In Our Community
Going “downtown” during the early 1950’s to one of the local movie houses, was a real treat for us youngsters during those early years. Going to the “State, Strand or Avon,” was thrilling especially if we were to see our favorite cowboys, serials etc.
However, cowboys were not the only pictures we saw as we ventured down the hill on a Saturday afternoon. For 15 cents we could watch two movies, a cartoon and the newsreel. Some of the other movies besides cowboys, were examples such as Ma and Pa Kettle, Francis the Talking Mule, or The Bowery Boys. If you were looking for jungle adventure you had your pick of “Tarzan, or Jungle Jim” to name of few. Unlike Tarzan, Jungle Jim did not wear a loincloth, consort with apes, or swing through the jungle on vines. Jim was a white hunter who wore jodhpurs and a pith helmet, used side arms, and lived in the jungles of Southeast Asia, not the jungles of Tarzan’s Africa. Jim and his assistant Kolu helped in his plight to rid the jungles of bad guys. On radio, Jungle Jim was a syndicated juvenile series based on the Hearst comic weekly strip by Alex Raymond. Following the story line of the newspaper closely, the program chronicled the exploits of Jungle Jim Bradley. The title role was played for the most part by Matt Crowley (Mark Trail). The first chapter of the series continued the story line and one serial led directly into the other. The series was similar to Flash Gordon in that respect even using the same theme music. Of course in the movies, we enjoyed Johnny Weissmueller’s version of Jungle Jim during our trip to the movies. However, watching on the screen, and listening to his adventures on radio was not the same because of the lack of imagination. It might be possible to hear an episode of The Adventures of Jungle Jim if you tune in to The Big Broadcast heard every Sunday night from 6 to midnight on AM 1370 KDTH. 
VA Extends Loan Forbearance Period
Some of you are going to breathe a sigh of relief at this news: The Department of Veterans Affairs moratorium on evictions and foreclosures was due to end March 31, but it’s been extended to June 30.
The extension is designed to keep you in your home while you sort out the damaging financial effects of the COVID pandemic. If you need forbearance (permission to miss payments or send a reduced amount), your lender is expected to grant you that for up to six months. During this time there are to be no late fees or penalties, but interest will accrue. The deadline to ask for forbearance is June 30, 2021. If you can’t make up your missed payments all at once when you have income again, call the mortgage company. If you’re not comfortable doing that, call the VA loan people directly at 877-827-3702. Your missed payments can’t just be pushed to the end of the loan period, but it is possible the loan could be modified. The VA allows loans to be extended under certain situations. Your credit score won’t take a negative hit during forbearance (not making payments), but only if you were current at the time you requested it. If you were already late on payments when you asked for help, then yes, they’ll continue to report you as delinquent during the whole period. That’s why it’s important to stay ahead of the problem by asking for help before things spin out of control. You have three ways to keep your home: forbearance, a repayment plan or a loan modification. To talk to the VA about COVID-related loan payment problems, call them at 877-827-3702. If you’re a renter and are in danger of being homeless, call the VA immediately at (877) 424-3838. You can also go online for additional information: benefits.va.gov/homeloans/cares-act-frequently-asked-questions.asp © 2021 King Features Synd., Inc. |
Shadow of a Candle
I saw a photo posted on Facebook that intrigued me and decided to duplicate the image. I placed a lit candle near a wall. The candle was positioned to catch the rays of the rising sun shining through a nearby east window. Like the photo on Facebook, my candle, too, cast a shadow on the wall, but, like the Facebook photo, the flame cast no shadow at all!
For me, this phenomena of the greater light of the sun shining through the lesser light of the candle flame illustrates how I’m to live my life in relationship with God. A fundamental principle of a God-centered life I’ve sought to adopt is that God is to get the credit, the glory, if you will, of anything good that comes from my life. I’m like a small lit candle that’s in a room with the bright sun shining in. People can see me, the small candle and my little flame of good, but because a far greater light is illuminating my life, God, God’s light far outshines my light. I believe my life is lived best when people see God in me more than they see me in me. I’m not there yet, I’m still growing beyond the childish wish of “look at me, look at Dave!” and seeking to move toward a more spiritually mature position where my life is saying, “Look at God, look at Christ.” Yes, I like affirmation. I like for people to appreciate me. It’s normal and a God-given desire to be valued by others. But I’ve discovered that there’s something better than being well thought of by others. I’ve determined I want God to get the credit for any good within me and any good I do. I want folks to be impressed with God working through me rather than having them be impressed with me. Life is so much better and bigger when I live for the Someone who is so much better and bigger than me! The irony is that when I seek to have people be impressed by God who is working through little ol’ me instead of trying to have people be impressed with me, I feel far better about me! I may be but a small lit candle in the world, but because I want my life to be illuminated by God any shadow of good influence I cast is because of Him. And I’m more than okay with that! “… Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Jesus in Matthew 5:16b 
Have you ever gone to the refrigerator and poured yourself a glass of milk and taken a drink only to realize that the milk was sour? You look at the expiration date on the carton and see that the milk went bad because it sat there too long. There are items all around us that we may or may not be aware will go bad at some point. However, one item many do not realize that can go bad are the smoke alarms in our homes.
Smoke alarms have a life expectancy of around 10 years. After this smoke alarms start to lose their effectiveness. Smoke alarms have sensors inside that over time collect dust, dirt and other particles in the air. These sensors become covered and the smoke alarm becomes less sensitive then when it was brand new. Here is how you can check to see if your smoke alarm(s) are outdated or nearing replacement age. If you remove your smoke alarm(s) from the ceiling or wall, turn the smoke alarm over to the back side. On the back, there should be a date stamped on it. That date is the date the smoke alarm was manufactured. A smoke alarm is good for 10 years from the date stamped on the back. If your smoke alarm(s) don’t have a date stamped on it, then it is time for them to go to the Smithsonian Museum. Smoke alarms should be installed in each bedroom or sleeping area of the home, in the hallway outside the bedrooms or sleeping area and one on each floor of the home. The Dubuque Fire Department in conjunction with the Red Cross of Northeast Iowa offers a free smoke alarm program. If you would like more information on this program or to schedule an appointment please call the Dubuque Fire Department at 563-589-4195. I can also be reached at Dpaulson@cityofdubuque.org. 
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Recently, I had to call 911 for help due to a faulty fire alarm. It was late in the evening and the fire alarm was malfunctioning. I couldn’t smell smoke or any electrical odor so I made a call for help, something I had never had to do in my lifetime. I told the 911 operator that it was not an emergency but could she contact the fire department and ask them to come out to my home to check for any problems in the fire alarm system.
It was only a short time before the fire truck arrived. Three firemen came into the house and went to the fire alarm in the hall. There was a problem because it was old and needed to be replaced. This caused me great stress because I had no one to help me during the COVID-19 situation. As the firemen started to leave my home, one of the firemen asked me if I had someone to help me get it replaced. I asked where I could get a new fire alarm and two places were mentioned, but at that time I was “staying in” so it seemed to be a hopeless dilemma for me to solve. Fortunately, one fireman spoke up and said that he got off work at 6:30 a.m. and would go and get one and install it for me. Sure enough, he arrived that next morning, I paid him for the product and he installed it. But, Fireman Mike Rose would accept no money for his service. And while he was here he asked me if I had a Carbon Monoxide unit in the house. I said no, so he checked the basement, then offered to get one and install it for me. At that time I thought that a family member might be able to help me. Before he left, he said if I couldn’t get help just call him and he would get a unit and install it for me. Because of the virus, family members were unable to come to my aid. So after about eight days I called Mike Rose. When he arrived that day, he had a large gift bag containing a beautiful blanket his wife Stacey had made. What a blessing! Like most people my age, I have been a 24/7 stay at home, and this act of kindness was a super surprise to an isolated woman. The gift card stated, “from the Rose Family.” Mike the fireman installed the unit and like before would not accept any money for his service. Furthermore, he offered to come and replace the batteries when needed. I must say, I have always respected firemen and all other public service workers with a grateful heart, but, this unselfish act gives me hope for all America. There are indeed angels among us. |
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