Lowe Reunion Bitter Sweet Saturday

Descendants of T. T. Lowe met for their annual reunion Saturday at Lakeview Methodist Church in Minden.
We visited, we remembered, we ate, and we sang hymns for about an hour.  We enjoyed visiting with everyone, but there was, as always, a sadness as we thought of those who had died since the reunion last year.  A very noticeable difference this year was the absence of children, including teenagers.  Last year there seemed to be dozens of young children, who, of course, don't get the same enjoyment the adults do.

More than 20 years have past since mama died a few days before a scheduled reunion. She, as the wife of Jesse Lowe, was the last representative of children of T. T. Lowe.  When these reunions began, nearly everyone of the grandchildren of  Lowe, a civil war veteran, was living and most attended.  Many have passed away and few were left to attend. Illness prevented some people from attending.  Most of those present were great and great, great  grandchildren.  Yes, I enjoyed being there, though saddened with the knowledge that some of us may not be available to attend next year.  I hope the reunions will continue, that when Peggy Merritt can no longer serve as the primary sponsor,  someone will take over that responsibility.

66 years ago today atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima

We had been in San Francisco three days, loading on troops and preparing to invade Japan. We had been told  that the navy expected 50 per cent casualties, and we could believe it after seeing how effective the kamikaze attacks were at Okinawa.  I don't remember that we gave much thought to the atomic bomb at the time; after all bombing was going on nightly over Japan, killing thousands.

Some people were getting leaves but I was not, and I was despondent.  I could face the strong probability I might not survive the invasion, but I wanted so badly to see my family first.  This was one of the lowest points in my life.

Nakasaki was hit by an atomic bomb  on August ll and Japan surrendered August 15.

Obama's Philosophy won't let him do what's right

Obama wants to change America to a socialist state like those in Europe rather than allow the private sector have the freedom to operate, make profits, and create jobs.  He refuses to take action to help the economy, devoting his efforts to fund raising and campaigning for re-election. I don't know if anyone has the "bullet" answer to the economy, but some actions could be taken right now that would help.  These include:

Repeal Obamacare right now. This would take  a weight off the back of  all employers, especially small companies.  It would also relieve the fears of the elderly who know that under the Obama plan they face rationing of health services.

Repeal regulations that stifle small business and do not put in place others that are proposed.  Doing this would alone lead to more hiring.

Issue permits to allow drilling to go forward in the Gulf.  This can be done today.  We must look forward to opening other areas for development.

Finally, get American corporations to bring two trillion dollars back home.  Do this by excusing the taxes due if they use at least one fourth of that money to hire people in the United States.

United States has an abundance of energy -- develop it

I am not a great admirer of  Donald Trump, but he was right and specific on Fox Wednesday night as he discussed the economic disaster inflicted on us by the Obama administration. He did not find one thing Obama has done that has helped but named several that have harmed. I agreed with his declaration that the United States has an abundance of energy but the energy department and the EPA keep us from developing it and enjoying the benefits of  being sufficient in energy.  I have been ranting about this for more than a year.

We have some 2,000 trillion cubit feet of natural gas  -- that's trillion not billion, according to the June issue of Popular Mechanic.  The magazine  has the most comprehensive article on energy that I have seen, covering the energy situation from  ethanol subsidies (bad) to fusion, perhaps the energy source of the future.

This country is sending over seas some 500 billion dollars a year for oil and oil products. Why not spend that money here and reduce our debt while providing hundreds of thousand, more like millions, of jobs?  Why can't our so-called leaders see that?  The country is desperate for a solution to our high unemployment and the economy that keeps getting worse.  Taking advantage of our abundant energy will at least help.

USS Pickens Returns to San Francisco

Dawn was minutes away and fog was so dense that visibility  was near zero as the USS Pickens entered San Francisco bay August 3, 1945.  I was on the radar, my guts in a knot, and the navigator rushed in every minute to ask for the range and bearing on landmarks so he could fix the ship's position.  I strained to watch the radar s closely as little blips appeared on the screen.  Another radarman was trying to plot the blips to see if they were moving or stationary.  Each blip was  a buoy or a fishing vessel heading out to sea and I had seconds to determine which was which.

We had left San Francisco 10 months ago, heading first to Hawaii and then to places like the Solomons, New Calidonia, Saipan, Guam, Tinian  and Iwo Jima and Okinawa.  We had been told  that we would leave in a few days after loading on troops and equipment to be a part of the first  invasion of Japan.

We made it in to our designated anchorage spot without hitting a fishing boat.  We would make many more visits to San Francisco after the war, being part of the Magic Carpet, bringing troops home from the South Pacific. That was in the future; now we wanted to make the most of this visit, perhaps the last time we would see our country.

Remembering summer on the farm

Hot, hot and very dry July ended Sunday but August hasn't offered any relief, with the official temperature in Shreveport reaching 107 degrees Monday.  Usually we can expect hot weather to continue in August until late, when some cooling often gives us a break.

My dad claimed July was the best month of the 12.   Of course, part of his reason was his birthday was July 16.  His favorite fruits -- watermelons. cantelopes, and figs were at their most plentiful and the garden would have a bountiful and varied supply of vegetables.  We were not vegetarians but we ate very little meat in the summer and did not miss it.

Our cash crops, cotton and corn, were  "laid by" (no longer cultivated) by early August, potato vines covered the rows, and harvesting, except for haying, was days or weeks away.  Some people took it easy for a couple of weeks in August.  Our cousins who worked in adjacent fields would spend a week with their relatives in Arkansas.  Other people might rest but Daddy always had jobs lined up for us -- putting metal roofing on the old barn, building a new chicken house, or some similar project.  You haven't lived until you've  handled metal roofing in 100 degree weather.

August was the month for revivals at the Methodist and Baptist churches. If our parents didn't go to  the Baptist church some night, we boys  would walk. Sometimes the services would go on so long we would be exhausted, needing our sleep. One night at Antioch Baptist Church, a call for converts was made. After this, people were asked to rededicate themselves. The choir and the congregation were singing --"Just as I am, without  one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come  to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come."  The minister announced that we would keep singing and the service would not be dismissed a long as anyone came.  Just as a verse was almost over and we were sighing with relief, someone would get up and go to the front.  It was a late night  for three boys who had to start work before dawn the next morning.   ( Note.  We sang this song Sunday night and it brought back this memory.)

Shades of McIntire Methodist Church

The first song Sunday night at our  gospel sing was "The Little Brown Church in the Wildwood."  Monthly community singings at McIntire opened with  that song and closed with "How Great Thou Art."  We did not sing that last night.

All of the songs came from the Cokesbury Hymnal and  were old and well known to the people attending. No hymnal has every favorite  hymn.  We pretty well exhausted that book in an hour.  I would like us to add some more favorites next time.   I would like more joyous and uplifting songs like "Jesus Keeps Me Singing As I Go."

My choice of the song with the best message was "He Lives."

          He lives, He lives; Christ Jesus lives today;    
          You ask me how I know He lives,
           He lives within my heart.