Mark and Africa New Life Ministries Noted in ABA Journal January 2012 !!

 

As most of you know, I travelled to Rwanda in August 2011 with the Simple Church of Bossier City to work with Africa New Life and Land of a Thousand Hills.

The reason I do this is because I can be very selfish and  focused on the immediate needs of my family, my staff, myself and my clients; however, there are times when we have to get perspective. It's not about me. It's not about winning or losing or how much money we can make or prevent others from getting.  There's more to life than all of that. There are millions of people, like my adopted son in Rwanda, Emmanuel,  who have nothing. He  lives in a  mud hut on the border of Rwanda and Tanzania. He has no running water or electricity, but he now has the opportunity to get an education, food clothing and medicine.

Do something for someone else without any expectation of return.

Maybe, it's just giving a homeless person some bottled water.

Do something.

Do anything.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, in Lawyerspeak

Whereas, on or about the night prior to Christmas, there did occur

at a certain improved piece of real property (herinafter "the House")

a general lack of stirring by all creatures therein, including, but

not limited to a mouse.



A variety of foot apparel, e.g. stockings, socks, etc, had been affixed

by and around the chimney in said House in the hope and or belief that

St. Nick a/k/a St. Nicholas a/k/a Santa Claus (hereinafter "Claus")

would arrive at sometime thereafter.



The minor residents, i.e. the children, of aforementioned House

were located in their individual beds and were engaged in nocturnal

hallucinations, i.e. dreams, wherein visions of confectionary treats,

including, but not limited to, candies, nuts and/or sugar plums, did

dance, cavort and otherwise appear in said dreams.



Whereupon the party of the first part (sometimes hereinafter referred

to as "I"), being joint owner in fee simple of the House with the parts

of the second part (hereinafter "Mama"), and said Mama retired for a

sustained period of sleep. (At such time, the parties were clad in

various forms of headgear, e.g. kerchief and cap.)



Suddenly, and without prior notice or warning, there did occur upon

such unimproved real property adjacent and appurtenant to said House,

i.e. the lawn, a certain disruption of unknown nature, cause and/or

circumstance.



The party of the first part did immediately rush to a window in the

House to investigate the cause of such disturbance. At that time,

the party of the first part did observe, with some degree of wonder

and/or disbelief, a miniature sleigh (hereinafter "the Vehicle) being

pulled and/ or drawn very rapidly through the air by approximately

eight (8) reindeer and specifically identified the animal co-conspirators

by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen

(hereinafter "the Deer").



(Upon information and belief, it is further asserted that an additional

co-conspirator named "Rudolph" may have been involved.)



The party of the first part witnessed Claus, the Vehicle and the Deer

intentionally and willfully trespass upon roofs of several residences

located adjacent to and in the vicinity of the House, and noted that

the Vehicle was heavily laden with packages, toys and other items of

unknown origin or nature. Suddenly, without prior invitation or

permission, wither express or implied, the Vehicle arrived at the House

and Claus entered said House via the chimney.



Said Claus was clad in a red fur suit, which was partially covered with

residue from the chimney, and he carried a large sack containing a

portion of the aforementioned packages, toys and other unknown items.

He was smoking what appeared to be tobacco in a small pipe in blatant

violation of local ordinances and health regulations.



Claus did not speak but immediately began to fill the stockings of the

minor children, which hung adjacent to the chimney, with toys and other

small gifts. (Said items did not, however, constitute "gifts" to said

minor children pursuant to the applicable provisions of the US Tax

Code).



Upon completion of such task, Claus touched the side of his nose and

flew, rose and/or ascended up the chimney of the House to the roof

where the Vehicle and the Deer waited an/or served as "lookouts." Claus

immediately departed for an unknown destination.



However, prior to the departure of the Vehicle, Deer and Claus from the

House, the party of the first part did hear Claus state and/or exclaim:

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Or words to that

effect.

Surge of 18-wheeler Accidents in Northwest Louisiana

As you know, most of my practice is devoted to representing trucking companies involved in accidents. Although most accidents happen in South Louisiana along Interstate 10 between Houston, Texas and Mississippi, there are still a number of accidents occurring in North Louisiana along the I-20 corridor on the northern part of the state and along I-49 which runs north-south on the west side of the state.

In the last  few two weeks, the following incidents have occurred just in parishes of Caddo, Bossier and Webster parishes:

Accident A:

A woman is seriously injured following a wreck late Wednesday (December 14, 2011) night on I-220 in Bossier city, and the driver of the car police originally were told she was driving has been cited.

The crash happened at about 11 p.m. Wednesday night on I-220 at Benton Road involving a car and an 18-wheeler as they were both traveling westbound. An investigation indicates the car, a 2000 Ford Taurus, cut in front of the 18-wheeler and made contact with the rig's front bumper. That caused the car to spin and strike the inside guardrail of the Benton Road overpass. A passenger in the Taurus, 27-year old Victoria Gillins of Shreveport, was ejected from the car and sustained what appeared to be life threatening injuries. Her 3-year year old son, Loyal Gillins, was also injured as was the driver, 29-year old Jim Ware of Shreveport.

All three occupants of the car were taken to LSU Hospital by Bossier City Fire Department personnel. None were wearing safety restraints.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured. Ware initially told police that Victoria Gillins was driving the car at the time of the crash but later confessed that he was actually behind the wheel.

Accident B:

The eastbound on ramp to I-20 from I-220 is  closed due to a single vehicle rollover crash involving an 18 wheeler with a full load of apples.

Eastbound traffic on I-220 is now being temporarily detoured onto Highway 80 to accommodate the wrecker crews while they work to upright and haul off the 18-wheeler.

According to Bossier City Public Information Officer Mark Natale, the driver lost control of his rig as he was traveling on the ramp resulting in his load shifting, causing the rig to rollover onto its side.

The driver was shaken up but not injured. A heavy duty wrecker has been dispatched to the scene to upright the rig and haul it away. 

The load of apples did not spill as a result of the crash.

Accident C:

I-20 westbound in Webster Parish will be closed for the next few hours as crews clean up an accident involving an 18-wheeler.

The wreck happened about 7:00 a.m. Monday morning (December 11, 2011).  Louisiana State Police say the truck driver somehow lost control of the semi, flipping it over onto its side. The truck spilled its load of rubber products, which crews are working to clean up. At the moment, I-20 at the Dixie Inn exit (exit 44) is closed. Drivers are being diverted at the Dixie Inn exit to Highway 80.

Accident D:

Two Halliburton 18 wheelers collided on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 in a chain-reaction semi truck accident in Bossier City, LA.

Accidents E and F:

Over the weekend of December 10, 2011, Two separate 18-wheeler accidents on Interstate 20 over the weekend claimed two lives. One of the victims was a four-month-old infant.

The crash on Sunday happened about three o'clock on Interstate 20 eastbound in Bossier Parish just past the I-220 exchange. That accident killed a female driver and sent her passenger to LSU Hospital with critical injuries. Sgt. Joseph Mondello with the Louisiana State Police said, "The tractor-trailer driver did not see the traffic stop and ran into the rear of a Ford Taurus and the driver was killed on the scene."

"It's a really tragic day here on I-20. it's supposed to be a festive time of year, but this is anything but." That was the response from Shreveport Police Spokeswoman Kacee Hargrave said about the first accident on Saturday. In that crash, a Lincoln had slowed down on the interstate in the westbound lane near the Hearne Avenue Exit because of construction. An 18-wheeler driven by Milton Dawkins hit the back of the Lincoln, killing the four-month-old baby boy and putting his mother, 26-year-old Claudia Salley to LSU. She remains in critical condition as of Sunday night.

How to Avoid Being Involved in an 18-wheeler accident:

Unfortunately, many people assume that big-rigs can maneuver as quickly and as easily as a passenger vehicle. That is simply not true and you must give the rigs room to maneuver.

Christmas? Already?

Well here I am again. Another year nearly gone and I feel like there is so much remaining undone.

I actually love the Christmas Season, but I have always struggled with "when it's over." I almost cannot enjoy the season because "when it's over" I have so much to do. I wonder where that comes from?

I also tend to stay up late because what will I do when this day is over? What will I do when the weekend is over? What about when 2011 is over?

Of course, I will  start over because I have no choices, but who really wants to do that? Most people! Yet for me, it's  another year to start another ledger, new deadlines, hope for a better year and so many other things going on.

I prefer things to add up, to build up; not to start over. I guess I'm not so much of new starter, as  I am a long-term finisher.

I wonder what that says about me?

Oh well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

It will be a new year  no matter what, so we may as well enjoy what we have now and not worry about when it's over.