Jeff Hampton – Page 44 – Jeff Hampton, Writer

February 29, 2024

Leap of Faith

For Wilshire Baptist Church

What did you do with your leap day? I’m talking, of course, about February 29, which comes around once every four years and stretches our normal 365-day year to 366 days. The practice started in 45 BC to keep the Roman calendar synced with the seasons. Pretty smart, don’t you think? I do.

And yet it is incomplete. While the calendar said February 29, it also still said Thursday. I wonder why nobody ever thought to give that extra day a completely different name — something that would stand out and set it apart? Still have the other seven days of the week but have that extra day with a special name in there as well. Where is Hallmark when you need them?

February 22, 2024

Child of the Light

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Are you ready for the solar eclipse on April 8? Do you know where you are going to watch? Do you have your protective glasses? Have you got your guest list and your party menu planned and . . . ?

Those are questions that came into view in late January when we took a quick trip to the Texas Hill Country. It turns out there are communities all along the “path of totality” that are marketing the heck out of the eclipse. They’re planning watch parties and events and letting it be known they are the place to be for the best eclipse-watching experience, and the best place to be before and after with their hotels, restaurants and shops. After hearing all the hype, I was almost convinced we needed to be in Waco or Kerrville or back on top of Enchanted Rock to see the total eclipse as it’s meant to be seen. As it turns out, however, all of Dallas-Fort Worth is within the path of totality. All we need to do is step outside our own house from 1:40 to 1:44 p.m. on April 8 and we can experience the entire event.

February 15, 2024

Ashes and Air Balls

For Wilshire Baptist Church

I’m not often amused by Ash Wednesday services – I probably never should be – but I was this year as we stood in line to receive ashes on our foreheads from Associate Pastor Darren DeMent. The person right in front of LeAnn was as tall as Darren and he had to reach up as high as his own head, and then it was LeAnn’s turn and he had to reach down. Credit to Darren for paying close attention, because if he had just been going through the motions, he might have painted the air above LeAnn’s head with ashes. In basketball terms, a total miss like that would have been an “air ball.”