Columns & Editorials

A Silver Lining to 2020

A Silver Lining to 2020

I recently read an article where the author wrote about a surge in homeschooling since the pandemic gripped the nation back in the spring of 2020. The reasons parents are choosing to homeschool are as diverse as the families choosing to do it. Some parents are looking for faith-based education options. Others are parents of children with disabilities. Some families are unhappy with the quality of their local schools. Whatever the reasons, the author views this mass exodus from schools to homeschooling as “a silver lining” to the pandemic, suggesting without the pandemic, many families would not have left their local schools.

Are Trust Services Right For You?

Are Trust Services Right For You?

If you’re extremely busy with your career and family and you’ve accumulated a fair amount of assets, you might be concerned about a variety of issues related to financial management and legacy planning. Specifically, you might think you don’t have the time or expertise to deal with these matters effectively. If this is the case, you might want to consider using a trust company.

GRACE AND MERCY

A policeman once stopped a man for speeding. The man did not have any excuse for speeding and he knew that he did not have the money to pay a fine and his car insurance would go up. The policeman approached the car and began to do his duty. The man looked the policeman in the eye and asked. Sir, would you grant me “mercy”? The policeman looked into the eyes of the man and saw a real plea for mercy with regret for speeding. The policeman said “yes I will. I will grant you forgiveness for speeding.” The man was so thankful that his eyes got a little moist. The policeman went on his way and the man vowed to be more careful about his driving speed in the future.

No More Waiting

No More Waiting

We are weeks away from starting the 2021- 2022 school year. The return to public schools will look as diverse as the students served by them. In the Dallas metroplex, options for returning to instruction I am aware of include: Extended school days, an extended school year, year-round schedules, a hybrid of virtual/ classroom instruction, full-day instruction with and without masks and all day virtual instruction. There appears to be an option for just about everyone.

Laymen’s Corner

The moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as their personal savior He gives them the Holy Spirit and keeps them in His hand for eternity. Jesus said no one could take them out of His hand. Although all Christians sin against GOD sometimes they are still in the hand of Jesus.

The Bluest Eyes in Texas
The Bluest Eyes in Texas

The Bluest Eyes in Texas

In a whirlwind day of a whirlwind week, I am about as exhausted as a person can feel. My neck is knotted worse than a hair tangle in a wad of bubble gum. My lower back is singing the blues, while my middle back accompanies on the bass fiddle. Hips are out of alignment. Hamstrings are threatening to un-string themselves. My brain is foggy. Psoas is staging a coup. You might think I have the flu, or worse. But, what I have is actually a much greater affliction, one that takes all of your money and talks you into things you’d never believe you’d do. I have grandkids this week. As I sit here writing this column after getting them both in bed, a feat that required masterful debate skills, physical dexterity, and above average prestidigitation, all the transgressions of the day are forgotten. All I feel is the love doled out best by Doritos laden fingers and kisses stuck on tight with popsicle residue. They are precious. So precious, that it hurts to look at them sometimes – their innocence and purity. I had a different topic to give you tonight, but I can only think about this one single moment from the afternoon. My 6-year-old granddaughter snuggled up next to me on the couch, the Olympics showcasing Simone Biles on the beam, and whispered in my ear, “Didi, are you going to die?”

Did You Know? Sunscreen

It can be easy to forget to apply sunscreen when a sunny summer day beckons you to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. But forgetting to apply sunscreen before spending time in the sun is a potentially deadly mistake. According to the World Health Organization, one in every three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer. In addition, the Skin Cancer Foundation notes that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. The discomfort of a sunburn might seem relatively harmless, but the relationship between sunburns and cancer risk is significant. The SCF notes that having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, a type of skin cancer that often and quickly spreads to nearby lymph nodes. Perhaps that’s one reason why the American Cancer Society reports that the number of new invasive melanoma cases diagnosed annually increased by 47 percent between 2010 and 2020. Avoiding sunburn by applying and reapplying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 should be a priority for anyone spending time outdoors.

I MET MY YOUNGER SELF

I MET MY YOUNGER SELF

Last week something remarkable happened at my front door. It was an event that used to be commonplace for young people but in the world of cell phones, video games, computers and television it is something that rarely happens.

Pages

Forney Messenger

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 936, Forney, TX 75126
Physical Address: 201 W. Broad St., Forney, TX 75126
Phone: 972-564-3121
Fax: 972-552-3599