Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
The Prime Time Retreat
At the present time it is very early in the morning in Southern Manitoba. My wife and I are at a Retreat for Prime Timers – that is people that are 55+ years old… our kind of people. We have spent yesterday afternoon and the evening with these amazing people.
The Retreat is part of the Manitoba and Northwest Ontario District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC). And some of you know my work for the past 38 years has been to be a pastor/minister with the PAOC in various parts of Canada and around the world.
“The amazing part of this Retreat is the interaction and discovery of who the people are. There are lay people together with men and women that have served as ministers for many years. And their stories simply blow me away.
I met one fellow that has lived in similar places to where I have lived. He is a year or so older than me and very vibrant in every way.
One of the ladies at the next table to where we were sitting has her pilot’s license… and has traveled all over the place. WOW!
Another lady that I listened to was so excited about the possibilities that she is discovering in her life. She stated, “After hearing you speak today, I can’t wait to get back home and try some new opportunities that may come my way!”
I have been sharing about that very idea. “Opportunity” and what might happen next… and they are catching the thought. You are not done because you are older or retired… you are just beginning. The possibilities are unending.
Last evening I shared the old, old story of Moses… who was born outside in an unforgiving world, and a time where babies like himself were being murdered… but then through remarkable circumstances he was plucked from the dangerous Nile River and then raised by the Egyptian Princess in the Royal Palace.
You will likely remember that Moses was found guilty of the murder of an Egyptian soldier… after some one saw what he had done. That happened when he was 40 years old. The outcome was that Moses ran to a far away place and became a shepherd for the next 40 years.
From living like Royalty to the Shepherd’s life… was a radical adjustment to say the least. From a place of power, to a place of working for a new father-in-law as part of the family business was a radical change in his life style and what he knew as a norm.
Many that were forced into retirement or went through job losses understand what it is to identify with Moses.
Many of the folk that sat with us yesterday telling their remarkable stories shared the victories they have had in their lives. There had also been the terrible losses that they had encountered over these past years. The loss of a spouse, the loss of a position, the loss of children through death… the list is unending.
They expressed their fears and told of the times when they had lost it all… but had gained it back in other ways.
It came through for me last evening that I may well be learning way more and being challenged far greater by these folks than anything they will be getting from me. I am in a wealth of information and ability… of people that have done amazing things in the past. Double WOW!
As I shared the story last night of Moses I came to the part of the story that is so mind blowing… God called him… for the greatest thing that anyone has ever done or ever will do… at 80 years old… then Moses did that task for the next 40 years until the plan God had was accomplished.
The people that I have met at this Retreat Centre experienced losses over these past years that I can’t really fathom. I have not been where they have been. But the radiance and the amazing reaction from them was more than I ever expected. I have met people that are on fire and ready to do something above and beyond the call of duty.
I have met some “Moses kind of people” that are ready to take on a world that is waiting.
Back in their home churches and communities that they come from they are considered… OLD… not of much value except maybe to pay the bills for younger people. Some are looked at with caution and a leeriness… because they are old… and they might object to anything new. That is sad.
There have been some seniors in my past experience that were old and miserable in almost everything and everyway that they reacted. They were the ones that gave all the others a really bad image what it was like to be old.
After this week I can testify that not all 55+ people are like some that I have known over these past years. And I realize now that I had to deal with and be the minister of some nasty old so and so…s – in order to really appreciate the dynamic new group of seniors that will replace the ones that needed to be moved on to their resting place.
Prime Timers are just like teenagers to minister to… only not nearly so moody and up and down.
And yesterday I found out that not one of the Prime Timers were Texting at the camp. One reason is there is no Cell Phone service way out here…but the other is that I don’t really think that these folk know what Texting is…
Gotta run… breakfast is coming… and this morning’s session is all about Opportunity again… but also dealing with Opposition and Obstacles that we all face as we grow older… but following that we are looking at the Responsibility that we have locally.
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Many, Many Memories Keep Flooding In – Part Two
Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Many, Many Memories Keep Flooding In – Part Two
Whatever did I think would happen when I walked up to my old University Residence and rattled the door? It definitely was locked and there was no sign of life at the “Tache Hall”. Who would have thought there might be – it was built way back in 1911 – and this is 2011?
46 years ago I lived in this building. It was my first time away from home. I was so lonesome I could hardly stand it. Even as I rattled the door I could still feel that lump in my throat as I stood there.
I leaned closer to the door and looked into the glass to see if I could get one last look inside of the old building.
It was then that I saw a man deep inside what used to be the old common room. He looked at the front door and at us. Then he pulled away from the group he was standing with and walked to the front door – then opened it.
I explained that I used to live in the old residence way back in time. I asked also if we could go inside and just look at the building. He welcomed us in… but said that he was actually with “the Minister” from the Provincial Government giving him a tour of the old place.
I asked him a logical question… “Do you work at the University?”
He grinned and said “Yes, I am the President…” Hokey Mokey… I was speaking with the top man in charge… 46 years later.
We looked around and then left the building with a warm glow. The President returned to the Minister and we walked on across the Campus.
A million memories flooded around me with each step. Many of the old hallways looked as if they had not had any new paint for a long time.
The old class rooms were in the same places – wow! It even smelled the same.
All the people that attended school with me will now be retired or dead. I was one of the youngest when I was there.
The President might be in his late 40s or early fifties… yikes! I am old.
As Alida and I walked through the University and then went about the rest of the day I was filled with a warm glow. This was home and this was the way I entered the rest of my life. So many, many memories.
As we walked on… I could think of one thing only… in about three years time my first Grandson will likely be in his first year University too. It likely won’t be in Manitoba… but it will be away from home. Then the following years the second and third grandchild will come as well…
I know so much now – and cannot really tell the grandkids what Grandpa was like way back then. I cannot get them to know these deep down feelings… that are welling up now like a deep spring inside. They would think it was crazy that an old man was crying over an old building… from so long ago.
Tache Hall was only 55 years old when it was the centre of my life… now it is 100 years old and I am 67… both of us are old….
I miss that place and that time… and I wish I could go back and do it all over again… but… oh boy…. This darn lump in my throat makes it hard to swallow…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://umanitoba.ca/housing/tache/
http://umanitoba.ca/student/housing/Tache_Hall_History_Hub/Tache_History.htm
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Many, Many Memories Keep Flooding In – Part Two
Whatever did I think would happen when I walked up to my old University Residence and rattled the door? It definitely was locked and there was no sign of life at the “Tache Hall”. Who would have thought there might be – it was built way back in 1911 – and this is 2011?
46 years ago I lived in this building. It was my first time away from home. I was so lonesome I could hardly stand it. Even as I rattled the door I could still feel that lump in my throat as I stood there.
I leaned closer to the door and looked into the glass to see if I could get one last look inside of the old building.
It was then that I saw a man deep inside what used to be the old common room. He looked at the front door and at us. Then he pulled away from the group he was standing with and walked to the front door – then opened it.
I explained that I used to live in the old residence way back in time. I asked also if we could go inside and just look at the building. He welcomed us in… but said that he was actually with “the Minister” from the Provincial Government giving him a tour of the old place.
I asked him a logical question… “Do you work at the University?”
He grinned and said “Yes, I am the President…” Hokey Mokey… I was speaking with the top man in charge… 46 years later.
We looked around and then left the building with a warm glow. The President returned to the Minister and we walked on across the Campus.
A million memories flooded around me with each step. Many of the old hallways looked as if they had not had any new paint for a long time.
The old class rooms were in the same places – wow! It even smelled the same.
All the people that attended school with me will now be retired or dead. I was one of the youngest when I was there.
The President might be in his late 40s or early fifties… yikes! I am old.
As Alida and I walked through the University and then went about the rest of the day I was filled with a warm glow. This was home and this was the way I entered the rest of my life. So many, many memories.
As we walked on… I could think of one thing only… in about three years time my first Grandson will likely be in his first year University too. It likely won’t be in Manitoba… but it will be away from home. Then the following years the second and third grandchild will come as well…
I know so much now – and cannot really tell the grandkids what Grandpa was like way back then. I cannot get them to know these deep down feelings… that are welling up now like a deep spring inside. They would think it was crazy that an old man was crying over an old building… from so long ago.
Tache Hall was only 55 years old when it was the centre of my life… now it is 100 years old and I am 67… both of us are old….
I miss that place and that time… and I wish I could go back and do it all over again… but… oh boy…. This darn lump in my throat makes it hard to swallow…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://umanitoba.ca/housing/tache/
http://umanitoba.ca/student/housing/Tache_Hall_History_Hub/Tache_History.htm
Monday, June 13, 2011
Many, Many Memories Keep Flooding In
Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Many, Many Memories Keep Flooding In
At the moment of my posting today many memories are washing over me. In fact all day Sunday it was that way. Memory after memory flooded my thoughts as we passed building after building in this city.
Where are we? My wife and I are in Winnipeg at the moment and are in a slight pause time just before going to work. I am speaking at a Retreat Centre at Ninette, Manitoba for the rest of the week.
The last time I walked these streets was 1965… only 46 years ago… I was so lonely that I nearly died at times. My beautiful girl friend was 360 miles away and studying to be a R.N. I was alone for the very first time in my life… living in the very ancient resident of the University of Manitoba.
I was speaking with a University Student about the old days. I paid about $360 a year for the Tuition at the U. of M. Now the tuition fee for the same undergraduate studies is over $4000 per year… for the 5 full courses that we took. The University Student thinking that he didn’t hear the old man right… asked, “You mean you paid that much for books…?” Nope that was the whole year’s tuition. The costs of books were not near that… maybe $100 all told… and the cost of housing was ridiculously lower than now.
With Alida beside me yesterday I was holding her hand… a romantic old way two old people still do it…
I asked her if she remembered some of that time and she squeeze my hand. She was lonely too… and that is why we wrote to each other every day I guess. Two young kids really… alone and looking to the future.
Now we are two older kids, with kids and grandkids of our own. We both giggled as we walked together last night… so many memories… so very many.
I will be relating some of those old memories this week as I speak… well some of them … maybe. That is what Prime Time people do.
Today we are off to that Old University… and I really doubt that much of that Old is still there… then we are off to the Downtown area… more tourist stuff. And we are doing it all on a City Bus… just like the old days… Oh so many memories.
I have a lump in my throat today as we begin again…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://www.manhattanbeach.mb.ca/
http://www.manhattanbeach.mb.ca/camps/prime-time-getaway/
http://umanitoba.ca/student/admissions/finances/tuition/
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Many, Many Memories Keep Flooding In
Where are we? My wife and I are in Winnipeg at the moment and are in a slight pause time just before going to work. I am speaking at a Retreat Centre at Ninette, Manitoba for the rest of the week.
The last time I walked these streets was 1965… only 46 years ago… I was so lonely that I nearly died at times. My beautiful girl friend was 360 miles away and studying to be a R.N. I was alone for the very first time in my life… living in the very ancient resident of the University of Manitoba.
I was speaking with a University Student about the old days. I paid about $360 a year for the Tuition at the U. of M. Now the tuition fee for the same undergraduate studies is over $4000 per year… for the 5 full courses that we took. The University Student thinking that he didn’t hear the old man right… asked, “You mean you paid that much for books…?” Nope that was the whole year’s tuition. The costs of books were not near that… maybe $100 all told… and the cost of housing was ridiculously lower than now.
With Alida beside me yesterday I was holding her hand… a romantic old way two old people still do it…
I asked her if she remembered some of that time and she squeeze my hand. She was lonely too… and that is why we wrote to each other every day I guess. Two young kids really… alone and looking to the future.
Now we are two older kids, with kids and grandkids of our own. We both giggled as we walked together last night… so many memories… so very many.
I will be relating some of those old memories this week as I speak… well some of them … maybe. That is what Prime Time people do.
Today we are off to that Old University… and I really doubt that much of that Old is still there… then we are off to the Downtown area… more tourist stuff. And we are doing it all on a City Bus… just like the old days… Oh so many memories.
I have a lump in my throat today as we begin again…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://www.manhattanbeach.mb.ca/
http://www.manhattanbeach.mb.ca/camps/prime-time-getaway/
http://umanitoba.ca/student/admissions/finances/tuition/
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Getting Old and Loving It
Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Getting Old and Loving It
Good Lord I don’t know what is going on. I cannot take the changes anymore. It is harder than I expected. This getting Old is weirder than I ever imagined! Oh boy!
Now you may think that is a little over the top. You are not having any problem with the way that you are dealing with it. To which I say… “Good for you.”
So many things are changing around me (and you) that I can’t take it all in.
Here is just some of it.
In the local newspaper in one of our funny/odd sections that a local writer lays out for us… a short bit of important information was shared with us…
It was stated that… quote…
“Ms Relay contestant “Madonna” showed “her” prowess in solving a Rubik’s cube within three minutes during the cross-dressing contest relay For Life early Saturday morning. Not only did she impress emcee Bill Porter from CHUM Kawarthas, she also won the beauty contest staged at 2 a.m. to keep participants awake and entertained.” End quote
I really can’t think of anything or combination of things that I would less like to do.
Sitting in late night happening, watching a Cross-dresser do a Rubik’s cube in less than three minutes – and it is actually 2 a.m. – not late at night - that is early morning… just about 1.5 to 2 hours before my bathroom break and 3.5 hours before I get up.
It was with my calculation of time and comparison to my regular nightly routine… that I realized that I am really old… REALLY, REALLY Old.
Now don’t get me wrong… I love a good party. I have done some fun things as well. I can do Rubik’s cube fast… and in one or two settings I did slip into some articles of women’s clothing – but just for fun… nothing serious… But in 2011 the idea of doing that all night and doing the complete party scene is a little nutso – if you ask me! Sheesh. Relay For Life is a great cause… but there has to be another way…!!!
Then I flipped to the News for today… and there was something else… “Texting”! A report that shared that “Texting” might be down from last year.
Good Lord what am I to do? I just learned how to Text a Message on my new cell phone. I was able to send out a number of Text Messages over the last month… I think three in the first week… two the next and then four the following week. I am no where near the total number that the Plan I paid for delivers.
But here was the new evidence that is being offered for us to consider… and it made me feel real old.
It states that Text Messaging may be way down the last study shows.
Don Reisinger states that… quote…
“Citing a recent study from the CTIA, the Journal pointed out that 1 trillion text messages were sent in the U.S. during the second half of 2010. That number, while impressive, was up just 8.7 percent compared to the first half of 2010, representing the smallest gain ever in SMS use.
For the top two carriers in the U.S., Verizon and AT&T, things are even more disconcerting. According to Journal, the average Verizon customer sent out 2,068 text messages in the fourth quarter of 2010. During the third quarter of last year, that figure was at 2,110. Citing a report from analysts at UBS, the Journal pointed out that text messaging was down 21 percent in the first quarter for AT&T, compared to the same period a year prior.” End quote.
Did you get any of that?
During the second half of 2010 – 1 Trillion Text messages were sent – up 8.7 Percent from the first half of 2010… but in the last quarter of the year it dropped off by 21 percent!
So what! The article also stated that average Verizon customer sent out a mere 2068 messages compared to 2111 in the one quarter… that is three month’s time!!!!!
That is a lot of Texting! And now they tell me that it is down. I thought my 12 Texted Messages in one month were a great accomplishment!
But the thing is none of my friends from 50 something to 70 something know how to Text. The Learning Curve is fairly steep for them. But I have talked about them and this topic before.. I shouldn’t point out their “oldness” too much – some read this Blog… the ones that have computers that is… but most haven’t got past playing solitaire yet.
Oldness has come upon me… I can’t stay up late and don’t really want to… I don’t understand something like Cross-dressing and using Rubik’s cube is fun… and Texting is slipping away from me.
And this week… for fun… I am speaking at a Camp/Retreat for people they have entitled Prime Timers…. People my age and older… that will not likely have their cell phones on and be Texting during the time I am with them… and will not likely know what Texting is all about… nor will they be worried in the shifts in society. Some of my old Girl and Boy Friends may be at the Camp… that will be fun.
We can talk about riding around southern Manitoba in our old cars… sitting up late at the Drive-In Theaters… getting a cold one (a Glass bottle of Orange Crush) down at the service station’s large cooler type machine… where the bottles hung by the neck… and you moved them along kind of a race way… and the only telephone that you used was a borrowed one at the farmer’s house down the road from where you got stuck in the mud on that dirt road…
I will be telling many Old Stories and mixing them with the new ones…
As I write about all this today… a gentle glow has come upon me… and my grandfatherlyness has come upon me. I am old and loving it actually… but I can Text Message, have a few Facebook Pages, have a few Blogs and a Web Page with lots of people reading and writing to me – and I am Linkdin as well!
Getting old is not so bad after all…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20070496-17/has-text-messaging-peaked/
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Getting Old and Loving It
Good Lord I don’t know what is going on. I cannot take the changes anymore. It is harder than I expected. This getting Old is weirder than I ever imagined! Oh boy!
Now you may think that is a little over the top. You are not having any problem with the way that you are dealing with it. To which I say… “Good for you.”
So many things are changing around me (and you) that I can’t take it all in.
Here is just some of it.
In the local newspaper in one of our funny/odd sections that a local writer lays out for us… a short bit of important information was shared with us…
It was stated that… quote…
“Ms Relay contestant “Madonna” showed “her” prowess in solving a Rubik’s cube within three minutes during the cross-dressing contest relay For Life early Saturday morning. Not only did she impress emcee Bill Porter from CHUM Kawarthas, she also won the beauty contest staged at 2 a.m. to keep participants awake and entertained.” End quote
I really can’t think of anything or combination of things that I would less like to do.
Sitting in late night happening, watching a Cross-dresser do a Rubik’s cube in less than three minutes – and it is actually 2 a.m. – not late at night - that is early morning… just about 1.5 to 2 hours before my bathroom break and 3.5 hours before I get up.
It was with my calculation of time and comparison to my regular nightly routine… that I realized that I am really old… REALLY, REALLY Old.
Now don’t get me wrong… I love a good party. I have done some fun things as well. I can do Rubik’s cube fast… and in one or two settings I did slip into some articles of women’s clothing – but just for fun… nothing serious… But in 2011 the idea of doing that all night and doing the complete party scene is a little nutso – if you ask me! Sheesh. Relay For Life is a great cause… but there has to be another way…!!!
Then I flipped to the News for today… and there was something else… “Texting”! A report that shared that “Texting” might be down from last year.
Good Lord what am I to do? I just learned how to Text a Message on my new cell phone. I was able to send out a number of Text Messages over the last month… I think three in the first week… two the next and then four the following week. I am no where near the total number that the Plan I paid for delivers.
But here was the new evidence that is being offered for us to consider… and it made me feel real old.
It states that Text Messaging may be way down the last study shows.
Don Reisinger states that… quote…
“Citing a recent study from the CTIA, the Journal pointed out that 1 trillion text messages were sent in the U.S. during the second half of 2010. That number, while impressive, was up just 8.7 percent compared to the first half of 2010, representing the smallest gain ever in SMS use.
For the top two carriers in the U.S., Verizon and AT&T, things are even more disconcerting. According to Journal, the average Verizon customer sent out 2,068 text messages in the fourth quarter of 2010. During the third quarter of last year, that figure was at 2,110. Citing a report from analysts at UBS, the Journal pointed out that text messaging was down 21 percent in the first quarter for AT&T, compared to the same period a year prior.” End quote.
Did you get any of that?
During the second half of 2010 – 1 Trillion Text messages were sent – up 8.7 Percent from the first half of 2010… but in the last quarter of the year it dropped off by 21 percent!
So what! The article also stated that average Verizon customer sent out a mere 2068 messages compared to 2111 in the one quarter… that is three month’s time!!!!!
That is a lot of Texting! And now they tell me that it is down. I thought my 12 Texted Messages in one month were a great accomplishment!
But the thing is none of my friends from 50 something to 70 something know how to Text. The Learning Curve is fairly steep for them. But I have talked about them and this topic before.. I shouldn’t point out their “oldness” too much – some read this Blog… the ones that have computers that is… but most haven’t got past playing solitaire yet.
Oldness has come upon me… I can’t stay up late and don’t really want to… I don’t understand something like Cross-dressing and using Rubik’s cube is fun… and Texting is slipping away from me.
And this week… for fun… I am speaking at a Camp/Retreat for people they have entitled Prime Timers…. People my age and older… that will not likely have their cell phones on and be Texting during the time I am with them… and will not likely know what Texting is all about… nor will they be worried in the shifts in society. Some of my old Girl and Boy Friends may be at the Camp… that will be fun.
We can talk about riding around southern Manitoba in our old cars… sitting up late at the Drive-In Theaters… getting a cold one (a Glass bottle of Orange Crush) down at the service station’s large cooler type machine… where the bottles hung by the neck… and you moved them along kind of a race way… and the only telephone that you used was a borrowed one at the farmer’s house down the road from where you got stuck in the mud on that dirt road…
I will be telling many Old Stories and mixing them with the new ones…
As I write about all this today… a gentle glow has come upon me… and my grandfatherlyness has come upon me. I am old and loving it actually… but I can Text Message, have a few Facebook Pages, have a few Blogs and a Web Page with lots of people reading and writing to me – and I am Linkdin as well!
Getting old is not so bad after all…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20070496-17/has-text-messaging-peaked/
Friday, June 10, 2011
Living the Dream
Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Living the Dream
The dream way back was to start a Carving Business. That was in my pre-retirement time. I had dreamed about it over and over again. “How could it ever happen?” – was a huge question that went round and round in my head.
Then 2008 came around and we did the layoff at the church to help save money… and POOF… retirement happened. My 36 years or so of working with people in the church was over in a heart beat… and I was out of it. Kaboom!
There were lots of feelings and emotions swirling around inside. I wanted retirement but had no idea how it would work out. Old Ministers are not really employable… they are kind of … well…. OLD!
In our area of Canada there are also many OLD MINISTERS… that all are in the same boat… not only are they OLD but they also still think they can preach… or do the Pastoral Thing around a church somewhere… but will only be given the opportunity if they are really OLD THINKING and will work with REALLY OLD THINKING PEOPLE. The friends of mine that are doing ministry to OLD PEOPLE attend a lot of funerals… and do even more.
So when the one dream and work place was flailing and failing… how could another one possibly start… or even exist?
In 2008 Misty Hollow Carving developed and became a reality. With the help of my Government, both the Ontario and Canadian Government, it came alive. (That I have written much about already.)
As Misty Hollow became a reality… at least the carving portion of it did… another thought was brewing. What would happen if I could take people to the place of Misty Hollow? What if I told the story that has been brewing inside of me and just waiting to get out? What if they could all see Misty Hollow?
There were many questions about how this could happen. Maybe I should write a book and introduce people to Misty Hollow by way of words and some illustrations. Hmmm? Maybe there is another way?
I began carving the Misty Hollow buildings. All the houses and the churches and the town hall and even the toilet. I also drew these on the sides of boxes and rolling pins as I developed the idea…. Then I carved some on the end of a Split Rail Fence…
Misty Hollow is real for me… in my mind that is…
One day my friends Ted and Helen came to my display table at the Mall – and for some reason stopped to look what I had out that day. I think it was some of the drawings that I had done of the Misty Hollow houses and the carvings of the buildings that brought about the next turn of events.
Ted asked many questions… and then started to suggest that I might do well drawing these as sketches… and he would show some people and maybe they would buy them as part of the Rubber Stamp industry. We talked about many things that made no sense to me at all.
I am a Wood Carver and an artist. I do portraits of people and animals. I do something like Fine Art – not Rubber Stamps. But I had no idea at all… absolutely no idea what was about to happen.
Ted gave me a drawing pad… and some fine tipped drawing tools… and asked if I could try to put some of what I see in my head down on paper.
I did and the rest is now a very long story… that is growing day by day with possibility and opportunity. On Wednesday we talked of how big this really could get. I heard one figure as an example… are you ready for this? It is possible to make a mere few thousand on the first run or so. Now that sounds crazy… but maybe just $5000 or maybe $10,000 or whatever.
Ted told me of another small business just like their business that was recently taken over and bought out by one of the humongous corporations for a mere Million and a Half – or it could be a double that. No one really knows. The small business still does the same things they were doing but have a whole lot more money… and so do the artists working with them… where the ideas all come from.
This past Wednesday I delivered 20 more drawings… and Ted asked if the rest of the book could be filled up by the end of the month… with a big grin on his face.
Oh boy Misty Hollow is now coming alive and many hundreds of people have already viewed the first draft.
Now we are talking about my other dream of writing the story about Misty Hollow.
Now we are talking about the next phase that may involve patterns for Pyrographers and Wood Carvers from around the world. At this point there are about 10,000 of these folk coming each month to the Web Site of Misty Hollow Carving ( www.murraylincoln.com the one that sponsors this Blog… and that would be the other part of me).
But then there is another part of me showing up as well. A young Catholic Priest came to see me in the Misty Hollow Carving shop yesterday. He is here from Argentina. He found my Web Site and then came looking for me. I now have a new task to carve an “Evangeliary” which will be used in the Mass at a beautiful church in our area.
I didn’t know what an Evangeliary was – but now I have started carving one.
Did you know that there is no one in my world that is carving Evangeliaryies? Did you know that there are no carvers of religious artefacts and relics… in this country or area? That is what my new friend told me.
I have no idea what is around the next corner. Neither did Moses.
But there is still more… sorry this Blog Post is already way too long. Gotta run and get some work done on my new Evangeliary…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
Living the Dream
The dream way back was to start a Carving Business. That was in my pre-retirement time. I had dreamed about it over and over again. “How could it ever happen?” – was a huge question that went round and round in my head.
Then 2008 came around and we did the layoff at the church to help save money… and POOF… retirement happened. My 36 years or so of working with people in the church was over in a heart beat… and I was out of it. Kaboom!
There were lots of feelings and emotions swirling around inside. I wanted retirement but had no idea how it would work out. Old Ministers are not really employable… they are kind of … well…. OLD!
In our area of Canada there are also many OLD MINISTERS… that all are in the same boat… not only are they OLD but they also still think they can preach… or do the Pastoral Thing around a church somewhere… but will only be given the opportunity if they are really OLD THINKING and will work with REALLY OLD THINKING PEOPLE. The friends of mine that are doing ministry to OLD PEOPLE attend a lot of funerals… and do even more.
So when the one dream and work place was flailing and failing… how could another one possibly start… or even exist?
In 2008 Misty Hollow Carving developed and became a reality. With the help of my Government, both the Ontario and Canadian Government, it came alive. (That I have written much about already.)
As Misty Hollow became a reality… at least the carving portion of it did… another thought was brewing. What would happen if I could take people to the place of Misty Hollow? What if I told the story that has been brewing inside of me and just waiting to get out? What if they could all see Misty Hollow?
There were many questions about how this could happen. Maybe I should write a book and introduce people to Misty Hollow by way of words and some illustrations. Hmmm? Maybe there is another way?
I began carving the Misty Hollow buildings. All the houses and the churches and the town hall and even the toilet. I also drew these on the sides of boxes and rolling pins as I developed the idea…. Then I carved some on the end of a Split Rail Fence…
Misty Hollow is real for me… in my mind that is…
One day my friends Ted and Helen came to my display table at the Mall – and for some reason stopped to look what I had out that day. I think it was some of the drawings that I had done of the Misty Hollow houses and the carvings of the buildings that brought about the next turn of events.
Ted asked many questions… and then started to suggest that I might do well drawing these as sketches… and he would show some people and maybe they would buy them as part of the Rubber Stamp industry. We talked about many things that made no sense to me at all.
I am a Wood Carver and an artist. I do portraits of people and animals. I do something like Fine Art – not Rubber Stamps. But I had no idea at all… absolutely no idea what was about to happen.
Ted gave me a drawing pad… and some fine tipped drawing tools… and asked if I could try to put some of what I see in my head down on paper.
I did and the rest is now a very long story… that is growing day by day with possibility and opportunity. On Wednesday we talked of how big this really could get. I heard one figure as an example… are you ready for this? It is possible to make a mere few thousand on the first run or so. Now that sounds crazy… but maybe just $5000 or maybe $10,000 or whatever.
Ted told me of another small business just like their business that was recently taken over and bought out by one of the humongous corporations for a mere Million and a Half – or it could be a double that. No one really knows. The small business still does the same things they were doing but have a whole lot more money… and so do the artists working with them… where the ideas all come from.
This past Wednesday I delivered 20 more drawings… and Ted asked if the rest of the book could be filled up by the end of the month… with a big grin on his face.
Oh boy Misty Hollow is now coming alive and many hundreds of people have already viewed the first draft.
Now we are talking about my other dream of writing the story about Misty Hollow.
Now we are talking about the next phase that may involve patterns for Pyrographers and Wood Carvers from around the world. At this point there are about 10,000 of these folk coming each month to the Web Site of Misty Hollow Carving ( www.murraylincoln.com the one that sponsors this Blog… and that would be the other part of me).
But then there is another part of me showing up as well. A young Catholic Priest came to see me in the Misty Hollow Carving shop yesterday. He is here from Argentina. He found my Web Site and then came looking for me. I now have a new task to carve an “Evangeliary” which will be used in the Mass at a beautiful church in our area.
I didn’t know what an Evangeliary was – but now I have started carving one.
Did you know that there is no one in my world that is carving Evangeliaryies? Did you know that there are no carvers of religious artefacts and relics… in this country or area? That is what my new friend told me.
I have no idea what is around the next corner. Neither did Moses.
But there is still more… sorry this Blog Post is already way too long. Gotta run and get some work done on my new Evangeliary…
(But because you have read this far and you may want to know just a little bit more… below you will see one of the first cards that has been produced using my Misty Hollow sketches…)
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Here is what another artist did with my drawing... it blew me away to say the least!!!
The completed card
Thursday, June 9, 2011
History things I am sure that you need to know
Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
History things I am sure that you need to know
(The following bits and bites have been collecting in my mind over the years… maybe they will help you find something to talk about over coffee today)
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children -- last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw -- piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor."
The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway, hence, a "thresh hold."
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite awhile. Hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often trenchers were made from stale bread which was so old and hard that they could be used for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times worms and mould got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy, mouldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth."
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
History things I am sure that you need to know
(The following bits and bites have been collecting in my mind over the years… maybe they will help you find something to talk about over coffee today)
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children -- last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw -- piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor."
The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway, hence, a "thresh hold."
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite awhile. Hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often trenchers were made from stale bread which was so old and hard that they could be used for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times worms and mould got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy, mouldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth."
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
I Hate Fighting – and Hockey Players that Fight
Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
I Hate Fighting – and Hockey Players that Fight
Tonight in many parts of Canada and some parts of the USA, people will watch the NHL game as the Vancouver Canucks again play the Boston Bruins. It is the fourth game of the final series toward one of the Teams becoming the Stanley Cup winners.
I watched the last game as everything broke down on the ice. Fight after fight, hit after hit, gesture after gesture left the fans cheering loudly, the crowd was in a frenzy and a number of players ejected from the game.
I watched grown men, that had been selected as the best in the NHL league represent everyone else as the best at their trade, play the game of hockey on ice. At least that is what I thought I was watching. Then it all fell apart.
At the end of the game I shook my head like many others did and asked why it went the way that it did. I could not figure out why it went into a downward spiral the way that it did. I thought we all knew better than to mess with that kind of thing.
Back in public school we didn’t know so much about treating each other with respect. We all knew that there were bullies. The bullies liked to fight. And the rest of us cowered in our desks, hoping that we wouldn’t be picked on that night on the way home from school. Many of us stayed late to help the teacher rather than get pounded out.
The bully usually started earlier in the day as he selected his prey. He would start by coming over and taunting the little guy that he thought deserved the smashing after school. That initial taunt would test the prey to see if he could be goaded into a reason for the bully to stalk him after school… and punch his lights out.
The time I remember the best was in Grade 10 – not primary school. Richard was a loud mouthed and taunting guy. He loved to pick on some people in the class. But by Grade 10 we were wise enough to have the sense to avoid the idiot.
Richard had greased back hair, a black leather jacket and wore long silver chains from his belt loops. He also had some silly looking girls tagging along with him.
Wayne on the other hand was a little shorter than Richard… built a bit lighter… and wore regular clothing. He was good looking and every one liked the guy. When you asked him a question he smiled and always tried to help.
Wayne was growing more important in the class than Richard. The “fright ability” of Richard was waning… he was starting to look more and more weird with his entourage of silly girls.
Richard never ever entered the room without some stupid and taunting thing he would do or say. As his chain hit my desk on the way by he would often slap the back of my head. I would try to pick up a pencil or something as he came by so he would miss me.
Now remember this is not primary school – I am almost 16 years old… so are all the rest of the kids in class.
One day Richard entered the room… chains hit my desk… he missed his taunt on me and smacked Wayne on the shoulder. There was no teacher in the room as usual… then suddenly it happened.
Wayne exploded… he shot up in the air from his desk… it flew off to the side hitting other desks… he grabbed Richard by his leather jacket lapels and jammed his unsuspecting body up against the lockers at the back of the room with a horrendous smash. Richard’s chains jangled hard against the metal locker doors… and the whole locker range rocked. That all happened right beside me… BANG!
“If you ever touch me again – or anyone in this room… you are dead man!” Wayne screamed at him… “I mean it…!”
Richard was shaken to say the least. His little and silly girls were crying… the rest of us closed our mouths that had dropped open… and we quickly rearranged the desks to the way they should have been… before the teacher came in.
The fight was over in a heart beat. Wayne had won. Richard had been defeated and sat down… with… an “Okay Man… don’t get so bent out of shape okay?!?”
I hated that place in class… the desk… the room and the rest of the guys that took Richard as their hero.
I still hate fights… and will try my best to not be in places where people fight.
Can you see why I will not be watching Hockey tonight? Oh – I will check the score… but they can keep the rest of it. I will be watching another channel… or listening to my Rock and Roll… loudly!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.
My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.
To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/
* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
I Hate Fighting – and Hockey Players that Fight
Tonight in many parts of Canada and some parts of the USA, people will watch the NHL game as the Vancouver Canucks again play the Boston Bruins. It is the fourth game of the final series toward one of the Teams becoming the Stanley Cup winners.
I watched the last game as everything broke down on the ice. Fight after fight, hit after hit, gesture after gesture left the fans cheering loudly, the crowd was in a frenzy and a number of players ejected from the game.
I watched grown men, that had been selected as the best in the NHL league represent everyone else as the best at their trade, play the game of hockey on ice. At least that is what I thought I was watching. Then it all fell apart.
At the end of the game I shook my head like many others did and asked why it went the way that it did. I could not figure out why it went into a downward spiral the way that it did. I thought we all knew better than to mess with that kind of thing.
Back in public school we didn’t know so much about treating each other with respect. We all knew that there were bullies. The bullies liked to fight. And the rest of us cowered in our desks, hoping that we wouldn’t be picked on that night on the way home from school. Many of us stayed late to help the teacher rather than get pounded out.
The bully usually started earlier in the day as he selected his prey. He would start by coming over and taunting the little guy that he thought deserved the smashing after school. That initial taunt would test the prey to see if he could be goaded into a reason for the bully to stalk him after school… and punch his lights out.
The time I remember the best was in Grade 10 – not primary school. Richard was a loud mouthed and taunting guy. He loved to pick on some people in the class. But by Grade 10 we were wise enough to have the sense to avoid the idiot.
Richard had greased back hair, a black leather jacket and wore long silver chains from his belt loops. He also had some silly looking girls tagging along with him.
Wayne on the other hand was a little shorter than Richard… built a bit lighter… and wore regular clothing. He was good looking and every one liked the guy. When you asked him a question he smiled and always tried to help.
Wayne was growing more important in the class than Richard. The “fright ability” of Richard was waning… he was starting to look more and more weird with his entourage of silly girls.
Richard never ever entered the room without some stupid and taunting thing he would do or say. As his chain hit my desk on the way by he would often slap the back of my head. I would try to pick up a pencil or something as he came by so he would miss me.
Now remember this is not primary school – I am almost 16 years old… so are all the rest of the kids in class.
One day Richard entered the room… chains hit my desk… he missed his taunt on me and smacked Wayne on the shoulder. There was no teacher in the room as usual… then suddenly it happened.
Wayne exploded… he shot up in the air from his desk… it flew off to the side hitting other desks… he grabbed Richard by his leather jacket lapels and jammed his unsuspecting body up against the lockers at the back of the room with a horrendous smash. Richard’s chains jangled hard against the metal locker doors… and the whole locker range rocked. That all happened right beside me… BANG!
“If you ever touch me again – or anyone in this room… you are dead man!” Wayne screamed at him… “I mean it…!”
Richard was shaken to say the least. His little and silly girls were crying… the rest of us closed our mouths that had dropped open… and we quickly rearranged the desks to the way they should have been… before the teacher came in.
The fight was over in a heart beat. Wayne had won. Richard had been defeated and sat down… with… an “Okay Man… don’t get so bent out of shape okay?!?”
I hated that place in class… the desk… the room and the rest of the guys that took Richard as their hero.
I still hate fights… and will try my best to not be in places where people fight.
Can you see why I will not be watching Hockey tonight? Oh – I will check the score… but they can keep the rest of it. I will be watching another channel… or listening to my Rock and Roll… loudly!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
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