Originally posted on Facebook on Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
I am a past director and current volunteer with the Mississippi Coding Academies. MCA exists to help Mississippians to achieve high earning careers in tech fields by providing in-person, hands-on and tuition free training in full-stack programming and software development.
Our Golden Triangle Campus, located in the state-of-the-art Communiversity at East Mississippi Community College, is looking to hire one or more Senior Instructors at a starting rate of $50 per hour, more for exceptionally qualified candidates. Classes are held M-F 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM.
If you are interested and have experience in C# and / or web development technologies such as PHP, CSS and React, please send an email to mca-instructor-application@convoloop.com and address your message, indicating your interest, to Jessica Hayes so that we may arrange an introduction.
You may view the full current curriculum here: https://mscoding.org/starkville-curriculum/
Originally posted on Facebook on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.
In Week 52 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for my mother-in-love, Mary Jean Harris.
"I love you…" I fondly remember the way she would say that, especially when she was on the phone.
She sang it as much as she said it. The vowels would hang for a bit, almost as though they carried a deeper message about her love for you: the authenticity of her love (I-I-I), the intensity of her love (looove) and the certainty of her love (yoouu).
The sound of it was melodious, like a joyous line from an upbeat blues tune. Blues –the music of pain, perseverance and pursuit of brighter days. A fitting soundtrack to a beautiful life. If there was anyone to whom "Life For Me Ain't Been No Crystal Stair" could be applied, it was Mary Jean Harris -she had joy and found ways to share it, even through pain.
The life Mrs. Harris and her husband Willie Lee Harris built in the face of adversity places them among my heroes. In their day it was more important for a child to work than to go to school. But they dared to hope for and pursue a better life. With less than a high school education, they ventured out, overcoming the poverty they were born in to and eventually becoming home owners, all while providing for a large family of six children.
Mrs. Harris meticulously managed their modest earnings with the skill of a banker so that their children and even their grandchildren had not only what they needed but even some of what they wanted. But most impressively she built a house with "good bones". It was a home that kept a family together because, no matter how imperfect (as all families are), it was a home founded on love and built with intentionality. Even until the end, Mr. and Mrs. Harris had the advancement of their children in view and, seemingly against all odds, managed to leave property and money for them -money Melissa and I used to buy our first home.
This is a wonderful, hard-fought legacy and one that we cannot throw away. We owe them our best effort to advance and put the next generation in an even better position.
Thank you Mrs. Harris, for all the beautiful ways you said, "I love you."
We miss you, we love you and are determined to build on your memory. I'm grateful. #52WoG
Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, December 18, 2021.
In Week 51 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Jamie Jones.
It was a hot summer's day in June and my wife and boys were sitting on the grass just outside George M. Bryan Airport. They were there for two reasons: because our youngest son, Roman, likes to go there just to watch planes take off and land and because they were recording a video for me for Father's Day.
As they were recording, a man began to walk from the hangers in their direction. Thinking that they were about to be told that they could not be there, my family began to get up and leave. But, the man introduced himself and asked if they were there to see the planes. As they talked, they shared how Roman has expressed a love of airplanes even before he could really talk. The man said, "I think I know of something he might be interested in. There's a group meeting in the hanger right now that I think he should meet. Let me introduce you."
That was about 5 years ago, the man was Jamie Jones and that group that was meeting was the MSU Soaring Club. Roman began flying with them at the very next meeting and loved it. He has been flying under the instruction of Dr. George Bennet ever since and is on course to receive his license this upcoming year.
It is rare to find that thing you know without question you were built to do. Because Mr. Jones went out of his way to show kindness to a stranger, he helped my son to find his thing. For that, I am in his debt and he will be forever enshrined in Luckett family history. I'm grateful. #52WoG
Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, December 11, 2021.
In Week 50 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pearson Liddell.
Pastor Gregory Jones would say that every man needs these three men in their life: a Paul, Barnabas and Timothy.
That means: a mentor who models new heights of The Way (Paul), a companion who you walk with in The Way (Barnabas) and a mentee with whom you can share what you've learned along The Way (Timothy).
For more than a decade, Pearson Liddell has been a Paul to me, modeling godly masculinity, how to live in dependency on God's grace and what it looks like to lead from a position of service. Not only has he been gracious in sharing his life and hard fought wisdom with me, now he's mentoring my son. Praise God for these mighty rivers of living waters through Pearson Liddell in Christ Jesus! I'm grateful. #52WoG
Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, December 5, 2021.
In Week 49 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Mr. Oda Dakhlalla.
When I got to college, I thought Algebra would be like what I took in high school, but they put "College" at the front of College Algebra for a reason. When I needed help, Mr. Oda Dakhlalla was my tutor. Mr. Oda not only helped me to learn the formulas I needed to solve problems but he helped me understand the underlying logic of mathematical concepts. This helped me to even approach problems that I may not have known the necessary formulas to solve. He was brilliant. He went on to help me with a number of my classes like Stats II.
That was more than 20 years ago.
Mr. Oda has since prepped my eldest son for the ACT, who is now a sophomore in college and is currently working with my youngest son on his ACT and SAT.
But most notably, Mr. Oda over the years has become more than a tutor but a friend. On our most recent visit, he insisted to cook for us. We not only have occasion to regularly share a lesson but life. I'm grateful. #52WoG
*If you or your student needs a tutor in math, stats, physics or chemistry, I highly recommend Mr. Dakhlalla. He's effective and affordable (I was able to afford his services in college). His phone number is 662-722-0020.
Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, December 2, 2021.
"Finding a wife" is not like stumbling upon money on the ground, but like unearthing rubies, a precious gemstone, that has to be mined, cut and polished. You have to appreciate the value of this treasure, have the understanding to identify what's valuable and be actively searching for it (digging).
Fun fact: you can get totally different gems from the same corundum mineral stone: a priceless ruby or a much less valuable sapphire or a worthless rock – it varies based on the skill of the lapidary (gem cutter) [Husband]. An incompetent man can ruin a great wife. So, learn from the Master.
Jesus teaches us how to "find a wife".
He's clear about:
Who God is, thus;
Who He is.
What He's doing.
Why He's doing what He's doing.
Where He's going.
He then makes an invitation to join Him and is clear about what it costs.
He loves the wife He finds; covering, praying, leading, teaching, providing, giving His life -perfecting her that they may be one in God.
By the grace of God, I "find a wife" in Melissa every day. It's not a one time event. It's a continual process. My example is Jesus as Christ prepares for Himself a bride — in me. I, along with all those who accept His invitation, am His bride.
Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.
Naturally, as parents, we want to protect our children.
But there comes a time where we must prepare them and let them know that the world is nothing like our home and equip them to confront its cruelty.
We must make it clear that, not only for our children but for everyone that steps out our doors, they are stepping out into a warzone.
So, my goal as a husband, father and the head of my house is to make our home a sanctuary and, to the extent I am able, ensure that the war out there is not happening in here.
That war is with but one enemy – Satan and I discern He has only one attack – calling the goodness of God into question. That means:
Who God is (life)
What God says (truth)
What God gives (good)
and as a product of these;
Who I am (identity) and
What I should treasure (heart / value system)
Establishing peace and safety in my home and equipping my family to win the battles they're confronted with outside of it is to establish the truth of God's goodness.
Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, November 19, 2021.
In Week 47 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Christopher McKnight.
It was a night like tonight, cold, damp and with temperatures in the low 30s.
Our apartment floor was littered with particle board, pieces of gray carpet and electrical wire from building boxes for subwoofers. It was already late, we both had work and school the next day but I was excited about my new subs. I was new to car audio. I bought all the components; the wire, subs, amp and head unit, but I didn't know how to install them. Chris, seeing my excitement, grabs his coat and says, "You know this is love, right?" then precedes out into the cold to install audio equipment in my car in the dark of night. What's more is despite having to take frequent breaks to get the feeling back in our fingers from working in the cold, Chris takes his time -more than four hours by my recollection, to install everything right, all while explaining the process step-by-step to me along the way.
This characterized Chris; selfless, thorough, excellent, kind. He exhibited this many times, in many ways. He was a much better friend than I deserved. And, to answer the earlier question, Yes. I know it's love and I'm grateful. #52WoG
Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
I have heard the question asked many times, "How am I supposed to choose Christianity among so many other religions?"
First off, you're mistaken. You can't choose to be Christian.
It's not a matter of picking the belief system that gives you the best deal. It's all about what happens when you hear the Word, whether faith is kindled -whether you hear and believe.
So, the real question is have you truly heard the Word and then, how did you respond?
That's why it's imperative, for those of us who do believe, to preach the unadulterated Word and live it in the power God provides, so to provide more opportunity for people to engage with the true Word.
What's key is the Word, expressly communicated in the person of Jesus Christ so that even babes can understand. Because salvation is His work alone. It is the gift of God alone, for His glory alone, therefore received by faith alone, in Christ alone as imparted by the Word alone.
You do not choose God. He chooses you and His choice is revealed by your response to His Son, Jesus, the Word in flesh.
What we can evaluate is our response. What kind of heart and ears are we hearing with -ones that are obstinate and seek our own desire or those that yearn for righteousness and receive the gift?
Even if you are in doubt and unbelieving, you can ask God for a heart for Him. That's the kind of prayer He's eager to answer. #seek
Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, November 15, 2021.
Sometimes I'm frustrated by the things I still struggle with and it makes me wonder whether I've truly been born again.
But as I ask and seek about that, I find the key to properly evaluating my regeneration is not whether my old nature is still visited by old temptations but whether I now have a new nature indicated by a new heart with new yearnings for God and that confesses Jesus as Lord.
While I am a new creature, the old man remains. And, whatever we feed, we strengthen. Therefore, I starve the old and feed the new. I will never be completely free from temptation until I'm with the Lord but I can weaken the flesh and strengthen my ability to resist it.
Don't confuse this with the demonic talk of feeding the good vs bad wolves.
The wolves approach depends on your strength and your evaluation of good and evil. The new creature depends on God's.
