I was a child of what I believe was the fabulous fifties and sixties, and I admit I was ripe and ready for the picking when a 1969 song proclaimed, “this is the dawning of the age of Aquarius.” The hippie movement, touting free love and peace, was underway, and the 
creed of the day was, “if it feels good, do it.”
I believe the world we live in today was highly influenced by those times and attitudes, and I often wonder what things would be like today if the creed had been, “if it feels right, do it.” What if our goal had been true love and true peace?
They paved the streets in our neighborhood the summer before I started fifth grade, and a year later found me racing down the middle of Fourth Avenue going nowhere in particular, the whir of my bike’s tires on the smooth blacktop humming a one note song. It wasn’t even six o’clock—Saturday morning—and it seemed as though I was the only person in the world. I was free! No rules, no limits, no worries and no fears. Read the rest of this entry »
By the powers not likely to be vested in me, I hereby declare this to be Today Day. Today will be dedicated and set 
aside to observe and celebrate the singular fact that Today is unlike any other day preceding it, or to come, and thus should receive special recognition and honor. Read the rest of this entry »
I’m a live for today kind of guy, and that hasn’t always been a good thing. In my younger days—most of my life actually—I lived life like there was no tomorrow. It was full speed ahead and dodging torpedoes. But since I’ve realized how much God loves me—and He loved me even when I didn’t know it—I live for today in a different way. 
Nowadays, I live for today simply because today is all there is; until tomorrow, and today or tomorrow can’t be enjoyed if we’re busy lamenting yesterday. Life is not the proverbial bowl of cherries; it is what it is, and sometimes it’s the pits. But from the cherry pit comes the cherry tree and cherry blossom, and from the blossom comes the cherry. (Charlie loves cherries!)
Our world revolves around the sun, and the seasons come and go. The rain will come, but the sun will also shine. Winter gives way to spring, and brutal summers relent to cool crisp fall. Each is good in its own way, and bad in another, but when all is said and done, all things are necessary, and it’s all good!
For, behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. Song of Solomon 2:11
There were times I literally lived in fear of my dad. At the time, it wasn’t fun, and it darn sure wasn’t funny, but now, looking back, some of the things that took place were a bit humorous in a terrifying sort of way. This is one of them: Read the rest of this entry »
I was just minding my own business this morning, washing the car and listening to the country oldies station out of Houston, when a song came on that I thought had to be a sign from above. You see, I’d been thinking I needed to call my little brother, and when the Ken Mashburn anthem began to play, well… I think you can see what I mean. I just figured there was no point in delaying it any longer. (I’ll call him after he’s had time to see this post.) Click on his name to hear the song (Hint: It’s by the late great, Mac Davis.) . And any of you that know him will most heartily agree the song was written with Ken in mind.
See what I mean?
If you’re in a laughing mood, here are some Ken stories for your amusement:
Our society has evolved into something we could not have imagined when we were teenagers. It is staggering what technology has brought to our lives, but it is also alarming to see how we’ve become so dependent on gadgets and gizmos. Read the rest of this entry »
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Marbles In My Pocket ~ The Official Blog of Charles L. Mashburn ~ Poems, Short Stories, and random thoughts from the author of "Be Still... and know that I am God" 