In 1964 Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater said, ". extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice!" It sparked a national debate among both academics and the common man on the street. History has been filled with the horrifying records of the fruit of...
In my side yard hangs a blue plastic swing with yellow ropes. It has been there for fifteen years and is still in excellent condition. The only thing it lacks is a child. It has served all our grands when they have come to visit...
We spent the weekend at the home of friends in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. They have a veranda with a million dollar view of one of the lakes surrounded by lush verdant forest. Perhaps I have a touch of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder...
Until 1800 ancient Egyptian writings were mostly untranslatable. Then the Rosetta Stone was found. It held the carved inscription of a decree by Ptolemy V in three languages. It was a light on the ancient world that ultimately opened up the translation of ancient Egyptian...
I am sitting here looking at a list of doctrinal beliefs. It defines a certain kind of Christian. It sets him or her apart from other Christians who do not subscribe to this particular list. I’m not so sure Jesus ever intended there to be...
It was very quiet this morning when I went to the street for the morning paper. It was quiet except for a family of cardinals. Mom and dad and three adult-sized young ones were all over the yard while having a full blown conversation. They...
Have you ever had someone give you something you really didn't want or like? You say "thank you" and then try to figure out what to do with it. You can't take it to the church welfare center lest they see it there. Usually it...
I rarely give my students passages to memorize. Instead we read and talk about the significant ideas contained in important passages. Sometimes I wonder if I am doing them a disservice not to require that they put them to heart. I remember hating to have...
At first I would have thought they were just married or about to be except they had two little girls with them who appeared to be about three and four. We came around the corner of an aisle in one of those discount warehouse stores...
Having to go to the DMV I went prepared. I took plenty of reading material. I even went a half an hour before it opened and discovered over fifty people already in line at the door. I was having a difficult time reading because of...