Archive by Author

The Secret to Happiness

4 Apr

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

author of Window Wonders;

 

We all harbor secrets
(facts set apart)
But I am compelled to share my secret –
It is a grateful heart.

Life presents many challenges –
We agree that this is true.
From birth to the grave circumstances change
And so does our point of view.

I am family oriented.
It was so important to me.
To raise and nurture children with love –
Became my top priority.

It took the death of my first born son
To draw my eyes to the cross.
The Lord didn’t do it to be mean –
Rather, He put meaning to my loss.

God didn’t ask us to understand him.
He only said, “trust and obey.”
I am so grateful for His promises.
He is “the truth, the light, the way.”

Footnote:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you” says the Lord.
“Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a Future and a Hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11 World English Bible

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Teodor Flonta – Author of A Luminous Future

3 Apr

Teodor is a gentle man, a loving grandfather and a wonderful author. His book, A Luminous Future is both heartwarming and historical. It is a story a two parents who wanted the best for their only child, who wanted him to know freedom. I highly recommend it.

AUTHORS PROMOTION

Interview of the week – Teodor Flonta 

Teodor Flonta

A Luminous Future: Growing up in Transylvania in the Shadow of Communism:

English Edition published in 2012

Romanian Edition published in 2013

A Luminous Future, the title of Teodor’s book, is a catchphrase which the Communist Party, the only political party allowed in Romania, used to promise the population a better life. It was a lie, shamelessly repeated day by day, as the general condition of the population was worsening from year to year, culminating with the collapse of the regime at the end of 1989. In his memoir, Teodor offers a glimpse into what life of the ordinary citizen was like and how people learned to adapt and survive the persecution and censorship of the communist regime.

When did you leave Romania and why?

First of all, Madi, I would like to thank you so much for inviting me to this interview…

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TICO Airshow 2014~Part 2

2 Apr

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Bill Lites

 

The weather was perfect, and we all enjoyed a great Airshow together. The Airmen were a little disappointed that there were no P- 39s, P-40s, or P-47s taking part, as they were some of the first fighter planes they had flown during the war. Then later, I met one of the young men (18 or 19) who will soon be going to college, aided by one of the many Tuskegee Airmen Scholarships, to study engineering or another aviation related field, and maybe even become a pilot. He reminded me so much of what the original Tuskegee Airmen must have looked like in the early days of WWII, when all they wanted, was to do their part towards helping protect America and other freedom-loving countries from foreign aggression.

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Overall, it was a great experience that I will treasure for years to come. Now as my “Two down and one to go” painting with its Tuskegee Airmen autographs hangs on my bedroom wall, it has more meaning than it ever did before. All I have to do is look at it and the memories will take me back to the day when I was in the presence of a group of special men who loved their country enough to put their lives on the line for us. Some of the airmen’s feats included; 15,000 combat sorties flown, 260 enemy aircraft destroyed, 150 Flying Crosses and Legions of Merit earned, along with more than 700 Air Medals and clusters earned by many of the 1,000 black pilots flying combat missions during WWII.

This included the Distinguished Unit Citation, which wasawarded to the 99th Fighter Squadron in July 1945 for its performance in combat over Sicily.

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However, the war was not over for the Tuskegee Airmen when they returned home to America. They had to face the many challenges of segregation that continued to rage in their own country. Then, after 60 years, in 2007, approximately 300 Tuskegee Airmen and their families were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush for their, bravery, outstanding performance and dedicated service to our country during WWII.

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Thank you Tuskegee Airmen for your service to our country.

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Frau Katie

30 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

Judy Wills

 

I’ve mentioned Frau Katie before (September 1, 2013), and how we came to love her as part of our family. She was such an important part of our lives when we lived in Wiesbaden, Germany.  I also mentioned in that blog, that she came to visit us when we lived in San Antonio, Texas.  We wrote many letters back and forth to arrange a time for her to visit. She also had some other friends in the States to visit, so she would be with us for one week, then she would move on to visit her other friends.  The time was set – May of 1973.

 

Frau Katie with Judy, Karen and Janet. Along the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

Frau Katie with Judy, Karen and Janet.
Along the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

 

Katie began asking what she could bring us from Germany – to remember our time there, as well as a remembrance from her.  I don’t remember just what I told her to bring for me – I just wanted her presence with us again.  But I distinctly remember that I flippantly told her to bring Fred “a Mercedes Benz!”

Well, she did just that!!  Isn’t it a beauty? All those moving parts…….

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Fred has had such fun with that little car, and it sits on our bedroom dresser where he/we can see it every day.  Our older grandson always enjoyed playing with it when he came to visit.  I’m sure our younger grandson will do the same. I’m not sure he’s discovered it yet.3

 

 

In spite of the fact that I didn’t really ask for anything from Katie, she brought me a lovely present anyway.  It is the 1973 Hummel plate.

 

 

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I have always enjoyed the Hummel figurines I have, but this is really special. Somewhere along the line I was told that this year’s plate (1973) had something unique about it……..but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was!

 

In any case, I have it on a easel in our dining room side board, and enjoy looking at it. And I always think of Frau Katie and her generosity when I look at it.

 

 

 

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The Secret to Success

29 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

When someone asks you the question What is the secret to success? What do you say?

When I was 11 years old and lived in my native country of Bolivia, we did a strange thing when the weather changed.

“It’s starting to rain!” someone would call out. Then all of us dashed around grabbing old pots, cans and any containers we could find. One by one, we placed them under each spot of our leaky roof.

That was a routine for us. We accepted it. And even thought it normal when electricity and water shut off right at noon.

You can read the rest of The Secret to Success: on Janet’s website: http://www.janetperezeckles.com/the-secret-to-success/#sthash.nTdW4pku.dpuf

 

His Way

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Do You Measure Up?

27 Mar

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Do you ever have the feeling in your life that you never measure up? I do.  I feel it when I realize I am trying to meet someone else’s expectations, their standard.

Early in my life, beginning around age six, I learned I was a failure. My attempts in first grade art were dismal. I couldn’t even color in the lines. As a teen I was socially awkward. My clothes were all wrong, my hair was too straight. I was shy. According to my older brother, I was the ugliest girl on the planet. As a teen, he told me that all his friends hated me.

As an adult, I began asking God, what do you want me to do, what is my purpose? The answer came, not in an earth shattering revelation, but in the form of an inexpensive Christmas gift, a Bible verse in a simple, inexpensive frame. My Ladies Sunday School teacher gave one to each of the women in the group, the verse chosen specifically for them.  Mine was: Micah 6:8

The Message version

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.

 I actually prefer the New International Version. It is shorter and speaks directly to my heart.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[prudently] with your God.

 What joy and peace this verse brings me. I don’t have to measure up to anyone else’s talents or standards! What about you, have you experienced failures because you tried to meet someone else’s expectations?

 

 

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2014 TICO Airshow~Part 1

26 Mar

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

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Several years ago, my friend Terry gave me a nice 16”x20” print of a Red Tailed P-51Mustang shooting down a German Me-109 somewhere over the Western Front during WWII. If you look close, you’ll see the painting depicts the smoking German airplane with the pilot stepping out on the wing, getting ready to bail out over the side, while the American pilot watches from a distance.  The print hangs on my bedroom wall, surrounded by many other airplane pictures, where I can enjoy them any time I want a thrill.

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“Two down and one to go” By W. S. Phillips

                                   

I had known about the Tuskegee Airmen from my study of WWII aviation history, and the movie “Red Tails” and was always impressed with the many challenges those men had to endure to become fighter pilots during the war.  I had even visited the Tuskegee Airmen Museum in Tuskegee, AL two years ago during a trip to visit my friend Terry. However, I had never imagined that I would ever have the honor to meeting any of them in person.       3  

 As part of my retirement “fun”, I volunteer as a tour guide, one day a week at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum here in Titusville, Florida. This weekend was the museum’s 2014 annual Airshow, and the theme for the show was to “Honoring the Tuskegee Airman.” The VAC museum had invited all of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen to be their guests at the three-day event, to share with the airshow attendees their many WWII experiences.  Well, this was my chance, and I didn’t hesitate for a minute.

I did the research on my print, and discovered it was painted by W. S. Phillips, and actually depicted Lt. Clarence D. “Lucky” Lester in his P-51 (which he named “Miss Pelt”) shooting down his second of three German aircraft on July 18, 1944.  Reportedly, the German Luftwaffe gave these airmen the nickname, “Schwarze Vogelmenschen,” or “Black Birdmen.”

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As many of the Tuskegee Airman as could manage were there, and what a thrill it was to be able to shake hands and talk with several real war heroes!  I took my “Two down and one to go” print and ask each of them to autograph it for me.  A couple of them remembered “Lucky” Lester, and told me how they recognized the different squadron planes, by the color of the trim tabs on the rudder and elevators. There was the 99th, the 100th, the 301st and the 302nd Fighter Squadrons. They each had their own specific color and/or numerical markings.

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—–To Be Continued—–

 

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The Music Makers~Part 2

24 Mar

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistRita and I decided to go to Panera’s for a treat. There after a lot of discussion, we finally decided to have pecan braids. The server placed our pastries on two large platters and gave us each a table knife, a fork, and a napkin. We filled our clear, plastic glasses with ice, I grabbed a handful of butter packs, we finished off the half n’ half pitcher and heard the ice crackle as the hot coffee poured over it. We took several sugar packs, and settled into a small booth. I didn’t know how to eat the pecan braid properly, so I mixed preference and the tools at hand and cut off small portions with knife and fork and buttered each one to eat with my fingers. Rita did the same. I hoped it was close to correct.

I felt as if I were back in harness as mom and then grandmother to a teenaged girl. It was fun, and Rita was having a good time too. We talked for a long time then decided to go to the bookstore.  We both love to read, and we have a lot of understanding for each other, but, she loves fantasy and I like other kinds of fiction. It felt good to just listen as she described the contents of the books there that she had read. I didn’t have to judge, criticize, or correct anything. I think what she’s reading is doing her good, because it’s as if someone truly understand her feelings and has found solutions that she might also consider.

She wanted to go in a special clothing store where her boy cousin once worked in another city. She let me know that she appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to criticize the clothes or her taste. I wasn’t there to teach such things and that was freeing for me.

Then it was time to get back for the concert. The auditorium was so full we had to climb to the tenth level. We looked for Clarisse on the overflowing stage, but finally located her on the monitor. From then on, she was the most important person on the stage to us. Apparently, she was thinking about us too. When she wasn’t singing, she shaded her eyes and looked out into the auditorium. Later I asked if she wondered where we were. She said she yes. She also said they had practiced all morning and only got to eat as much lunch as they could get down in fifteen minutes. I offered sliced oranges and small Hershey bars. Rita donated cookies, and chips, so we filled Clarisse up and we talked all the way home. By the way, the music was wonderful, especially the song they sang at the beginning and the end, “We are the Music Makers.” Oh yes, so true. Our children are our music makers in every way possible, and I pray they will always be allowed to make music and friends of their own choice as well as behave as well as we think they should.

Purple Butterfly

By DiVoran Lites

 

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Tumbling Angels and The Leaning Tower

23 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

                                                     

Judy Wills

 

I essentially grew up in one town.  Okay, I was born in Dallas, Texas, but we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when I was nearly four years old, so….  From that standpoint, my Mother was rather surprised that I “adjusted” so well to a military life.  Of course, that wasn’t what Fred and I had planned when we met and married, but God had other plans that were infinitely better than ours.  Fred did promise me that we would “see the world” when he proposed to me.  Little did we know how that would transpire.

But I have to say that I really enjoyed military life.  Except for my brother being in the U.S. Navy for a while, I really wasn’t exposed to military life until I met Fred – or more specifically, his family.

So it came as a bit of a surprise when he joined the Air Force.  They sent us to California, then to Germany – something beyond my wildest dreams.   I really loved being in both of those places.  I still have a fondness for California, but don’t think I would like to live there now.  But Germany………..WOW!  We enjoyed it so much that Fred requested – and was granted – a second tour there.

While we had many adventures in Germany, one of the last things we did was to take in the Oberammergau Passion Play.  Magnificent!  From there, we drove down to Italy.  We went to Venice:

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St. Marks Square (Piazza San Marco) with
St .Mark’s Campanile

We went to Florence

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St. Mary’s Cathedral

We went to Trieste where Fred’s family lived following World War 2.

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Miramare Castle in Trieste

He showed me the building where they had lived.

via Carducci #2 - they lived in the "mezzanine"

via Carducci #2 – they lived in the “mezzanine”

 

We went to Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower and the church and baptistry.  Amazing!

The church and the leaning tower – it REALLY leans
The Baptistry

 We had been told about a little shop in Pisa that had some unique alabaster, marble and composition pieces, so we went to shop.  Our informants were correct – the merchandise was wonderful.  We purchased two marble lampstands.  We purchased some alabaster “fruit.”  And we purchased a set of composition tumbling angels.  I just thought they were really cute, and weren’t too expensive.  We have continued to enjoy all these things throughout all those years. 

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I continue to get tickled every time I look at – or dust – those tumbling angels.  They are just cute to see, but they always remind me of that trip we took, and that little shop in Pisa where we purchased them.  It’s a great memory.

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Time to Blossom

22 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Okay, dearest friends, as of yesterday, Spring is officially here. Time to blossom.
Like flowers, God is at work—He’s offering you the drink of living water, His Words
to bring sunshine into your days, and the promise that you will blossom, grow, shine
and give off the fragrance of joy.
Happy Saturday!

Spring

His Way

Janet Perez Eckles,

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

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