About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 18, 2013)
Frantic Search For A Lost Child Over 40 years ago, Beverly and I went shopping at the old K-Mart store on Pionono Av enue in Macon. Our 5-year- old son, Tim, came with us. While shopping in the store, Beverly looked around and said, “Where is Tim?” I quick ly panned the store and didn’t see him either, so Beverly and I started frantically walking up and down the aisles, searching for Tim. Five minutes elapsed and we still hadn’t found our little son. Considering the possibility Tim had been ab ducted, we suddenly became terror-stricken. Our once ca sual search became frantic. We were literally running up and down the aisles, looking everywhere for Tim. Then I heard the blessed news. Bev erly shouted in the distance, “I have found him!” What a glorious relief. Our lost child had been found. Because Tim was sitting on the floor in the electronics department watch ing television, he wasn’t vis ible during our searches. If you are a parent and have ever lost your child, you know how happy Beverly and I were to find Tim. I pray that the an guish Beverly and I felt when we thought Tim was lost will never happen to you. Just as Tim was precious to us, Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep makes it clear that ev ery man is precious in God’s sight. Jesus said: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety- nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoul ders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” In ancient Palestine, many of the sheep herds were commu nal flocks, belonging to villag es. Several shepherds would be in charge of watching the flocks. When news came that a single sheep had been lost, the entire village became anx iously concerned about the welfare of the single sheep. When they saw a shepherd striding into the village with the lost sheep strung across his shoulders, there would be great joy and thanksgiving among the townsfolk. So it is in heaven when a lost sinner is found. God is as glad when a lost sinner is found as a shep herd is when a lost sheep is found. Jesus declared Himself to be the Good Shepherd who laid His life down for His sheep: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired Trying To Keep My Sanity In A Politically Correct World All through my life, I have been awkward when talking to someone of the opposite gender. I had thought by the time I got to this stage of life, post-young, I would have left a lot of this behind. Just when I think I have a good handle on this situation, something hap pens setting me back at least two generations. I was doing fine until I heard a news report giving informa tion that the word ’’freshman” was no longer a politically cor rect word to use when speaking of college students. They are now referred to as ’’First-Year Students.” According to this report, the word freshman is offensive to women. How and why it is offensive, they never did say but being in a politically correct world this word may no longer be used. This is where my confusion comes in. Where are these individuals offended by the word ’’freshman?” I wish they would come and explain to me how this word offends them. This word has been used for generation after generation and this is the first time it is hurting certain individuals. I brought this to the attention of the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage to see if maybe she could shed a little bit of light on the situation. Unfortunately, she was as much in the dark about this as I was. I try to keep up with the latest trends and I must say that I am around 18 years behind my schedule. So, I am dying to retain a wee bit of sanity in this politi cally correct world around me. Frankly, I do not know why anybody wants to be politically correct. Being the sensitive kind of person that I am, I am going to give it the old college try. I sat down with my wife and we began to figure out how that I, a very sensitive and politi cally correct person, could ad dress somebody of the opposite gender. ”1 guess I can still call them women,” I said with a degree of certainty in my voice. My wife looked at me and slowly shook her head. ”I’m afraid that the word ’women,’ is offensive to some of these politically correct individu als because the word ends in ’men,’ which is a masculine gender.” I looked at her and scratched my head vigorously. ”It also applies,” she contin ued, ’’with the word ’woman’ because it also ends with the masculine ’man.’” I never really gave this much thought before. It never occurred to me that the last three letters of a word could be offensive to someone to the point that they are offended by that word. ”So,” I said rather thought fully rubbing my chin, ”1 will have to begin calling those individuals females.” I smiled and thought I had come up with a solution. I looked at my wife to get her approval. Shaking her head, she said, ’’That word is not acceptable anymore, either. If you look at the word, you will find that it ends in the word ’male,’ and as you know that is masculine.” I am really getting bogged down with all of this political correctness nonsense. How people can be so sensitive to be upset by a word. My father used to say, ’’Sticks and stones may break my bones (but words will never hurt me).” ’’Well,” I said in a little bit of desperation, ”1 guess I’ll just have to call them lady.” ’’Not so fast,” she said look ing at me. ”How do you spell lady? The first three letters spell the word ’lad,’ and every body knows a lad is a boy.” It has been a long time since I have been this frustrated. For the life of me I do not intend to offend anybody if it all pos sible. I am just getting to the point where I am not sure it is going to be possible not to offend persons of the opposite gender. I finally came up with the word I thought would solve all my political correctness dilemma. And I threw it at her. ”1 will just call them a person.” I was proud of my accomplish ment. Out to Pastor Rev. James L. Snyder jamessnyder2@att.net or whatafellowship.com Someone, no names will be mentioned, laughed hysterically at me while shaking her head. "Buster,” she said, ’’you still don’t get it, do you? The word person ends with the word ’son’ and everybody knows a son is a male child.” I cannot call them women or woman or female or lady or person because somewhere in those words someone sees something masculine. ”1 know what I’ll do,” I said to my wife with a smile danc ing across my face, ’’whenever I see someone of the opposite gender I will shout out loud and clear ’Hey, you.’” ”1 think you’re getting worse as you go along here,” she said. ’’You do know what the word ’hey’ begins with?” I thought for a moment, sadly shaking my head, I looked at her and said, ”He?” I will never arrive at any de gree of political correctness, at least during my lifetime. And, I will never understand any one of the opposite gender, what ever you call them. I do take a little consolation in God’s Word. ”Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11 KJV). I do not have to be politically correct when I come to God because His Word is final. Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 1-866-552-2543 ore-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. His web site is www.jamessnyderminis- tries.com. McLeighton Funeral Service vkwobituarksatWww.mcleightonfuneralseryice.com 375 S. Dugger Avenue Roberta, Georgia 478-836-3336 David & Donna McLeighton - owners ’Our Family Serving Your Family’ PAGE 5-THURSDAY, JULY 18,2013 Billy Powell Columnist www.billypowellbooks.com hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf com ing, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Fa ther—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” And finally, Jesus is the gate to the sheepfold: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” a person’s life or an un known destiny. Bu if you are saved and bom again, death is only a doorway to a new and better life. So the question is why do we fear death? Is it because of the pain we expect or the sepa ration of loved ones? God has shown us that death is just another step into eternal life. When we FIRST accept Christ into our lives, this is when it starts. Not everyone will be allowed in the new Jerusalem, only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Don’t think you’ll get in because of your background, person ality or good behavior. Eternal life is available to you only because of what Jesus did on the cross. My prayer is Lord help me to be ready when you come. We don’t know the day or the hour, but a terrible message for those who have rejected Him and stand under judgment. Soon means at any given moment and we must be ready for Him, always pre pared for His return. There is a reward that is waiting for all those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If you want eter nal life read Romans 10:9. Accept it, Believe it and Confess it. Be Blessed and Be Ready! Church J-Cappenings Weekly Devotion By Angie Carr Columnist Be Ready For many, death is a darkened door at the end of Prayer Line, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Christ Abundant Life Ministries, S. Dugger Ave., Roberta. Call 478- 836-3912. Word of God Tabernacle invites you to join them for the following weekly services: Sunday Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Sunday School at 10:00 a.m., Sunday Service at 11:00 a.m.; Monday Prayer at 9:00 a.m.; Wednesday Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study at 7:00 p.m.; Friday Prayer at 9:00 a.m. Everyone is invited. Pastor Frank Martin, Sr. Lizella Baptist Church Special Needs Ministry will have a monthly event the 2 ud Friday of every month, 7-9 p.m. They also have a Parent/Family/Caregiver Support Group for those who love someone with special needs. It is always the 1 st Tuesday of the month, 6-8 p.m. They have guest speakers and then a time of sharing. Lighthouse Community Church Homecoming and Revival - Location 4301 Jordan Rd., Byron, Ga. Sunday August 4th- Homecoming 10:30 A.M. Rev Joe Butterworth preaching with special singing by One Voice Sunday Evening August 4th- 7:00 P.M. Rev Rodney Hortman preaching with special singing by Francis Wilder Monday August 5th- Rev Gary Berrier preaching with special singing by Zach Ware Tuesday August 6th-Rev Monty February preaching with special singing by Becky Hattaway and the Pine Ridge Boys Wednesday August 7th- Rev Myron Parkerson preaching with special singing by Becky Hattaway and the Pine Ridge Boys Roberta United Methodist Church will have Vacation Bible School, July 21st - 24th, 6:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. for ages 3 yrs. - 12 yrs. The theme is ’’Holy Day”, growing in Faith. For more information call 478-836- 4228. Pleasant Grove Church family will celebrate its annual Summer Revival, July 29th - 31, 2013, 7:30 p.m. nightly. All area churches and organizations are invited to come and and help celebrate this joyous occasion. Speakers for the week will be: Monday - Rev. Morris Hillman - Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church; Tuesday, Rev. Corey Stubbs - Pastor of Pine Grove Baptist Church - Yatesville, Ga; Wednesday - Rev. Dexter Jordan - Pastor of Stone Creek Baptist - Dry Branch, GA. The Zion Hill Baptist Church invites everyone to their regular services on 2nd Sundays at 11 a.m., 4th Sundays at 10 a.m. and 5th Sundays at 8 a.m. They have Bible Study every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Deadline for Church Happenings: Friday 5p.m. Prov 3:6: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight PLEASE LIST YOUR CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Granite • Marble • Bronze • Coping • Monument Cleaning • Sandblasting ”Serving all Middle Georgia cemeteries 33 Kade E. Rooks P. O. Box 1711, Fort Valley, GA 31030 *478-825-2424 or 478-951-1571 *Fax: 478-825-3794
