Opinion

It began with a newspaper article about a woman who had started an Imagination Library affiliate in our county. I had learned that, due to the Purdy community’s lack of access to books, we qualified as a book desert, which greatly bothered me.

Holiday traditions are a dime a dozen, but creating new one that stands the test of time is easier said than done — yet, we have a new Black Friday tradition at the Troutman house. We always host Thanksgiving for my mom’s side of the family, as we are the most centrally located between Little Rock, east Oklahoma and southeast Kansas where they all live.

In many places, groups of Christians observe seasons of the year as they correspond to events in salvation history or in the life of Christ. In many places, the beginning of a Christian year would be marked by a season commemorating the coming of Christ, called Advent.

This week is one in the year where everyone young and old is posed the same question, “What are you thankful for?” When I answered this question in years past, it tended to be pretty monotonous. I’m thankful to have a job, have the love of my family and to be generally surviving the world as it is.

For the historical editorial for this month, I was going to write about why the original St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad spur line from Plymouth (Monett) to Fort Smith, Ark., didn’t go through the county seat of Barry County, or through Cassville. There’s got to be a story there, but I was not finding much information, so we will pursue this story at another time.

The first half of the 2023-2024 school year is nearing an end. We have joined in celebrating many awesome student-centered accomplishments so far this year and are hopeful to continue more great things as we move into the Spring semester.

Are you worthy of God’s love and forgiveness? I am surprised at the people that don’t think they are. If God was to leave you a note on the kitchen counter this morning it might read something like this: “To my precious child.