By Brad Hutchcraft

We have a tree in our yard that is one of my favorite things. Sure, a tree might be no big deal to some, but it means a lot to me. I have always loved the changing of seasons, especially seeing the leaves change color each autumn. I think it started with the story my mom and dad would tell me growing up. They would tell us that the angels came out to paint the leaves at night when the weather got cooler. That was always such a cool picture to me. It didn't help me ace my science exams, but still a memorable story from my childhood.

It was fall, and my wife and I headed to see the leaves in northwest New Jersey. We had cider and donuts, and our eyes were filled with God's great autumn art show. We were headed home, when I crested a hill and saw a long traffic jam. What was this bumper-to-bumper doing in my country paradise?

The unending chapel at Asbury University has ended.

Has the "revival"?

Spontaneous combustion. It's rare - but it can start a raging fire.

It's defined as "ignition without apparent cause."

They're in all the paintings of the First Thanksgiving. And all the season's grade school plays.

Native Americans. The First Americans.

We invited them to dinner that historic day.

Then we forgot them.

And today their monumental battle to survive is nowhere on our radar. Take the suicides of young Native Americans, for example. Happening again and again in Native communities. With a suicide rate at least three times of the rest of the nation - skyrocketing to seven and ten times greater in some areas.

Unbelievable. It's time for another graduation season! And, wow, has the world changed since I was the one "commencing."

But the commencement ceremony itself? Not so much. Same sweat-a-lot robes. Same funny, flat hats with that annoying tassel. And the same lofty "we will change the world...follow your dream" speeches. Inspired by the view from the top of Mount High School.

Sadly, many will look back later from the Valley of Reality and ask, "Whatever happened to those graduation dreams?"

I've handled my share of bills in my life. But the one from the orthodontist was the best bill I ever got.

I owe Native Americans so much. We all do.

They helped the Pilgrims stay alive.

They helped create our Constitution with their model of representative government. They helped in every war our country's fought - in larger numbers per capita than any other ethnic group in America.

And they helped me.

The First Americans. The forgotten Americans. Native Americans.

A truck driving away from a warehouse wouldn't usually be the lead story on national news.

This week it was! That truck was loaded with hope! It carried the first shipment of an anti-COVID vaccine. And that might be the biggest news of all this relentlessly painful year!

By Brad Hutchcraft

Life is definitely different nowadays. Including planning family vacations. After being very careful and sticking close to home the past several weeks (due to some at-risk health factors), it was time to get away for a few family days. After exploring some options where we could still be careful but could also stretch our legs, we took the camping plunge!