“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3: 18

Barb Seay sent me an email, with an encouraging song recording in it. When I listened to the song, “Take Heart,” the lyrics warmed my heart. Some of the thoughtful lines were, “take heart, take a break, take my hand, I know things are looking dark. In this world you will have troubles, but I have come to overcome the world, so take heart.” That is what most of us need in this time of “troubles” in

our nation during this pandemic and during the riots and demonstrations. Some people are asking themselves, “where do we go from here,” or “how should we listen?” We can be better people than we have been before. We must be humbler and kinder.

Last Tuesday was a windy afternoon. We heard several sirens blaring and several vehicles by the fire station and saw Eads firemen racing west. After I found out that the fire was near Haswell, I called the Haswell Propane and Antique Shop to see if my families were safe. Colby Stoker answered and said they were fine. The fire started several places on Highway 96, flaming off to the south. It may have been started by sparks from a vehicle. There was a good response from seven or more surrounding towns who sent their fire trucks.

All week we have been remembering the happenings from the two graduation ceremonies at the Eads football field parking lot last week. The stage for Mrs. Gaye Uhland’s Kindergarten class was designed so beautifully. It was filled with hundreds of purple, gold, and white balloons, and a large “Class of 2033” banner where the young students posed for photos. Afterwards each family paraded their little child in an automobile up and down Maine Street. The senior class’ stage was decorated with sunflowers and several live flower arrangements brought to the stage by Mrs. Mary Vasquez. After the seniors drove up and down Maine Street, they first gathered in a circle at the Christian Church lot to toss up their purple mortar boards before they drove to the Praise Community Church to stand around the tables as people drove around to give cards or gifts to the graduates before they left to their own homes for parties. Community people are grateful to Mr. Terry Riley who brought the Crow-Luther Cultural Events Center’s stage and his own sound system to make the graduation ceremony more special. Also, the senior graduation could be watched by live streaming and it could be heard on KVAY radio.

Congratulations to former Eads High School graduate from 1978, Karen (Ebright) Bryant of Lamar, who was named recently by the Prowers County Hospital Board to be the CEO of the Prowers County Medical Center. Karen has held several leadership roles in the hospital management since 1992. Her mother is Verna Ebright of Eads.

Trice Watts, Eads High School Alumni, is another graduate who we are proud of for his medical field finance experience. He worked in the Prowers County Medical Center office for several years then took a job in the Greeley County Hospital District. Recently, Trice was named CEO of the hospital facility in Tribune, Kansas. Trice’s parents are Milton and Dawn Rae Watts of Eads.

Charlotte Woelk is so good to call people on their birthdays to greet them. She discovered when she called Jimmy Bendorf’s daughter, Terri, to wish him “happy birthday” that he is in swing bed in Weisbrod Hospital. When Charlotte called him here in Eads, he was most happy to talk to a friend. He has lived in Colorado Springs all winter and is transitioning back to Eads.

Congratulations to Bill and Charlotte Woelk on their 65 years of marriage! Their daughter, Char, prepared an evening anniversary dinner for them at her country home June 5.

Friday afternoon in 101-degree sunshine, a really large group of relatives and friends gathered for the burial of Margit Parker (103) of Lamar. Margit was born and raised at Wild Horse, and lived most of her life around Eads and Lamar. The pastor asked the people at the memorial service to raise their hands if they were one of her 163 grandchildren. The wonderful lady is survived by eight children. Two sons and six grandchildren have died.

Helen (Vernie) Miller’s memorial service was held in Haswell Saturday. Some ladies of the community served a lunch for her family, the children of Greg and Nancy Miller of Haswell.

Since we won’t have a swimming pool this summer, more families are setting up pools in their yards. This will be a nice pasttime for the summer.

When I called my brother, Virgil Allen, to wish him a happy 80^{th b}irthday last Tuesday, he was playing with the new toy that his wife gave him. It was a Kubota lawn mower tractor, which his grandson, Shane Junior, who is a salesman in Burlington, had delivered as a surprise.

Senior citizen-aged people really do appreciate their good neighbors who call them or go by to check on their welfare. I feel so blessed and thankful to all the dear people who have been so kind to me.

Let’s continue to pray for healing in our nation and the world.

Shalom!