The Bollinger/Dolle Mill.  Still standing, though slowly giving in to the years and weather.  This reminder of a time gone by sits just behind my husband's mother's home.  It is still owned by some distant relatives, but each of us in the immediate family have wished we could restore it and keep its traditions living.  Among the many stories about it is that the mill race behind the building (still full of water most of the year) was hand dug by slaves in the early 1800's.  The area was settled before that and we actually know where the early pioneers set up "camp" near-by as we have found pieces of pottery and china brought over from the "old country" there in the field.  

This mill most likely saw civil war soldiers, Indians, slaves, travelers and tradesmen, horse and buggies, and life and death as it happened many years ago.    

The Bollinger history is rich and fairly well recorded. It goes back even farther than the earliest settlers who came over in the 1700's and crossed the Mississippi River to begin a new life near the White Water River,  in the valley below where my mother-in-law lives.

I so enjoy walking these fields and farms!  Many an arrowhead, cemetery or old foundation remain with subtle hints about a time that has fallen silent.  Though the years have robbed much of the activity, the mysteries continue to arouse questions and curiosity about the heritage that sleeps.  

I am thankful for a heavenly heritage that comes complete with an even greater - and eternal future!  It is one that will not deteriorate or disappear!  It has promises of life beyond this one and the wonderful hope and assurance of seeing loved ones again.  As treasured and precious as history is, I joy in the amazing heritage and hope that Jesus provided for us!  He paid a great price so that this life might be only the starting line for a forever one!  We are required to accept His gift and run the race to enjoy the promises of forever.  This race will prove to have some hurdles, bumps and even battle scars, but the prize will never wear out or grow old.  How about a challenge for a heavenly home?  How about taking on this marathon that will not disappoint?  On your mark, get set....GO! 

My mother-in-law, Doris at her 90th birthday party It has been a full weekend!  Along-side the time we celebrate our Lord's resurrection, there were a few other celebrations for our family.  

My mother-in-law turned 90 years old on April 4th.  Her 4 sons and their wives, (one of which would be me!) planned a big party at a local Saddle club near where she lives in South-east Missouri.  I spent the weeks prior creating collages of pictures I have taken and collected to hang on the walls.  It was a walk through time browsing through boxes and albums of the years that have gone by.  What a joy it was to put together a visual of those years for others to also enjoy throughout the afternoon together.  The other sister-in-laws were, at the same time, shopping for paper goods, food items, a gift for the birthday lady of honor, and making out invitations.  

What a busy time!  My hubby and I have also been in the throws of trying to sell our house, trying to decide where we might want to live, taking care of our daughter who has been in chronic pain for quite some time as well as healing from a recent broken leg.  My husband has also been trying to find a job after being laid off in late December.  Though it has been a somewhat stressful season, the trip to the country was a weekend to remember!

My 97 year-old grandmother held yet another annual family gathering at her farm.  She is no longer actually living there, but her son (my uncle Bobby) who lives next to her homestead, has taken over the place and maintains it.  He and the other siblings mowed the grass, turned on the water and set up tables in the old farm house.  Then they picked grandma up from the senior living center and brought her out to see all the family for lunch and a kids' annual egg hunt.  It is always good to see everyone who can make it and the catch-up time is tightly packed into a short afternoon, coupled with a table full of finger-lickin' vittles! 

It is funny how much planning goes into these events where we simply gather to remember!  But oh how special and memorable they are!  Sometimes it is the only time we see family during the year...and sometimes it is the last time we see some.  We all have those we love who are older and living out their golden years.  Seeing them is precious - especially when there are stories to share, life to talk about and smiles and hugs to exchange.  Sometimes there are cousins, aunts, uncles, or grand parents who we just need to see more, but for some reason don't.  It is a good reminder to make new commitments and maybe even change up our routine that needs priorities put back into place.  There is just something about family that though absent, seems to come back around as if there were no distance.  

I am thankful for those I can call family.  For the memories and adventures we hold near and dear.  For the people who love us most and stand through the storms of life, gripping our hand and pulling hard for us...those who have fed and clothed, endured and sighed, argued and agreed, laughed and loved with us no matter what our circumstances.  May His resurrection power strengthen us to love one another as He has modeled and loved us.  May it begin in our families and be a contagious fountain of forgiveness and encouragement to those in whom He has entrusted us to call family!

4 Generations: Kim, Bethany, Sarah, mom Cooper & grandma Rouse - April 2015

He Lives

(Text and music by Alfred H. Ackley)

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

I know that He is living, whatever men may say.

I see His hand of mercy, I hear his voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him he's always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! 

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know he lives?  He lives within my heart!

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

By:  Isaac Watts

​When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God;

All the vain things that charm me most - I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from His head, his hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down.

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

me Yep, this is me.  Kinda reminds me of the movie, "The Christmas Story" when Ralphie's mom made him try on the pink bunny costume that his aunt had sent!  :)  The difference is that I probably liked wearing mine!  I don't really remember much about this, since I was only 2 or 3 years old!  It was part of our family Easter celebration, yet I'm not sure sure what prompted my mom to dress me like Peter Rabbit!  Looking at it now makes me chuckle, so...kudos for photos that capture those rare moments of our history!!

I grew up knowing plenty about the Easter Bunny and egg extravaganzas.  But it seems the resurrection of Jesus was less emphasized, even though that is what typical traditional churches celebrate on Easter Sunday.  We sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and "Up From the Grave He Arose"!  Our Sunday School teacher told us the story and we colored pages that represented an empty tomb.  There was a sermon and usually special music by Aunt Martha or whoever was brave enough to accept the challenge! Church was over by noon and off to grandma's we went for an afternoon of food, family - and eggs!

As I got older, it finally dawned on me what Jesus had accomplished when He indeed rose from the dead - and my heart was captured.  The kids games and egg hunts suddenly paled, though those were a fun part of my early days.

Today I know that Easter was not the "day" in which our Lord actually rose from the dead.  In fact, the name "Easter" actually has much origin controversy.  

According to some research, "Ishtar", which is pronounced "Easter" was first celebrated in honor of a pagan moon-goddes and sun-god and has roots in the story of Nimrod (later called "Baal") in Genesis 10.  Nimrod was killed by an enemy and his body cut into pieces and sent to various part of his kingdom.  After his death, his wife, Queen Semiramis (Ishtar) claimed to have supernaturally conceived a son named Tammuz from the "moon" eggs of her deceased husband.  (known as Ishtar's egg)  Tammuz apparently was fond of rabbits and made them sacred in honor of his father who had been a hunter.  Tammuz was eventually killed by a wild pig, and so Ishtar ordered that a pig must be eaten each year on that day, which happened to be Sunday.  A celebration in honor of her son each year on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox became tradition and included sacred cakes with the marking of "T", and rabbits and eggs were a part of the event.

There are quite a number of variations of this story as well as other stories based upon various gods and goddesses.  There are stories that come from ancient Israel, Greece, Egypt, Assyria, India and more; all of which are anything but Christian in nature and history.  So why do Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on this pagan rooted day?  

There is plenty of evidence that Christians originally celebrated Jesus' resurrection every Sunday (and many - every day!) along with readings from the scripture, psalms and the Eucharist.  But at some point in the first two centuries it became customary to celebrate specifically on one day each year. There were contentious debates about whether it should take place on Jewish passover or always on a Sunday.  It seems the Christians in Asia took the former position and those elsewhere the latter.  However, a church majority officially decided that Easter should always be celebrated on a Sunday with Eusebius of Caesarea being the only written source on the topic.  The issue of which Sunday to celebrate was decided at the Council of Nicea in 325, which decreed that Easter should be celebrated by all on the same Sunday following the paschal moon, and that a particular church should determine the date and communicate it throughout the empire.  The policy was adopted, but Rome and Alexandria used different lunar cycles which continues to this day to contribute to the disparity between the eastern and western dates of Easter.

Complicated, I know!!  There are such vast and varied stories, truths and myths.  They seem to be woven into a tapestry that is difficult to know how to unravel in order to find the truth!  This I do know:  Jesus lived, died and was indeed resurrected!  I believe those incredible truths should be celebrated in our lives daily.  I also enjoy coming together with other believers to commemorate those blessed and incredibly powerful events!  I am not so sure the date by which most western churches have decided to do so were the best choices.  However, if we are truly celebrating Jesus every day, then perhaps what day we come together to do so is of less importance than simply making sure we do.  Symbols such as the egg, the rabbit and the dawn that comes with resurrection of life and the celebration of spring are all reminders of new birth and the need for it in our lives.  If, in fact the pagans used some of those ideas, then perhaps it is time Christians take back the things that were a part of God's creation from the beginning and give honor to He who is the originator of all that is good!  

Jesus life, death and resurrection are what life and eternity is grounded upon.  His accomplishments are of such great importance to us!  Our hope is dependent on whether or not we believe or reject them.  Whatever you might do this Easter holiday, I ask that you might consider the great sacrifice that was made on our behalf through Jesus.  May the powerful and exploding revelation of His victory over death fill you with awe and the realization of His amazing grace!   

Just thought I would showcase this beautiful St. Louis building:  The Old Courthouse.  It is now a part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and operated by the National Park Service for historical exhibits and events.  

A couple of notable cases that occurred here:

1. The Dred Scott case in 1846.  The slave Dred Scott sued for he and his wife's freedom because they had been held as slaves in free states.  The trials were all held in the Old Courthouse.  In 1857 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Scotts, saying they did not have grounds as citizens to sue.

2.  The Virginia Minor case in 1872.  Virginia Minor attempted to vote in a St. Louis election and was arrested.  The trials were all held in this building and in 1875 the male-only voting rules were upheld as the Constitution did not address voting rules, which were set by the states.

My how things have changed since those early days!  In spite of magnificent buildings and "good" attempts, humanity is and always has been full of imperfections - still making mistakes, still in need of a Savior! Thankfully we have just THAT!  What would we do without ONE to make our wrongs right?  Thanks God, for the gift of Jesus, who did indeed pay for our "right-eouness" and for the creative joys - even in architecture - that you have blessed us with!

Beautiful building.  Beautiful architecture!  A Federal style courthouse was built in 1828.  It was designed by the firm of Lavielle and Morton, which also designed the early Jefferson Barracks buildings as well as the Old Cathedral.  Our city's street names and number grid was also devised by Joseph Laveille.

In 1839 ground was broken for a new courthouse designed by Henry Singleton.  It was Greek revival in style and had four wings, including an east wing that included the original courthouse and a three-sotry cupola dome at the center.

In 1851 Robert S. Mitchell began a redesign in which the original courthouse portion on the east wing was torn down and replaced by a new east wing.  The west wing was remodeled from 1855-1858.  

In 1861 William Rumbold replaced a cupola with an Italian Renaissance cast iron Dome (and copper exterior) modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.  (The U.S. Capitol dome was also modeled after the Basilica and built at the same time during the American Civil War.  The dome was completed in 1864 after commissioning Karl Ferdinand Wimar to paint murals in the rotunda.  These paintings were painted over in 1880, but restored in 1888 and are beautifully visible today.  They represent four events in St. Louis History.Rumbold also designed the Missouri State Hospital (also known as the St. Louis County Insane Asylum or City Sanitarium) at 5400 Arsenal.  It also has a dome which can be seen from many places in the area as it is the highest point in St. Louis.  

The courthouse building was the tallest building in Missouri and St. Louis until 1896 when Union Station and later in 1965 the Gateway Arch was built.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul."    Psalm 23:1-3

Loverly!  So many reasons to smile when you are looking for them!