Modern Stories of the Way

“Banner Elk” Banner Elk, North Carolina, was a favorite vacation spot for my grandparents during the hot months of August each summer.  Banner Elk was often 15 or more degrees cooler than our home in South Carolina, particularly at night.  Grandfather Mott Quinn Petty, a retired mail carrier and his wife, Johnsie Dulin Petty, a [...]

“Let Us Give Thanks” (November 11, 2018)  The 100th Anniversary of the End of World War I I heard a radio program tonight interviewing a young artist who has an album with a title track “The War after the War.”  She tells the story in song of the struggles of a spouse of a veteran [...]

“The Right to Keep and Bear Arms” We are aware that the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States provides an individual citizen with the right to keep and bear arms.  We are not aware of the right of any one person or group of persons to murder, maim and otherwise destroy children, [...]

“Love Your Enemies” One of Jesus’ more extraordinary commandments is for his followers to “love our enemies!”  “Do good,” Jesus said, “to those who hurt you.”  “Pray for those who despitefully use you and who persecute you.”  “Those who hear and do these things will be children of God the Father, who pours His goodness [...]

“Ray, Me and the Sheriff” Ray and I were best buddies growing up, indeed we still are good friends, but hardly ever get to see each other, due to the vagaries and busyness of life.  I was privileged recently to be present at Ray’s mother’s funeral, Edith Petty. Growing up, being only a few months [...]

“Edith Petty” Yesterday, August 29, 2018, I went to be with my friend Ray and his brother Eddie as they buried their 94 year old mother.  Edith died this week of dementia, after a prolonged struggle against the growing darkness. She was the twin of a sister, in a family of eight daughters, from Edgefield, [...]

“Three Young Women” Yesterday, around 6:00PM to be exact, three young women arrived at our front door.  After politely knocking, they waited for me to open the door.  I went to our door to greet our guests, and quickly invited Dorothy to accompany me when I saw who they were. To my surprise, upon opening [...]

“The Wages of Sin…”  (A Daily Meditation) August 6, 2018 “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life though (in) Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NKJV) This verse at the end of Romans, chapter 6, is preceded by several important verses: 20) “For when you were the servants [...]

“Bizarre Times” Lately, I have been set to wondering why we as Americans are abandoning what in the past were our core values:  the rule of law, respect for the rule of law, the belief that every person has a right to be heard, to be given equal treatment under the law, and respect for [...]

“My Love Affair with Chickens” Having returned recently from American Samoa and Samoa (Savai’i and Upolu), I have come to appreciate more and more early morning roosters. Most roosters crow in the mornings at 4:00AM to around 5:30AM, more or less.  In Samoa, particularly American Samoa, these roosters crow starting at 2:00AM.  I am a [...]