www.LakeWedoweeLife.com
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Advancing Health
BE AMONG THE FIRST TO SEE
YOUR NEW HOSPITAL. Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama
OPEN HOUSE Saturday, Sept. 30 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT
Be among the first in the community to see the future of health care in Randolph County first-hand. Tours of the new, more than 50,000-square-foot, three-story Tanner Medical Center/ East Alabama will be available before it opens to patients. See the new hospital’s emergency department, laboratory, state-of-the-art surgical suite, patient rooms and more. Learn about the services the facility will offer, meet old friends from Wedowee Hospital who are joining the Tanner team at the new hospital and enjoy: Door prizes from local merchants Games for the kids Information on men’s health, women’s health, heart care, water safety and more Meet and greet with local first responders, including fire, EMS and law enforcement Giveaways
Learn more about the new hospital online at tanner.org/eastalabama.
Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama 1032 South Main Street Wedowee, AL 36278
Put the Equity in Your Home to Work! With a Home Equity Line of Credit from First Bank of Alabama, you can: • Remodel • Repair • Consolidate Debt • Cover Educational Costs • Have Access to Money in Case of an Emergency
(256) 362-2334 www.firstbankal.com Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) rate and terms based on credit underwriting, loan to value and ability to repay. An appraisal may be needed as part of the application process. Other terms and conditions may apply, depending on the HELOC program selected. 000230896r1
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V O L U M E
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Area Events: Boston Butt Fundraiser to Benefit Burn Center at Children’s Hospital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Re-Licensing Workshop Oct. 19. . . . . . 10 Community: Lake Wedowee on Instagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-18 Welcome Addition to Local Healthcare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Lake Wedowee Anniversaries. . . . . . . . 30 And the Winner is.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Where in the World is Lake Wedowee Life?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Pets of Lake Wedowee. . . . . . . . . . . . 40-42
In Every Issue
Letter from the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Reader’s Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-29 Living on Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 What’s Cooking: Lick the Skiller Good!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Area Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-51 Lake Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Parting Shot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Contributors
Ashley Butler • Tracy Carpenter 5 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
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L E T T E R Well, I don’t know about you, but I am glad the Pets of Wedowee Pet Contest is over for 2017. We learned a few lessons this year that’s for sure! 1. There is only one way to enter the contest. This was our fault. We wanted to include as many pets as possible so we accepted submissions through email, facebook, instagram, private message, snail mail, hand delivery, smoke signal. That would have been fine except some of those submissions fell through the cracks when it came time to publish the edition with the contestants. (We apologize for the pets that didn’t make the official contest and we have included
them in this issue!) 2. There are more ways to skin a cat than we even thought. I mean, we had no clue that there was such things as voting exchange groups and vote buying tricks to cheat the system or that some of our contestants would go to that extreme just to win a contest that had no value other than being picked to be on the cover of Lake Wedowee Life... (While we think that prize is priceless it has NO monetary value) We are a shiny happy magazine that loves to tell people about all the wonderful things Lake Wedowee and the surrounding areas have to offer. While this contest had its
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dark moments, the true winner emerged and the story of the local community rallying around a golden retriever named Ranger is truly heartwarming. Now, we won’t get into the ugliness that could have been because at the end of the day, good prevailed and we were able to crown a true deserving winner to be on the cover of Lake Wedowee Life. But, I will say ugly comes at a cost and when we have another Pets of Wedowee Photo Contest, the rules will be A LOT different!!!!
Enjoy Life!
Kelly
C O V E R
Meet Ranger...
Red Ranger Mayo Sims won the 2017 Pets of Wedowee Photo Contest in August and is featured on the cover of this issue. To find out more about Ranger, see page 34 of this issue.
GENERAL MANAGER
EDITOR
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Leisel Caldwell
Kelly Caldwell
Lavoy Caldwell
holidaylifeads@gmail.com
news@lakewedoweelife.com
ads@lakewedoweelife.com
Lake Wedowee Life 256.357.4557
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877.959. LAKE (5253)
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104 West Broad Street
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Wedowee, Alabama
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Lake Wedowee Life is published five times a year by parent company Caldwell Sales Inc., which also produces Friday Night Life and Southern Holiday Life magazines. All content in the publication is protected by United State copyright law and many not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed or otherwise published without the prior written permission of Caldwell Sales Inc. © 2008-2017 Caldwell Sales Inc. 6 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
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Boston Butt Sale to Benefit Burn Center in Birmingham
Firehouse Lawncare will be hosting its first Butts for Burns event October 14 at the offices of Lake Wedowee Life. “I have seen first hand what burn victims face and when I started my business, I knew I wanted to do something to help them,” Brad Wilson, owner of Firehouse Lawn and Garden Care, said. . All the proceeds from the Boston Butt sale will benefit the Burn Center at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.
According to the website, the Burn Center treats more than 170 children annually from all over Alabama and bordering communities. The center has specially trained pediatric surgeons, registered nurses, physical and
occupational therapists, social workers, child life therapists, teachers, pastoral care staff, nutritionists, psychologists, infection control practitioners and burn technicians work together to form a cohesive team of professionals dedicated to treating children with burn injuries. Also the average hospital stay of a severely burned child is over 7 days, which is significantly longer than most other types of pediatric hospital stays. All the specialty care can get expensive which is why Wilson donates 10 percent of his business to the organization He also decided to donate his time and energy into putting on two fundraisers a year for the Burn Center. Along with the help of some friends
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and business partners Wilson is preselling Boston Butts that will be cooked and available October 14 in the front yard of the Lake Wedowee Life offices (104 West Broad Street in Wedowee). It coincides with Crafts on the Median, an annual event, and barbecue sandwiches will be available for purchase that day too. If you are interested in purchasing a Boston Butt which benefits the Burn Center at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, you can contact Wilson at 256.252.4703. To Learn more about the Burn Center at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, visit www.childrensal.org
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Learn and Discuss Re-Licensing Process for RL HARRIS on Oct. 19 Alabama Power is preparing to begin the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission process to obtain a new operating license for the R.L. Harris Project (FERC No. 2628). This process involves a multi-year evaluation of the environmental, operational, and economic resource issues at the Harris Project. On October 19, 2017, Alabama
Power Company will host an Issue Identification Workshop for the Harris Project, at Wedowee Marine South (9681 Highway 48, Lineville, AL 36266), from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The purpose of the Issue Identification Workshop is to provide interested persons the opportunity to learn about and discuss the Harris Project and the relicensing process, and for the public to share their thoughts and
issues regarding aquatic and terrestrial resources, water quality and quantity, recreation and land use, and project operations at the Harris Project. The workshop is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided so if you plan to attend, please email harrisrelicensing@southernco.com or call Cecile Jones at 205-257-1701 on or before October 11, 2017.
Be sure to Follow Us on Facebook!
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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following pictures were selected based on the photographers use of hashtags. The hashtags #lakewedowee and #lakewedoweelife were how the pictures were selected. If you wish to contribute pictures to this section of Lake Wedowee Life, be sure to tag all your lake pictures with #lakewedoweelife. Thanks and happy snapping!
@jadipsails
@hlgau
@mrsmarkels5th
@brandi_d_amason
@godfrey5008
@nussbrad
@lanelk12
@taycampbell.soup
@tnyarbrough
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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following pictures were selected based on the photographers use of hashtags. The hashtags #lakewedowee and #lakewedoweelife were how the pictures were selected. If you wish to contribute pictures to this section of Lake Wedowee Life, be sure to tag all your lake pictures with #lakewedoweelife. Thanks and happy snapping!
@morgggggggg_
@redwards5
@crsavage82
@oliverraysavage
@crsavage82
@mrsmarkels5th
@caseyclarkmusic
@oakleigh_theaussie
@anna_of_alabama
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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following pictures were selected based on the photographers use of hashtags. The hashtags #lakewedowee and #lakewedoweelife were how the pictures were selected. If you wish to contribute pictures to this section of Lake Wedowee Life, be sure to tag all your lake pictures with #lakewedoweelife. Thanks and happy snapping!
@redwards5
@rita_andersondpt
@khbroome
@jasonchandlergrimes
@ggreen64
@hippigreen
@bamabruno1
@jojobeans429
@anniehale4
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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following pictures were selected based on the photographers use of hashtags. The hashtags #lakewedowee and #lakewedoweelife were how the pictures were selected. If you wish to contribute pictures to this section of Lake Wedowee Life, be sure to tag all your lake pictures with #lakewedoweelife. Thanks and happy snapping!
@1chopmama
@kaylahall1080
@redwards5
@lulububs
@jl3042
@aliciakoval
@hrfooshee
@chipparsons87
@cyndeelulu
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Welcome Addition to Local Healthcare 20 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
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Most the equipment in a modern operating room is suspended from the ceiling in order to provide better mobility for the operating team. Every part of the room is by design including the floor color, which makes it easier for dropped medical tools to be located quickly. Below is the same room in an earlier phase of the construction process.
Damian Pressley of Stryker Corporation, installs dual monitor screens for outpatient procedures.
A dream is coming true for the residents that call Randolph County home. The finishing touches are being put on our brand new hospital and in a matter of weeks as Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama invites the community to “See the Future of Care in East Alabama” at its open house on September 30. “The hospital itself will not be operational that day,” Tony Montcalm, Communications Manager for Tanner Health System, said. “But it will be to a point where we want to show what the communities efforts have accomplished.” The Hospital is slated to open some time in October depending on final approvals from the state. “It is just a process,” Jerry Morris, Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama hospital administrator, said. “We would love to be able to move in as soon as possible, but there are some Regulatory and Compliance things that have to be done before we are move in ready. “We are shooting for October for sure,” Montcalm said. “ We don’t want to say a date and that not happen. We want to make sure if there is a medical emergency that the person knows where to go. So until we get more things accomplished, we don’t want to talk about a specific date.” Finishing touches are well in hand and the Open House is just part of the process. “We want the community to share in the success of opening this hospital which is why we are having the big celebratory open house event at the end of September,” Morris said. “We know
Part of the agreement between Randolph County and Tanner Health System was for Tanner to provide $6 million in equipment and furnishings for the new hospital. Pictured is some of the state of the art equipment such as a 64-slice CT scanner, X-ray machines and lab equipment.
how big this is for the community and make no mistake, we know that Tanner has been entrusted to manage this facility…But this hospital belongs to Randolph County. We are proud and humbled to play our part.” After the Open House, a specific cleaning crew will come in to sterilize and sanitize the facility to get it “hospital ready” after that people from the state will come in for a final inspection of the facility and paperwork and all that is required to get the state seal of approval to open a hospital. In addition to overseeing the management and operation of the hospital, Tanner Health System also agreed to provide more than $6 million in equipment and furnishings. “This is the same equipment that is at the other Tanner facilities. There is a 64-slice CT scanner here in Wedowee and its the exact same equipment that is at Tanner in Carrollton, Villa Rica and Bremen,” Morris said. “ Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama will feature 15 private inpatient beds, eight emergency department exam rooms, a dedicated ambulance bay for medical emergencies, state of the art diagnostic imaging services which include CT, X-ray and ultrasound, onsite laboratory with modern analyzers and instrumentation and a state of the art surgical suite. According to Tanner’s press release, the relationship with the system also gives our local hospital patients access to Tanner’s medical state of more than 300 physicians representing 34 specialties. Several physicians, including those offering 25 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
Morris is standing in the middle of the emergency department waiting room which is vastly different than the three chairs in the current facility. The private patient rooms and bathrooms are more spacious, welcoming and better equipped as well.
primary care services, cardiology and urology, have already set up practice in Wedowee. The facility is more than 50,000 square feet and will provide 24-hour emgergency care, critical care support, inpatient and observation beds.
Those interested in touring the new hospital are welcome to attend the open house scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. For more information, please visit www.tanner.org
Come shop with us on Fridays and Saturdays in the month of November for all your Southern Favorites.
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R E A D E R S
P H O T O S
By Charles Thomspon
By Robert Burton
By Amanda Holcombe
Donnie Palmer celebrates his 59th birthday with a lil barefoot waterskiing! Happy Birthday Donnie!!! By Jennifer Lisborg 28 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
By Kelli Latimer
By Kevin Greer
By Tim Garmon
By Tim Garmon 29 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
By Nick Fables
By Tim Garmon
By Judy Colston
Lake Wedowee Anniversaries Last month, Robert and Faye Wylie celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary on Lake Wedowee with family and friends. Married August 16, 1947, the couple lived in Atlanta, Roanoke and Dickert before calling Lake Wedowee home in 1982.
He stopped at the next house found Mr. Rice (Rice Pavilion’s namesake), bought the land, built the house and in 1982 moved in. “Daddy has always enjoyed fishing and boating and has passed that love of the lake down to his children and grandchildren,” Ellen said. “For years there were no other houses in sight.”
The couple bought their lake lot from Luther Rice and according to his daughter Ellen, Mr. Robert had looked at several different spots on the lake before driving across a little bridge and found a pasture with the future water levels marked.
Lake Wedowee Life wishes to congratulate the Wylie’s on such a wonderful occasion!
Crouch and Yvonne Rampy celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary at Hawkesdene, in Andrews North Carolina with friends, family and Lake Wedowee Life! Hal and Elaine Lovvorn, Tommy and Phyllis Hartley, Kenneth and Carolyn Goode, Ronnie and Brenda Prince, Jack and Betty Shelton, Crouch and Yvonne Rampy, Gerald and Faye McCord, Maria Blanchard, Parker and Montana Blanchard, Rob Schelwiller, and Phil Rampy. Congrats Crouch and Yvonne!!!!
Lake Wedowee Life Joke...
If bankers can count, how come they have 8 windows and only two tellers working.. Just for you Harold Heard! We will MISS You My Friend!!!
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Zach Bradley joined his brother Aaron Bradley at his graduation fron Naval Basic Training in Chicago. Tony Yawn lll, Trace, took Lake Wedowee magazine to the Atlanta Motor Speedway where he races his number 4 Bandolero car in the Thursday Thunder Racing Series. Jace Prestridge didn’t forget his Lake Wedowee Life in Chicago for his brother’s graduation from Naval Basic Training. And, Marc Smith recently visited the Grand Canyon with an issue of Lake Wedowee Life that featured his daughters Lola and Sophia. If you travel be sure to take Lake Wedowee Life with you! We love to see where we go! Email us at news@ lakewedoweelife.com
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AND THE WINNER IS... Ranger Sims
After lots of voting and sharing and liking, we are proud to announce the 2017 Lake Wedowee Life Pets of Wedowee Contest Winner is Red Ranger Mayo Sims (or simply Ranger to his friends and family). Cared for by Paul and Ellen Sims, Ranger loves Lake Wedowee and has been coming to the lake since the Sims adopted him. “He is a pure bred Golden Retriever, but we consider him a rescue because we found him on petfinder.com from a family that didn’t want him any more,” Ellen said. Ellen described it being quite traumatic for Ranger when he was picked up from his old family. “It was awful, he didn’t want to get in the truck, he wouldn’t look at us the whole ride to his new home.” she said. “But that quickly changed when he got out of the truck, met his sister Bella and adjusted to his new surroundings.” Ranger gets to visit Lake Wedowee frequently because Ellen’s parents Robert and Faye Wylie live on the lake and have since 1982. 34 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
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“He loves Lake Wedowee… He is a little scared of the boat and doesn’t jump off the pier,” Ellen said. “But when we hit that driveway to my parent’s house, he knows where he is, that’s for sure.” Ellen decided to enter Ranger into the Pets of Wedowee Photo Contest after her son Lane urged her to do it. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” Ellen said. “I thought it was a fun little contest, but I quickly realized to win it, it was going to take work. “My strategy for voting was share, share, share; annoy, annoy, annoy and then overwhelm, overwhelm and overwhelm,” Ellen said. “Every where I went, I was sharing about voting for Ranger. It didn’t matter if I 36 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
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was at Piggly Wiggly, Walmart, the dentist’s office… Where ever I was, I was talking and sharing and asking for votes.” Sims utilized her profile on facebook.com and garnered votes from all phases of her life. “I have a friend from Ohio that was my pen pal since I was in seventh grade that voted every day and got all of her friends to vote. Then, I know I had friends from Indiana, Canada and even one friend was on vacation in Yellowstone National Park that voted for Ranger. “There is so much negative talk about social media, so this was great to see such a positive come from it. It didn’t matter to most of the people that Ranger could win, but these people took time out to vote for this contest because I asked them to do it. “That’s pretty humbling when you think about it.”
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We love our Pets on Lake Wedowee and these entries either got lost by us or their owners missed the deadline to enter the 2017 contest. But, we didn’t want to wait a whole year for y’all to see this cuteness! So accept our apologies and ENJOY! (Pictures provided by from top Sharon Rae Johnson, Lorie Teal, Sharon Rae Johnson and Ben Endress.)
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We love our Pets on Lake Wedowee and these entries either got lost by us or their owners missed the deadline to enter the 2017 contest. But, we didn’t want to wait a whole year for y’all to see this cuteness! So accept our apologies and ENJOY! (Pictures provided by from top Lorie Teal, Nancy Burnes, Lorie Teal and Abbigail Davis.) 42 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
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Ashley Butler is a wife and mother of two boys. Throughout her journey, she has witnessed the ever-changing colors of the kaleidoscope called life. But, most importantly, she has experienced the true transforming power of Jesus Christ. Her heart’s desire is to apply her unique perspective and encourage others along the way, knowing that they too can benefit from the same redemptive power she knows through Christ.
Burnt Beans & Bad Cupcakes
I grew up knowing women who were the early risers. The breakfast makers and dinner divas of the South. That’s how Mama did it. That is how MawMaw did it. For sure, this is how Grandmother Cunningham did it. I think that gene skipped me. I cook poptarts for breakfast or I shove dry fruit loops in a cup and have Easton eat it on the way to school. On a good morning, they get cinnamon rolls. That’s about it though. Many years ago, God spoke to me through a series of events. Looking back, He used comedy to reach me. Due to the state that my “insides’ were in, God knew I needed to laugh. He’s so good about knowing exactly what it will take to get our minds working and refocused on Him. Here is my story… This one time, I got bit by the domestic bug. Let’s just go ahead and clear up the fact that this form of behavior is a rarity for me. On this particular domestic day I decided I was going to serve my hard working husband a delicious day of homemade food from breakfast to dinner. Yes, I was feeling my inner Betty Crocker scream out with victory, and I was giving myself high fives in anticipation for all the wifey-brownie points I was going to be receiving. I began to cook a breakfast that, if this article had a scratch and sniff option, your mouth would be drooling. This feast even rendered me some of those delicious bacon drippings that us Southern Women tend to use for “that something special” in a dish later in the day. After the breakfast table was cleared and the kitchen was clean, I began to work on dinner. I was pretty pumped that not only did I get a real breakfast on the table, I was starting dinner before 8:00 in the morning and in the
South, any dinner that cooks all day is bound to be a success. Just saying. I pulled my pot out and poured up the beans I had soaked all night long and I “doctored” them up with our family’s favorite flavors, not to mention the little bundle of “that something special” I saved from breakfast. I turned on the heat and let them sit and begin to simmer in their amazing magic. I was super excited about the meal to come. My husband, Chris, was already peeping out of the window to check for flying pigs since my cooking breakfast and dinner in the same day would typically accompany the phrase “when pigs fly”. The menu on deck was pork chops, black-eyed peas, mashed potatoes and cornbread. Dinner time couldn’t come fast enough. The weeks and days leading up to this moment had been very hard. I had been dealing with some stuff. Chris had taken a new job and getting adjusted to the decrease of income at that time, scared me. I had a new baby, self-explanatory I believe. The dark cloud of those baby blues hit me, and if we are just being real 44 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE 2017
right now, taking a bath was a chore for me. Gross, I know.....but, soooooo true. Life and me weren’t the best of friends at this point in time. I had been able to inhale a breath of fresh air. But, on this particular day, with that tiny spark of “get up and go”, I decided that being domestic for 5 minutes is how I wanted to spend those rare moments of gusto. The house smelled a little bit more than amazing. I had cleaned the house and fixed myself up a little for when Chris came home. I set the table and turned to the stove and I began to give everything a final stir, there it was. At first, I thought it couldn’t be possible. I had been so careful and mindful of this dinner all day. However, just as plain as day, it was staring me in the face..... Scorched beans. I had worked all day on making these the star of my magnificent dinner. My mind couldn’t wrap around this atrocity. I am practically the most over dramatic human in the history of ever. So, paint yourself the explosive hissy fit that I pitched and then multiply that times ten and.....there ya go. I put the food
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on the table, threw my apron across the kitchen and told the boys good night. I never ate a single bite of the meal. That one moment sent me over the edge, and I was done for that day. I woke up the next morning and had decided to shake off the night before and approach this new day with a smiling heart. My heart smiled a little easier knowing that the last two cupcakes that my Mom had made me were in the cake plate and screaming my name to come and have them for breakfast. Y’all, my Mom’s cupcakes don’t play. They are little bites of heaven here on earth. They make everything better with their little pure Crisco and powder sugar icing. Seriously guys, they are my one and only go to for healing when I’m being a big cry baby. Care free, I danced into the kitchen with excitement, knowing my feelings were about to be all warm and fuzzy from Mom’s treats. I poured my yummy glass of ice cold milk into the glass from the freezer and opened the cake plate. (Now would be a good time to insert some theatrical horror music) Wanna know what I saw? Nothing. Absolutely nothing was inside. My slightly aggravated face glared at my husband and I asked the following question in a slow and deep voice; Where are the cupcakes? He began slowly stepping back and away from me as he delivered his answer gently. He said (brace yourself), “I threw them away”. I felt my mouth drop. I felt my shoulders slump. I just stood there and blinked at him. If you have ever watched Samford and Son you can visualize his actions when he says “Elizabeth, I’m coming to see you”. My response was, “You what?” He then said that they were moldy and he tossed them. My cupcakes!!!!! My cupcakes that my mom made that have superpowers?!!!!!!! The ones that were going to make everything better had molded and they were no longer there to make everything better. I walked away with a look of pure defeat on my face. This was the day. Jesus was coming. I had pretty much just walked outside and said to the Lord, come on....ready when you are. I just can’t do me right now, Lord. Help. I found it odd that it took burnt beans and moldy cupcakes to break me, but as the day rocked on, God began to stir within me and the lesson started to become more clear. I sat down and opened up my Bible and inhaled the scripture word for word that God had placed on my heart. Lamentations 3:22-23(KJV) “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Rainbows and unicorns aren’t promised every single day. Some days I will face burnt beans and moldy cupcakes. It’s going to happen. How joyous it is for me to know I am a child of God and I don’t face them alone. I face those burnt and moldy days with the Lord’s mercies. His love never fails. God is ready and willing to help when we ask. Each and every day God fuels us with fresh compassion and mercy. Thank you Lord!!! Do you remember at the beginning of this story when I had the epic bean failure? Remember when I threw my apron in and went to bed? Isn’t it peaceful to know that God does not ever throw the apron in? He doesn’t go to bed on us. He doesn’t
hit the snooze button when the new day comes and it’s time for the fresh and new mercies to be offered to His children. Today take your stuff to the Lord. His compassions fail not. He’s waiting and listening. I have found that in my darkest times, He brings me laughter. He allows me to sit back and just laugh and relax. God loves our “hot mess” selves. He loves to hear us wanting him, crying out to him. He doesn’t only use a church or a pew to penetrate our hearts. He can even use burnt beans and moldy cupcakes to reach us and let us know that He will never leave or forsake us. So, smile.............you are His.....smile!!!
Ashley would love to hear your thoughts on the stories she tells in Lake Wedowee Life. You can connect with her on social media using the hashtag #livingonfaithbyashley or you can email her at wingsofhalo1@gmail.com Ashley Butler is on facebook and instagram.
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W H A T ’ S
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C a r p e n t e r
Lick the Skillet Good! It’s that time of year again when students everywhere are returning to school. As I watch Corey leave for, hopefully his last year of college, I find myself reminiscing of the many reunions the boys and I have had through the years when they would come home from college.
older and letting our children move into their own lives. It’s better to meet these transitions with optimism, enthusiasm, lots humor and grace. Of course we mourn for the childhood that’s no longer there, but we also need to rejoice over what is gained.
The first day home, there would always be a happy night of home cooked food and staying up late catching up on each others lives. With each homecoming I would catch glimpses of changes in them. It wasn’t so much that their behavior was different it was their maturity. They didn’t need rules now — they were independent — but they still wanted advice. They disagreed with tact, even humor. They respected my space and my changed life.
Young adults transforming into responsible adults who engage in their church, families, communities and the world. When our children go off to college it is both a beginning and an ending. Then again, so is most of life.
The boys had left their childhood and were embarking on the extraordinary journey of crafting their future adult selves. They were learning a thing or two about the cause and effect of choices. We may find it a little dizzying growing up, growing
I want to share a one pan meal recipe Corey cooked for me recently on one of his visits home this summer. He did an awesome job preparing this meal. I feared the Brussels sprouts would be bitter. To my surprise they were not! They had a seared, smokey flavor, no bitterness at all. Despite my greatest effort, I overcooked the veggies when I made this so the photo isn’t as picture perfect as his was. Now, if he would just learn to do as awesome of a job cleaning the kitchen....
One Pan Steak & Veggies 1 cup packed fresh cilantro 1 large garlic clove chopped or minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh brussels sprouts trimmed and quartered 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed or about 8 new red potatoes 3/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 2-8 oz steaks of your choice, trimmed
Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 7 ingredients and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small food processor. Pulse until pureed, scraping sides as needed. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add brussels sprouts, potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 9-12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Season steaks with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Add the steaks and cook 1 minute on each side. Return the veggies to the pan arranging them around the steaks. Top the steaks with about 1 tablespoon of the sauce. Put pan in the oven and roast until steaks are done to your liking. 8 to 10 minutes for medium. Once cooked stir remaining sauce into the vegetables and serve.
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Tired of Dreaming About Living the Lake Lake Wedowee Life magazine is providing advertising space to real estate companies as a service to our readers. Neither the Listing Broker nor the Publisher will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, etc. herein contained. Real Estate advertised in this magazine is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968. This magazine will not knowingly accept any advertising real estate which is in violation of the law. Dwellings advertised in this magazine are available on an equal opportunity basis. All real estate advertising in this magazine is subject to the Fair Housing Act of 1968 which makes it illegal to advertiser “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Real Estate agents interested in advertising their properties in Lake Wedowee Life magazine, may contact us at 256.357.4557 or by email at ads@lakewedoweelife.com The deadline for the People issue of Lake Wedowee Life (July 2017) is June 15.
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Wedowee Life? Contact An Agent Today!
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Index of Advertisers Advertiser Page 431 Boutique 46 Affordable Tire and Repair 41 Ballard Stump Grinding 15 Benefield Funeral Home 39 Bonner Heating and air 8 Chad Lee, Attorney at Law 25 Charles Thompson Construction 10 Cheaha Music 31 Chestnut Ridge Hearth and Home 39 Deason Home Inspections 25 Docks Plus More 31 Dr. Michael Edwards 41 EHC Pharmacy 13 Emergency Medical Transport 37 Firehouse landscape 46 First Bank 19 First Bank of Alabama 3 GH Electrical 43 GLL Marine 37 H&M Drugs 4, 9 Halls Gas 30 Happy Trails Resturant 17
Advertiser Hunterbend Realty JB Cattle Co Jonathan East Keller Williams Realty, Gene Crouch Lake Wedowee Body Shop Lineville Clinic Lipsense Main Street Animal Hospital Main Street Coffee Shop Meadows Farm Equipment Perry Land Foods Randolph Coop Randolph County Appliance RE/MAX Lakefront Grady and Linda RE/MAX Lakefront Leisa Waldrep Rice Pest Control Robinson’s Relic Russell Do It Center Smalltown Bank
Page 19 8 31 9 37 41 56 35 47 40 45 41 35 33 53 46 9 17 35
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Advertiser Page Southern Home Comfort 53 Southern Union State Community College 45 State Farm Agent, Ken Seiffert 17 Steele Chiropractic Life Center 39 Steve Morris, Attorney at Law 33 Superior Gas 31 Superior Pest Control 13 Tanner Medical Center 2 Traylor’s Retirement Community 33 TREC 45 Tres Hermanos 13 Waste Solutions 46 Wedowee Building Supplies 15 Wedowee Lake and Lands 15 Wedowee Marine 11 Wellborn Cabinet 13 Wellborn HR 7 Whispering Pines Farm 43 WM Grocery 55
Parting Shot
Photo by Ellen Sims “Pets have more love and compassion in them than most Humans.” Robert Wagner
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