Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  Thomas New & Louisa (Clayton) New c 1940s, East Finchley, London Throughout my childhood, our English Christmases became more and more Americanised as the 10-day Atlantic Ocean voyage drifted into history. We always had a live naturally scented fir tree decorated with a few simple ornaments, which dad brought from those first Christmases before World War II. My mum baked a traditional English Christmas cake surrounded by a colourful band, covered with a snowscape of Royal icing with Father Christmas, reindeer, and miniature fir trees. Outside, the townsfolk of Vineland, New Jersey welcomed Father Christmas with red and green lights hung across the broad avenue. On Christmas Eve, we joined bundled church folk singing carols and collecting coins for the poor in honour of Tiny Tim. And at church on the Sunday before Christmas, we were sure to get a colourful two-layer box of filled chocolates. Dad always got my dark ones. Christmas Season 1950s Vineland NJ On that glorious mor...

Will you get your fair share of the $25 billion Americans spend on mother's day this year? Talk about inflation, the expected 2019 increase is expected to be up 8% over last year. Who got even a 4% raise? And our government says inflation is under control! You might guess it's a big week for flower sales. 1-800-Flowers.com takes in over $71,000,000 in Mother's Day sales! My mother complained about the quality when I ordered flowers online--I don't recall what company I used. She was happier when I got her a plant from a local discount retailer. Did you plan ahead for a seat at her favorite restaurant? The NRA expects 87,000,000 people to eat at a restaurant for Mother's Day (NRA = National Restaurant Association, I thought I should clear that up). According to Zillow, nearly 22% of Americans age 23-27 still live with their mothers. I wonder how that's working out. What about women without children? Hallmark hasn't left them out. At least if the...

Convoy of Hope helps after Greensburg KS tornado 2007 King : Come here, you beloved, you people whom My Father has blessed. Claim your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation. You shall be richly rewarded, for when I was hungry, you fed Me. And when I was thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives. I was naked, and you gave Me clothes to wear; I was sick, and you tended to My needs; I was in prison, and you comforted Me. Even then the righteous will not have achieved perfect understanding and will not recall these things. Righteous : Master, when did we find You hungry and give You food? When did we find You thirsty and slake Your thirst? When did we find You a stranger and welcome You in, or find You naked and clothe You? When did we find You sick and nurse You to health? When did we visit You when You were in prison? King : I tell you this: whenever you saw a...