By Darryl Tippens I’ve been trying to get into the spirit of the season this year, and to be frank, it’s been difficult. The juxtaposition of the daily news—the tensions in our own country, but even more the pervasive scenes of suffering and death in Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza set against the season’s cheerful carols—is jarring. Recently, while attending a
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The Last ManThe Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery, is available at Texas Star Trading Company, 174 Cypress St., in Abilene. The fictional account of the bank robbery was written by Thomas Goodman, who served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Eastland from 1993 to 1998. He has been pastor of Hillcrest Church in
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Sanctuaries will be filled with the soft glow of candlelight and the music of Christmas carols as Abilenians join Christians worldwide to celebrate Christmas Eve. Since Christmas Eve falls on Sunday this year, many churches will have their regular morning worship, followed by a special evening service. Some also will have services on Christmas morning. Following is a list of
Read moreBy Marianne Wood My friend, Sue Wood (no relation), has lived on three continents in four countries: Eurasia—England and India; Africa—South Africa; North America—the USA. She met her husband, Owen, at a party arranged by a friend while she was living in Cape Town. Before that, she grew up in the UK, where her father was a chemist—what we call
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Two long-time friends–Sue Gressett and Gary Dyer–regularly post items that are informative, encouraging, clarifying and amusing on Facebook. When I see their items, I read them carefully, knowing I will be the better for it. In recent days, Sue provided an account that invited “been there, done that” smiles. In this post, her “high road choice” shone
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Joy to the world – Yes! We celebrate Jesus’ birth – heaven, nature sing! Glenn Dromgoole is a former editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and the author of numerous books. He and his wife, Carol, own Texas Star Trading Company.
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By Jim Nichols It is not a unique story. There were just too many people for everyone to sit at the same table for the holiday big meal. Someone had decided in an earlier year that there would be two tables—one for the adults, and one for the children. I was not consulted concerning this arrangement and I suspect no
Read moreBy Ben Peterson The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either–but right through every human heart–and through all human hearts. – Alexander Solzhenitsyn After a brief truce for hostage-prisoner exchanges, Israel has resumed its war with Hamas, the militant Islamist organization which governs the Gaza Strip. As Prime Minister Benjamin
Read moreBy Danny Minton Like faded photographs, my memories of gifts I have received over the years have begun to fade. Most of the gifts I remember hold some significant memory from my past. I remember a few Christmas presents from my youth. One year, my brother and I received Daisy BB guns. We both survived without shooting our eyes out.
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Spirit Of Abilene 