Good day Millsap and friends,

WASHINGTON — Looking on the bright side, which is usually irrational but occasionally justifiable, the debate about raising the federal minimum wage to $15 is mildly encouraging evidence that moderately sensible policymaking is again possible. The debate has been informed by data, not all of…

What can be done when mere mortals are caught in the crossfire of “stuff-we-don’t-understand-at-all?” And what if our understanding better “fits” bygone days when basic transportation centered on riding horses or depending on them to pull conveyances? There wasn’t an awful lot to understand …

March is National Nutrition month and each week we will feature different nutrition topics. This week we will focus on the colors of fruits and vegetables.

Most Texas voters believe vaccines are safe and effective, but 28% do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available to them, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

It was a dark night in New York City in 1900. The old man slept in his bed alone. A vast fortune lay at his command. A shadowy figure approached. And the old man would never awake again. With the death of William Marsh Rice, a murder mystery exploded. This mystery was at the heart of the bir…

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23)

Hello everyone,

The market for masks has changed dramatically during the past year. Until then, they were largely worn by health professionals, New Orleans Mardi Gras revelers, and, of course, robbers counting on ‘em to provide incognito status. That was then and this is now.

The fallout has begun over the botched handling of electricity during last week’s winter storm.

On Wednesday, Carole and I journeyed to Fort Worth to get our second covid vaccination — a month after the first.

One easy, budget-friendly way to save money, time and energy on food at home is to prepare a hearty meal using a slow cooker.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). If then God gave the same gift to them (Gentiles) as he gave to us (Peter and the Jews) when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I (Peter) that I could stand in God’s way? When they (the Jews) heard…

Between winter electricity blackouts, a haphazard rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the Texas government’s overall response to the pandemic over the last year, the theme of the current legislative session and the next election cycle ought to be easy.

WASHINGTON — Beijing wasted no time in greeting the new U.S. administration with an escalation of China’s high-risk obnoxiousness. On the fourth day of Joe Biden’s presidency, Chinese fighter and bomber aircraft simulated an attack on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier group as it s…

Great storytelling is an honored tradition across the South and the Southwest. Texas, with its long history of engaging characters and adventures, has produced many tales to tell. Perhaps one of the most respected storytellers was writer and professor J. Frank Dobie.

The politician who championed the “bathroom bill” in the Texas Legislature in 2017 is now singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Thoughts of the Confederate soldier statue on the courthouse lawn have been occupying a good deal of my thinking lately. The question of my thinking is why would anyone want to honor the darkest and saddest time of America’s history?

The nightly news last Monday told a beautiful Valentine’s story entitled “Love at first sight.” However, the details didn’t quite fit the familiar love song, “Some Enchanted Evening.”

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

The clever and ever-so-simple message Julie Andrews conveyed in “The Sound of Music” — a classic if there ever was one — provided encouragement that thrilled a nation.

February is American Heart Month and is a month often celebrated with chocolate. The good news for people who love chocolate is that studies continue to show a link between chocolate and heart health. Several study reviews concluded that eating dark chocolate lowers the risk of heart disease.

The 20th century transformed the United States from a moderate power only loosely involved in world affairs into a superpower where most questions of foreign relations revolved around American goals and intentions. Much of this transition began taking place during the period just before and …

Fire holds a special place in the human psyche. Early human societies used fire to cook their food and to provide warmth. Indigenous tribes used fire as a protection from predators and as a source of light at night. Natives would use fire for communication purposes, and would dance around fi…

Hello Millsap and friends,

We’re extremely grateful for the role teachers have played in our lives, and the role they continue to play in the lives of children, teens and even adults today. And with the pandemic, it hasn’t gotten any easier.

Of all the things on Gov. Greg Abbott’s list of priorities, the call for broadband internet might be the most popular in the state Legislature. But fixing the problems of accessibility and affordability will be expensive and time-consuming.

Why does it seem that society requires Christians to keep their beliefs to themselves? In our so-called multi-cultural society, all have equal opportunities to express themselves except Christians. Secular humanists are those who have a man-centered world view. They insist that faith is a pr…

It was a run-down series of old buildings in the bustling downtown of a growing city. Its use had long been forgotten by many residents and once-storied importance largely discounted by an impatient populace racing to build a modern city. By the early 1900s, the Alamo was about to fall once …

It’s always easiest to lead the Texas Legislature by going where lawmakers already wanted to go, and there’s a fresh example in the “emergency” list for legislators laid out Monday in Gov. Greg Abbott’s State of the State address.

Good day Millsap and friends,

Folks who regularly lump alcoholic beverages into the cauldron labeled “witches’ brew” may still be shaking their heads, wondering why Anheuser-Busch didn’t get their famous Clydesdales in harness for Super Bowl LV.

For those with heart conditions or other medical conditions that may weaken your heart, keeping your heart healthy and protected during a pandemic is important. Cholesterol and blood pressure issues, as well as arrhythmias or cardiomyopathy, are heart conditions that can make contracting COV…

“(W)e will never again sow division. Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree and no one shall make them afraid.” That’s from Amanda Gorman’s poem, “The Hill We Climb,” which she read at the recent inauguration. 

President Joe Biden has proved that, if nothing else, he has a pen and a phone.

Bessie Coleman had said as a child that she wanted to make something of herself. For an African American at the turn of the century, there were few opportunities for that to happen. With the invention of airplanes, she found a magnificent new calling as the first African-American woman to be…

After Joe Biden’s inauguration, he ordered everyone on federal lands to wear a mask. That night, he and his family posed for pictures at the Lincoln Memorial — none of them wearing a mask. 

I was snatched from the pit of hell on Jan. 29, 1986. The day started normally. But, on my way to my office at the Nuclear Power Plant in Crystal River, Florida, I was broadsided by a semi-truck. It occurred about 7:30 in the morning. I was told that the paramedics had to cut me out of my ca…

Being physically active is important year round, but when it is cold and rainy like the last few weeks have been, that can present challenges when it comes to staying active. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week…

Inaugural addresses are meant to be aspirational, so President Joe Biden might as well have doubled down on his call for unity in his address.

Have a look at what the top attorneys for the state of Texas were offering on the day Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as president and vice president.

Each week I receive an email entitled “The Pause,” from the “On Being Project.” Written by Krista Tippett, it usually contains a short personal column and a podcast interview with a writer or poet. Last week, following the riot in our nation’s capital, her column reflected on the deep divisi…

Howdy folks!

Ben Milam was an average man who traveled the early frontier. But the course of events would place him in the middle of the fight for Texas independence and into legend. Milam’s decisive actions made him one of the early heroes of the Texas Revolution.

A Texas automobile driver was “tooling” down a rural highway on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Most motorists had already reached destinations, or maybe decided not to go. He felt alone, not another vehicle in sight on a long stretch of pavement.

As we work towards a healthier lifestyle, there are some trends that reflect the results of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some small steps toward current and future trends. These come from Rutgers Cooperative Extension and I would like to share them with you.

I recently read an opinion piece written by an AP author named Zeke Miller. There once was a time when a reporter wrote unbiased actual news. This has changed drastically. It was not a slow progressive change — it was a slam dunk. Suddenly, with the change of presidents from one to another, …