BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Items from my political notebook as we get closer to the May primary:
•The Republican primary for governor is shaping up to a competitive one.
On paper, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp would be considered favorites since they have already been elected to statewide offices, but the campaigns of Hunter Hill and Clay Tippins are also building strong grassroots support.
The key for Hill and Tippins (as well as the other candidates in the race) will be the upcoming forums. No doubt each one will challenge Cagle on the fact he has been a politician for years and will likely take Kemp to task on the same thing.
In fact Hill has a somewhat funny internet ad showing his military background as compared to the political backgrounds of Cagle and Kemp. Hill, along with actors portraying Cagle and Kemp, are on a military training obstacle course and needless to say the suit wearing politicians aren’t able to keep pace.
Similar to Hill, Tippins has a strong military background and will no doubt gain support because of it.
Also in the GOP primary for governor are state senator and Donald Trump activist Michael Williams, restaurant owner Eddie Hayes and teacher and conservative activist Marc Urbach.
•We often hear about government overstepping its bounds. A new law about to go into effect will do just that but because many people think with emotion rather than their brain there has not been a great deal of outcry. Rather the reaction has been the opposite.
In Georgia it will soon be illegal for people to talk on their cellphones while driving. Quite frankly, this is the ultimate in government overstepping its bounds.
In reality, it probably is not a good idea to talk on our cellphones while driving. It is certainly distracting and while in theory it is safer to leave the cellphone alone (talking or texting) while behind the wheel we do not need the government dictating to us that we need to do so.
Eating too much fast food is not good for us either but we do not need the government passing a law saying we can only eat so much of it.
It is a good idea to exercise but once again there does not need to be a law ordering us to do so.
It became law in Georgia many years ago that people must wear seatbelts. That also was a government overreach and was not necessary. It allowed municipalities to generate revenue off the law but it was in no way necessary.
This new cellphone law will also be a revenue maker but like its relative the seatbelt law is nothing but big brother overreach.
•Georgia will have a new insurance commissioner in 2019 and all citizens should be thankful.
The current occupant of the office will go down as the least effective person to ever occupy the seat in history.
There are three Republicans, two Democrats and one Libertarian running for the seat. All six would be a vast improvement over the current office holder.
From a person perspective, I encourage people to look at the campaign of Tracy Jordan, who is a member of the Braselton City Council as well as a pharmacist. However, all Georgians will benefit from a new person occupying this important seat.
Chris Bridges is a former editor with MainStreet Newspapers. He welcomes feedback about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.
Features
Growing up in Commerce
There is a Facebook page devoted to “Growing Up In Commerce.” Long-time residents, some who still live in Commerce and others who live across the country, share their memories of growing up in the small town. Many of the posts are related to the schools in Commerce, while others are about the businesses that lined the railroad tracks.
My early memories are all about the shops in “town” that my mother and sister visited each Saturday morning, while my teenage memories center around “cruising those tracks.”
As for the early days, it was a real treat for me to go to “town” with my mother and sister each Saturday. We would go to Commerce Drug for a hamburger and Coke before heading next door to Harper’s 5&10, where I would get a mystery book or stickers, with Fred Flintstone stickers being my favorite.
Other stops included Sanders Furniture, if we were looking for furniture, and Waco’s, where we could find just about anything. We also went to the Belk in downtown Commerce, as well as Jay’s if we needed clothes or shoes.
As for my teenage years, well, we probably logged hundreds of miles cruising around Commerce. We didn’t have social media or even cell phones to keep in touch with our friends. The way to keep in touch was to head to the tracks and see who was out riding around. If you saw someone you knew, you could stop and talk a while before heading out again to cruise some more.
Some other of my favorite memories of growing up in Commerce are:
•Waiting in line for what seemed like forever at the Sears store just to talk to Santa and get a candy cane. We would rehearse what we were going to say before finally arriving to the front of the line.
•Going to Sears to pick up a package that we had ordered from the Sears catalog.
•Going to see Dr. Johnny when we were sick knowing he would take the best care of us and Ms. Grace would give us a sucker for being such a good patient. We would get to see that cool cat clock on the wall with the moving eyes and wagging tail.
•Visiting Harper's 5 & 10 at Easter to see the baby chicks in the window.
•Knowing the Christmas season had arrived when we saw the big Santa in the window of Commerce Drug.
•Going to Hardee's to get the latest cartoon glass, the Smurf ones being our favorite, and a cookie.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
My early memories are all about the shops in “town” that my mother and sister visited each Saturday morning, while my teenage memories center around “cruising those tracks.”
As for the early days, it was a real treat for me to go to “town” with my mother and sister each Saturday. We would go to Commerce Drug for a hamburger and Coke before heading next door to Harper’s 5&10, where I would get a mystery book or stickers, with Fred Flintstone stickers being my favorite.
Other stops included Sanders Furniture, if we were looking for furniture, and Waco’s, where we could find just about anything. We also went to the Belk in downtown Commerce, as well as Jay’s if we needed clothes or shoes.
As for my teenage years, well, we probably logged hundreds of miles cruising around Commerce. We didn’t have social media or even cell phones to keep in touch with our friends. The way to keep in touch was to head to the tracks and see who was out riding around. If you saw someone you knew, you could stop and talk a while before heading out again to cruise some more.
Some other of my favorite memories of growing up in Commerce are:
•Waiting in line for what seemed like forever at the Sears store just to talk to Santa and get a candy cane. We would rehearse what we were going to say before finally arriving to the front of the line.
•Going to Sears to pick up a package that we had ordered from the Sears catalog.
•Going to see Dr. Johnny when we were sick knowing he would take the best care of us and Ms. Grace would give us a sucker for being such a good patient. We would get to see that cool cat clock on the wall with the moving eyes and wagging tail.
•Visiting Harper's 5 & 10 at Easter to see the baby chicks in the window.
•Knowing the Christmas season had arrived when we saw the big Santa in the window of Commerce Drug.
•Going to Hardee's to get the latest cartoon glass, the Smurf ones being our favorite, and a cookie.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
The kindness of a teenager
BY ANGELA GARY
At 16, he has his first truck, first job, first girlfriend as a teenager. With this first taste of a little independence, he feels like he’s all grown up.
On a recent night, he headed to school as a requirement for a member of a club he is in to show parents of incoming eighth graders around the school. He’s juggling work, volunteering as a tutor and school work, so he’s most likely thinking of the many things he could be doing instead of showing parents around the school. It may not have been at the top of the list of things he thought he should be doing.
As parents filled the school and were divided into groups, he noticed an older lady who looked a little confused and unsure of what to do. Without a second thought, he took her under his wing for the night.
He listened as she told some of the personal stuff she is going through as a grandmother with a middle school student getting ready for high school. She was worried about all that comes with that big step.
The 16-year-old comforted the woman, told her not to worry that she could do this and gave her a little more confidence than she had when she entered the school.
He even walked her to her car where she told him, with tears in her eyes, that what he told her was “what I needed to hear.” She told the teenager how his words helped her through the rough patch she was going through.
The 16-year-old later wrote about the experience on social media, as teenagers today usually do to document the things that go on in their lives.
Recalling how the woman told him that his words helped her, he wrote, “To me, that is one of the best gifts I can ever give anyone.”
The teenager asked his social media friends to pray for the lady.
The story didn’t end there. The next day, the grandmother called the school. She told administrators at the school how special her encounter with the young man was. She asked that she be allowed to return to the school the next day with her grandson for that young man to give him a tour of the school.
The teen was more than happy to give them a tour of his school, where he is a 10th grader. He even passed on his cell phone number and told her to call him if she needed anything.
In a time when we hear so many stories of teenagers and the wrong paths they are going on, it’s so heart-warming to hear a story like this. A story of a teenager who saw something that many adults might not even notice, someone who needs help.
I’m especially proud to share this story since the teenager is my nephew, Jake. I pray he continues to be kind and compassionate.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be contacted at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
At 16, he has his first truck, first job, first girlfriend as a teenager. With this first taste of a little independence, he feels like he’s all grown up.
On a recent night, he headed to school as a requirement for a member of a club he is in to show parents of incoming eighth graders around the school. He’s juggling work, volunteering as a tutor and school work, so he’s most likely thinking of the many things he could be doing instead of showing parents around the school. It may not have been at the top of the list of things he thought he should be doing.
As parents filled the school and were divided into groups, he noticed an older lady who looked a little confused and unsure of what to do. Without a second thought, he took her under his wing for the night.
He listened as she told some of the personal stuff she is going through as a grandmother with a middle school student getting ready for high school. She was worried about all that comes with that big step.
The 16-year-old comforted the woman, told her not to worry that she could do this and gave her a little more confidence than she had when she entered the school.
He even walked her to her car where she told him, with tears in her eyes, that what he told her was “what I needed to hear.” She told the teenager how his words helped her through the rough patch she was going through.
The 16-year-old later wrote about the experience on social media, as teenagers today usually do to document the things that go on in their lives.
Recalling how the woman told him that his words helped her, he wrote, “To me, that is one of the best gifts I can ever give anyone.”
The teenager asked his social media friends to pray for the lady.
The story didn’t end there. The next day, the grandmother called the school. She told administrators at the school how special her encounter with the young man was. She asked that she be allowed to return to the school the next day with her grandson for that young man to give him a tour of the school.
The teen was more than happy to give them a tour of his school, where he is a 10th grader. He even passed on his cell phone number and told her to call him if she needed anything.
In a time when we hear so many stories of teenagers and the wrong paths they are going on, it’s so heart-warming to hear a story like this. A story of a teenager who saw something that many adults might not even notice, someone who needs help.
I’m especially proud to share this story since the teenager is my nephew, Jake. I pray he continues to be kind and compassionate.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be contacted at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
A birthday adventure
BY ANGELA GARY
Your adventure will begin at a spot where you will get a birds eye view of a classic city.
Then, you will be whisked away to a place where you will be pampered like a queen.
The next stop on your birthday adventure will be for a meal where everything is made with only the freshest local ingredients and everything tastes homemade.
The evening will end at a historic location where friends gather for a fun night out.
This was the note I wrote for my sister in the birthday card I gave her a few weeks ago. I told her the date and time I would be picking her up and only left her with those hints. It ended up being a nine-hour outing and, I hope, it will be a birthday to remember.
I had told my sister that if she guessed, I would change the plans. She always guesses correctly and ruins my surprises. With this in mind, she sent me a text on the morning of our outing telling me she had it all figured out. Her “guesses” were funny.
As for the bird’s eye view of the city, her guess was “looking at Jefferson from the top of The Jackson Herald.” On the “being treated like a queen,” her guess was that, while at the newspaper office, “Julius will let me run the press, so I feel in charge—like a queen.” She was sure the homemade meal would be “Mom’s kitchen” and the place where friends gather would be “Daddy’s campfire.”
Fortunately for her, she was wrong on all of the “guesses.” We started our adventure by getting a bird’s eye view of the classic city of Athens from high atop the Georgia Theatre at the Rooftop Restaurant. It was raining the day we started our journey but I still insisted we start there. We went up for a fun photo before lunching at the nearby Last Resort Grill (not a bad back-up plan)!
I then whisked her away to the Foot Palace for a one-hour treatment. It was heavenly and she really did feel like a “queen.”
Dinner was at one of my favorite restaurants in Athens, aptly named homemade. We sampled several dishes off of the “supper club menu” and it was all wonderful.
We ended up at The Foundary, which I described as a “historic spot” because it was once an iron foundary. We listened to some local musicians, including two men from Madison County, before ending our birthday outing.
There was one last-minute addition to the agenda. We had a little time before the Foot Palace and I suggested a snack at a sweet spot named after her favorite sister. She agreed and it was cupcakes at GiGis.
The day was a success and I am already working on next year’s plan.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
Your adventure will begin at a spot where you will get a birds eye view of a classic city.
Then, you will be whisked away to a place where you will be pampered like a queen.
The next stop on your birthday adventure will be for a meal where everything is made with only the freshest local ingredients and everything tastes homemade.
The evening will end at a historic location where friends gather for a fun night out.
This was the note I wrote for my sister in the birthday card I gave her a few weeks ago. I told her the date and time I would be picking her up and only left her with those hints. It ended up being a nine-hour outing and, I hope, it will be a birthday to remember.
I had told my sister that if she guessed, I would change the plans. She always guesses correctly and ruins my surprises. With this in mind, she sent me a text on the morning of our outing telling me she had it all figured out. Her “guesses” were funny.
As for the bird’s eye view of the city, her guess was “looking at Jefferson from the top of The Jackson Herald.” On the “being treated like a queen,” her guess was that, while at the newspaper office, “Julius will let me run the press, so I feel in charge—like a queen.” She was sure the homemade meal would be “Mom’s kitchen” and the place where friends gather would be “Daddy’s campfire.”
Fortunately for her, she was wrong on all of the “guesses.” We started our adventure by getting a bird’s eye view of the classic city of Athens from high atop the Georgia Theatre at the Rooftop Restaurant. It was raining the day we started our journey but I still insisted we start there. We went up for a fun photo before lunching at the nearby Last Resort Grill (not a bad back-up plan)!
I then whisked her away to the Foot Palace for a one-hour treatment. It was heavenly and she really did feel like a “queen.”
Dinner was at one of my favorite restaurants in Athens, aptly named homemade. We sampled several dishes off of the “supper club menu” and it was all wonderful.
We ended up at The Foundary, which I described as a “historic spot” because it was once an iron foundary. We listened to some local musicians, including two men from Madison County, before ending our birthday outing.
There was one last-minute addition to the agenda. We had a little time before the Foot Palace and I suggested a snack at a sweet spot named after her favorite sister. She agreed and it was cupcakes at GiGis.
The day was a success and I am already working on next year’s plan.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
A night at the theatre: Reviews of Fox Theatre and Out Front Theatre productions
BY ANGELA GARY
Monty Navarro takes a novel approach to winning the woman of his dreams in ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,’ presented March 13-18 at Fox Theatre.
His woman dreams of money and power, which Monty doesn’t have. However, he does have a shot at the family fortune. He is seventh in line to the money and title and you would think that would deter him. That’s not the case.
Monty sets out to move his way to the number one spot, taking whatever means necessary. You might think murder is a serious topic but not in this production. There are plenty of laughs as Monty moves up in line to inheriting the family fortune.
One of Broadway’s most celebrated musicals, Gentleman’s Guide received ten 2014 Tony® Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical, Book of a Musical.
Tickets start at $33.50 and are available by visiting FoxTheatre.org by calling 1-855-285-8499 or visiting the Fox Theatre Box Office (660 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308). Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.
OUT FRONT THEATRE
Another wonderful night out in Atlanta can be found at Out Front Theatre, where the hilarious, one-man show “Buyer and Cellar” will be presented through March 25.
“Buyer and Celler” portrays the story of Alex More, a struggling actor in Los Angeles who takes the odd job of working in the basement “mall” of beloved megastar Barbra Streisand. At first Alex does not meet the homeowner, but eventually the Streisand ventures downstairs to browse her collection and the pair quickly initiate an unlikely and friendly relationship.
The job itself is hilarious enough but the encounters between Alex and Streisand are really funny. It’s even funny that one actor portrays both roles. That might seem confusing but Elliot Folds pulls off the one-man show brilliantly.
Out Front Theatre Company is located at 999 Brady Ave. NW, Atlanta. Tickets are $15-20. For more information, check out the website, www.outfronttheatre.com.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at Angieeditor@aol.com.
Monty Navarro takes a novel approach to winning the woman of his dreams in ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,’ presented March 13-18 at Fox Theatre.
His woman dreams of money and power, which Monty doesn’t have. However, he does have a shot at the family fortune. He is seventh in line to the money and title and you would think that would deter him. That’s not the case.
Monty sets out to move his way to the number one spot, taking whatever means necessary. You might think murder is a serious topic but not in this production. There are plenty of laughs as Monty moves up in line to inheriting the family fortune.
One of Broadway’s most celebrated musicals, Gentleman’s Guide received ten 2014 Tony® Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical, Book of a Musical.
Tickets start at $33.50 and are available by visiting FoxTheatre.org by calling 1-855-285-8499 or visiting the Fox Theatre Box Office (660 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308). Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.
OUT FRONT THEATRE
Another wonderful night out in Atlanta can be found at Out Front Theatre, where the hilarious, one-man show “Buyer and Cellar” will be presented through March 25.
“Buyer and Celler” portrays the story of Alex More, a struggling actor in Los Angeles who takes the odd job of working in the basement “mall” of beloved megastar Barbra Streisand. At first Alex does not meet the homeowner, but eventually the Streisand ventures downstairs to browse her collection and the pair quickly initiate an unlikely and friendly relationship.
The job itself is hilarious enough but the encounters between Alex and Streisand are really funny. It’s even funny that one actor portrays both roles. That might seem confusing but Elliot Folds pulls off the one-man show brilliantly.
Out Front Theatre Company is located at 999 Brady Ave. NW, Atlanta. Tickets are $15-20. For more information, check out the website, www.outfronttheatre.com.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at Angieeditor@aol.com.
Remembering those carefree days of summer
BY ANGELA GARY
Standing on top of a concrete septic tank in the back yard, we would entertain each other, pretending we were contestants on “The Gong Show.”
Other days, we would climb up on the long trailer that hauled a tractor and pretend it was a huge ship that we were on. We would be careful not to fall off into the shark-infested water below.
Sometimes we put on our swimsuits and went out in the yard to squirt each other with the water hose to cool off on a hot summer day.
There was a long flat rock in the front yard. It became our kitchen. We made mud pies and pretended it was a fine meal.
Those were the carefree days of childhood in the 1970s. We didn’t have cell phones or even a computer. It’s hard for young people today to understand how we survived without those “necessities.”
If we wanted to talk to our friends, we used the house phone, sitting in the living room with other family members around. If we wanted to listen to music, we turned on the radio. Need to research something for school, well, we pulled out one of the encyclopedias and looked up what we needed.
For my sister, who preferred being outdoors, she spent many days riding her bicycle, jumping hills and pretending to be one of the Duke boys or Daisy Duke, climbing trees, swinging ropes over a high cliff (or what she pretended was a high cliff), and going on visits to Hill’s Lake to float along in the lake.
As for me, I did venture out to play some but I also spent many hours inside the house with a Nancy Drew or Trixie Beldon mystery book. I was so excited every time I got a new book, which I would save up my allowance to buy at Harper’s 5&10 in Commerce. While in town, we also went next door to Commerce Drug for a hamburger and Coke and maybe a hand-dipped ice cream cone.
I also spent many summer days walking around the neighborhood interviewing family members for my “newspaper.”
Although some of my summer-time activities and those of my sister were different, they were all creative and didn’t include technology.
For a special treat, my Dad would take us to Twin Tanks to get a bag of candy from Mr. Eli. We filled it with our favorites, including Mary Janes and Fireballs. We sometimes got a bottled Coke and looked under the cap of the drink to see if we won a prize.
While kids today can watch cartoons most any time of the day or night, that wasn’t the case when we were kids. Cartoons came on Saturdays and we looked forward to that day all week. We would be up early and would watch the cartoons from 7 a.m. to noon. We didn’t want to miss Scooby Doo or any other of our favorites. I still remember those fun commercials that were also educational. Who else remembers…”Conjunction, conjunction, what’s your function?” and “I’m just a bill, sitting here on Capitol Hill.”
Things have certainly changed a lot in the past few decades since I was a child in the 1970s. It’s hard to imagine how far technology will advance in the years to come.
While I’m as reliant on my cell phone and laptop as anyone else, I can’t help but wish our children didn’t have all of the latest gadgets.
Everyone needs to use their imagination to turn everyday objects into something else. When a septic tank becomes a stage and a trailer is a ship on an ocean voyage, you know you are using your imagination.
Angela Gary is editor of The Banks County News. She can be reached at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
Standing on top of a concrete septic tank in the back yard, we would entertain each other, pretending we were contestants on “The Gong Show.”
Other days, we would climb up on the long trailer that hauled a tractor and pretend it was a huge ship that we were on. We would be careful not to fall off into the shark-infested water below.
Sometimes we put on our swimsuits and went out in the yard to squirt each other with the water hose to cool off on a hot summer day.
There was a long flat rock in the front yard. It became our kitchen. We made mud pies and pretended it was a fine meal.
Those were the carefree days of childhood in the 1970s. We didn’t have cell phones or even a computer. It’s hard for young people today to understand how we survived without those “necessities.”
If we wanted to talk to our friends, we used the house phone, sitting in the living room with other family members around. If we wanted to listen to music, we turned on the radio. Need to research something for school, well, we pulled out one of the encyclopedias and looked up what we needed.
For my sister, who preferred being outdoors, she spent many days riding her bicycle, jumping hills and pretending to be one of the Duke boys or Daisy Duke, climbing trees, swinging ropes over a high cliff (or what she pretended was a high cliff), and going on visits to Hill’s Lake to float along in the lake.
As for me, I did venture out to play some but I also spent many hours inside the house with a Nancy Drew or Trixie Beldon mystery book. I was so excited every time I got a new book, which I would save up my allowance to buy at Harper’s 5&10 in Commerce. While in town, we also went next door to Commerce Drug for a hamburger and Coke and maybe a hand-dipped ice cream cone.
I also spent many summer days walking around the neighborhood interviewing family members for my “newspaper.”
Although some of my summer-time activities and those of my sister were different, they were all creative and didn’t include technology.
For a special treat, my Dad would take us to Twin Tanks to get a bag of candy from Mr. Eli. We filled it with our favorites, including Mary Janes and Fireballs. We sometimes got a bottled Coke and looked under the cap of the drink to see if we won a prize.
While kids today can watch cartoons most any time of the day or night, that wasn’t the case when we were kids. Cartoons came on Saturdays and we looked forward to that day all week. We would be up early and would watch the cartoons from 7 a.m. to noon. We didn’t want to miss Scooby Doo or any other of our favorites. I still remember those fun commercials that were also educational. Who else remembers…”Conjunction, conjunction, what’s your function?” and “I’m just a bill, sitting here on Capitol Hill.”
Things have certainly changed a lot in the past few decades since I was a child in the 1970s. It’s hard to imagine how far technology will advance in the years to come.
While I’m as reliant on my cell phone and laptop as anyone else, I can’t help but wish our children didn’t have all of the latest gadgets.
Everyone needs to use their imagination to turn everyday objects into something else. When a septic tank becomes a stage and a trailer is a ship on an ocean voyage, you know you are using your imagination.
Angela Gary is editor of The Banks County News. She can be reached at Angie@mainstreetnews.com.
Journey of faith
BY ANGELA GARY
The death of Billy Graham brings back memories of a special trip I took a few years back.
As soon as you enter the property, walking through the fragrant garden with a quaint home on your left and a huge barn-like structure in the back with a cross on it, you feel at peace. A short walk through a path covered with landscaping takes you to a shaded burial spot.
Tranquility. Serenity. You are at peace as you walk through the grounds of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C. You don’t even hear the traffic right next to the grounds. The voices around you even seem quieter.
It’s an amazing experience to walk through Billy Graham’s journey of faith and what led to his humble start and then his presence in the religious world.
We started off touring the house. It’s like a step back in time to a home that hasn’t been changed in decades.
My mother and friends enjoyed the quaint kitchen. I was amazed by the study where Rev. Graham wrote his sermons and his mother went over the accounts for their dairy business.
Next up we walked through the garden over to the large barn-like structure with the cross on it that serves as the library.
The museum section of the library is an amazing look at Graham’s life. You get a look at those early tent revivals and actually sit in a tent as portions of Graham’s sermons are shown. We got to listen in to some of those early radio shows.
Walking through the museum you see all of the aspects of the life of this 99-year-old man who has devoted himself to sharing the word of God and bringing people to the Lord.
The Library also houses a gift shop with books, music and other religions items. I bought one of Rev. Graham’s devotionals, “Breakfast with Billy Graham.”
I also got tokens for my nephews to keep in their book bags as this school year gets underway. I told the boys to look at the tokens during hard times and know that the Lord is with them.
Outside of the cafeteria is a prayer room. Volunteers are present and willing to pray for anyone who needs prayer. It’s a cozy looking room with sofas and chairs. You can go in there and pray alone or ask a volunteer to pray with you.
There is also a cafeteria where we enjoyed chicken salad sandwiches, BLTs and barbecue.
It was a special journey then and his death makes me want to return and spend more time learning about this man who devoted his life to his faith. His journey has lessons in it for all of us.
Tours at the library and home are free. For more information, go to www.billygrahamlibrary.org.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
The death of Billy Graham brings back memories of a special trip I took a few years back.
As soon as you enter the property, walking through the fragrant garden with a quaint home on your left and a huge barn-like structure in the back with a cross on it, you feel at peace. A short walk through a path covered with landscaping takes you to a shaded burial spot.
Tranquility. Serenity. You are at peace as you walk through the grounds of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C. You don’t even hear the traffic right next to the grounds. The voices around you even seem quieter.
It’s an amazing experience to walk through Billy Graham’s journey of faith and what led to his humble start and then his presence in the religious world.
We started off touring the house. It’s like a step back in time to a home that hasn’t been changed in decades.
My mother and friends enjoyed the quaint kitchen. I was amazed by the study where Rev. Graham wrote his sermons and his mother went over the accounts for their dairy business.
Next up we walked through the garden over to the large barn-like structure with the cross on it that serves as the library.
The museum section of the library is an amazing look at Graham’s life. You get a look at those early tent revivals and actually sit in a tent as portions of Graham’s sermons are shown. We got to listen in to some of those early radio shows.
Walking through the museum you see all of the aspects of the life of this 99-year-old man who has devoted himself to sharing the word of God and bringing people to the Lord.
The Library also houses a gift shop with books, music and other religions items. I bought one of Rev. Graham’s devotionals, “Breakfast with Billy Graham.”
I also got tokens for my nephews to keep in their book bags as this school year gets underway. I told the boys to look at the tokens during hard times and know that the Lord is with them.
Outside of the cafeteria is a prayer room. Volunteers are present and willing to pray for anyone who needs prayer. It’s a cozy looking room with sofas and chairs. You can go in there and pray alone or ask a volunteer to pray with you.
There is also a cafeteria where we enjoyed chicken salad sandwiches, BLTs and barbecue.
It was a special journey then and his death makes me want to return and spend more time learning about this man who devoted his life to his faith. His journey has lessons in it for all of us.
Tours at the library and home are free. For more information, go to www.billygrahamlibrary.org.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
A mother is the heart of a home
BY ANGELA GARY
The heart of a home comes from the mother. The mother is the one who is the caregiver, comforter and glue that holds a family together. Donna Hauntsman is the heart of her family of three children and is also the heart of the church her husband, Stan, pastors, Cabin Creek Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in Jackson County.
The church bulletin each week states, “Church is not something you go to, it’s a family you belong to.” That is true at Cabin Creek, where the congregation is small but the love for one another is large.
Donna has battled a serious medical issue, undergoing surgery for a brain tumor. I remember when we all gathered at the pulpit and prayed for her. It was a long battle but she overcame it with grace, giving God all the glory for her recovery. She lost her voice after the surgery but never lost her faith and her voice returned.
After the brain surgery, she said, “It's been long and hard, BUT Jesus is more real to me now than He has ever been. The story of Gideon has become very personal to me. With 300 men God used Gideon to defeat the 135,000 man army against Israel. Those odds are 450 to 1. The odds weren't in my favor either, yet God made a way where there seemed to be no way. Be encouraged today Christians, our God goes before us, He works in ways we can't see and turns mountains into flat plains. He will make a way for you!”
Her faith shines through her words and is a testament to her faith.
One of a mother’s sources of pride is the children they raised. Donna’s children are a reflection of her compassion and caring nature. Her son, Chance, greets everyone as they come in the door at church. If you need help getting food into the fellowship hall or if an elderly person needs an arm to lean on, he is there. Carly provides the music and her special songs fill the church with the sound of an angel. Meagan works her way through the church, welcoming everyone with a smile. The mother is the heart of a home and Donna’s heart can be seen in her children.
Donna has been an encourager for me. She is one of those people who you can believe when they say they are praying for you. Her prayers over the years have given me peace and comfort.
February is the month of love. It is the time to recognize those who are a shining example of love. Donna Hauntsman is one of those special people who are filled with love for those around her. For that, I am thankful.
The heart of a home comes from the mother. The mother is the one who is the caregiver, comforter and glue that holds a family together. Donna Hauntsman is the heart of her family of three children and is also the heart of the church her husband, Stan, pastors, Cabin Creek Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in Jackson County.
The church bulletin each week states, “Church is not something you go to, it’s a family you belong to.” That is true at Cabin Creek, where the congregation is small but the love for one another is large.
Donna has battled a serious medical issue, undergoing surgery for a brain tumor. I remember when we all gathered at the pulpit and prayed for her. It was a long battle but she overcame it with grace, giving God all the glory for her recovery. She lost her voice after the surgery but never lost her faith and her voice returned.
After the brain surgery, she said, “It's been long and hard, BUT Jesus is more real to me now than He has ever been. The story of Gideon has become very personal to me. With 300 men God used Gideon to defeat the 135,000 man army against Israel. Those odds are 450 to 1. The odds weren't in my favor either, yet God made a way where there seemed to be no way. Be encouraged today Christians, our God goes before us, He works in ways we can't see and turns mountains into flat plains. He will make a way for you!”
Her faith shines through her words and is a testament to her faith.
One of a mother’s sources of pride is the children they raised. Donna’s children are a reflection of her compassion and caring nature. Her son, Chance, greets everyone as they come in the door at church. If you need help getting food into the fellowship hall or if an elderly person needs an arm to lean on, he is there. Carly provides the music and her special songs fill the church with the sound of an angel. Meagan works her way through the church, welcoming everyone with a smile. The mother is the heart of a home and Donna’s heart can be seen in her children.
Donna has been an encourager for me. She is one of those people who you can believe when they say they are praying for you. Her prayers over the years have given me peace and comfort.
February is the month of love. It is the time to recognize those who are a shining example of love. Donna Hauntsman is one of those special people who are filled with love for those around her. For that, I am thankful.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
BY ANGELA GARY
What do you want to be when you grow up?
It’s probably the question adults most often ask young people. I know I’ve asked it a few times. I’ve just recently realized that it’s a question you may never know the answer to.
When I mentor students, I ask their plans after high school. Some teenagers know exactly what they want to do, while others are still thinking over several career plans or maybe even searching for a path to take after school.
Newspapers have been a part of my life since I was 10-years-old and asked for a typewriter for my birthday. I gathered the “news” from the neighbors and typed up my own newspaper, which I then handed out.
I went on to serve on the high school newspaper staff and get a journalism degree at the University of Georgia. I have a 33-year-career in newspapers. You would think I have always known what I want to be when I grew up.
I even wrote it in my high school scrapbook. My goal was to be a newspaper editor. Well here I am in that role, but I still sometimes question if I made the right choice and whether there is something else out there that I “want to be when I grow up.” I’m sure I’m not alone in this line of thinking.
I usually stop those doubts with the reminder to myself that I am, and have been, right where God wants me to be. And, if there is something else out there for me, the door will open. Even knowing this, I still think it’s a question that many people continue to think about throughout their lives.
If I had not taken the journalism route, I think education would have been my next choice. This is probably what led me to mentoring.
No matter how tired I may be after a day of work, my energy is renewed when I get to the school in the evenings to meet with these teenagers and offer encouragement and support to them.
It’s exciting to be a part of the student’s lives as they look ahead to the future and work to meet their goals.
My mentoring has also led me to think a lot about that question of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I think it’s a question that we should all think about and reflect on throughout our careers. Always be ready for the challenges that are ahead and keep an open mind. You might have several careers in your lifetime or you might just have one.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
It’s probably the question adults most often ask young people. I know I’ve asked it a few times. I’ve just recently realized that it’s a question you may never know the answer to.
When I mentor students, I ask their plans after high school. Some teenagers know exactly what they want to do, while others are still thinking over several career plans or maybe even searching for a path to take after school.
Newspapers have been a part of my life since I was 10-years-old and asked for a typewriter for my birthday. I gathered the “news” from the neighbors and typed up my own newspaper, which I then handed out.
I went on to serve on the high school newspaper staff and get a journalism degree at the University of Georgia. I have a 33-year-career in newspapers. You would think I have always known what I want to be when I grew up.
I even wrote it in my high school scrapbook. My goal was to be a newspaper editor. Well here I am in that role, but I still sometimes question if I made the right choice and whether there is something else out there that I “want to be when I grow up.” I’m sure I’m not alone in this line of thinking.
I usually stop those doubts with the reminder to myself that I am, and have been, right where God wants me to be. And, if there is something else out there for me, the door will open. Even knowing this, I still think it’s a question that many people continue to think about throughout their lives.
If I had not taken the journalism route, I think education would have been my next choice. This is probably what led me to mentoring.
No matter how tired I may be after a day of work, my energy is renewed when I get to the school in the evenings to meet with these teenagers and offer encouragement and support to them.
It’s exciting to be a part of the student’s lives as they look ahead to the future and work to meet their goals.
My mentoring has also led me to think a lot about that question of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I think it’s a question that we should all think about and reflect on throughout our careers. Always be ready for the challenges that are ahead and keep an open mind. You might have several careers in your lifetime or you might just have one.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
BY ANGELA GARY
What do you want to be when you grow up?
It’s probably the question adults most often ask young people. I know I’ve asked it a few times. I’ve just recently realized that it’s a question you may never know the answer to.
When I mentor students, I ask their plans after high school. Some teenagers know exactly what they want to do, while others are still thinking over several career plans or maybe even searching for a path to take after school.
Newspapers have been a part of my life since I was 10-years-old and asked for a typewriter for my birthday. I gathered the “news” from the neighbors and typed up my own newspaper, which I then handed out.
I went on to serve on the high school newspaper staff and get a journalism degree at the University of Georgia. I have a 33-year-career in newspapers. You would think I have always known what I want to be when I grew up.
I even wrote it in my high school scrapbook. My goal was to be a newspaper editor. Well here I am in that role, but I still sometimes question if I made the right choice and whether there is something else out there that I “want to be when I grow up.” I’m sure I’m not alone in this line of thinking.
I usually stop those doubts with the reminder to myself that I am, and have been, right where God wants me to be. And, if there is something else out there for me, the door will open. Even knowing this, I still think it’s a question that many people continue to think about throughout their lives.
If I had not taken the journalism route, I think education would have been my next choice. This is probably what led me to mentoring.
No matter how tired I may be after a day of work, my energy is renewed when I get to the school in the evenings to meet with these teenagers and offer encouragement and support to them.
It’s exciting to be a part of the student’s lives as they look ahead to the future and work to meet their goals.
My mentoring has also led me to think a lot about that question of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I think it’s a question that we should all think about and reflect on throughout our careers. Always be ready for the challenges that are ahead and keep an open mind. You might have several careers in your lifetime or you might just have one.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
It’s probably the question adults most often ask young people. I know I’ve asked it a few times. I’ve just recently realized that it’s a question you may never know the answer to.
When I mentor students, I ask their plans after high school. Some teenagers know exactly what they want to do, while others are still thinking over several career plans or maybe even searching for a path to take after school.
Newspapers have been a part of my life since I was 10-years-old and asked for a typewriter for my birthday. I gathered the “news” from the neighbors and typed up my own newspaper, which I then handed out.
I went on to serve on the high school newspaper staff and get a journalism degree at the University of Georgia. I have a 33-year-career in newspapers. You would think I have always known what I want to be when I grew up.
I even wrote it in my high school scrapbook. My goal was to be a newspaper editor. Well here I am in that role, but I still sometimes question if I made the right choice and whether there is something else out there that I “want to be when I grow up.” I’m sure I’m not alone in this line of thinking.
I usually stop those doubts with the reminder to myself that I am, and have been, right where God wants me to be. And, if there is something else out there for me, the door will open. Even knowing this, I still think it’s a question that many people continue to think about throughout their lives.
If I had not taken the journalism route, I think education would have been my next choice. This is probably what led me to mentoring.
No matter how tired I may be after a day of work, my energy is renewed when I get to the school in the evenings to meet with these teenagers and offer encouragement and support to them.
It’s exciting to be a part of the student’s lives as they look ahead to the future and work to meet their goals.
My mentoring has also led me to think a lot about that question of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I think it’s a question that we should all think about and reflect on throughout our careers. Always be ready for the challenges that are ahead and keep an open mind. You might have several careers in your lifetime or you might just have one.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
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