Opinion

As Thanksgiving draws near I always like to share my thoughts on gratitude. Here’s a column I ran last year on gratitude. I’d like to share this again with you because it made such an impact on me. I hope you enjoy it and it helps you realize the significance of gratitude...

In the traditional Church Year calendar, the focus in November is the end of the Church Age, the symbolic use of “1,000 years” or the time between Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Covenant by His substitution of His flesh for ours to free us from the consequences of our sins and His ultimate return. ...

Julie Orf Dunklin County Library Mention giblet gravy to folks and you will have a variety of responses from “Yuck!” to “You can’t have Thanksgiving dinner without giblet gravy!” Moma always made giblet gravy. Even though her dressing was moist and delicious, a drizzle of giblet gravy made it perfect. ...

Why aren’t people, including those who would claim to be religious, content to follow God’s will and way? All around us, many are discontent with God’s will and seem intent on progressing further away from what God desires. Why doesn’t everyone want to follow God’s will and way?...

Sunday was Veteran’s Day, but the official observance day for many businesses was Monday, so for our veterans, this week’s column is for them. For me, this Veteran’s Day was even more special since, in July, I lost my dad, a marine veteran. My children’s dad was a Vietnam veteran, and my mother’s brother, the late, A.W. ...

As we honor our men and women for their military service this Veteran’s Day, I ask the question is patriotism alive and well? It would not appear so if you focus on the flag burners, the national anthem kneeling athletes, and the extreme divisiveness in our country...

One of the most admired qualities a person can have in this fallen, sinful world is “practicality”. We desire to be “practical” when choosing a new vehicle, spouse, career, and house. Some explain their voting habits by choosing the most practical candidate. We desire him or her to agree with beliefs, which we hold as realistic. The Holy Bible is so helpful in guiding us believers in this life. Filled with humans who fail, we can study their words and deeds and see the consequences...

“White Christmas” is one of my favorite movies. The screenwriter, Norman Panama, hit all the right notes completing this gem of a movie script. A love story times two and a war hero are all wrapped up with memorable spoken lines, singable tunes, and unforgettable dance numbers. With the talents of Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, and Vera Ellen, this movie musical is worth watching for numerous reasons...

We are encouraged in the scriptures to sing praises to God. “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” (Psalms 95:1) “Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” (Psalms 147:1) Charles Spurgeon said about this verse, “It is good because it is right; good because it is acceptable with God, beneficial to ourselves, and stimulating to our fellows.” The righteous “doth sing and rejoice.” (Proverbs 29:6). ...

Winter does not only bring falling leaves, north winds and icy snow, but it also brings influenza, colds, and coughs. For seniors with weakened immune systems, that can mean lengthy hospitals stays or worse, even death. Immunizations and vaccines are important for many reasons, but especially for the elderly to remain healthy throughout the fall and winter months...

Revelation chapter seven records two visions the disciple John has of the saints at the throne of God. Verses 2-8 record the 144,000, a symbolic number of completeness, with the twelve tribes of Israel each having 12,000 saints standing before God. They are the victorious Church on earth. ...

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) The devil is trying to destroy your soul! One way he seeks to prevent your salvation is by discouraging you from studying your Bible. ...

It’s another busy weekend in Dunklin County. This weekend is packed with events that offer something for everyone. Saturday, November 3, kicks off with the Annual Presbyterian Bazaar. The Bazaar will be held at the Presbyterian Activity Center located at 226 North Main in Kennett...

The hospital emergency room is the first place most people go when they start feeling sharp chest pain for fear of a pending heart attack. However, many times they walk away with a prescription for indigestion or another similar symptom, such as Costochondritis (kos-toe-kon-DRY-tis) which is a chest wall pain where the ribs attach to the breastbone...

One of the perks of growing older is we hopefully gain wisdom. Not only do we gain wisdom, but we love sharing that wisdom with anyone who listens. Two things I’ve learned in my life have been so helpful to me that I wanted to share it with all of you...

The end of October will include recalling the Reformation of the 16th century led most famously by Martin Luther, a monk and professor who challenged the church he loved dearly to return to the Scriptures as God’s revelation of Himself. Yes, there is a book which God had written by the hands of men whom God selected. ...

The new name of the Dunklin County Library is the Busy Dunklin County Library. Between the current activities and the future events, hands are busy, children are giggling, and community helpers and employees are working together. What is going on you ask!...

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) We learn first, that “whosoever” desires to be saved, can be! Second, we learn men cannot save themselves but must call on the Lord. Third, we learn salvation is conditional. ...

As a child, everyone, at one time or another, looked forward to that baby tooth coming out because that meant a visit from the tooth-fairy and money under the pillow. Today, however, I don’t know what the going rate for a front tooth is; for me it was a quarter. ...

Temper tantrums. Crying when they hear the word no. I’m bored, uttered throughout the day. You would think this is the behavior of toddlers. It’s not. These are examples of what teens and twenty-somethings exhibit on a regular basis. Are we raising a generation that lacks any coping skills whatsoever?...

In a recent Sunday afternoon neighborhood prayer canvas, the church’s youth and I knocked the doors of some forty-three houses. Considering that at least a third of the residents were not home or opted not to answer the door, we felt blessed to have been trusted by eleven of the residents who requested prayers from us strangers as we promised to do when the youth and I returned to the church later that day. ...

Julie Orf Dunklin County Library Returning home after church on Sunday, the comforting smell of roast beef cooking in the oven was welcoming and moving. Joining together in the kitchen after changing out of our Sunday clothes, Moma would begin doling out instructions. ...

These days, nothing is sacred, and modesty is out the window. I can remember when Eve Arden talked about the “cross-your heart” bras in the 1980s Playtex commercials, and a headless and armless torso was the model. Today, half-naked women parade across the television screen during prime time selling bras and panties, so when it comes to modesty, that’s out the window, so we can talk about anything—even constipation...

Secular psychologists attempt to explain human behavior outside the existence of God. Limited by observation and study of the human body and familial/social circumstances, their diagnoses of behavioral dysfunction usually describe what we Christian know as the product of human sin nature inherited from Adam and Eve in their rebellion against God. ...