Beech Tree News Network

This Wednesday the 23^rd, the 109^th edition of the Fall Classic kicks off as the St. Louis Cardinals play the Boston Red Sox in a classic North/South battle.  I know there are a lot of fans of both teams around this area, possibly more St. Louis than Boston because of proximity.  I thought before we got into the meat of the Series, I’d give a little background.

I don’t usually have a big interest in events occurring in the political arena. But, Congressional action – or inaction – resulting in the recent partial government shutdown caught my attention.

Sauntering down the cowpath, kickin’ clods and thinkin’. Can a computer relate a story to give meaning to a fact, or word; or tell a joke; smile, frown, or make a billy-face? Or put a kid on the shoulder and say, “good job”? No. but a good teacher can.
    Constantly following rules to produce a fine worth of art, music, literature, horse shoeing or flower arranging, will most time result in less than a satisfactory outcome. Learn the rules first, then put them on the back burner. After the rules, plug in vision and creation. Don’t “paint by the numbers.”

My oldest sister has learned to text and she is driving me crazy.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister, but all of her texts end with question marks or are so open-ended that I have to respond.  Also, she’s not the most patient person in the world.  The exchange might go something like this:
    HAVE YOU RENTED THAT MOVIE I TOLD YOU ABOUT YESTERDAY?
    NOT YET.
    YOU REALLY SHOULD, IT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH.
    IT SOUNDS REALLY FUNNY.
    THERE’S ANOTHER ONE YOU’LL REALLY LIKE TOO.
And on it goes for another fifteen minutes.

How many times have we heard people say words to the effect, “If you tell me that there is only one way to Heaven, then you are condemning me (or my family, etc.).”? Is this a valid charge?

Next week, October 21-27, is Kentucky Retired Teacher Week. Teachers, active or retired, have a tremendous impact on their communities.

There is an old song that says, "Whatever you can do, I can do better."  This describes the height of ego; it's also not true.    I can plow corn with a one-line mule and a double-shovel, but I know as much about computers as a hog does about the plan of salvation.
In an old Shirley Temple movie, Shirley told her grouchy governess that her duck laid an egg.  The sour governess replied with, "What's so special about that?"  "Can you lay and egg?" Shirley said.

Last Saturday, I was shoveling out the hallway of the barn.  My horse, D’Artagnon, has trouble with his feet in the spring and fall; those are the two times during the year when the pasture grass causes founder in horses prone to grass founder, as D’Artagnon is.  I have to put him up and feed him a diet of just hay.  He hates it and I hate it for him.

Every day we learn of people who have died. Some die in their old age, some in their youth. Regardless of how long we live, or the reason for dying, our life is brief at its longest. Moses wrote that our life is “soon cut off” (Ps. 90:10). James says our life is, “even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (Jas. 4:14).

Oh, you didn’t know? Rochester, Central City, Morgantown are just a few of our local towns in this little part of Western Kentucky.  However, these cities are in different states.  Before you think I’m talking out of my, well you know, allow me to explain.  Rochester, Minnesota is one that most know.  Did you know there was a Rochester, New Hampshire? It’s in Strafford County, NH.  As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,752.  The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic.  Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair.  What of Rochester, MN?