Randy Elrod's Blog, page 21
October 25, 2022
What Kind of Reader Are You?
Growing up in a hyper-religious ultra-conservative old-time pentecostal preacher’s home, the only place I found to call my own without fearing ridicule for my ridiculous crewcut and out-of-style clothing, in the rebellious world of the seventies where bell bottoms, tie-dyed t-shirts, and long hair were […]
The Making of an Atheist (My Trajectory from Evangelical Minister to Enlightened Humanist)
The journey to enlightenment is invariably complicated, tracing a winding and sometimes traumatic path with many forks and detours along the way. I did not ultimately turn against religion or become a critic of its most prominent leaders simply because they fell short of my […]
October 17, 2022
Peace Like A River
Although I sang this lyric countless times as a child and during my thirty-year career as a music/arts director, primarily in mega-churches, I never truly experienced peace as a Christian. My primary emotions were negative: guilt, fear, anxiety, shame, and judgment. The first moment in […]
October 11, 2022
Eight Books I Wish I Had Read Much Earlier In Life
We live in a world of media over-saturation—tens of thousands of streaming movie options, thousands of TV series, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and so many others. It may be hard to believe that my childhood home had ZERO computers, televisions, or cell phones. Yet, with […]
September 22, 2022
To Gina On Our Tenth Anniversary
It has been a wild ride! And I would not trade this decade of happiness together for anything in the world. Every moment has been priceless—well, there may have been a few days we would not want to repeat when we were carving out a […]
September 16, 2022
I Took A Trip Yesterday
Often I wonder why some of us are allowed to live a charmed life. Yesterday was one of the most significant days of my six decades on earth. I never cease to be amazed that we live in a world where I can wake up […]
September 13, 2022
Search for Best Sandwich in Tampa Bay (#8)
Next! The eighth tasting is the Cuban Sandwich at La Segunda Bakery. Gina joined me for the forty-minute drive to the restaurant. We had a bit of a surprise when we arrived in Ybor City and walked in—there was nowhere to sit—it was a legit […]
September 9, 2022
Search for Best Sandwich Tampa Bay (#7)
Next! The seventh tasting is the Cucumber Sandwich at William Dean Chocolates’ Afternoon Tea. Gina joined me. It was a fifteen-minute drive to the restaurant. I have never had a cucumber sandwich, and in fact, I did not know there was such a thing. But […]
August 30, 2022
Search for Best Sandwich in Tampa Bay (#6)
Next! The sixth tasting is the Lobster Roll Sandwich at the Boardwalk Grill at John’s Pass. Gina joined me there. It was a twenty-five-minute drive to the restaurant. I have made Lobster Roll sandwiches at home and also had them at restaurants. And this amazing […]
August 26, 2022
The Joy of Books (For Serious Readers Only)
Some people eat to live while others live to eat—books are both for me. I read to live and I live to read. My confession: I am a hopeless bibliophile who could possibly be enjoying the initial symptoms of bibliomania. Recently, I came across a […]
