JOHN DAY — No column this week.

MONUMENT — The year 2024 is quickly coming to a close. We did not have a lunch on the 24th of December, so I guess I will just take this opportunity to write what comes to mind as I reflect on the past year and how the Lord has been in everything, the good, the bad, and even the ugly.

2024 has been quite an interesting year. We had a lot of fires this past summer and that was life-changing and sort of an awakening process, too. We no longer take for granted the intrinsic value of what really matters in this life. First and foremost is my belief and faith in my King and Lord, Jesus Christ. He is my all in all. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord God Almighty. He is in control of everything and my hope and trust is in Him alone. Everything else in this life comes second to Him. Jesus is the one Who got us through all the uncertainties of this past year.

In Psalms 34, it says that we are to bless the Lord at all times, and that His praise will continually be on our lips. No matter what circumstance we are in, if our eyes are fixed on Jesus, there is peace and joy even in the midst of hardship and suffering. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). The Lord is our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer in times of trouble (Psalms 18:2). His perfect love casts our all fear (1 John 4:18). I believe He is who He says He is and that He always keeps His promises. God has never, ever lost a battle and He certainly isn’t going to start now.

Our Father in heaven is so good. He brought everyone together to help one another and to be a real community during our fires. I am so thankful for this community and the people all around me. We don’t always have the same opinions and there may be differences, but what really matters is that we are all created in the image of God and everyone is the same, no matter what color, race, or beliefs. The two greatest commandments that the Lord Jesus gave us were to love God, first and foremost, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and, second, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

With all the uncertainties that are ahead of us in the upcoming year of 2025, there is one thing I hold fast to, that God is still on the throne. He is perfect in everything He does. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-10). He has a plan and what that is is He wants to reconcile us to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ because He created us and loves us. I want to live in Heaven and be with the Father forever, and the only way is through the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what the Bible says, not what I say (John 14:6). I pray that the Lord bless you all in the upcoming year and that He would reveal His love, grace, and power to each and every one of you! With love and blessings, Soo.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

PRAIRIE CITY — Well, here we are at he end of another year. What did you accomplish that will be remembered in 10 years? That’s a depressing thought, isn’t it? Have been reading history book published in the 1870s or so. Am up to the Crusades and oh, my gracious! what a fiasco. The point being that people today do not have a clue what happened 1,000-1,500 years ago that affects our world today. So does what we do as individuals today have any effect on the world’s future situations? Answer: depends on your worldview. That’s enough of that …

Am having to write this on the laptop computer at the Hall and it is so touchy! I am always losing my work because I accidentally hit the wrong button. Why do I have to use it? Because my printer sent a message to my computer that the box that holds all the ink-head cleanings is almost full and I shouldn’t print until I get it replaced. Oh, wonderful!

And that was just one of the things I had to deal with in this modern electronic world! I have an old cassette tape recorder/player that is so easy to operate — to me. Have a super-duper modern marvel called a voice recorder that I would like to use to record my personal history for the grandchildren. I can get it turned on, I can make it record, but after that things get very messy. How do I make sure that the next time I want to record, I don’t erase what I’ve already done? The answer to that question takes up a lot of space with saving to files and such by pressing this tiny button then that other tiny button. Well, maybe the old camcorder will be simpler. Ha, ha. Same problem. And if I ask a teenager to show me how to do it, they just do it and don’t teach me! Aauugh! Time to go do something else …

My latest sewing project was to take apart a pantsuit I made sometime in the last 10-15 years. And boy, I made it to stay together! Had a terrible time getting the stitches out. Took a couple weeks and my hands did not like it! But perseverance pays off. Had to piece the material back together like a quilt so I could use the fabric to make a new item — a long vest. Want to line it with some other fabric that has been stuffed in a drawer for years. Stay tuned.

Thanks to all the people and organizations that have donated to our cause this past year. We appreciate it very much! Come on in and have a meal with us next year. We’d love to see you!

Revelation 19.9 — And he saith unto me, write, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, there are the true sayings of God.