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CM K A4 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20,2018 I Baldwin Bulletin » www.bbnews.today Opinions All letters to the editor must be signed and include a phone number for verification purposes. Send letters to wil@BBnews.today by 1 p.m. Monday. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays This week, families across the Lake Country, Georgia and the world will be celebrating Christmas and other holidays affiliated with the season. It is a time to reflect on everything that has happened in the last year and to spend with the people who make you happy. The parades are done, the festivities downtown have finished the focus now returns to your tradi tions and your family and friends. The late night parades turn into late night movie marathons, eating your favorite yuletide meals and hopefully relaxation. Schools and colleges have let out so children are home until the New Year. Many people are using their remaining vacation days to spend more time with their loved ones. For those who continue to want to give, there are many opportunities still out there, whether it be for those less fortunate, those who can’t provide as much for holidays or care packages for those serving our nation overseas. Whether you are heading out of town, out of state or have your family coming to Baldwin County, or if you’re traveling with your children as they participate in different tournaments throughout the state, we wish you and yours a safe journey over the holiday season. We hope the food is delicious, the children enjoy their presents and everyone enjoys the camaraderie of their family or friends. From all of us, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. May it be full of joy and happiness. While we are certainly not expecting a White Christmas’ throughout Milledgeville or the Lake Country, we certainly hope your days will be merry and bright. Find The Baldwin Bulletin on Facebook, Twitter and online at www.BBnews.today I Baldwin Bulletin Established 2000 President & Publisher A. Mark Smith Sr. Vice President, General Manager Matt Smith Vice President, Executive Editor Mark Smith Jr. Vice President Michael Smith Vice President Jo Ann Smith Associate Editor Wil Petty Reporter Christian McKearney Reporter Alaina Minshew Sports Reporter Brandon Bush Lakelife Editor Lynn Hobbs Lakelife Associate Editor Hank Segars Lakelife Associate Editor Leila Scoggins Sales Director Matt Plocha Advertising Representative Michael Payne Advertising Representative Anjie Brown Advertising Representative Robert Shinholster Advertising Representative Victoria Lindsey Classified Representative Heather Harris Legal Advertising/Circulation Becky Meyer Production & Technology Manager Josh Lurie Graphic Artist Lindsay Pilcher Graphic Artist Mark Brill Business Manager Cassandra Fowler One-Year Subscription Rates In Baldwin County $30 Other Georgia counties $36 Out of State $39 Advertising, news and information: 136 S. Wayne St. • Milledgeville, GA 31061 478-452-1777 Advertising email: sales@bbnews.today News email: wil@bbnews.today The Baldwin Bulletin (USPS 830-400 is published every Thursday by Smith Communications Inc., 100 N. Jefferson Ave., Eatonton, GA 31024. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of The Baldwin Bulletin and individual writers only. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Baldwin Bulletin, P.0. Box 4027, Eatonton, GA 31024 Periodicals Postage Paid at Milledgeville, GA, 31061 Letters to the Editor Letters must be signed and include your full address and phone number for verification; only name and town are printed. Submissions may be edited for content and length. The deadline is 1 p.m. Monday. Send to wil@bbnews.today Support Georgia Heart Tax Credit Editor, Georgia’s rural hospitals have faced a financial crisis, and our local hospital has not been spared. Some towns in rural Georgia have lost their local hospital, and it has had a devastating impact on the communities they serve. However, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation to provide a tax credit to assist the hospitals. Essentially, the Georgia taxpayer can obtain a 100% state income tax credit by contributing to the hospital of their choice. An individual filer may contribute up to $5,000, and a married couple filing jointly may contribute up to $10,000. Please understand that this is not extra money which one is spending; instead, the tax credit allows Georgia taxpayers control over where they want their state tax money spent. I think this is an excellent opportunity to give back to our community. Instead of our tax dollars going to the state to be spent in other areas, the tax credit redirects the money to be spent on our local hospital. Our local hospital helps support the busi ness community and the academic colleges, thus ensuring that we maintain a vibrant community in Milledgeville. As a physician, if my family has an emergency, I am thankful that Navicent Health Baldwin is here. We need every taxpayer in Baldwin County to go to the website, https://www.georgiaheart.org/ to register for this tax credit to assist Navicent Health Baldwin by the deadline of Jan. 2,2019. If you have questions about this tax credit and how to contribute, you can visit www.georgiaheart.org or contact Judy Ware at ware.judy@navicenthealth.org. Harinder Brar MD Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Navicent Health Baldwin Unplanned Christmases As we approach Christmas Day, thoughts sometimes drift back to those long-ago Christmases when everything worked out as planned. Santa’s gifts matched wish lists, family members were healthy and the special day’s feast couldn’t have been any better, especially the beauti fully carved turkey and cornbread dressing. A wonderful day filled with good fellowship, joyous celebration and an abun dance ofhappiness. However, not every Christmas works out this well; some holidays are not so joyous for many folk. Family members pass on, health problems become major issues, and store-bought gifts have less meaning. Things don’t always go as planned for everyone on this special day. “Christmastime comes with so many expectations, most of Hank Segars Lakelife Associate Editor them stemming from our childhood,” writes Dr. Scott Morris for his ‘Wellness for Life” website. “Many people find themselves striving for perfection that simply is not attainable. The dinner menu must include all the tradi tional courses, even if it means the cook is stuck in the kitchen for days on end. And the children’s presents must be exactly what they asked Santa to bring them.” Does that sound familiar? Morris is talking about the stress the holiday can create and how expectations can be unrealistic. He takes his argu ment a step further by proclaiming, tongue firmly placed in cheek, “No one should feel espe cially sad about a family member or friend who has died or is ill. And of course, no one will argue, or drink too much ‘nog,’ or spend too much money, or make a big mess, or act like a fool. All the children and dogs will get along like the angels they are.” Morris, a physician and counselor, truly understands human nature and knows about Christmases when things don’t go as planned. The season can be a time of loneliness, disappointment and unmet expectations for more than a few. Family members may be absent from the dinner table. Friends and neighbors could be experiencing unemploy ment, financial difficul ties and other unplanned difficulties that come in life. There are a multi tude of reasons that the joy and celebration of the season is diminished. Similarly, in the first Christmas season, Joseph must have felt despair and humiliation in his unusual situation as outlined in Matthew 1:18-25. In the planning stages of a marriage to a righteous woman, this humble servant of God found his role to be the husband of a pregnant wife carrying God’s own son, something that must have been hard for him to comprehend. Moreover, the couple needed to travel many miles for the birth of their son in a humble stable. Yet, Joseph remained strong and obedient. He protected Mary and eventually fled MORE SEGARS »A5 State and Federal Elected Officials Gov. Nathan Deal (R) 203 State Capitol Atlanta. GA 30334 (404) 656-1776 Web/e-mail: gagovernor.org Sen. David Perdue (R) B40D Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-3521 Rep. Jody Hice (R) 1516 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4101 Fax: (202) 226-0776 Sen. Burt Jones (R) 407 East Second St., Jackson, GA 30233 Phone: (770) 775-4880 Fax: (770) 234-6752 Sen. Johnny Isakson (R) United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-3643 Rep. Rick Williams (R) Room 607, Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-0887 Rick.williams@house.ga.gov
