Honoring the Veterans of the Old Things R New Family

11 Nov

I would be surprised if any family did not have at least one veteran in their family tree. The Old Things R New family is proud to have served both in the military and as millitary spouses. I don’t have any flowery words, just thank you, with a heart filled with gratitude-Onisha

 

Judy’s husband.
Judy’s Father in Law
My Dad 523 Fighter Bomber Group
Bill Lites
My brother.
My other brother Paul. Vietnam Vet

I found a war bracelt of my father’s while going through my mother’s papers. I have never seen a picture of one. Does anyone recognize it?

 

WWII Bracelet

WWII Bracelet

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Gone With the Wind

10 Nov

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Wednesday was my birthday, so Bill took me to the Orange County History Center in Orlando to see an exhibit from the 1939 movie, “Gone With the Wind,” on its seventy-fifth year anniversary. I asked if I could take pictures and they said I could as long as I didn’t use a flash. Years ago that would have defeated me, but technology has now made great cameras possible.

I was a year old when the movie came out. I didn’t see it, then of course, nor even when I grew up. I’ve now watched it twice. It’s sad that its author, Margaret Mitchell only wrote that one book before she was hit by a car on the street in Atlanta and died. I did read that. I borrowed it from the Custer County, Colorado library when I was twelve and in eighth grade. It was the first book, and one of the few books that made me cry.

Sydney Howard wrote the script. other writers were called in to whittle on it some more, but Sidney Howard got the Oscar for it and there was no mention of the other writers during the Academy Awards.

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 It’s a Remington Noiseless Portable in its own case. There’s a pencil on the side and something in a small box that could have been a typewriter eraser.

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The one on your left was Vivian Leigh’s. Sydney Howard’s would have looked like the one on your right, that might even be the very one that was given to him.

The main actors got a bound copy of the script. One belonged to Hattie McDaniel who was the first African American person ever to win an Oscar. Hers was for best supporting actress.

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Clothes and costumes are of a hobby of mine, so I was mostly interested in those. Here’s Hattie McDaniel’s. Small mannequins wear many of the costumes in the exhibit.

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We’ve all seen movies where someone is cinching up a corset, and aren’t we glad and thankful that we don’t have to dress like that anymore.

“Shaped corsets, 16 layers of fabric, and a myriad of accessories made dressing in Belle Epoche fashion a time-consuming affair.” Debbie Sessions,

http://www.vintagedancer.com/1920s/1920s-style-guide-womens-fashion/

 

Many actors and actresses made screen tests.

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I saw some of the screen tests and thought it must have been difficult to choose and cast the best actors for the rolls. Bette Davis desperately wanted the role of Scarlett, and she would have been good in it because Scarlett was the kind of unhappy woman Bette often played, but to her dismay Bette was never in the running.

Where are they all now?

1 Peter 1:24-25 Amplified Bible (AMP)

24 For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like [the] flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off,

25 But the Word of the Lord ([a]divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever. And this Word is the good news which was preached to you.

They have gone with the wind, as we all will someday, so let us enjoy every moment of this one life we have and live with Christ in our hearts until He decides it’s time for us to move on.

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An Amazing Adventure~Part 3

9 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

Leaving our friends, we drove to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado, just north of Alamosa, after stopping in Alamosa for lunch.

There are 30 square miles of dunefield. I never even knew there was such a place! And it’s right at the foot of a mountain within the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range that is 13,297’ above sea level! There are five dunes that are over 700’ tall.

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We had sand dunes on the west side of Albuquerque, and we used to go there just to play around in the sand. But they were completely different from the sand dunes here at the National Park.

These are shaped by the wind (naturally), and the Medano Creek that flows below the dunes. We stuck our toes in some of the water oozing from that creek. Amazing!

We walked out on the sand—that in the summer can reach 140°! I took my sandals off and felt that lovely warm/wet sand between my toes. However, when we got back to the van, I realized that my feet were coated with something like oil! Fred and Karen had to clean my feet off for me!

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The next part of our journey would take several hours. Brian suggested that we listen to a book-on-tape (MP3 in this case). Unable to connect his smartphone to the car’s sound system, he set up a unique amplifier: a plastic cup, set between the front seats, with his phone set in it, speaker into the well of the cup. It was amazing how the sound was so much louder and clearer. We listened to this story the entire trip. If you haven’t heard (or read) Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit), let me recommend it to you. None of us slept through any of it—and it was 11 discs long!

From the Great Sand Dunes, we drove to Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado.

 

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This is another place Fred and I went on our honeymoon 53+ years ago. Here is a picture of us in 1964 when we made a second trip with my parents. We hadn’t been back since.

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Unfortunately, because my knees are bad, I couldn’t make it down the trail to the cliff dwellings, but Fred, Karen and Brian made it, while I went to the gift shop and spent some money. I’m sure Fred wished I could have made the trip down the trail instead! It was a first trip there for Karen and Brian. It is a fascinating place, for sure.

For our overnight, we had another great experience. We stayed in the Ute Mountain Casino and Resort in Towaoc, Colorado.

The rooms were large and well-kept, and we slept well. The next morning, we had a great breakfast there. The rooms were quite inexpensive, probably because they thought everyone who came there would play the casino.

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~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~

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Seven steps to building your self-esteem.

8 Nov

How many times have we believed the lies? Many times in my case.

Wow Look at Me!

7 Nov

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

Louise Gibson

 

 

Still making mistakes at my old age.

Wisdom doesn’t come by a calendar page.

When do we accept ourselves with all our flaws?

Does society rule?  Or our self-inflicted laws?

 

Lord, I need your power to live victoriously.

I can’t do it on my own.

None of my good intentions will work

unless You are “on the throne”.

 

You have placed eternity in our soul.

To be your obedient servant is my goal.

There is one main truth none of us can deny.

We can’t fully enjoy life-

Until we are prepared to die.

“If any of you lack wisdom,
 let him ask of God, who gives to all
 liberally and without reproach, and
 it will be given to him.”
                           James 1:5

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Immovable: Standing Firm in the Last Days

6 Nov

Today I am pleased to share a new book with you by  Dr. Tim Riordan. He serves as pastor of SonRise Baptist Church in Newnan, Georgia. His book,  Immovable: Standing Firm in the Last Days  is based on the 6th Chapter of Ephesians. I have not had the opportunity to read it yet, but I am always interested in relating world events to prophecy…Onisha

 

 

Tim Riordan PhotoWhat is going on in the world? This question seems to be on the minds of many people today as we consider world events. Some people face these times of uncertainty with great fear and dread while others engage these times with wonder and expectation. For those of us who are Christians, there is another question on our minds: “Do world events have anything to do with Bible prophecy and the return of Jesus?” While God is clear in His Word that no one knows the time or day when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:36), He also tells us in the same passage to “keep watch.” He gave us specific prophecies in the Bible related to world events telling us these would be indicators that His return was near, and He stated that these anticipated happenings would grow in increasing intensity: “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8). The miracle of birth begins slowly, maybe even weeks before the actual delivery. Early contractions are so insignificant that many young mothers may not even notice them. As the prophecies of Matthew 24 begin to be fulfilled, they will start small and grow in significance. There is no doubt that we are seeing a growth in intensity of world turmoil, and some of these specific prophecies are becoming more pronounced with every passing day.

If we are living in the last days, what does this mean for the Church? What does it mean for you and your family? It is because of my burden for the Church and my belief that we could be facing very challenging days in the near future, I wrote my new book, Immovable: Standing Firm in the Last Days. I Tim Riordan Book Coverbelieve that God has given Christians equipment, or armor, to help us endure the evil days leading up to Christ’s return and to bear fruit during a time of unparalleled opportunity. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” I shared these thoughts about this verse in my book: “While ‘the day of evil’ can refer to a time of intense temptation or spiritual conflict that can come at any point in any Christian’s life, it seems that God may be calling us to think about THE day of evil. Is it possible that this passage is calling Christians approaching the last days to prepare for battle by putting on spiritual armor?” With that question going through my mind, I began studying Bible prophecy about the last days comparing it to the teaching of the spiritual armor of Ephesians 6. The connection was significant, and I believe there are important implications relating the spiritual armor for the last generation before the return of Christ. These implications are not only important for us, but also for our children and grandchildren.

I encourage you to consider our times and the clear teaching of Scripture. Study Bible prophecy with an eye on the evening news and consider how the spiritual armor of Ephesians 6 will help you prepare for what is to come. What do you need to do to put on the spiritual armor of God so you will stand firm in the last days? Being immovable is really not an option for the Church. The world is desperate to see strong, healthy believers standing firm in the last days. When the winds of heresy and deception blow, will you be immovable holding firmly to the truth of God? The only way you or I will stand firm is if we put on the armor of God and allow the immovable Lord Jesus Christ to live victoriously through us.

 

Dr. Tim Riordan serves as pastor of SonRise Baptist Church in Newnan, Georgia and is the author of Songs from the Heart: Meeting with God in the Psalms and his newest book Immovable: Standing Firm in the Last Days. For more information on his books or ministry, visit his website at www.timriordan.me.

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My First Business

5 Nov

 

We have a guest blogger today, who I will hope will visit us often. Leon Holecheck is a retired architectural draftsman who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is a childhood friend of Bill Lites. . Leon has always been thrilled by the circus, and when he was 15 the small Diano Circus came to town and when they left, Leon (with his folks’ permission) left with it.   He didn’t stay with that circus long but returned home to finish his education. You can read his full bio here.

 

My First Business

Leon Holecheck

Leon & Bill

 

It was about 1944 (I think I was 6) and it was a hot sunny afternoon. The temperature was in the 90’s and I decided that I was going to open a new business and make a lot of money. My mother would give me an allowance of 15 cents every Saturday for helping her make the beds, empty the trash, run errands to the grocery store and a few other chores. It just didn’t ever seem to be enough money for me.

I decided that I would set up a stand and sell Kool Aid out on the front yard in the shade of my favorite tree next to the street. I thought it was a wonderful idea and knew that many people would come and buy a glass of Kool Aid from me at five cents a glass.

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I told my mother what I wanted to do and she agreed to help me. Boy, was I excited! I went into the garage and got an old wooden orange crate that I could use as a counter, and placed it next to the street. She gave me a nickel and I immediately went around the corner to the grocery store and bought a package of strawberry Kool Aid.

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I took the package back to my house and gave it to my mother. She took a large glass pitcher and filled it with ice cubes from the icebox, and then poured the contents of the package into it. She added sugar and filled it with cold water. She stirred the contents and gave it to me.

She also gave me a glass and a small towel.

I took the pitcher and glass out and set them on the orange crate. I started yelling “Kool Aid for sale.” There were no people walking up or down the street, and it never occurred to me that the neighbors might be staying indoors out of the heat that day. After a while, my throat got dry from yelling, and I decided to have a glass of Kool Aid.

 

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As I was sitting there on the grass, I soon realized that I did not have a sign for people to read about what I was selling. I took the pitcher with me and went inside the house to make a sign. I took a piece of white paper and a pencil and wrote “Kool Aid 5 cents.” I took the pitcher and the sign back out to the orange crate and attached the sign to the front of the crate. Surely that would help me sell a lot of Kool Aid, and I would be very busy. There still were no people walking up or down the street, so I drank another glass of Kool Aid.

As time went by, I had to drink another glass of Kool Aid because of the heat. I even took my shirt off it was so hot. One car drove by and I yelled at him, but he didn’t even slow down. I used the T-towel to wipe out the glass when I was finished.

At the end of about two hours, I got bored sitting on the grass waiting for someone to walk by. The pitcher of Kool Aid was almost empty and I decided to call it quits. I drank the last glass of Kool Aid and took the pitcher and glass and towel back in the house. That was the end of my first business venture.

 

—–The End—–

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Fall is in the Air

3 Nov

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and Artist

Some people call it fall, some say Autumn. It is time for leaves to change and the weather to grow cooler.

This morning as I left the house, I looked forward to my walk on the trail, but one block up I saw many parked cars and a few signs that said, “Garage Sale.” Oops. Oh well, I’d get almost as much exercise going around to greet my neighbors and pursue their histories as I would walking the trail.

 

The first house was Ester’s, she had an orange sherbet-shirt with sparkling jeweled sea horses on it. It said, “Dixie Crossroads,” and since I eat there fairly frequently and always want one of those tee-shirts, I asked her to hold it for me while I went home to get some money.

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Ester started to tell me about being sorry that she had fired our mutual handy-man, Hal. We had heard his side of it too. Ester’s young helper told her to tend to business so I said goodbye and left, my tee-shirt was in good hands. Ester is 80 and has dialysis three times a week, but she still exudes a love of life and a sharp mind.

At the next sale the homeowner had bright eyes and a bowl-type haircut. From her I bought a bed for my cat Jasmine, some pretty Melmac dishes to use for plant saucers, and a brand new timer just like the forty-year-old one I gave away a month ago. I missed it.

Bill was interested in what I was doing home so soon and laughed when I told him about the “garage” sale. Our handy-man, Hal, was with him. We’ve had to do without him once or twice, and I tell you it was hard, just as Ester had started to say.

A few weeks ago, Hal got a, new-to-him car from Car Care. It’s a ministry run by a wonderfully experienced mechanic, Ray, and his wife Alice, (who does the paper work) at the Indian River Methodist Church on howdy fifty called Car-Care. Hal is pretty much destitute even though he works hard much of the time and Car Care was looking for someone to give a refurbished car to (for a small pittance). Hal ended up with a Ford Taurus he needed so he could go to work and go fishing. He loved his old Datsun pick-up, but every time he drove it heated up and wouldn’t start again. The body had patches welded on it. Now he was ga-ga over his Taurus, and couldn’t say enough about its AC, Cruise Control, and great engine. He sounded like a man in love. I think that was why he corrected me when I told him and Bill I’d been to a, “garage sale.” Almost to himself he said, “yard sale,” “flea market.” For a moment he must have hoped there might be something for his beloved car there. I must admit, I haven’t kept up well with the nomenclature, either. Probably everyone is calling them yard sales nowadays. After the two extra trips home, one to get my money and one to take my goodies, I decided to walk the trail after all. I was glad I did. What a gorgeous day!

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Another reason I was glad was because I got to see another sight I saw and admired so much yesterday. A teacher in our school here has begun to take school children for bike rides on the trail – all properly helmeted, of course. Yesterday there were eighteen third graders zooming around me. There were fewer today and they were moving a bit more slowly. In fact, after the first one, they all needed to be waved at. It was easy. I raised my hand like an English princess and kept it moving until all had passed. “You’re making a lot of kids happy,” I shouted to the tail-end teacher. She grinned and waved back. Ah fall. Fall in paradise. It couldn’t be better.

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The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. Psalm 16:6

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An Amazing Adventure~Part 2

2 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

 

The next day, Brian was working. He works with a Christian organization called GEM—Greater Europe Mission. You can check them out on the internet—great organization. Before he went to his meetings, we walked through the Garden of the Gods again—through the mist. We saw rabbits and some deer. I really LOVE this stuff!

While Brian was at work, Karen, Fred and I visited the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

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Again, Fred and I had visited there on our honeymoon 53+ years ago, but the Chapel was not completed at that time. It was such a treat to see it up close and personal. It is a massive structure, and really beautiful.

 

Next we went to Peterson AFB Museum. We had a great guide, Carl—he was very knowledgeable about the history of Peterson. He also told us that, when he was young man, he was working at the golf course on base, and his supervisor called one day in a tizzy. He was told that “Ike” (President Dwight D. Eisenhower) was flying in for a round of golf, and Carl had to caddy for him! And he did! What an experience for a young man!

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There was some really neat architecture in this place. Very “hollywoodish.” One funny exhibit there had a “Wild Hair” painted on the fuselage. The caption said that the pilot had complained and complained about something wrong with the engine, but the mechanics couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Someone made the remark that it seemed like there was a “wild hair” in the engine—and the name stuck!

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After we picked up Brian, we headed south. We stopped at a neat BBQ place called Obie’s and picked up some great BBQ. We then headed to the house of a childhood friend of mine for supper and overnight. (More about them at the end of this tale)

Brian had called them the previous evening and spoke with Ruth Anne. He told her who he was, and said we would be there in about 10 minutes. We heard Ruth Anne clear in our room saying: “WHAT! TONIGHT?” He’s quite the joker. Ruth Anne and her husband have built a cabin for themselves on top of a mountain—and have 35 acres of land—and absolutely MILES of dirt road to get to them! But we had a great time with them, and I was so pleased that Karen and Brian had the opportunity to meet them. They are such fun people. They provided us with an enormous breakfast the next morning and sent us on our way.

 

 

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Brian said later that one of the highlights of the trip for him was to meet these friends—however, the nearly-tame red fox and her two kits right outside the back door probably had something to do with it!

 

 

 

~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~

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Five ways to deal with disappointment.

1 Nov

This morning I was hoping to wake up to snow covered ground, instead I woke up to leaves flying in the wind. It seems all around me snow fell. I was disappointed.

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