Opinions

I once laughed--to myself, of course--at resumes from bright young minds who put “able to operate a copy machine” on their list of qualifications. At that time, operating our copier meant pushing a button, so I suppose these same job candidates were qualified to ride an elevator, find the butcher at the grocery store or ring a doorbell. Now “able to operate a copy machine” is a true qualification; our copier speaks two languages and may tap dance. That prompted me to consider how dramatically resumes (like, copiers) have changed through the years, although mine has not. Most upwardly mobile professionals update their resumes regularly, but I don’t want another job so I just filed mine away.

Considering the difference between President No. 46, and this year’s No. 47, America has gone from a weak Autopen to a bold Sharpie, from an awkwardly “hands-on” children to the current exposer of fraudulent waste that has prompted “hands-off ” rallies from people who oppose such actions. Joe Biden, whose gradual mental decline was noticed by everyone with a brain, including most everyone except the American media, to Donald Trump, whose work routine shows no daysoff nor does his train-of-thought have a caboose.

I’m writing as a proud member of Keep Ennis Great to express my continued support for Mayor Kameron Raburn. I recently spoke at the Ennis City Commission meeting, and it’s clear that there are still ongoing efforts to discredit the mayor’s leadership. These attempts, rooted in personal agendas, do not reflect the reality of his dedicated service to our community.

I remember that first night in Mangodara in the southern part of Burkina Faso in West Africa. We had traveled 9 hours from the capital city, Ouagadougou. Much of the final few hours of the trip were navigated on “roads” that needed four wheel drive. Mangodara was a town of over 5,000 people, but there was no running water and no electricity. The “hotel” we were staying in was a cement building with metal doors (termites would eat anything wood). Our small group of 6 men was split into two groups and all I remember about that first night was how hot it was. I wanted to leave the door open to hopefully get a breeze going, but I was worried about snakes, spiders, mosquitos, and the fact that we were hours away from any hospital. If something strange bit us, help was a long way away!

Twenty years ago, when both children were enthusiastic about hunting Easter eggs, I dressed them in matching Kelly Kids outfits with their names embroidered above bunny motifs. I have to say, they were precious in blue-and-white seersucker with ribbon bedecked Easter baskets Of course, the daughter stayed precious longer, able to scour the hills and dales for eggs without looking like a chicken farmer. The son, however, managed to spill lemonade upon his outfit within the first 15 minutes of the church-sponsored egg hunt. Then he fell down a hill, face first, and enjoyed the slide immensely. Suddenly, his name was obscured by mud and silt which attached itself to his clothes, his shoes, his hair.

We will resume our discussion about heaven next week, but for now I want to focus on holy week. It’s the season when the followers of Christ are focused on how He suffered and died on the cross and after three days He arose from the grave. As the elements of the sacrament symbolize, this week is not really a jovial time, but rather calls for serious meditation on the price Jesus paid and being grateful for His gift of eternal salvation. It’s bittersweet since it’s never pleasant to imagine a person being brutally tortured (especially when they are innocent), but the fact that Jesus miraculously came back to life, is a demonstration of His infinite power and authority as the King of kings and why we should be filled with humility and joy. He did not just talk about love, He demonstrated His compassion by willingly surrendering His life so that we could live.

I remember making the statement.

Who does your thinking? What shapes our views and opinions? Those are pretty fair questions. We are all familiar with the elements that help influence our thoughts, our peers, and our family. Our experiences also contribute to the way we think and feel, as do our beliefs and values. Cultural background is a factor, and so are our personal dispositions. Never underestimate the media – as it gains entry through our eye-gate and our ear-gate – and we decide what we watch, read and hear. Then there is the cognitive processes. That relates to aging. How we saw life as teens and into our twenties, is the way our minds develop as the years go by. When adults reach mid-life, comes the feeling our best years and our health are getting away from our control. In fact, the 40s and 50s begin to illustrate those realities and fears. Our emphasis on appearance – and it’s usually reflected by dressing and acting younger. Staying up on popular music is more of a drag due to the fact we don’t like it.