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Page 4 — Wednesday, January 13, 2021 The Millen News
Opinions, yours and ours
from the
Editor’s Desk
Joe Brady
Millen News editor
Suddenly, our
pledge of allegiance
means a little more
today than it did be
fore. "I pledge alle
giance to the flag of
the United States of
America, and to the
Republic for which
it stands, one Nation
under God, indivis
ible, with liberty
and justice for all."
Like most of you, I
sat glued to the tele
vision last Wednes
day, watching in
horror as our nation was attacked. The last time I sat glued
to the television was when our nation was attacked by terror
ists on 9/11. This time our nation was attacked by citizens,
while they yelled, "this is our house!"
But it is my house too and I watched it be vandalized and
descecrated as windows were busted out by these thugs. I
am reminded of what President Abraham Lincoln said, "a
house divided against itself can not stand." I imagine our
foreign enemies had a field day as they watched in glee,
as the creators of democracy assaulted the very symbol of
democracy. My, how Lady Liberty must have wept.
As salty tears streamed down my cheeks, I stared at the
violent images flashing before me. As traitors desecrated
what we as patriots hold most dear, I cried for my country. I
cried for the friends I have lost over politics. I cried because
I came so close two years ago of not having to witness this,
I don't want to witness this.
I cried because as a citizen of this country, the Constitu
tion is more to me than a piece of paper. We never had to
make America great again, it always has been. These United
States of America is the greatest country in the world. But
we didn't seem so great last week. The images coming from
our capitol looked like scenes from a third world country,
not the United States.
In this article several months ago I pleaded with my neigh
bors, friends, and loved ones, for us to show love and com
passion. That we were better than this, that we weren't raised
this way. But after witnessing the ugliness on facebook in the
ensuing days since the attack, I realize that maybe we aren’t
better than this. We somehow think we aren’t accountable
for what we put on social media.
That allows young people to talk to older people in ways I
hope they would never speak to their grandparents. Would
we speak to our neighbors like this if we saw them in the gro
cery store? I fear the sheriff’s office and police department
would be busily responding to calls of fighting if we did.
Sitting behind a computer screen somehow emboldens us.
Social media would be a friendlier place if we tempered
our nastiness with a single question, “would I say this to
their face?” But, this is another story for another edition of
the paper.
How do we conquer the hatred shown last week for our fel
low man and our country? With love. If you ever doubted
God at work, just remember the way our government officials
began coming together last week. Just like December 7,
1941, like September 11, 2001, and now, January 6, 2021,
Americans came together. For all of our differences, we
have one thing in common, we are Americans and most of
us love our country.
Since I am Episcopalian please bear with me as I share a
prayer of peace from the Book of Common Prayer, page 815.
"Eternal God, in whose perfect Kingdom, no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince
of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion
and glory, now and for ever." Amen.
We welcome your
try
DI
le Ktttai
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Pastor Brad Asbury
Take My Hand, Lead Me On
In 1932, amid a great trag
edy Thomas Dorsey penned the
following words,
Precious Lord, take my hand,
lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am
worn;
Through the storm, through
the night,
lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious
Lord, lead me home.
Dorsey, who was born in
Georgia wrote the song Pre
cious Lord, Take my Hand
when he was faced with the
death of his wife and his son.
Here is how the song came
about and the moments of his
writing it,
"Back in 1932 I was 32
years old and a fairly new
husband. My wife, Nettie and
I were living in a little apart
ment on Chicago’s Southside.
One hot August afternoon I
had to go to St. Louis, where
I was to be the featured soloist
at a large revival meeting. I
didn’t want to go. Nettie was
in the last month of pregnancy
with our first child. But a lot
of people were expecting me
in St. Louis.”
"... In the steaming St. Lou
is heat, the crowd called on me
to sing again and again. When
I finally sat down, a messen
ger boy ran up with a Western
Union telegram. I ripped open
the envelope. Pasted on the
yellow sheet were the words:
Your wife just died.”
"When I got back, I learned
that Nettie had given birth to
a boy. I swung between grief
and joy. Yet that night, the
baby died. I buried Nettie and
our little boy together, in the
same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I
felt that God had done me an
injustice. I didn’t want to serve
Him any more or write gospel
songs. I just wanted to go back
to that jazz world I once knew
so well...”
"But still I was lost in grief.
Everyone was kind to me,
especially a friend, Professor
Frye, who seemed to know
what I needed. On the follow
ing Saturday evening he took
me up to Malone’s Poro Col
lege, a neighborhood music
school. It was quiet; the late
evening sun crept through the
curtained windows. I sat down
at the piano, and my hands be
gan to browse over the keys."
Tragedy and moments of
crisis often lead us to times of
drawing near to God, for many
it has been done so in song. We
could read of many Psalms in
the Bible penned during great
est tragedy.
Those songs and Psalms
are with us today to remind
us of the hope that we have in
drawing near to God in times
of desperation. These songs
and Psalms give us hope in a
God who will see us through.
In the days our nation has
wandered through, may we
join in song to unite our hearts
together in the crisis of our day.
May we all cry out, “Precious
Lord, take my hand, lead me
on, let me stand.”
Melissa Walker
Living the Salt Life
As I sit in the middle of Pine
Island Sound,which separates
me from the Gulf of Mexico, I
think of the salt life. Most of us
have seen bumper stickers and
have friends that display “Salt
Life" as a passion and a life
style. If you never really knew
what that meant let me tell you,
to enjoy the Salt Life is to enjoy
the peace of the outdoors and
all the experiences and simplic
ity the ocean has to offer.
As I ride on a boat, I enjoy
the salt spray that flings in the
air, hitting my face as the boat
cuts through the ocean waves.
For me the salt life is about
freedom. If I’m stressed or
worried, all I have to do is go
to the ocean and I feel calm and
refreshed.
Did you know Christians
were the original people called
to live the Salt Life? Although
salt has many purposes, it is
primarily used to enhance the
flavor of and to slow the decay
of food. The church is called
to be the salt of the earth as we
enhance the flavor of life. We
should live flavorful lives.
Christians should live in
such a way as to attract people
to Jesus. The church has to
remain holy and pure from the
world if it is going to slow the
decay of corruption on this
earth.
We continue to hear and see
things unfold that we could
never imagine happening. We
are in the midst of an evil and
decaying society so we have
to let our light shine wherever
we go. In Matthew 5:13-14 It
states,“ye are the salt of the
earth: but if the salt have lost
its savour, wherewith shall
it be salted? It is thenceforth
good for nothing, but to cast
out, and to be trodden under
foot of men. Ye are the light of
the world. A city that is set on
an hill cannot be hid.”
We know that if salt gets into
an open wound it will burn,
but yet it heals. Like salt,God's
word can sting when poured
into an open wound. But it is
such a good purifier that when
used correctly God’s word can
cleanse and heal. We are the
salt of the earth.
Therefore, let us live like
salt and give flavor and heal
ing to a world that clearly
needs salt sprinkled all over
it’s open wounds. “Always
have a unique character like
salt, it’s presence is never felt
but it’s absence make all things
tasteless.” -Sakina Kamal.
Until our next read, love one
another!
Library closes due to Covid exposure
Sharon Blank
We have some unfortunate
news for our patrons. There
was a COVID-19 exposure at
our library and we have been
forced to close until such a
time as we have confirmed our
staff and patrons will be safe.
During this time, all patrons
are welcome to use the Screven
County Library to serve your
library needs. We apologize
for this inconvenience, but we
are doing our best to protect
everyone.
Any items which would have
been due during the time we
will be closed will have their
due dates extended until we
reopen and no overdue fines
will be levied during that time.
You are also welcome to place
books (not DVDs) into our
book drop, although they may
not be shown as checked in
until after we reopen.
You can also return items,
including DVDs, at any PINES
library and check out items at
that library as normal.
As always, our library wifi
is available from outside the
building 24/7 and there is no
password required.
While you’re waiting for us
to reopen, why not check out
Libby, our e-book and down
loadable audiobook service?
It’s a great way to keep reading
even when the library is closed,
as you can check things in and
out anywhere you have internet
service!
Instructions on how to ac
cess Libby can be found on
our homepage at www.sjrls.
org. We also have a lot of other
great resources available, from
a page of COVID-19 resources,
now updated to include infor
mation on how to sign up for
a vaccine appointment, and
how to find out if and when
you’ll be receiving your $600
stimulus payment, to our online
resources page full of links that
will let you access everything
from kids games to learning a
new language.
Well, that’s all for now - stay
safe!
f TEMPORARILY 1
DUE TO
COVID-19