Tiny girl in shopping cart seat chants: stupid head
Stupid head, stupid head.
Mom says: we don’t say stupid head
Do we say potty train?
Yes, potty train’s okay
Potty train, potty train, potty train, pot
That’s enough!
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.”
I guess I am just like most people when it comes to New Years – “I AM going to lose those _____ pounds this year!” “I AM going to get the house in order!” “I AM going to scan all those pictures and get them in an album!” etc., etc., etc.
So, resolutions not-with-standing, what are my memories of New Years past? I guess my favorite memory is of growing up in my church in Albuquerque.
Photo credit First Baptist Church, Albuquerque
For many years, on New Year’s Eve, the church would have a program that started about 6:00 p.m. with a dinner. Now, this was a fairly large church, and we had a paid staff who made the meals every Wednesday evening, before the regular activities began. And those ladies made the BEST dinner rolls!!! Nothing I’ve ever been able to duplicate!
Anyway, dinner started at 6:00 p.m. After that, I remember either a movie shown on a large screen in the sanctuary, or games. Perhaps there were games for the smaller children – I just don’t remember. But then there was a time of “remembrance” or sharing. Just being thankful for the year that was passing away, and looking forward to the new one approaching.
But the best thing about the entire evening, was that, after the sharing time, we would – literally – ring the outer edges inside the sanctuary, holding hands to make a funny-shaped circle, and pray in the New Year. We could hear the fireworks going off, and people yelling outside the church building. But inside, we were asking God to bless the New Year, and us in it, and our part of it. It was an extremely wonderful time.
And then I remember some New Year’s Eve’s in our small church in Virginia.
Seaford Baptist Church, Seaford, Virginia Oldest buildings
We would gather for a time of sharing and remembrance, then share the Lord’s Supper together, and then pray in the New Year. I do remember one year that Karen and Brian married (on December 30). As we were sharing thoughts, I shared that I would have to learn to keep my mouth shut and be a good mother-in-law! The pastor would try to do the Lord’s Supper differently some times, to make it more meaningful for us.
I remember a time when he had a loaf of bread, and we pinched off our own little piece. I also remember a time when there was a community cup for each family to share the “wine” (grape juice in the Baptist church!).
But in all the memories I have, it always culminated with prayer for the New Year. And I can’t think of a better way to start any New Year, than asking God’s blessings upon it.
May YOUR New Year be blessed beyond measure.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit
Romans 15:13
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.
We thank God for you and for your toil, For sticking your hands And your heart in the soil.
Thank you for growing the foods that we need, your animal husbandry, water and feed
Thank you for loving your family and us. Thank you for doing it all without fuss.
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.”
I am re-blogging this, as the thoughts in it are so pertinent today…
Christmas is such a joyous time. I love the decorations – not only at our house – but also those that the neighbors put up. Ours is rather tame compared to what some of our neighbors put up, but that’s okay…….we have what WE enjoy!
I love the season that reminds us that our Savior was born – to bring us life everlasting in His presence. I’m sorry that society has made it into something so commercial, that so many people can’t see past the glitter to see God’s handiwork.
We received an e-mail from some friends who are working with Wycliffe Bible Translators,
Credit Wycliffe Bible Translators website
telling of some translators in Nigeria who were working on Luke 2:7, where “She [Mary] gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” After pondering the word “manger” the locals used a word. When the Wycliffe translator asked what that word meant, they said it was a “cradle” hung by ropes where the newborn could be laid and it could be swung.
The Wycliffe translator tried to get them to understand that was not what happened – that Jesus came in the lowest possible way, that it wasn’t just a matter of tradition. God expects us to find the words that express the original meaning as accurately as possible. Furthermore, this word tells us something profound about God. “When He came to live among us and bring salvation to us, He came in the lowliest way possible. He did not come and sleep in a nice rope-hung cradle like every mother wants for her newborn. Instead, He showed us his unbelievable humility. So we need to find your best word for an animal feeding trough.”
Suddenly the one who had argued most loudly for the traditional term offered, “We feed our animals out of an old worn-out basket that is not usable anymore except to feed the animals. We have another word for it.”
And so they used that word.
That story reminded me of a man in our church who works on the Jesus film for the Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru).
Credit Campus Crusade for Christ website
He said that there was a translator working with the team in Africa going from village to village, and he would translate. But it wasn’t until they took the film to HIS village, and he heard the story in his heart language that he finally understood the message of Christ!
God has made it so very easy for us to know and find Him. In the “after-Christmas” we must hang on to the message that God sent his one and only Son to be born in the lowliest way possible, and grow into the man who would die for our sins, so we can live forever in His presence.
How very great is our God!!
Oh Lord, our Lord, howmajestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:9
Credit ChristianArt.com
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.
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.”
I am re-blogging this post, as it brings back so many wonderful memories of Germany…
We had some amazing experiences during our times in West Germany. We saw so many wonderful sights while there. So much history, as well.
One of our favorite cities to visit was West Berlin. At the time we were there, The Wall (Der Maur) was still in place. And, unfortunately, the Brandenberg Gate was in the Russian Zone, or East Berlin. We were unable to get close to it. [1967-1970]
I later spoke to a German national who said she just couldn’t imagine living in such an “enclosed” place as West Berlin. I tried to assure her that it didn’t FEEL enclosed. The American Zone was quite open and free. I don’t think I was very convincing. She just had to experience it for herself.
As we walked around the city, we came upon a fascinating piece of old Germany – a very old hand-watering pump. Apparently, anyone who knew about it, could bring their car/wagon/etc. there and get free water to wash whatever they had – as long as they were willing to hand-pump the water. Not something you see around the U.S.
My Mother had come to Germany to visit us that year (May 1969) and we delighted in taking her places that I know she only dreamed of ever seeing. We happened to be in West Berlin during the celebration of the 20thanniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The German people had erected a monument to that occasion, and the celebration took place in front of the hotel where we stayed. The monument is three-pronged, representing the American, British, and French efforts to keep the free German people from starving and out of Russian/Communist hands. It was a tremendous success.
Another site that impacted me greatly was in the heart of downtown West Berlin, along the Kurfurstendam, affectionately known by the locals as the Kudam, which is the main shopping street in downtown West Berlin. After the colossal disaster of World War 2, the German people decided to leave a reminder to themselves of the cost of pride and war. They left standing the bombed-out shell tower of the Kaiser Wilhelm church. And built right next to it a beautiful and modern new church and church tower. While the new structure is impressive, it cannot be fully appreciated until one is inside. The all-glass bricks are a cobalt blue, and with the sun shining through those bricks – well, all I can say is, it’s breath-taking. And peaceful. And amazing. And I’ve run out of adjectives already.
~~~~~~~~~~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.
Leaving Knoxville this morning, I headed southeast 30 miles on I-40 and SR-66 to visit the Tennessee Museum of Aviation located at the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville, TN. This museum has several beautifully restored WWII aircraft, in flying condition, and has other aviation artifacts and memorabilia, dating as far back as the Wright Brothers glider replica on display. Flight demonstrations, put on by this museum’s aircraft, are a frequent occurrence, but that didn’t happen while I was there. Bummer!
It was only a few miles to where I visited the Floyd Garrett Muscle Car Museum there in Sevierville. This museum has 90+ perfectly restored muscle cars dating from the classic ’50s, ’60s, & ’70s and some of the more recent 2000s – 2010s. To say this museum is filled with some of the most delicious looking ‘Eye Candy’ is an understatement. That little tour took me back to my high school hot-rodding days.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
After that wonderful trip down ‘Memory Lane’ I headed southwest 25 miles on US-441 to visit the Cades Cove Museum located in Mayville, TN. This small museum can be found in the restored 1790 Thompson- Brown log cabin adjacent to the Cades Cove Visitor’s Center. The museum displays many family relics and family heirlooms from the generations who lived in this area prior to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1934).
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Now I headed 20 miles west on US-321, thru Ainwick & Friendsville to visit the Lenoir City Museum & Cotton Mill located in Lenoir City, TN. The small museum relates the history of Lenoir City, and that of Major William B. Lenoir, who moved to North Carolina in 1810 and settled on land granted to his father. The Mill was one of several mills built in 1821 by Lenoir to produce cotton yarns and battings. It survived the Civil War and was converted to a flower mill in the late 1800s. The mill continued to operate, producing flower until the 1950. Only ruins of the mill remain, as it was burned by arsonists in 1991 and was not restored.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
I headed southwest 30 miles on US-11 to visit the Sweetwater Depot located in Sweetwater, TN. The restored 1852 Sweetwater railroad depot uses photographs and antique railroad artifacts, to tell the story of the development of the city of Sweetwater and the surrounding Monroe County area from the early 1800s.
Photo Credit:Bill Lites
It was another 35 miles southwest on US-411, thru Etowah, Delano, and Wetmore where I stopped to check out the Chilhowee Gliderport located in Benton, TN but there was nothing going on at the airfield. So, I continued southwest about 10 miles to Ocoee, where I picked up I-75 and another 35 miles southwest to visit the Tennessee Valley RR Museum located in Chattanooga, TN. This museum is situated in the reconstructed 1920s East Chattanooga Depot and displays restored steam locomotives and other rolling stock. The museum has antique railroad artifacts dating from the early 1800s and offers daily short excursions, and other special offerings, on their restored 1950s era steam-driven trains.
Now I headed northwest 80 miles on I-24, across the Tennessee River, to visit Beechcraft Heritage Museum located adjacent to the Tullahoma Regional Airport in Tullahoma, TN. This Museum displays 35+ beautifully restored civilian aircraft, including the very first 1924 Beechcraft Travel Air ‘Mystery Ship’ and many others in the Walter Beech Hanger. My favorite is their 1932 Beechcraft Staggerwing.
Photo Credit:Bill Lites
After that thrilling tour thru aviation history, I headed southwest 75 miles on US-64 to visit my friends Terry and Mary, who have a beautiful home in the boonies, just across the border, near Lester, AL. Greta (my Garmin) took me on a few back roads to get me there, but I finally made it to their house.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Terry told me I was just in time to go with him to Jim ’N & Nick’s BBQ for dinner. I ordered their St. Louis Spare Ribs plate with baked beans, cold slaw, and a cornbread muffin. That was a great meal! And, I had enough left over for tomorrow night’s dinner. It was dark by the time we got back to their house, and we spent the rest of that evening reminiscing about old times, when our kids were growing up together in Titusville, FL.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
—–To Be Continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 64 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.
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.”
Leaving Lexington this morning, I headed south 40 miles on I-75 to visit The Cabin of Old Town Artisan Gallery located in Berea, KY. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I arrived at the site, I discovered it was not just one restored 1813 cabin, but an entire cul-de-sac of shops displaying various types of home-made crafts. One of the buildings looked like it could have been the old Berea Railway Station.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Continuing south another 15 miles on I-75 I visited the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Museum located in Mt. Vernon, KY. This museum is situated in the former Renfro Valley Riding Stables and was created to recognize those Kentucky artists who have made a significant contribution to the music industry. To date more than 50 inductees of all genres have been added to the museum’s list.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
I continued south 35 miles on I-75 to visit the Harland Sanders (KFC) Café & Museum located in Corbin, KY. This is the home of the original 1940 Harland Sanders café where Sanders developed his famous Kentucky Fried Chicken receipt. The café was expanded with a motel in 1940 and the café and motel operated there until 1956 when the Colonel started selling KFC franchises. The café operated as a KFC franchise until 1988 when it was closed, remodeled, and reopened in 1990 as the Harland Sanders Museum. What an American dream story!
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Now I picked up I-75 again and headed south 15 miles to visit the Cumberland Inn & Museum located in Williamsburg, KY. This museum is owned and operated by the University of the Cumberlands and has many displays and artifacts including the Henkelmann Life Science Collection of specimens from around the world.
I headed south another 55 miles on I-75, across the border, to visit the Museum of Appalachia located in Clinton, TN. This is a living history museum and Pioneer Village that has a collection of 30+ early 19th century buildings that have been restored and situated on 65 acres of pastureland, to represent early pioneer life to visitors. The museum also hosts annual performers of traditional Appalachian music and art festivals.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
I continued 25 miles south on I-75, diverting a few miles toward Powell to check out the Airplane Gas Station located in northwest Knoxville, TN. This unusual station was originally created by Elmer & Henry Nickle in 1930 to attract the attention of US-25 travelers. The brothers operated the station until sometime in the 1960s, when it sold and became a liquor store. Over the years since then the airplane building has been used as a produce stand, a bait & tackle shop, and even a used car lot. It is currently a barber ship.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Before heading to downtown Knoxville, I drove a few miles east to check out Riffey’s Hot Rod Restorations located in the Northridge Estates area. This small shop has been in business in the Knoxville area for 27 years and Larry and his crew specialize in custom auto restorations of all types. Their amazing work has been recognized in many national car magazines over the years.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
It was about 10 miles into downtown Knoxville to where I visited the James White Fort located on the banks of the Tennessee River. Built in 1786 by James White, who is considered the founder of Knoxville, the fort was actually built to keep wild animals away from his cabin, as White was friendly with the local Cherokee Indians and negotiated several treaties between them and new settlers to the area. White’s many descendants played prominent economic and political roles in the development of Knoxville for more than a century after his death in 1821.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
While I was in the downtown Knoxville area, I stopped by the Southern Railway (Old Smoky Railway) Museum to see what they had to offer. This museum located in the 1903 Southern Railway Depot has restored mid-twentieth century steam locomotives and other rolling stock for visitors to walk thru. The museum also has artifacts and memorabilia related to the railroad’s influence on Knoxville and the surrounding Knox County area during the early 1900s.
Now it was time to find my motel, there in Knoxville. Greta (My Garmin) took me right to my West Knoxville motel, where I got checked in and recorded my days activities. Then I warmed up my leftover Cracker Barrel Sweet & Smoky Glazed Chicken Tenders and enjoyed that great meal again. Yuuuum!
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 64 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.
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