Pioneer women…their life compared to mine

I grew up when times were quite different so far as conveniences are concerned. I was born in what may seem like the dark ages….but it was a bit after that. Times were hard, so my parents lived with my grandparents just to survive. My uncle, who was not married, lived in the same house for a while, also.

The house was not that large, but I don’t remember being overcrowded. A child is not really concerned about details other than being fed, being warm and clean. Playing with friends, taking naps and having occasional treats were the major things that mattered back in my early days.

This morning when I woke up and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, I had a modern stove to fry my bacon and eggs, a microwave oven to heat some danish, a coffee maker for making my coffee and I poured orange juice from a plastic container, which was kept cold in a state of the art refrigerator. What more could I ask for? Nothing!

When I let my mind wander way back, my Grandfather had to get up very early to start a fire in the only fireplace in the house. He took some kindling and put some chunks of coal in the hot remains of the heat from the night before. He wanted that room to be warm for the family when we got out of bed.

There was a “laundry heater” as my Grandmother called it, in the kitchen. A fire had to be started in that, also. Grandmother and Mother cooked breakfast for the family on a kerosene stove. Even as a little girl I was afraid the stove would blow up and burn the house down.

We had good food to eat, but nothing was easy for Mother and Grandmother to prepare. In addition to that, they had to pack a lunch for the men to take to work with them. After my brother and I started to school, they packed lunches for us to take with us because the school did not furnish food in a cafeteria. There was no lunchroom. We were able to pay on Monday, to get milk for the week. If you did not pay for the entire week on Monday, you did not have any to drink each day. Needless to say, we had routines and we accepted them as a way of life.

I don’t think my Mother and Grandmother qualified as “pioneers “ because we did not travel in covered wagons, going to start settlements in the wilderness. Things compared to our current way of life were primitive, however.

I am so grateful for every modern convenience I have. I have known what life was like when we were happy to get a washing machine! Then when we got a clothes dryer and no longer had to hang clothes to dry on a line in the backyard, that was a major improvement !

Now, everything is so advanced, old timers wonder how we were able to manage just the mundane things in life. I appreciate the women who preceded me and for the men who invented so many labor saving appliances. As I enjoyed my breakfast this morning I couldn’t help but count my blessings!

With all the labor saving devices for the kitchen, for heat with a push of a button or controlled thermostat. I say I have been truly blessed!

For the folks who have grown up having all the modern conveniences we now have, the older generation seems very deprived. Back then, people worked hard, went to bed when it got dark and were very happy with the things they had. There were no smart phones, IPads or computers. I am thankful I have lived to see the evolution. But I must say, I really appreciate my IPad!

I really like old things…..

The older I get, the more I like them. I was trying to arrange pots and pans to make things more orderly in the kitchen, when I picked up several “oldies” that took me back in time.

Long ago when I had my first job as a teenager, I worked at Dodd’s 5 and 10 cents store at Five Points. I applied for a part time job at Easter when I was 15 years old. Mr.Faile, the Manager, said I looked mature for my age and he gave me job that very afternoon. My first assignment was filling Easter baskets with goodies and a toy, then wrapping the basket in colored cellophane and adding a big bow. I loved the job and went in the next day to continue making more of them.

For the rest of the year, I worked after school on Fridays and all day on Saturdays. When school was over for the summer, I worked full time until I had to return to school in the Fall. Dodd’s had some of the best things for a kitchen, as well as cosmetics, some clothing items, toys and jewelry.

I must have always had a homemaker quality about me because I loved putting new gadgets, pots, pans, rolling pins, etc., on the shelves. An older lady who worked there noticed my interest in so much of the merchandise. I bought a whistling kettle, some cookie sheets, a rolling pin and other things. She asked why I was spending my pay on things like that. I told her they were for my “hope chest.”

The nice lady brought me one of her cast iron frying pans as a contribution. I still have it to this day! She told me she never used it and wanted me to have it. Today I was baking some biscuits and used a cookie sheet that I bought at Dodd’s so many years ago. Things were made to last back then.

When I looked in a kitchen cabinet, I saw a small glass pitcher with a metal flip top that was on my Grandmother’s table quite a lot during winters when I was a child. I loved pancakes and warm syrup. That little pitcher is very old and most people would have thrown it away years ago, but not me. if you think I am sentimental, you are 100% correct!

I probably inherited some of my habits from my Mother. She kept so many things…things that I would not have, but we all are different. It took me a year to dispose of many of her “treasures.” I am trying to dispose of what I can part with so my girls will not have the long lasting chore I had.

We each have our peculiarities and being very sentimental is one of mine. Just recently I was looking through a box of birthday cards I had saved. As I read the handwritten notes on almost each of them, tears came into my eyes because so many of those friends have died. “You can’t take it with you“ as we all know, but I don’t regret having saved some things so that I could take one last look and to let my mind walk down memory lane with happy thoughts of my friends and family.

I love and appreciate…..

There are so many people in this category it would be impossible to single just one group or individual out to pay tribute to. I will just focus on one segment today.

In the past, most of you, like me, were able to eat almost anything we wanted, except maybe for pheasant under glass and caviar. Personally, I have not had those delicacies, nor do I want them. But back to the real world.

So many food items have skyrocketed in price during the past year, especially meats. But I wanted some bacon and “I threw caution to the wind” and bought some. It was not the most expensive, but was still in the eight dollar range. For my family, especially my daughters who know me best, they must have thought their Mother has lost her mind.

I reasoned with myself, as though I had to justify my decision, and I bought two packages! I am not going to the South Carolina State Fair, nor to the football game. Neither am I buying any new clothes or having my hair professionally frosted. All those things cost a lot of money these days, so I bought the bacon and really enjoyed some this morning.

Now, if it had not been for the people who are farmers, cattle breeders and dairymen, I would not have had a good breakfast of foods I enjoy so much. We are all dependent on one another in this world. There are those who work so hard year round, growing food or raising livestock. But that must be distributed to the stores by drivers. Once it is delivered to the store, the men in the meat department have to get it on the shelves or in the counters to be purchased.

So, as I enjoyed my delicious breakfast today, I had to remember everyone who had a part in making it happen. There is an old saying about how we all intermingle. “No man is an island, no one goes his way alone…what we send into the lives of others, comes back into our own!” This is very true. We each have a part to play in the existence and happiness of each other.

Enjoy the weekend and give a little thought to all the people it takes to make life so enjoyable! Thanks everyone! YOU are the BEST!

Do you ever wonder why?

I woke up very early this morning, as I often do. I used to sleep soundly, got up, prepared breakfast and went to work. No problem. Even after I did not have to go out someplace, my sleep pattern was “normal.” Now, and for sometime, that has changed. I wake up in the wee hours, toss and turn, but stay awake until it is the normal wake up time. That is not good because I am sleepy then.

When I used to go to movies or even if I watch one on television, I see things that don’t seem right. For instance, when it is winter and there are snow scenes, but the actors go outside wearing short sleeves and sandals. I notice things like this, especially when people are rushing down a busy street wearing heavy coats during summer or other things that do not blend as they should.

Once on a vacation that included a day in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a local guide escorted us by bus around the city. She was very proud to tell us Green Bay was the toilet tissue capital of the world, or at least her world. We got to go inside one factory to observe the production line. So long as I remember there has always been a firm paper tube that the tissue was wrapped around to hold it in place. Then one company introduced “tubeless rolls.” The ads showed the thousands of rolls without the support of the stiff material and tried to convince the public it was a great savings for everyone. That idea was a failure.

For many products that we, the public, use and are happy with, but the manufacturers come out with a “new, improved version” every so often, In a way, they make you wonder why you were foolish to think the old product was so good. Also, when they imply you are saving so much money but they have actually raised the price.,

I wonder about fads and how they become so popular “overnight.” But, all of a sudden, the stores are full of the “latest” fashion. For example a few years ago when dresses and blouses had the shoulders cut out. The market was flooded in no time. Then, the popularity was over. Customers had spent a lot of money for a look that was passé very quickly.

It all depends on changing times and about the buyers nature. Automobile designs are a good example of change. I can remember when the men in my family could look at a car and know the year and model name at first glance.I couldn’t do that, but I knew a lot about new products in foods. Food preparation was popular with homemakers.

Everything seems to have a short period of popularity. Hairstyles, clothing, food products and everything else is temporary. Change keeps the world busy…new inventions, new methods, new ways to get people to spend money. All those things keep people busy and may keep some people awake when they should be sleeping! Just wondering….

Life is forever changing…..

Yes, life never remains the same. There are routines and habits that make our days similar, but I can’t remember them being identical. Life was meant to be enjoyed, I believe.

Being secluded, as many of us have been during the pandemic period we all are going through, has caused us to think about many things. There is no way to describe our thoughts and concerns. I have remained at home and have looked at baby pictures of my children, as well as some photos of me as a toddler and as I was growing up.

Those were happy times for me. I loved my parents, grandparents, my teachers and playmates. Then day by day, week by week and year by year life went on. We grow up very fast and go through a series of changes as we pass from being a child to becoming an adult.

For me, and for most of my friends, we lived a good life. We were “working folks” and had to save to go on vacations or buy new furniture. Most of us had families, and were involved with our children and everything they did. The children grew up and we lost family members as many of them passed away.

Those things happen as the cycle of life occurs. When the worldwide pandemic that began by the spread of COVID 19, continued to spread, the loss of life was unreal! There have been epidemics before, but none of this magnitude in my lifetime.

All of this to say…we don’t know what to expect from day to day anymore. There is a song that became popular years ago called “One day at a time.” That is how we are to live life….one day at a time. We cannot change the past and we can just pray about the future.

We do not know what the future holds, but we do know WHO holds the future. God has promised never to leave nor forsake us. HE holds our life in HIS hands. So it is up to us to live the best we can, enjoy every blessing that comes our way and trust that the BEST is yet to be!

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I am on a mission!

Recently I have been trying to declutter, downsize and donate…I have been delayed for a number of reasons for many months, but somehow I became rejuvenated this week….well, it was really a few weeks ago, but my vitamins must have really taken effect yesterday.

I have had some things I don’t wear very often, safely stored away in a plastic bin. I cannot understand why, but once I part with some of my favorite things, after keeping them for years, I immediately need them!But when they are gone…. never to be seen or used by me again, I want them !

The category I am working with this morning is my fabulous scarf collection! I am afraid to count them! I have one neck, but hundreds of scarves!

The popularity of scarves comes and goes. I used to have a scarf to accent my “famous sheath dress collection.” I made my clothes, as well as dresses for my two daughters. It was fun, but also practical. Having a limited amount of money for clothes, I made as many as I could. Not only clothing, but curtains and drapes.

Well, this morning has really taken me back for a lot of years. As I looked at each scarf, it brought back many memories. I am a sentimental person and the time I spent sorting and folding scarves was exciting!

It is comforting to look at all the happy experiences I have shared with friends and family. There were some scarves that came with ensembles of better clothing that I gave away, but kept the scarf that came with the outfit There are many scarves that I made from materials I found in the fabric department at Walmart and there are some that were gifts.

Two that I especially like were gifts. After I retired from BellSouth, I had several other occupations to add more work quarters to increase my Social Security when I was old enough to draw it. My coworkers had a party on my birthday with a beautiful cake and the gift of a designer scarf! It was very expensive, just because of a famous person’s signature! I still have the scarf! Happy memories!

The other is also a designer scarf, given to me by one of my daughters. I know it was a sacrifice for her, and it really is special. Both of my daughters are my greatest gifts from God! Being born to my wonderful Mother is another gift I thank God for every day!

‘This journal entry was really written for my daughters to read, but I hope some of you will enjoy it. We are told not to cling to earthly possessions and I don’t, but I do enjoy all the memories that are attached to certain items and I think that is a good thing!

Now, on with my work! Oh, it is time for lunch….my rest break is over and after a nourishing snack, I will get on with the mission!

A new week is here…what lies ahead?

The answer to that question has to be, “no one knows.” Prior to COVID, life was pretty much routine. After Saturday and Sunday away from our jobs, we started afresh. When I worked, I always planned my week in advance. My dear boss, in the distant past, had a motto, “Plan your work , then work your plan.”

I no longer go to my office, but I kept the habit of making a list of my goals for the upcoming week. With the pandemic becoming less, but still in effect, there is not a lot of planning to be done.

I mentioned in an earlier post that there were only two dates on my October calendar that had something written in them. One was for a doctor’s appointment and the other, a haircut.

On the advice of my doctors, it is best to stay at home as much as possible to avoid being exposed to the virus. Even if you have been vaccinated, there is no guarantee that you will not get sick.

My extended family has been greatly affected by COVID. My grandson in law is one who has experienced overwhelming losses. First his sister had the virus. Her life was taken because of it. His niece, his mother and father and his aunt and uncle all contracted the disease,as well as him. Seven people….who had been vaccinated, I believe, became ill and four died from it. That is a very high percentage.

Life had always been fragile, but we were free to go about our daily routines of going to work on weekdays and having time on the weekends for errands, some leisure activities and to go to church on Sundays. Those good times lasted a long time and I suppose we are all guilty of thinking that routine would continue “forever.”

We, as a people, have learned to appreciate many things that were taken for granted in the past. Due to being retired, I can stay at home most of the time, but so many others do not have that privilege. When I think of all the service providers, the doctors, nurses, teachers, truck drivers, mailmen, garbage men and many others who go out daily so that life can go on during these trying times, I am so grateful for them and pray they will be safe.

My Bible teacher and encourager, Dr.David Jeremiah, is teaching about current conditions and what the Bible says about things that are taking place at a rapid rate now. He has the gift of explaining things that are difficult for a lay person to grasp on their own. I am so thankful for wise people who can lead us through current happenings.

So here we are…it is Monday, a new week. No one knows exactly what is in store, but we do know someone who holds the future and who has promised never to leave nor forsake us. We have learned that worry does not change the situation, but prayer does. So, as we face a new week, we can live one day at a time, enjoy every blessing in each moment and just know the BEST is yet to be.

Terrific Tuesday….let’s make it terrific!

We are still in the midst of the pandemic. Gas prices are soaring, as are the prices of goods and services of every kind. Yesterday, Facebook had serious problems. It did not work for many hours, which presented much frustration. Ships that transport goods of every kind are floating around and cannot be unloaded. Loss of life is still staggering in numbers. The bottom line is…many of us have never lived in the conditions of today.

It might be a more accurate statement to say that no one has lived in conditions that affect every person in the world at the same time, as they do now.

Each weekday morning I study with Dr.David Jeremiah on television His positive insight on everything certainly is an encouragement to me.

During the past few years, I have spent many hours a day on Facebook for several reasons. I am retired and am not required to go to out to work each weekday. I enjoy quotes and there is an abundant supply available every day! In the past, my husband and I enjoyed traveling and now one pleasure is finding photographs of many of the places we spent time in.

I was interested in photography during our travels and have a collection of “memories “ in albums, but now I have access to much better work by professionals.

I have acquired many new friends through similar interests. Then because of the deluge of things I like and have shared, I lose friends. Then, I lose some friends through deaths or because my posts take up too much space and time. Today I tried to downsize my “friend base” to make room for some people who wanted to become friends.

“Change” is constant! Many years ago, before modern technology, life was totally different. The pace was much slower and blood pressure was much lower, I believe.

In my study with Dr.Jeremiah, today, he emphasized education and the fact that God is all we need. We now live in a world that is full of problems. But the world has always been full of problems, they were different, but nevertheless, we had problems.

There is ONE who will listen and who will be with us through every situation. We should read the Bible and pray every day…many times. Our life on earth is brief compared to eternity. We can become “educated” about everything; every situation, every need and every solution, by reading, praying and asking for what we need.

I am thankful for so many things in my life, for family and friends, for the comfort and conveniences we enjoy, for doctors who care for the sick, for food and shelter…and yes, even for Facebook and the way we can communicate with one another.

I know that today will be a Terrific Tuesday because I began it with becoming a bit more educated, as Dr.Jeremiah recommends and by asking God to take care of us and to have mercy on us. Let us all resolve to make it a Terrific Tuesday! ….and that goes for EVERY day! God bless! ♥️

A Sunny Sunday in South Carolina!

I am not sure the sun was shining everywhere in South Carolina, but it was in my “neck of the woods.” I go to Sunday School very early, in fact, I like to be there at 8:00 AM! Class does not begin that early, but since our members are brought to church in vans from all parts of the city and some are quite a distance from the church. Therefore, we need to be there to welcome the members and serve them refreshments.

Our Special Ed members are like family. We love being together, especially after the long delay when no one could leave the group homes. Masks are required now, but the members slip them down to eat and drink. Today, everyone was in a happy mood! The members are adults, some are even “senior adults.”

Pam Phillips is our music director. She leads us in “action filled”songs. The folks know every word of each song and you can tell they love to stomp their feet, clap their hands or do other motions. Under normal conditions, we would be ringing bells on one Sunday of each month. The leader of this activity holds different colored cards up as the music is playing and coordinating bells are rung. We “make beautiful music” and this is one our favorite activities.

Attendance is down due to restrictions that must be followed, but those who were there today enjoyed being together again! We have one male teacher. Today was his Sunday to present the lesson. The members love to take part in the Bible story and each week they get to come up and put something on the white board or to raise their hand to answer questions. Involvement keeps their attention and they love to take part.

We keep an artificial tree in the Department year round. Today it was beautifully decorated with orange pumpkins and fall leaves of various colors. We had each person write their name on a pretty paper pumpkin and they were all placed in the “pumpkin patch” to stay there until it is time to transition to red and green colors for Christmas.

I have often said that our department is the prettiest in the entire Sunday School. Quite often, church members will come to visit our department just to see how beautiful it is! We go all out to show love to everyone and make them feel “special.” You can feel the warmth!

As I drove in to town early this morning, the sun almost blinded me because it was so bright! But it was nothing to compare with all the happy faces and big smiles in our classroom! If only everyone could experience the JOY and LOVE that our folks in Special Ed bring with them every week! What a blessing it is to be with them! ♥️

Where Do We Go From Here?

“Where Do We Go From Here?” is the title of Dr.David Jeremiah’s latest book. He is a prolific writer and tonight he said that this new book was sold out before it was published. The printer is 50,000 copies short right now, if I understood correctly. Dr.Jeremiah made an announcement some months about the upcoming book after he became so concerned about the direction the world is headed.

I “attend” the Saturday service on my IPad every week. It comes on at 8:00 PM here. My grandson and his family are members at Shadow Mountain in the San Diego area. I also study with Dr.Jeremiah each weekday morning. He is an excellent teacher.

That was just a little background about the title of the Jean’s Journal entry for today.

I know that many people around the world are asking the same question. Never in my lifetime has the entire universe been affected by a virus that is taking countless thousands of lives in the United States and an astronomical number in the rest of the world.

Some of the topics he talks about in the book are: Apostasy…the falling away from the church. We see that happening more and more now, but it started years ago when pleasures took first place on Sundays.

Socialism is another chapter in the book. The news is filled each day with changes that are taking place so swiftly, we cannot believe all the are hearing.

Cancel culture is a new term. Dr.Jeremiah asks , “Does Bible prophecy predict a time when society tries to silence the voices of morality?”

Pandemics…are they the illnesses, plagues and pestilence of our day, signs we are living in the Last Days? Spiritual Famine…Is the indifference of God being experienced in the world today a sign we are living in the Last Days?

Globalism…the world is getting smaller and more intertwined every day. Does the Bible predict this? Economic chaos…Is our cashless society, cryptocurrency and microchipping technology mentioned in Bible prophecy? I got this list from my monthly newsletter. I am concerned about the rapid changes that have affected every life on the planet, so I shared them with those who read my journal.

I cannot wait to get my copy of the book. In the meantime, I will continue to listen to the sermons each week and will pray that the world can be delivered from the circumstances that have changed the lives of everyone. Just today I learned from my grandson in law, that his father passed away at 12:14 PM from COVID. A few months ago his sister died from COVID and he and two other family members are recovering from this disease.

My constant prayer is that God will have mercy on us and that once again the world will be the wonderful place we once knew.