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SUNDAY,
JANUARY 11, 2004
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Cindy Gambill
Columnist
Passing on the
bookworm gene
It was 8:45 on a week
night. I was dashing down
the hall headed to the laun
dry room with plans to wash
another load before I had to
tuck in Evan.
I’d already completed a
round of grocery shopping
along with dinner and dish
es.
That’s when I noticed
something.
It was quiet in our home.
Too quiet.
The only sounds were the
gurgling of the aquarium
pump and the padding of
paws as our two cats raced
down the hall.
I turned the corner and
saw the lamp on in the mas
ter bedroom.
I opened the door and
found one of the most
touching sites in my six
years of parenthood.
Lying on their backs side
by side in the bed were my
husband and our son. Each
held a comic book in hand
and silently read the stories.
On my way back from the
laundry room, I peeked in
again.
Evan had dropped his
book and snuggled next to
his father to listen to the
stoiy.
As parents we can give
our children a lot of things.
But all the video games and
candy in the world can’t
replace a love of reading.
I grew up as a bookworm
- the only bookworm in my
family. I had an insatiable
appetite for reading. I
checked out books from the
library and went through all
the books my mom had on
her bookshelves.
The summer I was 13 I
read her entire romance
novel collection. Mom didn’t
mind because she was just
glad I was reading. I wished
she’d had better taste in
novelists.
Now my son has discov
ered the wonders of read
ing. Where he once saw let
ters and a few words, he
now sees phrases and ideas.
Every bit of writing is fair
game for him to read.
Billboards, cereal boxes,
newspapers, shampoo bot
tles. Everything.
Now that he’s learned
how to read, Evan doesn’t
always need me to read to
him. It’s a bittersweet reve
lation. I’ll miss those times,
but I know he’ll learn more
reading on his own.
Opening a book is more
than just flipping pages and
reading words. Opening a
book is an opportunity to
travel to a distant land or
step back into history.
Opening a book is solving a
mystery or creating a new
world.
Opening a book is food for
the brain. With enough of
this vital nutrient, intelli
gence can increase astro
nomically.
You can’t get that kind of
food from mindlessly watch
ing whatever television pro
grammers dish out.
And books don’t require
electricity or a cable sub
scription.
I like to go to the movies,
but I’ve realized that the
book is always better than
the movie created from it.
In the book the reader’s
imagination can create the
world as the writer intend
ed. Even with today’s com
puter-driven movie cre
ations, there are still limits
Sn QAMBILL, page 7A
_£|j /•. WfiM , * . • -- ...
The teachers and children of Kids’ Kingdom Preschool at Andrew United Methodist Church are getting ready to welcome all former teachers and
students to a 10th anniversary service.
Did your kid go to Kids’ Kingdom?
Pre-school at Andrew United Methodist holding a 10th anniversary homecoming
By Charlotte Perkins
HHJ Lifestyle Editor
KATHLEEN - On any
weekday you can hear the
sounds of children’s laugh
ter echoing through the
hallways at Andrew United
Methodist Church, as little
children play together under
loving supervision, learn
their ABCs and numbers,
listen to stories and even
recite The Pledge of
First Baptist Perry starts
third Sunday worship
Informal dress, praise band music at 9:45 a.m.
PERRY - First Baptist
Church of Perry is a grow
ing church, now preparing
to hold worship services
three times each Sunday
morning.
According to Cindy
Collier, secretary to Pastor
Rick Parker, said that the
new service, to begin this
Sunday, Jan. 11, is being
provided for those who want
to dress informally and
enjoy praise band music and
Jesus knows that life can be tough, unfair
Jesus of Nazareth. He is
history’s most compelling
figure, yet even with all of
the books that have been
written about him, most of
his first 30 years remain a
mystery. Luke is probably
the most detailed of the
Gospel writers, but his
account of Jesus sheds little
light of those early years.
Within the span of 41 verses
of Luke chapter 2, the scene
shifts from the baby Jesus in
a manger in Bethlehem to
the 12-year-old Jesus hold
ing class for the religious
teachers in the Jerusalem
temple.
There’s no mention of
whether or not he went
through the “terrible twos”
or how his grades were in
school. We can only guess
how well he made friends or
if he ever had a crush on the
girl next door. Do you ever
wonder if he got a spanking?
All we’re given is a single
verse of how the transition
into the teen years went for
the young boy from
Nazareth. “And Jesus kept
Family&Faith
Allegiance.
It’s been that way for a
decade now, and the teach
ers and students at Kids’
Kingdom Pre-School and
Mother’s Morning Out pro
gram are now planning a
10th birthday celebration.
A special service will be
held at the church at 11 a.m.
on Sunday, Jan. 18, with
refreshments to follow.
Planners are hoping that
songs. It will begin at 9:45
a.m.
“You can come as you
are,” Collier said.
A new 11 a.m. Sunday
School time has also been
added for those attending
the 9:45 worship service.
The morning schedule is
now as follows:
Worship services will be
held at 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m.,
and 11 a.m.
Sunday school will be held
at 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Phil Lambert
Columnist
increasing in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with
God and man.” (Luke 2:52)
But, if you’re looking for
insight on how a soon-to-be
Messiah dealt with life as a
teenager, forget it. If you’re
expecting some insight on
how Jesus lived as a young,
single adult, you’re not
going to find it in the
Gospels.
In fact, none of the
Gospels record a single
event from the next 17 years
former teachers and all for
mer students, their parents
and grandparents will plan
to be there.
The program, which gives
children an opportunity to
play and learn with others,
and gives their moms an
opportunity to have a morn
ing on their own, was begun
in 1993 by Kay Bates, the
wife of Pastor Gene Bates as
a mission to young children
and their parents. Candace
Senior Surprise Party coming soon
WARNER ROBINS -
Warner Robins Recreation
Department Senior Citizen
Services is hosting our
annual Senior Surprise
Party on Monday evening,
Jan. 26 at the Wellston
Center, 152 Maple St. The
cost is SB.OO per person and
the reservation deadline is
Wednesday, Jan. 21.
The Surprise Party is our
premiere event for adults
50 and over who are look
ing for a fabulous way to
begin the new year. The
“surprise” is not in the
date, time or place, but in
of his life. When the curtain
is raised again in chapter 3
of Luke, Jesus enters stage
left as a 30-year-old man
prepared for the earthly
ministry that we’re all most
familiar with.
Mark doesn’t even bother
mentioning Christ’s birth,
much less anything else
about the childhood of
Jesus. His Gospel focuses
on why Christ came and
what he did while he was
here. By the end of Mark’s
first chapter, Jesus has
called his first disciples, cast
out some demons, healed
Peter’s mother-in-law, and
cleansed a man from leprosy.
I know that the Gospel
writers focused on the sto
ries, events, and miracles
that would help their read
ers, including us, believe
that Jesus was indeed the
Son of God and the long
awaited Messiah. But, part
of me wishes that we knew a
little bit more of those “mys
tery years." What went on
during those 17 years that
helped prepare him for his
Clester succeeded Bates as
director, and Sandy Stokes
currently holds the position.
“The goal is still to pro
vide a loving Christian,
developmentally appropri
ate early childhood environ
ment,” Stokes say “We want
to see the children grow
socially, spirtually, emotion
ally and cognitively.”
The children enjoy special
events for holidays as well as
outdoor activities and out
the theme of the party. The
surprise is in the entertain
mment, the food, the deco
rations and the company.
Each year we give one clue
- what to wear. This year
we are asking the ladies to
wear formalwear or
Sunday best, and the guys
to \*ear a tux or suit. If
they don’t have this cloth
ing, please come anyway
with whatever is comfort
able. pon’t miss this year’s
event!
Brial Barnett and
Thespian Troup 2892 will
be entertaining the seniors
earthly ministry? At what
point did he truly under
stand that his dfestiny was to
be the Savior ot the world?
Did he struggle Vfith the fact
that every day ofbis life was
bringing him one step closer
to a painful crucifixion?
To most of us, tht Jesus of
the Gospels always has his
act together and \ always
knows the next step to take.
He never sticks his foot in
his mouth or lets dawn a
friend. His life always Wems
to be in order. Maybe we
wish every now and (then
he’d mess up like the re'st of
us. \
But, his ability to liv« a
sinless life in a sinful woild
does not keep him froVi
understanding what it’s like
to be one of us. It’s easy tA
forget that he put his san->
dais on one foot at a time,
too. He knew the hurt of
losing a friend and the sting
of a betrayer’s kiss. He
watched his closest friends
turn tail and run on the
night of his arrest and stood
silent in the face of ir\justice.
6A
ings.
On the staff are Annette
Wilson, who has been with
the pre-school from the
beginning, Amanda Law,
Shirley Stant, Candice
Hutchins, Pam Collins ,
Kelly Norman, Melissa
Stanley, Lisa Johnson and
Jann Rabon.
For more information on
the Sunday event, or on
Kids Kingdom, call Sandy
Stokes at 987-2986.
with performances from
this year’s award winning
one act play - Chicago, and
Broadway hits from their
upcoming Dinner Theatre
on Feb. 20 and 21.
This is the best enter
tainment value of the sea
son - just $8 for a delicious
sit down dinner, dancing,
entertainment and great
fellowship!
To make a reservation,
please call (478) 929-6960
or come by the Senior
Center, 155 Maple St. in
Warner Robins and the
hours are 8-5 Monday -
Friday.
He felt the hurt of a disci
ple’s denial and listened as
the very ones who praised
him as the son of David on
Palm Sunday voted him a
criminal who deserved death
on Good Friday.
He experienced the ulti
mate in embarrassment,
ridicule, and mockery. The
prophet Isaiah calls him “a
man of sorrows, familiar
with grief.” And Hebrews
reminds us that Jesus is a
priest “who has been tempt
ed in every way, just as we
are—yet was without sin.”
When the Word became
flesh and lived among us, he
did it in such a way that he
understands everything
from our greatest joys to our
deepest sorrows. So when
we walk through life’s most
difficult seasons and wonder
if anyone truly knows how
we feel, you can be sure that
.Jesus does. He knows that
'life can be tough. He knows
that life can be lonely. He
knows that life can be
ikifair. And he’s got the
sqirs to prove it.