Beech Tree News Network

My Aunt Della passed away last week.  She was one of those people who went out of her way to help me.  She taught me how to make tomato juice, grape juice, mashed potatoes and oatmeal.  I never forgot any of those things.  You don’t forget people who believe in you and trust you to have enough sense to do things they take the time to teach you.

While the 2019 General Assembly adjourned more than two months ago, I appreciate the opportunity to continue sharing details about the laws we passed. This series of columns, which began in early April, is still relevant as legislation passed this year goes into effect on Thursday, June 27, except for general appropriation measures and those containing emergency or delayed effective date provisions.

We hear many varied excuses or justifications for the sins men commit today. One common justification is to say, “It’s entertainment” as a way of justifying certain sinful activities. For example, I heard a man on the radio justify watching controversial/sinful movies, reading sinful/controversial books, and watching certain TV shows by saying, “It’s entertainment!”

WHERE IS HOME? I wrote something years ago for my dad, back before he even knew I was dabbling as a writer. I titled it – More than a name- it was about how my dad and I shared a lot more than just our last name. After he read it he asked me if I wrote it or had gotten it from someplace and I told him I wrote it with my own hand, with no input from anyone else. He quietly shook his head, folded the paper carefully and took it to his room for safekeeping, that is about as emotional as my father got.

WHERE IS HOME?

In 1968, the group Classics IV released a song called “Spooky”.  The first time I heard that title, without hearing the song, I thought “Oh, a Halloween song”.  No, I’m not kidding. Well, that’s not what it’s about.  It was originally an instrumental song performed by saxophonist Mike Sharp (Shapiro). 

Next Sunday is Father’s Day. It’s a time to remember and to honor our fathers. Even though I lost my dad in 2009, I appreciate so many of his qualities, teachings, and acts of love.

I suppose it would take a book the size of the New York Telephone Directory to list all the reasons why people lie. I guess the bottom line is for personal gain or to acquit themselves of wrongdoing; we could throw “fear” in if allowed.

You know those little strips with spikes on them that the police use to puncture tires of fleeing criminals, I need some of those.  Actually, I need a bunch of those.  I’m not interested in puncturing anybody’s tires.  I want to place them on all the flat surfaces in my house as a deterrent to the piles of stuff that always end up there.

Solomon wrote, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (Prov. 27:1). I remember a time in my life where I saw three people pass from this world in one month alone. Have you ever had a month like that? These deaths affected me, and each death caused me to “lay to heart” (Ecc. 7:2) what happened. In fact, each time one dies, it testifies that we have no lease on life.