Written from Advent 2010 to Independence Day 2011 ~~~ There’s this guy I know named Jesus.  He’s kind of selfless.  His days are spent helping the poor, hanging out in the margins and affirming everyone he meets.  Jesus is just that kind of guy. Before he was widely known, Jesus had some struggles.  As a…

Someone told me once you catch a lot of heat – you know, you don’t always have to be a lightning rod. Yet somehow I do.  Simply by being me it happens. Understanding this – though not necessarily changing it – is ongoing work.  Why the need?  What purpose does it serve for me?  What’s…

It happened just recently. After reading a piece I wrote on the post-modern relevance of Atticus Finch, a man we’ll call ‘The Man’ called me the r-word.  That’s right, he used the red n-e-c-k word.  The Man called me a redneck.  He laughed at me and my kin.  “It seems you have had race issues…

Fishing is the act of casting hope, and tackle, upon unclear waters.  Sometimes you extract a winner, sometimes a used tire or bundle of weeds wrapped around an old shoe.  The end result may be a taxidermied trophy for your wall or a pile of wet trash.  It varies. Fishing requires basic training.  It often…

I have started this piece a thousand times in my head and once or twice on my computer.  The opening is always intentionally cliché.  No time like the present.  Time keeps on slipping…into the future.  The simple truth is this: the article is coming to life at just the right time. Tomorrow is a big…

If I could buy one really large billboard for my yard, it would say:  *get*over*yourselves* A problem with rodents led me to join my neighborhood association listserve yesterday.  Frankly, with a growing rat issue, I have been looking forward to snake season.  This recent plunge into a pit of vipers has me reconsidering. I’ll skip…