About The Lee County ledger. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1978-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 2019)
Page 4A, The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, November 6,2019 The University of Georgia • Cooperative Extension Service Sharing the Word By Harry R. Martinez, Ph. D Loving Life Communities always seem to be vying for recognition as the best place to live. There is nothing wrong with improving your cities so that their quality of life provide secu rity, a stable environment, religious freedom, excellent professional care, ample employ ment and an outstanding educational system. All of those qualities are based on Biblical princi ples. Scripture address es the desired intent for mankind to enjoy life and length of days. The Apostle Peter, in writing to Jewish Christians dis persed throughout Asia Minor and facing in creasing persecution for their faith, instructed be lievers how to think and act in their daily lives. Since he was writing primarily to fellow Jews, Peter often quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures of which his readers were very familiar. Recalling the words of the psalm ist, Peter wrote ... “Who Harry R. Martinez is the man who desires life, and loves length of days that he may see good” (Ps 34:12 NASB)? Such a question would serve to gain the read ers’ attention and almost for sure be answered in the affir mative. In fact, the word us age in the Septuagint suggests that every one should desire to love life and length of days. Howev er, the apostle states certain criteria that results in enjoying one’s God-giv en life. His instruc tion consists of five imperatives. Three are negative commands and two are positive. The negative mandates focus on verbal and overt sins that reflect the thinking of the soul. “Refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. And let him turn away from evil and do good” (1 Peter 3:10b-lla NASB). These were words similar to those spoken by Jesus during His earthly ministry. “And after He called the multitude to Him, He said to them, “Hear, and understand. “Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement” (Matt 15:10- 12 NASB)? These offended ones, thinking of themselves better than the common populace, were impressed with their outward display of religiosity. They had failed to believe Jesus’ teaching that He had come to go to the Cross and pay the sin debt of mankind. Thus, anyone who would accept by faith the work of Christ on the Cross on their be half would have eternal life. However, the Phar isaical leaders were im pressed with their own self righteousness. They had perverted God’s message of salvation from one of faith in Mes siah to that of religious works and rituals. Jesus strongly braced them ... “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. “The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil. “And I say to you, that every care less word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the Day of Judgment. “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be con demned” (Matt 12:34-37 NASB). Those who opposed Jesus should have restrained their tongues and considered His message. Instead, in their perversion, they de veloped a system of evil that substituted human works for faith in Christ. Jesus’ condemned their words and actions ... “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murder er from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When ever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own na ture; for he is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NASB). Though these “religious types” claimed to love life, in reality, they were actual ly a “religious burden.” Their system of good works did not earn them relationship with God. As Jesus told one of the religious leaders who was willing to listen and change his thinking ... “You must be born again [from above]” (John 3:7b NASB). Editor’s note: Dr. Martinez is an ordained minister and was a professor and head of the music department at Florida State Universi ty School from 1975 to 2003. He is the father of five adult children and resides in Lee County with his wife, Sara. Spider Lilies Doug Collins, Lee County Extension Coordinator Putting Knowledge toWortCl Aft These interesting and beautiful flowers bloom in late summer and early fall during September and October over a period of weeks. The red flower gets its name from its “spidery” appearance. They also go by the name “Naked Ladies” because their fo liage is not present when the flowers are. This is an often over looked flower. I rarely see new plantings of spi der lilies. Most colonies Letter To The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Inc. September 25, 2019 As the nation’s largest Black Caucus determined to promote the general welfare of Black Geor gians and communities of color in Georgia, we regret our membership is in Atlanta for our An nual Legislative Caucus during this noble time. We offer our support in the 2019 Historical Marker ceremony recog nizing and honoring the 1963 Leesburg Stockade Women, heroes of the American Civil Rights Movement, to whom we awarded the Trail Blazer Award in 2017 and on behalf of whom, we accepted the 2019 Nation Builder Award from the National Black Caucus of State Legisla tors (NBCSL). We know the names of these Civil Rights heroes to be: Dr. Shirley Green-Reese, Willie Mae Smith-Da- vis, Carol Barner-Seay, Melinda Jones-Williams, Verna Hollis, Billie Jo Thornton-Alien, Diane Dorsey-Bowens, Lula Westbrooks-Griffin, Lau ra Ruff-Saunders, Pearl Brown (deceased), Mattie Crittenden (deceased), Sandra Russell-Mans- field (deceased), Annie Lou Ragans-Laster (deceased), and Gloria Westbrooks (deceased). We hope that the memory of this atrocity will dis suade future generations from performing such injustices and that one day inhumane treatment like this will be eradicat ed worldwide. Sincerely advancing the cause of service, Dr. Karen L. Bennett State Representative Karen Bennett, Chair person Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Legislatively yours, Rep resentative Park Cannon District 58 of spider lilies I come across have been aban doned for decades. It is our loss that these flow ers are not used more in landscapes. The fact that spider lilies can survive so well without care is a testa ment to their low main tenance requirements. They have few pest prob lems and are drought tolerant, although they benefit from waterings while they are blooming. They do well in full sun but can tolerate partial shade well. The bloom stalks emerge from the ground and reach a height of about two feet or so. Four to twelve flowers are borne on a stalk. They are arranged radically around the top of the stalk. The flowers and stalks die-back after blooming. It is interesting that no foliage accompanies the blooms. The foliage emerges in the spring and dies back in the summer. Spider lilies can be planted in late summer or early fall. They may bloom in the same year that they are planted. The bulbs should be planted about twelve inches apart. If you wish to prop agate them from an existing planting, dig and divide the bulbs after the foliage dies. For more information, call the Lee County Extension Office at 759-6025, or email me at collinsd@uga.edu Sider lilies are very easy to care for flowers that come back year after year with virtually no maintenance. Submitted Photo LCHS 9th Grade Book Drive As part of our Mindset of the Month, “Live to Give”, the Lee County Ninth Grade Campus will have a BOOK DRIVE to help support our classroom libraries and media center. We are collecting young adult fiction and nonfiction books, as well as books for younger children that can benefit the media centers and classroom libraries of the lower campuses. The books need to be in good condition Parents may drop books off at the front office, the media center, or in the “book collection cart” in the car pickup line at LCHS9 each day. The Live to Give Book Drive will end Friday November 22, 2019. For more information, please call LCHS9 Media Center at 903-3590. The Lee County Ledger Established August 24,1978 lcledger@bellsouth.net P.O. Box 715 (126 4th Street) (229) 759-2413 Leesburg, Georgia 31763 USPS 470-310 Official Organ of Lee County SUBSCRIPTION RATES Lee and surrounding counties $20.00 year Elsewhere $25.00 year Publisher Derryl Quinn Editor Jim Quinn Layout and Design Zan Twiggs Advertising Manager Tina Maples (USPS 470-310), is published weekly for $20.00 per year in Lee and surrounding counties, and $25.00 per year else where by its offices at the May Office Building, 124 - 4th Street, Leesburg, Georgia 31763. Periodicals postage paid at Leesburg, GA. POST MASTER: Send address changes on Form 3579 to, P.O. 715, Leesburg, GA31763. o Printed On Recycled Paper MEMBER OF GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION Submitted Photo LCMS-East Students of the Month Congratulations to the following students for being chosen as PBIS Student of the Month for October for Lee County Middle School East : Front Row (L-R) Madison Miller, Karol Olade- Hernandez, Caleb Dupree, Landon Sapp, Hannah Rutledge; Back Row (L-R) Myah Stefanovic, Ryan Seagle, Kalyn Taczy, and Nicholas Elmer.
