Opinion

The old year is ending, and the new year will soon begin, but with that close how many will look and celebrate the completion of their 2019 New Year’s resolutions? What kind of New Year’s resolution did you make, and how many did you complete? The most popular resolutions are to spend more time with family and friends; get fit and exercise daily or at least several times a week; eat healthier and lose weight; quit smoking; pay off bills and save money; drink less; complete a set goal; and be more organized.. ...

My oldest granddaughter has driver’s learning permit. She has never been more excited. I will never know true peace again. It’s always an exciting time for a teenager when they’re finally allowed to get behind the wheel and drive around town. There are some positives to our kids driving...

A fellow beloved Christian friend of mine is considering foregoing the traditional Christmas this year, with the decorated tree, the holly-laced fireplace mantle, and even hanging any stockings at all, with or without care. He says that he is tired of the pagans’ Christmas observances, with their sappy, shallow, and unbiblical misunderstandings of Christ as Who He is, according to His revelation of Himself through His appointed prophets, disciples, and apostles, as recorded in the Holy Bible. ...

Julie Orf Dunklin County Library “Hot cocoa and cold toes remind me of Christmas,” wrote author, Toni Sorenson. This month at the Dunklin County Library hot cocoa, ugly sweaters, and music will be celebrated. But, socks might be squeezed in there, too! New books are on the shelves, holiday decorations delight the eyes, and trivia will be posted on Facebook. There is something for everyone at the Dunklin County Library...

I am not aware of a passage of scripture which tells women to “shew thyself a woman” like men are told to shew themselves men in 1 Kings 2:2-3. But, there is a real need today for a woman to “shew thyself a woman.” A woman is no longer a child, but is an adult who acts with maturity. ...

When loved ones pass on, cleaning out what’s left and dealing with the memories can be hard, but it can also be very therapeutic as thoughts of those lost are remembered. At least it has been for me as I find little things that tell me a lot about the ones who have gone on, leaving only tidbits of their existence behind, but those pieces are what shapes us...

My wife has left town to be with her parents for Thanksgiving. If you’ve been reading my column for very long you know I usually don’t do well in her absence. This trip will prove no different. First night alone, I’m halfway through a homemade bowl of her chili, when the TV freezes up, goes blank, then pops back on with a screen full of static snow...

Sunday, December 1 opens the New Year for the Church with Advent, the four week season of repentance and anticipation of the birth of the long-prophesied and promised Messiah which was first mentioned, many believers hold, when the earth was new, and Adam and Eve were put in that perfect Garden to be God’s obedient people, yet they sinned, distrusted their Creator. ...

One of the treasures of a big meal is leftovers. When I cook for my family, I often double the recipe to have leftovers for lunches or to have a dish in the freezer. And, we all know there are some foods that improve upon like stew or spaghetti sauce. ...

David, before his death, spoke these words to his son, Solomon. “I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments … as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest ….” (1 Kings 2:2-3)...

Families and individuals will celebrate Thanksgiving in millions of homes this week with traditional meals set by previous generations according to their cultural backgrounds. But what is the historical significance to Thanksgiving, and how do we celebrate it versus the original partakers of the holiday?...

When Thanksgiving rolls around I always like to write on gratitude. It seems we all take a little more time to be thankful during the holiday season, but it should be a central part of our lives throughout the year. When we have an attitude of gratitude it changes our entire outlook...

Jerusalem in the times of Malachi in the history of God’s people was perhaps a good time and place to be a believer in Yahweh. It had potential for peace because all of the people there had voluntarily returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity under the blessing from God’s “servant”, Medo-Persian King Cyrus. ...

One of my favorite peppy tunes is “Count Your Blessings” by the gospel group The Martins. I particularly like the line “You got to count your blessings, you’ll find one if you try”. Many times, I see what I do not have instead of what I do. This song is on my daily playlist. ...

David is a well known Bible character. God said of David, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart …” (Acts 13:22) David, even when a young man, acted wisely. While a soldier in Saul’s army, the Bible says, “And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” (1 Samuel 18:5) The people accepted David favorably because he behaved himself wisely. ...

Two of the most family-oriented holidays are upon us, and those who have lost loved ones throughout the year are going to be most affected by them. With the death of my sister in 2016, my dad in 2018, and my mom this year, for me the grieving process was not immediate because I was the caregiver for all, and as the eldest sibling, all arrangements fell on my shoulders; therefore, there was no time to suffer the loss. ...

Thursday night I competed with some friends in a trivia contest presented by the Three Rivers Endowment Trust to benefit the Kennett Student Success Fund.. It was a great night filled with lots of laughter and fellowship. It’s always fun to see just how ignorant I am when it comes to certain subjects like 90’s pop culture, Disney princesses, and famous moms...

Our Lord God saw to it that we live when and where we do. But we’ve all imagined what it would be like to live in a different place and time. Many Christians would, understandably, like to live in early first century Jerusalem, when God Incarnate, the Christ lived, taught, died, and was resurrected by God the Father, defeating sin, death, and the devil for those who believe in Him. ...

Since the first chill hit our bootheel, my diet has consisted of many satisfying, bone warming soups and stews. Potato soup is a personal favorite as is vegetable soup. A week or so ago, the hubby mentioned stew. He likes stew with big chunks of tender beef. ...

Can you remember your youth? For some of us, that was a long time ago. How many things did you learn while you were young that are still important parts of your life today? Consider some things that we should be doing today that we learned when young...

Record lows for November are coming, and for seniors in the south, it is important to prepare for cold weather, icy conditions, and some snow. With record-breaking temperatures on the way for many areas of the country, the National Weather Service is predicting as many as 190 temperature records may be broken between Monday, Nov. ...

During this time of year I attend a lot of events honoring our veterans. It’s one of my favorite assignments. To see young military men and women stand before a gymnasium full of students and share their pride for the uniform and the country they love...

Some Christians who are young in age yet faithful to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, are accused of being old fashioned, mentally living in ancient, by-gone days which will never return. Today’s young Christians have it particularly tough because the words of the unbelievers can be much harsher than of decades past, using expletives exposing deep-seated anger at anyone or anything Christian, while giving “other religions” a pass. ...

In each of the locations of the Dunklin County Library, there are puzzles available for check out. This new circulation item was inspired from an article in the “Missouri Ruralist” magazine that focused on several libraries across the state of Missouri offering unique items for their local patrons. ...

We are approaching the holidays and the time when we see more public promos encouraging people to be responsible and not drink alcohol and then drive. Various groups put out these warnings not to drink and drive. Groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and various police and highway patrol organizations sponsor these promos to keep families safe on the highways...