There Goes Connie - A Christian Travel Blog: Trip info on Monday and devotionals on Friday.

A Chance to “Do Unto Others” What Others “Did Unto Me”

09/20/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

Between the summer of 1998 and Christmas of 1999, the original Pearson 5 went into Wedding Marathon Mode. Yes. All three Pearson children got married between August 1, 1998 and December 18, 1999. It required notebook upon notebook of appointments, decisions and plans . . . and Steve would add lots of checks being written. Gulp!

In addition to choosing dresses, cakes, music, reception food, flowers, invitation styles and a million other details, both girls had their receptions at our house (requiring major landscaping work), and our son got married in Birmingham the week before Christmas. Whoa!!!

I believe that all three couples got what they were hoping for out of their special days, and my mind only brings back a few hiccups after all these years. But, what I’m thinking about today are all of the friends who contributed to the merriment with prenuptial parties and TONS of beautiful gifts.

There were engagement parties, bridal teas, family recipe parties, tea towel showers, tool and gadget barbecues, a Christmas brunch, kitchen showers, linen showers, bridesmaids luncheons and even a Sip ‘n See where friends were invited to come, drink a refreshing summer drink and oohh and aahhh over all of the pretty presents. Our friends were the ones who hosted these events, and they showered Steve and me with love and generosity, as well as our children. We were overwhelmed with their hard work and willingness to invest in our children’s happy times during those months. If you’re reading this, you know who you are. Please know how much I still treasure all you did in those months for our children.

Tonight a couple of friends and I are hosting a shower for a dear friend’s daughter. It feels really good to do for someone else — even if it’s just in a small way — what others did for me. The other hostesses and I have known the bride’s Mom and Dad for at least 40 years. We love the family dearly and hope we can make their daughter feel special.

The New International Version sums up Matthew 7:12 like this:

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

The Message paraphrase puts it this way:

“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.”

When Jesus gave us that command, He knew what an extraordinary environment it would create and how fulfilled we would be as a result of following it. As is true of everything He asked us to do, it was/IS for our own good.

I suppose I’m doing things backwards, in that I’m “doing for others” what was already “done for me.” So let’s just say that I still remember and appreciate (over 20 years later) how wonderful it felt to be the recipient of actions that demonstrated love, and I’m looking forward to pouring love on someone else tonight.

3 Cartersville GA Attractions for Recreation and Education

09/16/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

I’ve written about Cartersville sights, eats and attractions here, here and here. Now I’d like to share three more that make a visit to the area interesting and enlightening.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER PARK and PINE ACRES RETREAT

George Washington Carver Park on Lake Allatoona was established in 1950 as the first state park for African Americans in Georgia. This beautiful 345-acre property includes a manmade beach, picnic facilities, fishing docks, a boat ramp, playgrounds and a large event space great for family reunions, corporate meetings and wedding receptions. In 1956, a portion of the land was set aside for a black Girl Scout Camp and became known as Pine Acres Retreat. Currently, it is managed by the Cartersville-Bartow County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The lodging facilities are available for renting and range from platform tent sites to cabins for small and large groups. The camp has a swimming pool and buildings for eating and meeting. Reservations must be made for the cabins and the event venue, but the rest is open to the public.

A comfortable guest room available with reservations.

This historically-significant park has hosted Mrs. Coretta Scott King for church activities, Reverend Andrew Young and his family for skiing on the lake and Little Richard and Ray Charles for concerts. It is a contributing factor in the Civil Rights Movement.

TELLUS SCIENCE MUSEUM

If you’ve traveled on I-75 between Atlanta and Chattanooga in recent years, the large building housing the Tellus Science Museum likely caught your eye. It is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is well worth the effort to find the nearest exit and pay the museum a visit.

The Bentley Planetarium supports the museum’s emphasis on space and astronomy, but other main areas of focus include transportation, minerals and fossils.

Also, on the grounds is a solar house which is open for tours Thursdays through Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00. Tellus recently celebrated 10 years of operation and welcomed its 2 millionth visitor. It is a source of great pride for Bartow County and is a wonderful resource for area schools.

ETOWAH INDIAN MOUNDS STATE HISTORIC SITE

Near the Etowah River, you can see (and actually climb to the top of) three large mounds, the largest of which is 63 feet high and spans 3 acres. A tour of the Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site will take you to some original Native American fish traps and a wattle and daub house showing typical home construction by the Native Americans between 900 and 1550 AD.

Before reaching the mounds, you will use a bridge to walk over what were called the “borrow pits.” Dirt was shoveled from these areas to form the mounds, and the resulting deep ditches or pits were used as defensive tools against invaders or unwelcomed influences.

The visitors center presents a range of exhibits with artifacts used prominently in that time period. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Come back next week for a look at a luxury resort near Cartersville that will have you making plans and reservations soon.

With ALL My Heart? Learning from a Braves Game

09/13/2019 By: CCPearson2 Comments

My Silver Fox and I enjoy following the Atlanta Braves baseball team. ESPECIALLY this year. Los Bravos are 8 games up in the East Division. Woohoo! That’s baseball speak for they are doing well, very well.

We sit in our preferred spots after supper at night and gaze at our embarrassingly large TV watching our favorites come up to bat. Freddie Freeman has been earning every penny of his $55 million net worth (at least in terms of the Atlanta Braves franchise) with his consistent hits and astonishing plays as the first baseman. Ronald Acuna, Jr. is the lead-off hitter for good reason. That boy knows how to get on base! Ozzie Albies is fun to watch. Dansby Swanson is easy on the eyes (ha), and Josh Donaldson has recently emerged as a heavy hitter.

Most nights we watch a few minutes of the Braves game, turn to an episode of something on Netflix, check the score of any football game that is remotely interesting, tune in to any late-breaking news, then switch back to the Braves. We stay cool, comfortable and have a snack or two within a few steps if we get the munchies. 🙂

Last week a much-anticipated trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina was cancelled because of Hurricane Dorian. I was disappointed and itching to go SOMEWHERE, so we decided to go watch our Braves in person.

I researched the best available seats IN THE SHADE, expecting a very warm night, and found some just a few feet past the first base line on a lower level with a great view of the entire ballpark. We spent quite a bit on tickets and a parking pass. (I’ll have to confess the amount before Steve sees the credit card bill. Gulp!) We drove to the stadium (after a delightful detour to Rome, Georgia to hug on some folks), found our designated parking lot and made our way into Sun Trust Park. What an impressive venue!!

Another “gulp” was spending $26 for 2 bottled waters, a hot dog and a serving of chicken and waffles (pretty unusual fare for a baseball stadium, don’t you think?).

It happened to be “Los Bravos Night” where they recognized the Atlanta Braves personnel from Latin American countries, thus lots of salsa music. 🙂 We got close up shots of some of our favorites during warm-ups and watched an exciting game with the Braves winning 4 to 3 over the Washington Nationals. To add to the merriment, the Friday night home game meant a big fireworks show. This particular show was choreographed to fit some of the most popular Latin hits. It was great!

Then, we joined the throngs leaving the stadium, walking to our cars and maneuvering through traffic (LOTS of traffic). We drove for about an hour, found a hotel, collapsed in bed, got up, had breakfast and made our way back home.

When we watch games at home, we don’t suffer a minute of discomfort (unless they have an “off” night and get hopelessly behind). But, when we went to Atlanta to watch the Braves in person, we had to quite literally “put skin in the game” — time, effort, discomfort (traffic, heat, lots of walking, less than plush seats) and, of course, MONEY.

We can casually say, “We love to watch the Braves.” But last week we said, in effect, “We love to watch the Braves enough to invest ourselves in going to a game.”

As often happens, a spiritual application came to my mind. How easily I say to myself and others, “I love God.” But what would it look like for me to truly love Him with ALL my heart, soul and strength? To really put skin into the focused act of loving God? I understand the concept when it comes to Steve, the kids and the grandkids. I am completely willing to put heart, energy, time and money into demonstrating my wholehearted love for them, but what about in my relationship to God?

Deuteronomy 6:5 — ” Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

ALL your heart. ALL your soul. ALL your strength.

In Matthew 22:38, Jesus called it the first and the greatest commandment. So, why do I continue to wrestle with what that means in terms of everyday living? Is there a gap between loving God and loving Him with ALL my heart? If so, what needs to change in my life to authentically and absolutely fulfill that commandment?

More time spent in His word? More willingness to live with Christlike attitudes, thoughts, words? More sacrificial acts of service? More money given to Kingdom causes? More preparation of my heart before entering times of worship?

Or maybe it’s not a matter of more, more, more. Maybe it’s an issue of intentionality and becoming conscious of the motives in my heart.

That’s what I’ve been pondering this week. I’d love to read your thoughts.

Cartersville, Georgia: Booth Western Art Museum Presents Andy Warhol

09/09/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

Men and boys, listen up! This is a museum you will LOVE!! Cowboys and Indians, horses and calf-ropers are everywhere! As a matter of fact, the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia contains the largest permanent exhibition space for Western art in the entire United States.

If you grew up watching Gunsmoke, Wyatt Earp, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Bonanza, Gene Autrey or movies such as “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” this place is for you. The paintings, sculptures and artifacts are outstanding.

There is also a section featuring the Civil War which is very sobering.

American history lovers will also appreciate the Presidential Gallery which contains a one-page, signed letter from every U.S. President from George Washington to Donald Trump.

From now until December 31, 2019, the headline exhibit is “Warhol and the West.” Andy Warhol, a famous American painter probably best known for pop art, was also fascinated with all things Western and created a surprising number of pieces in the latter part of his life with that theme. Many of those works have been brought to Cartersville, Georgia and added to the works already in the museum’s permanent collection, they now make up a stunning and insightful presentation. Try to see it before it leaves the southeast. This exhibit will be traveling to other parts of the country for the next several years.

The Booth Museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 to 5:00 with extended hours on Thursdays until 8:00. Sunday hours are 1:00 to 5:00, and it is closed on Mondays. Parking is free. The gift shop is stocked with wonderful items, and the cafe on the premises is exceptional. Highly recommended items are the hamburgers, chicken salad and chili.

By the way, if you visit with young children, they are sure to enjoy the Sagebrush Ranch section on the ground floor designed with them in mind.

And, just so you know, I (a prissy female) enjoyed the entire museum. So, I’d highly recommend it as a great outing for couples or families.

Cartersville, Georgia and Lottie Moon

09/06/2019 By: CCPearson8 Comments

Growing up as a Southern Baptist and continuing in that denomination for almost 70 years now, I thought I knew a lot about Lottie Moon. But, last week I learned she has a strong tie to Cartersville, Georgia and that the townspeople are very proud of their connection to her.

Within a few minutes of my time with a group of writers and tourism representatives in Cartersville, the person most closely tied to the town said, “Is anyone here a Baptist?” My quick response was, “Yes, I’m a life-long Southern Baptist, tried and true!” She then said, “So, I suppose you’ve heard of Lottie Moon.”

I absolutely have, and it pleases me to know that non-Baptists also acknowledge the great work she did.

Lottie (whose given name was Charlotte Digges Moon) was born in 1840 to wealthy parents. Their wealth allowed her to have a fine education which far exceeded most women of the day. She was actually one of the first women to receive a Master of Arts degree from a southern school. She exhibited a real flair for languages and knew Latin, Greek, French, Spanish and Italian, which certainly helped her later when she needed to become fluent in Chinese.

Lottie is most noted for the nearly 40 years she served in China as a single, female missionary, teaching, evangelizing and so devoting herself to the people that she often starved herself in order to give her own food to them during times of famine. She died on Christmas Eve in 1912, weighing only 50 pounds because of this starvation.

Her connection to Cartersville, Georgia was short but significant. She and a friend, Anna Safford, moved there and opened the Cartersville Female High School in 1871. She also contributed to the ministry of First Baptist Church in Cartersville by helping poor families. It was in Cartersville that she acknowledged God’s call on her life, succeeded in being appointed as a missionary by the Baptist convention and left for China in 1873. Cartersville has a plaque acknowledging her importance on the Fence of Fame near the town’s historic depot, a book about her life is for sale in the Bartow History Museum, and there are displays at the First Baptist Church that I am eager to return and see. It was, after all, that church which first gathered offerings with her name attached to support her work in China.

Plaque chronicling the impact of Lottie Moon hung on the Fence of Fame in downtown Cartersville.

It is very fitting that the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual offering to support international missionaries is named for Lottie Moon. My husband and I were supported by this very offering during our four years in Ecuador. Approximately 5000 missionaries are sharing the Gospel in foreign countries each year thanks to this offering.

“Send the Light” a book about Lottie Moon in the gift shop of the Bartow History Museum in Cartersville.

This tiny woman — 4′ 3″ tall — made a huge difference when she was alive and still inspires us today.

She believed these verses and followed the command of Jesus —

Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Cartersville, GA: Rusty Cars and Rustic Diners

09/02/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

Before last week, the only time I’d heard about Cartersville, Georgia was when my daughter who lives in Rome, Georgia said, “That’s where we go to shop at Target.” Needless to say, that meant my knowledge was practically non-existent. Everything changed when I had a chance to explore the town and pretty much all of Bartow County with several fellow travel writers and people familiar with the attractions of Cartersville. As a result, you can anticipate several posts about various aspects of this surprising destination.

OLD CAR CITY U.S.A.

Definitely getting the award for the most unusual attraction in Bartow County, Old Car City U.S.A. was a big surprise! Six miles of trails, 34 acres, 4400 old cars — really? Who knew that could be so fascinating and so appealing to photographers? It truly was, though. For folks like me, it was a step back in time as I spotted cars I used to be picked up in for dates or cars my parents had when I was growing up. No, these aren’t mint condition, car show cars. These are a part of what the owner Dean Lewis proudly calls “the third most famous junkyard in the world.” His parents originally opened the junkyard in 1931, but Lewis has expanded the business and marketed it very effectively.

Inside the large building at the entrance, you will also found a car once belonging to Elvis Presley, an antique toy collection and an eye-popping display of Styrofoam cups that have been used as canvasses to create folk art pieces. The Styrofoam cups, by the way, are identical to the ones used for serving beverages across the street at Wes-Man’s Restaurant. Somehow I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

A sample of the vast Styrofoam cup collection at Old Car City U.S.A.

It is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission for ages 13 and up is $15, for ages 7-10 it’s $10, and children 6 and under are free. If you have a camera or plan to have your picture made on the lot, the price is $25.

If you’re a “car person,” you’ll like this place. Even if you don’t think you’re a car person, I believe you’ll be surprised at how peaceful it is.

DINERS WITH HISTORY AND CHARACTER

Wes-Man’s Restaurant, as I mentioned above, is right across the highway from Old Car City U.S.A. In keeping with that theme, there is a rusty truck in the parking lot that has been used for special greetings for years. When my fellow writers and I arrived, our names were already painted on the truck, and it acknowledged the birthday of my new friend Laurie.

The important truck in the parking lot of Wes-Man’s Restaurant.

The decor can best be described as vintage, and the menu is truly Southern with lots of fried choices — even an ear of corn and cheesecake! Owner Wes Wesley does a good job of making his customers feel special, and if you’ve seen the movie “The Fundamentals of Caring,” the diner scene was filmed inside of Wes-Man’s.

Wes Wesley greeting guests with part of his impressive license plate collection displayed in the background.

Fried green tomatoes, field peas, mashed potatoes and a hoecake at Wes-Man’s.

4 Way Lunch is billed as “Georgia’s Oldest Restaurant Without a Telephone.” In reality, it is a tiny diner with a single row of stools that opened in 1931 and is pretty much serving the same menu it served at the beginning. Typical breakfast fare can be ordered from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., then hamburgers, cheeseburgers, steak and chicken sandwiches, chili and peach cobbler for lunch. The prices are unbelievably low. You can find it on East Main Street near the center of town.

Ross’ Diner, established in 1935 and located at 17 Wall Street, is slightly larger than 4 Way with approximately 2 dozen stools arranged in a u-shape. Ross’ also offers expected breakfast dishes and an array of sandwiches for lunch, but it goes a step further with lunch-time meat-and-three plates. No reservations are taken, of course. You just arrive and wait for an open stool. The prices are great here, too, with nothing on the menu topping $10.

Sausage, scrambled eggs and grits at Ross’ Diner.

Ross’ is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 – 2:30 but extends its Friday hours to 8:00 p.m.

Doug’s Place on Georgia Highway 293 in Emerson, GA, grew from a roadside country store to a full-fledged cafe when Interstate 75 was being built and a large detour took drivers right past the store. Those drivers looked mighty hungry to Doug, so he decided to offer biscuits, then meat-and-threes and a variety of Southern comfort dishes. The interstate has long been completed, but the parking lot at Doug’s stays impressively full.

Doug’s is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday and for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Western omelet and hash browns at Doug’s Place.

Next Monday I’ll give you even more reasons to visit Cartersville and Bartow County.

Why Act Like a Know-It-All?

08/30/2019 By: CCPearson3 Comments

I bet you’ve had a similar experience. Recently, I was with a person who truly thought they knew it all. Any subject you could name? They knew something about it . . . or knew more than anyone else in the room regarding that subject/person/situation. Furthermore, this person was a card-carrying name-dropper. They knew who the most in-the-know person was in any setting mentioned during our group conversations and was on a first-name basis with them. Grrrrrr. Wasn’t it just last Friday that I wrote about ‘The High Cost of Anger?” (Click here for a review). Words that came to my mind to describe the person: unteachable, arrogant, irritating, puffed up, self-serving, etc.

A long list of Bible verses address that kind of attitude, particularly in the Book of Proverbs —

Proverbs 16:18 – ” Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 27:2 – “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”

Proverbs 16:5 – “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”

As the person droned on and on ad nauseum, I became aware of several feelings — no, let me go ahead and call them what they were, SINS — creeping into my own heart. Clearly, I was judging when I definitely didn’t know enough about the person to understand the motivations or the background. I found myself listening for a mistake or wanting to jump in with a correction or a “better idea” — sins that must have been equally despicable to God. I didn’t like myself because of the thoughts I was having. I recognized that I like to be the one with the knowledge, the expertise, the advice to give those around me, and I DON’T like listening to someone else be the “know it all.” It was not my finest hour or series of days. Hopefully, by confessing this to God and to all of you, I can get my heart straight again and be able to acknowledge the good traits that the person possesses rather than focusing on their traits that brought out the worst in me.

Matthew 7:1-5 – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Clearly, I need to find a good “Plank Removal Service.” Anger one week, judging the next. God has His hands full keeping me convicted and straightened out.

And to Steve, my beloved Silver Fox. If you’re reading this, let me tell you how sorry I am for the times that I play the “know-it-all” role, when it is completely obvious to everyone who knows both of us that YOU are the one with the gift of wisdom. Please forgive me. I’ll try to do better.

Curry’s: Great for a Girlfriend Lunch, Decatur AL

08/26/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

If you’re not careful, you’ll miss it. Turn into the parking lot off of Johnston Street, and you will be able to see the Decatur Farmers Market and the railroad tracks in the distance. The building was originally built in 1890 and served as the Cotaco Opera House. Curry’s on Johnston Street (the restaurant) actually resides in the basement.

Diners may choose to sit indoors surrounded by quirky art or “outside” in the glass-enclosed porch surrounded by nature. If you just don’t have time to linger, carry-out orders are prepared frequently.

This is not a frou-frou place, meaning you won’t find china, silver or crystal, and you’ll need to go to the counter to place your order and pay. But then, once you’re seated, someone will gladly bring your order to you and check on you from time to time. The casual atmosphere adds to Curry’s charm, it seems, and makes it a great spot to meet a friend for lunch.

The hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but that basically means lunch, if you’re dining in, or hours before and after for picking up orders to carry-out. A special bonus is that you can also purchase a frozen entree to take home for dinner if your day has been crazy busy and there’s no time to cook.

The menu basically consists of a wide variety of salads and sandwiches, and they have a daily hot lunch special. The Spring Roll Salad, the Fried Oyster Salad and the Fried Scallop Salad may be the most unusual menu items, but they are very delicious — so light and flavorful. Chicken salad and strawberry pretzel salad are possibly the most popular sellers. I don’t know how they manage to always have perfect strawberry pretzel salad — firm and fruity on top, sweet, creamy center and crunchy crust on the bottom. When I make it at home, my crust invariably gets soggy. Thus the need for places like Curry’s, right?

I recently took a chicken salad plate home and put it on one of my china plates. Voila! A great meal without lifting a finger. 🙂

Chicken salad, strawberry pretzel salad, a banana bread sandwich and a pickle.

Once, when I was “between houses” and needed to host Thanksgiving, I enjoyed Curry’s great holiday catering service and ordered a fabulous meal — turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sides, dessert — without having to buy any groceries or get my own kitchen dirty. It was worth every penny.

Curry’s does a great job — consistently and at a reasonable price. I recommend it.

The High Price of Anger

08/23/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

I know from personal experience that getting angry and staying angry can make you sick. Yes, physically ill. I’ve had times when I was so mad my blood pressure soared, my heart raced, my stomach revolted and sleep became impossible. I’m not talking about so-called “righteous indignation” (whatever that might be) or being deeply hurt. No, I’m talking about having a burning, boiling rage inside that seems to grow and fester.

Fortunately, I seldom get angry (as Steve is my witness), but when I do, I’m ashamed of how ugly I become in looks, thoughts and actions. It goes against everything I know about being Christlike and exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit in my life.

The Bible very specifically warns against it:

James 1:19-20 – “Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Human anger does not achieve God’s righteous purpose.”

Psalm 37:8 – ” Don’t give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.”

Colossians 3:8 – ” But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion, and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from your lips.”

Ephesians 4:26 – “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.”

God knows us. He knows our human tendencies to bristle, seethe and burn inside. He also knows how harmful it is to our bodies, to our witness for Christ, and ultimately how damaging it is to furthering His kingdom.

Just this past week, I observed two women suffering ill effects from their anger. Both of them, no doubt, feel completely justified with their anger. I don’t know the whole story in either case. They may have some valid points. But, what I DO know is that they are suffering consequences because of their anger. The anger itself is doing them no good. They’ve lost their ability to see things logically and with true discernment.

Jonah got mad at God. Yes, God. Jonah was mad because God chose to forgive the Ninevites and to spare them and their city. He lost complete sight of the BIG PICTURE, and God called him on it.

Read about it here in Jonah 4:1-11 (The Message):

Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!

³“So, God, if you won’t kill them, kill me! I’m better off dead!”

⁴God said, “What do you have to be angry about?”

⁵But Jonah just left. He went out of the city to the east and sat down in a sulk. He put together a makeshift shelter of leafy branches and sat there in the shade to see what would happen to the city.

⁶God arranged for a broad-leafed tree to spring up. It grew over Jonah to cool him off and get him out of his angry sulk. Jonah was pleased and enjoyed the shade. Life was looking up.

^7-8But then God sent a worm. By dawn of the next day, the worm had bored into the shade tree and it withered away. The sun came up and God sent a hot, blistering wind from the east. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head and he started to faint. He prayed to die: “I’m better off dead!”

⁹Then God said to Jonah, “What right do you have to get angry about this shade tree?”

Jonah said, “Plenty of right. It’s made me angry enough to die!”

^10-11God said, “What’s this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?”

So, anyway, I’ve been thinking about the high price you and I pay when we get angry and stay angry. I want to learn from my past mistakes. Don’t you?

Morgan Price Candy Company in Decatur, AL

08/19/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

English toffee from Morgan Price Candy Company in Decatur, Alabama, is on the list of “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die.” No wonder! The stuff is heavenly. What’s not to like about butter, sugar, chocolate and crushed almonds prepared precisely and perfectly?

I visited recently when expert candy-maker Annie was preparing several fresh batches. She knows the formula and turns out tray after tray of crunchy sweetness.

Annie has perfected the process of making perfect English toffee.

Sprinkling the crushed almonds onto the chocolate.

Morgan Price Candy Company has been serving Morgan County sweets-lovers for 32 years and has been in their present location on 6th Avenue (Highway 31 S) for about 3 years of that time. It’s a great store full of attractive gifts and, of course, candy-themed baskets and boxes.

Gelato was added to the summertime offerings a year or so ago and will continue to be made this year until the end of September. So, go quickly, while it’s sweltering outside and enjoy this creamy, cool treat.

I spied something new on the shelves — Ruby cocoa beans! I’m kicking myself for not trying it while I was there, but that gives me a great reason for a return visit.

For toffee, gelato or beautiful gifts, I highly recommend a trip to Morgan Price Candy Company. Please tell my friends Terry Mayfield and Linda Williams (who help make the magic happen) that I sent you.

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