Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Fake it till you make it

September 25, 2026

This is one of those sayings I don’t agree with. Another is, “It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” I don’t like people who are not what they try to make me believe they are. Salesmen who do not know the products or services they sell. People who say they are Christians and have no idea what the fruit of the Spirit is are examples of this.

I believe that we should all admit our weaknesses and let the words, “I don’t know,” be my mantra. If you don’t know what a mantra is, it is a saying you keep repeating to remind yourself of something. I have made this statement to many and then followed it with, “but, let me check for an answer for you.”

This worked well in business for over forty years. Every job I had meant I needed to learn new things. I was offered a purchasing job, and the owner of the company asked if I knew anything about it. My response was no, and within six months he considered me one of his best purchasing agents.

When I started in a pet store, I saw a rack of books for sale. These ranged from simple books about the different animals to volumes on how to diagnose and treat illnesses. After three months, I was promoted from a salesman to a store manager and within a year I became the assistant livestock manager at the wholesale distributor owned by the same man.

My second purchasing job started a twenty-five-year career with the company. I moved straight from that job to office manager and was over all the inside sales staff without ever having the job. I trained myself and had more product knowledge than some hired to sales before me. How’d that happen? I read the catalogues.

When I left there, I returned to purchasing as a buyer and a few months later became the supervisor in the department. I completed my career as purchasing manager for another manufacturer. I am now doing what I have done as a hobby my entire life.

I publish my own writing, edited by me, based on what the Lord is telling me to create. Did you know that there is a parable told by Jesus about three men who are given different amounts of money? The king is leaving them with money to invest for him while he is away. When he returned, the one who was given an amount called five talents had doubled the amount.

A talent was a year’s salary for these men. They were given five, two, and one year’s pay to invest. If your boss gave you this kind of money, would you know how to invest it for them? I don’t think I could double it like the first two did. The third man buried his.

We, teachers and preachers, use the term talent to encourage our listeners to use abilities that we have been given rather than wasting them. For more on this, read my column The One Talent Man. I consider that younger me only knew how to write. When I was called to ministry, I had added an ability to speak before groups. I’ve just shown a few other ways that Jesus has allowed me to grow. Don’t fake it, just make it.

Javelin catcher

September 19, 2026

When people start talking about playing football, basketball, soccer, or baseball when they are in high school and ask me what I did, I tell them I went out for track and field. They look at me and ask Which events? My response is javelin catching.

They are always surprised, and I tell them this story. Jim Vaughn was my P.E. teacher. He was the football and track coach. I was a skinny kid who was not very athletic. He asked me to come to tryouts in the spring. I demurred and said I had never been very fast at running. He asked me to come anyway.

On the track, I saw all these young men and ladies jumping, running, throwing, and then I saw the coach. As I walked up to him, he said, “Kensinger, come this way. I walked with him to where the discus, shot put, and javelins were being thrown. He had me try the javelin.

I did not throw it very far, and after trying three or four javelins, he sent me onto the field to retrieve them. As I was walking back, another competitor threw his javelin. They yelled at me to watch out, and I stepped out of the way, turned, and caught the spear in both hands.

Coach sent me back out to snag some more javelins, and I continued to catch ones I was close to. When practice was over, he told me that it was too bad that there was no event for javelin catching. There were liability issues with such an event, and it was never allowed. I told him that it was his fault because he taught football receivers to catch in their bellies. Not a good idea for a sharp object.

Yes, this is a fictional story, and I should change my byline to Chuck instead of Charles for this one. I began telling this story shortly after graduating from high school. I have the same problem that Jesus did. People just don’t want to laugh at my jokes.

He is one of the funniest men I have read about. Have you heard the one about the camel going through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man going to Heaven? The rich Pharisees did not see the humor.

What about when Peter told Jesus that he would not allow Him to die as He had just predicted? Jesus replied, “Get behind me, Satan.” Peter didn’t laugh at that time either, and this time the other disciples did not laugh either. They did laugh when the Lord called the Jewish leaders vipers.

I think I am in fine company because most of us do not know that His jokes were supposed to be funny. I was told by my daughter that I don’t know how to tell a joke. That is why I’ve decided to start charging before I tell a joke; then you will feel obligated to laugh like you do with professional comedians you buy tickets to see, most of whom get their laughs because of objectionable language.

I’m tired of this

September 17, 2026

I am sure that you have pet peeves. One of mine is the fact that people continue to be murdered by impaired drivers, and our legislators do not seem to care. My opinion, as a non-drinker, is that something drastic needs to be done about curbing the ability of repeat offenders to continue to drive when they should not.

The first thing that should be done is for those of us who care that innocent people are being indiscriminately killed to become angry enough to do more than we have been. If you are driving intoxicated, high, or impaired in any way, you must be forced to stop.

In the 1980s, the sister of a friend of mine was killed when a man who had previous DUI arrests hit her car. In the 1990s, I witnessed an accident where a drunk driver ran a red light and flipped a small truck on its side, injuring the driver and passenger.

The case never appeared before a jury because the defendant agreed to enter rehab for the third time. At that time, I questioned the validity of a court system that allows this to continue. I have a suggestion for each of us that craves a change in the way we deal with these atrocities.

The first step is to eliminate all legislators in every state who have ever had an arrest for driving while impaired. I suggest we run a CaseNet search for anyone that we are considering voting for. If you are prone to visit candidates at their small local events, and these infractions show up on their records, you should bring this up in public.

We cannot bury our heads any longer. These offenders need to be called to task for their violations. A friend of mine had to have a device installed in the vehicle he drove that gave him a test to determine if he was intoxicated before the engine would start. These are expensive and can be bypassed by someone else providing the breath. It is difficult, but not impossible.

A second step would be to eliminate all judges with similar problems. We could recall local judges at elections, but few of us research who they are and how they rule in any case. A search for their personal legal records is also appropriate. A judge with a substance abuse problem will be less likely to enforce our laws properly.

I’d also like to see vehicles impounded when unlicensed drivers with prior offenses are the drivers. It should not matter who the owner is. Family, friends, or others who allow their property to be used illegally should lose it and not penalize the innocent who will be murdered.

I would like to see the manslaughter charges that most of these criminals are convicted of being charged to murder. It is not an accident when you use alcohol or drugs and then drive. It is intentional and should be called premeditated murder. Especially for repeat offenders. I believe the reason there are no harsher penalties is that legislators don’t care. Your vote can fix that.

What you post

September 15, 2026

What you post says a great deal about you. Just as what I write can show you who I really am. It can also tell others things about you that you may not want to say. Posting online is too easy and often says things that are interpreted in a negative light.

I am a minister, and those who know this expect certain types of behavior from me. No, I am not talking about being boring or not having fun. If I use what are considered inappropriate words or am seen in unsavory places, they may view me as not being what they think a minister should be.

There are people that you can influence in the positive and the negative by the posts that you make. Parents, keep this in mind even before you allow your children the opportunity to use social media. They have friends, and these schoolmates may share what they see since they get to do things before your children.

You don’t have to worry about me being in a crowd where there are beer bottles or wine glasses sitting on the tables. I don’t drink and do not usually attend parties where drinks are served. If you see a photograph of me in such a situation, it has probably been enhanced by AI.

Many businesses now check your social media accounts when they are checking your references. They won’t ask for your information because it is simple to track you on almost all the media outlets. Be careful of what goes out to the rest of the world. “They” are watching. “They” can be anyone, even the companies that you apply to.

Another thing that you need to be aware of is that even people who are not your friends can access your posts and pictures of where you are and what you are doing may alert criminals that your home is vacant. Your address is easy to find. The more information you put on social media, the easier it is to steal your identity or belongings.

As an experiment, I have made notations of names, birth dates, and other information we are asked for in doctors’ offices and other locations. When I entered this information in a search engine, I was amazed at what I found about people I did not know. Keeping anything private is more difficult than we think it is.

We need to teach each other from our own mistakes. I never had to worry about these things for my first forty years. We older adults are some of the biggest targets for scammers and identity thieves. We may think we are wise, but don’t test your intelligence by being a victim of a cyberattack.

Stop working for money

September 13, 2026

As a Christian workplace minister for over fifty years, I finally learned to do this. I had this epiphany while having lunch with another minister and asked his advice about a job I was flying to Philadelphia to interview for. “If they offer you more money, take the job.”

That answer did not flow with what I felt Jesus wanted me to do. For years, I had been looking for what He wanted me to do as ministry, not by what I would make from a position. I wanted to leave the company I was with, and I knew that it would be hard to turn this job down.

I had been praying for a different job for years. When this interview became available, I thought it was what I wanted. What you want is difficult to walk away from. I would like to say that I always choose what Jesus has for me and ignore my own desires, like more money. However, that’s not always the way I rock.

I decided to talk to a minister friend of mine and asked him to join me for lunch. I explained to him that I was going for an interview and needed advice about how to be sure it was God’s will. His advice was to take the job if they offered me more money.

Not exactly what I was hoping for. I thought as a minister he would give me advice on how to tell what God wanted me to do. I had heard others speak of ministers using the amount of money they were offered as a reason for taking on a new position. I knew that my family would be provided for no matter where I was led to go.

We all need money to pay bills and live on. My problem is why more of us do not voluntarily help others. I am a writer and speaker. If you contact me to speak to your group, all I will charge is for travel and lodging. I recently turned down a chance to join a speaking group that offered me as many chances to speak as I might want; they did not seem to want to give me the discretion to choose events. If you ask me to help you write your memoir, call me, and we will set times for phone conversations or personal meetings.

You can also use a bartering system to help yourself as you aid others. What can you use to trade with? Do you have a service business or one that manufactures or produces things? Bartering was a common currency in frontier days. It can help reduce inflation in our current climate.

I know many of you volunteer and help family and friends with their projects when you are asked. I suggest that you begin looking for those who need assistance when they do not ask. I always did this in the workplace where I was. I considered it part of my ministry. Remember that Jesus said we should do as much as we could for even the least of His children.

Do you think that you are beautiful?

September 11, 2026

Or, if you are a guy, do you think you are good-looking? I see the supermodels, actresses, actors, and others that the media says we should change ourselves to look like. They say you need larger lips, hips, biceps, triceps, or other parts of your body to improve who you are. Remember the saying, “Beauty is only skin deep.”

I have never believed beauty begins or ends with how you look. The best-looking people I have known were not always physically attractive. They may have had bad hair, an inappropriately sized nose or ears, or another feature they view as a deformity. I believe that Yahweh personally creates each of us as He desires us to be.

Changing hair color, using makeup, or adding tattoos or piercings are minor types of change that I have never tried. When Cindy and I were first married, I adored her naturally curly hair but politely declined when our hairdresser offered to give me a perm to make my straight-as-string hair as curly as hers. If I had curly hair, I might not like it either.

I have said for years that I don’t understand why they call this treatment a permanent. It will grow out in a few months and must be applied again. For this reason, I refer to it as a temp, and that means temporary, not permanent. She does not always appreciate her hair or other attributes as much as I do. I’m fine with my looks, though.

Now you can also have permanent makeup applied. While these tattoos in place of makeup will stay on your skin, they don’t remain looking the same. Everything changes over the years despite what anyone promises you. When I began growing my mustache when I was eighteen, it was very light. Now it is grey.

My facial hair is my act of rebellion. My dad once said that if any of his sons had grown their hair out, or grew a beard or mustache, he would throw us out of the house. It took six months for him to notice I had not shaved my upper lip. When he asked me about it, and I told him how long it had been growing, he said nothing more about it. My wife and children have never seen me without it.

Many folks think that I am a funny fellow; my response is that looks aren’t everything. When I taught in junior high at church, I would greet new students with, “My name is Chuck, and I am good-looking.” When they looked at me weirdly, I would tell them that I liked to point it out because sometimes that was not noticed immediately.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we should accept the way we are and only change things that Jesus tells us to. I was a shy child and seldom spoke before those I did not know, so I studied public speaking for three years in high school. I have become what I thought would be needed in my professional life. And it is a great life; how about yours?

Thank you, President Trump

September 5, 2026

One billion dollars more for gasoline over the Labor Day weekend than last year. That is what they said on the news. Aren’t you glad that you voted for this man and all his Trumpite friends? I know that you thought his followers were called MAGA, which is an acronym for Make America Great Again. Guess what? America was great before Donald Trump ran in 2016.

I have written before that I felt we should say, “Keep America great.” At this point, I need to revise that. Mr. Trump has turned our citizens against each other, tried to destroy our economy and legal system, and polluted respected national institutions with his name.

I use the term Trumpites to designate anyone who supports the man who currently holds the office of Chief Executive. I do not know of anyone who would appreciate being called by this term. As Jeff Foxworthy used to say, “You might be a redneck if . . . .

We are describing Trumpites here, and I hope that you will not recognize yourself in these words. You may be a Trumpite if:

you ever voted for Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, or 2024. If you voted for him in all three, you are a Trumpite, and the only way you can be cured is by starting to state publicly that you would never have anything to do with him ever again. I am still not sure I would believe you.

true statements are things that you have argued with. “President Trump was defeated in the 2020 election,” “Donald Trump was legally convicted of crimes.” “Tearing down the East Wing of the White House and building an expensive ballroom is a bad idea.” “Allowing Immigration and Naturalization Officers to arrest, imprison, or kill anyone they want without due process should not be allowed.” These are just a few of those.

you plan on voting for the Republican Presidential candidate in 2026. Understand why I say this. The Republicans have refused to curb the blight that they released on our country in 2016, supported his attempts to overthrow the legitimate winner of the 2020 race, and then nominated him again in 2024.

If you are in Congress and the Senate in 2027, you can still redeem yourself by impeaching Donald Trump, finding him guilty of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, rescinding his U.S. citizenship for treason, and deporting him to any country that will guarantee they will not let him leave. God may have to do this for us, if you won’t.

Yes, we need to thank President Trump for showing us not to believe him. He lied about everything that he promised. There is no way to stop illegal aliens from entering our country without armed guards around a Berlin-type wall. Our borders are too wide for that. Most of our allies have given up on him. Our economy is down the toilet, and he won’t even admit that the war he started with Iran is a war.

Where Are You Hiding Your Valuables?

September 3, 2026

Matthew 6:19 tells us not to store our treasures here, but to put them in Heaven. How much do you have in your 401 (k)? Did I just say that? My treasures are not to be bankable. As that famous philosopher, The Gambler, said, “Never count your money when you’re sitting at the table. There’ll be time enough for counting when the dealing’s done.”

We need to ask, “What is valuable to you?” I am not thinking of what is usually thought of as valuable. As I answer this question for myself, I encourage you to make your own list. First on my list is my family, and I believe the best way to protect them is by leading them in their faith in Jesus.

The same idea goes for my friends, and most of them are in the group that is in the third place: people I love. The problem is that Jesus said that we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Then He went on to tell a story that most of us have heard of that explains who our neighbor should be. (Luke 10:25-37)

Have you heard of the Good Samaritan? Samaritans were hated by the Jews. They were half-breeds. They were from different countries and nationalities. Do any of these descriptions fit those that you do not like? As Christians, we are told to love as Jesus did. For many of us, we do not even know what love is.

It is not liking someone a lot or something that the other person must earn or deserve. Love is what nailed God to a cross to save us from our rebellion. Love is giving yourself for others. It is what the Samaritan did for the injured Jew. He did what was needed despite who they were.

We should value all our relationships whether they are personal, business, or family. Jehovah created this universe so that He could create us to be in relationship with Him. Many wonder why a perfect deity would want to create such an imperfect world with sinful creatures such as humanity.

After we fouled this planet up, Jesus came to die for us. He took three years as an itinerant teacher, re-educating all who would listen about how the Hebrews had corrupted the meaning of the law and prophets. This teaching is one of the valuables that are stored inside believers.

Another thing that is valuable to me is you. You are not just a reader. You are a human being that Jehovah loves. You are important to me because you are special to Him. We like to quote John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son so that anyone could be brought to repentance.”

This is how the apostle John interpreted what Jesus did. He did not understand that Jesus was the I Am and not another entity. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” Don’t ask me to explain that statement because all I know is that they are two parts of Yahweh, who is a triune being just as we are.

We are to hide these things that we cherish in the place where Yahweh resides outside of time and space. We call this place Heaven, and Jesus tells us that if we are one of His disciples and a follower, when our bodies fail us, he will come and get us so that we will reside with Him. I hope to see you there.

The better idea

September 1, 2026

Companies worldwide are looking for better ways to do things. Many innovations come about every year. Some work and some do not. The management problem is deciding which ideas to implement and which to let die without further consideration. As a leader, there are many factors that we consider before moving on to the proposed improvement.

Today we will look at one of the reasons new concepts are discarded without due thought. The source of the innovative idea is often the deciding factor for many of us. If it came from a knowledgeable employee with many years of experience or from a superior who can terminate us, this thought is considered. The one that got away is probably from a new hire, temporary employee, intern, or other low-level worker.

Some of the freshest and best ideas are proposed by those whose minds are not clouded with all the things that take up the time of upper management. Some companies have programs to reward employees or even customers with their ideas.

I took a product proposal to a purchasing agent when I was in outside sales. As I explained this new product and asked where it might be used, I was told to wait a few minutes for the maintenance foreman. When he arrived, I explained this item and saw a light spark in his eyes. We discussed prices and the various places it could be utilized.

He had an application, and he had been looking for a product that would solve a particular problem. I showed the P.A. a new item that he thought was what they were looking for. This is just one example of me making a sale because I had what the customer needed. Unlike advertising for most commodities, I did not have to create a need or desire.

To me, that was the best way to make sales. I never pushed products or services onto a client. My technique was to explain the benefits of items and ask if the product was something that could be of use to them.

My new district manager did not believe this was the best sales procedure. He thought I should push for a close on anything that we had available. I was able to turn our branch’s profit margin around in six months after three years of being in the red. When I saw that this new boss and I would not be able to agree, I found another position after twenty-five years with that company.

My new boss at the next company appreciated my ideas enough that I received a promotion after just three months on the job. I felt that this was my dream job. Sometimes the better idea that you need may be changing positions or companies to continue growth in your career.

Old?

August 27, 2026

Some of my friends and I have been discussing how we are getting older. Notice that I said “older” and not “old.” Old is a state of mind. I worked with young people for over twenty years when God chose to move me to senior adults while I was in my forties.

I did not feel equal to that task, just as I felt ill-prepared to become a minister as a college student. I decided to change schools and majors and still graduated in four years. That was over fifty years ago. I want to take this column in a different direction and speak of someone that you may think of as old.

Dolly Parton has gone to be with our Lord. Do you understand what that means? Her body is no longer alive; however, she is. She has graduated to a place beyond time and space, where the triune God resides.

Ms. Parton believed His Son when she read that He claimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by Me.” (John 14:6) How do I know this? There are fruits of His Spirit that she possessed. Her declaration that He is her Lord and Savior is not the proof I present to you.

She exhibited love, which is the first fruit that Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-23. If you do not understand this word, Paul defines it for you in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen, which is another letter he wrote to the churches of his time. Her song that she wrote and sang, “I’ll always love you,” is an expression of how she lived her whole life.

I am not a personal friend of Dolly and have never had the privilege of meeting her in this life. It would not surprise me if she were not singing a new song to her Lord that we will not hear until our bodies fail us as hers did and Jesus takes us as He did her.

I remember when I first saw her on the Porter Wagner show in 1967. This thirteen-year-old boy never knew that twenty-three-year-old woman would become the entertainer that we are missing today. Let’s get back to that list of the fruit of the Spirit Paul gave us. He completes the list with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. These are things we all strive for, and Dolly did as well.

We saw her joy in her music, her peace in the manner in which she addressed her fans as she knew her time here was drawing to a close. She could not name the date as none of us could, but she tried to prepare us for it. I am sure that those close to her saw her lose patience with them and others from time to time, or if not, I hope I learn that someday.

The kindness and goodness that she demonstrated through her life and philanthropic endeavors will continue as her legacy. And Jesus has recognized her faithfulness to Him, her family, friends, and fans by coming to receive her to Himself as He promised in John 14:3.

Welcome home, Ms. Dolly. Enjoy your coat of many colors that your Father made for you, and I am sure it was on your bed in the mansion that Jesus prepared for you and took you to.

Walk With a Servant