Author: Buddy McElhannon
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God’s Calling Card: Beauty
There are times when the world around us can feel overwhelming…and ugly. Evil distracts us with temptations. Politics has become divisive, social media addictive, and culture wars beget hate and prejudice. It’s easy to grow indifferent, even callous, to the marvel of the world around us. And as often happens, when beauty becomes distorted in…
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I Have Reached the Age When…
I am having a senior moment. Oh, not an episode of forgetfulness. On the contrary, this senior moment is one of reflection — pondering observations on life and living that have allowed me to embrace such descriptions as over-the-hill, long in the tooth, and my personal favorite — retired. So, here are some random thoughts…
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Reunion Takeaways
This past weekend, I attended my 56th high school reunion. That’s right, #56. We sort of forgot about #55, so a group of alumni answered the philosophical question of the day — why wait? — with a resounding “What’s wrong with celebrating #56?” This explains why we gathered on a fellow grad’s farm in Locust…
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A Grand Old Flag
In 2017, my wife and I visited Charleston, S.C., and decided to tour Fort Sumter. As it happened, we were the first tour group to visit the fort after it had been closed for two weeks following Hurricane Irma. When we arrived at this historic sea fort, we were invited to help raise the 20…
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Pursuing the Wow in Marriage
It’s hard to believe that I could learn something about love and marriage from my two-year-old grandson. But I did. In church, no less. Years ago, my wide-awake, perpetually curious two-year-old grandson sat in the Crying Room at church. While he was well-behaved on this particular Sunday morning, a nearby four-year-old could not sit still.…
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Do Fathers with Daughters Live Longer?
Recently, a surprising study from a Polish university revealed that fathers with daughters live longer. Even more interesting is that the extended lifespan is also impacted by the number of daughters a father has. What about sons? Nope, sons have little effect on a father’s life span. Having raised two sons, I doubt that conclusion. …
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Idol Worship?
Idol worship. The phrase conjures up all kinds of images — ancient biblical names like Baal and Moloch, and modern idols like sex, power, money, and fame. I recently discovered another blogger, BeautyBeyondBones.com, who shared a reflection titled, The Idol of Self. It was an honest, open admission that anorexia had nearly claimed her…
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My Oxford Year and Secular Rom-Coms
This past weekend, my wife and I were in the mood for a good romantic comedy. Netflix had just released what appeared to be another Hallmark-like rom-com, My Oxford Year. To our surprise, it proved to be more of a tearjerker than an emotionally satisfying feel-good experience. It was also a perfect example of the…
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Tender Mercies
Over the years, my faith has grown in spurts. But it is growing. I have long purposed to always-be-a-student in regard to my faith journey. I worship the God of the Old and New Testaments, and as a Christian, I delight in discovering some new insight that draws me closer to my Creator, my…
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Shooting My Age
I shot my age recently. Well, sort of. Every golfer dreams of shooting an 18-hole round with a score at or below their age. Since my good friend Tom Mitchell did it last year, my goal has been to do the same. Of course, getting older helps — as long as I stay physically the same. …
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