Columns

Lost Soles Old houses are full of secrets. Sometimes during a renovation, when walls come down, secrets are revealed. Old newspapers, photos, and shoes are often concealed within a building’s structure, under floorboards, within chimneys, or in walls...

Now that the elections are over, maybe we can be a little nicer to each other and stop putting each other down. Let us allow those elected to office to do their jobs and stop with the hateful remarks. It is time to really start treating each other with respect, kindness, and even a little love for one another...

A shout out and God Bless You! to all veterans this week. By the time this column goes to press it is my solemn hope that the flooding has subsided and damage found not to be disastrous though no doubt many will have suffered losses. Hopefully reparations will come quickly...

Music was part of my raising. I listened and rolled my eyes to old-timey country music (don’t yell, I like it now), heard Mom sing along with big bands, and jived to the now classic rock with transistor at my ear. Dad knew when and where to find the Grand Ol’ Opry on road trips and Mom tuned in to Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk on television. ...

It’s raining. Mind you I’m not complaining---much. I know we need it; the ground was getting quite dry. I know it is a necessary part of nature. It cleans the land and gets the trees ready for winter. I realize that rain is not a bad thing. But rain also helps to show holes in roofs, walls and raincoats...

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”’” — John 7:37-38 For a couple of years my family and I lived in Arizona, essentially right in the middle of the desert. ...

Old age is catching up with me. I realize that I am a young 60, but quite frankly my bones tend to remind me that my warranty is up. In fact, I just finished my physical therapy for my shoulder. I did not injure it; I just have arthritis and bone spurs. Arthritis is like that relative that comes to visit and then never moves out...

“And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.” — Hosea 2:16-17 The Old Testament book of Hosea the prophet is very somber. It focuses upon the sad reality that God’s people, Israel, had committed spiritual adultery against him and were therefore deserving of all of God’s covenant curses rather than the covenant blessings...