Appreciating my brothers, part 2

In honor of my youngest brother's birthday yesterday, here is the second part of an appreciation of my brothers. If you missed part one back in March, you can catch up on my thoughts about my middle brother, Lee, here. Lyle Elrod Wallace joined our family January 13, 1981, disrupting the roles and responsibilities each … Continue reading Appreciating my brothers, part 2 →

My favorite joke

When I was a cub reporter at The Macon Telegraph back in the early 1990s, copy editor Randy Waters once gave me a backhanded compliment that has stuck with me: "Lance, you're the funniest guy I know who can't tell a joke." Randy was right. I've never been good at remembering jokes, but as a … Continue reading My favorite joke →

Simple pleasures

For me the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a re-evaluation of life’s big questions. One of my discoveries is how the simple pleasures contribute to my quality of life. Here are the little things that have come to mean a lot to me: Laughter around the table is a simple pleasure that happens frequently when we play … Continue reading Simple pleasures →

Things I can’t live without

Survival depends on very little – food, water, shelter, clothing. Fulfillment requires healthy relationships, meaningful work and serving others. Convenience is more complicated. Reflecting on what I cannot live without is an examination of convenience. Everything on this list contributes to my comfort, productivity, or entertainment, but it isn’t necessary for survival. That said, this … Continue reading Things I can’t live without →

Thankful for great memories

Memories are fleeting. They come and go on their own timetable. I treasure my children and different memories of them flash into mind at seemingly random moments. Here are memories I cherish and hope revisit me often as the boys grow into adulthood: Barron Parents know the least with their firstborn, and we didn’t even … Continue reading Thankful for great memories →

Putting the ‘grand’ in grandparents

I was blessed to know three of my four grandparents well. Minnie Ruth Elrod, my mom’s mother, whom we called Maw Maw, was always a part of my life. We had frequent visits with her when we all lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She eventually followed us to Lake Wales, Fla., and moved in … Continue reading Putting the ‘grand’ in grandparents →

Mom and math

Throughout my formative school-age years, my mother was very engaged in my academic career. She expected her three boys to make all A’s and excel in everything we put our minds to. A mathematician, she worked to ensure that we take the highest levels of math available to us, believing that the knowledge and the … Continue reading Mom and math →

‘Stranger Things’ and nostalgic fads from my childhood

As my family indulges in season four of Netflix's hit series "Stranger Things," I'm once again overwhelmed with '80s nostalgia. It has led to many conversations with my boys about which fads of the era I embraced. No, I did not have Steve Harrington hair. Yes, I was a high school journalism nerd. No, I … Continue reading ‘Stranger Things’ and nostalgic fads from my childhood →

Beach happy

I am blessed with myriad joys in my life -- being married to Carla, parenting three wonderful young men, participating in our family of faith at Parkway Baptist Church, and many more. When joy is given a location -- the now cliche "happy place" -- my mind always goes to our summer family vacations to … Continue reading Beach happy →

College visits produce anxiety, nostalgia

The joke about campus tours is that they’re all the same. This short video from College Humor captures it nicely. After taking two such tours this week with my middle son, Harris, I’ve concluded that, yes, touring campuses starts to feel like deja vu after a while, but if you’re paying attention, there’s a lot … Continue reading College visits produce anxiety, nostalgia →