Tag Archives: Christian bloggers

Grateful to be an American | Janet Perez Eckles

4 Jul

We were the envy of the neighborhood. Our neighbors watched us ride in a cab toward the airport. We were leaving Bolivia and heading to the land where dreams come true.

And along with dreams, integrity fueled my father to enter the U.S. with documents in hand, sacrifice in his heart, and commitment in his resolve.

Now, years later, as naturalized citizens, each 4th of July fireworks of gratitude explode in me.

Yes, America has her issues, problems and struggles. But to me and my family, it is still the greatest country on earth. And America   is uniquely special as he is the place where her founders honored God above all.

Through the years living in our new home, we learned the joy of prosperity and also the sadness of trials. But how sweet to know that mountaintop episodes make us grateful, but rough valleys make us grow.

Read more via Grateful to be an American | Janet Perez Eckles.

 

 

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Lost and Found

20 May

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Bill Small Red Plane

This morning I was getting ready for a busy day making a list of things to do. I was heading to Merritt Island for my monthly Chiropractor appointment and had several things to do along the way. DiVoran wanted me to pick up some special cat treats at the animal pharmacy that the Vet had recommended. Then there was a small paper bag of empty supplement bottles she wanted me to drop off at another doctor’s office, and the Chiropractor appointment at 9:30. After my chiropractor appointment, I was going to stop at Penney’s to by some new undies for myself. All of this needed to take place before I made my way to Viera to meet my daughter Charlene for lunch at 12:00.

I have my daily prescription pills and vitamin supplements divided up into three groups. I take one group at each meal so they are not overwhelming all at once. When I go out for a meal I place that group’s pills in a small plastic bag that I can slip into my pocket, so I’ll have them to take after that meal. I also had a map I had marked up showing the route I planned to take on my next trip to show to my daughter at lunch.

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 With all that done, I started taking things out to the car in preparation for my short little trip of the day. I got everything stowed in the car, but was missing the small bag of pills. I must have left them on the dining room table when I put them in the bag. But, they weren’t there. So, I started in the bedroom, and looked in every room in the house. They were nowhere to be found. I went to the car and looked through everything I was taking for the day. Not there either. I searched my pockets again. Nothing. Any of this sound familiar?

Well, about that time DiVoran came in and asked me what was wrong? I told her, and she casually said, “Have you asked your Friend where they are?” Duh. Why does it seem that this is the last thing I do, instead of the first thing? So, a little sheepishly, I thanked the Lord that I had misplaced the bag of pills, ask Him to forgive me for not putting Him first, and ask Him to please show me where I had left it.

I had been standing looking out of my bedroom window as I prayed. I turned around and walked across the room to my dresser. I opened the drawer where I keep the small empty plastic pill bags, and there was the bag with my lunch pills lying on top. What in the world would have prompted me to put that bag of pills back in the drawer? I just couldn’t figure out why I would have done that. Then it came to me. “I need to trust the Lord in all things, not just the big things, but the little things too.” I know He cares for us, and is always there to hear when we call out to Him to help us, but I tend to forget about that and try to do things myself. It’s not that I don’t trust Him. I guess it’s just that sometimes it’s such a small thing, and I’m sure I can handle it, that I don’t even think to ask Him first for the help I need.

But, each time something like this happens, it brings me a little closer to remembering to go to the Lord first, instead of muddling around in frustration on my own.

 

I Thessalonians 5:16-18(NIV)

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The Bank Robbery~Part 2

12 May

Guest Post

Norma Rowe

Norma head shot

 

After I heard the voice telling me to leave the vault and go into the bank lobby with the robber, I went. He had demanded that two girls go, but I was the only one who did. He didn’t ask for another one. He, instead, came with me to the teller window and told me to put money in bags. Even though he kept telling me to hurry up, I carefully included the “bait” money (marked bills). At one point I saw a small red light flashing, which indicated that the alarm had been activated. I remembered what he had said about blowing someone’s head off, so I tried to conceal the light. I failed, but fortunately he didn’t see me or the light. I then came to the vault-teller’s box, a large one, which required two different keys. I couldn’t open that one, and by then he was making me very nervous so I called to the Operations Officer to come out from the vault and open it for me. He grudgingly came and got it open but now he had to join us in filling the bags. I was toward the front of the building when I glanced up to see a police officer looking in the window. He was wearing a motorcycle helmet. Oh, good, I thought. The police are here so now we are safe.

I looked back at the thief and at that very instant he was firing at the officer. Up until that moment I had thought that maybe the gun wasn’t loaded but when I saw a flare come from the weapon, the hope of an unloaded gun vanished! My first instinct was to run toward the police officer, so I could be out of danger, but I discarded that idea thinking the guy could easily shoot me in the back. I couldn’t stay where I was, in the middle of gunfire, but if I ran toward the back of the building to join the others I had to pass him and he could easily grab me to use as a hostage. Again, something inside of me was assuring me that I could run by him and he wouldn’t grab me. I did.

As I ran back, the O.O. who had ducked behind a desk, kept yelling, “Get down, get down!” I finally ducked behind another desk but he said, “not there, here.” He wanted me where he was because it was closer to the vault, but once I hit the floor I couldn’t stand on my own two feet again. It was like that “shield,” that “armor” I had felt before, had lifted, so he stretched out his arm and I stretched out mine and he grabbed my hand and pulled me across the floor and we got on our feet to run into the vault to barricade ourselves but my legs wouldn’t support me. I was nicknamed “rubber legs” after that. One of our customers, a retired bank manager, saw what was happening and came out and helped the O. O. lift me off the floor and drag me into the vault with them. We closed the door, and barricaded it with a metal cabinet nearby.

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Minute Meditations~3

3 May

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

                                                    

TRUST…..

What does that word mean to you? The New World dictionary defines trust as: firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability, justice, etc. of another person or thing. A secondary definition is: confident expectation. How does that fit your definition?

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Have you ever trusted someone with a “secret” only to have that secret spread around and get out of control? How did that make you feel? Did you feel like you could “trust” that person with anything personal again? Most likely not.

My brother, Bill, wrote his thoughts on this:

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Mindfulness

1 May

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

Louise Gibson

 

 

Mindfulness is being aware of the moment.

Listen to your heart.

Your life matters-

Live it fully from the start.

 

Water the seed of optimism.

Have a love affair with life.

Think positive thoughts

and you will drive away the strife.

 

Cultivate awareness.

You’ll find you learn a lot.

If you are in the kitchen stirring the pot-

Be aware of stirring the pot!

 

How will being mindful

help you deal with your pain?

Being aware of God’s presence

will bring peace to your heart again.

 

by DiVoran Lites

by DiVoran Lites

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South of the Border~Part 2

22 Apr

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Bill Small Red Plane

 

Monday we were up early for breakfast, after which we loaded up the vans and began the 175 mile drive to the border. Our caravan of vehicles stopped at Eagle Pass, TX for lunch (our last American meal for a week), and then it was across the border (Passport & luggage check) and on to our destination in a small colonia of Nava, Mexico which is located about halfway between Del Rio and Laredo, TX.

         

We had been supplied with detailed lists of things to take and not take (to help speed us at border crossings), as well as “Cautions” about not eating any food or drinking any water not provided by our hosts. This was to help keep the visiting groups in good working condition and keep us from coming down with a case of “Montezuma’s Revenge.” It was a long (but uneventful) trip, except for that short delay at the border crossing (I think the guards were looking for a “donation” to let us pass). The rest of the time was occupied with lots of singing and laughter in our van.

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When we arrived at the colonia (small unregulated settlement), it was rather shocking for our visiting group to see the utter desolation and primitive conditions most of the local people lived in. The area had been picked clean of any possible building/covering material (no matter how small or flimsy) and used for shelter. In many cases, there didn’t seem to be any way to keep the weather (hot or cold/wind or rain) out of their shelters.

 

 

I had heard of people living in cardboard shacks, but as our hosts drove us around the area, explaining the basic layout, I mentioned to the woman sitting next to me, “It’s hard to believe people can actually survive in conditions like this!” All she and her friend could do was shake their heads in agreement.

After our long drive from San Antonio, it was getting late in the afternoon, so our hosts showed us some of the support structures they had built to help the local people and the colonia maintain a decent lifestyle. First there was the John 3:16 Church, where many different types of services were held each week, and where we would eat our lunch meal each day.

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Next was the Dorcas House sewing center where some of the local women and girls were taught how to use the sewing machines, and the materials they were supplied with, to make clothing for their families and to sell.

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And then there was the Carpenters Shop where some of the local men and boys were supplied tools and wood and taught how to build furniture for themselves and to sell. As a side note, I was interested to learn that all of the tools, wood, sewing machines and materials the local people have access to, have been donated to OSM for use as part of their ministry to help the colonia support itself.

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After the tour, we headed to the small town of Allende where we checked into our hotel. Once we were checked in, we were taken to the local Methodist church where the gracious church members had prepared dinner and music for us.   The food was great and we all had a wonderful time getting acquainted, with lots of relaxing laughter, music and singing. After the festivities, a bunch of us strolled the streets of Allende, and even found an ice-cream parlor for some desert. Then it was back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

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—–To Be Continued—–

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Do you live with confidence, joy, and peace? Answer these few questions to find out.

18 Apr

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Spring Unfurling

9 Apr

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

  We left Florida earlier than usual this year and arrived in North Carolina before spring. Our daffodils greeted us with their beautiful faces and the Bradford Pear trees were spectacular but everything else was brown. Temperatures continued to drop into the upper twenties and lower thirties and it seemed spring might forget to arrive.IMG_2476   Each day we searched for signs our plants were waking up. The first to awaken were the forsythia. We seldomsee them in their bright yellow coat and they are a treat to our eyes. Don’t you think it is cool the way God staggers the arrival of spring so each plant gets it own time to shine? IMG_2486   The weather warmed this week and it seems the rest of nature is anxious to share its beauty. While the forsythia is shedding its yellow coat and daffodils are beginning to fade the blueberries and apple buds are swelling. Plants that had lain hidden all winter are sending out new shoots.   I am especially thrilled with one of our peony plants. You see, it came from the yard of a precious friend who passed away. One day, as I sat with her I asked if I might have a root from one of her beautiful plants and she said yes. We had spent many hours rocking on her porch and admiring them and I wanted something special to keep those memories close. Sadly, at the end of the summer it seemed to die. Imagine my joy this morning when my husband told me the plant was coming back to life! IMG_2490   So far, we have late daffodils, one tulip, bleeding heart and a fat bee on a dandelion!

On Wednesay we drove down to Clayton, Georgia to see the cherry blossoms. We had gone the week before and they were bare sticks but this week they were glorious.

The weather today is warm bordering on hot so I know spring will be fully unfurled in a few more days. My husband decided today was a good time to erect a handrail for the stairs down to his workshop. I sneeked a picutre thorugh the screeon of him and our porch dog gus. Mike and gus copy 3   I’m not sure why, but I kind of like the texture the screen adds to the picture.

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Keukenhof Gardens, Holland~Part 2

5 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

 

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Last time, I wrote about the Keukenhof Gardens, in Lisse, Holland. We so thoroughly enjoyed our visits there, and want to share this beautiful place with everyone we know.

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Here is some history about the tulips we found interesting from the Fluwell website:

“during World War 2, people ate tulip bulbs. The only reason for this was hunger. The Netherlands suffered a great famine in the winter of 1944-1945. Eating tulip bulbs is not something our ancestors did for fun, they did it because there was nothing else to eat.

 Many Dutchmen of certain age remember the famine and the tulip bulbs they ate. In our theme park Tulpenland, we have a lot of customers that share their memories with us. They sometimes still find it difficult to see tulip bulbs back, although they know that we use them only for flowers, not for food. Hunger is a deep emotion that is not easily forgotten.

 The Dutch famine was the result of the lost Battle of Arnhem (1944), when allied forces failed to liberate the northern provinces of the country. The northern provinces became isolated from the liberated parts of Europe. Food stocks ran out, as did fuel stocks. Then a harsh winter began. Thousands of Dutch citizens starved or froze to death.

 Due to the war situation, tulip growers had not planted tulip bulbs that year; so great amounts of tulip bulbs were stocked on farms throughout the country. During the famine authorities decided to use these stocks as food for the starving populations. The old, dry tulip bulbs were sold in grocery stores, and newspapers published recipes with tulips. The tulip bulbs were nutritious and relatively easy to cook, so that less fuel was needed.

 The tulip bulbs that people ate in the Second World War cannot be compared with modern day, fresh tulip bulbs. The war bulbs were old and dry and did not taste like fresh tulips. A fresh tulip bulb has a sweet, milky flavor that is actually not very bad. The tulip bulbs that were eaten during the war had a very bitter and dry taste instead.

 Eating tulip bulbs is not as bad as it sounds like, as long as you eat fresh tulips that were not sprayed. Unfortunately, such bulbs were not available during the last winter of WW2. It is important that this sad history is not forgotten. Dutch children are still raised with the words: you are not hungry, you only have appetite (Je hebt geen honger, je hebt trek). Real hunger makes you eat everything you can get, even old, dry tulip bulbs, as they were eaten during the Dutch famine.”

 

Amazing!

Just a side note here – there is a wonderful place to visit outside The Hague, called Madurodam. It is a miniature city, built to scale. It includes the normal things you would find in a city – churches, office buildings, and even Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, with working airplanes. It’s a fun thing to see during the day, but miniature lights come on at night, and it’s quite the fairyland.

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The family of Old Things R New wishes each of our visitors a blessed Easter. He is risen!

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How to live happily ever after.

4 Apr

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