Reach out to God

Dear Editor,

The other day I had some quiet time and did some thinking. Now the fact I was doing some thinking may come as a shock to some but miracles do happen, aw, smile! Anyway, got to thinking about the condition of our nation. I can’t imagine that our Founding Father would recognize our nation in the way it has evolved.

Ever watch an avalanche? It starts small but picks up increasing size and speed and soon becomes not only unstoppable but extremely destructive. Once an avalanche starts, if caught soon enough, it can be stopped but the scenery will never be returned to it’s pristine beauty. Nations are like that.

The course this nation is taking is like that of an avalanche. But, I believe it hasn’t picked up enough speed that it cannot be stopped. Our nation can again become a solid, strong and leading nation within the world. But, in my opinion, this will occur, if it does, only if Christians become the stalwart leaders God intended them to be.

In Jeremiah 15:1 and Ezekiel 14:14, and elsewhere through out the Old Testament, God has just about had it because though Israel, who had very strong and Godly leaders at one time, no longer had any. Granted, God can, and often will intervene, if there is an about face, but if there isn’t, then God allows the people to suffer the consequences of their own actions.

By example, last century we condemned Nazi and Germany for having exterminated over six million Jewish and homosexual people. Or Russia, which doubled that amount in their extermination program. Yet, today, we, as a nation, have murdered nearly 50 million unborn children through abortion, and many states are attempting to legalize same sex marriage. In fact, our President signed a proclamation in June 2009 declaring that month (June) as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month”.

I could ramble on but, merely pointing out where we re, as a nation, is not my point. My point is that Christians need to develop a strong Christian World View and then apply that view in daily living. There are many people, not as many as should be, who sit in houses of worship almost every Saturday or Sunday. But just sitting in a worship service doesn’t make on a Christian any more than sitting in a mechanics garage, with all the tools present, makes one a mechanic. One needs to learn what is present and hot to use it. Christians, which includes me and most of you who are reading this, must learn and apply God’s rules to our living.

God often offers us a last minute gift or reprieve; but, just offering something doesn’t make it a gift. I could offer you a million dollars, if I had it, but it wouldn’t be a gift until you reached out and took it. To be a gift, two aspects are needed – offering and reception. I believe we must reach out to God, take and apply what he offers and then know that in the application of the offering the offering has become a gift.

The Old Coffee Drinker,

Randy Middleton

Tonasket

School or prison?

Dear Editor,

We have a prison in our town. Our schools! The warden and a small group personally chosen by the warden, run the prison. And things are not running smooth at all. On the outside it looks okay but once inside, it is all falling apart. The teacher’s and the student’s are the prisoners.

The teachers have to keep their mouths shut about anything going on in the school or find themselves in the unemployment line. The warden owns the teachers and student’s voices. The two deputies follow what the warden says, regardless of the laws. For example, the transfer requests, either for home schooling or to another (Tonasket) school. Are they being delayed so that Oroville school can get the grant money for their student head count? We need to dig all the laws that are being broken out from under the carpet now, before it’s too late.

Most importantly the students. They don’t speak out about any of this because they saw with their own eyes, that if they do speak up, they will find themselves being treated like a dirty rug on the floor. They all saw this happen with Phil Barker’s family (daughter). I can’t believe how much time is being spent on finding retribution against those like Phil that try to make things right. Maybe some people do need to be “micro-managed” at this point after all.

The students of family members that are employed by the school and the students on the favorites list are the only ones that don’t have to walk on egg shells all year long. The rest, well they sit back against their own will, while watching these horrific action carry on, wanting to speak out, but know they will get the same retribution if they do. I did hear and see a lot of students who were “there” for this student during these hard times, which we can be proud of that.

How does this help our students’ education? How does the community fell about the fact that, come November we are going to be asked to open our wallets and give more of our tax dollars to fix the mess caused by the warden’s frugal spending? I don’t mind our taxes being used for the schools, don’t get me wrong there. Our school’s need new roofs, new double paned glass windows and the bathrooms worked on and new heaters in the elementary school, but it sounds like our district office will get new siding and double paned windows before any of that will be taken care of. The reason, we need to make a good impression of our schools with how the district office looks. I got this information and idea from the school board meeting May 29 so I am sure you can learn more about it by reading the minutes of the meeting once they are printed up.

The letter to the editor in last week’s paper titled, “A Never Ending Drama” actually embarrassed me as a community member reading that harsh truth. To think that other communities know more about what is going on in our schools than myself or almost anyone else in Oroville. To know that we didn’t stand behind the one man who did try to step up and change all the laws being broken and the “bad” going on in our school. It saddens me to know that many families and students don’t care to much for our schools. We have some of the most amazing teachers.

In my opinion, Mr. Quick, Mrs. Sarmiento and Mrs. Hoehn all need to go. At the school board meeting May 29, Mrs. Sarmiento and Mrs. Hoehn were both voted to keep their positions for next school year.

Thanks kindly,

Mendy Combs-Boge

Oroville

Editor’s Note: Ms. Combs-Boge has taken up a lot of the space on our opinion page over the past several weeks and the letters are getting repetitive. It is time for us to give some other people a chance to share their opinions. G.A.D.

God’s great gift

Dear Editor,

Seeking some much needed inner tranquility one recent, shiny, early morning, enjoying the fresh foliage and seedlings, I pondered the power of our delicate living orb, and faded back to something I penned for this format roughly eight years ago, when I felt compelled to submit it for a reprint. I hope any new readers enjoy it as much as some of the first run readers said they did,

“A hint of dawn breaks upon the edge of the cosmos with a silent hello. A muted vibration envelopes the waiting world as the light expands on the horizon. Every leaf and blade of grass quivers in anticipation of the first rays of sun. The harmonious rhythm is attuned to all. They sing a chorus to nature, repeated countless times through the millenniums, yearning for the solar power. The primal urge cannot be ignored.

As day approaches, the crescendo grows with each moment, culm
inating at the first peek of sunrise. When the life giving sunbeams strikes the land a thankful relaxation calms the choir. Another day has burst forth bringing the promise of power and warmth to all living things on this green earth. The distant provider sends its constant gift of life for all that require it. And all do.

The vast menagerie of life on earth wholly benefits from one incredible enormous celestial machine. To us, it is God’s great gift. To all other life, it is God. Every tree, each flower, all grasses and foliage reach up and out to praise their host. The miracle of growth is an awe-inspiring spectacle. Proof in motion of the stupendous might and goodness of our Lord. A non-stop lesson for all people to grasp and understand God’s love and mercy in a continuous cycle of renewal.

God is omnipotent, the Alpha-Omega.”

The Insomniac,

Dan Dixon

Oroville