Bits 'N Pieces

Happy Thursday to all!

I hope this Thursday finds you well and enjoying these warmer temps. Iowa is truly a champion at giving us multiple seasons in one week, luckily this week we have found ourselves enjoying some real summer weather. My children are eating it up.

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We will kick off this week's column with Bethlehem Lutheran's Pastor Mark Wilms giving us his weekly dose of "Coffee Shop Wisdom."

We have a few for you today, starting with "When angry, count to 10 before you speak. If very angry, 100" (I say something similar to my children).

Next, he shares "Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope. Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore, we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by love." – Reinhold Neibuhr (1892-1971) American theologian, ethicist, and commentator.

All wonderful advice to ponder. Thank you to Pastor Mark for your Coffee Shop Wisdom!

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As my children ready their gear to head off to Scharnberg Park for a swim, I realize how grateful and lucky I am to live where I do.

I live right next to one of the greatest vacation spots in all of Iowa, the Iowa Great Lakes. Also nearby is one of the best remaining drive-in theatres of Iowa in Superior. Even closer are the local gems of Scharnberg Park for camping, log cabin rentals and swimming, then Dog Creek for grain-bin cabins, camping and swimming available in Sutherland. Not to mention, the beautiful lakes of Silver Lake in Lake Park and Lost Island Lake of Ruthven that are perfect for swimming, boating, tubing and fishing. Top those excellent options off with the beautiful pools of Peterson, Sanborn, Sheldon, soon-to-be of Hartley, Lake Park and Spencer. It's safe to say that we have so many wonderful summer venues to be grateful for and that I am blessed to be within driving distance of.

Summer is so much more fun with all of these fantastic areas to visit while our Iowa weather is hot. If you've yet to check out any of the above-mentioned spots, I highly suggest a drive their way to see them for yourself.

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My 9-year-old daughter had her second softball tournament game last night. It's a double-elimination style tournament in which we lost our first game and pulled off a huge win for our second. This is the first win our team has had the entire season. Considering that we are now deeper into the bracket then we ever intended to make it, to say that they are beyond thrilled would be an understatement.

Their tenacity and desire to play is something that motivates me not only as their coach, but also as a parent of a player, to remain hopeful and always see the positives in even the gloomiest of situations. Our girls could have easily come to play with half of their skill, just to get our tournament time and Little League season over with faster. But they didn't. They chose hope and optimism, playing with all of their skill to pull off a large victory and keep their season alive. I'm so proud of their heart, team spirit and tenacious attitudes of perseverance. They are sure to do great things in their lives, both on and off the field, if they keep that attitude up. Let's hope tonight's third tournament game goes just as well! Either way, they have so much to be proud of this season.

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As I wrap this up, I will leave you with one of our favorite Hope Lutheran Church cookbook and family recipes. This one is one that I will be using in the near future as my freezer stash of frozen bananas is getting a tad out of control! Enjoy and have a blessed weekend ahead!

Banana Bars

By Arlene Meyer

½ c. oleo

1 ½ c. sugar

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed (if you are using them from frozen, put them in a Zip-Lock bag and submerge in hot/warm water to dethaw quickly)

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ c. sour cream or milk

2 scant c. flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

Directions: Bake in jelly roll pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. May top with homemade or purchased frosting if wanted.

Sentinel-News contributor Iesha Toft lives in Royal.