A kind-hearted group of quilters in Sharps Chapel finished a true labor of love this summer. The Norris Lake Quilting Bee, who meet in Irwin's Chapel United Methodist Church, completed a quilt started by an Ohio woman who passed away due to cancer and returned the completed quilt to her husband, Jeff Sutherland.
We are all unique with the capacity for creativity and artistic expression. Through purposeful creation we form physical manifestations of our uniqueness. Of course, there is not simply just one correct way to do anything and with that idea we find that there is infinite strength in individualism. What one person may envision and create given a blank canvas can be, and often is, vastly different from another person's creation. That was greatly displayed at the Union County Heritage Festival's Art Show on Saturday, October 6, 2018.
With Halloween coming up, it is time for us to talk about the Boogerman/Boogerwoman.
At the time I was growing up, child psychologists were unheard of. In most cases, no one even got to a doctor unless they were seriously ill. I don’t remember any “cures” dealing with behavior. These were the common cures and most could be bought at local grocery stores:
Last time, we discussed the statement from 2 Corinthians 6:17 about being a separate people and how this separate means different. Christians are in the world but not of the world, so we are set apart in that we do not follow our own path but rather the path of our Savior. A Savior who purchased our sins and gave His Righteousness to us. (See Jerimiah 23:6) He had to do this because of our inability to keep God’s Law. Our sin nature made it impossible for us to make atonement for our failures. (See Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6)
Mincey’s Musings
Year One, Week Forty
I have for some time been writing down words that people use in “quirky” ways. I find it interesting the way people often misspeak words unintentionally, often rendering thought provoking meanings. A few examples follow.
A country woman had an opportunity to eat in a fancy restaurant. Trying to impress her companions, she ordered a “ward off” salad. Though that was not on the menu, the waiter directed the lady to the Waldorf salad as an excellent choice to ward off unwanted calories.
This zesty adventure started late one evening as I was walking in the dark by myself. I had just dug my cell phone out of the floorboard of my husband Tim’s truck. Being an old geek, I was gazing up at the stars. It dawned on me that I hadn’t locked Tim’s truck back after retrieving my phone. Without taking my eyes off of the night sky, I tossed my hand back and pressed the lock button on the clicker. Ka-Click. The truck beeped.
Ka-KAW Ka-KAW rang out.
I came to a dead stop and stood there alone in the darkness. Goose bumps ran up my arm.
Back pain, especially chronic back pain, can make life miserable; this condition is quite common in the military. Randomized trials have found that spinal manipulation can be effective for lower back pain. One 2013 study specifically compared chiropractic therapy to general medical care in military personnel, 18-35 years old. The results suggest reduced pain and improved physical wellbeing and function as compared to patients who only received the standard care.
After a long hot summer my favorite time of year is finally here, with its balmy days, cool nights, and eventual forest color display that everyone looks forward to. If you ever wonder why leaves change color, here’s the latest scoop.
Anyone who knows me knows of my taste for black walnuts. When my kids were small and money was tight, I would load the three youngest ones in the pickup. After a fall's hard freeze, we would head for my favorite walnut trees along country roads. Each child would have his or her own pail. “Pick 'em up as fast as you can,” I would yell.
Sometimes, neighbors took offense with our picking up the walnuts, even if the walnuts were out in the roadway. We did get run off occasionally, but it didn't take long to fill the pickup bed with the ones we could get.
I like corn salsa. It is best made in the summertime with fresh vegetables. Red tomatoes in the winter don't taste as good as tomatoes fresh from the garden. That goes for sweet corn, too. We like sweet corn freshly cut from the cob and fried with butter, salt and sugar. Oh well, that is another dish. For this salsa, canned whole kernel corn can be used as well. I learned to appreciate red onions while working at Arby's in Halls. I was introduced to jalapeno peppers when we moved to Tennessee. Before that, I only used the yellow hot banana peppers.
We would like to thank everyone who stopped by our booth at the 14th Annual Union County Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 6, 2018.
As we did last year, we decided to give something back to those who signed up for our weekly newsletter. Everyone who signed up was entered into a drawing to receive their own copy of Betty Bullen’s print, “Fiddlin Around.”
Residents at Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville are feeling the love even more these days. Admissions and marketing director Kathy Chesney said mindfulness and generosity from local organizations have given residents new in-room televisions and a new water fountain with a bottle filling station.
The sun beamed smiles down on Narrow Ridge for the 19th Annual Hogskin History Day. All the rain for a solid week had me antsy a few days before–what can we all do except sit in our cars until the rain stops and the grass dries off? Thankfully, that did not happen and the day could not have been nicer. There were about 10 to 15 tents set up with quality goods and displays. I read a few excerpts from stories from my books and told my story of how Hogskin got its name. Early on in my journey as a County Historian I inquired of local people how place names originated.
Tennessee All Stars was established as a recognition program for outstanding 4-H members. Before a 4-Her can become an All Star member, they have to be a member of their local Honor Club. Union County Honor Club is organized and meets monthly on the second Tuesday at the UT Extension Union County. Students, grades six through twelve, are encouraged to join and become more involved in their community through service projects, volunteering, and leadership. All Stars provide service to others through individual and cooperative efforts.
On Sunday, September 30, Chapel of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sharps Chapel, TN voted to purchase land on which to build their first church building. Located on Sharps Chapel Road near the intersection with Post Master Road, the land is only about three minutes from Route 33.
“I am very thankful for the leadership of our congregation’s president Jeff Landis,” stated Paul Kritsch, pastor of the church. “I am also proud of the way our members searched out three possibilities and the way they prayed and discussed and then decided.”
Many of you commented on the article about my relative Bill and the PCH fraud that was perpetrated on him. Here is the latest surprise happening that I want to make sure people know about.
Two days ago, Bill received a call from the scammers. Yes, they are still calling him. They told him that all they needed was another $555 and they would be showing up at his door with the grand prize. Again, Bill told them he had no more money. Scammer David told Bill to watch his mail because they were seeking a sponsor for him.
It would have been labeled a failing school, but in the 1970s, the disingenuous scheme by which composite test scores for the entire student body are used to label schools as failing had yet to be devised. Like many elementary schools, here in Southern Appalachia, in the 1970s, relatively low enrollment forced the placement of students of varying academic ability functioning at, above, and below grade level into the same classroom. The one size fits all education model in practice, at the time, served some students well and failed others miserably.
Like a lot of people, I was glued to the television watching the hurricane disaster that unfolded in the Carolinas. Those big beautiful homes on the beach have really taken a pounding. Of course, they have insurance and will rebuild. Not so, the poor folks that live inland. They probably don't have flood insurance. Some have no insurance at all and probably not a spare dollar in their pocket Those are the ones that I pray God helps.
“Do you want to go and see FireFox this weekend?” Tim asked the first summer we started dating.
No way did I want to see that guy movie about Clint Eastwood stealing some Russian place. But since Tim still had the new boyfriend status, I answered, “Yea. I can’t wait.”
Context is KING and so is Jesus. As the Word made flesh, Jesus was not at a loss for words when he began to pray about His Passion and for His disciples, who in a little over 50 days from Jesus’ prayer in John 17, would be sent out into the world on their own, to do greater works than Jesus did (John 14:12). Well, appearances can be deceiving! Before we continue examining Jesus prayer, we need to finish our look at the context of 2 Corinthians 6:17, like we promised last time.