Have you ever noticed people can be quick to make assumptions?

We hear various labels and pigeonhole someone into a category. Christian. Muslim. Atheist. Vegetarian. Yankee. Rebel. Conservative. Liberal.

Assumptions are often made about a person's lifestyle, mindset and attitude based on a label. People are put into categories: good, bad, righteous, evil, selfish, kind, gullible.

Labels, a human invention, often delineate between those similar or dissimilar to "me." They signify with whom I associate and from whom I keep my distance.

Unfortunately, many have forgotten the one label — child of God — outshines all others. Claiming and living this label — this title — is the one unifying factor for humanity. All others are human-made and serve only to divide us.

When you meet a new person and let the label "child of God" be your very first impression and foundation, the other labels placed on that person are unnecessary.

Will you allow yourself to see a child of God?

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Human-made labels divide us

A group of residents recently were together and the talk turned to the desires for Crestview. 

Interestingly enough, there was quite a cross-section of people; some newcomers and some who have lived in the area over 40 years. The common complaint was the poor traffic flow. I come from Los Angeles, home of the big parking lot also known as the freeway, so I know about terrible traffic.

Ever since my husband, Jim, and I moved here, there have been talks and traffic studies for a by-pass, but nothing is accomplished. This may be due to land restrictions or other issues, but we definitely need traffic relief.

The wish list for Crestview comprised:

•Retail stores so that one doesn't have to drive to Destin, Fort Walton Beach or Pensacola to shop. The main stores brought up were Kohl's, Hobby Lobby and Target. Having retail locations such as these would keep a portion of the sales tax here in Crestview.

•Large chain restaurants, such as Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Carrabba's and Golden Corral.

•No more fast food, banks or vape shops.

•Traffic relief.

It is sad that sit-down restaurants are closing. Ryan's, which had a huge capacity, has closed and Chick-Fil-A is taking that geographical location. While I love Chick-Fil-A, it isn't the same as a large-scale sit-down buffet. 

The north end of town is exploding and there are not many services. We have the Winn-Dixie Plaza and David's Catfish House, but not much else. A new Publix is being built along with a Wendy's, but as far as I know, no sit-down restaurants. Walmart is planning on building a store across from Johnny O'Quigley's.

Some stores don't want to come to Crestview, as they don't think we have enough residents, but stores that are already here don't mind expanding with second locations, so obviously we have enough people to patronize new businesses.

Downtown Crestview was also discussed. The major complaint was parking and that the businesses close so early. If we could get some top-notch restaurants in that area I believe many people would be delighted — some ideas for us to ponder.

What businesses would you like to see in Crestview?

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Some wishes for Crestview

Around the world and throughout the year, thousands of events honor women's achievements. Yet, women still face challenges in many areas of life — such as their financial situations. So if you're a woman, you may want to use this occasion to consider steps you can take to help move toward your important financial goals, such as a comfortable retirement.

First of all, be aware of the potential obstacles facing women: lower earnings than men, longer lifespans than men and more time out of the workforce than men. This last element is particularly important, because when women leave the workforce for extended periods, typically to care for young children or older parents, they will have much less time to contribute to their 401(k) or another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

Whether you fit the above profile perfectly or not, and whether you're married or single, you must take action on your own behalf. Here are some suggestions:

Here are some suggestions:

•Ramp up your retirement plan contributions. Contribute as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or other employer retirement plan. Your 401(k) is a good way to build retirement savings because your earnings accumulate on a tax-deferred basis, which means your money can grow faster than if it were placed in an investment on which you paid taxes every year. (You will have to pay taxes on withdrawals; also, withdrawals prior to age 59 1⁄2 may be subject to a 10 percent IRS penalty.)

•Contribute to an IRA. Even if you have a 401(k) or similar plan, you're probably still eligible to open an IRA. Contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax-deductible, while earnings can grow tax deferred. If you invest in a Roth IRA, your contributions are not deductible, but any earnings growth is distributed tax-free, provided you've had your account at least five years and don't start taking withdrawals until you're 59 1⁄2.

•Don't invest too conservatively. Some studies show that women may invest more conservatively than men. This could be a problem, especially since, as mentioned above, women are also out of the workforce longer and may have fewer years to contribute to their 401(k plans. Consequently, when you invest in your 401(k), IRA or other accounts, consider including in your holdings growth-oriented vehicles consistent with your risk tolerance, such as stocks. Stocks are more susceptible to market volatility, but you can help reduce the impact of this volatility by owning a mix of investments, including stocks, bonds and cash.

•Talk to your spouse about Social Security. If your spouse starts collecting Social Security at 62 (the earliest age of eligibility), the monthly benefits could be reduced, perhaps by as much as 25 percent. This reduction could affect you if you ever become a widow, because once you reach your own "full" retirement age (which will likely be 66 or 67), you may qualify for survivor benefits of 100 percent of what your deceased spouse had been receiving — and if that amount is reduced, you'll get a reduced benefit. Talk to your spouse about this issue well before it's time to receive Social Security.

By making the right moves through some extra steps, you will find yourself on the road to financial freedom. 

Edward Jones wrote this article for use by your local Edward Jones Financial advisor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Women may need extra help toward financial security

A number of summers ago, I noticed whiteflies on a confederate rose plant in my landscape.

I considered using an insecticide to control the whiteflies but decided against doing so after taking a closer look. What I found was a population of ladybugs — eggs, larvae, pupae and adults.

Ladybug adults and larvae eat whiteflies, as well as other soft-bodied insects such as aphids. So, I waited to see what would happen.

At first, I was seeing mostly adult whiteflies, which look like tiny white moths. Adult whiteflies mate and then lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The eggs hatch into flat translucent scale-like nymphs that suck the "juice" from the underside of the leaves.

Eventually, some of the leaves developed a black coating called sooty mold. As certain insects (primarily aphids, some scales and whiteflies) feed, they excrete plant sap that coats the leaves. A sooty mold then grows on this sugary sap. It’s not a pathogen. It just makes the leaves look ugly.

Knowing that the whiteflies would not kill the confederate rose, I was willing to tolerate the sooty mold and allow the ladybug population to build.

Allowing whiteflies to live on your plants may not always be the best option. But in order to have beneficial insects in your landscape, there must be some "bad" insects for them to eat.

Insects such as ladybugs, lacewings and praying mantises eat many pest insects. Encouraging these beneficial insects can allow you to reduce the amount of pesticides applied.

It’s important to learn to recognize the adult and immature stages of these beneficial insects. Ladybugs have larvae that look nothing like the adults. Some ladybug larvae look like small orange-and-black alligators. Others may resemble mealybugs. Many gardeners who would never kill adult ladybugs mistake their larvae as pests and kill them with insecticides.

The following University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension website will help you learn to recognize many of our beneficial insects: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_beneficial_insects.

Once you find beneficial insects in your landscape, reduce or eliminate the use of insecticides. When an insecticide is needed, use environmentally friendly options such as insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and products that contain Bacillus thuringiensis.

Sometimes, a heavy stream of water from a water hose is all that is needed to remove pest insects from plants and reduce their numbers to an acceptable population.

Remember, leaving a few pest insects is a great way to attract beneficial insects. Tolerating a minor infestation and a little plant damage will benefit the helpful insects, your pocketbook and the environment.

Larry Williams is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Some insects benefit your garden

A great way to save money on your water bill and reduce the amount of water withdrawn from the aquifer is to use a rain barrel.

The water savings from using stored rainwater rather than municipal or well water can be substantial over a period of time. A rain barrel may not provide all the water needed to sustain all your plants, but some houseplants or even an entire vegetable garden can certainly benefit.

If you currently have a standard irrigation system, you may be able to turn off the sprinkler zones that are in flower beds and use stored rainwater instead.

Typically, the rain barrel is connected to the gutter downspout of the house. For a general calculation, you can collect about a half-gallon of water per square foot of roof area during a one-inch rainfall. A typical half-inch rainfall event will fill a 50- to 55-gallon barrel.

Multiple rain barrels can be linked together with PVC or flexible hose to increase storage capabilities. However, with a screen modification on the lid, the rain barrel can be located anywhere in order to collect open rainfall. It will take a lot longer to fill but may be more practical if the area you want to water is a good distance from the house.

Now is the time to prepare for the long, hot season to come. Join me at 10:30 a.m. May 2 at the Crestview Public Library for a demonstration on how to build a rain barrel. The program is free to the public. All participants are entered into a drawing for a free assembled rain barrel. Everyone is also welcome to purchase a clean, empty barrel for $35 or an assembled, ready-to-go one for $60.

Contact the Okaloosa County Extension office for more information or to purchase a barrel.

Sheila Dunning is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Rain barrels can save you money

The annual Laurel Hil Arts and Heritage Festival is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 29 on the grounds of the historic Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, located at 8115 Fourth St. Admission to the festival is free and parking will be available at the Laurel Hill School track on the corner of Fourth and Park Avenue.

Brian Hughes, festival chairman, has shared the following information:

A Civil War encampment complete with an authentically costumed re-enactor is part of the event. The re-enactor will demonstrate the typical soldier's equipment and talk about being in battle and patrol, and he will have demonstrations of firing a Civil War-era rifle. Along with the Civil War re-enactment, a mid-19th century school room presentation will feature a costumed schoolteacher showing books and materials of that day. She will answer questions about school in that time period. These will both be great history lessons for the homeschooled students in our area.

Crestview Boy Scout Troop 773 will set up a modern scout camp, which can be compared to the Civil War camp. The Scouts will also offer their delicious cobbler, which the boys bake themselves in a Dutch oven over a campfire.

There will be demonstrations of different types, as well as crafters and artisans such as Dannis Young, a wood artisan from Crestview who uses discarded native woods to turn bowls, vases and other creations. A variety of other crafters will display and sell their wares, as well as an abundance of homemade baked goods, including jams and jellies.

There will be plenty of musical entertainment this year. Aaron Overton and the Emerald Coast Pipes and Drums will once again perform at the festival. They have both been at every festival since October 2009. Other musical guests include the Wesley Boys; Scott Hicks, a Christian vocalist and guitarist; and Doug Black, a Crestview High school student. A wide variety of talent will make an enjoyable day.

Vendors are providing food and drinks for purchase.

Come out and join the fun and enjoy a great day learning some new crafts and historical facts, as well as listening to some great music.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Enjoy the Laurel Hill Arts and Heritage Festival