Tag Archives: #amblogging

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

Tags: , , , ,

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.

1

 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.

2

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.

3

 

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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

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.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

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.

1

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.

2

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.

 

1

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—–

Tags: , , ,

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.

3

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!

4

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.

5

 

 

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

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

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.

1

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!

4

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!

5

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.

 

 

6

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~~~~~~

Tags: , , , , ,

What is Required of Us

31 Oct

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

Louise Gibson

 

 

We aren’t required to do great things-

just small things with great love.

Open your heart to help someone.

Do all things as unto the Lord above.

 

Be present in the moment.

Do you hear the plea?

“I need someone to listen,

Won’t you give five minutes to me?”

 

When you open your hand to help,

you are truly opening your heart.

and when you do all things as unto the Lord,

He will strengthen you from the start.

 

” Lord, we all need people in our life-

It’s implanted in our soul.”

To love and to  be loved is an inborn emotion.

Make communicating today your goal..

 

A day without love is wasted.

There is always such a need.

When you reach out to your neighbor,

You are expressing God’s love in deed.

 

L                E

O     V

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nothing Exciting Going on Here

30 Oct

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

I don’t have anything exciting or interesting to say today. Life seems to be hurrying along, pushing me with it. We took two drives while Rebekah was visiting, to enjoy the Fall color. The trees in our front yard are putting on quite a show this week and I am amazed the Knock Out Roses are still in bloom. This morning, fog was hovering low while the sky was a crisp, clear blue. Colder weather has moved in and the”S” word has even be mentioned for the weekend.

Foggy Fall

We are enjoying a visit from my aunt and cousin who live in Raleigh. Since today is chilly, I am going to cook Pasta Fagioli with bread sticks for supper. The recipe is suppose to be as good as Olive Gardens. We don’t have an Olive Garden in our town so this is the next best thing. Rebekah will post the recipe over on Rebekah Ly Books.

Pasta Fagioli

I don’t have all the ingredients so that gives me a good reason to take a trip into town. I have some mulled apple cider that will be just the thing to warm me up after the outing.

Hubby has been busy in his wood working shop. Last week he finished up a tortilla press for our son. Today he is working on a bread rack for our daughter. It should be a practical fix for her lack of kitchen counter space.

tortilla press copy

 

I would like to add here, that our son, Matt, is doing wonderfully well after his hip surgery. We give thanks to God for His perfect plan and timing, although watching Matt suffer was very difficult.

 

Well, this pretty much sums up my last few weeks. What have you been up to?

Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Best Job I Ever Had~Part 3

29 Oct

A Slice of Life

By Bill Lites

Bill Lites

Bill Lites

 

One of the largest assignments I was responsible for was the 1st /2nd stage separation system. This system was used in two places on the S-II stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle; to separate the first stage S-IC from the second stage S-II, and again 30 seconds later, to separate the protective S-II Interstage from around the S-II engines. The S-IC and S-II stages were both 33 feet in diameter, so the test fixture used to test the full scale separation system was massive.

1

 

The test fixture was designed to lift a simulated section of the separation plane off the ground so that when the explosive system fired, the lower portion could be photographed while it fell to the ground. This was the closest we could come to simulating the actual event, and we learned several important things from these tests that would drive the final design of the separation system itself. The first thing we discovered, was that the originally designed charge assembly would warp as it was unreeled from the installation spool, making it difficult to keep it lying flat on the tension plates it had to cut. Next, we found out that any amount of water between the charge assembly and the tension plate would diffuse the cutting ability of the explosive. The Los Angeles fog taught us this fact. This happened when we installed the separation system one day for a full-scale test the next day, and when the fog rolled in that night, the moisture ran down the stringers, onto the tension plates, and collected in the “V” of the shaped charge in several places. The final design consisted of a vinyl wrapped charge assembly that kept the moisture out of the cutting area, and a retention system that held the charge assembly tight against the tension plates. The manufacturer of the charge assembly also supplied a disposable holder that kept it from warping as it came off the installation spool.

2

 

This separation system did not use a large size explosive charge, but because it had to cut the 216 tension straps around the 103 foot outside circumference of the vehicle, it ended up being a large explosion. After the first three tests, we had to move the entire test fixture to an El Centro desert facility because of complaints from the local Downey, CA residents.

3

After finalizing the ordnance systems testing for the Apollo and Saturn S-II vehicles, I was transferred to the NAA Field Operations Group and moved to Florida in 1965 to be one of the Field Test Engineers responsible for the processing and installation of many of those same ordnance systems I had tested in California. My job now was to write the procedures for, and supervise the processing and installation of, these flight ordnance systems on the Saturn S-II launch vehicle that helped boost the Apollo Astronauts and their spacecraft to the Moon. What a thrill it was to be able to watch that giant 363 foot high Saturn V launch vehicle lift off, in all its glory, and see those systems work as they had been designed and tested. But of course, as it turned out, that job wasn’t near as much fun as the job of blowing up those system test specimens back in the early days at the home plant (Will I ever grow out of being a kid?).

4

 

You may have seen the picture below or a video clip of it in an Apollo documentary or an advertisement, but this was the S-II Interstage falling away from the S-II Stage booster 30 seconds after separation from the S-IC stage, which occurred during each Apollo/Saturn V launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

5

 

Most people have no idea how many unseen systems have to work perfectly, and in the proper sequence, during any rocket launch. I still get thrilled every time I watch a video of one of the Apollo/Saturn V launches, and see each of the many ordnance systems function as they were designed. And, it’s gratifying to know that I played a small part in that historical program to place the very first men on the moon.

6

 

 

 

 

—–The End—–

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Accidental Death of my Cell Phone

27 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistDid you notice the smudge on my new hot-pink purse in the picture in my last blog – the one about getting my new driver’s license?pink 31 bag

Here’s what happened. Rebekah Lyn asked if I wanted to go downtown with her Saturday evening when they were having an algorithms art show down there. Please don’t ask me what that is, I still don’t know.

But, I’m usually up for an art show of any kind so I said yes, and I would pick her up. As I pulled out of my driveway I noticed that the hood ornament that rode home with me from the driver’s license bureau was waiting on a windshield wiper for another ride, a traveling brown lizard as common as a butterfly here in Florida where I live.

Gotta be honest. I’m not crazy about lizards, but I don’t like to see the cats get them or see them blown off a car only to get run over by another car. When I stopped in front of Rebekah Lyn’s condo, I reached for a spatula I’ve been meaning to give back to my daughter and 1tried to chase him off into the grass. He ran this way and that. Rebekah came out of her house laughing at me. Has she never seen a person chasing a lizard with a spatula before?

The window was open on her side and she said he was going to go in it. I knew she was right so I threw down my spatula, jerked open the car door so I could get to the key and put the window up and slammed the door, not thinking about having stuffed my purse in the door pocket before I left home.

The lizard ran down into an opening where the windshield wipers go. I didn’t see him again until Bill and I ran errands in his van yesterday and he was there to ride along. Everybody likes Bill better than me, but I don’t let it get to me. I like him better too.

Anyhow, after we parked behind some businesses down town and I reached for my purse, I realized it had fallen out, so we got back in the car and drove back to Rebekah Lyn’s. We saw the purse lying in the street right where we’d left it, grabbed it and headed back downtown. However when I checked to see whether everything was still there I noticed one of the zippers was very stiff, then I noticed the tire marks on the purse. Then Rebekah Lyn asked how my cell phone, which was in a pocket was, then I got it out and it was d-e-a-d, dead. Old cell phone from long ago. I rejoiced. It was finally time for a smart phone. Lots of people have phones now that are smarter than they are, and I will no longer be an exception, except I suspect that my old phone was… Never mind.

That was it except that when I went to use my credit card at the pet store the next day, they said it wouldn’t work, so I had to buy ten cans of salmon with cash.

Our daughter and her husband are helping us with new cell phones. Bill gets one too. We’re getting I Phones 5 c or s I can’t remember which and I’m looking forward to having a good camera with me always so that when I get a lizard on car I can take his picture before I brush him off.

“A lizard can be caught with the hand, (not by me, and Rebekah Lyn wouldn’t catch him, either) yet it is found in kings’ palaces.” Proverbs 30:28

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →