The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

What's Going On Here?

Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

January 3, 2018

The first day of the year should have so many hopes and dreams for each of us, but for Jason and Carrie Finch, they have seen the dreams for their daughter come to an end in one bad moment at the point of a young out of control 17 year old with a gun.

It is unheard of in our small communities and a nightmare for the family and friends of Maddie.

How many times do we rethink something we have done and said, "if only I had taken a different road, this would not have happened."

For most of us, we get a second chance, but sometimes, in the case of the Maddie murder, there are no second chances, and the community weeps for parents Jason and Carrie and their family.

Every Christian around is offering comfort and praying that God will surround them with his all knowing presence to comfort them.

As the new year starts with a full moon, record breaking 16 degrees below temperatures, and -40 chill factor, now an homicide, it is a stark wake-up call that we all must tread lightly and be alert to what each precious day, we have been given, may hold.

For me, as I watch each family of beloved children and grandchildren leave over the New Years Eve holidays for Urbandale, Iowa, for Fort Wayne Indiania, for Champaign, Illinois and for Carthage after one report after another of tragic deaths, I almost weep and plead with God to please watch over them as they travel to their homes with their precious cargo of my grandchildren. Two return to college life in Iowa.

In 2018, lets make some resolutions that will help insure our chances of a big celebration on new New Year's Eve, that all our friends and families are well and safe.

Around the Christmas holidays mask robbers broke in the North Carolina home of Vice President of the National Rifle Association Richard Childress, who owns NASCAR racing team RC Racing and is on the Growth Energy Board with Ray Defenbaugh. The two hunt regularly together along with Childress grandson Auston Dillon.

Richard and his wife were home and shot three times and scared the masked men off. Childress said they were obviously up to some serious harm and the survillence cameras got some up close footage of them and their eyes and also they were able to lift some DNA.

Luckily, Childress was able to gather with family at his Montana ranch home with family members where they enjoy lots of hunting.

In 2018, let's all make better choices by starting first in attending and taking our families to church and establishing respect for the Golden Rule. It came from the moral teachings of Jesus in the "Sermon on the Mount": "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Secondly, lets post and memorize and put into practice God's Ten Commandments:

1-Have no other God.

2-Do not make idols.

3-Don't use God's name wrongly

4-Keep the sabbath

5-Honor your parents

6-Do not kill

7-Do not commit adultry

8-Do not steal

9-Do not bare false witness.

10-Do not covet.

And lastly, set boundaries, but lets love our spouses, children and parents unconditionally. God bless!