Did you hear about the Iowa man who moved to Minnesota? Some of his siblings thought he was being downwardly mobile, but my father wasn’t about to be deterred from entering the world of infinite improbabilities that awaited him in the Gopher State. Dad could be as stubborn as a mule’s grandpa. According to a poll by a company that does polls, all 50 states tied for the … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Will Someone Please Turn Down the Noise!
By Pastor Bridget Sheely Racine/Wykoff/Sumner Center UMC Peace and Grace to you in the name of our risen savior Jesus Christ! We have just celebrated Pentecost in our Christian calendar year, and what a God-inspired event this day is in the life of Christ followers everywhere. God brought down the Holy Spirit to fill the disciples with the power of His grace and the image … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – The Endearing “Laugh out Loud” Art of Peter Rosendahl
First of a series There is no better portrayal of the assimilation of early Houston County Norwegian emigrants into American culture and society than the brilliant, whimsical newspaper cartoon series of Peter Rosendahl of Spring Grove. The cartoon series was called “Han Ola og han Per,” which translates into English as “Him Ola and him Per,” or “He Ola and he Per” and … [Read more...]
Fresh Off the Farm – Do You Have Closet Jerks?
“I guess I’ll have to start a nudist colony,” I told my husband. He didn’t seem to take my declaration seriously, so I figured I’d better amp it up. “I’ve been learning from Dawn at The Minimal Mom on YouTube and she said that if something isn’t an eight or higher out of 10, it isn’t worth owning.” Dawn explains how everything we own is talking (and sometimes screaming) at … [Read more...]
There are Eight Million Stories in the Naked City
Life is changed faster than underwear. My Grandpa Cook and my Grandpa Batt both lived their entire lives without seeing a single amusing cat video online. I knew men who traveled so seldom, they couldn’t find their way out of the county with a map that was paid for. A guy told me his false teeth didn’t fit. Every time he sneezed, his wife ducked. Another said he didn’t know … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Surprise!!!
By Pastor Mark Geselle Valley Christian Center, Spring Valley Life is full of surprises. An old friend calls you out of the blue. The weather forecast calls for a nice sunny day and it storms. The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the NBA Playoffs after 20 years! My brother-in-law died last week... We really never know what will happen in life. We’re often surprised and … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – What a Letdown Feeling When It Was All Over
The girl would sing all the songs she knew, as loud as she could, hoping to frighten away “whatever evil might be lurking in the thick bushes and trees” as she walked through the “back 40” to bring home the cattle when they had wandered to the far reaches of the family farm. Although the youngster loved that family farm, she dreaded that particular cattle-fetching chore because … [Read more...]
Here Be Dragons, Midges, Chipped Windshields and Shitepokes
Someone should write a song about it. Spring is filled with hints and hopes. I recall walking face-first into a fly ribbon meant to catch flies. It had caught flies, and the side of my face joined them in a sticky predicament. For a moment, I felt unequal to the new challenge. Fly ribbon (tape, strip, paper) comes in a small tube from which the twisted ribbon emerges. That … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Be Salty!
By Pastor Kris Hertsgaard Kincaid Christ Lutheran Church, Preston “You are the salt of the earth!” This familiar phrase is from a sermon Jesus gives in Matthew. He tells the crowd – you are the salt of the earth. Put simply, when your life is the right amount of salty, your actions enrich and benefit other people. When Jesus was giving this sermon, a crowd was gathered. … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Exploring the Impact of Music on the Mind
By Saturn Ludewig Music is widely known as a potent form of expression that goes beyond linguistic boundaries and connects with the innermost part of a person. Apart from its capacity to stir emotions and spark imagination, studies have shown that music has a significant effect on the brain, affecting different cognitive processes and promoting overall health and wellness. … [Read more...]
Your Flying Farmer – Making Magic
Feelings of excitement flash around me as I prepare to breach the laws of the physical world and make my neon green scarf vanish into thin air! From my 11-year-old vantage point, I see my audience is enthralled with my latest magic show given by me and my string puppet sidekick named Louie. Who doesn’t love a good physics-bending show and a two legged blue creature who sniffs … [Read more...]
Ask a Trooper
Question: We have a new driver in the house. I was trying to explain to my child what to do if you have a tire blowout or experience steering failure. It might mean a bit more coming from a State Trooper. Could you please explain? Thank you for all you do. Answer: A “blowout” is a burst tire that can throw your vehicle out of control. Before a blowout occurs, you may hear a … [Read more...]
A Summa Cum Laude Grad Would Have Worn a Baseball Glove
It was an endurance test for bladders. Muhammad Ali said, “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.” A graduation on a lovely May day was a highlight reel of shining moments. The ceremony included a plethora of robed students with more degrees than The Weather Channel. It seemed longer than it was because that’s what those … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Booze, Billiards, Peddlers and Poll Taxes; It Was the Law
Part two of a two-part series Were there too many circuses passing through town? There were likely quite a few peddlers. Were there problems to be solved or was there revenue to be raised – maybe both? But someone could not just show up and conduct business in Houston, Minnesota. In 1889, it became unlawful for any owner, manager or agent “of any circus, menagerie, concert, … [Read more...]
Johnny Cash Sang It, So It Must Be True
I knew the day would be special. What I wanted for lunch was breakfast, but the server asked if I’d like to hear today’s special. Why not? She said, “Today is special.” I appreciated that. Cheerfulness is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden. The cafe’s radio played softly in the background, occasionally rising above the talk and the clatter of tableware. … [Read more...]