The Neely Team

My shoulder felt like someone was sticking a knife into it. The temperature was only in the 40’s or 50’s, but sweat beaded in my hairline and ran down my back. As we neared the edge of the woods, my breath came heavily and I stumbled a few times. Ahead of me, Dad moved easily and quickly, carrying the other end of the 10-foot pole from which hung my latest kill. I grinned in triumph and excitement. Several times, Dad asked me how I was doing, but I couldn’t complain. We had a deal: I would haul anything we killed as far as we needed to get it, if he would do the gutting for me. I had the easy part. So we marched on in the near dark, carrying our prize between us, like victorious hunters of olden days. The doe was small, not much larger than our Labrador retriever (although her dead weight (literally!) made her seem a little larger ). We laughed as we walked: of the five deer that I’ve been able to bring down, the biggest probably didn’t weigh more than 100 pounds. But this had been a perfect shot, and we were content, in spite of the small size. This was fun!

This is just one story from my first visit to one of Dad’s all-time favorite hunting spots. Dad invited me to go along with him this trip, and I loved it! He even generously let me hunt his “honey hole!” When we walked into the woods before dawn that Friday morning, we had a plan: stay in the tree until you shoot something or until it gets too dark to see anything. That day was very interesting; as I sat in my tree stand thirty feet high, I was able to observe God’s creation in a way that I had never seen it before. Some of the most memorable things were watching a hawk tantalize and then draw a whole flock of crows after it in a hubbub of hoarse squawks and shrill screams, watching another hawk light in a tree a little bit in front of me and then drop a squirrel into the creek below before taking off again, and sitting spellbound as a little deer bed down about thirty yards in front of me!! (For those of you who might be wondering, yes, I did shoot it a little later… after he stood up again. ) I also encountered what I considered to be somewhat of a small phenomenon. Whenever we walked through the woods in the dark with only our flashlights, I could see hundreds of little green “sparks” all over the ground, but they disappeared beneath leaves and brush when we got too close. Curious about what this might be, I watched quickly, and to my amazement, I saw that the “sparks” were actually spiders’ eyes reflecting light in the dark, just like deer, cats, and dogs do! I know that probably gives some people the willies (i.e. some of my family members thought I was crazy to enjoy that), but I think it was a pretty cool discovery… as long as the spiders stay on the ground. In the day and a half that we hunted, I probably saw 15-20 deer – beautiful! – as well as redheaded woodpeckers, hawks, squirrels, and other miscellaneous critters. Someday I want to go back – out of season, maybe when it’s a little warmer – climb the tree, and observe just for the fun of it.

Friday brought in my two small deer, and Dad’s 150-pound feral boar. Although we didn’t actually get anything on Saturday, we had a good time – outside, enjoying the stillness of the woods and the beauty of God’s creatures. I had a lot of fun with the hunting aspect of the trip (after all, one of my favorite seats is a tree stand!), but I especially loved being with Dad! We had a wonderful time, and I’m ready to go again next time my turn rolls around; although with all the stories we brought back, I now have several siblings lobbying to go!! Hmmm… too many hunters to go at once… what a great problem to have, huh?

I stood back and eyed the washing machine, already full to capacity, and debated whether it would hold the last few items. Deciding that it probably wouldn’t complain about a little more, I picked up the last couple skirts, crammed them into the machine, and pushed the door shut. After filling the compartment of detergent and starting the wash cycle, I turned around and surveyed the mountains of dirty laundry around me. (Well, at 10:00 at night after a busy week and long day of traveling, it SEEMED like mountains!) Laundry baskets were stacked high with multicolored articles of clothing. Skirts, shirts, and pants were piled on the floor, and hangers seemed to be falling out of every bag I picked up. You could hardly step into the room! I shook my head and chuckled as I calculated the cause of the  mess. Six days worth of clothing for one person is a pretty decent amount; six days worth for twelve people… that’s seventy-two outfits (seventy-two shirts, seventy-two skirts/pairs of pants, one hundred forty-four socks, etc, etc.)!! That’s as many clothes as one person could wear in two in a half months all piled in our laundry room!!

So you’re probably thinking, “Okay, that’s really cool and everything, but…… why is all that laundry piled up in your laundry room??” Oh yeah. I was just getting to that.

Sunday night, we returned from our trip to Indianapolis where we recorded our patriotic program. Before I go any further, let me say on behalf of the family, thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who supported us in prayer as we worked on this project! You’ll never know what a blessing and encouragement it was to us to know that we were surrounded by friends and family who were lifting us up before the throne of grace!

We had a wonderful three days in the studio. Our engineer, Mr. Ben Vawter, was fantastic! His patience was incredible, as over and over again he would stop us to rework a rhythm or fix a pitch. His quick wit and ready humor were also great; after all, laughter is a great way to ward off those potentially stressful moments!! We also need to give credit to Mom, who was the behind-the-scenes manager – a huge blessing!! Our lunches were delicious, and whenever we had a quick break, she was there with snacks, water, and encouragement. Without her physical and moral support, it would’ve been a lot harder to do the project!

While the whole thing was a lot of work, we also had a lot of fun, and made a lot of memories. Over the  course of the three days, we started writing down the funny little things that were said. Some things were just words that we used as part of our terminology, but which would sound a bit unusual in the “real” world, such as punch, stack, and obble-gobble (a much more fun way of saying “obbligato”). Mr. Vawter had a few oft-repeated phrases which grew to be humorous as we heard them over and over:  “Not quite…”; “One more time!”; "Use your pretty voice."; “It’s a little pitchy.”; “I think we have a song!” (YES!! ) And then, of course, there was the usual chat and banter: Just do it! Correct lyrics there, please. I think we should stack that part. Come on, y’all! Let’s add some sauce. Can we punch it? You’re a little under. Why don’t we just sing the song! (Wow! Imagine doing that!!) It’s a little pitchy. What’s the verdict? Oh, gross!! Enunciate clearly. We might need to back up and punt. What? Where? Huh?? The high part is sharp. Blend!  Your notes are chipping. Let’s punch at the beginning of the obble-gobble. WHAT?! Oops! That’s okay – we know how you meant it to sound. Put your wants aside – do what we NEED!!!

While we thoroughly enjoyed the recording  process, we are also glad to have that part of the project behind us, and now we look forward to getting it completely finished. The Lord has shown His care for so many of our little concerns already – we marvel at seeing His hand working out details in ways that we never imagined! We pray that everything will continue to come together in God’s timing and God’s way, and that everything we do will bring Him glory!

Here we are, in Indianapolis… two days down and one to go…

Recording our patriotic program at Aire Born Studios has been a lot of fun, even with all the “bloopers” and sleepy sillies! Here are a few pictures for those of you who might wonder what’s been happening. (We will try to post more details later… but for now, we need some sleep. :)  Also, please keep in mind that it’s a little difficult to get good quality photos or videos through double panes of glass… ) If you think of it, we would appreciate your prayers as we wrap up the recording tomorrow.

This last week, at the generous invitation of a business colleague of Daddy’s (as well as a family friend!), Mr. Glen Traylor, we were able to take a trip to Charlotte, NC, for the annual dinner held by Illinois Tool Works (ITW). This year it was held in none other place than the NASCAR Hall of Fame! The whole place was amazing, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there, even getting to “race” in the simulators. The main room, where the actual dinner was held, was uniquely fringed by a short track lined with full-sized models of the numerous types of cars that have raced throughout the years. Beneath each model was a square sample of the type of pavement the tracks are/were made from, details for where that particular track was/is located, as well as the slant of that track. (We actually stood – or attempted to stand – on the “current” slope that racers are using, which was a tilt of 36 degrees! Sounds pretty easy, but was kind-of painful on the ankles!) As I sat in that gigantic hall, though, and I contemplated the situation we were in, and tried in vain to “soak it all up,” – for, after all, it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience – the thought fleeted across my mind that none of this, in light of eternity, really matters. How easy it is for us to lose sight of our goal and become consumed with things that are temporal! The question comes to mind: If I were faced with the choice today, would I choose to have my name remembered and glorified in this Hall of Fame because I gave my life, my very all, for a sport that’s as neat as racing, or to  have my Creator’s Name magnified and exalted because, by His matchless grace, my name was among that “great cloud of witnesses,” – and present in the “Hall of  Faith”?? What would YOU choose?

The opportunity to visit NASCAR is something we will probably never forget! It was a ton of FUN, and we are all incredibly grateful for the opportunity and privilege of attending. Thank you, Mr. Traylor!

But today, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God…” (Colossians 3:1-3)

Imagine the tantalizing, inviting aroma of down-home country cooking…

… the sweet, buttery taste of warm cinnamon rolls…

… and the cool, creamy refreshment of homemade strawberry shortcake!

Then put the delicious food together with a clean, inviting atmosphere, friendly staff, and impeccable service. There! You have it in a nutshell:

Mary Mac’s Tea Room.

Located in downtown Atlanta, GA, Mary Mac’s Tea Room was started in 1945 by Mary McKenzie in the rough days of the post-WWII era. She operated the restaurant until the early 1960’s, when a lady by the name of Margaret Lupo bought it and began to expand the business. By the time Margaret’s hand-picked successor, John Ferrell, took over in 1994, Mary Mac’s was the only one of at least sixteen other tea rooms remaining in downtown Atlanta.

We had the privilege of visiting Mary Mac’s last week, and enjoyed it immensely. The food was delicious; the pictures we took can’t possibly do it justice! One of their specialties is the sweet rolls – soft, buttery, filled with cinnamon and sugar, and hot out of the oven!  We also loved the chicken’n’dumplings, pot likker and cracklin’ cornbread,* fried okra, and sweet potato souffle! Everything we were served was delicious – just like a big homemade dinner!!

The service was also wonderful. We had a great waiter who made sure we were well cared for, and several other members of the staff came around to greet us. But one of the best – and most unique! – things about Mary Mac’s is their Goodwill Ambassador – a sweet, grandmotherly lady who walks around the restaurant, chatting with customers, and giving each guest a back-rub!! What a way to enhance a meal! Of course, Dad loved it… and I think he got two or three back-rubs throughout the course of our visit.

We would highly recommend if you’re ever traveling through the Atlanta area that you stop in and pay them a visit. Or if you live in the area, you have even better reason to check it out – we’re sure you won’t be sorry! You can get on their website and take a look at the menu before-hand… which might be a smart  idea. Since it’s full of mouthwatering options to choose from, you’ll be thankful if you walk in with some idea of what you want! Then you can just relax and enjoy………

We had a fantastic evening at Mary Mac’s Tea Room! They treated us like family and gave us a true taste of genuine Southern hospitality! Thank you, Mary Mac’s!!

*Just for those of you who don’t know what pot likker is: it’s the broth off of boiled peas or greens. This was from turnip greens and was fantastic! Most of us didn’t even know what it was when we went into the restaurant, but we came out better educated and definitely looking forward to the next time we could enjoy this southern delicacy. If you’ve never had it, it is a must-try!!

*First off, you should know that even though this SAYS that it’s posted by Jessica, we (Amanda AND Jessica) are sitting here, writing this together. Also, we MEANT to write this and get it posted the week that we got home. We’re a little late… but better late than never, right??? Anyway, on to the story…

Should we? Or shouldn’t we? Do you think it is really the best time? In a way, the details aren’t falling into place… yet, in another way, they are. How do we know what is the Lord’s will?

These questions were buzzing through our minds a few weeks ago. A friend had mentioned a Desktop Publishing class that was being held at Verity Institute in Indianapolis, IN. We had been looking around and praying for the Lord to direct us to the right course, as some of our current activities involve graphic design. This seemed like the perfect answer to prayer… except for some rather large logistical problems blocking our path. While we thought it was a wonderful opportunity, we didn’t know if it would work out. When we first heard about it, it was about a month away.

So life went on as normal, and thoughts of the class got pushed to the “back burner.” That is, until the week before, when we realized that if we were indeed  considering it, we should do just that… think and pray about it. We (Amanda and Jessica) were the two that would go, and neither of us felt strong leading one way or the other. And neither did Mom and Dad. About four days before the class began, our friend contacted us again, telling us that there were only two more available slots in the class. We continued thinking, talking, and praying. Still, no one felt directed one way or the other. Three days before class began, another friend called, telling us that if we decided to go, we could ride home with her, since she was going to be in Indy that week, too. It seemed that so many details were falling into place, yet there was still so many more details to work out… and time was rapidly running out.

Thursday morning at breakfast, Dad said that if we wanted to go, it was perfectly fine with him, and that he would get Greyhound tickets for us to get there. But it wasn’t until Thursday afternoon that we had confirmation that we actually were going… and we had to leave at 4:30 Friday morning. This whole episode was a lesson in flexibility, patience, and trust while waiting on the Lord’s direction and timing.

Our wonderful family helped us with the “speed packing.” (We actually did pretty well with that; we only forgot a couple little things… like toothpaste……)On Friday, we were ready to go and pulling out of the driveway at, well… it was really early in the morning. Dad and Sunny went with us to the bus stop, which was about one and a half hours away. We were both very excited about the trip, what we would learn, and the opportunities that would arise. Little did we know what the Lord had in store!

Our first bus arrived at 7:15, the driver got out, and Dad went over to talk to him. We had heard that there would be forty extra seats… but there was negative one. In other words, the bus was full, one person was already standing, and there were four people waiting to get on. So, we stood for the first twenty minutes of the trip. That was the first of many adventures.

Throughout the day, we had a couple witnessing opportunities which were very eye-opening, and although we felt inadequate for some of the questions we were asked, the whole experience helped strengthen our faith and trust in the Lord. We also had an unexpected bus transfer, and another time almost missed our bus. More adventure…

We arrived safely in Indianapolis, and walked in on our almost-asleep roommates at 10:30pm. :/ (They were very gracious, though. ) We had four wonderful roommates that week, and we were all there for the DTP (Desktop Publishing) class. God definitely put us there together for a reason – the fun and fellowship were wonderful!

Class began at 11:30 on Saturday, with an introduction to Adobe Photoshop. (We were very blessed to have our friend, James Staddon, there as the teacher’s assistant. His technical and moral support were a huge blessing to us all!) That was a great time, and was just the beginning of that incredible week…

But we do realize that as much as the week meant to us, you probably don’t want to hear all the nitty-gritty details and stories of what took place. We’ve probably already bored a lot of readers. So we’ll try to give a short synopsis :

From Monday morning until Friday evening, most of us were in the computer room from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. (with meal breaks), cramming our heads as full as we could get them! Mr. Ritchie was a great teacher – he made us feel “at home” using InDesign and he gave lots of little illustrations and stories in the lessons. He also threw in several jokes for good measure, just to lighten the loads of information. We learned lots of new words, or new meanings to old words, such as: track, kern, lead (not pencil lead), serif, CMYK and RGB, clone, mask, eyebrow, ear, and gutter. We also learned the nine steps to graphic design, the eleven design rules, the six categories of font, the six ways to build contrast with font, the difference between white and black space (we’re not talking about color here!!), the different types of page and text organizers, and SO much more!!!

By the time we all split ways at the end of the week, we had gained new information, new ideas, and best of all, new friends with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Some of our absolute favorite times from the week were when our group was sitting around the dinner table, fellowshipping with others of like precious faith. We count it a huge blessing and privilege that we were allowed that opportunity! May every one of us use all that we’ve learned to bring God glory!!!

“Wow! I can’t believe this is really happening!!” I thought as I fastened the last buckle of my parachute and climbed onto the wing of the navy blue Stearman biplane. Tingles of nervous anticipation raced through me as Cousin Dave helped me buckle the  seatbelts and calmly explained emergency procedures. In front of us, in his blue and yellow plane, Cousin Rick guided Dad through the same  process as we prepared to make the flight from the hangar to the showgrounds of the Flying Circus. With my ear plugs in, sunglasses and flying cap on, buckles securely fastened, and the last adjustments made, I sat back to enjoy my surroundings and wave goodbye to Cousin Bill and the rest of the family on the ground while we waited for our pilots to finish their preparations. Moments later, another thrill shot through me as the engine sputtered, then came to life with a roar.  We taxied over to the runway and I remember thinking, “We’re off!!”, as the planes took off in formation. At first, we just flew in big circles, gaining altitude in preparation for the aerobatics. We made a couple passes over the hangar while we were doing this and waved to those watching from below. (One time, I actually reached outside of the cockpit to wave… and about got my arm ripped off because I wasn’t prepared for the force of the wind!) My nerves continued to tingle, and suddenly the feeling intensified when we split from formation – the real fun was about to begin! Glancing in the mirror (the only method of communication in the open-topped plane), I saw Cousin Dave motion to ask me if I was ready for a loop. Shivering with a mixture of nervous suspense and intense excitement, I signaled back “thumbs up!” Suddenly, my stomach jumped as the plane dove down for a second, then began climbing up, up, up. I grabbed the rails as we reached the top of the circle, and then we were upside down! For a few seconds, I savored the exhilarating sensation of hanging upside down in the harness, and then my heart leaped into my throat as we dove back down the other side……

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) How true we found this verse to be while we were in Virginia last weekend! We had been planning to go to the Family Encouragement Weekend for quite a while, looking forward to it with much anticipation as one of the  biggest highlights of our year. This year we wanted to get there a day early to help with the preparations, so we left on Wednesday night, split the trip, and went the rest of the way on Thursday. Little did we know that the Lord would use the extra time we had planned in a way we would’ve never imagined…

While we were traveling up the Interstate on Thursday, we received a call from my aunt. When she found out where we were headed, she exclaimed, “Oh! We have cousins that live there!” As it turned out, my grandfather’s first cousin, Bill, and his wife, Marty, live just around the corner from our friends! But I’m getting ahead of myself… After another phone call or two, we got the contact  information for them and tried to call, but had to leave a message. Not knowing whether they would be home or not, we decided to stop by anyway, hoping to get to meet/reconnect with them. Imagine what they must have been thinking when their house was peaceful and quiet one  minute, and invaded with 12 practical strangers the next!! However, they were very gracious and invited us in, and we sat and talked for about an hour and a half. It was a great visit! Cousin Bill is a retired commercial airline pilot, and flying runs heavily in the family; in fact, Cousin Marty  has written a book about flying. Their two sons are also commercial pilots, and fly on the weekends at a local airshow called the Flying Circus. Throughout the course of the visit, especially after they found out that Dad has his private pilot’s license, they repeatedly urged us to come back on Sunday to meet their boys and go to the show. We wanted to, but were unsure of whether it would work out, since Dad was supposed to be back at work in Monday, and we had a 9 hour drive between Virginia and home…

We just kept praying about it through the whole weekend, asking the Lord to work it all out if it was His will. Our friends offered their home for another night, and Dad made a few phone calls, trying to get Monday off. We were absolutely thrilled when everything worked out, but our joy then was only a prelude to blessing of that Sunday afternoon and evening. Immediately after  church, we slipped away and raced back to Cousin Bill and Cousin Marty’s house. We met their “boys”, Rick and Dave, while they were getting their airplanes out and preparing to leave for the Circus. Much to our surprise, they told us that “anyone who wanted to ride was going to ride!” (I wonder if they had any idea what they were getting into before they offered that…) Dad and I were the first volunteers… the story above tells about that. The ride over was fantastic! I’ve wanted to ride in a stunt plane for almost as long as I can remember, and I know Dad was absolutely delighted to be in the air again (Cousin Rick let him fly most of the way there)! After we had done a loop and a roll, we headed straight for the showgrounds, and as we flew over the beautiful countryside, I sat back in awe: the only thing I could think was “God is SO good!!”

When we arrived, our cousins took us to the pilot’s briefing. Cousin Dave introduced us, and mentioned that our family sings, and the moderator shocked me by asking if we would sing the “Star Spangled Banner” at the beginning of the  show! Dad agreed, although I have to admit, I got far more nervous about that than I did about the plane ride! The rest of the family arrived a few minutes later, and we had a great time watching the show – it was  amazing! I don’t have time to go into detail about the rest of the afternoon, but between the show, airplane and ATV rides, and visiting, we had a fantastic time! Cousin Dave’s wife, Terry, and their two girls, Rory and Elly, also came – what a delight to meet them! (We’re still waiting to meet Cousin Rick’s family… hopefully next time!) When we finished up everything at the showgrounds, we went back to the hangar, where we picked up Cousin Marty (she hadn’t been with us at the show) and went out to eat.

By the time we said our final goodbyes at 10:30 that night, we’d had an incredible day. The Lord’s hand of providence was so evident in everything that happened; we marveled at the way He worked it all out in a way that far exceeded our wildest imaginations!! But the biggest blessing we received didn’t come from the material generosity of our new-found family. As Dad said it, yes,  the airplanes were cool and everything, and we had a fantastic  time, but what really impressed us the most was the genuine love and tenderness that whole family showed toward one another. Honestly, we have never seen anything like it! There was never a correction or argument, a joke at another’s expense, or even the slightest suggestion of  anything other than kindness and friendship. The couples acted as if they were still on their honeymoon; the brothers were obviously best friends. The loving looks, the care, and concern of parents, children, and siblings for one another was amazing to watch! We came away feeling rebuked for our own lack of affection and tenderness, and yet encouraged to show our love to each other more! “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” (Hebrews 10:24) “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” (Romans 12:10) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)

We praise God for so clearly directing our steps; truly, “…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)