Thank you, Highlands Rotary, for the generous account of my appearance. Like your members, I am daily amazed that God gave me the “ability to reflect back and see that illness, physical limitations, and adversity have ultimately been conduits for spiritual growth.” Click on headline image to read the article. God bless you, Jack.
Mary Sterling
On Sunday, July 9, 2017, I was invited by my dear cousin, Mary Sterling, to speak to a large gathering at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Friendswood, Texas. Mary’s father, The Rt. Rev. William E. Sterling, served as its Rector prior to being elected the sixth Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Texas.
After church services members of the congregation joined me for lunch and the breaking of bread. I shared the story of my four-hoofed angel, Old Donk, told in my book, Bending Angels.
Whether it is polio, an illness, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or a marriage that ends in divorce, God will give us each day what we need to face such passages.
God will provide to all of us our daily bread just as Old Donk received her bread in her daily comings and goings in Emmottville. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Today’s blessings from God will be the spiritual good to feed and sustain our souls on Earth and in heaven.
The Rev. Geoffrey C. Gwynne, Rector of Good Shepherd
May God bless this house of worship and all who dwell and pray in it.
Amen
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120 lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.
I was so blessed to attend a gathering of their friends and family to share my book Bending Angels with them.
Wearing my ” Wonder Boy Emmott” baseball cap I told everyone what I received from the coach after my dream died of becoming a great baseball player. Polio killed that dream but the gift from the coach and the plans God had for me far exceeded what a career in baseball would have done for me.
Paul has overcome the death of loved ones and more recently cancer. I presented a well-deserved “Wonder Boy” cap to Paul. He is an amazing legendary oil and gas attorney and servant of the Lord. Paul, may God bless you and Cyndi now and forever. You are my hero.
Almighty God – You gave all of us, Your children, the gift of Your love and the freedom to make our own decisions in our lives and in our walks of faith.
We thank You for our Forefathers, as Pilgrims of Faith, who gave us freedom and liberty under Your watch.
On this Fourth of July we thank You for the blessing of living in the Land of Liberty.
Lord, help us not forget that in our walks of faith in this Nation under God that we honor You and please You most when we treat our fellow citizens as we ourselves wish to be treated.
May our inner and outer conflicts be silenced by Your heavenly peace.
Amen
If you like this prayer, please share.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.
Pictured with me are Julie Quaid and Linda Solomon.
On Friday, June 23, 2017 in Dallas I attended the State Bar of Texas Collaborative Law Section’s Annual Meeting. Julie Quaid, Outgoing Chair, capped off an exceptional year with introducing Linda Solomon, Texas’s nationally acclaimed collaborative mental healthcare professional. We learned practical tips for managing conflict in our work to help married couples divorce peaceably and preserve their relationships.
Julie and Linda, thanks for reflecting your healing and inspirational light on us in the past and on this memorable day.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120 lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.
Pictured with me is Terry Waddell, Church Administrator for the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Houston, Texas.
On June 20, 2017 I had the pleasure of speaking to a well-attended and attentive Bible Study Group at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Houston, Texas. My talk entitled, “Where is God in marriage? Where is God in divorce? Where is God in all difficult and heartbreaking passages in life?” God sends us messages in prayer. God sends us angels, messengers of God’s love to give us what we need one day at a time. I shared the story of Old Donk, the four-hoofed angel in my book, Bending Angels. Old Donk let me know every day, as I bore the cross of polio and paralysis, the importance of asking for and receiving my daily bread.
May God Bless this special group of well-developed, loving and purpose-filled souls.
If you like this prayer, please share.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to www.bendingangel.com.
Jack, John, age 5, and Catherine, age 2. 1983.
God, the Father, blessed me with His Son, Jesus.
As a result I shall receive eternal life.
God, the Father, blessed me with John and Catherine.
Because of them, my son and daughter,
I have received eternal joy and everlasting love.
Lord, on this special day to honor those who have carried the cross of fatherhood I give thanks to You for my father and for his example of stewardship for me to follow. As my Heavenly Father I give thanks to You for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ. For in His birth, death and resurrection we as father and child will always be together in Your Eternal Love and Light. Amen
If you like this prayer, please share.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120 lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.
Dear God, the Triune One, today I celebrate the majesty and mystery of Your Grace. Although it is hard to wrap my logical mind around the fullness and depth of the Trinity, I know all things are possible in You. In a kind of Holy math in Your dominion, one equals three and one plus one plus one equals one. You are the Holy Trinity, Thee Three in One and One in Three. In baptism I was marked as Yours forever in the name of You, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I was redeemed. My praise to You, Holy Spirit, for You moving in, around and through me and all creation. In You, my Triune One, I and Your children have seen the beautiful majesty and the exquisite mystery of Your grace and love for us. Amen
If you like this prayer, please share.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120 lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.
On Wednesday, June 7, 2017, I had the pleasure of speaking to members of the Pasadena South Rotary Club. My presentation was entitled Rotary’s Polio Plus Campaign and the Collaborative Law Process: Therapeutic Healing for the World.
As of April 2017 there were only five cases of polio in the World limited to Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is in sharp contrast to the 48,000 cases in America when I had polio in 1954. The work that over 5,000 Collaborative Professionals do in 27 countries around the globe will never prevent conflict as Rotary eliminates polio. However, conflict in relationships with others can be resolved in a peaceable, client-centered, private and interest-based resolution process. Children around the world will be less victimized by adversarial divorce. Prevention from harm and healing of relationships go hand in hand.
Imagine a world in which no child knows what polio is.
I dream of a world in which peaceable resolution of interpersonal conflict is selected before resort to adversarial litigation.
Pictured here with me are Charles Davis and Linda Nagel, Rotarians.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120 lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.
Prayer in Memory Carl Gordon Lansford.
Lord, please read these words to Gordon from me.
GORDON AND DOROTHY 2013
Dear Gordon,
My brother-in-law,
My brother in Christ,
I give thanks to God for you.
I am so proud of you.
At age 18 you fought so bravely in the Vietnam War.
America did not win that war.
But, you won three Purple Hearts.
Those symbols of courage were not enough
For the VFW Chapter in your town
To let you in when you came home.
Yet, thanks be to God,
There was always room in the inn of His heart for you.
As a decorated soldier, you fought your greatest battle
After you set foot again on American soil.
You courageously and optimistically faced, one by one,
The ravages of Agent Orange.
The amputation of your legs.
The loss of feeling in your hands and arms.
Kidney failure.
Scarred lungs.
Dialysis.
Doggedly fighting for the healthcare and governmental benefits
Every uniformed American soldier should be awarded
As a tribute for service to our Country.
As with my own bride, Dorothy,
God sent you an angelic wife, Barbara.
He made sure that when there was less and less of you in the physical,
There was more of more of God’s Grace and love in the spiritual
In Barbara’s inexhaustible devotion and care for you.
Today,
Gordon, you lost the final battle
Which you and none of us can ever win.
Yet, you received victory of eternal life over death
Because the God you served
Made the ultimate and greatest sacrifice for you.
God’s purpose for your creation has been fulfilled.
I pray that you enjoy the Heavenly peace,
The freedom of pain,
The joy,
You have so long deserved.
Peace. Love. The Light of Christ to you.
Amen.
