8/23/21 8/23/21

Blog dangers of historical ignorance

My brother Paul’s birthday is June 22nd. Since his passing in 2019, we remember him by taking his widow out to eat. This year, my sister Karin from Kansas chose to join us. But she had another reason for visiting.

When Dad died in 1988 in International Falls, MN where he made his home, my sister, brother, myself and his wife and family went through his things to make choices for our families. Some items, such as his pastor's collection of books, were given away to other pastors, with other items going to his close friends. We were far from home and needed to return home so much of dad’s things were packed up.

Paul brought them home with the idea Karin, Paul and I would go through the boxes later. Only we never did, and years passed by.Then Paul died and now we had to deal with his things and Dad’s things. Two years later, we’re still going through things.

Part of Karin’s trip to Kearney included going through items from World War II he collected while he was overseas as well as Minneapolis newspapers Mom saved from the end of the war.

We divided pictures and got rid of negatives we would never turn into photos. We found any number of Bibles. one was special. It was a small worn Bible with a zipper that Mom gave Dad and, we suspect, the Bible went through the war with Dad.

There were maps, and books to help soldiers make their way around a foreign country. Dad was a medic in Italy and North Africa right behind the front lines. These soldiers went overseas to protect their own families and nation from the evil perpetuated on European citizens, especially Jewish people, evil that included torture, starvation, experimentation, and death.

At great sacrifice, American and other soldiers defeated the Nazi dictatorship that threatened the entire world. Yet today, and especially since many schools do not teach actual history, many individuals have no clue of the importance of the World Wars to keep America free, It gets worse.

Before Independence Day I heard a reporter ask regular persons on the street what we celebrated on July 4th. A great many had no idea. Our young people aren’t turning away from our Constitutional principles of faith and freedom--they’ve never been taught about them.

Many in schools are taught a form of history that is twisted, bigoted--such as the Critical Race Theory (CRT), and altogether false. If a nation loses its history, it loses its foundation and a nation without a foundation will crumble. There are far too many in places of education and government who are hoping for this result.

I was thankful that we had Dad’s reminders of what Dad fought for so long again. I was even more thankful, that when I contacted our kids and grandkids, they wanted those WWII mementos.

As long as we have citizens who care about the past and share it with the next generation, America might actually survive.

I pray the sacrifices of our soldiers have not been in vain.
© 2021 Carolyn R Scheidies
Feel free to share

8/16/21 8/16/21

Blog Health more than the physical

Just as Americans are adjusting to a life without masks, recommendations are swirling for tighter restrictions again. The truth is--viruses mutate. If we keep shutting down, we will never be free of masks or distancing. We will constantly be at the mercy of government agents who will bully and force the will of a few onto the many.

Those who wear masks throughout a work shift, need to put on a fresh mask several times a day. Masks gather body fluids, germs, and bacteria until they are a health risk. Think about taping a used tissue to your face for several hours. (BTW, I was told about the importance of changing masks by a nurse from Grand Island who worked with Covid patients.)

Some medical personnel are concerned about the long-term use of masks. Masks may impair breathing and may well cause respiratory problems, especially in children. I know of at least one teacher who went out in the hall to rip off the mask and breathe.

Others hardly make it out of the store due to dizziness. An athlete was forced to wear a mask as he ran. He fell unconscious from lack of oxygen. Doubling masks only makes breathing more difficult.

Children who run and play with masks may not receive adequate oxygen. Those who say masks don’t pose a problem are not dealing with reality. Health is more than physical. When a person’s mental, emotional, or even spiritual, state is not considered, then that person will languish and may lose motivation for getting well. Check out the rise in suicides due to the inability for personal intervention.

Years ago, I read how orphans in places like China die in orphanages. Researchers discovered they died from a lack of human touch, love, and care—beyond basic needs. Many children adopted from these places suffered bonding issues.

How many of our children are also going to exhibit such problems when they are separated by space and masks and told getting close is dangerous? Adults also need hugs, touch, and care that only physical closeness can bring.

While video is a wonderful technology, it cannot replace physical presence. In the last couple of years, how many died in care homes because their need for mental and emotional care was not filled? Instead, they were shut away from the very things that make life worth living.

In 2014, I fell and almost died. I was in Good Samaritan in Kearney for 2 ½ months. Without my family as well as friends near, I don’t believe I would have survived. I not only absolutely needed those visits and hugs, but also needed family to, at times, hold the hospital accountable.

In 2020, the only way to have family close was to give up care and prepare to die. I have wondered, in cases with which I’m familiar, if the patient might have lived longer if family had been allowed in without being forced to take the choice of family or aggressive care.

According to https://www.tmc.edu/news/2020/05/touch-starvation/ “When physical contact becomes limited—or, in some cases, eliminated—people can develop a condition called touch starvation or touch deprivation.…Touch starvation increases stress, depression, and anxiety, triggering a cascade of negative physiological effects.

The body releases the hormone cortisol as a response to stress…. This can increase heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and muscle tension, and can suppress the digestive system and immune system—increasing the risk of infection. People who are stressed or depressed, perhaps because of lack of touch, will have problems sleeping,”

Hospitals that separate physical health from mental and emotional health through masks and distancing are actually harming the very ones they seek to protect. I can’t wear a mask. Under today’s restrictions, I would not have been allowed in emergency to comfort my sister-in-law as we watched medical personal desperately try to save my brother’s life after a massive coronary. That can’t be done with Zoom.

Consider the health needs of the whole person when concocting restrictions. The bottom line—to be healthy, we need our loved ones around us.

© 2021 Carolyn R Scheidies
Published in my Kearney Hub column 8/16/2021
Masks effectiveness: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/47-studies-confirm-inefectiveness-of-masks-for-covid-and-32-more-confirm-their-negative-health-effects

8/3/21 8/3/21

Blog Bio An Adventure, a storm, stairs and attitude

***Photo by*** ***JuniperPhoton*** on ***Unsplash***

Our daughter Cassie, husband Kurt, and our two youngest grandchildren live in Papillion. Cassie’s brother-in-law Grant, wife Tami, and their three children and one--Liam, Hannah, and Max, as well as Tami’s mom Julia, visited them recently from Virginia.

They consider Keith and I bonus grandparents to their children, so of course, we wished to see them. We babysat the four older kids Friday night while the couples went out to dinner. (Julia took care of little Max.)

After the parents got home, we visited a bit before we headed to the Fairfield motel where we were staying. Those who know me know even a curb is too much for me without assistance. Stairs are avoided because they are frustrating and exhausting. To say the least, I like that there is something called elevators.

Friday night a major storm hit the Omaha area. When I got up during the night everything was dark, very dark, and silent. What happened to the bathroom light? It dawned on me that the power was out. Keith also woke up. We were thankful the toilet and water still worked.

We went back to bed, hoping the electricity would be back on when we awake. It wasn’t. Then came the realization. The elevator didn’t work, and we were three floors up.

The room phone was dead. We dressed wondering exactly what to do. Though Keith can do stairs, it isn’t that easy for him either. The cell phones worked more or less. Cassie heard on the news that the length of the outage was unknown and might take a couple of days.

That was not good for us. Cassie and Kurt came to the rescue. Cassie grabbed some smaller bags, but we left the suitcases. They’d brought a flashlight that lit the way down a long, dark stairway.

Kurt helped me down three flights of stairs, one stair at a time, Scary, but with his help, it went better and faster than I thought it would. Still, I was thankful to be on the ground floor and so ready to sit down.

Street lights were out so Kurt took us on a backroads route to their house. I could see all the damage from downed leaves, branches, and trees. Wow! I was very glad to get to their home even though they also didn’t have power. Still, we weren’t stuck three floors up. The kids didn’t care. They had lots of adult attention.

Meals were interesting. I don’t think I want Fritos again anytime soon. (With my allergies, choices were even more limited.) In the evening, Cassie found an open Walmart and brought home food.

She told us, “This was all that was left. The shelves were stripped of everything else.”

As the power was still out later in the day, Cassie and Kurt went to the Fairfield, packed up all our stuff, and checked us out. Now there would be twelve staying in the house. But Cassie found a place for everyone to sleep.

Before then, between 8 and 9 pm, we heard a click, lights flickered and came on. The refrigerator began to hum. We had power! We never appreciated it more. Early on, I chose to consider the whole thing as an adventure--even going down the stairs with only a flashlight for light.

In fact, I didn’t hear complaints from anyone in the house, only ways to make things work and be thankful for what we had, a safe place to hang out, food to eat--even if not our choice, and loving family with which to share our adventure.

Sunday morning, we headed to Lincoln after lots of hugs and goodbyes. Power or no power, we’d made good memories--because we choose positive attitudes. And, isn’t that really the best way to live?

7/12/21 7/12/21

Blog Bio Becoming an author not easy, but you can do it

Some time ago I participated in the multi-author book signing hosted by Sequel Bookshop. I hadn’t done one since my bad fall in 2014, though I continue to write.

It was great to touch base with writer friends, meet other authors, and buy books from these authors. It was so much fun. It made me remember how my love of books and writing began.

Before I started school, I learned my alphabet and rhymed words with “at” –bat, cat, etc. By third grade, I wanted to be an author. I told stories. By fifth grade, I wrote them down. I was learning my craft by reading and writing.

Once my parents read some of my writing, they encouraged me. In high school, I entered a few contests and received some honorable mentions and positive feedback. When my family moved to Iowa for my dad to serve a country church, I met a published author who was part of our congregation.

She taught me about formatting, writing for the market, and how to submit. Under her guidance, I not only submitted my first pieces but also received payment for my work. I began writing for Sunday School papers as well as program pieces used in churches for their programs—and received regular paychecks.

I also wrote features but the effort to market was exhausting and the mountain of rejections for every sale—discouraging. Still, I continued to write, even getting a comprehensive degree in journalism from UNK (then KSC).

Now a resident of Kearney, I focused on short stories and nonfiction. A few years later, my friend Gloria gave me a novel for my birthday. She said, “You can do better than that.” I took up her challenge. I wrote and rewrote. Others, including Gloria, critiqued my writing. My transitions were rough. My character names didn’t always work.

Writers are told, “Write what you know.” What I knew was disabilities and how that changes the equation. Some feedback was, “Like your work, but we’re no longer doing fiction.”; “Has possibilities, but we just went into receivership.” This one floored me. “Nice story, but readers aren’t interested in heroines with disabilities.”

I wrote and rewrote a mystery novel over a ten-year period. (I am thankful my husband encouraged my writing.) Finally, an editor from a traditional publishing house took notice. She promised to get back to me. I waited. Before a decision was made, another editor took her place. I had to start all over again promoting my book to the new editor.

Eventually, the book was accepted, and I received a contract. Six months later, I held my first book in my hands. It had taken ten years of writing and over two years of marketing. With my very nice check, I purchased my first PC computer and went on to sell several more books for the Barbour Publishing Heartsong Presents line—two of which won awards.

Since then, I have worked with small presses all the way up to Harlequin Books—those romances you purchase in Walmart and Target and large bookstores. I have written both fiction and nonfiction and even a few books for children. I didn’t leave my journalism behind as I continued to write features and news articles.

For many years now I’ve written a column for the Kearney Hub. Though there have been huge changes in traditional publishing, it still takes effort, knowing the business, and a solid manuscript, time, and frustration to receive notice from an editor and a contract.

I still write my column, I started doing a newsletter each month for Kearney Christian Women’s Connection (KCWC) and I tried to publish a book a year while promoting older books. I have come a long way from the little girl who worked so hard to rhyme her words down the ABCs.

Most of all, I am thankful for the editors, writer friends, and my many friends and fans who’ve encouraged me over the years. As I slow down, I look back, thankful for the gift God gave me. I seek to use that gift to share truth, faith—and hope.

Over the years I lectured to writer’s organizations, at writer’s conferences, and assisted writers who wished to learn their craft and be published. Eventually, I redrafted my lectures into the well-received book for writers Especially for the Christian Writer -- How-to's, tips, information, and inspiration. It was one way I could give back for all the assistance I’d received along the way.

Every one of us at the signing were once want-to-be authors. Some had published only one book, others more. But we were invited to the signing because we persevered from idea to the finished book.

You, too, can reach others with your writing. It takes good ideas, patience, and learning the basics of writing and marketing. It takes perseverance, writing, and rewriting until the material shines and a willingness to listen to constructive criticism. Most of all, it means sitting down and writing.

Have an idea, think, research…and write. Maybe I’ll see you at an upcoming book signing.

7/4/21 7/4/21

Blog Politics Remember History

History is but people,
And our country's had its share,
Who did their part to make us great,
So let me take you there.

The father of our country,
George Washington of long ago,
Led our land to freedom,
In spite of famine and snow.

There was Thomas Jefferson,
Who helped pen those special words,
Of freedom in the Declaration of Independence,
The entire nation heard.

Don't forget tall Abe Lincoln,
President who freed the slaves,
Though he lost his own life,
The United States he saved.

Speak of Clara Barton
Who brought the Red Cross to our shores,
Or Harriet Tubman's rescue of her people,
And so many, many more.

Yes, I shall proudly stand,
With those who did their best,
To bring us freedom with honor,
And ever stood the test.

For those who bravely went before us,
For all they did for you and me.
Let us honor them with gratitude
Doing our part to ensure
America’s people remain forever free

6/23/21 6/23/21

Blog Bio Memorial Day Remembrance 2021 & Family

So thankful for those who served—including my dad and father-in-law.

I sat in the car not far from where individuals and families, including the Scheidies family, gathered to honor those who fought, and many died for their country.

After a very cold, rainy, muddy Sunday, Monday was warm with enough breeze to show off all the American flags decorating the Minden Cemetery. A few puffy white clouds floated in the blue sky, a change even from the darker clouds showing on our drive to Minden.

At times, the only sound was the flapping of the huge flags and the soft, reverent voices of those searching for graves of loved ones. A variety of flowers on most of the graves added color to green grass and brown, off white, and gray marble grave monuments. I watched parents point out graves to younger children and adults stooping down to carefully place flowers. Memorial Day was solemn, but also peaceful.

The Scheidies family has gathered for years twice a year the last weekend in April and the weekend after Thanksgiving. Last year we had no large gathering as a family--except one, In June we laid to rest LaVern Scheidies, my husband’s beloved father. We’d also gathered, at that same time, to remember Keith’s next oldest brother Mark. Neither died due to Covid 19, but both deaths were unexpected and difficult.

This year, we chose to get together, not in April, but in May, Memorial Day weekend. We’d already spent Sunday together at the Scheidies’ farm--eating, laughing, playing games, crying a bit, and, finally, hugging one another. It was a comfort to be together.

We chose Memorial Day weekend because Keith’s dad was a veteran, and proud of it. A couple of years earlier, two of Keith’s brothers took Dad’s letters and other information and items from World War II and created a book for each family. We have that reminder of him now.

What made this Memorial Day special was on this day, a flag would be dedicated in LaVern’s honor as a veteran. I stayed in the car because the walk to where the service was held would have taken far too long and been too tiring. I couldn’t actually make out the words spoken by the speakers, I heard the background hum and later got to view the new flag flying in the gentle breeze.

In the quiet of the late morning, I thought about those from around the country, my dad included, who answered the calls to fight, many long ago in the World Wars, to leave behind family and friends to protect the country from a horrifying menace of evil, torture and death. These brave men and women accomplished what they set out to do. America survived because of those willing to fight evil. I closed my eyes and gave thanks.

We still have those in the military and on the police force doing their best to protect and serve. Yes, some make wrong choices. Most do not. We must not paint them all with the same brush. Instead, let’s support and give thanks for the many, many who keep us safe.

6/8/21 6/8/21

Blog Bio New hope as pandemic gives way to hugs

It’s a new day. More and more individuals are leaving masks behind, along with their fears. Others are no longer afraid to greet family, neighbors and friends. Six feet is too far away these days. Hugs are back in though most ask before making that move.

Do you know how good hugs feel after a year without them? Hugs, time together, and face-to-face conversations are not only something humans do, but an essential part of being mentally as well as physically whole and healthy. We haven’t been healthy as a culture for over a year, a year given over to fears and wondering what and whom to believe about our medical well-being.

Spring has brought new hope and sunshine as well as needed rain. It has opened doors for us to reach out to one another again. We had close friends drop by for a few moments to say “hi.” and to give us a loaf of homemade banana bread bought on a jaunt out of town.

Another neighbor who was walking by with her little dog stopped in when she saw our friend’s car. Not much time then, but we checked out schedules and made plans to meet at Perkins in a couple of days. That was the beginning of the evening.

Two days later, Keith and I got out of the house for haircuts. Got out to buy pots of flowers for cemetery plots for Memorial Day. Got out to meet our friends for supper. We ate, laughed, talked and simply enjoyed each other’s company. After last year we valued our time together.

After supper, we met back at our house and gathered around our card table to play a game Keith bought that had us using words from songs we recalled. It was one of those games in which coming up with songs from the trigger words was fun even if you were in last place on the board.

Again we laughed, talked, and checked up some songs on cell phones. No one cared who moved the pieces on the board. We were friends from long-standing, who knew each other, trusted each other and had always been there for one another. Now we were able to enjoy being together as we hadn’t been able to do during the last year.

We played two games filled with songs, conversation and laughter. Overhead, the sky thundered. Rain fell. It was time to break up and for our friends to head home. We said our goodbyes and watched them go.

For some, it was a small thing, friends getting together. I saw it differently. Friendships had been renewed and deepened. My lips curved into a smile and my heart filled with joy as I filed away a brand-new and precious memory.

My husband and I decided to make this evening a beginning for friends, fellowship, fun--and the making of positive memories. Is it time for you to do the same?

5/24/21 5/24/21

Blog Past, Present, Future--the value of perspective

At my age, it is easier to look back than forward since we don’t know what the future holds or how much of a future is out there for us. This is especially true if we have health issues.

Yet, how we live today matters. How many times have we seen those who constantly relive events from their past? A person may focus on those years as a high school or college sports hero, unable to move forward into the present.

Because these individuals stay stuck in the past, their present is less than their grandiose imaginations. Such individuals may turn to complaints and hopelessness when a glamorized past doesn’t match the present. This may lead to climbing into a drug of forgetfulness, creating even further problems.

Working toward a new dream seems too much work—even though doing so would make life in the present and future more satisfying, Others may be stuck in a time of tragedy. Somehow, they refuse to release past anger, bitterness and fear.

Negative memories blind them to the good of their lives today. It blinds them to what they could do to make today different than yesterday. Blinds them from getting the help they need to come to terms and release the past to a better today and tomorrow.

Dreamers live in the future. I've known those who claim they have been offered a dream job--when they've never even applied. If they did apply, they would not be hired because they don't have the experience or education to do the job. You might think this would impel them to seek the education or experience to equip them for the job they want so badly.

Yet often dreamers wish to live in an imaginary future that has no bearing on reality. Years ago, when I used to both attend and lecture at author's conferences, I met individuals who shared a book idea. Often, the idea was solid. The next year, these same individuals would be back with a whole new idea. When asked about the prior idea, the result was a shrug and the admission that the idea was never anything but an idea. The next year, the cycle played out all over again.

These individuals never did write, never gained experience, never worked at the craft, and never had the satisfaction of finishing, much less publishing, a project. Living in the future robs a person of living in the present.

Others who dream, recognize a dream is only as good as efforts today working toward that dream. Dreams do not become reality without effort, and living today to its fullest to make tomorrow's dream come true.

This includes understanding life offers good and bad. Past memories bring joy and sorrow. They help form us into the persons we are today. Even bad events can shape our tomorrows if we use such situations to propel us in a positive direction.

A person who was traumatized may decide to become a mental health care professional to help others deal with similar situations. We also don't want to forget loved ones who've passed on or lose positive memories from yesterday. They should be shared with our families.

That is different from wallowing in a bygone past. Dreams for the future need to become actual goals with plans for reaching that dream, Of course, the dream also needs to be more than an unattainable wish. We have past, present and future. Each has its place for a satisfying life.

I don’t know about you, but I plan to live each day—today and work toward my goals with an attitude of blessing and gratitude.

5/10/21 5/10/21

Blog Thankful for people, park, laughter

We live across the street from Collins Park. Keith and I have lived here since the early days of our marriage. The house is built for my limitations by my brother Paul Fredrickson who was a local contractor. Having the park across the street has been a blessing in so many ways.

I am a bit claustrophobic, but with the park across the street rather than more houses, I don’t feel hemmed in. When our kids were small, we could go hang out across the street at the park on nice days. Over the years, family friends have used the park for any number of get-togethers and picnics. We’ve even attended an Easter Sunrise Service at the park.

Every Spring the cars started filling the roadway as baseball practice got underway. Then came the games throughout the summer, lights on till long after dark, and individuals yelling and cheering until we couldn’t wait for the game to end. My kids would beg money to spend on candy, etc. at the canteen. Once in a while, I even gave in.

In the early days, some thought nothing about blocking our drive with their cars, keeping us from getting out, but this pretty much stopped after a while. (I’ve wondered if my article about the problem made a difference.)

Other than game times, kids and families used the park all summer long. Families had reunions and other gatherings. Sometimes we didn’t have far to view fireworks when families shot them off at the park on Independence Day. During the summer, the park was filled with excited yells and laughter as children played on the equipment meant for their enjoyment. The laughter made me smile.

Then in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, all was silent. The park was off-limits to the children who needed activity and fun. When the wind blew, I sometimes heard the rattle of swing chains, but it was a lonely sound without the children.

The next year, I once again heard laughter at the park. Many walk by with their dogs at their heels. Kids ride by on bikes with friends. Even baseball is gearing up. More cars line the streets and baseball calls echo across the ballfield. At times in past years, the lights, sounds, cars, the overall noise level irritated me.

After the silence of Covid restrictions, I am glad to hear the laughter emanating from across the street. It almost relaxes me now. I smile and give thanks that despite the heartaches and frustrations of fear-based restrictions, Americans are strong and resilient, and we will not only survive—but also thrive.

4/26/21 4/26/21

Blog Politics Tolerance should always be in fashion

I almost don’t want to get on the Facebook pages of our representatives at any level of government. The vitriol is almost unreal. It is as though, for many Americans, tolerance and basic decency aren’t part of their thought processes or behavior.

For example, what many individuals say on Representative Adrian Smith’s public page should make them hang their heads in shame. Many express opinions with name-calling, accusations, and absolutely no tolerance for someone with another point of view.

This has been building for years as our culture of respect and tolerance has disintegrated. It became especially nasty with those whose hatred for President Trump became almost pathological. Didn’t help when certain Representatives and Senators egged this on by encouraging the public to get in the faces of those in the Trump administration to the point some were accosted on the streets or run out of restaurants.

Have Americans become little more than an angry mob with no sense of looking for facts beyond rumors before reacting? This goes for too many media outlets that spread little more than innuendoes and half-baked assumptions instead of fact-based news.

Such behavior certainly does not speak well for us as citizens. Liking or disliking a president should not lead to such hatred. Even though I really saw Obama and now Bidden as destroying our Constitutional Republic, I refuse to hate them.

I may seek to change things, but never with name-calling, threats, or the spewing I see and read constantly now—behavior that is anything but tolerant. Such behavior changes nothing.

Want to make a difference? Get involved and make changes in a positive way. One way is to get involved with the candidates you like. Another way is to communicate with those who’ve been elected.

But there is a right and a wrong way to do so. It starts with letting go of irrational fury which freezes rational thought.

I have written articles, shared at conferences, and included in my book “Especially For the Christian Writer” how to communicate in a way to be “heard”—in a way others won’t turn you off. This includes letters to businesses, government representatives, and letters to the editor.

If you wish to be taken seriously, make sure you have the facts, let go of the anger that stops rational thinking, and write with passion, but with respect, without name-calling, intimidation, or nastiness. Why should anyone listen to an angry rant that is full of emotion but devoid of facts?

Consider how you want to be approached or treated. Think tolerance. In other words, communicate with respect for the office if not for the other person. If you would not spew garbage to the person face-to-face, then it is certainly not appropriate in print where everyone sees you at your irrational worst.

Ask. What do you really wish to convey? What is the best way to do that in order to be taken seriously? How will I feel about this rant five, ten, and more years down the road? Is this what I wish to teach my kids?

Respect and thoughtfulness will get you much further than spewing anger. Wish to communicate? Calm down, think beyond your anger, and consider long-term consequences. Then communicate in a way to gain a listening ear.

Remember tolerance should always be in fashion.

4/23/21 4/23/21

Blog Politics Are we harming, not protecting our children with Covid mandates?

Note: I know not all schools are this restrictive. I will not argue or discuss. Use this for information and consideration only.

In our desire to protect our children from Covid-19, we’ve placed them in a protective bubble. Our school children are told to self-distance and teachers no longer give a hug, pat a back, or touch the students in affirmation.

Parents have been told this is for the safety of the children. But this lack of personal interaction and touch goes against decades, even hundreds of years of research, study and common sense.

I’ve read about orphan children in places like Russia and China where there are too many children and not enough caretakers. These children are left without physical love and attention. When these children are adopted, many show signs of detachment disorder.

Kids, especially younger children, absolutely require constant physical interaction in order to be mentally as well as physically healthy. Mental health must precede physical health but in our rush to “protect,” adults have totally forgotten this important connection.

Because of their isolation from teachers and each other, how many of these children may exhibit long-term mental and emotional health issues? This isolation is even more peculiar since Covid-19 does not target children. Data reveals, most children do not get nor pass on the virus.

In fact, why are we taking such drastic steps considering Covid-19 has up a 99%, yes 99%, survival rate? That is more than the survival rate for the usual flues passing through each year that often clears out schools due to sick students. Many of these yearly flues DO take the lives of quite a few children, yet we don’t force kids to wear masks or self-distance.

As for masks, the virus particle is smaller than the open weaves of masks and can easily pass right through. I don’t know how many stories I’ve heard about adults, including teachers, who can’t wait to get out in the hall, out of a store or other place where masks are mandated, and tear off that mask so they can breathe deeply.

Yet we force even young children to wear masks all day in school. Young children are just learning how to breathe. They need to be able to breathe deeply in order to develop and strengthen their lungs. Wearing masks short-circuits healthy breathing and lung development.

Will these children end up with bronchial problems due to muzzling them with masks not even adults can tolerate long-term? Also, how often do the children change masks during the day?

Masks are quickly saturated with bodily germs and discharges. If masks are not changed regularly during the day, it is like blowing your nose in a tissue, then holding that tissue to your nose for the next hour, two, four, etc.??? In effect, we’re forcing children into an unhealthy, unsanitary situation.

Masks are not a magic bullet and data on their usefulness from around the world is mixed. (The data is now in. States and countries that masked against states and countries that didn’t. Result NO significant difference. None! Wearing masks is useless. Too bad even medical doctors and medical persons don’t do more than follow instead of doing their own research.)

What appears to be a positive solution, isn’t a solution at all. So why force children to wear a mask when they are not the target of this virus?

Then there is the fear factor. We scare children. If they don’t wear a mask they will get sick. If they play or interact normally with other students or friends, they may get sick. This fear is much worse than the usefulness of the protective measures. Fear, once instilled, will affect these children for a lifetime.

What effect will this fear have on the ability to bond, and on long-term relationships, such as marriage? Worse is the anger and nastiness toward those who, for health reasons, are unable and are not supposed to wear a mask. Are parents informed that if their child has respiratory difficulties or is unable to put a mask on and take it off by themselves that they should not wear a mask?

If a student doesn’t wear a mask, is that student shunned or vilified by teachers and other students? It certainly is happening in the general populace. Generally, nice people have become vicious over this issue.

My question is this? Are our protective measures actually harming our children? Are these measures, in effect, abusing the very ones we wish to protect? These factors are worth exploring--rationally and without the jump to automatic denial or fury.

© 2021Carolyn R Scheidies
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https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/associated-press-finally-admits-lockdowns-dont-reduce-covid-19-infections-deaths?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com&utm_campaign=cc201215c5-Daily%2520Headlines%2520-%2520U.S._COPY_995&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_12387f0e3e-cc201215c5-401438845

4/22/21 4/22/21

Blog Derek Chauvin Trial and a Broken System

Note: This article not for argument or discussion, but for consideration and thought

One headline screamed, “Derek Chauvin Found Guilty Of George Floyd's Murder.” Let me be plain right now. Did Chauvin do something wrong? Yes.

However what most do not realize, many don’t want to realize, is that there were mitigating circumstances. Floyd was so pumped up on drugs that he was already a possible “dead man walking.” (Floyd had fentanyl, methamphetamine and more in his system.)

The media went out of its way to paint this drug addict as a mild person seeking to get his life in order. Of course, he wasn’t all bad. Yet, Floyd served five years in prison for aggravated robbery--with a weapon. He was also arrested on drug and theft charges.

Still, the media hammered and hammered their manufactured version of the story, including racism, inciting violent protests across the country. Few even tried to find the truth beyond the media twists on the truth. Racism was not a factor in the court case. The racist twist was manufactured by the media and violent protesters.

It is easier to get angry and use that anger as an excuse to burn down property and assault others, causing untold damage physically and emotionally. How many realized when people were seriously injured or may have even died that their protests, their actions, were at least as egregious as the original cause--the horrifying death of Floyd. Are not the violent protesters also guilty?

Worse was the hit to a justice system that first is supposed to assume a person is innocent until proven guilty by the preponderance of the evidence. Second, all evidence pro and against is to be considered seriously. Third, jurists are supposed to find on the evidence, not on assumptions, not due to an agenda, and, certainly not because they feel intimidated and threatened.

Do you believe jurists felt threatened when blood was smeared on what was believed to the home of one of the defense witnesses, though, he no longer lived there? What was the jury supposed to believe when both violent protesters and the media made threats, letting the jury know their lives and the lives of their loved ones, as well as cities, persons, and property, were in jeopardy if Chauvin was found anything but totally and irrevocably guilty?

These threats very much affected the trial. How could they not? Mob rule and intimidation are scary. Such tactics mean you may not ever have a fair trial in this country again, because your participation may well put a target on your back.

Chauvin was isolated and locked up with a verdict given by scared jurists and a court system no longer able to function with truth, balance and safety. This court case was little more than a vigilantly hanging. Chauvin did not get a fair trial.

If his sentence is not mitigated through appeals, we can no longer call ourselves a civilized country. Watch out, those of you who were sure of their hate. Next time, the mob may come after you or those you love, Who is going to be there then to protect your person and your rights?

(c) 2021 Carolyn R Scheidies
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/candace-owens-slams-democrats-media-for-mob-justice-in-derek-chauvin-trial

4/13/21 4/13/21

Biographical Blog We appreciate instant access with cellphones

I don’t leave home without my cell phone. Having the phone, especially since we’re geezers, gives me confidence that if we have a car or health emergency, we can quickly summon help.

I have a reason for being uneasy. Years ago, after our daughter graduated from college, she spent a year south of Branson working with at-risk youth in a leadership program. She was in charge of putting together a weekend for parents to come and learn about the program.

It was a long drive from Kearney, but we planned to do it all in one long day. However, our car died south of Kansas City. Without my cell, we would not have been able to contact AAA for assistance. Our car was hauled to a nearby town.

We hoped it wouldn’t take too long to fix as we were on a tight timeline. After carefully checking over the car, we were told the car was dead. No amount of “fixing” would make that car go. The garage helped us get ahold of Enterprise.

Thankfully, the garage agreed to keep the car until we returned in a couple of days. (We ended up buying a car to get home.) We made it to the opening function in Branson while everyone was still eating.

When we lived in Wisconsin in the 1950s where my father pastored a church, we were thankful to have one phone in the house. When my father took a church in a dying oil town, Lance Creek, Wyoming, north of Lusk, there were no phones when we arrived.

The town consisted of small settlements named after the oil companies that owned them. Other than housing, there wasn’t much more than a filling station, a garage, a café, a bar, a Walmart-style store (groceries and much more), a Catholic church with a once-a-month service, “downtown.”

Our church, next to a lumberyard and another grocery store, further west in another enclave, served a wide area. Even further west was an elementary school, a lumberyard, and an IOOF Hall.

If we needed to contact dad at the church where he had his office, one of us had to walk or ride a bike the uphill mile and a half to the church. Mom didn’t drive and dad had the only car. We were often out of contact with dad when he visited the ranches in the area. He’d be gone the whole day.

A few times I got to go with him. We went from paved to gravel to almost footpaths at some points. We found few bridges. We crossed streams that during rainstorms would become impassible.

The ranchers were glad for a visitor. At times Dad comforted, counseled, or simply listened, finally offering a passage from God’s Word and prayer. What if it had stormed while he was gone? What if he’d had an accident? No one would even know where to look for him.

I viewed those trips as adventures, never considering the possible risks Dad took back then. It did not matter to him. He was a pastor who cared about the needs of people, even if they never darkened the door of the church. For many ranchers, Sunday attendance was just too far and complicated.

I look back with a shiver as I slip my cell phone into my purse before heading out the door. I can’t help but wonder how today’s generation would handle the inability to readily connect. I am thankful for my memories because they remind me to be thankful as I turn on my cell and let our daughter know we’re on our way.

3/29/21 3/29/21

Blog Easter--it's our day of hope

We live in a time of fear and hopelessness as many are losing hope that getting back to “normal” will ever happen again. What we forget along the way is fear is no way to live. When we fear, we stop thinking and acting rationally.

Fear and Easter do not mix. In fact, Easter is all about freedom from fear. Easter is the culmination of a very special plan for humankind. We are the creation of a loving being, that chose to give those created a very special gift. Instead of making robots who slavishly did whatever the Creator demanded, the Creator created human beings with minds and hearts and gave those humans the gift of choice.

Since the Creator wished to have a real relationship with those created, the Creator included the choice to say no. Being able to say, “No,” meant humans early on made devasting choices that separated them from the loving God who created them. They began to quarrel and fight and steal and kill as they turned their backs on the very one who had a better plan—one of caring, peace, and hope.

Yet, some strove to follow, even when following proved difficult, even when it meant suffering. The life and love they found in their Creator were worth anything. But these humans only had a glimpse of God’s plan, one that looked forward to a day when the Creator would be revealed as Someone very special. That person was and is Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come simply to show His power but instead came not as a king, but as a servant. He showed how to reach out to care, heal and set free those held captive in pain and hurt and bad choices.

For His actions and teachings, the government and religious leaders hated Him and eventually executed Him. They had no idea Jesus came for that very purpose. He did no wrong. Yet took on Himself all the mistakes, flaws and fears that burden and destroy those He’d created. Jesus died that we might live and proved His power to do so by rising again, as attested to even by the secular sources of the day.

Our Creator is not dead. In power and purpose and love He lives, interacting with and changing lives for the better from that time to this. The cross has become a symbol, not of evil and suffering, but of salvation, peace, and hope. I John 4:18 (NASB) reads, There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Love casts out fear when we allow our Creator to become our savior. John 3:16-17 is the key to life, love, hope, and Easter. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.”

Get rid of fear? Remember love and peace, as well as fear, is a choice. Ask Jesus to show you a love that doesn’t change with circumstances; a love that casts out fear as Easter morning dawns in your heart.

Happy Easter!

Published in Kearney Hub 3/29/2021
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3/15/21 3/15/21

Blog Bio: Finally, a doctor helps me, a maskless patient

Has fear erased the need to accommodate those with disabilities?

Those who know me, know I am put together with artificial joints, metal, plastic, glue, and screws. I have lots of limitations. My throat is compromised. I can only touch my face with one hand. I also have any number of allergies and sensitivities to medications and food.

In this era of masks, I am part of a subset of persons who cannot safely wear a mask—and that’s according to both ADA and CDC. As long as everyone was masking. it meant I pretty much stayed home.

However, I still had doctor appointments. I needed to see my regular doctor at Family Practice and have my yearly labs. I called my doctor’s nurse and, talked to her about my problem. My doctor said to come in.

When Keith took me in, a couple of ladies in the entry let us know we needed masks (Keith already had one on) and to use the hand sanitizer. I said I could not do either, but that I’d already called. They checked and let me go in. Not one person stopped me or even glared at me during my appointment. They made a reasonable accommodation.

More recently, I tried to set up an appointment with a podiatrist at Platte Valley Medical Group. However, when I let them know I couldn’t wear a mask, you would have thought they’d never heard of such a thing. After 15 or more minutes, I was passed onto another person who asked why? I explained. I was treated with politeness, but nothing I said mattered. No mask. No seeing a doctor.

The next day someone else called and, nicely but firmly, grilled me as to why. It didn’t matter. They made absolutely no accommodations for people who like me can’t wear a mask but who wish to see a doctor.

Yet, not being able to wear a mask is very real. According to this Disability Issues Brief Developed by the Southeast ADA Center and Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University entitled The ADA and Face Mask Policies, “The CDC states that a person who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the face mask without assistance should not wear a face mask or cloth face covering.”

Other reasons include claustrophobia, PSTD, and severe anxiety. What about businesses? According to the above article: If a person with a disability is not able to wear a face mask, state and local government agencies and private businesses must consider reasonable modifications to a face mask policy so that the person with the disability can participate in, or benefit from, the programs offered or goods and services that are provided.

Platte Valley Medical Group offered no accommodations, which means they were not ADA nor CDC compliant. This medical establishment made no way for me to see the doctor. No mask. No medical care. No accommodations for those who require medical treatment.

I tried another clinic in Kearney with a podiatrist. The woman at the front desk who answered my call took my information, but before we settled on an appointment I explained I couldn’t wear a mask.

She reiterated what became the party line. “Everyone has to wear a mask.”

However, she offered to have the manager call, which she did. She offered a semi-reasonable alternative—to stay in the car until called. I accepted and made the appointment. Since the appointment was in early March, I hoped for a day that wasn’t freezing cold.

Still, though I still felt like a second-class citizen again, I am thankful this medical establishment was willing to follow ADA guidelines to make reasonable accommodations. Let’s hope others, medical establishments as well as stores and other businesses, start doing the same.

3/1/21 3/1/21

Blog Before Speaking or Writing--Think

On the death of commentator Rush Limbaugh, I am disturbed by the vitriol pouring out through media sources, even from those I know. It is disheartening to feel such hatred for a man who is now dead.

The rejoicing is not that much different from terrorists in other countries who celebrated when the towers collapsed, and thousands died. What happened to common decency and respect, if not for the dead, at least for the loved ones left behind?

Whether a person is a pillar of the community or the dregs of society, death is not something in which to rejoice. Even terrorists are human beings. Yes, some criminals need to be stopped permanently. Still, death saddens me because it means the criminal, the terrorist, those who want to tear down instead of build-up will never have the chance to turn their lives around and become people who have positive rather than negative goals.

Do we really want to encourage this attitude in ourselves or others—like our children? Will we become so hateful our loved ones will sigh with relief, not grief when we pass on? Thoughts matter. Attitudes matter. Words matter.

Where we focus our thoughts will end up showing up in what we say and do. Focusing on real or supposed complaints, problems, and situations, allow them to germinate into unresolved anger. Such anger spews out to everyone around us in one way or another.

Bottling up such anger without resolving it with truth, rational thought and consideration or with forgiveness will burst out. We stop considering the consequences of our anger whether we feel justified in our anger or not. Responding in fury seldom solves the situation or problem.

When a situation makes us furious. If we respond in anger, the incident will, most likely, escalate. When we're furious, why not stop, think and consider short and long-term consequences before allowing anger to dictate our words and behavior--before we speak or act?

If what we say does not accuse or add fuel to the fire, most likely, the situation de-escalates, and we can deal rationally with the situation. Though we live in a vengeful, payback, culture, we don't have to feed into that philosophy. It is not God's way and nor the way for a civilized society to behave.

Want peace? Don’t nurture anger, feeding it like it is some sort of pet. Peace is a byproduct when we choose to show tolerance for opinions and voices outside our own, without forcing others to follow our way. When we cut off access to other voices, we narrow our own viewpoint.

Peace at the point of silence or intimidation is not peace. That is a form of slavery. I am not saying duck conflict. Stand up for truth, yes. Stand up for faith, family, and freedom, but do it with the right spirit.

Most of all, start by thinking before speaking, writing, texting, and speak “soft” words to defuse. These verses from the Bible are a blueprint for peace with truth.

Proverbs 15:1-2 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. (NIV)

Romans 12: 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NASB 2020)

Are we going to spew anger and look like fools or think and consider before we speak or act (or pass something on social media) and show ourselves wise, tolerant, civilized, and persons of peace? Meanwhile, let us be kind and “…mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15 (NIV)

2/15/21 2/15/21

Blog Do I redeem my time by using it wisely?

We live in a society that is ever seeking ways to fill our time. Zip-out of bed in the morning. Zip-off to work to this or that activity or appointment. On Saturday, zip here and there—shopping, cleaning, catching up with “friends” on social media.. (There is always a to-do list.)

Do we take time to slow down and rest, even on Sundays? Sundays can be very full days. Even with a day of “rest,” we manage to keep busy. Work happens whether it's in the office or at home by Zoom or other media. There are still meetings to attend.

School for kids takes up time, even if online. God had something besides our hectic pace in mind when He inspired Paul to pen these words. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” --Ephesians 5:15-16

What does making the most of our time even mean if it doesn’t mean filling every moment? God isn’t about wearing us out, but in building us up--mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Even He got away from the crowd to pray, to rest, and to be refreshed.

Making the most of our time refers to using our time wisely and in the most beneficial ways for our health and well-being--starting with a daily quiet time to start the day out with a calm, focused mind. Spending time communicating our “higher power” throughout the day, and meditating on His Word, helps us find direction for those hectic days.

How should we spend our time? Doing so wisely means taking time for family, spouse, and children--time to listen, to share, to hug, and to care. It means considering their needs important enough to be there when they need you and be 100% present, not only giving half your attention to them.

It means taking time to teach, to lead, to guide, to be an example. This type of relationship doesn’t just happen. It takes lots of time, effort, and attention.

Using time wisely means spending time with friends and neighbors, and building foundations for the long term. relationships. It means making and taking opportunities to show we care.

Using time wisely--redeeming the time--also means being careful what we put into our hearts, our minds, our homes, and our lives. This includes what we see, read, watch and play. It means time with family and friends isn’t at the bottom of our priority list.

Using time wisely doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We need to take stock of our activities and time, decide priorities, and budget time for those things deemed most to least important—starting by making time for faith, family, and friends.

Remember, redeeming our time is good for health mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Let’s redeem our time for our well-being and the health of those around us.

(C) 2021 Carolyn R Scheidies
Column in Kearney Hub published 2/15/21
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Read more like this in my book.From Listen! Who Me?

2/1/21 2/1/21

Blog Attitude and blessings during a pandemic

The immense challenges of 2020 were unexpected. No one predicted the year we’ve left behind—with relief. We’ve dealt with any number of unexpected events and tragedies during my lifetime including 911 and flues that sent many home from school and jobs to recover, to the hospitals, and to the mortuaries.

Still, nothing prepared us for not only the Covid-19 pandemic but also the response to it that had never before been part of dealing with a contagion, flu or other deadly diseases. This time we insisted those who were still healthy be as restricted as those who showed signs of illness.

This disease targets the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, yet we insist on treating children in the same way we treat adults—cutting them off from human contact in public and at school.

Without their consent or vote, we locked up the elderly in centers where family members could not check on them to make sure our parents or loved ones were not being abused in any way. They were cut off from family and from hugs and attention at the very time they most needed it.

We insisted on masks and self-distancing until it almost became a habit and someone giving a hug looked at almost with horror. Restrictions on gatherings have caused untold difficulties from the destruction of livelihoods to the inability to worship all together and encouraging interpersonal relationships so vital to the health and the well-being of human beings.

Many died. Many from Covid, some from the increase in loneliness, suicide, drugs and alcohol usage, and mental health issues--some of which stemmed from the lack of contact. We can look back and see nothing but tragedy or we can look back and also see the positives of the year, positives that can carry us forward with hope.

This pandemic happened at a time practically the whole world is interconnected. We have social media with friends around the world with whom we can “talk.” We have video chats and Zoom, which means we can still be part of a worship service, a business meeting or gather as a family from places all over the country to laugh and catch up with each other’s lives.

Many parents have discovered the value of homeschooling and have turned to this more intimate mode of education for their children. Schools have gone to online education, which while certainly not as personal as classroom learning still helps ensure children are not left behind.

Staying home for some individuals and families has been a blessing, with more family time, along with more quiet time to think and just be. Businesses have discovered many employees work as effectively at home as at work. Some businesses will even continue this arrangement with some employees after the pandemic is over.

We are a resourceful people, and we can be amazingly creative in handling whatever comes up. We must also remember we are a free people and be cautious of the intrusion of government into our lives.

The best way to beat this situation is to look for the good and positive. Count the blessings and give thanks. The best way to deal with what’s happening isn’t with complaints, anger, and frowns, (though we can push back on unscientific masking and shots) but with hope and a positive, upbeat attitude that God is good and tomorrow really is another day.

1/19/21 1/19/21

Blog Bio Feeling Welcome—Even Without a Mask

These days, I don’t go out often, but before masks became mandated in Kearney, there were a few places I felt comfortable going. Now I just stay home. Why? I am one of those who cannot wear a mask.

I am thankful that Kearney considered this and wrote into the mandate exceptions for people like me. Though the exception exists, going without a mask does not engender positive responses from others encountered when out in public. Unlike for some, my case wouldn’t be difficult to prove.

However, others may not look as though they have a respiratory problem or are unable to put a mask on or off on their own, We live in a society etched in fear and fear breeds anger. Americans have been told over and over that masks are some sort of magic bullet to the point that those who are unable to not wear masks are not always treated well.

Anger lashes out. “Wear a mask, already!!”

There are the looks, the edging even further away than regular distancing allows. I don’t need that, nor do I wish to make anyone else uncomfortable. I find the situation sad. Still, I recently had a taste of freedom and welcome on January 2nd.

Since Keith and I were married September 2nd --more than two kids and five grandkids ago, the oldest of which turns 21 this year—we have a tradition of going out to eat the 2nd of each month. We did that until the mandate. Then Keith brought dinner in. It is not the same.

Keith knew I wanted to go out and he found a way. Odessa doesn’t have a mask mandate and the Apple Barrel Restaurant doesn’t require masks. I called and asked. We entered the restaurant and were given a cheerful welcome. The menu was filled with a variety of food items I wished I could choose.

Still, even with all my allergies, the staff made sure what I did order met my many needs. The hamburger was 100% beef with no pepper spice. No tomato. No ketchup. No bun. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with lettuce and onion and with cottage cheese on the side. The portion was just right for my needs. Keith’s portion was so large, he had to take it slow and easy.

Our food was delicious and we’re ready to return. As individuals came and went I could tell this was a hometown, family restaurant where most of the customers were regulars who were greeted by name.

Our service was great, and we spent time talking to our waitress who is a student at UNK. We even spoke with a patron who shared a Star Wars picture with Keith on his phone, when Keith commented on a conversation. The biggest surprise came as we finished our meal. The waitress stood at our table and told us someone had paid for our meal, and when we were finished we could just leave. That made our day. (And we still left a tip for our waitress.)

It was such a relief to feel welcome—even without a mask. Our monthly anniversary experience gave me a positive memory I won’t soon forget. Maybe, next time, we’ll pass forward the blessing we received.

1/5/21 1/5/21

Blog You can make 2021 better than 2020

On Facebook, I’ve seen comments and all sorts of graphics about the year of 2020--of how tired everyone is of the year, and how everyone hopes 2021 will be different--a year everyone hopes is far from disease and death and restrictions and masks, with which everyone is so tired of dealing.

But for all the hopes, it appears many of the restrictions will continue on into a year we all hoped would be different. Already the unintended consequences of restricting individuals and families to their homes is being paid in a variety of ways from increased abuse and suicide, to higher drug and alcohol use and even death from loneliness.

What many do not realize is that mental health matters to physical health, We, and especially children, need to be touched, and hugged. Need to communicate face-to-face. Need to be part of the community in a way that technology, as nice as it is to have, can not. There is no substitute for people being together.

There are differing opinions about masks and restrictions and many other aspects of the situation we’re in. There is hope vaccinesCovid shots will change the picture—the data shows they neither stop one from contracting Covid nor stop the transmission of it.

Still, we hope cases will not only decrease, but new cases stop altogether. In the midst of conflicting information even from “experts,’ we need to find our way for ourselves and our families.

America stands on three pillars--faith, family, and freedom. This pandemic has shaken every one of these pillars in one way or another. However, we don’t have to give in to despair. While this may not be over in the dawn of the New Year, we have hope of an end.

Nothing lasts forever. As for faith, even when we are told not to meet together in large groups, we can still read God’s Word and communicate with God anytime and anyplace.

We can pray for others, especially for those who are ill or grieving. We can reach out to those in need with a letter, a phone call, or a donation.

Our freedom has been greatly impacted and that truly bothers me. Our elderly citizens didn’t vote to be locked away from family and friends--and pay dearly for such a “privilege.” This has been wrong on so many levels.

I am not the only one who, now, has no intention of ever going into a home--if it can at all be avoided. Even in this, attitude matters. We can complain or focus on the positive and we can seek to make changes.

If we want changes, we need to let our Representatives, Senators, Governors, and Mayors know what we think and expect. Let’s do our part to stop Covid-19, but also to realize balance is needed and make our concerns known--through letters to the editor, phone calls, and letters to those making and enforcing restrictions.

Maybe you agree. Maybe you don’t, but you are the citizens. Do your research, beyond government and media sources, knowing they are often very biased. Those for whom we vote are supposed to be our employees, not our masters.

Make tomorrow be different by standing up for faith, family, and freedom. Then 2021 will become the year of hope and change we want so much right now.

Published in Kearney Hub 01/04/2021
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