I recently saw that a former high school classmate had a bridge named after him. I don’t recall if I met Joe Meade in junior high school or high school but I do remember that we played football together at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn.

Joe was a year older than me and was as tough as nails. He was ruddy in complexion, had blonde hair that was combed down in a kind of bowl cut, and was very muscular, although not very tall. He also had a distinguishing feature, a silver front tooth that made him look even tougher when he donned his football helmet. Read More»

When I arrived at the rifle range at Parris Island, S.C., the home of the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, I had never fired a rifle for any kind of score or on any occasions that really mattered.

Oh, I plunked a few tin cans on my dad’s property, but that was just with a .22. The 11-pound 7.62 mm M-14 rifle was something altogether different. It was a warrior’s weapon and the nation was at war. At 19 years old, I knew I was in over my head and my only chance to qualify was to listen to the instructors and do whatever I was told. Read More»

A few years ago, our church men’s softball team won the league title and went 9-0 on the season. The schedule actually called for a 10-game season, but the toughest team in the league had a mission trip planned, and we mutually called off that game at their request. They finished 8-1. Two other teams failed to field a full team on the night of our games with them and so they forfeited.

It is entirely possible that, had the three teams showed up to play, we could have lost one or all three games and the title might have gone to another team. When you fail to play, someone else wins. Read More»

The term, “Prince of the Church,” is used almost exclusively of cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church. However, I believe that I have had the privilege to know a number of “princes” in the church, especially among pastors, who were not cardinals. One such “prince among pastors” is the Reverend Dr. Steve Bingham. Read More»

The two most publicized and notorious criminal trials in recent years are the murder trials of O.J. Simpson and Casey Anthony. Both trials captured the attention of the media and the public and both trials resulted in the acquittal of the defendants on murder charges. Both trials also resulted in the vast majority of the American public believing that the defendants “got away with murder.” Read More»

I was ready to take down my flags.

On Sept. 11, 2001, following the attacks on America by Islamic terrorists, I put two flags on my front porch, an American flag and a flag of the United States Marine Corps. I vowed that the flags would fly until those responsible had been brought to justice. Read More»

Wednesday was a well-planned day. I had a lot to do, most of which involved my being in my car. There were visits to make, a breakfast meeting to attend, a hospital room to visit, items to transport from one place to another, a guitar to take to the church so that I could do a song or two for the noon service ... well, you get the idea. Read More»

I don’t recall the first movie that I saw in 3-D back in the late 1950s or early 1960s. I am quite certain, however, that it was either a sci-fi flick or a monster movie. What I do recall is the white cardboard “glasses” that had one blue lens and one red lens. For whatever reason, 3-D didn’t stay around all that long. Read More»

In my nine months of being a Harley-Davidson rider, I have had a few adventures and have learned a few lessons. Some lessons were learned on a recent road trip out of state.

For example, I learned that one should always check the weather report. I also learned that it doesn’t really matter if you check your own weather report if you don’t also check the weather reports at your destination — and along the route. Read More»

“There once was a minister named Tweedle
Who refused an honorary degree.
‘Twas bad enough being Tweedle, he said,
Without being Tweedle, D.D.’”

The “D.D.” in the little rhyme stands for “Doctor of Divinity” which, in nearly every case, is an honorary degree granted to clergy or theologians, not an academically earned degree. A few weeks ago, I became the holder of the degree of “D.D.” Read More»