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INSPIRATION FOR EVERYDAY LIVING
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Special Edition: Iowa 99—Every County Counts!
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INSIDE: Stories to Keep You Looking Up
A SIMPLY GOOD WELCOME: From Our Home to Yours… Becky Johnston, Chief Creative Officer Simply Good Media LLC
With more than 40 years of publishing experience, Rebecca Wayne Johnston (Becky) creates books, magazines, and branded editorial products from concept to completion. With a degree in journalism from Drake University, she draws upon many years of hands-on editorial development— from senior magazine editor for Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications to Landauer Publishing and as a founding partner of BeInspired Network.
Simply Good Magazine’s stories focus on God’s presence during good and difficult times, the people He places in our lives who bless us, and how we can all reach out to help others to serve through gifts of prayer, time and treasures and support of churches, ministries and non-profits.
• We’re not your average media company, and we certainly don’t have an average audience. • We’re woman-owned reaching tens of thousands of families through our magazine.
• We’re intentional in serving our community. We give 100% of profits to local charities.
• We’re here for good.
Butterflies are much like self-propelled flowers. —Robert A. Heinlein
in simply
SIMPLYGOODMAGAZINE.COM
Inspiration for Everyday Living
FAMILY 08
Simply Good Magazine invites you to join us on a journey of discovery as we connect
15 Minutes Outside… Get Out of the Home and Connect with your Kids
to share within our community.
local people and their inspirational stories
PUBLISHER
Living the Country Life with Jerry Nelson’s
Becky Johnston, CCO Becky@SimplyGoodMagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS Amanda Marsh, Art Director CREATISTA/Shutterstock.com Shutterstock.com ADVISORY COUNCIL Michael Carver, CCIM Vice President—NAI Optimum Vernon Delpesce,
CULTURE 20
The Alice Cycle, A Retrospective… Paintings from 1988–2004 by Mary Kline-Misol Reviewed by Angela Jackson
Former President/CEO YMCA of Greater Des Moines Jennifer Espeland Angela (Williams) Jackson, Owner The Great Frame Up Donald F. Lamberti, Founder Casey’s Corporation Jeramy Landauer, President Landauer Publishing Greg McCall, Owner—Clean Des Moines Mike Schreurs, CEO—Strategic America Heidi Vermeer-Quist, Psy.D. Bev Wood—Simply Good Connections Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Simply Good Media LLC Urbandale, Iowa 50323 (515) 554-2700 SimplyGoodMagazine.com © 2016 Simply Good Media, LLC Summer 2016
VALUES 24
Governor’s Proclamation: 99-County Bible Reading… Every Courthouse in Iowa
Four Generations of Faith, Family & Community Service… Making Character Count!
WELLNESS 36 Sheila Walsh’s Five Minutes with Jesus…Making Today Matter Health is the Real Wealth…Take the First Step By Vernon Delpesce
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BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY WITH THE SIMPLE PLEASURES OF SUMMER... Discover how easy it is to find simple pleasures and sprinkle them throughout your day. You’ll be surprised at how even one simple pleasure can transform an ordinary day into a great day. Start by making small changes in your daily routine. Try rising early to watch the sun come up and for breakfast put berries on your cereal. It’s often the little things that don’t cost much that bring the most satisfaction. Here are a few simple pleasures to spark ideas of your own: • Berries…mmm • Walking barefoot in grass • The smell of fresh-cut grass • Watching the sunrise • Yoga or stretching • Dark chocolate • Dancing like no one is watching • Root beer float • An uncluttered room • Singing in the shower, loudly • Stomping in puddles • Making someone smile • Looking up at the clouds • Taking an afternoon nap • Swinging on a swing S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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SUMMER ADVENTURES
To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. —Barbara Bush
GAMES, CRAFTS AND PROJECTS: 15 MINUTES OUTSIDE…365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids
Fifteen Minutes Outside is full of fun, creative ideas that make it easy for busy parents to give their kids much-needed outdoor time in any season. The games, crafts and projects presented in the book fit perfectly with National Wildlife Federation's Be Out There® movement and offer simple ways for families to connect with nature and each other." —David Mizejewski, Naturalist, National Wildlife Federation What if you got outside hundreds of easy ways to every day, and what if you get your family out into could get your kids to nature a little bit every day. come along? It sounds modest, but the effects, as dynamic outdoor spokesperson Rebecca Cohen herself can testify, are profound. This inspiring collection of activities gives families an idea for every day of the year, requiring little planning, no expertise and relatively little resources (time, cash, or patience!), no matter where they live. Simple and inspiring, this book is bursting with
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rebecca P. Cohen is a gardening and outdoor lifestyle expert whose mission is to inspire people to get off the couch and discover how simple it can be to incorporate an active, outdoor lifestyle into a busy schedule. The mother of two small children, Rebecca incorporates the outdoors into every aspect of life, bringing invaluable tips and inspiration into her product lines, television segments, and website, rebeccaplants.com.
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PLAN A FAMILY BACKYARD BARBECUE… with Grilled Herbed Chicken Drumettes Adapted from Southern Living
After the evening bbq, Pitch the tent, fire up the grill for barbecue and send gather around your backyard the kids out scouting for firepit to share stories and the perfect stick for s’mores sing silly songs. under the stars.
Directions 1. 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 5 pounds chicken drumettes
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Combine the first 7 ingredients. Rinse chicken, and pat dry; rub mixture over chicken. Place chicken in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal bag, and chill 4 to 24 hours. Remove chicken from bag, discarding bag.
Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Grill chicken, covered with grill lid, 20 to 25 minutes or until done, turning once.
Grilled Herbed Chicken Drumsticks: Substitute 10 to 12 drumsticks for drumettes. Proceed with recipe as directed, increasing grilling time to 25 to 30 minutes or until done, turning once. Makes 10-12 drumsticks. Prep: 15 min., Chill: 4 hr., Grill: 30 min.
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EVEN BETTER THAN BISCUITS… One Sunday morning at a small southern church, the new pastor called on one of his older deacons to lead in the opening prayer. The deacon stood up, bowed his head and said, “Lord, I hate buttermilk.” The pastor opened one eye and wondered where this was going. The deacon continued, “Lord, I hate lard.” Now, the pastor was totally perplexed. The deacon continued, “Lord, I ain’t too crazy about plain flour. But after you mix ‘em all together and bake ‘em in a hot oven, I just love biscuits.” Lord, help us to realize when life gets hard, when things come up that we don’t like, whenever we don’t understand what You are doing, that we need to wait and see what You are making. After you get through mixing and baking, it’ll probably be something even better than biscuits. Amen.
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FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR‌Fair Season! By Thomas Barnes, Executive Director Association of Iowa Fairs iowafairs.com
Iowa's fairs and festivals showcase the best that Iowa has to offer, including 4-H and FFA and open class competitions, diversity of foods that will satisfy all tastes, agricultural, industrial and home life exhibits, carnival rides guaranteed to thrill, and a wide range of entertainment for the enjoyment by fairgoers of all ages. Over 3-1/2 million 12
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people that attend Iowa's fairs and festivals can attest to the great quality of life that Iowa has to offer. So no matter what your age, there's something at all of Iowa's fairs and festivals that will not only satisfy the fun-loving kid in each of you, but also experience the traditions and diverse culture that makes Iowa a great place to live!
WAPELLO COUNTY REGIONAL FAIR June 15–19, 2016
CLINTON COUNTY FAIR July 06–10, 2016
ALLAMAKEE: BIG FOUR FAIR June 17–19, 2016
RINGGOLD COUNTY FAIR Jul. 06 - 10, 2016
WORTH COUNTY FAIR June 15–19, 2016
BUTLER COUNTY FAIR June 21–26, 2016
HOWARD: MIGHTY HOWARD COUNTY FAIR June 22–26, 2016 LINN COUNTY FAIR June 22–27, 2016
JEFFERSON: GREATER JEFFERSON COUNTY FAIR June 21–27, 2016 MARSHALL: CENTRAL IOWA FAIR June 22–27, 2016
DALLAS COUNTY 4-H FAIR July 06–10, 2016
WRIGHT COUNTY DISTRICT JUNIOR FAIR July 06–11, 2016 LEE COUNTY FAIR July 06–11, 2016
JONES: WYOMING FAIR July 08–10, 2016
KEOKUK COUNTY FAIR July 08–10, 2016 MILLS COUNTY FAIR July 08–12, 2016
BUCHANAN COUNTY FAIR July 06–09, 2016
ADAMS COUNTY 4-H/FFA YOUTH FAIR July 08–13, 2016
CALHOUN COUNTY EXPO July 06–10, 2016
SHELBY COUNTY FAIR July 10–18, 2016
HARDIN COUNTY FAIR July 06–10, 2016
CARROLL COUNTY FAIR July 06–10, 2016
SIOUX COUNTY YOUTH FAIR July 09–14, 2016
DELAWARE COUNTY FAIR July 11–17, 2016 S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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VAN BUREN COUNTY FAIR July 11–18, 2016
WINNESHIEK COUNTY FAIR July 12–16, 2016 KEOKUK COUNTY EXPO July 12–16, 2016
WEBSTER COUNTY FAIR July 12–17, 2016 MONONA COUNTY FAIR July 12–17, 2016
MONTEGOMERY COUNTY FAIR July 12–17, 2016 DAVIS COUNTY FAIR July 12–17, 2016
GREENE COUNTY FAIR July 12–18, 2016 HENRY COUNTY FAIR July 12–18, 2016
OSCEOLA COUNTY FAIR July 13–16, 2016
FRANKLIN COUNTY FAIR July 13–17, 2016 AUDUBON COUNTY FAIR July 13–17, 2016
BENTON COUNTY FAIR July 13–17, 2016 IOWA COUNTY FAIR July 13–17, 2016
CEDAR COUNTY FAIR July 13–17, 2016
TAYLOR COUNTY FAIR July 14–17, 2016
POCAHONTAS COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIRMADISON COUNTY LIVESTOCK SHOW & FAIR July 14–18, 2016
MADISON COUNTY LIVESTOCK SHOW & FAIR July 14–18, 2016 JASPER COUNTY FAIR July 15–21, 2016
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MARION COUNTY FAIR July 15–21, 2016
DICKINSON COUNTY FAIR July 16–21, 2016
LYON COUNTY FAIR July 17–21, 2016
WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR July 17–22, 2016 MAHASKA: SOUTHERN IOWA FAIR July 18–23, 2016
APPANOOSE COUNTY FAIR July 18–23, 2016
HAMILTON COUNTY FAIR July 18–24, 2016
GRUNDY COUNTY FAIR July 19–24, 2016
TAMA COUNTY FAIR July 19–24, 2016
CLARKE COUNTY 4-H FAIR July 19–24, 2016
IDA COUNTY FAIR July 19–25, 2016
POWESHIEK COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIR July 19–25, 2016
FREMONT COUNTY FAIR July 19–25, 2016 FLOYD COUNTY FAIR July 20–24, 2016
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY FAIR July 20–24, 2016
BUENA VISTA COUNTY FAIR July 20–24, 2016
JONES: GREAT JONES COUNTY FAIR & FOOD FEST July 20–24, 2016 MUSCATINE COUNTY FAIR July 20–24, 2016 ADAIR COUNTY FAIR July 20–24, 2016
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CERRO GORDO NORTH IOWA FAIR July 20–24, 2016
CRAWFORD COUNTY FAIR July 20–25, 2016
POLK COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIR July 20–25, 2016
POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY FAIR July 20–25, 2016 DECATUR COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIR July 20–25, 2016
CHEROKEE COUNTY FAIR July 21–24, 2016 BOONE COUNTY FAIR July 21–24, 2016
WINNEBAGO COUNTY FAIR July 21–24, 2016
PALO ALTO COUNTY FAIR July 21–24, 2016
CASS COUNTY FAIR July 21–26, 2016
STORY COUNTY YOUTH FAIR July 23–27, 2016 UNION COUNTY FAIR July 23–28, 2016
LUCAS COUNTY FAIR July 23–28, 2016
O’BRIEN COUNTY FAIR July 23–28, 2016
BREMER COUNTY FAIR July 24–30, 2016
LOUISA COUNTY FAIR July 24–30, 2016
JOHNSON COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIR July 25–28, 2016
FAYETTE COUNTY FAIR July 26–30, 2016
BLACK HAWK COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIR July 26–30, 2016
4-H is more than the ribbons and awards…It’s all about the people, the life-long skills, the experience, the memories, the county fair. It’s about being a role model, giving back, and making the best better. —Author Unknown DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR July 26–31, 2016
PLYMOUTH COUNTY FAIR July 27–31, 2016
WOODBURY COUNTY FAIR August 03–07, 2016
WARREN COUNTY FAIR July 27–August 01, 2016
CHEROKEE MARCUS COMMUNITY FAIR August 04–07, 2016
HUMBOLDT COUNTY FAIR July 26–31, 2016
JACKSON COUNTY FAIR July 27–31, 2016
PAGE COUNTY FAIR July 26–31, 2016
EMMET COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SHOW July 28–31, 2016
HARRISON COUNTY FAIR July 26–31, 2016
POTTAWATTAMIE: WESTFAIR July 26–August 01, 2016 WAYNE COUNTY FAIR July 26–August 01, 2016
HANCOCK COUNTY FAIR July 26–August 01, 2016
DES MOINES COUNTY FAIR July 26–August 02, 2016 SAC COUNTY FAIR July 27–30, 2016
MONROE COUNTY 4-H & FFA FAIR July 28–August 01, 2016
KOSSUTH COUNTY FAIR August 02–06, 2016 SCOTT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FAIR August 02–07, 2016
CLAYTON COUNTY FAIR August 03–07, 2016
MITCHELL COUNTY FAIR August 03–07, 2016
POLK COUNTY IOWA STATE FAIR August 11–21, 2016
CHICKASAW: BIG FOUR FAIR September 01–05, 2016 GUTHRIE COUNTY FAIR September 01–05, 2016
CLAY COUNTY FAIR September 10–18, 2016
BLACK HAWK NATIONAL CATTLE CONGRESS September 15–18, 2016
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LIVING THE COUNTRY LIFE… or Why “Let’s Get Plowed” Doesn’t Mean the Same Thing to City Folks as it Does to Farmers By Jerry Nelson Columnist for the Dairy Star
In the tradition of Mark Twain and Jean Shepherd, Dave Berry and Garrison Keillor, Jerry Nelson is a humorist whose beat is the American heartland, a small-town world of pickup trucks and Sunday night pancake dinners, dropping in on neighbors and complaining about the county agent. The summer of 1996 was wetter than a duck’s butt. My fields were soaked for so long that cattails had begun to grow where there should have been rows of corn. One of the main problems with wet weather is that there’s nothing a guy can do about it. Except complain. Frustrated by the weather situation, I penned a letter to Mel Kloster, a Brookings County Extension Agent.
A county extension agent is a purveyor of information, a conduit of knowledge between farmers and the state’s land-grant universities. I asked Mel if he knew of a cheap, effective herbicide that would eliminate the cattails growing in my cornfield. And while he was at it, maybe he could tell me how to get rid of all those pesky Jet Skis that were out in my corn…”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jerry Nelson and his wife, Julie, live in Volga, South Dakota, on the farm that Jerry’s greatgrandfather homesteaded in the 1880s. In addition to his weekly column, his writing has also appeared in the nation’s top agricultural magazines—Successful Farming, Farm Journal, Progressive Farmer, and Living the Country Life.
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HOME IS EVERYTHING‌Anawim’s Vision: Every Person Has a Home Supporting Self-Sufficiency anawimhousing.org
Latisha and her children are another success story for Anawim Housing Foundation. For them and all of us, home is everything!
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For over 25 years, Anawim Housing has developed stable homes as well as strengthened communities throughout the Greater Des Moines area. By providing affordable and desirable housing options for families and individuals, they carry out their vision that everyone has a home to support self-sufficiency within a safe community. Developing townhomes, apartments, single family homes and duplexes makes Anawim Housing a solutiondriven organization serving the needs of families and individuals for many years.
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They provide permanent rental housing units in the Des Moines area that are within convenient access to employment, grocery stores and schools. By the end of 2016, the total number of developed and managed households will be 740, with a projected increase to 1100 households by 2017. Housing is just the first step towards self-sufficiency for so many of their tenants. The staff work closely with tenants to ensure the home they are placing them in can work for their family for as many years
in the future as they choose. Of the families served, 64% are singlemother-led households. At Anawim Housing, tenants don’t just move-in, they are provided the resources and tools to succeed through their supportive services programs. These programs are what set them apart from other affordable housing providers and can include family wellness, educational classes and employment opportunities. Charity, a former tenant that has since moved into her own home and is enrolling at Grand View University stated, “I want others to know Anawim was able to
help me become selfsufficient by giving me the tools I needed to succeed; I just had to put the tools to use. Going back to school and being a part of the community has truly helped me become who I am today.” The affordable housing need is still great; community and individual support remain vital to allowing Anawim to carry out their mission. More individuals and families everyday seek out Anawim Housing as a housing solution. For those who call Anawim Housing home and for all of us—home is everything. S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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ART SCENE, FASHION & ENTERTAINING
The Abduction from the Seraglio
Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. —Robert Benchley
THE ALICE CYCLE, A RETROSPECTIVE… Paintings from 1988–2004 by Mary Kline-Misol Adapted from an Essay by Wesley Pullka Reviewed By Angela Jackson westdesmoines.thegreatframeup.com
A figurative painter living in the Midwest, known for a 20–year cycle of interpretive images based on The Alice books of Lewis Carroll, Mary Kline-Misol’s imagery revolves around figurative subjects including still life compositions, botanicals and landscapes. She incorporates ethnic objects such as Wayang golekpole puppets, that she personifies with their placement in compositions. Mary is influenced by literature, myth and poetry and she draws from each to create her works. The introduction to The Alice Cycle, A retrospective, features an Essay by sculpture artist Wesley Pullka whose numerous lecture venues include Yale University and the University of Colorado. According to Pullka, “Mary Kline-Misol manifests
magic, otherworldly charm, inter-dimensional travel and profound mirth while revisiting Lewis Carroll’s classics. Her fluid style locates its equipoise when she focuses her laser-like vision on faces, hands and other details.…Kline Misol’s gift is her ability to suspend disbelief while opening her consciousness to embrace the adventure as she paints. Rather than creating illustrations of a story line her works become documentary illuminations of the facts in Carroll’s fiction as well as personally expressive contemporary works of art.”
ABOUT THE ARTIST: Mary Kline-Misol is a Regionalist painter with work in a widening circle of private and public collections in the Midwest including the World Food Prize. Her exhibit at the Des Moines Historical Museum of her Alice Cycle was the centerpiece of the meeting of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America in October of 2005.
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Child Alice
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: At Duke University, I majored in History and graduated 1990 with a degree in International Relations with an emphasis on African and Asian studies. My dream of becoming a lawyer was realized in 1993 with J.D. from Washington University that led to a career in the Illinois Attorney General’s office, before coming to Iowa to work at Maytag. But something was missing for me in Des Moines though. So with the help of ISED, I opened The Great Frame Up in the West Glen Town Center in 2005—a development much like Chicago’s Printer’s Row. Having celebrated our 10th anniversary, we use the gallery to promote local and regional visual arts.
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One can’t believe impossible things. I dare say you haven’t had much practice, said the queen. When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes, I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. —Lewis Carroll
From THE ARTIST My name is Mary KlineMisol. Welcome to my world. The Alice paintings, inspsired by the books of the Victorian author, Lewis Carrroll (Charles L. Dodgson), have been a recurring theme in my work for many years. I am an independent artist from Des Moines, Iowa. I received my BFA and MFA degrees from Drake University. I have shown my work extensively in regional shows and have worked in a widening circle of private and public collections in the Midwest. Public collections include: Sprint Corporation in Kansas City, The Iowa Clinic, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Maytag Company, Grinnell College, ING USA Annuity and
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Life, Boone Community College, Sioux City Art Center, Farm Bureau of Iowa, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Hotel Pattee in Perry. In Des Moines, private collectors acknowledged in the Retrospective include Libby and Charles Becker, Shelley and Ken Brenton, Judy Diedrichs and Patrick Van Nice, Marshal and Judy Flapan, Carolyn Gaukel, Randy Jedele, Josh and Suzie Kimmelman, Holly and Neal Logan, Scott Neff, Chris and Scott Nelson, Jo Ann Oxley, Randy and Maria Rough, Peggy Fisher and Larry Stetler, Suzanne Ellen and Paul Tyler and Anita Walker. Let me know what you think of my work: smkmisol@mchsi.com
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simply
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CULTURE OF KINDNESS
I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. —Abraham Lincoln
IOWA BIBLE READING MARATHON… A 99-County Transformation in Iowa Greg McCall Iowa For Jesus Network i4jn.com
Greg McCall, Iowa for Jesus Network (515) 991-9147
I am encouraged beyond words for this new thrust the Spirit of God is bringing to Iowa in calling us to read His scriptures out loud, publicly, in front of every county court house in Iowa. What an opportunity this is to call families, even children, marketplace leaders, professional persons, educators, and government leaders to read the Bible.
Please join us as we begin the journey to connect every county through the reading of His Word, out loud, in front of every Iowa county courthouse! —Ginny Caligiuri, State Director, Iowa Prayer Caucus Network S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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IOWA 99 COUNTY BIBLE READING MARATHON‌ Every Courthouse in Iowa
On April 26th, Governor Terry E. Branstad signed the Proclamation (shown in full on opposite page) encouraging all Iowans to join in the historical Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon to take place in front of all 100 courthouses, to begin June 30th at 8am and to end at approximately 4pm on July 3rd, 2016. With this Proclamation, the Governor encourages
all individuals and families in Iowa to read through the Bible on a daily basis. Visit kingdombuilder enterprises.com or for more information, contact Ginny Caligiuri at (641) 223-0166 or by email at: IowaBibleReading Marathon@gmail.com
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. —Psalm 119: 89,90 26
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INSPIRATION
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. —Psalm 55:22
When I get up in the morning, I don’t think about all the things that are going to happen, whether it’s good or bad. I say to myself, “This is going to be the best day of my life.” —Tao Porchon-Lynch, 96, certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest yoga teacher
…for everyday living
FOUR GENERATIONS OF FAITH, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE…Making Character Count! By Michael Carver CCIM Vice President, NAI Optimum
I have a passion for community service with a focus on the areas of economic development, public service and especially fatherhood advocacy. —Michael Carver
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The program commonly called Character Counts is widely recognized as one of the best ways for teaching good character and creating a “culture of kindess” for making schools a safe environment for students to learn. It is a framework composed of six ethical values or characteristics—Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibility; Fairness; Caring; and Citizenship. Every year since 1995 Character Counts has been officially recognized and endorsed by the U.S. Senate and The President of the United States. Founded in 1997 and led by former Governor Robert D. Ray, Character Counts In Iowa (CCII) began as a non-profit organization housed at Drake University and now through the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center provides character and leadership development strategies to improve civility and develop ethical leaders throughout the world. However, long before these Six Pillars of Character were introduced to students in Iowa schools, my grandparents and later my parents embraced these values in their day to day lives and passed them on to the next generation as my wife and I are now doing for our grown children and grandchildren. Looking back at highlights from my growing up years captured through the lens of a camera in photographs and clippings collected in scrapbooks, I am reminded of the basic principles that have shaped who I am today. Both sets of my grandparents (maternal and paternal) were role models for Family, Faith and Community Service. My mother, Ariel was the youngest child of my grandparents. My grandfather—A. J. Rockne was
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born in 1868. With a law degree, he became the longest-serving legislator in Minnesota history—as a House Member, including one term as Speaker, then in the State Senate for 34 years, including 30 years as Chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Spending holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter with extended family was important and we seldom missed getting together with my father’s side of the family—Uncle Francis Carver, his wife Dorothy and their four children–Jim, Dave, Kathy & Barb. On the Carver side of the family, my grandfather, Frank Carver, was a successful businessman with Sexton & Company in Spencer Iowa. He died suddenly in 1926 when my father, Laurence Carver was only 14 years old. He left my grandmother, a stay at home mom, to raise six boys by herself. I never met my grandmother Carver because she died in March of 1942, one month before I was born in April of that year. Shortly before she died, on a Sunday evening, she sat down to write a letter to her six grown sons. A widow, she had lived through the Great Depression, reared her family and now was concerned about her own health. She attempted to put on paper the thoughts that were in her heart. Grandma Carver expressed thankfulness for the care her sons’ families had shown her and gave some practical instructions on how to divide her small estate. She closed with these words: “It’s, oh so hard, to think of leaving you. Life has held some hard things, but the pleasant things far outweight them. I’ve tried very, very hard to raise you to be good men and each of you knows in his heart just how well I’ve succeeded. Perhaps, each of you have occasionally been a disappointment to yourselves, but don’t give up for by continually striving you come nearer your goal. It’s nice to enjoy the things we do for others—these are the ones that give the most lasting happiness.” When my mother Ariel, married my father Laurence in August of 1933, it was the beginning of a
With my grandfather, A.J. Rockne. He served in the Minnesota legislature for over 40 years. Although he died when I was only eight, I always benefitted from his wisdom and strength as shared by my mother Ariel, who was his youngest child.
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lifelong partnership. With my mother, a Norwegian Lutheran and my Dad raised as Methodist and who joined the Lutheran church, we were always in church on Sunday. They were also role models for service to community. My mother served on boards locally and my dad was President of the local Rotary, President of the Chamber of Commerce and served one term as Mayor of Waverly after he sold his lumber business.
This family photo includes my wonderful mother, Ariel Rockne Carver. Her love and support as well as her high expectations for me to be an achiever made a huge difference in my growth and development.
My father, Laurence Carver was an incredible example as a father, husband, community and business leader.
My 8th Grade Confirmation took place at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Waverly, Iowa (my hometown). I have always been blessed by a strong foundation in my life based on my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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I have always benefited greatly from the love and support I received from my sisters—Mary Lou, left, and Joie at right.
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All the examples of good character set by my elders greatly influenced me as I grew up. As a junior in high school, I learned stewardship through Luther League. While at the University of Iowa as a Nile Kinnick scholar, one summer I traveled with a group of Lutheran students to participate in a work project, My project was near the University of Lund in Sweden for a mountaintop experience doing a volunteer service project with 18 young Christians from different faiths including Greek Orthodox.
As an all-state football player and all-conference football and basketball player for Waverly High School, it was a natural transition to play both football and basketball for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. I’m shown at left with our teammate Don Nelson as he rides high after a 35-point game closed his outstanding collegiate career in 1962.
Many of my most memorable experiences growing up related to my many years in Scouting— as a freshman in high school I was able to achieve the Eagle Scout Award.
At far right, in the photo I’m shown with my running mate Pete Ptacek of Webster City as our team celebrates after getting the results of an all-campus election at the University of Iowa that declared that I had been elected Student Body President in March of 1963. It was a great opportunity to grow as a leader. S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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From 1965 until 1984, I worked in a variety of jobs with the bank that is now known as Wells Fargo Bank. One of the major jobs I held while in banking was the manager of the Urbandale branch. In August of 1974 we opened the new office of Iowa-Des Moines National Bank in Urbandale with Chairman and CEO, John R. Fitzgibbon (center) and Joseph Freeman, Mayor of Urbandale at right.
In 1984, I was blessed to remarry, and this very special photo of my wife, Carmela Brown and me with Warren Buffet was taken in July of 2009 at the Grand Opening of Homemakers in Urbandale. This is one of the many events I have attended during my nine years as a member of the Urbandale City Council where I continue serving today.
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I also followed my relatives’ example of good citizenship. After graduation from the University of Iowa, my interest in serving in the political process meant that I attended many Republican County and State Conventions and from 1964 to present have not missed a vote in any local, county, state or national elections. In 1980, I was humbled to be named Citizen of the Year and received the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce Award in recognition of positive contributions toward a better Urbandale. In 1984, I transitioned from banking into commercial real estate working for Ron Cross and eventually was part of Marvin Pomerantz’s Mid-America Group. I am currently a vice president of NAI Optimum with Kurt Mumm as president and owner. But the 1980’s also brought additional responsibility as I assumed primary care of our four children ages 4,6, 8 and 10 as a result of a divorce. Through that challenging experience I felt a strong calling to help efforts to support fathers by writing several papers on Parenting. In 2001, I served on Governor Vilsack’s Fatherhood Task Force. In 2007 I provided key leadership to launch the YMCA Fatherhood Initiative that provided classes for fathers to help them with skills to be better fathers and assist them to reconnect and strengthen their relationship with their children. I worked on these programs, conducted at the Grubb YMCA, because of a sense of responsibility and caring—two more ethical values instilled by my family. recognition for these efforts, I was honored to be recognized for my efforts with the 2013 YMCA Service to Community Award. Together, my wife and I are members of St. PiusX in Urbandale where I serve on the Parish Stewardship Committee. Since 2008, I practiced responsibility by fulfilling a commitment to be in the Adoration Chapel at 5 am every Monday morning that I’m in town. For almost 20 years, since the mid 1990’s I have met every Friday morning with a group of men—6 to 8 “regulars” for prayer and devotions at IHOP.
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For the past 32 years, I have been blessed by my marriage to Carmela Brown. These photos were taken at the time of our 30th Anniversary in August of 2014. The group includes our six children, their spouses and our 15 grandchildren. The youngest, Nora, was less than a month old at the time of this picture!
I am indeed grateful to my parents and grandparents for instilling values of good character that have made my life so rewarding.
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BODY, MIND & SPIRIT
On the road to wellness? Journey with us.
START THE DAY RIGHT WITH SHEILA WALSH‌ 5 Minutes with Jesus: Making Today Matter
In this very moment, God offers you the gift of His presence. Your life is hectic! Juggling family time, work, and church equals jam-packed days. You want to spend time in God’s Word, but the busyness of life keeps getting in the way. What if, however, you could take five minutes to invest in making each day matter? With her signature honesty, vulnerability, and
humor, bestselling author Sheila Walsh helps you find perspective in the midst of your fast-paced life. Every entry features a powerful devotion, a guiding takeaway, and related Scripture that will nourish you, sustain you, and remind you that you are not alone. These five minutes with Jesus just might become the most peaceful and meaningful moments of your day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sheila Walsh is an author, musician and speaker who has sold over four million books. Her heart is to show what happens when your real life meets the Word of God. Sheila, her husband, Barry and their son, Christian live in Dallas, Texas.
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SWEET START WITH A JOYFUL HEART… Nehemiah said, Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. —Nehemiah 8:10
Live in the Precious Present. The present is a gift from God. Moment by moment, we have the option to turn our eyes to God, to his loving presence—meeting us right where we are. We are free to turn our minds toward thanksgiving and prayer with God at all times. As we choose to give thanks and pray, we release ourselves from the prison of our own minds. St. Augustine once stated, My heart was restless until it came to rest in You, O Lord. I concur. My heart is restless and needy. Only God, the true fount of every blessing, can satisfy and calm my needs each hour of every day. —Shared by Heidi Vermeer-Quist, Psy.D. S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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MARTHA WILLIAMSON, OF TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL SHARES… A Brand New Start Adapted from Martha’s Blog MarthaWilliamson.com
I found a scripture the other day that I’ve never noticed before. It’s “my voice shalt thou hear in the morning o Lord and in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee and I will look up.” That’s 40
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Psalm 5, verse 3. And it reminded me of my dad. My dad was not the sort of person who would run around and grab people by the lapels and say “come to Jesus! Repent and be saved!” But
people could always tell what he believed by the way he lived and the way he helped people. He was a kind, friendly gentleman and no one ever questioned his great faith. And one of the ways I knew that he truly loved God was one little thing that he always did. Every morning as he walked into the kitchen he would stop at the back door, the kitchen door that faced the east where the sun was coming up. He would pull back the drape and look at the sunrise and he would say a little quiet prayer. I never knew what he said. I don’t know if it was the same prayer every day or if it was a different prayer every day, but I know that he always stopped there on that little step and spent a moment with the Lord, preparing himself for the day. I imagine that he prayed for his family and for our safety and for my future and certainly prayed that our family would come together again in safety at the end
of the day. And I’m sure it included some words of thanksgiving. It was a touching habit and a powerful example to me. And I’m sure that it came from a line from one of his favorite hymns “Great is Thy Faithfulness”: “morning by morning new mercies I see.” He taught me that every single morning God gives you a brand new sunrise, a brand new start. Every morning His mercies are new, yesterday is gone. God has given you a brand new today. So, right now where you are sitting at your computer, whatever you have to do after you click away, remember that God is already preparing a brand new day tomorrow, with brand new mercies, with great forgiveness, and a chance to start over.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Martha Williamson made television history when her CBS series, “Touched By An Angel” set a new standard for inspirational family drama, attracting a weekly audience of 25 million as a billion-dollar franchise during its initial nine-year run. As Executive Producer and Head Writer, Williamson guided the series into previously uncharted territory with her unique brand of inspirational storytelling. Williamson’s “Promised Land,” aired for three years on CBS. Her “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” dramatic comedy premiered on Hallmark Channel. Williamson has been a featured guest on such shows as “Oprah,” “60 Minutes” and “Larry King Live” and a member of the Television & Radio Hall of Fame.
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HEALTH IS THE REAL WEALTH…Take the First Step By Vernon Delpesce Adapted from his Blog of April 22, 2016 livesimplyandhealthy.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Through his writing and business coaching, Vernon Delpesce draws on 38 years as a corporate executive with the YMCA. For the past 14 years, he has served as President and CEO of the Greater Des Moines YMCA. His mission is to help people who are searching for relief from an unhealthy lifestyle gain control and focus on what is truly important to them. Vernon lives in Des Moines, Iowa with his wife, Lauren. They have two adult children and two dogs—Sooner and Cowboy, an Australian Shepherd shown above.
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Several years ago, I was hosting a panel discussion of leading local healthcare professionals. One of the panelists, an oncologist, made a very profound statement. He said, “Everyone dies, but not everyone lives.” He went on to say, “I work with patients with terminal cancer that I consider to be in better health than some people I know who suffer from no illness at all.” His point was that health is so much more than simply the absence of disease. Your health is your quality of life. I feel blessed that longevity runs in my family. My dad lived to age 88 and my mom to 92. And, they were of the generation that didn’t pay much attention to exercise or nutrition, although neither of my parents was overweight. I have spent my entire adult life in the health and fitness field, I workout
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regularly, and yet a couple of years ago I had the scare of my life. My wife and I were sitting in a restaurant having dinner when I experienced a tightness in my chest. I couldn’t breathe and became very dizzy. I came very near passing out, but managed to hold it off until I felt better. I didn’t have the pain or other symptoms that come with a heart attack, but something wasn’t right. My wife drove us home and I checked my blood pressure. It was extremely high. I called the doctor the next morning and he got me in immediately. My blood pressure was still much too high. He did an EKG and my heart checked out okay. He ordered a treadmill stress test which also checked out okay. So what was the cause? It was STRESS. I had been under a tremendous amount of stress, some self-imposed, and some external. But
If any one of the above dimensions of your life is deficient, consider making some changes. If more than one dimension is off, your health risk is increased even more. Pick one area that needs improvement, and work on it this week. Start with one small change. Go for a walk each day, eliminate deserts for a week, get up earlier and have some quiet time in the morning, go to church, show Physical health… gratitude to a family member maintain a healthy weight or friend. Start somewhere. and exercise regularly 3 to Take the first step. 4 times per week
nonetheless it had taken its toll, and unless I made some changes, the end result would not be good. It was that incident, or wake up call, that encouraged me to work on simplifying my life to reduce the stress, and to design my lifestyle instead of letting my life design me. So now, I want to challenge you to think about your health in these ways:
It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. —Mahatma Gandhi
Mental health… low stress level, sense of purpose in your life, ability to relax, daily quiet time Spiritual health… involvement in a weekly faith community Relationship health… loving and meaningful relationships with close family members and friends Nutrition… eat a diet with a “plant slant,” high in fresh fruits and vegetables; low in meat, sugar, and processed foods S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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FROM MAX LUCADO: TRAVELING LIGHT…Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear Weary travelers. You've seen them—everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels, and backpacks. Backs ache. Feet burn. Eyelids droop. We've all seen people like that. At times, we are people like that—if not with our physical luggage, then at least with our spiritual load. We all lug loads we were never intended to carry. Fear. Worry. Discontent.
No wonder we get so weary. We're worn out from carrying that excess baggage. Wouldn't it be nice to lose some of those bags? That's the invitation of Max Lucado. With the Twenty-third Psalm as our guide, let's release some of the burdens we were never intended to bear. Using these verses as a guide, Max Lucado walks us through a helpful inventory of our burdens. May God use this Psalm to remind you to release the burdens you were never meant to bear.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: In under two decades of writing, Max Lucado has accomplished more than most writers hope for in a lifetime. Most of his books have appeared on one or more best seller lists. Aside from hardcover books, Lucado's writings have also been published as children's books, videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs, music CDs, gift and plush products. Hallmark/Dayspring Cards line of gift cards features excerpts from Lucado's writings—and have sold more than one million cards.
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A PSALM OF DAVID... The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. —Psalm 23
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CATCH, RELEASE & REPLACE… With Acceptance, Thanksgiving & Trust By Heidi Vermeer-Quist, Psy.D. Author, Gardening Your Life Series
We need to tell our stories. Most of us long to share our stories with others and to have them share their stories with us. A supervisor of mine once said, “Every time someone shares their story, healing occurs.” In my experience and the experience of many of my clients, family, and friends, I’ve found this to be true. When I was growing up, every summer my Grandma and Grandpa Vermeer took my cousins and me fishing up 48
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in Canada. Looking back, it was quite a treat, though I often did not fully appreciate it at the time. We would get up early every morning, usually before 6 a.m., which was “sleeping in” for my grandparents. Sleepy eyed and chilled, we’d shuffle to the table for a hot fisherman’s breakfast. During breakfast, we’d talk about the day, which lake we’d go to, and what Grandma would pack for our lunch. Then, we’d get out onto the water as quickly as possible. Within two to five minutes of putting minnows on our hooks and letting our lines down, one of us would get a “hit.” Then, the fishing frenzy would begin. We caught beautiful (well, if fish can be beautiful), big fish—mostly Walleye and Northern Pike. Honestly, while on these over-stocked lakes,
we would catch our fishing limit every day— sometimes we’d catch it within the first hour! Sickening, eh? (I always have to say “eh?” when I’m talking ‘bout Canada.) Once we caught our limit, we’d start weeding through our stringers full of fish and decide which ones we wanted to keep and which ones we wanted to release and replace. Finally, after about two whole hours of fishing we’d be just “exhausted” (remember we were kids), so we’d head back to shore for our gourmet lunch consisting of either fresh cooked fish or premade PB&J. Catch, Release, & Replace. This fishing experience serves as a great analogy for mental health. Did you know that we go fishing all the time? We cast our attention like a fishing line, baited and hooked, trying to connect with the next great “catch.” And, typically our mental ponds are stocked full. We catch something immediately. What we reel in may or may not be
a “great keeper.” We are the ones judging its value. We may reel in something quite disappointing, and it is up to us to hold onto it or to let it go. Sometimes, we get in the habit of catching and holding onto unhelpful thoughts or expectations (for others, outcomes, or holding onto memories— such as “coulda,” “woulda,” “shoulda’s”) and not releasing them. It is vitally important to release and replace those thoughts that are toxic to our mental health. Remember, when you catch toxic thoughts you realize that you can free yourself by simply releasing them to God’s care and replacing them with something better. Keep in mind something tangible in the present, focus on gifts from God given to you in every moment, and adopt an attitude of acceptance, thanksgiving, and trust.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR… Heidi Vermeer-Quist, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist as well as a wife, mother, musician and family business consultant. (vqconsult.com) In 2002, Heidi helped to establish the Des Moines Clinic for Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services that has grown into a fully-staffed outpatient mental health clinic. Heidi is the author of Gardening Your Life, a three-phase growth group rooted in solid Christian teaching.
a personal growth
a personal growth
series
series
a personal growth series
Book One of this personal growth series is available from the author at: gardeningyourlife@gmail.com S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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BRIDGES OF IOWA… The Bridge to a Transformed Life By Thomas Jackowski, Executive Director bridgesofiowa.org
BUT TO EACH ONE OF US GRACE HAS BEEN GIVEN AS CHRIST APPORTIONED IT. —EPHESIANS 4:7
Bridges of Iowa is a faithbased substance abuse treatment program which addresses the root causes of addiction as well as criminality building a bridge to a productive life in service to society. Graduates of the Bridges of Iowa program have the opportunity to live a transformed and successful 50
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life by remaining free from alcohol, drugs and crime. They may continue an individual spiritual journey to further develop a relationship with God. Successfully employed, they will then be able to contribute positively to their families and to the communities in which they live and work.
Kevin, December 2007 Kevin started using when he was in the fourth grade, and found himself in treatment by the age of 12. He eventually became more and more dependent on meth, and somehow managed to hold a job, marry and father two sons, supporting his habit by stealing copper from abandoned buildings at night. But after thirteen failed attempts to kick addiction, Kevin’s marriage was gone and his relationship with his children destroyed. Kevin says that when he got to Bridges, ‘I was entirely broken’. He had tried to quit on his own and realized he just couldn’t do it. In the past, Kevin didn’t voluntarily attend any treatment; he was court ordered, his mom made him, his family made him, and he did it for all of the wrong reasons. It led him down a path of destruction that ultimately left him where he needed something, although he wasn’t sure what that was.
Kevin now knows, what was truly missing in each of the previous attempts…God. The last time Kevin landed in jail, he had an overwhelming sense of relief, he knew he couldn’t do what he wanted to do any longer; that was get high and hurt people who loved him. He was desperate to escape the life that he had created for himself, he truly wanted to die. He thought about all of the times in the past that he should have been dead, could have been dead, and wished that he was dead. He couldn’t explain why he was still alive. That gave him a belief that there was a power greater than him. On his way to court, Kevin said a simple prayer “God, it’s quite clear you’re going to send me somewhere, send me somewhere that’s going to work and where I’m going to make friends that I can keep for the rest of my life.” And Kevin’s journey of sobriety began while at Bridges of Iowa. S IM PLY G O O D | S U M M ER 2 0 1 6 | S I M P LY G O O D M AG A Z IN E .C OM
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A CARPENTER’S GIFT... Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence—an 8-foot fence—so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge...a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work with handrails and all— and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have many more bridges to build." —Author Unknown
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SAIL INTO SUMMER
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. —Mark Twain