
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| Photo Gallery

Community News

Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Mary Gurley honored with birthday celebration

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

On Sunday night a large group of Christmas carol singers from First Baptist Church, Potts Camp, drove around to the homes of shut-ins to sing Christmas hymns. Thank you, we enjoyed it.

Visiting Virginia Hunsucker for Christmas was her granddaughter, Capt. Tiffany Erwin, U.S. Army, who has completed her year of service in Afghanistan. She will report to Ft. Campbell, KY, on Tuesday. Other holiday visitors in the Hunsucker home were Sandra Gillard (mother of Tiffany), Billy and Virginia Ann Allen and family, Kevin Hunsucker and family as well as all of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Christmas visitors of Mildred Marbury were Linda, Oliver and Keith Bumpas, Gary King, Perry King, Billy and Denise King.

Lynn and Martha Goolsby and children, Jamie and Hannah, are spending Christmas with friends in Gatlinburg.

Get will wishes to Fred Whaley, who recently spent a few fays in the Veterans Hospital in Memphis.

Danny and Elizabeth Hollingsworth and two teenage sons, Clark and Jake left a snow-covered home in Tennessee to come to Mississippi to visit relatives for the holidays. We were all happy to see them.

Keith and Bonnie Mayer sent special Christmas cards with pictures of their large new home in Byhalia and their children, Ethan and Mason.

Chad Mayer and Mary Beth of Myrtle sent a Christmas card with a picture of their son and daughter, Jackson and Emma Mayer. Emma was named for a favorite old maid aunt.

Another picture Christmas card that I enjoyed receiving was from the Kerry Hale family who are special friends.

Thanks to the many friends and relatives who sent cards and gifts on my birthday and also for Christmas. Two people were from California – a cousin, Mary Ann Millican, and a friend who grew up here, Ella Percy (the former Ella Jane Sanders) who also called me over the holidays.

Christmas holiday guests of Bro. Steve and Pat Wilson were daughters and sons-in-law, Jon and Stephanie McDonald of Eureka, CA, and Carla and Johnathan Dean of Alexandria, LA, and three grandchildren, Sydney, Symon and Klein.

Thanks to Pat Wilson, wife of Bro. Steve Wilson, who brought a wonderful fruit basket on Tuesday and also for her visit.

A birthday celebration was held on Thursday, Dec. 23 for Mary L. Gurley who turned 93. A large number of family and friends stopped in to congratulate her on this great occasion. Visitors were treated to numerous Christmas treats and wassail during their visit.

The Gurley Christmas celebration was held in the beautiful home of Kyle, Melanie, Preston and Audrey Poole in Red Banks on Saturday, Dec. 26. There were 49 family members present for their annual Christmas meal.

Rodney Whaley, accompanied by his daughter, Lori and grandson, Jack Whaley, came to visit me on Tuesday and brought a large bag of gifts from Potts Camp Bank. We thank them.

Correction: Bobby Smithwick, not Betty Smithwick, helped deliver Thanksgiving fruit baskets from the Potts Camp United Methodist Church, along with his wife Katie. Also, helping to make the baskets and delivering them were Mrs. Annie Ruth Stone and Mrs. Elaine Jarrett.

Prayer List: Gussie Davis, Linda Theisen, Charles Henderson, Sandy Byrd, Lina Mae Rhea, Lena Faye Work, Brenda Owen, Henry Tutor, Connie Work, Betty Fincher.

Thoughts

Over and over our Heavenly Father tells us to “Love those who despitefully use you.” Mark11:25.

Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” John 14:6

He is the way, and we cannot be lost if we follow Him. No matter what we have done in the past, God will accept us as we are, and will bless and change us as we grow as Christians.

Poem

O, give us homes built firm on the Savior,
When Christ is Counselor, head and guide,
Where every child is taught His love and favor,
And gives his heart to Christ, the crucified. End.

Poem:

When the world falls down around you
And a prayer will see you through.
Say a prayer for someone
Who needs it more than you.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray that at the end of the day
I’ve helped someone, somehow, some way.
That I’ve not failed in word or deed
To have helped someone who is in need.
Though my talents be few
Help me to be a credit to you.
For Christ’s sake, Amen.

Memories and History

Many years ago my late brother, Rev. Charles Lindy Potts, wrote an article about the great depression. He stayed at the depot with my dad several hours of the day after school was out. Many people had lost their farms because of the high taxes and my dad, Benton Potts, had purchased several of them.

When planting time came the men who rented the farms came to the depot for supplies. My dad would write out an order to “Greer and Greer Store” across the road from the depot, so they could get the supplies on credit. That fall after the crops were harvested, they would come to the depot to settle up. My dad would get down his big book with all the records in it. Lindy said it reminded him of the big book God keeps on us during our lifetime. When we die, He will get down the book. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and ask for forgiveness for our sins, God will wipe the pages clean.

Lindy had planned all his life to become a depot agent, like our dad, but God had other plans for him. (My mother prayed that he would become a preacher). He took all the tests to work for the railroad and passed all but one (his eyes).

So, one year after Mother died, in 1952, Lindy preached his first sermon and was sent to Hickory Flat as pastor. He had several churches.

Joann Bready was his pianist. One year later on my birthday, Dec. 16, they were married. He preached 42 years all over Mississippi and died at age 65.

Lindy was my little brother. He played the part of Jesus at age 8 months in the Potts Camp Methodist Church Christmas pageant and I played the part of Mary. I’ll never forget it, and I’ll never forget Lindy.

Did you know?
Richard Simmons

New Year’s wishes

I will be out for the next few weeks and plan for my next article to run on February 3, 2010.

My family and I wish for all of you a very blessed and prosperous New Year. See you in February.

Answers to Last Week’s Quiz

The Roy Rogers Show debuted on December 30, 1951.

The incandescent light bulb was first used publicly at Menlo Park, NJ in 1879.

Ellis Island was used to process immigrants in New York Harbor.

Richard Nixon signed legislation that limited highway speeds to 55 MPH.

Pennsylvania is the state with the least amount of shoreline with a total of 89 mi.

If you have questions or comments, send to richardps@centurytel.net.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page