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Studying the book of Mark in my adult Sunday school class recently got me thinking about a question I have always liked to ponder: at what point did Mary approach her son and tell him the big news?  

Amazon is a leader in online shopping. It has warehouses across the country to sort and deliver its products. Recently, Amazon Air announced it will expand its delivery network into Rockford. 

Chicago Rockford International Airport is already a major hub for UPS. The airport also has maintenance facilities capable of repairing the world's largest aircraft. But Amazon took particular interest due to the airport's cargo operations. Director Sarah Rhoads says it's part of the retailer's "Middle Mile" network for two-day deliveries.

In the Catholic church, a chancery is the traditional name for the administrative offices of a diocese. In Rockford, church leaders have made plans to demolish the former chancery on Court Street. It was built in 1929 and has been vacant for nearly a decade. Since then, there have been building code violations and continued costs for upkeep. Church leaders cite safety concerns as well. Former Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey wants historic designation for the building to pursue ways to give it new life.

I was playing a videogame the other day when I heard my mom yell, “You computer nerds have been on your screens long enough! Go outside!” 

We decided in early December to spend the Sunday night before Christmas in Chicago, just to see the lights and do some last-minute shopping.  

Besides the fact that dogs are known as man’s best friend, there is much we can learn from our four-legged friends. When I take Zoe outside, she stops right away to listen to and smell our surroundings. Intently, she single-mindedly stares into the yard. After this pause, she then proceeds, reassessing the situation as she walks, with nose to the ground she pulls ahead, lured by the scents of new adventures. 

The great composer, Gustav Holst, brought to life the lyrics of a poet in a Christmas carol melody both sad and sweet.  It starts out: 

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan 

John Perryman is a pediatrician with Mercyhealth in Roscoe. He sees patients struggling to afford medications. Some families, he says, disappear for stretches of time when they fall off an insurance plan. On this week's Friday Forum, Jenna Dooley talks with Perryman about his view as well as from a major opponent of the idea.

If you’re like me, you run across a lot of stuff you don’t understand. I’ve been reading about quantum physics for years and still don’t get how subatomic particles can be particles and waves at the same time.

I try to read economics, too. Yet I don’t understand the economic doctrine that says, if the country goes into recession, I should help by boosting my own spending, even if I go bankrupt. Won’t my bankruptcy make the recession worse, not to mention making me worse?

The national Women’s March has faced accusations of anti-Semitism, and organizers in Chicago recently announced they would not march, citing logistical challenges.

Organizer Alicia Neubauer says none of those issues apply to the Rockford march, though. Canceling has never been on the table for their group.

Neubauer says they have tried since the inception of the Rockford march to include a diversity of voices.

If you follow health news, you have heard about the Mediterranean diet. Full of vegetables, fruits and fish, it promises health and longevity. Nevertheless, recent studies have challenged this golden health rule. 

It was September 1776, just two months after the American colonies had declared their independence from Britain. British naval commander Richard Howe demanded a meeting. Perhaps the Americans wanted to change their minds about their rash decision. 

I’m always grateful for those opportunities to start again.  Beginning fresh, no mistakes, trying something different, more challenging.  Restarting offers us a chance at a perfect moment in the future. 

A perfect moment – what does it really hold?  Everyone getting along?  Having a good hair day and being on time?  Having that new idea work just right?  Cooking a steak to the just-right medium rare?  A perfect moment where I’ve strung words together that motivates someone.  It’s pure synchronistic magic. 

It is the season of giving. Every year the holidays bring an abundance of generosity. We talk about toy drives, food drives, and free turkeys.  

A conversation we should be having is how to ensure our neighbors aren’t poor. We should be asking questions about why when there is more food distribution than ever before the need continues to grow.  

Seven years ago, a girls school founded by two Northern Illinois University professors opened its doors to its first eleven students in rural western Kenya. Now, 160 girls attend the school that has a goal of being “good enough for the richest, open to the poorest.” The school added music to its curriculum this year, and that created a mutual opportunity for one DeKalb native. On this week’s Friday Forum, WNIJ’s Susan Stephens sits down with Nelle Conley before she heads back to Kenya.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is currently drafting rules for the historic Industrial Hemp Farming Act that passed this summer. This will allow those with a permit to grow, cultivate, or process the non-drug, agricultural varieties of cannabis.