During times that I am tired or having an "Eeyore Day," I sometimes have a brief, negative outlook for our nation.

I sometimes ponder what is going on around the world with people engaged in war, genocide, human trafficking, or drug trafficking, and wonder why people treat others the way they do.

This causes me to stop and lift prayers to God for healing: for the ills of society, for the hatred and cruelty people express toward others, and for those who are beaten down by a sense of failure.

My time of pessimism is short-lived. Strength is renewed through prayer, and life comes back into focus once again. This happens because of the hope I place in God. It is a hope that continuously puts matters into proper perspective.

The kind of hope I am referring to is not the hope some have about winning the lottery, or gaining more power, or for their favorite team to make it all the way to the championships. I am referring to the kind of hope that is connected, not to worldly matters, but to God.

Hope has been defined as an optimistic attitude of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large.

Placing hope in our living God and in Jesus Christ provides the kind of perspective that makes life worth living. It enables us to look toward the future — not with dread, but with joyful anticipation.

We are called to put our hope in God. Psalm 37:7 says, "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you."

Our true yearning in life is deeply spiritual. When we trust and hope in God, we find happiness, as in Psalm 146:5: "Joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God."

As Christians, our hope in God's activity, justice, grace, and love comes from our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

We are called to look at life differently; not through eyes that dread tomorrow or fear what lies ahead. We are to place our trust in the Lord because he said he is with us, "even to the close of the age."

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: How I renew my hope

With fall around the corner and school starting back, it is time to take an inventory of your pantry. You should really dig in and see what is lurking in the dark reaches of your back shelves.

This task should be done on a regular basis to help keep foods rotated and use products that are close to expiration. It is also a good idea to refresh items that are low and you use often.

Many times we are caught in the middle of preparing our favorite dish and find we are out of an ingredient. By planning and taking stock of what is in your pantry, it will be easier to plan quick and easy meals and hopefully avoid that trip to a fast food establishment to pick up something quick.

Basic supplies on hand will keep you prepared to put together a family-friendly meal or a last-minute dinner for friends. Try to plan four or five favorite recipes that your family likes and then keep these items on hand by keeping an inventory of your most used items.

A well-stocked and organized pantry will streamline menu planning and save time on daily food preparation. Your family will thank you for a well-organized pantry that is easy to use, where they can find items that they most often like to eat.

Here are some tips to get started:

1. Decide where you will house your pantry. It can be a designated cabinet, standalone structure or a built in pantry. The idea is to define where you will keep these supplies for easy access and organization.

2. Inventory what you currently have and use these items first. There are many good inventory ideas you can find online. Keep a clipboard handy with your inventory list so that you can quickly see what you have on hand and what you need to add to the grocery list. Look for cost-saving sales to stretch your food budget. Many local stores are running buy-one-get-one sales, so capitalize on these items.

3. Menu planning should be a weekly task to save time and money at the grocery store. As you plan out a week's worth of meals, make a shopping list you have checked against items you have on hand. Meal planning should be centered on seasonal availability and family preferences.

4. Build up your pantry gradually. Make a priority list of what is needed now and what you could purchase for future use. Be careful to not overbuy items that could expire before use.

5. Use storage containers that you have on hand. Glass containers like canning jars make great storage units for staples. The glass also allows you to see what is in the jars quickly. Remember to label items with stickers. In some cases you may need to put the purchased date. These containers will also assist in keeping pests at bay.

6. Food safety considerations are important in the pantry. Discard any bulging cans or items that have expired. Keep your pantry clean and wipe down shelves regularly.

Each home pantry should reflect the needs and preferences of the family members. The amount of space and food budget will dictate the size and amount of goods. Remember to build your pantry to suit your family and this will save time and provide opportunities to quickly prepare meals at home.

Pamela H. Allen is the interim county director and 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: 6 tips for building a well-stocked pantry

What is it you have that no one can ever take away from you?

Is it a piece of property? No.

Is it your health? No.

Keep thinking. It is something of great value, something so important that if you lose it, you would suffer greatly.

It is something that no one can take away from you, but you can lose. And when/if you do, it will be a day of great sadness.

The answer I am searching for is — your integrity. This is the honesty and truthfulness you exhibit to the world around you. It is at the very core of who you are. Your integrity is something that you need to protect with great caution and care. If you lose your integrity, there is not much left. Your honor will vanish like a mist.

If you tell lies or "stretch the truth," who will believe you when you tell the truth?

If you do not act honorably, who will trust your sincerity when you do something honorable?

If you belittle someone, others will think you do the same about them.

If people know you cheat on little things, they will wonder what you do about big things.

If you get rich by doing crooked deals, they will not trust you to do what is right.

Jesus said, "What profit is there if you gain the whole world, but lose your soul?" Some will say they don't care as long as they are happy.

Eventually the loneliness of being ostracized for improper behavior takes its toll. People fall away, not wanting to be associated with such a person.

It is "better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be crooked in one's ways even though rich," Proverbs 28:5-6 states.

Be a person of integrity. Hold your head up high knowing you do what is right and good and proper, even if others around you might not.

When you know you do the right things in the eyes of God, you will hear God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

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: Do what is proper

Women are an integral part of the workforce, but they have had to overcome many obstacles along the way. Of course, challenges still remain, but women's success in the working world is worth commemorating – which will happen on American Business Women's Day Sept. 22.

Are you a woman considering "setting up shop" on your own? If so, here are five tips to consider:

•Balance your goals. It's possible, perhaps even likely, that your business goals will conflict with your personal financial goals. After all, if you're purchasing new equipment or services for your business, you've got less money — at least for the time being — to put away for your own retirement or your children's education. Hopefully, your investment in your business will pay off in greater income, but, in any case, you will need to balance your personal and professional goals.

•Create a retirement plan. As mentioned above, your ability to contribute to a retirement plan may be affected by the amount you put into your business — but that certainly doesn't mean you shouldn't have a retirement plan.

In fact, for your future financial security, it's essential that you launch such a plan. Fortunately, small business owners have a choice of plans, including an "owner-only" 401(k), SEP-IRA and SIMPLE IRA. Although the various plans have different requirements and contribution limits, they all offer tax-deferred earnings, which means your money has the opportunity to grow faster than if it were placed in a vehicle on which you paid taxes every year. (Taxes are due upon withdrawal, and withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ may be subject to a 10 percent IRS penalty.) Plus, your contributions to a retirement plan may be tax deductible.

•Arrange for "backup." Virtually all working women are familiar with the conflict between their careers and their roles as caregivers. Women are still more likely than men to drop out of the workforce for an extended period of time to care for young children or elderly parents. And your caregiving responsibilities won't end just because you are now a business owner. Consequently, you need to have someone you trust available to step in for you when your family obligations call you away from work.

•Design a succession plan. When you want to retire, would you like to keep the business in your family? If so, you'll need to create a succession plan that works for you and whomever you'd like to take control. Such a plan can be complex, so you will need to work with your legal and tax advisors — and you'll want to give yourself plenty of time to work out the details.

•Build an emergency fund. Maintaining an adequate cash flow will always be a key task — one that involves your sales, billing cycles, inventory and other elements of your business. One way you can help yourself avoid troubles is to maintain an emergency fund consisting of a few months' worth of your business expenses. You'll want to keep this fund in a liquid, low-risk account.

While running your own business can be extremely rewarding, it's never going to be an easy road. However, with perseverance and careful planning, you can smooth out some of the bumps along the way and give yourself more reasons to celebrate American Business Women's Day.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 tips for women business owners