NEWS FROM THE HILLS
Our hills are misty-blue in the distance, but our delightful Indian summer weather seems to have fled. Those warm and sunny days were a last minute gift from our Heavenly Father before the onslaught of winter.
Most of the trees have cast off their autumn garments and stand naked and shivering in the chilly air. There are still magnificent oaks clad in wine and maroon leaves, reluctant to remove their covering. Our land has a late fall look with most of the landscape turning brown.
November could be a gloomy and depressing month were it not for the holiday of Thanksgiving. Thoughts of family gatherings, the holiday table laden with traditional and delicious food, and memories of Thanksgivings past by us up and bring cheer to the heart.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It lacks the rush and stress of the Christmas season, but embodies family love and togetherness as no other holiday does. It seems as if a lot of folks express a greater thankfulness to our Savior during this time, and that in turn makes us appreciate and love our families even more. God’s love in us increases our love for others.
As this blessed holiday comes and goes, may we find a deeper relationship with God, and more love and compassion for our family and friends. We need to express our thanksgiving that our country is still free, and appreciate the brave veterans who have fought to keep us free. Most of all, we need to pray more for our armed forces who are still fighting to ensure our freedom. We need to thank God every day.
We have had several responses for the request to the words to “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life.” Virginia Sanders of Point Pleasant sent this interesting note along with the words. “This was written by Ada Blenkhorn, early in life she was given the task of caring for an invalid nephew. He always wanted his wheelchair to be pushed down ‘the sunny side of the street.’ His constant repetition of this phrase inspired her to write this gospel song.”
KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE
There’s a dark and a troubled side of life
There’s a bright and a sunny side, too;
Though we meet with the darkness and strife,
The sunny side we also may view.
Chorus:
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life;
It will help us every day; it will brighten all the way,
If we keep on the sunny side of life.
Though the storm in its fury break today,
Crushing hopes that we cherished so dear;
Storm and cloud will in time pass away,
The sun will shine again bright and clear.
Let us greet with a song of hope each day,
Though the moments be cloudy or fair,
Let us trust in our Savior always,
Who keepeth every one in His care.
Thanks also to these folks who wrote: Jeanette Riffle of Rosedale, Allene Childress of Nitro, Gynith Thomas of Charleston, and Janet Tucker. We appreciate each one. If I have left anyone out who wrote, I am sorry. I lost a whole list of e-mails—I guess they’re floating out in cyberspace somewhere!
Linda Dolan of Spencer is trying to find the words to the poem titled, “The Shoes that Jesus Wore” for her sister, Janet King of Louisiana. Janet’s late father-in-law, Arvel King used to recite it, but no one wrote down the words. Does anyone have it?
Several folks have asked me to finish the “dog story” that was in last week’s column. After we lost Millie, our beloved Jack Russell terrier, we were so grieved that Criss declared, “I’ll never have another dog like that, and get attached to it.” That was on Friday. On Saturday, he said, “I might wait until next summer and get another Jack Russell.” Sunday evening he came in the kitchen and told me, “I know where there is another little dog like Millie!”
That same evening, we drove to the place where Millie came from, and the people there had a litter of six-week old puppies. Millie had a copper nose and yellow eyes, and ears that pointed straight up. I cried because there was no more like her. We picked her half-sister, a tiny mostly white and brown puppy with soft brown eyes and a black nose.
What an empty place she has filled in our hearts! She is a loving, mischievous bundle of energy, and has become my special baby. I will have to confess that I sleep with her, and she cuddles right down in my arms. I rock her to sleep, and when she needs a nap she comes and tries to get on my lap.
Jack Russell dogs are extremely smart, and she is almost completely housebroken. She hasn’t taken Millie’s place, but created a place of her own. She is my comfort after we had to place Louis in a new home.
There was a happy ending to that story. The first person who contacted us was a lady from Lewisburg, and when I talked to her, I could sense that it was the right place for Louis. She is retired, and will lavish the love and attention on him that he needs.
We met her at Summersville, and I was impressed by her genuine love for animals. She had pictures of her previous pets; most of them died of old age. I had held him in my lap all the way, and cried when he pressed his nose to the car window and whined after me. It was like giving a baby up for adoption, even knowing it was going to a better home. She called me that evening and said Louis was adapting fast to his new environment—and she doesn’t have any chickens!
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