I read a newspaper from front to back. Except for one thing. When should I read them – before or after I read the funny pages? I’m referring to the obituaries. Not all newspapers carry the funnies, which simplifies my decision. The comics make me laugh, and laughter is the best medicine. I learned early on that laughter is good for the soul, unless I did it … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Sundays, Wash Days and School Days
Part three of a series The Pastor wrote to his bishop, “I am sorry to tell you about the death of my wife. Can you arrange to send me a substitute for the weekend?” Sister Mary Hafner included many jokes when she published her collection of childhood reminiscences. During the early 1930s, there was a predictable weekly rhythm to life on farms in Houston … [Read more...]
God’s Good Gifts
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish of the UMC Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston, and Spring Valley: Faith Churches (and Lenora) It was a glorious autumn morning. It was early in the day. I was greeted by a beautiful surprise. As I drove down my driveway, I was greeted by a doe deer who stood next to the road. I turned off the engine and let my pickup coast … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project – Teen Stress is Taken Less Seriously Than Adult Stress
By Savanah Huffman When the topic of stress is brought up, people usually think of adults. Adults get stressed over jobs, bills, and responsibilities, and that stress is almost always taken seriously. Teen stress is often brushed off as “just being dramatic” or “part of growing up.” Many adults believe that because teenagers are younger and have fewer responsibilities, their … [Read more...]
Thyme & Again – Embracing Winter Blues
By Angela Denstad Time and again, when winter fully settles into these post-holiday doldrums, people are restless. Or they want nothing but rest. They’re either bored, or they’re overwhelmed. They’re trying to make a fresh start, but resolution meets resistance; artificial society yammers at breakneck speed while the entire natural world insists on a time of … [Read more...]
Chipmunk Cereal Dreamin’ on Such a Winter’s Day
I searched behind the sofa cushions for bitcoin. We were going grocery shopping. Old Man Winter had covered the roads with butter, but they were passable. I parked the car and joined the happy throng in search of victuals. We had a list for guidance and filled the shopping cart with the things we needed. My wife needed to consult with the pharmacy about our new … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – A Healthy Balance of Work, Play and Prayer
Part two of a series begun in June, 2022 A certain man wanted to be the next Secretary of Transportation and phoned President Calvin Coolidge at 3 a.m. and said, “President, your Secretary of Transportation just died and I’d like to take his place.” Coolidge, aroused from sleep, replied, “It’s OK with me if it’s OK with the undertaker.” That was one of many jokes … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Baptized to Help the Poor and Needy
By Rev. Timothy Sandeno St. Johns Lutheran Church and School This past Sunday, many of our churches celebrated the Baptism of our Lord and read Matthew 3:13-17 during the service. Being nestled close to Epiphany on January 6, it is a beautiful revealing of who Jesus truly is as the Father’s voice booms from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with who I am well … [Read more...]
Your Flying Farmer – Tackle Smash and the Days We Choose
As I write this, my son is moaning that he is hungry. It is past his bedtime, and he keeps asking, “Can’t I eat anything?” You would think there is no food in this house at all, and that he doesn’t have a mother who gives him everything he needs. It’s funny how brushing the teeth of a young, growing boy can suddenly trigger deep pangs of hunger. When there is no longer an … [Read more...]
He Uses Soggy Tea Leaves To Polish His Crystal Ball
The doorbell rang. I opened the door, and a robed visitor accompanied by sitar music walked in out of the dimming twilight. The renowned mystic from the Far East part of the township, the fabled soothsayer, the seventh son of the seventh son of the seventh son, the oracle from just down the road, Swami Davis Jr., took a break from selling fortune cookies to stop by with his … [Read more...]