I hope I am wrong, but my thinking is that in our near future we will have to revert back to pioneer methods. I probably won’t be around when this change takes place, and I hope I’m not, but it is coming.

Our society has become so dependent on our government that when a need arises we stand with our hands extended and say, “What are they going to do?”

By Bryan Golden

Your mother tried to teach you some valuable lessons. Moms have a unique ability to impart essential wisdom. Unfortunately, most of us were too young to really appreciate their value.  Mother's Day is a great time to review the following advice you got when you were a kid.

• You can be whatever you want to be. You have no limitations. The whole world is open to you. Your future is ahead of you. You can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. It's okay to dream.

A mother is one of the most famous and valuable individuals known to God. She is one who has been used, abused, and taken for granite. She is forgiving. She could see her son rob a bank on the six o’clock news and convince herself,  “THAT MAN WAS NOT MY SON!”

If I had to select a stereotype that fits what a mother should be, she may be similar to Marie Baron, the character on the TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Her family is her life.

There are subjects, for one reason or another, that should not be a topic of conversation.  The ending result would be turmoil or complication. If two people have been married for years, the topic of an old boyfriend or girlfriend should be avoided.

As I was growing up, sex was never mentioned in the home. There was no such thing as sex education.  Even though we were involved with all farm animals, whenever an animal was bred or was giving birth, women and children were directed to go to the house. They were not permitted to watch. There was something mysterious about this process that embarrassed many adults.

I guess if every one of us would think back when we were kids, we could recall events that took place which we could label as close calls. Our survival depended on either we were lucky or perhaps the Good Lord had plans for us to keep us around for a while longer.

I have had many close calls in life. I will mention a few.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. With the May 2013 publication of the new DSM-5 diagnostic manual, these autism subtypes will be merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD.

Funerals in our society are supposed to be sad. In many cases this analysis is correct if the deceased is a young person, but for an older person such as I, who is approaching seventy, death is not a tragedy. Death is a natural part of life and should be accepted. If we really believe, like we profess, this stage of life should be a celebration and not a moaning process.

The future prosperity of any community depends on its ability to foster the health and well-being of the next generation. When a community invests wisely in children and families, the next generation will pay that back through a lifetime of productivity and responsible citizenship. Yet, when not all children have equal opportunity for healthy growth and development — due to experiences of child abuse and neglect — we put our future at risk.

While April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, you can make a big difference year-round through small acts that help protect children, strengthen families, promote traits that help protect families — and, ultimately, prevent the abuse and neglect of children.

The Scripture says, “Once a man, twice a child.”  I believe that statement because I see myself in its message. If one lives long enough this truth becomes a fact for all of us.

One of our aunts had a saying about old people. In fact she was an old person herself at that time.  When she would be talking about her sister, who was a year or two older, she would comment, “poor ol’ thing.” My wife and I joke about this label and have included ourselves in the “poor ol’ thing” theory.

As spring weather begins to appear in Kentucky, many of us begin to think about flowers and birds. Hearing the singing of our feathery friends brings the promise of warmer weather, lots of sunshine and days outdoors after a long winter trapped inside. A new sense of freedom  begins rising up in our souls.

Digging out the hummingbird feeder is one of the first springtime chores to be done. Getting hummingbirds humming around the deck or garden gives one the feel that summer is just ahead.

Hummingbirds in the U.S. and around the world have the benefit of being garden and backyard favorites. Many people put out hummingbird feeders or grow flowers that attract hummingbirds in the warmer months that allow these birds to refuel during their long migratory journeys. What's in sight is often in mind, and many fans of hummingbirds are doing what they can to keep every backyard, park and garden a friendly place for these beautiful birds.