Category: Culture
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Mental Health for Each of Us
We appreciate the time taken by Joann Weston, MA, LPC, a licensed professional counselor at Eaglecrest Counseling Center in Springfield, Missouri, to help us begin a conversation about mental health, as well as offer ideas on how we can support, love and encourage those who have been diagnosed with depression. We hear about “mental health”…
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A Love Like His
I love chocolate ice cream. I love the Kansas City Chiefs. I love my wife. All of those statements are true, but the meaning varies wildly. While I do enjoy chocolate ice cream very much, it does not hold the same place in my heart as my affection for my wife. words + photographs JOSHUA…
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Mary Bradley
Tell me a time you have felt loved, Mary Bradley. I had been looking for Scrabble tiles for a project, and my honorary daughter made the project from start to finish and gave it to me for Christmas.
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Love Can Change Someone’s World
It is in this month that we are reminded of love. The first thought in many minds is that of Valentine’s Day and romantic love. Romantic love is indeed a beautiful thing and makes a relationship lively and meaningful. Romantic love reminds us of our uniqueness to our partner and is to be celebrated. words…
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Debra Piper-Slaughter
Tell me a time you have felt loved, Debra Piper-Slaughter. When we have a special meal like Christmas or Thanksgiving lunch and everyone turns out. The Center is full of neighbors and friends socializing over a delicious meal, filling the room with laughter and love.
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Joshua Manning Loves His Neighbors
I grew up in Southwest City, Missouri. Most people wave at you when they see you driving down the road. People are friendly to a fault. When I met someone who did not know me in town, I would usually list off my older relatives. When they determined I was Walter’s grandson and Galen’s son,…
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Love Allows Purpose In Pain
Now I want you to know,brothers and sisters,that what has happened to mehas actually served to advance the gospel.Philippians 1:12 I asked Chris Rees to my senior prom in 1991. It was our first date. I was 17; he was 19. Our families had known each other for years, and we attended the same church.…
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Terri Darrah
Tell me a time you have felt loved, Terri Darrah. I have been married three times. I married my first husband on Pearl Harbor Day because it was the only opening the church had. She giggles and smiles big. I was in love with each. I miss them all.
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Which Hazel?
Which Hazel? Witch Hazel. Last summer, I read about how witch hazel can be an effective reliever of itchy, annoying, aggravating bug bites. Since I am a dream buffet to mosquitoes and chiggers alike, I gave it a whirl. It did assist in helping reduce itching, though I still woke up some nights irritated at…
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My Exchange Year
Hi, I’m Thomas. I’m the exchange student from Taiwan. I live with the Teague family in Springfield, Missouri, now. In my first day of the adventure in USA, I feel so nervous and excited on the plane. I knew after that day, I had 10 months to finish everything just by myself. It’s a huge…
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Sisters
Tell me a time you have felt loved, Mary Lee McFarland. I got married to the love of my life on Jan. 18, 2020. I feel blessed to have my sisters.
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A Village Becomes Home
Home isn’t typically something we think about much as being anything special in our lives. During holiday seasons perhaps we cherish home more as we look forward to gathering with friends and family. Otherwise for most, home seems to be simply a place we leave in the morning and return to at night for shelter. …
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Waiting for the Unrealistic
“Your idea is unrealistic and will never work,” commented a classmate after I shared my paper with my grad school class in 2005. I wanted to build a holistic center that would address all aspects of health in a war-torn country or among those who have experienced trauma. Perhaps I should have been discouraged by…
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Ethiopia: The Giving Community
From a young age, I felt drawn to Africa. I loved learning about Africa through any means I could. From 2018 to 2020, I spent two amazing years living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I learned many things in Ethiopia through the culture and the youth. words + photographs TAMMY SALMON Ethiopia is a community-focused culture, which…
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Leaders, Roll Up Your Sleeves
Lead can be a four-letter word, especially when things go wrong. In media and literature, leadership is celebrated for the perks of power, options, and success or mourned because of abuse, avarice, and failure. While positions, the size of teams, or measurable tools can be used to demonstrate leadership, the best leaders come to mind…