Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Unattended cooking has caused seven fire deaths in Mississippi so far in 2023. There were three cooking-related fire deaths in 2022. “Make your home safer by installing multiple smoke alarms,” said Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney. “Many people have family and friends over for the holiday. Don’t let distractions put you and your guests in danger.” Use these safety tips from the State Fire Marshal’s Office when preparing your Thanksgiving meal: If you must leave the kitchen for even a short amount of time, turn off the stove. Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking. Loose clothing can catch fire if it gets too close to a gas flame or electric burner. Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of 3 feet around the stove. o If you have young children, use the stove's back burners whenever possible. o Turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk that pots will be knocked over. o Never hold a small child while cooking. If you have a fire Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 911 after you leave. Be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out. Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires, pan and pot fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. If using a turkey fryer Fryers should be used outdoors, a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials. o Some turkey fryers are designed for indoor use. If you use one of these, follow manufacturer directions carefully. Never use a fryer in a garage or on a wooden deck. Make sure fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping. Never leave the fryer unattended. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recommends you thaw a turkey 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. The Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Office recommends, when using a propane fryer, using a hose at least 6 feet long to distance the propane tank from the fryers flame.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is seeking stakeholder feedback via a questionnaire by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, regarding development of a one-year Perkins V State plan for the 2024-25 school year to increase access to high-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs in secondary schools and community colleges that meet the needs of students and employers. MDE’s Office of Career and Technical Education is particularly seeking feedback from business and industry leaders, community colleges, educators, workforce developers and communities at-large. Responses to the questionnaire will help formulate revisions to the current Mississippi Perkins V State Plan. Mississippians will get the opportunity to share public comments on the updated Perkins V plan in spring 2024. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) must receive the final plan in May 2024. During the 2023 legislative session, the state legislature appropriated $94.1 million to support CTE programs, including a $1.4 million increase for new CTE programs and $1.6 million for additional industry certifications. The DOE has appropriated nearly $16 million to go to secondary districts and local community colleges to provide CTE and training. The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins) and is referred to as Perkins V. States across the nation are in the process of updating their respective plans in order to receive designated federal funds in fiscal year 2025 to advance their education, workforce and economic development goals. There are approximately 27,000 Mississippi students enrolled in secondary CTE coursework across the state, according to the National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research Center at Mississippi State University. CTE is an educational option that provides learners with the knowledge and skills to be prepared for college and careers by emphasizing real-world skills and practical knowledge within a selected career focus. Learners in CTE programs take specialized courses, in addition to required courses, and often have the opportunity to participate in internships, engage with mentors and practice what they are learning through hands-on projects. Learners can participate in CTE at the middle and high school level and at postsecondary institutions in every community in Mississippi. Stakeholders can access the questionnaire here. Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.

Faraway country. Poverty stricken area with hard-working citizens, who don’t have much chance to see things change for the better. My hero rides his Honda into their part of his world every day, to deliver help and hope. To teach them that their God truly loves them. That He isn’t mad at them, no matter how badly they have disappointed their Creator. That He wants them to turn to Him in faith and trust. That He will help them live life, even in the midst of their difficult circumstances. And that He will take them home to live with Him forever, when this pain-filled life on earth is over. My Honda Man is my kind of hero. Selflessly giving his time and energy to go to others, strangers whom he has never met. No matter the weather, daily he climbs on board that motorcycle and rides hours away, leaving behind those he holds dear to his heart. Paid good money to do this? Not a chance. Building his resume in order to leapfrog to the top of his field? That’s not his motivation in any way. Fulfilling his hobby, a love of riding just for the fun of it? Never would that cross anyone’s mind if you could know his circumstances. Do I personally know Honda Man? Will I ever meet him and see where he rides? Meet the people he tries to help? Will I ever know what he looks like? Meet his friends and family? No, to all those questions. That will most likely never happen. Not on this side of eternity, anyway. But do I admire and hold him up as a hero among heroes? That is an absolute YES. To me, in my vivid imagination that can run rampant when left to its own devices, Honda Man stands about twenty-five feet tall and can leap tall mountains in a single bound. Oh yeah, I know that last sentence isn’t true, but please leave me to my beliefs that truly good and honorable people still exist in this world. And a twenty-five-foot tall, mountain-leaping dude represents all of them. I am personally acquainted with a lot of wonderful men and women, who genuinely love the lonely and hurting among us, and try to help them in so many ways. But although I respect them and would tell anyone they are the salt of the earth, not one of them holds my admiration like Honda Man. I have no doubt that I will have the chance to look Honda Man in the eyes, and I will instantly and instinctively recognize that man – on the other side of eternity. And I will have the opportunity to hug his neck and tell him what an inspiration he was to me – back on this side of eternity.

By Kara Kimbrough Using the first letter of the all-too-brief season, fall is filled with festivals, football, family time and fun activities in the span between six months of searing heat and the cold, rainy weather that accompanies winter. Finding time for preparing food can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be a chore, especially when so many one-pan, intriguing and minimal-ingredient recipe are as near as the latest cookbook or the internet. Without further ado – after all, you’ve got FUN fall activities to get to – here are a few “trending” recipes that’ll allow you to enjoy the season while enjoying some…here’s that F letter again…fabulous food! Viral One-Pot Pasta Dinner (Simple and easy to make, but still delicious; it’s been shared over 1 million times on TikTok...I know, I know...don't judge until you've tried it!) 1 pound ground chuck or Italian sausage 8-ounce cream cheese Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning) 1 jar favorite pasta sauce 1-pound grated mozzarella cheese Brown ground chuck or sausage in oven-safe skillet until done; drain. Add seasonings; mix well. Over medium heat, add cream cheese and pasta sauce; stir well until cream cheese is melted and all three ingredients are well mixed. Top with mozzarella cheese, then place under oven broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melted. Serve straight from the skillet. Big Mac Tacos 1 pound ground chuck Soft street taco tortillas, small size (can substitute any soft taco shell if needed) Shredded lettuce, diced onions, pickles American cheese slices Big Mac Sauce (recipe below) Place about two ounce of ground chuck on each street taco tortillas; press thin and flat in a circle on the tortilla. Coat a nonstick skillet with vegetable oil and cook meat fully, using a spatula to fully flatten and cook. Flip over tortillas once meat is cooked and top each one with a slice of cheese. Cover skillet with lid and cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Remove each one from pan and top with shredded lettuce, diced onions, pickles and “Big Mac” sauce. Big Mac Sauce recipe: 1 cup mayonnaise ¼ cup pickle relish 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Half teaspoon each: salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly before topping each tortilla with a spoonful or more to taste. Double recipe if you plan to dip tacos in sauce. Bend tortillas at edges to hold ingredients together. Dip in Big Mac sauce for additional flavor. Penicillin Soup (I’m allergic to this drug, so I was quite hesitant to try the soup that’s trending all over the internet. My fears were forgotten after tasting this warm comfort food that’s guaranteed to cure whatever ails you.) 3-4 pounds chicken 10 to 12 cups water 3 stalks celery, divided 2 white or yellow onions, peeled, divided 3 large carrots, peeled, divided 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste, divided 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon reduced sodium chicken base (such as Better than Bouillon) 1 cup pastina or other tiny pasta, such as stars 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, or to taste (optional) 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste (optional) Place chicken in a large pot and pour water over to cover. Roughly chop 2 stalks of celery, 1-1/2 onions and 2 carrots and add to pot with chicken. Season with 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the chicken to simmer 1 hour, covered. Remove chicken from the pot and allow to cool before removing and shredding the meat. Strain the stock and discard the solids. Reserve liquid and add water if necessary to measure 12 cups of liquid. Wipe pot clean. Finely chop remaining celery, onion and carrot. Place pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Add chopped vegetables, remaining salt, pepper and garlic and cook frequently until vegetables are tender and onion is translucent (the veggies should not be browned). Add reserved stock and chicken base and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce it to simmer. Allow soup to simmer 10 minutes. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Reduce heat to low and add chicken and season if desired. Cook 5 additional minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer and travel agent from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

By Bob Garver Last month, I wrote about “The Exorcist: Believer” actually working pretty well as a taut kidnapping thriller until the requisite demon possession stuff kicked in. Now comes “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” which has the opposite problem: the kidnapping-thriller elements get in the way of the supernatural stuff. I think the difference is that I wasn’t exactly eager to get to the possessed children, but I am eager to spend time with possessed child-friendly robots from a family entertainment center. They can have my full attention, no need for distractions from terrified families. Josh Hutcherson stars as Mike, a protagonist with a mess of a life. He can’t hold a job, he’s struggling to keep custody of his kid sister Abby (Piper Rubio), and he suffers from PTSD from his brother’s abduction when he was a child. His career counselor (Matthew Lillard) informs him that the only job available is working overnight security at the defunct Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Mike thinks that maybe the job will be so undemanding that he can sleep through the nights without anyone noticing, but local cop Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) keeps him on his toes. Besides, even with all the darkness and emptiness, it’s hard to sleep knowing that the main room features a creepy robotic house band. For the first few shifts, things go bump in the night, but Mike figures it all has a rational explanation. Meanwhile, his aunt (Mary Stuart Masterson) plots to gain custody of Abby, because apparently the state gives out huge checks to guardians. She hires goons to wreck up Freddy’s so Mike will get fired. Abby’s babysitter is unavailable, so Mike has to bring her to Freddy’s with him, and… she gets a surprisingly warm welcome is all I’ll say. At this point, the film is about halfway in, and I have to say I was having a good time. It isn’t brilliant by any means, but it works as a fun guilty pleasure with the killer robots making a mess of disposable goons that answer to a scenery-chomping Masterson. They’re sure to be full-on bad guys preying on Mike and Abby soon enough, but for now it’s okay to laugh heartily as a scumbag gets attacked by a robotic cupcake. But then the movie makes a fatal mistake: it starts taking itself too seriously. Mike’s obsession with learning about what happened to his brother crowds out the plot about the goofy robots, as does the longstanding lore of children going missing at Freddy’s and drama in Vanessa’s past. I can understand the filmmakers wanting the movie to be smarter and deeper than it appears, but when the movie is sold on supposedly-jovial robots haunting a children’s emporium, it needs to stay in a certain lane. It seems a lot of people are unhappy with “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score is below 30% and its domestic box office dropped off 75% from one weekend to the next (yes, I know Halloween passing was a factor, but that’s still bad). I don’t think the problem is that audiences can’t “get into” the movie, so much as the movie can’t keep its audience’s interest. I think the majority of people enjoy the movie for about half its runtime, and then it takes a downturn that sends them home unhappy. It doesn’t help that the explanations we eventually get are confusing and the characters’ motivations highly questionable, but the real problem is that by the end, the movie just isn’t fun or exciting anymore. The last act is so bloated that it feels like it takes five nights to finish. Grade: C- “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock. The film is rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, and language. Its running time is 109 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu

The young lady had gigantic dreams. Visions of becoming a movie star filled her daydreams constantly. From the very first movie she saw as a child, and was entranced as the female lead lit up the big screen. She wanted to be her. Family ties, college degrees, being financially independent, marriage, children of her own - none of these came close to the importance of becoming an international star who was famous and wealthy. The only thing that truly mattered was her goal of having her name known worldwide. She worked hard to get what she wanted. Her obsessive drive and boundless energy saw her through endless acting and dance classes, cattle calls, and countless auditions for bit parts that she never received. She supported herself through those lean years doing anything she could to bring in enough money to pay the rent and buy beans. Years passed and finally, the hard stuff began to pay off. She signed with an agent, won a few bit parts, and got to play in a few television commercials. She began working her way up the ‘it pays to know the right people’ food chain. Two steps forward and three steps back. But eventually, she landed a minor part in a movie that hit the big time, which finally led to bigger and better things. After years of slogging through, it all came together for her. All her hard work, knowing the right person, who put her in touch with the right people, who cast her in a major movie. Certainly not the female starring role, but a secondary role that saw a lot of screen time. Her name became synonymous with that acclaimed movie of the year, and seemingly overnight a few producers and directors were familiar with her name and her work. She was on her way. Many movies later, she was famous and wealthy…and trapped. She had it all and yet had lost so much. Fame became a prison, because any real privacy or freedom had become a distant memory. No longer could she go where and when she chose without being mobbed by adoring fans. Safety issues were a major issue, so she had to travel with a bodyguard at all times. Her siblings either jealously rejected her, avoided her from awe of her status, or used her as a gold mine. Several failed marriages and resentful children of those failures added to her problems. And the invaluable sense of peace, trust and being-loved-for-being-me that everyone cherishes? That had vanished into the same bottomless black hole that had swallowed her freedoms. Yes, she was famous and wealthy beyond her dreams. But at what cost? Contrast that life to one of purposely and intentionally serving her Creator, working to sustain and nourish real relationships, marrying only for love - for a lifetime, and deciding to let God guide her through the years. Yes, this is a work of fiction. Or, is it really?

By Kara Kimbrough Thanksgiving is a couple of weeks away, but believe me when I say, you need to claim dibs on the turkey BEFORE the day arrives and here’s why. The game is not over when the turkey has been whittled down to a toothpick-like state. There are several meals left from leftover meat and dare I say it…the bones themselves. A few years ago, a reader shared a recipe for turkey bone gumbo that has become one of my favorite dishes. Her recipe is actually what started my obsession with claiming the leftover turkey meat and bones. I do love traditional gumbo, but am not a fan of sausage. So, having an alternate gumbo with flavorful broth, vegetables and turkey pieces is a wonderful thing. I usually slip in a pound or two of shrimp, which makes a more Coast-like gumbo. I’ve shared it a couple of times, but if you missed it and would like the recipe, simply drop me an email and I’ll send it your way before Thanksgiving. After this revelation, I attended a cooking class at The Mary C in Ocean Springs. There, the chef taught attendees how to make homemade garlic bread and turkey and wild rice soup using leftover remnants from the Thanksgiving meal. This savory dish has not surpassed turkey gumbo on my favorites list. Served over hot rice, it’s the ultimate satisfying comfort meal. So, take my advice: call your family or whomever you’re planning to celebrate Thanksgiving with and claim the leftover turkey, bones and all. They may think you’re nuts, but it won’t matter when you try one (or all) of these turkeycentric recipes. After trying them – especially turkey and wild rice soup – like me, you may start looking forward to the day AFTER Thanksgiving the way you used to anticipate the holiday itself. Either way, you’ll never again let the turkey bones and any lingering meat go to waste. Turkey and Wild Rice Soup (this looks like a long recipe, but it comes together very quickly) 4 tablespoons butter 2 carrots, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 4 tablespoons flour 4-5 cups turkey or chicken stock (see directions below) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cup uncooked wild rice (I use a package of Wild Rice Blend, with no seasoning packet) 3 cups shredded cooked turkey ½ cup half and half or heavy cream (heavy cream is best and doesn't break up, but half and half will work if you're trying to watch fat content) Salt and pepper Cooked rice (optional, but it pairs perfectly with this soup) Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Add carrots, onion, and celery to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Add flour and cook about 3-5 minutes. Add 4 cups of the turkey or chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, and rice. Bring to a simmer and then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the turkey, half and half or heavy cream. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve over hot rice. Turkey Broth Recipe: Place the carcass in a large stockpot. Add 3 stalks of celery, two coarsely chopped onions, water, salt, a few peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam that forms on the surface. Remove from the heat and let cool. Skim any fat that has risen to the surface. Strain through a large fine-mesh strainer. Reserve any meat that has fallen off the bones and pick off any meat that may still remain on the carcass. Reserve the onions and celery to use in the soup. Turkey Bites (perfect for post-Thanksgiving breakfast) 2 cups leftover turkey cooked, cut into small pieces 1/2 cup mayonnaise (more to taste) 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 8-roll package crescent rolls Pinch each: dill, salt, pepper, thyme Spray non-stick cooking spray into muffin tin. Place large end of crescent triangle into bottom of each muffin tin. Mix turkey and all other ingredients together and spoon into each muffin tin compartment. Fold smaller end of crescent triangle over top of turkey mixture. Bake as directed on crescent roll package or until lightly browned on top. Turkey Tetrazzini 12 ounces dry spaghetti, cooked until al dente 3 tablespoons butter 1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced ¾ pound mushrooms sliced (or one small can, rinsed and drained) 3 tablespoons flour 2 ¼ cups chicken or turkey broth 8 ounces spreadable cream cheese, garlic flavor 1 ⅓ cups half & half or light cream Salt & pepper to taste 1 tablespoon fresh parsley 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 2 cups turkey cooked and chopped 2 cups mozzarella cheese divided ¼ cup Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook butter, onions and garlic over medium heat until softened. Add mushrooms and cook an additional 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and cream all at once. Cook until thick & bubbly, let boil 1 minute. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Add parsley and seasonings. Combine spaghetti, turkey, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and sauce. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Top with remaining mozzarella, cover and bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer and travel agent specializing in New York City and Coastal travel. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The Scholastic Book Fair will be held at BEEMS from November 6-15, 2023. Join us for the following events to promote literacy and a love for reading!!! Cash and credit cards will be accepted. Parents, friends, family, and school supporters can also bless students by adding funds with eWallet which allows students a chance to shop with an online account. Our goal for this year is to sale 500 books!!! Money raised from the book fair will be used to purchase books, instructional materials, and incentives for our students!!!

"Falling back to Standard Time early Sunday morning remains a good reminder to check your smoke alarms and change batteries," said Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney. "There were 71 fire deaths in 2022. In 34 of those fires, there were no working smoke alarms in the home." Create an escape plan and make sure everyone knows where to meet outside of the home, in case of fire. One suggestion for families is to have children draw an escape plan with their parents or guardians. The drawing should show how everyone will get out of the house. There should be multiple exits. The drawing should also include where they will meet outside the home. Once done drawing, talk about the plan together as a family. Also, remember to: Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button. Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Replace the smoke alarm immediately if it doesn't respond properly when tested. Smoke alarms should be placed in every sleeping area and common hallways and on every level of the home. Should a fire break out in the home, have an emergency evacuation plan for the family to follow and have a designated meeting place for all family members. Once everyone is outside the burning home, call 911 and don't go back inside the home under any circumstances.

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum will host the 2023 Harvest Festival November 7-11 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day. Admission is $8 per person for ages 3 and up. “I encourage the public to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather and attend the annual Harvest Fest at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “This unique event teaches generations about the importance of agriculture and its historic relevance to our state. Visitors can experience the traditional operations of days gone by at the cotton gin, sawmill and blacksmith shop, as well as children’s activities, ag exhibitions and so much more.” In addition to all the usual exhibits, live demonstrations throughout the museum grounds will give visitors a glimpse of Mississippi’s past and show the impact agriculture has made within our state. Displays inside the Heritage Center gallery allow visitors to see how agriculture has changed throughout the years from the methods and equipment used in farming with horses and mules to the invention of tractors. The model train exhibit, featuring three gauges of model trains depicting life along the rails in Mississippi, is a must see. And the Children’s Barnyard features cows, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, turkeys and horses. Train, carousel and wagon rides will be available each day for $1 per rider. Saturday only, see a special display of antique tractors and hit-and-miss engines. Concessions will be available for purchase each day of the event and visitors are encouraged to stop by the General Store for snacks and souvenirs, along with many new items. Complimentary biscuits will be given to everyone participating in the festivities while supplies last. For more details on the annual Harvest Festival, visit www.msagmuseum.org/harvest-fest. The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Museum, call 601-432-4500 or 1-800-844-8687, visit www.msagmuseum.org or visit the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Facebook. The Ag Museum is a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

If you're looking for a delightful way to spend your Sunday, come to St. Mary's at 3:00 pm on November 5. Hal and Connie Jeanes will fill the air with beautiful music. Hope to see you there!

Lot of medications out there to fix problems. And a lot of them are aimed directly at anxiety. Am I here to poke fun at people for feeling anxiety? To tell you that it is your problem and you can fix it yourself? To ‘Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps’, or to ‘Put on your big girl panties.’ Or maybe this one; ‘Fake it ‘til you make it.’ How about; ‘It’s all in how you decide to look at life. So just make up your mind to change your thinking.’ No way, stupid I am not. But I do happen to be intelligent enough to realize that our long-term mental or emotional state has a lot to do with our current anxiety levels. No doubt about that. Here’s why. Childhood sets us up. Negative childhoods influence us as adults… period. If there was no training back then to have the confident attitude of, “Yep, I gotta a problem right now, but I know I can handle it until it’s gone” - that creates a problem. The learned self-assurance and confidence that helps to ward off anxiety and worry as adults can easily be missing. And evidently that happened a lot back when we were all playing in the dirt, riding bikes, or feeding imaginary milk to our little dollies. Because there are prescriptions by the armload for medicating anxiety problems away. And folks, the pharmaceutical companies do not just manufacture a drug for the fun of it. There has to be a huge need for it. The cost of bringing a drug to the United States market is not small, and for some odd reason they insist that they be able to pay the costs involved and also make a profit. But experience with anti-anxiety meds has taught that there are problems with the ‘Just pop a pill and make it all go away’ mentality. Problems that make the initial worry a simple walk in the park. Oh, sure, you swallow that little pill, and that huge anxiety ball that lives 24/7 in your chest will float away. But depend on your ‘Sweet Little Friend’ long enough, and you can easily find yourself living with three ‘Big Ugly Enemies.’ 1) Over time, your body will demand more friends to give you the same effect. 2) Your body can easily become actually dependent upon the chemicals in that pill. 3) The problem that is creating your anxiety doesn’t dissolve when that anti-anxiety pill dissolves in your stomach. We need a better, healthier, and permanent solution. Here it is: Isaiah 41:10 in the Bible. Read it, believe it, learn to quote it to yourself when the panic attacks hit every few minutes. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Try it for yourself.