Columnists

Fear of tsunamis comes in waves

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting I defeated a black belt yesterday. Wow! Way to go. Thanks. Next week, I’m taking on a red sock. Driving by Bruce's drive I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Whenever I pass his drive, thoughts occur to me. I taught a class on birds...

Oranges bring back memories

Traditions. They can be good things and bad things. Every Christmas growing up we got oranges, because of tradition. My Great Uncle would order us two bushels of oranges for Christmas, direct shipped to our house, from Florida, shortly after the new year. I asked him why he ordered us oranges...

Thanksgiving is the taste of memory

Echoes From the Loafers’ Club Meeting My doctor says I need to listen to my body. That’s a good idea. Not really. All I get are complaints. Driving by Bruce's drive I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Whenever I pass his drive, thoughts occur to me. The wind blew with a...

True meaning of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is an expression of gratitude, especially to God. In North America, it’s an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal that commonly includes turkey. We commemorate the festival held by the Pilgrims in 1621 every fourth Tuesday in November. It’s a...

Meeting God in quiet moments

It was one of the most beautiful nights. There are not many like it. I would say that it came close to being perfect, only a few things could have made it better. It was one of the most beautiful of nights. What makes a night beautiful? To me it has to deal with silence, sight and weather. ...

What did one duck say to the other?

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting I answered the phone. The caller sneezed and hung up. Do you know who it was? It was a cold call. Driving by Bruce's drive I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Whenever I pass his drive, thoughts occur to me. The guy didn’t talk to me at...

Called to be thankful

I really enjoy a good slice of pie. My mother-in-law makes an amazing pumpkin pie, every year she has to take into account how many pies will be eaten. We all have our favorites, but there is always more than enough pumpkin pie. The first family Thanksgiving we had after Naomi and I were...

A lengthy, one-sided conversation

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting Could I get a cheeseburger without the cheese? Why don’t you just order a hamburger? I don’t like hamburgers. Driving by Bruce's drive I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Whenever I pass his drive, thoughts occur to me. I started the...

Where would we be without trees?

Trees are magnificent and wonderful, the longest-living organisms on earth: Where would the rest of us be without them? Some trees live to be fewer than 100 years old, some live into the thousands of years. One particular great basin bristlecone pine, a breed located in the mountainous regions...

With the Lord is unfailing love

Have you ever been so tired that you wanted to sleep, but couldn’t get to sleep or stay asleep? And then other times when you know you need to stay awake, you fall asleep quickly? It is a frustrating experience, but a reality we have faced. The balance of rest and activity is complex and...