New Rockford Transcript - Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Humans have a tendency to follow, whether we like to admit it or not: “Follow me,” says every anti-aging ad campaign. “Follow me,” says the intentionally-curated algorithms of your social media accounts. “Follow me,” says the diet and...

As the temperature drops, and harvest wraps up, I start to want to cook again, to sleep a little later, and spend longer evenings inside. It’s also a time to anticipate the very long, very cold months ahead, and think about vacation. Warm...

In The Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-15), we have a rich man and the manager who works for the rich man. The manager caught wind that he was getting fired—the rich man (the boss) was not happy. The manager went quickly and slyly, and for...

“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Nope, this isn’t the devil talking. This isn’t clueless disciples, or the haughty Pharisees who promise to bring division and not peace. It’s Jesus himself from...

“Martha, Martha, you are distracted by many things” (Luke 10:41). Oof, if there is a convicting verse in Scripture, for me, this is it. I am distracted. I am distracted by the busy-ness of my schedule, by being a parent, by being a daughter, by...

Let’s take a moment to whine about the weather. It’s dreary, always windy, bitter cold. Our vitamin D levels are down and we can feel it. Sometimes we hear, “well, if you’re dressed right, you can enjoy the outdoors in any weather.” Right....

Just before the Israelites enter the Promised Land, God tells them: “While you’re out among the nations where God has dispersed you and the blessings and curses come in just the way I have set them before you….” (Genesis 30:1). There are two...

For the next three weeks, we will wander together through the early verses of Deuteronomy chapter 30. Wander deeply. First, the context: the Israelites have been led by Moses through the Red Sea (Exodus 13-15), out of the land of Egypt where they...

Human beings are created for relationships. We need touch, a place to belong, and to be loved. There is no doubt that modern psychology has claimed this, as well as each of the world’s religions/philosophies. It’s such a basic truth for every...

The John Tesh radio show told me about an experiment done on competitive bicyclists. All the participants started by competing in a hot-weather bike ride. Then they were split in half, one group continued to train physically in the hot-weather...

“Wherever [Jesus] went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.” (Mark 6:56) So much of Jesus' ministry, his...

We’ve had a heavy and difficult year, and I still feel that in my frequent, deep sighs. The pandemic, the political fighting, the polarization of our world just feels too much to add to our already busy lives, filled with just normal ups and...

Without even saying, “be not afraid,” the familiar and beloved Ecclesiastes 3 addresses fear head on.  I think this is the reason Ecclesiastes is so beloved. Because it’s true. It’s true that half of life is suffering, and half is joy. It...

Fear can be a positive protective measure, and fear can morph into something destructive. When fear overwhelms us (2020 anyone?), we often tend to isolate ourselves, curving more and more inward. Scripture tells us the last thing we should do is to...

How have you experienced fear? What paralyzes you? What keeps you up at night? Psychology would tell us that fear is a natural defense mechanism, and can keep us from danger. We all have experiences where our fear kept us safe, avoided a dangerous...

There are 365 times in scripture that we read the words, “Be not afraid.” I’ve never gone through and counted them, so don’t quote me on it, but a simple concordance search confirms: there’s about that many. The remarkable part is to whom...

Nearing the end of a two-week quarantine, snow, a contentious election, among many other 2020-ish happenings, I’m trying to focus on what I’m grateful for. Here’s my list: • The relative health and safety of my family, and the community I...

If you haven’t yet, do yourself a favor and go read the book “Wonder” by RJ Palacio. (The movie isn’t enough; you need to read the book!) It’s a kids’ book, wisely assigned to the sixth grade language arts students. But this book isn’t...

As the world spins in increasing chaos, COVID rates rise, and a contentious election draws near, it’s hard to find peace and calm. While finding peace has always been elusive to human beings, right now it feels especially difficult. In these...

First Congregational Church I am moved by what poet and songwriter Sara Graves shares in her song “The Dream” about her grandfather’s recurring image of God:  You are standing in the driveway  As I come up the street  I can tell by your...

It feels like we hear about suicide more and more all the time, and it’s hard to know how to talk to our kids. Death by suicide has increased every year since 1999 in people age 10 to 74, as this community has felt acutely. Thea Gallagher, clinic...

There are certainly so many factors that may lead to increased suicide risk amidst this global pandemic: social isolation, economic hardship, lack of spiritual sustenance, worry about the wellness of loved ones, not knowing what the future holds and...

I don’t know about you, but I’m finding myself very edgy these days, and the tears come easier than normal. Then I try to avoid my short temper by zoning out on my phone. It’s normal to feel out of sorts. It’s okay to be sad, angry, or fearfu...

This is from the devotional, “God is in the Manger” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor who was imprisoned and executed for participating in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. In an incomparable reversal of all righteous and pious...

This is from the devotional, “God is in the Manger” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor who was imprisoned and executed for participating in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. God becomes human, really human. While we endeavor to...