I have taken many Adcock Family and relatives images over the decades from various Adcock Family Reunions and events, however many of those images have suffered the effects of bad mounting in photo albums using acetate type photo inserts and of course taking pictures using the Polaroid cameras which do fade badly over time as do many color photographs.  Many of the images posted here has the name and year the picture was taken on the file name tag which will be displayed in your browser address bar.  I took thousands of slides using a Nikon F2AS 35mm camera and many ended up slightly out of focus due to having to manually focus through the lens and my vision was off just enough to cause many to be slightly out of focus when viewed full screen.  Most of the early black and white photos were scanned from one of Bernice Talent's photo albums by permission and should have scanned each individual photo but created collages out of them.  As with most things,  there is a learning curve and we do learn from our mistakes and definitely made many while picture taking.  I have a much better set-up today for my hobby photography and our son Bill, Jr. is my resource when I run into difficult technical issues and he hasn't let me down yet....grin if you must.  Yes, I am very proud of him, our daughters and grand children.

Below are thumbnail pixs not in any specific year or event but in alphabetical order by name.  The below pixs are by no means the only ones taken but those that were grouped from various CDs and hard drives several years back because I was experiencing hard drive troubles on our main computer and placed these images on one single CD for back-up purposes.  These images are suitable for screen viewing only and do not make a quality print due to their reduction in pixel size quality for web viewing:

In summation, it is amazing how many photographic images we accumulate over decades of time.  I have many, many CDs and DVDs of images taken and a good portion of the early prints were scanned and digitized when the digital technology became of age. 

While resizing and uploading these pictures, I can truly say from the depth of my heart, spirit and soul that my Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law, Nellie and Henry Adcock were the best any Son-in-Law could hope to ever have and know.  I always called my Mother-in-Law Sister Adcock and she had the kindest, most wonderful spirit and gentle demeanor and was a very tender and caring person.  When Joyce and myself told Sister Adcock (her Momma) that we had eloped and were married; this was her reply to me, "Of all the boys she has ever brought home, I would rather she have you than any of them."  I have heard many refer to Sister Adcock as a Saint and it certainly applies to her.  While working with what few images I did have of her, I could almost feel and sense how tired she physically was and it is very understandable having to maintain such a large household and cook three meals a day for up to 17 people.  I can't begin to comprehend and imagine how one could do that and it certainly helped to shorten her life no doubt.  My bride has described to me how she managed their household with such great efficiency, never complained and she was a very organized person for sure.  My bride mentions of her often and I certainly loved her as well.

I probably got to know Henry aka Brother Adcock about as well as some of his own children and he was a hard man on me while courting my bride to be and laid down some strict ground rules like shaving my beard off and wearing long pants and shirts with sleeves when I came to his home.  Over the years, I witnessed Henry mellow out quite a lot and he was fervent in his Love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and never missed an opportunity to witness about the Lord.  I am sure this had a positive influence in turning my own personal life around as well.  I thought Henry to be a religious fanatical at first, but soon realized that it wasn't as bad as I had perceived because I didn't really know and understand the man inside whereas initially, I didn't make the effort to do so.  

Henry wasn't perfect as no one is in this life and one of his own children referred to him as being a Pharisee, meaning he was harder on others than himself.  Henry's past rendered some hard feelings within his own immediate family (a couple) that has not let the past go, but one cannot live in the past, but truly learn from it in a positive way moving forward in the Lord!   The word forgiveness comes to mind.

Henry was one true Christian to the faith and he was like a second Dad to me.  We shared a tremendous amount of quality time fishing and some hunting way back in the 1970s and throughout the 1980s and probably took more pictures of him fishing than anyone else.  I respected and loved Henry, because I got to know and understand the person inside and got beyond the tough, hard exterior shell that some people saw from the past and I felt Henrys love in return!  Again, I cannot comprehend the resources necessary to provide for such a large family and he worked two full time jobs back to back for many years in order to do so.

Many of us in the Adcock family are reaching the age where our time is getting much shorter and life is moving by seemingly at a much more accelerated and rapid pace, but time is continuous in duration and speed.   Looking through the images posted here, many have already departed to the next life to be with our Lord and Savior and the Cycle of Life continues, but does leave a void in our hearts for our love ones that have gone on before us. 

VALUABLE LIFE LESSONS LEARNED

Over the decades, I have learned many valuable life lessons and one in particular to not live or dwell in the past, but certainly be aware of where I came from and go back there in my mind’s eye, to reflect on the good and positive events experienced and values taught and try and diminish the negative things and hold no grudges or malice against anyone because you are only hurting yourself.  I wrote a short story titled, Does The Past Change and the past does not change, but we must move forward from the past regardless of the positive or negative images and experiences imprinted within our brain even though this may sound paradoxical to some.  Psychologists and Psychiatrists attempt to use the past to justify and rationalize the abnormal behavioral actions of someone today, but each individual have the ability (conscience) to make their own choices unless some mental disease inhibits the process or as the Apostle Paul referred to in 1 Timothy 4:2, "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" which is horrendous since that person's conscience is literally burned out leading ultimately to eternal spiritual damnation.  There are those that cling to the past as part of their own self rationalization to justify the negative things they do to others in order to maintain a clear conscience for their actions, but that leads to a burned out conscience since they see no wrong in their actions.  There probably is no one that hasn't felt they have been wronged by someone or something that someone has said to you, done to you or to others, but all that is water over the dam and/or water under the bridge.  People that allow the past to create and manifest grudges, ill will and malice and will not forgive others because they were wronged or thought so in their own mind cannot be expected to be forgiven by Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior either.  Actions truly speak louder than words and lip service only has no value, respect or merit to me personally.  I do not respect such people, but I will not disrespect them.  My solution is to avoid them as much as possible and uplift them in daily prayer.  We all will reap what we sow and if not in this life, the life to come.  I am certainly "preaching" to myself and others in this paragraph!  I personally realize it is much easier said than done, but praying for those that have wronged you is the only answer and antidote and certainly not exercising any form of malice.   Romans 12:19 & 20 is a good place to start.  Amen.

GALATIANS 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap.

In closing, "Two Of The Greatest Ships That Ever Sailed:  Friendship and Fellowship."

I feel blessed to be a part of the Adcock family!

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter 07-04-13, 09-11-15 and updated on 07-08-19.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE