Treasure the Right Treasure
It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Nicolas Cage starred in the movie, National Treasure. The action packed thriller features the hunt for a fabled stash of incredible riches from antiquity that had been hidden by our nation’s founders. Cage’s character, Ben Gates, searches for clues in our…
Work, Rest, and Labor Day
Thirty-eight years ago this month, I started my career as an instructor of Agricultural Education. I taught my first two years at Culpeper Jr. High School and was thankful to make my beginner mistakes away from home. In 1988, I returned to my alma mater, Central High School, to teach…
Crowing For God’s Glory
Another Fair Week will soon begin in Shenandoah County and festivities are gearing up. The days to come hold much excitement, entertainment, entrees, and exhaustion. While children gravitate toward the rides, most adults enjoy the livestock, poultry, and exhibit buildings. Many of us just like catching up with friends we…
Explaining All That Is
Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? Nearly every person asks these questions at some point in our lives. The search for their answers has motivated some of history’s greatest minds to consider all manner of possibilities. Because we all bump into reality every…
A Theory of Poison and Pain
Imagine your child coming home from school reporting that her teacher told their class that women were too weak to become managers and that people with black skin were inferior to whites. My hope is that you would be alarmed and even outraged by such teachings and contact the teacher…
Catching The Right Bus
Hansle Parchment is competing in this year’s Summer Olympics representing Jamaica. At 34, he is one of the oldest athletes participating and will be running in the 110 meter hurdles. He won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics but he is in Paris this week to defend the gold…
Olympians Of The Animal Kingdom
It’s hard to believe four years have passed since the last summer Olympic Games, but opening ceremonies are set to kick off this year’s contests this evening. Athletes have gathered from all over the world to outrun, outjump, outswim, and out-throw their competitors. It will be exciting to watch as…
The Coral Reefs of God’s Kingdom
During the hot months of summer, millions of Americans head to the beach. Whether it’s Nag’s Head, Ocean City, or Waikiki, America’s beaches offer a respite from the blazing temperatures of July and August and provide cooling breezes and refreshing waves. While beaches exist where the ocean meets the land,…
The Plumb Line of Human Behavior
We are blessed in the valley to have many gifted individuals in the construction industry. Carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, concrete workers, roofers, caulkers, HVAC specialists and more bless all of us as they build the physical structures of our lives. We can be especially thankful in Shenandoah County for Triplet…
America’s Christian Underpinnings
What a blessing to be an American! As such, we are the recipients of the most incredible circumstances on earth. Forged by the wisdom of our founding fathers and paid for with their blood, we are blessed to live in a nation where basic liberties are enshrined in our founding…