Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6A
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016
Closing the gate
Random Rants in Rhyme
A person after God’s own heart
David’s sins are widely known.
In fact, his sins are graphically shown
in the pages of God's Word
and, from the pulpit, are often heard.
His sins were not what we would call small ones.
When all his subterfuge was done,
he had committed adultery and murder,
and had lied as he tried those sins to cover.
The prophet, Nathan, confronted him
and David readily confessed those sins.
He paid a tremendous earthly cost -
the life of the son from adultery was lost
and, fMikeulfilling the word of the Lord,
his “house was never free of the sword.”
Later in life, David sinned again
as, against God’s will, he numbered his men.
Though David confessed, a plague sent by God
laid 70,000 men in the sod.
David said then, “It was I who sinned!
Let your wrath fall on me and my people then.”
David bought property and built an altar,
made a huge sacrifice, and the plague did falter.
Knowing all these sins on David’s part,
how could Paul call him “a man after God’s own heart?”*
Apparently, Paul knew that Jeremiah** and Isaiah***
wrote words that should set Christians’ hearts on fire.
He quoted those words twice in his letter to the Hebrews****
to be sure Christians heard the fabulous news:
confess and repent of sins done before,
God says, “I’ll remember their sins no more.”
David’s confession of what he had done
is beautifully pictured in Psalm fifty-one,
giving Paul the right to say on his part
that David was a man after God’s own heart.
The beauty of these Scriptures is that they impart
a way for us to be “after God’s heart.”
Accept Jesus Christ with confession and repentance
then, when God gives us a downward glance,
He’ll see His Son’s blood and smile, perchance.
*Acts 13:12 ** Jer 31:34 ***Is 43:25 **** Heb 8:12 &10:17
c2016cbs
Dr. CB Skelton is a retired Winder physician and author of several books.
Community, briefs
WBHS Class of ’62 plans mini-reunions
Last week, we closed the gate.
You would need to know a few person
al details to understand how emotional
that was.
Robert Frost, the acclaimed New
England poet, wrote that “good fences,
make good neighbors.” This prompted the
question, which the poet allud
ed to, are you keeping someone
in or keeping someone out?
When a real estate entrepreneur
bought the property next door
and began renting to students,
the furor in the neighborhood
ran deep. We bore the brunt of
the unsightliness, the late par
tying after hours and three cars
for every occupant. Boy, girl
in every room, you know — it
soon adds up.
A fence kept them out, but
not the noise, unsightliness and
the gnawing intimidation that our street
had become a rental nook. Fortunately,
the sale of the property to a good friend
got rid of the rental problem. Amen!
In due time, we would be keeping out
someone important to us. Our daughter
and her husband bought the house next
door, and we commissioned a carpenter
to cut a gate for familial access.
The gate was especially comforting
when Sophie came along and later her
sister, Penny.
When they grew big enough to walk
and gained some measure of indepen
dence, we would hear a knock on the
back door. More of a light tapping,
yielding the sweetest sound. When we
opened the back door there in all their
innocence and humility were two little
girls who have enriched our lives.
The knock on the door was often
to spend time with their grandmother,
whom they adore. Sometimes they need
ed a popsicle. Sometimes they needed
juice. Sometimes a cookie. Sometimes to
use the stapler. Stapling paper until there
are more staples than a sheet of paper can
hold is a childhood delight.
They hardly knew a babysitter except
their grandmother, whose patience is
remarkable, allowing them free reign of
the house.
Meme was their waitress, their maid
and their confidante. Meme always
cleaned up after them without sigh or
complaint. Early on. when the knock on
the door was audible and I would open
the door, they seemed disappointed that
it was not you know who. “Where’s
Meme,” they asked anxiously?
They came to all our parties, sheepishly
shying away from the attention, which
caused a retreat to the den where they
watched a movie to hold their attention.
The most amazing thing is that while
they have their moments as all siblings
do, they never really had any abiding
conflicts.
They are best friends which
made eavesdropping on their sen
sitive conversations something of
a special memory to cherish.
Now that our extended family
has moved away, the house will
no longer be a wreck. There
won’t be any toys to trip over.
Clothes no longer will be strewn
hither and yon. The television
will only be tuned to network
programming. Sixty minutes and
CBS football won’t be pre-empt
ed any more.
There will be orange juice in the refrig
erator in the morning. Blueberries will
no longer be squashed on the kitchen
floor. Doors will no longer slam when
the chase is on. The remote control will
be visible, not stuffed out of sight in the
bowels of the sofa.
Tea parties will no longer block the
entrance to the den when there is need to
spend time at the computer. There won’t
be dolls in every chair which cannot be
disturbed.
Cookie crumbs will no longer enhance
an ant invasion. Now we will miss all that
just as we will miss the love and laugh
ter, their keen interest in books and the
unending creative projects accommodat
ed by the stapler, computer paper, scotch
tape and scissors.
That space in the fence has always
been soothing and comforting. For the
better part of eight years, we have seen
two smiling faces race through and make
our day.
We like our new neighbors, but respect
their privacy. Gratefully, we recall our
memories. We have seen robins and car
dinals, blue jays and squirrels cavorting
about our fence. They will remain, which
we appreciate, but they don’t smile and
hug us. They won’t jump in our arms
when we open the back door. They won’t
tell us they love us.
In case you didn’t know, it takes a lot of
tears to close a gate.
Loran Smith is a columnist for the
Barrow News-Journal. He is host of the
University of Georgia football radio pre
game show.
The Winder-Barrow High School grad
uating class of 1962 will continue to have
its mini-reunion lunches.
All members of the class are invit-
The Winder High School Class of 1961
will celebrate its 55th year reunion on Satur
day, Aug. 27, from 6-10 p.m. at the Winder
Woman’s Club.
ed to attend. Email Dianne Fleeman at
dfleeman@windstream.net or call her at
678-425-2531 to submit number of regis
trations for the next event.
For more information on the reunion, con
tact Linda Rice Queen at 843-650-2813 or
843-450-9933 or by email at lindalqueen@
aol.com
loran
smith
Winder Class of 1961 reunion Saturday
Letter to the Editor
Great experience volunteering for Barrow County Animal Control shelter
Dear Editor:
My Name is Dakota. I am 13-years-
old and I volunteer at the Barrow County
Animal Shelter.
I wanted to write you a letter to tell you
all the good things going on there since
all I ever see in the newspaper or TV is
bad stuff. A lot of people have a bad idea
of what an animal shelter is or what this
shelter was but not what it is now due
to Ms. Jackie, her officers and the vol
unteers.
The officers and the volunteers are the
nicest people you will ever meet. I got to
volunteer through my school project last
year and I have never left. I even made a
video for my school to show them what
it’s all about and my school liked it so
much we did a donation drive for the
shelter. When I go there, I like to sit and
talk to the dogs, mostly the ones who are
really really scared. Ms Jackie told me
when I first met her that all animals have
good in them you just have to take the
time to unlock it.
There are some really nice volunteers
and officers who let me watch when they
take dogs out to temp test so I can learn
animal behavior. I sit with my mom and
just take notes so that when I am sitting
outside a kennel talking to a scared dog,
I can look at my notes to see what might
work.
My favorite dog ever to work with was
Carter. I would just sit outside his kennel
and read a book to him or read a joke
book to him.
If he listened and came near the door of
his kennel, he got a hot dog. If he stayed
at the other side of his kennel and turned
his back he got nothing but a story. It took
awhile for him to trust people again and
guess what? He got rescued and now is a
very happy dog.
Ms. Jackie cares so much about the ani
mals and the way people look at shelters
and she wants to change that idea. Ms.
Jackie and Ms. Kendra came up with an
idea and talked to the big people to make
sure it was O.K. to start a program where
we visit the senior center.
Now we can’t take dogs from our
shelter, but Ms. Jackie got with a lady
named Ms. Penny and my mom and
I take a dog from her rescue retirement
home to visit the older people. They are
so happy to see the dog. I try to make sure
that I take pictures of dogs and cats at the
shelter with me to show what is ready to
adopt and already a few of the people
have come to the shelter to adopt a dog or
a cat just from the pictures.
What I love about the shelter is they
will work as hard as they can to get a dog
or cat adopted. There are so many vol
unteers who are as mom said behind the
scenes in contact with local rescues to get
the animals out and into good situations.
I love how a scared dog can all of a
sudden with the right attention become so
sweet and playful.
I love how Ms. Jackie would like to
start programs to change peoples thinking
of this shelter.
I love how on any day there are vol
unteers up there (mine too) cleaning cat
kennels, playing with cats, cleaning dog
kennels, walking the dogs even though
everyone thinks that shelters are not so
good, you should maybe take the time
to come see the Barrow County Animal
Control Shelter and help spread the good
works of Ms. Jackie, her officers, and the
volunteers or just come sit and read to a
dog with me
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dakota Allen
MULBERRY GROVE
Senior Living
Experience More Out of Life!
At Mulberry Grove, our residents experience a
nurturing atmosphere, encouraging personal in
terests & growth. Come & experience more out of
life at Mulberry Grove!
(770) 725-6978 • www.niulberry-grove.com
Atlanta Highway in Statham, 7 miles East of Winder
The Thrift Outlet
Saturday, August 27
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• New and Used
Brand Name Clothing
• Jewelry ‘Home Decor
• Furniture • Collectibles
and more!
291 N. Broad Street
Winder, GA
(just past Ingles, going towards
Barrow Regional Medical Center)
This is how we roll at
Gateway Family Medicine!
Shown in photo: Dr. Orr, Dr. Uzoma Ndukwe, Debbie
Ferguson, Nancy Blackburn, Stacey Brown, Ed Richert,
Kenisha Harris and Valerie Dowdy.
Not pictured: Ansley Thompson
Barrow County School System
Transportation Department
would like to say
"THANK YOU"
to Dr. Stephen Orr for making it pos
sible for our bus drivers to receive a
complimentary physical for the past
15 years, allowing us to roll out safely
each school year.