April 2022

Friendship derailed over pandemic-era preferences

Dear Abby: A dear friend of many years is currently not speaking to me. She recently moved from California to Denver and had invited me to visit. We agreed on the dates, and I took time off work and booked the flights. Less than two weeks before my arrival, she abruptly canceled the visit, expressing no regrets or concern for whether I would be able to get a refund from the airline. She indicated that because I was not comfortable with the recently lifted mask mandates and other COVID precautions in her state and prefer to continue to avoid indoor dining, bars, etc., that she wanted to “postpone for a few months,” when we might be able to enjoy more activities. When I expressed hurt feelings at being disinvited, she became angry and ceased communication. Is this friendship over? How should I proceed?

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RELIGION BRIEFS

Kansas to let 15-year-olds drive alone to religious events TOPEKA, Kan. – Fifteen-year-olds in Kansas will be able to drive by themselves to and from worship services and other religious activities, starting in July.

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Don’t postpone joy

To the one who lost their smile somewhere between then and now, who can’t remember the last time you really laughed, I pray you find renewed joy. I hope upon hope that peace finds you in the presence of a new day and that the Lord’s love rests so gently upon you that you feel relief in the calm of His company.

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The breath of the spirit

The Breath of the Spirit, the very breath of God, is the breath of forgiveness. Forgiveness is what breathes life into the world. When relationships have ruptured, when trust is broken, when mending doesn’t seem possible, it is forgiveness that can begin to fill the gaps. When malodorous wounds fester it is the breath of forgiveness that can offer a fresh start.

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Can we finally legalize weed, please? This is ridiculous.

If you’re old enough to buy booze, you could walk into a dispensary today in 18 states and buy marijuana products for recreational use. In 37 states, you could get permission to buy the drug for medicinal purposes. No need for a back-alley transaction. You could make your purchase in broad daylight in one of thousands of pot shops now operating under state rules to sell marijuana legally.

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Westerns are again riding high in saddle

Josh Brolin had a 10-gallon-sized decision to make before taking on Amazon’s Western series “Outer Range.” The “True Grit” star, who grew up on a ranch in Templeton, California, pondered over the perfect hat to portray his laconic Wyoming rancher. “When you grow up on a ranch, you know how much the hat matters,” says Brolin, 54.

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Putin claims success in Mariupol

KYIV, Ukraine – Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory Thursday in the battle for Mariupol, even as he ordered his troops not to take the risk of storming the giant steel plant where the last Ukrainian defenders in the city were holed up in a maze of underground passages.

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