Rev. Billy Graham

Here's a 'hats off' to preacher Billy Graham. Friend to presidents,
minister to millions world wide, provider and mentor.

We need more Billy Grahams in these great times of turmoil,
self doubt, greed and envy.

Asked what he wanted on his headstone, Graham simply
replied, "preacher".

Job well done. Now enjoy the fruits of your labors that
have been promised.

Guns in school....

Like everything else in the last five decades, the presence of guns
of any kind within the confines of a school has greatly changed.

I can remember in the 1960's in my small rural high school in
New York State we would have at least one class a year...usually
held in the evening hours when an instructor would come in,
bring in a long gun or two.. and train students how to use
it properly.

After the course was completed, and brief test taken, a card
was given to the student to present when you would go to
obtain your hunting license.  If I remember well, it was
for 15 and 16 year olds.

Those years in the 50's and 60's were gun-friendly years, many
would ride around with guns, (many loaded), on gun racks
in the back of their pick up trucks. It was never questioned...
it was just a matter of fact.

We were brought up with B B guns, (you'll shoot your eye
out kid) we started shooting at a very young age, and never
had in mind that anyone would ever go into a school and
actually shoot someone or anything.

So now we're living in a new age.. the digital age. The
question to be asked is....where will we end up with this
current dilemma we are in?

I often joke with my older brother who is 75, I'm 68, that
we may be the last generation to hunt, target shoot, and
enjoy our weapons.....and I'm not too sure I'm too far
off on the prediction.

I remember the great radio narrator Paul Harvey years
ago once saying..."you out law guns, people will pick
up knives... you out law knives... people will pick up
screw drivers."

I wonder what Mr. Harvey would say today about the
trials and tribulations we are in the middle of.

Already three years ago...

I can't get over how quickly the months have flown by since publication
of Undertakings of an Undertaker, true stories of being laid to rest.

I've received so much feedback, from not only the U.S., but
Canada, Australia, and many many folks in the U.K... and I've
established some great friendships over seas.

For my new followers that haven't been with me long... here is a
repeat of one of the national broadcasts I did in July 2015 with
Dr. Briar Lee Mitchell on the Artists First Radio network.

She is a lovely, intelligent lady, and we had a wonderful discussion
of the book and the funeral business in general. 

If you copy and paste the link below in your browser, you can hear the
broadcast.

The link is: 
www.artistfirst2.com/ArtistFirst_Briar_Lee_Mitchell_2015-07-14.mp3

News on the new short story book coming up soon, stay tuned! SS

Today's unskilled labor force...

This is a bit off the usual topics that I cover here on my blog...
but, I guess I'll hazard the possibility of offending anyone... in
fact, I think most of you will agree with what my pen delivers
on paper here.

My 'rant' I guess you call it.. is the era of untrained or unskilled
employees we as the general public have to deal with.. amost
daily it seems.

Consider the following:

Cashiers who have no idea how to give a credit, or change back
when you give them PHYSICAL money.

Next; the phone receptionist who can not direct you to the
appropriate department you have a question for, because
he or she isn't familiar with what you are asking.

Next; the postal employee who shoves half the mail through
the front door and out the back door of your mailbox, unconcerned
that half of it is going into the snow bank.

Next; the in store employee has no idea of what you are
talking about when you ask him or her where the
saw horses might be...."what's a saw horse?" is the response.

This is just a few examples of some of the things I've experienced
in the last few weeks. SAD is the only word that can describe
the circumstances. I'm guessing that one or more of three things is
happening. One, there is such a scarcity of intelligent
people out there looking for employment.. that the employer
just can't find a good candidate... or two; there is little or very
insufficient training by the employer before he or she goes to
work... or three; the employee just doesn't give a damn about
you as a customer, i.e., they only want their check.

I'd call it an epidemic of apathy...pure and simple.

Well, there it is. What are your thoughts? You can leave a
comment below.. would love to hear from you. SS

How will you spend your 'dash'?

It's been awhile since I've heard this at a service, but very recently,
I came across it again.. and it is worth sharing. It's matter-of-fact.
It causes one to take pause, check the calendar, re-evaluate where you
are in life, and maybe re-adjust if necessary.

The Dash

by Linda Ellis

 

 

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend

 

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

 

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,

 

But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

 

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.

 

And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

 

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,

 

What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

 

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?

 

For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

 

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real

 

And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

 

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more

 

And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

 

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile

 

Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

 

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash

 

Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

 

© by Linda Ellis, Copyright Inspire Kindness,
LLC 

Castle on the hill..

This is one place I really want to visit in the next year or so...
to walk around and photograph.

The Jackson Sanatorium in Dansville N.Y. is an incredible
structure that closed for good in 1971. 

It has quite a history... if you Google it... and some great
photos at Google images which I've loaded here.

It looks like a pretty creepy place. One that I would love to walk around, photograph and just explore. Although it is on private property, I am told my many locals there that it is not impossible to access the site.

So, maybe a stop this summer. Have any thoughts?

You can leave comments below if you like. SS

Some final thoughts on the Buddy Holly tragedy...

The pistol and the exhumation….

A few weeks after the Buddy Holly plane crash, farmer Albert Juhl was plowing the field

where the crash had occurred.  Holly owned a 22 caliber handgun and had placed it in the

bottom compartment of his overnight bag. During the crash, the bag had been thrown out

and had been torn open, dislodging the gun in the snow. It remained there and was found

the day farmer Juhl was plowing. Juhl took the gun and turned it into the local sheriff, but

not before firing the weapon himself. (There is difference of opinion on whether or not he

shared that ‘firing’ information with the sheriff.)( Holly’s iconic black glasses were also

not found until much later in a snow bank.)   

After testing, it had been determined that the gun had been recently fired…. giving all

kinds of speculation that something might have happened on board that flight involving

the pistol. The facts finally surfaced, but not before planting a seed of inquiry into the mind

of Jay Richardson, only son of J.P. Richardson the Big Bopper.

It’s summer 2007, the Big Bopper’s son Jay Richardson wanted to have his father exhumed.

He had never seen his father, J.P. had died three months before Jay’s birth. There were

unanswered questions…how severe were his father’s injuries? On a long shot, was that pistol

involved in some way, shape or manner?  His father’s body was found the farthest from

the airplane wreckage… had he survived the crash and tried to go for help?  And so

Jay employed Dr. Bill Bass a credentialed forensic anthropologist to examine his father

upon his exhumation. The grave was at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont, Tx.

There were a few people present at the exhumation including a film crew. The grave was

opened, the vault was raised, opened and the metal Batesville Casket removed. It was

in extremely good shape for being interred 48 years. In a private setting later that morning

the casket was opened and Jay saw his father for the first time. By all accounts the

Big Bopper was fully recognizable with his familiar crew- cut he sported in 1959. The

embalming had been superb, and the restorative art to his features also done well.

Dr. Bass and his assistants removed the body, performed an extensive examination and

multiple groupings of x-rays. Dr. Bass concluded and reported to Jay that there was

no foul play in the death of his father and that he had died from massive trauma, and

that he died instantly. (Dr. Bass noted that Richardson had more than 60 bone

fractures resulting from the accident.)  Batesville Casket Co. provided a new casket in

which J.P. was placed and a small procession drove him to his new resting place. The rumors

were nixed, Jay had seen his father for the first and only time, and had laid his father

back to rest. Sadly, Jay himself passed away in August of 2013.   

So the rumor that the pistol was somehow involved in the crash was finally

dismissed.  Jay Richardson finally got to see his father for the first time….it

must have been a  very bittersweet day for him, for sure.  

So what really happened that terrible morning?

I’m not an investigator by any means, but I actually think that within minutes

of taking off… Holly in the front seat…finding themselves in swirling, blinding

snow urged, or more forcefully, told Peterson the pilot to turn around and get

back to the airport a few short miles away. At the time of the crash, the

landing gear was not deployed, so the chance of him trying to land the aircraft

is quite remote. The engine was at normal cruise speed at the time of the

crash. Peterson may have been trying to gain altitude in an effort

to get above the weather he was confronting, but in actuality was making a

descending move not an ascending one.  I think Peterson, not instrument

rated, was very confused, spatially  disorientated, and lost control.

February 3^rd of 1959 is talked and written about a lot…even 59 years later.

The lack of sophisticated weather tracking, communications and equipment

were most likely also factors in that terrible day. Accidents similar to this are

rare today. The four lost that day will not be forgotten. Their memories will

be perpetuated as time marches on…and that’s the way it should be.