Are You in Your Mission Field?

Take a minute and think about this particular stage of  your life?  Are you doing something you really love to do?  Do you look forward to each day? Are you retired?  If you are retired, how do you spend your time?  You just may be in your mission field.

Years ago I thought God was calling me to the mission field; however, I was too young to realize that I could ever be a missionary.  I certainly was not good enough, and I certainly didn't have the Bible knowledge that a missionary would need.  I was female.  I had never been away from home.  The excuses were always ready whenever the thought of being a missionary would go through my head.

Years passed and the tug at my heart faded.  I moved away from God.  God never once left my side.

My life had very strange twists and turns, heartaches (many heartaches), I made a lot of  wrong decisions.  I couldn't focus on a future, I lived one day at a time.

One day I found myself in a position with two small children and a poor economy which had taken my job. I believe this to be one of the low points of my life.  I had two choices.  I could feel sorry for myself and blame God for my misfortune, or I could do something constructive about my situation.  I chose to stop living without a tomorrow and to begin looking toward the future. 

My children and me in better days.

I evaluated my options.  I had absolutely no money.  I was drawing unemployment, and I was actively looking for a job. I had a lot of time left over in the day.  With prayer for strength, I made a tough decision.  I would go to school.  I would go to Piedmont College!  This is where you are shaking your head and thinking I have lost mine.  No money and going to school?  How do you intend to accomplish this, you are asking yourself.  Right?

The longest walk was the steps going up to the front door of Daniel Hall.  I had parked across the street from the school and took the flight of steps.  This became symbolic of the road ahead of me.  It began with the first step and kept going upward as I worked toward my goal.

The Registrar's Office was on my left as I came through the front door of Daniel Hall.  I went through the door to his secretary and said simply, "I want to go to school, but I have no money.  Where is the Financial Aid Office?"  Instead of telling me where it was, she took me there.

The gentlemen who worked there were attentive, and I left with a handful of financial aid forms.  As the years have passed, my advice to all students has been, "always complete financial aid forms, you never know what you might qualify for, and all you have invested is the time it takes to complete the form."  The time it took to complete the forms was a major investment in my future.  I qualified for grants!  Yes, grants!  I didn't have to pay them back!  God was moving me closer to a mission field that I had excused my self from over ten years earlier. I did not recognize He was moving me closer to His original plan.

I was able to start Piedmont College the fall of 1975!  Education was my goal!

The road wasn't easy.  There were obstacles. Lots of obstacles!  Keeping a focus on my goal was not easy. God walked with me even when I thought He had forgotten me.  God never leaves us; we leave Him.

Graduation from Piedmont College, a goal that I had set for myself. With the help of my mother, who kept my children so that I never had to worry about them, and the wonderful hand of God, I had reached my goal of a college diploma.

Graduation from Piedmont College

Years later I realized that God had put me in the middle of a mission field.  The classroom.  I was teaching.  I was working with teenagers, and loving every minute of it! Now you are saying, "Whoa!"  Public school in America is not a mission field!"

A mission field is where God sends you.  It is up to you to develop that field.  Public school in America is not a traditional mission field, but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) can't regulate your personal spirit: The spirit of your smile; your spirit of compassion; your spirit of giving; your spirit of love for one another, and they certainly cannot regulate the spirit of love the students show toward their teachers.  One does not have to quote scripture to show the love of Jesus Christ each day.

Where is your mission field?  We greet each day with a mission in life.  We were given this mission by Jesus when He said for us to love one another.  Are you working in your mission field today?

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for not giving up on me when I was giving you excuses for why I could never be a missionary.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  If you are not happy where you are in life, maybe you are not following God's plan for you.  Take time to find out what God's plan is for your life.  You will enjoy the outcome.

CHRISTmas

"Silver Bells, Silver Bells, it's Christmas time in the city..."

It is that time of year when we rush around trying to buy the perfect gift for that special someone.  In our rushing we become irritated; tired; and just plain mean,  Yes, I said mean.

People push and bump each other trying to fill their shopping carts with decorations and presents.  Babies cry because they are tired and hungry.  Mama is trying to get home where she will cook, clean-up, decorate, and wrap presents. 

Wait!  It is Christmas!  It is a joyous time of the year.  Where is our Christmas Spirit?  Surely we didn't leave it at the store.

Christmas stories on the television show beautifully decorated houses, plenty of goodies that Mama had time to make and still get her shopping completed.  The snow is falling outside and a warm inviting fire burns in the fireplace.  Awww.  The perfect Christmas; however, our lives are not Christmas stories.  They are real lives where we get very tired; and sometimes, we lose our Christmas Spirit!

If you have lost your Christmas Spirit, just listen to a child.  Gracie just told me,  "That it was CHRISTmas.  That's the way I learned it," she said.  Out of the mouths of babes...

Children can bring us back to the reality of what we are celebrating.  Jesus' birthday.

Thank you Gracie for reminding me that we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  This isn't about the decorations or the presents.  It is about the Christ Child born in a manager in Bethlehem.

It is me again, Lord, thanking You for Your Birth, Your Death, and Your Resurrection.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  If you are having a difficult time getting your decorations, your shopping, your Christmas planning together, just stop and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas.


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! 

Uncle Hollis Barters Cane Syrup



William and Lena Ward Smith Family
At the funeral of Uncle Mickey Broome

 My grandfather, William Smith, passed away a few months before my daddy, Billy, was born.  He was the youngest.  Grandpa Smith asked his eldest son, Hollis, (the one on the left) who was just 18 years old to care for the family when he was gone.  Their mother died from cancer when Billy was just a year old. 

This is just one of the many stories which defines the tough stock of a Georgia mountain family in the late 1920s.  Theirs is the story of brothers and sisters caring and loving their younger siblings in a time of a Great Depression.

Daddy often told about carrying cane syrup and cornbread to school for lunch in a lard bucket. This was all the food they had at that time; but, one family had even less than they did.   They didn't have syrup only the cornbread.   The children went home from school one day and told Uncle Hollis how this family didn't have anything to eat.

Uncle Hollis didn't want to embarrass the folks by giving them what might be mistaken for a handout.   Southern folks, especially mountain folks, are a proud people and Uncle Hollis respected this.

Uncle Hollis carried jars of cane syrup that he had made in the fall over to this family.   Instead of giving it to them, he asked if he could supply them in syrup in exchange for their help in preparing his fields for planting in the spring. (This is an example of the barter system in place during the lean times.)  The gentlemen said he would be glad to help him by breaking-up the field in the spring and that the syrup was fair payment.

Winter warmed into spring, and Uncle Hollis had forgotten about the deal with his neighbor. One day after spring arrived, the neighbor and his sons were out in Uncle Hollis' field, breaking-up the ground and getting it ready for plowing and planting.  

Mountain people knew how to help each other and allow a person to retain his/her dignity.   Uncle Hollis was certainly a very smart and caring man.



Making syrup: Uncle Hollis  (the little boy is my dad, Billy) With Uncle Buford and Uncle Clyde


Uncle Hollis passed away in 1966; he was like a grandfather to me.   I still miss him.

He has been gone a long time, but his legacy lives on.

Cousin Barbara whose dad was my Uncle Clyde, another younger sibling who looked up to his older brother, said, "I think that Uncle Hollis and Aunt Emma did such a wonderful job of raising their siblings after they were left orphaned, and they instilled such good family values into their lives.   But I can say one thing for sure, my dad (Clyde) never lost his taste for cornbread and home made cane syrup.   That remained a staple for him his entire life, and would go to great lengths to find the "real" stuff when he could find it.. He also loved cornbread and milk or fresh buttermilk.

Uncle Hollis, Uncle Clyde, and Uncle Buford (the young boys) My dad is the youngest one.
Uncle Clyde remembered that the horse's name was Rhody.  This picture was made in the 1930s.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for men and women like Uncle Hollis, Aunt Emma, Aunt Zadie, and Uncle Clarence who were not afraid to rise to the challenge of taking care of their younger brothers and sisters.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  A family, whose faith in God and His son Jesus, can do all things through Christ from whom they receive their strength.   This family gave their faith as the foundation for being able to keep this family together.



He Wore Prisoner's Pajamas, A Sister's Faith

One never knows how history will touch the future.

It was the winter of 1968, I was a nineteen year old working in the office of the local furniture factory. My office manager and boss was Mildred Hill. One day she came in with a map of Vietnam and pointed to an area on the map where the helicopter carrying her brother, Ben Purcell, had been shot down. He was declared missing in action.



Vietnam, 1968



Mildred confided in us that she knew, without a doubt, he was alive. She had dreamed the night before that he had come to her wearing the pajama like clothing and crude sandals of the Viet Cong. He sat down on the edge of her bed. He revealed to her in this dream that he was alive, and things were going to be okay. Mildred never gave up hope and kept the faith that he would one day return home.

With the dedication of Anne Purcell, Colonel Purcell's wife, his status was changed from Missing in Action to Prisoner of War.

For five years Mildred wrote letters, made phone calls, made a trip with Anne  to the Geneva Convention to seek information about her brother. She and Anne never gave up hope. The only assurance Mildred had was her dream in 1968. She would never give in to the fear that he might be lost.

In March, 1973, five years after his capture, the war in Vietnam was over. POWs were being released and among them, Colonel Ben Purcell. He had been a prisoner of war for five years with 58 months in solitary confinement. He had tried to escape on two different occasions. He was interrogated, tortured, and yet, he stood firm against the Viet Cong.

There was a local parade for our hometown hero. One of the most memorable moments is when every employee of Schnadig Furniture Company, Cornelia, Georgia came out to the highway to welcome home our hero, Ben Purcell.

There is no way to convey to you the pride of knowing this soldier had returned home. There were lots of tears that day for our hero. His sister, Mildred, never gave up hope and her positive attitude and faith kept people praying for this MIA /POW soldier we didn't know except through her reports.

Mildred had worked long and hard to get information about her brother, Ben, and now here he was alive and well waving to all of us from the back of a convertible.

Patriotism runs in deep in Habersham County. During this time period, many of the young men with whom I graduated high school were serving in Vietnam. We have the names of our heroes who didn't make it home engraved on a monument outside the courthouse in Clarkesville. Their names are also engraved on a polished black granite wall in Washington, D.C.

I was honored on 11-11-11 to sit at the table with Colonel Ben Purcell and his lovely wife, Anne. I related this story of the faith her sister-in-law had for his return. Anne gave me permission to tell this story of hope and the faith she and Mildred Hill had for Colonel Purcell's return.



Colonel Ben and Anne Purcell





Colonel and Anne Purcell have written a book, Love and Duty.  .  Each tell a story of the faith each had for his return.



It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the men and women who dedicate themselves to protecting our great nation and her people. We thank you for faithful family members who never give up hope and put their faith in You. We thank You for the lesson that began in 1968 to never give up hope and always keep the faith.

A little Georgia Wisdom: Take a moment to remember the sacrifices of men and women who served or who are now serving in our armed forces. Attend a Veteran's Day celebration or attend a memorial service to remember those who gave the ultimate price so we can remain a free nation. Shake hands with a veteran and tell him or her how much he or she is appreciated. God bless them all.

Camping in Broom Straw



Bruce and me

 Just by the title you are ahead of me, aren't you?  My cousin Bruce and I loved the outdoors.  We loved to roam the fields around the house and play in the red Georgia clay.  You can imagine what we looked like at the end of the day.  My brother Dwayne and his brother Earl were right there with us playing; however, when this story takes place both of them were too young to be involved.

Bruce and I had huge imaginations.  Everything had multiple personalities and uses.  The old silver propane gas tank in the back yard was a horse we rode on trail rides or across country in a wagon train; it was an elephant the time we went on a safari across Africa.  The may pops that grew in the yards and fields could be crafted into various cars, wagons, baskets, and bowls.  They were some times used as food items when we cooked on the stove made from bricks and small board placed across them with the tin lids from Chase & Sanborn Coffee cans (these cans were useful when we all shared our chocolate "candy" and peppermint chewing gum) nailed for stove eyes.

One day he and I decided to go camping.  It is at this point I should tell you that this was out in the country.  We didn't have to worry about strange people being around every corner. It someone had stopped to pick us up we were so covered with red dirt that they would not have allowed us a ride in the car.

I still remember Mama scrubbing our clothes in a washtub and wringer washing machine.  She had to really scrub my panties to get the dirt out.  I probably had red dirt stains on everything I owned as a child.

The day Bruce and I decided to camp it was a hot summer day.  His mother, my Aunt Opal was at work.  Mama was taking care of Earl, Dwayne, and my baby brother Eddie.  I don't remember where Bruce's sister Barbara was that day, but she was not with us.  Bruce and I had no supervision.  Of course, up to this point we didn't need any.

How do you light a wood stove?  Every home had a box of wooden matches near the stove.  We got a few to take with us from his house and began our camping journey. 

Behind his house was field of broom straw.  We played in it all the time and it just seemed like the place to camp.  We cleared us a spot to set up our camp.  We didn't need much room.  All we needed was a place for the two of us to sit and build our campfire.

We carefully built our fire from the broom straw we has pulled up for our campsite.  Bruce lit the fire.  I was afraid of the fire on the end of the match. Now, I am not blaming him for starting the fire; I am just letting you know the reason I didn't.  I am just a guilty as Bruce.  Remember we are in this together.

As the fire caught on, it began to spread to the surrounding broom straw.  The smoke rose above the field and we were taking broom straw to try to beat out the fire we had started.  The smoke rose, and we made a vow to not tell anyone about our misfortune.  The more we tried to stop the fire, the more it got out of hand.



 


To this day I do not remember who helped us put it out, but someone help save that whole field of broom straw.  Bruce may remember the details, I remember the fire. It was by the grace of God that the fire went away from Bruce's house.  I'm sure we were punished. 

It is me again, Lord, thanking you again for saving two well meaning children from a fire.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Make sure you teach your children to stay away from matches and tell them to never try to put out a fire by themselves.


Thanks to Barbara, Bruce's sister for the photo.  You can see the fields behind the house.

"Come in and Make Yourself at Home"

 "Come in and make yourself at home," was the invitation Daddy always used when folks came to visit our family on Demorest-Mt. Airy Hwy.   Daddy and Mama wanted people to feel welcomed.  

When we were younger and our friends came to visit, they became members of our family. The unspoken motto was:  "if you put your feet under our table, you became family."

Mama always had the coffee pot on the stove, and the back door was always open.   They loved company, but most of all, they loved family company.   We have so many good memories of our aunts and uncle, cousins, grandparents, and neighbors coming to our house.   Before Mama got sick, one could always
have a piece of chocolate cake with that cup of coffee.   Mama loved chocolate! (I will tell you one day of growing us with homemade cocoa syrup.)

When folks started to leave our home after an evening of conversation, Daddy would always say, "if any of you'ns get sick, let us know."   Those were parting words that Daddy really meant.  

We grew up with family around us.  We got to know our family and friends as members of our own family.  One never knew who might stop by, but they were always welcome.  It was fun to hear the stories of times gone by or listen to the events of the day or week.  We loved having that connection to folks.  The kitchen table was the gathering place for the adults while we children played outside if the weather permitted. 

Making a living was hard for my parents when I was growing up, but living life was a treasure that is still buried in my heart.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about Daddy and Mama and the memories they left behind.   

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the memories my parents made for me and the legacy of "come on in and make yourself at home."

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Friends and family come into your life for a reason. Don't miss the opportunity to love every minute of their visit.

Giving Birth to a Dream

Sitting here thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life and coming to the realization that I have a lot of fears to overcome.

Have you ever thought about the fears that keep you from reaching your goals?  We give excuses:  I am too busy today to start today. At my age it will take me forever.  Tomorrow is a good day to begin.  The list could go on and on.  We make up reasons to postpone our adventure.

For years I have thought about writing a book.  The thoughts are in my head all the time, yet I can't seem to pull it together.  It is as if I am another person when I think about beginning the adventure.  That is the way I see this book as, an adventure.  Every great adventure begins with one step.  My first step was telling you about my idea.

A book is like giving birth.  First there is the conception.  The idea is planted in the heart and mind.  The next step is to let it grow.  My book has been growing in my mind for a very long time.  I write it in the car; while watching television; while lying in bed.  My mind doesn't stop.   Unfortunately for me, it is still in that grey womb called the brain.  It grows and grows, but I just can't seem to give birth to it.

Who would want to read it?  I ask myself. 

Maybe all the information nestled in my brain will eventually reach its due date, and I can give birth to the stories growing there. 

In the meantime, this blog has helped me immensely. It is a wonderful feeling to share the stories buried in my heart with you.

Thank you, Lord, for friends you can confide in with the longings of your heart.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Today is the day to begin your new adventure.

Brother Ray

People come into our lives many different ways.  We are connected by chance, by choice, and by birth.  It is by birth that I met my "brother" Ray. 

Ray is six years and three days older than I.  He probably waited anxiously for his older sister to bring home a new baby and make him an uncle.  I guess I was his birthday present.  For years we shared birthday celebrations and birthday cake.  Once I complained and they baked two cakes.  Ray never seem to mind how we celebrated our birthdays and as we grew up didn't mind having his younger "sister" to tag along.

Ray taught me how to ride a bicycle; to swim; to dance; and to sing.  (He was an excellent pianist and organized a group of us young teens to sing specials in church.) He also told me about Santa Claus to include the details about how he had helped wrap the presents.  That little bit of information about Santa could have waited for a couple of more years.

In the summer we spent many days at Russell Lake with friends and cousins.  I was always with him. I loved the idea he could drive and didn't mind having me tag along.  Once my cousin Susan and I rode to town with him in his 1954 Ford.  Susan and I waited in the hot car, with windows down, while Ray ran into the post office.  A nice newer model car pulled up beside us.  There was a young girl, much like ourselves, sitting with the windows up.  We knew she had air conditioning in her new car.  Not to be out done by our parking space neighbor, Susan and I rolled up our windows.  We sat there, with sweat rolling down our faces, to the point we could barely breathe.  Wait, you are getting ahead of me.

Ray came out of the post office.  He opened the door and asked if we were crazy.  Several factors came into play:  1) the car was not running; therefore, the air conditioner could not run; and 2) Ray's 1954 Ford did NOT have air conditioning.  Susan and I were sitting in a hot car, in 90 degree weather, with the windows rolled up.  It took a long time to live this little episode down, and he told everyone about our adventure with(out) air conditioning.

I have so many wonderful memories of my time with Ray.  He carried me to church. He helped me with homework when I didn't want to do it.  He encouraged me in my pursuit of a higher education. He listened to my pain when I needed an ear, and he offered gentle advice when I needed it the most. 

The day he married, I was maid of honor and Margaret's brother was best man.  I cried after the wedding when no one could see.  I felt I had lost him forever; however, he never let that happen. 

Ray was drafted in the army and while he was in Officer Training School in Columbus, I rode a bus to stay with Margaret for a weekend.  I was his sister.  When his daughter was born, I felt I was an aunt.  It was a wonderful experience having an older "brother."

Years later, when Barry and I got married, Ray escorted me down the isle. We had come full circle.  I have so many heartfelt and funny stories about growing up in our little part of the world.  I think, like many younger siblings, I embarrassed him many times, but he never stopped loving me nor me him.

As I continue to write my blog, I will share more stories about my "brother" Ray.  There was the time that Susan and I went cruising with her brother Tom and Ray.  That day they got so mad at us for flirting with boys and drove us back home.  It wasn't the flirting that made them so angry; it was the fact the boys starting following us in their car (we continued to encourage them by waving from the backseat).  When Ray and Tom got out of the car, they were so mad they took a short cut and jumped a bush to tell on us.  My mom said later she knew by the way they jumped the bush, they were mad at something we had done.  That anger didn't last any longer than it took for them to tell on us.  We loved them for that short lived temper.

God brings people we need into our lives, and they teach us lessons.  Some lessons are just too hard and we long to forget them; however, some folks are God's gift to us.  Ray was my gift.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the people who enter our lives by chance, by choice, and especially by birth.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Never forget those who are responsible for caring, loving, and shaping the person you become.

Fall's A Coming

Don't you just live this time of year?  The cooler weather is beginning to make its journey into our area.  The mornings whisper with a cooler breath.  You know what I mean, the coffee-drinking-on-the-porch weather.  I just love fall.

There is just something refreshing about stepping out in the morning chill and seeing your breath.  "Brr," we say as if we are complaining, but we are excited. Excited because winter is not far away.

Did anyone count the number of foggy mornings we had in August?  The old folks say that's how many snows we will have this winter.  I forgot to count from the beginning, so I guess it will be a surprise to me when the snow comes. 

This fall we are having family over to gather outside for a barbecue. My hope is that the weather is chilly enough to be refreshing, yet warm enough and pretty enough to be gathered outside.  I want the children to roast marshmallows this year and the campfire feel good.  Oh, goodness, I can feel it already.

I love the outdoors, but I hate the bugs.  When it is cooler the bugs leave us alone which means no itching and swatting  at the uninvited guests.  So, maybe, just maybe, it will be a cool night and the bugs will stay snugly curled up where ever bugs go to snuggle. 

We have had such a dry summer that our grass had begun to crunch.  Today it is raining so the grass will turn green again.  The leaves on our trees in the yard have already started to turn colors.  Jack Frost is making his rounds with his paints and is decorating our trees for fall.  I hope he has time to get them all done before our barbecue. Wouldn't that make for a colorful picnic?

My cousin, Jack (not to be confused with Jack Frost), plays with a bluegrass band called Bluegrass Traditions.  They are going to entertain the folks with bluegrass and gospel songs.  A close friend of the family is bringing his karaoke so others can sing if they want.  We have a lot of family members who play several instruments and sing.  I am not one of them.  I have two very young nephews under the age of 10 years old who play the violin, or fiddle if it's country and maybe they will play a tune or two.  My cousin Bruce plays guitar and sings. Bruce, don't forget that guitar!  His dad, Uncle Clyde to me and the others, would come to the family reunions and play and sing. Uncle Clyde was asked by the Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry, to join him in his shows, but Uncle Clyde had family commitments back home in Georgia and chose not to stay in California.

Wow, this is exciting. Out-of-town family, we see only once a year, joining our local families for pictures and fun.  We can sit and talk; sit and eat; sit and listen to music; eat and listen to music, and enjoy each others company.  Hey y'all, it's Fall!

Fall, I am so glad you are coming.  The yard is looking forward to the new colors you and Jack Frost will use for decoration.  We are all looking forward to the cooler temperatures you bring with you.  Fall, you are invited to sit a spell and eat barbecue and listen to gospel and bluegrass music.  After all, Fall, you are a member of the family.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for fall and family.  The two go well together.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Enjoy the seasons as they come.  God has blessed us with the changes so be thankful for the uniqueness of each one.

Sweet Livin'

Life has it's ups and downs, but all in all, life is sweet.  At least that's how life seems to be treating me right now. One can choose to have a Pity Party and feel sorry for herself, or one can choose to have a Happy Party and  enjoy life.  Life is all about choices.

Today I am choosing to be extremely, wonderfully, and excitingly happy!  No particular reason, I am choosing to have a good day.  As I sit her and write this blog, I realize I have a world of work to do.  I haven't made the bed; haven't cleaned the kitchen; and haven't done anything on my "To Do" list.  Even though I have this work ahead of me, life is good.

Attended my class reunion and, although I was nervous, I really enjoyed seeing folks I haven't seen in a month of Sundays.  For you who do not understand what that means, it means a very long time.  Forty-five years is a very long time.  It was a happy time.  Many hugs and laughter later, I was so delighted to visit with my classmates, or fellow Rebels, from South Habersham High School, class of 1966.

First, let me say I did not like high school.  I enjoyed my friends, but I really did not enjoy my high school years.  Later when I decided to be a teacher my mother couldn't understand why I wanted to teach at the high school level.  She said, "you hated high school.  Why teach high school?"  My answer was simple. "I know how the student who doesn't enjoy this time of his or her life feels.  I can relate to that student and maybe make a difference."

Teaching was rewarding, and I did have students who felt that their high school years were difficult.  Hopefully I was able to bring an understanding to them that high school was just a stepping stone to better things in  life and that one day they would be able to look back and  realize it wasn't all bad.  The friendships made in high school are the rewards for enduring the journey.

Now, as I look back on my high school years, I can see I should have been a better student and should have planned the timing better for my future.  I did things backwards.  You see, I married at nineteen, had my children at ages 22 and 24.  Started college at age 27 and divorced during my last quarter.  I made some poor choices after those days, but finally got my life on the right track.  I am married to a wonderful man and together we have built for ourselves a good life.  One day soon I want to tell you about him; he has lived an interesting life.

God has blessed us with four children and eleven grandchildren.  Each one is a joy to know and keeps us filled with love.  What better way to live life than with the knowledge that you can love and be loved by special folks.  With our children and grandchildren, we may not all be linked by DNA, but we are linked by love and respect for each other.  I love my life.

Life is good.  God has blessed us in many ways.  It has taken awhile for me to be able to appreciate the love He has for me, but I am fully aware of the blood of Christ who died for my sins. 

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for loving me no matter what foolish mistakes I have made.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Enjoy life, choose to have a Happy Party instead of a Pity Party.  Life is good when you focus on the blessings.  Make that glass half full instead of half empty.

We lived the '60s

On August 20, 2011 the South Habersham High School class of 1966 will meet along with the members from the classes of 1965 and 1967.  We are getting excited.  For many of our fellow classmates, it has been many years since we have seen each other.  What does one talk about after all this time?  Will we recognize each other?  I can speak for myself when I say the pounds have been sneaking up. It is time to put that fear of  how I look behind me and enjoy the reunion.

Life has been good to me, so what do I have to fear?  Why be nervous?  I think a visit to the past is always scary.  For me, high school was not one of my favorite times even though I had wonderful friends with whom I shared great memories.  We enjoyed the football and basketball games, drive-in movies, the Grand Theater in Cornelia, Lake Russell, cruising town on a Sunday afternoon, and eating ice cream at the Dairy Queen.

During our reign at South Habersham High School, the Beatles was the top music group.  President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas. We watched in disbelief as Jack Ruby shot the accused shooter, Lee Harvey Oswall.  Martin Luther King made his famous "I have a Dream" speech and then later was assassinated.  Robert Kennedy was shot and killed in California. Malcolm X was shot.  The war in Vietnam was raging and many of our classmates served their country there.  (Bobby Sexton from the class of 1965 was killed there, and now his name is listed on The Wall in Washington, DC. ) Sonny and Cher were making their way up the music charts. The '60s Hippies were a growing number, but our class didn't seem to be touched by the movement.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law by President Johnson.  We didn't realize just how much history we were witnessing.

On August  20 this group of grown-up '60s teenagers will celebrate their memories by gathering together for their class reunions.  Although I am a little apprehensive, I am excited.  The years have flown by; the hair has turned grey; the pounds have crept on us; however, the hearts of our friends will be the same.  I look forward to hearing about their adventures through the years.  Class of '65, '66, and '67, bring it on!

It is me again, Lord.  Thanking you for the opportunity to reconnect with old friends.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  If you have the opportunity to attend your class reunion, go.  You will not regret it.

If Life Were Only a Script...

Have you ever watched a movie and thought about the words of wisdom the actor spoke?  When the wise mother or grandmother gives her doting family those wonderful words to live by, I think to myself how I wish I could spew words of wisdom like that. All their conversations seem to be filled with just the right mixture of life experiences and inspired intervention.

When I became a mother and wanted to be the right mix of inspiration to my children, I realized that I didn't have a script writer to put those life changing words in my mouth.  My twenty-two years of life experience didn't prepare me to be the perfect mother.  In fact, I wasn't prepared at all.  I had changed diapers, made bottles and taken care of babies, but when those little bundles of responsibility were mine, I knew I was out of my league.

There was a time when Chaos filled the kitchen.  Bottles were empty; the baby was crying; I was crying; and the dishes were piled in the sink.  Chaos had taken over my life!  What was I going to do?  What would  "Leave it Beaver"  June Clever, in her pearl necklace, perfect dress and heels, do in this situation?

I'm standing in my own kitchen in my night gown, dishes in the sink, empty bottles, baby crying, and I'm crying.  What I didn't know was that Rescue was about to enter the back door.  Just when I thought Chaos had me by the throat, my mother walked in the kitchen.  I stopped crying, the baby stopped crying, and like a miracle, things began to take shape in my stressful kitchen.  My mother, God bless her, took control and swept Chaos out the door.

Three years later, and now with some life experience, I brought home another little bundle of joy.  This time I was better prepared for the responsibility.  Chaos had a more difficult time getting a foot hold on me and my kitchen.  My mother, along with on-the-job training, had taught me how to be better prepared for motherhood. 

As my children grew older, I found that the words of wisdom that I just knew would eventually come didn't.  I did not have a script writer to put those "words to grow by" in my head  to be released at just the right moment to my doting children.

I really wanted those words of wisdom to be there when my children were teenagers, sadly they weren't.  Where was that script writer?  I wanted someone to write those words of wisdom for me to memorize and regurgitate at just the right time.

As I grew older, I realized there was a script writer.  God gave us life's instructions in the Bible. 

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for words of wisdom from the perfect book.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  When you need words of wisdom to share with your family, refer to the ultimate script writer.  Our God is an awesome God.

"Yes, I'm a Christian"

Today my granddaughter, Madison, and I spent the afternoon together.  She rode a horse on a trail ride, and I enjoyed a visit with an old friend I haven't seen in many years.  After her ride, we toured Helen, Georgia.  Something I haven't done in a very long time and something Madison hasn't done at all.  We enjoyed our afternoon meandering in and out of the shops.

Madison wanted to see the tarantula museum and I opted to have a cold soft drink outside at a picnic table while she took the tour.  It is while I was having my cold drink, a very nice lady came over to talk to me.  She and members of her church were Gideons, and it was their ministry to give out New Testaments.  She gave me one.  I gladly accepted it, but I told her I was already a Christian and expressed my delight in her mission.  Ms. Mary is from South Georgia and is a member of the Baptist church in her southern town.  We shared our religious backgrounds since both of us were Baptist.

It was nice to meet her and I applaud her and her husband and friends as they walked the streets of Helen and talked to people.  You see my brother Dwayne is a Gideon and I am very proud of his participation in this ministry of getting Bibles into the hands of the public.

Ms. Mary and I enjoyed our exchange this afternoon.  I may not see her again her on earth, but I know without a doubt we will meet again.  She is a dear lady doing the work God has called her to do.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for folks like Ms. Mary, her husband and friends, and my brother Dwayne who have been called to share the Gospel by giving out Bibles.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  If you don't have a personal relationship with our Lord, I pray you will accept Him as your personal Saviour.  All you have to do is ask Him to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart today!  You will be glad you did.

The Girls With the Carnival Laughs

Recently I found an old friend on Facebook.  Nancy and I worked together at International Furniture/Schnadig Corporation years ago.  This was a time when her husband was in Vietnam and I was planning a wedding.  Nancy and I enjoyed life to the fullest as we worked together in the office of Schnadig.  We found humor in everything.  Sometimes our humor erupted into uncontrollable giggles.

I want to bring to your attention that the two of us were not the only ones who participated in our GiggleFest.  There were others working in our office, but Nancy and I were the instigators.  Everyday at 10:00 a.m. we had break.  I am a coffee drinker; Nancy loved her soft drinks and potted meat and bell pepper sandwiches, and we all shared cookies, potato chips, or any of  many different kinds of snack foods.  It was a one-for all and all-for-one break.  We shared our food, but no one wanted the potted meat sandwiches.  We had read the ingredients on the small can.

One year the owner of Schnadig was coming to the Cornelia plant and our office supervisor gathered all of us together to give us instructions on how to act like ladies while the owner was visiting.  Looking back on this office meeting, it was Nancy and I to whom this lecture was intended.

Our supervisor looked at Nancy and said, "Nancy, you have a musical laugh," and then to me, "Linda, you do too. When the two of you get together, it sounds like a carnival has come to town."  She didn't have to say anything else.  We both knew.  We were to be on our best behavior!  This was not going to be easy.

A few days later the big bosses visited, and the two of us made it through without reprimand.  It was not as simple as it sounds for two nineteen year old girls with the humor bug.  What were we thinking?  We both just loved life and found the funny side to every situation.

We had our teased hair, cute clothes, uncomfortable heels, and fancy purses.  We weren't the only cute ones working in that office.  Our other co-gigglers and stylish friends were Brenda, Judy, Shirley, and Carol.  These ladies just knew when to quit. Nancy and I didn't.

Some of the best times of my life were spend in the office with the above ladies.  We celebrated weddings, new births, and birthdays.  It seems like only yesterday we were taking a break together, telling jokes, and enjoying each other's company.  It was a time when the young men in our lives were in the military.  Vietnam was real and the stress relief we used to deal with the strain of not knowing what each day would bring was humor.  If often looked like immaturity, but it gave Nancy a few hours each day to try to forget the worry she had for her husband.  The others followed suit.  We needed that stress relief.  Nancy did for sure.  During this time, a young wife never knew when she might get a notice that she was a young widow.

I like to remember the late '60s, but I wouldn't want to go back to relive them.  Those are the times better left in the past.  I love remembering my friends made in a family-like office where young girls shopped during their lunches; celebrated birthdays with cake, laughed and cried together; and Nancy ate potted meat and bell pepper sandwiches at 10:00 each morning.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for good memories of friends from long ago.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Remember to "make new friends and keep the old; one is silver and the other gold."

When the Words Won't Come

"A person's a person, no matter how small." — Dr. Seuss (Horton Hears a Who!)

Every day I sit at my computer and try to remember the topic I wanted to write about as I was about to fall asleep, or while grocery shopping, or while driving in the car.  Those ideas come when they are least expected, and I don't have something on which to write the ideas.

The book I have in mind to write follows me everywhere, but I can't seem to pull it together as quickly as I want. Again, the ideas pop in and out of my head as I travel here and there or I am at work doing something else.  Once I sit down at the computer, my mind becomes a blank sheet of paper. 

Gee, me thinks I need a  recorder to carry around with me.  Maybe I should buy one of those handy-dandy ones that look like a pen you put in your pocket and secretly record conversations.  Folks would think I have completely lost what little is left of my mind.  Here I would be recording my notes through aloud conversation, and folks would think I was walking around just talking to myself.

Every person who enters our lives leaves with us something of themselves.  We learn from others.  The students I taught over the 27 years of teaching high school left something of themselves with me.  Not only did I teach them English, and hopefully the joys of reading, but they taught me something about life and how to appreciate our connections with each other.  My fellow teachers were also an inspiration to me.  I enjoyed their valuable company. The others who have entered my life through friends, interests, and chance meetings  and they, too, have also left a huge impression.

There are so many interesting people who have touched my life and the lives of others, but, man, how do I narrow it down to a manageable group? There is an actor; a missionary; a senator; an artist; an umpire; an unusual pilot; a disc jockey; an entertainer; a songwriter; a WWI soldier; a singing cowboy; and the list goes on.  One can see how difficult this will be to get all of this compiled, edited, and published; however, the process can be a challenge, but it is also the fun part.


"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" — Dr. Seuss



One thing I ask of you is your prayers.  Please remember me as I undertake this heartfelt endeavor.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the strangers who become friends and the positive influences they leave with us as they pass through our lives.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Take the time to get to know the people with whom you come in contact.  They will leave with you the positive influences if you look for it.

 

Casey Anthony and Susan Smith: Mothers and Their Dead Children

The news has been filled with the Casey Anthony trial.  Casey Anthony was accused of killing her three year old daughter, Caylee Marie. 

Casey Anthony, Orlando, FL
Booking photo

On July 5, 2011 Casey was found "not guilty" of murder, manslaughter and child-abuse charges; however; Casey was convicted of four misdemeanor counts of lying to investigators who were looking into Caylee's disappearance in June 2008.

Caylee Anthony

When I started this blog, I was going to stay away from current events.  You all have you own opinions about those events and don't want to hear mine, but I just couldn't let this one pass.

Let's go back to the trial of Susan Smith in Union, South Carolina.

Susan Smith, Union, S.C.

Susan Smith of Union, S.C. was convicted on July 22, 1995 for murdering her two sons, Michael Daniel Smith, 3, and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith by allowing her car to roll into a lake with her two sons strapped in their car seats.

Michael and Alexander Smith

Family Photo
Susan Smith's home video clips and family pictures showed a caring mother who played with her children.  Casey Anthony's home videos and pictures showed a caring mother who played with Caylee.  Neither mother would appear to be abusive and both appeared to love their children.

One question that kept being asked on FOX News, "What was considered child abuse?" If a parent is responsible for the death of a child and had never abused that child, would that one act be considered "abuse"? If the mother waited over thirty-one days without ever reporting her child missing, would that lack of concern for the child's well being be considered abuse?

Susan Smith saw opportunities for a life with a wealthy man, but he didn't share her love for her children, Michael and Alex.  Casey Anthony like to party which was documented by pictures and her tattoo, "Bella Vita" (beautiful life), which she had done while little Caylee was missing.

Both used the "kidnapping" excuse.  Susan reported someone hijacked her car with her two boys in the car; Casey reported a babysitter took Caylee. Both were given high profile status and appeared in the news.  Once the media ball began to roll, there was no stopping it.  The media continued to follow the cases right to the jury verdict.

Susan Smith and Casey Anthony reported they had been sexually abused and used the sexual-abuse defense.  Both turned on family members to explain their behaviors.

What happens to mothers whose children become so much of a burden that they feel they have to kill them?  Susan Smith's ex-husband wanted the boys and would raise them himself. Casey Anthony's parents had offered to adopt Caylee. So, there were other options for these mothers.

My personal opinion is that Casey Anthony is guilty of killing Caylee.  What mother would cover up a child's drowning and then dispose of the body by using duct tape and garbage bags before placing the body in a swamp?

I do not want to make this into a news article; therefore, I will stop here.  You have your own opinions about these cases.

God knows the hearts of these two mothers.  It is not our place to judge them, but it is mighty hard not to want to see them pay for the deaths of those precious children who never had a chance to reach adulthood.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for all the mothers who love their children and when times are difficult, they seek Your guidance.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Always seek the Lord when times are difficult and especially when you feel you are at the end of your patience. He will send someone to help you.

Sending a "Thank You"

Thank you, Gracia, Dankeschön, Grazie, Спасибо, Shukriya, tack så mycket. Khob-Khun,Obrigada

Thank you readers from Canda, the United Kingdom, India, Russia, and Europe.  You are valuable to me, and I would love for you to leave comments or send an email.

The memories I share are true.  My best friend, Kathy, wonders how I lived to grow into adulthood, but God takes care of His children.  If you have a favorite story, please send an email.  It is so nice to know that people outside the United States are reading my blog too.

May God richly bless each of you.

It is me again, Lord, for friends I haven't met yet.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Seek friends from around the world; God can use you in the least expected ways.

Interesting Folks Along the Way

The skies are a beautiful blue; the air feels good; Cades Cove was extremely quiet; and the morning began with a wonderful conversation with Mike Hickman. 

Barry and I met Mike several years ago at ChristyFest in Townsend, Tennessee.  He is a quiet, shy man who appears, at first, to be a man of few words.  We enjoyed getting to know Mike over the next several years, and I finally worked up enough nerve to sit down with him just to get to know him better.

One would think that over the years after teaching for 27 of those years, I could talk to just about anybody.  Normally I could.  This is different.  Mike is an everyday working guy and is very personable, but Mike is also an actor who has been in several movies.  This puts this approach in another perspective. Why?  I didn't want him to think I wanted to talk to him just because he was someone who had been in a television series or in movies, yet I really wanted to know him as the person who is absolutely so different from the memorable character he brought to life on television. The folks we meet along the way and are lucky enough to call a friend, add to the person we become.,
Mike played Birds Eye Taylor, a character from Catherine Marshall's book Christy.  He brought the harshness of Birds Eye to life in the movie, and even though Birds Eye is a rough and scary character, there is a glimpse of  softness that Mike allows the audience to witness.  It is brief and one must be diligently following to see Birds Eye's gentle side that he wants to remain hidden. 

Mike has also been in "The Crazies" (2010) and "Hope and Redemption: The Lena Baker Story" (2008). Two movies I know you will not want to miss.

Mike, the person, is so different from the harsh characters he plays on the screen.  Soft spoken, one finds he is an interesting character himself.  I look forward to getting to know him even better over the coming months as I work on my book.  Mike is the first of the many interesting people with whom I have come in contact, and I appreciate his time with Kathy and me.  Barry and I will be back to Townsend, Tennessee,  and I will bring many more questions and ideas to share with him about my book.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for interesting folks who enter our lives.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Friends can enter your life when you least expect them.  Take the time to get to know them and maybe a lifetime of friendship will be the result.

The Travels of the "Klutz Sisters"

A journey with the Klutz Sisters ended with them making their way down a small, quaint lane.  It started when the two of them traveled to Townsend, Tennessee.

Kathy and I love to travel, take pictures, and meet new and interesting folks.  Kathy loves to travel to exotic places like Egypt, Israel, Nicaragua, Uganda, Peru, Jamaica, and Jordan.  Me? I've been to Canada, Mexico, and Germany with a car trip from there to Belgium and Switzerland with a stop at one of the London airports.  One of the many reasons I haven't been to other exotic places over seas is that I don't like to fly over water.  Now to many of you that seems foolish, but to me it is a big deal.  But, again I have wondered away from the topic at hand.

We are in Townsend, Tennessee and and are having such a quiet and pleasant visit.  It truly is the "quiet side of the Smokies."  We haven't even turned the television on in our room because we love the sound of silence.  Kathy reads while I write.

Today we decided to ride up to the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center.  I was following the signs and when it said turn, well, I turned.  I ended up on this quaint little narrow road which I was soon to discover was a bike trail.  Yes, you read this right!  I was driving my car on the bike trail.  I was trying to get off as soon as I possibly could, but you know how it is when you are trying to hurry, time slows down. 

Did anyone see us?  Will they recognize the silver car with the great big red "L" on the front and the two grandmothers in the car?  Will they know it is us when they see us in the local restaurant?  Embarrassed, I pretended to know what I was doing.  Driving that car on the bike trail pictured here with my chin up and my eyes on the road/trail, as if I knew exactly what I was doing.  I think that the fact Kathy was laughing hysterically might have given the hint we were in the wrong place.

Later Kathy and I were in the Carriage House eating our dinner when we realized the Klutz Sisters were now using a car as their mode for klutziness!  We are having business cards made to identify us as the
Queens of Klutzville.

 I can see the business cards now:

"Kathy and Linda Klutz
Queens of Klutzville
Broken Bones, Twisted Ankles,
and Wrecked cars
Extraordinare"

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for taking care of the Klutz Sisters.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  When traveling make sure you know which road the arrow on the sign means.  It could take you to exotic places.

Crossing the Smoky Mountains

We often take things that occur in our lives for granted.  My best friend (BFF for those who are texting folks) Kathy Hendrix, granddaughter Gracie and I recently traveled to Dollywood.  We left on Wednesday and returned, after a fun filled day at Dollywood, on Thursday.

Wives, do your husbands keep a close check on your car?  Well, mine does, but we have been busy keeping a close eye on the oil use of the car, and it has been in the shop for routine oil changes.  It is going in the shop Monday.  I felt very confident about driving the car to Tennessee and back, and it never occurred to me that the tires might give me trouble.

We were ready to drive home when a storm came up in Pigeon Forge.  We decided to wait at a restaurant for the rain to end.  I was in contact with Barry and was going to make a decision to either drive across the mountain to Cherokee or stay another night.  The weather had cleared enough for us to make it across the mountain.  Kathy said a prayer for a safe trip before we left Pigeon Forge.  It was her prayer that got us to Hollywood, Georgia and near home.

There is a lot of road construction on Highway 441 across the Great Smoky Mountains.  Add to the road construction fog and rain, with the shadows of early evening, and it makes for an interesting and somewhat tension filled trip, but we made it!  I called Barry from Cherokee to let him know we had gotten that far and were on our way home.  It wasn't until we had crossed into Habersham County in Georgia that things begin to change.

The indicator on the car begin to show a low tire pressure on the right front tire.  We made it to a local station and tried to put air in the tire.  We could hear it coming out of the tire as fast as we put it in.  And, yes, we were correctly using the little thingy to put air in the tire. Did you know it cost $1.00 for air? I had a quarter and Kathy gave me the rest.

Barry came to our rescue and put the spare tire on the car.  One of the Georgia State Patrol troopers also stopped to help.  He was extremely helpful and, as it turned out, he knew Barry too.

Kathy and I never fail to have an adventure when we travel.  Some are funny and some can be scary--like the time we prayed our way into the Atlanta airport when a storm was all around us as the plane landed.

Gracie had the perfect solution for our car trouble.  As we came out of Dollywood the tram driver gave instructions that if we had car problems, Dollywood offered a free service to help get the cars started again.  Gracie reminded us that all we had to do was call Dollywood, and they would send someone to help us.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for safe trips and answered prayers.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  No matter who you think is taking care of the mechanics of your car, one needs to know what to look for, and make sure you are driving a vehicle with good tires,

Madame Chigang Kai-shek and Demorest, Georgia

It is uncanny how certain memories stay with us forever. 

Through the many years since 7th grade, I have thought about Mrs. Else Mae Turner, the books she read to us, and a friend she talked about so many times during the school year.

I asked Judy Cason Forbes about this as we planned for the Historical Demorest School Celebration held recently.  Judy confirmed that my memory about Madame Chiang Kai-shek's residency in Demorest was fact and that she actually had tea on Judy's grandmother's front porch.  I was thrilled to know this memory was true.  Later that evening, I read about Mei-ling's days in Demorest in Miss Chrisler's book.

Mei-ling Soong, who later became Madame Chiang Kai-shek (March 5, 1897, Shanghai, China—died Oct. 23, 2003 in New York City), once lived in Demorest, Georgia.   According to Mrs. Turner and Miss Isabel Chrisler, who wrote about Mei-ling in her booklet  Demorest in the Piedmont, Mei-ling Soong lived in Demorest when she was eleven years old and attended school.  Miss Chrisler quoted from a letter written by Madame Chiang Kai-shek in June of 1938 about her days in Demorest.

"...she was introduced to the English through the medium of parsing sentences.  She attributes her command of literary English to her 'sessions of wrestling with rambling phrases and split infinitives which may perhaps have had as much to do with any ability I acquired to overcome the intricacies of English Grammar and rhetoric as any subsequent training I have had.'..."

Mei-ling Soong

Wedding photograph of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling, 1927.

U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in front of the White House with Soong Mei-ling, wife of Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek.

 .As children we are like sponges.  We absorb information easily, but then as we get older and we begin to doubt our memories on such unbelievable moments.  Could I have hear this correctly?  Had I mixed up a history lesson with stories I heard in class?  I doubted my memory; however,  Madame Chiang Kai-shek did in fact live in Demorest as a child and made many lasting friends while she was here.  Mrs. Turner continued to correspond with her throughout the following years.

As I researched for information about Madame Chiang Kaishek, I was saddened at how her story ended.  The sweet devout Christian girl who learned  English as a student in Demorest, Georgia died with a reputation that both Mrs. Turner and Miss Chrisler would have been shocked by or prehaps they did know and were saddened too of how her search for power left a mark against her name;however the Chinese might disagree with the American's report of her death.

Below are excepts from Mei-ling Soong, Madame Chaiang's obiturary reports:

According to Seth Faison of the New York Times who published Madame Chaiang's obituary on October 24, 2003:

"A devout Christian, Madame Chiang spoke fluent English tinted with the Southern accent she acquired as a school girl in Georgia, and presented a civilized and humane image of a courageous China battling a Japanese invasion and Communist subversion. Yet historians have documented the murderous path that Chiang Kai-shek led in his efforts to win, then keep, and ultimately lose power. It also became clear in later years that the Chiang family had pocketed hundreds of millions of dollars of American aid intended for the war. "

The following are excerts from the China newspaper "The China Daily":

Madame Soong Mei-ling remembered by all Chinese
( 2003-10-29 08:02) (Xinhua)


"Madame Soong Mei-ling, widow of the late Chiang Kai-shek and an influential historical and legendary figure in modern Chinese history, won the recognition of historians and political advisors as well as people from all walks of life on the mainland after she passed away peacefully last week. "

"Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), sent a message to the relatives of Madame Soong to mourn her death, calling Soong a noted and influential person in the modern era of Chinese history, who had been dedicated to the Chinese people's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, opposed to separating the nation, and hopeful for the peaceful reunification across the Taiwan Straits and the flourishing of the Chinese nation."

Mrs. Turner, the intelligent lady that she was, would have followed each news report on her friend.  I'm sure she had her own ideas about this most unusual lady who enjoyed the southern hospitality of Georgians long, long ago.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for allowing our memories to keep us connected with the past.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Your memories are your link to the past.  Listen carefully, file it carefully in your mind, and bring it out often to review.

Work cited:
Chrisler, Isabel; Demorest in the Piedmont as told to Loren W. Burch (Pastor, Demorest Federted Church and Instructor at Piedmont); publish date unknown.
Faison, Seth; New York Times; "Madame Chiang, 105, Chinese Leader's Widow, Dies" http://www.clta-gny.org/MadameChiang.htm

The China Daily; http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/29/content_276451.htm
Photos:
Soong Mei-ling. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 3 May. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/96930/Soong-Mei-ling>.
Soong Mei-ling. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 3 May. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/60448/US-first-lady-Eleanor-Roosevelt-in-front-of-the-White
Chiang Kai-shek; Soong Mei-ling. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 3 May. 2011.

Savannah Ghost Hunters

When ladies get together for a weekend, anything can happen; especially when the ladies take a  trip to historic Savannah, Georgia on a ghost hunt.

Our trip was in October and all eight ladies decided we would go ghost hunting in Savannah.  I mean you can't have Halloween without ghosts, right?  We carried a book on Georgia ghost stories to insure we would have a really spooky trip.  Leslie was our designated driver.  Designated because she didn't mind driving the Excursion through Savannah traffic. Cindy, who gets car sick, rode "shotgun" and knitted a cap.  Go figure...

Bernice and Bessie had the middle seats with the a placed saved for Barbara, who was meeting us from Charleston, South Carolina.  Nicole, Kathy, and I were in the back seat.  We were going to have a weekend of fun! We laughed, joked, and talked about the Savannah Ghosts we might see on our tour.  Every trip needs a theme, right?

Barbara met us at the motel and we were ready for Savannah! Savannah would have rolled up the streets had it known we were coming! 

We made our ghost tour reservations for Saturday evening, but we wanted to make sure we could get in the right ghost hunting mood, so we found Bonaventure Cemetery, a place we read about in our ghost book, which is famous for its rich history and ghosts. We took a lot of pictures, but none of them were of ghosts. 

Bonaventure Cemetery sits above the Wilmington River near Savannah.  Bonaventure started out as a elegant plantation back in 1762.  A historically popular destination made even more popular by its inclusion of the statue "Bird Girl" in the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.   It is famous for its folklore and  moss-draped oak trees, and ghosts. We did find out that the "Bird Girl" statue had to be removed for safe keeping.  Below are just two of the graves among the hundreds or thousands at Bonaventure Cemetery.

Children buried together at Bonaventure Cemetery.

Gracie Watson who died at age 5 years.
Bonaventure Cemetery

 Leslie was doing a great job driving through the streets of Savannah.  Then we got lost.  We had what we called "Barbara in a Box," the navigational system in Leslie's phone. Both Barbaras were giving advice.  One from the box and one from the middle seat.  Of course, Cindy was giving instructions as well as the other ladies in the vehicle, me included.  Sometimes we argued with "Barbara in the Box."  How could this unseen lady know where we were in Savannah and then tell us where to go!   

However,  ladies do stop and ask directions unlike men who will drive for hours before they will admit they are lost. We stopped at a station and asked directions.  We were not afraid.  We ladies could handle anything, except directions, that might come our way.  We all had our designer pocketbooks, and they were loaded with all the miscellaneous necessities ladies needed for a weekend of ghost hunting.  Any person brave enough to face eight women with eight filled-to-the-brim designer purses, deserved the outcome.



Dining on River Street

 We woke up bright and early and put on our matching black "PEEK-A-BOO" shirts.  Cindy and Bernice found them and we all had to have one.  We wanted to make sure there was no question as to the purpose of our visit to this historic city.  We again toured the city, enjoyed the rich history of Savannah and ate some wonderful food on River Street.  If you haven't had the opportunity to visit Savannah, plan a trip.  It is a great city with a great history.



Top to bottom:  Leslie, Nicole, Cindy
Kathy, Bessie, Bernice,
 Me, and Barbara


Our ghost tour took us all over Savannah.  We thought we saw a ghost, but only one person on the tour actually had a picture, and even though I couldn't see the image everyone was so excited about, it was still fun.  The camera passed around to everyone on the Old Savannah Ghost Tour trolley, but I think the only person to "see" the ghost was the guy taking the picture, and of course we all got excited about the possibility of being eye witnesses to this paranormal activity.

Spanish Moss hanging from trees.

The trip through Savannah at night with someone else worrying about the traffic and one-way streets was nice.  We learned a lot about the history of Savannah and the driver pointed out many of the historical sites and told us the background of the different houses and parks with a reminder not to bring home Spanish moss from the trees.  They have red bugs or chiggers.  Being natives of Georgia, with South Georgia cousins, we knew about the moss.  Those from out of state needed to know the moss would not be the only thing riding back in their suitcases.

We did learn that there is a special blue paint to use on the houses in Savannah to ward off possible ghosts. It is called "Haint Blue." This blue/green color, or “Haint Blue,”  is to ward off evil spirits. “Haint Blue” paint was first used by African Slaves to secure entry-point into their houses from spirits. It represents water which it is said that "haints" or ghosts will not cross.

Orb in Colonial Cemetery

We also made a stop at the The Colonial Cemetery where the Habersham Family is buried.  We live in the county named for Joseph Habersham, so we took a lot of pictures in hopes of catching an orb or a ghost of Joseph himself.  Cindy and Nicole got several orbs in their pictures. Was it a ghost?  It depends on what you believe.  Even if you aren't a believer in ghosts, it is fun to visit Savannah and ghost hunt during the month of October and near Halloween.

The pictures posted here are from the collection of Nicole and Cindy taken during our weekend in Savannah.




It is me again, Lord, thanking you for family and friends who laugh and play together and enjoy each other's company.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Get a group together, establish a trip theme, and just have fun! One is never to old to have a weekend of travel to enjoy the companionship of friends and family.