Thoughts

A collection of thoughts related to faith, finances, food, environment, and other sporadic thoughts.

Listed by order written, latest at the top. After the description, [yyyy-mm-dd] indicates the date posted, and {abc, xyz} are the topics. Every thought has one or more topics assigned I assigned. If you prefer to see these organized by topics (as opposed to chronologically), view this alternate listing.

The Four Winds: By Kristin Hannah, this historical fiction follows the life of a panhandle family struggling. In the throes of the great depression, severe drought and dust storms hit this family (and many across the U.S.) very hard. [2026-02-27] {life, book}
I Can Only Imagine: This describes a movie by the same title as the hit song by Christian artist Bart Millard came up with in this movie. It is based on the life of Millard. [2026-02-27] {faith, movie}
Explain This: I present 8 photos, and I ask you to explain them. I give my answers. [2026-01-25] {brain food}
Pronounce These: This looks at a few words in Greek that may be hard to pronounce for English speakers, even if you know the sounds of the Greek letters. You don't need to know any Greek to benefit from this. [2026-01-25] {brain food}
A Cold Day: With windchills at -30, can one still take a walk? Yes, if one plans for it. [2026-01-24] {life}
Try Counting to Ten: This looks at an old strategy to do before responding to a person, especially if one is emotional at the time. There is advice from Thomas Jefferson and a more analytic examination of why this works and how to improve the strategy [2026-01-01] {life}
How Do I Walk?: Recently, someone identified me walking toward him in the dark. [2025-10-25] {observation}
To Him Who Believes: Here I recount an important quote that has guided me for the last 50 years. [2025-08-24] {faith}
All the Light We Cannot See: This is a short review of a book entitled as above and authored by Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Doerr. [2025-08-22] {book}
Chains of Babies: Some people focus on whether they are the oldest, youngest, or middle child in a family. This is just a short look at my parents and their parents and so on. [2025-08-22] {family}
A Train Recently Went By: This is a short story of an experience from almost six decades ago. [2025-08-20] {humor}
The Four Things That Matter Most: This is a short book review of a book Marcia received at starting home hospice care in Pella. [2025-08-16] {book}
And I also get paid: This is a reflection on a comment that colleague and hiring chair, Don Meyer, said to me in my first year of teaching at Central College.[2025-08-12] {memory, attitude}
Bike Helmets are Only for Kids: Who should be wearing bike helmets? [2022-06-15] {gripe}
Three Kinds of People: just check it out [2022-05-27] {humor}
'Twas a Few Days Before Election Day: A Facebook post [2021-01-06] {life; politics}
Live Now: Live now [2020-09-20] {life}
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter: Interesting book and movie [2020-09-20] {book}