How often do we reduce people to a label? She is an alcoholic. He is a drug addict. He is homeless. She is a special needs child. She lives in the _______neighborhood. The list of labels seems to have no end. Those are actually some of the “softer” labels that we use to describe people. There are others that are purposely demeaning. When I was growing up, immigrants from Mexico were called “wetbacks.” Kids with certain kinds of special needs…
I was riding out with one of the troopers with the Texas Highway Patrol when he asked me how I typically spend my work week. As I responded to him, I removed one of the words in the question. I took out the word typical. I don’t have typical weeks. Sermon preparation is a weekly reality for me, but outside of that routine many of my duties are very unpredictable. I can make a do list for a given day,…
Cast politics aside. I have always liked Laura Bush. She is a classy lady in every respect. I am in the process of reading her autobiography entitled: Spoken from the Heart. It indeed is a book spoken from the depths of her heart. I am of course learning things about her life that I never knew before. I discovered for instance that her mother gave birth to three children who only survived a short time after birth. Mrs. Bush makes…
I am not so sure that I will ever have the opportunity to retire. And I am not so sure that retirement would be a good thing for me! I get bored pretty quickly. But in the case that I do get to retire someday, I hope that I still like people when that event occurs. I know that sounds like an odd thing to say, but it is very important to me. Those of us who chose to be…
I came to the stunning realization last night that I am indeed clueless. I have suspected as much for quite some time, but finally received real confirmation. At the conclusion of a meeting at church last night, one of the attendees mentioned that his daughter in law will soon be traveling from Texas to Minnesota to meet with a young widow up there. A little background information might be helpful. This gentleman’s son died just over a year ago from…
I realized this afternoon after the first day of school was completed that I am not going to be voted dad of the year. As a parent, you never quite know what that fateful date on the annual calendar will bring to your children. This year I have one son beginning his final year as undergraduate student. And then I have another son who is starting his freshman year in college. My youngest is beginning his freshman year in high…
I just finished reading Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia by David L. Cook. It is an excellent book for anyone with even a remote interest in the game of golf. If you are an avid golfer, it is a must read! I am anxious to take the principles gleaned from this book and put them into action out on the golf course. But I found this interesting piece of work to possess wisdom that can…
Last Sunday I preached a sermon based on the beatitude in Scripture: Blessed are the Merciful, for they will be shown mercy. In response to the thoughts I shared, one of my dear ladies at church, who works on one of the campuses in the school system here, shared this story. I found it inspiring and felt it needed to be passed on! Mercy in a School Cafeteria A young lady came into my office at the high school, as…
God works in mysterious ways that are well beyond human comprehension. Eight years ago I auditioned for a role in a stage production of The Secret Garden. Daniel was 10 years old at the time. Somehow I talked him into reading for a part as well. That was in June of 2002. Not along after both of us read for roles there were events that took place in our extended family that were unpleasant and disruptive. I would love to…
I should have been a used car salesman. I could have been very successful. I am persuasive, friendly and of course honest. And for five years I have had a constant array of vehicles to show prospective buyers. There is only one minor detail that is going to impede my car selling plans. The vehicles don’t belong to me. My older boys have always had so many friends at the house that our yard looked like a used car lot….