College Town At Christmas 2023: The Holiday Season Is For Dogs

    I am a dog walker and dog lover.

     And I also an observer of dogs. Especially when I'm walking my eight year-old Red Merle AKC Australian Shepherd named "Jude." on the Greenway close to my house. I pretty much walk him every morning. I think a lot and wonder about everything especially dogs. Mainly, I watch Jude walk and sniff.  I see him smiling and how happy he is when he goes for a dog walk with his human. He loves to go for walks on the Greenway. (A dog's sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times more acute than a human's. According to Wikipedia 'For every scent receptor a human has, a dog has about 50.')  As I walk Jude in his harness and a retractable leash, I can keep a close eye on Jude and close to me.  The street that the Greenway is located next to the CSX railroad tracks and is very dangerous because vehicles tend to spend up and down the road and they do not obvisouly go the speed limit of 35 miles per hour as posted with the proper signage. It is very dangerous if a dog is not on a leash. Plus we have a leash law in the city of Bowling Green.

     However, as Jude walks, he keeps his nose close to the ground sniffing the grass and blades of long grass stems that have turned brown and dried out from the fall weather not far from the railroad tracks.  He always sniffs the dried leaves too laying on the ground and the remnants of dried out dog poop too from other dogs as well as their markings of dog pee I am sure.  I wonder what Jude is thinking and what calculations are adding up in his little doggie mind. Is he thinking about the time period that the other dog was just there? Are the dogs sending him some sort of signal or message?  Those are the things I wonder about.  Just what is Jude thinking? I wish I knew.

  I have read that dogs can communicate by other dog's poop and pee left on the ground. (Again, according to Wikipedia, "Dogs have a keen sense of smell and use their urine and feces to mark their territory and communicate with dogs. This marking behavior helps establish their presence in their environment.) Jude thinks he owns the Greenway apparently just like he thinks he's the boss of our house.  I admit, we have spoiled him rotten.  He probably owns more dog toys than any other dog in Bowling Green.  And he always gets the best vet care, dog food and doggie daycare and overnight boarding that money can buy. Remember, "The Puppy Rules!"

   Dogs have a strong sense of belonging. Especially to a human family or to "a pack" as I like to say.  Jude gets extremely excited when the Christmas season arrives.  The day after Thanksgiving, I go to the attic pulldown stairs in the hallway of our house and pull the stairs down.  Then I climb up into the attic and take down the artificial Christmas tree and decorations. He starts to run around the house huffing and puffing and begins to bark. He gets real excited! Then we play Christmas music and he gets even more excited. I made the mistake that of telling him early this year that Santa Clause was going to bring him some Christmas presents like he always does and he started looking to the top of the book shelf where we always try to hide his presents.  He kept looking and whining. Eventually, he just laid down on the floor and kept looking up at the top of the book shelf and whining into the evening.  But there were no presents to be found. This went on for several hours. Poor little fella. Now my wife and I have agreed not to bring it about the presents again until it gets closer to Christmas. 

   We treat Jude like he is our child.  Our only grown son is grown and lives in Nashville plus he is married now.  So Jude came into our lives eight years ago and filled the empty nest syndrome. This Christmas season be sure to share the Christmas spirit and joy with your pets whether you have dogs or cats or any other critter. Be grateful for them because they know too when you are happy because they can sense how you feel. They feed off your vibes and energy.  If they sense when you are happy or not. If you are are happy and feel happy and loved.  Plus they feel safe and secure in the furever home. God Bless you and Merry Christmas to all from Galen, Patty and Jude!


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Jesus Revolution Reminds Me Of My Own Christian Faith Journey

     Yesterday as my wife, Patty, and I sat in a dark movie theater among many other moviegoers here in Bowling Green, Ky., tears started to well up in my eyes as I watched a man in a wheelchair on the big screen screaming "I'm dying, I'm dying" from a bad LSD trip.

     Lonnie Frisbee, the longhair Jesus looking young man and assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel in Southern California comforted the man in the big tent next to the small church that they had outgrown.  Frisbee said a prayer over the man in the wheelchair and then asked the congregation to also to get close to the man and pray over him.  He was afflicted with drug addiction as many of the young people in the congregation who had been addicted or experimented with drugs at one time or another in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Some of them had been a part of the Haight-Ashbury hippie scene in San Fransisco where the counterculture movement started and the Southern California acid rock music culture began.  The new movie "Jesus Revolution" starring Kelsey Grammar as Calvary Chapel Pastor, Chuck Smith, Jonathan Roomie as Lonnie Frisbee and Joel Courtney as Greg Laurie among many others is a great movie in my opinion. It's about the true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 70's and its origins within a community of teenage hippies of Southern California.  The story and message of the movie is based on a book by one of the movements leaders called "Jesus Freaks" written by Pastor Greg Laurie. Laurie is currently serves as the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship based in Riverside, Calif.

     Even though, I did not grow up in Southern California back in those days, the movie hit home for me. I grew up down South in Memphis, Tenn., and North Mississippi. I was just a kid when the Jesus Revolution or Movement was happening.  I remember when I was eight, nine or even 10 years-old watching the Vietnam newsreels on the local news, the Moon landings, the Manson murders, the Watergate trials involving President Nixon and I remember, of course, the hippie movement and the rock & roll drug scene and culture of its day. Mainly because of mainstream media such as television, newspapers and magazines, I was able to keep up with what was going on the world like most Americans did back in those when we only had three television channels, one telephone line and Saturday morning cartoons.  However, I was personally affected by the Jesus Revolution when its tentacles stretched all the way to the American South in the early 1970's and early 1980's. My older brother had attended a big revival somewhere in Memphis where the Jesus movement speakers appeared and he brought home a printed t-shirt home with a hand on the back of it with a finger pointing up with letters that stated, "One Way." I used to wear it all the time while riding my bicycle on the streets of Memphis and he did not know about it. Lol.

    I was not much of churchgoer while growing up in Memphis in the 1960's and early 1970's. Also, neither when I first move to North Mississippi as a teenager in the late 1970's.  However, I did get a taste of the Catholic faith in 1980 when I lived with my sister and brother-in-law in Savannah, Tenn., for six months. Then I was baptized as a Baptist at my mother's church in Memphis but I did not make a full commitment to the faith.  I attended some but not regularly. However, when I attended Ole Miss (the University of Mississippi) in Oxford, Miss., for five years in the early 1980's, I joined Campus Crusade For Christ for a semester in the fall of 1983 which is now known as just simply "Cru." Campus Crusade For Christ had joined forces with the Jesus Movement in 1972 and organized a week-long International Student Congress on Evangelism at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas known as Explo '72.  It featured evangelism and discipleship training and contemporary music events. It was attended by more than 80,000 college and high school students and was nicknamed as the "Christian Woodstock" in the media.  At the end of 1983, I attended KC 83, a Christian conference organized by Campus Crusade For Christ where 27,000 college students had gathered under one roof at a convention center in Kansas City to hear Billy Graham, Josh McDowell and Bill Bright among many others speak as well as attend contemporary christian music concerts on New Years Eve.  We even went out into the City of Kansas City to knock on doors in neighborhoods to share our Christian faith with city residents. Later on, after I met my wife in 1986 while at Ole Miss, we were married civilly and later married in the Catholic faith when I converted to Catholcism.  I have been a faithful Catholic and married to the same woman for the last 37 years.  Sacramental marriage is an institution in the Catholic Church and I honor this with high regard with Jesus Christ being in the center of our marriage I can honestly say. "Til Death Us Do Part"-1549 Book of Common Prayer.

     Needless to say, the memories from growing up down South came flooding back to my mind while watching this movie at the theater reminding me of every step of my faith journey throughout my lifetime. I highly recommend this movie regardless if you are Christian or not.  It might just reignite a spark in you.

     

College Town At Christmas 2022: Staying Positive During Tough Times Like These

 I always end my Dad Rocks Podcast with these words, "Keep Working Hard, Keep Your Chin Up, Stay Positive and Stay Safe." So for this Christmas season living in our beloved college town of Bowling Green, Ky., where we are now a population of about 73,529 citizens (I understand a lot of newcomers are still moving into our area), this is my motto in order to stay positive. With the nation's economy at high inflation levels, high crime rates and tons of traffic issues across the country, keeping a positive attitude is one of the best things that we can do for ourselves especially during times like these.  Be safe out there and focus of what you do have.  Keep working hard, keep a positive attitude and everyone around you will notice it including your employer. It will rub off on them too like a chain reaction. Mainly, enjoy the season by getting into the spirit along with family and friends remembering what Christmas is all about.

    Just like with the Dad Rocks Private Facebook group, we are all about the music and that's what we focus on.  There is no "Fighting, arguing or BS."  Dealing with the internet in a proper way, is the mature, responsible thing to do.  Ignoring the bad stuff or not responding to nasty and negative people on the internet is also the mature and responsible thing to do.  A lot of people are exposed to bad stuff on internet everyday especially young people. They are often the target of child predators pretending to be a teenagers or whatever.  So I strongly advise you to use the internet in a proper way such as for shopping, keeping up with family and friends or conducting a business. I think this is a lesson that we have had all to learn through the years regarding being argumentative or fighting on the internet at one time or another.  Most of us are guilty of being key board warriors.  Like Dr. Phil says, "You wouldn't say something to somebody's face in an elevator that you would say hidden behind a keyboard would you?"  I think he has a very good point here.  So lets remember to be kind and nice to each other during this Christmas season whether face to face or on the internet.

Here's some things you can do to "Stay Positive" during this Christmas season during tough times like these:

Join a positive community or group of people on Facebook who have a common interest such as Dad Rocks where we promote good memories, Classic Rock music, humor and nostalgia. Mainly, you develop new positive friendships on the internet.

Take a stroll in Downtown Bowling Green, Ky., or in your own hometown to see the Christmas lights and eat at your favorite restaurant.

Be nice to your fellow co-workers or Associates by being friendly. Smile and say, "Hello," "Good Morning," "Have a Good Evening," "Have a Good Break" or "Good Lunch." Also, say "Thank you" or "Appreciate it."

Mainly, spend good quality time with your family members and friends by eating a good meal at home and watching Christmas movies together by the fireplace (if you have one).

Make Christmas very special for your pets such as your dog or cat. Buy them presents and share Christmas with them and really talk it up. Be sure to include them in all family activities during this time of the year.  And remember to always to give them upmost care and love that they deserve.  Remember, your best is not good enough when it comes to owning a dog or cat.  Give them your "ultimate" of everything.

Most importantly, be kind to each other with a cheerful and giving heart this Christmas season.  And remember the true reason for the Christmas season. Merry Christmas and Stay Positive!

"The Spirit Of Elvis" Reprinted From The Former Newsletter "The Southcentral Kentuckian," Collector's Story Edition # 1, 2005.

 (Note:The following story posted below is a reprint of a story that I wrote for my former short-lived newsletter called "The Southcentral Kentuckian," Collector's Story Edition #1, Oct.-Dec. 2005.  After seeing the 2022 Elvis movie at our local theater in Bowling Green, Ky., several weeks ago, I immediately thought of this story that I wrote about Elvis almost 17 years ago.  I even mailed a copy of it to Graceland Enterprises in Memphis, Tenn., which oversees the Elvis Presley estate and mansion where Pricilla Presley is the CEO. Graceland is now one of the top tourist attractions in the country.  And also the second most visited house in the USA besides The White House in Washington, D.C.  Btw, I thought the new movie was great and I highly recommend it everyone to see it if you get a chance especially if you're an Elvis fan like me. Also, I apologize for any mistakes you might find while reading this story. It is long and it was a lenghty process while typing it into the blog format.)

The Spirit of Elvis

By Galen A. Smith Sr.

Memphis, Tenn. _ Elvis Lives! Yes, that's right, he's alive and well at his home at Graceland on Elvis Presley Blvd., in Memphis.

Poster from the new Elvis movie

As a matter of fact, I just saw him on Aug. 31 at his house. Man, this guy's face, image, voice and music is over this beautiful mansion which was built in 1939. Elvis bought this southern style, stone house in 1957 and managed to live there until 1977 before his death due to heart failure and prescription drug addiction. Too bad he was only able to enjoy Graceland for 20 years before he left this world and all of his millions of fans. To this day, I am still amazed that "The King of Rock & Roll" is still popular as ever. Many people have said that Elvis didn't really, really get famous until after his death. To a certain degree I think this is true. However, I think he happened to be "at the right time at the right place," to claim his place on the popular throne in American history and culture. His name, music, songs and images are finely woven into the fabric of the America and the American South not to mention his claim to fame on the world-wide stage of admiring fans. From Mississippi to Germany and from Los Angeles to Moscow, his fan base still ranges in the millions and millions still to this day.

My Knowledge Of Elvis

I was born in Memphis in 1962 and lived in that city until I was 14 years-old before I moved further on down South in 1976. I had just moved to DeSoto County, Miss., the fall before the Summer of 1977 when Elvis died at his home. I remember the day of his death on Aug. 17, 1977. Donald Dillingham, a friend of mine from Eudora, Miss., where I lived on a private fishing lake in the rolling hills of North Mississippi on the bluff of the Delta near Eudora, and I had been to the drive-in theatre in South Memphis on U.S. 61 Highway the night before. My brother, Gary, had driven us up to the drive-in but I don't remember the movie we watched. Wait a minute...I think it was "Warriors" about street gangs fighting in New York City. That's right! And I remember too, that Classic Rock Star Joe Walsh's "In The City," was the theme song for the movie. Anyway, Donald and I, after drinking a couple of bottles of "Boone's Farm Apple Wine," (Lol) decided that we were going to walk home after the movie because Gary did not want to take us to Southhaven, Miss., to see these particular fine pretty ladies. Of course, we were only about 30 miles or so from our homes in Eudora. But little did we know that walking the streets of South Memphis at midnight would be a frightening event. Finally, we arrived in Southhaven but the girls were asleep and we decided not to disturb them. It was getting really late so we decided to go to a nearby gravel pit to sleep. (Lol) When morning finally arrived, we hitchhiked to Hernando to spend the afternoon with some friends. We talked one of our friends from Eudora on the phone to come to Hernando to come pick us up. I guess it was about 3 p.m. in the afternoon and I heard on the radio of this friend's station wagon that Elvis had just died at Baptist Hospital in Memphis. I said, "Hey, did you all hear that? Elvis died!" Then everyone in the vehicle said, "No way, that can't be true!" And I said, "Yes, it is, I just heard it, for real!" Needless to say, The King of Rock & Roll" was really dead.

The "Southcentral Kentuckian, 2005"

My first recollection of Elvis was the time I was invited to see "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," the Walt Disney movie starring Dick Vandyke that was showing at the Southland Mall not far from Elvis' house. I guess it was about 1968 and I was about six years-old.  When we drove by Elvis' house, the mother driving the car, "There's Elvis Presley's house and he's in Hollywood filming movies right now." I wasn't quite sure who Elvis Presley was at the time but I did have an idea that he was kind of famous in my young mind at the time. The main thing I remember about this particular moment was the gate to his house. I remember seeing musical notes and an image of man singing into a microphone. Then as the years rolled on by into the 70's, I would see Elvis on television, in movies, concert footage and the memorable "Live From Hawaii Via Satellite Concert." I think I was memorized watching all the women going crazy over him while they were receiving a kiss and scarf to remember him by. 

Then in the Summer of 1974, I met a new friend at an old church in Memphis where AA and Al-Alon meetings were being held. My mother would attend these meetings on Saturday and Wednesday nights and us kids of the parents who were there would have to hang around in the basement or outside to pass the time. But this one particular boy who was about my age, 12 years-old, named "Tommy" had become friends with Elvis and had met him at the Karate studio on Union Avenue. Tommy was taking Karate lesson and Elvis and his entourage would come there and do karate demonstrations and etc. Elvis befriended Tommy and even took to his house for dinner and gave him an autograph record on the album that was recorded in "The Jungle Room." that same year.  Yes, I was impressed but it was hard for me to believe it too. But I guess it was true.

In the Spring of 1977, I developed a bad sore throat and it would not get any better even though my dad had taken me to the local doctor in Hernando. Finally, he decided to take me to his doctor, and Elvis' doctor also, "Dr. Geroge Nichopoulous who lived and had a practice in Memphis. My dad said that "Dr. Nick" (affectionately known by Elvis and everyone else in Memphis) was famous for prescribing drugs without having to do surgery. Boy, how true it was! Yes, Dr. Nick was famous or infamous, I should say for prescribing drugs alright.  But little did we know at the time that Elvis was in a predicament with his drug addiction. However, I enjoyed meeting Dr. Nick and I remember he was wearing lots of gold and diamonds that Elvis had probably given him including the gold chain with the "TCB" pendant.

Before and after Elvis' death, I had hung out around Horn Lake, Miss., quite a bit because I had a friend on the private fishing lake who went to school in Horn Lake. There was this place called the "Gun Club" and apparently Elvis had built for him and Pricilla and his entourage to go ride horses and act crazy while having tons of fun. Supposedly, head several mobie homes moved down there so everyone had their own mobile homes at the gun club property near Walls, Miss., on Goodman Road. After Elvis' death, a group of investors quickly rented the property and started busing people from Graceland to the Gun Club to see the little house on the farm where Pricilla and Elvis spent their honeymoon. I remember they had an old school bus taking tourists back and fourth from Graceland and the bus did not have any air conditioning. You know those tourists had to be really hot!

My Feelings About Elvis

Me and my former neighbor, Lee Swetmon 

After seeing and being inside Elvis' house for the first time after living in Memphis and American South for 43 years, I realized that I have had a spiritual connection to Elvis just like he connects with all of his other fans and admirers. I had felt this same feeling once before when I was allowed to walk up to Elvis's grave in March of 1981 not long before it was turned into a museum and tourist attraction. Although, across the street which used to be a little strip shopping center, is now a part of the whole Graceland experience with Elvis gift shops, Elvis Hotel, Elvis Restaurant and etc. Also, his personal jet, the "Lisa Maria" is there along with some of his cars. I had my picture made in front of make believe gates and house in the distance. Then we were shuttled into a small bus and taken across the street while wearing head phone listening to Elvis' voice and some of his songs. I really felt enchanted and amazed. I couldn't believe it! Then we arrived on the front steps of his house and we were directed inside. The first thing I noticed was the blast of air that blew into my face and it had a sweet smell to it. I could feel "The Spirit of Elvis." Yes, he was here and alive. His spirit was in this house. Elvis had a very strong energy force that can still be felt today. As I walked through the living room and dining room and into into the kitchen. I was pretty much taking everything in like a sponge while trying to comprehend and absorb it all. Then we went downstairs into the "Television Room" that practically all yellow and then into the multi-color "Pool Table Room," then back upstairs to the "Jungle Room" and then out back to the "The Office," then "Gold Record Hall of Fame" and then out back to "Racquetball Building" that shows his crowing glory of world-wide and international fame at the pinnacle of his incredible singing career. However, my favorite spot was the "Meditation Garden" by the swimming pool. I was silent and inspired. The Spirit of Elvis had touched my life again. I felt as if I knew him and he knew me.

                                               

Frank's BBQ in Bowling Green, Ky., Is "Not The Best, But Close."

Casey, Galen & Rae Rae

I dropped by Frank's BBQ at 412 Raven Street (behind Shady Ray's Pawn Shop at Gordon Avenue and Veteran's Blvd.) in Bowling Green and picked up the BBQ Family Pack for a rainy Tuesday night (Feb. 22, 2022) dinner at home with my wife, Patty. In the pic below are two hardworking ladies at the restaurant, Casey and Rae Rae, who are standing next to me. Their phone number is (270) 715-1197 and their hours are 11 a.m.-4 pm Monday thru Friday. Frank's BBQ was delicious and I highly recommend it! Plus, the staff is super friendly and nice too! Btw, Frank's slogan for the restaurant is "Not The Best, But Close" which I think is very clever!

Bowling Green, Ky., Continues To Heal From The December 11, 2021 Deadly Tornado

It only took minutes for the deadly tornado which cut a path through Bowling Green in the early morning hours of December 11, 2021 to do at least two years worth of repairs and reconstruction for homes and businesses in our beloved Southcentral town of 72,000 citizens. It sounded like a nuclear bomb colliding with a train as the tornado took havoc in my neck of the woods especially since I only lived about eight houses away from Russellville Road where a Mexican restaurant, a gym and two auto

parts stores were blown away amongst many other structures including people's homes and apartments. Two liquor stores in town were spared but one was not so lucky. Below are some pics of The Greenway when Jude, my Aussie doggie and I took a walk in the sunny 55 degrees this afternoon. The Greenway is just down the street from my house. Jude and I have walked up and down this formerly beautiful path many times through the years. At least now, it appears that The Greenway and Creason Avenue area has come a long ways especially since FEMA came through not too long ago and picked tons of debris that had blown over the railroad tracks from Russellville Road. There is hope for BG after all. BG will rebuild and continue to heal its neighborhoods and main business streets such as Russellville Road and the U.S. 31-W By-Pass.

College Town At Christmas: 2021 "Growth, Newcomers, The Deadly Tornadoes And Hope Again"

   In last year's annual "College Town At Christmas" blog I wrote about the "Five Stages Of Hope" for our college town of Bowling Green (the third largest city in Kentucky).

    It appeared that our community of 72,000 citizens was pretty much healing and doing a lot better from the recovery of the covid outbreak across the nation and the world.  Especially, in a political sense, it appeared that many of our citizens had a gained a certain level of acceptance that this is the way it was going to be from now on-virus outbreak preparedness. And it appeared that the mood in our town was that the covid outbreaks had calmed down quite a bit in 2021 and the high number of vaccinations in our community were up and coming along pretty good is the main reason that there has been a sense of calmness politically in the community where there had been some major divisions amongst friends, neighbors and coworkers.  It had also appeared that healing was taking place physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually in our community with a lot of Hope for 2021.

   And there had been some good news for 2021 just before the new year.  When 2021 arrived, it was announced the Livability magazine had selected Bowling Green as one of the Top 100 Places To Live in the United States. This award is given to to communities that offer a high quality of life at an attractive cost of living for both individuals and families. So after covid struck in 2020, in 2021 we started noticing a lot newcomers moving into town from all across the nation such as California, New York, Maryland, Texas and amongst many other places across the country.  Then of course, Bowling Green has always had a long history of manufacturing with new plants springing up more rapidly in the new industry Transpark located across town near Warren East High School as new subdivisions and apartment complexes where popping up everywhere too in town and in the county. However, some of our citizens have been worried and are still concern about the rapid growth and the effects on the community with too much traffic and the roadways not being designed correctly to handle the heavy flow of automobiles and trucks. Capitalistic hardworking business people have found Bowling Green to be a gold mine for real estate and development as we have become a basically bedroom community of Nashville since we are only 60 miles away from that major big city in the American South.  Nashville has experienced tremendous growth in the last 20 years also.  Then we also have new shopping centers and restaurants springing up too lately along with many other types of businesses and small businesses also. We also have a large and very diverse immigrant and refugee community in town.  The City of Bowling Green and the Warren County government and our schools systems have done a tremendous job to accommodate them also.  Let's just say, our college town where Western Kentucky University is located with an enrollment of 20,000 students, is booming these days in-spite of setbacks in the last two years.

   

But then two deadly tornadoes hit Bowling Green recently in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 11th, killing 17 people and 76 across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  The one big tornado basically cut a path through town starting at I-165 (formerly known as the Natcher Parkway) cutting across Whisphering Hill subdivision, Russellville Road area, Creason Avenue, Sumpter, Nashville Road at WKU, U.S. 31-W By-Pass, Maganolia Streets and the Cemetery Road and Indian Hills.  This is probably one of the worst tornadoes to ever strike Bowling Green with this much death and destruction causing millions of dollars of damage to our homes and businesses. But again, there is much Hope for Bowing Green this Christmas season and for the New Year of 2022.  Hundreds of volunteers, organizations, the City of Bowling Green, the Warren County government, FEMA, BGMU, Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, Spectrum Cable, the National Guard, the Salvation Army, churches, volunteers from across the county, the Bowling Green Fire Department, the Bowling Green Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff's Department, the Kentucky State Police, Med Center EMT's, Warren County Coroner's Office and hundreds of others have given many hours of their professional time and dedication. And many thanks to businesses and restaurants in our college town that has donated their time and money to help the community such as Walmart, Hickory & Oak restaurant and Hughes and Coleman law firm just to name few who are helping out with some major donations and necessities.

     Needless to say, we as a college town, will help put our community back together along with the help of our local, state and federal governments in 2022. We will get it everything back to together one way or another,  I am sure.  And we hope and pray that the healing process will continue for the victim's families of the tornadoes and homeowners and business owners who have suffered losses can rebuild ASAP.  Material things can be replaced but human lives cannot.  So let's remember those Bowling Green citizens who lost their lives this Christmas season.  Light a candle and say a prayer for them and their families.  And let's continue to pray for our College Town and let's continue to be involved and let our let "Heartlight" shine through. I have lived in Bowling Green almost 34 years-now and I wouldn't want to live any other college town in the world except ours.  God Bless and Merry Christmas! Peace-Galen A. Smith Sr., Bowling Green, Ky.