As we evolve into the beauty, the sun and warmth of summer here in the area of our City of the Hills of the Empire State, there are certainly worrisome challenges on the horizon. There is little progress in Washington and at the United Nations to end the unnecessary and costly Iraq war, malaria and AIDS rage over the globe, the warming of our planet continues, the federal debt zooms skyward with little effort to reduce it _ these are all valid threats to human well-being and stability.

There is, however, another side of God’s panorama with his earthly children, as the old jazz song puts it: "You Gotta Accent the Positive ..," which applies to us in our time as well as when it was composed a half-century ago.

So, good friends, what can we rejoice over _ pull out all the stops for _ raise the roof with joy and laughter over _ raise a glass over in our crazy yet exciting times?

There are a few to ponder, offered by a more-than-fourscore-old padre, a resident here for 20 years. Saturday’s Bread in its 15 years has provided a third of a million free meals with almost 100,000 hours of volunteer services to make it happen. Bassett Hospital plans a multi-million-dollar expansion, and together with Fox and FoxNow and FoxCare, provide excellent health care. The oncoming Performing Arts Center enriches our cultural life. We have the benefit of two new hotels, new buildings at Hartwick College, three fine area colleges enrolling almost 10,000 students to learn to earn. An upgraded baseball stadium offers an outlet to raise approvals or boos to fans of America’s favorite outdoor pastime. The National Soccer Hall of Fame attracts visitors and trains those of the game. A variety of churches minister to our spiritual yearnings and needs, and good public and private schools educate the oncoming generation. A prudent City Council does its best to govern our public life and get the bills paid for adequate services rendered.

So smell the roses when you can, mes amis, volunteer when you can, pay your taxes, rent, mortgage with a smile in your soul, pray and work to end this endless overseas war, and be grateful to the good Lord for every day he gives to you to live and learn and laugh in your pilgrimage through life. So be it, and cheerio!

The Rev. Ken Baldwin is a retired pastor with United Methodist and Presbyterian credentials who lives in Oneonta.