The Desert of Desolation
I try to be an optimist. Genuinely so. But with all that is going on in the world it’s harder these days. Like many of you, I want to live in peace with my family and I hope so much for a world Read more…
Events
Years ago, after the 1956 Suez Crisis, British Prime Minister Harld Macmillan was asked by a journalist what would determine his government’s course. His reply was to the point. “Events, dear boy, events.” Indeed, events propelled Mr. Macmillan into office. Anthony Eden was Prime Read more…
Writer’s Block
With all that is swirling around us these days, is it possible to have writer’s block? That’s defined as “a usually temporary psychological condition in which a writer is unable to proceed with a piece of writing.” I’m torn searching for a Read more…
Deferred Maintenance
I recently had my 10-year old car worked on and it was expensive. That’s what happens when you defer maintenance on something. The bill comes in big. And this was no different. A new fuel pump, plugs, drive belts, battery, oil change, and Read more…
Dogs are Better Than Politicians
I was five years old when our family brought “Weinnie,” a delightful Bench Beagle, into our lives. He was lovable and frolicked with us in the backyard of our home at 4008 Fauquier Avenue in Richmond’s northside. We loved this pup, but Read more…
Boomerangs
Boomerangs are fascinating tools. They have been around tens of thousands of years. There are rocks carved with depictions of boomerangs being tossed at animals by Aboriginals in the north central Kimberly region of Australia as long as 50,000 years ago. Boomerangs have also been found Read more…
A Revelation
On Easter Sunday in 2022, I felt the urge—I believe it was spiritual—to read through all the Old Testament books of the Bible. The urging I had was “read slowly,” which is not hard for me. But also, to comprehend the stories Read more…
Clarity, Not Obscurity, In Ukraine
In the foreign policy and national security business, it’s usually better to be clear unless being vague is necessary to your purpose. Sometimes national leaders are opaque when they are considering actions they do not want to telegraph. However, in Ukraine, we Read more…
A Long and Torturous Way
When I was born in 1951, Democrat Harry Truman was our President. He won his race in 1948 amid a contentious election with Governor Thomas Dewey of New York. Dewey was favored to win, but Truman’s dogged campaigning snatched victory from what Read more…
Unintended Martyr
Normally, people are too busy with life to consider the fate of martyrs. The word “martyr” means “witness.” The process of bearing witness doesn’t necessarily lead to the death of the witness, but it often has. For centuries, Christians have experienced a brutal Read more…