On the Porch
Onisha Ellis
Did you notice the word yet? It caught my attention for sure.
Here Kitty Kitty, Episode Four
3 SepMy Take
DiVoran Lites
Photos by DiVoran Lites
When we brought Thea home from the SPCA, she was hyper-alert to her new surroundings. It didn’t take her long to hide, but I thought I knew all the cat hiding places. Finally,I found her in a dining room chair fast asleep. She didn’t come out for about five hours. I figured that having been a recent mother caring for kittens, and being in an entirely new place before we got her she was exhausted. For several days she had no desire to eat, drink, or do any of the things eating and drinking are connected with. I worried as if I were the new mother, not her.
The next task for Thea was to taste a biteof every house plant we had on the back porch shelf. Before she got to a raggedy old poinsettia however, I threw it into the yard trash barrel. Then I cut back the pothos that grew down to the porch floor and started up the French door, because I thought it might be poisonous. I’d never had a cat that was interested in vegetation before, but my neighbor who once hada hobby of taking in stray cats told me I could provide Thea clover if I had any growing. I did and I moved it onto the porch. By now she has her own leaf garden which consistsof clover, catnip, and cat grass.
We’re teaching her to stay off the kitchen counter by crackling a piece of aluminum. I wouldn’t care if she got on the bathroomcounter or even on the porch table (if we weren’t dining outside). I’m not sure she was actually in a home before even though she is two years old.
I got down on the floor to pet her, but when I looked around, she had sprung into my chair. I laughingly told Bill about it, then I looked at her and her expression was so clear. Did I do something wrong?She’s as polite as she can be and she’s trying to please.
That has worked. I bought her a new scratch pad and started getting down and rubbing my own fingernails on it. My nails became quite smooth, and soon Thea picked up the habit. We bought her a cat tree and she can scratch there.
Bill’s sister, Judy, and her husband, Fred came for a visit on Sunday evening. Thea rubbed their feet, then got on the couch with firstone and then the other to purr and be petted. She included Bill and methen came around the circle tending to each of it a secondand third time. She worked so hard at being a good hostessshe had to take a little nap between the second and third time. She is gaining strength and energy every day, but she is still a champion sleeper and a sweet loving member of the family.
At first, Thea resisted being picked up, but I do love to carry a warm, relaxed creature in my arms, so I picked her up at various times and let her down almost immediately. Eventually, she enjoyed the things she could see from an aerialview.
Angel Wings
We’re settling in. Two more visitors came and each one fell in love with her. I’m sure it’s true that people live longer when they have a pet to care for. Thea has already become happily energizing, and inspirational to us.
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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Fred Remembers~Part 2
2 SepSUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
I remember walking along the boardwalks in Atlantic City and Ocean City, especially Ocean City. I remember getting some salt-water taffy there.
[Charles’ note: In August of 1937, after my second year in seminary, I was offered a call to become the minister of a small church in Columbus, New Jersey (Columbus Baptist Church), a few miles southwest of the capital, Trenton. The small town was located in a prosperous dairy region.]
Columbus Baptist Church
[Judy’s note: Charles enlisted in the U.S. Army in the Fall of 1941, as a Chaplain. Fred was already a part of their little family by this time.]
[Charles’ note: In December of 1942, I got the itch to get into the war, so I volunteered. I was accepted, and by the end of the year had secret orders sending me to North Africa. Volunteering is not recommended. I did that twice and somehow it seems to have fitted in with God’s plans for me.]
[Judy’s note: Charles was wounded in 1943, and carried a piece of shrapnel near his heart until the day he died in 2009. Following the war, the family moved quite a bit to different postings. In 1947, the family moved to Italy. In 1949 Charles transferred to the U.S. Air Force, as one of its 186 Chaplains, where he stayed throughout the remainder of his military career.]
Fred again: In 1943, when Emily was born, we were living in Collingswood, New Jersey.
Kitty and Emily
I remember Dad telling me that in the early-to-mid-1940’s, he had purchased a 1941 Chevy sedan, which we had, I think, until he left for Italy in 1946.
Charles and Fred
I remember that, at one of the forts where we lived, we actually, for a length of time, lived on the fort, on a street which was just across the street from the large parade ground, and that’s where I would see the troops out there marching around.
I remember that at night I used to go out with a slingshot and would try to shoot bats that were flying around among the trees which were just outside our front door. I always missed.
Sometime in 1946, we moved again, out to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, and I remember Mom saying many times that the people there were not very friendly to military people, who were also known as transients. I remember her saying she would be pushing the baby carriage with the twins down the road, with Emily and I in tow, and people wouldn’t even get out of her way. She would have to go into the street or into the grass to get around people, and they were just generally not very friendly people there.
Charles and Fred – Fort Leonard Wood, MO
I also remember I was in the school there. I remember them trotting out the little pads – we had to take a nap there every day – I think one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~
Judy 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 yearsJudy 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 BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE
31 AugFrom the Heart
Louise Gibson
When was the last time you looked up?
I mean “REALLY looked up”?
As I stand on earth and set my sights on high,
I marvel at God’s handiwork-
the Mystery of the sky.
When I look up as far as the eye can see-
There is evidence of God’s planning-
How beautiful Heaven must be!
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Conquering Perception
30 AugOn the Porch
Onisha Ellis
Stepping on the weight scales can be daunting. I can identify with the anxiety some feel after avoiding the dreaded scales for weeks on end. We step on and inwardly shudder whether it is a one pound gain or 5. How could this happen?
Source India Times Health Tips
Lately I have been on the downside of the scales and I have noticed something odd. A year ago, the digital numbers would have made me cringe in despair but since I am losing, I step off the scales with a smile of satisfaction. Mind you, it is the same weight that sent me into a faint a year ago. But now, my clothes fit looser and I can imagine myself moving down a size.
I have decided the key to this oddity is my perception of how my clothes fit. You see, we have been in counseling and learning about how perception affects our mental narrative. When my weight is going up, clothes remind me every day of my failure. BUT when my weight is going down, the loose fitting clothes confirm my success. My solution? In the future I will buy clothes at least one size larger. It’s all about perception!
Photo by Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash
After 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.
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Memory Lane Road Trip~Part 9
29 AugA Slice of Life
Bill Lites
Day 9 – Wednesday 4/25/2018
After another great breakfast, in the breakfast room, with my cousins George, Gerry, and Delois, I said my “Goodbyes” to them and headed northeast to start my day by visiting the Cavanaugh Flight Museum located in Addison, TX. This museum has four hangers full of beautifully restored aircraft dating from WWI, and most of them fly. It is very unusual to find a museum that takes such good care of their aircraft. As a plus, the museum has several aircraft that you can get a ride in, if you have the money. I was told that when not on tour, “FIFI” one of only two flying B-29’s in the world, is maintained there at the Addison Airport.
Next I headed a few miles east to visit the North Texas Auto Museum located in Richardson, TX. When I got there, the door was locked and I saw a guy walking around inside so I stood outside, knocking, until he came and opened the door. I told him I was there to see the museum’s cars. He said the facility had been converted into an indoor go-cart race track, and that the museum’s car collection was only available to be seen during special events, being held there at their “Wedding & Event Center.” You will have to read the reviews on their website to get the whole story.
Now I headed a few miles north to visit the Interurban Railway Museum located in Plano, TX. This museum turned out to be in a restored 1901 electric railway car that wasn’t open yet. I read up on the Texas Electric Railway, on a Historical Marker there at the site, and learned that the railway system was established in 1917. This provided local rail service to the growing rural communities around the Dallas area. The rail service continued to serve the outlying rural businesses and commuters until the end of 1948.
While I was in Plano, I checked out the Auto Source of Texas, only to find out it wasn’t the auto museum I thought it was, but a used car dealer with borderline Internet advertising. So I headed north on US-75 to Melissa, TX where I picked up SR-121, northeast thru Westminster and Trenton to Bonham, where I turned east on US-82. I followed US-82 east all the way to Petty, Texas where I started looking for Brookston. I had two addresses for the Flying Tigers Airport (abandoned), one in Brookston, TX and one in Paris, TX. Greta and I checked out both addresses, but didn’t find any remnants of an airport at either address. So I just kept going northeast on US-82 to visit the Fort Smith Trolley Museum located in Fort Smith, AR. This small museum gives rides on a 1926 Heritage Streetcar (Trolley) on their ¾ mile long track. The museum also has three early 1900s streetcars, three steam locomotives, and several other pieces of rolling stock in various stages of restoration.
Next I drove into downtown Fort Smith to visit the U.S. Marshals Museum. This small museum displays memorabilia and artifacts, that tells the story of, and honors, the U.S. Marshals Service from its inception, with the Judiciary Act of 1789 to the present.
Just a few miles southeast of downtown, I visited the Fort Smith Air Museum. Greta took me to the Fort Smith Reginal Airport, but I couldn’t see a museum. I circled the area twice, and finally stopped and went in to ask someone about the museum, and was told it was right there inside the terminal. The museum turned out to be artifacts and memorabilia housed in several Plexiglas display cases, to honor pioneer and military airmen from the Fort Smith area.
It was getting late, so I asked Greta to take me to the motel. She took me across the Arkansas River, just a few miles outside of Fort Smith, to the motel located in Van Buran, AR. After I got checked in, I warmed up my leftover Jambo’s BBQ Ribs again. I always love a good BBQ Rib plate after a long day on the road. Don’t you?
—–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.
One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is: John 10:10
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Change
28 AugOn the Porch
Onisha Ellis
From The Butterfly School “Butterflies and moths go through a life cycle known as complete metamorphosis.”
Just as butterflies must experience metamorphosis to achieve their beautiful, best self, so must we be willing to experience our own metamorphosis to achieve our beautiful and best self.
If only “change me, Lord were my first heart’s cry, I believe I would see others with a clearer, more loving eye.
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The Beginning
27 AugSUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
I would like to preface this post by saying that I am going to do a series of posts written by my husband, Fred. He has had a most interesting life. At one time, a few years ago, we sat down and he dictated his thoughts and memories, and I typed them up. Some of them are in a bit of a random order. I have pictures to go along with a lot of it.
I must also tell my readers that, at one time I asked Fred’s mother if they had pictures of all their life adventures. She informed me that there were none. Big disappointment! However, on another visit to their house, I was snooping around and found….four full albums of family pictures!! Surprise!! I brought those four albums home with me and scanned them all into the computer.
At one time, I asked Fred’s parents to write their memories. Fred’s dad put up quite a resistance, insisting that “in five generations you have a million people!” But I finally got them to understand that I only wanted THEIR memories – not all those millions! What came of that was a wonderful “Memories” book. I made copies for all of their four children and nine grandchildren.
Charles and Kitty Wills – Fred’s parents
All that to say, that Fred’s story needs to be told, and here it is. I will also be inserting comments that I know about this family, as well as some of the tidbits that Charles wrote in the Memories book. Enjoy!
FRED REMEMBERS
I remember being at Grandma Wills’ home in Ocean View, New Jersey. She had a big yard with a gazebo, and evergreen shrubs were around the gazebo. The back yard was about 100’ out – a large field.
The gazebo
I remember there were lots of potato plants, and I remember picking bugs off the potato plants.
I remember she had a big kitchen. I remember sitting at the table, snapping and stringing green beans.
Near the barn was the outhouse – it had 3-holes – the middle one was small, for the children.
I remember the barn – the left side was a single-car garage-type, with boats, duck decoys, and a work bench. The other side had a 2nd floor loft for storage.
I remember visiting Uncle Melvin’s home. [Judy’s NOTE: Fred’s dad was the middle child of five – three boys and two girls] It was down the street and the other side of the street from Grandma’s. It was two-story, with a porch in front, and was newer than Grandma’s. Behind the house was a big field with HUGE, sweet blueberries.
I remember that north of town there was a pond. Dad (Charles) said he and his brothers and sisters used to swim in it. In winter, it would freeze over, and they would ice skate on the pond.
Melvin ice skating
I remember a one-room schoolhouse, a general store, and a gas station. I remember my First Grade in Ocean View. It was in the same one-room schoolhouse where Dad went, and I had the same teacher Dad had for HIS First Grade. There were six grades with one teacher when I went to school there. There were eight grades when Dad attended.
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~
Judy 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 yearsJudy 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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Here, Kitty, Kitty~Episode Three
26 AugMy Take
DiVoran Lites
Photo credit Bill Lites
Things change quickly at the SPCA Adoption Center in Titusville, Florida. On Friday afternoon around four o’clock, I had a strong urge to drive over and see what was going on. The center is only two miles from where we live, so the ride was quick. We opened the front door to a packed lobby, and an associate told us it was rush hour. At this time people brought in fostered kittens and sometimes their mothers for adoption. It was also the time that a lot of people stopped by after work before the weekend.
Right away, we met a volunteer named Joe who knew where to take us. He seemed a gentle soul, though a bit shy. He obviously loved animals, and I’m guessing he especially loved cats. We now wanted a cat between one and five years old. Knowing I had my dream cat in mind, Bill left the choice to me.
Joe took us into a room and allowed me to open a cage containing a black and white cat. She seemed shy but sweet. When I stopped petting her she retreated to the back of the cage leaving me with the feeling that she didn’t expect to be taken home-ever. I felt terrible about leaving her, but we needed to look around a bit more. Joe took us into a room with six female cats in the age range we were looking for. These were the tired and stressed mothers of kittens now playing wildly in another room.
Suddenly, a beauty came up from the sea of cats like Venus from the shell. This one’s name wasn’t Venus, though it was Athena another name for a goddess. It fit, but we morphed the name into God-given. She rubbed her cheeks on Bill’s shoes and he petted her, then it was my turn. As I stroked her sleek and shining fur she purred loudly, and I fell in love once again. I then realized that the caged cat hadn’t purred at all, but this was to be our last cat and we wanted her to be happy and easy. Our volunteer went to the desk to tell the associate we were ready to adopt.
Soon we were on our way home with Thea, a tuxedo cat with angel wings on her back. We knew we could love Thea and yet honor the memory of Jasmine too. We rejoiced and thanked Abba for her and for all the love and fun we’d have together becoming a family.
Photo credit Bill Lites
Photo credit Bill Lites
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What to do when facing bad news
25 AugWalking by Faith, Not by Sight
Janet Perez Eckles
Reblogged August 25, 2018
I fought the tears.
“I can’t believe it,” I wrote as a reply to a colleague of mine some years back.
“Yes,” she said, “the company is downsizing and is laying off all in our level.”
My stomach cramped. My job as an over-the-phone interpreter wasn’t actually “work” for me; it was my passion. Something I relished performing. And one that for over two decades, I’d relied on for income, health insurance and other nice perks.
My throat was still a bit sore from swallowing the lump as I considered this loss.
I heard words like severance, “COBRA”—words that screamed “You’re out of here.”
They pointed to the choices: anger at the unfairness, fear of what happens next, or prepare the menu for a pity party.
I chose a different path.
Since none seemed logical, I chose a different path. God says that His thoughts are not our thoughts. And our ways are not His ways. I caught my breath and glanced at a new horizon—not bleak anymore. Actually, I saw possibilities—ones I’d not considered but what if God had? I saw paths unknown to me, but what if God already knew them? I saw worry before me, but what if God had blessings planned instead?
Seeing my future through His eyes brought peace. And that peace made me dance with reassurance when I read: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord; ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)
To prosper me? To give me a future? God was the one promising that. Not my employer or unemployment department. His plans were in place, firm and trustworthy.
Something strange happened.
And while I relished in His firm commitment to give me a good future, the strangest thing happened, unusual as snow in Orlando. I received an email telling me that the notice to end my employment was indeed an error. An error? I held my breath. And with apologies, my boss confirmed that statement and assured me I was still an employee of the company with no changes to my responsibilities, income or benefits.
So, is that what God means when He says to trust in Him with all our heart? His tests often come with seemingly bad news. But we look at the “God news”—it paints the portrait of hope each time. It brings on what we could never imagine. And He is true to His every promise.
Maybe this message today is for you. If you’re facing uncertainty. Or you’re encountering something that seems impossible. Or maybe you reached the end, and hope is about to evaporate.
Hang on. God has written the end of the story. And He’s waiting for your trust to come back, your faith to increase and your peace to come back.
Let’s Pray
Father, thank you for giving me the wisdom to rely on you when bad news arrives. Thank you for teaching me to trust in your provision and in your sustaining power alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.
How is God showing you a new horizon today?
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/finding-peace/what-to-do-when-facing-bad-news.html
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.
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Old Things R New 