I just took a tour this afternoon of my hometown.
We are a Certified Retirement Comunity and that is a big deal. Carol Fitzwilliam took us around Picayune and we met some wonderful people, we went to some great places, and I just can't understand why anyone would want to live somewhere else.
My daughter says she hates Mississippi.. I haven't a clue why. It's a gorgeous state. It's recovering quite nicely from Katrina. All is not perfect, but it is coming back, unlike Louisiana which is such a sad situation, especially New Orleans.
There have been 90 murders in New Orleanse in six months. Ninety... nine, zero, murders. I cannnot fathom that. There are few people there than before Katrina and there are three times as many murders in six months as in a year before Katrina. I can hardly wrap my brain around it.
Thank you, God for my home town. It is thriving and it is lovely and it is historic and the people are wonderful. That is a great combination.
the health/wealth movement -- word of faith
Let me quit dancing around here and just outline the problem I have with this Health/Wealth kind of false teaching.
Hear me well any who proclaim this type of false teaching for it will not go well with you.
First... To say that a person just doesn't have enough faith is the reason they are not healed is an out right lie straight from the Father of Lies, Satan himself.
You want to know why?
Because God takes care of His children and their needs regardless of what, when or how they ask. Matthew 6 You don't have to believe when you pray for something. It is best when you believe God has the power to answer your prayers. But, God is not a genie in a bottle up there to grant every wish or desire.
Go read Acts 12. Peter was amazed he was standing outside the prison. The church was absolutely shocked that Peter was standing outside the door completely free.
Please note, I am not at all denying clear Scripture that we have not because we ask not. (James) I am trying to point out that God's compassion for His people is overwhelming!
Jesus brought back to life the widow's son...just because He had compassion on her.
The storm at sea was calmed completely without the faith of the disciples.
The 5000 were fed without the faith of the disciples or the crowd.
The 4000 were fed without the faith of the disciples or the crowd.
The water was turned into wine at Cana without the faith of the servants.
The man at Bethesda Pool was healed by Someone he didn't even know.
Through no help of the disciples, Jesus walked on water.
Through no help of any one of us, Jesus was raised from the dead.
God does not need our help to do anything. However, God requires us to grow Spiritually in Him. There is no 12 Step Program to follow for God to grant our wishes. There is nothing magic about God's miracles. He pours out His blessings upon us because He loves us and cares for us and wants us to have the best and because we obey Him and put Him above all in our lives.
Seek ye first God's face and everything else will be added to you. From Genesis to Revelation there are multiple examples of God taking care of His people who are called by His name. Praying in the Spirit is NOT just for a special few of God's people called by His name. This is something that is given to all True Believers along with their very own motivational Spiritual Gift. Praying in the Spirit is not achieved by speaking in some garbled estatic tongue only understood by God Himself. Praying in the Spirit is achieved by being wholy in tune with the Lord, having the desires of the Lord in the heart attitude and having Jesus as the Lord of all aspects of life. Praying in the Spirit is achieved by turning one's back on enticing sin, by repenting any practiced sin. It isn't some magic formula. It is not a mantra to be "performed".
And for this reference--read all of Paul's letters plus Hebrews. And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. Matt 6:7
The reason God did not do in Athens what He did in Ephesus is this: The Athenians did not recognize their need for God. God stooped to the level of the Ephesians and met them there with all His miracles. The Athenians refused to even meet God on their own level.
Hear me well any who proclaim this type of false teaching for it will not go well with you.
First... To say that a person just doesn't have enough faith is the reason they are not healed is an out right lie straight from the Father of Lies, Satan himself.
You want to know why?
Because God takes care of His children and their needs regardless of what, when or how they ask. Matthew 6 You don't have to believe when you pray for something. It is best when you believe God has the power to answer your prayers. But, God is not a genie in a bottle up there to grant every wish or desire.
Go read Acts 12. Peter was amazed he was standing outside the prison. The church was absolutely shocked that Peter was standing outside the door completely free.
Please note, I am not at all denying clear Scripture that we have not because we ask not. (James) I am trying to point out that God's compassion for His people is overwhelming!
Jesus brought back to life the widow's son...just because He had compassion on her.
The storm at sea was calmed completely without the faith of the disciples.
The 5000 were fed without the faith of the disciples or the crowd.
The 4000 were fed without the faith of the disciples or the crowd.
The water was turned into wine at Cana without the faith of the servants.
The man at Bethesda Pool was healed by Someone he didn't even know.
Through no help of the disciples, Jesus walked on water.
Through no help of any one of us, Jesus was raised from the dead.
God does not need our help to do anything. However, God requires us to grow Spiritually in Him. There is no 12 Step Program to follow for God to grant our wishes. There is nothing magic about God's miracles. He pours out His blessings upon us because He loves us and cares for us and wants us to have the best and because we obey Him and put Him above all in our lives.
Seek ye first God's face and everything else will be added to you. From Genesis to Revelation there are multiple examples of God taking care of His people who are called by His name. Praying in the Spirit is NOT just for a special few of God's people called by His name. This is something that is given to all True Believers along with their very own motivational Spiritual Gift. Praying in the Spirit is not achieved by speaking in some garbled estatic tongue only understood by God Himself. Praying in the Spirit is achieved by being wholy in tune with the Lord, having the desires of the Lord in the heart attitude and having Jesus as the Lord of all aspects of life. Praying in the Spirit is achieved by turning one's back on enticing sin, by repenting any practiced sin. It isn't some magic formula. It is not a mantra to be "performed".
And for this reference--read all of Paul's letters plus Hebrews. And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. Matt 6:7
The reason God did not do in Athens what He did in Ephesus is this: The Athenians did not recognize their need for God. God stooped to the level of the Ephesians and met them there with all His miracles. The Athenians refused to even meet God on their own level.
Diva Nash Vegas
I give this book 2.5 stars. I do understand that nonChristians do not live Christian lives. I also understand that people who need Jesus have to meet Him where they are standing. I love stories like that.
Telling a story in present tense, as if it is happening as I read it -- like a movie script -- is okay for a chapter or two, but not all the way through the book. Short sentences are super as exclamation points, but too many leave me breathless and make me tired.
This is why I've given it only 2.5 stars.
Otherwise, it is a pretty good book. It moves fast and slows down when necessary so the good parts can be savored. I like it that Hauck says they went to bed and doesn't go into details. That would turn me off quicker than a light switch. It's a good, rainy afternoon read.
You can click on the title to order the book, or go to your local bookstore and ask for it by name.
Difference between the OT saints and NT saints 3
Faith saved them from the 2nd death, but they were not purified or rather justified so they could go into God's presence.
Rom 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. and Acts 13:39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
Faith was not a free pass into the presence of God. Men lost their lives for mishandling the Ark and for offering profane fire and for other things as well. Moses was with God but God hid His face from Moses. The Law provided for the same sacrifices year after year but could never bring the worshippers to perfection for all time. (Heb 10) Then it goes on to say that God did not delight in sacrifices and whole offerings although the Law prescribed them.
verse 10, it is by the will of God that we have been consecrated, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. Verse 13 For by one offering, He has perfected for all time those who are thus consecrated. Verse 19 So, my friends, the blood of Jesus makes us free to enter boldly into the sanctuary by the new, living way which He has opened for us through the curtain, the way of His flesh.
Before the Veil of the Temple was torn in two, the people whether living or dead had no direct access to the Living God Almighty. This is why the veil between the Holy of Holies and the Holy was torn from top to bottom opening the way for man to come into God's presence. Not flesh and blood to go into His presence. (Cor 15) But, for the souls of men to be justified and sanctified to go into God's presence.
The OT saints were prisoners per se' in paradise because they could not go into God's presence (Heaven). They had not been consecrated by Jesus' perfect sacrifice yet. But when He willingly laid down His life for us, His perfect blood sacrifice satisfied the Law's requirement in our stead and thus He freed the captives and He conquored death by rising from the dead. It was a legal thing set up by God.
Those saved before the Cross were saved by God's promise of the Cross and those saved after were saved by the literal blood of Jesus. (Of course by faith and belief!!)
The Law required blood sacrifice and yet, there was no blood perfect enough to cover, pay for and release a human from his sins until Jesus' perfect sacrifice whereby God was satisfied that the Law was fulfilled. J
esus is the door into heaven. He said so Himself.
Matthew 7:8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door [ Lit knocks, it] will be opened.
Matthew 25:10 "When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. [ Mt 22:2; Lk 13:25;]
John 10:1 [ The Ideal Shepherd ] " I assure you: Anyone who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
John 10:7 [ The Good Shepherd ] So Jesus said again, " I assure you: I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.
Until Jesus laid down His life as perfect sacrifice, there was no door into Heaven by which mankind could walk through into God's Holy presence after Adam sinned. It is my understanding that Paradise was the place of comfort designed as a place for the OT saints to go while waiting for God's promised Son, the Messiah, to appear and follow through with God's perfect will.
Rom 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. and Acts 13:39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
Faith was not a free pass into the presence of God. Men lost their lives for mishandling the Ark and for offering profane fire and for other things as well. Moses was with God but God hid His face from Moses. The Law provided for the same sacrifices year after year but could never bring the worshippers to perfection for all time. (Heb 10) Then it goes on to say that God did not delight in sacrifices and whole offerings although the Law prescribed them.
verse 10, it is by the will of God that we have been consecrated, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. Verse 13 For by one offering, He has perfected for all time those who are thus consecrated. Verse 19 So, my friends, the blood of Jesus makes us free to enter boldly into the sanctuary by the new, living way which He has opened for us through the curtain, the way of His flesh.
Before the Veil of the Temple was torn in two, the people whether living or dead had no direct access to the Living God Almighty. This is why the veil between the Holy of Holies and the Holy was torn from top to bottom opening the way for man to come into God's presence. Not flesh and blood to go into His presence. (Cor 15) But, for the souls of men to be justified and sanctified to go into God's presence.
The OT saints were prisoners per se' in paradise because they could not go into God's presence (Heaven). They had not been consecrated by Jesus' perfect sacrifice yet. But when He willingly laid down His life for us, His perfect blood sacrifice satisfied the Law's requirement in our stead and thus He freed the captives and He conquored death by rising from the dead. It was a legal thing set up by God.
Those saved before the Cross were saved by God's promise of the Cross and those saved after were saved by the literal blood of Jesus. (Of course by faith and belief!!)
The Law required blood sacrifice and yet, there was no blood perfect enough to cover, pay for and release a human from his sins until Jesus' perfect sacrifice whereby God was satisfied that the Law was fulfilled. J
esus is the door into heaven. He said so Himself.
Matthew 7:8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door [ Lit knocks, it] will be opened.
Matthew 25:10 "When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. [ Mt 22:2; Lk 13:25;]
John 10:1 [ The Ideal Shepherd ] " I assure you: Anyone who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
John 10:7 [ The Good Shepherd ] So Jesus said again, " I assure you: I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.
Until Jesus laid down His life as perfect sacrifice, there was no door into Heaven by which mankind could walk through into God's Holy presence after Adam sinned. It is my understanding that Paradise was the place of comfort designed as a place for the OT saints to go while waiting for God's promised Son, the Messiah, to appear and follow through with God's perfect will.
OT and NT saints are different part deux
Let me ask you this...
Matthew 11:11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Why did Jesus say this if there was no difference between OT saints and NT saints? I am not trying to prove a hierarchy, just that Jesus pointed out a difference between OT and NT.
John was the awaited Elijah, Jesus said so.
John died before Jesus did. John died under the Law. Those "least in the kingdom of Heaven" died under grace just as those who die after Jesus rose. Both are saved by faith. Both believed God, believed Jesus is God's Son, but the only thing that is different is that Jesus led captivity captive when He rose from the dead.
(Eph 4) Those things that had imprisoned humans since Adam's fall from grace were sin and death. It was a legal thing set up by God. Those saved before the Cross were saved by God's promise of the Cross and those saved after were saved by the literal blood of Jesus. (Of course by faith and belief!!)
The Law required blood sacrifice and yet, there was no blood perfect enough to cover, pay for and release a human from his sins until Jesus' perfect sacrifice whereby God was satisfied that the Law was fulfilled.
By faith and by God's perfect Grace, the OT saints were held in comfort for the day that Jesus' sacrifice would imprison sin and death and unlock the door to God's presence.
Jesus is that Door! There was no door at all until Jesus rose from the dead and then suddenly the Door was there and was opened and all the OT saints came out from Paradise and went to God's Presence through Jesus the Door. Jesus explains this in John 10, but a word study of "door" is quite revealing.
In reality, all that has changed is the amount of the gospel that has been revealed. The Blood of Christ is eternal, and works both backwards and forwards in time. So, Abraham was saved by faith, and the last christian on earth was saved by faith, both through the power of the atonement. There is no question that this is true.
The Blood of Christ works backward in God's promise that it would happen and foreward from the literal happening. No matter from Adam to right now... no one was saved from God's wrath without belief and trust in God. Faith has been a factor always. However, Faith and Hope will fade away and the only thing that is eternal is Love.
Luke 16:16 Jesus says the Law and the Prophets were until John. So be thinking of exactly what that means.
Luke 16:19-31 The story is more like an eye witness account than a parable, of Lazarus and the Rich Man.
Ex 33:18 Moses asked to see the Glory of God, but he was denied that request. It is very interesting that it took 3 days for God to raise Jesus from the dead. Why so long?
Ephesians 4:8 YLT: So then, the holy writings say, `When Christ went up to heaven he took those he had won with him. And he gave gifts to men.'
That says a lot to me about what Jesus was doing during those 3 days
Matthew 27:50-53 Jesus went to Sheol, Hades but to the Comfort side as described in Luke 16 where Lazarus was. I find zero evidence that He went to the Torment side like the Rich Man. All the OT saints that died before Christ, had to wait to get into Heaven until the blood price had been paid. Why?
Matthew 11:11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Why did Jesus say this if there was no difference between OT saints and NT saints? I am not trying to prove a hierarchy, just that Jesus pointed out a difference between OT and NT.
John was the awaited Elijah, Jesus said so.
John died before Jesus did. John died under the Law. Those "least in the kingdom of Heaven" died under grace just as those who die after Jesus rose. Both are saved by faith. Both believed God, believed Jesus is God's Son, but the only thing that is different is that Jesus led captivity captive when He rose from the dead.
(Eph 4) Those things that had imprisoned humans since Adam's fall from grace were sin and death. It was a legal thing set up by God. Those saved before the Cross were saved by God's promise of the Cross and those saved after were saved by the literal blood of Jesus. (Of course by faith and belief!!)
The Law required blood sacrifice and yet, there was no blood perfect enough to cover, pay for and release a human from his sins until Jesus' perfect sacrifice whereby God was satisfied that the Law was fulfilled.
By faith and by God's perfect Grace, the OT saints were held in comfort for the day that Jesus' sacrifice would imprison sin and death and unlock the door to God's presence.
Jesus is that Door! There was no door at all until Jesus rose from the dead and then suddenly the Door was there and was opened and all the OT saints came out from Paradise and went to God's Presence through Jesus the Door. Jesus explains this in John 10, but a word study of "door" is quite revealing.
In reality, all that has changed is the amount of the gospel that has been revealed. The Blood of Christ is eternal, and works both backwards and forwards in time. So, Abraham was saved by faith, and the last christian on earth was saved by faith, both through the power of the atonement. There is no question that this is true.
The Blood of Christ works backward in God's promise that it would happen and foreward from the literal happening. No matter from Adam to right now... no one was saved from God's wrath without belief and trust in God. Faith has been a factor always. However, Faith and Hope will fade away and the only thing that is eternal is Love.
Luke 16:16 Jesus says the Law and the Prophets were until John. So be thinking of exactly what that means.
Luke 16:19-31 The story is more like an eye witness account than a parable, of Lazarus and the Rich Man.
Ex 33:18 Moses asked to see the Glory of God, but he was denied that request. It is very interesting that it took 3 days for God to raise Jesus from the dead. Why so long?
Ephesians 4:8 YLT: So then, the holy writings say, `When Christ went up to heaven he took those he had won with him. And he gave gifts to men.'
That says a lot to me about what Jesus was doing during those 3 days
Matthew 27:50-53 Jesus went to Sheol, Hades but to the Comfort side as described in Luke 16 where Lazarus was. I find zero evidence that He went to the Torment side like the Rich Man. All the OT saints that died before Christ, had to wait to get into Heaven until the blood price had been paid. Why?
Difference between the OT saints and NT saints
Here is how I understand it...
Absolutely the spirit ascends now to be with the LORD. Paul said to die is gain and it is to with Him. But the difference between David and Paul is Jesus death and resurrection.
David is before the resurrection and Paul is After.
Before Jesus was resurrected, the sacrifices were in place and were necessary to foretell, be a shadow of Jesus, but were never good enough to cancel out sins. After Jesus died on the cross, God was completely satisfied legally concerning the sins of the world. Just like the Israelites had to bring the bull, slit its throat and burn it on the altar which was an admission of sins and was acceptance of admitting responsibility of sins which was supposed to bring them into alignment with the LORD God Almighty. None of that was good enough to cancel out the literal sins.
Enter Jesus. The perfect Lamb who knowingly and willingly laid down His life for us. That sacrifice was perfect and acceptable to God for the canceling out of all sins: past, present and future. It satisfied the legal issue.
Then and only then could the OT saints be covered by the blood of Jesus and be justified by His blood and sanctified by His loving action.
This is what made it possible for all the OT saints to enter into heaven after Jesus rose from the dead. Am I repeating myself?? Sorry.
I know I won't change anyone's mind, so I guess I'll quit trying. I really just wanted to say that when the all the pieces fit together then there are no holes in an interpretation. The only way for there to be no holes in this one is for there to be a definite distinction between how God handled the dead before Jesus died on the cross and after He died on the cross.
There is only one story that Jesus told where he used two names: Abraham and Lazarus. Plus he tells this story more like an eye witness account rather than a teaching example. That is why I don't think the story in Luke 16 is a parable, but a real life event.
We each have an identity which is written in the Book of Life. When we die, we do not lose our identity and we are not given new names until Jesus gives it to us after the 1000 years. Just because we cannot see the spiritual world unless God reveals it to us, does not mean that the souls of men are not "recognisable entities" to each other, angels and to God.
Are you with me so far?
Absolutely the spirit ascends now to be with the LORD. Paul said to die is gain and it is to with Him. But the difference between David and Paul is Jesus death and resurrection.
David is before the resurrection and Paul is After.
Before Jesus was resurrected, the sacrifices were in place and were necessary to foretell, be a shadow of Jesus, but were never good enough to cancel out sins. After Jesus died on the cross, God was completely satisfied legally concerning the sins of the world. Just like the Israelites had to bring the bull, slit its throat and burn it on the altar which was an admission of sins and was acceptance of admitting responsibility of sins which was supposed to bring them into alignment with the LORD God Almighty. None of that was good enough to cancel out the literal sins.
Enter Jesus. The perfect Lamb who knowingly and willingly laid down His life for us. That sacrifice was perfect and acceptable to God for the canceling out of all sins: past, present and future. It satisfied the legal issue.
Then and only then could the OT saints be covered by the blood of Jesus and be justified by His blood and sanctified by His loving action.
This is what made it possible for all the OT saints to enter into heaven after Jesus rose from the dead. Am I repeating myself?? Sorry.
I know I won't change anyone's mind, so I guess I'll quit trying. I really just wanted to say that when the all the pieces fit together then there are no holes in an interpretation. The only way for there to be no holes in this one is for there to be a definite distinction between how God handled the dead before Jesus died on the cross and after He died on the cross.
There is only one story that Jesus told where he used two names: Abraham and Lazarus. Plus he tells this story more like an eye witness account rather than a teaching example. That is why I don't think the story in Luke 16 is a parable, but a real life event.
We each have an identity which is written in the Book of Life. When we die, we do not lose our identity and we are not given new names until Jesus gives it to us after the 1000 years. Just because we cannot see the spiritual world unless God reveals it to us, does not mean that the souls of men are not "recognisable entities" to each other, angels and to God.
Are you with me so far?
Spirit of Sweetgrass
A new book.
I have serious problems with this book's premise. Although everyone has a right to their own opinion, I have a problem with a book catagorized as "Christian Fiction" and it go off the deep end like this one does.
The reason I have a problem is because "The SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS shifts less successfully to the afterlife, where her Gullah-Creole ancestors surround her; but soon, her heavenly peace is disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her South Carolina family from falling apart. Together, with Daddy Jim, they team up to return to Earth and battle two spirits conjured up by Henrietta's voodoo that threatens to ruin an attempt to save the sweetgrass basket weaving culture."
Jesus emphatically and clearly states that we do not "come back to earth" to "fix problems". That is found in Luke 16... Jesus tells us about Lazarus and the Rich Man. Lazarus was not allowed to go back and warn anyone of anything.
For me this book pushes the envelope way to wide... so wide, everything falls out on the floor.
I have serious problems with this book's premise. Although everyone has a right to their own opinion, I have a problem with a book catagorized as "Christian Fiction" and it go off the deep end like this one does.
The reason I have a problem is because "The SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS shifts less successfully to the afterlife, where her Gullah-Creole ancestors surround her; but soon, her heavenly peace is disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her South Carolina family from falling apart. Together, with Daddy Jim, they team up to return to Earth and battle two spirits conjured up by Henrietta's voodoo that threatens to ruin an attempt to save the sweetgrass basket weaving culture."
Jesus emphatically and clearly states that we do not "come back to earth" to "fix problems". That is found in Luke 16... Jesus tells us about Lazarus and the Rich Man. Lazarus was not allowed to go back and warn anyone of anything.
For me this book pushes the envelope way to wide... so wide, everything falls out on the floor.
To the graduate
Fifteen months ago I graduated from college. It was an exciting time, and it was winter. Snow and ice covered most of the Texas panhandle so I opted not to attend my own graduation.
Don't do that. Do what ever it takes to get to your graduation and accept your degree from the hands of the educator. There is nothing like that feeling of accomplishment. I got mine in the mail. I celebrated with my Mom, and that was great. However, there is nothing like walking across that stage and accepting the thing you spent so much energy, time and brain power on.
I waited until I was forced into finishing my degree, before I actually went back to college. Where I lived, there wasn't a job market. You had to wait for someone to retire or die before you could get a job. So, I went back to school and finished my degree. It is never too late, but it is always better to do it earlier than later.
Remember, you are always in control and no one is telling you what to do. College professors or employers may make you think they are telling you what to do, but they are merely giving you what most term, policy. They are rules they want you to follow. You, however, are the one that makes the decision to either follow the rules or to not follow the rules.
It is always up to you to make that decision. I suggest to you that you think past your nose when making decisions. Ask yourself, what is the consequence of this choice? That choice? Which is better for me and those that I love?
Some smart alec once said that rules were made to be broken. Really?
Rules, in my opinion, are like protective baby buggy bumpers. You may dive head first into one, but you won't come out beat up, purple and blue, if you decide obedience is the order of the day.
Maybe a better word is Discipline or Self-Control. People who have self-control make much better decisions than those who live for the moment, never having a care for anyone but themselves.
Be the ant instead of the grasshopper and make sure you provide for yourself in your later years. That's another decision you must make.
You never know who you are influencing. The words you speak today may come back to you months or years later... make sure they are sweet, and not bitter.
Someone once said that a hot cup of coffee placed in the refrigerator will eventually grow cold. It won't ever make the things around it hot, unless it is plugged into a power source.
Before you go streaking towards the rest of your life, figure out what your Power Source is. If you depend upon yourself, you'll let yourself down. If you depend upon someone else, you'll be disappointed eventually because no one is perfect. There was only one Person born who was perfect. I urge you to get to know Him and make Him your power source.
Don't do that. Do what ever it takes to get to your graduation and accept your degree from the hands of the educator. There is nothing like that feeling of accomplishment. I got mine in the mail. I celebrated with my Mom, and that was great. However, there is nothing like walking across that stage and accepting the thing you spent so much energy, time and brain power on.
I waited until I was forced into finishing my degree, before I actually went back to college. Where I lived, there wasn't a job market. You had to wait for someone to retire or die before you could get a job. So, I went back to school and finished my degree. It is never too late, but it is always better to do it earlier than later.
Remember, you are always in control and no one is telling you what to do. College professors or employers may make you think they are telling you what to do, but they are merely giving you what most term, policy. They are rules they want you to follow. You, however, are the one that makes the decision to either follow the rules or to not follow the rules.
It is always up to you to make that decision. I suggest to you that you think past your nose when making decisions. Ask yourself, what is the consequence of this choice? That choice? Which is better for me and those that I love?
Some smart alec once said that rules were made to be broken. Really?
Rules, in my opinion, are like protective baby buggy bumpers. You may dive head first into one, but you won't come out beat up, purple and blue, if you decide obedience is the order of the day.
Maybe a better word is Discipline or Self-Control. People who have self-control make much better decisions than those who live for the moment, never having a care for anyone but themselves.
Be the ant instead of the grasshopper and make sure you provide for yourself in your later years. That's another decision you must make.
You never know who you are influencing. The words you speak today may come back to you months or years later... make sure they are sweet, and not bitter.
Someone once said that a hot cup of coffee placed in the refrigerator will eventually grow cold. It won't ever make the things around it hot, unless it is plugged into a power source.
Before you go streaking towards the rest of your life, figure out what your Power Source is. If you depend upon yourself, you'll let yourself down. If you depend upon someone else, you'll be disappointed eventually because no one is perfect. There was only one Person born who was perfect. I urge you to get to know Him and make Him your power source.
Mars Task Force
Directly from the memoirs of Sgt. Major Ray Mitchell
The success of the mission in Burma was completed by the Mars Task Force.
The Unit was deactivated and the casual was mostly sent into China. In China, men were dispersed into many units to make ready for the invasion of Japan. Men were assigned to Chinese units as instructors, others as truck drivers, etc. My job was to oversee a casual detachment to dispense men to other units in need.
When the war ended with the dropping of the atomic bombs, I moved our detachemnt back to Kunming, China, a three day road trip by truck. On arriving in Kunming, hoping to be shipped to India for a trip home, we were immediately moved into downtown Kunming to protect American installations, officers, hotels, Red Cross buildings and USO buildings. The Civil War between the Communists and Nationalists had begun. There was a fight for contol.
As the battle moved on, we were moved out of Kunming to a camp where we were processed and flown to India. In India, we were processed again and after some delays, boarded a ship and sailed across the Pacific to land in Tacoma, Washington, USA.
This completed my trip around the world as well as the others that were still alive.
The ship home was much more pleasant than the trip over. We were allowed to stay top side on the deck, day and night. The weather was great for November 1945. Mot of us slept onn deck at night. It would be most difficult to relate our feelings as the ship docked in Tacoma when we saw large signs on the warehouses and other buildings that said,
The band began to play and people on the docks were cheering, smiling and waving. Yes, most of us had a lump in our throat and a tear in our eye.
We were home.
Older now, with a knowledge of how important life really is. A tremendous price had been paid by many men that gave me the privilege to walk down the gang plank to a...
Ray Mitchell lived in Picayune, Mississippi for many years, but died November 13, 2011. I cannot express how deeply proud I feel to have been able to talk with him about his experiences in India and Burma and China. I loved hearing his stories.
Interview with Dr. Ray Mitchell is here.
The success of the mission in Burma was completed by the Mars Task Force.
The Unit was deactivated and the casual was mostly sent into China. In China, men were dispersed into many units to make ready for the invasion of Japan. Men were assigned to Chinese units as instructors, others as truck drivers, etc. My job was to oversee a casual detachment to dispense men to other units in need.
When the war ended with the dropping of the atomic bombs, I moved our detachemnt back to Kunming, China, a three day road trip by truck. On arriving in Kunming, hoping to be shipped to India for a trip home, we were immediately moved into downtown Kunming to protect American installations, officers, hotels, Red Cross buildings and USO buildings. The Civil War between the Communists and Nationalists had begun. There was a fight for contol.
As the battle moved on, we were moved out of Kunming to a camp where we were processed and flown to India. In India, we were processed again and after some delays, boarded a ship and sailed across the Pacific to land in Tacoma, Washington, USA.
This completed my trip around the world as well as the others that were still alive.
The ship home was much more pleasant than the trip over. We were allowed to stay top side on the deck, day and night. The weather was great for November 1945. Mot of us slept onn deck at night. It would be most difficult to relate our feelings as the ship docked in Tacoma when we saw large signs on the warehouses and other buildings that said,
WELCOME HOME! JOB WELL DONE!
The band began to play and people on the docks were cheering, smiling and waving. Yes, most of us had a lump in our throat and a tear in our eye.
We were home.
Older now, with a knowledge of how important life really is. A tremendous price had been paid by many men that gave me the privilege to walk down the gang plank to a...
FREE NATION.
ooOoo
Ray Mitchell lived in Picayune, Mississippi for many years, but died November 13, 2011. I cannot express how deeply proud I feel to have been able to talk with him about his experiences in India and Burma and China. I loved hearing his stories.
Interview with Dr. Ray Mitchell is here.
It is so incredibly sad that our WWII veterans are dying at the rate of about 1,500 per day. If you have a grandfather, a father, an uncle, aunt, grandmother, mother who served in our Armed Forces in any war, I strongly urge you to take the time to sit and talk with them about it. It is something that you will never forget and you won't be the same after it.
Some history students at Picayune Memorial High School had this kind of opportunity every year. What is so wonderful is that it rejuvenates the veterans, and educates the young people. There was a decided spring in their step after that day, so says one of the teachers who helped bring that march through history alive and real to some high school history students.
The Old Burma Road
From Ray Mitchell's memoirs...
We now had commanding view on the Old Burma Road that ran from Kunming, China into Burma. From our position we were able to direct artillery and mortar fire on the Road. This was done day and night to make it difficult for the enemy to supply troops fighting the Chinese further up the Burma Road leading into China. Patrols were sent to the road, land mines were planted, and truck convoys were ambushed as they attempted to run the blockade. In cutting the supply linne to the enemy, they were forced to withdraw from the engagement with the Chinese.
The Japanese tried to dislodge us from our positions using heavy artillery, 105mm and 155mm, trying to overrun our positions, almost succeeding at times.
Third Battalion was on a lower hill several miles from us with artillery because we did not have a place for artillery on the ridge. Our losses were beginning to incrfease due to the 155 artillery shells--we were too crowded.
In the battle for the Burma Road, our air support wsa by the P-47, called 'the Jug'. A very powerful effective fighter bomber equipped with eight 50 caliber machine guns, plus carrying many 250 pound bombs. The P-47 planes were so close to us we could see the expressions on thhe faces of the pilots. One of the planes came in very low to strafe the ridge in front of us, but he still had a 250 pound bomb that had hung up without his knowledge. When he hit the trigger for the machine guns, the bomb was released just above six of us standing and watching the power show by the fly boys.
It all happened so fast we could not hit the ground. The bomb landed in the middle of our group. As the bomb hit the ground, probably traveling between 250 and 300 miles per hour, the sound emitted was similar to a speeding car putting on brakes and tires burning rubber on a paved road. The bomb did not explode, which is obvious because I'm here, but ricocheted off the hard ground, going another 75 to 100 yards and exploded on conntact on the enemy position!
We took a deep breath, let it out very slowly and went about our business. Later in life, I was told by a pilot of the same type bomber plane that the bomb did not explode because a small propeller in the nose of the bomb had a pin on it and was pulled from the propeler, allowing it to rotate. After turning about six times, the bomb was activated and would detonate on impact.
The Mars Task Force for this battle had brought the entire Brigade into action. I understand that this was the only Brigade in the Army. Our make up was the 475th Infantry Regiment which had 3 Battalions of about 1,000 men in each Unit with a portable surgical unit attached -- Not a MASH unit like on TV.
One night I was in the bunker with the Commanding Officer, Colonel Thrailkil. I was the Sgt. Major and he wanted to go to the observation post that overlooked the road. It was a very bright moon that night and you could see anything that moved. He and I moved along the ridge in a trench to the observation post. When we reached the opening, I told the Colonel that I needed to go to my foxhole for some cigarettes. I was a heavy smoker, and I had been out for several hours not being able to smoke. The Colonel did not smoke. I left the observation post and went to my foxhole for a pack of cigarettes.
I lit one before heading back to the observation post which was only about 10, maybe 15 yards away. The artillery started up before I made it back, the 155mm were coming in. I started to try to make it back between shells, but decided to wait until it was over. The observation post received a direct hit. I was the first to arrive and began moving logs and then the wounded. There were six menm in the post, thheree killed, including the Colonel who was blown in half, the other three were wounded.
Sgt. Milton Kornfeld of Brooklyn, NY had a leg blown off, all but a small ligament. The medic just pulled a trench knife and cut the ligament to free him from the logs that pinned him down. Kornfeld did not lose consciousness, and on the stretcher he kept talking. I went to him and told him not to talk so loudly because he was drawing small arms fire.
He called me by name and said, "Mitch, you have always heard that the fastest thing in the world was a Jew passing Hitler's house on a bicycle. I heard that big shell coming and I moved out of the way faster...all but one leg!" Kornfeld survived to go home.
At this point I would be remiss if I did not give praise to our medical people. From the aide in the foxhole who never hesitate when the cry "Medic!" was heard to those in the aid station. It took courage to crawl out to a wounded man during the battle. They did! And the aide station with the tow surgeons working under the poorest of conditions did an outstanding job.
I understand tht if a wounded man could be reached by the aide man, his chances on surviving was about 60 percent. If the wounded man could reach the Battalion aide station, his chances increased to about 75 percent. If his luck held and he could make it to the protable surgical unit, usually about five miles behind combat zone, the chances go up in to 80 percent. Next came the evacuation byy small plannes to a field hospital, there his luck goes into the 90 percent range. The last would be a general hospital, then his chances could be as high as 98 percent. The medical personnel did more with less than any group could.
I was told to take Colonel Thrailkil's effects to the Regimental Commanders and tell him what had happened. The Regimental Commanding Officer was Colonel Easterbrook, the finest of men, an officer and a gentleman. In fact, he was General Stilwell's son-in-law. After talking with Colonel Easterbrook, I explained that I needed to hurry and leave in order to get back to the 2nd Battalion before dark. It was about five miles and I was walking. The Colonel, in his gentle way, told mem to stay in the night in the portable surgical unit, have a good meal and a night's sleep and to see him the next morning before returning to my unit. The next morning, I returned to the Colonel's headquarters and he met me with a towel, a bar of soap and a razon. Smiling he told me to go to the nearby stream and clean up. I protested, telling him I need to hurry back to my unit. With that smile he said, "Sgt., that war will be there when you get back." I took the bath and shaved, I surely felt guilty when I returned to my unit all clean.
Part 7 Mars Task Force is here.
The Nisei, Tonkwa Burma
From Ray Mitchell's memoirs... Burma, 1944. At right, Sgt. Major Ray Mitchell in China, 1945. He was about 24 years old.
As it began to lighten up the next morning, several of the enemy wandered into our line. You can just imagine what took place. They were not prepared, we were. The slaughter began.
The ground was level so the field of fire reached a long, deadly way. The Japanese's officer began trying to rally his troops, and then lead them into a 'banzi' attack on our fixed positions. The slaughter continued.
To cause them even more confustion the Nisei shouted orders for them to fall back. This cause the troops to stop, hesitating and to begin milling around. This was complete disaster for them. Their attack failed, they were driven back, leaving many dead and wounded.
In the days to come, we saw lots of actgion and found valuable information on several of the dead Japanese officers. The Nisei could read and interpret papers guiding us as to what we should do.
We were shocked to learn that we were fighting a Division. That's between 8,000 to 10,000 Japanese to our 1,000 or less. We immediately made radio contact for assistance. The 3rd Battalion was about a hundred miles away, and they began moving to assist us. There were there in five days.
We were very lucky. The Japanese would draft men into the Army in Japan, give them a few weeks of training, then send them to fight the very poorly trained and ill equipped Chinese. Thus, they had on the job training. After the Japanese were combat trained, then they were sent into the Pacific front or other areas that were fighting trained, well-equipped men. This Division was looking to fight the Chinese, be we got in their way. With our fire power, and well-trained men, the Japanese could never penetrate our line. That was their way of fighting--over run and cause panic of the enemy, except the tables were turned here. They broke off the action and retreated from the area. We later heard that the Japanese Division had suffered more than 80 percent casualties, the Unit was deactivated and those left were sent to other units. And, the commanding officer was executed. We left our dead in a temporary cemetery, less than fifty men died, but that was still too many.
After Tonkwa, we moved into the mountain jungles. It was slow moving. Here you learned that combat will sap your strength because you donn't move around or get the exercise to keep fit. However, in a few days, you begin to adjust and your strength and stamina return and you are fine.
We moved further south and into higher mountains with more streams to cross. We had to be very careful day and night because at night we could hear the Japanese planes searching for us. We called the plane, "Bed Check Charlie". This is one of the main reasons we would leave our bivouac area in the morning before daylight. Just in case the planes had spotted us during the night, we'd be gone.
As we continued moving, we knew we were getting closer to our objective due to the restrictions imposed. No fires at any time, keep the voices low, stay in a quiet mode.
Then we moved into the stream for several days, moving all day then near dark, climbing up on the bank to attempt sleep. All of a sudden we went into a force march, moving fast.
We broke out of hte mountains and into a beautiful valley. Across the valley was a high ridge named Loi Kang. It would later be called Bull's Eye Ridge.
We attacked the ridge late that afternoon. It was necessary because we were now exposed to the enemy. We managed to make it half way up the ridge before it became too dark to move on. The next morning we reached the top of the ridge and took (occupied) about half of the long high ridge. The ridge had a 6,000 foot elevation. I know it was difficult to climb, especially with someone above you throwinng grenades down at you! From the Loi Kang ridge, we had the Burma Road in view below us.
We were separated from the Japanese by a narrowing of the ridge. We could not move across the well-defended ridge nor could the enemy move forward to attack us. It was a stalemate for the present time. The ridge was not very wide at any place, therefore, we became a good target for the enemy artillery.
Since the real estate was divided, but close, it was easy for the Japannese to direct very heavy artillery on our positions.
Part Six The Old Burma Road is here.
Part Six The Old Burma Road is here.
The battle rages and then we march on
From Ray Mitchell's memoirs...
The battle raged on for weeks, during the Monsoon season. The rains kept you wet most of the time. When the sun did shine, within a short period of time, we were wet with perspiration.
The rain would fill your fox hole causing you to leave your protection and lay on the water covered ground. Leeches would find a away through your clothes and attach themselves to your body. It was not unusual to see men strip off their clothes and have a buddy with a lighted cigarette touch the leech and it would fall off. If you tried to pull it off, often the head would remain in the victim and an infection would follow.
Myitkyina was taken and I searched out the MIAs. We took the degrading detail which was very difficult, burying our dead and the enemy's dead as well as searching out and disposing of the unexploded shells. We moved back about 15 miles and built a camp. Camp Landis was named for the first Marauder killed in action. Within days after moving back to begin the camp, most of the battle weary had to be evacuated to the hospitals-they were too weak and sick for duty.
At Camp Landis, the 5307th CUP, Merrill's Marauders, was deactivated in early August 1944.
Those of us that were left activated the 475th Infantry and began to receive men back from the hospitals and also troops from the states. We had the foundation of combat troops to begin a new Unit.
Training began in earnest and the end result was a strong, well equipped, well-trained fighting Unit that would see more combat down through Central Burma. Joining the 475th Infantry Regimental in August 1944 was a Texas National Guard Unit, the 124th Cavalry Regiment. With the two Units we became a Brigade. I understand this is the only Brigade in our Army during WWII. The reason for this formation was the British had limited our troops to be less than a Division, normally between seven to nine thousand men. The Brigade had about six thousand men. This new Unit was known as the Mars Task Force, a new name with new men, plus the veterans of Merrill's Marauders, making a fine fighting force that would make a name for themselves in the history books about WWII.
The newly formed Unit completed training and moved out of Camp Landis, crossing the Irriwaddy River and headed south. We would march for 50 minutes and rest for 10 minutes -- each man carried between 60 and 80 pounds of gear--blanket, toilet articles, extra underwear, socks, food, ammunition, his weapon, half a dozen hand grenades, two canteens, spoon, trench knife, compass, firt aid kit and anything else you thought you may need.
The mules, 275 in our Battalion, carried the heavy things such as machine guns, mortars (60mm and 81mm), medical supplies, radio equipment. The mules carried no kitchen or cooking equipment--you ate "C"rations, and they were not too bad.
We traveled 15 to 30 miles each day. The distance depended on the terrain. In the mountains, you did not go as far as on flat land. At times we would ford streams numerous times and other times we would stay in the stream for miles. We would try to bivouac at the end of our daily march by a water source. This was for bathing and watering the animals--both dogs and mules--and filling our canteens for the next day. Before dark we could have a fire to heat food, but after dark, there were no fires or lights. You moved around very little after marching all day with a heavy pack on your back.
The normal march began before daylight. The mules had to be loaded and ready for the trail. First to leave in the morning was the Quartering party made up of several men from each company, a squad of riflemen, a radio man, a medic and several others. Their mission was as the name indicated, they scouted ahead and located the place for the Unit to stop for the night. The men would determine where each company would be located and as the main Unit came to the area the men of the Quartering party would lead their Company to their spot for the night. The water source had to be marked, upstream one color for drinking was marked, one color for watering the animals, and the last for bathing.
Guard posts were set up, each man dug an area about three feet wide and six feet or longer and about one foot or more deep. This kept the typhus ticks from getting you and causing typhus, and the hole could be easily deepened if you were attacked during the night.
Every third morning the Drop party would head out and find a place for the food and supplies to be dropped to us. The Drop party would move out first, find a spot and contact the air drop group, put out marking panels that they could see from the air and time the drop to come at about the time the troop would reach that area. All was usually working good. We would move each day for several weeks unless we ran into a combat situation. We were behind enemy lines by a hundred miles or more.
We came to Tonkwa, Burma. We were told it was an important place even though it was a small village because five trails came through the village. The Second Battalion of the 475th Infantry moved into position after dark, dug in, set up machine guns, mortar and readied for battle. We didn't have to wait long because soon we heard the Japanese coming near our perimeter.
Fortunately, we had Nisei troops with us. These were American born Japanese men and they were very dedicated to their job. One of these men came forward, moved out near where the Japanese were digging in and listened to them. The Japanese did not have the faintest idea that we were anywhere in the area.
Part 5 The Nisei, Tonkwa Burma is here.
The battle raged on for weeks, during the Monsoon season. The rains kept you wet most of the time. When the sun did shine, within a short period of time, we were wet with perspiration.
The rain would fill your fox hole causing you to leave your protection and lay on the water covered ground. Leeches would find a away through your clothes and attach themselves to your body. It was not unusual to see men strip off their clothes and have a buddy with a lighted cigarette touch the leech and it would fall off. If you tried to pull it off, often the head would remain in the victim and an infection would follow.
Myitkyina was taken and I searched out the MIAs. We took the degrading detail which was very difficult, burying our dead and the enemy's dead as well as searching out and disposing of the unexploded shells. We moved back about 15 miles and built a camp. Camp Landis was named for the first Marauder killed in action. Within days after moving back to begin the camp, most of the battle weary had to be evacuated to the hospitals-they were too weak and sick for duty.
At Camp Landis, the 5307th CUP, Merrill's Marauders, was deactivated in early August 1944.
Those of us that were left activated the 475th Infantry and began to receive men back from the hospitals and also troops from the states. We had the foundation of combat troops to begin a new Unit.
Training began in earnest and the end result was a strong, well equipped, well-trained fighting Unit that would see more combat down through Central Burma. Joining the 475th Infantry Regimental in August 1944 was a Texas National Guard Unit, the 124th Cavalry Regiment. With the two Units we became a Brigade. I understand this is the only Brigade in our Army during WWII. The reason for this formation was the British had limited our troops to be less than a Division, normally between seven to nine thousand men. The Brigade had about six thousand men. This new Unit was known as the Mars Task Force, a new name with new men, plus the veterans of Merrill's Marauders, making a fine fighting force that would make a name for themselves in the history books about WWII.
The newly formed Unit completed training and moved out of Camp Landis, crossing the Irriwaddy River and headed south. We would march for 50 minutes and rest for 10 minutes -- each man carried between 60 and 80 pounds of gear--blanket, toilet articles, extra underwear, socks, food, ammunition, his weapon, half a dozen hand grenades, two canteens, spoon, trench knife, compass, firt aid kit and anything else you thought you may need.
The mules, 275 in our Battalion, carried the heavy things such as machine guns, mortars (60mm and 81mm), medical supplies, radio equipment. The mules carried no kitchen or cooking equipment--you ate "C"rations, and they were not too bad.
We traveled 15 to 30 miles each day. The distance depended on the terrain. In the mountains, you did not go as far as on flat land. At times we would ford streams numerous times and other times we would stay in the stream for miles. We would try to bivouac at the end of our daily march by a water source. This was for bathing and watering the animals--both dogs and mules--and filling our canteens for the next day. Before dark we could have a fire to heat food, but after dark, there were no fires or lights. You moved around very little after marching all day with a heavy pack on your back.
The normal march began before daylight. The mules had to be loaded and ready for the trail. First to leave in the morning was the Quartering party made up of several men from each company, a squad of riflemen, a radio man, a medic and several others. Their mission was as the name indicated, they scouted ahead and located the place for the Unit to stop for the night. The men would determine where each company would be located and as the main Unit came to the area the men of the Quartering party would lead their Company to their spot for the night. The water source had to be marked, upstream one color for drinking was marked, one color for watering the animals, and the last for bathing.
Guard posts were set up, each man dug an area about three feet wide and six feet or longer and about one foot or more deep. This kept the typhus ticks from getting you and causing typhus, and the hole could be easily deepened if you were attacked during the night.
Every third morning the Drop party would head out and find a place for the food and supplies to be dropped to us. The Drop party would move out first, find a spot and contact the air drop group, put out marking panels that they could see from the air and time the drop to come at about the time the troop would reach that area. All was usually working good. We would move each day for several weeks unless we ran into a combat situation. We were behind enemy lines by a hundred miles or more.
We came to Tonkwa, Burma. We were told it was an important place even though it was a small village because five trails came through the village. The Second Battalion of the 475th Infantry moved into position after dark, dug in, set up machine guns, mortar and readied for battle. We didn't have to wait long because soon we heard the Japanese coming near our perimeter.
Fortunately, we had Nisei troops with us. These were American born Japanese men and they were very dedicated to their job. One of these men came forward, moved out near where the Japanese were digging in and listened to them. The Japanese did not have the faintest idea that we were anywhere in the area.
Part 5 The Nisei, Tonkwa Burma is here.
Myitkyina Campaign, Sgt. Major Ray Mitchell, 1944
From Sgt. Major Mitchell's memoirs
The japanese invasion of Burma in 1942 cut the supply routs to China. Myitkyina, Burma was a hugely important base for Japan. It had two airports or air fields, a rail and highway as well as river for boat traffic.
From the air fields, they were able to greatly curtail the flow of supplies by air between India and China. All land traffic was halted with the fall of Burma into Japanese hands.
The air supply route was much more dangerous because of weather conditions and it was a longer route, too. Because of these difficulties, ground troops were needed in Burma to cause confusion among the Japanese troops, and to capture the coveted Myitkyina.
Merrill's Marauders overran Myitkyina in mid-May, 1944. However, the strength of the unit was in sad disarray. They were weak from marching many miles through the jungles and over the mountains, from having lost many men to the enemy but more to the disease-carrying insects... fevers, malaria, typhus, dysentery and the like which debilitated the unit. The long march, the jungle and combat had taken a heavy toll on the men.
The airstrip was taken, but the city was not. The Unit did not have the strength to take the town. Two Chinese units were moved in to take the town, but ended up mistaking each other for the enemy and therefore battled each other, not taking the town. The enemy took advantage of the conditions and brought reinforcements into the battle, causing much concern.
Reinforcements were desparately needed, or lose the Myitkyina. Everything had to come in by air, because Myitkyina was hundreds of miles behind Japanese lines. This battle became the largest scale battle to be fought in Burma by the American troops, lasting three months during the monsoon weather. Losses were high on both sides of the line.
The first responsibility was to defend Myitkyina air strip and secondly to take the city. In Mitchell's Battalion, the losses were great. Company G, 2nd Battalion was caught in an ambush and more than 200 men were killed and only 17 escaped the ambush to report back what happened. One of the survivors had been shot through the face and left for dead. He managed to crawl back through the enemy to friendly territory, but he didn't look human. His face was covered in maggots. The medical officer said the maggots had saved his life by eating all the infection which would have killed him. The man did survive, and in fact was returned to the unit months later with his jaw wired with instructions to be fed soft diet. He was evacuated on the next transport to the rear area.
One of the worst things, other than the Company G ambush, was when some of the brass in the rear felt that the stalemat we were involved in could be broken by sending in B-25 bomber planes and bomb at high altitude, 5,000 feet, which they did. The bombs were dropped short and as many hit us as hit the enemy! We lost lots of men, over a hundred. It was a horrible experience trying to dig out men covered in their fox holes, blue from suffocation, body parts everywhere, wounded and dying everywhere. Several weeks later, the same planes came back again, gave us warning ahead of time, therefore, we could move our lines back 100 yards. The B-25 bombers came in again and hit our lines causing may more casualties. No one ever admitted responsibility or offered any reason or any "sorry about that". We never again had bombing by B-25s, thank goodness.
Our air support was by fighter bomber planes. The old P-r0s did an outstanding support job. They would fly in ver low dropping 250 pound bombs or the napome bombs, belly tanks which were filled with a liquid mixture that would ignite, covering a large area with flaming liquid, going into bunkers, fox holes and trenche, very frightening even to us. The P-40s also came in low, strafe the enemy positions with 50 caliber machine guns. We never lost any men from this type of air support.
Part 4 The Battle Rages is here.
The japanese invasion of Burma in 1942 cut the supply routs to China. Myitkyina, Burma was a hugely important base for Japan. It had two airports or air fields, a rail and highway as well as river for boat traffic.
From the air fields, they were able to greatly curtail the flow of supplies by air between India and China. All land traffic was halted with the fall of Burma into Japanese hands.
The air supply route was much more dangerous because of weather conditions and it was a longer route, too. Because of these difficulties, ground troops were needed in Burma to cause confusion among the Japanese troops, and to capture the coveted Myitkyina.
Merrill's Marauders overran Myitkyina in mid-May, 1944. However, the strength of the unit was in sad disarray. They were weak from marching many miles through the jungles and over the mountains, from having lost many men to the enemy but more to the disease-carrying insects... fevers, malaria, typhus, dysentery and the like which debilitated the unit. The long march, the jungle and combat had taken a heavy toll on the men.
The airstrip was taken, but the city was not. The Unit did not have the strength to take the town. Two Chinese units were moved in to take the town, but ended up mistaking each other for the enemy and therefore battled each other, not taking the town. The enemy took advantage of the conditions and brought reinforcements into the battle, causing much concern.
Reinforcements were desparately needed, or lose the Myitkyina. Everything had to come in by air, because Myitkyina was hundreds of miles behind Japanese lines. This battle became the largest scale battle to be fought in Burma by the American troops, lasting three months during the monsoon weather. Losses were high on both sides of the line.
The first responsibility was to defend Myitkyina air strip and secondly to take the city. In Mitchell's Battalion, the losses were great. Company G, 2nd Battalion was caught in an ambush and more than 200 men were killed and only 17 escaped the ambush to report back what happened. One of the survivors had been shot through the face and left for dead. He managed to crawl back through the enemy to friendly territory, but he didn't look human. His face was covered in maggots. The medical officer said the maggots had saved his life by eating all the infection which would have killed him. The man did survive, and in fact was returned to the unit months later with his jaw wired with instructions to be fed soft diet. He was evacuated on the next transport to the rear area.
One of the worst things, other than the Company G ambush, was when some of the brass in the rear felt that the stalemat we were involved in could be broken by sending in B-25 bomber planes and bomb at high altitude, 5,000 feet, which they did. The bombs were dropped short and as many hit us as hit the enemy! We lost lots of men, over a hundred. It was a horrible experience trying to dig out men covered in their fox holes, blue from suffocation, body parts everywhere, wounded and dying everywhere. Several weeks later, the same planes came back again, gave us warning ahead of time, therefore, we could move our lines back 100 yards. The B-25 bombers came in again and hit our lines causing may more casualties. No one ever admitted responsibility or offered any reason or any "sorry about that". We never again had bombing by B-25s, thank goodness.
Our air support was by fighter bomber planes. The old P-r0s did an outstanding support job. They would fly in ver low dropping 250 pound bombs or the napome bombs, belly tanks which were filled with a liquid mixture that would ignite, covering a large area with flaming liquid, going into bunkers, fox holes and trenche, very frightening even to us. The P-40s also came in low, strafe the enemy positions with 50 caliber machine guns. We never lost any men from this type of air support.
Part 4 The Battle Rages is here.
Burma Campaign, 1944
Editor's note: This is taken directly from Ray Mitchell's memoirs...
Why were we there?
The war in China, Burma, and India was the result of the Japanese cutting all supply lines into China. There had been fighting in China since 1937 with several million troops there. The Japanese had taken every port that could be used to import supplies except Burma.
Supplies that came into Burma through Rangoon and other ports were moved by rail, trucks and river boats up to where the Japanese invaded in 1942, running the British and Chinese troops back into India. Burma, as well as India, was British territory and had been British controlled for many years. The loss of Burma left only one source of supplies to China from the USA, which was to fly supplies from India into China over the Himalayan mountains, better known as The Hump. The flight over the Hump was treacherous, very high, snow covered, and the mountain peaks were often covered by clouds. Add to that the frequent bad weather and Japanese planes and you've got a hugely dangerous mix.
The Japanese had fighter planes based in Myitkyina, Burma that could intercept the transports going over the lower, safer part of the Hump. Thia forced pilots to fly further north into higher, and more dangerous mountains. These conditions caused so much loss of life, supplies and planes the route was often called The Aluminum Trail because of all the crashes along the trail. There were a few that had made the trip numerous times, but they had a rough time of it.
The USA needed to supply the Chinese in order to keep them fighting the Japanese. That would keep millions of Japanese occupied with China and out of the Pacific War, plus it would keep the Japanese using up valuable supplies in the China campaign.
Presient Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met and decided to try and retake Burma. The Birtish wanted this because it was their colony and the USA wanted it to make it easier to get more supplies to China. The British wanted more American supplies for their forces in India so that they could retake Burma.
So, the call for volunteers went out to all the Army camps and posts throughout the States and out laying bases in Central America.
"Wanted: Volunteers for a dangerous, hazardous mission in jungle warfare"
There was no mention of where the volunteers would be sent, only that it was for jungle warfare and that it was dangerous. The call was answered by men from many backgrounds, as well as many places.
[Ray told me on the day of our conversation that he saw that sign and knew it was where he needed to be. No cold, snow, and frozen puddles for him. Jungles were warm. Visions of sea breezes and waving palms danced in his head. So he convinced his cousin to volunteer with him to go to Burma.
He shook his head then said, "I was just a dumb teenager. Dumb and stupid to volunteer for anything!"]
This was ground work for the Units that later became the 5307th Composite Unit Provisional, better known as Merrill's Marauders. Pages have now been written in history books about this unit and their exploits in their march through Burma.
The battle for Burma involved many different Army units such as the Air Corp, Quartermaster, Medical Units, Transportation and the like. All were needed to complete this daunting task. The US Army Engineers did an almost impossible task of building roads across Burma to reach the Burma Road; and in building an oil pipeline from India to China across Burma. They worked through the dry season and through the monsoon seasons to make a road a reality.
When the Infantry was able to clear the Burma Road, their job in Burma was over. Those that were left, either went to China or to India. The group that I was with ended up in China.
Sgt/Maj Ray F. Mitchell
5307th CUP
475th Infantry
Part 3 Myitkyina Campaign Sgt. Major Ray. Mitchell is here
Why were we there?
The war in China, Burma, and India was the result of the Japanese cutting all supply lines into China. There had been fighting in China since 1937 with several million troops there. The Japanese had taken every port that could be used to import supplies except Burma.
Supplies that came into Burma through Rangoon and other ports were moved by rail, trucks and river boats up to where the Japanese invaded in 1942, running the British and Chinese troops back into India. Burma, as well as India, was British territory and had been British controlled for many years. The loss of Burma left only one source of supplies to China from the USA, which was to fly supplies from India into China over the Himalayan mountains, better known as The Hump. The flight over the Hump was treacherous, very high, snow covered, and the mountain peaks were often covered by clouds. Add to that the frequent bad weather and Japanese planes and you've got a hugely dangerous mix.
The Japanese had fighter planes based in Myitkyina, Burma that could intercept the transports going over the lower, safer part of the Hump. Thia forced pilots to fly further north into higher, and more dangerous mountains. These conditions caused so much loss of life, supplies and planes the route was often called The Aluminum Trail because of all the crashes along the trail. There were a few that had made the trip numerous times, but they had a rough time of it.
The USA needed to supply the Chinese in order to keep them fighting the Japanese. That would keep millions of Japanese occupied with China and out of the Pacific War, plus it would keep the Japanese using up valuable supplies in the China campaign.
Presient Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met and decided to try and retake Burma. The Birtish wanted this because it was their colony and the USA wanted it to make it easier to get more supplies to China. The British wanted more American supplies for their forces in India so that they could retake Burma.
So, the call for volunteers went out to all the Army camps and posts throughout the States and out laying bases in Central America.
"Wanted: Volunteers for a dangerous, hazardous mission in jungle warfare"
There was no mention of where the volunteers would be sent, only that it was for jungle warfare and that it was dangerous. The call was answered by men from many backgrounds, as well as many places.
[Ray told me on the day of our conversation that he saw that sign and knew it was where he needed to be. No cold, snow, and frozen puddles for him. Jungles were warm. Visions of sea breezes and waving palms danced in his head. So he convinced his cousin to volunteer with him to go to Burma.
He shook his head then said, "I was just a dumb teenager. Dumb and stupid to volunteer for anything!"]
This was ground work for the Units that later became the 5307th Composite Unit Provisional, better known as Merrill's Marauders. Pages have now been written in history books about this unit and their exploits in their march through Burma.
The battle for Burma involved many different Army units such as the Air Corp, Quartermaster, Medical Units, Transportation and the like. All were needed to complete this daunting task. The US Army Engineers did an almost impossible task of building roads across Burma to reach the Burma Road; and in building an oil pipeline from India to China across Burma. They worked through the dry season and through the monsoon seasons to make a road a reality.
When the Infantry was able to clear the Burma Road, their job in Burma was over. Those that were left, either went to China or to India. The group that I was with ended up in China.
Sgt/Maj Ray F. Mitchell
5307th CUP
475th Infantry
Part 3 Myitkyina Campaign Sgt. Major Ray. Mitchell is here
A most interesting conversation
I had one of the most interesting conversations the other day... well, about 2 weeks ago--with a gentleman who is a WWII veteran. Click on the link below to read the first part.
He grew up in Picayune and volunteered to the Army.
There was a bit of confusion at the gates of Camp Shelby, just outside of Hattiesburge, Mississippi. The Army was used to handling draftees, not volunteers. After they sorted all that out they trained two new recruits: Ray F. Mitchell and his cousin Sonny.
I'm going to take the next few days and tell his story. The first part of the story is here. I'm running his story on the front page of the paper, but there just isn't enough room to tell the whole story and I think this is a story that needs to be told. It is quite a nail-biter, on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
He grew up in Picayune and volunteered to the Army.
There was a bit of confusion at the gates of Camp Shelby, just outside of Hattiesburge, Mississippi. The Army was used to handling draftees, not volunteers. After they sorted all that out they trained two new recruits: Ray F. Mitchell and his cousin Sonny.
I'm going to take the next few days and tell his story. The first part of the story is here. I'm running his story on the front page of the paper, but there just isn't enough room to tell the whole story and I think this is a story that needs to be told. It is quite a nail-biter, on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
To will or not to will
I was discussing something with a dear friend and realized something.
It wasn't one of those lightening bolt things like I've had in the past. It was just a quiet nudge from God's elbow. I just love it when He does that.
Here I've been complaining about a soreness in my soul and not feeling at home and not feeling like I belong when all along God was trying to tell me that those feelings were just as fickle as a rainless cloud. All promise with nothing produced and no bite.
It is such a relief to stomp my foot at the devil and tell him to "Be gone, Satan, get thee behind me." He cannot hurt me, and he has tried. Oh I've felt a pinprick or two but nothing that could come close to a real hurt. Praise God.
Salva Bogu... that's Ukranian for Praise God. One of the young men in our church is going there this summer on a mission. There are several that he has asked prayer for. His name is David. If you've a mind to, please say a prayer for his health and his mission that God will use him in a mighty way.
Mom and I are praying about starting a neighborhood Bible study. Pray God presses His will into us and that He brings those to us that He wants to reach with this mission. I have deeply missed my weekly Bible study with my sisters in Newellton. Funny, but I haven't heard one peep from any of them.
I believe God designed it that way so I wouldn't look back to where He did not want me to be so that I would look forward ever pressing into His will. That is a most delightful place to be.
Thank you so much those of you who keep checking back on me even though I haven't been posting as often as I used to or visiting as often as I used to. I'll get better... I'm still dealing with boxes and I want to put up some cabinets in the garage. So much to do and so little time.
Saturday I was feeling deep stress because I had a plate full as well as a deep bowl and my cup ranneth over, too. I just asked God to manage the time and help me get it done. I got everything done on the list. Grass mowed, flowers planted, groceries bought, house cleaned, clothes washed, SS lesson studied and a long chat with a dear friend. That's a great day!
It wasn't one of those lightening bolt things like I've had in the past. It was just a quiet nudge from God's elbow. I just love it when He does that.
Here I've been complaining about a soreness in my soul and not feeling at home and not feeling like I belong when all along God was trying to tell me that those feelings were just as fickle as a rainless cloud. All promise with nothing produced and no bite.
It is such a relief to stomp my foot at the devil and tell him to "Be gone, Satan, get thee behind me." He cannot hurt me, and he has tried. Oh I've felt a pinprick or two but nothing that could come close to a real hurt. Praise God.
Salva Bogu... that's Ukranian for Praise God. One of the young men in our church is going there this summer on a mission. There are several that he has asked prayer for. His name is David. If you've a mind to, please say a prayer for his health and his mission that God will use him in a mighty way.
Mom and I are praying about starting a neighborhood Bible study. Pray God presses His will into us and that He brings those to us that He wants to reach with this mission. I have deeply missed my weekly Bible study with my sisters in Newellton. Funny, but I haven't heard one peep from any of them.
I believe God designed it that way so I wouldn't look back to where He did not want me to be so that I would look forward ever pressing into His will. That is a most delightful place to be.
Thank you so much those of you who keep checking back on me even though I haven't been posting as often as I used to or visiting as often as I used to. I'll get better... I'm still dealing with boxes and I want to put up some cabinets in the garage. So much to do and so little time.
Saturday I was feeling deep stress because I had a plate full as well as a deep bowl and my cup ranneth over, too. I just asked God to manage the time and help me get it done. I got everything done on the list. Grass mowed, flowers planted, groceries bought, house cleaned, clothes washed, SS lesson studied and a long chat with a dear friend. That's a great day!
Fabulous!
I was happily in the middle of breakfast when I heard that the Supreme Court had upheld Congress and President Bush’s aversion to the practice of partial-birth abortion.
There are rarely "no opinions" on the subject of abortion and it usually draws the proverbial line in the sand along with raising blood pressures.
However, this Supreme Court ruling is probably the most significant ruling since Roe v. Wade back in 1973. It is so unusual because for the first time in eons, the Congress, the President and the Supreme Court agree on a single issue: partial-birth abortion is "gruesome and inhumane."
I am pretty sure this is because Congress did their homework, gathering hours and hours of "testimony from extensive legislative hearings from the 104th, 105th, 107th, and 108th Congresses."
They found there is no credible medical evidence that partial-birth abortions are safe or are safer than other abortion procedures. A medical association states that it has never been an accepted medical practice. There has never been a documented case where partial birth abortion was required to save the life of the mother or preserve her health.
Congress also found, as stated in paragraph I, that the fetus is killed outside the womb and that gives the fetus an autonomy which separates it from the right of women to choose treatments of her own body. At last, some intelligent Congressional thinking. In paragraph J, Congress states that the partial-birth abortion confuses the medical, legal and ethical duties of physicians who are sworn to preserve and promote life. And this is why I find it so hard to understand why physicians would perform any type of abortions.
Paragraph K expresses concern that the killing of an infant after the birth has begun, undermines the public’s perception of the appropriate role of a physician and perverts the process in which life is brought into this world.
I’m inclined to believe this is most likely why the love of man is growing so cold and there is less and less regard for the sanctity of life regardless of age.
Congress calls this a process of "gruesome and inhumane nature", and it has "disturbing similarity to the killing of a newborn infant", and that the prohibition of partial-birth abortion is the only way to counter that disregard for human life.
"(M) The vast majority of babies killed during partial-birth abortions are alive until the end of the procedure. It is a medical fact, however, that unborn infants at this stage can feel pain when subjected to painful stimuli and that their perception of this pain is even more intense than that of newborn infants and older children when subjected to the same stimuli. Thus, during a partial-birth abortion procedure, the child will fully experience the pain associated with piercing his or her skull and sucking out his or her brain.
(N) Implicitly approving such a brutal and inhumane procedure by choosing not to prohibit it will further coarsen society to the humanity of not only newborns, but all vulnerable and innocent human life, making it increasingly difficult to protect such life. Thus Congress has a compelling interest in acting --indeed it must act--to prohibit this inhumane procedure."
This is purely my own opinion, of course, but since all this is worded with the "health of the mother" in mind as the only reason for abortion, what possible reason could the death of the infant be good for the health of the mother? I’ve got a really good imagination, and I have rummaged around in my cerebral sphere, but can’t fathom that one. Paragraph M states chilling truth.
There are rarely "no opinions" on the subject of abortion and it usually draws the proverbial line in the sand along with raising blood pressures.
However, this Supreme Court ruling is probably the most significant ruling since Roe v. Wade back in 1973. It is so unusual because for the first time in eons, the Congress, the President and the Supreme Court agree on a single issue: partial-birth abortion is "gruesome and inhumane."
I am pretty sure this is because Congress did their homework, gathering hours and hours of "testimony from extensive legislative hearings from the 104th, 105th, 107th, and 108th Congresses."
They found there is no credible medical evidence that partial-birth abortions are safe or are safer than other abortion procedures. A medical association states that it has never been an accepted medical practice. There has never been a documented case where partial birth abortion was required to save the life of the mother or preserve her health.
Congress also found, as stated in paragraph I, that the fetus is killed outside the womb and that gives the fetus an autonomy which separates it from the right of women to choose treatments of her own body. At last, some intelligent Congressional thinking. In paragraph J, Congress states that the partial-birth abortion confuses the medical, legal and ethical duties of physicians who are sworn to preserve and promote life. And this is why I find it so hard to understand why physicians would perform any type of abortions.
Paragraph K expresses concern that the killing of an infant after the birth has begun, undermines the public’s perception of the appropriate role of a physician and perverts the process in which life is brought into this world.
I’m inclined to believe this is most likely why the love of man is growing so cold and there is less and less regard for the sanctity of life regardless of age.
Congress calls this a process of "gruesome and inhumane nature", and it has "disturbing similarity to the killing of a newborn infant", and that the prohibition of partial-birth abortion is the only way to counter that disregard for human life.
"(M) The vast majority of babies killed during partial-birth abortions are alive until the end of the procedure. It is a medical fact, however, that unborn infants at this stage can feel pain when subjected to painful stimuli and that their perception of this pain is even more intense than that of newborn infants and older children when subjected to the same stimuli. Thus, during a partial-birth abortion procedure, the child will fully experience the pain associated with piercing his or her skull and sucking out his or her brain.
(N) Implicitly approving such a brutal and inhumane procedure by choosing not to prohibit it will further coarsen society to the humanity of not only newborns, but all vulnerable and innocent human life, making it increasingly difficult to protect such life. Thus Congress has a compelling interest in acting --indeed it must act--to prohibit this inhumane procedure."
This is purely my own opinion, of course, but since all this is worded with the "health of the mother" in mind as the only reason for abortion, what possible reason could the death of the infant be good for the health of the mother? I’ve got a really good imagination, and I have rummaged around in my cerebral sphere, but can’t fathom that one. Paragraph M states chilling truth.
I apologize
I have been very remiss lately by not posting at all regularly. I've let most of my other writing obligations slide, too, except for Live As If... I've started back there regularly and here sporadically and Studylight, I check in there every day.
Don Imus got fired but why? What did he do that was so horrible and okay for all the rappers and hip hop guys to do? I don't get it. Is he just a whitey that is the scape goat?
I think those that are protesting the most are the ones that are the blindest. The one of the girls on the basketball team said this, "was going to scar her for life."
Give me a break.
Let's take a test.
Pistol Pete Maravich and his LSU team won the final four for the world championship. They were the best college basketball team. Name the year and at least one other person on that team.
Ah ha... if fame can't follow a person around for years, what makes those girls think that a few words from a shock jock (someone paid to say shocking things) will scar them for life? They weren't even present when he said it.
Just like the people that spin out all that horrible and foul stuff that spews from the hip hop videos and so-called songs, rapper trash, they have every right to freedom of speech, so did Don Imus. I think it is a huge sign of the wickedness of our times. We just feed on the nasties. Our society is what makes the Don Imus' of this world possible. If no one listened to the trash, then it wouldn't be profitable, would it? Of course not.
Unfortunately, he still has a right. Fortunately, there is a thing called the FCC and that commisssion is supposed to keep the commercial air waves free of the most vile of all the trash.
They didn't fine CBS enough for showing the Jackson girls boob. And firing Don Imus is like closing the barn door after the horses have fled. The right thing, but the wrong timing.
Don Imus got fired but why? What did he do that was so horrible and okay for all the rappers and hip hop guys to do? I don't get it. Is he just a whitey that is the scape goat?
I think those that are protesting the most are the ones that are the blindest. The one of the girls on the basketball team said this, "was going to scar her for life."
Give me a break.
Let's take a test.
Pistol Pete Maravich and his LSU team won the final four for the world championship. They were the best college basketball team. Name the year and at least one other person on that team.
Ah ha... if fame can't follow a person around for years, what makes those girls think that a few words from a shock jock (someone paid to say shocking things) will scar them for life? They weren't even present when he said it.
Just like the people that spin out all that horrible and foul stuff that spews from the hip hop videos and so-called songs, rapper trash, they have every right to freedom of speech, so did Don Imus. I think it is a huge sign of the wickedness of our times. We just feed on the nasties. Our society is what makes the Don Imus' of this world possible. If no one listened to the trash, then it wouldn't be profitable, would it? Of course not.
Unfortunately, he still has a right. Fortunately, there is a thing called the FCC and that commisssion is supposed to keep the commercial air waves free of the most vile of all the trash.
They didn't fine CBS enough for showing the Jackson girls boob. And firing Don Imus is like closing the barn door after the horses have fled. The right thing, but the wrong timing.
About the house...
It turns out that my house was a community project.
Seriously.
Two young men unloaded a new china hutch and one of them informed my mom that he did the plumbing in the house. The next afternoon, a fellow came running across the street. I was busy putting up the garden hose after watering my camelia and hibiscus I had planted barely in the nick of time before they choked to death on the dust in their pots.
He asked, "How do you like your house?" Then asked again, a bit louder. I thought he was talking to his friend across the street, never dreaming he was talking to me. When I finally heard him, I was thinking, "Great, we'll do a neighbor thing here." Sigh...
He did all the talking and told me about every house he and his crew painted in the past three months and then told me that our house was the nicest of them all, even the new neighborhood that was about 15 miles away.
I'm glad, actually, to know that my house is great and better than other new construction houses. There's something comforting about that, I guess.
It seems, though, that just about everyone in Picayune, except the people at the utilities and phone companies were in my house before we bought it.
Only in a small town!
"What's your address?"
I tell them.
"Oh, I painted the bedrooms in that house."
"What's your address?"
"Oh, that is a great house! I did the floors in it."
"What's your address?"
"I'm sorry, there is no house at that address."
[shock]
So either a person has walked the floors here or they don't believe a house is on this lot which has been vacant for the past 50 years.
"I promise it's there! No, I get mail at the P.O. Box because my mom doesn't want to have to deal with mail during vacation time. What can I do to show you that there is a house there? I must have my driver's license."
"Go next door and get your vehicle registration. We'll take a tax receipt as proof."
I go next door. "Where do you live?"
I tell her.
"Okay." She types it in, types in my VIN and tells me to write her a check for $307. Boom. I've got my registration and only then do the Dr. Lic. guys believe I live in my house. I should have told the plumber and the painter to go with me. Then I could have pointed to the taupe color of paint on the man's shirt and said, 'That's the color of my bedroom. Yes. I live in that house.'
The plumber could have pointed to the other spot on his shirt and said, "That's the color of the bathroom."
Somehow, I think I'd still have to write that check for $307. Besides, it feels great to be driving around legally. The registration, inspection sticker and my license all say, "Mississippi". I'm a real Mississippian now. My business card says so.
Seriously.
Two young men unloaded a new china hutch and one of them informed my mom that he did the plumbing in the house. The next afternoon, a fellow came running across the street. I was busy putting up the garden hose after watering my camelia and hibiscus I had planted barely in the nick of time before they choked to death on the dust in their pots.
He asked, "How do you like your house?" Then asked again, a bit louder. I thought he was talking to his friend across the street, never dreaming he was talking to me. When I finally heard him, I was thinking, "Great, we'll do a neighbor thing here." Sigh...
He did all the talking and told me about every house he and his crew painted in the past three months and then told me that our house was the nicest of them all, even the new neighborhood that was about 15 miles away.
I'm glad, actually, to know that my house is great and better than other new construction houses. There's something comforting about that, I guess.
It seems, though, that just about everyone in Picayune, except the people at the utilities and phone companies were in my house before we bought it.
Only in a small town!
"What's your address?"
I tell them.
"Oh, I painted the bedrooms in that house."
"What's your address?"
"Oh, that is a great house! I did the floors in it."
"What's your address?"
"I'm sorry, there is no house at that address."
[shock]
So either a person has walked the floors here or they don't believe a house is on this lot which has been vacant for the past 50 years.
"I promise it's there! No, I get mail at the P.O. Box because my mom doesn't want to have to deal with mail during vacation time. What can I do to show you that there is a house there? I must have my driver's license."
"Go next door and get your vehicle registration. We'll take a tax receipt as proof."
I go next door. "Where do you live?"
I tell her.
"Okay." She types it in, types in my VIN and tells me to write her a check for $307. Boom. I've got my registration and only then do the Dr. Lic. guys believe I live in my house. I should have told the plumber and the painter to go with me. Then I could have pointed to the taupe color of paint on the man's shirt and said, 'That's the color of my bedroom. Yes. I live in that house.'
The plumber could have pointed to the other spot on his shirt and said, "That's the color of the bathroom."
Somehow, I think I'd still have to write that check for $307. Besides, it feels great to be driving around legally. The registration, inspection sticker and my license all say, "Mississippi". I'm a real Mississippian now. My business card says so.
A grandmother's pride
Years ago when I was working for the Picayune Item, my phone rang...
"I just want to know why you haven't put my granddaughter's picture in the paper," came the gravelly voice over the phone.
"Well, I... uh, what's your granddaughter's name?"
She told me and the name didn't ring one single bell. I'm pretty good at remembering names and putting names with faces. Don't test me, because I'll fail if you ask me to tell you who I met today and what their names are. I've got retroactive memory. Forget short term, that's gone forever, I think.
I took down all the information and all the while that gravely voice was talking. "My granddaughter won such and such award and I think that is way more news worthy than graduating basic training. Just about anybody can do that, but not everybody in the military gets such and such award. You need to find that picture and if you can't I'll scrounge around the family and get one, then I'd like to see her story in the paper as soon as possible. I've been waiting months for her picture to get in the paper..."
Whew. I asked around and of course no one remembered getting a military picture. It wasn't in the computer banks anywhere and not in any of the folders in the files. I scoured the internet hoping to find a military picture of this young woman. Surely, someone would be bragging on her if the award was such a big deal.
I turned up one photo of her. She was in New Orleans, handing out candy to Katrina victims with the biggest smile on her face, like she was having the grandest time of her life. The kids were grinning, too. They were having a party. In the background were a couple of helicopters, blades twirling, and soldiers were lifting stretchers out of the helicopters and the tarmac had several stretchers lined up.
She gave those kids a lighter memory than the pure trauma they had endured. That's a real hero. I'll never forget her face, but her name escapes me at the moment. But, her name isn't as important as what she did.
Couldn't find a "proper" picture to go with the award story. It was time to go home any way, it was past 7 o'clock and I was hungry.
Next morning, the picture was on my chair with a note scrawled across a paper clipped piece of paper, 'okay to rerun.' Hmm I didn't know it had run the first time.
I scanned it and wrote the story and ran it in the next edition. And the grandmother was right. It was a really big deal and a great award. The young woman deserved the recognition. But, I'm thinking in the back of my mind, that the real story was the grins on those kids' faces. Mighty Mouse, Tom Terrific, Superman... those are two dimensional heroes. This woman was a real life hero in those kids' eyes. You just can't beat that with a stick.
"I just want to know why you haven't put my granddaughter's picture in the paper," came the gravelly voice over the phone.
"Well, I... uh, what's your granddaughter's name?"
She told me and the name didn't ring one single bell. I'm pretty good at remembering names and putting names with faces. Don't test me, because I'll fail if you ask me to tell you who I met today and what their names are. I've got retroactive memory. Forget short term, that's gone forever, I think.
I took down all the information and all the while that gravely voice was talking. "My granddaughter won such and such award and I think that is way more news worthy than graduating basic training. Just about anybody can do that, but not everybody in the military gets such and such award. You need to find that picture and if you can't I'll scrounge around the family and get one, then I'd like to see her story in the paper as soon as possible. I've been waiting months for her picture to get in the paper..."
Whew. I asked around and of course no one remembered getting a military picture. It wasn't in the computer banks anywhere and not in any of the folders in the files. I scoured the internet hoping to find a military picture of this young woman. Surely, someone would be bragging on her if the award was such a big deal.
I turned up one photo of her. She was in New Orleans, handing out candy to Katrina victims with the biggest smile on her face, like she was having the grandest time of her life. The kids were grinning, too. They were having a party. In the background were a couple of helicopters, blades twirling, and soldiers were lifting stretchers out of the helicopters and the tarmac had several stretchers lined up.
She gave those kids a lighter memory than the pure trauma they had endured. That's a real hero. I'll never forget her face, but her name escapes me at the moment. But, her name isn't as important as what she did.
Couldn't find a "proper" picture to go with the award story. It was time to go home any way, it was past 7 o'clock and I was hungry.
Next morning, the picture was on my chair with a note scrawled across a paper clipped piece of paper, 'okay to rerun.' Hmm I didn't know it had run the first time.
I scanned it and wrote the story and ran it in the next edition. And the grandmother was right. It was a really big deal and a great award. The young woman deserved the recognition. But, I'm thinking in the back of my mind, that the real story was the grins on those kids' faces. Mighty Mouse, Tom Terrific, Superman... those are two dimensional heroes. This woman was a real life hero in those kids' eyes. You just can't beat that with a stick.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)