Here's a Thought with Jay Daniels

Last week, much of the Northeast was hammered by a Nor'easter that left nearly two feet of snow in some spots. Because of the severity of the storm, thousands were left without power for several days. The power companies seemed to have more work than they could handle. All hope, however, was not lost. Help was on the way. As I was driving back from York, PA, last Friday, I spotted several convoys of utility trucks headed north on 81 - dozens of linemen going to serve where they were needed. In a time of great need, those power companies in the Northeast knew that they could rely on others to come help in their time of distress. You know, folks, that reminded me of an important truth for each of us. When bad things happen in our lives, who can we call on? Are there those special people in our lives that will come to our rescue when we call? If there are, realize how special and unique those people really are. They don't come often in life, and they are few and far between. ...

The world of social media is ablaze this morning with celebrations of International Women's Day. I think the  famed pianist and vocalist Harry Connick, Jr., said it best when he remarked that everyday is Women's Day for him. As I share these thoughts with you, I want you to think about those special women that have been in your life. What is the impact that they have made upon you? I'm reminded of a number of special women that have made a difference in my life over the past 30 years. It goes without saying that my Mom has played some of the most important roles in my life - caregiver, friend, listener, and supporter. There have been a number of times when there seemed to be no one else by my side, but Mom was always there. Sometimes simply being there for someone can make the greatest difference in the world. By the way, this influential woman has a birthday coming up on March 19! There are other influential women that I think of on days like today. There was Mrs. Ro...

One of the greatest influences in my childhood was Mr. Rogers. Millions, including myself, grew up visiting with our favorite television neighbor each day. I can remember that half-hour being the best part of those days at home in Louisa County. It's truly amazing how a children's program can make such a profound impact upon so many, and yet, that's precisely what Mister Rogers' Neighborhood did and continues to do. You may have heard this said before. "Why try to say something better than what's already been said well?" Such is the case with these words from Mr. Rogers, as spoken during his induction speech to the TV Hall of Fame in 1999. Perhaps some part of this will speak to you tonight. The full speech can be found in video form here.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcNxY4TudXo "Fame is a four-letter word; and like tape or zoom or face or pain or life or love, what ultimately matters is what we do with it. I feel that those of us in tel...

As a means of preparing this writing, I took a few moments to read over the lyrics to Billy Joel's "Allentown." Truthfully, even after several visits to The Queen City, I had never really listened to this work... until now. It has an uncanny way of perfectly tying into my thoughts for this evening. We had planned the trip for weeks. A group of us would all take a road trip to Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley as we visited the sights and sounds around Allentown, PA. I always do enjoy driving to this part of the country, and we were all looking forward to a memorable day. Now there were a number a good, memorable moments, but some of the things we had planned turned out to be nothing more than disappointments.  One of the saddening parts of the day was the City of Allentown itself. A once thriving metropolis  now contains endless reminders of "what could have been." You see, the area once thrived with mills and factories; it was a successful manufacturing t...

Have you ever said something and quickly realized that you probably shouldn't have said it? Well, for this writer, it happens more than I would like to admit. There was one time, however, that a dear friend of mine got a little tongue tied and ended up saying the wrong thing... while praying in church. A few years ago, we were attending Bible study on a Wednesday night. It was a small church so there were only a handful of people at service that evening. Before the conclusion of our Bible study, a friend of mine was asked to offer a closing prayer. Her words were so moving and so sincere until the very end when she uttered these unforgettable words. "Lord, we ask that you forgive us of our farts. Excuse me, Father. Our faults." I never did let her forget that moment. In fact, I often reminded her of it. Well, a few years later, guess who did the same thing... Yep, this guy. Dear friends, let's remember that sometimes all we can do is laugh. Remember, if we can...

I just don't know what got into me this morning. Normally I would have been in bed asleep until 8 or so, but this morning, I wanted to go out and do something. So, I did. It's been a several months since I went out for a morning walk. As I've said, the temptation of extra sleep is hard to resist. Yet, there's something invigorating about starting the day off with a walk. It's as though for just a few moments that everything is right with the world... just me and my music going out for a stroll. To be honest with you, this morning had me feeling better than I had for a while. It was good to be out and about again. This morning it's cloudy and cool in Winchester... not exactly the most beautiful morning I've seen. Yet, as I took those many steps around the campus of Shenandoah, I was continually reminded of these words from the scriptures. Perhaps you, too, will be encouraged by the reading of them. "The steadfast love of the Lord  never ceases; his...