Aeronautics

1910, the first airplane flight by a U.S. President was taken in St. Louis, Missouri. Theodore Roosevelt, ex-president and not yet the Bull Moose candidate for another term, was taken aloft by pilot Arch Hoxsey in a Wright Brothers plane.

It is said that the Wrights, by whom Hoxsey was employed, were inclined to fire their pilot for having "endangered" a personage of such stature.

On New Year's Eve that same year, Hoxsey died in a crash in Los Angeles in which he was attempting to set a powered aircraft altitude record.

Archibald Hoxsey 1884 - 1910 RIP

Image: Wikipedia

Old Negatives and Wonderful Friends

Two years ago BBBH and I visited my sister and her husband in Kansas.  They have since moved to Idaho.  Too much detail, I know, but I miss being able to jump in the car and see them at the end of a day's drive.  Proceeding with accounting for the pictures.  While we were there Vee said to me, "I found some old negatives and would really like to know what is on them."  Hey, what are big brothers for?  I told her I thought I could "develop" them digitally, and lo, for once I was able to deliver.

This is a photo of our good friends, Win and Esther Brown.  As children we developed a close bond with these people.  Esther stayed in our home briefly long ago.  Winfred, in later life known as Win, was in the army and served a tour of duty in the European Theater.  He survived battle encounters and ultimately returned to the States, was honorably discharged and came to our city to pursue a degree in the Bible College of which our Dad was President.  Win and Esther went into the ministry and served as pastors of three or four churches on the district.  Later Win was elected District Superintendent.  We maintained contact with these people over the years.  Esther passed on to her eternal reward in 2002 and Win joined her in 2013.  He lived alone the years following Esther's passing. He repaired clocks (finally having to turn down business because too many people wanted his services) and worked in a funeral home as a driver and assistant in services.

This is Win as a lad with his dog.  This would probably have been six or seven years before we met him.

This is Esther's high school graduation   Win and Esther were both natives of Morland, Kansas and her memorial is in Morland Cemetery along with that of Winfred who passed later. 

There were other pictures in the pack of negatives but I have made these three snapshots an opportunity to pay tribute to two kind and loving friends.

Lester Lockard

The scriptures say of Barnabas, "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord."  (Acts 11:24 NIV)

Today I attended a Celebration of Life for my good friend, Lester Lockard.  As a general rule I prefer that a funeral be called a funeral, but in the case of Lester's service, it was truly a celebration of the life of a good man, a good man, like Barnabas, full of the Holy Spirit and faith; a man who brought a great number of people to the Lord.  Pastor Johnnie made the comparison to the degree that he even referred to Lester as a modern-day Barnabas.  The message of salvation in Jesus Christ would have pleased Lester, for it was his mission in life to share his faith in Christ.

Lester was kind and gentle and a great story teller.  I will remember him always for his glowing smile which lit any place he entered.  His joy of living was infectious.

Lester Lockard, 1924 - 2018

Joni Mitchell

Celebrate Joni Mitchell, painter, poet, singer, and perhaps the greatest living song writer as she turns 75 today!



Say a prayer for her well-being as she recovers from her recent illness.

Image: Wikipedia

Honoring Mother

110 years ago today my mother, Vera L. Morrell, was born near Hartman, Colorado.  Mama left her earthly family behind 27 years ago.  We still miss her.

The first Ford Model T came off the line six weeks after Mom's birth.












The telephone of the day.



I think is is safe to say that Mother's parents had neither of these modern conveniences, situated as they were on the High Plains of Eastern Colorado.

 
Mom was married 58 years to the love of her life, my Dad, Delbert W. Lacy

My Daddy

Father, Daddy, Dad.  This man grew up hard-scrabble on Colorado's high plains, raised a heathen, God reached down and drew him into His family when the boy was seventeen years of age.  From that point on Dad dedicated his life to the service of his Master, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and salvation through His atoning Blood.

Dad went home to his Heavenly Father nineteen years ago.  I still miss him, but the love, the guidance, the teachings that he left with me remain with me.

  

Delbert W. Lacy 1910 - 1999

Honor

Operation Overlord, June 6, 1944.  Be ever mindful of the fact that your freedom came with a price.  In memory of the Allied Forces who landed on Normandy and never returned and in honor of those who made it back home.

A Life Well-lived and A Mystery #T

Saturday morning I traveled to a city some fifty miles distant to attend the funeral of a very dear friend.  Although Howard was 86 years of age I cannot shake the feeling that he is gone too soon.  Good friends are all too few and they are leaving much too often these days.

I remarked to the grieving widow that Howard no doubt had more friends than anyone else I know for he worked at being a friend.  It was no surprise that friendship was a recurring theme of the memories-- that and Howard's unwavering love for Jesus and his desire that his friends would all come to know Him.

On the drive home I chose to take a route which I had driven day after day some six decades ago, for I lived in that town back then and drove twelve miles to work each day.   As I passed the little country church, three miles to go to reach the school where I had taught-- I started picturing the lay of the land as I had known it back then.  Coming up on the right and a mile before reaching the old school there would be the beautiful Bedford stone house which I had almost coveted in my youth.  What more could one want?  I thought it the epitome of design in residential structures and it was nearly new, having been built a mere half-dozen years before.   Abiding therein was a family who were patrons of the district, prosperous farmers, hard workers, who had two beautiful little flaxen-haired girls who attended our school.  Patty was in my homeroom, she as smart and capable and industrious as one might hope a sixth grade child to be.

There it is.  Same limestone house, same location.  And yet it looks so much smaller than I remembered it, possibly a thousand square feet, probably two bedrooms.  But that was not what most startled me.  The house was abandoned and clearly had been for some time.  The yard was overgrown not only with grass and weeds, but with scrub bushes. Sorry, bedraggled, and forgotten.

There on my left is the cemetery, then School in a Soybean Field apparently also deserted.  I drove on, pondering the fate of the inhabitants of the house I had once admired.  Why?  What happened? Where were those charming little girls now, little girls who would be in their sixties?  Things I'll never know.  The twists and turns that life takes are often imponderables in the broad scheme of things.

But I still wonder.

Howard Barefoot, 1932 - 2018  RIP

History Lesson

Remember Pearl Harbor
Never forget.



 USS West Virginia, December 7, 1941
Image: Wikipedia.  Article here.

November 11

Armistice declared on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the Year of Our Lord, 1918 to effect the cessation of hostilities in the "war to end all wars". (How has that worked out?)

Anyway, the war, now known as WWI, officially ended the following June upon the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

In 1919, November 11 was declared by President Wilson to be "Armistice Day". It was made a legal holiday by an Act of Congress in 1938. In 1954, the day was declared by an Act of Congress and a Proclamation by President Eisenhower to be "Veterans Day" in honor of all who served in the Armed Forces, since the 'war to end all wars' had failed miserably to accomplish the goal of ending all wars.

The Uniform Holiday Act of 1968 attempted to dump Veterans Day into the "Monday" federal holiday program, and Veterans Day was celebrated on October 25, 1971. It quickly became apparent that the American people would not stand still for this confusing slight to a much respected and honored holiday. Thus, in 1975, President Ford signed an Act of Congress into law which returned the celebration of our Service People to November 11, and since 1978 it has been so observed.

To all who served our country in the Armed Forces, thank you, thank you. Were it not for your sacrifices, we would be enslaved and impoverished. You stood up for us when we needed you.

How cool is that?

From The Tipton County Tribune, December 29, 2016

 

Our health care providers take pride in their work, we take pride in our health care workers.

Look at the company they keep.

Honoring the Spouse

 This was posted nearly eight years ago.  BBBH has put up with me, stood by me, cared for me during the intervening years and she still sings!  So in her honor here is a repost.

Several years before I met her, BBBH published a book of poems and songs she had written. I submit here lyrics to one of the songs. I particularly enjoy hearing her sing this.

Take a Look It's All in the Book

The Bible says we can be free

From all our sins and misery

That the Lord's the only way

Not many paths, like people say

Says we can claim His every word

Of His promises be assured

That we can know He loves us so

And that He just wants us to know

Says in the word that we can find

In the book He left behind

That He shed His blood for me

Took my stripes at Calvary

In His kingdom we can share

Because He'll always be there

He came to set us free from sin

So open your heart and let Him in

So take a look, take a look,

It's all in the book

So take a look, take a look

It's all in the book

John 3:16

Copyright Grace JoAnn Harrison 1995. Used by permission.

Celebration of Life

locally was scheduled from 1:30 to 3:00 with service to begin at three o'clock.  

I arrived about 2:40 and spoke with the children of the deceased and with my grandchildren.  At five til three I told the lady's daughter I would be staying for the service; then I seated myself with my grandson and his family

3:00 and nothing was happening other than the low murmuring of the people chatting with one another all across the room.  3:01 the funeral director  came into the room, moved a podium and microphone front and a bit right of center, stage right and to my left.  He unfolded a tapestry-style antimacassar over the top of a chair near the wall.  It was lettered

 MINISTER

and there sat the chair, empty.

3:30  I exited the room in favor of the small room because an old man can go only so long without going.  In a few minutes I returned to my seat.

3:46 the minister arrived.   She walked to the casket as shown in the first illustration, perhaps to say a prayer.  She then walked to the podium and started by apologizing for her tardiness, which served to delay the service yet longer.

The message itself was appropriate, scripture Luke 16:19-31. 
 The lady's attire consisted of black slacks and white blouse with a short black sweater, the hem of which fell well above her waist.  The blouse hanging outside the trousers was buttoned cockeyed such that the front left hem was three inches below the right and the collar was hiked higher on one side than on the other. 

Was I distracted from the proper focus of the gathering?

Not really.  I am just very observant and good at multitasking.

RIP  Diane

 

Pi Day

Today is National Pi Day,  3.14, get it?

Coincidentally it is also the anniversary of the birth of probably the most famous theoretical physicist of his time.  Albert Einstein 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955



To celebrate Pi Day, please have a nice slice of pie, fruit pie of course, and certainly the pie should be round.

Grace from Dragon's Alley sent us this sweet little pie song by:
Quincey Coleman

Ellis Allison

Legacy.  His legacy of love for Christ and his family; his legacy of service and caring for others.  These were topics of emphasis during the celebration of the life of Ellis S. Allison yesterday.

Tributes were offered by his employer, by his children and grandchildren, by his pastor.  It was evident that Ellis was loved, but I knew this because I, too, knew Ellis.  The man was a true Christian, one who wanted everyone he met to know Jesus too, even as he knew Him.  He was a people-person.  No tribute I could write could state better what was stated by Paul in his letter to the Philippians.  And this passage was read by the pastor:

 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.  If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer.  I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better;  but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.  --Philippians 1:21-24 (NRSV)

I have heard it said of many people upon their passing that they were "in a better place."  Never have I heard it said of anyone for whom I was more certain than I am that Ellis is with his Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

Ellis S. Ellison  1932 - 2015  RIP

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

It is a little noted fluke of history that during World War II Canada was the first Western nation to declare war on Japan.

The Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service bombed the U. S. Fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, "a date that shall live in infamy," in the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  On December 8, the United States declared war on Japan.

But Canada had made that declaration on December 7 within hours of the Japanese attack.  Parliament was not in session and it was not scheduled to sit for action again until January 21, 1942, so the declaration was made without Parliamentary debate.   Prime Minister Mackenzie King reasoned that this action was a continuation of the war against the Axis which Parliament had declared in 1939 and thus calling an assembly of Parliament was not necessary.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, or simply Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States in remembrance of the 2403 American patriots who died on Oahu that December day seventy-four years ago.  It is not a Federal holiday, but a day of remembrance.  The flag is to be flown at half-staff until sundown on December 7.

Old Glory

Long may she wave.

Today is Veterans Day

Originally called Armistice Day, the holiday was established in commemoration of the end of World War I and was celebrated on November 11, the date of the armistice signing. Since that time, having been engaged in too many wars, our freedoms requiring defenders, we have changed the appellation to Veterans Day and thereby honor all who have served in our armed forces.

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard.

No matter the branch of the military, so many have served selflessly and valiantly. Many have lost their lives in the defense of liberty and myriad others have suffered trauma, physical, mental and spiritual.

Thank a veteran, not just today, but anytime you have occasion to visit with one. Honor the fallen, specifically today, but be ever mindful of their sacrifices.

Word of the day:  honor

Dejazmach Kassa Wolde Mariam

Fall 1954, the start of my junior year in college.  A new dormitory opened on campus and my room assignment was in this facility.  That same autumn Ethiopian student Kassa Mariam transferred to SPC.  He resided on the same floor in the dorm, though while I was on the east wing, he was on the north wing.  A large commons area at the junction of these halls gave ample opportunity for social interactions.

Mariam's course of study took him in a different direction when we headed for classes. I was fascinated by the force of Casey's personality and by the fact that he hailed from such a remote part of the world, remote to me being anywhere outside the Western United States.

The one year concluded my contact with Mariam, for though he plowed ahead and graduated with our class of '56, I laid out a year and he had moved on to his career before I finished.  Briefly, Kassa Mariam, hereditary royalty in his own right, returned to his homeland and in 1959 he married  Seble Desta, granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie. with whom he had five children.  He served as private secretary to the Emperor.  Kassa was named founding president of Haile Selassie University in 1962. and following his tenure as president of the university, he was named Agriculture Secretary, the position which he occupied when Selassie was overthrown by the Derg.  

Kassa Mariam was imprisoned in 1974 and in 1979 he was executed.  His widow, also imprisoned, was released in 1988.

For more detail click here.
Open letter from Kassa's children regarding proposed pardon of Derg leaders.  Click here.

Kassa W. Mariam c.1934 - 1979 RIP

References:

Seattle Pacific Response

Wikipedia, Seble Desta
The letter linked above.

"Saturday, July 14, 1979, was the feast day of the Holy Trinity. Reports say that His Excellency Lidj Kassa Wolde-Mariam (“Lidj” is the Ethiopian equivalent of a British “lord”) was led from his cell and went to his knees before fellow prisoner and priest, Patriarch Abune Tewophilos, who gave him absolution. Kassa rose and followed his executioners to the appointed spot where Amaha believes his father was strangled to death. Some reports say that his confessor died with him in the same mannr."  Seattle Pacific Response, linked above as more detail.

Remembered

It was six years ago today that my life-long best friend Wes concluded his mortality and put on immortality.

Wes is still remembered and missed in this Earth.

Wes and I were about the age of Bryan, on left above, when we first bonded as best buds.

Donald G. Prout

Donald Prout passed from this life June 23, 2015.  Don is brother to my late wife, Ellie but more, Don was my friend.

Don did not enjoy traveling.  His home was the one place he most wanted to be, and his home was the house his parents built and in which Donald grew up.  He and his wife Jane bought the house from his parents when they retired and moved to other quarters.  Yet in spite of his love for his own environs, Don and Jane would travel to Indiana from time to time to visit us at the lake or in Tipton.

Don loved to fish and I spent many pleasant hours alongside him and his sister in that endeavor.  But more than fishing, Don loved to be engaged in productive labor.  Mr. Prout was a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.  It was always in our best interest, and in his, to have a "project" awaiting him when he visited.  He wired our garden sheds on both properties and hooked us up for 220 at the lake house.  Yet his skills were not limited to his profession, for he was an accomplished handyman and numerous items in need of attention fell under the ministrations of his talented hands.

Don was partial to pocket tees and as they were not always easy for him to find, these items were always welcomed gifts.

Don and Jane lovingly raised two children Bill and Karen, and in later life became doting grandparents to the next generation of Prout offspring.

In our bedroom, we have a beautiful and quite complicated desk that Don built as his senior shop project when he was in high school.  As much as we cherish this piece of furniture, it is the love and friendship of this good man that we cherish most.  He will be missed.

Donald Goodwin Prout  March 4, 1936 - June 23, 2015,  RIP