1953
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
A fun photo before I was born. This was 1953 at our Etter grandparents. Cranny my grandmother, John my brother, Bo, my grandfather and cousin Billy.
A fun photo before I was born. This was 1953 at our Etter grandparents. Cranny my grandmother, John my brother, Bo, my grandfather and cousin Billy.
I found this handwritten letter in a 1950 PHS yearbook ...
The King of Kings Insurance Company
Do you have insurance? I don't mean life, health, or car insurance. My life and yours don't mean a thing regarding the kind of insurance I'm discussing. I'm talking about insurance on your soul. The kind of insurance with the King of Kings Insurance Company. Have you ever heard of that?
Maybe you think you have, but you won't find it signed on any door in Plainview, Texas, or anywhere they have insurance companies. You will only find the office of this insurance company in your heart because this is the insurance company of the King of Kings.
You know who he is! He operates the oldest insurance company in the world, and it's the only one offering soul insurance. It's the only one that gives good service to you alone, not your relatives after you're dead. The cash capital of the King of Kings Insurance Company is the Holy Spirit. The company has a lot of that. Its capital is unlimited to those who want to take advantage of it.
This is the only company insuring against loss in the Judgement Day Fire. It's the only company insuring against shipwrecks in the River of Death. It has never changed managers. Its policy never expires as long as you keep up the premiums. These premiums can't be paid in money. They can only be paid in prayer.
So, you had better take out your policy and start the premiums now before the Judgement Day Fire catches you uninsured!
John 5:24, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death into life.
Anners, Lorena and Cranny. Three women that impacted my life as a young girl growing up in Plainview, Texas. "Anners," or Clarice Anderson, lived across from my grandparents. She was the mother of Marie (Anderson Tom), who I considered my babysitter. My mother, Lorena, is in the middle, and on the right is "Cranny," or Lucy May Etter, my grandmother, who taught me how to make gravy (and other things). She put together the very best tossed salad with a great dressing. She used an old electric skillet to store cake in, and her pantry was packed with who knows what all! Loved these ladies bunches!
Any photos of my dad are priceless because, like me, he didn't like his picture to be taken. This one is from my cousin's collection that he shared. Here he was tamping his pipe, sitting in my grandfather's recliner at my grandparent's home on Nassau Street.
Who Remembers Lash LaRue?
Afred "Lash" LaRue (June 15, 1917 – May 21, 1996) was a popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s. I discovered this photo autographed by Lash to my cousin's mother, Virginia Etter, aka "Rustie," who was the redhead of the Etter sisters. This autographed photo is over 70 years old!
This is the Bo that impacted my life. If I were to pick one photo that represented him best, I think this one ranks right up there. With few fingers, no legs below the knee, and lips that constantly blistered, all from frostbite, he was determined to overcome.
There was nothing he couldn't fix, and he loved to tinker. He was a master electrician, the County trapper, and helped my grandmother distribute commodities to those in need in Hale County.
He took old panel vans and campers and remodeled them for traveling, which we did hit almost every western U.S. state growing up. He loved to hunt and fish.
He was always working on something!
He was a recovering alcoholic with many years of sobriety. He and my grandmother helped many who battled the bottle in their home through the years. What a ministry.
This photo makes me smile!!!
Entering into a situation, we, our mind, asks, Am I safe? Then, it seeks love before we move forward into whatever faces us...in a perfect world. This is why we have hurting people. People are not safe, they are not feeling loved...but GOD, God, is the answer to both of these needs...to feel safe and loved! Peace.
1 The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say[a] concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust:
3 He himself will rescue you from the bird trap,
from the destructive plague.
4 He will cover you with his feathers;
you will take refuge under his wings.
His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
the arrow that flies by day,
6 the plague that stalks in darkness,
or the pestilence that ravages at noon.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
the pestilence will not reach you.
8 You will only see it with your eyes
and witness the punishment of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge,
the Most High—your dwelling place,
10 no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.
11 For he will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you in all your ways.
12 They will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the young lion and the serpent.
14 Because he has his heart set on me,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows my name.
15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him and give him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with a long life
and show him my salvation.
When ten thousand arrows take flightRemind me that You are my armorThere's always a place I can hideWhen I am desperate for shelter
(I do not own the rights to this music or the lyrics, but they powerful.)
A sweet photo of our son, Aaron, with his Cranny & Bo. We go back and forth with who our Stone looks like, but in this photo...it is his father!
I had the very best grandparents who taught me so many important life skills, like making gravy and being certain that all screws are tightened straight up and down. :o)
I have a cousin who recently moved back to Plainview and he is allowing me to scan his early family photos. I'm super excited to see more family photos!
My father, John, and our grandfather Hugh (Bo), the pipe guys!
The Big Ministry Small Town Summit is designed to engage, encourage, and equip leaders that serve in small towns and communities. The goal of Big Ministry in Small Summits is to see smaller town of Texas filled with Great Commission, Great Commandment churches and Christian workers for the glory of God.
Today, I attended a portion of the conference hosted by First Baptist Church for Texas Baptists. I signed up a while back to hear two sessions that were of interest to me.
The first one, Self-care is not Selfish, a Study of Mark 6:31, led by DESHUN AVERY, Pastor, First Progressive Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX.
Mark 6:31 reads, Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
It was a much-needed Holy Spirit conversation for me. My takeaway thoughts (mine, not necessarily his) ...
We can be so busy that we don't take time to care for the created self.
We must take action to purposely improve.
We must refuel ... take time with Jesus to get what we need.
Passion can fuel us, but it can't continue unless we refuel.
You can be at home or in ministry and still be absent.
Do those we serve become wiser, stronger, and servant leaders?
God says, All who are weary, come to me!
If you lose oxygen, you must use the facemask FIRST!
We often make bad choices when we are weary.
Weariness = tired, numb, short fuse, illness, retreat, a loss of interest, feelings of inadequacy.
Burnout = depleted!
“To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” Mother Teresa
The Word of God stands by itself.
We need to simply deliver what God gives us!
Think about the cycle of ministry as pregnancy. You plan, study, nurture, deliver and then start all over again!
We must care for the physical, spiritual, and mental health of the created us.
We can say, pray, but if we don't extend from that into service, we miss the beat.
Every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before!
We often carry heavy loads of confidential information and requests that are so heavy; think about the Cross, and the burden is much lighter.
Problem people are different than people with problems.
Leading on "E" means riding on fumes, and that will kill you!
Every day is purposeful!
We must delegate and let others lead their way. It's ok!
Show others how to lead in peace from self-care:
Where is our spot to rest & rejuvenate?
Restructure... restore ... recharge!
Keeping the pace versus running the race is learning to run to 'feel God' rather than keeping to a pace.
I also heard a lesson on Mental Health & Soul Care in Small Towns led by SHARLA KNIPPA, LPC Counselor, Mosaic Counseling, PLLC and Waypoints Counseling, PLLC
I want to share several scriptures to investigate...
Romans 12:2, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Matthew 22:37, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
1 Timothy 4:8, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Matthew 14:22-23, Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone
Luke 6:12-13, One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
ark 6:30-32, The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
Mark 7:24, Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.
Luke 22:41, He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed
Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Reading these shows us the self-care example of Christ.
Some Mental Health resources:
988 24/7 Suicide Crisis Hotline
Crisis Hotline 1.806.692.4039
text HOME to 741741
After the sessions, I discovered that bees love pumpkin patch blooms and often go there for self care relaxation...