Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 135, Number 28, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 14 July 2016 — Page 4
Page A4
1 Advance News • Thursday, July 14, 2016
Angels above and among us
It was truly one of those afternoons when it felt like living scenery from a most sophisticated art house movie.
One of my very dearest friends from high school, seated beside me on a porch swing in tne rolling farmland countryside, as we whiled
away the hours reminiscing, reflecting, and ruminating on the nuances of life. Alas, even the best of movies must come to an end, and I reluctantly bid her good fortune toward her journey home. It was just around the end of the bend that a cardinal leisurely fluttered in the air just alongside my car, as if trying to peek intamy"window. My lips formed a slow smile while my eyes welled with tears, as I remembered that cardinals are said to be a sign that someone in the Heavenly realm is with you in spirit. "Hi, Dad," I said. Surely, even he was happy to see two longtime friends reunited for the day. Not long after, the drudgery of a tedious evening stretched dull and dreary before me, and the disarray of the real world soon created enough background noise to invade my serenity. Nuisance worries permeated my thoughts like static over the radio. And I numbly, silently prattled off my mental list of things to fret over as I drove from Wakarusa to Nappanee. Somehow, the ride felt like it wore on for many more miles than it should have. And that was when I glanced down at my gasoline gauge. "Oh, shoot," I muttered. Well, a trip to the gas station was then added to my list of boring tasks. Would I even have enough to arrive in Nappanee? The bright red needle was not just on the "E," it was well below the "E." I was annoyed with myself for not noticing that sooner. That's not like me at all to be so disengaged. "So which gas station is open at this hour that would be closest?" I mused. I continued east on U.S. 6, spotting the Speedway sign coming up on my right. I pulled into the driveway, swung around to the first open pump I spotted, and fished my debit card out of my wallet. Meanwhile, I was uttering a quick prayer that my bank deposit was credited properly during my harried and hurried ATM deposit just a few minutes earlier, because having $1.87 in my checking
I'm always glad when someone else does something embarrassing because it takes people's attention off my inability to navigate normal life. Take cell phones. I keep the sound off most times even though I might miss a few calls. But I hate it when it rings loud and dear in the wrong place and time: "Brrrring on the Dumb Guy!"
The other day I was at the Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren. Our denomination meets in a different city every year, and this year it was Greensboro, North Carolina. It 7 s been a lot of fun. My wife Jennie and I visited the Civil Rights Museum, located in the old Woolworths Building downtown. It 7 s the place where four African-American college students sat down on February 1, 1960, and ordered lunch even though they knew they wouldn't be served.. The store gladly took their money in other departments, but they were not allowed to eat at the counter. This sit-in inspired other nonviolent demonstrations across the country and successfully helped change our world.. We also went to a great diner where they serve what they call "Cat Head Biscuits" because they're so big. My breakfast was so big I had to save half of it for later. Anyway, I was at an Insight Session to hear my friend Professor Steve Schweitzer, who teaches Old Testament and Hebrew at Bethany Theological Seminary when a phone went off behind me and to the right. Now my phone rings like a real phone but this guy's phone sounded like a cross between an undersea creature complaining of indigestion and some kind of a fat pancake landing flat, splat.
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Wisdom and Whimsy By Amy Wenger
Cell phone silliness
account at that prerise moment was not bound to get me very far. Just as I was about to swipe my card through the pump's reader, two smiling gentlemen captured my attention. "Hello. We'd like to help fill up your gas tank today," one of them said. I was absolutely dumbfounded. "Are you serious?" I asked in a voice that did not conceal my sheer disbelief. "Yes. This is for reaL.it's not a joke," he grinned in response. And he reached over to slide his card. "Go ahead," he added. When I found a trace of my actual voice, I turned and inquired, "Is there anything I can do in return for your kindness?" That was when he told me that he and his fellow spiritual warrior would be happy to pray for me, if there was anything weighing on my heart at that moment. "Well," I told them, "I'm going through a divorce at the moment. But can you pray for my children?" It was all I truly wanted in that instant. Not just prayers to help them, help us, wind and wend our ways along open and vastly uncharted futures. More so, prayers to help them arrive at the realization that despite the fear that is ever present in me as a mother, despite the relentless concern about the world my children are coming of age within, folks do still care. People sometimes do amazing, generous, gracious things because they want to. Not because they seek recognition or acclaim. Not because they feel an obligation. They do these things because they are blessed with boundless joy, with love, and with compassion. I could not help but wonder upon the connection of the cardinal's appearance only hours earlier. Would it have been possible that my earthly father and my Heavenly Father orchestrated this visit by what could best be described as guardian angels, stewards of God's faithfulness and promise? I shook the hands of the gentlemen, regretting later that I did not receive the name of one. But I will never forget the other. His name is Rich Edwards. And you, good men, will never fully realize how much your simple gesture brought me hope on a rough and ragged night. I sincerely thank you, from the very depths of my heart. And I promise to pay it forward however I can. God bless you both.
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County Road Seven By Frank Ramirez
the room, having accomplished what is nearly impossible, which is looking dumber than me. I remember more than a half century ago when I walked five blocks in a blinding snowstorm, was blown through a drift, and arrived at my kindergarten soaking wet. The teacher made me sit in my underwear and a towel while my clothes on the radiator. The other kids wanted to stare at me but they didn't. Needless to say no teacher could get away with that today. I mention this only because all the time this guy's phone was bleating everyone was too embarrassed to look at him. Which made it all the more clear he was embarrassing himself. That's the reason I mute my phone. I don't know how to turn it off once it starts ringing. So I couldn't help but think, "There but for the grace of God, go I!" Well, we're home from Greensboro. They got grits. They got barbecue. They got biscuits bigger than a cat's head. But they don't got that guy who didn't know how to turn off his phone that sounds like a dying animal. He is gone, but not forgotten. I'm just glad he wasn't me. Frank Ramirez is the Senior Pastor at the Union Center Church of the Brethren.
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Community
It bellowed once. It bellowed three times. Five times. Each time the fellow tried to mute his phone. It didn't work, any more than it works to tell your dog to stop barking. That only gets your dog excited and barking louder. That phone complained of indigestion louder and louder and louder. He finally ghve up and ran out of
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All those YEARS AGO 100 YEARS AGO JULY 13, 1916 An important realty transaction of the past week was the purchase of the Bechtel block on the south side of East Market street by Ulery Bros., the well known harness and buggy dealers. The new owners will take possession this week and contemplate painting and making numerous improvements in the near future. A heating plant will ultimately be put in and the block, which is vacant with the exception of the store room occupied by the Howenstein-Burbach hardware company, will be put in first-class shape for tenants. The Bechtel block was owned by Mrs. Bechtel of Goshen and was built in 1888, being one of the substantial blocks of the business district. The new owners do not contemplate occupying the vacant store room themselves, but will remain in their present location just across the street. Grant Anglin has purchased a Ford car of Stahly & Neher. Stahly & Neher sold a Studebaker touring car to John Grenter, who resides near Milford. Yoder Bros., Nappanee agents, have sold Excelsior motorcycles to Bruce Rogers, James Thompson, and Floyd Fox. Stuckman & Culp, Nappanee agents, have sold a five-passenger Overland to Wm. Hepler, residing three miles south of Hepton. 75 YEARS AGO JULY 17, 1941 Paul Strope, of Wakarusa, driver of an ice truck, was injured in a collision Saturday. Driving his truck, it is believed he turned his head to look for an ice sign in a window of a house alongside the country highway and his truck collided with another truck driven by Carlisle Detweiler, also of Wakarusa. The accident occurred on the Beech road five miles southeast of Mishawaka. Leonard Yoder of Nappanee was with Detweiler when the accident occurred. Strope was pinned in the cab of his truck, injuring his left arm so badly it was feared it would have to be amputated. He was rushed to the Epworth hopsital where a blood transfusion was resorted to immediately. Every effort is being made to save the badly mangled arm and though Paul is slowly recovering from his wounds, doctors do believe they will win the fight. Friends of the Huffman family will be delighted to hear Paul has recovered sufficiently for doctors to begin the job of skin grafting and the first of a series of such operations was performed on Saturday. His right hand and right knee were the first to receive this attention and both were covered at the first operation. It was found necessary to remove the ring finger of the right hand and this was done during the operation. The second operation of the same nature will follow in about two weeks if the first proves successful and the boy's condition makes this very likely. The doctors believe the entire job of grafting can be completed by fall. 50 YEARS AGO JULY 14, 1966 The Democrats now have control of the Common Council of Nappanee. Dean Geyer was elected to fill the vacancy caused when Dave Widmoyer moved out of that ward. Jim Newcomer nominated Geyer and Mrs. Loudermilk nominated Howard Pontious. Everybody voted along party lines, and Mayor Robert Sinclair got to cast the deciding vote to break the tie. A Ground Breaking service for the new Brethren in Christ church will be held at eleven o'clock on Sunday. The service will be held at the site of the proposed church on the northeast comer of the intersection of County Road 52 and State Road 19. The Rev. Warren Sherman, pastor of the congregation, will be in charge. Friends of the congregation are invited to join in this service. 25 YEARS AGO JULY 17, 1991 The Indiana Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) and the Plymouth chapter are currently organizing a local chapter in the Nappanee community. The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce is a leadership training and personal development organization for men and women ages 21-39. The Nappanee chapter will join over 4,500 chapters and 230,000 members nationwide currently in the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. The organization's major purpose is to offer young people the opportunity for personal development and leadership training. The training is then used toward finding solutions to problems specific to their communities. Scott Honeycutt, Donna Mishler, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kohler, and son, Rob, all homeowners in the HartmanMadison Neighborhood Historic District of Nappanee, presented their remodeling projects to commission members at a meeting this week. Donna Mishler asked for a clarification on the zoning issue which commission members are taking to the: City Planning Commission. She was told that all of Market Street in the historic district was to remain B-2. After listing to each homeowner, president Bobbie Wilson told homeowners to file an application, if one had not already been filed, with Robert Coppes, Nappanee Zoning Administrator. Circuit Rider Todd Zeiger and commission member Evelyn Culp will visit with tne homeowners and look over their projects. The president asked that all members also look at the projects before the next meeting, when the applications will be reviewed. j'
PUBLIC TO MEET MAYOR Photo by Merrie Chapman Nappanee area residents are asked to come "Get the Scoop" from Nappanee Mayor Phil Jenkins, 5 - 7 p.m. July 20, at the Heritage House, 1700 Waterfall Drive. The event is free. The public is invited to come meet Mayor Jenkins, ask questions and learn about ongoing city projects. Mayor Jenkins will also provide free ice cream to visitors that evening.