Summer is the season when the fullness of nature seems to move in more closely. The cherry trees that were showing their beautiful colors just a few weeks ago have now matured into a thick green veil that envelopes The Craddock Center. On my way here this morning the sounds of locusts, crickets, and tree frogs were competing with the songs of mockingbirds, robins, and cardinals. I saw evidence of new life all around as I passed a wobbly-legged colt, a tiny newborn fawn, a baby bunny scampering across the road, and a young terrapin crossing my path. It has been quite an adjustment for me to get accustomed to navigating through wild life rather than wild traffic! No matter where we live, summer brings a sense of freedom. School is out. The days are longer. The lakes and rivers are teeming with boaters, rafters, kayakers, swimmers and folks enjoying fishing. But this season of playfulness and freedom also finds many of our neighbors struggling to make ends meet and searching for help to pay their bills. We are indeed grateful to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Week of Compassion Fund and others donations that make it possible to help our neighbors. When folks are looking for furniture, thanks to the generosity of many of you, their needs can usually be met. Summer is the season when the fullness of nature enwraps us in awe. As the wonders of summer take place all around you may your souls be nourished. — TLS  

STORY EXPRESS’ BOOK DISTRIBUTION PRODUCES SMILES  

What does it take to put smiles on forty children’s faces in one morning?  Books!          

Coming to the Gilmer Community Food Pantry with your parent who is already stressed because they don’t have enough resources to buy the food they need, might not be the first choice of things to do on a child’s list. However, when the Story Express is parked out front, the situation changes. We know that approximately 60% of low-income families don’t have any reading materials suitable for young children in their homes.  So being offered the gift of a book from a wide selection of new books is almost as exciting as going to the candy store.  Since there is a strong correlation between high reading scores and how often children are read to in their early years, we are thankful to be able to provide free books to families with children. Today a mother with a new baby spotted a baby book on the Story Express.  She said she had baby books for her other children, but had not been able to splurge and buy one for this new baby.  She was thrilled that her children each selected a book to take home and now she could start creating a keepsake for her baby.  The volunteers who drove the Story Express today were all smiles when they returned, having experienced the impact the book donations have on families.  And everyone went home happy! — TLS  
 

WHILE IT IS TRUE  

That I am reducing my time at the Center (after all, in Trisha Senterfitt the Center has a strong and capable Director), And that I no longer accept speaking engagements which require plane travel (I do travel by auto, up to 300 miles), It is not true that I am phasing out the Spring and Fall Preaching Workshops at Cherry Log. Of course, a time will come when wisdom says “Let someone else lead these workshops”, but that time is not yet. There are 140+ ministers who will tell me when to turn loose, And it is not true that this is the last year for the program of Songs and Stories, held every year the last Saturday night in January at the Performing Arts Center in Blue Ridge, GA. When Steve Darsey starts telling stories and I start singing, then drop the curtain, it’s over. In the meantime, I am filled with anticipation, and I hope you are. — FBC  

FALL FUN AWAITS

As Appalachian Weekend is celebrated October 4 in Cherry Log. The Craddock Center will offer a Storytelling feast at Cherry Log Christian Church, 1149 Cherry Log Street from 10:00 a.m.— 6:00 p.m. Among our guests will be our own Arts Specialists Kim Cheves, Amanda Galloway, Connie Chancey; local well-known tellers Sue and Bill Canady and two very special storytellers Dr. Helen Lewis and Dr. Fred Craddock. While we are weaving tales at one end of Cherry Log Street there will be food, crafts, canned goods and music from 7:30 a.m.—6:00 p.m. that day at the Cherry Log Community Club. We will provide more details later but mark it on your calendar. — TLS  

AS I SAT THE OTHER NIGHT  

Watching the radio, I almost said out loud, “What a technological advance the radio is over the old television!” Oh, the television was o.k. in its time, but it had so many limitations. For example, the television insisted that you be in the same room with it and staring at it. For what? To watch someone read the news to you, and not nearly as well as radio reporters who were trained to speak clearly and correctly. With the radio, turn up the volume and it reaches into kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and even barn, in case you haven’t finished milking. And TV reporters are poorly treated, being sent “on location” to show us the house in which a death occurred or the highway where a wreck happened earlier. The reporter and camera person, shivering in freezing rain, add nothing to my knowledge. And they have to hurry because, minus the ads, a 30-minute program is 16 minutes. TV must be expensive.

And so much attention is paid to appearances. But not on the radio. Who cared how they looked? In fact, part of the pleasure of radio is imagining whether an announcer or reporter or character in a drama is tall or short, slender or obese, handsome or homely. Sometimes when I meet someone who has heard me but not seen me, he or she may say, “You sounded taller”. I like that. I often advised my students in seminary that if they had a chance to be on the radio, take it, but if offered a chance to be on TV, take it only if you have the mental and emotional strength to pretend you are on radio.

But someone says, “Aren’t we now in a visual culture?” Well, yes, but in some ways not as much as we have been. For example, a beautiful sanctuary draws the worshiper’s eye with tapestry, candle, cross, chalice, table, and banner. It would be a shame to cover all these symbols with a screen that has words on it. Let sights be seen, let words be heard. Good balance. But for me, nothing comes close to the human voice in a room of listeners. — FBC

In case you decide to spend the weekend,  here are a few names and numbers of places to stay:  

• Black Bear Cabin Rentals: 888/ 902-2246  www.blackbearcabinrentals.com
• Comfort Inn & Suites—Blue Ridge: 888/ 223-7776     www.ComfortInnofBlueRidge.com
• Serenity in the Mountains-Blue Ridge: 706/ 258 -2244    www.serenityinthemountains.com
• Days Inn—Blue Ridge: 706/ 632-2100
• Douglas Inn & Suites—Blue Ridge: 706/ 258-3600
• Ramada Limited—Blue Ridge: 706/ 632-4444
• Best Western—Ellijay: 706/ 515-1500
• Budget Inn—Ellijay: 706/ 635-5311
• Stratford Motor Inn—East Ellijay: 706/ 276-1080
     

THE LITTLE GRAY HOUSE IN THE WOODS  

Many of you have asked what The Craddock Center looks like. Is it a large log structure resembling a National Park lodge? Is it a gymnasium-type structure serving as a community center? Is it a little A-frame cabin? This picture will settle all the questions. Tammy, Dr. Craddock and I love the little gray house in the woods which Cherry Log Christian Church so generously provides. We love visitors. So come see us when you are in this neck of the woods! — TLS