Season 1, Episode 28

 Steve and Shelby

You too can be a life-saving hero!

Did you know that one of every seven persons who enters the hospital will need blood? While modern medicine has come a long way, in many instances there's just no substitute for human blood.

To show you just how quick and easy it is to donate blood, I took my microphones down to the LifeShare bus at the Walmart parking lot and recorded this episode with my phlebotomist Shelby. Shelby, a native of Hope, has been with LifeShare for nearly a year now and I was impressed with how knowledgeable (and talkative!) she was. She fielded my questions without pause or hesitation, although she asked me a couple that I was reluctant to answer out loud! Yes, they ask your height and weight and you take a health quiz, but it's relatively painless. And I was in and out of that bus in about a half hour.

A number of LifeShare vehicles set up around Lower Arkansas, as well as Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Stationed out of Texarkana, I guess this would be a great job if you wanted to travel the four states area. There's an online list of where they are headed next, but they are usually pretty prominently located.

"The Power of You" is more than just a slogan for LifeShare. You have the power to save lives when you donate, and to entice you a bit more, they give away some great goodies. In addition to a bottle of water and an oatmeal cream cake, I walked away with a cool beach towel. Other goodies I have acquired include t-shirts and my favorite, a LifeShare hoody. They will be giving away a fleece-lined hoodie in November, so I've marked my calendar.

There's all kinds of information at the LifeShare website, which you can access by clicking here. You can even set up a personal account and do a good bit of the preliminary interview on line to speed up the process.

Donations usually slow down a bit during the summer, so why not stop the next time you see the LifeShare bus or van?  Not only do you save lives, you'll even receive an email telling you when and where the blood you donated was used helping you to know the need is real.

So if you've never given blood and wonder what goes on, take a listen to today's podcast. If you'd like to get a free cookie and t-shirt or beach towel while saving someone's life, this could be a red-letter day for you as well! Tell them you heard all about it on Life in LA!

Season 1, Episode 27

 

Coach/Pastor Donnell Ford

'Mighty Man of God' mentors others

While serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, Donnell Ford's chaplain took one look at the young  man and gave him a new name: Mighty Man of God! Donnell had been involved in church most of his life, but he didn't feel like a mighty man of God at the time! 

But the chaplain continued to encourage him and model what a servant of God looked like and what he did. Just as the Apostle Paul went to Arabia following his conversion, Donnell began to read and study God's Word at his station in Iraq. And in short order, Donnell was called to step in when the chaplain was away and preached his first sermon.

That encounter was a life changer for the pastor of Full Faith Community Church and the founder and leader of the Mentoring Program in Magnolia Public Schools. In some ways, he is doing today what that Army chaplain did for him years ago. He saw something in that young man and worked with him to bring it to pass in his life.

We sat down in the pastor's office at the church he began to plant in Magnolia two years ago and Donnell shared with me his philosophy of mentoring students. Students struggling with poverty, broken families, hunger, drug use and peer pressure need someone who believes in them. He and his fellow mentors, alongside dedicated teachers in our public school system, work to make that difference.

It's been said if you see a turtle on a fence post, you can be sure that someone put him there. That's what a mentor does. One definition says "a mentor is a person who supports, advises and guides another. They take time to get to know the one they are guiding as well as the challenges they are facing, and uses their experience to help that person improve."

Hear his story and you'll be moved to become one of those people who makes a difference in the lives of others. We all need someone who believes in us and pours into our life. Take a listen and become one yourself!

Season 1, Episode 26

Mike Gee (left) and your host

What's in a name? Ask Mike Gee!

Does your language have a word that means "a piece of log bitten off the stump by a bear"? One of the L.A. Indian languages did! And when one of the early explorers to this area asked one of the Indians, "What's that?" he replied with this word, which then became the name for a body of flowing water! What stream or creek or bayou was it and what's that word? Our local historian knows and will share it in today's podcast.

While we may not have some of the colorful names that other areas in our state have (Booger Hollow, Toad Suck, Pickles Gap), we have our share of them! Where did Smackover or Lamartine ever come from? And why should the people of McNeil want to change their city name to "Ralph"? Wouldn't it be great to say that we live in the "Ralph-Waldo-Emerson Triangle" of Arkansas?

I sat down with Mike Gee, historian for the South Arkansas Heritage Museum and curator of his own Facebook page dedicated to local history and genealogy, and we had a fascinating discussion. It covered only some of the names that make life in L.A. so interesting. In fact, our discussion was SO fascinating that a half hour had gone by and we hadn't even gotten around to names of roads and streets. Burnt Bridge Road? We'll have to invite Mike to return to hear that fascinating story, which could make an episode all its own!

If you have place names around here that you're curious about, shoot us an email and we'll see what Mike and I can come up with. In the meantime, you know the routine! Click the play button below and learn more about place names in South Arkansas.

Season 1, Episode 25

 

Mercedes Ray

You CAN improve your memory!

I tell people that I can usually remember three of the four items I went to pick up at the grocery store. It's the fourth one that always stumps me!

So when I learned that Mercedes Ray, program director for the Social Work Program at SAU was going to be speaking on how to improve your memory, I had to go and listen. And I wasn't disappointed, especially when she agreed to be a guest on the podcast and expound on some of the things that she mentioned in her talk. Mercedes is married to Jason Ray and they have twin boys, Isaac and Judah. 

There are things we can do to help our memory. Did you know there is a "memory palace" where you can store all manner of things for later recall? Or that certain mnemonic devices (I love that word because it looks hard to pronounce!) can be used to help your recall. Other things you might not have thought about also impact your ability to recall information: sleeping well, relieving stress, eating better. But the one that surprised me the most was.....well, you're just going to have to listen to the podcast because I can't remember everything she said. And it somewhat defeats the purpose of the podcast if I write it all out here for you!

I thought I would learn more about memory in our conversation, but I was also delighted to learn how a fascinating young lady from Iowa with virtually no southern accent wound up all the way down here in L.A. It's almost as though she was on a mission from God! But we'll let her tell you that too.

Click the play button and if your memory is like mine, you'll want to listen more than once. 

Season 1, Episode 24

 

Bro. Joe Owens

Hearing the Macedonian call from Texas

"When the Lord is developing someone, all of life is a school," wrote Henry Blackaby. Bro. Joe Owens is proof of that, as are most of us if we would stop and think of Romans 8:28. The pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church is an example of how God uses His followers in ways they might never have expected.

Bro. Joe didn't grow up a Baptist--in fact he was raised in the Methodist church. But he met a lovely young lady who was a Baptist and since he wasn't actively involved in church at the time, he began to attend Hillcrest Baptist Church in Texarkana, TX. Yes, that's Texas, not Arkansas. 

Bro. Joe saw God's plan for his life unfolding as the pastor of Hillcrest reached out to him and involved him in ministry. It's what Jesus did with the 12 men who followed Him during His earthly ministry and it's still an effective way of building disciples today.

"A real Texan" is how Bro. Joe sees himself, but he's proud to serve on their foreign mission field here in L.A. In fact, he and his wife have lived here for so long that folks around here may overlook that shortcoming. And the Owens consider Macedonia to be home now.

And "folks around here" are apt to see this affable Baptist minister demonstrating servant leadership in many locations around town. He is a volunteer at Magnolia Regional Medical Center, delivers devotionals to Wentworth Place nursing home, assists with the Men's Prayer Breakfast that meets every Tuesday morning, and probably many other unsung activities outside the church. 

Inside the church, you'll find him doing all the things that a pastor will do. But you may also find him preparing for a wedding, working on the church sprinkler system, or cutting the grass. While he doesn't consider preaching to be his forte, he loves the people and loves to be around them, serving them in ministry. He's always finding ways to serve.

"I quote my mentor, Bro. Buddy Johnson, a lot," Bro. Joe said. "His main quote that he's famous for is 'God honors four things, W, O, R, K.' "

And Joe is familiar with work. He worked construction before being employed by Cooper Tire company in Texarkana. It was during that time that he felt the call to full-time service, which eventually led to his coming to Macedonia Baptist Church. This historic Baptist congregation on Hwy. 160 between Magnolia and  Taylor was founded in 1855. When Matt Dillon was serving in Dodge City as sheriff in 1875, Macedonia Baptist Church was 20 years old.

Like many church across the nation, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted attendance at Macedonia Baptist Church, but it continues to thrive and serve its community. One activity that was popular with folks throughout the county was the First Friday Fellowship. Baptists love potlucks, and this one attracted anyone who had a connection with Macedonia. At the last one I attended, I spotted the county sheriff, elected officials, business leaders and just plain country folks who love to get together. Alas, the event has been cut back to once a quarter, but perhaps it will pick up again with time.

The sanctuary has recently been updated, with the paneling being painted, the carpet and upholstery replaced and the old curtains removed. It's a beautiful setting to worship.  

Bro. Joe is an interesting fellow to visit with and we laughed more than a few times during the interview. You'll probably share a few of those laughs with us. And you'll also learn a bit more about this former Texan who began a ministry among the Arkansans here in L.A. Click the play button bellow and enjoy the conversation.

Season 1, Episode 23

 

Landon Chandler

Toss him a clay pigeon and watch!

One of the surprising things about life in Lower Arkansas is that you never know what a surprising "back story" the person your talking to may have. A retired real estate guy may have been the drummer for one of the hottest pop groups in the region. The children's librarian may have lived everywhere from Pickles Gap to Idaho but is freshly returned from Poland. Or the kid who pushes your groceries to your car may shoot a mean shotgun. That is, he may be perfectly capable of shooting 500 clay pigeons, two at a time from 27 yards, and never lose his cool!

That's Landon Chandler for you, and he is my youngest guest yet on Life in L.A. Landon has just completed 11th grade where he shot with the Magnolia High School Trap team. Listen to my podcast and he'll tell you approximately how many trophies he has garnered from state meets. Or the secret to his success as a trap shooter.

You learn something from everyone you talk to, even a high school student. I would imagine your nerves could be a problem when you're shooting 100 traps and you're nearing yet another perfect shoot. How does he keep from getting nervous? He has a secret that will work for just about everyone in a tense situation.

Landon isn't sure what the future holds, but he knows he starts 12th grade this fall. He's working at Brookshires to put a little money back for college. He plans to attend Louisiana Tech, and although he lives in L.A., he has strong ties to that "other" LA just across the Arkansas line. Both his parents attended LA Tech, and he recently visited the campus. 

While there, he sat on a bench put in place as a memorial to his grandmother. He found the bricks with family names on the walkway of fame. Two grandparents and an aunt also studied there, so family tradition is strong. He plans to study engineering when he gets there.

Take a listen to today's podcast and you'll learn a thing or two. Then say hello to Magnolia's sharp shooter the next time you pick up groceries!