Beech Tree News Network

When God sent Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king, he was sure that he had found the new king when he saw Eliab (I Sam. 16:6). “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart’” (I Sam. 16:7).

This week, I will start a decade’s series that I will return to sporadically throughout the new year.  As you know, I watch a lot of compilation shows: AXS Top 10 among them.  Lately, while cleaning out my DVR, I’ve happened upon a show called Very Best of The 80’s, also on AXS.  One of the subjects in this series of half-hour shows was the best cartoons of the ‘80’s.  Here are a few interesting tidbits I gleaned from the show.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and his political ilk are pushing hard to make their dreams of record government spending a reality as the General Assembly gathers to debate and deliver a new two-year budget.

2024 legislative session underway

As the holidays end and the new year begins, the legislature is back in the capital city to do the work of the people. Though the first week of the legislative session is primarily occupied with administrative business, more than a hundred bills were filed. We will take up dozens of them before we adjourn on April 15, but by far the most important issue on our agenda is the state budget.

I might have told you this before—as I age, I find I tend to repeat myself—but when Garey and I began dating, 49 years ago now, he told me he was the Golden Glove boxing champion of Alabama.  He wasn’t.  That didn’t stop me from believing him, however, and bragging about it to my friends, one of whom asked him about it.  He thought it was hilarious that I actually believed him.  I was not amused.  He had told me that little factoid in response to my asking him how his arms go so muscled up.  Garey was buff when we first met.

We sometimes see or hear the question asked, “What would Jesus do?” In this article, however, I wish to ask whether or not Jesus would do what we are doing. Would He be practicing what we are practicing? May we take these thoughts to heart …

For my first column of the new year, I have more facts from one of my favorite AXS shows, Top Ten Revealed.  From Guns N Roses’ 1988 debut album Appetite For Destruction, their hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine” was written by lead singer Axl Rose about his then-girlfriend Erin Everly, daughter of ½ of the Everly Brothers Don Everly.  

I recently watched an ABC show that “reviewed” 2023 – basically an editorial of events during the year. This caused me to think about some things that I noted through the past year. I’ve broken my thoughts into categories below.

You know that place on the very top of the ladder that says, THIS IS NOT A STEP.  It isn’t.  I’m not sure if that’s what the step said that Garey stepped on when the ladder slipped, and he fell 12 feet, but that’s what it should have said.  That or TURN BACK or DON’T DO IT!  

How many times have we heard people say words to the effect, “If you tell me that there is only one way to Heaven, then you are condemning me (or my family, etc.).”? Is this a valid charge?