A Community In Mourning...

The community of nearly 100 Mennonites in and around Marrowbone is grieving the loss of one of its most well-known and respected families.  The Mennonites aren't the only ones grieving.  So are the rest of us.  I don't know when we have had a worse tragedy here in our little area of the world. 

Ten of the 12 people riding in the van belonging to family patriarch John Esh lost their lives Friday morning in a crash on Interstate 65, and members of the mostly Mennonite church have spent the hours since then putting the tragedy in perspective.  Esh, his family, and others were en route to a wedding in Iowa when the crash occurred.  Killed were John and Sadie Esh and their children; Anna, Rose, Rachel and Leroy, along with Leroy's wife, Naomi, and their 3-year-old adopted son, Jalen.  Also killed were Rachel's fiance, Joel Gingerich, and family friend, Ashlie Kramer.  45-year-old Kenneth Laymon, the driver of the tractor-trailer that crossed the median and struck the van head on, was also killed.  Two of Leroy and Naomi's adopted children, Josiah, 5, and Johnny, 3, survived the crash only because  the bench their car seats were attached to was ejected from the van instantly upon impact, saving them from the blunt of the impact.  Leroy and Naomi had adopted the boys as infants from Guatemala. 

John Esh and his family settled in Marrowbone about eight years ago.  Before moving to Kentucky, the family had lived in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.  They built a business, Esh’s Vinyl Buildings, constructing storage buildings on site next to their home.  The family loved to sing, and became recording artists known as The Eshes.  The family sold their CD's of bluegrass gospel songs to support a mission in Brazil that two of John and Sadie’s surviving sons, Elmer and Abner, operate.  At the last Foothills Festival, I stood behind Anna, Rose and Rachel at an impromptu bluegrass gospel concert. 

Friends described the Esh family as a family with strong faith.  The Esh family attended the Marrowbone Christian Brotherhood Church, located across the street from their home.  The Church was a sister church to the one the Esh family left behind in North Carolina, only it had transitioned from New Order Amish to Mennonite in order to expand its mission outreach.  The local Mennonites had purchased the former Carhartt building at Marrowbone for weddings and funerals and that is where the funeral of the Esh family members and Joel Gingerich was to take place Tuesday.  Thousands were expected to attend.  Caskets were made by a Mennonite church in Greensburg and several members of the Mennonite community volunteered to hand-dig the graves for each of the 10 people who died in the van.  Those 10 will be laid to rest outside Marrowbone Christian Brotherhood Church.

Meanwhile, family members say all of their needs are being met.  Members of the community were bringing food money and supplies to the Carrhart building.  People in and around Marrowbone vacated their homes to provide sleeping quarters for those coming in and everyone had plenty of food. Someone even donated a refrigerated semi trailer stocked with food.

If you would like to help out with funeral expenses friends and family are asking you to mail donations to: "The Esh and Gingerich Funeral Expense Fund" P.O. Box 337, Burkesville, KY 42717.  A foundation has been established which hopes to carry on the work of John Esh.  Once funeral expenses have been covered, it is the hope of eshfund.org to raise enough money to continue the vision and passion which John successfully instilled in his children—taking the gospel to the ends of the Earth whatever the cost. And the Esh's knew the costs well. They lost another son, John, Jr. in 2006 in a snowmobile crash while Johnny was on a mission trip in the Ukraine. Another son and his family now doing missions work in Brazil have been robbed and held at gunpoint. John and Sadie’s remaining children continue to be a living example of their parent’s vision.

All monies contributed to this foundation are being managed by Ervin Kauffman, Deacon at the Marrowbone Christian Brotherhood. Alan Lindsey, a friend of the community, is acting as administrator of the Paypal account and website since this Mennonite community does not utilize computers. Any questions or concerns can be directed by email to the Esh Fund Administrator.  Those who prefer to contribute by check can mail contributions to: The John and Sadie Esh Family and Friends Foundation, First and Farmer’s National Bank, 129 N. Main Street, Burkesville, KY 42717.

Milestone

As of this past weekend, my blog reached a milestone of 10,000 hits or visits in just over one year, 13 months to be exact.  A big thank you to my many readers.  I appreciate you.  Your words are very encouraging.

I am working on getting my health back.  I've had a few hard days since I was hospitalized, but I am working on getting there.  Thank you for your support and your prayers.  It means a lot.

The Notorious Meddler

Dancing In Circles

I played a song this morning.  It was entitled, Dancing In Circles by Love and Theft.  I have to admit that I had not given this song a listen until now, but the words blew me away.

Well I don't understand why we do what we do to each other
According to His word we're all born sisters and brothers
But we lie and we steal, we fight and we kill, even though we know the way

All through the ages we try to share this world together
Turning the pages pretending we'll live here forever
But we'll have to face our maker someday and reap what we've sown all the way

And we know, how so, why can't we just get it right
And I pray, someday we'll overcome all the damage we've done and we'll fly

Chorus:
Why do we go dancing in circles when we know it never ends
We come so close to loving each other and then we go dancing in circles again

The age-old question I have heard most of my life is the theme of this song.  Why can't we just get along to, as the words suggest "share this world together" as sisters and brothers, instead of 'dancing in circles (i.e. fighting, war)?  The message of this song is universal.  Why do we do the things we do to each other?  One writer said, "Showing us both sides of the human condition, the beautiful and the troubling, Love and Theft deliver an always timely message in this thought-provoking song."

Love and Theft is a country music band formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. It is comprised of Brian Bandas of Austin, Texas, Stephen Barker Liles of Palm Harbor, Florida and Eric Gunderson of Charlotte, North Carolina. After Taylor Swift heard the trio's music, she brought them on board as an opening act for her headlining concerts in 2008. The band's debut album, World Wide Open, was released on August 25, 2009. Co-written by Liles, who sings lead on the song, 'Dancing in Circles' is the groups second release.  It debuted on the charts on December 12, 2009.

Check out the video, shot in downtown Nashville, or just go all out and buy the song, or album, from your favorite music soure.  I strongly urge this.

A Bridge Not Made By Hands

"It is for me to remember that the Lord is a stronghold in the day of trouble." - Rev. Clemens Means, 1877.

I love researching my family history.  I love it even more when I find something nice to write about.  For instance, consider this one thing I discovered only this morning.  I love going to York's Fentress County Tennessee.  Alvin C. York's son, Bruce, spent more than 10 years developing this database as a community service.  It started out as a project to assist people searching for their Fentress County roots, but not it has expanded to the entire region.  If you are looking for relatives who may have lived in this area, visit York's Fentress County Tennessee.  It's the number one genealogy site for researching all families from this area. Over 200,000 names are listed.

Getting back to my story, I was looking at one section of my family tree on York's Fentress County Tennessee this morning and one thing led to another and here I am writing another story, which I hope you enjoy.

Hanchrist Carlock reached America sometime around 1725.  He served in the American Revolution, fighting Indian allies of Great Britian. Before the war, Hanchrist was the road foreman in Augusta County, Virginia.  About the same time, George Washington, the future president, was working as a civil engineer in Augusta County.  George was given the task of surveying a road from the mouth of the Potomac to Natural Bridge.  One of the wonders of the world, Natural Bridge approaches Niagara Falls in grandeur and exceeds it in height (215 feet) and natural mystery. Natural Bridge is 100 feet wide.  Its span is 90 feet. Under its arch men look like small boys, and giant trees like small bushes.  Thomas Jefferson was the first owner of the land surrounding Natural Bridge.  He spoke of it as yet to be 'a famous place that will draw the attention of the world.'  John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court 1801 to 1835, named it 'God's Greatest Miracle In Stone.' American statesman and orator Henry Clay wrote of 'the Bridge not made with hands...'"

To assist him in the survey of this great scenic wonder, George hired Hanchrist Carlock to be his foreman.  One day, George chiseled 'G. Washington' in capital letters 23 feet up the Southwest wall of the canyon. Hanchrist chiseled 'H. Carlock' about 12 feet below and 10 feet to the right of Washingtons. Both signatures are still visible today.

Hanchrist came to America from Holland.  His son, Job Carlock, migrated west to Overton County, Tennessee sometime around 1805 and married Sarah McDonald.  Their daughter, Nancy, married Presbyterian minister Clemens Means, son of irish immigrants, Andrew and Nancy Means, about 1820.   Clemens' brother, Benjamin, was the great-great grandfather of my grandmother, Dimple Means Speck.

At the age of 77, Clemens Means sat down and wrote a biographical sketch about himself.  The quote I used at the beginning of this story was written by Rev. Means in this sketch..."It is for me to remember that the Lord is a stronghold in the day of trouble."   I thought about how many times George Washington, John Marshal and even Henry Clay might have turned to God for help as they were helping form this great country of ours.  I imagine Hanchrist Carlock needed a higher power as he left his homeland for America, and so did his son, Job, as he migrated west from Virginia to Tennessee.

It really is a small world, sometimes hard to live in.  But, just like the characters in this story, it is a whole lot easier to live in when we realize that we are connected by a 'bridge not made by hands.'

God is good.

Thanks!

Three days in intensive care and now I am back home.  Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers and well wishes.  It is nice to know that I have so many people praying for me.  I am blessed to have so many great friends who care about me and I thank you for that.  Special thanks to my friend, Mark Thrasher, for 'rescuing' me. 

God bless each of you!

The Notorious Meddler

People I Have Known (In My Life)

When was the last time you went beyond your comfort zone?

There are people I have known who are afraid to go beyond their walls. They are perfectly content on staying inside their fortress. It takes faith to step out. A lot of relationships are lost because of one's unwillingness, for whatever reason, to do their part to make that relationship better, both personally and professionally.


There are people I have known who spent so much time building up the walls around them, when what they really should have been doing is building bridges. Imagine what the world would be like if there was no ethnic seperation or racial hatred. What if human beings could build bridges between each other and make this world a more friendly place? What if that personal relationship had the potential to be something great? Imagine instead of fighting or killing, we actually loved one another. Believe it or not, it's possible. All it takes is tearing down that wall and building a bridge.

There are places I'll remember

All my life, though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these place had their moments

With lovers and friend I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers

There is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life, I'll love you more

The Beatles - In My Life (Lennon-McCartney)
Released on the 1965 album, Rubber Soul

*Photo by Charley Neal.

National Heart Failure Awareness Week

This is National Heart Failure Awareness Week.  I am a CHF survivor.  What is CHF?  It stands for congestive heart failure.  I was diagnosed almost seven years ago.  Because of what I went through, I want to remind patients with heart failure, their family members and others who may be at risk, how best to manage this syndrome, what heart failure means, to re-evaluate lifestyle and consider changes to improve qualify of life.

Here is my story.  Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormal after damage from heart attack or high blood pressure and gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs.  My heart had taken a pounding from high blood pressure and there were even signs of a possible light heart attack, when I was officially diagnosed with congestive heart failure in July of 2003. 

In cardiovascular physiology, ejection fraction is the measurement of blood pumped out of a ventricle with each heart beat.  In a healthy man, the normal ejection fraction is 58 percent.  My EF was barely 13 percent.  I was told to gather my children around me so they could spend as much time with me as possible.  My name was going to be added to a list of heart transplant patients.  All this came two weeks after my dad had died.  I hated that my mother had to be in the room when my doctor first revealed all the above to me.  It had to be hard on her. 

I praise God that within a few short days my condition began to improve, so much so that I was no longer a candidate for a heart transplant. Even though she was obligated to tell me the straight up about it all, I could feel her faith and I fed off it, along with the faith of so many others in my life. 

After just three months, my ejection fraction went from barely 13 percent to 58 percent.  My condition had gone from critical to normal in just three months. I don't think anyone's condition had ever improved that fast.  I was waiting sitting in the patient room waiting for the results when suddenly I heard Dr. Shirley shout, 'Praise The Lord!"  She burst into the room grinning from ear to ear and told me the news.  Then, she announced it to her staff and they likewise rejoiced.  To say it was emotional for me would be putting it mildly.  You see, I had been told that it would take 3 to 5 years for me to get back on my feet, if I even did then.  I owe it all to God and prayer and a God-sent doctor and great medicines.   

Nearly 5,000,000 Americans live with heart failure and as many as 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.  Many people are not aware they have heart failure because the symptoms are often mistaken for signs of getting older. As for me, I was only 43 years old, so go figure.   Recent advances in treatment have shown that early diagnosis and proper care in early stages of the condition are key to slowing, stopping or in some cases reversing progression, improving quality of life, and extending life expectancy.

I encourage all heart patients to follow the low sodium diet you have been given, exercise properly, manage medications and report any irregularities.  The absolute hardest thing I had to overcome was the salt shaker, but I did it and seven years later, I am still salt shaker-free.  When I was released from the hospital, the first thing I did was go online and learn all I could about heart failure.  I learned to listen to my body and not to take anything for granted.  I have made many trips to the emergency room in the past seven years, only to be told I have indigestion, but, it is better to be safe than sorry. 

Please, for more information on heart failure, do what I did, visit abouthf.org.

Thanks For A Great Year!

9,300 visitors to The Notorious Meddler since Feb. 13, 2009.  Thanks for your support.  2010 is off and running and I couldn't be more excited.  The Notorious Meddler stories are published weekly in the Clinton County News and the Pickett County Press, which have a combined circulation of 5,600 readers weekly.

At the moment, my head is filled with so many new story ideas and I just finished writing, God Bless The Weary Well-Doer, which can be found at The Hour of Rescue.  Please visit THOR and read this story.


Thanks,

N. Meddler 

Who dat say gonna beat dem Saints?

Last night, I cheered as the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Superbowl XLIV.

It was a gutsy call to open the second half with that onside kick. Coach Sean Payton called the play during halftime, while The Who rocked on the field. But, what really rocked was Tracy Porter's interception return for a touchdown. It was special because Porter is a native of Louisiana and who better to shine than Porter. You see, what he did was carry the entire city of New Orleans into the end zone when he scored. What a great moment it was for the city, and literally everyone around the world.

With Hurricane Katrina's devastating torment of the city in 2005, the Saints playing in the Superbowl was a time of renewed hope for New Orleans, because, along with thousands of residents, even the Saints were displaced from the city for a while because the Superdome was damaged.

So, the victory is good for the city; for its economy and for its morale.

106.5 million people watch the game. I heard someone say Superbowl Sunday is the biggest 'non-holiday' holiday in America. I agree. It's huge.

"Who dat, who dat, who dat say gonna beat dem Saints?" Nobody can say it now.

"Everybody back in New Orleans gets a piece of this trophy," said Coach Payton.

Very fitting.

The Hour of Rescue

I have begun a new project, which I am very excited about. The Hour of Rescue is a faith-based work that uses a Christian approach to help all of us get through the difficult moments in our lives, using encouraging or inspirational stories and anecdotes. It is my prayer that The Hour of Rescue will comfort and keep you, and that you will be blessed. Guest commentaries are always welcome.

The Hour of Rescue


Thanks,

The Notorious Meddler

Anticipations

I caught up with an old friend today, even if it was by her words only.

Strangely familiar, not-forgotten words and phrases written with such grace and beauty, in the same poetic fashion I had been accustomed to. Words full of charm that always swept me off my feet and took my breath away. It made me realize the worth of an old friend, especially this one. It was the backdrop of days spent wrapped in the lulls of winter, and it reminded me of how much I yearn for tomorrow, and a new season filled with promise, and with hope, and with...anticipations.

I love preliminary things
(wrote JSJ in The Sunday Times on March 25, 1922)
The tuning of flutes and strings
The little scales musicians play
In varying keys to feel their way
The hum - the hush in which it dies
But most to see the curtain rise

I LOVE preliminary things
The little box the postman brings
To cut the twine, to break the seals
And wonder what the lid reveals
To lift the folds in which it lies
And watch the gift materialize

The snowdrop and the daffodil
The catkins hanging straight and still
The blossom on the orchard trees -
Do you know any joy greater than these?
Each represents the hope that springs
In ALL preliminary things

Thanks for today old friend.