InSpiritry

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every purpose under heaven.
 Ecclesiastes 3:1

 It is time for another changing of the season here in Texas. This weekend, the trees are lofting their colorful leaves onto each breath of breeze.  This is the time of year that always gives me pause for reflection. Spring has its sense of urgency. Summer is full of activity. Even Winter brings holiday festivities. But Autumn? As Nature’s growth slows and we gather with family for Thanksgiving, Autumn seems to be the time of slowing down, of thinking things over and of assessing our lives and loves. (more…)

The best part of living in a small town…

Yesterday, I had lunch in Honey Grove, Texas. I was speaking to the Friends of the Library there, a group of 75 people dedicated to supporting the public library in a community of descendants of farming families. Some had lived there all their lives, but many have retired from successful careers to this struggling town of historic buildings and fond memories. My topic was Celebrating Small Town Life — (more…)

Both the marketplace and the political world have seen a “dangerous erosion of the rules and principles” that have made American economy thrive in the past…“Instead of thinking about what’s good for America or what’s good for business,” he said, “a mentality has crept into certain corners of Washington and the business world that says, “what’s good for me is good enough.” Baltimore Sun article, September 17, 2007

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

These comments were made by Presidential candidate, Barak Obama, in a speech at NASDAQ this week where he chastising Wall Street values. Whether we support Senator Obama or not, his remarks are worth noting and worth expanding past financial considerations to the world at large. I think it is safe (and sad) to say that most of us operate with the mentality he described: what’s good for me is good enough.

You might ask: 

• What’s the problem with that? (more…)

Reading That Book Changed My Life!

If you are a reader, you have probably said these very words.

Which one was it for you?

War and Peace? The Diary of Anne Frank? The Color Purple? Purpose Driven Life?

Maybe it was something less weighty, but just as unforgettable like Nancy Drew or Huckleberry Finn.

Recently, I gave some thought to the idea of how books influence our lives. (more…)

Today, six years post 9-11, there are stories to be told.

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 Looking at these photos from my family album, you might think, What’s the Story? I can assure you, there are several stories represented here — each of them a treasure!

While many of us were told stories as children, fewer and fewer families are making storytelling a tradition. Maybe it’s because we have lifestyles that don’t have room for evenings with grandparents or long family meals. Maybe it’s due to the insistence of technology as a source of communication in our lives: television, internet, cell phones.

Whatever the reason, when we lose our stories, we lose a lot!

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 Graduation Day Remembering: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This May my family is celebrating two graduations: my son from college and my daughter from medical school. Even my youngest son is within sight of the finish line and will graduate next year. Of course, we still remember the special moments of high school graduations. What an amazing time!

In the face of these rites of passage, I am reminded of the many stories that have marked our lives. (more…)