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Caddo has always cast an integral influence on DeSoto Parish from 1843 starting when the northern half of DeSoto was taken from Caddo. Many important families of DeSoto have migrated and become important citizens of Shreveport. But nothing is more important to the economy than the movement of oil drilling southward after the first oil and gas wells were drilled in 1870 on Cross Bayou intended to be a water well for an ice factory. The first oil well known to have been drilled was by Edwin Drake in 1859 near Titusville, La.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Ephesians ?6:13-18? ESV This week we explore another piece of the armor of God, the shoes. Shoes are very important in the uniform of the soldier. In those days the shoes were sandal like. They readied the soldier with stability and flexibility to move, defend and protect himself.

THE PROPER AMOUNT OF SWEETNESS — Someone said to me last week, “You know, Kathy, you have just the proper amount of sweetness.” I was not quite sure how to respond to that, so I thanked her, chuckled, and moved on. Well, maybe I did not move on completely, because here I am writing about it several days later. I just fixed myself a tall glass of iced tea, one of those refreshing treats that makes life just a bit better. As I fixed the tea, I adjusted the sweetness level until it was just right at the “proper amount of sweetness,” then I laughed at myself.

People sometimes ask whether we have a security system, and I always tell them we have three — Buddy, Rebel, and Ruger — and they work in shifts. Not officially, of course, but you’d never know it by watching them. Over time, our home has quietly become the unofficial headquarters of the Grand Cane Neighborhood Watch (Canine Division), and the dogs take their roles with a seriousness that would impress any human patrol team.

Buddy is the analyst. He’s the one who sits back, observes, and decides whether something is worth reacting to. He’s thoughtful, measured, and convinced that not every movement requires a full scale response. A leaf blowing across the yard? Not a threat. A squirrel darting up a tree? Mildly concerning. A delivery truck pulling into the driveway? Now that’s a situation requiring immediate investigation. Buddy has perfected the art of the slow, suspicious stare — the kind that makes you wonder if he knows something you don’t.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Ephesians ?6:13-18? ESV Our exploration of armor this week is thebreastplate. It is very important for all soldiers.

Ask Rusty — When Should My Wife File for Spouse Benefits?

The histories of DeSoto Parish and the Town of Mansfield are interesting and additional facts are constantly being found — an example is the surveying of Mansfield and where the names of the streets downtown came from. Of course, DeSoto Parish was formed on April 1, 1843 when Gov. Mouton, Father of General Mouton killed at the Battle of Mansfield, signed Act 88 of the first session of the Sixteenth Legislature of the State of Louisiana. As a review, the first President of the Police Jury was John Wagner who lived west of Grand Cane and south of Screamerville. He was also selected by the Jury to execute deeds during the 184354 periods.

(Editors Note: We pulled an old favorite from The Enterprise files for this week’s “From the Word” column. Enjoy reading this writing from 2017)

We have been plagued by swarms of love bugs, little black flying bugs that are on everything, in everything, on everyone’s cars and to correct someone’s statement, “they bite too.” Yes they do, not all of them, but every now and then it seems that one of them samples your neck or arm.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Ephesians ?6:13-18? ESV An important aspect for every Christian living in this world is to understand the battle they face. In the next few weeks we’re going to explore the Armor of God. The armor is composed of six outward elements.

LSU AgCenter researcher advises food safety practices to curb intestinal illness

Health officials are investigating an increase in cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Louisiana is among the states reporting cases during the current national surge, prompting renewed attention to food safety practices for consumers, fresh produce growers and food handlers.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, more than 23 cases have been reported in Louisiana this year. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received hundreds of confirmed reports from multiple states and is working with state and federal partners to identify the sources of illness.