By MARIANNE WOOD Recently I had the privilege of meeting some fellow writers for the first time. In my impromptu remarks at our small gathering, I mangled a concept from the English crime writer and poet Dorothy Sayers. I want to set that straight (assuming you are reading) because the impact of her idea carries tremendous value for artists of
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury As a four-year-old when World War II began in 1941, my understanding of the enormity of it all escaped me. I was busy perusing comic books at the time, intrigued by Superman jumping tall buildings in a single bound. It was his “bounding,” I’m thinking, that caused my lingering gazes at real skyscrapers a
Read moreBy NANCY PATRICK The older I get, the more often I hear words that I thought I understood but have somehow taken on new meanings while something else occupied my mind. I know every generation has its identifying lingo that connects the people of similar ages. My adolescence occurred in the ’60s in the midst of the hippie movement. My
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS You have probably had this same experience in one form or another. That is, we realize that we are in familiar territory, but something seems oddly and disturbingly different. We recognize most of the pieces, but they are put in different positions and result in some new or different meaning. I was challenging myself by living a
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By LORETTA FULTON As a junior in college, Priscilla Pope-Levison experienced what she called “friendship evangelism” that set her on a course to become what she is today– associate dean for external programs and professor of ministerial studies at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. The experience was so enriching for Pope-Levison that she, along with other Christians, was
Read moreJohn Meier wears a wrist band with the words, “Product of Grace” printed on it. That is not just a slogan for Meier, it is a reflection of his belief that God’s grace lies at the heart of the transformation he has seen in his own life. Meier’s life story is compelling, going from serving in the Marine Corps to
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By LORETTA FULTON As early as kindergarten, Kevin Lenius loved Mass at Holy Family Catholic Church, usually celebrated by Father Fred Nawarskas. He would even “play priest” at home, urging his parents to listen to him preach. Even on the swing set, gently swaying back and forth, Lenius felt God’s love and presence. When he got a little older, his
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON April 6, 1945, brought a fierce battle off the shore of Okinawa, Japan. The American fleet consisted of three large carriers, a dozen destroyers, four light cruisers, and a couple of light carriers. It also included three battleships, of which one was the USS North Carolina. Onboard the BB55, North Carolina, was my dad, Smitty Minton. The
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS It was a heavily traveled road, but a dangerous journey. You certainly did not want to walk it alone. It was not called the “way of blood” for nothing. It was a generally downhill trip from Jerusalem to Jericho with lots of twists and turns and rocks and boulders to try to avoid. However, the bandits were
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Spirit Of Abilene 