I HAVE A DREAM!

I have a dream! I dream of Crothersville becoming a thriving little town with several businesses and specialty shops worth getting off the interstate or just stopping in to check out and patronize.

I dream of a town that is not dying or even just surviving, but actually thriving. (That means healthy and growing.)

I dream of a town which provides an inviting town park for all to use. I dream of a town which provides a community center and activities for its citizens of varying ages. I dream of a town where all are educated appropriately, and where families are proud to made their homes and proud of the homes they make. I dream of a town where the churches are almost filled (that leaves room for a few more).

I dream of a town which appreciates and advertises its positives, and recognizes and overcomes its weaknesses--a place where citizens work together. I dream of a town which shines because of all it is and has and offers. I dream of the time when Crothersville is regarded as a small but precious jewel of a place--a little town with lots to offer. Yes, I do have a dream! How about you?

FAITH****FAMILIES***FRIENDS****FUTURE

IN MEMORY

This space is dedicated

to the memory of

JOHN FREDERICK HOLZWORTH

December 12, 1939

-

December 8, 1996

A Christmas Poem by Joseph Bayly

Praise Him for the incarnation,
for the Word made flesh.
I will not sing of shepherds
watching flocks on frosty nights,
or angel choristers.
I will not sing of a stable bare in Bethlehem,
or lowing oxen,
wise men trailing star with gold,
frankincense, and myrrh.
Tonight I will sing praise to the Father
who stood on heaven's threshold
and said farewell to his Son
as he stepped across the stars
to Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
And I will sing praise to the infinite, eternal Son
who became most finite, a baby
who would one day be executed for my crime.
Praise him in the heavens,
Praise him in the stable,
Praise him in my heart.

John 1 gives a nontraditional look at Christmas. You
might want to read it in conjunction with Joseph Bayly's
profound poem, which has become one of my favorites.
Philippians 2:5-11 is also an appropriate scripture passage.

UNCHANGING

Following the recent election, Barack Obama was elected to become the next U. S. President. Whatever your opinion of this candidate, we know that his campaign was based on the need for change. Some changes are necessary, inevitable, and/or desirable. Some are not! A change in the executive branch of government was necessary and inevitable. Hopefully Obama will make the desirable, needed changes in an open and amenable way.

Meanwhile, change happens all around us. I have certainly changed over my 62 years. The seasons change over the course of the year. Industry, transportation, music, fashion, technology, and many other things continue to change. Progress is often synonymous with change. Change is often part of growth.

BUT SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE! The God in whom I have placed my faith has never changed, although my understanding of Him has no doubt changed. His love is a constant. God's desire for fellowship with mankind has not changed. His church, although not always engaged in appropriate activities, still stands. The Word of God abides forever. And the place prepared for us is eternal, which means forever, unchanging.

As the hymn, Great is thy Faithfulness, says so well:

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

(Chorus)

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided--

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Thomas O. Chisholm, p.17, Sing Joyfully

Crothersville Was Buzzing with Activity

Last night (Halloween) our CARD group was passing out treat to the children who stopped at our designated spot. The town was full of people and cars, and I remarked to someone that this is probably how it used to be back in the "glory days" (50's and 60's). It was good to see that! Also, I was impressed by the parents accompanying their children. Almost all the children were with parents, grandparents, or other adults in charge. Many of the children said thank you for what they received, and all of them were polite. There were several groups giving out treats in order to encourage a safe and happy Halloween for the children.

A couple of younger kids actually remembered me from school and claimed they were sorry I had retired, because they had wanted to be in my class. That is a shocker!

One of our group was actually in costume (her clown attire)! And we were able to discuss some business toward the end of our stint. We are looking forward to preparing a basket for the Senior Citizens' silent auction at their Christmas dinner, and to the FFA Christmas Craft Show and Christmas Kick-Off for Crothersville, a joint event on November 22. Aunt Samantha's will be having an open house that day, along with a lot of other Crothersville organizations and businesses. CARD will be sponsoring a Santa House and lights will be turned on. We're excited about the opportunity to see Crothersville working together to kick off the holiday season.

(CARD is an acronym for Crothersville Area Revitalization and Development.)

What Would This Ghost Say?

As Halloween nears, we think of ghosts. This very special poem celebrates two very special people who live on in our memories, a mother and her son.

If Nancy Hanks came back as a ghost,
Seeking news of what she loved most,
She'd ask first, "Where's my son?
What's happened to Abe? What's he done?"

"You wouldn't know about my son?
Did he grow tall? Did he have fun?
Did he learn to read? Did he get to town?
Do you know his name? Did he get on?"

The above stanzas from the poem, Nancy Hanks, evoked A Reply to Nancy Hanks by
Julius Silberger:
Yes, Nancy Hanks, the news we will tell
Of your Abe whom you loved so well.
You asked first, "Where's my son?"
He lives in the hearts of everyone.

Indiana has a special part in celebrating the upcoming bicentennial of Lincoln's birthday. I am privileged to have Lincoln's Boyhood Home license plates, which I special-ordered at no extra cost. Eventually they will become a part of my Indiana
collection.

FALL AT LAST

It's fall at last! I love fall--the colors of the changing leaves, the color of the sky--

create "a picture that no painter has the colorin' to mock." Fall feels brisk and purposeful at times, lovely and leisurely at others. But one of my favorite things about fall is Riley's poem, When the Frost is on the Punkin. When I taught fourth grade, one assignment was always to memorize that poem. Then Mr. Don Hill would come to school impersonating Mr. Riley, reciting his poetry, and the place would ROCK when the fourth graders joined the recitation. I'm going to "recite" the first verse of that poem here, from memory:

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock;

And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey cock,

And the clackin' of the guineas and the cluckin' of the hens,

And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence,

Oh, it's then's the times a feller is afeelin' at his best

With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,

As he leaves the house bareheaded and goes out to feed the stock

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

I have been fortunate enough to visit Greenfield, where Riley was born, and where

the Riley Festival is celebrated each year. Later this year I hope to visit Lockerbie

Street in Indianapolis, where Mr. Riley lived and wrote his poems.