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Jefferson and Ben Franklin did not want a state religion

Tulsa Beacon

Jefferson the Reformer [Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] How did Thomas Jefferson’s religion influence our local politics? William Curtis (1901) regaled with the story of an educated stranger who recounts his meeting Jefferson at an inn. When he spoke law, I thought he was a lawyer; when he…

Just one more year until my 50th high school reunion

Tulsa Beacon

Forty-nine years ago, I graduated from Nathan Hale High School. That was a great school, with excellent academics, talented teachers and some really sharp students. I don’t know how many were in my graduating class but it was more than 800. We had great sports teams. Football was a little off my senior year (I…

Today’s children lack skills of self-reliance, independence

Tulsa Beacon

I have enjoyed each season of our sons’ lives. I enjoyed the early stages of them learning to walk, talk and become miniature human beings.  I enjoyed their elementary school years, watching them do sports and put on school programs. I enjoyed seeing them get married and then making us grandparents. But the least favorite…

Democrats are seeking to pack the Supreme Court

Tulsa Beacon

The political diversity of America is at serious risk as progressive forces seek to turn our nation into a one-party state — not unlike the Communist Party that savaged Russia and its dominions in the last century. The agenda is as plain as day: pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices and grant statehood to…

What was the outcome of Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase?

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] What are the consequences of Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase? While the ink was still drying on the Purchase of 1803, the first Native Americans crossed the wide, swift, muddy Mississippi. Why? The Treaty of Tellico forced them out of Tennessee. They began the…

I guess I have traveled to about 62% of the fifty states

Tulsa Beacon

I have met people who have visited all of the 50 states or plan to as part of their “bucket list.” A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you “kick the bucket.” By my count, I have set foot in 31 of the United States of America (plus the…

River the Peacemaker was determined to get a drink of water

Tulsa Beacon

He was thirsty. River the Peacemaker, 2 years old for only a month and lacking several inches of height to reach the 3-foot mark, stood looking up at the water fountain. He was thirsty. He could feel the dryness in his throat, but looking around and seeing no adults, he realized quenching his thirst would…

What would it be like without the Louisiana Purchase?

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Why is Thomas Jefferson’s Purchase of the Louisiana Territory significant? Even Jefferson could not begin to comprehend what would happen in the next 30 years. In their later years of life Jefferson wrote in a letter to his friend and political enemy, former…

It is difficult to surpass a mother’s love for her family

Tulsa Beacon

I only had five-and-half years with my Mother before she passed away. This was the greatest tragedy of my life, yet God has been so gracious to me and my family that the impact of her loss was overcome by God’s grace. Rama Viola Biggs was a wonderful mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, niece and…

True servanthood is truly caught more than it is taught

Tulsa Beacon

When I was in elementary school, our little country church wanted to build a new two-story educational building. The men of the church were mostly farmers, mechanics and blue-collar workers. They decided  they had enough skilled labor among them that after the concrete was poured, they could build the rest. They begin working together in…