“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” These are lyrics many of us know. They are from an old gospel song, and it is a song about faith, perseverance, and resilience. It says, “I am going to encourage others to be positive.” In the Bible, the word light symbolizes God’s presence, holiness, truth, and life-giving power. It is often contrasted with the word dark, which suggests something more demonic or grim. It is noted in John 1:5 that, “The light shines in the

Hisakazu Watanabe, Wikimedia Commons Few can resist the call of a fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon roll. There is something about cinnamon rolls that I find irresistible. Well, okay, a lot more than one thing. Many things, such as their aroma, especially fresh from the oven, their tender texture, the sweetness, the taste and satisfaction all combine to provide a wonderful experience. I know this is an appreciation shared by many others, as there are entire businesses that cater t

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune File Photo Volunteers for the Madera Artist Friends group make paper out of recycled material with attendees during last year’s Arts Fest hosted by Madera County Schools Foundation and Madera County Superintendent of Schools and sponsored by EECU. Families are invited to attend the 13th annual Madera County ArtsFest on May 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This free community event celebrates art and creativity in Madera County with a fun, carnival-lik

Benjamin Franklin is attributed as saying, “There are no gains without pains.” Today that saying has been shortened to, “No pain, no gain.” It’s a good thing to remember, and it is true that our struggles do make us stronger, whether it is just a slight bump in the road or if it is a true difficulty. Nobody likes to go through pain and suffering, and yet we have a few expressions where we compare what we are experiencing, using the word pain, as if it is a true comparison.

It was probably about 25 years ago. I had returned to school to get my MBA at Fresno State’s Craig School of Business. I was doing what they call burning a candle at both ends, working full-time, going to classes in the evenings and studying late at night and early in the mornings. My favorite place to read and study was in the corner of our sectional sofa in the living room. The only problem was that the lighting was not good there. So, I told David what I needed was one of

Foodie Girl, freerangestock.com Corn and black beans go together very well. Adding some colorful bell peppers to the mix is even better. It seems like we sort of get caught in a revolving door, going from one holiday or special event to another, barely getting a chance to catch our breath. I understand that the world of marketing and advertising tends to promote special days very early, because most businesses need to make a profit. And those businesses provide us with a grea

I heard myself saying something (to myself) this morning, thinking “That’s the best thing since flush plumbing.” I remember people using that expression when I was young, but it seems that most people around here don’t use that same one. The one more commonly used seems to be, “That’s the best thing since sliced bread.” I googled that expression when I got to the office, and I read lots of variations of the same “idiom.” Some of them were not very nice, but others were more u

Andy Li, Wikimedia Commons Salmon is a popular choice for many who enjoy poke bowls for a meal. I first heard of the delicacy known as a poke bowl from my youngest son, Cody. He enjoys living in an area that is rich with popular foods that represent many different nations and cultures. I had to look up how to pronounce the Hawaiian word “poke,” which as far as I can tell, is enunciated “POH-kay” or sometimes “POH-keh.” Different versions of the poke bowl are popping up in man