I take a lot of photographs, but one of my favorites from the past few years shows an elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) at the Annual Cherokee Speakers Walk. 

I was born and raised in Montana in the fifties and sixties. The 4th of July was the biggest holiday of the year for me. Bigger than Christmas or my birthday or anything. Our family plans always included doing something special.

Several incidents occurred during the Smoky Mountain Conference varsity girls basketball final between the Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Lady Braves) and the Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets that are just not ok.

Whether it is captivating an audience with a Cherokee story or sharing history about the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Kathi Smith Littlejohn does it all with passion and an absolutely charming demeanor. 

Have you ever seen any of the Scared Straight documentaries on TV? Some programs still exist that use hard-core prisoners to scare troubled youth.

If you see the current Senior Miss Cherokee at events, there are two things that are ever-present – a smile and grace.  Kimlyn Sneed Lambert, an elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), is that person, and she has served her people for over 40 years in various capacities. 

Psalm 139 is a great place to put God’s love in perspective. Verses 13-16 are often used to prove from God’s Word that life begins at conception and that God controls our making in the womb.

As we think of ourselves or call ourselves sovereign as a federally recognized tribe, we need to think about the term “recognized” and see if there is a “but” in that term.