By Donna Traywick

I attended revival services at Black Jack Presbyterian Church last week. Bro Doug Sullivan-Gonzalez was guest speaker. Special music was performed by a quartet consisting of Sue Phelps, Bobby Phelps, Pam Stafford and Bo Ware as soloist. This group has been performing together for quite sometime and have been invited to the Panola County Singing Convention at Mt Olivet Methodist Church on Sept. 25 at 3:00 pm.

Also in Black Jack Church, I saw the sweetest thing that I have ever seen in a church. When its time to take up the collection all of the children take it up. The ages mayrange from 4 years old to teen-ager. The little fellows are so excited when it comes time for the collection. Thyat is an excellent way for young people to begin service to the church.

I did something recently that I have never done before. After putting up peaches that I got from Todd Franklin, Veedy Franklin told me that you could boil the peelings and seeds and make jelly. I remember Miss Jessie doing the same thing, but I never knew how. After straining it, I put it in the fridge to fix jelly later. Do any of you remember your parents or you doing this? I’m excited about this little experiment. 

I had another strange thing happen to me while putting up peaches. When Todd brings them to me, some are not quite ripe so I like to put them on my porch to let the heat ripen faster. In years passed I would miss one or two if I had them in a container. This year I decided to leave them out over night. I put the flat on a short table. I put out twelve. Then I checked the next morning, I had only two left! In the past we attributed on or two to little squirrels. Since it was flat on the porch. After much pondering we decided a little squirrel could not handle them in his little paws. Could a raccoon or opossum have invaded my porch while I was sleeping. What do you think?

According to the extension service USA.com the peach originated in China and has been cultivated there since 1,000 B.C. They thought the peach had mystical power and is said to bring luck abundance and longevity. Brides carried peach blossoms in their wedding bouquet.

Shady Grove Baptist Church had a fifth Sunday Singing. They were blessed to have Pam Gardner (Still Blessed) as guest. She does her own backup music from her own home. She gave a testimony of going thru many chemo and radiation treatments for cancer. She just finished her round of testing, and she is cancer free. 

On Sunday Shady Grove had their Blessing of the Backpacks. There was good attendance of children, from pre-K to college plus the teachers Carol Putman reported that it was a very special service.

Our sympathy goes out to the family of Anita Smith. She and Johnny were such a close couple and they were hard worked in Black Jack Churdch.

Our sympathy goes out to Jeremy Weldon, our Panolian editor, and family in the death of his father. Visitation was held Monday and the funeral was Tuesday in Pontotoc.