REJOICING. There are no doubt numerous reasons in our current economy to cause many people to fret about making ends meet. Gas prices have increased about 50%. Food prices keep going up. Even fast food meals are closing in on $10. Although there's really no such thing as "luck," good luck finding a decent used vehicle at a reasonable price if you need one. Add other issues such as the cost of health care, violent crime, domestic terrorism, the sad plight of illegal drugs, etc., and life might seem almost hopeless. However, despite the many reasons to be anxious or even distressed about life, from a Bible perspective, there are always reasons to rejoice. And by far the most consequential reason to rejoice came from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself when He told 72 of his disciples, "rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). This one reason alone should put all of the struggles, disappointments, and concerns of this life into proper perspective. No matter how difficult life might be, true Christians truly have reason to rejoice! Jesus put this truth a little differently in John's Gospel, saying, "You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father'" (14:28). This is actually a rebuke. Jesus is telling His disciples that if they truly loved Him, "they would have already rejoiced" at the fact He was soon to return to His Father. The teaching is clear. Jesus is pointing to His coming death on the cross which would satisfy God the Father's wrath toward sin. And thus He's pointing to the fact that all those who savingly trust in Him as their Savior from sin and hell would be assured of one day rejoicing when they see Him again! Is your name written in heaven? If not, it can be! "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). And you'll also find true joy!

Joseph H. Patterson was born 21 September 1847, to Joseph and Nancy (Dobbs) Patterson in Homer Township, Morgan County, Ohio.

ALLORAH CAMDEN, daughter of Sheila Camden of Stockton, takes advantage of the truck photo op to commemorate her special time at Stockton’s Peony Festival held on Saturday, May 21st..

Bob Reed: “ I got my tomatoes planted!” Darrell Small: “Mark Trumbo mowed alongside of me for quite a few of those years I had a mowing service in the town of Stockton.” Deb Niermeier: “It was good to see the additional soldiers on Ham’s Hill.”.

Glenda and Mike Mann of Hutchinson will be leading the upcoming Super Sensation Vacation Bible School at Stockton Church of Restoration, located at 204 North Elm Street in Stockton. They combine storytelling, illusions, ventriloquism and original music to teach the Bible and to convey the message of the Gospel.

WAVING TO THE CROWD during the downtown parade held in Stockton on Saturday, May 21st was this year’s Peony Festival Grand Marshal Darrell Small..

SHOWING OFF THEIR MAD HULA HOOP SKILLS during the ESA kid games at the Peony Festival were (from left) Emery Peterson, Remy Muir and Camille Lowry..

THE TRUSSES are now being installed on the new Solomon Valley Manor building in Stockton. All of the wooden framework is up with siding to begin this week as well..

Hello, Friends! I remember when I was a kid, and the commercials on TV told me that margarine was better for me than butter. Low and behold, we later found out that partially hydrogenated vegetable oils found in margarine were not nearly as good for us as are the fats in butter.

CARD OF THANKS Thank you to my family and friends—especially my sister, Jonita, Colton Williams, Susan Schneider, and Kinsey Post— and the Stockton EMS for responding in my time of need. Your expert care in getting me to the hospital truly saved my life.