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"Is that your final answer?"

2011-11-11T16:54:00.001-06:00

A very good friend of mine once told me, "You don't have to have chairs for everyone you know!?" She probably said that out of exhaustion because I was always trying to figure out how many chairs I needed in my living room and den (when I had both).

It sort of reminds me of a line from "Sleepless in Seattle", where Meg Ryan and, oh, what is his name? She and the guy she's going to marry at the beginning of the film are picking out their china place settings. It was something like "Ten (place settings). Eight are too few, twelve are too many." They laugh self-consciously and she does that infamous Meg Ryan swagger. May I call it a swagger?

Anyway, my friend finally found the method to (try) to "prove it" to me about the necessary number of chairs when we visited her in New England and she in turn took us to visit with her husband's sister and family. "You see, " she said as her SIL pulled various styles of chairs, bean bags and such from different rooms (on the same floor) of her (huge) home, "people will sit just about anywhere. You don't have to have a circle of chairs or anything like that."

Of course, I have often sat just about anywhere when I've visited people with very small or large houses and never thought much about it, except that I usually look for sturdy chairs or places to sit these days. Too much of me for too little of them. C-r-unch! Not interested in helping myself fall any more than necessary (or making too much a fool of myself!)

I have a rubber stamp that depicts one of my most common responses, "I don't get it!" As a matter of fact, the same (very good) friend bought that stamp for me quite a few years ago, 'just for the occasion'. I have a photo of the stamp just for here. It's a Mary Englebreit stamp. (Ooo, I didn't realize she has a blog. It's been a long time since I shopped for her stuff, but I have books and odds and ends of items with her artwork.)

Anyway, that's about the way it goes with blogging sometimes. I mean how many blogs are too many blogs? I recently combined the Faith Docs and this blog but I still have two blog providers. Of course, I did stop blogging here and move over to the other provider before, but came back for odds and ends of reasons (mostly Blogger folks, meaning Blogspot/Google folks).

However, a few days ago I got frustrated with trying to duplicate a post over here (it was me, not the provider's program). I just 'gave up' and left off blogging over here for a few days while I further contemplated this thing about duplicate blogs. I did say I was going to give it a whirl for a while. I've been over there a bunch today and it feels really good to have just one blog to concentrate on and (try to) do it well.

You know me, I have to make a story out of it . . . I've decided to ask and answer the question, and simply have one blog, over there. So I hope you will join me over there. I've not decided how long I'll leave this blog up or whether I'll delete it at all. But, you may find me over there, on my own dot com.

I'm looking forward to seeing you . . . . over . . . . there!

Dr. B, T, c-a-t, d-o-g and God?

2011-10-31T18:18:00.000-05:00

I had to take the d-o-g to the v-e-t today. They had an emergency come in right before we got there, so, the d-o-g and I waited together in the "big boy" room. While he sniffed every square inch of the floor and the cushions on the chairs, I gazed outside. A nice view in the morning sun. I haven't worn a watch in I-don't-know-how-long and didn't notice a clock in the room. If I had wanted to know what time it was, I could've looked at the computer screen, betcha. The d-o-g and I just bode our time behind the closed door until he began to paw at it. He wasn't interested in the once-in-a-while passing auto. He didn't see the bird that flew by, nor look when I told him about it. After I told him there was a squirrel outside, he just looked at me like "I don't see no squirrel". I had to tell him, I lied, there was no squirrel. He knows that word better than bird, or so I think.

With that, the d-o-g resumed his watch at the back of the closed door, lifting his paw lightly against it, so, I opened it.

Bright and sunny lookout, or outlook?

I lowered the camera more on his level, just mere seconds after this shot and got this shot:

Amazing difference from a slightly lower vantage point.

Turns out we had quite a little wait, but that was fine. When we entered the clinic earlier, the office c-a-t had greeted us. I think the story goes that before they even got the clinic completed, someone had deposited her on the steps of the clinic. I see her around now and then and have been told that she likes to get into b-a-g-s of a certain c-a-t-f-o-o-d. A no-no of course. But, this morning, she greeted me and the d-o-g. Since we have a c-a-t at home, he knew what she was. They rubbed noses and then she went off to a high vista of shelves stocked with all kinds of d-o-g and c-a-t-f-o-o-d for sale. I don't think she realizes her favorite f-o-o-d is under lock and key, or at least out of her reach.

Anyway, it was when I opened the door that I got my camera out because I saw her lounging on the sofa.

She was quite relaxed and sunk into the top cushions . . . very comfy. I got to thinking about what one of the ladies at the Bible Study shared the other day. We had been talking about the rebellious child of God, from Isaiah 30:8-18 and had worked our way up to defining "rest" as found in Isaiah 30:15, NIV.

    This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:

    “In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it."

One of ladies brought up Psalm 46:10a

    "Cease striving and know that I am God. . ." (NASB)

It's a verse that was brought to my heart and mind some months ago, if not a year or so ago. Sometimes, I ponder on a verse for quite a while. Sometimes, I don't completely understand, for a while. Sometimes, it takes a while for the verse to work into my heart and mind.

As I sat there looking at the c-a-t on that sofa, I thought about the story told at the study.   "T" had told us how she had gotten tired from an all-day-trek in a local small town shopping mecca and found an overstuffed big chair that she sunk into and found rest.    She talked about a notation in her Bible that I also looked up in my Zondervan's NASB Exhaustive Concordance. Sure enough, there it is: the Hebrew word for cease (raphah) is a primitive root word meaning "sink, relax".

Considering all the verses we've been reviewing in our study about Jehovah God, wow. What thought.

Sink . . . relax . . .

Given that c-a-t's history . . . where she could've ended up, and how . . . well . . . isn't it just amazing that she knows how to 'sink and relax'?   Don't ya think it has something to do with Dr. B and her staff? Yah, it does. Same thing, there's a calm in knowing Jehovah God that only He can provide.   It takes getting to know Him personally, which means getting into His Word and conversing with Him (prayer). It takes time and effort to get to know someone, to be able to trust someone . . . when that someone is Jehovah God and you're able to believe, trust, sink and relax . . . wow. (It's an everyday and even second-by-second thing you know, but He's got the time and the love.)

    Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,
    And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
    For the LORD is a God of justice;
    How blessed are all those who long for Him. Isaiah 30:18 NIV

P.S. Thanks Dr. B and "T".   Hope y'all don't mind!

Thanks also to Beth Moore's efforts in the study Breaking Free.

A lesson in futility?

2011-10-27T20:15:00.001-05:00

Most handsome redbird.

Back in mid-September when it was still stifling hot, we went to eat at a local Mexican Food restaurant. Outside the window was Mr. Redbird, our son reached for his Iphone and I reached for my camera at the same time and the picture snapping began.

Futility!

As we watched, we saw him fly over to the glass window near the booth directly behind us. He fluttered and rammed the window, then flew back to his tree branch perch. (That's him in the arch of the window from this still capture of the video our son took.) Since he kept up the flying and hitting the window, I figured he was fighting with his competition . . . just an image in the glass.


His other side is just as beautiful!

Redbird, red reflection of the neon sign inside the restaurant.

I'm not sure how many times he'd made the trip back and forth from the branches to the window when I took the above photo. Our food arrived rather fast, or so it seemed, since we were watching him. He's beginning to look hot and tired here. At one point, I considered leaving the booth and walking around the outside of the restaurant to the tree, if all I could manage was to scare him off. However, the area there is on much lower ground than the restaurant floor level and I wasn't sure how difficult it would be to get there.

Beleaguered Redbird.

He was really put out with his fight at the window behind us. I took to knocking on the window (as hard as I dared all-things-considered), and telling him, as if he could hear me, "Birdie! Birdie! Go away!". His typical perch would be facing the window. Then, he began to put his back to the window, as he is in these photos. I think he paid some attention to my knocking on the window.

Finally, cooling down the battle.

As he cooled his jets, he began to perch further and further out in the tree until he flew away.

Isn't that how it is sometimes? I know it is for me, I just fight and fight with something that isn't really there.

"Do not be anxious about anything,but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

How about the time Hezekiah "spread it all out before the Lord" after received a threatening letter concerning things King Sennacherib was telling the people of Judah? Pretty amazing reflections Old Testament and New. Of course, that's because Jehovah God doesn't change! See Isaiah 36-37 for a more complete look at the account.

____

P.S. In case you have not noticed, I have combined my Faith Docs blog with this one. Seems most of what I write about is faith oriented so I might as well combine them.

God's Presence Outside and Inside

2011-10-13T16:18:00.000-05:00

Clouds (East) "in our backyard", 9/29.

Rain showers looking west off the highway, last evening.

Looking East, I wanted the moon and got blurred dots of light, last evening.

It has done some raining, for which I am so very thankful. We need much more for "all things considered". But I am just so happy to see rain and even for clouds that shade us from so much harsh sun and heat we've had this summer.

I really did want the shot of the moon . . . it's the largest orb above the smaller orbs to the back of the photo. It was a beautiful moon last evening. However, when I looked at the photo "as is", I wasn't exactly all that disappointed. Pretty cool orbs of light, huh? Especially including the orbs of light in the side view mirror.

We've been busy with getting my husband well. It's up and it's down, back and forth. There have been mix ups in doctors, meds and procedures. Appointments for docs, procedures, labs and rehab. There's room oxygen, oxygen from the big machine, portable oxygen, and pills . . . and more pills. Then there's his fatigue from the A-fib, COPD (Stage 2) and the pneumonia recovery in the middle. Of course there's the frustrations of it all at times. There's the cat and her crazy meows at all times of the day and night and the dog and his weird fits during a storm or because you moved something in the house, or not.

Oh, but there have been so many nice people we've met in the various offices, both professional and other patients. Plus, it seems so often that the trips have produced opportunities to talk with people, help them navigate somewhere or pray with others as we cross paths.

One can't go through things like this without turning some direction in the heart . . .Bitter? Angry? Afraid? Blessed? . . . Blessed! Yes, blessed. We thank the Lord for His blessings in the midst of it all!

A couple of days ago, my husband seemed almost back to his normal self, after a couple weeks of heading for what looked like a set back, he was recovering and coming through it better than he's been in many months. It was then that I (we) realized just how far down he had been. I guess we'd just gotten used to the downward slope. No wonder I've (we've) been tired!

I'm so thankful for Jehovah God's presence in our lives. I (we) can't imagine life without Him.

Peace like a river?

2011-09-30T15:00:00.001-05:00

On the banks of a river, 2003.

When I was in high school, I heard and used to sing the song "Peace Like a River". It was a catchy tune to which I could tap my foot and clap my hands - or even jingle a tambourine. I always thought of it as peace, coming at me like a river, which seemed like a good thing, for the most part. Of course, when peace didn't come at me like a river, I wondered what was wrong. Then too, I could never really grasp that peace for very long. It seemed . . . illusive, more like a happy feeling . . . as long as you were . . . singing a happy song? As I grew older and life changed, I experienced less peace and more overwhelming rivers of events and emotions. Up. And. Down. Like a river rising and falling?

When we were living down by the River in our busted RV in 2003, I was particularly concerned with flash floods and the river rising, swelling and taking us down river with it. I did not have peace about that situation.   I had seen the destruction the flood of 1997 had imposed on the area my sister-in-law and her family lived. Their pond, ducks, cats, and belongings washed down the road - gone - missing or hung in trees and fences. It filled their home and ruined many things. They hadn't had any rain there, we'd gotten it all up north of them. There had been a deluge of rain some twelve inches an hour in some places, but they got a nearly 40' wall of water that filled up gulleys, gorges and flattened or "ransacked" everything in its path. We'd watched the small creek and greenbelt behind our house carefully as the waters rose during that time.

A lot has happened since 2003, when I made a course correction and became very serious about my walk in and with the Lord . . . serious about my salvation and life here on earth. Serious enough to tell the Lord, if I don't get it right this time, please take me home. I wasn't kidding then and I'm not kidding now.

Recently, and amazingly timed, along came Beth Moore's Breaking Free study, where she talks about "peace like a river" that God offers His children (from Isaiah 48:18). She begins talking about this on Page 47 in the Study Guide.   She discusses rivers, by definition, where they come from and go, and more. I'd never really thought about it that way before! Of course, the discussion of rivers, and peace like a river, is preceded by other much needed topics. (It's a good study, so far.)

Basically, I had missed the metaphor in "peace like a river" and "righteousness like the waves of the sea". (KJV uses "righteousness"). Or in the NASB or NIV: "peace like a river", and "well-being like the waves of the sea."    What I now understand is that a river flows, and as I think she put it, isn't a pond of tranquility. It doesn't stand still, it moves over, under, around and through . . . obstacles. I had been reading the study and thought it about the time she mentioned it . . . ever seen white water rapids? Certainly not a "tranquil" body of water! Huh? Peace like a river?

Moore mentions all rivers have an upriver source. For the Believer, that upriver source is Christ - the Prince of Peace. What better source of peace could one have? I can't think of one.   With His peace we're able to navigate the course and path of life, the bumps, curves, twists and turns. Because life is hard. Lately, with all the drought, and then fires in Central Texas, those hardships have moved in larger and closer to us. Some are just a friend or acquaintance away. Navigating life's circumstances . . . my story . . . desiring to change course . . . and lately, my husband's illnesses and hospital stays . . . life is hard. I've felt the twists and turns, again and again, and I've been holding on to promises from the Lord in my heart and His Word. Bumpy. Quite bumpy but we're still here.   And, I've found peace at various times that I know is not from me. And, it is certainly not circumstantial!

The Grand Canyon, 1993. Obstacles cleared (and left) by rivers of water.

Waves? They are always in continual motion. The source of that peace and consistency? God. Christ. The Holy Spirit. For peace that gets us over and through the things we have to navigate in our life we have to have God's peace. Do we need to pour out our hearts to the Lord? Absolutely, cuz He alone can offer the peace that will get us through anything and everything.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Peace. Like a river. Well-being. Like the waves of the sea. Oh, there is a condition for this peace, and I missed that most of my life as well. I "stumbled" across Isaiah 48:18 several years ago and what it spoke to me. It's like an if-then statement . . .

If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your well-being like the waves of the sea.

But, I can't forget Isaiah 48:17:

This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.

If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your well-being like the waves of the sea."

NIV Isaiah 48:17-18

See also Philippians 4:6-7. NASB NIV

Like I said, in 2003, I got serious about my walk with the Lord . . . about my salvation and life on this earth. You know what I have truly discovered? It's not about me, it's about Him. He is the faithful One. It's about His faithfulness. That's where the peace, like a river -- or the well-being, like the waves, comes from. You betcha I ~~went~~ go through, over and around obstacles. Some big ones. Some don't want to be gone around. Some I don't want to go around. But that's the way it is.

Jehovah God is faithful!

Woo-Hoo! And Praise the Lord! RAIN!

2011-09-29T15:18:00.001-05:00

RAIN!!

(I forgot a photo, so I had to repost!)
The clouds gathered the other day, just over the side of our house.


Taken a couple of days ago.

I think it sprinkled a tad here. Other areas around us got rain. It was good to see them receiving rain. What a blessing!

Today - looking south.

I had heard thunder, so I thought. I stepped outside, with my camera, of course!

A bit north-east.

Slightly north-west, just over the house.

What a variety of sky . . . all at one time . . . and thunder overhead.

A slice of burned up yard and RAIN!

Greens. Browns. RAIN!

It's kind of hard to decide to mow the yard, when the only green mowable-grass is a patch under a tree here and there. Mowing elsewhere is just throwing up lightly layered dirt and dead grasses.

We're in Stage III Drought, which means watering the yard is exclusively by hand. With hose in hand only - and it has to have a cut off valve on the end of it so you don't waste water - and only watering every five days - between certain hours. Or, you can use a bucket.

We've missed our last two times to water. I think it was threatening to rain both times. I'd have been okay watering the last time, except that it was lightning - that kind that is sure to strike somewhere. I've been nearby two strikes (one directly in front of me), so, I don't like to "push it" too much.

All that aside - it was absolutely WONDERFUL to see the rain hitting the street so hard that it fogged up the view. What a wonderful sight. I was woo-hooing and praising the Lord! Thank You, Lord, for the rain.

It's still thundering a bit and we could use so much more rain. I know HE knows that. I'm so blessed by the rain we got!

As I pulled up these photos, I couldn't help but think about feeling spiritually parched and what quenches that parched-ness? Only One.

Thanking the Lord . . . all things considered! (Woo-Hoo!)

Full Tilt?

2011-09-27T15:48:00.002-05:00

By the River, 2003

What you can't see is hidden by our truck. It's only barely perceptible across the top of the RV. A "little" sloping to the right side of the photo (left side of the RV).

We had driven a short and "harrowing" distance from our home location to this small RV park by the River. I say harrowing because it was in the midst of August, in a heat wave which melted the asphalt in some sections of the trip. With a heavily loaded RV, a dog and two cats, we had parked up the hill from the river but it was in the harsh, blazing sun. After several days up the hill, we moved down the hill.

As I waved backing instructions to my husband I also swatted at gnats. Hundreds of them, swarming me. At one point, we had to clarify that I was not giving mixed directions but shooing the gnats away. After getting the location of the RV to the space down, it was time to remove the RV from the fifth wheel hitch in the truck. I operated the push-buttons that raised and lowered the RV, as well as flipped the handle of the fifth-wheel hitch and tailgate as needed to engage or disengage the RV and hitch. My husband would do the driving either towards or away from the king pin/RV.

I have to think a bit about it now, since it's been a while and I've slept since then. The facts may be blurry but the memory of that heavy RV collapsing down on the landing gear on the left front side, the king pin heading for the bed of the truck and the sides of the RV nearly crushing the sides of the truck is plain as it can be. I usually stood back to the side "enough" but amazingly didn't even have my hand resting on the side of the truck. What a noise it and I made. I'm sure the park heard me quite well that day. It scared me to pieces.

Amazingly enough, the king pin and the section of the RV that "hovers" over the truck bed when hitched up, didn't do a thing to the truck. I remember barely seeing daylight between the king pin and truck bed as the king pin lurched toward the bed and then bounced to a stop as my husband had just pulled the truck forward enough to release the king pin from the hitch. The king pin rested way-less than an inch from the bed of the truck. And, our RV sat at a seriously odd angle, tilting forward and to the left. I wasn't sure if we could successfully move the truck out from under the RV without something else (worse) happening. The landing gear on the left side had collapsed. The locking mechanism had manged to catch it just in the knick-of-time. Believe me, there wasn't much landing gear "leg" showing on that left side. It looked like the RV was down on one knee.

By the time this photo was taken, the RV place "back home" had come and jacked it up with a heavy-duty jack and boards. Come to think of it, I think he took the jack back and left us with the odds and ends of stacked boards. I remember how precarious it looked and felt. And, how patient the guy was with my need to have it really level.

Since we called the RV place "back home", we had to wait for the RV guy to make the drive we had made. Again, it wasn't that far from our home location, about 50 miles. While we waited, I let the cats go in the RV and comforted our Golden Retriever. Of course, the slide outs could not be moved and it was just plain crowded in there and all tilted forward and to the left. You definitely cannot run the fridge of the kind we had in the RV without being at least mostly level. And, we were seriously unlevel. So, my husband drove out and picked up something for dinner, keeping us from having to open the fridge (or cook) anymore than necessary. I remember sitting on the stairs with the dog and then sitting inside the cramped eating area with wailing cats and a dog who was now just interested in the Bar-B-Que we had.

Eventually, the RV was "level enough". Not really. That left side is where the bedroom slide is and the head always seemed to be dipping down a little. I'm fairly sensitive to level, unlevel ground. Ick. But, there we were . . . by the River . . . on the first leg, no pun intended, of what was suppose to be our retirement travels. And, there, is the River:

On a bank of the River, 2003

The one and same river that wiped this area out in 1997, with rains that fell nowhere near this region. That flood had caused widespread damage, including to my sister-in-law's family place. The same river that's known to flood "suddenly". There we were with certain "everything we owned", a dog and 2 cats, and an injured (go-nowhere) RV. I listened intently to every forecast up river.

I really did enjoy sitting on the river bank. But it was also an unnerving time until we got the landing gear fixed. How many days was it? Seemed like months, but I guess it was between mid-August and the first of September before it was fixed. It sure felt like 'forever'.

Somewhere in the early morning hours, after everything was settled, the air conditioning blew a fuse.


"The Girls".

"Our Girl" in her summer cut.

One thing I know for sure, our Heavenly Father has His hands on us!

Pour out your heart?

2011-09-26T15:45:00.000-05:00

Did you know that God really does want you to pour out your heart to Him?

(Psalm 62:8)

No one cares for us as God does.

No one can do what God can do.

No one means what He says and says what He means more than God.

No one can change the heart, the inner man, like God can...and does.

Thunder and Lightning . . . Yeah!

2011-09-17T14:42:00.000-05:00

Got a phone call from someone about 30 miles south of us today - they were overjoyed because it was raining there.

Some time later, I heard thunder and went outside. Looking south! What a sight! And it's coming our direction!

As I was getting the photos ready I heard the weather warning on the TV. Been a long time since we've heard that!

While posting this my husband looked out the back door and let me know it's moved in closer.

Lord, I thank You for the promise of rain and am looking forward to rain. Though the coloration at the bottom of those clouds near the horizon suggests bad stuff, I thank you for the rain. And, please help us keep the dog calm. Thank you Lord!

Wouldn't be the same?

2011-09-15T13:45:00.001-05:00

It really has been a long, hot, dry summer . . . full of many things besides . . .

Last week, we had a little bit of fall in the air. Instead of mid-teen-triple digits we were only in the 90's during the day, but wonderful sixties at night. The previously arid breeze now held a hint of cool. One evening as I walked through the scorched yard I noticed that layers of hot and cool air struck my ankles and feet. It was an odd sensation. Equally odd, was thinking it felt like fall with temps in the 90's.

I've so enjoyed the header photo of our dog in the Esperanza bush, but with the hinted change in weather (and I so pray it rains soon), I thought I should change the blog header photo. This one seemed just right. I had used it in a previous post and loved it. As I worked on it for the header, I started looking at it more closely, that's when I noticed all the dried, dead petals . . . everywhere . . . on the begonia. They were more visible in a larger photo, which is needed for the header.

At first, I considered going outside and removing the dead petals from the begonia, as it is now, and taking a new photo. No. I didn't care for that idea. Then, I thought about digitally redoing the petals. Again, no, I didn't like the idea. I sat and stared at the photo and thought more about the summer and life.

My maternal grandmother always had a terracotta pot of begonias on her patio,despite weeds and clutter. She used to tell me about the days when she tended the flower beds more often.

Once again, this year I expected to do more with my outdoor plants. Due to health issues, drought and heat, my plans altered . . . yet again. I did, however, get my pot of begonias and the aloe plant (which I purchased for dermatitis issues) and though it might produce a more perfect photo if I were to redo, retake or alter it . . . it just wouldn't be the same.

Since I last posted . . .

2011-08-30T18:58:00.000-05:00

My husband's doing much better now. (Thank You Lord!) We've gone through ups and downs, this and that, one thing or another lately. A few changes of doctors (added stress) and some settling in. Sometimes, the stress hits after-the-fact. I was talking to someone about that earlier today. You go through stuff and make it one way or another, then it hits, maybe harder or in another way afterwards. Phew! And I never liked roller coasters!

Last Thursday, everyone was talking about R A I N. In the doctor's office, the grocery store, at home, on the phone . . . rain. People were calling one another on the phone from across the highway, "Did you get any rain?" I hear rain is in the forecast, for real, next week.

In the meantime, we caught the sprinkles on the windshield. My husband did the photography since I was driving. If nothing else, the temperatures dropped a tad. We've had record highs, 112 degrees Fahrenheit . . . not the heat index, the temp. Hot. No rain. Little rain.

One evening, I decided to try fixing a salad similar to the one they served at the hospital. Parmesan encrusted chicken breast alongside romaine lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing. Okay, I added the olives and tomato. The menu at the hospital said it came with them. Never saw them. I also added red onion slices.

Well, I didn't "encrust" the chicken . . . I grilled it on the iron griddle. While the one side grilled, I sprinkled Parmesan cheese on the other. Then turned it over to grill - that's the Parmesan side you see above. After I turned it over on the Parmesan side, I turned the gas burner off and let the chicken finish grilling on the cooling griddle. It actually came right off, without pulling the Parmesan off! Yeah!

That's the plain grilled side. Yummy, yummy, yummy.

The other day, we watched a 1964 political thriller starring Kirk Douglas. You'd think, who needs more political thrilling than reality, right? It was a good movie. All of the sudden, this shot came on screen and I paused it to get a photo. Why? That little covered wagon to the left of the screen. Why? Because of this little covered wagon:

This one sits on a shelf above the back windows in our house. We wondered, when it was first put together, was the cover a white canvas? My husband's grandfather assembled the wagon a long time back. We're not sure of it's age probably dates back to the early or mid 1930's at minimum. It was neat catching a glimpse of the one in the movie.

Anyway, with the most recent hospitalization and new docs we seem to be getting some answers and getting things squared away. Who knew we might fall through some cracks? Who knew? I'm so thankful that my Heavenly Father doesn't have cracks to fall through. I'm thankful He catches us when we do fall through the cracks. I'm thankful He's watching out when others might not be. I'm thankful He never sleeps nor slumbers and can steady my heart and mind when I can't.

Not everyone who reads leaves comments - and not everyone who comments does so on the blog where it can be posted. Thanks to those who read, to those who have had us in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks to those who take a moment to comment, one way or another. It's truly appreciated!

Shake, Rattle and Trust.

2011-08-23T12:19:00.000-05:00

: Last Thursday - the CPAP machine.

: Just one of his IV's. Lots of wires and tubes.

Last Thursday evening, my husband's breathing took a turn for the absolute worse he has ever experienced. We'd seen our Internal Med doc that day, he'd gotten an x-ray taken and suspected my husband is now fighting fluid build up due to A-fib. Before the x-ray results could come in, he returned to the hospital. Several days later he told me, "I got to ride in the ambulance this time with all the lights and the sirens." I have to shake my head in amazement, wonder and "huh?".

Early in the morning, somewhere around 3:30, they moved him from the ER to Intermediate Care (IMC), a step below Intensive Care (ICU). While in the ER, I sat by his bed and both listened and watched the CPAP machine pushing air into my husband's lungs while he slept and rested. What a machine, that CPAP machine! My husband's voice was muffled inside the mask, but he would point to it and say "What a God-send!"

: Spores.

You see that little batch of green on the desk, just outside his IMC room? That's a plant I brought but had to leave there because the ICU/IMC floor does not allow patients to have live plants/flowers due to the spores they create and people on ventilators. When I left that day, I "took my spores" and went home. One of the nurses offered me $1 for the spores. No. What was he thinking? It was good to be able to joke around a bit, since my husband was feeling better.

: The cadillac bed with husband is out for x-rays.

While I waited for my husband, in his bed, to return to his room, I guess I just figured I'd fiddle with the camera. His bed had a monitor, collapsible this-es and that-s as well as plugs and power for other this-es and that-s. The Nurse and Clinical Assistants, pulled out trays and straps and removed all his paraphernalia onto his bed for the trip to get the x-rays. It had steering and everything. I was impressed. What a blessing to have these things. What a blessing.

: He was able to have the balloons I brought. Albeit where I tied them was right in front of a picture.

: From the window seat where I was sitting.

Oh, it looked so much like we'd get rain. The window seat is actually more a futon - folds out for someone to stay the night. What a blessing.

: Clouds from our house one morning.

I took this photo to my husband, to show him what I was seeing at home. This is probably looking pretty much from the opposite direction of the picture from his room. . . as the crow flies that is.

: He doesn't understand.

I noticed the dog as watching me, so I snapped a photo of him. He does look a bit worried. I was so pleased the times the EMS has had to come to the house that our dog handled it very well. Sometimes change and strange things trigger his seizures (or his moods, which are difficult to determine the difference at times). Even when the EMS gurney hissed from the hydraulic lift, our dog was calm. I believe he knew, to some degree, what was happening. Although, he whimpered and looked for my husband every day I'd come through the door. One day, he smelled my hand, which I had washed at some point, but my husband's scent must've still been on it. The dog smelled my hand thoroughly and then looked up at me like, "Okay, I'm fine now. I know he's still here."

: From the parking lot, as I left one evening.

: Turning toward the hospital while in the parking lot.

I love looking up at the sky and taking photos. These skies were turbulent looking, yet calm at the same time. That's how all of this has felt. It's increased with each event.

: The heart marks the corner of my husband's regular room.

I just had to see if I could see his balloons in his regular room. Yep, I could. I took this photo for much the same reason I took the other photos, not to show him, but myself. "That's where he is."

: One evening. No special effects.

With all the shaking going on in our world in general - a shaking that I watch from a distance most of the time, then hear about in the lives of friends, then experience in my own life up close and personal . . . it's been rather stressful. I got my journal out last night and started to tell the Lord about it, when I realized that as I stepped into His throne room in prayer, there was a sense or knowing of His calm. I felt all noisy inside and just had to wait a moment.

Psalm 62:1-2, 6-8

My soul waits in silence for God only;
From Him is my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.
My soul, wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
On God my salvation and my glory rest;
The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.
Selah.

What stood out to me most? I mean, besides observing the words "I shall not be shaken?" and "I shall not be greatly shaken!" and pouring out my heart to Him and Him being the rock?

: About 30 minutes later, same general location.

Trust . . . . in Him . . . at . . . all times, . . . O people.

And, today, several devotionals from various people have crossed my path . . . saying essentially the same thing!

Trust . . . . in Him . . . at . . . all times, . . . O people.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie - A Return to Loveliness

2011-08-16T09:54:00.000-05:00

One day, at the hospital with my husband, I noticed the cheerful paper place-mat that comes on the tray with his meals. Several times I've ordered something for myself and sat and enjoyed a meal with him. The other day, he ordered for us. He's the one who wanted an oatmeal raisin cookie. I usually go for the chocolatey things, but I thought I'd try one myself. Strangely enough, both cookies came on my tray. After eating the meal it was time for the cookie. I separated them, they seemed rather stuck together, and offered the plate with the biggest cookie facing him. It was only when I picked up my own cookie and broke it that I realized they were warm. Was it the plate or had they just baked them earlier? I don't know. It was the oddest thing, when I bit into this warm oatmeal raisin cookie a sense of blessing and home just came all over me. Of course, I had to pull out the camera and take a photo of a half-eaten cookie. "I have a post", I said. Although I didn't have the words, I knew I had a post.

Then, I was over on Kathy's Delightsome Life earlier and saw that she's doing A Return to Loveliness, a weekly posting event. I thought, and commented, maybe I'll link in the future, maybe next week if all goes well. Then, I thought, why not now, I have a post. So, here I am, doing this again (see my Pink Saturday post previous to this one). I won't be able to participate much, maybe just posting this time. But I wanted to participate and share what seems like so simple, is really amazing. I think that Jehovah-God desires we delight in His gifts to the best we can, filling our hearts with His blessings and love in ways maybe we never thought possible. Even in the texture, taste, warmth of an oatmeal raisin cookie, on a hospital tray with a cheerful place-mat in a time when you're wondering what's next and simply enjoying the moment with your husband and a little piece of home. What a blessing.

Thanks, Kathy for inspiring me to actually pull out the photo and post it, now.

Blessings - Pink Saturday Miracle Makeover

2011-08-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

I was in the process of posting a comment on Beverly's Pink Saturday Miracle Makeover, when I realized, I could actually post it here and contribute to the event.

We do not realize, all the time, the blessings we have. I was sitting in my husband's hospital room, looking at all the supplies, beds, and staff there and in the hall of ICU/IMC (even the regular room he was moved to later). I was overwhelmed with gratitude to Jehovah-God for the richness of His blessings to us as a country. Later, on the way home, I thought about the blessing of His love in salvation but also for the many blessings He gives us freely, like answered prayer during this A-fib, COPD situation my husband and I are facing. I waited at the traffic light and pondered the depth of God's blessings, something I cannot begin to understand and something I could never repay. I was reminded of a Psalm. In the margin of my New American Standard Bible, I have penned the New English Version of Psalm 116:12-13

"How can I repay the Lord for all His acts of kindness to me? I will celebrate my deliverance and call on the name of the Lord."

And in thinking about His kindness, I pondered how kind we should be . . . and expect nothing in return.

The Miracle Makeover involves Charlie and his siblings as told in this video:

To participate and raise donations please see the details over on Beverly's blog. I hope you will be able to stop by Beverly's and the many links involved. Various levels of participation generates donations from Kelee of Design Gives Back.

I won't be visiting much, being that I'm fairly tuckered out myself, all-things-considered. I'm glad I had a chance to add my link, even if I'm a bit late and won't be visiting much. And, thank you for stopping by!

What floor, please?

2011-08-10T21:51:00.000-05:00

See, 2-stories. Split levels. I'm on one of the ground levels taking this photo. Nothing is "even".

Well, we returned to the 2-story building with four "floor" buttons and a formula for determining your "floor".

My husband's COPD has flared up pretty good (bad, I should say). COPD can be a mean disease. So, we went to the pulmonary doc today. The Nurse Practitioner indicated it's just part of recovering from pneumonia and the flare ups that COPD can have on top of a weakened system. Tough as the COPD is, that was good news, all-things-considered. But he had been doing so good until last week. Anyway, before we left for the doctor, I told my husband I was taking my camera (as if, when do I not?), he had laughed and said "Elevator, huh?" "Yep." I replied.

After getting him seated in the waiting room I slipped out to get a few photos. Wasn't a bad idea, there was barely any seating and looked like a long wait was ahead of us.

I have determined that "Floor 1 and 3" open the "rear" door of the elevator. "Floor 2 and 4" open the "front door" of the elevator. A man walked by and commented about the greenery in the courtyard. I was taking a photo of the above oak at the time. I didn't tell him I was getting ready to take photos of the floors!

At one point, a woman pulling a long-handled briefcase-on-wheels stepped into the elevator. Was I going up or down then? I got confused after she stepped on because I went with her to the "floor" she chose. That meant I had to ride up an down again to get re-acclimated to it. We discussed the elevator for our brief ride. She is not on friendly terms with the elevator, after many years of coming and going in it.

Level 2. B1.

A little bit later, a man (about my age) and his (presumed) father (on oxygen) appeared when the doors opened. I had just pressed "Floor 4" and thought it was my stop. I got out, turned around and followed them back in. The man just looked at me, but his father smiled and nodded at me. I think he had something to say, but I don't remember now. I just remember his smile, O2 and all. Turns out they were headed to the same doctor's office. Shortly after I took another photo or two, I headed back to the doctor's office.

Level 2. B1. We came in from that direction.

They were either ahead or on time, for when I walked into the even more crowded waiting room, the receptionist said, "He's in room 3". We did wait a short while in the room. My husband asked if I'd gotten all the photos I needed. I thought I did. Oh, I did take a photo of the COPD poster in the room.

I have been back and forth over these photos . . . I think I got it right.

Looking out from "Floor 3". (2d Floor, "rear" door).

I was trying to put my finger on the way I've felt for a couple of days, when it dawned on me, it feels just like that crazy 2-story, 4-floored elevator. Doors opening one side or the other, stair wells leading up and down, things going here and there, this and that. I was pondering how to tie the photos (which I have not fixed up yet for this post, which is something I don't usually do), into something to post. Even that was daunting, or so it seemed.

Another "ground" floor, accessed by "Floor 1" out the "rear" door.

But now, it's a bit clearer . . . for I not only see that 2-story, 4-floored elevator in terms of my crazy day but the way people can direct you sometimes . . . you're supposed to do this . . I mean the kind of thing that lack of grace or more aptly called "legalism" can do to a person. What is simple and straight forward . . . "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have life everlasting..." See John 3:16. Just that simple, simple truth, gets spun into a million 'musts' or 'must-nots'.

It's easy to get lost in all the floors and doors. Hard to figure things out sometimes. Frustrating. But sometimes, it really is truly simple.

Looking down from the 2d Floor, aka "Floor 4" . . . in Elevator terms that is.

The verses I've been looking at lately in Colossians are clearer to me now:

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality" Colossians 3:23-25

Just Pondering Some Things.

2011-08-08T18:18:00.000-05:00

What should we do...

When our hearts are heavy?

When concerns rock our lives?

When things aren't going so well?

When our hearts are joyful?

When we feel certain?

When things are going well?

⁶ Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God;

⁷ and the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:6-7, New King James Version)

and

⁸ Finally, brethren,

whatever things are true,

whatever things are noble,

whatever things are just,

whatever things are pure,

whatever things are lovely,

whatever things are of good report,

if there is any virtue

and if there is anything praiseworthy

—meditate on these things.

⁹ The things which you learned

and received

and heard

and saw in me,

these do,

and the God of peace will be with you.

(Philippians 4:8-9, New King James Version)

Previously posted 2/9/10 on former blog

Déjà vu , sort of.

2011-08-08T18:02:00.000-05:00

Faces.

The frog. The dog. The little ornamental bird.

Once again, the dog and I were out watering the plants.

I was filling the "pond" carefully, so as not to water the frog too much.

He didn't show up for a while. So I figured he wasn't there.

Next thing you know, he crawled out of the "pond".

The "ears".

The frog. The dog.

As I reached down to turn off the water, I nearly bumped into this guy.

Different fella, different day.

Déjà vu , sorta.

Between the lines in my journal.

2011-08-06T12:26:00.000-05:00

I haven't been journaling lately, or maybe it is, I just kind of jot some thoughts down and doodle here and there.   However blank my journal is, my heart and mind are full. They can hardly be any other way, generally, I mean.   Yesterday, I was moving some things around the house, from the perpetual domino effect.   I had read my email, earlier and noticed someone's comments about economies. I was busing the wardrobe bottom through the house on the dolly when I noticed my husband had the news on the TV. They were talking about the present situation of the world economy. All the markets are shuddering and falling.   It felt funny, I mean, here I was in the perpetual daily motion (redundant or not) and there's the world . . . tangled in a free-falling parachute.

In talking with someone later in the day, we veered to the tensions in the world, how everything seems so tense. Even if you're not exploding with it, it's pressing in some how it seems. The person I was talking to said she had been talking with some ladies earlier in the day and mentioned their husbands believe the world's economy will collapse in under two years. We both don't want to think about that or talk about it much, it's quite a bit to think about . . . isn't it? I mentioned the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) that used to link our world against itself. "I have nukes, so do you, we won't destroy you because you'll destroy us".   That works, as long as everyone who has nukes has the desire to live and those who have death wishes for themselves and others don't get a hold of those devices. Looks pretty slippery these days, doesn't it?

There's also the economic "MAD", where economies are tied together so that the collapse of one means the collapse of all. I heard a news broadcast the other day where Putin blamed the economic bind of the US for the world's economic problems.

It sounds crazy out there. I know there are people who are above the crazy mark, below it and in it. Those experiencing better or worse than myself. I find myself praying at times, "Lord, please don't let our economy fall . . . many depend on many aspects of it . . . I can't imagine the disaster of it." I know He hears our prayers. I know He answers them. I know that Biblical prophecy . . . the parts that are pending and look to be coming together . . . holds the answer.   Man. Reaching his epitome, just as in the days of Noah:

"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Genesis 6:5-7 NASB

I have thought about being dust, and that my Heavenly Father knows this:

"Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." Psalm 103:13-15

I thought about how God's Spirit will not always strive with man (Genesis 6:2-4; Psalm 103:8-10). The verse in Genesis speaks of the world in general and the verse in Psalms deals with Israel specifically, I believe. The book of Daniel deals heavily with the rise of man. The kingdom of man when it kind of 'knows no bounds'. Prophecy in this book details the kingdoms who have and will rule over Israel and the world. Including the most despotic ruler the world will ever know when it's all said and done. (Daniel 2, 7-12). (See also Revelation 6, 13, 17 for a few more examples.) A well-written brief description of this despotic ruler is given by Paul, who calls him the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Thessalonians 2. How hard-hearted can people be? Look at Revelation 16, specifically the wording in verse 9 "... they did not repent, so as to give Him glory".

These are the thoughts that were and have been circling through my somewhat conflicted heart. It seems so odd to just go-about-your-business while all of this is teetering on the edge . . . or not. With some of those things on my heart last night, I turned to 1 Thessalonians. I was going elsewhere, but my eyes landed on 1 Thessalonians 1:9b, 10

". . . and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come."

Written by Paul, thousands of years ago as he, himself, waited for Christ. Just as Christians today are to do. For

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" (vs. 36 from Matthew 24:32-41.

Technically, Matthew contains prophecy that deals with specific events and times which requires both the Lord's Spirit and studying to understand. And, that's part of the point. What do I do when I think of something as significant as the Rapture, which is where I had been heading, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:1-22, brings both comfort and questions? Why questions? Because there are so many interpretations out there about Biblical prophecy. Everything from "it ain't so" to "it isn't that way, but this way." How in the world do I have peace with that kind of thinking bouncing around? How is it that I can have peace with the world doing what it's doing?

I looked down at 1 Thessalonians 1:10 . . . it's very clear . . . "to wait, for His Son from heaven . . . who rescues us from the wrath to come." (That doesn't mean climb a mountain top and wait or sit in my room and wait. It means to "occupy" or "do business" until He comes back. (Luke 19:11-27 NASB; KJV uses "occupy"). See also Colossians 3 (especially 23-24).

As I looked at 1 Thessalonians 1:10, I thought about Revelation 5 where God holds a book that is sealed with seven seals. Christ is the only one who is worthy to take it from God's right hand. It reminded me of Colossians 2:8-15, specifically verse 9, which tells us "For in Him [Christ] all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form." What about that scroll? I thought about Zechariah 5 and the content of the Book of Revelation, Daniel, etc., that tells me what the wrath of God is all about.

Hebrews 10 came to mind, the portion that talks about how after Christ offered Himself, He sat down at the right hand of God "waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet." (verse 12-13).

From there, I thought about Ephesians 5, where Paul talks about the church (the body of Christ, which is a body of believers from the disciples all the way to the rapture). This church (body of believers) was a mystery . . . never mentioned in God's Word until Christ. Everything always dealt with Israel and the world up until then. Christ's life, death and resurrection produced the advent of people who believe in Him, accept His gift of salvation, His bride, His body. And, what does Paul talk about in Ephesians 5:22-33?

Christ is the head of the church
the Savior of the body (the church)
the church is subject to Christ
Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
that He might sanctify her; cleansed by washing of water with the word
that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory , having no spot or wrinkle . . . holy, blameless. (A believer has that in Christ!)
note verse 29, "no one ever hated his body . . . but nourishes and cherishes it . . just as Christ also does the church.
It's a mystery - about the church - a body of believers separate from the unbelievers of the world and from the House of Israel who is as a whole in unbelief. (The church started with Hebrew believers, includes those who are a remnant and those who are Gentiles, grafted in.)

I'm very good at forgetting the components to situations. I will begin thinking and lose track, think again, begin to move then realize I forgot about a part that means I will/won't make that move after all, or maybe I remember after it's too late. Studying the Word can feel like that, we get pieces and move without the whole understanding. People offer interpretations or insist on interpretations. We forget who the real teacher is, the Lord, through His Holy Spirit. O Lord, forgive us. I can't get very far without struggling one way or another.

I'm reminded of 2 Peter 3:3-5, where Peter says that people will mock about the promise of His coming. And, of how Peter asks, with all of this coming ... what manner of people should we be? "Holy in conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God . . . "

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40
___
" ... and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10.

Meeting the bridgegroom?

2011-08-05T14:53:00.000-05:00

Previously posted October, 2009, on another blog of mine.
I previously posted “Keep Your Soap Dispenser Full”. It was the first half of an email to friends and something I had also shared publicly. Here’s the second half of that email:
_____
I'm always talking about just how many ways God's Word slips into meaning and into our hearts ... this is another example of just that ... The context of the story concerns the kingdom of heaven and being ready when the 'bridegroom calls'. Jewish weddings are in 3 stages 1) parents of the bridegroom agree to the dowry 2) sometime later, the bridegroom and his friends, usually in the middle of the night (unannounced), go to get the bride 3) There's a huge party - a week or longer and the marriage ceremony is over.

The betrothal is actually set by the bridegroom offering the young woman the terms and a glass of wine. If she takes the wine, she accepts his proposal and he goes away to 'prepare a place for her'. He comes to get her when the bridegroom's father says he can go. I've heard it said that if it were up to the bridegroom, he'd go build a lean-to and get the bride. But the father sees that the place is properly prepared and tells the bridegroom when he can go get the bride.

There is no 'set date' for the marriage. The bridegroom and his friends gather and go from the father's house to the bride's house. On the way there, the bridegroom's party gives a shout so the bride, who is supposed to have been ready at a call any day/night, gets ready to meet the bridegroom and then goes off to the bridegroom's place for the ceremony.

The story in Matthew 25 talks of 10 virgins who 'took their lamps and went out to met the bridegroom' There were 5 wise/prudent and 5 foolish virgins All 10 had lamps. Only 5 had extra oil in flasks. When the bridegroom delayed his coming, they got drowsy and fell asleep. When the shout came at midnight for the bridegroom's party, the 10 virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. However, the 5 foolish virgins didn't have any oil remaining and no extra oil with which to light their lamps. They attempted to borrow some from the 5 prudent virgins, but they only had enough for themselves. The 5 foolish virgins then start looking to buy some more oil but while they are gone searching for oil to buy, the bridegroom comes and 'those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast and the door was shut.' Later, the foolish virgins arrive and want in to the ceremony but they are told 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you'. The last verse of that story says, "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.' (Know when to fill 'em, and keep your soap dispensers full!)
_____
P.S. Sometimes, we forget that the Lord used common, everyday things to describe truths. Without being aware of the culture of that day, we miss the opportunity to understand the deeper meaning of many passages. Here, we see a simple portrayal of a much larger truth in God’s Word. The betrothal (accepting salvation); the wine, communion, an act of acceptance/remembrance of the covenant; the bridegroom goes off to build the bridal chamber (“If I go away…”) and only the Father knows, or gives the command, when the time is right. It’s in the details and it’s awesome. Sometimes, God just sticks to the simple things…so we’ll understand. Study! (John 14:1-3; Matthew 24:36; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:3-11).

I love studying about my Hebrew roots and one of my resources for this is Zola Levitt Ministries - they have a lot of printed, audio and DVD resources available and many archived items viewable online. A link is on my sidebar as well.

Now, why do you su'pose?

2011-08-05T14:21:00.000-05:00

Several days ago, I was in this building where this elevator control panel is located. At the time, I forgot to snap a photo. So, the other day, while we were out, I stopped by this building exclusively to get this photo. What do you su'pose is up with me and elevators lately?

No one knows exactly what is . . . or isn't . . . on the fourth floor. At least no one I asked. It's a medical professional building attached to a hospital . . . makes you wonder. But, it is a new building too. Maybe it's just not finished? What do you su'pose it's about?

Looking up and out the driver's side window. Huh? We were sure hoping to get rain out of those clouds that were building up. Interesting tilt to that street lamp. . . interesting angle. Was I tilting the camera too, ya su'pose?

A really neat long cloud and beautiful blue sky . . . rain?

We were su'pose-ta get rain from that tropical storm down south of us.

And, who do you su'pose put those cows in that field? And, why do you su'pose they did that?

They are not real. That's not su'posing that's a fact.

Ya su'pose I shoulda gone down the feeder road to get a better photo?

That's what I wanted to do the other day while we were out.

Get a photo of that elevator control panel . . . and these cows.

I su'pose I accomplished what I set out to do.

It did rain later - but not much.

Still, it rained.

It was our watering day again.

There's not that kind of hill here.

How do you su'pose my husband was holding the camera?

I su'pose I'll have to drive that way again and check it out,

maybe take better photos,

stop and ask someone about the cows.

I su'pose.

Maybe someday I'll find out what's on that fourth floor?

I su'pose.

Keep your soap dispenser full.

2011-08-04T16:59:00.000-05:00

Previously posted October, 2009 on one blog, and possibly in 2007 on one of my other blogs.

This is something I wrote to friends and shared publicly some time back:

I was thinking about some discussions as I was pouring liquid soap from the 'big' refill container into the smaller pump dispensers in the kitchen and both bathrooms. Breaking away from my inefficient self not long ago, or maybe breaking back into the efficient self I have been known to be, I had taken up filling all three dispensers when the kitchen dispenser starts to drop below half-full. I had gotten tired of running out and needing soap. I had been doing this one day when the Lord quickened my thoughts about the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 and the oil. In the Old Testament, oil often represents the Holy Spirit. I had realized that day just how important it is to stay full of the Holy Spirit through prayer, worship, singing, fellowship and studying. However, tonight I found myself thinking about it again as I refilled the first dispenser.

Our discussions this evening involved having problems or knowing people with problems and wanting to help. I got to thinking about how much God's Word makes us ready for 'anything'. It may not seem like His Word makes sense sometimes, but when you read it, it's there for the Holy Spirit to utilize in teaching you or helping you at a moment's notice. If we understand, as Paul states in Ephesians, that our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against rulers and the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places; then, we also understand the true need to 'take up the full armor of God', which includes the "sword of the Spirit" which is the Word of God. That sword of the Spirit is there to do some heavy duty fighting for us when we least expect it. However, we've got to take the preparations of getting the Word into our hearts, like that soap into the dispensers, in order to 'have it when we need it'. When we face that 'choice' that seems tough, the Holy Spirit will quicken us with His Word or a thought concerning the Word. The more we digest God's Word, the more bite in that sword of the Spirit!

_____

P.S. Not long ago I came to realize that what I had thought was part of the armor for fighting the powers and principalities is really for fighting that old sin nature, the old self, 'the other enemy' we battle, within. It’s outlined in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. Either way, the same preparation is needed.

Work out your own salvation?

2011-08-03T16:57:00.000-05:00

Previously posted on one of my other blogs January, 2010:

Today, more than ever, I realize, I must “work out my own salvation”. (Philippians 2:12).

What I know is this: God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, abide in me. The Holy Sprit teaches me. I am not an orphan - I am not alone. And, I have the very same Holy Spirit in me, who ‘inspired the writer’s’ of God‘s Word. If I am to “walk in the Spirit”, then there must be ‘something’ leading me, in general…in order to ‘not “fulfill the lust of the flesh’. I have to hear and obey the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:16).

As I was making my way to Galatians 5:!6, I saw 3:23 and felt I needed to go back to it. Here is the NASB version, only I have formatted the sentences for emphasis:

“But before faith came,
we were kept in custody
under the law,
being shut up to the faith,
which was later to be revealed.
Therefore
the Law has become our tutor
to lead us to Christ,
that we may be justified
by faith.
But now that faith has come,
we are no longer under a tutor.
For you are all
Sons of God
through faith
in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is nether slave nor free man,
there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s offspring,
heirs according to promise.”

(Galatians 3:23-29. WOW !)

That is awesome.

Now here comes the hard part, believing God.

P.S. According to a notation in my NASB Bible, "tutor" is literally "child-conductor". And so, I think about what the Law did, and what the Holy Spirit does.

What to do? What to do?? What to do!?

2011-08-02T16:55:00.000-05:00

I've been going through posts from my previous blogs. This one is from September, 2009.

In early summer of 2004, I was pondering what to do. More like ‘what-to-do?… what-to-do??… what-to-do!?’ about things in our life, I heard this small voice in my heart, which said: “Matthew 6:33. Joshua 4:7. James 5:8.”

I thought about it. I knew, without doubt, what Matthew 6:33 said. I thought I knew what Joshua 4:7 and James 5:8 said. I thought about it, and knew I wasn’t sure of the last two. “Unless you look it up, you won’t know.” I heard in my heart.

I finally agreed and went to get my Bible to check things out. The voice in my heart spoke again: “Look them up in the order I gave them to you.” Okay, I replied in my heart.

Since I knew what Matthew 6:33 said, I was tempted to just look at it and go to the next one. “Read them all the way through.” Okay, I responded and did. Sure enough, Matthew 6:33 was the verse I thought it was, “seek ye first the kingdom of God…”

The other two verses were not what I thought. I had thought that the content would be what is written in Joshua 1:8 and 1 Peter 5:8. I had almost relied on things I remembered. I was glad I checked them out. I ended up reading verses before and after the verses given to me, in order to work in context and especially to understand Joshua 4:7.

(Matthew 6:33) We’re not to worry or be anxious about the things that the world gets worried or anxious about. Those things we have need of, God knows about. And He provides. Our attention needs to be on seeking Him, not worrying.

(Joshua 4:7) When the children of Israel came to the Jordan to cross it, it’s banks were flooding. It was believing God and obedience that got them across. As instructed, the priests got the ark and put their feet in the water. It was then that God parted the river for them to cross. There were a lot of people crossing that widely parted river, just those who crossed before the sons of Israel numbered 40,000. (Joshua 3:15-17, 4:8-14). The reason for gathering the stones is given to us in Joshua 4:19-24. It echoes the same thing as said in Deuteronomy 4, don’t forget what God has done for you! Pass it on! When we forget, we go astray.

(James 5:8) We’re told to be patient and strengthen our hearts, because He’s coming back soon. This coupled with something else God had given me the year before, that I had failed to see certain results in my life because I had indeed, failed to study. (2 Timothy 2:15). The ‘being patient’ part of this verse surprised me. Doesn’t surprise me now, though. A lot has changed and happened just since 2004.

In brief, the Lord was telling me, and I remind myself quite often, that I’m

to seek Him first;
don’t forget what He’s done for me;
and be patient, because He’s coming soon...

Scarin' up critters.

2011-08-02T10:46:00.000-05:00

I filled the bucket and he surfaced through this hole.

As it filled, I noticed he was pushing against the opening in the rock.

"Oh no!" I said to the frog, "Don't you know you're too big for that hole?"

I quit filling the bucket and moved on, I'd be back to check on him in a minute.

I forget that when I water the plants, there's always a splash of green

with the water, from plant-to-plant.

The chameleon.

See him? His face is in the middle, deep in the background.

His tail is alongside the Aloe Vera spikes, in the foreground.

He is in the midst of changing colors.

Blending in.

This guy splashed over three plants to land here.

He made it out of the rock

and is working on an exit through the back door of "the pond".

I let him out to 'catch the train' and help me water the plants.

That's his "ticket", in his mouth.

It also serves to water the plants.

(Keeps him off the garden hose.)

He's now back into supervising.

Outdoors.

5 minutes, 2-3 times a day.

No leash.

Supervised.

. . .Don't tell him that . . .

___

I'm pondering things here.

Psalm 37:3-6 comes to mind, yet again.

Trust in the LORD and do good;

is that really so easy to do - when things feel like they are drowning us?

Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

when people change colors and confuse us or startle or scare us?

even it it's sometimes, ourselves?

Delight yourself in the LORD;

in the midst of everything?

in the midst of whatever?

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

what are the desires of my heart? i know He knows the intent of my heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,

and not get thrown off course by anything or whatever?

Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

do I believe Him in this regard, that He will do it?

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

the reward of following through with the verbs, the commands.

trust . . . dwell . . . delight . . . commit . . . trust

One other thing came to mind, actually while I was watering the frog . . .

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. "

1 Corinthians 10:12-14 NASB

coupled with

“Ask, and it will be given to you;seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"

Matthew 7:8-11 NASB

Don't be shaken . . . trust God.

2011-08-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

Going through old posts from previous versions of my blogs, I found the following post. It's more relevant today than when I wrote and posted it, September, 2009:

Yesterday, I was sitting at the table in the kitchen, thinking about the world-at-large. So much of what is going on seems so surreal. Some of the headlines in the world are point-on in Biblical prophecy (like Ezekiel’s 2500 year old prophecy about there being ties between Russia and Iran). Other things seem to fill-in-the-blanks of perhaps how the one-world government (as told about in Daniel and Revelation) will come into power.

I’m not alone in my concern and curiosity. Daniel had read what Jeremiah had prophesied, and petitioned God that he would understand what it all meant. The Disciples asked Jesus about His coming kingdom and the end. Paul told and retold the people of Thessalonica what it all meant too. John was given details that expanded upon what Daniel had been given, so we would know.

And then, there’s everyday opinions and facts to weigh out …

As I pondered these things, from within my heart I heard the quiet still voice of God’s Spirit telling me “Do not be shaken by what you hear and see." But instead, to "Trust Him.”

Later in the day as I listened to more news and started to get a little drawn into it, feeling a little overwhelmed, I remembered what I had heard in my heart. It’s nothing new really, for that’s what God told Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, Daniel, Esther, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, and the list goes on. That is what He said then and what He says today. Trust…Him.

Kibbles and Bribes.

2011-08-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

Getting everything ready.

He's ready.

Seems like everybody's waiting.

This is the note he gave the doctor.

I asked the receptionist to put this baggy of dog treats and note with our dog's file. She smiled when I handed it to her. When the doctor called us in, I asked him "Did you get the "payola" from the dog?" He opened the file and looked at the baggy and note, which was bracketed in the file, and just smiled. I'm glad they put it in the file - that way I got to see the doc's reaction!

Remember? Last week the staff moved up our appointment for a potential early release, but the doctor called the night before and put a stop to that. He indicated he could see us if there were problems, but we'd only have to come back in another week for the release review anyway.

Every day our dog gets better. Last night he literally kicked his ball toward me with his left front leg. We were in the house and I was sitting on the loveseat. Earlier, he'd been begging and begging to go out with the ball. Lately, he's been carrying the ball around while on the leash outside. He even set it down in front of me and took the 'you kick it' pose as we walked the yard last night. When he kicked the ball to me in the house is when I said our dog was going to have to bribe the doc for a release and I fixed up the bag and note.

This is the note Dr. K. gave him.

He doesn't really know what to do do with his five minutes of supervised time without a leash.

The doc told me "I don't want to see y'all again." That's good news in vet-speak! That's one pretty-clean-bill-of-health down. Now, for the big clean-bill-of-health with my husband. Better and better, all the time. For which, I thank our Heavenly Father!

Able to stand?

2011-07-31T16:53:00.000-05:00

I was going through old posts from previous versions of this blog and my first blog, and found this post. So far, I've not been able to locate this post on my current blogs. I may have incorporated some of it into a current post, missed it or just didn't post it. Here it is from Peacorn's first version, August, 2009:

I am reminded, day-by-day as God’s Spirit whispers in my heart and through Scripture that I’ve read, not to fear, but trust Him. For, concerning personal battles and ‘the world at large’, sometimes it seems I get a tinge of fear. Although I can study prophecy in God’s Word and relate to many Scriptures concerning personal spiritual battles, I don’t understand everything. I do understand what the Holy Spirit shows me in God’s Word and in my heart, when I listen, ponder accept and act upon it.

Sometime last summer, when the election stuff was going on, I remember reflecting on things I’d read about Daniel. I thought about how he saw Jerusalem surrounded (for several years) and was himself taken captive, just a young boy of the royal family and forced into service for the king. I thought about how he stood firm on the principles he’d been taught and concerning his relationship with Jehovah God. It was in the beginning of his captivity that ‘he made up his mind’ not to get twisted in the things unseemly according to Hebrew Law. He stood up and Jehovah God blessed him with all kinds of knowledge and talents… ‘ten times better’ than anyone else.

Although Daniel became a part of King Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom and service, learning their ways and culture, Daniel didn’t change his ways. Even when peer-powers attempted to trick him to get him out of the way. It was Daniel’s custom to kneel, “praying and giving thanks before his God”, three times a day. Despite a strong law imposing death should he do so, he still prayed, three times a day in same fashion. As a result, he was thrown and soundly sealed into the lion's den.

Daniel was an old man by the time he was thrown into the lion’s den. But just like his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego), he stood firm. God didn’t deliver the three friends nor Daniel from the fire or the lion’s den, they went into and through the fire and the lion’s den but not alone and not without provision. It was just recently pointed out to me that these lions were not tame little guys. Just look at what happened when Daniel got out the next day, the people who had Daniel thrown into lion‘s den were thrown in themselves, with their respective families. The lions were…hungry, to say the least. We’re told that Daniel had "no injury whatever…because he had trusted in his God".

As I pondered these things last year, knowing that huge pieces of Biblical prophecy seemed to be converging and shaping our world, I realized, we could be in no different of a situation some day...having a world power over us instead of being a sovereign nation, or any such unthinkable changes. I realized how important it is to place my trust in God, not man, not circumstances. These are the words that are residing in my heart. We should not fear but trust in God. Our Refuge. Our Deliverer.

I pray that I too will be able to stand, whether within the confines of my heart as I fight the spiritual battle, or literally, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18).

Some of the Scripture that cycles through my heart: Psalm 33:16-17; 40:1-3; 46 (see especially verse 10). Jeremiah 17:5-8. Of course, Daniel’s story is in the Book of Daniel. Chapters 1, 3, and 6 contain things I’ve mentioned above. For those who followed my previous blog, yes, I’m still digesting Daniel and take something from the book and his life all the time.

In a snap of the fingers?

2011-07-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

My heart and mind have been going over many things that the Lord has been showing me in my life. It's not easy to explain how or why I know something when it spans the length of my life . . . I just . . . know.

It didn't . . . and doesn't . . . happen or come to me overnight. Goodness, it wasn't happening when I made the turns in my life that went the wrong way. There was indeed something happening, I just didn't understand it . . . or was it that I wasn't aware of the Holy Spirit in that way?

So, I end up here, let's see, that's quite a number of years. Not as long as some people, much longer than others, and Lord willing, more to come. Years, that is. I'm thankful that God delays in the way He does. It makes more sense to me when I read the verse in 2 Peter 3, where Peter is discussing the end times and the coming of the Lord. He says:

"But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:8-9 NASB.

Patient . . .toward you . . . not wishing for any to perish . . . but for all to come to repentance. Those are some words and some thoughts. Patient, towards me? All the twists and turns I've made in my life? Patient? So that I figure it out? Patient so that I become what He has in mind for me? Patient? That takes some kind of patience, I can only imagine.

On my sidebar, in my profile, I have written:

    "My husband and I are in progress of learning how to let His light shine into our hearts and then out of our lives."

Patience? My husband's? Mine? You betcha! Sometimes it feels like it takes a mental pummeling-of-sorts to come to terms with things. How challenging it is when things are blocked from my view, or my husband's. How frustrating it can all be. Does that equal divorce? Splitting up? Going our separate ways? The "world" thinks so, and Christians, as a whole, are thinking so more and more. It's tempting to think that way, but we have not given up and don't plan to. We've been there, done that before, each in our own way. However, I can look across this part of my life and learn more about my Heavenly Father.   He doesn't talk about leaving us. And, if there was a case to talk to me in just such a way, I'm sure He's the one Who has it. He . . . is . . . patient . . . towards . . . me.

But, wait, I'm a Christian, I'm ~~supposed to be~~ ~~perfect~~ . . . f o r g i v e n.

The moment of decision to accept God's gift of grace - love - salvation - forgiveness, takes a split second. Sometimes, the road leading up to that moment is lengthy. Including the pounding heart up-to-the-second of acceptance. What happens after accepting God's forgiveness (salvation) isn't a destination . . . it's a journey. It's a journey of a lifetime because a Christian truly is not perfect, just forgiven.   In fact, the battle really begins at that moment.

One of the blessings of God inside the gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ is that the Holy Spirit seals the believer. But, one of the most amazing things is the gift of the Holy Spirit.   I'm not talking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit but the gift of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. I'm talking about Paracletos , the Greek word for one who comes alongside to help. The Comforter. The One who reshapes, regenerates the mind of the once-lost soul who has accepted God's gift of forgiveness. That's Who Jesus said would come as a result of His own death, resurrection and ascension to the Father. That's the world-impacting gift of the arrival of the Holy Spirit for all who will believe and be saved.

Ever tried to get a stubborn stain out of a piece of fabric? It reminds me of the work of regeneration that the Holy Spirit does in me. Yes, I'm forgiven. However, the work of living and walking in the Spirit has just begun and it's a battle because the old natural man doesn't give up easily. It's a battle because my "adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

God truly is patient toward me.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ... For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. ... But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. . . .

". . . Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,

" “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:18, 22-23, 25; 35-39. NASB.

Living it out? Doing the warfare? Not just a snap of the fingers . . .

What's up doc?

2011-07-29T17:30:00.000-05:00

Way back there, just beyond the chain link fence, right in the middle.

How 'bout the rainbow colors from green to brown?St. Augustine to blue stem and everything in between.

Headed our direction?

Just thinkin' about it?

Goin' back in.

Lookin' at me?

On the alert?

On-your-mark, get-set

Go! Or bunny-leap-frog?

I was so surprised that this little rabbit let me get as close as I did, probably about five feet from him. I took a bunch of photos and talked to him. He walked around munching on the brown and somewhat-green patches of grass he could find. I wondered if he'd been in our dying veggie garden enjoying roots and such. I wondered where the big rabbits were. I talked to him, asked him those questions. He didn't have a lot to say, that I could hear or understand. However, just being there while I took photos and talked to him said a lot. I think he's quite young and doesn't know the threat of humans yet. Or maybe he knows about chain link fences?

On the way back to the house, I saw this creature:

Lookin' at someone?

That's gettin' creepy. (er)

That's a better note to end on.

Now Appearing?

2011-07-28T23:36:00.000-05:00

That's a portion of a log that sits up in the back flower beds of my mom's yard. As I passed it by the other morning, it just said, "take my picture". So I did. From a distance, it has a tendency to look like a cat with his tail up. I'm not only too close up, but facing the "cat's" face instead of the side of its body.

Things are not always as they appear.

We went to eat at a local hamburger joint the other evening. I was headed for a booth at the back, but saw one closer to the front and took it. At first I thought maybe I should've gone to the other one. The table had a couple of crumbs and there was a family with a generous voiced child.    As I sat and waited for my husband to come back after ordering (he's doing so much better than he was), I listened to the conversation of the family, just a little. It was kind of hard not too.

The little boy was getting a lesson in sharing. He didn't like his dad taking his fries. The dad was so patient as he spoke with his son to his left. I could see his face between the shoulders of the daughter and mother.   They discussed who had paid and what sharing was.   He was small enough that he was obscured by his mother. I did lean to my right once, so I could have a face to go with the voice and see how old he was. The conversation roamed to a series of questions about first names, which the young girl joined in. I saw her from the side, all decked out in young girl pink. "Mommy, what is your first name?"

I didn't really hear everything and I wasn't really listening to hear. I was enjoying watching the family though. At one point, the dad, who was in his what, 30's? Started talking about "you first" "no you".    He said "Chip and Dale." Sounded like it was going flat. " It was a cartoon", he said. I know the one. It made me smile, one of my cousins and I used to laugh and say that all the time. Okay, we still do now and then. Anyway,    I was looking directly towards him, my husband had gone to get the order, so I could see him just fine. I so badly wanted to sing "I'm Chip", "I'm Dale". But I didn't. He looked up and saw me watching them, or him. I smiled, it felt like sunshine. He smiled back, a huge, sunshine-y smile. I was glad I had taken that booth and sat facing their booth.

Things aren't always as they appear?

Paul's Blog?

2011-07-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

So many times lately, I have flipped past the book of Colossians and thought, I really need to read that again. Finally, the other day, I did. Actually, I turned to it because this awesome link of a stethoscope quotes a verse from Colossians (at the very end). I was trying to remember where in Colossians, but had turned the computer off already, so I just started with Colossians 1 and kept reading. I was just reading along, listening in my heart as I did. I don't know where it was that I hit upon the depth of what it was meaning to me, but I did. Suddenly, I could just see Paul, writing out a blog ... pouring out his heart to share what he knew of the Lord and his walk with Him. I mean, Paul, the one who was on the road to Damascus, the one who was a Jew through-and-through, he terrorized and persecuted the church, stood by while Stephen was being stoned and even held the robes of those doing the stoning. I wonder, how often did he have to wrestle with his past? Is that why he wrote 'leave it all behind and pursue the Lord'? He was persecuted, imprisoned, nearly drowned, bitten by a snake, and yet, he knew the power of the Lord.

I'm certain the things I've learned about Paul's life were coupled with my reading the other night, as my heart roamed over the things in my life and I read . . . Paul's blog. I even went so far as to think God's blog. I know some would say that it's all going too far. The point is, God's Word is so incredibly personal and packed with so very much that is miraculous as it journeys into our hearts and changes us, where we least expect it . . . how we least expect it . . . that it's simply not expected . . . but that's Jehovah-God. He gave us His written Word, the Word in the flesh and in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

When I read, I often use a pointer to force me to read slowly, providing pauses with commas, longer pauses with periods and pauses in between. Something like this:

"For this reason
also,
since the day we heard of it,
we have not ceased to pray for you
and to ask
that you may be filled
with
the knowledge of His will
in all spiritual wisdom
and understanding,
so that
you will walk
in a manner worthy of the Lord,
to please Him
in all respects,
bearing fruit
in every good work
and increasing in
the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power,
according to His glorious might,
for the attaining of all steadfastness
and
patience;
joyously giving thanks
to the Father,
who has qualified us
to share in the inheritance
of the saints in Light . . ." (Colossians 1:9)

Colossians 1

Link Within?

2011-07-27T14:00:00.000-05:00

When I had another version of this blog, I used Link Within, the service that shows links of related interest below the posts. When I last tried to use Link Within, it provided links from my old deleted blog. Since I've not had a response to my email about that (some time back), I've decided to let it work on my blog and see if it drops the old, missing, links. It's a free service, I'm not complaining. If there's something you find in the process that you think I should know, please email me or drop me a note in the comments for this post.

Thanks - for your patience and everything.

Can't "catch the train" just yet . . .

2011-07-25T18:22:00.000-05:00

On his morning constitutional, his favorite train went by. He hardly budged, but he did listen and smell the air, didn't he? I'll be glad when he can "catch the train". He always has to have his ticket when he does. His ticket? A ball that he can chomp and growl over while he runs to catch the train.

We're back to waiting til next week. It's too early, he won't be released. The vet himself called.
After the vet called, I too felt like 'turning away'. Awww man. :(

Parable of the Sower? Hallelujah? Woo-hoo?

2011-07-24T23:15:00.000-05:00

I was talking about something earlier today and got to mentioning the parable of the sower. I had never seen the parable this way before. I sure hope I can do it justice in recalling it for posting.

A parable, according to my Word document dictionary, is a "moral or religious story: short simple story intended to illustrate a moral or religious lesson". While on earth, Jesus used parables, the sower is just one of many He used. Sometimes, I think we get over industrious and try to make more out of them than they need be, for instance, doctrines. I just heard someone talking about that the other day. Anyway, that's not my point.

Sometimes, parables are a tad lost on us because the culture differences from 2000 years ago and today. From Matthew, here's the opening about this parable:

^"That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.
And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” " Matthew 13:1-9, NASB.

The disciples inquired about His use of parables, and He explained that here: Matthew 13:10-16.
Jesus then unpacked the parable for his disciples in Matthew 13:18-23, NASB.

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” "

As I was talking with my husband today, I made this observation. I accepted Christ as Savior when I was 9, not eight. My husband was around 10 years old. When we are without Christ, we are considered "children of wrath" (God's wrath). Now, that's not bringing in the argument of the unborn, newborn and before the age of awareness. I'm just speaking generally here, we're either Children of God or Children of wrath.

Things too great for me to understand then were true and available to me through Christ, just as they are sometimes too great for me to understand today, yet they are still available to me through Christ.   It is difficult to understand 'I am forgiven' . . . Christ died for my sins once and for all.   Some things are difficult for me to remember even when I understand them.   Things like my positional acquiring of certain spiritual things through Christ, things that are true, are so hard to grasp that maybe I won't realize until I'm in heaven.

So, how does all of this link up to the parable of the sower? With an incredible sense of reality that brought me to tears this morning, I realized, I am "one upon whom seed was sown on the good soil". I've sometimes felt like any one or all of the other seeds . . . beside the road . . on rocky places . . . among the thorns . . .   No. Because I'm the Lord's the seed He sowed is in good soil.

God does not have orphans.   He does not have step-children. He does not have grandchildren. He has children. His children know His voice and have accepted His gift of faith and His gift of Salvation. His children are forgiven. His children are growing and learning and working.

I got to thinking about the germination of seeds. The packets of seeds will tell you how long it takes to germinate and about when you can expect to harvest.    Sometimes it takes a while for the seed to open, roots to dig deep, buds to appear and growth then harvest to occur. God's been working on me all my life, but His Word has been working in me and through me ever since I accepted His gift of salvation. Hallelujah! (Woo-hoo!)

Barely Pink Buttercups - Pink Saturday

2011-07-22T20:48:00.000-05:00


A blush of pink?

The other day, we went outside to get some photos. As I was walking from the back of the yard, in the heat, I spotted these ... of all things .... buttercups. In this heat? Triple digits for how long now? In a drought? Wasn't this before it rained the other day?

We're on a half-acre. Part of the yard is simply prairie-like. Sometimes, like now, very dusty and cracked open in places. Any way, I could not believe these delicate little barely pink flowers were out there the other day. They seemed to reflect the sunlight in almost blinding white. I had to get up close to see they had some pink in them. Maybe they're bleached out?

These durable little pinks will grow just about anywhere! Probably Spring of 2007. Definitely more rain.

We were mowing around the patches of pink in 2007, I think it was. My camera had the wrong date at one time, maybe it was 2008? Oh, and was that the time I had started mowing them and then decided to quit mowing? Either way, look, pink and green in the back-40!

This is generally the same area in 2011. More than before? Maybe. But I was so disappointed in the pink buttercups this spring, because

in 2010, this is what we had for starters. Same field area, just facing another direction. Big difference. Of course, that's spring and you'd expect prolific pinks then.

The lush greens, wonderful pinks, and the wonderful beads of moisture. Refreshing. After a long barren winter season? Yes. Looking back? Yes.

In the middle of the heat? Yes.

You know, sometimes, it seems there's no such thing as dust, clutter, dirt, weeds, sweat, tears, fears, etc. I can crop with the best of them ... and talk about the good things almost exclusively too. Because of that, maybe it's not an accurate picture sometimes. But the tough things and times are there. And plenty of 'em! There are seasons of life, situations in life, ups and downs and everything in between. What a battle it can be. Weathering life.

That reminds me of this old Hagar cartoon I cut out of the comic section of the paper in 1986. It's yellowed, tattered and been taped and re-taped to this and that surface over the years. I'll have to border it in pink, but it just goes with, or without saying ...

(Hagar the Horrible, Dik Browne - Artist, King Features Syndicated, Inc., 1986)

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:12-14 NIV

If you need encouraging, hang in there!

I'm linking with Beverly of How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Please be sure to visit her blog and view the many links available for pondering pinks this Saturday. Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!

Esperanza. Dog. Parcheesi.

2011-07-22T10:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I think it was, we went outside to get some photos. We ended up by the Esperanza. That's a photo from the first part of July. But, that's the Esperanza. Anyway, the three of us (my husband, dog and I) journeyed in the heat of the day into the back yard for some photos. I wanted a new photo for my profile. None of those turned out. But, while I was posing by the later-in-July Esperanza, the dog took refuge in the Esperanza.

One of my favorite shots!

It took several shots to get this one. I just love it. It's not as good as the one I missed getting, but it's pretty close... or close enough
.

Still on leash restrictions. See the leash on the left?

The dog's feeling pretty good, driving us fairly nuts. He's gotten normal enough that we've almost let him out the door without escorting him by leash. I called the vet. "Help!" I said. They moved his appointment up since it fell into the 5-6 week range. We're hoping the leash can go soon! Has it been just five weeks post-surgery? It feels so much longer than that. We're not quite to 5 weeks. He had surgery on June 20. Two weeks on the Elizabethan Collar. Somehow the math just feels wrong. Maybe it's my headache?

Last night, I was contemplating my husband's recovery from pneumonia and realized rather abruptly, that the a-fib issue is still waiting to be resolved. It's been pushed off til the fall to give him room to recover from the pneumonia. COPD issues don't help, that's for sure.

Also, last night, I was getting ready to post for Time Travel Thursday, when the Parcheesi game ended up on the floor. We'd been playing it earlier and it wasn't put away, gosh, that doesn't sound quite right. No, it's not. I looked at the photo dates again. We did play it yesterday but it was put up. So, I was getting the post ready on Wednesday evening when he moved it from the place I'd had it out. Oh. Then, he dropped it and had to pick it up. You know, something as simple as that was nearly impossible for him just a few short weeks ago. Now, it's easier but the a-fib does produce limitations on its own.

While on the floor, the dog got into the game he thought my husband was playing. I so wish he would've stood still! Each time I got a shot, he'd moved almost out of camera range. The dog has decided he feels pretty good. Recently, he's taken to looking at me like 'what are you doing here', you know, when we're doing the outside thing. I showed him the leash one day and said to him, "I'm on the other end of the leash, remember?" Then thought about that, " No, " I said. "you're on the other end of it!" I wagged the leash handle at him a little to emphasize which end of the leash is which.

To think of what he's been through, what we've been through. I just thank the LORD for HIS faithfulness. Amen!

Old'n Yellowed Games - Time Travel Thursday

2011-07-20T21:46:00.000-05:00

A very old box of Parcheesi.

"Copyright 1959". That's what the inside cover indicates. I remember my folks playing it a bit when I was very young. I've had it for a long time now. It's been played and moved a bunch and the box is quite very worn:

Even the cellophane tape that's holding it together is quite old.

The pieces.

It may have had four shakers years ago. One of the green pieces has been missing for, a long time. I think the original dice were smaller and there may have been four pair of dice, one for each shaker and player. Red dice with white dots comes to mind. I'm not sure.

The pieces out-of-the-box!

It's a strategy game. Four players, except here we are missing a green man and accommodate three players easiest. However, we usually have just the three of us - my husband, son and I, so that's okay. We don't use the shakers since the dice stick inside. Plus, I'm wanting to keep a little of the game intact as it ages. So, you play your best strategy.

So, guess who is playing with the red pieces and who has everyone else blocked while she goes around the board with two pieces and is almost home?

So "priceless" it requires another shot.

Okay, I'm red, husband is yellow and son is blue. Have I done a great job of blockading or what? And look, I've rolled a "7", which puts my one player on the home strip. Or, lets one of my blockade guys move to a safe spot in hopes the two of them will capture their players while I make it around the board to home. When captured, you get sent home and have to start all over. Plus, when you capture another player, you get to move twenty spaces, if you can. So it's risky letting them out and able to capture one another. Then too, they'll have to roll a "5" for each piece to move onto the board again. "Strateegery!" Not our word, we just use it a lot.

Yes, it deserves yet another shot.

Those are my husband's arms that are crossed. "Wonder why?" I think with a grin. And, of course, I'm thinking, "Oh my, show this shot with all our kitchen paraphernalia in open view for all to see?" Then, I thought about my maternal grandmother's house, and playing dominoes with her.

A very, very old box of Longhorn Dominoes.

These were dominoes that belonged to my grandmother and grandfather. Those aren't the ones we played with though. She had white dominoes, red and black ones. These are a dry material, not the shiny marble-like dominoes she and I played with many years ago.

I have a tendency to doodle. Even on game boxes.

They are yellowing ...

It says "look on the other side".

And, on the other side? "Look on the other side."

That's not my print though. My first husband and I doodled on this box way-back-when. It's been taped and un-taped, for moving a few times.

It's not all about how the game box, or house, looks. It's not all about the game. It's about the relationships we build in the house and around the game. The everything-doesn't-have-to-be-just-so and laughter, or serious conversation. Laughter this time while I blockade my husband and son from moving and our son takes several photos of the pristine blockade I made. It's all about the relationships.

Oh yes, I won.

I'm joining Liz of The Brambleberry Cottage for Time Travel Thursday.

Be sure and stop by her place and

join with the other bloggers linked for this event.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Time Travels!

Unexpected Heart.

2011-07-20T11:02:00.000-05:00

An unexpected heart of sunshine, shadows

and tiny flowers from last November.

Can you see it?

You might have to look just right.

You might see it right off.

It always surprises me when I see it from a distance.

I think it's awesome.

Some of those sunny little flowers, a bit closer.

I prepared this post yesterday. Someone sent me this link a couple of days ago. I went to look at it again just moments ago and decided to include it with this post. Then, I saw the title of my post. Oh man, that's too cool. Too cool!

If you're hesitant to click on an unexposed link, this is the link itself: http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/stethoscope.html

Watering Day.

2011-07-19T16:22:00.000-05:00

Watering Day - 5 days ago.

It's been hot and dry. When did it rain last? May-something? We did get 2.5" of rain then. Our veggie garden has bit-the-dust. With the health issues for my husband (and me too) and the dog's recovery, it just went by the wayside.

August, 2010.

See what I mean, and August gets pretty hot. I think we've been in triple-digits forever this year. It'll be good to have my husband able to work in the garden again. He's much, much better than he was. Still recovering from pneumonia. Then it's back to the A-fib issues.

Okra in bloom and producing, 2010.

I saw this as I looked for veggie-garden photos. Too pretty to pass up.

Leash restrictions. Watering day.

Watering day, five days ago. With the dog on leash restrictions and my husband not feeling the best yet, it was just too difficult to get the water set up and working. Some unhappy campers. See the dog in the door? Thirteen more days doggy. Then what? We hope he doesn't need tapered leash restrictions. So does he.

Shades of green, brown, living, dead. Rain.

We watered some this morning, our watering day. And then, it rained! Woo-hoo! Thank You Lord!

Watering day. Today!

It rained in the front yard too!

Windy watering day, today.

The ivy was being wind blown and headed for the door as I had it open to photograph the rain. Hot. Windy. RAIN! Woo-hoo!

Numbers

2011-07-19T12:40:00.000-05:00

I haven't been over on this blog in a while. First, I stopped blogging here because I moved over to WordPress. Then, I decided to publish on both Blogspot and WordPress but I have been busy with all kinds of health issues in our family, including cat and dog. I'm fairly sure you know that already from one blog or another. I do plan on copying the posts difference from WordPress to Blogspot, just haven't done it, yet.

Anyway, sometimes, I find myself thinking about things. Odds and ends of things. For several days, I've been thinking the number of people who come out of the great tribulation. Revelation 7. I decided to think on paper last night. Today, while the computer was on, I looked at some numbers on the web. These are my notes.

Revelation 7:9 talks about "a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, all tribes and peoples and tongues.

Compare that to Revelation 9:16, where the armies are counted, 200 million, I heard the umber of them.

Or, the total listed in Revelation 5:11 "myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands".

Compare to the 7 seals and their damage. Revelation 6.

vs. 4 - slain because peace is taken from the earth
vs. 6 - famine
vs. 8 - death and Hades; kill 1/4 of the earth with sword, famine and pestilence, and wild beasts of the earth.

These numbers talk about a lot of people (and angels). But especially, noting the people.

What is the population of the earth right now? In the billions.

1,000 - thousands
1,000,000 - millions
1,000,000,000 - billions

I have no true concept of the numbers.

And, the Rapture removes how many?

Phenomenal!

I have no concept of the numbers.

Then, think about the fact that wide is the gate to destruction; the borders of hell have been/will be enlarged.

Frightening. Sad.

My accountability here? Who have I told? Who have I missed telling?

For God so loved the world!

Transforming.

2011-07-15T16:51:00.000-05:00

To see this movie.

: Okay, how's this shot?

Yep, Transformers, Dark of the Moon. Transformers for our son is like Tarzan movies for me. It's something he grew up with and loves. There was a man in line, with his little boy. We'd have to step back a few years for that. We were there early. So, my husband sat and waited in the movie lobby, our son went for ice cream for us, and I went to see the store we'd passed.

The store. Texas stuff.

There was a time and date when I just 'hated' anything to do with Texas. I guess you do that when you're growing up. Or at least some people do. I've lived in other states. I'm glad I'm in my home-state. Texas. I love our Texas flag. It means a lot to me now.

USA!

Things have been changing in the USA for a long time. Either I was more asleep than I thought, or it's sure changed and changing a lot. I look at things going on and Bible prophecy and know, Jehovah-God told us these things would happen. People have all kinds of theories about all kinds of things. Fiction seems so much easier to believe than truth. On the one hand, I don't know why. On the other, I do.

Comfy stuff.

Of course, it's way too hot for blankets and throws ... but still. Having been sick lately, both of us, sometimes, a throw and a nap is pretty nice.

Hmmm. Stairs.

The ice cream is upstairs, as is the son. I decided I wanted to see the floor I was standing on from a little higher up.

A little higher up.

Across from a little higher up.

: Closer up from a little higher up.

: Looking up from downstairs.

Too much for my knees ... I returned downstairs to look up into the rotunda. My husband said they modeled the museum after the Capitol. Pretty cool. I was about to get some more photos when I saw my husband waving me into the theater area. The line was beginning to form.

: He said I could share this photo.

I wanted a shot of all of us with our 3-D glasses on. I got this one of my husband with his oxygen and 3-D glasses, knew I blurred it, but the theater darkened and that was that. I hadn't seen a 3-D movie in 'forever'. It was awesome. I was concerned it'd make me seasick, but it didn't. I had to work at it first and then, I was lost in looking around the screen in 3-D form. It was frustrating that sometimes the picture was blurry. We sat in the middle back for the best view, according to our son. Several times during the movie, I moved my glasses forward so I could see what the movie looked like without the glasses. Kind of like that photo above. Blurry.

We were supposed to see this movie at another swanky theater back at the end of June, our son's treat. It was supposed to be doctor's appointment one day, Transformers the next, then Cardio-version the day after that. It turned into ER visits and pneumonia and hospitalization instead, and missing out on it. My husband got well enough just in the nick-of-time. It could've been a very different outcome altogether. I'm so thankful for God's answers to prayers. The day after we went was the last date it was showing at the IMAX Theater.

So, I'm sitting in this noisy action-flick, all machines and whirring, destruction and mayhem of robots my husband's son grew up with and I could'a cried. I was overwhelmed with Jehovah-God's blessings on my life. Enjoying both my guys and a crazy movie in 3-D.

A set of verses I look at quite often is Psalm 37. It's the 'fret not' Psalm. But it's these verses I review over and over again, emphasizing and pondering the boldfaced verbs:

Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

Transforming!

Elevating Thoughts.

2011-07-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

I was thinking about this formula for the elevator that I wrote about the other day. And, I got to thinking about this portion of a verse by Paul:

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." From 1 Corinthians 10:12-14 Emphasis mine.

I've probably mentioned this in either my current or past blogs, but it is worth repeating. You don't have to know the formula just know that Jehovah God does. He is the One Who provides the way of escape ... you just have to know He does and perhaps, look for it. You don't have to know that He does this, because He does it whether you know it or not. But, knowing it means you can navigate better through life, especially temptations. Because, if you're tempted, and you're looking at it or in it, Jehovah God has made the way of escape for you. Believing God.

How can we believe Him if we don't know He said it? That's why it's important to get in the Word. Find out, take Him up on it. We'll still fumble and maybe stumble. But that's what Peter talks about in 2 Peter 1 ... if we're diligent about adding the things he mentions to our faith... well then, He promises you won't stumble.

I've been a stumbler all my life. It began making the difference when I got serious about it in 2003.

And, how about that other part of the verse, the part that says Jehovah God "will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able"? And, entrusting our souls to Him, to do what's right? Worth pondering and believing.

Elevator Therapy?

2011-07-12T17:28:00.000-05:00

We went to one of my husband's doctors today. His office is in an older professional building. This time, I made sure I got some photos of the courtyard. Isn't that a relaxing atmosphere? Nice place to have lunch, if you work here. Or, if you're waiting for someone as they see the doctor.

Live oaks, greenery, rocks and stone buildings. I love rocks! I had to delete some photos in order to take photos and I must've deleted the first set of rocks. I thought perhaps the rocks are not indigenous, because they look more like these rocks I have from the Pacific Northwest:

Live Oak. Crepe Myrtle, in the back, between the live oak branches. The buildings obviously surround this courtyard. If you come in from the direction we did, you are on what feels like the first floor. However, in the distance, you might be able to tell there's a second parking lot. It must be lower than this courtyard. I've not been back there before. In fact, I think the slope we walked up is enough that when we arrive here, we're above the parking lot we came in from.

The view from upstairs. Here's where it gets tricky:

That's the elevator doors closing. You may be able to tell there's another set of doors on the opposite side of the elevator. These are the ones we went in but I don't think they're the ones we went out ... As we were going in, a woman was leaving. She was going to a lower floor where her daughter would pick her up. My husband suggested we wait, because the elevator was, going down. I looked at him and asked why it would matter, there's only one 'vator and it's only ... how many floors ... ? He raised his eyebrows and said, "You're right", as I wondered what's down from the ground floor? I've never thought about this elevator going down from the level we were on.

When the doors opened, the same woman was in the 'vator. Her eyebrows raised too. We stepped in, but because we'd pressed the "up" button on the outside of the 'vator, it went up. She looked at us. I shrugged my shoulders and said "We're going up." She let us off. I'm not sure which side we exited through. She wasn't there when we left, so I'm sure she figured something out.

Getting confused about this elevator is common. Look at the 'formula' for which floor you need. Do what? How many stories is this building anyway? How many parking lots does it have? See those white strips - "Push 1 - rear parking lot", "Push 2 front parking lot". I'm not sure which parking lot we were in, because I think it's the rear parking lot, but it's possible they call it front? Am I sure about that? No. And isn't it only a two-story complex?

As we were leaving the doctor's office, we entered one of those sets of doors. It stopped on some floor and a woman got in. Of course, I have my camera and am taking photos of the "formula". She glanced at me, "I blog" I said. She punched a floor and the 'vator went up, opened the back doors and she got out. Well, I think it opened the front doors on another floor, but it was the wrong floor. You see there are numbers on the floors by the door and they don't match the suite numbers. You know, Suite 250 gets out on floor 4? Or something like that. It gets quite confusing. She got the wrong floor, then the right floor. As she left we laughed and I told her we'd probably see her when she returned. I think she said "If she returned the same way."

Maybe the courtyard is elevator therapy? There are stairs too, and if you think the elevator is confusing, just try the stairs. They are more like half-stairs. Half-a-flight instead of a flight of stairs. And, I think, but am not sure, you end up on a different half-floor. I don't know. I've been visiting this area off and on for a number of years. There's always some confusion in the elevator or on the stairs. Doesn't matter who you are, how spiffy you're dressed or anything. Someone's always confused about it. I'd hate to be sick and navigating these premises.

We made it out!

Seems it's always the little pinks!

2011-07-09T10:27:00.001-05:00

Yo-yo table runner my mom made.

(NOTE: Re-post to correct lead photo.) Just thought I'd grab some pink out of this table runner and participate in Beverly's Pink Saturday. The border color is taken from the little pinks in some of the yo-yo fabrics. Seems it's always the little pinks I'm showing. And, yes, chocolates and prescriptions are showing up again! It's not what you (might) think! (Link will go to my Word Press blog since I've not copied that post here, yet.)

Little pinks.

But, it's not just the little pinks, it's the story, right? So, I was sitting at the table the other day, only the table runner was folded back, like this:

I was just staring or pondering when I began to focus on one of the little circles. Unfortunately, for Pink Saturday, it wasn't a pink circle, so it's pink buddies will have to carry the weight of pink, it'll carry the story.

As I focused, I realized it wasn't part of the pattern. What-in-the-world was it?

Aha!

I'm always having to ask my mom to sign the things she makes. Looks like she signed this one without my asking. It says "Jen, 2011, Love, Mom". "Mom" is kind of squished on the right. Guess I should've flattened out the fabric so it's more visible? She gave me this table runner in the early spring. I thought maybe she was waiting to see when I'd notice it, so I called her and told her what I'd discovered. No, she wasn't waiting on that. We laughed. Oh well, it was still a neat surprise to my morning. Thanks, Mom.

I lost my list, again, of the pink link I was going to mention. I've been putting it aside for weeks now, since I last participated. Go figure!

Thanks for stopping by for Pink Saturday. Please visit Beverly and find more pink links. How do I manage all those pink links when I participate? Once my link number is established, I choose links that end in whatever digit my link numbers ends with. For example, if were link "108" I'd view those which end in "8". Of course, I also break from rank now and then for the familiar blogger or the eye-grabbing photo!

Thanks, Beverly! Happy Pink Saturday!

(This post is repeated on my Word Press Blog for Word Press Bloggers/Fans.)

Pardon my dust. Have you seen him?

2011-07-08T14:23:00.000-05:00

Evidence? Path.

Looking for my husband?

On one end of the tubing.

Found him.

Somewhere in the middle.

The dog is not happy about this tubing thing.

On the other end of the tubing.

The reason is partially because of that big blue machine which huffs, puffs and bubbles. If you're in one of the recliners and paying even the slightest bit of attention to the noise of the big blue box, it'll put you to sleep shortly. That huff-puffing and bubbling is very regular and covers other noises quite well. Z-Z-Z-Z-Z.

Can you tell, we're all set? Oxygen for every need. Daily. Hand-carried. Emergency (loss of power). The big blue box takes in room air, removes the nitrogen and provides 97% oxygen. We normally breathe about 20% oxygen. There's a canister of distilled water on the top left. That humidifies the O2 my husband gets. What a blessing these things are.

The big blue machine makes the room rather warm and dry. I keep it parked in the doorway since it gives a few more feet of tubing to get through the house. The tubing is 50' long. Good thing we have a small house! No kitchen access though, if there's a flame, etc.

Meanwhile ...

Have you tried these? Cranberry Citrus Oat and Blueberry Brown Sugar. They are like shortbread cookies and yummy. One is fruity blue and the other is cranberrily orange. Nutty too. M-M-M-M-M.

These.

They're a tad pricey but they are very good. I would've caught my husband at the kitchen table (no flame) with these if we hadn't just had a few. He says, you can't eat just one. He's right.

Oh yes, please do pardon my dust. Thanks!

Pardon my weeds.

2011-07-07T19:07:00.000-05:00

We were sitting at the kitchen table, finishing up breakfast this morning when I looked out the back door and saw a gathering of sparrows, mocking birds and a red bird (bottom center). I was disappointed when I got the camera that they had flown off. However, it didn't take them long and they gathered again. I had to take the photo through the window so they wouldn't fly away for good, so its not the best photo.

Oh, I only wish this "flower bed" were as pretty as the Texas landscaping I showed you yesterday. Thank goodness I used the weed eater the other day and chopped the big ones down!
It's the little things that matter and are prized, like catching birds visiting one another on a fence. Or, the other little things which are invasive, like weeds you don't want and have to fight off.

I took my husband to the doctor last Thursday. The doctor had kindly worked us in to be seen. My husband, who is normally very thin, had huge "Popeye" arms and legs. Due to my husband's condition and drugs to treat him, he had bloated up horribly.   It was just the day after he was released from a 5-day stay at the hospital and it was a bit scary to see him bloated like that. He didn't have much energy so we were leaving a bit early to get some lunch and arrive with time to spare to get him inside, etc. We were traveling on the highway when a large SUV in front of us ran over a huge blown tire.   As soon as it came out the back of their vehicle, I noticed it was stretched across my lane and standing up on its side, a good 10-12 inches tall. I tried to avoid it as best I could and swerved to the left, avoiding traffic to my left as well. I ran into it, then over it. It banged around the right side of the truck and out the back where I watched another truck behind me experience the same thing.

It shook me up a bit and I wondered if I should pull over like the guy behind me did. The vehicle in front of me did not. I drove a little ways and pulled over to look under the truck as best I could. A few minutes later, I noticed a truck had pulled off a little ahead of me. I called out and asked if he was the one that got that tire after I did. He was. We yelled our conversation against the noise of the highway. He had no damage. I asked and he checked under our truck for me. He didn't see any damage.   I thanked him and shook his hand before he left.

The doctor visited with us for an hour as we worked through the various issues presented with my husband's condition.   I was so thankful to have been referred to this doctor.   It was sometime back that our cardiologist told us about him and I finally went to see him last fall and several times since, as has my husband. Being somewhat established was a blessing at this time - in more ways than I can describe.

On the way home, I began to notice a sound in the truck. To me, it sounded like an empty glass casserole dish with its lid vibrating just enough to bug you.   I knew I had to turn this, too, over to the Lord. I called the truck dealer that night to inquire about some things but knew it needed to be looked at. I did some more nosing about myself that evening and found that the running board was loose on the right side and that the front bracket that holds it on was twisted away from the running board. I called the truck dealer the next day, a Friday, before the July 4th weekend. I told the service guy what had happened and asked him if there was the slightest chance I could get the truck looked at to be certain of no damage.    I didn't want to leave my husband alone too long, all things considered.

The service guy told me to bring it on in and he'd get things taken care of. A short time later, this nicely dressed service guy came back from the bay with blackened, greasy hands.    He confirmed it was just the running board and that he had fixed it enough for now, so it won't rattle. They'll see to further repairs another day, when my husband has gotten some recovery under his belt. He told me I owed them nothing. I shook his hand, which he reluctantly held out because they were grimy, and thanked him. I got to drive away without the rattle and more importantly, knowing there was indeed no damage, other than the running board bracket,which was now silenced thanks to the service guy. It was very important to me on Monday, July 4th, when my husband went by ambulance to the hospital and I followed later in our (only vehicle) truck.

In the midst of all the invasive weeds, this is just one of the extra blessings we've encountered. I have learned much.

I'm reminded of this section of Psalm 40:

Many, O LORD my God,are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

And, this portion, my part:

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

(emphasis mine)

Hey ya.

2011-07-06T11:50:00.000-05:00

: Central Texas Landscaping; Ever since I moved over to WordPress for my blog, I've both missed and been pondering my Google Blog. Seems there are two groups of "audiences". There are things I like about both, but especially commenting from and through Google w/Google bloggers. Seems the two types of blogs are exactly that, two types and not easy to mingle some things.; So, I'll work on doing both. I'll hyper-link some things for a while, then bring some of my other posts over. But, as you'll read - my hands have been full here at home ...

I took the above picture on one of the various trips back home from the hospital. It's been a roller coaster of a month. We've been in the ER the last three weekends in June. We skipped Saturday this time and went for Monday, the 4th! This time, my husband went by ambulance. Wow. What a month. He developed pneumonia. I had some type of sinus infection, two rounds of antibiotics, one still ongoing. The dog recovering from his surgery. He did get his stitches out and no longer has to wear the Elizabethan Collar.

: Some days are just like that!

We're working through things one day, one event at a time. You know that section in 1 Peter, where he's talking about fiery trials and ends up saying "Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right"? Well, I was thinking about that "entrusting" part one day while my husband was in the hospital. I got to thinking, it's pretty tough sometimes to 'let go' and trust the Lord, for myself. But, can I let go and trust Him that He will do what is right on behalf of my husband? It was an interesting dialogue in my heart with the Lord.

: Leash duty for 26 more days?

Seems "everyone has a tether" lately. My husband has O2 with a long lead of tubing through our (little) house. The dog has exercise restrictions. One day, I was wondering if a week had gone by with the E-collar on him, and then I realized we were into the second week. Oh, it was good news to hear the doc say how well the dog was doing. Between the two of us being sick and the dog...it's been ... interesting. I remembered why the shaved patch on his back, epidural, for the surgery.

The heart issues (A-fib) are pushed back til the fall, while we wait for my husband to heal from the pneumonia. Although, we thought they'd jumped front and center on Monday! I can't express enough how much I sense and know Jehovah God's hand in these things. They are rough rides, like a roller coaster. I absolutely do not like roller coasters. The last time I got on one, it was an accident. I didn't know it was a roller coaster....in the dark. My friends and I were shocked when we found out it was a roller coaster. Their daughter was little and she was with us. I can't remember who had her, my friend or I. I just remember us yelling about holding onto her. I know, I had a death-grip on the bar and probably my friend's daughter.
That's how it's been ... holding onto the Lord. With everything I have. I have thanked the Lord for all the small kindnesses and miracles we've witnessed, and held on to Him. I think about Romans, where we're told to "exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint."

Tribulation. Perseverance. (Endurance). Proven character. HOPE. And, I am not disappointed.

: Mom's purple sage this morning.

So, while things are calming down and everyone seems to be getting better, I walked the dog this morning, then returned for my camera and walked the dog again to photograph mom's purple sage.

: And the bees.

The bee on the left is burdened with pollen.

: Yellow esperanza and morning shadows.

On the return trip, I saw the Esperanza. What a sunny flower.

: The stump and morning shadows.

Last stop, the stump and he shadows from the morning sun.

Lots of things to go through. So much going on inside and out. I do, entrust my soul, and that of my husband, to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. HE is faithful.

___
Catching up on the a-fib, dog's surgery, etc., is over on my WordPress blog, for now I've put some hyperlinks in the body of this post or you can amble over to the other blog, click here.
Thanks. Hope this makes it easier for Google friends (I've missed). Thanks, Jenn.

End-of-May Scorcher! It's only just begun!

2011-05-31T22:50:00.005-05:00

It's Hot. Humid. A Scorcher!

The clouds tease about rain.

The ground is dry and cracked.

The sun plays in the clouds.

The wind chases them to and fro.

It's HOT! Humid! A Scorcher!

It's (only) May 31st!

While catching up on copying posts from my WordPress blog to here, I realized, I could've been back dating the posts. Oh well. Learn as I go. This was previously posted over there 5/31/11.

Decoration Day / Memorial Day

2011-05-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

(I didn't get my holidays mixed up - I'm still catching up on posts to copy over from WordPress to here. This is one of them.)

I had to take the dog and cat to the vets today (Saturday). I was thinking about this being the Memorial Day weekend. Either I didn't realize this holiday began with the Civil War, or I had forgotten. I did a little research on Wikipedia and WallBuilders.

There was apparently some 'rancor' in the first Decoration Day. I can imagine, depending on which side of the Civil War one was on.

I read a book when I was young, it was about a woman who hid and transported slaves to the free world in the underground railroad. I hoped and cheered for the underground causes and people. I wondered, though I would want to, would I have been brave and done what she did? Or would I be brave enough to go underground myself? I do not remember the name of the book nor the woman. I looked up the underground railroad via Encyclopedia.com. I wonder, was the woman I read about Harriet Tubman? I'm not sure, but it was probably her story, or a story modeled after her, that I read.

I re-read Corrie Ten Boom's book "The Hiding Place" not long ago. Of course, she was in Amsterdam and this took place in Europe. But the USA had their share of internment problems then too. Anyway, there was this point in reading Corrie's story again, that I froze, because we're seeing some of the same forerunners to the persecution she saw back before WWII. Corrie and her family hid Jews in their house. Corrie, her father and sister were interned in prison camps. She was released. Her father and sister died during their internment. The first time I read her book, in the 70's, I hadn't noticed the things I noticed recently. I was younger and things were different for real and by perspective then. Both times, I've wondered, having the desire, could I and would I be as brave as she and her family? Would I be brave enough to be hidden?

There has been a lot of bloodshed in all kinds of causes. First, I'm thankful for the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who bought my pardon and made my heart right before Jehovah God. Without which, all are lost. And, thankful that His brave death includes resurrection.

Second, I'm ever so thankful for the country in which I was born. The United States of America. I know we don't seem so United some times and given the times and what is coming, one day it may be united in the ultimate wrong cause or united against that cause. Quite literally, Biblical prophecy does not get specific on the role of the USA, just Israel and the powers that will be in play at the time. All of which seem to be arriving and melding today.

I'm thankful to Jehovah God, who gave us this Country and the time we have. I pray for His mercy and grace upon our Country. I am thankful for all of those who have fallen in service to our Country. Sure, the first Decoration Day had rancor due to the Civil War split of ideas, but, we have had a Country where we may pursue our dreams, or not; may worship whom we choose to worship and in the way we choose to worship, or not; may say what we think, or not; and yes, bear arms, or not. I thank Jehovah God for this freedom and I am thankful there were and are those willing to die for our freedom. Yes, we live in a Country, where I may take my pets to a veterinarian and experience the depth of freedoms in something as simple as that. In the education and employment of a young woman, wife and mother who went from tech to a Doctor of Veterinarian Medicine, who owns her own business, and employs others as techs in a clinic ... for pets. A freedom that works from the smallest of things all the way up ... for both men and women.

I pray we not take that for granted, nor the blood shed by Christ, who sets us free in ways we don't always realize nor recognize. I pray we are willing and able to stand up for the freedoms over which we have lost many brave men, women, husbands,wives, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, cousins, employers, employees, friends, neighbors ...

I hope we do remember the fallen in battle ... fortunately there are those who will and do bravely put their life on the line, intended or unintended. Unfortunately, the battles are not over, more will fall, bravely, for a friend, a force of friends, a city, town, country, a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister ... for our freedoms in every-day-living ... living and disputing those freedoms ... bravely and freely ... our fallen did not die in vain.

Thank you, those who have bravely fallen. Thank you to the history of the fallen and brave families of those who go on, in times past and present.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for this great country and our fallen heroes and forefathers. Thank You for the death and resurrection of Your only begotten Son ... in the greatest love of all ... to offer salvation to a world You love.

Little Pinks - Pink Saturday's 3rd Birthday!

2011-05-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

I was pondering these little pinks one morning. Little bitty pinks. See them?

Some are coral as in this window box.

Some are in little boxes, behind the goose.

Some are more faint than others, and a little on the edge.

That's 'the edge'.

That's another edge. A little worn here and there. A few pink tones.

From the other side. You can see the window pinks (coral).

Little pinks top.

Little Pinks bottom. Pink tones perhaps.

Little pinks ... home. Special.

This wonderful little box with its garden scene used to clash with my furniture. I hung onto it because I really like it, despite the clashing. It's just neat when something you really like works out. A friend gave it to me some years back and that makes it even more special. It contains my eyeglass cleaning paraphernalia. My (step) son wears glasses and knows where the cleaner is kept. He helps himself and it just warms my heart through and through. While pondering posting pretty little pinks off this little box, my husband commented how much he likes that box. SOLD! It's posted! And ...

Happy Pink Saturday Birthday, Beverly!

Click on the photo above to go to Beverly's Pink Saturday for a visit

and to view "tons" of celebrating pink links.

It's always fun to participate.

Thank you for stopping by.

Looking out the window.

As I look out the window and at the world,

pondering things of every sort,

I think of those who lost everything

in cataclysmic events we've seen lately,

abroad and at home.

Not just everything, but people.

Loved ones.

My heart goes out to them

and is behind them

in prayer

for healing and restoration.

____

This was posted over on the WordPress version of my blog 5/27/11. Getting caught up! One at a time!

Slices of Life?

2011-05-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

Not all hand-me-downs are joyous, but some of them truly are ... such as slicing and dicing tomatoes? You betcha. When I was little, I used to watch my mom slice then dice tomatoes. I've used a cutting surface for quite some time. However, somewhere in my mind is a recollection that I used to hold the tomato in my hand. I still hold an avocado in my hand when preparing it, just not tomatoes. Maybe it's my knives. Mom has had these awesome knives since I was really young.

It starts with what looks like slices of tomato. Only you stop about 3/4 of the way into the slice.

You rotate the tomato and begin slicing it from the other direction, only 3/4 of the way down for each slice.

Turn the tomato on its side and hold it carefully to slice against the other slices. Watch your fingers and thumb!

Almost finished. My fingers keep repositioning to hold the tomato and stay out of the way of the knife.

When finished, you can then cut the bottom of the tomato into pieces or wedges.

Those little wedges often end up eaten while making the salad. Anyway, what'd I do with that tomato?

Sliced/scored an avocado like this first.

Then cross-cut it, making little squares. I often hold it in the palm of my hand while scoring it. Carefully.

Not a fork not a knife but with a spoon - I scoop it out

Do you remember the old I Love Lucy show that used that line in an old song, not a knife or a fork but a spoon? ("By the light...of the silvery moon...I want to spoon, not a fork but a spoon... " Maybe that's how it went?)

Voila!

To get the seed out ... I "whack" it (carefully!!!) with the blade of the knife, embedding the knife blade into the seed.

Twist the knife and pull the seed out, stuck to the knife. Carefully remove the seed from the knife.

Sometimes, I use a bowl to swipe the seed along to release the seed from the knife, or carefully pull it away, cupping it in the empty "shell" from the other half of the avocado. Depends on how tough it is stuck on the knife. Whatever method, I do this carefully.


A favorite red bowl, water, ice and wedges of iceberg lettuce.

I accidentally deleted my photo that showed you allll the veggies for this salad. Tomato, avocado (of course), carrots, drained/rinsed canned corn, black beans, and kidney beans and sliced red onion. I think that was it.

: This is a freezer baggie of the remaining corn and beans. Labeled and ready to freeze.

Typically, I use a bigger freezer bag. I don't know why I didn't this time. I freeze it as flat as possible. When I'm ready to use it in salad later I "whack" it with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to break them apart. I take out what I need and reseal the bag.

Crisped lettuce wedge, all the veggies, grilled chicken breast, and buttered/grilled ciabatta bread.

That's what I did with the tomato I cut up earlier. Oh, I piled on the veggies. I'm not sure what I was thinking. These plates were loaded with veggies. I buried the veggies with 'everything else'. I forgot to freeze my plates before hand. This is one of the chicken breasts which was marinated in Mexican spices and frozen previously. We drizzled peppercorn ranch dressing over the whole thing, well, not the bread. It was, good!
And, that's what I did with the tomato. I may slice my tomato like mom but she don't make salads like this ... these days. I betcha she woulda years ago. I mean, I remember things like 3-bean salad (yuck back then) and green peppers (yuck back then). Some things are handed down, some things are created and then get handed down!

Oh yes, we call this "Chicken-Sink Salad". It's a play on words ... everything but the kitchen sink ... salad. We vary the veggies for Italian flavors, or chicken tenders with honey mustard dip, tortilla strips, cubes of ham, boiled egg, etc.

So, is this post now a hand-me-down because I'm copying it from the WordPress version of my blog in order to get caught up? It was posted over there 5/25/11.

Seeking comfort from the Lord.

2011-05-24T16:25:00.000-05:00

Oops. I forgot the title and have to re-post!

It starts with a walk into the living room.

Then a look.

A look that tells me she wants to sit with me

and one that says she must have the floral pillow.

(Some day I'll get photos of the entire process.)

Nothing else will do.

Floral pillow please.

... Thanks.

_______

I look at her and think of trust...rest... peace.

___

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷

casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

(1 Peter 5:6-7, New King James Version)

and of course,

⁶ Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God;

⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:6-7, New King James Version)

Update 5/24/11: Just the other day, I ran across something in an old journal. I've looked all through it but can't find it now. It was a question that I read, something about, 'do you go to God for comfort?' I thought about that as I prepared the previous post above for reposting here. And, that lead me to thinking about this verse:

"Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah."

If He were not going to comfort us or be a refuge, there would be no use in telling us that, would there?

The above is verse 8 from Psalm 62.

More in the catching up of blog-to-blog. This was posted 'over there' on May 24, 2011. Now, it's here.

Holding on to Faith and Hope.

2011-05-24T10:42:00.000-05:00

I had posted this on the WordPress version of my blog when I was posting over there instead of over here. This is a catch-up post from 5/24/11.

You know, last night when I was publishing the previous post, I just had this funny feeling it wasn't the right kind of post for the day. But it had been sitting there for several days and so had I, because of the post-before-that-one. Then, I heard about Joplin, Missouri. My heart just sinks every time I hear of these things. We seem to be hearing so much any more. If it's not one thing, it's another. All of them together can really throw people off balance. But, are we really balanced to begin with?

I watched the repeat of a news show late last night, where the Superintendent of a school district in Joplin answered the anchor's questions, until he seemed to be almost about to break. The anchor, whom I admire for her thoroughness in her interviews, must have taken this into account because she moved to less emotional and more factual questions, if there are such questions in a time like that. I think it helped him hold onto his composure enough for the moment. Behind him, Joplin, in a dark mass of pure mess.   This man talked about how Joplin is the most desired place to live in Missouri and that he and the people of Joplin were going to show us all just why that is that way, as they embrace their disaster and recover. Spirited. Struggling for composure. Determined.

I have absolutely no idea what I will have to go through in my life. Sometimes, watching these things, I wonder if we're next, or in line or what.   I've been looking for my notes and the verse in Daniel where it says this, but I can't find it. Probably running right over the verse or notes.   Remembering that Daniel was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, when he was just a young man, probably an early teen and was an old man toward the end of the book that bears his name, helps to keep perspective on Daniel's life and its significance but especially to understand what he had been through. Before the captivity came, there had been a long siege of Jerusalem. It was brutal. Daniel, part of the royalty, was taken into the king's service because of his youth, looks, and intelligence. His name was altered, he had to learn of the Babylonian culture to do business (survive) in Babylon.   His life was altered altogether, but, Daniel knew where to draw the lines when it came to Jehovah and his relationship with Him.

Some time later in Daniel's life, he's pondering the scriptures written by Jeremiah about Israel's captivity and restoration. Daniel wants to know if that restoration of Israel isn't just around the corner. It's not exactly what he wants to hear, when he learns there's more in store for his people (Israel) and the world. More despotic rulers, more calamity, more of what he's already been through himself. Not just more, but a great tribulation that Jesus spoke about when he referenced Daniel's vision in Matthew 24, "a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will." Despite what he's told and what he sees in visions and dreams that leave him feeling ill and shocked, ultimately, he recognizes that this is God's plan. Here's where I can't find the verse or my notes - because I know that I have it written somewhere, that despite all the incredibly bad stuff, Daniel tells God, bring it on.   Because Daniel recognizes God's holy plan in the midst of everything.

Well, I can't help but look at everything that's going on ... clumps and clusters of things that we're told will happen in the latter days. Sometimes, I wonder if we're not disbelieving it, sort of like we might look at a timepiece that has hands and a face, then at an LED clock and wonder if they mean the same thing or not.
Finally, when I look at all these things and know I truly don't know what I will have to go through in my life - generally speaking or more specifically speaking, wondering about that and the times we live in - there's one thing I know with all my heart, mind and soul. If I'm not here, I will be there. There, with the Lord. And that He is right here with me, no matter what I go through. That is one of the most comforting things. It's so beyond this moment. It's so full of depth, of things unspeakable.

Are we in the last days? It sure seems like it. Nevertheless, it is imperative to keep faith, stay awake and sober in spirit, keep moving and show the world.