THE BAILEYS' 2008 NEW YEARS LETTER
with ROYCE, JUDY , JILLIONNA AGE 18 AND
JOSIANNE AGE 17
JANUARY. The Bailey girls ended 2006 at the Generation of Youth
for Christ (GYC), in Baltimore, MD. They were inspired with God's plan of salvation
and how they could witness for Him. Then they met Royce at the Los Angeles Airport,
to begin 2007, in the wonderful California sun, in Ojai, with Royce's parents.
We all returned to North Carolina (NC), to celebrate Grandma Wolter's 79th birthday.
Royce asked a patient how he was sleeping. The patient replied, "With my
eyes closed."
Grandpa Wolter was so impressed after hearing Josee practice her up coming audition
piece, Mozart's flute "Concert In D Major," that he wanted the orchestra
to put an extra chair in front of Josee's 1st chair and move her up.
Mindy had twin goats. Judy says the herd is too big (14 goats, of which 8 are
babies).
Worship thought: Christ was treated as we deserve, so that we might be treated
as He deserves. It's only as we stay focused on heaven that we're any earthly
good.
Josee said she wasn't prepared for her audition in the Hendersonville Young Artist
Solo Competition. But she practiced hard and performed before three judges. It
was very scary. Royce told her she would be in the top ten. Josee asked how Royce
knew that? "There are only ten competing," Royce replied with a wink.
Josee came in third, much to her ecstatic surprise.
FEBRUARY. After Josee's 2nd solo Flute Concerto audition for the Asheville/Buncombe
County Youth Solo Competition, (she placed second in this one), she was texting
(Txt) a friend on her phone. The friend said, "Maybe I should take up flute!" Josee
replied, "I'd love to see you try!" "Are you making fun of me?"the
friend retorted. "No." said Josee. "Yes, you are (with a face
that was crying)!"the friend replied. "There, there, now, does your
diaper need to be changed?"Josee shot back. The friend stated, "Uh!
Well, I never.......!" "You never what, wet your pants?" Josee
responded. "Oh, never-mind!"the friend said. "You say you never
had a mind?" Josee said. The friend replied, "You are HOPELESS!" Josee
txted back, "You are wordless." The friend then sent an empty text.
Josee asked, "Is that your brain?" This goes on way too much! Good
thing they have unlimited Txt messaging.
Jillee and Josee do the double black diamond ski run at Beech Mountain (highest
ski run east of the Mississippi). Jillee vows to never do it again.
As we get older, it sure is a good thing that wrinkles don't hurt.
Judy sees a sign: Women are to be spoiled, not understood. Royce says, "What?"
Men are like fish, always opening their mouth and saying dumb things. If women
had a choice between beauty or brains, they should choose beauty, because men
have better eyes than brains.
Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Mothers of teens know why animals eat their young.
Few women admit their age ... few men act it.
If you woke up breathing, congratulations, you get another chance.
A teenager asks a friend if their face hurts. The friend answered, "No." "Well,
it's killing me," says the teen.
Royce's 94 year old patient said she may be losing her memory. "I go to
the bathroom and forget what I'm there for."
Friends showed us how to roll out Scandinavian potato Lefsa (a Norwegian traditional
flatbread/tortilla), then cook it on a 500 degree Lefse grill, turning the flatbread
over via Lefsa sticks. It was great fun and very tasty.
Appalachian Praise, the girls gospel blue grass group (Jillee plays hammered
dulcimer and Josee plays banjo), won two Silver Angel Awards, one for best CD
and one for best DVD (Angelawards.com).
Royce was telling the nurses in ICU what he saw on a friend's couch pillow, "A
closed mouth gathers no feet." One of the nurses said, "The only time
I open my mouth is to exchange feet." Another nurse added, "Never
put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg
to stand on."
Royce asked his patient how he was doing? The patient replied, "I was born
lazy and I had a relapse."
MARCH. Royce's active 91 year old patient complained that his driver's
medical release for the DMV asked too many questions. They even wanted to know, "How
many freckles my grandfather had on his belly."
The only constant in life is change.
"Where will you be sitting in eternity? Smoking or non-smoking?"
Jillee and Josee learned to cast and reel a fishing rod. Good news for the fish;
it was too cold for them to bite. Still, bad news for the worms on the end of
the hook.
Our refrigerator and clothes washer quit working after 16 years of service. We
fixed them one more time.
Why is a room full of married people empty? Because there's not a single person
in it.
"A happy wife leads to a happy life," states a thrice married patient
of Royce's.
Judy undertook cleaning out her roll-top desk. It was like Fibber McGee's closet
(catch phase for household clutter from the 1935-1959 radio show). She said you
needed a hard hat and body armor to prevent a serious injury when opening up
the, crammed full of stuff, desktop.
APRIL.
Placard seen: "If the shoe fits, buy it in every color." Judy loved
it, Royce asked, "why?"
Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
Spring break allowed us to vacation in Ojai with Gramee and Papa Bailey. They
spoiled us rotten.
Friends comment to Judy that Royce always has a smile on his face. He is often
in physical pain from his Crohn's disease but he vows that even if he is in pain,
he's not going to be one.
We caught a copperhead in our Koi pond and gave it the John the Baptist's death.
Jillee played, "Capriccio Espanol," by Rimsky Korsakoff, on her harp
with the Blue Ridge Orchestra, Judy played her harp at The Biltmore House's Festival
of Flowers and Royce played his radio.
Royce's patient complained that she had been to too many doctors. "I've
seen everyone, except the county coroner."
"God doesn't promise us tomorrow, only eternity," Tony Snow, White
House spokesperson, after undergoing his second colon cancer surgery.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. Do the math... count your blessings.
Everything will be OK in the end; if it's not OK, it's not the end. If you worry,
you didn't pray. If you pray, you don't worry. Faith is the ability to not panic.
MAY. Change the mind and the life will follow. Knowledge speaks,
but wisdom listens.
Jillee and Josee played, "In The Hall Of The Mountain King," by Edvard
Grieg, Op. 65, No.6, a piano duet, to compete with 87 entries at Montreat College,
Black Mountain, NC. They won third place (first for duets).
We enjoyed a relaxing sun filled week in Pensacola, FL with friends. We swam,
flew kites and vegetated.
Jillee (principal harp) and Josee (principal flute) played with the Asheville/Buncombe
County Youth Symphony at the Folk Arts Center on the Blue Ridge Pathway.
Royce was going to kick a pile of leaves near our front door, when he realized
it was a copperhead snake (3 feet long). Judy was talking on the phone to a friend
struggling with constipation and ended her conversation with, "call me in
the morning and tell me how it all comes out." Royce couldn't stop laughing, "Judy,
do you know what you just said?"
The girls stayed at Carolina Camp Meeting for a week. Royce commuted back and
forth. They performed lots of music (harp, hammered dulcimer, flute, banjo, piano).
Our refrigerator finally died, no CPR would help this time. We got a college
room size refrig and found that we could live on frozen or fresh food, while
we looked for a replacement. Complicating the search is that they don't make
refrigerators that size anymore; thus, nothing will fit in the space.
The Cardiac Rehab. nurses rearranged the treadmill room (again), so Royce is
constantly hitting his back side on someone else's going back and forward. The
nurses said it was just "making ends meet."
JUNE. Our goats got into the neighbor's garden one too many
times and went to auction, never to return. We like to think they went to good
homes and not for someone's dinner. Later, the rabbits all went too!
During Jillee's surprise 18th birthday party, she is thrown into our pool and
takes her abductee with her.
Jillee got her solo driver's license and with Jillee's driving, Judy cannot believe
she's out of a job.
The girls spent a week at the international harp convention in Chicago, Ill.
They went to concerts daily and tons of workshops.
We caught a beautiful King snake (5 feet long) in our Koi pond. Royce now knows
why his baby Koi kept disappearing.
June is traditionally the wedding month and Judy is very busy playing the harp.
She and the girls again played music at a wedding together; harp, dulcimer and
flute.
One of Royce's patients said, "Having a sense of humor is the only sense
to have."
When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so
He can untangle the knot.
Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
JULY. We had a great fourth of July potluck with over 130 people
at our house. No fireworks at our house this year due to no rain (Texas is getting
it all). The grass is beige and crunchy to walk on. We've replanted corn twice
and given up. Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, squash and beans are doing great.
The dogs were afraid of the local fireworks noise and woke us up at 1:00 am wanting
to come into the house. Our cocker spaniel, Lady, slept by our bed and snored,
loudly. We decided she needs a "breath-rite" strip for doggies or a
doggie CPAP. Skippher dreams, and barks with her mouth closed and moves her feet
like she is running while lying sound asleep.
We again helped with Vacation Bible School with the Wolters, Judy, Jillee and
Josee dressing the part: helping in the craft tents, doing music and skits. On
the last day of Vacation Bible School, the animals again went to church (donkey,
dog, chickens). This is always a big hit with staff and kids.
Jillee and Josee water skied for the first time at Lake Jocasse, S.C. By the
end of summer they went three times, with Jillee learning to ski and Josee learning
to slalom. Josee and a friend skied for seven miles straight.
Royce got the church flowers for Judy's birthday. "In celebration of Judy's
29th birthday," the bulletin read.
Friend Paul, called to say we forgot
tax and shipping on that number.
Jillee and Josee have been active with church events: Operation Global Rain (operationglobalrain.com),
counselors at Bible Camp (in Michigan, couldn't we have found a closer camp?),
monthly feed at the 'mission' downtown and set-up for the life-size, walk
through, wilderness tabernacle
(Messiahmansion.com), which the church youth department
helped with tours, parking, security and Bible studies.
AUGUST. For Josee's 17th Birthday, we celebrated with the 20 youth from
the Messiah's Mansion, it was a total surprise.
The girls were listening to music via their iPods in the car. Judy was stressed
and said, "Girls do you have enough music on your triPods?"
At our annual trip to the water park, the girls did every single ride for the
first time, at White Water, Atlanta, GA. The girls and two friends slept among
the tombstones in a local cemetery on a full moon night. They had received permission
from the local Baptist pastor, who used it in his sermon that week, about not
fearing death with Christ on your side.
Jillee and Josee work at different jobs in Royce's Office. Josee works in the
laboratory and drawing blood.
Jillee takes patients back to the exam rooms and
also enters charges in the computer. With this exposure, Josee decides she in
going into Medicine and Jillee decides not to decide.
Where do we get all of these sayings? Royce collects them all year just for you!
"I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it."
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
I'm not a complete idiot; --some parts are just missing.
Out of my mind – back in 5 minutes.
Consciousness: that annoying time between naps.
Being over the hill is much better than being under it!
Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up.
He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.
I smile because I don't know what is going on.
A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times
the memory.
SEPTEMBER. Judy txt messages Royce "I June you." Royce
had no clue what Judy was saying, but responses, "I June you too." We're
still learning to use this new technology with ‘T9Word.' If we
want one of the girls, we don't yell for them to come anymore! We txt
them on their cell phones, even if they're in the next room. Judy txt
Royce she was going to lay down for a "map." She says she
cannot see the letters on the tiny phone.
Christmas music is being practiced through the house already.
The family enjoyed our Sanctuary Evangelistic program at church this
fall. We studied its many truths.
At the Mountain State Fair, we entered our year's best photos, which
included a first and a third place for Judy, two out of three pictures
placed first for Jillee, and a first and a second for Josee.
The girls start their senior year in home school.
A sign in a store: "Unattended children will receive an espresso
and a free puppy."
Royce notices a hand towel in the Wolter's guest bathroom, "A great
fisherman lives here, with the catch of his life."
Judy went to Hilton Head, SC with six families. They all got together
in the Belk's shoe department, which will never be the same. They could
be heard throughout the store.
Our new refrigerator finally came, but it didn't fit in the cabinet as
measured ?. We plugged it in anyway, out in the middle of the kitchen.
Wow, how did we do without a refrigerator that long?
Jillee and Josee went bowling with friends. They got one strike each
and uncountable gutter balls.
OCTOBER. Royce asked one of his patients how they felt. "Too
weak to get out of my own way."
The Fall, Asheville/Buncombe County Youth Orchestra featured Jillionna
playing the harp, "Concerto for Harp and Strings, First Movement"--Allegro
Moderato, by Vivaldi; and Josianne playing the flute (by memory), "Concerto
#3 for Flute and Orchestra," First Movement–Allegro Aperto,
by Mozart, then at the end of the concert Jillee played the hammered
dulcimer and Josee the banjo with the orchestra in "Fiddler's Stew" by
Richard Meyer.
It has been very dry here in the south and Royce's patient said, he "mowed
the dirt this week."
The girls (with Appalachian Praise, the Bailey Trio and Judy on the harp)
played music for Lonnie Melashenko and the Voice of Prophecy (VOP) at
the Festival of Praise in Fletcher, NC. The Bailey family has a long
history with VOP. Royce's mom (Doralee Shipley-Bailey) roomed with Mary
Margaret (soon to be Mrs. HMS Richards, Jr.) at La Sierra College. Royce
roomed with Jon Richards (second son of HMS, Jr.) and had classes with
Eugene Melashenko (Lonnie's younger brother) at La Sierra. Judy has played
her harp on the VOP Weekend Edition for years.
NOVEMBER. Jillee voted in her first election, since turning 18.
There was only one item to vote on in this off season election-a transfer
tax. It was defeated in all 16 counties in North Carolina that had it
on the ballot.
Every weekend is packed with the girls playing music somewhere, on some
instrument (harp, piano, flute, dulcimer, banjo).
The fall tree colors at lower elevations are spectacular this year.
Nick names the girls have:
| |
Jillee |
Josee |
| |
Jill-Bill |
Little Annie |
| |
Jelly |
Peanut Butter |
| |
Jill |
Josee McGee |
| |
Sis |
Josee-y-lou |
Jillee played the harp with the orchestra and choir, in Faure's "Requiem," at
the Methodist Church.
The girls played in the Home School fall festival their piano duet, "Poet
and the Peasant," by Franz von Suppe.
Our Christmas picture this year has some of Royce's new patients asking
if Royce has raised the three daughters in the picture by himself. Judy
then added, "They must need glasses."
On a return visit, Royce asked if his elderly patient felt any better.
The patient replied, "Yes," but his brother piped up and said, "He
may feel better, but he still looks as ugly as always."
DECEMBER. Jillee crushed her left hand in a go-cart accident,
when it rolled over twice, with her friend driving. No broken bones,
just swollen and black and blue. Josee took over for Jillee and played
the harp for the "Christmas Garland" by Conrad Susa, with the
choir and orchestra at the Presbyterian Church. As has happened several
times this season, Judy was playing the harp an hour away at the same
time. Judy enjoyed the best Christmas season ever playing her harp for
many churches, Biltmore House and restaurants. One restaurant's chef
was Jackie Kennedy Onassis's private chef-Jenny Kommit. Judy played with
the Rosewood Trio at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Training Center, at
the Cove, in Asheville, NC; with Billy Graham (89 years old), George
Beverly Shea (98 years old) and Cliff Barrows (87 years old).
Royce is director of Park Ridge Hospital's Cardiac Rehab program and
their Christmas motto is, "Merry Fitness and a Happy New Rear."
Jillee and Josee again played harp duets in the Winter Garden of the
Biltmore House for the candle light tours.
The three girls went with the Hendersonville church youth (57 from our
group) to Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC) Convention in Minneapolis,
MN. They returned just before Christmas inspired for Jesus.
Josee bemoans the fact that her clothes are going out of style while
she is wearing them.
Jillee and Josee played harp duets in the Grand Lobby of the Grove Park
Inn on Christmas day.
Royce is on call for New Year's week, but the three girls headed to California
to see Royce's parents, siblings and nephews. We feel so blessed to have
such a wonderful extended family.
May all the joys of what God has given us, in Christ, be yours this New Year.
Contact us at: http://members.aol.com/harpists4u
THE BAILEY BUNCH
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