Category: On The Bricks

Tired of trying to think of new gift ideas? Shopping list weighing you down? Remember the words of Carlos Zafon, “Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.” So, if you’re not getting pleasure in your gifting, then you either need to rethink giving them or make yourself have an attitude adjustment. You can decide to be happier about it.

Be sure to remember that you can come in and buy Main Bucks in $10 and $20 increments and those are good, just like money, at 30 different Main Street stores. It’s a great way to give the monster of all gift certificates. Just come by the Main Street office to pick some up. It is also a good thing to consider for your employee bonuses to give.

Another gift I would love, is if someone took my car down to R/T Motorsports and had a wash and detail. Oh, yeah, especially before the Christmas driving. It’s a good gift to consider.

And there is nothing like a pedicure to make you feel special, or a facial, or a massage. Talk to Harana MedSpa for most of those. Great gifts.

If your mother or mother – in – law is sort of gaga about her grandkids, you can take a photo of them and go to Chris Urias Photography and have that photo made into a handbag. Some fun things like that. Don’t neglect to see what there is there. While you’re at it, you might think about a classy photo shoot and give each of your kids one. If they like you, they’ll like getting the photo.

That’s enough ideas for today on gifting. Keep up the great attitude, don’t let giving make you gripy. Cut down on that list if you need to. Keep it true with what Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

And how about helping with the Lions Club Shopping day? It is Saturday, Dec. 20. Helping with this will give you a whole new outlook on the holidays. Volunteers are needed to assist the kids with their Christmas shopping. Mature teens, older youth groups, church groups, clubs, and adults are invited to assist. Meet at the VMUMC Family Enrichment Center at 7:45 in the morning on Saturday. All should be done by 10:30 or 11. Call Bob Burger at 461-2341 with questions.

Let’s see what else is happening around town.

A Stampin’ Up (card making party) class is taught by Sharlene Wale on Dec. 12 at 7 pm at the Studio. Everyone is welcome to come.

On Saturday, Dec. 13, you can start the day by going to the Birthday Party for Sofia, a soup lunch. Call Brown and Associates for more details. Sofia is Reyna and Jaimie’s miracle baby, who is turning 1 year old.

Then go by and visit the Main Street Shutterbugs Photography Exhibit and Sale at the Main Street office, 116 NE 5th Street. You can go in and look at the beautiful work while snacking on some of their holiday goodies. They are going to be there from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.

At 5:15 pm at the corner of 5th and Main is going to be a trick roper and some Christmas caroling going on for those waiting to see the Christmas Parade. Feel free to join in the caroling.

Then the Christmas Parade starts at 5:30 pm. It’s short, but it’s fun. And if you want to be in it, you sure can be! Parade starts at 11th and Main and moves north to the railroad tracks.

After the parade, Santa is going to be at 417 N Main (Legal Aid office) to visit with the kids and Chris Eggers is there to take their photos, if you want.

It’s going to be another fun weekend on the bricks!

Randy Bane of Rolla, Kan., and his wife came and spoke to the Dementia Support Group one time. He is such a kind gentleman.

Today he came into the Main Street Guymon office and brought a poem he wanted to share with Dorothy Countryman. I think there are more people who should read it.

Future
Looking each day
For the sun to shine.
But it seems that some 24 hours
Are not so fine.
At times I wear my feelings
As the old saying goes, “Right on the cuff”.
Making these days,
In plain speaking, somewhat rough.
Looking for the positives,
The many blessings that I do hold –
Would make life happier.
I should try not to fold.
But I miss those who are gone.
Some taken in an untimely way.
At times I yearn for the past so much,
It paints my world gray.
Always will miss them
With every beat of my heart.
But I must look to the future
Making each and every day a new start.
Thinking briefly about what might have been,
However, letting love show in many a situation,
Knowing that we are or were
Part of His great creation.
I will trust in God,
Having Him walk beside me as I carry my difficult load.
Knowing that He is my Savior,
Traveling with me every step of the road.
I cannot put memories behind;
Each is precious on its own.
But I will show that my love for God and others
Has continually grown.
Looking to the future –
Caring about what lies ahead,
Forever thankful that memory is such an important part of my life.
Enough has been said.
~Randy Bane, Dec. 2014

Wishing you a holiday season with good memories.

See you on the bricks!

Thanksgiving is over for another year. And I’m so glad that I don’t have to see all those inane facebook posts about all the things that people are thankful for. Sometimes I think they think they’re back in school writing a paper for the teacher and trying to write what the teacher wants to hear.

First, if you are only thankful for your family once a year and only say it on facebook rather than telling them, shame on you. And do you think being thankful for your family is some sort of epiphany? I hope it isn’t.

I was thankful for my grandson Nick when he cleaned out my gutters. And thankful for my grandson Will when he lays his head on my shoulder while we are sitting in the pew at church. When my daughter acts like she enjoys taking her mother to the Thunder game, that’s when I’m thankful for Lisa. Not because it is Thanksgiving.

There are other things to be thankful for. Toilet paper comes to mind. What a great invention!

Calculators being cheap now is another thing to be thankful for. In a discussion recently, one person said he spent $78 for the first T1 calculator and the kids in school were not to be allowed to use them because “the common man will never be able to afford a calculator.” That wasn’t that long ago this was said. Wow. Now you get a simple little calculator free as a give – away.

So we should be thankful calculators are cheap. Especially people like me who are terrible at math should be happy.
I am thankful that my friend Chris Shade invited me to go to the Guymon High School play, “Hairspray.” We should be thankful that our society isn’t as prejudiced today as it was when the play took place, 1962. And I’m really thankful for how well Loyda DeLaRosa played her part. She can sing! Everyone was good, but she was awesome.

The rumor is going that there is a birthday party for baby Sofia on Dec. 13. Now there is something real to be thankful for. Baby Sofia is a bit of a miracle baby and the best part of it is how happy her family (mom Reyna, dad Jaimie, and brother Angel) are to have her. Even if tremendous medical bills came with her. It is a soup party on the 13th from noon to 3 for Baby.

Just make a fun day of it: Noon go to Baby Sofia’s birthday party, go do some relaxed Christmas shopping at our Guymon retail stores, enjoy the 5:30 Christmas Parade on Main, and then go to the Guymon Community Theater Play at 7:00. What a great day!

Mama gave me a birthday card that reads, “Dare to just do what you do, be just who you are, and dance whenever you want.” I love the sentiment. And I love that I feel like dancing more days than I don’t. That is something to be thankful for every single day.

See you on the bricks.

Melyn Johnson
On the Bricks
November 22, 2014
Recently I have been thinking about ways to work to help the retailers get more people in their store. It’s not an easy thing to do. So, then I thought about making it simpler … how to just help retailers (with the big focus on those that are Main Street members). I came up with a couple of solutions.

First, get people to quit thinking that the business owners need to pay for everything their group wants to do. Rather than the XYZ club asking for donations to attend some special camp, they need to do fund raisers to gain the money. Why is it the business owner’s responsibility to send them to camp? Specifically fund raisers need to have the people needing the funds do the work, not someone else.

Honestly, during annual ad selling time, a Guymon retailer can get 10 requests in a day for money or donations. Generally these don’t help sell the retailers product, either.

Second idea is to get those who do receive support from local businesses to support them in return. If the local grocery store supports your school with annual ads, program ads, sports sponsorships, FFA purchases, or more … then the school groups should buy from that local grocery store. Is it cheaper to drive 100+ miles and save $20 but not get financial support in the future? It all needs to be considered.

If Main Street Guymon purchases their building insurance from someone other than a member, shame on them (and we don’t, I promise).

My favorite story was from Alphonso Mata who worked at a car dealership. When being asked for a donation, he asked the person requesting where they bought their car. It had been purchased out of town. Mata then told them that he would match whatever that car dealership gave. They didn’t come back.

Puts it in perspective, doesn’t it?

Be good to your neighbor. Support them in the same way that you would like to be supported. It makes for a much healthier community.

True community support makes me think about PTCI crews and Guymon Lions Club members helping city employees (parks and fire department) clean up dead trees in the parks. Who wins? We all do because our public park is better.

So if you have a chance, thank PTCI and Lions Club for helping. Thank the city folks for being good stewards of the parks. And thank the Bank of the Panhandle and PTCI for feeding the crews. They all deserve an ATTA BOY.
Charles Michael from the Guymon Community Theatre recently sent an email out to his board and volunteers. There were lots of ATTA BOYs in the email. He talked about Jerry Wadley painting and cleaning up at the theater. He commented on Josh Setzer, Lisa Schmitt, and Deirdre Harbison working on advertising. He thanked Tony Hardman for writing the Oklahoma Arts Council grant application. And the treasurer Darrell Hill was mentioned for doing such a great job. This is just one example of the wonderful community we live in … the fabulous volunteers working together to get good things done.

Thank you to all of you that unselfishly give of your time and money to the community groups, schools, and churches. Thank you to all those businesses that are kind enough to help.

You all give value to life. You are good friends. I bet you’re good friends, too.

“Friendship is unnecessary,” said C.S. Lewis, “like philosophy, like art …. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”

Make it a point to give value this week. Give thanks. Smile.

Leo Tolstoy said it so right, “Joy can only be real if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.”

I will joyfully see you on the bricks!

The air is crisp and autumn is really here, it seems. Just in time for my skin peeling from the heat over the weekend. Love this Panhandle weather. It’s the time the heater runs in the car going to work and then the air conditioner going home. It’s the time you keep a jacket in the car because you just never know what’s going to happen. It’s interesting. Keeps us on our toes.

Speaking of toes, mine sure had bit of a sunburn from the OPSU football game last Saturday. I really ought to consider wearing real shoes. The Aggies whupped up on that other team. It was awesome. What is even more awesome is when the football players sing the fight song to the crowd after the game and then high five people. I heard the star running back, number 13, telling everyone (and there were many) “Thanks for coming,” as he walked by and high fived them. It’s no wonder I kept going to the home games.

They sort of follow the saying, “Don’t talk, just act. Don’t say, just show. Don’t promise, just prove.” Coach Gaskamp and his assistants are doing a great job with these guys.

Had an interesting lady come by the office last week. She was here visiting a girl on the rodeo team. She came from California, I believe. We got to talking about names that were funny … and appropriate … and inappropriate. I shared with her the name of our doctor where I grew up. Dr. Clapp. And told her how I never did know, as a kid, why people laughed when they heard that. But my new friend told me about a fellow who works for the U.S. Forest Service whose name is Timber Blaze. No way. That’s too unbelievable. Never could top that one! Did you catch the play on words, “top that one?” Sometimes I just find myself to be sooo clever.

Let’s talk a little more about clever.

The Oklahoma Agriculture magazine arrived at my office. I was reading it, and enjoying some of the articles when I came upon this paragraph in an article entitled “Cowboy Up” … “Oklahoma is one of the leading collegiate and high school rodeo states. Oklahoma State University has had a rodeo team since 1946 and in 2014, the team will host its first official collegiate rodeo in its new arena at the Payne County Expo Center.”

Are you kidding me? This writer, Charlyn Fargo, is writing about college rodeo and she doesn’t mention either of the two national powerhouse rodeo schools that are located in Oklahoma? That would be Panhandle State and Northwestern. Goodwell and Alva. It didn’t take them 60 years to finally put on a rodeo, either.

At the end of reading that paragraph, I sat in my chair stunned for a moment. And then I just threw the magazine away. Straight in the trash can. Up to that point on page 43, it was fine. After that, it was only trash.

I’ve stopped listening. Why haven’t you stopped talking? It was that sort of moment. Not clever at all.

Lots of Halloween and Main Street Week activities going on this week … more about that later.

See you on the bricks!

“In October 1914, Jonas Salk was born – a man who would change world history by inventing the first effective vaccine against polio,” says an article in the Rotarian magazine written by Gary C.K. Huang. “When the vaccine was introduced in the United States in the 1950s, polls indicated polio was one of the nation’s two greatest fears, second only to the fear of atomic war. And with good reason: in the 1952 U.S. polio epidemic, 58,000 cases were reported, with 3,145 deaths and 21,269 instances of permanent, disabling paralysis. Globally, polio paralyzed or killed up to half a million people every year.

“… in 1988, the 166 member states of the World Health Assembly unanimously set the goal of global polio eradication. At the time, the idea was breathtakingly ambitious, and many called it impossible. Today … only a few hundred cases of polio reported per year, and just three remaining endemic countries. We are on track to achieve full eradication by 2018 … October 24th celebrates the 100th anniversary of Dr. Salk’s birth.”

We also are celebrating the changing of the seasons and have several Fall and Halloween happenings going on.

Zombie Laser Tag takes place at 6 pm on Oct. 24, 25, 31, and Nov. 1. The location is 2 miles west of Guymon on Highway 54 and the cost is $5 a game. You can call 580-754-1428 for more information.

Saturday, Oct. 25, is full of many things to do. The OPSU Chili Cook Off starts at 11 am; the archaeology talk at the Guymon Public Library starts at 2 pm; the OPSU football game starts at 2 pm; the PTSO Carnival is from 4- 7 pm; and the Michael Martin Murphy Concert is 5:30 – 9:00 pm and costs $25. It’s a big day!

Dr. Sarah Richter is giving a talk on Wit and Wisdom in the Classroom at this quarter’s Wit and Wisdom evening on Oct. 28. It costs $20 a ticket and includes a fabulous meal catered by Virgil Gibson. This is a Main Street Guymon fund raiser.

On Oct. 29, 30, and 31 the Lions Club has a Haunted Train running from 6 pm to dark that costs $2 a person. That’s at the miniature train located at Sunset Lake in Thompson Park, Guymon.

On Halloween, Oct. 31, you also have trick or treating at the Heritage Community from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. Then be sure to go to the TEL Halloween Bash at Pickle Creek if you’re over 21 years old. It begins at 8 pm and there is a $10 cover charge.

On Nov. 1 is the Lifeway Family Fall Festival at 621 N Quinn where everything is free for the kids! That goes from noon to 4 pm.

Be sure to check the Main Street Guymon facebook page on Monday to find out where we are going for lunch and supper to celebrate National Main Street Week!

You need to celebrate National Main Street Week, too. Visit our Main Street Guymon member stores. You can visit these retail stores and get a jump on your holiday shopping!:

• Cheryl’s Quilt Corner;
• Chris Urias Photography;
• Christine’s Home Furnishings;
• Dancer’s Wine and Liquor;
• Dizzy B’s;
• Guymon Furniture;
• Harana MedSpa;
• Helm’s Garden Shop;
• La Victoria Market;
• Lumber Mart;
• Merle Norman;
• Northridge Cinema 8;
• Nuestra Tierra;
• Plaid Poppy;
• Sears;
• Sound Service;
• Southern Office Supply;
• SPC WOW Boutique and Office Supplies;
• Urban Bru; and
• Wolf Creek Mini

Don’t forget that for that really difficult person, buy Main Bucks that he can spend at all those stores listed … and some others, too.

Celebrate and enjoy all the good things we have right now, holidays, a new season, friends, family, and an excuse to buy them a present. Celebrate Main Street Week!

See you celebrating on the bricks.

“In October 1914, Jonas Salk was born – a man who would change world history by inventing the first effective vaccine against polio,” says an article in the Rotarian magazine written by Gary C.K. Huang. “When the vaccine was introduced in the United States in the 1950s, polls indicated polio was one of the nation’s two greatest fears, second only to the fear of atomic war. And with good reason: in the 1952 U.S. polio epidemic, 58,000 cases were reported, with 3,145 deaths and 21,269 instances of permanent, disabling paralysis. Globally, polio paralyzed or killed up to half a million people every year.

“… in 1988, the 166 member states of the World Health Assembly unanimously set the goal of global polio eradication. At the time, the idea was breathtakingly ambitious, and many called it impossible. Today … only a few hundred cases of polio reported per year, and just three remaining endemic countries. We are on track to achieve full eradication by 2018 … October 24th celebrates the 100th anniversary of Dr. Salk’s birth.”

We also are celebrating the changing of the seasons and have several Fall and Halloween happenings going on.

Zombie Laser Tag takes place at 6 pm on Oct. 24, 25, 31, and Nov. 1. The location is 2 miles west of Guymon on Highway 54 and the cost is $5 a game. You can call 580-754-1428 for more information.

Saturday, Oct. 25, is full of many things to do. The OPSU Chili Cook Off starts at 11 am; the archaeology talk at the Guymon Public Library starts at 2 pm; the OPSU football game starts at 2 pm; the PTSO Carnival is from 4- 7 pm; and the Michael Martin Murphy Concert is 5:30 – 9:00 pm and costs $25. It’s a big day!

Dr. Sarah Richter is giving a talk on Wit and Wisdom in the Classroom at this quarter’s Wit and Wisdom evening on Oct. 28. It costs $20 a ticket and includes a fabulous meal catered by Virgil Gibson. This is a Main Street Guymon fund raiser.

On Oct. 29, 30, and 31 the Lions Club has a Haunted Train running from 6 pm to dark that costs $2 a person. That’s at the miniature train located at Sunset Lake in Thompson Park, Guymon.

On Halloween, Oct. 31, you also have trick or treating at the Heritage Community from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. Then be sure to go to the TEL Halloween Bash at Pickle Creek if you’re over 21 years old. It begins at 8 pm and there is a $10 cover charge.

On Nov. 1 is the Lifeway Family Fall Festival at 621 N Quinn where everything is free for the kids! That goes from noon to 4 pm.

Be sure to check the Main Street Guymon facebook page on Monday to find out where we are going for lunch and supper to celebrate National Main Street Week!

You need to celebrate National Main Street Week, too. Visit our Main Street Guymon member stores. You can visit these retail stores and get a jump on your holiday shopping!:

· Cheryl’s Quilt Corner;

· Chris Urias Photography;

· Christine’s Home Furnishings;

· Dancer’s Wine and Liquor;

· Dizzy B’s;

· Guymon Furniture;

· Harana MedSpa;

· Helm’s Garden Shop;

· La Victoria Market;

· Lumber Mart;

· Merle Norman;

· Northridge Cinema 8;

· Nuestra Tierra;

· Plaid Poppy;

· Sears;

· Sound Service;

· Southern Office Supply;

· SPC WOW Boutique and Office Supplies;

· Urban Bru; and

· Wolf Creek Mini Mall.

Don’t forget that for that really difficult person, buy Main Bucks that he can spend at all those stores listed … and some others, too.

Celebrate and enjoy all the good things we have right now, holidays, a new season, friends, family, and an excuse to buy them a present. Celebrate Main Street Week! And have a party for Jonas Salk, too. So many things to party over!

See you celebrating on the bricks.

Vicar Sandra Castillo of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church came and did a Blessing of the Main Street Guymon Office. I had seen in her newsletter that she does that for other businesses and I wanted to be a part. I’m thinking if God is invited in to the office then it can only help!

The final blessing was, “Visit, O blessed Lord, the office of Main Street Guymon with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who serve here with the gift of your love; and grant that they may manifest your love to all whose lives they touch. May they grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen them; and preserve them in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.” Thank you, Vicar Sandra. I love that you brought blessings to all those who work with and for Main Street Guymon.

Reminds me of the saying, a Sunday well spent brings a week of content.

And there is this quote that I don’t know who said it, but I’ve been wanting to share it because I just love it.

“Life is a song – sing it.

“Life is a game – play it.

“Life is a challenge – meet it.

“Life is a dream – realize it.

“Life is a sacrifice – offer it.

“Life is love – enjoy it.”

We should all carry those words with us this month and enjoy the heck out of all that we do.

I’m telling you, I enjoyed going to the Guymon Community Theater play last Friday. What a great play. I laughed and laughed. And I even cried. It was exceptional. I realized that I have never gone to one of the plays that I didn’t enjoy it. Some more than others. This one was one of the mores. If you haven’t ever done so, go to a play. They’re fun and the people who put the play on have worked themselves to a frenzy to get it done. They deserve our attention for that moment.

My hat off to you Director Kasey Russell, Assistant Director Josh Setzer, Brenda Teegarden, Brad Teegarden, June Wadley, Brenda Bridwell, Evelyn Cartwright (my grandson’s other grandmother), Sarah Russell, Jackie Mathis (yeah, Mathis Oil is a Main Street member), Marlene Henson, Arlene Winfrey (yeah, wearing her Main Street Cash Mob t-shirt … we love you Arlene!), and Deanna Teegarden. You all did a great job. You brought sunshine to our week!

Remember what Steve Martin said about sunshine? “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.”

Loved seeing all of you on the bricks at the play … especially you Denise Lunt because you enjoy laughing as much as I do!

Last weekend was a record maker for me. In the morning I attended 3 innings of the OPSU baseball scrimmage. That was great. Especially so because there were people sitting around in their winter coats, scarves, and those hats that cover the ears things. A little chilly, it was.

Then I ran over to Guymon to watch the grandson in the last half of his soccer game. Watching all those little kids run around like that is always good for the soul. And I liked their shirts, neon green. Cool.

As soon as it was over, I headed back to the baseball game, driving around the OPSU Homecoming parade line-up. Drove home because it was time for a little sit still and be quiet. Had to drive through some cones to get out of Goodwell and barely missed the Texhoma Fiesta parade.

Quiet lunch at home, thinking I could have gone to either barbecue, Texhoma Fiesta Days or the OPSU one. Was back on campus by 1 for the OPSU Homecoming football game. By then there was not a winter coat and muffler to be seen. It was time now for the sunscreen. Awesome game, big win, got to see some folks from back in the day …

Now, for me, that was the first time I ever attended three different sports games in one day. I feel like I should letter for that work!

Fun times. There are so many of those college kids that are just starting their adult lives. What advice would you give them?

Wise words by George Washington Carver might be in line. “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.”

The Chamber Banquet is Oct. 7th and tickets are for sale from the Chamber. Call Jada at 338-3376. It is always a good evening … especially when you learn who Citizen of the Year is.

The Guymon Community Theater production “Blue-Haired Belles” is happening and the Main Street Mob is going to be there at 7 on Oct. 10th. It is supposed to be funny. A great place to go for a mere $8 ticket.

The YMCA Superhero Run is on Oct. 11. For more information call 580-461-9942.

The month has started so stellar. We’ll just keep it right along those lines!

See you on the bricks!

You know how when you’re having a party, you really don’t want to think about it, but you mind just naturally goes to “What if only two people show up?” That’s kind of how I’m feeling today. We have a Cowboy Cookout on Saturday and I am so worried … well, you know. And Rick Williams is going to be there with some wonderful information. I just hope people will be there to share with him.

The Cowboy Cookout starts at 2 pm and ends at 6 pm. It’s a great event for the family with music by Ken Stonecipher, food (benefit for Main Street Guymon … they have a really great director, you know?), bounce house, some cool western art. It is on the street north of Bob’s Cowboy Bar on East 2nd Street. It’s the perfect place because there is that grass south of the railroad tracks for Williams to let people try out the atlatl.

Learn more about the Plains Native American Indians at the Cowboy Cookout. We are all better people when we learn more about others.

“We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” ~Max de Pree

And we should give ourselves a gift once in awhile. Walking is a gift.

According to the Rotarian Magazine, September 2014, on page 18, “Walking may boost creativity, according to a series of experiments out of Stanford University. Researchers administered several common tests of creativity, such as asking participants to devise novel uses for everyday objects and draw associations among unrelated words, as the subjects sat or walked, either outdoors or on a treadmill. The simple act of walking was associated with increased scores for 81% of participants, and a residual creative boost when they were seated again. Subjects produced the most novel and highest quality responses when they strolled alfresco.”

I don’t know what alfresco is. Maybe it’s a dog they were walking. Could be the Italian meal they were walking to go get.

You know, when I’m writing something or working on some sort of thing that needs functioning brain cells, if I go walk out and water my plants or something, I always think better when I get back. I always thought I was getting more oxygen to my brain. And now the Rotarian tells me I was right about thinking better after walking about. I love when I’m right.

Comedian Robin Williams once said, “I’m sorry, if you were right, I’d agree with you.” I bet he would agree with me.

One of the things that is right is having a peace inside you. A calmness that others cannot disrupt easily. I think a week that starts with church helps me achieve that. You know, a Sunday well spent brings a week of content.

Good friends who care about you and are not into being dramatic and creating chaos are that. It’s the same with great co-workers. It also helps when your children haven’t had sugar of any sort. Do I hear an “amen”?

I like this saying that is on a wall décor deal at Christine’s, “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work, it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”

We can choose to be where we are, with peace or with drama.

Speaking of peace, another story in that Rotarian magazine was talking about working with immigrant children, “There’s still angst in the pews, but if they listen more to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John than Rush Limbaugh (American radio talk show host), they’ll act with compassion …” said Samuel Rodriguez.

And if you don’t know who Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are … we need to visit. My office is at 116 NE 5th Street. I’m pretty sure Robin Williams would agree.

That brings to mind the Joy and Praise Concert presented by the OPSU choir and the Panhandle Chorale conducted by Matthew Carey (he’s not the Matthew I was talking about earlier). That is followed by Music of the German Masters presented by the OPSU band, conducted by Charla Lewis. That takes place Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 pm in Hughes – Strong Auditorium, on the OPSU Campus in Goodwell.

Also, remember Saturday starting at 8 am is the final Farmers Market of the year. Be sure to get you plenty of that goat milk soap to last … it’s awesome!

See you on the bricks!