Return to Sender Baby by Carolyn Hayward Tucker

Carolyn Tucker. Submitted photo.

Keys to the Kingdom

I can’t say that I’ve followed in my maternal grandmother’s footsteps down to a T.

Grandma Jennings delivered 13 babies in her lifetime, but two were enough for me. I know Grandma Nan and Grandpa Lawrency loved every one of those youngins, but I doubt that every pregnancy was pure joy. I do know that she said, “I’ve never had an easy delivery.” Her first baby, Thomas, was born in 1899, the twins Roy and Troy in 1908, and the last and only girl, Bertha Mae (my mother), was born in 1923. Babies pretty much rock your world, so the Jennings house was rocking for 24 straight years! Babies are priceless, lovable, precious, and nonreturnable.

Many years ago, a baby boy was born with a unique “riches-to-rags-to-riches” story. This miraculous baby enabled all the poor people of the world to become rich. “You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus was: though He was so very rich, yet to help you He became so very poor, so that by being poor He could make you rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 TLB). God’s only begotten Son came from heaven’s riches to a poor broken world to become their Savior. When His salvation mission was finished, he returned to the riches of heaven and is now seated at His Father’s right hand. This perfect one-of-a-kind plan of redemption is free to everyone and supplies unspeakable riches for the believer.

But [Jesus] made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross“ (Philippians 2:7-8 NKJV). Jesus was willing to lay aside His deity in order to save the lost people who were stumbling around in the darkness of sin. “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:2 NLT). Thank God, Jesus is still the light of the whole world.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil: hatred, bitterness, fear, resentment, jealousy, unforgiveness, strife, pride, divisions, wickedness, rebellion, addictions, depression, sorrow, etc. He also came to bring hope, joy, healing to the broken hearted, peace, love, kindness, mercy, grace, comfort, goodness, gentleness, self-control, patience, etc. Jesus was extreme in the fulfillment of His mission. He came to earth as a poor helpless babe, but left as the victorious Lion of Judah holding the keys of death and the grave.

All people should give glory, honor, and thanks to God for the matchless gift of His Son. But they’re not — this Wonderful Gift has been rejected and ridiculed by those who refuse to know Him. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NLT).

God gives benefits to His children, as stated in Psalm 103:1-5. He also gives riches to His children according to Philippians 4:19: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Jesus accomplished His “mission impossible” in extreme love, and we are rich because of His obedience to the Father. “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12 NLT).

The Key: Jesus was the only baby that was stamped “Return to Sender.“

Move to the Country?

Gregg Motley. President of the Regional Economic Development, Inc. Submitted photo.

 

I grew up in a small town, but moved to the city to find fame and fortune (I found neither), which is a common American story in the last 80 years. About 13 years ago, I took a “temporary” consulting job in Southeast Kansas, and fell in love again with the rural lifestyle I had left behind all those years ago. It wasn’t long before my wife (who also had rural roots) and I left city living behind, found our permanent home, and rediscovered country living. We are loving life in Bourbon County and have purchased our retirement home here.

Is this becoming a megatrend in America?

Yes, according to Mark Smither, a strategy expert for Paulsen, a Sioux Falls, South Dakota marketing and research firm. “What accelerated it,” he said in a recent article published online by Agri-Pulse, “was the pandemic, then technology, then employers saying, ‘You can do your job remotely.’” According to his online article entitled, Rural leaders look for innovative ways to attract city folks to the country, his confidence comes from a panel study he did in the summer of 2020 based on a coast to coast survey about relocation.

One encouraging finding of the survey was that 68% of urban dwellers said they would “definitely” consider changing jobs or employers to move to a more rural area, and another 20% said they “probably” would. Coming from the Kansas City metro area, I believe these numbers, knowing that most of my friends and acquaintances were also transplants from rural America, and missed the lifestyle.

It appears that the early winners of this population shift are “micropolitan” areas, which are cities of 10,000 to 50,000. These are people looking for more densely populated rural areas, with scenic qualities, and proximity to a major metropolitan area; especially those with outdoor recreational activities and amenities.

What will it take to attract some of these migrants to more rural areas? According to the article, broadband access, a community college, and quality infrastructure are the keys.

Bourbon County has all the potential in the world to reverse negative population trends, and take advantage of what might be a significant move by Americans out of our major cities. We have scenic qualities (well, for Kansas), proximity to Kansas City and Joplin, outdoor recreational amenities, improving broadband access, and a community college. Our infrastructure definitely needs work.

Bourbon County REDI will be pushing to organize a countywide strategic planning effort so we can deploy our scarce resources in such a way to take advantage of changes that may be coming in American demographics. We want all of Bourbon County to thrive, grow, and preserve what we believe to be a high-quality way of life.

Obituary of Leslie David “Dee” George

Leslie David George, 78, of Uniontown, passed away Thursday evening, December 23, 2021, at his daughter’s home in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Funeral Services for David George will be Tuesday, December 28, 2021, at 1 p.m. at the First Church of God in Fort Scott, Kansas.

The Family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Monday, December 27, 2021, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the First Church of God and sent to, or left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701.

Female Entrepreneurs Dare to Dream

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is sponsoring a Dare to Dream seminar on January 5, starting at 104 N. National Avenue for women entrepreneurs. It starts at 5 p.m.
“Our goal is to connect up-and-coming female entrepreneurs with local women who can mentor them,” HBCAT CEO Jody Hoener said. “We want to inspire these ladies to take on their dreams to become business owners themselves!  The HBCAT wants to provide opportunities to help our community build wealth and income, to come out of poverty, and to take control of their destiny.”
Jody Hoener. Submitted photo.
“This has been a series of four events that have been incredibly well attended and successful,” she said.  “Women are coming and asking questions of the panel and speakers.  They are talking to each other at their tables, networking, and building each other up”.
A dinner, catered by Drywood Creek Cafe,  and a networking time will begin the evening from 5-5:30 p.m.
The Keynote Speaker will be Kristi Banwart.
Kristi Banwart. Submitted photo.
Banwart will speak about how her hobby of making little girl hair bows for her daughter turned into a multi-million-dollar business in 15 years, Hoener said.  “Not only did she build regional and national relationships–but international relationships to help her business grow.”
The agenda also includes a  short panel speaker session which will include Rebecca Williams with The Butcher Block, Angela Simon with Bids and Dibs, and Katie Casper with Union State Bank.

 “They will each discuss a component of business relationships with its supplier, customer, or professional relationships–they are all instrumental in helping build any business,” Hoener said.

 

Rebecca Williams. Submitted photo.
Angie Simon. Submitted photo.
Katie Casper. Submitted photo.
“We will then have open question and answer so the attendees can ask questions to the speakers,  The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce staff, HBCAT staff, or Pittsburg State University’s Small Business Development Center staff,” Hoener said.
There is free childcare available if registered prior to the event.
The support for the seminar is grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas.

Jesu by Patty LaRoche

Patty LaRoche

Brennan Manning tells a beautiful tale that is recounted every Christmas in the forests in southern France. It’s about four shepherds who came to Bethlehem to see the child.

According to this story, one of the shepherds brought eggs, another brought bread and cheese, and the third brought wine. The fourth brought nothing at all. People called that shepherd “L’Enchant.” The first three shepherds chatted with Mary and Joseph, commenting on how well Mary looked, how cozy was the cave decorated by Joseph, and what a beautiful starlit night it was. They congratulated the proud parents, presented them with their gifts and assured them that if they needed anything else, they had only to ask. Finally, someone said, “Where is L’Enchant?” They searched high and low, up and down, inside and out. Finally, someone peeked through the blanket hung against the draft, into the creche. There, kneeling at the crib, was L’Enchant (the Enchanted One). Through the entire night, he stayed in adoration, whispering, “Jesu, Jesu, Jesu Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” Manning’s story ends with this: That is where you and I would be, would we not? Kneeling beside the crib, whispering, “Jesu, Jesu, Jesu.” After all, what else can we offer him? He already reigns over all creation. What can we bring? Only our love and adoration.

So, my question is this: how many Christmases do we let pass without paying homage to our savior, without dedicating the entire holiday season to the One after whom it is named? When I read stories like Manning’s, I wonder which of the four characters I am. Am I all about the gifts I buy, hoping the receiver will be excited about my present as opposed to worrying about him/her wanting to exchange it? Am I all about the festivities and food preparation? Or will my behavior replicate that of L’Enchant’s so that the focus of my holiday activity is centered completely around Jesus? Right now, our family is planning a Christmas vacation…which means tending to dozens of details, Jesus being the most important. Everyone agreed that this year we will dedicate the week we have together to be purposeful in honoring our Savior. We will be unselfish in our White Elephant exchange, and our pickle ball, volleyball and shooting competitions will not bring out any unnecessary challenges or temper tantrums like they have in the past. Meal preparation will be a shared responsibility, we will all bring our favorite Christmas cookie recipe and bake dozens to be distributed, and we will have a day to paint for a family in need. Instead of lavishing gifts on each other, the money saved will be spent on those less fortunate. Every day we are together we will be creative in giving glory to our Reason for this Season. I pray it doesn’t stop there. I pray we do likewise for all the days after that. I imagine L’Enchant would do the same.

Double Murder Investigation

A double homicide is still under investigation in Fort Scott.
All the press releases are coming from the KBI, according to Fort Scott Police Chief Travis Shelton.
The following is a press release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s Facebook page.
On Tuesday, Dec. 21, at approximately 7:40 p.m., the Fort Scott Police Department received a 911 call from a subject who came home to find a female family member had been shot.
When police officers arrived at 402 Main St. in Fort Scott, they located 48-year-old Melissa L. Mitchell who had died from a gunshot wound. They also discovered inside the home, 53-year-old Leonard D. Zimmerman, who had also been shot and was deceased. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. the Fort Scott Police Department requested KBI assistance. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to Fort Scott.
The victims’ son, Dawson J. Mitchell, 23, of Fort Scott, was a person of interest and was wanted for questioning connected to this case.
Mitchell was arrested at approximately 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 22, near the intersection of 5th St. and Judson St. in Fort Scott.
He was arrested for theft of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and unlawful possession of controlled substances.
He was then booked into the Bourbon County Jail.
Currently, Mitchell has not been charged related to the murders.
“Mitchell has not yet been arrested for the murders.” Melissa Underwood, KBI Communications Director, said. “Since he can be held on the other charges, I don’t think that is likely to happen quickly. Additionally, the decision on charges will likely come from the (Bourbon)County Attorney’s Office after we submit our case findings to them.”

The investigation is ongoing.
The jail is known as the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center, Fort Scott.

KDOT requesting comments on STIP amendment

KDOT requesting comments on STIP amendmentThe Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on an amendment to the FFY 2022-2025 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.
The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System.   In addition to this list of projects is the January Administrative Narrative Modification (#2) for updates that have occurred in the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs, Federal Lands & Tribal Transportation Programs and Recreational Trails narrative sections of the STIP  The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burProgProjMgmt/stip/stip.asp.

The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes Jan 5. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management at (785) 296-3254.

Southeast Kansas Library Features New Books

The SEKnFind Newsletter
December 2021

This newsletter about new books is distributed to people who are registered adult users at a southeast Kansas library participating in the SEKnFind catalog. We hope you find it useful, but if you don’t wish to receive this anymore, you can click on the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.
All the books included in this newsletter are new additions in one or more SEKnFind libraries–and since the catalog is shared, that means they are available to you whether they are in your local library or not!  Just place a hold on the item(s) you want.  If you don’t know how, your librarian can show you.

New Fiction

Do I know you? : a novel of suspense
by Sarah Strohmeyer

A woman who can identify strangers by the slightest facial details believes she has found the person responsible for her sister’s disappearance and presumed death, and attempts to disrupt her upcoming celebrity wedding to publicly expose her. 20,000 first printing.

Bright burning things : a novel
by Lisa Harding

Haunted by her failed career and lingering childhood trauma, a former stage performer turns to alcohol but is saved from the brink of the abyss by her son whose love redirects her towards rehabilitation and redemption. 100,000 first printing.

A history of wild places : a novel
by Shea Ernshaw

An expert at locating missing people is asked to find the vanished, well-known author of dark, macabre children’s books and is led to Pastoral, a reclusive community found in the 1970s that many believed to only be a legend.

Eight perfect hours : a novel
by Lia Louis

Two strangers who meet when their cars are both stuck in a blizzard spend a delightful eight hours together weathering the storm before parting ways believing they will never see each other again, but fate has other plans. Original.

Blame it on the mistletoe
by Beth Garrod

When Holly switches places with Elle, her favorite social media influencer, for Christmas, she finds the holiday filled with surprises, especially when she meets Elle’s handsome twin brother, while Elle gets more followers—and more than she bargained for. Original.

The winter guest
by Pam Jenoff

Raising their younger siblings in rural Poland under the shadow of Nazi occupation, 18-year-old Nowak twins Helena and Ruth find their lives endangered when Helena falls in love with a stranded American paratrooper that culminates into a singular act of betrayal. 10,000 first printing.

The cat who saved books
by Sōsuke Natsukawa

When a talking cat named Tiger demands that he help save books with him, high school student Rintaro Natsuki and Tiger embark on an amazing journey, liberating books from their neglectful owners and meeting a colorful cast of character along the way. 35,000 first printing.

The bone shard emperor
by Andrea Stewart

Taking the throne she won at so much cost, Lin Sukai must place her trust in the powerful magicians of legend who have returned to the Empire to help her defeat the rebels and restore peace among her people. 50,000 first printing.

The Apollo murders : a novel
by Chris Hadfield

In 1973, the crew of NASA’s Apollo 18 collide with Russian astronauts on the lunar surface far beyond the reach of law or rescue, in this high-stakes thriller unlike any other. 150,000 first printing.

Where they wait : a novel
by Scott Carson

Out-of-work war correspondent Nick Bishop takes a job writing a profile for a new mindfulness app called Clarity, which becomes more disturbing by the minute, especially when he discovers that no one with Clarity has any interest in his article—only in him. 60,000 first printing

Ridgeline : a novel
by Michael Punke

In 1866, a new war breaks out on the western frontier between a young ambitious nation and the Native tribes who have lived on the land for centuries, in this fascinating saga, based on real people and events, that grapples with essential questions of conquest and justice that still echo today. 100,000 first printing.

Assassin’s witness : a Great Western Detective League case
by Paul Colt

“Two powerful railroads clash in a dispute over the Royal Gorge right-of-way to serve a valuable silver strike in Colorado. A reclusive financier with substantial holdings in the Denver & Rio Grande commissions the Knights of Labor to foment labor unrestagainst rival Atkins Topeka & Southern to delay development of the Royal Gorge spur while the dispute is litigated. Stephen Atkins, owner of the AT&S, turns to Pinkerton for assistance in breaking the strike. Atkins learns financier Eli Chorus is responsible for his labor troubles. He calls on Don Victor Carnicero and his El Anillo crime syndicate to eliminate his Chorus problem. When Great Western Detective League operative Beau Longstreet breaks up the assassination attempt, killing the El Anillo assassin, he becomes the assassin’s witness. Don Victor vows vengeance. El Anillo operatives threaten Longstreet’s life and the life of his love. Assassin’s Witness careens from violent confrontation to diabolical treachery in a deadly hail of bullets shroudedin mystery and tainted in loss”

New Nonfiction

Abandoned Eastern Kansas : Skeletons of the Sunflower State
by Regina Daniel

Beyond the wheat fields and off the beaten path, these abandoned and forgotten places lay in wait to tell their stories of a more productive and useful time. From small towns to ghost towns and all the places in between, the vastness of Eastern Kansas can be seen as a curse that will slowly drain a place dry or an untapped resource. Even though these locations are far from the ever-growing city’s reach, they face the same fate when expansion is needed for improvements, or there isn’t enough demand to continue daily operations. However these stories play out, all that is left is a reminder of what used to be: abandoned relics of lives, dreams, and businesses scattered across the open heartland of Eastern Kansas.

Daily magic : spells and rituals for making the whole year magical
by Judika Illes

The paraprofessional crisis counselor and author of The Encyclopedia of Spirits shares a year’s worth of spells and magic-oriented rituals for harnessing everyday power and honoring spiritually significant dates, from Midsummer’s Eve to Samhain. 25,000 first printing.

Our biggest experiment : an epic history of the climate crisis
by Alice R. Bell

Drawing from science, politics and technology, this illuminating book sheds new light on the little-known scientists throughout history who helped build our modern understanding of climate change.

Yellow Bird : oil, murder, and a woman’s search for justice in Indian country
by Sierra Crane Murdoch

“When Lissa Yellow Bird was released from prison in 2009, she found her home, the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, transformed by the Bakken oil boom. In her absence, the landscape had been altered beyond recognition, her tribal government swayed by corporate interests, and her community burdened by a surge in violence and addiction. Three years later, when Lissa learned that a young white oil worker, Kristopher ‘KC’ Clarke, had disappeared from his reservation worksite, she became particularly concerned. No one knew where Clarke had gone, and no one but his mother was actively looking for him. Unfolding like a gritty mystery, Yellow Bird traces Lissa’s steps as she obsessively hunts for clues to Clarke’s disappearance. She navigates two worlds — that of her own tribe, changed by its newfound wealth, and that of the non-Native oil workers, down on their luck, who have come to find work on the heels of the economic recession. Her pursuit becomes an effort at redemption — an atonement for her own crimes and a reckoning with generations of trauma. Yellow Bird is both an exquisitely written, masterfully reported story about a search for justice and a remarkable portrait of a complex woman who is smart, funny, eloquent, compassionate, and — when it serves her cause — manipulative. Ultimately, it is a deep examination of the legacy of systematic violence inflicted on a tribal nation and a tale of extraordinary healing”

The least of us : true tales of America and hope in the time of fentanyl and meth
by Sam Quinones

From the best-selling author of Dreamland comes a searing follow-up that explores fentanyl and the quiet yet groundbreaking steps communities are taking to end the opioid crisis nationwide

Where the Wild Things Grow : A Forager’s Guide to the Landscape
by David Hamilton

Drawing on 25 years of foraging experience, David Hamilton show us how and where to hunt for the food that is hidden all around us. Along the way he delves into the forgotten histories and science of wild foods and their habitats and reveals his many foraging secrets, tips and recipes. You’ll discover where to find mallows, mustards and pennywort, as well as sumac, figs and mulberries. You’ll learn how to pick the sweetest berries, preserve mushrooms using only a radiator and prepare salads, risottos and puddings all with wild food.

A bake for all seasons : A Bake for All Seasons
by Paul Hollywood

Featuring judges recipes and favorites from the 2021 bakers, the newest cookbook from the hit television baking show includes recipes made on the broadcast, cook’s notes and measuring conversions from metric to imperial. 50,000 first printing. Illustrations.

The unofficial book of handmade Cricut crafts : creating personalized gifts with your electronic cutting machine
by Crystal Allen

“Crystal’s hope is that the techniques learned throughout the book, along with the (free!) included cut files, will inspire you to create designs of your own that you can not only gift, but also sell on creative marketplaces such as Etsy and even at craft fairs. With your Cricut cutting machine and this book, you’lll always be prepared with a handmade gift idea for any occasion including holidays, birthdays, graduations, baby showers, housewarmings, weddings, and more!”

Powers and thrones : a new history of the Middle Ages
by Dan Jones

This epic history of the medieval world, which was forged by the big forces that still occupy us today—climate change, pandemic disease, mass migration and technological revolutions, shows us how every sphere of human life and activity was transformed in the thousand years covered by this book.

Finding the Wild West : Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas the Great Plains : Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas
by Mike Cox

“From the famed Oregon Trail to the boardwalks of Dodge City to the great trading posts on the Missouri River to the battlefields of the nineteenth-century Indian Wars, there are places all over the American West where visitors can relive the great Western migration that helped shape our history and culture. This guide to the Great Plains states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas–one of the five-volume Finding the Wild West series–highlights the best-preserved historic sites as well as ghosttowns, reconstructions, museums, historical markers, statues, and works of public art that tell the story of the Old West. Use this book in planning your next trip and for a storytelling overview of America’s Wild West history”

Bourbon County Local News