t it, that this civil holiday, established during our not- so- Civil War, should draw so much of our time and energy. One would think Christmas would ...
Views: 1400(1 vote) - A Simple Act of Fogiveness - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2008 from Cory KempFour Amish girls were buried on a hill in Nickel Mine, Pennsylvania, this morning. Charles Carl Roberts IV, the shooter who invaded their schoolhouse, took their lives and shattered their community's private world, took his own life as well. Roberts' wife and three children live nearby. Two ...
Views: 1535 - Belonging - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2012 from Cory KempHave you found what you want? I ask clients this question at the end of each coaching session, making sure that loose ends are addressed before we part. The client’s job is to show up, be ready to work and ask for what they need. Many clients get edgy around that asking part, preferring ...
Views: 1784 - Bigfoot Evangelism - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from Cory KempThe Texas Bigfoot Conference, hosted last weekend by Jefferson, Texas, welcomed four hundred firm believers to discussions of sightings and tracking techniques, as well as souvenir tables that offered a T shirt which said, "Bigfoot: Often Imitated, Never Invalidated." It impresses me when ...
Views: 1025 - Conversational Avenues - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2009 from Cory KempIndependence Day weekend here in the United States invites the citizenry to enjoy the traditions that surround celebrating our emergence as a nation in 1776. We love our parades, picnics, fireworks and speech readings, practices that uphold values of community and hope we still cherish. Our ...
Views: 989 - Creating From Memory - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2012 from Cory KempWhere do you like to go on vacation? What is it that you like best about this picture that has popped into your mind? Beautiful scenery, new adventures, great shopping, historical sites, loving travel companions, exquisite food and wine, are all reasons to return to a well-loved place, even if ...
Views: 1304 - Custom Costs More - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2008 from Cory KempCBS Sunday Morning recently dedicated a whole program to design. Exploring how we incorporate this powerful, creative tool into our lives was fascinating to consider. Designer food tempted taste buds. Designer puppies melted hearts. Designer household items stirred imaginations. But ...
Views: 693 - Directing - by Submitted on Sep 26, 2013 from Cory KempFebruary 2011 brought good times to the land: George Clooney came to Cincinnati to film his latest movie. I indulged in what became the local hobby of visiting a set location, just to see what it was like, and, of course, to see George in action. Shooting that day took place behind the ...
Views: 1544 - Faith is in the Gopher Wood - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2008 from Cory KempIn an interesting turn of events this week we have had massive rain storms in the Northeastern United States, resulting in flood evacuations in Pennsylvania, and an archeological team from Texas believes it has found Noah's Ark in the Elburz mountains of Iran. Good timing. The team which ...
Views: 1314 - Finding Four Amps - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from Cory KempApollo 13 caught my attention last night as it was broadcast on a local station. The movie is harrowing in its telling details of the ill-fated mission to the moon and equally triumphant in reliving the experience of all that it took to bring the three astronauts home. I remember the actual ...
Views: 1492 - Grace - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2010 from Cory KempI witnessed a miracle today. My dear cats, Frannie and Sienna, curled up on my bed and took a nap together. This may not seem like much to you, but some miracles have to be explained to appreciate in value. Cats by nature are societal, that is, they like to figure out ways to be with each ...
Views: 2624 - Grace To Be Ourselves - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2008 from Cory KempBrett Favre, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, announced his retirement this week. At a news conference yesterday his simple explanation for the move was that he was tired. At thirty-eight and possessing graying hair, Favre and his family have been through multiple tragedies and upheavals ...
Views: 1238 - Great Luxuries - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from Cory KempMy upstairs neighbors are moving out today. I wasn't aware of their impending departure until around eight o'clock this morning when the hustle and bustle of furniture and belongings exiting the building began. I have to say I feel a little sad at the thought, even though I would have to ...
Views: 1273 - Ho Do You Address God? - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2008 from Cory KempIn opening to my devotions today, I rediscovered a familiar hymn verse, as well as its rich meaning in my memory. The following is that hymn verse from What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Are you weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior still our refuge, take it to the ...
Views: 3459 - Holy Labor - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2009 from Cory KempLabor Day weekend always seems to come so quickly, doesn’t it? For children enjoying a summer break, for beach combers still searching for that one, brilliant shell to add to their collection and for those of us who relish a leisurely walk through our neighborhoods in the cool of the early ...
Views: 1249 - Hope Quest - by Submitted on Jun 26, 2008 from Cory KempRemember the old days? So many answers for one simple question. In this case, I am reflecting on how far we have come in securing directions from here to there, wherever here and there may be. Used to be that maps were needed, sometimes several maps, all spread out on the kitchen table or the ...
Views: 1121 - How To Enrich Your Prayer Life In Three Easy Steps - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2008 from Cory KempIt's 10:30 am. I am standing at my job, having made it out of the house on time, maneuvered traffic successfully and found a fabulous parking space of which every person alive should be envious. I am afforded the luxury of a great view, and I am looking forward to a relatively peaceful day. ...
Views: 1436 - Into The Wilderness - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2008 from Cory KempWhen I was growing up our church camping program included opportunities for all ages, from grade school children to adults, to enjoy the great outdoors. Housing ranged from teepees to wood frame cabins with built in bunk beds lining the walls like shelves in a storage room The bathrooms were ...
Views: 864 - Journaling Demystified - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2008 from Cory KempHave you been considering journaling, but have questions about how to get started? Journaling is a wonderful way to explore your faith through prayer, reflection and personal narrative. Shared here are some of the popular questions about journaling, and the opportunity to formulate your own ...
Views: 1108 - Kindness - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2008 from Cory KempHave you ever watched Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella? The Broadway musical became a television special in the 1960's and a cherished memory from my childhood ever since. The story itself is timeless: boy meets girl; boy loses girl; boy finds girl once again to live happily ever after. ...
Views: 1190 - Learning Abundance - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2008 from Cory KempWhat images come to mind when you consider the word abundance? Are beautiful homes, shiny cars, lush resorts filled with palm trees and expansive beaches what you imagine? Perhaps sparkling jewels, closets overflowing with designer clothing and endless nights out on the town at first class ...
Views: 1020 - Love in These Times - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2008 from Cory KempValentines Day is just around the corner, but I must admit that I miss the way love used to be. We don't think or talk about love with that old fashioned charm that once warmed our hearts. Love used to be about romance, flowers, candy, sweet notes secretly passed between lovers as private, ...
Views: 938 - Mercy for All - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2008 from Cory KempElection coverage continues here in the United States. John McCain has been the decided Republican presidential candidate for what seems like a good long while. Democratic hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are still wooing potential voters with their ideas and plans to make our ...
Views: 1040 - Misplaced Objects - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2008 from Cory KempMy employment history includes a stint in retail management that extended for several years. While working as an assistant manager for a furniture store, my shifts began either in the morning or at midday, and varied week to week. Physically maintaining the sales floor was an ongoing project. ...
Views: 952 - New Stories - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2010 from Cory KempGod with Us comes in suspicious surprises. Today it is nineteen degrees before the wind chill in Cincinnati, Ohio. That, my friends, is the high temperature. The natives are more comfortable with a high around forty degrees and rightly so as that is the norm here in what I have fondly come ...
Views: 1525 - New Year Confession - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2008 from Cory KempWelcome to the Year of Our Lord 2008. If you are following tradition and doing your homework, you have sent last year out with all its triumphs, celebrations, regrets and mistakes. You are ready to move smoothly into this bright, shiny new year with a clean slate, a light heart and a positive ...
Views: 2955 - Now Thank We All Our God - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2008 from Cory KempI remember watching civil rights workers being hosed down by police on the national news. I remember the march on Washington to which hundreds of thousands of people traveled on a hot summer day to hear that "I Have a Dream" speech. I remember President Johnson signing into law the Voting ...
Views: 1019 - Old Stories - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2010 from Cory KempThanks to Natalie I have a whole new understanding of the word “bless.” Natalie received her first Holy Communion almost twenty years ago with great joy and the accompanying ceremony that welcomes new members to experience the body of Christ in this way. Her uncle, a devout man of the Greek ...
Views: 1318 - Partnerships - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2011 from Cory KempWorking with other people is a daily fact of life for most of us. Corporations, nonprofits, private industries and consultants all depend on people to remain viable. Even more so, their employees need to provide at least some level of cooperation among themselves in order to promote and ...
Views: 1273 - Practical Beauty - by Submitted on Aug 26, 2008 from Cory KempDecorating has always been a part of my life. My mother's subscription to Better Homes and Gardens rarely made it to her hands before mine. Especially during the summer months, when school didn't impede my camping out on our front steps until the mail carrier arrived, I relished each issue ...
Views: 1187 - Practicing Forgiveness - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2008 from Cory KempReading Dr. Wayne Dyer's book, Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling, has been a joyfully challenging experience for me. Joyful in that it opens new doors and encourages me to hope and grow. Challenging for the very same reasons. Personal growth and development is exhilarating, but also ...
Views: 1941 - Re: Union - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2012 from Cory KempPresidential election results still being counted November 6 didn’t deter the media from speculating about the “great divide” in our country. In retrospect, I wish Hostess had announced its decision to close down the Twinkie production line sooner. But my diehard faith in the process that ...
Views: 1533 - Recognition - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2008 from Cory KempOn a recent trip to Wisconsin I fully realized just how much things change while staying the same. Where once there was one bridge to link the Door Peninsula to the mainland there were now three, the last completed only the week before I arrived. But its original predecessor stood patiently ...
Views: 1046 - Sandy Hook Legacy - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Cory KempMonday dawned on a new week, seven days from Christmas Eve, three days after the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut. Like many, my first thought last Friday was for the people known to me there. In a town of 27,000 souls everybody is known to one another, ...
Views: 1695 - Searching For The Kingdom - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2008 from Cory KempHenry Mora saw an opportunity and seized the day. A gold detector tested positive near the patio in the front yard of his Montclair, California, home and he figured this might be something big. So he grabbed a shovel and started digging. While he only intended to go down three or four feet, ...
Views: 1119 - Serving Your Purpose - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2008 from Cory KempPurpose is a pretty big deal. In the context of life, purpose matters. Our purpose is the answer to the age-old question, "Why are we here?" When we find ourselves wondering what difference our lives make or even why we were born, our purpose is the reason. We each were created and came to ...
Views: 1738 - Sharing the Inheritance - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2008 from Cory KempPlanning for the holidays this season is no longer a marathon, but decidedly a sprint. Thanksgiving steadily dims in our rearview mirrors as Christmas sale signs clamor for our attention at every oncoming turn. We know the drill. Creating survival tactics over the years hones our skills, ...
Views: 961 - So We Are Called - by Submitted on Apr 14, 2009 from Cory KempAs I write today we are two days past Easter and one day away from the income tax filing deadline here in the United States. Redemption wrapped in hope could not be more powerfully met in any two days. Or so it seems. Easter is about believing that God's power can defy death. Paying taxes is ...
Views: 1061 - Spring Is When You See Pavement - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2008 from Cory KempGrowing up in Wisconsin has blessed me with an appreciation for many things. The Green Bay Packers offered lessons in football, loyalty in struggles, and joyful gratitude in triumph. Our license plates still read, "America's Dairyland," conjuring up sweet memories of the best ice cream in the ...
Views: 975 - Times Change - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2013 from Cory KempWhat becomes of a football fan whose team loses in the playoffs? We weep, we mourn, we ask for consolation hugs and we begin talking of next year. It’s never too soon to dream. January was built for clearing out the mental clutter, making space for our imaginations to work and thinking ahead ...
Views: 1472 - To Jerusalem - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2008 from Cory KempWhat do you do when you are the Savior of the World, have a little over a week left to impart your message to your disciples and still have to make the journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover? If you are Jesus of Nazareth, an itinerant rabbi and preacher, it appears you keep going ...
Views: 970 - Traveling Lightly - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2008 from Cory KempSad news greeted me a few weeks ago through a friend who works for the airline industry. The days of unlimited baggage are coming to a close. From now on we get one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person. If you can't contain yourself in that amount of space you will have the option to ...
Views: 947 - Using Our Hearts - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2012 from Cory KempTomorrow is Valentine’s Day once again. There are those who decry this day as a made up, commercialized holiday designed to sell cards, candy, flowers, jewelry and formal dinner dates. For those folks I remind them of the legitimate historical roots of love and truth in the life of the real ...
Views: 1085 - Valentine's Day - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2011 from Cory KempMy colleague, Natalie, recently shared another story with me. It is a classic tale of love found, lost and reclaimed, right before her very eyes. A member of her family, a Golden Lab whose name now escapes me, was well known for his affectionate ways and a deep love of cats. On visiting ...
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