My son, Joseph, and I have a small cowherd – 30 mama cows in all. I stay involved for two reasons. First, it keeps me tied to the land and to my past. Secondly, it contributes to my mental health. Joseph partners with me because he thinks he’s making money. Of course, raising cattle is not without its challenges.
Sometimes I wonder if I spend too much of my time looking back. I certainly don’t believe in attempting to live in the past. But I am convinced of the importance of taking the best of your past with you as you take on the future.
I don’t know about you, but I am growing a bit weary with all this fake stuff – fake, artificial and virtual – whatever you choose to call it. I’m not really sure when fake came on the scene.
The very first “Star Wars” movie came out in 1977. I was 3 years old. That essentially means I’ve never known life without Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader or The Force.
That’s what we used to call them, “blue jeans.” Now we call them “jeans.”
Business speaker Jim Rohn said, “Of the two great eternities that exert a pull on your life – one is called the past, the other is called the future – make sure the greatest pull on your life is the pull of the future. Because you can’t go back.” Paul, the apostle, said it this way. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the mark for the prize…” And let’s face it; Paul had a lot to try to forget.
We have a chance of rain showers scattered around Middle Tennessee on Tuesday through Thursday this week with high temperatures warming to between 50 and 55 degrees.
I’m the guy everybody hates as soon as I step in the building. And it’s by virtue of my fashion alone.
The last many months have been very rough for our community, our country and us as human beings. I must admit it has taken a toll on me personally in a lot of ways as well. I have caught myself worrying more and laughing a lot less. I’m worried about my country, my family, my grandkids and m…
My mother was an extraordinary person. I suppose any son who was fortunate enough to have a loving, nurturing mother would consider his mother to be exceptional. Mine was blessed with a sharp mind along with loads of common sense – a rare combination.
The middle portion of the week is looking pretty good with partly sunny skies and temperatures likely hitting the 50-degree mark.
Jan. 9, 1922, is the birthday of my late father, Frank Thomas McCall, Sr. A veteran of World War II, he served with the Army Air Corp in the European theater.
Well, it seems like yesterday I was writing about the beginning of 2020. I’m serious. When I began to play my treasured Christmas music back in late November, I had a feeling I had just been listening to it a few months before. There just doesn’t seem to be as much time between annual holidays as there use to be.
Now that the New Year is upon us, I thought now would be a great time to tell you to keep up the great work. 2020 has been a tough and unique year to say the least and I am happy to see 2020 go. I am now looking forward to 2021 and all the blessings it will bring.
Winter begins Dec. 21 at 4:02 a.m. and sunset that day is 4:36 p.m. but the days start getting longer now and sunset on New Year’s Day is 4:43 p.m.
A few years back, bestselling author John Grisham published a book titled “Skipping Christmas”. It is a delightful story about a family, the Kranks, who decide to skip Christmas all together — no Christmas tree, no holiday parties, no presents.
Years ago, before I became involved in politics, members of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Agency (TNECD) spoke at my local Rotary Club and shared a story about their discussions with Nissan about relocating its headquarters from California to Tennessee.
Looking back on the days of my youth, I suppose there were no days that passed by more slowly than those between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve.
Voting is the beating heart of our republic, and every eligible, legal American citizen should have the opportunity to participate in our electoral system. That is a given.
This is going to be a pretty chilly week across Middle Tennessee with the warmest days in the mid- to upper-40s near the end of the week.
Our democracy endures.
The shorter catechism, “Agreed upon by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminister,” as the old New England Primer has it, asks the ancient questions what and why, and answers them in one short sentence hardly matched in any uninspired work. “Question: What is the chief End of Man? Answ…
“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.” — Franklin D Roosevelt
I suppose I have always had a fascination with books. It may be because Mrs. Willingham turned me on to Ted and Sally in the first grade. Or, it may be because reading, writing and ‘rithmatic were emphasized more back in the days of my youth. I can’t remember my mother reading to me, but for some reason, I caught the reading bug early on, and I have been an avid reader ever since.
It is going to be a beautiful week of weather across Middle Tennessee with sunny days and clear nights.
