It’s the Good Old Summer Time!I wish it would make up its mind!One day the thermometer reads 90 degreesThe next night it is 57 degrees and you freeze!The flies and bugs know it is timeTo get in that screen door to findSomething good that is on their mind!The birds and the bees are enjoying the summer pollen filled breezePlease excuse me now, I think I am going to sneeze!Remember, it is the Good Old Summer Time!This coming Sunday morning Betty and Brian Bruxvoort, who have been serving in Soldotna, Alaska, under the auspice of Mission Aviation Repair Center, will share some of their experiences with us at the Sunday morning worship services. Brian flies pastors and others to and from remote Alaskan villages and transports children to Bible Camp. Orrin and Bernice Aukes attended a birthday party for their grandson, Dylan Aukes, for his first birthday at the park in Larchwood Friday evening. His parents are Terry and Christy Aukes. He has one brother. Happy Birthday to him! Those attending camp at Inspiration Hills from Steen Reformed Church this week are: Brandon Bosch, Cory Tilstra and Kyle Harsma. Annie Lynn, infant daughter of Ken and Tammy Bos, was baptized at the Sunday morning worship service in Steen Reformed Church. Evelyn Tilstra entered Sioux Valley Hospital Sunday evening. She was able to return to her home on Friday following surgery on Monday afternoon. JoAnn Paulsen, Laura May Bosch, Henrietta Boeve and Melba Boeve attended the Musical Dinner Theater at the Intermission in Rock Rapids Wednesday evening. It was titled "Sunday in Manhattan" which is the story of the evangelist Billy Sunday’s life. Jo Zomer and daughter from Canton, S.D., were Thursday afternoon callers in the Arnold and Jane Bonnema home. Steen Reformed Church will have their annual picnic beginning at 11:30 a.m. next Sunday, July 20, with a potluck dinner. Games will be played following the dinner. They will have a worship service at 2:30 p.m. in the park. The speaker is Matt Sharpe and the Rock Rapids Praise Team will lead the service.Friday afternoon Mildred Keunen, Bertha Bosch and Jo Aykens visited Anna Wynia who lives at Rock Rapids Health Care Centre in Rock Rapids. Saturday Norma VanWyhe and her mother, Henrietta Huenink, attended the wedding of her grandson, Ben Madson, son of Jon and Glenda Madson, at the park in Fairmont. The reception followed the ceremony at the VFW Club in Fairmont. The Girls’ League of Steen Reformed Church will have their summer campout on July 22 and 23. John and Julie Springman spent last weekend at the home of her mother, Melba Boeve. They were here to attend her 20th class reunion for the Class of 1983 was at the Downtown Holiday Inn in Sioux Falls. Dries and Laura May Bosch attended a Doyle family reunion at the Driver’s Club in Beaver Creek this past week on Wednesday. There were 18 family members present. Laura May is a member of the Doyle family. Bernice Bartels, Luverne, was a Friday afternoon caller in the Arnold and Jane Bonnema home. Dennis and Gracia Schrick, George, Iowa, were Sunday dinner guests in the Arnold and Jane Bonnema home. When the world is supposedly at peace it is very easy for everyone to take all of our freedoms for granted. It seems to me that the last few years patriotism and our freedoms have been downplayed so very often. One of the instances that comes to my mind is the elimination of the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools. In fact we very seldom heard the pledge anywhere. Our freedom and our patriotism have just been taken for granted. In case you are having a problem remembering the Pledge of Allegiance I quote:"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." William Emment Shelton is the author of the following remarks, explaining how and when the Pledge of Allegiance came into being. I quote:"The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was written by Frances Bellamy, a former Baptist minister and a member of the staff of the defunct The Youth’s Companion of Boston Mass., in 1892. It was adopted by Congress in the summer of 1892 and was first used at the Columbus Day celebration in Boston Oct. 12, 1892. The words ‘under God’ were approved by Congress in 1954. When Pres. Eisenhower signed the act, adding the recognition of God, he said, ‘In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious freedom, faith in America’s heritage and future. In this way we shall constantly strengthen the spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful response in peace and war.’ Today we are becoming more and more aware of the many different freedoms we all enjoy and take for granted. When we think of man’s fight for freedom we are usually thinking of political freedom, the desire of all men to have a voice in their own government and something to say about their way of life. But freedom from political tyranny is not the only freedom for which man must constantly struggle.For example: There is freedom from selfishness, and that is difficult to achieve because nature, in a way, made us all selfish for our own preservation. There is freedom from prejudice. Nature made us suspicious and antagonistic toward those who differ in looks, our language or beliefs. Man needs to be free from envy. In the working of natural laws some men and some nations will have more material goods than others. Not only do the poor envy the rich, but both the poor and the rich envy one another."There are other freedoms too numerous to mention that everyone has in common. Each one of us have to cope with our own problems but regardless of what they are I hope we will have respect for others regardless of their position in life and if we can’t have respect of the person, respect the office or position they hold.If we could all do this, our freedom would be much more attainable for every person and also nations in the world!
