IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury My Uncle Mort, a dedicated “frog gigger” during most of the 20th century and all the years so far in this one, claims to have made the best possible use of “Indian Summer.” “It was the shortest season ever, limited to a few hours on November 24,” he mused. “I’m glad I didn’t waste it
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Every other year, Zion Lutheran Church graces the community with its Journey to Bethlehem, a live reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey to find a place for the birth of Jesus. This year’s version will be performed 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in stations around the church at Zion Lutheran Church, 2801 Antilley Road. Visitors gather in the church
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The Christmas season roared into Abilene the first week in December, with something for every taste available every night. The Abilene Downtown Association’s annual City Sidewalks hit the streets running, with the Christmas tree lighting, parade, caroling, food, and more. Not to be outdone, Hardin-Simmons University staged a fun evening of music and the lighting of a tree on Dec.
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS Especially with younger people, one cannot always be sure when they are listening. Their facial expressions and body language may well look distracted, but their ears (and hearts) may be listening well. I was with the 13-year-old and the 15-year-old out for lunch, just the three of us. The conversation was just general chitchat. Speaking to the
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(Editor’s Note: “A Word to a Weary World” was published on the first day of Advent by Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. John Whitten is lead pastor of The Gathering at the church) By JOHN WHITTEN Our world is weary. We tire of the depressive headlines, divisive tactics, and depleting challenges. Our world is weary. In the thirty-third chapter of the
Read moreBy NANCY PATRICK I grew up as a big girl. I reached my height of 5’ 7” when I was a twelve-year-old sixth grader. I always stood on the back row for group pictures. As a young girl, my size bothered me, but as an adult, I enjoyed my height and came to realize the normality of my size. Then,
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By LORETTA FULTON Local and area Catholic churches will be have penance services during Advent, which begins Sunday. Advent marks the beginning of a new church year and is the season leading to Christmas. The final Sunday of Advent will be Dec. 22. The season often is observed with wreaths, which feature a candle to be lit each Sunday, or
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By LORETTA FULTON What could be more Christmasy than an outdoor sing-a-long ending with merry carolers belting out “Joy to the World” or an operatic rendition of Handel’s “Messiah”? How about voices from seven church choirs joining the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra for two presentations Dec. 7? And if that’s not enough, toss in a performance by the Abilene Christian School
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS The two trees are rather like twins in many ways. They stand next to one another, separated by perhaps thirty feet. One of the trees is on the edge of our yard and the other is across our neighbor’s driveway in about the center of their front yard. Judging from the similar ages of our two houses,
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Spirit Of Abilene 