Commentary

by: Lareina Morgan

During this time, a man from the family called Levi married a woman. She was from the same family. Later, she was expecting a child. And she gave birth to a son. She saw that her baby was a beautiful child. So she hid him for three months. After that, she could not continue to hide him. So she obtained some plants that grow in water. And she used them to make a basket for her son. She covered the basket with a thick black substance so that water did not get into the basket. Then she placed the child in it. And she put the basket among the plants that grew along the edge of the River Nile. The baby’s sister waited at a distance and she watched. She wanted to see what would happen to the baby.

Dear Editor, Generosity throughout Winnfield contributed to a successful shoebox gift collection season at drop-off locations for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected 10 million shoebox gifts in 2023. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2023, the ministry is now sending over 11.3 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide, including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster.

Through shoeboxes—packed with fun toys, school supplies, and personal care items—Winnfield- area volunteers brought joy to children in need around the world. Each giftfilled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love, and it is often the first gift these children have ever received. Through the continued generosity of donors since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 220 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

Gifts in a Jar aren’t always about food. Sometimes, we want to offer a bit of fun, or even encouragement. If this is the case, consider a Daily Gift in a Jar.

These are jars that are filled with slips of paper which have ‘instructions’ or ‘encouragements’ written on them. Each day, the recipient will open the jar, remove a slip, and use that as their daily fun.

Daily Gifts in a Jar can also be a fun gift for kids. You can write riddles, jokes, or even a word puzzle on each slip. Here are some ideas that can get your started: Daily Fun in a Jar

Even now when I hear, see or write those words, my mind immediately goes back to the television show “Lost in Space” which aired between 1965-68 on CBS.

Inspired by the 1812 novel, The Swiss Family Robinson, the series followed the adventures of a family named Robinson, a pioneering family who struggled to survive in outer space.

But, long before there was A.I., the Robinsons had a robot, whose purpose was to assist them and let them know if danger was near by shouting

That show, which featured GuyWilliams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright, Bill Mumy and Jonathan Harris, has long been off the air. However, the robot’s cry still needs to be heard today in world affairs, government, homes, schools, churches, etc.

And, what would the warning be? To turn to the one, true-and-living God: the Creator and Sustainer of all that is.

Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, sin (

Have you heard about the time someone had the bright idea of importing Hippos into South Louisiana? This happened back in 1910. The thought behind it was to use these mammoth beasts in part to help control water hyacinths which were taking over our swamps.

Unfortunately, a study was conducted, and it was discovered that hippos don’t really like the taste of water hyacinths. Considering Hippos are vegetarians, turning them loose could have destroyed our ecosystem, crops, and become a major problem in many other ways. This may or may not have been the reason the idea was dropped, but fortunately for us who live in Louisiana, the hippos got to stay home.

Dear Editor Operation Save a Kid would like to thank everyone for your donations and support of the Shop With a Cop program. The kind gifts that were received truly put a smile on the faces of the children that participated. It also put much Christmas joy in their hearts as well as the hearts of those that were a part of this special event. Your generosity will always be remembered. We look forward to the continued support for the coming years.

Thank you, Jessie Phillips, WPD Liaison Officer

I think it is always important to assess where we are and where it seems we are going. To that end, I review here some of the numerous things about which we can be thankful and for which we can be hopeful as we head into 2024.

In Shreveport-Bossier, we continue to be blessed by God to live next to the Red River—a tremendous economic asset I’ve outlined in a previous article about the Port of Caddo-Bossier (whose businesses are virtually always hiring)—which has a direct economic impact on all of N. Louisiana. We also continue to be blessed to be at the intersection of two federal interstates, I-20, and I-49, which continue to attract regional and national businesses to this area for that very reason.

When living a simple life, one of the benefits is learning new skills, then handing them down to our children. When we do this, we begin to strengthen our bonds with them.

At one time, traditional skills were taught and handed down from father to son, mother to daughter. Young girls were taught how to manage a home, sew, cook, garden and more.

Fathers taught their sons how to tend livestock, grow food, cut firewood, and to fish and hunt. Children were expected to learn the basics of any chore that would help keep the household running smoothly.

Teaching and learning these skills helped to form a bond between the parent and child. As the work took place, it opened up time for conversation. Bonds grew stronger. In the evenings, dinner was eaten together, and afterwards, families spent time together telling stories, playing games, and just talking before bedtime.

“Immanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God and the everlasting Father”

9:6).

Yes, those were the names revealed to Isaiah as he prophesied of the “Coming, Anointed-and-Appointed, Promised Deliverer sent from God”— otherwise known as the Messiah or Christ.

And, some 700 years later those prophesies came true in One Who’d also be called Jesus, which means “The Lord is Salvation.”

His Birth in a crudely made, wooden, feeding trough for cattle ( manger) was/is both miraculous and mysterious: for none of us can understand a virgin birth or how “the Word could be made flesh and dwell among us” (Is. 7:14a; Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-7; John 1:14).

Likewise, our human minds cannot grasp all that happened from “the Cradle to the Cross”. . .the Resurrection. . .or how Jesus’ Life can change lives today some 2,000 years later.

But, thankfully, He still does. Hallelujah!!

A bright star in the East. Oh, how I often wish I could have been standing alongside the Magi when they looked up to see that beautiful sight. How I would love to have started walking, each step filled with the anticipation of coming closer and closer to the Christ child.

Each year at Christmas, as I hear the story and listen to the songs that portray this wonderful sight, I realize that I may not ever look up and see such a phenomenon in my day and age, but I can harbor the brightness of that star in my heart. Even more so, this star should not just be tucked away in my heart, only to be pulled out, given a good shake to release the dust and mold, and put on display only at Christmas.