By DANNY MINTON Leaning on the bookcase next to my desk stands a Ted Williams #1725 Little League Approved Sears, Roebuck, and Co. 29-inch wooden ash baseball bat. I picked it up at an antique store a few years ago for $20. It’s worth more than what I paid, but that’s not the reason that I purchased it. The bat
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury A Texas automobile driver was “tooling” down a rural highway on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Most motorists had already reached destinations, or maybe decided not to go. He felt alone, not another vehicle in sight on a long stretch of pavement. Suddenly, flashing lights in his rearview mirror were strong indicators that he wasn’t alone.
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By NANCY PATRICK As an English teacher, I sometimes taught literature written by authors who used a writing technique called stream-of-consciousness. That term refers to the basic idea of allowing a narrator to tell the story without any chronology, structure, or other narrative form. Stream-of-consciousness resembles live-streaming events online. It captures whatever happens without any editing. I use the term
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By JIM NICHOLS The editor sent me a message that she wanted a new photo of me. It was apparently an artistic request of some kind. I complied but realized that I am in the group of people who may not relish seeing a photographic image of oneself. I do not have a large complaint, just a preference. In our
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By LORETTA FULTON Opening a speech with the “N” word normally wouldn’t be advisable for the featured speaker at a Martin Luther King. Jr. Day gathering. But the Rev. Matthew Lubin, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, did just that and followed the slur with racial epithets that covered just about all of humanity. As a preacher, Lubin knows the importance
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By LORETTA FULTON On Father Albert Ezeanya’s first day as the new priest at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, July 1, 2019, an 80-year-old member asked him a question. “Can you please get a new hall for us?” she asked, referring to a parish hall to replace the current one that is located in the church basement. A year and a
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Kristy McDonoughChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Local and area members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made sure the “First Christmas in Abilene” was one to remember for refugees who are resettled in Abilene through the International Rescue Committee. LDS members, primarily youths, collected brand new and much needed household supplies for refugees during December.
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By JIM NICHOLS The preacher was clearly saying it on purpose. At first, those of us in the congregation did not notice it. Perhaps we attributed it to the fact that he was young (as was I) and new. Soon, like something blurry becoming clearer, it came into focus. Some churches, including this one, take the Bible quite seriously. In
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The Geico insurance people had the chance to keep camels in front of folks, but lost 15 percent of their credibility when they chose a gecko instead of a camel for their mascot several years ago. I thought their ad showing Caleb the Camel clopping through the office to ask workers if they could guess
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