Tag Archives: Friendship

Church-Part 13

15 Jan

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

I’ve mentioned in previous musings that we moved from Dallas, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1945.  We moved so my Dad could become the New Mexico Sunday School Secretary for the New Mexico Baptist Convention.  He stayed in that position until he retired in 1961.  

I’ve never known just why he moved to New Mexico, or if he had been invited by the New Mexico Baptists to come to that position.

I think I’ve mentioned before that there was a family we knew living in Deming, New Mexico.  I didn’t know for a long time how our family knew that family.  I do remember that, when I was old enough, I would ride the bus by myself the four hours it took to go to Deming and spend several weeks with that family.  They had a daughter, Ruth Anne, who was my age, and we got along famously together.

Ruth Anne and me on the Ferris wheel – NM State Fair 1955

Ruth Anne at the NM State Fair 1955

From the Deming newspaper – 1954

In fact, one summer I would go to Deming, and the next summer she would come to Albuquerque and stay a couple of weeks with us.  It was a great friendship, and we still are in contact today.  More on that later.

While Ruth Anne and I have discussed this, neither of us knew just how our families got to know each other.  As it turns out, Ruth Anne’s father and my dad both grew up in Louisiana, attended the same college, and played college basketball together!  WOW!  Small world, indeed.

Ruth Anne’s father 1955

And so, in thinking on this one day, I wondered whether or not Ruth Anne’s father had anything to do with my father taking the position in New Mexico.  Ruth Anne’s father was highly involved with the New Mexico Baptists at that time, and so the possibility of him recommending my dad to the Board is a great possibility.  However, since both of our dad’s are gone, neither of us know whether or not that is how it all came about.  I don’t know whether the Baptist Convention of New Mexico would have that information on file or not.  I still wonder about it, however, from time to time.

Fred and I ran into Ruth Anne and her new husband, Charles, when we were all attending the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in the 1960’s.  We became fast friends all over again.  Ruth Anne and Charles went on to be missionaries to Malaysia, and now, retired, live in Colorado, continuing to do what they can with the Colorado Baptist Convention.

Back in 2014, Fred and I took a Southwest trip with Karen and Brian, and early in that trip, we stopped overnight with Ruth Anne and Charles.  Nothing like renewing old friendships, and making new ones (for Karen and Brian).

2014 – Colorado – Charles, Fred, Ruth Anne, Brian, Karen

At one point, our church here in Orlando had a pastor who was from the Philippines.  During his tenure, Charles, Ruth Anne and a grandson of theirs made a trip to Orlando.  We met them, took in Medieval Times Show, and just visited with them.  On Sunday evening, heading back to their hotel, I mentioned that we had this new pastor, Ramel Cuenca.  Both Charles and Ruth Anne sat straight up in their seats and said, “Ramel Cuenca!!”  Turns out, they were all in language school together before heading out to their mission field – Charles and Ruth Anne to Malaysia, Ramel and Sherry to Indonesia.  We drove to the church and Charles was out of the car like a shot!  Ramel was at the front doors of the church, greeting people as they were leaving.  As Charles strode up to him, Ramel looked up and said, “where did YOU come from??”  A happy reunion.

If it weren’t for “church,” I doubt if any of this would have happened.  Thank you, LORD, for church.

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Church-Part 10

11 Dec

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

I’ve written before about the “serendipities” that have happened in our lives.  I really enjoy them.  And a lot of them are related to church.  With the Air Force, we’ve moved around quite a bit, and so have been members of many different churches.  As result, we occasionally come across either someone we knew before, or someone we have known in common.  I really love that kind of thing!

For instance, just recently, I saw on facebook that some friends of ours from our church in Heidelberg were in town,

Heidelberg Castle

The building where Grace Baptist Church met – photo by Fred Wills

doing the Disney 

Credit Pixabay

and Universal parks

Credit Pixabay

I made the comment to her, after some of her pictures, that we wished we had known they were in town…we would have made an effort to meet up with them.  She replied they hadn’t known we lived in Orlando, and that they were in town for a few more days and their schedule was quite flexible.  And so, several days later, we met up at our favorite BBQ place.

Photo credit Judy Wills

They and their oldest daughter met us there – and we discovered it has been 39 years since we had seen each other!  WOW!  God is so amazing to bless us with friends that we have kept.

And another serendipity happened while I was Church Secretary at South Orlando Baptist Church here in Orlando.

This couple (Ted and April) came into the office one day…new to our church and community…and said they had just moved here from Virginia.  They had a lawn service here, but also had some lawn equipment they didn’t need, and thought the church might could use it.  I told them we had a lawn company as well that did the church’s lawn care.  And then I told them that we had moved here from Virginia, as well, and what part of Virginia did they come from.  They mentioned the Hampton Roads area – which was near where we had lived.  I mentioned we had lived in a small town, Seaford, just eight miles south of Yorktown.  They replied they also had lived in Seaford.  I mentioned we had been members of the Seaford Baptist Church, and they replied that they had been, as well.

Seaford Baptist Church as it was when we lived there.

Copied from the cover of a pictorial directory

I said that we had really enjoyed the Sunday School class, mainly because of the teacher, Larry Edwards.  Ted nearly fell on the floor and said, “WHO?”  I said Larry Edwards…and Ted said…(wait for it)…that’s my brother-in-law!  

Such a small world!  Larry and Janice came down to Florida at one time, and we met them at our favorite seafood restaurant for a visit.  When Ted and April arrived, they looked at the four of us, and said “it’s really strange seeing you all together.”  Again, God is so very good to bring people into our lives where we can become friends…life-long friends…and have the assurance of seeing them when we all get to our heavenly home.

And I doubt we would have had any of these connections without being part of the church.  God is so good!

WE….ARE THE CHURCH!

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Church-Part 8

27 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

The Music

Still making that detour…. 

And that brings me to the church we are members of now.  We’ve been in that church since 1996, and love it.  As one pastor said, this church is what heaven is going to be like – a mixture of peoples and races.  We have about 40 different nations represented in our church – and we are all worshiping the same God!  It’s wonderful!

This congregation is not a mega-church, as so many are these days, but a nice-sized church of about 800 members.  Of course, not all attend at the same time, so we have between 300-350 attending each Sunday.  That changed when the pandemic hit, unfortunately, and we haven’t gotten back to full-strength yet.  However, between all those attending, and those watching through live-stream, we are close.  I am thankful for the live-stream, so I can still “attend church” when I am home on a Sunday for some reason or another.  But it’s just not the same as being with other believers and worshipers.

All that to say that our choir has been a fairly good-sized choir throughout all those years.  Not huge, but some good voices.

2017 – Sanctuary Choir, South Orlando Baptist Church

Unfortunately, I have pictures from only one musical we’ve performed…but it was a good one.

In 2004 we performed one called Journey to the Manger.  We had a narrator, manger scenes, 

modern scenes,

Old England scenes,

 Medieval scenes, 

Depression era scenes,

children’s choirs, etc.

It was wonderful. 

One of our choir members was a professional seamstress.  Her ministry was to make all of the period costumes in these pictures.  She is amazing!   But the story was so filled with the Gospel of the coming of Jesus Christ, that no one could miss the message!  

I mentioned last time that one of the musicals we did in Virginia, Christmas is Calling You Home, we also performed at this church.  I have some wonderful mental pictures of that performance but, unfortunately no actual pictures of it.

We also performed Easter cantatas, and had other “musical” type of services.

If you can get back into the Oldthingsrnew archives, my post of September 30, 2012 tells of a concert we performed – six of us on Clavinovas (digital/electronic pianos).  Our Minister of Music was always on the look-out for something musical to give inspiration to our church.  Also, if you will find the archives and find my post of October 7, 2012, I tell of a concert violinist who came and gave her testimony, and played her violin.  She is magnificent!

So those are some of the “musical” things that we have been part of in the churches where we were members.  We have always enjoyed being in the choir, wherever we were.  Music has always been a part of our lives, and we are grateful.

WE….ARE THE CHURCH!

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Friendship

19 Sep

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Back in the early 1970’s we were living in San Antonio, Texas.  Great place to live.  We really loved it there – even considered living there when Fred retired from the U.S. Air Force.  However, that was not to be.

The Alamo-San Antonio, Texas Photo credit Judy Will

We were members of the First Baptist Church in downtown San Antonio from 1971-1974.  It was an “old” church – established in 1861.  It was, at the time we were there, the 15th largest in the nation.  This sanctuary was built in 1925, and completely remodeled and modernized in 1964.  We thoroughly enjoyed that church.  The first Sunday we visited there, we walked in and the feeling was…home

First Baptist Church, San Antonio, TX – from a post card

Since it was a quite large church – somewhere around 5,000 members – it was in the Sunday School, choir, and other groups where we got to know other members.  Janet was still in nursery age, but Karen was school age and old enough to sit in the worship service.  Since Fred and I were both in the choir, I found an older couple she could sit with.  She always found her way to the choir room to meet us following the service.  

One Sunday morning, just before Sunday School started, I was sitting next to an older woman I didn’t know.  She tapped the coloring book I had on my lap (for Karen to entertain herself quietly during the service), and said, “I know how you keep yourself awake during the preaching!”  We both laughed.

I later found out that she was the Senior Pastor’s wife!!  Oops!

One of the organizations within that body of believers, was a young women’s group that we called “Friendship.”  The idea was for each of us to find one international wife who spoke very little English and bring her to the church.  I must say that the only thing “churchy” about this entire program was the prayer we said before we had refreshments.  No preaching…no church teaching…just pure love and friendship.  

We had a one-on-one hour of teaching them English via the Laubach Method of teaching English as a second language.  It is a highly successful method, and even those of us who were not fully trained, could help someone learn the language.

Following the hour of English, we would have some time with refreshments and getting to know each other.  And then we would have another hour of arts and crafts.  We had an exercise class; we had art painting, etc. My specialty was teaching crocheting.  My girls each crocheted a shawl from yarn.  Most seemed to enjoy it.

It was a lovely experience, and one I have treasured.  San Antonio, being a very “military” city, has many international women married to our military men.  Some had never had occasion to attempt to learn English – and sometimes, the U.S. military husbands didn’t necessarily want their international wives to learn English.  But it did my heart good to know we provided that service.

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.

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Missing s Sweet Friend

11 Jul

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Recently, the pianist for our church celebrated her 40th anniversary as pianist.  The church as a whole celebrated with her.  We gave her gifts, and then, after the morning worship service, we held a luncheon for her.

One of the gentlemen in our congregation had a bunch of pictures from past church events printed up and put around on a table.  The picture below was one of them.  It was taken in about 2004 and includes Fred, myself, and a sweet friend, Lynn Latham. 

Taken at South Orlando Baptist Church

There is a story behind this friendship:  When we lived in Virginia, Fred was Chairman of the Personnel Committee with the Peninsula Baptist Association (PBA), which is a network of all the Baptist churches in the area that cooperate together, as Southern Baptist churches do.  Lynn Latham was part of the PBA staff, but I’m not sure just what her title and expertise was there.  Fred, being involved with the PBA, knew Lynn fairly well.

We moved to Florida in late 1995, and I became the church secretary in September 1996.  I was in that position until 2008.  During that time, I dealt with our local Baptist association, known as GOBA – Greater Orlando Baptist Association.

Credit Google searched GOBA website

So imagine my surprise one day at work to see the name Lynn Latham in the GOBA flyer that we get every month!  I called the GOBA office and spoke with the secretary, asking if Lynn had been with the PBA in Virginia.  Yes, she had been.  WOW!

So I spoke with Lynn, and gave her our home phone number (Fred wasn’t working at the church at that time), and told her to give Fred a call.

He was beside himself when she called and told him who was calling!  They had a very nice conversation.

Lynn and I became more acquainted through the years I was church secretary.  She had a heart as big-as-all-outdoors.  I’m not totally sure what all she did at GOBA, other than being the Director of Community Relations, and working with the Orlando Union Rescue Mission.  But I also remember she worked a lot with the “working girls.”  We had a luncheon one day at our church with some of those ladies that Lynn worked with.  They had left that life; some went to school, but all were all dressed well, and looking for honest work.  All that was Lynn’s influence.  She was a jewel!

We learned, quite incidentally in a conversation, a few years ago that Lynn had died.  I believe it was from an inherited disease.  It was difficult to get past that, for us.  Although we weren’t that close – and Orlando is a big city – it still hurt that we didn’t know of her death.  She never married, and didn’t live close to her parents.  

But in spite of all that, we know she accomplished on earth what the Lord wanted her to accomplish, and is now rejoicing with Him in Heaven.  And we’ll get to see her again, when we join her in Heaven, ourselves.  

Until that day…..We Miss You, Sweet Friend!

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.

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The Engine Overhaul Part 1

30 Jun

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

In a recent post about camping, I mentioned our first small tent camper and the following story takes place around 1972, not long after we bought that camper.  It all started with what was supposed to be a family camping trip, with friends, for a fun weekend in the Everglades National Park, located at the southern tip of Florida.  On the first day, as we were heading south on I-95 from Titusville, FL we were all excited about the little four-day ‘mini-vacation’ we had planned.  We had both cars packed full of all the food and camping equipment we thought we would need, to ‘rough-it’ for the trip, along with our canoes and our tent camper.  

Photo by Bill Lites

As we approached the exit for Melbourne, FL (only 35 miles from home) our 1960 Chevrolet Biscayne sedan suddenly made a loud rattling sound from the engine, and the car began to slow down.  I immediately put the car in neutral, and coasted onto the emergency lane, where the car came to  a stop.  There was no indication on the dashboard instruments that there was anything wrong, but the car would not run.  My friend Dwayne pulled in behind me, and we tried to assess the situation.  The starter would turn the engine over, but it would not run.  We finally decided it was probably something to do with the timing and we needed to get my car off I-95.  

Photo: https://www.google.com/search

Luckily, I had an emergency tow-strap and Dwayne was able to tow my car and camper off I-95.  There just happened to be a campground next to I-95, where we could hold up long enough to make some new plans.  We decided to transfer the camper to Dwayne’s car, but he didn’t have a trailer hitch on his car.  It was a holiday weekend, and we had no idea where to go for a trailer hitch.  We borrowed a phone book (no cellphones) from the campground owner and finally found an auto parts store that was not too far from us.  By the time we found the store, bought a trailer hitch, and got it installed on Dwayne’s car, we were all tired, and realized it was too late to make it all the way to the Everglades Park (200 miles)  before they closed for the night.  So, we paid for and spent the night there at the friendly campground and were glad to be able to take a shower after all the day’s hectic activities.

Photo: : https://www.google.com/search

After the campground owner heard our story, he was kind enough to let me leave our car parked there until we got back from our trip.  We packed everything up and headed out early the next morning with four adults and five children in Dwayne’s car (no air conditioning), and with him pulling my camper and both canoes on top of his car.  We finally made it to the park and had a great, if short, ‘Everglades Adventure.’  You can read all about the camping trip in the three-part referenced blogs on this same website (Ref. Bill Lites blog titles “An Everglades Adventure Part 1, 2, & 3 dated 09/24/2014-10/08/2014”) if you care to.  Now, as Paul Harvey would say; for the rest of the story.  After we got home and got everything unloaded, Dwayne drove me back to the campground, in Melbourne, to get my car.  He towed me home and helped me get the car into my garage where I could work on it.

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 63 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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Life During Covid-19 Part 16

5 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

As I said in my last post, plans are made to be changed. We planned to have lunch on Tuesday with friends we had not seen in 4 months. Well, Monday morning my husband woke up with a sniffleszx and sneezing. Of course, my first concern was is he coming down with the virus? I let our friends know we wouldn’t be meeting for lunch, because and I am not sure how this happened, but we are all in THAT age group.

He spent a lot of time outdoors over the weekend, tidying up the yard and installing a backup camera on the truck. It took three mowings to get the grass down. I decided to treat his sniffles as allergy and after two days he began to clear up.

Our lawn a combination of grass and weeds looks much better!

Sunday we attended church. North Carolina ordered churches to shut down (Unlike Florida which suggested it and the churches willingly complied) so our church began to hold drive-in services in March. I was looking forward to seeing friends and curious how it would be done.

Our sanctuary sits on a hill with parking on a lower level. A tent was erected with a pulpit. The congregation tuned their radios to a specific Fm station .

One of our members brought a visitor, and I must say the visitor was very well behaved.

Overall it has been a good first week back. My husband’s health and energy, aside from sniffles, has been great and he has enjoyed getting resettling chores done. Thursday he replaced the front brakes on the truck and still felt well enough to join friends for a night of card playing. I treasure the good days.

In a matter of three weeks, the county has gone from less than five cases of Covid to over 80. I sense a level of anxiety and resentment in their social media posts. The first case in the county was a visitor from New York and now the summer people and part-time residents (Like us) are invading .

I understand how they feel. South Florida’s Covid cases soared as residents from New York fled there to escape the virus and its consequences. I rarely see a New York license plate in our Florida community but I saw two within a week. I admit to feeling a moment of resentment. Our area had been doing well without these “infectors”. Awful, right? I confessed my unkindness to God and asked forgiveness and for my heart to change.

And then Sunday arrived our church was finally allowed to gather. As we waited for service to start, one of the greeters escorted a woman inside and introduced her to the pastor. I made note of where she chose a seat. It was on the other side of the sanctuary.

I felt compelled to speak words of welcome to the visitor and as this was to be our last Sunday before returning to the mountains, it was now or never. I made my way across the room, being mindful of social distancing and began a conversation. I felt a connection and hoped she would choose to attend our church She shared that she had only been living in the area a year. Of course, I asked where she was from…New York. And not just New York, but NYC.

God definitely has a sense of humor as he works on teaching me to love as He loves.

This is from one of the albums I played with my children. I think I am going to re-listen to them. Simple truths.

Ok, the trip down memory lane with the kid’s praise album made my heart ache a little for bygone days. My son was my instant gratification child. I not only played this song, I would sing the chorus to him as well. I think the message remains relevant and it is fun!

We rescheduled our lunch plans with our friends for today. Both my husband and myself have been checking our temperatures just in case our supposition that allergies caused the sniffles is wrong.

I'm a winnerAfter my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.

My 2019 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

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I Am a New Creature

5 Mar

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

Today was our bi-annual blogger luncheon and I planned to post early until I had a mishap. I’m not big into make up and hair, but for this special occasion, I borrowed my daughter’s curling iron in an attempt to tame my wild hair. Two passes with the curling iron went well. Then I decided to be cautious in handling it. Big mistake. After looking at it carefully, I grabbed the HOT BARREL. Ouch! I flung it down and of course it landed in the sink. Fortunately I had enough sense left to verify there was no water in the basin before quickly unplugging it. I put ice on my hand and ran cold water over it, then I asked my husband to pick some aloe, which I rubbed over it. Looking around the kitchen, I decided to put some colloidal silver on it as well.

The good news is that it did not blister and although I packed a thermal bag with ice for our trip to Orlando and the restaurant, I didn’t need it. I did send up a prayer for healing, so am giving God credit. It truly did hurt for a time. After returning home I spied the curling iron on the vanity and cringed. I think it will be a good while before I attempt using it again. Wild hair rules!

I am blessed with my fellow bloggers who love me, even when my hair is wild and I thank God for them.. And isn’t it great that God doesn’t judge us by our appearance? In him we are a new creature and each day brings more grace and mercy.

 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

 

Let’s walk in the newness of the Spirit!

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Seeking Peace-No Matter What

1 Mar

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

Every time I read this verse it resonates in my soul.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

—HABAKKUK 3:17–18

Today I was blessed to enjoy a picnic lunch with precious friends at a new park on the river. My happy places always involve water or mountains. There is something elemental in them that calls to me and soothes.

 

Pam and DiVoran
Me and DiVoran

Today the humidity was high and a haze blurred the V.A.B. (Vehicle Assembly Building) that stands proudly across the river at Kennedy Space Center. I love the swings. Tonight this small park will be jammed with locals and out-of-town folks, hoping to witness the first flight of the Space X crew module.

 

UPDATE ON SPACE X Launch:  We got up at 2AM to view from the river. Liftoff was exactly on time, the rumble was a roaring success. Heat lightning flashed behind the rocket, adding drama.  Loved it.

 

 

After lunch  my husband and I drove the road to Playalinda Beach to get photos of the rocket on the pad. The beach road crosses marsh and if you like that sort of thing as I do, it was peaceful and beautiful.

Using zoom lens
Long view

Love- Experiencing the love of friends who accept me with all my flaws and models Christ’s love for me.

Joy- Being rooted and grounded in No Matter What.

Peace- Savoring the beauty that God created in nature and in friends.

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The Dandelion

12 Aug

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

 

In a previous post, I wrote about my best friend, and the things we’ve given to each other (please see my post of April 6, 2014 – My Best Friend) .  We have similar tastes in jewelry and collectibles, so it has been fun to find just the right gift to give each other.

One thing that I found and gave to her – and then, of course, had to have one for myself – was this dandelion, encased in plastic.  It sits on a shelf where, of course, I have to dust it, but also where I can see it all the time.  It’s one of those “how did they DO that” kind of things.

 

 

Fred and I have seen another kind of dandelion recently.  Well, at least, I call it a dandelion.  The brand name Tupperware is probably familiar throughout the world by this time. I began my Tupperware collection back in the 1970’s.  If my readers have any Tupperware containers, just look at the embossed inscription on the bottom of the item, and you will see the words “Orlando, Florida” on it. The Tupperware corporate headquarters is located in Orlando, Florida.  Actually it’s just over the Osceola County line, making it in Kissimmee (that’s pronounced (Kuh-SIMM-ee), but I’m sure no one had heard of Kissimmee when Tupperware began their business.  So it’s known as being in Orlando.

All that to say that, Fred and I drive by the Tupperware buildings on our way to one of our favorite eateries, Culver’s. The main entrance to the Tupperware building has a rather large open area, perhaps even called a courtyard, and in the center of that is the dandelion.  It is a metal structure with “spokes.”  During the day, when Tupperware is open for business, the structure is turned on and water shoots out of the spokes, making it look like a dandelion, and so I named it that.  It’s quite pretty.

 

 

I’m told that there was something else there, but now there is the dandelion.  I like the dandelion.  What do you think?

 

 

 

JUDYJudy 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.
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.
She was a stay-at-home mom for many years.
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.
She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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