Use the gift of God wisely
The Bible says, “You reap what you sow,” also known as cause and effect. A cause is an action or behavior and the effect is the resulting reaction. For example, stop eating and eventually death occurs. In nature, ocean tides happen because of the moon’s gravitational pull.
Science says everything, including humans, is made of energy, which vibrates at various frequencies. So, does our behavior impact our planet?
There’s rampant worldwide immorality on every level. Violence. Hate. Greed. deception. Sexual perversion. Sex trafficking. Pornography. Political corruption. Murder. Abortion. Wars. Drug and alcohol abuse. Destruction of the family. Idolatry, and more.
The result? Devastating floods, tornadoes, storms, drought, fires, sinkholes, earthquakes, volcanoes and so-called climate change. Is there a connection? Can these fiascoes be prevented from occurring with morality and love?
We’ve misused free will by making terrible choices, including recklessly driving God out of our everyday lives. So, have we reaped what we’ve sowed? Romans 8:22 tells us, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”
God always wants what’s best for us. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). So let’s do the right things.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Though we might reject God and His instruction, He doesn’t reject us. He loves us unconditionally. God is good. All the time. And His gift of free will remains. Use it wisely.
Tamara Phillips
Murphy
Music venues great for town
David Vowel’s recent column on local singer-songwriters is an important acknowledgment of the musical talents many of us enjoy on a regular basis.
No cover charge, no minimum drink purchases, no tickets – just the freedom to choose our favorite venue any night of the week.
Troy Underwood is an amazing talent and a gifted, humble, warm-hearted human being.
We are honored to enjoy his gifts as often as possible at various venues throughout the region.
Downtown Murphy would not be the same without Troy, Scott and others working hard on stage.
We hope to see the Appalachian Monk’s unique style of rhythm and blues back in rotation at the Mason Bar in the very near future.
Bob and Anna Sharp
Martins Creek
Communist takeover here
Americans are in the midst of a U.S. communist takeover. President Joe Biden’s sanctions against Russia have brought Americans inflation, shortages and high crime, while Russia’s oil exports have increased by 38 percent and the ruble’s value has surged by 40 percent against the U.S. dollar.
Biden’s administration is in a proxy war, sending Ukraine firepower and over $80 billion. Ukraine may soon use American missiles to destroy Ukraine’s own nuclear power plant and then blame Russia for waging chemical warfare –false flag – to which NATO stated it “would respond.”
Nancy Pelosi and congressmen had to butt their noses into China’s business, and now look at Taiwan. China is going to clean our clock. They may cut off the 70 percent of medications we import and the 95 percent of microchips we import from Taiwan. America would be in an unimaginable world of hurt.
Biden is weaponizing the Internal Revenue Service to war against the middle class with 87,000 additional Stasi terrorists, locked and loaded. All I want for Christmas is a Kevlar vest.
Biden is purposely encouraging the border invasion. A total of 100,306 Americans died last year from overdoses.
A YouTube video recently showed a trucker bringing 41,700 pounds of baby formula to a drop-off site. She videotaped in horror as workers destroyed hundreds of thousands of pounds of formula. Abortion isn’t enough, now there’s a war on America’s newborns.
Over 100 U.S. food processing plants mysteriously burned last year.
With sanctions on Russian fertilizer, crop yields are down and ranchers are being forced to sell their cattle. But that’s OK because we can drink Bill Gates’ cockroach milk for protein. No worries, Bezos, Gates and Black Rock are buying up America’s farmland as farmers are forced to sell.
The middle class is disappearing, as their communist takedown is succeeding.
Mary Mason
Murphy
Wootens say thanks to all
The family of Newell Wooten would like to thank everyone for being so kind and generous to us during our time of grief and sadness.
Ivie Funeral Home, John Ivie and staff, went out of their way for us. Neighbors and friends brought food. Dr. Clayton and staff took care of Newell many years. James Patterson and Bo Phillips for the wonderful service. Ollie Corn for the beautiful songs. All the pallbearers, Newell’s nephews. The beautiful flowers and kind words.
God is good. God bless you all, dear friends.
Barbara, Suzzie
and Roger Wooten
Andrews
Sons against relic removal
The N.C. Division Sons of Confederate Veterans stands with other veterans groups and the two-thirds of all Tar Heel citizens who strongly oppose taking down and removing memorials to our veterans.
We are saddened and dismayed at the Enfield’s mayor’s illegal actions. We hope that justice is swift, and the mayor pays for his flagrant violation of North Carolina law and oath of office. He’s no victim. He’s the mayor and a person of privilege in the Enfield community.
The Enfield veterans’ memorial was more than a Confederate memorial. It also served as a veterans’ memorial for U.S. veterans from World War I to the Persian Gulf War. Once located downtown and originally dedicated to the town’s Confederate and WWI veterans, the monument was always dedicated to all of Enfield’s veterans, past and present. Some years ago. in 1954, the memorial was moved from the street to a park adjacent to a cemetery.
The town council did vote to remove the veterans’ memorial, not destroy the monument. Still, by the placement of that vote, those government agents commit a grave injustice not only against our veterans, but against a full understanding of our history and all its aspects.
We remind those city fathers that the 2015 N.C. Monuments Protection Law applies, and unilateral action without the approval of the N.C. Historical Commission is illegal.
The federal government officially recognizes these veterans as deserving of respect and honor. And their monuments are protected by federal laws. We encourage the federal government to investigate these occurrences.
We also call on patriotic Americans and veterans’ groups to take a stand against “Cancel Culture” and end these attacks on veterans, our history and Western civilization. The uncivil actions of ignorant people should not go unpunished.
R. Kevin Stone
Sanford
The writer is commander of the N.C. Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans.