Stu Webber, a pastor and author, writes of his experience in the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1967.  Young men were exhausted, trying to survive the heat, humidity and painful rigors of camp, knowing that their final destination, Vietnam, was a very real possibility.

Webber writes of the day the raspy voice of the drill sergeant barked out his first, passionate speech. “We are here to save your lives,” he told the young men headed for combat. “First, we’re going to see to it that you overcome all your natural fears. … And second, we are going to show you just how much incredible stress the human mind and body can endure. And when we’re finished with you, you will be the U.S. Army’s best! America’s best. You will be confident. You will survive, even in combat. And you will accomplish your mission!”

The sergeant gave Webber and his fellow recruits their first assignment. These guys were ready for anything. They had prepared for a 10-mile run in full battle gear. They’d already envisioned rappelling down a sheer cliff. So, what would be the tough guy’s first tough order?

“Find yourself a Ranger buddy,” he growled. “You will stick together. You will never leave each other. You will encourage each other, and, as necessary, you will carry each other.” As brusque as the sergeant was, he realized that tough tasks require a friend.

In the Introduction to Education class I am teaching this year, I have invited a myriad of individuals to speak to my students.  Few are classroom teachers.  Most are individuals who, like teachers, make a difference in the lives of others.  Katie, a federal parole officer, addressed my students a few weeks ago.  Not only does she work with felons, she also has joined forces with my son’s anti-sex-trafficking foundation to teach recovered women how to turn their lives around.

Ahead of time, the students prepare questions for the guest speaker, but they struggled with this assignment…until Katie shared her mission of making a difference.  When Trent asked if she believes there is hope for everyone, no matter how evil they are, Katie did not hesitate.

“Absolutely!” she answered.  “I believe that there is good in everyone.  Sometimes, it’s just a little harder to find it.” She continued, sharing that as a Christian, she believes that God creates everyone with a purpose.

I’ve thought of Katie’s comment and wondered how many potential “friends” I failed to “find the good in.”  People with irritating or unkind or “unforgiveable” traits.  How much of my time has been devoted to encouraging them to be less irritating or less unkind or less unforgiveable?  Granted, I’m not going to find myself in a fox-hole with that person, and my life may never depend on them, but as a Christian, aren’t I called to invest in their lives?  To see the good in them as opposed to dwelling on the bad?

Jesus did that.  He chose twelve, but only one stayed near him at his crucifixion, and that was John, the apostle who later wrote about one of the others, Thomas. Thomas deserted Jesus and the other disciples and was not present when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection.  When the disciples told Thomas they had seen Jesus, he said that he would not believe until he could see the nail prints on Jesus’ hands and put his finger in Jesus’ side.  Eight days later, Jesus gave Thomas that opportunity.

Except for loyal John, Jesus could have ousted all his “close friends” who ran for the hills as he hung, dying on the cross, but Scripture gives no indication that happened.  If Jesus could see good in those who failed him so miserably, what’s my excuse?

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
Tap into the Prince of Peace

It’s interesting that after 2,000 years, Americans are still paying taxes and celebrating the birth of Christ in the same month. These two combined expenses may cause some people to tap into their savings account. When we tap into something, we then have access to resources and can establish a connection to make a “withdrawal” for whatever we need. I will often tap into my family and friends for information and opinions on situations that I know they have personal experience. It’s important and wise that we take
advantage of the benefits that have been made available to us.

God sent Jesus into the world to demonstrate His love, provide the perfect and only sacrifice for sin, and establish a new and better covenant with mankind. Isaiah prophesied in the Old Testament: “For a child will be born for us, a Son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 CSB).

The night when Jesus was born, the angel told the lowly shepherds to go and find the Babe. Born in a stable, the Prince of Peace was accessible to the public but nobody showed up but the shepherds. That Baby in the manger was a gift of truest love straight from the heavenly Father. Jesus grew up, increased in wisdom and stature, redeemed sinners, and fulfilled His mission as the Savior of the world. The Son of God continues to be available for all who will tap into Him for salvation and receive the abundant life.

Having spent 33 years in the everyday life of a world of broken people and systems, Jesus knew the importance of a deep peace that could only come from Him. “I [Jesus] have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT). Believers have been made more than conquerors through the blood of Jesus.

Sometimes people are looking for peace in all the wrong places. But when we find Jesus we find the Prince of Peace. “May the Lord Himself, who is our source of peace, give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thessalonians 3:16 GNT). When the bottom falls out of our world, we can rely on the Lord’s peace to get us through it.

“Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness” (Colossians 3:15 MSG). “Never underestimate the power of a seed of peace: the power of a kind word, a seed of apology, a phone call, an explanation” (Max
Lucado). The most important gifts are usually the ones that cost our pride. Perhaps you should consider offering the gift of peace to a broken relationship this Christmas. Mending fences isn’t easy, but it’s worth the humbling effort in order to have peace in your heart, mind, and soul.

As children of our heavenly Father, we oftentimes live beneath our privileges. Everything we need to handle life is found in Christ. Believers need to tap into Jesus for all He’s worth! We can experience a lasting peace that surpasses understanding through our relationship with Jesus. As our Savior and Lord, we have access to His divine peace every day.

The Key: Believers need to tap into the Prince of Peace; He never runs out of His Name.

Someone had the nerve to send out an email about all the healthy food choices we might adopt for Christmas…and continue to use in 2026.  I get the 2026 part, but I’m sorry, “healthy” and “Christmas” don’t mix.  They are opposites.  Oxymorons.  Black and white.  Fun and boring.   Delicious and disgusting.

On what planet is this writer living?  Everyone knows that we indulge at Christmas so that we can set New Year’s goals to exercise and lose weight. What else is New Year’s for?

I don’t know about you, but every December, I prep for a holiday smorgasbord.  Egg nogg.  Fudge.  More fudge.   Decorated cookies.  Peppermint sticks.  Cranberry bread.  Calorie-laden appetizers.

That’s Christmas.  None of this “Keto” pies or sugarless sugar cookies or diet dips with 40%-less-salt potato chips, celery sticks or gluten-free, dairy-free, meat-free…well, anything.

On another note.  I think there should be a law against people who take teensy portions, like a tablespoon of this and a teaspoon of that, and then leave half of it on their plates.  For some reason, I always seem to sit by that individual at family get-togethers. She is the slim, trim, tight-bodied individual who tries really hard not to comment on my mound of mashed potatoes, piled high on top of the 15-course rations I have hiding underneath the gravy.  I love her for that.

Still, in her defense, it must be taxing to hang with an undisciplined person.  You know the type.  She watches you go back for seconds when she has stuck to her 100-calorie limit…basically, two lettuce greens and a sliver of carrot from the carrot cake.  And when, after dining, she invites the attendees to go on a hike to burn off that fat and you are still feasting, determined not to waste a crumb from your plate, she says nothing.  That’s a good friend.  Correction: that’s a great friend.

I worked hard last year to lose 17 pounds.  My clothes fit better.  I had more energy, and my knees did not throb when I walked downstairs.  Unfortunately, while celebrating my weight loss, I ate out of excitement for what I had accomplished.  You know what happened. Almost  overnight, those 17 (plus a few of their friends) decided to move in with me.

I am blessed to be married to a man who does not harp on how different I look compared to when we first married.  Oh, occasionally he questions if I made a mistake when I buy an XL top, but he laughs when I tell him that it was mismarked…which is why it was on sale. Sometimes he questions how the actresses of the ‘50’s had such tiny waists (seriously, like 18”), but I remind him that they never had children, and if they did, their kids were not eight-pounders like ours were.

Someone told me that there will be feasting in Heaven.  That gets me excited…until I read Revelation 22:2, describing the food we will be eating: “… On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month…”  Fruit?  Fruit?  Where are French fries and cheeseburgers and cheesecake?

Of course, when Jesus returned to earth after his resurrection, he ate with his disciples.  This makes me smile.  Then again, I’m sure that no matter what we eat, it won’t matter, for we will be in the presence of God.  That is enough to satisfy any cravings we could ever have.

FROM THE BLEACHERS

BY DR. JACK WELCH

The Mind Sets Direction, the Heart Drives Follow-Through

Leadership always begins in the mind. The mind gives us the ability to think, envision, analyze, and set direction. It’s where ideas are born and goals are identified. Leadership is never proven by ideas alone. Leadership is revealed in follow-through, and follow-through comes from the heart.

Every leader has good thoughts. Many have strong opinions. Some even have impressive plans. Yet not every leader finishes. The difference between those who talk about leadership and those who live it is commitment. The heart provides the courage, determination, and discipline required to move from intention to execution.

The late, iconic Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz captured this truth with remarkable clarity. He often said that to get things accomplished, a person must: Have a goal or vision, develop a plan to accomplish it, demonstrate the follow-through to get it done.

Holtz summarized it simply: Do It, Do It Right, Do It Right Now. That sequence is leadership in action. The mind may tell us what needs to be done. The plan explains how to do it. But without heart-level commitment, both the thought and the plan will sit on the shelf collecting dust.

Leadership stalls when vision lacks resolve. A goal without a plan is wishful thinking. A plan without commitment is wasted effort. A thought without the determination to follow through is simply a wasted thought.

The truth is this: People don’t fail because they lack ideas, they fail because they lack follow-through. Follow-through requires discipline when enthusiasm fades, courage when resistance appears, and perseverance when results don’t come quickly. That kind of resolve does not come from the mind alone; it comes from the heart.

Effective leaders work the plan because they believe in it. They stay the course because they are committed to the outcome, not just the conversation. They finish because finishing matters.

From the bleachers, leadership often looks simple. On the field, it demands something deeper. Strong leaders think clearly, plan intentionally, and commit fully. They don’t just do it, they do it right, and they do it right now.

In leadership, direction comes from the mind, but execution is driven by the heart.

Thought for the week, “Leadership turns ideas into impact only when the heart is committed to follow through and finish what the mind begins.” John Hill, winningest head baseball coach in history at Fort Scott Community College.

 Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.

Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Hayward Tucker
A Light Sleeper

When a woman has her first baby, her sleeping routine immediately changes because her ears are attuned to the newborn’s cry. Yes, the mother sleeps but her ears do not. I became a light sleeper from the time my babies were born until many years later. Listening and acting upon the newborn’s faintest cry is imperative for a child’s healthy psyche. A deep bond of love is established during these tender, early years.

If believers want to mature in the Lord properly and be spiritually strong, we must attune our ears and hearts to listen for God’s still, small voice. Personally, I believe He’s speaking every day, but if we’re
afraid to be quiet and put life on mute for a few minutes, we simply can’t hear Him above the roar of our culture. Everything God says to us is important, even if you think it’s not. For example, God may be
impressing upon you to reach out to someone but you procrastinate and never get around to it.

If you ever hope to do big things for God, then you have to start by being obedient in the little things. And what you might consider little, the person you neglected could possibly consider it big. For example, someone feeling sad and lonely could be greatly encouraged by a phone call if only you’d take the time to
do it!

Some believers have the mistaken idea that when God speaks to us it will be grandiose, earth-shattering, and loud. Scripture indicates that’s not usually God’s style. Let’s refer to when God spoke to the prophet Elijah: “’Go out and stand before Me on the mountain,’ the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and
went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (I Kings 19:11-13 NLT).

God already knew what Elijah was doing, but He asked the question just to get Elijah to think straight. The following anonymous quote is from an old “Way of Faith” publication: “The reason that many of us
do not know and better understand God is we do not give heed to His gentle checks, His delicate restraints and constraints. His is a still, small voice. A still voice can hardly be heard. It must be felt as a steady, gentle pressure upon the heart and mind like the touch of a morning zephyr to your face. A small voice, quietly, almost timidly spoken in your heart, but if heeded growing noiselessly clearer to your inner ear. His voice is for the ear of love, and love is intent upon hearing even faintest whispers. He is love, and if you would know Him and His voice, we must give constant ear to His gentle touches. Simply listen, obey and trust God even when it seems highest folly to do so.”

The Key: Be a light sleeper toward God’s still, small voice. And then act upon it to form a strong and loving relationship with Him.

Have you ever looked at your manger scene, placed prominently for everyone who enters your home, and wondered why your life seems like a mess compared to the peace presented by the creche?  Mary, prayerfully kneeling before her newborn baby.  Joseph standing nearby, pondering how God would use this infant to accomplish His purposes.  Shepherds, dirty and overlooked, who were invited by angels into a scene they could not understand.  Magi, men who (we pretend) were there after this God-birth happened. And baby Jesus himself, tucked into the straw of a dirty manger.

Luke 2 tells us that after the birth of Jesus, a host of angels appeared to the straggly shepherds and told them to travel to Bethlehem.  At first terrified, the shepherds soon put away their fears and hurried to view this newborn. Estimates are they traveled between two and six miles, all at night. After their encounter with the Messiah, they “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.”  All who heard the shepherds’ report were “amazed” by this report (not amazed like we are when our daughter makes cheerleader or when the stock market takes an up-turn).  The Greed word used here for “amazed” is “thaumazo”; it means stopped in their tracks.

There they were, looking at God in human form, the One who was the answer to all the scriptures they had learned.  One minute, caring for helpless, stupid sheep, and the next…looking at perfection.  Heaven had come to the hillside in the middle of the night, proving that God’s presence isn’t limited to Holy places or to Holy people.  God had not chosen kings or Levitical priests or religious Pharisees to announce His coming in human form.  He chose a group of men who had no credentials.  No surprises there.  After all, He delights in using ordinary people for extraordinary purposes.

What does surprise me is what the shepherds did after this miraculous encounter.  Unlike many of us, they did not go on a speaking circuit or write a book or sit at the gate to their city, signing autographs.  Scripture says that they returned to their sheep.  They went back to herding and protecting animals that follow each other off cliffs.  They returned with gladdened, worshipful hearts and tongues filled with praise to do what they knew how to do.

I frequently meet people who want to have the celebratory experience of speaking to huge crowds of people, when instead, God wants them to be used right where they are, no matter how mundane their job status or where they live. All can learn from this story.  From humble beginnings to divine callings, shepherds are integral figures in this biblical narrative, serving as symbols of faith, humility, and divine favor.  We need to do likewise.

No matter where we work or live, we all have the opportunity to follow the lead of the shepherds: to obey, to follow, to worship and to share.  As Christmas approaches, let us all be mindful of our call to do the same.

When the noise resolution was presented on Monday, the commissioners’ lawyer said it should be given to the planning committee. After hearing this recommendation, Beerbower moved to vote on it in the current meeting. He and Tran passed it over Milburn’s objections.

If you read through what they voted for, you’ll notice something interesting  in  this  section:
Now you might see the term “heating toss” and assume it is a misspelling that just went unnoticed. Perhaps the commissioners who voted for it treated the whole adage of “read things carefully before you vote for them” just like the “listen to your lawyer.” Stuff like that might be nice to say, but don’t let it get in the way of creating new regulations for the taxpayers. What good is a commission meeting if the citizens have the same legal rights after the meeting as they had before?

So while you might think they didn’t actually take the time to read it, why assume the worst?  I’d like to suggest that we assume the best!

Let’s assume Beerbower and Tran DID indeed read it carefully, thought through exactly the repercussions of what the document says, carefully examined any side effects, and believe it does exactly what they want to see enacted for the betterment of Bourbon County. If we make those assumptions, maybe “heating toss” is the name of a game, a time-honored tradition that has been played in Bourbon County all the way back to the time when dragoons camped at Fort Scott, and bison roamed the plains.

The game is often called “hot potato.” With careful reflection, Tran and Beerbower have determined that they want to prevent people from playing “Heating Toss” (aka “hot potato”) in Bourbon County. You may think it is a harmless game, but they know better and have made a law to fine people who introduce this hated game (well, hated by two of the commissioners anyway) into the county. It is for the betterment of the county as a whole! You may think that you’d rather live in a county where commissioners do not waste their time making laws against various children’s games, but you’d be wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Your government knows better. You may just be too dumb to understand.

That’s the optimistic view that assumes they carefully read what they voted on. Or maybe, just maybe, they just didn’t take the time to read what they were voting for.

Had they read it, you’d think they might have questioned whether it was a good idea to fine people $500 for “any noise” that is greater than 45 dB at 75 feet between the hours of 10 pm and 7 am.   That is a level of sound that includes things like older air conditioning units, a dog barking, a donkey braying, or starting a semi.

But surely they wouldn’t vote for something they didn’t fully understand or hadn’t read. Right?

PDF of the noise resolution in the agenda packet from 12/18

FROM THE BLEACHERS-739

BY DR. JACK WELCH

Decision or Commitment

There is a powerful difference between making a decision and making a commitment. Most people understand how to decide. Decisions are often easy to speak aloud, easy to applaud, and easy to celebrate in the moment. Commitment, however, is proven only over time. It requires action, discipline, and sometimes sacrifice when enthusiasm fades.

Imagine standing in a church on a wedding day. The groom looks into the eyes of his beautiful bride, his voice trembling, a tear forming as he speaks words of devotion: “Forsaking all others until we are parted by death.” Everyone in the room is moved. The words are strong. The decision is clear. We admire what appears to be a lifelong promise.

Now imagine learning a week later that while the newlyweds were on their honeymoon, the groom was unfaithful. In that instant, the words spoken on the wedding day lose their power. What once sounded noble and heartfelt becomes hollow. The decision he proclaimed was not validated by faithful commitment. Without commitment, words carry no weight.

This distinction matters far beyond personal relationships. It shows up every day in the workplace. Organizations often make decisions in meetings: new initiatives, new expectations, new strategic plans, and bold visions for the future. Departments nod in agreement. Leaders voice support. The decision feels unified and optimistic.

A decision without commitment is little more than wishful thinking. True progress happens only when every department commits to the decision that was made. Commitment means aligning daily actions with the plan, even when it becomes inconvenient or uncomfortable. It means resisting the urge to quietly do things the old way while publicly supporting the new one. It means ownership, accountability, and follow-through.

Being invited into the decision-making process is important. Being heard matters.  Once a direction is set though, commitment is what moves an organization forward. Without it, teams drift, trust erodes, and momentum is lost. Just like in that wedding story, the words may have sounded right, but the actions tell the real story.

Decisions announce intention. Commitments prove character. From the bleachers, it’s easy to cheer when decisions are made. Leadership, however, is revealed in what happens after the applause fades. The question is never, “Did we decide?” The real question is, “Did we commit?” A decision defines direction, but commitment determines distance.

Thought for the Week, “What truly matters is not what we say we will do, but what we faithfully follow through on when no one is watching.” Rodney Southern, Athletic Director/Head Football Coach at Copperas Cove High School

Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Two Pennies and a Nickel

My normal routine is to go to my late-husband’s grave every winter, spring, summer, and fall, in addition to other special dates, to switch out the floral arrangements. He died on 02-21-2021, exactly two weeks after my 63^rd birthday. Sometime later that year I found a nickel on his headstone. I knew someone had placed it there on purpose so I left it there. Four years later, I noticed two pennies had been added. My heart was warmed as I examined them and took note of the years: 2014 and 2018. I suppose the dates meant nothing to the individual who thoughtfully placed them there, but Jimmy was diagnosed in 2014 and 2018 was our last family vacation at our favorite spot in Gulf Shores, Alabama. People leave coins on a headstone to demonstrate that the departed are loved, appreciated, and respected long after their passing. The language of coins left on a loved one’s headstone is a time-honored tradition. I don’t have words to say what these coins mean to me — only tears.

It is a reality that one day we’re all going to exit this world one way or another. “And because by God’s law, death comes to men once and after that they are judged“ (Hebrews 9:27 BBE). When our appointed time comes, we won’t be taking anything with us, but we will leave our testimony and legacy behind. The most important thing we will ever do is accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. And after that, it’s all about how we loved and lived like Jesus told us.   

The words and music to “All That Really Matters,” written by Marcia Henry and recorded by Jeff & Sheri Easter, really sums up life in a few short words:  “They’re talking about him, he isn’t even there. His best friends and family, what a way to show they care. Haven’t mentioned his money or the kind of clothes he wore. But they say he loved his family and he proudly served the Lord. All that really matters when it’s all said and done, all that really matters when your time to go has come — Did you know Jesus, and show Him to anyone?”

Jesus is the best at presenting a straightforward message; the parable of the rich fool is no exception: “Then He [Jesus] told them a story: A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don‘t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I‘ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I‘ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I‘ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?‘ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:16-21 NLT).

Jesus is not speaking against being wealthy; he’s telling us to be wise in handling our abundance. And He’s advising us to work at keeping our priorities straight by daily walking with God like Enoch and being God‘s friend like Abraham.

The Key: What we do while living affects our best friends and family forever. Think about that.

In October, I wrote a piece about how the commissioners had passed a resolution to ban running a particular computer program. Ostensibly, they were trying to make it illegal to run loud generators, but instead of writing an ordinance about generators or sound, they issued an ordinance that would include three silent computers that can fit in the palm of your hand without saying a single thing about what they claimed they were trying to address.

Despite having full access to paid legal counsel, despite technologically savvy citizens who are happy to provide advice for free, despite knowing that the issue with a loud generator is, well, the loud generator, the commissioners managed to pass an ordinance that was completely divorced from the actual sound problem. It was written to ban what a tech- and business-savvy middle schooler might run in their bedroom, while being useless when it comes to preventing another identical generator-run installation that uses a different algorithm.

If the commissioners, in an effort to prevent loud, noisy generators, accidentally ended up banning things so trivial, we should be very concerned that when they spend your taxpayer money in lobbing their nuclear bomb of zoning at solar and wind installations, it might not only miss what they say is the mark, but do significant collateral damage. That was my concern back in October. What happened since that silly moratorium made me realize that I severely underestimated just how bad that blast radius could be.

There is a planning committee created by the commissioners to make recommendations on zoning. As usual, this committee contains people who were not elected. They also didn’t go through the normal process of having citizens submit letters of interest. Instead, the members were hand-selected by the commissioners. This isn’t necessarily a bad way to select people and it has a distinct advantage for anyone trying to figure out where the commissioners are trying to take the county. This hand selection means that when the committee passes a resolution, it is being made by the people the commissioners felt most represented their goals for the future.

So with that background, residents should be paying very close attention when the planning committee votes on a resolution. We got a very insightful glimpse on page 7 of the agenda packet for the commissioners meeting on 11/17. There was a resolution, passed unanimously by the planning committee, that said:

The Planning Committee, passes unanimously. recommends that the Bourbon County Board of Commissioners enact a moratorium, effective immediately, requiring that any new business—specifically, commercial or industrial—that is not agricultural in nature and located in unincorporated areas of the county, be required to obtain a special use permit prior to commencing operations. This moratorium should reference the existing Bourbon County zoning (taxation) map as the basis for determining current land use designations.

The purpose of this moratorium is to protect the county and its residents while the Planning Committee continues the process of developing more detailed and comprehensive zoning regulations.

There were some legal issues with the recommendation, so the commissioners didn’t end up discussing it, but even if they couldn’t put a moratorium on all businesses worded in this way, it doesn’t diminish the desired goal. We can clearly see what the committee (and the commissioners who appointed them) see as a desired future. The planning committee, that hand-selected group the commissioners thought were the best people in the county to accomplish their zoning goals, unanimously resolved to recommend a moratorium on all new non-agricultural businesses in the county. It didn’t pass by a small margin; it wasn’t just discussed. They unanimously passed a resolution to make this recommendation, and that is a very big deal.

Some might say it was just the political back and forth and doesn’t really mean anything, that some of the people voting for it didn’t think it would pass, etc. But consider the actual implications: If you want to start a commercial lawn mowing business and you are outside the city limits, they want you to have to get special permission from the commissioners. If you want to start a business doing small manufacturing of high-end telescopes, the resolution recommends that your business should be illegal until the commissioners give it their blessing. If you want to start exercising your skills as a mechanic, start a printing company, create an LLC to make furniture, or anything else in the rural county areas, every single person on this committee voted that you should be required to come hat in hand to the commissioners and answer all their questions about your business and beg them to make an exception to the moratorium to allow you to pursue your business idea. 

This desired change by the planning committee is a fundamental shift. We currently live in a county where the default position is that you are allowed to start any legal business and move forward with it. You might have a good idea and do well. You might have a bad idea and go bankrupt. Either way, you are free to pursue your capitalistic endeavors without being subject to the whims, biases, and the sometimes general confusion of the commissioners.

For an average member of the community, voting for a resolution to recommend such an action would have come with a huge reputational risk. Would you really want to be on the record as having voted to move from a default of saying yes to business to a default of saying, “you have to get permission from the commissioners first”? Somehow, not a single person on the committee, who I might remind you, were hand-selected by the commissioners, looked at the resolution and said, “I’m not sure I want my name on something that does this to our local economy.” Instead, every single one voted for it.

As I’ve said before, the issue with zoning is not whether there is a hypothetical way to implement it that would do no or only minimal harm. The question is how likely we are to get a future where the damage from zoning isn’t egregiously worse than whatever the commissioners think they are trying to attack by this massive expansion of their powers. This unanimous resolution from the planning committee gives us a peek into the future we are headed toward, a future that further increases the probability that the “cure” of zoning will turn out to be worse than the “disease.”

Mark Shead

Note: FortScott.biz publishes opinion pieces with a variety of perspectives. If you would like to share a perspective or opinion, please send a letter to [email protected]. 

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Watching Over Me

Two wonderfully-talented ladies made two beautiful songs very popular many years ago. In 1959, Ella Fitzgerald recorded “Someone to Watch over Me” written by brothers George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. This sublime song was also performed in one of my favorite movies, “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” And Ethel Waters was best known and loved for singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” composed by Civilla Martin and Charles H. Gabriel in 1905. She began singing as a guest vocalist at the Billy Graham crusades in 1957 and continued for nearly 20 years. I remember intently watching and listening to her ad lib with the biggest smile and soulful expressions. The last line of the song was impressive to me then, and it’s still impressive: “For His eye is on…the spar-row…and I know…He wa-tches…me.“

I recently came across this quote by pastor/evangelist and Revivaltime radio broadcast speaker C. M. Ward in one of my old journals: “None of us can make it through without God’s help. I need an abiding sense of God’s presence. I need a ’cloud’ by day and a ’pillar of fire’ by night. In the gloomiest hour, when the lights of this world have gone out, I need to know that He is there watching over me.”

One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Peter 5:7 AMPC: “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” The key words in this verse that are especially comforting to me are “all, affectionately, and watchfully.” God knows all about our circumstances, our emotions, our thoughts, our fears, and our faith.

Jesus’ disciples had spent years following, learning, assisting, and witnessing miracles. The storm on the Sea of Galilee was a test of the disciples’ faith. This situation was an opportunity to practice using their faith. I don’t think Jesus was impressed with their faith because, “He replied, ‘Your faith is so small! Why are you so afraid?’ Then Jesus got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop. It became completely calm” (Matthew 8:26 NIRV). I don’t think He’s impressed with our faith when we act like we don’t have a heavenly Father to take care of us.

God is aware and cares about the smallest, insignificant things and events. “Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31 NLT). Believers can find assurance in knowing God is unlimited in taking care of the big or small stuff — it‘s all the same to Him!

“The Lord sees what happens everywhere, He is watching us, whether we do good or evil” (Proverbs 15:3 GNT). This reminds me of the story about a man who was burglarizing a home as the parrot excitedly watched. In fact, the parrot repeatedly kept saying, “Jesus is watching you.“ The man couldn’t have cared less. But after several minutes the burglar noticed a vicious Dobermann standing nearby staring at him and baring his teeth. About that time the parrot screeched, “Sic ’em, Jesus!”

The Key: Believers can rest assured that God is on 24-7 watch duty because He cares.