All of my life I I have heard the phrase “mending fences” in regard to seeking reconciliation. If a relationship is strained, you strive to go “mend some fences” with that person. It’s really descriptive. When a friendship is meaningful, you open the gate to your heart. Your friend is allowed into the areas of your life that are protected by a privacy fence. Relational fences create healthy boundaries with the rest of the world. Only those closest to you…
–> Tuesday evening, September 11th, a service of remembrance was held in our community at our beautiful Memorial Lane location. Memorial Lane has been described as “a one of a kind park to honor and remember all heroes.” It is reflective of the tremendous respect the community of Granbury has for both military personnel and first responders alike. Tuesday’s service was moving to say the very least. A group of speakers impacted personally by the events of September 11th, 2001…
I had two conversations this week. I actually had more than two interchanges with other people over the past 7 days, but two stand out. If an award could be given for being characteristically private, I think I would win first place. I am a very private person. I don’t tell share my deepest thoughts or feelings very easily. My inner circle is small. In light of that reality, I did something out of character for me earlier this week. I actually shared how an…
I have a garage full of hand tools. And they are not cheap ones either. Many are Craftsman, Snap-On, and Mac brands. They are plenty of electric saws and drills too. As I surveyed my collection today, I realized that I had inherited a vast majority of my collection from my father. He was an outstanding craftsman. He could build most anything with great precision. I did NOT inherit such genes. Precision and attention to minute details are not strengths…
Several of the most influential mentors in my life have passed away over the past several years. At age 56, you would think I would not still have so many pressing questions. At this stage in life, shouldn’t I already have all of the tools I need to navigate the complexities life presents? I find myself still needing a good word from wise people. The questions at this stage have a more difficult feel to them. I find myself feeling…
I am a people person. I tend to focus my energies on relationships and not things. On the surface, that sounds so good. But there is a downside to such inclinations. My common sense is frequently lacking. Just over ten years ago I attended a funeral service that was related to my chaplaincy work. It was a service for a precious 16-year-old girl. My mind was drawn to a family that I barely knew at that point. I wasn’t paying…
I didn’t want to go Friday. I had too much to get done. I didn’t really have time… A lady from church is hospitalized in a rehabilitation hospital in Ft. Worth. I needed to go see her Friday morning, but I had so many things in the office that needed to be completed before the end of the day. I went anyhow. When I arrived, she was not in her room. (It is a rehabilitation hospital!) I headed toward the…
You live in a house for years. You grow up in that house. And then the day comes that you never imagined as a kid. It becomes your responsibility to clean every last possession out of that house and give the keys to a realtor. Your parents are both deceased at this point. There is no need to keep the family home. And of course, the memories flood your mind. Images of bicycles piled in the front yard are vivid. …
We gathered at the table last night. It’s not just any table. It’s the Simpson table on 75thstreet in Lubbock. It’s the table where a number of my values were formed. It’s the table of my adolescence. It’s the table where I gathered with my buddies to inhale hamburgers we cooked outside during our college years. But it is also the table where I learned that members of several generations can come together and communicate meaningfully. My first…
I know better. I really do. I know that there are unethical and incompetent leaders in every facet of society. But when you work for individuals that maintain high standards, that reality is quickly forgotten. I forget that there are leaders that think nothing of being untruthful. It’s a way of life. And there are others that are master manipulators. And still others never do anything wrong. Have you known that person? And then there are so called leaders that are masters at criticizing their colleagues, but when…