(Rockwall) July 23, 2013 – My niece whimpered as she sat cross-legged atop my parent’s kitchen counter. She tried to give her grandfather a good view of the tick burrowed into the back of her skull. Tears fell from Alana’s face as she bent her head low, clenching divided bundles of her thick hair in […]
There is no Easter bunny. I lowered my head in disappointment and embarrassment. An older playmate had just informed five-year-old me that Santa, the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny were mere deceptions. I had to grow up. At least God remained safe. I held on to religious traditions: words, music, prayers and the atmosphere […]
The first month of 2013 marked a 40th anniversary that many observed but no one should have celebrated. Yet much of our national media didn’t do much to remind us of the January, 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. It’s been an ugly business for 40 years, with passionate arguments that […]
(January 2, 2013) Few things are as heartwarming as children giving to others and enjoying themselves while doing it. At an early age children can learn the value of living a life of service; giving comes naturally. Faith Like A Mustard Seed was created to nurture and grow a child’s natural love for giving to the […]
(December 6, 2012) Lights, camera, action! The Christmas holidays beckon us to perform. We’ll host get-togethers for friends or family. We’ll decorate, shop, wrap, bake, and send out greeting cards with our family photo—the one that shows us looking relaxed. The Christmas season has a way of strapping us into the back seat and taking […]
October 9, 2012 – A fall road trip took us across the country in a direction we’d never traveled. Amazing desert vistas lay ahead—more wonderful than we’d imagined. My husband and I had decided to take our daughter’s car to her at college— a 1300-mile-journey from our Texas home. The trip would be a visit, […]
(August 26, 2012) – Reading the book of Jonah for the first time troubled me. Not the miraculous aspect—I easily digested the man-gets-swallowed-by-fish part. But Jonah’s stubborn response to God bothered me. I couldn’t relate to the prophet’s attitude—until I found myself following his example. Wednesdays meant prayer meeting at our church on the edge […]
Dallas yards featured wide cracks in the summer of 2011. This summer, they’re more likely to display roofing company signs—hundreds dot some neighborhoods. There’s been relief from extreme drought in parts of Texas, though the extreme remains. As in too many places across the U.S. in recent months, rains come by way of dangerous storms […]
United Kingdom, British Commonwealth commemorate Queen’s long reign A thousand vessels paraded up the River Thames under dark and rainy skies on the first Sunday of June. The spectacular flotilla included the Queen of England on a royally decorated barge, surrounded by family members and a thousand flowers from her own garden. Throngs of celebrants […]
(Dallas) June 3, 2012 – Blessings and Bling author, pastor and breast cancer survivor, Dr. Sheron C. Patterson, is partnering with the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church Foundation and the McCormick / Shipp Lectures to invite all DFW breast cancer survivors, their families and friends, to an afternoon of inspiration and hope called Bring Your Bling. This complimentary lecture […]