When the brutality of murder enters your own family, how would you react, respond, what would you feel?

In March of 1979, I sat with the other members of my family in the Courtroom in Shelby, North Carolina and listened and watched as my grief engulfed me. My family was there to learn the fate of the woman that murdered our Mother on October 18, 1978. Decisions made in a Courtroom can never replace a life that was stolen away. Read my account of what happened on that fateful autumn day, in my new book, "Photographs of the Heart" now available from www.lulu.com
8 jul 2011, 11:56 , Reageer ,
Over the last few days, I have received comments that my book is not written in Dutch. No, that is something that I would never be able to do. I have given Hans the challenge of translating it, but I think 400 pages is more that he is willing or able to take on. Also, if the poems were translated, they would certainly lose all meaning. I have done my best in the last eleven years that I have been in The Netherlands to fit in and learn the language. It is very difficult, but I have managed as best I could for someone whose brain seems to be as full of holes as a large chunk of Swiss cheese. I can carry on a normal conversation, and I agree, that I do make mistakes, but at least I have given it the old collage try. That is more than I can say for some people I know that have lived in this country for more than 30 years and can not go to the market and come back home with what they need. At least I can ask for lemons and not come home with potatoes. So, those of you who think I should have tried harder, I did my best, and I think that is all that Hans ever expected me to do. Criticism can come in different ways, good, bad and ugly. It's what you do with that criticism that counts. I am not angry at those who have offered their opinions of my language skills, but I do ask that they try to see the language through my eyes for once. Maybe they will agree how difficult it really is. Not only look at the language aspect, but also at the fact that I have faced an enormous challenge, health wise over the last 7 years while fighting my illness. Do you know how hard of a challenge that is when your family, everyone you love so much is 4000 miles away? It is not an easy task to deal with, and I deal with it daily. Lastly, if anyone is interested in taking on the task of translating the book, let me know. I will be more than happy for you to give it a go.
13 jul 2011, 14:26 , 1 reactie(s) Reageer ,
 

Respect

Ignorance is Bliss...or is it? I think ignorance breeds stupidity when the ignorance of the lack of facts allows a person to spread gossip with unfounded shreds of information that has no facts to back it up. Before you open your mouth to spread gossip that gets pulled out of shape, stretched and reshaped like a ball of Silly Putty until it become unrecognizable. Think what that gossip can do to a person's reputation, both personally and career wise. Get the facts straight before the rumor mill is set into motion. A rumor can breed, fester and grow into a seeping ball of puss that erupts and ruins everything in it's path. Would you like for your life to be ruined by a festering ball of puss that was not true to begin with? If not, then don't set those rumors in motion yourself, especially when you don't have all the facts. It could come back to bite you, or even worse think how angry and hurt you would be if such a an unfounded rumor was started about you and threatened to destroy you, your family and everything you worked for all your life. Think before you speak, it might save you a great amount of embarrassment and pain later. Ignorance that comes back to bite you in unspeakable places is very unpleasant.
17 jul 2011, 18:11 , Reageer ,
The ARK, ALL ABOARD...Stayed up all night putting the finishing touches on the ark. Hans has it tethered to the balcony railing. He is now busy loading supplies and cleaning up all the animal poop. Sure would love to see that dove with the olive branch, or any other bird for that matter. Have a couple of turtle doves on the balcony railing, but all they have to offer is a pile of stinky poo. Am not too keen on being cooped up in the ark for so long without my WiFi connection and all these smelly animals. Probably will get a massive attack of claustrophobia. Anyone wanting to jump on board, you better hurry, the door closes at midnight. Sure am glad my hubby has so much sailing experience, otherwise, who knows where we might end up. All Aboard.....last chance folks. It's raining cats and dogs and a few other animals that I don't recognize. My guess is, they drowned before they hit the ground. Where did all this rain come from????????
18 jul 2011, 14:28 , Reageer ,
What driving force causes a Southern country girl from a small town in Blacksburg, South Carolina to pull up roots and move 4,000 miles to Europe to become a city gal? Read about this adventure and many others in my new book Photographs of the Heart, now available at www.lulu.com. Or, visit my website at www.scgritsgal.com and click on the LuLu Buy Now button to order your copy today. What are you waiting for? You are only a few clicks away from ordering the book. Go ahead, you know you want too! Happy Reading!
19 jul 2011, 13:22 , Reageer ,
Photographs of the Heart, One of many poems in my new book.

Photographs lay scattered round

Speaking volumes with no sound

Stories waiting to be told

Share the memories they hold



Black and whites from long ago

Children playing in the snow

Edges torn, frayed and bent

Photos brown in sepia tint



Polaroid’s from later years

Captured laughter, joy and tears

Mother, Father, boy and girl

Poses snapped around the world







Colours now come into play

Photographs from yesterday

Don’t just hide them in a book

Stored away in some dark crook



Share the memory of that day

A picture has so much to say

Captured deep within your heart

Don’t let that moment just depart

Write it down, tell a friend

Please don’t let your memories end.

20 jul 2011, 12:42 , Reageer ,
Spoils of War (FROM PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HEART)

You fought your war long ago



Folks at home are not your foe



That line drawn in the sand

Was far away in a distant land

Let go of all that fear and hate



And bursting bombs that still vibrate

Now that you are back at home

Why can’t you leave that war alone?

You served you country three times over

Don’t fight that war with your lover

We all know that war is hell

And far too many from your troop fell

It’s time for you to face the fact

Those Marines aren’t coming back

Even though it’s harsh to say

That was then, now its today



Somehow you must encase

All the horrors you have faced

Bury them forever more

Keep that hate outside your door

Otherwise you’ve sealed your fate



The ones who love you will not wait

Can’t you see how hard they try?

And all the tears you’ve made them cry

You fought your war, that time is past

Although your memories are vast

You have a home, a wife and child

Why can’t you try just once to smile?

Love is warm but can grow cold

Wither, die, turn green and mold

Be careful you don’t let it fade

Love is earned, it is not made

She tries so hard to make it last

Could the final scene be cast?

We all know you had it rough

But maybe she has had enough

Screams and shouts echo down the hall

As you throw things against the wall

How long do you think this can last?

Your war is over, it’s in the past

God help this Marine to see

His war is over, now he’s free

Demons raging in his head

No more blood must be shed

Help him learn to find his way

Back into the light of day

Take away all his hate

Please don’t make his family wait

Until the day it is too late!

24 jul 2011, 15:10 , Reageer ,
 

3 Hyvers respecteren dit

  • Mia
  • Hans Lutz
SPOILS OF WAR is a poem I wrote about my daughter, Sara's husband. He served three terms with the Iraq Freedom Fighters. He suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks, and fits of rage that he takes out on my family . My daughter Sara, and my granddaughter, Abigail, suffer physical, emotional and physiological stress every day at the hands of this young man who served his country to protect our freedom. Who is protecting my daughter and my granddaughter? I beg of you, say a prayer for my family back home, as they struggle everyday to live with this trauma. My daughter tries daily to hang on to a love that seems to be one sided. As terrible as separation or even divorce is, I hope one day, she can look beyond the love she tries to hold on to and see that abuse at the hands of her husband does not have to be tolerated. I worry every day about her safety, as I know first hand how hard it is to live in such a situation. I spent twelve long years in denial, until I realized that normal people don't have to live in abusive situations. Please pray for Sara that she can somehow find the strength and courage she needs to make the right decision, before it's too late.
24 jul 2011, 15:25 , Reageer ,
 

3 Hyvers respecteren dit

  • Mia
  • Hans Lutz