Friday, January 10, 2025

1-10-25: TBT to 1947 at Harman, Virginia: I was 5 years old and had fallen in the creek three times while playing ‘Follow The Leader’ the previous day at Uncle Fred’s farm. 😢
When we returned home to Harman I was unable to get out of 🛌 the next morning. Dad carried me to see Dr. J.P. Sutherland and he called UVA 🏥 in Charlottesville to tell them he was sending them a young patient with a dislocated hip. 💝
Dad took me and Mom to Bluefield to catch a 🚂 to Charlottesville, Mom carrying a suitcase and me.
One thing I still recall about the 🚂 ride was a Conductor kept walking up and down the aisles, going from car to car as I think there were several connecting cars on the train. The Conductor kept hollering “ Cigars, Cigarettes! Tiparillos!” Over and over every 20 minutes or so and scores of people were smoking. And since there was not much air circulation, I had my face pressed against the window trying to get away from all the smoke.💨
I 👀 out the window at the 🌳 and hoped the ride would soon be over.
We were there for a week or two and after X-Rays and such, the doctors decided that my hip joint was out of socket & that my 🦵 needed to be placed in traction for several months to gently pull it back into place. They called Dr. Sutherland and he came to our Harman house and connected a pulley system in a baby bed next to a window. I could 👀 out the window and could be taken out of the bed occasionally, but only for short trips.
Remembering that Dad would pull me down to the Company Store in a little red wagon occasionally
I missed the first half of First Grade and started First Grade after Christmas in 1948.
Mom taught me every day with lessons she devised and when I went to school after Christmas, I knew my ABC’s and could count to 💯 and much more. ❤️
Dr. Sutherland telling me in later years that the only reason I was walking was because of that pulley system, 🥛 , and penicillin. Penicillin had just been invented and he gave me a shot of it every day as he came by our house. 💝

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Day 4 D words I am thankful for 2020

Day 4...'D' Day..6 things starting with D that have made a DIFFERENCE in my life.
1. First off, I'm thankful for D DAY on June 6, 1944 when America drew a line in the sand as Germany & Japan were readying to take over the 🌎 with marxist communism...
Nearly 5,000 American & allied lives were lost that day. May we Never forget how much our freedom cost in blood, sweat & tears. None of us would be here without the DEDICATION of the 🇺🇸 soldier. ❤️
2. DOGS....Tippy, Wow, Prince, Champ...All great DOGS! I have heard it said, by DALE Cox actually:”You don’t find a great DOG. A great DOG finds you.”
3. DRUGS & DOCTORS....Thankful for all the DRUGS my DAD & Mom fed me...I was DRUGGED to church 3 times a week...Not really, I really wanted to go!
DOCTORS fed me actual DRUGS like Penicillin & Benadryl like they were real lifesavers!
One DOCTOR telling me when I was about 20 that the only reason I was still walking was Penicillin and Milk, for he had put my right leg in traction for several months when I had DISLOCATED my hip at age 5.
Another DOCTOR saving my life with the miracle DRUG Penicillin with multiple shots when 🩸 poisoning just about took me DOWN for the count.
4. ....DELIVERER & DAYSTAR ON HIGH...Just two of the many names given to Jesus Christ....DESIRING to give Him DIVINE DEVOTION...Love Him DEARLY!
5. DEVOTIONS...It has been my passion to write and share DEVOTIONS with not only Grundy athletes, but also several other high schools and colleges, writing over 1,000 DEVOTIONS, many of these shared with the teams while 'Shaking the Beans'.
6. DAY..."This is the DAY that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)...As one sage said,
"Every DAY is important. If you don't believe it, just try missing one of them."
Have a DELIGHTFUL DAY! ❤️

Day 5 E Words in 26 Days of Thanksgiving

Day 5...E Day...5 things I'm thankful for that start with the letter E..
1. ELEPHANTS...🐘 Love these ELEGANT creatures. Remember hearing what Tarzan said when he saw the ELEPHANTS coming through the jungle wearing sunglasses: Nothing! He didn't recognize them. 😆
And I love the story of the ELEPHANT playing tag with a 🐁 one sunshiny day in the jungle...As the story goes, the ELEPHANT made a misstep & squashed the tiny mouse. The ELEPHANT was so crushed in spirit that he made his way to a nearby log, where he sat down and cried and cried, while sobbing, "I...Was...Only...Trying...To...trip...trip him." 😢
2. EGGS.....Like my former football & baseball coach, Frank Spraker, "I like Eggs anyway you can fix them, but raw!"
There was a boy in college at Hiwassee that used to wake Willard Owens and myself up every morning at the 'crack of dawn', saying, "Let's go get an Egg!"..
3. EVERLASTING WORD.....EVERLASTING LIFE....."Forever, O Lord, is Your Word settled in Heaven." Psalm 119:89....God & His Word is from EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING...And so are we: There was a time we never were, but after we are born, there will never be a time we will not be...Sobering thought isn't it? And we get to choose where! May we EXALT our EXCELLENCY on High!
4. ELDERS....I've always heard that we should 'Respect our Elders'.....Now I are one! 🌽
Paul ordained ELDERS (also translated bishops, shepherds, pastors & overseers) in Every N.T. church he started, so it must be of utmost importance.....
5. EAGLES.....Who doesn't like to watch this majestic bird in flight? (And to think, the turkey was just a few votes short of being selected as our National Emblem!)....
Just know that the EAGLE represents freedom & one of our great freedoms is the 'Right to Vote' which has been granted to us by our soldiers & not our politicians!.....If we fail at the Ballot Box to protect our freedoms, it will sadly take Bullets to repurchase it again somewhere ages and ages hence.
Hoping & Praying that we will all be a more thankful people....As Paul said in Hebrews 13:15: "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our 👄 giving thanks to His Name."....
And as Paul continued, "In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 🙏
Happy Thanksgiving!