EASTER SUNDAY WALK WITH JESUS

WALK WITH JESUS

    Of all the Posts I have written on my Blog, this is the one that I feel I am not really capable of giving the WALK WITH JESUS all of the Honor and Glory it deserves. Except for pictures, which have been furnished my many, I am guilty of doing all of the typing, comments, arrangements and errors in all of my other posts so I see no reason not to try doing this one on my own, but remember this is a family post and not a Church post, so if my daughter's or my picture appears more often than it is felt they should it is for my family to view. Please just bear with me and enjoy this Blessed Easter Day, and remember this post and my complete Blog is open to anyone that might like to view it.Thanks to Beverly Justice for Sanctuary pictures and Barbara for so.so many of hers I used.

                           WRITING THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT ON THE SIDEWALKS  IN WHITEVILLE, NC

I am not sure who was the originator of this wonderful undertaking, but two that were very instrumental in all the planning were Janice Young from the Whiteville Chamber of Commerce and Mark Gilchrist from the Whiteville News Reporter. plus many, many others.I will try to explain in a very small way what was involved in this WALK WITH JESUS. There were about 50 Churches and over 1000 people from the Whiteville area that wrote the Scriptures in washable color chalk.Please understand the streets were blocked off when the writing were underway,and even after they were opened I don't think anyone walked on the Scriptures.First no one would want to, and they could only be read if you were on the road facing them. All Scriptures were washed off before sundown.There was no count but during the day many, many people walked and read them.


 First each Book was  broken down into the number of  scriptures that would fit on a sidewalk square.This was printed on an individual sheet of paper with a special number at the top of the sheet that was given to each person that was involved in writing.These numbers were pasted on each sidewalk square in the over 2 mile of sidewalk involved. Each Church was given a packet with all of the squares that involved them. This enabled each person to go directly to the square that had their number. WOW !!! what planning.

My church, Whiteville United Methodist  had the book of Luke and I believe it took us 5 city streets to complete. I had Luke 9, verses 5 thru 9. You will see later this was written on a square that consisted of I believe 90% rock and 10% cement, but I am not complaining because I felt at times I was having help writing on those rocks.

EASTER WALK WITH JESUS BEGINS

It is 5:45 AM,  Barbara and I are leaving for the Church.I look skyward and see that full and beautiful moon ( and why not, Easter is determined by the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon occurring on or after the March Equinox,the first day of Spring.).With the Clear sky and that moon so bright I feel our Lord is just saying "Have a Blessed and Happy Easter Sunday".We arrive at the Church and are greeted by

Kathy Graham, our Church Administrative Assistant and husband Joe
arrive early to open our Church

 You will notice the quality and the darkness in these, and following pictures is caused by not only it is not daylight, but I am not using a Licha camera either. This is all you can expect to get for $90.00.



Members being greeted by Kathy


 Another group of early arrivals at the Church

                                                                                    




 

  




Sue Wells makes me feel I am in the service again

 



Every sidewalk writing needs a beautiful sweeper,.
Beverly Justice with broom in hand




We will now follow Sue to the downtown Sunrise Service




I warned you about the quality of these pictures.

 


Dr. David Heller, Pastor Pleasant Plains Baptist Church ( sorry Dr. Heller)





Beautiful singing by Carol Caldwell and Paula Inman




Emily Fowler playing trumpet and Rev. Hiller




 

Beautiful cross made with paper flowers by children from many Churches in the area


We now leave the Sunrise service and head for our sidewalk locations





Just to show you how many that were getting ready to get on their knees to write.

Beverly sweeping, and probably getting plenty of advice from the Church members

Grant Merritt, a professional photographer working hard

Sue directing( or misdirecting) us to our proper squares with

Frank & Betty Hamilton looking on. Our Pastor Bill Boykin is the one in shorts

in the upper left in the picture.

ON OUR KNEES HONORING JESUS

I wish it would be possible to show everyone,but enjoy what I have

That Stadium pad did not slide as easy on these rocks as it

did when I practiced on  the kitchen floor.

Barbara in deep thought

I am happy we wrote side by side.

She helped this old man get up.

Really nothing needs to be said about the above pictures

because they speak for themselves.

Me at a point when I am almost feeling my age, however

being on your knees doing this gives you a Blessed feeling

You will remember earlier I mentioned the 90% rock 10% concrete.

This is a closeup of the top of my sidewalk shown  where I was writing 

 with pink chalk.Hard to recognize it isn't it ?.

Scripture writings

I believe that is Sue again leading us to our Luke location .

Smile Emily, you are on candid camera. Crowd leaving Sunrise Service





                              
                  

RETURN TO CHURCH FOR EASTER WORSHIP

After an Easter morning Sunrise Service, writing the New Testament, and being a part

of 1000 people on their knees praising Jesus by writing His words, Barbara and I decided to walk the mile back to my Church.We knew a wonderful breakfast, prepared by the Methodist Men 

 would be waiting for us on our arrival.

The walk caused us to be a little late but I

understand more than 100 were served breakfast.

EASTER MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE

This was taken from the balcony and it felt so good to have
my daughter with me at this Blessed Easter Service.

Procession returning the Cross, Bible, and
Candles to the empty Alter.

A sight like this will probably never be seen again

in Whiteville United Methodist Church, with so many

dressed in their Sunday finest, blue T shirt with

WALK WITH JESUS printed on the back.

What a glorious sight !!!!!

This brings closure to my Post on WALK WITH JESUS, and I realize there was so much more that could have been written, but maybe it will give all that view this an insight of how much preparation was needed to make this possible..Even if only 1 person was on their knees for the first time, the whole Scripture writing was a success.

GOD LOVES YOU  AND I LOVE YOU  

MENHADEN FISH STORY and POST SCRIPT TO STORY

FISH IN THE HOLD

Growing up in Southport NC in 1935

                               

STORY ABOUT A 12 YEAR OLD BOY’S FISHING TRIP TO EARN MONEY TO TAKE HIS GIRL FRIEND WILMA TO THE MOTION PICTURE SHOW
 

 

This is a Menhaden fishing boat with purse boats and net being hauled in. This is a picture of a modern boat, with power purse boats with net being hauled in with machinery. All of this is different from the story I want to tell about the mid 1930 era.Then the purse boats had no power except oars, and the nets were pulled in by hand.

 

How lucky can a 12 year old boy, growing up in Southport be? I probably did not think so at the time, but looking back those were wonderful days.

“Don’t forget to set the alarm clock” I was thinking because I have to be down on the waterfront before daylight.” Hope the weather is good, but I know it will be hot. It always is in July. I have not decided who I will go fishing with. I could go with Doonie Watts to the shoals off from Ball Head Island blue fishing, with Merritt Moore shrimping, or with Captain John Erickson (my grandmother’s nephew) on the menhaden boat John Anderson. I had better get to sleep because I can decide that in the morning.

Boy, it is hot, even before the sun comes up. I go to the waterfront but can’t find Doonie. He probably isn’t going out today. I believe I will pass up the shrimp boat because the ocean is rough and being so hot the odor when they are culling the shrimp out of the trash fish is so strong I am not sure my stomach can take it. My only option left is going menhaden fishing with Capt. John, so I had better hurry before he leaves the dock. I need to find about a dozen bluefish ( this is a fish most people in Southport like because they say it tastes like a fish, unlike a flounder which they say has very little taste at all) that are feeding in the menhaden schools. Twelve will probably earn me about 75 cents if I am lucky, plenty to take Wilma to the Amuzu Picture Show.

 It is about 10 o’clock now and fishing has been good. We have about 100,000 fish in the hold but have not seen any blues and I am getting worried. The fish are dipped out of the net by something like a crab net. It holds about 3000 fish and the bottom will open up so the fish can fall in the hold. The loaded net came over the hold and the bottom opened, and as the fish fell I saw probably 10 or 12 big blues on top of all the other fish. Now a 12 year old kid’s trouble begins. I am so anxious to get all the blues that I can before the next net full drops on top of them I jump feet first on top of those fish, not realizing that in the summer they are soft and very slimy. As my feet hit the fish I knew I was in deep trouble because I started to sink. The more I kicked the deeper I sank in the fish. I screamed as I was now up to my arm pits in those slimy fish and still sinking. The only thing keeping me from going out of sight was my outstretched arms.

These are the slimy fish I almost sank out

of sight when I jumped in to retrive blue fish

to earn enough money to take Wilma to the

motion picture show.

 

 At that moment an old gentleman looked down in the hold and started laughing. He called out “Capt. John, Capt John you had better come and get your young man out of these fish before he goes out of sight”. I screamed louder, and by now there were quite a few of the crew staring down and laughing. I could not find one thing funny. In a couple of minutes they emptied the full bale net back in the net in the water and the empty net was lowered for me. Capt John said “grab the net”, as if I needed someone to tell me this. When I grabbed the net I was sure they would need a hack saw to get my fingers loose. I think back now, and I can’t remember one time in all of the D day landings that my Ship the LST 775 made in the retaking of the Philippines when I was more frightened than I was at this moment.

Let me tell you there was one mad man, Capt John. He called out to me to go to his room, not inside but outside and stay there until we arrived back in Southport. By this time the slime had dried and I smelled awful. I was in no mood to look for anymore fish.

When we arrived off from the dock in Southport the crew gets in the purse boats and row to the dock, while the Anderson proceeds on to the factory to unload. The custom is that when the boat is abreast the Garrison flag pole they use their  horn to signify how many fish they have in the hold. The signal is 3 Long blasts followed by short ones to indicate how many thousands they had caught. The Anderson signaled 200,000. At this point I did not care how many were aboard because my day had been ruined. I was covered with dried slime; I smelled like a skunk, had no bluefish, and no money for the motion picture show with Wilma. Have you ever had a really bad day?

POST SCRIP TO FISH IN THE HOLD

I know you must feel the crew, catching 200,000 fish in a day must make a lot of money, so let me explain about this fish. A menhaden is very oily, strong tasting, and is used for fertilizer and the oil has many uses.One thing it is not good for and that is to eat.There was a story of a group of drunk men that went to the beach to set a net to catch Spots( a small good tasting fish) and cook on the beach, but the only fish they caught were menhaden. One very drunk, hungry man in the group said he had heard that any fish that swims in the ocean was eatable, so they cooked and ate.The end results(no pun intended),one man said he had diarrhea for a full week after eating those damn menhaden.

Back to the pay for catching that many fish. There are 20 men in the crew and the boat is paid 75cents ( that is correct, cents not dollars ) per 1000 fish. This is divided, the captain receives 12 cents, Mate 6, engineer 6 and the crew's share is 3 cents each, so for a full days work they earned 6 dollars. Remember this is 1936, but would you want to go fishing with them ? However that doesn't sound so bad when I remember 5 years later I went on active duty in the navy in Nov.1940 and the pay was $21.00 a month.I think that figures out to 70 cent a day, so maybe fishing was not such a bad deal after all.

I am really a part of this whole story. My father was at one time mate on one of these boats and if he had been on the Anderson with us, my mother would have made that $12.00 go a long way. We never had much, but were never in need of anything that we really had to have.I loved growing up in Southport because of all the freedom you had and hated to move, but in my freshman year in High School my father accepted a position of captain of an Army boat stationed at Ft.Moultrie SC. We moved to Sullivan's Island SC and I attended and graduated from Charleston High School.  Even though I hated the move, I  think if I had remained in Southport I would not have had all the opportunities that were later made available to me. However that is another story.

LUCI GAIL ST GEORGE

                                                     MY DOG

                                        LUCI  GAIL ST GEORGE

 

                 

                                      NEW ARRIVAL IN OUR HOME

                              

" John" Faye called as she entered the house,” I know it is a few days before your birthday, but I have found you a present I am sure you are going to like.” She handed me a little white shivering dog. That little bundle looked up at me and I knew immediately it was a case of love at first sight. Faye said her name was Luci Gail (that’s correct, with an i not a y).and was a Maltipoo (Maltese and Poodle). I am not sure of her background, but the owners certainly did a marvelous job of training her because as I write this paper 7 years later I have not, nor have I ever wanted to change a single thing about her. She was 9 years old in February 2013.

Luci became a full member of our family and except for a little accident on her 2^nd day on the white carpet in the living room. (I had no idea that yellow could be so vivid and outstanding, especially with a background of a white carpet). I now have to take up for Luci because from that day until now she has never had another accident in our home or the apartment in which we now live after Faye’s death in March of 2007. I sold the house because I did not feel like keeping up the beautiful yard and I hated with a passion the swimming pool that Faye loved so much, I am not saying Luci has not had to cross her legs’ a few times because there have been periods when I have been away for probably longer than I should, and as I open the door all I see is a flash of white heading for the grass.

I guess it is time to do a little bragging, or maybe just state some true facts. I think that Luci comes as close to being an almost perfect dog that it is possible to be. She is so sweet that everyone seems to love her. I sometime laughingly get a little jealous. Someone in their normal tone will say “come visit us, and in the next sentence the voice goes up to,” BE SURE TO BRING LUCI” I have only seen her show her teeth in anger twice and that was when she was in my lap and my grandson’s puppy tried to join her. Luci made it clear, that lap was hers and hers only.

 However in the description of being an almost perfect dog if she has to be one that you toss a ball and expect her to retrieve, go get it yourself you threw it. Same goes for a stick, throw and you retrieve. She does not roll over on her back to play dead, only if you want to rub or scratch her stomach. She won’t sit up with a paw extended to shake hands, but she is a real beauty sitting up to be given a treat or to maybe beg for a treat. If all of this is needed to be that almost perfect dog she fails with a score of zero. You seem to forget, she is a lady, but Luci, is there any thing you want to
talk to me about.?
 

 

Luci has couple of habits that I can’t seem to understand. She can be stretched out on the sofa asleep when the sky suddenly lights up with bolts of lightning, followed by thunder that shakes the apartment. Then the wind and sheets of rain follow. Do you think all of this would bother her.? No, not a bit because she does not even wake up. This is strange because most dogs fear thunder. Now comes the one I really can’t understand. Same position on the couch when a single little house fly swoops down on her. She goes crazy, jumps off the couch and runs and hides behind the love seat. I have only seen this twice. The second time she jumped in my lap curled up in a little ball and started shaking. I can only think that in the past she might have been stung by either a bee or maybe a wasp.

Now let’s go to the plus side and see if you don’t agree she passes the test. In the 6 years she has been with us, except for the 2^nd day mistake, has never had an accident in the house or the apartment, she has never turned over a trash or garbage container, never chewed on a shoe or sock or the furniture. She will absolutely put nothing in her mouth unless it is something to eat. I even dropped a sleeping capsule and could not locate it. She did, and the next morning I found it on the carpet with teeth marks. Luci is no barker except once a day she enjoys barking at the mail man and maybe a few little barks at a squirrel or a black cat that she has no love for. She would not be a dog if she did not do a little barking.

Yes, I have spoiled her. She sleeps with me. I know there will be negative comments and there will be those that will say mine sleeps with me also. Luci is a great bed partner because she does not shed, smell, and I have not seen a flea on her in over 4 years. There is a sheet over the comforter on her half of the bed and pillow. I wake some nights and her nose will be 3 inches from my face, just staring so I guess she must wake up when I move. I must say she is one that notices everything. Six months ago I treated 80 years of bad skin on my face with Efodex. If you know about it I don’t need to go any further, if you haven’t you won’t want to know because it will certainly clear the old skin with blisters, scabs and bleeding and make your face look like you are in a zombie movie. I only tell this because at the height of blistered face for about 4 days I wake up and Luci’s behind is in my face. She must not have liked what she was seeing. I found out that Efodex was also used in liquid IV form in my colon cancer treatment after my operation. I am so thankful that it was available in liquid and not just cream. I feel that would have been quite uncomfortable.    

 

I must mention that Luci is never on a leach because she minds me so well, and if I did use one it would make her feel like she was a dog. She knows 5 important words and their meanings, sit, no, stop, treat, and bath, so this takes care of just about everything. She puts up with the bath because she knows that the hair dryer always follows, and contrary to most dogs’ dislike of this, she would stretch out for an hour to enjoying that blast of warm air
.

Now I ask you, is this spoiling her?

She enjoys looking out just like

all others in the car.(please don't

tell her it is a used seat.)

Luci is now ready to head to her favorite hunting grounds; Leader Park. She sits by me at the edge of Lee Street waiting for traffic to clear. I call when it is clear and we take off running across the street. This is the part that worries me, the running. I will be 90 years old in 4 months and I don’t find this task as easy as in years past so to be on the safe side I guess in the near future it will be best to drive us both across Lee Street.

It did not take her long to see a squirrel, and immediately she became a squirrel dog. You would think she had been watching Animal Planet, with the Lioness stalking a Gazelle. Her stomach was on the ground and creeping forward a few inches at a time. I feel sure that squirrel saw us when we entered the park and is just teasing Luci. This goes on for a few minutes until probably the squirrel thought the heck with this and started toward the tree. This move Luci saw and she now becomes a “greyhound”, just a white streak heading for the tree. Needless to say by the time she arrived the animal was 75 feet up that pine. She just can’t seem to win one of these races. I must tell you earlier in the week she almost caught one. Same tactics only I realize this was a baby squirrel. The little one headed for the tree with Luci in full speed behind her. It was so funny that she was so intent on making her first conquest and running so fast that she was at least 3 or more feet up that tree with the little squirrel in the lead by just inches before she realized dogs don’t climb trees, and fell on her butt. We have squirrels in the trees behind my apartment but Luci has wised up on chasing them. There are probably 6 that are always playing on the ground or in the trees and she knows that with the trees so close there is no chance of getting one so she will spend an hour or so in the sun just watching every move they make. I feel they know Luci is no threat so they keep playing closer and closer to her. I almost feel I can read her mind,” you little rascal, get just a little closer and your butt is mine.

 

I have so many fond memories of Luci and me in Leader Park. Luci loves everyone and there are no exceptions, and is certainly color blind. One evening we were walking in the School bus parking area when this gentleman, certainly not dressed for Church, quite an unkempt beard and hair that could use a comb was walking toward us when Luci took off toward him, jumped up on his leg with her tail wagging. He wasn’t frightened because he bent down to pat her head. As he did this she leaped up and kissed him full on his lips. He smiled and continued rubbing her back and she just stayed with him with her tail still wagging. I felt so good about it, and he left with a smile, and told us to have a nice day.

 

   

Things did not always go as planned. There was a late afternoon girl’s soft

ball game in progress when I noticed that JoAnne Biser, the High School nurse was taking up tickets for the game. Since us both attend Whiteville Methodist Church Luci and I stepped inside the gate to say hello. We were talking and I forgot about Luci which was a mistake. She had noticed the girls and the spectators and before I could stop her the “greyhound” was at full speed. She entered the field at first base, circled second base, and still wide open rounded third on her way to home plate. All the people, especially the players were laughing at her antics. I thought she would stop at home plate but no, she continued back across first base and headed for the outfield, I guess so none of the players would feel slighted. I finally caught her in center field and we made a hyast exit off that field before the police arrived. I must say that JoAnne was very sweet about the whole episode because she did not charge us for attending the game.

I know it would not be possible nor would I want it to be but if a pretty little dog could have a grown male to be her boy friend I know Luci would choose Doug Hayward, who maintains the upkeep and safety measures of the school buses our High School children ride.
 He and Luci became friends as we walk by the buses in the morning, and Doug always stops and gives her a hug and in return she washes his face with kisses. Now I have to be careful and check if his yellow truck is parked by the buses. If so, I have to watch Luci that she does not run across the street to him. I think the feeling is mutual because Doug brought his cute young daughter Kristin to see Luci. She gave her a present of 2 bags of her favorite dog food. Luci kissed her as a thank you for the present. I asked Doug later if Kristin liked Luci and her comment was, she is so cute, and feels so soft. Boy what a complement!!!

Luci, the rooster and hens are gone,

just hope they have not been eaten

for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

 

 (S

uNow we arrive at Luci’s most favorite grounds, The High School. When we cross Lee Street, the sidewalk, grounds, trees, benches, tables, and buildings outside including the chicken house (yes, there is one that has a rooster and 2 hens) belong to her. She has never been inside the school bt I guarantee she knows more about the outside than any principal. When we are walking on the sidewalk in front of the School she keeps looking toward the school office because a person she loves works there. Ethel Little was a next door neighbor and has known Luci for as long as I have. Luci also knows that Ethel almost always has a treat in her pocket book. We have to realize we are talking about a dog, so which comes first, love or treat; only Luci can
answer that.

                                    Ethel & Luci

Every time I watch her start marking her territory around the school I can only wonder if all that is inside her is a bladder. She can mark 4 or 6 places with ease on any visit. It is either that, or she is great at rationing. Her one problem is at the tennis court. She finds a squirrel and it goes up a light pole with no trees near. She has him now because his only exit is down and I will be waiting. Then she becomes puzzled because that squirrel suddenly begins to walk on air, heading for the tree limb. She does not see the power line it is running on and can not understand what is happening, so she just sits there at the base of the pole. I had to literally pick her up because she keeps looking up at the pole.
She also can’t understand why sometime she can go all over the school grounds on 

Saturday and Sundays) but for that long (5) day period she can’t go at all during the day. On weekday mornings she will get to the back entrance to the tennis court and just sit down and won’t move. I had to scream at her so she will head home with me. She just loves being around people, especially kids.

 

FAYE'S HEADSTONE IN SOUTHPORT NC

 





Luci was supposed to be in this picture

but I don't know what happened to her.

( I really thought that little white spot on

the left was her),but it's still a good picture of my

daughters Barbara and Ometa

 

 

 

 

This little story about Luci would not be complete if I did not mention her “second home”. When I go on a trip and she sees me packing she can’t wait for me to leave because she knows where she is going, to stay with .James, Mary, and Sheila Sasser. She loves it there because I don’t think her paws are on the floor very often, as she spends most of her time in a lap or on a sofa. It is with sadness that I have to say as I write this that James has passed away. It is the one place that sometimes Luci is not too anxious to go home with me.   

I guess it is time to shut this Luci saga down, and bless her little heart she gave me the Grand Finale closing. Jim Hunsucker and I were sitting in my living room talking, and Luci was at the partially open front door looking out through the full glass storm door when she started barking like I had never heard before. She usually barks a couple of times and stops and then maybe a couple more but this time it was a constant bark, one right after the other. I told her to stop but she kept on. I am now upset and I get up to close the door.  As I look out I see my next door neighbor lying on the ground in front of his apartment. Jim and I rush out and picked him up. He said he had slipped on the sidewalk and could not get up, but he was OK. I was really proud of Luci because she knew something was wrong.

Folks, this is the story of Luci, a very precious little dog and if you see us walking on the sidewalk at the High School just give a toot on the horn, or if you are on the sidewalk or at the school I feel sure she will find a kiss for you

 

THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SEASON IS HERE,

SO TO ONE AND ALL LUCI SENDS HER GREETING.

If she can't catch a squirrel how
does she think she can catch Santa ?



 

GOD LOVES YOU  &  I LOVE YOU

 

                                               

                                             .