While reading the fine print on a coupon my wife noticed that it was not transferable, which seemed strange considering it had come addressed to OCCUPANT. Did this mean that I could not give it to my neighbor and he could not give his to...
Many years ago I organized a necktie party. (No not the traditional kind.) It seems in the eagerness of my youth I confused western culture with Christianity. It is a common error of missionaries - especially young ones. It is difficult for us to sort...
A L. L. Bean Hunting catalog came in today’s mail. It reeks with testosterone. I feel manly just turning the pages and looking at the Labrador Retrievers holding slain ducks in their dripping maws. My credit card wanted to leap from my wallet as I...
“Requite injury with kindness. Keep behind, and you shall be put in front. He who is great makes humility his base. To know, but to be as one not knowing, is the height of wisdom. To the good I would be good; to the evil...
Once in a while a student will startle me. It happened this afternoon. Out of the last fifteen classes she has been absent twelve times. That wasn’t startling. What made me almost gasp was her question, “How am I doing?” She has heard three lectures. ...
Watching the Winter Olympics fills us with wonder at the prowess and ability of human beings. When we choose to be we can be marvelous creatures. But occasionally watching the Olympics reminds us of our ordinary tendency not to take responsibility for our faults. Speed...
Once upon a time there was a man with a thousand wives and this is the gained wisdom he shared with us. “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Proverbs 5:18. “A quarrelsome wife is like a...
Earlier this week, just one driveway away from my driveway, a car burst into and was consumed by flames. A fire truck arrived with all the hoses, etc. It was quite a big deal. However, even though I was home and awake, I missed the...
We have a dry cleaning establishment in our city called Pasquale’s. I wouldn’t bother mentioning it except it is run by a Vietnamese family, which doesn’t quite fulfill one’s expectations upon entering. One does not hear “hola” as we come in the door. Expectations are...
When the phone rings at 1 A.M. and we are roused from deep slumber the first thing that crosses our minds is something is terribly wrong. So you can imagine my thoughts as I picked up the phone, cleared my head and listened to a...