Beech Tree News Network

Certainly, 2016 has been an event-filled year. The year may be remembered for (1) senseless terrorist activities around the world – a waste of human lives; (2) the U.S. presidential campaign and election; and (3) increasing financial inequality around the world and at home. Of course, some events were more important than others. The events below – randomly ordered – are memorable:

As we know, Kentuckians as a culture largely avoid change. On November 8, 2016, Kentuckians went against the nearly 100 year grain and elected a Republican majority in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Kentuckians are ready for a change in House leadership that will bring about a new direction for our Commonwealth through more jobs and business opportunities. 

After working with all men for the last few years, it has come to my attention that there are certain things that wouldn’t exist if not for women, apart from the obvious things like babies and “The View,” that is.  When you work with men, those things become quickly apparent. 

It is hard to believe 2017 is nearly upon us. After the whirlwind of Thanksgiving, Christmas is nearly here. Lights are on the trees and candles are in the windows and children are writing their lists to Santa. It is the season of giving and a perfect time for communities to come together to help those in need.

Jesus warned the eleven: “Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me” (Jn. 16:1-3). This is an eye-opening statement to me. Jesus said that there were some people who were quite zealous and adamant about their beliefs, yet they were wrong! Jesus warned of folks killing the apostles, and in so doing, thinking they were serving God! How wrong can people get?

Well since it’s “officially” winter now and we’ve had our first snow, I thought I’d share a picture I took a few years ago at Woodbury. This is probably one of my favorite winter pictures I’ve captured. I know snow and ice can be so dangerous, but it can also be so peaceful if you can just enjoy it. There’s beauty in everything God provides, sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper to find it sometimes.

CHRISTMAS SPIRITS

Geologists are concerned that the Dead Sea’s water level is dropping faster than Santa from the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Experts estimate the water level in this famous sea separating Israel and Jordan dropped by more than 131 feet since the 1950s and continues to lose more than three feet of water annually.

It’s not because too much water is somehow flowing out of the Sea of Salt, as it’s known.

One of the sea’s unique features is that it’s the terminal lake of the equally famous River Jordan. Water flows in from the Jordan but none flows out.

Laurel County, Kentucky was founded on December 21, 1825.  Kalmia latifolia, commonly called mountain laurel, calico bush or spoonwood, is a broadleaved evergreen shrub in the heather family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States.  Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana.  Mount laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.  It’s the namesake of Laurel County, KY and Laurel, Mississippi(founded 1882).  Estimated 2015 Laurel County population was 60.094.

I want to give a heartfelt thank you to all who have supported the Boys and Girls Club of Butler County in the past. Our fundraising for the year of 2016 has been great.
We are in our twentieth (20th) year, and we now serve over 700 kids a year in the various youth programs we offer. We have 400 members who at different times attend our afterschool program or our summer camp (six weeks).