My grandson Ty is on Spring Break. I wanted to spend some time with him because he is 18 and the window is closing fast for that sort of thing. Soon, he will be moving on to adulthood and the pursuits of ambitious young men. Most of Ty’s formative years were spent living under my…
Category: Blog
Monologue: the public speech
Delivering a public speech is unlike any other experience in life. I first addressed a crowd of people, albeit a small group, maybe 30 or so, when I was only seven years old. The only thing I vividly remember about that year of my life was the way I felt while standing on a chair…
Confession: I got nothing!
This is a written confession, a mia culpa. I give myself writing projects because I want to hold myself accountable. Wednesday Noon is one example of the accountability effort. This assures that I will write something every week. Like any other skill, writing improves with practice and exercise. The singer, painter, sculptor, and dancer improve…
Why Me, Lord: the unexpected theology lesson from Kris Kristofferson
Why this, Lord? Saying I grew up in a conservative Baptist church is the same kind of understatement as saying Reese’s Peanut Butter CupsĀ®are the perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter. We were suspicious of conservatives who adhered to fewer “standards” than we did…and those standards were high, let me tell you. For one…
Crestfallen: has honor been lost forever?
There was a time when families, like nations, flew their flags…flags that bore a crest with emblematic symbols and sometimes mottoes.
To be somebody
Some folks want to be somebody while others just want somebody to be. Typically, it goes in this order: You spend your childhood looking for somebody to be. Once you figure out somebody to be, you set out to be somebody. A person will not usually embark on the second until they have settled on…
Top 10 Things I Love about my Mom
Top 10 things about my Mom: Faith. I have called her the true believer so many times, and that is what she is. Mom was, in her day, a powerful alto singer. She had that Adelle quality voice before there was an Adelle. A few songs I cannot hear without hearing my Mom sing them….