Recently I went to a local pizzeria to purchase the evening’s supper. My hair was in pretty bad need of cutting, so bad in fact that it looked slicked down because it didn’t have time to dry in the morning before I dressed for work. The young girl behind the counter said that I looked so professional except for my wild tie and slicked back hair. She asked, “Are you a car salesman?” I replied, “No, worse, I work for the school system!”

On Sunday morning, I get up and get ready for church. I have gathered all the materials I will need for the day on the Saturday night prior—clothes, Sunday school booklet, Bible and commentaries. This way, I don’t have to rush to get things done and can sleep a little later than would otherwise be possible. All I have to do is get up, shower, shave, put on my clothes, and grab my Sunday school bag before heading out the door.

I recently came across the question, “When is the last time you did something nice for a stranger?” There are indeed instances when we encounter strangers who have legitimate needs, but the bad experiences that we have with strangers who do not seem to be “on the level” make us cautious when dealing with all people unknown to us.

Most of us were probably taught as children to not talk to strangers. This was sound advice from our parents to prevent us from being harmed or kidnapped, and I believe in my case it once possibly saved my life.

A certain amount of misadventure can come from dining in public, especially if that public meal is as a student in elementary school.

Recently I was talking with my good friend Chip Brown. We recalled the time when we were having lunch in seventh grade at Maynardville Elementary. In those days, ketchup and mustard were in plastic bottles in the middle of each table. (Even vinegar for the spinach was in glass bottles on the table! Just imagine, spinach for lunch!) I haven’t seen this in a school in decades, and probably in great reason this is due to our misadventures at Maynardville Elementary.

When I was growing up, almost every meal I ate was at home or school. At home, our fare was usually pinto beans, potatoes, and corn bread with onions. One thing that without doubt developed my taste buds was Mother’s liberal use of Lay’s Clover Leaf® Brand Pure Lard.

If only once more I could go back through time and sit down to one of Mother’s meals. I would want it to be spring so we could have killed (“kilt”) lettuce, soup beans, fried taters with fresh garden peas, cornbread, and a good glass of store-bought buttermilk to wash it all down.

I seem to have dreams every time I go to sleep. Usually I don’t remember enough the next morning to tell them to anyone, though occasionally a few will linger in memory for a longer period.

Mincey’s Musings
Year Two, Week Thirty-Two

Someone once called Lincoln “two-faced”, to which he comically replied, “If I had two faces, do you think I’d wear this one?”

Mincey’s Musings
Year Two, Week Thirty

Leaving Leaves

Leaf After Leaf Drops Off

Leaf after leaf drops off, flower after flower,
Some in the chill, some in the warmer hour:
Alive they flourish, and alive they fall,
And Earth who nourished them receives them all.
Should we, her wiser sons, be less content
To sink into her lap when life is spent?
--Walter Savage Landor

Mincey’s Musings
Year Two, Week Twenty-Eight

Job 14:7-9

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
--John Donn

(https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_donne_136861).

Mincey’s Musings
Year Two, Week Twenty-Seven

Sometimes I think I am a most hard-hearted person. Things that seem to bother other people just don’t seem to affect me emotionally. Sometimes I think I am a little like Mr. Spock on Star Trek—non-emotional. I do wish if I had to be like Mr. Spock I could have access to more of his logic!

But there are things that can make even this hard-hearted sinner cry. I figure if they can get to me they can get to anybody that has any feeling for others at all.