The Fourth of July, 2018 is less than approximately twenty-six hours away as I write this article. It is fitting at this time to reflect on the sacrifices of innumerable veterans and active military that have provided me the freedom to write and you to read these words.
Servicemen and women embody a type of love, the fifth of five endangered characteristics of true character suggested by Bill Hybels in his book Who You Are When No One’s Looking: Choosing Consistency, Resisting Compromise. The previous two weeks have focused on tender and tough love in lives of compassionate and hardhearted people. This week I share with you a third type of love, sacrificial love.

In looking through the Wednesday grocery ads. I came across one for diapers. “So what!” you probably will say. Let me tell you what. Without the store coupon, the price was $24.99 for a super pack.

The Union County Legislative body meeting in regular session at Maynardville, Tennessee, on the 11th Day of June, 2018, adopted a resolution drafted and presented by 1st District Commissioner Stan Dail “Ensuring Public Safety and Paving the Way for Economic Development in Union County.”

I saw a picture of a man tying up his tenny shoes or Nikes or whatever they are called nowadays. The laces were long, white and had those little metal whatsamacallits at the end of each lace. What I would have given for a set of them back in the day. Shoelaces during the Great Depression were not very sturdy. We always needed to have an extra pair in a drawer somewhere.

The founding fathers could not have picked a better day for a national holiday. The spring rains have usually passed. Summer has arrived in earnest. The Fourth of July is an ideal date to reserve for outdoor activities such as picnicking, swimming, or watching a public fireworks show.

For young boys, Independence Day often holds a special allure. Around the age of six or seven, I put my best effort in to convincing my father to take me to the see the fireworks. His response “If you have seen one you have seen them all” anything but resonated with me.

From past biology classes you know that all animals require the right habitat that provides all that they need to survive. Habitat needs can be broken down into three basic components: reliable water, food, and cover. While water and food needs are easy to understand, cover is more dynamic, and its use varies from day to day and season to season.

A series of groundbreaking research reports in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet warn that low back pain is a major health burden globally—across developed and developing nations—and that the current use of X-rays and scans, opioids, injections and surgery to investigate and treat the condition is useless, unnecessary and harmful.

I was on the receiving end of one of my Mother’s retorts, or as I prefer to call them, lightning bolts.

Mom and I used to cook lunch at my grandparents’ house after church on Sundays. And I would bring my dog Little John with me. Let me tell you, my grandparents loved that little dog. They used to dog-sit him while I was at work. I came to pick him up one day and they had driven him around the block. He was restless and they thought he needed a ride. I’m not making this up. They even kept a picture of him on their mantle.

What do a new playground, a drunk driving simulator and exercise for seniors have in common?

They're all coming to Union County with state grants applied for by the Union County Mayor's office.

Traveling can be rough on the body. Whether you are traveling alone on business, or on your way to a sunny resort with your family, long hours in a car or on an airplane can leave you stressed, tired, stiff and sore.