Searcy Living - Issue 5 2017 by Searcy Living

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4 Your Hometown Magazine

8 Your Hometown Magazine

issue 5 2017

Out & About Page 38 Church Doors 14 TEDx Is Coming To Searcy 16 Project Unify 44 Are We Normalizing The Use Of Drugs With Our Kids? 48 A Day In The Life Of A Pioneer

Cinnamon Rolls 101 54 Finding Amazing Grace Through John 3:17

Mystery Guest 64 Who Will Take Care Of The Babies? 75

Publisher’s Note 10 Over The Counter 18 Fashion Fun 20 Out & About 38

“Your energy introduces you before you even speak.”

Financial Focus 40

~ The Vibrant Mind

We The People 24

Out & About 55 Imagine And Believe 70 Fab Do It Yourself 76 Dinner And A Magazine 78

Find Us On

Crossword And Riddles 80

On the Cover mary carr Photo by

Remember The Extras On

Brooke Kehl

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Recipes for Life If you have been reading Searcy Living for any length of time, you know that I love quotes. I have mentioned this several times before, and they are always sprinkled throughout the magazine, so I hope they inspire you as much as they do me. Sometimes I tape quotes to the bathroom mirror. Sometimes I will write a quote or a song lyric in my prayer journal. Sometimes I am just listening to a podcast and I catch a quote that really speaks to me. I have even bought books that are nothing but inspirational quotes. Several months ago, I found a wooden sign that I just had to have. It simply said, “Love & Hope”. I thought it would look good in my kitchen, but it really did not stand out on the white walls… so I had them painted red and hung up the sign. I love it! Recently I questioned if my efforts in an area of my life had really done any good. I thought of the sacrifices I had made, and the dreams that may never happen because of those sacrifices. Although the blessings that accompanied those efforts were plentiful, I couldn’t help but feel a little thought creep into my mind once in awhile that made me wonder, “Was it really worth it?” “Did I really do any good?” And the top negative thought of the day was, “Did I really make a difference?” I don’t know exactly what brought on those negative thoughts, except that sometimes life is just hard. But God has a way of speaking so clearly sometimes. Two days before we went to press

Recipe For Life

ife Recipe For L e distracted “We won’t b n if we are by compariso purpose.” captivated by

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with this issue, I had no earthly clue what to say to you. I prayed about it, and I still had no idea. Then, the day before we printed, my first foster daughter (from ten years ago, who is now married with two children of her own) came into the office unexpectedly to visit. She was supposed to come over for dinner that night, but I’d had to cancel when an emergency obligation came up. We hadn’t really caught up in a long time, but she made it a point to tell me, “Everything you did made a difference.” She brought me to tears on the spot as I thought of all the times I felt unequipped to parent her for that short time. I thought about the times I had felt like a failure and had wondered if it really even mattered. When I came home that evening, the sign in my kitchen took on a whole new, deeper meaning. There will always be discouraging days in life, but Love & Hope always do matter. We strive to make every issue of Searcy Living an issue that speaks to the heart of many. I hope you find something that speaks to your heart in this edition. And as always, thank you for reading Searcy Living.

“Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

Recipe For Life

t “Compassion withou ls ua brokenness eq arrogance.”

have three “The mouth should e? Is it gate keepers. Is it tru ssary?” kind? And, is it nece

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Publisher Christine Walker

Art Director & Webmaster Garrett Johnson

Editorial Assistant Cherie Sewell

Makeover Coordinator Evelyn Moss Contributing Independent Photographers Kimberly Brackins (501)279-1515 George Dillin (501)268-9304 Taylor Howard Photography (870)917-8012

Feature Writer Cecelia Wilson

Searcy Living Locally Owned and Operated 812 South Main Street Searcy, AR 72143 searcyliving@yahoo.com (501) 368-0095 SearcyLiving.com For subscription information go to SearcyLiving.com

Copyright 2017 Shark Promotions LLC. Searcy Living, Cabot Living, and Your Hometown Magazine are trademarks of Shark Promotions. All rights reserved. Ownership, rights, and logos are property of their respected businesses. No part may be reproduced without written permission. Shark Promotions LLC is not responsible for claims, misprints, discrepancies, advice of any kind, or content in advertisements or editorials, but will rectify errors in forthcoming issues.

Searcy Living Magazine is a subsidiary of Shark Promotions LLC.

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c hurc H Doors

Providence Missionary Baptist Church Submitted by Walter Moore our article featuring church doors in the area was very Y interesting, especially after noticing the doors in the church I attend. I recognized the church doors with the swallow’s nest

in the entry. There was one problem. The name of the church was wrong. The article lists the name as “The Providence Methodist Church.” The name of the church is “Providence Missionary Baptist Church.” The church has a long history of being a Baptist church and probably will not change to a Methodist church in the near future. I thought a short history of the church might be in order, and the swallows nest has a story. The church was organized in 1858 in the home of Elijah Little about 1/2 mile South of the present location. It is one of the oldest Missionary Baptist Churches in White County. The first building was a log building, built by the slaves of Elijah Little, about 3/4 mile South of the present building. They built a new building on a new location about 3/4 mile North of the present building in 1878. This land was purchased for $1.00. This structure was used until 1906, when it was sold for $40.00. They moved to the present location in 1906. This land was donated by George Little and Earnest and wife, Esther Little, who were son and grandson of Elijah Little. The original building was remodeled and enlarged in 1938. The building after being enlarged was one room about 30 by 40 feet. The church voted to replace the roof and have the building sided with rock in 1949. The church has since added classrooms and a fellowship hall. The church remodeled the Sanctuary about five years ago. The cemetery does not belong to the church. The original plot of ground was donated by Elijah Little to the community of Providence. This was an area where he buried his slaves. This is the old part of the cemetery at the back of the church. This cemetery has been designated a Historical Cemetery by the Arkansas Archaeology Society. The swallow’s nest seemed to be the focal point on the second picture. This swallow has tried to build a nest in the entryway for the last three years. Our caretaker has continued to tear the nest down and the swallow would finally give up and move the nest to another location. These nests are very messy. The birds bring mud and paste it on the wall and mold a cup in for a nest. They bring straw and feathers and fill the cup. They lose some mud and straw and feathers and they have to be cleaned up every day. This year one of the ladies thought we should let the birds hatch before we tore the nest down. She promised her husband would keep the mess cleaned up if our caretaker would leave it until the birds hatched. The picture was taken before the birds hatched. They have now left the nest and the mess is cleaned up. We hope the swallows decide not to come back to Providence, but the swallows will return to Capistrano. 14 Your Hometown Magazine

Photos by Amy Adair

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x TED

By Mike James, PhD Dean, HU Honors College

Is Coming To Searcy!

hat may sound like a cryptic statement, unless you know about TED – an acronym for “Technology, Entertainment, and Design.” Starting slowly in 1984, TED talks have become well-known to educators and Internet “learners” as a source of short, cutting-edge presentations that are about “ideas worth spreading.” Until 2014, the presentations were held annually in Long Beach, California, but now the venues are world-wide, usually with 2-3 events per year. I was fortunate to be able to attend the most recent one -- TEDGlobal 2017, held last month in Arusha, Tanzania. It consisted of 81 presentations in a week-long format. All TED talks are later available for free on YouTube (www.youtube.com/ted). In a few weeks, Searcy will host our first TEDx talk. Operating on a license from the TED organization, TEDxHardingU (the official name) will be held November 14 in the Reynolds Center Recital Hall on the Harding campus. Note carefully that this is not TED, per se -- it is a TEDx event. The added “x” characterizes a similar event, but on a local scale. TEDx talks are “independently organized TED events” that are held in thousands of venues around the world. With rules and guidelines from the parent TED organization, the distinctive feature is a collection of short presentations that are less than 18 minutes long. TEDx speakers are not paid and must also surrender the copyrights to their materials, which TED can use, edit and distribute under a Creative Commons license. These presentations are posted to the TEDx YouTube for free viewing to participants around the world. More than 100,000 TEDx talks are now online that have more than one billion views! (www. youtube.com/tedx) With the sponsorship of Harding University, a team of eight other Harding faculty and staff members have helped organize, plan, and curate (select and train) the speakers. They are Dr. Andrew Baker, Dr. Heath Carpenter, Mr. Keith Cronk, Mrs. Liz Howell, Mrs. Kim Kirkman, Dr. Jim Miller, Mrs. Jana Rucker and Dr. Jack Shock. This powerful team will help guide the inaugural offering and plan for larger presentations in the future. Our license specifically invites and encourages speakers from the Harding community. We seek students, faculty, and alumni and we certainly welcome members of our Searcy community to present ideas. The venue for our first event was intentionally kept small – it is the 215-seat Recital Hall in the Reynolds Center for Music and Communication. This first event will be a closed, ticket-only event. A plan is being devised to distribute tickets to students, faculty, alumni, and the Searcy community. Later events will be planned for larger venues. Our speakers will present in two sessions with an intermission designed for networking and sharing. This is our first slate of presenters for TEDxHardingU for 2017, with talks on a variety of topics:

Monte Cox – Faculty Mark Moore – Alumnus B.Chris Simpson – Alumnus Raneisha Stassin – Student Phyllis Bell – Community Darren Irby – Alumnus Jerry Mitchell – Alumnus We hope the Searcy community will help provide many wonderful speakers in years to come for TEDxHardingU! 16 Your Hometown Magazine

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Over the Counter Rodney G. Richmond, RPh, MS, CGP, FASCP Harding University College of Pharmacy

Medicine Cabinets: The New Drug Dealers By Garrett Wilkerson, PharmD and Rodney Richmond, RPh, MS, CGP, FASCP

rkansas currently leads the nation in the number of teens that abuse prescription medications, with 1 in 5 high school seniors reporting that they have taken prescription drugs meant for another person. This is not a statistic we should be proud of, especially considering the majority of these drugs come from a parent or grandparentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medicine cabinet. More than half of teens in the United States report that prescription drugs are easy to obtain from their homes. The availability of these drugs combined with the notion that prescription drugs are safer than other recreational drugs has led to an epidemic of teen drug abuse that is centered around our great state. Adults should take responsibility for the safe storage and disposal of their medication in order to remove these temptations that can lead to serious injury or death. Remember to store all of your prescriptions in a place not easily accessed

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by your children, and to remove any unused medications from your home. Having unused prescriptions in your home may make you a target for theft, so properly dispose of all unused medications at one of your local prescription drug take back sites around the state. These sites are usually located at Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s departments, courthouses, city halls, or other local government buildings and provide a safe site for people to dispose of any medications anonymously for destruction. Parents should also talk to their teens about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs and explain how they are just as dangerous as other illegal drugs. Teens may be the ones abusing the drugs, but it is up to us as responsible adults to prevent these medications from ending up in the wrong hands. Thank you for taking the time to read this medication tip provided by the Harding University Center for Drug and Health Information.

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Before

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Evelyn Moss Makeover Coordinator

701 W. Race, Searcy 501-388-0086 www.shopdalesclothing.com

By Samantha

Calhoun at

Charlestown Village 2305 W. Beebe Capps Searcy (501) 268-4540

Susie Dubose Independent Beauty Consultant

Turn the page for more fashion & beauty retailers. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

501-827-8932 www.marykay.com/sdubose SearcyLiving.com 21

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Coloring Contest Winners Congratulations to the winners of the Searcy Living Coloring Contest and thank you to all who participated! Winners, please call the office to pick up your prize! (501) 368-0095

First Place Elizabeth Hope Hill

Second Place Abbigale Langley

4-H State O’Rama hite County 4-H had 13 youth participants at the W 4-H State O’Rama the last week of July. Arkansas’ 4-H State O’Rama is held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville each summer. This is a senior only event that consists of competitions, campus tours, specialty workshops, state officer elections, and a great time for the 4-H’ers. White County had nine 4-H members compete in a variety of different areas, from fashion and talent to speeches and livestock judging. We had one first place winner, Savannah Watkins in wildlife, and many others placed in the top 5 of their competitions. Our noncompetitors were able to take a tour of the university campus and listen in on a student leadership workshop hosted by the keynote speaker, Fred Groom. We had four new Teen Stars recognized that week, Sarah Gaskin, Callie McDaniel, Noralee Townsend and Daniel

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Williams. Ethan Ferren was also recognized as being a returning Teen Star. Teen Stars are representatives of 4-H from all over the state. They make appearances and promote 4-H at different county, district, state and even national events. White County was well represented during the Awards Winner Ceremony as well. Stephanie Williams of Searcy received the Governor’s Award. Emma Williams of Searcy received the C.A. and Joye Vines State Scholarship, and Emma Ferren of Searcy received a scholarship check for being an advanced record book winner. Johnny Belew of Beebe was awarded the 4-H Alumni of the Year award. For more information contact Amanda Daley, 4-H Program Assistant, White County Cooperative Extension Service, 501268-5394.

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Mallard Masters

H HHHH

Searcy All Star H H H H H

Searcy 8U All Star Tournament Champs SWAT/Pink 08 Nevaeh Poteat, Age 8

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Growing up in East Arkansas, duck hunting was a way of life for just about everyone that I knew from a young age. Duck hunting is one of the main things to do November-January, and is something that the whole family can be involved in. The hunt itself is only a part of the fun for me. Some of my favorite memories are mornings that we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t harvest many ducks, but we had an excellent time. The town of Augusta in Woodruff County has always been a great area for duck hunting. Its location between the Cache and White Rivers provides the water and habitat for the ducks, and the harvested crops provide the food to sustain them in the area. Augusta, and Woodruff County, is a great spot in the Mississippi Flyway, and we decided to try to capitalize on our natural resources. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when we decided to start Mallard Masters. We decided on a duck hunting tournament that would benefit us as a town, county and area. The tournament grew very quickly and we realized we could impact more than just economically. We can have an educational impact. We provided scholarships to Augusta High School graduates in year one of our efforts. We hope to see this grow year after year. We could not do it without our area businesses and volunteers. ~ Chris Eldridge

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Missing Man Table The Missing Man Table

earcy Elks Lodge 2247 on S 8-24-17 established The Missing Man Table to show & become a

permanent display in the lodge. Members voted 30 days ago to have the table. The table was custom built by Ken Morton; he also read the ceremony Thursday night. Veterans Service Commission was established in 1946, immediately after World War II, with the sole mission of serving our nation’s veterans. Though much has changed since then, the Elks’ dedication to serve veterans and military members in need has never wavered. In VA clinics, veterans’ homes, USOs, homeless shelters and more, thousands of Elks volunteers give generously of their time, energy and resources to serve veterans and military members each year. Searcy Lodge has been Helping Veterans since it opened in 1962.

The Elks donate to Jacob’s Place

This year’s Elks Veterans Dinner is November 18th. Doors open at 4 pm.

Grand National

Wedding Cake Competition On Sunday, October 1st, Searcy native Rachel Grady was awarded first runner up in the Grand National Wedding Cake Competition hosted by Food Network’s Kerry Vincent in Tulsa, OK. Rachel competed against 67 other cake artists including Food Network Challenge winners and was awarded over $40,000 in prizes.

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Congratulations! White County Fair Queens

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Sherwood Urgent Care Searcy Welcomes

New Nurse Practitioner herwood Urgent Care welcomes Nurse S Practitioner Carol Hughes to the healthcare team in Searcy. “We are thrilled to have Carol join our team. She

Happy 103rd Birthday! Mildred Manis

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has more than 20 years of nursing experience in a variety of capacities and will provide our patients with outstanding patient education and care,” said Mike Dupuis, Division Vice President for Sherwood Urgent Care. Along with her extensive experience in intensive care, geriatrics and urgent and cardiac care, Hughes takes special interest in health education for heart health and general wellness. She comes to Sherwood Urgent Care from St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. She received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University. Prior to that, she worked as an LPN. Located behind Zaxby’s on Shepherd Way, Sherwood Urgent Care is open Monday – Friday 8 am – 8 pm, Saturday 8 am – 6 pm and Sunday 1 pm – 6 pm. No appointment is necessary and the center accepts most insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. About Sherwood Urgent Care Sherwood Urgent Care is an affiliate of Urgent Team, one of the largest independent operators of urgent and family care centers in the Southeast. The Urgent Team Family of Centers provides quality and affordable family healthcare at 30 locations: Sherwood Urgent Care (seven centers throughout Arkansas); Baptist Health Urgent Care (three centers in Arkansas); Urgent Team (12 centers throughout Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee); and Physicians Care (eight locations in Tennessee). Sherwood Urgent Care’s convenient, walk-in centers provide a comprehensive range of healthcare services including treatments for injuries and illnesses, occupational health and wellness care. Urgent Team’s company headquarters are located in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit SherwoodUrgentCare.com.

Searcy Living enjoyed lunch with Peacock Travel and friends recently.

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Unity Health Foundation Hosts

Art Reception nity Health Foundation recently held an art U reception displaying the work of local photographer, Lynn Reinbolt, at the Unity Health — Specialty Care campus. In

the spirit of generosity, Reinbolt chose to donate many of his own framed photographs to the Unity Health Foundation to be placed throughout the Unity Health System. Reinbolt’s work has been featured in traveling exhibits throughout the nation, local exhibits, including shows at the Searcy Art Gallery, and he directs all proceeds for his work to charities, dedicated to those who are fighting cancer. Reinbolt’s gift to the hospital includes photographs taken from all over the state of Arkansas, filled with waterfalls, landscapes, sunrises, flowers, churches, and farms. View his work at Unity Health campuses to see beautiful images of White County and the state of Arkansas. ABOUT THE UNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION The Unity Health Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit corporation that serves to provide support for Unity Health. Donations to the Unity Health Foundation provide Unity Health with funding for renovations, state-of-the-art equipment and special projects to enhance patient care. The Foundation extends the mission of Unity Health to create a healthy community through medical excellence and compassionate care.

Unity Health Foundation Development Council Chair and Board Member, Amy Daniels, Lynn Reinbolt and Unity Health Foundation Executive Director, Cassandra Feltrop.

Follow them.

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Congratulations to all of the contestants and thank you to the judges of the first beauty pageant at The Crossing at Riverside.

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NorthStar EMS Receives Awards At Annual EMS Conference in Hot Springs Jacob Hale - AR EMT of the Year Jacob Hale and Vanity Hull - placed 2nd in the Paramedic Competitions Tonia Hale - Presidents Award The late Darrell King (Paramedic) was inducted in the AR EMS Hall of Fame. Darrell passed away while at work at NorthStar on October 27th, 2014.

You are “Welcome in this Place” Our church doors at Calvary Chapel Searcy, an extension of Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale. Meeting Sunday at 10 am at 216 Johnston Rd in Searcy, AR 72143. For information call 501-268-7540.

Nickname “The Garage”

Roland Kovacs of Indland Automotive was happy to share garage space with Szilveszter Gyorgy, Jacint Subert, Richard Antalfi and Zoltan Hajhu of Szilveszter Drift Team from Hungary recently. After competing in and winning many European drift races, he came to America. He fulfilled the goal of acquiring the Pro License for 2018. (Many thanks to the Brooks family at Napa, Holeyfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garage, Ace Muffler, and Tedderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Body Shop)

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Little Rock Native Serves With U.S. Navy Half A World Away In Japan By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward 1999 Little Rock Central High A School graduate and Little Rock, Arkansas native is serving

in the U.S. Navy aboard USS Blue Ridge. Petty Officer 1st Class Laura Guthridge is a yeoman aboard the forward-deployed amphibious command ship operating out of Yokosuka, Japan. A Navy yeoman is responsible for performing administrative and clerical work aboard the ship. They deal with visitors, coordinate worldwide travel, submit passport applications, and handle various forms of military correspondence. “I had a positive upbringing and learned to respect and care for others, which I know has helped me in the Navy,” said Guthridge. “I always try to have a positive attitude and it is a good feeling that people know they can talk to me about anything.” With more than 50 percent of the world’s shipping tonnage and a third of the world’s crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world. “Our alliance is rooted in shared interests and shared values,” said Adm. Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. “It’s

not hyperbole to say that the entire world has benefited from the U.S.-Japan alliance. While our alliance helped stabilize the region after the Second World War, it also enabled the Japanese people to bring about an era of unprecedented economic growth. And for the last six decades, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have worked side by side with the Japan Self Defense Force to protect and advance peace and freedom.” USS Blue Ridge serves as the flagship for the U.S. Seventh Fleet. It is one of only two U.S. Navy command ships in the world, providing command and control for fleet commanders. Forward-deployed sailors are crucial to the success of the global Navy mission and earn high praise from their leaders. “My dad influenced me in joining the Navy because he saw that I wanted more in life and thought the Navy would be the best fit becaue of the opportunities it provides,” said Guthridge. Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials. “I am proud to serve for my country and to protect everyone’s freedom,” added Guthridge. “This is most important to me and is worth fighting for.” Sailors play a vital role in the overall military mission around the world. “The U.S.-Japan alliance remains the cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region,” said Harris.

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Find more on

The Martins October 21 7:00 P.M. Tickets $10 Tickets Can Be Purchased Online Valley Baptist Church ~ 3328 Hwy 36 West ~ Searcy AR 72143 ~ 501-268-7501 ~ valleybaptistchurch.com 38 Your Hometown Magazine

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Financial Focus:

Life Insurance Needs

e m i T r e v O e Will Chang 

So Be Prepared

If you’re going to achieve all your goals, such as sending your kids to college, retiring

in comfort and leaving a legacy, you will need to save and invest throughout your lifetime. But to really complete your financial picture, you’ll also need to add one more element: protection. And that means you’ll require adequate life insurance for your situation. However, your need for insurance will vary at different times of your life — so you’ll want to recognize these changing needs and be prepared to act.

When you’re a young adult, and you’re single, life insurance will probably not be that big of a priority. And even married couples without children typically have little need for life insurance; if both spouses contribute equally to household finances, and you don’t own a home, the death of one spouse will generally not be financially catastrophic for the other. But once you buy a home, things change. Even if you and your spouse are both working, the financial burden of a mortgage may be too much for the surviving spouse. So, to enable the survivor to continue living in the home, you might consider purchasing enough life insurance to at least cover the mortgage. When you have children, your life insurance needs will typically increase greatly. In fact, it’s a good idea for both parents to carry enough life insurance to pay off a mortgage and raise and educate the children, because the surviving parent’s income may be insufficient for these needs. How much insurance do you need? You might hear of a “formula,” such as buying an amount equal to seven to ten times your annual income, but this is a rough guideline, at best. You might want to work with a financial professional to weigh various factors – number and ages of children, size of

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mortgage, current income of you and your spouse, and so on – to determine both the amount of coverage and the type of insurance (“term” or “permanent”) appropriate for your situation. Once you’ve reached the “empty nest” stage, and your kids are grown and living on their own, you may need to re-evaluate your insurance needs. You might be able to lower your coverage, but if you still have a mortgage, you probably would want to keep enough insurance to pay it off. After you retire, you may have either paid off your mortgage or moved into a condominium or apartment, so you may require even less life insurance than before. But it’s also possible that your need for life insurance will remain strong. For example, the proceeds of a life insurance policy can be used to pay your final expenses or to replace any income lost to your spouse as a result of your death (e.g., from a pension or Social Security.) Life insurance can also be used in your estate plans to help leave the legacy you desire. As we’ve seen, insurance can be important at every stage of your life. You’ll help yourself – and your loved ones – by getting the coverage you need when you need it.

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By Rees Ridout “

“ My parents, Ross and Betsy Ridout, always preached selflessness to my brothers and me at a young age.” 44 Your Hometown Magazine

ees wake up. Come on, let’s go.” I used to hear these words every Summer, and I would always groan at the sound of my dad waking me up to go volunteer at the Arkansas Special Olympic Summer Games at Harding University. It was a tradition that began as soon as I was old enough to carry a case of water bottles to thirsty athletes. Every year my parents would take my brothers and I to help assist the athletes in the games, and for the first few years I complained, resisted, and didn’t necessarily see the point in volunteering. The next couple of years, as a burgeoning teenager, I would not really mind going to help out and found myself enjoying the Special Olympics atmosphere. Finally, as I grew into my late teens, I caught myself going out to volunteer without a demand from my parents or even a reminder of the games. I was actually looking up the dates and eventually driving myself to go volunteer. People are a product of the environment in which they are raised, and that is the truth in my household. My parents, Ross and Betsy Ridout, always preached selflessness to my brothers and me at a young age. My dad has been a board member of Special Olympics Arkansas for several years, and it was through him that I learned about a new Special Olympics program called Project Unify. The goal of the project is to create special teams in high school that combine the typical high school athletes and students

“ The goal of the project is to create special teams in high school that combine the typical high school athletes and students with ‘special education’ students on the same sports team.” with “special education” students on the same sports team. After learning that Searcy High School was one of few large high schools in Arkansas that did not have a Unify chapter, I knew that I wanted to start one before I graduated and leave it for future SHS students. Towards the end of my junior year, I was fortunate enough to receive help in starting the club from an SHS faculty member, Sandy Webb. With a daughter very involved with the Special Olympics organization, Mrs. Webb was the perfect sponsor and an amazing help in getting the ball rolling. As Summer passed and senior year began, I lost momentum and came to grips with the idea that the club may be too much responsibility for me to handle. Luckily, I enrolled in P.E. and happened to have class with the entire special education department at my school. The leader for the P.E. class was coach Dink Leonard, and he eventually became our Unified basketball coach. Through these interactions, and through the help of principal Claude Smith, I was reminded of how much of a difference Project Unify could make at Searcy. Asking a couple of senior friends for help, such as Mykala Delk, I was able to successfully communicate with Jennifer Grantham of Special Olympics Arkansas and establish the first Searcy High School Project Unify Club. Although it took lots of stress-filled planning, participating in the Unified basketball tournament in Arkadelphia was one of my best high school experiences. Leaving the night before the tournament, our team, full of special athletes and club participants (partners), received a police escort through the town. In addition, staying in hotel rooms mixed with athletes and partners was an awakening experience. We may not have won the basketball tournament, but I do not think any team has ever had so much fun and grace in losing. We played, sweat, fought, laughed, encouraged each other, and had a genuinely great time. As I walked into the school cafeteria my final days of senior year, I noticed something amazing. Special athletes, who usually SearcyLiving.com 45

“ I noticed something amazing. Special athletes, who usually have a table to themselves, were scattered all throughout the cafeteria.”

have a table to themselves, were scattered all throughout the cafeteria. It seemed the idea of a “special” lunch table had been diminished through the Project Unify program. Even in the halls they were no longer alone. There were partners branching out and talking with special education students who weren’t even on the team. It seemed a new sense of “unity” had arisen within the Searcy High halls, and this was when I understood the hidden meaning within the name Project Unify. For the first time ever, our high school was no longer filled with “special-ed kids” and “everyone else.” It was simply full of students, and that is something I was lucky enough to be part of. We welcome any students of Searcy High School to join Project Unify.

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Are We

Normalizing The Use Of Drugs With Our Kids?

he number of American children prescribed psychotropic drugs has more than doubled in the past 25 years, studies show. Concerns about side effects and the potential for addiction raise this question: Are drugs too often the first - and wrong - option to treat children’s behavioral and emotional problems? Dr. Ed Carlton, founder of the Carlton Neurofeedback Center (www.carltonneurofeedbackcenter.com) and author of the book The Answer, doesn’t like how drugs are routinely prescribed for kids with ADD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder or other mental illnesses. “In today’s society, if you have a mental illness, just turn on the TV and they will have a drug for it,” he says. “The first order of defense unfortunately is medication. This is a temporary solution, one that can be fraught with side effects.” Dr. Carlton suggests three ways to help address these disorders without prescription drugs. ■■ Eat healthier. A healthy diet is one way to combat brain disorders. But the big challenge is re-training children to eat healthier. Kids and adults with ADD or ADHD tend to crave simple carbohydrates like candy or cookies. “These kids typically burn calories at a higher rate,” he says. “Psychological stress causes their body to go into a fight-or-flight mode. It mobilizes the sugar out of the blood and puts it into the muscles, causing the blood sugar to drop. Protein-packed foods – “clean meats such as chicken or beef – are an excellent way to slow the brain processes down” he says. “If the brain works more calmly, the cravings for the carbohydrates can lessen,” Carlton says. ■■ More exercise. Exercise by itself will not eliminate these behavioral or emotional disorders, but it can help. Studies have shown that exercise helps kids combat behavioral disorders such as depression. The releasing of endorphins during physical activity improves mood and behavior. Additionally, children playing team sports or games can build confidence, and develop a sense of team and working with others. But a child with ADHD or other disorders needs more than regular exercise to get healthier.

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“If you want to burn this level of hyperactivity out on a regular basis, you’d have to work out until you’re so exhausted you can barely pick yourself off the floor,” Carlton says. “If it’s a case that’s bad enough where you can justify intervention with drugs, then exercise alone is simply not enough to alleviate the symptoms. It gets back to the brain itself not working properly.” ■■ Neurofeedback Training. This is a non-invasive approach that Dr. Carlton views as “fitness training for the brain.” It uses “operant conditioning,” a term that refers to the brain’s natural ability to learn from experience, which in turn can help it heal. The process begins with a brain map, which locates the specific areas that need help to function more efficiently. Once these areas are identified, neurofeedback training can improve their function. The technology uses computers to monitor brain-wave patterns while you relax and watch a movie or video. The visual and audio inputs are varied, providing feedback based on the training goals from the brain map. “The brain learns to function more efficiently with neurofeedback training,” he says. “It’s like learning to ride a bike. You learned how to keep it balanced with practice. Neurofeedback training can reduce, and in some cases, eliminate the symptoms of many brainbased disorders without the use of pharmaceuticals.” Overall, Dr. Carlton stresses, there needs to be a mindset change on how kids with mental disorders are approached “Training, not medications – that’s a key difference,” he said. “What are we teaching them by handing them drugs when they don’t feel well? You’re teaching them the answer to the problem is in that bottle.”

About Dr. Ed Carlton

Dr. Ed Carlton is founder of the Carlton Neurofeedback Center (www.carltonneurofeedbackcenter.com) and author of the book The Answer. “My first degree is engineering. Neurofeedback is a cross between medicine and engineering, using the best of both to provide relief for my patients. The Answer explains how neurofeedback stopped my bipolar symptoms, and how it can help others do the same.”

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A Day in the Life of a

Pioneer By Mary Carr • Photos by Brooke Kehl Bubbling apple cobblers just out of the oven; warm sticky buns smothered with a thick caramel pecan

sauce; flaky croissants gently browning as they bake. These are some of the lovely treats you may stumble upon if you step into the bakery at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile (also called The Merc). This summer I was blessed with an amazing opportunity to work at this popular destination in Pawhuska, Oklahoma! I have been a fan of The Pioneer Woman since her first cookbook came out when I was in high school. One Christmas my mom and my older sister both got her cookbook as gifts, and when I flipped through the book myself, I was hooked. In the following months, my mom and I became big fans of Ree Drummond (known to her fans as The Pioneer Woman) and began watching her show on the Food Network as often as we could. The beautiful countryside and delicious food featured on her blog, cookbooks, and t.v. show enthralled us. During college, I worked for Elizabeth Keese at the local cookie shop, The Plum Peacock. While I worked there, The Pioneer Woman launched her first line of dishes and cookware at Walmart. Elizabeth loved Ree’s new line of products and decided to make decorative sugar cookies to look like them and then mail them to Ree. When Ree received them, she adored them and featured an article on her blog about Elizabeth/The Plum Peacock, sending thousands of new customers to Elizabeth’s business. Last year when Elizabeth heard that Ree was opening The Merc, she pursued a job in the bakery and has worked there since its opening in October of 2016. When planning what I wanted to do this summer, I thought of Elizabeth and her job at The Merc, and with her help, I accepted my summer job there as a baker. Since I am both a baker and a huge fan of Ree, working in the bakery was my dream come true. There was just something wonderful and exciting about being in the bakery, learning new skills every day, and never knowing when Ree herself would round the corner to say hello or pick up some treats for her family or film crew. The Mercantile draws an average of 6,000 customers 50 Your Hometown Magazine

per day, so as you can imagine, the days were always busy and the nights were often late. However, with coworkers like mine, the time spent at work was never dull and always a time that I looked forward to. Sometimes, to make repetitive tasks a little bit more interesting, we would compete with each other by playing games, such as seeing who could scoop the most cookie dough in a set amount of time. One of my favorite aspects of working at The Merc was learning more about both the science and art of baking from the head bakers in the bakery. This summer I was taught how to make fudge, caramel corn, chocolate pies, Italian buttercream, a variety of cakes, muffins, cookies, and more! I learned about how different ingredients produced different outcomes, how temperatures and humidity levels can affect the baking process, and how to supply our high quality products to meet an ever-increasing demand. There is always something so special about taking time to be away from home and seeking out new opportunities to be challenged. This summer was exactly that for me. So many special moments took place this summer that it was really hard to say goodbye to this place that had come to mean so much to me. Over the summer, what I first had seen as a random, rural town with no Walmart had slowly become a beautiful small-town that represented a season of independence, growth, and delicious food. On my way home at the end of the summer, I realized that in my own, unique way, I too, had become a Pioneer Woman.

Continued on next page. 

Diary 1 I finally met Ree today! I have been here for three weeks and had not seen her…until today! See, there is this spot in the back stairwell leading up to the office - I call it the nook. It’s a small little area with pillows and such. Anyways, I was in the nook eating my lunch, when I heard the door open below and saw a tall redhead start to walk up the stairs. “Oh my word. It’s Ree,” I thought to myself. She came up the stairs, rounded the corner and greeted me with a kind, “Hi! How are ya?” We exchanged some quick words, but when she left and went up to the office, I could not stop smiling and texting everyone I know telling them what had just happened!

With Ree!

“There is always something so special about taking time to be away from home and seeking out new opportunities to be challenged.”

Searcy Locals Kelcey Carr, Teddy Carr, Kaleigh Burch, Ree Drummond, Kari Fox, and Brieonna Onyema

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Diary 2

working the My friend Dava and me ! 4th of July booth

Happy 4th of July! So, we have been told for weeks that today would be crazy busy. The Merc hosted a big 4th of July event in downtown Pawhuska, inviting local businesses, food trucks, and bands to participate in a big community event. Between doing our regular baking duties upstairs in the bakery, the bakers rotated going down to the street where the festivities occurred to help sell the bakery items. I loved working in the bakery booth with my friend Dava! We loved getting to be with the customers and listen to the live music for a few hours. At the end of the night, the Drummonds had a fireworks show for everyone. When the lights were turned off in the bakery, four or five of us went to the upstairs sitting area and pulled up some large, comfy chairs to the big windows to watch the grand fireworks show. Just as the fireworks show was about to begin, Ree stepped out of the office with a friend of hers and asked if she could join us in watching the fireworks. The fireworks were incredible, but hearing her comments and stories during the show were just as fun. It was such a special and unexpected 4th of July surprise!

In the Lodge where Ree films her cooking show!

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Diary 3 Today was possibly my favorite day at The Merc. There are some large windows in the bakery, allowing guests to watch us as we bake! Today a man and a young girl came up to the window, and I noticed they were gesturing quite a bit to each other. As I looked a little bit closer, I realized that they were signing to each other! After studying American Sign Language during college, I was thrilled at the possibility of trying to communicate with these guests. When I made eye contact with the two visitors, I signed to them, “Are you deaf?” They signed back, “Yes!” and proceeded to tell me that they were a part of a deaf dinner group that called themselves “The Silent Dinner Group”. I went downstairs to meet them all and was amazed that they were there and that we were able to communicate with one another. We small-talked, and I thanked them for coming. Who knew there was a way to combine my love for sign language with my love for The Pioneer Woman?! Best day.

If you would like to continue following Mary and her cooking adventures, follow @pinkboxrecipes on Instagram.

With two of my managers, Yvonne and Virginia.

“... I realized that in my own, unique way, I too, had become a Pioneer Woman.”

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Cinnamon Rolls 101 By the Pioneer Woman

Ingredients 1 quart Whole Milk 1 cup Vegetable Oil 1 cup Sugar 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Reserved) All-purpose Flour 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt Plenty Of Melted Butter 2 cups Sugar Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon MAPLE FROSTING: 1 bag Powdered Sugar 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring 1/2 cup Milk 1/4 cup Melted Butter 1/4 cup Brewed Coffee 1/8 teaspoon Salt

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.) Preheat the oven to 375°F. To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin. To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal. Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log. Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.) Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown. While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

PREP TIME: 2 Hours

DIFFICULTY: Easy

COOK TIME: 30 Minutes

SERVINGS: 8 Servings

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Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.

Find more on

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“ Greenway dealership has always been there for me to fit all my equipment needs on my cattle farm. From selection, price, parts, and service. When I need a tractor, or any equipment, Greenway will find it for me quickly. When I have a breakdown Greenway will get a service truck in the field quickly, and get me running again. When I need a part it is usually in stock or they will get it next day. Greenway’s follow up after the sale is great, and they are a perfect fit for my cattle operation.”

1601 Wilbur Mills Ave. • Kensett, AR • 501-305-0450 • GoGreenway.com

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Finding

“Amazing Grace” Through John 3:17 By Gary Gregg “For the first time in a long time — first time ever for some — these ladies learn what unconditional love looks like.”

“I once was lost, but now I’m found,” is a phrase from a familiar hymn by John Newton. The ladies of John 3:17 ministries echoed Newton’s joy at a celebration and fundraising dinner hosted by Downtown Church of Christ, August 11. John 3:17 is a residential faith-based ministry for women who struggle with addictions. Located about 35 minutes from Searcy in Remmel, Arkansas, the ministry serves ladies from across Arkansas and several surrounding states. The evening’s menu featured a scrumptious catfish dinner cooked by Mitch Bell and his crew from Starting Over Ministries. Twenty-seven current ministry residents set up the dinner, served it, shared songs and testimonies, and cleaned up afterward. The ladies sang John Newton’s hymn, Amazing Grace, after dinner. Ten graduates of the rehab also attended the fundraiser to celebrate the progress of the current residents. The ministry was begun in 2013 and has a strong connection with Searcy and White County. Several residents in the recovery

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program are from this area. Also, some board members, facilitators, and Bible teachers for the ministry live in the Searcy area. John 3:17 was chosen as a name because the ladies are taught that Jesus did not “come to condemn, but to save.” “Jesus gives hope — something that keeps us going,” is a belief expressed by many ministry residents. By focusing on the saving grace of Jesus and not themselves, the ladies are able to change their lifestyle and habits. Most who enter the program are desperate. They are at the bottom emotionally, spiritually, and financially. They are encouraged to submit to Jesus, and follow the rules of John 3:17 ministries for a full year. Most of those who stay the full year have broken the chains of addiction. There have been 45 graduates with an 80% success rate. John 3:17 ministries has adopted the mantra of John 3:16 Ministries for men, “Jesus doesn’t offer treatment, he offers a cure!” “Change comes from the inside out, not the outside in,” said Jim Woodell, Executive Director. “To be delivered from addictive behavior, a person’s thinking must change, along with ‘people, places and things.’”

What makes this ministry successful? “First, the ladies must be detoxed and not abusing illegal or prescription drugs or alcohol when they enter and participate willingly in the program,” states Suzanne Rudd, Assistant Director. “They can leave at any time they choose. We are strict, teaching discipline by a tightly planned schedule of activities. Residents are not allowed to smoke, have cell phones or computers. Caffeine is limited to two cups of coffee a day.” However, rules and routine can only do so much. “What makes this ministry work is love,” Rudd adds. “We encourage the ladies to focus on others — not themselves and their wants. For the first time in a long time — first time ever for some — these ladies learn what unconditional love looks like. We know they are trapped and miserable in addiction, but rather than condemn, we come alongside and help them gain freedom. “Another huge factor is the nurturing of the local faith “‘What makes this ministry work is love,’ Rudd adds. ‘We encourage the ladies to focus on others — not themselves and their wants.’” community, the Remmel Church, who literally adopts these residents. They nurture, mentor, encourage, and pray for them. Volunteers teach the Bible every day. This ministry is not merely a recovery institution, but a community of faith and hope.” A recently completed residence facility can house 26 ladies. The recovery regimen includes Bible study, church attendance, learning life skills, communal chores, parenting skills, and working at appropriate jobs in the community. The ladies wash clothes, clean the facility, and take turns cooking in teams. They attend Celebrate Recovery meetings three times a week, and receive counseling from licensed social workers each week. Many take advantage of GED classes available at Arkansas State University-Newport. After the one-year residence, the ladies graduate and are assisted in finding jobs. Many are reunited with their estranged families. Some residents have given up their children temporarily to foster care — either voluntarily during their treatment or by court order. Professional counseling continues to be available to help them adjust to reentering society and living again with their families. Some graduates continue onsite as “facilitators,” assisting those new to the program, encouraging them and helping them through emotionally rough times. The facility is nearly always at capacity. Often ladies must be turned away because of a lack of resources. The program is free to the residents, except for a $50 application fee. Individuals, churches, fundraisers and foundations supply funds for facilities and operations of the ministry. The ladies love to sing and give their testimonies, often visiting churches for encouragement as well as for fundraising. Invite the ladies of John 3:17 to visit your church and listen to the genuine thanksgiving for Amazing Grace. You will be blessed. To learn more about the ministry, go to their webpage at John317ministry.org and view the video. For more information or application procedures, call 870-217-5603. Financial donations to the ministry may also be made online at the website, or by mailing checks to John 3:17, 431 Hwy. 145 South, Newport, AR, 72112. John 3:17 ministries is a 501(c)(3) entity, and donations are tax-deductible. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – J o h n 3: 1 6 - 1 7

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Tari Wooten testimony My name is Tari Wooten. I recently completed John 3:17’s rehabilitation program. I had suffered from an almost 20 year drug and alcohol addiction that had left me broken, empty and far from God. I had allowed these addictions to rob me of my family, my home, my job, my freedom, my dignity, and all sense of any self-worth. This led to severe depression and suicidal tendencies that took me lower than I thought I would ever go. But, thankfully, my Heavenly Father saw fit to extend to me His mercy and grace. Through a series of events that can only be described as a “God thing,” I was directed to the John 3:17 ministry. Because of the faith-based structure and curriculum, guidance, and motivation, my whole being (mind, body, and soul) was opened to the life giving experience of Jesus Christ. By allowing Him to work in me and through me, all that was lost is being restored to me. Praise the Lord for John 3:17! Deonna Tharp testimony My name is Deonna Tharp and I am the 42nd graduate from John 3:17. I completed the 12 month program on July 16, 2017 and took the honors of staying on as staff. I am 34 years old and have 3 boys. I spent 6 long, hard, lonely years lost in a drug addiction, but praise God my chains are broken. I have lost everything I own several times over due to my own stupidity. I lost the relationship and trust with my family, my children and even my marriage of 11 years. I simply lost who I was, hurting everyone I cared about along the way. I gave Satan an inch and he became the ruler of my life. I was at a point in life where I was okay with being a drug addict the rest of my life. I was slowly losing all hope of a sober life style. I was at such a dark spot in my life that if I allowed myself to sober up any at all, then all this shame and regret over took me, so it was easier to stay high, block everything out and just not deal with life. Within those 6 years I went from being a home maker with a perfect record to a criminal and losing all my rights as a U.S. citizen. I was in and out of jail numerous times, racking up charges and considering each new charge as a type of trophy. I was blinded by my own stupidity while my life was spiraling out of control. After 6 years of being in and out of court, White County decided that enough was enough, and since I couldn’t get my life together maybe going to prison for a while might help me. Little did I know, at my weakest point God still had his right hand on me. After spending 4 months in jail and the court system trying to send me to prison, I was able to apply and enter John 3:17. When I entered the program I had good intentions of trying to better myself, but to be honest it was just to keep from going to prison. In the 12 months that I spent in the program God has really changed my way of thinking and softened my heart. He has filled me with a peace and joy that’s greater than any high I’ve ever experienced in my addiction. God is peeling me like an onion, layer by layer, while helping me process and work through all my hurts, habits and hang-ups. I’ve been delivered, redeemed and restored. I’ve got a new outlook on life and it feels great. God is restoring my relationship back with my family. He takes care of my every need. 62 Your Hometown Magazine

I am blessed beyond measure. My children now have a mom they can be proud of. I am so thankful for the unconditional love of my children and family. I thank God daily for pulling me out of the pit I was stuck in and not allowing me to make some irrational decisions based on my toxic emotions. I know that my new life is not always going to be grand. There are going to be tests and trials, but with God on my side who can be against me. On September 8th, I’ll have 18 months sober. To look and see how far God has brought me makes me even more excited to see where he is going to take me in the future. There is absolutely nothing too big or small for MY KING!!

Kallen Ross testimony My name is Kallen Ross. I am 23 years old and for the last 4 years of my life I suffered from an IV meth addiction. I was stuck in a vicious cycle, in and out of jail. I attempted to recover in a secular rehabilitation program once before, but failed. In March of 2016, I was arrested and sentenced to a year. I believe I was finally right where God needed me to be. I learned about John 3:17 through jail ministry. I got approved by the judge, was accepted into the program on Sept. 4, 2016, and was baptized into Christ on Oct. 2, 2016. For so long, I lived a life believing lies like, “I would always be an addict”, “My child was better off without me”, “I don’t matter anyways”, and “It’s no big deal”, etc. Thanks to John 3:17 and the people here working to make sure I know the truths of God, I believe there is a better future in store for me. I graduate the program on Sept. 3rd and have been given the privilege to stay on as a staff member. I cannot wait to experience the way Jesus works from the other side of the ministry and I feel so blessed to be able to give back in this way.

 Jim Woodell (right), executive director of John 3:17, worked the crowd while auctioning off various baked goods that were donated. Several of the residents and facilitators assisted in tracking the bidding. The audience was very generous with a few items selling for $100 or more.

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e have always felt the desire and the calling to have people in our home. It normally includes a meal, but just the fact that people get to know one another better when they are in somebody’s home makes us feel like this is the very best way for us to connect to folks we love. Even when Doug and I were first married, back in late 1982, the thought of having my very own house, paying for groceries, creating meals from them and sharing those meals with friends was enough to just make me believe I had reached adulthood. My cooking skills were rookie at best, but I was always trying new recipes and was so very interested in expanding my knowledge of all things domestic. I worked outside the home for the first years of our marriage, yet after seeing patients all day and being SO tired I still looked forward to coming home and making something new and delicious for dinner in the evenings. Somehow I guess I just caught my second wind once I got in the kitchen. Far from having a gourmet kitchen back then, sometimes I only had two burners on the stove that worked. We even lived in a rent house once where the kitchen got so cold in the winter my dishrag FROZE TO THE SINK. I’m serious. The joy of having guests join us for a meal is not shared by all in our society; many think their meal will not meet the imaginary high standards expected by their guests. Some exhaust themselves cleaning their home more spotless than it has ever been since they’ve lived there and can’t muster the energy to then visit with thus said guests once they arrive. Some fear they won’t know what to talk about once their guests show up. I do hope this story puts those fears in the file of NONSENSE. 64 Your Hometown Magazine

As I mentioned earlier, we have always enjoyed having guests in our home for meals. My husband, Doug, and daughter, Scarlett, enjoy it as much as I do, and I thought making a game of it might be fun. So, back in late 2014 we began what we call MYSTERY GUESTS. Just like the name hints, the guests are a mystery to Doug and Scarlett. Initially, they would know how many were coming, but now I don’t even tell them that information. It goes something like this... Usually late in the week, like a Thursday or Friday, I will contact somebody that has been on my mind during that week and ask them if their family is available to have lunch with us after church on Sunday. This is usually somebody who is part of our church family, but not always. If they respond that they are available, then I ask if everybody in their family will be available; this gives me an idea of how many to expect (and how much food to prepare). I then ask two very important questions: 1. Are there any food allergies? 2. Are there any dietary restrictions? I don’t want ANYBODY to ever sit at my table in fear of food! Once we get all that information cleared away, I then make sure they know where we live and then confirm what time they will be arriving. I let them know that they will be our MYSTERY GUESTS and that Doug and Scarlett will not know who is coming until they show up at our door. I remind them (if they are part of our church family) that if they see Doug or Scarlett at church NOT to mention coming over for lunch. The stories could go on and on because we have never, EVER had a bad experience with MYSTERY GUESTS! We have had guests who had to leave right after lunch because of a meeting or appointment with somebody. We have had guests who stayed until

almost 5 p.m. We always tell guests ahead of time if our day has to be abbreviated for any reason, but we normally leave the entire afternoon open for guests to stay. We have SO much fun! We laugh SO much! And, more than anything, we get to strengthen that bond we have with guests because they are in our home, sharing a meal, seeing how we live, asking questions, making connections to people we know in other states and countries. And every single time our guests walk out the door after signing the guest book, Doug turns to me and says, “Now THAT was fun. That was a great choice.” As I said before, Doug and Scarlett used to know how many guests were coming, but I got tired of them constantly trying to guess who the MYSTERY GUESTS were so I decided not to tell them. In fact, sometimes I set the table and purposefully put out too many or too few place settings JUST to throw them off. I’m stubborn like that. What throws them off as well is when I invite two couples, or a family and another single person. They never guess correctly now. Score one for this mama! “ I have experienced so much laughter, so many surprising connections with guests who know friends of ours from far away, even shed a few tears because of the personal stories people are willing to share when their feet are under your dinner table.”

The funniest MYSTERY GUEST arrival award has to go to our sweet friend, Ross Cochran. I had texted him beforehand, asking him the normal questions and then telling him he would be our MYSTERY GUEST. Fast forward to Sunday, and we get back home and are getting lunch ready. Doug stops in his tracks when he passes the front foyer. “Hmmm. There’s somebody at our door with a bag on their head,” he says. I began laughing. Sure enough, Doug opens the door and there stands somebody with a paper grocery bag covering their head. “Oh, hey Ross!” Doug says. Ross then tells us that he didn’t know how long the MYSTERY part was supposed to last. I still laugh every time I think of how funny he looked standing there. I may not know much about many things, but I do have a bit of experience under my belt when it comes to having guests in our home; our guest book kinda proves it. I have experienced so much laughter, so many surprising connections with guests who know friends of ours from far away, even shed a few tears because of the personal stories people are willing to share when their feet are under your dinner table. And this I know to be true... people do not care if your house is incredibly clean. They do not care how fancy your furniture is or if you even HAVE furniture. (We had an old church pew from the Newalla, Oklahoma Church of Christ, where we married in 1982, and a day bed for sofas for the first seven years of our married life! NOBODY CARED!!!) People do not care if your yard was mowed the day before they arrive. They do not care if you make

 Tanya and Doug on a recent trip to Israel.

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“ If you have ever been a guest in somebody else’s house, just remember what you wanted and what didn’t matter. You wanted good conversation that made you feel welcome and important and loved. You likely did not notice much else.”

 Guestbooks from mystery dinner guests. “I encourage you, if you want to deepen relationships with people, invite them into your home. MAKE TIME for people.”

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fancy food or if you pull out leftovers; I PROMISE... THESE PEOPLE LIKELY EAT LEFTOVERS, TOO! People do not care if your dishes match. They do not mind using paper towels as napkins. They MIGHT mind if your cat jumps up on the table, so keep that in mind. If you have ever been a guest in somebody else’s house, just remember what you wanted and what didn’t matter. You wanted good conversation that made you feel welcome and important and loved. You likely did not notice much else. I encourage you, if you want to deepen relationships with people, invite them into your home. MAKE TIME for people. Your Sundays might not be the best time for you to do this; Friday nights might be better. Or even Monday! Think of the people on the fringes who just need a connection. If you don’t consider yourself a good conversation carrier, then invite one of them as well. It’s usually more fun when you get others in the mix. If you keep coming up with excuses... allow me to throw this story in at the end. Our house burned in September of 2004. We lived in a tiny townhouse for ten months while our home was being restored. If you’ve ever been through a house fire you know what I mean when I say WE HAD STUFF SITTING EVERYWHERE! Because the fire destroyed so much, I had the assignment of replacing everything that was lost. Well, everything came to the townhouse and just got stacked up like a giant warehouse. It was interesting. During this time, we had a sweet family move to town and became part of our church family. I was bound and determined that I was going to have them over, even if it meant sitting on 5-gallon buckets turned upside down and eating off of a card table. And that’s exactly what we did. Because they had two little girls, I bought a plastic tablecloth and spread it out on the living room floor and that’s where our three girls ate; they called it a picnic. We four adults sat at the card table, two of us sitting on buckets or boxes. We had the best time! I knew, without a doubt, I was not making this family feel intimidated by anything fancy I had because I had absolutely NOTHING at that point. If you begin your own MYSTERY GUEST tradition, I would love to hear about it. My email address follows the DINNER AND A MAGAZINE section in this publication. Let me know about it!

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It benefits you!

Produced by

68 Your Hometown Magazine

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What Foster Parents Are Saying

Amazing Donors

Imagine a world where every child has a safe and loving home. Believe it can happen! Your Hometown Magazine

foundat i on Only a few are willing to give their time, their home and their life to serve orphans. But the rest of us can be an amazing support team!

Find Us On imaginebelieve123.com

Please send donations to:

Imagine & Believe Foundation • P.O. Box 2042 • Searcy, AR 72145 Phone (501) 593-5263 My check is enclosed to help wherever needed.

 $5

 $20

 Other: ______________

 I want to donate my time. My talent is: ___________________________________

Imagine & Believe is a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) • Donations are Tax Deductible 501.593.5263 SearcyLiving.com 71

What Is The

H ope Believe Foster Care & Adoption Boutique? * The Imagine and Believe Foster Care and Adoption Boutique is simply a room in the Searcy Living business office that we have dedicated for use in helping foster & adoptive families, and sometimes emergency situations. Our awesome Searcy Living readers bring in donations, enabling foster parents to be able to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for what they need for foster, adopted and disadvantaged children, at no cost. Our office is located at 812 S. Main Street in Searcy. We welcome gently used or new items. Thank you, Searcy, for your generosity and time spent to support the Foster Care Boutique!

L ocated I n

Imagine a world where every child has a safe loving home. Believe it can happen!

72 Your Hometown Magazine

T h a n k Y ou to

Volunteers & Donors!

Thank You All Volunteers & Donors! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of the time being a foster or adoptive parent is the most rewarding calling ever! It is amazing to see children thrive and grow and make new connections in life. It is amazing to see miracles and healing. But it is also sometimes very exhausting and can be full of non-stop appointments, drama, judgement from others and indescribable temper tantrums from traumatized children. Definitely not an average daily life for the most part. Thank you to all who support the Imagine & Believe Foundation. Knowing that so many in this community care about helping us help these children means so much. The Foster Care Boutique has been such a blessing!â&#x20AC;?

~ A Local Foster Parent SearcyLiving.com 73

A Special Thank You To The Elks Jamie Schmidt E. R., Andrea Schmidt, Payzlee Hale, Anita Varnell, Michelle Rogers, Pam Boggan

White County Book Drive for Foster Children

Here are the businesses that donated to the White County Book Drive for Foster Children in 2016: Knupp Service Co, Inc Premier Custom Cabinets, LLC Darren Walters Construction Crum Chiropractic Chick-Fil-A If you are interested in donating to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book drive: https://www.youcaring.com/ whitecountyfosterchildren-916449 ~ Carrie Steele

74 Your Hometown Magazine

who

Will Take Care

of the babies? By Karen and Jess Seger

My name is Karen and my husband is Jess, and we have been fostering for 4.5 years. We both feel that we are called to help and be a blessing in a child’s life, and we have both been in the foster or adoption system at one time. I was in the foster care system in California for 10 years. My husband and his sister were adopted by a family member. My husband fosters because he can give children love like his mother did, and provide love to a nontraditional family the way it was provided for him. He overlooks what society calls broken and useless, and sees it as lovable and worthy. I have had many problems within the system. Because of this, along with my experiences on the street and growing up in some harsh environments, I feel I can reach some of the children and help them process the tangled emotions, and teach them life skills to better themselves and survive in this crazy world. I can say “I understand” and actually mean it with every fiber of me. I was in foster care from the age of 3 until I was 12. I was never adopted, and moved from home to home. Life was hard, and learning to love was even harder. When I was 18, my depression was heavy from dealing with a father in prison. Because of the guilt and lack of support associated with this, I decided to commit suicide. On the top floor of a building, I opened the window and sat there late one night and cried out. I was so confused and hurt and thought that I could not call anyone to help me. I can tell you, many times this is what our children feel, even though there are many people who want to help. The fear of rejection and misunderstanding can be an insurmountable wall in reaching our children. As I was trying to rationalize jumping and not making my mother mad at me, and just stopping the pain and frustrations of what was happening to me, in my moment of stillness I heard someone say, “Who will take care of the babies?” I had to stop and look around. Who was there and why would they say this to me? There was no one around. I just sat there, wondering what it meant. I sat long enough that the staff sargent on duty found me and asked me to help with some work. I often thought about what happened that day, but knew somewhere deep within me, I had to survive. I can tell you this: 29 years later, I finally know who spoke to me that night, and saved my life. If my experiences and devotion to these children will change the thoughts of just one, it is worth all the tears, frustrations, meetings, late nights, doctor appointments, and court dates.

To foster children, we open up to our past, but the blessings of the Lord have made a path for us and we fear not where to walk anymore. There is a light upon our path and we want to share our light and joy with these children who need the love and understanding that our home provides. When we receive children, we rarely have enough clothing, pull ups, toys, shoes or a soft blanket, but with the help of the Searcy boutique, we are able to come and get the items the children need. Sometimes it is a simple necklace and bracelet that brings a smile to a little girl who wants something special, sometimes it’s swim trunks so a little boy can stop using his shorts. No matter what the need is, I can usually find it there. It is a blessing to have all the donations from the community. The people who work there are a blessing and touch so many lives and deserve recognition for all they do. The shop is always clean and organized, which makes it so easy to run in and find whatever our child needs. Sometimes it’s just fun to let them shop and find a little treasure that they feel they just have to have, and I can say yes with ease.

“There is a light upon our path and we want to share our light and joy...”

“I feel I can reach some of the children and help them process the tangled emotions, and teach them life skills to better themselves...” SearcyLiving.com 75

Fab

DIY CABINET PAINTING AND ANTIQUE GLAZING

Before

After finishing my “Farmhouse Glam” dining room remodel (see the previous 2 issues of Searcy Living Magazine), it was time to move on to my kitchen. When my hickory cabinets were installed I had intended for our home to have rustic décor. With the new style change, although beautiful, the cabinets just no longer “go”. After weighing all of my options, I decided to paint them in a warm gray with blue tones, followed by antiquing glaze. I am aware that when most people hear the words “paint cabinets” they automatically run in the opposite direction! I know, because I am one of those people! I won’t lie, painting cabinets can be a very time consuming and tedious task, but if you just take it one step at a time (without skipping steps!) it is a very doable DIY project.

Wash your cabinets with soap and water inside and out, top to bottom. They may look clean, but I guarantee that there is some grease and dust hanging out on them and it needs to be removed to paint properly.

Take cabinet doors off and remove all hinges, knobs, and hardware.

As you are taking your doors down, be sure to mark them to their corresponding spot. I have found that the best way to do this is by using yard sale stickers. Give each number two tags and put one in the cabinet box and the other on the door. *Tip: If you put your numbered sticker where the hinge belongs, you won’t have to move it back and forth when painting both sides of the door.

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Starting with the back side of your cabinet door, paint a coat of bonding primer. This product is different from regular primer; it’s thicker, has better coverage, hides stains, and seals glossy surfaces, so it completely eliminates the need for sanding! Begin with a paint brush and get the bonding primer in all the grooves, corners and edges. Finish covering the door using a foam cabinet roller. Allow 2 hours of dry time before flipping the door over and priming the front. Allow that side 2 hours of dry time as well.

Once the bonding primer has dried begin painting the door in the color of your choice using the same technique of back first, then front and paint brush first, then foam roller. Always use 2 coats on each side and allow 1-2 hours of dry time between each coat. *Tip: In my opinion, Clark + Kensington enamel is the very best paint to use for cabinets, and is available at Ace Hardware. Enamel creates a hard outer shell after drying, making it more durable than regular latex paint.

Once the cabinet doors were dry, I began the “antiquing” process. There are several glaze products on the market, including clear glazes that allow you to mix up your own color using stain or paint. Since this was such a large project, I decided to use already mixed Valspar Antiquing Glaze. This insured a consistent color and took out the “measuring and mixing” step. Use a foam paint brush and first get in all of the grooves and corners, keeping the glaze fairly thick. Then move on to covering the rest of the door, but with a slightly thinner coat. *Note: This is a very messy process so latex gloves are advised!

While my doors were drying, I primed and painted the outside of the cabinet boxes. Since my cabinets are only 3 years old, they are still in good condition, light, and clean so I decided not to paint the inside of the boxes. If your cabinets are older or dark inside, you may consider painting them as well.

Once the cabinet door is completely covered, take a lint free rag and begin wiping off the glaze. Wipe in one direction, leaving a bit more glaze in the corners and in any groves or details. Wipe off as little or as much glaze as you desire, depending on the amount of antique look you prefer. You will have around 15 minutes of workability to wipe off or add more glaze according to your taste. If you feel like you have “messed up” during that 15 minutes, use a wet rag to wipe off the glaze and try again. Use the same technique with the cabinet boxes.

9 Once you are satisfied with the look of the glaze, allow a 24 hour drying time.

Apply a coat of polyurethane. I prefer water based because it is easier to work with and has no odor or fumes. If you choose to paint your cabinets white or cream, then you definitely need to use a water base poly as the oil based will yellow your cabinets. Apply a coat on the boxes as well, and allow everything to dry for 24 hours. Once dry, rehang the doors and put the hardware back on. Although this was a large undertaking, it was totally worth it and I could not be happier with the end result! SearcyLiving.com 77

Special Egg I began making this dish for breakfast about a year ago, and unless I am out of town or in a huge rush that morning, this is what I have. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I might change up the fruit I have with my cottage cheese, but the SPECIAL EGG remains the same. I only call it SPECIAL EGG because I couldn’t think of a better name. I have a very old, well-seasoned, 6” iron skillet and a glass lid which used to belong to a set of Visions cookware my sister was discarding, and they work PERFECTLY for this. A well fitting clear (glass) lid is key because it serves a twofold purpose: it keeps the steam in the skillet, which cooks the top of the egg, and it allows you to see exactly when your egg is cooked to your liking without having to remove the lid. Shout out to all the people out there who insist on a delicious breakfast while everybody else in the house eats cereal!

Preheat

MUST HAVE: Small Iron Skillet And Clear Glass Lid To Fit ************************ About 2 Teaspoons Butter Or Good Bacon Grease (No nitrite kind) 1 Tbsp Diced Onion 1 Tbsp Diced Red Pepper

Preheat your iron skillet AND the lid with the butter or bacon grease in it on low/med heat. (My burner numbers range from low to “8” and I set mine on “3” for this.).

Add

Add onion, pepper, mushroom and salt then return lid to skillet, cooking mixture until the onion is tender and clear. Without allowing steam to escape (keep lid in the same position, just move it off the skillet long enough to add more ingredients then replace it), remove lid and gently break egg onto the cooked mixture; return lid immediately.

Cook

Hefty Pinch Of Salt

Watch egg carefully and when the egg is ALMOST cooked to your liking, move skillet off burner, lift lid just barely and place cheese on egg yolk, then immediately replace lid.

1 Great Quality Egg (Free range. You know... the GOOD kind!)

Serve

1 Fresh Mushroom, Diced

2 Slivers Or About 1 Tbsp Cheddar Cheese

Allow the cheese to melt well, then transfer entire mixture to a plate. Serve it with what you like; I prefer cottage cheese and fresh fruit (sliced strawberries and banana, diced fresh peach/ sliced grapes, or whatever fruit I have on hand). Enjoy! *See the photo for getting an idea of how much of each of the ingredients.

Tanya Turner Leckie’s cookbook, Cartwheels In The Kitchen, is available at Midnight Oil Coffee House, as well as through Tanya by e-mailing her at lazydaygourmet@sbcglobal.net. Partial proceeds through sales benefit the Makonde Team mission work in Tanzania, Africa. 78 Your Hometown Magazine

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Across 2. In which country was this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TEDGlobal held? 3. Mary had been there ________ weeks before meeting Ree. 4. Mary had a great experience working at The ________. 5. Studies show the number of psychotropic drugs prescribed to children in America has ________ in the last 25 years.

Down 1. John 3:17 is not merely a recovery institution, but a community of ________ and hope. 2. Project Unify helps create sports ________ that combine all students. 3. Make ________ for people.

I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and rivers but no water. What am I? Why is a river rich?

Find The Answers On

80 Your Hometown Magazine

Keep your head up. God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.

Show your support for life and help raise money at the same time! Purchase an Official Choose Life Arkansas License Plate for the rear of your car. You can obtain one through direct purchase from the Department of Finance and Administration. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make the readership of Searcy Living the BIGGEST supporters for life in the state!

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