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

Personally, I started this year with more optimism than I’ve had in a long time. The sound of 2020 just seemed to ring in my ears. I had an expectation that God was going to do something great for...

“Why don’t we go for a drive?” It was an innocent question from my wife after I had just vented over editorial issues with the paper, and my first thought was that – yeah, I needed to get...

Are we not the land of the free and the home of the brave? Since May 25, 2020, the day George Floyd, a hand cuffed, totally compliant black man was murdered by Minneapolis Police Officer Derrick...

I always thought it odd that Cap’n Crunch is made by Quaker Oats - a cereal commanded by a military officer made by an avowedly non-combatant community of oats. Since last March I’ve been reading...

Every parent of young kids knows the feeling – you’re somewhere in the house doing something when you suddenly realize – it’s too quiet. Immediately the internal alarm bells go off and you beg...

With news this past week of the Illinois State Fairs being cancelled this year due to coronavirus, along with many other county fairs, livestock shows and 4-H fairs, it is important we recognize the c...

My dad has a sign hanging over his desk that says: “These are the good old days.” So true. For the most part, we tend to look back on certain periods of the past in our lives with favor. These...

I realize that this may not come as a shock to most of you, but I have never been what you would consider – fashionable. When it comes to how I dress and what I wear, comfort tends to always come...

I thought I knew what the story was about. When sitting in the midst of the protests taking place in Freeport on Sunday May 30, I won’t lie, I wanted to set off an EMP to blow up every phone being...

This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her cat. It was obvious she thought her cat understood her. I came into my house and told my dog … we laughed and laughed. I like cats but don’t love...

“The continued victimization is not just an insult to my family, but to all victims of crimes in Illinois,” said Bob Peters, Jr., who bears the namesake of his father, Bob Peters, Sr., a murder vi...

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried,” (G.K. Chesterton). It’s amazing to me how someone will not believe in God because they...

We got an email from a woman, who made the point that her favorite column of Dan’s was back on 2/13/13 … so … we had to see for ourselves why someone would like it, and … yeah, it wasn’t...

We recognize that business opportunities are often born out of crisis. We know that consumers may shift their habits and patterns but at the same time will always need to access goods and services. It...

Live in such a way so the preacher won't have to tell lies at your funeral. When I was a student in Bible college, my wife and I were on the missionary list of Martintown Community Church. They sent u...

OK, I really didn’t want to get into this subject because there will be some who see it as elitist, or call me a racist, or try to paint me with some other form of “ist” label … but the...

I truly marvel at the continuing and “stepped up” efforts of the far left to do all they can to destroy not only the Presidency of Donald Trump, but to destroy him personally as well. It...

“What’s Up?” Whenever we open the Bible, God calls us to examine our own hearts. When we do, we will often find that the roots of the sins we see in others are often hidden in our hearts as...

There is an old saying, “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.” Now, I know what they’re talking about – those of us who once collected Matchbox cars or Hot...

“First Pray Then Speak Then Play” I told my wife how thankful I was to have someone I enjoyed being quarantined with. She said, “Must be nice.” Psalm 119:11 says: “Thy word have I hid in my...

OK, I’m facing a dilemma – and need to turn to the sage advice of men who have been married longer than I have. Now, anybody taking one look at me would immediately know – I like food. And my...

When the Governor unveiled his Restore Illinois Plan on May 5th, I was, at first, optimistic. From a 30,000-foot view, the plan was regional with phases of re-opening the state for business so we can...

Fair warning – this week’s column is not “humorous” in any way, shape, or form. In fact … it leans to the depressing side. So for those who don’t want to follow me into a deep dive of the...