Tag Archives: #amblogging

Praise

20 Nov

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Photo Credit: Pixabay
 
O God in Zion, to You, even silence is praise!
You are the God who answers prayer,
All of humanity comes before you with their requests
Though we are overcome by our many sins,
Your sacrifice covers over them all.
And your priestly lovers, those you’ve chosen,
Will be greatly favored to be brought close to you.
What inexpressible joys are theirs!
What feasts of mercy fill them in your heavenly sanctuary!
How satisfied we are to be near you!
Psalm 65:1-7

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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Church-Part 7 B

20 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

The Music

Still making that detour…. 

Our church in San Jose, California was small, but  I do remember they did a “musical” that Christmas, Love Transcending by John W. Peterson.  I remember the songs in that musical and how I loved it.  Apparently it made quite a impression on me.

Credit Google search and Amazon

Our church in San Antonio, Texas, was a HUGE church!  We had a nice-sized choir, and each Christmas we did some sort of musical.  I don’t remember much about acting done with the music, but there probably was some.  I do remember that the musical Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti was done one year with actors/singers playing their parts.. The “mother” in the musical was the wife of our Minister of Music.  She was a good friend, and a wonderful singer.  

Credit Google Search and Central City Opera

I also remember one Christmas season we did Sing We Now of Christmas by Mark Hayes.  Wonderful, beautiful piece of music.  And the final year we were there, we did Messiah by Handel.  That piece of music will always be a favorite of mine.  It is magnificent and full of praise to our God.

Our church in Panama City, Florida had a wonderful music department and Sanctuary choir.  I can’t remember much about “musicals” we performed, but I do remember one special program we did that had a lot of patriotic songs in it.  I suspect that we did more than one Christmas performance, but that it was probably more of a concert than an acting musical.

Our church in Seaford, Virginia was relatively small – about 200 active members when we joined there.  The choir wasn’t huge, but we had some great voices in that choir.  While I don’t remember all the names of the musicals we performed, we did them with such professionalism that people from around that area of Virginia would come to see our performances.  We usually performed more than just one service – three or four times – enough anyway that we could accommodate all who would like to see it.  Very seldom did we do just a concert – it was almost always a musical, with acting.  I remember one Christmas musical that had images of Christ going through his torture before His crucifixion, and I wondered why they put that in a Christmas musical!  But of course, we couldn’t have salvation without Christ coming as that baby and going through all He did on the cross.

I remember one Easter musical we did at Seaford, where they had rented a lift and a smoke machine, and actually had the actor playing Christ ascending in the “clouds.”  WOW what an impact THAT made!

We did another musical at Seaford Baptist church, that required our music director to purchase a recording of thunder.  During the performance, we had a thunder storm pass over.  The director said she wished she hadn’t spent the money on the recording – God provided the sound effects better than the recording!

I remember one of the Christmas musicals we did there, Christmas is Calling You Home by Mark Hayes, and that was a huge hit.  It was just so well-written, and well performed.  Fred and I enjoyed it so m

uch that we impressed it upon the Minister of Music at our present church to try it out – which we did.

Credit Google Search and Cloniger and Hayes

WE….ARE THE CHURCH!

~~~~~~~~~~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 and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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The Missing Fork

19 Nov

One the Porch

Onisha Ellis

On Wednesday we spent hours at an out of town hospital while my husband underwent an entire day of medical tests. I had prepared by packing a lunch bag with cheese and nuts to snack on and since it was cold I also wore a hoodie( With The Chosen logo on it. Mine is teal.)

Photo Credit https://thechosengifts.com/products/against-the-current-zip-up-limited-edition-hoodie

I don’t do waiting well so I had slipped my Kindle into my purse to ease the boredom. I do reading well.

To break up the time I decided to get a light lunch in the cafeteria. By now, I had shed the hoodie during a hot flash and I didn’t want to put it back on but I did so I wouldn’t have to carry it. The cafeteria was a good distance but I found it with no problem thanks to excellent signage. There were multiple serving stations and after wandering past each, I chose a delicious chicken salad sandwich on thick pumpernickel. Not Keto but really good. It came with a side of coleslaw. And of course I had to have a cup of coffee.

I paid and found a nice table by a window and spread out to eat. I removed my hoodie, draping it over the back of my chair then I sat my purse in another chair and the lunch bag on the table. The sandwich and coleslaw were in a Styrofoam container and as I opened it and laid out the napkins and coleslaw I realized I didn’t have a fork for the coleslaw. I looked around at all my stuff and just didn’t want to get up and go get a fork. So I prayed, “God would you please send someone, to my table with a fork? They don’t have to know why.”. And I waited expectantly. And no one brought me a fork. 

I decided rather than gathering up all my stuff to go and find a fork I would eat my sandwich and then gather it all up and go in search of a fork. I put the Styrofoam and napkins and cup into a nearby trashcan and was walking around with the empty tray when a young man who worked there asked if I was looking for the tray return. He was so sweet and pointed me in that direction. I looked at him and said actually I’m looking for a fork. He pointed to the direction I needed. Turns out the forks are in the opposite direction to the tray return and it was very easy to find. I got the fork and found another table to sit and eat the coleslaw.

So maybe God didn’t send me a fork but he did send me someone to tell me where to find one. Plus I now knew where to find the tray return.

A note about The Chosen

The Chosen series is telling the story of Jesus over 7 seasons. Throw out your preconceived ideas of a Christian production. This is beautifully filmed and produced and it is totally free to watch. Each season is crowdfunded through donations and the sale of branded items. Additionally, last Christmas a special theatre viewing was offered for those who desired a big screen experience. It was then made free for in home viewing. This week the premiere of the first two episodes of season 3 is showing in theaters and I hope to be able to attend. If not, it will be available online and on some TV channels. I hope you will check it out. Let me know if you do!

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  

My 2022 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.

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2022 Road Trip Part 9B

16 Nov

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 9 Continued (5/24/2022)

Next on the list was The National Museum of Transportation located in the Twin Oaks area of St. Louis.  This museum is laid out over a huge 42-acre rolling hills park that could really be called a four-museums-in-one arrangement.  There is the Lobby Area with its antique streetcars, the Miniature Train Station, the Automobile Collection, the Train Yard, and the Roberts Pavilion.  This museum has gone a long way to protect and interoperate North American’s Transportation Heritage.  There is something for everyone, including a miniature train ride around the park perimeter.  A family could easily spend a whole day here, and sill not see everything.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

In the main lobby area, I was impressed with the 1870s Bellefontaine Railway ‘mule car’ and the 1880s Boston & Providence Railroad coach.  There was also a selection of framed model history scenes depicting the evolution of transportation in America, as well as the McDonnell Tribute Exhibit.  For the antique car collector, there was a 1924 Ford Model ‘T’ there in the lobby being showcased as a give-a-way (Sweepstakes).  A real prize for someone!

Photo credit: Bill Lites

Within walking distance of the lobby, I checked out The Carl G. Lindburg Automobile Center, which displays some 60+ beautifully restored cars and trucks dating from the early 1900s.  Two of the most unusual cars in this collection are Bobby Darin’s Dream Car (Designed and built by fashion designer Andy Di Dia) and a 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car (only 55 produced).  And yes, Jay Leno has one that runs (#34) that he bought from Chrysler.

Photo credit: Bill Lites        Bobby Darin’s Dream Car

Photo credit: Bill Lites        1963 Chrysler Turbine Car

A little farther up the hill was the museum’s huge historic Train Yard.  This collection of 45+ pieces of restored rolling stock, includes the 1939 General Pershing Zephyr streamlined ‘Silver Challenger’ and the Union Pacific #4006 ‘Big Boy’ steam locomotive, considered to be the world’s largest (successful) steam locomotive

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

As I was walking back down to my van, I passed the Miniature Train Station, filled with excited young passengers waiting for their turn to ride in the museum’s Miniature Train. The train travels around the perimeter of the park and gives visitors an opportunity to see where all the exhibits are located.  Everyone loves that train ride!  This is truly a family attraction.

Photo credit: https://www.ksnt.com/news/miniture-park-train/

After that informative visit, I headed over to visit the James S. McDonnell Prologue Room located in the Boeing/St. Louis Headquarters building adjacent to the St. Louis Lambert International Airport.  This prologue room displays full-size Mercury and Gemini capsules as well as hundreds of models, dioramas, photographs, and videos that tell the story of the milestone events that the original McDonnell Aircraft Company was instrumental in, that helped shape America’s early manned space programs.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Now it was time to get something to eat and head back to the motel for the night.  I stopped at an Applebee’s in the St. Johns area for a plate of their Rib-Lets with French fries and coleslaw.  I had enough left over to enjoy that delicious meal again tomorrow night.  Greta (My Garmin) acted like she knew the way to the motel, having been there before,

and took me right to it.  I recorded today’s adventures and went to bed.  I didn’t even turn on the TV.  I was a tired puppy.

Photo Credit: https://yahoo.com/applebees+riblets+plate

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 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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Our Creator’s Compassion

14 Nov

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Everything I am will praise and bless the Lord!

O Lord, my God, your greatness takes my breath away,

Overwhelming me by your majesty, beauty, and splendor!

You wrap yourself with a shimmering, glistening light.

You wear sunshine like a garment of glory.

You stretch out the starry skies like a tapestry.

You build your balconies with light beams

And ride as King in a chariot you made from clouds.

You fly upon the wings of the wind.

You take your messengers into winds of the Spirit

And all your ministers become flames of fire.

Psalm 104:1-5

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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Church-Part 7A

13 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

The Music

I would like to make a short detour here.  Still talking about The Church, but instead, some of the music we’ve sung, and performances we have participated in.

While I don’t really remember much about what we did in Albuquerque First Baptist Church, back in the 1950’s , it was probably mostly just sort of a “concert” of either Christmas or Easter music, perhaps with a narration interspersed between songs, depending upon the season of the year.

Photo credi Google search-t First Baptist Church, Albuquerque

But the beginning of my fondest memories of the “cantatas” or “musicals” started shortly after Fred and I married and moved to Fort Worth, Texas.  We joined Travis Avenue Baptist Church there, and were so impressed with the choir that when we joined the church, we didn’t even give the choir director an opportunity to invite us to choir.  We asked her how we could join in!  She was quite surprised!

Credit Google Search and Travis Avenue Baptist Church

I don’t remember a lot of the Christmas and Easter musicals we did at that church, but I do remember one special “musical” we performed.  It’s called God’s Trombones by James Weldon Johnson, and is a Negro Spiritual.

Credit Google Search

It is actually seven Negro sermons in verse – made into a musical.  It is a wonderful, beautiful musical, but because it is not “politically correct” to sing those wonderful songs, we never hear about it anymore.  But I loved the way our director staged it.  It was an evening service, and the choir was “scattered” around the sanctuary, in our “Sunday-go-to-meetin’” best clothes.  After all the preliminary church stuff was completed, one of our choir members took one of our handbells – the large, deep-voiced one – and began “tolling” for church members.  So we began rising from wherever we were sitting, and made our way to the choir loft (we had about 80 choir members).  That “picture” has stayed with me, all these years later.  It was a wonderful performance, with all the glory going to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Only one other musical event from Travis Avenue  that I/we remember was the year we performed The Seven Last Words of Christ by Joseph Haydn.  I don’t remember a lot of “acting” during that performance, but I do remember that we had an actor portraying Christ, and he was actually “hanging” on the cross, set up in the baptistry.  He “sang” the seven last words of Christ on the cross.  It was an extremely moving presentation.

Credit Google Search and synaxis

While it wasn’t at the church, I was able to join with some from the community to sing with the Seminary choir (Southwestern Baptist Seminary – Fort Worth, Texas) performing  Messiah by Handel.  The rehearsals were in the evening, and after working all day long, then heading to Seminary for rehearsals…well, I only participated in one performance.  I was just too tired to do justice to the music.  But it is a magnificent piece of music.

The Rotunda  – Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

Credit Google Search and SWBTS website

WE….ARE THE CHURCH!

~~~~~~~~~~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 and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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2022 Road Trip-Part 9A

9 Nov

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 9 (5/24/2022)

I was up early this morning, had breakfast, and headed for downtown St. Louis to visit The Gateway Arch and Museum.  I wanted to get there early to find the right parking garage which I had not been able to locate yesterday.  As luck would have it, I found it on the first pass and even with the three-block walk, still arrived at the Arch before the doors opened.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

The prelude talk before the ride to the top was long and took us from one level to the next, but we finally arrived at the trams.  The 6-minute ride to the top of The Arch was knee-to-knee crowded in the tram, but when we got there, the view was worth the ride.  The windows were small, but the view (30 miles in any direction on a clear day) was spectacular!  I was amazed to feel the floor under my feet move slightly at one point.  We were only allowed about ten minutes at the top before we were herded back into the trams for the 4-minute trip back down.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

As we exited the trams, we were guided onto the museum floor and the exits.  The museum is a very impressive layout.  There are six-themed exhibit areas that chronicle 201 years of American Western Expansion history as was witnessed by the St. Louis area from 1764 to 1965.   The displays are informative and explain each of the six periods in detail, with hands-on items for the younger visitors.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

After completing that ‘Bucket List’ adventure, I walked over to check out the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France church (known as the Old Cathedral).  This cathedral’s roots date back to 1764, when St. Louis founders Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau dedicated land (church block) to the people of St. Louis for religious purposes. The log cabin built on that site was the first church west of the Mississippi River and the first church in St. Louis.  This 1831 Cathedral (renovated over the years) is the fourth structure to be built on this site and tells the story of the early history of St. Louis.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Now I headed off to explore some of the other museums on my list there in the St. Louis area.  First on the list was the Jefferson Barracks POW & MIA Museum located in the 405-acre Jefferson Barracks Park which was founded in 1828 as part of the Jefferson Barracks Military Post.  This museum is housed in the old restored 1905 Post Exchange building and is designed to honor those men and women who did not return from the war they fought, with personal and military artifacts and memorabilia.   

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Before leaving the Jefferson Barracks Park, I visited the Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum which is situated in an original restored 1896 building.  This building was originally designed as a two-family duplex, and was part of in the ‘Officers Row’ housing section, within the U.S. Army Jefferson Barracks base.  The museum features an extensive collection of telephones, and telephone related equipment dating from the late 1800s to 2012. 

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Next, I drove out to the Creve Coeur Airport, not far from the Missouri River, to visit the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum.  As I was pulling into the airport complex, I saw a sign for the Army Aviation Heritage Flying Museum which I didn’t know was also located in this complex.  I looked for their museum all over the complex, but couldn’t see any other indications as to where their museum was.  So, I tried the Restoration Museum.  This museum was closed, and I was really disappointed to miss a chance to see their collection of beautifully restored ‘Golden Age of Flight’ aircraft.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 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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Church-Part 8

6 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Again, we left Germany with many regrets – we really loved living in Germany!

Fred had been assigned to a Weather Wing attached to Langley AFB, Virginia, near Hampton Roads.  Neither of us had ever lived near Virginia, so this promised to be quite a new adventure for us and our girls.

Our house in Seaford

In deep snow

We settled in a small town, Seaford, Virginia, just eight miles south of Yorktown and it’s famous battlefield.  We were only about half-an-hour from Colonial Williamsburg, and about that from Jamestown.  That entire area is call the “Historic Triangle” of America.  We lived there nearly 13 years.

Credit Google search and Wikipedia

Sign along Interstate 64

Fred had a bit of a drive to work from Seaford, but we liked the house, the area and the schools.  I really loved living in that house, but, as I’ve said recently, if we were still there, we would have to move, as my knees cannot handle stairs anymore.

There was a small Baptist church not too far from our house.  Again, after visiting around quite a few Baptist churches in the area, we decided that Seaford Baptist Church was where God wanted us.  When we joined the church the pastor told us that the family we purchased the house from had been members of the church.  They told the pastor that they had prayed over every room in that house, that God would bring a God-loving family to that house.  Their prayers were answered when we moved in.

Seaford Baptist Church as we knew it

Credit cover of a pictorial church directory

We were members of Seaford Baptist Church for nearly the entire time we lived in Virginia.  We were there for three of its pastors, and loved each of them.  

This is a picture of the church when we were members there

Seaford Baptist Church – Photo by Fred Wills

The far left end (pitched roof) was the original building, with the classrooms between it and the “new” Sanctuary with the steeple.  That area was now church offices and some classrooms.  The center section was still classrooms, and it was all attached to the “new” Sanctuary.  

Seaford Baptist Church under heavy snow – Photo by Fred Wills

Here are some pictures of the Sanctuary, all decked out for Christmas.

Foyer – photo by Fred Wills

Photo by Fred Wills

Photo by Fred Wills

Since we have moved from Virginia, the church has expanded by building a 1200-seat Sanctuary, which is filled each Sunday.  The old Sanctuary is used by the Youth Department of the church.

Seaford Baptist Church – new Sanctuary

Photo by Fred Wills

I began playing the old organ in that church (not my favorite instrument to play!), and when we started having problems with it, the Minister of Music decided it would be a good thing to upgrade to a keyboard…which we did.  And you should have heard the complaints!  So many of the older members complained that it just didn’t sound like an organ – even though I was using the “organ” setting.  So, one of our members who was a skilled wood-worker, built a cabinet for two keyboards, to make it look like an organ.  The complaints stopped immediately, and we heard things like “now THAT’S what an organ sounds like!”  Same sound settings, but now it looked like an organ.  Perception is everything.  Here’s a picture of that “organ.”

Photo by Fred Wills

WE….ARE THE CHURCH!

~~~~~~~~~~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 and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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 2022 Road Trip Part 8B

2 Nov

A Slice of Life

 Bill Lites

Day 8 Continued (5/23/2022)

After that quick ‘Trip to the Past’ I left Paduca and headed back north 50 miles on SR-13 to visit the Gateway Classic Cars collection located in O’Fallon, IL.  This is a fabulous collection of beautifully restored cars, ranging from the 1930s Hot Rods to the present-day Muscle Cars.  I never get tired of drooling over the finished product of someone’s ‘Dream Car.’  I’ve been there and know how hard it is to sell that car you have put your heart and soul into restoring. 

Photo Credit; Bill Lites

Now it was only about 15 miles west on I-24 to where I had planned to visit the old 1831 Campbell House Museum located in the Lucas Place neighborhood in St. Louis, MO but they were closed by the time I got there.   Just a few blocks away I stopped to see if the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum was open.  They weren’t, so it wasn’t far to where I checked out the Moto Motorcycle Museum.  This museum is the private collection of famous architect, Steve Smith, and displays mostly motorcycles made before 1975, and mainly from European countries.  It is a beautiful collection of motorcycles with names not commonly heard of in the United States.

Photo Credit; Bill Lites

On the same block I noticed the International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum, and stopped to take a photo.  They were closed also, so I headed a few blocks to check out the Laclede’s Landing Wax Museum located not far from the Gateway Arch, adjacent to the Mississippi River.  This museum has five levels and displays over 250 wax figures of some of the most famous persons in history, including movie stars, presidents, world leaders, religious leaders, and inventers just to name a few of the categories of wax figures.

Photo Credit; Bill Lites

By now I was getting hungry, so I gave Greta (My Garmin) the address for the Blueberry Hill Diner located in the Delmar Loop district across from the Ackert Walkway leading to University City.  The Blue Berry Hill is a longtime pop culture–themed diner where live music is played several nights each week (Not tonight – Bummer).  They advertise that Chuck Berry walked across their stage, in their ‘Duck Room’ over 200 times.  I enjoyed an order of their famous French Dip, accompanied by a lot of Chuck Berry’s recorded music in the background, while I ‘people watched’ the crowd who came and went.

Photo Credit; Bill Lites

After that exciting experience, I walked across Delmar Blvd to take a photo of the bronze statue of Chuck Berry that guards the entrance to the Ackert Walkway leading to University City.  I was amazed at the crowd of people filling the sidewalks on either side of the street.  They consisted of people of all ages dressed in every conceivable type of clothes, from shorts to dinner attire.  What a sight that was!

Photo Credit; Bill Lites

Greta was again employed to take me to tonight’s motel there on the outskirts of St. Louis, and she did a good job.  After I got checked in and got my things into the room, I recorded my day’s activities, and went to bed.  I had to get up early as I had reservations for the first timeslot at the Gateway Arch tomorrow morning and wanted to get a good night’s rest.

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 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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The Shelter of the Most High

31 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust! Psalm 91:1-2

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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