Behind the Scenes at the Wayne Herald--How the Nebraska Family Times is Printed

I'm always interested in what goes on "behind the scenes." In May, Tracy (who writes for the paper and helps me deliver it sometimes) and I got to the Wayne Herald while the paper was still being printed. Al Pippitt, the Press Foreman who has worked for the Wayne Herald for 35 years, showed us how he made plates (like negatives) of each page of the paper and inserted them in the press so the paper could be printed. He made adjustments on the press throughout the process to make the words darker, lighter, or clearer. On one end of the press was a large roll of blank newsprint, and as the paper went through the pages were printed. It was fascinating to watch the paper get printed, cut, and folded. Here are some photos of the process. Thanks, Al, for showing us the press and answering all of our questions! 

The paper "starts" at the far end of the press and is completed by the time it gets to the closest part of the press.

Al Pippitt sets up one of the page plates.

A partially printed page--a colored page--goes through the press.

A partially printed page.

Heaven is for Real
(This review appeared in the May issue of the Nebraska Family Times. If you would like a FREE sample copy, call (402) 993-2467 or e-mail shelly@shellyburke.net.)

By Megan Stromberg

If you’re like me, you believed heaven is for real, even before picking up this book. But, much like our sinful human nature, I want to “see” to believe.

Without giving away too much of the story, I’ll share with you some details of Heaven is for Real. At the center of the story is the Burpo family, from Imperial, NE. Their son Colton underwent a surgery at the young age of 3. Months later, as his family still dealt with the after-effects of the illness and other family challenges, he began to share tidbits of what happened while he was in surgery. The elements, they realized, were things that he should have no way of knowing. His father, a pastor, was floored by the depth of Colton’s revelations.

The book of Revelation is referenced frequently throughout Heaven is For Real. I’ve studied Revelation in several small group Bible Studies and on my own before, but this book made me want to revisit it. Throughout the book several other Bible passages are referenced to explain Colton’s disclosures. As a believer, I found myself grabbing my Bible to read many of the passages.

The book is much more than a compilation of the Burpo’s ordeal and Colton’s stories. It is a challenge to all adults – especially parents – to revisit our “childlike faith.”

Skeptics might argue that Colton’s father put these ideas in his head, or maybe even pushed them to help promote the book. I have to admit, there were times as I read that I questioned whether the events really happened. But after finishing the story in three short sittings, I have chosen to cling to the faith that continues to bring me back to God’s Word daily and that led me to Heaven is For Real.

I hope Heaven is For Real challenges you to consider your own beliefs, to search God’s Word for a better understanding of what He promises us in eternal life, and gives you hope that a loved one who was so broken physically or emotionally when they passed from this earth has been restored in heaven.

Because for me, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. Thank you Colton for sharing those details through your child-like faith and for encouraging me in my own journey. Thank you Burpo family for baring your souls to your challenges and tragedies. May God bless you all in your journey.

And may God bless you – readers – in your discovery of His amazing power.

Megan Stromberg lives in Columbus, NE, with her husband and their five children.

Heart Hero Capes help Heart Heroes Cope

By Shelly Burke, Editor

Seeing doctors and being hospitalized can be scary for anyone—and children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) can become very fearful as they face multiple doctor appointments, frequent tests, and lengthy hospitalizations.

Sondra Dubas (mother of Ashley, now 9 years old), Kitty Burton, (mother of Sam, now 4) and Vanessa Shoemaker (mother of Sofia, also 4) wanted to help their own children and others face the challenges and cope with these stressful events that are a result of being born with CHD. They were inspired to start Heart Hero Capes, an organization that provides capes for kids with CHD to wear to help them face often scary appointments and hospitalizations.

About one baby out of 100 is born with CHD, meaning approximately 250 kids in Nebraska and 40,000 throughout the United States are born with CHD every year. Many of them face open heart surgery to repair the problems (some face multiple surgeries) and all face many hospital and doctor visits throughout at least their childhood. Many times their parents cannot be with them during a test or surgery, and the child feels very alone.

Sondra says, “When kids put on their Heart Hero Capes I can see that they feel extra power and courage. It’s a symbol that helps them cope with all they have to go through. As the kids find courage in their capes, parents find support from others they meet at the hospital and through Heart Hero Capes.”

The co-founders of Heart Hero Capes knew they would not be able to manufacture the capes, so partnered with a company in Michigan. Sondra says that God’s hand was in the decision to have another company make the capes; when they called Power Capes to discuss a possible partnership the company had just made the decision to align with a cause like Heart Hero Capes. The affiliation has been very successful; in the year or so since they started, about 400 capes have been distributed throughout the United States and as far away as Australia.

Kids design their own heart Hero Cape at the Power Capes website, choosing the color of the cape as well as an initial, character or symbol that will adorn their cape. A heart hero patch is also sewn on each cape.

All donations to Heart Hero Capes go toward providing capes for kids whose families are unable to pay for them (a donation of only $25 will allow a needy child to receive a gift card good for a cape he or she designs). Kids who want a cape can pay for them or apply for a free one.

Future Heart Hero Capes goals include “getting capes to as many kids as possible,” spreading awareness of CHD, and fundraising. Sondra says that with enough funds, Heart Hero Capes can be expanded so the capes can be distributed worldwide, making it a little easier for more kids to deal with the diagnosis and treatment of CHD.

To order a cape, donate, or for more information go to http://www.heartherocapes.com/ or www.powercapes.com/heart-hero-cape, or e-mail heartheroes@yahoo.com.

Sondra is working on a book documenting her daughter’s journey with CHD, through tests, hospitalizations, surgeries, and complications. The Nebraska Family Times will keep readers updated on the progress of her book.

This article appears in the May issue of the Nebraska Family Times. If you would like a FREE sample copy, call (402) 993-2467 or e-mail: shelly@shellyburke.net   

May Editor's Letter

April showers (and snow showers!) bring May flowers!

Another month has flown by and I’m so glad to see the trees and grass getting green—even if the sky is gray today. The last few mornings and evenings I’ve seen deer grazing in the pasture across from our home, and wild turkeys in the shelterbelt. Yesterday I even heard the frogs in our pond—spring is here!

May will be a busy month for us! Cody will go on a 10-day trip to China on an Agricultural tour at the end of the month. He’s going with about 15 other students from Kansas State University and is excited to see a new part of the world.

The last month of Morgan’s junior year will be filled with the FFA and FBLA banquets, prom, finals, and signing up for summer classes through the college. She’s planning to be a counselor at a camp near our home right after school is out, and is excited to be home for the summer spending more time riding her horse and working with her cattle.

Tim and I are looking forward to both kids being home more for the summer. He will be glad to have the extra help at the ranch and I’ll be glad to have my family close.

At the end of the month I’m going to Seward for a few days to attend The Women’s Leadership Institute School for Writers. I’m excited to learn more about writing; some of the classes are taught by Concordia Publishing House Editor so I’ll be learning from the best! I’m not sure what direction God has for me with my writing, but I look forward to finding out.

May also brings Mother’s Day. I am very thankful for my kids and my very special mother and mother-in-law! I am so blessed with a wonderful family.

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The Nebraska Family Times is now on FaceBook! Check us out and “like” the page; when enough people “like” the page I’ll have access to statistics about how many people viewed the site, clicked through on the links, etc. In other words I’ll know what to do to make it better! Also check out the Nebraska Family Times blog at www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com. I will have links to some of my favorite sites and other Christian information you’ll be interested in.

One of my main goals for the paper this year is to increase distribution throughout Nebraska. Would you like to help? Just tell your friends and family about the paper. Consider showing it to owners of businesses you patronize (I’ll send you free extra copies upon request.) If anyone purchases a sponsorship or advertises because you introduced them to the paper, you’ll receive commission for doing so! If you’d like to talk about promoting the paper, e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net or call (402) 993-2467 and we will talk and you can decide if this is something you’d like to do. There are NO start-up costs—all supplies are provided—and no minimum selling requirements.

Have a fantastic month!

Easter Cookie Story

Bake these cookies to teach your children (or your grandchildren, or children’s friends) about Easter. Read through the directions so you can smoothly move from one step to the next and talk about the Bible readings. Plan plenty of time for discussion and questions. Step 2, breaking up the nuts, can be done early in the day or the day before, to save time while putting the rest of the recipe together.

Ingredients

1c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch salt
1c. sugar

zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300

2. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Read John 19:1-3 Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him.

3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Read John 19:28-30Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.

4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Read John 10:10-11 Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Read Luke 23:27 Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1c. sugar. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3 Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Read Matt. 27:57-60 Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Read Matt. 27:65-66. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.

10. GO TO BED! Read John 16:20, 22. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

11. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

This object lesson walks the participants through the Easter story and focuses on the hope and promise of resurrection.

This recipe appeared in the April issue of the Nebraska Family Times. If you would like a free sample copy of the Nebraska Family Times, e-mail shelly@shellyburke.net or call (402) 993-2467.

This article appeared in the April issue of the Nebraska Family Times. If you would like a FREE copy of that issue, e-mail shelly@shellyburke.net.

Friends Usurp Family on Facebook

New default settings for family on Facebook demote children, spouses and parents to the bottom of the page while elevating friends to the top, a change some parents find disconcerting.

Marnie Swedberg, author of SANE: Social Networking Success in 15 Minutes a Day, states, "Facebook has had a wonderful family first policy until now, a policy that has helped families stay foremost in each others' minds when on the website by posting family members in the most prominent position. This policy has been reversed."

Families on Facebook make up much of its 500 million users, half of whom log in every day.

"Facebook family connections happen every second of every day," says Swedberg, whose personal networks rank in the thousands. "I have three young adult kids myself and I like to see them every chance I get, even on Facebook. More importantly, I want to communicate that they rank number one in my world both on- and off-line."

Facebook is impacting our culture. What happens on Facebook has the potential to change things in the world of face-to-face. By demoting the visibility of family, and promoting the position of friends, Facebook is communicating a change in values, however subtle.

The good news is that it is easy to re-position your family first on your personal Facebook profile page. Simply follow these steps:

1. Login to your Profile Page.
2. On the left bar, identify the word "Friends" or "Family" under your photo.
3. Click on the editor's pencil icon that appears when you mouse over one of those words.
4. Find "Featured Friends."
5. Left click on the word "Family" and drag it above "Friends."
6. Save.

From Christian Newswire

April is National Organ Donation Month

What you need to know

Transplantation is one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. But despite continuing advances in medicine and technology, the need for organs and tissue is vastly greater than the number available for transplantation.

Transplantation gives hope to thousands of people with organ failure and provides many others with active and renewed lives.

Learn the facts

Fact: Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race, or medical history.

Fact: All major religions in the United States support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of love and generosity toward others.

Fact: When you are on the waiting list for an organ, what really counts is the severity of your illness, time spent waiting, blood type, and other important medical information, not your financial status or celebrity status.

Fact: An open casket funeral is possible for organ, eye and tissue donors. Through the entire donation process the body is treated with care, respect and dignity.

Fact: There is no cost to the donor or their family for organ or tissue donation.

Statistics

Although there have been advances in medical technology and donation, the demand for organ, eye and tissue donation still vastly exceeds the number of donors.

o More than 100,000 men, women and children currently need life-saving organ transplants.

• Every 10 minutes another name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list.

• An average of 18 people die each day from the lack of available organs for transplant.

• In 2009, there were 8,021 deceased organ donors and 6,610 living organ donors resulting in 28,465 organ transplants.

• Last year, more than 42,000 grafts were made available for transplant by eye banks within the United States.

• 90% of Americans say they support donation, but only 30% know the essential steps to take to be a donor.

Please consider becoming an organ donor. Here’s how:

As a resident of Nebraska, you should take the following steps to ensure your decision to become a donor is carried out:

• Sign up online in the Nebraska Donor Registry at http://www.donoregistry.org/Register/ne/en.

• Indicate your wishes on your driver's license or state ID when you apply for or renew it.

• Talk to your family about your decision to become an organ donor.

Nebraska does not require family consent to carry out your decision to be an organ, eye or tissue donor. However, keeping everyone informed will help avoid any confusion or delays. Print a family notification card at www.donatelife.net.

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Want to learn more about donation in Nebraska?
Please contact:
Cindy Schabow
Donate Life Nebraska
Phone: 402-559-3788
Email: cschabow@cox.net

A Personal Story of Organ Donation

Lori and Dave Clausen’s daughter, Rachel, was in a car accident on September 18th, 2009. Lori says, “When we realized we were not going to get the miracle we were praying for, we chose to make our 16 year old daughter the miracle for someone else, only to discover that was a decision Rachel had already made for herself when she got her driver’s license. For us it was a decision we have never regretted. We don’t think of it as our daughter living on in someone else; to us she helped some else live their own life more fully. We have learned more about organ donation since that time, and when we hear of someone receiving a transplant, we not only say a prayer for the recipient, but also for the family somewhere that chose to give hope to others in the middle of their own grief. We know first hand how precious that gift is and hope someday to hear from the recipients of our daughter’s organs. It would be a blessing to us to know that something good was able to come out of her death.”