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How petty can the smartest person in the room get?
Could you tell me why an alderman would concern themselves about something so petty, let alone make it a public matter at a Board meeting?

Gary J. Groman
3 min read


For the love of Branson: Ozarks decades
The sound of Branson is ancient and can be traced to the Scottish Highlands with a fiddle and a bow.

Marshall Howden
3 min read


Reflections: Let’s expect more from our youth
Sometimes it seems as though several sources combine in my personal journey to drive home a point. Maybe I’m slow to understand—or...

Cynthia J. Thomas
3 min read


Reader’s Corner: A Tale of a Whale—or more?
However, Yarbrough also presents convincing evidence of the book’s authenticity—after all, he’s a seminary president. That done, he then dives into the relevance of Jonah’s story for today’s Christian believer.

Cynthia J. Thomas
2 min read


Outdoors with Larry Dablemont: Groundhog hunter
The old men at the pool hall let nothing go to waste, claiming a clover-eatin’ groundhog was better eatin’ than a beaver.

Larry Dablemont
4 min read


Memories from the Homestead: A flashback to the summer of 1902 as seen by J.K. Ross
There are loads of columns that gave news of the happenings here in our Garber neighborhood.

John Fullerton
3 min read


The price of ‘love’
This may be a “stretch” for a proverbial health column but it does very much play into several health venues. It spans emotional,...

Jody Johnson Godfrey
3 min read


The U.S. Foreclosure Map You Need To See
Here’s the map you need to see that shows how foreclosure rates are lower than you might think, and how they differ by local area

Heathery Tankersley
2 min read


Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Squash Vine Borers
Amidst my vine borer woes, I came across a recent report from the Voice of the Martyrs* about Victoria Luka, a widowed Christian mother from Nigeria.

Tiffany Gravett
4 min read


Stock Market Insights: From tariffs to tech, what’s fueling this earnings season
While the numbers are encouraging, investors are primarily focused on forward-looking guidance from company leadership to measure their ability to navigate the next few months.

Dr. Richard Baker
3 min read


Keep your nose up, with art
For centuries, combatants have adorned their weapons, shields, clothes and selves with symbols, shapes or messages that personalized the fight, motivating and reminding them of their dedication.

Bob Ford
4 min read


Spaying and neutering your pets: It is not just for population control
Male dogs who have not been altered are also at risk of cancer, particularly testicular cancer, though prostate cancer can also occur.

Julie L. King, DVM
3 min read


Reader’s Corner: Dinosaur fun at Creation Experience Museum
With toybox space and shelf space at a premium in their home, I wanted to make sure what we selected was worthwhile, and the Creation Experience Museum bookstore did not disappoint!

Cynthia J. Thomas
1 min read


Your House Didn’t Sell. Here’s What To Do Now.
And now that your listing has expired without a buyer? You’re left feeling stuck, and maybe even a little embarrassed.

Heathery Tankersley
3 min read


Natural sunscreen – the why’s and how’s
Another good reason to make our own sunscreen is to be able to avoid extra and unneeded/harmful chemicals coming into our bodies.

Jody Johnson Godfrey
3 min read
![A puzzle—and a much bigger picture [Part 2]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0d906d_e9b50c3ea98043ab8aed4fb414c240bb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/0d906d_e9b50c3ea98043ab8aed4fb414c240bb~mv2.webp)
![A puzzle—and a much bigger picture [Part 2]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0d906d_e9b50c3ea98043ab8aed4fb414c240bb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_296,h_222,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/0d906d_e9b50c3ea98043ab8aed4fb414c240bb~mv2.webp)
A puzzle—and a much bigger picture [Part 2]
[This is part two in a two-part series in which the author compares lessons learned while doing a puzzle to a “bigger picture,” i.e.,...

Lauri Lemke Thompson
2 min read
![Memories from the Homestead: The Vinings—remembering ‘Fiddlin' Jake’ [Part 2]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0d906d_ee465b9613e84c9bb8b4b784542fb1bb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/0d906d_ee465b9613e84c9bb8b4b784542fb1bb~mv2.webp)
![Memories from the Homestead: The Vinings—remembering ‘Fiddlin' Jake’ [Part 2]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0d906d_ee465b9613e84c9bb8b4b784542fb1bb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_296,h_222,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/0d906d_ee465b9613e84c9bb8b4b784542fb1bb~mv2.webp)
Memories from the Homestead: The Vinings—remembering ‘Fiddlin' Jake’ [Part 2]
It's not known how and when Gussie took up the fiddle, but it's very evident that he played at a number of parties and dances for several years.

John Fullerton
4 min read


Reflections: But Lord, who will get things done?
Thank you to my friends who happen to be named Martha—three or four of you—for perspective over the years about having that name. In...

Cynthia J. Thomas
3 min read


Outdoors with Larry Dablemont: How I learned to catch trout
The best thing about S of O was Lake Taneycomo, full of trout and ducks. The School sat on a bluff right above it.

Larry Dablemont
4 min read


Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Thriving families
Discontent can be a tool that the enemy uses to destroy families by keeping them focused on themselves, what they lack, and how those closest to them are to blame.

Tiffany Gravett
3 min read
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