"Sleepy on Sundays"

One Amazing Thing

2012-01-24T07:41:00.000-08:00

As mom and I were waiting in the lounge area while uncle
Denny and Grama B were in with the doctor, a lady walked
by, stopped right in front of me and said, “Stay there, don’t
move!” in a nice but determined manner. I looked at mom
and asked if I looked sick …. What was going on, why would
a lady I didn’t know, suddenly stop, look directly at me and
demand I not leave??

After a few minutes she returned, stood in front of me and
said, “You don’t recognize me, do you?” ….. then after a
few seconds I replied, “Jackie?!” Yes she said, and after
giving her a hug we became reacquainted. Jackie was the
day care office manager I had hired; and by far the best office
manager I’ve ever known! Jackie and her husband
Glenn had become great friends of Sherry & I, as we worshiped
together in the same church the day care was a part of.
After exchanging pleasantries and inquiring about her sons
Jason & Caleb, I told her that earlier, in the fall, I had seen her
cooking entries at the county fair. She said to be sure and tell
Sherry hi, and left. I am so glad she recognized me, for I would
have smiled and not spoken to her. She said I looked so much
like my dad, to which mom said after she left, “I don’t think
you look like your father, do you?” “Well mom, I replied,
just about everyone else, including Sherry says that I do!”
Perhaps mom doesn’t wish me to look like my father? Though
I sincerely doubt there is an ounce of jealousy, with dad and my
sister gone, looking like my father is too close to her feeling
alone? Mom often times says, ‘she feels alone’ or ‘if grandma
were to die she’d be alone’ and I must remind her I’m still here,
and so are two of her brothers and younger sister, a tribe of
grandchildren and many friends. However I’m slowly realizing
what mom may really be talking about is the intimacy of her
relationships … especially with a memory that continues to rob
her not only of what used to be, but perhaps what never was??

Stqy there - don't move

2012-01-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

"PRAYERS FOR SALE" ... a review

2012-01-17T12:25:00.000-08:00

“Prayers for Sale”
How many of us, at difficult times in our lives, would have given everything we owned to have someone pray for us with full confidence their prayer[s] were always answered? What in the beginning chapters of this book appears to be just a hoax turns out to be one of the most important ingredients of this book. The author presents us with a story where prayers are that subtle subject that in many ways controls the outward circumstances. Though I am not one for ‘feel good’ endings,in this novel those endings seem like they might never come about, and are genuinely welcome in the end; for they have been earned.

For the ‘first’ time I can recall I read this book one chapter every night,wanting to savor not the action but each character’s plight. When I was about four chapters from the conclusion I couldn’t hold back my interest a day longer and finished it. This is definitely an amazing book that talks about building relationships in a hostile atmosphere, and forgiving others when it’s the last thing you ever plan on doing. I look forward to reading the author’s other books.
ENJOY!
DALLAS, Sandra. “Prayers for Sale” New York, New York.
St.Martins Press. 2009 ISBN: 978031238518-7

Meaner than a Snake!!

2012-01-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

“He’s Meaner Than A Snake”
That’s what great aunt Alice used to say about him!
I’m going to call him Herman, not because I don’t like the name, but simply because I don’t feel free to use his real name, was the father of a good friend of mine and one of the nastiest neighbors I’ve ever known.
Herman was a very dark figure and had moved to our town from a nearby
larger town. Herman’s first wife had died under mysterious circumstances
as it was well known that he had beat her often.
His second wife was a lot younger than he was, only a few years older
than his son who had been born by his first wife. One day Herman found
out that his son was having an affair with his young wife and threw his wife
out even though she was pregnant, with her the young child they had had
while he was married to his first wife. Now here’s another mystery, I never
had any idea there was an older son than the friend I grew up with, for he
and his sister never mentioned an older brother; unless my friend was the
son? Herman then had a third wife, and it too became rather common
knowledge that he frequently would beat her; and was suspected in her
death but never formally accused. There were many who thought that
Herman’s wealth and vast property holdings were the result of his inheritance from his wives??. He was very frugal and ended up paying
The government for eleven years of shorting the government w/ a devise
he had rigged up in his garage that keep the voltage meter less than it
should have been. Herman was tight, he was cruel and he worked at the
factory where my uncle was a foreman and for a while my mother worked
at. My uncle said that Herman had no friends because he alientated himself
by his cruelty.
What initiated this discussion was that while visiting my grandma at the
nursing home, his daughter stopped by and said hi. It was good to see her
after so many years. Later my uncle told me that she was the only one he
knew that Herman was half-decent to – and now she would ultimately
make the decision where he would live …. Gram said most of the nurses
at the home hoped he’d go home or somewhere!
Here is another mystery; my uncle Sammy [bro. of earlier uncle, and a
fictious name] became a good friend to Herman. Uncle Sam lived in the
old house where I grown up most of school years [we had moved to the
other end of the street by then], across street from Herman.
So Herman now resides a couple doors down, on the same side of the hall
as gram …. She has already begun to accumulate some stories!

"The Kommandant's Girl"

2012-01-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

A book review
“the Kommandant’s Girl” by Pam Jenoff
In the early 70’s as I began my journey into the study of Psychology,
Thinking that I might become a Christan Psychologist, I remember that
one of the hot button topics was ‘situation ethics.’ What might we do in
desperate times for our own, or a family/friends survival that in normal
times we would consider unethical and/or immoral?
I think that this book centers around that question as the author introduces
us to a Polish Jewess Emma Bau. Though Emma is a fictional character
there were undoubtedly many Jews in occupied Nazi territory who faced
the same survival choices. How could she work for the very government
that was enslaving and murdering her people in concentration camps?
Didn’t the fact that she was able to supply the Resistance with information
justify her sleeping with the Nazi kommandant? Didn’t her close relationship with the commandant keep a young boy, the son of a famous
rabbi, safe? Wouldn’t her husband, Jacob, a member of the Resistance want
her to make this difficult decision to keep herself alive, so that if they
should both survive the holocaust, they could be together again?
Was it sheer coincidence that before I read this book, I had watched a
series on ‘Nazi Collaborators’ on the history channel; and that one French
collaborator justified his turning over many jews to the Nazi on the basis
that he was able to keep from fulfilling the numbers demanded by Hitler
and thus safe at least a few. Although towards the end of the war the continued discrepancy between what was demanded and what was handed
over became almost non existent, and he was finally corrupted by the need
to survive himself.
I think this book challenges us to be extra sensitive to how we view
history, and those caught up in radical circumstances, in the end to
evaluate our own daily lives …. And are there exceptions we make for
ourselves that we would condemn others for? I thoroughly enjoyed the book
and even though it has a ‘hollywoodish’ ending, it still leaves you with the
challenges and Emma Bau with an uncertain future. Oh, did I mention that
in the process Emma Bau gets pregnant – whose baby was it, the kommandant’s or Jacobs, when he had been able to sneak a couple days
visit with her at his aunt’s house where she lived??? I guess that depends
on we evaluate the book …………….. ah, hah, the author got us in the end!
JENOFF, Pam. “the Kommandant’s Girl” Ontario, Canda. MIRA Publ. 2007 ISBN: 13:978-0-7783-2342-6

Ohio's Civil War Generals

2012-01-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Ohio’s Unknown Generals.
The Willaims County Historical Society was holding its Annual Banquet
and Meeting. The featured speaker was a Mr. Mark Holbrook, who is a
rather famous Ohio Historian and Civil War Re-enactor. Being a Society
member and spending the month’s sabbatical with my mother in my hometown I decided to attend. Though the meal was a little less than
desirous, I was grateful for it, but to my delight the Speaker was great.

I learned many things, both about men from Ohio who fought in the
Civil War and their lives stories, which were both great and sorrowful. But
perhaps the thing that intrigued me the most was a man named William
Burnham Woods. William also had a brother Charles, who fought in the
Civil War on the Union side and became a general also.

Now William fought alongside General Sherman in his march to the sea, and
enjoyed the South so much that when the Civil War was over he returned to
settle in Alabama. The precise location was Bentonville, now known as the
hometown of Walmarts. William also married the daughter of Senator Warner from Alabama. Gen. Wm. turned out to be the first post civil war
U.S. Supreme Court Justice from the South.

The interesting thing about Gen. Woods is that my oldest daughter’s husband’s last name is Woods, and he, and his relatives hail from Alabama;
So one of my genealogical searches is going to be to see if my son-in-law
Is related to the Northern General……………….wouldn’t that take the cake;
A proud old southern family - descendants of a northern yankee!

an old grandpa for xmas 2011

2011-12-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

All 21 of us sat around the Christmas tree exchanging gifts according to Gram's directions. The gifts are limited, and over half of them are homecrafted ... we look forward to these. My oldest daughter and husband can things all year long, then at Christmas time her brother/family and sister/family and gram/gramps get this big container with all canned items, and we eat on them all year!!! And its always great joy to watch the littler kids open gifts.

This year I'd like to share with what I received....
from my oldest daughter/husband a homemade nut crusher, they live in the deep south were pecans are quite common, and the grandkids make money for summer camp gathering and selling them. This nut-cracker is great for nearly any kind of nut that comes in a shell. My middle daughter/husband bought me an Ohio State cap!! ... go bucks. Then
my son bought me a 'McGruder' uncut tape. Now all my kids know mom/dad don't watch R rated stuff, this dvd is rated 'r' because of strong graphic violence, obscene language and sexual content AND nudity! ............... go figure. I told the kids you really know you're getting old when your kids give you a ball cap, a nutcracker and a dirty video for Christmas! We have a great time, tonight my two oldest granddaughters and great grandson will be leaving for upper New York, then tomorrow morning my oldest daughter for Alabama .......... I'll be lost in the silence; but I'll manage with gram.

Chrismtas 2011 has begun..........

2011-12-26T04:24:00.000-08:00

T'was the first day after Christmas!...........
Our kids&grandkids from Alabama arrived a little after 4AM this morning; after a long drive from the DEEP South - and each of them[6] went immediately to bed and fell asleep. Gram heard them knock - how she did that over the sound machine, I don't know. Except it was probably that built-in mother's intuition. She said to me, 'did you hear a knock on the door?' .. the only noise I hear is you, I replied. Stumbling out of bed trying to make my way to greet them, Gram had already beat me to the door!!

Early tomorrow morning our kids/grandkids/first great grandson will be arriving from upstate New York before the sun comes up [7]; then a few hours later as the sun peaks over the horizon, the kids& grandkids from Detroit will knock on the door[6]; although I suspect they won't have to knock, everyone will be wide awake as our Christmas celebration takes place.

I went out early, everyone was still sound asleep to get orange juice, a donut and my usual cappacino/coffee. I was bragging about our coming family reunion and the clerk said "that is so neat, paused, then added, would you have room for one more?!"

My prayer is that even when Gram/Gramps have departed for eternal rest, the family will keep on having family reunions. My one aunt's last request of her gathered kids and grandkids was 'NEVER STOP HAVING FAMILY REUNIONS, PROMISE ME!.' My fondest memories of family reunions are from both sides of the family; a blessing one gets from growing up in the 50's etc. However reunions on both sides of the family became really scarce since the families got so spread out, and it just seemed my generation didn't want to continue the tradition. But.....................a cousin of mine [father's side] and his wife have started the family reunions back up again, and for the last two summers we have had a tremendous time coming together! You can have all the possessions one could ever dream of but without family what good are they?!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

P.S.... My son called us early Saturday morning and said that they had heard an old song [though I've never heard it, but Gram has] about a woman wanting to have this 'trist' with Santa, something about "Santa, Baby?" .. well, our two year old grandson got quite upset with the song, not about any moral issue, but the fact Santa was not a 'baby', but a kind old man with this flowing white beard!!!!

"Another Troop Train"

2011-12-21T06:48:00.000-08:00

This past May 16th I wrote a review on Bob Greene's book, 'Once Upon A Town.' It was about a town in North Platte, ND. that became a regular stopping mecca for trains headed east and/or west with troops aboard. The other night I was reading a history book on the good wife's hometown Decatur, Illinois, and was reading the section on the town's history and participation in the Civil War. I came across a curious paragraph,
"Trains filled with wounded soldiers passed through Decatur frequently, and all were met at the station by women from the 'Hospital Aid Society.' With baskets of delicacies on their arms they made their way among the suffers, to whom the words of comfort and encouragement meant as much as the food and drink. Decatur was a dinner stop for trains carrying wounded troops. [End of quote]*

It was really neat to read this and realize that long before WWII, there was a place,
[and there are probably other railroad stops not very well known about] that reached out to be of whatever help they could to others.

*History of Macon County, 1976. 24.Civil War Days. pg.185

"TEBOWED!"

2011-12-20T07:40:00.000-08:00

After seeing trailers of the SNL broadcast on Tim Tebow I'm wondering if they would do the same today on someone who is a Muslim, a Buddhist or Jew?? Seems to be open season on Christians again .......... maybe it never stopped I just missed it?

Two Horses...........

2011-12-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

Well I have found it ....................... the 'Indian' connection we've all heard about in the family, but no on believed. My grandpa Chester had said that way back in his family history there was a full blooded Indian, but since no one cared enough to really dig it was discounted as a myth. Yesterday I had a fourth cousin from Tennessee email me, and we began an email relationship about family. He was related to my grandpa's step father family, in which most of them live just across the state line in North Carolina. A little background: when grandpa was two months old his father died in Brushy Mt. Prison in Eastern Tennessee for killing a man; he claimed it was in self defense and so the official records say it was involuntary manslaughter and yet he ended up in state pen. My great grandma remarried and the only father my grandpa knew was his step dad. Well his step father's great grandma [on his dad's side]was a full blooded Sioux maiden from Oklahoma named Two Horses! I am so excited to at last put an end to myth ............ and prove Grandpa knew exactly what he was talking about. Now because it was my grandpa's step relationship I'm without even a half-drop of Indian blood but that's okay ........who knows, maybe some day I can 'track' her family down. Excuse the pun, I just couldn't resist, although I don't really like the term when applied to humans.

p.s. My grandpa, when he was a teenager in TN. broke out of jail, with his older brother for running moonshine, and they went north to Detroit and found jobs with the Wabash Railroad. Grandpa's older brother changed his name and moved back to TN near home. Its hard to explain that except the 'law' in those days, in those parts wasn't exactly in the same caliber as Sherlock Holmes... but Grandpa stayed up north and moved to our hometown, which was a major stopping point on the Detroit to Illinois Wabash line. ... there he eventually settled down and married Grandma. She is 98, in a nursing home, and mentally as sharp as a tack ... matter of fact, Gramma is about the only family member that enjoys talking family history with me.

Bayou Nickel

2011-12-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

As I went to pay for my usual morning coffee, I happened to look at one of the nickel's I was giving and saw something on a nickel I've never seen. Since most of us don't closely observe pennies and nickels this was strange to me. It was a 2004 nickel, and on the back were two hands shaking and above them a long peace pipe and axe crossed. The words were 1803 Louisiana Purchase. I guess I never knew that there were some unique nickels out there with historical events on them .............. maybe next time I'll pay a little more attention; and to think I always laughed at people that picked up pennies on the sidewalk? ..duh

Anonymous donors at Kmart

2011-12-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

It seems that Santa is getting a rush of donations paying off people's layaways at Kmart. I think that's really neat, and I'm certainly no Scrooge, and hope it continues.........but, but, but...

A lady in an Indianapolis Kmart paid for 50 people's lay-aways, then on the way out handed out $50 bills .. doing this in memory of her husband who had just died. I applaud that woman; and all the others who do likewise. However there are some concerns this raises..
~like the individual who said, "It was like an angel fell out of the sky
and appeared in our store." if the 'angel' had never appeared would
that individual still believe in angels??
~or the person who said, "I was speechless, it made me believe in Christmas
again." So that person's belief in Christmas is based on blessing
she receives; the article went on to say someone paid the balance on
her account which was for nearly $200 in toys for her 4yr.old son.
What's wrong with one or two inexpensive gifts?
has the meaning of Christmas really come down to 'how much we do or don't receive?' And though my heart was warmed by some of the stories of those who had their layaway's paid off, I believe there is a tremendous joy in store for those who chose to give. I would like to hear the stories behind those who paid off these accounts, but since most of them remain anonymous we'll never know them; but for them Christmas is about giving to others, not what they receive, for what they receive for their giving can't be calculated! Merry Christmas to all.

My mother, bless her heart, was really generous this Christmas and gave me a nice sum of money, not huge but certainly nice. She asked me what I planned to do with it, and I said, what I always do with the money she gives me at Christmas buy a book or two ............ but then after reading about Santa's helpers, all that money is
now going for gifts for friends who have so kind, helpful and gracious this past year. This is going to be fun!!
ENJOY

Ole City Bank

2011-12-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

Our church got a Christmas card from the City Bank in our town. Its a picture of when the bank was in its beginning years - one of those gothic pictures ... really neat. Of course its changed numerous times; matter of fact its latest building was built after the good wife and I moved into the area, and I can't even remember what it looked like. The websites for the bank don't have any former pictures, so I'm left with an absent memory and no resources to resurrect it.

In speaking with my office manager about the beautiful card she recalled when her family lived only a short distance from the first bank building and recalled when her mother would go to the 'walk-up' window at the bank .... yeppers, that's right the 'walk up' window. This was before a 'drive up' window; I didn't even know those windows existed. The inside clerk would pass her mom some gumballs for the kids thru the window. Imagine mom's now days giving their kids gumballs without wrappers passed thru a window of a commerical bank - can't see that one happening. But how neat to know that those kind of windows existed so that customers wouldn't have to come inside to do their transactions.
Just another neat little insight into yesterday!

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME...........

2011-12-12T05:25:00.000-08:00

........FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN!!
I can't believe I read this book; I am not a Stephen King fan, and even though he didn't write this book, I'm sure he would be proud of it. Many years ago I bought a book by Stephen King titled, "On Writing," figuring any person that had the following and number of successful novels he had had to know something about writing that I could learn from. My pitiful attempt to writing a book, which at this time is heading into complete rewrite, isn't even a blurp on the list of his voluminous books. After reading this book last night, I tried to find words to describe the book. It was certainly imaginative; and to younger readers probably a story that would keep them up many nights, constantly checking under the bed and jumping out of bed at the slightest noise ... but positively it lacked any bad, or off color language! I still wouldn't let anyone in my family under the sixth grade read it. The author's imagination at times seemed sane, and you actually thought, 'maybe that could happen.' But then a few pages later you were reunited with the totally insane. I know there are many teen series, such as the 'twilight one' that deal with the unnatural, but this book takes you back to an actual historical time and place; and though its not a historical fiction it reminds you how important history was in the authors design for his book. Perhaps its that historical aspect that kept me reading the book when I continually debated just putting it down ...or maybe its the 'time travel' concept, taking you back and forth that kept me hanging in there. But in the end its the 'good vs. evil' struggle that I had to know the conclusion of.
In many ways I guess the author was wanting to raise cultural and relational issues we face in every day life. Finally let me say the author has done something truly 'unique.' Ransom has done a great deal of research and found photo's [and some of these are pretty weird] to 'document' his story line; its akin to a Barnum and Bailey side show journey. Matter of fact the author insists that many of the peculiar children participated in those sideshows, which casts a whole different perspective on that peculiar institution and the true life people who were in them; and lastly of course on ole Mr. Barnum himself, if you take that rabbit hunt far enough. Gee, now I'm starting to sound like one of the characters in the book. It is interesting how Mrs. Peregrine [a peregrine falcon is said to be the world's fastest flying predator]fairs .............. she doesn't die, but..
ENJOY
RIGGS, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. Quirk Books Publishing
2011 ISBN: 978159474476-1

P.S. Oh, by the way Ralph Waldo Emerson is frequently mentioned.

"Familiars"

2011-12-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

Since I'm a descendant of some participants in the Salem/Andover trials [on the accusing side] there is an irresistible tug towards historical fiction that deals with witching. In the historical novel, 'Daughters of the Witching Hill,' the story is told of the 1612 Pendle, England witch trials. I made a mistake that I won't repeat in the future for I went to the Internet and read all about those trials and couldn't finish the book because the author was so on target ... I'm only glad I was 3/4 of the way finished before I went to the net.

While reading the novel I was again reminded of many of the variables that both the accused and the accusers suffered in those disillusioned times. Many of the victims actually came to believe that they had witching powers before they were hung, and that they had actually been instrumental in the destruction and death of others. Witchcraft for the accusers [some of my ancestors] was an easy 'excuse' for conditions beyond their understanding. Through this novel I was again reminded that not all those who issued death sentences to the witches truly believed they were witches, but it was expedient, and since most of those convicted came from the poor it was no great travesty to calm the masses with a few hangings. In all of this calamnity the church can not escape without responsibility for most of the trials were lead by churchmen. In the case of the 1612 trails, England had been switching kings and queens and going from being Roman Catholic to Protestant that hardly no one, certainly not the uneducated poor, knew which side portrayed the truth. Clergymen from both Protestant and R.Catholic sides weren't so interested in the plight, poverty and injustice to the poor as they were 'counting souls' that were saved. Early history, even here in America is replete with clergy/priest preaching hellfire, purgatory and eternal destruction without offering a thread of hope by which even the life of the poorest could have some semblance of present day dignity.
Perhaps the most tragic figures in this book, at these trials, were those who truly had tried to improve the lot of farmers, and their families and their herds and crops and were falsely accused of doing them harm; when before the accusations were cast the authorities had allowed them to continue doing good ... only to arrest them when power and money persuaded them otherwise. I think this was an excellent job by the author.
SHARRATT, Mary. Mariner Books Publishers. 2010 ISBN:978054742229-9
ENJOY

Pastoral newsletter

2011-12-06T07:40:00.001-08:00

I don't usually blog in this manner, but today it seemed appropriate.... so
TUESDAY AM PASTORAL WANDERINGS!
With great anticipation I listened to the youtube video that Tom Gibbons forwarded
us 'Where's the Line for Jesus?' and thoroughly enjoyed it - many times.

It reminded me of this past Sun.PM's message on the beloved carol 'O Little Town of
Bethlehem and the first verse that says, 'above thy deep and dreamless sleep.' No one
in that tiny town, or in all Israel was even dreaming about the possibility the Messiah
could come - how like them we are today.

Then early yesterday morning my sciatic nerve decided to begin an early Christmas journey down my left leg, gathering for some holiday cheer in the bottom of my left foot. Eventually I succumbed to the advice of my good wife and visited the doctor. He gave one of those wonderful shoots and the sciatic celebrations were put on hold, now only minimally allowed to remind me its still there. This story is getting way tooo long; so doc told me to go home yesterday afternoon and go to bed until Wed. .........so as always, since I'm paying for the visit/shot I figured that gives me the right to compromise ...and so here I am writing to youfrom the office, and feeling good. Aren't feelings wonderful when they are dis-illusions [I'm fairly sure that not a word]. This medical advice about compromise I would not advise you to follow.

So my end of the compromise was I went to bed early and not sleepy at all decided to read. I picked up a book I hadn't read for years, "Angels Don't Die" by Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan's daughter. The book is about her journey of faith that was so heavily influenced by her father, and still is today. Its a small book, 122 pages, concluding with Pres.Reagan's address to the nation about his beginning days of Alzheimer's. It was a great read and this time I made list of pages that impressed me ..........and one of them was,
#33 "The ancient Hindu scriptures say, 'deep within each of us is a God embryo. It
has only one desire - it wants to be born."
And I thought wow, that's not new with Hindu, that scriptural ... we are all born in the image of God, its our responsibility to allow that image to blossom and flourish in our lives so that others might know.

Somehow this passage in this book brought the carol, the youtube video and book all together for a great blessing yesterday .... and then this morning Sherry told me that she had been given the story behind the youtube video by a work acquaintance and would email it to me ... I'll share it with you this Sunday AM!! In the meantime here is another youtube video we received this morning from an old friend of ours back in Champaign, Ill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWrrvQ_3-40

Our ADVENT meditation for today, p.#35 'We are invited to journey deep within the
love of God by giving all of ourselves to loving God and our neighbor!'

HIS Peace
pt.

Les Miserables

2011-12-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

Last night the good wife and I gave each other our Christmas present early - a trip to Grand Rapids Devos Performing Arts Center to watch Les Miserables!! It was nothing short of great ..... first, because I was enjoying the evening with the person I love the very most; second we were sharing together the production we love most!

A few brief sketches that precluded the theater. We had gone in early to the city to have supper at a restaurant the good wife had always wanted to eat at. First let me clear the air of negative vibes so they don't sneak thru later.....we had to wait an hour to get our food, which put us in a very precarious situation to get to the theatre in time, and our waitress profusely kept apologizing despite our recognition it wasn't her fault. Finally we had to tell her we would have to skip the meal, but she promised to have the food in a few minutes .... it reminded me of the final two minutes of a football game where a team performs far above the level they have the whole game and one wonders why all of a sudden they do so well; why when we threatened to leave does our food so magically appear. The good wife enjoyed the meal she got, and insisted the time factor didn't play into her not being able to finish the meal - but I suspect it did. My soft crab sandwich was a real mystery, but finally have shredding the half head of lettuce, and lay aside the two huge anemic slices of tomato, I found it .... it looked like they had robbed a sea bed nursery, and on top of that they had possibly paninied [that's my word for flattened]
the crab. Someday I am going to try soft crab again, this time with one large enough to taste .... I've never had soft shell crab before - eating the shell and everything, but I enjoy new experiences.

Waiting for our meal was not however without blessing; matter of fact it was better than the food. Sitting next to our table was a party of about 12 people, and so the good wife was a little upset ..... and their communication was a bit noisey ... however it turned out to be really neat. There was a mother and her two young daughters that seemed to hold court at this gathering; and a grandfather who seemed to be the 'don' for when he spoke everyone listened, literally. Come to find out the youngest daughter was little Cosette in the play, and her real life father, who was not with them in the restaurant was the star of the play, Jean Valjean!! The mom eventually had to take her daughters to backstage and then she was returning as we passed her on the way to the theatre! It was really neat to see her in the play and watch the interaction between her and her father, having got to see her so up close in the restaurant!!!

As I was preparing to write this 'memory' this morning, I took out the playbills from previous events the good wife and I have attended down thru the years and came across the first Les Miserable playbill we had ever attended back in 1989, as a pastors appreciation gift from our congregation. I remember it well, I had read the book, the good wife hadn't, and so it was hard for her to follow. But that troupe was straight from Broadway NY and had performed around the world. We saw it at the Universi ty of Illinois, and it was the only revolving stage I've ever seen in my life ..... it slowly revolved so that a stage was constantly circling in front of you. Then I came across the high school production we had seen earlier this year.
We've seen at least six different productions of Les Miserable. Two from High Schools, one from Jr.College, and at least two professionals ... and there is a time or two I'm sure I've forgotten.

Had a wonderful evening with the most wonderful person in my life ........ 'the good wife!'

So that's who she is?!!

2011-11-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

I just had the pleasure of reading a good friend of mine's first novel .... really its a historical fiction about Job's wife. I've posted a review on Amazon.com as I promised him I would. I truly believe everyone who reads it will gain a newer and broader perspective and appreciation for this little known woman..

Job’s wife often gets little grace or mercy when she advises
Job to curse God and die. We give little thought to how she might
have been struggling in her faith having just lost her ten children
and all their worldly possessions. Note to those who read the story
of Job in scripture, no where does Job ridicule his wife for her advice; he understands what we fail to realize and Don has so eloquently pointed out to us. In this biography of Job’s
wife Don challenges us to separate fact from fiction because the
possibilities he presents could very well have happened. Another
reason I’ve enjoyed this book so much is that Don has kept Job’s wife out of the limelight in a way that parallel’s scripture portrayal
of her. No one will be disappointed reading this book, and those
who aren’t already aware of who she is will come to her place in the story of Job a lot better equipped to understand the story.
Thanks Don for challenging and comforting us from just a couple verses of scripture ………. I’m eagerly awaiting the little
known character you next chose to introduce us to.

ENJOY!
AREY,Don. "Job's Wife: Wife of Noble Character, Woman of Flawed Faith" Postmodern
Publishing. 2011 ISBN: 9780983963417

The Anatomists .... a brief review

2011-11-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

I have often heard how body snatching in the early days of medical exploration was frowned upon but heads turned the other way when it happened, as long as nothing outrageous took place. This novel is very good at explaining those times when something unusual about the body snatching took place, and the extreme radical conflicts of a greatly distressed public vs the medical establishment accused of robbing the dead. Today this all seems like a macabre story except when from time to time we hear modern day stories of funeral homes that take shortcuts and often rob the dead of dignity and possessions. Good read, not too deep into the particulars, but just enough to remind us of a bygone era ............ maybe in some weird way reflecting the present day conflict of cell marketing?!
ENJOY
MCDONALD, Hal. 'The Anatomists' HarperCollins Publishers. 2008
ISBN-13: 978073949484-4

Happy Thanksgiving and GOOD Friday

2011-11-26T04:55:00.000-08:00

The good wife and I got to spend Thanksgiving with Mom, and had a good time. Thanksgiving morning we wanted to get breakfast but even McD's was closed; so the good wife had a 'brilliant' idea. Outside of town there is a Holiday Inn Express, and sure enough they let us eat off their breakfast bar for only $5 a person. It was an okay breakfast and I changed our luncheon reservations for 1PM. Later we visited Grandma B. and stayed with her for almost an hour; Grandma is always a hoot to visit with and rare is the trip to Ohio when I don't stop by to see her.

After visiting with Grandma we made a trip to Dollar General on our way to Thanksgiving Lunch. Now the Wabash Cannonball Railroad restaurant in the Ramada Inn isn't that notable, and it seems ever year we vow not to go back there, but inevitably we return. Since this could well be Mom's last Thanksgiving at home, the good wife and I seriously discussed fixing a meal, and taking it to moms but in the end convenience and time won out. The Wabash Cannonball restaurant has a lot of railroad memorabilia on the walls, and since Grandpa B. retired from the Wabash it brings back memories; we asked Grandma if we wanted to go and she didn't, we sorta figured that but wanted her to know she is always invited to go with us. I think it did her good to be at least be invited. Along the theme of the Wabash railroad there seems to be a resurgence of activities in the hometown about the railroad. There is a new building next to the County Historical Museum at the County Fairgrounds that looks like a small 'depot' and they are beginning to accumulate railroad stuff. I though about contributing my grandpa's conductor hat and articles, but realizing the hassle of what it meant for Grandma to give those things to me instead of one of my aunts and uncles - I'm going to keep them. There was a big promotion with a train ride, etc. earlier this fall; and our town was a major stopping point between St.Louis and Detroit, with a big roundhouse and depot. Later that afternoon the good wife would walk with mom over the railroad tracks and I would regale her again with how I used to walk that viaduct when the old iron bridge was there every morning on the way to school ..... I'm quite sure she doesn't give a 'hoot!'

On our way back to town from the restaurant we stopped at a Palmida store so the good wife and mom could look for a Christmas tree skirt, and who should I see there, my uncle's son. NOw I haven't seen T in close to thirty years at least and that was a treasured moment for me, it was good to see him again, since he had moved back from Arizona and lives only about 8 miles from town ... its sure seems that when circumstances turn again us, a good majority of people go back to their roots. A few minutes later in the same store I saw another older cousin D.[my fathers nephew] and his wife Donna. They were getting final things for the good thanksgiving supper they would be having with their son and daughter and families. I sure do miss those 'big' family reunions with aunts/uncles and cousins!!

Well I went home to watch the Lions football game. I haven't watched an entire NFL football game all year; and getting home about the end of the first half, the game was so boring I feel asleep and didn't wake up until it was almost over, and figured I didn't miss a thing, with the lions fumbling all over the place. That was during the same time the good wife and mom went for a long walk, then they came back and got the front porch, etc. decorated with Christmas stuff. Oh, I forgot to mention that Thanksgiving morning we had decorated Mom's old artificial tree in the living room for her ... the good wife always does a superb job and Mom profusely thanked her. Finally I said 'hey, what am I? a chopped Santa, how about a little compliment this way?' at which my good wife looked like I must be crazy and my mom mumbled out something that I took for a compliment! Well, its been a good day, met two cousins, one from each side of the family, visited with Gramma B., slept through a Lions football game, sort helped with Christmas tree, and was beginning to feel a little bloated. So I watched TV with the good wife the rest of the evening, with Mom retiring early cause she didn't feel that perky. I've noted, with help from the good wife, that when Mom feels tired, she won't admit it, so she says she doesn't feel just that perky ... its happened three times now. For some reason she can't simply say she's tired and go to sleep. Mom had always been a workaholic and not slept much and I think to admit she's tired would be a stain on that reputation; so we just let her drop off to sleep.

GOOD [I prefer that over Black] Friday came and Mom/I got up and went to our favorite breakfast restaurant, Spoke's, to eat. The good wife said to just let her sleep in and enjoy the meal together - and we did. By now both the waitresses there know us and what we want so we just order our 'regular' and sit and visit. While there I noticed my cousin Johnny S. and his wife were there already, and said hi to them; and then sitting at another table with a group of retirees from Powers & Sons
[a company in my hometown] was another, younger cousin Danny. Danny is a 'higher up' at the company, and for the last two family reunions he hasn't been at our gatherings so its a real treat to talk with him. I told mom after we left I felt like even though we hadn't all been together I'd really had the joy of meeting a lot
of family. I told our waitress about seeing my two cousins in the restaurant and she
said she knew that both well and that it was really neat having three cousins eating
there on a regular basis. Maybe when I retire we'll have a big family breakfast there! Wouldn't that be a 'hoot!' [Can't get that train noise out of my head] It was really turning out to be a GOOD friday. The good wife went shopping at a little store in my hometown [about the only one still open] and bought quite a bit of stuff; she loves that store, and every week when I go to see Mom she tells me what she needs. They have a lot of homemade/packaged candies, cheeses, foodstuffs she enjoys ............ and discounted Starbucks coffee, that both the good wife and my son really like. Well, its getting time to head home, and so we make a quick stop by to visit Gram for just a few minutes and it off to the turnpike! One last note: before we get home we have to stop for supper at Red Lobster. Man, they have really raised their prices, but I've never had a bad meal there, especially since I usually always get the stuff flounder, boiled scallops and shrimp scampi, and the good wife get her usual pick three [two orders of clam strips and chicken tenders]. Well, that's all for now, journal.

Dentures and more................

2011-11-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

I'm home in Ohio with mom for a couple days. Last night we were out eating, and had finished our meal, when my mother took her partial out of her pocket and began bobbing it up and own in her ice water ........... stunned I asked, 'what in the world are you doing?'[five years ago my mom would not be caught doing that] 'well, she said, there's no one close by so I'm rinsing my teeth!!

Well this morning we she visited gram in the nursing home, I told on mom, and gram just sat there with this amazed look on her face and shook her head. Last night while reading the local newspaper there was a 1936 picture of the Canning Factory that used to be in our town, so I was showing Gram because I knew she used to work there. Gram informed me that she made the highest wages in the cannery because she was the quickest packer. It also seems there was a co-worker who took out her dentures on day, placed them in a can and set it to the side ............you've already guessed, haven't you?? [be honest]. Yep, the worker inadvertantly filled the denture can with tomatoes and passed it down the line...by the time her mistake was discovered there was no way they could ever find the can. Imagine, opening a can of tomatoes and someone's partial staring back at you, ... what a first bite!!
Such is life.

THE WAY.

2011-11-15T06:36:00.000-08:00

I loved this movie, and plan to purchase the dvd when it becomes available. It ranks right up with Field of Dreams, and The Notebook in my estimation. Its the story about a father [Martin Sheen] who takes the sacred pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela where supposedly St.James is buried. The route is called Camino - the way. I'm not going into details because you can easily find those, and other endorsements on the website. Let me say that this movie was spiritually, and relationally, inspiring to say the least. It was not only about the journey of a father, with his sons ashes but also about a group of three other people who for their own reasons make the pilgrimage together. A woman from a failed relationship in which she had aborted her baby; a dutchman walking the route hoping to lose weight so his wife will regain the love she once had for him; and a writer suffering writer's block. How each of them handle their personal dilemna while traveling the Way has lessons for all of us.

I like Martin Sheen as an actor. His role in 'West Wing' was one of my favorites. I even purchased a book about the whole story of West Wing. Rarely did I agree with most of the opinions taken on both the program and Martin Sheen, but I admired his acting....there is something about it that takes you to a place past the issues; I feel his passion in whatever scene he is playing .. and this movie about a father and son relationship is no exception. The many interviews that both Martin and his son, the director of this movie, share are deeply personal. For those looking for blood, violence, raw language and sex, this movie will be complete bore; but for those looking for something lasting they will not go away empty! Some religious leaders like Rick Warren and the Archbishop of New York have recommended it. Go and see, but definitely not alone; its a movie that cries for its viewers to be with a
companion, friend or foe.
ENJOY

Caught him [or her?]...... and Seven Deer.

2011-11-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a morning this is turning out to be. The first thing I did in getting into the office early this morning, before the sun had announced its eventual appearance was to check a mouse trap on my work desk ........... the red flag was up, I had caught Rudolph. Now Rudolph is the 10th great grandson of Ralph the field mouse I caught last year in my office. Ralph's crime was not that he was a field mouse, I basically like field mice, I think they are cute, [remember I have a family history with them]and aside from their untidy habit of leaving evidences of their presence, they are okay. Ralph just insisted on making public his appearances rather than staying in the background, so drastic measures had to be taken. Early Sunday as I was meditating at my desk Rudolph and I became acquainted. He appeared on my desk, and sat looking at me, he didn't even have the courtesy of replying to me when I inquired about his health, that was his first mistake .... then he procceeded to decorate my work space with his leftovers; so I had to make the decision to take the same drastic measures that had proven so successful with his forefather. My office secretary finds great amusement in how I chose to name these visitors of ours, especially since we don't know whether they are male or female; but you know my parents always forbid me to hit a female, so I guess it just eases my conscience to believe all field mice that must be dispatched are males, though its the females that keep having babies. I guess its six of one and half-dozen of the other.

Then I went home to take my good wife to work. She wasn't quite ready, which is normal so I decided to sit in front of the picture window. It was one of those beautiful mornings where the fog is so thick you can barely make out the landscape. The closer the obstacles the darker they were, then as you looked further in the distance the objects were lighter .......... I don't know how God does it, but He
is the Master Painter! While sitting there 7 deer, and that's not pastoral exaggeration, each one would be a fine kill, ran across the front yard, and across the roads into the woods - what a great sight, reminding you of an adult deer marathon! About that time my good wife calls out from making the finishing touches
on hair, 'did you hear that shot?' Then it dawned on me, this was the first day of deer season, and for the first time since 2000 I did not have a hunting license. I
guess its a combination of things that keeps me from hunting; [1]last year I got a license and didn't go hunting once [2] my growing senility can't take the waiting and cold like it used to [3] I'm not altogether that excited about field dressing a deer and would probably make a mess of it, put probably the biggest reason is 'just to doggone lazy. ...... I would certainly be willing to accept any 'backstraps' anyone wanted to give me though!

I also got an email from Don this morning. He's an old online classmate from when I was getting my Master's Degree a couple years ago. He's gotten remarried and happier than ever, and has written a book. YOu can find it on Amazon.com, its 'JOb's Wife,' I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I get an original signed copy and will be more than happy to promote it for him in a review. My book, which is more like a journal, is also available on Amazon.com; but there are so many grammatical errors and the good wife doesn't like some of the pictures, I'm not going to tell you the title, and since you don't know my name that route is blocked also. Maybe in three months after the rewrite I'll share more.

Mother & Son - authors

2011-11-11T06:12:00.000-08:00

TODD,Charles. A DUTY TO THE DEAD
This is a novel, in a series of novels, written by Mother and Son, that live in Delaware and North Carolina respectively. How they do this, I'll never know; but they've authored together at least 13 novels - go figure, and write under the name of Charles Todd. This novel is really unique ......I never suspected such an ending. Its also a novel that pays homage to the unspoken warriors of the Great War. [WWI] Those nurses who sought to care for the wounded, maimed and dying soldiers. Its a novel about how one nurse determines to carry a soldiers mysterious message home to his family after his death, and her almost death, as their hospital ship is sunk by a German mine. I have not heard much about the nurses who ministered alongside the soldiers of WWI, but after reading this book my appreciation and curiosity about these
brave woman has certainly grown. I would say in many ways this is about human integrity, determination and bravery despite all odds. A very good read. ENJOY

Three Wives and more..................

2011-11-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

Christian Ehresman, a distant ancestor, married three sisters. With the first sister he had five children in Germany, then they immigrated and settled in Butler County, Ohio where his first wife died. Then he married her younger sister and they had five children. They moved from Ohio to Deer Creek Illinois where Anna died. Then Christian married their younger daughter Fannie. He had eleven children with her, some of which died in infancy ............ altogether he had 18 children that lived to adulthood. Family lore has it that on the wedding day to his first wife he held her infant sister Fanny in his arms!!! This family info gets better and better.

Pumpkins & Field Mice

2011-11-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

PUMPKINS
A couple weekends ago mom came to stay with us for a few days, which literally turned into two nights and not quite two whole days ......... which for mom is a long vacation away from home. While she was here I thought I would take her for a field trip out to the pumpkin patch that our grandkids love to visit while in town near halloween time. They were only going to be open two more days, so mom and I decided to stop by before we picked up the good wife from work. I pulled the car up to the pumpkin store and went inside to buy some hot cider and the sugar donuts we'd come for .... only mom wasn't coming into the shop. I asked the man who came to help me if there was an elderly lady in the car outside, 'yah, he said but she's crawling over something?' I went outside and sure enough there was mom crawling over the console in the front set to get out on the driver's side; I had left my door open! What in the world are you doing? I asked. Somewhat disgusted she replied, 'this is the second today you have not unlocked my door!!' Since mom didn't ride in my car very often, and I forgot she didn't know how to unlock her door ........ she was locked in, but was also just as determined to get a sugar donut! [Mom, craves sugar cookies and sugar donuts]
Picture it if you can, an 81 yr. old woman climbing over the front console, with her one leg hiked up in the air over the steering wheel .......... not bad for 81!
Later the good wife laughed so hard, and so did mom, that I think there were a few wet undies!!

MICE .....................Field Mice
This morning at our usual breakfast niche, over eggs, sausage, home fries and biscuits and gravy, mom and I were discussing her childhood. Somehow we had gotten on the subject of when her dad was employed only part time by the railroad and mom,
her parents and her next oldest sister lived on a tomato farm. Grandpa/grandma farmed about 10-12 acres of tomatoes, selling them in town to a middle man who sold them to Campbells factory about 45 minutes away. Mom said 'you're not going to believe this, but when mom was out gathering tomatoes she would place a blanket in the yard where she could see us, and my sister and I would play. From time to time grandma would find baby field mice [which were a'plenty in the fields] and bring them to the girls to play with. Mom said she and her sister played with these baby mice like they were dolls. ..................well, you're right mom, I don't believe you. After breakfast and a few errands we ended up at the nursing home to see grandma - 97 yrs. old and a sharp mind - so I asked Gram ......... and sure enough mom had been absolutely right, Gram had brought them baby field mice to play with!!
Try getting away with that one today.

Some 'BRIEF' book summary's

2011-11-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

BARTOK, Mira. "The Memory Palace"
I have been wanting for some time to read this book, probably because of my background in psychology. My office manager Kay bought it for me, and I told her she could have it for the Library she's director of when I finished. But now that I've read it I'm a bit selfish about giving it up.
Its the real life story of two young ladies who grow up in a home where dad runs away while they are very young. MOm has constant bouts with mentally dropping in and out of life, and abusing the children. Finally both girls move away from home, change their names and attempt to conceal where they life so she can't find them. Yet at the same time they battle with not being with her. It's an engaging story in the sense that it shows us how family situations are not always easily solved, and even the most sincere attempts to help go astray. It does get a little tedious, but nonetheless it's amazing how a social worker finally tracks down the girls and lets them know that their homeless mother is in the hospital facing her last days ....... and then how they come together, and what results changes both their lives. ENJOY

GOWDA, Shilipi Somaya. "Secret Daughter"
Although this is a novel it is taken from a real life happening. Its how an American couple adopt a baby from India ... and the long journey of how both that American couple, and the parents of the adopted baby have their paths cross. However if you're envisioning a Hollywood ending - forget it!! That's all I'll say about that. But I still wonder how much of this story is the personal journey of the author? Its interesting how the author keeps rotating between the life story of both set of parents, and how strained family situations can strengthen unconsciously.

LIEBERMAN, Joe. "The Gift of Rest"
I've never been a Lieberman fan, that is until I read this book. Joe Lieberman is a practicing orthodox Jew. Throughout the whole book as he wrote about how, in the midst of world crises and his job as a Senator, he kept the Sabbath holy brought me a deep respect for this man and challenged me to keep the Sabbath holy. In this world where we so often compromise so that we can just get along, I'm reminded that God still wants to spend a 'special day with special time' with us; and I'm not doing nearly as good a job at that as Senator Joe. Its so easy to make excuses on why I don't keep the Sabbath holy as I should, and neither does the church, and yet Joe calls us back to more than the practice of the Sabbath, but the Sanctity of it.
ENJOY.

What a fun day at home!

2011-11-07T05:23:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday afternoon and Friday proved to be great fun! While mom and I were picking up one of her prescriptions at Walmart we ran into my cousin Sonny. Now Sonny was a close relative/friend of my aunt Tom. Yes, I said 'aunt Tom,' that's what everyone in the family and close friends called her 'Tom.' She was definitely a tom-boy. We sat down at the table in a Subway restaurant there and swapped a few family stories. Sonny told me about the time he and aunt Tom were in a garden, I have no idea what they were doing there and he didn't elaborate .... but anyway, my dad was picking up spoiled peaches and throwing them at Sonny and Tom. Sonny got tired of it, and my dad being older and bigger he wasn't going to fight him .........well Tom happened to have her bb gun with her, so Sonny told her, "give me your bb gun," and the next time dad bent down to get a peach Sonny shot him square in the butt. Then Sonny said Tom and I ran for our lives, needless to say 'dad wasn't a happy camper,' but hey it stopped him from throwing rotten salvos of peaches at them. The amazing thing about all this is Sonny says he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a gun even standing inside the barn!! I then shared with Sonny that his mom, my dad's oldest sibbling, had gone on vacation to Maine two years with my family to babysit my sister and I while mom and dad where out hunting for deer and bear in the Maine wilderness - he was surprised, and told me he must have been in the military at that time cause he had never heard the story.

Later Friday morning, we were returning to mom's house from downtown and we went past a home, on mom's street, where some old friends of ours used to live. The oldest daughter, Marcia and I, [she was a year older than me]used to walk over a mile one way to high school. We thought she lived there, but didn't know. Anyway as we're driving past there is a lady getting into a truck in the drive-way so I stopped, got out and went over to talk with her. Come to find out it was Marcia's daughter, she lived there now. I told her who I was and that Marcia and I used to walk to school; that Marcia, her sister Susie, and brother David and Danny went to the same church; and that Marcia's family vacationed with my family once in Maine. She said Marcia and her dad were doing well, and she would let Marcia know I stopped by. Wow! that was cool .............. old friendships updated!!!

Have a great day
Eutychus.

never, never assume

2011-11-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many times I have heard the admonition, 'never, never assume.' I have been asked to officiate at the memorial service of a dear old saint in our church, and this morning, after breakfast decided to stop by the Funeral Home just to get an early copy of the obituary. While perusing it in the Director's office I noticed that the dear old saint was survived by a daughter-in-law whose funeral I had
just officiated at only two weeks ago. Going back to my office, I called the deceased's daughter to verify the facts and sure enough the funeral home had failed to make the correction .................. now not only was the dear saint's daughter distressed at hearing that news, but she had also noted that a charity they wished donations to go to had not been mentioned. Well, I've been reminded again, never assume, and always check early. Now I'm not thinking I would have mentioned the daughter-in-law as still surviving, but sometimes in the midst an event you go on auto-mode ......
Such is life
Eutychus.

It's distant ................but it counts!

2011-09-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have just discovered that I am a verrrry dissssssssssssstant relative of President Ulysses S. Grant and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The discovery came when I was looking into the wife of my great great grandpa on my mothers side. Matter of fact I've visited the tombstone of that great great grandpa a couple of times, its less than 10 miles from my hometown; and his one son figured into my sabbatical journal as being 'called' to ministry. One day while just looking through my genealogical files on my mother's side I noted that I hadn't really done any exploring into her family history. It really bugs me when I find a relative whose genealogy is almost totally unknown, and besides the previous background info I had on her was seriously doubtful...............so I began to explore.

Now I'm still trying to make sure my present info is authentic; and the sources from which I've attained seem to be ..... and if all this checks out I can claim distant relationship to two figures, each of which made a definite impact in their respective country's history ........and each contributed mightily in a time of war. Stay tuned for either further proof or correction - I really hope this stuff is true!!

A 9/11 memorial

2011-09-10T14:36:00.001-07:00

I just found out while watching a memorial on 9/11, that the steel from the twin towers has been donated to different fire departments in towns across America .........AND one of those towns is the town I was born in in Wauseon Ohio. So I called my mom and told that when I am home for my regular weekly visit next week we are going to the town, and I want to see how they have fixed up the memorial ... this is really cool, I am already anticipating it.

Anything but sleepy summer!!

2011-09-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

To say that this has been a bitter/sweet summer is no exaggeration, and I will try to start from the beginning. Family camp was again a wonderful, relaxing experience as I got to worship without being responsible for duties and enjoy the flow of the Spirit in my life. The 'good wife' was able to join me for the last weekend. One of her favorite speakers, Dr.Jim Diehl, was one of the speakers and I was able to purchase all
his preaching cd's.

Sister Gretchen, our towns Episcopal priest had surgery on her arm and asked me if I would officiate a wedding in her church for some members. It was an exciting celebration. At first, I was nervous, but Gretchen graciously provided me with all the words and actions expected and it really turned out well. At rehearsal things were a bit sketchy to say the least, but when it came time for the wedding everyone was prompt and on their best behavior - it was truly a blessing. There are not many Nazarene pastors who can say they performed an Episcopalian wedding in an Episcopal Church ... I shall ever grateful to Gretchen for her confidence in me. She is a wonderful sister in Christ; and her recovery is nearly complete. Gretchen has a story for everything - and each one is really neat!!

Later this summer I was asked by my pastoral friend Jeff if I would fill his pulpit for him. He's the pastor of the largest church in the county and they have a Saturday evening worship and two Sunday morning worships. It was a challenge I just couldn't resist; and though Jeff said he planned to be there, he found out that his brother Rick was battling severe cancer[as though there's any other kind] and since I was filling in was able to leave and fly to California to be with him. HOwever the church has one of the most excellent Worship ministers I've ever met. He is one year older than our son, and has the same first name. My spiritual life was eternally enriched through this experience.

My prayer is that both my Episcopalian and Independent church experiences will be an encouragement to our congregation in building better relationships with the other churches in our community, and that more and more of our people will attend area community special worship opportunities.

The bitter part of the summer was when we found out our oldest granddaughters new husband, they had only been married a few short months, had committed suicide. He was in Special Ops in the Army and had had two tours overseas,[one in Iraq and Takisjanistan, and was battling severe paranoia. They were the proud parents of our first 'great grandchild,' a boy!! While the good wife and I made a quick three day trip to Ft.Bragg, N.C. we enjoyed holding our newest edition to the family! The memorial service, though rather brief, was very meaningful, and his commander and a fellow Ops companion both gave stirring thoughtful memories. From all the comments and special services given for him you would never know he had committed suicide, for
he was described as 'dying in the line of duty!' His ribbons and military schooling are much to detailed to list here, but I have a memorial ceremony bulletin in my daily journal. Our travel on airplanes was uneventful and boring, which is a most positive thing!

We had no longer returned than we departed a couple days later for our vacation to southern Alabama [barely an hour north of the Gulf of Mexico] to visit our oldest daughter, her husband and family. I feel in this day in age, especially in our culture it is always important to tell people that we 'visited our daughter - and her husband, that way people know the family is together. We had a few days of heavy rain from the hurricane in the gulf, but otherwise were spared any serious
consequences .... the weather turned out beautiful! Also my granddaughter had a volleyball game in the Mobile area and we really enjoyed that. This was the first year she school has had a volleyball team, and so when you consider that, I think she did quite well, she has a couple more years, so as the basics become more a part of her game, she will improve. While there I preached the Sunday morning message and really enjoyed that experience; people were complimentary and I believe for the most part probably sincere! [Talk about believing your own press - I'm a fan of that!] My daughter started a ministry to high school students [6th - 12th] called
FUEL. Its takes place on Thursday morning from 6:45 - 7:10AM before the kids go to school. They met at the church and are given breakfast, then there is a five minute
devotional [which I was privileged to present] then divide into small groups and pray for each other. It is neat that the adult sponsors come from the Baptist church, the Assembly's church, and the Methodist and Nazarene churches!! This is a community that 'worships and serves' together!! They do however have a problem that must be addressed very soon - 'THEY ARE GROWING TO FAST' ... this past Thursday they had 102 students and 19 adults. This is a community with a population of a little over 400 - God is blessing! My younger granddaughter loves to ride horses, and so on Sunday afternoon I was able to go and briefly ride horses with her ... that was a fantastic experience. There was one comedic moment when I couldn't get my leg swung up over the horse, and finally Marv had to stand the horse in the ditch while I stood
on the bank and was able to mount Dixie!! That pour horse, I can only begin to imagine what in the world he thought must be going on with that Yankee rider?! ... and I am so grateful neither my wife or daughter were watching. Again our travel was uneventful and this was positive.

Standing in the Atlanta airport waiting for our last flight back to Grand Rapids, I heard my name called a couple of times. Now, who in the world in Atlanta would know me well enough to be calling my name? It was a young man we knew from the youth group who had gone into the Army ... he was coming home from Iraq for a two week leave and saw us there; this was a great time as we talked with him for about thirty minutes before we all boarded the same flight home. His grandparents were picking him up at the airport as he was going to surprise his mom, who incidentally had been very instrumental in helping the 'good wife' through college. They both took the same night classes and alternated driving to and from; and his mom and step dad attend our church.

Well, its been a full summer, and my life has been extremely enriched ... there is one more episode that I will share with my journal, but it has to stay a secret until the appropriate time in the future.
timm

Wish I Were A............

2011-07-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

Having been on a short safari to the Masai Mara part of the Serengeti I found myself reliving it as I read Stefan's African fable, thinking how great it would have been to have had a tour guide who related different animal behavior to how we live. After reading the book I found myself examining my life as to what animal I might represent; then rather than trying to relate what animal I might be like, I began to think about what characteristics of all those animals I might have and what priority they seemed to have in me. I also learned that how I look at people and see their characteristics often determines my relationship with them. The word 'survival' insinuates that without finding out your strengths in life you will be not survive, and I believe in both the emotional and spiritual world this is so true; although I also believe that knowing your areas of weakness are just as important. It was interesting that the cheetah, recognizing its brute weakness compared to the lion, hunts at the time day when it is least apt to come in conflict with the lion. It doesn't always mean the cheetah is scared of the lion, but wise enough to avoid it. Reading Stefan's book made me want to revisit the Masai Mara. It's a good book, with excellent principles to share with everyone, whether or not they are a believer.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers for an honest evaluation.
SWANEPOEL,Stefan. Surviving Your Serengeti. Thomas Nelson Publishing. 2011
ISBN: 9780470947807
Enjoy

My grandchildren shall lead me

2011-07-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday [July 4th] we packed up the grandkids and headed to Saugatuck, one of our favorite places to go and watch the Freedom Day parade. Its not a big parade, its not even a very fancy parade, but its a parade that has become a family tradition ever since our first visit there when our 7yr old granddaughter Marilyn was just a baby in a stroller! So minutes before the parade was ready to start, our kids and grandkids, along with Gram found a street corner flower box to sit on. It was the perfect spot as the parade made its first turn and there weren't a bunch of other kids to compete for candy right close by.

Some time back in history it became a tradition that when the kids would see candy being tossed into the crowd they would stand up and cheer so that the coming paraders would toss candy their way ..... you should have seen Marilyn and her four year brother Neil, they were a cheering section all themselves, with little two yr. old Ross raising his little arms from time to time. I'd sure like to experience that excitement in worship some time.

Beside them there was a young mom and dad with their two year old, who had never been to the parade sitting right beside them .... he didn't stand a chance of beating out Marilyn or Neil in getting candy, even candy thrown right in front of him. But then I noticed something that would bring tears to any grandparents eyes .. Marilyn & Neil would take turns picking up candy and taking it over and giving to the little boy!! Later I found out that the little boy's parents would let Marilyn & Neil keep the hard candy, so they began giving the little boy extra pieces of soft candy.

Now Marilyn & Neil each came away from that parade with plastic gallon bags over half full ... and the little boy's parents said to my kids, 'this was such a great experience, let's meet next year at the same time, same place!' I don't know if this will happen, but I do know my grand kids had a Christlike influence on that young couple, and they in turn got more candy than at the parade last year. I'm already looking forward to next years Saugatuck 4th of July parade ... maybe I'll take along a plastic gallon bag??? Sometimes its more than sharing what you already have, its sharing what you're receiving, which can often be more sacrificial.
HIS peace
ptimm

Missed that one

2011-06-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a wonderful book; Ian is a very good writer. It was inspiring to read how he was able to triumph over the alcoholic influence of his father. His book fell short when he decided to elucidate about his experience in church when he heard the words,'forgive me.' Sadly the nun who interpreted that for him was far, far doctrinally off-base. This was not a message from God asking for forgiveness, God, Jesus never needs to be forgiven by us, just the thought of it is almost unholy. Its as though she was telling him what she thought he needed to hear; while what he needed to do was 'forgive his father' himself. Forgiveness is not primarily about the one who offends us as it is our own spiritual growth. I am somewhat puzzled as to why Thomas Nelson was willing to publish this section of the book, given the misguided theology of God that is not accepted across the Christian spectrum. I would definitely recommend this book with the caveat that people understand the section about 'forgiveness' is not a doctrinal statement.

Towards the end of the book we see an Ian that is spiritually strong in determining not to make the mistakes his father made with him, and to guide his children in the ways of the Lord. I would have however enjoyed the second half of the book being a little more like the first; for the second half seems to skip over his life's story more than the first half. It is definitely a book where there are places everyone can associate with; Ian definitely is a creative writer. I received this book from Thomas Nelson publishers for an honest evaluation.
'JESUS, MY FATHER, THE CIA, AND ME.' CRON,Ian Morgan. Thomas Nelson Publishing
ISBN: 9780849946103

Nothing like a soldiers view

2011-06-08T16:44:00.000-07:00

While looking thru the shelves of books on the Civil War in the library I came across 'Rebel Private: Front and Rear: Memoirs of a Confederate Soldier.' To merely say this was an interesting read would be close to an insult to the author, whose journal it is. Within a few pages it was more than apparent to even the most surface reader that this was a classic. There is an afterword by one of Bill Fletchers great granddaughter who writes that inspite of his business successes following the Civil War, Bill was a true philanthropist, giving to organizations that had helped in some way to his surviving the great war.
This was an exceptional read as we are given a view of the civil war from one who endured it, not as an officer or special agent, not from a historian commenting from research, but from one who actually lived it and had no deep personal axe to grind; he was simply dedicated to a cause, but when that cause failed, he didn't fail. His acceptance of being on the losing side has many lessons about character, forgiveness and grace that all of us need to be reminded of from time to time. And yet, it was not a characteristic born because he had gone through a war, but a characteristic of his very being that one suspects he would have even if he hadn't been in war. I truly admired the man, and I am sure I am a better person for having read his account.
FLETCHER,William A., Rebel Private: Front and Rear., New York, New York. Originally published in 1908, MERIDIAN, Penguin Books. ISBN:31348001091434
ENJOY

The Final Summit

2011-05-31T05:01:00.000-07:00

I thought it was……
I am fan of Andy Andrews but I regretfully didn’t find his book “The Final Summit” the final principle or final answer to save mankind. His fable about David Ponder having a summit with past great world leaders was good
reading, however he was quite correct in that even their accumulative wisdom couldn’t come up with the solution …. Let’s be serious what kind of
solution to the salvation of mankind is ‘do something.’ There have been plenty of times when most of us, not knowing what to do, did something, then wished we had done nothing.

We’re introduced again to Gabriel the archangel who has anything but angelic characteristics [what is an angelic characteristic aside from carrying out God’s instructions] and yet character is one of the main considerations.
How many angels, on a mission from God are going to take offense because
Their station in the hierarchy of angels is not respected; or how many angels
Have the ability to take on human characteristics. If this was just a read for entertainment or pleasure I could over look these things, but obviously
Andy has an agenda, and with an agenda one must be extremely cautious
in developing characters, and making unsustainable generalizations.

After their third guess in the book I thought I had found the one principle, ‘love others.’ That seems to be the main message that Jesus brought with him, and the same message he left his disciples. It appears to me to be the height of human arrogance to think that we, in our own wisdom, can find the
solution to get civilization back on track. Perhaps sticking with a couple
principles to influence our society might be better than trying to find that
‘one’ that eclipses all others; particularly when that ‘one’ found is devoid
of the very essence that makes us different from the rest of God’s creation.

This book was free from the Thomas Nelson booksneeze.com bloggers
Review program; and no conditions were made on its review. ANDREWS, Andy. ‘The Final Summit.’ Nashville, Tenn. 2010, ISBN: 9780785231202

Memorial Day - In Remembrance

2011-05-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

This memorial day worship we will begin with Communion. The last Monday in May was set aside as that day when the whole nation would remember those who had given of their lives in keeping us a free nation. There are many different ways in which this day will be celebrated; to those in warmer climate's it may be trip to the park or to the lake with a picnic on the grounds; others will gather for family reunions with family members coming together who haven't seen each other for a long time; yesterday my mother and I visited the family grave sites and purchased flowers for those who still didn't have any .... it will be a day of remembrance!
Communion is about remembrance - remembrance that 2,000 years ago a rough hewn rabbi from a small notorious town in the foothills of Galilee was crucified on a cross,freely giving his life so that we might have the privilege of accepting the gift of salvation - now that's something to celebrate - to remember every day - every moment. Its not coincidence that this memorial celebration was initiated at supper time, that the symbols by which we remember are in eating bread and drinking wine. Everyone has to eat and drink, what better time to remember than through this seemingly daily ordinary activity. Oh yes, this coming Memorial Sunday we will remember, we will celebrate, then we go forth to complete the covenant, to make the gift a noun rather than just a memory. I can't wait...............

Poor Harold Egbert Camping

2011-05-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

The president of an American Christian radio station that spans more than 150 markets in the United States, control the flow of millions of dollars, was wrong again. In 1994 he had predicted the end of the world, and when we were still left he said that his math had been wrong - personally, I believe it was much more than a mathematical calculation gone astray. Despite the fact that Mr. Camping was wrong, I believe he represents far more believers than will ever admit their lives are not being lived as though tomorrow, or even today, could be their last. Oh, we make allowances somewhat for accidents, but over-all we don't really believe the world is going to end very soon. Yet the issue is not when the world is going to end, but when will my life here expire?! There is a subtle 'security' if you will in knowing when the end is upon us; then we can prepare, then we can get out house in order, then we can plan how our final goodbyes are going to take place; not knowing when the end is going to come is far less appealing, hence we ignore the whole issue, at least as much as possible. If Mr. Camping has done anything positive for us in his last failed prophecy it should be that he has reminded us how blessed and fragile every moment we live is - sadly I'm afraid the church, Christ followers, have chosen to focus on the error of his prediction, rather than the warning. Its not the date, its the intimacy of our relationship with the Creator.
Most of the comments I heard this past Sabbath were that if Jesus told his disciples that he didn't even know, then how can we.[Matt.24:36] We must remember that Jesus was also giving his followers a warning that its wasn't about time its was a relational issue. There was a laizze-faire attitude every time this verse was recalled. Let us not forget that Jesus did give them some signs to be aware of, that would point to the end of times .... and all these calamities of nature, which have certainly been compounded in the decade, could definitely point to a coming of the age when Christ returns. I've never been especially interested in prophecy, and sorely lack expertise in it for a minister of the gospel; but I can't help but recognize nature's unrest. A man who suffered in the tornado that ripped half of Joplin, Missouri from the map yesterday, commented that before the tornado his dog had alerted him to coming disaster and probably saved his life....could it not be that nature, and the animals God created are much more in touch with coming events ..
I know, now you think I'm sounding like Mr. Camping; nonetheless, regardless of what you may think, I think nature's groanings [Rom.8:19]'For creation waits in eager anticipation for the sons of God to be revealed.' v.22 We know that the whole of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time..' nature's groaning have a design to them.
The murder mystery musical that spoofs detective stories may not be that far off when it proclaims, 'something's afoot.' Something is afoot and only the foolish in heart refuse to acknowledge it, regardless of how far into the future its pointing.
There I've said, now I can be 'officially' proclaimed a nut!

Andrews' Raiders

2011-05-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

I read this book in just a few seconds over 2hrs. Its the story of the great train heist by a band of Union soldiers during the Civil War ........ although the attempt was unsuccessful, the early stages of its success is quite a read. I had heard about it before, but finally decided to read the story. A little less than half the twenty some men that tried to steal the Confederate engine the 'General' were finally hug, while over half of them finally made it back to the Union lines is quite a story, plus all of them were first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. When most of the Union raiders where being transferred from Chattanooga to Atlanta in boxcars, the engine on the train was the General, go figure; another strange quirk of history. As I was reading the book memories concerning it began to float back into my mind. I remembered that in the County Historical/Genealogical Library there were copies of books, and newspaper articles, about this raid .......... then I remembered that out at the County Historical Museum [in my home town] there was a whole gallery dedicated to this Raid. Books, articles, huge pictures of different phases of the raid, etc.. So on my way out of town, from visiting with mom, I stopped by the museum, and asked the director about it and she told me that the Union engineer, William Knight, who finally escaped to freedom through the Underground Railroad was a resident of a town in our county - matter of fact I have an uncle and aunt living there, and used to have more relatives in that very town. My, my, this world is getting smaller.
FEUERLICHT, Roberta Strauss. Crowell-Collier Press. New York, New York. 1963
ISBN: [I can't find one; unless this is it, though I'm suspecting it might simply
be a local library number] 31348000208245
Crowell-Collier is a subsidy of The Macmillian Company, New York.

Lost and Found

2011-05-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon I was about 25min. from home on a 2hr. trip back from visiting mom in Ohio when I received a phone call from my aunt that mom had lost her purse and thought she had left it in my car. First of all mom was never in my car, and second she had had her purse when we went down to grandma's house where my aunts/uncles are holding a rummage sale to sell gram's things. Gram B. is in a nursing home. To make a long story just a tad shorter, I waited in a mall shopping center, praying what to do, when my aunt called back and said my uncle had searched gram's house, my mom's car, and mom's house and they still couldn't find it..... so I told my aunt I was turning around and would be back to mom's in about an hour and half. After about a half hour I called mom's house, and my uncle answered. They had found mom's purse tucked away under the sink at Gram's house. Evidentally she had placed it there so that no one at the sale would run off with it..................and finally uncle D. found it.
Of course when I got home Mom said she had told them it was there all along, it was just pushed back into the recesses of the cabinet; and so I tried to calm her down, she was quite shook by all the commotion she had caused, and yet she did at least begin to talk about some measures that need to be taken, that she hadn't prior been willing to consider - I think it scared her, a whole lot more than she will admit. So we went over to visit Gram again, who was quite shook by the affair also.
Well every day is a new day, and I am earnestly going to try call mom every single day early in the morning as she's getting started ......... time will tell. Truthly I never thought I'd be at this stage with mom, but better she than dad; he would have really been an over-the-top challenge. God is good, and I really prayed hard, as was my aunt and uncle over God helping them find the purse - and He did!

sexy eyes peek thru.....................

2011-05-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

How in the world did this email get through my spam filter? 'sexyeyes'peeked through and got on my regular email list - now, despite my curiosity, I'm not opening the email up ... but its leading line reads "Look up your HoopUp tonight." Yah, right I'm at the end of the church year, a ton of things to get done, my mother can't remember the last thing she did ten minutes ago, and they want me to get a HookUp - why me?ha.

Suspended Sex

2011-05-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

I've just been informed that both teenagers having sex on the charter school bus have been suspended.

Sex on a School Bus

2011-05-17T07:42:00.001-07:00

A Ohio mother reports that a charter school has banned her daughter from her eighth grade prom or picnic because this 14 year old girl failed to report two of her classmates having sex on a school bus and for changing her seat [I suppose they would have much rather she got out her cell phone and taken pictures]. So because this teenage girl was first of all, undoubtedly embarrassed and/or afraid of repercussions, she at least told her mom when she got home. So, I'm wondering here why the school is taking issue with this young girl than with the boy and girl who were having sex - bet they didn't want to offend the offenders - now in this day and culture that does make sense I guess. And of course, the bigger question - the elephant in the room [oops, I mean the bus] where is the chaperon at, or was there one on the bus? I'm rarely one for taking people to court, goodness we don't need another frivolous trying up of the courts, right Sherm? But on this matter, I'm all for the mom suing the pants off the school [I love the pun; maybe suing the pants off a school means taking down the lawn sign announcing who they are?], or at least threatening them enough that there is a 'PUBLIC' apology. There is an immoral message being sent to this young teenage girl by the school. I'll anxiously being looking forward to more on this case - and I hope there is either more to it, or we've been misinformed.

Its Now Okay to Forget the Hippocratic Oath!

2011-05-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that there are now a group of obstetric-gynecologists who are refusing to doctor women who are overweight but otherwise healthy. This causes me to wonder if I can now refuse to let anyone worship in our church who does not have the 'right' sins, oh good people to be sure, they just don't fit our perspective of who the gospel wants to save and help!
Some of the reasons given are because their exam tables and other equipment can't handle people over a certain weight .. now come on, could we at least make an attempt to be credible, although I think in light of the Hippocratic oath this whole issue is being very unethical. So, we have now come to point 'equipment determines who or who doesn't not get medical attention' and we thought Obamacare was so terrible. Another reason was that they were trying to avoid obese patients because they have a higher risk of complications: something going wrong, more risk of getting sued ... everything is more complicated with an obese patient. Now according to this, I'm really frightened because medical attention might be based on not the chances of my survival but the chances a doctor might be sued .... and if his chances of being sued are great, the possibility of my being doctored decreases.
One ob-gyn official said that ultrasound machines aren't as clear with obese women, and make it harder to treat them ... yah, so??? HOwever I'm really puzzled by a statement from the American Medical Association in their evaluation of this situation, 'Physicians can decline service to whomever they choose for any reason - including personality conflicts - as long as it's not discriminatory, i.e. race, gender, sexual orientation or infectious diseases........... my mother didn't birth a genius, but neither did she raise an idiot [contrary to public opinion], some legal beagle somewhere is going to figure out half of those reasons you can't refuse medical treatment were just met by refusing to care for obese women [my guessing is that women do not fit any longer into the category of gender or sexual orientation]. Evidentally the Hippocratic oath is being interpreted as the Hypocratic oath??!

Felt kinda' sorry for......

2011-05-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

The room was all prepared for area pastors to come to the annual volunteer chaplaincy program. There were all sorts of cold drinks, orange juice and coffee. Some delicious cherry turnovers and a huge bowl of fruit; the speakers were all confirmed and the hospital chaplain was cheerfully prepared to greet each one - there were all most a dozen volunteers who said they would be there ......... but as the minutes passed by there were only two of us from the community. Evidently it was not a good time for the conference, and so a half hour into waiting the two of us were regretfully dismissed by the chaplain, as his assistant was making calls of cancellation to the scheduled speakers - maybe in the fall. I'm not throwing stones at my fellow brothers/sisters, in ministry, there are always last minute interruptions; and had the chaplain not personally phoned me last Friday, I would have forgotten it also. I guess its just that I know the disappointment when you've gone to a lot of time and energy to plan something and hardly anyone shows up .... but he put on his clergy face and was a good sport about it - maybe in the early fall sometime?!
I think another concern of mine is how this will appear to the hospital staff that was going to be involved in it; I'm sure that each speaker had spent time in preparing for their individual 15 minute presentations - though the sessions appear brief the information they share is vital to effective hospital chaplaincy and relations...well perhaps grace will prevail. Oh, I did get my annual TB shot, and in my paranoia looked away, now I'm glad the lady didn't give it to me after she finds out the conference was going to be cancelled, after the scheduled starting time ... I'm always a little scared of people that either give shots or cook my food if they've just discovered some negative news.

Once Upon A Town

2011-05-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday night I was searching for something to read in the historical fiction genre at the Library. I wasn't having much luck and was about to go home empty handed when my eyes feel upon an interesting title, 'Once Upon A Town' by Bob Greene. Now Greene is an interesting author who sometimes ventures out into the oft forgotten; and in this book he does.
Greene takes us to a little known town, and even lesser known historical incident. NOrth Platte, Nebraska. At the beginning of America's involvement in the WWII there was the constant transfer of men in training and assignment moving from one coast to another by rail. This got my attention because of my mother's family history of working on the railroad, and the fact that all these military trains ran through the little known town of North Platte, and would stop there for about 10/20minutes to take on water for the steam engine.
One day the townspeople heard that a military train was coming through with boys from Nebraska going to their assigned places, and the woman thought it would be nice to make up little baskets with apples, chocolates, etc. to give each boy. Well, the train wasn't filled with soldier boys from Nebraska - they were from Kansas - but the ladies passed out the baskets anyway; figuring this was their way to contribute to the war .............. and from that the idea was birthed to meet every military train and make available to every soldier boy a canteen of goodies and home cooked foods. The depot was renamed the North Platte Canteen; and while the train was taking on water the soldier boys flooded the canteen, all the food was free, there was even a piano where some of the boys played and danced with the local girls there helping out - even some marriages later came about because of this enterprise. I don't want to tell you too much because then you won't read the book..... but for five years, regardless of the weather, and every day those five years, no holidays missed, over 6 million soldier boys visited that canteen. This is an incredible story that will probably never be repeated in the history of our great country ... and Greene gets in contact with many of the survivors from both the town and soldier boys, especially touching are the memories of soldiers who had that experience! If the author hadn't written this book it would have been a piece of Americana that shows how people come together, how they sacrifice; one soldier said that they were aware many of those who gave to them were sacrificing their own food rations for them. Its an incredible story which reaffirms the goodness of our country that often gets overlooked because of political and cultural greed. ENJOY
GREENE,Bob. Once Upon A Town: The Miracle of North Platte Canteen. 2002, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, New York. ISBN: 0060081961

Wicked Divas

2011-05-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

This past friday night the 'good wife' and I went with some good friends to the symphony. Every year for Christmas our oldest daughter and son in law buy us tickets to the symphony and opera; last year we watch a ballet, which was fantastic, and this year we went to the presentation of 'Wicked Divas'. This was a night of specials from women who were major figures in stories; and Julia Murney & Jennifer Laura Thompson, singers from the New York presentation of 'WICKED' were there to sing most of the songs ... and they were absolutely wonderful. Song selections came from 'Gypsy; Carmen; Chicago; My Fair Lady; Ragtime; The Phatom of the Opera [my favorite]; Conga;
Symphonic Sounds of Diana Ross; Titanic; Spamalot; Wizard of Oz; and of course a number of songs from Wicked. Their closing number was just wonderful, and they received such an ovation that they did another special from Wicked. It was truly a really wonderful time. Before that we had eaten at an Italian restaurant called Tre Cuzini. I had linguini with mussels, small neck clams and shrimp - it was everything the word delicious means!

134

2011-05-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

I hadn't checked my spam file for a couple days so there were 134 messages awaiting for me to open them ..... one of the file titles that got my attention was 'WE'RE OVERSTOCKED!' - now that insinuates a pretty good deal .. and true to its title if was offering Amazon Kindle3's for only $8.76. So I thought what a hit dad [and/or grandpa]could be this Christmas if I gave all the kids/grandkids a Kindle3 for Christmas?! ..but alas, keeping true to my disciplined nature [ha! ha!] I didn't open any of the 134, and simply clicked the delete button, and watched as my opportunity to be a great person went off the screen. Maybe tomorrow there will be spam I just can't refuse ........... like Amazon Kindle3 for .88 each???

attachment to Family Treasures

2011-05-09T06:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally finished cataloging all the Funeral Book of my great, great grandma! There were 27 obituaries of family members close to her; there was also the upcoming newspaper announcement of a granddaughters wedding - and then a newspaper account of that wedding ... in a funeral book, go figure. There was also the announcement of a birth, I haven't figured out the genealogical lines of this? As I commented in the earlier article, this book is incredible .. there is a listing of everyone who was present at the funeral, a complete listing of everyone that gave flowers. Now the neat thing about all these lists, is that except for a couple of pages where people signed their names, these lists are in the same beautiful handwriting, for example: the list of those coming to visitation is in their own handwriting, but the list of those at the funeral, which is a lot longer - completely opposite how things happen today, is in the same handwriting. Perhaps this means that there was someone making the list as people appeared?! There are some pictures of a favorite grandson in his military uniform, the ship he was on, and a handwritten post card by him back to my great grandma who inherited the book. There are some other handwritten notes, most of them barely legible anymore. I'm further convinced that this book was merely passed on to my grandma, and no other notations made because there are no obits of my great grandma or great grandpa; the only thing about my great grandma was
the original railroad health insurance card she had and also her original social security card - both of which are in excellent condition. In the earlier article I mentioned the unusual pages titled: 'MOTOR CARS DONATED', so now that I'm done cataloging the book I'd like to record the other pages here: a couple of 'poem' pages spread throughout; a MUSIC page; IN MEMORY OF page; FAMILY RECORD page; SERVICES & OFFICIATING on the same page; SERMON NOTES, which is blank; a page with the BEARERS, the casket bears names and towns where they lived!; FINAL RESTING PLACE page, including date,hour and year; REALTIVES attending, this page is full; FRIENDS WHO CALLED, these are five pages where people signed; FLOWERS, six pages filled with names; then the MOTOR CAR pages; then NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS pages; concluding with pages of poems.

I am really impressed with what a big, communal event a funeral was; and in many ways I am saddened by the demise of experience. Hardly anyone likes to view a dead body, but there are so many psychological, communal and family benefits to a funeral.
I've also noted that fewer and fewer people will drive their cars to the side of the road as a funeral passes by - I think this says a lot about the demise of our social culture. I try to go to the side of the road, to turn my lights on, when a funeral passes by, if I can't I at least turn my lights on to acknowledge the passing.

'Old Fashioned Hymn Sing!'

2011-05-07T15:05:00.001-07:00

Last night, Saturday, myself and a couple of people from our church family went to the First United Methodist Church for an 'old fashioned hymn' sing. It was sorta fun as the leader would ask a question, such as 'whose the oldest one here?' 'who drove the furthest to get here' 'who has the most family pictures in their wallet' etc. etc., then that individual would pick out one of their favorite hymns.
There was a high school teen there from our church family and her favorite hymn was 'Amazing Grace,' and she was hoping that someone would ask for it to be sung. I was wishing the woman would ask who was the youngest, then she could have requested her favorite hymn, but that ended up not being necessary - and we sang her hymn.
Thinking about Jessie and her favorite hymn, I was reminded, old hymn's don't die because of time changes, because of contemporary musical styles, old hymn's live on and on, even into the hearts of the youngest of every generation because of the message that they bring ...
~amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
~once was lost, but now found
~how precious did that grace appear
~tis grace has brought me save thus far, grace will lead me home
one can't help but realize that the author of thiss eternal hymn of praise [John Newton]had experienced that grace he wrote about first hand. Two quick thoughts come to mind, first we're not teaching our kids about the scriptural truths in these hymns, and consequently we ourselves are losing the joy, the grace and the help that
comes from sharing them. It doesn't matter how updated the music is or isn't the words are a symphony themselves - and this sounds resonates so powerfully when it is sung a capella!!
ENJOY this Sabbath.

Family glasses, etc.

2011-05-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

The garage sale that my aunts and uncles were preparing for, alluded to in my previous article,happened while my 'good wife' was home visiting mom. They invited her to see if there was anything she would like to purchase before the public sale. She purchased a circular coffee table, some luggage and ALL the things in grandma's china hutch. When I talked with grandma about it this Thursday afternoon she informed me that all the glassware, which was quite a bit, all came from my great grandma - the same one that owned the Funeral Book I talked about.
I have no idea what the 'good wife's' plans for these things are, although I think there is going to be a Memorial sale, and many of them may find temporary lodging there; but whatever, its kinda neat to have them for a spell. While transporting them home [which is a two hour drive one way], I drove extra careful .... and am so proud of myself, not one crack in all that fragile stuff!

A Priceless Family Treasure

2011-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

My grandma [Mom's mom], 97 and of sharp mind, and living in a nursing home in my hometown, directed her kids to sell her household stuff. Some family artifacts that she had she specifically directed to family members; knowing how much I love family genealogy, and about the only family member that is always asking her to share about the past she directed that her mom's funeral book about her grandma be given to me. That would be the funeral book of my great, great grandma, on my grandma's maternal side.
I didn't even know it 'existed,' and when my mother gave it to me Wednesday when I got home - I almost cried ...........I couldn't believe none of my aunts or uncles wanted the book! It is a family treasure trove!! I'm about half way through carefully cataloging the numerous newspaper, personal and funeral card attachments in it. The attachments in the book are held there with straight pins - not staples, that's how old this book is.
It's a tedious labor of love because some of the articles have notes written beside them in the funeral book, so I must be very careful to mention them; and some I've had to look up on family charts, and still don't know where they belong on the family tree. There are many in the family who are somewhat familiar with grandpa's side of the family, but this is grandma's side. This book, thus far, appears to be the funeral book kept by my great grandma, for all the notes are by her; matter of fact I'm beginning to speculate that maybe my great grandma did most, if not all of it, and my grandma just got the book passed on to her. Thus far I've counted almost 30 pins holding article's in the book.
This book is from the first Funeral Home in my hometown; it precedes the two that are there now, and even they are now under one owner. The cover title is 'Cherished Memories.' I came across two interesting page titles that I've never seen before, if any of you have, I'd love to hear about it .... the title to those pages is 'MOTOR CARS OUR FRIENDS DONATED,' is that not unusual or what?! Well, back to my adventure - I may have something further to report later.

The Dead Beat:: Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries

2011-05-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Early in the book the author refers to 'obituaries' as gardens of emotion. They are meant to help grieving people begin to heal and even laugh. They are meant to bring fellowship and bonding through a mutual friend/family member from in the past. Obituaries are those strange vessels through which we are reminded of our fragile existence, and that none of us escape death, so what memories are we creating through our living for those who will read our obituaries.
I truly did enjoy this book, although a lot of it was dull, but then there have to limits to how exciting obituaries can be, even if reading them becomes a have-too. I was not aware that there is a whole sub-culture out there that indulges in obituaries far past just reading them. There are people who save them, and make scrap books out there; there is serious newspaper competition. The author talks about when the N.Y.Times created its 'Portraits of Grief' following 9/11. Of course there were those who criticized it, but by far and large it had a positive impact as it focused on the daily lifestyles of those who had lost their lives. It also helped to create a sense that the 'ordinary' person can have a huge impact on one's community without being in the spotlight, and thousands congratulated the Gray Lady for her sensitivity to these subjects, and for taking the time to care and print.
Overall this book was a great read, and I am glad that I read the book. It has given me a whole new perspective, not only about reading obituaries - which often have hidden 'obit codes' that are fun to discover, but also about being more observant and letting people know how I appreciate their lives before they become an obit.
JOHNSON, Marilyn, New York, N.Y. Harper Collins, PUb., 2006
ISBN: 9780060758752
[I really need an editing and proof reading department for this blog spot!!]

While we're on the subject of death, I recently came across an article on the internet: 'Will Osama bin Laden's death save Barrack Obama's presidency.' I have no answer or political opinion about that; but I do know that Osama's death has certainly raised a lot of controversy - and a lot of it I suppose is very much needed. For the Christian community definitely needs to tread lightly upon this issue, and realize that it is an opportunity to 'reach out' rather than 'rejoice.' Monday I briefly mentioned Osama's death in this blogsphere, and receive an excellent comment from Sherm. Sherm then referred to me an excellent blog about this subject, if you have the time you need to follow up on that blog - it was excellent.
ENJOY.

May Day! May Day!

2011-05-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

The NY Daily News reminded us that both Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden, two of the worlds most sought after evil men share an anniversary - this on could down in the 'Dead Beat' book I mentioned - they were both declared dead on May 1st. A day that is
in some cultures highlighted as the beginning of summer, it is certainly becoming a day of judgment for so evil doers. Maybe all the Hitler and Laden' wanta be's will stay holed up on May 1st at least.

What's in a Name - today Spam.

2011-05-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't surveyed my 'spam' file for a couple days before I delete it, there are nearly a hundred items there .... and a few of them are about an insurance called Cobra. Now I admit I'm really ignorant about this insurance except that I guess its insurance that people who are suddenly out of employment can take to keep up their coverage [ooh, being covered by a cobra isn't exactly a cozy feeling], although I guess its an extremely high rate - if its' got any government link's that's no surprise ... But I was just thinking why would name a health insurance COBRA .. are those who gave it its name aware of what a cobra is - one of the worlds most poisonous snakes. Maybe its a subtle signal, watch out for this insurance. One of the those spam invitations even suggested there are options; do these options have anything to do with how much venom you have to take to be fully or adequately insured ... or how long are these options effective before the full force of the venom kicks in, breaks the bank and you're left again without coverage?
Well, I've already spent too much time on this spam; but it was fun - later.

A Dead Beat

2011-05-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

This is almost a companion article to the one I wrote earlier this morning in theme of 'death.' It is not my habit to talk about books I'm in the process of reading, I much prefer to critique them after-wards - but alas temptation has once again hooked its claws into my mind.
A week ago while perusing through the library's new books shelve I came across a most interesting title to a book, 'The Dead Beat: The Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries'
...and I'm certainly enjoying it. Let me say upfront if you find obituaries somewhat boring, you probably would ditch this book before finishing the first chapter. However I'm finding it delightful and can't wait to share it with you. Matter of fact I'm paying a lot closer attention to the obituaries in our little town paper and have thought about writing my own. Now that births [catch the pun there] many problems, how do I write my own obit without sounding prideful? what is the proper amount of humility without failing to broadcast my many virtues? will my family/friends yield to the temptation to change some of it? where can I store it so I don't forget where I placed it, yes even in computer files ... these questions rather than helping to pave the way are only tiring me out - guess I'll just wait to start tackling them for another day, if I live that long! Now that's a terrible thought because then my obit will be totaling in the hands of others????

Sipping Arabian Coffee with Virgins

2011-05-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the news has informed us that chief 9/11 terrorist Osama bin Laden was killed in a million-dollar compound only a few hundred miles from a Pakistani Military Center. I'm not really sure how I feel about this situation; true in human terms of understanding 'justice has been done,' as President Obama said. But what justice? None of the those killed in the twin towers have been brought back to life, and though there may be an emotional, even psychological relief in surviving family members, which I don't begrudge them, I earnestly pray that healing can come from it, there are still many unanswered questions. Will this strengthen al Quaida resolve to continue to sow seeds of chaos and murder? Will it be a major psychological blow that will dampen their future efforts and save lives? How do we, who proclaim to be disciples of Christ reconcile this with our message of hope to ALL people? For many of my Christian brothers/sisters this is a no brainer, but to me it remains an open question. On a lighter note, and somewhat sacrilegious, I am wondering if Mr. Laden is now sipping Arabian coffee with virgins in that netherland the Islamic faith believes exists after death ... my fear for him is where he now is, there is no coffee of any nationality and certainly no virgins of any manner waiting on him; matter of fact he's probably wishing he hadn't taken religious zeal quite so seriously, stayed in his father's house .. and maybe considered the message of the missionary's they had so fervently vanished from their homeland?!
We can't be certain of life here on this planet, but we can definitely be certain we
are going to die ... and therein lies the issue of our taste for drink and companionship!
Have a great day.

Out of the Shelter, On the way home...

2011-04-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord! My cousins were able to go back to Ringgold and pick up their car, which was just fine ... their hotel had been damaged but not leveled, and they were able to retrieve their luggage .... and are on their way back home to northwest Ohio.

Life in the Shelter..........

2011-04-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

My cousin's good wife went to Florida to pick up his folks, and on the way back they got caught in the tornado which ripped through Ringgold, Ga. It is an amazing story of God's presence and protection. Now I want to share with her story from yesterday; I never cease to be amazed at God's working among us - and when I cease to be amazed then I am probably a reprobate in my relationship with Him.

Well, we are certainly having an adventure. We are so blessed. There are many of the local people that are also in our shelter. It appears that we will be here another night anyway. The search and rescue efforts are still going on. They brought in heavy equipment to move some of the fallen structures. One of the school administrators with whom I spoke this morning, just came back to the shelter this afternoon. He said that 2 of their students and a retired principal were killed and that the death toll will be more than the 7 that is currently being reported for Ringgold. One of the students was in one of the restaurants across from our motel. Our motel was the Super 8 which they said collapsed. I don't know if that is the correctly reported motel in that they reported 3 stories and it only had two. They told us they would not let anyone in until the search and rescue is finished. We have been treated very well, considering the circumstances. There are about 125 here in the high school in Ft Oglethorpe. We are about 10 miles from Ringgold. They moved us so far because this area had power. By midnight last night the Red Cross had set up cots in the gym for us all to lay down. This morning and noon the school cafeteria ladies fixed breakfast and lunch. (All the schools in the area have been cancelled, since most of the roads have issues with downed tree limbs and wires.) Tonight one of the local restaurants offered to cater the dinner. Local people have donated a room full of new and used clothing, which volunteers have then sorted in two other classrooms by gender and size. Water, pop, and food has been donated. If we had twice the number of people here for a week, we couldn't drink the water that has been brought in. There are is a large number of local people coming in for food, clothes, and some shelter. I think tonight is not going to be a good night with the increase in population. The school ran a bus over to the Walmart so we could pick up anything we needed, but we really didn't need much. This morning they gave us all comfort bags that had wash clothes, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrush and comb. They also brought in towels. I took a shower this afternoon in the girls locker room. I had gone "shopping" in the clothes store. Picked up new underwear, used jeans, top, and socks. My feet have been so cold. I was wearing capris and sandals. I bought cheap canvas shoes at Walmart and with the "new clothes" I am much warmer. Cricket and Verizon are both here with cell phones and laptops with internet which is why I am able to send you this email. Now the best part is that there is a whole library of books here at the high school, so you know that I can be content for awhile, if I can get enough sleep. We had quite a symphony of snorers last night. Maybe I will be tired enough to sleep tonight. I am really hopeful that they will let us go over tomorrow and we can at least get some driving done tomorrow. Well, Cricket is wanting their computer back. I'll update you as I can.

She concluded her article with 'We are so blessed!'

Daily Spam Check

2011-04-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

Another spam article I almost couldn't resist, though I'm not searching for a car. The title was 'Bad Credit Car Loans Have Their Advantages,' really? and who would have thought bad credit could help you to get a new car? I'm wondering if this is a government program? What advantage can bad credit have, and if that's the case then perhaps the majority of Americans have more purchasing power than they are aware of? Just what our economy needs more credit spending right. Is this anything like that 'junk car' program the government tried to swindle us into ... or is this a sneaky back door promo job by banks?

REally, its FREE................

2011-04-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

The good wife is leaving for about 9 days to visit our mothers. First she will stop in Ohio and stay with my mom for a couple days then journey on to Illinois to be with her mom for a week, concluding on Mother's Day. Whenever she takes long trips we always make sure the car is in good condition, so last week we bought all new tires at the dealership where we purchased the car. This week when she decided to take the trip in our car - rather than get a rental - I called the dealership back up and asked if I could just bring the car in for them to do a rudimentary check of the hoses, belts and suspension, which they were glad to do.
Well, here's the surprise [and I've worked in a dealership parts department and most of you will vouch this is a surprise], they check all the hoses, belts and even the suspension, made a few minor adjustments - and charged us nothing ... that's right you heard me, it was Free! Now I don't have any special connections, and certainly did not expect them to do that, but they did. The service department of this dealership has always been good, and we've purchased our last three cars there, so there was a little history; but we are grateful for their free checkup. Though I'm stuck for the next week with getting around in the old church van - it's okay, I'll just relax and sorta take the week off - or as much of it as I can get away with; probably spending much more time in the office than usual.
There is only one complaint with the dealership I can think of .. they've stopped making popcorn until the afternoon, I'm not suppose to have that salty, buttery popcorn, but its like in a movie theater, how can one resist - course you could say the dealership is looking out for my best interest - but that's really stretching it.

Spam Joy

2011-04-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

I know this sounds crazy, but a new fad of mine is scanning the 'spam file' before I delete it ......... I never open anything in it, but I get a kick out of seeing what I'm not going to look at. Why just a few minutes ago a 'moon purdy' was trying to contact the 'good wife.' Now 'moon purdy' can conjure up a number of suggestions where I don't think the good wife would have me go, I'm wondering if this is email with a message, a picture or both ... oh, well I'll never know, won't even trouble the good wife with it.

The Devil Amongst The Lawyers

2011-04-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Sharon McCrumb is one of my favorite fiction writers; until last summer when I participated in my wife [and daughter-in-laws] rummage sales, I had nearly every novel she ever wrote.
Sharon could make the Applachians come alive with music. You could literally visualize the fauna and the land of those mountains, and you either feel in love with or hated the people she presented to you. I hadn't heard about her for some time and thought maybe she had stopped writing, then I saw the book on the Librarys' 'new' shelf: 'The Devil Among Lawyers.'
I can't say enough about this book, matter of fact I was up at 2AM this morning finishing it. Although you're lead to believe the book is about a trial, its more about the reporters writing about the trial ... the big-city reporters and a 'hill' reporter getting his first chance, which doesn't turn out the way I had hoped. But the trial over and years later Sharon takes us to a scene that brought back memories of having read her prior books ........... and sure enough, there is a scene that is almost phrase for phrase from an earlier book she had written. She is quoting the same scene only with a new character but related to the earlier person ... I almost dropped my jaw for as I began to read it it was like, 'hey, I've been here before,'
'I smelled the same pie on that old iron oven' .. I've heard about the 'white cat'on the porch. Its a great read, and hardly anything turns out the way you're lead to believe!
ENJOY
MCCRUMB,Sharon. THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS. New York, New York. St. Martins Press. June 2010 ISBN:9780312558161

If you like novels about the Applachians, and/or were born in the South you will find this a book you can't put down. Also in a couple of places Sharon drops some
opinions that speak to today's circumstances in an almost unnoticeable way.

Anglicans, Episcopals and friends...

2011-04-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Our keyboard artist, Esther, is a native Kenyan. Her mother came across the waters and plains to be with her and her husband for a month; and we had the great honor of sharing Easter with her, and also a meal. Now her mother is a Chief Warden in the Anglican church, which my sister in Christ, fellow Episcopal priest in town Gretchen told me was quite a position of responsibility and honor in the church.
Esther's mom had wanted to get some vestments for her Anglican pastor and I had asked Gretchen earlier where would be the best place to purchase some, and she had told me that she thought her church would like to donate some, Esther's mum was elated. So today I introduced Esther's mum to Gretchen and it was a great hour; after Gretchen proudly gave us the exclusive tour of the Rectory where she lives, she took us to the church, and there presented mum with three shrocks [vestments, etc.] to give to her pastor. It was a heart-warming affair!
I thought about the message this coming sunday about how those two followers of Christ finally realized that while Jesus explained scripture to them their hearts were strangely warmed. I don't know, but I'd be willing to stake a claim that this transaction today is going to bring two churches, one from Kenya - one from America,
both in the Anglican family many, many happy blessings in the future. And I am so joyful that I was able to play a small part in bringing them together!

Somebody is keeping track...

2011-04-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Evidentally someone, who is part of the inner circle of those who send out endless emails, is in charge of keeping track of how old we are becoming has for the last two days been encouraging me to look into senior housing establishments, inviting me to send for free estimates for all kinds of body replacement parts and wanting to reassure me that term life insurance at my age, though it is a bit expensive is the best way to waste my money. It's getting to the point where I think I might began a list, just to prove to my kids they aren't the only ones who see age creeping up on me!

Oh yah, here it is...........

2011-04-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

In my search I've just come across a book by the daughter of my second cousin 2x removed Amos, and his wife Phoebe. Here it is, its a direct quote from the reviewer Elaine Rich from the Nov.7, 2005 issue of Mennonite Weekly Review. The story answers a couple questions I had in mind, what a blessing. The name of the book is 'Beyond Mere Survival: The Story of Adella S_________ O_______ and Her Five Orphans.' The book was privately published and could only be purchased from the author, Ruth, who passed away in 2010. Ruth is Amos & Phoebe's daughter.

"Ruth was just 10yrs old in 1929 when her mother Phoebe S.O. died, leaving her father with five children to care for. The family had just moved to Chicago from rural Bluffton Ohio to assume the pastorate of a new church being built by the Mennonite Conference.
Ruth is now 86 and looking back over her life. She greatly admires her stepmother STella, for providing a home, inspiring the children, keeping them together and encouraging their education. Because Ruth felt she had to get her stepmothers life onto paper, she has written this brief biography. She tells the story in the first person.
A year after his wife's death Amos married his first wife's 29yr. old cousin STella, a school teacher. What a decision for her! A few months after they were married Amos was shot in a local Chicago pharmacy. That is another story, told elsewhere in the biography of Pastor Amos. The family moved from Chicago back to Bluffton. Stella taught in the Buffton public school system for more than 37 years. She died of cancer in 1964 at 64yrs of age"

Elaine adds: 'I believe strongly that stories about people like Adella should be told and retold. Ruth has done a worthy piece of work, and her professional writer-daughter helped design the layout and cover, making the book attractive.

Let me say on a personal note, while researching the family I found out that Ruth had an older brother Robert who was a medical doctor; a younger brother Hebert J. who is quite reknown in the auditory research field and has a grant named after him.
Ruth herself was a registered nurse and volunteered in hospitals in her retirement.

Second Cousin 2x removed.....

2011-04-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

I had been doing some family research for my cousin Denny's ancestry.com website and came upon a name I'd never been able to find out about - thank you Denny. It was Amos who was a minister who served in both Baptist and Mennonite churches. He died an untimely death in Chicago - a story I'm still chasing. After researching him a little for some unknown reason I became interested in the family lineage of his wife. Matter of fact I've traced that lineage clear back eight generations to Alsace France area around 1655. Now this was an area where my family name, and a couple of other Mennonite families that migrated to America happened to live also. So I'm not sure what's drawing me to this family, but perhaps in the near future I'll find out...I'll be sure to keep this site informed. It's a voice that keeps calling.

Mr Friends: Here and There

2011-04-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

This morning I attended a funeral for my friend Dave. He and his wife Pam are good friends, a couple of years ago they attended a series on 'Grieving' and their support was great. They have helped literally hundreds of people through their divorce-care classes at their church. Their church is not only where they attend but also were a very good clergy friend of mine pastors - more on that later.

There seemed to be something paradoxical about a funeral the day after Easter - life and then death - yet therein lies the truth ..his resurrection makes our death the gateway into eternal life. Dave's favorite verse was 'The Lord is my light and my salvation - in whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?'[Psa.27:1] This verse reminds me of the apostle Paul's mocking death, 'O death where is your sting, where is your victory?' Many people recalled precious memories of Dave's impact in their life; In the funerals I've officiated at over 30+ years of ministry I have heard about the impact those who have passed on have had in loved ones lives.
As I was looking through the folder we were given, my eyes glued to the verse of a poem on its inside cover ... 'But you didn't go alone, for part of us went with you.' In all my years of officiating at funerals and the untold number of funerals I have attended, never [given my fast becoming spotty memory I probably shouldn't use that word never] have I heard a message based on what, we, the living have given to the deceased .... "I remember Grandpa, and/or Grandma giving me this; I remember my husband or wife doing this; I remember my good friends caring; etc, etc. but nothing about what we have given them .......... I'm not real sure, but I'm thinking in the future I'm going to find an occasion to build on these words - it certainly presents a whole new concept for me!

My friend Jeff is the pastor of the largest church in the area, and he's been here over 30 years. We jokingly refer to him, from our ministerial group, as the Archbishop! He officiated at Dave's funeral, such a kind, caring and compassionate pastor - if the Lord takes me home in the next few years I'd be honored for him to do my transfer into eternity. He told me before the funeral that Easter Sunday, in both their central location here in town, and a new start in town not far from us, they had held eight services [five he had preached in], they ministered to over 3,000 and there had been over 30 new converts to Christ - THAT IS EASTER!!

I want to close this reflection with a statement that one of Dave's daughter-in-laws made ... 'Nothing loved is ever lost'[end quote] ... Let me rephrase that, I recognize her intent here, but there are many things LOST having been loved, relationships especially, her step father and mom had ministered to those who had loved and lost; but let me say, 'nothing loved is ever entirely lost' ... for even in love gone astray there are things that have been gained that can never be replaced, even by a new, a greater love. Love itself changes us, love, no matter how seemingly insignificant or ended does not leave us the same. And that's just like our risen Lord's love ... our circumstances may not seem to change, our relationships may not seem to grow more intimate, our illness doesn't go away[as Dave's didn't],
hope seems no brighter ... but God's love is ALWAYS there!

Thanks Dave, for the light of your funeral, I'm afraid I have to admit you gave me much more than I ever gave you ... maybe that truth will help me to be more thoughtful, more considerate and more intentional in all the relationships I share here and now?!

Let Steph keep.................

2011-04-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

This morning I received a spam email from 'Steph - she is looking for me.' The temptation is really great to open the email and give a reply, but then that might give Stephanie a clue as to where I am, or encourage her bogus originators to keep sending me emails, which in turn keeps my spam filter clogged with garbage.

So I've decided to let Steph keep looking for me; maybe the search will give her time to reconsider whether or not I'm worth the hassle, which of course really doesn't make any difference because I never intend on opening her mail. I wonder how may such searches are made, and what is the percentage of those - like me - that go unanswered?
Well, I'll never know because even though I contemplate such questions, I don't really care to know the answers, if they are available....... so Steph, sorry girl, you'll have knock on someone else's email box.
SO SAD...........

United Transportation Union Commemorative Medal

2011-04-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

Among my grandpa Chester's artifacts I have a United Transportation Union Commemorative Medal. It must be brass because the back of it is starting to get green on it. I don't know much about it so I'll include this message from a little paper in the case ....

"To commemorate this event, a medallion has been designed highlighting the event for prosperity. On the face of the medal are impressions of the chief executives of the four founding unions - the men who are recognized as the unity architects.Impressions of Charles Luna, H.E.Gilbert, C.F.Lane and N.P.Speirs, showing the original dates of the founding of their respective unions, are shown. On the reverse side are stars denoting each of the states and provinces in which UTU members labor and live. The medal is considered unique because of its original design."

I had to laugh because my grandpa Chester was a die-hard democrat, and my father was a die-hard republican and both belonged to unions; and for the sake of family peace they tried to stay away from political discussion between them; at least as far as I can recollect. Its quite possible given how head strong both men were they had reached a prior gentleman's agreement before my memory kicks in?!

She was the most beautiful woman........

2011-04-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

‘I don’t care much for this railroad job, I think I’m going
back to Unicoi’ Oscar told his younger brother Chester.

‘The boss told me today he really likes my work and thinks
I have a future on the rails.’ Chester replied.

Oscar paused for a moment as though he might be thinking
About staying then said, “Well, I’m leaving in the morning
so you better hurry up and decide.” ‘We have three days left
on our rent, what will it hurt to let me think about it,’ Chester
pleaded.

‘I’ll not stay more than two days longer,’ Oscar firmly
Replied. So you work two more days on the railroad, as of
Now I’m finished. I think I’ll spend my time waiting for you
To make up mind in Shorty’s short order bar.

Well since it looks like I might be leaving I’m going to treat
myself to a steak dinner at the Smith hotel tonight. I never
have eaten there and I’ve heard so much about it; do you
want to join me, I’ll buy? Nope, like I said before its Shorty’s
for me. He could buy a number of beers for what Chester
was going to spend for a steak.

Chester was a bit nervous sitting down in the Smith Hotel’s
Restaurant, and he noticed that most of those already there
were certainly dressed less casual than he was, maybe he
should just join Oscar at Shorty’s, but something keep him
seated. Then she appeared, one of the most beautiful women
he had ever laid eyes on, tall, slim with light brunette hair…
Though she was about ten years younger than he was, he
thought he could see reflections of his mother when she had
been younger. Of course his mother Nancy was still quite
attractive and it hadn’t been that hard for her to remarry
ole Ike after his father, whom he’d never seen, died in the
Brushy Mountain State Prison two months after he was
born.

‘What would you like tonight sir,’ she said bringing him
out of his daydream. ‘Uh, uh I’ll take a steak please’ he
Was finally able to summon the strength to respond. ‘Well
Sir, we have a couple of steaks, which would you like.’
Ordering a simple steak was getting a lot harder than he
ever remembered it being; … finally he had placed his
order and she had returned to the kitchen.

When his heart slowed down enough for him to gain
his wits he thought, ‘if she works here, there is no way I’m
returning home south with Oscar.’ And didn’t she mention
that her mother would cook his steak just perfectly, so if
her mom worked here too then they must live in the
community.

Grandpa Chester would stay while his brother Oscar returned to
Tennessee. Such is the short saga of my grandpa meeting grandma
Banks; much of the story is made up, but there are a few facts
~both grandpa and his brother were from Unicoi, Tennessee
~grandpa was 11 years older than grandma when they
were married. I have a copy of their wedding certificate
~grandma’s mom, Hattie, my great grandma did cook at
the Smith Hotel; and they both lived in town.
~grandpa and his brother both worked on the Wabash
~whether grandpa was older or younger depends on which
family legend and whose facts you believe
~there was a Smith Hotel across the street from the railroad
depot. Its no longer there
~A brick building with a short order bar and take out is still
next door to where the Smith Hotel was, but I made up
its name.
~again, depending on which family legend you believe, my
grandpa was born two months before my great grandpa
William died in Brushy Mountain prison in TN.
~the story is documented that William shot a neighbor; Wm. always
claimed it was accidental, and official transcripts list his
crime as Involuntary Manslaughter.
~great grandma Nancy did remarry Ike Briggs when grandpa
Chester was 12 yrs. old.
*Mom shared with me the basics of this story last Thursday when I was
visiting with her, and grandma reaffirmed it.
*Grandpa’s first job on the railroad was as a brakeman and he rode most of the time in the caboose while he held that job. As a child I got to ride one time in the caboose for a short distance, as the railroad didn’t like passengers back there. Then grandpa became a Conductor, and watched over my sister and I on a number of trips…on the trips to Illinois to see our aunt Kitty in Decatur, Illinois, grandpa would put us on the train and give us careful instructions.
*I am the proud owner of my Grandpa's Conductor hat,[with the original tag in it from the uniform company] and the rain cap that goes over it; I also have many of his uniform 'badges' and Wabash button covers, and the ticket clipper he used. Along with a couple envelopes and a dozen Wabash Railroad #1 & #3 pencils.
*Decatur is also the ‘good wife’s’ home town.
*Coincidentally my aunt Kitty’s husband, uncle Kent also
was an office worker for the Wabash Railroad.
….life certainly has its crazy quirks!

Maundy Thursday w/Episcopal's

2011-04-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Arriving to worship at the Maundy Thursday service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church I received some 'questioning' smiles, what the Nazarene pastor doing in an Episcopal worship hour? There's a loose historical thread there, but that would take far to long to explain; plus I love liturgy and symbolism. But pastor Gretchen have me a big smile and a big hug; we're friends and it was good to worship together, the times when fellow clergymen in town can worship together are rare, and I always try to take advantage of the situation.
The worship began with the music director playing and singing a delightful song, it certainly set the mood for the service. Then we went into liturgies and singing. There is a part of the service where foot-washing is practiced but Gretchen had told me ahead of time I didn't have to do that - then when the actual moment arrived, I began to debate the issue between myself; then I figured if I had to debate it that much, I wouldn't be in the right frame of mind to participate. It was however interesting to observe the faces of those who did; some were really casual about it which disheartened me, others were very reverent which seemed the attitude one should have. There was a young man [he was a mongoloid w/m.s] and he was so into both
washing the feet of the person in front of him, and then having his feet washed - this was so touching to me, and I'm sure some others. Later on the way out of church a lady I was leaving beside said to me, [quote]"I see I wasn't the only one who didn't want my feet washed. I'm just too old fashioned I guess, how about you?"
I didn't respond w/the words I wanted too - the Spirit was telling me to be more graceful, because I wanted to say, what in the world does old fashioned have to do with it, the Episcopal church didn't just recently decide to add this ritual, and/or I'm sure Jesus wasn't worried about how old fashioned we might feel when he gave the command .. that's rather self centered? - so I simply said, 'well, I just didn't feel right for the moment!' Later I thought, hope I didn't offend her and she sensed I was playing off a ciasiles advertisement....
We also shared communion with bread and drink from the common cup. I've always enjoyed drinking from the common cup - there's something spiritually enriching about it .. as though I'm MORE one with God! I noted that a couple of people were trying to compromise ... you know, not drink from the cup, but partake of it ... I've noted this in other celebrations where a common cup is shared, ... they dip the piece of bread into the wine than take both together. Here's the really gross part about that compromise, someone had dropped a small piece of bread in the wine - come on folks, get real. I've never heard of anyone catching any virus, baceteria, etc. from the common cup - matter of fact, I'm convinced its almost, now note I said almost, blasphemous to say so. Good heavens, don't we know that God can prevent any such thing when we are celebrating in the manner in which he commanded ... oops I just thought, maybe they did have little plastic communion cups at the last supper - no, they were probably glass .... and I've been wrong all these years.
The neatest part of the celebration that I really enjoyed was two-fold....first the stripping of the altar. I had teased Gretchen as our pastors meeting on Wednesday and told her it was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing and wondered it they stripped the varnish off the altar - she graciously laughted, then said, 'maybe, guess you'll have to come and see - which I did, and no they didn't. It
was neat though as the appointed ones took things from the altar we were kneeling and reading Psalm 22. I don't know if you're acquainted with Psalm 22, but it is the most appropriate Psa. for stripping an altar. ... I was really touched.
Following the 'stripping of the altar' we were lead out of the sanctuary, and while walking out the lights were slowly being turned off; we were led into a small room where there was another altar, with a cross in the middle, the bread and wine left from communion placed on both sides and two candles lighted. There were flowers all over that small room - it truly smelled of a garden. Blocking off the room were dividers, like Japanese dividers only without any pictures ... then people would sign up to 'Watch For An Hour' until noon Good Friday when they would have another worship. When everyone had stepped away and the two people who were scheduled to watch for the next hour were there I stayed for a few extra minutes and really relished the whole experience. It's to bad that in America we're just so darn busy - thanks Gretchen, that you and your people allowed me to be one of you for that evening, you've certainly enriched
my Easter this year.

I have also attended the combined [First Presyb. & Frist U.M.] noon Good Friday remembrance worship with the 'good wife,' it lasted for a half-hour so that people could come over their lunch hour.

Roy & Lillie, A Love Story

2011-04-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

'Unfinished business leaves room to daydream. Theirs is the ideal love story, because it never had a chance to be anything else!'[p.265]

It's probably my favorite genre 'historical fiction.' While browsing through the library last week I came upon a new acquisition by the library, 'Roy & Lille: A Love Story' by Loren D. Estleman. I'm not one of the worlds' greatest western fans - my father certainly was - he even had my sister record westerns while he was at church, so that he could see them later! I would have spoke about the 'faith side of it' but dad would have said, 'she's not going to church anyway, so......' and he was right.

This book, thinly based on history is a fascinating book, absolutely 'no' off color words, the author takes a little known story from history, the correspondence that went on between 'Judge Roy Bean: The Law West of Pecos' and an English actress Lillie Langtry and builds a romantic novel where you continually want to hurry the story up so that Lillie can visit the town in the old west that the Judge has named for her. Finally, Lillie has become a US citizen, and rarely returns to her birth country, she buys a ticket that passes by the town named for her,[as she journeys to a farm in California that she purchased from the proceeds of a gift a suitor had given her, which is a scandal itself] and the railroad has agreed to make a special stop there so she can visit the town and meet the judge, who has a life-time free pass on the railroad. So the day comes when Lillie is riding on the train and it stops just outside Langtry..... oops, gotta go!

Let me say that the concluding chapter, the acknowledgements, is well worth reading the whole book ... matter of fact that chapter brings everything together and makes you want to rush out and get another of Estleman's novels.
ESTLEMAN, Loren D., Roy & Lillie: A Love Story, New York, N.Y., 2010
Tom Doherty Associates Publishers, A Forge Book, ISBN: 9780765322289
ENJOY

A white holy monday!

2011-04-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

I woke up seeing a blanket of snow on the ground. Though I am not a fan of snow it still seemed appropriate somehow; to begin Holy Week with a covering of snow. I remembered that on Holy Monday Jesus went into the Temple and cleaned out its corrupt money changers and animal sacrifces that were ripping off the people. For many who had only the day before proclaimed him king and really looked forward to his starting a revolution this cleaning of the Temple signaled a positive move in that direction, but they were mistaken. Just as I am when I often misinterpret God's work as focusing on me; its so easy to yield to the temptation of 'its all about me.' I too failed to learn the lesson of the cursing of the fig tree on the way to the Temple cleansing. How much alike the fig trees deceit and the crowds shallow understanding of the Jesus entrance into the Holy City.
Still I am amazed by the parade - by Jesus participation in it. It is the only recorded time in Jesus' earthly ministry that he allows others, and participates in, their calling him king. There is a uniqueness to his allowing others to proclaim him king when you think about some of those in that choir .. those who had been blind but now could see, definitely their proclamation of him as king held a much deeper definition than those who could see but were spiritually blind; or the lame who Jesus had touched and healed, perhaps they were the cheerleaders singing and dancing at the front of the parade, dancing with the same inner joy as King David dancing before the Ark of Covenant in his underwear in front of all Israel; the leper who had been ostracized from all of society and worship, then Jesus had washed away his disease, and he now rubbed shoulders with those who refused to acknowledge the spots of sin in their souls - the difference between he and them was that the leper was now clean.
So lets not generalize too much when we call the crowd fickle ... on the whole they were, but there were still those in the crowd whose praise was authentic; and perhaps Jesus was giving them a chance to freely exalt him. Then the question for me is, 'how authentic is my praise?' 'how freely do I proclaim him king?' 'where do you see me in that crowd - am I cheer leading in the front - am I secluded somewhere in the middle, hard to pick out, I don't want to be noticed - am I even in the crowd; am I standing along the road watching the parade? .....oh, and where are looking for me from??

Nursing Home Friendship

2011-04-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

This past thursday while visiting with Grandma B. she told me about a lady she had struck up a relationship with. Her pastor from the United Methodist Church had suggested she meet Ruth, who was a blind lady, but went to their church and lived at the Nursing Home also. Grandma met Ruth and they bonded; however Wed. morning Grandma had noted that the attendants had run down the hall pushing Ruth - and yes Ruth had died. Grandma said Ruth was a delightful person; she had a grandson and wife who came to see her quite often. The grandson/wife would visit at least once a week at night; and often many times during the week the wife would come in over her lunch hour and feed Ruth. But those times, which were rare, when Ruth had to feed herself she would joke to Grandma B. about 'getting more food on the outside of her stomach rather than inside it.' Grandma said she thought Ruth's last name was Slagle....and it was.

I didn't read about Ruth's death in the paper, but I did contact my cousin Denny, whose ancestry.com site is probably the largest one in our whole family. He emailed me back saying that this 'Schegel' wasn't related; however upon reading the obituary he found out she was related by her maiden name to his other side of his family. Then it I found out that 'Slagel' was the Americanization of the German name 'Schegel' which probably threw us both off. Wow, another coming together, a continuing example of two families, unaware of previous genealogy, coming together! I love it though I doubt I'll tell mom, she won't get excited about it.

Then as I was contemplating this, my former office manager, who also is our church treasurer told me there are 'Schegel's in the same county I live in .... well
this will entail more detective work I'm sure.

A Conversation with God

2011-04-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Before I make additional comments concerning this book I will share with you may review to Amazon.com

"What's that, God?"
All of us from time to time would love to hold a face-to-face conversation with God, though we've been reminded innumerable times that God's ways and thoughts are not ours, thanks to the prophet Isaiah. Yet we question and believe that God will reply in terms that are simple and easy to understand. I've said all that to say I applaud Mr. Gansky for writing this book and giving us that permission; yet after reading it I felt somewhat let down. I believe the questions are much too simple, in our complex world we want answers that speak directly to our individual situations. The book is good as a resource guide, and certainly there are plenty of scripture references to light the way. On the other hand there is a lot of theology which I suppose, to a degree, can't be avoided, though I believe a lot of it here could have. For sometimes our theological persuasions can be road blocks to true biblical understanding. My real fear about this book is that many may see it as more than a reference book and take it as a literal answer book. Having written a rather negative critique let me say that the theme of this book is a positive reminder we can come to God with any question, and probably all of us should converse with God more often and be more honest.
The opinions expressed here are all my own. I did receive a free copy of this book from the publisher through BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program; and was asked to write an honest review.
Conversation with God by Alton Gansky
Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers.

Let me go on here to say if I had had to purchase the book I probably would not have done so, but since I had agreed to and received the book free, I labored through the book. In being honest though let me say I thought that perhaps it might have been a little deeper than it was; although I could read others reviews before getting the book I don't tend to trust them that much ... oops there goes the intergrity and validity of my review; of well. I am in no way saying I didn't profit through this exercise because I did if for nothing more than being aware of my inadequacy in my conversations with God. And that is profit enough. I do hope that no one though forsakes other avenues of finding conversation with God ... through the voice of his spirit also. Well I've pretty well exhausted this subject.

Feelin' good

2011-04-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well I've completed the first major draft of my manuscript 'The Road to Remembrance' about my Sabbatical journey this past January. Truthfully I never thought I'd do it; and I've sent it to about half a dozen people to get their impressions and improvements. My uncle Will is the toughest, he has written a Western trilogy series and can be downright ornery - and I appreciate it, though I wonder if he doesn't get a little too excited about helping - just kidding uncle Will if you're reading this! Many of the stories I have already posted, so it was easy to copy them with a few minor adjustments, and some of the stories I posted just didn't fit in the manuscript. Probably the toughest section was the one acknowledging everyone who contributed in some way; even after some names from the 'good wife' I'd forgotten, I'm sure there's someone who I've forgotten and that possibility depresses me somewhat.....but hopefully between now and if this manuscript ever goes to press everyone will be thanked.

A most amazing mystery

2011-04-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Not long ago I wrote an article about my mother's family and how we had stumbled upon where they had lived .. not far from our hometown. Following that discovery I've come upon an even more amazing mystery - and quite possibly a verifiable fact. My mother and one surviving aunt [relatives by marriage - both married brothers - not by blood] grew up in the same church, while unknown to both of them each had a great, great uncle that knew each other..both uncles were from the paternal side of their families. Discovering the obituary of my mother's great, great uncle [who was a U.B. minister]there was mention of a person by the last name belonging to my aunt's paternal side of the family, and he too was a U.B. minister. Both great, great uncles had relatives in the same township....how neat to find out that unknown to both their descendants they were probably pretty good friends. Yet in the short breadth of four generations the connection was lost, or reconnected in new relationships. Any ancient connection that can be discovered enlarges our sense of roots!
So without hesitation I called my mother to alert her to this possible new development and let her know that I was searching to verify it ... and there was this short odd silence on her end, finally, 'okay??????????' and again Mom failed to be surprised or delighted. She did finally add, 'Son, if that makes you happy and fills some gaps you're looking for then that is good,' but as for myself it doesn't matter.

The Postmistress

2011-04-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is indeed a mysteriously good book. It takes place at the beginning of WWII, and the postmaster of a small town in Massachusetts is put on the spot - should she deliver a letter to a pregnant wife in town, whose doctor husband has gone to England, a letter that might upset her so much she could possibly lose their baby, or should she wait? And if she waits is that ethical, the postmistress has always taken great pride in that past that all letters got through ... what should she do now? To complicate matters a young broadcasting journalist, who has just returned from journeying through an increasingly Nazi Europe has come to the town for a much needed stay, as she too struggles with how much to tell about the coming horrors she's experienced .... these two women will come together to make one of the most crucial decisions of their life; will the town survive the news, what new roles will each of them be forced to make? This book gives us insight into an issue that faces every one of us who at sometime have information that we know could be harmful but have a duty to deliver it.
BLAKE, Sarah; 'The Postmistress,' New York, New York. Berkley Publishing Group.
2010 ISBN: 978042523869-1

Young William II

2011-04-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Family history tells us that young William II was born Apr. 11, 1866 at Nettle Lake and died in Portland, Oregon. Supposedly William managed to get enough education to become a United Brethern minister, took the train from Ohio to Oregon and there got married ............................... see a happy ending to a sad beginning! There are still some of those stories outside Hollywood.

Not so happy!

2011-04-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

The other day while researching the story about relatives at Nettle Lake, I came across this story of my great-great-grandpa Wm.H.McLain. It appears that my 3x grandpa married a widow named Hester Pew who had three kids from her prior marriage. Grandpa married her with kids of her own, and his plus together they had three more. After approx. 5-7 yrs of marriage Hester filed for divorce claiming that she had limited means and that grandpa had failed to provide her with any necessities of life, and had willingly been absent for three years. She further claimed that grandpa had remained idle but was physically capable of working. She requested and received custody of the children and reasonable alimony; and was also able to keep the 40 acres of land that had originally been hers. Grandpa was given visitation rights to see the children. It is interesting that in another acount, grandpa's other two children left at home from his first marriage were also placed outside the home..?

Now, why do I think there are some [or at least one] flies in the ointment? In grandpa's obituary he is described as a good church member and bore his burdens and illness with patience and christian fortitude, and there was a 'very large audience' for his funeral. Futhermore, sometime after he had married his second wife Hester, he gave his younger son Wm.Harvey McLain II to a German couple [who raised young Wiliam for six years; or perhaps until Hester was out of the picture?] because his wife Hester was so abusive to him. Most family genealogies that I've read don't even mention this second wife, but do however mention the mistreatment of young William.

Do you see the flies yet? A second wife, who ran a very strange household in her first marriage, with her husbands first wife and child mysteriously appearing on a census as members of their house in that marriage; and then petitioning for a divorce from grandpa in her second marriage and mistreating his youngest son by grandpa's first marriage .....
MOre later perhaps

A little corner of the world

2011-04-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

While surfing the internet this morning I came across a small town in Michigan that used to have the 'family' name before it was incorporated. It was named after its first settler, who also bore the 'family' name, and had come from New York, after being born in Pennsylvania. Coming up against a genealogical hurtle far to big for me I've enlisted the help of the 'family genealogical genius.' I hope he can find something and it would really be neat if this was a long-distance relative. I know that there was branch of my family that came to Pennsylvania from the old world, just don't know where 'they or I' fit into the larger picture - so I'm anxiously awaiting his verdict. Another neat thing about this discover is that this small village is less than a couple hours from where I live; so if it is a relative, I will look forward to a genealogical day trip - probably while the 'good wife' is working, since it won't thrill her either way.

Another note of discovery was that while researching I came across another family name who I'm sure must be related to the pioneer mentioned above because he was born in New York, and on his way to the gold fields of California passed thru the village in Michigan ...... and he had an Esquire after his name. I've kinda wanted one of those titles, don't know what they mean or how you get one, but they look sorta distinguished. The closest I've discovered I come to royalty is from my mothers side when I found out I'm related to 'brief' royalty on the English throne. Something like ..... gotta get this right, its my claim to fame! I'm related to Agnes Randolph, the 4th Countess of Moray. She is the 4th great grandmothers of wife of the
12 great grandfather of wife of 2 cousin 1x removed; now it makes my head dizzy just thinking about the possibility of sorting that out, let alone trying. I forgot to mention that Agnes nickname was 'Black Agnes' so I'd probably black out trying to sort it out... but hey, when its your claim to fame you have to flaunt it!!!!
Have a great day

A Funny Thing On The Way to The Mounds

2011-04-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was home visiting my mom. Tired of not doing much while I was there I determined mom and I were going to go somewhere. Then I remembered not far from my hometown, in the upper northern regions of our township there were some Hopewell Indian mounds near Nettle Lake.
So when I suggested going there my mother started laughing, 'we won't tell anyone we went there' she said, 'because there's nothing there!' ..... but I wasn't to be deterred. So we stopped for breakfast on the way, mom loves eating breakfast out - half order of biscuits and gravy and part of my home fried potatoes, then made our way to the mounds. They were difficult to find even following a map, but eventually we arrived there, and I'll get back to that find but first the trip there. Along the way we came across a couple of very small cemeteries and of course, following my cousin Dennys inspiration, I stopped and we walked around the smallest one. The latest internment was dated 1953, and I would say 3/4 of them you couldn't even read anymore, however I enjoyed myself and mom humored me, even pretending she was trying to read some grave-markers.
Next we came by the Nettle Lake U.B. church, I pulled just off the road into the parking lot, and looked at a cemetery across the road .... and sure enough in the very front were three grave markers with the last name McLains. Now my mother's grandma's name was McLain, so I kept that in the back of my mind to ask Grandma B later that afternoon. So we proceeded on to the mounds, finally finding them. They were on the backside of a field close to what we 'Ohinians' call a nice size creek that leads into Nettle Lake and backing up against a woods. As we got out of the car mom took her purse with her, and I asked her why she didn't just leave it in the car, she replied she didn't want it to get stolen, to which I replied [but never would have if dad had been there, he would have deemed it disrespectful, though I wasn't, he would have looked for the first chance to reprimand me; dad was extremely protective of mom; we learned early to be more afraid of her than dad - with dad you could most of the time present your case, if mom accused you you might as well hang it up, even OJ's lawyers wouldn't have helped]do you suppose, mom, they have some kind of squirrel thieves around here, or might there still be a Hopewell Indian hiding nearby? ... she laughed, though I'm not convinced she thought I was funny.
Anyway there were five small mounds there and a large plaque about the site. Mom got even with me though, and after a few minutes said, 'well this is about all the respect I think I can muster for these dirt piles,' and for good measure she added 'I think that plaque is as big as they are, what could they possibly be hiding in those little mounds of value?' .... I just shook my head; for someone who claimed there was Indian blood back in the family lineage she wasn't considering these mounds ancestral holy ground.
Going back the same way we came I saw that sign Nettle Lake that we had missed before; so in missing the sign however we got to see both ends of the lake. As we were driving home mom said the first house her and dad had ever lived in was nearby,
which brought the car to a screeching halt [after making sure no one was behind us.]
'do you mean' I asked, 'that we weren't living in town when I was born?" Of course not she replied, your dad farmed for someone from town and we lived in the country...... now she totally had my attention, and after a little more discussion I turned around and we headed for the first house I had ever lived in. On the way she also told me that she used to drive tractor and cultivate helping Dad, with me sleeping on her lap while on the tractor ..... now I have an excuse for my lousy driving - though it doesn't hold much water with the 'good wife.' But then she wasn't traumatized by trying to sleep on a tractor the first days of her life either!
We finally passed a school mom recognized and said the old homestead couldn't be far ... we never found the house, it had been demolished, but we did find parts of a couple stone walls and concrete foundations in the area where the house should have been ... further traumitized and feeling homeless [that's me of course, mom's quite content] mom said that if we went back to the corner where the school was that a mile south we should come to small stone store where she would go to get milk and bread because her and dad only went to town a couple times a month ..... and sure enough there was the stone store, only now it had been added to and made into a garage, and right next to it was the stone house where the owners lived - mom thought they had been distant relatives on her folks side. Now I really had some things to question Grandma B. about - grandma knows everything!
Finally early that afternoon, as we were visiting Grandma in the nursing home where she having a blast - no worrys, no upkeep - and even though Gram would never say it, 'totally waited on by the kids!' is great.
I asked Gram about Nettle Lake U.B. church and she didn't remember anything about any relatives worshiping there. Then I talked about the deteriorating condition of most of the homes on Nettle Lake, ..... she winked at me and said as only Gram can, 'honey, those homes were deteriorating when I was a kid!' ... then she said her oldest brother Andrew recalled that they [Andrew, Grandma, and her sister] had all been baptized in Nettle Lake - and he called it a 'mudhole.' Now I'm really getting interested - Grandma doesn't recall any involvement in Nettle Lake U.B, but she and her siblings are baptized in Nettle Lake, and believe me you've got to intentionally use Nettle Lake for a baptismal service, and there are head stones in the cemetery across the street with the family name??? ...plus there's a stone store in the area owned by distant relatives - there's a mystery here I'm going to investigate. Grandma did remember the store/house and reaffirmed mom's memory.
Well mom and I had a good laugh when it was all over ... mom said she felt like she'd been around the world, she hadn't put on that many miles in a day except to go to medical/dental appointment. I told her to start getting used to it, we're going to be a traveling pair - she did really enjoy the day, I think she just doesn't want to do all the driving. Next week I'm taking home some of my genealogical files on mom's family and we're going back to the Nettle Lake U.B. cemetery.
Well now I'm getting tired from all this writing!
ENJOY TODAY - GOD CREATED IT.

At last - good German food.

2011-03-25T05:19:00.001-07:00

Last night the 'good wife' and I ate at a new restaurant in a little town only about 15minutes from where we live. It was an entirely German restaurant; and I say entirely because all its menu items were German, they didn't have goulash or any of those other 'quasi-Germanic' foods I love so much, but that's okay. The good wife had a 'German Dip' sandwich. Sliced pork roast topped with crispy haystack onions and mustard aioli on a grilled pretzel bun served with Au Jus. Sometimes I think my good wife will eat anything related to a pretzel ... it was a very good sandwich, and she was totally blown away with the homemade Root Chips! Being much more globally minded I decided to go for the 'Tour of Germany' plate - bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, and sauerbraten. The sides dishes I chose were saurkraut [YES, YES]and a German potato pancake ... and had to bring some of the bratwurst and saurkraut home. The house salad was a great appetizer ... Mixed greens served bacon, mild bleu cheese and radishes tossed in a lemon dill vinaigrette. I wasn't going to get the lemon dill vinaigrette, but two things convinced me: the good wife said that since the restaurant's name was DILL, and everything is seasoned with dill, she would like to taste the 'dill' vinaigrette ...so there you go, I guess I really didn't need a second opinion. The second reason was because of the name. And of course even though I'm taking some food home, we had to have the dessert - Apple Strudel. My next trip back I will be having their version of my favorite sandwich in the world - Reuben!??!

The way it should be!

2011-03-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Today I went to a funeral where the family in our church had lost the grandfather ... he was the first one in the entire family to die. As I sat there during the message I thought 'this is the way its suppose to be.' No kids or grand kids dying first, but first the patriarch of the family. And that's the way I wish for it to be in my family, may I be the first to go - heaven help the family if its not me .. there will be late birthday cards and forgotten birthday gifts, missed anniversaries, lot less fewer phone calls to check on the families ... it would utter misery; and I don't say that proudly simply truthfully.

Further down the rabbit trail....

2011-03-24T05:34:00.000-07:00

This is just a short addendum to the naming article I wrote the other day. In continuing to review the material I've found that where my grandpa/grandma's generation continued to give their kids 'family' and 'biblical' names [which most often went together in their Amish-Mennonite cultures] the rate was 90%; in the following generation [my fathers] the rate dropped to under 50%; and I don't even relish thinking about my generation. I don't believe its any coincidence that a number of cultural and liberal religious factors played into those statistics. Am I proposing that we go back to the standards of yesterday - certainly not - but I do believe there are some spiritual and healthy lessons we might wish to incorporate both corporately and personally in our lives today. Only those who are foolish refuse to listen and learn from the past.
~timm

The 'NAMING' traditions

2011-03-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

While reviewing the notes from my sabbatical and writing a manuscript I came across the idea of why my aunts/uncle's were given their names, so I'm doing some research. It is interesting to say the least as I hunt down family namesakes. Of course I will never know why or who they received their names from but its interesting to see the links between them and those named like them earlier. My oldest uncle, on my father's side, has the first name of his father and the middle name of his grandpa ... how's that for passing on the names of two prior generations; my only uncle that was a minister could have been named for maternal great grandpa who was himself a preacher/bishop of some reputation in the amish-mennonite society. Then there was the possibility my next to oldest aunt was named after a cousin who lived only one day. I'm finding links from favorite, close relatives to carrying on the name of an infant who died. My own father carries the first name of his brother who lived less than a year.

Then I made a list of my father's dad and mom and all their siblings - this list gets even more interesting and more family related. On both the men's and women's side there are names that just keep popping up; and the further back I go the more often a father's name is passed down to his son, likewise with mom and daughter; sometimes three consecutive generations this will happen. That's why its so important to have accurate dates, it doesn't take long to get off on a rabbit trail ..and you can almost take that literally. Every now and then a 'new' name will pop up, but then for a couple generations it passes on to someone else almost has though making sure it won't be forgotten. The major frustration as I said before is that all of this is pure conjecture because those who have passed on the name are gone.

Regretfully I'm not named after anyone that I'm aware of. If I ever find my name[s] carried by someone else that will indeed be a 'red letter' day! Sadly my children have done a much much better job of naming their children after family members; maybe if my kids agreed I could go back and rename them??! - probably not.

Same Ole Book

2011-03-14T05:15:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday the 'good wife' took a vacation day off of work and went with me to visit and accompany my mother to two of her appointments. We had finished the first visit with her neurologist and had a couple of hours before she went to the oral surgeon so we stopped and had lunch then went to a mall across the street so mom/good wife could do some shopping.

As they went into J.C.Penny's I told them I was going to the bookstore - no surprise there - and I left with my good wife's charge sounding in my ears, 'you have enough books, don't buy any .... a futile charge which I'm sure she realized but felt she'd done her duty by reminding me there was no need to add to the unread stack of books on my bedside light table.

Keeping close watch of the time for when I was suppose to meet them to leave the mall I ended up at the $1-$3 tables .... it would be a really cheap buy if I could find a book there. Rummaging behind the first row of books I came upon an interesting book titled, 'The Lost Hours'. Something about the title drew me to read the back cover ..... and I was hooked; and there was something about the name of the author, who although I had never read any of her books seemed familiar. You
know where this is going don't ya?!

Yeepers I bought the book, and upon meeting up with me and seeing the bag the 'good wife' turned to my mother and said, 'didn't I tell you he couldn't resist.' While I waited in the dentist office I was able to read the first five chapters, so it was a good thing I had a book .... and now I was really getting into it. The next day I mentioned the book to my office manager [who is also a librarian and we often exchange books and book reviews]. As I was explaining what I'd read and how the name of the author had a strange familiarity I noted she had started smiling ... 'why are you smiling' I asked, because she said, that's the very same book you gave to me a couple months ago. You were upset because it wasn't the book you had planned on ordering from Amazon.com and when you got it you gave it to me ... then the whole story came flooding back. The author whose book I had intended to purchase was Karen Morton, this book 'Lost Hours' was by Karen White.

This is a very good book. It tells the story of a young lady, raised by her grandparents because her parents die in an accident, and the young lady - a champion
horse rider - has a fall and her horse lands on her nearly killing her. Through a family heirloom left to her she comes to realize that there is a much larger untold story about her grandma that presents a completely different picture than the gardening gracious, somewhat depressed grandma she ever knew .......... and so she goes on a search, only to find that there are others who are handicapped that are refusing to move on with their lives, just like in many ways she is. In helping them to get their lives turned around hers is also. Its a good story about how even dark family secrets can be positively instrumental in restoring life in the survivors. It would be a great bedtime story to read incrementally to a child.
'The Lost Hours.' WHITE,Karen, Harley House Books, Penguin Group. New York, N.Y.
2009 ISBN: 9780451226495

The Sacred Journey

2011-03-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

This book begins slow, like a jeweler carefully cutting a diamond into a brilliant beautiful gem. The book gains momentum almost unnoticeably, drawing you in. The author is quick to point out that 'God makes no secret of his clear bias for the wanderer'[p.2]. The story of Christianty, beginning with Abraham, is filled with wanderings both positive and negative. Scripture reinforces this concept of pilgrimage telling us we're just pilgrims passing though this world. The author reminds us there is a spiritual danger in settling, and well meaning Christians can try to force us to settle as the misguided Reformers did. But we are born journey, we're the only creatures God created to specifically go about upright; also the Reformers failed to realize that a complete Christian pilgrimage often involves 'laughing, mourning, caring, walking along roads and making love as sacramental activities'[p.20]and are not fleshly roadblocks.

Sacred journeys are also meant to have lasting spiritual benefits that don't end with reaching a certain destination, matter of fact a major difference between a Christian pilgrimage and other religions is that Christians are more concerned about the journey than the destination. The author reminds us that our attitude in beginning the journey is of utmost importance, and many take spiritual journeys today for much the same reasons as the ancient. Having just completed a sabbatical journey I found much in the book that was affirming, and through my experiences on the 'road' some of the challenges of the book I too had experienced. This book is great read and I find the author quite right when he says the journey begun never ends just because we're back home.

The Publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze.
THE SACRED JOURNEY by Charles Foster. Nashville, Tennessee. Thomas Nelson Publishers Inc. 2010

'What Did You Say?'

2011-03-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

In this afternoon's mail I received two free tickets [valued at $100 the tickets said] to hear a nationally known hearing aid expert and trained specialist .... WOW. This individual would be live [I'm certainly glad they aren't planning on propping up a corpse] and you could even hang around after the conference and get a 'personal' checkup.

Now I'm trying to figure out if this is just one of those random things or if a friend is playing a joke on me. If its just a random choosing then a lot of money is being needlessly wasted .. or is there something about once you pass the 60age mark you automatically qualify for such loving consideration?

Here are some of the FREEBIES!
~an Otoscope Inspection, it may just be wax blockage? what if its merely selective hearing, can this free inspection determine that?
~a Hearing Assessment to see what you hear and what you don't ... that not their business
~Hearing Aid Inspection, all makes and models [made by the sponsoring company of course]
~Trade-in Appraisel of your old hearing aids .... I don't have one so is there a special discount for not having to bother with disposing an old one?
~Package of Hearing Aid Batteries. One free package Per family ... sounds like the EverReady Bunny's been busy
~Free Financing - now there's an oxymoron!

If you'd like me to send all this enticing information, just leave your snail mail address and when I get around to it you just might ... is this about hearing or remembering ... excuse me, I've forgotten where I put those cards!

2011-03-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

A foot or so less than 10 yards outside my good wife's window in the corner of our house are a couple rows of pine trees ... there is about two feet between them so in the winter it makes a perfect shelter. This morning I walked into her study as I often do to see if anything outside was moving around - and nothing was, but inside those pines were 12 deer laying down - really. I had never seen that before, and they were all facing away from out house to the neighbors ... so I got my cereal and banana and went in to watch them. It seemed a little strange that all their attention was centered on our neighbor's house, so I knew something was up, but just what remained a mystery to me ... then a couple of deer got up and bravely approached my neighbors screened in porch - ever vigilant.

With the speed of light they all stood up, never losing their focus, then they took flight ... and out the back door of his screened in porch my neighbor appeared - he was refilling a huge bird feeder near the door. Then I realized the deer were eating the husks of the seeds the birds had dropped. Though this episode failed to inspire the good wife, it was a great start to my day. I have about 20 pounds of cracked corn just sitting in the garage, so tonight before I retire I will spread it
out in my footprints between the window and the pines .... and the first window I peer through in the morning will in the good wife's study.

footnote: This morning on the internet I received my first 'monthly newsletter from the Abraham Lincoln Museum' since I've become a member! Even made a special folder for it Sherm.

The 'WEDDING' book

2011-02-28T06:50:00.000-08:00

The 'WEDDING' book has arrived....this is indeed a story I get passionate about. A few weeks in a family conversation a distant cousin mentioned a name in our family ancestry that I didn't recognize. Later that day I devoted some time to searching the name on google, and much to my surprise after visiting a couple websites this notice appeared from a lady not associated with our family.

"I have been to an antique store and came across this 1940 wedding book for sale. It broke my heart to see it there, for such a treasure belongs in the home of a family member, so if you would like to inquire more about it please email me."

This was an invitation I couldn't turn down for the 'wedding' book belongs to the daughter of my great uncle/aunt on my father's side, so I immediately contacted her. She was anxious to send me the book and only asked that I pay the price she had to acquire it and the shipping from across the country, which I was more than happy to do. She even sent me a copy of one of the newspaper clippings in the book, you can imagine how that excited me. So plans were put into motion [at least in my mind]as
to how this precious treasure would be unwrapped in the presence of 'invited' family members who likewise would appreciate its ancestral roots. Well when the package arrived the desire to open it got the better of me - watch out for temptations - and
I couldn't wait, which means I'm so glad my plans had progressed no further than my gray matter.

It is a complete 'wedding' history ... with notes about where they first meet, her planning for both the wedding dress and arrangements. There are photos of the couple before, during and after the wedding ceremony and some pictures of family with them. She has even written three pages journaling their honeymoon experience.
There are lists of wedding guests and a list of gifts received .. and other little tidbits of information. The lady who rescued the book did some detective work before hand and was kind enough to send me a letter with the results.

This lady amazes me; its not the first time she has rescued family heirlooms, most often they are family bibles, and found a relative to adopt them ... its a passion with her. A couple weekends ago some friends from Chicago [incidentally where the couple was married, then later moved from]were visiting with us a small town near our home that has a lot of antique stores, and I found myself taking a lot more time searching for anything with a family name .... I'm not so sure I'm into the rescuing for unknown strangers as I am the thrill of discovery - either way I figure I win!
I've certainly won with the acquisition of the 'Wedding' book.

An old book

2011-02-25T08:15:00.000-08:00

While preparing a special wall in my office for 'family artifacts' that relate to my spiritual roots I came across an old book that my reverend uncle had. I had completely forgotten that I had it, and it went well with the subject being discussed in the Wed.nite Adult Bible Study.

It is a classic holiness book called 'Pentecostal Lights by A.M.Hills.'[I talked with a Librarian and there's a very good likely hood this may be a first edition, though it doesn't say that or that its a reprint??] First it was good to come across the book at such an appropriate time, second, it was really great to have a book printed in 1898 that was classic, and last but not least nearly every one of the 101 pages had been marked on by my uncle. There were some notes written out, but is also a lot of underlining and stars in the margins.....I guess now all I have to do is figure out the underlining [some of it is in different pencil/ink colors] and what the stars stand for, though chances are they will mostly go undetermined.

Probably my uncle never figured anyone would be reading his book, and if someone did they certainly would have little interest in his markings. All that to say this, the main reason I like read books is so that I can make notes and scribbling in them. A friend of mine this past weekend was telling me all about electronic devices[Nook] that let you read a book and make notations ... but there's something old school, and yes I believe beneficial, in doing it the old way! I feel there's that special ambiance, special smell to books as they age that draws you in; ask an old bookstore owner or customer. I have a really neat story about 'old' literature coming up in the near future .... and it goes back to 1940 and is from a cousin I never knew until last week that I had, stay tuned.

Lincoln As I Knew Him

2011-02-23T06:06:00.000-08:00

Just the other day a blogger friend held a poll about what president people thought was the greatest .... now the choices were limited to past [not modern era] presidents. I proudly cast my vote for ole Abe. ON my sabbatical I again visited the A.Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois; as far as I'm concerned it's one of the best.

When the times and circumstances of Lincoln's presidency are considered, his love for his country and the desire to keep it united is hard to equal. True not all his decisions were maybe the best, and granted there were times he stepped outside presidential powers, but what president hasn't done that for the good of the nation, or want of power?

While visiting the museum I was privileged to go thru a magnificent exhibit by Doris Kearns Goodwin's work, 'A Team of Rivals.' Though I have not read her book so my perspective is very limited, as I read the labels it slowly dawned on me that the principle reason for choosing who Lincoln chose is not the perspective through which modern politicans view it ....... but that discussion is for another blog. Let conclude with this exhibit is on until Aug.15, 2011.

Back to the book 'Lincoln As I Knew Him' ... the author, a re-known Lincoln historian has drawn from history the reflections of people from his family, his personal/political friends, co-workers, military personnel, newspaper editors, journalist and authors,and bitter foes to intimate White House officials. The many recollections come from almost every conceivable quarter and offer a varied yet comprehensive picture of the man himself, although Lincoln never wrote about himself and as the author alludes to often, a man who was publicly well-known and following his death set off a great deluge of books/memorabilia about him, but who to this day remains a private mystery. I loved the book and read that final week of my sabbatical. A neat aspect of this collective biography is that the reflections are short and it is an easy read to pick up and lay down .. although it's hard to not finish out a section at the same time.

How did this relate to my spiritual roots? Aside from a couple of stories about my ancestors having business/court relations with the young Lincoln, Abe was convinced as he alluded to several times in his writings that he was divinely destined for his course in life, and that he seriously doubted he would outlive the Civil War and if he did he would not live long .... how true that was. His faith in the rightness of his course, and his personal relationship with his Creator was an inspiration.
LINCOLN AS I KNEW HIM by Harold Holzer. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill,
North Carolina. 1999, ISBN: 9781565126817

First Book Read on Sabbatical

2011-02-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

The first book that I read on sabbatical was a historical fiction by Kristin Hannah. Althought the story line is fictional the background is historical ... it begins by taking place in the Russian town of Leningrad besieged by Hitler's Nazi forces, and takes place during the coldest months of winter. This setting is not only historical but it sets the emotional stage for the relationships in this story.

In this environment the young husband/father Sasha is taken from his family to fight in the Russian Army. The horrors and tragedy of tring to raise two children in these
circumstances is almost more than Anya, the wife/mother, can bear. The decisions she must make are heart-wrenching, but truly representative of parents in those times.

Anya is finally rescued by American forces and marries Evan who brings her to America to start her life over again. Even the blessings of freedom and the birth of two precious daughters, and an ever loving/caring husband can not wipe out remembrances of the past. It is truly a work of art in the way the author has interchanged chapters of the present and the past, synchronizing them to keep the story moving forward without a sense of getting stuck in the past as so many authors
suffer from.

The final chapters in this book are truly mind-boggling as the author ties up the two stories and brings to the forefront lessons of the importance of family roots, the importance of truly 'listening' to each other and hearing the story behind the story. I'll not reveal the ending, which I've read at least three times, but let hasten to add, you will not be disappointed. I picked this book to be the first to read on my sabbatical because of its reference to roots, and it inspired me. Hope that you will read and find the same.
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. St.Martin's Press, New York, N.Y., 2010
ISBN: 9780312663155

I'm Back

2011-02-22T05:30:00.000-08:00

Wow, I really didn't realize how long I had been gone from blogging. I truly did miss it and every time it seemed I started something came up and drew me away. During the month of January I was on Sabbatical leave, and it was a glorious time, and also a very challenging one.

Before my recall vote, which in the Nazarene church, means the church board comes together with the d.s. and determines whether or not to extend your pastorate for another four years ..... they did in my case; the d.s. informed me that he was going to ask the church to give me a two-month sabbatical since I had been here over 10yrs.
When it was offered by the board I asked if I might take a month this year and one next year and they agreed, and I said I would like to take January 2011 and 2012. Now one thing that I had to determine was what my 'goal' would be during this Jan.2011, and I chose to search for my spiritual roots on my father's side. I knew some of my genealogy on both my father and mother's side, but wanted to focus on what my spiritual roots were, and the overhwelming majority of religious persuasion came from my father's roots....and so I began.

As I researched my roots, and more and more information became available it was awesome ... and to this day new information continues to surface. My father's roots go back to the Swiss Anabaptist, through Germany and finally to France .. where under the pressures both from the 'established church and protestant reformation, and Napoleonic crusades they launched out for America. They didn't take the usual route through Ellis Island, instead they came up thru New Orleans, up the MIssissippi and then onto the Ohio River to Butler County, Ohio. To make a longer story a wee bit shorter, after settling in Butler County many of them eventually continued on to better promised farmland to Tazewell Cty, Illinois. Then around 1912 a land agent from Pioneer Ohio visited the area and sold them on the fertile grounds of northwestern Ohio, 'come back east young man!,' and my grandpa/grandma packed up family, household goods and livestock, boarded trains and returned to Ohio only on the opposite end of the state this time [Butler being in the south and Pioneer is in the north, though both are in western Ohio]..... and eventually I arrived!

But I ventured from my goal of finding spiritual influences ... since my fathers roots are grounded in anabaptism and the amish-mennonites there were many, many pastors in the family on both grandpa/grandma's sides, and even today I continue to find pastors/bishops in the family roots. I attribute this to many things, mostly the fact that even today pastors tend to associate with pastors, in my own nuclear family my son is an ordained associate/youth pastor and my oldest daughter is a pastors wife, and my middle daughter is heavily involved in church along with her husband, so there is definitely a social/cultural more to being in ministry ... also a big reason for their coming to America was for religious purposes than they didn' come seperately they came in many family groups and those groups tended to stay close together.

One of the benefits of this continuing journey is the acquisition of family artifacts and certificates of birth/marriage/death that give a certain air of authenticity that you can see and touch, which is extremely humbling. Last week I watched a show on tv that highlights movie stars and their finding their roots and it was about Rose O'Donnell and how she went to Ireland and there found the 'poorhouses' that her ancestors lived in during the potato famine until they were
fortunate enough to be picked to migrate to Canada .... and how she wept to think of the pain, suffering and horrors her family had gone thru and how fortunate she is ... that episode brought tears to my eyes as I remember the literal persecution my family went through in Europe and then the prejudices they endured even here in America ... compared to them I've been most fortunate.

Also something I've found out is that most pastors in the amish-mennonite tradition had to juggle ministry, family and farming at the same time .... full time pastors just simply rarely existed ... also pastors were drawn by lot. Now there is the pre-pentecostal example in scripture where two disciples are chosen by lot in the Upper Room, and though I have no proof, I'm fairly certain these had great influence on those early times ... and this method in itself brought on an almost overwhelming sense of responsibility, for the people themselves had chosen you to this esteemed postition and they were not slow in holding you responsible.

As time goes along I will continue to write about those experiences, for they have and they are making a definite difference in my life ... and one day it is my dream that maybe a grandchild, or great grandchild will become curious about their heritage and I will have this wonderful foundation for they to begin with ... for the journey never stops it just keeps gaining momentum one generation at a time!!

God's artistic skills

2010-09-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

While traveling to pick up a friend to take to work, I marveled again at the fall colors. I think Michigan can rival upstate N.Y, Vermont or N.Hampshire, and yes even PA in fall colors. I heard that one day before creation God was painting, and the archangel Michael stopped by to admire his work, only God wouldn't let him see his work in progress. Then one day God called all the heavenly host together and told about his bold new plan to create an earth and all the plants, animals and one man to inhabit that earth. As sort of an architects sketches before the project is started God brought out four covered murals that he had painted to give them an idea of what the 'seasons' on this earth would look like. The first one had a lot of trees with bright green leaves and new grasses growing ... then as the host was 'ouhing and ahhhhhh'ing' God unveiled the second painting. This was far more beautiful than even the first, for in this one the grasses were richer and thicker, like carpets crisscrossing the landscape, and the trees were much fuller and the colors deeper shades of green, with every hue of green included ... this one nearly took their breathe away. After some time of letting them just dwell on the second painting, with great drama God revealed the third painting, It was even superior to the second one, this one was His greatest - His masterpiece. The array of colors was so beautiful the heavenly host couldn't even comment, they just sat there, they had never seen such an other worldly display of colors ... this would be an ideal 'earthly' time in which to live, imagine dwelling in such splendor. Finally, God took away the cover on the fourth painting - this one shocked them as much as the third one had, for instead of the former divine palate of granduer there was only about two colors 'white and black' .. and some sprinklings of dull green or brown here and there, but not very much. There were different shades of white and black, often dismal gray's ..the trees had lost their leaves and in many places looked like what might be called, they couldn't imagine a word to fit until Michael suggested 'skeleton's; yet there was a strange peace even in the lack of color. What happened after that colorful masterpiece to cause you to paint the last one as you did? asked Michael. God replied, 'I guess I just needed some rest; I wanted to sit back and enjoy the beautiful autumn season.' Then I got to thinking what a great segue this sorta colorless season would make, bringing appreciation for the colors that just were[for you do know that those brilliant colors are only temporary] and with absence of all that color the final season would create anticipation for the new birth of spring. So I think these four pictures will complete the cycle of seasons I'm going to create. By the way Michael, what do you think of that cycle? which picture do you like best? do you think you'd like to spend some time down there? Michael, don't really wanting to answer the questions, and certainly not wanting to obligate himself in the future to such a puny planet, sorta smiled, shrugged his wings and disappeared.

Hard copy and old friend

2010-09-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

I got this hair-brained idea [rather weird wording seeing I'm bald] to print the articles from my first year of blogging. Since I'm not a techie geek, and barely able to blog, there's an old nagging fear of losing everything to a worm or something; plus my mom and grandma don't use the internet and I would like them to read a little of what I've recorded. My first year wasn't that big, only from May to Dec. so I copied the articles and put them in a binder. One of these weeks I'll take it home with so that they can get an idea of what my blogging is all about. On a different note; while I was home last week visiting mom we went to her lawyers office to set up an appointment to get some of her financial matters updated. The name on the Law Firm included a name I recognized from back in my high school years when I helped coach 'Pee Wee League' baseball. Asking the receptionist if recognized a nickname we used to call the lawyer she replied he still was called by it; then she said he was in his office and might have time to see me ......... that turned out to be a great experience. After introducing myself, he didn't remember me, he remembered the head coach and remembered some high school helpers; That was over 45 years ago, and we still remembered the sponsor of the team and the team color yellow. He stood out to me because he was so energetic, and such a joy to be around; yet he always seemed to have trouble getting a good hit off of the t-ball stand. Yah, he remarked, I never was able to play baseball very well; eventually in high school he gave up on playing the sport and turned to law. After we had talked for a few minutes, I think we both had enjoyed the experience ... who would have guessed?!