|
|
|
|
|
|

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
Turbo vs. Puny
Several years ago I received a professional turbo hair dryer as a gift. The performance of this dryer was impressive! It was loud, powerful, and quickly got the job done in seconds. Recently, I picked up the hair dryer and, for some reason, examined it and noticed that the air-intake desperately needed to be cleaned. So I took it apart to remove the dust and lint that had accumulated. The next time I used it, I was blown away (pun intended) by how powerful it worked! Slowly, over time, I hadn’t noticed the decline in the performance of the hair dryer. It was still working, but not as efficiently as it did when it was new. Instead of the original five-star rating, it had plummeted to a puny, pitiful three-star and I hadn’t even noticed. After a thorough cleaning, the hair dryer was restored to its original turbo power and performance.
Believers need to be careful not to lose our power, fervor, and love for God and His kingdom. We must be watchful not to slip into becoming part of the large masses who either don’t know Christ or are just casually acquainted with Him. A.W. Tozer hit the nail on the head when he said, “Take nothing for granted. Go back to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross, follow your Lord and pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. The masses are always wrong. In every generation, the number of righteous is small. Be sure you are among them.”
When it comes to being a Christ follower, our spiritual life is serious business. We simply can’t be asleep at the wheel because when we’re asleep we aren’t aware of what’s happening. I had no idea my hair dryer was not very powerful any more. I hadn’t noticed its gradual decline due to the simple fact I hadn’t routinely maintained it. If we don’t maintain our walk with Christ every day, then one thing after another will begin to break down. Try operating your lawn mower without ever changing the oil and see how that works out. Try boiling a pot of beans and not checking on it every few minutes and see how that turns out. Try never brushing your teeth and see how you like dentures.
Try not giving God a minute of your time to pray and thank Him for His goodness and see how ungrateful you become. Try not reading/studying God’s Word and see how ignorant and powerless you become. One of the strong points in selling my late husband’s Suzuki Boulevard was the fact that it had been well-maintained for 18 years. When the buyer checked the oil, it was a light yellow color — and he was impressed. Maintaining our relationship with God is of utmost importance. If we want to be powerful instead of puny, we most certainly can — but the ball is in our court. How bad do we want it?
Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Ephesus: “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:16,17,19 NLT).
The Key: If your spiritual power has turned puny, just clean out your air-intake by spending time with God every day.
]
The City of Fort Scott Water Utility will be initiating a free chlorine burnout of the water distribution system starting Monday, July 28, 2025, and ending as soon as a free chlorine residual is established
throughout the entire system, approximately 2 (two) weeks.
This burnout is necessary maintenance of the water distribution system, which will help maintain State standards for disinfection residual levels and maintain the high quality of water that you have come to expect.
Occasionally, during this process, customers may temporarily experience low pressures, taste or odors, discolored water, or even some sediment in their water.
We do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Any questions, concerns, or comments are welcome.
Please contact the Water Treatment Plant at 223-5160 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Monday
through Friday.
Caring for others
The United States is the richest nation in the world and we, the people, have historically supported programs to care for the less fortunate, underserved, desperate people of the world. In the dysfunction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) dismantling of USAID, the shelf life of five hundred metric tons of life saving high energy biscuits expired. All five hundred tons were taken off the shelf and destroyed. Because of this, starving people, mostly children, will suffer and some will die. Their families will grieve. We should grieve with them.
Some USAID programs were to be shifted to the State Department. The Secretary of State told congress that how these programs were instituted would reflect the priorities of this administration. Abandoning desperate people is not government efficiency or even good foreign policy. It is moral bankruptcy and greed conceived and supported at the highest levels of our government. This is not the way to make America great. Is this what you voted for?
Randy Nichols

Last week, we looked at Samson, the man who began the work of deliverance for Israel from the Philistines but never saw its completion. His legacy would not be related to his leadership abilities but rather to his inability to recognize women who manipulated.
Most of us, thankfully, have not betrayed our spouses as Samson’s wives did. However, before we come down too hard on them, we must realize that too many married partners are master manipulators who use looks, threats, paybacks, pouts, tears, or anger if they don’t get their way. Many are so effective at pouting or verbal chastisement that the spouse tiptoes around them in an effort to avoid their partner’s wrath. Household, vacation, and child-rearing decisions are made simply to have “peace at all costs.”
Professional baseball gave me an opportunity to watch as big bucks passed hands to assuage the athletes’ guilt for the long road trips they endured. Diamonds got bigger. Furs got furrier. Purses and shoes got matchier. (You get the point).
Even if you, the reader, are not guilty of resorting to manipulative tactics, chances are you know people who are. Perhaps you will recognize a few of their behaviors in the following category of comparisons.
You have a tummy ache? I’ll have diverticulitis. After all, it’s all about me. Comparisons are typically directed at, and intended for, our spouse:
This has to be one of the easiest forms of manipulation. A few words here, a few words there, and shazam! Suddenly we’ve planted some incredible seeds by which our spouses should measure their performance. And even if we have convinced ourselves we do not intend to compare (probably a lie), even if we have not one critical bone in our body and sincerely mean to compliment (probably another lie), what good do those comments do?
Put the shoe on the other foot. Any time our spouses are foolish enough to single out someone of our gender and praise his/her looks or behavior, we probably are a wee bit offended. Rarely (if ever) would we celebrate with them the beauty or accomplishments of this other person. Can’t you hear it? “Oh, honey, I agree. Colleen has lost so much weight I hardly recognized her. I think I’ll just get a few dozen Krispy Kremes and celebrate her success!
I don’t think there is a person alive who has not compared him/herself to others at one point or another. She is prettier. He is stronger. She is smarter. He is more spiritual. Our nature is to see how we measure up. That is a problem. But it’s a bigger problem when we have a twinge of delight when we find that we have it a little better than they do. Sadly, there is no win in comparison.
When we look at Philippians 2:3 (“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”), we are reminded of the need to be humble enough to acknowledge others’ strengths and be delighted God has gifted them with gifts we need to appreciate, not covet. Samson learned the hard way. Let us not be as foolish as he.
Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging announces they have been awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas for its 60+ Nutrition Program.
“In the last year, we have added two meal sites where people can get a tasty, healthy meal and visit with friends. Since 2022, the attendance at meal sites has doubled”, says Stacy Dickerhoof, Associate Director, “this is giving us the good problem of needing more utensils, glasses, and bowls to serve the food. We appreciate the Community Foundation supporting our seniors.”
Sometimes called Meals on Wheels, 60+ Nutrition serves a 9-county area and is a combination of home delivery, congregate meals sites, and restaurants.
The purpose of the program is to promote the general health and well-being of older Kansans. Participants are asked to provide a donation, but inability to donate does not prevent anyone from receiving a meal.
“Our seniors really enjoy having a place to go have a meal and see friends.”, says Tabitha Torres, Nutrition Coordinator. Sixty-three percent of SEKAAA 60+ Nutrition program participants report they eat alone most of the time. The National Institute on Aging has identified that social isolation increases health risk, such as high blood pressure, depression, and cognitive decline. “The meal is important, but we have found that participants find getting together with friends is just as important,” reports Torres.
For more information on SEKAAA 60+ Nutrition Program, please visit www.sekaaa.com or call 620-431-2980 for more information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|

John Sackett, age 65, passed away on Tuesday, July 22nd at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. John was born in Fort Scott, Kansas to William (Jim) and Mary Sackett (Monroe).
John enlisted in the Army in 1977. When he stepped onto the bus to travel to Fort Polk, Louisiana for boot camp, he looked back at that moment as the most defining decision of his life. His military career took him to Germany, where in 1980 he wed Margaret Anderson, Texas, Korea, Colorado, New York, (back to) Germany, and then returning to Kansas to finish his service at Ft. Riley, KS, retiring in 1998.
In 2002, John moved to Oklahoma for a supervisor position with the Transportation Security Administration after 9/11. In 2005, he married Christie (Borggren) and they made their home in Blackwell, Oklahoma. There they would host get-togethers where John would break out his DJ skills, vast music knowledge, and congregate with good friends. In 2007 John became a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service until his retirement in November 2019. As a mail carrier, he became the family’s weather/news man. John had numerous friends, many from his youth at Country Kitchen to his Ft. Riley group.
It has been said that John was everyone’s best friend.
John is survived by his wife Christie, daughter Jennifer Thurston (Justin) of Fort Scott, Kansas; daughter Mary Larsen (Chris) also of Fort Scott, Kansas; and son Ian Sackett of Sierra Vista, Arizona. Surviving siblings include brother Jim (Gayle) of Fort Scott, and sisters Jane Burgess (Bob) of Ponca City, OK, and Judy Wilmoth (Jerry) of Webb City, MO.
He has seven grandchildren: Jordan, Madi, Emily, Ryann, Sarina, Owen, and Chance, all of Fort Scott, KS; numerous nieces and nephews; and three godchildren: Deklan, Dawsen, and Kynleigh Moore.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Wednesday July 30th at Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 5-7 pm the evening before at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Fort Scott National Cemetery. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting on Monday, July 28 at 10:00 am in the Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall to approve personnel items.
Submitted by
Juley McDaniel
Director of Human Resources
Fort Scott Community College