Remembering Annabelle

A few thoughts: Sunday morning December 15, 2024. 

I heard this song the other day while watching the series Hell On Wheels. It reminded me of the connection I feel for the past, and the depths of my family roots. Hell On Wheels tells the story of the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad following the Great Civil War. Our nation's growing pains called us West at the cost of many lives, and ways of life. 

Not many years prior my ancestors labored on the Miami and Erie Canal. Before the Iron Horse there were wooden canal boats pulled by flesh and blood horses. They traveled by water course not by rail. 60 to 70 feet wide, and six feet deep, many immigrants traversed, and like that mighty railroad to come, I can only imagine the sweat, blood and tears it took to clear a wilderness for the cause of progress and Manifest Destiny.

 Today,  some may call it a myth of the Western world, but I see a past we must not forget or fail to yield to the causes that blur our present ills. 

Annabel, a great Aunt on my Mother's side I hardly knew. I remember her face like my Grandma Beatrice. From out of the depths of the past they renew my quest to know where I come from, and perhaps where I am going to. Inevitably, to that sky above for sure, but what legacy will I pass on to those following in the wagon wheel trail that was my life?

God Bless!

Our Troubled Times, and the Call of Faith.

For all of you out there who take the time to find meaning in our troubled  times, I say, amen to you! Do not lose heart, and continue  your quest for peace, purpose, and something to believe in once again. 

And so...read on.

Thank you for stopping in to my den. 

D.A. Wittler

9/30/24

We can all pray to God to give us what we need to defend what was given through hardship, war and pain. But ultimately, it will be up to us to take our faith into the fire that is fast approaching. We must take up the banner of freedom, stand at post and cast out the evil upon our land, even unto death. For there is no bastion of freedom left to defend but that which the Lord our God has bestowed on us. There has never been nor ever will be anything  like the heart and soul of a true American.

And so I tell you, let not your hearts be troubled. Listen to what is being said to confound reason and common sense. Sift through the sands of deceit that some build falsely to win your devotion. Search your heart, mind, and soul to discover what is right and just. For there will be a time for reckoning when we as Americans will have the tools to repair what others have broken. So, give God your glory. Praise him for his blessings. Seek out his path in a new dawn of hope after the dark night of despair and longing. Know then that We shall overcome!

Amen

Memory Verse 2012

I pulled out a box of my writing this morning. On top of the pile of journals and sundry scraps of paper meant for inspiration, I found this little gem from 2012. Facing a marriage at it's end I toiled in silence; my forever friend. 

Untitled 

Heart of despair

Soul of yearning

Mind muttled in confusion. 

Silence calls

Offering opportunity 

Solitude answers

"Peace and patience my friend."

D.A. Wittler 12/16/2012

I wonder what else I will rediscover in this box of treasures. Though time passes and memory fades, the emotions remain as fresh as new fallen snow; prestine yet confined to a past I once lived. And I ask myself "Who was that younger man I once vaugley knew, and this older man Who persues a path of truth?"

A Dream

A Few thoughts:

A Dream at 1:30 am

I wish I could explain 

How it came to me

How I came to be

A boy again

But I was

Among the people  

Not as they were then 

But now as they are

Still yearning

Still living in a dream

Like nothing ever changed

Still beating in their hearts 

The way it used to be

When the earth was Mother

The skies our Father

And a message was carried 

On the wind as we rode 

Faster and faster

With reckless abandon 

And we cried out

Louder and louder

Until our voice 

Became like the eagle

The hawk

Or even the owl

Messenger of death

Saying nothing is to be feared

Not even the future

Only that life is about freedom

To be born

To grow

To learn

To transition 

Beyond what we know

To a place of peace

Where the wind tastes

And smells like freedom 

The likes we have never known

Because it is heaven. 

Amen

D.A. Wittler

12/14/23

Love Goes On

A Few Thoughts: A Garden Grows, and Life Goes On.

We have worked hard for our small slice of heaven. It may only be a backyard, but the peace, serenity, and view of the setting sun at dusk is stunning. We have little friends who play in the grass, and keep us company. They bring a smile to our faces, and warm our hearts on any given day. Gene Stratton Porter mat have had her million dollar window, but our deck with a view is priceless! Though we have seemingly walled ourselves off from the rest of the world, it is our happy place to share; to escape for a while. And while we wait for the rain to fill our barrels, we store up love in our hearts, and wonder what tomorrow brings. But all that really matters is today!

Watching green things grow, we prune, water, and tend to the anticipation of a harvest of healthy living; we catch a glimpse of a garden many centuries ago where man, and woman wondered in the glory of creation. And life goes on....

Amen

Witt

Tempus Fugit

 Tempus Fugit

A Few Thoughts: On the passage of time,  healing of old wounds, strengths of family, faith, and community.  

This young lady turned forty this past Christmas, and she still runs as smoothly as ever! "Granny" as she is considered a Grandmother clock says: "Tempus Fugit" (time flies) above the clock face. My Grandma Beatrice Stepleton purchased this clock in 1982, and inscribed it: "With Love to my family" below the face. 

I often reminisce of the days stopping by to visit grandma Bea. She took such delight in seeing her grandchildren, and having family over to celebrate holidays, birthdays etc.. I can still smell the aroma of fresh baked pies wafting in from the kitchen, and the apron tied neatly around her waist.

Time they say heals all wounds, and it does if we are willing to let bygones be bygones. The sheer power of forgiveness flows from the origins of our Christian faith, and it teaches us about compassion, mercy, and the unyielding power of love. But forgiveness is a choice like any other human endeavor. It takes time to rise like bread in the oven, and it is to be savored like that first slice slathered in butter. With Easter not long passed, it paves the way for life eternal with our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ.  And so, let us be humbled enough to accept our failures, and to seek peace within ourselves, and amongst our neighbors. Let not time fly by without love leading the way!

Amen

God bless!

Witt

Reflections of A Life Lived

A Few Thoughts: A Present Reflection of a Life Lived; The Promises of Faith, and the Power of Patience. 

(A journaling experience)

Dear Journal,

Here I am again recording thoughts. I am rested; though my body aches, my heart is full, and faith is strong.

I contemplate mystery, honesty, forgiveness,....   and what it means to be present. The Chinese recognize 2022 as The Year of the Tiger, of which I am privy to. The stars consider me a lion. Whether it means anything or not I do not know, but I do not put my faith in stars, but in a God who put them there to light the heavens. They remind me not only of the vastness of space, but also of the limitless possibilities of faith.

I struggle with our relationship; God in heaven, as man, and true friend sitting beside me as I travel down this road of life. My childhood image of Him detracts from the infinite being reflected in all things, and places simultaneously. I see His son as man talking the talk, and walking the walk; inspiring apostles, intriguing learned men of his day, and being the ultimate sacrifice for all sinful souls. For this I am grateful, resilient, and determined to live as a whole person. I love more now than I ever thought possible. I am a creation in His own image, a son, brother, father, friend, and husband to a true, and soulful partner.

I have lived many lives it seems. Coming from humble beginnings, small town values, and a Boy Scout's code of honor. I was a soldier once, not like the heroes revered from history, present day, or the Veterans I have listened to over a cold bottle of brew. Sure, I had visions once of heroism in my head, but being a part of the team was always my broader vision of service. Victory is achieved when everyone contributes to the end game of a successful campaign. 

I was a reluctant leader once; afraid of not having the answers when others depended on me, or that I would fail to set the right example when others needed my expertise to get the job done. What I have found is that leadership us much like the Serenity Prayer, especially in its opening words:

 "God grant me Serenity do accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference."

And so I would add one more thing: Patience to allow others to see the potential in themselves. 

Amen, and God Bless!

D.A. Wittler 2/26/22