Opinion

Q: How can you at least be satisfied being a curmudgeon? A: If you are really good at anything it can give you great satisfaction. The dictionary says a curmudgeon is a surly bad-tempered person. This may be true, but being a curmudgeon is more currently recognized as being an over-the-hill person who is dubious about many things, questions motives, and is fed up with the way the world is going...

Last weekend after a shopping excursion, relaxing on the couch for the evening was the only thing on my mind. I had recently finished reading three books, one audiobook and two novels, so I turned on the television and looked for a movie. On one channel, I saw a glorious police dog with his partner which made me pause to watch the remainder of the movie. ...

There once was a mayor of a major city who would often ask constituents, “How am I doing?” But on one occasion, one citizen responded to his usual inquiry with, “Why don’t you ever ask how WE are doing?” In a culture where the individual is highly regarded, personal achievement often rewarded when recognized, and heroes are sought, looking to the self is encouraged. ...

MU Extension promotes safety in local communities by training more than 17,000 fire, police, and public safety professionals each year. The Fire and Rescue Training Institute traveled 200,000 miles last year to train firefighters where they work and live...

Dunklin County is a busy place. Some may argue that fact, but just follow me around for a week and you’ll see what I mean. Aside from city council meetings, local sports, and fire/police reports there are many festivals, events, and interesting members of our communities to cover...

Well, I know it is HOT, HOT, HOT, and midsummer, but I believe it is a wonderful time of the year to “chill out” and celebrate Christmas. I’m not talking about Christmas lists, gifts, lights, parties, cards, trees and visits with family and friends, but I’m talking about celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ...

Are you familiar with the Rechabites which are mentioned in the book of Jeremiah? God highly praised the house of the Rechabites and pointed them out to Judah, His own people, as an example worthy of following! God told Jeremiah to bring the whole house of the Rechabites into the house of the Lord and to encourage them to drink wine. ...

Since the 2015 edition of the Missouri Senior Citizens Handbook was released, several changes have occurred in the area of tax relief for the elderly. After retirement, living on a fixed income can be tough, especially if a senior is not properly prepared. ...

Jeff Dorris jdorris@dddnews.com If you’re a frequent reader of my column you’re aware that I’m a big advocate for community involvement. I continue to hear a lot of moaning and complaining concerning conditions of our community. I believe action is the key component to eradicate a majority of these complaints...

If you have been reading my “Living in the Word” column for very long, you may have noticed that I do not often use what we Christians call “the Epistles” (letters) in the New Testament, composed by the apostle Paul, and some of the twelve disciples. ...

Last month the Book Discussion group hosted Noel Barton who has written two novels, Watch for the Whirlwinds and Meryl Jean: Another Whirlwind, based on her childhood time in the Bootheel. Mrs. Barton had a Book Signing with books available for purchase and signing. ...

First, let me encourage you to read this entire column because the subject may be different than the title might suggest. As Paul finished his third missionary journey, he returned through Caesarea travelling to Jerusalem. Acts 21:16 states, “Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.” (NKJV) What is meant by “an early disciple”? The KJV states, “an old disciple”...

When it comes to seniors, I have personally seen the results of a government system that goes against our elderly and veterans but seems to clearly cater to those who are able bodied and have a bad case of “lazy.” There are truly those who are deemed disabled, but too many times, they are the ones who must fight to for any assistance. ...

Over the years, more than one person has expressed an opinion on happiness. Abraham Lincoln said on the subject, “Folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Everyone has their bad days. It’s okay to have a bad day, but no one should have a bad week...

Do you ever catch yourself asking: “What should I read next?” Even though I walk the rows of books daily and I am surrounded by books constantly at work, I still ponder this question some days. I want a book to capture my imagination, command my attention, require me to think, and contain believable characters...

We need to trust God. In fact, we need to trust God every day for the rest of our lives. Some people start out in life trusting God, but by the end of their lives they have ceased trusting Him. Others have the “stop and start” method of trust. They get started trusting God and things go better in their life. ...

It wasn’t until after my mother fell and fractured a hip that I discovered how vague state and federal laws are in how they affect seniors, especially those who have worked all their lives. That’s why I sent letters to the Missouri Lt. Gov. and Rep. ...

I hear a lot of people these days saying they’re tired. Not just tired but exhausted. This is usually followed by a declaration that they haven’t really did anything out of the ordinary, physically, yet they’re tired. These folks could be suffering from emotional exhaustion...

Elijah was a prophet who was chosen by God to serve Him in the northern kingdom of Israel, around 870 B. C. He was struggling to survive because most of the citizens in Jerusalem were not faithful to Yahweh. The religions they preferred were pagan, especially Baal. ...

On July 4, 1776, fifty-six colonial leaders signed the Declaration of Independence. With this signing, these leaders declared themselves, along with the 2.5 million people living in the thirteen colonies, members of a new, independent nation: The United States of America...

It seems our society is obsessed with displaying its bad behavior for all to see. Many times it is done in venues where everyone will see it, be entertained by it, and think it’s funny. Bad behavior isn’t anything to laugh about, but is sinful and shameful...

For centuries dating back to the ancient Egyptians, honey has had many uses besides a great sweetener. The Egyptians used it for embalming fluid, and because of its natural antibiotic component, it was also used as a dressing for wounds. Today, it is still used for everything from wound care to cough suppression. According to Webmd.com, it is especially useful for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and holistic practitioners consider it as one of nature’s best natural remedies...

With the arrival of summer I’m reminded of so many memories from this area. Although, I was primarily raised in northern Illinois, many trips were made throughout my life visiting relatives in the bootheel. The roots of my family are here. A lot of these trips were in the summer. On average we spent about three weeks a year in the Kennett area during the summer with other trips throughout the year...

Your children or grandchildren have questions about God, although they may not be asking. That may be because they don’t know what to ask. Children and adults leave church every Sunday after worshiping God for His grace for His people and enter into the land of secular fundamentalism with its cavernous, amoral void leaving many forgetting what God has to do with any of us. ...

Library traffic increases in the summer months. Some individuals have more time off from work. They seize those moments to read all the books on their “to read later” list. Reading is an activity that seems solitary is spoken of freely with enthusiasm and abandon. ...