When I was younger and read this passage from the New Testament, it troubled me. “I was certainly not ready to die, even though I believed and loved Jesus, I wanted to live, just like anyone would”.

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”(Matthew 16:25) As I began to study further, it became obvious that God created me for a purpose. He gave me specific gifts for a purpose. He created me for HIS purpose, so why invest all that and then have it destroyed?

Then, the Holy Spirit did his job by clarifying this a bit. We are here on earth to Glorify God, Period! We are here on earth to be a witness to a lost world. We are rewarded with eternal life if we LIVE a Christlike life, willing to suffer, whatever the SINinster minister dishes out, with courage and faith. We are here to do as God would have us do as His ‘Church’. We must be willing to suffer loss regardless, in order to gain Glory with God! We must LIVE to SERVE Him! Jesus Christ walked this earth, breathing God’s clean air, in perfect obedience, suffering much more than the body can bare, for you and for me. His life is a very high standard of example of courage and conviction. There may come a time when I must suffer just as Christ suffered, but by standing on the promise that God will provide, I will serve Jesus through it all! Whatever comes will not be as bad as what comes should I fail God! I haven’t always had that courage and strength, donchaknow. I have failed to live a righteous life, but still am Too Anointed to be Disappointed and Too Blessed to be Depressed, so how could I ever fail now? “I never worry, for why should I worry, though shadows may come my way? Never Alone, because I know My Lord is with me! Never Alone, he’s always standing by. Jesus has promised to take my hand and guide me. Never Alone, No, Never Alone am I”.

And that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates. AMEN

Over forty years ago l bid Bryan goodbye. Occasionally it was my pleasure to visit. Good friends and family were always a blessing. The best of times, but it was only for a visit. I’m a bit older and growing feeble. Never one to give up, but if one enjoys living, there comes a time of decision. My granddaughter decided for me and on July 4th, I will once again reside in the same house thatI left back then. This site will grow dormant and a new biog will appear at
http://www.lavocetx.com. Y’all come!

I believe the time has come for my country to stop political posturing and tell the truth. And, it is past time for Promises from elected officials
And that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates in a little corner inside the shadow of Kyle Field.
AMEN
“GIG’em!

KIMP radio, Mt. Pleasant, first aired while I was in high school. I was a reporter on our high school weekly program, but never in the control room. Winston Ward and his sister, Ruby Stanley, ran the place, but he always allowed her to “manage”. After leaving Amarillo, we moved in with my parents and I got a job on-air at KIMP. “Miss Ruby” was station manager who had no broadcasting experience and our programming proved it. Winston hired me since I had “big station” experience and warned me to get on the good side of Miss Ruby. The programming was primarily ‘segmentized’ in quarter-hour blocks of pre-recorded content from religious to music from both Pop and Country. The only news was “headlines/weather”off AP at the top of each hour and “Miss Ruby’s Hometown News” which she reported herself , Monday through Friday from 12 to 12:15 noon. She gathered local news and shared AP state/nation/world headlines. This was the most listened-to program we had since nobody within the 1000 watts radius would dare miss it. Winston was a genius engineer who hand-made most of the equipment. He even made his own “limiter” (a device that dampens audio gain, preventing distortion). He demanded that all operators pay close attention to the gain-meter on our console. I was on-air from 10-2 and when Miss Ruby went on a two week Hiawaian vacation, I was assigned as her replacement on Noon News. Upon her return, she had numerous calls from listeners complimenting her on her choice of substitutes and that didn’t sit well. Winston came into the control room and fired me. He said it was for not watching the meters, but followed me out to my car to say, “Jim, you have been a great on-air person, but Ruby is very angry and demands that you go. She cannot stand to have a better reporter here. I must keep her happy and I hope you understand how much you will be missed.” I did understand. The thing that prevents an organization from being the best it can be is envy among the staff members. Of course that’s true of life in general, isn’t it? If you read your Bible, you see the destructiveness of envy and jealousy.

(Waterwader and Family Circle encompassed a decade of lifting the shade on a Prodigal’s Life. It has not been easy what with constant lack of access and the sudden unexplained loss of a record of ownership of my site. Once I return to my “Corner” back home, l will blog from http://www.site123.com. My new site is under construction. Leave a comment with email so I can “say WHEN”. Keep the Faith. And that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates.

AMEN

Just a quick word 0f Warning. The “SIN”-ister minister is very pleased with the National response to Minneapolis and the tragic George Floyd death, but that should only be their concern. It should never spread nationwide. It should certainly not bring about dismantling police departments! Of course the incident should have not occurred. Of course police abuse must result in serious consequence, but only for the officer(s) involved. We are guilty of bias inclusiveness. Until everyone of us surrenders our hearts to the exclusive control of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to walk-in darkness. The only way is a one-way street that is only entered through Calvary. God Lives and He is not mocked! Stop all this hatred of truth. When you get to the point of total hopelessness (as it seems to be the case for all of us), STOP!, depending on anything other than Faith In Jesus Christ. Should you not, well expect things to get much worse. Read the book of Revelation in a Bible. The eternal life of Peace is possible…Only Believe.
And that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates. AMEN

Upgrade whatever, but NEVER lose that which has made Texas A&M the greatest university on earth. What has been on campus for generations, stays on campus for generations to come.

As a member of the Class of ’69, I have long been thrilled by our ‘Tradition’! The culture of our nation is eroding, but my Aggieland must hold on to what has inspired and enabled millions to benefit from excellence in higher education. “The 12th Man”! “The War Hymn”! “The Blocked “T”! The “aTm” logo! “Maroon and White”! “Farmer’s Fight”! “Howdy!” “Gig’em!” “Midnight Yell Practice”! “Yell Leaders”! “The Corps”! “Standing from kick-off to the final gun”! “Pregame Traditions!” AND
SULLY Leave Sully right where he is.
And that’s what I get from MY Box of Chocolates. GIG’EM! AMEN

Going Home! Or is it “Coming Home”? Literally, the Waterwader is among family and friends very soon. For over forty years, my hat has hung everywhere but back home. I have literally been coast to coast and it’s been a HOOT, but it’s time to settle down, down home. That just might be a great title of this blog. Beginning mid-July, my corner will be at 2209. God willing, I will “Pass This Way Again”. I shall Return! How glorious it will be to once again be in my little corner of the world among family and lifelong friends. Yes, my hat has hung in lots of fine places, but none of them were “down home”, donchaknow. Really. And that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates. AMEN and AMEN ​

Do your job, Stay Local! The Internet has made us mad at each other, allowing media to ” incite to riot”. Local news should stay local. Unless the incident directly endangers national security, leave reporting same to network news, most especially when it comes to racial issues. “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas” makes sense for all of us. We would have fewer “riots” if local news stayed local. Think about it! How many communities have incidents of police brutality daily? Yet tragic occurrences in Milwaukee get headlines and everything goes sideways in Dallas. What is good about that? It is my opinion, based on past experience, that today’s news borders on “GOSSIP” and has no redeeming quality of edification. We focus on negative when, with some factual news gathering JOURNALISM might just find something good to report. Oh! Perhaps Local News should return to the basics of JOURNALISM. It’s a lost art, donchaknow. Really. An that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates. AMEN

From the age of five, music has been my life. I started performing at five in my county fair production of “Tom Thumb Wedding”. I must have done it annually since I have a photo of me a bit older. My first choral directing job was at First Baptist Mt. Pleasant and the Adult Choir performance of a Christmas Cantata. I led revival services all over East Texas from high school through college. I began a scholarship playing my cornet in 1949 at East Texas Baptist College, Marshall and completed my Bachelor’s in 1953 at SHSTC, Huntsville, where I was given opportunity to direct the College Choir on tour of Texas The high school ools for two years. My first teachIng job was at Willis, a few miles of from Huntsville. I was allowed to teach for pay instead of a semester of student teaching. I taught at Cedar Bayou, 53-54, while Marilyn completed her degree in Physical Education. She, Martha and I drove to Pampa up in the Texas Panhandle and joined the faculty at Pampa Junior high. There I decided to apply for part-time at KPDN. Surprised by a phone call that afternoon, I began on-air that same night. I had been promised the high school job by the Superintendent upon hire, but the Principal turned me down. “ Mr.Austin looks younger than the senior boys. They would chase him off, he said. I resigned and took a radio job in Amarillo. We eventually moved to Bryan and back to school-teaching. Carl Best left me a very fine choir. I coasted in with a great year. The choir earned respect from everyone, including Roger Wagner. We closed that first year with a June trip for Texas Rotary as special guests at the International convention. They also appeared live on NBC. My first duties were at Jones Junior High, SFA high and Lamar Junior High. Unfortunately, the Principal at Jones didn’t care for me, so my next year included morning Study Hall, a girls choir and A Capella choir at SFA and two afternoon choirs at Lamar. I got to know my Lamar students very well since most stayed in choir for 6 years. School politics and I didn’t mix, so after 14 great years, I left my first love off Teaching for other endeavors, including broadcasting. I can honestly say that my time in the choral classroom was the best time of my life!

And that’s what I get from My box of chocolates. AMEN

Website problem!
Will return ASAP with more.
JA

“In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:4) For all Americans who doubt that there is a GOD of The Bible, consider these words and check your legal tender. Why on earth would anyone put this phrase on every item for purchase and not believe it? Obviously all of us do not believe ALL scripture, but I would like to know exactly what part you do believe, if any. I am most certain that we lack internalizing all scripture. We’ve lost our “Loving” feeling. Or perhaps we’ve really never had it. It’s not for me to say, donchaknow. I can only speak for myself and for me and my house, we serve the Lord.

And that’s what I get from My Box of Chocolates. AMEN

(beginning tomorrow I will take us through memorable years in the classroom)