George Washington Carver, the botanist and inventor—who as a black man in the Reconstruction era of nineteenth century America had reason upon reason for not succeeding—once observed, “Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” Carver made a conscious decision not to allow his disadvantages keep him from making …
I was praying something like this: “Lord, I’m afraid I’m going to be late, and you know, Lord, it’s embarrassing for the preacher to be late for a wedding rehearsal, especially when the preacher’s son is the best man, and he’s waiting on his dad to get there, so Lord, have mercy, and as I …
My wife, Lori, and I are not good with houseplants. When she brings home a new plant, I shake my head, knowing the plant’s likely demise. I want to pull it aside and whisper, “I’m so sorry she bought you. I promise I’ll pray for you.” If plants could muster a police force, they would …
A friend and gardening mentor told me when I first ventured into this labor of love called gardening that this hobby should be relaxing. “If it’s stressful,” he told me, “you’re taking it too seriously.” His words echo in my ears as I stare at the freshly plowed ground, that chore the courtesy of a …
Read more “A gardener’s dilemma: should I stay or should I go?”
Archie Bunker, the proverbial “lovable bigot” of “All in the Family” fame, wasn’t very good at telling his wife, Edith, he loved her. In one episode Edith pauses, furors her brow like she’s really thinking and asks, “Archie, do you love me?” Archie has no patience for such queries: “What kind of question is that?” …