Max Lucado in one his first books tells the story of a woman fighting an uphill battle with alcoholism. During that journey she tried to return to a small church where she had spiritual roots. But unfortunately she hears the gossip in the parking lot that was not meant for her ears. “What is that alcoholic doing here?” Lucado relays that the woman got back in her car and never returned. Well that is not exactly true. Her next visit…
During the winter months we will often start a thousand piece puzzle on a card table in our living room. When Jan’s parents visit, her dad especially enjoys the challenge of working on it. When a puzzle like that is being assembled, you can’t really tell what exactly it is going to depict until a lot of the pieces are in place. And that takes time… Our lives are like a multiple piece puzzle. There are numerous pieces of our…
Glenn Newberry is the executive director for Foster’s Home for Children in Stephenville, TX. Tonight I heard Glenn speak on the subject of safety. But it was not the kind of safety lecture that I have heard police officers deliver numerous times. In his presentation, he described a comprehensive program that Foster’s Home is using that focuses on emotional safety. Bear mind that Foster’s serves over 50 children in residential care that have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. Glenn made…
Corporal Darrell Campbell with the Snyder, Texas Police Department was shot in the head in a line of duty incident early Tuesday morning. .He has been hospitalized in Lubbock’s University Medical Center since the shooting occurred. I was not at all surprised to read in media releases that patrol officers with the Lubbock Police Department are staying with Campbell and members of his family in the Intensive Care Unit area around the clock. They are there to provide security and…
What are you whining about today? Are you put out with your spouse or your children? Are you frustrated with your parents? Let’s see…they are suffocating you with their attentiveness. Or maybe they are elderly. Taking care of elderly parents has the potential to be a laborious task. It is all too tempting to grumble about it. What about members of your extended family? They too are commonly targeted for nitpicking. Can I make a suggestion? Stop in your tracks…
Occasionally that motor mouth of mine can utter something that is truly profound. This morning marked one of those rare moments. As I was telling Jan about a longtime friend who is experiencing a personal crisis I made this observation: People in crisis don’t need jaw flappers. Translated from John lingo it means that individuals who are struggling don’t need friends who break confidences. How many of us have asked a friend not to repeat what we have shared only…
I met a number of people during my years as an undergraduate student that grew up in rural West Texas communities. Some of those individuals were raised on farms and ranches in places where the closest town with a grocery store was over 60 miles away. I think it is safe to say that the vast majority of those individuals were completing their degrees in anticipation of never, ever returning to country life. Their mentality was: get me out of here!…
Consider the source…I have heard that phrase before. When my blood pressure is elevated because of a major irritation, my friends urge me to consider the source. The implication is that we can dismiss critical comments or insensitive remarks from people that lack credibility in our eyes. Such a conclusion makes perfect sense to me. But maybe I am wrong? I really had to admit this at all, but I honestly believe there is a grain of truth in the…
I don’t normally find myself wondering around stores in the women’s swimsuit section. But I could not help but notice a sign placed near the main aisle of one of my favorite retailers advertising swimwear that extols the perceived advantage of “embellishment.” At first glance I laughed to myself. I was thinking: Women can’t just buy any swimsuit. They need one that embellishes certain parts of their anatomy. But I soon quit laughing, because I understand the term “embellish” all…
Father’s Day is over. Yesterday there was a table in the restaurant next to us with a group of adults lavishing gifts on dad. It appeared that they value the gentleman who was on the receiving end of their generosity. I received some pretty strong response to my blog about Father’s Day. It came from friends whose dads bailed ship during their formative years. When I was in elementary school, I don’t recall very many of my friends at Wind…