When God Closes a Door...

Doors are fascinating to me.
Usually doors are the focal point of a home, and they each say something to the outsider…either "Come on in," or "Keep out," or "Please notice me."
I thought I would share with you some pictures of doors I have taken over the years when I have returned to Talladega, Alabama. 

In the movie, The Sound of Music, The Reverend Mother tells Maria,
"When God closes a door, He opens a window."

I never tire of hearing that message.  I would imagine that each one of us has experienced doors closing in our lives, then discovering that God is there with us as the door closed, but He also provides an open window. That window might be a new beginning or a second chance or forgiveness or a healing from a physical or an emotional pain.  The lists of the windows in our lives could go on forever.

Maybe that is why I take pictures of windows and doors. 

I hope you enjoy these photographs.

These doors and windows look a lot like life. 

Some are well-painted, and the glass is crystal clear. 

Others are cracked and peeling with no weather-stripping to keep the wind out.

 Some have metal bars.

 Some are shut tight, and some are left ajar. 

Yes, time has moved on, and many of the doors of our home places in Talladega are closed to us now.   But as I stare into these old windows trying to learn about our family's past, I hope to remember to put those history lessons to good use…study the past, but look ahead. Move forward. Keep searching. Keep learning.
And…
 open some doors.

Love,
Mariellan

A January Field Trip

 Dear Family Trails readers,

How are you doing In The Bleak Midwinter ?

That was the title of the last post, over a month ago! Where does the time go? 

 The great state of Alabama has had its usual myriad of weather changes, the most recent being yesterday's tornadoes. I am happy to report that today the sun came out, and the sky is blue. Now don't be alarmed…I am not trying to turn this blog into a weather report, but I am amazed at the contrasts we have. Just last week, sister Rebecca and I made a field trip to Talladega, and we nearly froze in the biting wind. Let me tell you about our day there….

We had hoped for a day to go to Talladega to check on a few things, and last Wednesday was our day to go. We did not accomplish all that we hoped to do, but we did check a few things off of our list. 

The first stop was Oak Hill Cemetery to check on the condition of our family's cemetery markers. I had spoken to someone earlier that week who might help us arrange for the markers to be cleaned. He asked that we take pictures to show him our concerns. 

Sister and I were in for a shock. In one year's time, many of the markers were in much worse condition. Some were almost illegible. Most were spotted with a black….something…more on that later. And the last issue was the ant beds. Who knew that the tiny ant could be so strong to actually "lift" a grave marker off of the ground? Whoever coined the phrase, "Many hands make light work," must have observed an ant colony. 

So fast-forward to this week when I have had some time to research about the care of cemetery markers. I learned that the black covering on stones is actually a living micro-organism. Some other issues on stones are mildew, mold, lichens, and pollution, and salt for those stones near the coasts. Then there is the errant lawn mower that chips away at the stones' corners. There is nothing to do once the damage is done from a mower, but the other problems can be controlled. 

In everything I have read or watched about cleaning these family treasures, the first rule is, "Do not cause more harm." That means, no bleach, no acids, no hard scrubbing, and no forceful pressure-washing. I am not promoting any cleaning products, but I am impressed with two that were demonstrated in some You-Tube videos. The first is "D-2 Biological Solution" which does require some elbow grease but looks to be a gentle and effective mixture. This is used on our nation's capitol buildings. 

 The second is "Wet & Forget"which, as its name implies, does not require scrubbing.

 Both rely on the sun, wind, and rains to continue the cleaning process. This means that after the products are used, the outcome will get better in the following few days.

Now, about those pesky pests, the ants. I think I will save that research for another day. I do think that once the anthills are destroyed, then the stones must be replaced to lay flat. That is definitely a job for a professional. One video I watched emphasized just how much a tombstone can weigh…up to 2 or 3 tons.  The foot stones must surely weigh less, but they still would require some strength and know-how in moving without breaking. 

So back to the field trip last week... We visited the family library at the First Baptist Church, took a sentimental drive around the family homes, visited the Heritage Hall art museum, and saw that the Wood-Weaver Shoe store display was still up in the public library. We had a good time, and I know that may sound weird knowing we spent most of the day in a cemetery, but the truth is, we carry a good time with us wherever we go.

 Hopefully, we can move forward in protecting the family grave markers.
I will keep you posted.

Love,
Mariellan