Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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Religion columnist If you are a Christian, do you worry? Are you facing a difficult challenge in your life and you spend your time worrying? Have you found that what the world offers for comfort does not bring lasting peace? Do you need answers that are enduring, dependable, complete and true? John MacArthur, preacher and writer, summed it up this way in regard to the Christian and worry: “Think about it this way: Christians who worry believe God can redeem them, break the s...
Religion columnist Why is it some memories that seemed uneventful as a child, stay with a person throughout a lifetime? Let me explain. When Susie and I were little and our family living in Kansas City, Mother often took us into the city to explore museums or shop at Macy's. Those excursions were recreational and educational. Downtown Kansas City was a remarkable world, and we were in awe of the inner city energy with all of its action. I remember one cold January day we...
Religion columnist John McArthur wrote: “Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well.” (McArthur, Grace to You https://www.gty.org/resources/Articles/2425, 2016) That is a telling question with a very specific answer. We each have to individually decide what Jesus means to us. Let me make my point with this true story. One semester in my early college years, I needed an English lit...
With my son John Scott’s heart issues, I have been thinking about “hearts” much of the time these last few weeks. The Bible has hundreds of scriptures in regard to “hearts.” But I like especially Psalm 73:26: “ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” That tells me that even though a heart may be weak, the Maker, God, gives it spiritual strength from day to day to go on. So the question is: Is God the strength of your heart... Full story
With my son John Scott’s heart issues, I have been thinking about “hearts” much of the time these last few weeks. The Bible has hundreds of scriptures in regard to “hearts.” But I like especially Psalm 73:26: “ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” That tells me that even though a heart may be weak, the Maker, God, gives it spiritual strength from day to day to go on. So the question is: Is God the strength of your heart... Full story
Religion columnist We all are in need of God’s grace. Let me explain. It seems this summer I have seen an abundance of frogs around our house. Especially this week with the rains, I am expecting in influx around our patio door. Seeing all these frogs reminded me of the strange encounter I had with a frog. One day several years ago I was getting ready for company and changing the sheets in the guest bedroom on the second floor of our home. Suddenly a croak from the corner of th...
Religion columnist A fond memory of my childhood centers on the long drive in our ’54 sky blue Chevy to one of the little country churches in Missouri where Daddy used to preach on Sundays. We alternated between two churches from Sunday to Sunday because Daddy was considered a “half-time” preacher at both churches. We would have to leave around 4:00 am on Sunday morning to make it to church by the 9:00 am Sunday school hour. Our journey started in pitch dark but as we would... Full story
Religion columnist I have a Twitter account and I regularly follow people on twitter. Franklin Graham tweeted this on Twitter just this past week when one of our Olympians from the United States won a medal in field and track: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). #Rio2016 It is a funny thing ... five years ago when I first heard the word “tweet,” I would have thought about the sound of birds ... but not today. The network Twitter is a ve...
It has been many years past but that Sunday night long ago is still clear in my mind. God knew all about me and my attitude. It was about 1963. The teenagers at church customarily all sat on the three back pews on the right side of the sanctuary. Of course as teenagers we did things during the church service that we should not have done. We passed notes, whispered and planned what we would do when Sunday night church was over. But that night a stranger walked in and I...
Religion columnist Summertime causes me to think about the summers of my childhood. Not the least of them is the revivals we attended. Our family would travel to some rural community where my preacher father was to be the evangelist, meetings were for two weeks in the hot summertime, and we met in an open-air wooden tabernacle or under a giant tent. Those agricultural communities were farm families and the entire community l turned out in mass to attend all services. No one...
Religion columnist This week I have been thinking about vacation Bible school. Each time I see a church advertisement for one, my mind goes back to my childhood, when vacation Bible schools were two weeks long and scripture memorization was a major part of those two weeks. On the first day, we were given cards with 5 scriptures printed on them. The challenge was to memorize all five before we came back the next day. Then we received new cards the next day with five more...
Religion columnist This past week I read an article about the most admired women of 2015. Among the most admired were Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Carly Fiorina, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush and Angela Merkel. I suppose responders to this poll sincerely admire these women and believe that these women have led amazing and extraordinary lives. Dictionary.com defines “admire” as: “an object of wonder, pleasure, or approval.” Be it far from me to say the above w...
Religion columnist What is patriotism? Patriotism consists of dedicated love and support, and protection of one’s country. Think about this question: If we eliminate the emotional part of patriotism, what do we have? I am one of those sensitive people that gets teary eyed when some band plays “The Star Spangled Banner.” I even became visibly moved in the church service last week when the congregation sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” Is something wrong with me? Some summers ago... Full story
Religion columnist On a family vacation during my growing up years, our family headed across county to Niagara Falls. Our route north led us to experience a ride on a ferry in West Virginia. Because we couldn’t get to the other side of the river, it was necessary for us to take the ferry. We drove our car to the place where the ferry docked and then the attendant drove our car onto the ferry. The attendant tied the car down with big ropes and then the passengers were a...
Religion columnist My sister Susie shared this email with me several years ago. I think it is worth sharing again in its original form. I can add nothing to it. She gave me her permission to share it with my readers. Dear Judy, Today I heard one of the most inspirational women I have ever encountered. When I saw this woman walk into the room, I was taken back. It was apparent that “Jane” was a fan of tattoos. When it was announced that Jane would be giving her faith story, I k...
Religion columnist Last week while waiting in the doctor’s office, I picked up a Time magazine dated November 19, 2015. An article about the great inventions of 2015 caught my interest. I could have guessed the first one — a self-balancing scooter called a hover board. As I looked at it, I could not imagine trying to balance myself on that thing. But evidently it has taken off and millions have hover boards. Good for some, but not for others. The next invention was the con...
Religion columnist When I was a little girl, we sang in church the old hymn “The Rock That is Higher Than I.” The first verse and chorus was clear about the life difficulties that we all face and the only One we can turn to: O sometimes the shadows are deep. And rough seems the path to the goal, And sorrows, sometimes how they sweep Like tempests down over the soul? O then to the rock let me fly, To the rock that is higher than I; O then to the rock let me fly To the Rock tha...
Religion columnist Has America forgotten God? Are we still a nation thankful to God for His blessings upon this country? This Memorial Day weekend should remind us of how God has blessed our country through the years. Also, we should deeply appreciate the sacrifices of those who fought for the freedoms that we enjoy today. Frank Wright, former President and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters, referred to the book written by Dr. Erwin Lutzer, When A Nation Forgets God...
Religion columnist John Piper said: “The proper connotation of saying God works for me is that I am bankrupt and need a bailout. I am weak and need someone strong. I am endangered and need a protector. I am foolish and need someone wise. I am lost and need a Rescuer. ‘God works for me’ means I can’t do the work.” Is God really working for us when our lives seem to be crumbling into fractured and fearful pieces? When we think that all things are lost, God is still working.... Full story
Religion columnist These days graduation commencements abound and so do commencement speakers. We hear from great business leaders, celebrities, actors, activists, and politicians offering advice to students graduating from college. Yet, in spite of their celebrity and renown, some offer old worn out platitudes, like “work hard,” “dream big,” “follow your inner zeal,” and “dare to be brave.” These well-known phrases dot their speeches and these over used phrases seem ho... Full story
Religion columnist A mother’s influence can make a difference not only for a lifetime but for eternity. No one influences a child like a Christian, caring, loving, and mother. One woman is not so well known these days but many may remember Wilma Rudolph. Wilma Rudolph was the great Olympian champion runner. She was born early, weighing only 4.5 pounds. She had 19 brothers and sisters. Her father was porter for the railroad and her mother a maid. As a child, Wilma had i...
Several years ago my sister Susie and I stopped at the Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas, as we were on our way back from Dallas. We had to go through Sweetwater anyway, so we decided to take some time and experience something we had always heard about. We parked our car and headed down to the world's largest rattlesnake event at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater. I still can’t believe we did it considering our ultimate fear is being close to any kind of snake. B... Full story
I have seen three Presidents in my lifetime. I was at the National Prayer Breakfast some years ago in Washington, DC. and heard George W. Bush speak. Then in the 50s, Dwight Eisenhower made a stop in Clovis at Cannon Air Force Base and we attended. But it was when I was very young that I came face to face with Harry Truman. We were in Kansas City at a hotel in downtown Kansas City. My parents were attending a church convention that was headquartered there. On the second day... Full story
We are approaching graduation season. Winston Churchill once said: “This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, and this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.” I don’t think Churchill was referring to graduations per se, but there is some depth to that statement. In reality, graduation is both an ending and a beginning. Whole new experiences and challenges await those graduating from any educational level. There will be graduations from colleges, high...
