July 28, 2001: Soul Searching column Praying brings food for thought By Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Editor IN the three seconds since the waitress delivered my plate, I’ve drenched my brisket sandwich with barbecue sauce and taken a bite the size of Bill Gates’ bank account. Just as I start to chew this mammoth hunk of beef, the guy beside me asks politely, “Shall we … Continue reading Praying brings food for thought
Photo by Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Oklahoman QUICK, put down this newspaper and log on to the World Wide Web. Go to the official Christian Web site, http://www.wearegullible.com, and forward an urgent e-mail to 200 friends. Do this immediately, before a sinister group of influential witches succeeds in a scheme to install Harry Potter as U.S. president and his Hogwarts classmates as … Continue reading Internet deception runs wild
‘God had a purpose for us’
BYLINE: Bobby Ross Jr.
SECTION: OKLAHOMA RELIGION; SOUL SEARCHING
LENGTH: 1087 words
DATELINE: WOODWARD
Her voice choked with emotion, Avis Duncan shut her eyes tightly, trying to keep a storm of tears from raging.
The Fifth Street Church of Christ member was talking about the green ceramic squirrel that lives on her living-room table.
A smile on its face, the squirrel stands not 3 inches tall.
It cost only a quarter.
Yet, it tells the story of this 72-year-old Woodward native’s life.
“It’s OK if you cry,” said her son, David, 33. He joked, “It’ll make it a better story.”
The dime-store trinket, bought in Enid in August 1946 as Raymond and Avis Duncan celebrated their honeymoon, conjures so many memories. So many laughs. So many tears.
With Papa in Tennessee during our family vacation in 2008 • • • Saluting a notable survivor, originally published May 26, 2001 By Bobby Ross Jr. As a freckle-faced kid, I never thought much about my grandfather’s contributions to World War II. I just knew his leathery hands and gray hair made him smarter than anybody, including Mom and Dad. “Papa Ross” knew everything about … Continue reading Saluting a notable survivor
You can call me ‘Reverend’ Bobby Ross Jr. Published: May 12, 2001 THOSE who watched me sweat and stutter my way through my college speech class may not believe it, but I am now an ordained minister! It says so right there on the certificate with the official gold seal: “Reverend Bobby Ross.” My license from the Universal Life Church in Billings, Mont., came with a note that … Continue reading The Oklahoman: You can call me ‘Reverend’
Murphy preaches a powerful sermon Former Braves slugger now bats for the Mormons Bobby Ross Jr. Published: April 26, 2001 GUTHRIE – The 19-, 20- and 21-year-old missionaries came dressed in uniform Wednesday: dark suits, white shirts, ties. Dale Murphy, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound guest of honor, wore his uniform, too. Not the one he sported during an all-star baseball career in which he slugged 398 home runs, … Continue reading Murphy preaches a powerful sermon
PASSIONATE ABOUT EASTER PLAY Aging with grace Bobby Ross Jr. Published: April 13, 2001 HOLY CITY OF THE WICHITAS, Okla. – In its heyday, the “Prince of Peace” Easter pageant in this mountain wildlife refuge northwest of Lawton featured 3,000 performers and drew an audience estimated at 225,000. It was 1939. Leona Dean was 2 years old. Her father helped build this living stage of stone buildings that … Continue reading Passionate about Easter play
God helps son to get family dog Bobby Ross Jr. • Modified: April 7, 2001 at 12:00 am • Published: April 7, 2001 NOT too long ago, a 7-year-old boy started e-mailing me at work, begging me to buy him a dog. This child, whose birth I had the privilege of witnessing, went so far as to remind me that God made dogs, so obviously our family needed … Continue reading God helps son to get family dog
Toting Bibles and bike tools Young men answer Mormon Church call for two-year mission Bobby Ross Jr. Published: April 7, 2001 EDMOND – A car honks. The driver yells an indecipherable insult. Three Mormon missionaries riding their bicycles on a side street near the University of Central Oklahoma just smile and keep pedaling. “I don’t think we really want to know what he said,” quips Trevor Alvord, 20, … Continue reading Toting Bibles and bike tools
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 