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Presenting Biblical answers to tough questions. Q: Should believers pray to the Holy Spirit? A: Perhaps the best way to answer this question would be to examine truths about the relationships within the Godhead. This may help us know more about who our prayers ought to be addressed to. One of the things we see within the Trinity is a defined ‘chain of command.’ Despite each member of the Trinity being equally God (John 1:2; Acts 5:3-4), we are clearly told Jesus Christ joyfully submits to the Father (John 4:31-34; John 5:30), and the Holy Spi...
Christmas . . . Billions of words have already been written, and many more will come. I’ve noted before that to get into the “Christmas Spirit,” one thing that helps is to attend a Christmas program by the youngsters of your church or school. It has been an inspiration for me many times over the years. It was best when the schools would include the authentic reason for the day. i. e. its religious roots. I’ve seen several this year and they were very good. However, anything religious about them was maybe a song or two that somehow had a verse...
Other than the fun of Halloween, Christmas has to be one of my favorite times of the year. I love the decorations, the lights, the carols, the tree, the excitement and the food. I will never know why anyone waits until Christmas to make fudge and peanut brittle. Tradition, I suppose. One of my favorite Christmas memories was caroling with my church family in Oak. Every year the congregation would get bundled up and climb onto a flatbed trailer covered in small straw bales to be chauffeured all over town singing Christmas hymns at home after...
For some reason I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. Maybe it was because of the unusual warmer temperatures, as the temperatures lately have climbed into the 50s, 60s and even into the 70s. There was also going to be the lack of some of the family’s presence during the holidays that usually comes, and of course there is the COVID virus still making the rounds and it doesn’t seem to give up. Shopping for presents is getting harder for me to do, as those all-day shopping trips I took years back tire me out more tha...
A common reply to a number of emergencies is: “I don’t care what they do . . . just do something!” I think I may have said something like that at times, but I hope not as each situation is different to some extent and needs to be handled accordingly. COVID-19 (and all its variants) is different, but it seems that a lot of people in charge are “just doing something.” In the past few weeks, the new variant (Omicron) has received the bulk of the daily news from the national media and to be frank . . . I am confused by the news. The first new...
I think I need a vacation. Today was like every other Monday, and it began with crawling out of bed, drinking coffee, and finishing up all I had started the week before to be emailed to The Express for publication. On Mondays, I pick up the mail for the paper and take it to the office in Superior. While in the office, I pick up the paychecks for Cheryl and me, go to the bank, the grocery store, and take care of other various errands. Driving back into town today, instead of turning to Cheryl’s to drop off her check, I drove back home. Once I p...
Presenting Biblical answers to tough questions Q: What are some ways I can be living out God’s will for my life right now? A: I am excited by this question! The decision to begin living out God’s will for us is second only to the decision to trust Christ as Savior and Lord! God’s will for us is known through His Word; the Bible and there are several passages that can help a person begin living out His will today! The first helpful verse is II Peter 2:2. This verse tells us to desire the Word of God like a newborn desires milk. Since I have...
The call letters of KSNB and the television channel assignment of Number 4 still reminds longtime residents of this area of the days when Superior boasted of being the hometown for television and radio stations and a newspaper. That is no longer true. It has been years since the television station that uses the letters and channel assignment has been located in Hartley Petersen's pasture southwest of Ruskin. Fifty years ago big cities like Kansas City, Wichita, Omaha and Lincoln didn't have...
When Highway 14’s concrete bridge over the Republican River, fell into the river, the State of Nebraska chose to replace it with a smaller bridge. The replacement was said to be temporary as it would be replaced when funding became available to construct an overpass over the Burlington and Missouri Pacific railroad tracks. At the time the Burlington line was considered the company’s main line connecting Kansas City and Denver. There were a number of scheduled passenger and freight trains ove...
We lost a great Kansan and American yesterday, Senator Bob Dole. Born in Russell, Kan., Dole was six years old when the stock market crashed and he grew up in the depression years. In his book, One Soldier’s Story, he told about those hard times when his mother sold sewing machines to help make ends meet and his father was a dedicated employee who only missed one day of work in more than 40 years. In Dole’s younger years in Russell, he worked as a newspaper delivery boy and later was a “soda jerk” at the local drug store. He knew what it was...
Presenting Biblical answers to tough questions. Q: Does the pandemic mean we are in the end times? A: Nope; it actually means the exact opposite! The reason I can state this with such confidence is because Christ offered His disciples a clear explanation of world events leading up to the end times so we are not shaken or frightened without cause. This explanation is found in Matthew 24:4-16. In this passage Christ describes various world events that might shake or concern His disciples. These include the rise of false messiahs (v. 5), wars (v....
Little Things . . . So often they go un-noticed by so many folks. It makes sense because we humans can’t be everywhere to notice them. I’m proud to see all the small towns across Nebraska that have put up Christmas decorations. They most all do it every year and everyone enjoys them. We, in small towns, consider them a pretty big activity. This year, in Lawrence, we are enjoying new lights after replacing time and weather worn lighting of the past. It is great. However, there was a small addition this year that many people may have missed. Las...
Sometimes country roads become pretty “rutty,” especially after a rain when drivers plow through the mud forming ruts. When the road dries, the “ruts” remain and when a driver travels the roads and a tire goes into the ruts, it’s hard to drive out of them. I have found sometimes there are days when a person gets caught in a rut and just can’t seem to drive out of it. Once in those “ruts,” there seems to be nothing special going on and a person finds himself or herself going over the everyday duties of life over and over again. Recently those...
Thanksgiving . . . As of late (the past 15 – 20 years) it seems there are people who consider Thanksgiving a holiday that should not be observed. Their contention seems to be we are celebrating the beginning of an era of bad treatment of the Native Americans for a couple of hundred years, and that isn’t right. I would suggest those promoting this idea do not have a very good education in history. To me, it is a primary example of how the Liberals in America are using an injustice strung out over a great deal of time to further confuse and cau...
Thanksgiving has always been a crazy one for this family. Normally, George has his boys, my boys go to their dad’s house and we provide transportation for both. One year drop-off and pick-up were all on the same days, and they are in opposite directions! George’s boys live in Omaha, and I meet Jacob’s dad near Manhattan Kan., which is halfway. So we drove one boy down into Kansas and then headed to Omaha and then home. It makes for a long day. This year we had the Omaha boys the weekend before. Pick up was Friday and drop-off on Sunday. Jacob...
Editor’s notebook December 2, 2021 A question from a reader of this newspaper and wife of a Superior High School classmate reminded me of the day more than 60 years ago when Mankato’s Texaco gasoline station was robbed. It was a pleasant January afternoon and I was working at my father’s Champlin station located on the hill south of Superior. Winter days were usually pretty slow and my father often said business was so slow in February, grass would have grown in the drive if it wasn’t so cold. I liked those days for they often provided reading...
Presenting Biblical answers to tough questions Q: Starting with Adam and Eve, did people marry their siblings in the Old Testament? If so, why? This is a question I have often been asked. First let me say the historical account of Genesis does not explain where Cain got his wife, or why individuals like Abraham married close relatives (Abraham married his half-sister Sarah), or whether it was permissible for them to do so. In short, the Bible does not directly answer this question. Because the authoritative word of God is silent on the subject...
By Cassie Hooman Post Rock Answers One of my favorite Christmas traditions is growing bright colorful poinsettias and other holiday plants that liven up the season. Many house plants are available this time of year including holiday cactus, amaryllis, kalanchoe, Jerusalem cherry, and cyclamen. Most of these plants can be enjoyed long past Christmas with the correct care. Here are some simple steps to keep your holiday plants thriving. The poinsettia was named after Joel Robert Poinsett, an amateur botanist and the first American ambassador to...
My father and grandfather were constantly on the lookout for business opportunities. Grandfather found many diverse opportunities. In his lifetime, he was an owner of dray lines, at least one cafe and hotel, three or more gasoline stations, a barber shop, a furniture and undertaking business, shoe repair shop and... I probably have forgotten some of his ventures. My father primarily looked for ways to diversify his gasoline business. We didn’t know it at the time but his station included many of goods and services now found in what we call f...
Happy Thanksgiving! Though we should be thankful for what we have been given year around, this is a special time of the year set for us to be giving thanks. Somewhere along the way, it wasn’t just enough to give thanks on this special day, it became a time to eat all the wonderful foods that through the years has become associated with Thanksgiving. On social media a person can find all kinds of ways to incorporate a Thanksgiving food item into recipes such as whipped cranberry salad, cranberry and orange salad, Cranberry Jell-O Supreme. R...
Presenting Biblical answers to tough questions Q: If someone hasn’t heard what the Bible says about what it takes to be saved, how can that be their fault? Will they go to heaven anyway? A: Before we can understand the answer to this question, I have to lay some groundwork about God, His rules, and our fallen nature. We must begin with the fact God is our Sovereign Creator (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 100:3). Because God made us, He gets to make the rules that govern our lives and He decides the consequences for breaking them. The rules are fairly s...
It’s been another wild weekend of burning the candle at both ends. Friday morning, I left the house around nine to pick up my glasses from the eye doctor. After having my glasses fit, I hit the road headed to Sutton to have my back cracked by the bone crusher. Feeling an inch taller and not quite so compacted, I then headed to Lincoln to pick up moreitems for the Money Pit. I keep hearing we have a shortage of truckers here in the US, but I don’t see that out on the good ole interstate. The wind was blowing and every trailer on the road mus...
Nov. 22, 1963 . . . the death of President John Kennedy. Seems we’ve had a bunch of funerals in Lawrence as of late. This past weekend and Monday two more women. Most folks alive today probably don’t remember 1963 as they were not born yet. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it and the following ceremonies for the funeral. I guess it was only fitting for a man of his importance. However, what I remember more vividly are the funerals of many people who did not come close to the circumstance of President Kennedy. I think I’ll always remember the fune...
Monday was one of those beautiful fall days in the country. These kinds of days are becoming rare so we best enjoy them while they last. The recent freeze has caused leaves to fall from most of the trees. But some leaves are being stubborn, and just like me, don’t want to see fall come to an end. Today is one of those blessed times that rewards those who are rural dwellers. As I’ve shared before, there are pluses and minuses for living in the wide open spaces. Living almost 20 miles from a grocery store can be challenging but we learn when a t...
Presenting Biblical answers to tough questions. Q: If the Bible is true then how come there are so many different perspectives on what it really teaches? How can I tell who’s right? A: Let’s begin by stating there is only one completely right interpretation of Scripture, and it is the one intended by God when He inspired it. While every passage of the Bible is rich and different teachers can emphasize different points, opinions of a particular passage which contradict each other cannot both be right. It is also helpful to know a couple of fac...
