Phone: 785-994-6370 (home) or 785-476-5206 (cell) We were unfortunate to miss the rain forecast for our area last week. Tuesday morning, we received .20, and as I made a trip to Abilene and Salina, it was apparent by the puddles and water in ditches that is where the rain fell.

Wait! What day is it? I’m tired and ready for a nap. I think it’s Monday. Right? I have no clue. Every day feels like a Monday to me. Am I the only one that feels that way? Here are some questions I ask myself daily.

A common prayer before meal time for children states, 'God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our Food.' The prayer expresses thankfulness for providing the food we receive daily, but we should never forget the 'great' and 'good' parts.

The Rooks County Historical Society held its regular meeting on Sunday, July 21st. There were eight members and six board members present. It was reported that the Omer Knoll sculptures and art are almost ready for display. Rick and Rivver have been working on the display. There was also a discussion of plans for the Knoll Gallery Premier.

SATAN.TheBiblereveals much about God's nature, His creation, and His people. But it also reveals His plan. However, trying to grasp the vastness of God's mind and plans for all that He's created is like trying to squirt an ocean into a thimble. One part of God's plan clearly concerns all of mankind which stands as the crown jewel and most cherished part of His Creation. We are created in God's own image (Gen. 1:26-27). How so? God gave us a moral compass and ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Just like God, we also have the ability to love and show compassion to our fellow humans. And God, being eternal, also gave us eternal souls and thus has put 'eternity in our hearts' (Eccl. 3:11). However, part of God's eternal plan is also two eternal places - heaven with God and hell (more specifically, 'the lake of fire' Rev. 20:14-15) apart from God. And God gives mankind the choice. But God also created a Tempter, Satan, meaning 'Adversary,' or 'Enemy.' We see many names and descriptions of this arch-enemy in the Bible. The Book of Revelation depicts him as a huge devouring dragon (12:3-4); the ancient serpent in the Garden of Eden (12:9; 20:2); the devil or slanderer who maligns God's character (20:2); the deceiver of the whole world (12:9); the accuser of the saints (12:10); and Apollyon (Destroyer) (9:11). Satan is also called the tempter (Matt. 4:3), the evil one (Matt. 6:13), the wicked one (Eph. 6:16), and the roaring lion who continually stalks his prey to kill (1 Pet. 5:8). And in John 8:44, Jesus tells us that Satan was 'a murderer from the beginning' who has 'no truth in him' for 'he is a liar and the father of lies.' Perhaps most alarming is that he is 'the god of this age' who disguises himself as an 'angel of light' (2 Cor. 4:4,11:14). How can we who are Christians win against such a foe as this? James 4:7 - 'Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.'

Two graduates from Rooks County are among the more than 2,380 students who completed a total of 2,645 degrees and certificates at Wichita State University in spring 2024. The breakdown of degrees and certificates granted include: • Undergraduate: 1,495 degrees and certificates for 1,361 undergraduate students • Graduate: 1,150 degrees and certificates for 1,023 graduate students For bachelor’s degrees, honors were conferred to the following: • Summa cum laude: 136 students • Magna cum laude: 428 students • Cum laude: 301 students Undergraduate students who have attained a grade point average of 3.9 out of a possible 4.0 received the summa cum laude award; those with an average of 3.55 received the magna cum laude award; and those with an average of 3.25 received the cum laude.

The 2024 area wheat harvest is now recorded as 115% of the five-year average and 235% over last year’s crop. Farmers Union Elevator Manager Michael Carpenter said the harvest went well, and the last few loads of wheat came in over the weekend.

The Saturday morning, July 12, Story Time at the Rooks County Museum involved a whole lot of shaking. The children had fun creating their treat by placing ice cream mix in a sandwich baggy, then using a bit of ice cream salt and crushed ice in a gallon- size bag, placing the baggie in the larger one, and shaking until it became solid. It was delicious. A few songs were sung, and the books read were 'Snappy Finds Colors,' 'Pete, The Cat,' and 'Bunny Book.' Solutions North Bank sponsored the treat and Webster's Supermarket for ordering the ice cream mix.

An outbuilding and grass burned when the breaker box at P and 20 Roads had an electrical problem on Wednesday, July 10th. The Stockton Fire Department was called out at approximately 3:00 p.m. and worked the scene for over two hours.