Their journey was long and treacherous. The four travelers were exhausted and frazzled, entering the castle with anticipation. Finally they had arrived. Here in this place was the answer they sought – so they hoped. Each one came for a different reason. One came to find a way back home. One to find courage, one to ask for a heart and the other wanted a brain.

Behind the great doors to this awesome structure waited an ominous corridor. Its ceiling seemed to be the sky itself. Arched columns marked the path down a hall that seemed to stretch as long as the miles they had traveled to get there. When at last they reached the monstrous room where their destiny awaited, fear pounced on them.

Each visitor clung to the other unsure of what was to come. Here, in this place where they thought they’d find a refuge, was an atmosphere of anxiety – the epitome of all their fears. Yet in spite of the awesome appearance of the room, the young girl who led the motley crew politely invoked the host of the castle. Her words shook as she pushed them out of her throat, each one tumbling past her trembling lips.

Silence. Again, the girl addressed their host with pleas, refusing to retreat. After all they had endured to arrive to this point, she was determined to push past her fear of never being able to return home.

Silence. A third time, and now with a hint of anger, the girl broadened her plea with explanation as to why they were there. Suddenly, a demonic face appeared in front of them floating in the air. The shock of its presence sent the gangly group tumbling to the floor. The top of its head seemed to touch the ceiling and its chin scraped the floor. From its mouth roared a thunderous response to the young girl’s request. Slowly she rose, pulling the others with her.

The demon’s face countered her request with a list of instructions on what they must do in order to receive what they sought. More fear filled their hearts as they listened. They were shocked at the thought of having to confront their enemy, but the girl agreed to appease the monster, believing they would all acquire what they desired.

Later, after the four friends met the demands of the castle’s owner, they stood once again, trembling before it and presented their requests. Their host was not satisfied. More demands and conditions spewed from its mouth.

Then, in the midst of her most terrible fear, the girl noticed her little dog was toying with something on the other side of the room. Instantly her attention left the threat of the demon. Instead she watched in curiosity as her dog began biting at a curtain swishing back and forth across the opening of a small booth to the left of her entourage.

As the demon’s voice continued to spew out orders to its puny visitors the curtain swished more vigorously and as the dog worked the curtain open, the voice seemed to get louder. Once it was completely opened, she saw the booth had an occupant. The young girl’s blood rose to her face. Her lips tightened. Her brows lowered. Her heart pounded as her mind realized this entire display was a hoax.

She called to the little round man who was yanking and pulling at levers, pushing buttons that were beginning to smoke and speaking into a microphone. When the man realized the curtain was open, he glanced over at the girl and caught her eye. Her hands were on her hips and he knew his facade had been exposed.

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”

His command boomed out of the microphone but had no effect on the visitors. Even the Scarecrow, who had no brain, could figure out that what they had feared only moments ago was nothing more than a clever trick.

What do you fear? Is it ominous, bigger than life? Can it destroy you? Yes, if you let it. We give our fear power by listening to it – by believing its lies. We allow it to become bigger than life – bigger than God. We cower and tremble before it, paying homage by awarding it our attention, but the only thing holding us within its power is our own belief that it’s real.

Therefore, pay attention to the man behind the curtain – he’s a little, insignificant powerless voice standing at the controls of some pretty scary special effects and a loud speaker, trying to trap you.

How do you overcome him? With courage, a heart, hope, and a brain.

She tells me why being a priority to people she loves is very important to her. We discuss how even among the busiest people, and isn’t everyone busy these days, it’s hoped they’ll find time to make us a priority in their lives. I love reflective conversations with my adult children. Sometimes I can still lead in a traditional parental role, and other times they are marvelous teachers, helping me sort out diverse perspectives and alternatives to enhance my life.

With one son and two daughters now in their ’30’s, it’s slightly easier to remain objective. I no longer feel the need to assume the “Mom” position. They share details of their lives with me, interesting discussions ensue, and I offer my thoughts without feeling responsible for outcomes. Probably now more than ever, I hope and pray for positive results. My children are adults with concerns typically more serious. But they are resourceful people and I trust their judgment. Still, everyone, regardless of age, education or street smarts, needs concerned family and friends for bouncing ideas around.

This idea of being a priority to others jostles my awareness. Do I treat the people most important to me as priorities or might they sometimes feel like I’ve merely worked them into my schedule? No one wants to be “worked in.” We want to matter, enough to know the calendar’s cleared and plans are made with great anticipation.

Children and canines excel at giving devoted attention to loved ones. Granted, they aren’t worried about finances or personal obligations, or even dinner preparations. They seem to know instinctively how to give their undivided attention and make it count. We can learn from them.

Busy, scheduled adults that we are, we’ve concluded our holiday obligations and delivered our Valentines, (such a charming day to remember people just because we want to and not because we have to. A perfect time for making loved ones a priority.) We’re likely still shoveling snow and slush, and now we’re hearing about Easter. Pastors and preachers often lament that worship is not always a priority to folks in their congregation. Some people base their church-going decision on feelings. “If I feel like going, I will. Otherwise, next week.” And next week turns into twice a year, if they feel like it.

We don’t want others to make time for us only if they feel like it or there’s nothing better to do. While we can’t know the mind of God, it’s likely God’s in agreement with us on this one. The people most important to us, like the activities we value, should rank first in our lives. If we don’t accomplish everything on our to do list, it’s okay because we’ve given our attention to the most important.

It’s often said that at life’s end what we’ll regret most are not the things we did, not even the mistakes we made, but what we didn’t do. Time moves rapidly, and always numerous details, some very worthwhile, are clamoring for our attention. In the final analysis, it’s people who matter the most. People, particularly those we love and who love us, are life’s priorities. The choice of how to spend our time is a personal decision, one that should cause us to really consider our priorities.

The City of West Peoria is having a “Community Night” with the Peoria Rivermen Hockey team at the Peoria Civic Center Sunday, March 9. There is a “Fun on the Run Family Fun” event from 2:00 -3:00 p.m. Enjoy $1 Hotdogs, $1 Cokes and $1 Chips. Also, there will be Fun-on-the-Run inflatables along with The Unique Twist balloon animals and face painting by the Zoo Lady. Come watch our West Peoria mayor, Jim Dillon, drop the puck to start the game. The official start time for the game is 3:00 p.m. There is also a post game skate with the Rivermen, you can bring your skates and skate with Rivermen players for 30 minutes after the game. Admission is only $1 for kids 12 & under. Tickets at the Peoria Civic Center box office are $18 for lower bowl and $13 for upper bowl.

The West Peoria Easter Egg Hunt for West Peoria children will be held on Sunday, March 16th at Woodridge Professional Building on Heading Avenue. The Hunt is for children up to eight year old. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. and the hunt starts promptly at 2:00 p.m. Special prize baskets will be awarded in the three age groups of egg hunters.

Now at Franciscan Recreation Complex: Winter Walkers! Come walk in a heated gym this month. Walkers are welcome Monday through Friday, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. This is a free service!

The West Peoria Lions Club is sponsoring a Free Hearing Screening on Tuesday, March 11th from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Haddad’s. They will also be giving information and sugar free candy on March 22nd at Haddad’s for the American Diabetes Association. The Club continues to sell 100% soy candles. If interested, call Carolyn at 208-3815. The Club meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7:00 p.m. For more information, contact Lion Linda at 673-6409.

Troop 11 News: The United Disciples Christian Church will soon be seeing some changes as Ryan Murphy gears up for his Eagle Scout Project. His plans include some repairs and painting. The troop is looking forward to helping him complete the project and obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Scouting was on the move the last two months. Troop 11 went to Ingersol Scout Reservation for an over night campout with sledding and ice fishing in January and in February snow skiing at Snow Star Ski Resort in Andalusia, IL. March is shaping up to be busy also! Trash bag sales are starting, with deliveries expected to be around the first of April. If you have not heard from a scout by mid March call Scoutmaster Bob DeSutter at 674-6668, he will notify a scout to contact you or you can place your order with him. The Scouts rely on these sales to help pay for their summer camp. The cost is $14.00 for a roll of 100 bags. Second year WEBLOS will be crossing over into Boy Scouts in March, growing again and looking forward to great things happening.

The West Peoria City Council recently approved a new ordinance defining and restricting garages sales. Garage sales shall not be conducted more than one time or for more than three consecutive days each calendar quarter. In no event shall a garage sale be conducted either before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on any one day of sale. Residents are advised that all public works projects are almost impossible to reschedule and will proceed as planned, regardless of garage sales. It is recommended that residents check with City Hall about planned public works before scheduling a garage sale. All garage sale advertising shall have the date, time and address of any such sale included thereon. All signs advertising any garage sale shall be removed within 24 hours after the conclusion of the sale. To view the entire ordinance, visit: http://www.cityofwestpeoria.com/new_ordinances.asp. Please contact West Peoria City Hall with any questions at 674-1993.

In the case of snow storms, the snow removal policy is CURB-TO-CURB PLOWING, as there is a need to clear streets so that Fire & Rescue vehicles can travel safely, and for the availability of on-street parking. Priorities are to ensure that Swords hill and the main thoroughfares in the community are cleared for emergency vehicles. All streets in West Peoria are designated emergency snow routes during a snow storm, although the main thoroughfares are: Heading, Rohmann, Ayres, Callender, and Waverly Avenues. As these main thoroughfares are cleared, the City focuses attention to clearing secondary routes and side streets. When a snow fall is imminent, you can help the City by parking your vehicles in your garage or driveway, and by shoveling the sidewalks in front of your residence. Also, please assist us by shoveling out fire hydrants wherever you may see them. Thanks again and please drive safely this winter season.

The City of West Peoria has an interest in pursuing a beautiful, clean and safe community. They continually strive to make West Peoria a better place to live and hope this goal is shared by all community members. They have implemented a program to improve the quality of life for residents by focusing on one target area at a time. The city code enforcement officer, community police officer and animal control specialist will be inspecting your neighborhood in the future. This team will survey the neighborhood, provide resources, will issue violations if they deem necessary and will be available to answer any questions. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact West Peoria City Hall at 674-1993.

The Jamboree Race is back and we want YOU! In order to give the race a running start, volunteers are needed to help coordinate and organize the event. If you would like to be a part of this year’s success, please contact Krystiana Bronny at 674-1993. The committee has already met and there is great need for help from the community. Assistance is needed the day of the Jamboree, June 7, 2008 and before. Respond if you are able to help get this fun West Peoria event back on track.

A bit of West Peoria information for you about CityLink routes: the #5 Main bus travels 216 miles in West Peoria only during its weekly runs. The #11 Western bus travels 53 miles in West Peoria only during its weekly runs making the weekly total 269 miles and allowing the community many opportunities to ride with CityLink.

The Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8th at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall. This annual township meeting is mandated by the State for a specific time and date. It offers the opportunity for citizens to come and have a voice in their local government.

Government Day, a program for local students to visit both township and city government, is scheduled for Friday, April 11th. This is an opportunity for the students involved to have a “hands-on” opportunity to learn how their local governments operate.

2008 dues remain $10/individual and $18/families for the West Peoria Garden Club. If you are interested in joining please mail a check to Pat Sharp, 609 N Swords Ave, West Peoria, IL 61604. Plans for 2008 include building containers, learning about raised bed gardening and touring local gardens.

Clean-Up Day for West Peoria residents will be Saturday, April 26th. This is for West Peoria residents ONLY. Volunteers are needed. Any questions or to volunteer, contact Bob DeSutter, 674-0462.

Is anyone else ready to see one of our change of seasons? Let’s all think S-P-R-I-N-G.

Each month I start thinking about what to write about, and end up pretty much just relating the things that have happened during the last month. However, I am not doing any traveling right now and do not have anything terribly exciting to write about. But maybe it’s okay to just write about the small daily trials and tribulations. I know we all have them and sometimes they can be overwhelming for some dependent on their age and their health. I do think longingly sometimes of the times when I could go skiing and even get out in the snow and sled down a hill. I can’t do that anymore, or at least I don’t try to do that. Maybe I should!

I have always loved snow and cold weather or at least have not minded it, but lately I’m getting a little tired of always having to clean my car off before I drive home at night. Because I am sitting with a woman at a nursing home from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., I often have to brush and scrape off the snow and ice each evening before I can begin the journey home. I am really getting tired of doing that and as I’ve said before I am beginning to understand why people run off to Florida or Arizona. I also have to get my dog out in the morning and evening, so that’s another reason to wish for clear roads and decent weather. I grew up in Denver, Colorado, and loved the snow, because that meant skiing and ice skating, both of which I loved.

Oh well! Life does change, and it’s better to go along with the changes or at least accept them graciously, and not wish for the good old days. I’m not sure they were that good, but perhaps it’s the way we want to remember them. I know that I do remember many things that I thought were absolutely the best, that don’t seem that way anymore. Compared to today’s life, it’s difficult to equate the two. I think we have so much more that it’s hard to go back and remember what was good. I know that going to a movie on Saturday afternoon for a quarter and seeing the cliff-hanging end of the serial was so exciting. Now I go to a movie and spend sixteen times as much, and probably don’t feel as thrilled as when I waited breathlessly for the next Saturday to see what happened.

Although I have seen a couple movies recently that I enjoyed and would recommend. I saw “There Will be Blood” with Daniel Day Lewis and thought his was the best acting I’ve seen for at least a year. He was an ordinary person when he started drilling for oil, but became a Satan at the end of the movie. I thought it was a great movie because it really showed that greed and money can corrupt absolutely. I see that same thing happening in today’s world. I also saw “Definitely, Maybe” which was the perfect foil to balance the evil in the Blood movie. It left nothing to think about, was lighthearted, fun and had no redeeming social qualities, which is the best kind to watch sometimes.

During WWII, I guess those back home didn’t give a hoot. I can’t believe they did that. They toppled my old schoolhouse. Lincoln school had a whole block to itself. Now some urban developer has obliterated history and replaced it with a mortuary. Good grief and Holy Jerusalem! A house for the dead, where once trampled noisy little kids??? Certainly a far cry.

Lincoln school was a place where thousands of Marseilles youngsters got their first glimpse of an education and where they spent the next few years looking towards their graduation.

Sixth grade at Lincoln was on the top floor and taught by a teacher with a legend. She was like no other and her reputation preceded her from students before us. This young schoolmarm had no illusions of becoming a surrogate mother. She preferred being Marshall Earp and Judge Roy Bean all rolled into one. Some unruly students were sent to the cloakroom - a dark and dismal place infested with wet coats, caps and four-buckle galoshes. At times these boots were covered with melting snow. There was no window in that dungeon and the place always smelled like a wet weasel. Certainly not a good place to steal a kiss from the opposite gender.

Our tutors’ handling of disciplinary problems was a sight to behold. One day before we knew what was happening, she wrestled a 92 pound ruffian to the floor and whaled the daylights out of him. I can’t remember whether Billy Bob was conquered or not, but it sure put a halter on the rest of the wild ones.

Sixth grade was the last year our class had a valentine box. That February I received the only card I still remember. It was from one of the prettiest girls in school - Lavona Ellena.

That upper room was the sight of my early public appearances, stumbling through oral book reports. They were my introduction to ridiculous knee-shaking, wet palms, chattering speech and my first clue that I was not a candidate for public speaking.

After our teacher won the wrestling match with Billy Bob, we had a lot more respect for her authority. Most everyone tried to stay on her good side by showering her with gifts of food, trinkets or whatever. Timid little Daisey even offered to share her sack lunch.

With little money to buy much of anything, Charlie and I decided to raid Mr. Thorton’s apple orchard to obtain our offering.

We climbed the rusty steel fence and dropped anchor under a tree loaded with shiny red apples. We were busy filling our bags with windfalls and those from low-hanging limbs. We stopped our scavenging in time to see Mr. Thorton striding towards us with a face like an ape and two Doberman Pinschers cantering alongside!

Charlie took off in a run, vaulted the four foot fence like an Olympic champion and disappeared in the thicket below. Apples flew in every direction in an unusual pattern. During my vault, I became so amused by the midair scenery, I hit the ground with a “thud.” A spasm of pain invaded my body as I lay sprawled in a patch of nettle weed. Charlie got clean away - didn’t get any apples, though. Come to think of it, neither did I.

We both had a swell story to tell the kids at school come Monday morning. So did Mr. Thorton when he talked to our parents.

The frigid temperatures are surely not a harbinger of spring, yet we know that the warmer weather and gardening is closer each day. Yet, we need not wait for the outside flowers to paint our mind’s canvass. David Robson, Extension Horticulture Educator from the Springfield Center, provides some insight into enjoying the yearlong delight of the azalea. “One of the most striking flowers on display in florist shops is the azalea. Available in various patterns and shades of pink, rose, red crimson, orchid and white, azaleas give just that brilliant touch of spring that is needed in homes at this time of year.

Don’t confuse florist azaleas with varieties planted outdoors in the landscape. Although they have similar growing requirements, florist azaleas are not hardy if planted outdoors.

To extend flowering, place azaleas in a cool spot with bright light. Although azaleas will hold up amazingly well in a warm, dry location, they will bloom quickly and blossoms will only last a short time. Plants benefit from humidity and an occasional syringing of foliage with tepid water is desirable. Azaleas like to be kept moist, but not sopping wet. Most soils are lightweight and composed of mainly peat moss. They’ll dry out quickly, and the plant will wilt. Plants may need to be watered daily or every other day.

Containers should have drainage holes. Leave it in the water until bubbles stop rising, then remove and allow the excess moisture to drain off.

Azaleas of all kinds require acid soils. Yellow or chlorotic foliage usually indicates that the soil is too alkaline, resulting in an iron deficiency within the plant. Adding either chelated iron or iron (ferrous) sulphate will help remedy or prevent this condition. A variety of houseplant fertilizers are available which acidify the soil while they provide an iron supplement. Use one of these to avoid or correct problems.

A word of warning: yellow leaves may also be the result of growing plants under conditions that are too warm and dry.

Reblooming your florist azalea for continued enjoyment next year is possible, but can be challenging. After you have enjoyed the blooms, and when outdoor temperatures are above freezing, place your azaleas outdoors for a summer vacation. Avoid direct sun, and be sure to check the plant daily for watering needs.

Before midsummer (July 1), carefully shape the plants by removing tips of all rapidly growing shoots. Continue to water and fertilize regularly.

In September, bring the azalea indoors to a cool room with full sun. Provide temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees F from November until the first of the year. Cool temperatures are needed for flower bud development and without them few, if any, flowers will form. Withhold fertilizer applications, and reduce watering.

As buds continue to develop and swell in January or early February, move your plant to a sunny window in a somewhat warmer room and apply fertilizer. The temperature for forcing flowers should be near 60 degrees F at night (10 to 15 degrees warmer during the day), with plenty of humidity in the air. In a few weeks, flowering begins-and your efforts will be lavishly rewarded. At excessive temperatures, buds may “blast.”

To prolong flowering, remove green shoots as they develop around the flower buds.”

If you have other horticulture questions, call the Peoria County Extension Office. The number is 309-685-3140 or www.extension.uiuc.edu/peoria.