Friday, August 6, 2010

JUST THOUGHTS

These past months have flown by like the small birds that dart swiftly past my bedroom window. When I awaken in the morning, my eyes open to a world of greenery with squirrels playing tag with each other and swinging dangerously from thin branches---not a care in this world! I still wouldn't want to be one of them!

I often wonder about the tiny birds that fly swift as an arrow past my view. Do they know where they are going? Why all this swift flying? Do they, too, think that life is moving fast and they must hurry?

During these morning hours, I have the luxury of not hurrying from my bed, as in younger days.

I well remember the pressing times the clock beckoned me to get going! Ah! Being older does have some advantages.

My dog "YoYo" is a late sleeper, so I don't have to worry about putting him outside. He is usually snuggeled down in his own bed and sometimes dreaming with soft "doggie sounds" floating in the air. Wonder what dogs dream about. Probably double or triple "treats!" Iam pretty sure if I should yell into the night, "TREATS!" He would immediately pounce on me. Some people would say---"Oh to have a dogs life!"

Not me! I finally like being who Iam. With all truthfullness, I have to say, " God did it." Finally,---I understand that most of us who surrendered our life to Christ Jesus, in a time of crisis, know the true expression of "God did it."
There is something "supernatural" about being plucked out of a tough situtation, by God's hand. You don't ever forget "The Hand" that pulled you from the fire; nor His Hand that lovingly guided you into another world of thought. A world that you never imagined how it could, or ever would, capture your heart so completely.
A new world where everything looked brighter! The trees and grasses looked greener, and the flowers seemed to beckon you to come and smell the fragrance that surrounded them. One walked in this world with eyes that were seeing, for the very first time, all nature abounding in color with musical sounds that floated in the air around you.
This was my introduction to being "Born Again!"
You might wonder, if I ever came out of that wonderworld. My reply would have to be, "yes," and "no."
His wonder-world washed me from the old into the new! Once I was washed in the fountain of His desire for me, then I could be trusted to know that some roses have no fragrance! These were the times I would have to patiently wait upon the Lord.
My world was opened to all I had missed. It took 47 yrs. of my life to finally surrender to something so wonderful that I can hardly describe it. Suddenly I liked so many things that I never paid much attention too.
A world of Holy Spirit attention was opened to me. The Bible captured my thoughts with Holy Spirit pouring new wine into a new wine-skin, and I loved it!
Little miracles kept popping up everywhere.
One that gave me years of joy, included a "Lap-Harp" that I was guided to purchase without even knowing why I was purchasing it, much less the fact I had never played one! It turned out that Holy Spirit would lead me to read the Psalms, take a portion of the words, and then give me tunes to the words. Tunes in the night and tunes in the day kept me busy learning how to play this instrument. What was really most important, was that this would be the means of learning Scripture, plus giving love and joy of God's Words, to many souls in many different places

Along with learning Psalm words and tunes, Holy Spirit taught me to take Bible characters, and weave stories around them, using the Psalm tunes. These stories were a means of spreading the Gospel. Oh how He works in our lives! Now, the Lap Harp is silent, and sits alone beside my organ. What memories it holds for me, and I pray that the stories it told, with sweet sounds, touched hearts that will remember David's words as He talked with God.

And so I say, "Good night dear friends, and God's blessings upon your thoughts." I love talking with you, and best of all-------------
"I Love Talk'n to the Lord!"

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

SIDE TRACKED WITH LOVE

My father, Irvin Edward Benninghoff, was a gentle spirit. One might say, surrendered.
This writing will not attempt to have you, my reader, know him from birth; but just a small portion of how I saw my father.
My mother, Catherine E. Benninghoff, was also a gentle spirit. A woman with great awareness of life around her. Her giving of me, in birth, almost ended both our lives.
These two important people, I will love forever.

This blog will speak only of a few things that I remember of my father and mother. My purpose is to show just a bit of their lives, and mine, intertwined like a delicate piece of lacework.

My father was a Car Inspector for the Nickel Plate Railroad, many years of his life. Sometimes, the cars and engines, had to be side-tracked for various maintenance and safety. Sometimes, we too, have to be Side Tracked.
Dad worked from midnight until 8am. Mom would have his lunch pail ready at 11: 30 pm, with good food she had made especially for his taste buds, and on those awful cold nights, warm clothing and boots were set-out to make sure he was protected against the elements.

When dad came home in the morning, he didn't go to bed; but instead, Spring, Summer, and Fall, he would tend his favorite project---the Garden! Dad loved that garden! It was the best garden around and all the neighbors shared in this garden. That was the best part for dad---giving away beautiful fresh vegetables! The neighbors loved him! Oh, not just for his garden! Dad would stop what he was doing to help anyone who needed it. They could count on "Irve" to help them!

Dad would proudly bring in his fresh produce and say, "Here you are Kate!" "Everything just like you asked." I can still see that big smile and twinkling eyes as he set the produce down and proceeded to put his arms around mom, who shyly pulled away. Dad was very affectionate; but mom seemed always shy. What happened to those immodest days?

Now mother canned most all the food that dad grew. She was a real artist when it came to canning (not to mention all the clothes she made for 3 girls!). Mom didn't just throw the food into the glass jars! She carefully placed vegetables, until they looked like a palette of color and design. One would think she was trying to paint a masterpiece!
When mom wanted a jar of something for supper, she would ask me to go down to the cellar and fetch it for her. I always hurried past the big scary old rumbling furnace with the dark-open coal bin close-by---then I could open the door to a riot of color, where Ball, Kerr, and Mason Jars stood like full-dressed soldiers waiting for me to give orders! This day, mom said I could pick any jar of fruit I wanted! Oh Boy! Peaches! My favorite! Mom canned the best peaches in the whole world! This day was a good side-track!

Now dad had chances to be promoted on up to engineer; but this would take him out-of-town for 3 days and mom did not like that at all! it was important then, to have the man of the house at home. Although it would mean more income, mom said she would do her part to help; as she wanted dad home!
So mom stuck to her word and washed and ironed Dr. Applebee's shirts!
He was very fussy and collars had to be starched and ironed perfectly! Mom could do this!
I guess this was a good side-track as we got to have dad home.
So how about you? Had some side-tracks" lately?
1929 (black Tuesday) was one of those "side tracks" that effected most Americans.
As a little girl, in age, I just barely remember a man with white hair, getting out of a black car and going into our house. What I do remember, is that when he left, my mom was crying---something I had never seen. FORECLOSURE!!! Sound familiar?
How does a mother tell her little girl that she could no longer live in the home she was born in?
Mother was silent. SIDE TRACKED.
I missed my birth-home terribly! Everything was different and strange to me. At my other home, I knew everyone up and down the street. We were all friends and shared in each others joys or sorrows. To this day, I can tell you all the people who lived in each house. You could say in modern slang---I was "nuts" about that street. The name of that street was, Walnut. (bad joke) and next is worse yet---we moved to Hickory Street!
Since this blog seems long, I am going to stop and continue another time. I pray that you enjoyed some of my ramblings of the past, and if I don't get back to it, nothing lost, I just got
SIDE TRACKED WITH LOVE of the Lord,--- calling me! Charlotte