May 31, 2011

Yesterday we were home, I was getting the cemetery photos on this site and then I made pages with instructions as to where they are located and put them in the genealogy books of our family.  In the afternoon we had coffee with the other seniors.

VERSE:
  Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
   -- Hebrews 13:7
    
THOUGHT:
  What makes a great Christian leader? The Holy Spirit emphasizes
three things in this passage: 1) they teach others the word of God;
2) they live as great examples for others; and 3) they have
observable faith. God puts each of us in positions of influence
with our children, our friends, our work acquaintances, and our
neighbors. What kind of spiritual leadership are we showing them?

PRAYER:
  God of all grace and Father of all compassion, please help me to
be a better Christian leader to the people you have put in my
sphere of influence. Empower me to have a life worth imitating. In
Jesus' name I ask this. Amen.

Last stop on the cemetery visit

Grandpa and Grandma Neidlinger are buried near the west entrance of the Storlie Cemetery.  that is where you are to bury us, too.

Then we looked at some of the other graves of family.

Edward and Grace Neidlinger lived on a farm South East of where we live,  Kathleen was a daughter of theirs.  They also had Rosamond and Bill.

This is the head stone for Edward and Grace.  I didn't take photos of Bill and Millie's stones, they are near by.

This is the marker for my grandpa and step grandma.  

This is the stone for my grandmother, Mary Goldsbury O'Brien.  It is hidden by a lilac bush.

This is the stone for a baby which would have been an aunt or uncle to me.  I always thought the baby was buried in the tree's on the farm.

So this ends our Cemetery trip.

More Cemetery photos

We went from Devils Lake on to Fordville.   Grandpa Basky is buried in the cemetery at Fordville, there isn't really a sign out by the road.  We come into Fordville from the west and go over a bridge, we look to the south and past a big brown square house you will see the arch of the cemetery and you drive down by  the house to the cemetery.

His grave is located near the west side of the cemetery.

This is the foot stone.

  Then there is the head stone,

This is the head stone from Grandpa Blasky and in front of it is a new marker that says perpetual care, I am not sure what that means, we saw it by another stone, too.  Grandpa Blasky is buried here because he was on the outs with the Catholic church and they wouldn't bury him in their cemetery.

Then we drove to Conway, I am not sure if I could get there by myself, I don't know the area very well,   We drove out of town to the east by the Potulny farm and angled north, the cemetery is on the right side of the road in the country.  Grandma Blasky and his first wife(the grandma for Jack's cousins, Ione, Arlene and Bev) are buried beside each other in the south section of the cemetery.

Do you remember how she was staying with us that winter when Grandpa and grandma were away, and how she feel in our house, broke her hip and was hospitalized after that?

This is his first wifes stone, but it was difficult to read so I took another photo up close.

Her name was Josephine. There were several other graves that we looked at at this cemetery

This is Jack's great grandpa Michael Blasky's marker, it was difficult to read.

     

 

This is Anton Gorecki marker, he would have been Grandma Lucy's Father.

 Lloyd and Evangeline Cost were relatives  that we did see, they were related to Potulny's.

That was the end of our Fordville Cemetery experience

More Cemetery visit at Devils Lake.

After Starkweather we drove to Devils Lake Cemetery,  when you go through the gate with the arch, the first of the graves are to your right near the utility house.

  This would be Rena Aanstad's family.  Lauren was raised by Uncle Ira Neidlinger

This is the head stone for Clarence and Catherine Strong.  She was Grandpa Oscars sister, and he was Grandma Lennie's Brother,  I used to take Janet and Julie with me to visit Caddie while you older children were at piano lessons.  She was a really neat lady.  She would have me thread needles(because she couldn't see to do that) and stick them into her curtain so she could sew during the week.

This is the foot stone for Clarence

Aunt Caddies foot stone.

                                                                                                                                 

Mary was the one who came here with her sons to homestead.  She brought her sons and daughters from Indiana.  She lived SW of us on land that Adrian later owned.

Laura Alice is the oldest child of Jonathan and Mary

                                                            Neidlinger

Mary Bragg is one of Mary Alice daughters.

This is Jack's grandpa's grave.  He and Lennie lived right west of where we live.

Lennie is Jack's Grandma, she was a Strong, sister of Caddie Neidlinger Strongs husband.  We had a hard time finding their graves.  They are in the next section to the north of Rose Neidlinger Taylors grave.  They have a place between their markers where there could be flowers.

Rose was Lew Neidlingers oldest child.  She lived in North Dakota, and it is her relatives that we have met, they came and hunted here in 2010  Her grave is by itself, about three sections to the north of other graves, and in the corner by the road.

This is the head stone for Oscar and Lennie Neidlinger

This was the end of our visit at the Devils Lake Cemetery.

Memorial Day trip

We did a rerun of a trip some years ago when we took some of you to the cemeteries
 where your family are buried.  The markers in this blog are of my mom's family and they are buried in the cemetery at Starkweather  Charles and Ida Cissner, are my grandparents.

These are Mavis parents:

                                                                                     

This is my parents, they are buried to the back of the lot occupied by the above:

Mom's gravestone is the only one which is getting moss on it in this cemetery.

Mavis

 made this marker to remember one of Uncle Hoyt's baby's.

May 27, 2011

Yesterday was my birthday, it was a good day, I decided to stay at home and do things here.  I sat and read through some history and organized some information, then spent some time outside.  It was a beautiful day.  I was able to burn some trees, etc. plant some flowers.  Jack worked til about 11 p.m. and it is good that he did because today it is really wet.

Body Building


"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
 grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

-Ephesians 4:16

His name was Tom. He was a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic in a big bulky wheelchair
who sat next to me in occupational therapy. I can't say I was of much help to him.
I was disgruntled and despondent, angry that I had to clench a pencil between my
 teeth in order to learn how to write.

Tom was different. Although he was more physically limited, his attitude was anything
but handicapped. His bright outlook on life and cheery disposition about mouth-writing
humbled me. There was no way I could keep feeling sorry for myself, especially when
I saw how skilled Tom was with that pencil.

Observing Tom was just the push I needed during those early days of adjusting to
 my wheelchair. If he could handle it, I decided I could, too. Looking back, I thank
God for the victories Tom gained. His perseverance was the best thing he could do
to help me, a fellow patient. And I have scores of mouth-painted renderings to prove
it.

Although Tom died shortly after we left the hospital, he gave new meaning to words
such as inspiration, encouragement, edification, and building up the body.

One of the best things we can do for our brothers and sisters in Christ is to gain
victory in our trials. We affect one another spiritually by what we are and do individually.
And because there is an intimate link between us as believers, your failures affect
others, while your victories inspire and encourage them. You may not feel one with
the Christians around you, but you are one.

Help me to remember that my perseverance and joy will profoundly influence the lives
of others who observe me today. Help me to be a "Tom."

May 26, 2011

Yesterday was a day here at home, dad and I did a lot of lawn mowing, and alter in the day I took some flowers over to Frank and Dorothy and planted them in a planter.  I set out somethings for decorating amongst our flowers, when things get bigger I will try to take a photo for you to see.  I was inspired by Robyn Thompson when i was at their house....

I have been thinking about this song:

Change my heart, O God

make it ever true;

Change my heart, O God,

may I be like you.

You are the Potter, I am the clay;

Mold me and make me,

this is what I pray

Change my heart O god,

make it ever true;

Change my heart, O god may I be like YOu.

Last night Julie and I talked for a bit, she was telling about helping someone clean out their basement before the impending flooding in Bismarck.  We talked about all the things they we have that we really don't need,  the clutter in our house, I guess that inspired me to think about the clutter in our lives..  What is keeping us from being close to God?  What thoughts keep us from thinking about him,  from listening to him.   I am in awe of his goodness, his patience and his grace.  But what I am doing for my part?  Some mornings I get up and play some of these favorite choruses, this is one of them.

Super thoughts from Joni:

The Right Way to Run

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please
 ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

-Romans 15:1-2

My husband, Ken, serves as a track-and-field coordinator for Special Olympics. There
is always band music, colorful banners, and flags everywhere. Scattered across the
infield are teams of mentally handicapped young people.

A few years ago at the games, Ken blew his whistle to signal the contestants for
 the 50-yard dash. A Down's syndrome girl with thick glasses and a short, stocky
 boy in baggy shorts were the first to line up. There was a moment of stillness,
 then a "bang" from the starting gun. Off they sprinted - six contestants bobbing
and weaving down the track.

Suddenly the boy in baggy shorts began running toward his friends in the infield.
Ken blew his whistle to direct him back to the track, but it was no use. At that
 point, the Down's syndrome girl, who was just a few yards from the finish line,
 turned around, ran toward him, and gave him a big hug. Together they got back on
the track and completed the race arm-in-arm, long after the rest of the contestants
had crossed the finish line.

We must run the race not to please ourselves, but to please the Lord. That often
 means taking time to stop and put our arms around a weaker friend who needs to
get back on track.

Have you watched a fellow believer get spiritually confused, and yet you've kept
 on going? Jesus doesn't seems as preoccupied with "winning" as we do. The important
thing is how we run the race. And we are called to run it, bearing with the failings
of those who are weak.

Lord, may I run the race to please you ... and to help others.