Recently I was honored to share memories at the establishment of the Dr. A.J. and Bertha Quinn Scholarship at Howard Payne University. Dr. Quinn was my favorite HPU Professor. By my Junior year, I had already had a couple of classes with him and was taking another class. I was having a great time in…
Recently I was honored to share memories at the establishment of the Dr. A.J. and Bertha Quinn Scholarship at Howard Payne University. Dr. Quinn was my favorite HPU Professor. By my Junior year, I had already had a couple of classes with him and was taking another class. I was having a great time in…
It might be a bit idealistic to think that an individual or group could approach an issue with a good blend of intellectual skills and common sense. An argument broke out in a faculty meeting one day over the possible inclusion of a new course in the curriculum. After some time, one of my favorite…
Every time I passed by, he was there – in the cul-de-sac, near his house, seated in his walker/chair, across from the school, with his American flag flying, a smaller flag in his hand, waving. I often thought of stopping to visit with him, but it was COVID season and social distancing was being advised….
The difference between envision and vision is that envision sees or imagines something within the mind, and vision sees something as if it was true. When I was young we had no TV, so I listened to The Lone Ranger and baseball’s Game of the Day on the radio. While I could not see the…
Beyond providing a ministry to churches in an interim time as they search for a new pastor, I enjoy serving as an interim pastor because of the new friends I make at each stop along the way. In fact, as I think back through recent interims, I can name friends in each with whom I…
Not long ago, someone posted the following quote on social media – “Try to never be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people . . . or find a different room.” In my research I discovered that the quote, or variations of it, has been attributed…
“Carpe Diem” is the famous Latin phrase used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that one should enjoy life while one can. It literally means “seize the day.” A few years before, the Psalmist spoke of the brevity of time, “Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow”…
I know of people who don’t pray because they say they don’t know how. They fear saying the wrong things to God. While I do not have that specific problem in prayer, I do understand, and I have some advice. It comes from the minor prophet, Zephaniah. “Be silent in the presence of the Lord…
I was preaching in a church where I knew no one, not even members of the ministerial staff. No one had contacted me prior to the service to inquire as to my subject or scripture. It so happened that I was preaching on “The Fullness of Joy” from Psalm 16:11 – “In Your presence is…