Oh Fall How I Love Thee! Nice Music, a 1949 Movie Rec, a Few Photos and Little Thoughts

So neat...



And how can we forget Nat King Cole this time of year?






In my prayer time I feel impressed to lay my head even more and more on the Father's chest...Just like a little girl laying her head on her father's loving chest...Trusting and telling the Father my concerns.

Love this song, a wonderful reminder, oh, just so beautiful and truthful too. 




Prayer is a powerful thing, we can talk with Him and walk with Him...and He listens.  He is also moved by our Faith.  When our children talk to us?  Don't we listen?  



  Photo by Robert Stock

Seen any good movies?   We saw one that is definitely a keeper!    It's called  Red Light (1949)
I wasn't sure if I would like it by the name, but this one is inspiring, wowee.  The end is really something.   It's about a mobster with a missionary brother and a secret in a Bible.   The movie poster on this doesn't represent the movie. Some of  the music is so beautiful...Very period, just so nice, reminded me a bit of the old movie, Boys Town in that particular way.  





Here's a few photos, I have more but around here, out here away from it all it is shared internet with the other country neighbors so bandwidth can be hard to come by on certain days and it takes forever to load up my photos from my phone etc. 


A recent evening walk:



The other evening...






A partial glimpse of  my lineup of seedlings getting started for my fall garden, I'm planting a variety of winter squash and greens, just a nice variety of wonderful vegetables along with marigolds to attract bees for pollination:


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One of our five kitties, his name?   Why it's Monkey!  Our daughter Annette had brought him home one dark night as a kitten, he had tromped through puddles through the forest to reach her car as she stopped, seeing him near our home, so sweet. It's as if he knew exactly his ride was there!  He has beautiful light green eyes and loves pets.  

...



A sweet reminder, just love sweet little scarecrows!

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The other morning, I saw the light landing on my 'Faith' sign behind my couch...I took the trouble to go fetch my phone to get this shot...It reminded me of my Grandma and Grandpa Oddo's home when I was a little girl there on the bay...The way the morning light would come in...

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I'll close now, I need to get supper going, I already have some potatoes in the oven I make with chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic powder a little olive or avocado oil and all that jazz.

We'll have my special red beans and rice too with hints of mustard greens, and one of my favorites, Tofurky.  If you're a veggie gal like me, Tofurky is gold, it flavors things wonderfully and is plantbased.  How do I make my red bean soup?   I follow the recipe for the mostpart from the Camellia  brand bean bag subbing Tofurky fro meat and adding some sauteed bell peppers too.  Edit 9.18:  I also sautee a can of diced tomatoes with the onions, peppers and tofurkey.  Sometimes I throw into a vegan bouillon cube in the broth later.

I'll be making some Jiffy cornbread too, that's a nice comfort food....

I usually serve a big green salad as well with my Creole soup.    Camellia bean company is in New Orleans, I have New Orleans in my blood.





My Italian grandma was from New Orleans, her Italian family from Naples, Italy owned an ice cream cone and ice cream business on the main street across from Jax brewery.  The business is still there but owned by someone else.  My great grandpa spoke little English being from Naples, Italy. He had invented his own ice cream cone and it was stolen by a large ice cream cone company from the same area.  So many Italians were not treated properly back then but they worked hard and pulled themselves up.  My great grandparents moved to Texas as my grandma's brothers were getting older and my grandfather was afraid they would get into  bad company, I'm so thankful to my great grandfather for that courageous move.

But I do love New Orleans, the mighty Mississippi river is my favorite spot there watching the river boats, jazz musicians playing on the corners, it's so nice and the great cathedral.  Many people think of bad things when they think of New Orleans but you can easily go there and stay away from bad things just like any other city, we don't even drink and we are fine there, you just have to know what to stay away from.  If you like history it's a neat and unique place. My grandma kept her New Orleans accent and loved to cook, nothing like it. I think of my grandma often when I'm in the kitchen doing what I call...Composing dinner. 

Do you know the famous actress, Irene Dunne was the daughter of a riverboat inspector?  She said the greatest time in her life was as a teenager riding with her father on those riverboats.   My father went to Gulfport Military Academy in Biloxi Mississippi right down the way, oh the stories of the dances they would attend at the local girls academy.  I have my uncle's dress gloves from the academy.

Well, looks like I typed up a  bunny trail above...




Have a good evening, loves,

All who humble themselves before the Lord shall be given every blessing and shall have wonderful peace.    Psalm 37:11


Growth takes place in quietness, in hidden ways, in silence and solitude.  The process is not accessible to observation.  
~Eugene Peterson


Our Lord does not care so much for the importance of our works as for the love with which they are done. 
~Teresa of Avila


We can never untangle all the woes in other people's lives.  We can't produce miracles overnight.  But we can bring a cup of cool water to a thirst soul, or a scoop of laughter to a lonely heart.  
~Barbara Johnson

A Re-Post on Charlie and Brokeness, it Hit Some Heartstrings This Morning

Sometimes I'll re-read some of my past posts and they really hit some heartstrings, this is one of those as I found myself revisiting this one post below and  having to dry my eyes.  As the Church as in capital "C" I think we should be number one in showing mercy and really thinking and showing it too.  If it's one thing that drives me bonkers it's when people who are called by the name of Christ Jesus show no mercy and sit on their hands and mouths.  I have a strong dislike for cliques and was always trained by my parents to avoid them like mad and that goes for blogging styles as well as in commenting in a considerate way, reaching out to maybe new people too, unfortunately not all people were trained in that winning way and It gets my goat when grown people behave in that insensitive untrained school girl way.  It ought not be but never fear...I have a much stronger inner strength then I appear to have since I'm also very transparent on my feelings, after all, I'm a creative being with a sensitive heart.  I have delicate but never the less, strong wings, my prophet side is ever as strong as my mercy side.  My husband saw a tshirt last week, it said:  "Underestimate me, That'll be Fun"    We both laughed and laughed, he thought I should  get that shirt and I did get one.  *chuckle*...It's true.  Let's just say, I have mercy major but I also have two eyes to see with and one mouth that will speak truth.

I didn't expect to write all of the above but I felt like it so out it came and I'll let it stay.




I listened to the videos I had posted  (below link) and they hit me just as hard today as last year.  I had just lost our precious dog, Charlie and was still and am still grieving my dad.


Many of you may not understand what all went on, the story with my dad and how he passed away.  I'll make it short on this entry beginning the tragic story.  He was taken advantage of by a pastor's wife from a St. * Missionary Baptist Church.  She was working at my dad's bank to start with and he would help her out buying her little boy reading materials and curriculum when she would share his problems at school etc. My dad was also a merciful soul.  He would make little toy wooden cribs for the little girls in that church for Christmas as the pastor there would mention the need visiting my dad at his home.   Later the woman would work for a government office.  Slowly but surely things were brewing in the background little did we know...   I'll finish another time but it was the start of a perfect storm.   So, please know I'm typing this up quickly and I realize I've always been vague, honestly,  the entire situation has given me something akin to a well hidden feeling of PTSD and as you know I'm a sensitive soul to start with.  I've been very careful on what and how things are shared.  So I thought I would be a little more specific in my story but it will take time.  The story is an interesting one and one I never thought I would live.





Back to Charlie  (below link and pic).  We love animals here very much, my husband calls me Amelia from Assisi.  We have five dogs and five cats and they are like our little children.   So when we lose one of our fur angels, it's a terrible, terrible thing as I'm sure you will agree.


So I bring to you Charlie and some heavy words in some most poignant videos on Brokeness by Spencer Tracy playing the part of beloved Father Flanagan from Boys Town.  



Please take the time to listen and ponder:


A Re-Post on Charlie and Brokeness. It Hit Some Heartstrings Today.


Charlie and I the first fall we lived here...This was taken in one of my prayer times as I noticed how beautiful Charlie looked that day, as he sat with me...



"We are never more fulfilled than when our longing for God is met by His presence in our lives."    ~Billy Graham



"Does your soul need to be rejuvenated?   The greatest source for this comes from reaching out to meet others' needs.  Show someone how much you really care by going for a walk together, taking, listening, or just holding their hand."



The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.     

~Deuteronomy 33:27



Yes, God is our refuge and oh the comfort He brings.   I talk with Him, and I walk with Him and He tell me...I am His own......



Have a sweet day and weekend, thank you so much to all who have subbed in some way or another.  Your new follow or sub is a God-wink to me! <3 br="">
 ~Amelia in the Forest

Hopeful Videos and Some Sincere Thoughts on Life in Christ and our Nation

I'm writing thoughts this morning that came to mind.  I'm also including two special videos and a link, I hope it's not too much.  Remember when maybe you were a little child at the discount store, maybe a Kmart?   Remember once in a while your parents let you get two things instead of just one?  I remember once I was able to get one of those boxed halloween costumes and a board game too. So that's kind of how I felt putting these videos and a link up.  Please oblige.   


I thought this was such an interesting story...And just so you will know it ends happily.  The video story reminded me of my dad when he was little. My dad's mother died when he was ten years old and then was sent to a military academy, a prep school in Biloxi Mississippi. My mother was in his first grade class at school when his mother died and she said you could see such sadness in his little face and she remembers looking back at him also as a little child with sadness also in her face to convey her sympathy.  They were king and queen of the May Fete back then in the little Tom Thumb wedding and later married for real when my dad returned to the waterfront.

Hoping you will find the little story below interesting as I did and yes, the end is good.  It is good.







In the News, GOOD NEWS FROM WASHINGTON that You May Not Hear:

We also have good news from Washington that President Trump has added Dr. Scott Atlas to the medical team, praying this will be a positive move towards common sense and wisdom for our country in this ailing time of political correctness and lies greatly harming small business and greatly and unmercifully harming our elderly in nursing homes who are literally dying of loneliness.  

God does answer prayers.  Here is a video of Dr. Ron Paul explaining.  Did you know that I was 8 minutes from Dr. Paul delivering our fourth baby girl?  Just a factoid there... : )  That same baby girl would also work for Dr. Paul later.




Encouragement:

I was listening to a Fernando Ortega hymn this morning and it rolled over to this huge favorite of mine by Ann Graham Lotz.


He beautifies the meek....  The Pharisees couldn't stand him but they couldn't stop Him... He is the Lion and He is the Lamb...   Please, Just give me Jesus...   Thank you Dear God for just giving me Jesus...

Enjoy and be encouraged:







Thoughts:


It's so wonderful to have the Holy Spirit living in my heart as a Child of God, we can hear Him, that Still Small Voice if we will be quiet.

There are times when I miss my dad something fierce and I'll be out in my garden and I see a cardinal or a familiar orange butterfly....

God reminds me that He is with me and that great cloud of witnesses the Bible speaks of...Many mysteries.  I trust in God and He'll take care of the rest.  I know He will take care of His Children. I also know He is moved by our prayers...Our concerns are His concerns.









I think about my dad and those who have gone before us and I think to myself...Oh, if only they could see what is going on in our country...Sometimes when I'm in the kitchen, tears come to my eyes in the quiet but...

God is my comfort and strength.  He wins.  Thanking God for a President who as a whole is a good protector and bears the name of Christ.   He has quite a past but don't many of us?  Isn't that what Jesus is all about?   My life is like an onion one layer at a time, God takes one layer at a time... My husband reminds to look at a person's fruits.  What they do.





Well I'll close for now, I smile sometimes when I see that Greatest Generation wearing their Trump hats and I think it's so precious.  I know my daddy if he would have  been with us in good health mentally and physically would have loved to wear one of those hats and I can so see a Trump flag on his golf cart that he used to go to the grocery store in, he would have loved that.

Many of you may know that I lost my dad in a not so good way and it is still very painful to my heart.  But God wins and I know God is with me.  

The STORY


Be kind to people, be kind in your comments and comment to be kind!  I've never understood people who will not comment when they like something, to encourage others.  Isn't that the Jesus thing to do?    


Have a  sweet day in Jesus,     ~Amelia

 

Glimpses and Thoughts From Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Appropriate Then, Appropriate Now

I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if behind them they didn't have a little bit of plain ordinary everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella too...that's pretty important all that...   

~Spoken by Mr. Smith played by Jimmy Stewart on the floor of the Senate.

I have such a burning in my heart when I see this movie, perhaps you will too when you view this movie, definitely a favorite in our home.  Frank Capra as a director really had some things right.  He was from the same village of Bisaquino, Sicily where my precious grandfather was from.  The Oddo family was mentioned in one of the Capra biographies.


In the movie we see the same twisted attitudes and hearts that are just as present today in many places and institutions as yesterday.


Another place, another time but very much the same today in many places where it ought not be as I'm sure you will agree.


You will see Mr. Smith reading out of the Bible as he fillibusters...


I hope you and your family will also enjoy and be inspired by this movie classic great.  May we all be Mr. Smiths.   


One of my old pastors once said,  If people won't stand for you they might as well be on the other side...  I agreed then and I agree now.  


My father was a city councilman and one of my most precious memories was the way my father stood for what was right and good,  fearlessly.   

A Most Informative & Uplifting Interview by Dr. Stella Immanuel & a Soothing Song to Bless Our Souls...

 

  Hello Dear Readers,  Today's offering is a full interview with Dr. Stella Immanuel, a Christian medical doctor who graduated with honors and also loves the Lord Jesus.  She shares her life and the mighty benefits of HCQ.   She was given a full program, interviewed by Michael Berry on his show on the radio most recently.   Following that I have shared one of my favorite songs by Fernando Ortega...I think it's just beautiful and just good nourishment for our souls.  We've listened to Fernando Ortega for years.  We've seen him in concert and he is delightful, a wonderful sense of humor too, he just loves the Lord and it is so evident in his music.

Listen to "Dr Immanuel Full Interview" on Spreaker.









So soothing, so truthful, so nice to let the Lord, our Father speak to our hearts through this beautiful song and music.

Take care and let's not let anything steal our joy!

Psalms 91   

Let's keep our comments kind please.  I've never enabled comment moderation and would hate to start now.  In my life and this blog I don't have time for senseless debate and dislike immensely any  obtuse deflections from a heartfelt message. 

May we encourage one another and lift each other up in Christ Jesus. 

~Amelia at My Forest Cathedral 

Victorian Woman in a Garden at Dawn  ~Photograph by Lee Avison

Memorial Day Remembrance: Our Al, a Candid Message..And of Course, Niceties

Photo by Robert Stock


All is well on the homefront.  The above is a photo of me the past year with our first grandbaby, our grandson when he was more of a little infant.  I'm wearing one of my MiMi dresses, this one is of space babies in a wonderfully delightful vintage print reproduction.  It has space ducks and little animals along with the hooman space babies..I had also made a pillow for each of our little grandsons to match.  Timmy here is wearing his little nautical romper I also made, and now I've seen Jimmy our next to be born little grandson wear it too!

  Jimmy

  Timmy now. (Wearing the Charlie Brown and Snoopy shorts I made)

I've been very engaged lately sewing Little Dresses and Little Britches for Africa and just reading some good ol' books.

We've had Memorial week and it made me think of not only my dad but my precious, precious step dad, Al.  



The photo above was taken when we moved into the home pictured, he and the girls planted the tree there.  Al was a wonderful PaPa to our girls and was such a sweetheart.  He fought in WWII and gave unselfishly.  He had earned a medal and I'm researching that now.  He loved the girls so much, he would carry Baby Zuzu around over his shoulder and she would sing in her baby language. Here he is with Janie and Joycie before Zuzu was born, poor little Grace never knew him and Zuzu doesn't remember him, oh that is so sad to me.  He and mother lived in a humble little house in the middle of Houston, he would walk Janie and Joycie to the corner store and he'd buy them little goodies to eat and drink...So cute.  Those were some precious times...   He was an extremely talented sculptor and sculpted Dr. Cooley's marker.  He would crack me up, he was from an old Italian family from the Bronx, New York and I would get so tickled because he did not like it when the southerners would joke about the New Yorkers!  He was so sweet, you would get tickled even when he was aggravated!  When a heart attack took him suddenly it really did me in.  The hospital sent my mom home in a taxi with his clothes over her arm that night.  Me, being home, my little ones safely tucked in bed already I was horrified, running out in the yard looking up at the stars as if I could call him back somehow, my cries were so hard that they were silent,  standing outside in the pitch dark in the very yard pictured above, in a big, long yellow Garfield tshirt nightgown...Horrified.  In shock.  I remember being in tears bringing his suit and tie to the funeral home, I was so choked up I about threw those beautiful clothes at the stone-calm (like water off a duck's back) receptionist before running out, two young men my age there for a loved one staring as if they were to say We're so sorry...I still remember all of the faces.  That was back in 1990.  Little Joycie said her best friend had died.  Baby Zuzu would run to men at the grocery store with silver hair and put her little arms around their legs...  As you can see or read, I'm part of the Companionship of Brokeness and if you are of the Companionship of Brokeness  then you are probably a kindred spirit here.  ...And I really do miss Al many a day...many a day. 






I have lots of little goodies to show you, my pretty garden and such...I've been a little stressed, my mother fainted at the table again on Mother's Day so prayers are always appreciated for my mom and me.  My adult daughters are a huge help too as well as my loving husband.  

I'll be back soon with some eye candy.  I'm praying for our country and I hope you are too, our Victor's Wreath will be in the prayer closet.  And may we be that Watchman on the Wall and use words to warn if necessary.  I have what you would call a counselor or a healer personality, I have mercy and prophet both, so please oblige.  Do I sound like the book, Please Understand Me?  (smile).




Here's something I thought I would share, it's something a radio commentator played this evening:


A Warning from 1965 from Paul Harvey:





In closing:

One distant shot of my ivy gardens and Lilac tree last month...More to come.  I'm discovering my gardens are one of my happy places.



  Bethany.  I have restored her, repairing a fracture and a little hole in her poor little face, and broken pieces from a cruel fall... and then repainting her with her little child on her lap.  I think Bethany is so peaceful and represents motherhood so well.



   Jimmy's little handprint.  This was our first art project!  Little Jimmy presented this to his mommy, Joycie that very day.  So fun.  Zuzu and I did one with little Timmy the other day. 

  My little birds I also restored, one was fractured and missing part of his tail.  I made another tail with a tissue and school glue, repaired the hole in his poor little chest and touched up the paint so he is happy now.  They guard my window and tell each other little secrets through the day, they also guard my coffee stash.

  My pitcher of hibiscus tea...I enjoy drinking this iced through the day.   I still am using my cloth 'napkins'.   I still keep them in a shiny glass bowl there and grab those even before I'll grab a paper towel.  They are so much softer and there is somewhat of a comfort in my little 'napkins'...Who wouldn't love these little doggies on this one?

  Well, Loves, I hope you are all faring well.

Take care now, signing off from My Forest Cathedral.   ~Amelia

This is BEAUTIFUL and it's TOMORROW ON EASTER!

I can't wait!   ANDREA BOCELLI  LIVE AT DUOMO CATHEDRAL, MILAN, ITALY.  TOMORROW.  EASTER.  LIVE ON YOUTUBE.

My Italian grandpa, Vincent Oddo was an opera singer in New York when he arrived here in America as an immigrant with his cousin, Jerome Trapolino.  My husband is a musician and we both have a love of music so this is just very touching and exciting to me.  A Gift.  On Easter.



“On the day in which we celebrate the trust in a life that triumphs, I’m honored and happy to answer ‘Sì’ to the invitation of the City and the Duomo of Milan. I believe in the strength of praying together; I believe in the Christian Easter, a universal symbol of rebirth that everyone – whether they are believers or not – truly needs right now. Thanks to music, streamed live, bringing together millions of clasped hands everywhere in the world, we will hug this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart, this wonderful international forge that is reason for Italian pride. The generous, courageous, proactive Milan and the whole of Italy will be again, and very soon, a winning model, engine of a renaissance that we all hope for. It will be a joy to witness it, in the Duomo, during the Easter celebration which evokes the mystery of birth and rebirth” Andrea Bocelli


Fall on Me, Andrea Bocelli and his son, Matteo Bocelli.  I think this is so beautiful...


I know I posted the video above, 'Fall on Me' last entry, please oblige.   I've been enjoying this song in our kitchen as I prepare our evening dinner.  Our evening dinner is just Jem and I these days and my quiet time in the kitchen is my grandma's hands preparing our dinner...I see my hands and I see her hands.  I hear this song?  It is God speaking to my heart.  God the Father.  

Fall on me with open arms...Fall on me where you are...


He is there with us.


My daughter tells me the concert will be 12pm our time.  We are in the south in the U.S.    It's live, so please check your particular time in your part of the world.  



I'll close with Doctor's Orders, I recently saw:  
Micah 6:8
1.)  Do justly
2.)  Love Mercy
3.)  Walk Humbly


    
Me with Jimmy, our secondborn little grandchild.   


In Christ,   He is risen.   What would I do without the Father?     ~Amelia