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Wright's Words: ‘ You Know You’re from Texas...’

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This past weekend, while out running errands, I observed an oddity while sitting in my vehicle. I had just exited a local retail store and was about to head home.

Tumbleweed: Guns, Grub in Mason

Imet Crockett Keller years ago when he had a place south of Mason that served food and entertainment. He reminded me a little bit of the cartoon character Yosemite Sam. Although Crockett didn’t have a bushy red mustache, he did wear a hat with an 8 inch brim and a six shooter before it was legal to openly carry. He still hears a hat with the huge brim. “People know me by my hat,” he says. “When I don’t have it on, they don’t recognize me. I can go incognito.”

Leo's Lance: A Lasting Gift

I've heard it said that teenage boys are the hardest people to buy a gift for. This was particularly true before the age of electronic devices. I suppose every teenage boy would like a smartphone, a video game or any number of other devices which would cause you to shell out buckets full of dollars. But such devices were not available in that day and age and in this case the boy wasn't really related to the lady whose name was LaVonne Eubanks (nee La Vonne Robison). He was the little brother of her best friend.

Thinking Out Loud: Stumbling to Reason

When lawmakers make bad law as a kneejerk reaction to the social movement of the day, without first viewing it through some Constitutional prism, they may quiet the natives for a while, but there's often a boomerang effect. Sooner or later, with any luck, dumb laws get their day in court.

And there's no better target for dumb laws than your guns.

Mirror Ministries: Do I Want to be Transparent?

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“Is it about me? Or is it about them?”

“Or is it about me being transparent to help them?”

This was part of my conversation with the Lord this morning. As a writer, I want to help people. And because of that, I’m very aware of trends in writing and blogging and what the industry says is popular or necessary to reach masses of people.

Jesus told parables. The industry says to tell stories.

Thinking Out Loud: There’s More Than One Way to Burn a Book

After years of watching the teaching of American History fade to near irrelevance in public school classrooms across the country -- even disappearing from some school curricula, we've been treated to the further indignity of seeing our past whitewashed with the removal of all things related to the Confederacy.

Or perhaps more accurately, half the story of the Civil War.

In New Orleans a few weeks ago, I headed downtown to what was once a favorite spot to watch the Mardi Gras parades pass down St. Charles Avenue, at Lee Circle.

Leo's Lance: How Do You Plan Your Life?

How did you plan your life?

This question bothered me early in life, when I discovered I really had no plan. I don't remember sitting down with a pen and paper and outlining what I was going to do with my live, and where I was going to live.

I just assumed that would be taken care of.

You might take a look at my bank account and say: "It looks like he made a mess of things." But looking at things from another direction, I've had a pretty good life for an old country boy without a lot of education.

Love -- Stronger Than Any Current

Grandma: Sit down by me for a minute or two for I have a story to tell. Grandson: Is it going to take long? Grandma: It may take a little time but I need to explain how deep my love is for you. Grandson: Then go ahead, Grandma. I have all the time in the world.

 

Wright Words -- A Victory for Area Farmers

West Texans scored a victory late last week with the U.S. House of Representative's passage of the proposed 2018 Farm Bill. Now with the U.S. Senate anticipated to take up a chamber vote on their version in the coming weeks, we appear to be moving one step closer to a favorable legislation for our area's producers. Especially those who -- like many here in Gaines County and the region do -- produce cotton. Last week's 213-211 victory came almost a month after members of the U.S. House failed to approve the measure in it's first vote.

Thinking Out Loud: What's Going on at the Border?

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About the only thing that Americans seem to agree upon lately is that we have a broken immigration policy. From there, unless you're a border official in a desperate situation, trying to sort out who is an actual "family" and who is trafficking in 12-yearolds, everything else descends into a haze of media disinformation and finger-pointing, fueled by political opportunism.