This column is dedicated to my good friend, Faulkner County Judge Jim Baker, as he gave me the idea for it. He also caused me to stop and think about all the great things I have that are free and did not cost me a cent in terms of money. Hopefully, my words will cause you to stop and think about all the great things you have that are free as well. In the preface for my new book, “Your Future Begins Today,” Jim states: “This book helped me remember…

You know, there is one thing about life that I have discovered, and that is no matter how much experience you have or how much you have been doing a particular thing, you will always discover things or run across things that you have never heard of before. Such is the case for me today, thanks to my good friend Colleen Holt, who edits my column and is also the communications specialist for the First United Methodist Church here in Conway. She is well aware that I am the founder…

Every once in a while, here at our home in Arkansas, we see a beautiful monarch butterfly. Both Janis and I love them because they are so beautiful, but that is about all we knew about them. That was until I got to be friends with a fellow Kiwanian by the name of David DeRosa. David did a program for our club a while back about the monarch butterfly, but sadly I had to miss this particular meeting because it came at a time when Janis was in the hospital…

Several years ago, Dr. Heartsill Wilson wrote a quote of inspiration titled “The Beginning of a New Day” that has helped a lot of people take stock of where they are and have made a commitment to do better in the future. First, let me give you the quote, and then I have some follow-up comments to make. “This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today…

Being able to read is one of the greatest blessings any of us could ever have. Those of us who are literate have doors open for us every day that are not there for those who cannot read. According to ProLiteracy, there are more than 43 million American adults who cannot read and function in society above a third-grade level. Of all the things the Lord has helped me achieve over the years, the one thing that brings more satisfaction than anything else is the Conway Bookcase Project that I…

As I look back over my life and the 50-plus years of being in business for myself, I realize that some of the greatest blessings I have had include being a member of some really good civic clubs. Let me be quick to add that, because of a number of valid reasons like health, travel, schedule and work, it is not possible for many people to be a part of a civic club. The theme of most all civic clubs is “service” and giving back to help those less fortunate…

It has long been my philosophy that if we are going to learn something truly worthwhile, we need to learn from the best. For today’s topic “Questions to Ask Yourself,” I am indebted to my good friend Coach Cliff Garrison, long-time basketball coach of the Hendrix College Warriors here in Conway, and one of the all-time winningest coaches in our state. Cliff also shares my philosophy about learning from the best, and that is why he is a long-time student of Coach John Wooden, who won 10 national basketball championships.…

Have you ever had a television commercial completely turn you off? Well, I have and each time I see it I am reminded of how far our society has fallen over the past several decades. This is a commercial sponsored by a Pine Bluff casino that opened several months ago. It features a piano playing entertainer who can also sing. He is really good and not only uses body gyrations to set the mood but also drags his foot across the keys to showcase his skills. The people they have…

If you get sick or need surgery in my hometown of Conway, Arkansas, you would be truly blessed, as we have two world-class hospitals. We have Conway Regional Medical Center that started in 1921 and has been the primary care and surgery hospital for these many years. We also have a newcomer to our community for less than 10 years, Baptist Health Medical Center. Baptist is located alongside Interstate 40 and is so big and impressive that it is larger than some of the towns in our state. You know…

There is a word in the English language that I don’t use very often, but it’s good to have it available when I need it. The word I am talking about is “resonate.” It means, “to have a particular meaning or importance for someone: to affect or appeal to someone in a particular or emotional way.” This word came to mind when I thought about what I wanted to share with you today. A while back a friend gave me something titled, “Ten Rules for Success.” As I read it,…