J. Davy Crockett III

The Star Wars series of blockbuster movies has thrilled audiences since what is now called Episode IV hit the box office in 1977. The theme of good versus evil, symbolized by the “Force” and the “Dark Side,” has captured the imaginations of young and old alike. The memorable characters, fast-paced action scenes, and cheeky dialogue pack theaters when each new installment is released.

Children are without guile, and they will often tell you very revealing things. A grandfather once told me about an experience with his ten-year-old grandson. Grandad asked the boy, “So, what are you studying in school these days?” to which the boy replied, “Did you know there is acid in a person’s stomach, but it doesn’t eat a hole in them?” His grandfather told him, “Yes, that is marvelous! It is how God made us as human beings.” He was dismayed when the boy responded, “Aw, Grandad, we don’t do ‘the God thing’ at our house!”

As the countries of the world reel from the debilitating effects of the coronavirus pandemic and tensions erupt in political strife and division, a literal explosion in the smallest country in the Middle East has grabbed everyone’s attention. The massive blast occurred at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, when 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded.

Outraged protestors carrying “BLM” signs have filled the streets of many large cities in the United States following the death, at the hands of a white policeman, of a black man who resisted arrest. What should have been a routine apprehension of a suspect resulted in the man's violent death, which a bystander captured in a stunning video.