(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
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By 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
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By 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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By DANNY MINTON When I was young, my friend and I would climb a tree and jump from the branches like we were parachuting from a plane. There were two levels–a low jump of about four feet, and when we were brave enough, a six-foot drop. When I was young, another friend and I would ride around the elementary school
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IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury It is a simple request, embodied in a one-syllable, five-letter word. Yet, it is potentially sobering, whether perused by an individual, or considered by an entire nation, or even the world. Whoever penned it likely had no clue that its message should be implemented beyond the walls of Chick-fil-A to a world spinning
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