Stories & Blogs

Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 26, 2026

About HOPE….How To Keep….Offer HOPE To Others Lately, as I have talked and listened to friends and family, I heard and felt their general despair. This despair seems to be from reports on the news, decisions being made by the unqualified, random acts of violence and harm to the innocent. I also heard and felt…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 19, 2026

Benefits of Letting the Old Man or Woman In Toby Keith wrote and recorded Don’t Let the Old Man In during his last months of treatment and eventual death from stomach cancer. There is a popular site offering T-shirts, hats, and bags with this message. I understand the resistance and push back of letting the…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 12, 2026

Paying Attention And Accepting My Limitations Beth, Peter, and I gather twice monthly to share writings and journals. We three also share of our individual lives. Beth and Peter encouraged me to allow a recent individual writing as the content of a Sunday Letter and thus I have done so this week. This Sunday Letter…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 5, 2026

This Easter weekend Beth & I walked our neighborhood block of 16 homes. Beth had prepared a gift bag for each neighbor with Zucchini bread, a card with her original art on the front and contact information. Both Jesus and Mr. Rogers spoke about neighbors. By knocking on 16 doors, we extended the hand of…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 29, 2026

Neighbors and Neighborhoods 2026 I am writing this week about the ways both neighbors and neighborhoods have changed, never to return to the days of images and memories of our experiences often reflected in a TV series or movie. Beth and I live on a traditional block of 16 homes. In my youth I grew-up…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 22, 2026

Being Safe, Prayers All Will Be Safe Where was your safe place as a child and later as a teen? Who were the individuals or groups who taught you about safety and provide you safety as a child…as a teen. Today, who are you teaching about safety and being free from harm? In what ways…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for Match 15, 2026

A Writing About Balancing The Quiet & The Noise A writer of people’s stories placed a recording microphone in a city park. His sign, asked a simple question, Who Inspired You? The resulting stories were of teachers, grandparents and the encouragement of others. I would add these similar signs: Who Gave You Comfort? Who Listened…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 8, 2026

Meaningful Insights of the Week This week’s Sunday Letter will highlight several insights, words and phrases I have read or heard this week. Friends and family members who give us support continue to change, shift as illness, relocations, death, and lifestyle preferences reshape our circle of relationships. Hopefully, we are adding and inviting new friends,…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 1, 2026

The Unfolding of Life and Faith My parents attended a neighborhood church which meant early Sunday morning, Sunday school and back again for evening Training Union. I accepted a youthful Faith as taught to me by caring adults I knew and trusted. As I grew physically, my early faith carried me through my teen years…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for February 22, 2026

A Reflection and Summary of Our Monks 110 Day Journey & Their Now Return Our local Monks, now with national and international followers, have returned to their home Temple grounds from their 110 day Walk for Peace. I humbly add my thoughts to the writers who know more and better described the people, events and…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for December 22, 2024

REFLECTIONS – CHRISTMAS 2024 Most of us live days somewhere between the inspiring restoration of the Norte Dame Cathedral and the heritage story of the birth of a child, a humble manger in a faraway village, pilgrim parents, and travel weary shepherds. In the midst of the annual seasonal blur, we each have an opportunity…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for December 15, 2024

** The numbers and the reasons for the decline in church attendance are well documented. Although the percentage of Americans who have de-churched has grown, the desire of the American public to find and experience a church like community has also grown. These new assemblies and communities tend to be cause centered, with a focus…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for December 8, 2024

** In Paris, Norte Dame has been fully restored from a destructive fire five years ago. Artists and craft persons used historic and new materials throughout the restoration. The language changed from artist/craft persons to Companions, expressing the ownership felt by all committed to returning Norte Dame to France and the world with awe and…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for December 1, 2024

The arrival of Thanksgiving and the coming Christmas season brings the mix of memories, some warm and life-giving, others more difficult. A seasonal truth, for me, would be that both seasons are best experienced and enjoyed in the company of family and friends. Receptions, open houses and dinners are opportunities to tell and listen to…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for November 24, 2024

For this Sunday Letter, I relied on Beth’s notebook of quotes and wisdom sayings. I wanted to shine the light on the Goodness within people and Thankfulness for their lives and teachings given to individuals and families. Sometimes their words guide us to be and serve others. Perhaps one or even three quotes and sayings…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for November 17, 2024

** Several writer friends encouraged me to “play with AI.” I keyed 2 lines of a high school senior invited to travel to China for a 3-month study. His strict father was defiant in his response “no, never!” Sent those lines to an AI chat. Within seconds I received a well written and clear one…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for November 10, 2024

** The church and leaders of faith have been an influencing part of my life from college, vocation and now in my elderhood. The church and faith centers have addressed gaps in food scarcity, racial and gender equality, the pursuit of peace among nations/cultures, and now strong divisions in our society. In my small way…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for November 3, 2024

** Research and tracking of an individual’s steady listening and viewing political and economic news can have a physical and emotional impact. This can, perhaps, dim someone’s sense of hope, wellness and health, no longer seeing the goodness of others or a bright future. Steady listening and viewing of hopeful, encouraging news and interviews can…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for October 27, 2024

** The annual State Fair of Texas is now over and with no gun shootings and death as compared to last year. The Fair banned all guns from Fair entry. The TX AG, of course, filed suit on behalf of gun advocates to allow gun entry. The AG lost his appeal. Fair goers, venders, and…

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Roy’s Sunday Letter for October 20, 2024

** Positive news for Mother Earth. California will ban use of harmful plastic bags in 2026. Here is hoping the seals, sea turtles, birds of the air can avoid these deadly entanglements. Santa Fe banned plastic bags 10 yrs. ago. For all of us, no matter the state, bring your bags when shopping now, the…

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