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The Tulsa Beacon

 

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‘Gifts from the government’ stripped dignity, brought poverty

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] What is history? History is not a sequential event, but a confluence of numerous parallel ventures. The North Carolina Indians continued to migrate from the southeastern colonies and states under duress. Consequentially, the culture and people developed in multiple locations, having different leadership,…

Living in a house means tackling project after project

Tulsa Beacon

We bought our home in 1997 when our kids were mostly little and when house prices were a lot lower than today. It was a fixer-upper. An elderly couple had previously owned our house, which was built in 1967. They had taken pretty good care of it but they really had not updated anything. The…

Jesus is proud of a church who is busy doing the Lord’s work

Tulsa Beacon

I know of a church. I know of a church whose membership is small, with very little in its coffers, but what this church does well is reflect Jesus to its community. It is an eclectic group that consists of people from those who are homeless to businessmen and educators, some single and others married…

A Bill of Rights is supposed to defend small populations

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] How does a nation balance the needs of the many against the needs of the individual or smaller populations like the Native Americans? Our Constitutional Bill of Rights is the greatest document for accomplishing that august goal. Unfortunately, the tendency of politicians and…

I drove 1,200-plus miles in 30 hours through six states

Tulsa Beacon

I drove 1,200 miles in 30 hours on a recent trip to South Dakota. Why would I do such a thing? My wife Susan was in Mitchell, South Dakota, visiting our daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids. She flew into Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on a Thursday and had booked a return flight to Tulsa the…

My Godly Mother loved Jesus and selling Tupperware

Tulsa Beacon

My mom was an evangelist. Her first love was Jesus. She was always promoting Jesus, sharing Jesus, teaching others about Jesus and walking out Jesus’ life in front of others. Next to Jesus, though, she loved Tupperware. I am not sure what the attraction was. but if you weren’t interested in Jesus, she would point…

The multiple relocations of Indian tribes made no sense

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Do you live where your grandparents lived? It is not likely. Throughout history people have moved for a variety of reasons. A common misconception is the Cherokee (insert whichever group you want) lived in a particular part of Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. People…

Why not place your gift of musical talent at the cross?

Tulsa Beacon

As my wife and I drove by one of those big-box stores (the one that has a big red bullseye mounted on its wall), my wife told me she needed to pick up a few things. I got out of the car and heard music in the air. At first, I thought someone had their…

Enduring hardships, Native Americans made some moves

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Why do people move? Multiple Native Americans wisely escaped the colonies before the coming atrocity. Virtually all of us in early Indian Territory and present Oklahoma, or any other locations are descendants of long-term residents. We all are migrants, just at a different…

After 911, life changed permanently in the United States

Tulsa Beacon

I was at my desk 20 years ago when Islamic terrorists attacked America. I vividly remember the sequence of events. An airplane struck one of the Twin Towers. At first, we thought it might be a horrible accident. At that time, our office was in a building across from our home. I rushed home and…