Frau Katie

30 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

Judy Wills

 

I’ve mentioned Frau Katie before (September 1, 2013), and how we came to love her as part of our family. She was such an important part of our lives when we lived in Wiesbaden, Germany.  I also mentioned in that blog, that she came to visit us when we lived in San Antonio, Texas.  We wrote many letters back and forth to arrange a time for her to visit. She also had some other friends in the States to visit, so she would be with us for one week, then she would move on to visit her other friends.  The time was set – May of 1973.

 

Frau Katie with Judy, Karen and Janet. Along the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

Frau Katie with Judy, Karen and Janet.
Along the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

 

Katie began asking what she could bring us from Germany – to remember our time there, as well as a remembrance from her.  I don’t remember just what I told her to bring for me – I just wanted her presence with us again.  But I distinctly remember that I flippantly told her to bring Fred “a Mercedes Benz!”

Well, she did just that!!  Isn’t it a beauty? All those moving parts…….

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Fred has had such fun with that little car, and it sits on our bedroom dresser where he/we can see it every day.  Our older grandson always enjoyed playing with it when he came to visit.  I’m sure our younger grandson will do the same. I’m not sure he’s discovered it yet.3

 

 

In spite of the fact that I didn’t really ask for anything from Katie, she brought me a lovely present anyway.  It is the 1973 Hummel plate.

 

 

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I have always enjoyed the Hummel figurines I have, but this is really special. Somewhere along the line I was told that this year’s plate (1973) had something unique about it……..but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was!

 

In any case, I have it on a easel in our dining room side board, and enjoy looking at it. And I always think of Frau Katie and her generosity when I look at it.

 

 

 

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The Secret to Success

29 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

When someone asks you the question What is the secret to success? What do you say?

When I was 11 years old and lived in my native country of Bolivia, we did a strange thing when the weather changed.

“It’s starting to rain!” someone would call out. Then all of us dashed around grabbing old pots, cans and any containers we could find. One by one, we placed them under each spot of our leaky roof.

That was a routine for us. We accepted it. And even thought it normal when electricity and water shut off right at noon.

You can read the rest of The Secret to Success: on Janet’s website: http://www.janetperezeckles.com/the-secret-to-success/#sthash.nTdW4pku.dpuf

 

His Way

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Do You Measure Up?

27 Mar

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Do you ever have the feeling in your life that you never measure up? I do.  I feel it when I realize I am trying to meet someone else’s expectations, their standard.

Early in my life, beginning around age six, I learned I was a failure. My attempts in first grade art were dismal. I couldn’t even color in the lines. As a teen I was socially awkward. My clothes were all wrong, my hair was too straight. I was shy. According to my older brother, I was the ugliest girl on the planet. As a teen, he told me that all his friends hated me.

As an adult, I began asking God, what do you want me to do, what is my purpose? The answer came, not in an earth shattering revelation, but in the form of an inexpensive Christmas gift, a Bible verse in a simple, inexpensive frame. My Ladies Sunday School teacher gave one to each of the women in the group, the verse chosen specifically for them.  Mine was: Micah 6:8

The Message version

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.

 I actually prefer the New International Version. It is shorter and speaks directly to my heart.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[prudently] with your God.

 What joy and peace this verse brings me. I don’t have to measure up to anyone else’s talents or standards! What about you, have you experienced failures because you tried to meet someone else’s expectations?

 

 

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2014 TICO Airshow~Part 1

26 Mar

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

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Several years ago, my friend Terry gave me a nice 16”x20” print of a Red Tailed P-51Mustang shooting down a German Me-109 somewhere over the Western Front during WWII. If you look close, you’ll see the painting depicts the smoking German airplane with the pilot stepping out on the wing, getting ready to bail out over the side, while the American pilot watches from a distance.  The print hangs on my bedroom wall, surrounded by many other airplane pictures, where I can enjoy them any time I want a thrill.

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“Two down and one to go” By W. S. Phillips

                                   

I had known about the Tuskegee Airmen from my study of WWII aviation history, and the movie “Red Tails” and was always impressed with the many challenges those men had to endure to become fighter pilots during the war.  I had even visited the Tuskegee Airmen Museum in Tuskegee, AL two years ago during a trip to visit my friend Terry. However, I had never imagined that I would ever have the honor to meeting any of them in person.       3  

 As part of my retirement “fun”, I volunteer as a tour guide, one day a week at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum here in Titusville, Florida. This weekend was the museum’s 2014 annual Airshow, and the theme for the show was to “Honoring the Tuskegee Airman.” The VAC museum had invited all of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen to be their guests at the three-day event, to share with the airshow attendees their many WWII experiences.  Well, this was my chance, and I didn’t hesitate for a minute.

I did the research on my print, and discovered it was painted by W. S. Phillips, and actually depicted Lt. Clarence D. “Lucky” Lester in his P-51 (which he named “Miss Pelt”) shooting down his second of three German aircraft on July 18, 1944.  Reportedly, the German Luftwaffe gave these airmen the nickname, “Schwarze Vogelmenschen,” or “Black Birdmen.”

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As many of the Tuskegee Airman as could manage were there, and what a thrill it was to be able to shake hands and talk with several real war heroes!  I took my “Two down and one to go” print and ask each of them to autograph it for me.  A couple of them remembered “Lucky” Lester, and told me how they recognized the different squadron planes, by the color of the trim tabs on the rudder and elevators. There was the 99th, the 100th, the 301st and the 302nd Fighter Squadrons. They each had their own specific color and/or numerical markings.

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—–To Be Continued—–

 

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The Music Makers~Part 2

24 Mar

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistRita and I decided to go to Panera’s for a treat. There after a lot of discussion, we finally decided to have pecan braids. The server placed our pastries on two large platters and gave us each a table knife, a fork, and a napkin. We filled our clear, plastic glasses with ice, I grabbed a handful of butter packs, we finished off the half n’ half pitcher and heard the ice crackle as the hot coffee poured over it. We took several sugar packs, and settled into a small booth. I didn’t know how to eat the pecan braid properly, so I mixed preference and the tools at hand and cut off small portions with knife and fork and buttered each one to eat with my fingers. Rita did the same. I hoped it was close to correct.

I felt as if I were back in harness as mom and then grandmother to a teenaged girl. It was fun, and Rita was having a good time too. We talked for a long time then decided to go to the bookstore.  We both love to read, and we have a lot of understanding for each other, but, she loves fantasy and I like other kinds of fiction. It felt good to just listen as she described the contents of the books there that she had read. I didn’t have to judge, criticize, or correct anything. I think what she’s reading is doing her good, because it’s as if someone truly understand her feelings and has found solutions that she might also consider.

She wanted to go in a special clothing store where her boy cousin once worked in another city. She let me know that she appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to criticize the clothes or her taste. I wasn’t there to teach such things and that was freeing for me.

Then it was time to get back for the concert. The auditorium was so full we had to climb to the tenth level. We looked for Clarisse on the overflowing stage, but finally located her on the monitor. From then on, she was the most important person on the stage to us. Apparently, she was thinking about us too. When she wasn’t singing, she shaded her eyes and looked out into the auditorium. Later I asked if she wondered where we were. She said she yes. She also said they had practiced all morning and only got to eat as much lunch as they could get down in fifteen minutes. I offered sliced oranges and small Hershey bars. Rita donated cookies, and chips, so we filled Clarisse up and we talked all the way home. By the way, the music was wonderful, especially the song they sang at the beginning and the end, “We are the Music Makers.” Oh yes, so true. Our children are our music makers in every way possible, and I pray they will always be allowed to make music and friends of their own choice as well as behave as well as we think they should.

Purple Butterfly

By DiVoran Lites

 

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Tumbling Angels and The Leaning Tower

23 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

                                                     

Judy Wills

 

I essentially grew up in one town.  Okay, I was born in Dallas, Texas, but we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when I was nearly four years old, so….  From that standpoint, my Mother was rather surprised that I “adjusted” so well to a military life.  Of course, that wasn’t what Fred and I had planned when we met and married, but God had other plans that were infinitely better than ours.  Fred did promise me that we would “see the world” when he proposed to me.  Little did we know how that would transpire.

But I have to say that I really enjoyed military life.  Except for my brother being in the U.S. Navy for a while, I really wasn’t exposed to military life until I met Fred – or more specifically, his family.

So it came as a bit of a surprise when he joined the Air Force.  They sent us to California, then to Germany – something beyond my wildest dreams.   I really loved being in both of those places.  I still have a fondness for California, but don’t think I would like to live there now.  But Germany………..WOW!  We enjoyed it so much that Fred requested – and was granted – a second tour there.

While we had many adventures in Germany, one of the last things we did was to take in the Oberammergau Passion Play.  Magnificent!  From there, we drove down to Italy.  We went to Venice:

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St. Marks Square (Piazza San Marco) with
St .Mark’s Campanile

We went to Florence

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St. Mary’s Cathedral

We went to Trieste where Fred’s family lived following World War 2.

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Miramare Castle in Trieste

He showed me the building where they had lived.

via Carducci #2 - they lived in the "mezzanine"

via Carducci #2 – they lived in the “mezzanine”

 

We went to Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower and the church and baptistry.  Amazing!

The church and the leaning tower – it REALLY leans
The Baptistry

 We had been told about a little shop in Pisa that had some unique alabaster, marble and composition pieces, so we went to shop.  Our informants were correct – the merchandise was wonderful.  We purchased two marble lampstands.  We purchased some alabaster “fruit.”  And we purchased a set of composition tumbling angels.  I just thought they were really cute, and weren’t too expensive.  We have continued to enjoy all these things throughout all those years. 

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I continue to get tickled every time I look at – or dust – those tumbling angels.  They are just cute to see, but they always remind me of that trip we took, and that little shop in Pisa where we purchased them.  It’s a great memory.

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Time to Blossom

22 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Okay, dearest friends, as of yesterday, Spring is officially here. Time to blossom.
Like flowers, God is at work—He’s offering you the drink of living water, His Words
to bring sunshine into your days, and the promise that you will blossom, grow, shine
and give off the fragrance of joy.
Happy Saturday!

Spring

His Way

Janet Perez Eckles,

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

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The Joy of Encouragement

21 Mar

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

author of Window Wonders

 

 

We can be encouraged by what we hear-
Words are powerful; of this we are aware.
But nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.

It’s wonderous what a hug can do-
A hug can cheer you when you’re blue.
A hug can say, “I love you so”,
or “I sure hate to see you go”.

A hug is, “Welcome back again”-
and “Great to see you, where’ve you been?”
A hug can smoothe a small child’s pain,
and bring a rainbow after rain.

The hug- there’s no doubt about it,
We scarcely could survive without it.
A hug delights, and warms and charms-
It must be why God gave us arms.

Hugs are great for fathers and mothers,
Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers.
Kittens crave them; puppies love them.
and politicians are not above them.

No need to fret about your store of them-
The more you give, the more there’s more of them.
So stretch those arms without delay,
and give someone a hug today!

The message of this poem is “encouragement”-
When we touch someone with the love of God,
It fills a void;
That is my intent.

We are to encourage one another.
I know that I am encouraged by what I sense,
by what I hear, by what I read.
Reach out and touch someone-
Sense the hunger, sense the need.

Footnote: Learn to build up, not beat up.
The command to encourage one another is found
five times in the New Testament. It’s addressed
to all believers. It is not conditional, it is not optional.
It is a command.

“He climbs highest who helps another up”
Zig Zagler

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Robots~Part 3

19 Mar

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Bill

  

I just read an article about a new micro engine that says scientists have built the “smallest petrol engine,” tiny enough to power a WATCH.  The mini-motor, which runs for two years on a single squirt of lighter fuel (they say), is set to revolutionize world power/energy technology.  It produces 700 times more energy than a conventional battery, despite being less than a centimeter long.  It is hard for me to imagine a motor small enough to run a laptop, much less a watch, being able to replace a battery, but that is what the article was saying could happen in the not too distant future.  Check it out on the Internet.

Inspired by colonies of insects such as ants and bees, researchers are modeling the behavior of “swarms” of thousands of tiny robots, which together perform a useful task, such as finding something hidden, cleaning, or spying (on who I wonder?).

                                               

While most robots today are installed in factories or homes, performing labor or life saving jobs, many new types of robots are being developed in laboratories around the world.  Much of the research in robotics now is not focusing on specific industrial tasks, but on investigations into new types of robots, alternative ways to think about or design robots, and new ways to manufacture them.  It is expected that these new types of robots will be able to solve real world problems when they are finally realized. 

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 Then there are the fears and concerns about robots that have been repeatedly expressed in a wide range of books and films.  A common theme in this genre is the development of a master race of conscious and highly intelligent robots, motivated to take over or destroy the human race.  Does any of that kind of paranoia sound familiar? 

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Now, you know, I just started out to go on the Internet to check out a few things about “Robots” for my friend Leon, and now I have written a three-part (1250 word) blog about just some of what I found.  Who says the Internet is not a distraction?  Well, it sure can be one for me, as you can see.

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—–The End—–

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The Music Makers~Part 1

17 Mar

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistSaturday I had the privilege of taking fifth grader, Clarisse, to sing at the King Center in Melbourne. As it turned out, it was a big deal. There were only eight students from her school chosen to go. She wore her uniform, which was a pair of black pants and a long sleeved white shirt. Her teacher had a satin cumberbund and bow-tie for her and the other children from their school. Rita, Clarisse’s 17-year-old cousin who lives with her family went along too. We had to be there at eight a. m. So we got up early and drove forty-five minutes down I-95 to get there on time.

Adults and children from all over Brevard County flooded the walkways into the center. Carrie told us we couldn’t go in with her and she didn’t want any hugging, kissing, or long goodbyes, so we walked twenty paces behind and she seemed happy with that. As she walked away, she looked tall and slender in her black pants and white shirt with her hair in cornrows. She had given firm instructions to her cousin not to call out her name in the auditorium.

Rita and I headed for the counties best retail center, The Avenues in Viera. On the way, we talked about high school and friends. Apparently, high school is not a bed of roses. It certainly wasn’t for me. My take is that people want Rita when they want her, but they don’t have any use for her when she needs them and they are sometimes cruelly critical. I could honestly reassure her that she is a good person, and a smart one and she was the one who brought up the fact that high school wasn’t going to last forever. I told her I’d had some of the same things happen to me, but I let them go on for too long. I tried to persuade her that each of us has great worth and that we are free to choose our own friends.

I mean one’s whole life doesn’t have to be long-suffering, does it? Isn’t it okay to find a real and dear friend once in a while? Really, I did have some dear friends, but I thought I ought to please everyone, and I didn’t want to be self-indulgent so I spent more time with the ones I felt uncomfortable with because I didn’t want to be too self-indulgent. Haven’t we all done that—at least sometimes?

Green and pink paintingpng

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