We’ve got a brouhaha brewing in Krum, TX. Sounds like trouble in River City, folks. What on earth are we going to do about those people who live here but don’t speak English? Isn’t that just terribly rude and lazy? After all, we are educating their children at taxpayer expense. And yes, the above statement is a bit tongue-in-cheek. I’ve just re-read the letters to the editor in the Krum Star the last couple of weeks. In doing so, I... Read more
“Joshua, can you say, ‘Thank you?'” I wonder how many times I said this to my 16 month old grandson on my recent visit to Montreal. His parents and I are all seeking to instill in him good manners and what we hope will be a deeply ingrained and almost automatic response when someone does something for him. Please and thank you. Por favor y gracias. S’il vous plaît et merci. Bitte und danke. Prego e grazie. In any language,... Read more
Paperwork, procrastination and panic—they touch each other, each pushing the other to greater heights—or depths, depending on one’s perspective. And I, along with countless others, polished the art of procrastination to a mirror finish by putting off collecting my tax information until this past week. It all seemed so easy last spring. A simple filing procedure meant six more months until this moment. Six months! A lifetime, surely? Or perhaps just a fleeting moment. Certainly, my conscience was twinging in... Read more
“If only I had faith . . .” When there is an “if only” statement, it is generally followed by a “then” statement. So what is the “then” that follows the “if only I had faith” statement? Here are some possibilities: “Then” my prayers would be answered. “Then” I would ace my exams. “Then” I would get well. “Then” I would win the lottery or get a raise. “Then” my children would be OK. “Then” I would find the love... Read more
An article in Time Magazine speaks of a well known writer’s crusade against anything religious. Here’s how it starts: Christopher Hitchens once devoted an entire book to portraying Mother Teresa as a phony, so perhaps Billy Graham got off easy when Hitchens described him, in a recent C-Span appearance, as “a self-conscious fraud,” who didn’t believe a word of what he preached, but was just in business for the money. The celebrated atheist, whose latest polemic, God Is Not Great:... Read more
I love reading advice columnists. Many letters from those seeking advice start with a phrase something like this: “My wife/husband/child/parent/significant other is charming, good-looking, adorable, nearly perfect in every way but. . . ”. The “but” often indicates some behavior, generally but not always done in private, that the letter-writer finds offensive or disgusting or horrifying or immoral or simply troubling and not resolvable. Sometimes the letter-writer just needs to learn some tolerance and lighten up a bit. Often, however,... Read more
I was hurriedly running an errand when my phone began to buzz. Grabbed it and saw a text message from my youngest son with these cryptic words: “I am safe from the fire. No worries.” Now THOSE are words intended to calm a mother’s heart! Right. Heart rate probably reached 200 in those few seconds. I stopped the car, tried to phone him and couldn’t get through. A few minutes later, he reached me and said, “We think there was... Read more
What is this all about? What is “Holy Week” anyway? What’s the big deal? Is there more to this than plastic eggs with little surprises in them and new clothes? Although I’ve been a church-goer most of my life, the much of the reasoning for this spring celebration with the changeable date escaped me most of that time. The week starts off with such joy– We’ve seen it—Jesus entering the holy city with victory and adulation! What excitement we feel... Read more
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