Seeking Peace-State of the Union

8 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

I am pleased, thrilled actually, that I made it through the State of the Union speech without mental fireworks. Much of what we see on the news are selectively chosen sound bites to put forth the narrative of the outlet. Sound bites are deceptive and I shudder to think how sound bites of my words could be contrived to say something completely different from my intentions.

Sound bites don’t require a media outlet to feed our brains.

We do it to ourselves when we mentally replay out of context words from conversations. It seems to be easier to focus on negative words than the positive ones.

Okay, back to the SOTU speech. The things that steal my peace are usually not the words spoken but all the standing or not standing, clapping or not clapping.

 

 

 

The SOTU is supposed to be serious, not a drama show. I try to watch speeches live to avoid sound bites deception and I did watch this speech live, BUT I did not watch the screen.  I highly recommend this method!

 

Love: Love finds a way to not feed anger. (I am a work in progress. Blew it big yesterday)

Joy:  Joy is like pouring water on a fire.

Peace: Our church posted this verse on their Facebook page.

 

 

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Seeds For Me

7 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

Monday morning I was at the eye surgical center to have a laser procedure. The subject of being blind vs deaf came up as several of us awaited our turn. The consensus was that being blind would be the most devastating. i told them of my amazing friend (Janet who is our Saturday blogger) who does not allow blindness to stop her from fully living life. In the conversation I was able to talk about how strong faith in God enables one to face frightening challenges. Not a lot of witnessing but trusting seeds were planted for someone,  who didn’t know who to cling to.

Fast forward to Monday around 4pm. I was on the phone with a friend and noticed my vision in the eye that had  laser treatment was suddenly blurry.  I decided the eye just needed moisture so I put in drops. The vision was getting worse. How my thoughts ran to worry and fear! What if the doctor had botched my procedure. Eyes are not easy to fix once messed up. Then I remembered the conversation at the eye doctor. I prayed,

“Lord if I am going to lose my sight in this eye, I will trust you. If  you can lead Janet to overcome complete blindness, I know you will do the same for me.” 

It seems the seeds  I was hoping were planted at the doctor’s office, were the very ones I would need.

 

I called the surgery center and they suggested waiting until morning then they would work me in. Blurred vision was not a usual side effect of the procedure.Tuesday morning, my vision was clear. Tuesday afternoon the blurriness returned. I was worried! I have cornea transplants and was concerned the procedure may have triggered a rejection. Wednesday morning I called the doctor and was given a time to come to the office. Praise God my cornea was fine.  Not so good, my pressure was ridiculously high. My visual disturbance was the result of the elevated pressure and the doctor felt sure it was a temporary elevation and send me home with new drops.

Isn’t God the best?  Psalm 23:5 reads  He prepares a table before me. I never thought before that the table could be spread with  tools to enable me to stand firm in the presence of my enemies. Enemies like fear and worry. He leads us, He prepares us, He anoints us, and in the end we are followed by His goodness and mercy!

 

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23

 

Video highlights of Super Bowl Sunday sermon.

 

 

 

 

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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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

______________________________________

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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A Knocking Around Day

31 Jan

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

Tuesday my husband and I took a day trip. The original plan was for my husband to go alone as he was planning to visit a “toy store” that I had no interest in and he didn’t want to feel hurried if I were waiting on him.  I was happy to have a day alone to accomplish some projects of my own.

Tuesday morning he must have begun to regret his decision to go alone as he started asking me if I wanted to go with him. After some back and forth (You know what I am talking about…Do you want to go, do you want me to go…blah, blah) Finally I said “Just say what you are thinking, not what you think I want to hear.” Grrr!

Turned out he wanted me to go and didn’t want me to go. (Surprised?)  He wanted me to go because he was hoping to visit a surplus store and wasn’t sure he could find it on his own. (I KNEW there was a reason for him changing his mind. Ha!)

We hit the road, driving north with Ormond Beach as our ultimate goal.

 

 

Since he had sold this adventure as a “knocking around” kind of day, I took my camera. Unfortunately I didn’t find any photo opportunities but I kept my eyes open for interesting shopping opportunities.

 

 

In Daytona I spotted a Sears Outlet center as we drove past it.  Husband asked if I wanted to go back and of course, I said yes. That is what you do when you are knocking around. The store was very meh. But at least we had checked it out. The surplus store was a miss as it was no longer in business.

I was impressed when we arrived at his toy store. It was larger than I had imagined. It’s previous location had been rather small. I had planned to wait in the car and listen to a book but needed a bathroom break. As we walked in I spotted a sitting area with soft couches and chairs, much like major outdoor stores have. Perfect! I told him to shop to his heart’s content. I was listening to a library book that would be whisked off of my phone in 15 hours and I wanted to finish it.

As I sat there, I noted how many nice looking men came through the doors. I sent a text to my single daughter with a Gif of “It’s raining men.” My husband finished looking around sooner than I expected. He did more than look as he had a shopping bag in his hand. When we were back in the car, he couldn’t wait to show his purchase to me and I did the appropriate ooohs and aaaahs. I was glad he found what he had been looking for and at a good price.

It was a good day We had lunch at Steak n Shake. Back in the previous century when we were dating, cruising through “Steak” in your hot car was the thing. Now days we’re more into the milk shakes. Except we didn’t have half price shakes because we are now eating a low carb diet. I felt very virtuous. LOL. I’m glad I went with him. It’s nice to knock around together, just the two of us. With the visit to Steak n Shake it was almost like dating again.

 

 

 

I almost forgot, here is the video I created for this past Sunday’s message. I am in love with vintage graphics. I don’t think the photo with the cross was photoshopped. The photographer mentioned it was a long shutter and luck with positioning.

 

 

 

 

 

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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2018 Florida Road Trip Part 8

30 Jan

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

 

 

This morning I was at the National Museum of Naval Aviation there in Pensacola when the doors opened. I had been to this museum on previous trips, but knew they rotated their aircraft from time to time, and I wanted to see what they had on display at this time.  With 150+ beautifully restored aircraft dating from the early 1900s, I knew it was going to take me a while to do the whole museum.  I am constantly amazed at how this museum can get such a large number of aircraft in the space available, and the place not look crowded.  In most cases there is room between the aircraft to allow for good photos.  I would place this museum with some of the top “Must See” aviation museums in the country.

 

 

Just a short distance east of the Naval Museum, I visited the Pensacola Lighthouse & Museum located adjacent to Pensacola Bay.  This lighthouse was built in 1858 to replace the 1825 lighthouse, to give better navigation aid to ships within Pensacola Bay and outside Santa Rosa Island.  The museum displays artifacts of the history of the lighthouses that have served in this location dating from 1823 (See Wikipedia for many more interesting lighthouse details).

 

 

Now I headed another few miles east to visit Fort Barrancas located in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. This fort was built by the Spanish in 1839 directly across Pensacola Bay from Fort Pickens, on Santa Rosa Island, to protect the bay from water attack.  The fort is now part of the 860 acre Fort Barrancas Historical District, which is now actually located within the Pensacola Naval Air Station (See Wikipedia for many interesting details about the history of Fort Barrancas),

 

 

Next I headed northeast on I-110 & I-10 to visit the West Florida Railroad Museum located in Milton. This small museum is situated on the original 1882 Pensacola & Atlantic Railroad passenger depot site, that provided  L & N Railroad service to the area until 1973.  In addition to railroad memorabilia inside the depot, the museum has a restored  bridge tenders house, a section shed with motor car, and several restored pieces of rolling stock outside.

 

 

As I was heading toward my next museum, I saw a Historical Marker in the small town of Bagdad, and stopped to see what it was all about.  The marker informed me that in late 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces attacked the Confederate forces in the town of Bagdad, in what was later called the “Skirmish on the Blackwater.”  This activity took place in and around the Bagdad area, with the Union forces ultimately occupying the town and the Thompson House, shown in the photo below.

 

 

I continued northeast on I-10 & SR-4 to visit the Baker Block Museum located in the city of Baker. This museum turned out to be sort of a small indoor artifact and exhibit building next to a historic village, outside,  related to the history of early Florida panhandle living.  The village consists of a restored late 1800s post office, log cabin, corn crib, grist mill, blacksmith shop, and outhouse.

 

 

—-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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29 Jan

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

Since early January I have been compiling a list of verses that touched my heart during my morning devotions. The first one on the list has become my new favorite to start my day.

 

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul. 

PSALM 143: 8

 

 

You know how most people can tell you which band made a song popular? I can’t. I think of the band names as tags, and my mind deletes tags. It’s that way with scripture verses too.  I know the verse but no idea where it “lives.” So Monday I set a challenge for myself. Each week I will match up a verse with its tag. I am starting off simple and day one found me struggling. I hope to have a positive report next month.

 

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

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