Stories & Blogs
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 16, 2023
** Anne Lamott writes in Traveling Mercies, “I was raised by parents to believe that you had a moral obligation to try to save the world.” The Sunday Question: What message, if any, did your parent/s give to you? If not parent/s, who taught you to believe, and what was it you were to believe,…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 9, 2023
** As part of morning errands, Beth wanted to bring home breakfast burritos. Both a local burrito place and McDonald’s told Beth, “Sorry, we are out of eggs.” This was a surprise and a bit hard to understand. ** How we communicate with our devices in 2023. To Phone: “Hey Siri.” In our car it…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 2, 2023
** My naive 1960’s hope was to change the world, make society better, healthier, safer for all both nationally and internationally. Thus, for elected members of Congress to say, “There is nothing we can do about children being murdered with assault weapons,” it is an individual and institutional sin. I say that because, I truly…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 26, 2023
** I was granted a Master of Theology in May of 1970. I was well prepared to interpret the historical and cultural context of the Bible and to encourage and support a faith experience. Missing in that training were best practices in growing healthy, healing, sustaining organizations, recruiting/training board members, personnel issues, reading financial statements…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 19, 2023
** I am sharing with SL readers a partial list of my favorite sustaining words and phrases: Seeking common ground….Servant Leadership….To Hope, to Care anyway…To be a Witness….To show Mercy and to give Grace….Mystical & Magical…To Create…Never go away…Being present…Listening…Being a Neighbor…I can roller skate in a buffalo herd (Roger Williams)…More words next SL **…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 12, 2023
** Anyone who lives in an urban area can be approached by a panhandler at an intersection. Arlington, TX has taken a unique approach to signage at these same intersections. “It’s OK to say no to panhandlers.” ** Imagine connecting with a friend not seen or known about since 1965. (And yes, I realize there…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 5, 2023
** News Movement is a new, developing online news service for young people. The average age of their reporters is 25. News sources include Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. Traditional 5:30 pm network news ads have aged into dentures, and medications. ** National and state news this week was more about who to exclude,…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for February 26, 2023
** Beth and I replaced our 10 yr. old IPhone 7’s with IPhone 12’s. The technology changes are a challenge for me, the slower “to get it” of the two. ** From President Jimmy Carter, age 98: “America did not invent human rights. In a very real sense, human rights invented America. “ ** Following…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for February 19, 2023
** Most of us know the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. What you may not have noticed is the back of their helmets. Many players have messages of hope. Several I noticed are: Inspire Stop Hate Together Seek Love Imagine Unity ** From my current morning Fiction: “Give me coffee to change the…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for February 12, 2023
** I recently had the opportunity to talk with two nonprofit Exec. Directors, one in-person in Amarillo and one by cell in Santa Fe. We three are always interested in the best, most effective way to lead an agency or direct a program. Our question as we talked was about our leadership style when: 1)…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for September 6, 2026
Living Beyond Our Heroes The recent deaths of Dolly Parton (80) and Wendell Berry (92) have given me a reflective pause and also inspired me to write about Heroes this Sunday. Dolly gave of her talents, loving heart, and economy capacity to make life better for individuals, families, here in America and to international cultures…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for August 30, 2026
Beginnings and Continuings Beginnings: What have you begun in 2026 or have considered beginning? What interests your current focus and energy? There is a tendency, especially as we age, to lessen or embrace of the new or different. A new adventure, cause, music or craft provides an uplift of our eyes, energy and spirit. In…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for August 23, 2026
The Small & The Big Of Life It is not always the large and big in life that makes a difference. In golf, it is not the 300-yard drive but the 70-yard wedge to the pin that creates birdies and lower scores. And speaking of birds, we have Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Woodpeckers. The come…
Roy’ Sunday Letter for August 16, 2026
Change Has Changed & Will Continue To Change The first workshop I attended on “The Nature of Change ” was in the early 1980’s. Although, I knew something different and important was happening, I was slow to grasp the pace and impact of Change. I first thought of Change in Stages…Adjust to one Stage, then…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for August 9, 2026
An Open Sharing By A Medically Private Person Friday, August 7th, was an important day medically for us. Beth and I listened as Dr. Dean, Texas Oncology, ruled out immediate concerns of Leukemia. He prescribed a new medication to lower my blood platelet count to be within normal range, preventing strokes and I will be…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for August 2, 2026
The What Was…What Is…& The What Will Be Of Life Sometimes the memory connection is the posting of a photo or description of an event, who was there, what was accomplished and enjoyed together. Other memories and connections may be painful both then and even still now. “The What Was” parts of my life are…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for July 26, 2026
The Original Harley Party Now 31st Event July 25 Aft 31 years, what is special and long lasting about a wall white board full of names, dollars, and events from Denver to Austin? Add a board member bringing Bourbon and cups, a troubling Cash Flow report, and me, the new Executive Director, recruited from Fort…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for July 19, 2026
Letting Go to Find Your True You When I was young man, my image 0f being a helper and a fixer shaped the ways I worked, related to Beth, our parents, and friends. My interests and skills as helper and fixer grew along with my leadership roles in hospital and community agency settings. In this…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for July 12, 2026
Ways To Make It Through Texas July & August Heat TV weather forecast for July and August in Texas is Hot – Hot – & Hotter. This Sunday Letter will offer ways to not only to survive but perhaps find fun and enjoyable ways to be curious and joyful in the heat. Escaping Texas for…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for July 5, 2026
Caring For Birds…..Birds Caring for Us My life is blessed by the colors, beauty, and the visitations of birds each day. Our neighborhood of trees and bushes encourage their natural presence. Larger birds as Doves, Blue Jays, Crackels, and Cardinals and small birds of Titmouse, Finch, and Sparrows give us their best. The smaller birds…