Happy New Year!

 HAKUNA MATATA

Hakuna matata is a Swahili phrase that translates to “no worries” or “there are no problems.” It conveys a carefee attitude and encourages people not to stress about things beyond their control. This is the perfect mantra for the new year.

As we age, we are faced with more life behind us than before us. We are faced with the loss of love and life. Yet there is space for new life, new love, and new beginnings.

I began my year with a new puppy .... yes, a puppy. I forgot what new energy that brings to your world. As I let go of the past pain and disappointments, may I look forward to new discoveries and new adventures; may I celebrate my victories and all that life has taught me. 

Hakuna matata...may I worry less about things I cannot change! AND may my new puppy, Miss Dixie Belle, lead the way.

A Book Gives A Soul To The Universe ~ Plato

 Charles Franklin McNair Gave This Book to Ella Vermell King in 1902

This morning, just days before Thanksgiving, I'm feeling a deep gratitude for the people who built my foundation. It feels a bit overwhelming when I make a find that gives me pause to step back and realize the goodness of my ancestors. One such person was my Papa McNair. 

I am preparing a personal household inventory, and I have finally gotten to the old books that I brought from my mother's home. Mother (Carolita Quillin Jones) was Charles Franklin McNair’s granddaughter.  Among the several old Bibles that I documented, I came across this book. It was a book that was given to Ella King from Charles in 1902. They were married on 7 June 1903 in the Bethel Baptist Chapel in Moody, McLennan Co, Texas.   He wrote on the inside page. 

Frank McNair

To

Ella King

Anno Domini

1902

McLennon Co.

Texas. 

The feel of the cover is like no other. It is a HARDBACK copy, yet the texture has a soft satiny feel. Unfortunately, the spine of the cover has detached from the book, but fortunately the pages are all still bound together with an intricate string stitching (could serve as a lesson on old time binding).

What made this so meaningful this morning was the information that I found when I began to research this book. It was written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and first published in January 1901 by W. B. Conkey Company. This would be the copy that Papa gave Mama back in 1902. It speaks loudly to the hopes, dreams and desires that Charles had for his marriage to Ella.

The book explores happiness, success and the meaning of life. The author has an optimistic outlook on life. Her words are inspiring and comforting as she offers practical advice on living a fulfilling and meaningful life. She encourages readers to embrace their dreams; yet she offers solace and hope to those who are struggling.

There was a new release of this book in 2014 because the "scarce antiquarian book is a work of cultural importance. The publishing company is committed to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature."

I'm proud that my people were well read and educated and placed high priority on character and morals. It can't get any better than that. Thank you, Mama and Papa.

Flying In Tandem

 

                                                        FLYING IN TANDEM
                                                                Nov 6, 2025
 

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother 

and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24

 
Many years ago, my beloved Mother took a trip to the coast with her sister. She grew up during the Great Depression and didn’t purchase many frivolous items. Her house was not filled with clutter, just very special things, much of which were collected throughout her lifetime. On this trip, she went into a gift shop, and when she laid eyes on a sand figurine of two gulls flying in tandem, she immediately thought of me and my husband. She made the purchase and later presented this beautiful sculpture to me.  She told me that it made her think of how we live our lives, side by side, always in step with one another.
 
Some birds like geese, cranes and pelicans migrate in a V-shape formation to conserve energy, each bird slightly ahead of the other to avoid wind resistance. When one tires, another flies to the head of the formation to take the lead. Our relationship is much like these birds “flying in tandem”. We nurture one another, navigating challenges and enjoying the beauty of life together. A strong foundation of love fortifies marriage and glorifies God.  We made a commitment before God and others that we would cherish one another till death do us part. We are certainly bound by those solemn vows. Where one is, you will find the other.  
 
Mother adored the man that I married because she knew that he was raised in the same environment that I was raised. God was first, followed with the faith that Jesus gave us hope for eternal life. Through our faith, we were united and became one flesh.
 
Dear God, I pray that our young people will find the right person with which to become one flesh and form a strong faithful relationship. May they build a strong foundation to raise a family of faith, hope, and love.  Amen

Toad Hall

 

Toad Hall

Nov 3, 2010

 
Romans 8:6 “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
 
During the summer months, we have a toad that lives in a large pot underneath the leaves a potted plant. It has been fascinating to observe his daily routine. He hunts at night (evidence is left in the dog’s water bowl) in the shadows of the light, but he returns to the pot before dawn to nestle comfortably down for the day. Even upon close inspection, many times it is difficult to see him. One day while searching for this toad that was camouflaged by the soil, I realized that God knew his exact location, yet I could not see through his disguise. How many times have you met someone who seemed to be wearing a mask to hide from themselves and others? Gazing at this toad that was visible to my eyesight though I could not see him, I realized that I cannot hide from God. He knows my every move and thought. Instead of hiding, I must become one with God and lead a spirit-filled life and avoid being trapped by problems, deception and changing relationships. I must place my faith and trust in God because He will not fail me.
 
Dear Lord, Help me to walk openly and honestly with you so that I might find peace each and every day. 

Pink Ribbons

Writing My Own Devotionals by Nancy Quillin Long 

 I wrote this after a beautiful morning at Possum Kingdom Lake. The images are from our mountain property in Wyoming. 

28 Feb 2010

PINK RIBBONS

With each day, there is a new dawn. In the early morning as the sun rises, it is truly a blessing to be there in the moment. The glorious colors of a new day in the making is something to behold.

As my husband and I were sharing that moment one morning, he exclaimed, “Oh, look at the pink ribbons in the sky.”  As I gazed up at the marvelous hues of the morning sky, I realized that there is new hope for each new day, and I felt God’s presence as if he were making that promise to me. It is no wonder to me that for breast cancer awareness, pink ribbons are used as a symbol for new hope. I must believe that at the start of every day, God is there giving me hope and letting me know that He will sustain me each and every day.

Psalms 31:24 "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

  

May God Use Me For Good

                         Writing My Own Devotionals By Nancy Quillin Long           

                                     

Back early in retirement I was reading a devotional every day, which often made me look differently at things in my world. I could see parallels all around me. God was speaking to me from the natural world and by the people who surround me.

I began to write devotionals about this God’s majestic world.

I came across this journal book that I had begun (2009) and now find the urgency to place my thoughts in a more secure place.  

Jan 2010

May God Use me For Good

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Much like the wonder of God’s grace – Jesus was sent to carry our burdens

The wonder of things seen through the eyes of a child are sometimes the very things that are burdens to adults. In the olden days, every resource was valuable, and nothing was wasted. My mother’s clothes were homemade, and her underwear were made from flour sacks. She was raised during the Great Depression. The discarded fabric scraps were never wasted but were sown into delicate patterns as a quilt top. Everyone of us could recognize a special piece in the quilt. We were all part of that special pattern. *

When Mother was a small girl in rural north Texas, the men would work the fields in the morning and return for the noon time meal. Once they were fed, the men returned to the fields for the remainder of the day. Once the dishes were cleared, the womenfolk which included neighbors, relatives, and friends, would gather to work on the current quilt. A frame which was suspended from the ceiling would be lowered and all the women would work around the edges to quilt by hand as they attached the batting to the quilted piece. As a child, Mother loved resting on the underside of this huge workspace, watching with intrigue the hands of each individual as they weaved the needles in and out, up and down, and around. She admired the different techniques. These women had the ultimate goal of finishing a treasured blanket which would bring needed comfort during cold winter nights. It was a time when the ladies could socialize and as the voices droned on, a child underneath found awe in this seemingly simple task; these tasks that were at times heavy burdens for mothers and fathers. Yet a child would look on with utter contentment not fully understanding the responsibility these women faced in their daily lives.

This is much like the burden that Jesus Christ carried as he died on the cross for our sins

*It certainly brings the quilt full circle to realize how much I was loved, recognized as being valuable, giving me a sense of ultimate functionality and the ability to lean on one another as we must lean on God to carry our burdens.

Dear Lord, Make each day the same for me in that I will find comfort in your words. Let me recognize the value of living my life for you, that you may use me as an instrument in your hands so that others may see Jesus through me. 

Bryan's Birthday 1954 - 7 years old

Truman Bryan Quillin, Jr

my brother who was 10 years older than me

born 13 Oct 1947

died 30 Jan 2001

Mimi (Ava Ella McNair Jones) always made elaborate cakes for the grandchildren who lived nearby. 

What precious childhood memories!

Oh, how Bryan loved his Pappy! Bryan was Joe Carroll Jones's (Pappy) first born grandchild. They spent many hours together on the farm.