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The Size of Your ‘Family’ Can Be Larger Than You Imagine

If I asked the size of your family how would you respond? Would you say large, small or nonexistent? A friend recently told me she had 40 first cousins. Someone I knew a few years ago has no one; not a single living relative. I have one living brother and three siblings I hope to meet in Heaven some day. There are a few first cousins who I can count on both hands. Some of my closet relatives are second and third cousins but those are relatively few in number too. I find it interesting a handful of my Catholic friends have trouble with the first names of relatives once they surpass the triple-digit mark. While the number will vary for each of us, I realized yesterday I was standing in the midst of a few hundred people I could call family for seventy short minutes. The dictionary app I have on my phone provides eight definitions for the word “family.” Number four may be the most common, defining family as “people descended from a common ancestor.” But the one that I felt best defined my family on Thursday was “a collection of people sharing a common attribute.” It was [...]

By Paul Stanley|2015-02-20T19:27:11-06:00February 20th, 2015|My Blog Post|Comments Off

When Tragedy Strikes Let’s Remember, It’s Not About Us; It’s About the Families & Friends Who Remain

The recent and tragic deaths of Christian Brothers High School seniors Colin Kilgore and Christophe Kesterson has hit close to home for their friends, teammates, and teachers. Now that the impact of their deaths has started to bring our emotions to the surface, I believe it’s time we realize it’s not about how or what we feel, but rather the feelings of the relatives and close friends of these two young men. On Monday I wrote a piece about my own experience of losing one of my best friends our senior year - almost to the day God called Colin and Christophe home. I can relate to the close friends and teammates of the boys, especially those who have spent so much time with them over their 17 years. That means I can sympathize with them. On the other hand, I have no idea what Robert and Anna Kilgore and John Kesterson and Georgina Kesterson are going through at this moment. Honestly, I pray I never know that feeling and I’m confident any parent reading this would agree. The difference is unless we have shared the same or a similar experience, we can only empathize with them or try to [...]

By Paul Stanley|2015-02-19T08:59:25-06:00February 18th, 2015|My Blog Post|2 Comments

Congressional Leaders Support Obama’s Airstrike in Iraq; Shouldn’t Christian Leaders Do the Same?

Religious and political differences aside, it's important to note that the last four presidents – beginning with President George H.W. Bush – have either attacked or invaded Iraq.

By Paul Stanley|2014-08-11T15:48:00-05:00August 11th, 2014|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Thad Cochran Gets a Taste of Unsweet Tea

Anyone who has spent time south of the Mason Dixon line, especially in the Deep South, knows that an order of iced tea at Three Sisters in Jackson, Mississippi, means one laced with a heavy dose of sugar. However, Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, is most likely going to get a gallon of tart, unsweet tea poured on him if Tea Party favorite and State Senator Chris McDaniel defeats him on Tuesday, as most pundits predict.

By Paul Stanley|2014-06-23T13:55:03-05:00June 23rd, 2014|My Blog Post|Comments Off

GOP Majority Leader Candidate Kevin McCarthy: My Years In the Trenches With Him

When McCarthy learned his Majority Leader, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) was defeated by a Tea Party unknown, he was in his Capitol Hill office (where he sleeps) with his staff where he immediately began making phone calls to solidify his support. This is one area where he excels.

By Paul Stanley|2014-06-18T12:14:00-05:00June 18th, 2014|My Blog Post|Comments Off