Growing up in a blue-collar family, having a new coat for winter was truly a welcomed gift. That is one of the reasons I remember my Aunt Jay so fondly. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses sacrifices and a new coat.

Scripture: Give and gifts will be given to you, a good measure, packed together shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. Luke 6:38

Reflections: Was there someone in your life who sacrificed for you? How did it make you feel when you realized how much love was involved? Have you ever been the “angel” for someone?

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In June, my wife Diane and I celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary. In those 47 years, we have had some interesting holiday gatherings. But, none like the one in Atlanta, Georgia that never happened. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony shares Out Thanksgiving Pizza.

A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, “Come, everything is now ready.” But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. Luke 14:16-18

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There is a story of two young women having an elaborate lunch together in an upscale downtown restaurant. As they are enjoying their food and conversation, the invited guest asks her friend the reason for the occasion.

She replies, “We are celebrating the baby’s birthday!”

“But, where is the baby?” said her bewildered friend.

“Oh,” said the mother, “You didn’t think I would bring him, did you?” Why he doesn’t know anything about it.”

In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses keeping Christ in Christmas.

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Before I could open the box my parents sat me down and told me that a neighbor boy’s father had been laid off and they couldn’t afford presents for my friend. Wouldn’t it be nice if I gave up one of my toys so that he would have something under his Christmas tree? In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses the tough decision he was forced to make on Christmas morning and the Christmas lesson we can learn from little children.
Scripture: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” Matthew 18:3-5
Reflection: Do you think that the six-year-old’s in your life would pass the test? How about your teenagers? Have you ever given up something that you wanted to help someone in need? How did that make you feel?

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After weeks of shopping, hanging ornaments, planning meals, and making arrangements for flights home, Christmas is finally here. The pressure, anxiety, and worry will soon be over. It’s so easy to get so caught up in the hoopla and anticipation that we overlook the most important elements of the holiday. I was searching for something to reflect on this Christmas that might make this a better Christmas for you and me. These were the thoughts that went through my mind as I made the first of three trips to the airport on Christmas Eve. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony shares a Christmas story of an encounter with a shoeshine man.

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The father was unemployed, the oldest child was ill, and every penny they had could hardly keep the family together. “Wouldn’t it be nice,” the preacher offered, “if the congregation would all bring in what they could next Sunday and present it to this wonderful family.” In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses The Giving Heart.

Scripture: “When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” –Luke 21:1-4

Quote: “The most obvious lesson in Christ’s teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving.” Henry Drummond

Reflections: Who are the most Christ-like people you know? Do you believe that generosity has little to do with the amount of money involved? How do we measure our generosity?

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The value of a lost object doesn’t lessen just because it is lost. In today’s Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses the value of a lost soul, and how they have great value to our Lord.

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Most people spend their lives in pursuit of the extraordinary. We look at the lives of celebrities, glorify their excesses, and wish that our lives could be more like theirs. In this podcast, Tony talks about the ordinary moments that represent 99% of our time on earth.

Quote: For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are you’re not going to be very happy. If someone bases his [or her] happiness on major events like a great job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage, or a trip to Paris, that person isn’t going to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink, or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness. – -Andy Rooney

The only difference between an extraordinary life and an ordinary one is the extraordinary pleasures you find in ordinary things. – – Veronique Vienne

Reflection: Do you find yourself missing the ordinary in search of the extraordinary? What can we do to embrace the ordinary occurrences in life? Are you comfortable with your ordinary life?

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When we think of beautiful people we generally think of physical beauty, a beautiful young girl, a smiling baby, a handsome athletic man. Beauty, as defined by Hollywood, the cosmetics companies, and clothing lines, are now the norm. Their image is what most people describe as beautiful. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony talks about real beauty and beautiful people.

Quotes: “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

“Do not assume that he who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. His life may also have much sadness and difficulty, that remains far beyond yours. Were it otherwise, he would never have been able to find these words.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

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The author copy of the book has arrived. One of my favorite things to do as an author is to open a box of new books.

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