Religion

There was a time when the faithful in the heavily Dutch corners of the Midwest would not have been able to sing along if the organist played the gospel classic “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.”

One of the greatest sages of the Jewish people was a man named Akiva ben Joseph (50 C.E.-135 C.E.) This ignorant shepherd, whose formal education did not begin until he was 40, rose to be one of the most important rabbis in Jewish history.

CRYSTAL RIVER — In the New Testament Book of Acts, a widow named Dorcas is singled out as someone who was “always doing good and helping the poor.”

She made robes and clothing. When she died, her friends showed them to the apostles.

That’s all that’s written about her, but throughout the centuries, in thousands of churches worldwide, women have followed her example.

Generally when my friend Tara and I get together, food is both talked about and consumed.

I taught her my secret to amazing stir-fry vegetables (season them with onion powder and dried red chili flakes), and she introduced me to pad thai and satay at a Thai restaurant.

Last Saturday, to celebrate her birthday, she and I and our husbands went to a seafood, prime rib and sushi buffet where we, as always, both talked about and consumed incredibly delicious food.