News from the Mountain

By CAROL GUNTER

Smithville Church of God will be having a walk-thru entitled “The Bethlehem Experience” for three nights starting on Friday, December 6th (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.), Saturday, December 7th (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.), and Sunday, December 8th (6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.). This is free for everyone and refreshments will be served afterwards.

Visiting awhile with me on Wednesday were Sherry Gannon and Amber Gunter.

My mom’s birthday (Mrs. Hester Warren) will be on Saturday, December 7th. She passed away on Christmas Eve 2008 at the age of 94. Most wonderful mom a girl could possibly have as far as I am concerned. As I have told so many, when you look back on your childhood, and you cannot say anything bad about your mom, but yet there are not enough good things you can say about her, then I guess that sort of sums up just how “special” she was in my life. There was a song by Jimmy Davis years ago, “A Queen Without A Crown”, that I would have Bud Godwin always play for my mom on her birthday on the WBMC Radio Station in McMinnville. How delighted she was to hear this song that was dedicated to her. Mom, you will always be my queen, and I know that you have been wearing that crown going on five years now. How happy you must be to be with Jesus in your heavenly home.

Get well wishes for Bob Motley of Nashville who had heart bypass surgery recently.

Bob and Althea Underwood of Melbourne, Florida, spent two weeks visiting family and friends at Mechanicsville.

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Morrison and daughters, Tiffany and Nicole of Cleveland, Ohio, spent some time visiting Mr. and Mrs. Frank Morrison.

Our deepest sympathy is extended to Ricky and Barbara Prater and family in the passing of her mom Mrs. Ima Bowen Koltay on Friday, November 22. She was 91 years old and was laid to rest in the Ivy Bluff Cemetery.

Last Wednesday turned out to be quite an eventful day for Melvin and Elene Ferrell. Elene was involved in a traffic accident in Murfreesboro. Luckily, no one was hurt. Melvin was trimming tree limbs and one fell and hit him in the face. He suffered a few broken bones in his face and a broken wrist. Sure hope you two get all straightened out real soon.

I’m sure everyone can relate to a funny story or two from your younger years. One that was really funny for me from so many I have now stored in the archives of my mind happened at my daddy (Mr. Jake Warren’s) store and for the life of me I do not remember which one of my siblings tried to lure me into this “life of crime”.

All I know is I was the youngest one in the bunch and probably the fleetest on foot. I guess you could call us the “ice cream bandits” as we thought we had gotten away with getting some ice cream without daddy knowing what had happened. So much for that thought as daddy spotted what we had done and the race was on to get out of there and across the road to those really huge apple trees whose branches were cascading over like a giant waterfall and that was where we really believed we were safe and daddy would not know where we were.

We all knew our daddy was on smart man but we underestimated just how smart he was. Trying to gulp, yes I said gulp down the ice cream, as it was a very hot day and the ice cream was melting and daddy we figured was hot on our trail, so of course, we had to dispose of the evidence as fast as we could. All of a sudden daddy discovered our hiding place (it was sort of like when you turn on the light as you enter a room and the roaches will scatter) well, we scattered too.

My only thought was getting to the house and finding Mom. Yes, I was only thinking of saving my own skin and the whipping (yes, that was back when it was okay to discipline your kids when they truly needed it) I knew I was going to get from daddy. Mom was ironing some clothes and I made a bee-line under the ironing board knowing all the while this was the way I spelled relief M-O-M! Daddy came in and told Mom what I had been involved in and some of my brothers and sisters. I remember so vividly mom saying, “Now Jake, she is just a child so don’t whip her.” That scared me so bad that my “life of crime” ended there!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and didn’t eat too much. For me, I fell off the wagon and ate way too much and I am still quite miserable and this is now Friday morning. Really glad that Thanksgiving is only one day a year. Right now though I am thinking this food indulgence for me will only get worse as I see looming on the horizon is Christmas. The good thing about Christmas is it is also only one day a year too. I guess you know what my New Year’s resolution will be concerning food!

If you have any news for the column, just give me a call at (615) 563-4429.

God will show his mercy forever and ever to those who worship and serve him. Luke 1:50