Beech Tree News Network

A few weeks ago, my daughter, Natalie, gave me an ultimatum.  “When we get back from Europe, I’m giving you one year to the day to have a book ready to go to the publisher.  That’s not too much to ask.  You have friends who have done it, and you can too.”    I know her, she will bug the living daylights out of me for the next year, and the truth is, she needs to.

This statement was made to me by a dear lady of 96. After she said this, I thought about how much she has seen and experienced. She can surely attest to the fact that “the Devil doesn’t sleep”! Her statement is not a Bible quote, but it reflects a Bible statement found in I Peter 5:8. Peter warned the Christians, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” It is also similar to what was said by Satan himself when speaking to God in Job 1:7 and 2:2.

Months ago, I chronicled the historical events mentioned in Billy Joel’s classic “We

While Memorial Day is now behind us, it still provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the day and carry that debt of gratitude throughout the year. I can’t help but take time this week to remember the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

“If I ever make it back to Kentucky, I’m going to pack up at least half of what’s in my storage rooms and donate it to the poor.”  That’s what I told myself at the end of a day of sorting through a gazillion little things in Garey’s mom’s house.  Aggie, like others from the depression era, kept everything—and I do mean EVERYTHING!  I tossed five pounds of bread ties and at least thirty pounds of rusted canning rings in the trash.  Garey and his sister, Charlotte, plan on having an estate sale after we’ve gone through everything, which will be around the year 2035.

An old song I grew up singing had the above title. In every verse of the song, this question is asked. Indeed, there is no one else who loves us as Christ does. There is no one else who is interested in saving us from sin.

Last week, my family and I journeyed to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. One of our stops I enjoyed the most and found most interesting was the Bush’s Beans Visitor Center, located in Dandridge, Tennessee.  Sit back and relax while I roll that beautiful bean footage!

There’s a scene in the Amazon original series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Mazel,” in which the father, Abe Weisman, of the main character, Miriam, is reflecting on his life.  He is at a restaurant with other friends his own age.  He tells his friends he has come to the realization that he got it all wrong.  He poured his life into his son and ignored his daughter, but it was his daughter who had courage.  “Where did it come from? he asks his friends.  “Her husband left her.  He blew up her life, but she didn’t fold.”

This was the courageous cry of Daniel’s three friends as they stood before an angry king (Dan. 3:18). In context, Nebuchadnezzar had an idol of gold built and commanded all to bow down to it (Dan. 3:1-5). The consequence for refusal was being burned up in a furnace (v. 6). When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) refused to bow; the king gave them one more chance (v. 11-15). Yet, when given this second chance, and knowing their lives were lost if they refused, these men said, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

Last week, I began to look back at some famous tv theme songs.  This week, I’ll continue the list, starting with one of my more recent favorites, “Greenback Boogie”. Fans of the 2011-2019 USA series Suits know this song well, as it was the theme song throughout its entire run.  With the help of the Shazam app, I would learn that the title song is called “Greenback Boogie” by Ima Robot. “Greenback Boogie” is the B-Side to “Another Man’s Treasure” in 2010.