After a 5 year absence, i thot i would be surprised by many things in America. But actually, there was very little to surprise me. The same huge, wide-open spaces with lots of beautiful greenery, and wildness that is missing in most advanced countries, coupled with a cleanness that is missing in most developing countries. There was hardly any new construction within those 5 years, except for one big area i saw in Murfreesboro, TN. The large people, large cars, large houses, lots of largeness! I guess if i had to say one thing that i hadn’t noticed before, it would be the angriness evident on the radio and tv – they even make tv shows now where people are arguing with each other, and people watch that as “entertainment”!
I spent my first week or so with my cousin’s family in Atlanta. I lived in Atlanta myself from 1983-89, and it was nice to see some old sites. Climbing Stone Mountain nearly every day was pleasant, as was the beautifully blooming Bradford pear trees and red buds and dogwoods. After a couple of days with my nephew and neice, i went up to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to be with my brother and sister who live thereabouts. I stayed several days at my sister’s place, and several at my brother’s place, trying not to wear out either one 🙂 My brother rented a car for me, so i could get some legs and travel. Everything regarding transportation in America is basically done by car or plane, as trains and buses and bicycles are only used by the very few in some of the largest cities.
With the car i went to Uchee Pines where i had the “mountaintop” experience as posted earlier. That, along with the studies of the 1858gc with my relatives and family near Chicago were the highlights of my 6-week stay. It was so nice to know that there ARE some people who are really searching for truth, and still humble. That is an unusual combination in this day and age, as most of us Seventh-day Adventists who are really studying the inspired words think we know it all, and refuse to be humble enough for God to speak to us, especially if it goes against something we “thot” we knew all our life.
The food sat pretty well with me i guess. I had my usual 80% diarrhea, so just had normal energy levels, but was able to gain 2kg during my stay. My salt levels got back over the red line again, probably accounting for 1kg of the 2 gained – ha!
The 30th class reunion at Highland Academy was nice, and i’m thankful i was able to give a good testimony and spread the 1858 Great Controversy book to the people there. One of my old classmates is already a grandma, and i went to see her in Kentucky where we could have a couple of deep talks about spiritual things, and have one study on the 1858gc book.
During the one month i had the car i drove around 1,900 miles. The first time i drove it was at nite, and it was scary going so fast after not driving for so long. But after around 400 miles, and having my heart go up to my throat after seeing a lady come within probably one second of instant death (she was talking on her phone and came up fast behind a stopped semi-truck, swerving only at the last instant), i was able to get into the swing of things until it was like second nature again.
I played golf three times, twice with my brother, and once with my nephew. It was fun to walk the nice green grass and enjoy the spring sunshine. Like i told my nephew: “I don’t really care at all about the sport, but enjoy the nice exercise”. For those of you wondering how i can justify wasting God’s money like that, i say that each time only cost 10usd or less, which is quite cheap exercise, but i do admit that i would rather even spend zero and climb some trails somewhere if i could convince others to the same 🙂
My cousin treated me nicely, and i learned that he had been very much influenced by my family when we were little, as he came out to Tennessee from Oklahoma with his dad for several summers when i was around 10-15 years old. I praise God for what he has done so far in his life, and pray that i can continue to be a good example and help lead to the whole truth as it is in Jesus so that we can go home together forever.
Another interesting event was in going to my old 6th grade class at Highland Elementary. It JUST SO happened (many ‘coincidences’) that the lady who became 6th grade teacher at the same time i entered 6th grade has stayed on all these 36 years there, and will retire probably one week after i post this entry. She has a special place in her heart for her first batch of “lambs”, and invited me to come and give a talk to her students sometime. I did, and it was quite nice to see the bright, smiling faces. May God use that witness to help lead others to want to become missionaries also.
Several people i met said that they were glad i came, and i too was blessed by being able to have some deep discussions on spiritual things, and studies especially in the 1858 Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and His Angels book. That book is so powerful! When studying the only time with my brother and sister together, the thot flashed into my mind that the apostles (fallen angels) will bring forth the “actual” manuscripts that they wrote 2,000 years ago, thus bringing a very severe test to even those who believe that the Bible is inerrant. wow! Another thing i noticed in my studies with my siblings, and this will sound very self-superior, but us Winters’ kids have been given quite a large amount of brain power to use. May we use it to God’s glory, and not to our own, as it is all from God anyway.
I’ve never seen anybody quite as busy as my brother. He is a CPA, and runs my sister’s imaging center with around 18 employees, then he has a business which does something with mobile CT scanners and nuclear imaging and MRIs etc., then he is also developing some land near the new hospital going up. On top of that, he is trying his best to be a good father, and helps his wife a lot with her university-level studies, and his kids with their studies too when needed. Problem is, he doesn’t care for his own physical body like he should. May he be given wisdom and stamina to handle his responsibilities, and may he give glory to God in all he does. He’s always been very close to me, and is basically the only one who is really with me in trying to spread this 1858gc book. Thank you big brother! I pray for you every day.
There were quite a few things i wanted to buy while back in America, and most all of them i could accomplish thru the internet, using ebay and Amazon. I got some new anti-mosquito pants, a used camera, a new 22inch Samsonite hardcase, some socks, a backpack, and a quick-dry towel. Including some clothes i got for my birthday, and the English 1858gc books i picked up, i was able to get all fitted out to spend quite a bit more time on the road.
I’ll try to post my pics of America soon.
Available now here: trip to america 2009
While i know that America will speak like a dragon soon, and is tightening controls and constricting freedoms, still this is the land God prepared to be the “home-base” to spread his last message of mercy to the world – the Three Angel’s Messages.
May God continue to bless the greatest nation on earth – America.
I am glad you had a rewarding time. Your climbing of Stone Mountain makes me say: may God bless you as you climb the mountains ahead of you while spreading the Three Angels’ Messages.
Thank you so much rthomas-san! The pics are uploaded now if you care to take a look 🙂
Regarding the photos: “agatha thrash” and “89 year old awakening believer”. Where are their investments? How have they invested their time, money, resources and energy during their lives?
Agatha Thrash told me she told her father at the age of 25 that she was planning to be a millionaire by age 30. He told her she might if she invested wisely. Well, she later became SDA, and while not getting to the 1m in liquid assets mark (as far as i know) she has untold rewards in heaven for helping healing many people using God’s natural remedies.
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The poor 89-year old Awakening believer doesn’t know what he believes, as he told my brother and i that he has studied Desmond Ford’s material and i should too, and then proceeded to try to explain to us why Jesus finished everything on the cross, because there is only ONE apartment in the Sanctuary in Heaven. So sad to see someone so close to the end of his life, and yet fighting God’s words. But he attends church every Sabbath and still has a sharp mind and knows his Bible and SOP very well. Just prefers not to believe it where it goes against his ideas. May i not fall in the same trap, and may he repent is my prayer.