John Spencer

It's said that one can leave Lubbock, but that he'll eventually come back. That's not true in every case, of course, but it's true a surprising percentage of the time. Or perhaps it's not so surprising. Lubbock is a vibrant city with something for everyone, and a reason for each of us to return. Our roots run deep; our heartstrings are strong. Even those of us who leave forever leave a piece of ourselves behind, and everyone has a special memory or two of the Hub City. These are a few such memories, told by the Lubbockites who lived them.

Parables with beattitude.What if the parables weren't how you remembered? Would it help you see what you'd always missed?Still More Not the Parables of Jesus contains one last bunch of 40 satirical takes on the original parables to snap us out of our over-familiarity and to open our eyes to the truth of the Gospel.Half tongue-in-cheek, half right between the eyesOften fun, sometimes poignant, and occasionally painful; these parables reveal our cultural biases, hidden assumptions, and the lies we believe.Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me St Paul*O for a thousand tongues to sing this great book's praise Charles Wesley*This really is the last time I accept anything my wife gives me adam*Not the Bible. It's like the Bible. Only not.John was born at a very young age with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. At first, it appeared that no lasting damage had been done, but as he grew it became clear that his sense of humour had been damaged irreparably. John lives with his family near Oxford, England where daily he wonders how his wife still finds the same jokes funny after more than 20 years of marriage.* Everything's true about these statements except the quotes.

After Lycurgus (Surge) Sherwood is wounded by a gunman at a tent revival meeting, he and his companions seek refuge at the home of Owen Lovejoy, famed abolitionist whose Princeton, Illinois, home was the headquarters of the Underground Railroad in the West. When Surge sets out to find who shot him, he discovers corruption and malfeasance not only among outlaws, but among those sworn to uphold the law.

A searing drought has come to Round Prairie, and with it, a young runaway from Georgia in search of his long-lost father. At Four Cedars, Lycurgus and Rachael Sherwood welcome their first-born child, Charles Douglas Sherwood. Surge is called upon to help the two runaways reunite, and to rescue them from the grasp of river pirates. The climactic reunion of these two tormented souls unfolds with all the explosive force of a hurricane.

Englishman Jerome Westphal has come to the antebellum Illinois prairies on a hunting excursion, bagging elk, wolf, bear and panther. When a legendary white buffalo calf is born, many see it as a prophetic sign, but Westphal sees only a chance to add to his trophy list. When Lycurgus (Surge) Sherwood confronts Westphal and attempts to protect the calf, the Englishman is undeterred and abducts Sherwood's most trusted friend, his loyal wolf companion Lupa. Includes the short story Child of the Storm, in which Lycurgus first encounters the wolf, Lupa.

In the autumn of 1858, on the prairies of Central Illinois, Lycurgus (Surge) Sherwood has been more concerned with the day to day business of his farm in Marshall County than with the runaway slaves that filter up the Dixon Trail on the Underground Railroad. But when his sister is ruthlessly murdered by Mississippi bounty hunters Surge suddenly finds himself embroiled in the clandestine and unlawful Freedom Train.

Homelessness today is a common thing in every city in America. The "good people," the "decent people," will typically cross the street to avoid crossing paths with a homeless person. The homeless are looked down upon, disparaged, cursed at and called worthless and lazy. And to be honest, many of them are lazy. But nobody is worthless. Not in God's eyes. Most homeless, besides being considered lazy, are assumed to be drug addicts or alcoholics. And again, to be honest, many of them are. But many of them are just as they appear: down on their luck in a society which makes it extremely difficult for such people to climb out of the pits of poverty and to become "normal" again. I was once homeless myself. I remember how it felt to be unwanted by the citizens of Dallas. I can relate to how the homeless of today feel somewhat less than human. The reason I wanted to write this book was to show my readers a side of homelessness they perhaps didn't know existed. A side that only the homeless see.

Lubbock's been around for well over a century now. It's risen from a dusty little farm town to a thriving metropolis. It's seen its share of death, and it's been said many of the departed didn't want to leave. Or perhaps they had no choice. There is much we don't know about death and dying, for those who experience it firsthand aren't able to share those experiences. Many people are skeptical about the existence of ghosts and spirits. However, that's only because they haven't experienced a sighting first-hand. Those who've seen a ghost for themselves very quickly become believers. In any event, these are the stories of the souls left behind, told in the words of those who've seen, heard or felt them.

Route 66 once stretched from Chicago to southern California. It was the primary route thousands of victims of the dust bowl took in their quest to find jobs and to better their lives. It's the route made famous by Steinbeck's classic "The Grapes of Wrath." But Tom Joad and his family were far from the only ones who traveled the road in desperation. Later, hundreds of thousands of others traveled the route for enjoyment. You or someone you know traveled the route. These days, sadly, much of the road has simply disappeared. When Interstate 40 was built it was built right over the top of many parts of Route 66. Many other parts were cut off and simply faded away. Eisenhower's dream of fast coast to coast automobile travel was a blessing to many. But it was a curse to many others who made their livelihood at one of the thousands of businesses which had sprung up along Route 66. Thankfully, many of the old hotels and restaurants and gas stations have survived. Some are still thriving. Most, though, have died. This book chronicles all of them: the dead, the barely getting by, the ones still enjoying success as a part of the famed "Route 66."

Features the first three SURGE novels: Round Prairie Inferno, Senachwine Crossing and Four Cedars. Action and adventure set in the era of The House Divided. Second generation Illinois settler, Lycurgus Sherwood has been more concerned with the day to day business of his farm in Marshall County than he has with the numerous runaway slaves filtering up the Dixon Trail on the Underground Railroad. When his sister and her husband are ruthlessly murdered by Mississippi bounty hunters Surge is transformed. Includes a special introduction and map by the author.

Hundreds of thousands of proud men and women have entered the Air Force through the gates of Lackland Air Force Base. The base has recently been named Joint Base Lackland. But its rich historical heritage remains the same. It's still the gateway to the United States Air Force. Those who've sweated together here... who've learned together... who've become brothers and sisters in arms... all remember seeing the aircraft on static display during their tour. These are those aircraft. Each one has a story to tell. Each one will bring back memories of those who marched past them. For they, like the aircraft represented in this book, are now a proud part of Air Force history. Photos used in this collection were taken of vintage aircraft on permanent display at Joint Base Lackland, San Antonio, Texas

For many years they've come through the gates of Lackland. Most enlisted personnel remember it as Lackland Air Force Base. Recent entries know it as Joint Base Lackland. But for all enlisted airmen, it's the place they started their Air Force career. Nicknamed "The Gateway to the Air Force," the base has long been the only entry point for enlisted personnel. Hundreds of thousands of proud men and women have joined the Air Force team here. They've sweated together, studied together, learned how to march together and helped one another get through one of the toughest times of their young lives. After they were done they earned the right to call themselves "airmen" and became members of the most powerful Air Force in the world. This book is dedicated to them, the proud men and women of the Air Force enlisted corps.

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A companion to the musical album Neidan by That That Is. Volume one in the That That Is series and a simple meditation on the Tao.

Let the Sword of Truth tickle you into submission. More Not the Parables of Jesus contains another 40 satirical takes on the original parables to snap us out of our over-familiarity and to open our eyes to the truth of the Gospel. Half tongue-in-cheek, half right between the eyes Often fun, sometimes poignant, and occasionally painful; these parables reveal our cultural biases, hidden assumptions, and the lies we believe. Your best laugh now. Joel Osteen* 'The perfect indulgence. Johann Tetzel* Russia denies meddling in the funniness of this book Vladimir Putin* Not the Bible. It's like the Bible. Only not. * Everything's true about these statements except the quotes.

Jerome Westphal has come to the antebellum Illinois prairies for adventure. He enters Bureau County on a hunting excursion, bagging elk, wolf, bear and panther. When a legendary white buffalo calf is born in the valley the Englishman sees nothing but dollar signs, adding bison to his trophy list. Surge confronts Westphal, warning him to leave the Bureau Valley and never return, but the Englishman is undeterred abducting Sherwood's most trusted friend, his loyal wolf companion Lupa.Includes the short story Child of the Storm, in which Lycurgus first encounters the wolf, Lupa.

Restore the wonder of the parables, the joy of the Gospel ... and the discomfort of the Sword of Truth stabbed firmly in your gut.Not the Parables of Jesus contains more than 40* different takes on the original parables to snap us out of our over-familiarity and to open our eyes to the truth of the Gospel.Half tongue-in-cheek, half right between the eyesOften fun, sometimes poignant, and occasionally painful; these parables reveal our cultural biases, hidden assumptions, and the lies we believe.If I were alive today, I would be happy to condemn these parables as heretical. Martin Luther+'Awesome. Excellent. Recommended' are some adjectives I found in the thesaurus. However I wouldn't use any of them to describe this book. Dick ShunnaryThis is fake good news Donald Trump+When I read 'Not the Bible' I feel the pleasure of God. Eric Liddle's sixth cousin twice removed+Not the Bible. It's like the Bible. Only not.John was born at a very young age with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. At first, it appeared that no lasting damage had been done, but as he grew it became clear that his sense of humour had been damaged irreparably. John lives with his family near Oxford, England where daily he wonders how his wife still finds the same jokes funny after nearly 20 years of marriage.* Bet you think that means there are only 41 parables? Well there are actually 42. So there + Everything's true about these statements except the quotes.