Posts Tagged With ‘ Communications ’

Bertrand Russell said, “William James used to preach the “will to believe. I should wish to preach the “will to doubt.” None of our beliefs are quite true; all have at least a penumbra of vagueness and error. The methods of increasing the degree of truth in our beliefs are well known; they consist in hearing all sides, trying to ascertain all the relevant facts, controlling our own bias by discussion with people who have the opposite bias, and cultivating a readiness to discard any hypothesis which has proved inadequate” William James and his notion of the “will to believe”... Continue Reading

In my last post I talked about how we communicate to gain understanding.  We employ a wide array of communication forms to gain understanding, connect with others, and express themselves. Here are a few additional forms of communication we use  to gain understanding and information. Nonverbally Body Language: Gestures, facial expressions, posture, and other nonverbal cues can convey a wealth of information and emotions without the need for words. Eye Contact: The way people make eye contact can convey sincerity, confidence, or even discomfort. It’s a powerful nonverbal form of communication. Visually Painting,... Continue Reading

Their story isn’t one of grand milestones or headline-grabbing achievements, yet, it’s a story of choosing significance and one where we can all learn a thing or two. Source  Continue Reading

Oh, dear friends, it’s that wonderful time again. Christmas trees springing up, fireplaces crackling, mistletoe hanging, presents wrapped and a few too many relatives around the same table. Sure, you may be thinking – another crazy Christmas season. Last year, I was so wrapped up in the tinsel and trappings of the holiday season that I nearly lost sight of what it was all about – love, celebration, and a deep gratitude for the life we’ve been blessed with. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This year, I’ve made a pledge to myself to keep the holiday spirit... Continue Reading

Buckle up and let me take you on a wild ride through the concrete jungle we call highways. Stuck in a mile-long jam on a four-lane highway, I have a poor guy in the parking lot on my right side trying to make a left turn across our two lanes of traffic and into the opposite flow so I made some room for him. Did I get a grateful nod or even a humble wave? Nope. But hey, I got a horn blast from the hotshot behind me  maybe he was saying thanks on behalf of the entire highway. Remember the benefit of good intentions! I can’t say that I did at the moment. Next stop, the grocery store. Arriving... Continue Reading

Ouch!  Oh no, the yellow jacket is stuck to my right ear as I slap and pull him off.  Just as I throw him down, there’s another one popping my right hand.  Bailing out of the utility room at my cabin, I lay down a stream of wasp spray at a few other aggressive yellow jackets.  My utility room has been invaded by a huge nest of yellow jackets and today is my second battle with them. My son, Brandon, emptied two cans of wasp spray on them two weeks ago, and I did the same last week to no avail. At home, I ask CeCe how swollen my ear is because it hurts like crazy.  Have you gotten stung again? ... Continue Reading

We have just taken the redeye back home from Vegas so we can be home a day sooner than we had planned. Unfortunately, CeCe’s mom, Happy, had a stroke while we were gone and is in the hospital. We drive straight from the airport to the hospital so we can be there when the neurologist makes her rounds. Happy is stable but very weak with ongoing issues with her sight and ability to communicate coherently. (Prayers welcomed!) CeCe is her Mom’s primary caregiver and watching her love and care for her mom is simply wonderful.    We leave the hospital having met with doctors and arranged additional... Continue Reading

As CeCe and I were shopping and enjoying a casual day in the Florida panhandle, I saw a sign in a shop that reminded me of one that we saw way back in 2012 when we were in the British Virgin Islands. Open Some Days, Closed Others! CeCe of course had a picture of it on her phone. I have always found this humorous and even feel some hints of jealousy as I am one of those who loves to control my schedule. We found the sign to be very accurate on the islands as “island time” was very different from the way we have always viewed time. As I gazed at the picture, smiling as memories came flooding... Continue Reading

Hopefully, you remember the hilarious story of Taco, the Purdie’s cat who mistakenly met a premature death in one of my earlier blogs. The story was so popular, I felt an obligation to share with you that Taco has now lived his nine lives, and for the second time, he received an appropriate burial and ceremony.   What has been enlightening from the experience is how much more the Purdies have enjoyed and appreciated having Taco around the house after his first premature burial. CeCe and I received frequent updates on what Taco was up to and how much he was enjoying life. Second chances sometimes... Continue Reading

Sadly, I recently delivered the eulogy for my brother-in-law Daniel Dillard in Natchez, MS. Daniel was 67 years young (1955-2023). Death is just like a lightning strike, when it hits close to you, it gets your attention! Our lives are blessings from God and as I have blogged before, what our dash says between our year of birth to our year of death is so important. What have we really accomplished during our dash, our years of life? What significance have we played in the lives of others? This might seem dramatic yet, we occasionally need lightning to get our attention.   So excited to share... Continue Reading