I'm giving you fair warning. This blog entry is rather gross, and not for the weak of stomach. Were my mother alive today, she'd read it and offer the following succinct review - "That's not very ministerial, Herbie." And, then she would cackle in laughter. First, a little backstory. My father taught me many lessons that I've carried throughout my life. Some were taught through words, others by example. One of those lessons was that we should appreciate buzzards for their rol

In just a couple of weeks, kids in my part of the world, Peach County, Georgia, will celebrate the second best day of the year. Christmas is the best, of course, but the last day of school gives it a run for its money. I remember longing for that last day to arrive. In fact, once I understood that the state of Georgia mandated that the school year last 180 days, I started counting them down. One down, 179 to go. 178, 177, 176 . . . you get the picture. Day 81 meant we had les

A group from our church, Fort Valley Methodist, took a trip this week for lunch at Ciao Bella, an Italian market in Perry, Georgia. And when I say it's an Italian market, I mean it's an Italian market. Seriously Italian. Meaning the menu has a whole bunch of words that Reverend Redneck doesn't recognize, stuff like prosciutto and arugula and stracciatella . That's ham , a leafy green vegetable , and a type of cheese , respectively. I Googled all that. Really. Because I was

Since publishing my most recent entry, Into The Misty Fog , I've wrestled with whether I should make our life with Alzheimer's the focus of this blog. While that may be the case in the future, I've decided not to do so at this time. My reason is rather simple-Regina is more than her Alzheimer's, and so is our life together. That is not to minimize her condition, nor to diminish the impact of it on our lives, but rather to recognize and appreciate the rich blessings we enjoy.

There is nothing like the blunt honesty of a human being who is two months shy of turning six years old. Even if that almost six-year-old is your oldest grandchild. Maybe especially if she is. Recently, I was trying unsuccessfully to explain something or another to Hazel. Whatever it was, she just wasn't getting it, which is unusual because she's a very bright young lady. She was more than happy to explain the miscommunication. "You're speaking Southern, Hubba," she said hel

I spent a little time this past weekend pondering the impact Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Since I was born in 1963, my firsthand memory is only of a post-legal-segregation world. That doesn't mean our world was truly integrated by any measure; it simply means the laws had changed and the courts were forcing compliance. So, I went to integrated public schools, and I, thank God, never remember seeing Colored Only or Whites Only signage. There was still plenty of separation, to

Georgia is pretty well in the deep pocket of the American South, and Fort Valley, the town we live in, is just about smack dab in the middle of the state. You didn't have to ace Geography class to know that means we don't make many snowmen around here. In fact, we get a lot more tornado warnings than forecasts for anything frozen to fall from the sky. Humid subtropical , I believe, is the official classification for our climate. That's best described as a place having long, h

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being gre

Christmas Eve 2025 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:22-25, English Standard Version My focus the last 24 days has been on these four

Tuesday December 23, 2025 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:24,25, English Standard Version Well, there you go. Joseph wakes up and does what he’s commanded to do. Matthew is just so matter of fact about it, as if instant obedience is the most natural and obvious thing in the world. Reading this 2000 years after Joseph

Monday December 22, 2025 But as he (Joseph) considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20,21, English Standard Version Faced with a monumental decision, Joseph opts to . . . sleep on it . Yep. He

Sunday December 21, 2025 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things . . . Matthew 1:19-20a, English Standard Version Meanwhile, back in Nazareth, the focus of the story shifts from Mary to her intended husband, Joseph. We move from the book of Luke to Matthew’s Gospel which put the emphasis on the story from Joseph’s perspective. Joseph knows a few things at this point.

Saturday December 20, 2025 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. Luke 1:62,63, English Standard Version Zechariah ain’t no dummy. He’s not disobeying Gabriel's orders, and he doesn’t leave his wife hanging out to dry. He grabs a pencil and lays down the law-the kid will be named John , and that settles it. But Luke tells us that “they all wondere

Friday December 19, 2025 And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” Luke 1:59b-61, English Standard Version I remember when our son, Cole, and his wife, Alecia, said they were considering the name Hazel for their daughter. In my late 50s at the time, I hadn’t known many Hazels in my lifetime. All of them were born before me. Long