By JIM NICHOLS It was a conference organized like many other conferences. A parade of speakers came to the podium to present papers dealing with a particular area of interest to the participants. The conference organizers had supplied a meeting room, a screen and projector, and a computer connected to the projector. Each new presenter inserted his or her flash
Read moreBy NANCY PATRICK Most people consider me a nice person. Lately, I’ve wondered if that description still aptly applies to me because I certainly don’t always have nice thoughts. Could I blame it on the social pressures with COVID during the past two years or my advancing age producing less patience than I used to have? For whatever reason, I
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It’s just a guess when conversations about fruitcake headed south. But, if negative views of fruitcake began a few generations ago, malignment of the holiday dessert has run full bore since memory runneth not to the contrary. Disdain for fruitcake is stacking up. The many tentacles of naysayers are clutching the throats of folks
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON The most important teachings of Jesus involve “Love.” He teaches us to love God while the message of loving our neighbors presents a picture of how we love God. However, Jesus doesn’t stop there. He tells us we are to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. That command becomes one of the most
Read moreLifelong Abilenian Peggy Beckham died Dec. 29. A celebration of life memorial and inurnment service will be held at a date to be determined at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest. The following obituary is from the Hamil Family Funeral Home website. Soli Deo Gloria! Peggy Hardaway Pattillo Beckham passed away peacefully at her home on December 29, 2021.
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Big Country CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is beginning a new training session. For more information on becoming a CASA volunteer, go to http://www.bigcountrycasa.org, or call Rebel Taylor at 325-677-6448.Winter January 2022 New Volunteer Training in CASA Office (Trainees must attend ALL sessions for each class)Thurs Jan 13th @ 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. OrientationMon Jan 17th @ 5:45 – 9:00 p.m.
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The Pew Research Center has posted its most striking research findings from the past year. These 15 findings cover subjects ranging from extreme weather to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing demographic shifts in the United States. You can also check out the center’s full list of research publications from 2021.
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By JIM NICHOLS Perhaps this might make more sense if I write it out; sometimes that seems to help. I am thinking about how it is possible to be by yourself even though you are surrounded by humanity. My scientific background combines with my social consciousness to cause me to recycle physical material when possible. My current community has not
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By LORETTA FULTON Each December, members of Religion News Association, including Spirit of Abilene creator and editor Loretta Fulton, choose the top religion stories of the year. Voted Number 1 for 2021 was the role that religion played during the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump insurrectionists. Some voiced Christian prayers, while others displayed Christian or pagan
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Spirit Of Abilene 