This photograph hangs in the Brandenberg Room of the Oaklawn Cemetery. You should go see it if you have some time. There are other Jacksonville photos in that room and it would be worth a 30 minute stop.
Time Union writer Sandy Strickland wrote of the clock “Once dubbed the handsomest of its kind in the South” that it was later designated “local landmark status”. When I was a kid growing up and we would ride the bus from the Woodstock area, and would say at some point, “I’ll meet you at the clock at certain time” and a time would bring us there. I was about 7 or 8 when we spent a good deal of our lives in downtown Jacksonville. Some of that time was definitely spent near that landmark.
It was by that clock that our little red Simca stick shift wouldn’t crank and my Dad could be seen popping the clutch and with all 4 doors open, each of us hopping on one leg trying to push it for a crank. My Mother ended up almost falling as we were yelling to her, “Jump in!” Oh, that was a day and it occurred right there at the corner of Laura Street and the clock.
The clock dates back to the rebuilding of Jacksonville after the Great Fire of 1901. At the top of the clock it reads “Jacob’s” and is located outside of the Greenleaf building. Jacob Crosby and D. Greenleaf had a jewelry store and the clock, a Seth Thomas was placed on the corner of Laura and Adams.
Over the years it has had its own tragedy including being hit by a city bus in 1974 and clock parts stolen causing it to be out of commission for a time. In 1996, the clock was refurbished again as voted on by the City Council. According to theFlorida Times Union, the restoration was paid for by city and private funds. It was also renovated in 2011 and in 2022, it still sits there as Jacob’s Jewelers move from that location where they have been for over 132 years. Jacob’s gave the clock to the city so it will remain. What are your memories about this clock?
In a recent post, I wrote about a sorry excuse for a person who dumped a helpless dog out in the country. Who would do that? Who has absolutely NO heart so as to drop off a dog into a totally wooded area with country homes miles and miles apart?
As I was looking through the photos on my computer, I came again, across the image of this poor helpless pup and noticed how after putting him in that woman’s car, he was tenderly looking back at me. My heart breaks.
As noted in that post, it appeared the woman was in a B line to come get this dog. Thinking back, she had probably seen him there earlier and returned to rescue him. It all happened so fast and I did not ask questions. It was all so crazy how I stopped to take a simple photo and ran across this hungry and thirsty animal. Then out of no where, the lady appeared asking about him and took him right away. How kind!
On the wall in the Brandenburg Hall of Oak Lawn Cemetery off of San Jose Blvd, there is a massive and beautiful map of Jacksonville, Florida dated 1876. If ever you can, you should drop by and take a look. It will cause you to want to take a photo. The same arial view of Jacksonville can be found in the Library of Congress.
This map has the seal and number so I assume it is one of the authentic copies of the city, like the one donated to the Library of Congress by Alvord, Kellogg and Campbell dated 1840. This seal indicates 1876.
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14
On Sunday, August 28th, while traveling from Augusta to Jacksonville, I decided to go “the scenic route”. The GPS took me through the little towns in Georgia and down the back roads where there were loads of flora, fauna, farms, and such. Upon stopping at a forever-field of pecan trees, I got out of my car to take a photo because it was so impressive. There were trees as far as the eye could see.
While heading back to my car, I noticed in the not-too-far distance a rather big dog; a blonde lab type. It startled me, being so far out and seeing it by the ditch. Not knowing if he was friendly, I walked straight to the car and just after closing the door found the dog looking in the window at me; paws on the glass! His tail was wagging and that long wet tongue lapping so obviously, he was friendly. Up close, he looked skinny too, so someone had apparently let him out and driven off. How horrible!
My car was a load full of wagon wheels to decorate this fall, 3 very huge ligustrum trees, luggage from my trip and items from shopping with my sister over the weekend. I wondered right then and there where he was going to sit.
Immediately, I got my glass of water and opened the door giving him water to drink. He savoured every lick. Then I thought, about what to do. How would I take him? Where would he fit? What would I do with him once I got him home? I already have a dog and cats galore! The very dog I have was rescued. I have cats galore because when tenants walk away from their homes leaving them there, they end up in my home. Oh my!
It wasn’t long when a lady turned the corner. She rolled her window down and said, “Are you going to rescue that dog?” I said, “Well, I’m from Jacksonville. I just saw him and didn’t know what to do”. She said, “If you help me get him in my car, i’ll take him”, and she did!
Reaching down, he was picked up and put in her front seat. She had already laid down her jacket for him. She said, “People can be awful”. I totally agree but I was totally grateful she wasn’t awful but kind-hearted instead. She must have known he was there and headed to get him.
What would I have done with another animal? For sure, something! There is no way I could have driven off leaving that dog on that lonely road but was so thankful for this woman who took in that stray.
Traveling along further, I saw on a hill a pretty home. On the front lawn was a black, healthy looking dog laying on the lawn looking as if he was waiting on someone. I slowed and passing by noticed he watched me carefully. I turned my car around so as to get a photo. When I did, he ran at me barking as if to say, “Don’t bother my home”.
The story of two dogs…. One dog skinny and hungry for attention; lost and in need of help. The other, waiting on his master, full, happy and protecting the land.
What kind of person would leave an animal out on a lonely road? God Bless the lady who took him. There are good people out there too. 8-28-22
Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely. Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. Proverbs 28: 5-6.
So, I did not even think about the gas gauge. It never occurred to me on this trip to Augusta that I needed petro, again. I filled up before I left Jacksonville so in my mind, I’m good to go.
This morning as I left Columbia County on “E”. I didn’t realize it until the car made that dastardly sound of rapid “ding. ding. ding”. It was then that I panicked. First of all, although I know that particular area sort-of-kinda, Wayne, the brother-in-law sent me a different way because of area construction. That way, I have almost no idea how far it is to anything. If you know anything about Georgia’s countryside, you know the blocks are actually “country blocks”…. Long and far.
With the radio, and AC off and anything else that I thought might use more gas, I headed to where I thought was a gas station. With knots in my stomach and a prayer, off I went headlong in that direction. “Whew”, I said as I pulled into the empty parking lot of the gas station. It was then I realized it was Sunday and not open at that time!
I saw a young man there hoping to go in as well and ask him where the nearest station was. He said, “Oh, a couple of miles. Why?” I explained that I was in a pickle. Right away, he said…”Don’t worry. Follow me. I’ve got a little extra time”.
So I did. I followed him right into the station and he waved me off to go do whatever he was going to do. People can me nice. His mama did a good job.
So, we were all minding our business working on my Dad and Mom’s property when the fire truck roared up the street. It got closer and closer and soon “Sargent(3) screamed, “Fire truck! Fire truck!” Then Vaughan (3) yelled, “Fire truck. Fire truck”. Then Ramey said “Hey, it’s here!” “It’s right here!” We looked into the parking lot at the neighboring church and there she sat with bells, whistles, and lights a flashing. Out jumped 3 firemen rushing over to us asking if everything was ok.
Yes, everything was ok. We had made sure all precautions were considered and followed through.
We had been burning the old tree limbs, brush and logs getting ready for someone to come scrape the property on Monday.
Ronnie(PawPaw) showed them the dirt path made around the fire and they asked to see a water hose which he had. They asked us to be careful and put out the blaze as quickly as we could, then off they roared.
It was a banner day for the boys to see the fire truck so closely and relate it to a real fire.
The Honorable Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis was in Jacksonville, Florida to congratulate and encourage those who won conservative posts in the August elections. He and Marco Rubio spoke at a rally at the Diamond D Ranch where hundreds came to celebrate the wins of those seeking true freedom.
Press office of the Governor of Fl
Signs posted and held by guests all over the campus named both politicians, DeSantis, and Rubio, Keep Florida Free and one other said, “Don’t Tread on Florida” depicting an opened mouth gator. The poster with an open mouthed gator which said, “Don’t Tread on Florida”, is a take on the coiled rattlesnake flag “Don’t Tread On Me” which dates back to the America Revolution in 1775.
After 3,000 are sold, these will be offered in the tag office
Florida was and has been a beacon of freedom with policies from the Governor’s office especially during the pandemic of 2020. His policy outcomes turned out to be correct as documented by the numbers.
The Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida Rally held at the Diamond D Ranch began with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag from a young cowboy.
Young cowboy in prayer before pledge
He lead the group in the pledge with hand over heart and hat on his chest: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”. And the crowd went wild! God bless America. 8-24-22
“What?” Again, shaking my head, there is great amazement that people vote for the government who already basically owns them, to get an even stronger hold on their money by voting yes for a tax. My Father was a wise man. He said, “NEVER” vote for a tax. If the government really needs money they will take it from you anyhow and then you’ve given them more by voting yes on a tax. Never vote for a tax increase. Never.” So, I was one of the 81,602 or so who voted “NO” for the government to raise my taxes.
nraila photo grab
Yes, Teacher’s should be paid better. Being an educator for over thirty-five years, this is something I know first hand. Giving the government another penny though…. NO! Better use of the money they have could make this happen without raising property taxes.
The only thing I can think is that Jacksonville people have a heart for teachers which of course is a good thing but it appears they are going about their care for educators without thinking the DCPS already has an almost $3 billion, with a “b” budget!
According to local news reports, voters in Duval County voted to give the government even more of their money by passing the 1 mil property tax increase. This would be in an effort to help Duval County Public Schools pay better money which could attract better qualified teachers. Duval County Public Schools could better spend the $2.6 billion they voted for in August of 2022 to get and keep better teachers. From now on… always vote NO on a tax increase. (Ask me how I really feel about this.) 8-25-2022
My Mother died at the early age of 49. She was born a twin, October 20, 1924 and died September 5, 1974. I was attending Florida State University at the time and came home for a visit when my Mom couldn’t stay awake. We took her to the St. Luke’s Hospital which was on 8th Street at the time and she never returned home. It was a devastating loss for all of our family.
My Mother was a true Christian. John MacArthur has a comment about a “true Christian” and my Mother exemplified his statement.
“I’m going to give you a description of a Christian.
It means that we trust His wisdom beyond all other wisdom. It means that we believe that everything that He says and everything that is said in the Bible about Him is absolutely true and anything that contradicts any of it is wrong.
It means that we desire to know His thoughts above all thoughts as supreme. It means that we long to hear and obey His Word over all other words. It means that we give Him our lives now and forever, we entrust Him not only with our time but with our eternity, believing firmly in a person and a reality that we have never seen, but the testimony of Scripture is sufficient to verify. It means we obey His commandments with joy.
It means we love Him supremely and we love people who love Him and we even love people He loves who don’t love Him. It means we give our lives to proclaim His gospel, the gospel of salvation. To say that Jesus is Lord, which is the Christian confession, is to say that we accept Jesus as our absolute authority and source for all that is true. It means that we desire always to do what pleases Him, though we fail.
It means we fear Him, we worship Him, we obey Him and we proclaim Him above all others. To confess Jesus as Lord means that no area of our lives is unaffected by our relationship to Him. Our relationship to Him defines what we think. It defines our attitudes, it defines our emotions. It defines what we say. It defines how we act in every area of life. Our relationship to Him pervades all our being. To confess Jesus as Lord means that we trust His purpose for our lives and we trust His utter, sovereign control over all aspects of our lives including our failures and our successes, our blessings and our sorrows, our sickness and even our death.
To confess Jesus as Lord means that we count Him as the source of all that is good and all that is right and all that is blessed, and therefore He is to be thanked for everything. To confess Him as Lord means that we believe that He created and controls the entire universe, that He has pre-written all history so that it is directed in its course toward perfect fulfillment of His intended desire when He re-wrote…when he pre-wrote it.
To confess Jesus as Lord, to be a Christian, means to give our souls to Him, our bodies to Him as living sacrifices, our minds to Him, our time to Him, our abilities to Him, our money to Him, our prayers to Him. It means to dedicate our children to Him and to pray that everyone we know may love Him the way we love Him.
To confess Jesus as Lord means to give our lives in service to Him, fellowship in the church, to engage ourselves in ministries of all kinds to the honor of His name and the spread of His gospel.
To confess Jesus as Lord means that we are willing to live for Him no matter what it requires, and if asked to die for Him with an affirmation of His glory on our lips as our life leaves us.
We have never seen Him but we talk to Him every day. We have never heard an audible voice, but He speaks to us through His Word every day. We haven’t seen His face, He is to us invisible and His Kingdom is not material. And even the heaven He promises to which we look we have never visited, nor has anyone else who can tell us about it. Only two apostles had a glimpse and struggled to explain what they saw.
You ask about what it means to be a Christian? That’s what it means.”
—John MacArthur
My Mother lived for Jesus every day. She was a great example of what it means to be a Christian.
