Hello friends. Weather is always a safe topic of conversation, hot, cold, rain, wind, and now, a little frost on the pumpkin. We are loving these last couple of gorgeous autumn days. They are like a balm to our souls after a week of cold and rain.
Rick’s uncle, Almus Ragsdale, passed away last week and was laid to rest on Saturday morning. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, 12 children, 26 grandchildren, 28 grandchildren, 1 brother and 2 sisters. Rick, Neal and I drove out to Mt. Vernon on Friday evening for the visitation; Rick and Neal were there on Saturday morning for graveside service at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.
Thankfully, it did not rain and was not as cold as we had feared it might be. Neal preached the funeral sermon and Rick read a beautiful poem written by daughter, Carlita. It is never easy to say good-bye to a loved one.
Uncle Almus had been very ill for several months and with help from his large and loving family was able to stay at home with Aunt Dorothy. They did a wonderful job of working together and seeing that he was well taken care of through this time of sickness.
After leaving Mt. Vernon, Rick and Neal stopped to visit our friend, John Berg, in St. John’s Hospital. Recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, he was suffering with spinal fractures. They had a good visit, but we are saddened today to hear that he passed away on Sunday night. We lived near John and Barbara when Neal was born and drank many cups of coffee at their kitchen table. Their daughter, Denise, is three years older than Neal, and son, Robert, was two years younger.
John repaired office machines and had a computer long before we ever even thought of having one. Neal learned to play pac-man on their computer and also borrowed their four-wheeler for his first deer hunting expedition. That four-wheeler carried Neal and his first buck out of the woods. Neal will be preaching another funeral sermon on Saturday as John is laid to rest beside Robert in Marshfield, MO.
On Saturday afternoon, Sandy Church had a “Kids Day”, with many activities, lots of singing, and story times for our little ones. The older kids and teenagers all had an adventuresome and historical outing with Juanita Comer Menzies as their guide. They went to the old Sandy Schoolhouse where the Comer and Hodges kids walked two miles to school until it consolidated with Plainview. Church was also held there until the time that a “new” church was built up on Hwy 76.
Juanita pointed out places of interest along the way, including the old Siler home place and the well where they stopped for a drink on their way to school. After doing some cleaning at the school, they stopped to visit Bob Siler and picked up the walnuts that covered his yard. They all came dragging in with a few back pains and walnut stains on jeans and hands, but they had a good time.
The little kids made thank you cards for Pastor Neal and presented those during Pastor Appreciation time before the evening meal. It was a good day.
Next Sunday afternoon our church will be going on the annual hayride up Gladetop Trail and to Caney Mountain. We always look forward to that, no matter whether the weather is freezing cold or hot enough for the ladybug swarms. Looking ahead to the weekend forecast, we may be swatting ladybugs this time.
Bye for now.
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