I Did Not Meet Any Old Lovers in the Grocery Store on Christmas Eve….

I Did Not Meet Any Old Lovers in the Grocery Store on Christmas Eve….

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My Christmas Eve passed by safely without meeting any old lovers in the grocery store. And that suits me just fine! Those of my generation will quickly recognize the reference to Dan Fogelberg’s song from 1981: Same Old Lang Syne  from the album The Innocent Age. The opening lyrics to the song are as follows: Met my old lover in a grocery storeThe snow was falling Christmas EveStole behind her in the frozen foodsand I touched her on the sleeveShe…

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Christmas is a time when you get homesick, even when you’re home….

Christmas is a time when you get homesick, even when you’re home….

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Christmas is a time when you get homesick, even when you’re home….-Carol Nelson It was 1984. It was our first Christmas together as a married couple. When we got married in August of that year, I had just finished my undergraduate degree in speech communications. My plan was to stay in Lubbock and pursue graduate level work, but at the last minute I withdrew from the program to which I had been accepted. Being with my new bride at that…

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A Little Beef Jerky and a Real Live Daddy for Christmas

A Little Beef Jerky and a Real Live Daddy for Christmas

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Last week at a Christmas party some friends of mine told me that their grandchildren did not have anything on their Christmas list that was under $100.00. My first inclination was to ask them if they could legally adopt me as one of their grandchildren. But my mind quickly raced back to a story I heard about another Christmas party that was held for our campers that attended Royal Family Kids Camp last summer. Royal Family Camps were formed to…

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Being Exposed to Real Poverty: How Does it Change You?

Being Exposed to Real Poverty: How Does it Change You?

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 A person goes on a mission trip for the first time, and upon their return they are insufferable. Is it a life changing experience to serve people in a different culture who are living in desperate poverty? There is no doubt it. Such trips are truly transformational. When that first time participant returns home, they find it hard to comprehend that everyone else is not as fired up about going to Haiti or Mexico as they are after a two…

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It is Time to Begin a New Chapter

It is Time to Begin a New Chapter

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 I miss teaching. I taught as an adjunct instructor for ten years at two different universities. I loved the students. Using my creative energies for weekly lesson preparation was nearly as much fun as being in the classroom. One of the perks of teaching is the closure that it brings. A semester begins in September and ends in December. Another semester gets underway in January and wraps up in May. Closure is a good thing. I always enjoyed getting a…

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To Protect and Serve the Most Vulnerable Among Us

To Protect and Serve the Most Vulnerable Among Us

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 When I was a high school student, the closest I thought I would ever have to get to a state trooper with Texas Dept. of Public Safety was on the side of the highway when my speed could exceed the limit on rare occasions. Little did I know there were other plans for me on the horizon? I became a volunteer chaplain for the Wichita Falls Police Department almost exactly 21 years ago. In that role, I rubbed shoulders with…

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Taking the Poison of Resentment…

Taking the Poison of Resentment…

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 My imagination has to be kept in constant check, or it can travel to places that are not emotionally safe. When I am feeling strong resentment toward another person, my imagination slips into high gear and starts traveling through the rugged terrain of bitter images. I start creating vivid images in my mind of what I would like to do to the person whom I feel resentment toward. This of course is never a good course of action. A friend…

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Love Letters…

Love Letters…

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What do you expect from a man who is caring for his wife at home with the help of Hospice? His wife of many years has struggled with cancer for some time. The last round of treatments were not helping her, so they sent her home to be as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. What does a man tell his friends during such a time as this? Those of us who are fortunate enough to be in this fine…

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Going Postal Has Been Redefined!

Going Postal Has Been Redefined!

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I assigned a new meaning to “Going Postal” today. While I was waiting in line at the post office to send off my passport renewal the people lined up with me were grouchy, edgy, and just downright rude to the people trying to take care of their precious packages. The man who waited on me is normally very friendly, but I could tell his patience was being pushed to the limit. By the time I got out of that hotbed…

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When I am Old Enough to Play High School Basketball, Will You Still be Alive?

When I am Old Enough to Play High School Basketball, Will You Still be Alive?

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 “If you don’t feel like preaching this morning, I will!” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard that from one particular member of my church. If she didn’t offer her preaching services nearly every Sunday, I would terribly disappointed. There are of course some Sundays when I would gladly defer to someone that eager to get the job done! But in this case, I am somewhat fearful to abdicate my duty. I am not sure the church…

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