AN ENCOURAGING WORD
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AN ENCOURAGING WORD
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THIS IS OUR HERITAGE
By
Howard Coop
At the beginning of a class session in Kentucky history, a college
student, facing a problem that was real to him, confronted the
professor with a pointed question. “I’m having a problem with my
research,” he said. “In a term paper, can it be stated without
documentation that the Kentucky frontiersmen were characterized
by rugged individualism, independence, and self-reliance?” The
professor responded to the question by saying that such
characterization, indeed, is true. “It is a self-evident fact,” the
professor said, “that the frontiersmen were characterized by rugged
individualism, independence, and self-reliance; that fact needs no
documentation.”
There may be, and probably is, some bit of truth in the observation
of the history professor. Those frontiersmen lived under difficult
circumstances, and they had to rely upon themselves. But that is
not the whole truth. Many documented activities of those who
lived on the frontier revel another aspect of life that was carried
forward for generations. While they may have been rugged
individuals who were self-reliant and independent, they needed
more, and the history they passed on to succeeding generations
reveals that there was more. To some extent, they lived in
isolation, but they were not isolated from their neighbors. So, they
left an impressive record of barn raisings, workings, quilting bees,
and other community activities. Through those activities, a group
of independent and self-reliant individuals came together as
neighbors in a caring community to help a neighbor who was in
need. If a task was too big for one member of a community, a
caring community of neighbors was there to help. Whenever a
need arose, neighbors were responsible; neighbors helped a
neighbor.
This is the two-part heritage that has been passed on to most of us.
We are expected to be responsible individuals who are self-reliant.
We are expected to take responsibility and do that which we can
do. Then, at all times, we are to be ready to help by giving
assistance to anyone who needs help.
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A column, written by Howard Coop, is carried in three weekly newspapers:
THE CENTRAL RECORD, Jimmy Cox, Managing Editor, P. O. Box 800,
Lancaster, KY 40444, the CUMBERLAND COUNTY NEWS, Cyndi Pritchett, Editor, P. O. Box 307, Burkesville, KY 42717, and the INTERIOR JOURNAL,
George Lewis, Editor, 111 East Main Street, Stanford, KY 40484,
Also the column
Is carried in two monthly publications: CHRISTIAN WAY, Lee Hensler,
Editor, P. O. Box 821, Corbin, KY 40702, and THE SEEKER,
Kristi Miller, Editor, P. O. Box302, Berea, KY 40403.
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Current published articles by Howard Coop
A Transforming Principle, STANDARD, (July 6, 2008), a publication
of the Church of the Nazarene.
A Formula for Living, STANDARD, (July 13, 2008), a publication
of the Church of the Nazarene.
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Comments are welcome and desired. To make them, scroll down and click
On “Send Email.”
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Services and Products
By invitation from the editorial staff, Howard Coop has written a column
for the Church Page of THE CENTRAL RECORD, a weekly newspaper
in Garrard County, since May 9, 1991. Over sixty percent of the articles written
for the column have been published in other publications such as THE
UPPER ROOM, ALIVE NOW, MATURE YEARS, MATURE LIVING, THE
QUIET HOUR, PURPOSE, LIVE, SEEK, EVANGEL, STANDARD, DAILY
MEDITATION, THE PREACHER'S MAGAZINE, THE LUTHERAN
JOURNAL, THE WESLEYAN ADVOCATE, THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL,
THE ROYAL ARCH MASON, the ADVOCATE/MESSENGER of
Danville, Kentucky, and the HERALD/LEADER of Lexington, Kentucky.
Written as AN ENCOURAGING WORD, the purpose of the column is to
give readers a lift for daily living.
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To Contact me
E-mail: hkcoop@aol.com
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