Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Addictive behavior can destroy the addict as well as those around them. Addicts find it harder and harder to distinguish reality from imagination. They tell themselves lies and demand others accept the lies as truth. Dealing with an addict can be very exhausting. Addicts respond to theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer I have often heard it said that most of success is showing up. Well, I have shown up to Southeastern for 27 years now and still have a few years left in me. The Faculty Senate recognized my career with a Life Time Achievement Award. My success,Continue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Reading the Gospel of John on Easter provides a great insight into “Christian Leadership” and “Christian Citizenship.” John expresses in clear, unequivocal language the call to service and self-sacrifice. The mystery of Easter starts in John 13. Jesus is sitting down with his disciples for his “LastContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has fought her way past big government conservatives. She is on her way to confirmation to sit on the highest court in America. Her story is a story of America. As conservative Senators questioned her, both inside and outside theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Accountability is one of those words politicians love to throw around. Voters and politicians alike apply it to their opponents but rarely use it look in the mirror. Accountability means taking responsibility for one’s actions. Accountability requires weighing cause and effect. Did a certain word or actionContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Our Texas founding fathers knew we needed to guarantee public education if our State was to continue to be successful. They wrote: “A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. The first oil shock happened in 1973. Energy prices are set by “the market. The global energy market keeps failing us. We have known the market is failing us for 49 years. We knowContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer In 1776, Adam Smith published a ground breaking book, The Wealth of Nations. Smith introduced the French phrase laissez-faire to the English speaking world. The phrase best translates as “free market.” Smith criticized European monarchs for subsidizing domestic production and granting monopolies for foreign trade. He arguedContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Escalators are a modern marvel. The English word is derived from the word, escalade, meaning to climb. An escalator actually takes the effort out of climbing. They are a welcome sight in a mall or a subway station. Unfortunately, there are times in life when an escalatorContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer I will never forget my childhood trip to Berlin. My dad was stationed in Bamberg, Germany, and my parents wanted their children to see as much as possible. The trip to Berlin was different than others. The trip started with a night train. On most trips, weContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer A round 1755 BCE, the Babylonian King Hammurabi proclaimed a law code. For thousands of years it lay hidden in the ruins of Susa in modern Iran. It revealed the ancient origins of government. The text on the granite stele began with a preamble. Hammurabi claimed theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell couldn’t have been any clearer about Jan. 6. “It was a violent insurrection with the purpose of trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election. … That’s what it was.” McConnell made this statement in response toContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer In Matthew Chapter 13, Jesus told a parable about a sower. Since farming was a common occupation, it wasn’t hard to understand. Seeds, like words, require fertile soil to grow. Teachers can only do so much. Anyone familiar with growing plants knows, however, that with a littleContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Just over a year ago, I took a call from my cardiologist, Nikhil Joshi. My general practitioner had referred me to this heart specialist because I had a couple of unexplained fainting spells. I thought that I was healthy, but I still decided listened to my doctor.Continue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Growing up, we often had large family gatherings. When an unexpected member of the family showed up, Momma would say with a smile, “Look what the cat dragged in.” After Jackie and I moved to Texas, those large family gatherings grew less frequent. We did, however, startContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer On Jan. 6, 2021, Fox News host Laura Ingram texted Mark Meadows, Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff. Ingram begged, “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.” Everyone in theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer We live in a world of artificial lights. Light is all around us. It can even be with us twenty four hours if we want it. Natural light, however, brings so much joy. Who among us is not mesmerized by the glow of a candle, a fire orContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer The Gospel of Luke starts with the most recognizable image of Christmas: a babe, wrapped in bands of cloth, lying in a manger. The manger scene certainly is touching, but it is also powerful. It tells us everything we need to know about Christianity. The Christ child isContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer It’s always a good One of the best parts growing up as a Roman Catholic was enjoying all of the Holy Days. During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church controlled the calendar and established celebrations year round. These “holidays” taught and reinforced the faith. After theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Last week America won. It received strong news about the present economy and the outlook for the future. President Joe Biden and the Democratic Congress delivered on their promise to create and improve American jobs. The CNBC headline read “Job creation roars back in October as payrollsContinue Reading