Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2008
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
Gifts, givers and receivers
‘TIS THE sea
son for giving and
receiving, and
that’s a shame
- if it’s the only
season for giving
and receiving.
It is not, of
course. The
real Spirit of
Christmas is
available the
year-round. So why
shouldn’t we share it the
year-round?
Many people do, and I
imagine the blessing they
receive for giving a hun
gry family something to
eat on Friday, Feb. 13,
is just as great - maybe
greater - than delivering a
fruit basket on Christmas
day.
I’m afraid most of us
give a little during the
holidays and leave it to
churches and charities to
take care of the poor the
rest of the year. Of course,
we give to the churches
and charities; so maybe
that lets us off the hook.
The feast-or-famine syn
drome can also be a prob
lem. Sometimes there are
so many gifts under and
around the Christmas tree
that you can’t get to the
tree, and when the gifts
are distributed (excuse
me, given) the cupboard is
bare. And bare cupboards
always lead to let-downs.
Wouldn’t it be better if
we spread all that stuff
around?
I do not mean to belit
tle any gift by calling it
“stuff.” But some gifts fit
the definition. I don’t want
to be Grinch and steal any
thing, but... It’s not what
the gift is, but the motive
or attitude with which it is
given. A Mercedes given
for the wrong reason is
stuff, pure and
simple. There are
gifts and then there
are gifts, and all
of them do not do
credit to the Spirit
of Christmas.
I looked up
“gift” in the dic
tionary: “some
thing given.” What
kind of gift is that?
It can be anything. It can
be creative and helpful or
destructive and harmful. A
“something” gift covers a
multitude of good or evil,
and you can never be cer
tain which it is.
This definition narrows
it down a bit: “something
voluntarily transferred
by one person to another
without compensation.”
In other words, you
freely give it, without
pressure from anybody or
anything. You give it out
of love or admiration for
the receiver, and expect
nothing in return.
You don’t give it to
maintain or improve your
standing in the communi
ty, church, club or where
you work. You don’t give
it because the receiver
gave you a gift last year,
and you expect something
from him or her this year.
(Why am I sitting
here tonight addressing
Christmas cards to people
I received Christmas cards
from this morning?)
They say giving is down
this year because of the
bad economy. Jobs have
been lost. Houses are
in foreclosure. Cars are
being repossessed. Credit
card debt is out of control.
There’s just no money for
gifts.
Well, you don’t need
money. You have a gift to
share that is worth more
than money.
There is this definition
of gift in the Dictionary:
“a notable capacity or tal
ent.” It is a gift everybody
has. We were endowed
with it at birth, and if
we use it to the best of
our ability, freely and not
expecting compensation,
it definitely is notable.
You see, you and I are
unique individuals, differ
ent, unlike everybody else
in the world. Therefore,
we have a capacity and
talent that nobody else on
earth has. It is a witness
and a contribution that
nobody but us can make or
give. If we don’t do it, it
doesn’t get done. So let’s
get out there and do it.
Fet’s not make light of
this gift. We are all in this
boat. Without us being
here together, we are
almost alone. Used for the
purpose it is intended, no
one’s talent is more or less
important than another’s.
And so your gift this
Christmas may not be any
thing tangible, wrapped up
in colorful paper, tied with
a pretty bow and placed
under the Christmas tree
or parked in front of the
house. Your best gift to a
lonely human being and a
hurting world is you.
“No one is useless in
this world who lightens
the burden of it to anyone
else.” - Dickens.
“What do we live for,
if not to make life less
difficult to each other?” -
George Eliot.
Now, let me tell you
about a man and a woman
who give gifts to me.
They deliver my newspa
pers very, very early in
the morning. No matter
when I go out to pick up
the papers - 5, 6 o’clock,
while it’s still dark - they
are out there somewhere.
Sometimes they are hard
to find, and I don’t rel
ish walking the shoulder
of the road and feeling
around in the wet grass
looking for them. But I
find them, bring them in
and dump them out of
their plastic wraps, pour
myself a cup of coffee,
and begin my day.
Three weeks ago I got
a bonus. When I dumped
the papers, out fell two
Christmas cards, along
with self-addressed enve
lopes.
I thought to myself, now
if I am smart - and have
the Christmas Spirit - I’ll
return these envelopes,
along with a little some
thing. That I did. I wished
them a Merry Christmas
and thanked them for
“faithfully tossing my
papers in the middle of
the driveway.”
Every morning, for
the past 15 days, I have
not left the pavement or
wandered around in the
wet grass. My papers are
neatly placed side-by-side
right there in the middle
of the driveway, easy to
find in the dark.
I don’t know if the deliv
ery persons expected any
thing in return when they
sent me those Christmas
cards. However, I am a
little suspicious that I
expected better service
when I returned them,
with a little something.
I guess I ought to ask
the Good Ford to forgive
me. It’s not good to mess
with the True Spirit of
Giving - at Christmas or
anytime.
Virgil Adams is a for
mer owner/editor of The
Jackson Herald.
virgil
adams
Express sentiments today
Dear Editor:
There were 3 writings in
the Herald (December 10th
issue) which were eulogiz
ing folks. All were beauti
fully written tributes. In
each case I am sure they
gave great comfort to their
respective families and
to the loved ones of the
deceased.
But my personal feelings
are more aligned with the
sentiment expressed in
the title of an old country
song often performed by
the Carter Family. The
title of which says it all:
Give Me the Roses While
I Live. Had the “roses,” in
each of these 3 instances
been given earlier, not only
would it have brought joy
to the those families and
their loved ones, but con
sider of how much it would
have meant to the one who
was being eulogized. We
all like to hear nice things
said about us. But see
ing nice words about us in
print, is even better.
If we love someone I
believe we should tell them
now, today. If one is wor
thy of kind words, let those
kind words be spoken to
that individual now, today.
We cannot know when it
might be too late, so we
must do it now, today. If
we know someone who has
spent a goodly portion of
their life contributing to the
common good of others,
in service or deed, then a
Letter to the Editor, in my
opinion, would be appro
priate. Please do not mis
understand me. I find no
fault with these writings
in the Herald. It is only
the timing that troubles
me. “The word we had not
sense to say - Who knows
how grandly it had rung!”
was penned by Edward
Rowland Sill over a hun
dred years ago in his poem,
The Fool’s Prayer.
My point here was beau
tifully exemplified in the
story and tribute to Doctor
John Crenshaw published in
the Herald in the September
17th issue and written by
Ms. Jana Mitcham. The
story must have warmed the
heart of Doctor Crenshaw
as well as his family and
loved ones. And they could
all bask in it without blend
ing with it the sadness of
death.
A few years back, my
wife and I were at the
Grand Canyon National
Park in Arizona. There we
came upon a marker that
was dedicated in honor of
Stephen Tyng Mather, who
laid the foundation for our
National Parks. In part, this
was written on the marker:
“There will never come an
end to the good that he
has done.” I have since
thought about that many
times and often wondered
if that beautiful sentiment
was ever spoken to him in
life or if he ever saw those
words in print.
Sincerely;
Sonny Cheatham
Pendergrass
Jefferson council continued from page JA
(office-institutional dis
trict) to C-2 (commercial
district) in order to sell
the property for a Dollar
General store. The request
will be on the Jan. 26 agen
da for the council.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the
council:
•decided to study further
a proposal to locate cameras
at some red lights in town.
Councilman Roy Plott said
he has some reservations
about whether this would
cause more wrecks than it
stops.
•postponed action on
amending city sign regu
lations. The issue will be
discussed further at the
Jan. 12 work session with
action possible at the Jan.
26 voting meeting. The
proposed change to the
land use management code
concerns signs on 1-85.
The main purpose of this
change is to regulate the
r
LANDSCAPING & HORSE AEENAS
• RIVER SAND
• TOP SOIL
•RIVER ROCK
• WHITE SAND
•FILL DIRT
•PEA GRAVEL
WILLIAMS SAND
770-967-6501 OR 706-789-3779
Danielsville, GA • www.williamstransportco.com
' J Highway 106 to Jot-em Down Rd. to Young Harris Road to Serenity Lane J 1
ife*
newer LED signs that can
change to display differ
ent messages. The proposal
calls for limiting the signs
along 1-85 and to ban them
from many other areas of
the city.
•held a 30-minute closed
session to discuss person
nel and land acquisition.
After opening the meet
ing, the council voted
not to proceed with pur
chasing 39 acres on Old
Pendergrass Road adjacent
to the recreation center. As
for the personnel, Mayor
Jim Joiner said an evalua
tion and job performance
review for city manager
John Ward was conducted.
He said Ward had “met or
exceeded” the expectations
of the council.
Candles on Dec. 31
to benefit relay teams
“CANDLES LIT for the
Eve” — which will benefit
Relay for Life teams in Jackson
and Barrow counties — will
be held on Wednesday, Dec.
31, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., at
Braselton Town Hall.
Hundreds of candles will be
lit on New Year’s Eve to honor
a loved one or friend who has
been diagnosed with cancer.
Luminary bags will display the
names of those honored and
remembered. The event will
also give hope for those battling
cancer in 2009.
If the event is successful in
Braselton, additional locations
for luminaries may be used in
2009.
Each luminary will cost $5,
with proceeds benefiting Relay
for Life teams. Checks may be
made payable to the American
Cancer Society and mailed to
Victoria Patrick. ACS, 1684
Barnett Shoals Road, Athens,
GA 30605.
Guinness: No world
record for Hoschton
But city will be ‘Scarecrow Capitol’
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE GUINNESS World
Records has said Hoschton
didn’t earn a world record
— but the city may promote
itself as the “Scarecrow Capitol
of the World.”
The London-based company
told organizers of the Hoschton
Stampede of Scarecrows two
weeks ago that the city won’t be
given a Guinness World Record
for “The Most Scarecrows in
One Location.”
News of the failed world
record attempt came in a simple
e-mail that offered little expla
nation for the decision.
“We tried to analyze what
went wrong,” said Robbie
Bettis, one of the key organizers
of Hoschton’s attempt for the
world record.
Hoschton officials announced
in September that the city had
documented 5,441 scarecrows
in the 30548 zip code — which
extends into Jackson, Barrow,
Hall and Gwinnett counties.
The previous world record
was set in 2003 at the Cincinnati
Horticultural Society’s flower
and farm fest with 3,311 scare
crows. Hoschton was aiming for
4,000 scarecrows to promote the
city’s fall festival in September.
Bettis said Guinness deter
mined that Hoschton didn’t get
the world record because of dif
fering opinions of “location.”
While the Cincinnati attempt
was held at a particular event,
Hoschton’s world record effort
included an entire zip code, she
said.
The fall festival committee
could have paid for a person
from the London-based com
pany to keep watch on the
scarecrow effort or paid for a
“fast track” review of the city’s
attempt, but the committee opted
to save its money to purchase
the rights of using Guinness’
logo, if it was given the world
record, Bettis said.
Right now, the city’s fall fes
tival committee hasn’t deter
mined if it will appeal Guinness’
decision, Bettis said.
Even without the Guinness
World Record, Hoschton may
still say it’s the “Scarecrow
Capitol of the World,” she
added.
“We may claim it’s our own
world record,” Bettis said on
Monday. “We certainly think
we set a world record.”
The scarecrow effort not only
stirred plenty of community
response — it also drew thou
sands of tourists to the small
Jackson County city.
At the height of the world
record attempt, traffic jams were
common along Ga. Hwy. 53
— where most of the stuffed
creations were posted through
Hoschton.
Mayor Bill Copenhaver said
in September that he initially
doubted the city would reach its
goal of 4,000 scarecrows. The
city later certified 5,441 scare
crows before sending its entry to
the Guinness World Records.
And despite not having
the title of a Guinness World
Record, Bettis said the scare
crow effort created several posi
tive aspects for the city.
Not only did the community
effort surpass its initial goal, the
buzz about Hoschton’s scare
crows drew tourists to the city,
she said. Many Hoschton busi
nesses reported an upswing in
sales prior to the fall festival.
The Hoschton Fall Festival
also drew 25,000 guests to the
two-day event — compared to
5,000 in 2007, she said.
“One of the goals was to help
people pronounce the name of
Hoschton correctly,” Bettis said.
“And I certainly think we did
that.”
Still, Hoschton plans to cel
ebrate its world record attempt
with a bonfire on Saturday, Jan.
3, from 3-5 p.m., at the Kenerly
farm on Ga. Hwy. 53.
Those with scarecrows in
Hoschton are asked to bring
them to the bonfire. Hot choco
late and marshmallows will be
provided.
While there is some sadness
about not getting the Guinness
World Record, the fall festival
committee will celebrate and
have a good time at the bonfire,
Bettis said.
And what does the city have
planned for next year’s fall fes
tival?
That’s still undetermined, but
Bettis said it will include scare
crows.
“We know we’ll do some
thing without a doubt,” she said.
“It’s a big part of our fall fes
tival.”
tfm fwiny Memory of
OrJisy Ske/tofv, Jr.
. '27, [922- [december 2S, AMV
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
We 'll see you someday!
Love
Lottie. Gail. Odis Jr. and Families
5*
Wishing Our Grandchildren
a
Merry
ristmaj
Love,
Mimi &
Papa
Cal and Madalyn
Tolbert
Crosby Fite