By JIM NICHOLS Here comes a compressed story, a punchline, and some reflections. A bit over twenty years ago I moved for a year from teaching to research responsibilities. I was engaged in a research laboratory in Atlanta and was one of several workers in what might be called a “research group.” The group had a boss who was about
Read moreOn Thursday, May 7, 2020, Sharon Higdon Leyerle, devoted wife of David Leyerle and loving mother of Melanie Vincent, passed away at the age of 78. Sharon was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 7, 1941, to Eleanor and Albert Higdon. She graduated in 1959 from du Pont Manual High School in Louisville, and she received her undergraduate degree
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury I’ve always been a sucker for the sappy, plot-easily-followed kind of “flick” that ends happily. Take Mr. Holland’s Opus–and others like it–where movie-goers had best take multiple hankies. Richard Dreyfuss starred in this tear-jerker a full quarter-century ago. Opus is a great story to watch–or re-watch–while we’re marooned in our homes, sometimes with
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON When I was five years old, our garage almost caught on fire because of a burning mattress. Someone was playing with matches, throwing them behind the old mattress when it suddenly caught on fire. My brother, who was three years old, and I were sat down and interrogated by my dad. “Who started the fire?” “Gary did,”
Read moreEditor’s Note: Brian and Karen Massey are offering to purchase a Zoom subscription for small churches that can’t afford on. If your church fits, or if you know of one that does, contact Brian by emailing brian@housesforhealing.com By BRIAN MASSEY Who would have thought in January of 2020 that almost the entirety of the churches across America would close their
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS Fellow Spirit of Abilene contributor Nancy Patrick recently referenced the book Hind’s Feet on High Places. It is a story following the character Much-Afraid as she encounters guidance from God. Hearing about that book I had read long ago, I searched our bookshelves at home and found our yellowed copy. As I opened the cover, I was
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By CAROLYN NEWMAN On Sundays we would go to a Gospel Sing. Mama would fry chicken and often slipped me a wing. Then she baked a cake with raw eggs in the batter. I got to lick the beaters, uncooked eggs did not matter. First the preacher preached, then we sang and sang. My stomach started wanting “nana puddin” with
Read moreNote from Marianne Wood: My mother, Marjorie Andrews, passed in 2018, but her legacy continues as I now download books from Hoopla, Kindle, or Audible, enjoying the delight of opening up a new world via the written word. And I have a warning for parents who read to their children: books may so inspire them that they wish to travel,
Read moreBishop Michael Sis of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo offers ways to practice corporal acts of mercy even in a time of social distancing. Offering to take food to neighbor and donating blood are among his suggestions.
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