Everybody said in unison, "NO!"

Gravelly news byG lenna Goodson

A very old pastor lay dying. He sent a message for an Internal Revenue Service Agent and his lawyer to come to the hospital. When they arrived, they were ushered into his room, the pastor held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of his bed. The pastor grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled and stared at the ceiling. For a time no one said anything. Both the IRS agent and lawyer were touched and flattered that the old man would ask them to be with him during his final moments. They also were puzzled because the pastor had never given any indication that he liked either one of them. Finally, the lawyer asked, "Pastor, why did you ask the two of us to come here?"The old pastor mustered all his strength, then said weakly, "Jesus died between two thieves, and that's how I want to go."

Our electricity was off in the Valley Wednesday from 11 am until almost 6 pm. I walked to the postoffice andstopped at Bill Workman's. Mark Wagner was there and I asked what happendd to our electricity.Mark says that two guys drove their small plane into the electric wires past Briggsville.What was bad was I believed that tale that Mark just made up. Mark says," you know I never made a mistake in my life," and I say" Now Mark, and he says,"No, but I have had many learning experiences.

Decoration day will soon be here for Bluffton,Aly and Parks cemeteries. I wish it could be like it was when I was growing up. Mama and Grandma would take bushel baskets and pick the flowers that were blooming in their yards and they both made flowers for the graves., No spending all this money on flowers as we do now.Fred's family, the Goodson;'s and my family, the Oglesbee's and Copeland's are at Park's cemetery and our decoration is always Mother's Day.

I had a dear friend take me to the Podiatrist at Danville Clinic Thursday.Dr. Reel comes from his Russellville office to the Danville clinic on Thursdays. As a diabetic, I have to be careful withg my feet and Dr. Reel cut my toenails and inspected my feet.Since I do not have any feeling behind my toes or my lower feet, Idid not realize that a couple of toe nails had grown so long they were cutting into the flesh. I was impressed with Dr. Reel and plan to see him about every 2 months.I saw Etta Vee Payne in the clinic andshe was also waiting to see Dr. Reel.

I saw Chuck McCool Thursday at Fowlers. He says Fowlers is his "second" office. In the past few daysChuck has sold 4 houses, 3 at Carter Cove and one at Hot Springs. His business is doing well.

Mr. Tommy Metcalf got the water pump in the Cadillac replaced.I am impressed with Mr. Metcalf's knowledge of automobiles and I'm thankful Mickey Austin told me about him. I really appreciate Mickey putting the serpentine belt back on, too.And Bill Workman got my Toyota running. Bless Bill!

I was reading about Rhonda, an 8 year old girl who lived in the country. She and her family were very faithful in their country church. Rhonda went to spend a week with a friend in the city.Sunday came and they went to the Bigtown Church. The ushers wore white matching jackets with tiny , red rosebuds in the lapels. The carpet was so deep andsoft it reminded Rhonda of walking in clover. The choir wore dark blue robes and soft candles glowed on the altar. No one whispered or looked around. Rhonda was afraid she might sneeze or cough..T he organist was seated at the biggest pipe organ Rhonda had ever seen andshe played solemn music that made Rhonda think of a funeral. Then came a marching line of people, consisting of of the pastor;'s staff, a dozen deacons and the choir singing"Holy, Holy, Holy."When the choir, deacons and staff reached their assigned seats, the minister, wearing a robe trimmed with red velvet, entered and made his way up the three steps to the pulpit. At the exact moment the Reverend Doctor Henry Moss reached the third step, the entire congregation, out of habit, stood in respect. The Reverend Moss read the scripture in the most dignified voice you could imagine. At this point little Rhonda was just overwhelmed with it all. She tugged at the sleeve of her friend's mother and whispered, " Beverly, does your minister live here all week or just come down from HEAVEN on Sundays.?"

Our Rover Baptist church had the 5th Sundaysing Sunday night. Anna Jewel Fryar and her friend Jewel Marie Webb were there. I hope they were blessed. Bro. Shipley had said that morning before his sermon that he thought we might ask him to sing at the 5th Sunday sing and everybody said in unison, "NO!" The sing was good. Those that participated were Christopher Light, Emily Shipley, Brenda Turner, Scott Warren and his wife and Emily Shipley, Bethany Light and Johnny andBrenda Turner's granddaughter, performed what iscalled "black Light." The regular lights are turned off and the performers are in black so all you see are their white gloves and white stockings. They "act out" a song and it is so very good.

In writing about angels a 7 year old wrote, "Angels don't eat but they drink Holy milk from cows."

Playing that old, beat up piano

Gravelly news by Glenna Goodson

An airplane was about to crash. There were 5 passengers on board, but only 4 parachutes. The 1st. passenger said, "I am Kobe Bryant, the best NBA basketball player. the Lakers need me, and I can't afford to die."So he took the 1st pack and left the plane. The 2nd passenger, Hillary Clinton said, "I am the wife of a former U.S. President, a NY State Senator and a potential future president. and I am the smartest woman in American history, so America's people don't want me to die." She took the 2nd pack and jumped out of the plane. The 3rd passenger, Ted Kennedy said, "I am a US Senator, the Democratic party needs me and my liver still has some good years left.So he grabbed the pack next to him and jumped.The 4th passenger, Billy Graham, said to the 5th passenger, a 10 year old schoolgirl,"I am old and frail and don't have many years left, and as a Christian, I will sacrifice my life and let you have the last parachute." The girl said,"That's okay. there's a parachute left for you. America's smartest woman took my school bag."

My cousin, Billy Highfill, has two granddaughters, Sarah is 4 years old and Hannah is 2 1/2. Sarah is going to a children's program at their church on Wednesday nights. She is learning Bible verses and every time shesays a verse, her grandmother gives her a dollar. Of course Hannah is observing all of this. Easter Sunday as they were leaving church, 2 1/2 year old Hannah looks up at her mother and says, ":It is true, the Lord has risen," Where's my dollar?"

Wyatt Nathaniel was born April 13th in a Russellville hospital. My sister's first great grandchild. I told her she is young to have a greatgrandchild--only 58 and I was almost 70 when I had my first one. Wyatt is such a pretty baby boy. Kathy says Ashly's brothers, Cameron and Jacob, rock him and Jacob whistles to him.

Last week I wentto Bluffton to see my friend Betty Lampkin. i was so sad because she is still suffering from thestroke she had a couple of months ago. I want my friend to get better--pray for her-- and Hoyt too, cause Hoyt is not well but he is right there to help Betty walk and care for her. I took Betty a couple of books and intend to go to the library and get her some more.

I was at Plainview Fowler's and John Young said "Mrs. Glenna here's something to put in the paper."These 3 young men had a video camera and were looking at pictures of wild hogs they had hunted. One picture showed their dogs getting this hog where they could shoot it. I asked was the meat from the wild hogs good to eat and they allowed that it wasvery good. Thank you, I still go forthe domesticated hogs we raised on the farm and killed in the winter time.

Loucinda and I went to Russellville Friday. I got my hair fixed in Ola and Loucinda came to Ola to pick me up and I left the Cadillac there. We shopped for flowers at Lowes, then on to Walmart. She brought me back to Ola to pick up my car. I knew something was wrong because I had trouble turning the steering wheel. I made it to Enerson's at Rover and smoke wascoming from under my hood. These guys looked at it and thought I had ruined the water pump and a belt. I had to leave it at Rover. I found out from the former owner of the car that the Serpentine belt controls every thing under the hood. Lacey wenr to Rover Saturday--gotthe belt on but it will not tighten. I appreciate so much Lacey gong and trying to fix it. So Monday, I will call someone to come tow it to their shop. I will miss teaching my Bible classes at Wing and I was supposed to play the piano Sunday night at Rover and will miss that too. Bill Workman of our Gravelly store is so good to me. He came to my house and looked at my Camry and pulled it to his house at Young Gravelly to work on it. I'm sure not worthy of sucha good friend. All I coulddo was cry when the other Christian friend said he was giving me the Cadillac.
Makes me humble.

One of the guys that was helping with the Cadillac at Rover said to me, "You really look like your Dad."And he told me he worked with my Dad, Doc Oglesbee, after Daddy retired from the Game and Fish.I told him I had always wanted to be like my Dad and who was he? It was Bobby Melton and I thank Bobby for helping me.

There was a pie auction at the Gravelly Masonic Lodge Saturday night . The Masons were raising money to repair the roof ofthe Lodge Hall and other repairs that needs to be done. The Dry Branch Band played for us, which was very enjoyable. There are 6 guys in the band and they play guitars, a banjo, a mandolin and a violin. The auction raised $2110 and we appreciate every one that brought pies and participated.J. B. Wagner and Tommy Vanover were the auctioneers. Margaret Wagner played the piano for us when the auction was finished. I was trying to show all the guys how awful that piano sounded and we wanted them to move the piano from upstairs to downstairs where we now have our Eastern Star. When Margaret got through playing that old, beat up piano, no one thought anything was wrong with it. But we got 6 ofthe guys to move the smaller piano downstairs--Hurrah!!!

If your friends complain because you don't dust your furniture, tell them a layer of dust protects the wood under it.

Lordy what a big deer

Gravellly news by Glenna Goodson

A young minister was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, with no family or friends. he funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest thereThe minister was not familiar with the backwoods area, he became lost and being a typical man ,did not stop for directions.He finally arrived an hour late. He saw the backhoe and the crew, who was eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The minister apologized to the workers for his tardiness and stepped to the side ofl the open grave where he saw the vault lid already in place. He assured the workers he would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. The minister poured out his heart and soul. As he preached, the workers began to say, "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory"! He preached and preached like he'd never preached before:from Genesis all the way to Revelation. He closed the service with a prayer and walked to his car. As the minister was opening the car door and taking off his coat, he overheard one of the workers saying to another, "I ain't never seen anything like that before and I've been puttin' in septic tanks for twenty years."

Jonnie Sue Gillum Willis passed away April 11th at the Mena nursing home. Loucinda and Harold and Louise Gillum had been to see her that afternoon and Jonnie died not long after they left. Jonnie was one ofthe strongest persons I ever knew. Polio left her with the use of only one arm when she was a Junior in school at F.V. She penned diapers on her babies, cooked, canned vegetables, and taught herself to do with one arm what most people do with two. She was always an optimistic person and kind and loving. She loved to teach the Word of God and was a great Bible teacher.:People praised her because she was really worthy of praise. I will sincerely miss my friend.

Well, it finally happened!!I hit a deer two weeks ago on Saturday night.I know, I know that the deer are always on that stretch of road between Wing and Bluffton and I try to always be prepared but that sucker was standing right there in the middle of the road and I did not see her until I was ready to hit her.Lordy what a big deer. I drove my car the rest ofthe way home but I guess my Camry I have realy loved to drive has hit the dust. It can't be driven and would cost more to fix then the car is worth. A wonderful Christian friend has loaned me a '91 Cadillac to drive. It is so amazing how God sends people into our lives when we need a helping hand.

I went to Dr. Sandberg a couple of weeks ago to have this strange looking thing removed from my face. I have forgotten the medical name for it but I know it looked as if it was growing legs!! The nurse was getting things ready and I say "Is the shot going to hurt?" Carla says"there will be a stick" Now have you ever noticed when a nurse says"there will be a stick" it's gonna half kill yu? Dr. Sandberg came in and Isay"Is the deadening shot going to hurt ?" and he says"Yes." I ask am I gonna holler and he says "Probably." Well, i just hollered once and then I was good and that awful looking thing is off my face.

Last week on Monday afternoon I traveled to Story to visit my friend, Melba Reed. You turn off on Friendship Road before you get to Story. You guessed it, I got lost. I turned down a log road. But I finally found the correct road. Melba and I went to a Caddo River S. Baptist Associational meeting at First Baptist Mt. Ida. What a beautiful church they have ! I really enjoyed all the meetings--especially the women's prayer conference. I spentthe night with Melba and the next day we went shopping in Hot Springs. Melba's daughter, Glenda, teaches Kdgn. in Oaklawn school in Hot Springs and we stopped and visited with her during her lunch time. I really enjoyed viewing Glenda's interesting room.. Melba and I really had a good time shopping, We got home so late that I spent another night with them andcame back home on Wednesday..I hadsuch a wonderful time.

Easter Sunday after church Loucinda and I ate in Danville at Little John's.Orlan Ray Thomas was there and we invited him to join us. We had a good visiting time .Orlan Ray used to sing at the same singings as my Dad and it des me good to hear him talk about the singings.

Easter Sunday, Dr. Sandberg, Kelly Virbel, his niece, and Joe and Janet Harrison visited our Wing Community Church. We were blessed with their presence. Dr. Sandberg led the music for us.

I saw Chuck McCool at Plainview Fowler's recently.He said he had stopped at Joe's barber shop to get a hair cut. Chuck says, "Joe doesn't charge me for a hair cut anymore, he charges me a ":finder's fee."

My friend Johnny Turner of Rover had a stint placed in the lower part of his heart a couple of weeks ago in a Little Rock hospital. I saw Johnny at church Sundayand heseems to be dong well for which I am thankful.

Recently,I was at Emerson's store at Rover. My Camry needed oil but I could not find how to raise the hood. I also could not get it started.. Mark Wagner was my knight in shining armor and put the oil in the car for me. I appreciated Mark's help. He says"Mr. Glenna Jean, what do you need?" I knew this was J.B"s son because J. B is the only one that still calls me by my full name and now Mark does the same. I kinda like that--takes me back to teen age years. I told Billy Hunnicutt thecar would not start and he looked to see what I was doing and he said"Well, you have it in drive" so when i put it in Park it started..

My sister, Kathy's birthday was the 12th ofthis month. I took them to Little John's to celebrate her birthday. Never will i forget when she was born when I was 17 years of age, at Sparks Hospital at Fort Smith. She was the most beautiful baby I have ever seen--lots of black hair, clear skin--andbig blue eyes. When she was two, that black hair turned blonde andshe had long blonde curls until my mother cut it when she was about 4 .She was a blessing to my parents, my brother, and me--she still blesses me.!

Think on this: Trouble in marriage often starts when a man gets so busy earning his salt, that he forgets his sugar.

S. Baptists that jump around are really in the minority

Gravelly news by Glenna Goodson

A church treasurer was working on his church's financial statement for the month. He found a statement from a paint store in town. The man that signed for the paint was Mr. Christian. The treasurer knew his church had not purchased any paint, so he called the paint store to complain. In talking to the manager, the church treasurer said,"We don't have any Christians at the 1st. Baptist Church."


I attended the Diabetes program in Danville last Tuesday. The U of A Cooperative Extension Service presented the program. I learned a lot of new things about healthy foods for diabetics. We registered when we entered and a lady came in and told me she had wanted to meet me for a long time.She said"I really enjoy your column in the Record and I can hardly wait for the paper so I can turn to Gravelly news and find your joke."She lives in Ola and made me feel glad.

My sister, Kathy, is fixing a room for her to be great grandson. I remember how fun that was. My little Jake being my first--how Robyn and I shopped for the right bed for him--new carpet--paint for the walls. It is so fun for Kathy and Lacey. When you have your first grandchild you think there can not be anything more wonderful and then along comes that first great-grandchild and that is even more wonderful!! I think of Fred's Granny Goodson. She probably had at least 25 great grandchildren by the time she died but our older son, Ellis, was so special to her.. She'd take him for nature walks and they'd play with bugs. Ellis will never forget his Granny.

A fiiend e-mailed me after reading my column last week andsaid her husband always said"choppin' cotton," not hoeing cotton. Well, I'd hear my Dadsay that sometimes but it was mostly hoeing cotton. I'd much rather hoe cotton then pick it. Fred says that is the reason 3 of the 7 children in his family had to have back surgery when they became adults--picking all that cotton and pulling that cotton sack all day long.

Gee now that Iam eating correctly and taking my 7 shots per day, my blood sugar is always normal. And the Byetta that acts as insulin that I inject twice per day, takes away my appetite and so Iam losing weight--Hurrah!!!

Tom Sullivan sent Loucinda and me tickets for the annual Kiwanis pancake breakfast in Russellville,which was held last Friday. The pancakes and sausage were great. What was reallyfun was visiting with Tom and Maggie Sullivan,Harold and Louise Gillum, Anna Jewel Fryar and Jewel Webb. On the way to Russellville a lady driving a truck was in front of us with her left turn signal on. She never turned left, but she DID turn right with the left signal still flashing. Loucinda says,"I bet that left signal was on when that lady bought that truck."

Loucinda went to visit her friend ,Diane, in Harrison this past weekend. Loucinda will get to hear the S.Baptist preacher she enjoyed the last time she visited Diane. Remember she enjoyed his sermon cause he didn't "jump" around. I keep telling Loucinda that S. Baptists that jump around are really in the minority--I "are" one so I say that with authority.

A beautiful singing voice and smile is gone from our Rover Baptist Church. Patsy Jean is singing around God's throne now--no more pain--just joy. How I will miss that wonderful lady!!

Saturday night at Rover Baptist Church, after the poor man's supper, we had a singin good time.The Rovers for Jesus sang several numbers. Also singing were Brenda Turner, Bethany Light, Chris Light and Cindy Warren. I also read one of my stories entitled "Snakes and Other Things. I toldthe audience that when I get to Heaven I am looking forward to hearing Johnny Cash and William Price sing bass together. William was just sitting there shaking his head but I was not kidding !!

The Rovers for Jesus were singing in a couple of prisons this Sunday so I playedthe piano at Rover Baptist for Janette.I was playing when people were greeting each other and a lady that was visiting our church came and sat down by me and said she wanted to meet me. She says, "Your article is the only reason I buy the Record." Gee, I was flattered.Mrs. Vodrazka lives in Dardanelle. We were so blessed to have Bro. Elvin and Nancy McDill to visit our services and they sang for us. I sure miss hearing them sing--their song was truly a blessing.

I sometimes wonder if we show our appreciation as we should, for our family and friends. My brother-in-law Lacey Minnie, really is a Godsend in the way he is always doing things for me. 3 weeks ago my hot water stoped working. Lacey got the part and fixed the heater. He and Kathy wereon the look out for me a push mower. They found one at Lowes. Lacey took me to Russellville Saturday in his truck and I purchased an electric push mower--no cord--you just keep it charged. So I really appreciate Lacey doing so much for me.

Jonnie Gillum Willis is in the Mena nursing home. I was told that Jonnie felt like going to church last Sunday. I am so glad because Jonnie loves God's house.

I understand that Roy Fickle is now in the Waldron nursing home. Robbie, his wife, has told friends that Roy is dong well and that he has a room mate he enjoys.

Last week I went to Bluffton to see my friend, Betty Lampkin. I had not seen her since Icame back from OKC I. had visited with her several minutes before Betty told me she had had a stoke two weeks previously and had been in the hospital for a week. I was so sad to hear about that. Hoyt is taking goodcare of her and her niece comes to see about her frequently.I talked to her today, Sunday, andshe said she was feeling better. Pray for her.

Think on this:----An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."