Rushing's Ramblings

  I often have lunch with my third-grade grandson at his school. You might be surprised about their conversation if you take the time to listen to a group of eight-year-old boys. I always thought females enjoyed gossiping, including me, but I discovered males do, too. Although, males never get called on it, to my knowledge. Maybe they have, and I haven’t paid attention. But I’ve been tuning into the boys in the lunchroom. They forget I’m sitting there after a few minutes, and the gossip starts flowing. It’s fascinating. One of the boys in my grandson’s friend group always has a gigantic lunch and wolfs down his two sandwiches, chips, two drinks, and desserts as fast as possible. He doesn’t interact with the other boys because he’s focused on stuffing his face. Seeing that his already above-average girth will keep swelling doesn't take much imagination. The other boys move when he starts spreading catsup or mayonnaise on his chips, sandwiches, and desserts because his behavi...

  One thing I love about living in this 62+ “active adult” community is the stories I hear from people others might dismiss because they’re retired. Still, many have had fascinating experiences if you take the time to ask questions and listen.   At the dog park last night, I heard the riveting story of Betty, a woman in her early 80s who had been on life support several years ago.  The doctors told her daughter, Donna, to contact her family because she was close to death and that life support should be removed.  Thankfully, Donna didn’t agree to remove life support, but she contacted the family to visit Betty anyway, thinking their presence might bring her back.     Betty and I love gospel music, and Betty’s favorite is the magnificent Gaither Vocal Band.  Though she was in a coma, Donna had brought recordings of Gaither music for Betty to hear as she lay in the hospital bed. Donna likely knew that people in comas can often still he...

  I don’t know who needs to read this, but if you profess to be a Christian, act like one who follows the teachings of Christ. I’ve been around Christians my entire life and learned at an early age that what one says they believe and how they behave are often entirely different. I had a first-row seat to hypocrisy as a child. I don’t care if your belief system is that God loves the sinner, not the sin, or if you believe your sins are forgiven after you ask for forgiveness. If you profess to be a Christian, others watch what you say and how you behave. If it doesn’t match, then you are a fraud and arrogant. Or, to put it another way, you declare through your actions that “I’m better than you because I’m a Christian.” Really? I know many atheists and agnostics who live lives of acceptance and service to others. Sound familiar? That’s how Jesus is described in the Bible…his inclusiveness and loving others…no matter what. Many people have awakened to a new age of hypocrisy, with...