Flying Legends Airshow~Part 5

23 Sep

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Flying Legends

Day 5 – Sunday July 5th

After a full English breakfast at the Quality Inn Hotel (not like any free breakfast I’ve ever had at a Quality Inn here in the U.S.) the first place to visit today was the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford. This was one of the best aviation museums I have seen so far on this trip. The museum consists of four huge hangers full of beautifully restored British aircraft dating from the early days of aviation (pre-WWI) to the present time. A person could spend a whole day just reading about the many different aircraft that are housed in those hangers. These aircraft make up much of the backbone of British aviation history.

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Next I had planned to stop and take a picture of the old Eastgate & Eastgate Clock Tower in Chester. But, by the time I got there the town center was jammed with people (of course Greta had to direct me right through the middle of all those people to get me to the clock tower location). It was all I could do to catch a glimpse of that beautiful clock structure as I drove under it, while trying not to run over a pedestrian.

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The Speke Airdrome Museum probably should not have been in the museum guide book, because the old Liverpool Airport terminal has been closed and turned into a luxury hotel. The only airplanes were a couple of mid 50s commercial aircraft behind the hotel (that used to be the airport ramp), that have been out in the weather for so long that they were looking pretty shabby. As you might guess, I didn’t spend a lot of time there.

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It started to rain about that time and since my next stop was at the Merseyside Maritime Museum, also located in Liverpool, and would probably be mostly outside, I decided to skip that museum and move on to the Avro Heritage Museum in Woodford. However, this museum was only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I just kept heading north.

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I was surprised to see that the Manchester Airport Museum, for its size (the very small museum consisted of only two aircraft) had two of the largest modern British aircraft on display; a Nimrod bomber and a Concord airliner. Visitors were allowed to inspect the interior of both aircraft. Since I had already inspected a Nimrod bomber, at a previous museum, I elected to only walk through the Concord. That is one of the special aircraft I wish I had been able to take a flight on before they were removed from service.

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I was disappointed to find the Imperial War Museum (North), also located there in Manchester, was closed. I was expecting to find this large museum to be well represented, since it is part of the National Imperial War Museum Foundation.

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Next I headed for a visit to the Ribble Steam Railroad Museum in Preston. Here again I was disappointed to find it closed. This was another one of those cases where Greta took me within two blocks of the museum and said I had arrived at my destination. Luckily there was a couple out for a walk, and they were able to direct me to the museum.

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I ended the day by visiting the 11th century Lancaster Castle, which it is said was built over the location of a 1st century Roman fort overlooking the River Lune. As it turned out, the castle was located on the hilltop just a two-minute walk from the Royal Kings Arms Hotel where I spent the night.

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The Royal Kings Arms Hotel was built in 1625 and was immortalized by Charles Dickens in his tale of “The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices” and “The Bridal Chamber.” Several members of the English royal stayed at this hotel in the early 1800s when it was also a coach station. The rooms were nice, but the hotel itself was showing its age. However, I have to say this was the only accommodation I stayed at during my entire trip in the UK that had an elevator for guests.

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—–To be Continued—–

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A big, untold story| Joel C. Rosenberg’s Blog

22 Sep

A big, untold story: Since last Yom Kippur, millions of Jews have begun searching for the Messiah, and for atonement for their sins. The media isn’t reporting this. But it’s worth examining.  Over the past year since the last Day of Atonement, millions of Jews around the world have begun a quest to find the Messiah. At sundown, we begin Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is the highest holy day on the Jewish calendar, and one of great Biblical and historic and cultural importance to my people. I so wish I was home with Lynn and our sons in Israel tonight. Instead, I am in the U.S. speaking at a number of events, from Dallas to San Luis Obispo to Washington, D.C. to Toronto. I am speaking about the darkness that is falling in our world. But I am also explaining to people about a fascinating phenomenon that I’m observing. Since last Yom Kippur, millions of Jews have begun a quest to find the Messiah. For reasons I cannot fully explain, Jews are suddenly searching for answers to the deepest and most important questions concerning life and death and God and atonement and eternity, in numbers unprecedented in history. Some are searching through the Hebrew Scriptures for answers. A stunning number are actually reading the New Testament, most for the first time. They are searching on Google for information about the Messiah. They are even watching a new series of videos by Jews who claim to have found the answers. The videos — some of which have gone viral — were produced and posted on a new website called http://www.imetmessiah.com. To me, these are fascinating developments. They certainly aren’t being reported by the media. But they are worth examining. That said, more on all that in a moment. First, a few thoughts about Yom Kippur itself. In the Scriptures, the Israelites were commanded by the Lord to fast and pray and bring their sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem, and then to ask for the Lord’s forgiveness for all the sins they and their nation had committed that year. And the Scriptures were clear: only the sacrifice of a perfect animal — a sacrifice performed with a humble, repentant, sincere heart, and with faith in God’s mercy and grace — could bring about forgiveness of sins. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11) “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) But here’s the problem we Jewish people have face since the destruction of the Temple: What does one do to receive atonement in the modern age, without a Temple? How can one make sacrifices, and thus receive forgiveness of sins — and thus the right to enter the holiness of heaven and live with the Lord in heaven forever and ever — without being able to sacrifice a perfect lamb at the Temple in Jerusalem, where the Lord designated all sacrifices to occur? The destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. was a huge blow to Judaism for many reasons, but chief among them because it deprived us of the one place to receive atonement from God. The good news was found in Daniel 9:24-26. The Hebrew prophet Daniel explained to us that: someday the Messiah (or “Anointed One”) would come to us when the Messiah came, his purpose would be “to atone for wickedness” and “to bring in everlasting righteousness” the Messiah would then be “cut off and will have nothing” after the Messiah was “cut off,” then Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed Daniel specifically noted that foreign invaders “will come and will destroy the city and the sanctuary” Think about that. Daniel told us something extraordinary — that a coming Messiah would bring atonement for our sins before the Temple would be destroyed. That, in retrospect, makes sense, right? Why would the God of Israel take away the Temple before providing a new way for atonement? Now, add in what the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah explained to us that not only was the Messiah coming to the Jewish people, but that He would bring a “new covenant,” a new and exciting and God-ordained way by which we would have a personal relationship with the Lord our God. The Hebrew Prophet Isaiah gave us still more details about this coming Messiah. He explained that the Messiah would serve as King of the world eventually, but first the Messiah would be our “Suffering Servant.” That is, He would be rejected by the people, would suffer, and then die as our atoning sacrifice. Consider these extraordinary passages from Isaiah 53:

Please continue reading  on Joel’s Blog: A big, untold story: Since last Yom Kippur, millions of Jews have begun searching for the Messiah, and for atonement for their sins. The media isn’t reporting this. But it’s worth examining. | Joel C. Rosenberg’s Blog

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Writing and Painting

21 Sep

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistWhen I started writing blogs for Old Things R-New and Rebekah Lyn Books, I was working on the novel, Go West and enjoying it immensely. Painting had taken a back seat and I thought I was over it. But people kept saying they liked my prints and the paintings on my walls and when I remembered how much I enjoyed splashing paint around. My fingers began to itch for a brush. The more I painted, the more I neglected the things I thought I ought to be doing. I wrote out several long talks with the Lord asking how I could find time to paint and to keep up with my writing goals, as well and he gave me some new ideas. Finally, my angel, and enabler Onisha and I sat at a table in the Target Starbucks and talked it over. I had also been writing paraphrases from the Bible and I wanted to illustrate them. Onisha suggested we serialize the novel and use it instead of blogs and she liked the idea of the Promise Posters too. So now, I’m painting and writing and I’m having a wonderful time. If you see any Go West illustrations or Promise Posters you’d like to buy, they will be available as framable art and note cards at www.creativeartworks.com. Come join me in my new big adventure.

Read more about DiVoran’s adventures  Writing and Painting

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Showers of Love

20 Sep

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

I’ve been on a sabbatical for a few weeks now, and the reason is that I had total knee replacement surgery, along with the recovery time involved with that (an on-going thing).

I am about to sing the praises of my husband, but I want you to understand that God Himself is the foundation for ALL that goes on in our lives. With that firmly in mind…..

I’ve mentioned in previous postings that I had breast cancer in 2000 (please see my first post with oldthingsrnew….Safe, September 16, 2012). What I did not mention is that my husband, Fred, was my anchor during that time. He has been the love of my life now for 54+ years, and God has blest me with his presence.

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There are so many ways of showing love to someone, but Fred absolutely showed his love for me during my cancer time. He was with me throughout all the visits to the surgeon, and through the surgeries. He was the one who cleaned my drain tubes each day. He took care of the household duties during that time. I’m sorry to admit that he really isn’t much of a cook, but we were blest with many friends bringing food, so all he had to do was heat it up.

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While all that took some time, the recovery time for a knee replacement is much, MUCH longer and more painful. Fred is my “coach” in all this. He attended the pre-op class and learned what he would have to do to help me through it all. And he has done so, marvelously. When I don’t want to do the exercises to get my knee back to working order – he’s the one who pushes me to do so. He counts out the reps I have to do for each exercise. He actually does some cooking – he’s learning to make a mean Canadian bacon and scrambled egg breakfast! (As a footnote – I always said he would never starve, because he knows how to make peanut and jelly sandwiches!) He hooked me up the electric ice machine throughout the day and night. He helps me into and out of the shower stall. He wrapped my knee with Saran Wrap and taped it down so I could shower – then removed it when I was done. He dries my feet when I get out of the shower because I have to hold onto something for stability.

I am up to walking with a cane these days rather than the walker, and he is right beside me – on the other side and holding my hand – giving me the stability I need.

There are so many more things I could say that he has done – and is continuing to do – that will enable me to get stronger and back to “normal” with this new knee I have.

All that to say, that my love, my Fred, has absolutely SHOWERED me with his LOVE!! What a perfect example of love he shows me each and every day.

I thank my God every day for bringing Fred into my life. His love is so very pure and wonderful.

I am blest.

Psalm 21:6

Surely you have granted him unending blessings

and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

Fred and Judy at EPCOT with Fred's sister, Sally

Fred and Judy at EPCOT with Fred’s sister, Sally

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How to find peace; three easy steps… | Janet Perez Eckles

19 Sep

http://www.en.wikipedia.org I was 29 years old and while my three small sons played in the basement, I sat on the bed, folding laundry. I had a box of tissues beside me as tears flowed. I had just heard news from the ophthalmologist that there was no cure for the retinal disease that was robbing my sight way too fast. I could still see bits and pieces, but blindness was inevitable. Fighting the gloomy thoughts, the 700 Club played on the TV. The host offered prayers if we dialed an 800 number. I called. And as my voice choked, I spoke to a kind lady who prayed for me. Back then when I made that phone call, I didn’t know that God’s plans were in the making. He healed my attitude, gave me 20/20 spiritual sight, handed me a ministry, and gave me opportunities to write books and so much more. And the other day, gratitude overflowed in me as I realized that my guest appearance in the 700 Club had gone full circle. I reached out to them for prayer back then. And nearly 30 years later, God has me featured on that show for my story to inspire others. God has the very same for you, too. You might have a tissue box beside you. Maybe life is turning dark and hope seems to be at the bottom of the laundry basket of life—hard to see. Here are three simple steps found In Jeremiah 29:11 to bring back peace:

Source: How to find peace; three easy steps… | Janet Perez Eckles

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Evaluation

18 Sep

From the Heart

Louise Gibson

Louise Gibson

 

 

At the end of my days, how will God evaluate
the time spent with my fellow man?
Will I have satisfied the commission
of our Lord’s ultimate plan?

 

Will I have loved my neighbor
as well as myself?
Will my “Must do” list be completed,
or still found on the shelf?

 

Did I abandon the longings,
the dreams, the vision?
Did I give in to circumstance,
the need for decision?

 

The still small voice of the Spirit
breaks through.
“My child, stop fretting.
I’m not through with you.”

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Flying Legends Airshow~Part 4

16 Sep

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Flying Legends

 

 Day 4 – Saturday July 4th

Since I had inspected the breakfast room the evening before, and saw that it was going to be a “Cold, help yourself to cereal and toast” setup (and the choices really didn’t look that appetizing), I elected to skip breakfast that morning and just have one of my granola bars instead.

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That got me off to an earlier start for the day than I had expected, which put me at the Jet Age Museum in Gloucester 30 minutes before they opened. One of the docents saw me pull into the carpark and came out to inform me that they couldn’t let me wonder around the outside static display aircraft or into the museum until 10:00. I told him that was no problem, that I would just wait in the car until they opened. The next thing I knew, here came that same guy carrying a tray containing a cup of hot coffee (with sugar & cream) and a croissant, just for me. I thought, “This is the best service I’ve ever had at any museum anywhere in the world.”

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I was the only visitor at their museum that early, and all the folks there couldn’t do enough for me. It was a small museum but they had the front section of a Vulcan bomber on display, as part of their museum tour, and they escorted me into and around the cockpit and navigation/weapons stations. I discovered that for as big as that plane is, the crew stations are very confined. I did however, manage to squeeze into the pilot’s seat for a photo op.

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Next it was on north to try to catch the Baginton Air Pagant which was being put on at the Baginton Airport. As it turned out, Greta got confused with all the road construction in the immediate area and couldn’t find the entrance to the airport. So, I had to settle for visiting the Midland Air Museum, which was located right there adjacent to the airport runway, and was one of the museums on my list. And, I was able to see a few of the airshow flyovers from that vantage point.

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The Coventry Transport Museum was an absolutely marvelous collection of beautifully restored British made bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles and trucks, from the earliest days of motorized transportation to the present. The museum took up a whole city block (not as big as a city block in the U.S.) and exhibited displays on four levels of the building.

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The Cold War Jet Collection located at the Bruntingthrope Aerodrome in Leicestershire was closed, but I was able to take a few pictures of their outside static displayed aircraft through the fence. Bruntingthrope Aerodrome is where the world’s last airworthy Avro Vulcan bomber (XH558) was restored to flight condition in 2007. This beautiful airplane will be grounded for safety concerns after the 2015 airshow season.

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The Bruntingthrope Aerodrome is also the home of the world’s last airworthy de Havilland Comet 4C (XS235), which is kept flight certified by the Aerodrome volunteers there.

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Greta couldn’t find the National Motorcycle Museum in Bickenhill, so I called it a day and headed for the Quality Inn Hotel in Birmingham for the evening.

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When I got to Birmingham, Greta took me to the correct street number, but one block to the north of the actual location. I re-entered the address and she took me right back to the same place. I finally asked a man on the street if he could tell me where the Quality Inn Hotel was, and he said, “It’s just right around the corner on the next street over.”   That happened more than once on this trip. The rooms at the Quality Inn were very nice, but were accessed by a maze of up and down stairways that gave my knees a real workout, even without my suitcase.  I had to ask the clerk to move me to another room which was accessed by fewer stairs. He was glad to do that for me, and my knees were glad too.

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—–To Be Continued—–

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Are We Allowed to Pray

14 Sep

My Take 

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and Artist

My beloved child in whom I am well pleased, when I look at you, I see my son, Jesus, who died that you might be made right with me.

You have been well schooled in the myth that unless you are sinless I will not hear your prayers. It is a sad thing when teachers take the words of the Pharisees in the Bible and twist them so that my own beloved children think they can’t communicate with me.

Every day dawns fresh for you my dear. Do not major on shortcomings, but major on the robe of righteousness that I have laid over you. When I look at you I see not what you used to be, but I see Jesus, my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Pray to your heart’s content. I hear, and I answer.

I Am Covered Over With the Robe of Righteousness

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The Tablecloth

13 Sep

I am enjoying selecting posts to share while Judy is on break. I love tablecloths and I especially like crocheted ones~Onisha

Sunday Memories

 Judy Wills

JUDY

I love to crochet.  I mean I REALLY LOVE to crochet!

I remember my grandmother crocheting, and my mother, and I loved the “granny square” afghan they made with those multi-colored squares surrounded by black.  But I actually taught myself to crochet.  I took lessons to learn to knit, but nothing fit!  Even if I made a sample gauge, the finished product never fit!  But give me a crochet hook and I was good to go!

I made several “twin” outfits for our daughters that they loved to wear.  I made baby “capes” with hoods for new babies.  I taught international women to crochet, as part of their English Language learning process at our church.  In later years, my favorite thing to crochet was an afghan – shell stitch.  I could do that and watch TV both at the same time.  Didn’t realize they would now call it “multi-tasking.”

My husband is one of four children.  Each married and had two children of their own (one broke mold and had a third child).  When all our children were young, we drew names (families) for giving Christmas presents to each other’s families.  The year we moved from Texas to Florida, it was our turn to give to my husband’s brother and his family.  His wife and I had become good friends and shared many passions.  One was crocheting!  She was a whiz at crochet.  She could whip out a sweater in no time!  But she used large hooks and thick yarn.  I racked my brain for something to give her.  I knew that anything I made (sewed/crocheted), she could do as well or better.  And then I had an idea!  She would never take the time to crochet a tablecloth for herself, using the thin cotton thread needed for that project.  She had a lovely antique pedestal table with a round top.  Perfect!

So I began my project, knowing it would take a while to complete.  I had a pattern for a pin wheel motif that was just right.

I worked and worked on it, taking it with me everywhere.  On our move that summer, we stopped by their house in Indiana for a few days.  After a while, I ran out of things to work on, and drug out the thread and hook.  When she asked me what I was working on, I told her it was her Christmas present.  She was absolutely overjoyed!

From that point on, it became a labor of love for me…..knowing she would enjoy that adornment for her table…..knowing I made it just for her…..and hopefully enjoying the workmanship that went into it.

I don’t know whether or not she still has that tablecloth, but I made one for myself and enjoy using it.  It looks quite different from a pin wheel when put together, but I like the looks of it, even now.

What do you think?

Romans 8:28

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What to do when standing before the judge. | Janet Perez Eckles

12 Sep

My hands were sweaty, my heartbeat fast and I sat stiff on that courtroom chair nearly two decades ago. My first days as a court interpreter were grueling. They were brutal and the stress almost defeated me. “Mrs. Eckles, approach the bench,” the judge said during one of the sessions. I froze, swallowed hard and headed toward him. I trembled. Judges judge you, exert punishment, and sometimes might even dictate your destiny. To my shock, rather than reprimand, his words were ones of affirmation and praise about my job as an interpreter. They didn’t hold condemnation or harshness. I hope you don’t do what I did when approaching God’s divine bench. When Christ lives in us, His words ring different than what we expect. Rather than scolding, He gives reassurance. Rather than punishment, He extends mercy. Rather than condemnation, He gives us forgiveness. While the world becomes a grueling place to live, He gives His word to speak to our soul:

Source: What to do when standing before the judge. | Janet Perez Eckles

 

 

What’s Been Happening

There was a loud buzz on a recent Monday afternoon in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Orlando. About 1,500 attendees were exiting with suitcase in hand and expectations in their heart. The John Maxwell speaker/coaching training just ended. And His team, no doubt, equipped these folks with knowledge, strategies, information, methods, and tons of inspiration.

Way, way inside of me is a burning desire to attend such training. And when I asked God about that, He said, “In my timing and in my way.”

Don’t you just love it when God gives you the answer? Sometimes He says “no,” sometimes He says, “yes,” and sometimes He says, “not yet.”

So my challenge to you is to ask you: what do you do while you wait for His answer?

Here’s to the joy that fills your heart while in the waiting room of faith.

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