By Ricky Swindle

Muffler Shop Musings

Howdy, friends!

Civitan Radio Day is coming up next Saturday, Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from our downtown Civitan building.

As always we will  broadcast live on Q105 FM, Undefined Radio.com and FaceBook Live on The Local Yokels Show page.

Civitan members are going to see our loyal, faithful business people in town who have helped support our club’s main fundraiser for the past 40 years.

We have some great, unique items for auction already with a lot more on the way.

Civitans are working, sponsors are donating so all we need now is for you to tune in and bid on Nov. 5, and we can have another successful fundraising day for our club.

My friend Mark Shields from Enid Lake Baptist Church stopped by last week and gave me an entry form for the 2022 Batesville Christmas Parade that will be held on Dec. 6.

This year’s theme is “Christ” The Reason For Christmas. If you would like to participate in the parade , you can call Mark at 662-934-1006 and he will give you an entry form with all the details.

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and we all have a lot to be thankful for.

As for my little bunch, Ol’ Mike returned to work up here with us last week. He’s not able to turn a wrench quite yet, but just having him with us a few hours a day is a blessing.

He’s received a lot of prayers in the past few months and he is very grateful to everyone for sending them up for him.

Around a month ago, I received a letter from Larry Hentz, an inmate in the MDOC. Everyone reading this article is probably aware of who Larry is and knows the reason for his incarceration.

Larry told me that the unit he is assigned to now in Meridian has a prayer call list at 6 p.m. daily and after reading about Mike in The Panolian, he added Mike to the prison prayer list.

I showed Mike the letter and his response was “I’ll take prayers from anyone and am glad to get them. I believe Parchman prayers work, just like church pew prayers cause The Lord hears all.”

I never had a personal grudge against Larry, but I imagine some folks do. Way I look at it is whatever crimes he committed are between him, The Lord and the State of MS and although the State can’t and won’t forgive him of his crimes, then The Good Lord will.

Salvation is available to all who sincerely ask for it is the way I read it. That old Amazing Grace works for Larry the same as it works for all of us.

Keep in mind, too, folks that the J.A. will be doing their annual Angel Tree program that benefits needy children in our area. If you’ve been blessed this year, then maybe you can share your blessing with others not so fortunate.

Take care of yourself folks and holler at me or any Civitan member if you have an auction item to donate to our worthy cause.