July 2018 Articles

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Just Rambling July 2018:

Just Rambling: This “Just Rambling” column is comprised of both happiness and sorrow. The happiness is that we will be celebrating our nation’s Independence Day also referred to as the Fourth of July. This a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2nd, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it two days later on July 4. Independence Day celebrations are accompanied by patriotic songs such as the National Anthem, “ The Star-Spangled Banner”; “God Bless America”; “America the Beautiful”; “My Country, Tis of Thee”; “This Land Is Your Land”; and “Stars and Stripes Forever”. These songs all show respect to our flag, our nation, and our forefathers. As citizens of this great nation, United States of America, we should never forget to respect our flag and to thank God for the freedoms we enjoy in this nation.
The sorrow in this “Just Rambling” is two fold. First I got a call from Mr. Gary Tyree on Wednesday, June 20th telling me that Mr. Ed Howie, his grandfather, had passed away. I have known Mr. Howie for many years going back to when the West Monroe Livestock Auction was operating in West Monroe. I used to see Mr. Howie at the auction barn when I went and more recently, Mr. Howie, had bought Charolais bulls from me. Over the years I always found Mr. Howie to be a fine man and very honest individual. Mr. Howie was eighty-eight but was active in his cattle operation until shortly before his death. He was a good cattleman, a good man and he will be missed by his family and friends. I was privileged to know Mr. Howie.
My second sorrow of this “Just Rambling” is that our family lost our old farm dog Jasper. Jasper was blessed to us on Easter Sunday, nineteen years ago. We didn’t know where he came from but he did have a flea collar on. Based on this, my wife, Donnette, made fliers to post at different places to let the original owner know that we had him. No one claimed Jasper so he had a permanent home with the Bennett’s. We all loved him and he was such a good dog. He loved to play basketball with our daughter, Dana, making her work really hard to dribble the ball around him. He loved all the little animals, - goats, cats calves, etc. The only animal he really didn’t like were skunks. He always liked to go watch us work cattle hoping to get some calf fries. He would lay in the shade and watch until the cattle working was complete then he would check out the catching chute and all around it for calf fries. When our kids went on picnic’s he was always there. Once when the girls were picnicking near the pond he snuck up and grabbed the cheese ball at which time Dana tried to catch him to get it back but she had no success. Jasper was to fast! Jasper was a beautiful black dog that we believe was a Golden Retriever/Rottweiler mix. When he looked at you he always seemed to have a smile on his face with loving eyes. He loved his family especially his Mama, Donnette. We will dearly miss our Jasper but he had a good nineteen year life on the Bennett’s Rainbow Hill Farm. Van Bennett “A righteous man regards the life of his animal” - Proverbs 12:10
July Scripture to Live By: Act 2:36-39 -”Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”