I grew up in furniture city— High Point N.C. It isn’t that any more, but in Hickory, Newton and surrounding places in the foothills, it’s making a comeback.  I used to work in a lawn furniture factory, and later for Carolina Door. My dad worked at Tomlinson’s in High Point as well. But America’s lust for cheap goods almost made the American furniture industry extinct in the 1980s and 1990. It got so bad that in Lexington N.C. (not to... Read more

THE BONDING A cold and listless season, And full of cheerless cheer, When hopes are raised and dashed again And joy dissolves in tears.   The search for endless family The search for one true Friend Leaves questers tired, disconsolate With questions without end.   Best find some potent pleasure quick Some superficial thrill Than search for everlasting love When none can fill that bill.   So hide yourselves in shopping And eating ‘til you burst, Use endless entertainment As... Read more

  Contrary to popular belief, the New Year for Christians does not begin in the month of Janus i.e. January, the god who faces both back and forward. Just as the New Year begins with Rosh Hashanah for Jews (which by the way means ‘head of the year’) so the Christian New Year begins with Advent, from the Latin adventus— to come, and interestingly the first Sunday in Advent celebrates the second coming of Jesus, not the first one, Hence... Read more

A Big thank you to Todd Still and Jason Myers for the total surprise of my being given a Festschrift in honor of my 70th birthday.  We celebrated at Rio, Rio Cantina on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Pictured at the birthday party are Todd Still, Jason Myers, Judy Gundry, Craig Evans, Jeff Weima, and my colleague at Asbury Craig Keener.  A big thank you to you all.   BW3 Read more

Whilst watching a really depressing show on the effects of the Covid pandemic, a statistic was mentioned that no one has been talking about—- namely that 40% of the deaths from COVID are of those who are obese or morbidly obese.  And this is not only of those who are not vaccinated. I realize I can be accused of fat shaming people by talking about this especially during the holiday season, and I realize as well that there are in... Read more

As my mom used to say, growing old is not for sissies.  As usual, she was right, though I used to hate to admit it. But how does one grow older gracefully?  Rule 1: Have a more regular filter on what you say.  If you just say whatever comes into your head after 70 years, you may come across as silly, stupid, senile, or worse. So think before you speak. Rule 2:  Eat less and chew more thoroughly.  That way... Read more

First point. I haven’t cried at a movie this much in a long time.  This is one powerful story of overcoming obstacles and achieving great success.  Overcoming prejudice, overcoming the star-maker machinery, staying within one’s family values.  I did not realize the Williams sisters grew up in a strong Jehovah’s witness family.  There are various things I would strongly disagree with the JWs about, but not their emphasis on family and core family values, and not their insistence on following... Read more

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In no particular order: Mr. Mister Duran Duran Tears for Fears Howard Jones Foreigner Simply Red Thompson Twins Simple Minds U2 Seal (o.k. mostly 90s) Eurythmics Peter Gabriel (There are of course more, many of them one hit wonders)   Read more

OBITUARY FOR JOYCE WEST WITHERINGTON   Joyce West Witherington, 95, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday November 17th 2021.  She is survived by her brother, James Arthur West Jr. of Shelby N.C. and her two children, Ben Witherington, III of Lexington Ky. and Laura Joyce Witherington of Wilmington, N.C. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Ben Witherington Jr. on November 28th 2008 and her granddaughter Christy Ann Witherington on Jan. 12, 2012. Joyce’s... Read more