The pastor on Sunday mentioned suffering is good. Or I think I heard that. I was after fair tired and wanted some refreshment. But it turned out it was what I needed to hear. Sometimes suffering pushes us to do more.
For the sake of small town and the public not knowing deeply personal things, i will use a more generic example. We bought a washing machine last year. It never worked as I had hoped but it got by.
Over many months it got worse but in the long list of priorities, it wasn’t the highest so it didn’t get taken care of. In the last few weeks it has been awful. But with fair, again, it would have to do and we just washed and rewashed our clothes. Finally an error light came on and I was forced to deal with it.
When the serviceman came, he gave a few instructions and again it seemed to work okay for him. We let the cycle finish and bam there it was again. Finally the issue would be dealt with.
Can you relate? Do you just let things go? Do you just not deal with them until they boil to the surface? Maybe suffering is the only way we listen. When our lives are busy, going in ten directions, we neglect issues we don’t want to deal with.
Sometimes we are confronted with them by sufferings.
Do I wish that for anyone? No. Do I wish we all followed our dreams and handled our business at the beginning? Yes.
But human nature doesn’t seem to work that way. Or at least my own.
Sometimes suffering is a loud clanging bell saying please look at me. Please do something. Please make this stop.
I look at my youth, at the crazy, stupid mistakes I made. And I imagine someone was watching wishing I could have traveled an easier path.
But we have free will. We make our choices. We live with the consequences. And then the sufferings. Or maybe we take a good, bold, beautiful path and bypass that all.
Is suffering the only way we listen sometimes?
It is for me.
I have to get uncomfortable to change.
Once upon a time I was so comfortable with a group of people. I was sure this is where I would be forever.
One night I had a dream I left the group crying.
The next day, I met the group for coffee.
For some reason I was incredibly uncomfortable. At the end of the get together, a woman took me aside and by the end I was in tears. God was moving me. Sometimes it is slow. Sometimes it is quick. So many times in the bible we hear God moved suddenly. Someone had been stuck for years and then suddenly!
I am praying wherever you are, you look to God. You open your eyes to what He wants.
And you embrace the discomfort to grow to what He wants you to be.
Leo Tolstoy wrote,“True life is lived when tiny changes occur.”
After the the fair and the fair edition, I am ready for a little break!
Enjoy your weekend!
At the funeral of a friend’s father this week, the priest said something that has stuck with me. So often at funerals I think the focus is on the glory of Heaven and what joy there is. But it is rare we stop and discuss the emptiness that is left behind. During his... [More]
I am home from State Fair. A little excited, a little behind, a little tired, and a little sore. I walked almost eight miles the first day. I feel like that is worth noting. To all the show parents out there, I see you. When I got back, a few situations arose with... [More]
Here we are in September. I thought the summer flew by. Well, hang onto your hats, I feel like this week I was strapped into a rollercoaster speeding down the track. It’s not all bad but it is crazy. We spent a couple hours helping sort cattle this weekend... [More]
Here we are at the end of August. School is underway, the first home high school football game is tomorrow. Fall is in the air. It’s just an expression as temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 90s. I haven’t slept much lately. In the wee hours... [More]
A former owner and editor of the newspaper dropped by my office the other day. She is beautiful, smart, fun, and so vibrant. We talked about her life. She is busy. She is active. She is involved in her church, in her community, in having fun, and keeping active. It... [More]
Last week there was a New York Times article about farming in Syracuse Kansas. I read it and was impressed. The writing surpassed anything I am capable of at this time. It bruised my ego a bit. My confidence was taken down a couple notches. I took a breath... [More]
I’m writing this on my way to one last sheep show midweek before school starts here. At 5:30 AM we were on the road. For those who know me that is a rare occurrence. The air is cool. The sunrise is beautiful and I wonder why I don’t take the time to enjoy these... [More]
Here we are a few days after the county fair and I am the first to admit this edition is light. Behind the scenes, my team member got the opportunity to go away on a vacation and I am trying to prepare the fair insert for you for next week. Behind the scenes.... [More]
State golf on Monday had the Varsity Bulldogs miss playing in the finals as a team by one stroke. They finished seventh out of twelve teams. On Day 1, Brody Keller shot a 92 missing day two by two strokes. Ian Brummett shot a 95, Mason Scott and Johnny TeVelde shot... [More]
Junior High Boys Basketball A, B, and C teams travelled to Elkhart on Monday, November 21. The A team won 41-34, B team won 26-21, and C team lost to Elkhart 13-20. Head Coach Vance Keller said, “Elkhart was a tough win for both the A and B teams but both grinded... [More]
The Lady Bulldogs were undefeated during the Border Wars, defeating Eads on Friday, 42-7 and Walsh on Saturday 62-5, bringing their record to 3-1. But the winner wasn’t announced until Tuesday evening. Syracuse Athletic Director Josh Johnson explained, “It came down... [More]
Monday night at home at the Herndon Gym, the Junior High boys swept Lakin! Head coach Vance Keller said, “We’re a young team with only six eighth graders and 12 seventh graders. We’ve had six total that started the season with injuries so we haven’t had... [More]
Three Syracuse High School volleyball seniors were honored on Tuesday, October 5, during the volleyball tournament at Syracuse. Kaetlin Thomeczek, daughter of Joe and Dami Thomeczek has played volleyball since the third grade, playing with Syracuse Youth Activities Association... [More]
Head coach Steve Navarro said, “The coaching staff has really enjoyed working with this group of kids this year. They have been putting in hard work despite some less than stellar conditions for practice and meets. We are excited to see what they can do now that we are... [More]
Baseball: The Bulldogs faced the Goodland Cowboys at home on Thursday, April 8, losing game one, 2-22 and game two, 1-17. Head Coach Dustin Doze said the Bulldogs really struggled throwing strikes again and they had too many errors. We need to clean things up if we want to... [More]
One year ago, athletes and coaches were beginning practice for their spring sport, some practicing during spring break, others enjoying the break from school. Soon they found out their break was extended a week, some with great joy, others with apprehension. Then came the unfortunate... [More]
Last Thursday, the Hamilton County Fire Department held their Fireman’s Appreciation Dinner. County Fire Chief Ed Baker and four other firefighters retired. Years of service awards were announced and those recognized were Ed Baker who has served Hamilton... [More]
The 2023 Kansas State Fair began September 8 and continues through September 17, 2023. If you are headed there this weekend, you may want to check out the 4-H building where many local 4-H youth will have their work on display. To be eligible to take non animal exhibits... [More]
Fall sports are in full swing and Bulldog fans had an opportunity to cheer on cross country, golf, cheer, junior high and high school volleyball and football, all in the same week. Junior high and high school cross country travelled to Goodland Thursday August 31,... [More]
How did you spend your summer? Swimming and bicycling? Working? For Syracuse High School Senior Jay Gould, he took the opportunity of a lifetime. He explored Spain for five weeks with foreign exchange student Inigo Moral. Moral hails from Valladolid, Spain. Last year, the... [More]
Pictured L to R - Carlos Huato, Antonio Banda, Sally Catlett, Griselda Sigala, Erica Rodriguez, Frank Garcia, Shelby Hernandez/photo by Michele Boy
Stella Simon wakes each morning in her bedroom to a wall of trophies, medals, and ribbons. Fourteen All-Around Champion trophies, 193 medals, and 6 ribbons. There is more if you count participation trophies and All-Around medals. The Syracuse Journal has been following... [More]
Country singer Clare Dunn will headline a benefit concert at the Prowers County Fairgrounds Arena on Saturday, September 2nd to help with recovery efforts after an EF-3 tornado destroyed the home of John and Myrna DuVall. Dunn who grew up in Two Buttes has plenty of Syracuse... [More]
1971 SHS graduate, Grace (Boy) Donecker, retired from a 32 year career in nursing, but the path was not a straight one. “I was never going to be a nurse. I hated needles!” Grace grew up just south of Syracuse where Dave and Jenny Schwieterman live. Gordon and Lois... [More]
A Memorial Service for Syracuse, Kansas resident, Jim Brucker will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 22, 2023 at the First United Methodist Church in Syracuse. Pastor Larry Alexander will officiate. James G. Brucker, known to most as Brucker, was born June 27,... [More]
Timothy J. “Tim” Haslett, 75, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away at home (after a fall) on September 13, 2023. Tim was born September 26, 1947, in Dodge City, Kansas. He was the oldest of seven children born to Floyd B. and Magdalene (Stegman) Haslett. Tim was a farm... [More]
Patricia Berniece Tyler of Denison, Texas, passed away on September 7, 2023, at the age of 82. She was born on November 3, 1940, in Cairo, Kansas, to Albert Alexander and Lois Aletha (Wilson) Clark. Patricia had a caring and nurturing spirit. She loved working as a nurse and... [More]
Robert "Bobby" Nelson Moore, 56, of Seward County, Kansas passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 2, 2023, at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo, TX Bobby was born in Waynoka, Oklahoma on July 5, 1967, and was lovingly adopted by Jackson Nelson Moore... [More]
A Memorial Service for Kerri Lonnberg will be held Friday, September 8, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Holly School with Pastor Kathy Leathers officiating. Kerri Lynn Lonnberg departed this life September 1, 2023 in Denver, Colorado at the age of 44. She was born August 1,... [More]
Marvin (Babe) E. Graber passed away August 31, 2023 at the age of 89 at the Hamilton County Hospital in Syracuse, Kansas. Marvin was born at his family home in Kendall, Kansas on March 20, 1934. He was the youngest of six siblings born to John and Carrie Graber. Marvin graduated... [More]
A Memorial Service for Coolidge, Kansas resident, David Wagner will be held Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel in Holly, Colorado. Inurnment will take place at a later date. Per David’s request cremation has taken place and... [More]
Dr. Leo Russell Finkenbinder, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, university professor, and biologist passed away on August 8, 2023. His memorial service will be held on Monday, August 28, 2023, at 10:00am. Bethany First Church... [More]
©2023 The Syracuse Journal. Powered by Pluto Sites.