"Remember the church is an oasis of hope in the desert " by: Caleb Gibson

   A preacher is out hunting but can’t find any animals.      In frustration, he sets down his gun and heads to the stream to cool off.      About this time, he sees this huge grizzly bear racing toward him.      He falls on his knees and says, ‘God please, protect me.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ takes Autobots into new territory" by: Jessica Shepard

   Growing up, I didn’t have much interest in Transformers toys.     But, when they started rolling out the first live-action flick in 2007 – that’s when I got interested in them.

"Trial and error to find new ways to make summer squash more palatable" by: Jessica Shepard

   If you’ve been a reader of my column for a while, you know that I absolutely hate squash.     And while I mostly mean the summer varieties of yellow or Zucchini – I also lump Okra into that pile and try to avoid it like the plague.

"And just like that the sun came out and all was beautiful and perfect" by: John Sample

   We got a deal on the debt ceiling so the world is not over yet.     One encouraging sign is that both sides weren’t happy, which means the public usually benefits.

PSA: Should you consider 401(k) loans or withdrawals?

 If you’re ever faced with a financial crunch, should you consider taking money from your 401(k)?     Ideally, you should avoid it if you can.     Your 401(k) is designed for your retirement, which may last decades.     So, consider other options, such as withdrawing money from your emergency fund.

"Reel Reviews:‘Across the Spider-Verse’ set to break records at box offices everywhere" by: Jessica Shepard

   When I mentioned having a bit of superhero fatigue for Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) films, I specifically did not mention “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” in the same breath.

"Joys of living where others come to spend vacations" by: Mike Reddell

   While I’m certainly capable of reading a calendar, a look at Matagorda and its environs this weekend told you that summer is here.     The annual Matagorda Volunteer Fire Department fundraiser was Saturday – the 75th anniversary of the department.

"Curious about others’ motivation when downing media" by: Jessica Shepard

   I’ll admit that when I was growing up, I never really cared about the news on TV or the newspaper outside of weather reports, school closures, and the occasional funny clip or cartoon.     Truthfully, that mindset followed me into college and right up until I got my first reporter gig.

"Too much happening to take your eyes off the road " by: John Sample

   The beginning of summer with the holiday-shortened trading week.       It would appear that some sort of deal was reached between the Administration and the Speaker of the House.       Now will come the real hard work of getting the House and Senate to pass the debt ceiling bill.

PSA: What should you expect from your investments?

   What can you expect from your investments?     Ideally, of course, you want them to help you meet your goals, such as a comfortable retirement.     But you should be aware that your expectations can be affected by several factors.