Village Voices - We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks

I had some goodwill items to drop off the other day. The goodwill place was a hub of activity when I arrived and I had to wait in line for a few minutes before I could make my drop. There was one guy...

Lately, I’ve received more feedback than usual concerning this opinion column. As a general rule, the feedback I receive is very positive and affirmative. To be honest, I don’t get a whole lot of...

The other day I was talking to a young man in his mid 20’s with a young family. I was telling him about our church in Martintown, Wisconsin and everything that’s been happening lately and down...

Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution. REASONS WHY FARM TRUCKS ARE NEVER STOLEN They have a range of about 20 miles before they overheat, break down or run out of...

The question is often asked: “Why is unbelief such a big deal? Why would someone’s failure to believe in Jesus Christ lead to eternal damnation?” It isn’t uncommon to hear something like...

C.S. Lewis once stated, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan.” Most Christians are not shocked at the...

Just saw on the news where the world champion tongue-twister was arrested. I hope they give the guy a tough sentence. My wife and I took a drive to Dixon, Illinois last week. If you like corn and...

Recently I was reading a story about a man in his 20’s who asked one of his elder mentors: “What would you say to your 30-year-old self if you could talk to him?” The first thing that popped int...

Here we are back in full swing again. Fall sports are back on and the summer heat did not miss a beat. While Dan does a great job with the fall sports edition, I have a few observations of my own....

He knew everything, but that’s all he knew. I kind of left you hanging on the house we were working on in anticipation of members of our family moving in. I’m happy to say, they are all moved in....

The great thing about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does. The other night as I lay in bed, I woke up because I was thirsty. I laid there for a...

Every time we go to church we pass by a herd of red and black angus cattle grazing contentedly in their pasture. These cows are in tip top shape. Their shining red and black coats glisten in the sun....

We have 35 million laws to enforce the Ten Commandments. In my younger years, boating was always a major part of my summer life. I had an uncle who had a boat and he took my family to the lake a few...

I'm writing a book about reverse psychology. Don't buy it. As you may or may not be aware, our son recently graduated from Veterinary School and took a job in Stockton, Illinois as a Veterinarian....

I have a couple things on my mind today. 1) I belong to an Internet shave club. It’s simple: every month they automatically send me four sets of razor blades to shave with. I never run out of...

You come from dust and to dust you will return. This is why I don't dust. It could be someone I know. Summertime means kids, lemonade and cookies, popsicles, ice cream, and Vacation Bible School!...

There's no limit to what you can achieve if you don't mind who gets the credit. After reading about the happenings taking place at Martintown Community Church over the last several months, several of...

We’re remodeling a house. By remodeling I mean, getting it ready to move into. Last week the story was about changing the pump in the well and successfully getting life-giving water to the house....

Moving water is fascinating. Creeks gurgle, waterfalls plummet, springs bubble, ocean tides crash. The bubbles, foam and noise draws us. The water sustains us. We need water for our physical life,...

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God,” (Luke 12:7). The other day a gust of wind ruffled the trees in our yard and when I went outside later, I saw...

Today’s column is meant for parents and grandparents. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.” We have a job to do. Our son graduated from the University of...

The first job I ever had paid $2.50 a month. I was eight years old at the time. My job was to shake the straw bedding for our 42 cows in the dairy barn. My younger brother helped me. We’d climb up...

Last weekend, my wife and I visited our daughter and son-in-law in Nashville, Tennessee. They’ve lived there now for over two years. Last year they bought a house on a quiet street in a nice...

Happy Mother’s Day everyone! In honor of our mothers, today’s column is about children. The old adage says that children are to be seen and not heard. Really? Show me a child not making noise,...

Escalators never break down. When they quit, they become stairs. Not long ago, I was traveling in a strange town when I had a flat tire. I knew it was flat because the low tire light was flashing on...