On My Mind

Approval rating of politicians is at an all-time low. When Americans were asked to rank 22 professions for honesty and ethical standards in Gallup’s latest survey, Congress scored next-to-last. We long for integrity in our elected leaders; but sadly, it no longer surprises us when a politician is caught lying, discovered taking bribes, exposed as […]

It was printed in the church bulletin: “There will be no service on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.” Ditto in the Sunday handout: “There will be no service on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.” Before beginning his sermon the minister tossed out this reminder: “There will be no service on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.” And again in […]

The Social Security Administration has your number. Or you’d better hope they do. If they zap it you’re in for a nightmare ride that may include termination of benefits, loss of health insurance, cancellation of credit/debit cards, and even denial of access to your bank account. Just ask Laura Brooks of Spotsylvania, Virginia. Social Security […]

In a Commencement address at Stanford University, the late Steve Jobs said: “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there.” Death is an enemy that terrorizes mortals, causing them to be “like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death” (Hebrews […]

Why would thousands of people mail tons of rocks to a volcano? Simple. Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, has them spooked. Pele makes her home at Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii. She has a nasty temper and has had a bad mad on since 1983: without taking a break, Mt. Kilauea has been melting rocks, spitting […]

Marion Morrison. Does that name ring a bell? Probably not. How about Duke? Maybe. John Wayne? Of course. John Wayne’s birth name was Marion Morrison. His nickname was Duke. Duke was one tough dude. He won the Civil War, World War II, and got us out of Viet Nam—in the movies. He was the grittiest […]

They lived just twenty-five miles down the road, but lied and said they had come from far away. Sure looked like they had. Their costuming and props were Hollywood-production caliber: battered sandals; sweat-stained clothes that hadn’t seen soap and water since they were stitched together—ya could smell ’em ’fore ya seen ’em; scrawny malnourished donkeys […]

If your hair has gone gray you’re probably old enough to remember Country-Western composer Carson Robison’s song, Life Gets Teejus, Don’t It? Sun comes up and the sun goes down. The hands on the clock keep goin’ around. I just get up an’ it’s time to lay down. Life gets teejus, don’t it? We’re on […]