I was young, green, and broke. I was 26 or 27 years old, and had been out of graduate school for less than two years. I was serving as a campus minister for a group of college students, and teaching as an adjunct instructor for the university. But there were other complexities involved in the ministry to which I had been assigned. I had to do public relations work with a fairly large pool of churches and individuals that supported…
I have a son that wants to be a writer. I have no one else to blame buy myself. When he was a small child, his mother told him bedtime stories that had a good moral point. I made up wild tales that weaved colorful characters through moments of adventure and intrigue. My stories lacked a good moral point, but they were fun. His mother was not allowed in the bedroom as I shared such original yarns with him. They…
Last week I spent some time with a trusted colleague. It was nice to catch up on what is taking place in his world. Since we are in the same field we have a lot in common. .This particular individual is the most connected professional I have ever seen. He has a terrific network that he moves around in. I can always call on this friend if I need anything from a plumber to a brain surgeon. Chances are he…
I work with very professional law enforcement officers everyday. Contrary to popular belief issuing traffic tickets is not how they get their thrills. It is one dimension of their job, but certainly not the only one. Police officers have one objective in mind when initiating a traffic stop for an array of moving violations. They are simply trying to prompt compliance. An officer has several options. He can issue a citation that will generally lead to a hefty fine. She…
I have had two college age sons quite literally camping out at the house this summer. They never full unpacked. We have plastic storage tubs, golf clubs, and assorted dorm supplies stacked in various locations around the house. As we anticipate their departure to Los Angeles and Oklahoma City next week, it is cleaning time. Thankfully we have not had much company this summer. I would be embarrassed for guests to see our house right now. But should I be…
Earlier this summer I read a book entitled: Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, by Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D. It is excellent. It contains good principles for anybody engaged in a people helping profession. The author coins a term that I have given a lot of thought to since reading the book. He uses the phrase “Usta Syndrome” to refer to police officers that have given up on important facets of their lives outside of their chosen profession. Gilmartin says that…
I am in an interesting place today. I have friends 1,000 miles away that are serving a classmate that is facing the most difficult kind of grief journey imaginable. All that I can do on their behalf is to cry out to God. My heart is in deep pain. I feel a natural affinity for a classmate. And then I found out that my son’s close friend lost his mother. She had been fighting cancer for some time. She was…
When my friends are in trouble, I tell them that I will walk beside them. And I really mean it. I have always had an image of being a shield to those that are close me, when life is getting the best of them. Telling them that I would walk beside them seemed like the right thing to say and do. I read an article in a journal today that caused me to rethink that image. The article describes a…
Summer is coming into its final stretch. Two a day football workouts start Monday. Marching band members will soon be practicing as well. The state of Texas will offer a tax free weekend to stimulate shopping this month. School begins August 22nd. A lot of teens have spent their summers going to camps of all kinds. There is basketball camp, band camp, and football camps of all kinds. Church camp is often figured into that mix. I suspect there is…
I will never complain about my childhood again. This week I have been a relief counselor for a couple of hours each evening at Royal Family Kids Camp. RFKC is specially designed for children that have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. We had 66 children ranging in age from 8-11. My partner and I relieved the 4 counselors assigned to 8 boys in a cabin. I learned a lot this week. The first night one of the boys told me…