The Shepherd's Heart: Tribute to America: Many voices sing her praises (07/03/08)
In honor of our nation's most patriotic holiday, and with a little help from the internet, I have enlisted the help of several well-known speakers, writers, statesmen, and various other countrymen to help express me feelings toward this great land we call home. I hope these quotes serve to remind us all just how blessed we are to be living in a place such as this, beginning with the simple though expressed by the first quote below...

The Shepherd's Heart/Our attention elsewhere, deliverance remains elusive (06/19/08)
Several major events developed on the national news scene this week. First, Al Gore finally stepped out and publicly endorsed Senator Obama's bid for the White House, following months of speculation as to when he might do so. That was good for Obama. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/What is a real man? (06/12/08)
Is it someone like John Wayne? Clint Eastwood? Charles Bronson? Or maybe Al Bundy? The truth is, it seems our society assesses a man based on certain criteria. Is he muscular -- does he have the perfect body? Is he ready to fight -- is he a war monger? Is that man a sports freak -- and if so, does that mean he has no brains? Is he "like most men" and insensitive to the needs of others? He is emotionless?...

The Shepherd's Heart/Weathering the storms (06/05/08)
Memorial Day Weekend 2008. Just another chance to spend some time in the great outdoors with family and friends. That is, until the storms came. And I'm not just talking about any old storms. I'm talking about big storms. First, there was the storm of Thursday evening. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/True revival begins with change from within (05/29/08)
Our church has planned a series of special meetings for next week. For lack of a better term, we are calling this series of meetings, collectively, a "revival." For some, the word revival conjures up images of old-time month-long tent meetings, with singing and shouting and a loud, Bible-thumping preacher in a sweat-soaked white shirt calling all who will to "be saved!" before it's too late...

The Shepherd's Heart/Remember ... (05/22/08)
"Remember the days of old, Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, Your elders, and they will tell you." --Deuteronomy 32:7 I don't know about most of you, but it seems that the older I get, the harder it is to remember things -- even simple things. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/The art of editing (05/15/08)
The other day I was talking with a recent college graduate about how nice it is when you have an opportunity to edit what you write before it goes to print. During an earlier conversation with another co-worker, we touched on how wonderful it is to be in a situation where someone else can edit your work, knowing that we sometimes miss our own mistakes because we subconsciously read what we know we meant to say...

The Shepherd's Heart/Throw another log on the campfire (05/08/08)
Ahhh. The clear night skies. The smell of Oak and Walnut burning in the fire ring. The melodious symphony of a pack of coyotes singing in the woods. The wind whipping through the trees. These are a few of my favoritest things -- things that come as part and parcel of the first family camping trip of the year...

The Shepherd's Heart/Seek not the solution to moral decay in gun control (04/25/08)
Today we have many conveniences that we did not have 40 or 50 years ago. However, I must ask whether we truly believe our country is better off than it was 40 or 50 years ago, especially considering the fact that we have more lawlessness than ever. Rest assured that it is not my purpose to try to reform America through this column, or even to encourage you to reform America. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/It's party time -- play it smart (04/17/08)
Spring is here, and along with come it parties, family get-togethers, graduations, proms, and other such spring oriented special events. To some, even those who normally do not partake of alcoholic beverages, the season may seem like the perfect time to have a few "social" drinks. April is Alcohol Awareness Month, so in the interest of public service, here are a few alcohol related facts to consider before you pop that tab, uncork that bottle, or screw the top of that long-neck bottle...

The Shepherd's Heart/Food scarcity is bad, but there are worse famines (04/10/08)
This world we live in is quite familiar with famines. In the Bible, we read about the seven-year famine during the days of Joseph. During that time, only Egypt had plenty and it was because Pharaoh had enough sense to listen to God's man -- Joseph. The scriptures also tell of a three-year famine in the days of David. "Then there was a famine in Samaria...

The Shepherd's Heart/It's all very simple, really (04/03/08)
It's a simple gesture, really. The slight wave of a hand; the gentle nod of the head; the second-nature brush of fingers on the brim of a hat or cap. Simple gestures that tell someone -- even someone you don't know -- that they are noticed. In today's world -- our "gotta get there now 'cause I gotta get me mine before someone else gets there and gets their's" society -- something as simple as a nod or a wave or a cordial "How do you do?" goes a long way...

The Shepherd's Heart/It's all about being ready (03/27/08)
As I write this there is a warm spring rain falling outside my window. Yes. That's what I said. A warm spring rain. Like many of you, all I can say is "It's about time" and "Amen!" Didn't it seem like the winter was extremely long, wet and cold this year?...

The Shepherd's Heart/The 2008 election is a chance to watch history made (03/20/08)
Never before have the members of the Party of the Democrats had a choice between a visionary young African-American man and a gung-ho female Washington insider when deciding how to vote in the primaries. Those who know me know that I am not a racist, so don't start calling me names after I say what I am about to say...

The Shepherd's Heart/Why is abortion murder sometimes and sometimes not? (03/06/08)
OK. I will admit there were some atrocities recorded in the Old Testament, and the majority of them were perpetrated by the "people of God" -- or the children of Israel -- whichever you'd prefer. So please spare me the sniveling liberal rhetoric that usually follows in the days after I post a column that most liberals would disagree with...

The Shepherd's Heart/A different kind of therapy (02/28/08)
These days, people are receiving all sorts of therapy. There's physical therapy; emotional therapy; psychological therapy; exercise therapy; therapy for your kids and your house pets and your horse; smooth, hot stone therapy; and aroma therapy. The other day I heard someone extolling the virtues of colon therapy. I'm not sure what that is, but it doesn't sound like something I'd want to experience at this point in my life...

The Shepherd's Heart/We must never give up hope (02/21/08)
It appears to be getting rather gnarly out there on the campaign trail. You know -- people who make empty promises accusing others of speaking words with no substance. Candidates taking words from others and claiming them as their own. Newspaper articles about illicit romances between lobbyists and candidates. Rumors of -- God forbid -- legislators giving preferential treatment to the causes of some lovely blonde lobbyists with whom they may have been spending way too much personal time...

The Shepherd's Heart/Of hearts and chocolates and roses by the dozen (02/14/08)
Ahh. February 14th. Valentine's Day. The "lovers' holiday." Candy. Flowers. Cards. Cupid. You get the picture. But did this day filled with hearts and chocolates and roses (at up to $100 per dozen) originated in the 5th century as a tribute to a Roman Catholic Bishop named -- you guessed it -- Saint Valentine?...

The Shepherd's Heart/Choose compassion over criticism (02/07/08)
As human beings, I think we too readily seize every opportunity to criticize others. Some may even look for such openings. I don't know if putting others down or reminding them of their shortcomings makes us feel better about ourselves, or if we think such actions make us look better in the eyes of others. Who knows why we do it? We just do it. And that is a sad commentary on who and what we have become...

The Shepherd's Heart/The Cure: Repentance (01/31/08)
Every disciple who follows Jesus should be concerned with unity among believers. Jesus prayed for unity among believers, and the Apostle Paul condemned division within the church universal. From both of these powerful teachers we learn that unity can be a powerful witness to the world concerning the love, patience and compassion of God, while division is often a mark of carnality and spiritual immaturity within the Christian community...

The Shepherd's Heart/Media shows its bias regarding candidates' religion (01/24/08)
Seems like we're in for some rough and tough times during the upcoming presidential campaign. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama are very entertaining, if nothing else. To listen to them talk, you'd think one of them was a Republican and the other a far-out-on-the-limb-left-wing-liberal. It's getting hard to figure out just who not to vote for. I actually felt sorry for Mr. Edwards recently when he asked, "Are there candidates here?"...

The Shepherd's Heart/When winter's darkness falls (01/17/08)
For some people, a strange phenomenon takes place when the holidays are past and the parties are over. When the veil of winter settles over the land, a veil of darkness and depression closes around them. The gray of the skies and the chill of the breeze permeate their souls, leaving them depressed, aching and lonely...

The Shepherd's Heart/A very successful day (01/10/08)
Author's Note: At first I hesitated to write a column about the 2007 deer season. However, several readers have asked about this year's hunt, so I decided to write one column about our Opening Day 2007 experience. It started out the same way most opening days of deer season begin. We drove to the farm we were going to hunt before sunrise, slipped into our pre-determined locations, and settled in for a cold pre-dawn November morning...

The Shepherd's Heart/The time comes to say goodbye -- to comfy old clothes (01/03/08)
In the past, I have been known to become a little too attached to items of clothing. No -- not like that; nothing weird here. Just simply liking to wear, say, a certain shirt or sweater, more often than I should have. I remember a ski sweater, blue and white and maroon. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/What gifts do we bring? (12/20/07)
One of the scenes we think about when celebrating Christmas is the coming of the Wise Men to pay homage to the newborn King. The truth is, they probably came a couple years after He was born. But the timing is not what I wanted to talk about. Many Christmas sermons focus on the wise men and gifts they brought to the baby Jesus. Scriptures tells us very little about the men themselves, but we know what they brought...

The Shepherd's Heart/No more 'business as usual' (12/13/07)
In some churches, it's always "business as usual." I, for one, believe that needs to change. The Bible tells us that we are not to quench the Spirit. I interpret that to mean we are to allow the Spirit of God to flow through our church gatherings and other such meetings. Trouble is, when we are choreographing each and every service, we sometimes fail to involve the Spirit. We put pen to paper and set up an order of service and then hope and pray that God shows up...

The Shepherd's Heart/Frantic activity of the season causes yearning for solitude (11/29/07)
Wow! I just turned my head and all of a sudden it's time to think about Christmas. The turkey leftovers are running low, college football is winding down, the weather guy is talking about a major winter storm -- just maybe -- and the stores are once again doing all they can to separate us from our hard earned money...

The Shepherd's Heart/Happy Thanksgiving! (11/15/07)
Thanksgiving -- the act of and not the holiday -- may very well be the secret of happiness for many people. Psalm 100 -- (subtitled by the author as A Psalm for Giving Thanks) -- says that we are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; we are to give thanks to Him and praise his Name. It reminds us that the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations...

The Shepherd's Heart/Trust the Holy Spirit to help us through life's storms (11/08/07)
"All things work together for good for them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. It's one of the most beautiful verses in the New Testament. It invokes a sense of promise and hope and visions of a bright future for those who believe it. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Music is important (11/01/07)
Music is magical. And when it is performed by a group of high school students -- some of who may just be finding their voices -- it is extraordinary. We just experienced the annual fall concert put on by the choirs of our local high school. There have been years when this first concert of the year might just have been a little hard on the ear -- a bit abrasive, even...

The Shepherd's Heart/Worship is important -- but also part of a partnership (10/25/07)
There seems to be a lot of emphasis these days on worship. And I, for one, am glad. Christians are compelled by the scriptures we hold dear to sing praises to the Father. We are instructed to enter His gates with thanksgiving and to come into His courts with praise. The Psalmist says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!"...

The Shepherd's Heart/History's hallowed halls at risk from neglect (10/18/07)
Drive down a country road anywhere in the United States and you're bound to see them. They may be standing stately atop a knoll or snuggling up close to a creek or river. They may be the only building visible for miles around, or part of a little community or ghost town. They may be shining white in the sunlight or turning pale gray as the sideboards age with time and neglect...

The Shepherd's Heart/Time to ponder the homecoming to come (10/11/07)
Homecoming. The mere mention of the word brings to mind an annual American tradition. Built around a central event, such as a sports event, the activities of homecoming vary widely. Usually, homecoming is focused on a football game played on the school's home field as well as activities for students and alumni. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Judge overstepped bounds in overturning abortion law (09/27/07)
I just don't get it. Why do we have laws -- passed by the legislature or by the people of any given county, state or nation -- if the courts are going to continue to be allowed to overturn such laws? Several years ago the good people of the sovereign state of Colorado passed a law making abortion illegal in their state. A short time later, judges "tossed down" the law, stating that it was unconstitutional. We've seen the same thing in the past in many states around the nation...

The Shepherd's Heart/Revival may hurt, 'but it's a glorious pain' (09/20/07)
In the coming weeks, churches in our local association will be joining together for a series of "revival" meetings. According to internet resources, revival -- in the Christian context -- generally refers to a specific period of spiritual renewal in the life of the Church. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/The long road to Friday nights (09/13/07)
Excuse me. I have been remiss. It has been brought to my attention that I have yet to write about one of the most important aspects of end of summer. Football. A few weeks ago my family and I traveled to Kansas City to attend the first varsity game of the new season for our hometown Owls. It was quite a trip for me for several reasons...

The Shepherd's Heart/Homage to neighborly commerce: the radio swap-meet (09/06/07)
It's a world in and of itself: a place where your voice is recognizable to all who hear it; a place where, not too unlike that Boston bar of infamy, everybody pretty much knows your likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests -- even if they don't know your name...

The Shepherd's Heart/The good shepherd knows and loves his flock (08/30/07)
In the New Testament, the Savior talks a lot about those who are charged with leading flocks. In one particular scripture, He makes the distinction between good shepherds and those He calls robbers, hirelings and thieves. He says that the good shepherds will lay down their lives to save one lamb; that they will leave the 99 to go out and find the one that is lost. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Times -- and schools -- have changed (08/23/07)
School is back in session. Local elementary and high schools are perking right along and the college campus is abuzz with activity. Young adults around the state are driving up and down the highways to get to their day classes at community colleges and universities within driving distance. Some are packing up and moving away for another year of post-secondary education...

The Shepherd's Heart/Nothing compares to the splendor of Creation (08/16/07)
Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. -- Standing ankle-deep in the warm sands of the North Carolina shoreline, looking out into the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, I am reminded of the greatness of God and the depth of His love. Yet, as I watch the waves come in and recede, I can see the smallest of visible aquatic life forms wiggling their way back into the protection of the sand -- a reminder that we are not the only created thing visible to the Creator...

The Shepherd's Heart/No fear (08/09/07)
The other day I read, somewhat in amusement, that The Barna Group -- a California-based research firm, recently reported that 56 percent of atheists and agnostics think "radical Christianity" is just as threatening in the United States as "radical Islam." But as the thought of what this might mean soaked in, the amusement faded as I realized just how ridiculous such a statement is...

The Shepherd's Heart/Churches help create problems that drive Christians away (07/26/07)
I have noticed that, though there are many denominations, sects and religions in this world, there are basically two kinds of Christians: Churchgoing Christians and non-church-going Christians. And I think I know why. We don't talk about it much, but the church has a few problems. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/America's ultimate blessing: Freedom (07/05/07)
Freedom. The word means many things to different people. To some it means the freedom to make their own choices and live how they wish to live. To others it has to do with democracy and all that it stands for. Still others believe it has to do with religious freedoms -- the freedom to choose how to worship and how to express one's faith...

The Shepherd's Heart/Through Christ 'we are more than conquerors' (06/28/07)
I was talking to someone other day who had been going through a lot of stress and turmoil. This person talked about the pressures of life and asked why God didn't help. Later, I spoke to another who was going through a similar situation, except without all the turmoil -- just the pressures of everyday life; deadlines, calendars and ball games...

The Shepherd's Heart/There's too much to see in the world to sit home too long (06/21/07)
A friend commented the other day that she thought it was very telling that my motorcycle was sitting out at the end of the driveway -- just past the camper. She said it was as if I was saying "I'm ready to roll!" or "I've got to get away!" -- or something of that nature. And she was right. There is no doubt that I was born to travel...

The Shepherd's Heart/It's derby time (06/14/07)
The local Mid-Day Optimist Club prides itself on being a strong "friend of youth" in our community. They provide various services to the young people of the county, including insuring that ALL of the children at a local youth facility receive wonderful gifts at Christmas time and annually arranging college scholarships for several graduating high school seniors...

The Shepherd's Heart/Court allows cussing on the airwaves; Will anyone notice? (06/07/07)
I read recently where the a federal court has ruled that certain words are OK to say on broadcast television -- words that were at one time banned from the airwaves. The "F" word and the "S" word have both been found innocent of wrongdoing by yet another august judicial body -- this time in the state of New York...

The Shepherd's Heart/Congratulations! (05/31/07)
Instead of waxing poetic about graduation and repeating some of my own "sage" advice to recent graduates -- (Remember? Things like "don't drink downstream from the herd" and "don't squat with your spurs on.") -- I thought I'd let others speak to the issue. Some of the following are from unknown sources, and some are from a more respected band of quotable folk. Enjoy...

The Shepherd's Heart/Remembering a 'first love' (05/24/07)
I was a teenaged rock-n-roll guitarist when my drummer friend grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to what he said was supposed to be a great new music venue. He called it "Jesus Music," and though I considered myself a "seeker" -- even at such a young age -- I wasn't all that sure I would be impressed. I went along, more to humor him than to be enlightened...

The Shepherd's Heart/We didn't always see eye-to-eye, but … (05/17/07)
I was surprised to hear that Jerry Falwell was found dead in his office earlier this week. Honestly, we didn't always see eye-to-eye. But I know he'll be missed by a good many right-thinking and right-leaning folk. The television evangelist and pastor who founded the Moral Majority in 1979 and later became the very voice and face of the religious right was a good many things to a lot of people. And many still owe him...

The Shepherd's Heart/This magic moment! (05/10/07)
For some of us, there is a magic moment; one that we will always remember. For others, it is a moment matched only by the next such moment. It is that first moment the water swirls beneath a top-water lure; no -- it's that split-second between the swirl and the set of the hook...

The Shepherd's Heart/Illegalration, not to be confused with immigration (05/03/07)
Illegalration. That's right. Illegalration. It's what illegalrants do. They illegalrate into our country and demonstrate in the streets while wearing tee-shirts that loudly proclaim, "I'm Illegal -- So What?" They proudly display their status as illegalrants...

The Shepherd's Heart/2nd Amendment rights 'under fire' -- as usual -- after shooting (04/26/07)
Here we go again. It happens every time some crazed person takes it upon himself to use a handgun to prove a point, or to let the world know just how out of touch with reality he was, or to bring attention to some cause, or whatever. In this case, 32 innocent people died as a result of one man's lunacy, depression, or other mental instability...

The Shepherd's Heart/What can we do? (04/19/07)
The question has been asked hundreds, maybe thousands, of times since that terrible Monday on the campus of Virginia Tech. The answer may be that we can't really do anything -- except to pray. We can pray for those students who were wounded during the massacre in Norris Hall. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Gone from My Sight (04/12/07)
It's sad that we have to face death in the springtime, a season that promises life more than any other. But, many times, that's not the hand we're dealt. At times, death shows its face early and comes slowly. Some people I know are waiting patiently for some disease to take its final toll so they can close there eyes one last time. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Meaning of Easter found beyond cross and tomb (04/05/07)
Resurrection Day -- or the day most folks today call Easter -- is a very special time for those of us who call ourselves Christians. Yet, I fear too many Christians never make it past the cross and the tomb to realize the power and promise of the resurrection...

The Shepherd's Heart/It was the beginning of a new day (03/29/07)
As the procession made its way around a bend in the road on the side of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, in all her splendor, came into full view for the first time. Herod's Temple, gleaming in the sunlight -- the very centerpiece of the city as well as symbol of all that Judaism was -- caught the attention of the crowd...

The Sheperd's Heart/Stepping out of out comfort zone (03/22/07)
There's a place where we all go at one time or another. It's a place of familiarity and assurance; a personal place where we feel at home and in control; a space where we appear sure of our beliefs and attitudes. And it's a place where we can get stuck because it feels so good being there...

The Sheperd's Heart/Where are you going, Daddy? (03/15/07)
They're still packing their duffels, saluting an officer and climbing into transports that will deposit them on some barren stretch of sand thousands of miles away. And as they go, their families shed tears of pride and tears of pain, already missing them...

The Sheperd's Heart/What was she thinking? (03/08/07)
Ann Coulter, sweetheart of the Republican Party and firebrand columnist who has reigned on The New York Times Best Seller list with titles such as Godless: The Church of Liberalism (June 2006), How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)(October, 2004), Treason: Liberal Treachery From the Cold War to the War on Terrorism (June 2003); Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right (June 2002); and High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Case Against Bill Clinton (August 1998), has tumbled from the heights of Right Wing celebrity with an off-the-cuff comment about Democratic presidential contender John Edwards.. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Bitten by the bass bug (03/01/07)
It's getting closer. I can almost feel it. The anticipation is killing me! It's just about time to take the canoe out on numerous local lakes and ponds to see if the largemouth bass are biting. And after watching the Bass Masters Classic on television recently, the old bass chaser blood is just ripping through my veins. Not to mention the fact that Jordan can hardly control himself...

The Shepherd's Heart/Living in Christ is living, not dying (02/22/07)
"It ain't dying I'm talking about. It's living!" Those of you who, like me, are fans of Robert Duvall and the epic western "Lonesome Dove" will recognize that as one of the lines Gus McRae used to silence his partner, Woodrow Call during one of their many heated discussions about life...

$1.65M raised thus far by cancer center campaign (02/19/07)
As I write this editorial, I am surprised at how many people are still confused about the construction of the Community Cancer Center for which funds are now being raised. Yes, construction currently is underway on the Fitzgibbon Hospital campus. No, this construction is not the Community Cancer Center...

The Sheperd's Heart/Be afraid - be very afraid (02/15/07)
Be afraid. Be very afraid. I know you think it's a bit early to be talking about the elections scheduled for 2008, but I think we need to get started now if we are to have any serious effect on the outcome. Gun enthusiasts beware! There are a large number of gun control politicians out there looking for an opportunity to wage war on supporters of the Constitution of the United States...

The Sheperd's Heart/Somewhere on a shelf (02/08/07)
Hey, you. Yes, you. Lean in here a little closer. I have a question for you. It's a personal question. One that might make you have to think real hard to find an answer. Here goes ... Do you know where your Bible is? Not the family Bible with the obituary notices and wedding napkins and rose buds pressed deep within the Psalms or Proverbs. ...

The Shepherd's Heart/Prediction or prophecy? (01/25/07)
Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said recently that God has told him a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a "mass killing" late in 2007. The televangelist was quick to point out that God didn't necessarily say the attack would be nuclear, but said he felt it would be "something like that." He also predicted that major U.S. ...

High up in the blue October skies (10/11/01)
It is amazing how events that are far away from us physically can change our lives so quickly. I remember, as a child, hearing people say they would never forget where they were or what they were doing when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on that fateful November day in 1963. Most of them still haven't...