Year

ByHal Hammons

The deaths of George Michael, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds this week seemed to set off yet another wave of complaints — not that we would be robbed of their respective talents (the word being used generously in the case of Mr. Michael), bur rather that 2016 was going to go down in history that much faster as the worst year in the history of … whatever.

How realistic is that?  On a whim, I checked the archives.  Natalie Cole, Marion James and Meadowlark Lemon (a greater entertainer than the other five combined, in my book) passed away the same week in 2015 — not to mention dozens of “celebrities” of whom I had never heard.  And just as many folks were screaming doom and gloom eight and four years ago over political developments as now.

Bad things happen.  Every year.  Good things, too — starting with living through the bad things, but by no means ending there.  For me, I saw the most disappointing election cycle of my adult life, I saw multiple brethren take sledgehammers to their marriages, and I saw the inside of my colon for the first time.  But I also spent a fifth holiday season associated with the best church I’ve ever had a chance to minister to, I participated in multiple baptisms, I preached the gospel in two new states, and I cultivated a new hobby that brought me closer to my wife and family.

Is there some reason I should emphasize the bad over the good?

Surely the child of God can have Job’s faith in the God who gives and takes away (Job 1:21) — and also be reminded how little, compared to Job he really has to complain about.

And if all else fails, if the life we live here is just absolutely too miserable to take for another minute, at least believers are a year closer to heaven (Romans 13:11).  That’s a comfort for me.  If you are not a believer, I’d suggest you seek Jesus’ remedy for what ails you instead of just wallowing in misery.

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Going

ByHal Hammons

Harriet Tubman, the great warrior of the Underground Railroad, is quoted as saying, “If you hear the dogs, keep going.  If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.  If there’s shouting after you, keep going.  Don’t ever stop.  Keep going.  If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.”

Elk

ByHal Hammons

Have you seen the one in which a man is being attacked by a bull elk?  The man is trying desperately to keep a tree between himself and the massive beast.  Every once in a while the elk would bellow angrily.  (Who knew a big deer, essentially, could sound so mean?)  The man, wisely, did not choose to run in those moments; no doubt the elk would have run him down easily.

 

Walkouts

ByHal Hammons

I have to admit, I am not a big fan of walkouts.  And I appear to be in the minority.  Everyone seems to be staging walkouts these days.  Generally, as I understand it, a walkout involves people abandoning their proper, useful activity such as school or work and spending their time instead telling people how righteous their cause is — as though school and work are not righteous causes themselves.

I’m not doubting the sincerity of the people involved, nor am I necessarily casting aspersions on their respective causes.  I’m just saying, it’s very convenient to pat yourself on the back for taking a day off.

Important

ByHal Hammons

A school shooting was foiled this week in the Chicago area.  A former student crashed a graduation practice and opened fire when a police officer confronted him.  The officer returned fire, and the incident was quelled.

“Nobody important was injured in the shooting.”  That’s a quote from the article I read, posted on an unapologetically pro-police website.

Freezing

ByMark Watson

A young woman attended a concert last week in Milwaukee, and then an afterparty.  She was wearing shorts, fishnet stockings, and a tank top.  Good party clothing, I suppose, if you don’t care about modesty or giving boys the wrong (right?) idea.  But not so great for winter in Wisconsin.  By the time she left…

Lie

ByHal Hammons

A preacher colleague of mine messaged me on Facebook this week.  He wanted to tell me I was on a list of people who have not claimed their big check from Such-and-Such Government Agency.  After discovering that he did not know two of his own daughters, confirming my suspicions of a hack, I told him I had reported him to Facebook.