I like Hispanics. They are warm hearted, friendly, hard working, and conscientious people.

I have always enjoyed being around people of Latin American origin. My next door neighbors are Hispanic. They have been good neighbors.

I enjoy driving down Nolensville Road, near my home, and reading all the signs in Spanish. It is like a trip to another country and I only have to drive a few blocks to get there. And the International Market is a great place to visit and experience people from many nations.

One summer I sold books door-to-door in Austin, Texas, frequently in Hispanic neighborhoods. They always treated me very well.

I sold bottled water door-to-door in the Los Angeles area for about a year. The Hispanics I met there were also wonderful people. Once a guy called out to his wife in a Spanish accent and said: “Honey, Gomer Pile is at our door.” We had a great laugh together.

I went to Mexico City by myself once for a week. I wandered the streets by myself and talked to people in broken Spanish. Everybody I met treated me well.

I spent two weeks once in Cali, Colombia in South America. It was a wonderful experience. I met a lot of really great people there.

I like Hispanics. For years I wanted to move from Nashville to Texas so that I could be around Hispanics and improve my Spanish. But that is where patience pays off. I waited and they came to me. Hispanics are wonderful people.

You’re not too old to fulfill your dreams, Mate! Australian, Phyllis Turner, has proven that age doesn’t matter! This summer she received her master’s degree in medical science from The University Of Adelaid at the age of 94. Guinness World Records says she appears to be the oldest person ever to earn a master’s degree.

Phyllis Turner is a great, great grand-mother who quit school at 12 years old to help her mother look after her brothers and sisters when they were abandoned by their father. After raising 7 children and two step children, she decided to go to night school and finish her basic education.

Then at age 70, she entered The University of Adelaid. At 72 she won a one year scholarship to the University of California. After returning to Australia she entered Australian National University and completed a bachelor’s degree in anthropology.

When her husband died 5 years ago, even though she was 89, Phyllis Turner decided to pursue her masters degree. And now she is a world record holder — the oldest person in history to earn a master’s degree.

Phyllis shows us that there is no cap on the age of accomplishment. It is never too late to work toward the fulfillment of a dream. So why not write that book, organize that nonprofit organization, go back to school, start that business, complete that invention, run for office, take that trip, record that country song? Why not make that dream come true?

Recently a group of about 18 people (ages 15 to mid-twenties) from France and Virginia joined our regular group of prayer walkers in East Nashville: Ashish from India and 5 of us from Nashville. We divided into 4 groups and spread out in each direction from the corner of Grace and Stockell Streets.

Three of the groups were carrying large red, yellow, and blue flags. My wife and I led the group that went down Second Street, a popular place for drug sales and users.

We encountered a man and woman coming our way and asked if we could pray with them. They both said yes. One of the French guys and I prayed with William. He said he had just gotten out of jail for his second DUI.

William took both of our hands and bowed his head. The French guy spoke very little English so he prayed in French. After the prayer, William had tears running down his face.

The rest of our group was praying with the woman and she was also crying. They both hugged us and thanked us before they walked away.

About a half block down the street, two guys, obviously high on drugs, yelled: “What’s that flag for?” We told them: ”The red stands for the blood of Jesus, the yellow for the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the blue for the ability to live a victorious life.”

They said they didn’t want us to pray with them because of what they were doing, but asked if we would pray for them later. Then one of them said: “We know what you are talking about. He came, He died, and He rose from the dead; if they ain’t preaching that, don’t listen to ‘em!”

After our walk, all four groups had exciting stories to tell about the opportunities that had opened up for them to pray with and encourage people.

Here are some possible reactions to a small New Testament packaged with the Sunday paper: “Hey, Honey, there’s a Bible with our paper this morning.”

1) “That’s nice, Dear.”

2) “A what?”

3) “Maybe we can send it to Aunt Jane for Christmas.”

4) “Really? Let me see it.”

5) “What else is new?”

6) “That’s great. I’ve been needing a new pocket New Testament.”

7) “What’s a Bible?”

8) “What will those religious freaks think of next?”

9) “Keep that thing away from me!”

10) “Do you have any idea how blatantly offensive this boneheaded idea is to the thinking public?” This was the actual response of a Fort Worth reader after The Fort Worth Star Telegram announced it would deliver more than 200,000 New Testaments with the paper on the last Sunday of the year.

The Associated press says: “After the outcry, the (Fort Worth) paper told subscribers they could opt out of the delivered Bibles.” Whew! That was a close call. Somebody almost got a Bible they didn’t want!

So what is wrong with the International Bible Society spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to distribute Bibles with 11 papers during 2007-2008? Isn’t their money any good? Everything else is advertised and/or distributed with newspapers. Why not Bibles?

A recent column by national columnist, Mona Charen, denounced the the modern casual sex myth.

Mona says: “American popular culture seems determined to obliterate innocence!” She gives numerous examples of how society is aggressively promoting the casual sex myth, even to children.

Mona also says: “The good news is that a small but significant backlash is under way.” Then she gives the examples of Wendy Shalit, Ella Gunderson, and Taylor Moore, three young women who are boldly writing and speaking out against cheapo sex. O that more people in America had the courage of those three!