Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
My long-time friend and animal lover has pet donkeys. When he and his wife moved here from the State of Washington in 2002, the donkeys (Paco, Cupcake, Biscuit, and Bullet) came too because they were part of the family. They were meticulously transported in a tractor-trailer rig that was specially built to haul race horses. Although donkeys are generally known as “beasts of burden,” these cute and curious animals never worked a day in their life. They’ve been carefully maintenanced, faithfully fed, lavishly loved on, and provided with toys to entertain them in their pampered life on the farm.
Man is usually smarter than a donkey, but in the Old Testament, we find that Balaam is three bales dumber than his donkey. As he set off on a journey riding his donkey, “…God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. ’What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?’ it asked Balaam” (Numbers 22:22-28 NLT) .
“Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.” The angel of the Lord said, “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey” (Numbers 22:31-33 NLT).
Because of His unfailing love and mercy, God will go to great lengths to get our attention when we‘re heading in the wrong direction and acting dumber than a box of rocks. We shouldn’t be surprised that He’ll use whatever is available to get His point across. God used a meek-and-lowly talking donkey to get through Balaam’s thick skull. God’s bound and determined to get us to stop, drop, and roll in the right direction.
Wisdom comes from the one and only true God. Book smart is certainly beneficial, but it’s not enough to walk the Kingdom journey. We must honestly admit that we don’t know it all, and constantly seek God’s life-changing truths. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you” (James 1:5 NLT). We need all the wisdom we can get and it’s available just for the asking! Christ followers simply need to acknowledge that we’re not as capable (by ourselves) as we often think we are. “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:7 NLT).
The Key: Keep your spiritual eyes and heart open to God’s wisdom and leading.
Following the first set of stories on young entrepreneurs in our community, an anonymous donor wrote fortscott.biz that he wanted to grant each one of the featured youth with $50.
To view the prior story:
Young Entrepreneurs Series Spawns An Anonymous Benefactor
If you know of a child, under 18 years of age, that is creating products or providing services to sell to the public, please send their name and phone number to [email protected]
Fortscott.biz wants to encourage the youth who are learning business by doing it.
Being outside during the summertime can feel like a constant battle against nature and all the creepy crawly things. Mosquitos, ticks, and chiggers are some of the hardest pests to fight during this time of year.
A recent wild blackberry picking excursion left me covered in chigger bites and desperate for a solution to the uncontrollable urge to scratch. After doing some research, I found the following information from Mississippi State University Extension.
Chiggers, also called redbugs, have lots of myths surrounding them and how to go about treating their bites. These tiny bugs crawl up to the highest point on a plant and wait for an animal or person to walk by. When they fall onto a person, they typically land on shoes or lower pantlegs and begin to crawl up the body looking for a place to bite. Their ideal feeding grounds are on thin skin, which is why children and women make the perfect targets. They go for soft, light, and moist areas of the body where sun and weather haven’t made the skin tough and dry.
Contrary to what many think, they do not burrow into the skin. Instead, they attach at the base of a hair follicle and inject digestive fluid into the skin. The fluid dissolves skin cells, chemically boring a hole into the skin. Our bodies’ reaction to the saliva and digestive enzymes is to blame for the incessant urge to scratch.
Another common myth about treatment is how to “dry them out”. The best solution to fight these pesky bugs and the reactions they cause is to bathe in hot, soapy water as soon as you can. Many do not notice bites immediately after being outside as they can take a while to settle down and attach. So even if you think you don’t have any or only notice a spot or two, you can prevent a full feast by washing them away quickly. If left alone, chiggers can continue to eat for several days. To help combat the itching sensation, treat bites with calamine lotion or an antihistamine cream, or oral medication. Avoid harsh substances like nail polish or bleach as those can cause further irritation to the skin. If the bites are severe enough, physicians can prescribe anti-itch creams.
Chiggers do not carry diseases like ticks do. They are just incredibly annoying. Any infection that arises from chigger bites is likely due to excessive scratching, so it’s important to fight the urge to scratch. Children are more prone to scratching so clip fingernails to a short length, repeatedly apply calamine lotion, and use antihistamines suitable for their age to help them heal more quickly.
To help reduce the likelihood of running into them, avoid tall grassy and brushy areas. If that’s not possible, wear long pants, boots, and a lightweight long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into tall socks and apply a permethrin-based insect repellent to clothing – not directly to your skin.
Had I known all this before my recent berry-picking experience, I would have taken some precautions and probably prevented some discomfort. For more information, contact Cassidy Lutz at [email protected] or by calling 620-625-8620.
Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
1st District Commissioner
2nd District Commissioner
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
July 31, 2023 5:30 p.m.
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the
attorney-client relationship.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
Event highlights factors that affect cattle production
PARSONS, Kan. – Outside forces have made managing forage even more important in cattle production, says Kansas State University beef systems specialist Jaymelynn Farney.
High input prices, weather events, insect invasions…they’re all important topics that affect cattle producer’s profits.
Farney said those are topics that will highlight the annual Beef Cattle and Forage Field Day in Parsons on Aug. 3. The field day will be held at the Southeast Research and Extension Center (25092 Ness Road in Parsons) beginning at 8:30 am with registration.
The rest of the program includes an afternoon trip to the field to view a broomsedge control demonstration plot and discussion on interseeding warm season annuals into cool-season perennials. Farney said the field day also includes several indoor presentations, which will be recorded and posted online at www.southeast.ksu.edu/field_days.
Presentations and presenters include:
The field day is free to attend and includes lunch. This year’s field day sponsors include Frontier Farm Credit, Producers Coop, and Zoetis.
Those interested in attending are urged to contact Aly Volz by 620-820-6133 or online at https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/forms/SV_b1Kv7cYtOIZz7Rs to help organizers with a meal count by August 1.
-30-
K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
For more information:
Jaymelynn Farney
620-820-6125
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR
MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
CITY HALL COMMISSION ROOM – 123 SOUTH MAIN ST.
August 1, 2023 – 6:00 P.M.
III. Approval of Agenda:
Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at Commission’s discretion.
VII. Appearances:
VIII. Public Hearing: None
XII. Adjournment:
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This is part of a series on new teachers in Uniontown School District.
Enrollment for the district ends today from noon to 7 p.m.
Open House is August 15, from 4-6 p.m.
The first day of class is August 16.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree at Fort Hays State University and was a para educator for four years while taking classes.
This is her first year as a teacher.
Walker is the assistant Uniontown High School Girls Basketball coach, and also coaches in the youth basketball program.
She received her education from Fort Hays State University and has taught five years, with experience in special education and second grade.
“Forming relationships with my students and their families is the best thing about teaching,” she said . “(and)Finding ways to make learning fun!”
Abby Onelio will be teaching junior high and high school Spanish.
She earned a bachelors degree from Pittsburg State University in 2002; a Masters from Fort Hays State University in 2021 and has
five years teaching Spanish and English as a Second Language at Arkansas City High School.
“The best part of teaching for me is helping students to grow, improve and overcome obstacles,” she said.
For her, the biggest challenge for the upcoming school year will be so many big changes all at once, she said.
“My family and I are looking forward to becoming involved in the Uniontown and southeast Kansas community,” Onelio said.
She is married to Robert Onelio, the new 7-12 principal at Uniontown. They have four kids–Mia, 19; Gabe, 18; Natalia, 16; and Eva, 11.
We will have our regular General Membership meeting on Wednesday, August 2, in the Conference Room at the Scottview Apartments, 315 S. Scott
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Agenda
August 2, 2023
