Ponderings by Dan Ponder

A small town. A small Baptist church. Sunday morning service.  Generations worshiping together just as they have, well for generations.  It could have been the town I grew up in on any given Sunday, just as it could have been for millions of others. A troubled soul took aim at his mother-in-law’s church.  She wasn’t…

The title of this week’s article is easily the most unusual of my writing career.  My guess is no one older than half my age will have a clue what it means.  Yet it sums up much of the way we gather data about our lives today. “I want what I want when I want…

My wife and I were happy to host a couple of old friends this past weekend in Donalsonville.   Mike and Alice McDonald lived in Donalsonville for seven years before moving on in 1986. They were part of a tight circle of friends that had young children and common interests.   We were especially pleased they…

Writing a weekly column is not always easy.  Unlike many writers, I don’t really have a list of things I plan to write about in the future.  I like to wait to the last minute believing that life itself will give me ideas each week.   Most of the time that works. I woke up this…

The ship entered United States waters sometime during the night and we awoke to see the US flag flying proudly over the pier as we docked.   After twelve delightful days in Canada, it is good to see our own flag, newspapers, and familiar signs along the highway. I have visited Canada a few times, though…

It is the unexpected things that happen to you while traveling that make certain trips special.  Such was the case for me this past week as Mary Lou and I arrived in Montreal, Canada for a few days prior to departing on a cruise down the St. Lawrence Seaway.    One of the biggest events…

For people my age or older, have you found yourself asking someone the question “Did I tell you this already?” as you start a conversation.   Or perhaps, “Stop me if I have already told you this”.   Welcome to the club.    This past weekend, Mary Lou and I traveled to Missouri to the Auburn game. …

It hit me like a brick thrown in the middle of the night. I didn’t know where it was coming from, but I instantly knew its source. Returning home after a long weekend, Mary Lou and I passed a freshly plowed peanut field. “Smell those peanuts”, we both said at the same time. I have…

The drive was spectacular coming down from South Carolina. The early departure gave us a chance to see a brilliant blue sky without a single cloud in sight. The morning was unseasonably cool and Fall seemed to be teasing us with an early September cool snap. It was about 25 miles south of Columbus when…

For many, if not most, people in the South this past weekend marked the long awaited beginning of the college football season.   Other parts of the country have their own rabid fans, but I do not believe any part of the country embraces or thrives on the college game like my fellow Southerners. Facebook was…