“THAT MAN IS A LIAR!” she shouted to us. The girls in the circle giggled.

 

My mom and I had no other choice than to nod at each other, look back at the young woman and say a collective, “Yes.”

 

A few of us volunteer to visit with young ladies in a detention facility each week. We go with the intention of sharing Jesus with them, so we read Bible studies together, allow them to ask questions, and remind them of how precious they are in God’s sight. In my mom’s words:

 

“It is one of the most rewarding activities I am a part of each week.” (I agree with her.)

Been adored lately?

 

It’s a pretty amazing feeling.

 

My newest shelter pet, a black Lab named Miley, adores me to the point where people at the dog park say, “She knows you saver her, and she’s grateful!” Miley hardly leave my side, obeys me immediately… and hugs me. She did it for the first time when I came back from India.

 

I had only had her 6 weeks when I left for Chennai, and the house was already disordered because Rusty had passed on not two weeks before. The one day I dragged big boxes into the living room, and suddenly I was gone.

 

I felt badly for her… I planned to come back in three weeks, but had no way of telling her that. Dogs live in the moment, and for the time of my absence her moments were going to be filled with uncertainty at best. First Rusty had disappeared, then me… David played with her and fed her, of course, but I am her pack leader. And I left her.

 

When I got home, David opened the door and she ran straight to me, stood on her hind legs, wrapped her front legs around my waist and stared right into my eyes.

 

I cried.

 

Now every time I come home, I get that hug. It is intoxicating to have a being THAT happy to see you.

Tom Thomas was born in Garden City, Kansas on November 1, 1944. As a child in a military family he was accustomed to being mobile and having the opportunity to experience different environments. Each of the children in their family was born in a different state. They traveled from Kansas to New Mexico to North Dakota to Washington to Nebraska to California to Alabama—and then to England where he graduated from high school.

 

After high school graduation, his family moved to Virginia and he headed to Oklahoma to attend The University of Oklahoma. He remained an avid fan of OU football for the rest of his life. While still in college, he was visiting his brother and grandparents in Ada, Oklahoma, where he met the love of his life when she knocked on the wrong apartment door. Tom explained that the person she was looking for lived next door. He asked his friend next door who she was and called her that night, which started a romance that would lead to marriage on October 3, 1969, followed by 48 wonderful years together.

 

Tom had always wanted to fly, so after graduating from OU he applied to the United States Air Force for Officer Training School at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. When he graduated he was assigned to Flight Training at Craig AFB in Selma, Alabama. One of the highlights of his life was flying jets. After his time in the Air Force, he returned to Goodyear where he had worked part time in college. Starting out as a Credit Manager, he was promoted to Store Manager. While at the Sapulpa, OK store, he was awarded Top Store Manager in his district. When Tom’s father started a company called Aircraft Appraisal he asked Tom to join the company. Tom trained and became a certified Aircraft Appraiser and assisted with publication of the Airliner Price Guide and as an expert witness on legal matters relating to sale of aircraft. For the 15 years in this profession, he enjoyed the travel and the ability to meet a variety of people. At the death of his father, the company was sold and he and Donna moved to Carrollton, TX where he worked as an outside sales associate for an electrical supply company. Due to health issues, he retired at age 62 and volunteered at Baylor Carrollton Hospital as a concierge. He loved the volunteer work and his fellow volunteers became treasured friends.

 

Tom’s mother and father left him a legacy of faith in Christ, the importance of a good work ethic, sense of responsibility, and moral character. Although health issues prevented him from doing some of the things he loved to do like gardening, travel and writing, he enjoyed participating in Bible study and activities with our small group. We know he is with Jesus and has left behind the pain and illness he experienced. Now he is experiencing the joy of being at his final, eternal home.

 

Tom leaves behind his beloved wife, Donna, and mother, Ruth, brothers, Terry and wife Sally Thomas, Vince and wife Linda Thomas and Mark Thomas; Sister-in- law Rhonda Skinner and her husband John; Terry Pace and wife MaryAnn. Nieces and nephews: Kristie Thomas Landwair; Michelle Thomas; Wesley Thomas; Kyle and Kira Thomas; Alicia and Tony; Jared and Camille; Kaylee, Alyssa, Dahlia, Olivia and Blake. He was preceded in death by his father Allen, sister-in- law Teresa Thomas and nephew Jonathan Skinner. Tom’s family would like to thank the church family at Metrocrest Community Church for their love and support during this challenging time.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fisher Houses, which provide military families housing close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury (www.fisherhouse.org), or to Metrocrest Community Church.

I was picking up my son from work, and across the street was a woman wearing a sandwich board. On one side it said that God punishes sinners, and on the other that Jesus was the only way to escape God’s wrath.

 

If the goal of the sandwich board was to provoke discussion, then it accomplished its purpose. David and I talked about the message all the way home. His comments reflected on a punishing, condemning God. I expressed my sorrow that the bluntness of the message prevented the very result it was trying to achieve. Because if the sandwich board was supposed to draw people closer to God, then it failed utterly, portraying God as a bully and reducing the person of Jesus Christ to get-out-of-jail-free card.