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Page 6A, The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, July 28,2021 I Ain’t 16 Anymore Special to the Ledger Dr. James L. Snyder I’ve had so many birth days in my life that I re ally don’t know how old I am. All I know is that I’m one year older than I was last year. I would not be able to remember when my life began if it wasn’t for paperwork.. To many people, num bers are very important, but in my opinion, a number is just a number. As I look forward to another birthday, I would like to go back to being 16 again. Those were the good old days, as they say. When I was 16,1 was rather oblivious of things that were happening in the world. We didn’t have TV back then and only got a TV when President J. F. Kennedy was assas sinated. Dad had to get a TV to keep up with what was going on. I had no internet, com puter, cell phone, video games or anything of the like. So in all actuality, I was on my own. One thing that really impressed me about being 16 was that I could get a driver’s license and drive a car. The disap pointing aspect about this was, I didn’t have enough money to buy a car and so had to borrow my father’s car when it was con venient for him. Oh boy, those were the days. At 16,1 be lieved I had be come a certified adult. I was at the stage now where nobody could tell me what to do. I was my own boss. At least I thought I was my own boss. However, I still was in high school, and for some reason, my teachers thought they were in charge of the class. How little did they know? It took being sent to the principal’s office five times before realizing I was not really in charge of my class. I also began to realize that being in charge of your life is very expen sive. Before I was 16, my James L. Snyder This sweet lovable boy is Marty a male Lab Mix about 2 yrs old. He is the sweetest boy. He will make someone a great addition to their family. Marty did test positive for heartworms but that is easily treated. He weighs 52 lbs. Marty’s adoption fee is $120, this covers getting him neutered, rabies shot, heartworm test, microchip and he has had his yearly distemper and kennel cough vaccines. parents paid for every thing for me. But now that I’m 16, that income stream dried up. I remember my father saying to me, “Son, you’re 16 now, and you are in charge of your life.” My smile flashed all over my face, I was now set free, and I can do whatever I wanted to do. My father wasn’t quite done with me yet, “Now that you are 16, you’re going to have to pay for your things.” At the time, I didn’t know what he meant, but I shook my head energetically and smiled, and was now ready to go out into the world and be my own boss. I was so anxious to get started in this lifestyle of being in control. The next day as I was ready to go to school, I stopped and asked my father, “Dad, I need some money for lunch today.” My father looked at me and said, “I thought you were in control of your life?” “Yes, dad, I’m in con trol of my life; I’m my own boss.” “Then,” my father said, “that means you have to pay for your own lunch. If you’re in charge, that means you have to pay for what you have.” He turned around and walked away, and I stood there glaring at him. I did not know that being in charge meant I had to pay for everything. He should’ve explained that to me a little more clearly. One Saturday, I needed to borrow my father’s car to go to a baseball game. “Dad, can I borrow your car so I can go to my baseball game this after noon?” “You sure can,” my father said, “and by the way, the car is low on gas, so you’ll have to put gas in the car.” I began to have differ ent feelings about being in charge of my life. I had no idea that my life was so expensive. Now, I had to get a job so that I could pay for everything and be my own boss. It took me a long time to realize how great my life was before I turned 16. If I would have known that, I think I would’ve lived more ex travagantly on my dad’s credit card. After celebrating my 16th birthday, I cooled down a little bit to realize that life really is hard, and getting old is not for sissies. Plus, it’s very costly. Before I was 16,1 thought everything was free, I could do whatever I please, and there would be no accountability. Turning 16 turned my life completely around. Another thing I expe rienced when I turned 16 is that I did not know all that I thought I knew. When a person thinks they know everything, they don’t know exactly what they don’t know. One of the most im portant lessons I have learned since I turned 16 was that it is essential to know what you don’t know. If you think you know everything, you’re missing out on a lot of life. Right after turning 16, I ran across what has become my life verse from the Bible. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowl edge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov erbs 3:5-6). Looking back, I can see that it serves no purpose not to trust in the Lord. However, I experience things that are beyond my experience and understanding, and that’s when God steps in. Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-216-3025 or e-mail j amessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship. com. From The Bible By Jerry Kingery Darius made a decree Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Sheth- arboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter. The copy of the letter that Tatnai, gov ernor on this side the river, and Shetharboz- nai, and his compan ions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: They sent a letter unto him Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Bab ylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree con cerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be budded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house: And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnez zar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. from Ezra 5 and 6 For a free Scripture packet, please write From the Bible, BIBLE FOUNDATION, PO Box 908, Newberg, Oregon 97132. email: bf@bf.org Lee County Church Of Christ Eddie Garcia, Minister Bible Study 9:30 AM Worship..10:30 AM & 6:00 PM Smithville Baptist Lance Fendley, Pastor Sunday School ...10:00 AM Worship...11 AM & 7 PM Philema Road Baptist Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM Evening Worship ..6:00 PM Alpha Baptist Les Reed, Pastor Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM 1st Sunday of the Month Evening Worship ..6:00 PM Antioch Baptist Church Rev. Lem Wright 1st and 3rd Sunday Sunday School 9:00 AM 4th Sunday Worship Service. 10:00 AM Friendship Baptist Church of Lee County Mark Spraggins, Pastor Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Service.. 11:00 AM Phillip Grove Baptist Pastor Jenkins Sunday School ...10:00 AM 1 st & 3rd Sunday 11:00 AM Mt. Pleasant Baptist Pastor E B Washington Sunday School 8:00 AM Worship Service ...,9:15AM Albany Bible Church Pastor Pete Daughtry, Sun. Bible Class...9:30 & 11:00 Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church Rev. Gary Collier Sunday School ...10:00 AM Worship Service.. 11:00AM Life Church Pastor Matthew Schluckebier Sr. Adult SS 9:30AM Sunday Service....10:45AM Westview Baptist Church Rev. Grady Morey Sunday School. ...9:45 AM Worship Service...11:00 AM Evening Worship...5:00 PM Attend The House of Worship of Your Choice This Sunday Kinchafoonee Baptist Rev. Melvin Slappy Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM Evening Worship ..7:00 PM Smithville United Methodist Rev. Duane Whittaker Worship 9:30 AM Sunday School ...10:45 AM Palmyra Baptist J. D. Bolden Sunday School ...10:00 AM Morning Worship 12:00 PM Bible Study (1st Sun) .5:00 PM Eve. Wor. (1st Sun)7:00 PM McAfee Grove Missionary Baptist Minister Robert Lewis Morgan First & Third Sundays Sunday School ...10:00 AM Worship 11:00 AM Second & Fourth Sundays Sunday School 8:00 AM Worship 9:00 AM Macadonia Baptist Church Sunday School ...10:30 AM First Sunday Morning Worship 11:45 AM Third Sunday Evening Worship .6:00 PM Jordan Grove Baptist Rev. Rod Hubbard Sunday School 9:45 AM Worship Service. 11:00 AM The Pointe Carl Barnhardt Sunday Worship...9:00 am Children’s Ministry (Infants-3yr old) Sunday Worship...10:30 am Children’s Ministry (Infants - 5th grade) Leesburg Church Of Christ Bro. Howard Bouldin Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship 10:45 PM Evening Worship .5:00 PM Greater Zion Hope Apostle Henry L Hosley Every 1 st, 4th, 5th Sunday Sunday School...8:00 a.m. Sunday Worship..9:00 a.m. Albany Community Seventh-day Adventist Church Pastor Steve Rose Saturdays Bible Study 9:30 AM Worship 10:40 AM Unity Church of Christianity Rev. Joanna Gabriel Morning Worship ...,11:00 AM New Hope AME Rev. E.X. King Every 1st and third Sunday Sunday School 10:00 AM Sunday Worship 11:00 AM House Of God Saints In Christ Elder A.F. Caldwell, Pastor Sunday School 10:30 AM 1st, 2nd, & 4th Sundays Morning Worship ...,11:45 AM 2nd & 4th Sunday Evening Service 6:30 PM For any corrections or additions to the Church Page, Contact The Lee County Ledger at 759-2413 The Church at the Groves Worship 9:30 AM Worship 11:00 AM Wooden Grove Baptist Joe Jones, Pastor 1st, 3rd, & 5th Sunday Sunday School ...,9:45AM Worship 11:00 AM 2nd & 4th Sunday Sunday School 7:45 AM Worship 9:00 AM Lifegate Church Sunday Service...10:00 AM Thundering Springs Baptist Church Sunday School 9.45 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM Evening Worship .6:00 PM Leesburg United Methodist Church Pastor Lee Smith Worship 8:30 AM Sunday School ...,9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM Green Grove Baptist Smithville, GA Rev. H. Waters Sunday School ..11:00 AM Every First Sunday Morning Worship 11:45 AM Kingdom Vision Christian Center Rev. Earl S. Harrison, Pastor Sunday School... 10:00 AM Sunday Worship. 11:15 AM Heritage Full Gospel Church Hickory Grove Road Sunday School 9:45 AM Sunday Service.... 10:45 AM Sunday Evening.. 6:00 PM Colony bank Member FDIC f=T Equal Housing Lender Located on Robert B. Lee Drive in Leesburg - 759-2800 2609 LedO Rd - 430-8080 and 113 North Westover Blvd. - 229-317-2157 XmkM-Stm, FUNERAL DIRECTORS Crematory and Memorials Crown Hill Cemetery 1503 Dawson Road • PO. Box 92 Albany, Georgia 31702-0092 Phone: (229) 883-4152 “Service Since 1880” GEORGIA’S OWN CREDIT UNION 239 Cedric Street, Leesburg, GA For more information call 229-435-1715 non® t=i \m\ Jlatfjetos Funeral Home Crematory/Memorials Mike Mathews - Gary Mathews 3206 Gillionville Rd. Albany, GA 31707 435-5657 Leesburg Cemetery Leesburg First Baptist Sunday School 9:00 AM Worship 10:15 AM Evening Worship ..6:00 PM Greater United Pleasant Green Baptist Church Rev. Andrew E. McDowell, Jr. Sunday School 9:45 AM Worship 11:15 AM Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Steven Youngblood, Pastor Morning Worship.10:30 AM Evening Worship..6:00 PM Amazing Grace Baptist Church Dr. Johnny Nixon Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Worship..10:45AM Evening Worship...6:00 PM Mt. Hope Baptist Church Services 1st Sunday Church 8:00 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM Piney Grove #3 Charles Carr, Pastor Sunday School... 10:00 AM 2nd and 4th Sunday Worship 11:00 Noon Emmanuel Community Baptist Church Al Bryant, Pastor Sunday School ..10:00 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM Shady Grove Baptist Church Rev. Sterlie Calhoun, Pastor 1st and 2nd Sunday Worship Service . 11:00 AM Every Sunday Sunday School ..10:00 AM St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church Rev. Dr. H. C. Wilson, Pastor Sunday School... 10:00 AM 2nd. Sun. Worship..11:00 AM 4th Sunday 7:00 PM Church Family of Prayer Ministry Pastor Norbert Ingram Sunday 11:00 New Hope Baptist Church Jonathan LaBarge Pastor Sunday School 10AM Service 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.