A Parable A farmer lived by himself on a distant rural road. News came that a terrible rain storm was headed toward him with the likelihood of flooding. The local authorities suggested all residents in the area evacuate to higher ground. The farmer said to himself, I am not worried about rain or floods, my…
Recently I had the unexpected opportunity to use the services of our local emergency room and hospital. I actually had a long list of tests and procedures performed and slept in a hospital bed. Although my symptoms and condition gave us cause to be nervous, I have been fully released and the impact will not…
Recently, I shared a copy of my book, Take Them by the Hand with an old friend. Our conversation reminded me of a chapter that I think is particularly relevant in our world today. Sometimes we need to reflect on the past in order to enhance our perspective for the future. This excerpt from my…
Recently, on PBS I watched a “Brief but Spectacular” moment about a woman named Rose who had been the store manager of a small town hardware store for some thirty years. Responding to how she had been able to help customers solve problems and fix things, she explained that her parents had instilled in her…
Early on Christmas morning I received an email from one of my best friends. Included was a picture of a beautiful sunrise he took while on his morning walk in North Carolina. His note to me and others read “May this day be a blessing to you and those you love. Merry Christmas.” Later that…
There is an old story about a boy walking down the street who falls in a hole. The hole is deep and dark, so the boy cannot find his way out. He sits and waits. After a while, a doctor walks by on the street above. The boy sees him and calls out, “Can you…
Each Thanksgiving, while it is a time to give thanks for all the blessings which have been bestowed on me in the past year, I like to pray for those blessings that I hope will be forthcoming in the next twelve months as well. Our Bride, One Path In the last week, I was fortunate…
A Miracle Most folks, even those who are not Christians, have heard the story from the Bible commonly referred to as the story of the “loaves and fishes” [John 6:9]. In that story, Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and turned them into a meal for some 5,000 of his followers. Believers…
One of our favorite family traditions is that sometime during the holidays, we all go to a movie together. Even as our children have grown, our tradition continues. Recently, that has meant going to a Star Wars movie every other year. Believing leads to success While I enjoy the new episodes, as you might imagine,…
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools has started an initiative called the Male Empowerment Network. The goal is to assure that every student in CMS will have access to a mentor who could help them fulfill their purpose. Most of us know the invaluable benefit of having had a mentor. As Maya Angelo might say, our mission is…