Archive | February, 2019

2018 Florida Road Trip Part 9

6 Feb

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

 

Day 9 Saturday 10/27/2018

 

This morning I headed southeast on U.S.-231 & I-10, to see if I could find the Whippoorwill Sportsman’s Lodge located on Lake Talquin in Quincy.  I’m not sure how I ended up on U.S.-90, but I saw a Historical Marker and stopped to see what it was all about.  As it turned out, this was at the entrance to the Blue Springs Recreational Park (closed because of hurricane damage).  The historical marker indicated that this park was, at one time, the site of the “Sylvania Plantation” built by John Milton in 1845.  The plantation was actually a small family community, consisting of the large manor house, barns, a family chapel, a school, a blacksmith shop, and living quarters for his 50 slaves.   John Milton later served as Florida’s Governor during the Civil War.

 

 

Instead of getting back on I-10, I continued east on U.S.-90 thru more hurricane devastation, and finally found the Whippoorwill Sportsman’s Lodge located in Quincy.  This turned out to be nothing like what I was expecting. If there was a lodge or club house, there in the trailer park, I didn’t see it.  So I just took a photo and was on my way.

 

 

Now I heading east on I-10, by-passing Tallahassee this time, to visit the Old Monticello Jail Museum located in Monticello.  This museum is located in the original 1893 Jefferson County jail that was in use until 1984. In addition to being a modern jail (for its time), the Sheriff’s office and his home were both designed to be part of the building.  I discovered the Old Jail is currently under restoration, so I took a photo and headed for the next museum.

 

Traveling east on I-10 again, my next stop was to visit the Treasures of Madison County Museum located in Madison. This museum is housed in the restored original 1890 W. T. Davis building, and displays artifacts, exhibits, and all kinds of memorabilia, related to the early history and development of Madison County, Florida.  The original W.T. Davis building has also served as an opera house and theater over the years.

 

 

Now I headed east on SR-6, thru the Twin Rivers Wildlife Management Area to visit the Old Jail Museum located in Jasper.  This museum is housed in the original 1893 red brick jailhouse.  The museum was built to house the sheriff and his family on the first floor, which now contains artifacts and memorabilia related to the history of the jail in the late 1800s.  Originally prisoners were housed on the second floor, and the central tower was use for hangings, the last taking place in 1916,

 

 

Taking U.S.-41 southeast several miles, I was planning to visit the Steven Foster Museum located adjacent to the Suwannee River in White Springs.  As it turned out, the museum is part of the Steven Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, which looked to me more or less like a Day Park where a family would plan an all day event.  I didn’t want to pay admission to the park and then have to take the time to find the museum.   So I took a photo and was on my way to the next museum.

 

 

Heading southeast out of White Springs on U.S.-41, I passed the Adams Country Store and just had to stop for a photo.  The store was closed, but their website Informs me that this building was built in 1865 and was restored in around 2011 using mostly building materials from other old buildings in the area  (where possible).  The “Store” is filled with every conceivable thing that you might find in a general store during the mid-1800s time period, including antique gas pumps and gas station signs.

 

 

Continuing southeast on U.S.-41, next I visited the Keystone Heights Airport in Starke to see what might be on the ramp and in the hangers.  As luck would have it, the entire airport was deserted.  So I took a couple of photos and was on my way northeast toward Jacksonville.

 

 

I gave Greta (my Garmin) the motel address for tonight, and headed northeast on U.S.-41 & I-10.  I skirted downtown Jacksonville, by taking I-295 north to find my motel, located in the Pecan Park area, near the Jacksonville International Airport. After I got checked in, I heated up my Mexican food dinner and enjoyed that delicious meal again.  Yummmm!

 

 

 

 

—–To Be Continued—–

 

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 61 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

 

Bill

 

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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Tattered Quilt

4 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

 

 

In the emergency waiting room
The black girl huddled in her quilt
As I have huddled in my guilt
The fabric thin and patched
Here a check, there a fan pattern
Stitched long ago from rags.

 

In my soul
Guilt and faith collided
And I knew that God
Shredded each prayer
Given in a hodgepodge way
And wove it into a garment of praise
For the spirit of heaviness.

Romans 8:26  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

 

 

 

 

 

Author, Poet and Artist

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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Another Sweet Memory

3 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

 

Fred and I were in Cracker Barrel recently,

 

Credit Google search and Cracker Barrel website

 

 

and I saw a mother and grandmother come in with two little girls.  The girls each had on a sweater “cape.”  And that reminded me of another cape.

 

When we lived in Wiesbaden, Germany (1967-1970), our Karen was born.  We had all the cold-weather outfits for her to wear in those cold winter days.  But along about 1969, shortly before we returned stateside, she was getting old enough to have something other than footed cover ups.  Since I liked to sew garments, I made her a cape.  It was bright red, fuzzy fabric (Trivera, I think), and I lined it with a plaid flannel.  It was nice and toasty warm for her.  I remember she had a pretty, velour-type hat, but I didn’t make it for her.  I’m not sure where she got it, but I just know I didn’t make it.  Perhaps Frau Katie made it for her.  She was talented that way.  Here is a picture of Karen in the cape and hat.

 

 

This picture was taken in our quarters at Loring AFB, Maine in 1971.  She was still wearing the cape and hat, even though she had probably out-grown them both. But she really seemed to enjoy wearing them.

But that’s not the end of the story.  A few years ago, we were with Karen and her family near Chicago, and her daughter, Katie, showed me a couple of items she had for her doll.  One was that cape.  I think I said something like, “oh, you still have this, hmmm?”  And she replied something like, “yeah, Mom gave it to me.” Her eyes popped open when I told her that I was the one who had actually MADE that cape for her mother to wear! She had no idea the significance of that cape.

I would like to think that it meant more to her after that, knowing that I had made that cape for her mother.  I do know that when I find things from my mother or grandmother, that it means a great deal more to me than it did before I knew that.

Along that line, I wrote a blog/post about the mirror that Karen and Brian have over their fireplace mantle.

 

 

Brian knew that we gave it to them, but it wasn’t until I told him that it was the mirror that was hanging over the fireplace in the house I grew up in, that it gave meaning to that mirror.  (Please see my post on June 5, 2016 – Family Treasures – Part 1)

 

My brother, Bill and myself, Albuquerque, 1952 – the mirror behind us

 

Judy and the mirror – 1956

It was part of my family history and had significance to Karen and Brian.  I just love this stuff!  There is much to be said about passing along items and treasures and stories from the past to the latest generations.  I do have to admit that much of those “treasures” may not hold significance to the younger generations until they are older.  But the items and stories are there, in any case.

All of that from seeing two little girls in capes! What a sweet memory.

JUDYJudy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.
Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.
She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins.
She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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How to Find Meaning in Life

2 Feb

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

 

Reblogged February 2, 2019

 

“I have nothing to live for,” she wrote. Her husband’s death paralyzed her with sorrow. The profound grief robbed her joy, and erased the meaning for life she once had.

Have you been there?

An event, unexpected and painful shatters your world and suddenly what once brought happiness means nothing now. What once gave you reason to get up every morning is gone.

That’s when God offers a choice: When we look in the mirror, do we see a victim or a victor?

Here’s a story to illustrate the path to a victorious life.

It’s a parable of Sadhu Sing, a Hindu convert to Christianity, who became a missionary to India. (Extracted from Reaching Beyond: How to Jump Over Hurdles and Land on Success by Lou Vickery.)

Late one afternoon, Sadhu and a monk traveled on foot through the Himalayas. It was bitter cold, and night was approaching. The monk warned Sadhu of the danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before darkness.

Just as they entered a narrow path above a steep precipice, they heard a cry for help. Down the cliff lay a man, who had fallen and hurt himself badly.

The monk looked at Sadhu and said, “Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out for himself. Let us hurry on before we, too, perish.”

But Sadhu replied: “God has sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him.”

The monk hurried on his way, while Sadhu make his way down the cliff to aid the fallen man.

The man’s leg was broken and he could not walk. Sadhu took his blanket, made a sling of it, and tied the man on his back. Then he began a body-torturing climb. By the time he reached the narrow path again, he was drenched with perspiration.

Doggedly, Sadhu made his way through the deep snow, laboring under the weight of his injured passenger. It was dark now and it was all he could do to follow the path. But he persevered.

Though faint with fatigue, and overheated with exertion, he finally saw ahead the lights of the monastery.

Then, for the first time, Sadhu stumbled and nearly fell. But not from weakness. He had stumbled over something lying on the path. Slowly he bent down to one knee and brushed the snow off the object. It was the body of the monk, frozen to death.

The body heat from Sadhu and his companion had served to keep both alive.

Years later, a disciple of Sadhu asked him, “What is life’s most important task?” To which he replied: “To come to the aid of a fellow human in distress.”

At one time or another we, too, walk on the frozen path of adversity, pain and grief, but the healing of our pain begins when we change our focus. When we look beyond our own pain. When we become aware of other’s needs. And when we dry our tears and look for ways to dry the tears others shed.

That’s why God said to love one another as ourselves. Reaching out to others sparks our own healing. Encouraging others lifts our gloom. Helping those in need makes our own purpose clear. And, finding ways to encourage others renews life’s meaning.

And because the meaning of God’s Word is indeed, His will at work, the path is defined—to live victoriously, rich with fulfillment and vibrant with the need to fill others’ needs first. That’s when it happens—the pain once so deep, turns to peace instead.

And, in the midst of a cruel world, Jesus gave the secret to that peace in the two greatest commandments: Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself(Matthew 22:35-38).

Let’s Pray

Father, help me move beyond how I feel and take me to the obedience of Your Word. Thank You for granting me wisdom to know how to restore the meaning for my life. In Jesu’s name, amen.

What path will you take to restore true meaning in your life?

Janet

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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

 

Source: https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/direction/how-to-find-meaning-in-life.html

 

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Seeking Peace-UPDATE In an Angry World

1 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

On Monday, following last week’s post, my peace was greatly disturbed. My heart boiled with anger. The object of my anger has been an ongoing thorn and their sound bites are frequently shared on television and social media.

This time i forbade my mind to entertain my usual angry tirade.  I set my mind to prayer and the most amazing prayer of love formed in my heart and mind. I can’t explain it as it simply bubbled up. The anger was gone as in locked away from my mind and heart and replaced with peace!

As the week progressed, I would occasionally “ping” my mind by saying their name…..nothing. No anger trigger, just peace. Praise God!

Yesterday I experienced a set back. Whoever created sound bites should be locked up for disturbing the peace!

 

Photo credit Pixabay

 

Love: Love that matters does not flow from me but through me from the author of love, God

Joy: I awoke this morning, not feeling the joy. I don’t have to feel it every moment,  but I do have to acknowledge that it is there, waiting on me to accept it.

Peace: Presidential elections are on the horizon. I am going to need to be claiming peace frequently.

 

 

I'm a winnerAfter my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.

My 2019 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

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