pastordude87

[pastordude87]

Connections

Focus on Relationships By lisae87 on September 8, 2025The last few years have been … well, I’ll guess the best description is full. Busyness with work and school. Time for dedicated focus. And grandbabies!A key connection focus is relationships. We all need them because we were not created to live in isolation. We were created to connect with people and build relationships.As an introvert,…

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Herculean Task #3

I have been told that as I labor over the 12 labors, I have made the reading a bit awkward and hard to follow. Maybe I let my brain get ahead of me and wrote more for my graduate classes which I used to teach. Okay, let’s make this a bit easier … Hercules is the good guy but was made crazy by the goddess Hera. During that time of mental disarray, he accidentally killed his wife and kids.  Hera,…

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Hercules Task #2 - HYDRA

This isn’t Captain America. For the real Hydra, the monster Hydra, the Greek curse existed long before Steve Rogers fought the Nazi organization, HYDRA.   Hercules had returned to Eurystheus with the pelt of the Nemean Lion. Next, Hercules was to slay the Lernaean Hydra. Hydra was a snake monster that lived in Lake Lerna. Hydra had nine heads, of which one was immortal. Some background … Lerna…

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The Goat of all Lions

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Family drama to legendary hero

He was no ordinary boy. Son to a Greek god – and not just any of the myriad of deities – but born to the numero uno, the head honcho, the El Capitan of Olympus – the man himself – Zeus. He was born in to family drama that makes legends. (Maybe more on that later, but imagine Zeus hiding him from Hera (his wife) … legends I say … murders … betrayals … and more) As a child, he was found in his…

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SHE's back ...

What kinds of connections do you have? Which ones take priority? Need to be worked on? Are healthy for you? Unhealthy? Years ago, my wife had blog … Connections2Excellence … and then life happened.– small family members coming into the world– graduate studies– partial caretaker role of he father– moreOver and above having to put up with me. For that is a major life task in itself. And writing a…

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at the y-m-c-a!

Nestled in the historic district of downtown Lynchburg, the Downtown YMCA offers a unique blend of modern fitness amenities and classic charm. For 150 years the YMCA has played an important role in Lynchburg, remaining relevant by adapting with the times. The Lynchburg association was organized in 1856 as a place where young men could attend Bible classes and gain work skills. During the Civil…

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MY Cracker barrel Story

Wow, what a week of the old country store and eatery. New logo. Old logo. A roller coaster ride for many. And yes, I have frequented many of the establishments over the years. I wrote much of my Thesis at the Cracker Barrel in Wilson, NC. There was one near the residence of my in-laws and it was a regular spot when in that DeSoto community. But my favorite story of Cracker Barrel had nothing to…

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Getting Muddy Shoes Even Online

I admit, I do not get out enough. I sit at a desk too much. I know it and I need to change it. But, I do make use of technology quite bit to plan on getting outside. And my tech is mostly Apple. I sit at my MacBook, and peruse my apps on the iPhone and iPad. I get notices through the Apple Watch. And upon my return home, I watch TV thorough my Apple TV. And on these devices, I peruse National…

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More Than Just Fun … Our Very Essence to Understand

I have a book that was one of my father’s textbooks. His edition was printed in 1955 but originally goes back to 1928. I enjoy it for it not only shows the elementary aspects of Greek mythology, it also has handwritten notes from my father. I am enjoying this book along with seeing the insights from dear old dad. Mythology goes back millennia. People looking at things that they didn’t understand…

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Greek Gods and legends

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Now - it's the little things

Yesterday, I posted about when life gets too big. Life can get overwhelming. And while I hated talking about things that get too big for us, I do find it interesting about the many little things in my life. What I mean, my life is made of a lot of little things that help me connect, help me remember, and help me reflect. So what are these things … as I look around me … what are these little…

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When Life get to be too much

I had to do a creative project this week. So first let me say, I am somewhat creative but my creative side is a bit weird. But I plugged through and completed the task. Now, I can’t guarantee it that it will be used, but I did my part. However – it is a pretty good size file – way too much to text and even many email platforms will balk. So I examined options. A DVD-rom? thumb drive? Air drop if…

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Was I this crazy as a kid?

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What was sunday about?

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1 Month from a Road Trip

I am close. My bones are shaking with excitement – or dread of the cost of gas, not sure which. In only four weeks, I am headed from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the following treasures …three days in Bad Landsvisit Wind Cave and Rushmoretwo days in Teton NP, at a cabin in the parkthree days (more like 2) in Glacier National Park– one night at Lake MacDonald and one night at Many…

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ABOUT TODD

How does one introduce themselves? Especially when I am the first to say my life has been one with lots of mud on my shoes … I am a husband to a wonderful wife who is much smarter than me, I married up – way up! I am the father to one son – who also married up … they live in Fort Worth Father in Law to a young lady who I can find no better to influence my grandkids – her two plus the one…