There was a stork who happened to be flying by a cornfield. He thought he would rest awhile in it.

1. Albert Einstein never learned to drive a car.

We believe that the greatest outcomes for our community begin with prayer. These were words that were shared with you back in March of this year as the Bristow Ministerial Alliance hosted its first citywide prayer event. Since then, we have begun to see the favor of the Lord expressed in our churches, our schools, and our community. We want to encourage you with this: the greatest outcomes for our community not only begin with prayer, but they will be sustained by it as well. The reminder from the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands us to this task of continual prayer, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” We want to invite you to join us in continually praying for God to do great things in and among us here in Bristow.

Love and life are funny things that often bewilder us, creating feelings within our body that are not really caused by any physical injury. Heartbreak is a good example.

Let's discuss the condition of our city streets! This morning, I had a meeting with the head of the Public Works department and the foreman to discuss the ongoing projects in our city. One of the main topics we covered was street repairs, which is a subject that frequently comes up when people reach out to me.

In one way or another, everyone is bound to face grief. Anyone can lose someone near and dear, like a relative, a close friend, or a pet, because death is part of life. To better understand grief, one must look at is as a multifaceted response. It affects the emotion and other areas as well. Psychologically, grief can also bring about social, philosophical, and physical reactions.

When a baby comes home from the hospital, he or she is not given chores to do. They are not expected to clean their nursery or empty the trash, but as that baby grows and develops, we believe they should accept some limited responsibilities as we give them chores to do. Chores teach a child responsibility.

In May, the Department of Commerce reached out to the city regarding the opportunity to apply for unallocated ARPA funds. These funds, known as infrastructure for industry; were specifically intended for a location that could provide workforce, land, and transportation access.

We live most of our normal lives in a place that feels comfortable and safe to us. We often have to stretch ourselves to do, say, or take action on anything that is outside of the realm of these comfort zones.

The death of a child is always an appalling affair. Its effect is often felt widely and can have an impact on so many people including the extended family, school friends, and their families, as well as the teachers and staff from their schools.