Footsteps

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it.

"LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

It is rolling around again ..... December 7

I imagine the number of people who vividly remember this date is dwindling. I am 79, born in 1932, and remember that day as if it were yesterday. As FDR said, "A date which will live in infamy."

I was in Greencastle, Indiana, along with my Mom and Dad, we were visiting my Brother Dean, who was attending DePauw University. We had just finished eating lunch in the Delta Tau Delta house dining room, my brother's fraternity. I was reclining on a big leather couch, suffering from a mild allergy attack from eating too may hot homemade Parker House rolls. I knew better, I was allergic to eggs, but could not resist those hot rolls.

News was coming in on the big Philco Radio in the large Commons Room, which was filled with many students and their parents. I remember hearing, Japan, Pearl Harbor, sneak attack, bombs, aircraft, words like devastation, casualties, ships sinking, words that would soon become commonplace.

The stillness in the crowded room, the expressions on faces, there was a foreboding feeling in the room that made me acutely aware that a disaster had happened, one that would have a dramatic affect on the young men in the room. I had a feeling that they sensed how this would affect their future, that their lives would never be the same, a life altering event.

I remember the three hour drive home, in a Packard Clipper, few to no words were exchanged between the three of us. We drove in silence. The country would soon be at war, and we all knew it. My Dad had served in WWI and knew of war, his Father, Caleb,  was in the Civil War, and Dad had heard many stories of the horror of that war. He was the most silent, he knew what the future held.

December 7, 1941, "A date which will live in infamy." We should never forget that date.

 

See you at the house ...........

 

Food for Thought

From the founding of the colonies to the declaration of the Supreme Court, America's heritage is built up on the principles of the Christian religion.

And yet the secularists are dismantling this foundation brick by brick, attempting to deny the very core of our national life.

You weigh the evidence. Consider the following facts which are being systematically erased from our nation's memory:

•In 1892, the Supreme Court of the United States declared, "This is a Christian nation."
•During the War for Independence, Congress resolved to import 20,000 volumes of the Bible because "the use of the Bible is so universal, and its importance so great."
•The New England Confederation stated that the purpose of the colonies was "to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy the liberties of the gospel in purity with peace."
•Harvard College required that each student believe that "the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life."
•John Adams wrotea, "The Christian religion is...the Religion of Wisdom, Virtue, Equity, and humanity."
•Engraved on the metal cap on the top of the Washington Monument are the words "Praise be to God."

See you at the house ..............

The Bridge Builder

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

Tuesday, November 29,,2011 - Where did November go?

I was amazed this morning, to find out that November is already over, next thing we know, the year will be gone. I should have known it was almost Christmas, I put our tree up on Thanksgiving Day. Well, I took it out of the plastic bag, carried it to the living room, and put it on a pedastal table, in front of the mirror. I actually did that for our GREAT Grandaughter, Miss Brooklyn, as we call her.

Having Miss Brooklyn for dinner added a whole new dimension to the day for me. She sat at the table with us, had her own plate of food, and was the highlight of the day. How nice it is to have a "little one" around.

Now, I am considering putting the tree, which is maybe 2 feet tall, in a corner, on the floor, so Miss Brooklyn can see it betterr. Making a little "fairyland" for her. And, the tree is a good size for her.

I had another revealation the other day, I am in my 80th year, even though I just turned 79. You live a year before you have your first birthday, so, the day you are born, you are in your first year, so, I am in my 80th year. It took a while for that to be explained to me.

See you at the House ...............

The Table, Under the Window, Next to my Chair

It's morning, nice and quiet, "Easy Listening" music coming out of the TV, my U.S. Navy coffee cup nearby, working on my second cup, glancing occasionally at the table next to my chair. I have a lifetime of memories on the table, that my Dad make. He made it with a glass top, and a drawer under that, so you see everything in the drawer, that he made near the top.

All the "treasurers" should be in the drawer  they don't collect dust, but I have they on top where they are readily visible for me to glance at.

A small photograph of my Mom and Dad, it was one of Mom's favorites, next to that, a photo of my Brother, Dean Shannon Dooley. We were about twelve years apart, so we were never really close fiends, he was always many steps ahead of me. He has always been my "hero" though.

A number of birthday cards, an old tintype of Caleb Dooley, my Grandfather, some things from Brad and Bernie, some things from Melissa, my daughter, a small wood carving from the 40's, purchased in Canada on a trip there, some souvenirs of my Dad and Caleb medals and things.

Also a pair of dice from the Nevada Club, along with a $5 chip from there, could be one that I handled back in the 50's.

My bottle of Dr. Franks, I use it a few times a day, seems to work on my arthritis, and under that bottle my magnets. When I get an ache or a sore spot, I use a magnet, and it goes away in a short time. Hey, it works for me, and there are many people who I suggested those remedy's to, and they have often thanked me.

My Mom always referred to things like those as her "treasures" and  these certainly are to me.

In a brief glance I can go from the Civil war, to today, and all that happened in between.

Quiet time, so much "noise" in the world, nice to spend some "quiet" time, with t table full of memories.

An old expression ..............

I have heard this expression all of my life. My Mom was a PK, a  "Preachers Kid," and many of the visitors at our house were ministers and evangelists, some graying, at 319 South Brown Street in Dayton, Ohio, and as someone was leaving, heard that expression.

I have many more years behind me than I have ahead of me, I know that. I recently turned 79, a year away from the big 80, so I have many years of experience to fall back on.

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