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Category: Family Reflections

Growing Up with Weezy: Lesson 2

Growing Up with Weezy: Lesson 2

It was late December in 1981. I don’t recall the exact date, but I remember what was going on during that time. I had a conversation with my mother that was life changing. That sounds so dramatic, but it is true. I received a very well written letter from Texas Tech right after Christmas that year. They respectfully informed me that I was welcome not to return for the spring semester in 1982.  The term “scholastic probation” was used.  …

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Measuring Parental Success at 2:00 a.m.

Measuring Parental Success at 2:00 a.m.

My day began with a call out from one of our 911 dispatchers about 6:15 in the morning.  6:15 is really not bad at all in terms of timing!  But, they don’t call because all is well.  It was a challenging experience, which is the norm.  I tried to do a good job serving those who were impacted by a particularly difficult crisis.  Later in the day another major incident occurred.  This one ended up being a late-night experience, so…

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The Power of a Kind Word

The Power of a Kind Word

–> I try really hard to remain connected to my friends.  But, I often let weeks go by without calling or texting.  This week I was reminded of the value of a kind overture.  There is nothing like being on the receiving end of genuine encouragement. Every single day this past week one of my friends reached out to me and made it clear in their own way that I was valued.  I had to leave a memorial service rather…

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Heroes of the Home

Heroes of the Home

I have noticed that the superhero movies tend to do well at the box office.  The same superhero can be featured in several movies and the theaters are full.  Why is that true.  Is it attributed to superb acting and engaging special effects?  Maybe… I actually think there is another dynamic at work. Our culture longs for heroes.  They are out there, if you look.   There is a particular longing for the kind of heroes that most people will never…

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Wearing My Father’s Coat

Wearing My Father’s Coat

–> If I ever officiate at a graveside service not properly dressed, I think my mother may come back to haunt me.  She always made sure I had a nice trench coat for services done on a rainy day.  And, she expected me to wear an acceptable wool coat for the chilly ones.   When I packed for Charlie Goin’s funeral service in Oklahoma this week, I made a slight mistake.  I grabbed the black wool coat from the closet that…

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Racine, Wisconsin in the Rearview Mirror of My Dad’s Torino

Racine, Wisconsin in the Rearview Mirror of My Dad’s Torino

I don’t recall the 7th grade being my favorite year in school.  In fact, that may very well have been the worst year in my entire academic experience.  It was a socially awkward time. It was a time of searching for a sense of identity. I had to deliver a speech in English class that year. The teacher made it clear in her critique of said speech that my future would not be in public speaking… Thankfully, my occupational identity…

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In Memory of Dr. Kerry L. Knox

In Memory of Dr. Kerry L. Knox

My sister, Dr. Kerry Knox, passed away one year ago this weekend.  She still had so much in life she had hoped to accomplish.  As a professor in a medical school, she was assigned to researching suicide in veterans and related issues.  She worked in conjunction with the US Air Force, as they did research they hoped would impact lives for many years to come.  But, for Kerry, it came to a sudden end on October 21st of last year. I…

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A Service of Remembrance

A Service of Remembrance

–> Tuesday evening, September 11th, a service of remembrance was held in our community at our beautiful Memorial Lane location.  Memorial Lane has been described as “a one of a kind park to honor and remember all heroes.”  It is reflective of the tremendous respect the community of Granbury has for both military personnel and first responders alike. Tuesday’s service was moving to say the very least.  A group of speakers impacted personally by the events of September 11th, 2001…

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Giving Children the Tools for Life

Giving Children the Tools for Life

I have a garage full of hand tools.  And they are not cheap ones either.  Many are Craftsman, Snap-On, and Mac brands.  They are plenty of electric saws and drills too.  As I surveyed my collection today, I realized that I had inherited a vast majority of my collection from my father. He was an outstanding craftsman.  He could build most anything with great precision.  I did NOT inherit such genes.  Precision and attention to minute details are not strengths…

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Sibling Conflict: What will It Take to Reconcile?

Sibling Conflict: What will It Take to Reconcile?

…you haven’t spoken to your brother or sister in years?  There was a conflict over something that you may not even clearly remember, and that ultimately led to a complete breakdown in communication. Perhaps tensions built over a period of time, and it finally reached a point that you could no longer stand it.  You and your sibling quietly parted ways.  The phone calls ceased.  The visits with each other became nonexistent.  And before you know it, decades have gone…

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