Columns

Just a Thought, by Rick Kraft

We are always in one of three spots in our lives: moving into a storm, in the middle of a storm, or moving out of a storm.

Bottom line, storms happen to each one of us. They come with living life.

Accept this fact. Some storms are bigger than others. The storms we encounter may arise from our immediate family such as our relationship with our spouse or children. They may arise from our extended family such as our parents, grandparents, or in-laws.

We think we know where we’re going. But do we, really?

The world has changed a lot in our lifetimes, and I’m not just talking to the old fogies out there. A lot of unthinkable things have happened, and they linger in the news and in our lives — often as unexplainable events.

For example, violence has taken some incredible turns in recent years. When I was a kid, there were occasional reports of airplanes hijacked by desperate criminals or revolutionaries with political agendas.

 Work of Art

A simple act of closing a car door inspired this column. Even I find it hard to have so many memories conjured up from this basic action.

Let me explain: Cars built this century generally have door-closing mechanisms that require only the slightest bit of energy to assure a tight seal. Cars built last century ­ ­— and that covers a wide span — often failed to close completely on the first try.

Just a Thought, by Rick Kraft

Twenty years ago, Mother Teresa’s selfless earthly life ended on Sept. 5, 1997.

She changed her address and went to be with the God, Whom she had faithfully served throughout her life. Mother Teresa lived her life modeling the scripture from Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you neglected to do unto one of the least of these, you neglected to do unto me!”