1858 - 2008 & BEYOND

Well, it isn't Friday, but at least it is still August! Yesterday, I closed the shop at 12:30, and went up to the school for play practice for the Sesquicentennial play, A Crothersville Celebration. I only have a couple of lines, and then am a part of a congregation in one scene and a group of townspeople in another. The choir teacher is incredible. Our dress rehearsal is next Saturday morning, from 8-12. We get to go through the entire production. There will be two performances on Friday, September 12, one in the morning for the students, and one in thevening for the general public. I know this is going to be something our town remembers until the Bicentennial in 2058!

I am also very interested in learning more about Sarah Palin, whom John McCain named as his vice-presidential running mate. I was impressed to learn that Newt Gingrich, whom I regard as an extremely intelligent and knowledgable person, had brought her name up months earlier as an individual with great potential. Politically, I am a registered Democrat, but that really makes little difference to me.

Until next time,
BRENDA

VISIT THE 'VILLE DURING THE SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION SEPTEMBER 11-14

http://www.150yearsago.org/

Happy 150th Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Crothersville! Your big Sesquicentennial Celebration, marking your 150th Birthday, is September 11-14. Folks still talk about your 100th Birthday, the Centennial Celebration of 1958. Some parts of that event will be repeated this year, and several new things will be added. Congratulations on reaching this important milestone!

Some events will be historical, such as the re-enactments and the historical play, A Crothersville Celebration. The events will be instructive, old-timey, and fun. There will be contests of various sorts, and food, craft, and other booths. There will be a wonderful parade! There will be music! It is almost certain that everyone will find several activities that appeal to them. (See 150yearsago.org, for Sesquicentennial information.)

Hopefully, this Sesquicentennial Celebration will provide a jump-start to a bright future. The organization, CARD (Crothersville Area Revitalization and Development), will look to present and future needs once the Sesquicentennial is over. Members of CARD are excited about the opportunities for preservation, renewal, and expansion in our town. We want this to be a place where good things are happening! We don't want to focus on past problems, unless we are attempting to overcome them.

THE MILLER, THE BOY, AND THE ASS

This is one of my favorites found in 1969 or '70, in a book, A Treasury of Russian Children's Verse. I had to change the layout, and I have omitted some of the repetitive lines, but the moral is the same.

An old man, a miller, was riding an ass.
His grandson was walking behind in the grass.

"Look! A disgrace!" was the villagers' talk.
"Granddad is riding, but grandson must walk!"

Quickly the miller dismounted, and put
The boy in the saddle, while he went on foot.

"Goodness, no manners!" an old woman said.
"Age walks behind, while Youth rides ahead!"

So granddad and grandson both mounted and rode.
They came to a man who was hauling a load.

"Ugh!" said the man, "No shame, not the least!
Two men on the back of that poor little beast!

Then granddad and grandson both went on foot.
On grandfather's shoulders the donkey was put.

"Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho!" roared a man with a sack.
"An old ass has put a young ass on his back!"

Obviously, the moral is that you can't please everybody, but when you try, you end up making an "ass" of yourself. This old folktale is retold in verse by Samuel Marshak.

A Benediction

And now, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. . .
This grace in which we stand,
This grace by which we have been saved through faith,
This grace in which we receive mercy and help in time of need,
This grace which is sufficient for us,
And this grace that we must not receive in vain. . .
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God. . .
A love that existed before the foundations of the world,
A love that is rich in mercy,
A love that makes us more than conquerors,
A love that disciplines us,
A love that commands us to love one another. . .
The love of God,
And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. . .
The Spirit of Truth, who dwells within us,
The Spirit of Life, who has set us free,
The Spirit who helps us in our weakness,
In whom we are convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment,
In whom we are strengthened with power in our inner being,
The fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
And the love of God,
And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Be with you all. Amen.
L. Thomas Smith, Jr., Ph. D., Professor, History & Theology
Johnson Bible College, Commencement, 2008
(from the college newsletter, THE BLUE AND WHITE)

The Week Starts on Tuesday!

The week starts on Tuesday for me! Am I short on time--No! But since I have a shop -- Aunt Samantha's -- which is open Tuesday through Saturday, Monday is part of my weekend. So today is Tuesday and my week has begun. There is usually not a lot of activity in the 'ville. But I have time to do something like this when I don't have any customers! I keep busy with assorted projects. This is my first experience in blogging, although it seems a lot like journaling which is meant to be read by anyone curious enough to check it out. Computers are still a bit of a mystery to me, but I have definitely made progress. I love to have the margins justified so they come out even on the right!