SEPTEMBER

THE golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bearing down.

The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook.

From dewey lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.

But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.

'T is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.

Helen Hunt Jackson

On this day, 28 years ago, Keith Nisbett kissed me for the first time. It was very significant, in that I knew he wouldn't kiss me unless he intended to marry me. I was thrilled. I still am every time he kisses me.

YOUNG LADIES TEA

The girls recently had an afternoon tea on the porch while Esther Nail was here visiting from Indianapolis. Clara Mosher also joined the group, and they were all chaperoned by the handsome young Nathanael.

Joy

Esther

Clara

Anna

Ladies touring the Gardens

Nathanael.

Amy came to the rescue with this special costume for Nathanael, so that he wasn't forced to dress up as a princess when participating in the various festivies the girls plan.

NOT TO BE OUTDONE BY TINA FEY . . .

UPCOMING

Our family is participating in the Ozark Actors' Theatre holiday production this year.

Performance dates;
Thursday, Nov. 13 - 7:00 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 14 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 15 - 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 20 - 7:00 p.m.
Friday , Nov. 21 - 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22 - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 23 - 2:00 p.m.

They are cast as follows:

Keith --- Uncle Billy Bailey
Adam --- Harry Bailey
Joel --- Ernie
Joy --- Chorus
Anna --- Chorus
Josiah will be designing and running the lights.

And the catalyst for all of this:
OAT has hired and is flying in the famous and highly respected costume designer Amy Hobbs (nee Nisbett) to do this show. If she is going to be at the theatre long hours, we might as well come too !! It's going to be a lot of fun. Hope to see you at the show.

BRASS IN THE AFTERNOON

Joy, Anna, and Nathanael have started Beginning Band with Kay's Studio in Sullivan. This is an excellent opportunity for homeschoolers to participate in a concert band and a first rate music program. Josiah and John are in the Advanced Band, but are using the time we are there for Beginning to learn a second instrument. The kids have enjoyed practicing together every afternoon.

Trombone -- a family tradition -- we now have four trombone players, and four trombones . . .

. . . and a tuba (and a lot of other instruments), which is why I'm so happy the new addition includes an instrument closet. Now if we all played flutes . . .

And a few feet away from the cacophony, Glory enjoys the music in her own personal way.

GILCHRIST, TX

Gilchrist (Scottish for servant of Christ) is my maiden name, and for that and many other obvious reasons, I was very sorry to hear that the small town of Gilchrist, TX was completely swept away by Hurricane Ike (except for this lone, inexplicably intact house.)

HURRICAN IKE HITS MISSOURI

As we continue to remember and pray for the many people whose live have been so drastically affected by Hurricane Ike, I thought I would post the still impressive force it had even all the way into Missouri. Above is the normal view from our dining room. The Bourbeuse River (French for "muddy", and appropriately named) is in its banks along the bluff in the distance.

Sunday morning, we looked out to this view. The field which is completely under water is really big! The road we use has a low water bridge over this river, which was obviously flooded, as was the "back way". The congregation meeting at our house had to travel considerably out of the way for church. (Side note: All the hay was high and dry this time. Ten years ago, which was the last time it flooded like this, we watched our neighbor's hay float off like giant turtles.)

After church, the boys ventured down to "check it out", having obediently helped with preparation before hand, while chaffing at the fact that the water was quickly receeding. It was still up considerably.

Ginger enjoyed having her own personal lake. That dog is wet 95% of the time. Too bad we don't have any duck hunters.

"O brothers let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
Come on brothers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray"
from O Brother, Where Art Thou?

. . . which seemed appropriate. While I don't know if they were praying, I do know that we all marvelled at the awesome power of our Creator, the amount of water that was still left in the hurricane when it reached us in the MIDwest, and beauty of the sunshine after the storm (although we see beauty in the storm as well).

JOEL ELDREDGE'S BARN

Our good friends, the Eldredges, had a beautiful barn, built by their son Joel and his brothers. Many dear people have enjoyed their barn and their homestead on numerous occasions, as Helen is very gifted with hospitality.

Tragically, the barn burned this last spring, and was a complete loss.

This fall, Joel, pictured here overseeing Josiah, began rebuilding his barn. Our guys spent one day helping along with several other friends and family.

The barn at the end of the day.

TO BUILD A BARN . . .

. . . you must have plans.

. . . you must have materials.

. . . and you must hold your mouth just right.


Seriously, if anyone knows how to build something properly, it would be Tom Eldredge, Jr., someone who has my utmost respect, despite the jest just published above.

Joel Eldredge, Barn Proprietor

John, wielding a hammer

Caleb Eldredge, serious young builder. I think red was the requisite T-shirt color.

Josiah, Tom Jr., and Adam, doing something.

What the barn looks like more recently, after several more work days and the help of many wonderful people. I love living in Missouri !! The Lord has put so many fantastic people here. It almost makes up for the ticks!

For a more detailed account of the barn rebuilding, see www.rebuildingbarn.blogspot.com

REMEMBRANCES

Two dear young ladies have also blogged their tributes to Amy Martin Wilhoite. They honor her memory eloquently. They both share her complete devotion to her Lord and her family and friends. Amy was such a uniquely gifted and lovely person.

I have included links below to:

Song in My Heart, Rachel Eldredge's blog ON THIS DAY

and

Gentlewood Cottage, Candace Jacobson's blog REMEMBERING AMY

ONE YEAR TODAY

It has been one year since a beautiful soul, Amy Martin Wilhoite, departed from this short pilgrimage to her eternal home. Those of us still making the journey miss her. Our prayers are with her husband, son, parents, siblings, and friends.


As Amy battled leukemia, she was a tremendous blessing and encouragement to multitudes through her blog LivingwithLeukemia
The day of her homegoing, there were over 400 comments on her blog, a testimony to how many lives she had touched from her hospital room. Her blog still inspires and convicts me. I have included a quote from her very first post, and her very last. We love you Amy.

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

Sunday morning four doctors, two medical students and two nurses filed into my room, and I knew. They were led by the head oncologist, Dr. Perry. He told me they had reviewed my blood smears and at the time they knew I had acute leukemia, but would not be sure of the type until they performed a bone marrow biopsy. I don't think there is a way to put in writing how such a diagnosis hits you, I was silent except for a few questions and tears while they were in the room, afterwards I broke down in my husband's arms and we both sobbed. Somewhere in the midst of all of the emotions I had an overwhelming sense of peace. Ever since the Urgent Care doctor had called, the song "Blessed be Your Name" had been running through my head. "Blessed be Your name, when the path's marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name." I told Brandon, "The Lord gives, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord." In the midst of everything known and yet unknown, all I could know is that He had me. I wasn't anywhere I wasn't supposed to be, this was the path I had been called to, and He wouldn't give me more than I could bear.


Thursday, August 30, 2007

" 'The work which His goodness began,
the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen,
and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo,
or sever my soul from His love.'
- A Debtor to Mercy Alone
Augustus Toplady"