In the old days – about which I have firsthand experience! – the seasons were in sync with the school calendar. Classes reconvened the day after Labor Day; they ended at/about Flag Day. Summer was the period in-between. Summer was the calendar zone for family vacations and a daytrip to the state or county […]

            Cheri and I are now in a significant minority group within American culture. Among the things that make us quirky: we’re in our 56th year of marriage. Best estimates – based on census data – say that 6% of marriages make it to the 50-year mark. Death and divorce are the interrupters for couples

          “Americans have no appetite for war.” Used currently to describe the public sentiment about the conflict in the Middle East, that reflection underlies a deep desire to live in peace, on all fronts. What are the chances of that happening?             There are two ongoing wars festering within the American cauldron that have little to

            For the Jews – about 3330 years ago – God performed a miracle that showed his power and would forever define their family. It was Passover, and Jews mark that divine intervention each year.             For the Shanks – 33 years ago – God performed a miracle that showed his power and would forever

         Hey, it’s just us here in this conversational huddle. About 40 years ago, I was ordained as a minister, so I can claim privilege in a courtroom and avoid disclosing anything we might talk about here. There are probably some things you don’t talk about with anybody, except for (or, perhaps,

           Home. That word evokes emotion, but – in our modern era – the feelings generated by hearing that four-letter word are not the same for all. When verbalized to some, warm and welcoming vibes come to life immediately; for others, the lid to Pandora’s Box opens to emanations of harm

            Here we are: just a week past an epic milestone for our country. We’ve been continuing this experiment in constitutional democracy for 250 years now; historians would say that only 20-30 countries have ever achieved that birthday. The events surrounding Independence Day this year were somewhat disrupted by weather and by mayhem, but we

            Freedom! “Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live, at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they

            You’re about to be in the Second Half. You might want to stay-up on Tuesday night, so you can feel it: you’ll be finishing the first half of 2026, and all of your plans for this never-again year will be re-evaluated by your current metrics. If your objectives have been achieved – or, are

            Before the dust settles from yesterday, let me offer my endorsement of fatherhood – and the men who have stepped-up to that challenge – as essential to the relational integrity of society. From families to churches to communities to nations, men play a critical role in bringing people together in mutually-beneficial connectivity. Sadly, yesterday’s