Lighting the second Advent candle

It was just like summertime on Sunday; it sure doesn't feel like Christmas is just around the corner; weather-wise or time-wise.  But I guess the best thing I can do is carry on like it is, because I am being told, that, yes, it is coming!

This past Sunday we lit the second candle of Advent, the candle of The Visitation. Mark, Laurie, Peyton, and Ella Grace Fortson had the honor of lighting this candle at the services on Sunday at Madison Baptist.  Peyton did a great job of reading his part, telling when Mary visited her close friend, Elizabeth, who was also expecting a child who would become John the Baptist.  When Elizabeth saw Mary, she immediately was filled with the Holy Spirit and she knew that Mary was carrying our Savior, Jesus, before she even had a chance to tell her.

This past week was Pearl Harbor Day on Dec. 7,   which took place back in 1941.  That was the beginning of World War II and from then on every eligible male left their homes and families to serve in some branch of the Armed Forces.  Hundreds, even thousands of servicemen were killed making that Christmas season a sad, sad, day for many, many families.

On a lighter note about that day is a true story about a little girl who was only three-years-old in 1941.  That little girl was Joann Cathey, who grew up in Union Point and is now  married to Jack Cathey.  She said on that day her friend and a little neighbor boy on her street came and told her that is was all on the news that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.  She said, "Well, I have worse news than that, my billie goat has died!"  Joann said she had a little billie goat that they all loved dearly and played with every day.  Her daddy had even built a little go-cart that they hitched the billie goat to and he would pull her, brother and sister, and all the neighbor children up and down the street almost every day.  They all dearly loved that billie goat, but Joann especially, and she was terribly upset when her dear billie goat just up and died.  Pearl Harbor was nothing to her compared to her loss of her billie goat.  Of course, she came to know better, but to a three-year-old little girl, it was the end of the world!

I want to extend my sympathy to the family of a fellow columnist, Mrs. Lois Harper, who reported the Rutledge news, as she passed away on this past Thursday.  She had been in declining health for some time and had not been able to write for some time.    I enjoyed reading her column as she liked to tell of bygone times when she was growing up which made for some enjoyable reading.  She often wrote of her parents, her husband, son, and other relatives that had passed on and it was evident that she really missed them, so I am sure they are having a grand reunion in Heaven being together once again.

I have some more important news!  A new store, where The Gathering Place was located, right in downtown Buckhead, is planning to open up this week.  It will be called Buckhead Station." Keith Fitzgerald and his wife, Melissa, have been working and working and will probably be open by the time the paper comes out.  "Aunt Oma Lee" Cooper and Connie McCullough are going to be the chief cooks and bottle washers at the new store.  Everyone is glad to see them back from retirement!  I understand there is already a table that has been reserved for the Buckhead coffee club.  We wish all of them the best and much success as they open.

A lovely coffee was held on Saturday morning at the lovely home of Raynor Cathey on Bethany Road for Andrea Miles, the bride-to-be of Gerald Cathey.  Joann Cathey, Jeannette Cathey, Michelle Cathey and Heather Leo were the co-hostesses for the gathering.  Raynor had the house all decorated for the Christmas season and the hostesses had prepared a wonderful brunch of smoked sausage, a fruit tray, baked eggs and cheese, creamy grits, bran muffins and cinnamon rolls along with punch and coffee for the guests.  We were also introduced to Andrea's mother, Joan Miles, of Lake Oconee.  Andrea and Gerald will be married at a small family ceremony on Dec. 29 at Buckhead Baptist Church and will be making their home at Gerald's on Enterprise Road.  We welcome Andrea to the family!

As a side note to the gathering... Raynor asked her grandson, Jack Leo, to say the blessing on the food, but before he could, Madeline Porter, Sally Porter's granddaughter, up and said, "I want to say the blessing!"  She said, "Everyone pray," and she put her hands together under her chin and you could tell she expected all of us to do the same, which we did.  She then said the child's blessing  we all have known forever, "God is great, God is good..." Madeline is not shy by any means!
I have also been asked to tell of a disturbing incident that occurred last week.  Linda Cronic, the daughter of Bud Cronic, who lives in another town, had been down to visit her daddy at the nursing home here in Madison and while here she visited her mother's grave in the Buckhead cemetery.  She had earlier placed a lovely silk bouquet of red roses on her grave, but now they were gone.  Somebody had come and stolen them and of course she is very upset.  I would be, too.  That is about the most low down thing I can think of; for someone to go to a cemetery where loved ones are buried and steal what a bereaved family member has put there to honor their loved ones memory.  You can't get more low down than that.  They may think they are getting by with something, but God knows.
She also reports that her daddy is doing very good and is happy at Nursecare in Madison.
Gladys Watson is also a patient at Nursecare here in Madison where she is recuperating from a broken leg.  We pray she has a rapid recovery.

The waitresses and workers at Bonner's Restaurant had their annual Christmas party at the restaurant on Wednesday night.  They all brought their favorite dish and enjoyed swapping gifts.
Julia Gay Sabbidino of Greenville, S.C., spent the weekend here with relatives where she attended the coffee for Andrea Miles on Saturday and spent time with her mother, Nell Porter, at The Madison House.  She also attended services at Bethany on Sunday morning.

Peyton Kenny of Acworth spent the weekend with her grandparents, Sara Nell and Steve Craig.  Sara Nell will go to see Peyton in a school program on Tuesday night and then spend Wednesday with Peyton and the twin girls while their mother, Stephanie, gets some Christmas errands done.
Bruce and I along with the Mark Wilkins and Marty Wilson enjoyed a Sunday lunch at Blanche and Jake Wilsons this past Sunday.

Connie Wilson spent the weekend in Statesboro with Karen Thigpen and her family and also visited with Zach and Alex Wilson.

 Will Porter spent the weekend at Rock Eagle where he attended the Fall 4-H Forum as part of his duties of being a state officer.

Chip, Shannon and the boys also helped her mother and stepdad, Bill and Sue Hodges at their home, Sandtown Place, in Mansfield this past weekend as it was on the Social Circle Tour of Homes including the candle-light tour.  Mama and I went up on Sunday afternoon as it was open to the public for a fundraiser for a sick lady in the community, Bitsy Robbins and her family, as she is battling cancer.  I have never seen a house so full of Christmas in all my life!  The entire house, the out-buildings as well as the new outdoor kitchen that was recently built is absolutely beautiful and full of all sorts of antiques they have collected over the years.  It was really something to see!  I know it was absolutely stunning at night with everything lit up for the candlelight tour.  Bill is recuperating well from his recent heart surgery, but he had to sit down and let the family and grandkids do the decorating this year, but they all did a grand job!

Sara Moorhead Nash, her husband and family hosted the Moorhead family Christmas dinner and get-together  at their home on Seven Islands Road this past Sunday.  Around 35 family members attended.

Antioch Baptist Church in Godfrey will be having a Christmas Eve service at the church at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Printed in the December 13, 2012 edition