Isn’t it amazing what just thinking spring did for us this past week? Temperatures remained above zero reaching 30 and even 40 degrees above zero. We did get some snow, I think about three inches of the fluffy white stuff. We also received a small amount of freezing drizzle that made the roads and sidewalks slippery. However, it also makes it quite easy to scoop the snow off the decks and sidewalks. So there is nothing so bad but what there is something good in it! The snow has all disappeared and we had a nice gentle rain a few days ago. Maybe it does help to think spring! It won’t be long until spring will be here anyway as our six more weeks until spring have diminished to four weeks and our temperatures have been very livable most of the time. Donna May Randall and her husband. Wayne, from Long Prairie were here this past week to visit Donna May’s mother, Laura Paulsen, who is a resident of Tuff Home in Hills at the present time following a light stroke. They also came to help Laura celebrate her birthday which was Thursday, Feb. 10. Belated birthday wishes to her. Henrietta Huenink attended funeral services for her sister-in-law, Theeda Den Herder, at the Reformed Church in Valley Springs, S.D, on Friday. She passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her. Art and Henrietta Boeve and Melba Boeve attended the travelogue "Oregon Trail" Friday night at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.Pastor Dan Ramaker from Steen Reformed Church was in charge of the services at the Reformed Church in Edgerton this past Sunday. Don Schouwenburg is a patient at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls. We wish him a speedy recovery. There will be no school at the H-BC schools on Friday, Feb. 18, and Monday, Feb. 21, in observance of Presidents’ Day.Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Spykerboer family on the death of David Spykerboer’s father, Bert Spykerboer, who passed away on Friday morning. A Saturday dinner guest in the Henrietta Huenink home was Bob Bodewitz from Alaska, who is a brother-in-law from her first marriage.Dries Bosch entered Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls last Monday for observation. We wish him a speedy recovery.This week we will observe Presidents’ Day, at which time we think of all that our presidents have done to keep this country the envy of the world. As I think back to our beginning and the leadership that was needed at that time, I often think about our first president, George Washington, and how sincere and devoted he was, making our country what it is today. When I read this paragraph about the "The Greatness of Washington," I thought we should all realize what the cost to him was for our freedom. What was it that made George Washington great? "Military genius, able statesmanship, unselfish devotion to this country, the ability to see tomorrow in today. In the 13 states of his time he saw the half hundred that were to be. On the oxcart trails of the young nation, he saw roads and highways and airlines guiding the greater ones to come. The hopes and fears of the youth of the Revolution were to him your hopes and fears — and those of all people who were to love the new nation in the days to come."Since it was Washington who was our first president, I would like to share with all of you the prayer that was given at his inauguration titled "Prayer for a Nation."George Washington’s Prayer for a NationAlmighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And, finally, that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
