By Aaron Swartzentruber Greenleafton, MN At Christmas time we celebrate the first coming of Christ. Thank God for the first coming but, much more, thank God for the promise of the second coming of Christ. So many of us worship baby Jesus instead of King Jesus. Baby Jesus can’t save anybody. Only the crucified, buried, resurrected, and glorified Lord Jesus who is alive at … [Read more...]
Taking stock as we begin a new year
This may seem odd, but as I look ahead to a year we all know will be momentous, you want to know what I feel most strongly? Gratitude. I’ll tell you in a moment how much work we have ahead of us to strengthen our country. But I’m mindful of just how strong we already are. A resilient economy has been performing well for several years now, avoiding both rampant inflation and … [Read more...]
Devil’s Advocate…Challenges of us
When looking back at 2017, what challenges do you feel will be brewing in 2018? One issue I see is the evermore difficult matter of non-confrontational conversation. How do we bring up concerns with neighbors who may not share similar sentiments? I sometimes feel there are efforts from small-but-noisy forces designed to dismantle and divide people based on a mere handful of … [Read more...]
Non-partisan League of Women Voters to meet in Preston
By Nancy Bratrud Preston, MN Who is in charge around here? The people are, the voting citizens, we make the choices to keep our communities strong and fair. You, me, and each of us, through voting and public discussion of local issues make elected officials aware of citizens’ choices. This is our responsibility as American citizens. We all need to know what is going on … [Read more...]
Al Franken should not resign from the U.S. Senate
By Ken Tschumper Former Minnesota State Representative La Crescent, MN If you came of age during the ‘60s and ‘70s, you certainly were like likely to form a negative sense of our country, how the ideas and expectations in our Constitution were ignored, violated and contradicted by people in positions of power. But most of us have matured with a better understanding of … [Read more...]
What to look for in 2018
This was an interesting year that’s just passed, wasn’t it? And here’s the thing: I suspect 2018 will be just as intriguing. Let’s start with some good news. The economy had a good year in 2017, seeing overall growth, subdued inflation, progress on wages, and even some signs that economic growth is reaching the poor. The question is whether this can continue. For one thing, … [Read more...]
Christmas reflections
Eric Lee As I am writing this, we are fast approaching Christmas. If you are like me, you have been rushing headlong toward this time. Every year, I intend to make time to sit in stillness amidst the cold, dark quiet of winter, and every year it seems I fail miserably. But I have had one great fortune this year and last. As an actor at the Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, for … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Teamwork and sportsmanship
What are we teaching our kids? I recently attended both seventh and eighth grade girls basketball games in a school district in a land not-so-far away. At this event, I witnessed something quite disappointing. Much to my dismay, the referees didn’t appear to care about the safety of the players. They rarely called fouls, charging, traveling, or double-dribble. As I said … [Read more...]
You can lay the groundwork for reforming congress
The first three words of the U.S. Constitution are, “We the People.” The Constitution itself, our institutions of government, the democratic process — all were established to give Americans a voice in their own governance. We are still striving to make that vision real for all, but we are closer than ever. So let me ask you some questions about Congress today. Do you think … [Read more...]
Celebrating small businesses – supporting our local economies
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation We have a lot to be thankful for and much to celebrate at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). The businesses we invest in each and every day through our various loan and equity programs, technical assistance and other programming are reaping benefits not only for these local entrepreneurs, but for all of southern Minnesota … [Read more...]