"If my people who are called by my name...."

 From 2 Chronicles 7:14:

If my people who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

(Holman Bible CSB)

Only Eighty More to Go..

   More than a decade ago, I read a news article that featured a man who had visited all the county courthouses in the country, some 3,000 or more. After visiting a few near us in South Georgia, Mayre and I decided that this could be a doable process, at least in a small way. 

   We liked the idea of traveling through Georgia, using the state roads, staying off the Interstate, and spending time in the smaller cities and towns here about.

   We began small, just visiting the counties near us, but then, as the bug bit us, we ventured out and covered the state's 156 county seats, each with its own courthouse, some new, but a lot of them older with a lot of history, and folks happy to reveal it to us.

   So why not pop the question to Carolyn? 

   No, not the "BIG" one, I got that one down already, but a simple one, "want to have a little adventure today?"

   After all, we had the afternoon after church free, and there were old buildings and people ready to impart facts in places we had not known about. 

   In the 5+ years we had been married, we had visited a bunch of cities and towns while getting acquainted with extended family, getting me in touch with Carolyn's bunch, and her finding out about mine.

   Tennessee is a medium size state, and we had already been several of these around here. But there are 95 courthouses, sitting in 95 county seats, ranging from small towns to pretty good sized cities.

   We have been in fourteen as this Sunday began, so, only 81 more to go.

   We scooted out of the metro Chattanooga area on 153, and just south of Dayton, we turned west to go through Jones Gap, down into beautiful Sequatchie County on my kind of roads; four -lane and limited traffic. South on 28 for a couple of miles, we came to Dunlap.

   One thing about courthouses on a Sunday. There is plenty of parking. Another thing; no one to answer questions. Maybe a standoff.

   I took a few shots of the exterior, read the inscriptions on a couple of monuments, and enjoyed the relative quiet and ease of the small town Sunday afternoon. Wanted to find some information on the building, but could not find a cornerstone. One possible clue was the plaque on the front near the front door which gave the names of a building committee and dated 1911. Google confirmed the date.

   One fact that I like to establish if there is someone who can; Since the country was formed in 1857, was there a precursor to this courthouse. Was the older courthouse(s) destroyed in some way, or was it still standing?

   After walking around the property (a true courthouse square), we started back for town central. A sign with the inscription reading Historic Dunlap Coke Ovens beckoned us drive west, which we did. At the end of a dead end road, we found a park with a museum, and exhibits from the coke ovens era. 

   At the beginning of the 20th century, a company was chartered and began mining coal on the higher land above the park. Then over the next 20 years or so, 228 beehive ovens were constructed to turn the coal into coke to supply the needs of the foundries located in Chattanooga, just down the road. The company then running the operation ceased operations in 1927 as the Depression took effect.

   The tour guide at the museum, Mr. Hugh, was a treasure trove of information about the park, the industry it contained, and answered our questions about the era and the business of coke. Carolyn can give you the how, when and why of this coke process and it's fascinating story.

   There are stories and there are people who lived, worked, and worshipped in the town. When you find a small county seat, you can be sure that the stories are there, too.

   Courthouses are the pretense for getting out, and you can never know in advance what the real reason will turn out to be.

   Adventures await!

   Eighty more to go.

   One at a time.

   

   

A Surprise Encounter

    I have written already about the Chattanooga District Pickleball tournament back in the first of this month (February, 2024), but there was one other item that should have been included. 

   The 2nd day of the tournament was for Doubles, and Jack and I, had to show up at the Community Center in St. Elmo. The directors had set up some matches for us. Even though we won our age group (85-89) (against no competition), we joined the 3 teams that represented the 80-84 group and played a round robin. This counted as the younger age group's medal round and gave us 3 matches to enjoy.

   As we met our first opponents at the net for introductions, I realized that I had seen this man somewhere in the past.

   He introduced himself as Carl. First names are the standard for these matches and I think I know why. It is hard enough to keep up with the score, who is serving, and which server number you are, without trying to remember names.

   As we walked off after the first game, Carl said "I think I know you from somewhere" and I replied the same. After a couple of minutes, he exclaimed "I believe it may have been church". That rang a bell with me, as we finished our match, and moved on to our next matches.

   On the way home, I related to Carolyn the exchange, and she acknowledged that that could be the point of our common recognition.

   As we waited for church to begin on the next Sunday, I saw Carl standing in the aisle close to our seats. He was speaking with a fellow pickle baller. (Carl is in the blue shirt.)

   It was the moment I realized where I had seen him and why the recognition was sketchy on both our parts.

   Most every Sunday, at the 8:30 service, this has been my view of Carl. 

   For about 5 years, we have been worshiping together at Brainerd Baptist, but never got much past "Good Morning". Now we are friends with several things in common. 

    Carl Ellis is his name. He is a newbie Pickleball player who has a good future in the sport. He made a bunch of good plays which did not look like a 4 month career in the game. Glad we got to play his team when we did.

   

Pickleball ......Day 2

 One plus One equals Two

    Yesterday I played 1 Singles game to 15, today Jack and I needed to play 3 other teams in best 2 of 3  doubles sets to 11.

    It was worth it. We both qualified for singles and doubles in the State finals to be held later this year. 

Day One--Singles

    Mission Accomplished

        3 People signed up for 85-89 age group playing singles

        2 People showed up to play

        1 Gold Medal

        

        

Here we come again...

    It's that time again.

   Tennessee Senior Olympics is holding Pickleball tournaments over the state beginning tomorrow as a prelude for the 2024 State tournament, which will be held in late summer. I will be playing singles and doubles in this Chattanooga Division action.

   Tomorrow will be the singles for my age group and Thursday will be the day for Men's Doubles. The age groups are the same as last year, so I will play in the 85-89 bracket.

   As in years past, the 85-89 list is slim in both singles and doubles, 3 players in the singles and 2 teams in the doubles. If you show up, you get a medal. Becoming an Olympic medalist is simply a matter of signing up for the tournament and being able to move and have a heartbeat on the date of play.

   Tomorrow is the big day. Singles at 8:30 in the morning. 3 men signed up. One is my doubles partner, Jack, and we play together at least once a week. We know each other's game and style. The 3rd man in the grouping has been my opponent in doubles but not in singles.

   It will be fun.

   Medals will be won.

   Look for results this weekend. They may sound impressive, but remember, the 85-89 bracket contains only those that can sign up and show up.

An Overnight Christmas Trip

   What could be better:

      Christmas Music

      Good Food

      A Resort in the Hills and By the Lake

      Quiet and peaceful

   Sixty or so miles up Highway 58, the Inn at Whitestone is our destination for the winter getaway.

   They were fixed up for us.

   The Voices of Lee, a choral group from Lee College in Cleveland, TN was to be our entertainment and they were superb.

   The resort was decorated for the Christmas Season.

   The Lion and Lamb facility is a dual use building with rooms on the second floor and a multi purpose room on the first level where we banquetted before the concert. Convenient was the placement of the buildings on the hill, sleeping accommodations, banquet and chapel, all a few steps apart on the ridge.

   An inspirational Christmas songfest, a delicious buffet dinner, and a great bed to sink into, what more could we ask for? 

   Well, we found out what!

   Waking up to a fog that took away our view.

   There was supposed to be a large lake right there at the bottom of the hill.

   The sheep below our window did not seem to mind.

   

   Our landscape was murky, cold and still. The only sound was that of an outboard motor, running south on the lake. I had heard some gunshots a few minutes before, so I assumed duck hunters were about.

   Before long, a light had begun to fill the sky.

   The sun was up there all right, and soon the fog would dissipate.

   Our songfest location was coming into focus.

   

 Remnants of the thick fog were fast escaping up the hill.

Just a few more minutes and the chapel on the hill showed its true colors

Truly a great one day mini vacation.

Merry Christmas