A Flowers Kind of Lesson by Patty LaRoche
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)
I love the K.C. Chiefs! I have the jerseys to prove it, and Hubby, bless his heart, remembers my fondness for their memorabilia every Christmas and birthday. This makes me happy. This past game, however, in the AFC championship game, I found myself unhappy–a nervous wreck, to be honest–when the score got close. “What’s wrong with Reid?” “Pacheco keeps running into a brick wall; why don’t they throw a pass to the sideline for a change?” My questions prompted Hubby to remind me that Coach Reid just “might” know a little more than I do.
Hmph… So, late in the game, when the Raven’s rookie receiver Zay Flowers ran 54 yards before being tackled by L’Jarius Sneed, one of our players, he stood and straddled Sneed while twirling the football on the ground. (Not good for someone who had been a first-round draft pick and who led the Ravens in catches and receiving yards all season.) I was ultra-impressed with how our Chief did nothing. He let the referee do his job. Flowers was called for taunting, a 15-yard penalty. Soon after, with the Ravens down 17-7, Flowers fumbled on the one-yard line when Sneed knocked the ball out of his hands. And the rest is history. My phone lit up from girlfriends across the country, celebrating and thrilled that Flowers “got what he deserved.”
Why is it we love payback? You act cocky; you learn humility. You punch first; you’re punched harder. Justice is served. Amen and Amen.
Matt. 5:38-48 (MSG) disagrees with that attitude when Jesus opposes the “eye for an eye” philosophy: “…Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
You know, how Sneed acted. Not how Flowers or I acted.
Granted, most of us won’t have our injustices played out on national television. Still, we are hurt by comments people make or how we are overlooked for a promotion or how a teacher is treating our child unfairly or how our spouse just shaved his head, knowing how much his wife disapproves. (Pick which of these you think applies to me.) And there’s no one to call “Taunting” and penalize our offender. So, we sulk silently, carrying our offense like a tattered backpack. We don’t allow God to do His work, to teach both us and our offenders the lessons needed to be learned.
Maybe it’s time we learn a Sneed style of doing nothing when we are wronged.
Actually, I think Hubby would prefer that.
HEAL Grants Available to Stabilize Rural Downtown Buildings
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today $500,000 will be available under the Emergency Response Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (Emergency HEAL) program to bring rural downtown buildings back from likely demolition or collapse and rehabilitate them into productive commercial use.
Emergency HEAL was created to provide a resource to address sudden and urgent needs of communities when disaster strikes.
“We have seen too many communities lose beautiful historic buildings after extreme wind events, floods or fires when there weren’t adequate resources available to prevent their demolition,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “This program will help provide rapid funding to save these structures so they can once again contribute to the retail and service economies of rural Kansas communities.”
Buildings that are at risk of imminent loss, that are causing damage to surrounding downtown buildings, and/or have significant damage due to a disaster event are eligible projects for Emergency HEAL. The grant will be open annually, with a maximum of $100,000 award per community. Communities are allowed to use the funding to help save more than one building if needed. Matching funds (1:1) are required.
Submitted projects must show that recent damage has caused an urgent need for immediate repair or the building could be lost. In addition, the community has one year to repair the building and identify a tenant.
Once stabilized, Emergency HEAL grants help bring downtown buildings back into productive use as spaces for:
- Businesses (existing or new)
- Housing
- Arts and culture
- Childcare
- Entrepreneurship or innovation
The application period will open February 9 and close June 1, or until funding is exhausted. A new round will open July 1, 2024, and close June 1, 2025.
A virtual webinar about the specifics of the program is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Thursday, February 8. Registration is required. Interested organizations and building owners can register here.
For additional information about Emergency HEAL, the online application or the webinar, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
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Obituary of Connie Raymond
Connie Sue Raymond, age 63, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at her home. She was born November 10, 1960, in Paola, Kansas, the daughter of Jess Warren Edwards and Shirley Jean Thatcher Edwards. She married David Hayes on June 10, 2008, in Ft. Scott.
Connie was disabled due to a car accident she had as a youth. This same accident took the lives of her mother and older brother. She was a woman of faith and was proud of her Cherokee heritage. Connie enjoyed crocheting and spending time on her computer. She was currently doing an online Bible study.
Survivors include her husband, David Hayes of the home. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers.
There was cremation and no services are planned at this time. Memorials are suggested to the Connie Raymond Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
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Presidential Preference Primary Coming to Kansas in March
Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins spoke to the commissioners on January 23 about the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary election on March 19.
Hawkins stated the last day to register to vote will be February 19th. Early voting will begin at the courthouse on March 11 and run until noon on March 18. On March 19 residents will be able to vote at their normal polling place.
Unaffiliated voters will not be able to vote in this election, Hawkins said. “They would have to register to be a Democrat or Republican, but they can affiliate up until election day. They can re-register as an independent after the election.”
Commissioner Clifton Beth asked who will be paying for this election and Hawkins said the State will be reimbursing the County for what they consider hard-costs such as ballots, building rent, and personnel costs.
The following is from the Kansas Secretary of State’s website about the election:
What is a Presidential Preference Primary?
A presidential preference primary takes an act by the Kansas legislature to be conducted. The enactment takes the responsibility from the two state parties (Republican and Democrat) in Kansas from conducting a caucus, and instead, having the state of Kansas conduct a primary election. It is a “preference” primary because it is an election where the vote totals are given to a political party to allocate delegates to candidates at the national convention. This is not a primary where the voters selected the party candidate.
What is the History of Presidential Preference Primary in Kansas?
In Kansas, it is a function of the state political parties to allocate delegates to presidential candidates at each party’s national convention to select each party’s presidential nominee. Such delegates are chosen via caucus or convention by the political parties. This year, the state legislature decided to resurrect the state-run presidential preference primary, which had only been used in Kansas in 1980 and 1992.
When is the Election?
The Republican and Democratic parties can have a state-run primary election on March 19, 2024. However, either party may opt out of participating in the primary by notifying the Secretary of State on or before December 1, 2023.
Who is on the Ballot?
Presidential candidates must file their candidacy with the Secretary of State 60 days before the election (12:00 p.m. January 19, 2024). Candidates must either pay a $10,000 filing fee or present a petition with 5,000 signatures of registered Kansas voters of the applicable political party.
What Voters Can Participate?
Each political party must notify the Secretary of State in writing on or before January 16, 2024, as to who may vote in the party’s primary election.
Where is my Polling Location?
Like other elections, the county election office will determine where the voting locations are held. Advance voting by mail and advance voting in person are also an option. You will vote at your regular polling place unless you receive a notification by mail from your county election office. You may also verify your polling location on the VoterView website.
Eight Candidates File for the Kansas Presidential Preference Primary
Friday, January 19, 2024
TOPEKA – Secretary of State Scott Schwab announced that eight candidates, four Democrats and four Republicans, met today’s filing deadline for the state’s Presidential Preference Primary. The preference primary will be held on March 19. Candidates were required to pay a $10,000 filing fee and submit notarized paperwork with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.
The Democrat filed candidates are:
Dean Phillips
Jason Michael Palmer
Joseph R Biden Jr.
Marianne Williamson
The Republican filed candidates are:
Donald J. Trump
Nikki R. Haley
Ron DeSantis
Ryan L. Binkley
“I am pleased to have four candidates from each major political party file with our office,” Schwab said. “I encourage Kansans to get out and vote in this historic election.”
As a reminder, the deadline to register or update voter registration is February 20 to participate in the preference primary.
In accordance with K.S.A. 25-4503(d), the Secretary of State’s office conducted the random selection of the ballot order for both political parties on January 22, at the Memorial Hall Auditorium in Topeka.
In addition to the ballot order selected by the Office, each ballot will have four candidate names, as well as a “none of the names shown” option. To learn more about this one-time Presidential Preference Primary visit VoteKansas.gov.
To view the Kansas bill on this subject:
Unapproved Minutes of the U235 Board of Education on January 8
UNIONTOWN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 235
Uniontown, Kansas 66779
Regular Meeting 8 JANUARY 2024
The Board of Education of Uniontown Unified School District 235, State of Kansas, met in regular session on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. in the BOE Meeting Room in Uniontown, Kansas.
Board members present: Mike Mason,Tyler Martin, Brian Stewart, Troy Couchman, Seth Martin, Rhonda Hoener and Matt Kelly
Others present for all or portions of the meeting: Vance Eden, Sherri Hartman, Robert Onelio, Tammy Townsend, Scott Sutton, and Tim Endicott
President Mason called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Mason then led the group in the flag salute and welcomed the new members.
Superintendent Eden read the District Mission Statement.
T Martin, seconded by Stewart, made a motion to approve the agenda with change of STRIKE Information Item B: Sparkwheel update.
Motion passed 7-0.
T Martin, seconded by Stewart, made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 11, 2023 Regular meeting and the December 18, 2023 Special Meeting Minutes.
Motion passed 7-0.
Martin, seconded by Hoener, made a motion to approve the consent agenda.
Motion passed 7-0.
A. Pay bills in the amount of $337,912.65.
B. Approve Treasurer’s Report for December 2023.
No patron addressed the Board.
Principal Onelio gave an oral report to the board.
Superintendent Eden gave written and oral reports to the Board on the Walking Trail, KASB Policy review, Strategic plan update, Graduation on May 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m, and a Capital Project Grant update.
Hoener, seconded by Stewart, made a motion to approve the KASB Policy updates.
Motion passed 7-0.
T Martin, seconded by S Martin, made a motion to go into executive session to discuss an individual employee’s performance pursuant to non-elected personnel exception under KOMA, and the open
meeting will resume at 9:15 p.m.
Motion passed 7-0.
Into Executive Session at 9:00 p.m.
Eden was invited into session.
Out of Executive Session at 9:15 p.m.
T Martin, seconded by Kelly, made a motion to accept the resignation of Luke Davis as UJHS Math Teacher effective 12/31/2023.
Motion passed 7-0.
T Martin, seconded by Couchman, made a motion to approve Schotze Griffiths as a cook.
Motion passed 7-0.
T Martin, seconded by Stewart, made a motion to approve Heather Tarwater as a vehicle driver.
Motion passed 7-0.
T Martin, seconded by Couchman, made a motion to accept the resignation of Bugs George effective March 15, 2024.
Motion passed 7-0.
T Martin, seconded by Kelly, made a motion to approve Jacy Walker as Elementary teacher. Motion passed 7-0.
Martin, seconded by Stewart, made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion passed 7-0.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Date minutes approved ______________________
______________________________
President, Board of Education
__________________________________
Attested: Clerk, Board of Education
The next Regular board meeting is Monday, February 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports February 1
Chamber Announces Love Local & Chocolate Crawl Shopping Event
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces a Love Local Chocolate Crawl shopping event which will take place on Saturday, February 10th. Most stores in the Downtown Historic District and several additional locations will be participating in the fun.
Customers are invited to shop local retailers while sampling a variety of chocolate treats along the way, and many will also be offering drawings and promotions. Locations included in the event will have a Chocolate Crawl poster and red and white balloons displayed at their entrance.
The Chamber encourages the community to shop local, love local and join the Chocolate Crawl on February 10th to celebrate Valentine’s Day. “You can’t buy love, but you can buy local!”
Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.
Starlite FCE Minutes January 2024
The January meeting of the Starlite FCE was held at the Presbyterian Village meeting room. Vice President Joyce Allen called the meeting to order and led the Club in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the Club Collect.
Thirteen member and two guests were in attendance. The members reported that they had volunteered eighteen hours and had recycled ten pounds. The meeting of the previous meeting was read and approved. Doris Ericson presented the treasurer’s report. Doris reported that the club members had donated $160 to Preferred Living and that she had forwarded the money along with $80 donated by others. Doris Moved that the Club purchase our Wreaths across America this month since you can get two for the price of one. Deb Lust seconded the motion, motion carried.
Karen Peery presented some coloring books she had from the American Legion that we may use for our Citizenship project. Terri Williams was going to inquire if we could reproduce them and report at the next meeting. Letha Johnson moved that the meeting be adjourned, Deb Lust seconded the motion, motion carried, meeting adjourned.
After the meeting Claudia Wheeler and Ida Ford presented the lesson on Operation Christmas Child along with the help of Donna Burschell. Claudia and Donna had recently traveled to North Caroline to help with the packing and shipping of the Shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The club received many tips and ideas of items to make and pack.
Refreshments of Sunflower cupcakes, mints, coffee and water was provided by Betty Johnson and Joyce Allen and enjoyed by all.
Prepared by
Terri Williams
…
The Artificers February Newsletter
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The Artificers In February!Check out the calendar below for all events happening this month! |
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Artist Opening and Reception!! |
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Sallys’ Master Artist Classes |
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February Classes |
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Valentines Day “Ghost” ClassWhat’s the first thing you think of when someone says wheel throwing? That steamy movie scene with Patrick & Demi, Right?!? Now’s your chance! Grab your favorite Patrick or Demi and have a Valentine’s event that will go down in the books as if it were a memorable scene out of a movie! |
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GLAZE DAY is February 17th!Come in and “paint” your heart away with all the variety of glazes and pieces we have available! |
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Sneak Peak of Next Month!(subject to change) |
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The Fort Scott City Commission: Memorial Hall Work Session Followed by Regular Meeting on Feb. 6
WORK SESSION – TUESDAY, FEB. 6TH – 5:00PM – Topic of discussion is Memorial Hall
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING – TUESDAY, FEB. 6TH – 6:00PM – Complete Agenda Packet is posted and available on www.fscity.org under AGENDA/MINUTES
Submitted by
Lisa A. Lewis, City Clerk