Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

In Week 13 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for this moment of reconciliation.

At points throughout my life, I've been a real piece of work; selfish, self-willed, self-absorbed -incorrigible. This often put me at odds with my father and for years we didn't speak. I thought everything was his fault and truth be told, there were things he contributed to our rift. But after I submitted my life to Christ, God brought me to accountability for my error and gave me His desire for reconciliation.

It started with making a phone call, then offering an apology. Every step was difficult, awkward and each time it required me to revisit my anger and my error and then bring my thoughts captive to Christ and to be obedient to His leading. I stumbled a lot, but by His grace I kept going. Phone calls turned into conversations and conversations blossomed into a relationship.

I will never forget the phone call when my Dad asked me to be the best man in his wedding. I can scarcely think of a time I've been more honored. Through all the pain we suffered, through all the damage I had personally caused, God gave me my father and to my father He restored a son.

What is impossible for God?

I am thankful.

#52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, March 21, 2021.

In Week 12 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Judge Lydia Quarles.

Starkville Youth Court Judge Lydia Quarles understands the trappings of the criminal system and sees first-hand how a single bad decision can snowball into devastating, lifelong consequences. Wherever appropriate, Judge Quarles attempts to help point young people that come before her bench toward a productive path and toward resources that help them to avoid becoming entangled in the system. So, rather than issue purely punitive sentences, Judge Quarles has referred them to organizations such as the J.L. King Center as an opportunity to get on the right track.

The youth court referral program at the J.L. King Center is called the Leadership Academy. And, we are so fortunate to have the leadership of Rev. LeRoy F. Davenport to head this program. There, the focus is to support these young people and provide them with tools to succeed in school, the workforce and to be leaders in our community. We work with them as we would our own children; meeting after school with a snack, going over homework, revisiting the highs and lows of their day and discussing strategies to make the next day better.

Our justice system could benefit from a lot more of this, where well-being is the aim. I believe we'll be better as a community for it. I'm thankful. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, March 14, 2021.

In Week 11 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Lorin Langston Chancellor.

When I mentioned the work that Alison Buehler and a group of passionate volunteers were doing to maintain the operation of the J.L. King Community Center after a loss of federal funding, Lorin Chancellor of Sullivan's Office Supply kindly offered assistance. As an interior designer, she brought together a team to reimagine the center as a bright, innovative space made for inspiring minds.

As planning began, the Chancellor family was met with the dreadful news of a child being diagnosed with leukemia. In the midst of a time I can only imagine was soul wrenching, Mrs. Chancellor took the time to recruit the aid of others to keep the project moving forward while she was away. She also reached out to her personal contacts with other companies to find furniture that could be donated to the center.

It was an extraordinary act of caring that is an example to me and a beacon of hope. I am grateful. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, March 6, 2021.

In Week 10 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Cornall Jones.

"THUMP-FSSSSSSSSSS!!", was the sound I was suddenly greeted with as I turned the corner behind the Cracker Barrel just off I-55 in Jackson, Mississippi.

Metal hitting stone could be felt when one of the wheels descended into a crater of a pothole. The hissing that followed was a dead give-away that the tire had ruptured. The impact ripped a tear so large that the air was escaping completely. As I maneuvered in an attempt to avoid losing a second tire to the hole, before having gone another yard, the car started to lean to one side.

I get out to find the car resting precariously on the rim. I then set about the task of changing the tire. It's the middle of a Mississippi summer day. It's hot. And, it seems like everything is piled in the trunk. So, before I can get to the spare, I have to empty the trunk and then only to find that the spare is flat!

Less than two hours prior, I was sitting in an ambulance with my mother, feeling helpless because I could do nothing more than offer her moral support. I came to Cracker Barrel to pick up one of her favorite dishes in an effort to do something helpful, however small. But, here I am, behind the restaurant with her food in the car, with a flat tire and a flat spare. What's more, is it's nearly 3 PM and my son has a football game later that night in a town more than two hours away.

I'm having a great day.

My frustration is reaching a boiling point and I remember to pray. By God's grace, I regain enough composure to return to the task at hand and find that the spare only needed air and one of the many items we had in the trunk was an air compressor. After getting the spare in place, I hobble to the nearest tire shop, Firestone Complete Auto Care in Jacksonian Plaza.

They're packed. I have to go behind the shop just to find a park. The lobby tells an even more grim story. Yet, almost immediately, I am kindly greeted by a young man, "Welcome to Firestone. How may I help you?" I tell him I've had a flat and need a replacement tire. He replies, "Can you leave it overnight?" I explain that I live out of town and trying to get to my son's football game, so I'd be happy to wait if there was any chance he could squeeze me in. He replies, "Man, all my bays are full and we're backed up but I understand what it's like to have kids playing ball. I can't make any promises, but if you're willing to wait, I'll do the best that I can."

About thirty to forty-five minutes later, a technician comes in the lobby on break and I overhear the young greeter ask him, "Can you man the front for me?" to which the tech jokingly retorts, "Dude. I'm on break." He says, "I know. Help me out." I could hear the mutual respect for each other in their voices. The tech relents, "Gone head, man." The young man, who I now have come to learn his name is Cornall Jones and is also the Service Manager, runs over to me and asks, "Are you parked in the back? Do you have a jack?" He then proceeds to go outside, remove the old tire from the rim, fits the rim with the new tire, balances it and then manually jacks up the car -outside in the heat and mounts the replacement tire himself.

Mr. Jones returns to the lobby, clothes dotted with sweat and with hands soiled from his work. Handing me my keys he says, "Mr. Luckett, I think we've got you going. I hope you make it in time to see your boy." Because of his kindness, dedication and extraordinary efforts, I did. Not only that, but it changed the trajectory of my day and left an impression I am recounting two years later. His gesture was an excellent example of the impact we can all make even in the course of a regular work day by doing all we do, including our work with love. I'm grateful. #52Wog