Tag Archives: Friendship

Something to Live By

6 Jul

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

Recently, we met a friend at a famous barbeque eatery. It has become one of our favorite places to eat. Unfortunately, it takes us about 45 minutes to get there from our house, so we don’t go there very often. It is a favorite of the locals, and you must get there just as they open the doors, or you wait in a long line outside!

It’s a fairly rustic place, with just a few booths, but mostly picnic-type tables with benches. Some of the seating is outside, but under cover. But the food is really worth the wait, and definitely the place to go if you like BBQ.

While we were eating and visiting with each other, I noticed a plaque on the wall. There are a LOT of plaques on the wall, and other rustic decorations, but this one really caught my eye. It goes like this:

smilr copy

Isn’t that neat? There really isn’t anything “Christian” about it, but I think it says a lot about life perspective. I think it would help keep us in the right frame of mind to be upbeat and positive about how we live each day. Nothing droopy about anything on that list.

So………S M I L E and give thanks – for everything!

God is good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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An Amazing Surprise~Part 2

29 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

JUDY

A few years after we arrived in Virginia, as Christmas was approaching, the wives of the officers were invited to help make up cookie bags for the enlisted personnel who were stationed at that Air Force Base, but would be alone and working over the holiday – unable to go to their respective homes.  We were asked to bake about six dozen cookies (or more), and then bring them to a certain place on a certain day, and a bunch of women would make an assortment and bag them up.  That was something I enjoyed doing, so I set to work.

When the appointed day and time arrived, I went to the assigned place.  As we were working (I didn’t know anyone else there – we were just a bunch of wives working together), one of the women looked at me and said, “Judy, are you by chance from Albuquerque?”  A bit startled, I told her yes.  And then she proceeded to ask if I had gone to Highland High School in Albuquerque.  Again I said yes.

 

 

Then I asked her what her name was.  When she told me her maiden name, I literally had a jaw-dropping moment!  This woman had not only grown up in Albuquerque, but she had lived just across the street from our elementary school.  And, as I recall, I had been in her house.  I had actually known her at some point in my life.  She was two years ahead of me in school.

SURPRISE!!  Amazing!!

After we finished up, I ran home and dug out my old high school year books, and then my brothers year books (he had entrusted me with his books – he had graduated three years before me).  And there she was.

My questions were:   after all these years and worlds apart, HOW did she recognize me?  And how, after all these years, did we wind up stationed at the same AF base?  Fred was in the Weather Wing there, and her husband was commander of one of the flying units, so we had no other connection together.  But it was fun while it lasted.

 

I do SO enjoy these kinds of happenings!!

 

 

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An Amazing Surprise~Part1

22 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

 

Back in 1967, as we were about to embark on our first venture to Germany, we were contacted by our military “sponsor” from there. He had been assigned to us to help us transition into a different culture. When we told him that we would be stopping in Albuquerque on our way, he told us to enjoy it – because that was his hometown as well. Hmmmmm………..did we know him?

In case you weren’t aware – it’s a loooong flight from the U.S. East coast to Germany. I was seven months pregnant with our first child, and we were exhausted when we arrived in Frankfurt. It was about 5:30 a.m., and our sponsor apologized that it was just him – but they had a small child, and didn’t want to wake him just to come pick us up and drive back to Wiesbaden. He told us to check into the hotel, rest, take a shower if we wanted, and they would see us about 6:00 p.m. for a tour of Wiesbaden, and then dinner. We were asleep before our heads hit the pillow!

6:00 p.m. arrived, and we were making our way down the sidewalk toward him and his family. I saw a smiling woman and a small boy. As we got closer, she called out “Judy Lites!!”   Now, remember….I was VERY pregnant (pregnancy fog)….I was still suffering from jet-lag (more fog)…so when I heard my maiden name shouted out like that, I looked up and said “who are you?” When she gave me her name, I realized that she and I had been in Rainbow Girls together in Albuquerque! As a matter of fact, she was one of my installing officers when I was installed as Worthy Advisor back in 1959, right after my high school graduation.

SURPRISE!! Amazing!!

We went on to have a nice relationship for the remaining two years they were in Wiesbaden. And it turned out that Fred and Don had been in several math classes together and the University of New Mexico.

We have lost track of them now, but it was a great time to renew friendships at a time when we needed it most.

I do SO enjoy these kinds of happenings!!

Rainbow girls

 

 

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A Florida Whirlwind.

19 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

It has been a busy three weeks in Florida, kind of a whirlwind. It’s so much fun to re-connect with some of the best friends one could ever be blessed with, leisurely chats on the porch or lunch at the Cracker Barrel and dinner at the local pizza ristorante. Precious times.

Then there is all the work that was accomplished. Rebekah and I work well together through iChat and Dropbox, but sometimes, it is just better to be in the same place. July 16,17 and 18 Rebekah will be on a virtual book tour, her words traveling around the country and maybe even the globe, as she prepares to launch her new release Jessie. Even though she hired a tour company, a lot of blog posts and interviews had to be written and perfected. She still has a few more to write, but I believe we are over the hump. Thankfully, our friend Pam joined our  team and pulled together a great media kit for the tour.

Along with the work was a lot of fun. Elaine Wessinger  opened her home to host one of Rebekah’s Tea with the Author events.  The table theme was an elegant Victorian tea and conversation and laughter flowed easily.

Tea Table at Elaines

The following weekend was the Titusville Sea Turtle Festival and I wish you could have been there. Rebekah had a table displaying her books as well as DiVoran Lites novels. Pam Gheen and DiVoran, wearing an adorable sun hat, visited the various vendors chatting them up. Rebekah dubbed them her “streetmosphere”.streetmosphere-feature

Since the festival targeted children, Rebekah’s father built a spinning prize wheel to attract people to her table. While I helped the children, Pam talked about the books and loaded the parents up with rack cards, book marks and paper bags to hold it all. Of course the bags had Rebekah Lyn Books logo on them, working on that brand angle. Then a thunder-storm rolled in and like a  knock off  purse seller running from the law, the festival cleared out.

As much fun as this has been, Florida is getting too hot and it is time to head for the hills. Before we get there though, we will make a visit to eastern North Carolina to visit with family plus Mike wants to check on the progress of the Cabella’s sporting goods store being built near my aunt’s home.

Rebekah’s new release Jessie will be releasing July 20, 2014 which is the forty-fifth anniversary of the first moon landing. She is offering a pre-release price of $1.99, Regular price is $4.99

 

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Roots

16 Jun

My Take

DiVoran Lites 

 

Author, Poet and ArtistOne day I was wandering in the cleared area behind our house and I came upon a miniature liquor bottle. I have a penchant for bottles, so I picked it up, washed it out, and stuffed a small spider plant into it. The spider plant then proceeded to grow roots. I have a penchant for roots.

Yesterday I had breakfast with a friend who is a professional photographer. We like to talk about our gardens and share cuttings and clippings. I gave her some purple heart.

She gave me some plants, too. When I looked in the succulent’s bag, I saw a long root. “I’m into roots, right now,” I said pulling out a beautiful aloe plant.

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Then she asked the big question. “Why?”

I’m still not sure I can answer it, but I have a book, Finding What You Didn’t Lose, by John Fox CPT. In a chapter called, “Leaving the Roots on Your Writing: Revealing Yourself in Your Poetry.” Fox says, “When I lead workshops and people share their spontaneous poems, one of the first qualities people recognize in the atmosphere of the place…is that there is a deepened level of genuine intimacy. People begin to leave “roots” and “dirt” on their words. This intimacy is first self-honest, which then extends into the group experience.”

As I understand it, roots are the opposite of pretension. Pretension is like a plastic string—it doesn’t grow anything new or nourishing while a root does.

My mother always said, “Make yourself the best you can, and then be yourself.” I was still working on the first part, but I began to see that it was time to bring the second part into play. It seems that one way to start living with the roots is to quit trying so hard. So what if I drop the g’s off words when I get excited? So what if I wear my shorts and no lipstick to Wal-Mart? So what if I ask dumb questions or snort when I laugh? At least I’m laughing. I will soldier on as if it were none of my business what THEY THINK. Like Popeye, I yam what I yam. Ain’t we all?

 

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Old Friends

11 May

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

We have been blessed to have been able to travel a lot of this earth. We’ve seen many places that I had only heard of while in school (elementary, Junior High, High). And everywhere we’ve traveled, we’ve made friends. Some have stayed near and dear to us, others have fallen by the wayside, and we’ll just see them when we all get to heaven, and renew our friendships there.

And some have just stayed so close to us that they feel almost like family. Like the young man that we met when we first arrived in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1967. He was actually younger than Fred, but was Fred’s “superior” in rank. But then, Fred had those extra four years of schooling that Paul didn’t have, so………

He was an interesting young man, and we enjoyed his company a lot. After he left Germany, the Air Force transferred him to Minot, North Dakota, and from meteorology to “Missile Launch Officer.” Well, that didn’t last too long, and he got out of the military.

Next thing we know, he is attached to Wycliffe Bible Translators. We are pleased, because he has become a believer in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and wants to be a part of spreading the Good News to as much of the world as he can.

He married another Wycliffe member about 10 years later, and they had two children. They have traveled the world with Wycliffe, being missionaries everywhere they went.

We have had the wonderful privilege of meeting up with Paul and his family through the years, and supporting them spiritually and financially. Their children are grown now, and away from home, but Paul and Joyce continue to work with Wycliffe. He is in accounting, and Joyce has been a pre-school teacher – to missionaries children, and others wherever they have been.

We had a recent visit with them, and though it was a short visit, we renewed our friendship, and had a grand time just talking, and revisiting past times together. We talked about their time in Darwin, Australia, in Malaysia, and in Singapore. We also talked about what they are doing in Dallas, Texas at this time. We told them about our church here, our ministry there, our new pastor…all the things that we love and enjoy about the body of believers we are a part of here.

He reminded us that we had given him a “gift” before he left Germany – a copy of the “Good News for Modern Man: The New Testament in Today’s English.” It left such an impression on him – that he could read and understand the Bible in modern English – that he sought out salvation. We don’t even remember giving him the book.

It was a joyous and wonderful time together. We thank God for His wisdom in allowing us to have “forever” friends – those we enjoy here on this earth, and know that we will rejoice with them in heaven.

couple

 

 
I thank my God every time I remember you.

Philippians 1:3

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My Best Friend

5 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Judy Wills

 

There is a “new” acronym – BFF – that has taken me quite a while to figure out. I could get the “B(est) F(riend)..” part, but what in the world was that second “F?” I finally saw it in a book the other day – Best Friend Forever. Nothin’ slow about me!

That truly describes my BFF. I still have girlfriends from my childhood, and some I’ve kept up with along the way. But the one who truly has my heart is one I met while we were in Panama City, Florida. She was in the church choir, as were Fred and I. We sat near each other, and just started talking. That led to lunches out occasionally. Shopping – of course! And just the way we thought – we could nearly complete each other’s sentences.

I guess one of the most fun remembrances is when her daughter was getting married. Fred and I had driven down from Virginia (on our way to Disney), and had planned our trip so we could be at the wedding. Her daughter and our oldest daughter were best buds from long before. As it happened, a hurricane was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, headed toward Panama City. With the weather so “iffy,” Fred let me out of the car to head into the church. She told me later that her brother saw me, and his thought was, “what is she (my friend – his sister) doing getting out of that car? And who is that man with her?” We really don’t look that much alike, but it’s fun to think that her own brother mistook me for her!

Even though we don’t see each other very often, we still send Christmas gifts to each other. We always look for something that we would like to have, and know that the other one would love it, as well. She gave me a Cloisonne neck charm – and I think of her every time I wear it, which is quite often.

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She gave me earrings that I treasure. I gave her some Kaiser figurines from Germany.

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We give each other Precious Moments figurines that exemplify our relationship. We give each other Willow Tree figurines that depict the same thing.

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I gave her a “how did they do that?” because I enjoy looking at mine just like it.

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When we moved to Orlando, we both were thrilled – we were in the same state! Surely we would see each other more often. Took us three years to finally get together. And now it’s been that long again. They have moved to northern Alabama – to the back of beyond, actually! But they love it there, and are happy. But she and I miss each other terribly.

Many years ago, when I was teaching a ladies Sunday School class (ladies much older than I), I mentioned something about a “good friend.” I said that a good friend is someone you can tell ANYthing to, and they will love you anyway. Two of those ladies looked at each other and giggled. I knew they had that same kind of friendship. That’s the kind of friendship I have with this precious lady.

My friend and I are both believers in Christ as Lord and Savior. After all, we met in church. And so, I know that she will, indeed, be my BEST FRIEND FOREVER! And ever and ever. God is so good to have blest me with this friend in this lifetime.

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The Secret of Good Friendships

22 Feb

I ate moldy bread, stepped on snakes and almost swallowed a bug…

Yes, friends, I lead a pitiful life. When you can’t see, life can get pretty crazy.

Through the years, I’ve posted on each of the above incidents. But I also posted about the time I stepped on a beautiful rose. I’m talking about my friend. I had related details of my misunderstanding of her motives, of my own blind view of her words and the one-sided perception of the relationship. I confess: I stepped on a rose. The rose whose beauty was overshadowed by my judgment and my unfair and skewed assessment.

In the complexity of relationships, the true friends are simple in their genuine love. They’re those who are trampled upon, yet forgive. They are hurt, yet still love. They’re accused, yet they still serve.

Could it be that Jesus wants us to avoid pain when He says,

Father, keep me in line when I’m too quick to jump into conclusions. Grant me a heart to value the treasures you place before me. Hold me accountable to appreciate what is valuable in life. In Jesus’ name, amen

  • What has you feeling regretful lately?
  •  How can God’s wisdom keep you from heartache?
  •  What keeps you from admitting your mistakes?

His Way

Janet Perez Eckles,

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

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My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

6 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Last Saturday I attended a wonderful party with friends I have know for fourty years. We met when we were all young and members of a young marrieds Sunday School class. We don’t see each other every Sunday now as many of us have moved on to different churches, but some things one doesn’t forget. For instance, my friend Evelyn is a wonderful cook. So when she  gives a cooking tip my ears tend to perk up.

For the party my daughter, Rebekah and I dipped some  peppermint filled chocolate cookies in Girahdelli dark chocolate . They were deee-licious. Evelyn and I were chatting about the cookies when she mentioned that she had recently dipped strawberries for her mah-jongg group. This is when my ears began growing bigger and telling my brain to PAY ATTENTION. You see, I have been a strawberry dipping failure. Evelyn casually mentioned that not only do strawberries have to be dry for the chocolate to cling but they can’t be too cold. Who knew? Well most likely everyone except me.

You won’t believe what happened next. I was in Target scavenging on their mark down end caps and there were four bags of Ghiradelli dark chocolate  melting wafers on clearance. I snagged all four bags. Later that day I shopped at our wonderful fresh produce market and they had beautiful fresh strawberries grown right here if Florida. I took it as a sign that I was to go home and make chocolate dipped strawberries and try out my new knowledge.

My First Successful Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate

My First Successful Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate

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Get Over It and Move On

30 Jan

On The  Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

My friend DiVoran and I were having a lively chat one day when  get over it came up. On the surface it seems like a rude, heartless thing to say, but is it?

I remember the times I said  “get over it and move on” to my teenage daughter after her first big heartbreak. She really hated when I said that, but what I was really saying was, work through this, stop letting it control you.

It takes courage, faith and work to overcome a broken heart, hurt feelings and disappointments. We don’t get over it without dealing with the situation. These are the actions I use when I need to get over it.

First I pray. I let God know I am counting on Him for help to accomplish these steps.

  • Determine to accept the situation. I don’t have to like it.
  • Accept responsibility for my actions. Yes, even if I feel justified.
  • Grieve the loss. I believe a time of grieving is a vital part of healing.
  • Choose to let go of the pain or anger. I can’t heal as long as I am hanging on to it.
  • Best of all, forgive.  Carrying a grudge can be a mighty heavy load.

Do I do this everyday and in every situation? Nope, but I wish I did. Guess I’m still  learning.

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