My dad was a carpenter. In fact, I come from a long line of carpenters. One of my brothers was a carpenter for many years, before he retired, and even taught carpentry to young apprentices. One of my grandpas was a carpenter, too. I grew up around guys who were able to build things, use…
You may have noticed. Life is full of unexpected things. In fact, over the years I’ve noticed that a lot of the things I fully expect to happen don’t happen because something I didn’t expect to happen … happened. It’s been a couple of years ago, now, that my wife and I went…
I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a Word about … Satisfaction. ONE OF THE THINGS I got for my birthday this year was a really cool gadget that helps me stay organized. Among the packaging and materials included with that gadget was a guarantee. But it wasn’t just…
I recently read a piece that was published in an old edition of the Springfield Oregon Public Schools newsletter. It was a word picture or parable that caused me to pause and reflect on my life today. It went something like this: “Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to…
This will, for a certainty, date me. But I have lived long enough to say I remember Timex watch commercials. Newsman John Cameron Swayze became the pitchman for Timex watches, coining the phrase, “It takes a licking, but keeps on ticking.” The commercials, which continued for 20 years, featured Mr. Swayze presiding as the watches…
I noticed something, this morning. (I’m almost ashamed to admit how much happens around me and my life every day that I don’t notice or pay attention to.) But this morning, I noticed something as I opened my center desk drawer. What I noticed was … junk. It wasn’t big junk, like piles of refuse…
One of the great privileges I have had over the course of my life and ministry is the opportunity to work with some terrific musicians. For more than fifty years, now, on most Sunday mornings I’ve been able to stand before local congregants in some wonderful churches and lead people in the worship of God…
Every morning as I drive to my office, I pass a large American flag that flies along the freeway of our town. It always inspires me to see that flag waving in the wind. I love America, and seeing that symbol of our freedom reminds me to pray for our country frequently as I drive…
For Christmas this year, someone gave us one of those “Echo” units from Amazon. If you’re unfamiliar with the technology, an Echo unit is also known as ‘Alexa,’ a device with a speaker and small screen. It can sit on a counter top, a desk. I’d heard about Alexa, but I’d never seen one in…
The other day, I got a text message on my phone from one of my sons. And attached to that text message was a short video of my ten-year-old grandson practicing the piano. Several months ago, he decided he wanted to learn to play piano. They’ve got an old, out-of-tune upright piano at their house….