It all started almost 11 years ago…. In the winter of 1999, my long time friend and former co-worker, Albert Garcia called about a medical mission trip to the city of Nueva Rosita in Northern Mexico. He informs me that he does not have a dentist for the trip. Could I possibly find one? I asked him when the trip was scheduled. In three weeks, I was told. I just laughed and told him he was asking for the impossible….
Tomorrow I am teaching an 8 hour continuing education class at Tarrant County College’s Criminal Justice Training Center. Police officers in Texas are required to complete a certain amount of approved coursework every year in order to keep their certification current. Tomorrow’s subject matter includes: death notifications, line of duty deaths, stress in law enforcement, and suicide.Will the students go home feeling totally depressed after a day of such subject matter? Hopefully tomorrow’s time in the classroom will be productive…
I readily admit that I am inclined to have a short fuse at times. I have worked really hard over the years at developing the virtue of patience. Consistently being the non anxious presence is quite the challenge. I had the opportunity to work on that virtue not once, but twice yesterday. We drove into Woodward, OK about 1:30 Friday morning after a six hour drive. I officiated at a funeral in Granbury Thursday afternoon before we took off. Another…
If you wait until you can afford to have kids, you most likely will wait a long time. If you postpone going to college until everything is just right, you will never get a degree. And if you delay serving other people until your own life circumstances are just right, you may forfeit the privilege of giving of yourself to others. Last night shortly after midnight we drove through Clinton, OK. Clinton is a mid-sized Oklahoma town just north of…
Our society is becoming increasingly casual. When my father worked for International Harvester and later for the J.I. Case Company, he wore dark suits and a pressed white shirt everyday. I seriously doubt that corporate employees across the board are that formal anymore. I still wear a dress shirt and a tie on most Sundays, when I preach. I am not inclined to wear a suit in the summertime. But that has not always been the case. There was a…
This week has been a whirlwind. I am officiating at funerals on both Thursday and Friday. I will in turn officiate at a wedding on Saturday. Major life changes for all three of the above mentioned families. They are all fine people. In the midst of those life altering events, I saw this quote on still another facebook status: “Some people think it’s holding on that makes one strong–sometimes it’s letting go.” Reading that quote actually caused me to want…
I am not very good at keeping up with the latest trends in men’s apparel. I am content to wear a pair of Levis and my t-shirt that says: Old Guys Rule on the back. I can even be seen a freshly starched shirt with a tie periodically too. During a recent school shopping run to Kohl’s the boys informed that scarves were stylish for men. You have got to be kidding? I immediately had flashbacks to my formative years….
I just can’t help it… People in the counseling profession occasionally hear such firm assertions. When confronted with inappropriate behavior, the response is: I just can’t help it. That is pretty weak. A good counselor will guide a person to see the importance of personal responsibility. I heard the: I can’t help it phrase in a much different context this afternoon at the funeral service for Neva Lacy. Neva was a dedicated volunteer at the Southside Church of Christ in…
My short term memory is really lacking. I misplace my keys at least once a day. My glasses are seldom put in the same place in the evening before bedtime. When I leave for working early in the morning, I am notorious about leaving my cell phone at home. I have told Jan that such events occur because I am thinking about the theory of relativity and pondering some aspect of metaphysics.She claims attributes the daily search and rescue missions…
Our friends Joe and Elaine Pruett were in from San Antonio this weekend. Joe and Elaine just recently moved back to the states, after a lengthy stint in Guadalajara. Their Hispanic neighbors in San Antonio are quite shocked to hear their three fair skinned boys speaking flawless Spanish. I asked Elaine today: What do you miss the most about Guadalajara right now? I think they miss a lot of things about it actually. She told me that she misses having…