By Curtis Shelburne: CNJ Religion Columnist “Sometimes,” a wise physician said, “the best thing you can do for your patient is nothing.” Of course, many times the best medicine IS medicine or surgery or aggressive treatment. But sometimes the best medicine is wrapped up in knowing when to do nothing. Wait a bit. Watch awhile. […]
We need to see big picture
November 2, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: CNJ Religion Columnist Christian scholar and writer D. Elton Trueblood once wrote, “The major danger of our contemporary religion … is that it makes small what ought to be large.” Lest we make small what Christ meant to be exceedingly large in scope, perhaps we do well from time to time to […]
This Mystery Is Truly One of Celestial Proportions
October 26, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: CNJ Religion Columnist My brother Gene recently wrote about a fractured star. What? You say they fracture all the time? No, I’m not talking about Hollywood stars; I’m talking about a truly celestial star. The star in Gene’s sights was one of the incredibly dense and powerful stars astronomers call “neutron” stars. […]
God’s Spirit Living Inside Does What No Law Can Do
October 18, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: CNJ Religion Columnist It was good news when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments of God, the law. It was good news that God so loved mankind that he would reveal to us the law that would show us what kind of God we serve and how to […]
In Christ’s eyes, all people are truly equal
October 5, 2006
By Judy Brandon: Local columnist Several years ago I attended a National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., where President George Bush spoke. But he was not the first president I saw. Once, my sister Susie and I saw Harry Truman. During grade-school years, we went with our parents to a church convention in Kansas City, […]
Dear God, how could you let this happen?”
September 29, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: CNJ Religion Columnist We’ve all had times when through our pain and tears we ask, “Dear God, where are you? How could you let this happen? How long can you stomach this kind of atrocity before you break in and do something to stop it?” Maybe it’s a senseless mass murder […]
Real freedom not type seen on talk shows
September 21, 2006
By Judy Brandon: Local columnist Think about it: Daytime talk shows can be really offensive. The strange and weird are more the ordinary on these shows. For some of these shows, producers and hosts all connive to parade guests that boast about deceitful and immoral living. The audience usually applauds when these people “spill” their […]
So, What’s So Amazing About Grace?
September 7, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: Religion columnist So . . . “what’s so amazing about grace?” The whole universe is not large enough to contain the wonderful answer, but maybe part of the answer is found in comparing grace and what has been called “ungrace,” grace’s ugly opposite. Ungrace says, “You are what you produce.” Grace says, […]
Thank God for ‘Balcony People’
August 18, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: CNJ columnist The Greater Muleplex — Muleshoe — the little but great community in which I live, lost a longtime citizen and dear friend this week. During the 21 years my family and I have lived here, just knowing that Inez Bobo’s heart was here and that she loved this place and […]
The Apostle Paul’s critics are still alive and well
August 15, 2006
By Curtis Shelburne: Religion columnist Some things never change. When in his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul is relentlessly pounding home to his readers the point of the gospel that salvation comes only “by grace through faith” — indeed, that it cannot come “by law through works,” he faces these two thousand years later […]
Mission of God, not money, drives man
July 7, 2006
William Hay spent six months in Liberia teaching the word of God by showing the movie, “The Passion of Christ.” (Staff photo: Tony Bullocks) By Tonya Garner: CNJ staff writer The walls of the First Baptist Church auditorium are lined with white butcher paper bearing thousands of dots. The blue, circular stickers represent the 11,022 […]
As world changes, Christ’s love stays constant
July 7, 2006
By Judy Brandon: CNJ Religion Columnist When I was a child, one of the things I liked best was bubbles. Yes, the old kind in a jar with the plastic blower within. In Kansas City, Mo., Susie and I always had Soapy Bubbles. I don’t think there is such a thing anymore, but the Soapy […]
Recognizing unity in Christ is a beautiful thing
July 7, 2006
By Curtis K. Shelburne: CNJ Columnist We had a great time of worship at church Sunday morning. Most folks seemed appreciative of the sermon I gave. Maybe one of these days somebody will tell me what I said. Just kidding. I wasn’t totally comatose Sunday — just partly. I’d just returned late Saturday evening from […]
God’s grace: It’s good news that’s tough
June 23, 2006
By Curtis K. Shelburne “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound!” Grace, the real thing, is precious almost beyond belief. It’s cool water to a man dying of thirst. It’s life and health to a woman who a week before was lying feverish on her deathbed. Grace really is amazing! But what even Christians, and maybe […]
Seeds of division never need to be transplanted
June 15, 2006
By Curtis K. Shelburne I think I’m correct in stating that, from the genealogical research that some members of the Shelburne, Shelburn, Shelborne, Shelbourne, Shilborne, family have done, it becomes clear that our clan has long had a bent toward the ministry. That’s just a fact and not necessarily praiseworthy. I’m quite sure we […]
Faith in Jesus requires having your own opinion
June 1, 2006
By Judy Brandon: Local columnist Summer school is just around the corner. For some college students, this is a great way to earn credit hours in a short amount of time. However, one of the hardest classes I took as a college student was a summer-school class. It was English literature, and it was difficult […]
Student profile: Erika Watson
May 3, 2006
Erika Watson is a senior at the Clovis High School. She is the daughter of Mike Watson and Kymburly Odell. What would you like printed on your gravestone? “Every day she lived for Christ.” What’s so great about your favorite sport? The wonderful thing about cheerleading is that I am able to form relationships with […]
Meeks, Clarence “Slim”
April 12, 2006
Clarence “Slim” M. Meeks , 88, Farwell died Thursday, April 6, 2006, at Farwell Convalescent Center. He was born April 4, 1918, in Farwell, Texas to Edward H. and Nannie Avo Meeks. He graduated from Oklahoma Lane High School in 1935. He spent five years in World War II in the 3rd Armored Division of […]
Dever, Ethel
April 12, 2006
Ethel Dever, 93, of Portales died Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales She was born May 5, 1912, in Coweta, Okla., Jessie Lee and John A. Dever. She married to W.O. Dever on March 11, 1929, in Snyder, Texas. They farmed in the Snyder area until February 1948, when they […]
4-9 Organizations
April 7, 2006
Claud Rainy Day Extension Club The Claud Rainy Day Extension Club was host to the “Just-Us” Extension Club on March 11 at the home of Judy Gambill. Guests were Dallas Draper, Jewel Hill, Glenda Dodd, Pansy Jordan, Pat Morris and Charlotte Montgomery. After a delicious “finger food” luncheon, everyone played games, some learning new ones. […]
