The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1493779
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 The Press-Dispatch D-1 CHURCH Submit church items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: news@pressdispatch.net Ramblings of my mind By Lowell Thomas Schools in crisis Points to Ponder By Curtis Bond See POINTS on page 2 See R AMBLINGS on page 2 PAWS WEEK PAWS WEEK Pet of the FROSTY sometimes the best medicine is a dog who thinks their love can cure you! This week PaWs is featuring a handsome young fellow named Frosty. Frosty is a large boy with a gentle nature. he is actually a bit timid until he gets to know you. Frosty is a Pit bull mix with brindle and silver fur. he has dark brown soulful eyes and a peppy spirit. Frosty is house-trained, has all his vaccinations and is neutered. To adopt Frosty call 354-9894. PaWs is located at 4224 n. Meridan road, Pe- tersburg. Youth First Today By Teresa Mercer, MSW, LCSW, LCAC REACH Out to Someone with Addiction Millions of people in the United states are affected by substance misuse. In the last few years, death rates from opiate and fentanyl overdoses have been increasing among young people, which is alarm- ing and disturbing. The simple definition of addiction is this: "continuing to seek and use substances despite adverse consequenc- es." addiction is a disease of the brain because it changes how the brain functions in the areas of reward, stress, and impulse control. heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a variety of other diseases all affect organs and other areas in the body. Much like other major diseases affect organs in the body, addiction affects the brain, the most complex organ in the body. Families will keep addic- tion a secret due to the shame connected with it. I can't think of any person/family that I have known personally that has dealt with a traumat- ic disease that wants to keep it hidden. But many people who struggle with addiction will suffer in silence due to stigma. as a mental health profes- sional, it's been interesting over the years to watch how people react when they find out someone they know has a family member with cancer compared to a family mem- ber addicted to opiates. I have the fortunate experience of proudly working with people who have addictions. In fact, I changed my language a few years ago and started saying I work with people who have addictions instead of saying I work with "addicts." People with addictions have names, families, jobs, dreams, hopes, and goals for the future just like every- one else. They also seem to have the best sense of hu- mor, which the world seems to lack of late. They never intended to become addict- ed, but when you understand how addiction hijacks the brain, it's easier to under- stand their actions. so how does addiction be- gin? some people start using alcohol or marijuana as a teen, which starts out fun and then they can't stop. some people quickly move to other harmful substances. The oth- er group of substance users often use to escape physical pain or emotional pain. They find something that makes them feel good or makes them function. Is that not what most of us do? But I have witnessed the awesome transformation of people in recovery, and I can tell you that addiction takes over the thinking of the per- son. When they stop, the "old" person returns. sobri- ety and recovery work! you can make a difference by educating yourself about addiction. attend a local 12- step meeting and reach out if you know someone that is on his or her recovery journey. reach: r- show respect. e- have some empathy. a- Gain more awareness. c- have compassion. h-Offer help and hope. everyone needs compas- sion, some tough love, sup- port, and the knowledge that they are important and worthwhile. They are not any different from the person you know with medical illnesses or any mental health illness- es. I challenge you to adopt a new perspective. you might just save a life! Teresa Mercer, MSW, LCSW, LCAC, is a Youth First Social Worker at Reitz High School in Vanderburgh Coun- ty. Youth First, Inc. is a non- profit dedicated to strength- ening youth and families, providing 83 Master's level social workers to 110 schools in 12 Indiana counties. Over 60,000 youth and families per year are served by Youth First's school social work and after school programs that pre- vent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors and maxi- mize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youthfirstinc.org or call 812- 421-8336. reading recent news about public schools makes me feel like rip Van Winkle having just woke up from a 20 -year snooze. I wonder where I have been. Would someone pinch me, so I know I'm awake? revelations of social engineering flooding out of public schools make me sick and angry. I don't know where to begin. Johnny continues to struggle to read. The Illinois depart- ment of education released findings showing that in 2022, 55 chicago public schools reported no students were proficient in either math or reading. There were 22 schools that had no students who could read at grade level; another 33 schools reported no students could perform math at grade level. state- wide, there were 53 schools that reported no students who were proficient in math; another 30 schools reported zero stu- dents who could read at grade level. Illinois state sen. Willie Preston blamed the academic de- cline on the pandemic, given the virtual and remote learning in which [the state] forced students to partake amid stringent lockdowns and school closures. critics push back, highlight- ing that 2019 levels were not significantly better than the data from 2022. Blaming covid for the drop in school performance is whitewashing the actual issue why Johnny can't read. One reason is schools have become a laboratory for social engineering. some schools have a clown show to entertain children as they learn the three-rs. a shop teacher at Oakville Trafalgar high school in Oakville, Ontario, is a prime example of schools out of control. a teacher, who is biologically male, has been flaunting a recent "gender transition" by showing up to school dressed in skin- tight shirts with size Z prosthetic breasts with visible nipples. students reportedly have been threatened with suspen- sion if they snap photos or shoot video of her/him on school grounds. One student expressed helplessness, saying: "The kids here most definitely don't think it's normal… but realisti- cally we can't say anything… Last year, the teacher was a man. I don't think the school can fire him." Parents are outraged and have circulated a petition demand- ing school officials fire him/her. The school Board has yet to respond with one staff member claiming that this teacher's conduct is protected under the Ontario human rights code. In abington, Massachusetts, news reports say the superin- tendent of abington Public schools is under fire for the dis- trict's decision to put back into the school's libraries a book called "This Book is Gay" for kids. When asked if he is aware that the book discusses how to perform an assortment of immoral and sexually perverted acts, with detailed information on how to have gay sex, and how sex apps work, the superintendent responded, "a fter reading the entire book and understanding it in full context, hello, I'm here to ramble for awhile. another slow week for us, but we did have an appointment with my cardiologist. doctor was okay with how I'm doing. he said see you in a year. Good news for me and a relief as well. have you been following the news around the world? It seems as though everything you hear and read is terrible, and if you are a Bible scholar it gives you the feeling that God can't stand to see his creation abuse ourselves the way we are. steve and I do a song sometimes when we get to play for others and it is an ann Murray song titled 'sure could Use a Little Good news Today.' This song hits things exactly how they are and how they have been for a long time. We need to pay attention to what this song says and start treating others with the respect each of us should deserve. There was a news story on the television about an 80th hour revival being held at Wilmore Kentucky. There is one thing I'll say about a revival and that is it has to start with you and your heart. It is almost like a common cold because it is contagious and once it starts, it grows. I didn't plan to preach you a mini sermon but I do have fam- ily and friends that I would love to see turn the hearts toward loving Jesus. as I tell you these things, I must admit that I am not as close as I should be, but I do love the Lord and hope I am doing as he needs me to be doing. I always talk about be- ing a blessing, and if you have been paying attention, you see the many that God puts near you that you never have to seek; someone to help by our blessings. Finally got started working on those sick mowers and spent several hours trying to figure out why the drive belt was so lose and the only thing we could come up with was the new belt has stretched. It is quite a chore changing a drive belt but we will get it done and hopefully we will have it fixed. One day last week I spent some time trying to put things together for a mini church service with a communion service and some singing. We tentatively have this scheduled for april 16 at 2:30 p.m. We will have this service for the residents of Lakeview assisted Living home. It feels good to be used again and I hope and pray that they will enjoy. We received many compliments about our granddaughter as she was grocery shopping with Mamaw and Papaw. she does have a temper, but it is normally short lived and she easily becomes a good girl again. amazing how our children become little people with personality and spirit which is unique for them, pay attention and see what I'm saying. Our sunday school was about procrastinating and how we as human beings are prone to put things off, especially when God is asking something of us. Morning worship covered noah building the ark, which housed 2X2 animals to be housed in the ark as the rains came down to create a flood of water to destroy the earth. The de- struction was preached by noah as they made fun of his efforts to build the ark for God. They would never pay heed to noah and there was day when noah's work on the ark was complet- ed. God closed the door and the lost souls were destroyed by God. I feel certain God didn't want to destroy the earth but