The Coastal Chronicles

16 Feb

The Storyteller Almanac

This interview is special to me. The guest is my daughter. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. I am definitely a proud mama.

Reblogged 2/16/21

Greetings All !

The latest episode in my podcast series, “The Storyteller Almanac” is now live and available for your listening enjoyment . This one is entitled, “The Coastal Chronicles.” I had the pleasure of doing a ‘conversation with’ type interview with Ms Rebekah Lyn. Rebekah is someone I’ve known for over 20 years. When I first met her, she had a desire to write. But since then she’s authored SEVEN books to date with another on the way. Give a listen to this weeks podcast.

12 Stories Of Christmas: "`Twas The Night Before Christmas" – Storyteller Almanac

A reading of the classic Christmas Poem by Clement Clarke Moore. Great for kids on Christmas Eve!
  1. 12 Stories Of Christmas: "`Twas The Night Before Christmas"
  2. 12 Stories Of Christmas: "The Christmas Story" (Bible – Luke & Matthew)
  3. 12 Stories Of Christmas: "Legend Of The Christmas Stocking"
  4. 12 Stories Of Christmas: "Christmas Love"
  5. 12 Stories Of Christmas: "Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus"

I’ve been ‘clickin’ the shutter since I was about 16. I morphed into video production when I went to work for The Walt Disney Company many years ago. Currently, I still work for Disney. But my real passion and path is utilizing my photography and multimedia skill sets for the greater good. Translated, anything or anybody that deserves recognition, appreciation or documenting for future history, I’m all over it. Too many important things just slip away in a fast moving, fast paced world / society. ‘If ya’ wanna know where you’re going, ya’ gotta know where ya’ come from’ (Sir Lawrence Olivier – The Jazz Singer 1980). 

If you feel so inclined, I’d sure appreciate you subscribing to Storyteller Almanac on any of the major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Really helps me grow the po

To contact me for any reason, please click or copy & paste: 

MikeThomasImagery@gmail.com

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Listen

15 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Photo Credit Pixabay

When I started this blog, I thought about the song “Listen to the Mockingbird.” It’s not unusual that songs often pop into my mind. I honestly feel that I couldn’t live without music. That’s why I asked for music in my end-of-life directive. That’s one reason for listening.

As I scrolled through songs on YouTube, I came to several versions of “Listen to the Mockingbird,” but the one I couldn’t resist was the one with a pink dinosaur in a children’s TV program. Remember Barney? Our little granddaughter liked him so much she chose a car the same color when she was with her mom and dad shopping for a car. They bought it and called it the Barney car.

Photo Credit Pixabay

Lately, I’ve been trying to listen more and better to God. I get shivers when I recall the times I’ve made decisions without asking the Lord about it.  

I’m not the best listener myself. Take the times when someone is talking to me, and my thoughts fly into the wild, blue yonder. My husband has learned not to be offended when I get distracted but gently start over and fill me in on what he’s been saying.  

Ephesians 4:32 says to be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted, compassionate, and understanding, forgiving one another readily and freely, just as God in Christ also forgave you.”

Listening can relieve someone of a burden. It’s like a teeter-totter, your turn to talk, then my turn to talk. Almost everybody likes to be listened to because it opens new areas of companionship, love, and conversation. 

Listening to God is different, though. We don’t usually hear the words with our ears but with our hearts. 

He seems to be saying: most of all, my dear children, listen carefully to what I say. I will help you hear me in everything you do. 

Be wary of shrewd advice that gives you fixes and answers that do not come to be what you thought they were.

Listen when you walk, listen when you talk, and listen in your sleep. I think God pretty much sorts me out at that time, but I don’t remember much of what goes on in dreams. It seems, though, that when I listen to God, changes for the better come even when I haven’t been able to change myself.

Here’s God’s bottom line. “If you need wisdom of any kind at any time, ask Me, and I will answer you without making you feel foolish in any way, no matter what it’s about.” James1:5 (paraphrase)

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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Random Memories of Germany

14 Feb

Wiesbaden-Part 4

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy WILLS

ITALY

Last time I wrote about our trip in 1970 to the Oberammergau Passion Play.  That trip has remained in our memory with great fondness.

Here are a few more pictures of Oberammergau that we took.  We really loved that town.  This one fascinated me, because the balcony on this house had “cut-outs” of a design.  Never got close enough to really see what they were, but I liked it.  It was a bit of whimsy in my imagination.

And this is the church we saw from our B&B room.  I love those onion-top spires!

And here is the Hansl and Gretl house.  The fresco on the house tells the story.

And here is the Red Riding Hood house.

Since our Karen was only two years old, we left her in Wiesbaden with a couple from our church.  They had a small boy, and the children got along famously.  The husband of the couple was an enlisted military person, and we knew they were struggling a bit with finances.  Therefore, we paid them to care for Karen.  She would need diapers and food, if nothing else.  They initially said they wouldn’t take any money from us, but we told them we would get someone else to watch Karen if we couldn’t pay them for her care.  They finally agreed.  We sighed a big relief, because we knew she would be in good hands with them.

And so, Fred and I were released to travel and see and do things that we would not have been able to do with a small child with us.  Because of that, we had planned our trip to include the Passion Play, and then on into Italy.

One thing that I remember specifically, is that, since we were traveling by car, we had a case of soda in cans in the trunk of the car.  I don’t know whether that trunk had really good insulation or what, but those cans of soda were still COLD by the end of our trip!!  WOW!!

Photo Credit Pixabay

Since this series is about “Random Memories…” I want to tell of a memory of a trip we made to Italy, but not in 1970 (before I forget to mention it again!).  Fred and I made a trip to Italy in 1968 and while on a bus in Rome, the bus had stopped by the American Express office for those of us Americans who needed cash could get what we needed there.  The bus stopped, and our guide stepped out of the bus to handle traffic while we exited the bus ourselves and crossed the street.  Remember now…this was a VERY busy street in Rome, Italy.  All she did was look at the oncoming cars, stepped into the street and point her index finger at them…and they all just…stopped!  I was dumbstruck!  We all made it across the street safely.  WOW!

~~~~~~~~~~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 years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Seven things God wants you to see during this pandemic

13 Feb

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged February 13, 2021

February 7, 2021

I was in a bit of trouble This past Sunday morning after I got dressed, I slipped into a cute pair of boots and leggings to complement my black dress.

Well, I wasn’t sure if I had the right color combination of items. Since hubby wasn’t home, I did what any blind gal would do. I grabbed my cell, and told Siri to open the app called Be My Eyes. She did. And Siri read the screen to me. I pressed the button that said, “Call first available volunteer.”

I tapped the button and in seconds a real-live person answered. “Hello, my name is Sue, how can I help you?”

“Thank you,” I said. “Can you tell me if I have the right color combination for my outfit?”

I held my cell phone so she could see what I wore. And the sweet gal on the other end described exactly what I had on, colors and other details.

The Be my Eyes app is the greatest help ever! Blind folks can use this free service to read medication labels, identify pantry items, describe their surroundings. The list is endless. Truly, Be My Eyes is a welcomed freedom for the blind.

God wants to be that very thing for us.

He wants to be our eyes so we can see His hand at work in the midst of painful changes. He wants us to look closely at how His Word is coming alive in spite of every ugly event that barges into our life. He wants us to observe how evil is creeping up yet, under God’s watch, it’s heading to its sorry end. He wants us to see all that.

But do we? Sometimes not. We’re blinded by the fear, courtesy of the media. Blinded by worry about tomorrow, and by the anxiety that keeps us tossing awake at night.

But…what if we open the app in our heart to see these seven areas. There He traces the path for us to live as conquerors, confident and secure.

Seven things to see.

  1. He wants us to peek in the gift box wrapped in His love: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you peace as the world gives” (John 14:27a). But wait a minute, that gift comes with this instruction: “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27b). With that peace there’s power. We have the power to make the choice to allow our heart to be troubled and be afraid, or to erase that troubled feeling together with its unfounded fear.
  2. God wants us to see how Jesus declared His mission: because “the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1), How often we end up in spiritual poverty, hungry for even a bite of hope. But Jesus came to preach the good news that satisfies us as we savor this delicious promise: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
  3. He wants us to recognize the world cannot put back together what was broken. But Jesus can, He says, “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…” (Isaiah 61:1). If our heart is broken, He has the salve to heal. He has the love to put back what was taken. And He has the power to make us whole once again.
  4. He wants us to see the freedom, certain and lasting. He came “to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…” (Isaiah 61:1). No more prisoners of panic attacks, no more feeling gripped by depression. He unlocked that prison cell with the key of His promise.
  5. God wants us to see He has a plan. He came “to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God…” (Isaiah 61:2). His favor will be upon those who trust in Him. No matter the injustice, the insults or attempts to silence us, His vengeance is prepared in His way and will be displayed in the precise moment.
  6. When we face the loss of a job, los of a loved one, loss of a relationship or even our health, God wants us to see that he came to fill the emptiness and “to comfort all who mourn…” (Isaiah 61:2). If mourning is filling our days, His comfort is here. If grief weighs heavy, His peace is constant. And if the heartache is too much, He eases the pain.
  7. When we fall apart and we’re surrounded by ashes of despair, He wants us to see that His mission is to bring a beautiful exchange: “to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3).

Can you look in the mirror and see the new you? The new perception of your life, of your situation and of your future? That’s because when we remove the blinders, we see a new and exquisite scenery. Then peace visits our nights. And during the day, this sings in our heart:

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart…” (Psalm 73:26).

Let’s pray.

Father, no matter how ugly and dark the world turns, I choose to see the scenery you painted before me. I see Your promises, Your mission and Your power to give me strength. In Jesus’ name.

What do your eyes see 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.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Gerald’s Story

11 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I have a confession to make. I have attacks of Covid phobia. If my throat feels scratchy, my eyes look extra red, or if I imagine my chest feels tight, can you guess my first thought? Is this Covid?

Last week I shared Debby’s story. Her very personal journey through Covid. Another friend posted their story on Facebook this week and with his permission, I am sharing it with you. For the record, I have not been in physical contact with these friends or friends of friends during their Covid experience.

Gerald’s Story

“Today I turned 68 years old and took the day off just to reflect on my life and how blessed I am. This year 2021 has already turned into a trying one with me getting the COVID in early January but praise God I survived it with very few issues. To say I wasn’t scared would be a lie because I was. I’ve heard too many stories of a person being fine one minute and the next they are gone.

I had 12 days of isolation in my travel trailer to really think about my life and all the amazing things God has blessed me with. A wonderful family, friends, job and so much more! Obviously I wanted to live and see my children and grandchildren grow up and celebrate all the different occasions that make life wonderful. But there was that thought, what if I didn’t make it. Just in case, I wrote a letter to tell all my loved ones just how much they meant to me and to have faith in God because he loves us and is always in control. I wanted to stay but to be honest I trusted God either way and would be content to be in his wonderful presence.

Luckily I made it and don’t need to send the letter but it was wonderful sitting in that trailer for 12 days and reflecting on my life and blessings. When I came out on day 12, I’ll be honest and tell you that the sun was brighter, the air sweeter, and life so much more precious. Thank you God for the angels you placed around me. Thank you for your love, mercy, and for being my Heavenly Father. Hopefully my experience will give someone hope or help someone who might be struggling with the virus or just the struggles of life. Amen“

One night I remember feeling exceptionally unwell and aching. Every time I awoke in pain, I prayed against Covid. The next morning I felt much better. But if the time comes and I do succumb, I hope to do so with the same courage and trust as my friend, Gerald.

I'm a winner

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.

My 2020 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

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Mount Rushmore Road Trip Part 16

10 Feb

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 16 Thursday 

9/24/2020  

This morning after breakfast I took one last shot at a visit to the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, which was located only 6 miles from my motel there in Aurora.  Since it had been over two weeks since I started this road trip here, and some things had been opening up (COVID-19), I was in hopes they had opened the museum and their aircraft displays.  No such luck.  The base was still closed to non-military personnel. 

By now it was time to turn in my rental car, at Denver’s International Airport, and make my way to the Southwest Airlines counter to check in.  I took the time to eat my last banana and drink my last bottle of water before I headed for Security.  I got a good seat on my flight to Orlando and was ready to go.  When the flight attentant got us all in and seated, she thanked us for flying with them on their non-stop flight to Philadelphia and on to Orlando.  I said, “WHAT! I though this was a NON-STOP flight!.”  Then some wise guy behind me said, “This is non-stop; to Philadelphia.”  HA, HA.  

The flight attentant explained that the stop in Philadelphia would be just long enough to off-load and on-load passengers, and I didn’t even have to get off the plane if I didn’t want to.  I couldn’t believe what was happening.  I had booked this non-stop Denver to Orlando flight in July, but when COVID-19 restrictions were still keeping a lot of places closed, I had changed my reservation to September.  I had booked, what I thought was the same non-stop flight, and since nothing on my bording pass looked different, and no one at the check-in desk said anything about it, I just assumed it was the same non-stop flight I had originally booked. 

The flight from Denver to Philadelphia was smooth and uneventful. We were served fresh mini-pretsels and small cookies with ice water.  In Philadelphia I stayed on the plane so I wouldn’t loose my favorite seat.  I got to see how Southwest was going the extra mile to clean the plane between each flight.  They disenfected and wiped down each seat, arm rest, and tray table in the entire plane.  I was impressed.  The new passengers were boarded, and the flight to Orlando was a little bumpy as we were flying over the remains of Hurricane Sally part of the way.  I was hungry and asked for two bags of cookies and mini-pretsels this time.  I had to have two glasses of water to wash them down.

DiVoran picked me up at the Orlando International Airport and we headed north on SR-436 to the Panara Bread restaurant for dinner.  I had a “pic-two” of Frontega Chicken Panini & Broccli Cheese soup and DiVoran had the Fugi Apple Chicken Salad.  The food was exellant and we both left with full tummies.  The 45-minute drive from Panara’s to  our home in Titusville was relaxing, and I was really glad to be able to sleep in my own bed, after a different motel bed most every night for over two weeks.  

My next two planned road trips include time spent in parts of Canada, and right now I’m not sure American tourist are welcome there.  We’ll have to just wait and see if the restrictions of this COVID-19 pandemic are lifted in time for a summer trip that far north next year.  In the mean time, we pray that God will keep each of you safe and healthy.  Join me next  time for another exciting “Road Trip” to somewhere you haven’t been before.  It will be fun and something new and exciting every day.

—–The End–—

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 63 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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Survivors

8 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Patricia Franklin

If you have time, please watch this video first. 

DiVoran

During our elementary school years, my friend Patricia and I both lived with our families in Westcliffe, a small town at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the Wet Mountain Valley. The town had a two-block downtown and a century-old elementary school that held first grade through sixth, with the seventh and eighth graders in a small annex attached to the back of the school. Except for electricity and motorcars, the town was much like a pioneer town, especially when it came to health. 

Patricia 

When we were in elementary school, we got mumps, measles, chickenpox, and many colds (viruses, I guess).  I don’t think we even went to the doctor for these ailments.  We went to school, caught the illness, and stayed home until we were better.  I remember in 5th grade; my cousin came to school with chickenpox.  I sat next to her during a project, noticed her little bumps, and figured I would get it.  I was a little scared, but not much.  When my brothers and I caught it, Mom gave us warm baths with baking soda in the water.  It really helped the itching. Nobody made a big deal about any of it. I remember hearing about polio when they had it in another town.  People from Westcliffe stayed away from there. 

DiVoran

My brother David and I got chickenpox, and since mother and dad were just a phone call or two blocks away taking care of the restaurant, they let us stay at home on our own for the two weeks of quarantine.  Believe it or not, there was no crime in our small town of perhaps 400 people. We had a big shaggy dog named Brownie as a baby-sitter.  We played with our ranch and doll toys, listened to the radio, played records from WW1, ran around the house, ate what we wanted, and had a great two weeks. We didn’t tear anything up or make any messes that we didn’t clean up. I don’t recall fighting much.  I did try to read a children’s self-help book to David. I thought he needed it, but he didn’t seem interested. I don’t remember us having any doctors in Westcliffe or even any nurses. We did have our beloved pharmacist, Cope. We should have called him Mr. Cope, but we dropped the formalities with our friend who gave us comic books with no covers and in later years let us babysit his children. As I recall, no child in our grammar school died from any illness.

Patricia

We did have doctors in Westcliffe at times. If you got sick, the doctor would come to your house.  I remember going to the doctor’s office once or twice as a child.  I don’t think we had doctors all the time, or maybe they came from Pueblo or Canon occasionally, like the dentist did once a month.  

DiVoran 

So, worse things have happened than this Covid 19. More people survive than don’t. The other terrible things that were happening finally went away. And I guess I’d have to say a lot of changes, good and bad, occurred. I’d also have to say that God loves us and is always with us come what may. 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures, leads me beside still waters, and restores my soul. Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff comfort me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  

Psalm 23

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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Random Memories of Germany

7 Feb

Wiesbaden-Part 3

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Shortly before we left Germany to return Stateside, Fred and I (without Karen who was only two years old at that time) went to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play that was being presented that year (1970).  It is only presented once every 10 years.  (Please see my post of November 12, 2012, titled Oberammergau)  We stayed in a B&B in a packaged deal – breakfast and a bed.  The other two meals of the day were in a hotel restaurant.  It wasn’t a terribly large house, and we stayed in the “attic” room – bathroom down the hall, and a balcony outside our room.  But it was comfortable.  

The B&B where we stayed – top with the balcony

We thought it was funny that we stayed in one part of the house – and there was a partition to the house that separated the “house” from the “barn.”  In other words – the cattle were on the other side of that partition!

One of the fun things that happened (we called it a God-thing), was that there were other Americans staying in the house with us.  As we gathered for breakfast that first morning, we discovered that the other Americans were the pastor of the Faith Baptist Church in Kaiserslautern (K-town) and some of his church members!! WOW!  How did THAT happen?

Faith Baptist Church – Kaiserslautern, Germany

We also had assigned seats for the Passion Play, and they were seated beside us.  As I recall, I had made some cookies to take with us on our trip (probably chocolate chip), and the final evening of our stay, we all gathered in the kitchen of the house – along with our host and his family – and shared the cookies and coffee and conversation!  So much fun!

We discovered, in that conversation, that the man of the house had played the part of Jesus in the Passion Play in 1960!  All the actors were from the town of Oberammergau and none were from outside the town.

Purchased slide – 1970 Passion Play

To read the reason for the Passion Play, please Google “Oberammergau Passion Play” and click on the site for the History of the Passion Play.  It is quite interesting.

We realized that much of Oberammergau with its stores and all were geared for all the tourists that came through, whether for the Play or just to visit, but we learned to really love that town.

One of the “famous” stores in Oberammergau, with fresco

I believe they’ve built a new theater for the Play from the one where we saw it.  If we ever get back to Germany, perhaps we can go and take a look at it.  Perhaps the new one is relatively enclosed, as the one where we attended had the stage and the first 10 rows of audience in open air…and it SNOWED during our May 22 performance!!  But not one of the actors – even the children – moved a muscle during the snowfall!  And that was during a tableau scene – so everyone was standing stone-still! 

Purchased slide – 1970 Passion Play

So we hope the new theater is enclosed!

More on that trip next time….

~~~~~~~~~~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 years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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If

6 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I came across this poem in Streams in the Desert during my morning meditation. I’ve often been amazed at technology’s ability to fling beauty through the air. In truth, I find it easier to trust that my living God hears prayers than that machines can send sound across through the air.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

If radio’s slim finger can pluck a melody 

From night, and toss it over a continent or sea; 

If the petaled white notes of a violin 

Are blown across a mountain or a city’s din; 

If songs, like crimson roses, are culled from thin blue air— 

Why should mortals wonder if God hears prayer? 

ETHEL ROMIG FULLER

Poet Ethel Romig Fuller was Oregon’s first female poet laureate, from 1957 to 1965. You can learn more about her at The Oregon Encyclopedia

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Debbie’s Story

4 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Two weeks ago when I learned my friend, Debbie, had tested positive for Covid and was symptomatic, I was concerned. My 65 year old friend’s health has not been optimal. On the plus side I knew that she had overcome many physical challenges and that she would be covered in the prayers of her large circle of family and friends.

This week I learned Debbie was a Covid survivor and I thankfully put a capital H next to her name on my Covid prayer list. She posted her Covid experience on Facebook and I found it to be a powerful testimony. She gave me permission to share it with you, unedited.

Debbie’s Story

Today I tested Negative for Covid!

But being home alone these past 18 days has shown me some things:

-God loves me! Be still and Know that he is God!

-I can survive being alone because God never leaves me.

-If you really listen you can hear God- maybe not in a human voice but in the silence around you- a bird singing, rain drops, wind chime blowing, leaves blown across the grass, music from a passing car, a train whistle and just the stillness of late at night. 

– Its ok and Good for you to allow others to help you.

– There are many things to do with time on your hands: read, write letters, color, clean out drawers, sit outside and listen to the birds, pray for others. 

On day one I cried all day – scared of Covid and scared to be quarantined ! 

I know that sounds crazy- I am 65 yrs old- widowed for 19 years- being by myself should be normal. It wasnt- it was a Normal I never embraced!! I surround myself with people- even at times unhealthy relationships just to keep from being alone. I have tried to work on this at different times but no luck. 

Well the Lords timing is always perfect!

The first 6-7 days I was so sick- I prayed and slept and cried! 

Once I got over that first hill I started seeking God for comfort and peace

With being stuck inside! 

Daily God would show me how to use 

Time to heal my body and soul. He used my family and friends to call at just the right time not at a time I was broken or lonely. Those were the times he ordained for Me and Him.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Side Note: 

The night of Our accident that killed Doug- we had been reading a daily devotional- the Bible reference was Romans 8:28. The devotional was about Bad things and good people! 

Yes this is the truth- so for years I have not really liked that verse and I associated it with Doug’s untimely death. This quiet time that I did not choose to go thru has opened up a new understanding of this verse:

This verse is speaking to Christians , believers -“those who love God,” and “those who are called according to His purpose.” This promise is for Christians: for saved believers, who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ (John 3:16). No matter our feelings , loving God is part of what it means to live in Christ. That’s who we are. Each of us is also called to fulfill God’s purposes.

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