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…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a word about … Names. When you grow up with a name like mine — a name like Jones, and you are in the third grade, and Miss Jordan assigns seats on the first day of class, you know where you are…
The dictionary defines “Endgame” as the ‘final stage of a game such as chess, when few pieces remain to be played.” I talked to two men this week about the endgame. Two different men, in two different towns, on two different occasions. I sat across from one of them, as we ate lunch together. And…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones, and this is “A Classic State of Mind,” with a Word About … Pain. In the summer of 1983, an uninvited guest came to our door. He has his hand in virtually every aspect of our lives and insists that we plan our everyday routines and even our vacations around…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a Word About the Audience. What’s He like? The God of All There Is, I mean. What are His preferences? If God were a fan of television — (I can hardly imagine such a thing) — can you imagine what He might…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with a Word About … Losing. I know a man who was forever losing things. He lost the keys to his car about once a week. It didn’t bother him too much to lose his keys. When he couldn’t find them, he’d just…
Hi. I’m Ken Jones and this is A Classic State of Mind, with A Word About … Skid Marks. You’ve noticed them, haven’t you? Those black, ominous-looking marks on highway pavements; a visual record of a spot where perhaps an accident occurred, or someone lost control of their vehicle. Sometimes, those skid marks run straight…