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by Alana Lickliter (Author)
Jimmy Joe Robinson, my uncle, is a retired senior who spent forty plus years dedicated to teaching, counseling and coaching hundreds of students and athletes. He did so, with an insatiable love for the Lord. In fact, he thrives in the Lord every day. One would know he's coming by the same warm greeting he shares with most anyone he greets. As well, he doesn't fail to add the same as he bids them farewell; "Lord bless you". When he and I began our collaboration, having lost my own mother to Alzheimer's, I was completely taken back by his incredible memory. Frankly, his mind was like a theater, especially relating to these particular stories. Our journey would begin as Jimmy Joe expressed "there were times when the Lord whispered their names", reeling him back to decades long past. So many of the players, games, other teams and coaches seem to live inside his heart. Primarily, this story is a collection of those short stories, featuring various players, teammates, games/strategies, injuries, victories and losses alike. Finally, having entered into his sunset years and a widower, a long-lost love from his past would be rekindled. So striking the blessing of the two reconnecting after 60 plus years. recall writing poems as early as eleven years old. All along through my teens and early twenties, I spent time writing song lyrics, music and poetry. Then, in 1979 I would self-publish a philosophy/poetry book; 'Just Think...' For the next couple of decades my path was filled with careers, children and grandchildren. After a long writing sabbatical, I was honored to lead with one of my poems in the 'Timeless Voices', published by The International Library of Poetry, edited by Howard Ely, that was published in 2006. A few years later I would be asked to join a Christian website and to share a monthly column. I gladly agreed and 'Alana's Corner' was first published in September of 2009 and would run monthly through November of 2011, when the owner and publisher, friend and brother in Christ passed after an extended illness. Finally, In 2015 I had my own faith based mini-bio published, 'When Faith Met Grace'. That project was completed while I was recovering from late stage three cancer. Today, I'm overjoyed to have assisted my uncle Jimmy Joe in reviving his experiences. With Holy Spirit as our guide, praying his memoirs will spring back to life with the turn of each page.
