Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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Jesus’ gift of peace overcomes anxiety Are you anxious? Are you afraid of something? I feel a lot of anxiety around us. We’re afraid of people who are different from us, the others. We’re worried about the economic climate of our city. Maybe we’re just anxious and we don’t know why. The Gospel of John records that the disciples met together on the first Easter Day. They had heard reports that the tomb of Jesus was empty, but they had no proof. And they were afraid: “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors o...
Did you hear the story about the small boy swallowed who some coins and was taken to a hospital? When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, “No change yet.” Or did you hear about the two silk worms who had a race? They ended up in a tie. Over at the High School, one of the teachers confiscated a rubber band pistol from one of the students in an algebra class. It was a weapon of math disruption. Another joke for math students: The roundest knight at King Arthur’s roundtable was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too...
I love Christmas music. I just listed to Alvin and the Chipmunks singing of “Christmas Cheer.” Then I found the dog’s version of Jingle Bells. Amazing! They bring back memories of good times past. Christmas is supposed to be a happy, joyous season. We read of the angel’s visit to the shepherds of long ago and the glorious song of peace. We dress up our children in old bathrobes and let them act out the Christmas Story. We turn on the TV and see Scrooge redeemed, and Jimmy Stewart discover again his “Wonderful Life.” It’s a happy joyous season...
Did you know that a bicycle can’t stand alone? It is two tired. Or did you hear about the guy who fell onto an upholstery machine? He’s now fully recovered. And then there’s my favorite saying: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. The gift of humor is a marvelous gift from God. (I know the preceding jokes are pretty bad, but I think they are funny). There was a time when I was down in the dumps. I had experienced personal tragedy, things in my professional life weren’t going well and my soul felt empty. I left the small town I l...
Sometimes when I hear teenagers complain about their parents who won’t get them the kind of cell phone they want, I tell them that my parents wouldn’t let me get my first cell phone until I was 40 years old! Actually both of my parents died before the age of cell phones. They didn’t even know that there was such a thing. Yes, I know, I’m old. The first phone I remember had an operator. You just picked up the receiver and told her who you wanted to talk to. (Of course Siri will do that for me now!) When I was away from home, I had to find a...
There is an old story about a man who was praying to God. He said, “God!” God responded, “Yes?” “Can I ask a question?” “Go right ahead,” God said. “God, what is a million years to you?” God said, “A million year to me is only a second.” “God, what is a million dollars to you?” God said, “A million dollars to me is as a penny.” So the man said, “Can I have a penny?” And God said, “Sure! Just a second.” But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. (2 Pet...
I spend a lot of my time helping people in the midst of a crisis. Life is not easy, and we cope with disease, accidents, bad weather, and relationships that have gone bad. You can add to the list from your own experience, or the experiences of people you love. I recently was reminded of the story of a man named Horatio Spafford. Wikipedia tells his story. He was a successful lawyer and investor in Chicago in the 1870s. He had a wife and four beautiful daughters. Life was good! In 1871 things began to go bad. The Chicago fire of 1871 ruined him....
Everyone loves a good story, and Christmas has the best ones. What's your favorite Christmas movie? Is it A Wonderful Life, as George finds out that his life has meaning? Or is it Home Alone as Kevin defends his home and learns the value of family? Or perhaps it's The Christmas Story with the stern warning to Ralphie his wished for BB gun will "shoot your eye out!" I like the classic Christmas Carol, where Scrooge, "... a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!"...
