Brunch

ByHal Hammons

I always take a seat on the patio when I have the option — and when it isn’t too hot or wet.  The other day it was a little bit of both — not too much, though, to discourage an avid fan of sightseeing, people-watching and atmosphere-drinking.

A sparrow, desirous of a bit of my brunch (good luck with that, little birdie), kept me company.  The dampened landscaping glistened in the early morning sun.  Jazz music filled the air — loud enough to be clear, not so loud as to be obnoxious.  I would have gotten some of that inside, and had air-conditioned comfort to boot.  Still, I considered myself to have the best seat in the house.

I was told I could stay as long as I liked — and having, as I did, my Bible with me, I was tempted.  But I had several bits of business that required my attention, and so I cut the morning short.  Another time, hopefully.

Life is like that — bits of business, bits of joy.  They all have their place.  “A time to mourn and a time to dance,” as Solomon would have put it (and did, in Ecclesiastes 3:4).  The needful bits without the joy cause despair; the joyful bits without the work causes sloth; just ask Solomon’s sluggard (Proverbs 24:30-34).  May God give us plenty of both — and a proper appreciation for all of it. 

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Easter

ByHal Hammons

Our good friend Tenson Mangwinyana contacted me last week, saying he was going on the radio that night (our early afternoon) to discuss the topic of Easter.  He wanted to know if I had any relevant material on the subject.  I gave him what I had — in a nutshell, that Easter is a human creation with pagan origins; that  early Bibles such as the King James Version substituted “Easter” in Acts 12:4, knowing full well the word was “Passover”; that the early Christians celebrated every “Lord’s Day,” including what we call Easter Sunday, by communing with Him in His death at His table. 

Allegations

ByHal Hammons

I have no particular ax to grind against either Harvey Weinstein or Roy Moore.  I’m sure they both have their positive aspects.  And I despise the degradation of anyone — young and female or otherwise — being perpetrated by people in power, regardless of where that power is wielded.  But I don’t want to write about that today.  I want to write about hypocrisy.

 

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.

Window

ByHal Hammons

It’s been raining a lot lately.  Maybe you’ve noticed.  Rain in the summer has been one of the toughest things for this Texas boy to get used to in this part of the world.  That, and what the locals call “Mexican food.”

The good thing about rain is, it helps my lawn grow.  The bad things is, it helps my lawn grow.  And grow.  And grow. 

My gift to Jesus

ByHal Hammons

This time of year, most of us have cultural, familial, and guilt-induced obligations to bestow gifts on various ones near and (to one degree or another) dear to us.  For the Hammons family, thankfully, our holiday shopping is just about concluded.  (I deceive.  Apologies.  Tracie’s holiday shopping is just about concluded.)

But I keep hearing talk about Jesus being “the reason for the season.”  I like Kylie’s response to that saying — “That’s ridiculous,” she says.  “Jesus is the reason for everything.”  (They do make you proud, don’t they?)