Another Movie and a Little Bit of History

I wrote yesterday that I had gone to see the movie Drive. Well, the more I thought about the movie, I just felt depressed. As I said in my post yesterday, the acting was good but the depressing story and the violence were a bit overwhelming for me. So, I decided to really splurge and go see another movie today. I don't know if I have ever seen two movies in the theater on one weekend. That's amazing since I really love movies but even at the height of my movie going experiences, I have kept it to one per week. But, I figured there was not law against it so I headed to the theater I really like in West Chester, Ohio.
The contrast in theaters was amazing from Saturday to today. The stadium seating is awesome and I don't know how the world rotated without it. The sound was so much better. Even the bathrooms were much cleaner at the West Chester theater.
I decided to go to the Steven Soderberg movie Contagion. I had heard that it was really good and I always love a Soderberg movie. I did realize that it was about a pandemic disease, but I didn't realize what it all entailed. I knew it was a thriller and it certainly lived up to that. I've always appreciated the movie Outbreak and in many ways Contagion is much better. However, it is also much more dark. I was also reminded of the first part of Stephen King's The Stand in which much of the population is wiped out by a super flu.
The cast of characters is great and almost too numerous to keep track of. Gweneth Paltrow is the first one who gets the disease and dies. Spreading from Gweneth, the virus begins spreading all around the world. We get to see how it impacts her family including her husband Matt Damon who seems to be immune but struggles to exist in a world turned upside down in the wake of the epidemic.
The part I hated about the movie was the part that played on my natural tendency to fear germs of all kinds. I'm the one at my office with a huge bottle of hand sanitizer and I often want to quarantine myself whenever my co-workers start coughing. In fact, when I used the restroom at the theater after the movie, there was a little boy coughing in men's room who I was sure was going to give me some horrid disease because he didn't wash his hands properly. I even cringed when I had to grab the men's room door handle to leave and it was all wet and slimy. Thank heavens I had hand sanitizer in my car.
So I'm not sure my movie choices this weekend were the best for me. Driver was depressing and violent. Contagion didn't do much to lift my spirits with its depiction of a deadly disease and a reminder of how really paranoid I am about germs. I had thought about going to see the Lion King in 3-D but talk about a movie that would have played on my fears of disease and germs. I know the theater would have been full of children with colds and who knows what else. I hope the theater employees are hosing those theaters down with bleach and scraping all the boogers off the arm rests. Yuck!
After the movie, I decided to go for a little drive. After my weekend with my friend Mari in which we saw some historic sites along the Ohio River, I have decided that I am going to get out and explore the region more. I also have been inspired by a blog that I follow in which the blogger is doing a thirty day photo challenge. So, I dusted off my digital camera and hit the road this afternoon.
I had read on the Internet that President William Henry Harrison was buried in North Bend, Ohio along the Ohio River. So, I got directions and decided to go and check in on President Harrison.
I have particular interest in President Harrison because he was the first Governor of the the Indiana Territory. Indiana being my home state, I always like to learn about its history and the people who led it. I also have a huge fascination with learning about the Presidents of the United States. I learn much about the history of our country and about evolving American culture by studying the presidents.
Visiting Harrison's tomb was interesting. I missed one of the signs and got a little lost. My GPS was really confused. I had to back track a little bit but finally found it. When I looked at the map, I thought Harrison's tomb on Mount Nebo was right along the banks of the Ohio River, but that's not quite accurate. There's a nice vista of the River (it would be better if they would remove the power lines and cell phone towers) but it's not right on the river. In fact, it's kind of hidden. There's not really too much to see. A few years ago the state of Ohio put in an interpretive kiosk pavilion. This includes a biography of President Harrison and also information about his times and achievements.
In case you want to know more about President Harrison, here's a brief bio from Wikipedia:

William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was the ninth President of the United States (1841), an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. The oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the United States Declaration of Independence, Harrison died on his 32nd day in office[1] of complications from pneumonia, serving the shortest tenure in United States presidential history. His death sparked a brief constitutional crisis, but that crisis ultimately resolved many questions about presidential succession left unanswered by the Constitution until passage of the 25th Amendment.

Before election as president, Harrison served as the first territorial congressional delegate from the Northwest Territory, governor of the Indiana Territory and later as a U.S. representative and senator from Ohio. He originally gained national fame for leading U.S. forces against American Indians at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, where he earned the nickname "Tippecanoe" (or "Old Tippecanoe"). As a general in the subsequent War of 1812, his most notable contribution was a victory at the Battle of the Thames in 1813, which brought an end to hostilities in his region.
After the war, Harrison moved to Ohio, where he was elected to the United States Congress, and in 1824 he became a member of the Senate. There he served a truncated term before being appointed as Minister Plenipotentiary to Colombia in May 1828. In Colombia, he spoke with Simon Bolivar about the finer points of democracy before returning to his farm in Ohio, where he lived in relative retirement until he was nominated for the presidency in 1836. Defeated, he retired again to his farm before being elected president in 1840.

The monument over the tomb is a tall tower structure made of limestone. One website described it as an obelisk. I thought obelisks were pointed at the top but maybe this can also be considered an obelisk. I'm not sure about that. The tower or obelisk is carved with biographical information about President Harrison. You can actually walk into the foyer of the tomb and view the actual crypt. This freaked me out a bit because I'm claustrophobic. I couldn't make it inside an Egyptian pyramid because the passage way to the interior was so cramped. Entrance around the actual tomb is made of marble and carved with the name "Harrison" on the lintel. There is even a guest book you can sign. I didn't. I just snapped a few photos and got out of the cramped, low-ceiling tomb.
I think I was most impressed by the entrance limestone carvings at the bottom of the hill that define the beginning of the path that leads up to the tomb. There are two curved limestone benches that look like no one has ever sat on. There are two columns also made of limestone. On top of each column is an eagle. I think they were the most beautiful part of the entire of the tomb complex. I got some good photos of the eagles. I even got some with the big American flag and Ohio flag in the background. (see one below)

It was a beautiful sunny day. The temperature was just perfect for me. The humidity was low. I am glad that I decided to go exploring. It reminded me again of how much I enjoy history and how much I like to explore new places - especially sites that are off the beaten path.
I've included some photos along with this post of President Harrison's tomb. I hope you enjoy them.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Reaching Out to More Families

I continue to ask for your prayers for our recruitment efforts at TriState Habitat for Humanity. I am really feeling some pressure as grant deadlines approach. I also am trying hard to think outside the box when it comes to family recruitment. I know families are out there, I need to meet them where they are. I'm hoping God will give me the wisdom to find them.
We just sent out another direct mailing to people living in Middletown, Ohio. Middletown has had an active group of Habitat volunteers for many years and has built many houses. The challenge is that Middletown is a typical Midwestern city that is in decline. The population of Middletown has decreased 5.6% in past decade. Once home to a lot of industry, many jobs have left Middletown for the sunbelt or other countries. According to the 2010 US Census, 12.6% of the city's population live in poverty.
There is definite need in Middletown, it's just finding families who are willing to do what it takes to become Habitat Partner Families. I am really hoping that this mailing (targeted to renters in the urban center of Middletown) will reach some families who are willing to take the risk to make their dreams come true.
Tomorrow, I will get to witness one family's dream come true. We have a closing for a family whose new home is located in Batavia, Ohio. I am really looking forward to it.
It's late and I need to get to bed. Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

New Phone

Well, I finally did it. I got a new cell phone today. This is a major milestone in my life because this is only the second cell phone that I have ever owned. I got my first cell phone in 2006 in my home town of Mishawaka, Indiana right before I moved to Knoxville Tennessee. The reason that I decided to get a new cell phone was because my old cell phone was having a hard time keeping a charge. I think this might have been what caused my problem earlier this summer when I my phone shut off and I didn't know how to turn it back on.
When I went to the Verizon store today to get the new cell phone, the guy who helped me (who was probably still in elementary school when I got my first cell phone) said, "Your phone is really old." He then proceeded to try to sell me a smart phone with all kinds of bells and whistles. I told him "no." He then showed me their basic phones that were on display in the store. He suggested that I get one with a keyboard for texting and a camera. I told him "no". I then asked him if they had any other basic phone models in stock that were not on display. They had a catalogue and I pointed to some phones and he thought they did have a few of them in the back. I told him I had a $50 credit on my account and I wanted to use that to get a phone and that I hoped that they had phones that would not cost me anything if I used my credit. He went into the back stock room and emerged with my new phone. He told me that I would not have to pay anything for this if I used my $50 credit and that I could walk out of the store with a new phone. The salesman also warned me that this phone didn't take photos, connect to the Internet, or have a flip out keyboard for sending texts. He said it was just a "plain Jane phone." I told him that it sounded perfect.
So, I've spent the evening reading the manual for my new phone. I know. Most people just know how to use their phones and never even unwrap the manual but that's not how I'm wired. I like to read the manual and learn all of the little tricks to operating new phone. Of course, there are very few little tricks because by the rest of the world's standards, I am now the proud owner of the world's most boring phone.
In spite of the fact that I am really excited about my new phone, I also will miss my old phone. I may try to donate my old phone to the Smithsonian. Maybe they will display it next to Dorothy's ruby slippers.
That old phone has been my communication device with the world for the past five years. I think about all of the conversations I have had with friends and family using that phone. I have laughed deeply and shed many tears while using that old phone. I have heard good news and bad news while talking on that phone. I was talking on that old phone when I was offered the Family Services Coordinator position at TriState Habitat for Humanity. I have renewed relationships with old friends and talked for the first time when people who would become new friends. I have made plans and cancelled plans. I have offered and received words of encouragement on that old phone. That phone traveled with me from Indiana to Tennessee to Ohio. It went with me when I traveled. It has been the alarm that has awakened me every morning for the past five years. It has been a faithful companion and I will be sad to see it go.
I am grateful for both my new phone and my old phone. I am grateful for memories and new beginnings. I am thankful for new technology that will carry me into the next season of my life and journey.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Friday Recap - Part 2

I'm continuing on with my recap of my big tourist day on Friday. After crossing the Ohio River on the Augusta Ferry, we were in the downtown historic area in Augusta, Kentucky and ready for our next tourist stop.

Rosemary Clooney Museum - The Rosemary Clooney House is owned by Dr. Steve Henry, former KY Lt. Gov., and his wife, Heather French Henry, former Miss America (who was born in Augusta). The museum was established to preserve Rosemary Clooney's house, to open it to the public and to house memorabilia from her life and career.

Starting in 1980 Rosemary began calling Augusta's 106 Riverside Drive home. Located on the banks of the Ohio River in historical Augusta, KY, this was her retreat from the demands of her career and a haven for rest between performances all over the world.
The house is a beautiful Federal style home. I think I was most surprised by how small it was. Knowing that Rosemary Clooney owned a huge mansion in Beverly Hills, her house in Augusta was tiny in comparison. The house has just two bedrooms that are not very big. In fact, they have Rosemary's big brass bed in her former bedroom and it took up half the room.

• The house is filled with all kinds of memorabilia from Rosemary Clooney's life including:
• childhood photos from her years in Maysville, KY
• the largest collection of White Christmas memorabilia anywhere in the world
• costumes worn by Bing, Bob, Vera, and Rosemary, as well as sketches by Edith Head and Bob Mackie for designs worn by Rosemary including the iconic red dress with white fur muff that Rosemary wore in White Christmas
• building materials from the demolition of her mansion at 1019 Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills

  Our tour guide was a hoot. She talked almost non-stop. She has lived in Augusta for over fifty years and seemed to know all about Rosemary, her family, and career. She shared some behind the scenes stories about Rosemary's personal life and relationships.

The museum also includes a bunch of memorabilia from movies that George Clooney has stared in or directed. His costumes from Up in the Air and Leatherheads are on display as well as a bunch of his movie posters.

You can check out the Rosemary Clooney Museum at http://www.rosemaryclooney.org/index.html

The Parkview Country Inn - After spending time at Rosemary's place, we were hungry and ready for lunch. My friend Roslyn recommended that we try the lunch buffet at the Parkview Country Inn. The Parkview Country Inn was constructed in the early 1800's. The Inn originally included a tavern. The tavern area is now the main lobby and sitting area. The Inn is operated as a bed and breakfast.
The lunch buffet was quite tasty. We even splurged and ordered dessert. I had black raspberry cobbler with ice cream. It was delicious! Over lunch we laughed and visited and Mari and Roslyn got to know one another better.
When we came out of the Inn, we had a little excitement in trying to get out of town to our next destination. They were getting ready for Augusta's Heritage Days Festival and they had the road blocked off by vehicles in one direction and by barricades in the other. We narrowly escaped being trapped in Augusta forever by sneaking down an alley and cutting through a parking lot and then we were on our way.
You can check out the Parkview Country Inn at http://parkviewcountryinn.com/

Maysville, Kentucky - We moved on down the road next to Maysville, Kentucky. Maysville is another beautiful historic river town along the Ohio. The architecture is amazing. I am in awe of how many of the historic buildings had been and are being restored. The downtown area is like stepping back in time. I could hardly take it all in.
According to Wikipedia frontiersman Simon Kenton made the first settlement in the area in 1775 but was forced out by the western battles of the American Revolution. Returning in 1784, Kenton built a blockhouse at the site of Maysville and founded Kenton's Station (frontier fort) at a site three miles (5 km) inland. Kenton met new settlers at Limestone, as the landing place was called, and escorted them inland to his station. In 1786 the village which grew up near Kenton's Station was established by act of the Virginia General Assembly as the town of Washington. By this time John May had acquired the land at Limestone and Daniel Boone established a trading post and tavern there. In 1787 the little settlement was incorporated as Maysville, though the name Limestone persisted well into the 19th century.

Maysville was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe visited the area in 1833 and witnessed a slave auction in front of the county court house in Washington, Kentucky. Stowe included the scene in her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, published in 1852.

I wish we would have been able to spend more time in Maysville walking around the historic district. It's definitely some place that I want to visit again. You can learn more about Maysville at http://www.cityofmaysville.com/

Ripley, Ohio - We crossed the Ohio River again on the William H. Harsha Bridge which is a huge suspension bridge that is quite impressive. Once we crossed the river, we headed west again along the river towards Ripley, Ohio.
Colonel James Poage, a veteran of the American Revolution, arrived in the free state of Ohio from Staunton, Virginia in 1804 to claim the 1000 acres he had been granted in what was then the Virginia Military District. Poage was among a large group of veterans who received land grants beyond the Ohio for their service and freed their slaves when they settled there. Poage and his family laid out the town of Staunton in 1812; it was renamed in 1816 to honor General Eleazar Wheelock Ripley, an American officer of the War of 1812.

The proximity of the river and of the slave state of Kentucky on the opposite shore led to Ripley's role as an early stop on the Underground Railroad, a network of citizens helping slaves escape north to freedom. A number of prominent abolitionists lived in the town in the 1800s, mainly on Front Street near the river, including John Rankin, former slave John Parker, Thomas McCague, Thomas Collins and Dr. Alexander Campbell.
You can learn more about the history of Ripley at http://www.ripleyohio.net/

Rankin House - When we arrived in Ripley, we drove up the steep hill overlooking the town and Ohio River and arrived at the Rankin House. A National Historic Landmark, this was the home of Presbyterian minister John Rankin who is reputed to have been one of Ohio's first and most active "conductors" on the Underground Railroad. In addition, he wrote Letters on American Slavery, first published in book form in 1826, and among the first clearly articulated antislavery views printed west of the Appalachians. Letters on American Slavery became standard reading for abolitionists all over the United States by the 1830s. From 1822 to 1865, Rankin, along with his wife and children, assisted hundreds of escaped slaves in their trek to freedom. Located on the Ohio River, John Rankin's home (and Ripley, Ohio in general) were considered one of the first stations on this route of the Underground Railroad. It was here that Harriet Beecher Stowe heard the escaping slave's story which became the basis for part of her famous work, Uncle Tom's Cabin. John Parker, a Ripley abolitionist and former slave who was active in the Underground Railroad, wrote of Rankin, "At times attacked on all sides by masters seeking their slaves, [John Rankin and his sons] beat back their assailant, and held its threshold unsullied. A lighted candle stood as a beacon which could be seen from across the river, and like the north star was the guide to the fleeing slave." (see photo above)
Visiting the Rankin House was like standing on holy ground for me. I kept thinking about all of those who climbed that steep hill in their quest for freedom from oppression. I thought about the Rankin family and all those who risked their lives to help escaped slaves. Slavery is certainly the most vial institution ever conceived and we need to have landmarks like the Rankin House to remind us how far we have come as a nation and that there are still people today longing for freedom in our world.
You can learn more about the Rankin House at http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw14/index.shtml

Parker House - John Parker (1827-1900), a former slave, lived in this house, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark, from about 1853 until his death, and from this location planned many rescue attempts of slaves held captive in the "borderlands" of Kentucky. Born a slave in Norfolk, Virginia, Parker was sold at the age of eight to a doctor in Mobile, Alabama. The doctor's family taught Parker to read and write and allowed him to apprentice in an iron foundry where he was compensated and permitted to keep some of his earnings. Persuading an elderly female patient of the doctor's to purchase him, Parker, at the age of 18, bought his freedom from the woman with money earned from his apprenticeship. Parker moved to southern Ohio and around 1853 established a successful foundry behind his home in Ripley. Patenting a number of inventions from his foundry, Parker was one of only a few African Americans to obtain a U.S. patent in the 19th century. Though busy with his business, Parker was also active in the Underground Railroad and is believed to have assisted many slaves to escape from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. Parker, who was well-known by regional slave-catchers, risked his own life when he secreted himself back into slave territory to lead fugitive slaves to safety in Ripley. Once the slaves were in Ripley, Parker would deliver them to Underground Railroad conductors in the town, such as John Rankin, who would harbor the fugitive slaves and help them to the next depot on the network. In the 1880s, Parker recounted his life as an Underground Railroad conductor in a series of interviews with journalist Frank M. Gregg. These interviews have recently been edited by Stuart Seely Sprague and published as His Promised Land: The Autobiography of John P. Parker Former Slave and Conductor on the Underground Railroad.
We had a great docent at the Parker House. He really knew all of the history and gave us a complete account of Parker's life. You can learn more about the Parker House at http://johnparkerhouse.org/

After our visit to the Parker House, we headed home. It was a long but really good day full of laughter, good friends, good food, and great American history. I am so grateful to Roslyn for doing all of the research before our trip and for driving us around. It was truly a day of blessings.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Friday Recap

After getting a good night's sleep last night, I am ready to go for another day. I don't know what we plan to do yet. We may just be lazy, watch movies, and try to stay cool.
Here's a recap of our activities yesterday along with some color commentary:

Maple Creek Artisan School - My friend Roslyn said that she had seen a sign for an artisan school and always wanted to check it out. So, on our way to our other stops, when she saw the sign, we turned down the road. We drove down a winding country road through a rather dense forest. I wondered as we drove along what in the world and who in the world could be living back in this woods. I told Roslyn and Mari and I was not really interested in joining some secret cult back in the woods. Who knows how many ticks I might get? After about a mile or so we came to a sign that identified Maple Creek Artisan School. It was a large log structure poised on the side of a hill in a beautiful wooded setting. It looked deserted to me so I just figured we would turn around and get the heck out of there before the cult members woke from their slumber and tried to get us to sample their Kool-Aid. But then we saw the sign that said "gallery". So, we decided to get out and see if anyone was around. The sign said they were open but I didn't see any lights on. We got out of the car and moved up the steep sloping walk to the log building. The whole time I was glancing around wondering if the Blair Witch was going to jump out and try to steal my soul. We walked up on the long porch and still no signs of life. There were some pottery pieces on display on rough hewn tables. They were really pretty and I was now feeling disappointed that we couldn't look at the gallery. I looked in the windows and didn't see any lights on. I moved down the porch to the main door and then saw a light on inside. I didn't think the door would be unlocked. Obviously everyone was tired from the night before when the cult members were out in some forest clearing sacrificing animals to some pagan god they worshipped. I thought it would be better if we got in the car and headed back to civilization. However, when I tried the door handle, it turned. I pushed the door in and it swung open and there was a woman holding a broom moving through the large building turning on lights. I wasn't sure at first if the broom was simply a cleaning device or her mode of transportation. She smiled and greeted us and welcomed us to the gallery.
What a treat the gallery was. They had all kinds of stuff on display. Much of it was from their students and other local artists. There was a lot of beautiful pottery. There were wooden bowls and carved figurines. There were some absolutely amazing pieces of furniture. They had rugs and wall hangings and blankets and quilts. There were paintings and photographs. They had some metalwork and handmade walking sticks. It was a huge display and I had a hard time taking it all in.
We also discovered that they offer classes there. Students are able to sell their works in the gallery. They have a regular pottery class in which students can have their works fired in a regular kiln, a gas powered kiln, and once a year they fire pieces in a wood fired kiln. We got to go down into the pottery studio and see some of the things that the students are currently working on.
The main building was constructed from the wood from two dismantled old barns in St. Leon, Indiana. They had photos of the two barns on display. I could see the wonderful care that had been taken to make these old materials useful again in a whole new way. I was most impressed by this.
The mission of the Maple Creek Artisan School is to provide and maintain a traditional arts education community with a focus on nature, fostering new artists and furthering the heritage of Appalachia. If you would like to check them out on the web and or plan a visit there go to http://maplecreekart.com/index.html

Augusta Ferry - We left the artisan school and were back on the road. Roslyn had shared that we were going to cross the Ohio River via ferry. I was excited about this because I've only ever been on a ferry twice in my life and I just think it is so cook that you can park your car on a boat and sail off across the water. Roslyn said we were going to get on the Augusta Ferry which takes you across river to the town of Augusta Kentucky. Just as we pulled into the dock area for the Augusta Ferry, we saw the ferry pulling away. The ferry was about twenty feet off shore and I suggested to Roslyn that she could still make it if she got up enough speed. She evidently didn't think this was a good idea. Of course we were all disappointed but knew that we could probably keep ourselves entertained for the time that the ferry made a round trip back to the dock. Then, we noticed that the ferry seemed to be moving back to the shoreline. Sure enough, the ferry captain was chugging back to get us. He glided back to the dock, dropped the safety cable, and Roslyn drove her car forward and parked on the ferry. We then were able to get out and stand on the deck of the ferry. The Ohio River is beautiful in this stretch. It's wide and as we pulled away from the shore, I looked back to see the rolling hills and ridge line that runs parallel to the river on the Ohio side. We could also see the town of Augusta as we headed across the river. While it was pretty hot yesterday, there was a nice breeze on the river. The ferry docked on the Kentucky shore and we drove off into the historic downtown area of Augusta.

Augusta, Kentucky - The area was part of a Revolutionary War grant by Virginia to Capt. Phillip Buckner, who first visited here in 1781. Buckner returned in 1796 with 40 Virginia families. The Legislature of Kentucky issued its charter on October 2, 1797. At the request of Capt. Buckner, the town trustees were chosen and Buckner deeded them 600 acres of land on which the city is located.
The city was named after Augusta County, Virginia. The city grew quickly and in 1796 became county seat of the Extensive Bracken County Area. The location was moved to Oxford then back to Augusta then finally to Brooksville in 1839 as county seat. The city was home to five separate schools, one private four public. The most famous built was the Augusta College, which served the entire Bracken area until 1887. The college continued to serve the city until October 31, 1896.
The downtown historic district is beautiful. There are homes (some dating back to the 1790's) that line the street along the Ohio River. There are many Federal style buildings as well as Victorian and Antebellum styled homes.
In the last quarter century, Augusta has been best known as the site of three major films: Michner’s Centennial, PBS’ Huckleberry Finn, and Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers. Augusta is also the home of the Nick and Nina Clooney family, former home of Rosemary Clooney and Miss America 2000, Heather Renee French Henry. Noted Playwright Stuart Armstrong Walker was raised on Riverside Drive and later patented the portable stage and introduced the individual spotlight system used in theatres today.
As we drove off the ferry and along the river front street and looked at the amazingly well preserved historic architecture, it felt like we were being transported back in time. You can learn more about Augusta at their website: http://www.augustaky.com/

To be continued tomorrow. . . . Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Vacation Activities

My friend Mari made it into town this morning. We had a nice day. We went to the public library in Hamilton and checked out a couple of movies to watch over the weekend. After lunch we then spent the afternoon at Ikea and a local used bookstore. After eating supper, we took a short walk to burn off a few calories and then settled in to watch a movie.
Tomorrow we are off to be tourists. We are going to meet up with my friend Roslyn. The three of us are going to visit historic sites in the area related to the Underground Railroad including some old mansions where fugitive slaves found refuge after crossing the Ohio River. We also plan to cross the river on a ferry and visit the town of Augusta, Kentucky. From the research I've done, it looks like Augusta is a small river town and has some shops that we will probably wander through. I also discovered that Augusta has a museum dedicated to the life and career of Rosemary Clooney. Also, this is the town in which George Clooney grew up. Who knows, maybe we will catch a glimpse of George wandering the town as he takes a break from his busy film career. I don't think I will hold my breath on this but I guess anything is possible.
It looks like it's going to be a fun day. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Home Visit Tomorrow

I ask for your prayers for a home visit I'm doing tomorrow in the city of Oxford, Ohio. Home visits are the way in which Habitat for Humanity verifies that a family is currently living in substandard conditions. This is always an extremely humbling experience for me. I will be doing a walk through and explaining the Habitat program to the family.
Please pray that I will be objective and observant. Please pray that I will be a good listener. Please also pray for this family as they live from day to day in some pretty awful living conditions.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Just Another Manic Monday

Today was a busy, wild day at work. First thing this morning, I was in Batavia, Ohio for a meeting with a Habitat Partner Family for their materials selection meeting. They got to choose their carpet and siding colors and a few other choices for their house. This is always an exciting meeting but it can also be a bit overwhelming for folks who have never been able to make these kinds of choices about their home.
After we got back to the office, I had a staff meeting to talk about current and future construction projects. This is always a good meeting when we have it. It's the way that people in the office find out what's going on at each construction site. I find it helpful so that I can keep families informed about the progress on their homes.
By the time these two meetings were over, it was the middle of the afternoon and I had a pile of work to do. I was excited to see that we had received two more applications for home ownership in the mail over the weekend. While it's a good problem to have, right now, I have a stack of applications that still need to be reviewed. I hope that I will be able to catch up tomorrow.
I'm grateful to be busy with all of this. It feels like we are making progress in the area of family recruitment. There is real energy and excitement within the affiliate as we reach out to more families who want to partner with us and move from substandard to safe, decent, affordable housing. It's a blessing and privilege to be serving in this way.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Busy Week Ahead

It looks like this is going to be another busy week of work for me. Tomorrow I am traveling to Batavia, Ohio to meet with one of our Habitat Partner Families. They will be making their materials selection and we will review their house plans as we make preparations for construction of their home. I also have a staff meeting tomorrow afternoon
Tuesday I'm meeting with another Partner Family to talk about the construction progress on their home. Along with this, our auditor will be in the office starting on Tuesday for four days. This is always a bit anxiety producing.
On Wednesday afternoon I am headed to Oxford, Ohio for a home visit with a family who has applied for our home ownership program. I am meeting a new volunteer with Habitat who will be doing the home visit with me. I am looking forward to getting to meet this family and hearing their story.
I also have plans to work on some more family recruitment efforts in different parts of our service area and I still have new applications for home ownership to process.
I definitely don't think I will be bored. I hope you have a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Good Morning

It was a good morning today. The wall raising went off really well. We had a good turnout of volunteers, family and friends to support the Habitat Partner Family on this very special day as we raised the first walls of their house. The pastor did a great job in his devotional. There seemed to be a lot of energy in the air. It was also great to have the Mayors of Hamilton, Ohio and Fairfield, Ohio present for the wall raising. After the wall raising service, my friend Karen and I went to lunch. It was nice just to visit and catch up with one another.
I continue to feel so blessed at this time in my life. I am ever grateful that God has brought me to this place at this time.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Wall Raising Tomorrow

I am really excited that we have another wall raising service tomorrow for a new Habitat house that we are starting. This house is being built for a family in my current hometown of Hamilton, Ohio. The Mayor of Hamilton will be present for the wall raising service along with some other community leaders. I think it will be a great day of celebration. It's been a while since we finished the last house in Hamilton so I'm glad we are getting started with this house.
This family has waited for a long time to finally see this day come. I know it will be a blessing as the first walls are raised by volunteers to help another family in need move from substandard housing to a safe, decent, affordable home. It will be a true celebration.
I ask for your prayers for this new build and for this Partner Family. I've been with Habitat long enough to realize that nothing ever goes smoothly in construction. There will be delays and set backs and disappointments as we move forward. The family will want it to go faster than it is going. There will be challenges along the way that will test every one's patience. Please pray that the family will experience God's peace during this time of waiting. Please also pray for the safety of our volunteers and staff. Please also pray that God will help this build to be a positive witness to the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity in Hamilton and beyond.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

New Applications and Preparations for New Beginnings

God continues to bless us at TriState Habitat for Humanity. In the past, I've asked for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts and those prayers are definitely working. I was excited to discover this morning that we had received three more applications for our home ownership program over the weekend. Additionally, we received another application for home ownership today. Three of these four applications are from areas where we really need families. I am really excited about all of this.
To add to the excitement, I have been busy preparing to help three Partner Families close on their homes. In a few weeks, these three families will be moving from substandard conditions to safe, decent, affordable homes. I know the families are having a hard time being patient so I ask for your prayers for them during this time of transition and waiting.
Along with this, we will be starting three new homes in the coming weeks. On Saturday, we will have a wall raising service for a new house in Hamilton, Ohio. We also have plans to start new houses in Amelia, Ohio and Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
As you can see, it's both a busy and exciting time at TriState Habitat for Humanity. I continue to be grateful to God for the opportunities that I have to serve families in need. I am thankful that God has led me to this ministry at this time.
I continue to ask for your prayers as we move forward in ministry to give families a hand up out of poverty housing. Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
- Psalm 121, NKJV

I participated in a house dedication today in Rising Sun, Indiana. The Habitat Partner Family's parents donated a parcel of land from their farm on which to build the family's house. It is located on the top of a hill with views of the Ohio River and the hills of Kentucky across the river.
I had the privilege of giving the devotional for the service and I decided to use Psalm 121 as the basis for my devotional. It was extremely fitting given the setting for this house. I talked about how the house placed on top of that hill is truly a blessing from God. I reminded the family that most Habitat families don't get the privilege of a view like they have from the top of that hill. Whenever the family lifts up their eyes to the hills, they will be thinking of home and the many ways in which God has blessed them.
The Psalmist also reminds us that our true help comes from the Lord. I reminded the family and everyone gathered there that this is true for us today as well. This family could not have done this without God's help. God was with them and watching over them as they waited and hoped for this day to arrive. It is only by God's help that they will have a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also pointed out the verse: "God shall preserve your going out and your coming in." I invited the family to remember that every time they go in and out of the doors of their new home that God will be with them. That while there are most certainly new challenges ahead of them, God will never ever leave them alone. They are loved by God and nothing will ever change that reality.
The other wonderful part of the service was the dedication of a tree planted in the yard of this home. It was donated by volunteers in memory of one of our volunteer construction site leaders who died of cancer several weeks ago. He had volunteered on several homes before this one and started out helping to lead this build as well. There is a stone engraved with the volunteer's name, the years of his birth and death, and the Habitat logo.
It was a great day of celebration and another reminder of why I love this work and ministry. I am truly blessed.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Answered Prayers

I have previously asked for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts at TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have done several mailings and had an insert in the utility bills in Hamilton, Ohio. Since we did these things, we have received a steady stream of requests for applications for home ownership. We also have been receiving more applications - especially from the city of Hamilton. In looking back at our application statistics for the past month, I was pleasantly surprised. In the past month we have received 120 requests for applications and 18 applications came back to the office.
I feel like this is a real answer to prayer. I feel like we are reaching out to our target group more effectively. I have known that there are families out there who qualify our program. I finally feel like we are making progress.
I also realize that in order to increase our capacity to serve more families, we need to keep up these kinds of focused recruitment efforts. There is a lot of work yet to do. We have really only begun to reach families who need a safe, decent, affordable place in which to live. I am excited by this challenge and I look forward to offering a hand up to families living in poverty.
I ask for your continued prayers for our family recruitment efforts. I also ask for your prayers for families who are struggling from day to day in poverty in the Cincinnati region. Hopefully, some of them will step out in faith and submit applications to become home owners.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

This evening I traveled to Batavia, Ohio in Clermont County for the house dedication for one of our Habitat Partner Families. It was a huge blessing for me to be there as it always is. This is a family of eight people that includes a mom, a dad, and six boys. I am always impressed whenever I am with this family. The boys are extremely well-mannered and a joy to be around.
What impresses me most about this family is the love and support shown by their church family. There were several of their church members in attendance at the dedication along with their pastor who led the devotion. One of their fellow church members gave a testimony about the kindness that our Habitat Partner Family had shown him when he was in need. Throughout the entire Partnership process, even when it didn't seem like it was ever going to happen, this family faced adversity with joy and great faith. They knew that God had wonderful plans for them and their new house is a living testimony to their faith and perseverance.
Everyone who participated in the house dedication did a great job and God used them to share God's love and give witness to the work of God that had been accomplished in the building of this house. It was a time to thank God for the all of the time and energy of the volunteers and gifts of the donors. It was also a time to offer prayers and praise to the God who calls us to kingdom work. I found myself tearing up several times during the service. As always, I felt honored to be a part of the miracle that is Habitat for Humanity.
I ask for your prayers for this family. We are so close to being done with their house but there are several hoops that we still need to jump through before we will be able to close. There are some construction things that still need to be done. There are also some grant applications that need to be completed. We will have to make sure all the bills are paid and the final sale cost is established. We also need to work with the attorneys so that they can prepare the closing documents.
In the meantime, this family is still living in substandard conditions in a house that too small for them. Also, the boys will be starting school in the coming weeks and in the midst of all of that transition, the family will have to think about packing and moving. So, this is certainly going to be a stressful time and one that will test their patience. Soon, though, they will be able to realize their dream.
Another family is about to move from horrible living conditions to a safe, decent, affordable home. They will sign their closing documents, receive the keys to their new home, and God will be honored. Then we will move on to give the next Partner Family a hand up out of poverty housing and the mission and ministry will continue.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Getting Ready

I went up to Oxford, Ohio today to meet with one of our Habitat Partner Families. If you don't know, Oxford is the home of Miami University. It is a small college town that most likely would not exist without the college.
As we drove through the Miami campus, there was a real sense of anticipation. Very soon the campus will be bustling with students as the fall term begins. I realized as we drove through the small downtown business district that was practically a ghost town today will in less than two weeks be bustling with cars and people. Everywhere I looked there were signs that University employees and the city itself were preparing for a new year full of promise.
I invite you to join me in praying for all of our college students as they prepare to begin another year of school. Some are just beginning. Some are looking forward to a final year and then onto the world of employment (if they can find jobs in this stagnant economy). Wherever students find themselves, I hope and pray that God will help them to learn, to grow, and to be who God created them to be.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Exciting News

I have been asking for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts at TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have recently sent out around 5,000 postcards to renters in several apartment complexes in Butler County, Ohio as well as renters in the neighborhood in Hamilton, Ohio around three lots that we plan to build on. We have grant money tied to the lots in Hamilton and we need to find qualified families who are willing to live in this area. We also just had fliers go out in the Hamilton utility bills. I got mine Wednesday and we have been getting calls in response to that recruitment ad this week.
Today was really exciting because we received back in our office the first application from a family who received one of our recruitment postcards in Hamilton. The applicant came by the office to drop off the application. I had to restrain myself because I wanted to give her a big hug. I'm sure that would have scared the applicant and that would not have been good.
My hope and prayer is that this will be the first of many applications that we receive in response to these family recruitment efforts. I know the families are out there who are in need of safe, decent, affordable housing. I need to continuously find creative ways to reach them.
I ask for your continued prayers for our family recruitment efforts and for the mission and ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity. I know that God is up to good things and we are going to continue to grow in the number of families whom we serve.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Thanks for Your Prayers

Thank you for your prayers for the home visit. The visit went well. The trip took me to the far end of our service area. We got a little lost on the way but finally found our destination. We were really out in some beautiful country around the village of Williamsburg.
It was good to meet the family and to hear their story. I don't get to make the final decision regarding this family's application. Our Board members have that responsibility. I ask for your prayers as this family moves through the process. There are more hoops to jump through before they will know if they are approved as a Partner Family.
I'm really glad tomorrow is Friday. This week has been long and busy. We have had some folks out of the office and that has made things a bit more crazy than normal. I am really looking forward to Saturday. My friends Vickie and Patty will be in town and we are going to spend some time together. It will be good to see them again.
It's late and I need to get to bed. Tomorrow looks like it will be another busy day.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

On the Road Tomorrow

Tomorrow afternoon I am hitting the road and heading to the village of Williamsburg, Ohio for a home visit with a family who has applied to be Habitat home owners. I both look forward to going on home visits and at the same time I go into them with some apprehension.
I am always exciting to meet families to hear their stories. I like to talk with them about Habitat and review the requirements of the program with them. However, I don't really enjoy seeing how families are forced to live. Most of our family applicants live in deplorable conditions. They live in homes and apartments owned by slumlords who are making money at the expense of the poor.
Whenever I go on a home visit, I walk away from them hoping and praying that we can help the family. I also feel a kind of righteous anger recognizing that I live in the richest country in the world and yet so many people live in such deplorable conditions. They struggle from day to day simply because their home is falling down around them.
I ask for your prayers for this home visit tomorrow. I will be there to gather data about the family's current living conditions. I will also be there to get to know this family. Along with this, I will once again be reminded of why Habitat for Humanity's ministry is vital and absolutely necessary. EVERYONE ought to have a safe, decent, affordable place in which to live.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

A Wonderful Story

In a world that seems to bombard us with bad news, I want to share with you some really good news. If you go to this link: http://www.wlwt.com/news/28672935/detail.html you'll see a news story and video that aired on one of the local Cincinnati television affiliates tonight about one of our TriState Habitat for Humanity Partner Families whose home is being built in Lebanon, Ohio. The home is being built with the help of nine churches in the region.
I was so excited to hear that the news crew was coming out to the site today to see the progress so far and interview the Partner Family. This family has a special place in my heart because they were one of the first families that I worked with in the application process when I began my work at TriState Habitat for Humanity. It's so exciting to see construction starting on this family's home. I'm so grateful that it all worked out and we were able to get the word out to the entire TriState region.
Each day I am grateful, blessed, and excited about this ministry to which God has called me. I am humbled that God would help me to be a part of the miracle that is Habitat for Humanity.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!