Reflections

A Visit To La Cambe German War Cemetery In 2012, our family decided to travel to Paris and then be transported to Normandy, the site of incredible American drama. It was on the shores of the famed D-Day beach called Utah, where we placed a photo of Frank Couch, an American purple heart recipient who wore German delivered shrapnel in his body until he was laid to rest in the sloped cemetery of Jericho Church of Christ in Mocksville, NC. On this trip, internal patriotism was pounding in our chest. We visited the St. James Cemetery and listened to the chimes of the church bells as we surveyed the crosses and stars of David in rows upon rows. Later, tears accrued upon each of our cheeks as we visited the  Colleville-sur-Mer cemetery where 9,387 American souls are buried. An insignificant bluff overlooking Omaha beach made significant by heroes who were born there by their blood and where the future of so many young American’s ended.  As an American, the emotions are ...

The Answer is NO There are many reasons to go to church, most importantly to give God his glory. But every now and then, you hear things, you learn things that have an impact on your life. Today was one of them. A Morrison Bible fellowship friend, Gary Baldwin quoted a past pastor by the Name of Mark Corts, former pastor of Calvary Baptist Church who said, “I challenge you to say “No” to something at least once a day”. Later in the afternoon, I began to think about that profound idea. We live in a luxurious society where “yes” is preached to us constantly. “Yes” you need a better car, “yes” you need a larger house, “yes” you need those designer clothes, “yes” you need the iPhone X (guilty, kind of, I have the 8). All of those things are good, but so often we turn good things into bad things. Just look at our waist lines.  “Yes” is certainly important as I’m glad my wife said it to me many years ago. But think about the times we said “Yes” in our life and the consequences...

Jerry Morrison summed up a powerful message about the tongue! I fall short very often. However, I hope that when people hear my name, or your name, they think positive things rather than words like sarcastic, self centered talker, etc. Listen to what Jerry has to say about the part of your body that offers life or death.

Robert Frost wrote about travel. In his most famous piece, “Road not taken”, he ended by saying “I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Writing this on Delta getting ready to leave a conference I attended in Jacksonville, FL, my mind is fast forwarding to another jet I’ll be boarding this next Wednesday.  I have traveled many places and I can say they were fun. Some more exciting than others. But like Frost, this Wednesday I’ll be traveling down a road that is not traveled so much. Unlike the crowded beaches of the east coast (which I dearly love) or even the Appalachian Mountains that I sit at the base of in the foothills, Montana takes me to a place of solitude that has made all the difference to me. Waking up at the base of the Elkhorn Mountains lookin up at its 9000 feet summits, then looking to the river that Lewis & Clark traver...

The power of quiet! I have often heard in church “Be still and know that I am God”. As an extrovert who is charged by activity, being still is probably one of the hardest things to accomplish. But this morning, in the quiet of a Charleston, SC hotel, I sat on an chase lounge, and from about 5:45-6:30 am, I didn’t turn on the TV, I didn’t hear text messages beeping, and there was little to no traffic noise outside. Elizabeth was in dreamland and I just sat there quietly and silently spoke to myself and heard the quietness of God in the room. All is quiet Our generation probably more than any other, is challenged with noise: good and bad. Our phones are glued to our bodies. They are used for talking, listening to music, books and etc. We are addicted to TV. We proudly talk about binge watching Netflix shows. When we wake, we turn on the news. As we get in our vehicles, we turn on the radio. But this morning, the soundtrack of my life was simply silence. Meditation? I don’t k...

Thomas Jefferson was 6'2'. Jeff towered over me. Since we sold the estate of Andre the Giant in Ellerbe, North Carolina, I thought that would be our celebrity of the decade transaction. But recently Ashton & Elizabeth  took a conventional listing call. The usual took place, comp searches, sharing of our marketing plan, etc. Everything was typical until Elizabeth asked the client to give her his full name. He said, sure, Thomas Jefferson Randolph VIII. She kept writing and said, Thomas Jefferson....the eighth?? He said yes, I am the 8 th descendant from Thomas Jefferson. By the way…. You can call him “Jeff." America's third president, Thomas Jefferson married Martha Skelton and of their six children only two girls made it to adulthood. Their first born child was Martha Jefferson who later married Thomas Mann Randolph. 8 generations down the line enters Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” Randolph. Thomas Jefferson Martha Jefferson Jeff is selling his ho...

You know, the anticipation of trips are almost as much fun as the trips themselves. For about 6 months, Elizabeth, Lewis (our son) and I have been anxiously awaiting this day.  When Elizabeth and I were in the Holy Lands in 2012, we told each other, "we WILL bring our children here."  Now it's Lewis' turn. Now, getting ready to board a Lufthansa airplane headed first to Munich, and then on to Tel Aviv where we will arrive early Wednesday Morning. Packed and ready to go We will ride down the Mifrats Shlomo Promenade to the old city of Jaffa. More commonly referred to in the English bible as Joppa,  it is the oldest part of Tel Aviv -Yafo. It was an ancient Mediterranean port. The most famous biblical story there is about Jonah, who was reluctantly called to preach and was swallowed by a big fish. The area is also known for stories about Solomon and Peter.  Consider reading in the New Testament Acts 9:36-43 to read about the charitable lady name "Dorcas...