Some Things I Questioned---While In The Garden

Sunday, 11 March 2007


Some Things I Questioned---While In The Garden


3rd Sunday of Lent / 70th Day of 2007 / 28th Day Till Easter Sunday 2007


"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16

The photo...is in "either" The Garden Tomb or in The Garden of Gethsemane in Israel.

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As I was in my "garden" of prayer last week, I thought about some things. Things that I questioned about my life... Here's just a few.... I will add my response later... Selah.

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What if I did not come to church for weeks? Would anyone notice or even care that I was not there? Selah


What if I stopped blogging for months? Would it make any difference or Am I making a difference by what I am sharing on my blog site? Selah


What if I cease doing some things that I normally did at times? Would anyone notice or have any concern to why I stopped doing what I use to do? Selah

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Father God, I thank You for Sunday, the first day of the week. A day in which we come together as a body of Christ to celebrate the VICTORY that Jesus defeated death, satan and sin. I thank You for those victories Lord! I thank You for this very day and every day of LIFE that we have in You. I thank You that You give us the gift of eternal LIFE through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

I thank You for the covenant blessings of WISDOM, ANOINTING and LIFE that You have given us who believe. I praise Your name. For You are the God of what LIFE is all about and is meant to be.... Victorious living in Jesus' Name.

Lord, HELP us to surrender our lives to You on a ongoing basis. Help us to surrender every area of our lives... yielding everything to You...our spirit, soul, body, our hopes, dreams, concerns, our finances, family, jobs, our abilities, talents, ministries, our joy, weakness, strengths, our pains, sorrows, shame, our past, present, future.

Teach is to open our hearts to You while we seek after You. Lead us to repent and to rethink our lives on a regular basis. Allow us to follow You and experience You in new ways that we have not seen before. Guide us to yield to the Holy Spirit. And help us to let go of our own ways. Create within us a new heart and a new spirit.


Grant us to pray with the heart of Jesus' model prayer...
Our Father in Heaven Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.


Amen.
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"A Bible on the shelf is worthless; a Bible being read is priceless." Bruce and Stan [I took this photo from my hotel balcony... early dawn in Tiberias while in Israel.]

Reminiscing~~~~Unique Things Part 5

Friday, 19 January 2007


Reminiscing~~~~Unique Things Part 5

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Kindegarnter 7th Grader 8th Grader Senior

Mark Twain Truman Middle School Central High

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Here are Seven plus Unique Things About Myself and others. I thought to share with you. Happy reading...I have others ideas about blogging as I was reminiscing this week.

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1. I have a unique mark or scar right between my eyes. I always imagined myself as an Indian girl from India. [I have some American Indian blood in me]. My mother told me how I got this mark between my eyes. It was a result from a rock thrown at me.

Actually it was two rocks. There is a scar on my left temple too. The mark between my eyes happen before the Kindegarnten picture was taken. [I was five in that photo.]

2. One Spring or summer... between 1970 - 72... I almost cut out one of my fingers. There are two fingers on my right hand that are almost the same length. [This might be a future blog to share.]

3. I was a patrol girl during my sixth grade year at Mark Twain. As I was on duty one day a student heard me talking. He said that he always thought that I could not talk. I was very shy in my early years.

4. I won a Wacky Award during my eighth grade year at Truman Middle School. I received an award for being "The Quietest Person"in my eight grade class. I still got that award around here somewhere along with my grade school report cards.

5. I became the 18th member in my family to graduate from Central High School. 15 brothers and two sisters graduated before me.

6. On the day that I graduated there was an article on the front page of the local newspaper with my parents and I. It was about our family's historical moment.

7. I was the only person in my senior class who did not miss a day of school in four years. I received an award for that. [There were 445 of us that received our diplomats.] Actually I missed a half day which was credited as a full day.

One of my sisters and I went to South Dakota to visit some cousins about our family history. [This might be a future blog too.] Also If any of you graduated from Central from the years 1956, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 66, 67, 69, 70, 72, 73, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, and 1982, our mother saw you gradate too.

This concludes my reminiscing of my public school years. Yeah, I had many styles of clothing. I even had varies kinds of Afro's. One of my niece's saw the photos that I have of myself from my seventh grade year through my junior year in high school. My Afro appeared to grow each year. I was a senior in high school when I got my first perm...I did it for my senior picture. I have fun reminiscing.

Have A Good Friday!

~~~"Susie"~~~
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A man's spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God. --C. S. Lewis

Reminiscing~~~My Time Line Public School Years Part 4

Friday, 19 January 2007


Reminiscing~~~My Time Line Public School Years Part 4

I have put together some interesting things about my schooling years. I was hoping that I would have found my report cards from grade school. I used my memory on the names of my teachers and spellings. I found my Kindergarten group photo.

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In 1968 I entered Kindergarten at Mark Twain Elementary. There were 42 of us in the afternoon class photo. I had a cousin and there were twins brothers as my classmates. [There were about half of my classmates I could not place.] Our teacher was Miss B. Wise. [She was the youngest teacher that taught me.] Special note: I had four brothers and a sister attending school while I was in kindergarten. We had some cousins going to school with us.

Below are the Grades and a little bit that I can recall. I added some updates.

1st I don't recall very much about the first grade. However I did have to repeat. I was told by my siblings that this would happen. [This was the only grade that I know I don't have my report cards. I have all the others.] One thing that I do recall...having a band aid on my head one time. I played rough when I was growing up. [My knees have scar on them.] I was a tom boy. Teachers names were Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Espy.


2nd I got to learn how to write "fancy"...I think we call it "cursive writing". I was in a group called the "Motor Mouse Reading Group". When we had to draw a picture of our mothers for Mother's Day, the teacher told the other kids to take out their pink crayon. She told me to use the brown crayon ....to color my mother's face....Back then I did not know why. I was not thinking about color. I just wanted to color. Our teacher's name was Mrs. May. She had been teaching a long while. [I could say that she was the oldest teacher that taught me in grade school.]


3rd I recall standing outside the hallway by my third grade classroom. I had drawn a picture of my mother. I had to ease the eyelashes off my mother's eyelids. I drew this picture for Mother's Day. The teacher told me that I could not have eyelashes on my mother's eyelids. [The eyelashes were in the right place on the eyes.] Our teacher's name was Mrs. Buneau.


4th We had a "play" in class. I like the play so much that I copied it...in my own handwriting ... word by word. One day my teacher found my copy in my desk. My very first time I went to the "Big" office was when I had to go get permission to ride my bike to school. I did pass the test. That year kids kept letting the air out of my tires so I had to stop riding my bike to school. Our teacher's name was Mrs. B. Ashworth.[ Sometimes she would play ball with us during playtime.]


5th I missed about two weeks of school. I was sick. I don't recall what I had ...chicken pot or whatever. I got to write a letter to a "famous person". I choose a movie star /model who had the same name as mine...well somewhat... her last name spelled different. [Special note: This model wrote me back. I got to meet this actress/model while she was in town in March of 1992.] Our teacher's name was Miss J. Jones. She had a twin sister.


6th I was a patrol girl. As our reward for being on patrol, we got to go to a Royals' game in K.C. MO...that was my very first one. I graduated from the six grade. We had a graduation ceremony. We wore paper caps on our heads. I remember my Kindergarten teacher taking some of us outside so that she could take pictures. We were the ones who she taught. Our teacher's name was Mrs. J. Gibson. [She said that I was one of her favorite students.]

7th I entered into Truman Middle School. I missed registration. Yeah, I registered late. One of my brother's taught math there. Another one of my brother was in the eighth grade. I was challenged to take spanish and french classes. That year my whole family gathered together for the news paper. We appeared in the news paper on January 6, 1977. It's been 30 years.

8th I was ending my Middle School years. I notice yesterday that I was one chosen to be in "tiger country" section in our year book. We were Truman Tigers. Some of my teachers wrote in my year book that I should talk more. They said that I was a good student.

9th I entered into Central High School. There were two other brothers there. One a senior and the other a sophomore. We had another brother who taught social studies there. [This was the start for me to take french classes... I did for 4 years. I got a B every year. English was another story. I don't know why I did better in french.] Also we had a nephew who lived with us. This nephew told some of his friends that I was his niece. This nephew was with us for three years. He graduated in K.C. his senior year in 1982.

10th I was introduced to black history in my geometry. I wrote a paper on Benjamin Bannecker [1731- 1806.] He calculated the first ever survey for the Federal District which is know as Washington D.C. He did other inventions too. I got my first job "shackling" corn for the summer. I was the only girl there. There were four of my brothers with me.

11th I made a trip to Yankton S.D. to visit some of our cousins to learn more about our family history. I did not go to the junior or senior proms. I did not have a date.


12th In 1982 I had all determination to complete my senior year to became the 18th member in my family to graduate from Central High. [2007 is my 25th anniversary on May 27th. I will have to find Portia T. We can have our 25th reunion. We did not go to our 20th so we met at church on Friday. Portia is the only member that I know at WOLC that I went to school with. She and I go back to Truman Middle School "days".] It's rare that I come across my former classmates from grade school through high school years. There is a former classmate who once was my sister in law.

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I though to share this timeline with you first before I share the unique things. As I look back now I know that God was with me during my early life and my schooling years. I was very shy and I had trouble hearing. [This started in elementary school.] I grew in... what I grew in . I did not have a lot of friends. I did not go to a lot parties. I did not listen to a lot of music. I could not hear the words to the songs. As for when we read out loud in class, I could not hear where we were at times when it came time for me to read. At times I did not know. I felt lost.
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At first I was not going to share what I shared with you. I thought about it. I took a step of faith. All that I have been through has been experiences in life. I know where I have been and I got an idea on where I am headed. With the grace of God on my side I can keep on keeping on. I keep pressing forward.

I will keep on reminiscing on some other things. I like to thank of all you that made a comment or two... Thanks for reading my journal.... It's good to look back at things once in a while. But not to stay there. I just wanted to share this with you guys... No matter where you have been or what you have been through you can keep on keeping on. We got Jesus walking along with us on this journey called life. ~~~~~"Susie"~~~

Storm Issues

Wednesday, 22 August 2007


Storm Issues

There was a time in my life to where I had fear of storms. I would not sleep in my bed, if I know that there was a storm going on. I would seem to sense a storm when they were there. I would wake up in the middle of the night in fear.


This was at the other place where we lived. My bed was by a very big picture window. I use to be afraid that the window would break or something. When there was lighting, the flash would light up my whole room. That would woke me up, if the thundering didn't.


Then through this storm issue came another issue in my life. For about 2 1/2 the months of May, June and parts of July of 2005, I had another issue in my life that was going on. I thought that it would never end. I was worried about it.

There was a time in the early morning hours, I was laying in my bed. The storm woke me up. I was thinking to myself about my other issue. It does not matter. The issue that I had at that time seemed to be worst than the fear that I had about storms. So I just laid in bed.


For some reason, I did not worry about the storm or what would happen to me. I face that fear as I laid in my bed. If I would die, I would die. I had a fear if I would be struck by lighting. Any way the other issue made me think that I was in a dying situation. Either way I would have been with the LORD.

With both of this issues going on that the same time, I felt something was leaving me. What left was the fear of the storms. Thank You Jesus! I did conquer both of those issues. I did overcame the fear of storms. I began to sleep in my bed without no problems.

In our new place, I can sleep through the storms. My bed is away from my window. There have been a lot of times when I didn't know that we had a storm. What joy I have that I can sleep through loud thundering and flashing lighting.
But in emergencies may the Lord woke me up. Some times I am awaken at nights. There are "storms" going on in the spirit as well as in the the natural. In either storm may I hear the alert to awake from my sleep.

Storm Issues in life seem to cloud up and bring fear into our days, but we don't have to let them. Yes, I have other fears that I need to conquer. May I and other have the courage to overcome our weakness in life as we are going through to get to the other side of them.

I will leave you with this thought that has been with me since 1994. It was in my weakest times in life and during my weaknesses in fear, that I believe by knowing that God is with me. That's how I receive this revelation...Maybe you can relate to this....

The STRONGEST POINT in your life is
when you know, that you know.


Thanks for reading.
God bless you.
S.A. Blakley

Repost " A Part Of The Family " A.P. (And Other Dogs)

This is a repost of dogs in the family. It's been 13 years since A. P. died.
He was a good dog, along with his offspring.

Saturday, 02 December 2006 :A Part Of The Family " A.P.
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A.P. Dec 7, 1991 - Dec 2, 2006
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Here is an update on A.P., My sister's almost 15 year old dog. I got the word that A.P. had to be put to sleep this morning.

He had been suffering with arthritis with his back legs. The doctor thought that A.P. could have had a stroke or had a tumor. It was best to put him to sleep. A.P. was a outside dog. He was not able to get around.

What I can tell you about A.P. He was part shepherd and Lab. He lived a HAPPY life. He lived across the street from us. A.P. was born on Dec 7, 1991. [A.P. was the football player dog.... Double D's.]

His Ma was taking care of A.P... Double D was the one that gave A.P. this name. A.P. does not stand for Associated Press.

A.P. was named after a basketball player in MO, who later made it to the NBA. Some how back in '91 this Anthony was big time then. Some how the letters A.P. came to be this dog's name.


A.P. grew up with four "cousin" dogs, "Luke", "Duke", "Messy Marvin", and "Little Bit". "M. Marvin" looked just like A.P. They got along pretty good together.

You could have thought that "M. Marvin" was his daddy. A.P." cousin dogs" taught him well throughout out his young dog life. One by one A.P. cousins dogs died. A.P. was left alone.

A.P. did not get along with other dogs. He would always get into fights. When a new dog came to keep A.P. company, A.P. would not like them. There was one dog A.P. liked. She was the "neighbor dog".

I called her "Rover". She would come over to A.P. place and they would play. Her real name was "Gidget." Gidget would climb the fence to get in. Then there were days that I did not see "Gidget".

I asked my neighbor were she was..."Gidget had to be put to sleep. She was 15. That was about 6 or 7 years ago.

Then A.P. did not have any "dog friends". So my sister got another dog to keep A.P. company. A.P. did not like this dog.

This dog did not stay long. His name was "Coco". He liked going around the neighborhood to kill cats and bring them home to show what he did... My sister got rid of that dog. "Coco" was a bird dog. Black Lab.

So A.P. was all alone again. Not to long after "Coco" left. A.P. started to break loose. At one time it was just for a short while... he came back. The second time A.P. was gone for about a week.

We look for him but could not find him. Until one day he came up the street. I had a talk with A.P. He did not listen to me.

The third time A.P. broke loose he was gone for about two weeks. Two of my brothers were out working and A.P. recognized truck and came running after them. A.P. was happy to see them and happy to be home.

I had another long talk with A.P. Yeah, that was the last time he broke loose. Then one day summertime July 2002, a dog came in the neighborhood.

A.P. liked this dog. A.P. let this dog sleep in his house, drink his water and eat his food. A.P. was in love. Yeah, this dog was a female.

The female dog was later named "Babe". There was one thing that A.P. would not let "Babe" have....his biscuits. A.P. loved his biscuits.

Four months later A.P. became a "father" dog.[ Note: I think it takes about 63 days for a dog to have puppies.] There were 8 dogs in all.

Two died within the day of the birth. The other six were 5 boys and 1 girl. Yeah, A.P. helped raised his family. I heard that when it was time to get fed, A.P. made sure that all the other dogs had food first before he would eat.

A.P. would not eat until he knew that all had food when they were puppies. A.P. would bark if it was time to eat. He look after his family. He always wanted his biscuits. He had to have two.

On March 8, 2006 the "Mama dog""Babe" had to be put to sleep. A.P. was left with three "sons dogs and a step son dog". He lived out his happy life.

In May of this year A.P.'s grand daughter came to be with the family... "Sugar Bear". She looks like her grandpa, A.P.

It was about two months ago that A.P. had trouble walking. It got worst last month. The only thing that A.P. had trouble with was his walking. I heard that he eat well during his last days. I knew that he missed his biscuits.

A.P. left me with memories... I saw A.P. one day barking up in the air. I thought to myself, what is he barking at. I looked up and saw an air plane.

It appears that A.P. saw it too. A.P. was a smart dog. Yeah, we got one of A.P.'s offsprings..... "Sister"[she's the black and white dog above.]

She was the only girl of the bunch. "Sister" had six puppies this year. We kept one of them. I named him "Sunny", he's the tan and white dog above. "Sunny" is as big as his mama.

I can see a little of A.P. in his offsprings. In all A.P. was a GOOD DOG. I called him my "nephew dog". So "Sister" is my "great niece "dog. "Sunny" is my 2nd great "nephew "dog.

I share this story with you because I believe that animals are a part of the family. I learned a lot by my dogs and others dogs. They have a personalty too that brings joy into our lives.

God gives us gifts to enjoy. I enjoy my gifts of caring for "Sister", "Sunny" and "Spotty". They are a part of the family. A.P. was too.

Unexpected Greeters Of 2006

Saturday, 30 December 2006


Unexpected Greeters Of 2006

There is an update near the end of this blog: 7:40PM
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I have had some unexpected greeters this year as I came to our front door. Now, I am wise enough to start looking before I come on the porch. I will tell you of the GREETER that we came across this month.


My brother and I were coming back from somewhere. I had food in my. I was walking up to the porch as I normally do. I look in the area where I normally do. Well this time I got a surprise. I keep believing that I will not see what I think I will see. After I saw it, I ran down the steps as fast as I could. My brother thought that I fell down the steps. I will moving so fast.


I told him that there was a possum on the porch. He said that the possum will not bother me. I told him that I had food in my hands. My brother walk pass me up to the porch. He spoke to the possum to get out of here. He said you don't live here. Then my brother told me to come on up. I said NO! I told him to open the door first. After the door was open I ran up those steps and into the house.


I made it in the door OK. I was a bit shaky though. It took me about 5 minutes to settle down. My brother told me that the possum was just smiling at me. I thought to myself that big old fat thing was not smiling at me. I saw those teeth. Even thought I did not hear it, I knew that that thing was hissing at me. Smiling at me, my foot.


This brings me back to the first two greeters that I did not know was there. This was sometime earlier during this year. I was coming home from Friday Night Church. My brother was at the door waiting for me to come home.

So I thought, he told me to hurry up in the door. I turned around and saw not one but two possums. I did not see them as I was walking pass them. This was the time when I started to look in the porch when I come home at nights.


Then there was the time I came home and there was another creature greeted me. No it was not a possum. It was a big fat yellow cat. It scared me so much that my knees buckled and I fell all the way across the porch. Yeah, I am laughing right now as I am telling you this story. However, it was not funny when I had this encounter.


The cat did run off. I did manage to get up after laughing at what happened. I made it in the house. I told my brother what happened. He said you could have broken something. I was fine. I was not sore from the fall.

What I have been doing every time when I come home, I make sure I make a lot of noise when I come to the porch. I am making my presence know to whoever or whatever. Last night I had no greeters. I know that God has His angels watching over me every where I go. I claim psalms 91 every day.

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I wanted to share this story about three weeks ago. I was doing my Unity Study on my journey to Christmas. This is when I came up with the idea to share this stories and testimonies for this week. I hope that you were blessed by them. I thought of an unique way to share some of my life with you.

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UPDATE: I CAME HOME AFTER COMING BACK FROM THE STORE. I HAD A GREETER. IT WAS THAT BIG YELLOW CAT. MY KNEES DID NOT BUCKEL THIS TIME. I MANAGE TO WALK BY THE CAT WITH CONFIDENCE.

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Tomorrow is the very last day of 2006. So that means I get another chance to blog my very last morning blog. I will try to blog very last blog for 2006 Sunday afternoon. Hope that you all had a good year! If not, believe that things will get better. Every thing God created is good. Eve Of New Year's Eve!

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New Year Dawning! December 31st The Very Last Day Of 2006!
Enter Into The Door. Enjoy!!!!

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Salvation Issues

Thursday, 16 August 2007


Salvation Issues

I am continuing my blogs on Issues of Life. This one I call "Salvation Issues". What I am about to share with you, I did not make up. I had to find the words to tell my story. Yes, I am for real. I thank my Lord my God that He is with me every single day of my life.

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Since I am on this count down to the 17th of September, my Conversion Day Anniversary, I thought to share my "Salvation Issues" with you. I first believed on Jesus on that Citizenship Day of 1993. This was day I had a fresh new beginning. Some things started to change in my life on that day.


Salvation has been an issue with me not to long after I got saved. This confusion started to attack my thinking about if I was really saved. I continued to go to Word of Life Church and grow in the things of God.


I joined church on the 17th of October 1993. I have been at WOLC ever since my very first visit during the Summer of 1993. The day that Jesus introduce Himself to me.


I could have join WOLC two days after I got saved. I had to pray about which church that I would join. I had three choices. I did not start going to church until the week I got saved. Being a part of a church and joining one was a big step for me.

I have been thinking... When did all this confusion start? I cannot recall. But I do recall on the day after Thanksgiving 1993. Things became weirder and weirder and the question of my salvation began to deepen.


Sunday, November 28, 1993 was my Water Baptism Day. I could not wait to be submerged into the water. I had thoughts that was trying to tell me that I was not saved. I wanted this water baptism so much, I had to wait unto it was announced in church.


On that morning of my water baptism, I was reading from the book of 1 Corinthians 14 from the New King James Version. I could not focus on what I was reading. I read and re read and had trouble reading the verses.


I kept reading anyway. Then it came time to read verse 9 b, I read it in a new way. For you [ I ] will be [ blessed ] speaking in the air. That caught my attention. If you have been around me, you would notice that I am not much of a talker.

Anyway I wanted to make sure that I was saved before I was water baptized. If I was not than the water baptism did not count. I just got wet for nothing. Water Baptized is a very important event in a Christian's life.

For those who are curious about my water baptism. It occurred at the YMCA. There were 25 of us. I was # 22. I was ready to go under, bury my old life and come into my new life. Pastor Nick D. had the honor to baptize me.

Through the months ahead more strange things happened. Things attacked my thinking about my salvation. By January 14 - 24, 1994, those were days to remember. As I look back at what happened, it was like I was losing my mind. But God intervened.

There were a lot of things that occurred during this time. But two major things that attack me were out right ridiculous. One late evening I had thoughts trying to tell me that I was Enoch, the one who never saw death because God took him. And another thing was that I was going to Israel to be a witness to the Antichrist.


I even knew at that time, that that was not so. I even laugh at the thoughts. That was so stupid to even cross my mind. But those thoughts entered my thinking. I was not on anything. [No drugs or no alcohol.]

I recall at that time, I was very sleepy. I was falling asleep as all these thoughts were coming more and more in to my thinking. I would fight the sleep but something came and cause me to sleep so to speak.

This all happened within 7 -10 days. By the end those days, I reflected back on what had happened to me. Psalm 23 came to my thinking. He makes me lay down in green pastures, He restores my soul.

Indeed He restored my soul. I could not fight off whatever was attacking my mind. I felt sleepy and could not stay a wake. I had not choice but to laid down.

After all this, I continue to go to church. In January of 1994, I recall during praise and worship, I thanked God for bringing me through this. I even started to raise my arms and hands higher while in praise and worship. Since then praising and worshiping God had taken on a whole new meaning.

Over this time spand, I told about three or four people that I felt like that I was not saved. I did not tell all what happened to me. But all the people who I told, believed that I was save. One led me to Romans 10: 9-10.

Also I recall that I was reading Ephesians 1:13. Where it speaks about salvation, guarantee and sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit. On that same day I was listening to a radio program and heard the same verse spoken again from Ephesians. That caught my attention.

But something else was trying to take me back and forth on this issue that brought confusion. I believe that I had my salvation. But still more unusual things continued. And my salvation issue was a question.

By mid March of 1994 this question grew deeper. It was leading up to April Revival of 1994 a week long church gatherings. This was the second weirdest week that I have had as a Christian. I didn't know how I made it through that week. But I believe that God was with me.

My heart was very heavy about my salvation. I did not know how much more I could take of this. At times I did not know what to do. I believe that it would be inappropriate to share with you what actually happened to me.

It's one of those cases to where it happened but I don't believe that it happened. But I believe that it did. Only God knows the truth of what happened. It was like one of those twilight zone episodes type moments.

I still had that heaviness on my heart. I could not make it to all the Revival gatherings. The question of my salvation was upon me. Finally, I spoke to God and told Him that I could not make it to church. I ask for His forgiveness.

Every time I went to church, weird things kept happening to me. April 24, 1994 was the first time I voluntary missed church. I got up at my normal Sunday morning hour. I had set my will not to go. And I stayed in my room that morning in quietness of the day.



What in the world would cause me to miss church? Weird things happened while I was setting during altar calls. There was something that appeared to be physically touching me. I would look but there was nothing there.

At times I would hear things that would draw my attention. The music would go up on down, especially during praise and worship. It was so very very weird.

Then the touching issues would happened in other places outside church. Still there would be nothing there to see that was doing the touching. At first I thought it was muscle spasm. I took note when they would happened. It was like I was being attacked from the unseen spiritual world.


One strange thing occurred one morning when I woke up about the 4 AM hour. I had a cold sweat. I felt something hit my hand that woke me up. There was nothing there.


By this time I had realized that I was needing to call someone. I needed tell them about what was going on with this issue. I was wrestling with what to do. The thought of calling someone and sharing this....

Who to call? And would that person believe me? It took me a while to call. But I did make the call. And that person who I called believed what I share with them and believed that I was saved too. I was not off my rocker.

What was I going to do with these attacks that were trying to convince me that I was not saved? I sought God for the answer. I don't recall what day it was but I believe that the Spirit of the LORD spoke to me and said that I will depress myself if I kept worrying about my salvation. So I settled it in my heart that I was saved. Still the weirdness continued on...

Another happening came... One morning, while I was sitting still in a chair praying. I stopped praying in the spirit. And all of sudden, I started to rock. I mean, I felt like I was in a boat or some thing rocking.

While I was sitting, I had a thought come to me. "You're back in the boat." And for some reason another thought came and said "You were never out of it." Speaking of my salvation.


I jumped out of my chair for joy when I received that revelation. I was never out of the boat of salvation. I believe that I was saved that whole time that I was going through the doubt and uneasiness of the weirdness in my life. I kept believing.

Through all this, still the issue of my salvation comes up from time to time. It has lesson over the years. This salvation issue lasted for about 3 or 4 years: 1993 -1996 or so. I cannot really recall. The weirdness had slacked down a lot after that time.


What is salvation? Pastor BZ has preached on the subject. I was all ears. But one thing that I believe we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are in a process of being saved. There are parts of our lives that need to be born again and again and again and again. Salvation is on going process in our lives.


What have I learned and experienced through this issue of my salvation? Indeed I have learn to come closer to Jesus. I believe whatever that I went through has built up my faith to where I am needing to go. As I look back over these episodes of my life, Jesus was the only comfort that kept me stabled.

There were some people who I spoke with me, believed that I was saved. But somehow through the things that were happening to me, brought doubt to my mind. I believed what was happening to me was not of God. I believed that He would not do that to me. If I was not saved, He would saved me. I believe that He has.

I hope that what I have opened up to you about has some how encourage you in whatever you have been going through. There are things in life that we are in and no matter how much others try to help us, there is something there that is blocking our production. God is always there to help us through.

But GOD! Yes, But GOD! He is there to see us through, if we just continue to call upon Him in the midst of the issues that we are going through. God is in the storm with us. Whether if a thunderstorm, tornado, typhoon or a tropical storm. NO matter the storm in life look, around for the Life Guard that is there with us.


May you work out your salvation with fear and trembling. No matter what's going on in your life, believe no matter what, God is with you and He will never leave you.

There was a phrase that came to me spirit on the 9th of February 1994 that tends to let be a part of me. I will leave you with this thought. As you journey in life,


"NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, KEEP YOUR FAITH IN JESUS."

(Counting down the days till my Conversion Day Anniversary....)

Life, Death and Dying

Notes on Thursday, 28 June 2007

Life, Death and Dying

About a month ago, I was wondering How do people minister to those who are dying? This question came about during the time my friend's sister was dying. Melody has gone on to be with the LORD last Friday about 12:10 AM CST.

I came across on this xangaland a lady who has interest in soul care, spiritual care and so forth... So I thought to email her and ask her this question. Recently I ask her could I use what she shared with me in a blog. Here is that email

Hi Susie,

The best way to minister to those that are terminal is to be present through active listening. Through active listening (listening beyond the words) you will be able to find out where she is at even though she is Christian. It is normal for her to have questions for God, even go through different emotions but she will need a safe person who can listen without judging or telling her what to do.

Of course ongoing prayers will be helpful but listening to her journey will be so helpful to her. She may feel safe to share her grief since she and others will be going through anticipatory grief (respond to loss) She may have had dreams she wanted to fufill etc.

She may also be ready to go....most important is to walk with her on the journey and listen to her soul. She may want to do some things, say some things...etc. Empathy is critical...trying to walk in her shoes....not telling her you understand because we don't...but trying to understand where she is at and loving her for it.....because God does...

there is also a site that may be helpful which has some anticipatory and bereavement for the future.... http://www.vitas.com/bereavement/toc.asp#source

Also look in the bereavement section... also this may be helpful..http://www.aromansse.com/death.htm

including... http://www.healthtouch.com/bin/EContent_HT/cnoteShowLfts.asp?fname=02432&title=DEATH+AND+DYING+&cid=HTHLTH

Posted 5/28/2007 7:57 AM by reflectiveLATINA -

I was thinking this week.

Here are some of my thoughts.....

We don't talk about death and dying until someone we know has passed on or hear of somebody dying or committing suicide.. When I read the newspaper, the first section I go to is the Metro Section. Then I go to the obituaries.

I cannot recall how long I have been doing this. Perhaps I pick this up from my mother. That was what she did. She read the obituaries first. Than about a month or so before my mother passing in April of 2000, I started to pray for the survivors in the obituaries. I just started to do that. Why? I don't know. I still pray for those left behind...

Then one day I saw my name in there obituary column...

Those who are in Christ should not have to fear death. Jesus conquered death for us. I don't fear death. I have peace about the issue of death and dying. I believe that when it's time for my spirit and soul to exit my body, I will be in the presence of my LORD. What Jesus did on the cross has ransom my soul.

I am in God's control. I belong completely to Him. I call upon the name of JESUS. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart as the Bible speaks of about salvation in Romans 10:8-13. I believe that I am being save in the process of my eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

We all at some point in our lives will have to face the end of this life in our earthly vessel. Our spirit and soul will depart from our bodies. Some will leave fast, perhaps in their sleep while others will have go through the slow dying process. And then there will be those who will never see death.

Psalm 116:15

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.

Psalm 23:4 NLT

Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Yes, the LORD is with us even in the point of our spirits exiting our bodies.

Other thoughts and prayers...

I pray that we all become more active listeners ...hearing beyond the words to the people who we are around.

What are some people saying to you? What are some people say to me? I have become more aware of what some people have been talking to me about. For some reason it's becoming a habit. It gives me more of what others are really saying. What's the issue of life.

It's not just TALK. Some times it's what's on peoples' hearts. And what the speaker is saying should be important for the listener to hear. It brings us into accountability in what we are saying and doing so we can encourage one another along our individual journey called life. May we not just talk to get attention nor the brag about things. But to give the hearer some thing worth the time to hear what we are trying to communicate.

I have been noticing that I tend to say more about where I am at or what I am going through. Read between the lines when you listen to others speak. I have said a lot about myself in my journals; Both online and in my personal daily journal . Hearing beyond what people write about is something to think about also.

Listening to one another should be important, especially when a life is at sake. I ask God to make me a better listener when I am around people who I can help. There are times when I have to use discernment. But may we have ears to hear beyond what others are saying. May God give us His wisdom to say or do what is needed.


And may we listen without judging or asking questions or telling others what to do. We all have our comfort zone. I believe that trusting is the key in sharing our hearts and grief with those we trust...to with what we share.

We cannot put trust in others who we don't know us or believe in us. But there is one in whom we can trust in all that can share. He hears us and He cares for you and me...

At times do we take others around us for granted? We don't really mean to do that. But it can and does happen. We don't know when it will be our time to step into the next life set before us. Heaven for those who call upon Jesus... enter into Eternal LIFE or Hell for those who do not call upon Jesus... enter into Eternal DEATH. It's a choice on our behalf.

Time will end and the next life into the Eternal Life will continue.

Father God, I thank You that You give us the choice to choose Heaven or Hell, Life or Death. You even spoke and have recorded in Your Word which one for us to choice. I thank You that You revealed to us to choice LIFE in JESUS CHRIST.

Heavenly Father, grant us wisdom to listen beyond what others are speaking to us. Help us to hear as the Holy Spirit in tune us to hear what others are communication to us about. I know that we cannot share everything with everyone. Only to the one who we feel comfortable with. But help us to bare one another burdens.

At times we think we should not be a burden to another, but we wallow in our pain and suffering feeling that there is no one who can understand our situation. Then there are times when we share our burdens and pains to another what we expect is not what we are looking for. O God send us the comfort that we need.

You hear the cry of Your people. Some are tormented, broken and very tried of the abuse that is destroying their lives. Help Your people find their way through what they are going through. Send refreshment to their souls and laborers to carry their heavy burdens with them. Let them know that they are not alone.

Send those who are dying comfort and healing to their being. We pray that the dying process would be reverse to a complete healing to show Your glory in the lives of those who are around and looking on. You are a miracle working God.

Give those who are caretakers and spiritual caregivers words of wisdom to those who they are caring for. Help them to have that listening ear to hear what is being said so that the dying and the love ones can deal with what they are going through.

Send them comfort and healing to their emotions to those how have loss loved ones. I pray for the entire Gabel Family. I lift each and every one of them up to you. Bring comfort to Floyd, Estelle, Gloria, Lisa, Angela, Cynthia, Gerry and Boyd. We believe that Melody is with Jesus. Bring healing to this family.

We lift up Cynthia to You Father. This family has been through a lot this year. We as believers are standing in faith and believing that Your hand is over Cynthia's being. Help her! Bring the care that she needs. We speak ZOE life to her body in Jesus' name.


I thank You Father God that You have heard our prayers. You are the God who said I Am He. No other can be save only by You. I thank You Father, that You give us LIFE to live. I thank You for the lives of people who have received the bad report of dying. May you take the ones who are dying through the process of Your will.

We cannot understand things in our live, LORD. But we can still believe that You are able to do well beyond what we may ask think or even imagine what we can say to You. You have every thing in control. Whatever happens will turn out for the good of God. For You are God and there is no other.

I praise You Father God and I give You all glory and honor to Your Holy name. I thank You that You are a loving God. You know what is good for us and You will not leave us nor forsake us. You are with us even until it's the end.


Prepare us for when its our time to live this life into the next and for those who are left behind, may they believe and have that assurance that their loved one is in Heaven in the presence of the LORD. And that those who are left behind will have their assurance that they will be in the presence of the LORD by believing upon Jesus when their time comes.


And I give You thanks with all praise that is due Your name. For You are who You said You are. The GREAT I AM. The God of our fathers' and the everlasting God. And I thank you for that in Jesus' name AMEN!
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There will be a time when our blogging will come to an end. Doing Life In The Kingdom Of God The Chronicles of SUSieAN will have a last blog entry....Face it! For some reason our blogging journey will end. So I am learning to write with a purpose each time I have a chance.

What will be left, will be recorded as to what we who have shared, as we are alive to those who are apart of our lives, on this journey that is called life. I am not just sharing a part of my life with you on my online journal. There are motives behind what I do and what you do. You have your say as will.

There is a purpose to what we should do and what we should say. God uses all of us for His purpose. May we be willing vessels to do the will of God in our daily lives, the best way that we can. If we miss the mark, believe that God will guide us back on track.

Hope that you will leave a part of your life in such a way that others will be inspired and encouraged by how God has brought you through in life as a follower of Jesus Christ. I thank God for the avenues of communication. So that we can preserve and share with our future generations.

May we journey in life with a purpose and may we live life to the fullest making a difference to those who we met along our path of life. May we shine our light into our Father's World.

God Bless you. Enjoy your life everyday! We don't know when our time is up.

Lupus Issue: Since 2001

This blog was written 10 Years Ago
Thanks for reading
God bless you.
S.A. Blakley

Notes on Tuesday, 31 July 2007

Lupus Issue This blog is the continuation from my Biopsy Issues on the 24th of 2007...
Seven days had past.

It was Tuesday the 31st of July 2001. I received a phone call from the kidney doctor's nurse. She said that the doctor wanted to see me on August 1, 2001. Many things went through my thoughts that day. What if ? But the peace of God was with me.

That day came. It was one of the worst days of my life. I received the bad report of having Acute Lupus Nephritis IV (SLE). Some of you may be thinking, What is Lupus? Lupus is one of many disorder of the immune system know as autoimmune disease. There are different types and stages of Lupus. The Lupus I had was almost full. It was serious. (Systemic Lupus Erythematous.)

The kidney doctor explain to me that Lupus is like the opposite of aids. My explanation...it's a civil war going on inside a person's body. What's suppose to be on the good side in protecting the body turn against and fights parts of the body that it's designed to protect.

When I heard that report that I had Lupus, I could not cry. I believe that the Spirit of the Lord had to have been with me. The doctor explain the procedure of what I would have to go through. I could lose all my hair and it would grow back. I could not respond to what I was hearing. I was not in shock.

Back to my testimony...I had to make a decision...I needed to be hospitalized for two days. I had to start chemotherapy for 6 months. The kidney doctor set up all what was necessary for what I needed. I agreed to check in the hospital that night.

First, I had to take care of some business before checking into the hospital. As I was packaging my suit case, I had thoughts of What if? I did not know how I was going to pay for the hospital bills so forth. I was worried. Then a thought came to me and said. "Remember, I paid the price for your healing". This voice brought comfort to my soul.

There was some point after this time, I did cry. I got the comfort of the Holy Spirit that every thing was going to be alright. What was on my mind next... to go to Wal Mart. I needed to go shopping so that my brothers would have some food in the house while I was away.

My brother and I went shopping. When we got there I was headed to see a person who worked there. He was a Word of Lifer. We sung in the choir together. I can remember the expression on his face when I saw him. He was on the phone and was looking at me. I motioned to him as though I told him to come here.

When I spoke to him. I told him what was going on. I wanted him to tell Pastor Eric, Pastor Brian and Peri that I was going to be in the hospital for a few days and that I had Lupus. This friends said that he would tell them. I went about to do my shopping. I had to walk slow. I was in a lot of pain. I had trouble breathing if I walked fast.

After we got all my shopping, we went home to put up the food. Then I was finishing getting all what I plan to take to the hospital. My two sisters took me there. I wanted to check as late as possible. It was about the 9 PM hour. I went through all the procedures that was needed...


On my first night there, one of my sisters stayed with me. This night in the hospital started off unusual. Not too long after I go there, I was hungry and wanted a sandwich. As I was waiting, I started to itch. I though that I was allergic to something. The nurse gave me some medicine through the IV that was in my arm.

The nurse said that I should not have had any reaction to what she gave me. I was itching up a storm. So the nurse gave me something to stop the itching. Yeah, it did and it also made me very very sleepy. My sisters told me that I was saying some silly things. I don't recall saying too much. I was so sleepy. All I recall waking up the next morning.

The next day, I was to take my first chemo. Every thing was set to go for my treatment. The chemo lasted from about 3 to 4 hours. The largest dose was first chemo. Then things begin to change during that day. I can not recall when I notice a different in my condition. More blood work was done.

The doctor said that I was responding very well to the chemo. I was not having any side effects. Thursday went very good. Then came the third day. I wake up about 6 AM high in the spirit on that Friday, August the 3rd of 2001.

That morning I saw the nurse there, I told him that I had a lot of energy. He said what I was taking I could have ran around the hospital building a couple of times. I had some powerful medicine injected into me. I was so high with full of energy.

The doctor came and saw how I was doing. I ask him questions. He notice a change in me as well. I talk a lot more. The doctor signed me out and through all the paper work, it was time for me to go. It was about the 4 PM hour.

As one of my brothers was wheeling me out, I saw Pastor Eric on the way out of the emergency room doors. I told my brother to hurry up, I wanted to talk that man. We caught up with Pastor E. I told him that I will see him tonight in church. Then I got out of the wheel chair and into my sister's van.

It was Friday, I had to get my medicine and get myself ready for church by 6:30 PM. And I did. I was so happy to go to church that day. I had ask the kidney doctor could I go to church. He said yes, as long I would keep a distant from people with colds, babies and so forth sickness.

Yeah, I had a lot of energy. I seem to had a clearer thinking pattern too. I was seeing much better. Things appeared much brighter and the colors were beautiful. This chemo seem to have brought life back into me. A friend told me it sounded like I had a transfusion of life that came from God into my being.

Through the months that followed I made more improvements. In about a month's time I had lost about 30 pounds. It was mostly fluid build up. I lost more weight because of the chemo too. I was shrinking. I was at the point to where I needed to gain some weight.


I cannot recall how much medication I was taking at that time. It was too much for me. January 12, 2002 was the sixth month of chemotherapy. I was glad that it was. I kept believing that what I had went through was working. I believe that I was healed.

Through out the 6 months of chemo, I prayed and sought God earnestly. I surrounded myself in a faith atmosphere. I read and listened to the whole Book of Psalm. I confessed healing scriptures. But most important I praised and worshipped God.


On February 4, 2002, I had my follow up visit to see the kidney doctor. He talk about the chemo treatments and the results. I had been seeing the doctor once a month. I had to take blood work a week before every treatment to check my white blood cell count. I could not have a cold or fever when I took the chemo.

But on the 4th of February 2002, the doctor looked at the test results. He said Do I claim victory over Lupus? I said YEAH! I had all joy about the test results. I had improved a lot over the months.

The strangest thing happened to me after I claimed victory over Lupus. The days that followed, I caught the flu. I had to miss Friday Night church. It was Faith Life Weekend. Yeah, I was depressed and VERY MAD too. But I made it to the Sunday Night Gathering.
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I want to sum this all up... and than take you back to the year 2003. First I had no pain not to far after my first chemo in August of 2001. I became pain free within days but the swelling took a while and was gone with in two months.


I have not been on any medication for Lupus since September / November of 2004. I have been doing good. I take 2 vitamin pills and an aspirin a day. As for my medical bills. I made arrangement to pay off all my hospital bills and so forth. I paid my last bill off in 2005.
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I will go back to the year 2003.. During the summertime something began to happen to me again but in a new way. I had pain but I did not know what was causing it. Yeah, I started to sleep back in my recliner in July and August. But by October - December of 2003 the pain grew worst.

In January of 2004, I had a kidney doctor's appointment. I told him about what was going on. He subscribed me some pain pills. They seem to have helped out but up to a point. I had been noticing that my left foot was turning black again. In February, I was concern about it and call the kidney doctor's nurse.

On February 9th of 2004, I called the nurse, I told her about my foot. She thought that I may have had a blood clot. She told me to go to the emergency room. So, I had my sister in law take me there.

The ER visit lasted about 5 hours. They ran test, checked my heart, lungs and so forth. The test results was that the Lupus had reoccurred. At first the doctor wanted to kept me over night. My first response was. "I did not bring my Bible." I did not have to stay in the hospital over night. I had to make an appointment to see the kidney doctor for follow up.


I had the follow up with the doctor about a month later. He did not want me to take the kidney biopsy until the was the right time. When ever that meant. My family was concern that the doctor took so long in ordering the kidney biopsy.

The day came a day before my birthday, April 7, 2004. I went through the procedure again with a different doctor. He was explaining to me that I was an expert at this. I said I don't want to be. I had a harder time this time around with this kidney biopsy. I was very mad that the Lupus came back. I did not want to tell people about it.

In February of 2004, not to far after I claimed the victory over Lupus, I had something in my spirit trying to give me fear. The thought of Lupus was going to return. That thought had been there but I spoke back to it. By His stripes I am healed. At times the thought of Lupus comes to my thinking. Even doctors speak that to me that it will return.

Back to my biopsy. I had to wait 7 days for the results of the test. It came on April 13, 2004. Yes The bad report of Lupus. I made arrangement to have 6 more chemotherapy treatments....On the morning of April 14, 2004, I woke up in my recliner. I was talking with God.

I spoke to God with tear in my eyes saying "I did not know how much more I can take of this". I was speaking of the pain that I was in . In the quiet of the still moments of that morning, I heard a voice tell me to stop breathing.

And so I did. As I held my breathe, I felt something. What was it? there was NO Pain. For that moment of holding my breathe I had comfort. The peace of God had surrounded me. I believe that God was with me and that I needed to hang on.

My two sisters were with me again to take me to the hospital. I did not use the wheel chair to where I had to go....I walked very slowly into the hospital in pain and out of breath. What more could happen this time? I don't what to share that ordeal... I will say that I did have Chemo that day. I did make it home. Thank You Jesus.

A normal treatment time including check in and check out would last around 4 1/2- 6 1/2 hours each in 2004. Some of the times the treatment times were not normal. The last chemo that I have had was in Sept of 2004. I have been off all mediations for Lupus since September /November of 2004. I thank God for bringing me through.


During the 2nd round of chemo for 6 months, I did experience some side effects. In June of 2004, I had dry eyes and redness because of the medication that I was on. It appeared as though I had been crying. My eyes were so blood shot red.

In September of 2004: Test Results: Positive for Lupus.... with no symptoms of Lupus. I came to this conclusion. A positive negative on Lupus does not mean that I have Lupus. It's been about 3 years since my last chemo. Still I am on no medication for Lupus. I still have a positive test results for Lupus with no symptoms of Lupus.

I am living life the best way that I can. There are times when I need take it easy. I rest from time to time. I try to reduce my stress level and not to worry as much. I try to not to over do things. I try to keep alert to what attacks my body. I keep track of unexplained rashes or pains that come and won't leave. In all what had attacked my body has left...

I read up on Lupus for the knowledge reason. I try to eat right and stay out of the sun as much as possible. I was on the internet on day. I can across a website that had a wristband. The wristband had this words on it that I like ....LIFE WITHOUT LUPUS. I wear this orange wristband as a testimony and reminder that I'm living life without Lupus.

You can learn more about Lupus at www.lupus.org www.intotheloop.org

There are times in life when we don't know what to do when we receive that bad report. We need to remember that God is with us in all that we do. Lord, help us to remember that You are with us always. Amen!

I have had these words with me since May 8, 1998. I will leave you with these thoughts. "Whatever you hear, Remember, that I (God) will always be with you to help you and guide you through."

Don't Be Too Busy

Notes from Friday, 01 December 2006


Don't Be Too Busy

Brother #1 called today. Some of us call him "Davy". He goes by his real name, David which he was named after our father. Yeah, we are from the seed of David. More like a tribe of David.


My brother "Davy" ask if I was busy and if I had "a minute". He called to see how all of us were doing. Some how the conversation got to what one of our uncles said to "Davy". This uncle was our mother's brother, "Ad".


Yeah, coming from a large family, nicknames are a must. A lot of same names. I always remember calling this uncle just "Ad". "Ad" was "Ad". "Davy" said he was in town one day and "Ad" saw him outside by our house.

Back in those days, our block was mostly kin folks. Grandma, uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers, sisters and even In laws living within seeing distant. Our mother was one of eleven children.


Back to "Ad", "Ad" saw "Davy" with a cooler. So when "Ad" saw the cooler he spoke this words to "Davy". "Do you have any cool ones in there".

When my brother told me this I had to write this down in my Family Famous Quote Book. I listen to how my siblings talk. Some of the things they say catch my ears. I have been writing some of the funny sayings down in my journal quote book.

"Do you have any cool ones in there" "Ad" said. He was talking about something to drink drink. Not water or soda pop that was in "Davy's" cooler. "Davy" said he will never forget the look on Uncle "Ad" face. He was not to pleased with what he saw in that cooler.


You know what, I was busy when my brother called me. But I decided to make the time to talk to him. Seizing the time at that very moment. I would not have come across this saying to ADD to my family's famous quote book.

I even found out that "Davy" and his wife got another cat. Their son "Ed", short for Edward cat ran off. So "Ed" got them another cat for them to watch.

We come from a family that love DOGS. Well, there is a few cat lovers. By the way the phone call lasted about twenty minutes. We are doing good!

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

Capture Life Through Photos

Notes From Tuesday, 17 April 2012


Capture Life Through Photos

I was looking through some of my photos on August 22, 2011. I had an idea come to me. It was to post unknown relatives on my family history site.

I was putting some of the photos in sections of babies, children and adults. Then I had another idea come to me. I never thought of doing that.

I started compiling photos of my Grandpa Leo's siblings. I thought to blog on each one of them. I know something about their life. A photo would liven up the blog.
I came up with about 12 ideas. The majority of the photos are from my mother's parents. I don't have many photos of my father's siblings. I wish there were more.

I don't recall what I was doing that brought the idea to post photos. I guess I was using my imagination. Or perhaps I was thinking who was the person in the photo? It's just an idea.

Our ancestors tried to capture their life through posing for photos. I know that was all they had back in the early days. Some of them could read. I'm glad that whatever way my ancestors recorded their life for the future.

Photo can bring out more to our family history. As the old saying goes. " A picture can stay a thousand words. I'm thankful for the invention of the camera and the media devices of this day. We all can record our family history with many medias.

May we capture our lives through whatever media we have.
May we record our lives for the future generation.
Amen.

Thanks for reading.
Susan

The Mystery Of My Grandparents Blakey

Friday, 14 March 2008


The Mystery Of My Grandparents Blakey

I received a comment from someone who said "it would be really fascinating to hear more about your gr-grandparents" Well, here is more... It is a bit long. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of my fascinations in mysteries has been researching my family history.

In the beginning of my search, I had no idea who my Great Grand Father was. I assumed that his name was John Blakey. But through the years of searching and contacting a cousin in Yankton, South Dakota, I found out that Isaac Blakey was my Great Grand Father. So I thought who was John BLAKEY? Possible Isaac's brother.

It was not to long after my mother's mother passing in Nov 1975, when I came across an article about a family reunion: Slavery Descendants to Have First Reunion.

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Some of the follow was from another blog post: I thought to share it again.

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As I have been re reading some of my old letters from my cousins and others who have came across my path, I am discovering more and more. My mind is wondering...why did not I see that before.

Here is an example... I told you that I thought that our Great Grandpa was John BLAKEY. We found out that his first name was Isaac. Two days ago a revelation hit me. My Great Grandpa had a "full" brother named John. [I believe that they had the same mother and father.]

I knew that my Great Grandpa had a brother named John but I didn't realized something. I thought that John's last name was not BLAKEY. His last name was WHITE.

That's the other name that is in our family. Our Great Grandpa Isaac was the only known person in his family with the Blakey surname. [His family= parents and siblings]

Here is a bit of our oral history from our family reunion booklets. " The White-Blakey Family traces their generations back to the year 1843. After arriving in New Orleans, from Africa on a slave ship, a mother and her three sons and a daughter were sold at a slave auction and given a bill of sale.

Nothing was ever mentioned of the father, but this happened in many slavery cases. The two oldest Isaac 12 and John 10 were sold to a man by the name Blakey and he took them to Forest Green, Mo.

John remained there but Isaac at the age of 16 ran away and joined the Union Army. He fought for three years and nine months until the Civil War ended and the emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Slavery was abolished.

Isaac then returned to New Orleans to find the rest of his family who had not been sold with him. He was told that his mother and brothers, Spencer and Dick and his sister, Matt had been sold to a slave holder named White and shipped to Natchez, MS.

He went there and located them easily. He convinced them that Forest Green, MO was a better place to live, so they moved there were where John [Blakey] was still living there...."


I came across more discoveries on this leading. That article that I mention...."Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion" took place in the early 1970's in Sioux City Iowa. That article confused me some.

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The Mystery of...

My Great Grandpa Isaac and His Wives:

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Isaac was believed to have been the only one in his family with the surname Blakey. Story goes the family was divided by slavery. There was a husband and wife; John Blakey and Frances White who were the slave holders.

There was an assumption that Frances received some slaves as a wedding gift from her father, John White. The Whites were wealthy people from Virginia. Frances, husband, John Blakey died August 25, 1844.

The Blakey estate was in probate court. Isaac was born about 1845 to 1847. There were others born as well. The slaves had to have been sold and the money divided to the heirs of John Blakey.

I had a researcher send my a newspaper clipping. On that clipping listed the slaves who were advertised to be sold in Feb 1858. There should be records of this selling. I have not search the probate records in Howard and Chariton Counties yet.


In my Great Grandpa's pension records, "Isaac and his mother were sold at the breaking out of the war around 1857- 1861. They were south." This was according to Y.C. Blakey who was one of Frances Blakey son, Y.C. was 10 years older than Isaac.

I always wondered how Isaac ran away to join the Union Army in MS. He was between 12- 16 when he was sold. There he and his mother went south. It was believe to have been in Natchez, MS.

It was in Natchez, MS where Isaac enlisted in the army as Private Isaac Blaker. He was a farmer. This is how Isaac became a free man. I had other researchers who were helping me out at some points during my research.

This researcher believed that Isaac and his mother were sold to relatives of Blakey slaveholders. Hew Davis was related to the Blakeys. There was some connection there in MS.

Also the thought of a slave boy running away from MO to join the army in MS was highly impossible. This researcher believed that Isaac was already in MS. That was how he got there.

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Some interesting things: What I have learned about Great Grandpa Isaac Blakey.

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He fought on the Union Side in MS: November 1, 1863 - May 13,1866. At 5' 3" Private Isaac Blaker. He was stationed in Natchez, MS and Vidila LA. He moved his family back to MO in March of 1880. By 1890 Isaac was 5'10" and 180 pounds


Isaac's father's name was Andrew White from VA. There was not much mentioned about him.

Isaac's mother's name was Julia White born 1820 in VA. No record found of her death. She was buried in Forest Green, MO. She was listed in the 1880 census as a widow. The number of Julia children....I don't know. I came across at least 15-16 children through searing on this family history. Some could have been nicknames of the children.


You can read more on the discovery of the Family Mystery

The mystery of Isaac brother, John Blakey; He was John WHITE who died September 10, 1918. He was buried in Forest Green. According to what was written on his death record, his parents were Andrew White and Julia White both from VA.


Isaac was listed on his death record as an African. He died Dec 23, 1917 and was buried on Christmas Day 1917.

Isaac's married his first wife Martha Scott from Mississippi. Not much is know about about Great Grandma Martha. She was said to have been part American Indian. Isaac knew her about 2 years before they were married.

She later died giving birth two twin sons, John and Andrew on Hew Davis Plantation in Woodlong, MS on 21 June 1871.Andrew later died. John was my Grandpa.

After Isaac's first wife passed away about two years later , he married his second wife, Rachel Lefew / Lafayette / Leftridge. I am not for sure which one was her maiden name. She was half Spanish.


Rachel gave birth to 18 children. I did come across more than that. Some of their children died very young. She did give births to twins.

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I still wonder some things about... my Great Grandpa Isaac.

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Who helped take care of his son, John for two years after his mother died? Perhaps Martha's parents or siblings? I have not found Isaac on the 1870 MS census.


I thought about how Isaac started looking for his parents and siblings after the war. It appears that Isaac know where to locate his family in MO.


I wonder why Isaac choose to keep the BLAKEY surname? I think that there was much more to it. I do see some friendship in the relationship between Y.C. Blakey and the former slave owner who sold Isaac. Y.C. testify that Isaac was a Blakey. That was the family name.

Isaac had contacts with his former slave owners. They could have helped him in the search.

When Isaac moved back to MO, he lived not to far from his former slave owners.

I always wondered why Isaac was stated as an African on his death record. He was born in MO. Here is a blog to that mystery. I thought that that was an Unusual Thing


Isaac had to prove who he was to receive military pension benefits around 1899. He was injured in the war.....a wound to his left leg.Isaac searched for people who knew him before the war and during the war.

There was a minister who came to testify for my Great Grandpa Isaac. There was a surname difference in Isaac's record. His name was Private BLAKER. The minister said he knew Isaac as Isaac BLAKEY.

The minister proved who Isaac was. They recalled some of the events that they went through during the Civil War. They wrestled and played marbles together. I thought that that was some things to take notes on.

Great Grandpa was a deacon in the church where this minister preach at. Great Grandpa was a deacon. I believe that he did called upon Jesus as Lord of his life.

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I made the journey to Yankton SD in 1981, I was on a search for more information.

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I posted a series of blogs on this site. While my stay in Yankton, I got to see a rare photo of my Great Grandpa Isaac with his second wife Rachel.

As I reflect back on that trip in 1981, I thank God that I made the journey. I had a glimpse of some of my ancestors in photographs. The thought of being an offspring of a person who fought in the Civil War. What an honor.


When the time comes, I believe that I will get to see my ancestors who called upon the Lord in heaven. I have a much deeper relationship with God through the discoveries of some things. Life has a lot of mysteries.

I would have never thought of the many different name changes in my family tree. I thank God that He gave me the desire to go deeper into the mystery of my family history. I even found out that I am on God's Family Tree in the process of seeking my bloodline.

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From my book of thanks and blessings:

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I am so thankful that God has given my leads to find out more on my family history. I am thankful that God give me the desire to wonder. I am so thankful for the people God has placed in my life.

Common In My Family Lineage

Note From Monday, 16 February 2009


Common In My Family Lineage
I have been going over some of my family history material. It is a job to go through. But, I thank God that I am seeing some common things in my family lineage.

I saw some things similar in some of my family lineage. I see it both on my father's and mother's sides. Here are 9 things that I see in the uniqueness in my family tree.

1. Ancestors were from large families.
My father of about 17 or 19
Father's father of about 20 or 21
Father's mother of about 14 or 15
Father's father's father of about 14 or 16
My mother of 12
Mother's mother of 1 + two siblings
Mother's mother's mother of 7


2. American Indian, African and Mulatto background
My father's side:
Black foot, / African and Mulatto

My mother's side:
Cherokee / Mulatto / African

3. Families lived with three generations in one household.
My father's father's father's mother Julia
My father's mother's Grandma Hannah
My mother's mother's mother's mother's Grandma Lillie

I recall my mother's mother living with us for a while.
Two of my nephews lived with us. (There were 3 generations.)

4. Some remarried about 2 years after spouse's death.
My father's father's father, Isaac
My father's mother, Jennie
My father's mother's father, Elais
My mother's mother's mother, Laura
My mother's mother's mother's father, William / John


5. Some born in slavery lived well after slavery.
Father's side:

Julia White ca 1820 to 1880 ca
Isaac Blakey 1845-1917
Rachel Leftridge 1847 - 1916
Elais W .Bartlett Sr. ca 1822 - 1890 ca
Harriet Hooper 1840- 1909
Hannah Hooper ca 1765 -1880 ca

On Mother's side:
Louis Robert Lankfard 1852 - 1919
Charlotte Dade 1854 - 1924
Isaac Dade ca 1808 / 1812 - 1880 ca
Francis Ovington ca? 1799 / 1812 - 1900 ca
Francis had 14 children
William / John Washington 1846 - ? 1920
Susan Leach / Lewis 1845 - 1888 ca
Deliah (Lillie) Lewis ca 1787 - 1888 ca
Emilee Levels ca 1820 - 1898

6. Families lived near relatives
Brothers and sisters living near parents, cousins, in laws

7. Similar names were past down to generations
John, Isaac, James, Mary, William, Robert, Richard, Paul , Charles

8. Early ancestors lived near river cities.
Forest Green, Salisbury, Keysville, St. Joseph, Canton, Carrollton, MO, Yankton, SD, St Paul MN

9. Some ancestors owned their own homes and business
Some were farmers, Trucking and Disposal Services, Builders.


I am thankful for my family tree. I am thankful that I have come across so much information. I am thankful that I am on God's Family Tree.

I hope that you can record your family lineage.
It's never to late to search. Have A GREAT Day!

On My Journey Of Transformation:
Common In My Family Lineage

Blessings to all,

~Susan~
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth, Psalm 47:1-2

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. Proverbs 16:23

Common Names On The Family

I continue to search and find more unique things on the family tree. I have come across first names that were male but were females. Cecil BLAKLEY and Thomas PEYTON. Thomas Sarah (PEYTON) ANDERSON passed in 2013.

There are some more unique names that are not listed below. Quitman, Ledrew, Lelia, Rubenia, Pleas, Inez, Cass, Meta, Nejla, and Zenolia to new a few.

I believe that there are more unique names. I hope to discover them along the journey. Here are my Notes on Tuesday, 24 April 2012


Common Names On The Family Tree

Over the coarse of my family history journey, I have seen a lot of common names and same name relatives. Some of my relatives went by their middle names. I can see why. There had to be nicknames. It would be a lot of confusion if there weren't.

Here are some of the common names that I came across. First and middle names...Mary, Jane, David, William, Isaac, Margaret, Michael, Robert, Louis, Paul, Andrew, Anna, Alice, Laura, Julia, Spencer, John, Richard, Leo, James, Sarah, Frederick or Fred.

There were some unique names back in the old days. There was Charity, Lawhorn, Beecher, Nymadula, Oressica, Mone, Aile, Olbrey and Elias.

There are some unique names for today. There're some I can't spell. Parents are creative in choosing names for their children.

Also I've noted that there were large families.
Some of the children were named after their parents or other relatives.

The large families included
Isaac BLAKEY with 20 or so.
Frances (OVINGTION) DADE with 14 children
Julia WHITE with 12 or 13 children
Richard WHITE with 12 children
Another Isaac BLAKEY with 11,
Louis DADE with 8 children,
my parents with 19.


I thought that this is interesting. I have a lot of people on my family tree. I don't know how I can remember all the names. Especially the ones I don't know much about. It's hard to keep track.

Thank God that our parents gave us our names.
I'm thankful for my name.


Thanks for reading

My Farthest Memories

I have been thinking...
How Far Back Can I Remember?

I can remember the time before I started going to school. My mother was on the telephone talking with someone. I heard my mother talking about enrolling me in to KG. I went in the afternoon.

I even remember walking to and from school with some of my siblings. It was along walk. We did have buses in those days. We lived about 9 blocks from Mark Twain Elementary School.

I recall playing with blocks in our play area in our classroom. I recall looking out the window onto the playground. I remember the swing set, the monkey bars and jungle gym. I recall the white and yellow circles and squares... drawings on the playground.

I recall the double doors in our classroom to come in our room. We even had a back door to go out to the playground. We had our own private bathroom in the back of our classroom. I thought that that was cool.

I recall that parents came to see their children. My parents did come. It must to have been Parents' Day. The parents came to see our classroom. And to look at what we did.

I recall laying down taking naps on a mat in our classroom. Then one day I was sick and missed school. I heard that Santa came to class that day.

So I missed Santa. I was not too disappointed. I knew who Santa was. Some of my siblings told me.

I recall reading about Sally, Dick, Jane and their dog named Spot. I recall that I was called upon to answer a question from one of our readings. I cannot recall which girl it was but Dick took and hid Jane's or Sally's ribbon. Our teacher, Miss Wise ask me What would Jane or Sally do about Dick taking the ribbon?

Here was my response to the question: I said, She would beat him up! The kids laughed at my answer. Miss Wise said that Dick would not do that. Miss Wise said that Jane or Sally would ask Dick to gave the back ribbon.

I felt "dumb" and "stupid" about my answer. I did not talk much. I was quiet. Yes, I was shy.

I recall hearing about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Assassination. I remember that famous black and white photo. I wondered what those guys where pointing at.

I recall bringing candy to my classmates. It was my birthday four days after Dr. MLK Jr's Assassination. I even remember that I felt strange giving candy to my classmates during a time like that.

I recall seeing the men on the moon on TV. U.S. President Richard Nixon on TV during in his first term in office.

I remember relatives coming over to our Family House. People would be playing cards and talking. I recall that we had a hope chest in one of our rooms. It reminded me of a coffin.

I recall one day that the Hope chest opened up. I saw the lid was close. I ran when I saw the lid opening. I did not like being around coffins when I was a kid.

I recall watching TV shows; The Riffle Man. Other TV programs that some of my siblings would watch.

I recall one of my brothers hanging up my bicycle our swing set. He did this in our back yard and left it there. I was crying. ( I was teased a lot.)

I recall our Family Dog biting me in the stomach. Here is a section that I posted about "Dogs In The Family and Neighbor Dogs":

The First dog that I can remember in my family was "Fido". I don't know what breed of dog "Fido" was. What I remember about "Fido", he was iffy iffy.

He would be good to us. He was a happy dog. And at times turn on us. "Fido" would attack people if he though we were in danger.

Then again, there was a time when I was out in the back yard helping my Father clean up. I bent over to pick up something. All of a sudden "Fido" came running out of his house and charged at me biting my stomach. Boy I was scared. I cried...

Yes,"Fido" was something else. He liked to bit. He loved chasing cars tires. Well, one day our Father was going on his trash route. "Fido" broke loose and went chasing after the truck. This time "Fido" got ran over.

My Father buried "Fido" in our backyard. I was there looking on. Even though "Fido"was a crazy dog, I still like dogs.

I recall some of the games that we played in the house. We played marbles and jacks. We played with "army men". We made paper air planes and toss them in the air.

We played race cars with the orange tracks that made loops and turns. We built houses out of playing cards. We stood dominoes upright until we tapped one letting them fall one by one. (We played cards and dominoes too.)

I recall when our Dad and my brothers enlarged our basement. There was a lot of dirt to dig out. I remember one time there was some things outside the window. Someone one had an idea to lift me up to the window so I could get it. Yeah, I was small enough to go through our basement window.

On my journey of transformation
As I reflected back on my memories of the past, I found out as I was typing this blog, more things came to me. I added more detail. O the memories of what once was.

I had a thought. As the years go by, I lose some things of the past. So I challenged myself to this was a simple exercise. I put some thought into what I did.

So I thought of How Far Back Can I Remember? It was as though I took a journey in time's past. I had more memories than I thought.

It is good at times to recall the good things of the past. My memory goes back to 40 or 41 years ago. I think that that is good.

From my Book of Thanks and Blessings

Father God, I thank You that You blessed with a memory. I thank You for what I can remember things of the past. I thank You for the idea that came to me, to write things down for future generations.

I thank You for all the PROVISION that I have had in my life time. I thank You the FAITH that is in planted in me. I thank You for the SIGNS and WONDERS that I have witness in my days.

I thank You for the LOVE that surrounded me as I was growing up. I thank You that Your HEALING Hands guard my life. I thank You that DELIVERANCE that is in my life.

I thank You for the Door of HOPE that has been in my life. I thank You that well before I was born, You choose me to have the choice of SALVATION in Jesus' name Amen.

This blog came from my Xanga site 2007