Saturday, June 1
What better way to start a month than a visit with grandkids and their parents!!! After checking out of our hotel in Fort Worth, we drove to downtown Dallas to spend some time with Heather, Andy, Alexander, and Abby. Heather suggested a new restaurant she had found, so we navigated our way to Chicken Scratch, a rustic, quaint, and very interesting chicken specialty place.
In addition to walking around and enjoying the "anything but city-look" grounds, you can also toss some horseshoes while waiting for your order.
We didn't take any photos of the meal (which was delicious), but when we were finished we had time for photo phun...
Grams, Gramps, and Grandkids...
And the whole family together...
After saying our goodbyes, we all headed our separate ways...the kids went back home, and we made our way to I-30 (which is a nightmare under the best of circumstances), and across to U.S. 80 to Terrell, then back to I-20 and east to home, savoring the great times of the last few days.
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Sunday, June 2
Today was the last day of service by our pastor, Craig Vance. He and his family have been here for a little over four years, and Craig and Stacey were instrumental in beginning the children's sermons that we have been doing for nearly three and a half years.
Because we were out of town most of the week, we did not have a children's sermon this morning, but we enjoyed the music, preaching, and a great potluck meal afterward.
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Monday, June 3
Being out of town last week go us a little behind in some of our daily chores. I went to church this morning to help count money and make the weekly bank deposit for the church while Barbara stayed home to pay the bills, assess the financial effects of the trip, balance the checkbook, and do the laundry.
When I got back home I tackled the yard work, mowing and trimming the front and back yards.
Then it was time to sit back, relax, and catch up on a couple of episodes of NCIS.
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Tuesday, June 4
There were only two must-do items on the agenda today, and that's pretty much all we got done.
I had a dermatology check-up in Lindale this morning. Mrs. Wilson looked me over, gave me a couple of hits of liquid nitrogen, and said this was the best condition she'd seen me in for a couple of years...high praise from a very competent P.A.
The must-do for both of us this afternoon was a visit with Leslie at Naturally Nails to get haircuts...all this rain we've been receiving seems to be making our hair grow faster than the grass...that's our story and we're sticking with it!
Another day of no word from Broadway Power Sports about Taz.
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Wednesday, June 5
More yard work, more bills, more laundry, no photos (believe it or don't, we do not take a boatload of photos everydayš¤£
We did, however start researching for our children's sermon for Sunday.
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Thursday, June 6
Today marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Allied Forces' invasion of Normandy; the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.
It was a slow day around our place today, but I did go out this evening for the first rehearsal of the Lake Country Symphonic Band July 4 concert.
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Friday, July 7
We got up early this morning to drive out to Our Little Lot and do some sprucing up on Big V. Our friends from Lindale, Heidi and Curt, will be fishing in a tournament this weekend and we offered them the use of Big V while they were in the Lake Fork area.
When we got back home we settled around the kitchen table to finish work on the children's sermon for Sunday's church service.
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Saturday, July 8
Happy 28th Anniversary to Son John and Carol Colwell!!!!!
It was a beautiful day and we were pretty much caught up on all the necessary chores, so we just kicked back and enjoyed a slow day in our Little House in Mineola.
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Sunday, June 9
Okay, slow days are over. This morning found us at First Baptist Church Yantis to attend Sunday school and the morning service.
Our Children's Sermon this morning came from Proverbs 16:24...
BARBARA: This morning I have brought a
whiteboard with me. One of the nice
things about whiteboards is that you can use different colored markers to make
your message stand out and be more interesting and inviting. For example, if you are writing with a black
marker and want certain words to stand out from the others, you can switch to
red. And if you make a mistake, you can
just wipe it off and start over again.
One
thing I have noticed about whiteboards is that as you use one day after day,
you can begin to see the marker stains left on them. You can wash a board with soap and water, but
the stains won’t come out. That is why
someone invented this special whiteboard cleaner. Just spray it on, wipe it with a cloth, and
the stains of the old marks are gone, and the board is as white as new.
We’re
like the whiteboards and God is the special cleaner as we begin a new season
here at First Baptist Church of Yantis as we search for a new pastor. It’s time for us to begin again with a new
slate.
One
way we can start anew is to remember to follow Proverbs 16:24 which tells us
that kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul.
JIM: Yes, Mrs. Little, if we truly have
Jesus in our hearts and want to serve him, one of the first things others will
see in us is a spirit of kindness. That
is something that sets us apart from the rest of the world. The Bible has many references to kindness in
both the Old and New Testaments, which lets us know how important it is. Paul, in Ephesians 4:32, tells us, “Be kind
and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you.”
The
spirit of kindness is a gift from God, but it is sometimes difficult to use
when we get upset with others or they get upset with us. We each need to work on being consistently
kind to others, even in the tough times, because that will show a true spirit
of Christ in our lives.
When
Mrs. Little and I first began attending church here in Yantis, the thing that
stood out more than anything was the many kind people who instantly made us
feel welcome and a part of the family.
As we
began this time of searching for a new pastor, people outside of the church
will be watching us to see how we act.
Let’s all decide right now to write the spirit of kindness to everyone,
every day on our new slate. Let others
see the spirit of Jesus in us.
BARBARA: Remember a little bit of honey in our
words go a long way!
JIM: Heavenly
Father, this is a special time in our church as we move forward in a search for
a new pastor. Grant us the wisdom to
make the choices you would have us make each step of the way, and we pray that
through this time of searching, each of us will continually demonstrate the
gift of kindness in every moment of our lives.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Those participating in the training were also treated to a delicious meal.
We were late getting out of the training and still had an evening service to attend, so we just drove the seven miles to Our Little Lot at Holiday Villages and spent the afternoon napping in Big V.
We took a few photos of Our Little Lot before we returned to church for the evening service.
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Monday, June 10
Monday routines rarely vary. Alecia came this morning to do some housecleaning for us, I went to church to count money and take it to the bank, and Barbara checked bank balances and paid the bills.
We did have some interesting encounters with our All State agent today. We had some questions about our policies, so I called the Kessler Agency in Texarkana. Not only did a live voice answer the phone on the first ring, Our agent, Caiden, got right to the heart of the matter, gave us useful information, and answered all our questions. We don't offer unsolicited advice in the journal/blog, but for our friends in East Texas, we highly recommend the Kessler Agency in Texarkana for your insurance needs, and Leon Anderson's Edward Jones Agency in Mineola for your financial advice and management. Note: this advice is totally unsolicited and we received no recompense for it...darn it!
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Tuesday, June 11
This was a slow day for us as we alternately worked and rested in the house while waiting for Broadway Power Sports to let us know that all the necessary parts had been received and Taz was in line for surgery (but that never happened).
After being inside all day, we decided to take a ride in the car to get some fresh air and enjoy the late spring/early summer sights of East Texas. On our drive east on highway 49 we came to the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church and Cemetery. I have several ancestors who are buried in the cemetery, but that wasn't the reason for stopping for a few minutes this evening.
During the summer following Leah's sixth grade in Liberal, Kansas, we allowed her to visit her birth mother in Arlington for a few days while we joined Mother, Uncle Harry, and Aunt T.J. in Tyler. After a couple of days of visiting, the others decided that a tour of cemeteries with our family members residing in them was in order. Mt. Pisgah was the second cemetery we visited, and while the rest of us trudged around trying to read inscriptions on the stones and markers, Barbara walked across the highway to the church to find a place to smoke a cigarette.
While she was there, she was overcome with the feeling that something was wrong in Arlington and that we needed to get there as soon as possible to get Leah. Barbara is rarely wrong when these sixth senses kick in, so when we returned to Tyler we quickly packed our car and drove to Arlington to get Leah and take her home.
To make a long story short, there was something terribly wrong, and over the next couple of weeks we faced some life-challenging and changing experiences, as well as personal and family dynamics.
Over the years we have filed the memories of that time away and pretty much forgotten them, but they came rushing back this evening when we approached the Mt. Pisgah Church. We stopped, not so much to relive unpleasant memories as to take some photos of the place where Barbara had such a traumatic revelation and share them with Leah, who knows the story well, but has never seen where it happened.
This is Barbara's take on that day. Being a smoker (among non-smokers) means you're always looking for a way to get away and have a cig. Well, while they trudged through the cemetery looking for relatives (not my bag anyway), I spied a porch of a church where I could sit and smoke. Now, I don't mean this to be a commercial for smoking; but some of my best talks with God over the years have occurred when I was outside smoking.
This day was no different in that respect. I started praying for Leah since her birth mother has a large dose of animosity towards me. Especially, since she used my first husband's parents to sue for custody of Leah after Henry died. He was blood...I wasn't. Long story short. They lost and the judge decreed that I never had to let Leah see them again. But...I, in my self-righteousness, decided that I couldn't ever let Leah say that I kept her from her birth mother...hence, this 5 day visit.
As I sat there and prayed for her, I heard this voice say you must go get her now! You cannot let her stay the next two days. If you do, she won't be there! No one will ever convince me that it wasn't God protecting my daughter and me.
Jim was stunned with my revelation...but he trusted me and early the next morning we headed from Tyler back to Arlington to get Leah. Jim wanted to call them and let them know we were coming; but I fell apart and said, "No!!" We can't! Bless his heart, he still didn't understand.
When we finally got to the birth mother's home, we rang the doorbell. The shock on her face was very telling. Then Leah ran in and saw us and yelled, "No!!! I don't want to live with you! You stole me from my mother! You kidnapped me. I'm staying here!" (You can use your imagination to know how those words tore at my heart and stunned Jim.) Jim finally understood why I was told to come get her...so he, stepped in and using the firm voice of a loving father said go get your stuff, Leah, we're going home! Unwillingly, Leah did so...and the next two weeks were sheer hell. I got out the adoption papers over and over and showed Leah and we read each line where her b-mother had to sign to give permission for the adoption. The Cinderella story that that woman gave Leah of coming home to find her gone had to go up in smoke. It's hard to understand the evil that can lurk in people you love.
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Wednesday, June 12
This was a slow day for us...nothing much worth telling happened until this evening when we had the opportunity to visit with a couple of our "widow ladies" on the way to praise band rehearsal at Yantis.
Juanita Attaway and Eldavada Gilbreath are part of the living history of First Baptist Church Yantis, and are absolute jewels. We always enjoy our visits with them and they are appreciative of us...and the bread we bring for them...
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Thursday, June 13
Nothing of importance to report today...just the frustrations of dealing with Broadway Power Sports and their lack of customer service and appreciation. After nearly 15 minutes of holding the line for service, we were finally informed that one part of a solenoid valve assembly (that was reported as being there last Friday) was still missing and might not be there until next Wednesday. Personal Note: Broadway Power Sports will NOT be getting unsolicited kudos from us, in case you are wondering.
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Friday, June 14
Today is Flag Day, established by Congress to recognize the United States Flag as the official standard of our nation.
On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved: That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
Inspired by decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916, but it was not until August 3, 1949, that President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
Each year on this date I republish a piece that I wrote in 2003 following a discussion with Barbara about the seeming lack of knowledge of what the nation's flag represents among school students, many of whom recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily in their classrooms, but do so in rote fashion without thinking about what they are saying.
The following piece was dedicated to the students of West Middle School in Liberal, Kansas.
I am the Flag of the United States of America. It is almost impossible to go through a day without seeing me...flying proudly over public buildings and military bases...marching at the head of parades...or displayed as lapel pins on the jackets of patriots, young and old.
Perhaps nowhere do I strive to be displayed more proudly than in the schools of our country, for it is there that the first lessons of patriotism are taught to those who will grow up to guide, guard, and defend the country I represent.
But even there, as I am seen by millions of students each school day, I am in danger of neglect. Like all things that are commonplace, I am often taken for granted, and the pledge that was written to show honor to my colors and my country becomes a meaningless ritual, chanted without thought, by young people who have not learned, or have forgotten that I represent the sacrifices, hopes, and dreams of those who came before, and of countless millions around the world who would share in their freedom.
It seems that it is only in the times of war or national tragedy that I have meaning to the masses who call this land their home. if that is true, then our country is only one generation away from losing the rights and privileges that I represent, and that you take for granted. For after all, if you don't care, then who will teach those who follow you?
Whether I fly proudly over the buildings of your community, or am placed beside the flags of your houses of worship...whether I am seen as a pin in the lapel of of a military veteran, or as an oversize decoration covering the playing field of a a football or baseball stadium...or whether you see me draped in silence over the coffin of a father, mother, sister, brother, son, or daughter who served or gave their life for for this country, I still represent each and every one of you, and the freedoms that were won on the battlefields around the world.
To you I make this promise...
"I pledge allegiance to those who call the United States of America their home. I will fly proudly as a symbol of your hopes and dreams, and of the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed to gain and protect your rights, privileges, and freedoms. For as long as I am honored and respected, I will be a daily reminder that we are truly 'one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'"
James A. Little
February 1, 2003
Liberal, Kansas
©2003
We got out for a little while this afternoon to get some fresh air and run some errands. While we were at one of the stores we got these photos of downtown Mineola...
Saturday, June 15
We spent the day alternately working around the house and resting...nothing exciting or worthy of mentioning.
Tonight we met a group of church friends for supper at Whataburger and then traveled out in the country for the monthly gospel sing by Cross County Line, one of our favorite local groups.
Sunday, June 16
It's Father's Day!!!
And it was a great Father's Day, with greetings from all the kids throughout the day.
We were back at Yantis this morning for a full slate of Sunday morning activities. Our children's sermon was about Hope, and was taken from Luke 2:41-49.
Happy First Anniversary to Granddaughter Randi and Nick O'Bryant!!!!!
Hi...I’m Barbara Colwell Little....Jimmy Clint was my middle child. His father died of cancer when Jimmy was 18. You know, when you have a disease like cancer, there are medications, chemo, radiation, and peer support to fight it. But...with alcoholism there is only one way to fight it...the cure has to come from inside the person who is an alcoholic! I prayed continually for my son, that he would turn away from alcohol and lead the life that God intended for him to live; but it wasn’t until Jim and I truly let God have Jimmy Clint that the change occurred. Sometimes you just have to Let Go and Let God.
Thursday, June 20
And the monsoon season continued today with a little over two inches of rain coming as several thunderstorms swept through the area. Lake Fork is full to overflowing and area rivers are at flood stage.
Leah brought Kaiden over from Fort Worth to spend a couple of days with us. The pic on the left in the collage shows Leah wearing the Duracell President's Circle ring that was given to me after my first husband, Henry, died. He had won a trip to Hawaii and the ring for his outstanding sells and work for Duracell. Though I didn't accept the trip to Hawaii (I couldn't imagine going without him), I did accept the ring and saved it for the time that Leah would be old enough to treasure it. It was with delight that I realized today she had it on!
No visit is complete until there is at least one battle of "face wars"...
Leah left after visiting a couple of hours so she could drive to Dallas to meet a friend for dinner. While Barbara stayed at home this evening, I took Kaiden to band rehearsal with me so he could hear some of the music we'll be playing on the Fourth of July concert.
Friday, June 21
It's the first day of Summer!!!!!
We have a standing offer to church friends Keith and Whitney to keep Aubrey and Rivers whenever they need to get away, so today they brought the girls to spend the day and night with Kaiden and us while they went out of town for some mom and dad time.
We had some plans for outdoor activities for the kids, but the temperature was in the 90's and the heat index was well over 100, so we rethought our activities schedule and drove to Sulphur Springs to watch Toy Story 4 and gobble popcorn.
On the way home we took the kids to Our Little Lot to see Big V, and then stopped at the Civic Center Park in Mineola for some water park time to cool down.
Tonight was more movie time as we watched Leap, a DVD that the girls brought for the occasion.
Barbara's photos sum up the day...
When we got to the water park I checked the temperature gauge on the dash of the car. It had just "cooled" down to 99 degrees, but the heat index was way over 100. Looks like summer really has arrived.
After a little cooling down, we went back to the house to finish off a fun day with an even more fun evening. Since Kaiden and the girls would be returning to their respective homes tomorrow, we previewed Sunday's children's sermon for them.
Saturday, June 22
We started the day late, had a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and then the kids pitched in to clear the dining room and get all the dirty dishes to the kitchen.
Next, we brought a small table into the living room (which instantly became an arts and crafts room), and all three kids got busy painting rocks and sun catchers. That was followed by a rousing game of Monopoly.
When Keith and Whitney arrived, the girls loaded all their things into the family car and we said our goodbyes. Then we loaded all of Kaiden's luggage into our car and drove him to Terrell to return him to Leah at our pre-arranged meeting place, Freddie's.
With the kids all returned to their parents and on their way to their respective homes, we headed back to Mineola as fast as the speed limit allowed and spent the evening doing as little as possible. We had tons of fun with all the kids (it was the first time for Kaiden to be with Aubrey and Rivers), but the peace and quiet of an evening with just the two of us was wonderful!
Sunday, August 23
The first order of business this morning was to go to our Sunday school room and return a lost coffee mug to Sheila Tapley. Sheila is on the Stewardship Committee and left the mug in our car last Monday when she went with Jim to make the weekly bank deposit. Coffee mugs are semi-sacred items, so Sheila was happy to get this one back.
Our children's sermon this morning was from 1st Thessolonians 5:16-18. It was an updated version of the very first children's sermon we did in February, 2017, but still had a lot of meat and meaning.
Those are powerful words for our prayer
life. We’re not just supposed to pray; but we are to pray whether we’re happy,
sad, busy...we’re to pray no matter what is going on in our daily lives; but
we’re also supposed to give thanks no matter what our circumstances are. It’s
so easy for us to pray when everything is going right; but during the difficult
days is when prayer is even more important.
After church we drove to Big V for our afternoon nap and then returned to Yantis for the registration and kickoff evening for Vacation Bible School. Our primary job is to be photographers, but we pitched in where necessary.
By the time we got home we were totally wiped out from a full day of activities, and more than ready to sit and do nothing for awhile!
Monday, June 24
When I got back from counting money at the church in Yantis and making the bank deposit, we set up shop in the living room and kitchen so Barbara could design name tags for the kids in Vacation Bible School. She got the designs made, we ran off sheets of cardstock on our printer, laminated them, and then cut them out and put fasteners on them. It was a bit of an involved process that took most of the day. We did manage to get in a short nap before heading back to Yantis for the first regular day of Vacation Bible School. We took photos of as many workers, kids, and activities as possible and then Barbara posted them on the church website.
Tuesday, June 25
Today is easy to write about. We spent all day working on the journal/blog. Barbara created collages from her library of photos and I wrote the text and inserted the collages.
We are making a concentrated effort to publish the June edition on schedule, so we've pretty much set everything else aside.
Tonight we went back to Yantis for the second night of taking photos of kids, staff, and activities to post on the church website.
Our registration numbers for the attendees is down from last year, but we have an outstanding number of youth who are pitching in to make this a fun and educational experience. It's great to see the junior high and high school kids having such a positive impact on the lives of the younger kids!
On the way home we decided that pizza sounded good for a late evening meal, so we called in to Pizza Hut, picked up the order when we got into town, and went home to eat and hunker down for the night.
Wednesday, June 26
Except for a couple of hours this morning when I went to the church to meet with the auditors, today was a repeat of yesterday...more collages created by Barbara and more writing by me. At least we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and think we might finally meet our publication deadline!
More photos of summer fun with Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church Yantis, Texas.
We left early and ran into a few sprinkles on the way home...reached the house just as the skies opened up and drenched us again...nothing to do but get inside, heat up the leftover pizza, and watch a couple of episodes of NCIS. We suppose we need to start scouting some other series for the time when we finish NCIS.
Thursday, June 27
Today is Day 56 of Taz being in the motorcycle hospital. It was towed to Broadway Power Sports in Tyler on May 2. We were told yesterday (for the third time in the last three weeks) that it was in the technician's bay and should be ready sometime tomorrow (today). We gave them until noon today to call us before we called them...and were put on unanswered hold three times before we finally got a live voice. The response today was that the technician was updating the system's computers and should be ready to be picked up this afternoon. We had pretty much given up on that, so we went to take a nap and got another call...Taz was out in the parking lot, BUT, it hadn't been given a test drive and the service manager needed to check it out, so they will call us tomorrow when it's ready.
We love Taz...bought her at Broadway Power Sports...but we've had nothing but run-arounds and higher-than-expected costs since we got her. Once we have her back home, there will be a letter to the service manager at BPS and Can-Am!
All that was to say that because we were expecting that important call to come pick up Taz, we stayed around the house all day waiting for a phone call. However, we did get some good work done, so all was not lost. Barbara got some more photos ready for the journal/blog, and I cleaned off my desk and filed all the piles of "stuff" that were on it. I even got all the January-June medical deductions and children's church deductions calculated...something that usually takes place in March when desperation sets in. And, I removed the disposal unit from under the kitchen sink and replaced it with a new one...and now I know why plumbers get paid as much as they do.
Because we have only one vehicle until we get Taz back, and I had a rehearsal for the Lake Country Symphonic Band Fourth of July Concert tonight, we missed Vacation Bible School at Yantis. However, Barbara had been working with Jade, one of the youth workers, on photography, and Jade took some great photos of the activities tonight...they just didn't have us in them.
Tomorrow is another day and maybe, just maybe, we'll get to go to Tyler to pick up Taz and bring her home where she belongs.
Friday, June 28
We gave Broadway Power Sports until 10:45 to call us this morning, and then I placed the call...got the switchboard and asked for Service...and waited...and waited...and waited. After several minutes, Barbara called on the land line, got the switchboard and asked for Service...and suddenly someone was talking to me on my phone. Unfortunately, the guy I was talking to had no clue about whether they had Taz. When I explained the situation, he said he'd call the service manager and have him get back to me...not sounding good so far.
However, when the service rep called a few minutes later he said that Taz was ready to go, all repairs and the state inspection completed.
We got out of our "hangin' around the house" clothes, put on something moderately suitable for outdoors, and took off to take care of a couple of chores locally before driving to Tyler.
Our first stop was at CVS Pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions, then to our favorite store in downtown Mineola, Count Your Blessings, where we buy most of our greeting cards and special gifts for friends and family. Barbara has a habit of taking pics of things she likes but we have no room for...
And then it was off to Tyler, where Taz was, indeed, waiting for us. We paid out, got our receipts and the signed work order, and took off for Mineola (with a brief stop at Cato's in Lindale for Barbara to by some new summer clothing items.
Taz handled well, and the ride was about as enjoyable as a ride can be when the temperature is 95 degrees and the heat index is 105 degrees.
The first thing we did when we got home was to create a chocolate/strawberry trifle, one of Barbara's favorite desserts. We were going to need it tonight for VBS, and time was running out to get it prepared and in the refrigerator to set up.
The heat had really drained us, so we took a late nap for an hour or two and then got ready for the trip to Yantis for the final night of 2019 VBS.
Our adult workers and youth workers were out in full force this evening as the VBS students went through their opening activities and a Bible study lesson before going to the fellowship hall for brisket sandwiches, chips, desserts, tea and lemonade, and lots and lots of laughter and fun.
The photos tell the story...
The final activity at the closing part of the program was a traditional pie-in-the-face for directors Chad and Melaina...
The youth and some of the adults stayed behind to move all the props and decorations to the pastor's office to be picked up by another church Monday morning. Meanwhile, we took some of the leftover food to one of our church members who is temporarily homebound before heading home to sit down, cool off, and savor the fact that another VBS is in the books!
Saturday, June 29
We both had strange sleep patterns last night, so there wasn't a whole lot that got done today. I got out and mowed and trimmed the front yard this morning and trimmed a couple of trees in the back yard before it was too hot and humid to be outside any longer.
Barbara fixed lunch at noon and then we went back to bed for another nap, waking up around 3:00, making a grocery list and going to Walmart, and then back home to put away the groceries, have some supper, and watch some TV. We've evidently run through all the seasons of NCIS, so we searched through NetFlix to see if anything interested us, but didn't see anything that we could take for more than five minutes.
So, Barbara went back to work creating collages of yesterday's activities (a very tedious and time-consuming job) and I went to the bathroom to disassemble my trumpet and give it a good (and evidently way overdue) bath in preparation for praise band tomorrow morning, Lake Country Symphonic Band rehearsals Monday and Wednesday nights, and our Fourth of July concert on Thursday.
It dawned on me as I was cleaning the trumpet that I have had it 60 years. Mother and Daddy gave it to me in May of 1959 as I was preparing to enter high school...it's been a great instrument over the years, having lasted through high school, undergraduate school, the U.S. Air Force, graduate school, 28 years of band directing, and now playing in the community band and serving as a bugler for Taps for Veterans and Bugles Across America. Mother and Daddy, you done good!!!
On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved: That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
Inspired by decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916, but it was not until August 3, 1949, that President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
Each year on this date I republish a piece that I wrote in 2003 following a discussion with Barbara about the seeming lack of knowledge of what the nation's flag represents among school students, many of whom recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily in their classrooms, but do so in rote fashion without thinking about what they are saying.
The following piece was dedicated to the students of West Middle School in Liberal, Kansas.
I AM THE FLAG
I am the Flag of the United States of America. It is almost impossible to go through a day without seeing me...flying proudly over public buildings and military bases...marching at the head of parades...or displayed as lapel pins on the jackets of patriots, young and old.
Perhaps nowhere do I strive to be displayed more proudly than in the schools of our country, for it is there that the first lessons of patriotism are taught to those who will grow up to guide, guard, and defend the country I represent.
But even there, as I am seen by millions of students each school day, I am in danger of neglect. Like all things that are commonplace, I am often taken for granted, and the pledge that was written to show honor to my colors and my country becomes a meaningless ritual, chanted without thought, by young people who have not learned, or have forgotten that I represent the sacrifices, hopes, and dreams of those who came before, and of countless millions around the world who would share in their freedom.
It seems that it is only in the times of war or national tragedy that I have meaning to the masses who call this land their home. if that is true, then our country is only one generation away from losing the rights and privileges that I represent, and that you take for granted. For after all, if you don't care, then who will teach those who follow you?
Whether I fly proudly over the buildings of your community, or am placed beside the flags of your houses of worship...whether I am seen as a pin in the lapel of of a military veteran, or as an oversize decoration covering the playing field of a a football or baseball stadium...or whether you see me draped in silence over the coffin of a father, mother, sister, brother, son, or daughter who served or gave their life for for this country, I still represent each and every one of you, and the freedoms that were won on the battlefields around the world.
To you I make this promise...
"I pledge allegiance to those who call the United States of America their home. I will fly proudly as a symbol of your hopes and dreams, and of the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed to gain and protect your rights, privileges, and freedoms. For as long as I am honored and respected, I will be a daily reminder that we are truly 'one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'"
James A. Little
February 1, 2003
Liberal, Kansas
©2003
We got out for a little while this afternoon to get some fresh air and run some errands. While we were at one of the stores we got these photos of downtown Mineola...
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Saturday, June 15
We spent the day alternately working around the house and resting...nothing exciting or worthy of mentioning.
Tonight we met a group of church friends for supper at Whataburger and then traveled out in the country for the monthly gospel sing by Cross County Line, one of our favorite local groups.
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Sunday, June 16
It's Father's Day!!!
And it was a great Father's Day, with greetings from all the kids throughout the day.
We were back at Yantis this morning for a full slate of Sunday morning activities. Our children's sermon was about Hope, and was taken from Luke 2:41-49.
JIM: Have you ever lost or misplaced
something important and can’t remember where you might have put it? Maybe it was a favorite toy or game…or maybe
it was something one of your parents gave to you to put away, but you didn’t
put it where you were supposed to, and then you couldn’t remember where you
last had it. If you’re like us, your
first thought is, “Oh man, I hope I can find that,” or “I hope I haven’t really
lost that or thrown it away somewhere.”
The
first part of our lesson today tells about a man and a woman who lost something
very important, and it wasn’t something like a cell phone or a set of keys, it
was their own child. These weren’t just
any parents, they were Mary and Joseph, and the child they lost was Jesus!
When
Mary and Joseph finally found Jesus, he was in the temple, listening to the
teachers and asking them questions. Mary and Joseph asked Jesus why he hadn’t
stayed with them. But His reply was “Why were you out there looking for
me? Didn’t you know I must be in my
Father’s house? Even as a child, Jesus
knew that he had to follow the path that God had set for him.
BARBARA: And, Mr. Little, there was another son
in the Bible that was lost a different way. He was called in the Bible, the
Prodigal Son. All he wanted to do was have a lot of money, travel, and do what
he wanted. So, when he got the chance, he turned his back on his father and set
out in the world. But...after he had spent all his money, his friends turned
their backs on him, and he was left alone to feed and eat with the pigs.
Eventually, the son realized that he needed to return to his father. During all
this time His father never gave up hoping that one day his child would return. Jesus
told that story to illustrate the love our Father has for us....
Did
you know that sometimes just like the Prodigal son we lose Jesus? We get so busy doing other things that we
forget all about him until something makes us remember that he is missing from
our lives. What should we do then? The answer is simple…we need to go back to
where we left him. For most of us, we
left him in the church instead of taking him with us through our daily
lives. What better place to find Jesus,
than in his Father’s house…a house of worship, prayer, love, peace, comfort,
and joy. Then, we need to take him with
us everywhere we go. As Christians we don’t have to hope that we find Jesus
when we misplace him. He is already
there, just waiting for us to return to him.
Jesus IS our hope and promise of eternal life with him.
JIM: Our gift this morning is a card with a t-shirt that says, "If lost, return to Jesus," and a bag with a mixture of Life cereal and sweet cranberries to remind you that life is sweeter when you return to Jesus.
JIM: Our gift this morning is a card with a t-shirt that says, "If lost, return to Jesus," and a bag with a mixture of Life cereal and sweet cranberries to remind you that life is sweeter when you return to Jesus.
Prayer:
Dear Father, we have come into your house today to worship you. Help us to remember that there is no better
place for your children to be than in your house. We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
We have had a series of monsoon seasons lately, and they were back with us in full force this afternoon and evening.
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Monday, June 17
Happy First Anniversary to Granddaughter Randi and Nick O'Bryant!!!!!
Yesterday storms lasted into the night, but the new day and week began with plenty of sunshine and higher temperatures. The first thing we did this morning was check the rain gauges to see how much water came down yesterday.
As the gauge from the front yard shows, we got about 2 1/4 inches of rain in yesterdays downpours. Luckily, the water ran downhill from us, and with plenty of warm sunshine during the morning, the front and back yards were dry enough to be mowed and trimmed this afternoon.
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Tuesday, June 18
Barbara recently offered to share her testimony with our church youth of Jimmy Clint's bouts with alcoholism and how it affected his physical well-being and his family relationships.
While Barbara was working out what she wanted to say to the kids, I spent a good chunk of the day mowing the North 40 in preparation for the next round of rain that was predicted in another day or so.
One of the ways I wanted to remind people of Jimmy's story was to give out key chain quotes to hang in their room, etc.
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Wednesday, June 19
So...I’m going to tell you my son’s story tonight. And, as
I do so, I’d like you to pretend that you don’t really see me; but my son.
Hi! My name is Jimmy Clint Colwell and I am an alcoholic. I
started drinking in, well...we’ll say high school since my Mom wouldn’t want to
know that I started earlier than that!
Anyway, drinking seemed to be a rite of passage. You know,
one of those things that “everyone does.” But, unknown to me at the time, I was
different than many.
See...while my friends could have one, two, or three beers
and quit. I couldn’t. But, I didn’t recognize that fact then.
I remember one night I was grounded after a ball game and
didn’t get to go cruising around town with some of my friends. I was pretty
mad. But, then, we got word that 5 of the guys I would have been with had had a
wreck and 3 were killed. I cried as I laid on my mom’s bed and promised her
that I’d never again have another beer.
But...I didn’t keep that promise as the memory of that
night faded and I began to attend parties. I’d tell myself that I wouldn’t get
drunk that I’d only have a beer or two; but it never worked out that way.
Fast forward years, I married, became a father, and
continued to be what I thought was a social drinker even though I seemed to
always get drunk without meaning to. What I was really doing though was making
excuses for my drinking habits...I’d tell myself next time I won’t drink so
much, I can quit if I wanted to, I like the taste of beer just like other like
sodas. I had a million excuses.
Finally, much too late to save my health, I realized that I
was not able, like my friends and my wife, to be a social drinker. Instead, I
learned that one beer was too many and 50 would never be enough. I was an
alcoholic! But, even then, I didn’t stop. You see. I wasn’t strong enough to
stop on my own. And, I certainly wasn’t going to “ask God” like I had been
taught when I was a child.
So...the day came when I had to go to court for my 3rd
DUI. I called Mom and asked her to pray (I didn’t pray on my own)...and Mom
did. She later told me that she asked God to put me where I belonged. Where I
could get the help, I needed. That wasn’t exactly what I expected her to pray
for. You know, I wanted her to pray that I wouldn’t get jail time. But, that
April of 2010, I was sentenced to jail.
What a shock! Before Mom and Jim had bailed me out...you
know, they were always there to give me money, but now...I was facing the
consequences of my actions on my own.
April through June just seemed like a blur...a roller
coaster of emotions but out of boredom, I started attending a Bible class. And,
then by the time July rolled around, I was writing Mom and Jim about Peter and
Paul, about Jesus, about how I had been obsessed with my wife...I had
worshiped her instead of worshiping the Lord. I had been a social Christian,
but I wasn’t really living the Christian life. I let others pray for me instead
of praying myself. I hadn’t put Jesus Christ first in my life. I asked to be
baptized again in the jail.
One memory that stood out during that time was a letter
from my mother. She was attending a Bible Study class taught by Lisa at her
church. It was on The Lord is My Shepherd. Mom was so excited about what she
learned that she wrote me. I’ll try to remember all she told me. First off, a
shepherd has a crooked staff so he can guide a sheep that has gone astray. But,
if the sheep continually wanders off (and leads other sheep to follow him) the
shepherd will break the sheep’s leg and carry it around his neck until the leg
heals. Once it heals, that sheep doesn’t wander off again! Then my mother asked
a question I’ll never forget. She said, “Jimmy, if Jesus is our shepherd, do
you suppose he tried to keep you from going astray; but you just kept on doing
what you wanted to do. Do you think Jesus put you in jail so you could heal
while He carries you through your jail sentence? Wow! I was stunned. That night
was my Bible study night and it was with great pride and understanding that I,
for once, was able to share Mom’s words and be the leader of something good.
In July, I asked to be re-baptized ...it was only in an old
bathtub; but for the first time, I knew I was a different man.
The rest of my story is short. I got out of jail in October
and had dreams of straightening my life out; but two months later my heart gave
out from the cardiovascular disease which had had me in and out of the hospital
13 times.
Hi...I’m Barbara Colwell Little....Jimmy Clint was my middle child. His father died of cancer when Jimmy was 18. You know, when you have a disease like cancer, there are medications, chemo, radiation, and peer support to fight it. But...with alcoholism there is only one way to fight it...the cure has to come from inside the person who is an alcoholic! I prayed continually for my son, that he would turn away from alcohol and lead the life that God intended for him to live; but it wasn’t until Jim and I truly let God have Jimmy Clint that the change occurred. Sometimes you just have to Let Go and Let God.
It's with great pride and thankfulness that I’ve asked Jim
to read one of Jimmy’s most precious jail letters...
Letter from Jimmy....
38 Years old
Material wise, I had it all
Beautiful wife, outstanding daughter, lovely
home we loved, nice furniture, affluent friends, nice car, money in the
bank....
Then...I lost it all...
I ask why health problems, why the pain in my
body, why the heartache of losing (temporarily) my life that I knew and loved.
Why the hurt of being locked up; both mentally and physically ...why?
Then while reading God’s Word, it all came to
life, it was crystal clear...1 Peter 4:1-2
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body,
arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he (me) who has suffered in
his body is DONE with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his
earthly life for evil human desires; but rather for the Will of God.”
“Continue to pray. (and the words Mrs. Little
and I never thought we’d hear)... I appreciate it greatly!
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Thursday, June 20
And the monsoon season continued today with a little over two inches of rain coming as several thunderstorms swept through the area. Lake Fork is full to overflowing and area rivers are at flood stage.
Leah brought Kaiden over from Fort Worth to spend a couple of days with us. The pic on the left in the collage shows Leah wearing the Duracell President's Circle ring that was given to me after my first husband, Henry, died. He had won a trip to Hawaii and the ring for his outstanding sells and work for Duracell. Though I didn't accept the trip to Hawaii (I couldn't imagine going without him), I did accept the ring and saved it for the time that Leah would be old enough to treasure it. It was with delight that I realized today she had it on!
No visit is complete until there is at least one battle of "face wars"...
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Friday, June 21
It's the first day of Summer!!!!!
We have a standing offer to church friends Keith and Whitney to keep Aubrey and Rivers whenever they need to get away, so today they brought the girls to spend the day and night with Kaiden and us while they went out of town for some mom and dad time.
We had some plans for outdoor activities for the kids, but the temperature was in the 90's and the heat index was well over 100, so we rethought our activities schedule and drove to Sulphur Springs to watch Toy Story 4 and gobble popcorn.
On the way home we took the kids to Our Little Lot to see Big V, and then stopped at the Civic Center Park in Mineola for some water park time to cool down.
Tonight was more movie time as we watched Leap, a DVD that the girls brought for the occasion.
Barbara's photos sum up the day...
When we got to the water park I checked the temperature gauge on the dash of the car. It had just "cooled" down to 99 degrees, but the heat index was way over 100. Looks like summer really has arrived.
After a little cooling down, we went back to the house to finish off a fun day with an even more fun evening. Since Kaiden and the girls would be returning to their respective homes tomorrow, we previewed Sunday's children's sermon for them.
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Saturday, June 22
We started the day late, had a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and then the kids pitched in to clear the dining room and get all the dirty dishes to the kitchen.
Next, we brought a small table into the living room (which instantly became an arts and crafts room), and all three kids got busy painting rocks and sun catchers. That was followed by a rousing game of Monopoly.
When Keith and Whitney arrived, the girls loaded all their things into the family car and we said our goodbyes. Then we loaded all of Kaiden's luggage into our car and drove him to Terrell to return him to Leah at our pre-arranged meeting place, Freddie's.
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Sunday, August 23
The first order of business this morning was to go to our Sunday school room and return a lost coffee mug to Sheila Tapley. Sheila is on the Stewardship Committee and left the mug in our car last Monday when she went with Jim to make the weekly bank deposit. Coffee mugs are semi-sacred items, so Sheila was happy to get this one back.
Our children's sermon this morning was from 1st Thessolonians 5:16-18. It was an updated version of the very first children's sermon we did in February, 2017, but still had a lot of meat and meaning.
JIM: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
A popular legend states that once, a
long time ago, there was a kind Italian Monk who knew the importance of prayer.
He created a very special treat for the children who memorized their prayers.
(Back then children didn’t learn to pray on their own, they had a book of
prayers they had to recite...kind of like this one you may have learned, “Now I
lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep and if I die before I
wake I pray the Lord my Soul to take.”)
Here’s
how the Monk created the treat. First,
he cut soft bread dough into long strips and then folded them into a special
shape before baking them. He called them, “pretiolas” or “little rewards.”
BARBARA: Mr. Little, did you know back in that Monk’s days Christians prayed by folding their arms across their chests with each hand touching the opposite shoulder. Therefore, he cleverly shaped his dough so that it would like arms folded in prayer. Those “little rewards” that the Monk made were what we call pretzels!
Notice how in the center of the pretzel the arms are crossed? This is to remind us to pray always. Now let’s look at the outside shape...See how the pretzel is a circle? This reminds us that we can always go to God and pray, over and over again. He will always listen and answer us. Every time you see a pretzel it is a reminder to always pray.
Pretzels are like people...sometimes we are whole like this one; but sometimes we’re broken...almost like pretzel dust... whether we’re whole or broken, we must remember to pray.
So, guess what your treats are today? That’s right…Pretzels, with a card that says, “The Pretzel Prayer reminds me to pray each day.”
BARBARA: Mr. Little, did you know back in that Monk’s days Christians prayed by folding their arms across their chests with each hand touching the opposite shoulder. Therefore, he cleverly shaped his dough so that it would like arms folded in prayer. Those “little rewards” that the Monk made were what we call pretzels!
Notice how in the center of the pretzel the arms are crossed? This is to remind us to pray always. Now let’s look at the outside shape...See how the pretzel is a circle? This reminds us that we can always go to God and pray, over and over again. He will always listen and answer us. Every time you see a pretzel it is a reminder to always pray.
Pretzels are like people...sometimes we are whole like this one; but sometimes we’re broken...almost like pretzel dust... whether we’re whole or broken, we must remember to pray.
So, guess what your treats are today? That’s right…Pretzels, with a card that says, “The Pretzel Prayer reminds me to pray each day.”
JIM: “Lord, today whether we are broken or
whole, we come to you praying for your forgiveness, your healing, and your
guidance in our lives. It’s in the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.”
After church we drove to Big V for our afternoon nap and then returned to Yantis for the registration and kickoff evening for Vacation Bible School. Our primary job is to be photographers, but we pitched in where necessary.
By the time we got home we were totally wiped out from a full day of activities, and more than ready to sit and do nothing for awhile!
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Monday, June 24
When I got back from counting money at the church in Yantis and making the bank deposit, we set up shop in the living room and kitchen so Barbara could design name tags for the kids in Vacation Bible School. She got the designs made, we ran off sheets of cardstock on our printer, laminated them, and then cut them out and put fasteners on them. It was a bit of an involved process that took most of the day. We did manage to get in a short nap before heading back to Yantis for the first regular day of Vacation Bible School. We took photos of as many workers, kids, and activities as possible and then Barbara posted them on the church website.
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Tuesday, June 25
Today is easy to write about. We spent all day working on the journal/blog. Barbara created collages from her library of photos and I wrote the text and inserted the collages.
We are making a concentrated effort to publish the June edition on schedule, so we've pretty much set everything else aside.
Tonight we went back to Yantis for the second night of taking photos of kids, staff, and activities to post on the church website.
Our registration numbers for the attendees is down from last year, but we have an outstanding number of youth who are pitching in to make this a fun and educational experience. It's great to see the junior high and high school kids having such a positive impact on the lives of the younger kids!
On the way home we decided that pizza sounded good for a late evening meal, so we called in to Pizza Hut, picked up the order when we got into town, and went home to eat and hunker down for the night.
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Wednesday, June 26
Except for a couple of hours this morning when I went to the church to meet with the auditors, today was a repeat of yesterday...more collages created by Barbara and more writing by me. At least we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and think we might finally meet our publication deadline!
More photos of summer fun with Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church Yantis, Texas.
We left early and ran into a few sprinkles on the way home...reached the house just as the skies opened up and drenched us again...nothing to do but get inside, heat up the leftover pizza, and watch a couple of episodes of NCIS. We suppose we need to start scouting some other series for the time when we finish NCIS.
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Thursday, June 27
Today is Day 56 of Taz being in the motorcycle hospital. It was towed to Broadway Power Sports in Tyler on May 2. We were told yesterday (for the third time in the last three weeks) that it was in the technician's bay and should be ready sometime tomorrow (today). We gave them until noon today to call us before we called them...and were put on unanswered hold three times before we finally got a live voice. The response today was that the technician was updating the system's computers and should be ready to be picked up this afternoon. We had pretty much given up on that, so we went to take a nap and got another call...Taz was out in the parking lot, BUT, it hadn't been given a test drive and the service manager needed to check it out, so they will call us tomorrow when it's ready.
We love Taz...bought her at Broadway Power Sports...but we've had nothing but run-arounds and higher-than-expected costs since we got her. Once we have her back home, there will be a letter to the service manager at BPS and Can-Am!
All that was to say that because we were expecting that important call to come pick up Taz, we stayed around the house all day waiting for a phone call. However, we did get some good work done, so all was not lost. Barbara got some more photos ready for the journal/blog, and I cleaned off my desk and filed all the piles of "stuff" that were on it. I even got all the January-June medical deductions and children's church deductions calculated...something that usually takes place in March when desperation sets in. And, I removed the disposal unit from under the kitchen sink and replaced it with a new one...and now I know why plumbers get paid as much as they do.
Because we have only one vehicle until we get Taz back, and I had a rehearsal for the Lake Country Symphonic Band Fourth of July Concert tonight, we missed Vacation Bible School at Yantis. However, Barbara had been working with Jade, one of the youth workers, on photography, and Jade took some great photos of the activities tonight...they just didn't have us in them.
Tomorrow is another day and maybe, just maybe, we'll get to go to Tyler to pick up Taz and bring her home where she belongs.
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Friday, June 28
We gave Broadway Power Sports until 10:45 to call us this morning, and then I placed the call...got the switchboard and asked for Service...and waited...and waited...and waited. After several minutes, Barbara called on the land line, got the switchboard and asked for Service...and suddenly someone was talking to me on my phone. Unfortunately, the guy I was talking to had no clue about whether they had Taz. When I explained the situation, he said he'd call the service manager and have him get back to me...not sounding good so far.
However, when the service rep called a few minutes later he said that Taz was ready to go, all repairs and the state inspection completed.
We got out of our "hangin' around the house" clothes, put on something moderately suitable for outdoors, and took off to take care of a couple of chores locally before driving to Tyler.
Our first stop was at CVS Pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions, then to our favorite store in downtown Mineola, Count Your Blessings, where we buy most of our greeting cards and special gifts for friends and family. Barbara has a habit of taking pics of things she likes but we have no room for...
And then it was off to Tyler, where Taz was, indeed, waiting for us. We paid out, got our receipts and the signed work order, and took off for Mineola (with a brief stop at Cato's in Lindale for Barbara to by some new summer clothing items.
Taz handled well, and the ride was about as enjoyable as a ride can be when the temperature is 95 degrees and the heat index is 105 degrees.
The first thing we did when we got home was to create a chocolate/strawberry trifle, one of Barbara's favorite desserts. We were going to need it tonight for VBS, and time was running out to get it prepared and in the refrigerator to set up.
The heat had really drained us, so we took a late nap for an hour or two and then got ready for the trip to Yantis for the final night of 2019 VBS.
Our adult workers and youth workers were out in full force this evening as the VBS students went through their opening activities and a Bible study lesson before going to the fellowship hall for brisket sandwiches, chips, desserts, tea and lemonade, and lots and lots of laughter and fun.
The photos tell the story...
The final activity at the closing part of the program was a traditional pie-in-the-face for directors Chad and Melaina...
The youth and some of the adults stayed behind to move all the props and decorations to the pastor's office to be picked up by another church Monday morning. Meanwhile, we took some of the leftover food to one of our church members who is temporarily homebound before heading home to sit down, cool off, and savor the fact that another VBS is in the books!
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Saturday, June 29
We both had strange sleep patterns last night, so there wasn't a whole lot that got done today. I got out and mowed and trimmed the front yard this morning and trimmed a couple of trees in the back yard before it was too hot and humid to be outside any longer.
Barbara fixed lunch at noon and then we went back to bed for another nap, waking up around 3:00, making a grocery list and going to Walmart, and then back home to put away the groceries, have some supper, and watch some TV. We've evidently run through all the seasons of NCIS, so we searched through NetFlix to see if anything interested us, but didn't see anything that we could take for more than five minutes.
So, Barbara went back to work creating collages of yesterday's activities (a very tedious and time-consuming job) and I went to the bathroom to disassemble my trumpet and give it a good (and evidently way overdue) bath in preparation for praise band tomorrow morning, Lake Country Symphonic Band rehearsals Monday and Wednesday nights, and our Fourth of July concert on Thursday.
It dawned on me as I was cleaning the trumpet that I have had it 60 years. Mother and Daddy gave it to me in May of 1959 as I was preparing to enter high school...it's been a great instrument over the years, having lasted through high school, undergraduate school, the U.S. Air Force, graduate school, 28 years of band directing, and now playing in the community band and serving as a bugler for Taps for Veterans and Bugles Across America. Mother and Daddy, you done good!!!
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Sunday, June 30
Because of special activities going on at our church today we didn't have a children's sermon. Instead, we were blessed to have a couple of Christian teachers who taught English in China for many years, and have now branched out to teach through another organization in the Middle East. Not only were the presentations interesting and informative, we quickly developed a personal tie with this couple because they began their teaching experience in Wuhan, China, the same city that we visited during Christmas many years ago when son Mike was living there and attending one of the universities.
It was announced in church this morning that I had been elected to the pastoral search committee. We received information about a potential candidate who would be preaching in Winnsboro this evening, so some of us drove up there this evening to hear him.
Our first order of business and pleasure was to stop and visit special friends in Winnsboro. Barbara and Pat St. Miklossy met and became fast friends when they were in cardiac rehab in Sulphur Springs several years ago. We always enjoy our visits with Pat and husband Joe, and this evening was no exception. They had some friends visiting with them, but we were welcomed as family and enjoyed an hour or so of sharing stories with each other before we had our obligatory photos and left to go to the church.
When we got back home we kicked back and relaxed. It had been a long week, and the new week coming up may be even longer, so we figured we'd gather our breath and collect out thoughts while we had the opportunity.
And that, dear Facebook friends and family, is how we closed out another month!
Wrapping up June from Our Little Home in Mineola, Texas,
Jim/Dad/Gramps and Barbara/Mom/Grams/Gramsie
ADDENDUM
It is difficult to believe, but with this posting of the journal/blog we have completed 13 years of retirement, just a shade more than one-third of the number of years we taught.
On June 30, 2006, we had Big V and a trailer loaded with all our earthly possessions and, after my final day at Liberal High School, we drove off into the sunset (literally) and began a new life.
Like everyone, we've had our ups and downs over the years. We have lost family members along the way, but our family has also grown (and continues to grow in numbers), and our friendships have increased exponentially with new opportunities to meet people and serve our Lord through various adventures and activities, most of which we never dreamed of 13 years ago.
Our activities during the last six months have been limited somewhat by personal illnesses and mechanical illnesses with both Big V and Taz, but we are all recovered now and looking forward to continuing this retirement adventure in even more exciting ways.
The beginnings of what has become our journal/blog were very simple...just a way to let a few friends and relatives know where we were and what we were up to. With encouragement from a Steve Kinney, a high school friend of ours, we grew out of the email stage to blogging (which greatly expanded our ability to share photos of our adventures activities, and challenges). Several years ago we were dragged kicking and screaming into the world of social media via Facebook, further expanding our circle of friends and family.
And now here we are today, thirteen years later, still living and loving our life and happy to share our stories with those who care. You are truly our family, whether related by blood or pure friendship, and we thank God for bringing each of you into our lives!
Love and best wishes to all,
Jim and Barbara Little
Mineola, Texas
June 30, 2019
