Family History Trip March 2017 (1)

FAMILY HISTORY TRIP (Part 1)
(I wrote this piece for my niece, Esther)

On Friday, March 17, 2017, we commenced another Family History Trip with Esther, my niece, to Dade County, MO.  Uncle Nathan went along and we picked up Aunt Betty in Fort Scott on the way.  Our first stop was Cooky’s Cafe where we had Brunch.  We really enjoyed the Diner style food and the Blueberry Pie is worth going for!   

 

 After eating, we continued on our journey and arrived at our next destination which was to visit my dad’s cousin, Dorothy Wright.  Their fathers, Uncle Willie Wright and my grandpa, Noble Wright were brothers.  Dorothy was so happy to see us.  I played a mini concert on the piano in the dining room and she really had a nice time!  

Next stop, was at Piccadilly Junktion, a really neat store run by my cousin Rick Vaughn and his wife, Laura.  They have really nice old stuff for sale as well as Homemade soaps, lotions, etc made form Goat’s Milk, Essential Oils and other natural substances.  Rick is my second cousin (your second cousin, once removed), and his grandmother, Dorothy was a sister to my grandmother, Maye.  Rick is also a musician, and has done song writing and performances.  He has invited us to return in June to a music event held on this  porch.  It sounds like fun!

This is the aproximate area where the Hugh Russell place was located.  This is where Noble and Maye lived during the time frame of 1940 to 1943.  From this home, Maye would walk at night, across a field to the Corry Church and the Tent Meeting where she heard the Gospel and was saved.  This would have been a mile of walking there and a mile back.  I love this story.  I love how her choice forever changed the lives of so many.  Her choice?  To follow Christ and be saved from her sins.  God is good!

This stoop is all that is left of the Corry Church site.  This was the Holiness church where Bro. Gates preached.  Grandma Wright came here to church.  This is a hallowed place. 

Corry church in 1990.  The door opened onto the concrete stoop.

Loneliness...

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we read these words..."it is not good that man should be alone, I will make a help meet for him."  At the heart of very man is the desire to have a companion.  In the depths of the woman's heart is the desire to BE that companion.  What fun is that sports car if there is no woman to take for drives in it?  What enjoyment comes from cooking a meal when there is no husband to eat it with you?  In general, we know that life was not meant to be lived alone.  Yet, for many, this is the norm.  One goes to their place of employment, works, earns money.  Then, it's time to go home...but there is no one there.  It is dark.  It is quiet.  It is lonely.  There is no one to make dinner with.  There is no one to sleep beside.  Morning comes. Alone.  This is hard.  I believe it is hard because we weren't made to live this way!  
Why do we live this way?  It is the curse of sin.  When Adam and Even chose to sin, the perfect relationship God intended was forever marred.  Broken at best.  
In Genesis 3 we read that part of the curse would be that men would rule over women and woman's desire would be for her husband.  This seems to indicate the struggle that would happen between the two sexes.  There would be longing for each other, but a power struggle would take place.  It will always be the temptation of men to overpower women and for women to so desire a man, that she would stay in abusive situations.  
But with grace...marriages CAN be good!  Singleness CAN be lived in joy, the joy of Christ who has promised to one day, Make. All. Things. New.  In heaven someday, all loneliness will be forever gone.  Forever.  No more.  Perfect union with Christ and the saints of all times will be our eternal state.  So much to look forward to!

 

Friends In High Places

Have you ever wanted to defend yourself? We all have. We want others to know what really happened but we risk the "he said, she said" situation. For the Believer, there is comfort to ponder that the Creator knows PERFECTLY what happened, who did and said what. We can sit back, relaxed and confident, knowing that our reputation and the truth are safe in HIS hands. And the truth WILL be revealed in HIS timing. God said to Jeremiah "Do not be afraid of them for I am with you to deliver you..." (1:8) and in Psalm 27 we read "The Lord is my light and salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

The Hymnal

I was raised on the Worship in Song Hymnal published by the Nazarene Publishing House.  It was opened every time we had service at the Overland Park Church of God (Holiness.)  In fact, I had some of the song numbers memorized due to so much time being spent in it.  I used it to begin playing hymns and improvising.  One of the first hymns I learned to improvise on was "Jesus Lover of My Soul," page 37.  It was especially fitted for early improvisation.  I remember my Uncle Leon Wright, helping me with one of those early experiences.  I am grateful.
 Using a hymnal helped me to learn to read music and understand the concept of four part harmony.
 I learned a lot of Theology about God by singing from a hymnal.  "A Mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing....for still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.  His craft and power are great and armed with cruel hate.  On earth is not his equal..."
Hymns and Gospel songs speak to the soul.  When learning about Hymns, knowing stories behind them can be especially meaningful.  Take, for example, "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go," page 35 in the Worship in Song Hymnal.  The words were written by George Matheson.  Something happened between he and his fiance.  There was no marriage.  From his sorrow he wrote the beautiful words that have spoken to many hearts since..."O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee, I give Thee back the life I owe, that in Thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be."  Truly, the love of Christ never lets those who are His, go.  It draws us in.  It soothes.  It strengthens.  It gives us hope. 

The Destruction of God's Prized Creation...

From the beginning, when sin came into the world, the Enemy has done everything possible to destroy God's prized creation, Mankind. One way he does this, is by destroying normal procreation. Homosexuality, Lesbianism, "over population," abortion, and, yes, Transgenderism. For parents to embrace the idea that their child was "born in the wrong body" when they clearly have the reproductive organs of a particular gender (boy OR girl) plays right into the evil designs of the Enemy. Yes, I believe there is absolute truth. Yes, I believe that the Holy Bible is the source of that absolute truth. And yes, I believe that Romans 1:18-32 describes our current culture clearly.
"18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."