From those ashes rose the resilient city that would produce Ellery Theodore “Ted” Hicks. Born March 18, 1917, almost a year to the day after the devastating fire, Ted was himself destined to be a man on fire.
Tag: Faith
Good Friday? Says who?
Audio Version The Christian world celebrates this day, the Friday before Easter Sunday, as “Good Friday.” It is the day we remember the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, as recorded by the four gospel authors, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If we had been among Jesus’ followers on that Friday (or Thursday, or Wednesday, depending on…
Zaccheus coming down
I’m up in this tree That was built just for me It was planted, I don’t know, About a century ago Only God knew back then About a wee little man Who needed this tree To go out on a limb On his way back to Him. I never stood out Was lost in the…
Before I forget: living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Author, speaker, and business leader Gene Strother writes about dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia in his family and offers advice…
The Man in the Mirror is at the Crossroads
The following is what I sang to myself on the morning of my 62nd birthday this past September 28. I sang it and kept adding verses and expanding it, and it grew into this… Pay no attention to punctuation. This is poetry. Man in the Mirror at 62 You don’t look good at all you’ve…
A Radical Dinner Invitation: A Communion Sermon
This sermon is delivered here as it was presented at Chapel Creek Church of Fort Worth in 2019. On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”“As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will…
“Can use Ju Jitsu”: remembering Mom on her 80th birthday
She was born Freda Jo Henager, on October 27, 1943, 80 years ago today. She was the first of five children for William Austin and Nova Dean Henager, and she was the first and last love of my father, William David Strother. She was only 17 when she married David. I was born barely more…
That Other Place – a tale of grace
This is a tale of grace. It is Sunday morning, and I am driving to a speaking engagement. That is not an unusual thing. Well, it is a little unusual these days but in the totality of my life, it is not. Hundreds of times, I have done that very thing early on a Sunday…
Grave Troubles Be Gone: True Love Never Dies
She’s living proof true love never dies. from Living Proof by Ricky Van Shelton It’s a mystery I can’t explain why,We pay so little heed to the time flying by.It’s a plain simple truth, the surest I’ve knownIt’s a short time here; it’s a long time gone. We’re busy with things that don’t even countNever…
The 10 Amendments: reflections on life after near-death
Somebody at the hospital confirms the news: a fatal heart attack, the type known as…the widowmaker. look for me there, by Luke Russert (writing about the sudden death of his famous father tim russert.) I just began listening to a new book on Audible™, Look For Me There by Luke Russert, on my drive into…
Word Warrior has arrived and poetry will never be the same
Word Warrior is a collection of poetry and prose. It is rife with insights, hindsight, reflections, regrets, celebrations, loss, family, friends, aching bones, breaking hearts, faith, hope, and love. The book contains a love song I wrote for Donya in 1979 and a piece of a song I wrote about a stranger when I was…
Canceled: when you feel it so hard you overstand it
I recently posted a poem on my Facebook author page titled Canceled. I did not anticipate the level of engagement it would generate since it was just a little ditty about a current societal phenomenon. Well, really it is not so phenomenal or current, since people have been canceling or attempting to cancel one another…
Why Me, Lord: the unexpected theology lesson from Kris Kristofferson
Saying I grew up in a conservative Baptist church is the same kind of understatement as saying Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups®are the perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter. We were suspicious of conservatives who adhered to fewer “standards” than we did…and those standards were high, let me tell you. Why me Lord, what have…
My Success Story
If success is a storyThen let me tell mineThough the road to gloryHas been a hard ride The money’s been tightAnd the troubles aplentyHadn’t it been for bad luckI’d not have had any I’ve been down more than upI’ve been out more than inI drain the bitter cupThen fill it again I’ve walked on glassWhen…
Remembering Rayburn: A trip down memory lane
Dr. Rayburn Blair Eloquence and influence I have been in Tallahassee, Florida two weeks today. Hurricane Michael plowed through Florida narrowly missing its capital (leaving only scattered and mostly minor damage in the city). The ravaged coastal area of Panama City and Mexico Beach, however, are not far from here. So, here I am, doing…
PONDERING WHILE WANDERING – SUMMER VACATION 2018 | Part Three: When in Vermont…
Our visit to the Norman Rockwell Museum lasted a couple of hours at most. We wandered back into the postcard-worthy mountain village of Stockbridge, found a little general store that made the best homemade chicken salad sandwich north of Donya’s kitchen, ate our sandwiches in the car in the pouring rain, and planned our trip…
PONDERING WHILE WANDERING – SUMMER VACATION 2018 | Part Two: Norman Rockwell, America! Lost and Found…
After a long and mostly sleepless night, Donya and I woke Sunday morning surprisingly refreshed and resolved to make the most of the next seven days. I had mapped out the places we wanted to visit. First up, Stockbridge, MA, and the Norman Rockwell Museum. America! Lost and Found… Norman Rockwell has always been a…
If there is no Easter, then what?
So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NLT) But tell me this ”since we preach that Christ rose from…
The Bible and the Butterfly Effect
Truthfully, my first introduction to The Butterfly Effect as a theory was when I watched the2004 movie by that name. I became intrigued and did a little research whenever I thought of it. Dabbled here and there like I do with most philosophical intrigues I encounter. Encountering the notion again this week, I determined to…
My Faithful Valentine: a story of love
Last night Donya asked if I remembered what I gave her on that first Valentine’s Day we spent together. I did, sort of. I remembered I gave her a blouse or a dress or some such. (I am sure the mountainous, volatile, protective Tommy Weir was thrilled that the big-eared kid with the silk shirts…