Commentary Search

  • God Fights for Us

    Recently I was reading some Israeli history from the Bible (1 Samuel) where Israel prayed (actually demanded) to have a king like the other nations. Even though they were warned what a bad idea this was, they insisted, “No! We want a king so that we will be like all the nations, and so our king may

  • Chaplain Corps offering free online relationship enrichment training

    Our 182nd Chaplain Corps is hosting and facilitating two upcoming Saturday Seminars full of free online relationship enrichment training. The schedule is arranged so that any who are interested can attend any, or all, of the training sessions virtually. You can come and go as you please.

  • With spring comes new opportunities

    The 17-year cicadas (locust-like insects) are about to reemerge in the Midwest from the ground after 17 years of very slow development. Once they emerge, their songs produced could be as loud as 100 decibels.

  • Let’s Get Informed About Binge Drinking

    The holidays are behind us but we are still in the middle of the COVID pandemic. There are many risks of drinking too much, however, drinking is still seen as a fun activity. But as we know it can be a slippery slope from one drink to binge drinking.

  • Getting Through This Time We Live In

    The new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic can make it difficult for families, friends, and community members to maintain healthy relationships. The stay-at-home and physical distancing requirements may feel overwhelming for families and isolating for friends and communities. Here are a few tips

  • Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape™

    We’ve made many technological advancements in fire prevention and safety over the last 100 years, but one of the most important and one of the most low-tech aspects of fire safety hasn’t changed, and that is having a plan. What do I mean by "have a plan?"Have an escape plan to get out of wherever

  • I’m not running for myself

    My feet hit the ground and within a large team of people I start my run. I’m grateful for the sun and forgiving weather, but even on a dreary day I would still be here running.Maybe it was the sun shining light in support and for a bright change, and if it was raining I would’ve seen it as the rain

  • A Uniform: The Cloth of Our Nation

    Back in 1981, our unit did our two-week annual training at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. I was 21. It was a community relations mission, indoor concert, at a retirement home. I remember this so clearly.A resident came up to me — a woman, an elderly woman — and she looked at me, and

  • How the military saved my college career

    I always talked about joining the Air National Guard in high school, but education was so engrained in me growing up that I didn’t think twice about college when the time came. I packed up, headed for the University of Illinois at Springfield and quickly learned that it was going to be very

  • Our community stands ready for disaster

    Our community stands ready when disaster strikes. Under a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS, umbrella, Peoria County agencies plan, prepare, train and respond to a multitude of incidents and emergencies all over the county. Thirty-eight agencies and more than 200 exercise participants took part