Lorraine was doing something unusual; Lorraine was cleaning house!! ~~ There was a heart–stopping moment with the realization of the treasure in my hands. The newspaper was turning brown although only eighteen months old. A lady-friend at Rainbow’s End RV Park, in Livingston, Texas, read the poem to the residents gathered for a Christmas potluck supper (2019). I loved that poem and asked for a copy. Pat generously gave me the newspaper. Today, I typed the words so the “Christmas poem” is my June poem gift to my friends and family..

‘Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were laid on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed.
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a minute this must be THE DAY!
The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus, returning like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in his hand,
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said “It’s not here” my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound.
While all the rest were left standing around,
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There’s only one life and when comes the last call
We’ll find that the Bible was true after all.

Author is Lou Pinter

Answer: One bite at a time.

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Oh, my aching back; too much heavy lifting. I have “large” boxes with heavy books. I bought “medium” size boxes so they would be easier to handle. Still too heavy!! I’ll buy the “small” boxes next time and distribute across several boxes. I’m taking “a few bites at a time” and hope to ship things to various locations this summer.

I live in “a little corner of Heaven” but the weather is so “hellish” hot I can’t work on outdoor projects!!

I was just documenting the Hawbaker family. True story!! I was expanding information from an obituary and exhausted all the “hints” provided by Ancestry. While engaged in decision-making (keep or send), I browsed a booklet prepared, and shared, among Old German Baptist Brethren family members. “Prepared in 1964” and a part of my library since 1997 (I date my acquired genealogy). Repeat: “True story!!” The booklet fell open to page 19 and my eye caught the name “Hawbaker”—the exact same family. When I browsed the Index, I saw (perhaps) one-hundred familiar names that are in or will be in my family tree. ~~ I have the feeling that these families are “begging” to be documented in my forest of Old German Baptist Brethren family trees.

I was sitting at the computer for several hours writing details about the origin of the shingle and the stones. They are relics from the 1700s, a part of my Frantz-family ancestry. The details will accompany the contents of the box destined for the Brethren Heritage Center in Brookville, Ohio.

9:00 AM and I am so discouraged!!

Some of yesterday’s time and energy was obviously wasted because “brown let me down.”  This morning, the brown tape was coming loose on both boxes. Now I’ve reinforced the brown with clear tape. False advertising because the brown is sold as “packing tape.”

Seriously, I just want to go back to bed!! It’s an icky-sticky eighty degrees outdoors—and indoors!! A/C time?

…try, try again.

Did I just coin a new word? I’m experiencing a “day-mare.”

My back aches from lifting heavy boxes; my head aches so I took an Aleve. I started packing a box for the Brethren Heritage Center  but I’m not ready to part with this valuable (to me) information. There is information in these publications that quite likely isn’t available on Ancestry.com. Yours truly needs to add the information to her family tree.

POSTSCRIPT @ 1:30 PM: An old lady has got to do what an old lady’s got to do?! Perhaps “Yours truly” will enjoy several more years of expanding her Ancestry family tree. She hopes, and prays, the remaining library of genealogy will be shipped to the Brethren Heritage Center.

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Remember, this is my “journal” and I choose to record the activities—and thoughts—of the day.

I was so tired, I was cross-eyed (almost). Too many heavy boxes; I was exhausted!! While visually scanning genealogy for those I can pack for Brethren Heritage Center, and those I’ll keep and do further research, I saw this message. I “escaped” to my computer and began the search “from scratch.” ~~ “No,” I did not have the four individuals in my family tree.

More than three hours for me to accurately document his tree. Frequently the “misinformation” stems from similar (or identical) names, in the same community, and the other researchers fail to check the Federal Census and birth and death dates. (Makes me so frustrated!!)