Alas! There is a balm in Gilead!

The prophet Jeremiah (6th Century BCE) had a difficult duty.  The nation of Judah was divided and corrupt. He was called to warn the people to change their immoral ways or face the consequences. This was an impossible task to a people who would not listen.

Finding perspective on the Trail

Sitting on a fallen log and panting about halfway up Jacob’s Ladder – on the Appalachian Trail, near Stecoah Gap – I make the decision to turn around and head back to my car.  “OK, this isn’t fun anymore,” I think to myself as I begin my descent. “Maybe next time.

Some thoughts on the U.S. Postal Service

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” is not the official motto of the United States Postal Service.  If it were, the words “pandemic” and “political interference” would need to be added.

COVID hits home

I would have never suspected that my second column of this young year would be penned because of COVID-19. At this point, it seems like almost everyone has either personally experienced the virus or has a loved one who has suffered through it.

Competing schools serve families well

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools have gone in a variety of directions.  Some public-school districts that shut down last spring have never reopened for in-person learning to any significant degree.

The industrial family

The industrialization of our nation has come with many blessings that we cannot ignore.  We could rightly point out the increase of wages or standard of living for most families. Of this, there can be no doubt.

Maintain good oral hygiene for health

We all know the importance of taking care of ourselves, especially when it comes to our teeth, gums and mouth.  Unfortunately, only a few number of people truly care about maintaining good oral hygiene.

Washington tragedy an insurrection

The best way to start a conversation is to make sure that both parties understand the key words that will be used.  Let’s start with “demonstration.” This means that people like environmentalist Greta Thunberg gather together peacefully to call government to action.  The second word is “protest.

‘Ordeal’ might be too strong a word

The waiting was the hardest part.  Like many in the county, the state, the nation and the world, I came into contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, prompting me to get tested myself.

‘A call for unity’ led to MLK’s letter from jail

When I was at Candler School of Theology, one of my teachers was Bishop Nolan B. Harmon.  Bishop Harmon – in his nineties at the time – was a well-respected leader in the United Methodist Church.