Musings

By Sean Dietrich Nineteen kids came romping up the golden staircase, taking two steps at a time, sprinting toward the mother-of-pearl gates. It’s a wonder they didn’t knock Saint Peter over onto his Blessed Assurance. The children all smelled like little-kid sweat and stinky feet. Their loud footsteps could be heard...

Reviewed by Jack Smith Herman Wouk is one of the greatest historical novelists ever. It began with “The Caine Mutiny” and continued with “The Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance.” He saved his greatest work for last though: “The Hope and The Glory.” These novels chronicle one of the...

By Sean Dietrich Nobody knows when it started. But it did. The first jar of pickles to appear on Aunt Bee’s grave in Siler City, North Carolina, showed up in 1989, the year she died. Legend states that the pickles were probably homemade. Although some claim they were store pickles. Since...

By Pastor Jeff Wade, The Rock of Panama City Beach The world is rapidly changing is it not? The saying “nothing stays the same forever” is true. Everything is always changing. I know the weather will be different when you read this from when I wrote it (which is kind...

By Sean Dietrich The two girls knocked on my door. They wore Kelly green berets and green vests. I greeted them. The two Girl Scouts went through their spiel. “We’re selling cookies, sir,” they began. “Do you have any identification?” said I. They exchanged looks. “Wait, what?” “Well,” I said amiably, “how do I...

By Pastor Jeff Wade, The Rock of Panama City Beach February, the month of love, right? If I am to write an article for the newspaper, it’s got to be about one of my favorite pastoral topics. Love. As a pastor of a local church, I cannot think of an easier...

By Sean Dietrich We were newlyweds, living in a grungy apartment. Each morning, I would wake before her. I would pass my morning hours writing poetry on a yellow legal pad, sipping coffee. Mostly, I’d write the kinds of god-awful things you’d expect newlyweds to write. I’m talking painfully corny stuff. I’d...

By Pastor Jeff Wade, The Rock of Panama City Beach Who doesn’t love new stuff!?!? Christmas was just a few weeks ago and everyone was excited about the new things they got. For some it was new clothes, new toys, new jewelry, a new bike or maybe you were even...

By Sean Dietrich Eighteen years. That sounds like a long time, but it’s not. Not when you think about it. Eighteen years is nothing. It’s hard to believe that eighteen years ago we were just two ordinary people with two very different last names. It’s almost hard to conceive of a...

By Pastor Jeff Wade, The Rock of Panama City Beach Can you believe it? Christmas time is here again. How can it already be Christmas again, right? I believe that if you asked everyone collectively what their favorite holiday is, most would respond without even having to ponder it at...