Memorial Day and Colonel Frederick Wagg

 

    I get to enjoy reading my choice of material, preaching the text that I choose, drinking the soft of my preference and so many other easily taken for granted privileges because there are folk who put on a uniform and surrender their own personal day-to day freedoms.

    Many of us live relatively privileged lives in large part because of the value created on the backs of those who take the orders rather than give the orders.

And while that sentiment applies broadly in our society to waitresses, janitors, factory workers, and others who are in a position to take orders, it makes its most fundamental manifestation in the soldier, the seaman, the airman!

I often begin funeral tributes with the following words because I believe that to honor the person who has died is to honor God who created that person.

 

Psalm 139: ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

And so, as I honor those who have served in the military, accept that as honor to God as well.

It was Jesus himself who modeled for us the service of sacrifice.

To the families of military folk who have passed, I say “Thank You!”

I really, really, really enjoy that First Amendment which your family member protected for me!

Again, I enjoy so much in life because of that person in your family!

 

Also, many of you who know me know that I am quite the Beatles fan. But also, allow me to sympathize with Colonel Frederick Wagg who is mostly remembered in Beatles communities for “ sending back all the decorations he picked up from service in both world wars to the queen herself in protest against the Beatles’MBE “( see link at bottom).

I would hate for that fellow who served so sacrificially to be remembered only as an angry man in protest of Beatles.

I say, let us remember this fellow as someone who, along with our uniformed folk, defended us and maintained our freedoms!

This weekend take a trip to a local cemetery, find the area that serves as a memorial for those who have served in the military, speak a name or two from your own family or from the grave stones you see.

My friend Mr. Hunter, who served in the Navy, has mentioned, regarding his oath he took upon joining, “It does not have an expiration date”.

Know this all who serve…My respect for you does not have an expiration date!

 

For info on Colonel Wagg visit: https://philscoblehistorian.wordpress.com/tag/col-wagg/

Rotary Phones and the Resurrection of Childhood

 

 

    While visiting Tecumseh Antique Appeal in Tecumseh Michigan last week I ran across an old rotary telephone and snapped a photo of it that I may use the photo to promote positive messages in the area that would present the phone number.

I have erased the number which was present that I may insert my own affirmation, aphorism, or alternative moment of inspirational umph!

Today, while visiting an antique store in Schoolcraft Michigan, I saw another old rotary phone.

I did not photograph this one.

I did, out of a sense of nostalgia, engage with it.

I lifted the handset, placed my right index finger into the number “8” circular opening of the dial and rotated the dial clockwise until my finger hit the stop. I then released and allowed the dial to return to rest. As it made its counterclockwise trip I heard the mechanical clicking of the internal guts of the phone.

I then rotated with another number, and so on.

The playful operation of this old phone stirred up memories from the 1960s during which I commonly used such phones.

I remembered calling for time and temperature.

I remembered calling for delivery pizza.

A flood of memories returned to me as I held the handset and rotated the dial.

My childhood, I discovered, is not lost to the fog of time. It remains in my mind just waiting for some unpredictable moment and impulse to allow it to play once again.

Visit Tecumseh, Proud Home of the Teenage Julie Parrish

 

At Brookside Cemetery

    This blog post began as a tribute to  Ruby Joyce Wilbar who was born in Middlesboro Kentucky. She lived for a while in Tennessee and lived her teen years in Tecumseh Michigan before becoming a successful actor by the name of Julie Parrish starring in movies and television.

   Upon research of Ms. Wilbar, I discovered that she legally changed her name to Julie Parrish and preferred being called by that name.

   And so, in respect of her wishes, this blog post is affirmingly about Julie Parrish.

    Oh, how uncooperative the work of the biographer!

Much of the material by which they compose a biography evaporates by the time the search is launched to discover that evasive material.

To complicate matters, during investigation of facts and details, one runs into conflicting information. One then must decide which of the sources of information upon which to base their conclusions.

I shall revisit that conundrum later.

It was one day many weeks ago I was searching Youtube for obscure sitcoms of the 1960s that I ran across “Good Morning World” which was about two morning radio personalities ‘Lewis and Clark” and decided to give it a view. Fun show!

One thing I noticed was that the lead female role played by Julie Parrish had credit at the opening credits of the show along with the two main characters. Goldie Hawn, not yet famous of Laugh In, had lesser credit at the end of the show.

Who is this woman with higher credit than Goldie Hawn!

And so, I researched just who is Julie Parrish. I found much about her acting career and subsequent profession as a Chemical Dependency Counselor.

It seems many people want to make comment on her as a celebrity. I list some resources at the end of this blog post that you may view them yourself.

I aim in this blog post to recognize her as an energetic, high school girl excited about the world, and also to promote Tecumseh Michigan as a place worth visiting.

Since Julie passed away in 2003 and much of her family has passed away or is unreachable by this amateur (very amateur) biographer I have little to go on as to stories, memoirs, and such about her. And so, my wife, Sherry, and I took the trip to Tecumseh Michigan to try to get a “snapshot” feel for the town in which she was a teenager during the 1950s.

Our first stop in town was the Tecumseh District Public Library. The History room was a great source of information.

The Robinson’s City Directory of 1956 listed the family address as 210 E. Chicago. That would be a must to visit and photograph. That location in town is now a parking lot.

 Also, according to Gary Naugle, Tecumseh City Council Member and volunteer at the Historical Museum, the family lived on Evans Street. I am going to trust the information of one who lived in the town all his life and knew the family personally over the address reported in an impersonal publication of names and addresses.

Robinson's Tecumseh City Directory 1956 listing Wilbar family at 210 E. Chicago.

The History room of the Tecumseh District Library also had Tecumseh High School yearbooks of 1956, 57, and 58, Julie’s year of graduation.

Julie, short hair...woman in the middle.

Starring in the senior play, we see that Julie had an interest in acting by personal design, not, as with so many, incidental and fortuitous.

Our next stop was the Brookside Cemetery in town. Though it took a while, my wife, Sherry, and I discovered the burial place of the family.

Amateur Detective and Biographer

We can see from the Brookside Cemetery burial listing (found at the library History Room) that  Joyce “Julie” is listed. She does not have an actual gravestone bearing her name. But, there is a memorial marker provided by the class of 1958.

Burial listing according to records found at library 

Again, Gary Naugle informs me that Julie is actually buried somewhere in California and the memorial plaque provided by the class is just that …a memorial.

Jeanne Sheldon offered many informative points of interest about the history of Tecumseh.

Both, Gary and Jeanne, were wonderfully hospitable to Sherry and myself as we asked questions and snapped photos.

Gary, with display of Julie memorabilia.

 

left to right: Jeanne Sheldon, Sherry Borglum, Gary Naugle

Sherry and I then moved on to the Artwalk in town.

We visited Tecumseh Antique Appeal self-described as selling antiques, primitives, jewelry, and furniture. Sherry found some hand-made jewelry.

Having reported the reason for my trip to Tecumeseh, and telling Juli Jones (proprietor of the Tecumseh Antique Appeal) that Julie Parrish had been in an Elvis movie, Juli, with smile and pride, reported that she was related to Elvis! “Wow” said I, “How?” I pressed.

The great- great grandmothers of Juli and Elvis were sisters! Yes, what a well -connected world!

Also, Juli remembered the name of the town bakery before it was Lev and Son…Van’s!

As Juli was very informative and welcoming, I very much encourage you to visit her store when in Tecumseh. The store is located at 101 E. Chicago Boulevard.

The telephone number for the store is 517-424-2152. She is open Monday through Saturday 10 AM -5:30 PM.

The Tecumseh City Historical Museum and the town itself seem pretty danged proud of Julie Parrish. One can tell by the display of photos and information at the Museum.

I encourage any fan of Julie Parrish to visit Tecumseh and see where she lived as a teenager and meet the town folk who are proud of her.

Even if you are not a fan of Julie Parrish, this town is worth the trip.

I visited Lev’s Bakery to get treats (Julie had worked there during high school when it was Van’s Pastry Shop). Do remember to take cash with which to make a purchase. I had no cash with me. But, and this speaks highly of the kind of people that live in Tecumseh, a customer in the store, Carmen, purely from the pure goodness of her heart, offered to pay for my treats!

Carmen

Yes, she is a personal indicator of the type of town this is!!

Julie worked at Van's while in high school. Same location as current Lev and Son Bakery.

As I concluded my visit in Tecumseh, I imagined Julie as a high school girl walking from her home to work at Van’s bakery, perhaps on a Saturday morning with inches of snow on the sidewalk and a cold wind that threatened to distract her from her thoughts about a career, yet she did not surrender to immediate and ephemeral discomfort. I imagined her with each crunching step upon the snow plotting a career as a successful actress of whom the city of Tecumseh would be proud. I envisioned her listening with transistor radio to CKLW, originating from Windsor Ontario, on her way to work eagerly hoping to hear the latest release by Elvis Presley.

Evans Street looking south toward town. Julie's perspective as she walked to work at Van's Pastry Shop

Yes, model, actress, counselor, Julie Parrish also once was an American teenager with an American dream in the 1950s.

May she always be an inspiration for teenagers in Tecumseh and all over America that small town hopefuls can make their dreams come true!

 

To find out about Julie’s movies and tv appearances visit:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663554/

 

To get a general idea of who was Julie Parrish visit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Parrish

 

To learn more about Tecumseh Michigan visit:

http://www.downtowntecumseh.com/

 

 

I would like to thank Craig Burkeen of the First Presbyterian Church who supplied me with the obituary for Willam Wilbar (Julie’s father, who probably worked with my grandfather in Oak Ridge Tennessee. But that will be a different blog post).

Thanks to Pastor Brian Jones of the Missionary Baptist Church for giving me direction as to the original church site where the family attended.

And, thank you Mike Hrivnak, Vice President of  the Tecumseh Historical Museum.

Earth Day 2021

 

 

Lake James Pokagon State Park

Psalms 146 through 150 begin and end with the call “Praise the Lord”. An examination of the ancient Hebrew meaning of the word which we commonly, and even casually, use in church reveals this…”The verb hālal means "praise." "This root connotes being sincerely and deeply thankful for and/or satisfied in lauding a superior quality or great, great acts of the object."

There should be a sense of great thankfulness as we praise God. It does not appear that God seeks empty lip-service. It seems that because he has been wonderfully generous with his creation that all of creation might respond with joyous acknowledgement.

As we approach Earth Day, April 22, 2021, let us, along with all other created moments and objects of existence release from our innermost sense of identity an applause that will reach to the ears and heart of God.

Psalm 148 speaks of all things in existence offering this applause to God.

Let us join their unending hymn…

Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

² Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

³ Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

⁴ Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.

⁶ He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

⁸ Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

⁹ Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

¹⁰ Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

¹¹ Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

¹² Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

¹⁴ He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.

The Last Supper? I Think Not!

 

 

da Vinci Public domain picture from Wikipedia

 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers in Christ…

Contemplate these words from Luke, chapter 24 (which take place after Jesus' resurrection)

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

 

So you see, the commonly referred to “Last Supper” was not in fact the last supper Jesus had with disciples. I imagine he had many suppers with them after his resurrection and before ascension.

But I suppose these suppers just didn’t have enough sensational impact for Leonardo da Vinci! Thus, we are stuck on the one he pictured.

 

Now why, in this scene, Jesus stays only long enough to eat, be recognized and then “poof” he’s gone I can’t say for sure. I think he is making the point that he is capable of lovingly intervening in our tangible and spiritual lives simultaneously. And so we should also attend to both, the spiritual and physical.

But he appears to a greater group of disciples later. And, once again, he eats with them!

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Much is often said about fasting as a spiritual discipline. Humph!

I find it very interesting that these scenes, in which Jesus is recognized and the Scriptures understood, are in the context of supper!

I suggest this…the next dinner, breakfast or lunch you have with family, friends, coworkers, ask not only that the food be blessed but also that your eyes be more fully opened that you may see Jesus more clearly and understand Scripture more fully.

Ask and you will receive!

Lemon Meringue Sentence Development

 

 

Picture from thespruceeats,com

I recently was described as the “M.C. Escher of the sentence”!

My goodness what a compliment my ego embraced in that comment.

And I suppose there are some sentences in which I do attempt to turn the predicate around to move back toward the subject that it may then again travel toward the predicate.

But generally, I merely attempt to adorn a simple subject and predicate with application of adjective and adverb. I garnish the simple sentence with punctuation in hopes to pull into the simple, though adorned, sentence informative concepts that otherwise would remain extra-sentence stand alone grammatical creatures in their own, unadorned, right.

Well, as an example of how I develop a grammatically correct, yet labyrinthine group of words, I offer the following scenario.

I begin with a very simple sentence such as…

“I ate pie.” So what!

Therefore, to give the sentence charm, I add a descriptor…

“I ate lemon-meringue pie.” You see how now you can almost taste the lemon and see the yellow and white coloring.

Now, allow me to describe, not only further the kind of pie I ate, but my personal character in doing so…

“I ate precisely sliced lemon-meringue pie without guilt.”

Still, “without guilt” does not adequately describe the undisciplined character of the subject. So, let me further besmirch this deserving subject…

“I, in willful iniquity, ate precisely sliced lemon-meringue pie without entertaining even a hint of guilt.”

I suppose that sentence would be generally accepted as full and complete and soundly in compliance with generally accepted grammatical style. It is composed of only sixteen words, two commas, one hyphen, and one period. It is quite economical.

But, it is not yet fun enough for me!

So, allow me, in conclusion (I promise) my signature fatiguing style of grammatical excess.

“I, in willful iniquity, and as an exercise in punch-to-the –nose insult of on-watching calorie spies, ate precisely sliced lemon-meringue pie without entertaining even a hint of guilt!”

The Historic Gatehouse at Pokagon State Park

 

Sherry and I periodically travel to the Pokagon State Park around Angola Indiana to spend a few nights or sometimes just to have dinner.

This last Sunday, Easter, we went for Easter brunch.

As we entered we discovered that the historic gatehouse was open to visitors.

It has been remodeled to be somewhat of a museum inside.

Being nostalgic and an amateur historian, I had to experience this little slice of Pokagon history.

And so, Sherry and I visited.

I never previously heard the term “Pocket Museum”.

One thing that punched my attention was that there was no restroom!

Can you imagine (assume interrobang here)

Enjoy the photos…

But at least there was a fireplace to stay warm.

If ever you get a chance to visit Pokagon, drop in on the Historic Gatehouse.

Oh yes, the brunch was tasty!

Defries Calendar Garden Elkhart County

 

Those folk who attend to the Defries Calendar Garden in Elkhart County Indiana sure do stay up on their work diligently!

 

They have this circular walk way paved with bricks. There is a brick engraved with the date of each day of the year and also bricks engraved with names of holidays.

You can see that they move the bricks to accommodate moving holidays.

 

As if that were not enough, they stay tuned to changes in federal tax deadlines.

They have moved the tax brick from April 15 to May 17 in response to the change in IRS policy for year 2021.

I’m pretty impressed with these folk!

Sherry and I had a wonderful Holy Saturday walk along the brick-paved garden today.

You can learn more about Defries Gardens at:

https://elkhartcountyparks.org/destinations/defries-gardens/

An Instrument with Which to Write

 

   As far back into my youth as I remember, I have enjoyed writing. I have sought to create compositions which others would read and then offer in response accolade regarding my creative and grammatical abilities and skills. I sought to be known as a writer, identified and introduced in public as an accomplished artist of well-spoken and enviably-written English.

   Of course, I discovered that fiction, the essay, the biography were far too lengthy and complex a project to which I could submit my patience. And so, the poem seemed a manageable pursuit. My earliest poems were of a simple-rhyme construction, such as:

I seldom meet a girl so fair

As sunlight shines through morning air.

But on occasion as I do

They’re yet not fair quite so as you

 

   I certainly do not mean to insult simple rhyme. I have continued creating such rhyme for pleasure and for mild distraction for myself and a possible reader. One such poem was published in The Lyric during the early 1990s;

 

“Expired Coupon”

I found an expired coupon

There on the hallway floor.

I put it in my pocket,

But did not know what for.

Then later I discovered

A purpose that was fit.

I wrote this simple poem

Upon the back of it.

 

    But I do confess that these simple compositions grew to seem intellectually unsatisfying. And so I began to explore other types of poetry.

    Upon discovery of William Carlos Williams, and specifically three of his poems, “Red Wheelbarrow”, “Plums”, “Between Walls”, I gained a prolonged interest in non-rhyme as an entertaining means of describing and celebrating reality. I sought to imitate Williams, but the skill never developed. The proper inspiration was debilitating by its absence.

Still, I tried with

 

“Penny”

By the yellow curb

in a pool of oil and rainwater

lies a Lincoln-head.

 

An old one for sure,

but nonetheless valued

by a barefoot boy of five.

 

He clutches it tightly

as a prize

he’s won the right to claim.

 

An English teacher commented upon my returned paper “it fails to achieve Williams”.

  

    The search for, and successful use of words that flourish and garnish a sentence with grandiose adornment has caused a sense of pride and achievement within me. Arranging a sentence in fanciful, unexpected grammatical flow has tickled the literate nerve within and prompted its expression without.

    As I matured, I discovered that poetry, fiction, and biography are not the only means by which entertaining language can be delivered. Creativity can adorn even common speech in ordinary settings.

    As pastor of a United Methodist Church I have opportunity to compose sermons peppered with phrases that give flavor to what might otherwise be unpalatable topics. These sermons are an opportunity to deliver such language.

    I enjoy composing birthday greetings. It takes only a moment to spice up an ordinary sentence with an adjective, adverb, or simile. And people are worth such wishes as “May all the cosmic forces of beneficence conspire to create a day fulfilled beyond your highest expectations.” Or, “As God’s muse, you shall today inspire his creative impulse and make the world a better place.”

    I have become satisfied that these everyday, ordinary language opportunities are sufficient to fulfill my interest.

   The most effective instrument with which to write is the inspiration provided by the common, ordinary moments of one’s life. A well-told story, a birthday greeting, a letter to a friend, even an email can become a literary device by which one may flourish and garnish a sentence or paragraph with grandiose adornment.

 For me personally, the ultimate instrument with which to write was presented as a Christmas gift to me by my wife, Sherry Borglum on December 25, 2017. Sherry, observing how I make notes, record observations on the backs of receipts, napkins, and other ephemeral paper medium, gave me a “Fordite” ink-pen. As described by the pen-creator, Bob Belz “ Fordite is a generic name given to accumulative paint layers that were created from the over spray from various manufacturing processes.”

   Sherry knows I am constantly making notes with pen. She knows how much I favor Ford vehicles. And so this gift is quite unique and wonderful.

It shall provide much inspiration by which I may compose, compile or otherwise create sermons, greetings or an exercise in ego-satisfaction with sentences such as "Why settle for one perfectly adequate word when a second superfluous synonym can decorate the sentence with a charming grandiosity, however otherwise useless it may be?"

Journaling Into the Future

 

The personal attribute of being sentimental seems to have acquired an unfavorable assessment in a world which moves quickly and ferociously, tears down and buries architectural contexts and leaves history behind in a cloud of cultural dust.

    I am sentimental. I claim it, I embrace it. I value the past because of what it was and that it has brought us to this current point, personally, technologically, and otherwise. I enjoy reading history, biography and connecting the dots of who we are and how we got here, and perhaps where we are going.

Having been born into and raised by a very poor family puts one at odds with such a personal attribute. Poor folk, having to quickly find work in another town or city, having to beg car rides from friends or others, having to leave an apartment before being evicted, cannot afford to carry with them the luxury of sentimental items such as old school records, photos, and other such items.

Thus, much of the artifacts of my personal past wound up in trash dumpsters rather than my continued possession.

So, through the residential moves, the different schools and friends, I learned to develop a reliable memory. I learned to treasure that memory. I created journals composed of notes written on the back of grocery store receipts, library check-out tickets, and just about anything which would receive ink or pencil lead. I would write the date, weather conditions, personal interactions and overall comment on the day or event. My first journal was a plastic Captain Crunch Treasure Chest which I gained by sending cereal box tops to some post office address which I am sure has changed owneership. I kept my notes on the backs of receipts in sequential order bound by a rubber band in the “hidden compartment”. My next journal was a “Dutch Masters” cigar box discarded by my grandfather and retrieved from the trash before it gained soil and stain.

At some point my living circumstances became stabilized and I began using actual notebooks designed as journals. I accumulated so many of them that from time to time I have had to review and consolidate recorded entries into a compilation, which I continue to compile.

Looking back on the recorded history of my life, I have discovered that I hold much appreciation for the negative circumstances and events in my life. Surely not so much as the positive, more favorable situations, but negative event also brings much value.

Not only is life precious, but the stories, the events and circumstances are equally meaningful.

A first date, a first kiss, discovering stereo effect with headphones, a fiery streak of meteor in the night sky, these things evoke emotional and intellectual response. They place us at sure geography and point in time.

Reviewing our memories and our journals allows us to remember who we have been and more fully discover who we presently are. In my personal case they have faithfully anticipated who I would become.

People find it a bit excessive that I plan ten years out into the future with goals, vacations, and such. And true enough, many unpredictable vents emerge that force modification to my plans. But generally, my plans succeed. It’s much like writing comments in a journal of the future.

Of course I may be an anomaly of some strange kind. But I have come to believe that well-kept journals and a diligent review of those journals provides for us a basis upon which we may in the present create and project into the future successful and treasonable memories.

Yes, I am sentimental. And I plan to be so at least for the next well-journaled ten years.