Here's a Thought with Jay Daniels

I guess what they say is true. As we get older, the gifts that matter most do not come wrapped in packages, boxes, or bags. They come in the form of a visit... a phone call... a letter. The best gifts in life are those moments that we share with those we love most. Those are the gifts in life to be treasured.

You know, it's been a while since I took the time to write an in-depth edition of "Closing Thoughts." To be honest, it's been a busy month. Not as busy as last year, thank God, but busy enough. I ask your prayers as I continue driving up and down 81 this week. 'Tis the season to be merry, I suppose! Winchester could be considered a culturally diverse town. It sits just west of the Washington, D.C. metro area, which is home to a number of "people groups." In my view, people are just people... regardless of where they come from. When we bleed, our blood is the same color. Yet, there are barriers that still separate many of us. You see, my neighborhood is home to many Latin American immigrants. They're good, hard-working people that contribute a great deal to the community. They're families - mom, dad, and children. They understand the importance of togetherness and community. They set the example for a close-knit community. Yet, one thing sepa...

We've all had people in our lives that challenged us to do better... to do more... to achieve things we never thought possible. Two of those people that inspired many of us were Roby and Roberta Wagner.  You know, I still think about both of them from time to time, even though it's been 15 years since I last saw Mr. Wagner. But today... a dear friend of mine said something that brought back a flurry of memories...  My buddy Mark Purdy shook my hand after class and said, "See you later, Big Guy." Mr. Wagner used to always call me that when I was a kid in elementary school. In fact, our school was a combined K-12 facility out in the countryside of Bumpass, VA. Mr. Wagner served as principal; his wife, Roberta, was the K-5 teacher. My most vivid memory of Roby Wagner was actually toward the end of my first grade year in 1995 with my teacher, Mrs. Sue Riley. We had all just come back from a sneak peek of the second grade classroom with Mrs. Byers and Mrs. Kersey. W...

It was New Year's Eve 2006. I was still living with Granny at her home near Lake Anna. Earlier in the day, a friend of mine and I went for a shopping trip to Lynchburg - mostly to thrift stores and antique shops.  At the former DAV Thrift Store on Timberlake Road, I spotted it... an almost new Reader's Digest collection of records - The Great Band Era: 1936-1945. As one who was just beginning to learn much of that music, I found this to be a fanta stic buy. That evening, I got back to Granny's house. She was gone for the evening to the NYE festivities at the Louisa Moose Lodge. For me, it was going to be a quiet night in a quiet house.  After relaxing for a few moments, I found my way to the turntable. As I began to listen to one of the first records, I heard a unique baritone singing one of the most beautiful melodies from the Big Band Era.  The vocalist was  Vaughn Monroe  and the song was "There, I've Said It Again." In later years, the song would...

It was sometime around late 2005 or early 2006. I was working my first job at the Virginia Center Ukrop's in Glen Allen, VA. By this point, I was cashier on the front end of the store. It had been a fairly quiet afternoon when it came time for my 15-minute break. After making a salad at the bar, I went to the upstairs break room in the rear of the building.  As I finished my ascent up the stairs, I heard a voice singing a familiar melody. It was my friend Constance. She stopped for a moment, but I asked her to please continue singing that wonderful music. (She now shares her talent with a church praise team near her home in Dallas.) The words she was singing still resonate with me today. Perhaps, this weekend, we could all be reminded of these words written by Joseph Scriven. "What a friend we have in Jesus All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit! Oh, what needless pain we bear! All bec...

I watch the news... I scroll through my Facebook feed... I hear the conversations of many on the streets. Our nation is more divided than ever. Folks are pointing fingers at each other. Their words spew feelings of hate not compassion. Their actions speak volumes to the condition of their heart.  Frankly, I have grown tired of these childish actions. I'd rather flip an off-switch and make it all go away. Christians and all peoples alike... we are called to love our neighbors. All of our neighbors. Not one can change the entire world, but one person at a time can make a difference in their corner of the world. Think about what you say... what you post... and most of all... think about what you want your life to stand for. I share with you now these words from a little-known Irving Berlin composition, as performed here by Frank Sinatra on a radio broadcast from the 1940s.  "Help me to help my neighbor. Help me to understand. Help me to hear the pleading Of an outst...

Yesterday, "Mother" Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC, marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting that claimed the lives of nine of its parishioners. From the very start, the members of Mother Emanuel offered their love and forgiveness to the shooter, Dylann Roof.  During a service held to commemorate the anniversary, The Rev. Dr. Keith Juenarrl offered the invocation. As I was coming home from Alexandria, NPR played a clip of his ser mon, with these words... "Have mercy upon the soul and the life of young Dylann Roof. Have mercy upon all our souls." Mercy...  What does that word mean to you? In spite of tragedy and personal loss... the people of Mother Emanuel are showing all of us what it means to love our neighbor... for better of for worse.

For many of us, today is considered Palm Sunday. A day when Jesus rode into the city on a colt. The crowds lined the streets... waving palm branches and shouting "Hosanna!" (literally meaning "please deliver us") It was more or less a day of jubilant praise and adoration for the One called the Christ.  Yet, later in that week, Jesus would be betrayed into the hands of soldiers... beaten, tortured, mocked... then led to a cross at Golgotha (Calvary). On tha t cross, He would then breathe His last. Yet, the story does not end there. As we embark upon this Holy Week, I encourage you to seek God's direction in your own life. Some of us will go through the rituals while walking down a dark, lonely road. Last year was my first full experience of Holy Week in the liturgical church. The world seemed dark and empty. And yet with each passing day, I knew that a day of rejoicing and celebration was coming... Easter was fast approaching. While this week ahead may be...

This portion of our broadcast is being brought to you by Powdermilk Biscuits. “Powdermilk biscuits: Heavens, they're tasty and expeditious! They're made from whole wheat, to give shy persons the strength to get up and do what needs to be done." It's amazing how people, that you may not even know, can have a profound impact upon your life. As I was driving home from Pennsylvania tonight, I listened to Garrison Keillor on  A Prairie Home Companion . APHC has always kept me company during the long drives on I-81. I quickly realized that it was Mr. Keillor's last show as host from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul (he officially retires at the end of this season). Listening to the show, I was reminded of how Mr. Keillor's stage presence has influenced how I connect with my own audience. His delivery is not over the top. In fact, it's easy to listen to, and he makes you feel as though you're his neighbor. It's that connection that makes his r...