We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
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My wife and I just returned home from a short vacation. The flight to Florida was without event. It was so uneventful I can hardly remember anything about it except that we sat in the very back seat of the plane. I refuse to pay extra money to reserve a seat so we take whatever seat the airline computer assigns us. I don’t necessarily mind sitting in the back seat, it’s just that it takes forever to get off the plane after it lands. While the flight to Florida was without incident, the fli...
Ever go bike riding? When our children were growing up, my wife and I would take them bike riding. One trail we really liked was the Great River Trail along the Mississippi River. It’s a beautiful trail that winds its way right along the Mississippi River. We’d drive to Fulton, IL with our bikes in the back of the truck, then bike the trail down to Cordova, IL. There are tourist attractions to get your attention along the way. There’s also a 3M nuclear power plant right on the Missi...
I was recently asked by someone who is preparing to teach a secular class on transgenderism, what our church’s views are on the topic. I had never been asked this before and although I have strongly held beliefs, I had never formally presented them to someone. So I went to work and did some research and put my thoughts together and wrote them down. Then I met with this individual and had a two hour interview. It was very constructive, informative and enlightening, to say the least. The r...
I had some goodwill items to drop off the other day. The goodwill place was a hub of activity when I arrived and I had to wait in line for a few minutes before I could make my drop. There was one guy in a pickup that must have had 25 boxes of stuff to carry in. He and one of the attendants worked steadily at getting everything inside. There was a lady in a vehicle behind him who got tired of waiting and took her one bag to the door and left it. She then got back into her vehicle and put it in...
Lately, I’ve received more feedback than usual concerning this opinion column. As a general rule, the feedback I receive is very positive and affirmative. To be honest, I don’t get a whole lot of feedback except for an occasional text message or email or phone call. The most feedback I receive is face to face with people I run into on the street. I have found when people disagree, they tend to be irritated with me in a personal way. Take for instance, my stance on abortion. I base my opi...
The other day I was talking to a young man in his mid 20’s with a young family. I was telling him about our church in Martintown, Wisconsin and everything that’s been happening lately and down through the years since my wife and I have been here and so blessed by God. We talked about the times in which we live with all the cultural turmoil, the Covid virus, vaccines, the political unrest, last year’s election, cattle futures, gas prices, and the church. He grew up in a Christian home and went...
Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution. REASONS WHY FARM TRUCKS ARE NEVER STOLEN They have a range of about 20 miles before they overheat, break down or run out of gas. Only the owner knows how to operate the door to get in or out. It is difficult to drive fast with all the fencing tools, grease rags, ropes, chains, buckets, boots and loose papers in the cab. The dog on the toolbox looks mean. The large round bale in the back makes it hard to see if you're being...
The question is often asked: “Why is unbelief such a big deal? Why would someone’s failure to believe in Jesus Christ lead to eternal damnation?” It isn’t uncommon to hear something like this: “Sally is a really nice person. She’s faithful to her husband. She is a wonderful mother to her children. She doesn't use profane language. She’s never committed a crime. She’s a good neighbor. She’s involved in her community. She’s really great to be around. But she’s just not very religious. She doesn...
C.S. Lewis once stated, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan.” Most Christians are not shocked at the cultural battles we are facing today, but the number of fronts can seem daunting. Enemies of God are using every possible crisis to gain power – and they have – and we have been in a purposeful state of perpetual conflict as a result. We are now in the middle of what the Bible calls the last days st...
Just saw on the news where the world champion tongue-twister was arrested. I hope they give the guy a tough sentence. My wife and I took a drive to Dixon, Illinois last week. If you like corn and bean fields, which I do, it’s a very beautiful drive. It’s unfortunate, but every time I think of Dixon, Illinois, I think of their city Comptroller who embezzled more than $53 million from the taxpayers over the course of about three decades. Eventually she was found out, and in 2013, was sen...
Recently I was reading a story about a man in his 20’s who asked one of his elder mentors: “What would you say to your 30-year-old self if you could talk to him?” The first thing that popped into his head was: “It will all work out, just not the way you expect.” He went on to say: “Honestly, I’m not sure the younger me would pay much attention to the older me.” He then added this bit of wisdom: “The key to success in life is how well you adapt to Plan B. Actually, the real key is how well you ad...
Here we are back in full swing again. Fall sports are back on and the summer heat did not miss a beat. While Dan does a great job with the fall sports edition, I have a few observations of my own. Last week I got stung by a mob of angry bees. I estimate a few dozen bites. It’s been an itchy week ever since. I had no side effects except one night about four days after the encounter, I woke up shaking badly with the chills. I’m not a doctor, but I’m guessing that was my body’s way of fightin...
He knew everything, but that’s all he knew. I kind of left you hanging on the house we were working on in anticipation of members of our family moving in. I’m happy to say, they are all moved in. The house had a total inside makeover and is the happy home of their little family. I took it upon myself to find a little history on the previous owners. What I discovered was that the owner before them, was born in the house. He and his wife had four children. She was the girl next door and they end...
The great thing about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does. The other night as I lay in bed, I woke up because I was thirsty. I laid there for a while thinking about how thirsty I was and how satisfying a tall, cold glass of water would be. I also thought back on the activities I’d done and what I had eaten that day that would make me so thirsty. I came to two conclusions. 1) I had just worked harder and sweated more than I could ever r...
Every time we go to church we pass by a herd of red and black angus cattle grazing contentedly in their pasture. These cows are in tip top shape. Their shining red and black coats glisten in the sun. When we had an angus herd when I was a kid, my dad mixed linseed oil in with their feed, which brought a beautiful shine to their hides. That shine is a sign of good health. It’s fun to observe the neighbor’s cattle as we drive by. As winter gives way to spring the cows drop calves and they gro...
We have 35 million laws to enforce the Ten Commandments. In my younger years, boating was always a major part of my summer life. I had an uncle who had a boat and he took my family to the lake a few times every summer to go water skiing. When I was a teenager, my uncle sold us the boat. Six of us went in together and came up with the $800 asking price. It was a 17 foot boat with a 75 horse Johnson outboard. In high school, trips to the lake were fun with my friends in that old Johnson outboard....
I'm writing a book about reverse psychology. Don't buy it. As you may or may not be aware, our son recently graduated from Veterinary School and took a job in Stockton, Illinois as a Veterinarian. His preference is large animals - specifically dairy. It just so happens, dairy farmers run deep in our family. My grandpa was a dairy farmer, as was my dad, and three of my brothers. I was a dairy farmer for about 41 years of my life, dating back to my youth. Our son grew up on our dairy farm and was...
I have a couple things on my mind today. 1) I belong to an Internet shave club. It’s simple: every month they automatically send me four sets of razor blades to shave with. I never run out of blades. I never have to try to figure out which brand to use or where to buy them from. It started out costing me one dollar a month. Of course, the one dollar thing didn’t last very long. Within a few months it was up to four bucks and then six. But it’s still a good deal. A few years ago the mecha...
You come from dust and to dust you will return. This is why I don't dust. It could be someone I know. Summertime means kids, lemonade and cookies, popsicles, ice cream, and Vacation Bible School! Great little story - We thought we were going to need to send out an all points bulletin on the need for more cookies for VBS. But then, on Monday afternoon my phone rang. It was from a lady who lives in Lexington, Illinois and is the bookkeeper for Fellowship of Christian Farmers International (FCFI)...
There's no limit to what you can achieve if you don't mind who gets the credit. After reading about the happenings taking place at Martintown Community Church over the last several months, several of the faithful readers of this column have taken the scenic drive to Martintown, Wisconsin to visit us on Sunday morning. Some have even come back. One person referred to us as “a spot in the road.” That’s a pretty accurate description of Martintown, Wisconsin and we’ve adopted that phrase as our own...
We’re remodeling a house. By remodeling I mean, getting it ready to move into. Last week the story was about changing the pump in the well and successfully getting life-giving water to the house. The house has sat empty for a few years. Exactly how many years, no one seems to know, although I know someone knows. This week, the story continues. You may or may not be aware of the fact that the housing market is somewhat crazy right now. If you have a house to sell, I suggest you list it as soon a...
Moving water is fascinating. Creeks gurgle, waterfalls plummet, springs bubble, ocean tides crash. The bubbles, foam and noise draws us. The water sustains us. We need water for our physical life, but it also somehow soothes our spirit. We’ve been helping our son and daughter-in-law get a vacant house ready to be moved into. It’s a beautiful structure that has been empty for several years. It just needs someone to live in it and make it home again. A little cleaning, paint, and TLC makes all...
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God,” (Luke 12:7). The other day a gust of wind ruffled the trees in our yard and when I went outside later, I saw a bird nest and five baby sparrows lying on the ground. They were naked little sparrows but I could see that they had just started getting feathers on the tips of their wings. They were just sparrows - pesky little sparrows who grow up to make messy nests everywhere you don’t want them to be and they...
Today’s column is meant for parents and grandparents. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.” We have a job to do. Our son graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine on May 8, 2021. It’s been a long road. We are thrilled because he took a job close to home and our new granddaughter will live close by. He will be working as a licensed DVM for Northern Illinois Veterinary Services in Stockton, Illinois. He is licensed to practic...
The first job I ever had paid $2.50 a month. I was eight years old at the time. My job was to shake the straw bedding for our 42 cows in the dairy barn. My younger brother helped me. We’d climb up into the hay mow, throw down the bales we needed then “roll” them to the place where we’d cut the twines and shake the straw. It was a big job for a couple of little kids after school everyday. We’d get off the bus, grab a snack, change clothes and head out to the barn. Dad would be in to milk at 5...
