There is an old saying that goes, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Well, what if it IS broke? Sad to say, this is the case in our society today. The mass shootings, parents who pay big money to get their kids into prestigious colleges, newscasts that are dominated by horrific crimes, television shows featuring violence and bloodshed, and the list is endless. In our country we have always had crime and always will, but we can take action to slow it down. Perhaps we could even return to…

While there may be some argument from fans of other sports because of large television viewing audiences, I believe baseball is America’s favorite pastime. This is because baseball is the sport that generations have grown up playing. From the Industrial Revolution to the Cold War to our present day, baseball has survived countless economic endeavors and national hardships. To say it very simply, baseball has survived the test of time. One of the reasons this is true is because of American Legion Baseball, which began in 1925 in the most…

Here is something about as close to a sure thing as you can get: the vast majority of American parents love their children and would do most anything they could to protect them from harm, injury and certainly death. Yet many of these same parents do not take the time to talk with -- and certainly educate -- their children who are old enough to drive an automobile about the dangers of texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. And it is also a sure thing that many…

In my column today I want to talk with you about a topic that was not even around when most of us were growing up: Internet safety for children. I wish it were not even necessary to write this column, but sadly it is, because there are some bad people in this world today. As a result of what I am going to say, if you have not already done so, please talk with your children and grandchildren about it and how they can keep from being a victim. If…

If you are a small business owner and have one or more teenagers, there are a plethora of reasons why you should hire them to work for you. For clarity’s sake, rather than using him/her from this point forward, I have opted to use the female gender. There are a number of jobs she can do, including filing, database work, typing, cleaning, maintenance, warehousing and countless others. What follows are six good reasons why both you and your child can benefit from hiring her. No. 1: She can develop a…

The other day I received an e-mail from a good friend, and it really got me to thinking. The title of the e-mail was “Do we live in such a dumb country?” The text of the e-mail was all about the laws that politicians have made, and how the rest of us have to live with these laws. Here is a sample of the text that will give you a good idea of what I am talking about. The article begins: “If you can get arrested for hunting and fishing…

One time I heard a story about a little boy who crawled under a big tent, thinking he was getting into the circus free, but when he got inside it turned out to be a revival meeting. Life is filled with surprises and disappointments of various kinds, but this is one facet of life which makes it so interesting. When you think about it, I believe you will agree that much of the drama of life would be destroyed if this were not the case. From my perspective, it would…

On a day-by-day basis, how we view our circumstances in life is often a matter of perspective, and this is especially true when it comes to raising children. Here is an example of what I mean: One time a woman said to a friend, “Our marriage would have broken up years ago if it hadn’t been for the children. We can’t get a divorce, because he won’t take them and neither will I.” Children are a precious gift from God, but they don’t always perform or act in a manner…

Some time ago, my wife and I attended a graduation exercise for a class of nurses at one of our fine hospitals in nearby Little Rock. Near the end of the program, the head instructor read something titled, “What is class?” It was so good that I went to her afterwards and asked for a copy of it. In today’s times, we often hear it said of someone that they have “class”, but have you ever thought about what the word “class” really means when it’s used in this way?…

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Any government, like any family, can for a year spend a little more than it earns. But you and I know the continuance of that habit means the poorhouse.” How many people do you know in today’s society who spend more than they earn? Our nation’s collective massive credit card debt, amassed by individuals, should give you a hint. From my observation, I think one of the hardest lessons for many people to learn in today’s times is how to do without. It’s…