I wonder what this world would be like if people still challenged others to duels. You know, they remove a long white glove from their hand and slap the face of the person they want to take on.

It is what I like to call a country courtesy. It is a gesture of goodwill recognized by farmers and rural dwellers across the South.

A few thoughts about weddings:

There’s nothing unusual about wet faces at a wedding.

The role of the best man and the maid of honor is to keep things under control so the chief participants can enjoy their big moment.

Dear Father Paul: This is not a Bible question, but I see in today's Atlanta paper that the death toll of American military personnel in Iraq has just gone over 2,000. I know that you have spoken well of President Bush. What do you think of him now? — Denny, Fayetteville.

Many of us have been through the passing of a mother or father, and to say that this is the worst day of your life is a gross understatement. It is often far greater than the word “worst.” I believe God uses the family unit and the parent-child relationship to do His work here on earth.

This week I’m going to address Tim Turner’s letter about his Boyds, Corbins and Bradberrys of Gwinnett County, but first I want to say something about our new Web site.

I don't wear a wedding ring. It's not that I don't want people to know that I'm married, which I am, to the same woman for over 34 years, but I hocked my wedding ring.

When I got that F on my English paper, I wanted to run away. I was in the fourth grade, and Old Mrs. Crabtree had just handed back our first paper of the year. If you’d asked me before the red F showed up on it, I would’ve told you it was rather good.

I need some help for future columns. So far, I believe Ive only given threm ice cream and cotton candy. Help me with real, pertinent topics in the area oc church/religion.

On the occasion of my first-ever “blog” I’d like to congratulate every candidate who has put his and her heads on the public chopping block.

David Smith is not only an old friend of mine, he is an important friend of mine.

He is important for many reasons: our friendship has endured for 20 years, we have many memories together, he is there for me through thick and thin and, best of all, I can count on him to pray for me.

Churches are preparing for their response to Halloween by hosting fall festivals and all sorts of positive activities for children. Churches, in fact, do a lot at attempting to reach out to area children and say, “We have a place for you.”

Our simple philosophy: If the equipment still works, let's get it into the hands of someone that can use it. If it doesn't work, let's dispose of it properly. -PC Disposal, Inc.

Dear Father Paul: I became a Christian a little over a year ago after years and years of pretty deep sin. Drugs, booze, sex...you name it. I love my church and the leadership is asking me to take a position teaching young adults. I'd love to do it, but I feel so unworthy considering the life I've lived. What do you think? — No Name, Fayetteville.

First of all, a few disclaimers: I have not personally spoken with any city official past or present about the circumstances in this article. Although I am a police chaplain with the Peachtree City Police Department, I have not sought information about the facts of this situation from police officials. This is not an oversight because I know and am friends with individuals in the government and the police department. If any “sludge or bio-solid” is to be flung, I don’t want it hitting them. Fair enough?

It’s fall once again in Georgia. Gone are the high temperatures and humidity of the long Dog Days of August. They are replaced with cool, romantic moonlit evenings and even cooler mornings. Fall brings with it certain rituals unlike any other season. Rituals like driving to the North Georgia Mountains to view the rainbow of colors splashed across the mountain landscape, cleaning out gutters, and of course raking leaves. But every fall brings something else — something unwelcome around our house.  Those cursed little sweet gum balls.

We’ll wrap up the Holley family this week with an e-mail I received from Tom McBryde of Austin, Texas, another Holley descendant. Tom’s information indicates that John Holley’s father was William Holley, as Johnnye Moore Clements was trying to prove several years ago.

My son, Colin, is still at least five years away from participating in youth sports and it may be longer with the way things are going in youth sports in general.

This is the true story of two brothers.

They need not be identified, (although calling one Linn, short for Lincoln, will make the pronouns easier.)

The humble, often ugly seed is one of the most amazing gifts in the universe.

One of the most amazing seeds is that of the jackfruit. Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, reaching 80 pounds in weight and up to 36 inches long and 20 inches in diameter. Now get this, there may be 100 to 500 seeds in a single jackfruit. I have seen 15-20 fruit hanging from a single tree. That says that a single tree can produce up to 10,000 seeds a year and each seed is capable of producing one tree. At this point it moves into higher math. But I think you get the point.

I’m going to have to stop throwing parties. I get too upset over people who fail to RSVP.

I get so upset over such inconsideration that I think unholy thoughts and then I have to pray for forgiveness and work through all of that. It’s more trouble than preparing for the party.

I love Jesus. I hate the devil. I am guided by the Bible. I want to stay away from evil. I want what's best for our children. I will protect them whenever, wherever, and however possible and necessary.

I always love receiving letters and e-mails in response to the columns, especially when you send me more family information to add to the growing number of surnames we have already covered. One of the purposes of the column is to hopefully connect those who do not have computers and read the hard copy version (newspapers distributed around Atlanta's Southside) with those who read the column on the Internet. This is a gap that desperately needs to be bridged.

The Major League Baseball playoffs are here. Yawn! I dont even know what teams have made it to the final six or final four or whatever.

Mama was sternly lecturing me the other day about how spoiled Dixie Dew is and how I should correct the problem.

I love to read history of all periods, and I continue to study the human condition and how we all treat each other. We all have different capacities for this people watching and certainly our backgrounds and life experiences contribute greatly to this endeavor. It is also interesting to watch how people in the world get what they want and at what price they pay in foisting human suffering on others to get it.

Dear Father Paul: I have a friend who is really into astrology. Does the Bible speak about astrology? Helen, Fayetteville.

The local political season is upon us, and Im scratching my pointed head.

Fayetteville has three seats to be decided, but only one contested race. Last Fayetteville election, fewer than 8 percent of the citys registered voters bothered to cast ballots.