Opinion Archive

Francis was born into a very wealthy family. He never wanted for anything while growing up at home. He enjoyed the finer things in life. His mother doted on him. His father provided very well for the family. During his childhood, he lacked for nothing.

With no offense to any of the local candidates in this election, I’ve always thought school superintendents should be appointed by an elected school board instead of being elected by the public.

Some counties in Alabama and Florida (not all) elect a superintendent of schools, but the rest of the country allows the school board to make the hire. Santa Rosa County is one of 41 counties in Florida where the superintendent of schools is elected.

Some of you probably woke up last Friday, very surprised to learn that a tornado came right through Santa Rosa County and into Okaloosa County.

Many were left to pick up trees from their homes, out of roadways and to repair property damage following the EF-2 twister. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado through its preliminary survey, estimating its peak winds at 115 miles per hour.

By the time this column hits the website and print edition the only thing left in the 2023-24 sports year will be Crestview’s spring football game at Walton.
And just like that another school year is ending and the cycle of life continues to move on.

Some studies have shown that moving is ranked as the number one stressor anyone deals with in life.

People have ranked moving above the grief of losing a loved one or a separation or divorce.

It’s been covered in the news lately, but there have been several townhall events and meetings with Okaloosa County leadership about growth and development in North Okaloosa County.  We all know growth is a way of life in Florida and there is no stopping it.  The issue is, duh, it must be done smartly.  Crestview traffic is a disaster – to me, this is the poster child of growth not done smartly.

The year 2024 is a big election year, not only nationally, but also in Okaloosa County.

We’re guessing everyone is aware of that, unless you sleep under a rock or somehow drive around town with your eyes closed. At this point, we’re not sure you could throw a rock on most major thoroughfares in Okaloosa County and not hit an election sign.

One of the teachings of Jesus is we are to do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:27). What? Be nice to people that hate us?? He must have been suffering from heatstroke that day.

Then he said we are to love our enemies (Luke 6:35). Love our enemies?? That sounds absolutely crazy. He must have been suffering from heatstroke.

It seems like only yesterday that I was 16 years old and getting my driver’s license. Actually, it should have been 50 years ago tomorrow, May 10, 1974, but I had spring football practice and had to wait until we had the following Wednesday off.

I did the “seminary thing” backward, serving in full time ministry at one church for 12 years – 8 as an ordained pastor – with no formal Bible education; then I went to seminary. Colleagues insisted that I would have an advantage over my classmates who would have just graduated from Bible college. After a few classes, I understood. What the fresh Bible college grads knew was yet untested theory. What I knew came from personal study, from experience, and from making a lot of mistakes.