New Year’s Day may be the start of a new year, but it marks the beginning of a month known for celebrating two key events. The third Monday of the month, on January 18th this year, honors the birthday of America’s best known Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King Jr. And in so doing, … Continue reading Virtues That Define Us
Amen to That!
Apparently, in an effort to be more gender- and deity-inclusive, House Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri ended the opening prayer of 117th Congress this past Sunday with “Amen and a-woman.” I guess he forgot to say, “a-person.” Was he making a joke? Nobody is laughing. To make matters even more confusing, Rep. Cleaver is … Continue reading Amen to That!
A Resolution of Words for 2021
It’s that time of year to unpack from storage that word we only seem to use in January. You know what I am talking about - Resolutions. One could argue that human nature being what it is, that the annual practice of making New Year’s Resolutions is but an exercise in futility. Eventually, we all … Continue reading A Resolution of Words for 2021
My Soul Felt Its Worth
Church choir directors are fond of saying that he who sings, prays twice. I think I understand why. What is it about the singing of Christian hymns that give expression to the deepest yearnings of our hearts? For many years I have marveled at the beauty of these ageless carols. The way the words seem … Continue reading My Soul Felt Its Worth
Safe at Home – Part 2
Unless you own stock in face masks, hand sanitizers, and ZOOM, you probably cannot wait for 2021 to arrive. Such anticipation carries with it the hopes of a vaccine and life returning to normal. Though I suspect the new normal will only be a state of constant change. The negative consequences of this pandemic have … Continue reading Safe at Home – Part 2
Safe At Home
A title like “Safe at Home” sounds more like a commentary on life in the midst of the 2020 pandemic. Not exactly. Keep reading. It was the bottom of the ninth in the seventh and final game of the 1992 Major League Baseball’s National League Championship Playoff series. The Atlanta Braves, hoping to return to … Continue reading Safe At Home
A Teachable Moment
It was November 2000 when my twenty-something-year-old daughter, who shall remain anonymous, called me in tears. On her way to a concert in Atlanta, she had been stopped not once, but twice, by the police — an amazing feat I hoped that neither she, nor any of her four siblings, would ever repeat. I … Continue reading A Teachable Moment
The Blessing of Old Friends
I am a man blessed. When I stop and count my blessings, it takes a while. A wife, children, and grandchildren I adore, Having had a deeply satisfying career,Being born Southern, Currently having reasonably good health,Having a golf game that’s not too embarrassing, A retirement filled with joy and laughter, Of course, most of all, a God … Continue reading The Blessing of Old Friends
The Humbling of a Packer Extraordinaire
Few people know that I have a talent for packing and loading. It reflects years of experience in moving household goods. Four times I coordinated our family’s move from one home to another, countless times I moved my five children to and from college, and numerous times I moved my adult children into and … Continue reading The Humbling of a Packer Extraordinaire
Things I Can’t Say No To
I can say NO to Brussel sprouts, chicken livers, and Gummy Worms. That doesn’t require much discipline or willpower. I can say NO to robocalls and any calls that CallerID identifies as “Unknown.” I can say NO to cutting the grass in the 98 degree sauna-like heat of a Georgia summer. I don’t … Continue reading Things I Can’t Say No To
