Author Archives: jackpelham

The Deliberate Parent

Posted on December 18, 2019 by jackpelham

Let’s do a simple thought experiment about parenting. Suppose that a particularly wise parent were to give the venture some good thought well in advance, and were to devise some basic goals for the eventual outcome of his or her … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Parenting | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Speaking at Dad’s Funeral

Posted on December 17, 2019 by jackpelham

My Dad (also named Jack Pelham) died at the age of 85 on November 24, 2019. It was my privilege to have been invited to speak at his funeral. I’m writing this post to share my remarks for those who … Continue reading →

Posted in For Dad | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Death, Grief, and Disappointment

Posted on February 25, 2019 by jackpelham

This article is in honor of the anniversary (yesterday) of the death of our daughter, Virginia Grace Pelham, born with Trisomy-18 on February 3, 2006.  She died 21 days later, having lived out the time that her malformed body was … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Philosophy, Religion | Leave a comment

On “Identifying” with Our Ancestors

Posted on July 1, 2018 by jackpelham

I want to share what my dear wife, Kay, posted on Facebook this morning, and my further response to it (the sharing here of which is her idea—ostensibly in the interests of posterity.) Here’s her post: Considering “identity”. With which … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor | Leave a comment

Some Things to Ponder During the Great Gun Debate

Posted on March 1, 2018 by jackpelham

This post is a reworking of some thoughts I recently posted on Facebook. As the nation considers taking away (some or all) gun rights from the public, so as to make incidents like the Parkland, FL massacre less likely to … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Character, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Why I’ve Stopped Watching Football

Posted on September 3, 2017 by jackpelham

Though I quite enjoy many things about watching my favorite team play football, I don’t like what it does to me as a person.  So I’m done.  It’s a matter of first things first, my personal authenticity taking precedence over … Continue reading →

Posted in Character | Leave a comment

The Allure of Compromise and Its Failure To Keep Its Promises

Posted on September 21, 2016 by jackpelham

One friend’s teenage son complains that there ought to be some “middle ground” between the uber-healthy foods his mom provides, and the convenient, tasty, and unhealthy snacks he finds at his friends’ houses.  This idea of a “middle ground” has … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Philosophy | Leave a comment

Lousy “Christian” Logic on Why Voting for Evil is Good

Posted on July 31, 2016 by jackpelham

TownHall.com has posted an article by Christian theologian Wayne Grudem under the title, Why Voting for Donald Trump Is a Morally Good Choice.  To put it bluntly, the article’s logic is lousy.  Let me count the ways. Grudem’s thesis statement … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Leave a comment

The Leaf Cloud Theory (of Trees)

Posted on January 25, 2016 by jackpelham

What follows is a brief description of my Leaf Cloud Theory of Trees. Perhaps through some sinister government conspiracy, or perhaps only through commonplace institutional dullness, schools in America have taught students for many generations that trees come about through … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor | Leave a comment

Why Does the Bible Warn So Much Against Being Deceived?

Posted on January 25, 2016 by jackpelham

There are many warnings in the Bible against being deceived.  Here are three from the New Testament to get our study started: 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Galatians 6:7  Do not be deceived: God is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Religion | Leave a comment