By Donna Traywick
Mt. Olivet News
I got my maypop jelly! It tastes like Hawaiian punch jelly. I really could not enjoy it like I
should have because the word “poisonous” kept cropping up in my mind.
I grew up thinking that it was poisonous. I thought that its only purpose was to pop out
of the group and “pop” when stepped on. I don’t recall cows eating it, nor the pigs in a
very near pen. I am told that it is an invasive plant.
My friend, Lynda Browning Davis, wanted to go to the Palmertree place to see if we
could find some. No way! Snakes are still out and the place where the maypops grew is
on the hill overlooking Deer Creek.
Now if we can get used to eating kudzu! With the Thanksgiving and Christmas season
upon us, are you game for a little kudzu in a salad? No one will ever know. Cooked like
collards or using the root like potato or rutabagas. If you try it, let me know. I think it
would greatly reduce my grocery bill.
Nov. 11 th was Veterans day. As a tribute to those gone on and the members of veterans
in our congregation, Amber Browning did a beautiful rendition of God Bless the U.S.A. It
was written by Lee Greenwood in 1983 about his country which he dearly loved. Many
politicians, including George W. Bush, have used it in their campaigns.
This past Sunday Cindy Prince and Randy Johnson did a duet of “He Touched Me”. It
was written by Bill Gather in 1963, while he was accompanying Dr. Dale Oldham on his
evangelistic crusade.
Dr. Oldham said “Bill, you know “touch” is a very popular word in the bible”, there are
New Testament stories about Jesus touching peoples eyes and healing them or
touching people's lives and changing them. Elvis Presley made this song popular in
1972. Tennessee Erine Ford recorded it in 1977.
I do not know yet how many Christmas boxes that Mt. Olivet did for the Operation
Christmas Child program. I am so proud of the very small Black Jack. They had 100 girl
boxes and 100 boy boxes. I thank everyone all over the whole county for their
generosity.

Ponder this: Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much – Erich Fromm