Massachusetts Trip

I really thought things would get easier as time went on without my husband. They haven't. In fact things have been really difficult. I don't want to whine. I am blessed to have children, friends, and church family to love and be loved by. I do miss my husband, though. So much!!! To the point that my physician thought I needed grief counseling. He asked me if we had someone at church that would be available. Thankfully we do and I contacted him about setting up an appointment. However, he had to have some surgery on his vocal cords and was unable to counsel for a time.

In the meantime I decided to go to Massachusetts to see my husband's family. I was so excited about the trip the grief was not such a problem. My oldest sister-in-law is not in good health and I knew I needed to go then. I also picked a time that would get me back home before my son and daughter-in-law would have to go to China to bring my new grandson home.

Best laid plans! My trip was planned, tickets purchased, rooms booked, arrangements made for pets. My oldest daughter and youngest granddaughter would go with me. My daughter-in-law would take care of my cats while I was away and I planned to board my dogs. I would take care of their cats and keep one of their dogs, Gabby, when they went to China. Then the call came. They had travel approval to go to China and would leave on June 25th, the same day we planned to stay overnight in Raleigh before our flight out on the 26th. So we did some scrambling. A friend from church & my youngest daughter would take care of the cats. My son-in-law, whose wife and daughter were going with me, would keep Gabby till I got back.

So on 6/25 I took my son & daughter-in law to the airport. Spent the rest of the morning getting ready to leave myself and then we drove to Raleigh. We flew to Hartford, CT on 6/26 and drove a rental to Massachusetts. It was a wonderful trip. We stayed in Springfield and had a beautiful view from our 11th floor window.

Night view of Springfield, MA

Was so good to see family and tell them how much I love them all. I did not get to see my husband's brother and his family. They had a high school graduation and other plans. I would loved to have seen them too.

We spent a day in Old Deerfield Village sightseeing. A beautiful and historic place. The old cemetery is a touching place. Many buried there were killed in an Indian Massacre. The Indian House was one that was attacked. The museum there houses the original door from the house and you can see the opening that was chopped into the door.

Old Deerfield Cemetery

The Indian House

Original Door From The Indian House

We visited the small town of Ashfield where my husband grew up.

Ashfield Town Hall

Apple Valley, Ashfield

We went to the town of Shelburne Falls where there is an old trolley bridge leading to the town of Buckland. When the bridge was no longer used, the two towns made it into a walking bridge planted with beautiful flowers. It is maintained by both towns.

Bridge of Flowers

 There are also ancient glacial pot holes here which are quite unique.

Glacier Pot Holes

We ate twice at a great little place in Greenfield, MA. called Village Pizza. If you are ever in Greenfield, trust me, you DO want to eat there. Three generation family owned business with great Italian food & fantastic service. Just know that one plate of spaghetti and meatballs will feed three people.

We flew back home on 7/1 and the wait began for my new grandson. More to follow.

Atheists Welcome

I have not subscribed to a newspaper in years. A few weeks ago I said,"Why not?" and took a short subscription. I have enjoyed it for the most part. I like to read the letters to the editor, half-heartedly work the crossword puzzles, check the obituaries for the passing of anyone I might have known, and read the local happenings. I never read the horoscopes. I rarely read the advice column, but recently I did. Since I missed the actual letter that all the responses were concerning, I am going strictly on responses themselves. Response from the columnist. Responses from other readers. All about that one letter.

Apparently it was regarding a mixed marriage. No, not racial but religious. One spouse is religious and wants them both to attend church and the other is an atheist. I don't know if these were their feelings before they married or if they occurred after. What confused me were the responses to the situation. I realize being "religious" means nothing to God. It is the state of the heart and the relationship with Christ that matters. I would say the responses were an attempt to be politically correct, but I think they were totally sincere in their advice. So you are probably wondering what the advice was.

Almost all suggested that the couple attend another church where the atheist spouse would feel comfortable. There was talk about a church that would preach living a good life, spiritual enlightenment, etc. You get the idea I am sure. I don't know why I was surprised, but I found it mind-boggling that not one letter suggested that the "religious" spouse earnestly petition God in prayer for the "atheist" spouse. That is not to say that none were sent, but none were printed.

I have many friends whose spouses will not attend church with them. They still love each other. However, in the cases of my friends, the believers pray earnestly and request prayers from others for the unbelieving spouses. God hears our prayers. The answers may not come in a time period we would like, but we continue to pray.

So should Bible preaching churches welcome the atheist? I think our churches should encourage attendance by all. They are not just places for Christ followers to recharge and find fellowship. They are places where the lost hear the Gospel, the Holy Spirit can deal with hearts, and church members can serve God and others. At least that is what they are suppose to be. We ARE to show love to the lost and not beat them with the Gospel. This does not mean we avoid the Truth of Scripture. It must be taught and preached in It's entirety. We are not to excuse or condone sin, but we are to love the sinner. For what are we, but sinners forgiven through the blood of Christ? Some may enter our churches with the intent to disrupt. That has certainly happened many times in many churches. However, while there they might be drawn by the Holy Spirit to accept the Truth and be unbelieving no more. 

Why Adopt A Rescue Pet?

I have a new family member. She is the sweetest little thing and cute as can be. She is an 8 year old Beagle mix named Luna.

Luna

Just as I did with Marcus, I found her on the Pet Finder web site. She had been rescued by the same humane society that took Marcus in, Colonial Capital. I debated on whether I wanted to adopt another dog. I mean, it's not like I don't have any pets already (O'Malley, O'Connor, and Maximus-cats & Marcus-dog). I felt Marcus needed company when I have to be away from home for a few hours at a time, the cats are getting really tired of Marcus licking their faces, and I knew I have more than enough love to go around. So I began my search. It did not take long. Just as with Marcus, I was drawn to a picture.

What was I looking for? A smaller dog than Marcus. He weighs 54 lbs and is as gentle as can be, but I knew I would never find another dog his size with his temperament. After my fixation on the picture, I checked out the details. Age 8 - hmmm a little older than I expected to adopt but she needs a forever home, too. Spayed - yes. House broken - yes :) . Then the most important information. Good with other dogs - yes. Good with cats - yes. Good with children - yes. I then checked out the past history. Rescued from an animal hoarder. Oh, poor baby.

I filled out an adoption application and it was arranged for me to meet Luna. Her foster parents brought her to my home. She came right in and licked Marcus in the face (now he knows how the cats feel). Great start!! To my delight, the foster parents told me she loves to ride and go walking at Union Point Park! Perfect since Marcus and I do a lot of both. It was not easy for her foster parents to leave her here for they had grown to love her. Within a few hours Luna was at home and stretched out on the couch. Marcus spent the afternoon pouting but that did not last. She has shown no anxiety at all (except today at the vet's office where she sat her 27 trembling pounds on my lap). She is healthy, maybe a little chunky, minds well, needs a little more leash training but we are working on that.

So why adopt a rescue pet? Because we need them as much as they need us. Some have been treated horribly, neglected, or abandoned. My mother use to tell me as a child that I would take every stray that came along if she would let me. She was right. I have always loved dogs and cats. I know some people are "dog people" and some are "cat people". I am both. My son found my oldest cat, O'Malley, in a corn field when he was just a kitten. The others, O'Connor and Maximus (brothers), were feral and I trapped them as kittens. As I posted in August, 2012 after adopting Marcus, he was rescued from the flood waters of Hurricane Irene. So all my animals are rescue pets. They fill my home with unconditional love. Now my little family is complete.

Many people prefer specific breeds and purchase their pets or receive them as gifts and there is nothing wrong with that. For those who may be thinking about a pet, I only ask you to consider a rescue pet. The price of adoption is usually far less than you would pay anywhere else and the money goes to support the animals who have been and will be rescued. It warms your heart when you look at them and know you have given them a better life than they have ever known. It's so worth it!

Sometimes, But Not Always

Recently someone put a short video on Facebook. It truly moved me. It was of a group of people who live in a country that is hostile to Christianity. The people had received Bibles. Their reactions brought me to tears. Not just because it was such an emotional time for them, but because it made me ashamed of my own lack of appreciation for the Word of God. They cried. They kissed their new Bibles. They held them tightly to their hearts. Others were immediately reading. There was a question under the video. "Do you respond the same way when you open yours?"

Well, that question sure hit me right between the eyes & right in my heart. How we take for granted the ability to hold God's Word in our hands! I don't just have one Bible. I have many-Thompson Chain King James Version, my New American Standard Inductive Study Bible, The Names of God Bible, The Complete Jewish Bible, the Interlinear English Hebrew Greek Bible, and several older Bibles which just fell apart but I kept. Blessed beyond belief, as so many of us are. So how do I respond when I open one of my Bibles? Do I hold it close to my heart? Do I kiss it? Do I cry? Do I immediately delve into the knowledge God has left for me?

I will say that I do love to read and study the Word. I believe that the best resource for understanding Scripture is Scripture itself. Not a new concept, but one I learned through the inductive study method. But do I take for granted that it is so accessible? Yes, I do. We discussed this tonight in our ladies Bible study. Persecution will come, even here. The only way to prepare for it, is to be immersed in the Word. To be immersed in the Word, you must study. The beginning is to open your Bible.

The answer I posted to that question, "Do you respond the same way when you open yours?"?
'Sometimes, but not always - and that is not good enough.'

"Be diligent to present yourselves approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." II Timothy 2:15 NASB
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." II Timothy 2:15 KJV

Waiting For Harrison

In November, 2013, I posted on my blog that my son & daughter-in-law are in the process of adopting a little boy from China. It is now March, 2014 and we are waiting. Finally all the paperwork has reached China. We were all hoping they would be able to bring him home the end of this month. However, they were told it would take 4-6 months for approval to travel into China. I must admit I am so disappointed, but that doesn't come close to how his parents feel. There have been Harrison showers with loads of toys, books, & clothes given by friends and family. Everyone just wants so much to be a part of his life.

I know that God has a purpose in all things. Therefore, I know He has a purpose in this delay. I also know that He can choose to open this door sooner. Of course, that is what the mother and grandmother side of me is hoping for. I have to stay focused on His Word and trust His will. I also have to pray. This is what the Lord wants & expects us to do, during the good times and the difficult times.

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.'
Jeremiah 29:11,12 NASB

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?"
Romans 8:28,31 NASB

So we carry on till God removes the obstacles that keep us waiting for Harrison.

I've Been Blessed

In less than 1 hour a new year will  begin. When we are young we seem to think time stands still. It doesn't. We think we will never get older. We will. We think (or hope) life will always bring joy. It won't. I'm not being a defeatist. On the contrary, I am grateful this is how life goes.

It has been a hard year emotionally. March 24, 2013 marked the 1 year anniversary of my husband's leaving this world and entering his eternal home. I am sure to him it seems but a moment since he was welcomed there. I miss him more tonight than ever before, but I am happy he is rejoicing in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There have been disappointments, illnesses and/or deaths of friends, and financial challenges through this year of 2013. Through it all I have had and still have the assurance that God is in control. As I said in a previous post, He is enough.

I have been blessed in 2013 in more ways than I could ever begin to list. No huge miraculous occurrences in my life that I am aware of. Not saying there weren't any, just saying I wasn't aware of any. I know God intervenes many times when we never realize it. There have been some miraculous events in the lives of friends. An automobile accident that destroyed a car and the occupants were unharmed. There has been healing. There has been strengthening & remissions. For all of these I thank and praise Him.

The next few paragraphs will be filled with I's. Not as a means of boasting, but as a testimony to the grace of God.

I have a warm place to lay my head. I have food for my table. I have the love of children and grandchildren.  I have friendship. I have the most loving church family anyone could ever ask for. I have cats who want my attention. I have a dog who loves me unconditionally. Not bad so far, right?

I can hold the Word of God in my hands! I have Christian music to listen to, Christian movies to watch, and Christian books to read. I have the freedom to go to church and worship without fear of imprisonment. Thus far I have the right to share the gospel with anyone willing to listen. I have lived on this earth, in this free country, for 64 years. I have been a born-again, child of the One True God for almost 49 of those years. I awake each morning and go to sleep each night with the knowledge that my heavenly Father will never leave me nor forsake me.

I look forward to what God has planned for me in this new year. I am eagerly awaiting the adoption of my soon-to-be sixth grandchild, third grandson. It's been 11 years since there was a 2 year old in the family. I am excited. I am sure their will be ballgames to attend for my granddaughter, birthdays to celebrate with family, graduation for one of my grandsons, activities and ways to serve at church.

So - you are almost here, 2014. I'm ready.

This Place Called Home

If you had asked me, back when I was 11 years old, what I thought of this town, I would have told you it was the most boring place on earth. My maternal grandmother lived here but my family lived 65 miles away. We visited here about every other weekend. Unless my cousins happened to be over at the same time, I was bored stiff. Not that I didn't love my grandmother or enjoy seeing her, because I did. But at 11 listening to adults talk was not my idea of a good time. Much to my horror my parents announced to my brother and me that we would be moving here over Christmas break. I was painfully shy. It did take about 2 years before I had really close friends and this truly became my home but from that point on I could not imagine living anywhere else.

This town has a rich history and is the second oldest in North Carolina. It stands on the banks of two rivers, the Neuse and the Trent. It was founded by Baron Christopher de Graffenried, a Swiss who had immigrated to England. In 1710 he brought a group of Palatines (Germans) and Swiss here and called it New Berne. However, others had been here as far back as 1705 and there were, of course, Tuscarora Indians here long before that. New Bern (now pronounced with the accent on New and the final 'e' a thing of the past) survived the Tuscarora Indian Wars between 1711 and 1715, but not without tragic losses of both settlers and Tuscaroras. The old St. Luke's Hospital is located on a parcel which was not within the early town limits. The parking lot behind the building was the site of a homestead in which the occupants were massacred.

Old St. Luke's Hospital

New Bern was the colonial capital of North Carolina and has a beautiful restored palace named after the British governor, Lord Tryon. If you are a fan of the TV series, Sleepy Hollow, you have seen the palace and one of the historical homes near it in several episodes. On 8/25/1774 the North Carolina Assembly met in New Bern without consent of the governor, Josiah Martin, and elected delegates to the Continental Congress.

Tryon Palace (filming site for Sleepy Hollow)

John Wright Stanly House (filming site for Sleepy Hollow)




New Bern Academy Museum (side/back view)

New Bern Academy Museum (front view)

The town was captured by Union soldiers led by General Ambrose Burnside during the Civil War. The New Bern Academy is the oldest public school building in North Carolina and one of the oldest in the United States. It was used as a hospital during the Civil War. It now houses a museum. When I was in 7th grade I attended what was then called Central Elementary School. It consisted of 3 buildings. The Academy Building housed the 6th grade. The Bell Building housed the 7th grade. The 8th grade was housed in a newer building. The more recent building has been demolished and a beautiful home stands in its place. I remember going into the Academy Building as a 7th grader and being fascinated by the stairs. They were wooden and worn in the center. I was in awe of how many feet had been up & down those stairs to form those dips. Of course, you didn't attend Central School and not know it's history. For safety those steps have been replaced.


Bell Building

Downtown New Bern/Lady in Period Dress

New Bern is also the birthplace of Pepsi Cola. Downtown on the corner of Middle and Pollock Streets is the former home of Bradham's Pharmacy. You can still visit & find about every kind of Pepsi souvenir you would ever want. Did I tell you we have some pretty neat bridges, too?

Bradham's Pharmacy

 

Double Bridges (Photo of bridge silhouette with draw bridge in foreground)

Union Point Park

Gazebo at Union Point Park

Now that I am retired, my dog and I go walking most every day along New Bern's waterfront and down it's historic streets. Union Point Park is my favorite place in New Bern.



There are many beautiful old homes and churches here. Some of these I share here in pictures.

Tour By Horse & Carriage

Temple B'nai Sholem

Centenary United Methodist Church

First Presbyterian Church

I am so blessed to call this place home!  Come see us sometime.