Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
PAGE 5A
Random Rants in Rhyme
Thank You, Mother
' * m
, ' t $
l
dr. cb
skelton
She went to the door of death for me,
with pains that bore down excruciatingly,
and when it was all over and done,
she said, “I would do it again for you, my son.”
She fed me the natural food from her breast
which, even today, ranks as the best.
When I was ready for solid food,
she prepared it for me, both nutritious and good.
When I soiled my diaper, she did not despair.
She changed me, and washed them and hung them in the air.
She made sure that I was kept nice and clean
in those days long before there were washing machines.
A very strong bond developed between us
and, early in life, she told me about Jesus.
By her early teaching, she laid the foundation
for me to receive a great education.
When school days began, she spent many a day
as grade mother, or president of the PTA.
From my cradle to her grave, she was constantly there
supporting me with her works and her prayers.
Everyone can see things more clearly in retrospect
than they can see them when dealing with the subject.
This writer is no different from any other,
so I say again belatedly, “I truly thank you, Mother.”
©2018, cbs
Dr. CB Skelton is a retired Winder physician and author of several books.
Buffington continued from 4A
The third, and perhaps
most extreme view, is
that society — includ
ing school campus
es — should be armed
camps where everyone
is always carrying a gun
at all times. That view
was mentioned at a recent
local debate hosted by the
Jackson County Repub
lican Party where House
District 31 candidate
Samuel Thomas argued
in favor of Constitutional
Carry, saying that any
one should have the right
to carry a gun anywhere
without a concealed carry
permit, including teach
ers being allowed to bring
guns on campus if they
want to. This view claims
that since schools are
designated as a “gun free
zone,” they are actually
inviting school shoot
ings because the shooter
knows there is no one
there to confront him (or
her.) The solution, pro
ponents say, is to arm as
many people as possible
everywhere so that there
will be a “good guy”
ready to stop a “bad guy.”
This view endorses the
idea that more guns on
campus would be better.
I’m not sure exact
ly how I feel about this
issue. In some situations,
where a school is very
rural or remote and a
long way from quick law
enforcement response, it
might make sense to have
a principal or someone
who has access to a weap
on for defense. But I have
serious doubts that any
average school employee
has the skills to success-
Headmaster’s
Corner
by
Steve Cummings
CELEBRATING THE ARTS
- This week we will enjoy our
wonderful Spring Concert, pre
sented by the Middle School
and High School Bands and
Choirs at ACS. Over 75 musi
cians will join together to bless
us with their talent.
Among other selections, the
Choirs will perform Psalm 23
by Paul Basler and Agnus Dei
by Victor Johnson. And, our
High School Male Quartet will
perform their State Champi
onship selection, “I Would Be
True”
Special thanks goes out to our
Director of Choirs, Mrs. Heath
er Pillsbury, and to our Director
of Bands, Mr. Nathan Pillsbury,
who put in so much work for
this night. You’ve done a great
job and made our School proud!
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970”
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com
fully confront an intruder
with a pistol, especially
if the intruder is spraying
bullets from a high-ca
pacity rifle. Even trained
soldiers often have a dif
ficult time when they first
come under enemy gun
fire.
As for the second view
which is to “harden"
school campuses with
metal detectors, etc., there
are schools where that is
certainly necessary. But
to an extent, those kinds
of measures are largely
designed to make peo
ple feel better and safer
even if in reality, the extra
safety is doubtful. It real
ly depends on the school,
what kind of neighbor
hood it’s in and the his
tory of a community’s
violence. I’d hate to see
schools become walled-
in prisons surrounded by
razor wire and patrolled
by armed guards.
Finally, I reject the
extreme of encouraging
everyone in society to
pack a gun as a solution.
Taking the U.S. back to
the “Wild West” won’t
make society or schools
safer. The opposite is true.
Raising the age to pur
chase a gun to 21 nation
wide should be done. And
to buy a weapon with a
high fire rate and large
capacity should require
additional background
checks and perhaps even
a federal permitting pro
cess similar to what’s
required for fully-au-
tomatic guns. There are
simply too many mentally
and emotionally unstable
people walking around
with military-style weap
ons that have the potential
to inflict mass deaths.
There are no simple
solutions to shootings on
school campuses. Arming
school personnel might be
one option to consider,
but it also comes with
some significant liabili
ties, too.
Mike Buffington is
co-publisher of Main-
street Newspapers. He
can be reached at mike@
mainstreetnews. com.
‘This’ makes
anniversary evening ‘special’
ron
bridgeman
We put out the chairs and sat in the
sun, still hot but declining. Afterwards,
we had dinner at Zaxby’s. My wife had
a grilled chicken salad; I splurged on the
small chicken fingers meal.
It was our 26th
wedding anniver
sary, but it took
second place to
the younger grand
son’s soccer game
(they won).
“This is why
we’re here,” Karen
says pretty regular
ly. “This” means
being part of the
grandsons’ daily
lives - attending
sports games, pick
ing them up after school, going to mov
ies just because. That’s what she means,
and it has become reality.
Sunday, the grandsons and dad, who
used to be her “baby boy” came over to
plant rose bushes. We now have a row of
them outside the back fence and I have
become the water boy.
I'm contemplating establishing a
flower bed with mulch, mostly to get rid
of the yard-mowing in that area.
Most of those who know me would
say none of the above has happened.
They couldn’t imagine the domesticated
version of me. Neither can I, but here
I am.
We had a different beginning than
most folks. Our wedding was on the
deck of our favorite bar and may have
been the shortest ceremony on record.
We had two nice parties - one in Oak
Ridge, Tenn., where Karen lived, and
one in Nicholasville, Ky., where I lived.
Both involved casual clothes, food and
drink.
Despite our best efforts, some folks
wore suits — because that’s what you
did for parties. I wore long pants and
a tuxedo T-shirt for the wedding cer
emony and shorts and the T-shirt in
Nicholasville. A state representative,
banking buddy and the judge-executive,
a combination of elected BOC chair and
county manager, all wore suits or coat
and tie in Nicholasville. A longtime
buddy and elected official wore a suit in
Oak Ridge.
I told them differently and the invita
tions specified no gifts and casual wear.
For the first 18 months, we had a com
muter marriage. We’ve been together,
mostly, since.
Karen has worn off the rough edges,
some of my friends say, quite pointedly
and to my face.
I’ve never been much for convention,
either in clothing or following the nor
mal patterns of family traditions.
So, we spent the anniversary watching
6- to 8-year-olds play soccer. It’s not a
contest of skilled athletes.
Mostly, it is missed shots because
the legs don’t always follow the brain’s
command.
But it is fierce. Competitiveness is a
trait that seems to be genetic and two
or three kids on every team have it.
(Sometimes the grownups forget it’s just
a game between little kids.)
I understand that, having grown up
playing basketball anywhere I could find
a hoop and round shape to throw in it.
Understanding soccer takes a while.
I have learned over the past 25 years,
first watching stepson number one play
in high school and then covering high
schools, boys and girls.
(I still can’t forgive the idea that a fast
break is illegal. It’s called “offsides” in
soccer. Makes no sense. None. Nothing
is prettier than a fast break in which
the ball never touches the ground from
rebound to layup.)
The evening was not among our most
romantic evenings, but it was appropri
ate. Nai-Nai, that’s Chinese for father’s
mother, cheered and watched her boy. I
mostly watched her — I’ve been doing
that for a while.
It was a good night.
Ron Bridgeman is a reporter for
Mainstreet News. Send email to him at
ron @ mainstreetnews. com.
Terrell continued from 4A
In her later years, we watched her care
for elderly grandparents, both paternal
and maternal, and then for a husband
robbed of his mind by Alzheimer’s. Not
once did she complain. She graciously
gave in acts of gratitude and love.
She was a wonderful lady who fully
understood the balancing act of work
ing 48 hours a week, being a Mother, a
housekeeper, a great friend and a caring
neighbor. Her Christian faith was as
strong as her love for her family.
She is missed by all that knew her.
She was the glue in our family.
Mother would certainly be proud of
Sarah, the newest Mother in our family.
Fannie and her newest great-grandson.
1-year-old Nathan, would be a pair to
reckon with. No doubt about it.
Mother’s Day is a special day for very
special people. May it be a special day
for each of you as it was for Fannie and
will be for Sarah.
Thank God for mothers!
Jimmy Terrell is retired from a career
in law enforcement in Barrow> County
and is a Winder city councilman. He
can be reached at ejterrell65@ gmail.
com.
May 9, 2018 ~ Crossword Puzzle
Across
1. Slide
5. Turf
8. Urge
12. Apiece
13. “ Good Lookin’"
14. Ore source
15. At all
16. Poetical before
17. Aware of
18. March
20. board (nail file)
21. Basker’sgoal
24. Footwear
27. That man’s
28. Hot drink
31. Frying liquid
32. Pricker
34. Klutz
35. Miniature
36. Ink tool
37. “All Eve”
39. Soft wool
41. Upside-down smile
45. Of the mind
49. Mature
50. Citrus quencher
52. Seventh month
53. Received an “A” on
54. Religious sister
55. Woodwind instrument
56. Yearns
57. No’s opposite
58. Comprehends
Down
1. Trickle
2. Volcano’s flow
3. Bakery worker
4. Group of words
5. Gloss
6. Above, in poetry
7. Change color
8. Purple fruit
9. Heavy cord
10. Smell
11. Reject
19. Cleaning crew’s utensil
20. Tangle up
22. Sandal
23. Tire filler
24. Miss Piggy, e.g.
25. Hasten
26. Mexican cheer
28. Likewise
29. de Cologne
30. Fore-and-
33. Egg source
38. Guitars’kin
40. Signs
41. Ravel
42. Paddy crop
43. Uncover
44. Unites
46. Inner
47. Burn-soothing plant
48. Soap-making substances
50. Whatever
51. Now payable
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43
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49
53
56
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