Merry Xmas!

“Christmas is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that is carried in one's heart.”

— Freya Stark

I’ve never been the greatest of scholars. In school my grades were horrible. I couldn't regurgitate dates and information as well as the other students. The things that stuck in my head were the useless little facts that made up, as Paul Harvey used to call it, “The rest of the story”.

I often thought my “claim to fame” would come when I made it to the final round of Jeopardy or some other game show of useless information. Even today the things that fascinate me are the back stories and “extras” from shows on the History Channel, Discovery or some of the other educational based stations.

I particularly like these shows around this time of year. I often am curious how we have come about doing things today the way we do them. CHRISTmas is no different. It really is a very strange and peculiar holiday if you think about it.

It is chock full of unique and strange customs; evergreen trees inside, decorations and ornaments, mistletoe, carols, yule logs, FRUIT CAKE and a whole host of other unique and strange customs. Not to mention, our greetings around the holidays are very strange.

Did you know that for many years people would exclaim Happy CHRISTmas rather than Merry CHRISTmas? Did you know that Xmas, while many think it is an attempt to remove Jesus from the holidays, is not actually a slam on religion, but dates back to the earliest days of the Christian church?

Many today think it is a ploy by a secular society in magazines, newspapers and store advertisements to shorten the word because of ad space or to be sensitive to the non-believers so that they can drive up sales to a larger audience – to all that I say bah humbug, but I do embrace what CHRISTmas and Xmas stand for – inclusion, sharing and love for your fellow man.

According to “Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas” by Ace Collins, “Many of the Gentiles who became the initial followers of Christ were Greek. The Greek for Christ’s name is Xristos (pronounced Christos). While it is well known that a fish was often used as a symbol to denote churches and Christian gathering places during the ancient days of the church, many Greeks also used the letter X (pronounced Chi) as their symbol of faith. This X marked the places where they worshiped. Therefore, the use of the letter X for Christ is one of the oldest traditions of the Christian faith – one of the first concrete symbols that signified the gospel message for people of all races and backgrounds… It also spoke volumes about the nature of Christianity – that all were welcome to become part of the family of God.”

CHRISTmas, whether celebrated as CHRISTmas, Xmas, Hanukah, the Winter Solstice, or the Festivus for the rest of us, is about a time of being with friends and family, sharing, loving, giving and enjoying the company and the compassion of others. I hope your holiday is surrounded by too many friends and family to count. I hope your cup is overflowing and you have a moment this CHRISTmas season to reflect on all the wonderful opportunities you have been afforded this year.

We have so many things to be thankful for in Jones County. Our economy is strong and people are working. People are shopping locally and tourists are frequenting our towns and attractions. Take some time this holiday season to extend some hospitality to a stranger. It may be someone from across the state, or it might even just be your next door neighbor, whoever it may be, let them know of all the great things we have to offer in Jones County. I know you will be glad you did and our community just might grow a little because you did!

From my family to yours and from all of us at the EDA and Chamber, Merry CHRISTmas and have a safe and Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be great for us in Jones County! I can’t wait to get started!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, December 29, 2013 issue
of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.

The Gingerbread Boy

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

One of the most enjoyable things about being the husband of a teacher is helping your wife with her craft projects and preparations for her students. Sometimes the payoff can be truly enjoyable – especially around the holidays. No, I’m not talking about seeing the smiles on all the faces of the little children in her class; I’m talking about the cookies and goodies she makes for them. I get all the “crispy” ones or the ones that “just didn’t turn out right”.

One of my favorite lessons that she used to teach was called “The Story of the Gingerbread Boy”. The story is basically about a teacher baking gingerbread cookies, the cookie does not want to be baked, so he runs away and the rest is about his adventures.

Each year the teacher asks friends and relatives of the students from around the country to send postcards of where they have “seen the gingerbread boy”. The teacher uses the postcards as a way of teaching geography and other interesting lessons in a fun and whimsical way.

My favorite part is when the story ends with every one getting fresh gingerbread cookies and milk!

They still teach this lesson every year at Rebekah’s first school, Presbyterian Day School in Cleveland, MS. I have a cousin with a son in Mrs. Berryhill's first grade class, so as a way to help; I sent this poem about Jones County. I hope you like it.

To: Mrs. Berryhill's first grade class:

I saw the Gingerbread Boy in Laurel, MS just today;

He was hoping on an Amtrak and rushing away!

From New Orleans to Chicago or points in between,
oh, there are so many sites that have yet to be seen!

He came here on a whim to have a look around; 
once he got here he could not believe all that he found.

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, the first in the State,
Landrum’s Country Homestead and Village, the hospitality was great!

The Veterans Museum, Deason Home and Space Tag too,
He never thought in Jones County there would be so much to do!

He spent time at Laurel High School “Between the Bricks”; 
He ventured down to Jones County Junior College where he learned some new tricks!

There were so many places that he wanted to explore,
Sanderson Farms, Masonite, and to hear those GE Aviation engines roar!

The parks, historic homes, Sportsplex, and natatorium,
He didn’t realize in little Jones County, Mississippi there would be so much for him!

“I must come back”, I heard him say, 
as the train whistle blew and prepared to rush him away.

I called out to him as we waved farewell, 
“next time you travel down Interstate 59 just give me a yell!”

“I’ll take you around, and show you much more, 
our industry, our history, our heritage – there’s lots to adore!”

“You have only scratched the surface on this quick little trip,
Please come back to join us the next time you’re in South Mississip’”

We are happy to welcome you and any who are willing, 
‘cause as we like to say, “Jones County, Now this is living!”

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I hope you’ve gotten to spend some time with family and friends over this Thanksgiving holiday. Right now is the most wonderful part of the year. I love Thanksgiving and CHRISTmas time when friends and family, loved ones and neighbors can all come together to be thankful for all the things in their lives. We have a lot to be thankful for in Jones County. Take some time to share the things you are thankful for with others. I know that if you do, you will be glad you did and our community will be better off because of it! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry CHRISTmas to you all!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, December 1, 2013 issue of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.

Christmas in Dixie

“The holiest of all holidays are those, Kept by ourselves in silence and apart; The secret anniversaries of the heart, When the full river of feeling overflows; The happy days unclouded to their close; The sudden joys that out of darkness start, As flames from ashes; swift desires that dart, Like swallows singing down each wind that blows!”

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Holidays

Some dictionaries define a Christmas carol as “a song or hymn whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general, and which are traditionally sung in the period immediately surrounding the holiday.”

Please note the words “traditionally” and “immediately surrounding”. This is certainly not the case at our house. Christmas music has been playing in our home since mid October. Pretty much any time the temperature dips below seventy degrees for two consecutive days, my wife kicks on the Christmas music. And, if we are no where near the holidays she may turn it on just to put herself in a good mood. She has gotten Ethan in this tradition as he asks to play “his Christmas music” every morning on the way to school.

When we were dating in college I would never understand this phenomenon. I would come in from working out in the hot Delta sun in July and August and Rebekah would be playing Jingle Bells in her dorm room. Ever since we have been married, we stock up on “the smell of Christmas” candles and potpourri to use year round. I used to think she was nuts. (From time to time, I still question her sanity - but mostly for putting up with me.)

The more I age and am away from friends and family that I was once close to or saw daily, I understand it more and more. The "holidays", whether they be Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, the 4th of July, Veterans Day or a host of other days throughout the year are not about the events, the presents, decorations or any of the other things that distract us. Those holidays that mean so much to us are usually about the people. They are about the relationships and the love and experiences shared between family and friends.

When I think of some of my favorite memories of holidays, I usually can't describe them without telling you about the people and what they mean to me. Music, smells, a certain decoration – all of these triggers bring back memories of great times with family and friends.

Many people may think you’re weird, or as we say politely in the South, “eccentric” for rocking out to your Andy Williams Christmas Special in the car wash line, but I’d tell you to go ahead and do what brings joy to your life! Give those that scoff a “bless your heart” and sing loud and proud. Enjoy the memories of good times.

I’m no scientist, but I think it is good we do things that help us remember those special times and events in our lives where we were surrounded by friends and loved ones, some who have gone on before us and others who are just across the globe and we don’t get to see that often any more.

Few things in life are as important as being surrounded by family and friends. Each day we have new opportunities to create memories that will last a lifetime, but we also have an opportunity to create those memories for others. As we head into the holidays, surround yourself with good friends, good food and good times. Be there for others when they need someone to make memories with. Laugh, love and enjoy these times, because there is no time like the present to make a memory!

I know that if you put forth the effort, you will be rewarded with many years of happy memories and our community would be better off for it!

One easy way to make more time for friends and family is to stop running all over the place to find that “perfect” gift. Get off the computer, put down the catalog, grab some friends and hit the streets of your hometown. Make some memories by shopping locally this holiday season. We’ve got some great shops and local artisans here in Jones County. Come see what we have to offer. But don’t forget about that special meal. Many of our restaurants and local cooks offer holiday specials. Be sure to check those out too! I’m sure you will be glad you did.

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, November 10, 2013 issue
of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

It Concerns Us All

“Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment.” 

~ J. Donald Walters

Do you ever get frustrated when people just can’t see all the stress you are under? Do you ever feel alienated because “they just don’t get it”? What about looking at this coin from the other side; do your friends and co-workers sometimes come to you with their problems? You’d like to help them out, but it just doesn’t concern you. Maybe you just don’t want to get involved. Perhaps you don’t want to cross a boundary. Maybe, just maybe, we don’t understand that our failures to get involved in other’s problems can come back to bite us in the end.


I heard this great story the other day that illustrates just why you might want to think a little harder about getting involved with someone when they turn to you with a concern or look to you for advice in a troubling time. Perhaps, being involved just may be the thing you both need and it might lead to positive outcome for the both of you. Here’s the story…


“One sunny morning something caught the mouse’s eye through a crack in the wall. It was a package the farmer’s wife was opening. The mouse wondered what kind of delicious food it might contain or what wonderful treasures might be inside. But, to his surprise it wasn’t food at all. Instead it was a mousetrap!


As the mouse scurried out to the yard he shouted a loud warning to all, ‘Watch out for the mousetrap in the house! Watch out for the mousetrap in the house!’


The chicken raised his head and said, ‘I can tell my friend that this causes you great worry, but it is of no worry to me. Please don’t bother me with it!’


The mouse then turned to the pig who said, ‘I’m Sorry Mr. Mouse, it has no consequence to me either.’


The mouse then turned to the bull who said, ‘Sounds like you have a real problem friend, but it really doesn’t concern me… sorry, but I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.’


The mouse went back to the house to face the inevitable, alone. He felt down and dejected.


That night the sound of the trap was heard throughout the house – Snap! The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught, but couldn’t see in the darkness that it was a venomous snake and she was bitten!


After rushing his wife to the hospital, the farmer returned home with her. She had quite a fever. The farmer knew the best way to treat her fever was with chicken soup so he took his hatchet to the farmyard to get the main ingredient.


In the coming days, the wife grew sicker by the day and friends visited her around the clock. The farmer felt he had to feed them for being there for him and his wife in their time of need, so he slaughtered the pig.


Unfortunately the farmer’s wife didn’t get better and eventually died. There were many, many people who came to pay their final respects. The farmer had the cow butchered so he could feed them all after the service. “


Each animal on the farm cared for the mouse. But, in his time of need, none were concerned with the mouse’s predicament. As such, we as friends, family, coworkers and team members don’t always put each other’s needs and worries at the top of our lists. We may listen and show concern, but never really get to the heart of the other person’s anxiety. Sometimes, what doesn’t concern you, comes back to bite you in a big way.


I encourage you to be intimately involved with those you work with, associate with and socialize with. It’s not always fun. It’s certainly not easy and sometimes you have to share a few tears with them, but in the end, you both will be better off for it.


Mississippi is known as one of the most generous compassionate states. We prove that time and time again when a crisis endangers our livelihoods. Years ago, in one of Marshall Ramsey’s cartoons, he captured it this way, “Mississippi: When things get bad, we get good”.


Let’s not wait until things get bad. Let’s all strive to make sure our relationships are “good” so that when things get bad, we can be even greater! I know that if we do, our community will be better off for it!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, October 27, 2013 issue
 of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

A Symbol of Integrity

“This flag, which we honor and under which we serve, is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation. The choices are ours. It floats in majestic silence above the hosts that execute those choices, whether in peace or in war. And yet, though silent, it speaks to us — speaks to us of the past, of the men and women who went before us, and of the records they wrote upon it.”

~ John Philip Sousa

Recently at a ceremony I attended I was asked about an American flag lapel pin that I wear. I have a small horizontal commendation bar depicting the American Flag with three stripes. The pin is a replica of the one issued police, fire, and emergency services personnel working the days during the tragedy and attacks on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001.

As I was telling about the pin, my years in the fire service and about my family’s involvement in volunteering and service to others and to our country, I got to thinking about the flag and what it means to have a symbol to represent that spirit. It is interesting to me that when we speak of our flag, our country or our freedoms, we are not talking about a rectangular piece of cloth, a geographic location or a document, rather we are speaking of ideals, emotions and feelings.

Wikipedia synopsizes a brief history of flags in this manner:“Flags were used to assist military coordination on battlefields. Flags have since evolved into a general tool for rudimentary signaling and identification, especially in environments where communication is similarly challenging such as maritime environments. National flags are potent patriotic symbols with varied wide-ranging interpretations, often including strong military associations due to their original and ongoing military uses. Flags are also used in messaging, advertising, or for other decorative purposes.”

Thinking about how flags are used for signaling, identificationand sending a message, I wonder what others would think of themany flags of my own personal life that might be flown to depict me and my ideals. If I were to choose my flags there would be many I would fly. First and foremost I would fly the Christian flag, the American flag, and the Simpson family crest. I would fly the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity flag to represent my association, the flag of the Sons of the American Revolution, and a flag to represent the fire service. I would fly a flag for thegreat state of Mississippi, a flag for the University of Southern Mississippi (To the Top), a flag for Delta State University (Fear the Okra) and a flag for my high school. I would also fly flags for an assortment of things to depict things I truly enjoy in life such as Ole Miss Football, good barbeque, music, and all sorts of recreational activities I enjoy with my wife and boys.

There would be many opportunities for the viewer of these flags to draw assumptions of who I am and what things have impacted me in my lifetime. But would those assumptions be correct? Would the flags I choose to fly tell a true representation of me and my life, or would they paint the picture I would like others to see? As a small child my grandmother would always tell me, “Larkin, be careful, because not everything you see is what it appears to be”.

There is a fable that illustrates this point better than I can. It goes something like this: “A prince had some monkeys trained to dance.  Being naturally great mimics of men's actions, they showed themselves most apt pupils, and when dressed in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of the best entertainers.  The spectacle was often repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a member of the audience, bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and threw them upon the stage.  The monkeys at the sight of the nuts forgot their dancing and became (as indeed they were) monkeys instead of actors.  Pulling off their masks and tearing their robes, they fought with one another for the nuts.  The dancing spectacle thus came to an end amidst the laughter and ridicule of the audience”.

I hope no one ever accuses you of not being any better than a dancing monkey, but I do sincerely hope that the flags you fly in your life, the ideals and issues you support and the morals of your character are rooted in a solid foundation. As individuals, we have the opportunity to paint the picture for others to view of us; as a community we can sell outsiders an amazing story about us, but if we are not rooted in strong morals and built upon individuals with solid character, people will see through our facades like looking through the holes of a battle worn flag. Our standards, our morals, and our integrity must stand the test of time, not break down at the site of a handful of nuts on the stage.

Good luck. Raise your flags high and let the wind catch them for the entire world to look upon with pride and amazement. If you do, I know our community will be better off for it!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, September 29, 2013 issue

of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column under the alternate title "Fun with Flags"

What Are You Throwing Away

“A man is not as big as his belief in himself; he is as big as the number of persons who believe in him.”

~ Woodrow Wilson

I love this time of year. Every year about this time our Chamber of Commerce unveils its new class of Leadership Jones County participants. We have an orientation and reception, a nice dinner and then spend two days at an off-site retreat. The purpose of these events is to break the participants out of their comfort zone, introduce them to new perspectives, let them learn a lot about themselves, the makeup of the community, weaknesses and opportunities we face together and help them bond with one another as a class.

This year was extraordinarily special, as other classes have been in the past. I really like the process because as a self proclaimed “people watcher” I enjoy watching how the participants interact. I like to guess their points of view and how I think they might react to something we offer during the retreat. In addition to all the other team-building activities we offer, we also have a personality profile done by Mississippi Power Company’s Community Development Division. This document really gives the participants an in depth analysis of their personality, how and why they react to certain things and how they and others can use this information to enhance their communication abilities.

It is always fun because before we hand out the reports, all the participants try to guess which of four personality categories they and their classmates fit into. Several of the personalities are strong enough that you can guess without question, others are very surprising. As I was thinking about this, I thought about a story I once heard about a man who thought he knew the contents of something by its outward appearance, but he truly missed the potential of what was on the inside. The story goes like this…

“One morning a man was out exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found an old and dirty canvas bag with a number of hardened clay balls. It appeared that someone had taken the time to roll up a bunch of clay balls and then left them in the sun to bake and dry.

The clay balls didn’t look like much, but the man was fascinated by them. He took the bag out of the cave. As he walked along the beach he would see how far he could throw each of the clay balls into the sea. He didn’t really give it much thought until he dropped one.

The ball had been accidentally dropped on a rock and cracked. Inside he found a beautiful precious stone. Breaking open the remaining clay balls he found each one contained a similar precious stone.

Fortunately for this man he had found hundreds of dollars in the remaining 20 that were left. Unfortunately, as he later realized, he had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their treasure into the sea; lost forever. He could have taken home thousands of dollars and maybe even more, not just hundreds.”

Many of us think we have great teams; that we know the people we work with and do business with. Are we sure? Could we be throwing away individual potential? As leaders it is very common and easy for us to jump to conclusions. But we must be careful of being judgmental.  Judge too quickly and we might miss out on a real treasure!

It is up to us as leaders of the community to see the individual potential in others. This leadership story demonstrates the need to look beyond the clay and the outward appearance. To discount the individual potential of those you lead could result in throwing away more than money.

Every leader ought to lead because they care about others. Great leaders get their greatest satisfaction from seeing people succeed; seeing others doing better than they believed they could, or doing things that they didn’t realize they could do.

I want to encourage you to be involved in the success of others; to look beyond the clay and the outward appearance; to get to know one another on a deeper level. I guarantee if you invest your time in the success of others, we all will grow because of it and your community will be a much better place to live and do business!

To your success!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, September 8, 2013 issue
 of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

Hands of Grace

“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.”

~ William Arthur Ward 

I was recently helping a friend search for and apply to several different job opportunities. As I was helping her she asked why I am so passionate about my job and being involved in the community and giving back. As I was giving her my answer, I couldn't help but think of this story and all the sacrifices my own parents made to afford my education in and out of the classroom.

“A young man went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the initial interview, and went on to meet the director for the final interview. The director discovered from his resume that the youth's academic achievements were excellent. He asked, ‘Did you obtain any scholarships in school?’ the youth answered ‘no’. The director asked, ‘Was it your father who paid for your school fees?’ The youth replied, ‘My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.’ The director asked, ‘Where did your mother work?’ ‘My mother worked as clothes cleaner’, he replied.

The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. ‘Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?’, questioned the director. ‘Never’, replied the youth, ‘my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, my mother can wash clothes faster than me’.

The director said, ‘I have a request. When you go home today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me first thing tomorrow morning.’

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high but was confused by the director’s request. When he went home, he asked his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her son.

The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. A tear fell as he did. It was the first time he noticed his mother's hands were so wrinkled and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother winced when he touched them.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay his school fees. The bruises on his mother's hands were the price she was willing to pay for his education, his school activities and his future. After cleaning his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, the mother and son talked for a very long time.

The next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The director noticed the tears in the young man's eyes, when he asked: ‘Can you tell me what have you done and learned in your house?’ The young man answered,’ I cleaned my mother's hands and I also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes for her.’ ‘I know now what appreciation is’, he continued, ‘Without my mother, I would not be who I am today. By helping my mother, only now do I realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done on your own. I have come to appreciate the importance and value of helping one’s family.’

The director said, ‘This is what I am looking for in a manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life.’ ‘You are hired.’”

I too know what it is like to have parents to work hard with their hands to provide for their children’s future. I hope to be able to look back over my children’s lives one day and know that I did all I could to provide and give them every opportunity to succeed.

Many in our community are the same way. I see you as you are dropping your kids off at school each morning. I see you as you cheer your little ones on at the ball field and I see the numerous parents who are setting examples for our next generations of leaders. I see how involved you are in our community and how you involve your children too.

I want to encourage you to be involved in the future of your kids, be involved in the betterment of all the kids in your neighborhood and celebrate their successes. At the Chamber we celebrate a lot of successes. We have a lot of ways to be involved in the future of our community and I welcome you to join us as we work to provide a bright future for the next generation! Let’s Celebrate all our community is and all we can be!

To all the students, parents, teachers and administrators starting back to school, Good Luck! We’re proud of you! We want to celebrate your success and hope you have a great year!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, August 18, 2013 issue
 of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.