SWARTZ CREEK MI - "The words of our Savior in red," some Bibles say on their spines. But what about the words printed in black? I recently posted a picture on Facebook of a tattered Bible, opened to no place in particular, but the two pages looking like a Technicolor spectacular, with notes, revelations, and reminders in its margins. Bookmarks and Post-It notes splayed forth from many spots. Many people mark verses and passages that speak -- or shout -- to them in their Bibles.

Accompanying this picture I found was the quotation by Charles Spurgeon, "People whose Bibles are falling apart usually lead lives that aren't." It reminded me of the country song whose title warned listeners against "dust on the Bible."

Reverses decision to cut off abortion funds

Controversy has swirled around the fact that the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, which fights for the prevention of breast cancer, has been funding Planned Parenthood abortion clinics with funds collected from supporters.

On Tuesday of this week, Susan G. Komen cut off $680,000 in funding to 19 abortion clinics run by Planned Parenthood. The foundation had said the move was made because of a recent policy change that prohibited funding of organizations that are under investigation – like Planned Parenthood.

SWARTZ CREEK MI - (ANS)- Unanswered prayer? It's not the same thing as God failing us. How can you know this? A mighty Book says so in words, and an anonymous homeless man said so in song. both with amazing clarity.

A message from my daughter, Heather Shaw:

"What are your expectations for your life?" our pastor asked the congregation this past Sunday as he preached on the Book of James.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - The young couple across the restaurant aisle were obviously angry with one another. The portion of their conversation reaching our table was peppered with two common phrases. "You always get home late." "Well, you never have dinner on time any way, so what difference does it make?" "Why should I if you're never there to eat it with us?"

We tried to ignore their conversation, but it was so familiar. Not the "late to dinner" part. It was those phrases "you always," and "you never" that clanged so loudly.

SWARTZ CREEK MI - Being in the cartoon business for most of my life, I am familiar with one of the standard clichés: someone arrives in Heaven and, bing, there are the Pearly Gates; a bearded St Peter; a giant guest register.

Easy to draw, hard to see. That is, to see in the way the Bible describes our first day in Heaven. There is no check-in procedure. No nervous waiting to hear whether the pencil we swiped in fifth grade will keep us out. And St Peter -- oh, he will be there, among the multitudes we will want to meet. I burn with curiosity to, possibly, ask questions of Abraham and Moses and St Paul and Luther. And Job! Augustine! And countless martyrs who served the poor and the oppressed.

SCOTT DEPOT, WV - (ANS)- Finding inspiration where you live

Do you ever find inspiration, encouragement, guidance and even a little humor in unexpected places? Those are the surprises of life. They may startle you or as some say, "It knocked me for a loop." It was a mental and emotional shock. It woke you up.

It did not take my breath away, but I laughed at one little sign in Pastor Ralph's study last week. It reminded me of three beautiful little girls who used to say, "Nana, you laugh a lot." Every time Grandma heard that, she laughed even more. The referenced plaque simply said, "Grandmas are antique little girls" -- still having fun and laughing with others.

A newly released ESPN poll says that Tim Tebow, the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, is the most popular athlete in the nation. Tebow beat out Kobe Bryant, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and his opponent for Saturday’s AFC Divisional Playoff game, Tom Brady.

Tebow has transcended football and sports this year as a national figure due to his habit of praying publicly during games. “Tebowing” as it is called by the secular world has drawn both admiration and hate for Tebow.

By now anyone who keeps up with NFL football knows that often maligned, high profile Christian, Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a win over the favorite Pittsburgh Steelers in their match up on Sunday as part of Wildcard Weekend.

It has now also been widely reported that Tebow, who has been ridiculed for his public displays of faith in Jesus Christ racked up some divine numbers in the game. Tebow passed for 316 yards in the victory. Tebow averaged 31.6 yards per pass and the final quarter-hour television rating for the game was 31.6 according to the Sports Business Journal.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - I am shocked at man's inhumanity to man and the selfish self-involved attitude in the majority of people today.

In the name of God to perpetrate your wars! How dare you use the name of God to kill your fellow man. How dare you use the name of God; it was not in His plan. You call them religious wars the Moslem and the Jew, the Catholic and the Protestant, the Buddhist and Hindu. How dare you use the name of God to kill destroy and maim. Jesus died to save us all and you are killing him again.

Claims action is out of respect for diverse religious beliefs

For the past thirty years Alaska Airlines has placed a simple prayer card on the meal tray of passengers. Now Alaska Airlines has announced it will discontinue this practice out of “respect for the diverse religious beliefs and cultural attitudes of Alaska Airlines’ customers and employees.”

Alaska Airlines also notes that some passengers preferred not to “mix religion with transportation.” So, the thirty-year tradition of the prayer card will stop on February 1, 2012.

LOS ANGELES, CA - A Chinese Christian businesswoman from Canada who visited China late last year was kidnapped and tortured by Chinese state security agents after she visited two persecuted Chinese house churches during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, ChinaAid has learned.

Jenny Chen, who is in her 50s, was held by state security agents and denied food and water for nearly two days. About to go into shock, she was taken to a police hospital, from where she managed to escape and get on a flight to Los Angeles, arriving in the United States on Jan. 17.

BATON ROUGE, LA - Another great weekend of NFL playoff action has come and gone. The San Francisco 49ers shocked my New Orleans Saints on Jan. 14 to advance to the AFC Championship Game against the New York Giants on Jan. 22. And, I cannot go without mentioning the Jan. 8 heroics of one Tim Tebow, who led the Denver Broncos to an overtime victory against the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers.

Many felt the underdog 49ers would collapse to the offensive onslaught the Saints orchestrated during the season. In the end, the underdogs had different plans. Forty-niners coach Jim Harbaugh gave his players the greatest words of inspiration before the game. He told his men the team they were not supposed to be in the playoffs. Essentially, the 49ers were cast off. Excuse after excuse was given by naysayers, including the 49ers early dominance of their division, the NFC West.

SCOTT DEPOT, WV - What is so abnormal about living in a normal Christian lifestyle? By lifestyle, we are referring to one’s way of life, behavior, conduct, habits, inclinations and normal way of doing things.

I have been a fan of Tim Tebow since his college days. I am deeply impressed by his parents and have been in various areas of the country where he and they served as missionaries.

SWARTZ CREEK MI - It's all over the news now, the disparity between the "99 per cent" and the "One per cent" -- or, rather, the resentment and envy that the majority is supposed to harbor against the more wealthy. It is at the core of the "Occupy" crowds' chants and signs.

Theodore Roosevelt correctly observed that the sin of envy is no less a sin than that of greed. And years ago, a friend from France once gave me the best definition of Socialism (therefore, its most potent pushback). Francois Mitterand had been elected president in his country; the Socialists were coming to power; and among their proposals, in the name of equality, was the abolition of First-Class seats on public transportation.

"Why is it that the Socialists never want to abolish anything that is second-class?" my friend asked.

SCOTT DEPOT, WV - We have been presented a clean page, an opportunity for a new beginning, another year -- a year of making important decisions. Every decision must be made carefully, thoughtfully and wisely.

Have you already made decisions about your New Year's resolutions? Still keeping them? You can start over and keep them from now on.

Many believe this year is very important for our nation. We will make decisions about some of the following issues.