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Now here's today's news, discerned differently.

The Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, Maryland,

made the holidays easier for a thousand people last Sunday.

Volunteers passed out $50 grocery gift cards to drivers lined up outside their church campus.

The congregation has given away more than $600,000 in gift cards

since the spring of last year, while also providing meals and food boxes in partnership with county

government and local groups. This is all despite the fact the church has not met in person since

the pandemic began, yet tithing continues online with

regularity. Contrasts their generosity with this report. Eighty-six percent of consumers will shop

over Thanksgiving weekend. They will spend $491 on average between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday,

bringing in a total of over $108 billion.

Black Friday derives its name from the Philadelphia Police Department, which coined the term in the 1960s to describe the challenges they faced during this annual shopping frenzy.

But the day and the weekend are also crucial to retailers who hope to end the year in the black.

To be successful, they must convince us of three things.

One, we need something they are selling.

Two, we need to buy it from them. And three, we need to buy it now.

The first step is obviously essential to the rest. For example, when Janet and I visited Philadelphia

a few years ago, we passed numerous shops selling Eagles paraphernalia. I was never tempted because, as a Cowboys

fan, the last thing I want to wear is an Eagles jersey, not to mention the danger to life and limb if I did so

...