Sunday is a few hours away...

I often stop at this time of the week and ask “am I really prepared to meet God in worship?”  As a worship leader that question can go in many directions: “is all the music in place?” “am I ready to lead?”  I often only think about my role, what I am going to do or have to do in worship.  And, I am wrong for that.

Keep an eye on your pets
Dennis and Julie Godbee and “Dink” and Sandra Dominy went to Pigeon Forge for a few days last week.   
Scott and Jennifer Doran went to Pensacola Beach, Florida to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Congratulations!   
Jo Ann Bryant has been in a rehab place in Athens. Plans are for her to come home this week.
Buckhead Baptist had their monthly fellowship supper Monday night.   
George and Laura Lohr and Chuck and Miriam Foster went to Beacon Heights to the wedding of Amanda Thompson and Derrick Mealor on Saturday.   
Carol Hilsman is in the hospital in Athens.
The AWANA at Buckhead Baptist Church is completing the year. They will have pizza soon.
Don’t forget the upcoming wrestling at the Buckhead Fire Station. Door open at 5 p.m. and wrestling begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children. One dollar goes to the fire department from each ticket. Fill the house Saturday! Have some fun!   
There have been a great number of dogs missing as listed in the Morgan County Citizen. Last week there were eight dogs missing in Putnam County. A few weeks ago four bulldog puppies went missing one night from a house at Mansfield. Then the next day the mother was missing. Others in that area were gone. It seems to be a very widespread happening.   

Remember Jake

Today, April 29th makes one year since we lost our sweet Jake.  Through the years I have often heard people say  a good while after they have lost a loved one that "it only seems like yesterday."  In my ignorance I just thought that was a often used "cliché" that people would just say.  Sadly, I have come to realize that it is very true.  It truly does seem like only yesterday; it is still very fresh to all of us.  It just breaks my heart to see my daughter, Carrie, Mark, and Raegan go through such sorrow and still have to trudge through the everyday things of life.  Not only them but all of his grandparents, great-grandparents, his aunt, uncles, and cousins as well as his friends.  It has had a deep impact on everyone and only God, in His infinite wisdom, knows why.  I do not question God, but in my frail "human-ness" I still wonder.  One Sunday in church, Rev. Charles Smith was preaching about tragedy and when sadness enters our lives and he told how when he was in college, I believe, a girl, who was a close friend, was killed in a bad accident and of the struggle he had in dealing with it.  He went on to say that when he gets to Heaven, he doesn't want to ask God all these theological questions about this or that that people have always wondered about in the Bible, he wants to ask God "Why did you take this person or that person, why did this have to happen?"  I thought to myself, "That's the questions I want to ask, why, why?"  It will all be made known one day.

Columnist reminds readers that National Day of Prayer is May 2nd

Class of ‘55 reunites at Bonner’s

The Morgan County High School Class of 1955 had their annual class reunion Saturday, April 27 at Bonner’s Restaurant in Buckhead. Everyone met at the restaurant and enjoyed seeing and visiting with one another before lunch was served. Bonner’s served a delicious noon meal to the 47 people attending.  It was decided that the reunion next year would be on the fourth Saturday in April. Among the members of the class attending were Irvin Lowe, Kenneth Carter, Bob Bone, Allen Cleveland, Patsy Baldwin, Joe Brown, Charles Conner, Merry Faulkner, Miriam Foster, Robert Hilsman, Charles Bryant, Ottis Nunnally,  Monaray Powers, Carolyn Wood, Bobby Crawford, Charlotte Carson, Nannette Patrick, Margaret Fitzpatrick, Mary Eaton, Jeannette Stapp,  Johnny Coldwell, Morgan Hollis, Pat Puckett, Shirley Self and Tommie Shatterly.

Printed in the May 2, 2013 edition.

“The clouds have emptied themselves down here”
The Smith family has had a full load of grief. Last week Rassey Smith died and was buried. On this Monday morning Laura Smith Medcalf died at Eatonton. She was Rassey’s sister. She made her home with her sister Beatrice Smith.
The service for Laura was at William’s Funeral Home on Wednesday. Visitation was from 1-2 p.m. The service followed. Burial was at the Buckhead Cemetery with her brother Rassey Smith.
During her lifetime she loved gardening, anything out doors, pets and was a good seamstress. She loved her family. She is survived by her brother Earl, and sisters Beatrice Smith and Carrie Harper and nieces and nephews.
Beatrice’s adopted daughter Linda nursed not only her mother but also Laura with a loving spirit. I talked to her on the phone. I had not ever talked to her since soon after she was adopted some 60 years ago. I told her how her mother was sewing cute, fluffy dresses for her to wear. She was at the machine sewing every spare minute making clothes. She told me that her mother (Beatrice) was so sweet to her that she always wanted to do for her every day. How sweet!