Your blogger has a routine first thing in the morning. Turn on the TV (at 7:00) and go to the channel for Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Then: Watch and listen to Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. A couple of mornings ago, a beautiful message from Ecclesiastes chapter four. Every one of us, young and old, has suffered this past year. Through it all, I (for one) have had the courage to “carry on” because of my assurance that God loves me and Jesus Christ died for my sins. Eventually, my tears, sadness, depression, and loneliness will be forgotten when I get to Heaven.
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. 2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. 6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
“Time” has been a subject on my mind recently. The “time” listed on my desktop computer has been wrong since the purchase about fifteen months ago. I corrected the error this morning. “Time” has been on my mind because at this time forty-four years ago, I was preparing for my marriage to Don Edwards. We were married on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, in the beautiful gardens of Westmont College Campus, in Montecito, Santa Barbara County, California. A cruel assessment of the union: It was the marriage from Hell. Directly, and indirectly, it put a strain on my relationship with my three sons–and they rejected me. “Time heals all wounds?” I pray the time arrives when I am reconciled with my sons. (Parenthetically: “Family” is very important to me and that’s one reason I spend so much time [on Ancestry] weaving families together.)
Have you heard the expression “All roads lead to Rome”? As I document my extended family, “all roads lead to Michael Frantz.” Seriously, I work with a wide variety of surnames, and then, mysteriously, there is another individual with the “Frantz” surname. It happened again today and I wished I had a tiny bit more information. I did a Google search for “history of the Brethren” and discovered this very valuable book available for reading on the Internet. And I read, and read, and read!!
In a TV commercial for NutriSystem, Marie Osmond says “Oh, what fun.” That was my feeling—and expression—as I opened the package and saw the wiggly worms. The previous order was a disappointment because the little fellows were invisible to this old lady’s fading eyesight. I emailed Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm and asked if they were microscopic and hibernating. The answer was “yes, yes.” I wasn’t lodging a complaint; I was just asking two questions. A young man was extremely thoughtful, kind, and considerate–and promptly said he would send more worms. (“Customer Service” [for some companies] isn’t always so thoughtful, kind, and considerate.) After the worms were dumped in the center tube of the Garden Tower, I mixed good garden soil with wet shredded paper and dumped it on top of the worms. Now the worms can work their “nutri-system” throughout the Tower. It’s called “vermicomposting“ and the little fellows play a big role in a healthy garden. FYI: The entire Tower is their “bin” and they roam around and aerate the soil, and leave their casting. My job is to feed them my veggie scraps.
Statis Dermatitis is my self-diagnosed health problem. This has been a months-long pain that I attributed to “too much sitting at the computer.” Today I did a Google search, asking questions, and found several articles. It would appear “too much sitting…” was a contributing factor and I may have unwittingly caused a serious health problem.
More than one month ago, I made an appointment with a local doctor. I’ve avoided allopathic doctors like the plague!! I’ve practiced holistic health. Due to the Coronavirus, I haven’t ventured far from home, and have not seen an eye doctor or dentist. Regarding a doctor’s appointment: I still have to wait for another six weeks. Today, I couldn’t wait any longer, I want(ed) an answer. “Dr. Google” to my rescue?!
The coronavirus (man-made in China) has created health problems beyond the virus itself. OMG, the emotional toll it has caused!! The TV news tells the stories.
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Postscript at 10:30 AM: I ignored my self-diagnoses and continued at the computer. Mysteriously (out of the blue?), I decided to compare the surnames Frantz and Frontz. Yes, some of the individuals appear in the records as “Frontz” when their lineage is “Frantz.” This will be a BIG job to check each “Frontz” and correct the information!!
Rainstorms have been extremely good for my vegetable garden. The weather has forced me to work indoors and that means sitting at the computer. I’ve spent hours documenting (for a friend-cousin) and NEVER found a connection to my extended family. I’m not complaining; in the future, I may find a connection. My effort may be helpful to another Ancestry subscriber. I encountered individuals with the surname “Deal” and suspected they were descendants of immigrants with the surname “Diehl.” I recognized the possibility that I might have duplicates where the (recent) individual’s “hint” arrived with “Deal” and I already had them in my database as “Diehl.” Solution: Have two computers side-by-side with one listing “Deal” and the other listing “Diehl.” The lists were checked and one duplicate located. A lot of time… but I “deal” with details (lol).
More than three hundred individuals added to my Ancestry database in two days. It isn’t a simple matter of “adding an individual.” There may be five to fifteen “sources” to add to the record. Here is a comparison: The name is like a garment hanging on a rack. The sources put a man or woman in the garment. (Attention to details!!)
After a couple of sleepless hours in bed, I moved to my comfortable chair and turned on the TV. Frequently I “nap” in the chair with a TV program. Tonight I stumbled on a new (new to me) Christian program (on TBN). Personally, I was thrilled to see—and hear—their powerful message. It is D. James Kennedy Ministries Truths That Transform. I suggest my readers take the time to watch the program. (Wide awake at 2:00 AM and publishing this at 2:50 AM.)
Below is the “comment” I posted with the record of Dale Royer–in my Ancestry database.
On a personal note: I believe my Heavenly Father (God) directs my research projects. It goes way back to the late 1980s when I first started researching the Frantz family. Along the way, I became acquainted with hundreds of cousins. One husband and wife team was extremely helpful and provided volumes of family history. That couple: Dale Royer and Gladys (Cool) Royer. As a guest in their home, I enjoyed their hospitality many times. TODAY, I had an urge to revisit “Royer” in my Ancestry database. There are more than 200 “Royer” and I researched many… and—where needed—documented their birth and death dates. Spouses and children were added. After “Wilson Royer,” (the end) I hastened to Dale’s record and planned to add the comment “Thinking of you.” ~~ Note that today is the ninth anniversary of Dale’s death. ***I did not know that. It was not in my memory.*** To God be the Glory, great things He has done!!
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One-hundred-fifty (150) individuals added to my Ancestry database today.
Remember, I spent about three months working on the ancestry for our kind, thoughtful, helpful, considerate, RV Park owner-manager. (His information is in a separate tree.) He is home from the hospital but is still suffering health-wise. ~~ Two BIG accomplishments today: (1) Established my vegetable garden, and (2) more “cousins by the dozens.”
Three Quarters & Counting 