Isaiah in the water world

 

Aidan in the midst of mirrored images

 

My newest photo prop at work.

 

The background is the back door to Jerome, Arizona, an old copper mining town. The scenery is breathtaking but doesn't compare to the winning smiles of two of the cutest grandsons in the world. We have five other handsome grands in our treasury.

 

Our eldest daughter, Sheryl and husband, Don, cooperating with the person behind the lens.

 

At St. Joseph's Shrine Isaiah and Aidan take a break from the sun under a jutting umbrella

 

Doctor Camerena after he worked us both over pretty good. Nice guy and very gentle. The white guy in the pic wants to show off his new smile.

 

 

When my mother would shop for a dress, my dad would tell her she could buy any color as long as it was black. Tree....apple.....tree apple.....tree apple.

 

Those were some pretty big trees. How did this all happen? Was it the great flood. That is my only deduction.

 

The pic I wasn't supposed to take. I do hope it is realized that it was taken with great respect for a mission that has served Indians in their worship to the one true God for over three hundred years. I can't express the feeling I had while inside this small sanctuary. It was like living a history in micro moments.

 

GPa and the twelve year old grandson, Isaiah
I think this was one of Isaiah's favorite visits. He seems intriqued by petrified wood. It was pretty impressive.

 

Pa and Ma Kettle at the Grand Canyon

Home Hot Home

Lazy day......we arrived home around midnight......don't have much spunk today. I visited my parents and daughter and children this morning. The rest of the day has been spent snoozing and reading. Not much into anything today. Hopefully, energy will resume tomorrow and I can tackle a yard much in need of everything....weeding, watering, trimming....etc. I couldn't believe that some weeds had outgrown the very plants they were trying to overtake. Our lawn looks like it is dead. Coming home from vacation in the middle of the summer is always trying. I will say that Lynette, with whom the future of my potted plants was left, did a good job of keeping those watered. She said they had gotten no rain at all and depended on her watering. They have grown tremendously. Just before we departed, I broke a stem and leaflet off a potted plant, stuck it in a glass of water and hoped to see progress when I returned. The bottom of that little stem is full of roots and ready to be planted in its own pot. Fun how that happens..

The heat here is oppressive. I would take the dry Arizona summer heat any day of the week compared to this humid sizzling air. I had better get over it, though, since this is the place of my home and family. My daughter told me that this weekend is to be the hottest of the year here in northwest Indiana. Oh, great....

Yesterday we filled up our tank with gas the price of anywhere from 3.69 to 3.51. Funny how as soon as we drove over into Illinois, the price shot up thirty five cents or more. What have we done to deserve such high prices in comparison to what they pay in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas? While that is an embittered thought, I just don't understand.

I sound like a grumpy old woman today. Heat, humidity, weeds, dried up lawn, and high gas prices will do that to one. Isn't it fun coming home from vacation? I told you I wasn't in any hurry.

Motels..........

Second day of travel today....headed home....it will be good but I can't say I'm dying to get there. We are on the west end of Amarillo, Texas. We stopped about nine thirty last night. The motel is lacking and I'm kind of grossed out but trying not to let the man of my house think I'm grossed out. He has already suspected it but I really am trying to be a good girl and not a spoiled snob. All the other motels we stayed in were nice......not fancy but nice....clean and had towels that had some beef to them. I decided not to wash my hair this morning because that piece of limp turkish cloth couldn't have dried my body as well as my hair. I keep telling myself this is only for a few hours. Sle.pt on my own pillow, wrapped my own afghan around me and walked with shoes every time I got out of bed. The man of the house calls me paranoid. So be it.

I remember the way my mother was when looking for a motel. We traveled often as a family when I was a kid. When we pulled up to take a motel for the night,
Mom would get out and tell the proprietors that she wanted a look at the room. If it met her standard, we stayed, if it didn't, we were on the road again. So you wonder where I get my motel/hotel snobbery? Tree/apple My dad put up with my mother's testiness over a place to lay her head. My husband has no patience for putting up with my feelings over this issue. As long as the place isn't totally gross, he doesn't mind. He also doesn't notice, water stained box springs, stains on towels and wash cloths, mold between the tile around the bathroom and hair lying on the bathroom floor. YUKKKKKKKK.

So, as with all other adventures in life.....not everything can be perfect. It has been almost perfect...just not quite. Happy trails.....

Sunday Morning in Phoenix 2

Sunday morning and all are getting ready for worship. The son in law had bacon and eggs ready for us when we walked in from our morning sit on the patio. Tough life, uh? This could be our last day here. It seems like it is time to go though we would stay longer if we could. Too many people involved in our lives to just stay.....we have had a wonderful time here and enjoyed the weather tremendously. There was one day that it was hot enough for us to stay indoors but the rest of the time, we soaked in the rays and enjoyed the pool. I haven't swam every day for many years.....it was delightful....especially those dips under the stars. I will miss it.

Yesterday, we made a road trip up in the north part of the state. We visited Wickenburg, Yarnell, Prescott, Prescott Valley and Jerome. Yarnell is the site of St. Joseph's Shrine. The stations of the cross are built into the side of the mountain culminating with the crucifixtion at the top. It was built in l934. It was dedicated to WW1 vets and then later after the war, the WW2 vets were added. It was moving.

We took a look at two Airstreams on our way. Interesting. We learned much through that experience. One thing I learned is that I do not want a 31 foot trailer. I'm not into driving a semi. Give me something smaller. BUT, I will say the thing was very spacious and I could even invision entertaining in that thing. That is not an option in our little 19 foot Avion. Any entertaining would need to be under the awning in the great out of doors. Can't wait to get home to get that little puppy finished.

Jerome was delightful as usual. I especially enjoyed the shops that sold works of art rather than junk from China. We ran across a shop that specialized in kaleidoscopes. They got me. (Kendra, the lady knew all about photographing with them and taught me soooooo much, can't wait to share with you). I came away with much more knowledge than when I walked in the door. I will always remember that salesperson.....she knew her stuff and did not push her product but offered it with enthusiasm and proved its capabilities.

We ate in a lovely place called Gurley Grill in Prescott. They had the best sweet potato fries. Ymmmmmmmmm. There was a street festival going on and we happened to catch a old west street fight. Fun.

Twas a delightful day.

Dental Work Complete For Now

Yesterday was D day, that is Dentist day. We had a nine o;clock appointment so had to rise at four o'clock and travel the three and a half hours it takes to get there. We were there at ten minutes before nine but we came to a locked door. They got there sort of on time but I did have to smile about that. I got to be in the chair first. I thought most of my work was already complete. Think again. Two and a half hours later, I finally got to shut my mouth and get out of that chair, Even then, I had one more crown to be put on but we had to wait for the lab to make it. Life is sooo different just two blocks over the border. Ken also had lab work to be done as his upper plate needed relining. First a bicycle courrier came to the door and handed the office girl a see through plastic bag containing an upper set of teeth...they were Ken's. After Ken's work was all complete we found ourselves waiting and waiting for that last crown. Finally, at three oc'lock, a gal walked through the door with several plastic bags. At least one couldn't see what was inside since they were wrapped. Then I sat down once more and got the last crown cemented in.

A few things struck me as I experienced this dental work. One, the doctor was not in a hurry. When something had to set up, he patiently sat holding whatever it was in my mouth until it set up. He also mopped up my face several times in a most gentle way. After some time, I couldn't be afraid of this kind and genteel face over my head. Another thing that made an impression is that even the sounds in a Mexican dentist chair are unfamiliar. The music was like one may hear at a fancy Mexican restaurant in the States. Kind of that Mexican guitar thing they have going. As I lay in the chair listening to the staff chat together in a language very unfamiliar to me, I thought of some children.

Many years ago I volunteered for a group called Heal the Children. Children whose families couldn't find or afford medical care for them were brought from foreign countries, housed in US homes, given medical care and then sent back to their homes. I thought of the fear that must have been in their little hearts as they were sent to a foreign country with a strange person and then endured sometimes painful procedures at the hands of people who looked different and certainly spoke something they didn't understand. The work was good and well intentioned but I understand something more of the enormity of those experiences for the little kids. I recently spoke with the gal who ran the arm of that organization. She has since started her own called Hearts In Motion....she said she'd like me to get involved again. I an supposed to have lunch with her sometime in August. I don't know where I would fit in but I'll check it out and see if God has something for me to do there.

The upshot of the whole dental experience is that Ken has a mouth full of beautiful white teeth. He said it is the first time in his memorable life that he hasn't had any fillings. My top teeth are generally restored and look a ton better but when I look at the bottoms, I see I have more work to have done. In time.

On our way back through Phoenix, we looked up an address that advertised an Airstream. Peggy Sue is an Avion and though we love her, we still have a hankering for an Airstream. The one we were going to see in Mesa sold the day we called to go to see it. I'm kind of sorry we missed that one because I think the price was very good and the condition was even better. But....too late. Anymore, when those things happen, I say, Okay Lord...for whatever reason, you didn't want us to have that one. We saw another ad and eventually found the address. This one was bigger, perhaps 27 or 31 feet long. While is was very clean inside, there were important parts missing. The skin was also damaged heavily and would require some serious body work. While Ken feels pretty confident about his ability to restore these little gems now, we decided nada. Nope, too much work and would require too much investment. So the first thing Ken did when we returned home to Sherri and Don's house was to get his nose into Craig's List to see how many others he could find to look at. Since Sherri and Don are interested as well, I have a feeling we will have our eyes open for Airstreams today when we travel north for a little holiday. We will see several sights including Jerome. Jerome is a ghost town now but was a big mining town in its day. It is built along the steep side of a mountain. Interesting place and something eleven and twelve year old boys would like to explore.

Helping People Out of a Pit....At Least Trying

A hopeless early riser, I sit on the patio watching the sunrise over the mountains and listening to the birds chirp, yes, whistle at me, and also sing. I can't help myself...I get all giddy inside when I wake and see that dawn is happening. Darkness turns less dark and soon it gives way to LIGHT! Oh, how I love it. I guess as I evaluate this phenomonen in me, it is a good thing that I am so eager for a new day. People that are bummed on life are not eager for a new day....they lie in bed and wallow. Don't get me wrong or think I'm being judgmental....there have been a few times when I have been the wallower. When I don't want to get up in the morning, I know without a shadow of a doubt that something is very wrong in me.

In this time during the early mornings when all the rest of this household are on their ears, I've been reading a Beth Moore book entitled, "Get Out of That Pit." I'm not in a pit....but I have been in many over the years. I'm reading the book to get some fresh advice on how to help a dear friend who is in a deep pit......so deep that her little life has been at stake. Have you tried to help someone get out of a pit and felt helpless? The chapter I've just read encouraged me......the truth about helping pit dwellers is that we humans are not their deliverers. PTL I've attempted to help various people over the years. One in particular stands out in my memory as Beth talked about how people can rely on individuals to a degree that the relationship begins to be codependency. I called this person everyday for two or three years. Her addictions were gigantic.....way beyond my ability to do anything but walk alongside. I attended counseling with her which required a two hour one way trip one night a week. I counted the whole experience a blessing from God. I learned an enormous amount about patience, understanding that it was okay that I couldn't understand, loving unconditionally, letting go and letting God. I learned about spiritual warfare in a way I had been totally unaware of prior. It was a rich experience.

As time wore on, and I mean wore.....I noticed that it was I that was doing the praying and the searching of the Word. My dear friend was relying on me for all her spiritual needs. I began to wear out. I also became bitter and disillusioned. Lord, I've done my best...she has made such progress, but why doesn't she stand on her own spiritual feet. The deal was that my best wasn't good enough. I can't change a will or a desire or anything. God used me as example, as a warrior, and as a comfort and friend. In time, I began to pull back. I know it hurt my friend.... I was also hurt in the process....it seemed all I did was give and all she did was take. I struggled with pulling away. Was I wrong, Lord? Is this a selfish thing I'm doing here?

Over time, my friend began to stand on her own two feet. There were years where she rarely darkened the door of the church....but I knew the Spirit was still doing its work in her. One night, her fifty three year old faithful husband had a massive heart attack and died on the spot, right in her living room. Chicken me couldn't go,but my brave and warrior husband did. In the aftermath, both Ken and I wondered if she would make it, not only in life but in spiritual living.

I love Jane (not her real name). She loves me. When we see each other at church our hugs are warm and genuine. I think we both learned through this experience that only God can turn a life around. He uses people to encourage and point in His direction, but people will always fail one. The power of God through Jesus Christ is the only power on earth that can move those mountains. I thank him that in Jane's case, he used me to help but I'm also thankful He doesn't hold me accountable for the delivering....nor does He allow me to say I did it. I don't want the responsibility because I am just as helpless without Him as the person I am attempting lift out of a pit.

So, here I am, years later, in the middle of another crisis. A week ago, I was worried that Satan was going to take her life. God intervened and she sees a dot of light at the end of a very long tunnel. When she calls and I hear that she slipped back deeper in the pit...I am so frustrated that I can't drag her up to stay. Thank you, Beth Moore for reminding me I can only point my dear young and struggling friend to Jesus. I can even leave the outcome with Him. Lord, I trust you with this precious life and ask for complete healing in her and all her family members.

Cubbies Bad Night

Well you probably saw the sports page this morning.....D-Backs beat the Cubbies bad. It was almost embarrassing. When we lose on our home turf it is just routine but when one attends as a visitor and routs for the opposing team....and wears Cub shirts and hats.....you get the picture. We weren't the only Cubs fans attending. I was amazed. One can tell there are many transplants here.


Yesterday, Kendra asked if we would consider moving here if several of our family's families would move here. As long as my father is alive, I do not feel free to move away from him. I consider my daughterly responsibility above moving. The man is so fiercely independent he acts like he doesn't need me but then one never knows what is ahead and I want to be near him if ever I am needed. Saying all that, I must admit tht I love the weather here. Yes, even in the summer.

This morning my disappointed Cub fan husband is taking out his sorrows on a game of golf with grandson, Aidan. They got a "cool" tee time of eight o'clock. The only problem I have when he takes off and leaves me is that I am without wheels. When he gets home, I am taking off by myself for awhile. I've been in the constant presence of family members for over a week now. Time to get alone and regroup. Isaiah opted for staying at home and sleeping in. I can't blame him....he has no experience in golf and doesn't find it enjoyable especially when those around him are experienced. So, it is Isaiah and me keeping the home fires alive here at the moment. It is good for both boys to have an alone time and especially good for Aidan to have his gpa all alone. Isaiah gets gpa on a daily basis. I think it has come to his awareness that he is pretty fortunate and there are other grandchildren that would like to see us more. It's become a good humored competition between these two boys. First it started with "She is my grandma...no she is mine" and now is "Gram-gram loves me more...no,she loves me more" and on and on it goes. I told them they were talking smack and to stop it but it continues.

Maxine

Maxine is one of my favorite cartoon characters. I guess it is because she can say things I can't. Most of the time her humor is cranky old lady stuff but there are some I relate to. This one is a keeper for me because of her silver bullet.

Two of my great friends have given me bird houses in the shape of a Shasta vintage trailer. Both were so excited to present the cutie to us. I felt really bad when the second one said, "Do you have one of these?" I had to admit I had. She was disappointed. I didn't blame her. I was disapponted for her. Today I found this cutie of all cuties on the net. Our very own Peggy Sue in birdhouse form. The net says only one remains available. We will wait until later to buy one but I sure am delighted to use her on the header of my blog. We have been talking Airstreams and Avions a lot here. Don and Sherri have been biten by the bug. We found what seems like a good deal down in Mesa. The thought has danced over the computer screen of our minds to buy it, restore it and sell it.....hopefully for a profit. We may look at it on Friday when we go back to Mexico. When gas was two bucks a gallon we would have just taken another road trip...amazing how the price of gas has given us caution...oh.....FYI.....gas in Mexico is over three dollars but not as high as here, BUT, diesel is 2.25. Eat your heart out, truckers.

As I cruised the net this morning I came across a site called Sisters on the Fly. They are a group of over one hundred and fifty women who have vintage trailers and travel in groups around the country. Looked like a blast....and the trailers are oh so cute.

So much for living in my own little dream world of by gone Americana. I had an awesome traveling childhood. My dad owned a couple of Airstreams through out the years and also an Avion. We kind of chuckle now that we say we camped as kids, but we camped in style. Dad was like that....age has changed him into a much more comservative man but in his heydey he enjoyed some toys in life. Because of that, we his children, benefited. . He and my mother exposed us to most of the US. I have always cherished that and have enjoyed it for years in my memory. I almost knew my way to Yellowstone without a map. My dad loved the west. As a result, I do too, and because I do, my husband does as well. I truly savor these moments, past and present. God is truly an amazing Creator and Preserver.

The Dreaded Dentist's Chair

This has been quite a day.....the real reason we came out here is to get Ken's bottom teeth reconstructed in Algdonos. Ken penciled out the expenses we would incur and difference between the cost of getting the teeth fixed at home compared with the Mexican prices. No comparison. He decided we could enjoy a road trip, a visit with precious family members AND GET OUR TEETH FIXED. When we were here last January and Ken got his top dentures, I knew I should get my teeth cleaned but I chickened out. Today, I got really brave. I told the gal behind the desk that I wanted my teeth cleaned and I had one tooth brake off recently that I wanted him to look at. So big brave me, with my knees shaking in my boots, succumbed to the dental chair. When I looked at the pictures of my teeth on the screen, I could have fainted. They were sheer ugly. So, the upshot is that I need four crowns, a cleaning and two fillings. Most of that work is on the upper right hand side of my mouth. Today I had three crowns prepped and my teeth cleaned. I hate to have my teeth cleaned but the guy sprayed my gums with some type of anethesia and after gagging from the strong cinnamon taste, I bucked up and took it.

On the way out of Yuma, about fifteen minutes from the Mexican border, the dentist's office called to tell us that the dentist forgot to prep my fourth tooth for crowning and that we should come back. Ken fussed a bit and after some convincing, Sarah said if we came early on Friday she would make sure the lab could get the crown ready by late afternoon. Ken told her in no uncertain term that we were not going to make more than two trips there from Phoenix so they better figure out a way. They apologized all over the place and said they will take care of us on Friday. I felt a bit disappointed though because I thought I had all the hard work behind me. Ken encouraged me by saying it will be a cinch with only one to go. Oh well, it won't be misery for very long.

Now, my big brave husband, on the other hand, had ALL his bottom teeth prepped for crowns. He was a bit rattled when he walked out after sitting in the chair for two hours. Couldn't blame him......but....he will have a completely white mouth come Friday. Yeah!

So, I say again....it's been quite a day. I'm dog tired....Seven hours on the road and hours on end in the dentist office. Ready for a good night's sleep.

BTW, my four crowns, fillings and cleanings came to 980.00. Thank you Lord.

Sunday Morning in Phoenix

I’m sitting on the patio….it is six in the morning. I set an alarm so that I could get some cinnamon rolls ready for breakfast. I put the dough together last evening and let it rise during the night. This morning I rolled out the dough, added the cinnamon and sugar and rolled the dough so I could cut them into little pinwheels. They are now in the warm garage rising under on one of Sherri’s antique dish towels. My daughter loves antiques…especially anything to do with kitchen items.

I am noticing how different the morning sounds are here in comparison with those outside my door at home in Indiana. I hear the traffic on the street a block away….a bit heavier than my little country road at home even though we are in the “country” here in northern Phoenix. I heard the jingle of the latch of the neighbors gated horse pen. Yep, there is another human awake in the neighborhood. I watched the man guide his horse out the gate and down the path……evidently he plans to take a morning ride.

Bird sounds are totally different here. There is one that whistles exactly like a man would whistle at a good looking chick. As I walked to the car the other night, one whistled and I audibly thanked him. It’s been a few years since I’ve gotten a whistle.  Actually, I don’t remember if I ever got whistles. At this point in life, it matters none.

We had a rain shower during the night so everything is wet. It won’t stay that way very long. Coming from humid Indiana, I’m amazed how quickly everything dries here. Sling a wet swim suit over a chair and it is dry in a half hour. Ken’s suit was left out during the night so it is dripping this morning….it will be dry by the time he is out of bed. There is also no dew to deal with here. Well, there is no grass to collect the dew so feet stay dry even in the morning. Imagine not having to mow a lawn each week.

When things go bump in the night……those are scary times. I had been up to check the dough…it was 2:55 A.M. It was lightening like crazy outside. I crawled back in bed and perhaps ten minutes later, I heard a terrible noise that conjured up scenes of damaged something. I thought of getting up to check and then felt a bit of fear. Perhaps someone is in the kitchen. Oh well, Lucy (their big bull dog) isn’t barking. But then, I have never heard Lucy bark so that was little comfort. I woke Ken and asked if he would check the kitchen for me. (Big brave me) I could tell he had been in a deep sleep and felt a bit guilty for disturbing him. He got up and turned on the lights. Nothing awry that we could see. He asked if I thought I had dreamed the noise. No, I was certain I heard it because I hadn’t fallen back to sleep. As we walked down the hall, Isaiah met us. He had heard the noise, also. There, that redeemed me. We looked again together and still saw nothing out of place. I looked the garage over this morning and that seems to be unchanged as well. It will be interesting to see if our hosts have any explanation.

The Morning After Arrival

It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do for one. Because our bio clock is set to Central Time, we have been up since before six. I've had a swim in the warm water of their pool and together we have been sitting on their patio drinking coffee and just plain vegging out while we watch the colorful hot air balloon slowly float over head. Everyone else is still on their ear....it is Saturday....perfect timing to arrive here as they all have two days off from work and can enjoy relaxing and visiting. We enjoyed many good laughs rogether last evening and reminisced good times and those not so good. It's amazing how reminiscing can bring instant tears or instant laughter. We did both. That time with those we love was worth the trip.

I5 is so interesting to see how the traits of parents are passed onto their kids. Last evening, Don expressed how much daughter Whitney is like him. We chuckled a bit because we know it is true. Then Sherri said son Aidan is more like her. Also true. As Sherri showed me pics of their recent motorcycle trip to Colorado...a smile broke over my face as I realized that the things she thought had value for lasting memories were things that I also value in my picture taking. Wild flowers....I take a pic of every wild flower I see. So does she. Churches....yep...both of us take shots of churches. Sherri hasn't lived around me for twenty five years but I guess the genetic influence carries on.

Don has been cycling (bicycle) to work fourteen miles each way each day. The guy is a bit crazy says I. Yesterday Aidan joined him. Amazing to me...I can't imagine riding a bike for fourteen miles let alone the return trip. Last Saturday morning the family biked to Denny's seven miles away. They suggested they had three extra bikes for the same trip this morning. Thanks,but no thanks...you bike, we will drive.

Sherri and Don will be married twenty five years on August 13. Can't believe it. I remember when my parents celebrated their twenty fifth. Seems like yesterday....then there was ours and now our eldest's. Time waits for noone. What to do? Praise God for the blessings of marriages that last and go on in faith for the future.

The Great Southwest....What an Awesome Creator We Serve

I'm finally back! On the blog that is. We have had an excellent trip...God answered our prayers for safety and joy in all we did and saw. We took our twelve year old grandson, Isaiah, with us. His grandpa felt that because we were making the trip anyway...it would be good for Isaiah to see the southwest and a chance to have a good visit with his cousin, Aidan. We kept the secret until today when Sherri talked with us and said she was going to try to get tickets to the Cubs/Diamondbacks game. I finally had to confess.....but asked her to keep the secret to surpise Aidan with. When we got here we came in and told Aidan to go to our car and check out the back seat. We hope he was as excited to see him as we were to surprise him. The two of them have been in the pool ever since.

It was great fun to revisit the Painted Desert. the Petrified Forest and,today, the Grand Canyon. For Isaiah it was a first. In his words, "If a picture is worth a thousand words then being a place in person is worth a million". Yesterday morning we pulled off an exit that promised an Indian fry bread. As we drove a few blocks we noticed a sign that said "mission". My guys think I'm a bit nuts but I LOVE visiting churches, old churches in particular. I asked my chauffer if he would drive me to that spire in the distance. It happened to be St. Joseph Indian Mission in Laguna, New Mexico. I got out of the car and walked up the steps, took a few pics of the outside and then tried the door. It opened to something that was absolutely awesome. The mission was built in and dedicated on July 4, 1699. The inside was breath taking. The altar screen has been kept as it was originally painted by the Laguna Santerio in 1699. The ceiling was made of logs with small logs filling in between. I found myself snapping pictures when Isaiah bumped me and showed me a sign that asked that pictures are not taken. I put my tail between my legs and put my camera away.....well......almost right away.

I picked up last Sunday's bulletin and read it in the car on our way out of town. I found so many things in there that spoke to my soul. I thanked God that people have been worshipping in that place in the way they understood worship to be for over three hundred years. Somehow, I believe I'll meet some of those people on the other side one day. Won't that be a glorious day?

It blows my mind that this little gem is two miles off the expressway and the only thing that calls attention to it is that small sign that says "Mission". It makes me wonder how many other worthwhile things are hidden from most of us.

Comfort in Failure

Finding Relationship with God in the Everyday of Life

So often in my life I have been reduced to a bag of guilt when well meaning Christian leaders propose the necessity of having a quiet time regulated to a certain time of day. I’ve read that morning is best because that is when one is freshest and can give God his/her very best.

I am not opposed to a daily quiet time, in fact, I am a big proponent…..but I don’t always follow through with a good plan. I have tried without success for years to develop some type of program in which I would remain faithful. Sometimes I go for weeks without digging in really deep. I am not proud of that fact. I’ve been in the throes of guilt when people instruct me to pray for my children and other loved ones each and every day so that they are covered by God’s protection. I have been told to ask God to guide me each and every day so that I’m sure of God’s leading. I've been told to pray over every decision I make.

Something in my core says that doing anything routinely can become works righteousness mentality. Doesn’t God tell us that our best works for Him are as filthy rags? Whom are we trying to impress? My prayers do not need to be relegated to a certain time of day or a certain number of days of the week. My prayers or my communication with my God are at the very center of my existence. It is twenty four seven, not fifteen or thirty minutes a day. The Lord knows my heart. He knows I trust Him for everything and everyone in my life. He knows the sorrow in my heart of the sin that I seem to default to on a regular basis. He knows that I live only through the grace of his son, Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross to pay for my sins. He hears me each day as I praise Him for the song of the bird heard when I awake in the morning. He hears my heart cry of thanksgiving when I thank Him for the health and strength it took to get out of bed and begin another productive day in this world. He sees me bow my head before the food I eat asking him for the sanctifying action only He can do to purify that which I can't. When I acknowledge in my thoughts sent to Him that I need Him every hour of every day, does He wait for me to sit down at 8 o’clock each morning before He acts on my request? He understands my love for my husband, parents, children and grandchildren and promises care over their lives as He does over my life. We, each of us, are in the palm of His hand everyday. He nods his head when I remind Him to allow my covenant children and grandchildren to feel His presence and give them a thirst for righteousness. Do I need to ask Him everyday? Doesn’t He know those prayers are an on going desire of my heart? Those are prayers of my life not of only a day. Hasn’t he said that my obedience to Him is rewarded by giving me the desires of my heart? I used to feel I needed to write my prayers so that I had proof that I prayed for this or that or this person or that person. That served a purpose for me then but at this place in my walk with God, I don’t feel the need for that anymore even though there is great reward in having a record so one can see God’s faithfulness. Those journals were for me, not for God. God has His own ledger and He doesn’t lose it or misplace it. Jesus even perfects it, making it pure enough to reach the Father’s ears. Don't you sometimes wonder how much our prayers need changing to be fit for the Father's ears? God remembers the prayers I write and the prayers I breathe.

So what am I trying to say? I firmly believe in daily communion with my God and Father, Jesus Christ my Savior and the Holy Spirit, my Comforter and Counselor. I do have questions, however, about so much of what we hear about quiet times. Some sit with a book written about the Bible by another human being. Those books are called devotionals. Hmmmmmmmm Sometimes that works for me but, I find routine rather boring, yes, even when it is reading Scripture and communicating through prayer. I tend more to lean toward the unexpected, such as today when I listened to a discussion on Christian radio. It really sent me to the Word to check out what truth was from God's perspective on the subject. I applaud anyone who can have a meaningful quiet time each and every day year in year out. I battle too much spontaneity in my personality. I crave variety. I get it in, but it is usually different each day, whether it is listening to the Word read to me from this blog each day or tuning in to my favorite Christian programs on television, or hearing the Word through the radio station or or or.....sometimes I pray better with the Words of Scripture than I do my own words. I even resort to books of prayer sometimes as they can eloquently express the state of my heart.

At this point in my life I have come to this understanding. In a nutshell; God is much bigger than I. He understands my lifestyle better than anyone else. He knows my heart. He knows my tendency to start with vigor and end in weakness and failure. He also knows the sincerity of my heart. How do I know that? I know that because I feel His Spirit well up within me often…..revealing things He has said in His Word. Sometimes they are words of warning, other times words of correction, then there are those precious times when words of comfort and encouragement sit on the very edge of my tongue and then bury themselves deeply in the core of my being.

If your struggle is similar to mine…..if your reality hasn’t met up with your intentions….carry on in His grace. Know that He remembers we are dust. I believe in God. God is who He says He is…..He can do what He says He can do……I am who He says I am……I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me…..God’s Word is alive and active in me.

Be patient with me.....God isn't finished with me yet. Today's blog is my effort at sorting it all out...not necesarily for you, but for me.

Tis and Twas

Tis. Just read the book by that title. Twas a sequel to Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. No, not the owner of the baseball team....at least I don't think so. This Frank Mc Court was an Irish born child who grew up in a completely disfunctional family..eventually at age nineteen left for the US as an immigrant. Tis is the story of his life from age ninteen to around forty where his story is paused at the death of both his parents. If one is offended by bad language I would not recommend the second book. I don't recall quite so much vulgarity in the first book. I am glad I read these books. I have read Christian biographies and fiction for so long and one can get an unbalanced view of what is going on in the real world. The book revealed to me that we as Christians are so needed in this world...James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world..

I realize more than ever that some widows have husbands and some orphans have parents. There are husbands and perhaps some wives, too, who do not fulfill the role of their particular vow. Frank's mother was a widow her whole married life. There are also parents that treat their children worse than if they were parentless. They do horrible things to them out of their own perverse conditions and negatively affect their children's entire lives. Frank and his sibs were orphans even though he had two parents. My grandmother used to say, "They should be hung by their fingernails." I agree with her entirely. Why society puts up with some of the things we do is beyond my understanding. I suppose that part of the hesitation to meet evil head on is that we as humans often accuse the wrong party. Truth is often very hard to determine.

I'm in the throes of a situation where I am not sure where truth lies. If the truth is what I think it is, it is extremely painful. I just read, actually in the book I mentioned before that intelligience is when one can see both sides of a situation. I was comforted by that statement because that is where I find myself more often than not. I don't consider myself intelligent but I do believe I have the gift of discernment. That often parallels a critical spirit so I have to be very careful how I use that gift. A prayerful and humble heart is the only guardian I know to keep me on the straight and narrow. I try...sometimes I fail....we (I)are/am so at the mercy of God's grace.

If you are married, be a spouse in the way God designed the spousal relationship to be. If you are a parent, be the parent God designed the parent child relationship to be. Let's try not to make wives widows before their time and children orphans when there is no physical need. God grant us wisdom in this world so tainted we can barely see truth. Look to the Word for any truth at all. Actually, it is the WHOLE truth. Twas, Tis and Twill Be.

Boy, were we crabby yesterday. Neither Ken or I can handle those late nights anymore. I found Ken extremely hard to live with yesterday. Finally, I went to bed to get out of his way. I slept a couple of hours and he caught an hour nap in his recliner. We both woke up in a better humor. After a light supper, I asked if he was going to bed early and he said he wasn't and that he felt much better. We talked of the possibility of having some friends in to play cards and that is what we did. We tried our best to learn Mexican train. After we played several hands we think we got the gist of it. Our friends left a little after ten and we both headed for bed. This morning, we are both new people....normally I am the first out of bed but I actually slept until after seven this morning.

So....it is to church this morning. Our associate pastor left for greener pastures in California this week. We will really miss him and his family. Our other pastor is on vacation so we are pastorless this morning. Feels rather strange. One of our former elders who is great at speaking is preaching this morning. I'm eager to hear him. He is a guy that was raised in the Catholic church and met a CRC girl and the rest is history. What a wonderful addition to our church they are.

No big plans for today. A restful Sunday, perhaps.

Only three days til Wednesday when we leave for Phoenix. We both love traveling by car and look forward to the trip.

Faith Night at the Ballgame

Last night was Faith Night at the Railcats Minor League baseball game. Having been rained out the night before, we were treated to a double header, seven innings each. The weather was absolutely perfect and with faith family all around it was most enjoyable. Because our church had sold the most tickets, 180 of them, our pastor was to throw out the first ball. Pastor decided to take vacation now so the honor went to our youth group leaders. Jason and Joni are good friends of ours....Joni is the same age as our two youngest daughers and so they (we) all grew up together. Joni's mom and dad are also some of our good friends.

On the way to the ballpark, Isaiah said Emily was going to sing the National Anthem. Emily's family had been to our house for the 4th of July and had mentioned the honor to Isaiah. What I didn't know was that Emily and her Dad and twin sisters were all singing. When the time came for both event's; throwing out the first ball and singing the anthem, I high tailed it closer to the action. I guess I stood by the gate long enough for the commissioner to ask me just as the family was coming to the mike if I was with them. I answered that I wasn't with them but that they were family friends. He told me I could come on the field. I humbly refused, even a little embarrassed. He insisted and nearly pulled me onto the field and told me I could get a better picture if I stood behind home plate. What a hoot. What he didn't know but I did was that the battery on my camera had just died. I took the battery out and licked the connection in hopes that I could get at least one good pic of Jeff and his girls singing their little hearts out. Eureka, it worked.

The other pictures are fairly self explanatory except for the one of the little girls playing Barbies. We know all these little girls and got such a kick out of watching them ignore the ball game and play Barbies in the row behind us.

With two games, the first ending in a tie and going into another inning, the night got very long. There were fireworks promised after the game but the later it got, I wasn't so sure we would last. Last we did. Our team lost both games but the fireworks were great. We got home at one thirty this morning. My bio clock is so deeply programed into early to bed early to rise that when I finally got to bed (having risen at five yesterday morning) I could not get to sleep. I felt totally overtired and just couldn't find rest. Toss and turn, toss and turn. I saw two thirty and was up a few times after that. But, could I sleep this morning? Nope, I began to stir at six, laid there til seven and finally gave up the fight. I'll try to get a good night's sleep tonight.

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

One Big Boy and One Small Pool

The water in the little pool the kids set up has finally cleared. The first time I set that pool up I paid something like eighty bucks on chemicals. This time, instead of the local pool service, I went to Ace Hardware. They had a water testing machine and when the guy gave us the report that the machine spit out, he advised us to see Wendy for further instruction. I happen to know Wendy's family. They are a very conservative group and I trusted her to give it to me straight. She showed us the chlorine she recommended and then gave us the best advice yet. Go at it slow. Add a little bit of a chemical one at a time and see what it does. That surely is the way to go for this little pool. The water cleared up overnight and then got gold again when we added water. We used the same procedure and had the same wonderful result. Crystal clear water. The pictures are when we had added water and so there is a gold hue but no longer. (Getting a pic of this kid is nigh unto impossible...camera shy to the max.)

The pool is a bit small for our bigger grands. It wasn't when I bought it a few years ago. The neat thing is that even the big ones enjoy the refreshing cool water. The neighbor family just put up a big above the ground pool. One day, the oldest boy there stood at the fence and poked fun of Isaiah and the little pool. Caleb's only problem was that his mother heard his jeers. Oops, he got in trouble.

I don't know that I would want to care for a large pool.....I think the cost of chemicals would be out of sight...besides all the physical upkeep. I will be happy to provide a small respite from the hot sun. When my siblings and I were young, we had an old swimming hole that we loved. It was way back behind the front acreage. Dad had had a dredge come and dig a large ditch. Some of the dirt in the ditch was pure golden sand. We claimed that section as our place to swim. The water was about ankle deep but we had tons of fun there. The neighbor kids joined us and we had hours and hours of make believe fun building sand castles and trying to dig to China. Those were the days. That spot was at least a quarter of a mile from the house but I don't recall my mother ever checking on us. It was a different world then. The biggest threat was a hobo that occasionally came off a train at the back of our property and walked to the house looking for a handout. They didn't prove to be any big threat though I remember my mother had some suspicion about them.

 

 

 

 

A Night With My Parents

Last evening we stopped by my dad's place. Our initial conversation was about their efforts in the garden and their sheer frustration with trying to keep ahead of all the intruding elements. Dad's garden spot is rich soil but it is also low and the flood we had a few weeks ago did a great deal of damage. That along with such a cool spring put the development of his plants back considerably. Not good for the humor of Old MacDonald. To add insult to injury, the wildlife has been devouring many things. Dad always has pod peas much earlier than now but the plants have been eaten down to the stubs. Mary said she picked five little peas one day AND COOKED them for him...Another day she cooked six. Another staple in the garden of the Mac Donalds is parsley. Mary is a great cook and uses parsley and basil liberally. Each year she prides herself in her beautiful parsley and basil plants. When we went to look at them last evening, she showed us a teeny little plant with two types of wire cover to protect it because one cage hadn't done the job. Last winter, Dad, as usual, started his sweet potato plants while still in Florida. When he came home, they were beautiful. Not so any more....something has been getting those also. Dad now has two rows of electric fence around a long row of sweet potatos, one high for the deer and one lower for the small animals. He has one also around his entire garden and one around his roses. It is hysterical.

Mary told of driving into the yard as they came home late one evening recently to watch a skunk run from the orchard to a bush under their bedroom window. Then they had to walk through the yard from the garage to the house and she said that was a bit disconcerning. When they got to their bedroom, the place stank because they weren't the only one that had gotten scared. The skunk had done his thing so they had to shut their windows before they could retire.

Speaking of orchard....note the pics....the pears and apples look great and seem to be out of reach of all the varmints.

My dad is a wildlife enthusiast....he gets that from his father who was a taxidermist and a fur trader......but he has about had his fill of them and is talking gun. Between the deer, rabbits, groundhogs, racoons and whatever else, they are doing him in this year. He told us that he went to the feed mill yesterday for a live animal trap. They were out of stock but will have one in on Friday...we asked what he was going to do with the animals once he trapped them and he said with glee, "Kill 'em". That is so contrary his character that it made me laugh.

Soon after our arrival, Mary was in the kitchen clearing the centerpiece off the table and I knew then we were going to play pinnocle. Play pinnocle we did and the men had a good night by winning two out of three. That isn't their usual good fortune so Mary and I felt we had boosted their egos by our losing. We had a blast as usual and find them so entertaining. Keep in mind that my dad is 88 years old and his wife nearly 80. I don't know many people that age that enjoy life as they do and have such a "go get 'em" attitude. I praise God for everyday.

God's Transforming Power in Evidence

Sometimes one looks at an empty page and questions what may be said today. Nothing earth shattering has happened between yesterday and today in our world. I praise God for that. No change is often the best change. Ken is out golfing...his usual Wednesday morning fare. I went to town for my workout and am back home wondering what to tackle next. We are going away next week Wednesday so I have a week to get ready. Not that I need a week. I could leave tonight or tomorrow and not fret over what I left undone. Lauri and Elton and their kids left this morning for South Dakota to visit Elton's relatives there. His grandmother recently had a stroke and while she has done fairly well in recovery, she is still ill. The kids felt strongly about getting there to visit her. Just last summer as we went through that area we stopped to see her in a retirement home. At that time she was fit as a fiddle. Life changes unexpectedly, a lesson to teach us to savor each moment.

Today, we have another funeral in our church...this time a mother of one of the members. This family's involvement in our church is such a miracle. About three or four years ago a lady in the community, not a member of our church but a Christian, brought some children to our summer celebration. She came to me and asked if I would tell the deacons that the children belonged to a family that recently moved to the area and did not have a home and were living in a campground. Her take on their condition was that there was an emergency need for care. Our deacons jumped right on the need and soon the family had food and arrangements were made for them to live in a house. The couple were not married but had lived together for many years and had seven kids between them, three of those products of their union. They began counseling with our pastor and eventually made personal committments to Christ. They eventually were married with our pastor officiating and my husband and I were honored to be guests. Eventually I was priviledged to tutor and mentor some of their children in the high school in which I worked. The kids became some of my dear friends and I still get hugs when they see me at church. The mom told me that her daughter prays for me everyday. That was a very humbling thing for me to hear.

Chris and Jill have had many struggles with some of their older children who got caught up in disruptive behavior. As time goes on, it appears the family is functioning 100 times better than before. They are in church every time the doors open and their children are bonded with other children of the congregation. It has been a beautiful thing to watch as God has transformed their lives. We cherish them as part of our family of God at Community and therefore, I will attend the funeral for the sake of Chris and Jill even though I don't know the deceased lady.

Odds and Ends

One small leap for mankind....well....for the two of us here that qualify for that title. Ken got the top layer of plywood on the floor in Peggy Sue completed......we also took out the fridge and plugged it in. Nothing...no noise...nothing. So we laid her on her back for a few days in response to some advice we received from other old trailer enthusiasts. When we put her right side up again there still seemed to be no activity. Ken called the refridgeration guy in town. "Hey Marty, do you work on trailer fridges?" "Nope, just mine". So a few minutes of conversation insued. When that ended, Ken said, Marty said to plug her in and let it stand overnight. The thing will not make noise so only time will tell if it is cooling. Next morning, yuala, we had a cool fridge. We even used it this past weekend to cool some cans of soda. We were two happy clams. The next step is to take out the stove and the sink so that a new counter top can be installed. Not sure when that will get done. We don't have anyone lined up to do that yet though we have a contact we will try. The laminate pattern is chosen so this should be an easy process should the person in mind say he can do it. The seamstress busy on the cushion covers and curtains came last week with a sample cushion. It looked great and excited me. I was more convinced than ever that this thing will come together in the end.

Yesterday we received an e message from one of Ken's cousins with some family info. At the tail end of her message she commented that she was sure we already knew about Marlys. No, we knew nothing about Marlys. I quickly wrote back that we were clueless and she wrote back just as quickly that Marlys, another cousin of Ken's had had a stroke a week ago Sunday and was still in Munster hospital. Her right side has been affected and she is in therapy. Ken and I see his family members rarely. Usually, this time in our lives, it is only at funerals, which saddens us. We spoke about the situation and decided to travel to Munster to pay her a visit. We found her in good condition, albeit not able to move most of her right side, though her foot is beginning to move. There is a good chance she will recover movement and we will pray for that. We had an enjoyable visit with her and her husband reminiscing about people we don't hear about much. The experience was a sobber one as we are beginning to feel the pressure of age on many of our own peers. Thank God for health and strength. The ability to get out of bed in the morning is no small thing to take for granted. The ability to see, to hear, to speak, to swallow, to walk......thank you God for the most amazing miracle.....our body.

I'm including some great pics our son Jay sent of his family. The dutiful wife and mother butchering the fish that the fishermen,Austin and Jay, caught and the little sister Jessica that will enjoy the free dinner..