quiltersmuse.com Blog

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, with her overdone, theatrical make-up (her trademark), has died. She passed away on Friday, bringing an end to the curious mix of public messages and media sound bites that comprised her life. Married to James Bakker for thirty years, together they built a mega-empire, complete with a Christian theme park, provided by the goodwill of their followers. Their “PTL” or “Praise the Lord” ministry raised millions of dollars during its 1980s’ telecasts.

Convicted of fraud and “swindling” folks out of millions of dollars, Bakker was sent to federal prison. Tammy remarried Mr. Messner, the chief builder of the theme park, who was also sent to prison, on other charges.

Some people have the mistaken notion that giving money to churches is either buying a ticket to heaven, or at least beating a path in that direction. My point is this: God in heaven is self-sufficient. He does not need your money or mine. Just as “money won’t buy you love,” according to the Beatles, money will not buy you heaven.

Recently, someone mentioned to me that she viewed “church” as little more than a social club. “Church” is also a way to exclude those who are not of the same religious persuasion. To me, there is an extremely vast difference between having faith, and adhering to a specific religion.

Religions can be dangerous because they breed fanatics, and we know all too well that fanatics can be lethal (witness 9-11?). They don’t care who they “take out” with them, because they are so convinced that they are going straight to heaven themselves.

God bless, Tammy Faye. I hope that she will find a peace unknown to man. I hope that God welcomes her home, and rocks her gently in His arms for all of eternity. She has suffered in this life, as do all who struggle for fame and fortune.

Each of us faces our own life issues and our own mortality, knowing that there will be a terminal point. Just remember that what we do today counts more than what we botched yesterday, or last week, or twenty years ago. We all need to live in the moment, for this moment is all we really have.

Talk is cheap. Good deeds speak for themselves.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Patricia

The following letter was received today:

Dear Pat,

I enjoyed all the information on your site about the Ladd-Gilman house. I am a descendant of these families and plan to visit the house sometime this fall. I’ve been trying to collect information before the trip so that my family will be able to fully appreciate the visit. Your site has given the best information so far.

I was interested in your retelling of the firescreen legend. The firescreen appears to be a copy of the Gilman coat of arms, which includes the black boot in the enter of the shield. I researched this on the Internet and found several websites which show this imagery for the Gilman coat of arms. The firescreen would support that.

Unfortunately, none of the websites contain anything so colorful as the Gilman legend to explain the choice of the boot as the symbol for the family! It is interesting that I have another ancestor with a “leg” in the family crest and their explanation is that the original family member lost a leg in defending either Richard the Lionhearted or William of Normandy.

Anyway, thank you again for posting the information! As a homeschooler, this will be a great introduction to the site for my children.

Sincerely, Pam

Information about the Ladd-Gilman House

We always enjoy hearing from appreciative readers. Thanks, Pam!

Too often, when I am trying to write something, at my computer, the phone rings. Now, mind you, I always love to hear from my family or friends, so if any of you are reading this, my words are not intended for you.

Lately, most of the calls have been from telemarketers. The tell-tale signs are there: background sounds of other people talking and phones ringing, a foreign-sounding voice (sometimes they are calling from another country), or an oh-too-cheerful tone, and sense of familiarity.

The call might start with, “Mrs. Cummings, how are YOU today?” I am always tempted to provide a running account of my latest ailments, beginning with the crook in my neck from having slept the wrong way and ending with a full account of the bad Chinese food I’d eaten the night before and the dire consequences. I try to refrain. My goal is to get off the phone, as quickly as possible.

Most of these calls are baffling because we are on the national “do not call” list, for solicitations. However, the kicker is that if you have ever bought something previously from a company, they are “exempt” because of a “prior business relationship.” Businesses can be called, period, and my home phone number doubles as a “business” phone, as I work from home.

CASE IN POINT
Yesterday, I received a call early in the morning. The woman said, “Is this Mr./Mrs. Cummings”? I was sure that I was one of the two, but that early, before a cup of coffee, I had to stop and wonder what she was getting at, and which person I wanted to “confess” to being! I mean, do I sound like a “Mr. Cummings”?

Then there are the faux police/ faux firemen who call and ask for donations, or for you to buy tickets to such and such a concert, and if you don’t like the band, you could just provide your credit card number and they will take care of the donation. I bet. I can even imagine that they might help you to divest yourself of any wealth, whatsoever.

CREATIVE APPROACH

I try to be creative when I answer the phone now. Taking a more light-hearted approach, I sometimes say, “Cummings residence, lady of the house speaking,” modeled after Hyacinth on the British comedy, “Keeping Up Appearances,” one of my favorite shows. I render this vocalization with such sincerity of tone, my friends burst into laughter. That makes my day. Other callers just get confused for a moment which, sometimes, is not a bad thing.

ARE YOU BEING PAID?

My aunt used to take a more direct approach that bordered on a terrorist tactic. She would ask a phone solicitor this: “Are you being paid for your time?” Inevitably, the person would say, “Why, yes!” Then she would say, “Well, I am not! Good-bye!”

She has a point! Time is a precious commodity, and these solicitation calls are exceedingly annoying because they waste time. I will never provide a credit card number to someone calling me on the phone, and you’d think by now, after hundreds of calls, and hundreds of equally abrupt retorts and hang-ups, the message would be spread to the folks who are paid to interrupt me. Why don’t they “get it”? It has been said that the definition of “Insanity” is doing the same thing, over and over, yet expecting a different outcome each time. Nope. Can’t get blood out of a stone,” and “Can’t get $$ out of a “frugal” Yankee.”

Scammers, wise up! This chick is not “a spring chick” and was not hatched yesterday. I’m onto you. Call me with nonsense, and you’ll get what you get – Nothing.

Moving on to other diversions. Thanks for listening.

Patricia

Project Gutenberg Consortium Center is an online library of e-books that are available at no charge and are copyright-free. So far, 75,000 titles have been uploaded. A wide variety of books are offered.

Jim discovered this link while “surfing” last night, and it certainly is a treasure trove of good information. The book that I have perused so far, and printed for my own use, is entitled, Beeton’s Book of Needlework, (London: Ward, Lock, and Tyler, 1870). I am charmed by all of its detailed information about tatting, embroidery, and lacemaking.

I hope that you enjoy this site as much as I do (and will) in the future.

Pat and Jim Cummings

My father always referred to sneaky people as “snakes in the grass.” I have to smile when I think of the level of disdain with which he would render this pronouncement. Snakes have been both the object of fear and of worship. Some snakes are more venomous than others, just like the people to whom my father alluded. Snakes, the real ones, are pretty harmless, unless disturbed. They would prefer to slither off and mind their own business than to confront or be confronted by the human species. They hold a certain fascination for me. Even though, I know they are “around” our yard, I do not think of them until I happen upon one, as I did yesterday.

We had just returned home from doing some errands, and Jim mentioned that the paper sign, to advertise a neighbor’s yard sale (last weekend), was still clinging to a telephone pole near the sidewalk in front of our home. I went to retrieve the sign.

In front of the plants that are located all along the front of the house, I stopped dead in my tracks. I wildly motioned to Jim to go get his camera, but he did not understand my monkey sign language, or what I was so excited about seeing. I had to walk closer, and tell him to hurry and get the camera.

Curled-up Snake sunning itself on top of the “Hens and Chickens” plant (center)

Enclosed by a patch of lavender, Solomon Seal, Gloriosa daisies, lavender-color Hostas, ferns, and a few weeds, I spotted a garden snake taking a sun bath. He appeared not to know that we were there, and he remained in place long enough for Jim to snap a few pictures, of which this one is the best. He wished he’d had his other lens on the camera, so that he could get a better close-up view. Alas, this was a spontaneous decision to photograph the snake.

Unlike St. Patrick who “drove the snakes out of Ireland,” we will not be attempting to eradicate the snakes in our yard, any time soon. They eat “bugs” and are very beneficial. I say, “Live and let live.” As for the “snakes in the grass” that my dear father used to mention, well, I wish them (and you) all a “good day.”

Best Regards,

Patricia Cummings