Hi. I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a Word About … Masks I grew up in a neighborhood that had tar and gravel streets. Once a year, usually late summer or early fall, men would come by our neighborhood with street-sweeping machines to sweep off all the old gravel…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a Word About … Reading We live in what could be called a frenetic and confusing world. One of the ways I try to stay on track with my life, especially in the midst of so much uncertainty, political rhetoric, slant, spin,…
Hi, I’m Ken Jones and this is A Classic State of Mind with a word about … Beginnings. Every year, it happens. During the last few days of the old year, and the first couple of days of the New Year, my wife and I and our son who lives with us take a trip…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a word about … Endings. As a writer, I know that the most important sentence any author can write in a book is the first sentence. Keeping a reader’s interest as you begin is such an important thing. But equally important —…
I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a Word About …Shame Once not so long ago for God, I suppose, he did a very strange thing. On an ordinary day, the Lord, the Son of God prepared to take his leave of heaven. I cannot say what the weather was…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones, and this is a Classic State of Mind, with a true story about … The Christmas Card. It was nearly Christmas, and a man I know well was grateful when Friday evening finally came. It had been a very long week. When he arrived home that night, he saw his wife…
I’m Ken Jones, and this is a Classic State of Mind, with a word about: Oranges I’m not sure who coined the phrase: ‘What you see is what you get.’ The obvious intent of that kind of little saying is that you can trust what you see to be real. It’s not unlike another phrase…
My friend Rich’s quiet, reflective, manner makes him a wonderful person to talk to. He gives me the impression he actually thinks before he speaks—a rare thing in humans—and then, when he does speak, his words are distilled, salient and worth listening to. I like to hear him talk. He challenges me to grow. Several…
I love Thanksgiving. I always have. No other day of the year smells like Thanksgiving, I think. My memories of Thanksgiving dinners at home are treasured ones, but one particular celebration stands out from all the rest. Just the five of us—my mom and dad and the three kids. We were seated in our appointed…
I recently spent time with a dying man. A wonderful Christian man who was wrestling with ‘end-of-life’ issues. As a pastor for a long time, I will tell you that this is not the first conversation I’ve ever had with an individual facing a terminal illness who seemed perplexed by decisions they’ve never had to…