Ponderings by Dan Ponder

It is hard to leave a place where you have lived almost four decades.  Mary Lou and I had friendships that stood the test of time, belonged to a church we loved, and treasured the house we had lived in for 37 years.   Despite some of the uncertainty and butterflies in our stomach, we…

For 15 years I have penned a New Year’s Day article.  I made resolutions every year until last year, keeping some and breaking others.   The articles also had some reflections on each passing year. As I enter my 72nd year, I realize there is not a lot of time to waste making resolutions. The…

This Christmas is a bit more disjointed than most in the past.  We just celebrated a week early with our children and grandchildren in Dothan.  We all gathered at our daughter’s home where Elizabeth and Grant hosted and fed everyone there. Our other daughter, Catherine, and her family from Bainbridge, Georgia joined us.  The overflow…

Last Sunday was the third Sunday of Advent.  As I continue my journey of learning the different ways Christian churches celebrate this season, I discovered that this particular week of Advent is also known as “Gaudete”.  Gaudete is the Latin word for “Rejoice!” After lighting purple candles for Hope and Peace, a pink candle is…

Johnny Carson once said that the worst gift is a fruitcake.  He indicated there was only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people just keep sending it to each other.   Truthfully, fruitcakes were always way down on my list of foods to avoid for Christmas Dinner, ranking right there with boiled okra and…

This was my first article written about Advent, penned 15 years ago this week. Despite growing up in a Christian home with the Christmas spirit surrounding our family, I was never really exposed to the Season of Advent.  Advent means “coming” or “arrival” as in the arrival or birth of Christ. For many western churches,…

Thanksgiving is celebrated each year in the United States on the fourth Thursday of each November.  It is one of the most popular holidays in this country for good reasons.  Most of us enjoy delicious foods while we gather with our family and friends.  While I have always enjoyed these big family celebrations, I also…

This past week, the United States government ceased to produce the shiny new copper penny that has been part of our monetary since 1787, approximately 238 years.  The first penny was designed by Benjamin Franklin and was produced by a private mint.  In 1793, the first penny produced by a US Mint was made in…

Thirty-six years ago, I began my journey in public service when I was elected for the first time as a Commissioner on the Seminole County Board of Commissioners. The following year, I was honored to be chosen as Chair, a role I held until my election to the Georgia House of Representatives. During my five…

The bed was too short and narrow as I was rolled into the cold room.  It looked oddly the same as other rooms that I have previously visited a half dozen times in my life.  The people in the room seemed efficiently busy as I listened to their chatter.  They asked my name and my…