Outlook

Have you ever given much thought to the way we enter into life as a little baby born without any previous experience of conditions in the world? We are born only one time (physically) and we can never start a new life equipped with the experience we’ve gained from a previous one. We leave childhood without knowing what youth is; we marry without knowing what it is to be married; and even when we enter old age, we don’t know what is is we are heading for. The old are innocent children of their old age. In that sense, we may conclude that man’s whole world is the planet of inexperience. And this process keeps on happening generation after generation. (Of course, each new generation thinks they know it all; but, if they live long enough they will learn some valuable lessons about life and they may learn them in a very hard way.)

As usual, I look back to what has happened at Woodlawn Baptist Church in this past week and through Sunday. Services were good although attendance was down somewhat in the Sunday morning crowd. Sometime the past week or so, it was announced that our music director, Bro. Donald Bell of Monroe, who has served as our interim music director for several years, has accepted the position fulltime. (He has really served fulltime and then some all the years he’s been with us. But, we are glad to have his fulltime position confirmed. Bro. Don is a wonderfully competent and thorough music director - I can testify to that fact from the several years I sang in the choir. And I wish I could sing again; but, that ability has escaped me somewhere along the way.

The Sunday lunch bunch, James and Nona Garner, Laura Pierce and yours truly, headed for McDonalds after the AM service. Of course, we saw many other folks we knew and conversed with some of them as they passed our table coming in or leaving.

Last week I promised a write-up on the bridal shower held at Woodlawn BC on Saturday as a week ago.

The Family Life Center was beautifully decorated with a beach theme. The honoree was April Cheek, bride-elect of Jason Dupeire. April is the daughter of Charlie and Mollie Gammill and the late Randy Cheek. Grand-parents are Bobby and NIta Cheek, Sisco Felter Collie and Willie Gammill. Jason is the son of Dr. Leon and Jeanie Dupeire. (Dr. Leon Dupeire was a veterinarian in Rayville before he moved back to Mandeville.)

Jason graduated from Mangham HIgh School and received his pharmacy degree from ULM. April graduated from Rayville High School and received her undergraduate degree from ULM. They will have a beach wedding on March 20 at Orange Beach, Alabama, where they will make their home.

Those serving in the hostess group were: Elizabeth Allen, Michelle Bell, Debbie Burgess, Roxanne Cheek, Carmen Gonzales, Teresa Greer, Linda Hendrix, Lisa Johnson, Sandra Johnnston, Sheri Letlow, Beth Milby, Janet Philley, Roxie Stewart and Angel Wofford. And, the refreshments were plentiful and very tasty.

The shower was truly an event to remember and the flash-bulbs were going off quite often in an effort to capture some of this on film. (We extend our best wishes for a long and happy union to this couple in their forth-coming marriage.)

A CHUCKLE: She answered the phone to hear a most repentant voice, “I’m sorry, darling,” he said. “I have thought things over and you CAN have the Rolls Royce as a wedding present, WE WILL move to the Gold Coast and your mother CAN stay with us. Now will you marry me?”

“Of course I will,” she said. “And who is this speaking?”

The Third Base Ministry of Woodlawn Baptist Church women met on Monday night of this week in the church’s Family Life Center and each one brought a pot of soup and cornbread, salad, etc. We ate to our hearts’ content and then discussed various ways and means of reaching elderly members, especially the shut-ins. I carried a pot of soup over to Mrs. Lola Porter and stayed on to visit a short while as she consumed the food. It’s such a blessing to be able to go and visit and help our elderly people who are still living in their homes. Most of them want to “put off” going to a nursing home as long as they possibly can. (Of course, I am now considered as one of the “elderly” but, as long as I able to get up and go, I don’t intend to spend all my spare time in any home.)

Well, what do you think about this kind of balmy weather we are having early in this week? I love it; but, I know it will not last. In fact, I think much rain is forecast for later in this week. I’m still working on getting the leaves bagtged up and put out for the town truck to pick up.

Looking back in my notebook, I see where I mentioned mowing the grass in my yard about this time last year; but not this year - too cold and too much rain; but, that can change in a day or two.

I feel sure you don’t need reminding of the time change this coming Saturday night. Just set your clock one hour earlier before you go to bed. I can hardly wait because I just really like having more daylight time in the evening. I really wouldn’t mind if we had the time set an hour earlier all the year round. I am just not a “morning” person at all. Now, I can be if it’s necessary; but, I would rather have more daylight time in the early evening. That’s when my energy is usually at its peak and I can get more done then than in the early monring.

Of course, it takes a bit of getting used to; but, I can cope with that fairly well.

I haven’t heard anymore from the cousin (Reva) in North Little Rock. I wrote to her and kind of “filled her in” a bit on what had happened to me in the more than sixty some years since she and I last saw each other. Maybe that’s all she wanted to know. Ha! Ha! So be it... Life “do get “teejus” but, I welcome its “going on” a while longer.

I will be undergoing some medical procedures this coming week; so, you might include me a teeny bit in your prayers. I don’t think they will be too drastic; just mostly checkups on heart and other vital organs. Will tell you more about it in next week’s Outlook. (So, you can ascertain that I am expecting to survive at least another week.) Yes, Yes!

As you know, we will soon be going to the polls to elect or re-elect several candidates for the various offices in our town and parrish. So, get your traveling shoes ready to get on down to the polls later this month.

Those elected will be very important to the welfare of our town and parrish. So, get ready to do your civic duty by voting for the ones whom you consider to be most qualified for the position they are seeking - either as a new-comer to the political scene or as one to be re-elected to the same office. This will be our opportunity to vote for the one whom we believe has done or will do the best job for the office they are seeking.

Birthdays are coming up soon for the following folks: Dawn Everett and Doris Johnston on 3/11; Wayne Parker on 3/12; Lilwin Norman, Angela Hales, Patsy Knight, Art Alderman and Jimmie Louise Johnston on 3/13; Clay Morgan on 3/14; Lola Porter on 3/15; Whitney Zarro Pope on 3/16 and for Gerri Harris, Clyde Towers, J. W. McGlothlin and Fred Perritt on 3/17. May all of these good people enjoy their special natal day in a most special way and we wish them many, many more ...

And, that will bring another Outlook column to a close. Did it contain any of your news or that of your neighbors? If not, why not? In our little small town, we like to know about our neighbors and they don’t have to live next door. I consider a lot of folks as my neighbors although they may live across town. (But, you can have “next door” neighbors or “across town” neighbors.) I just consider townfolks and rural folks all being neighbors in one way or another - perhaps “friends” would be a better word and “friendly neighbors” would be an even better term.

PARTING THOUGHT: Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance.