FRED & NETTIE CRADDOCK CELEBRATE MILESTONE
60TH ANNIVERSARY—JUNE 9, 2010        

"You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.   Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.   Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”   The Prophet “On Marriage” - Kahlil Gibran

CRADDOCK CENTER CELEBRATED MISSION PARTNERSHIP              

With the arrival of 39 elementary children and parents over Memorial Day Weekend. Kacy Brubaker, Director of Elementary and Family Ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, organized this second Elementary Family Mission Trip including a truckload of furniture, the collection and processing of hundreds of books, painting murals and artwork at the foster children family visitation center in Blue Ridge, distribution of books to local children from the Story Express, building an arbor and fence at the visitation center and enhancing the playground with mulch.  They also provided the Fannin County Foster Families with a picnic and games.

There was also yard cleanup, planting flowers and bathroom renovation at The Craddock Center. This very energetic group transformed the visitation center and The Craddock Center while making new friends with the foster children and their families. Transformation also took place within the mission group as they got to play with the foster children and parents, to make the visitation center more welcoming for children and experienced God’s presence in the faces of all they met. The question Kacy asked them each evening at vespers was, “Where have you experienced God’s presence or where did you see God smile today?” The elementary children one by one without hesitation responded, “when we gave another child a book, when we painted a happy mural with a rainbow, when we worshipped at Cherry Log Christian Church, when we played at the picnic with new friends, when we planted flowers” and the testimonials continued. Who says elementary children are too young to go on a mission trip? Well, it works as long as they bring their parents along! — TLS      

RESPONSE TO HUNGRY CHILDREN         

Has been heartwarming and tummy-filling. The donations of time and money have provided food for many hungry children. One touching donation came from a woman in Blue Ridge, GA who said she was so excited when she learned about the Backpack Program because as a child she had gone to bed hungry many nights. Her father was a long-distance truck driver who would leave her mother money for food each week. But with nine people to feed in the family the money was never enough. She is now on a mission to get her friends involved in helping feed the children. Thanks to all who are so generously supporting this program to help alleviate growling tummies! — TLS

RIDDLES FOR YOU           

1) How many times does the Story Express have to be filled in order to give every preschooler in the Children’s Enrichment Program two books during the school year? 12 times.   2) How much does it cost to fill the Story Express with books? About $2,000 each trip out.   3) 200 people donate $30 adding up to $12,000. How is that possible? A generous donor who loves books has given The Craddock Center a $6,000 matching book fund.

4) Who’s game for a win/win match? Book lovers like you!   Children all over nine counties in Southern Appalachia look forward to the arrival of the Story Express at their schools.

You know the feeling you get when you go in a bookstore. Often the children ask, “Is this like a bookstore?” To which we respond, “This is like a bookstore, but you don’t have to buy these books. They are a gift.” — TLS  

AT THE CENTER, WISELY OR NOT              

We make promises to children. By this I do not mean that we say, “We promise, on scout’s honor, hand on the Bible, on my mother’s grave, cross my heart and hope to die, etc., etc.” Such expressions are but poor scaffolding to support a weak promise which cannot stand alone. Many of the children we serve have heard such words: I’m sorry, but I promise to be at your game next time; I promise next year I really will come to your end-of-year school party; I promise never again to forget your birthday. So, when a child in our Enrichment Program asks one of our singers/storytellers, “Will you come back?” the answer is a clear and straight Yes. “I’ll bet you are just saying that.” Now what? The singer/storytellers shows up. In time the child will trust an adult again.

Still some say it is not wise to make promises to children. Why? Well, there are those who think the rules for promises do not apply when dealing with children. I recall hearing a grocer lie to a child who came to buy candy. When the child left, another customer asked, “Why did you lie to that child?” The grocer replied, “It’s not lying if you are talking to a child.” Others say it isn’t wise because children are literalists: a Yes is Yes, a No is No. They don’t realize that many adults build into their promise a lot of “ifs”: if it doesn’t rain; if I am not too tired; if I don’t get a better offer.

Be that as it may, at the Center we make promises to the children. We say Yes and we show up. There is no substitute for showing up.

But a serious question is raised: how can you say Yes and show up when there is a big “if” in your program? The “if” is this: “if” we receive enough gifts, we will show up. An understandable “if” but not a real “if”. You see, quite a number of you have addressed the “if” by giving scholarships for our Children’s Enrichment Program ($140.00 each). Some have given two, three, as many as ten. We have been a bit lax in sending reminders when a scholarship is not fully paid or when a scholarship is not renewed. We will do better, promise. But what if? What if? If there are not enough scholarships, do we say to the children, “We will be back if we get the money?” No; we will not say that. We will find a way to make our Yes a Yes. And how will that be?

Boiled peanuts, anyone? — FBC