Theft-Part 2

9 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Here’s another stupid crook story:

Soon after we moved to Florida, we joined the church where we worship now.  And not only that, but soon after that (six months after, actually), I became the church secretary.

The following year, we called a new Minister of Music to our church.

Rick

He had been with us for a few years when, one day I went from my office over to the Sanctuary for something.  In the process of looking around the Sanctuary, I noticed that all of our sound equipment was gone from the sound booth. My assumption was that Rick had sent it out for repair or something.

The new sound booth

I went back to my office and just carried on with my work.  Later in the day, I mentioned something to Rick about the sound equipment, and he looked at me like I had two heads.  So we tromped over to the Sanctuary and again, he stood there with his mouth agape at the sight.  He had no idea what had happened.

All this happened while our church was having it’s “Mom’s Day Out.”  Mom’s would leave their children for a few hours, so they could have some “me time” and know their children were in a safe place.  There was coming-and-going all that morning.  No one saw anything.

You must understand – those were the days when the church buildings were left unlocked, in case someone needed or wanted to go in for some quiet time with the Lord.

Well, as you might think, Rick called the police and was assigned a detective to the case.  Rick also called the company where most of the equipment had been purchased, to get some kind of value on it, for our insurance purposes. We had the serial numbers from all the equipment.  The owner told him, “I think I have your equipment here.  A man brought it in to sell it to me.”  In order to do that, they took a photocopy of his driver’s license and he had to leave a thumb print!

Credit Google Search and WeLoveSolo/Mark Vector Graphic

Stupid crook, hmmm?

Not too many days later, I answered the church phone to a man who literally whispered to me – “The guy who stole your church’s sound equipment is here right now wanting to sell more to me.”  I asked him if he could keep the guy there while we called the police.  He agreed.  We did so, and they were able to arrest him.  He had robbed another church of its sound equipment, and was intending to sell it for cash.

Really stupid crook!

When he went to trial for the theft of our equipment, his only comment was: “Well, the doors were unlocked.”

I was appalled!  So just because the doors were unlocked, that gave him permission to steal from the church?  As I told Rick – no one ever went into the Sanctuary without checking with the church office first!  Even if they were going there to spend time with the Lord and pray – they ALWAYS checked in with the church office first.  

Well, this hasn’t been such a happy post, but it is a memory that affected me.  Unfortunately, since that time, the Sanctuary is ALWAYS locked.  People are still able to go into the Sanctuary for quiet time, but the church secretary or one of the pastors escorts them over and unlocks the door for them.  All the doors have panic bars on the inside, so they can leave whenever they want – but they have to be unlocked with a key to get in.

Such a pity that our world has come to this.

 
 
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.

One thing you need to remove in order to live with confidence

8 Jun

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

   

  Sometime ago, a reader wrote: Dear Janet, I am so very grateful for having known about your site. Indeed, I would like to know what gives you confidence through each day. Thank you. –Rhoda My response: Dear Rhoda, Thanks for that interesting question. I’ve been asked all kinds of questions from How do you put on your make-up? to How do you write books? But no one has ever asked me what gives me confidence.

Let me tell you a story.

A few years ago, I was in California attending a writer’s conference. A friend jokingly asked, “Do you want to drive my car?” “Yes,” I said with a daring look. “Are you sure?” “No,” I said, “The question is are YOU sure you want me to drive your car?” She chuckled. “Why not?”

“Okay, here we go.”

Using my fingertips, I felt my way to the driver’s side and opened the door. With a few attempts, I found the ignition, inserted the key, started the engine, and changed gears. Her job was to give me verbal instructions. Not having any sight at all, driving a car had remained but a dream. So, there I was, a bit nervous, but with a grin I couldn’t hide. I gripped the steering wheel, pretending to be in control, I listened to my friend. “Keep it straight now, a little to the left, now to the right just a bit, not much.” A tad risky, I admit. But oh, what fun! The reason I was able to drive her car was because she was with me seated to my right on the passenger’s seat. She became my eyes. I trusted in her ability to direct me, to tell me what to do, when to turn and when to slow down.

The road of life is the same.

We’re blind to what’s next. We can’t see tomorrow or what’s around the corner or what the future holds. The uncertainty sparks worry. And worry brings on restlessness. And restlessness produces anxiety. Before we know it, we sit at the doctor’s offices learning we have ulcers. King David probably had them too. And driving the vehicle of pride, he followed his own whims, desires and cravings. The not-so-pleasant details are related in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. In his feeble kind of wisdom he made crazy decisions. He failed. He sinned and brought heartache for all. Sometimes we do the same. Like David we settled in the vehicle of pride, press the accelerator, zoom ahead only to find the cliff of disappointment. And once broken we shake our head, look at the mess and wonder what happened. But although David made a mess too, he saw the sign, “Humility, next stop.” He pulled over. He shed that destructive pride.

David came to his knees, asking God for forgiveness. The Lord did.

Once forgiven, David welcomed a new kind of confidence and declared: “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:7-8). He was confident because he trusted, not in his feelings and desires anymore, but in God’s power. He was confident not because he could take charge but because he let God direct his life. If you’re reading this, you’re probably sighted. But, God, who knows what you don’t see, offers to sit by your side, infusing confidence for the road of life. To fill you with reassurance as you take sharp corners of heartache. To give you the wisdom to avoid cliffs of destruction and to whisper the reassurance to overcome barriers.

Let’s Pray

Father, may all traces of pride be erased from my heart, from my thoughts and my approach to life. I welcome the true confidence found In You and in Your direction. In Jesus name. What do you have to remove in order to live confidently? Janet ______________________________________ 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.  
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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The Mixer Trick

6 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

We have family coming to visit today. I am looking forward to their arrival and have been making mental meal plans. Yesterday I put a Boston Butt in the crock pot and today I will make Eastern North Carolina pulled pork, along with cole slaw and some red skin potatoes. We won’t be able to eat the potatoes since we are eating low carb, but I will enjoy fixing them. For dessert I made a strawberry cream pie drizzled with chocolate ganache. We can eat that!

I’m not a gifted drizzler.

Once the pork was fork tender, I let it cool then placed it in the bowl of my stand mixer. In less than 2 minutes the pork was shredded. How amazed my mom would have been at the ease of shredding the meat!

In her final years, my mom spent a good bit of time at our home recovering from hospital stays due to her COPD. She would sit at the kitchen table as I cooked our evening meal and we would talk about all kinds of things. Growing up with 11 brothers and sisters, she had a lot of stories to tell.

Often during these visits we would make barbecue together. I would place the cooked Boston Butt between us on the table and we would each cut off a chunk and begin to cut it into smallish cubes. Alone, it was a tedious task but working together the time flew by. Sweet memories. Memories we wouldn’t have made if I had known about the mixer trick.

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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Humbled and Encouraged

5 Jun

Reblogged June 5, 2019 from Rebekah Lyn Books

I am humbled and encouraged when I see the way God works in my life. 

My last book, Destiny’s Call, launched without much fanfare and has limped along at an unsatisfying pace. For a variety of reasons I haven’t put forth much effort to market this new venture, so I’m not complaining about the slow progress, but I had been feeling rather discouraged. Then, a few weeks ago, a friend mentioned a new christian bookstore had opened in town. I immediately went to check it out.

It’s a lovely shop, but I was surprised when I first walked in and didn’t see any books. There were unique children’s games, collectible figurines, and a variety of other gifts. Along a back wall there was a large variety of Bibles and then in one corner was a bookshelf with a dozen or so books. 

It was the middle of the day and not very busy so the owner, Nadia, started talking to me, telling me they’d only been open about a week and sharing some of the plans she and her husband, Sam have for the store. Nadia has an infectious energy that draws people in. She mentioned she wants to work with local vendors so the shop will have unique items rather than things that can be found in any box store. 

I felt so comfortable talking to her that I, without a single hesitation or gulp of fear, asked if she was interested in working with local authors. She emphatically agreed that she was and I took a few minutes to tell her a bit about myself. When she asked if I would mind leaving her a copy of one of my books for her to look at, I was thrilled to tell her I had some in the car and I would run get one for her. 

Of course I gave her Undaunted, since it is a local story. Nadia and her husband, are still relatively new to town, and Jessie Cole’s story is a great way to learn about the history of the community. 

Within 48 hours, Nadia had emailed me to say she would be very interested in working with me. We quickly set up a plan and my books now appear on her shelves alongside several other local authors. 

As soon as I walked out of the store that first day, before we even had an agreement, I felt God at work. Energy filled my heart and the discouragement that had weighted me down for months lightened. 

Having made a connection with a couple who have a bold love of God and a desire to serve our community encourages me that a spirit of service and fellowship will fill our streets, our businesses, our churches, and our homes. I feel like God has big plans in store for Nadia and Sam and I am honored that my books may be a part of that journey for them. 

If you live in Titusville or you come to see a launch, be sure to stop in and say hello to Nadia (and Sam if he’s there) at New Beginnings Christian Bookstore in the Titusville Mall on US 1. 

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Meow;Hello

3 Jun

My Take

Thea’s Post 

Scribe- DiVoran

I have been asking Ma when I could tell my stories again. One of her friends even asked about Meow-Me! Finally, she is finished with all that baby book nonsense and can focus on Meow-Me.

I’ll start by telling you about the room we are in right now. Sometimes Ma calls it the office, sometimes the scriptorium, and sometimes the sanctuary because she does her quiet time here in the winter. In summer, we get to go out on the porch early in the morning when the Sand Hill Cranes fly over honking their horns. 

Sand Hill Cranes  Pixabay

I like pillows and chairs, and blankets, and rugs. I liked the taste and texture of Ma’s birch-cloth sheets, but every time she catches Me pulling at them with my teeth she yells. “No!” I must say she did a good job patching them. She likes them more than any sheets she’s ever had because they are pale green and soft. Now they contain perfect memories of Meow-Me forever. I realize that she likes me a lot better than she does those ole sheets.

A while back I decided to spend all night on the porch watching the action and listening to the night sounds. Several of the noises were scary, but the worst one went like this: whoo-whoo-whoo. Ma tried to assure me that it was only a night-bird, but something told me it was not safe to connect with it. Nothing can get me when I am safe on the porch. 

Ma has an office chair and sometimes she rolls it over to another chair so she can pet me. I refuse to get in her lap, and I still don’t like to be picked up so this works.

None of the chairs in our house are big enough for both of us and neither is her lap. 

In the evening we have snacks. I like my Greenies. They are supposed to clean my teeth. Ma throws one at the wall and when I hear it hit I run to find it while she is hiding the rest in the folds of the red blanket. 

Two of my playmates are called rugs.They are thick and stiff but pretty and can survive a whipping with my back claws. 

I hear talk of cutting claws again. One of them holds me while the other snips. I try to get away, but I am no match for giants. I think they are cutting them because of a few small holes in the porch screen. Really, all she has to do is to fix the holes with packing tape.

It’s good to finally to talk to you again. Thank you for reading. Here’s a nice big purr for you PUURRR. I’ll be back. 

Meow, Me 

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.”

Theft

2 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Have you ever been the victim of theft?  Large or small?  Of course, when you are the victim, even a “small” theft feels large, doesn’t it?

For instance, when we were in Wiesbaden, Germany (1967-1970), I received a letter from my mother, telling me that, while she was away from the house during a weekend retreat, someone had broken into her house and robbed her.

Our house in 1946, my brother, Bill, and me

My first reaction was absolute FEAR – for her.  My dad had died some time before, and she was a woman living alone in the house I grew up in.  But then that fear subsided – since I was so far away and there was nothing I could do about it.  (Nothing of what was stolen was ever recovered)  They took a shotgun that was my dad’s and was supposed to be given to my brother.  They riffled through her jewelry and only took her diamond earrings.  Of all things, they took the old striking wall clock off the wall in the hallway.  There was nothing of real value in that clock.

1952 – the family together – the wall clock behind Bill

After I got over the fear, my next response – and still is to this day – was anger.  NO ONE – and I repeat that – NO ONE has the right to go into my house and take what is not theirs!!  What we had worked for all our lives up to that point.  I was furious!  Again, I’ve tried to not let it rule my life, as there is and was nothing I could about it.

I think that, not only does it anger me that someone went into mom’s house, but the thought of “someone” unknown to me would riffle through my things – touch my things – just gives me the creeps.  

And that brings to mind a memory I have of our early days in Albuquerque.  Those were the days when we left our house unlocked. Innocent days.  We came home from church one Sunday and discovered that someone had been in the house.  Anything stolen?  I don’t remember that, just that there were signs that someone had been in there.  We had new neighbors next door.  We couldn’t accuse them of doing it, but it made us aware that we must keep our house locked up.  Innocence lost.

When we lived in Virginia, we attended the church that was in our little community. Across the parking lot from the main building was the parsonage.  At that particular time, our Minister of Music was living in the parsonage.  Fred and I went to the church one morning for something or other. 

Credit Google Search

We noticed that his small pickup truck was parked in the driveway, but that the bed of the truck was missing.  My thought was that he was having some repair work done.  We did whatever we had gone there to do, and in the course of our conversation, I mentioned something about his truck “missing” something.  He looked at me funny, then asked me what I was talking about.  When I told him, he made a bee-line out to his house – and stood there, mouth agape, looking at his truck.  Apparently he hadn’t even noticed the truck as he walked to the church proper that morning. Also apparently, during the night, the thief had cut the fuel line and whatever connections needed to keep the bed attached, and just took the bed off the truck and with him.  License tag and all.

But that’s not the end of the story.  As he was driving down the interstate one day, he actually saw the bed of his truck driving ahead of him – attached to another truck – license tag and all.  Fortunately, he had a cell phone and called the detective in charge of his case and told him about it.  The police were able to stop the thief.  His explanation was that he just needed a new bed for his truck, and knew where he could get one without having to buy it.  Unbelievable.  I think that falls in the category of stupid crook, don’t you?

~~~~~~~~~~More stupid crook stories next time~~~~~~~~~

 
 
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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Seeking Peace-In Thankfulness

31 May

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

We spent the past week unpacking and organizing after our migration to our beloved Western North Carolina from Florida. I describe our move as migration because like sparrows and Painted Buntings, we move between the same locals each year. More deep cleaning than deep thinking going on.

As I sat on our back porch this morning and read through the day’s devotional, I focused on choosing overflowing thankfulness. Thankful for what I have and thankful for what I don’t have, and trusting in God’s promises.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. COLOSSIANS 2:6–7

Love God’s unfailing love and mercy centers my emotions.

Joy When I choose joy, thankfulness will overflow.

Peace As my heart and mind embrace thankfulness, peace replaces agitation and fear.

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Be Made New

29 May

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

  • Ephesians 4:22-24 New International Version (NIV)

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

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Baby Book Four

27 May

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Story by Dora Bedell Bowers

DiVoran talks very well now and she is still just as friendly with people as ever. She sucks her thumb (yet & still). She weighs 26 ½ pounds. She has a black kitten which we call, “Little Devil.” We have a grass yard here so she is able to get outside in good weather. Everyone compliments her on her lovely curls, which are now blond. Grandmother Bowers sometimes forms them into a head full of long curls. Our child is sweet and everyone loves her. May that always be true.

January 1, 1944

Dear little book,

It has been a long time since I have written.  We are living in Crowley, Colorado now. Ivan works on the machinery in a tomato factory, and my paid job is to cook the noon meal for six workers every day.  Sister is five years old now. I call her that because she has a two-year-old baby brother. His name is David.  He is just learning to talk and can’t say her real name so he calls her Doo-Doo. We still have our cat. He is big and very mean at times, but he’s beautiful and shiny, and we love him in spite of his disposition. 

David and DiVoran about 1943   DiVoran’s Vintage Photos

We have a goat for milk, and she has a kid. DiVoran loves warm goat’s milk. The doctor recommended it. It’s very good for her. We have chickens and a rooster. When we go over to the factory to visit Daddy, we walk in a line. I carry David piggyback, then comes DiVoran, Boots the Irish Setter, Mama-goat, baby goat, and Chanticleer the rooster. I’m always surprised when the baby goat prances over the window glass that protects the young tomato plants. He never breaks a one.  

Sister can help out a great deal now. She sets the table and takes the scraps to the chickens. She looks after Dave very well for her age. I take them to Sunday School. DiVoran still has curly hair but so hates to have it combed. She says she is going to let it grow until she can walk on it. She has decided to marry the neighbor’s boy Lloyd Osbourne. 

Sister doesn’t care for dolls. She loves books, though, and she likes to color. She reads to Dave when she can get him to sit still long enough to listen. Sister has a persistent cold which I hope we can overcome. Her eyes are hazel now; her hair is darker too. Her feet were somewhat curved when she was born. I tried to massage them and help them to be straight, but I didn’t succeed. Sister likes the radio, and she loves to dance. I suppose she picked that up from me. Daddy Ivan will be examined soon for the army unless his boss, Mr. Picketto gets a deferment for him. Don’t misunderstand, he’s ready and willing to fight for his country, but the boss needs him at the tomato factory to keep the machinery running. I’ll close now with a prayer that I may be a good mother through the coming years. 

The End 

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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Remembering the Wahoo

27 May

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

My Uncle Howell’s submarine, the Wahoo went missing during WWII. It wasn’t until years later the submarine remains were found. By then, all of his family had passed away without having closure. I remember and honor him and all of those who lost their lives on the Wahoo during the grueling battle.

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