It’s summertime in Texas, a season saturated with patriotic pride.

Good day Millsap!

Fifth-grade violinists from Grandview Elementary School are accustomed to taking Branson, MO, by storm, but this year they wowed audiences despite the “double whammy” of rainstorms and a pandemic.

Erastus “Deaf” Smith was perhaps one of the most unique figures to emerge from the early years of Texas History. In spite of a nearly total hearing loss, “Deaf” Smith still served Texas with courage and distinction. While he may not have been able to hear, Texas listened closely to what he h…

I don’t know which is best — being a father or having a father.

The 87th Texas Legislative Session has officially drawn to a close. Looking back on this first term, I am proud of what my team and I have been able to accomplish. We were able to get a number of bills to the governor’s desk, and I believe all of these will be beneficial to the people of Hou…

“The Lord is my shepherd.” David wrote Psalm 23 and declared that Yahweh, Jehovah, the Lord was his Shepherd. He harkened back to Exodus 3:14. The Great “I Am” appeared to Moses in the burning bush. Moses asked God for his name. God told Moses, “I am who I am.” God is eternal and self-suffic…

Yesterday, I caught my first glimpse of a monarch butterfly this season. Its orange and black wings were stunningly beautiful as it fluttered across campus. The beautiful butterfly was a reminder of the many stunning living things in our wonderful world. This particular butterfly was likely …

Ever-deepening Christian faith is called upon by believers who sometimes are challenged by their “trust and obey” commitment.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service hosted a successful Spring Walk Across Texas challenge in Parker County. The challenge was to Walk Across Texas and achieve walking 830 miles as a team. Each week there were challenges and a newsletter keeping participants up to date as well as inform…

At one time, these small, thriving farm communities had activities, such as community get-togethers with dinners. The women had the Home Demonstration organization. As a matter of fact, my mother was president of the one in Tin Top. It is very interesting to read what the meetings were all a…

On Monday, May 31, the 87th Legislative Session came to a close. One thousand, one hundred and fifty-nine bills made it to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for review. The governor has until June 20 to sign or veto this legislation.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met in the Oval Office Tuesday with the family of George Floyd, the man who died one year ago in the custody of Minneapolis police. The occasion is an opportunity to look at the enormous upheaval the reaction to Floyd’s death has caused in…

This is the tweet of the year. It’s not from a president. But it could be about a president, and about the rest of us, too, if only we will learn the lesson:

If I was asked to make a list of the 10 most loaded questions to ask in church, this one would be on that list. It might even be near the top! I encourage you to read this entire article to see my answer to the question of man’s free will. I’ll refrain from giving my short answer to the ques…

You knew the state’s liberals were going to hate this session of the Texas Legislature.

Expertly written and acted, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has been ransacked as an eye-catcher for many projects, presentations, and programs over the years. Based on the book and Broadway play, the 1960s movie awakened in humankind that funny things do happen along the wa…

As you age, you may have concerns about the increased risk of dementia. You may wonder if there are steps that you can take to reduce the risks or prevent it. There are currently no approaches that have been proven to effectively treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Ho…

Barefoot Sanders was a familiar figure in the Dallas legal community for years. As a judge, he became a powerful voice for justice. And not only did he make history, he was a witness to many important events in the 20th century.

Republicans have had a brutal news cycle over the past month, between the ouster of Liz Cheney from leadership and the intraparty jousting over a January 6 commission.

I regularly pray for our nation. I pray that God would raise up men and women of courage who are willing to speak the truth regardless of consequences. I pray that our leaders would recognize good and evil. I pray that men and women would not call good evil and evil good. What is evil? Evil …

Hello neighbors and friends,

Whether or not you’re ready to get back to normal, your governor is.

Although at the beginning of our relationships we seldom talk about it, pain is as much a part of love as joy. In Fredrick Buechner’s novel “The Book of Bebb,” Antonio talks with a friend about the terminal illness of his twin sister Miriam. He confesses, “If I could have pushed a button tha…

In Texas, 76 men have been awarded the Medal of Honor for their courage above and beyond the call of duty since the inception of the medal. Perhaps the most recognizable of those figures from World War II was Audie Murphy.

Try to have lunch at a local major chain restaurant on a weekday and the message on the door reiterates what appears to be a growing problem in our area and well beyond — many people are not working.

As a 4-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.

Food and clothing are major flexible expenses in family budgets. They are typically not the largest expense, compared to fixed expenses like housing or transportation, but people still spend a lot of money in these categories.

Facebook is like Coca-Cola. Both companies want everyone to use their products; the last thing they want is any turmoil that gives customers a reason to leave the website or switch to Dr Pepper.

Maybe your job is like this, too: The Texas Legislature does most of its work on deadline.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought death, despair, and economic havoc. But it also taught valuable lessons. Many restaurants, theaters, cruise companies, and other service businesses did not survive the pandemic. Hotel chains and airline corporations were propped up by government bailouts, but st…

Hope is something we look forward to. Trust is our action and investment in someone or something to bring us to the realization of our hope. Our deepest longing is the thing for which we hope, and we are motivated to follow the one who we believe will give us our heart’s desire.

The City of Fort Worth, a beloved Texas city sometimes known as “Cowtown” or “Where the West Begins,” has a storied past that has helped shape the history of the state. However, the name behind the city was a legend in his own right. Gen. William Jenkins Worth was a distinguished officer and…

Springtime and warmer weather are times to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you are going for a walk, working in the yard, or enjoying a picnic in your backyard or at the park, they can be fun.

Proverbial truisms typically go unchallenged, but an expression dating back to the sixteenth century has gone by the boards when its application is directed toward men’s footwear.

When this legislative session comes to an end on Memorial Day, Texas will still have more uninsured residents than any other state, and a higher percentage of uninsured residents, too.

“At eighty things do not occur; they recur.”

Do I live in an alternate universe?

Rain! Rain! Rain! We are so grateful for the rain and we will be even more grateful in August. The rain did cause the postponement of the mini flea market on Brazos Street, but it was held this weekend. There is still time to stop by today (Saturday is the last day).

James Pinckney Henderson may not have been one of the most famous of early Texas figures, but his actions were perhaps some of the most important. As a lawyer, diplomat, and the state’s first governor, he helped build strong foundations for the future of Texas.

What happened to our culture? Why is reality ignored? Where are those who are able to think critically about issues without being offended? When did mainstream culture call moral relativity and believing that there are no absolutes virtuous? When did we begin to revere those who call evil go…

Folks who may have spent too much time in the environs of hog farms perhaps came by the odor honestly, simply a result of growing up years.

Sheet pan meals are great solutions for an easy dinner for those on a busy schedule. These meals often contain a protein source for the main dish and two vegetables for sides, cooked together on a single sheet pan in the oven. Cooking multiple menu items in one pan appeals to those looking f…

When a baby is first born, one of the great joys of parents and grandparents is taking photographs of the new arrival. However, 12 years ago, when my first grandchild, “Maddy,” was born in Odessa, we had little opportunity to use our cameras. For the first two weeks of her life she was in th…

They say you get into journalism for the passion — not the pay, not the random hours and not for the accolades — and it’s absolutely true.

Once upon a time, Joe Biden’s spending proposals would have launched mass demonstrations in opposition.

In my first article I was remembering the thriving farm community, Dennis, Texas, where I was born and where many of my family also lived — the A. H. Bunch family, my mother’s family, and the Quillie Young family, my father’s family.