DOGWOOD ACRES WEEKLY

DOGWOOD ACRES, 03/23/08, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. Easter Memories. I have thought a lot about them today. Mother always made sure we kids had new clothes for Easter even though she didn’t always have a new dress. There was sometimes Easter Sunrise service to attend; I remember those more at New Haven Church when we were very young. Aunt Doris Bilyeu made wonderful cinnamon rolls that I will never forget.

During the 60’s we went to church at Pine Ridge where there was often dinner and an egg hunt after church. Of course, we used real eggs; I don’t think candy eggs were even thought of. Sometimes Carolyn and Barbara Rossner would go home with us and we would hide and hunt the same eggs all afternoon.

After Rick, Neal and I moved back here in ‘91, we again enjoyed Easter Dinner with our family at Faith Assembly in Forsyth. Dawn always baked the Easter ham and the ladies of the church outdid themselves with a wonderful meal. Mother looked forward to having her family together on those days; I guess we had five Easters together there before she passed away. Kasie, Trent, Melissa and Colby were little then. Now they are grown up, Mother and Daddy are gone and we all have our own families and create new family traditions and memories.

We were at church with Neal and his family at SandyGeneral Baptist, our church home for the past six years. LeaAnn, with help with young people in the church, presented a marvelous drama renacting the events that make Easter so meaningful to us. Sunday dinner was with LeaAnn's family where we feel right at home. After the dishes were washed there was new calves to check on and naps to take before Sunday evening service.

In spite of the changes in the directions that life takes us, one thing remains constant and unchanging. That is the reason why Easter is important, the confidence and faith in a risen and living Lord Jesus.

Rick and I went to Elmer Walker’s funeral Saturday afternoon. I remember Elmer and Thelma almost as long as I remember anything or anybody as they were always at Pine Ridge Church. Such good friends to my grandparents, they worshiped together, prayed with and for one another, coon hunted and worked together. They were fun, I remember going to revival meetings at Long Run with the four of them. It seemed like such a long trip and Granny and Thelma would pack a picnic meal to eat on the way down and back.

Having lived almost six decades of my life, it is inevitable that I will say good by to more and more of those who made memories for me. As that happens, I feel a greater urgency and responsibility to leave good memories with the ones I love and someday will leave behind.

Aunt Roma celebrated her 80th birthday on March 18 and Mother’s 82nd birthday would have been on the 19th. Uncle Bill had planned to take Aunt Roma out for dinner with Roscoe and Wanetta but the heavy rains kept them home. Colby stayed all night with them so they had a fun evening after all.

Our rain gauge registered 7.5 inches of rainfall earlier in the week. Rick went over to Neal and LeaAnn’s on Tuesday and had to go the long way around as the little branch near their house had over flown its banks.

Thursday evening we attended visitation for Pete Biggs who had fought a valiant battle with cancer.

Hobart Collins called me with a reminder about a Benefit Concert which is to be on April 5 at the General Baptist White River Association. Concert time is 6:30-9:30 and donations will be accepted with proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Research in memory of Virginia Collins and Tom Rowland. Special guest singer is Bill Burns. Hobart and I had a nice visit. I offered to bring him a cat but I don’t think he wants one!

On Sunday nights sister Christie often sends me an email with notes about her family’s activities for the week. She had so many good thoughts to share this week that I will just end this column with NOTES FROM CHRISTIE:

“Dakota and I had a good time ALL weekend. Friday evening we attended visitation for Elmer Walker. Dakota enjoyed everyone telling him that he looked like his Daddy. Benny DeWitt was telling us of his memories of how Grandpa Clarence used to brag on little Marty always looking for hammer and nails to play with. Boy, do we remember that; I think there are still hammer prints where Marty “helped” build the log house.

Saturday we went to Branson Landing and did a power walk along Taneycomo looking at the boats and then I took him for his FIRST visit ever to Krispy Kremes, he had NO idea how good a warm donut could be. I had NO idea what sugar from FOUR donuts could do to an 11-year-old boy either. It was worth it to see his enjoyment of something new.

Bill and Colby spent Friday evening over at Uncle Emmett's with a houseful of Biggs cousins. Bill was hoarse from laughing and talking so much. He mentioned that with all of the cousins living miles apart that the times they do get together it can wear out a person. Emmett is pretty brave to have given them free reign in his house.

Sunday at Calvary Full Gospel, the Biggs could no longer contain family to just one pew with Bill and Christie's clan getting together for Easter.

Wanda Crouch enjoyed having a pew full of her Grand and Great Grandchildren filling up pews as well.”

Bye for now from Elane and Christie