' A2 THE BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE,THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21,2021
Church & Faith
Teaching, are you...
E ach child is asking
a different question
simultaneously.
, Twenty of them — kids
1 and questions. You’re
squinting at barely legible
handwriting, juggling late
work, lEPs and crinkled
papers. Giving instructions
three — no, definitely five-
plus times.
“You never told me that,”
“I had practice” and “It was
my second cousin fomteen
. times removed’s birthday,”
; are all plausible excuses.
Your feet hurt, your
; brain hurts and your heart
sometimes is more than
, heavy, it’s breaking.
That’s a snapshot of
_ teaching.
, I taught middle school
for only two years. And I
, loved it.
Sure, it had its moments.
, Teacher friends, you know
i those days. The ones you
, wish you were possibly on
an assembly fine, putting
together something with-
. out considering its home
' fife, emotional or mental
’ hurdles or whether or
not it ate breakfast. Days
you just want to work in
a people-less place where
it’s quiet
and you
can drink a
Diet Coke
and stare
at a wall.
You
complain
to your
husband,
your sister,
your mom
— who
ever will
listen. And
they’re
convinced you hate your
job. They even say some
times, “Just quit if it makes
you this miserable.”
But they’re not seeing
the whole picture. Be
cause, really, you’re just
letting the steam seep out
so you can keep loving to
your absolute limits.
I never intended to be
a teacher, but I also never
knew I’d do something so
fun of purpose, love and
outright joy.
'J|
AMANDA
HOGGARD
GRACE &
TRUTH
Now that I’ve transi
tioned into something else,
I am so glad God gave me
those moments.
He was building me
at the same time. The
patience that God forged in
me while teaching middle
school is quite amazing for
someone whose person
ality profile once read,
“Amanda is intolerant of
anyone who is moving or
thhddng more slowly than
she is. She needs to devel
op patience for the people
around her.”
Now, that’s a miracle!
Teacher friends, the
shiny newness of a spar
iding school year has worn
off.
By this point, it’s just
plain, hard work. But,
before you forget and get
lost in the weeds of parent
emails, student progress,
lack of resources or
anything else, I hope I can
just really quickly remind
you — you are changing
the world.
Through acceptance,
encouragement, being a
safe place and supporting
parents through some
really hard times, you are
absolutely changing the
world.
One of our favorite
scriptures as a family is
foimd in the letter written
to the Galatians. Paul says,
“And let us not grow weary
of doing good, for in due
season we will reap, if we
do not give up.”
If I could buy every
one of you a coffee to say,
“Keep going,” I certainly
would.
If you’re reading this,
even if you’re not a teacher,
remember today’s work is
tomorrow’s results.
You matter.
You’re hving an example
and your life is a lesson,
teaching people around
you.
You’ve got to keep going
— harvest is on the way.
Amanda Haggard is
Connections Pastor at
AskewviUe Assembly of
God. She can be reached
via email at amandajhog-
gard@gmail. com.
He controls the storm...
A nd a great wind-
/■ storm arose, and
.aTa. the waves beat into
the boat, so that it was
I already filling. But He
‘ was in the stem, asleep
on a pillow. And they
. awoke Him and said to
I Him, ‘.‘Teacher, do You not
_ care that we are perish-
I ing?” Then He arose and
rebuked the wind, and
said to the sea, “Peace, be
still!” And the wind ceased
I and there was a great
> eabn. But He said to them,
I “Why are you so fearful?
(How is it that you have
t no faith?” And they feared
I exceedingly, and said to
■ one another, “Who can this
I be, that even the wind and
I the sea obey Him!”
I - Mark 4: 37-41
I
I I have always loved the
rain. When I was a child
; and even as a teenager, if
I it started raining, I was out
I the door and walking,
j As an adult, I loved to
I stand on a porch or in
1 a doorway and watch it
rain. The air smells so
! fresh when it rains. It feels
as though everything is
renewed, refreshed and
cleansed.
'The bad
thing is the
weather
can turn
very
treacher
ous.
I have
seen a lot
of those in
my many
years on
this earth.
I
remember
Hurricane
Hazel in
1964. It hit North Carolina
with winds Irom 90 to 150
miles an hour. It hit Virgin
ia, where I was living at
the time at about 100 miles
an hour. The strongest of
the winds came and went
in a short time, but was
terrifying in its intensity.
I remember Hurricanes
Moyd and Florence which
were pretty bad here in
North Carolina
One time several years
ago, my granddaughter.
SYLVIA
HUGHES
MEDITATING
ON HIS WORD
Brooke, and I decided to
go to Nags Head. It was
in the fall. The motel we
stayed at was just steps
from the ocean. Soon after
we arrived, a storm blew
up. The winds were so
strong, they rocked you.
The ocean was roaring and
angry. The waves were the
highest I have ever seen.
Jesus and the disciples
were on the Sea of Gahlee
when a huge storm blew
up. The Sea of Galilee is
700 feet below sea level
and surrounded by steep
hiUs. Cold air fi'om one
side and hot from anoth
er can bring violent, life
threatening storms on this
sea. One storm in 1992
sent waves ten feet tall. It
is no wonder the disciples
were afraid. Their biggest
problem was they were
not fully aware of who was
in the boat with them.
I call up to my mind the
hmricanes and storms I
have witnessed.
But mostly I remember
those angry waves at Nags
Head. Can you see it? The
wild roar of the sea. The
Celebration of Life
Bernard Eugene Williford, Jr.
I PINE KNOLL SHORES - Bernard Eugene Wil-
\ liford, Jr., 56 of Arborvitae Drive, passed away
j Thursday, October 14, 2021, at Carteret General
! Hospital in Morehead City.
; Bemie was bom on April 21,1965, in Wake Coun-
; ty to Dorothy Louise Clark and the late Bernard
! Eugene Williford. He was baptized as a youth at
1 St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Gamer, was
I active in the Boy Scouts and served as Assistant
1 Scoutmaster while living in Burgaw, NC.
I Bemie graduated from the United States Military
1! Academy at West Point while also playing on their
► football team. He served 29 years in the United
f States Army and the North Carolina Army National
I Guard earning the rank of Colonel,
i He deployed during Operation Desert Storm
• with the 5th Battalion, 18th Infantry, as well as
• serving two tours of duty in Iraq with the 30th Ar-
jmored Brigade Combat Team. During his distin-
• guished military career, he earned the Legion of
; Merit, 3 Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman
Badge along wdth a myriad of other awards, med-
: als, and honors.
He was a wonderful husband and father and was
a soldier and leader who inspired those around
him to achieve excellence. Additionallv. he served
on the Town Board of Everetts, NC and the board
of the Pine KnoU Shores Homeowners Association.
He was an avid cyclist, scuba diver and scuba
instmctor. AH aspects of Bemie’s life reflected his
love of fife and a commitment to live a fife of ser
vice to others. Above aU, he loved his family, his
coimtry and God.
He is survived by his wife, Raine Smith WUliford
of the home; his mother, Dorothy Clark 'i\filfiford
of Everetts; sons, Blake Bernard WiUiford and wife
Brittany of Fayetteville and Braxton Smith Willi
ford of Pine KnoU Shores; daughter, Carah Cono-
ley Wilfiford of Washington; sisters, Eugenia Clark
WiUiford of Alexandria, VA, and Louise Wyrm Ben
nett of Elm City.
An outdoor service honoring Bemie’s fife was
held Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at 2:00 pm at
the First Christian Church in Robersonville, NC.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may
be made to NC National Guard Association, 7410
Chapel HiU Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, or P*rofession-
al Association of Diving Instmctors (PADI), 30151
Tomas, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688.
Online condolences may be directed to www.
walkerfh.net. Walker Funeral Home of Wilfiamston
is serving the Wilfiford family.
tall waves crashed with
great force.
Imagine yourself out
there on a boat. Now hear
Jesus say, “Peace, be stiU”
and instantly everything is
calm. No more wind. No
more waves. Just complete
calm and gentle waves
lapping against the boat.
You might find yourself
more terrified of ttie pow
er of Jesus than you were
of the storm.
Awe stmck are the only
words that come to mind.
“Ah, Lord God! Be
hold, You have made the
heavens and the earth
by Your great power and
outstretched arm. There is
nothing too hard for You.”
— Jeremiah 32:17.
The next time you are in
a storm remember who is
in control of the ship.
Sylvia Hughes is a
longtime Sunday School
and women’s Bible study
teacher, and a retired
newspaper editor. She
can be reached via email
at blameditatior\s@gmail.
com.
Out Sc About
Out and About lists current events sponsored by
nonprofit groups and churches in Bertie County.
Please send listings to the Bertie Ledger-Advance, 109
South King St., Windsor, NC 27983, ore-mail them
to lbeachboard@ncweeklies.com. AU events must be
submitted by 4 p.m. each Monday.
Oct. 23
Grant Writing/Grant Seeking Seminar
WILLIAMSTON - The Small Business Center (SBC)
of Martin Community College will host a seminar titled,
“Grant Writing/Grant Seeking” from 9 a.m. — noon
Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Wilfiamston campus.
Participants will walk through the application
guidelines for each for each topic.
The seminar is free, and open to the public.
Martin Community College is located at 1161
Kehukee Park Rd. in Wilfiamston.
For more information or to register, contact Lena
Jackson at 252-789-0201 or via email lena.jackson@
martincc.edu.
Food Truck RaUy
WINDSOR - The Bertie Alumni Conununity
Association will host a food truck rally beginning at
noon on Saturday, Oct. 23 for Bertie High School
Homecoming weekend.
Entertairunent will be provided by DJ Smoothzz.
Spectators are asked to bring lawn chairs.
Admission is free, and it is open to the public.
The food truck rally will be held at the Cashie
Convention Center, 118 County Farm Rd. in Windsor.
Proceeds will benefit the Bertie Alumni Conununity
Association’s scholarship program.
Oct. 25
NCFAST Income Caseworker Part H Class
WILLIAMSTON - The Division of Continuing
Education of Martin Community College will host a
NCFAST Income Maintenance Caseworker Part II of
Introduction to Human Services Exploration from 6 -
9 p.m., on Mondays and Wednesdays, beginning
Monday, Oct. 25 at the Bertie Campus.
The cost of the class is $125, but may be waived for
eligible students.
Martin Community College- Bertie Campus is located
at 409 West Granville St. in Wilfiamston. /
For more information or to register, contact
Candance Bryant Whitehurst at 252-789-0229 or via
email at Candance.bryant-whitehurst@martincc.edu.
How to Find Your Customers Seminar
WILLIAMSTON - The Small Business Center (SBC)
of Martin Community College will host a seminar titled,
“How to Find Your Customers” from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 25.
The seminar is free, and open to the public.
Martin Community College is located at 1161
Kehukee park Rd. in Wilfiamston.
For more information or to register, contact Lena
Jackson at 252-789-0201 or via email at lena.jackson@
martincc.edu.
Oct. 26
Board of Health Meeting
ELIZABETH CITY - The Albemarle Regional
Health Services Board of Health meeting will be held at
7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Participants may attend the meeting in person.
The meeting vrill be hejd inside the S. Michael Sutton,
MD ARHS Board Room at the ARHS Building, 711
Roanoke Ave. in Elizabeth City.
For more information, call 252-338-4405.
Dynamite Marketing Seminar
WILLIAMSTON - The Small Business Center (SBC)
of Martin Community College will host seminar titled,
“Dynamite Marketing on a Firecracker Budget” from 6
- 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26.
The seminar is free, and open to the public.
Martin Community College is located at 1161
Kehukee Park Rd. in Williamston.
For more information or to register, contact Lena
Jackson at 252-789-0201 or via email at lena.jackson@
martincc.edu.
Oct. 30
Boo at the Museum
ELIZABETH CITY - The Museum of the Albemarle
will host Boo! at the Museum from 3-6 p.m. Saturday,
Oct. 30.
Participants 'will be able to take a glimpse into
Halloween past, play games, participate in creative
activities and eiyoy sweet treats.
The event is presented by the Museum of the
Albemarle Junior Docents.
The museum is located at 501 South Water St. in
Elizabeth City.
For more information, email charlotte.patterson®
ncdcr.gov.
Nov. 4
Tot Time
ELIZABETH CITY - The Museum of the Albemarle
will host Tot Time titled, “The Poppy Flower” at 10 a.m.
Thursday, Nov. 4.
Children between the ages of three and five,
accompanied by an adult will discover the meaning of
the Poppy Flower and why they can be seen in the
month of November.
Participants will read a book and complete a hands-
on activity.
The event is free, and open to the public.
NEW Local Community Pharmacy is NOW OPEN
Located Inside Bertie Rural Health, Windsor
serving all residents of Bertie County & the surrounding areas
BERTIE county'
fr
(252)704-1765
(252)794-5012
PHARMACY