By Jim Nichols It appears to be a child’s toy, small pieces that seem to relate a story that you get to make up as you play. “Invented” in the 1890s in Japan, they were adopted by Russian society soon and are often known as “Russian dolls” or “Matryoshka dolls” today; a more descriptive term is “nesting dolls.” Originally made
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Allen Saunders , an obscure Canadian cartoonist, is cited for an inscription in his 1956 “Mary Worth” comic strip. No doubt it had local impact, but much more the next year when repeated in the Reader’s Digest . “Life is what happen to us while we’re making other plans” has been quoted often. Sometimes, though, it simply
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Everyday Ministry shines the spotlight on those who try to stay out of it. They’re the ones who stay in the background, quietly doing the small things that make life better for others. They’re all around you. To nominate someone for an Everyday Ministry feature, please send information to editor@spiritofabilene.com. Include the name of the person being nominated, contact info, and the reason
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The head of eHealth, an online independent health insurance advisor, will kick off the second year of the Fletcher Lecture Series at Hardin-Simmons University. Derrick Duke, chief executive officer and member of the board of directors of eHealth since September 2025, will present the first lecture of the fall semester at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 8 in the Houston-Lantrip Center, located
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By Glenn Dromgoole The Lord is my encourager. He gets me to let go of my fears and inhibitions.He gives me love.He gives me hope.He gives me strength.He gives me courage.He gives me grace.He gives me heart.He gives me joy.He suggests that I be thankful for all that I have and not worry so much.But, rather, focus on all the good
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By Danny Minton One of my favorite things growing up was when we would go to downtown Dallas and look at the Christmas displays in the department store windows. The windows would be sprinkled with fake snow, and through the flakes you could view animated characters around a tree, in a sled, or helping Santa. They were windows into another
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By Jim Nichols Several months ago, I recounted here an unusual experience that occurred in my backyard. It was somewhat of a wildlife fantasy and involved the simultaneous presence of two visitors, a squirrel and a hawk. It featured a device referred to by the seller as a “wildlife language translator.” The instructions were not too clear as to whether
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Until 1955, before Elvis Presley got a sniff of stardom, he was on the brink of greatness. Months later, his name was “marqueed” in capital letters nationwide. A 20 year-old credited with making rock-and-roll music a national phenomenon, he could not have known how short “brinks” sometimes can be. About six months after crowding
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By Danny Minton Many of you may remember a comedian, actor, and singer who was popular in Vaudeville in the 1920s, radio broadcasts in the 1930s and 1940s, and in movies and TV in the 1950s and 1960s, with his own TV show from 1954-56. His name was Jimmy Durante, known for his gravelly voice and, as he called it,
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