My Blog Post Archives - Page 4 of 45

20 Pieces of Advice From Our Elders

1. The most important person in your life is the person who agreed to share their life with you. Treat them as such. 2. You might live a long life, or you might live a short one — who knows. But either way, trust me when I say that you’re going to wish you took better care of yourself in your youth. 3. Stuff is just stuff. Don’t hold onto material objects, hold onto time and experiences instead. 4. Jealousy destroys relationships. Trust your significant other, because who else are you supposed to trust? 5. People always say, ’’Make sure you get a job doing what you love!’’ But that isn’t the best advice. The right job is the job you love some days, can tolerate most days, and still pays the bills. Almost nobody has a job they love every day. 6. If you’re getting overwhelmed by life, just return to the immediate present moment and savour all that is beautiful and comforting. Take a deep breath, relax. 7. Years go by in the blink of an eye. Don’t marry young. Live your life. Go places. Do things. If you have the means or not. Pack a bag and [...]

By Paul Stanley|2017-01-04T13:51:11-06:00January 4th, 2017|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Christmas, Chaukah and the Electoral College

Editors Note: This post came my way through an email generated by David Burton, a Christian and neighbor of Dr. Burton. The piece below is well-written and captures the true spirit of the Christian-Judeo relationship. Perhaps it is no coincidence that, after a particularly contentious year, that the first night of Chanukah occurs on Christmas (this last occurred in 1959). As American Jews prepare to celebrate Chanukah, which commemorates our struggle for freedom of worship, we should recognize that that our ability to do so is not the norm. Millions of people around the world are being persecuted for practicing their Christian or Jewish faith. As we reflect on our blessings during this holiday season we should consider the historical roots of America whose founders developed a new system of governance that continues to safeguard the rights of minorities to live in freedom and worship as they please. In the Pledge of Allegiance we “pledge allegiance…to the Republic for which is stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” America was founded by Christian Pilgrims who fled England with the hope of being able to practice their religion without fear of persecution. Despite the fact that [...]

By Paul Stanley|2016-12-28T16:28:47-06:00December 28th, 2016|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Oxford, MS Mourns: When It’s Just Too Close to Home

Note: This excellent post was written by Oxford, MS resident and writer, Toni Overby, about the three couples who died in a tragic airplane accident last Sunday while returning from a dental conference. Two years ago I wrote a similar piece about two Christian Brothers High School students. Toni's article captures the essence of a grieving community and I encourage you to read her words. When It's Just Too Close to Home I wish this could be one of my sarcastic posts. I’m good at those, better, I think, than of these posts that are somber and depressing. But in true human fashion, the funny doesn’t always teach. The funny doesn’t pull us closer to God. The tragic, however, often does. I’m experiencing for the first time since September 11, 2001, a community that in its entirety is reeling from a loss so big we can physically feel it surrounding us. The air is thick and it is suffocating, and it is choking the life out of my tiny town even as we celebrate our very own Olympian at the same time this tragedy has occurred (who really pulled through for us by the way, and for that, Sam Kendricks, I [...]

By Paul Stanley|2016-08-18T09:09:30-05:00August 18th, 2016|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Why Bob Shutt Deserves to Represent State Senate District 26

Early voting has begun and one of our most important choices this year is choosing our next State Senator in District 26. As a former member of both the Tennessee State House and Senate, I recommend and plan on voting for Bob Shutt in the Republican primary. Here are few reasons why. I personally know both Dolores Gresham, the incumbent, and Bob Shutt. I was born and raised in this district and my family has known the Shutt family for over fifty years. Bob and his wife Janie have raised their children and built a successful business in their hometown. I served with Ms. Gresham in both the House and the Senate and have a great deal of respect for both she and her husband Will. But personalities and relationships aside, this election should be about business, not relationships. Speaking of business, jobs are the single biggest challenge facing Senate District 26. I believe Donald Trump would agree. Jobs Of the eight counties in the district, all are in dire need of jobs. Without additional economic development, many of the district's smallest communities will suffer educationally, socially and economically. Fayette County, on the district's western end, is fortunate to be [...]

By Paul Stanley|2016-07-20T07:57:14-05:00July 20th, 2016|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Sweet Tea Is ‘Southern’ So Let’s Own It

I love sweet tea. I love sweet tea as much as I love the South. For me it is the most refreshing, thirst-quenching drink during the dog days of southern summers when the concrete around tennis courts or the pool could easily scramble an egg. Sweet Iced Tea is as southern as magnolia trees, pecan pie and catching lighting bugs at dusk. It’s part of our southern lifestyle. Lately some have suggested we Southerners abandon our patent – their monolith – unyoke our burden -on sweet iced tea so those in other regions may feel more comfortable. Or as one writer suggested, our fascination with sweet tea as an “archetype.” Bulls**t. Hogwash for those of you who don’t curse. When my children attempt to order “sweet tea” in the Midwest most servers’ offer a perplexed expression before saying “unsweet” is all they offer and pointing to the sugar or artificial sweetener’s as an alternative to “sweet.” But adding these small packets to iced tea is no different than putting lipstick on a pig. It doesn’t make it taste or look like it should. I tried drinking unsweet iced tea. Drank it that way for years. It wasn’t the same and could [...]

By Paul Stanley|2016-07-03T12:34:13-05:00July 3rd, 2016|My Blog Post|Comments Off