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!