By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

In 1997, Richard Carlson wrote a book entitled Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and It’s All Small Stuff. The book proved to be quite popular, spending 100 weeks on The New York Times best-sellers list.

I believe the book was so popular because it’s human nature for people to “sweat the small stuff.” I think many of us condition ourselves for the “traumatic” things that might happen and we accept those. Then, when something that seems so insignificant happens, we explode. 

I have been accused of that on occasion by my family. And, it’s probably true. Too often, we let the small stuff drive us nuts. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

As children, we often were afraid, whether it was because of the bully down the street, the darkness, strange sounds, scary movies or television shows, you name it. I was no different. For years, I would never watch “The Twilight Zone.” Now, it is one of my favorite old shows. The imagination of the writers was incredible. I understand that now. I didn’t when I was 7 or 8 years old.

As we grew older, our fears changed. We feared getting cut from the baseball team or failing a test in school or being laughed at by our schoolmates. We feared rejection.

When we became adults, our fears came along with us, just on a different scale. We began to fear what would happen if we lost our jobs or our homes. We read the news headlines and feared what was going on in countries around us or what would happen if the economy failed. We read about the evil in the world and worry about how we can protect our families and our way of life. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Over the course of a week, I receive numerous e-mails. And, I check those e-mails faithfully, especially those that I know are from individuals or our associations and churches. 

I am always on the lookout for story ideas or suggestions that we can develop for the paper. After all, that is what we do.

But, the overwhelming majority of press releases and messages I receive will never see the light of day in the pages of the Baptist and Reflector. Most really have nothing to do with Baptists or even Christianity in general.

I can normally tell in the subject line if the e-mail is pertinent. A few weeks ago, one of those passed through my inbox and I knew it was nothing we could use, but I could not help myself. I just had to open the e-mail that announced, “Heads Up: Four New Jesus Bobbleheads.”

It was a message from a company that was announcing they had developed four Jesus bobbleheads of all sizes. It noted that if I desire more information, I could send for a press release and photos. Again, I could not help myself. I responded in the affirmative but I stopped short of asking for the free “sample” bobblehead they promised. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

We are officially in the final days of the Christmas season. As you read this column in the print issue, Christmas Day is about three weeks away.

As we know, however, the unofficial Christmas season began even before Halloween was over as stores began promoting Christmas gift buying and decorating for the season.

Now is the time people are “getting ready” for Christmas by going to parties and celebrations or buying those special Christmas gifts. If you don’t believe me, just go to any department store, but do so at your own risk. 

We always worry about automobile accidents during the holiday season, but I am waiting for this announcement on the television: “We interrupt our programming to bring breaking news from the local department store. “Twelve people were seriously injured in a 12-cart pileup while trying to reach the last toy on the shelf.” That sounds funny and I suppose it is, but it’s not far from the realm of possibility. I have almost been a victim of a shopper gone wild.  [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

I have worn glasses for more than 50 years. It’s hard to find photos of me when I was a kid when I didn’t wear glasses.

It wasn’t easy when I began wearing glasses in the fourth or fifth grade. I was called “four eyes” more times than I can count. Plus, back then, there was not the assortment of frames we have today, so they were basically the black frames which made me look like a “nerd.” And, yes, some of my “friends” are reading this and chuckling, thinking, “Nothing has changed.”

I don’t remember much from those days except that with glasses I was finally able to see. It made a huge difference.

Over the years I became used to my glasses. They became a part of who I was. When many people began to choose the convenience of contact lenses, I opted to keep the glasses.  [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Baptist and Reflector, Editor
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

The Twitterverse has been in a “twitter” since messengers adopted a motion from the floor of the 2021 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville to ask newly elected president Ed Litton to appoint a Sexual Abuse Task Force.

 Unfortunately, a lot of negative “twittering” has been directed toward members of the SBC Executive Committee who voiced concerns that the motion, made with good intentions, had potential to harm the EC’s ministry and the ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

 To be clear, dealing with sexual abuse is important and right, but pursuing that end accompanied by verbal abuse isn’t acceptable. 

 Christians are not treating each other with respect and consideration. If we can’t be Christ-like with each other, how can we show the love of Christ to non-believers? They see how we act toward each other and call us hypocrites. Rightfully so.  [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

For nearly all of my life, I have heard of the soap opera, “As the World Turns.” I can honestly say that I never recall watching a single episode. My grandmother, with whom I spent most of my daytime hours before going to school, was a “General Hospital” fan.

The soap opera, which aired on CBS from 1956 until it was canceled due to low ratings in 2010, actually has no meaning at all for me, except that I like the name. After all, if the world wasn’t turning, none of us would be here. [Read more…]