Opinion Archive

I came to faith in Christ 40 years ago in a church in southeast Florida. The members of that small congregation embraced me as family, inviting me to their homes for dinners and cookouts. I marveled that such a loving group of people existed and even came to perceive them as being without fault. It wasn’t long before I realized that they, like me, though redeemed in Christ, were real human beings who had to deal with a sin nature.

We have had a very busy week. After putting out three papers on Monday, our editor, Daniel Evans, left Wednesday to move his family from Georgia to Pace, Florida. They signed the paperwork in Georgia Friday morning because they were selling and buying at the same time. They arrived Friday afternoon at their new home and had to wait to get into their new house until they got the go ahead from the seller’s Realtor and received the key to their new home. They worked very quickly and were able to return the U-Haul by Friday evening. As they were getting settled in their new home, they found out they couldn’t operate the stove top and oven at the same time and the dryer didn’t work. There are always things that don’t go according to plan, but it was a major feat to coordinate selling, buying and moving withing 1.5 months. I credit Daniel’s wife for the precision with which everything took place. And there were other complicated factors – and it all came together because of awesome planning.  And in honor of Mother’s Day this past weekend – I have to say – moms are awesome and they are the driving force behind getting things done for the family. From planning moves to planning vacations, moms know that where there is a will – there is a way.

Some of you probably woke up last Friday, very surprised to learn that a tornado came right through Santa Rosa County and into Okaloosa County.

Many were left to pick up trees from their homes, out of roadways and to repair property damage following the EF-2 twister. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado through its preliminary survey, estimating its peak winds at 115 miles per hour.

Jordan Jefferson stopped by a youth football camp held after the Navarre Raiders’ Saturday spring practice the other week.
He had the attention of every young player there, especially since it was only a few weeks ago that Jefferson was taken in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After I finish one of my weekly columns, I have two women read it for comprehension, spelling and grammar. The first woman is my wife. The second “woman” is the voice in my software’s review function. My wife works during the day, this other “woman” is available to read whenever I call.

I was traveling again last week, and I was able to read the paper from my e-edition and the app on the go. As I write this, I’m on a mother-daughter weekend in Charleston, SC – a week before Mother’s Day. I have two unsolicited tips for those coming to Charleston; don’t wear high heels and bring mosquito repellant. Charleston is a very popular place for bachelorette parties and weddings, and there are a lot of ladies wearing high heels and the sidewalks are very uneven. And the mosquito is apparently the state bird in SC. There are a lot of marshes on either side of historic Charleston and the mosquitos are stealthy and apparently, relentless. I didn’t see them or feel them, but I have itchy welts on my neck, arms, feet and ankles. I have plenty of items to ward off mosquitos in Navarre including a natural spray and arm bands. Mosquitos love me…I check all of their boxes for a tasty treat. Next to OneBlood, mosquitos consider my blood to be a high value target. If I get out of this place without a mosquito borne disease, it will be a miracle. I just Googled, Charleston, SC mosquito activity and the result was, “The risk for mosquito activity is extremely high.” I didn’t see any “Mosquito Joe” signs around – maybe there is no hope for protection.

The year 2024 is a big election year, not only nationally, but also in Santa Rosa County.

We’re guessing everyone is aware of that, unless you sleep under a rock or somehow drive around town with your eyes closed. At this point, we’re not sure you could throw a rock on most major thoroughfares in Santa Rosa County and not hit an election sign.

I wish Santa Rosa County would get out of its own way and figure out how to make an aquatics center happen.
Before the Dallas Cowboys win their next Super Bowl would be ideal. Well, on that note, you’ve got some time to get it done.

I did the “seminary thing” backward, serving in full time ministry at one church for 12 years – 8 as an ordained pastor – with no formal Bible education; then I went to seminary. Colleagues insisted that I would have an advantage over my classmates who would have just graduated from Bible college. After a few classes, I understood. What the fresh Bible college grads knew was yet untested theory. What I knew came from personal study, from experience, and from making a lot of mistakes.

A moon tree? Never heard of it – but Gail was intrigued enough to read Hansen Hasenberg’s story on it and tell me about it. I will be reading the story with you when it comes out in print. Apparently, in 2022, Artemis 1 (a NASA uncrewed spaceflight) took some seedlings into space on a 25-day trip orbiting the moon. West Navarre Intermediate School obtained one of the seedlings – and we were there as they planted the sweetgum seedling. You will have to read the story to find out the history of moon trees and how one of the seedlings came to WNIS.