SYRACUSE-Summer is winding down fast with the start of the county and state fairs. Last week our grandson Grady was attending a church camp and the Fortuna Baptist Church camp with his friends. Granddaughter Addie Dickerson was playing basketball last weekend in Kentucky in a huge arena when someone yelled shooter and several thousand parents and spectators fled for safety. This weekend she is in Chicago for hopefully an uneventful game. Our family has been blessed with some very talented grandchildren, not only in sports but also academically.
I have to apologize. I think I said a group went from our church on a mission trip to St. Louis and I found out I was wrong. The group, along with some others from the Concord Baptist Association, went to Heritage Baptist Church near Springfield to help them with a construction project along with some opportunities to share the gospel. Mission trips are great opportunities to not only grow as a Christian but also grow together with other Christians.
I was blest in the Syracuse Gift Depot this week when my Christian friend Joyce Boyt stopped by the store to visit for a few minutes. She lives in Springfield with her husband Jim and came up to Tipton for a high school class reunion and stopped by the Syracuse Cemetery to visit the grave of her mother, Laura Brauer.
Last Tuesday, July 22, Joan and her daughter Beth drove to Springfield to spend the day visiting our granddaughter Ella and her new baby, Beau, which was the first opportunity for Joan to physically see, hold and love on baby Beau.
Unfortunately, the trip to Springfield created a conflict as Joan usually takes our friend Arlene to her eye doctor in Columbia. Joan explained she had an opportunity to see her new great-grandbaby Beau and could Arlene find someone else to take her to the eye appointment. Arlene tried with no success, so Joan gave the responsibility to Harold to take care of Arlene, which I did and everything worked out smoothly.
As Christians we may have the opportunity to go on a mission trip to minister to the needs of people or we may have the responsibility to minister to our family, friends or neighbors which is what Christ has called us to do.
The Lord’s blessings this past week included preaching at the Bunceton Federated Church Sunday morning, worshipping at Tipton Oak Manor with the residents last week, helping my son work on his new home and taking a friend to her doctor in Columbia. I can say I am most richly blessed at 82.
The Syracuse Depot is now taking reservations for anyone looking for a short term rental. For more information, call 660-298-3169.
City Council meeting
The Syracuse City Council met Wednesday, July 9, at city hall and discussed the following items.
In old business, the water meter charges of last month were being sorted out correctly and adjusted by the city collector. There was one water meter shut off last month by the collector. There were two loads of rock delivered to the lagoon. There were two parkhouse bookings for July and two for August. The instructions for the fire hydrants will be given to Gage Wineland and Evan Ragsdale when the meters are read this month.
Councilman Campbell said the culvert on Highway 50 is marked and on the list for repair. The city will continue to be responsible for mowing east of the substation on Highway 50. The annual Syracuse city picnic is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. The ground system electrical work at the Syracuse water tower will be done by Doyle Electric. The lagoon No. 1 has a low spot and will need a load of dirt and rock added. There is no discharge anticipated by January 2026.
In regard to commercial traffic on Flora, Councilman Campbell has spoken to the safety manager who will address the issue with the transportation manager. The mayor is still looking into the purchase of a used 4-wheeler for easier water meter reading. Patriot Signs is replacing city street signs this week. The city clerk is requesting the name and phone number of the backup city water/sewer operator from Dan McCarthy.
The following new business was discussed. Evan Ragsdale discussed a new mower for the city. Gage Wineland and Evan Ragsdale were hired as contractors to be the new water meter readers for Syracuse. The Missouri Good Neighbor Proclamation was approved for Sept. 28 through Oct. 4. The city collector needs a new calculator and city stamp which were approved by Mayor Doyle. Tracy Cooper, CPA, will be the guest at the Aug. 13 City Council meeting.
The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13, at city hall.
The city of Syracuse is fortunate to have some members of the community who have an interest in the city and try to provide goods and services to the community by making it the kind of town where everyone wants to live. Everyone should appreciate the excellent work and effort of our committed City Council members who work hard to make our city better and better.
I hardly have a week go by but someone stops by the Syracuse Gift Depot to ask me if I know of a place to rent or buy in Syracuse. Unfortunately, the only places that are available are when someone dies and their home is available.
I am trying to help my son Charlie who has bought a fixer-upper in town and is working very hard to make his place look good in the community. He has worked tirelessly to clean up all that was left behind, scrub the floors, paint the walls, cut the trees that were out of control, cut the grass, plus every other thing that needs attention. Like life, our lives can really get out of control and will require a great deal of attention to restore it to the place it once was.
Joan was busy last week. It was church Sunday, doctor on Monday with her granddaughter, Springfield with her daughter on Tuesday to see the new great-grandbaby, worked on the new apartment and the store Wednesday during the day and church Wednesday evening. For her, retirement is not a time when you sit around and do nothing but stay busy enjoying every day the Lord gives us to live until that day when he decides to take us to our eternal home in heaven.
Speaking of dead, I drove to my son’s to help him with his house and when I went to leave, my old truck would not start and I suspected a dead battery. I started the truck with jumper cables and drove home, put the battery charger on overnight and the next day my suspicion was confirmed with the only solution being a new battery. We can do all kinds of things to stay alive but the only one who can give us life is our Lord who saved us from sin and gave us eternal life which will never go dead.
In the business world, the Syracuse Gift Depot had one good day of business last week.
Old retired preacher’s message
In Psalm 37:25, King David said, “I have been young and now am old,” which is where I am now at this stage of my life. I minister to residents in the nursing home and see people far worse than I am, just waiting to die and for the Lord to take them home. Growing old can be very difficult as you move from a very busy stage of your life to a life of sickness and lack of purpose. It can be depressing, lonely and isolating but it does not have to be. For some, the golden years are not so golden but in spite of the downside, there is an upside. The Bible tells us to honor our parents and seek the wisdom of our elders.
Growing old not only has its difficulties but it also has its benefits. Now I can spend a lot more time with the Lord. Instead of worshipping one hour a week, I can worship him as much as I want. I start my day at 6 a.m. with my daily exercise and my radio. I listen to “Through the Bible” with J. Vernon McGee, then John MacArthur, followed by “Focus on the Family,” Chuck Swindoll and Adrian Rogers for three wonderful hours of worship and maintaining my body, soul and spirit.
At the store I put on a CD and listen to the Bill Gaither Trio sing “Something Beautiful,” “The King Is Coming,” “Jesus, We Just Want to Thank You,” “Why Should I Worry or Fret,” “I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary” and “The Old Rugged Cross.”
Yes, life cannot get any better than is.
A glimpse into the past
One of the highlights of the summer is the vacation Bible school at the Fortuna Baptist Church which was held from July 28-30 with the emphasis on learning about God and having fun. This year the theme was “Magnified with the Scripture” with a focus on Psalm 34:3, “Glorify the Lord with me. Let us exalt his name together.”
The church feeds the kids a full meal and then provides a Bible story at the child’s age level with a craft and possibly a game. Like everything else, today’s is far different from vacation Bible school in the 1950s when the children marched in behind the flag bearers who carried the U.S. and Christian flags plus the Holy Bible. The march included the playing and singing of “Onward Christian Soldiers” followed by the reciting of the pledge to God for the American flag, the Christian flag and to the Holy Bible.
The Bible school included a Bible story, a mission story plus an offering from the children for a mission cause. A time of prayer was offered for all the missionaries around the world and sharing the gospel.
Following the worship service, the children broke into small groups based on their age and had a time of Bible study, a mission story, crafts, snacks that consisted of a cup of Kool-Aid and a couple of homemade cookies. The students were given cards to memorize verses of the Bible which were recited in the family night on the last night of the school. The school was held each morning from 9-2 for two weeks.
