Blog – Jeff Hampton, Writer

Are you as overwhelmed — or perhaps just irritated — as I am by check-ins, reminders and surveys flowing through your email and text inboxes? It’s relentless and sometimes it feels invasive.

I had a routine auto service visit recently at a well-known dealership in town. It all went well and smoothly, but after I made the appointment online two weeks earlier — because that’s how it works now — I was bombarded with reminders. And I’d barely left the parking lot after the service when I received a survey eagerly asking me to share my experience.

October 15, 2026

The Art of Puttering

For Wilshire Baptist Church

I spent a couple of hours Saturday puttering in the yard. Puttering may be a lost art in these fast, scheduled, output-oriented days, but I highly recommend it.

The Cambridge dictionary defines puttering as: “To do things in a relaxed way, without rushing or trying very hard.” I agree with that, and would add that puttering in the yard means there are no power tools and no specific outcomes required.

When puttering, you usually don’t complete one entire task, such as clearing out a bed. Instead you do a lot of small tasks all over that none-the-less are productive and bring satisfaction. My puttering included: removing volunteer tree seedlings and vines, dusting fire ant mounds, trimming cannas that had fallen over, pulling nut grass out of the gravel path and Bermuda out of the beds, and raking up the sunburned remains of lamb’s ear.

October 8, 2026

Welcoming the New Wave

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Standing at the front of Wilshire on Sunday to help serve communion, I was heartened by the wide age span of our congregation. Actually, I see it every week in bits and pieces, but because everyone came forward for communion this time, I was face-to-face with the trend.

Serving beside Katie Murray, we were visited first by a wave of youth because they sit in the first several pews. But then after that, there were seniors and middle agers; young parents and grandparents; singles and couples.

I believe it’s a good indicator of a healthy church to have plenty of young people but also a mix of ages. It’s like a multigenerational family that shows strong roots but also has signs of a promising future.