It's hard to believe the month of October is almost over. Where have the days gone? It seems like only yesterday that I was heading for Georgia to perform on "Atlanta Live" and now November is almost here. I am already shivering from the change in temperature and winter hasn't even begun yet! Like everyone else, I suspect it is going to be a colder than average winter this year and figure we'll see a lot more snow and ice than usual. I know the kids hope so. My niece has already been asking when it is going to snow and points excitedly at the TV when the weather man mentions snow. It doesn't matter if the forecast is for two states away. She continues to assure me we'll have snow by morning.
Our church had a Fall festival on Saturday which included a Gospel singing. I wasn't scheduled to perform, but was asked at the last minute and sang several songs.
The event was a great success and I think all the kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I know we did.
October 21, 2009, 9:56 p.m.
During my studies I came across a great quote about the Bible and I'd like to post it here.
"A Glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun; it gives a light to every age--it gives, but borrows none...."--H. William Cowper
October 15, 2009, 11:58 p.m.
The Britannic was sank by a mine I discovered after reading further in the book which is called: "Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters."
Violet Jessop wrote about how steady the Titanic seemed as passengers were beginning to be lowered in lifeboats, and about watching one of the ship's massive funnels topple into the sea. She said as they roed away from the ship she began to count the lights from the rows of ports. First there were six and then five, four, three and by this time she had realized she wasn't miscounting, that the "queen of the sea" was actually sinking.
I have read other published survivor accounts that say it was difficult to believe the ship was actually sinking, that it was viewed as unsinkable by some. But any man-made object is sinkable, even the mighty Titanic.
She said the ship tipped then righted itself. Finally it went head first into the Atlantic where multiple explosions could be heard as it sank toward the bottom.
One of the crewmen was sucked underwater by the ship as it sank and landed on a grate above one of the boilers when it exploded, hurling him up and away from the wreck. He then climbed aboard an overturned collapsable lifeboat with thirty other survivors to await rescue.
What an amazing story!
As a side note: when the wreckage was discovered in 1985, it was said that coal from the ship stretches for somewhere in the vicinity of two miles across the ocean floor.
October 12, 2009, 11:55 p.m
I am reading a great book which contains the latest published account of the sinking of the Titanic from a stewardess that was aboard all three White Star sister ships the Olympic, Titanic and Britannic, all ship wrecked within a five year period. The first occurred in September 1911 when the Olympic and H.M.S. Hawke collided south of Bramble bank. Her next assignment was aboard the Titanic which sank on April 15, 1912. During World War I she signed up to work with the Red Cross and was on the hospital ship Britannic in November of 1916 when it was hit by a mine or torpedo.
Her story is remarkable and begins with her early childhood as a girl in South America. I'm not sure how much of her life is covered since I haven't finished it yet but what I have read I have thoroughly enjoyed. October 5, 2009 10:00 p.m.
The word beautiful seems inadequate when describing Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It was simply magnificent. As I said in my previous entry it was constructed by the same architect who built the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and is one of four churches in Franklin to be listed on the historic registry.
The church is gorgeous with high vaulted ceilings, tall stained glass windows and hand-made pews. I was told it was built for sound and that it was. The sound volume was equal no matter where you stepped inside the sanctuary and the acoustics were amazing.
I had a great time on stage and with the congregation who had a great spirit and sense of hospitality. The church quickly wound its way into my heart and I will never forget my time there.
October 3, 2009, 10:38 a.m.
It's shaping up to be a beautiful day here in the hills of Tennessee. I am getting ready for an outside performance at a car show held in the church parking lot of Kingdom Ministries, a beautiful church outside of Milton. There are several old cars here already and the grills are being set up to cook hamburgers and hot dogs. At least one inflatable trampoline is being set up for the kids.
"Atlanta Live" was a great experience. When we arrived we walked into the beautiful studio of WATC channel 57 and were promptly greeted by the show's hosts, Pat and Betty. We had a short meeting about what would take place, a sound check, then it was showtime.
During the show I sang three songs and gave a fifteen minute interview. I felt at ease and we touched on a lot of subjects.
Tomorrow I'll be at a Presbyterian church that is on the historic registry. It was built by the same people as the Rhyman Auditorium in Nashville so I'm sure it will be beautiful as well.
I have always had a strong love for history and took all but one of the history courses offered at my high school. I'm not a big fan of ancient history; I prefer old buildings and houses, as well as events from the last few centuries. I love to learn about the lives of those before us, the way in which they lived and worked. I have visited several historic sites such as a Shaker village in Kentucky, an old town deep in the mountains of Tennessee and old antebellum homes.