An Open Door for Lost Sparrows | April 2020

1

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

2

PLAIN VALUES

4

5

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

6

Stories That Impact, Inspire, and Call to Action

PUBLISHER

MARLIN MILLER KEVIN BILLE

GENERAL MANAGER

SUE WENGERD

SENIOR EDITOR

PHIL BARKMAN

COPY EDITOR

MATT YODER

ACCOUNT MANAGER GRAPHIC ARTIST

ISAAC HERSHBERGER SETH YODER

GRAPHIC ARTIST CUSTOMER SERVICE PHOTOGRAPHER

BETHANY TROYER LANDON TROYER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ELAINE TOMSKI

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TOM HENNIGAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

FERREE HARDY MARCUS A. YODER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TORRY MARTIN & DOUG PETERSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

DR. TERESA HOXWORTH

MAY AD SALES DEADLINE

APRIL 6, 2020

Plain Values is published monthly by Plain Target Marketing, LLC. Please contact us with any questions regarding Plain Values.

PO Box 201/2106 Main Street, Winesburg, OH 44690 Phone: (844) 260-4578 | Fax: (330) 601-4099 www.plainvalues.com | reachout@plainvalues.com

THE FORMALITIES This publication and its contents are © 2020, Plain Target Marketing, LLC. Individual copyrighted items, trademarks, etc. contained within are the property of their respective copyright holders. No part of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed by any means without authorization from the publisher. Publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ offers, products, or services, and publication neither expresses or implies an endorsement.

7

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

8

9

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

10

CONTENTS OHIO

/

ISSUE 82

/

APRIL 2020

MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER OLD DUTCH WORDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE

// 13

// 38

It's that time again! Test your knowledge as you try to figure out all 30 old dutch words and complete the crossword puzzle.

LOW OCTANE TANKS OF THE AFRICAN PLAIN

// 45

...a modern living animal is a much better fit for the powerful, savage beast described in the book of Job—the rhinoceros.

A PLACE TO BELONG

// 56

Here I went expecting to give but found that I’d received so much more. God seems to surprise us like that, doesn’t He?

AN OPEN DOOR FOR LOST SPARROWS // 15

FUNDS AND BENEFITS

An open door is a welcomed invitation. But what if entering means walking into darkness? What if stepping through the door brings difficulty?

Every month we provide a listing of opportunities to help out those in need. Pray for them, and support them financially if you feel led to do so.

TWO SOLUTIONS TO GREATER HEALTH // 33

THE ANABAPTIST WORLD OF 1800 // 67

OF MOOSE AND MEN // 74

// 92

HOT SPOTS

// 85

ON THE COVER

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

// 95

The moment Israel Gagnon experienced being outside for the first time in his life.

Every advertiser in this issue of Plain Values can be found here, along with the page their ad is on.

11

APRIL 2020

MESSAGE fro m th e PUBLISHER words by: MARLIN MILLER Many moons ago, a picture of Israel in his wheelchair was on this same page with a few words from his mom, Stacey. Her words, authentically raw, push me into much-needed reflection and realigning of my life’s priorities each time I dare go back to them.

It is my deep honor and joy to introduce the Gagnon family to you this month. The work they do around the world holds a special place for Lisa and me as they work to bring dignity and worth to the least of these and the left out.

The photo on the cover is that same boy outside, sitting in the sun for the first time in his life. His first time outside. His first time feeling sunshine. He was four years old. Look at the cover again and think about what it feels like to be outside in the bright sunshine. The rays hitting your face, the warmth; I’m guessing Israel, in that moment, felt freedom for the first time. What a powerful photo!

As always, may you find joy in the simple things of life... like a sunbeam. //

Public Service Announcement: Over the last few weeks, as you may have heard, the world has watched as a new virus (COVID-19) became a pandemic. At this time, the data points to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems as having the highest risk levels for serious complications from the virus. Coronavirus attacks the lungs; therefore, anyone with respiratory issues is at increased risk. Statistically, children and adults under age forty, while still able to transmit the virus if infected, are more likely to experience mild illness and symptoms and make a full recovery.

Before March 9, I assumed changes in our daily life would be minimal, but after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine began taking proactive measures to curb the spread of the virus, I realized how serious this actually is. Proactive measures include social distancing (staying home if you have any cold symptoms of any kind or have been near someone who does, communicating over the phone vs. in person, not shaking hands, etc.) have proven effective in slowing the transmission of this virus. Our team and I want to be proactive and do all we can to help slow the contagion, and we humbly ask you to consider doing the same. All of Ohio’s public schools and many sporting and public events have been and will continue to be canceled across the nation. Governor DeWine has banned public gatherings of more than 100 people until further notice. For clarification, this does not include churches, weddings, funerals, etc.

Please join us in praying that the spread of the virus is lessened and for courage to be the people the Lord calls us to be in the face of adversity.

Center for Disease Control - (800) 232-4636

13

APRIL 2020

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

CANINE CORNER

LOST SPARROWS an open door for

words by: ELAINE TOMSKI

An open door is a welcomed invitation. But what if entering means walking into darkness? What if stepping through the door brings difficulty? What if the voice we hear calling us to walk through that door belongs to Almighty God? Such is the story of the Gagnon family. Their tale is not about what they’ve done, but about what God is doing through them. They promote rescue. All because they walk through open doors to a welcoming God who generously guides their steps.

Like all other families, the Gagnon family started with two.

Darren and Stacey began their married life as schoolteachers with hopes for two children. They embraced the dream of a lovely little family of four. Their first child, Bailey, was born with a very rare

THE GAGNON FAMILY OF NINE, FOUNDERS OF LOST SPARROWS

15

APRIL 2020

heart condition. Stacey says, “We didn’t know if she would make it, or not.” The way to health for Bailey required trust in God and medical professionals. Darren and Stacey also learned new medical practices to care for their new little one. Thankfully, Bailey pulled through, and baby number two was a healthy son named Silas.

The Gagnon’s were living the American dream.

Open Doors to More Blessings After Stacey had become familiar with medical practices, she decided to re-enter college to become a nurse. Then the door opened for this family of four to welcome medically fragile foster children into their home. One of their first foster children was a newborn named Isaac. He came to them frightfully broken. His skull was fractured, his brain injured, and he had only a fifty percent chance of survival. Even if he survived, the diagnosis was a life of disability. Yet, now he’s a strong, healthy boy in the gifted program at school. In amazement, Stacey says, “Look what love can do.” They adopted Isaac after loving him back to health for two years, and he became Gagnon number five.

Next, Ellie came to the family, allergic to proteins and food. She was dependent on a feeding tube and considered to be too sick for adoption. But now, Darren says, “She’s just the happiest kid you’ve ever met in your life.” And she’s Gagnon number six.

Joel came next. Gagnon number seven was born with craniofacial impairment, without an ear, and had hearing loss in his existing ear. Stacey says, “The first time we met him, he was eighteen months old, and we knew he was supposed to be our son.” Darren adds, “He came to us with severe disabilities, but he doesn’t let those define who he is.” Still, because of his different appearance, children often stare and reject Joel. The Gagnon family wrote a story about the courage from which children, like Joel, need to draw. Illustrated by Seth Yoder and published by JPV Press, the Gagnon family’s adorable picture book is called Cowboy Joel and the Wild, Wild West. Its message reminds us all to be compassionate and brave.

JOEL GAGNON, THE SEVENTH MEMBER OF THE GAGNON FAMILY

PLAIN VALUES

16

17

APRIL 2020

Opening the Door to Bulgaria Stacey met their next son in Bulgaria. She says, “I walked into that orphanage, and there were dead silent, dying babies.” Imagine a large room with rows of cribs, the unexpected silence of infants, a lingering stench of urine, large heads on skinny, sore-infested bodies being fed only a liquid diet, and little legs tied to crib posts.

These images ripped Stacey’s heart and haunt her to this day. But she also saw beauty. The beautiful souls our God creates are never a mistake. Beautiful souls were imprisoned in each one of those cribs. How could she take just one child out of the orphanage and leave all of the rest? The door was wide open, and it looked very dark on the other side, but Stacey and Darren knew God Almighty was calling them to step through.

They had to start with one. Even if the couple couldn’t rescue all of the orphans, they could save one.

In 2016, Darren and Stacey adopted a precious four-yearold boy born with spina bifida. Their new son Israel was paralyzed from the waist down, had never chewed food, or been outdoors. The moment Darren carried Israel out of that orphanage, he said to Stacey, “He’s never coming PLAIN VALUES

18

back here. He’ll forever be our child, our son, and not their orphan.” Israel is Gagnon number eight.

The other five children embraced their little brother. Darren says, “He’s just a normal kid who had a bad circumstance.” It took a month of washing to get the stench out of poor little Israel. The fantastic news is that Gagnon member number eight is now thriving, growing, and learning about life with his forever family. Stacy says they want their children to

ISRAEL GAGNON, AFTER HE WAS ADOPTED BY DARREN AND STACEY

know, “You’re one person in this huge world, but you can make a difference.”

By stepping through doors, Darren and Stacey have learned a valuable lesson. Darren says they’ve discovered, “You have a lot more capacity to love a kid than you think you do.” The people of Bulgaria have not learned this lesson yet. Stacey says, “In Bulgaria, children born with special needs are placed in an orphanage. If they’re not adopted between the age of four and six, they are transported to an adult mental institution.

And within a year, eighty-five percent of those kids die. There’s no value for handicapped children. They’re actually considered a curse from God.” 19

APRIL 2020

STACEY AT ISRAEL'S ORPHANAGE IN BULGARIA

Why Lost Sparrows?

In 2016, Darren and Stacey returned to Israel’s Bulgarian orphanage to rescue one more child. Do

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and

you remember how the Gagnon’s hoped for a lovely

one of them shall not fall on the ground without your

little family of four? And, after Israel joined their

Father” (Matthew 10:29).

family, Stacey says, “We laugh because we said we were

The scriptures tell us our God knows the value of

done, but God told us otherwise.” You see, there was a

even one lowly sparrow. Of course, He sees the worth

sweet two-year-old girl, also tied to a crib in Bulgaria,

of a child deemed by people to be lost. There is eternal

who was born with limb difference. Only her right

value in these little ones hidden away, yet no one

arm and hand were complete. Little Zorey needed to

knows, and no one cares. Perhaps that’s why He invited

be in a safe place fast because of claims that medical

Darren and Stacey to walk through the darkened door

experimentation was taking place on this precious

of a Bulgarian orphanage. God knew their hearts. He

child. Stacey says, “Because we were home-study ready,

was fully aware of their willingness to trust Him. The

we could get there fast.”

result of their faith is a non-profit organization named

Little Zorey is blessed to be Gagnon number nine.

Lost Sparrows.

Stacey says, “She’s amazing. She just perfectly rounds

The organization’s mission statement reads, “Lost

out our family. She’s supposed to be ours. I don’t have

Sparrows is dedicated to improving the lives of orphans

a doubt in my mind.” Zorey is not a curse. She is not

and those with special needs through education, proper

worthy of bondage or medical experimentation. She is

medical care, and adoption.” Their current focus is in

a human being, created in the image of God. She is a

areas of Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. Their website

blessing. Her soul continues to sing despite what people

reports 7.3 million orphans in Eastern Europe (2015).

tried to do to her.

Lost Sparrows has so far raised $87,000 to fund their

PLAIN VALUES

20

work, and 862 families have been trained so they can keep their children rather than hand them over to government institutions.

If

addressing

the

orphan

crisis

in

Eastern

Europe seems overwhelming to you, know that it was overwhelming to Stacey Gagnon as well. She says, “The answer to the overwhelming orphan crisis is in seeing the one. The one is the child sitting in an orphanage

"THE SCRIPTURES TELL US OUR GOD KNOWS THE VALUE OF EVEN ONE LOWLY SPARROW. OF COURSE, HE SEES THE WORTH OF A CHILD DEEMED BY PEOPLE TO BE LOST. THERE IS ETERNAL VALUE IN THESE LITTLE ONES HIDDEN AWAY, YET NO ONE KNOWS, AND NO ONE CARES."

without a family. We want to be the difference to one.”

Stacey heard a thirty-year-old man speak at an event in 2013. His testimony continues to challenge her. This man aged-out of an orphanage, and these are his words.

“When I grew up in the orphanage, it was Christians who came and built nicer buildings, Christians who bought us beds, clothing, and provided money monthly for food.

It was a Christian, who wrote a letter in a shoebox, who first told me I was loved. It was the Christians who met all my physical and material needs in that orphanage.

But it was also Christians who neglected my biggest need. Children in orphanages don’t need more money, nicer buildings, or better clothes. I am not an orphan because I lost my home or provisions. I am an orphan because I lost my parents. I needed a mom and a dad.

I needed a family. Christians treated all my temporary symptoms of need but never cured my long-term disease of being an orphan. I am still an orphan.”

“And so Lost Sparrows was born out of the idea that my husband and I can’t adopt every child in the orphanage, but we also didn’t believe we wanted to throw dollars and time into sustaining orphanages,” says Stacey. “We wanted to support the family. We wanted to support moms to keep their children and raise them, and we wanted to support society seeing the worth and value in children who have special needs.”

Lost Sparrows works to promote foster care, adoption, and what they call “first families” in countries. They do this through education and support groups for families.

The aim is to affect societal systems in Eastern European countries and stop the flow of children into orphanages in the first place.

Stepping into Bosnia “It’s been incredible!” Stacey visited Bosnia in February and says, “We met with government officials, and we’re doing a really large training with hundreds of people this April in Bosnia.” People will be attending

21

APRIL 2020

from other countries as well. Stacey says, “We will

you’re doing. They value your children because your

not only be training on parenting children from what

children are worthy.” Tears streamed down the women’s

we call hard places, but we will also have a panel of

faces. One mother rose to speak. She said, “What you’ve

government officials and community changers to

done has been life-breathing. No one in our country has

project vision.” With a plan comes accountability, and

ever recognized what we do as good. They think we’re

excitement for what can be. Change happens when

crazy. The fact that someone in your country sees worth

people have a vision.

in our children means everything.” Stacey responded,

While in Bosnia in February, Stacey says Lost

“God designed these babies; He created them to be who

Sparrows honored over thirty-five women who bravely

they are to be. And He doesn’t make mistakes.”

chose to keep their special-needs children, rather

According to Stacey, the people of Bosnia are

than place them in an orphanage. When a country’s

currently living in survival mode. It’s a war-torn country.

only answer is to hide these precious babies away in

She says, “It’s not that long ago they were having

institutions, there are no resources or help for moms

hundreds of bombs falling into the city every day.”

or families who decide to care for their special-needs

Attempting to return to a healthy life again, Bosnians

children. Many of these women left careers to keep their

not only need to learn how to care for children with

children, and most became single moms because their

special needs, but they also need to learn how to work

husbands rejected and abandoned them.

through the life trauma of living in a war zone.

Lost Sparrows honored these courageous women

In the coming year, Stacey will return to Bosnia,

with a lovely dinner. Afterward, each mother received an

Bulgaria, and Russia to train on Trauma-Informed

overflowing gift basket. Stacey stood to speak, “This is

Parenting. Stacey writes on the Lost Sparrows website,

not from me. This gift is from moms in the United States

“I am often asked what this training looks like. The

who want you to know they see you and value what

best way to describe it is to say it's the same training

PLAIN VALUES

22

Bosnia Bulgaria

Bosnia "...the people of Bosnia are currently living in survival mode. It’s a war-torn country. She says, “It’s not that long ago they were having hundreds of bombs falling into the city every day.” Attempting to return to a healthy life again, Bosnians not only need to learn how to care for children with special needs, but they also need to learn how to work through the life trauma of living in a war zone."

23

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

24

Gagnon family, and that’s just what God has provided.

“Some of our very, very dear friends from our church in Arizona moved out to our new neighborhood to support us,” says Stacey. In six short months at their new home, God has provided people who feel closer than family.

Stacey says, “It’s been amazing. God has definitely put a village around us.”

As you can imagine, many challenges face the Gagnon family. Stacey says, “I have to make sure I’m doing what I’m called to first, which is raising my children to follow the Lord. Making sure the family is supported, and Lost Sparrows is supplied can be a juggling act at times.” Answer to prayer is what keeps

"...EARLY CHILDHOOD NEGLECT OR ABUSE CAUSES THE BRAIN TO BE ALTERED. THIS CAN LOOK LIKE BAD BEHAVIOR AND MANIPULATION IN A CHILD."

the family and the organization going. God is answering prayers and supplying needs every single day. Stacey says, “With non-profits, there’s always the fear that there’s not enough money to do this or that, and we have seen God send people who answer the call to give. He’s in all the little details. People stop by to offer to do exactly what’s needed!”

Recently, on the day Stacey returned from Bosnia, jet-lagged and exhausted, she received a phone call from someone who said, “I’m signed up to bring you dinner tonight. I’m on my way over.” That night a random couple brought love in a meal to their house. Darren and Stacey didn’t know them. They didn’t go to the same church.

But this couple met a need and offered to be involved in Lost Sparrows. Stacey says, “That’s the beauty of God’s

that we provide in the United States for caregivers of

people. When we’re asked to do something that might

children from hard places. Trauma-Informed Parenting

seem so simple, what a blessing that is.” God is faithful

understands that early childhood neglect or abuse

in the small details, but to Stacey, “They’re actually the

causes the brain to be altered. This can look like bad

big details.”

behavior and manipulation in a child. Our training

God’s provision is crucial to raising a family while

helps parents and caregivers to understand the science

directing a non-profit organization. Lost Sparrows is a

behind the changes in the brain.”

501c3 charity, and no salaries come from the donations.

Opening Doors to Indiana

Stacey says, “Every penny given goes to training and

Warm Arizona had always been home to the

families. We’re always looking for families who want

Gagnon family. So why did they move to chilly northern

to come alongside and support us financially.” Lost

Indiana in 2019? Stacey says, “We felt God say, move to

Sparrows also desires our prayers. “We go into hopeless,

a more economical place to live.” Although they had a

dark places,” says Stacey. “And Bosnia is over ninety

village of people helping them in Arizona, Darren and

percent Muslim. We welcome people who will go before

Stacey trusted God’s plan and walked through the door

us in prayer.”

to a new home, new schools, a new church, and new

Stacey says, “At the end of the day, we’re not out

blessings in Winona Lake, Indiana. Stacey says, “God’s

to support orphanages, we’re out to support orphans.

been so faithful in giving us direction.”

We will affect change by seeing the one. If everyone is

It still takes a village of people to sustain the

helping the one, there’s a tremendous ripple effect.”

25

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

26

Opening Doors to the Heart For Stacey, who has offered home and family to five orphaned children, Israel was the one. His hurting, hopeless situation was the one that ripped her heart open.

She says, “Seeing him and rescuing him, in so many ways, rescued us from ourselves.

We are called to so much more than what we were doing. We’re not supposed to be living the American dream when we’re following Christ.”

Yes, the day-to-day is hard. Stacey has a son in a wheelchair who she’s continually lifting. She’s changing diapers on an almost nine-year-old. But Israel has also helped her realize that the service, sacrifice, and love she has for her son is like God’s love for her.

Stacey says, “To me, adoption is the picture of the Gospel. Christ recognized me and saw me in my most broken and vulnerable state, and he still continues to care for me in the muck, in the grind, in the day-to-day when I need him so much.”

Isn’t this true of us all? To Jesus Christ, each one is an orphan who needs the Father.

Stacey says, “We are the one. Christ sees us and pursues us no matter how broken or hurt we are. We are worthy because of Him, not because of ourselves.”

It is Almighty God who opens doors to people, places, and hearts. The Gagnon family demonstrates how we trust. When God calls, faith always obeys. In the small ways of our every day, in significant ways as the little things add up, making a difference to one orphan, one family at a time, we answer the call to rescue lost sparrows. And God provides. // Lost Sparrows P.O.Box 751 Winona Lake, Indiana 46590 (928) 301-7030

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

28

29

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

30

31

APRIL 2020

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

CANINE CORNER

TWO SOLUTIONS TO GREATER HEALTH We know today's world can be an unhealthy one. Our diets are poor, we stress too much, and we don’t get enough exercise. One of the biggest problems is that we don’t drink enough water. Many are also facing an “energy crisis” in their personal health. The first part of this article will shed light on the need for proper hydration and minerals. The second part shares about vital nutrients that can “feed your brain” to combat a growing energy crisis.

SOLUTION 1 The Problem: Dehydration Water is critical to life. Your body is designed to be about 70 percent water. The most critical fluid in your body, your blood, is mostly water. Your muscles, skin, and vital organs all contain and need large amounts of water for optimal health. Most people don’t drink enough water, but there’s also another problem. The bigger challenge is that the water we drink isn’t really helping our bodies. Here’s why: There have been studies revealing that our tap water is full of contaminants and pollutants. While many people think bottled water is a healthier alternative, it is, in many cases, just filtered tap water.

Why Our Bodies Become Acidic There are many factors that create a more acidic state in our bodies. Most beverages and foods are acidic, including sodas, coffee, sports drinks, alcohol, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, processed foods, and junk foods. While compounding the acidic conditions within our body, we also are battling more environmental toxins (air, water, soil) and overall stress than ever before.

33

APRIL 2020

Symptoms of pH Acidity

Second, it can help address mineral, electrolyte, and

Either you—or people you know—have likely

other trace nutrient deficiencies. These nutrients are

experienced some of these symptoms: weight loss,

critical for cellular communication and the function

insomnia, water retention, arthritis, migraine headaches,

of virtually every major bodily organ and system.

constipation, colds, flu, stomach ulcers, acid reflux, and

“The modern lifestyle is so unhealthy, it leads to low

even cancer. Many health experts agree that an overly

levels of essential nutrients, including trace minerals

acidic body greatly diminishes the effectiveness of your

and electrolytes that our body requires every minute

immune system and usually leads to disease. Arthur

of every day,” says Ronnie. “Fortunately, our product

Guyton, MD, a renowned doctor, researcher, and medical

provides these to help the body replenish and refuel

author, emphasized this point, saying, "The cells of a

for increased energy, less illness, and a revitalization of

healthy body are alkaline while the cells of a diseased

health.”

Third, it helps normalize the body’s pH levels,

body are acidic." (Textbook of Medical Physiology)

bringing the acid/alkaline body back into balance. “We

The Solution: High pH Mineralized Water

know that an alkaline state equals good health, but the

There’s good news! A leader in the health and

modern lifestyle definitely contributes to an acidity

wellness industry has revolutionized hydration with its

overload,” explains Ronnie. “With this mineralized

flagship product, High pH Mineralized Water. “With this

water, you can quickly bring your body back into the

product, you’re getting so much more than just water or

healthy alkaline zone. We have hundreds of customers

a few nutrients,” says Executive Vice President Ronnie

sharing how it has helped them lose weight, regain

Webb. “It addresses the core problem of most of today’s

mental and physical energy, improve blood sugar levels

health woes.”

and cardiovascular function, minimize headaches and

High pH Mineralized Water addresses pH acidity,

joint discomfort, and eliminate digestive complaints

and supercharges hydration for superior health. Highly

and other issues.”

esteemed two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling,

13 ways High pH Mineralized Water Helps You Hydrate, Mineralize, and Revitalize Daily.

PhD, shared, “You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.” So

Delivered in a pure ionic form, it immediately begins

how can this product help? We now understand that

to help:

minerals and electrolytes are critical to overall health.

High pH Mineralized Water is an all-natural, organic

•

mineral complex derived from a pristine ocean source.

Assimilate vitamins and minerals from the foods/supplements you consume

Harvested in its natural form, it is formulated using a

•

patented method to ensure the highest level of purity

Neutralize harmful acidic state that can lead to illness

and safety. Then it is packaged into an individual, ready-

•

Increase your oxygen levels

•

Control digestive problems

•

Regulate blood sugar

First, it delivers superior quality hydration. “We

•

Lose weight

know that dehydration is a huge problem, but drinking

•

Manage blood pressure

sodas, energy drinks, or even tap water, certainly isn’t

•

Boost energy levels

•

Promote digestive health

70+ trace minerals, electrolytes, and other nutrients.

•

Support cardiovascular health

In fact, it supercharges your water, allowing your cells,

•

Kick-start athletic performance and recovery

tissues, and entire body to enjoy all the benefits of being

•

Promote mental energy/focus

•

Improve immune function

to-use “sachet.” You simply drop it into purified water, and drink.

Three Problems This Product Solves

going to solve that problem,” says Ronnie. “It provides a hydration solution unlike any other source by offering

fully hydrated with nutrient-rich water.”

PLAIN VALUES

34

SOLUTION 2 The Problem: Low Energy

several hours later. That’s exactly what you can expect

According to a 2007 study conducted by the

from this second product—Pure Energy Think Drink.

American Psychological Association (APA), a third

This high-quality brain support supplement comes in

of Americans live day-to-day with extreme stress. By

either capsule form or a convenient drink stick.

You can enjoy a drink that contains a comprehensive

2017, a Gallup poll revealed that 8 in 10 Americans are

blend of pure, clinically researched nutrients that

afflicted by stress.

It’s clear that adverse stress is bad for your health.

significantly increases energy levels while promoting

It takes a toll, particularly with your energy. As a

mental alertness, concentration, and focus. It’s an energy

result, many people turn to an unhealthy solution—

drink that doesn’t contain sugar, artificial caffeine, or

energy drinks. These sugar-laden, caffeinated drinks

artificial colors and flavorings.

may give you a quick jolt, but usually end in an abrupt

Ronnie shares, “We are creating an entirely new

crash-landing. Energy drinks have been presented as a

category of brain health market. I’ve never seen anything

“healthful” alternative. However, when you look at the

else like it. It has personally taken me to a whole new

nutrition labels, you will quickly see they can contain

level of doing my business and spending time with my

high amounts of sugar, artificial colors and flavors, few

family, including my children and my grandchildren. It

vitamins, and large amounts of unhealthy stimulants.

definitely gives me the mental energy I need to get so

While they may give you a temporary boost of energy,

much more done in my day, all while keeping a sharp

they may also leave you exhausted—that familiar

mind and focus.”

If you’re ready to feel better, have more energy, and

“crash”—when they wear off a few hours later.

achieve greater health, you want to begin with High pH

The Solution: The World’s First Pure Energy Think Drink

Mineralized Water and the world’s first Pure Energy Think Drink. Contact Leon Miller at 1 (877) 610 -1693, and

Imagine if you could feed your brain the nutrients it

place your order today. //

needs without those undesirable ingredients and “crash”

35

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

36

37

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

38

39

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

40

41

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

42

43

APRIL 2020

LOW-OCTANE

TANKS OF THE AFRICAN PLAIN

PLAIN VALUES

44

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

CANINE CORNER

words by: TOM HENNIGAN One reason rhinos rule the African plain has nothing to do with their horns or size. They’ve made a contract with unseen technicians who convert local rubbish into high-grade fuel.

"Will the unicorn be willing to serve you, or abide by your crib?

Can you bind the unicorn?” (Job 39:10–12, KJV updated).

Unicorns in the Bible—is that even possible? Well, if you picture prancing, pointy-horned ponies romping in the roses, definitely not. However, you might be surprised to learn that a modern living animal is a much better fit for the powerful, savage beast described in the book of Job—the rhinoceros.

As adults, these thick-skinned brutes don’t have any natural enemies. You might think it’s their horns that keep lions at bay, but in reality it’s their sheer size, speed, and nasty bite. The white rhinoceros is the third-biggest land mammal, weighing in at a hefty 4000–6000 pounds (1800–2700 kg)!

But the secret to rhinos’ success is not so much their strength and ferocity or pointed nose. Oddly, this formidable tank runs on low-quality fuel that many other plant-eaters can’t eat. It depends

45

APRIL 2020

on some of God’s smallest creatures to survive on this

giver—bacteria. Were it not for the Creator’s system of

low-carb veggie diet.

integrated and cooperative microbes and organs, the rhino could not exist. Since God is a relational God (Luke

First, A Word About That Nose

3:21–22; John 3:16), we should expect to see such mutually

But first, a quick word about that big horn, since

beneficial relationships everywhere in His creation. And

you’re probably wondering. The rhino horn is made

guess what—we do!

of a dense material called keratin (the same material

Everyone Benefits

in your hair and fingernails). But technically it’s not a true “horn.” Unlike true horns on cattle or antelopes, the

By itself, the rhino can’t access essential nutrients

rhinoceros “horn” does not have a bone core and is not

in plants. The problem is that plant cells have resilient

attached to the skull.

walls made of a very tough molecule called cellulose.

Rhinos simply don’t have the tools to break it down, but

Most animals’ horns come in pairs, and three species

bacteria do, an enzyme called cellulase.

of rhinos have two horns aligned front-to-back down

So they work together. Rhinos provide a place for

the snout. Rhinos use these horns primarily in contests

bacteria to live. In fact, they supply two homes. One,

over mates and territory, like the creatures identified

the caecum, is located just after the small intestine.

in Job 39.

Bacteria also live in the colon—the last stop in the

We Need Each Other

digestive system.

Rhinos are herbivores and are well designed to

Many microbes make themselves at home in the

eat plants many animals can’t eat. A big part of that

caecum, where the rhinoceros supplies them with

design is the rhino’s crucial relationship with a tiny life-

plenty of food.

PLAIN VALUES

46

"Most animals’ horns come in pairs, and three species of rhinos have two horns aligned front-to-back down the snout. Rhinos use these horns primarily in contests over mates and territory, like the creatures identified in Job 39."

47

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

48

The bacteria pay the rent by providing nourishment.

As bacteria process cellulose, they make important nutrients such as sugars, B vitamins, and essential amino acids not easily obtained from the plants. Bacteria then live off these nutrients.

The rhino will later absorb the nutrients by digesting the bacteria. But there’s a problem: rhinos digest and absorb nutrients in the small intestine. How can the nutrients get from the caecum back into the small intestine—especially since powerful muscular contractions, called peristalsis, drive the food out of the small intestine into the caecum in the first place?

At first glance it seems the rhino can’t benefit from the nutrients the bacteria have manufactured.

They’re headed straight to the colon for elimination.

What a waste!

CLOSE UP OF TWO WHITE RHINOCEROS EATING GRASS IN NAMIBIA, AFRICA

49

APRIL 2020

BLACK RHINOS ACTUALLY FEED ON PLANTS MOST HERBIVORES WON’T EVEN TASTE. THEY EAT HUGE AMOUNTS OF TOXIC PLANTS. Well, all is not as it seems. Peristaltic movements seem to be reversible. Apparently, reverse peristalsis transports dead bacteria and nutrients back into the small intestine, where they can be digested and absorbed.

This relationship with bacteria allows rhinos to consume low-quality food faster and extract more nutrients than other herbivores, such as deer, can. As a result, rhinos thrive in habitats with poor-quality foods—such as arid environments with few plants, many of which are poisonous—where grasseaters and other herbivores would struggle.

Black rhinos actually feed on plants most herbivores won’t even taste. They eat huge amounts of toxic plants.

Their unique digestive systems—aided by caecal microbes—remove the plants’ poison.

This marvelous system is a good example of very different organisms working together as one. Even the mighty rhinoceros depends on lowly bacteria for its survival. Its horns and thick hide may make for a great show, but the important work takes place in its gut. //

PLAIN VALUES

50

Did You Know...

1) All rhinos except the white rhino have prehensile lips that can grab vegetation like tiny fingers. 2) Asian rhinos have tusks, and males use them for fighting other males.

African rhinos do not have tusks and use their horns instead. 3) Rhino horns are a prized ingredient in Asian folk medicines, although they have no real medicinal value.

4) Rhinos are among the most endangered mammal species in the world because poachers kill them for their horns and because humans are destroying their habitat.

5) The chemical composition of rhinoceros horns is directly linked to their diet, so it can be used to identify where poachers acquired a particular horn. 6) Rhinos may communicate using sounds below the level of human hearing (infrasonic), just like giraffes and elephants do. 7) The white rhino can reach speeds up to 27 miles per hour (45 km/hr)—enough to knock over an SUV filled with gawking tourists!

51

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

52

53

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

54

55

APRIL 2020

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

PLACE BELONG

a

to

words by: FERREE HARDY In February, I traveled to Holmes County, Ohio. I presented a seminar, “Shining Light on Our Sorrows & Hope,” for a great group of women who’ve founded “Broken Restoration” in Apple Creek. The seminar was the main purpose of my time in Ohio, but I also dropped in at the Plain Values office in Winesburg and met publisher Marlin Miller and all the super people who work there.

Then I met the folks at the Gospel Book Store in Berlin. You won’t mind if I stray a bit from regular widow talk this month, will you? I want to share some of my reflections. Here I went expecting to give but found that I’d received so much more. God seems to surprise us like that, doesn’t He? I love Ohio. I had lived in it from corner to corner for over thirty years. I’m in South Carolina now, but Ohio is a part of me, and I always long to return. I feel kind of silly, but when I get to go back, whether by car or by plane, I press my nose up against the window and gaze at the rolling hills as long as I can. If I were a puppy, I’d be pawing and whining! In February, I had to fly in, so you know I saw

PLAIN VALUES

56

CANINE CORNER

AS WE SHARED OUR LIVES AND STORIES, I FOUND DEAR FRIENDS AND SISTERS-IN-CHRIST, WHOM I WILL NEVER FORGET. snow-covered-everything as the plane descended to Cleveland. I even scraped ice and snow off the car I rented. Snow! I didn’t mind it at all for a change!

The roads were clear and I had a smooth drive, enjoying everything I could look at. And then, as I pulled up to a crossroad and stopped at the stop sign, I noticed a slight shift in the scenery.

“Something’s different,” I said to myself. I glanced at the clean, white farmhouse and buildings on my left. Ah, that’s it. No power lines. I was in Amish country. Pretty soon, I saw the buggy road signs and then the corn shocks bundled in the fields. I know these are everyday, ordinary sights to most of you, but where I’ve lived in South Carolina the ground is flat, the fields are cotton, peanuts, or tobacco (or snake-infested swampland), and it’s too hot for dairy cows. Although I’m not Amish, they were always near everywhere I’d lived in Ohio, so I was flooded with memories and feelings of home.

You might think I stayed at a motel or a famous Holmes County Bed & Breakfast. But my parents often hosted people who spoke at our church when I was growing up, and I’ve enjoyed doing the same. So when I was offered the chance to stay with Sheila Stoltzfus, director of Broken Restoration, I was delighted. She had a delicious chicken dinner ready for me when I arrived, and Joyce Miller came to join us. Joyce had initiated the invitation for me to come, and she prayerfully persisted with it even after I declined (see my January column). As we shared our lives and stories, I found dear friends and sisters-in-Christ, whom I will never forget. Christian hospitality was God’s idea and command, and I don’t believe the world can offer anything better or sweeter. But this was just the beginning.

PLAIN VALUES

58

On Friday, I drove over to the Plain Values office in Winesburg. How could I resist? I’m more curious than a cat. I’ve been writing this column since April 2016, but I only knew these people like you do—a name here and there that starts to seem familiar. It was very fun to meet them all in person! I was once again at home with kind and sincere people of faith. Afterward, Sue Wengerd took me to lunch. I felt like I already knew her a bit because I send her my article each month; sure enough, we talked and laughed like old friends for half the afternoon at Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek. I hadn’t been to a Der Dutchman for ten years, so I had a lot of catching up to do! Oh, the peanut butter spread, apple butter, and fresh rolls! Yes, I ate way too much. No room for dessert, but that was okay because I knew Sheila had a box of Coblentz chocolates back at her house.

I spent the rest of Friday afternoon at the Gospel Book Store in Berlin. A local bookstore in any town, but especially a Christian bookstore, is a rare find, and I loved it. Owner Merv Stoltzfus gave me a warm welcome and made it so comfortable to meet the staff and shoppers.

While there, I met the very first person (besides my hosts) to tell me face-to-face that they read this column every month! I do get notes and letters from readers, but I’m sort of removed from the magazine down here in South Carolina, so meeting face-to-face was a new experience. I began to really see that our deepest thoughts, feelings, and cries of the heart have found a special place in this magazine. Although we would have once been strangers, now we are drawn together on a journey as friends and fellow pilgrims.

The next day this experience grew and grew. It multiplied over and over. “I feel like we’ve been friends for all these years now,” said the first lady I met at the seminar on Saturday. Around sixty

59

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

60

women attended. Many told me, “Yours is the first thing I read each month.” Someone even said, “It’s the ONLY thing I read,” which I hope will give me something called “job security.” (I’m teasing). Marlin would have loved seeing her big smile.

In the months to come, I’ll share about the seminar with you. Can you imagine all those widows and others who’ve suffered loss coming together? You might think we had ourselves a big pity party or sobbing session, but it was nothing like that. It was about finding our place in God’s sovereign plan—He’s in control, and He loves us beyond comprehension. God’s plans for His beloved and broken-hearted people are mapped out with His amazing paths of restoration.

I’m back in South Carolina now but in a different town. My husband’s new job has taken us 125 miles to the other side of the state. I am once again starting over

"...I KNOW THAT WE WILL BUILD TOGETHER— LIFTING EACH OTHER UP WHEN WE FALL, PRAYING DESPERATELY FOR EACH OTHER’S NEEDS, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY THESE AFFLICTIONS TRANSFORM TO REWARDS."

as a stranger in a strange place. I will have to rebuild my life, much like my widow friends must rebuild theirs.

But now I know that we will build together—lifting each other up when we fall, praying desperately for each other’s needs, and looking forward to the day these afflictions transform to rewards. Visiting my beloved Ohio made me remember that there’s an even better place. I’m pretty sure it will include all the good parts of Ohio, but for now, it was enough to receive a glimmer and a hug of what God prepares for us. Not the empty shell of our earthly house—but a heavenly home. It’s a place where God will wipe away all our tears and we will finally, eternally belong. // Until next month,

ferree l

ADDRESS CHANGE! To learn more about widowhood, order a copy of Postcards from the Widows’ Path – Gleaning Hope and Purpose from the Book of Ruth. It’s a gentle, biblical guide for widows that has many saying, “This is the best I’ve ever read!” Contact your local Christian bookstore or mail a check for $14.99/copy (paperback, 248 pgs.), along with your address to: Ferree Hardy, 122 Breckenridge Dr., North Augusta, SC 49841. Allow 2 – 3 weeks for delivery. Free shipping for all Plain Values readers! www.WidowsChristianPlace.com

61

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

62

63

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

64

65

APRIL 2020

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

CANINE CORNER

THE ANABAPTIST WORLD OF 1800 words by: MARCUS A. YODER Sometimes in the study of history, it becomes necessary to step back and look at the bigger picture.

Our view is often very narrow, and we lose sight of the forest because we are looking at a few trees. We have seen the movement of the Anabaptist people as they moved west to the New World and east into Russia. We have also seen that, from the early parts of the Anabaptist movement, there were three distinct elements, or groups, that grew and prospered in the first 200 years: the Mennonites, the Amish, and the Hutterites. In order to get the “big picture” view of the movement, we will look at where these groups were at the end of the 1700s.

A MAP OF EUROPE IN THE 1870s

67

APRIL 2020

There had been Mennonites who immigrated to

counties, but by the time of the American Revolution

America as early as the 1690s and settled in a suburb

in 1776, some had moved westward to Somerset County

of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named Germantown.

and into Maryland along the Casselman River. In 1800,

From here, they had traveled westward, and by 1800

there were considerably fewer Amish than Mennonites

they were spreading throughout the state, with the

in America. The Amish were also more often on

strongest settlements in the Germantown, Franconia,

the leading edge of the frontier as they moved ever

and Lancaster areas. They had also moved south into

westward. In a few short years the Holmes County,

Maryland and Virginia, where smaller settlements

Ohio, settlement would begin (1809), and then Indiana

existed. These were primarily Swiss, South German,

and Illinois.

The Hutterites had experienced tremendous

and a few Dutch Mennonites.

The Mennonites who had moved eastward into

growth from the late 1550s into the early 1600s, by

Russia were still some seventy to seventy-five years

which time there were approximately 30,000 Hutterites

from thinking about moving to the Central Plains

in eastern Germany, Austria, and Slovakia. Because of

states and the Canadian prairie provinces. In Russia,

war and unfriendly government leaders, many were

they were just beginning to develop economically,

killed or forced to move farther east into Russia and

and already there were rumblings about freedom and

Transylvania. By the 1760s, only about 100 of these

security in the colonies.

Anabaptists remained faithful! Like the Russian

About 500 Amish had moved to America from

Mennonites, they had been forced into Ukraine, and

1730–1776. Most had settled first in Berks and Lancaster

there finally found a home and some security. Many

PLAIN VALUES

68

THE CASSELMAN BRIDGE OVER THE CASSELMAN RIVER IN MARYLAND, BUILT IN 1813

"Most had settled first in Berks and Lancaster counties, but by the time of the American Revolution in 1776, some had moved westward to Somerset County and into Maryland along the Casselman River."

69

APRIL 2020

IT IS TRUE THAT THEY WERE MERELY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME DESIRES, TEMPTATIONS, AND PROBLEMS WE HAVE TODAY. had been killed by the Muslim Turks who had invaded Eastern Europe and were greatly feared as they pillaged and sacked the lands they conquered.

What then was the state of Anabaptist spirituality at this time? It is easy to look back and think that these people were not nearly as “enlightened” as we are today, or to argue that they were much more spiritual than we are since they did not have the temptations of the modern world. It is true that they were merely people with the same desires, temptations, and problems we have today. Neighborhood and family squabbles, church divisions, and the issues that all of humanity faces plagued them as they plague us today. We must be careful that we do not idolize or despise our history since someday people will look back on our lives and world in the same way.

Persecution, movement, and tensions characterize the first 275 years of Anabaptist history. Some of those have been carried forward into our world, and we still wrestle with them today. Yet we also have a spiritual

PLAIN VALUES

70

heritage where we see the grace and the hand of Jesus Christ at work in the lives of our people. For that, we should be grateful.

If you would like to learn more about the Anabaptist World or find books about history, please call or visit the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center. We offer guided tours of "Behalt” - a 10 ft. x 265 ft. cyclorama oilon-canvas painting that illustrates the heritage of the Amish and Mennonite people from their Anabaptist beginnings in Zurich, Switzerland, to the present day.

Behalt means “to keep” or “remember.” We are open Mon-Sat 9:00-5:00 and are located near Berlin; you can find us at 5798 County Road 77, Millersburg, OH 44654.

Please call (330) 893-3192 for more information or to schedule a day or evening group tour. //

MARCUS A. YODER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMISH & MENNONITE HERITAGE CENTER AND THE OHIO AMISH LIBRARY. HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF CATHEDRALS, CASTLES, & CAVES: THE ORIGINS OF THE ANABAPTIST FAITH.

71

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

72

73

APRIL 2020

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

PT Part

Two

II

OF MOOSE AND MEN

words by: TORRY MARTIN & DOUG PETERSON One other thing about moose in Alaska. In this neck of the woods, they top deer for the infamous honor of being the most common large animal to be hit by cars. And the way that moose are built, they are even more hazardous to strike than a deer. Their legs are like four skinny stilts, and when a car slams into them, the legs break and the bulk of the animal—all 700 or 800 pounds of it— goes crashing through the windshield. It’s particularly dangerous with low-slung cars, so you don’t want to be in a Prius when you hit a moose. The gas mileage isn’t nearly as good when you’re driving with a 700-pound animal in your lap.

In Alaska, “moose versus car” accidents are so common that there is even a spot for “moose hits” on insurance forms. The state keeps a tally of moose hits and flashes the number on roadway signs just to remind drivers to keep an eye out for them.

But back to the moose at my kitchen window.

PLAIN VALUES

74

CANINE CORNER

75

APRIL 2020

"I didn’t realize at the time just how sensitive a moose nose could be. I have since heard that a wolf can sometimes immobilize a moose by biting it on the nose."

As I was saying, I was well aware of the danger

So if you’re going to take away any lessons from

posed by a moose, but I figured I was well protected

this chapter, here they are. (1) Don’t poke a moose. (2)

by my kitchen wall. This moose wasn’t about to climb

Don’t slap a polar bear. But I was about to learn a third

through my window—not like the polar bear that had

lesson: Don’t let a moose stick its head through your

done just that in a snow cabin up north. When the

kitchen window.

After I had given the moose a second carrot, I went

polar bear stuck its head through one of the windows,

back to the refrigerator to get a whole bag of carrots,

the man renting the cabin slapped the polar bear in the

and he stuck one antler through the window to find

snout! In retaliation, the polar bear squeezed through

out where I was coming up with all this delicious food.

the window and killed the man.

I decided I had to get a picture of this animal because no one in the Lower 48 states would believe it. I went to the back room to get my camera, but by the time I returned to the kitchen, the moose had stuck his second antler through the window, and now his entire head was inside our kitchen. I remember thinking his antlers might make a handy rack for my dishtowels.

But then I made a big mistake. I went to pet his nose.

I didn’t realize at the time just how sensitive a moose nose could be. I have since heard that a wolf can sometimes immobilize a moose by biting it on the nose.

It’s that painful.

PLAIN VALUES

76

I had no intention of biting his nose, but just the idea of petting him upset the creature. He yanked his head back, and his antlers slammed against the window frame. This freaked out the moose even more, and he went completely berserk, trying to retract his head from our window. But in his panic, he couldn’t get his antlers through the opening. I attempted to help him out. I grabbed hold of his antlers and tried to steer them back through the window, but he was snorting and thrashing his head back and forth wildly and nearly threw me off my feet. (By the way, the antlers felt kind of soft. They call it antler velvet.)

Next, the window glass shattered, which did nothing for this poor moose’s frazzled nerves. For a moment, I thought he was going to take down the entire wall, and then I really would have been in trouble. I would have shown up in the newspaper as another cautionary tale about not respecting the power of the moose.

Then I heard a resounding CRACK, and the moose pulled out the entire window frame. I stared

77

APRIL 2020

"When I look back on that day and think about the moose poking his huge head through our window and tearing the frame to pieces, it strikes me as a vivid picture of what sin can do if you give it even the slightest foothold in your life."

PLAIN VALUES

78

control of our lives, sin is loitering right outside our door, just waiting for us to let it inside. Or in the case of my moose analogy, sin is right outside our window, waiting to shove its nose inside. Sin will use any entry point—a window or a door. The devil isn’t choosy about the way he enters your house.

The devil may not have horns as wide as moose antlers (he probably doesn’t have horns at all), but he can still wreak havoc if you give him the slightest foothold in your life. As the famed evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.”

In the passage from Genesis, God also tells Cain to “rule over” sin—a phrase that brings to mind our long history of finding ways to “rule over” wild animals.

Today, most people in the Lower 48 have so little contact with wilderness and wild animals that they under-estimate the dangers. Some people even look back with disdain at our ancestors’ desire to rule over the wild kingdom, as if modern people would act any differently if they had to face wolves, bears, and other threats on a daily basis.

I see the same attitude with the devil. Just as urbanized people cannot comprehend the dangers of

in wonderment as the beast ran off into the woods

the wild, twenty-first-century people do not always

with the window frame still draped over his antlers.

comprehend the dangers posed by Satan. Belief in

I wonder to this day whether he started a new antler

a personal, living force of evil is less common today,

fashion trend among moose.

and as a result people underestimate his potential to

I was alive but shaken, and I had some serious

wreak havoc in their lives. If people think about the

’splainin’ to do when Rob got back and wondered why we

devil at all, they think of him as a mythical being—a

had such a draft coming through our kitchen window.

tame creature, not a “roaring lion looking for someone

When I look back on that day and think about

to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). People think they can poke the

the moose poking his huge head through our window

devil with a ski pole, and they don’t see the danger

and tearing the frame to pieces, it strikes me as a

until he wheels around and tramples them.

vivid picture of what sin can do if you give it even the

So don’t give sin a foothold—or even a hoof hold.

slightest foothold in your life. Sin can seem innocent

If you do, the devil might just tear down your entire

enough at first, like feeding carrots to a moose on a

house, not just the window frame. And while you’re at

beautiful winter’s day, but once it gets its nose and

it, please don’t slap any polar bears. They tend to slap

antlers into your house, look out!

back—with claws. //

The incident brought to mind Genesis 4:7, where God says to Cain, “If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” The phrase that leaped out at me was

TAKEN FROM: OF MOOSE AND MEN. COPYRIGHT © 2016 BY TORRY MARTIN AND DOUG PETERSON. PUBLISHED BY HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS,

“sin is crouching at your door.” It occurred to me that

EUGENE,

when we are tempted to let unhealthy passions take

OREGON.

WWW.HARVESTHOUSEPUBLISHERS.COM.

USED

BY

PERMISSION.

79

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

80

81

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

82

83

APRIL 2020

84

FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

CANINE CORNER

THE CANINE CORNER

HOT SPOTS words by puppy expert: DR. TERESA HOXWORTH Skin infections and areas of hair loss are commonly seen in dogs. “Hot spots” are swiftly developing bacterial skin infections usually caused by self-inflicted trauma. Other names for hot spots include pyotraumatic dermatitis and acute moist dermatitis. It is generally caused when a dog licks, chews, scratches, or rubs a particular area of their body in response to something painful or itchy.

One of the most common causes of hot spots are fleas, but they can also be seen in response to other external parasites or mange, allergic reactions, anal gland problems, ear infections, or other skin wounds or abrasions. These lesions can increase in size very quickly and are usually single, but several may be present and are often painful. Hot spots are commonly seen in dog breeds with long, thick hair coats, but any breed may be affected. Sometimes they can develop within a few hours.

85

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

A dog with a hot spot should be examined to

a dog that is pregnant. I usually put the dog on

determine if an underlying cause may be present.

an oral antibiotic, recommended for treatment of

I would strongly recommend that if patches of

skin infections, for seven to fourteen days.

hair loss are present or there is a large area that

Another similar disorder of the skin that can

appears to be moist and infected, the dog should

be related to a hot spot is skin fold dermatitis

be examined by a veterinarian.

or pyoderma. It is a bacterial skin infection that

Commonly, a skin scraping will be performed

occurs in breeds with excessive skin folds where

to check for mange, and the dog will be examined

the skin stays moist between the folds. You may

thoroughly to check for other external parasites.

notice the dog itching, rubbing, biting, or licking

Sometimes hot spots will re-occur if you

at the affected area. Sometimes you may notice

cannot initially determine what caused the lesion.

a bad odor coming from a dog that has skin fold

Hair should be clipped over and around the hot

dermatitis.

spot, and then the area should be cleaned with an

It is commonly seen in specific sites in certain

antiseptic cleaner or shampoo. Sometimes the area

breeds. Examples include: lip folds on Cocker

is so painful it requires that the dog be sedated to

spaniels,

clip and clean the area adequately. A drying agent,

and Irish setters; facial folds on Shar-Peis and

along with an antibiotic/steroid treatment, may be

brachycephalic (short-nosed breeds) such as

used on the wound itself. Products that contain

English bulldogs; body folds on Shar-Peis; leg folds

alcohol should be avoided. I prefer sprays instead

on Basset hounds and Dachshunds; tail folds on

of creams or ointments. I would also recommend

Bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs; and vulvar

not using a medication that contains a steroid on

folds on any breed of obese female dogs.

86

Springer

spaniels,

Saint

Bernards,

"It is commonly seen in specific sites in certain breeds. Examples include: lip folds on Cocker spaniels, Springer spaniels, Saint Bernards, and Irish setters; facial folds on Shar-Peis and brachycephalic (shortnosed breeds) such as English bulldogs; body folds on Shar-Peis; leg folds on Basset hounds and Dachshunds; tail folds on Bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs; and vulvar folds on any breed of obese female dogs."

Dogs with excess skin folds should be

pyoderma and is mostly seen in the area of the

monitored regularly, as skin fold dermatitis

abdomen and inguinal region and sometimes

tends to be a recurrent problem. The treatment

the armpit area where there is no hair. It can be

for skin fold infection is similar to the treatment

very common when a puppy goes through stress

for hot spots and includes a drying agent and an

and can result from contributing factors such as

antibacterial shampoo or antibiotic ointment.

poor nutrition, a dirty environment, and parasite

For severe cases, an oral antibiotic may be

infections. Bathing the puppy in antibacterial

administered for five to seven days. In the case

shampoo two to three times weekly usually will

of skin fold pyoderma, it is very important to

cure the problem, but in severe cases, an oral

remember that you may need to treat once or twice

antibiotic treatment may be necessary.

weekly after the initial infection is under control

Simple bacterial skin infections and areas of

since the problem is recurring. If the skin folds

hair loss are commonly seen in dogs. I hope this

are severe and the dog has developed multiple

article will help you understand some of the more

severe infections, you may need to consider

common, simple bacterial skin infections and

cosmetic surgery to remove the skin folds that are

some of their causes. //

causing the recurring infections. This will offer a more permanent solution to control the infection caused by the skin fold pyoderma.

Finally, a common superficial skin condition seen mostly in puppies is something called

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR TO SUGGEST FUTURE TOPICS,

impetigo. It is more often known as puppy

VETERINARY CLINIC - (740) 599 - 5991.

DR. TERESA HOXWORTH CAN BE REACHED AT DANVILLE

87

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

88

89

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

90

91

APRIL 2020

FUNDS an d BENEFITS //

AQUILLA KING FAMILY FUND

A fund has been set up for the Aquilla King family. They have six adult children living at home with myotonic dystrophy, a muscle-disabling handicap. The costs increase as they age.

Thank you. Send to Coatesville Savings Bank, 185 E. Lincoln Hwy, PO Box 390, Coatesville, PA 19320. Make checks payable to Aquilla King Family Fund.

//

MARVIN AND SARAH HELMUTH FUND

A fund has been set up for Marvin and Sarah Helmuth. Marvin has had five brain surgeries; he has been bedfast since the last surgery. They have no income, and medical expenses are high. Let’s help them by sending donations to the State Bank of Arthur, 411 S. Vine Street, Arthur, IL 61911. Attn: Marvin Helmuth Fund.

//

ROY D. AND EMMA YODER FUND

A fund has been set up for the Roy D. and Emma Yoder family. They have had on-going medical expenses since Emma’s kidney transplant ten years ago. They also have two children at home to care for. Thank you and God bless you for sharing. All donations will be greatly appreciated. Tax-deductible donations can be made to Mt. Hope Charities Inc., P.O. Box 19, Mt. Hope, OH 44660. Attn: Boontown Church.

//

RUEBEN YUTZY FUND

A fund has been set up for Rueben Yutzy. Rueben’s wife Kathryn had a horse accident that took her life. He has four children age 6 years and under. Donations would be used for finishing their house and living expenses. Please make checks payable to Rueben Yutzy Fund, Killbuck Savings Bank, Mt. Hope Office, P.O. Box 157, Mt. Hope, OH 44660-0157. If you want a tax-deductible receipt, call Allen Troyer at (330) 749-9338. Thank you and God bless you.

/

P L E AS E N O T E

/

If you are conducting a fundraiser to assist with medical or hardship expenses, please let us know and we will be happy to feature it for one month at no cost.

Funds must be payable to a bank, church, or charitable organization.

PLAIN VALUES

92

//

MARVIN ESH FUND

Marvin and Mary Esh of Reberburg, PA, are currently in Arizona—where they will stay for several months—obtaining medical care for Marvin’s health issues. They are a young couple and have a dairy farm. In the spring of 2018, Marvin had a plowing accident and is also dealing with a severe case of Lyme disease. They have also dealt with a bad case of mold and other infections. The expenses are very high in Arizona, and income is low. Thank you for helping them. Make checks payable to First National Bank, PO Box 444, Millheim, PA 16854. Memo: Marvin Esh Fund.

LARRY AND DIANA WEAVER FUND

//

A fund has been set up for Larry and Diana Weaver. Diana is taking treatments for colon cancer. She has chemo for four months, then radiation five days a week for six weeks, followed by surgery in Columbus. Thank you and God bless you for sharing. Tax-deductible donations can be sent to Mt. Hope Charities Inc., PO Box 19, Mt. Hope, OH 44660. Attn: Winesburg NW Church.

LEROY & ESTHER MILLER FUND

//

A fund has been set up for Leroy and Esther Miller. Esther had a bike accident and broke her leg in multiple places. She needed three surgeries and therapy afterward. Their son Eddie was in an accident in 2011 and still needs assistance and therapy. Tax-deductible donations can be made to Mount Hope Charities Inc., PO Box 19, Mount Hope, OH 44660. Attn: Mt. Hope Middle East Church #125.

SUSAN HOCHSTEDLER FUND

//

A fund has been set up for Mrs. Susan Hochstedler and her family of five children, ages one to thirteen years old. Her husband, Clemance, died in a farming accident on January 9.

All donations are appreciated. Make checks payable to Mt. Hope Charities Inc., PO Box 19, Mt. Hope, OH 44660. Attn: Salt Creek North Church.

/ ACROSS:

3) Farm

O L D D U TC H W O R D S C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E - A N S W E R S

4) Branch

6) Attic

20) Screech Owl DOWN:

1) Groan

2) Barley

5) Heal

9) Clay

22) Chicken

7) Cancer

19) Cabbage

10) Vulture

24) Ambitious

8) Almost

21) Flatter

11) Joint

25) Frogs

9) Chimney

23) Brake

93

12) Closet

28) Female

14) Pattern

26) Valley

27) Herbs

/

13) Male

15) Breakfast

17) Started

30) Chisel

16) Earthquake

17) Sulking

18) Blue Bird

29) Whip

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

94

INDEX of ADVERTISERS A-1 Message Center page 4, 86

First Federal Community Bank page 24

Mt. Eaton Greenhouse page 88

Swiss Valley Tours page 88

ABC Foundations page 19

Gabrail Cancer Center page 82, 83

Mt. Healthy Hatchery page 76

Time and Optics page 30

Anabaptist Foundation page 71

Go Eddie page 3

Mt. Hope Bike page 54

Trail Plumbing page 91

Apple Creek Banking Co. page 80

Green Country Tours page 60

Mt. Hope Fence page 50

Trumbull Regional Medical Center page 16

Aultman Hospital page 71, 73

Hershey Machine page 31

Mt. Hope Harness & Shoe page 81

University Hospitals page 100

Berlin Gravely Sales page 72

Hiland Bikes page 36

MWSB, Inc. page 36, 80

Utility Pipeline page 65

Boontown Sprayer page 28

Holmes Pest Control page 37

My MedicalHUB page 88

Valley View Concrete page 36

Bowman Sales page 91

Holmes Power page 40, 41, 42, 43

Navarre Dentistry & Orthodontics page 96

Weaver Leather page 60

Charm Harness & Boot page 73

Holmes Rental Services page 72

Network Radiology page 22

Wooster Community Hospital page 89

Charm Sweet Shoppe page 54

Homestead Furniture page 68

Nexalin Technology page 2

Yoder Drilling & Geothermal page 55

Charm Wellness Center page 89

HyR BRIX page 81

NutriSprout page 55

Yoder Hydraulics page 37

Chestnut Ridge Sewing page 37

Immunity Therapy Center page 90

Nutrition Wellness Center page 97

Choice Books page 94

Keim page 8, 9

Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction page 94

Commercial & Savings Bank page 31

Killbuck Savings Bank page 70

Plain Naturals page 91

Coshocton County DJFS page 52, 53

Leon Miller page 90

Pomerene Hospital page 98

Countryside Bicycles page 28

Limitless Land Management page 72

Precision Orthopaedic Specialties page 30

Creative Holmes page 46

Lone Star Quilt Shop page 18

Premier 1 Supplies page 79

Doug's Family Pharmacy page 55

Maple Valley Fence page 24

Premier Outdoors page 77

Dry Point Solutions page 29

Massaging Insoles page 54

Quality SIPs page 90

E-Bikes of Holmes County page 18

Maysville Elevator page 89

Quest Wellness page 29

Elite Flooring page 62, 63, 64

Mid-Ohio Sporting Goods page 77

Sherwin Williams page 99

Erb's Stove page 5

Miller Gun Supply page 73

Skinner's Salve page 28

Exodus Cycles page 81

Miller Packaging page 89

Skyline Homes page 24

Fairview Painting page 30

MotherCare Center page 21, 65

Sugar Valley Bicycle page 31

First Choice Concrete page 86

Mt. Eaton Care Center page 80

Summit Valley Fabrics page 29

/

P L E AS E N O T E

/

When contacting our advertisers, please mention that you saw their ads in Plain Values magazine.

95

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

96

97

APRIL 2020

99

APRIL 2020

PLAIN VALUES

100