PAT�S CHAT
Website
by Pat Ridpath
304-472-5102
June 11, 2008
Several years ago the late
Edna Goodrich of
The first papers were
Braxton Citizens� News of
Over the next year or so
Glenville Democrat of
MidState Star closed down.� Their editor
became a sort of roving reporter, because I saw articles in other papers.
We moved to
When I have been unable to
write for the Chat I have asked others to contribute.� Pat Morris Blake,and Joanna Barnett Henthorne, friends from Burnsville, have done
some of them.� My son, Chuck Bucklew, and my brother, Harry Wiant,
Jr., have contributed others.� People
enjoy the news about old times or anything about people they know, but
sometimes I just have to write other, hopefully interesting things.� I try to find interesting tidbits wherever I
see them and include them in my Chat.� If
you have interesting stories, especially from
If you have questions or
comments, please let me know and I will try to answer them, either via email or
in the column, or on this blog. If you want to search for someone or some date
in the Chats, click "Edit" at the top of the page, then click on
"Find on this site" and type in the word you wish to find.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Click for Website for Orlando, WV.
Click for Website for Online Bible Studies.
Click for Website for good Christian programming.
PAT�S
CHAT
June
8, 2008
I got
excellent service when I bought something at American Furniture here in
Buckhannon. I was sorry to find Hometown Furniture closed, as I would
like to support the
I notice that
Sweet Life Bakery has moved to a more convenient location, across from the Post
Office here in Buckhannon. If you have not visited them before, you are
in for the most delightful aromas and tastes you�ve ever experienced!
Those who used
to love 90.1 FM from
Helen Traugh, President of The Braxton Historical Society, writes
that dues for 2008 are $5.00 per member and you will receive the March, June,
September and December Journals. Individual Journals are available from
the first issue, March 1973, including September 2008 for $1.25 each. An
index of all Journals starting with the first issue and including December 2006
is available for $4.00.
She also
writes, �We wish to thank the members who have donated very generously to the
Society. Without these donations our dues would have raised for
2008. Also our sincere thanks for the many articles which W. Alfred
McCauley and Harry V. Wiant, Jr. have contributed and
to all others who have let us print their articles. Without your support
we would not be able to print a Journal. Readers look forward to articles
from
A recent email
says that we can get free directory assistance (and this is verified by
Snopes.com) by calling 1-800-FREE411 or 1-800-373-3411. This is for cell
as well as home telephones. John Burton of Charleston, WV, tells me that
for businesses we can call 1-800-GOOG411. That would be 1-800-466-4411, I
think. (John Burton plays Bass Trombone with the
Tricia Strader, the reenactor I wrote
about recently, has just been elected to the Board of Directors of the Apollo
Civic Theater in Martinsburg. Way to go, Tricia. (Her roots are in
David Morris,
a Burnsville High graduate, has just had by-pass surgery on June 6 and it went
well. Send him a card to The Veterans�
One of
The Town of
The following
was submitted by Joan Wiant Fields:
�The
The meeting
was called to order by class President Mike Davis.� The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was
repeated by all.
The deceased
members, Billy McCauley, Delmar Conrad, Norma Jean Mick, Jimmy Singleton, Daisy
Brown, and Elsie Day Allen Conrad, were remembered by lighting a candle after
their name was read and a moment of silent prayer.
A delicious
sit down dinner was provided by classmate Vinsen Post
and his wife Evelyn.
Door prizes
were won by Luella Smith Strader and Patricia Linger
Trainer, with Ann Carson Singleton winning the grand prize of a paid week
vacation at
Those in
attendance were:� Jewell Lipps, Ann Carson Singleton, Charles Lane Conrad, Charlotte
McIntyre Sears & son Eric, Dice Steel, Donald Hannaman,
Ellen Lynch Stilwell, Jackie Witzgall Holbrook &
husband Doug, James Godfrey & wife Susie, Joan Wiant
Fields & sister Peggy Ann Hardman, Laura Linger Yeager, Letcher Wine &
wife Susan, Luella Smith Strader & Roger Bellow,
Mike Davies & wife Polly, Mina Strader Luzader, Nancy Dean Soho,
Patricia Linger Trainer, Richard Posey & Linda Sumpter,
Rita McCauley Miller & husband Louis, Ronnie Singleton & wife Hilda, Vinsen Post & wife Evelyn, Wanda Posey Singleton,
William Jones & wife ?Pepper? Virginia, Margret Wilson
Willey member of Kanawha Alumni Assoc. and sister to class member Harry Wilson,
JR.� William and
?Pepper? Jones traveled the greatest distance coming from the state of
Ronnie
Singleton presented a check to the Kanawha Alumni Association Scholarship Fund
in the amount of $500 from the class.
A special
thank you goes out to Ronnie & Hilda Singleton, Vincent & Evelyn Post,
Ellen Stilwell, Ann Singleton, James & Susie Godfrey, Mike & Polly
Davis, Jewell Lipps, Dice Steel, Wanda Singleton, and
Margret Willey for making this a memorable occasion.
A special
thank you also goes out to Laura Yeager for taking and sending pictures of the
event to each class member.� A memory
book was also sent to those not in attendances.�
Now, that is
what I call good reporting!� Thank you,
Joan!
Someone who
ought to know says that to save gasoline by getting more of your money�s worth
per gallon, you should only buy or fill up your car or truck in the EARLY
MORNING when the ground temperature is still cold. Storage tanks are
buried below ground. The colder the ground, the more
dense the gasoline will be. As it warms up, gasoline expands, so
later in the day you may not be getting exactly a gallon. There is no
temperature compensation at the pumps. Also, do not squeeze the trigger
to a fast mode. The slow mode will minimize vapors that are created while
you are pumping. The most important tip according to the email is to fill
up when your tank is half full (or half empty) because the more gas you have in
your tank, the less air occupying its empty space. If a truck is pumping
gasoline into the storage tanks, go elsewhere to get your gas because most likely
the gasoline is being stirred up and you might pick up some of the dirt that
normally settles to the bottom of the storage tank.
You can tell I
am upset by gasoline prices, so here is a way to boycott stations that buy
their gasoline from
I am away in
Go to www.hopetv.org for some interesting Christian activities, such as
devotionals, give your prayer requests, and even tell your own story.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
June 1, 2008
Would someone please let me
know how many people were at the
For someone who had the best
grammar and literature teachers in West Virginia and probably in the United
States, (Mary T. Berry, Laurabelle Crutchfield,
Dudley Goodrich, as well as my mom who always corrected us), I find a lot of
errors when I read back over my Chats.�
In one I referred to a �former
Betty also tells me that the
Another friend, Margaret Losh of Buckhannon, tells me that she cannot use Mountain
State Transport because they do not have a stool to help her get up into the
vehicle and then back down out.� She
reports that they used to have a lift to help handicapped folks or short ones
like she is.� She has no car and then has
no ride to appointments.� How can we get
them to consider helping others be able to use their services, especially now
that gasoline expenses are so high we can no longer afford to drive?
We are happy to have Becky
Shock and Tiffany living in the home place in
My husband John and I just
enjoyed a piece of rhubarb/strawberry pie with crust made of whole wheat flour
and olive oil.� It is delicious!� We just had nominating committee at our
church and I have been chosen as the Home and School Leader for next year.� I am thinking of getting a cookbook together
for a fundraiser.� If I do, I�ll have to
include that recipe for the pie.� I have
made rhubarb cake, but never pie before.
Another thing John and I did
recently was to watch �We Are
We also watched
�Invincible,� the story of a man who tried out for an NFL team but had never
played for a school, only with friends in his neighborhood.� I wish they didn�t have to put bad words in
movies to make them �PG� instead of just �G� which they must feel won�t sell
tickets.� The words add nothing to the
plot, so why use them.� Ever since Clark
Gable used the word �damn� in �Gone With the Wind� it
has gone downhill.� But if you liked
stories based on true happenings, you will like �Invincible.�
Toni Wine wishes Happy
Birthday on June 11 to her sister, Dale Wine, and to Joseph Michael Avella
whose first birthday is June 14, (both of Clifton, NJ).� The WV birthdays include Wanda Singleton,
June 14; Keith Dancy, June 15; Mike Stewart, June 23;
Natalie Wine and Lindsay Chapman, June 24; Barb Holcomb, June 25; Laura
Chapman, June 28; Zack Cyriacks, June 30.� Happy Fathers Day to Denzil Wine, her dad. And Congratulations on your
soon retirement to Debbie Gillespie.� She
will miss you and the thanks you for all the rides to Sutton and home.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
May 25, 2008
Another former
Talking about successful
people who attended
�
Mae Post Smith, 77, of
Canton, Mich., died on Saturday, May 17 after a long illness.� She was a 1948 graduate of
Joanna Henthorne
reports that the BHS Class of �52 had a great 56th reunion on May 24th.� There were 25 people attending.� Ann Redcliff won the beautiful quilt made by
Leonard Stout.� Calvin and Lucille
Williams and Grafton and Patricia Wine provided music.� Barbara McDougal made favors for the
class.� Next year they are planning a
Hawaiian theme, and they are all looking forward to the grass skirts and
flowered shirts and just HAVE to find out of Carol Dean will roast the pig.
It was great to see so many
alumni come for the cookout on Friday, May 23.�
I don�t know how many attended, but it looked like more than 300 to
me!� Clarence Hamilton probably traveled
farthest to get there.� He flew from
Do you know any other school
that has a whole-school reunion every year?�
It seems most of them just have individual class reunions.� They miss a lot.� I look forward to next year�s Alumni Weekend.
Our
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
May 18, 2008
I hope our revival at the
Martha (Kerns) White emailed
some �duh� information!� She found out
that there are tabs on the ends of boxes of foil and plastic wrap, etc., for
pushing in to anchor the roll and prevent it from popping out when it is
unrolled.� I never knew that, checked my
foil, and sure enough, there are tabs prepared for just that!� I also heard from Freeda
Wiant (Sam�s wife) that we should always put parchment
paper between our casseroles and the foil we put over them to bake, to prevent
the transfer of aluminum from the foil to the casserole.� That is also a good idea!
If you have not subscribed
to The Journal of The Braxton Historical Society, you
are missing great articles, many of them from W. Alfred McCauley and his
memories of
�It was a beautiful day in
the summer of 1934 on a farm nestled in the valley between
�Mother had finished feeding
the chickens and turkeys and was busy getting dinner ready.� Dad was hoeing corn in a nearby field.� Suddenly, the peaceful scene was disrupted by
the screaming whistle of a loaded freight train.� Trains went by often, but this scream
indicated problems, and Mother ran to the door.�
To her horror, she saw their baby girl sitting on the tracks playing in
the gravel.� She fainted!
�Dad looked up from hoeing
and saw what was happening.� He began to
run as fast as possible, not even dropping his hoe.� The engineer, putting on his air brakes with
all his might and continuing the screaming whistle, knew he could not stop in
time.� Seeing the baby girl and frantic
father running toward her, he saw in terror that there was no way both would
not lose their lives.� Amazingly, Dad
reached his baby girl and cleared the tracks with her, not a rail ahead of the
train, still with hoe in hand.
�I have tried to tell this
story when speaking on occasions but can hardly get through without breaking
down, for the Dad was J. A. Dean, and the little girl is my dear wife,
Jeanne.�� (This is in the June 2008 issue
of the Journal, Vol. 36, No. 2.)
If you would like to receive
this interesting journal, contact Helen L. Traugh,
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
May 11, 2008
The
Did you know that only those
people who have been empowered by His Spirit will be saved when Jesus comes
soon?� We all want to be a part of that
group.� A five-part revival will begin
May 23 at the
I got several emails and a
couple of calls about �two bits.�� I had
wondered who would remember how much it is.�
Most of the responses said that two bits is 25
cents!� David Goff of Tanner called and
remembered a �cheer� his school used.� �Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar.� All for Tanner,
stand up and holler!�� Our school and
many others evidently used the same cheer.�
David also commented that he agrees with �Maranatha�
� that our Lord comes!
Richard Detamore
of Weston called and told me an old man told him years ago that two bits is 15
cents.� Any of the rest of you ever heard
that?�
Johnnie Sue Pace, John�s
cousin from Oklahoma City, writes that she is also from the �2-bit� era.� When she was a kid she cut an older lady�s
hair for a quarter.� If she also rolled
her hair in pin curls, she got 4-bits in her pocket!
Bonnie Neal, daughter of
Solomon and Betty Brown of Burnsville, gave us more information.� She writes, �2-bits was
a quarter. Back in the earlier days, a guy got a shave and a haircut for a
quarter. It derived from the peso in Spanish = to a
quarter in the
Joanna Henthorne
also let me know that she remembered 2-bits is a
quarter which she says was quite a bargain for a shave and a haircut!
She also writes that Mabel
Wine and she were discussing the big flood of 1943.� Mabel remembers that her Uncle Howard Wine
had rescued a lot of people that night since he had the only boat around that
she knew of.� She said that he was never
mentioned in the write up about the flood and maybe that�s the way he would
have wanted it but that recognition is long overdue.� She said he's been gone now for a number of
years, but he was a hero to those he helped.
His family is still living so they can be proud of
their dad.� (I wholeheartedly agree!)
Joanna also wanted me to remind the
Did you know you could put a
little bleach in your garbage bags to keep animals out of them?� I love these marvelous �bits� of information
I glean from reading!
Maranatha!
Pat�s Chat
May 4, 2008
I just love the Veggie
Burgers that John and I can get at the drive-through (or inside) at Burger
King!� MorningStar
Farms makes the burgers.� I am so glad
Burger King includes them on their menu.�
I usually ask for onions on them, along with the lettuce and
tomato.� It is not always easy for a
vegetarian to find something to eat.�
Subway used to have a vegetarian �meat� choice, but not anymore,
although a Veggie Delite, with all vegetables and
cheese, is a choice they have.
Teens interested in A SUMMER
LIBRARY PROGRAM?�
Jonna can also show any of you a device that has a whole book recorded on
it.� All you need to do is plug in your
earphones and push �play.�� Listen to
your favorite authors while grocery shopping, exercising or cleaning the
house!� Come check one or two out today! Jonna Tharp is Director of the
My brother went to a barber
shop a few weeks ago and noticed an old sign, �Shave and a haircut, 2
bits.�� He asked the young lady barbers
if they knew how much �2 bits� would be.�
They did not know.� He should have
insisted on paying at that rate.� He
assumes all of you know how much it is.�
Do you?� Let me know at
(304)472-5102 or [email protected].
After I worked at
The
Toni Wine wishes Happy
Birthday to Pam Wine, May 1; Mary Wine, May 3; Jack Holcomb, May 16; Sean Wine,
May 18; Brian Woods & Carsea Corbh
of Precision Services, May 21; Danyelle Wiant, May 22; Alex Wine, May 25.� Also, she wishes Happy Mother�s Day to her
mom, Anitra Wine of
Maranatha!
�PAT�S CHAT
April 27, 2008
McMillan & Life is the
name of a singing group who will appear at the
CORRECTION:� I wrote last week about Wally Hefner, a
The Mt.
It will soon be time for
another Alumni event at
I received this very
interesting email:� �Dear Pat, My name is
Teresa Hibbs Vickers.�
I live in
�While [we] looked around
town I was remembering the wonderful dances, basketball and football games,
learning the constellations through a telescope on the old football field and
my favorite teacher, Mrs. Shreve (long since gone), and the best apple crisp
I�ve ever had, served with our hot lunch.�
Yes, the town does look different but I guess I will always look back at
it (when I come home to visit) with rose-colored glasses.�
�Some of the best memories of
my life were on Dumpling Run with my grandparents, Ellsworth and Ethel Hibbs.� What I
wouldn�t give to relive just one of those days with them.�
�On the 9th, I
brought Chassidy,
�The girls loved the
mountains since western
�Don�t know when I will get
to come in again, but I know
�Hope you have a great week.� Gotta close now and
get ready for church.� God bless
you.� Sincerely, Teresa Hibbs Vickers�
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
April 20,
2008
I completely missed last week�s Chat � so I am wondering how
National Library Week (April 14th � 19th) went at the Burnsville
Public Library, when fines were waived and Children�s Story Hour was held on
Wednesday, April 16!� I do want to tell
you that the Library is looking for old bluegrass instruments, people who know
about bluegrass history, and/or people who can play bluegrass for their annual
Cultural Exhibit during May 27th � 31st.� The Library can pay a small fee for these
resources.� Call Jonna
at 304-853-2338 for more information.
Did you know that Brad Moyers, our own Burnsville Brad,
besides announcing on the radio, also writes a monthly column in the �Two Lane Livin�� which is a new monthly publication which says it is
Central West Virginia�s Guide to Living in Appalachia?� You can go to www.twolanelivin.com and read about
it.� It is quite interesting.� Brad keeps busy, not only on the job, but
also raising his daughter, Caitlyn, a nine-year-old who made 3.88 for the
semester!� Congratulations, Caitlyn.� Keep up the good work!� �The Lord truly blessed me with the gift of
her to teach me what�s important in life,� he says.
Burnsville Elementary School has
sent teams of children to Vienna, WV for �Odyssey of the Mind� competition.� Last year
��
Remember
the question about a
The
students of
My
niece, Lindsey Bucklew, daughter of Tim Bucklew of Grafton, WV and Jan Burch of Beltsville MD,
granddaughter of Mary Ann Bucklew, makes some unique
jewelry which has won three Addy awards.� They are sold on www.Esty.com.�
You can learn more about her and her beautiful, handmade jewelry at www.klewism.com, her website.� You might even want to buy some of it!
Have
you heard that the devil is a red-horned fellow who stokes the fires of an
eternally burning hell?� Don�t just take
someone�s word for it.� Go to the Bible
and learn from it the truth about �hell� and the devil.� You will be pleasantly surprised, I
think.� For help, go to www.helltruth.com.
There
are some grant opportunities out there for enterprising groups who want to help
children, families or your community.�
For instance, Share Our Strength is giving grants of $1,000 to $10,000
to nonprofits and schools for projects that ensure that low-income children get
food when they are away from school, such as summer lunch programs and
after-school meals.� Deadline is May
30.� Also Target Corporation wants
nonprofit projects that make the arts and cultural experiences more accessible
to children and families or may create a love of reading, especially as a
family.� Deadline May
31.�
Alumni
weekend at
Toni
Wine wants to thank these people for sending her money on her birthday, April
10: Denzil Wine, Helen Wine, Brenda Ellyson, Becky & Bobby Wine, Natalie Wine, Anitra Wine, Wanda Singleton and a special thanks to Debbie
Gillespie and Deanna Stewart for the beautiful birthday flowers.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
March 30, 2008
We have had the most joyous
couple of days with our grandson, Brian Bucklew and
his wife, Rebecca, and little sons, Alexander (2) and Jack (8 months), of
I look forward to a visit
from our daughter, Robin Bucklew of KCMO.� She will be here for a week, along with her
cousin, Suzanne Boehmer, of
Back down to earth, the
The Methodist Women of
I received the following via
email.� It is something you may want to
post on your refrigerator like my friend, Jan, says she will do.� My comments are in parentheses.
�WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS ...
�An Angel says,
�Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and
it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have
to worry twice.�
1. Pray (this I do everyday).
2. Go to bed on time.� (This I
seldom do.)
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.� (This I usually do.)
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule or that
will compromise your mental health.�
(This I have GOT to learn!)
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.�
(Okay, I can do this.)
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.� (I need help!)
7. Less is more. Although one is often not enough, two are often too
many.� (If I have time, I�ll tackle my
closet & files.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.� (I�ll try.)
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over
time; don't lump the hard things all together.�
(But I forget the last project I started if I do this!)
10. Take one day at a time.� (I
try.)
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find
out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do
anything about a situation, forget it.�
(For the most part, I do this.)
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary
purchases.� (Finally, that is happening
in my life!)
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an
extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.� (Not MY garden!)
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an
enormous amount of trouble. (Oh, that I had
learned this lesson while very young instead of now that I have left a wake of
problems behind me!� I want to
live my life over, knowing all I know now!)�
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. (That�s
easy, teaching kindergarten!)
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line. (I usually
carry a tiny Bible, but seldom stand in lines.�
Maybe �waiting� in a doctor�s office?)
17. Get enough rest.� (Help me,
God!)
18. Eat right.�� (I try.)
19. Get organized so everything has its place.� (What a dream!!)
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of
life.� (I did that recently and it was
great.� I need more CD�s that aren�t
music, though these improve quality of my life!)
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.� (That�s what I am doing now.)
22. Every day, find time to be alone.�
(What a blessed thought.)
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems
in the bud.� Don't wait until it's time
to go to bed to try and pray.� (Yes!)
24. Make friends with Godly people.��
(That�s the kind I have!)
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.� (I have a journal for that and my first entry
is �You are not a God who finds crime and violence entertaining.� Evil finds no place in you Presence.� Psalm
5:4, CW.)
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often
a good "Thank you Jesus."�
(This needs to become more of a habit with me.)
27. Laugh.� (I do.)
28. Laugh some more!�� (Love to.)
29.
Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. (It took years, but
it is happening!)
30. Develop a forgiving attitude; most people are doing the best they
can.� (I think this lesson was learned
early in my life.)
31. Be kind to unkind people; they probably need it the most.� (Amen!)
32. Sit on your ego.� (Do I do
this?)
33 Talk less; listen more.� (Okay,
so I�m not perfect!)
34. Slow down.� (I will when I get
old.)
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the
universe. (I�m glad I�m not.)
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that
you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS
�If God is for us, who can be against us?�
(Romans 8:31)�
Toni Wine�s April �Happy
Birthdays�:� Look who turns 50 and works
at Precisions in Gassaway. (She didn�t tell me who.) Cheryl & Carol, the
Wine twins, April 4 (I put this one in!), Rose Crutchfield & Johnny Smith,
April 7; Esther Blake, Leslie Jenkins, Toni Wine (this one�s mine, too) &
Carolyn Long, April 10; David Hughes, April 12; Terry Dean, April 13; Mary
Singleton, April 17; Brenda Lacy, April 21 (mine, too!) Jaxson
Short & Betty Nicholson, April 26; Toni�s niece, Erica Wine of Clifton, NJ,
April 27; and Congratulations to Michael Chapman who is getting married on
April 28.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
March 23, 2008
Easter Day!� I worked at
At Sharpe, Pastor Jack
Streets had the Easter service, including communion, and many patients
attended.� Although retired, he came back
for this and Donna Goldsmith played the piano for the service.� Although I didn�t attend, I am sure it was a
beautiful and inspiring service.
Some churches have foot
washing services prior to Easter communion, following the Lord�s command to
�wash one another�s feet.�� We have that
beautiful, cleansing, humbling service every time we have communion, usually
once a quarter.
Jesus suffered the �wages of
sin� for us � the eternal death, the separation from God.� But He rose again.� He is alive!�
However, now, throughout eternal ages He will keep His human being, no
longer having His �God� being.�� Oh, He
will still be �God� but in human flesh.�
What condescension! He will be the only human being in His heavenly
kingdom with the blemish of scars.� The
scars left by the cruel nails pounded into his hands and feet so we will never
forget what our sins cost Him and how much He loves us each one.� It takes my breath away that our Creator,
Jesus, would sacrifice so much out of love for each of us.� Bonnie Cutright
sang special music at our church service about, �He grew the tree that He knew
would be used to make the Old Rugged Cross.�
Nothing took His life; with love He gave it.� He was crucified on a tree that He created. .
.�� Oh, how I wish everyone who reads
these words would say, �Forgive my sins, Lord.�
I accept Your sacrifice for them and I ask You
to come into my life by the power of the Holy Spirit and help me live for
You.��� You will experience joy unspeakable
and full of glory!
Debra Kay Godfrey wants all
of you to know that dreams can come true if you give them time.� She has been a fan of TAPS (Ghosthunters) and never missed an episode.� Last week these men came to Weston to
investigate the old
I do not approve of the new
name, but I am certainly glad that the old Hospital is going to be restored and
used as an educational facility, showing some of the ancient ways of treating
those with mental illnesses in contrast with the modern techniques.
Carl Sizemore sent an email
that tells us that we can put Listerine into a spray bottle and spray around
the deck, lawn and deck floor, or picnic or swing area or on standing water and
get rid of all the bugs.� It tells us not
to spray directly on a wood door, but to spray the frame and window frames, and
even inside the dog house.� The note ends
with, �During the summer, I don�t leave home without it.�� I may try this. It sounds a lot safer and
less expensive than bug spray.
I wrote about Linda Sledz last week (March 16), but her name is really Laura,
not Linda.� Forgive me, Linda!� Oh, I mean, Laura!
I have another question
about people who graduated from
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
March 9, 2008
We are staying cozy in spite
of the stormy weather this weekend.� Back
in 1951 there was a snow storm that was so deep they had to shovel the snow off
the flat roof of
Kids are always way ahead of
their parents.� This really happened
recently to someone I know.� She and some
other ladies got together as a group to hear a presentation about how to talk
about sex to their children.� The
children were escorted out of the room.�
One of them, a kindergarten student, was heard to ask, �What are all
those people doing here?�� An older child
answered, �I think they are talking about the birds and the bees.�� The younger one said, �Oh, you mean they are
talking about (and he spelled out) S-E-X?��
His mother commented that this child cannot even spell �cat,� but he can
spell �sex?�
Recently I included
something from The Stewpot, a stewardship publication.� These ideas came from Joyce Meyer�s book �100
Ways to Simplify Your Life,� and were quoted by Gordon Botting.� Another �way� to simplify your life is to be
aggressively generous.� �It is reported
that currently 50% of all prescription drugs prescribed by physicians are
antidepressants.� Many times when we feel
discouraged or depressed, the best thing for us to do is not to take another
pill, but to do something nice for another person.� It may be as simple as walking the neighbor�s
dog, baking a batch of homemade cookies for coworkers, or stopping by a nursing
home and reading to one of the residents.�
When we lend a hand to others we really help ourselves even more.� Greed and selfishness steal life, but generosity
releases abundant joy.� In 2008 plan to
do all you can, as often as you can, for as many people as you can, and you
will find great happiness.�� That is good
advice.� My work as a psychiatric nurse
has proven to me that a patient who gets involved in some kind of helpful
interaction with others is more likely to get out of the slump of depression
more quickly.
In central
My deepest sympathies go out
to Libby Ferrell, a friend and coworker, because she lost her mother this
week.� She and her family need have no
regrets, as they did all they could to make sure she was comfortable and happy
in her last days of life.� I also wish
the best for Janet Childers, Libby�s good friend, who is ill.� You are all in my prayers.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
March 2, 2008
If schools keep taking off
for snow days we will be going to school until July 4th!� I was glad for a snow day last Thursday,
though.� I finally got unpacked from my
trip to
Mary Ann and I went for some
tests to
While we were there, we got
to visit with Norma and Ercelyn Brown.� Steve was there also, but had stayed in the
car.� We were glad to hear some of the
Becky Shock, formerly of
Burnsville, now of Flatwoods, came to visit us Friday evening and went to the
Margret Willey emailed that
the Kanawha Alumni Association will have a meeting on Sunday, March 16, at 4:00
P.M. in the
I had several replies about
the football picture sent with last week�s Chat.� I was right about Jim Marple,
and also right that McNemar was next to him, but not
my uncle Denzil.�
Instead it was a cousin,
I understand that this is
the earliest Easter any of us will ever see again in our lifetime!� A friend of mine, Judy Gerwig,
emailed the following to me but did not include the source of the information:
�Easter is always the 1st
Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is
March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew
people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman
calendar.
�Based on the above, Easter
can actually be one day earlier (March 22) than it will be this year (2008) but
that is pretty rare.� This year is the
earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the
most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early previously (95
years old or above!)� And none of us have
ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here are the facts:
�1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be
the year 2228 (220 years from now).� The
last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the
only ones that were around for that!).
��� �2) The next time it will be a day earlier,
March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was
on March 22 was 1818.� So, no one alive
today has or will ever see it any earlier than that.�
In a Guidepost of October,
2006, a quote from the book, �The Twelve Conditions of a Miracle� by R. Todd
Michael is something I wish we would all do.�
�When things are good, say good things.� When things are bad, say twice as many good
things.�
Toni Wine wrote last week
and all I saw was to wait to put it in this week, but that was only part of the
note.� I should have wished a Happy
Birthday from Toni for today, March 2, for Barbara Stump and she asks that we
vote on May 13 for Barbara�s grandfather, John Stump, for Sheriff of Braxton
County.� Also, Happy
Birthday to Donnie Conley on March 6 and to Karen Short from the workers at
Precision Service.� She says we
must not forget to wear green on March 17 and she wishes a Happy Easter to her
friends at the Board Office in Sutton.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
February 24,
2008
I have just returned from
I am including a picture of
the
You can listen free to one
of the greatest religious classics of all time, �Steps to Christ,� on the
internet.� This book, first published in
1892, has been printed in over 50 million copies in all the world�s major
languages.� Because its message is
clearly biblical and its exaltation of Christ so deep and rich, this classic is
read and used as study material by many denominations.� Its author, Ellen Harmon White, was
contemporary with Fanny Crosby and Frances R. Havergal.� Her writing has just as broad an appeal as
theirs, and flows as naturally as a forest brook and as musically as the song
of the wood thrush at the end of a peaceful day.� You can download, read, or listen to the book
at www.stepstochrist.us/
Wally Hefner writes that as
he was sitting in a waiting room at the VA hospital in Clarksburg, he picked up
a Time magazine which was two years old and on the front of it was the movie,
Slap Shot, in which Paul Newman starred, but which included a scene in which
Burnsville High School graduate, Doyle Parmer, had a part.� So, a
Wally told me of a real
tragedy!� His grandson, 11-year-old Luke,
had a best friend and first cousin who was 12 years old and was killed by his
six-year-old brother who picked up a gun and shot him.� Wally wants me to warn folks to keep their
guns locked away from children.� This
tragedy will affect Luke and the child who did it for the rest of their
lives!� How very terrible!
My friend, Judy Stamper of
Weston sent me an article about her nephew-in-law, Colin Ray.� His wife, Kim, is the daughter of the late
Joe Hartley and Jane Hartley of
Joan Wiant
Fields sent me a most interesting bit of history about Kilroy.
�There was a contest in 1946 to locate
the REAL Kilroy, with the prize being a real trolley
car!� Forty men stepped forward, but only
James Kilroy of
Snopes says the validity of this story is �undetermined.�� I�d like to think it is true.� James Kilroy
brought officials from the Quincy Yard and some of the riveters to authenticate
his claim, and he won the trolley, which he gave to his nine children and set
it up as a playhouse in the Kilroy front yard in
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
February 14,
2008
I am writing this on
Valentine�s evening because I will be going to my brother�s in
It is hard to believe that
my two kindergarten children are starting to do math, can read many things on
their own, and amaze me with the things they are learning.� This learning occurs in spite of our field
trips and parties.� I am including a
picture of the trip to Canaan for tubing, the visit to Sweet Life Bakery where
Lynn Suder and her helpers, Cheryl Light and Loretta
Courtney, showed us wonderful confections and how they are made, and the trip
next door to the bakery to Nature�s Hideout where Paul Thrain
and Kristy Aldridge showed the children so many interesting animals and
reptiles!� I wish I could include
pictures of everything, but that is impossible.�
I am including only three, and it was so difficult to choose.� You will enjoy it if you make a visit to the
Sweet Life Bakery and its wonderful aromas on
Chuck Illnecke
of Ripley died this week.� He was the
husband of the late Virginia (Mick), formerly of
Remember to let me know if
you want your piano tuned.� I hope to
help get the piano at Buckhannon Manor tuned.�
Would you help, too?� When we met
with them last week, I got to visit with Hazel Davidson a little as she waited
for one of us to get out of her parking space.�
Their parking is very limited, so our group will have to be more careful
in the future to park ONLY in Visitor�s spaces or out on the street.� Ms. Davidson is a charming lady who writes
news from the Manor.� Some of the
residents from there are eager to get oranges, grapefruit, or tangerines from
our
I got an email from Debra K.
Godfrey telling us that Robert S. Godfrey, formerly of
I have lost several email
addresses, so if you read this Chat and have not heard from me, please write me
so you will get back in my address book!�
Thanks.
Maranatha!
.
PAT�S CHAT
February 3,
2008
Sad news again!� Toby Dean, a 1956 graduate of
Marge (Hardman) Burke, also
a
Marge also reminded me that
Carl Sizemore, a classmate
of mine, emailed me to say that he had visited with Harmon Blake (another
classmate) at Sunbridge Healthcare,
We were privileged to have Hallie Hurst and Mary Ellen Davidson, both of Buckhannon,
provide special music at our worship service at the Seventh-day Adventist
church here in Buckhannon, February 2.�
They stayed for Fellowship Dinner, too.�
They sing acappella and as I said before in a
previous Chat, it is like angels singing!�
If you haven�t heard them, invite them to YOUR church service!� They are both retired now.� In fact, Mary Ellen�s last day at UHC as Nurse
Manager on the Behavioral Unit was Friday, Feb. 1!� (She will still work parttime
at Sharpe.)� Hallie
retired the middle of January from her teaching job.
Kingsley Whitsett
was our speaker that day.� Since he
retired and lives in Buckhannon, we can often enjoy his spiritually rich and
inspiring presentations.� (He plays the
harmonica, too, which he did that day when we visited Holbrook�s Nursing Home,
another event for every first Sabbath.)
In January 30 Weston
Democrat I saw a picture of William �Bill� Ballard receiving the Melvin Jones
Fellowship Award from the Jane Lew Lions Club, and he is the fifth person ever
to receive this highest honor for humanitarian service.� His daughter, Susan Pickens, was also in the
picture.� Mr. Ballard was my class
sponsor in Burnsville High School, besides teaching me typing.� He was coach, too.� Congratulations, Mr. Ballard.� Susie is retired from
I got a regular letter the
other day!� That was a refreshing
thing!� Real mail is somehow more
personal, though I would never want to give up my email contact with friends
and family!� The letter asked, �Do you
remember . . . .?� When no one locked
their doors?� When many families in
In the December 2007 issue
of The Oprah Magazine on page 84 I saw this (while in a waiting room):� �Note to Self-Bite Your Tongue:� One of the main reasons we gossip or complain
is to make ourselves look better by comparison. . . . When I point out your
faults, then I�m implying that I have no such faults, so I�m better than you
are.� Complaining is bragging and nobody
likes a braggart.� Here�s another bit of
sobering news.� You wouldn�t notice the
faults in the other person if they were not also in you.�� This was quoted from a book written by Bill
Bowen and published by Doubleday, �A Complaint-Free World.� How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying
the Life You Always Wanted.��
Maranatha!
�PAT�S CHAT
January 28,
2007
Pat Blake wrote to say,
�Happy New
Year to you.
(Already almost a month old!)�� She also says that Russ McClain, President of
the Kanawha Alumni Association, announces a meeting of the KAA on Sunday,
February 18, at 4:00 p.m. at the
Pat
adds that the
If you want to get in touch
with me, you can email me like Pat did.�
The address is [email protected].� My phone number is 304-472-5102.��� I am still hoping that you will send me
some cute things the children in your life have said or done.� Sort of like Art Linkletter�s,
Kids Say the Darndest Things!�
Our church has begun a Food
Pantry and we are open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.� We hope to be able to give a little help to
some folks who might be having a difficult time making the food budget stretch
from one paycheck to the next.� Our
church phone number is 304-472-0962.
I would also like to start a
weekly get-together for parents who would like to talk to other parents, share
stories and concerns, watch a helpful parenting video, share snacks and just
�hang out.�� I am hoping that we will be
able to provide child-care during that time, possibly a couple of hours.� I would like to hear from you if this would
interest you.� Let me know what you think
would be the best time.� Call and leave a
message if I am not at home, or email me.
Do you remember the story
about the
I intended to write
something about a woman I admire - Evelyn Post!�
Lola Given interviewed her for the Braxton
Citizens� News and it was a wonderful article!�
I loaned the paper to my sister and don�t have access to the information
this week, but I can tell you that Evelyn has spent her life helping
others.� I suggested that Mountain
Hospice from Belington ask her to be a member of their Board from the
I can depend on hearing from
Toni Wine at least once a month.� This
month she sent a pretty �Thinking of You� card
handmade by L. Jones and wrote, �Want to say Thank You for letting me put my
stuff in your news.�� She says Happy
Valentine�s Day, Feb. 14.� Her Happy
Birthday greetings for February are Rachel Barrow, and Rick Singleton, Feb. 3;
Sandra Allen, Feb. 4; Elmer Wine, Feb. 5; Father Elmer Nadicks
Bernd, and Dot Gioulis, Feb. 8; Adam McCoy who goes
to WVU (and she loves his parents, Mike & Cathy), Feb. 10; Bobby Wine, and
Jason Singleton, Feb. 11; Anitra Wine, Toni�s mom,
Feb. 12; Sherry Pulliam, Feb. 15; Dylan Ratliff, Feb 16; Pat Wine, Feb. 19; Sarita Gumm, Feb. 26.
Here is the third Belief of
the
3.
Father:� God, the eternal Father, is the Creator,
Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation.� He is just and holy, merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.� The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son
and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father.� (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John
3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
January 20, 2008
I am still in
I have to break a promise
that I made � to include answers and more questions about
Donna Witzgall
Gloff says she was delighted to see "chivery" mentioned in a recent Chat.� She has been working on the heritage of the
Oil Creek area. (see http://orlandostonesoup.blogspot.com/) and is eager
to learn about wedding traditions in Braxton/Lewis/Gilmer Counties
area, especially away from the county seats. Would some of you mind
sharing what you remember about particular weddings and chiveries? She
would be very grateful for whatever you remember: descriptions of particular
couples and their friends and activities, both those that
you may have attended and those you have been told
about.� You can contact her at [email protected] or
[email protected] and I will
forward it on to her.
I went to mail2web to get my
email which included a not from Jonna Tharp,
Sonny
wrote an article for the Wonderful
�Johnboats
are disappearing from
�The
best johnboats are made of yellow-poplar, relatively lightweight and easily
worked wood which withstands rough treatment, weathering and water and requires
little if any painting or treatment.�
When �white-poplar,� which is actually yellow-poplar cut from young,
fast-growing trees, is used, annual creosoting is needed.�
He then
describes how to make the boats, the dimensions and explains that although
narrower and longer models are seen which �cut the water� better, but are more
prone to overturn than the wider models.�
A chain is attached which is anchored to a tree or post from a long
cable, allowing the boat to float freely if the water rises.� He also says the boat most soak in the river
a few days so that the floorboards swell shut.
�A
johnboat is paddled, as a canoe, on one side of the boat, using a backward pull
of the paddle after almost every stroke to keep a straight course.�� (I well remember mastering that feat, and how
proud I was!)� �Also, two people can sit
on the back seat, one paddling on each side of the boat, and make relatively
rapid progress.�� (That was always nice
when the other one was some boy I liked.)
Some
old-timers used a pole in the left hand, pushing it along while standing in the
boat, using the right hand for fishing.�
(I well remember about a dear friend, David Morris, who was poling
across the river, which at the time was the only way to get to his home, but
forgot to untie the boat!� He soon landed
with his face inches from the river!)�
�Shoals
are traversed upstream with relative ease, as johnboats could be pulled in only
a few inches of water.� Also, their
sturdy construction assures little damage when a rock is hit while speeding
down a swift stretch of shoals.�� He says
they are almost impossible to overturn.�
He talks of fishing, frog gigging and trapping done from these
boats.�
A friend
told an interesting incident to us.� Some
folks were fishing from a boat or canoe in the
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
January 11,
2008
Sad news again.� A couple of people emailed me
that Sol Brown died!� Wanda Ratliff tells
me he is Jack Brown�s father.� I extend
to all his family and friends my deepest sympathy.
Margret Willey emailed me
that the Kanawha Alumni Association will have its first meeting on Sunday,
January 27, 2008 at 2:00 PM in the
I worked a couple of shifts
at
Martin Luther King Jr Male Chorus based in the
The answers to the previous
questions about Burnsville Students Who Succeeded are:� Richard Barrett (1952) was awarded the NASA
medal for exceptional service; John Bragg (1967) was a Major in the West
Virginia State Police; Delmar Conrad (1958) is the father of Debbie, who was a
two-time Class A All-State-Girls�-Basketball player; and Sammy Godfrey, a BHS
graduate, received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ohio State University.
Your new questions are:� What graduate is the father of an Olympic
two-time medal winner?� What graduate ran
for president of the
Toni Wine writes to wish
Happy Birthday to Garrett Butler, Jan. 23; Mary Parver,
Jan. 26; Lula Mae Stewart, Jan. 27; Stacey Butler (hey, and Pat Ridpath, too), Jan. 31.� Toni requests
prayer for three people who have been out of work, herself, Toni Wine, Nick
Conrad and Jodi Nicholson.� Also,
prayers are requested for Scott Gibson, Lula Mae Stewart, Patty Cogar and Jim Burrough.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
January 5, 2008
In
a recent Chat, I mentioned that the
I
will be in
������� A mighty complex driven by steam
������� One like it is no longer seen� (
������� A coal town with tipple high
������� That was blown up into the sky� (Bower)
������� A name like the animal on a nickel found
������� Folks there often walked to
������� A point called by a man�s first name
������� Most of it I-79 did claim� (Gabriel�s
Knob)
Someone
dug up a picture of my sister and me as teenagers on a hike with friends up on
Kelley�s hill, with a view of our homeplace in the
lower right corner and the
Almost
every day in summer and on weekends when the weather permitted, we would swim
in the river and/or a group of us would climb the hills, just for fun, mostly
barefooted. While there we would swing on grapevine swings, sort of like
in the old Tarzan movies (from which I am the only one who ever broke a bone!)
although Beatrice Ann (Kelley) Redcliff broke a leg, but not falling from a
grapevine, and Joan (Wiant) Fields broke both bones
in her arm when she fell off the bank at the �swimming hole.� (If there
were other breaks, I don't recall them). We might explore Moyer's cave, pick
persimmons and eat them, or berries, and we would talk and talk and
talk. At that age, a lot of our talk was about boys, (unless boys
came along with us). Sometimes a cow would chase us, Joan remembers.
Sometimes
we would take marshmallows and hotdogs and build a fire and eat, and at times
our parents would join us and have a full-fledged meal with hamburgers or other
goodies. That was always a lot of fun, having the adults along with
us. Sometimes we even carried all the gear, sometimes even a tent, so
that we could spend the night. There were adults with us if these
excursions included both girls and boys. Most of our forays were without
adult supervision, and, as far as I know, there were no problems.
Most of us just had to be home before dark.
One time
a group of us on our bikes (or borrowed bikes) rode up Salt Lick to Heaters,
then over to Napier and down to
These
are such sweet memories and we miss our friends and loved ones, especially
those who are no longer with us, for they made
I will
resume the questions and answers about
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
December 29,
2007
Sad news again!� When we were in church at the
Also sad that my young
neighbor, Cheryl Arnold, died last weekend, and I didn�t even know it until the
next day!� My deepest sympathies go out
to her family and friends.
More sad news!� Annie�s Market here in Buckhannon is going
out of business!� It is about the only
place we can go to get gluten-free things, high-quality supplements and
organic, healthful, exotic and unusual foods and groceries.� Although I didn�t go there often, I depended
on it to get my tofu sour cream and cream cheese, Ezekiel 4:9 bread, etc!� Isn�t there someone in town who would buy
Annie�s stock and open it again?� In a
college town like this, I am sure there is much call for healthy foods and
other products she carried.
James McNemar
wrote an email on December 24 from the entire Oras
Ray McNemar family wishing us a Merry Christmas!� They also want to thank Rose Crutchfield for
sending them such wonderful food on Christmas Eve.� They wish every one a safe and happy New Year.
Shirley Lloyd says that the
John and I went to Fenwick
for Christmas and had a wonderful time with our son, Scott Bucklew
and his wife, Carol, and our grandson, Chuck who is now 15 and growing like a
weed and oh, so smart!� (Aren�t all
grandchildren?)� Carol�s
parents, Alfred and Sue Hagy, were also there, along
with Carol�s son, Gary and Rebecca Garden and Elias, her daughter, Tara and
James Donnen and Ian and Andrew.� Gary and Tara and their families all live in
the Buckhannon area so I get the joy of helping with 3-year-old Ian and
6-month-old Andrew every once in awhile.�
Having Christmas where there are children is just the greatest joy.� The food was delicious, too.
Clarence Hamilton wrote an
email and wished us a Merry Christmas.�
He wrote, �Remember the steam whistle at the Compression Plant that
would blow at noon and also to alert the Fire Department.�� Oh, yes, I remember, and some
Dr. Harry Wiant (Sonny) wonders whether younger folks know what these
words mean: �cutting filth,� �shivery,� �no dubs,� �finder�s keepers,� �no
grabs,� �first and second on all games,� �Dishpan Rock,� �no clodhoppers,�
�second and third on you�second first game, third to shoot when other player
second,� �no steelies.��� Do you know what these mean?� (I have the answers!)
Here are the answers to last
week�s questions about Burnsville Students who Succeed:� Gail Auldridge
(1929-1930) was the father of the first female U.S. Marine Corps officer to
have a child and remain in service; Ronnie McPherson (1952) holds a Ph.D. in
engineering mechanics from WVU and taught at the University of New Mexico;
Billy Matt Kidd (1936) was a federal judge in West Virginia; Harry Lynch (1957)
was a national finalist in a national cooking contest for his Yuletide Sage and
Apple Pork Loin Roast.�
Your new questions are:� What graduate was awarded the NASA medal for
exceptional service?� What graduate
served as Major in the
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
December 22,
2007
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year to all my readers!� We are not
sending cards this year, but decided to call everyone who sends us a card.� Some of them were surprised when I started
singing, �We wish you a Merry Christmas��� but everyone seemed delighted to get
a call.� How often do we let those we
love KNOW that we love them?� Since we
have the Verizon Freedom Package, it costs us nothing extra to call.� It is wonderful to hear the voices of my
loved ones and friends.
I talked to Becky Shock and
found out that she is still improving from the surgery and the long, long
hospital stay she went through.� We hope
to pick her up on some Saturday, weather permitting, and go to the
�I learned that my cousins, Den and Ellen
Stilwell of Glenville, have a yard-decoration snowman in their house because
their son, Phil, will not allow them to move it outside.� He wants it inside where he can see it!� Den says they also have a beautiful Christmas
tree filled with cardinal decorations!� I
wouldn�t have known that if I had just sent them a card.� Den and Ellen are the ones who added this
note to the Christmas card they sent to my daughter, Robin, in Kansas City (who
had hoped for an �early out� so she could retire back here in West Virginia),
�Come East, young woman, come East.��
I also got an email address
for Jane Cogar, a friend from Richwood with whom I
worked at
I am hoping the papers can
publish the picture of our Christmas play which was held on Wednesday night,
Dec. 19.� It was about the Christmas toy
shop and toymaker.� In the picture, the
teacher/principal, Bonnie Cutright, plays the
toymaker and is standing behind her toys.�
From left to right are the Raggedy Boy (Hunter Stone), King Midas the
wrestler toy (Ike Petty), Game Player or X Box (Brittany Wilfong),
the beautiful Tiffany Doll (Tiffany Wilfong), Raggedy
Girl (Taylor Simmons), and Desert Dan (Caleb Heckert).� When the toymaker finds the toys arguing
about who is best and who will be chosen and bought first, she decides she
forgot to tell them the true meaning of Christmas.� As she tells them the Christmas story, the
humble raggedy dolls receive stoles and become Joseph and Mary.� The Game Player�s monitor front is opened
down and it is filled with gold tinsel (straw) and a �baby� is placed
there.� Desert Dan is given a shepherd�s
rod and becomes one of the shepherds who visits the
stable.� King Midas receives a crown and
becomes one of the wise men.� The Tiffany
Doll receives wings and a halo and becomes the guardian angel over the scene.� Then the children sang, �Who Would Imagine a
King?�� It was all so beautiful and fun,
especially when one of the students gave us an unexpected intermission when the
need for a bathroom break was expressed!�
After that, the dinner was delicious.
The children at the school
had a pajama day on Friday.� In the
pictures you will see (l. to r.) Ike, Caleb, Tiffany, Taylor, Hunter with
I don�t remember school
being so much fun!
Do you need a gift at the
last minute?� We have several boxes of
Indian River navel oranges left at the
If you are interested in
helping those in need without spending money, go on the internet at www.freerice.com and work on your
vocabulary.� When you get an answer
right, so much free rice is sent.� My
niece, who is a lawyer, says that this really does help the poor while
improving your vocabulary.� I have
already sent 1000 grains of rice to someone who needs it.� If any of you like words as much as I do, you
will love this.� I am surprised at the
words I can figure out correctly even though I am unfamiliar with them.
My brother, Harry Wiant, mentioned some wonderful sounds that we will
probably never hear again in Burnsville: �the clanging of the old bridge when cars
crossed it, or some of the kids pulled on the railings to make a noise; the
lonesome sound of the whistle of the old steam-engine trains, and their huffing
and puffing while idling, or their bells ringing when they were pulling
in;� the pleasant sound of cows being
brought from pastures to the barns for milking; the clippity-clop
of hoofs and creaking of farm wagons as farmers came in to do their weekly
shopping;� the gee-haw, getty-up-there of plowmen preparing our gardens; the wooden
paddles hitting the side of the johnboats;�
bullfrogs croaking in the Little Kanawha (where have they gone?).� He says he misses such sights as Mr.
Jefferies taking the two-wheeled mail cart to meet the mail train; the
excitement of football and basketball games at Burnsville High School (can WVU
games be any more exciting than those were to us?); class plays and operettas
held in the BHS auditorium.� Oh, yes,
Sonny!� Those were the good ole�
days!� (Besides, we were young!)
Here are the answers to last
week�s questions about Burnsville Students who Succeed:� Leland Mick (1943) was the student who left
school for World War II and played football for Maukato
College in Minnesota; Mike Morrison (1957) was the graduate who was selected
Student Body President at Glenville State College; Vaughn Duffield (1923) was
the graduate elected Student Body President of Davis & Elkins College; Ran
McKinney (1923) was the graduate elected to Davis & Elkins College Hall of
Fame.
Your new questions are: �What
Maranatha!� (Yes, Jesus IS coming.� The first time He came silently and they were
hoping He would come as a Glorious King to conquer
PAT�S CHAT
December 9,
2007
Sad, sad note!� Truman Yeager, a graduate of Burnsville High
School, made his last trip to
Linda Moore of Burnsville
wants to thank all of you who remembered her with cards, prayers and calls of
concern regarding her recent accident, her stay in a Virginia hospital and her
recovery at home.� Your thoughtfulness is
very much appreciated.
I got a Christmas letter
from Homer Heater, Jr., now of
John and I attended Ian Donnen�s third birthday party at Burger King today!� It was great fun.� Even his seven-month-old brother, Andrew,
seemed to enjoy the festivities!� Their
parents, James and Tara, planned a pirate theme and all the children went home
with a treasure chest of goodies.
That was my first trip to
Buckhannon�s Burger King.� We don�t eat
fast food very often.� John and I ordered
their meatless burger and it was delicious.�
Try it sometime for a change, for fewer calories and less cholesterol,
etc.� Yummy!� Wish more fast-food places would provide such
things for those of us who want to be vegetarian.� Denny�s also has that choice.� Any of their burgers can be ordered with Boca
Burger (a meatless burger).� They are
very good, too.
My sister, Mary Ann Bucklew, lives here in Buckhannon and has not had phone
service since the middle of last week.�
No matter how we pleaded, Verizon cannot help her until about Tuesday,
the 11th!� She is diabetic,
subject to strokes and TIA�s, does not drive, so she
is dangerously alone without a phone.�
They THOUGHT it was fixed, but did not check with her to find out.� It is still not fixed.� I tried to get her and Bingo, her dog, to
come and stay with us, but she did not want to do that.� I hope nothing happens to her between the
times we check on her.� I miss the good
old days when service was without question a part of utility companies.� Suggestions, anyone?
The
I promised to give the
answers to the four questions from last week�s Chat about
The next questions are: Who
was the first BHS graduate to return to that school to teach?� Who was the first and only female principal
of BHS?� What graduate is presently (at
least in May of 2007) a member of the WVU football team?� What graduate has a school named for her?
Snow is pretty ONLY if one
doesn�t have to drive on slick roads!
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
December 2,
2007
It is lonely in my house!� The visitors have gone back to
Thanksgiving is barely over
and we are about to celebrate Christmas!�
I love the lights in our neighborhood and it has encouraged me to try to
put a few lights out myself, if I ever get time.� That we can do this without problems is
another reason to praise God.� I am glad
we live in a country where we have the freedom to express ourselves in
celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!� Even if they cannot display Nativity scenes
in public places, we individuals can in our own yard or home!� Praise our wonderful God for that!
I found the neatest place
for those of you who have a computer.�
Recipes from Mrs. Claus� kitchen can be found at http://www.northpole.com:80/Kitchen/Cookbook/cat0001.html!�� Maybe we can find something to bake to give
as gifts to neighbors, the postman, or other special people.
Or perhaps you could order
the book, �At Home in
My brother, Harry Wiant, Jr. had been using a little bell that had belonged
to our grandfather, Arley McNemar,
in his classroom many years ago.� He
needed a way to know if Jeanne needed his help.�
She has been unable to bear weight on her broken-hip repair, so has a
hospital bed in their office downstairs, while he sleeps upstairs in their
bedroom.� Last night he didn�t hear the
bell.� He writes, �That�s the kind of
rigging challenge I like.�� Now there is
a cord running from the hospital bed to their bedroom to a chair on which he
hung the faithful bell.� Jeanne can just
pull the cord and he will hear the bell.�
He adds, �Should I apply for a patent?��
We are all praying that they won�t need the rigging in a week or so.
Please share with me a
special Christmas memory that I can put in the Chat!� My brother still has the hatchet that he got
for Christmas when we were very young.�
He persuaded me on Christmas Eve to tell him what he was getting for
Christmas.� When we got up the next
morning, he came down the stairs saying, �Where�s my hatchet?� Where�s my hatchet?�� Mom and Dad knew who told him!
David Parmer put some
interesting questions (and answers) on the
Merry Christmas
Shopping!� We saw Steve and Pam Wine of
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
November 25,
2007
This is a happy reporter
today!� Our family celebrated
Thanksgiving later than most because my son, grandson and family arrived from
Here is a poem from the
famous �anonymous!��
������������������ You are writing a gospel,
������������������ A chapter each day,
������������������ By deeds that you do;
������������������ By words that you say.
������������������ Men read what you write,
������������������ Whether faithless or true.
������������������ Say, what is the gospel�����������������
������������������ According to you?
My cousin, Betty Robinson Sorrentino, formerly of Freemansburg,
has co-authored a book with Helen Hall Garrett.�� It is chock full of pictures and stories and
history, I am told.� �At Home In Freemansburg,
West Virginia,� a book that�s been in the
making for over ten years, is finally available!� The book tells the story of Freemansburg, an area that has been called �home� by
generations of central
Debra Kay Godfrey writes that
she turned 29 years old on November 21.�
She is the daughter of the late Robert W. Godfrey of
Laura Linger Yeager says
that Truman, her husband, is moved again and again, so if you want to send him
a card, just send it to her and she will take it to
him.� Her address is
I made pumpkin pie for our
Thanksgiving feast without milk or eggs and some told me it was good.� Pumpkins aren�t just for Halloween
ornaments.� A pumpkin is a vegetable that
is high in antioxidants and carotenes.�
Experts recommend eating a serving of pumpkin or squash every other
day.� A half serving of pumpkin boasts
three times the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A.
Most
Cruciferous foods are good
for us we are hearing, and especially broccoli!�
More and more good news comes to light about this superfood!� Broccoli reduces the risk of cataracts,
protects against stroke and fights cancer.�
Many of its health-enhancing properties can be attributed to its high
amount of vitamin C and soluble fiber.�
It has more Vitamin C than an orange according to researchers, and more
calcium than a glass of milk, and more fiber than a slice of whole wheat
bread.� Eat it raw or steamed (or even
sprout the seeds for all of its benefits, or even more).
Popeye knew what he was
talking about.� Researchers say there is
actually plenty to love about this green leafy staple.� Studies show that spinach contains more than
13 flavanoid compounds, which act both to fight
disease and cancer.� Experts have linked
spinach to battling prostate cancer, strengthening bones, preventing heart
disease, protecting the brain and improving eyesight.
I got these tips from a
newsletter from www.chooseyourdiet.com.� It is well worth your while to get these
newsletters via email.
Christmas is just around the
corner.� I wish all my readers a very
happy Christmas and New Year!
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
November 18, 2007
Another
very upsetting and sad bit of news.� Johnnie Burge, a sweet young man
I knew when I went to the Braxton Seventh-day Adventist Church in Gassaway, was
killed a few days ago in an automobile accident in
But
there are joyful happenings, too.� Eugene
and Marcelene Sapp will celebrate their 53rd
wedding anniversary on November 25!� It
is also the date for Rick and Bonnie Cutright to
celebrate theirs!� I wish all of you a
very happy day and many wonderful memories throughout the coming year.� Too often marriages don�t last.� It is great to rejoice with those who have
succeeded in keeping to their original commitment.� Those who do succeed have the chance of
building their relationship into a comfortable, loving and happy friendship.� Congratulations, all of you.
Talking
about commitments, have you started your Christmas shopping?� I got an email which checks out to be true
from Snopes that encourages all of us to do at least
part of our shopping and buying at a Sears store.� Sears has continued to keep its commitment to
its employees who are called up for military duty.� The email said that �by law, they are
required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more.� Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose
benefits as a result of being called up.�
Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining
all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called-up
reservist employees for up to two years.�
I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be
recognized for its contribution.� I
suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell him why we
are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.�
I
have no name for the email, but I agree with the writer that I would go out of
my way to buy products from Sears, even if it may cost more than the discount
store.� Shop Sears and tell them why.
My
son, (my youngest son) Scott Bucklew of
Toni
Wine wants all of you to know that at the Special Olympics in Parkersburg, she
scored 114 in bowling on November 3 and 109 on November 4.� Their coaches are Judy Floyd and Tara
Wilson.� Toni enjoyed her stay at Amberi Host Inn, a hotel in Mineral Wells.� Toni also has prayer
requests for Lula Mae Stewart, Mike Stewart, Herb Floyd, and her mother in
Clifton, NJ, Anitra Wine.� She listed some other birthdays for November,
but since we have already said Happy Birthday to all her friends born in
November, you are all included in her wishes for you to have a happy day.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
November 11,
2007
By miracles from God, Becky
Shock is HOME!!� Praise His Name!� Her address is 1280 Gauley Turnpike,
Flatwoods 26621, if you want to welcome her home.� She would love to hear from you.
I shopped at Weston�s Kroger
Store Thursday evening, and I miss it SO much!�
Their produce is magnificent and the whole store is well arranged and
clean.� I will shop there every chance I
get, believe me.� The Kroger Store in
Buckhannon is great, too, but not as big.�
Laura Linger Yeager
contacted Joanna Barnett Henthorne and wants you to know
that she thanks all of the
I visited
All Too Soon
Curled within her protective
liquid warmth
I lay cradled in darkness,
Comforted by the rhythm of
her beating heart.
Softer sounds, indistinct
but soothing,
words unknown as her voice becomes familiar.
All too soon, it is time to
leave my haven.
Her body urges me forth �
together, striving in concert �
with her doing most of the work.
We finally meet.
The light is too bright, the
sounds too harsh,
my skin too sensitive but my fears are stilled
as I recognize that familiar voice.
She holds me close and I am
lulled once more
by the beating of her heart.
Wanting more than her arms�
constraints �
she was there as I took my first steps �
ready to offer support as I stumbled or fell.
Comforting, protective while
encouraging me to find my way.
Taking larger steps in new
directions
I grew up and away from her
loving arms.
Still aware that she
remained in reach,
prepared to pick me up and kiss my hurts
as I continued to walk my own path.
Her heart swelled with
maternal pride
as I made my way in the world.�
Soft words and laughter
giving welcome,
excited to hear tales of my latest adventure
or most recent creative endeavor.�
I know that she is much more
than Mother.
She is her own person, with
her own
wishes, wants, hopes, and dreams.
Our hearts often carried the
same rhythm
beating in tandem, connected one to the other.
Because she is and was, I
know that I am.
We�ve walked the same path,
she and I.
In the beginning she led,
then walked beside me
always looking forward to what lay ahead
with a heart that beat strongly, filled with hope.
Still offering comfort, her
steps now falter
in league with the rhythm of a weakened heart.
Her body once vital and
protective,
now harbors strength of will and spirit.
It is time now for me to
lead.
All too soon, her body urges
her forth �
cradled in light, looking to what lay ahead �
comforted by the rhythm of my heart beating
in concert with hers as she takes her first steps
and once again, does most of the work.
My heart swells with loving
memories,
knowing that we�ve walked this path together.
I hold her close as she
leaves me behind,
Taking larger strides in a
new direction.
We finally say goodbye.
b.simmons 2007���
Isn�t that beautiful?� Thank you, Barbara.� I probably should have left it for Mother�s
Day, but I just couldn�t!
Last week I suggested that
some of you might find it interesting to read a thesis on Sabbath as a model
for leadership. This time I am recommending the website www.sabbathtruth.com as a good place to
visit if you want to learn something more about Sunday-keeping vs.
Sabbath-keeping.
Toni Wine wishes Happy
Thanksgiving to her friends and family in Kentucky, New Jersey and West
Virginia, especially those at the Board Office.�
We covered all of the birthdays last week by wishing everyone who was
born in November a Happy Birthday.� You
know who you are.
Maranatha!������
PAT�S CHAT
November 4,
2007
I am constantly amazed at
the knowledge of children!� Teaching
kindergarten keeps me hopping!� My
brother, Harry (Sonny), had a visit with his six-year-old grandson,
My trip to
Following Fellowship Dinner
on November 3, the
I read part of a thesis by
Mark Timothy Billington, a Baptist minister in
I am looking forward to the
Thanksgiving season because at some point during that time my son, Chuck Bucklew, is coming to visit from
�FRITOS CHOCOLATE CRUNCHIES
Simply add crushed Fritos to melted chocolate, drop by spoonfuls on waxed
paper, chill and serve.
When I returned from KCMO,
there was a note from Toni Wine which I am sure had birthday greetings for
everyone on her list.� The note got lost,
so Toni and I are wishing you a Happy Birthday if you were born in November
(including my son, my two brothers, a couple step-grands,
a niece, a nephew, several cousins and friends.)�
Maranatha!
PAT�S
CHAT
News from
September 6,
2004
(304) 853-2401
In the September 5, 2004
edition of the Sunday Gazette-Mail, it listed the Overall finishers of the 32nd
I was supposed to list John
Godwin, beloved former coach at
Lowell and Phyllis
(Crutchfield) Rogers of
I visited the
library last week and Rose Crutchfield and others have donated beautiful green
plants that add just the right spark of �life� to the beautifully organized
display of books for all ages.� You have
just got to visit the library and see how wonderful it is being cared for by
Pam Wine and Pat Blake.� One of the
things that Pat, the eternal teacher, is trying to teach children from the
school is how to find books by the author�s name.
Talking about flowers, you
should also visit our Town Hall and see the new flowerbed and flowers.� What a nice �face-lift� that gives our
Town!� Thank you, Paul Crutchfield, for
the construction and to the girls in the office for the flowers.
Don�t forget the PPR dinner
at the
Also, when you do your fall
cleaning, any of those extras you find around could be added to the Rummage
Sale that will be held on the first Friday and Saturday in October in the
Freddy Ellis of Classic
Productions entertained us at our last Alumni weekend.� He called me the other day and said that he
is scheduled again for next year�s Memorial Day weekend and also for July 3rd.� If you are having some sort of event around
that general time and you would like to add his musical and fun presentation,
you can contact him at (704) 539-1991 or on his cell phone at (704)
300-1027.�
JoLane Singleton would like to thank the classmates of BHS class of �52 for
the expressions of sympathy they sent when her husband, Rondal
Singleton, passed away.� Jo says it was
very much appreciated.
Our Adventist church has for
sale 1.75 acres on Fall Run Lick in
I have several concerns
within my family and among my friends � disturbing and unnecessary conflicts,
financial problems, health problems and other things for which I pray.� I ask your prayers for these, even though I
cannot be specific.� Just pray that God
will calm the storm or calm me, one or the other - or both, (as I heard in a
country gospel song the other day.�
�Sometimes He calms the storm and sometimes He calms me.�)� Thank you very much.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
News from Here
and There
June 11, 2006
304-472-5102
Then, our Campmeeting at the beautiful Valley
Mt. Washington Methodist
Church is proud of Pastor Dixie McCormick�s daughter, Laurie, who was ordained
to the ministry on Sunday.� Her father,
Rodger, is pastor of the
The Methodist Annual
Conference brought many out-of-town visitors to Buckhannon last week.�
I will not be writing a Chat
for the next couple of weeks.� I will be
out of town.� If you have a newsy item I
can include, please call or e-mail me.
Did you know that beans help
lower bad cholesterol because they�re high in soluble fiber?� There is no saturated fat in them, and I like
mine without added fat, although I do butter my bread with Smart Balance
margarine.� Since beans are a complex
carbohydrate, so that helps control blood-sugar levels.� They will even aid in weight management,
because, when you eat beans, you feel satisfied longer.� Whether black, kidney, navy, pinto or
whatever, they are good for you.� If you
are like me, you grew up on beans.� I
love them, so I am glad they are good for me.
Maranatha!
�
�
PAT�S CHAT
August 4, 2006 (for week of
August 6)
304-472-5102
My husband, John, really LOVES
Buckhannon, let me tell you! Once last summer it was HIS idea that we WALK to
Wal-Mart to get a loaf of bread. It is only 1.2 miles away, so that is okay
with me, but it is very unusual for him to want to walk that far. It was a cool
65 degrees when we started out and has stayed rather cool all day.� We surely couldn�t do that lately, as hot as
it has been.� My sister, Mary Ann Bucklew, likes it here, too.� She moved from
I often have to correct my
address. It is
Ben and Jessie Marsh, who are
close neighbors, had a lovely deck party last weekend for about 27 of Ben�s
classmates from the 1945 graduating class of
I don�t remember who wrote the
original piece, but I want to paraphrase it for you women out there: �Someone
will always be prettier. Someone will always be smarter. Someone�s house will
be bigger. Someone will drive a better car. Someone�s children will do better
in school. And someone�s husband will fix more things around the house.
�Let it go, and be grateful for
who you are and your own circumstances. Think about it. Count your own
blessings. The most highly favored woman may have deep disappointments. And the
richest woman you know, who has the car, the house, the clothes.
. . might be very lonely. You may need to reach out to her with caring and
love.�
I Corinthians 13:2 says that without love, we are nothing. So begin by loving
your neighbor as yourself. (This means you will have to have love for yourself,
too.) Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say, "I am too
blessed to be stressed, too anointed to be disappointed!" Winners in this
world make things happen. Losers let things happen.
Happiness does not depend on
something or someone outside of yourself. It depends
on your own attitude toward life, toward those around you, toward yourself.
Happiness comes from inside you. It comes from seeing your cup as half
"full," not half "empty." It comes from a positive
attitude, and this can be developed if you are prone to groan.� We can choose what attitude we are going to
have.�
I will add something interesting
For Your Good Health. "Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and
minerals are all basic materials from which our bodies draw energy, build
muscle, and repair tissue. But fiber, that mysterious substance we hear about
periodically, plays a vital role as well.
"Fiber not only binds fats
in the intestines and helps lower cholesterol levels, but it takes direct aim
at preventing cancer. The body�s inability to entirely digest fiber accounts
for its role as a source of bulk, which helps the intestines move waste along.
This action is a weapon in the war against cancer-causing bacteria in the
digestive tract. Fiber also helps produce and repair colon walls. � American Running Association (This
was quoted in the March issue of Adventist Review.)
You might ask, so where do we
get fiber? From WHOLE grains (white flour products are like glue globs in your
system, and I LOVE white pastas, but am trying to learn to eat whole-wheat varieties).
Fiber also comes from fruits and vegetables with the skins on and as fresh as
possible, even raw. Try to have something raw and fresh with each meal, if it
is available to you.
I hope to see you at the
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
News from
August 13,
2006
Pat Blake, who sometimes fills
in for me when I cannot write a Chat, wrote the following: �Just a while back I was looking for a movie
to watch via satellite and ran across
This
past week I read a great story by Fannie Flagg. She began writing at age
nineteen and has also done work in television, films and the
theater. I knew her work from television before I learned
that she was an author. You might be familiar
with her story Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
She wrote the script for the movie Fried Green Tomatoes taken
from that story which was nominated for an Academy Award. The book that I
just read is titled Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. It's new at the
library and relates the experiences of Elner Shimfissle, a well-known and respected octogenarian in the
town of
Jerry Koon who lives in
Buckhannon, a former
Poor Jerry, though, has many
health problems topped off recently by an abscessed tooth.� His whole face hurts.� Between his head pain and his leg pain, he
told them to just cut off his legs and his head and throw him in the lake and
call him �bob� and watch him �bob� up and down!
Pat Blake�s contribution
above reminded me of some things Jerry Koon sent me in an email about
tomatoes.� Did you know that in the
1500�s people with money had plates made of pewter?� Food with high acid content caused some of
the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death.� This happened most often with tomatoes, so
for the next 400 years or so considered tomatoes to be poisonous.� I love tomatoes!� I am so glad for Dr. Marvin Carr who set
aside a corner of his garden next to my house and planted 4 tomato plants just
for us!� He even staked them.� I have been tying them up AND eating the
tomatoes that are so delicious.� I have
such good neighbors!
The
If you have questions about
Jeff Hunt, originally from
Rochester, NY, has been presenting the gospel in music for over forty
years.� He was musician and back-up
singer for renowned recording artist Doug Oldham.� Come listen to this bass-baritone vocalist
and stories of his life on the road along with his contagious humor.� He will be at the
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
August 27,
2006
304-472-5102
School is starting and
children will be standing along the roadsides waiting to catch their buses to
go to school.� There may be more of them
waiting this year since the price of gasoline is so high.� Buses will be stopping to pick the children
up in the mornings and then stopping to let them off later in the day.� Be very careful!� Children are our most precious jewels!
An enjoyable weekend!� Baptisms and additions on profession of faith
blossomed our church into a more beautiful bouquet of
warm and wonderful people! Like the Methodists, we feast at every occasion, so
we shared a potluck meal after the service.�
Then Jeff Hunt�s concert in the evening was delightful and I was happy
that Mary Lou (Grose) Armentrout,
a high-school classmate of mine who recently moved from
One little clinker in the
joy was when my sister, Mary Ann Bucklew, whose
birthday was that day, locked herself out of her apartment!� She couldn�t reach the manager, so with the
help of a friend of mine, we located the owner of the apartments, Jim
Hinkle.� He was great!� He went to the office looking for a key, but
had keys to every apartment but hers!� He
suggested we call the police.� That was
difficult!� We couldn�t find the phone
number for the police department in the Buckhannon directory.� (Someone tell me where it is.)� We finally got a policeman by using the
non-emergency numbers for emergency services in
After church, Charlie and
Stephanie Hinkle went to spend the afternoon with Bucky and Wanda Scott and
children at
If you want to join in some
of the fun and spiritual enrichment, come join us at church Saturday, September
2, and taste our vegetarian cuisine, as we always have a fellowship dinner on
the first Sabbath of every month. �
�Fatigue is likely to be a
frequent complaint when you�re over 40.�
If you get adequate sleep, eat well, generally take good care of
yourself, and have received an A on your physical exam but are still
complaining of fatigue, Jamison Starbuck, a naturopathic physician in family
practice, suggests decluttering your house and/or
work space.� Clutter distracts the mind, makng it hard to concentrate, and living in a mess can be
extremely tiring.� Organizing just one
room will give you a boost.�� Bottom
Line/Health Healing Library�
quoted in �Health Nuggets� prepared by Charles Mills, the editor
of Vibrant Life, for Signs of the Times, September 2006
Maranatha!.
PAT�S CHAT
December 3,
2006
Ian Maxwell Donnen of
Speaking of �hearing�
reminds me of listening to CD�s in the car with my friend, Elaine Byrd, as I
took her to
The first annual Christmas
Angel Breakfast was held this morning at the
Vesper Service on December 9
at our church will begin at 4:30.� Songs
and testimonies fill the sanctuary with music and praise and we would love to
have you join us.� We also go to the
Senior High Rise on December 7 at 7:00 p.m. for a worship service there.� You are welcome to join us.
I got an email today that
suggested what I think is a very good idea.�
Since we are not supposed to have nativity scenes on public property,
everyone could use nativity scenes on personal property instead of reindeer and
Santa, etc.� We could make a difference
in the atmosphere of the season if we do this.�
I do not have any decorations, but if I did, it would be a nativity
scene.� We know that this is not the
actual time of year that Christ was born, but it is always good to remember
that He was born as a baby just like you and I were and He grew up just as we
have done.� By His life, He showed us the
character of God.� Then He sacrificed
Himself to pay for my sins because He wants me to be with Him throughout all
eternity.� He feels the same way about
you.� Even if you were the only one to
believe Him, He would have done the same thing.�
That is the miracle of Christmas and always proper to remember.
There is a lot of good
information at www.theevidence.org.
Carolyn Plum Yerkey now lives in
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
December 11,
2006
What a joy to have the
Revival Heirs bring their gospel music to our vesper service at the Seventh-day
Adventist Church here in Buckhannon last Saturday night!� The group included Keith Gould on the guitar,
Darcy Cutright with his fiddle (but they say he can
play any instrument he picks up), Larry Gay with beautiful bass, Louise Ogden
carrying a strong lead in spite of fighting a cold, and Elsie Carpenter with
harmony from heaven (even though they say they found her at a flea
market!).� Most of these singers and
musicians are from
I was featured along with
other retired nurses who still work in the November issue of RN magazine.� I sent them an interesting note written by my
son in
I walked into the Robinson
Family Chiropractic last Friday and got some help with a sore, stiff neck.� They are located across from KFC here in
Buckhannon.� I feel much better.
I have a special Christmas
angel who has given me help with this Chat.�
Pat Morris Blake of
�Going to bed the other
night, I happened to look out the window and there was the Big Dipper.� The sky was clear; each visible star stood
out.� My home is located on the side of a
hill and this put the Big Dipper almost down to window level above the northern
horizon.� During warm seasons, a person
can stretch out, look straight up and see some stars.� Trees that offer privacy and cool shade
surround the house.� But it is not a good
place to watch the night sky.� Until the
leaves drop... Then it�s a recurring delight to be able to see the stars again.
�December is a great month
to watch the night sky.� The full Cold
moon occurred on the fourth.� Mercury,
Mars and Jupiter form a tight conjunction low in the predawn twilight on the
ninth.� Jupiter emerges as a morning star
and Venus appears in the evening sky.� Geminid meteor showers should be visible before midnight on
the 13th and 14th.�
A warm wrap and hot chocolate and a comfortable seat can add to the
pleasure of watching the winter sky.
�The Old Farmer�s Almanac
offers the above information, plus much, much more.� �A good example is the best sermon� is just
one of the adages offered for this month.
�According to the Almanac,
winter officially arrives with the solstice on 21st at 7:22 PM.
�Here is a quick recipe from
Food Network�s Paula Deen.� It is one you might want to try if you are
going to be responsible for any holiday party food.� Top a favored cracker with a generous pinch
of grated Parmesan cheese.� Slice bacon
strips into halves.� Wrap each cracker to
which you�ve added the cheese with one half a bacon strip.� Preheat oven to 250 and bake for 2
hours.� (I cannot be certain that 2 hours
is the correct amount of time.� It seems
too long, but I thought that is what I heard her say.� She did comment that the baking time made the
bacon nice and crisp.)� [For those of my
readers who don�t eat meat, try the Morning Star Breakfast Strips and if you
don�t pork bacon, try beef or turkey bacon. - this from Pat Ridpath!]
�If you happen to be a
Charles Frazier fan, as I am, you may already know that he has written a second
novel, on bestseller lists since October.�
Thirteen Moons is based on the story of the Cherokee Indians and their
forced removal from the mountains of
�Have a great holiday
season.� Pat Morris Blake�
Thank you, Pat Blake!
I found that I can go to www.bibleuniverse.com and click on the
hymn of the day and have the music playing and the words right there to sing
along!� There are so many great topics at
that site.� I love it.
Maranatha!
PAT'S CHAT
February 18, 2007
I am writing from sunny
The wedding ceremony was outside, but it was very
cold for
My daughter-in-law, Diana Bucklew,
completed the A1A Marathon this morning here in
�I got some
updated information via conference calling and I will do the Chat here in
Someone asked me what LTB by Aunt Patty means.
Remember, Patsy Morrison Reckart (304-269-7152) is
collecting 18-inch dolls and needs help getting them and preemie clothes to fit
them so that she can give them out at Nursing Homes and to Cancer Centers for
the children. She tells me that LTB means Loving Tender Babies. I hope some of
you will offer to help her.
For those transplanted
I hear that the book-signing had to be cancelled due
to bad weather.� It was scheduled at the
Upshur County Library for Saturday, Feb. 17.�
I hope he will reschedule! If you have not seen his books, ask your
library for a copy of Cupid's Secret or The Adventures
of Arrow or Lovie the Meaning of Friendship. Although
Buck lives in
Mom's Time will start in April, the first and last
Sunday of that and the following three months. I am looking forward to this and
I hope that many of you will plan to attend, even if you are now grandmothers
as I am instead of mothers, or even if you are a "daddy" instead of a
mommy! It will be a parenting program, helping all of us develop skills in that
area. From 4 to 6 p.m. each time, we will watch a DVD, discuss it and interact
with our own ideas and experiences, have a light supper. Baby-sitting will be
provided. Call me at 304-472-5102 or Bonnie Cutright
at 304-924-5188 or the church at 304-472-0962.
Here is Number Six of Seventh-day Adventists beliefs
(which someone told me they are enjoying!! Thank you, Hazel! Hazel Davidson
lives at the Senior High Rise in Buckhannon):
6. Creation: God is Creator of all things, and has
revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His creative activity. In six
days the Lord made "the heaven and the earth" and all living things
upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He
established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work.
The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of
Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to
care for it. When the world was finished it was "very good,"
declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104;
Heb. 11:3.)
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
January 21,
2007
My brother, Harry Wiant (Sonny), sent me this email that he received from his
daughter, Teresa, in
Jerry Koon writes that his
friend, Donnie Roby, has started his own business, Professional Computer
Solutions.� His phone number is 304-460-0017.
There is a very interesting
site that has local groups who give away or take free items.� Rather than fill up land fill, they post what
they have, or what they want.� They
connect people who are throwing away goods like computers, furniture, clothing,
construction materials (and they say �no item is too big or too small�) with
others who are seeking the same items.�
Everything must be free.� If you
just didn�t know what to do with Aunt Ginny�s old rocker or your outdated
computer, this might be the site for you.�
It is www.freecycle.org and then
join your local group.�
Sounds like a great idea to me.
When I was young my aunt
Jean Haymond taught me the following poem.� She also taught it to her daughter, Debbie
Davis.
������������������ MULTIPLICATION TABLES
������������������
������������������ I studied my tables over and over,
������������������ Backwards and forwards too,
������������������ But I couldn�t remember six times nine
������������������ No matter what I�d do.
������������������ Then Momma told me to play with my doll�
������������������ And not to bother my head.
��������� ��������� Just call
her �My 54� for awhile.
������������������ �You�ll learn it by heart,� she said.
������������������ So I took my favorite little Mary Ann,
������������������ Though I thought �twas a dreadful shame
������������������ To call such a perfectly lovely doll
������������������ Such a perfectly horrid name.
������������������ But I called her my little 54
������������������ A hundred times �til I knew
������������������ The answer to six times nine
������������������ As well as the answer to two
times two.
������������������ Next day, Elizabeth Wigglesworth
������������������ Who always acts so proud,
������������������ Said, �Six times nine is 32.���������
������������������ And I nearly laughed out loud!
������������������ Then teacher said, �Well, Patty Sue,
������������������ You tell us if you can.�
������������������ I thought of my doll and sakes alive
������������������ I answered, �Mary Ann!�
I hope you are finding that
most of the beliefs of the
��������� 2. Trinity:� There is
one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of
three co-eternal Persons.� God is immortal,
all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and every present.� He is infinite and beyond human
��������� comprehension, yet known through
His self-revelation.� He is
forever worthy of worship,
adoration and service by the whole
creation.� (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1
Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
Maranatha!
�������
Buckhannon
edition of
PAT�S CHAT
March 18, 2007
Homelife is the foundation of civilization.�
It is the foundation of every solid nation.� Before
�Born to be Free!� is the
title of a series of presentations by Kingsley Whitsett,
a resident of Buckhannon who is a revivalist and evangelist.� For the next three weekends (March 23 through
Easter weekend, April 7) he will be talking about ten victorious principles
that will help you discover the keys to freedom and a joyful life.� Come and join us on Friday, March 23 at 7
p.m. for an hour-long program that could change your life.� Then on Saturday, March 24 at 11 a.m. and
again at 7 p.m., he will follow up with other principles for victory.� The following two weekends will have the same
schedule.� The Seventh-day Adventist
church is easy to find, just one mile up
Mom�s Time will begin on
Sunday, April 1 and meet the first and last Sunday of each month for four
months.� I hope to meet you there if you
are involved in the care of children in any capacity.� It begins at 4 p.m.
Number ten of Seventh-day
Adventist beliefs: Experience of Salvation:�
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin
for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God.� Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need,
acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in
Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example.� This faith which receives salvation comes
through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God�s grace.� Through Christ we are justified, adopted as
God�s sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin.� Through the Spirit we are born again and
sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God�s law of love in our
hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life.� Abiding in Him we become partakers of the
divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment.� (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7;
Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5;
Mark 9:23,� 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom.
3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom.
12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4;
Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.).
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
March 25, 2007
In the Chat I wrote on March 4 (that came out in
different papers during the following week), I had a
picture of the Gem Farm Woman�s Club.�
That has gotten a lot of response.�
Today Helen Traugh, the editor of The Journal
of the Braxton Historical Society, called to tell me that she just now got a
chance to look at the picture and she identified the lady on the far right as
Eva K. Bauer, the Farm Women�s Club Home Demonstration Agent.� I remember hearing that name when I was
young.� I asked Helen what she
demonstrated, and she said she didn�t demonstrate anything.� It was just her title.� Pat Morris Blake who sometimes writes Pat�s
Chat for me, sent an email today and said that she
loved that picture.� Her mother, Creda Morris, was a member of that organization for a
number of years.� Pat�s brother, Dave,
recognized Mrs. Baker but could not remember her first name (Leona).� Pat and Dave knew her daughters.� Pat recognized several of
the women including Susan Hoover, Ann Kuhn and Goldie McNemar.� (My grandmother, Goldie, lived for many years
in the house I am now buying here in Buckhannon.� As I have said, many
Howard Sumpter called me and
then sent me a picture of the Gilmer Ball Team taken in the early 1950�s.� The picture is dark but I hope I can lighten
it up so that the papers can publish it.�
The two men kneeling at the front of the team are Harry Love on the
right and Buck Pritt on the left. �The first row (kneeling, left to right) are
Wilbur Anderson, Herbert Young, Russell Losh, Ray
Parsons and Junior Love.� The back row
(standing, left to right) are Kenneth Sumpter, Junior
Snyder, Junior Kuhl, Bud Carson, Coy Parsons and Pudge Snyder.� Thank
you, Howard.� I remember some of those
guys.� At least, their names!� Howard had called me before he sent the
picture and I found that he is related to a lot of people I know and love.� One of them is Biddie
Love of
�One of the very nicest things about life is the way
me must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to
eating.�� This quote is by Luciano Pavarotti.� I
enjoy eating and hope that the �Ants� can get together soon, now that it is
spring.�
About eating, an email I got recently warns us against
outdated pancake mixes.� Apparently mold
forms in old pancake mix and can be toxic.���
One 19-year-old male died from eating the mix and the one who wrote the
article had a son have a very serious allergic reaction from eating pancakes
that tasted �funny� and they found out it was outdated.� The suggestion is that we should not buy the
large sizes of such things at warehouse-type stores because we probably won�t
use them up before they are outdated.�
Beware also of outdated cake, brownie and cookie mixes.
(They checked this out at http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp
and found it to be true.)� I often check
at the Snopes site about things that come to me to
see if it is a hoax or not.� Often it is.
The �Born to Be Free� series has gone well!� The first weekend is past with two weekends
to go.� The meetings are at 7 a.m. Friday
nights, 11 a.m. Saturday morning and 7 p.m. Saturday evening, each
weekend.� �Joy on the Lord�s Day!� is the
subject for this coming Friday.�
�Antichrist�s Attempt to Deceive� is for Saturday morning and �Loving
Relationships� is the subject for Saturday evening.� I wish I could convince everyone who reads
this that these are meetings you should not miss.� We will feed you lunch after the Saturday
morning meeting, too!
I told you, I like to eat.� We will have a light supper for you on April
1 at 4 p.m. when you attend the �Mom�s Time� program.� This is not JUST for Moms, though.� Any of you men who have children,
grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends with children, or anyone who deals with
children will benefit.� Will I see you
there?
Number 11 of the Seventh-day Adventist beliefs:� Growing in Christ:� By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed
over the forces of evil.� He who
subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their
power and made certain their ultimate doom.�
Jesus� victory gives us victory over the evil forces
that seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of
His love.� Now the Holy Spirit
dwells within us and empowers us.�
Continually committed to Jesus as our Saviour
and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds.� No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of
evil powers, ignorance and meaninglessness of our former way of life.� In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called
to grow into the likeness of his character, communing with Him daily in prayer,
feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His
praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of
the Church.� As we give ourselves in
loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His
constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every
task into a spiritual experience.� (Ps.
1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Col. 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke 10:17-20; Eph. 5:19,
20; 6:12-18; 1 Thess. 5.23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; Phil. 3:7-14; 1
Thess. 5:16-18; Matt. 20:25-28; John 20:21; Gal. 5:22-25; Rom. 8:38, 39; 1 John
4:4; Heb. 10:25.)
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
November 6,
2006
When I was looking on the
internet for information to include in the message I presented at the
My reader�s who senior
citizens, as I am, will remember a song I mentioned in my message, �Little
Things Mean a
Some senior sent an email
recently with a poem about The House Behind the
House.� A couple of friends from
Daisy wrote that �everybody
should have to go to the house behind the house, even if just once, to know how
to appreciate indoor plumbing.� There was
an old red rooster that chased me every time I started to my grandma�s
toilet.�� Even after they got indoor
plumbing, her dad still went to the house behind the house and the rooster
would chase him and cause some laughter among those watching.� She remembers going to the well and toting
buckets to use in the kitchen.� �Why is
it that when remembering these inconveniences, they seem to be wrapped in a
world of happiness?� I heard my mother
say that though things were tough back then, they knew true happiness.� It is that the more we have, the less we
appreciate, and the more we grow apart, [we isolate] enjoying our little
personal world of pleasures.� Or do we
just get nostalgic?�� This hints of what
I said about television.� We grow apart!
Jerry Koon of Buckhannon
sent me an email recently about his great-nephew, Christopher Venditti, the grandson of Becky and Jim Koon of
Buckhannon.� He is a seven-year-old who
won his first race of the week in October, but then his bike quit several
times.� He would restart it and keep
going, and finished eighth overall out of 42 of the country�s best riders.� The track is on a section of the Loretta Lynn
ranch in
I like to read �Dear Abby�
in the Buckhannon Record Delta.� Recently
she got a letter from someone who lives in a house on a city block with a few
vacant lots.� The phone went out and
there was no way to call for help.� Even
turning the
Did you know that Henry Everett
Engle was reading the Glenville Democrat many years ago and saw a poem written
by Mrs. Ellen King?� He liked it so much
that he found her and talked with her and found that she was a native of
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
November 27,
2006
We had a special treat at
the worship service at our Seventh-day Adventist church on
My friend, Elaine Byrd of Stockbridge, GA, is
visiting me this week.� Her husband of 44
years (and my friend), Walter, died on November 8 and she needed to get away
for awhile, although her daughters, Sharon Rosendahl
and Cathy Rachels and their families and many other
relatives and friends have been supportive, loving and kind to her.� She misses them, but is enjoying the scenery
and fresh mountain air here in
Not how did he die?� But how did he live?�
Not what did he gain?� But what did he give?�
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man,
regardless of birth.�
Not what was his situation, but had he a
heart
And how did he play his God-given part?�
Was he ever ready with a word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to
brandish a tear?�
Not what was his church?� Nor what was his creed?
But has he befriended those really in
need?�
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away?�
Janet Chaney of Fairmont, WV
wrote asking me to include the following in my Chat:� �I would like to thank my wonderful daughter,
Jessica Dawn Carter of
Janet goes on to thank me for taking time to
include this in the Chat because, she says, so many people don�t realize how
precious their children are.� She adds,
�I think God gives us little trials so we can cope with the big ones.� I have two beautiful daughters and I was not
there for them when they were growing up.�
But now I�m older and wiser and God has truly touched my life.� And I want to be a mother to them both.� My other daughter lives in
Maranatha!
Buckhannon
edition of
Pat�s Chat
March 12, 2007
Another cute and unusual
tale about one of my favorite little girls, Kristen Fisher who is four,
emphasizes again Art Linkletter�s assertion that
�kids say [and do] the darnedest things!��
Kristen�s mom, Thalia (who works at Sharpe,
too) was preparing to go to the store.�
Kristen decided she also needed to take a purse.� She said, �I need money in it.�� Thalia gave her a
dollar, thinking that she would buy candy or something.� She did not.�
Instead, at the check-out counter she insisted on helping to pay the
grocery bill.� Thalia
tried to talk her out of it, but could see that she was going to get very upset
if she was not allowed to pay her dollar on the grocery bill!� She was very satisfied when she paid her
dollar to the clerk!� Maybe our future is
safe with this type of unselfish youngster.
There were wonderful
articles about Bill Cutlip in the Weston
Democrat.� He
was evidently a wonderful person, as was Jimmy Cobb (my classmate) who was
also buried this past weekend.� I did not
get to go to the visitation or funeral of Bill, but went to the visitation for
Jim at the spacious Hardman-Paletti Funeral
Home.� It is sad that this is the place
we usually meet - at loved ones funerals!�
A few of the people I saw were Patty Ann (Graff), Jim�s wife, and her
daughter and son, Jim�s brother Homer Cobb and the other family members and
many friends.� I hope the great
outpouring of love for both Bill Cutlip and Jim Cobb
brought a little comfort to the ones who will live with the loss of these dear
ones.
Howard Sumpter
called me from Sand Fork.� He is related
to Biddie Love who attends our church.� He mentioned being related to Pearl Smith of
Sandy Holmes of Buckhannon
called to see if the Jessie Dean I mentioned last week was someone she has been
looking for.� She remembers Jessie Gould
Dean, (not the Jessie Haymond Dean that I mentioned),
who used to live on
Don�t forget the �Power of a
Positive Mom� meetings that begin at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 1 and continue
on the first and last Sunday of the month for four months.� These meetings will help us bring love and
encouragement to our children.
We at the
Toni Wine forgot to wish
Happy Birthday, so wants to do it belatedly for Barbara Stump, March 2.
Number nine of Seventh-day
Adventists beliefs:� Life, Death, and
Resurrection of Christ:� In Christ�s life
of perfect obedience to God�s will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God
provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith
accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better
understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator.� This perfect atonement vindicates the
righteousness of God�s law and the graciousness of His character; for it both
condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness.� The death of Christ is substitutionary
and expiatory, reconciling and transforming.�
The resurrection of Christ proclaims God�s triumph over the forces of
evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over
sin and death.� It declares the Lordship
of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.� (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor.
15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John
2:2; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
October 9,
2006
It is thrilling to live in
Buckhannon, a community that has so many avenues to help its citizens!� I enjoyed Carol Duffield�s article in the
October 2 Record Delta telling about some of the activities recently, sponsored
by Parish House.� For instance, the CROP
Hunger Walk which happened October 1, the first of many that will be held
annually to benefit those in need in our community.� Parish House itself does many helpful things
and the most interesting is �Undie Sunday� that is
designated as October 15, where many churches, including the Burnsville United
Methodist Church which I miss so much, collect new socks and underwear to use
at Christmas or through the Clothes Closet here in Buckhannon for anyone in
need, as well as benefiting other projects of the West Virginia Annual
Conference.� They have fun fundraisers of
all kinds like Christmas wreath with fresh, fragrant fir, snowy pine cones and
red velvet bows, which if you order by October 25, you will receive by
Thanksgiving.� If you are interested in
this or want to learn about their many other activities, call the Parish House
at 473-8490.� There is so much a
community can do if everyone works together.�
These Methodists are showing us the way.�
Our small
Don�t forget the Depression
and Bipolar Support
Have you visited The Sweet
Life Bakery right uptown at
Buckhannon Pathfinder Club
participated in a parade in Elkins on October 1.� They also participated in a Children�s Parade
in Elkins the week before.
I have been looking for
someone to help me keep my house clean so I called Maids to Order which I found
listed in the Yellow Pages.� This turned
out to be the wife of Pastor Jack Streets with whom I work at
I am sure many of you are
appalled by those who chose cremation over the traditional funeral.� One national survey shows that 46 percent of
Americans plan to choose cremation.� And
this is not always because it can be less expensive, but is sometimes a
person�s desire to be remembered in death for something they loved in life,
like one avid hiker who wanted to have her remains scattered in the Grand
Canyon, for which the family must get a permit.�
Some have part of the ashes of loved ones created in a matter of months
into diamonds from the carbon.� Others
want to launch the ashes skyward in an elaborate fireworks display, or stitched
into basketballs, or released to the heavens in a balloon, or sent into orbit
when released from commercial rockets.�
There is even a place called Eternal Reefs where the remains are mixed
with concrete and created into a reef that is placed in the Atlantic Ocean or
the
If you love bluegrass music,
you might like to attend Lumberjackin� Bluegrassin� Jamboree at
Maranatha!
���������
Buckhannon
edition of PAT�S CHAT
April 14, 2007
�The pessimist looks for the
difficulty in every opportunity.� The
optimist looks for the opportunity in every difficulty.� (Submitted
by Nila Koeneke to
Guideposts.)�
Last week in an email from
my cousin Carole Robinson Shinn she remembered an Easter when she and her
sister Betty and my sister Mary Ann and I walked to the Methodist (brick)
church in
I have another picture to
share.� Biddie
Love of
The Revivalairs
singers will be at the vesper service on April 28 at 7:00 p.m. at our
church.� Come worship with us.� For more information call me at 304-472-5102.
John and I and Mary Ann Bucklew plan to attend the
After a week-long visit with
his brother, nephews, sister and brother-in-law in from
I had a nice, long talk with
Emogene Blake whose sister, Arlene (Wine) Conrad,
died recently.� I am so sorry for the
family.� Her brother, Hoy Wine was in my
class in school.� Her son, Randy, such a
sweet guy, a great nurse, an all-around good person, will miss her, I am sure,
as will all her family.� I extend to all
of you my deepest sympathies.� Arlene was
in my sister�s class in school.
Seventh-day Adventist belief
number 14:� Unity in the Body of
Christ:� The church is one body with many
members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.� In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions
of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and
low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us.� We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit
has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to
serve and be served without partiality or reservation.� Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the
Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to
all.� This unity has its source in the
oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children.� (
Maranatha!
�
Buckhannon
edition of PAT�S CHAT
April 23, 2007
�Spring would not be spring
without bird songs.�� Francis M.
Chapman.� I love hearing the birds early
in the morning!�
The terrible tragedies of
the past week have brought heart aches to many besides the families who lost
loved ones!� Our whole nation cringes
under the horror of it all.� May God
comfort and bless those who lost loved ones.�
My mother was asked what kept her from being depressed.� She said it was because she never read the
newspaper or listened to the news on the radio.�
(We had no TV in those days.)� She
was very wise.� News can be very
depressing � especially if one listens to or watches it over and over.� It brings to mind a movie that my children
loved to watch in which Mary Martin played Peter Pan.� She was teaching the children how to fly, but
Michael was having problems.� She said,
�Think lovely thoughts, Michael!�� He
said, �Candy.�� She said, �Lovelier
thoughts, Michael.�� Finally he could
fly.� We may not be able to reach higher
than the thoughts we put into our minds.
We enjoyed a beautiful
weekend.� John, Mary Ann Bucklew, Bob Bailey and other friends attended services at
the Braxton Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church.�
It was wonderful to be �home� again and worship with friends, then eat a
delicious covered-dish lunch.� Those who
left after the services without staying for lunch missed great food and
conversation.�
Martha White Kerns requested
a copy of the sugarless apple pie mentioned in a previous Chat.� She says she used to work at
Carole Shinn (my cousin
mentioned above) emailed this Gasoline Tip � many stations have returned to
dual-pricing rates with a few cents off for cash.� I hope this is true and if anyone knows of a
station in the area that does this, please let us know.� Believe me, I will pay cash!
Shannon Braddock emailed me
and says he appreciates my �hard work and efforts� in writing the Chat.� He told me to give myself a PAT on the back!� That was cute.
This coming
weekend will be a busy one at the
Also, the
Positive Mom series will continue on Sunday, April 29, at 4:00 p.m.� These presentations are not strictly for
�Moms� but for dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents or anyone who is involved with
children in any way.� Babysitting is
provided and we will have a light supper.�
I hope to meet you there.
The Food
Pantry at our church is open only on the last Wednesday of each month from 3:00
to 6:00 p.m.
SDA
Fundamental Belief number 15, Baptism:�
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness
of life.� Thus we acknowledge Christ as
Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received
as members by His church.� Baptism is a
symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception
of the Holy Spirit.� It is by immersion
in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of
repentance of sin.� It follows
instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings.� (
Maranatha!�����������������������������
PAT�S CHAT
December 17,
2006
Sheri-Lyn Sapp and I had a
great time caroling last Thursday night.�
Actually, it was a loudspeaker up on my car playing the lovely carols on
tape of the King�s Herald Quartet.�
People were very generous, helping us reach
those in need in our community and throughout
The joy of Christmas was
brought to me in a very special way on Sunday when I went to the beautiful
All is not joy, though!� Here at this joyous season, so many sad
things have happened!� I was so sorry to
learn of the deaths of Bob Haynes and Lenna Jones,
both of whom were excellent nurses at
I am also saddened by the
useless deaths of those people who were in the horrible crash on I-79 last
week!� Christmas will be sad now and for
many years to come for the parents, grandparents and other loved ones of those
twins, and of the three adults who also died in the accident, all because of
someone drinking and driving.� It upsets
me that �legal� drugs like alcohol and nicotine kill so many people - so many
innocent people!� I ache for the families
of those who have lost loved ones, like what happened about six years ago to a
dear wife and mother, Brenda Sue Garden, who died as the result of someone
drinking and driving.� (I also hurt for
the children who have to suffer from second-hand smoke.� I do not understand how parents can subject
their children to this when we can�t help but know the results.� The children are innocent victims, enclosed
in homes and cars with deadly second-hand smoke. The addiction is horrible. �I wish I could do or say something that would
help someone quit!)�
In spite of all the bad
news, I truly do wish for you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year!
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
Buckhannon
Edition
February 4,
2007
I got a couple of cute
stories from my readers in response to my quest for something the children in
your life have said or done that is funny.�
Joanna Henthorne from Weston says that she was
walking her dog, Buffy, her two grandsons, Kenny and Kory, were
with her.� They passed a house with a dog
in the yard and the dog started barking.�
Kory, the youngest, started barking and howling which
brought more response from the dog.�
Kory looked up at Joanna and said, �I can talk dog.�� Joanna laughed all the way home.
She says that Kenny got a
small dirt bike a few years ago and, of course, had to �jump� it.� When asked why he did this, he said, �I�m
getting air.�� Joanna is concerned that
Kenny may become another Evel Knievel!
Yonnie Michael from Summersville emailed me that when her husband�s nephew,
David, was about three years old, his family traveled to Newport News,
Virginia.� (I used to live close to
Do you remember the
wonderful book called Cupid�s Secret? �It was followed by another book, The
Adventures of Arrow.� Now the author,
�Buck� Kalinowski (whose mom, Nancy Steele Kalinowski, grew up on Brown�s Run, a �suburb� of
I am sorry I will miss all
of this excitement.� John
and I will be in Florida attending the wedding of our only granddaughter, Laura
Beth Bucklew to Jeff Bucholtz.� She has been living in
Our church is planning a
Mom�s Time soon.� This will feature a DVD
by Karol Ladd who wrote Power of a Positive Mom.� She says, �If you are a mother, you may not
look in the mirror everyday and see yourself as having a great influence on the
world, but you do!� No one has greater
impact on the home than a mother, and that impact can be defeatingly
negative or powerfully positive. . . . This [presentation} will help ensure
that your impact is positive. . . . You will learn simple principles for
shaping your family for good - principles that work for stay-at-home and
working moms alike.� As you [participate]
you will see how your attitude and actions can fill the lives of those you care
about the most with love and encouragement.�
Become the mom you�ve always wanted to be.� You might even surpass your own dreams.��� Come and meet with us on the first and last
Sundays of each month starting in April from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.� We will watch and then discuss the DVD, have
a light supper and lots of fun.�
Babysitting will be provided.� If
you have questions you may call me at 304-472-5102 or Bonnie Cutright at 304-924-5188 or the church at
304-472-0962.� Leave a message and
someone will get back with you.
The food pantry at our
church is open on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. if you need help.
There are lots of scams on
the internet, including lotteries, sweepstakes, overcharges from online
auctions, sales and even dating and employment websites can be deceptive.� A man from
Here is Number Four of
Seventh-day Adventists Beliefs:
4.
Son:� God, the eternal Son, became incarnate in
Jesus Christ.� Through Him all things
were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is
accomplished, and the world is judged.�
Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ.� He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born
of the virgin Mary.�
He lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly
exemplified the righteousness and love of God.�
By His miracles he manifested God�s power and was attested as God�s
promised Messiah.� He suffered and died
voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the
dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf.� He will come again in glory for the final
deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things.� (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30;
14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb.
2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
Maranatha!
Buckhannon
edition of
PAT�S CHAT
February 25,
2007
Someone lost my address, so
here it is:� [email protected],
I told you last week about
the weather-related problems on our trip to
I enjoyed walking with my
son while I was in
Buck Kalinowski
e-mailed me that he will reschedule the book signing.� The weather stopped him last time.� He just couldn�t make it.� Look for his schedule in a future Pat�s
Chat.� You will want to get his books,
�Cupid�s Secret,� �The Adventures of Arrow,� and �Lovie,
the Meaning of Friendship,� plus some of the other items he will bring with
him.
I am already getting
volunteers to help us with the parenting classes we will have at our church
starting in April!� Perhaps you would like
to volunteer to help with the baby sitting, or the vegetarian soups and
sandwiches.� Just call me at the above
number, or call Bonnie Cutright at 924-5188 or the
church at 472-0962.� It will consist of
viewing a DVD, discussion and sharing our own experiences as parents.� Although it is aimed at Positive Mom�s, if
you are a �Dad� raising your children, you could also get some help and
support.� The classes will be on the
first and last Sundays of each month for four months starting in April and will
be from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. each time.
Mary Ann, my sister and I
went shopping today at Wal-Mart here in Buckhannon and saw our aunt Jean (McNemar) Haymond, formerly of
Wally Hefner of Flatwoods,
Bill Blake of
The Seventh-day Adventist
belief Number Seven is:
7.����� Nature of Man:� Man and woman were made in the image of God
with individuality, the power and freedom to think and to do.� Though created free beings,
each is an indivisible unity of body, mind and spirit, dependent upon God for
life and breath and all else.� When our
first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell
from their high position under God.� The
image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death.� Their descendants share this fallen nature
and its consequences.� They are born with
weaknesses and tendencies to evil.� But
God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by
His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker.� Created for the glory of God, they are called
to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment.� (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28;
Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11,
20; Gen. 2:15.)
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
January 1,
2007
Another era of
Sam Lantz of
Weston will be on TV, on the Discovery Channel on January 7 at 9 p.m. when they
air the Sago Mine documentary.� I have to
find someone with a Discovery Channel.�
All I have is Sky Angel and Channels 5 and 12 with rabbit ears!
Sam told me
this past week that he believes in Santa Claus, even if he didn�t before.� He went to his mailbox recently and found a
card with money in an envelope!� He wants
to thank Santa and his elves for their generous gifts and their love and
support!
I had a note
from Mary Ann (Brown) Mackey recently on the email.� For some strange reason an
email from my brother, Harry (Sonny) Wiant, Jr., and
my reply went to her and I did not even have her email address.� (What she got was a picture of Sonny, a very
good, more recent picture, but he wouldn�t let me put it in the paper.)� I can only surmise that somehow something I
was copying to my sister, Mary Ann Bucklew, went
instead to Mary Ann Mackey!� I am just
amazed and a little frightened with this cyberspace!
Anyway, Mary
Ann Mackey is from
I got several
responses about the picture of the employees of Equitable Gas Company taken in
the late 1940�s.� Cora Belle (Corky) (
Happy New
Year, everyone!
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
January 14,
2007
I have been busy all week
helping my sister, Mary Ann, move from a tiny apartment to a larger one which
is closer to my home.� I enjoy organizing
her closet and cupboards.� I have always
liked these larger projects as opposed to the daily routine of housework.� Perhaps this is because I have moved so many
times in my life.� One thing it has done
is it caused me to get rid of a lot of things that seemed unnecessary and then
later I wish I had kept, like some of my children�s school papers and favorite
toys.� My daughters-in-law are good about
keeping those things for their children.
We have heard how good water
is for us.� I try to drink about eight
cups a day.� Researchers at Loma Linda
University surveyed more than 20,000 men and women over six years and found
that women who drank more than five cups of plain water each day were 41
percent less likely to die from a heart attack than those who drank two or
fewer glasses daily.� For men the heart
attack risk dropped by 54 percent.� Other
fluids did NOT produce the same benefit.�
These findings reveal that water intake is as important as diet,
exercise, and not smoking in preventing coronary heart disease.� (This information came from American Journal
of Epidemiology, Vol. 155, No. 9, published in Inside Report, Sept.-Oct. issue
for 2006.)� I am glad that most drink
dispensers now have water as one of the choices.
Charlene Carver of
Buckhannon is interested in helping people who are in need of food and basic
necessities.� She would like to see each
person who is grocery-shopping get one non-perishable food item for a food
pantry, be it your own church or our local Parish House.� Drop these items off at your church or the
Parish House and check to see what is needed for your next trip.� If 500 people did this four times a month,
this would be 2,000 food items by the end of the month.� �That would make our area of the world a
better place for everyone,� she says.�
Our church has tried to keep a supply of food on hand for emergencies,
but now we are trying to do more.
I received this on an email
today:� The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a
Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county
and he asked me a rhetorical question: �Why didn't we have a drug problem when
you and I were growing up?�
I replied, �I had a drug problem when I was young. I was drug to church on
Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to
family reunions and community socials no matter the weather. I was drug by my
ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I
disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak
with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put
forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I
uttered a profane four-letter word. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's
garden and flowerbeds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the
homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no
one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline or chop some firewood; and if my mother
had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would
have drug me back to the wood shed.
Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I
do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack or heroin; and if
today's children had this kind of drug problem,
To
that I say AMEN!
Seventh-day
Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental
beliefs to be the teaching of Holy Scripture.�
These beliefs constitute the church�s understanding and expression of
the teaching of Scripture.� (Revisions of
these statements can come when at a General Conference session the church is
led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better
language in which to express the teachings of God�s Word.)� For the next few weeks I am going to list
what these teachings are, as presented by the General Conference, because I
feel that many of you do not know much about us.� I hope you will "meet" us and feel
comfortable enough to visit us some Saturday morning.� If you are not interested in this
information, please just skip it.� It
will always be the final paragraph.� Here
goes with Number One!
1.
Holy Scriptures:� The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments,
are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of
God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.� In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge
necessary for salvation.� The Holy
Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will.� They are the standard of character, the test
of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy
record of God�s acts in history.� (2
Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John
17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
Maranatha!
Buckhannon
edition of PAT�S CHAT
November 20,
2006
I had my first Thanksgiving
feast at work with the evening-shift folk on November 15.� It was a �potluck� deal and it was
fabulous!� There are some very good cooks
that work at
I received a telephone call
from Judy (Gillespie) Smith who lives near
Xerox has come up with a
site that is precious.� You can go to www.letssaythanks.com and pick out a
card designed by children and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently
serving in
Shannon and Jan Braddock let
me know who wrote the poem about The
Twice now I have gone to
Ruth Elizabeth (McDannel) Meyer, 82, of Glenville, died on Friday, November
10 and her memorial service was held at the
I want to share a few health
tips that I got from the NAD Retirement newsletter that John receives from the
Seventh-day Adventist organization which handles his retirement.� It reports that Green Tea is supposed to
combat cancer, protect your heart, and help stop strokes, promote weight loss,
and kill bacteria.� (I just MUST drink
more green tea!)� Honey is supposed to
heal wounds, aid digestion, guard against ulcers, increase energy, fight
allergies.� (Thank you, Pastor Streets,
for the wonderful honey I get from you!)�
Walnuts are supposed to lower cholesterol, combat cancer, boost memory
(Oh, boy!� I need more walnuts!), lift
mood and protect against heart disease.�
Talking about health, my
sister-in-law, Freeda, (Sammy Wiant�s
wife) is now at a
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
October 30,
2006
If you want to find comments
about the 1943 flood go to the Blog:
Someone at
Following are some
interesting items I found in the October issue of Guideposts:
If you go to www.freecycle.org you may find something
you need or you may give away what you don�t need.� (That is one way to recycle our discards.)
�When things are good, say
good things.� When things are bad, say twice as many good
things.�� (This is from personal coach
and painter, R. Todd Michael from his book, The Twelve Conditions of a
Miracle.)
�Hope is not about
everything turning out okay; it is about being okay no matter how things turn
out.�� (This is from Carol Kodish-Butt, founder of
Last, but not least, by
going to www.guideposts.com/sweater,
you can get a pattern to knit for needy children.� (Since winter is about upon us, it might be
nice to sit by the fire and knit something useful.)
My email address is [email protected] and my phone number
is 304-472-5102 (or 888-204-5401 in
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
April 1, 2007
MOM = Molder Of
Mankind!� How many of us remember
that our influence on children is molding mankind, preparing a future
generation?� We found out that a
�positive� mom is not a �perfect� mom.�
Thomas Edison lost his mother at a young age, but still writes that his
mother was the �making of me.�� Even
those who by nature are �half-empty� (or pessimistic) rather than �half-full�
(or optimistic) can become more joyful and positive as they become acquainted
with the only truly perfect and positive Parent.�
Such were some of the things
discussed in our first session of the Positive Mom series.� (And we had some men there, too!)� We are only meeting on the first and last
Sunday afternoons of each month for a total of eight sessions.� We enjoyed chili and cornbread, broccoli soup
and homemade bread sticks, and �clair that I made from a recipe given to me by
my daughter-in-law, Carol Bucklew, of
On April 29th the
subject of our series on The Power of Positive Moms will be �Words of
Encouragement.�� I think you would enjoy
meeting with us.
Talking about Words of
Encouragement, Susie Love Singleton called me from
The
The theme throughout this
revival is the Ten Commandments, the first four promising us that we will have
no other God�s, will bow to no images, won�t take His name in vain and will
honor His Sabbath� because we see His
character through those commandments and realize His love for us.� We have begun learning that the last six
commandments promise us joyful relationships with our families and others as we
learn how much God loves each one.� On
April 6 we will learn Bible principles for a long life of true happiness,
entitled �Joyous, Abundant Living.��
Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. we will learn the meaning of completely
trusting Him in these last days, entitled �Do you
Really Trust Him?� (And if you come to this one, you can eat lunch with us
afterwards!) The final presentation will be that evening at 7:00 p.m. about the
priority of commitment to Christ in these end times, called �Sealed for
Eternity.�� I don�t want to miss any of
these meetings.� I invite you to share
with us at any or all of them.
I received a call from Marlee Huffman who was in Buckhannon visiting her son
Joshua.� Marlee
is from Gassaway.
I talked on the phone with
Jimmy McNemar and learned that he just got out of the
hospital last week and is on the mend.� I
also heard that Ray Crutchfield, Jr. is beginning to improve, and Ronnie Dean
is feeling some better.� That is all
pretty good news!�
I really enjoyed a column in
the Glenville Democrat/Pathfinder on March 29 by David Meyer entitled Help
yourself to Health.� He had a natural,
sugar-free recipe for apple pie with a whole wheat crust.� If you want the recipe, let me know and I
will email it to you or call me at 304-472-5102.
The Seventh-day Adventist
Belief Number 12:� Church:� The church is the community of believers who
confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.� In continuity with the people of God in Old
Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for
worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of
the Lord�s Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide
proclamation of the gospel.� The church
derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the
Scriptures, which are the written Word.�
The church is God�s family; adopted by Him as children, its members live
on the basis of the new covenant.� The
church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is
the Head.� The church is the bride for whom
Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her.� At His return in triumph, He will present her
to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His
blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and
without blemish.� (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38;
Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23;
5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.).
Maranatha!
Buckhannon
Edition
of
PAT�S CHAT
January 28,
2007
If you want to get in touch
with me, you can email me.� The address
is [email protected].� My phone number is 304-472-5102.��� I am still hoping that you will send me
some cute things the children in your life have said or done.� Sort of like Art Linkletter�s,
Kids Say the Darndest Things!�
Our church has begun a Food
Pantry and we are open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.� We hope to be able to give a little help to
some folks who might be having a difficult time making the food budget stretch
from one paycheck to the next.� Our
church phone number is 304-472-0962.
I would also like to start a
weekly get-together for parents who would like to talk to other parents, share
stories and concerns, watch a helpful parenting video, share snacks and just
�hang out.�� I am hoping that we will be
able to provide child-care during that time, possibly a couple of hours.� I would like to hear from you if this would
interest you.� Let me know what you think
would be the best time.� Call and leave a
message if I am not at home, or email me.
Do you remember the story
about the
I intended to write
something about a woman I admire - Evelyn Post!�
Lola Given interviewed her for the Braxton
Citizens� News and it was a wonderful article!�
I loaned the paper to my sister and don�t have access to the information
this week, but I can tell you that Evelyn has spent her life helping
others.� I suggested that Mountain
Hospice from Belington ask her to be a member of their Board from the
I enjoyed the column
entitled Stranger Than Fiction by Carol Long in last week�s Delta Record.� I had missed several of those interesting news
items.� imagine
how resourceful that nine-year-old boy was who drove a car, manipulated passes
for airplanes, etc.� I wonder if he got
to stay with his grandfather!
Here is the third Belief of
the
3.
Father:� God, the eternal Father, is the Creator,
Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation.� He is just and holy, merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.� The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son
and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father.� (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John
3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
Maranatha!
BUCKHANNON
EDITION
OF
PAT�S CHAT
January 8,
2007
I thoroughly enjoyed the
column in the Record Delta here in Buckhannon on January 5 by Craig Presar of the WVU Extension Service.� It was about the childhood obesity
epidemic.� Since obesity in children can
make them at risk for cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, coronary heart
disease, stress on weight-bearing joints, sleep apnea, menstrual abnormalities,
certain types of cancer, impaired balance and orthopedic problems, reduced life
expectancy, and last but not least of what I am mentioning, serious
psycho-social burdens because of how society stigmatizes obesity, it is
something all parents should take seriously.�
He says weight-loss diets are not recommended for most children.� But don�t make them clean their plates
either.� They should always be encouraged
to stop eating when they feel full.�
Don�t force any food but just make healthy foods a part of the family
diet and sooner or later the children will learn to eat them, if you do.� Include exercise (keeping TV, video games,
internet surfing to no more than two hours a day), encourage athletic and other
physical activity interests.� Create
opportunities to play outside, have them walk with you or bike with you.� This information was obtained by Craig from
Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health In The Balance,
by the
While I am on the health
kick, I received a note from Mayo Clinic telling how vitamin D has helped with
unspecified musculoskeletal pain.� One
man started with a Vitamin D supplement with dinner (that�s supper to me) and
eliminated pain the very first night.�
Taking the supplement with the evening meal has consistently done the
job for this man.� (Ask your doctor about
this and be careful and not overdose on Vitamin D.� It is one of the vitamins that is not water soluble, so it can build up in your
system.� Don�t start without consulting
your doctor or pharmacist).
Another item of interest to
us older people: Researchers at Loma Linda University, in collaboration with
Washington University researchers, released a study last month indicating that
drinking one � two glasses of pomegranate juice every day may help prevent
Alzheimer�s and the build-up of protein plaque in the brain.� Visit http://news.adventist.org/data/2006/11/1166535996/index.hetm.en
for more information.� This came to me
via email in The Communicator produced by the Iowa-Missouri Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists.
In response to my item about
dolls in nursing homes, a friend of my daughter writes that she went to an
Alzheimer unit to visit a lady and saw a nursery set up for little moms and
their babies (dolls).� They had a rocking
chair, crib, and other things.� They also
had a play dress-up area and a play-kitchen like little girls love.� One of the ladies had her baby on her bed
with a stack of diapers and blankets.� I
think that nursing homes such as this one create happy moments for many of
their residents who remember the past much better than they remember two
minutes ago.
Charlotte McCauley, a
retired school teacher here in Buckhannon (originally from the Burnsville area)
called me to invite me to watch the Sago documentary with her and her family
since I do not get the Discovery Channel, but I had to be at work so could not
take her up on that sweet offer. I hope someone videoed it for me.�� I met
Our church has a service at
the Senior High Rise here in Buckhannon the first Thursday evening of each
month.� Those ladies and gentlemen always
have us a delicious snack of one kind or another as well as good decaf coffee.� It is a pleasure to visit and worship with
them.
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
June 4, 2006
304-472-5102
It is time for
John and I ate at Wendy�s
here in Buckhannon once last week and Rich McKinney was there.� He looks very well for 93!� I mistakenly wrote that he is 95 in last
week�s Chat.� I told him that I had
attended the
My grandson, Charles Alfred Bucklew, aka �Chuckie,� was
inducted into the National Junior Honor Society last week in the cool
We had an interesting
discussion in the Sunday School Class at the
There is not a point that a
Christian needs to think about more earnestly, repeat more often, or establish
more firmly in the mind than the reality that it is impossible for anyone to
merit anything by his own very best good works.�
Our salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone!� (However, the evidence that we have that kind
of faith is the day-by-day life we live that shows what He has done for us.)
Maranatha!
Glenville
edition
Pat�s Chat
March 12, 2007
Another cute and unusual
tale about one of my favorite little girls, Kristen Fisher who is four,
emphasizes again Art Linkletter�s assertion that
�kids say [and do] the darnedest things!��
Kristen�s mom, Thalia (who works at Sharpe,
too) was preparing to go to the store.�
Kristen decided she also needed to take a purse.� She said, �I need money in it.�� Thalia gave her a
dollar, thinking that she would buy candy or something.� She did not.�
Instead, at the check-out counter she insisted on helping to pay the
grocery bill.� Thalia
tried to talk her out of it, but could see that she was going to get very upset
if she was not allowed to pay her dollar on the grocery bill!� She was very satisfied when she paid her
dollar to the clerk!� Maybe our future is
safe with this type of unselfish youngster.
There were wonderful
articles about Bill Cutlip in the Weston
Democrat.� He
was evidently a wonderful person, as was Jimmy Cobb (my classmate) who was
also buried this past weekend.� I did not
get to go to the visitation or funeral of Bill, but went to the visitation for
Jim at the spacious Hardman-Paletti Funeral
Home.� It is sad that this is the place
we usually meet - at loved ones funerals!�
A few of the people I saw were Patty Ann (Graff), Jim�s wife, and her
daughter and son, Jim�s brother Homer Cobb and the other family members and
many friends.� I hope the great
outpouring of love for both Bill Cutlip and Jim Cobb
brought a little comfort to the ones who will live with the loss of these dear
ones.
Howard Sumpter
called me from Sand Fork.� He is related
to Biddie Love who attends our church.� He mentioned being related to Pearl Smith of
Sandy Holmes of Buckhannon
called to see if the Jessie Dean I mentioned last week was someone she has been
looking for.� She remembers Jessie Gould
Dean, (not the Jessie Haymond Dean that I mentioned),
who used to live on
Number nine of Seventh-day
Adventists beliefs:� Life, Death, and
Resurrection of Christ:� In Christ�s life
of perfect obedience to God�s will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God
provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith
accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better
understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator.� This perfect atonement vindicates the
righteousness of God�s law and the graciousness of His character; for it both
condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness.� The death of Christ is substitutionary
and expiatory, reconciling and transforming.�
The resurrection of Christ proclaims God�s triumph over the forces of
evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over
sin and death.� It declares the Lordship
of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.� (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor.
15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John
2:2; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
April 2, 2006
304-472-5102 or 888 294-5401
John and I had
a beautiful drive on Saturday as we went to visit our former church at
Gassaway! We picked up my sister, Mary Ann Bucklew,
in
Bright
sunshine welcomed Sunday also and it was already 50 degrees when I went to
Suzanne
is starting back from her six-week-tour of volunteer work in Waveland,
Mississippi where she has been supervising student volunteers who are trying to
help restore homes in that Katrina-devastated area. I think she is going back
the middle of May for six more weeks! If you want to volunteer there, or donate
to the cause, let me know.
Did you
know that just walking into a smoky restaurant increases your risk of heart
attack? Experts estimate that only 20 minutes of breathing smoke-filled air
makes even a non-smoker�s blood platelets more likely to stick to each other,
potentially leading to blood clots, vessel blockage, heart attack, and stroke.
Warn your friends and family about the threat of second-hand smoke. I learned
this from a magazine called Vibrant Life. You can learn more by going to www.VibrantLife.com.
Spring
must really be here! The Adventists are planning a Ramp Supper this week if the
ramps are up! Yummy! We are each supposed to bring brown or white beans, or
corn bread, or potatoes or eggs to fry, or biscuits, or gravy, or juice. Sounds
like fun! Would you like to come?
There
are a lot of very interesting activities this time of the year in various
churches. The Tennerton United Methodist Church, and
I am sure others, will have Holy Thursday communion at 7:00 p.m. on April 13,
and also a play (What Jesus Really Did). Then on Good
Friday at Reed Chapel at 7:00 p.m. there will be a Tenebrae
Service. Dixie McCormick, pastor of the Mt. Washington UMC here in Buckhannon,
explained to me a little about Tenebrae. I went on
the Internet and learned that Tenebrae is a Latin
word for shadows. The purpose of the service is to recreate some of the
emotional aspects of the passion story, the betrayal, abandonment and agony.
They use black or dark purple candles and one white candle and after a reading,
one candle is extinguished, then another reading, another candle put out, and
so on until only the white candle remains. This candle, which represents
Christ, is put out after Psalm 22 is read. This leaves the church in almost
total darkness. Then without even a benediction, the people leave. In all my
years, I don�t think I have every heard about or experienced a Tenebrae Service. Everyone is welcome to attend these
services.
There
will be a vespers service at 6:00 p.m. on April 29 at the
Mary
Ellen Davidson, my good friend who lives on Cutright
Road just out of Buckhannon, and I went to Aesop�s Caf� on
I called
Ruth Criss to get her brother, Russ McClain�s phone
number. Ruth, who lives in Rock Cave, has a new great-grandson, Jackson Robert
Bush, born March 31, at 5 pounds! He is the son of Robert and Amy of French
Creek, grandson of Chrystal and Chuck Rutherford of Buckhannon, and Sandra Dean
of Weston. Also,
Maranatha!
PAT�S CHAT
April 9, 2006
For those of you who have
tried to reach me, but couldn�t, my phone number is 304-472-5102 or
888-294-5401. Please ask me to call you back. I use Verizon�s Freedom Package
so that I pay a set fee and can call freely. With my family and friends
scattered (in
Viola Conner, 96, a member
of the
�
Mary Lou (Grose) Armentrout, a classmate
who graduated with me from
A friend called me to let me
know that I was wrong when I said in a recent Chat that the Pringle brothers
who lived three years in a hollow sycamore tree were "pioneers."
Instead, they were deserters from the British Army! Oh, well, I am sure they
could be considered pioneers, too, or at least they lived the pioneer
lifestyle.
At
Also, Pastor
Ginger is a valuable aid in
treating nausea and preventing the vomiting associated with motion sickness. A
study found that about one gram of powdered ginger was very effective in
reducing symptoms of motion sickness, typically consumed about 30 minutes
before travel. That is why ship captains sometimes offer their passengers
ginger cookies to help prevent seasickness. This is another tidbit of
information I found in Vibrant Life. Visit their site at www.VibrantLife.com.
Maranatha!
PAT�S
CHAT
April 16, 2006
I am hoping that by the time
you read this, your taxes are all taken care of.� I know that the Sapp family
here in Buckhannon have all been working very diligently to get that
sort of work done for their clients.� I
am thankful for my CPA cousin, Debbie Davis!�
Our refunds are in.� This is the
first time in years we have had any refund.
Rob Phillips of Buckhannon
brought the message at the
After the service, a
beautiful Easter wedding united Mary Gregory and Harry Cutlip
of Buckhannon in marriage.� Mary�s two
daughters and Harry�s son were included in the
ceremony, with her granddaughter, Mikala, as flower
girl.� Gerald Heckert
escorted the bride into the sanctuary.�
My eyes misted over several times (nothing unusual for me during
weddings).� It was just beautiful.� A delicious potluck dinner followed.
(Wouldn�t you know it!�
I always eat!)� The church looked
so beautiful dressed in its Easter colors and flowers.
Someone asked me why the
I did not make it to any of
the Easter sunrise meetings.� That
surprised no one.
The Buckhannon Methodists
are announcing Early Response Training at
Enjoying a hearty breakfast
every morning sets you up to consume fewer calories the rest of the day says a
recent study by the American Heart Association.�
Regular breakfast eaters are 35-50% less likely to become overweight
than non-breakfast eaters are.� Do you
have a friend who wants to shed a few pounds?�
Looking to lose a few yourself?� Meet together for breakfast and check out www.VibrantLife.com for more easy weight
loss tips.
The National Ten-Commandment
Day is May 7th, with May 6th set aside as the �day� for
Jewish and other sabbath-keepers to celebrate the
fact that God�s Law is eternal.� To find
out more about this, go to www.tencommandmentsday.com.� If you would like a free book, Ten
Commandments Twice Removed, please let me know at 304-472-5102 or email me
at [email protected]� The Adventists are planning a special Ten
Commandments Weekend in
Maranatha!
May 14, 2007
It is Mother�s Day!� I have been touched to tears with some of the
greetings and gifts I have received, not only from my family, but also from
some dear
friends.� I feel truly loved.
The men of the
I was late for the brunch
because I played the piano for the
After the meal, some of us
(Alma Heckert, Biddy Love, Geri Hart, Mary Smith and
I) visited Margaret Losh who has been ill and unable
to attend church for a long time.� We
took her a plate of food, a flower and a beautiful prayer blanket!
I am thankful that our
furnace didn�t quit in the middle of the winter!� Since it is fairly livable without the
furnace (with a little electric and a wall heater, and the doors all closed to
the bedrooms), it stays fairly cozy in the living area.� Also, it is not so hot that we need the air
conditioner.� That�s two blessings.� Number three blessing is that we have time to
talk to different folks and get estimates on the type of system we need.� We have met some very nice and knowledgeable
technicians.� The decision is going to be
a difficult one.
Former Flatwoods mayor and current Weston Democrat reporter
John Clise was recently honored by the
We still have some of the
books, Ten Commandments Twice Removed. Call me and I will send you a
copy.� (304) 472-5102.� If you are interested in studies about
end-time events and Bible prophecies, we can send you these for free.� Or you can find these studies on the web at www.3abn.org, www.vop.com,
or www.amazingfacts.org.
Do you want to hear
something delightful?� My brother, Harry Wiant, Jr., is a dignified professor, once at WVU but now
at
http://enus.springdoo.com/public/play/?id=F93D9FA8F84415E9
and he has others.
Maranatha!
PAT�S
CHAT
News from
November 13, 2005
Greetings
from
The
Old Farmer's Almanac offers this about November: "Teeth-chattering, then a
spattering. Too good to be true; skies of cobalt blue, and warmer, too! Make
the best of it--you're likely not to like the rest of it!" Not too
comforting, is it? The last few nights have been bright, as the Beaver Moon
grows full. The light of this full moon will eliminate chances to see the
Leonid meteor shower, which usually offers skywatchers
a real treat in November.
I
want to comment on the recent Thanksgiving Dinner at the
Along
that vein, let me offer a very tasty recipe for a quick meal. You can arrange
to have all the ingredients on hand to be used at a moment's notice. Our
Library Board President Boody Talbott
shared this with me so I've come to call it Boody's
Chicken Biscuits. Canned chicken meat, a can of creamed chicken soup and
biscuits are the ingredients. Directions: put the chicken in the bottom of
baking dish. Add the soup from can. Place the biscuits in a layer on top. Bake
in a preheated oven according to the biscuit requirement, adding a few minutes
since the dough is setting on the soup. It's a really easy and delicious dish! Yummers!
On
Friday, November 18, Tammy Brown's Third Grade class will be presenting the
Thanksgiving Program for the school and visitors in the school auditorium.
Time: approximately 1:30. Tammy and Chastity Hupp and
the students have been working and rehearsing to provide the entertainment. A
special treat: the play in the program was written by Minnie McNemar, and Sarah, her granddaughter, is in Mrs. Brown's
class!
Just
wait until you see the school!! The front hallway is decorated with art
completed as a home project by the students and their families. Recently
Moving
now to library notes... A 'Name Quilt' has been donated to the library. The
November
13-19 is Children's Book Week, and to celebrate the week, the After School
Reading Program begins for students of BES. The ASRP was organized last year
and had faithful participation throughout the school year until May. Students
come to the library after school and have a chance to engage in leisure reading
to maintain and improve their reading skills. Like last year, our first
enrollees are late bus students who sit in the Bus Room each day waiting for
buses to take them home. In general, the ASRP will be held after school each
day that school is in session. (Change from this schedule will be posted.)
Sessions will last approximately 20-30 minutes. Do you have a student in First,
Second, Third or Fourth grade who would like to attend
the ASRP? Registration forms are available at the library.
Also
in connection with Children's Book Week, the library extends amnesty to anyone
having overdue books. NO FINES on overdue books returned during the week of
November 13-19.
There
is an ongoing book sale during the week also. 'Purchases' are made by
donations. Please stop by the library and look at the many available books.
Any
comments or questions?
(Mr. Wiant always had us use this phrase when we
finished giving an oral report to the class.) [email protected]
PAT�S
CHAT
News from
November 13, 2005
Greetings
from
The
Old Farmer's Almanac offers this about November: "Teeth-chattering, then a
spattering. Too good to be true; skies of cobalt blue, and warmer, too! Make
the best of it--you're likely not to like the rest of it!" Not too
comforting, is it? The last few nights have been bright, as the Beaver Moon
grows full. The light of this full moon will eliminate chances to see the
Leonid meteor shower, which usually offers skywatchers
a real treat in November.
I
want to comment on the recent Thanksgiving Dinner at the
Along
that vein, let me offer a very tasty recipe for a quick meal. You can arrange
to have all the ingredients on hand to be used at a moment's notice. Our
Library Board President Boody Talbott
shared this with me so I've come to call it Boody's
Chicken Biscuits. Canned chicken meat, a can of creamed chicken soup and
biscuits are the ingredients. Directions: put the chicken in the bottom of
baking dish. Add the soup from can. Place the biscuits in a layer on top. Bake
in a preheated oven according to the biscuit requirement, adding a few minutes
since the dough is setting on the soup. It's a really easy and delicious dish! Yummers!
On
Friday, November 18, Tammy Brown's Third Grade class will be presenting the
Thanksgiving Program for the school and visitors in the school auditorium.
Time: approximately 1:30. Tammy and Chastity Hupp and
the students have been working and rehearsing to provide the entertainment. A
special treat: the play in the program was written by Minnie McNemar, and Sarah, her granddaughter, is in Mrs. Brown's
class!
Just
wait until you see the school!! The front hallway is decorated with art
completed as a home project by the students and their families. Recently
Moving
now to library notes... A 'Name Quilt' has been donated to the library. The
November
13-19 is Children's Book Week, and to celebrate the week, the After School
Reading Program begins for students of BES. The ASRP was organized last year
and had faithful participation throughout the school year until May. Students
come to the library after school and have a chance to engage in leisure reading
to maintain and improve their reading skills. Like last year, our first
enrollees are late bus students who sit in the Bus Room each day waiting for
buses to take them home. In general, the ASRP will be held after school each
day that school is in session. (Change from this schedule will be posted.)
Sessions will last approximately 20-30 minutes. Do you have a student in First,
Second, Third or Fourth grade who would like to attend
the ASRP? Registration forms are available at the library.
Also
in connection with Children's Book Week, the library extends amnesty to anyone
having overdue books. NO FINES on overdue books returned during the week of
November 13-19.
There
is an ongoing book sale during the week also. 'Purchases' are made by
donations. Please stop by the library and look at the many available books.
Any
comments or questions?
(Mr. Wiant always had us use this phrase when we
finished giving an oral report to the class.) [email protected]
PAT�S CHAT
May 21, 2006
Parades, music, concessions,
music, rides, music, contests, music, fireworks, music, floats, music, marching
bands, music, U.S. Army Cavalry from Texas, music!� Even free strawberry shortcake one
evening.� The Strawberry Festival here in
Buckhannon is wonderful.� Jerry Koon, who
was on the festival board of directors for 15 years, reports that the festival
just keeps growing and growing.� He said,
�The
You might find it
interesting to go to http://vhost.oddcast.com/vhost_minisite/demos/tts/tts_example.html.� When you type something in, it gets spoken
back to you when you click on �Say it.��
After indulging during the
weekend festivities, you might be interested in these 10 basic habits you can
form to have permanent weight control.�
1.� Eat lots of foods �as grown.�� These are the complex carbohydrate foods, high
in fiber and nutrients, yet low in calories and price, and devoid of
cholesterol.� 2.� Never skip breakfast.� A hot cereal with fruit is great!� 3.� Eat
three meals a day at regular times.�
4.� Eat slowly.� Take time to enjoy your food.� 5.� End
your main meal with a piece of fruit.�
Save desserts for special treats.�
(However, a pediatrician in Georgia, Dr. Leila Denmark who is 107 years
old has eaten NO sugar in 65 years.)�
6.� Skip snacks and night munchies
(or eat a piece of fruit or some raw veggies).�
7.� Drink water instead of juice
or sodas.� (Dr.
Remember that the
I talked to Evelyn Post
about the Central West Virginia Aging Services, Inc., (CWVAS) of which she is
the Executive Director.� When I attended
the Board Meeting for the Mountain Hospice in Belington, I shared some of her
information and activities with them.�
CWVAS is a one-stop resource for all in-home care needs.� It is a non-profit organization and can help
with prescriptions, at-cost liquid food supplements and many other
services.� They are even sponsoring a
trip to
Maranatha!
PAT'S
CHAT
News
from
February
22, 2003
Nothing
like a blizzard to discover our vulnerability, or to reveal our pioneer spirit
in all its latent glory!! I couldn't get the Chat in because I depend on email
to do it (or fax). Thank you, everyone who has called or emailed that they
missed my column. We were without electricity from Sunday until Thursday
evening. We packed our frozen items in a cooler and covered it with snow and it
kept very well. We had Ratliff Service of Gassaway install a gas space heater
because, thankfully, we had left some natural gas outlets in our home when we
installed the central heat. Of course, we didn't get our new space heater till
the day our electric was turned back on.
Jim Pritt, Town Recorder, said to me, "Dern
such weather." (Well, really, he used a stronger expletive!) The mayor,
Lee Mackey, and Jim and all of the Council want to thank the Volunteer Fire
Department and all the volunteers at the
It is
reported that our shelter was the first to open in the state. We were
especially concerned about the Senior apartments that
are all electric. Most of the tenants went home with family, but Iva Jean
Riddle, 80-year-old resident, stayed at the shelter for the duration of
problems. Beverly Berlo managed the site and wants to
especially recognize Barbara Anson and Sharon Berlo
who helped 24/7. She also thanks the many others who helped, contributed food
(I know James Lee Wine made potato soup and John Ridpath
made vegetarian chili).
The generous donations that
many of you have given to Adventist Campaign for Community stay in our state
and have helped John Ridpath, Disaster Coordinator,
supply a container and kerosene to the shelter here in Burnsville. He also
replenished the supply of kerosene when needed. Then, when Tom and Virginia
Riffle tragically lost their son in a fire and ALL their belongings, John went
to one of our centers to begin supplying food, bedding and clothing for the
remaining family. Our local Adventist Community Services will help supply beds
for them. If you have anything you can donate to this family please call Mary
E. (Sally) Brown to determine what is needed, and ask her when you can bring it
to the EMT building that is located across from the Town Hall. They are
collecting items in the empty ambulance stall, awaiting
the time when the Riffle family obtains a place to live. Our hearts go out to
them. I understand that Tom is in the hospital now. Our sympathy and prayers
are with you, Tom, and all your family.
Governor
Wise stopped by and chatted with us on Friday at the shelter. He thanked all
who helped and it was he who said ours was the first shelter to open. He added,
"The best help was neighbor helping neighbor." He said the situation
helped identify all who can assist in emergencies. I took some pictures, which
I hope to get into the paper next week.
�
What do
you do when you have no TV or other electric conveniences? One grandmother here
in town said she got pretty good at checkers and her grandson doesn't beat her
so badly now. When John was making his chili, I was cutting up the onions and
celery and he said, "Use the food processor. It will be faster." What
did I do? Put the onions into the food processor!! I don't know the number of
times I switched on the lights!! Habit is hard to break.
With all
the talk about and preparation for war, we may be in conflict soon. That can be
scary. I found comfort in Psalm 27 and knowing God is ultimately in control.
It was a
joy to get to meet at the Seventh-day Adventist church in Gassaway for worship
again Saturday morning. I don't know what we are going to do with that road up
to the church that never gets sunshine!
Charlotte
Smith, a Health Service Worker (HSW) at Sharpe Hospital, tells me that Eddie L.
Barker, pastor of the Church of God here in Burnsville, performed the wedding
ceremony for James Cogar and Ronda Smith at the
Weston Church of God on Valentine's Day. Also another Valentine's Day wedding
(at which it was my privilege to play the piano) united Andrew Frame and
Roberta Cooley at the
Jimmy Luzader, another HSW at Sharpe reports that Jenelee (Nicholas) Luzader,
formerly of
Marie Brosius, age 106, died at
�
Besides
playing for the wedding on Friday, I saw a good program at the
Elections
are getting closer. Make sure your candidate is actively attending council
meetings and participating in town government. You are allowed to attend their
meetings, you know, and can see for yourself what they are doing (or not
doing). Vote responsibly, but VOTE.
�
James
Lee Wine requests VFW members to PLEASE attend meetings on the second Tuesday
of each month. Next meeting is March 11 at the
I got
another anonymous piece of mail Saturday a week ago. It included only a page
from a daily thought-for-the-day calendar, which said, "There is a whole
world that we feel with our hearts and imagination. - Leigh
Hunt." Handwritten on it were the words, "From a Dedicated
Reader!" The postmark was a WV one. I also got a call on my answering
machine to "Pat's Chat" but I could not understand what was said and
no name was given. Please call again.
I got
email from Ken Eister of
I got
another letter from Laura (Linger) and Truman Yeager who tell me that they love
my column and grab the paper as soon as it comes to read my article first. They
say they are homesick. She told of a warm quilt given to them by Bob and Maple
Knight. It is truly Appalachian Art. They are very proud of it. She says my
dad, who taught her math, which was her downfall, helped her and she became a
real estate agent. She says Gertrude (Yeager) Morrison, her sister-in-law gave
them a subscription to the Braxton Democrat for Christmas four years ago and it
is a gift that keeps on giving.
Maranatha!
Pat Ridpath
(304)
853-2401
PAT�S CHAT
LOSING YOUR MARBLES
Pat is still with her
daughter, Robin, and there are many prayers the surgery, if necessary, will go
well for Robin this week.� I�m Harry,
Pat�s oldest brother, filling in this� time.
Burnsville may not have been
the marble capitol of the world when I was growing up, but it seemed that way to
me.� The town had it�s
notable players, Bob Singleton was one of them, and the king of the game was
Earl McClain (I can even remember us saying, �It�s a bird, it�s a plane, it�s
Earl McClain!�).� Every boy went to
school with a pocket full of marbles,� �including his �favorite shooter.�� That marble, nicked from many previous
engagements, was one that would stick in the ring and knock the marbles out
without fail.
You might think the rules
were simple, far from it!� Just after
drawing a circle 4 to 6 feet in diameter at the side of the IGA store, you had
to be fast and knowledgeable concerning the intricacy of the sport. The initial
decision was decided by �We�re playing for keeps!�� That would mean you kept the marbles you shot
out of the ring.�� �First and second on
all games!� you must call out quickly.�
That means you get the first try at shooting marbles out of the ring on
the first game, and you would get to be second on all other games if not first
by wining (getting� the most marbles) the
previous game.� �Second and thirds on
you!� another would shout.� That lucky
soul would be second when the previous player was first and third in turn when
that player was second.� And you thought
marbles was easy!� Other things you had
to remember to say included:
�No dubs!�,
which would mean you could only shoot a single marble out of the ring, not two.
��No steelies!� must
be shouted or a player with a metal ball bearing could play havoc when using it
as his shooter.
��No grabs!��
to prohibit a player from grabbing all the
marbles when the bell rang that recess was over.
� �No clodhoppers� would prevent someone using
giant marbles as shooters.
But, and I must end this
chat bringing back a memory many of you experienced.� You�d be in you classroom studying history
when a marble would roll out of your pocket.�
A rule we all knew, a never changing rule like the laws of the Medes and
Persians, was that the teacher confiscated any such marbles, and they were
never returned.� And pity the poor soul
whose misfortune it was to have his favorite shooter suffer such an inglorious
fate.
PAT�S
CHAT
News
from here and there
April
23, 2006
I found the ultimate Bible Resource site on
the Internet.� It is www.bibleuniverse.com!� I like clicking on �Hymn of the Day� and
listening, and it looks like almost any Bible question could be answered while
my own point of view is respected.� I
like that!� Visit that site and expand
your universe.
Ilene Pickens called me a few days ago wondering
if I had a less expensive Verizon Freedom package here in Buckhannon like the
one her sister has in
A baby shower was held today at the
We got some delicious Gardenburger
Portabello burgers in the frozen foods section at the
store and they are deliciously vegetarian.�
They are even �wheat-free!�� On
the box is this quote: �Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances
of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian
diet.�� - Albert Einstein
Jewel Burkhart Wilfong
with whom I used to work at the old
The
Pat
Blake writes, �I just got home from [Kanawha Alumni Association] KAA meeting.
It was a busy!!! Directly after the business session was concluded we began
getting the mailers ready. Three pages this year: the Association
letter/reservation form, a note about the library reception, and information
about the Friday night gathering in the park. Over 1000 'letters' were
prepared: stamping, folding, stapling... The group hit a good lick and finished
in roughly an hour.� These will go in the mail early this week, so if anyone fails
to receive an invitation, please contact Cherry Dale Ramsey (304)
853-2474.�� Also, remember that if you
have any donations for the auction (especially BHS memorabilia) call Russ
McClain at (304) 853-2826.� Also, to get
your yard sale site on the map for that weekend, contact Terry Vankirk at (304) 853-2460.�
Ray Crutchfield, Jr. has had shoulder surgery
and needs lots of prayer and get-well cards!�
(
The Class of �51 plans to meet Friday at 2:00
p.m. in the park back of the school on Alumni weekend!� Bring your own chair, remember.
A dear friend of mine in
Shirley Singleton Lloyd announces that they
will have a Garage and Bake sale at their home in Flatwoods on April 29th,
rain or shine, from 8:00 a.m. until ??� Proceeds will be for the Cancer fund.� If you have questions, call Shirley at (304)
765-7514.
To raise funds for the
Wally Hefner wrote that he remembers George
and Laura Ptomey as �two of the finest people I ever
knew.�� Mr. Ptomey
was the man who hired Wally at the Home National Bank.� Wally says he always took Mr. Ptomey a mess of frog legs and asks, �Where have all the
frogs gone?�� (I wonder that
myself.)� Wally also remembers my Uncle Clate Wiant�s blind horse and he
has a picture of Clate with it.� He says he always like my �Aunt� Iva Lou, or
rather listening to her.� She sent Wally
a case of wine once.� �A wonderful
person,� he writes.
Here is a picture from about 1938 or so.� It is from left to right, Juanita Sholes,
Jean McNemar, and Pauline Sands, and is taken in front
of the Sands house in the Stringtown part of
�
Maranatha!���
PAT�S
CHAT
News from
August 1, 2004
304-853-2401
As I prepare this column to
email to the papers, I am thinking of Gene Moran, a perfect lady whose life
will be celebrated and memories shared this afternoon (August 1) at the John
& Myrtle Moran house in Burnsville from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.� Gene died in June.� Regretfully, I will not be attending due to
my work schedule, but my heart will be with the family.� I pray that God will richly bless each one
and give them strength to cope and joy in their hope for the future when they
can be reunited with her in Heaven and eventually live again on this earth,
made new and free from the results of thousands of years of sin and
destruction.� What a delight that will be
to renew acquaintances and explore God�s whole universe with each other, expand
our knowledge and talents, and be blessed with healthful vigor and never-ending
life.� I hope that I can choose a spot
for my�� home on this earth made new that
will be similar to
What a wonder to me that
Jesus would sacrifice so much to make it possible for all us sinful human
beings to be a part of His eternity; that when I am judged, my sinful past will
not be seen because Jesus� perfect life will be all that is visible to God,
that Jesus is my Advocate (lawyer) pleading my case, and He is my judge.� But most of all, He is my Savior.� That is why �Maranatha�
means so much to me � that Jesus in coming back for us just as He promised.
And when the earth is
renewed, He promises to live right here with us!� To think, He WANTS us to be here with Him and
will miss us if we choose not to be.� To
think that He loves each one of us so much that He would have died in our place
even if we had been the only human being ever to believe and accept that
sacrifice.� What wonderful promises!� What a wonderful Savior!� These are the thoughts that come to me as I
think of Gene and miss her.
Hoy Wine, a classmate of
mine, is doing great after serious back surgery, according to his sister, Emogene Blake. Hoy lives in
Dr. Susan Lark at www.DrLark.com wrote in her July newsletter
about flax.� Someone asked her if there
is something simple that could be incorporated into a hectic life style and
give comprehensive health benefits.� She
said flax is definitely it.� Flaxseed is
a nutritional powerhouse that helps support heart health, promotes emotional
well-being, restores moisture to the skin, promotes hormone balance, prevents
bone loss, aids weight-loss efforts and ever so much more.� Just one or two tablespoons of flaxseed oil (which
can be used in your salad dressing or as spread for your bread instead of
margarine) or four to six tablespoons of ground flaxseed a day is all that is
needed to reap these benefits.� Her
newsletter lists the scientific reasons flax is so good for you, such as being
rich in omega-3 fatty acids.� Sprinkling
the ground flax on top of oatmeal or including it in my pancake mix is the way
I am using it.� I bought an inexpensive
coffee grinder so I can grind the seeds up fresh every day.��� I also sometimes add the ground seeds to
juice or shakes or put it on dry cereal or in
yogurt.� Several of my friends have
gotten coffee grinders and are adding flaxseed to their daily routine.
I misplaced Toni Wine�s
information for my last column, but here is what I have from her for this
time:� She had perfect attendance at
Toni is going to miss
Natalie Wine when she goes back to Fairmont this month,
and Buddy Prince when he goes to WVU.�
Best wishes and good luck from the workers at Precision Services.
Toni�s Happy Birthday
greetings go to friend Leona Roberts on August 1; uncle Bill Cochran on August
2; friend Tracy Frame on August 9; friend Michael Lemon, aunt Susie Wyant and friend Brenda Dobbins on August 12; uncle Grafton
Wine on August 13; uncle Letcher Wine on August 17; friends Terry Roberts and
Mike Ramsey on August 19; aunt Susie Flint Wine on August 23; dad Denzil Wine on August 27; cousin Carol Edwards on August
28.
MARANATHA!
������
