Opinion

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays where many cards are received. It always amazes me how many people turn that card around to see if it’s a Hallmark. It proves that a good advertising slogan can really stick with you. When you care enough to send the very best...

There is a recent report of church attendance reporting that many of the older members of Christian congregations, primarily those of my generation, the baby boomers, are not attending church nearly as often these days. The report accounted for increased traveling of retirees, health issues, and visiting grandchildren and old friends, yet found that many older church members are simply losing interest in coming to church, worshipping our Lord, or studying His Word. ...

During some of my working/college days, I lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. For a small town Senath girl, this was the big city. I worked two jobs and took some college classes. Attending church was also a habit of mine and a commitment. A few friends with encouraging words helped maintain this habit. ...

We want to analyze four things about faith from Hebrews 10:32-39 while considering a few men in chapter 11 who exemplify faith. 1. Faith Causes the Christian to Seek to Please God: Some Christians were drawing back from Christ and were returning to Judaism. ...

Caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s or dementia can be stressful and depressing, especially when a lot of the responsibility is on the shoulders of one person. Many times, the loss of one parent, who predominantly cared and kept an eye on the other, is life changing for the family caregiver. The child must leave a life and home they built to move in with the parent that needs to remain in familiar surroundings...

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching we’re going to see all kinds of sappy movies, cards covered in hearts, and an onslaught of all things romantic. Before I get to that segment of my column, I’d like to examine an issue that affects our relationships as well as other areas of our lives...

There is a commercial running on television these days advertising Israel’s Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as desirable destinations for fun at the beach and a party-time atmosphere at night, and it well may be that kind of place. Personally, I’ve never known anyone who went to Israel for those reasons, but you can also find liquor, sand, and scantily-clad women there. ...

Recently reading an online article on the Reader’s Digest website, a variety of humorous marriage proposals were shared with the following contributed by Ruth E. Chodrow. “I met my husband while I was working in a science library. He came in every week to read the latest journals and eventually decided to take out the librarian instead of the books. ...

“O Israel, trust thou in Jehovah: He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust ye in Jehovah: He is their help and their shield. Ye that fear Jehovah, trust in Jehovah: He is their help and their shield.” (Psalms 115:9-11, ASV) From the above scripture, we see the following phrase repeated three times, “He is their help and their shield”. Israel, the Aaronic priesthood and those who fear God are commanded to trust in Jehovah...

Today’s column is dedicated to Freddie Graham (August 4, 1937-February 01, 2019), a great humanitarian, animal lover, fellow Rotarian, and friend. The world is better for knowing you were once in it. With American baby-boomers turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day, more and more studies show that one in four will develop some form of Alzheimer’s or dementia, and women are more likely to be affected than men. Why, when should there be concern, and how can it be avoided?...

There have been many memorable presidential campaign slogans throughout the years. I like Ike, Nixon’s the one, and simply Hope. In 1896 William McKinley declared Patriotism, Protection and Prosperity. Perhaps none have been so controversial as our current President’s, Make America Great Again...

Not long after His baptism, Jesus entered the synagogue at His earthly hometown of Nazareth. As was customary in the synagogue, different people might read the Scriptures each week, and on that day, Jesus rose to take the reading. Unrolling the scroll to Isaiah, Jesus stopped at the place where Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah some 600 years before God became flesh in the person of Jesus, who is the Christ. ...

Conversations this week in the library have mostly been weather related. “Stay warm!” was heard as patrons exit our beautiful building in Kennett. However, by the time you read this on Saturday, Mother Nature has waved her hand and you are turning the heat down and grabbing an umbrella. Despite the cold and the continuous shift in temperatures, Dunklin County is a terrific place to enjoy all types of weather situations and activities continue!...

Joshua encouraged Israel to, “Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.” (Joshua 23:11) We should all do this. You cannot partially love God. God requires our whole-hearted love! “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Jesus quoted this from Deuteronomy 6:5. ...

For many of us who are approaching retirement age, that occasional “senior” moment is something we laugh off when the name of someone we’ve known for years doesn’t come to us right away. Then there is the “brain poot” that overtakes us as we walk into a room and forget why we are there in the first place. ...

Last week I saw a young man yelling obscenities at his mother in a local department store. As the mother pushed her cart further down the aisle, the young teen followed behind her, cursing her the entire time. This is not the first time I’ve witnessed such disrespect. This kind of behavior has been happening across our country for many years...

It seems as though more Christians are refusing to bow to the will of willful sinners. Again more Christians in Arizona say that they are willing to go to jail if the secular authorities judge them as criminals for refusing to affirm homosexuality as good. ...

My husband watches NCIS whenever possible. With streaming channels, he can watch current episodes or he can watch shows from the first few seasons. Now, this series starring Mark Harmon as Jethro Gibbs, has been around for 16 years with two additional versions set in different locations. ...

Jesus promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18), and it was established the first Pentecost after His resurrection in Acts 2:47. The apostles were given authority by Christ (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:18) to reveal the pattern which each congregation of saints was to follow...

With heart disease and conditions being the number one cause of death for both women and women today, there may be a sweet deal that can help reduce the risks, especially with atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heartbeat that raises the risk of a stroke...

There are many fast things in this world. A jet is fast. A cheetah is fast. A toddler running from his mother is extremely fast. But I know something that has them all beat. My mind. Thoughts race through my mind faster than a twinkie at a weight watchers meeting...

Years ago there was a teacher who was very much into positive thinking. He had written books on strategies to motivate students and offered his services to speak to groups of the power of positive reinforcement strategies. One particular school year, he had “one of those classes”, mired in apathy to the point of rebellion. ...

As Monday’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day approaches, several quotes by Dr. King ring in my ear. If you have read or listened to any of Dr. King’s speeches, his words inspired the world. His leadership skills empowered and inspired vast numbers of people. ...

The apostle Peter, in his first epistle, used the word “soul” at least once in 4 out of the 5 chapters of the book. Since a man’s soul survives after the body’s death (James 2:26), it is the soul which needs saving. The Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit work to make salvation possible. “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit … and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ …” (1 Peter 1:2)...

Life is full of ups and downs, but unless you are willing to face it head-on and learn how to solve your own problems, rather than finding answers in the bottom of a bottle, “aging gracefully,” is not in your future. Being healthy has nothing to do with how rich or poor you are, but more about the decisions you make from the time you come into this world to the time you leave, and those decisions do not affect only you, but they affect everyone around you. ...