Opinions

I have never been able to watch scary movies. My mother will remind you (if she gets the chance) that I can’t even watch embarrassing television programs, which is, frankly, embarrassing. I would watch that terrible moment when Lucy was about to get caught doing something embarrassing by her employer, Mr. Mooney, on “The Lucy Show” reruns, and I would have to leave the room in a hurry -- making excuses about how I suddenly needed to help set the table. The truth was, I just couldn’t stand to watch Lucy get caught.

The lights were moody and the exhibits were intricate for the featured display on Archimedes. Although I’m a curious person, I would never be classified as an “intellectual.” I knew, however, I was in the presence of intellectuals so I was doing my best to chameleon myself under the heading, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.”

What are expectations when dealing with people working in community service jobs? This week I was reading the Ennis Gripe in Facebook, where one young lady expressed her anger at the window of a pizza drivethrough. She felt like they were hinting at a tip on the credit card receipt.

It’s the best time of year for dogs. I don’t have a dog. I have a cat -- as of this year. His name is Felix, and he came from Mexico. When we adopted him, he was skinny and timid after living on the streets for two years. Now, he is plump and playful, with a luxurious coat and an entitled attitude that seems to imply that, since he had it rough for a couple of years, he now expects things to operate according to his plans. Things usually do.

As a freelance faith columnist and Christian author, I’m honored to have the opportunity to provide thoughts and ideas to relay to others. I’m sure all Bible teachers and pastors feel they are God’s messengers. What I do is nothing more special than how millions of other Christians serve Him, and I humbly acknowledge that most are more talented and effective. God’s people are important pieces of a large puzzle, stones in His wall, and a voice among many who represent the one who created everything and knows everything. Writing is one of my callings, yet my personal testimony includes that I did not always pursue this path. God truly works in mysterious ways. Songwriting came to me through a spiritual experience when I was a young man. Then over time, I began to write articles, Bible studies, sermons, and eventually newspaper and magazine contributions. I’m intentionally making a long story short, nevertheless, writing is the first thing I think about when I awaken and in the evenings I have a pad and pen on the table next to my recliner to scribble down thoughts that often come to me.

At the local golf course, which is beginning to resemble an old folks home, we’ve been playing Scrabble since “women of a certain age” shouldn’t be golfing in heat index temperatures exceeding 110 degrees.

Do you ever feel like we are just too busy? That there is too much going on? That we just need to slow down a little bit? While it seems like our lives have been sped up because of technology and other advances, the issue of being in too big of a hurry has been around for a while. In fact, over fifty years ago there was an interesting study done by a group of sociologists about busyness. That study, back in 1973, was called “From Jerusalem to Jericho: A Study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior.”

I’ve been waiting a long time for my book, “Loon Point,” to sell.

If I have a much-anticipated trip on the calendar, I wring the joy out of it by making a long list of what to wear, what to take and what to accomplish before I leave. It’s exhausting.