"You define beauty for yourself, society doesn't. Your spirit and faith defines your beauty." - Unknown

I came across this quote yesterday when I was trying to think of an idea for this week's column, and it got me to thinking. I have three best friends: Jasmine, Taylor and Heidi, and they're all very unique, independent people. They're different, and they like to express themselves in ways that others might find strange. 

For example, Taylor loves dying her hair. She's had it every color from turquoise to blonde to hot pink. Heidi currently has bright purple/blue hair, along with a nose piercing, a Monroe piercing, and a tattoo (even though you can't see it — it's behind her ear). 

When the four of us go places, needless to say, we get many stares. Some people, such as my parents, think that hair colors like that are weird and faces aren't made for piercing. But I've seen more people give those girls compliments on their hair than anyone else. We can't go to the mall without someone exclaiming, "I love your hair!" to one of us. 

Just because it isn't what you're used to, doesn't mean it's wrong, or looks bad. Some people have a hard time realizing that their opinion is not always the right one--but that's a whole other discussion.

This idea doesn't just apply to my friends and me, however. Society has its own definition of beauty, and it's unrealistic and unfair to girls all across the world. Girls, especially teenage girls, have so much pressure to be thin and beautiful, just like the women in magazines and on runways.  

Society's definition of beauty is giving girls an impossible goal to reach. Everyone has beauty, even if it doesn't fit someone else's definition. My friends have so much confidence in themselves; how many of you would walk around with hot pink hair and feel no shame? 

I think they look awesome, no matter what their hair color is or if they have facial piercings. Jasmine has been my best friend for almost six years, and she's always been there for me, no matter what. Heidi is one of the sweetest people I know, and Taylor is so creative and inspirational. They're all truly great, beautiful people, and nobody can tell them otherwise. And that goes for everyone else out there: you are beautiful, even if you don't realize it now.

It will soon be the fourth of July. It is time to stand up for America. Bake a cake and celebrate this important birthday.

This year, I encourage you to think about why we're celebrating this holiday. It is America’s birthday after all. It is the anniversary of the day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress back in 1776. 

The Declaration was read, bells were rung, bands played, and the people rejoiced.  Independence Day has been celebrated throughout the country ever since then. 

John Adams said, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.  It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfire, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore." 

This is the 4th of July - Let's celebrate our country.

Let others know how much we love our country.  Be proud that we're Americans. The population (including our politicians) should set an example of good will and kindness.  It is time to set standards, high morals and educate our children in the fact that this is the best country ever.

Enjoy family and community events with programs and pageants, games, plays, athletic contests and picnics. 

If you haven't a flag, get one and fly it proudly for everyone to see.  It is Independence Day!  It is time to think of what we've had, what we have lost and what we are now still blessed to have.

The flag is more than just a brightly-colored piece of cloth.  It is a symbol, or sign, that stands for an idea, a cause and a purpose.  A flag stands for this country's land, its people, its government, and its ideals.

Our country's flag can stir people to joy and sadness, to courage, and sacrifice, according to when and  how it is used. Many, many men and women have died to protect our national flag from dishonor or disgrace. Knowing how to honor his country's flag is an important duty of every citizen.

A flag floating in the breeze is a beautiful and stirring sight.  For hundreds of years, flags have been used to fly high in battle, giving soldiers a symbol to follow and defend.  The colors and designs used in the flag tell the ideals, hopes, goals and history for which the different flags stand.

Resolve to follow the golden rule and the ten commandments.  Fill our churches with prayer for our service men and women, for our country. Say thank you for what we've been given. Change that negativity into something positive.

Ask for American made. Let corporations know we care enough to support our labor force here, not in foreign countries. It is important to recognize the value of other countries, but we must never forget the value of our own country.

The founders of the new nation considered Independence Day an important occasion for rejoicing.  So, rejoice.

The people who built America came from different countries.  They brought different skills, ideas and ideals. They blended their abilities and beliefs under a government designed to protect the liberty of the individual.  

They wrote into their Constitution the safeguards of personal freedoms - freedom of religion, freedom of speech and political belief, and freedom to share in the bounty of the land.

I like the 4th of July fireworks. It’s pretty to see the sky light up - to hear the popping sounds and screeching sirens.  But, I wonder about those who have been through the real thing - bombs bursting in mid air, guns cracking and explosions. I think of all that could be done with the money spent to light up the sky for those few moments. 

Everyone seems to love fireworks, (except dogs and small children) but could it be done more modestly to remember what we stand for.

We've seen what some of our leaders have done to the reputation of our great country.  Let the buck stop there.  It is time to get our country’s reputation back by being the best citizen of this country that we can be.

I recall an elderly man who was a resident at a care center.  When anyone asked what nationality he was he said, "I am an American!”

In other words, we can be descendents from other countries, but he was correct in saying what he did, especially if this is the land of our birth or our citizenship.

The people who built America came from many different countries.  So doing, they recognized and made the United States their homeland.

America, The Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain.

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee.

And crown they good with brotherhood,

From sea to shining sea. 

Lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, June 30th: Tamara and Jeff Busho, Susan (Schmidt) & Jon Anderson, Ann and Brent Wiersma, Nate and Kristine Her Hey, Julie Vanden Heuvel Horihan, Robin Eder, Nathan Robertson, Donna Reichl, Steve Jensen, Barb Wright, Lorrie Kelly and Roger Shaunce.

• Friday, July 1st: Keralyn Paulsen Powers, Eugene Hagen, Mary Edwardson, Linda O'Neil, Joanna Ruth Vermedahl, Maureen Wayne, Jill Hanson, Chris Ihrke, Jason Churchill, Marjorie Otterson, Deb Schimek, Rachel (Eaker) Lee, Gary Carlson, Tristan Bangert, Robert Christensen, Roger and Joyce Wayne, Heather (Krause) & Dion Quiram, and Frank and Marilyn Cuden.

• Saturday, July 2nd: John and Wendy Schultz, Delbert and Judy Karsjens, Leslie (Gatton) and David Hecker, David  Sidney Skroch, Christopher Matthew Wacek, Mary Ann Ewing, Stacy Shaunce, David Beck, Chad Ritz, Wilma Arbogast, Melissa Quaintance and Tony H. Seykora.

• Sunday, July 3rd: Danika Marie Jensen, Lorry Pelzl, Amy Storlie, Amy Walterman, Cynthia Nelson, Sara and Chris Ihrke, Rachel and Michael Schmidt, Phillip and Karen Briggs.

• Monday, July 4th: Happy 4th of July!  Bethany Miller, Pam Nelson, Trina Churchill, Ellie Rose Meiners, Brent Meiners, Brian Meiners, Denise and Scott McGowan.

• Tuesday, July 5th: Emma Harold, Abby Harold, Jessica Wayne, Brad Tufte, Burt Scripture, Chad Sommer, Russell Thostenson, Rhonda Grunwald, Issac Paulson and Danny Burns.

• Wednesday, July 6th: Kylie Titus, Brenlee Knudsen, Austin Nord, Linda Aronson, Scott Briggs, Gary Grosland, Wendy Kronberg Kammer, Travis Hanson, Paul Richards, Darrin Stadheim, James Van Riper, Kyle and Bethany Miller.

• Thursday, July 7th: Collin Christensen, Ed Possin, Elizabeth Eder, Cheryl Boverhuis, Casey Johnson, Chad Quam, Scott Reese, Jon Spatenka, Anna Jacobson, Anna Anderson and DeAnn Skroch.

• Friday, July 8th: Zaine Augustine Briedenbach, Parker John and Payton Lorraine Bunn, Barb Hagen, Al Lee, Adam Arends, Jacob Phillips, Summer Paulson, Deb Jacobs and Marlene Jensen.

Hope you have a day filled with things that make you smile!

With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, and grow richer in spirit.  May the year ahead be filled with new discoveries. God Bless America!

Have you noticed the amount of fishermen lining the banks along the channel between the lakes? The walleyes that we have been seeking since opening day have finally decided to eat. The best bite has been between 8:30 p.m. and midnight.

It is funny how when things change they still seem to stay the same. When I was a youth growing up on the Northside of town, I dreamt of days catching walleye and northern which, except for an occasional northern, were found in lakes other than the ones I had access to.

In the spring, there were people lining the banks along Pickerel Lake catching bullheads. They seemed to be the fish of choice in early spring for many people. In fact, many folks drove from out of town just to fish those whiskered swimmers.

I remember stories about some ”old timers” who knew certain secret spots on Fountain Lake where “slab” crappie were there for the catching. I actually witnessed one such bucket full that this guy my Dad called “old John” had caught. They were the biggest crappies I had ever seen.

It was rumored that he used to sit on the bank somewhere down behind the greenhouse on Fountain Lake. The time of day and technique that Old John used were never discovered by me, and in fact, I don’t know if anyone actually ever saw him fishing. This was one mystery that was played over and over in a young aspiring fisherman’s head.

As a kid, I’d spend a lot of my time reading about fishing and dreaming of the day Uncle Ben would call and ask if I could go with him and Aunt Marcie up north. I can remember the early mornings that I’d stand in the front yard staring down Bridge Street towards town, hoping that the next headlight would be them,

I probably knew just about every species of fish that swam that “crick” between Fountain and Goose Lakes. My neighbor, Roger, was a couple of years older than I, and on occasion, he’d ask me to go with him in his Dad’s duck boat and explore the slough. It was always fun, if not a little scary, with the leaky boat and all. 

Roger had the old time version of a bilge pump – me and a 2 lb. Hills Brothers coffee can! It was always a fun adventure, but it usually ended on a sour note when our Moms found out what we were up to. This, however, never deterred us from trying it again.

As I grew older and returned from the service, I married and found that my wife Jean who likes to fish and loves going to northern Minnesota. Over the years, we enjoyed vacationing in northern Minnesota near Grand Rapids. 

I also liked fishing many of the lakes in our neck of the woods. Whenever I’d hear of a lake that the fish were biting on, the kid in me would come out and I’d have to try it for myself.  When our kids were small, we’d take them to area lakes like St. Olaf and Beaver, just like my folks did for me when I was growing up. This was one way that I was passing something that I valued dearly on to my kids.

There were many holiday weekends spent camping at different lakes around the area. We camped on Lake Tetonka for many years on Memorial Day and over the 4th of July, we’d try lakes like Jefferson/German, and Francis. There was a campground on St. Olaf we stayed at a few times. These vacations hold great family memories.

We have some nice fisheries in Fountain and Albert Lea Lakes. Fishing Fountain in the summer can sometimes be a challenge because it is a recreational lake that also has water skiers and recreational boaters. I‘d say that the best time to fish fountain in the summer would be early morning.

Right now my oldest grandson, Trevor, is working on my old fishing boat and wants to start using it on our area lakes. He does a lot of fishing in Albert Lea Lake, so using the old boat will be right down his alley. It’s a good feeling knowing that he will be using that old boat. I know there were some that were wondering what I was holding on to it for – now they know.

Until next time, get out and enjoy one of our area lakes and be sure to wet a line.

Please remember the service men and women that are protecting our freedoms in your thoughts and prayers.