“To everything there is a season,” and tomorrow marks the beginning of autumn. Fall decorations already grace homes and Pumpkin Spice is the flavor of the month. That introductory phrase about a season for everything is actually a Biblical reference from Ecclesiastes 3 reminding us that life is filled with…
Nearly three years ago, St. Luke Covenant Brethren Church installed chimes that broadcast beautiful music four times a day. I first heard this sitting on my porch one morning having my quiet time with God but have since heard them in my treestand, in my turkey blind, and at various…
Rising roughly 200 feet above the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel are the ruins of the ancient city of Megiddo. This huge mound covering 35 acres is actually a compressed stack of many different levels of human occupation and is the site of continued archaeological research. There are many such…
This coming Monday, America celebrates Labor Day. And it should be a celebration for it recognizes an essential value that has raised this nation from meager beginnings to the most powerful on earth. I’m thankful for parents, siblings, and mentors that taught me the importance of hard work. They instilled…
This Saturday is the great Route 11 Yard Crawl! It will span the length of Shenandoah County and extend into neighboring counties as well. Depending on your zeal for used treasures and your toleration for traffic you either love it or hate this annual event. Thankfully, it does bring commerce…
It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over for many students. With the opening of Shenandoah County Schools in less than two weeks, time is short for that last vacation. As a parent of three graduates from our county schools and as one myself, I’m very grateful for the…
Here we are at the end of July and our gardens are coming into their own, especially if we’ve nursed them along with some supplemental irrigation. One treat that many have been enjoying for a month or more is watermelons! These are perfect summertime refreshers that provide a snack and…
As I write this column, several lottery jackpots promise their winners enormous prizes. The Powerball is at one billion dollars while Mega Millions offers $720 million and the California Super Lotto only proffers a modest $77 million. Many people purchase tickets hoping against hope that theirs will be the one…
Summer days are bearing down upon us once again with their searing heat and high humidity. Thankfully, the Shenandoah Valley has been getting frequent showers to keep our crops, gardens, and lawns watered and our wells and reservoirs relatively full. For those with diminished water supplies, we are fortunate to…
One of the most controversial current political issues involves our southern border. Over the last few years, many individuals have streamed into the US as controls were relaxed and wall construction halted. The influx of aliens into this country has overwhelmed many border towns as well as immigration officials, and…