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By Lesli Nolen

Published November 2011

I have found myself lately, overwhelmed with emotions. I never really thought it would be this hard. I have prepared myself, I have seen this day coming, but now that it’s actually here, I am in no way as prepared as I thought.

Breech and I met in college. He was on the baseball team and, I was on the basketball team. He liked me, and I liked him doing my computer class homework!! After some time, we started dating and that’s when I met his daughter, Ashley Lynn.

I was so nervous the first time I met his family. We were complete opposites. He’s a city boy and I’m a small town girl! He is an only child, I have a sister.

By Lesli Nolen

Published October 2011

It was four months ago when I wrote about the fires that were burning in and around the San Angelo area. Five inches of rain later and the hottest months (June-August) on record, the Lone Star State is still burning. In the past week, 480 wildfires have consumed nearly 180,000 acres of land in Texas, according to the Texas A&M University System.

But even more important I think we are in a spiritual drought. As I continue to pray for rain I pray for our nation, our state and our city. I pray that people will realize the need for God is now. We live in a society of immoral standards and we wonder why our land is burning.

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By Lesli Nolen

Published September 2011

I don’t know about you, or other women out there, but there are times I feel as if I am carrying the world on my shoulders. I wake up, get Sky up and get her ready for school, get myself to work, pick Sky up from school, take her to art lessons, help her with homework, cook, clean, do laundry, pay the bills, smile, give hugs and make sure everything is going according as planned. Take dog to groomers, sweep, dust, mop, etc. I have all these imaginary balls I’m juggling throughout my day and if you stop one of them, they will all come crashing down. Sometimes I feel like I, “live way too often on the spin cycle of life and am wound around the wringer.”

I read that statement the other day in one of my daily devotions and thought, wow that is my life. I am constantly on the spin cycle. Picking up the house, watering the flowers, taking out the trash, cleaning the car, working, kissing a bee-boo—the list goes on and on. Then you add the social and church volunteer schedule in there and before too long I am completely wrapped around the spindle wrong and twisted way out of shape.

By Lesli Nolen

Published August 2011

Recently I attended an event where the entertainment was provided by a  band called The Tone Pirates. I had heard the name before, but had no idea what kind of band they were, nor did I know who the members were.  To my surprise, when I arrived at the event I saw a few old friends—Dan Carroll, Norris McCarty and Paul Schroeder—all whom I have known for some time. I have heard McCarty and Schroeder play before and knew they had a band but had no idea they were part of the The Tone Pirates. I had also known Carroll back in the restaurant business, but again had no idea he could play or sing. So there I was, in awe, looking at my friends all on stage together making some mean music.

After listening to them for a while I realized there isn’t much they couldn’t play. They lit up the stage with a little bit of Texas Country, Southern Rock, Outlaw Country, Blues, Seger, Clapton, ZZ, Hag, Cash, Pat Green, Elvis and their own original songs.
Like many good things, The Tone Pirates came about by seemingly coincidental circumstances. When a friend asked Dan to play a birthday party in 2009, he threw together what was intended as a one-time ensemble.