Wild Cherries

Beautiful pinkish-white blossoms blooming,
Filling the morning sky with glory,
The wild cherry trees bring a powerful beauty
To soothe the needy heart with hope.

I believe I hear the sun
Wild with excitement and joy,
Laughing at the waning wintry sky
Now blossoming in colored splendor.

Spring is bursting out all over Cherry Log
As the earth greens following the reign of winter.
“Lift up your heart in hope and share that hope with others.” - TLS
 

THE BIG WHEELS KEEP ON TURNING

As The Story Express distributes books weekly. During April books were given to children at Hiawassee Dam, Ranger, and Andrews Head Start/Pre-K by Tammy Blair, Kim Cheves and Connie Chancey. Tammy also took The Story Express to the Fannin County Health Dept. during immunization week and to the Gilmer Health & Safety Expo. Betsy Doty and I drove over to Dahlonega Head Start/Pre-K to give 175 books to children there. Between now and when school is out at the end of May, The Story Express will be taken to end of year programs with students and parents at the eight other schools served by The Craddock Center. This will be a total of approximately 1600 brand new books given to children in April and May. It is wonderful to be able to encourage love of books and to motivate reading through the outreach of The Story Express.

Now you may be wondering where we came up with 1600 new books. We have been fortunate to receive books from many sources. Calhoun First United Methodist Church had a book drive in which each of the Sunday School classes donated a box of books. A big thank you to Rev. Sharon Waters for organizing this great mission project and for bringing the boxes across the mountain!

Joe Pugh, a faithful friend of The Craddock Center, made a connection with the Rural Library Project in Decatur, which resulted in a gift books. Rev. Audrey Ward, pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Sacramento, California sent a package of books and a Borders gift card making it possible to purchase many often requested books. A driver from Washington, D.C. brought 30 boxes of books from Rev. Noemi Nmena of National City Christian Church. We have also received gifts of books from Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta, the Friends of Sandy Springs Public Library, Dr. Beth Roberts’ book club in Atlanta, Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Floyd and Charlotte Hale, the Jolly’s in Dalton, Frank and Betty Osborne of Ellijay, Steve Mason of The Book Farm, Iris and Al Dodge of Dodge Educational Materials, Esther Kreek of Kansas, and Caye Oglesby put us in touch with Debbie Green of Children’s Literature for Children. In addition to the donation of books we are grateful for the financial donations allowing us to purchase books and cover expenses to keep the big wheels turning! – TLS
 

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE ENOUGH?

Lou and Carolyn Brown who have a successful PVC manufacturing company in Huntsville, Alabama, answer the question in this way, “You give it away.” By starting the CANDL Foundation and using an innovative product made by their company, they now provide schools across the United States with a tool that helps improve literacy. Using “elbows” of polished, furniture-grade PVC pipe fitted together, Available Plastics began making the Phonics Phones in 2000. After meeting Dr. Craddock in Alabama a couple of years ago, they shipped Phonics Phones and instructional video tapes for The Craddock Center’s Children’s Enrichment Program and are planning to send more for the next school year. These phones help improve children’s speech and reading skills. When students read aloud, the device allows them to hear themselves much more clearly when they practice. They are able to work on word pronunciation and improve their phonics skills by using the phones. With the phones, student practice time is more productive. Since practice makes perfect, children become better readers, which in turn helps them across the board in their other subjects. We are deeply grateful to the CANDL Foundation for continuing to make a difference for every child, who receives a Phonics Phone. - TLS


13 WAYS TO END A SERMON

Is the topic for the Fall Preaching Workshop on Oct. 6, 2008 at Cherry Log Christian Church. Never in the 10 years of offering a Spring and Fall Preaching Workshop at Cherry Log has there been such a swell of interest in a topic — from lay people, listeners to sermons.

“You mean to tell me there are 13 different ways to end a sermon? Then why in the name of all that is humane and compassionate can’t my preacher find one of them?”

“I’m giving my preacher a scholarship to that workshop; how much does it cost?”

“I think my preacher went to a workshop somewhere but apparently it was on How to end one sermon thirteen times.”

“Will the sessions be taped? I want to get a copy for every member of our church and then we’ll hold our preacher to it.”

“I’m interested in our preacher hearing about those other twelve ways to end. She’s been here 3 years and so far she has ended every sermon the same way.”

“Our preacher preaches different. He tells us the ending at the beginning, and then goes on and on and on.”

“I don’t want my preacher to end her sermon; I could listen for another hour.”

The workshops begins with a continental breakfast at 9:00 am and ends with a deli lunch at 12:00 noon. Everything is free.

But all attending need to let us know. We were near our capacity at 140 in March.
I look forward to seeing you. — FBC

I’M CHANGING THE WAY I DO BUSINESS

At least, some of it. Heretofore, the ways to reach me: mail, email, fax, and phone have all been through the Center, and these ways have been reasonably satisfactory. However, since I have tried to reduce my time at the Center to Tues., Wed., Thurs. mornings, some of us are missing each other. Not good.

The fact is, many of you wish to communicate concerning matters unrelated to the work of the Center. These messages are important to me. Messages concerning Center business are important to me also, of course, but our Director, Trisha Senterfitt, and Office manager, Tammy Blair, are ready and able to respond. Truth be told, even when you contacted me, they were the ones who helped you. It is no longer a secret that I don’t know very much.

So, here is my plan. Since much of my reading, writing, and arithmetic are done at home, why not contact me there? By mail, I am at P.O. Box 549, Blue Ridge, GA 30513. By phone, (706) 632-5253. By email, out of reach. My phone was briefly out of service but the repair man welded the crank back on and it is working fine. I am adding one feature which I think is cutting edge. If I am not at home, you can leave a message and I will call you back. It’s called voice mail. Ever hear of it? Awesome. You may ask about a cell phone. Yes, what about it? I went to Wal-Mart to get one of those Blackberries. They didn’t have a Blackberry but they had a Prune. Works fairly well, but it’s awfully wrinkled.

This new system should be in operation by June 15. I find this new technology rather slow, don’t you? - FBC