When I began this column back in 1995 in my hometown newspaper, the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, Arkansas, I made a commitment to my readers that I would never get involved in partisan politics. To be sure, I have been true to this commitment all these years. And I have also learned that my readers are some of the most intelligent individuals in our nation. I do not plan on violating my commitment, but today I do wish to talk about something that is very important that can be…

Someone once said that luck is when the bread falls on the floor with the buttered side up. Now, that is hard to beat. Because there are millions of people in our prosperous country who base their future on luck, I felt it might be a good investment of our time today to talk about this a little bit. I am sure you have heard this statement before, “That man or that woman is the luckiest person in the world.” We have all been around people who seem to have…

Here is an interesting question that I would like to invite you to think with me about for a few minutes today. Have you ever seen a dog’s face right in the middle of him or her chasing a rabbit? Well, as one who has, I can tell you it’s the most interesting and exciting thing in all the world, especially for the dog. Believe it or not, this little allegory has a real principle that can make a tremendous difference in our lives. Before I get into it, here…

One evening last week the phone rang, and on the other end of the line was a lady who reads my column in one of our fine Kentucky newspapers. After she introduced herself, she made this comment: “I have been meaning to write to you for some time. Each week after reading your column I feel better.” She then went on to tell me that she works for a hairdresser in a beauty shop and is constantly around negative people. After thinking about our conversation, I decided to share some…

My friend, please allow me to begin our time today with a question: When your picture is taken in a group setting, and you see the print for the very first time, whose picture do you look for first? Of course, the correct answer is “your own,” as this is just human nature. Today I want to tell you about a terrific advertising idea. Since most of us who are gainfully employed are in the “people” business to provide a product or service, this should be of interest to all…

Around our house when a series of bad luck or a petty controversy arises, we have a saying “This too shall pass,” and praise God, it always has. I must believe this also applies to our country as we are ploughing some rough seas just now. The reason I believe this is true is because there are enough “Godly” people here that God will continue to bless us. However, this will only happen if enough of us work to make it happen. For this to take place, we must pause…

As a syndicated columnist, I am always on the lookout for stories and ideas that I feel will benefit you and help you in some way. For several months now, Janis and I have been hearing about a little restaurant up in Leslie, Arkansas, called the Skylark Café. It is off the main highway and the beaten path, but there is always a crowd of people there eating those delicious home-cooked meals they serve. So, one day Janis and I made the 75 mile or so trip up there to…

While working with people over the years, one of the most reassuring truths I have ever discovered is that we all have the potential to do a better job than we are doing and consequently earn more of the rewards that can be ours. The reason this statement is true is because of a natural law that operates in the universecalled “The Law of Consequences.” Are you familiar with this law? Do you truly understand that every “action” will have a “reaction” and for every act we perform there is…

The Holy Bible contains 66 books — 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Sandwiched between the books of Nehemiah and Job in the Old Testament is the little book of Esther. It only contains 10 chapters but what a story it must tell. It took four years for the people in Branson, Mo., to build the set, select and train the cast and prepare the Sight and Sound Theater for overflow crowds to see a production of this story. We were among them several weeks…

If you are a regular reader of this column, over the years you have read and heard me say many times that “repetition” is one of the most important habits or ingredients in getting a good education. I have often quoted a university study that found a message read or heard one time was almost completely washed out of the mind a mere 24 hours later. However, a message read or heard several times each day for eight days is practically memorized, and after 30 days the mind retains more…