“…and visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.” My question for you is: Have your sugarplums turned to prunes? Does the thought of being with family members bring you a sense of joy and hope or gloom, despair and a desire to be alone in a cave?  The holidays are a traditional time of family […]

It never fails, about three to five days before “Black Friday,” I hear at least a partial recitation of A Visit from St. Nicholas, a poem written by an American author, Clement Clarke Moore. It is a lovely poem; that helped launch some of our modern views of Santa. In one of the early lines […]

Connor and his mom helping Mimi and Pa decorate their Tree (c)2014 John Thurman Lower Holiday Stress – Grab that Photo now. Today I was working on my How to Keep Your Sugar-plums from Turning to Prunes series when I ran across an absolutely hysterical and practical article on how to do the “perfect” the […]

U.S. Army Thanksgiving meal in Afghanistan Do you remember the poem “Mary Had a Little Little Lamb?” I know what you are thinking, “John, what in the world does that have to to with Thanksgiving? Well, you might be surprised to know that it has a lot to do with how we celebrate the holiday. […]

Breaking News: Breast explodes on Thanksgiving Day. Middle Georgia: During the 60’s Right breast of Thanksgiving Turkey explodes in oven. No injuries were reported; anxiety levels were high. I grew up in a larger family in Fort Valley, Georgia. Fort Valley is a wonderful town situated in the heart of Georgia, on many maps is […]

Thanksgiving – a Great Opportunity to Boost Your EmotionsBy John Thurman “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16: 34 “Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather amount of Gratitude.” A.A. Kline, Winnie-the-Pooh I love this time […]

I am proud to be a veteran. This photo of myself, and my Chaplain’s Assistant SGT Mary Gonzales was take back in the early 1990’s on a training exercise in Texas. I was blessed to serve as a Chaplain in the Army Reserve and National Guard for twenty-two years. Moreover, now I have the opportunity […]

After You Say “I Do” 3 of 3 By John Thurman, M.Div., M.A., LPCC I hope you have enjoyed some of the “before and after” comments. Some of these happen to all of us in our relationships. One of my professors used to say, “You date the adult, but you marry the child.” One of […]

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly about Stress by John Thurman Stress spelled backwards means desserts. While a slice of Coconut Cream Pie and the Village Inn might give you a little relief from stress, you will probably feel more depressed within a couple of hours after the sugar burns off. With that happy […]

By John Thurman, M.Div., M.A., LPCC Last week we looked at some of the ways Mr. Wonderful had lost his luster. This week it is the ladies’ turn. By the way, be sure to let yourself laugh a little as we review the before and after scenarios. Before: It is the first time you have […]