The Chatter Box
By Deborah Bennett

Postmarked 1956, it peeked from beneath the cover of my mama's Bible, capturing my attention and enticing me to explore further. I released it from its hiding place and immediately recognized the handwriting on the envelope as that of my granddaddy, George Rabitsch, who passed away in 1985.

I withdrew a yellowed piece of paper from the envelope and was immediately overcome with emotion. Visions of the gentle, grayhaired man I called "Granddaddy" filled my thoughts as I read the words written to Mama when I was a young child and we were living in North Carolina.

Granddaddy began by telling Mama of the presents he had bought for me for Christmas that year. He then related how he had been ill but was healed through prayer.

"I have no trouble now. As you know, faith in God through Christ can do anything according to His will. So tell your troubles to God who hears at all times," he wrote.

I could not read any further for a few moments as I realized my finding that letter at that particular moment was not by accident but divine guidance. Mama had entered a nursing home, and we were packing up her things to be stored.

It was a depressing day, and I desperately needed a little encouragement from somewhere. I had not anticipated, however, that it would come from a sweet voice from the past that I thought had been silenced forever in this life! I believe the Lord in all His wisdom led my Mama to place that letter in her Bible long ago, knowing there would come a time when I would need to read my Granddaddy's words. The Lord's timing is always so perfect!

Granddaddy ended the letter with, "Hug Deborah for me...Tell Deborah to come to Granddaddy's and get Santa."

It is not yet Christmas, and I am too old for Santa. But, the Lord arranged long ago for Granddaddy to give me one last wonderful gift - a reminder of his love and encouragement!

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Happy birthday this week to: Rev. James Jackson, Jody Bowers, Gail Bassett, Nancy Blanchard, Caroline McTeer, Kristy B. Wallace, Daniel Smith, Viola Baldwin, Brittany Sweat, Jancey W. Brinson, Paul Felburg and Bobby James.

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Celebrating wedding anniversaries this week are: Mr. and Mrs. Dana Edenfield, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Cook, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie James and Mr. and Mrs. Bobby James.

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Military Active Duty List: PV2 Ashley Clifton, U.S. Army, Yongsan, Korea; Airman First Class Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA; Capt. Andrew P. Thomas, U.S. Marines, 2nd Marine Division, F.A.S.T. Company, Bahrain, Persian Gulf; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force, Ali Al Salem AFB, Kuwait; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, Camp Taji, Iraq; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, Travis Air Force Base, Fairfield, Calif.; SPC Grade E4 Arthur Lamont Milton Jr., HHC 1-36 Infantry Support, Friedberg, Germany; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Ft. Stewart; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette Destroyer; LCPL Dwain "Cade" Lee, 1st Marine Division Combat Service Support Group II Security Element, ArRamadi, Iraq; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army National Guard, 878th Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R. Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, AGang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl. Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga., Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt., U.S. Air Force,