Beech Tree News Network

Kentucky's mildly suspenseful midterm election season went late into the night before some final results were known but didn’t deliver any huge surprises.

In his effort to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, Charles Booker's promise to "shock the world" barely registered as an electoral tremor.

Shorter days and colder temperatures are evidence of autumn and the impending arrival of the holiday season. Kentucky residents from communities across the bluegrass have completed, or will complete, their civic duty by visiting their local polling station and casting votes for those they wish to represent them in local, state and federal office. Having exercised our sacred voting rights on November 8, we celebrate the very individuals who defend the rights unique to American citizens.

Back Under the Covers

Last week, I was trying to put drops into my eyes with the new drops my ophthalmologist prescribed for my dry eye condition.  I struggled with the bottle for days before I finally approached Garey for help.

“Can you see if I have all the seals broken on this bottle,” I said.  “I have to squeeze the daylights out of it to get a single drop to come out.”

Garey looked it over, told me to tilt my head back, then put drops into my left eye, with seemingly little effort.

“How did you do that?” I asked.

Ezra 1:2-11 records Cyrus’ edict that allowed the people to return to the land of Israel. He knew their purpose was to build a Temple in Jerusalem (v. 3). He encouraged people to give the travelers gold, silver, animals, and other things needed for the journey (v. 4, 6). They were even given the vessels necessary for worship that had been stolen by Nebuchadnezzar so long ago (v. 8-11). They were given everything essential for the trip and worshipping God in Jerusalem.

There are a lot of things I like about Cracker Barrell.  Obviously, the food is good but I really like the classic feel and ambiance.  I specifically like all the old signs that harken back to companies of the past, some of which might not even be in existence anymore.  One of those signs was for Nehi soft drinks.

When the fall weather arrives, my food choices change. For lunch today, I had a delicious salad, but I wanted chili. For a few days now, I have craved chili and hot cocoa. It’s odd how my taste changes with the seasons.

Wondering what others prefer in the fall, I asked friends and family: “What foods do you look forward to or crave during the fall months?” Their responses are listed below:

-Give me all the soups! I love soup and chili!

-Chili, burgoo or vegetable soup.

There is a verse in Second Timothy that reads: “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use (NIV).  I don’t think my husband, Garey, has ever read that verse or if he has, I believe he has misinterpreted it.  He tends to take some of the things I have set aside for special purposes and puts them to common use.  

Lasciviousness or licentiousness is a word found six times in the New Testament (Mk. 7:22; II Cor. 12:21; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:19; I Pet. 4:3; Jude 4). This is not a word used often in the 21st century, but the definition of this word is seen almost daily in the lives of ungodly men. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says lasciviousness has to do with “filthy words, unchaste movements of the body.” Mr. Thayer says it also includes the “unchaste handling of males and females” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, p. 79-80).

To say that Constitutional Amendment 1 on this year’s ballot giving the legislature additional meeting days and more flexibility about when it meets has an uphill climb toward passage is a significant understatement.