Since this column will run in the vicinity of July 4, my mind is filled with a bunch of thoughts about America — some serious, some not so much. So here goes.
› God made every nation and placed them where they are. Acts 17:26 says, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” I mention that because it has become somewhat fashionable for some far-too-pious preachers to opine that we should not express any gratitude for America, and that to do so is idolatry. Never mind that 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Some believe we must remove America from that list of “everything.” But I refuse to do so, mostly because preachers who say that are as uninformed as they are obnoxious, and because I cannot help but notice how grateful they are for lesser things like their favorite team, their guns, their fishing rods and their Buddha bellies.
› Socialism, despite an absolutely perfect record of being a terrible idea, is nonetheless becoming fashionable again among those who do not know history and have no grasp of economics. And part of the problem may be that the dry definition of it does not quite convey the full depth of its wretchedness. So please allow me to define it in very familiar picture form. The optimist sees the glass as half full. The pessimist sees the glass as half empty. The socialist sees that some people have bigger glasses than others, so they burn down the glass factory, then break everyone’s glass and distribute the shards evenly amongst everyone.
› Tracy City, Tennessee, is not just off the beaten path; it is the path that is off the beaten path compared to the path that is off the beaten path. And yet, it is home to an absolute gem called the Dutch Maid Bakery & Café. The food and the confections are utterly heavenly. If you are ever within driving distance, say, anywhere even remotely east of Texas, you need to go check it out. You will not just say the blessing before you eat; you will even give thanks in between bites.
› If you have been saved a very long time and have completely lost any and all desire to curse, the late afternoon traffic in Alcoa, Tennessee, will resurrect that desire, though I assure you, I did not give in to it.