Even though spring has arrived Mother Nature is still having a problem deciding where she should send the rain, or should it be snow, or maybe a freezing drizzle! Of course she can always send the sunshine. We always enjoy that even if we do need moisture. We were one of the fortunate ones that received some rain this past week. It was a nice slow rain and every drop of it soaked into our thirsty earth. It also washed off our windows and even more important, washed away our little black beetles. My door has been covered with them and the rain was good. I don’t know if you remember the old saying that predicted "rain on Easter and it will rain the next three Sundays." If it would continue to be rainy for that long it will not be very conducive for the farmers getting into their fields. But, we can’t have everything and we do need the moisture. Even though the farmers get restless this time of year, you can count on them to get their crops in on time. This is so important, not only for the farmers, but for our communities here.The Steen community was shocked and saddened Saturday to hear of the sudden death of Duane Sandbulte. He and his family have been residents of the Steen-Hills community for many years. Funeral services were Tuesday at Steen Reformed Church. Burial was in Eastside Cemetery. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family. Evelyn Tilstra was released from St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester on Tuesday and has returned to her home. Paul Bosch and son, Eric, from Brandon were Wednesday evening callers in the home of his parents, Dries and Laura May Bosch. Henrietta Huenink’s sister, Dorothy Sides, from Friendsville, Tenn., came last Tuesday to visit her sister and to attend the 100th birthday of her mother, Dena Korthals, on Saturday. She returned to her home on Sunday. Our deepest sympathy goes out to Yvonne Rozenboom on the death of her father, Warren Hagland of Mountain Lake. Special music at Steen Reformed Church Sunday morning worship service was provided by Heather and Lowell Bonnema. Mildred Paulsen attended the Local Advisory Committee for the Mental Health Center at Windom on Monday evening. Several from Steen Community attended the musical production "Bow the Knee" at the American Reformed Church in Luverne Saturday and Sunday evenings. Several have been asking me how Floyd Paulsen, son of Melvin and JoAnn Paulsen, is getting along following the accident he had sometime ago. His mother, JoAnn, told me he was no longer in a wheelchair. He is able to be on crutches and will be for another four weeks. However, he is able to get around under his own power now.Gracia Schrick from George, Iowa, and her mother, Jane Bonnema, attended the bridal shower for Heather Bonnema last Saturday morning. Easter Sunday afternoon callers in the Dries and Laura May Bosch home was their son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Amy, and daughters, Emma and Isabel, from Sioux Falls.Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Harvey Rozeboom family on the death of Harvey’s brother, John, last Monday. Funeral services for him were on Friday. Easter Sunday dinner guests in the Daryl and Marie Paulsen home were Francis and Jane Mainolfi, Sioux Falls, Steve and Sherry Paulsen and sons, Tyler, Tanner and Trevor, Hills, Clark and Suzie Meyer, Brandon, and Mildred Paulsen. Arnold and Jane Bonnema were Easter Sunday dinner guests in the home of their son George and Sharon Bonnema in Luverne. Other guests were their daughter, Julie and David Haugom, Luverne, and their daughter from the Cities. Those of us that grew up in the years of the Great Depression often remember how little money was available in those years to pay your bills and take care of families. This is especially true as the value of our money has diminished this past year and the prices of goods and services have gone up and money has become harder to make reach all of the areas we need it to. That got me to thinking, just how important is money. We are learning just how important it is to get our priorities straight. As I thought about this it seemed to me that having money is just not enough but more and more it is what we are all striving for. Money, by itself, does not have a whole lot of value. It is what you can purchase with it that makes it valuable. If there was nothing to purchase it wouldn’t have much value.The late George Horace Lorimer, who for many years edited the now defunct Saturday Evening Post, once wrote these words. "It is a good thing to have money and the things money can buy but it is good to check up once in awhile and make sure we haven’t lost the things that money cannot buy."Money cannot buy real friendship, it must be earned.Money cannot buy a clear conscience, square dealing is the price tag.Money cannot buy the glow of good health, right living is the secret.Money cannot buy happiness; happiness is a mental attitude and one can be as happy in a cottage as in a mansion.Money cannot buy sunsets, singing birds, and the music of wind in the trees, these are as free as the air we breathe.Money cannot buy inward peace. It is the result of a constructive philosophy of life. Money cannot buy character, character is what we are when we are alone with ourselves in the dark. Hopefully, you will continue this list yourself. You will agree that among the things money cannot buy are some of the most valuable treasures life has to offer. It is a good thing to check up now and be sure we are not missing these things.
