Speak Out 1/11/09

More compliments

I HONESTLY can't believe people complain about so many things. It is so nice to read a compliment in Speak Out. People should submit those more often. There is a lot of things we all can complain about, but the world is coming to an end. I think we should all start to make sure we are ready and prepared.

Do it yourself

I'D HATE to live in town. It seems that you suddenly become helpless and depend on the government for everything. Out here in the country, when a big storm blows through, not only do we pick up our own limbs, we repair fences, barn roofs and any other damage that's been done. We do it ourselves. We don't have to have an immaculate, leafless yard. I like the leaves on mine. And if we get a monster pothole on our gravel road, we grab a shovel and fill it in with the gravel in the ditch. Or we drive around it.

More about leaves

FOR THE residents who complain about leaves, the fact that our city offers pickup service is a privilege for us. It is not required for the city to pick up our leaves. Our taxes help fund things like this, but our taxes are not dedicated to a leaf pickup program. We should be grateful that the city even offers it to us. Most cities do not offer any sort of program and do not allow burning, so we are already ahead of those cities. Are leaves really worth complaining about? If you are going to rake them to the curb, take a little extra time to get rid of them yourself.

Follow the money

WHY IS the BCS National Championship played on a Thursday night? It would be more fun to have championship parties on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. There must be a reason that follows the money.

Endangered businesses

THE NEW consumer protection law is ridiculous and will cause many small, family-run businesses to close. Small businesses are already endangered in this world full of big chain stores, and this is just one more way to eliminate competition. The lawmakers are not looking out for my children as much as they are looking out for the bottom line of Big Business. Putting me out of business endangers the welfare of my children much more than the small risk of lead in their socks.

Celebrating the seasons

AS I drove past several churches over the New Year's weekend, I noticed how many had already taken down their Christmas decorations. I am saddened to see how many churches ignore the season of Advent by putting up Christmas decorations, then disrespect the season of Christmas by taking down their decorations and ceasing the celebrations the day after Dec. 25. Christmas is a season, just as Lent and Easter are more than one day long, and should be observed as such. Advent is a separate season and should be observed separately as a season of preparation for the joys expressed throughout Christmastide. Christmas officially ends on either Jan. 6, which is the Epiphany (when the magi arrived) and culminates the 12 days of Christmas, or on the following Sunday, which is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, marking the end of Christmas and beginning of the first season of ordinary time/Epiphany Sundays. Churches, especially those of the evangelical persuasion, raise a fuss about losing Christ in Christmas yet completely ignore the blessings of celebrating the many holy days. Observe the blessing of Advent while not losing the ancient tradition of the season of Christmas as well.