Viewpoints

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

Easter Means Forgiveness in Christ Forgiveness is a common experience in our lives. Spouses forgive one another. Parents forgive their children. Friends forgive each other. One person sins against another person. And sometimes the person who was sinned against forgives the person who sinned against them. Whether or not the person who sinned believes or accepts the forgiveness has nothing to do with the fact that he has been forgiven by the person who they sinned against. The forgiveness comes from the heart of the person who was sinned against. That’s how it is between us and God. We sinned against God. The whole human race has sinned against God. But Jesus became guilty of our sin. God punished Him in our place when He suffered and died on the cross. St. Paul says: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). Easter morning God gave His approval of Christ’s sacrifice for sin by raising Him from the dead.

... that I have noted here before that this column is turned in a week before publication date, and so readers have history over events cited.
That said, I grew up hearing that robins arriving in Iowa from the south would “get snow on their tails three times” before the spring weather settled down. On this Monday before Easter, it has happened once, and forecasters are saying it would happen again Thursday and maybe Easter Sunday.
My mother used to remind me that old wives have experienced more things and so know more things than young people.

To the Editor:
It’s apparent that Allamakee County may be funding a major portion of the costs to construct the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in Lansing. Whether we like it or not, a substantial amount of our tax dollars are going to that project.
Although grants (some of which are supported by tax dollars) will cover a large portion of the costs and local business and personal donations will help, the final costs will outweigh the revenue in hand. Our supervisors have committed County financial support to build the Center by signing construction contracts last fall. This was before a good share of funding was secured.
Construction has begun and still there is a notable financial shortfall. What incentive is there for the fundraisers to proceed with their duty if the County has guaranteed financing?

To the Editor:
Hello! I am a fourth grade student in North Carolina. In fourth grade, we do state reports and I have chosen your state! I am very excited to learn more about the great state of Iowa as I work on my report.
I am writing to you to ask you to please publish the letter below in your Letters to the Editor section of your newspaper. It enhances my learning about the state when I hear from actual people who live in and love their state!
Thank you for considering helping me with this project!

Sincerely,
Elena Walker

Please meditate on the following scriptures: Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23.
What is victory? What is defeat? What makes somebody a winner? And somebody else a loser?
One day, not too long ago, I went to a semi-pro basketball game and I saw a big, tough basketball player come off the floor and in anger shove a manager who was offering him a towel, back up against the bench and over on his behind. I was disgusted. The big, tough basketball player was not a winner. He was a pitiful loser.
Outward appearances do not tell the story. The biggest person, or the person with the biggest mouth, is not necessarily the winner, even though he may look like it at the moment.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

Editor’s Note: The following was originally published in the March 13 issue of The Witness and was submitted to The Standard by Bob Hager of Dorchester. It is being reprinted here with the permission of Witness Editor, Dan Russo.

To the Editor:
Bill #2345 has passed through the Iowa House of Representatives.  It seems the intent of this bill is to assure that gasoline taxes collected at Iowa pumps are spent as intended, for our roads and bridges. In part, it says:
“An act requiring annual reports by county engineers on the use of road tax fund moneys to replace or repair structurally deficient bridges under county jurisdiction.  The engineer of each county shall certify and file a report detailing the manner in which moneys received by the county from the road use tax fund were used to replace or repair structurally deficient bridges under county jurisdiction.”

To the Editor:
In the last few weeks I’ve heard a lot with respect to the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center currently being built south of Lansing. I’ve attended a Board of Supervisors meeting when the project was discussed to make sure I had both sides of the issue.
Though I support the project in theory, I disagree with the implementation of it without having the necessary funding secured, and I have no confidence in the project’s ability to generate the necessary revenue, year after year, to fund itself.