Sunday Wrap Up--3/29/2017
I suppose I should get the big local news out of the way first: Hutchinson Community College--also known as Hutch JUCO--is the National Junior College Basketball Tournament champion. The last such win was in 1994, and the only other win was in 1988. Last year they lost the final game and took second place. It's not that big a deal to me, but the story took up the whole front page of today's newspaper.
Oh, and KU lost the game that would have given them entrance into the Final Four set of teams vying for the National College basketball championship.
*****************
What is bigger news in my world is that it's raining!!!!!! On Friday we felt a little cheated when we had just a bit of a dust dampener, but Hutchinson got an inch or two. More rain is possible over the next few days. Destructive grassland fires over the past few weeks have accentuated the dry conditions and our need for moisture.
*****************
Spring Break is happening this week. I'm looking forward to time with grandchildren and time for doing gardening and yard work.
At the teachers' lunch table on Friday, when Tim S. asked Gideon Y. about his plans for spring break, he had an answer none of us could top: "Having a baby--we hope!" Two years ago during spring break it was Charlotte who joined the family of Gideon, Esther, and Olivia.
They plan to move to Ireland this summer. When they arrived here about four years ago, they had an infant just a little older than their expected baby will be when they leave with three young children. Right now Esther's parents, Dan and Barbara, are here.
*****************
I have had several unexpected gifts this spring in the form of winning prizes at meetings for gardeners. The first was a ten dollar gift certificate to Arnold's greenhouse in Leroy, Kansas. Rita Arnold from that business was in town to give a presentation on new plants for 2017, and I went to hear her. Only once have I gone to Arnolds--with Grant, on a spring day before I started teaching again. The place is amazing for their variety of offerings. At the recent meeting I met Sheila Wedel who I first learned to know when we were both at a flower-grower's meeting in Wichita, also before I started teaching again. She has a greenhouse in the country at a location with a Galva address. Sheila is Holderman Mennonite. Last year I took my father along for the ride when I went to her greenhouse for the first time. Sheila's Garden Market is closer than Arnolds, and her selection includes many flowers that are useful as cutflowers. Her selection is all-around wonderful.
My second stroke of good fortune happened on the Saturday of the Gathering for Gardeners, an annual spring event sponsored by the Hutchinson Horticulture Club. I won a $20 gift certificate to Stutzman Greenhouse there. I learned when Ben Miller spoke that he and Marlene moved to Wichita more than a year ago. How did I not know that?
Yesterday was the Spring celebration at Pleasantview. We didn't go. One year I won the $150.00 grand prize in the drawing at the event. I suppose it says something for how much I love being at home that I was not tempted by the wonderful snacks and the many small gifts that are usually part of Spring Celebration.
*****************
Vince and Mari Caudillo's house in Partridge has been purchased by Choice Books and will soon become the home of John and Mandy Coblentz from Hicksville, OH who are working right now as volunteers for CB. I think this is the first time that a retirement-age couple has served in this way--unless you count Perry and Judith who were local and not quite retirement age. I hope it's the beginning of a trend, although certainly the young people who arrive from far-flung places to work for CB have been a blessing too. Some of them have married here and stayed. Others have snatched away one of ours and have taken them along home as a spouse.
*****************
The redbuds are in full bloom. I suppose I shouldn't be spoiling the pleasure of the moment by remembering that this is the phenological signal that conditions are right for the germination of crabgrass seeds. Henbit and dandelion are in full glory right now as well.
The wheat is tall enough to roll in waves when stirred by the spring winds that regularly roil this verdant sea.
*****************
Last week the current federal administration's effort to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA--also known as Obamacare) failed. When it became obvious that it wouldn't pass if brought to a vote, the legislation was withdrawn just before a scheduled vote took place. I have no great fondness for the current version of the ACA, but I believe that the proposal being offered in its place was deeply flawed as well. On Facebook, when a friend stated that he believes that a better version will be offered later, I made this comment: I have very low expectations for a new and improved health care plan at a later date. My sense of optimism might get a boost if I knew that reform was happening in the current medical paradigm (treatment of illness rather than promotion of health), in the insurance industry (with its potential for obscene profits for the companies), in the courts (where lawyers profit from malpractice lawsuits), and in the regulatory agencies (where lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry wield out-sized influence). If the current flaws are not addressed, any future legislation is likely to be as flawed as what we have now. If the flaws are addressed in proposed legislation, it's not likely to pass, given the loyalties of a majority of those in the lawmaking body.
*****************
Today's newspaper carried an article about cancer drugs being developed in Sterling, KS by Gene Zaid. He is Palestinian by birth, and has lived in the Sterling area during most of his adulthood. His chemical research and the products from his facility have mostly been useful in the petroleum industry.
The work he is doing now focuses on isolating substances in plants that have been used in folk medicine for years in his native land to shrink tumors. Dr. Rodgers, who is leaving his medical practice in Hutchinson to work on the project calls Zaid a brilliant chemist.
I learned to know a younger member of the Zaid family during college. His name was Nassar. He had attended Central Christian High School earlier, and I believe Gene graduated from Sterling. Grant has done landscaping work on Gene Zaid's property.
*****************
The cottage on the Hands of Christ property is being used now for the regular Sunday afternoon Bible study. My Home Environment class from school had a small part in the remodeling and redecorating of the building, and I'm eager to see it in its finished form.
****************
The deacon ordination planned for Center church is scheduled for late April. Several of the Cedar Crest ministers have preached at Center in recent weeks with preparation for this event as the subject of their sermon. They were asked to do so.
****************
I am always sorry when the final song is skipped at the end of a worship service. As I see it, people will benefit far more from leaving the gathering with the words of an inspirational song ringing in their ears than they will from having been dismissed a few minutes earlier. I "recycle" every song in my private devotions during the next week, so I regret having a skimpy collection to draw from in the second half of the week--if Wed. eve. singing has been cut short.
For other reasons I think skipping the final song may be a mistake. Congregational singing is the one worship activity where everyone present is participating audibly. Joining together to sing a well-chosen song after the sermon is a beautiful way to respond corporately to what everyone has heard and witnessed corporately. Some of what we have heard recently about worship suggests that some of the beauty of God's truth is best conveyed through music. If we see it in that light, lopping off the last song begins to look like a loss of truth and beauty--a much bigger loss than four minutes more of visiting or time at home afterward would be.
****************
Mae Yoder (Mrs. Crist) seems to have suffered a light stroke. She was hospitalized briefly. Her daughter Betty is a teacher, and spring break is well-timed for her being able to spend more time at home now.
****************
The Beachy minister's meeting is in Illinois this week.
*****************
Timo Miller's release last week is cause for great rejoicing. He must serve a one-year probation sentence, but he's back with his family.
Oh, and KU lost the game that would have given them entrance into the Final Four set of teams vying for the National College basketball championship.
*****************
What is bigger news in my world is that it's raining!!!!!! On Friday we felt a little cheated when we had just a bit of a dust dampener, but Hutchinson got an inch or two. More rain is possible over the next few days. Destructive grassland fires over the past few weeks have accentuated the dry conditions and our need for moisture.
*****************
Spring Break is happening this week. I'm looking forward to time with grandchildren and time for doing gardening and yard work.
At the teachers' lunch table on Friday, when Tim S. asked Gideon Y. about his plans for spring break, he had an answer none of us could top: "Having a baby--we hope!" Two years ago during spring break it was Charlotte who joined the family of Gideon, Esther, and Olivia.
They plan to move to Ireland this summer. When they arrived here about four years ago, they had an infant just a little older than their expected baby will be when they leave with three young children. Right now Esther's parents, Dan and Barbara, are here.
*****************
I have had several unexpected gifts this spring in the form of winning prizes at meetings for gardeners. The first was a ten dollar gift certificate to Arnold's greenhouse in Leroy, Kansas. Rita Arnold from that business was in town to give a presentation on new plants for 2017, and I went to hear her. Only once have I gone to Arnolds--with Grant, on a spring day before I started teaching again. The place is amazing for their variety of offerings. At the recent meeting I met Sheila Wedel who I first learned to know when we were both at a flower-grower's meeting in Wichita, also before I started teaching again. She has a greenhouse in the country at a location with a Galva address. Sheila is Holderman Mennonite. Last year I took my father along for the ride when I went to her greenhouse for the first time. Sheila's Garden Market is closer than Arnolds, and her selection includes many flowers that are useful as cutflowers. Her selection is all-around wonderful.
My second stroke of good fortune happened on the Saturday of the Gathering for Gardeners, an annual spring event sponsored by the Hutchinson Horticulture Club. I won a $20 gift certificate to Stutzman Greenhouse there. I learned when Ben Miller spoke that he and Marlene moved to Wichita more than a year ago. How did I not know that?
Yesterday was the Spring celebration at Pleasantview. We didn't go. One year I won the $150.00 grand prize in the drawing at the event. I suppose it says something for how much I love being at home that I was not tempted by the wonderful snacks and the many small gifts that are usually part of Spring Celebration.
*****************
Vince and Mari Caudillo's house in Partridge has been purchased by Choice Books and will soon become the home of John and Mandy Coblentz from Hicksville, OH who are working right now as volunteers for CB. I think this is the first time that a retirement-age couple has served in this way--unless you count Perry and Judith who were local and not quite retirement age. I hope it's the beginning of a trend, although certainly the young people who arrive from far-flung places to work for CB have been a blessing too. Some of them have married here and stayed. Others have snatched away one of ours and have taken them along home as a spouse.
*****************
The redbuds are in full bloom. I suppose I shouldn't be spoiling the pleasure of the moment by remembering that this is the phenological signal that conditions are right for the germination of crabgrass seeds. Henbit and dandelion are in full glory right now as well.
The wheat is tall enough to roll in waves when stirred by the spring winds that regularly roil this verdant sea.
*****************
Last week the current federal administration's effort to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA--also known as Obamacare) failed. When it became obvious that it wouldn't pass if brought to a vote, the legislation was withdrawn just before a scheduled vote took place. I have no great fondness for the current version of the ACA, but I believe that the proposal being offered in its place was deeply flawed as well. On Facebook, when a friend stated that he believes that a better version will be offered later, I made this comment: I have very low expectations for a new and improved health care plan at a later date. My sense of optimism might get a boost if I knew that reform was happening in the current medical paradigm (treatment of illness rather than promotion of health), in the insurance industry (with its potential for obscene profits for the companies), in the courts (where lawyers profit from malpractice lawsuits), and in the regulatory agencies (where lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry wield out-sized influence). If the current flaws are not addressed, any future legislation is likely to be as flawed as what we have now. If the flaws are addressed in proposed legislation, it's not likely to pass, given the loyalties of a majority of those in the lawmaking body.
*****************
Today's newspaper carried an article about cancer drugs being developed in Sterling, KS by Gene Zaid. He is Palestinian by birth, and has lived in the Sterling area during most of his adulthood. His chemical research and the products from his facility have mostly been useful in the petroleum industry.
The work he is doing now focuses on isolating substances in plants that have been used in folk medicine for years in his native land to shrink tumors. Dr. Rodgers, who is leaving his medical practice in Hutchinson to work on the project calls Zaid a brilliant chemist.
I learned to know a younger member of the Zaid family during college. His name was Nassar. He had attended Central Christian High School earlier, and I believe Gene graduated from Sterling. Grant has done landscaping work on Gene Zaid's property.
*****************
The cottage on the Hands of Christ property is being used now for the regular Sunday afternoon Bible study. My Home Environment class from school had a small part in the remodeling and redecorating of the building, and I'm eager to see it in its finished form.
****************
The deacon ordination planned for Center church is scheduled for late April. Several of the Cedar Crest ministers have preached at Center in recent weeks with preparation for this event as the subject of their sermon. They were asked to do so.
****************
I am always sorry when the final song is skipped at the end of a worship service. As I see it, people will benefit far more from leaving the gathering with the words of an inspirational song ringing in their ears than they will from having been dismissed a few minutes earlier. I "recycle" every song in my private devotions during the next week, so I regret having a skimpy collection to draw from in the second half of the week--if Wed. eve. singing has been cut short.
For other reasons I think skipping the final song may be a mistake. Congregational singing is the one worship activity where everyone present is participating audibly. Joining together to sing a well-chosen song after the sermon is a beautiful way to respond corporately to what everyone has heard and witnessed corporately. Some of what we have heard recently about worship suggests that some of the beauty of God's truth is best conveyed through music. If we see it in that light, lopping off the last song begins to look like a loss of truth and beauty--a much bigger loss than four minutes more of visiting or time at home afterward would be.
****************
Mae Yoder (Mrs. Crist) seems to have suffered a light stroke. She was hospitalized briefly. Her daughter Betty is a teacher, and spring break is well-timed for her being able to spend more time at home now.
****************
The Beachy minister's meeting is in Illinois this week.
*****************
Timo Miller's release last week is cause for great rejoicing. He must serve a one-year probation sentence, but he's back with his family.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
9:30 PM
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