For a dedicated cook, a kitchen remodel can be a blessing. During the process, however, it seems much the opposite! I currently have no countertops, no stove, and no sink, so experimenting with recipes will have to wait a while. However, here are a couple of great potato salad recipes for th…
If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. The Panola Watchman gladly accepts letters that are 300 words or less and pertain to Panola County. Letter writers must include their name, phone number, email and city of residence when submitting items (only names and city will be published).
For a dedicated cook, a kitchen remodel can be a blessing. During the process, however, it seems much the opposite! I currently have no countertops, no stove, and no sink, so experimenting with recipes will have to wait a while. However, here are a couple of great potato salad recipes for th…
When Joab led King David’s warriors out to fight against the rebellion of his son, Absalom, as revealed in 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, it was with the words, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom” (v. 5). There was a son who wanted his father dead. There was a father who wanted…
Sometimes, when we think about fearing God, we feel like we might lose out on the good things in life. But the truth is there are many blessings that come with acknowledging God’s sovereignty and power. Here are a few reasons why reverencing the Lord is a very good idea.
The Book of Ephesians emphasizes that we are justified by faith. When we are justified, we receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:1-16, is the beginning of the ethical teaching of the fruits of unity: such as being humble, gentile, patient, understanding and peaceful. We could co…
King David’s adultery with the beautiful Bathsheba led to an unwanted pregnancy and the intrigue, deception and the arranged death of her husband Uriah, as revealed in 2 Samuel 11:1-15. The king was unable to get the disciplined soldier, Uriah, to spend time with his wife. Therefore, he sent…
One of the many “things that matter” are the statements being made today by fellow Americans. No doubt you have heard many of them. In case you missed some, here are “bits and pieces” you can read on the way back from the mailbox. For example: “I haven’t heard one politician say how they pla…
Like the Israelites, we too have been entrusted with the responsibility to teach by instruction and example the truth of God’s Word, which results in a desire to walk obediently before the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit. Since both instruction and example are necessary, we must have co…
We all have access to the Father through Christ, as indicated in Ephesians 2:11-22. Both Jew, “those who were near” (v. 17), and Gentile, “you who were far off” (v. 17), have equal access to Jesus Christ, who bridged the gap for us to the Father. “So then you are no longer strangers and alie…
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live t…
June is Men’s Health Awareness Month and a great time to shed light on factors that can lead to hearing loss and signs that hearing aids are needed.
On June 23, Comrade Joe Biden gave us all great insight into his incompetency. Once again, the wannabe tyrant painted a picture for grade schoolers that guns are the reason for the unacceptable rise in crime. Oh, he went further to help us more ignorant folks understand that it was all the l…
Sometimes it seems as though only a pie will do, but it’s just too hot to fire up the oven. Well, have I got a deal for you!
Salome was at the birthday party of Herod Antipas. She was the daughter of Herodias, Herod’s illegitimate wife, as stated in Mark 6:14-29. The beautiful daughter of Herodias took in Herod, so he asked her to dance for the guests. Herod said, “Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give it” …
Well, it’s been a while since submitting a “Things That Matter” article for public reading. Several people have asked, “What happened to your writing?” Or, “We miss your articles!” I am honored by your comments and expressions of appreciation! Better just leave it at that rather than telling…
College athletes can now officially make money.
Samuel traveled to Bethlehem in search of the person God had chosen to be the next king of Israel. Jesse’s son David was the last to be interviewed by Samuel. When David entered the room Samuel knew that this was the one, and he anointed him to be Israel’s next king (1 Samuel 16:11). When Da…
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribul…
Two miracle stories are told, in Mark 5:21-43. One demonstrates Jesus’s power over disease. A woman touched his garment and was healed of her disease. The other demonstrates his authority over death. A Jewish official (Jairus) had a daughter who was already dead, and mourners were wailing wh…
If the oven-like feeling outside wasn’t obvious enough, summer is in full swing here in East Texas. For a variety of reasons, many of us will be doing more outside, from working hay fields to clearing brush to pure recreation. Safety is rightfully the No. 1 concern for any activity, and the …
“I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One person dies of heart disease every 36 seconds, equaling about 655,000 deaths per year in America. Here are some tips on preventing heart disease.
King Saul worried that little David was no match for the giant, Goliath, as revealed in 1 Samuel 17:32-49. However, David put aside the armor of the king and went out to face the giant with a slingshot and five smooth stones. David challenged Goliath saying, “You come to me with sword and sp…
“Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6).
The way the current College Football playoff is set up, it’s not really feasible for a mid-major school or anyone outside a Power 5 Conference — excluding Notre Dame — to have a shot at making it.
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:6-17, knew firsthand the weakness, suffering and rejection of the apostles of Christ. As he reflects on these things, he speaks of faith, “If the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands” (v. 1). “We are always co…
“But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.” (Luke 10:40).
June is peach season, and I understand we’re expecting bumper crops this year. Have you ever tried canning peaches? Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has a great guide to canning all kinds of fruit, and you can download it for free at http://counties.agrilife.org/jasper/files/2014/06/preservi…
Fearing that Jesus was out of his mind, his family sought to restrain him, as indicated in Mark 3:20-35. The scribes accredited his power over demons to Beelzebub, the ruler of demons, implying he was possessed. Jesus answered in two parables: a house divided, and plundering a strong man’s h…
This past year was nothing short of difficult. With a contagious and deadly virus spreading rapidly across our country, many Texans lived in fear. For most of 2020, the country lived in isolation. Businesses shut down, schools switched to remote learning, and we all searched for some glimmer…
How do you know if you live in the city or the country? For some, any place without a Whole Foods is rural. For others, a stoplight is a harbinger of urban sprawl.
School’s out for summer! No one is more excited than I am. I never thought when we came back to school in August of 2020 that we would ever make the entire school year. Granted, it had its moments; lots of virtual learning, quarantines, etc. but we made it.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
What is the Pentecost Spirit? The concepts of the Pentecost are many as to the meaning of the Spirit. All of them refer to the Holy Spirit and promise freedom, unity, power and joy. In Acts 2:1-21, we hear the sound like the rush of a mighty wind, fire touching each of them, and the understa…
“When Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table” (Matthew 26:6-7).
Last week, the House hit an important deadline, the last day to debate House bills. With things moving fast and furious this week, the House passed several important measures.
God’s plans for his son, Jesus Christ, involved his birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus’s birth was by the Holy Conception with his earthly mother Mary, his death was the hands of the Roman Government. Jesus Christ’s resurrection was by his Heavenly Father, who the Angels were or…
Last week has been a long one in Austin, with floor debates going late into the night several nights. But I am committed to delivering conservative results for East Texas, which is what we have been seeing out of the Texas House.
Faith, in 1 John 5:1-6, is the victory that conquers the world. In the context of a baptismal confession that emphasizes love for God and neighbor, this mighty claim is made: “For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world: our faith” (v.4).
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the…
Happy Spring to you all! We survived the coldest winter East Texas has experienced in all of my lifetime. We’re seeing the negative results of the sub-zero temps with many plants, trees and flowers that have failed to bloom back this spring. It’s sad to see, but it’s the cycle of nature. We’…
By hour 10 of sitting in the darkness, with no phone or internet and temperatures plunging to 3 degrees Fahrenheit, I knew a slow-motion disaster was underway. There was nothing to do but wait. Without electricity, my well would not pump water, which meant I couldn’t drip faucets, which mean…
We are in the final month of the 87th Texas Legislative Session, the home stretch, and things are moving fast in Austin.
There’s a lot going on in May, with Mother’s Day and graduation to keep us busy. In planning for this month, it occurred to me that on Mother’s Day, the “pros” will be taking the day off, and the “amateurs” will be stepping up to the plate. So, keeping that in mind, I’m offering a couple of …
Reading through an article on Texas groundwater management can often leave you scratching your head, thinking “Did I just read a military briefing or a baseball statistician report?”
“I am the true vine and my Father is the vine-grower” in John 15:1-8. With these abrupt words John introduces another symbol for our understanding of Christ and Christian disciples. The allegory reveals Christ as the vine, and believers as the fruit bearing branches that are cut away and bur…
The list of things my wife has brought into our lives that have attempted to kill or maim me over the span of our 23-year marriage continues to grow.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!” (Psalm 103:1)
Ever wonder why some of our favorite restaurants we’ve enjoyed through the years suddenly closed? And what made those restaurants our favorites? Let’s stroll down memory lane and see if you can help me figure out the answers.
Most Texans don’t think the political divisions in the state are as bad as they look; 81 percent told surveyors for a new Threads of Texas project that Texans’ common attitudes outnumber their differences.