In the closing week of 2020 and now in these beginning days of 2021 there have been many written and spoken commentaries on the past year. Everyone seems to be awfully glad 2020 has come to an end. There is a general chorus of “good riddance” to a year of pandemic-caused death, sickness, and accompanying grief. 2020…
Some days ago, I was playing with my favorite 2nd Grader in the whole world. At one point she said to me, “Grandpa! Let’s pretend we are on a spaceship and traveling to Planet Christmas; a place where it is Christmas every day.” The conversation was delightful and went further with her descriptions of what such…
I read the award-winning, “Mayflower: Voyage, Community, War” by Nathaniel Philbrick when it was first published in 2006. It was a fascinating read. Among other things, it took me deeper into the reality of our origins than the American myths taught in elementary school; myths about the Pilgrims’ altruistic, inclusive beliefs, the idealized stories of…
In a sermon at the National Cathedral on March 31, 1968, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – referring to the civil rights efforts underway in this country – said, “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” This is an often-quoted, hopeful, faith-filled thought. I like…
Former Vice President Joe Biden often precedes making a point in his campaign remarks with the phrase, “Look, here’s the deal.” At the outset of this post I want to borrow that phrase. Look, here’s the deal: Satan is real. The very real Satan about which I write is NOT some anthropomorphic, red-suited character with horns and a…
Like millions of other kids this fall, our grandchildren – as a result of COVID-19 – are attending school both virtually and in “hybrid” fashion. Our youngest granddaughter is in school by the virtual, on-line method. So, part of the learning curve for us as frequent, caregiver grandparents is to be as familiar as possible…
One of the great gifts to civilization is a codification of ten ancient rules commonly known today as The Ten Commandments. They can be found in the Bible in Exodus 20:2-17 and in Deuteronomy 5:6-17. The Commandments can also be ordered from Walmart for $9.99 – free shipping included – and delivered directly to our respective doors. Sure…
One of the great challenges for me in these past several years – and particularly the last 6 months – has been staying positive, hopeful, and encouraged. The US President’s advisors, early in the President’s term told us, there are “alternative facts.” This phrase is simply nonsense describing a public culture of official lying…about everything….
Our daughter-in-law’s mother, Mary, is a high school Advanced Placement American History teacher. She is also a person with a passionate interest in researching family histories. Mary has been researching ours. Her research has been proving to be an emotional and informative experience for me. Among other things, I have gone “over the river and…
In the late fall of 1967 I was in the process of completing my first year of college. Just before Christmas of that year – along with the rest of the members of the Mount Union College Choir (now The University of Mount Union) – I was a part of a concert tour through the southern…