Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.

In Week 3 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for my Delta-made woman, my finest chocolate, my best friend, my help meet, the mother of my children, my wife, my counselor, my good thing, Melissa Luckett on her birthday.

"What can I say about this woman?" was the thought I had as I contemplated how to give her the honor she's due. The real question was, how can I, without writing a book, summarize what her influence has meant in my life and that of so many others? I concluded that I utterly lack the skill to do so but I could, perhaps, convey a general idea.

Melissa Luckett is strength.

Scripture paints a glorious picture of Christ and what His coming means for mankind. In Psalm 68:18 it's written "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men." And, in Isaiah 40:29 it's written "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength." Strength is the grace given to Melissa according to the measure of Christ's gift. He gives strength to and through Melissa.

The strength I'm referring to doesn't come from natural ability, education or achievement. Even though Melissa abounds in that regard, she doesn't assume that she is capable or has the answers. More often, she assumes that she is unable or that she doesn't know. Nevertheless, she gives what she has to meet people's need where they are. In this way God uses her and I've watched time and time again the Word made flesh as "[His] strength is made perfect in [her] weakness."

In whatever sphere she's in: daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother, auntie, professional or neighbor, Melissa Luckett bears with, builds up, supports and pushes people to do and be better.

I am so thankful that it was given to me to have her to build life with the last twenty years. I have indeed found favor from the Lord and am grateful. Please help me celebrate Melissa Luckett on her birthday! #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, January 10, 2021.

In Week 2 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Terrence Adrian Shannon. When my business was in a spare utility closet of a hair salon with just two plastic tables as make-shift desks, Terrence was the first member of the team. He was barely in his twenties, without much experience, looking to start a new career in Information Technology to better provide for his young family. Terrence was taking as much a chance on me as I was on him. He was the first person I had ever hired and I wasn't completely sure that I could keep finding enough business to pay myself, much less maintain a payroll.

But, what quickly became evident was that Terrence was not merely an employee but a dear brother sent for an appointed season. He approached his work with extraordinary commitment, professionalism and ownership. He often went to extreme lengths to provide our clients the best possible service. On one particular weekend we got a call from a company that had just suffered a major server failure. We worked around the clock, trading places sleeping on the floor a few hours at a time, to get the client back up and running before start of business that upcoming Monday.

There were a lot of stories like that but is only a fraction of why I am so thankful for this man. What blessed me the most was the fellowship. Being an entrepreneur is challenging. The uncertainty is the hardest part -not just for you, but for your family and the people who depend on you to provide for their families. It's a lonely weight. But Terrence did much more than I could ever hope to pay him for. He opened his life to me and embraced me as a friend. We prayed together, we cried together, we studied together, we did ministry together, we sought to become better husbands and fathers together. It just so happens that we became better professionals together.

It was my sheer delight to witness the work of God in Terrence Shannon's life. I watched the young man that started without much experience go on to complete his Computer Science degree at Mississippi State University and move on to become a programmer and Systems Analyst at Raytheon Aerospace. But more impressively, he became an outstanding father of five beautiful children and a husband whose example I admire. I am grateful to have had opportunity to call Terrence Adrian Shannon my friend. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, January 2, 2021.

In Week 1 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Zwan Landfair. Zwan is a Starkville native and graduate of Mississippi State who has gone on to have a successful career at Zimmer Biomet, a multi-billion dollar medical device company. Not satisfied with achieving mere individual success, Zwan used his influence and resources to bring opportunities back to his home town.

He along with Cheri Spigner and others belonging to a "tiny but mighty" team of minority professionals at Zimmer created a program to provide underserved youth exposure to careers in STEM. The program was extended to 6 locations throughout the United States and Zwan used his influence to make the J.L. King Center in Starkville, MS one of those sites.

During the program Starkville youth were introduced to engineers, doctors and information scientists that looked like them, opening whole new worlds of possibility.

We don't hear a lot of stories like this, but Zwan is a welcome reminder that there are people who love their neighbors, are remembering the forgotten and quietly doing the work of uplifting our communities. And, I am thankful. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, August 18, 2020.

This is Elaine. Elaine is a gym instructor and personal trainer who is aka "Elaine, The Mistress of Pain."

When she is not bruising people's bodies, she's saving kittens.

What many don't know is that Elaine (too) enthusiastically leads a gym class at 5 AM at the OCH Wellness Connection. and then immediately leaves to lead another workout with our kids on the Starkville High Cross Country team at 6 AM.

It's people like her that make our community such a wonderful place to live. I wanted to take a moment to say, "Thank you" because I appreciate it. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, January 26, 2020.

As a participant in the Inroads program, I had the wonderful opportunity as a high school junior to intern at Entergy in Jackson, Mississippi. There, I met this super smart computer science student from Millsaps College named Bhaskar Dutt. From the day I stepped off the elevator into the IT Department, Bhaskar was eager to share everything he knew with me.

Back when the primary means of connecting to another computer required a dial-up connection, Bhaskar introduced me to peer-to-peer protocols using the DOS game One Must Fall. He helped me resolve IRQ conflicts in my first custom build 486 PC. (And yes, it was because of the sound card.)

But, what Bhaskar did that was most profound was he related to me in a way that communicated that IT was a place that I, as someone who didn't look like most of the people in the room, belonged. As a result, I never left and will be forever grateful. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, January 19, 2020.

I love this man. On Friday's before work, Chris Walker and I would call each other, lay bare our lives and wrestle to bring them into submission of Christ. What I love about Chris was his refusal to accept anything without thinking it through for himself. He would take Scripture and work through why its reasoning was superior to his own.

Admittedly, our marriages were the impetus for most of our conversations as we stumbled and struggled to be husbands that loved our wives in the manner that Christ loved the Church. I remember we were discussing John 15 and Chris said with tears, "I love Laranda. I would jump in front of a bullet for her. But that's not what it means to love her. Loving my wife isn't a heroic act, it's laying down my self-interest for her benefit -every day."

Chris passed in 2016. I am grateful for the time he was in my life. I'm sharper for it. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, January 12, 2020.

I spent a lot of time with my Uncle Henry growing up. On this particular day, I'm sitting in the passenger seat of his pristine, blue Toyota Cressida. We're parked outside a convenience store. In one hand he has a five dollar bill and with the other he points to a compartment in the car filled with change. A man of few words, he says kindly, "Which one do you want?" I looked intently at the change that was more silver than copper and said, "The change." Uncle Henry smirked, turned off the car and said "Well, count it out. Let's see how you did." There were a lot of quarters and the change came out to a little more than seven dollars. "Smart," he said. "Come on." And, we went inside.

Maybe he knew it, maybe he didn't, but the many little moments I shared with him like that are etched in my heart and shaped my life. See, he made me want to make smart choices because I wanted to be like him. I am deeply grateful for that. #52WoG