Viewpoints

The Story of God’s Love

“Back-to-school” has happened for most public schools - a joy for parents and a concern for most of the kids. I, too, will be attending continuing education events in October, so I’m reminded that we are never too old to learn something new.

One of the reasons graduation is referred to as “commencement” is because you’re moving on to commence upon the next level of education - whether that means a degree program or just living life in the “real world.”

When it comes to our relationship with God, there will never be a time when you “graduate” with all the knowledge and answers to life’s questions. When young people are Confirmed into membership that doesn’t signal the end of their Christian education, it is to be a “commencement” to the next level of learning and relationship.

To the Editor:

My father, Vic Schwartzhoff of Dorchester, Iowa, ran the General Store there in the 1950s and 1960s, and he had a book on World War II which I would go through many times. I don’t know what it was called, but it was hardback and maybe four inches thick.

Someone borrowed it, and like things go, it wasn’t brought back.

I am just wondering if anyone might have the book laying around and could give me the name and numbers on it so I might be able to find another volume. Please contact me at my email, wpell@myyahoo.com.

Thank you,

Winifred (Schwartzhoff) Pell
 

This past July our youth group joined two hundred and fifty others for our national youth convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was in Cincinnati because that put us near the Creation Museum west of Cincinnati and the Ark Encounter just across the border in Kentucky. These two wonderful sites help the Bible come to life through evidence for creation, responses to evolutionary claims, and a life-sized recreation of Noah’s ark!

Our theme for this year was “In the beginning…” which comes from the very first verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This is how it all began. Out of nothing there was something by the power of His word. God created a beautiful world in six twenty-four hour days and rested on the seventh. 

To the Editor:

What do you do when you are in a hole over your head? You stop digging! Iowa is in a big hole. We are failing in education - ranking 13th in the country, economic growth, population growth, healthcare and OBGYN (obstetrics and gynecology) doctors. Our water quality is abysmal and our cancer growth rate is the highest in the country.

We have the worst Governor in the country and the whole state government is controlled by one party. They have been in control for ten years, and how’s your economic health? Can you afford your drugs, or to see a doctor? How much do you spend on gas and groceries? How about rent or home ownership?

And then there’s your rights. Can you decide about your own body? Who you are? Who has access to your personal data? Our state’s voter rolls have been turned over to the federal administration, and who knows who has access to our personal information, including our social security numbers.

To the Editor:

Affordability: A big word for a very important concept: Can I afford these items?

In April 2025, President Trump announced his tariffs and I thought, “Whoa. Tariffs will increase the prices to the consumers!” When I went to the grocery store in Waukon, I kept my receipt.  When cleaning my billfold, I found the receipt dated 4/8/2025.

I compared some of the prices in April 2025 to prices for the same items last week - in Waukon at the same grocery store.

Hamburger was 2.99/pound. Now $5.49. Increase of $2.50 or 84% higher.
Decaf coffee was $8.98. Now $12.99. Increase of $4.00 or 45% higher.
Regular coffee was $9.98. Now $14.98. Increase of $5.00 or 50% higher.
Chocolate chips were $3.99. Now $6.39. Increase of $2.40 or 60% higher.
And gas in Waukon was $2.89/gallon. Now $3.89. Increase of $1.00 or 35% higher.

To the Editor:

We all want leaders who put Iowa first. No matter our political party, we expect the people we elect to represent us, not any president, party, or special interest.

Sadly, Iowa’s U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators prioritize loyalty to Trump over addressing the needs of their constituents. These elected officials, who are of the same party as Trump and who control the House and Senate, voted for Trump’s  tariffs even though these raised the cost of groceries and essential goods.  They voted six times to support Trump’s war of choice in Iran even as the conflict has driven up fuel prices and farmers’ fertilizer costs with no end in sight.  They voted for Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires (H.R. 1) paid for on backs of ordinary Iowans, through cuts to healthcare, educational loans, food assistance, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security and programs that assist Iowa families.

To the Editor:

There is a phrase, The American Dream, that we could believe means the same thing to everyone. However, a conversation with our family, friends and neighbors could reveal there are many different versions of the phrase. Are any of the versions affordable food, gas, housing, child care or education?

My version of the American Dream is a fully funded health care system at the county, regional and national levels. County public health serves as investigators for local cases of contagious diseases and much more. Regional rural hospitals and medical professional serve citizens who live a distance apart from each other and services. National health care insurance is essential.

Everybody is Carrying Something

The cashier smiles and asks if you found everything you needed.

A farmer fills his pick-up with gas before heading back to the field.

A teenager scrolls through her phone while waiting for a friend.

A couple argues about which cereal to buy.

It seems like an ordinary summer day.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned this summer, it’s this: almost everyone you meet is carrying something you cannot see.

I just got back from Alaska, where I cared for my mother-in-law during the last week of her life. Though I work as a hospice chaplain, I had never experienced death from the family’s perspective before. Caring for someone you love at the end of life is not easy. It was so much harder than I imagined.

When I finally came home after the funeral, I expected the whole world to feel different.

To the Editor:

I’m tired of the corruption that has gripped our elected officials at federal and state levels. At one time, to be elected to office was the highest form of public service. One chose to work for the greater good. Those days are behind us.
President Trump has led the trend to corruption and grift. He increased his personal wealth by $1.2 billion last year through his crypto schemes. His family businesses also grew rapidly by billions of dollars due to the licensing deals in countries that were negotiating with the U.S. over tariffs and military aid. His son’s company has got contracts with the defense department to build drones. Trump wants the IRS to promise never to audit him, or his family, so there will be no pretense for honesty nor legality.