Whenever someone comes to me for counsel, we meet and discuss the situation and talk about whatever their struggle is. As you know I am a firm believer in the Bible - and I follow its teachings to...

My wife is really getting better at hiding the food. As many of you know, several years ago my “loving” daughter snagged all but five of the peanut butter balls for herself, I was more than a litt...

It’s been a topsy turvy several weeks. This election has left many scratching their heads and some with a giant knot in their gut because it appears an injustice has occurred. Maybe so. Many of us...

It’s not easy for me to have a vacation. I mean, when you look at the weekly schedule needed to put the paper out, there just really isn’t any convenient “weekend” to go out for a day or two....

I’ve searched every available outlet. I am without success anywhere to find a sensible reason to close our restaurants and bars. They have a ridiculously low infection rate for COVID. It’s 1.4 per...

“Merry Christmas!” A couple were in a busy shopping center just before Christmas. The wife suddenly noticed that her husband was missing. Since they had a lot to do, she called his phone. "Where a...

One of the hardest things to do – at least in my household – is keeping a secret in terms of what gift people are getting. I mean, with two teenage girls growing up, they had certain “wants...

Without a doubt, 2020 has been a doozy! No one could be blamed for being tired and woozy. Just in case you’ve run out of holiday spirit and need to be reminded of what’s good that is near us,...

I’m not sure how old I was, but many, many years ago, I can remember sitting in our living room watching the local news on television with my parents when the weatherman announced to everyone that...

Christmas is weird. What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks? Ten things Jesus never said: 1. You've gone too far to be saved. 2. I'm so...

As reported in this week's issue of Village Voices, the Stephenson County Nursing Center – Walnut Acres – has been found "deficient" by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and is not only...

I used to own a 1965 International Harvester Scout. Back in the day IHC not only made tractors and farm equipment but they also made SUV’s. The Scout was one of the original SUV’s. I picked my...

Thanksgiving is now over, so that means that it is once again time for the Christmas Spirit to fill us with a sense of the Holidays. But exactly what is this Christmas Spirit anyway? Why is it that...

The holiday season reminds us of all the blessings for which we are thankful and filled with gratitude. If there is one group of people that stand tallest in deserving our gratitude in 2020, it is...

No, I’m not a conspiracy theorist. Quite the contrary. I love listening to all sides of a discussion. I’m writing this on the 24th of November, just 21 days after arguably the most controversial...

I came across an organization this week that I had never heard of before. It’s called “The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.” Since 1947, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (heretofore referred...

As a kid, I thought the people that moved away for the winter were nuts … but now I’m not so sure. We all know the snow and colder temperatures are coming, and maybe it was the announcement of...

Voters’ rejection of the Tax Hike Amendment on November 3rd has brought into full focus the terribly unbalanced budget passed by the Democrat majority during the height of the pandemic in May of...

Maybe it is the early cold snap in October, daylight savings time, the exhaustion from current events, or weariness of COVID-19, but we could all use some holiday cheer to get us in the mood for bette...

Life on earth is very short. The Bible says: “With the Lord a thousand years are like a day,” (2 Peter 3:8). In other words, as God sees life on this earth: ● Abraham was born on Wednesday. ...

I apologize right now for going into teacher mode this week, but … well … I think you’ll understand why if you bear with me. Back in my teaching days, I would include a famous poem by John...

You know, being a kid was great. Being a grown up is hard work. As a kid we played some and we worked a lot. Being a farm kid meant we worked hard and we did everything the old fashioned way. I...