Opinion

For the first half of the 20th century, tomato canning was an important industry Barry County. During the industry’s peak during the 1930s, a total of 16 canning factories were in operation in Barry County.

Community fireworks events vary from town to town in Barry County, but none are quite as ruralAmerica heartland as the Wheaton 4th of July celebration. The family and I went to Wheaton on the fourth and were not disappointed. Their $5 cheeseburgers are what I call land lunkers, thick, savory and hot off the grill. My kids really enjoyed the playground at the park. Our youngest wore out the slides even more than she wore out herself! The two bands performed well, and the sound crew avoided any aux cord technical difficulties so we could hear the National Anthem on the speakers just before the fireworks show. The Wheaton firefighters shoot the pyrotechnics, and they have the timing down to when the Anthem finishes with “home of the brave,” the first firework lights up the park. It was a warm night, but that timing even gave my cold-blooded body the chills!

The beginning of July is a time of peak patriotism in the United States, but as surely as you can count on the flood of Red, White and Blue, you can also count on another thing — complaints. Ordinances regarding fireworks within city limits vary as much as the arguments for and against the pyrotechnics.

Just as we celebrated our nation’s 247th birthday, summer keeps many busy and also tends to be a busy time within our family for birthday celebrations. Last month, we celebrated my son Chase’s birthday, and our beloved neighbor, Paul, also had a birthday.

I remember as a youth, walking into libraries, schools, museums, and other public places and finding a framed picture of the Declaration of Independence on the wall. Preparing to share with our congregation on the weekend leading into Independence Day, I began by reviewing my nostalgic memories of seeing these signs of a common narrative that belonged to us Americans.

I was track-side for the annual Barry County Truck and Tractor Pull on Saturday night. I saw a ton of local folks showing off their rides, like siblings Saige and Otto Miller, of Seligman, and Cassville’s own Brian Kirk. My favorite moment of the pull though actually happened in a trailer behind the track. Someone brought a fancy truck with the body on hydraulics. When it was lifted up at first, I though the truck fell of of something. Then I saw the guy hop in a seat and I thought, oh no he’s working on it somehow. Wrong again.

When I was a kid, I always felt time was crawling. I remember walking up the steps of Little Rock Central High School my freshman year thinking the four years I would spend there would be a lifetime.

It happens so easily. We oversleep, shut off the alarm and roll over, or just invest a bit too much extra time tackling a bad hair day.

All things happen according to the glory of God. At least, that is what we as Christians should believe. So much heartbreak has rocked our small town as of late and I would like to encourage those who have been affected as well as shed light to these dark situations.