WALKING IN WISDOM EXPEDITION!

For the last several weeks, my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com)  class has been studying a book called Walking in Wisdom, by Sherry Leggett.  

 

The book has concentrated on the book in the Bible, called Proverbs, with supplemental material from other parts of the Bible.  In addition, the author shares tips for various forms of physical activity, especially walking.  One component of the First Place 4 Health program, is to improve/maintain mental abilities, by using Scripture memorization.   We have had eight passages from the book of Proverbs to memorize---one per week.  My last seven blog posts have provided the visual aids I needed to help me learn each Bible verse.  The eighth and final passage if from Proverbs 31:25-26, that says, "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."  I have the blessing of knowing many amazing women that could qualify as a visual aid for the "Proverbs 31 Woman", but this blog is about the one known simply around this area, as "Ms. Edith".  The photo below shows a photo of Ms. Edith and me in the church hallway, on a blustery day in December of 2015.  We both had been to the FBC Prayer Room that day, as part of a weekly, intercessory prayer ministry, where church volunteers and staff would spend one hour in the prayer room at church, praying over prayer requests that had been submitted.  The difference was, Ms. Edith was going to be having her 94th birthday on December 24th, and she had driven herself to the church, even though the weather was miserable!  She inspired me, from that day forward, because I had wanted to cancel my trip into town to the Prayer Room, because of not wanting to leave my cozy living room, but I made myself do it, because of the commitment I had.    Yet, here was a 94 year old lady, willing to get out in the unpleasant weather, to pray for others needing intercessions!

Decades later, when I saw her at church one Sunday, I complemented her on how nice she looked, and she told me the dress she was wearing, was one she had made herself, back in her younger days!  I had already been thinking about Ms. Edith being my visual aid for the Proverbs 31 memory verse, but when she told me she made the dress she was wearing---that clenched it!  Because, one of the verses that is a part of the "PROVERBS 31 WOMAN" passage, references to a woman who is able to clothe herself!

Our church periodically has community groups that consist of small gatherings of a few people, on a weekly basis, for purposes of fellowship and Bible study.  I was once in a small group with Ms. Edith, that would meet weekly at noon at a local cafe, to have lunch together.  For the final week of that particular community group, Ms. Edith invited the entire group to her house and fixed lunch for all of us!  I was very impressed by how elegantly she had set up the lunch tables in her home, with attention to clever details at each place setting.  The other members of the group had to leave after lunch to get back to work.  However, I was able to stay and assist with clean up of the REAL china and silverware. (I would have opted for the easier clean up of disposable dinnerware, but not Ms. Edith!).  While we were at her kitchen counter, she demonstrated to me how she would use the 3 times per day cleanup after meals, to work in her routine of modified, upper body push ups, where she would step back several inches from the counter, then lift her body weight back and forth, thereby strengthening her arms.  Needless to say, I was impressed!

A few years after that, our church initiated an outreach for veterans, by having an early morning breakfast they could attend at no charge, followed by a brief presentation about a matter of importance to veterans.  Since Ms. Edith was a veteran and was instrumental in getting the outreach started, I volunteered to pick her up, as I had been to her home before, and (thought) I knew where she lived.  What I learned was that her neighborhood looked VERY DIFFERENT in the dark, in the winter, and since this was the days before my car or phone had a GPS device in them, I pulled into what I remembered to be her driveway, at the appointed time she told me, but she did not come out to get into my car.  I went to the front door of the driveway I was in, and knocked, and no one answered the door.  I decided Ms. Edith must have found someone else to pick her up, so I returned to the church.  When I got back to the church, the pastor told me that Ms. Edith had called, and said she still needed a ride, because she could see my car and me knocking on a door, but I was at the WRONG house!  She said she called out, but apparently I did not hear her.  She demonstrated forgiveness, because she accepted my apology, and "erased" it from her memory!  The photo below shows the young man who was the youngest veteran at one of those events, and Ms. Edith, who was the oldest veteran at the church event.

When Ms. Edith had her 100th birthday, the church had a very special birthday party for her, with family members there, to join in the celebration.  The photo below shows Ms. Edith with her daughter, Carol, at the event.  I first met Carol (a Registered Nurse) back in the eighty's, when she was serving as nurse manager on the medical floor of the hospital where I worked, as a Registered Dietitian)

When our church is celebrating the Fourth of July, Ms. Edith proudly wears her red-white-blue, stars and stripes, on such occasions, as this photo shows:

 

I took the photo below in our church foyer, as Ms. Edith awaited her volunteer chauffeur on the Sunday in  2025, when we celebrated military veterans at FBC.

 

Veterans Day is not the only holiday where her attire celebrates the occasion.   I took the photo below of her when she was celebrating a March 17 St. Patrick's Day event at the church!  

Ms. Edith walked without a walker well into her nineties, but as the years clicked by, she was convinced to use a rolling walker to stabilize her movements.  The photo below shows her entering one of our senior adult functions, followed by the church member who provided the transportation to get her to the event. 

There have been many folks over the last few years, who have assisted Ms. Edith in her goal of attending services at FBC.  The photo below shows some of those volunteer drivers, who made sure Ms. Edith was at the 2025 Christmas Luncheon for the Senior Adults:

I have always enjoyed seeing the outfits she puts together to wear to activities she attends around the community.  One reason she has so many holiday outfits to choose from, is because (as she told in the program she gave at a community event), she weighs the same now, as she did when she got married, back in the last century.  She added however, that she is several inches shorter now, than she was when she got married.  This shows she followed am important, and low-tech health habit---regular weight and height checks.  It also made me realize the reason for an "issue" I was having getting the waist line on some of my outfits to button properly, knowing my weight was the same as when I last buttoned them with no problems.  I realized that the two inches I have lost in height over the last three decades, means that weight that used to be spread out over five feet two inches, is now "condensed" into just five feet, making my waist thicker.  I am embarrassed to say it took a 103 year old lady, to get that through my thick skull!

Ms. Edith eventually went to a senior living facility, where members of the local VFW visit her regularly, and a friend in that organization, took this photo of her, and sent it to me.

 

It should come as no surprise that Ms. Edith's longevity has attracted media attention, as this screen shot of a Mountain Home City Council article shows:

The U.S. Senator from Arkansas also took note of her military service:

 

And of course, Baptist publications are quick to share her history of involvement with that domination, mentioning that when she was in her eighties, she went on a mission trip with several other Baptists, to Russia, to teach English, as a second language!

 

The Baxter County Historical Society had Ms. Edith as a speaker at one of their monthly meetings, and her comments can still be seen on You Tube.

The children that attend FBC children's activities, each have a blue canvas bag, with their name embroidered on it.  Since Ms. Edith has been a volunteer for many years as an assistant in the children's department, it is only fitting that she also has a blue canvas bag, with her name embroidered on it!  At a recent lunch for senior adults at the church, I noticed she had her bag hooked onto the back of her wheel chair.

 

  My heart rejoiced when I saw Ms. Edith on her 2025 birthday,  on the front row at church at our Christmas Eve Candlelight service, because another resident at the assisted living location where she lived, told me the facility was in LOCK DOWN because of flu outbreaks.  Apparently, a LOCK DOWN does not keep her from celebrating birthday #104 in the church she loves, with the people she loves, celebrating the birth of the Savior she loves!  No wonder her smile is so big!

For all these reasons, and many more not mentioned, Ms. Edith is my visual aid for Proverbs 31:25-26.  That smile of hers, over the years, has given ME, "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."  Proverbs 31:25-26 

CRATERS OF THE MOON EXPEDTION!

Want to know where you can experience terrain resembling the moon's terrain, but never leave Planet Earth?  Visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho!

The invitation to "EXPLORE THE MOON" will be a definite eye-catcher to youngsters interested in becoming astronauts!
On one of my many solo driving trips Out West, my PLANS did not have a particular deadline for returning to Arkansas, so I took the time to make a short detour off the Interstate, to visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (www.nps.gov).  I knew nothing about the park (except for a scene I remembered from a movie), so I was thankful to be able to read about it, on one of the bulletin boards available to visitors (photo above).  A picture of the current visitor center is shown below:

 

The first cinder cone I climbed, provided the opportunity to get a wider view of the surrounding landscape, as shown in photo below: 

The park is huge, comprising 750,000 acres, of rugged volcanic landscape, amounting to 11 square miles.  

One can get a sense of the height of the cinder cone I climbed, by noticing how small the cars look, in the parking lot at the bottom.  One can PLAN in advance, to know the elevation change, from bottom to top, by studying the park information at the visitor center.  

With an advance PLAN, you can calculate your total mileage walked from the parking lot to the top, and back down again.  

The only trail marking on the ascent, is the pressed down cinders, from hundreds of visitors making the trek to the summit.  

To help frame a photo of the surrounding landscape, I eventually found a tree limb, to place in the top of the composition.  The black areas of the foreground and in the valley, show the extent of the lava flow, that helped create the park.  It was a result of The Great Rift, which is a 52 mile long fissure in the earth's crust, that developed over 15,000 years ago.  

This is a photo of me by the aforementioned tree, where I had used one of its limbs, as a "frame".  The tree has to be a hardy specimen, to survive the harsh growing conditions on the top of a cinder cone!  Likewise, I was feeling like a "hardy specimen", because I had successfully made the climb to the summit!  So, of course, I wanted a photo to prove it!

I set my camera on "automatic" so I could get a view of the other side of the summit, from the previous photo.  I also took a photo that showed the 7-mile loop road that visitors can drive through, but it does not show up in the photo.  

I was not the only one who wanted a photo at the summit, to commemorate the accomplishment!  This couple also wanted proof of their summit location!

I took the photo below, of a couple shielding themselves from the hot sun, by using an umbrella!  They obviously established their PLAN to prevent sunburn, before they started their walk!

The reason I capitalized the word "PLAN" in these paragraphs, is because I am using these photos as a visual aid, to help me learn one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your PLANS."  (Proverbs 16:3)  Although my original PLAN only called for visiting relatives in Oregon, when I realized I was retracing the wagon wheels of pioneers on the Goodale's Cut-Off section, of The Oregon Trail, (www.OregonTrail.org), I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the hardships they experienced.  I had visited one of my elderly cousins who lived in Dairy, Oregon, and he was a wheelwright, who repaired wagon wheels.  I had read that the volcanic stone of this part of the trail was extremely wearing on wagon wheels, and resulted in many abandoned PLANS, so I can imagine someone who knew how to make and repair wagon wheels would have been very important! 

I am thankful that the LORD established a PLAN for me to be able to visit Craters of the Moon, because the experience gave me a visual aid for a wisdom Bible verse, and "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia 

AIRLIE GARDENS WALKING EXPEDITION!

 Airlie Gardens (www.airliegardens.org) in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a "walkers' paradise"!  This blog has some photos from when I visited there in September, 2025.  One of the most famous plants at the gardens, is  "The Airlie Oak".  It is a gigantic Southern Live Oak, estimated to be nearly 500 years old.  The Spanish moss, hanging like sheer curtains, make it a focal point of the gardens, and a frequent filming location .  The magnificent tree is shown in the photo below:

I read that its acorns are used to grow heritage trees, but I was too busy taking photos to stop and look for souvenir acorns.  I took the photo below, that includes a fellow traveler, to help the viewer get a perspective on the massive size of the living sculpture.

For those who have the time, there are picnic tables beside the oak tree, where one can sit and enjoy the ambience:

My time at the gardens was limited, so instead of stopping, I continued on to the Bradley Creek Pier, that extends out into that body of water, and eventually flows into Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington.  (That name is familiar to me because it is the location of the first photograph I ever saw, of my future grandson-in-law, when he was showing my granddaughter around his then, home state.  Photos showing the wedding that resulted, are on my blog post entitled "Bentonville Expedition", dated August 6, 2021)  With its coastal location, this area is subject to hurricanes.  One thing that makes the Arlie Oak so unique, is the fact that it has survived so many hurricanes.  The same cannot be said for the massive tree trunk, that lies adjacent to the Bradley Creek Pier.  

I don't want to imply that Bradley Creek flows DIRECTLY into Wrightsville Beach.  Rather,, there is a massive "filtration system" that it goes through on its way to the ocean.  One of these filters is Cordgrass, as pictured in the photo below:

Sometimes downed trees such as this are left where they fall, as a way to provide habitat for more wildlife.  In fact, a salamander was kind enough to pose for a photo for me, after I spotted it climbing on the decaying tree trunk: 

 

The metal sculpture is not only artistic, but educational, as the placard it is holding has information about the surrounding gardens.  In spite of my prodding, I could not get the frog to make is familiar "ribbit" sound!  

Speaking of wildlife, there was a wide variety of birds that could be spotted, which may explain why this is an important birding area.  In addition to the birds that actually fly, there was an art installation taking place during my visit, called "Birds of a Feather".  Individuals or businesses could place bids on the various bird sculptures, and become one of the owners of this aviary artwork, when the exhibit ended in a few months.  One of the birds had the prominent blue color of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW):

Team colors more familiar to my area can be seen on this cardinal statue.

Since I am from the Ozarks, where a sports team named Cardinals is popular, this bird would be a welcome addition to a fan of the Cardinals!

This "mosaic" bird design, probably covers the mascot colors of every team in the nation!

When I walked out onto the pier, I couldn't help noticing a visitor with a very long lens on his camera.  When I asked what he was focused in on, he said he was watching a bird across the water.  The photographer is a reminder for me to mention, that there are strict guidelines for professional portrait, wedding, or engagement photo setups, so be sure to check the guidelines on their website to learn more.

It is easy to see why professional photographers would want to work here, because the picturesque settings abound throughout the gardens.  

 

The three columns above the oval benches, surrounded by luscious ferns would make an ideal location for a group photo!  Since I often participate in groups, I am always on the lookout for settings that would be suitable for group photos!

As I was entering the sunken gardens, our group leader was there, so I took the opportunity to give my signature pose, of arms uplifted in praise and gratitude, to the Creator of all this beauty!

The three-tiered fountain beside the lake is another scenic location, and has been the setting for various movie and television programs.  A complete listing of well-known scenes filmed at Airlie Gardens is available on their website.  One source referred to Wilmington, North Carolina, as "The Hollywood" of the central East Coast!

A group of five young ladies was enjoying taking candid shots with their phones, of one another at the fountain, and offered to take my photo.  Of course, I said, "Yes, and thank you very much!"

There were several species of wading and water birds on the distant shoreline of this lake, that some birders were observing, with high-powered binoculars.  So if you are a serious fan of bird watching, be sure to take your binoculars with you when visiting the gardens!

The South if famous for their azalea bushes, and the vibrant blooms on some of their plants were still very photogenic, even though it was not their prime season.  

The photo below shows that the entire bush was covered with healthy blooms!

This metal sculpture of a flower bloom, will keep people interested, when all the azaleas have gone dormant. 

When I saw these two lawn chairs sitting side by side, it reminded me of a favorite photo I have of a man and his wife (who were my cousins), sitting in similar chairs, holding hands, and both turned around to smile at the camera.  Although I looked around for "models", there were no couples at the time, that I could get to pose for such a photograph!

Seeing the bottle house (which is not accessible to go inside), reminded me of the first time I ever saw "bottle glass".  It was at a very old hotel along the canal, where my father and I stayed, when we visited Venice in the 1960's.  I later learned that Venice is famous for its glass creations, and probably the reason my father agreed to purchase some very delicate glass deer, that we watched a Venetian artist blow and sculpt, right before our eyes! (Photos of that trip are on blog entitled "Italy Expedition", dated January 2, 2025)

I was delighted to see that Airlie Gardens has a Labyrinth, because it reminded me of Grandma/Grandchild day where we visited several labyrinths in Northwest Arkansas. (See Labyrinths and Lanes Expedition, dated July 7, 2010).

There is an indoor place of worship on the grounds of Airlie Gardens, called Mount Lebanon Chapel, that is still in regular use today.  The chapel was completed in 1835, and was named for the surrounding cedar trees that recalled the Biblical Cedars of Lebanon.  It is a part of St. James Episcopal Parrish, and you can read more about its history at their website, www.stjamesp.org .

 

The landscape architects of Airlie Gardens have done an outstanding job of designing a variety of different types of walking paths.  The walking path below reminds me of the letter "H".   

This tan-colored walking path is lined with colorful blooms, and is very straight.

The gently curved-at-the-end, walking path below is lined with low hedges, like one might see in Scotland.  In fact, Airlie Gardens gets its name from Airlie, Scotland, because the developer (Sarah Green Jones) named her land acquisition around Mt. Lebanon, Airlie Gardens, after her husband's ancestral home in Scotland.  

Seeing all the different walking paths at Airlie Gardens, is the visual aid for my current First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) class, that is studying the lessons in "Walk in Wisdom".  It is based on the book of Proverbs, which mentions the word "path" about 29 times!  Proverbs uses "path" as a key metaphor representing life's direction---contrasting the wise, righteous way with the foolish, wicked one.  The class will meet weekly for about eight weeks, and each week, we will work on memorizing one verse from the book of Proverbs.  The memory verse for the first week is "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  Proverbs 1:7

 

 

Visiting Airlie Gardens and exploring its many paths, gave me "MILES OF SMILES!"    Tricia