Randolph Fine

I’m so far behind. In every aspect of my life? Not quite, but definitely behind in school, in my writing, and  in my fitness goals. Oh yeah, and in my sleep. I am definitely “in the weeds.”

So many things have been happening lately from going to school (yep, I am back in it) to moving into a new house. My world is chaotic, but not nearly as chaotic as what is really going on in the real world. I…

With each blow I felt the ache in my arms. It was a steady swinging. Back and forth, moving to the rhythm that my mind willed upon my body. The work was hard. It was the way I wanted it to be. I had nothing but time. Why rush? We live in a world that is always rushing. I wanted to embrace the tree and its life that I was destroying. It lived many years supplying us with oxygen, but its time had…

In my dreams, I have always imagined success. Great success. Within the confines of my mind, I have gloried in all the possibilities my future has held. And yes,  I knew it would be a struggle to get there. Even though along the way rejections would pile up, my vision has always been on the good times, never the bad.

A song keeps playing in my head. It is The Rolling Stones:

“You can’t always get…

I want to say he is old, that his hearing isn’t so good anymore. But the truth is that his hearing is better than mine or any human. Over eleven years ago, before we were even married, my wife and I rescued a puppy down in Mississippi. Since that time, Simba has demonstrated a bit of a stubborn streak. I can yell at him until I am blue in the face, but it would not do any good. His hearing is not…

Here’s one to meditate on:

The intention of the human heart is deep water, but the intelligent draw it forth. -Proverbs 20:5

I take a moment to think about my heart’s greatest desires. I have to dig down deep, because on the surface there are so many things I want and hope for. When I have gone far enough within and discover the gem deep inside the recesses of my heart, I need to move on to the…

Too Old for That

There is a reason why I haven’t been writing much lately. It is not for a lack of desire or a lack of time. The thoughts still come into my head, but they are not being recorded. For some time I have been wondering what it is. Why I have been finding other things to do?

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The appointment was at nine in the morning. We were in loaded up and ready to go at 8:30. Before we even started…

Today is Alec’s 2nd birthday and it seems like we celebrated it the whole week. He got to spend time with his Oma and Opa, Ma-moo and Pappie, his cousins Audrey and Ella (who he now calls Ya-Ya), and his aunt Rachel.

We started the week at Carowinds.

A couple of days later we spent the day at the Greenville Zoo. It has been a little over a year since we last came here. Check out these before and…

Pause and Reflect #3

I need to post it on the wall of my office, stick it to my laptop, or even tattoo it on my wrist. Did Solomon write this proverb for me? Of course, I think he wrote them all for me. As one who wants to be a professional writer, I need  to take it to heart, to live by these words. In all my pursuits, I need to remember:

The slack hand impoverishes, but the busy hand brings riches. -Proverbs 10:4

W…

I went to church this morning. Nothing unusual in that except it was by myself. That is unusual as usually this is a family event. Mommy was home with a sick baby and gave me her blessing to go. I went and the following thoughts went with me:

First, I prayed. For my son with a fever, for my wife with her headache, for my Father-in-Law with his new knee, and then for the rest of my family. I then…

The doctor told me that I may be able to do it now, but as I get older I will suffer for it. What was she talking about? Should I drink less soda? Exercise more? Put down that cigarette, bourbon, or fried chicken?

Actually none of those as they really do not apply to me? She was talking about sleep. “Sleep more,” she said. “You might be able to get away with four hours a day now, but not ten…

Pause and Reflect #2

Do you feel like God isn’t listening to your prayers? You ask and ask and yet there are no results. Have you been listening to Him?

Those who turn their ears from hearing instruction, even their prayers are an abomination. -Proverbs 28:9

Today I am ONE!

Okay, RandolphFine.com is 1 today.

I have truly enjoyed my first year.  A big thank you to Debra for suggesting I do this! The first day I submitted 4 posts to a whopping 5 readers. I had dreams of international success as millions would flock to my website. The reality is that I have reached readers (probably in the hundreds rather than millions) spread across 44 different countries. Along the…

Pause and Reflect #1

The closet to my soul has been opened. Within are many nice things. Things that were hard earned and proudly displayed. Among them and pushed to the back is a skeleton. No matter how far back it resides, it is still there. Still hiding deep within my soul. Can there be peace?

Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and forsake them obtain mercy. -Proverbs 28:13

Walls Broken, Defenses Shattered

One of my all-time favorite fictional characters is Bernard Cornwell’s Uhtred from the Saxon Chronicles. He is a warlord set in England’s tenth century. He is beset with internal conflicts between the duty set to him by his king and his own desire for glory.  His motto: Wyrd bið ful arædor Fate is inexorable. Usually that fate takes him away from personal desire and leads him to do the bidding of…

Have a burrito, just put down your weapons first.

Remember the Mechanic? The second story I posted about him concerned the right to defend one’s self. When an attempt was made to harm his person, he prevented it. No telling what would have happened to him if he was not armed.

I have to work to stay alive. I can’t have anybody preventing me from my livelihood.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free…

Did I Do That? Oh my…

The interviewer asked me, “What exactly did you do in the Army?”

I had to think about it before I answered. I wasn’t trying to recall what my function was, but rather how I should answer. Sometimes it is wise to be discreet. My response:

I was a simple Training Officer, non-commissioned of course. I started out maintaining troop files. I was an administrative assistant of sorts to the Commanding…

The Law of Nines (Unofficial Review)

Number 15 on the Fantasy 100 is Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. Though I have only read the first book in the series, Wizard’s First Rule, I can’t wait to start digging into the rest of the series.

The Law of Nines, published in 2009, brings the fantasy world from the Sword of Truth and combines it with today’s contemporary world. I don’t ever recall reading a book that merges the two…