VENDOR WRITING

Two Weeks in Review

BY JEN A.

This issue, I couldn't decide what to write about. Lord knows there was plenty to spark my pen to paper. There's that commercial in rotation on Fox Sports Radio for Smith and Wesson, the gun manufacturers, promoting their deadly products that ends, "Smith and Wesson, empowering Americans." It's always strategically placed between ads for erectile dysfunction and hair replacement treatments. Could they be targeting the fragile male ego?

The FCC bans ads for cigarettes and liquor because of their negative health effects. Guns are far more instantly lethal than either of those products. How is gun advertising allowed when we know that the second leading cause of death in children is the proliferation of unsecured guns? Have we become so numb to deaths caused by guns that we just don't care anymore? Do our children mean so little to us?

Because that piece so depressed me, I started another titled, "Tennessee Legislators Play Doctor," about how Republican legislators have called a special session to forbid mask mandates in schools. Actual medical professionals have called for mandates to protect our children from the more dangerous, highly transmittable, Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus.

But then the mask mandate morphed into a way for our governor to promote school vouchers so that mask-averse parents could receive funds to send their children to private schools that aren't subject to mask mandates. Republicans have long wanted to destroy our public schools. But really, wouldn't a quality private school require masks? This one convinced me that Republicans not only have no grip on reality but also lack any sense of shame.

Looking for another topic, there have been a rash of high-profile Republicans who were felled or died of COVID-19. That is tragic. Conservative leaders in our state had better change their no masks, no vaccine message or there will be no one left to vote for them in the next election.

And how about those idiot yahoos who showed up at the Williamson County school board meeting to harass and threaten those who testified that masks were the best way to protect our children in group settings. Whoever paid those rabble rousers certainly wasted their money. I laughed when I heard them chanting, "We know who you are." Yeah, we know who you are too!

But then Major League Baseball came along to save us all from the dark and noxious events of the last few weeks with their "Field of Dreams" game. It appeared, almost miraculously, from a glistening green field of corn to shower us with waves of nostalgia for happier, bygone days. It wasn't heaven but it was close. It was Iowa.

The game itself certainly didn't disappoint. In the top of the 9th, the Yanks, trailing by three runs, went up by one off of two, two run bombs by Judge and Stanton. Then in the bottom of the 9th, with two out and one on, Tim Anderson of the White Sox launched one into the corn for the walk off win. It just doesn't get any better than that.

My most heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in bringing us MLB's "Field of Dreams" game. You touched my soul and brought something into my life that was not corrupted by hate and stupidity. I will put this memory in the box where I keep all of my most cherished memories and take it out from time to time to remind me that there is still some good in these United States of America. Baseball is and always has been a blessing. Just ask Walt Whitman.

He speaks to our hearts

BY JOHN H.

After paying attention to many Americans each day I wonder, “Do they know when God’s speaking to their heart?” It’s all apart of getting to know about the Lord you serve each day. For me, he speaks to my heart on the spot or shortly before, but most the time, he lay it on my heart twelve to twenty four hrs ahead of time. For instance; God can lay it on my heart to visit a sick person or maybe come to the aid of someone that in hardship or whatever the case may be. Am I the only one?

I remember times when he’s convicted my heart. Walking home yesterday, a girl was sitting on the corner. She asked me for a dollar and I told her I didn’t have it. I had a dollar but it was for bus fair the following morning. I got in the house, sit for a while and I just didn’t feel right. I needed the dollar but somehow I felt she needed it worse than me. I got up and went back to that corner, she was still there. I gave her the dollar and started back home and what do you know, laying on the sidewalk was twenty dollars. Much of the time you may find money but it wouldn’t be laying on the side walk like this twenty dollar bill was. It was dark and I could actually see this $20 fifteen feet away. Amazing the rewards we get for being obedient to God when he speak to our heart.

Are we to be obedient, ignore, or do we even know when God’s speaking to our heart. Take some time and think about these three things because it’s very important. Matter of fact, one day it could be a question whether you spend eternity with satan or with the Lord. And if by chance you didn’t know God was speaking to your heart, open up his word and read about him. Whatever you don’t understand just go in prayer and ask.

I know because I remember nights I’ve gotten outta bed and went to the aid of someone and surely that person needed me.