Columns

She seemed at ease with her cage, the barbed wire and tall fences surrounding the women’s prison.
I felt relaxed, too.
Maybe I should have been more nervous, sitting across from a convicted first-degree murderer.
On that crisp November day, however, I was more worried about my frozen fingertips, hanging onto that scribbling pencil for dear life.
It’s hard to translate someone’s life story burning in your ears when your numb hands refuse to cooperate.

I wish to respond to Jess Thompson’s column from last week in which he sharply criticized nearly every local church for having buildings which he deemed excessive in their size or cost.  He described them as “mega buildings.”  By any commonly accepted definition there are no mega churches in Anderson County.  And, even if there were, that would not necessarily be a bad thing.  A mega church is given the opportunity to do mega ministry.  

I don’t believe in the slippery slope.
You know, that metaphorical downward hill of depravity everyone talks about.
I basically put it in the same category as the bogeyman. Or unicorns.
I consider myself a pretty respectful and responsible person. I pay my taxes. I give change to the Salvation Army at Christmastime. I refrain from taking candy from small children, or kicking cute puppies.
Imagine my astonishment when I learn that my generation’s sliding down the slope’s shifting sands of immorality.  

I can’t believe it’s the end of July.
I have noticed that it’s getting light later in the mornings and that’s my reminder that the season is passing, however slowly. I took the time one morning last week to spend a few glorious minutes just sitting on the porch, listening to Mother Nature. It was incredible.