I love the old film noir movies from the 1940’s. The bad guys are particularly evil and the good guys are real heroes. And in the noir movies, the moral is always the same…Crime does not pay. The good guys win. I know that is not real world. But they are still enjoyable to watch. One year ago tomorrow Officer Chad Davis with the Granbury Police Department heard the words on his radio that will send chills down any normal…
This week in my counseling techniques class we are studying the idea of meaning. Our textbook mentions that meaning issues become more prominent after a person has experienced a serious illness, encountered a life changing experience, or gone through a serious trauma. I have experienced two of the three in the last year. I have journeyed with my friends in law enforcement since June of last year during a life changing experienced triggered by a serious trauma. Saturday is the…
When Mother’s Day rolls around, those of us that preach on Sunday’s develop a sermon that honors the moms among us. It is really not a day for preaching. Some of my colleagues will even make use of syrupy poems or heartfelt stories. And of course all Mother’s Day sermons are short. We must get out moms out early, so they can be the first at the restaurant. I have actually done all of the above. I am all about…
Graduations are emotional experiences. They are particularly moving when it is your youngest child….Last week I watched my third son receive his high school diploma. Both the valedictorian and salutatorian are friends of his, so I listened intently. He has been friends with one of them since third grade. As I listened to their well-prepared speeches that reflected on aspirations for the future, I thought about another event I would attend the next day. The day after graduation I was…
My mother was always on the teacher’s side. What is wrong with that picture? I felt the compelling need to be innocent until proven guilty. But the problem is…she knew me all too well. The guilty look on my face seldom vanished. There was no need for due process of the law in our house. My mother was relieved that I actually graduated from high school. And I went on to pursue undergraduate studies at Texas Tech. But I liked girls…
Some time back I had lunch at Chuy’s in Arlington with my high school classmate, Trey Lehmnan. Considerable interchange on facebook preceded that day of shared tortillas. I set aside a little extra time that day, because I thought lunch might go a little long….That turned out to be correct. We finished over three hours later. It was not a time to exchange pleasantries and discuss football. We discussed life. We caught each other up on mutual friends. There was…
Note: I wrote this blog over 5 years ago. James passed away several years ago. His wife, Juanita, passed away this morning. In honor of their life, I am republishing. If you ever make it to Granbury, you need to stop in at the Firehouse Café for breakfast during your visit. The breakfast special during the week consists of eggs cooked to order, toast or biscuit, and bacon and hash browns as well. I generally make in there on Mondays…
I just read a letter that is displayed in the museum in New York that pays tribute both to those that served and those that lost their lives on September 11, 2001. In the letter, a lady describes a police officer “literally picking her up off the sidewalk” during the mayhem near the World Trade Center. She said he “lifted her off the ground.” And then he told her to run with him to safety. When she thought she could…
You blew it. You said something that was really out of line. You deeply offended a friend or a family member. Perhaps you falsely accused someone of something they never did. You assigned motives to their actions that you created in your own vivid imagination. It happens to the best of us. Apologies are a good thing. It is good for us to simply say that we are sorry. Confession of wrongdoing is even better than just a mere apology….
The reality of the upcoming empty nest became a reality this afternoon. This is the last time I will cook for a Super Bowl party while one of my boys is in high school. I suppose there will be several more “lasts” before the graduation ceremony on May of this year. As I reflect on the onset of the empty nest, several thoughts come to mind. But there is one that is recurring. Which son will be entrusted with choosing…