Step Up


Step up...
Butch was the horse leading the carriage through Beaufort, South Carolina. He escorted us through streets lined with Spanish-moss-covered Live Oaks, past beautiful historic homes, and the chocolatier who supplied the box of chocolates in the movie, "Forest Gump."
It wasn't Butch's first ride of the day. The heat and humidity were bearing down. As Butch slowed his pace, the driver would kindly remind him, "Step up, Butch!" Butch responded with a surge of energy that kept the carriage gently rolling along.
Step up.
Recently reported in the AJC, Georgia is home to one of the poorest counties in the nation. Stewart County has our attention, and there are efforts to ameliorate the poor living conditions these residents and others throughout rural Georgia face every day. (http://www.myajc.com/…/stewart-coun…/e5ehUj4T74IUgwHS02WgDK/)
We too often look to D.C. for solutions. Resources come at a price, and we rely on our legislators to figure out the bottom line. According to the Washington Examiner, the national debt, as of September 30, 2017, ended at $20.244 trillion. What?
Most citizens complacently listen to news reports and perhaps offer a few words in response to the mounting debt. But, instead of scratching their heads, the 85-member Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in the small town of Lumpkin in Stewart County, stepped up to minister to the homeless, feed the needy, and build a multipurpose room where children can play.
Little steps, big steps--what if we all stepped up?
This year as I think about New Year's resolutions, I remember our ride with Butch. Step up; it helps keep life rolling.
~ LowTide explorer, Carolyn Fjeran


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