ALL SAINTS DAY

 

All Saints Day is November 1st.  I was going to write something about Halloween but instead I will link to an article and podcast about All Saints Day.  For the history of the day click here.   After I did a search for a picture from my family photos about Halloween or All Saints Day I came up with photos of our relatives Mary Lee and Bruce Saint. 

Mary Lee was the youngest daughter of Archie and Mary-- Grandma Isabel's brother and sister in law.   Mary Lee was a good cousin to my dad, Dave.  She would show up at family gatherings from time to time.  I remember clearly how she attended my Uncle Hollis's memorial service and then later a reception at my cousins Janet and Alf's home.  Mary Lee was the musician of the family.  She played her organ many years at the "Flamingo Room." I believe the restaurant was located in one of the downtown Spokane hotels.

  Apparently Grandma Isabel and Grandpa Claude attended Mary Lee and Bruce's wedding ceremony and took photos. 

 

Here is the newspaper clipping provided by cousin Linda Clark from her uncle's scrap book.

So to celebrate All Saints Day I'm remembering Mary Lee and Bruce Saint.

Matthew 27:52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,

The rest of the story-- Apparently Mary Lee and Bruce were divorced in 1969.  She married Elmer Brueschoff (Breezy) in 1969.  Marriage license from cousin Linda:

OCTOBER DREAM

 

My sister, Evy, would have turned 75 on October 17.  I still miss her.  But her daughter, Jennifer, turned out beautifully.  Evy would be so proud of her.  When I saw the picture about loving not camping I thought of Evy, Grandma Isabel, and me.  We enjoyed the "good life." Grandma and I have lived through some house flipping projects much to our chagrin.  I even think Grandma lived in a house for a while with only 3 walls and the 4th wall was a tent or something like that.  

Evy, and I, as far as I know, took after Grandma in some ways.  Not liking to camp may have been one of them.  My dad loved camping and I think my mom did too.  R Ranch in Hornbrook was camping only.  Evy and I only visited Hornbrook for the sake of the kids because they liked it.  

While remembering Evy this month I thought once again of this dream that Wayne had back in 1997 around the time of her birthday.   Here is his October dream:

RULES FOR MOCKERY

 

I'm not on social media.  After some strange people contacted me on Twitter and on Facebook I got off those platforms.  I haven't been tempted to go on to tiktok or Instagram.  I hear it is a jungle out there.  People are tearing each other apart.  But some cooler head will prevail occasionally.  

I was interested in the following podcast which included a mention of  Blaise Pascal, a 17th century  mathematician and Christian apologist. See the You Tube above. In his 11th Provincial Letter, Pascal included a surprisingly thoughtful defense of Christian mockery.  Here is a link to the transcript.  

Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

 

JESSICA FLETCHER AND ME

1961 Groveton High Thespians — Front Row– Judy Lindberg, Susan Szadokierski, Susan Goggin, Belle Richey, Janice Hardy. — Second Row– Roberta Stowell, Bette Barttelmes, Sarah Dickinson, Denise Kogelman, Susan Zimmer. — Third Row– Alice Howzdy, Tony George, Lisa Dunn, Eileen Seidell, Pat Holmes, Janet Gilmore.– Fourth Row– Barton Bean, Lynn Craven, Tommy Harris, Bill Lyons, Susan Remington.

Angela Lansbury died last Monday. Her character Jessica Fletcher on the TV show, “Murder She Wrote,” was my hero. Well, I’m no Jessica Fletcher. I don’t have the type of mind needed to teach English, write novels, solve mysteries, and to help others. I did some acting in high school. (See the pictures above.) But because I had difficulty acting like a mother I lost the part of Elwood P. Dowd’s mother in “Harvey” to Janet. I did play the part of the daughter Murtle May. So my ambition at this stage in my life is still to write novels, solve mysteries, and to help other people.

Colossians 1: 24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 

SHINE

 

Glenkirk Church Camp 1960.  Don't remember any of the names.

My friend Nancy and I attended church camp together when we were just 15 and sophomores at Groveton High.  My memory is foggy but I seem to remember 2 church camps.  The camp we went to had a lake which we rowed boats on.  The other camp was a new camp called Glenkirk.  Our church helped to build it.  Nancy remembers that I invited her and two boys, one was Jimmy Schall, to work on building the camp.  I don't remember that but it sounds like me.  I thought I was being an evangelist to invite boys to church activities. My goal in life was to please Jesus by shining for Him. I remember 2 scripture verses --

Matthew 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

and Philippians 2:15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

My shine is a little dimmer these days but with God's help He will make me to shine more.

My brother Jay got me involved in the Bible Club at Groveton.

My friend, Nancy, got me involved in the Westminster Fellowship Club at Madison College

NO FEAR

 

Joan (pronounced Jo Ann) and Walter 50th wedding anniversary dinner.  Photo by Chris.

Years ago, while living in Lake Forest Park, our neighbors, Walter and Joan, invited us to their 50th wedding anniversary dinner.  They were transplants from Texas.  She was a retired school teacher and he had retired from Boeing.  When we heard Walter's stories about WW II and how his legs were frozen in the Battle of the Bulge we were amazed at his bravery.  But he had a job to do and he did it.

I think about today and how so many people live in fear.  They think about the "what ifs."  We've had brave men and women defending our freedom from the Revolutionary War to WW I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam to Afghanistan and Iraq.  Where did they get their courage?  Well, they had a job to do and they did it.  Maybe they were fearful like I would be but they did what they had to do.  We can learn from these brave ones.  We can look to God and cling to Him and do our jobs.  This hymn came to mind today.

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
   No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
   • Refrain:
     I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
     Every hour I need Thee;
     Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
     I come to Thee.
2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
   Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
   Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
   And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.
5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
   Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.