To Colorado via Nicodemus

It had been 2 weeks since we had come home from visiting our son's family in Arkansas and now it was time to go to Colorado to see our daughter, Mindy and her husband, Jason.

I don't know.  These windmills are sort of fascinating, but I don't like how they pollute the landscape and the view.   

Do you see the old windmill in the foreground?  

This past week we came across a windmill "graveyard".

I hear these can't be recycled.  What a mess.

This is "flat" Kansas.  I think there are other states that are flatter!

On the way, we stopped in Russell to see my friend, Sheryl, who had recently moved there.   Darcy had just gotten off work so we saw her too! I told Darcy's girls that I remember when we had a baby shower for their mommy.  We have been friends a L O N G time.

Pictures from "way back"

Daughter, Jill with Darcy and also Kendall Wiebe, who I babysat.

Although I'm happy Sheryl lives close to her family, I do miss her!

We made a stop at Hays for a new atlas as I had forgotten our old one at home.  I had taken it in to the study to highlight the new roads we had taken on our last trip.  Our old one was a couple of years old anyway.

 The new road we would be taking today was to head north of Hays to Highway 24.

Sort of looks like a scene from an old western movie.

I wasn't sure what this place was, but I looked it up.  It is a Mexican restaurant that has 5 star rating.  We could have stopped, but we were headed to Colby to J&B Meat Market!

This is the old Log Hotel in Stockton built in 1871 for cattlemen who were traveling west.

Webster State Park 

There were a few campers.

Al told me he had recently been reading about the layers of rock strata.  

I was excited to go to the little town of Nicodemus!  Several years ago I had read about it in a Christian novel in our church.  Ever since, Nicodemus has been on my "bucket list".  This town was founded by African Americans leaving the oppression of the south following their freedom from slavery.  Kansas represented a land of freedom and opportunity due to the actions of John Brown and other abolitionists.  The town was named after Nicodemus in the Bible.

The words on the plaques are too small to read so I will re-type them:

"Nicodemus was growing into a busy little town.  New houses were being built by people coming in.  Different enterprises began to originate.  Conditions began to improve."  - Nettie Craig, Teacher 1886

"Main Street Nicodemus grew out of hard work and determination into a viable business district through the hands of former slaves.  Zach T. Fletcher became one of the town's most successful merchcants after opening the first black business in 1878.  A bank, law offices, two newspapers, a hotel, post office, several stores, and cafes lines these streets.

Abuzz with the prospect of securing a stop on one of the railroad lines to the expanding West, more than 25 new structures came in 1886.  By the fall of 1888, Nicodemus residents knew a railroad would never come.

When the railroad bypassed Nicodemus, most merchants moved.  Travel was deflected from Nicodemus to nearby Bogue.  Despite this setback a few black merchants persevered - Zach and Thomas Fletcher, Nichodemus' perennial capitalists, still operated the Saint Francis Hotel, the livery stable, and a farm implement business.  Jenny Fletcher, Zach's wife, ran a millinery shop.  Jake Riley operated another livery stable and GM Sayers ran a general store - demonstrating determination, resilience, and commitment to a land they loved."

"About the year 1885, the country began to boom.   Things looked promising.  The colonists were able to raise farm products on their land and Nicodemus herself took on a new life."  - Lula Craig

"Construction of the Township Hall gave Nicodemus a community building with electricity and a stage.  Twelve residents - black and white - quarried rock and built the Hall from 1937-39.  People gathered here for weekly dances, community events, roller-skating, "pay parties," and elections.

Community life has always been vital in Nicodemus.  Churches and benevolent societies were active social forces from the 1870s.  During the Great Depression, the federal government's Work Progress Administration (WPA) paid unemployed people to learn new skills.  Nicodemus residents learned new trades while building their own community center."

"In the Priscilla Arts Club, women would work on individual quilt blocks with their names, then they'd assemble it into a quilt - they raffled it off."  Charlesetta Bates, Niccodemus descendant

"The Priscilla Arts Club, a women's club, met in members' homes from 1925 until they bought this former schoolhouse in the 1940s.  The Arts Club not only provided social enjoyment and enrichment to the members, but they also contributed heavily to the community by hosting luncheons, making quilts and handwork, planning benefits, and holding gift exchanges.  From church activities to the annual Homecoming (or Emancipation) Celebration, from community dinners to hunting, dances, along with 4-H and other youth clubs - these inter-related family, church, and other networks strengthened the social fabric of the community.

Wood was scarce on the Kansas prairie.  Frugal farmers got as much out of their buildings converting them for new uses as needed.  Built in the 1910s this was the county's Lone Star or "Crackerbox" School, located in the northwest part of Nicodemus Township.  The Priscilla Arts Club bought the school after it closed in the 1940s.  Members' husbands moved it six miles to this location.

The Priscilla Arts Club disbanded in 1980.  A series of Nicodemus groups have used this building since; The Nicodemus Historical Society; the Buffalo Soldiers Association; and Ernestine's Barbeque have all been based here.  The Nicodemus Township Board owns and uses the building today."

"Sunday school, prayer meetings, gospel singing, spirited preaching, church suppers, and special events all graced the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church.  Churches are the cornerstone of black communities throughout the US.

Before Emancipation, restrictive laws often prohibited blacks from gathering in large numbers, except in churches.  Rev. Samuel Roundtree, one of five Nicodemus organizers and promoters, recruited homesteaders from Baptist churches in central Kentucky.

Soon after arriving in the fall of 1877, Rev. Silas Lee organized the Nicodemus First Baptist Church.  At first the congregation worshiped in a dugout at Tom Johnson's homestead north of town.  Later they worshiped in a large sod structure at this location.  In 1880, they built a large limestone church here on the main street of the growing town.  In 1907, the congregation substantially enlarged the church and the front entrance moved to this side of the building.  The original church was incorporated within the new one."

"Weekends were what I remember most about Nicodemus.  We would come up for the weekends and play in the streets and go to church.  After church there'd be dinners and the candy at the little old store that used to be there."  - Loretta Buckner, Nicodemus descendant

There is not much left of the town.  It is unincorporated.  We only saw 1 person.  There is a Villa, a retirement community.  I wonder, perhaps some of these residents are great-grandchildren, or great-great grandchildren of people who used to be slaves.  Troubling thoughts.  

There are still slaves today around the world and estimates are that there are 38-46 million people caught in it.  

We left Nicodemus and headed toward Colby.

Shucks!  Our lunch place was closed!

We grabbed something quick and maybe it was ok, since it was faster and we needed to outrun a storm!

And we did!

"He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm."

                                 Naham 1:3

In the Amplified Bible version, it goes like this:  "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust beneath His feet."  I love that!

Pikes Peak!!

There is always a little wonder when one first spots the moutains!

There were parts that the roads were sooo bad.  Now if only the bill congress is working on for 2 trillion for infrastructure would actually go toward roads?  There is a lot of pork in that I understand.

I have heard that South Africa has started making roads from plastic bottles that is supposed to help with the pothole problems!

We came across an accident off I-70 where a truck carrying hydrochloric acid       rolled over going around a curve.   There were hazpat people and lots of police cars!  Luckily, no one was injured.

We arrived just as it began to get dark.  What a joy to see our kids!  And a joy to "adventure" on the way!!

May endings

The evening we came home from Arkansas, I got news that my Aunt Wanda had passed away.  She and my uncle Wally (my mother's brother) were missionaries in Paris so we didn't see one another very much, but I remember getting letters from them!  We lived in Japan and my mother's sister lived in Mali, Africa.  Two other brothers lived in the States, but they all kept in touch by letters and a round robin tape-recording.

We would see eachother when our furloughs would correspond.  Like here in 1962-63.  In 1968, we finally were all together after 18 years.

We visited them in Paris when we took our children to Europe and Africa.

I visited them in Ohio a couple of years ago and relished the sweet fellowship with them!  I blogged about that.  Post here.

In these past 2 1/2 weeks, I know 8 people personally who have passed away!  It's uncanny.  That has never happened in all my years.  

A friend told me "Nobody ever dies until they have accomplished the purpose they were sent to earth for."  Christ made each of us for a purpose.  

Oh how He loves each one!  No matter what you have done or how you feel about yourself, Christ longs for you! 

"Your eyes saw my unformed body;

         all the days ordained for me were written in Your book

     before one of them came to be."

                          Psalm 139:16

Our last breath on earth,

                 our first in heaven.

Al's mother passed away 32 years ago.  She was 2 years younger than I am now.

Her birthday is in May!  How I miss her and I can't wait to see her once again!  Oh the joy!!

May also brought an end to normal year activities, like my young mom's Bible study.

We learned about putting on the armor of God.  Very fitting for these difficult times!

I teach the Awana Cubbies Bible stories each week.  And this year's Awana finsihed last week.  Some of the younger ones will be back but the older kids graduate to the Sparkies!

Closing ceremony - our kids recited Psalm 23 

 "yea though I walk through the valley..."

Our community life group from church meets every other week and we have had to miss the last two.  For the summer, we will not meet regularly, but will we have a few get togethers.  We went out with one of the couples after the National Night of Prayer at church.

My "old ladies" Bible study (my peers) finished our study "Finding I Am".  Group picture, missing a few women who had conflicts.  That was the case with the young mom's group too.

We will still meet for sewing and coffee during the summer.  

Of course Mother's Day is in May and my family and a special prayer warrior from church made me feel special.

Al took me out for dinner.  It ended up that this was 3 meals worth for us!

Thank You, Father, for Your leading all the time.  You are ever with us!

Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

Adventuring on our trip to Arkansas

When we were in Arkansas, we attended our son's church.  He played the keys.   

Jude, who is from Haiti, sang part of a worship song in Creole.  They put the English words up so we knew what he was singing.  I LOVED it!  I enjoyed visiting with him after church.  

In 2016, my granddaughter and I went to Haiti to work with a children's ministry.

After church, the guys began working on the deck again and I had a shopping date with Emeri.  She took me to a "thrift" store where she tried on multiple clothing and purchased a few.  

As I was looking through some of the clothing, I saw these plaids.  I had the exact same plaids when I was in my 20's, in the 1970's!  I had a red/black plaid skirt and black plaid slacks!  (I looked to see if I had any pictures in my old albums, but we just didn't take pictures back in those days like we do now.)

We both love ice-cream so we hit up an ice-cream shop!

There was a hill that I spied from where we were eating.  I asked Emeri if she knew what was on that hill.  She didn't, so we decided to go on an adventure and check it out.

There was a beautiful neighborhood with crushed gravel roads!

We went to a couple more stores.  I cannot recall why we are in an aisle with potty chairs.  Hmm.

When we got home, Emeri gave a fashion show.

The Bible talks about clothing:  

In Matthew 6:31-33, it says "So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need." 

It was fun to shop for clothes, but of more importance, is that we "clothe yourselves..with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4 and "put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  Colossians 3:12.  

Then from Eph 6 13-17:  "put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

These things are much more important, but it sure was fun to shop with my granddaughter!!  I wish we lived closer, but all our grandchildren live far away.

On Monday, Emeri had to go to school early so we gave her good-bye kisses the night before.   Before starting up on the deck again, the family played some basketball.

While Josh and Al worked on the deck, Eli and I played Sequence and Pente.  Then he needed to do his schoolwork.  They were going to go kayaaking after Emeri got off school.

We left after lunch, stopping in Rogers to see Uncle Bill.  I'm glad he lives right on the way to Josh's!

He showed us this old adding machine that Grandpa used in his shop and later at his home.  An old fashioned "calculator"!  

We found a new Starbucks.  However, we won't be using this road much longer as they are building the highway to by-pass this area.

We have driven this road for many years, and did not realize that Amish lived close to Parsons.  We drove around to explore.  

We have Amish roots way way way back in the 1700's.

We will need to go back soon to meet the new member of their family that they just adopted!  Reggie!!