SIBLINGS

"Siblings that say they never fight are most definitely hiding something."

Lemony Snicket

Pen name of American author Daniel Handler.   1970 - 

Photo taken 31 October 2021

LEGACY

“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.” PSALM 78:4

It is a blessing to be able to visit often and decorate the graves of my parents and grandparents.  In fact, there are several great aunts and uncles in the same section of Arlington Memorial Park, which leads me to believe my Linch grandfather was thinking *legacy* 

I am thankful that my parents were vocal and intentional with their faith, leading by example and by instruction.  I believe that they prayed for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren by name.  I know one of my mother's prayers was that the disobedient would *get caught,* and thereby, be able to made amends sooner.

There exists a fantastic library to be shared, full of Bible commentaries and treastises to read and study.

It is a double blessing when you are related by blood (cognate) to those with whom you are related in Christ.

"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. "JOHN 17:3

 

Linch, Albert O., Dr.

The Jackson Progress-Argus March 10, 1960

Dr. A. O. Linch, Butts County GA Native, Buried At Arlington Memorial Park, Atlanta

     Dr. Albert O. Linch, prominent Atlanta doctor and native of Butts County, being born at Flovilla on December 17, 1901, was buried at Arlington Cemetery Sunday afternoon, February 28. Funeral services had been held at Spring Hill with Dr. Nat G. Long, pastor of the Druid Hills Methodist Church and Dr. Louie D. Newton, pastor of the Druid Hills Baptist Church officiating.
     Dr. Linch had been in declining health from a heart ailment for a long time which dated back 10 years ago when he suffered a heart attack following a strenuous day of surgery at a U. S. Military Hospital in France. He had volunteered his services soon after Pearl Harbor and served more than four years with the Army Medical Corps. He landed with the first invasion forces in North Africa, saw duty on the Anzio Beachhead and at Monte Casino, then became a casualty himself as his unit, the 43rd General Hospital known as the Emory Unit, moved northward with General Patch's Army through central France.
     Dr. Linch was invalided home and warned by his medical colleagues that unless he gave up his professional career he could not live but a short while. Despite this prediction, he resumed the practice until the day before he died. He was at his office ministering to his patients when the final attack came on Thursday and he died the following day, February 26, at a private hospital.
     Following his graduation from high school, he began a two year pre-med course at the University of Georgia and graduated from Emory Medical College in 1925. He began practicing medicine in Atlanta in 1927 following his internship at Grady Hospital.
     Dr. Linch lived at 835 Oakdale Road, N.E. and was a Steward of Druid Hills Methodist Church. He was a former president of the Fulton County Medical Society, a member of the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association. He was also a member of the Medical Association of Georgia, Fifth District Medical Society, Phi Beta Pi Medical Fraternity, Yaarab Temple of the Shrine, and the Atlanta Athletic Club.
     Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Dorcas Giles Linch; daughter, Mrs. W. D. Jordan, Atlanta; sister, Mrs. B. P. Stovall, Atlanta, and Miss Eugenia Linch, Winston Salem, N. C.; brothers, W. E. Linch, Rome; H. L. Linch, Atlanta; Frank Linch, editor and publisher of the Weekly Advertiser, McDonough; Samuel H. Linch, of Silver Springs, Md., and three grandchildren.

Remembering JS Jordan, Sr, MD

 

WHAT I MEANT

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

Robert McCloskey

American writer/illustrator

1914-2003

National Daughter's Day

 

So, so proud of these young ladies!!

Years ago I prayed specifically ....

that each grow to become a Christian woman,

strong in her faith, taking dominion and

    leading others to Christ in the 21st century.

Praising God for answers to prayer!!

And now a little secular humor

Women are like tea bags — they don’t know how strong they are until they’re in hot water.

Virginia Apgar

American Physician

1909 - 1974

Born on a Monday

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay

Sunday by George Herbert

 O Day most calm, most bright,
The fruit of this, the next worlds bud,
Th’ indorsement of supreme delight,
Writ by a friend, and with his bloud;
The couch of time; cares balm and bay:
The week were dark, but for thy light:
                  Thy torch doth show the way.

                  The other dayes and thou
Make up one man; whose face thou art,
Knocking at heaven with thy brow:
The worky-daies are the back-part;
The burden of the week lies there,
Making the whole to stoup and bow,
                  Till thy release appeare.

                  Man had straight forward gone
To endlesse death: but thou dost pull
And turn us round to look on one,
Whom, if we were not very dull,
We could not choose but look on still;
Since there is no place so alone,
                  The which he doth not fill.

                  Sundaies the pillars are,
On which heav’ns palace arched lies:
The other dayes fill up the spare
And hollow room with vanities.
They are the fruitfull beds and borders
In Gods rich garden: that is bare,
                  Which parts their ranks and orders.

                  The Sundaies of mans life,
Thredded together on times string,
Make bracelets to adorn the wife
Of the eternall glorious King.
On Sunday heavens gate stands ope:
Blessings are plentifull and rife,
                  More plentifull then hope.

                  This day my Saviour rose,
And did inclose this light for his:
That, as each beast his manger knows,
Man might not of his fodder misse.
Christ hath took in this piece of ground,
And made a garden there for those
                  Who want herbs for their wound.

                  The rest of our Creation
Our great Redeemer did remove
With the same shake, which at his passion
Did th’ earth and all things with it move.
As Sampson bore the doores away,
Christs hands, though nail’d, wrought our salvation,
                  And did unhinge that day.

                  The brightnesse of that day
We sullied by our foul offence:
Wherefore that robe we cast away,
Having a new at his expence,
Whose drops of bloud paid the full price,
That was requir’d to make us gay,
                  And fit for Paradise.

                  Thou art a day of mirth:
And where the Week-dayes trail on ground,
Thy flight is higher, as thy birth.
O let me take thee at the bound,
Leaping with thee from sev’n to sev’n,
Till that we both, being toss’d from earth, 

                  Flie hand in hand to heav’n! 

from The Temple (1633)

Siblings

“Siblings:

 children of the same parents,

 each of whom is perfectly normal until they get together.”

Sam Levenson

1922 - 1980

American Humorist

Photo taken 05.09.2021

2025 WORD OF THE YEAR - FELLOWSHIP

Initial inspiration for selecting this word came from reading Charles Spurgeon's sermon entitled "Fellowship with God" dated 15 Sept 1861

Fellowship (1John1:3) (Acts 2:42) (Phil 3:10) 

F = Faith (the activity of believing) Faith hears the promise, hears the command, believes both, and acts in obedience. (A.Begg Truth For Life: 365 Daily Devotions)                                Shorter Catechism Question 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?

A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.

E = Endurance/Encouragement (Rom 15:4-5)

L = Love (1Cor 13) ValleyofVision prayer Christian Love

L = Light (Psalm 119:30) (1 John 1:5) (Matt 5:16)

O = Obedience (John 14:15&15:10 (1Pet1:22)

W = Worship  (1Tim 3:14-16) (psalms)  We are made to worship.

S = Sincerity (1Cor 5:8)

H = Humility (Prov 15:33) Read and re-read the book of Job.

I =  Insight/instruction/wisdom (Prov 12:15, 14:8, 16:25, 19:20)   

P = Prayer (2 Cor 1:11) -Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God hath promised, or according to the Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith, to the will of God.--John Bunyan See also Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer

Read: Duties of Christian Fellowship by John Owen (8/15/25 - so many Bible references!)

Listen:  Music Album Fortress God by Praise and Harmony (frequently & so encouraging)

Additional Inspiration from listening to sermons by: 

Ian Hamilton

 "What to do when you dont know what to do"

2 Chronicles 20:1-12  delivered 12 Jan 2025

Gary Elliott

"Greatest Mystery ever Told" 1 Tim 3:14-16  19 Jan 2025

"Liturgy of Living Sacrifice" Rom 12:1-9   26 Jan 2025

"Learning of the Conscience" Job 42  18 May 2025

Genealogy Trivia

 Meet the youngest child of a youngest child of a youngest child of a youngest child:

My nephew, Albert, 2008, CWAC

who is the youngest child of 

My brother, Will, St Simons Island, GA 1968

 

who is the youngest child of 

my father  Wm.   Dan(iel)   1934 - 2021

 

who was the youngest child of his mother

my grandmother  Amanda Gustie      1896 - 1959

who was the youngest child of  her mother

my great grandmother   Amanda Missouri Noel      1853 - 1918

who died on 27 January 1918 

one week before her daughter married

into the Jordan Family

 on her in-laws' 37th anniversary

 3 February 1918 - a Sunday afternoon

in the living room of the family home in

Albertville, Alabama ~

John Cabell Breckinridge Jordan & Mary Elizabeth Morris

photo taken 194?

Chocolate Sauce

Combine in a saucepan over medium heat:

 

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 oz bakers chocolate

2 Tbs Karo syrup

1/4 tsp salt

 

Stir until blended cooking all the while until smooth. I use a whisk. Add 1/3 Cup milk.  Stir constantly until sauce thickens somewhat.  Remove from heat.  Add 2 tsp vanilla extract.

 

Stores well in refrigerator.  Heat on medium low heat in microwave, if you have any leftover from the initial serving J

 

 PS  I have been known to use Vanilla Delight Coffee Creamer or whipping cream or whatever milk  (like) substance I have in the 'fridge.

 

PPS  I think this makes a delightful teacher's gift or gift to another family at Christmas.

PPPS  Favorite ways to serve:  1) drizzled over vanilla ice cream, really any flavor, but especially peppermint around the holidays  2) Cherry Pie a la mode (chocolate ice cream & chocolate sauce)  3) for dipping leftover cubes of vanilla pound cake  4)  coat the  rim of chilled cocktail glass before pouring in the prepared chocolate or coffee martini 5) sneak a refrigerated spoonful just to get my "chocolate fix"

LITTLE GUSTAVA

Little Gustava sits in the sun,
Safe in the porch, and the little drops run
From the icicles under the eaves so fast.
For the bright spring sun shines warm at last,
And glad is little Gustava.

She wears a quaint little scarlet cap.
And a little green bowl she holds in her lap.
Filled with bread and milk to the brim,
And a wreath of marigolds round the rim:
" Ha, ha ! " laughs little Gustava.

Up comes her little gray, coaxing cat,
With her little pink nose, and she mews,
 "What's that ? "
Gustava feeds her, — she begs for more ;
And a little brown hen walks in at the door;
"Good-day!" cries little Gustava.

She scatters crumbs for the little brown hen.
There comes a rush and a flutter, and then
Down fly her little white doves so sweet.
With their snowy wings and their crimson feet:
" Welcome ! " cries little Gustava.


So dainty and eager they pick up the crumbs;
But who is this through the doorway comes ?
Little Scotch terrier, little "dog Rags,
Looks in her face, and his funny tail wags:
"Ha, ha!" laughs little Gustava.

"You want some breakfast, too? " and down
She sets her bowl on the brick floor brown;
And little dog Rags drinks up her milk.
While she strokes his shaggy locks, like silk:
"Dear Rags!" says little Gustava.

Waiting without stood sparrow and crow,
Cooling their feet in the melting snow :
"Won't you come in, good folk? " she cried.
But they were too bashful, and stayed outside,
Though " Pray come in ! " cried Gustava.

So the last she threw them, and knelt on the mat
With doves and biddy and dog and cat.
And her mother came to the open house-door:
" Dear little daughter, I bring you some more.
My merry little Gustava ! "

Kitty and terrier, biddy and doves,
All things harmless Gustava loves.
The shy, kind creatures 'tis joy to feed,
And oh, her breakfast is sweet indeed
To happy little Gustava!


Celia Thaxter
American writer/poet
1835 - 1894

WHY A POEM—OR A CAT?

“It’s what kids once learned a long time ago. . .what this nation

was founded on--morality, memorization of poetry, learning to read aloud, to do arithmetic, and to do what literate people do in society.”
—Marva Collins**

“I still don’t see why anyone would ever
read a poem,”
the young man, student, told us on TV.
Answers came lame, and all the wrong
protesting ones.

I would have said, why, one would read a poem
for the reason you might watch a cat—
its grace notes curling, stretching, those
little hairs, sunburst
on haunches, stone-lion-crouched,
the quivering intelligent tail, the eyes,
marble-miraculous gleaming.

“But what’s the use of it?”

No use. No use in tapping your foot in time
to tunes,
or driving along, car windows down, wind in your
hair,
and the smell of river bottoms and plowed fields,
or even fertilizer.

You’d read a poem to delight the ear and eye,
for something to wonder about,
to take a moment out, to touch what’s real
that you don’t have to; watching flocks
of small birds wheeling
on sluices of the air we breathe,
or hawk or eagle, plummeting,
or motionless aloft on that same air.

To put a frame around this moment, tape it down
and get a handle on it.

Like stroking that sweet feline in your lap.

— Harriet Stovall Kelley

1933 - 2022

** protégé of Eugene Lang, who promised college to ghetto kids finishing high school


Note from poet ~
My mother, Evelyn Linch Stovall (1904-1962) wrote a textbook, You and your Reading for Ginn & Co, 1940, as an outgrowth of her Master’s work at Emory. In it my father has a poem, “Mr. Propaganda.” But my two younger sisters turned out to be musicians, so bookish is not inherited, necessarily, just “bent.”

PS This entry is illustrated by my newest art acquisition:  Oil (9"x12") by Sally Mitchell, soon to be framed and displayed ~

WHEN YOU SAY GOODBYE TO A PARENT

 

You are suddenly living in a whole new world.

You are no longer ‘the child’ and regardless of how long you have officially been ‘grown up’ for, you realise you actually never were until this moment. The shock of this adjustment will shake your very core.

When you have finally said goodbye to both your parents, assuming you were lucky enough to have had two. You are an orphan on this earth and that never, ever gets easier to take no matter how old and gray you are yourself and no matter how many children of your own you have.

You see, a part of your body is physically connected to the people that made it and also a part of your soul. When they no longer live, it is as if you are missing something practical that you need – like a finger or an arm. Because really, you are. You are missing your parent and that is something far more necessary than any limb.

And yet the connection is so strong it carries on somehow, no-one knows how exactly. But they are there. In some way, shape or form they are still guiding you if you listen closely enough. You can hear the words they would choose to say to you.

You can feel the warmth of their approval, their smile when a goal is achieved, their all-consuming love filling the air around you when a baby is born they haven’t met.

If you watch your children very closely you will see that they too have a connection with your parents long after they are gone. They will say things that resonate with you because it brings so many memories of the parent you are missing. They will carry on traits, thoughts and sometimes they will even see them in their dreams.

This is not something we can explain.

Love is a very mystical and wondrous entity.

It is far better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all and grief, grief is the price of that love. The deeper the love the stronger the grief.

When you say goodbye to a parent, do not forget to connect with that little girl who still lives inside you somewhere.

Take very good care of her, for she, she will be alone and scared.

When you say goodbye to your parents, you lose an identity, a place in the world. When the people who put you on this earth are no longer here, it changes everything.

Look after yourself the way they looked after you and listen out for them when you need it the most.

They never really leave.

Donna Ashworth

From her poetry collection ‘to the women’

Photo Selfie taken 7 June 2015 as we were leaving Jekyll Island GA after our first beach getaway together.

Church History

Where I've attended church over the years....

 

1958 - St Luke Episcopal, Atlanta, GA (baptized)

1965 - St Anne's Episcopal, Atlanta, GA

1966 - Mtn Home AFB 

1967 - St James Anglican-Episcopal, Atlanta, GA (confirmed)

1978 - Chalcedon Presbyterian, Atlanta, GA

1979 - Harvester Presbyterian, Springfield, VA

1980 - McLean Presbyterian, McLean, VA

1981 - Church Creek Presbyterian, Charleston, SC

1985 - Rainbow City Presbyterian, Rainbow City, AL

1987 - First Presbyterian, Rome, GA

1988 - Chalcedon Presbyterian, GA

WORD OF THE YEAR - HEART

 

As a follow-up to the practicality of last year's word (steward),

 I am focusing on what informs that Biblical action: a heart properly connected to the Creator ~

Per habit, an acrostic

H = HELP/HOPE - Psalm 121:1-2

E = ENDURE - Romans 15:4

A = ABIDE - John 15

R = REVIVE/RENEW - Romans 12:2

T = TEACH - Psalm 119: 64                     

With these I will do Scripture-based word studies and also focus on Psalm 119:  the very foundation for connecting one's heart to the Creator.

Not only will I read Psalm 119 methodically, but also will search for (and sing)  hymns/lyrics based on these verses.  Daily readings from Charles Bridges' commentary on Psalm 119 are already underway.

Re-listening to a JCMIII Psalm 119 series:  The Christian's Delight at Sermonaudio;  Anthony Curto also has some good ones.  I plan to reference commentaries by Thomas Manton, John Calvin, and Matthew Henry to supplement my study.

At church, Pastor Jess is preaching through Corinthians, so I will attempt to integrate his sermons with my personal devotions.  In addition, I hope to read up on the life and times of the Corinthians: biography of the Apostle Paul (for example, historical fiction byTaylor Caldwell and movie _Peter and Paul_)

That sounds like a good start for  2024 ~

Added later:  As this year draws to an end, I can report that this study has been most beneficial, but I am feeling like I have just scratched the surface.  I mean, there are over 500 references to the word *heart* in Scripture.  So, I may return to this word study again.   In the meantime, a new word for 2025 is taking shape.

ABOUT ME

CREATED by the LORD God Jehovah

SAVED by the sacrifice of His precious son Jesus Christ

EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit to live on earth and serve (Rom 6:11)

STEWARD of the manifold grace of the one and only true God

FOLLOWER of King Jesus

DAUGHTER of Christian parents

WIFE of one Godly husband

MOTHER of four daughters

GRANDMOTHER of seven 

SISTER of fellow followers of Jesus

FRIEND to some

NEIGHBOR to many

Father's Day Reminiscences

 

June 18, 2006

Father's Day

After worship at Chalcedon Presbyterian Church,  we gathered at Pine Lark for a Sunday lunch of boiled shrimp with Louis sauce followed by listening to a CD of spirituals in the living room.

Fun things to remember about WDJ  a la five senses:

Touch:  steady hands coupled with practiced technical skills to perform delicate operations on small human anatomy (arteries)....... and remove splinters from children's fingers and toes

Sight:  green eyes that were observant - dont ever think he wasn't paying attention ~

Hearing:  loved singing/listening to music like spirituals and Handel's Messiah  

Taste:  keen taste buds that allowed him to detect specific flavors in our cooked dishes and he always ate whatever I prepared.

Smell:  distinctly shaped nose that loved the scent of gardenias, and hence, his wife's perfume (White Shoulders);  on his 80th birthday I gave him a new supply white cotton handkerchiefs - 80 of them!

On this day in 2023, I re-listened to his 1987 lecture on organ transplantation and brain death.  It was nice to hear his voice and be reminded of his astute reasoning skills.

Mother's Day

This year is my second for *firsts*.   In 2021, my father died.  Then 21 months later, in 2022, my mother died. 

And so, that just means that I am experiencing once again those *firsts* without one or the other. 

It's just my turn to suffer  loss. 

I am thankful for the loyalty and support of my nuclear family and special friends.

I am blessed to have had both of my parents for such a long time in my short life.... to get to know them as an adult as well as an *older* adult is indeed special.

In memory of my recently deceased mother, this year for Mother's Day I made a donation to Frontlineresponse.org  This particular organization has a strong presence in my city/state well-known for attracting crowds for special sporting events and conventions.

To show my heart for someone I dont believe I have to have "walked a mile in her/his shoes" (moccasins*).  I am willing to be judged by the standard of Holy Scripture and strive to be a good steward ("put my money where my mouth is.")  Support for those in crisis pregnancy has long been dear to my heart and now I add support to the rescue of those ensnared in se*-trafficking.

In the past in memory of my father I made donations to topics dear to his heart:  pro-life ministries (GRTL) and private practice/education of medicine/surgery (AAPS & GA Vascular Foundation)

PS - Red Tulips on Moma's yet-to-be-marked grave are representative of her battle with Parkinson's.

PPS Family group photo taken 4/21/13 - ten years ago ... on my 55th birthday celebrated after church with dinner at the Canoe restaurant in Vinings, GA on the banks of the Chattahoochee River where I grew up.

* reference to popular poem by M Lathrap