Browse the blog posts going back to 2014 – and we also have a Watchwords archive.
- Under the Influence? (7/6/2014) - Under the influence! What does that phrase bring to mind? Did it register with you as being in an altered state of mind because of the use/abuse of alcohol or other drugs, such as marijuana. Or, possibly that altered state was the result of a crisis in your life, or... Continue reading
- Safe (6/27/2014) - Safe. Such a little word. We know what it means in baseball and in banks. When we use it to describe our sense of presence, it strongly implies physical safety. It is a little like security, but a bit closer to peace. Safe. David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager have written a... Continue reading
- Dedicated to Peace (6/17/2014) - Recently I participated in a dedication ceremony for a “Peace Pole”. The multi-sided pole states in several languages our mutual hope for peace in our world. In our small community we have many of these symbols of peace, scattered in various locations where they serve as a reminder of what is important.... Continue reading
- A Most Appropriate Memorial (6/6/2014) - For years, on Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I have visited the cemetery where my parents are buried. It has become a tradition that helps us focus on memories and the role that mother and dad played in my life. As we stood at the graveside, I recalled a... Continue reading
- Two Silver Coins (5/31/2014) - Street Scene: There’s that guy, standing at the corner, holding a sign: “Homeless. Need food”. Or, the sign reads – “Will Work for Food”. Or, you are on your way into a store and are stopped by a young man who tells you he hasn’t eaten in two days, could... Continue reading
- The Law of Averages? (5/24/2014) - The law of averages is a layman’s term used to express a belief that outcomes of a random event will “even out” within a small sample. Taken from a different standpoint, one could make the argument that left to our own devices or proclivities, each one of us would not be considered average,... Continue reading
- Comfort Zone (Teller) (5/16/2014) - Several years ago, on a ferry from Dover to Calais, heading for Antwerp, Belgium, I had no idea that I was in the process of having a heart attack! That night, this wonderful trip we had planned, visiting the Martin Luther sites in Germany, on to England for the Phantom... Continue reading
- Kites, Coke and Isaly’s Ice Cream (5/10/2014) - Just to set the stage for this essay: In my early childhood I lived in Steubenville, Ohio, a small city on the banks of the Ohio River, just across from the steel mills of Wheeling, West Virginia. My father was pastor of a Congregational Church and we lived in the... Continue reading
- Ah, Childhood! (5/10/2014) - My early childhood was spent in Steubenville, Ohio, a small city on the banks of the Ohio River, just across from the steel mills of Wheeling, West Virginia. My father was pastor of a Congregational Church and we lived in the parsonage. Both the church and our house were situated... Continue reading
- Lucky Guy! (5/7/2014) - Recently, a friend of ours told us of a terrible auto accident her 17-year-old son (call him Mike) had late one night coming back from his shift at a local fast food place. His 14-year-old Pontiac was destroyed when he swerved to avoid hitting a deer and over-corrected. His car flipped... Continue reading
- Don’t Bother Me with Facts! (4/25/2014) - Would you believe that 25% of the general public that participated in a recent National Science Foundation survey believe that the sun revolves around the earth! Or, how about this one: Many believe the “most interesting man in the world” who appears in a beer ad, is a real “most interesting... Continue reading
- The Lesson – Dedicated to Teachers (4/24/2014) - My dad was a preacher for nearly 60 years and when he died I became the holder of all his files, his sermons, his notes, etc., box after full box. Some of the material was just background stuff, little snippets here and there, often unrelated, some were just items he... Continue reading
