James L. Thompson

Hi, I'm Jim, and if you're one of those who assign credibility based on youth, I was born in 1946 ... you do the math. At this writing my day-job is cashiering at the local Target store, a noble occupation in a number of ways. First, it suits me. Over the past few years God has gifted me with His <em>super</em>natural love. So I get a kick out of the nearly infinite variety of people who pass through my check lane. The work most consider drudgery, I call fun. I thank God so much for that gift, because it makes obeying His command to love my neighbor remarkably easy. Second, it's low stress--a certain high stress occupation nearly killed me a few years ago, so my stress tolerance is minimal. I've observed throughout the years that job-related stress is often proportional to the job's salary. This job is certainly a case-in-point.

While I take God's word, and His command to love people, seriously, I continually battle the tendency to take <em>myself</em> seriously. Goes with my passive-aggressive tendency. So I try to leave the job of taking <em>me</em> seriously, to God.

One of my favorite pastimes is reading aloud to my wife Nancy, who is legally blind. Reading to her has broadened my taste in literature to the point where I can now enjoy everything from Chick Lit to military thrillers. Since I'm dyslexic, reading aloud suits me well, as my silent reading is almost as slow as reading aloud.

While my interests are eclectic, I limit my &quot;spare&quot; time activities to writing, reading and bicycling when weather permits. Yes, I'm a fair-weather bicyclist, what of it?

My aesthetic interests include all things beautiful, and since &quot;beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,&quot; I answer to no one for my tastes. Specifically, I enjoy listening to classical, jazz, acoustic guitar, and Christian music, mainly with a contemporary flavor. I enjoy films that honestly complement eternal truth and make me think, even to the point of challenging my preconceptions. Adventure flicks are an acceptable distraction, as long as they don't distract me from the eternal truths. Gratuitous sex, violence and obscenity are simply cheap, and I try to avoid jading my sensibilities by viewing it.

Visually, my tastes go to anything God created--before our bulldozers got to it. Exceptions are architecture that complements what God created, i.e. Frank Lloyd Wright, and elegant engineering. With age, I've begun esteeming the ageless beauty both men and women exhibit when they are comfortable being the person God made them.

I value art that is artistic, words that are well used, beliefs that are carefully considered, personal styles that are unique, personalities that are not invented, inventions that display simple ingenuity, and love that is unqualified. If that sounds incurably idealistic, guilty-as-charged.

I also harbor a secret infatuation with technology, but the artist in me is loathe to admit it. In that vein, you might find my blogs interesting. <a href="http://well-dressed-branch.blogspot.com/"><em>The Well-Dressed Branch</em></a> shares my growth in faith. And <a href="http://jlthompsonsdubiouswritersite.blogspot.com/"><em>The Dubious Web Presence of J. L. Thompson--writer</em></a> will share my thoughts about the arts--I hope. It's more of a work-in-progress.

For what it's worth, you now probably know me better than ninety percent of my friends and acquaintances.

Thanks for visiting my personal expose. I hope you will find my articles and comments to be honest, entertaining and factual--not necessarily in that order.