Ah, springtime, when trees begin to bud, robins start nesting and Daylight Savings Time launches its soul-crushing intrusion into the lives of the American people. (I suspect the Russians are behind it–or at least Stormy Daniels.) In addition to this sadistic clock-changing ritual, we parents know that Spring Break lurks just around the corner, waiting to give us a wet willy with unreasonable expectations of exciting vacations, quality time with family, or altruistic acts of volunteerism. Fear not, though. more

This week they’re packing up the office, and with the help of 11-year-old grandson Josh Perkins and 9-year-old granddaughter Josey Perkins the task will be completed before the end of the month. Though it was a feat Larry Perkins claimed was going to happen over the last several years, no one thought it would really happen – the State Farm agent did it, though, retiring last week after 38 years. more

I enjoy reading The Kilgore News Herald, from news-stories such as school budgets to advertisements for flooring or lawn-services – one thing nearly all categories have in-common, is: MONEY. more

Listening to U2’s 2009 song “Magnificent”, I am repeatedly struck by the following lyric: “From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise.” Although the authors apparently did not intend it, I think of God’s creating each human life, ultimately for the purpose of making a joyful noise praising Him (Genesis 4:1 and Psalm 95:1,2; 98:4,6; 100:1). more

AS the storms raged through East Texas in the wee hours of the morning on Thursday, first responders were hitting the ground running before the winds completely died down. The calls began at 3 a.m. for some – calls of damage, road closures needed and yes, fear of what just occurred in a large residential area of Kilgore. more

As many of you know, She Who Generally Knows Best and I “downsized” some months ago – maybe 10 months – in anticipation of either a retirement or a slowdown. And, as many of you know and the rest will likely learn sooner or later, downsizing means you box up a lot of stuff that somehow or other had fallen off the official inventory list. For example, somebody once gave me a five-inch-tall porcelain figurine… it’s a cap-wearing bear, upright and with a knapsack on its back, climbing a tiny-but-imposing mountain. On the backside of the diminutive mountain is one of those You-Can-Do-It inspirational messages. No mountain too high, etc, etc... more

ONCE in a while someone crosses your path and makes a lasting impression, whether by an act of kindness, deed or simply by owning a winning personality. This person exceeds in all areas and it is his memory at the age of 99 that will strike you as quite unusual. more

Any casual observer of my daily activities might accuse me of child-centered parenting, which Michael Mascolo, Ph.D., of Psychology Today defines as “parenting organized around the needs and interests of the child, rather than those of the parent.” Preposterous! more

Jim Austin didn’t need long to figure out he’d moved to a different country. He was a brand new graduate, a budding journalist with a fresh degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He responded to our ad and on the phone he sounded promising; I hired him. We had never seen Jim and he had never seen Texas, but – expecting good things – we reserved an apartment in his name. more

It is a once a year event for the Dent sisters and this year they couldn’t quite wait for the designated day of spring before packing bags and heading out to a scheduled destination and an extended weekend at an area lake cabin. Not quite ready to divulge which direction they are heading, six of the eight children of Bobbie (Furlow) and Norman Dent are leaving behind husbands, kids, grandkids and extended family for a twentieth year adventure together. The half-dozen sisters are Vickie Raymond (Kilgore/Liberty City area), Jeanette Miller (Diana), Rachel Hill, (North Richland Hills), Becky Rose (Keller) Lilmah Wyatt (Kilgore) and Kellie Granberry from Mountain City. more