There was a spiritual side to World War II, and it was expressed by the saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” When shrapnel and bullets were flying, many soldiers were praying, and if not audibly, then silently in their minds. One of those, though he wasn’t carrying a weapon, was Phil Crenshaw, assistant to Chaplain Louie Wunneburger of Austin. Crenshaw, a Lubbock resident and World War II veteran named chaplain for the recent Honor Flight to Washington, was trained the usual way for war.

Whether it’s a major league baseball stadium or the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Theater, Ronan Tynan can be recognized by his stellar voice. He is scheduled to sing at 7 p.m. tonight in the Civic Center venue, where his performance may range from Irish Contemporary to opera. Tickets to the event are $55.50 for the lower level of the theater, and $29.25 for the upper area. An after-the-show reception at 9 p.m., where patrons can meet the singer, is available for $220.

The West Texas and Lubbock Railway is planning to go around the North Pole in 80 minutes aboard the Christmas season’s Polar Express, and is inviting families of all ages to come along for the ride. Pajamas are optional. Because of a book titled “The Polar Express,” and a movie by the same name, the train ride will attempt to add atmosphere with hot chocolate, a conductor who punches tickets, and a stop at a North Pole village to allow Santa Claus and his elves to board.

There must have been an optimism among the pioneers that couldn’t be extinguished by difficulties. George Madden Hunt was one whose strength of character was tested by the monumental effort it took to move his family to Lubbock from Kansas at a time when there were few settlers, no towns with a railroad and no fences to mark boundaries across an open prairie. He left a picturesque description of his family’s trip from Sterling, Kan., that included lighter moments to offset the adverse conditions.