Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

America is still great

July 26, 2024

Get lost in the fifties with me.

I am a child of the fifties. I began school in the fall of 1960. When the decade changed to the seventies, I was in high school. I wrote a feature story about how it felt to begin a new decade which was published in my high school newspaper. I wanted to become a journalist. That was where I was headed.

I remember when Allan Shepherd became the first American to fly in the first Mercury manned spacecraft. I was in front of our TV watching Walter Cronkite as Mr. Shepherd took that historic ride. I was there for the launch of all six mercury flights including John Glenn’s Friendship 7 orbital flight and Gordon Cooper’s final Mercury flight in Faith 7.

I watched every launch of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. I saw most of the splashdowns. My life revolved around the NASA space program and the astronauts. When I graduated from high school, there was one more moon mission to be flown. In my opinion the manned space program showed the greatness of America.

I watched this live. Did you?

Yes, we beat the Russians to the moon. We do not know for sure, but it is assumed that more cosmonauts were lost during their programs than were killed in our entire history of space flight. Does this make America great? I think that depends on your perspective.

The Russians who put themselves at risk were willing to risk their lives just as Americans and others have. America has never been great because of our government. We are great because of our people. Our government started the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; however, it took courageous men to go into space. These men were my heroes.

As a boy, teenager, young man, and eventually a father I looked at these heroes as people that I wanted to emulate. I knew I did not have the courage, physical stamina, and intelligence that astronauts had. I did have the courage to become a husband and father. My dad had been my hero for many years. He was up there with those astronauts.

I had given up my dream of being a journalist to surrender to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As I trained to be a preacher, I learned that what made America great was the gospel of Christ as it has been represented in the American citizen. Not everyone born in the United States does things that make this country great.

Today there is a slogan used by a political group Make America Great Again. This is abbreviated MAGA. Because of the person who started using this slogan while running for President, many of us do not view MAGA as a positive force. My personal viewpoint has always been that America is great because of great Americans.

You are probably one of these people that I am talking about. How do we make our country great? We must be good citizens. That means respecting others and being willing to work. We must be kind to others. Patience is a virtue. There are many virtues.

One of my favorite School House Rock episodes.

I find it depressing that there are those that believe that America is great or not because of whoever is President. He is one man. An entire country is not good or bad because of one man. Our constitution says that our government is by the people and for the people. A person is singular. We the people are plural.

I believe that it is our responsibility to Keep America Great. Would you comment below if you agree that we need to keep America great. I would like to see as many of us that are making this a wonderful world to adopt the slogan Keep America Great, not Make America Great Again. Which do you believe in, an America that needs to be made great or keeping it great by treating others as we want to be treated?

For better or for worse

July 12, 2024

I’ve officiated at several weddings over the years. I remember the first one in the fall of 1976. Cindy and I had not been married for a year. My store manager at Wendy’s asked his girlfriend to marry him. When she said yes, he asked me to marry them. I used standard traditional vows for them. Love, honor, and cherish till death do you part. The line, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse was also included in the ceremony.

As the years went by and other weddings, I noticed that some brides and grooms did not want these words and those traditional vows were changed. One couple gave me a ceremony they downloaded from the internet that included their children from other marriages. Their pastor had declined to marry them because of the vows.

Think about what the phrase for better or for worse means. The best situations you can imagine are the better. No one wants to think about what the worst could be. What if the plane crashed as you were flying home from your honeymoon? What could be worse? It crashed on the way to the location.

What would cause you to get a divorce? Adultery? Finding out that your spouse had a million dollars of debt and no intention of ever paying it off? They were married before and forgot to tell you. And they also neglected to get a divorce. As you move into your first place together, the police pull up and arrest your one and only for rape or murder.

Would you stick it out in these situations? What is the worst you can think of? Do you know that often it is the best thing that causes a marriage to fail? Children can be a bone of contention for some couples. Women may transfer their love for their husbands to their children. He would be torn between his love for them and his need for companionship.

Wedding vows only work when you commit to each other for life. No matter what. Our marriage has lasted for forty-eight years. My Mom and Dad never made it to forty. He died when he was sixty. Mom could have found many reasons to end their marriage. She did not.

Commitment is difficult. Do not run from it. Run toward it. Fight for it and each other. I find it interesting that many couples refer to each other as a fiancé. They haven’t even set a date and have been living together for years. I’ve seen these relationships break up shortly after the wedding.

Good and bad are relative. All it takes is for circumstances to change. Hang in there, baby. The best and the worst you can imagine will change. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Challenge yourselves to become better than you have ever been.

50 years ago

July 9, 2024

Do you like nostalgia? I do. I like to think about everything I have experienced in the almost seventy years I have lived. This is not a column on the events of those decades I have lived through. I want to talk about where I was fifty short years ago.

I was a sophomore at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. It was called Southwest Missouri State University at that time. I was a creative writing major because they had no journalism program. In May I received my acceptance letter from Missouri University in Columbia.

My parents were surprised at my reaction to receiving that letter. I opened it and laid it down without saying any more than, “I’ve been accepted.” For over six years I had been talking about getting my degree and becoming a reporter. My love of writing grew through those years.

What happened? Why did I transfer to Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Missouri? God called me to become a minister of the Gospel. In March my youth pastor had asked me to serve as our pastor for youth week. I preached my first two sermons on Sunday morning and evening. I had never considered the ministry before this.

As I recovered from my week following our pastor around Springfield I began to wonder if my desire to become a reporter was what God wanted me to do with my life. Was it possible that Jesus was calling me to become a preacher? As I prayed about that, I asked if I should continue to plan for transferring to Columbia.

My decision was made early in the spring, and I transferred to SWBC to study for the ministry. I thought I was supposed to become a pastor. After graduation, I continued working at secular jobs. I realized that my calling was to be a workplace minister. That is a Christian who works inside businesses with a calling to serve his fellow employees.

My careers in purchasing, sales, and management allowed me to have contact with numerous businesses and their staff. Becoming a confidant and advisor to those around you is not always easy. My training as an interviewer and observer helped me in this regard.

After fifty years, I continue to train other Christians to be workplace ministers. You could be one of those. We are all called to be there for each other and to proclaim the gospel to everyone we can. The best way to do this is through a personal one-on-one relationship. That is how Jesus taught His followers. That’s good enough for me.

Good Friday?

March 29, 2024

Sunday is the day that we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus whom we call The Christ. Today is Friday. Why do Christians call it good. Around two thousand years ago the savior of the world was executed by the Romans. What is good about that?

Jesus said that there is none good but God. (Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19) He had just been called a Good Teacher. He was not arguing with this young man. He was trying to educate him. We call people good. They are not. We are not. Good is a word that we use easily. Jesus wanted to point out that in His definition of good, no one qualifies except Jehovah.

Can a particular day in history be considered good? Will the day you die be good or bad? Personally, the day I leave this body will be a good day for me. I will be with God. That includes Jesus. He said He would come back and take me to be where He is. (John 14:3) Why would that be bad?

If anyone had a bad day, the day we are remembering would be bad for Our Lord. He was arrested the night before. He was charged with blasphemy. That is making himself equal to Yahweh. He could not argue against that charge. He is equal. He said it. “The Father and I are one.” (John 10:30)

The Sanhedrin took Him to Pilate. (Matthew 27:2) They changed the charge. “He claims to be the King of the Jews.” (Matthew 27:11) Jesus did not deny that charge. Why would He do that? Did He want to die? No. He had to. To save me from my sins He required it. He is God. (John 1:1-5)

The previous evening the sacrifice asked if there was a way to prevent Him going through crucifixion. (Matthew 26:39) There was no other way. If He did not do it, you and I would be punished for our sins. He had to perish for the entire human race.

That was not all He must do. That is what we will celebrate this Sunday. It is not Easter. That is a holiday named for a pagan god that the Romans worshiped. The emperor took that festival of debauchery and tried to change it to honor Jesus the Christ. The name stuck. I prefer to call it Resurrection Day. We need to forget the chicks, eggs, and bunnies. It is the day of the empty tomb. Mary saw Him alive. (Matthew 28:9) The Roman soldiers were like dead men. (Matthew 28:4) Over five hundred witnessed Him in His resurrected body. Why don’t you believe it?

He came. He died on that Friday. He arose on Sunday. Friday is good because He came back to life and made it possible for all of us to live in His presence. That is yesterday, today, and after we die. Honor Him by remembering what He did for us.

Someone Please Love Me

March 27, 2024

When it debuted in 1974 my family watched “Little House on the Prairie” because Laura’s stories were some of my mother’s favorites. Between Zane Grey and Laura Ingles Wilder, I don’t think she could decide which she liked best. Grey wrote more prolifically than Mrs. Wilder. Mom had all the Little House books in her collection. She was always finding a new Grey Western that she did not remember having read.

I remember her telling me about a couple of books she had found that were new. She told me that as she started reading, they were the same stories she read before with different names.

Michael Landon produced the TV series and even wrote some of the episodes. Many were not original tales by Laura. I just watched this episode. IMDB shows it from season one, episode twenty-two. The synopsis says: “While out of town to buy horses, Charles Ingalls boards with Brett Harper, a man who is emotionally withdrawn from his unhappy family and trying to lose himself in work and whiskey, blaming himself for the accidental death of his oldest son in a riding accident four years earlier.”

This episode first aired on March 5^th, 1979. I have never seen it before. Why did God make me wait over forty-five years before he chose to show me some of His truths that are reflected in this story? Michael Landon is the screenwriter and as I said previously this was not one of Laura’s memories that she had recorded.

The theme is love. The love of a man for his wife and children and a woman for her husband and children. The death of a child often drives a couple apart and that is the plot here. This story would at first seem to be one where Charles is put in a dangerous situation.

Brett Harper is a horse breeder. Charles is sent to him to purchase ten horses by a very tight-fisted man. These characters are completely new to the series. We see none of the other regulars in the series in this episode. Michael used four main characters to draw from Charles Ingalls what we all know and love about him. He is a good and understanding man, a good father, and a friend even to strangers.

Mr. Harper invites Mr. Ingalls into his home while his crew gathers over a thousand horses for the army. Laura’s dad gets the best of that group. Of course, that means he stays with them for a few days. As you watch he becomes a surrogate father to this man’s kids. He comments on the wife’s pretty hands.

After his compliment, she sees him as a possible replacement for her grieving husband. Landon maneuvers his tale to sweetly point her back to the man that she knows she still loves if he will only give her the chance to help him. After four years of running from the anger at himself for the death of his oldest son, he decides that he will try again to let her help him gain control over alcohol and depression.

The wife is going to leave with Charles to move her children to town away from her husband. Ingalls decides that their leaving is not best for her husband. He escorts her back into the house and takes the kids from the wagon. As Laura’s father drives away, we hear in Melissa Gilbert’s voice the telling of a letter that was received two years later. A fourth child was born to the couple. A son they named Charles.

As a writer, I learned much from this script. You can start your plot the way others have before you. How your characters act must be consistent with who they are. The way the story concludes is yours. That is what I want you to hear today. You may have made bad choices in your life. It is still yours and you can change it.

Eight Decades

March 2, 2024

I’ve experienced a great deal from the time I was born in the 1950s until now in the third decade of the twenty-first century. I have not lived seventy years, but I have experienced some or all of eight decades.

My first recollections were of the race for the President that ended in November of 1960 with the election of John Kennedy. My Dad was a Teamster. This meant he and Mom always voted for the Democratic candidate. I did not understand why they did that, but I was just a kid.

Dad was a Baptist and did not want to vote for a Catholic. On more than one occasion I heard him discuss with other adults the guns and explosives that they kept in their basements to use to overthrow the government. The only other group they seemed to hate more was the blacks. That wasn’t the word they used.

In the 1960’s I watched the Mercury astronauts fly into space and circle the Earth. Later the Gemini program tested technics and technologies that would be needed during the Apollo program that took men to the moon in 1969 and into the 1970’s. A total of twelve men walked and drove on the moon. Did you know that one man took a golf club and ball to the moon and made the first drive not on the surface of the Earth?

Many new devices were developed in that decade. Microwave ovens, wireless home phones, and computers for businesses came into use. Manufacturing and technology were stepping up all around the country. Television moved into the future with cable companies spreading throughout the country.

In junior high, I discovered the world of science fiction. Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clark were the first authors that I read. The first sci-fi movie I saw was “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” It premiered in the late 1950s and is still considered one of the finest motion pictures of its kind.

The next two decades saw many low-budget films produced but the genre took a giant leap forward with the original Star Trek TV series and the first Star Wars movie. Special effects technologies continued with George Lucas and his vision. And we need to talk about graphic novels. When I started reading them, they were called comics. Everything from Spiderman, Batman, and Classics Illustrated were being published. These were much better than the Mickey Mouse and child-type magazines.

I have watched computers progress from the Univac and the IBM machine that NASA used to calculate the trajectories of all the space vehicles. The 1980s brought personal computers and cell phones into our homes. Smartphones came around in the next decade.

Those two decades saw the way we watched movies and television change drastically. Satellite systems, video cassette recorders, and compact discs for audio music became popular even though they are mostly obsolete now. The DVR and streaming services came on the scene. The internet was needed for all this new technology.

Our new millennium and century began with a possible panic that never materialized in the computer and technology areas. In my lifetime I have watched black and white, color, cable, satellite, and high-definition programming come into my home. Now I walk around with a computer more powerful than the one that got us to the moon in my shirt pocket.

I haven’t even talked about robots, artificial intelligence, and many other advances. I mentioned reading earlier. I have carried a book with me from the time I learned to read and now have over two thousand on my phone that I can read in print or audio versions. I even have comics on my phone. What a difference a decade makes.

Off to see the wizard

February 29, 2024

I have three doctors that I visit at least once a year. My general practitioner, cardiologist, and dentist. There are others that I see as well when needed. I was thinking about “The Wizard of Oz” and how that movie can give me some insight into why these visits are or are not conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

When Dorothy lands in Oz and wants to return home, she is given the ruby slippers from the feet of the deceased wicked witch of the East. Glenda the good witch magically transfers them to her feet. She can’t return them to the family of the dead witch, and this sends her on a journey to Oz to find the Wizard.

If you have not seen this film in a while, I urge you to watch it again, or even for the first time. It may be old. It is still a classic. You may be wondering how Dorothy’s trip to the Emerald City is like our visits to our physicians. No, you do not have to take three friends with you. Some of us may need another to interpret what they say or to aid in our remembering what we need to talk to them about.

The main similarity is in the interaction between the two parties. The Wizard instructs Dorothy to complete a task when she sees him for the first time. This encounter is frightening for her and her friends. The problem is with bringing back the broomstick of the Wicked Witch.

When our doctors tell us to revise our eating habits, take prescribed medicines, or follow an exercise or therapy plan, it may be as hard as getting that broom. Keep in mind that if you don’t follow the doctor’s orders, you will not have a good time at the next meeting.

Dorothy brought the broom and still had trouble. The problem was that her Wizard was a humbug. Her words. He did not have the abilities and training needed to get her home. They finally found a solution. It was ruby slippers. That is a modern-day fairy tale.

For most of us, there is not a simple trick to correcting our health. It may be more than an hour’s trek through a scary wood. We may spend months or years seeing the same or different doctor many times. My heart condition must be monitored at least once a year. My diabetes requires more frequent checkups. Now I must have an annual examination to satisfy the Medicare folks.

What about the humbugs or quacks that we may encounter. Before you make an appointment, answer the questions that the scheduler asks. Be as specific as you can. Do not go to an ophthalmologist if your toe is hurting.

Have you heard about the man who had gone to five different doctors and decided to try one more? The physician asked, “What is the problem?” He explained, “When I touch my nose it hurts. When I touch my ear, it hurts and when I touch my foot it hurts.” The doctor’s reply was “That’s an easy one.” The astounded patient responds, “Easy, five other doctors said I was a hypochondriac.” His new doctor simply tells him, “Your finger is broken.”

Friends and family

February 28, 2024

I want to talk to you about some things today. The first is family and friends. I am fortunate that I have had a lot of family all my life. I have two older brothers and a younger sister thanks to my mom and dad. In addition, there was an abundance of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Many are now gone, but each generation is larger than the last.

The truth is that we are not as close as we once were. We have family reunions and attend funerals and sometimes even weddings. Not like we used to. The youngest generation doesn’t seem to marry as often as we did. Some of my cousins got married two or three times each. We all just tend to die once and recently we are living longer. I know it isn’t due to healthy living.

What brought on this wave of nostalgia? A commercial about one of these delivery services. A lady is lying in her bed and there is some unidentifiable noise and movement around her. The camera pans back and her bed is caught between two automatic doors. The voice-over says, “If you can’t take your bed to the store” then they will bring whatever you need to you.

Guess what, isn’t that what friends and family are for? In the bad old days before smartphone apps, you just picked up the phone plugged into the wall and called family or a friend to bring you what you needed.

We are suffering from violence, attacks, and other crimes on more people than ever. There seems to be no way to avoid this. My wife and I seldom leave our home at night. We have a security system at our place, and we know our neighbors. We feel secure in our home.

Do we need to have random strangers coming to our homes bringing groceries, medications, and prepared foods? There are cases where these random strangers return later, and you are no longer safe. If I do not know you, I won’t invite you into my home.

We go out to pick up carry-out. We do not choose Door Ditch, Pan Handle Pete, or Consta Cart to bring things to us. We occasionally ask our pharmacy to deliver prescriptions. We used to call the pizza place for delivery until the drivers looked like the perps on Blue Bloods or the undercover cops from Chicago PD. We have taken medicines to our kids for their kids or themselves. Especially when they were quarantined during the COVID-19 crisis.

Have you seen the original Crocodile Dundee movie? You know, the one named “Crocodile Dundee.” There is a scene in it where Dundee is told that the reporter, he is visiting in New York needs to go to a therapist. Mick doesn’t understand. He asks, “Don’t you have any mates?”

Friends and family or mates used to help each other out. They still do in some communities. Our neighbors, church community, and close family still do. I’ve been called by cousins and friends to officiate at weddings and funerals as well as get someone to a doctor or take food to them when they are ill. It costs us money not to have people we trust and on whom we can depend.

The next time you need something and can’t go get it for yourself, stop and think of whom you can call to bring it to you. Can’t think of anyone? How about one of those that you did the same thing for last week? It’s been a while since you helped someone else? Maybe that is the problem?

What do you do?

February 27, 2024

This morning there was another deadly shooting in Springfield, Missouri where I live. The news report currently being released says that two men are dead and two other men are in custody. This was in a residential area and those arrested were taken at a convenience store in a business area that is close to the home where the attack happened.

Another report talked about the increase in traffic fatalities nationwide. They mentioned a few of the tragic collisions that made the national news in the last year. Is there any way to avoid these situations?

I don’t have to give those who have read my memoir “Doulos” the story that explains my concern for accidental shootings. I have not shared another story about a shooting that my wife and I were witnesses to. A few months ago, we were grocery shopping. We left our car parked in a handicapped space close to the doors.

As we pulled into the row of cars, I noticed a young lady standing near a car that was across from us. We were in the market for at least a half hour. When we returned to our vehicle, she was still there. As we prepared to pull out the conversation escalated.

We did not understand most of what she said. None of the other person’s words could be heard by us. She was backing away from the car with the driver’s door open. A man bolted towards her. My wife immediately called 911 on her phone.

Before she could complete the call, the woman pulled a small gun from her purse and fired one shot into her attacker’s chest. He fell to the ground. She began screaming that she had shot him. A nurse that had been behind her when she fired, bent down to check on the injured man while she ran and laid the gun on the hood of the car opened a back door, and removed a baby.

This all happened in a few short minutes. What should we have done? We both considered leaving the scene. We did not need to because she was more concerned with her child than she was with bystanders. Let’s talk about what to do if you are present when shots are fired.

In our situation, had she waved the gun around as other supposed witnesses reported, we would have vacated the area immediately. We had no need to do that because she put the weapon down and we were not in danger. In the case of the shooting last night one witness heard five shots while she was in bed. We were not told what she did. What should you do?

Take cover. Do not look outside. You may become a target. Stray shots may enter your home. Put as much between you and the exterior as you can. Walls, furniture, and space are some of the things to separate you from danger. If the shots sound like they are inside, hide and be quiet or leave the house. Vacating should not be done until you determine you can do that safely. Each situation is different.

Let’s discuss a situation like the recent tragedy in Kansas City. If you are outside and hear shots, you probably want to hide and wait to run until you are aware of where the shooter or shooters are. Getting down might be safer unless you can see where the shots are coming from. I won’t tell you to remain calm. You already know to do that. The question is how to do it.

Now about those traffic accidents. Do not allow yourself to become angry. Road rage will escalate the situation. Again, you know to stay calm. Stay observant while you are driving. If you aren’t driving, be observant. Do not yell at the driver, if you think you see something that could possibly be dangerous, use as quiet a voice as you can and be specific about what you see.

Do not scream “Look Out.” “Do you see that kid running this was?” would be a better way to handle it. I once saw deer running toward the highway I was driving on. I had a matter of seconds to decide what to do. I put the pedal to the metal. One of the animals jumped over the trunk of my car. And the others crossed safely.

I have always driven defensively. My dad was a trucker and he taught us to drive safely as we were traveling. Mom did the same. The best way is to be shown proper conduct. Do not get in a vehicle with an unsafe driver. Our daughters had friends they wanted to go with and we questioned their skills. Our answers were no to these requests.

Do you stop and let other traffic from side streets proceed when it is rush hour? I was in an accident when someone did that. I was in the inside lane where traffic was still moving. I was hit by a driver who could not see me coming. He did not approach my lane with caution. I tried to avoid him but was not successful. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Stop and think about where you are and what you are doing whether you are driving, walking, or sitting quietly at home. Accidents happen regardless of how careful we are. Others can create dangerous situations that we may be able to avoid. I no longer like to be in crowds. I’m not afraid of being shot. I’m tired of rude people. Try not to be rude. I’ll do the same.

HAILEY WAS KILLED TEN YEARS AGO

February 19, 2024

The following article was published ten years ago. The man who killed Hailey was tried and convicted. During the search for the missing girl and when notification of her death was made by the Police our pastor was there with the family because a former SPD officer from our church called him because the family needed someone and he made himself available.

Ten years ago

I have to step out of my reporter persona and talk as I would to friends. This will not be an impartial story, but one of personal anguish and grief. The Amber Alert went out last night and when I first heard of it, I did not realize who Hailey Owens was. The reports of her kidnapping came across the television and as with most child abductions I hear about, I stopped and prayed for the safe return of this little girl.

6 years ago

As the evening went on it became apparent that I should know who this girl was. She had attended our church on Wednesday nights for a weekly children’s program. The children would come in for our fellowship dinner and if their parents were not there, we adults would have them sit with our families.

Daughter Michelle is a teacher at the local school and is familiar with most of the children that attend the school. Hailey was a quiet, timid child who often found a place at the table with my wife and I and our daughter’s family. Because she was such a well-behaved and quiet girl she did not stand out in my memory.

10 years ago.

The picture with this article is the one that I saw this morning after I heard the report that her body had been found near where she was allegedly taken. My heart broke when I saw these pictures. I remembered her and regretted not getting to know her more.

Life in this world is short, but these tragedies remind us that our sinful state can reduce that time even more. We grieve with Hailey’s family and hope they will understand how much we love this shy, sweet girl. Our lives are better for knowing her and less for this tragedy.

Walk With a Servant