Clint Eastwood is Cool as Dirty Harry, But There is More to the Story….

Clint Eastwood is Cool as Dirty Harry, But There is More to the Story….

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This week I attended a one day training event hosted by The Texas Department of Public Safety focusing on officer involved shootings. As a law enforcement chaplain, I have been privileged to experience extensive training in this particular area. I have been called to assist with officer involved shootings on several occasions. The course I attended Tuesday was a great refresher. I enjoy watching old classic movies like Dirty Harry as much as anyone. Gene Hackman is pretty good in…

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Just Take Your Orders and Don’t Ask Questions

Just Take Your Orders and Don’t Ask Questions

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 Here is a little bit of insight from a veteran preacher: When a church member beckons the minister to “come over here” with a stern look on their face, it is not usually a good sign. And that is exactly what happened to me in 2004, when I moved to Granbury. An elderly lady caught my eye and called me over to talk to her after the worship service. I just assumed that it had only taken me a matter…

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Wanted: Leaders with Gravitas!

Wanted: Leaders with Gravitas!

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 Last week I was reintroduced to a word that I had not seen in quite some time. The term is: gravitas. It means to have a “high seriousness.” One dictionary used this sentence in defining the word: The new leader has an air of gravitas that commands respect. I was actually unable to find an entry in the thesaurus that used in reference to this term. It is a good word. On this Election Day, I am reminded that we…

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Running on Empty!

Running on Empty!

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 My friend and mentor Willard Tate passed away recently, but I am still reminded periodically of stories he shared. On one occasion Willard told us about his dad’s practice of making sure the family car was always full of gas. In particular, his dad would not go to bed at night unless there was a full tank of gas in the car.  He told his family: Someone may need us during the night. I want to be prepared accordingly… Keeping…

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Parenting: It is All About Example

Parenting: It is All About Example

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My mother always encouraged me to befriend all kinds of people from all walks of life. She urged me not to let age or other barriers hinder meaningful friendship. She modeled that in her own life. She had friends of all ages and from differing backgrounds. I have always tried to do the same. One of my really good friends is a semi-retired university professor. He fits the professor mold ideally. He is over the edge intelligent, reads voraciously, and…

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Random Acts of Kindness: Who REALLY Benefits?

Random Acts of Kindness: Who REALLY Benefits?

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Yesterday I learned that a friend ordered a meal at the drive through at a Dallas area Chick Fil A restaurant and received quite a surprise. The person ahead of her in the line paid for her food before she reached the window. The individual picking up the tab was a total stranger at that! Can you imagine what it would feel like to be in her shoes? How does such a random act of kindness impact your entire day?…

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The Day the Man Came in the Jeep…

The Day the Man Came in the Jeep…

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I am reading a book entitled After the Flag Has Been Folded: : A Daughter Remembers the Father She Lost to War–and the Mother Who Held Her Family Together, by Karen Zacharias. Ms. Zacharias is an outstanding writer. As a reader, you feel like you are there with her when she receives the news at age 9 that her father was killed in Vietnam. His untimely death of course is the defining moment in her life. In the book, she…

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Send Your Children ONLY to the Finest Restaurants!

Send Your Children ONLY to the Finest Restaurants!

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 Yesterday I was buying Gerber’s peaches at the United Grocery Store in Wichita Falls to feed Daniel. This weekend he is home from college, so today I paid for him to eat out with his friends. I do believe the Gerber days were cheaper. It really seems like yesterday that he was sitting in his high chair providing commentary on the family life of the Knox household, as he ate the Gerber peaches and hideous pureed green beans. Jan and…

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The Cat’s In the Cradle

The Cat’s In the Cradle

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 I had no idea how much fun it was going to be watching my kids and the children of my friends grow up. Perhaps I should clarify that statement. It was a blast observing my own children and their peers experiencing the milestones of maturity before they reached adulthood. Today I am referring to observing those same kids choosing life paths as adults. Not long ago I called a child of a friend for legal advice. She is an attorney…

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Ignite the Flame of Hope

Ignite the Flame of Hope

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 When it hurts to look back, and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you, and your best friend will be there.—Unknown Viktor Frankl in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, appropriately points out that no one has the capacity to take away our hope. He reached that conclusion after surviving a Nazi concentration camp during WWII. He experienced firsthand the loss of everything anyone would consider precious. As he looked back at that horrific time, he realized…

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