Tag Archives: Christian bloggers

Healing Words

8 Jul

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Proverbs 5:20-24

Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything I teach you.

And pay attention to everything I have to say.

Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit.

Then, as you unwrap my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being.

So, above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are.

Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being. For from there flows the wellspring of life.

Photo Credit:Pixabay

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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Let’s Eat!-Part 4

7 Jul

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Do you have a favorite dessert?  Someplace you go to get that special dessert?  I’ve had a few of those in my lifetime.

For instance, when we lived in Panama City, Florida (Tyndall AFB), I joined a singing group of officer’s wives.  Not only did we sing for events on base, but we went to different venues around Panama City to sing for their events.  Instead of driving myself, I usually rode with an older woman, who was a Colonel’s wife.  One day, following a Christmas concert we had given in town, driving back toward the base, with a grin she asked me, “do you like to be bad?”  No knowing just how to answer her, I mumbled something like ummhmm.  So she took me to a local Dairy Queen

Credit Google Search and Dairy Queen website

and she introduced me to their wonderful banana split.  Since this was my introduction to banana splits, I have measured every other one I’ve had with the Dairy Queen’s – and NONE of them have come anywhere close to how good the Dairy Queen’s are!  Most are made with Neapolitan ice cream – part chocolate, part strawberry, part vanilla ice cream (I’ve never liked that particular ice cream anyway), scooped onto a split banana, with whipped cream and perhaps a cherry on top.  Dairy Queen’s banana split is made with three dollops of their luscious soft ice cream on top of the split banana, then chocolate syrup on one dollop, strawberry syrup on another, and pineapple on the third dollop, then topped with whipped cream.  Delicious!!  You just must try it some time.  The difference is aMAZing!

Credit Google Search and Dairy Queen website

When we were first married and living in Fort Worth, Texas, we were told about a really good Texas BBQ place called Jettons.  As it turned out, Mr. Jetton was a member of the church we were members of in Fort Worth. His eatery was a cafeteria-style restaurant.

Credit Google Search and Texas Monthly

We would each get a platter stacked high with chipped beef (or shredded beef), swimming in BBQ sauce, a vegetable, Texas Toast, and a Texas-sized ice tea – all for $1.00!  Now, realize that was back in the 1960’s, so $1.00 for that much food was not unreasonable.  And since we were poor school students, that fit our weekly budget just fine.  That was our “splurge” for the week.  Boy did we love to eat at Jettons!

A history of Walter Jetton is due here.  We learned that he not only had his restaurant in Fort Worth, but he would take his traveling pit and serve BBQ in other states.  The most famous of his adventures was to take his pit to Washington D.C. and BBQ for President Lyndon B. Johnson on the White House lawn!  He was crowned as the “King of Barbecue” through the United States.

Credit Google Search and Texas Monthly

~~~~~~~~~~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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What Do You Think About?

4 Jul

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

What do you think of when you think about celebrating the 4th of July?

Stars and stripes, red, white and blue?

Watermelon and fireworks?

I think about my mother’s birthday. I used to tease her that she was so special the whole country celebrated.

She loved her dog, Max

We live outside of town and the last few years our near neighbor has put on a fabulous fireworks display. They invite their family and friends to cookout and enjoy the show. We would go over and sit with them to watch the fireworks, but the last few years we just sit on our front steps and enjoy the show.

One year we decided to take our grandchildren to view the fireworks in town. It was too crowded at the fairgrounds where they were being set off, but we were able to watch from the McDonald’s parking lot. It was fun.

To answer my original question, what do I think about when celebrating the 4th of July, I think about family times, laughter and loving.

I also think about why the 4th of July is a special date, a day to celebrate our nation’s birthday. What courage and passion it must have taken to choose to separate from a powerful country.

However you celebrate today, make memories! Even burnt burgers or the dog grabbing the hotdogs will be a fun memory-one day.

Does anyone recognize this picture’s location?

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’m a general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  

My 2024 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.

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The Wisdom of the Father.

1 Jul

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Proverbs 1 The Wisdom of a Father-8-10

Pay close attention, my child, to your father’s wise words, and never forget your mother’s instructions. Their insight will bring you success, adorning you with grace-filled thoughts and giving you reins to guide your decisions. 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

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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Let’s Eat!-Part 3

30 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Still thinking of our/my time in Albuquerque, New Mexico, growing up, and the places where we liked to eat.  Of course we discovered McDonald’s and their 15 cent hamburgers (still love their french fries!).  

Credit Pixabay

There was an eatery on the corner of Central Avenue (main street of Albuquerque, U.S. Route 66) and San Mateo, called Bimbo’s.  As teenagers we used to go there a lot.  They had good burgers, but I also learned to love hot fudge sundae’s there!  Had my first one there, and did a repeat often.  I’m surprised I didn’t weigh a ton from all the french fries, burgers and hot fudge sundaes I ate! 

Credit Pixabay

I asked Bill (my brother) if there were other eateries he liked that I haven’t mentioned.  Here is his response:

Judy,

The only restaurant I can think of that you haven’t already listed was a little Mom and Pop restaurant (Can’t remember the name ) I discovered, on fourth Street downtown, where I took DiVoran and my friend Bud for a celebration meal (can’t remember what occasion).  We had a T-bone steak (cooked to order) with two sides and iced tea for $1.00+4 cents tax each. I took DiVoran there a lot. I’ll let you know if I think of any other places.   Don’t forget the Fitzgerald‘s ice cream after church every Sunday night on Granny’s homemade cherry pie.

To elaborate on the “Granny’s homemade cherry pie” that Bill mentioned…either mother or Granny would make a cherry pie most Sunday afternoons.  Following church on Sunday evening, we would stop by Fitzgerald’s to pick up a pint of homemade vanilla ice cream to go on top of that cherry pie.  Man was that good!  We didn’t have microwave ovens then, so we didn’t warm up the pie – but it was still good with Fitzgerald’s ice cream on it!

The Mom and Pop that Bill mentioned – there are so many eateries along Fourth Street…and the possibility it isn’t in existence anymore…makes it impossible to find the place now.  And Fourth Street is one of the main North/South arteries in Albuquerque.  Central Avenue (U.S. Route 66) is East/West, with downtown being the main area, and Fourth Street the other direction.  

Not directly in Albuquerque, there was a steak house in Santa Fe where we went occasionally.  It was about 90 miles away, and on the interstate it didn’t take too long to travel (at 70 mph!).  Fred’s remembers it was called the “U and I Steakhouse.”   The steak would just about fill the plate, and along with that was a vegetable and Texas Toast and a drink.  All that for $1.50!  And the steak was so tender you could cut it with the fork!  No knife needed!

I don’t remember many other places where we went to eat in Albuquerque that I haven’t mentioned.  Those were the days where we ate at home more than eating out.  Not enough money, Mother’s homemade meals were the best (Daddy was a hunter, so we ate a lot of venison meals – steaks, roasts, chili, etc.), bbq at home, etc.  

~~~~~~~~~~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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Hope in Fear

29 Jun

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

I recently started reading through the book of Joshua again. The words of Rahab struck me. “‘I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is in heaven above and on the earth below.’” (Joshua 2:9-11)

Rahab spoke these words to the spies Joshua sent into Jericho before the Israelites besieged the city. The people of Jericho had not seen the Israelite army, but they had heard of the way God had provided them with victory in miraculous ways. The knowledge of the power of the God of the Israelites made the people of Jericho fearful. Here in America, we don’t hear of people being fearful of God’s power, yet if we look closely, I believe we can still see it in their actions.

Those who don’t follow Christ are the people most ardently pushing anti-Christ behaviors. They are the ones trumpeting rights to abortion, rights for same-sex marriage, rights to euthanasia, and the legalization of drugs. All these go against God’s plan for humanity. Pushing for these things, and criticizing followers of Christ for not getting onboard, is one way to diminish the power of the body of Christ, to silence us into submission.

People intimidate believers not to speak out by labeling them as intolerant and judgmental. The truth is, we love the people God created enough to speak out, to shine a light into the darkness, and declare the truth of God’s word. A holy fear of God and the ultimate judgment day that awaits each one of us should empower God’s people. The insults hurled at us and any consequence forced upon us by those who don’t believe are temporary trials we endure, fleeting in the grand scheme of eternity.

Rahab didn’t know the history of the Israelites. She didn’t know the law that Moses brought down to the people from Mount Sinai. Merely the rumors of God’s acts made her heart tremble with fear, making her willing to risk her life to assist the Israelite spies. In assisting them, she saved her life and the lives of her family on the day the Israelites attacked the city. She also found herself worthy of finding a place in the genealogy of Jesus.

When we live in a holy fear of God and the power He holds, we can find hope in knowing He wants the very best for His children. Charles Spurgeon commented on the trap of “carnal security” believers can fall into. After coming to faith, one may live free of doubts, fears, or challenges for many years and feel they have overcome sin in their lives. In this state of security, one may stop pursuing the knowledge of God. Spurgeon exhorts us to “never get beyond spiritual conflicts, beyond striving against our corruption, beyond hating the garment spotted by the flesh. May we never get beyond a holy filial (dutiful) fear and a grave anxiety, so that in all we do we may be pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God.”

Do you need some encouragement to face a trial or learn how to pray? Visit my resources page for some of the music and books I’ve found encouraging.

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Wisdom is a Gift

24 Jun

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Proverbs 2:8-9  

Wisdom is a gift from a generous God; every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you.

The Lord has a hidden storehouse of wisdom accessible to his godly lovers. He becomes your bodyguard as you follow his ways, protecting and guarding you as you choose what is right. 

Then, you will do everything properly and fairly and be empowered to make the right decisions as you walk into your destiny. 

Photo credit: Pixabay

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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Let’s Eat-Part 2

23 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Funny thing – I had never even heard the word “pizza” until I was in high school (1950’s)!

Credit Google Search and Pixabay

I remember a girl in my chorus class flopping down on a chair and saying that she couldn’t move because she was so full of pizza!  Pizza?  What in the world is THAT?  Turns out there was a great little pizza eatery on Central Avenue (main street of Albuquerque, U.S. Route 66) called Casa Luna, that made the best pizza I think I’ve ever had.  After that recommendation from my fellow student, a bunch of us would go there often – and I fell in love with pizza!  Unfortunately, that place is now a carpet shop!

After Fred and I met, his parents would occasionally come to town, and they would take us to the Officer’s Club on Kirtland AFB.

Credit Google Search and Kirtland AFB website                               Credit Google Search

A new experience for me, but one we’ve repeated on most of the bases where we’ve lived, since Fred was commissioned as an officer himself. (More on that later)

Another place where we liked to eat (but it was only introduced to us after Fred and I moved away) was called Bella Vista, and it was about 20 miles into the Sandia Mountains East of Albuquerque itself.

Credit Google Search

Great fried fish – all you could eat!  Unfortunately, after the owners turned it over to their children, the kids turned it into a sports bar – and it is no longer in existence.

When I was still a teenager – fresh out of high school and a year of college, I went to work for Civil Service located downtown Albuquerque.

Credit Google Search – Simms Building –  where I worked

I discovered a “hole-in-the-wall” little eatery just around the corner from my office building.  I would go there for lunch frequently, and occasionally after work for a burger before heading home.  It wasn’t a big place at all.  It had counter space for about eight stools, and about five two-top tables.  The counter faced the grill, which was quite large – as big as a dinner table.  The burgers were delicious, and I found that adding the home-made chili to the burger made it mouth-watering!  I was in there one day after work, and was watching the owner/cook making the chili.  He had it spread all over that grill and was working it.  I asked why he made so much, and he told me that one time some people from Boston had come in and had some of his chili and loved it so much that they commissioned him to make them X-number of quarts of the stuff to ship to them to Boston each month!  WOW!  He also told me that several people wondered why he didn’t expand his space.  But he told them (and me) that it was just exactly the size and amount of business he wanted to handle.  I admired him for that.  He knew what he wanted, and didn’t need more.  I don’t remember the name of the place, and have no idea whether or not he is still in business.  It was a great little eatery, and is still in my memory.

~~~~~~~~~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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Hope in the Way

22 Jun

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblog Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

Summer is road trip season. My family had the blessing of taking incredible road trips, reaching as far north as Newfoundland, Canada, and as far west as the eastern edge of British Columbia. Mom diligently studied maps and AAA TripTiks to plan the best routes, and we were lucky to seldom come across detours.

If only our lives were so blessed. Detours happen when we least expect them and when they are most inconvenient. Rarely are they enjoyable so it’s easy to pout that we aren’t getting our way when we have to bend to the will of others – be that road crews or disrupted plans.

As Jesus’ days on Earth grew shorter, He spoke to His disciples about the way ahead of them. In John 14, Jesus tells them that He is going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house and that they know the way to the place where He is going. Thomas is brave enough to question this, as they don’t yet understand where Jesus is going.

Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5) This is something we all grapple with at some point. Where is God leading in this situation? How can I follow when I can’t see the path? My GPS doesn’t have a destination, so how can it route me?

Jesus’ answer was simple. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” (John 14:6-7) We get to know Jesus by spending time with Him, praying, studying His word, serving others, and listening for His voice.

When our life takes an unexpected detour and there are no signs showing us the way, we can place our reliance on God to direct our steps, but only if we attune ourselves to Him. He is our hope in the darkness, our signpost on the unfamiliar road. We have to accept that there are reasons for the changes in our plans that we may never understand. Our ways are not always God’s ways and we have to trust that His ways are better for us.

The only way that truly matters is His Way, the way of life, truth, and eternal relationship with the Father. Walking in that way doesn’t guarantee a smooth trip, but it does guarantee a place for us in the eternal kingdom. That is a much better destination than any we can imagine here on Earth.

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Exploring Close to Home

20 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

We enjoyed a beautiful spring here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The weather was a perfect mix of coolish evenings with daytime highs in the 60s and 70s. On my husbands good days we lazed on our porch, drinking coffee, watching the birds at the feeders and talking about nothing.

Our daughter who lives in Florida drove up last Wednesday to spend a week with us. She brought our grand dog Ollie with her.

The days flew by and before we knew it Monday was here, she planned to leave on Tuesday and we hadn’t gone on a single nature drive or had a picnic. That simply would not do.

In May we purchased a Georgia State Park pass so that we could explore closer to home than the GSMP. We decided on an impromptu drive to the Tallulah Gorge State Park complete with a picnic.

I have a very nice picnic cloth but is is rather large and bulky. I wanted quick and compact. I keep several Dollar store plastic table clothes in my picnic supply bag. I snagged one.

Instead of packing a large picnic bag, I chose the small, plastic bag I use to carry snacks and tucked the cloth into it.

Lastly, I put together individual plastic containers filled with meats and cheese and put them into a small cooler. We always have our water bottles with us. And we were out the door!!

At the park, we were surprised how many people were at the visitor center. The cool spring weather had deserted us and the day was a warm 82 degrees. This park has multiple waterfalls that can be reached by a 2 mile loop hike. Sounds easy, right? Except those two miles include around 2,000 stairs.

My husband and I ventured to the first waterfall before the stairs began. At the stairs, signs were posted warning that people who are not in good physical condition should not proceed. We didn’t go any further but our daughter did.

After our picnic we decided to drive further south to revisit Toccoa Falls, located on the campus of Toccoa Falls College. I think the last time we were there was in the 1980s. It was a very short walk from the Welcome center.

There is something about spending time in nature, that seems to reset one’s soul. Maybe it has to do with how immense nature and mountains are or the mark of our Father God imprinted on it.

Our daughter decided to stay an extra day. It was a girl’s day, we watched Hallmark movies, ate ice cream and I am not sure if we had supper.

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’m a general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  

My 2023 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.

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