Good morning! Today will be bright and sunny with a high of 67 here in Atlanta. I would be outside except for Ladies’ Bible study this morning and then working on an article for critique at my writer’s group on Saturday.
Good morning. There is a low fog moving through the forest this morning and it is quite lovely. Now I just want to snuggle under the afghan and have one more cup of coffee. 😊
I’m not sleeping in–after finishing an excellent biblical novel last night at 11:30, I woke about 4 and am still awake–sort-of. 🙂
We had a small choir rehearsal last night for the Lenten season. Four of us with a pianist and my phone recording for our bass (my husband) who had a standing business phone call.
It was so curious to stand in the church. We sang/recorded songs for Christmas back in November, but otherwise, it’s been all outside.
Such a peculiar feeling–to look around the church and have sense of deja vu. But of course, it seemed familiar. We’ve only been attending that church for nearly 20 years.
And yet, my “normals” have shifted. I can’t imagine getting on an airplane and I’ve done of traveling the last 12 years. Our norms shift and mine have shrunk to my neighborhood, trips to church and our son’s house and little more.
My EMT, who was supposed to get her second vaccine yesterday, is chatting happily about traveling here and there. But I’m only wandering in my mind and writing.
On a Sunday evening in February 1955, I was sitting in the FBC Columbia with my friends, Al Tolley, Myrom Roberts, Margaret Smith, maybe others, when, at the inviaatopm. A young woman joined the church. I was immediately smitten and wrote her name in my Bible when Dr. Ellis introduced her to the church.
I had never heard the word “Elvera”, and he likely didn’t pronounce it correctly; anyhow I wrote the name DeVille Collins in this Bible. It is merely a smudge now because I wrote it with pencil. Due to circumstances. I never had a chance to meet her in SS. I talked to her at a party once and offered to take her home, but she had her own car. So we never connected.
Until that Sunday in October, 1955.
We had a friend, Margaret Smith’s pastor, who was taking some courses at Carolina. Not a colleague, but a friend. On that Sunday, Al, Margaret, Myrom, likely others, were at Everett Talbert’s chrch in Lexington County. I was alone. For the first time ever, I attended FBC Columbia alone. Also, for the only time ever, I sat in the balcony.
I never noticed her at the time, but at the end of the service, there was a backup going down staire.
I found myself standing beside Elvera Collins. I invited her to lunch. At lunch, I invited her to go with me to Margaret’s Church where friends werej
She went with me.
I asked her to go to a football game with me next Saturday. She agreed. So?
That’s how it all started.
She was going with a guy named Ernest at the time. He was a soldier at Fort Jackson. Ernest went home on the weekends,so? She was my weekend girl and she was Ernest’ during the week.
Until Christmas braak about two months later. She and Ernest broke up. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Elvera suspected that Ernest had a girl in Atlanta because he always went home on the errkends. In thos days, Columbia to Atlanta was not an easy trip, so she was likely correct.
So? It was late December 1955 when we became a couple.
Enjoy your warm weather, Janice. It was more than -20 here again this morning. My world has shrunken even more than Michelle’s with no children or grandchildren close enough to visit easily.
It is sad that there was a shooting at a clinic in our state and it is not something that is so utterly horrifying that we can put it aside easily. It is horrible and I pray for all involved. However, like school shootings, riots etc. such things are not a shock as they used to be. That is so sad.
We see Joshua’s success depending on and growing out of the promise of Joshua 1:8:
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Joshua obviously had the word of God on his lips, on his mind, and in his actions.
b. So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people: Even with God’s specific guidance, and with specific guidance from His word, this is still an impressive step of faith for Joshua. Living and walking in the Promised Land comes from this kind of faith, not a slavish reliance on a “law” relationship with God.
i. Faith leads us into greater victories than law ever could.
I was struck by those last two sentences contrasting the law and faith.
QOD Are you seeing law overtaking faith responses in the “greater” Christian world? In your own heart?
What does it look like for individuals when law is a greater influence than faith? (Frankly, I keep wanting to write “when law trumps faith,” but, well, you know.)
Someone, I think Janice, mentioned Canva the other day. I’ve used their site to make photo collages. I don’t know what options are available if you pay for their services, but at least with a free one, if I’m going to make photo collages and use more than three or four photos, I have to do all the arranging manually. (Meaning, for instance, that I have to judge whether photos are aligned or whether one sticks out too far, and whether they are evenly spaced.)
A couple of years ago I put together a montage of photos of the monarch butterfly life cycle, starting with a butterfly laying an egg, then the egg itself, then caterpillars in various sizes, then the chrysalis, then a new butterfly coming out of the chrysalis. Summer 2020 I finally got the one shot I didn’t have: mating butterflies. But I couldn’t access my old collages on canva and I figured they had done some sort of purge of old content, and it was going to be a lot of work to redo all of it. (The collage has quite a few photos in it.) This week I somehow managed to get to that old content, and so I added the mating shot and replaced one or two other shots. And I uploaded it to Flickr, and today it’s on “Explore.” I’ve had 22 photos on Explore in the couple of years I’ve been on Flickr. (It’s just 500 photos a day and I don’t have a professional camera, so I’m always pleased when I get one on there.) Some of the shots that have made it to Explore have been ones I’ve really liked, and some have been just OK. But there was a whole lot of work that went into this one, including sitting outside for several hours on a rainy morning the day the butterfly came out of her chrysalis, since I knew she was going to come out that morning (it turned out she waited till early afternoon) and it’s a quick process and I didn’t want to miss it. Anyway, it’s fun to have it on Explore and know that more people will see it as a result.
Cheryl, I remember a collection of photos that you posted here and let us save. It was a spectacular collection of butterflies and chrysalises. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I saved it and would look at it from time to time, until my computer crashed and it was lost. You have some serious talent there, and the persistence to bring it to fruition. I am in the process of setting up a small outdoor seating arrangement near my bird feeders in hopes of catching some good shots this spring. Some birds are already showing interest in my various bushes nearby, so I’m hoping there will be babies at some point this year. I’d love to be able to capture a few good shots.
Love that note going into the Bible. I believe the “mis-pronounced” and then misheard name was a new wrinkle in the story that we hadn’t heard before?
I’m having trouble waking up this morning, I have a homeless story I’ll be doing for the weekend, but can’t really do much on it yet until after a Thursday chamber board meeting (which is closed to the public but I’ve been promised a statement following the meeting by the chairman.
But in the meantime, I’m in dire need of finding a daily story or two. It’s a slow week.
My neck has been giving me a lot of issues in the past month or more. I was in physical therapy for that probably 10+ years ago now, but it’s really flaring up. Too much time at the computer over the years. I’m trying all the stretching exercises, taking frequent breaks, using the heating pad and ibuprofen, focusing on posture especially when sitting “at work.” Everything just feels crunched up on the one side, lots of pain and strain sometimes, but at least sleeping/lying down relieves it. Still, not much work can get done that way.
My 2nd covid shot comes a week from this Sunday, then, after whatever the timing is afterward to pause and allow it time to circulate in the body (1 week?) I’ll be back at indoor church. We don’t follow all the rules (re singing) but at least in the early service there is still limited attendance and social distancing and masks required — so, until this virus starts to really fade from the scene, I’ll go to that service (rather than the looser late service that follows no mask or social distancing protocols). I’ve sat through too many of the county’s news conferences in the past year and know too many folks in health care, so I still think some precautions, even post-vaccine because of the new variants, are reasonable and should be adhered to when possible, at least for now.
But nothing’s forever, thankfully. I’m convinced this will (finally) wind down within just a few more months.
Along with the natural immunity that’s increasing as a result of the surges, the vaccines should create enough of a ‘herd immunity’ for things to start getting back to at least a new (and better) “normal” by fall. At that point, we’ll probably be able to resume our normal one-service schedule on Sundays.
What a siege this has been, made especially so difficult (as our pastor pointed out at last Sunday’s service) because it’s affected everybody and everything. No one has been untouched by it and many of our lives have been, in some ways at least, upended.
Oooh. That recipe looks good. Husband likes beans and greens so I want to try it this weekend. I will probably substitute a vegetarian ‘sausage’, but it should still work. :–)
Morning all on this Thursday morning. so nice to stay home last night after three evenings out. I am still subbing in grade one. Nice that tomorrow happens to be the one student free day of the term. A short week is good as I haven’t taught for a while and a car is even nicer.
Chas I am having so much fun saving all of these comments and the responses into a word document. Thanks for the memories. We are blessed by you.
My sister called. My Dad passed away at around 2:30 PM MST (about an hour ago). Since there will not be a funeral service I won’t be traveling to Arizona (though I would like to get away from this sub-freezing, snowy wether). My stepmother says when COVID restrictions allow travel again maybe we’ll have a memorial. It was my dad’swishes, even before the virus, that there not be a funeral. I think there will be a short mass since he was Catholic. As for now, Mrs L and I are planning to go out there when school is over in May.
Blessings of comfort for you and all your family, Peter. It has been such a difficult season for so many with Covid making travel inadvisable. Prayers to cover you all.
Wandering Views 
Good morning! Today will be bright and sunny with a high of 67 here in Atlanta. I would be outside except for Ladies’ Bible study this morning and then working on an article for critique at my writer’s group on Saturday.
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Missing folks around here this morning.
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Good morning. There is a low fog moving through the forest this morning and it is quite lovely. Now I just want to snuggle under the afghan and have one more cup of coffee. 😊
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I’m not sleeping in–after finishing an excellent biblical novel last night at 11:30, I woke about 4 and am still awake–sort-of. 🙂
We had a small choir rehearsal last night for the Lenten season. Four of us with a pianist and my phone recording for our bass (my husband) who had a standing business phone call.
It was so curious to stand in the church. We sang/recorded songs for Christmas back in November, but otherwise, it’s been all outside.
Such a peculiar feeling–to look around the church and have sense of deja vu. But of course, it seemed familiar. We’ve only been attending that church for nearly 20 years.
And yet, my “normals” have shifted. I can’t imagine getting on an airplane and I’ve done of traveling the last 12 years. Our norms shift and mine have shrunk to my neighborhood, trips to church and our son’s house and little more.
My EMT, who was supposed to get her second vaccine yesterday, is chatting happily about traveling here and there. But I’m only wandering in my mind and writing.
So thankful I have writing!
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On a Sunday evening in February 1955, I was sitting in the FBC Columbia with my friends, Al Tolley, Myrom Roberts, Margaret Smith, maybe others, when, at the inviaatopm. A young woman joined the church. I was immediately smitten and wrote her name in my Bible when Dr. Ellis introduced her to the church.
I had never heard the word “Elvera”, and he likely didn’t pronounce it correctly; anyhow I wrote the name DeVille Collins in this Bible. It is merely a smudge now because I wrote it with pencil. Due to circumstances. I never had a chance to meet her in SS. I talked to her at a party once and offered to take her home, but she had her own car. So we never connected.
Until that Sunday in October, 1955.
We had a friend, Margaret Smith’s pastor, who was taking some courses at Carolina. Not a colleague, but a friend. On that Sunday, Al, Margaret, Myrom, likely others, were at Everett Talbert’s chrch in Lexington County. I was alone. For the first time ever, I attended FBC Columbia alone. Also, for the only time ever, I sat in the balcony.
I never noticed her at the time, but at the end of the service, there was a backup going down staire.
I found myself standing beside Elvera Collins. I invited her to lunch. At lunch, I invited her to go with me to Margaret’s Church where friends werej
She went with me.
I asked her to go to a football game with me next Saturday. She agreed. So?
That’s how it all started.
She was going with a guy named Ernest at the time. He was a soldier at Fort Jackson. Ernest went home on the weekends,so? She was my weekend girl and she was Ernest’ during the week.
Until Christmas braak about two months later. She and Ernest broke up. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Elvera suspected that Ernest had a girl in Atlanta because he always went home on the errkends. In thos days, Columbia to Atlanta was not an easy trip, so she was likely correct.
So? It was late December 1955 when we became a couple.
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I just printed the above comment to put in my old Bible. jThe one I was carrying at the time.
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Wonderful, Chas. What a treasure to pass down so descendants will know how they eventually came to be. Only because of that which you wrote!
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Good morning.
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What a beautiful story.
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Enjoy your warm weather, Janice. It was more than -20 here again this morning. My world has shrunken even more than Michelle’s with no children or grandchildren close enough to visit easily.
It is sad that there was a shooting at a clinic in our state and it is not something that is so utterly horrifying that we can put it aside easily. It is horrible and I pray for all involved. However, like school shootings, riots etc. such things are not a shock as they used to be. That is so sad.
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I’ve now moved into Joshua 3.
We see Joshua’s success depending on and growing out of the promise of Joshua 1:8:
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Joshua obviously had the word of God on his lips, on his mind, and in his actions.
b. So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people: Even with God’s specific guidance, and with specific guidance from His word, this is still an impressive step of faith for Joshua. Living and walking in the Promised Land comes from this kind of faith, not a slavish reliance on a “law” relationship with God.
i. Faith leads us into greater victories than law ever could.
I was struck by those last two sentences contrasting the law and faith.
QOD Are you seeing law overtaking faith responses in the “greater” Christian world? In your own heart?
What does it look like for individuals when law is a greater influence than faith? (Frankly, I keep wanting to write “when law trumps faith,” but, well, you know.)
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It is a beautiful story. And we see God working. As He has done and will do. And life is good.
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Fellowship of Performing Arts is now offering Shadowlands in a free performance (though, you have to register and this is a fundraiser). Info here: https://mailchi.mp/fpatheatre/need-subject-line-1367756?e=27b6d7b70e
Note: we love their productions. A Navy friend is on their board.
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Someone, I think Janice, mentioned Canva the other day. I’ve used their site to make photo collages. I don’t know what options are available if you pay for their services, but at least with a free one, if I’m going to make photo collages and use more than three or four photos, I have to do all the arranging manually. (Meaning, for instance, that I have to judge whether photos are aligned or whether one sticks out too far, and whether they are evenly spaced.)
A couple of years ago I put together a montage of photos of the monarch butterfly life cycle, starting with a butterfly laying an egg, then the egg itself, then caterpillars in various sizes, then the chrysalis, then a new butterfly coming out of the chrysalis. Summer 2020 I finally got the one shot I didn’t have: mating butterflies. But I couldn’t access my old collages on canva and I figured they had done some sort of purge of old content, and it was going to be a lot of work to redo all of it. (The collage has quite a few photos in it.) This week I somehow managed to get to that old content, and so I added the mating shot and replaced one or two other shots. And I uploaded it to Flickr, and today it’s on “Explore.” I’ve had 22 photos on Explore in the couple of years I’ve been on Flickr. (It’s just 500 photos a day and I don’t have a professional camera, so I’m always pleased when I get one on there.) Some of the shots that have made it to Explore have been ones I’ve really liked, and some have been just OK. But there was a whole lot of work that went into this one, including sitting outside for several hours on a rainy morning the day the butterfly came out of her chrysalis, since I knew she was going to come out that morning (it turned out she waited till early afternoon) and it’s a quick process and I didn’t want to miss it. Anyway, it’s fun to have it on Explore and know that more people will see it as a result.
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Cheryl, I remember a collection of photos that you posted here and let us save. It was a spectacular collection of butterflies and chrysalises. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I saved it and would look at it from time to time, until my computer crashed and it was lost. You have some serious talent there, and the persistence to bring it to fruition. I am in the process of setting up a small outdoor seating arrangement near my bird feeders in hopes of catching some good shots this spring. Some birds are already showing interest in my various bushes nearby, so I’m hoping there will be babies at some point this year. I’d love to be able to capture a few good shots.
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Love that note going into the Bible. I believe the “mis-pronounced” and then misheard name was a new wrinkle in the story that we hadn’t heard before?
I’m having trouble waking up this morning, I have a homeless story I’ll be doing for the weekend, but can’t really do much on it yet until after a Thursday chamber board meeting (which is closed to the public but I’ve been promised a statement following the meeting by the chairman.
But in the meantime, I’m in dire need of finding a daily story or two. It’s a slow week.
My neck has been giving me a lot of issues in the past month or more. I was in physical therapy for that probably 10+ years ago now, but it’s really flaring up. Too much time at the computer over the years. I’m trying all the stretching exercises, taking frequent breaks, using the heating pad and ibuprofen, focusing on posture especially when sitting “at work.” Everything just feels crunched up on the one side, lots of pain and strain sometimes, but at least sleeping/lying down relieves it. Still, not much work can get done that way.
My 2nd covid shot comes a week from this Sunday, then, after whatever the timing is afterward to pause and allow it time to circulate in the body (1 week?) I’ll be back at indoor church. We don’t follow all the rules (re singing) but at least in the early service there is still limited attendance and social distancing and masks required — so, until this virus starts to really fade from the scene, I’ll go to that service (rather than the looser late service that follows no mask or social distancing protocols). I’ve sat through too many of the county’s news conferences in the past year and know too many folks in health care, so I still think some precautions, even post-vaccine because of the new variants, are reasonable and should be adhered to when possible, at least for now.
But nothing’s forever, thankfully. I’m convinced this will (finally) wind down within just a few more months.
Along with the natural immunity that’s increasing as a result of the surges, the vaccines should create enough of a ‘herd immunity’ for things to start getting back to at least a new (and better) “normal” by fall. At that point, we’ll probably be able to resume our normal one-service schedule on Sundays.
What a siege this has been, made especially so difficult (as our pastor pointed out at last Sunday’s service) because it’s affected everybody and everything. No one has been untouched by it and many of our lives have been, in some ways at least, upended.
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If you are looking for something good that you could consider almost healthy and certainly medicinal for dinner take a look. You can also read my comment.
https://littlecoastalkitchen.com/kale-white-bean-and-sausage-soup/
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Oooh. That recipe looks good. Husband likes beans and greens so I want to try it this weekend. I will probably substitute a vegetarian ‘sausage’, but it should still work. :–)
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Morning all on this Thursday morning. so nice to stay home last night after three evenings out. I am still subbing in grade one. Nice that tomorrow happens to be the one student free day of the term. A short week is good as I haven’t taught for a while and a car is even nicer.
Chas I am having so much fun saving all of these comments and the responses into a word document. Thanks for the memories. We are blessed by you.
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Kim,
Like the recipe, don’t like kale.
Do you think I could substitute fresh spinach leaves instead? I’m thinking that might work.
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My sister called. My Dad passed away at around 2:30 PM MST (about an hour ago). Since there will not be a funeral service I won’t be traveling to Arizona (though I would like to get away from this sub-freezing, snowy wether). My stepmother says when COVID restrictions allow travel again maybe we’ll have a memorial. It was my dad’swishes, even before the virus, that there not be a funeral. I think there will be a short mass since he was Catholic. As for now, Mrs L and I are planning to go out there when school is over in May.
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Peter I am so sorry for your loss and continue to lift you in prayer….trusting our Lord through it all ♥️
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Sorry big brother, hoping God broke through.
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I’m so sorry Peter.
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Blessings of comfort for you and all your family, Peter. It has been such a difficult season for so many with Covid making travel inadvisable. Prayers to cover you all.
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We’re never really old enough to lose a parent. So very sorry, Peter.
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Peter, so sorry for your loss. May you know God’s comfort and the love of family and friends.
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So sorry for your loss, Peter. Prayers for you and your family.
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Peter, I am so very sorry for your loss.
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My condolences, as well, Peter.
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I’m so sorry for your loss, Peter.
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Sorry, Peter, it is even harder when you can’t gather with family to grieve together.
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