Donna's Booknook

Christmas Celebrations

2011-12-19T05:14:00.012-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of going with our women's group from church on a Christmas tour of a family home. They had told us that this woman (with the help of her family) puts up 12 Christmas trees in her home. (I think there were actually a couple more than that, if you counted a couple little ones in the bathrooms).

This tree (above) was on the front porch, with it's very interesting welcome sign "Flakes Welcome".

She said each tree has a "story". The one above was in the front room as we came in, and she said for lack of better name, they call it the fancy, formal tree.

This was in sort of a children's play room/school room. It has bells all over it, and she said when the bells jingle, you know the kids are in there, fiddling with the tree.

Sort of self-explanatory, this is the "Patriotic Tree" .

This was in the Master bedroom. I really liked the little wooden churches underneath it.

This was in their son's bedroom. He apparently is into dogs, as it was surrounded by various stuffed dogs.

I thought this one was also unique; it was in one of the girl's bedrooms. [I thought the most amazing thing was that all the bedrooms were so neat. We asked one of the girls (about 9 years old) if it stays that way all the time. She said, "Not quite all the time!]

I think I got pictures of all the trees, but did not feel it necessary to share all of them. She said they each have their own tub and get put away in the attic, with everything labeled. (More organization and energy than I possess!)

I am also intrigued with Nativity sets, and wanted to share this one. It was beautiful.

I had to share with you the stockings on the fireplace. Apparently they are into western wear!

It was a lovely tour and a really nice family. It seemed to me that it was a little over done, but I believe they truly enjoyed meeting all the people who come through to see their home, and getting to know new people.

Did I mention, all of us women made a stop at DeBrand's Chocolate before going home! I had a sundae that was placed in an edible chocolate shell, with chocolate, carmel and pecans on it. Now that was truly indulgence!

A Friend's Christmas Open House

2011-12-03T06:15:00.014-05:00

We recently finished a Women's Bible study at our church. A woman from Cecil, Ohio and her daughter Caci came from Ohio to join us. It was such a pleasure getting to know these ladies! Gloria has a pottery business that she's had for I think 32 years. She told us about it and said she was having an Open House this week, Wednesday through Saturday.

Thursday I decided to take a little drive and have a small adventure, so I went to Gloria's Open House. I was amazed at what she is able to do!

She specializes in making customized crocks, cookie jars, and old fashioned jugs. Many of them are featured on her web site, Emerald Forest Pottery.

The crocks above are a couple examples of her personalized work. You can give her a picture of your home, or a logo, or family name and she paints it on the crock.

But besides her customized pottery, she also has so many other items--plates, mugs, bowls, ornaments, oil lamps, etc. Another thing that is a signature trademark, so to speak, for her is that she writes a Bible verse, or if it's something small, at least a reference, on every piece of pottery she makes, including the customized ones. Often it is on the bottom of the item, but sometimes it's on the pottery itself--such as some of the bowls, that have a verse written around the inside rim.

Above are an assortment of items she had on display for her Christmas Open House.

This is an item she makes for Christmas, that she calls Snow Castles. There are Christmas lights inside that show through the windows.

She had a door in the back room that I thought was so interesting. As I was taking a picture of it she said, "I was thinking of painting over that door, but I get a lot of comments about it, so I guess I'll leave it as is".

Her work area is just in front of this door. It seems like it would be great to have the names of Christ and the words "The Lord is with you" so clearly visible while you work.

Gloria has such a sweet christian spirit, as does her daughter Caci, who was there helping her on Thursday. This was truly a fun afternoon. My only regret is that I didn't take anyone along to share it with me.

Companionship, Coffee, and Comfort

2011-12-01T07:27:00.006-05:00

I must make a confession here; before starting to write this post, I decided to catch up on some other blogs. So now, I'm really not feeling very spiritual or Christ-centered, after reading the recent posts from my friend at Life and Godliness.

However, to try to redeem myself, I must tell you that the last couple of weeks I've been working on my annual Christmas letter/poem, and it always reminds me of the many blessings I've enjoyed, and especially how thankful I am for my family and good friends. I've also been concerned about the spiritual needs of my adopted daughter and her children. I was talking to her the other day, and I said, "I really want R.J. and Nyla to grasp the real meaning of Christmas". Nichole said, "Oh, they know! I asked R.J. the other day if he knew when Christmas was and he said, yes, it is in December on 2-5 (he said the numbers one at a time). Then I asked him if he knew what Christmas was. Immediately he said it is Jesus's birth." So Nichole said, I was glad that he thought about Jesus first, not Santa Claus or presents.

Now, back to my original theme for this post. Ever since last year, I have been wanting a Keurig coffee maker. I just felt it was probably an extravagance, and I didn't really need it. A couple weeks ago Nichole, who was working at Kohl's, said that she had been checking out Keurig coffee makers all day and bagging them up, because they were on sale. Well, of course by the time she told me they were no longer on sale. BUT, she said they would be on sale again the day after Thanksgiving.

Well, I have made it my policy for many years now, not to go shopping on Black Friday. But I told Lynn that the coffee makers were going to be on sale. So my best friend and companion for life, my hubby, said, why don't you get one and let it be my Christmas present to you. So at 8:00 am on Black Friday, I made my way to Kohl's. The crowds really weren't very bad by that time, as most people had gone shopping at midnight and were going home to bed. AND, they still had coffee makers left--and I had a coupon for an additional 15% off!!

I brought it home, and it was still in the box. So a couple days later, Lynn said, "when are you going to open your coffee maker?" I said that I thought it was for Christmas. He said, I don't want you to wait, you need to enjoy it now.

I just want to say, I am so very much enjoying my Keurig. I can sit in my comfy chair, read, and have a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, all of which are ready in just one minute. It seems to please my loving companion to see me thoroughly enjoying his gift. Last night he had been working hard, and came in for a break, and I was able to make him a hot cup of tea in just one minute! What can I say--Life is good!

More Thanksgiving Thoughts

2011-11-22T07:07:00.003-05:00

(Rabbi Harold Kushner) "Can you see the holiness in everything you take for granted--a paved road or the washing machine? (and I, Donna would add--the microwave, the telephone or refrigerator?) If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul."

(Unknown) The beautiful thing about gratitude is that it can be acquired. It is something that can be developed, built, worked on, practiced and obtained. It is a choice we make.

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they won't unravel. (Unknown)

I know I've used this quote from Melodie Beattie before, but it certainly is worth repeating during this Thanksgiving season:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Have a blessed day and have an attitude of gratitude.

Something To Be Thankful For

2011-11-21T12:24:00.006-05:00

There are so many things that I am thankful for. Even on days when I think there is very little to give thanks for, I still have many blessings.

A wonderful christian heritage ( God-fearing parents)
A great husband who is loving, honest, has a great work ethic, loves the Lord
My family--son, step-daughter, mother-in-law, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins
A Bible-believing church and pastor--my church family
Faithful friends
A warm home and plenty of food (maybe too much!)
Beauty in nature-ocean, flowers, trees, warm sunshine, even snow!
Relatively good health, especially my eyesight (I have macular degeneration)
The Word of God, good books, ability to read.
The air I breathe, daylight, night time with the moon & stars, gentle breezes

There are many more that I experience on daily basis, and often I don't recognize them as blessings at the time. One that comes to mind is safety and protection when driving or traveling.

I want to be sure to express my gratitude. I came across a quote by William ArthurWard that says, Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

Psalm 95: 1-6 O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the stength of the hills s His also. The sea is His and He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. O come, letus worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

What is Thankfulness?

2011-11-19T18:31:00.004-05:00

I have decided that I just really want to focus for this next several days on being thankful. I know that an attitude of thankfulness is pleasing to the Lord. I have so much to be thankful for! I found some quotes that seem to express it better than I can.

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
(Henry Ward Beecher)

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart, as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.
(Theodore Roosevelt)

If I have enjoyed the hospitality of the Host of this universe, Who daily spreads a table in my sight, surely I cannot do less than acknowledge my dependence. (G. A. Johnston Ross)

Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings that I enjoy on a daily basis!

Finally--A Real Home!

2011-11-19T07:52:00.009-05:00

Almost 3 years ago now, I started writing to a young woman, Nichole, who was in prison. Those of you who have followed my blog have seen posts about her from time to time. I got in contact with her grandma, Colleen, and we became good friends. I also was in contact with her 2 kids, R.J. and Nyla. Over those years, I not only wrote, but I started going to visit her about every 2-3 months. After I got to know her grandma she would go with me to see her. In the last several months before her release, I began to think of her as my "adopted daughter" and she started calling me her "adopted mom". (Her own mother has chosen to have no contact with her for over 5 years.)

Nichole was released in August, and had been staying at a sort of "half-way house" the last couple months. However, she now has a job, and as of November 7th she is now in her own apartment. She is so excited, and it's so good to see her finally getting established in her own place.

The picture above is of her living/dining area. When I first saw the empty apartment, I thought it wasn't going to be very big! But this room is actually nice size, and has good lighting, and holds all the furniture that she needs. The beautiful dining table was given to her by a friend of mine. The dining chairs (which go with the table beautifully!), along with some lamps were given to her by my sister. Four other small tables, including the bedside table by her bed were donated.

This just shows one corner of her living area with the lamp and table. That closet that you see has some wonderful shelving, so she's been able to set up a pantry in there.

Behind this partition you can see her kitchen; it is very small, but will be adequate for her. She has a stove and frig, and does have a microwave also.

I couldn't really get a good pic of the bedroom. On the wall at the foot of her bed is a really large closet with shelves. The door to the room is on the left hand side and then to the right of the door is a little alcove where she has a dresser.

She has custody of her 2 children, but they are not with her full time right now. She has them on her days off from work. But she will need to figure out child care, etc and sort of get on her feet. They are with their father the rest of the time, which is where they had been prior to her release. (I went to her place yesterday; the kids were there and Nyla was sleeping, but R.J. was so excited! He said "Grandma Donna, we have a new house!)

I could not be more proud of her, and excited for her. I don't think any of us (unless we've been there) can understand what a big adjustment it is to get used to living on the "outside" after having been in prison for so long. She has done extremely well. She goes to church with us when she's not working, and she spends a lot of time with her grandma.

It has been a blessing for me to see her progress, both in getting established with a job and a place to live, as well as seeing her growth spiritually. She has a bubbly, out-going personality, and has endeared herself to almost everyone she's met. I'm happy to be able to call her my "daughter".

Of Dolphins and Discovery

2011-11-14T14:46:00.018-05:00

While at Hilton Head, we decided to take a boat tour to see dolphins. They guaranteed that we would definitely see dolphins. It was a cool morning, and we enjoyed sitting in this restaurant area while we waited for our boat "captain".

We boarded the "Gypsy" and it was almost an exclusive tour, except for one other family with 3 kids. They were a very nice family and we enjoyed visiting with them during the boat ride.

Look! There are 2 dolphins right out there! (Don't try enlarging the picture, because it was almost impossible to catch them on film.) We did see several, but they came up only briefly and right back under the water. Still it was very enjoyable.

On Friday, our last full day there, we went to see the Discovery Museum. It wasn't exactly what you would think of as a museum. We got there just in time to take the guided tour. It was actually more like a botanical garden atmosphere. The real purpose of the tour was to explain the importance of the marsh lands, and the various kinds of fish, etc that live in them.

They had this cage under the water and our guide pulled it up to show us these blue crabs. I made certain I wasn't within reach of their claws.

We also saw some beautiful trees, most of them were live oaks, and they had this beautiful spanish moss. We also learned about spanish moss, that it is neither spanish nor moss. It is also not a fungus. It is called an epiphyte plant, which is a plant that lives on another host plant or tree, but doesn't depend on the host plant for it nutrients. It is seen mostly on the live oak trees in the southern states. ( the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida).

The above picture shows some of the marsh grasses. I also happened to get a pic of this white herron. The guide was very informative and we learned a lot.

They had a lot of different and unique plants all along the pathways. However, I took the above picture to show my friend Rebecca, so that she can possibly avoid it in the future! (LoL).

These were just a couple examples of the many plants that were there. I've always said that everyne should learn at least one new thing every day; I definitely learned some new things at this very interesting museum.

Scenes from Savannah

2011-11-12T18:42:00.019-05:00

While we were at Hilton Head, we spent a day in Savannah. We took an on/off trolley tour, so we could get on or off at any of the stops. It was even more interesting to me, because I had started reading the book Savannah, by Eugenia Price and the book talks about how the city was originally laid out in squares, and mentions all of the streets we were on in the historical district.

There is a movie called Something to Talk about with Julia Roberts. One of the scenes from the movie is at this Six Pence Pub. (We rented the movie while we were at HH, but we were not impressed! We actually didn't even finish watching the movie).

Above is the Savannah College of Art and Design. There are many buildings throughout the city that are a part of the college. I can't remember how many student are there, but it's huge! Our nephew, Micah, is there, but of course we had no idea how to find him or contact him.

At one of the stops on the trolley we had a visit from Forest Gump. He was suppose to meet someone, so he had to "run". He would have shared his chocolates, but alas, he'd eaten all of them.

The Pirate's house has been there since the late 1800's and there is now a restaurant in it. I believe the other house is the Foley house. Most of them are named for their owners and most in the historical district were built in the late 1800's.

The fountain above is in one of the "squares" (most of them now are beautiful parks). This particular location is used a lot for weddings because of the "ambiance". The house above is called the Owen Thomas House. I would have liked to tour this one and a couple others. (Also there was at least one beautiful church that is open to the public, but they were having a service there when we were at that location.)

This Scottish Pub is where we had lunch, right in the historical district. The food was delicious--it was hard to choose what to have. These 4 lovely ladies are waiting to get back on the trolley after lunch.

Our last stop was at the river front. This bridge is
very impressive. (I can't figure out why I was frowning on so many pictures!)

The trolley on the river front stopped right in front of this store. We just had to have a picture here, as we do (did) have an Aunt Fannie.

The other picture below shows the row of shops along the river. We found some wonderful shops, including a candy shop where we could watch them making salt water taffy.

This was a very interesting story. Apparently, from the time she was a young girl, this lady would welcome the ships as they came in and wave to them as they left. It is said that she did this for 30 years,and never missed welcoming or waving to any of the ships. (I'm not sure it was exactly 30 years, but it was a long time!).

Apparently it is not going to let me type under these 2 pictures, so I will take that as a sign that I am to end this Savannah Saga. It really was very interesting, and we had a great day!

(When I previewed this, I see that it once again decided on it's own order and arrangement. Maybe I should have lived in the 1800's and worn beautiful dresses, and not had to deal with all this technology!)

Fun and Sun in South Carolina

2011-11-05T12:33:00.021-04:00

(Disclaimer: This totally got messed up as to order and placement, but I just couldn't spend any more time trying to fix it. I think I kept making it worse!)

I can't believe it's been a week since my two sisters, my sister-i-law, and I spent a week at beautiful Hilton Head Island. The weather was perfect (mid to high 70's).

As you can see, with 4 of us, the car was packed. We somehow managed to take everything we needed.

There's no way to actually show in pictures or describe how beautiful the scenery was, driving through Kentucky, Tenessee, and South Carolina! We had mostly sunny days for driving and we totally enjoyed all the beauty.

We were blessed to have the use of a beautiful condo in Palmetto Dunes. It had 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a spacious living room, kitchen dining area and a patio overlooking a pond.

We were only about a 5-10 minute walk from the beach. The ocean was beautiful! My SIL, Sheila, especially enjoyed the beach, the sound of the waves etc. All of us took some walks on the beach, and were able to find a few sand dollars to bring home.

Brenda, Sheila and I went out to observe the sunrise one morning. It was cloudy at first, and we thought it wouldn't really be exceptional, but we were wrong. (I really should have included a couple more pics of the sunrise--it was hard to choose just a couple.)

We also enjoyed the use of the pool, which was also just a few minutes walk from the condo. Even though it is an outside pool, it is heated, so with the sunshine, and warmth it was restful and relaxing.

We watched a couple movies while we were there; also the world series and dancing with the stars. ( I know I shouldn't get hooked on that program, but I am--what can I say.) They enjoyed it with me.

I felt like a princess, with the spacious master bedroom all to
myself. A queen-size bed, a TV, a door going out to the patio. It was great! During the week, we often said we were enjoying paradise. It almost seemed that way, with the beautiful palm trees everywhere, and a great place to stay.

Besides the pool and the beach, we also took some day trips, but I think I will need to save that for another post. I was overwhelmed when I saw all the pics I had taken! We spent a day in Savannah, took a boat trip, and went to a Discovery Museum. But, that will be another day!

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him?

Psalm 19:1 The Heavens declare the glory of God; th skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Finally--I'm a Grandma!

2011-08-21T17:31:00.009-04:00

If you have followed my blog, you know that I've been a mentor to a young woman who has been in prison. As of Tuesday, she is finally out of prison! I picked her up and she stayed at my house on Tuesday night. Then Wednesday, I took her to the place where she is staying for now, which is a transitional house for women coming out of prison.

We also had several things to accomplish that day: interview with her parole officer; register for parole at the Justice Center; went to a thrift store (and Wal-Mart) to get her some clothes; visited with her grandma; ate lunch. It was a busy day. We called the father of her kids, to see if she could come visit them. So she and grandma went and had the first visit with her kids late Wednesday afternoon.

It went amazingly well! We had no idea how they would respond to her. She'd only seen them twice in the last 3 years. However, one of the ladies who helped with their care while she was in prison would regularly show them a picture of her and tell them that is their mommy.

When she first saw them she asked her son, R.J., the oldest, "Do you know who I am?" He said "Yes, you're my mommy!" The Nyla immediately said "You're MY mommy too!" They both responded very positively, Nyla wanting her to hold her a lot. They said they wanted to go home with her. So she asked their dad if she could take them for a couple days, and he said yes.

On Thursday morning, Nichole and I checked on a couple places for employment. We went to the library, and she actually applied online for a job at Wal-Mart. Then we went to Goodwill, and several stores to get some things for the kids. She told me that she felt Ramon would send them with her and not send much of anything with them. So we got p.j.'s, toothbrushes, socks, underwear, a pair of shoes for R.J. (she said all he had was some flip-flops that were too big for him), and a couple outfits for each of them.

The above pictures are at Wendy's--after we picked them up (and she was right--he sent them with the clothes on their backs!)--we went to eat, and then I took them to the house where Nichole stays; she is allowed to have her kids there.

I wasn't going to spend any time with them on Friday; Nichole's grandma Colleen was going to take them to the park for a picnic. Also, Nichole was going to do laundry at her grandma's house. The kids did not have booster seats for the car, so I borrowed 2 of them and took them to grandma's on Friday morning. When I got there, everything was in a crisis! Grandma was dizzy and not feeling good--having blood sugar problems. And Nichole had just called her and said Nyla had vomited twice.

So-o-o, I went down and picked up Nichole and the kids and brought them to my house. Nyla was sleeping when I got there, and she didn't have any more vomiting episodes. So everything was good--except that I have no experience being a grandma!

I put a sheet on the floor, gave them some coloring pages and some markers, and put on a Veggie tales movie that I had. (they didn't seem to pay much attention to the movie--too young?) Well, they each colored a picture for their mommy; then Nyla said she was going to make one for my dog--and she gave it to me. Then she made another one and told her mommy it was for grandma. Nichole said, "you mean grandma Colleen?" Nyla said "No, I mean this grandma--and pointed to me! Well let me tell you, I have apparently become an instant grandma! So now, I too, have a picture from a grandchild on my fridge.

While I was entertaining the kids--we also had crackers and cheese at the kitchen table--Nichole was checking on jobs and did another application online.

They were there about 2 1/2 hours and then we called grandma Colleen; she said she was feeling OK, and for me to bring them to her house. They did not end up going on a picnic, but had sandwiches, etc at grandma C's while Nichole did laundry.

I'm sure I will have more opportunities to love on these kids. However I discovered something: This grandma stuff is sort of hard work! I had to take a rest!

A Work in Progress

2011-07-29T18:43:00.003-04:00

Just wanted you to know that my blog background is not as I would like it to be. I had to take mine off as they wanted a rental fee for it. Now I can't get it as I would like it, but no time today.

I'm leaving for Birmingham, Alabama in the morning with a group of 6 people from my church to help the tornado victims in that area. I will be gone for one week, so will try to work on this when I come back.

The Four "F"s--A Great Combo!

2011-07-28T16:14:00.023-04:00

FRIENDS (AND FOOD!)

Last Friday night we had a lovely outing with our friends, Gary and Rebecca. It had rained during the afternoon, but cleared up and it turned out to be a really beautiful evening. We headed for the BIG metropolis of Zulu, Indiana.

Now, pretty much all that Zulu really has is "Billy's", a Mexican restaurant. I was very amused at the sign in the restaurant (above) because I was thinking that Billy's was the entire downtown Zulu!

I forgot to take pictures until after our food was gone--hence, no photos of our flauta's and burrito and Combo plate. It was all very good, except my hubby thought the combo plate was a little extra spicy.

On our way home, we stopped at Janelle's place (Lynn's daughter), and visited her pony, Star. You may remember a post about the birthday party we had for Star some time ago. Don't Gary and Rebecca look right at home on the farm?

FAMILY (AND FOOD!)

For many years now (maybe 14 or 15?) the girl cousins on my dad's side have gotten together for a reunion in the summer. This year we went to Archbold, Ohio to the Heritage Inn. We all grew up in Archbold and/or the surrounding communities.

There are actually 12 girl 1st cousins, and we also now include the girl cousins-in-law. We have not been including the male 1st cousins (we did have 4 but two have passed away); but this year we decided to include the remaining 2 male cousins. So there would be a total of 17. But as you can see only one of the male cousins was able to come and enjoy the festivities. My brother and his wife were unable to come, and 2 of the girl cousins were unable to come, so this was our group of 13.

FOOD is a big part of what we do when we get together. Tuesday evening we enjoyed a great meal at Stella Blue, a restaurant in downtown Archbold.

On Wednesday we took a drive to the little town of Grand Rapids, Ohio, which is right on the Maumee River. We ate at a delightful restaurant there, LaRoe's. Most of us had a sandwich and soup lunch, with 4 different kinds of soup--all of them delicious.

I put this next picture here for 2 reasons; it goes with the "Food" category; and also you may see a trend in my picture taking. I seem to be getting the best side of everyone in these pics!

We stopped on the way home from Grand Rapids in Ridgeville for an ice cream cone.

Most of us are farm girls and used to the country smells; but as we were sitting there attempting to enjoy our ice cream there was suddenly a very strong, fragrant odor from the very common fertilizer used in the country! Sadly, we had to go to our cars to finish our cones!

Later on Wednesday evening, we had a wonderful birthday dinner, in which we celebrated ALL of our birthdays. (It was the actual birthday of my cousin Carol--so we had celebrated with her all day, including a free dessert at LaRue's. I failed to get a picture of the feast we had, which was prepared by a few of the cousins that still live in Archbold. But my sister, Brenda took this photo of the two wonderful dishes prepared by the real birthday cousin, Carol.

And these were our cupcakes, which besides being very nicely decorated, were also displayed in the shape of a "G" for Gisel.

FUN, FUN, FUN! It would be hard to describe the dynamics of our group, but whenever we get together, we absolutely have so much fun. We end up laughing until we cry--which is actually very healthy for us, as it increases our store of endorphins.

One of the fun things we did, was to take a Canal Boat ride while we were in Grand Rapids. Our guide on the boat did a great job of explaining all the history. But basically these boats ran up and down this river during the late 1800's and early 1900's. They were pulled by mules who walked along the edge of the river and were attached to the boat by a rope. In it's prime this canal route had several locks to go through, but we actually went through the only lock that is still functional at this time. It was a great history lesson and a fun ride.

(May I just say that once again, I have captured the better side of some of our group in this picture!) What was I thinking? I could have at least asked them to turn around for the photo!

AHA! Finally, a picture with all of us facing the right direction! This was taken just before our canal ride, and one of our guides graciously agreed to take the picture for us.

This girl is a student and does this as a summer job. She did a great job of not only giving us a thorough history of the canal boats, etc, but also helped with the working of the boat at times. What a hot, summer job, but she seemed very enthusiastic.

I couldn't get a good picture of the mules while they wer pulling the boat. This is Molly and Mabel (actually, I'm sure it's not Mabel, but I forgot the name of the second one!

This is one of the gals who helped with the boat. The had to unhook the mules from the boat when they went through the locks, and she was helping to steer with the rope. She's actually walking on the wall along the lock, and they often walked on top of the boat to maneuver it at different times.

This just shows them opening the gates to the lock in order for us to go through.

Before we left that area, we stopped to see the Providence Dam. I'm always impressed with the amount of force and power the water has going over the dam.

Now that I've written a book, I will bore you no further. I just wanted to share some of the fun activities I've had recently involving, Friends, Family, Food, and Fun!

A Surprise Date

2011-07-10T07:41:00.005-04:00

We had a nice day yesterday. Lynn worked on finishing a project at Janelle's, and then after an afternoon nap, he worked on an equipment rack he is sending to Haiti. I weeded some garden, did some laundry, and also had a little afternoon nap--why not?

We went to the A & W in Antwerp for supper, something we do sort of frequently in the summer, and had cheeseburgers and root beer floats; he had chili cheese fries and I had onion rings.

In the evening we both read for a little while, and then watched an episode of JAG, that we get from Netflix. At about 9:45 pm, Lynn said, "Why don't we go for a little ride?" I said "Sure, if you're serious." He said "get your shoes on". So off we went in Black Beauty (his truck). I wasn't sure where we were headed, and I'm not sure he was either. But we drove up to the shopping area on Maysville Road. He then asked me what restaurant might be open at that hour. We looked around, and were just going to go to Wendy's, when we saw that Vince's was open. We had never been there, so decided to try it.

It turns out they did have a dessert menu, and so we each ordered coffee, and we decided to share a piece of Praline Turtle Pie. It turns out it was very yummy and very rich; we were both glad we had coffee to go with it. We also had each gotten a large glass of water. He was particularly thirsty, so he poured some of my water into his glass. The waitress apparently noticed, and brought him another glass of water. That one wasn't as cold so he poured the ice from the first glass into that one. Then it was almost too full of ice to drink, so I spooned some of his ice back into the first glass. Why am I telling you all this? Because, first of all the waitress was watching our exchange of pouring water, and dipping out ice, etc. and she probably thought we were crazy. She finally said, looks like you're having fun! Secondly, we got so tickled about it all that we were just laughing and having a good time.

My husband is an engineer, and prior to marrying me, I don't think he ever did much of anything spontaneous. But since I sometimes fly by the seat of my pants, I guess a little of it has rubbed off. I was very surprised he suggested a late night date, but it was really fun! Did I mention, this was the day I was going to seriously get back to my diet?! There's always another day for that.

He says, now, that we may just have to do a spontaneous weekend get-away sometime. Sounds like fun, but I don't think I'll hold my breath. Since our surprise date last night, though, I'm sure it could possibly happen.

The Perfect Job

2011-06-30T07:19:00.010-04:00

I know there are many people who are trying to find a job, and certainly not really expecting to find the "perfect" job. I, too, searched a long time for a job, and I did finally find the perfect job!. I thought I should share it, just in case this might help someone else.

My Job Search
1. My first job was working in an Orange juice factory, but I got canned; couldn't concentrate.
2. Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe 3. After that, I tried being a tailor, but wasn't suited for it--mainly because it was a sew-sew job.
4. Next, I tried working in a muffler factory, but that was just too exhausting.
5. Then, tried being a chef--figured it would add a little spice to my life, but I just didn't have the thyme.
6. Next, I attempted being a deli worker, but anyway I sliced it--couldn't cut the mustard.
7. My best job was a musician, but eventually found I wasn't noteworthy.
8. I studied a long time to become a nurse, but didn't have any patience.
9. Next, was a job in a shoe factory; I tried hard but just didn't have the right fit.
10.I became a professional fisherman, but discovered I couldn't live on my net income.
11. Managed to get a good job working for a pool-maintenance company, but the work was just too draining.
12. So then, I got a job in a workout center, but they said I wasn't fit for the job.
13. After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a historian--until I realized there was no future in it.
14. My last job was working at Starbucks (which I've always thought I wanted to do!), but had to quit because it was the same old grind.
15. So, I finally tried retirement, and I found that I am perfect for the job!
(from Machine Design Magazine, modified by me--the words in italics)

I hope, for those who are looking for a job, that you can eventually find the perfect job, as I did!

We had a Hay Day!

2011-06-27T09:22:00.011-04:00

Lynn's daughter, Janelle, has a pony (Star), who like most horses loves hay. (I learned that she is officially a pony, because she is only 13 1/2 hands, and to be a horse they must be at least 14 1/2 hands). At any rate, it was time to store up some hay in the barn to keep the pony happy and well-fed.

While we were waiting for the hay truck to arrive, Janelle introduced Star to the two boys we had hired to help us, Jacob and Peter. I think they even fed her some carrots.

I couldn't believe the big load of hay that arrived; I don't know what I was expecting, but Lynn siad they ordered 150 bales.

With the help of the elevator, the process began. The man we bought the hay from, Dale, had brought to guys with him to help as well. So Dale and one of the guys stayed below and loaded bales onto the elevator.

I think Lynn said the bales weighed about 50 pounds each. They pretty much hefted them up with out any trouble.

My pictures up in the hayloft didn't turn out real well--most of them were blurry. Also the sun was coming in the window, which caused some glare. These were the guys helping Lynn in the Loft, from left to right, one of the guys that came with Dale, Jacob and Peter.

This is Lynn in the background, stacking the bales as the guys got them off the elevator. As I said, not the best picture, but you can see the bales of hay--they were about 3/4 done at this point.

Dale was very interested in taking a tour of the barn; it is only about 7 years old, and the Amish helped build it. Then of course, Dale also had to meet Star. He also has horses, and they were showing him Star's front hooves that they've been nursing back to health for several months. (They had abscesses because of Cushing's disease, and the bone structure of the one hoof is somewhat deformed because of it.) But she's a loveable pony, and they've come a long way in getting her hooves healed.

Fortunately, I didn't have to lift any bales--we had lots of good help for that. My job was strictly as photographer, and now recorder. However, it was very interesting to watch this process, and Star will definitely not run out of hay for a long time!

Improving My Focus

2011-06-16T10:35:00.003-04:00

For some reason, the last couple days I've been focusing on my circumstances. Not that I have any major crises right now; but for some reason I've just been kind of "down", thinking about things going on with my son and Nichole, my mother-in-law, etc.

Today I was reading during my devotions, and came across two statements that were an encouragement to me. They are by Warren Wiersbe.

" Someone has described 'circumstances' as "those nasty things you see when you get your eyes off of God". If you look at God through your circumstances, He will seem small and very far away, but if by faith you look at your circumstances through God, He will draw very near and reveal His greatness to you."

"Look at others, and be distressed; look at yourself, and be depressed; look to God, and you'll be blessed."

Commandeered

2011-06-11T21:38:00.003-04:00

Tis the season
of wonderful reunions of blessed families.

The March 1, 1908 union of
a deacon’s son and a preacher’s daughter
was blessed with ten children,
six boys and four girls.

Two of the ten children remain for us to enjoy . . .

Uncle Andy, front row—second from the left in the family photo above . . .

And his younger sister, Aunt Vera, who recently celebrated 90 years. She is in the front row, second from the right in the family photo.

From the ten children
were added thirty-nine grandchildren.

Many of those grandchildren gathered today for our biannual Rupp Reunion.

Lyn and Rita, daughters of Aunt Arvada, (little sister on the far left of the front row) were the industrious, capable, creative, and gracious hostesses.

Many years ago, 1958 to be exact,
The cousins sang, “Count Your Many Blessings”
as part of our grandparents' anniversary celebration.

So, as we gathered today,
in thankfulness to God,
for our heritage and our blessings,
we again sang our family song.

It truly was a wonderful day.

However, the reason that I hijacked this blog. . .

Donna’s very cute photo that surfaced today . . .
just had to be shared.

And now, Donna, your younger sister thanks you for the opportunity of being a guest writer.

Regarding Flowers, A hubby, and Contraptions.

2011-06-10T08:07:00.021-04:00

(disclaimer: the pictures and text would not line up like I wanted them to, so it may seem a little disjointed. In the interest of not taking any more time, it is what it is.)

A couple weeks ago (or longer), my friend Rebecca generously donated some of her plants and her time to help me do a little landscaping. The result is what I call my "Hosta Garden". (I need to get a cute statue or something to put on the tree stump).

(areas left and right of the stump)

I have two other little flower bed areas that I've wanted to get finished, but my hubby wanted to work up the ground first. Finally, yesterday, I went to buy some annuals and we were able to plant them last night.

Lynn had worked up the ground in these areas, but because of the flooding, and then the intense heat the ground was hard and had clumps of dirt. Being the semi-perfectionist that he is, he decided he needed to get out his "soil grinder" and grind up the clumps of dirt. I didn't know he even had this machine, so it was quite fascinating.

The way this works, is that you put the clumps of dirt into the bin at the top, and it grinds them up and nice fine dirt comes out the bottom. He was very excited that he was able to use this contraption to make my flower beds nice. ( Being very frugal, I think he was just as excited to think that he had purchased this machine for $20!)

These two flower beds are the result of his fine work. I had gotten some marigolds, some that are called Salvia (or Solvia)--they are purple and I thought they were pretty, and some moss roses.

Lynn usually goes with me to buy the flowers, but this time he trusted me to go get what I thought I would like. When he saw the flowers I brought home, he said "I don't think you got enough for both beds". As it turned out, we had exactly enough!

Since he had his soil grinder handy, my hubby decided to grind up some of the horse manure we had at the back of our property; he said it would be great on our vegetable garden.

Being the princess that she is, our dog, Chloe, was very much interested in this manure, and I'm sure wondered what we were doing with it!

Since we had some rain overnight, my vegetable garden and my flower beds all look very nice.

" Thank you, Lord, for giving us sunshine and rain as we need it. You are indeed the "Master Gardener".

The "Eyes" Have It!

2011-06-10T07:45:00.004-04:00

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Psalm 141:8 But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch...

Sunday evening I began experiencing visual disturbances in my right eye. At first I just thought I had some hairs hanging down over my glasses, but I didn't think my hair was that long! I tried to brush them away, but they continued to be there, floating in front of my eye. Then that night, when the house was dark I started seeing a flashing light in my peripheral vision, moving in an arc vertically. Well, of course when I mentioned these things to Lynn, he said "Call Dr. Walker tomorrow!"

I have had Macular Degeneration in that eye for almost 3 years, and now get frequent injections to keep my eyesight in that eye at about 20/50. However, I had never experienced anything like this.

I was able to get in to Dr. Walker on Tuesday. When I told him what was going on, he said "Well this could be nothing, or it could be something really not good". Well, of course, this did nothing to relieve my concerns!

After a thorough exam, he said, Well you do have a problem, but fortunately we can treat it. He went on to explain that I have a retinal tear. In normal aging, the jelly inside the eye starts to pull away from the retinal wall and shrink. However, in my case, a piece of the jelly stuck to the wall and caused a tear in the retina. He did a laser treatment, which he said will seal it off and fix the tear. However, he said that the visual symptoms I'm having will not go away for about 2-3 months. (As a side note, this had nothing to do with my previous condition--it is a separate issue).

So, if you see me trying to brush the bangs out of my eyes, just realize that it has become sort of a natural instinct to try to get rid of the "floating" hairs that are now my constant companion.

I am so thankful for doctors who have the knowledge and expertise to take care of these things, and I'm especially grateful to the Lord that I continue to have good enough eyesight to do all the things I love to do--read, computer, drive, etc. I am indeed blessed.

My Shadow

2011-05-22T16:11:00.003-04:00

I am very excited, as the weather has finally been nice enough for me to start walking again. It just does something for your spirit and sense of vitality, at least for me. So yesterday, it was a beautiful, sunny morning and I took off on my country roads for a walk. I decided to walk just over a mile to Janelle's house (my step-daughter), as my hubby was cutting off a big dead tree limb over there. I could hear birds singing, there was a slight breeze, it was great!

I was headed East, and I noticed that my long full-body shadow was straight out in front of me. I don't know why that caught my attention. On my way back home, I happened to glance behind me, and sure enough, that shadow was straight out behind me.

A strange thing happened; I all-of-a-sudden remembered a poem I had memorized when I was in grade school. So I started quoting it. I got through most of the first verse, but could only remember bits and pieces of the rest. So of course, I had to google it when I got home. Just in case you've never heard it, I decided to share it with you here.

My Shadow (by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow.
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup.
But my lazy little shadow, like an errant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

I have a "Heavenly Shadow" who goes in and out with me, walks and talks with me, and sticks close beside me, and I'm so glad He does!

Psalm 121:5-8 The Lord watches over you--the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

An Equine Celebration: Happy Birthday!

2011-03-31T20:31:00.014-04:00

I'm almost 2 weeks late with this post, but you know what they say--"Better late...". I was invited to a birthday party for "Star", Janelle's horse. She is actually classified as a pony.

She is trying very hard to find the gift in this bucket--I think maybe it was carrots?

We, of course, had carrot cake, and Star thoroughly enjoyed her piece! She actually was quite good at getting the last crumb off that plate.

The kids really had a good time! (Kate, Kelsie, Luke, Taylor and Taylor).

I gave Star a card (and a carrot). I'm sure she was much more excited about the carrot, but as you can see, she's trying to act thrilled with the card as well. I had to sort of improvise on the card--it originally had a dog on the front. I replaced it with a horse. The inside said "Hope you get your hooves on lots of birthday goodies."

My hubby very patiently kept Star in tow with her harness and leash.

Enough of this party! She is having some hay and then heading out to enjoy the pasture.

The kids each had a horse shoe to paint. They were all very original. (Taylor S is a Colts fan, so his was a 'Colts' symbol.)

We enjoyed carrot cake and ice cream and a good time was had by all (including Star!).

Heaven is For Real

2011-03-05T07:02:00.004-05:00

A lot of the reading I do is for pleasure and relaxation. But many times I read something that has really challenged me or I've learned something new. But it's been a long time since a book has had this kind of an impact on me.

This is written by the father of a little boy who was very sick, and while he was in surgery, he went to Heaven and back. I'll have to admit that I was a little skeptical at first. But it has encouraged my heart like nothing has in a long time.

Very possibly, I was so impressed by this book because I have so many close family members who are in Heaven. In the past I've read books about Heaven, just trying to get a feel for what Heaven must be like. But this has given me new insight and given me some new ideas to think about.

For about a week after I read this book, I just couldn't stop thinking about Heaven, and my loved ones who are there. It caused me to say, "Even so come, Lord Jesus!"

Sun, Seafood, Sweets,Swimming, Sunsets

2011-02-19T13:45:00.028-05:00

(Disclaimer: This is a little lengthy, so if you don't have time to read it, I certainly understand!)
As the temperatures in Indiana began to plummet to below O levels, I was fortunate enough to fly to sunny Florida to spend some time in the sun! I had the flu a few days before we left, so this was a very welcome respite.

My cousin, Nadine, has a condo in Bradenton, and so sister Lou and I were invited to spend this time with her. Her sister Carol was with us for a few days. Above is the courtyard for the condos; Nadine's condo was second from the end in the right hand corner of this picture. The pool was just to the left of the picture.

We arrived late on Sunday evening (the 6th); the next few days were cool (for Florida!) but still mostly in the high 50's and low to mid 60's during the day. Monday evening we went to the Oyster Bar for dinner with some friends in the condo next to ours--Byron and Beaetta, and Darlene (who was a neighbor of mine when we were growing up). Then we went to visit some friends who have a trailer there, Lana and her husband. Lana also grew up in Archbold.

Lou, Me, Betti, Carol, Nadine, Darlene

Tuesday we had supper at "Betti's Cafe"--a sister of Carol and Nadine; she and her husband John have a beautiful condo in Sun City Center. We had a great meal and a fun visit there.

We had supper Wednesday night at a very unique little restaurant. It is called "Jose's Real Cuban Food". It has only a few tables and some stools along the bar. We wanted to check this one out because it is going to be featured on "Deli's, Dives and Diners" on TV. They were going to be taping the program on Feb. 17th, the day we left. It was really good food and a unique atmosphere.

By now you have probably figured out that our main entertainment was food! This was called "Sonny's Real Pit BBQ". I had sliced brisket that was really good. Even better, we went for the "early bird" meal and got a great senior discount.

We had breakfast at this really cute Breakfast House Friday morning. It's in an actual house, and they have a real chef that does the cooking. Everything was not only delicious but presented beautifully.

These were called Tropical Pancakes (I think); I don't know if you can tell from the picture but they had a ring of pineapple baked into them like a wheel in the center. It also had macadamia nuts. Nadine allowed us all to taste them--yummy!

I had never had Eggs Benedict so that was my entree. It has hollandaise sauce on top and some very good home fried potatoes on the side.

This was our breakfast group. On the right is another cousin (by marriage), Carolyn. After breakfast we drove through downtown Sarasota and stopped at the Whole Food Store. It was HUGE! It even had it's own parking garage, and had every food imaginable.

Saturday for lunch we went to "Peaches". There were 7 or us cousins that were there in that same area, and we all got together for lunch. Then we went to cousin Ruth's trailer, as I had never seen it, and we had dessert there.

Sunday was probably the most interesting day for me. We went to church Sunday morning on the "Chapel on a Boat". It was a very pretty chapel inside. The pastor was kind of young, but had a good message. After the service we had time to go out on the deck and enjoy the sunshine.

(An inside view of the chapel)

There were eight of us that went to church together--the 4 from our condo, our 3 neighbors, and Carolyn.

We went to the Oyster Bar for lunch. Lou had her Valentine's dinner, as she had the special--lobster stuffed with crab meat and even some fried shrimp as well. They have an appetizer called "onion straws" which are very, very thin fried onions. We all shared some!

Sunday evening we went to the church that Carolyn normally attends. They had a special singing group, The Sarasota area Mennonite Men's Choir. We got there 30 minutes before it started and just barely got seats. I think there were probably about 1200 people there. There was also a string quartet made up of 4 sisters; they played before the concert started, during the offertory, and accompanied a couple of the men's songs. They were so good! Two of them were twins who are juniors in high school. They were amazing. The men's choir was also excellent.

Monday evening we went to a buffet at "Sweet Tomato". They have all kinds of salad, soups, potatoes and desserts. Once again, I ate just a little more than I should have.

Tuesday night we went to Anna Maria Island and ate at the "Sandbar" restaurant. This is a view of the restaurant from the beach. We got there before our reservation so went to the beach.

After our dinner we went back out to the beach and watched the sunset. Pictures never seem to really capture the beauty of things like this.

Wednesday night we again went to the Island (Holmes Beach) and ate at this little "shack" called "Skinny's". It's not real big and we ate outside. But they had wonderful hamburgers, and after having seafood several times, it was a welcome treat.

Of course, after our burgers, we went out to the beach and again watched the sunset. It was a beautiful evening, with very little breeze and was very relaxing.

NOW, what did we do besides eat? Went for walks, laid out by the pool and swam, read books, watched some TV, visited a lot, pretty much just rested and relaxed. After the first few days, and one sort of rainy day, it cleared up and was beautiful weather the rest of the time--mostly low 70's.

I would not be telling the whole story, if I didn't mention "Sweetberries". It is a frozen custard place that has soft ice cream and concretes, and I think we were there at least 3 times. I know one time we made it our supper stop and also had a sandwich.

What I can't seem to figure out is, why wasn't I able to stay on my diet and lose a little weight? What a mystery!

Too Much Chocolate?

2011-02-02T09:06:00.015-05:00

Can you get too much of a good thing? I believe that we came close to going over the line on this one!

We were invited to a fund-raiser for a Christian Youth Center in Hicksville, Ohio. One of the men in our church is a regional Youth For Christ leader in that area. I thought it sounded REALLY interesting, so I talked my hubby into going with me.

It was advertised as a "sit-down meal" of chocolate, chocolate, chocolate and they called it "A Chocolate Chalet". I couldn't quite imagine a whole meal with chocolate in every course--thus my interest in going.(you can enlarge the invitation on the right to see that it does say sit-down meal.)

When we arrived they greeted us, had us sign up for a grand prize drawing, and actually had a coat-check for our coats. It started with hors-d'oeuvres; there were chocolate candies, what looked like a cheese ball but was frosting with mini chocolate chips to put on graham crackers, chocolate-covered pretzels,etc.

Of course, there was also a chocolate fountain with all kinds of things to dip--strawberries, pineapple, angel food cake pieces, etc.

THEN it was time for the sit-down meal. The tables (and chairs) were beautifully decorated. We were served by some of the boys who go to the youth center--with some adult supervision of course. But they did a great job, and looked great in their chef hats.

The first course was the two pieces of candy on the plate. I also wanted you to see how pretty the place settings were.

The second course was a little piece of what I think was chocolate cheese cake and this little mouse. He was very cute. I'm sorry I didn't get a good picture of him. I shared Lynn's and brought mine home, but the pictures I took here were blurry.

The third course was from "dairi-d-lite" and I thought at first it was ice cream, with a long crispy cookie. I think maybe it was like a sherbert or chocolate ice.

The last course was a beautiful (and delicious) chocolate cake. They brought a cake to each table and we cut our own pieces. Surprisingly, one of the men actually did the honors of cutting the cake.

Now, let me say, it was all very wonderful. But was it a meal? It certainly wasn't what I was anticipating. What was I thinking? I guess my first clue should have been that it started at 7:30pm but then I know sometimes people eat late. I love chocolate, and enjoyed it all. My hubby got a "chocolate headache" and ate a sandwich when we got home.

I kept thinking that there is a Bible verse that says something about doing all things in moderation, and not to excess. (I couldn't figure out where it is so maybe I have it wrong). However, I believe this was just a LITTLE bit on the side of excess when it comes to chocolate. Oh yes! As a final touch, they sent us each home with a piece of "Debrand's" chocolate in a cute little box!

Have I had my chocolate fix to last me for a while? Probably not!

"Hitherto"

2010-12-31T10:15:00.007-05:00

Before the clock strikes midnight tonight, I thought it would be well to reflect on the past year. Yes, there have been many challenges and struggles, but there have been so many ways and so many times that the Lord has blessed abundantly. My devotional this morning was from C. H. Spurgeon. It said so well what I would have liked to say, I wanted to post it here.

The word "hitherto" seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the PAST. Twenty years or seventy, and yet "hitherto hath the Lord helped us!" Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health; at home, abroad, on the land, at sea; in honor, in dishonor, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation--"hitherto hath the Lord helped!".

We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is wonderful to gaze from one end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with it's branching pillars and it's arches of leaves. Even so, look down the long aisles of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up your joys.

Are there no birds in yonder branches singing? Surely, there must be many, and they all sing of mercy received "hitherto".

But the word also points FORWARD. For when a man gets up to a certain mark, and writes "hitherto", he is not yet at the end; there are still distances to be traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations, more triumphs; more prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength; more fights, more victories; and then come sickness, old age, disease and death.

Is it over now? No!! There is more yet--awakening in Jesus' likeness, thrones, harps, songs, psalms, white raiment, the face of Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of God, the fullness of eternity, the infinity of bliss. Oh, be of good courage, believer, and with grateful confidence raise thy "Ebenezer", for

"He who hath helped thee hitherto, Will help thee all thy journey through"
(C.H.Spurgeon)

My "Other" Family

2010-12-27T10:51:00.008-05:00

I will be meeting with my family for a couple days this week. But, as most of you know, I've been mentoring a young woman in prison for the past 2 years, and she and her 2 kids and her grandmother have really become a second family to me. Nichole has gone to school while in prison, and taken a cooking course, and has developed a lot of skills that she didn't have previously. Most importantly, she has grown spiritually and has a personal relationship with the Lord.

(The above picture was taken in July, when I took the kids to see their mom in prison).

Nichole's grandma, Colleen, and I have kept in contact with the kids, R.J. and Nyla. They are 3 y/o and 2 y/o and are very sweet. Colleen and I bought them some Christmas gifts (from their mommy and from us) and took them over to them.

The children stay mostly with 2 great-aunts--Nyla is mostly with Renee, and R.J. is mostly with Donna and they are well cared for. However, the kid's father stays with his sister, and the children are in that home quite a bit as well. It breaks our hearts, as that home (with the father and aunt) is a poor environment for them.

Nyla and R.J. had been in separate homes, so when we arrived with the gifts, Nyla wasn't there yet. When she came, she immediately ran to her brother and gave him a big hug. It was so sweet, and it just re-inforced to me that it would be so much better if they could be together in a good environment.

It's hard to get Nyla to smile, especially for pictures. I don't think she likes having her picture taken.

We spent a little time with the kids. This is great-grandma Colleen loving on them.

This is the kid's Uncle Marcus. He is great with them, and helps take care of them when they are at Donna's home.

Nichole is supposed to be released on February 8th, as she's been given some time cuts for classes she took. However, with these last elections, they have a new commissioner, and he has said they were given too many time cuts and he is quite possibly going to take away 2 of her time cuts, which would mean she may need to stay another 60-90 days. I know if that happens she will accept it as the way it has to be; but I am very concerned about these 2 precious children. They need to be back with their mom and become established in a stable, safe environment. I would appreciate your prayers, for the kids and for Nichole, that she might be able to be released in February as scheduled.

Psalm 127:3 Children are a heritage from the Lord; offspring, a reward from Him.

Mark 10:14 Jesus...said to them, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

A Starstruck Christmas

2010-12-06T07:26:00.009-05:00

What a fun, uplifting and inspiring evening we had! I had the privilege of attending the women's Christmas celebration at Wheaton Bible Church with my sis, Brenda, a friend of hers and a friend of mine.

When we got to the church, they had a living Nativity scene in front of the main doors. It was very cold, but these folks didn't seem to mind. (We thought at first she was holding a real baby, but it was much too cold for that!

I was very impressed--they had not one, but two live camels! The other one was standing but didn't get a picture. I don't think I realized how big they are.

This little guy was warming himself by a big heater they had there. Can you blame him? But what a sweet smile.

There were of course, sheep and goats as well. What a wonderful reminder of the stable scene where our Lord arrived here on earth.

The first part of the evening was a reception with hor d'oeuvres and desserts. They had food tables but also had volunteers from the church--including the pastor--walking around with trays of goodies for the taking. It is indeed a VERY big church, but you might want to try to picture approximately 1500 women walking around, munching and visiting.

The program theme was "Starstruck" and the decorations were great. (for some reason this blogger didn't take ANY pictures and had to rely on the ones taken by Brenda.)

There was some beautiful musical presentations, but the highlight of the evening for me was the speaker, Carol Kent. She has gone through an "unthinkable" circumstance in her life, but encouraged us by how she is walking through this journey with the Lord's help, and that we too can experience victory and even joy, in spite of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. She shared several scriptures that were so appropriate. (I believe most of them were from the paraphrase "The Message".) There is a CD of her message available, which I want to purchase. I'm sure I will need to listen to it again, as difficulties come my way.

My friend, Mary, who is currently going through a very difficult situation was very encouraged. I was glad I had the forethought to invite her to go with us.

Ellie, Brenda, Me and Mary

For me, it was a wonderful start to the Christmas season. A big thank you goes to all of those who were involved in planning and serving, who gave of their time and talents to provide a wonderful Christmas celebration.

Christmas Thoughts

2010-12-01T07:09:00.005-05:00

The tree is up, the Christmas poem written and ready to mail, and a few decorations here and there. Also, I have found some great CD's of Christmas music, some that I had and a couple new ones I bought. The music is probably one of my favorite things about the Christmas season.

I've probably said this before, but I want to try to focus this year on the true spirit of giving; looking for opportunities to do something for those less fortunate. I have been so blessed, and I am so thankful. I provided a couple shoe boxes for inner city kids, a project that our church does every year. Our class is trying to provide a good Christmas for a single mom and her 3 children that go to our church. But beyond that, I need to be sensitive to ways that I can be an encouragement to those who are going through hard times right now, and those who have a hard time at this season because of the loss of loved ones.

I found some quotes about Christmas and wanted to share just a few:

There has been only one Christmas--the rest are anniversaries. (W. J. Cameron)

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. (Roy. L. Smith)

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.

( Attributed to a 7-year-old boy named Bobby)

This last one is one I found by Oren Arnold, but I liked it so well, I added some of my own. So a few of these are his, and the majority are mine.

Christmas Gift Suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness; To a customer, good service;

To a friend, faithfulness; To a child, a good example;

To those down-trodden in spirit, encouragement; To your employer, honesty;

To your spouse, your heart; To everyone, love & kindness;

To the Lord, deep gratitude for His gift of Salvation.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2010-11-24T06:41:00.006-05:00

It seems to me sometimes, in this fast-paced world we live in, that Thanksgiving sort of gets lost in the push for Christmas. I'm seeing Christmas decorations, and gift displays, and already hearing Christmas music in the stores.

Don't get me wrong--I love the Christmas season. I just feel I should take time to dwell on my blessings and all that I have to be thankful for. I am of course thankful for all of the things that are common to many--my wonderful family, my friends, a loving husband who provides well for me, my pastor and a church where the Word of God is taught, and most of all a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior.

Beyond that, I'm so very thankful for my eyesight. I have wet macular degeration in my right eye, which requires an injection every month to keep it at an acceptable level of sight. But I am so very grateful that there is medicine available for this, and that my left eye has not been affected. It is truly a blessing from the Lord.

I've come across some Thanksgiving quotes and wanted to share a few here.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them. (J.F. Kennedy)

He who thanks from the lips, thanks but in part; the full true Thanksgiving comes from the heart. (J. A. Shedd)

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and true homage comes form the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ( T. Roosevelt)

No one is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. (Fred D. V. Amburgh)

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. (Melody Beattie)

(I think this last one says so much what my heart feels)

For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us, from birth to death, guests at a table that we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet--Shall we not think of the day as a chance to come nearer our Host, and to find out something of Him who has fed us for so long?

I trust you will have a blessed Thanksgiving, as you recall the ways you've been blessed this past year.

(I am having a problem with my personal computer, so I am allowing comments to post without approval for now. Hopefully I have set it correctly to do that. I did add a word verification.)

Two Are Better Than One

2010-11-13T20:51:00.013-05:00

Bride,Bridegroom, Beautiful, Blessing, Beginnings, Beloved--These are all words that came to mind today, as I had the privilege of attending the marriage celebration of my niece Amy to her betrothed, Eric.

BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM--Repeating their vows to each other, before God and many family and friends.

BEAUTIFUL--I had never seen this done before, but what a beautiful picture of the union of not only Amy and Eric as husband and Wife, but uniting them as a family with these two beautiful girls. (This was the Unity Sand ceremony, where each of them put in a different color of sand. Once the sand is all put together, it can never be separated into individual parts).

BLESSING--How wonderful it has been to see how God has brought them together. The ceremony was a reflection of how they both want the Lord to be the most important person, to them individually as well as in their lives together as a couple and a family.

BEGINNING--They were introduced for the first time as husband and wife. This, then, is the beginning of their journey together: there will be much joy and gladness, as well as challenges, but whatever comes, they will find that "two are better than one".

BELOVED--Lauren and Mackenzie, Eric's beloved (and charming) daughters, made him a special groom's cake. Is it possible he loves football?

Yes indeed, a beautiful, blessed, beginning for this wonderful couple and their two precious girls.

Genesis 2:18 It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helpmate suitable for him.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9, 10, 12 Two are better than one...if one falls down his friend can help him up! Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands (God, Amy and Eric) is not quickly broken.

Happy Anniversary!

2010-11-05T09:54:00.008-04:00

Today is our Fifth Wedding Anniversary. It hardly seems possible in some ways, and in other ways seems like we've known and loved each other for a long time.

Last night he brought me flowers. He is very sentimental, so it shouldn't have surprised me that he would remember. We actually celebrated our anniversary the end of September with a weekend trip to Chain of Lakes.

It has been a very special relationship for us, as we each lost our first spouse. I don't think either of us expected to find someone again who would love us so completely. We are both so very blessed. I've had some challenging times during these years, all of which would have been much more difficult to handle without a loving, supportive husband.

I believe I speak for both of us when I say that, we hope to continue our journey together through the sunset of our lives. As young as we are, I'm sure that will be many years down the road!

"Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude or self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs....It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
(I Corinthians 13: 4-8)

Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart!

Heart-felt Gratitude

2010-11-03T07:00:00.001-04:00

I know, I know! Thanksgiving is almost a month away. But I've been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I am at this point in my life. God has blessed me in so many ways and I am so thankful.

One of the things that prompted me to write this post at this time was a little article I read; it was written by the editor-in-chief of Guidepost magazine, Edward Grinnan. I trust it will be OK to quote him in my post, as you could also read it in the November issue of the magazine.

He said: "One of the pleasures of growing older is the perspective it brings to the store of blessings that multiply in your life; growing older means growing more grateful. Of course there is loss and heartache and disappointment too. But it is against these adversities that our blessings stand in high relief, the joy of family and friends and faith and work, and gratitude for the gifts each new day holds. These are the things that make us whole, and with which, as I daily remind myself, I am so richly and undeservedly blessed. Even in these dark and troubled times I find more to be thankful for than not--much more. Gratitude is a practice of the soul that helps us live happier lives and grow closer to God, and our blessings are the living evidence of His grace."

PSALM 100
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us and we are His, we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

Lots of Work--Some Play

2010-10-29T10:09:00.015-04:00

I went from enjoying a great cruise to lending a helping hand to a friend. However, it involved a road trip of nearly 1000 miles to complete this assignment. In less than 24 hours after I returned to my home from the cruise, I was on my way to Hilton Head Island, SC.

My friend, Judy, and her husband have a condo there in Palmetto Dunes. Judy had helped me when I did some re-modeling at my home, including some very pain-staking wall paper removal. So I agreed to go with her to clean and organize the condo.

There had been some water damage and they had to replace some drywall, tear up carpet, etc. So they had new carpet and hardwood floors installed. Needless to say, everything was dusty. We washed all the bed linens for 3 bedrooms, as well as window curtains. And of course we washed down all the furniture, woodwork, windows and washed all the dishes--lots of them! You get the idea. It was MAJOR fall cleaning!

She also had the overwhelming task of sewing together drapes for two patio doors. We first had to rip out the seams so that she could sew the panels together. Judy sewed three panels together for each door. They had 3 layers, and she sewed each layer individually. When we finished with them Monday morning, including inserting the pleater hooks, and ironing, they fit perfectly. (One of the rods had been installed wrong, but we were able to figure out how to fix it).

Of course all work and no play is just not good. So we did have some fun and relaxing times. We walked along the beach one morning, probably about 2 miles. The weather was great!

One afternoon while she worked on drapes, I relaxed at the pool. The water was perfect, not too cold, the sun was great, and I even spent a little time in the hot tub.

I checked out the time for sunrise one morning, and we got to the beach at the perfect time to watch the sun come up. So beautiful and peaceful.

Sunday morning, after attending church, we had brunch at the "Black Marlin". They had some very interesting entrees. Judy and I had Bananas Foster French Toast, which had a carmelized syrup that was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The gal on the right, also named Judy, was also working on her home that week.

After brunch we headed for Savannah, Georgia, and took a trolley tour of the this beautiful city. Once again, it was terrific weather and we were able to see the wonderful homes and parks in the historic district.

We left early Tuesday morning for the long trip back home, having had some fun as well as leaving the condo clean and decorated and ready to rent. The drive through the Smokey mountains was beautiful (I see I forgot to include a picture, although my pictures couldn't really capture the view.) We got into a rain storm and wind in Kentucky and some tense driving for a while. All in all, it was a productive and fun trip.

An Amazing Adventure

2010-10-27T09:08:00.013-04:00

Because I'm such a world traveler, I haven't had a chance to post about our wonderful cruise to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico, except for the preview of the dolphin experience. I spent the last week in Hilton Head, SC (but that's a story for another time).

My sister Brenda,on her blog "Bee's Nest", has done a fantastic summary of our cruise,so you might check that out, as I can't add much to it. But there were a few things I thought I might share.

On our walking tour of Key West, we not only tasted some great food, but saw some interesting sights. These statues were interesting for me because I had seen a similar display this past summer in Auburn, Indiana with my friend Rebecca. They are done by Seward Johnson. The large one was also on display in Auburn.

On Sunday, on board the ship, they had a "Parade of Nations". There were people from 35 countries working on the ship, and they displayed the flags of their countries.

I was so impressed with the staff and crew members--dining room servers, state room staff, etc. They were absolutely gracious, kind and helpful. They must have excellent training in customer relations. However, even with training, sometimes it's difficult to maintain such a gracious demeanor. I would do well, as a christian woman, to make sure I am that gracious and kind to those I meet, as well as friends and family.

I am so thankful I had this opportunity to share such a wonderful experience with my sisters. It was full of fun, fellowship and food--three important ingredients for any trip!

Dolphin Push-Pull

2010-10-19T15:55:00.004-04:00

I just got home from my cruise today, and will be leaving again tomorrow, so I will have more pics and details later. But I thought you might enjoy this short video clip and some photos of our fun time with the dolphins.

Look for more to come--We had a great cruise!

Pre-Cruise Anticipation!

2010-10-10T19:40:00.004-04:00

Almost a year ago now, I happened to see an insert in one of Karen Kingsbury's books, advertising a cruise. It is called a "Girl's Get-Away Cruise" and hosted by Karen Kingsbury.

I have never been on a cruise, and my hubby has said he'll probably never go on one, so I decided I would go. I asked my sisters if they would like to join me, so we are making it a "sista's" get-away as well. They have both been on cruises before, but this is my "maiden voyage". (I'm not sure that's the correct use of that term!)

Now that it's almost here, I'm getting very excited! This picture is of Royal Caribbean's "Grandeur of the Seas" which is the ship we will be sailing on. We start in Ft. Lauderdale, and go to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico. Among other things, we are going to try our hand at snorkeling (well, Brenda has done it before, but it's a little adventurous for Lou and I.)

I have much to do before we leave on Wednesday, so I will probably miss out on some of your blogging for a few days. Rest assured, I will have a report, complete with pictures when we return. I know we are planning on having a "Bon Voyage"!

A Welcome Respite

2010-09-26T21:14:00.016-04:00

Webster defines "respite" as: "a temporary intermission of labor, or of any process or operation." I am retired, so I am able to rest and relax at times. However, my hubby still works full time, takes care of our farm house and grounds as well as helping his daughter with hers, and spends a lot of time working (repairing equipment, etc) for the radio ministry in Haiti. So he really needs an occassional respite.

Last year, for our anniversary trip, we went to Chain O' Lakes to a cabin like this. I wasn't crazy about the idea, as you take all your own food, supplies, dishes, linens etc. But we went, and I enjoyed it, and he got some much needed rest.

So this year, I suggested that we do this again. (What was I thinking?) Last year we went the last weekend of October (our anniversary is Nov. 5) and it was very cold the entire time. The cabin is heated with a wood stove. So this year I suggested we go a little earlier.

Kitchen

We got there last Thursday afternoon, and it was warm, so much so that I needed a fan to be comfortable. But Saturday morning we woke up about 5:00 am and were very cold! So we started a fire, and kept it going the rest of the weekend.

Lynn began to relax, and actually slept quite a bit Thursday evening, and Friday. By Saturday afternoon he was beginning to feel more energized again, and worked on some electronics projects he had brought with him.

Friday for lunch we drove in to Churubusco, about 12 miles, and had lunch at this little restaurant. It was really good food, a really good price, and we took some left overs back with us. We then went to the Churubusco library, so that I could get my "computer" fix. I checked e-mails and blogs and facebook. He enjoyed reading a magazine while we were there.

I spent my time doing some Bible study, reading, working sudoku puzzles, and taking walks. This is a side view of our cabin. You can't really see it very well, but it has a screened in porch along this side, with a porch swing, and I spent some time out there during the day when it was warmer, reading and enjoying the fresh air.

These are the steps going down from our cabin to the lake. I was going to count them but never did. There are at least 30-40 steps, so I was able to get my stair-stepping activity.

The lake was beautiful. Sometimes when I was down there, the sun was shining on the water, and it was just very peaceful. I loved just feeling the quietness and peacefulness of it all.

I enjoyed my walks as well. However, the trees were not very pretty or colorful. They were already dropping a lot of their leaves. My hubby explained that this is because of the dry weather we had. (Since I've been back, I also heard someone on TV say the Indiana trees would not be very colorful because of the drought.)

I did manage to find a little bit of color here and there. So it was a restful time, as well as time to talk, discuss and reflect on various things.

Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest."

Treasures To Claim

2010-09-17T15:52:00.005-04:00

When I was cleaning out the attic and going through my things, I decided it was time to do something about my salt and pepper shakers. I started a collection a long time ago. When I lived in Oklahoma I had room to display them. But now, they've been sitting in storage for 5 years.

I'm not much of an e-bay person--it seems like a hassle to try to sell them that way, and I'm quite sure most of them are not worth much. So I thought I would post them here; who knows, someone out there in blogland might see one or two, or several that they just can't live without.

So here's my fantastic offer. I would be happy to send you one or more (or all!) of these if you would like them. I don't want anything for them, other than the satisfaction of knowing that they have found a happy home.

In the above photo, 4 of these are sets that together form part of a whole; the yolk and egg separate into salt and pepper, the teapot and tea cup come out of the table, etc.

Just let me know if you are interested. I might want you to help with postage, but it should be minimal.

Maybe these can add some flavor to someone's life, just as salt and pepper add flavor to our food, and just as we are to be the "salt of the earth".

Fall--A Time For Cleaning

2010-09-07T07:56:00.003-04:00

For a long time now I have been wanting to clean out my attic. I had things just sitting in other places upstairs, as there was literally not room for one more thing in the attic. I knew that much of what was there belongs to my husband's daughter. She has her own home, so I felt it would be good to let her "re-claim" her treasures.

I started last Friday and worked pretty much all day. By the end of the day I had most of Janelle's belongings neatly stacked in my garage. I decided, with the nice weather, that my car could stay outside for a while. That way, she can get her things over to her home at her convenience. (I'm sure it may require some help from my hubby).

I didn't want to put anything back in the attic on Saturday, as Lynn and Janelle wanted to go through what was left and see if there were more things she wanted. They couldn't do it Saturday, as they were spray-painting some buildings at her place. So Saturday I began going through some of my things and now have quite a large stack of things to go to Goodwill.

Sunday afternoon, Lynn and Janelle did go through the attic, and removed several more things. So yesterday, I began to re-organize the attic, putting some of my things back in there, and transferring things from the other two bedrooms to the attic.

As a result, the bedrooms upstairs are now organized, and the attic still has plenty of room for future needs. I wish I had a before and after picture of the attic, but failed to take one before I started. Today, I'm going to vacuum and dust the upstairs rooms and the stairway. Then--Voila--a project completed.

I must say, after one hundred trips (that may be an exaggeration, but maybe not) up and down the stairs, I am rather stiff and sore this morning. But the up side is, I'm sure I needed to exercise those muscles anyway!

As wonderful and liberating as it feels to have my attic clean, I would do well to make sure my heart is clean as well.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O Lord and renew a right spirit within me.

Down Memory Lane--45 Years Ago!

2010-08-23T09:31:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I haven't posted for so long! I've had things I wanted to share, or at least make a part of this journal, but life has gotten in the way.

Speaking of life, how do you catch up on 45 years of living with 31 other women? We made a valiant attempt, and were actually quite successful.

This past Friday and Saturday my West Sub nursing class met for our 45-year reunion. Apparently we've only had 2 other reunions--one at 5 years and 10 years--and I wasn't able to attend those. So how do you go about meeting and greeting and relating to women you haven't seen in 45 years?

Above are the 2 girls who were my roommate/suite mate our senior year. Judy (in the center) and I were roommates and Mary was in a single room with a shared bathroom between us. Judy and I stayed with Mary, instead of at the hotel, since she lived close, and it gave us a chance to really catch up on families, joys, sorrows, etc.

(We had small groups or "rotations" that went to different areas together. This was my rotation. There were 8 of us, and 7 of us were here. We called ourselves the "great eight"!)

I need not have worried about relating with these women. It was as if we had seen each other yesterday. West Sub was a christian school, affiliated with Wheaton College at the time that we were in school. However, that does not necessarily mean that everyone is a christian.

But as I listened to each of these women speak several things were evident:

1) We had all worked at our nursing careers, some more than others. Many, like me, are retired; more that I would have thought are still working; and some only worked a few years in nursing, because of husband's careers, mission work, etc.

2) We have all had many joys and blessings in our lives--family, grandkids, etc.

3) We have all had heartaches and trials--chronic illness, cancer, death of spouses and/or children, challenges and heartache with our children, etc.

4) BUT, as I listened, every one of them gave God the praise and glory for His love, His grace, His guidance and direction and His faithfulness. It was truly amazing.

We graduated with 63 class members. Six of them are deceased. So out of a possible 57 classmates, 32 of us were there. We felt like it was an amazing turnout. And what a spiritually uplifting and encouraging time it was!

We ended the reunion by singing our class song, which was based on Isaiah 26: 3 You will keep in perfect peace him (her) whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.

A Presidential Experience

2010-08-09T08:10:00.000-04:00

It seems I've been so busy, I've had little time to do any posting. So I may just have to post several things in the next couple of days.

My first cousins on my dad's side (Gisel's) have been getting together every summer for a few days. We had decided not to have a reunion this summer, but just couldn't break the habit. So we decided to go to Springfield Illinois for a couple days.

We arrived on a Tuesday afternoon and after checking into our hotel, decided to go downtown to eat. Somehow I failed to get a picture of the restaurant; It was called "Augie's" and was quite different. Each entree had specific sides that came with that entree. I finally chose Salmon--I'm not usually crazy about it--but it was very good.

The next morning after a very good (and free) breakfast at the hotel we headed downtown for sightseeing. Our first stop was at the Lincoln Home. While we waited for our tour, we browsed in the gift shop at the welcome center and watched a couple very interesting videos. Then we were able to take a tour of the home Lincoln lived in while he was in Springfield, with his wife Mary, and their boys.

Eating is one of our main events, so to build up our strength we ate at a little cafe and had delicious salads and sandwiches.

We were headed to the Lincoln Presidential Museum, but this railway station was across the street. It is where Lincoln made his farewell speech before leaving for Washington D.C. for the presidency. As it turned out, he never made it back to Springfield.

The Presidential Museum was absolutely amazing and enlightening. There were many things I didn't know about Lincoln. I was particularly impressed with his courage and ability to stand up for what he believed in spite of fierce opposition. I also didn't realize that the Civil War went on for several years. When the war was finally ended, he and Mary were relaxing in a theatre when his life was taken. So he really have a very difficult presidency the entire time he served.

We, of course, had to have the traditional picture taken with Lincoln and his family. We fit right in, don't you think?

That evening, they were having a special tour of the Governor's Mansion. It was to start at 5:30 pm with a tour and then there was to be a musical presentation by the "Lincoln Troubadors".

The tour was very interesting--the furnishings were beautiful and many things had been preserved or restored as they were when it was lived in by the governors.

President-elect Lincoln and Governor-elect Yates joined us at the mansion. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to go back in history and have our pics taken with them.

The Lincoln Troubadors were SO good! They sang acapella and sang songs of the era. One of the guys came down to aisle to our row, and enlisted sister Lou to go join the singers. He seranaded her with the song "Aura Lee". We were laughing so hard, because she truly did not want to be there! Fortunately, we were able to capture it on camara.

The trip was great fun and was actually somewhat educational as well. I would certainly recommend the Lincoln Presidential Museum. It was well worth the time spent to go through it.

Tea And Crumpets

2010-07-25T16:31:00.009-04:00

Several days ago, a friend and I decided to go out for lunch. We sort of wanted to go to someplace a little different. She said she knew about this tea house downtown. She didn't know exactly where it was, but was sure we could find it.

After driving Miss Daisy (AKA Judy) all around downtown, she finally called another friend who told us where it was. When we got there, we noticed that there was another teahouse across the street, which is really the one she was thinking about! But we decided to try this one, called "The Peony House" . It was a very relaxing and fun experience. It was started by two ladies a few years ago, and they wanted to keep it true to English traditions. They make everything themselves from scratch. And they have many kinds of tea. My tea was called "very berry" or something like that. It was very good.

We first had a salad--several to choose from; then sandwiches on a croissant--also 5+ to choose from. (I had a broccoli slaw salad, and she had a bacon, lettuce tomato salad; I had chicken salad sandwich and she had turkey walnut; we both tried a little of each other's choices) They were very good. Then they brought us each a "pastry plate" that had five different little pastries, including an English scone, a shortbread, a cookie, a little tart with chocolate filling and a cookie. She also brought 3 different toppings to try with the scone and shortbread--lemon curd, a strawberry topping and an english cream.

It was quiet and small with lots of atmosphere. They also sold paintings, hats, tea cozy's, etc. and had lots of art work on the walls.

It was a little pricey (we thought) but for a one-of-a-kind place, it was worth it. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I would love to go again and try some of the other salads and sandwiches. Anyone for tea and crumpets?

Our Terrific Goalie!

2010-07-23T20:40:00.007-04:00

Recently I went with my sister Lou and hubby Rog to Michigan. The real purpose of our trip was to attend a memorial service for a cousin who had battled cancer for several years. The service was in Ann Arbor.

However, that afternoon we stopped in Chelsea, Michigan to see some of Lou's friends, and to see their son Brian and his wife, Sharice, and T.J. (high school senior). T.J. was attending a hockey clinic there. It was almost imperative that we stay long enough to watch him play in the hockey game.

It was held here, at the Arctic Coliseum, which is really sort of impressive. It has two full ice rinks and has a restaurant on the upper level. You can watch the games or activities while you eat.

Sharice, Lou, Rog and Brian (and I) enjoyed visiting prior to the game. OK--either Brian is really tall or Lou is really short!

T.J. is a goalie and is really good. He's played hockey for several years, I believe. Below is a short video clip. This is my first attempt to post a video, so hopefully it turned out OK. There is a brief space where it's just ice--must have been an amateur photographer!

It was great to get to see him play. I had seen him since he was quite a bit younger. I know Mom, Dad, G-Ma and G-Pa are very proud of him!

Walking to Win--Or Is It Walking to Lose?

2010-07-16T18:10:00.001-04:00

About 15 months ago I made a commitment to lose some weight.At that time, my two sisters agreedto be accountable for 10 weeks. I decided I really needed to exercise, and so I bought a pair of good walking shoes, and started walking. I actually also got a membership at a fitness center. Of course I also changed my eating habits. I just tried to cut out sweets, regular pepsi ! and tried to limit fat. As a result I was able to lose 20 pounds in those ten weeks. Since that time, off and on I've tried to lose a little more weight. I've definitely fluctuated up a few pounds (or several pounds) and then been able to get back down. But I haven't been able to get below my initial weight loss.

This past week, I decided I really needed to make an all-out effort to lose about 5 more pounds. (I have a 45-year reunion of my nursing class coming up in August, and you know, you just want to try to look your best). I have been walking about 2 miles about 3-4 days a week. So about a week ago I decided to walk every day and really watch my food intake. I had maintained my low weight, but not gone below. Yesterday, I decided I needed to increase my exercise. So I walked 3.25 miles yesterday morning. (I went early as I knew it was going to be 90's with high humidity.). This morning--I was so excited--I was down one pound from my lowest weight! Well, I got so inspired, that this morning, bright and early, I walked 4 miles. It remains to be seen if this strategy is going to continue working.

I thought I needed some additional inspiration, so I decided to see what the Lord had to say about walking. Most of these do not actually refer to physical walking, but while I'm at it, I really should try to get my spiritual walk in shape as well.

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise..

Psalm 89:15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.

Isaiah 30: 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear voice behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it.

Isaiah 40: 31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, and they will walk and not be faint.

Micah 6: 8 And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

A Special Visit

2010-07-15T09:23:00.008-04:00

I have been trying to arrange a visit for Nichole's kids for a long time. It seemed like every time I tried to set a date, something would come up that they couldn't go. I was beginning to think that the aunt who is keeping them didn't want them to go for some reason.

Nichole's counselor really wanted her to have a visit from the kids to see how they respond to her, before she gets released. So I finally had a "comin-to-Jesus" talk with the aunt and with the kids dad, and said Nichole really needs to see her kids. Do you have any conflict on July 6th? They said they had no conflict and we arranged for me to take the kids and their dad to see Nichole.

She had not seen her kids for almost one year; at that time they were 1 y/o and 2 y/o. (in the picture above)

They are now 2 and 3 years old, and as you can see from the pictures, have really changed.

I thought this was so adorable. Nyla has a look that says, "Do we really have to do this?"

We had a great visit, and the kids did warm up to Nichole, although it took them a little time, especially Nyla. As you can possibly tell, R.J. is very out-going and responded well to her. But Nlya did sit on Nichole's lap while we attempted to play Candy Land.

We visited for 2 hours (which is the limit) and then started home. It's a 3 hour drive from the kids home to the prison, so I knew they were getting a little tired. We stopped as soon as we left the prison and ate lunch; it was about 2:30pm and we hadn't eaten lunch, although we had some snacks at the prison. At the Burger King, Nyla wanted me to hold her. I think it might have just been a little overwhelming for her.

They slept for most of the way home, but were restless and a little grumpy the last 50 miles. I'm not used to being around little kids that much, but gave them some books, animal crackers and drinks in sippy cups, and we did very well. (I had seen them several different times, so they kind of know me).

I was so pleased that I was finally able to take the kids. I know Nichole was so excited and loved every minute of it. (She e-mailed me and said, 'after you left I felt kind of sad and overwhelmed, and I had to sit down and cry a minute'.) But she was so, so grateful that I was finally able to bring the kids to see her.

Matthew 25: 34-40 Then the King will say...For I was hungry...I was thirsty...Iwas a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we ...see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, yu did for me'.

Summer Days

2010-07-13T10:12:00.010-04:00

I do a weekly e-mail for my Sunday School class with prayer requests and praises. I try to include a "Thought for the Week" in it. This week my topic was "summer is here". So I decided to include those thoughts here.

You can never appreciate the shade of a tree unless you have sweat in the sun (Unknown)

In winter I get up at night and dress by yellow candle light;
In summer, quite the other way; I have to go to bed by day.
(Robert L. Stevenson)

Summer Is:
Beautiful flowers, Balmy breezes, and walks in the park
Riding bike, baseball, and kids swimming in pools and beaches
picnics, warm starlit nights, and fire flies
barbeques, and the smell of freshly mowed lawns
family vacations, going fishing, and eating ice cream and watermelon
gardening and canning and freezing veggies and fruits.

What do you think of when you think of summer?

Speaking of gardening, and preserving fruits and veggies, here are a few pics of my garden.

Overview of our garden

My flowers are just starting to bloom

Lettuce, carrots, beets and sweet corn

tomatoes, kholarabi and green beans

squash

My red beets don't seem to have done as well this year, but I was able to get six pints of pickled beets.

We have several different kinds of apple trees. We make applesauce from the Yellow Transparent and the Lodi

The cottage cheese containers and the yellow butter containers all have applesauce in our freezer. I felt bad that I didn't take any pictures during the process of making it.

The plants in my garden are looking good. It just seems like this year it is taking a long time for them to actually have produce ready to eat. We have had lettuce, beets and radishes, and some kholarabi. And we finally have green tomatoes on the vines.

I was thinking that my garden is kind of like some of us. Sometimes we don't always bear fruit like we should for the Lord. However, just like my garden, it's never too late to start producing.

Auburn Art

2010-07-07T20:50:00.016-04:00

I had the pleasure of going to Auburn last week with blogger (and real) friend, Rebecca, to see the Sculptures on the Square. It is an exhibit of life-sized sculptures (and one very large sculpture), done by Seward Johnson, placed at different places around downtown Auburn. They are made of cast bronze, but some things--especially the shoes, belts, even some of the clothing--looks very real.

(I went to see the sculptures, but there were also many beautiful flowers around the town. This was a flower bed in front of the Presbyterian Church. )

This was the most impressive sculpture, mostly because of it's size. It was called "Turn of the Century". Rebecca and I estimated it to be about 25 feet tall. You can get some idea of the size by comparing Rebecca's height to the sculpture.

I don't think Rebecca can quite fill the shoes of this man! The heel of the shoe is all the way back to her other foot.

We thought this man needed some help with his trash cleanup. It was called "Aftermath".

This sculpture, called "Uninvited Advice" shows an artist painting the Auburn library. It's a unique building, and you can see the actual library in the photo below. It made me think that
the painting on the sculpture can probably be changed, depending on where it is exhibited.
(the painting can be seen by enlarging the photo)

"My Dog Has Fleas"

Does anyone remember having a Ukelele, and tuning it with those 4 notes? Do you tune a guitar the same way? At any rate, it was a unique title for this sculpture.

There were 14 sculptures displayed. It was fun to see all the detail and how life-like some of them were. Afterwards, we had lunch had a quiet little restaurant (I forgot to take a picture of it). It was a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon.

The Hats Have It!

2010-07-06T09:00:00.016-04:00

On my previous post about the cousin reunion I mentioned a hat skit. The 4 girls who were the planning committee and hostesses wanted to show us some of the many different hats that we as women often wear. For example we are mother, wife, nursemaid, gardener, teacher, etc. We can be sophisticated and classy, or just plain.

JeanAnn as sports coach and teacher

Char as entertainer

Jan as Plumber

Jan as Sophisticated Society Woman

Judy as nurse and caretaker

Char--Lighting up the Lives of Family and Friends

And there were several others. Who knew we have so many roles--i.e. "hats"?

However, there was an ulterior motive to this lesson about hats. Since we were in Amish Country they decided to give each of us an Amish bonnet.

Our hostesses are in the picture above--JeanAnn, Jan, Judy, and Char. Judy is a seamstress and made all the bonnets! There were 23 of us there, but she also made them for those who were missing. Each family had a different color. On the strings were embroidered "Rupp Girl Cousin Reunion 2010".

Above is Sheila (sister-in-law), me, and sisters Lou and Brenda. The colors of the bonnets related back to a big Rupp family reunion in 1991, when every family had a different colored tee-shirts. And yes, our shirts that year were a bright pink--even the guys! Our bonnets are a more muted shade of pink.

What a special gift this was, and especially a gift of love, from Judy. I know this had to take a lot of time. But of course it was worth it--Look how beautiful we all are! Now the only problem is, what would be appropriate occassions to wear my gorgeous bonnet?!

Cousins in Amish Country

2010-07-03T14:00:00.017-04:00

My mother's family had ten children, and only two of the original children (and one in-law) are still living. Every 2 years the entire family gets together for a reunion. However, the girl cousins (first cousins) decided to get together on the off year from the big reunion; this was the 4th time we have met together as girl cousins.

We have been in Wheaton, Illinois, Nashville, and then last year we were at a lake cottage in Michigan. But this year we decided to go to Shipshewana, Indiana. We all stayed at the Farmstead Inn. There is never a dull moment when we get together! There were 23 of us there out of a possible 39.

The first night we spent some time just "catching up" on our families since the last time we met. Then we had some fun activities and games. There was a very special skit, involving hats, which I will have to share on another post. As you can see from the clock, we did not get much sleep that night! I think I finally got to bed about 1 am.

We had options for sight-seeing the next day. Most of us did some shopping. But when the Rupp cousins get together, there is always food involved! Cousin Rita said we must go to the Blue Gate Restaurant for home-made noodles and pie. And indeed we did! We had several different kinds of pie and were able to sample a bit of the others--Rheubarb, Custard, Butterscotch, and Old-fashioned sugar cream. They were all absolutely delicious--and amazingly, no calories involved!

Suzanne, Brenda, Lou (standing), Marlene and Linda.

Sheila, Lou, Rita, Tootie, Marilyn, and Delight
(I of course was taking the picture!)

That evening we all went to an Amish home for dinner. They have a building where they serve the dinners.

It was served family-style, and we had chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, noodles, green beans, a wonderful broccoli-cauliflower salad, and homemade bread and jam. Then for dessert--you guessed it--we had pie! We had a choice of fresh strawberry, chocolate, or rheubarb. Most of us had a small piece of each! As they would say on Hee-Haw, Yum, Yum!!

After dinner, we were treated to a tour of this Amish home. It was truly lovely, with beautiful woodwork; some of us were surprised to see that it seemed almost contemporary, with running water and gas appliances and lights.

After the tour, we enjoyed a horse and buggy (or wagon) ride, four at a time. The horse had a competitive spirit, and would speed up and try to race when a car or truck passed us.

What a fun evening! The Amish couple were gracious and fun and their 15 y/o daughter helped serve our dinner. The horses name was Frances (at least I think so--sometimes I'm not good with animal names either!)

Friends and Flowers

2010-07-03T07:56:00.008-04:00

So much to post--So little time! I've had several interesting and fun activities lately, so I'll just start, one at a time. My husband has been out of the country, and you know what they say--While the mouse is away...

I like to go visit my friend Naomi, in Terre Haute, whenever I can. She is 75 y/o and is wheel-chair bound. She doesn't have many people to visit with, and misses her very good friend in Oklahoma (they used to talk every day), so I always feel like I will be an encouragement to her. Actually, I usually come away from our visits being encouraged by her. In spite of her circumstances (and 2 daughters that think they know what's best for her!) she maintains a positive attitude. We discuss the news, the state of the country and the Bible. She loves the Lord and so we always have good fellowship.

I was able to stay with my husband's brother and his wife overnight. They have a lovely home and a beautiful flower garden. I just couldn't help including a few pics of the beauty in their backyard. They had lots of these beautiful hydrangeas.

Not being a flower person, I forget what this is, but loved the colors.

This is only one corner of their yard. They have roses, Hostas, so much more!

My nephew Dan and his wife Bethany live in Terre Haute, and they just had closing on buying their first home. Before I left the city, I went by and Dan gave me a grand tour. It's really a lovely home inside, with lots of space. I think they will have so much fun, getting settled and fixing it to their liking.

On my way home, I stopped in Noblesville, to check on the progress my niece Dawn and her husband Rick are making on their house. They bought an old house and have had to repair and fix and remodel from the ground up. But it has a lot of personality and beautiful wood floors and woodwork, and will be really great when they finish.

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig--or something like that. The next day I would start yet another adventure.

Clear Vision

2010-06-20T21:18:00.006-04:00

For months now--yes I do mean several months!--my glasses have seemed cloudy to me. I kept thinking they just needed to be cleaned, but they would never really get better. My sweet husband kept telling me I needed to go get new ones. I knew it had been over two years since my last opthomologist appointment. ( I see my retinal surgeon every month for my macular degeneration, but he doesn't deal with eye glasses.). I knew if I took them in asking for new glasses they would want me to see the Dr. so I made an appointment.

My actual prescription didn't change much--they did improve it just very slightly.

When I went to order my glasses, she said the reason they were cloudy is because the anti-reflective coating was coming off. She said that can happen after 2 years, although she assured me the coating they now have is much better and more scratch resistant.

When I went to pick up my new glasses I couldn't believe the difference! I could actually see so much better, and the lenses were so clear. When I got home and started working on my computer I told my hubby, "Oh my goodness! My computer screen is so clear and bright--it's amazing!" He was very happy for me, but couldn't resist adding "I've been telling you to get those taken care of".

I couldn't help but think about that verse in I Corinthians 13:12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.

I'm very excited that my physical sight is so much clearer. And although we now can only get a glimpse of our Savior through descriptions in His Word, I know it will be so thrilling and wonderful when we are able to see our Lord and Savior face to face!

Calling Your Own Shots

2010-06-18T07:33:00.003-04:00

Those of us who are bloggers have gotten used to "calling our own shots", in the world of photography at least. This article gives another perspective on calling our own shots.

My pastor, Joel DeSelm, has a regular column in our weekly paper. Today's article seemed to build on some thoughts that our family had last weekend. We were talking about how God is Holy, and as such, His thinking, perceptions, and view of circumstances is different (and much better) than ours.

I wanted to share at least part of this article. Maybe someone who reads this will be as blessed and encouraged as I was.

"According to an ancient legend, a certain small village sought to strike a bargain with God. They had been experiencing many years of poor harvest, and thought they could improve on God's way of doing things.
So they asked God for permission to plan the weather for the next year's harvest. To call their own shots in terms of rain, sunshine, etc. God agreed.
During the next year, everything worked exactly as the village requested. Whenever they asked for rain, God sent rain; when they asked for the rain to stop, the rain stopped.
When the villagers asked for sunshine, God sent sunshine. As a result, that year the corn and wheat were higher and thicker than before.
However, when it came time to harvest the crop, the farmers discovered that the tall corn had no ears, and the the thick wheat had no head of grain. The villagers complained bitterly to God.
God replied, 'When you asked for rain, I sent rain. When you asked for sunshine, I gave sunshine. But you never asked for the harsh north winds. Without the harsh north winds there is no pollination, and with no pollination there is no crop'.
How easy it is to think that we know what's best in our lives. It is human nature to think that we can orchestrate the events of our lives for our ultimate good, isn't it?
But the truth of the matter is, we simply cannot see the big picture. Our understanding is limited and our vision is often distorted. We cannot comprehend the long-range impact of events, incidents, and decisions.
Fortunately, the God revealed in the Bible is not only all-powerful and all-knowing, but He is also all-loving as well.
If God wer only all powerful, He could be a wicked despot and a cruel dictator. If He were only all-wise, He might be an impotent genius. But because He is all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving, He is able to accomplish far more in our lives than we could ever accomplish on our own. And those attributes make God worthy to be trusted.
We often don't understand why God allows certain circumstances to take place in our lives; we can't comprehend how good can result from so much evil, tragedy and pain.
But the mind and heart of God are unable to be completely understood. As God states in Isaiah 55, "My ways are not your ways, neither are my thoughts your thoughts. For as far as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts".
Trust in His wisdom to do what's best. Trust in His power to work in the hearts of people and in the midst of the circumstances. Trust in His love to do what's best for you in whatever it is you are facing.
Not only will the corn eventually grow tall and the wheat thick, but a rich harvest will be yours that you could never have realized, left to your own devices."

Lord, help me to trust you for my circumstances and for your rich harvest in my life.

Kids, Dogs & Cats--Best Friends Forever

2010-06-03T21:16:00.011-04:00

A friend of mine sent these to me. Most of the time when I get something sort of cute or inspirational, I don't pass it on. I feel like people don't want to be inudated with lots of stuff. But I couldn't pass these up. Take a look and enjoy!

These last two pictures remind me of our golden retriever, Chloe, who recently joined our family. I'm not a big fan of doggy kisses, but Chloe doesn't seem to know that. It's in their blood to kiss and lick as a sign of affection.

The caption on the e-mail I received with these pictures said, "So who needs a babysitter?"

Spring Cleaning

2010-06-01T12:11:00.006-04:00

Last Thursday I did my Spring cleaning in one of my upstairs bedrooms. The window was broken and my husband had to replace it, and so things were kind of a mess. Besides which, I've been using that room for anything that didn't have another designated place. I don't use the room much so it was in dire need of cleaning. My son is coming in 2 weeks so I wanted it to be clean before he came. Thus I delved in and cleaned it from ceiling to floor and found places for all the "treasures".

As I was cleaning that day, I was thinking that my heart and soul really need a spring cleaning also. For at least a month it seems I have been very restless. I don't know what has caused it for certain. But I have been feeling like I need to figure out a purpose for my life. It seems to me like I'haven't done much worthwhile for some time.

In my heart, I know that there are a few things that I'm doing for the Lord. I am mentoring a woman in prison, who I feel has had significant spiritual growth since we have been writing to each other. I have sent her a Bible, books (such as "Purpose Driven Life"), etc and with my encouragement she is now also working on Bible memory. I have been to see her three times in this past year since I started this relationship with her.

I also help my husband in the radio ministry for "Radio Lumiere" in Haiti; and I've helped in our Sunday School class at church. But still, I've had this restlessness of spirit.

As I've been thinking about this, these 3 words/phrases have come to mind:

Cleansing/Pruning/Remaining: John 15: 2- 4 ...every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

When I had finished cleaning my upstairs room, it was clean and orderly, and could be more useful.

Transformed: Romans 12: 2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what god's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will".

My room was certainly transformed from chaos, dust and dirt t0 being clean and attractive.

Teachable: Psalm 25: 4-5 (This was one of my first memory verses this year) "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth, and teach me. For you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."

I don't know what cleaning my room taught me, except possibly that maybe I should keep it clean on a more regular basis.

I am trusting the Lord to give me a calm spirit, and to show me His way, and to help me be fruitful in His service. I pray He will do a work of spring cleaning in my heart and soul and keep me teachable, and show me ways that I can be used by Him.

Birthday, Bike, and Bible Memory

2010-05-15T13:11:00.011-04:00

Around the end of April I wrote a post about the gal I am mentoring while she is in prison, and her two precious kids. One of the aunts who helps to take care of them called me Thursday, and said they were having a birthday party for R.J. and asked if I'd like to come. She also asked if their Great-grandma, Colleen, would like to come. So I called Colleen and we made arangements to go.

This is the birthday boy, R. J. (for Ramon Jr.) He had been playing and fell, and hurt his hand; he didn't even break the skin, but I showed him how to blow on it to make it feel better--thus his hand is in front of his mouth. It is possibly some kind of tradition, but he had dollar bills that people had given him pinned to his shirt. I noticed as people would come, they would give him a dollar and they would add it to the collection on the shirt. I thought that was interesting.

This is R. J. with his little sister, Nyla. They were really friendly with both grandma and me. we had a chance to play with them a little at their home before going to the party at the park.

They were on "slow time" and the party that was supposed to start at 5:30 pm didn't get started at the park until about 7 pm. It still hadn't gotten very well underway, but Great-grandma and I decided we needed to leave about 8:30 pm. They still hadn't done gifts or birthday cake. (It reminded me of being in Haiti, where no one rushes, and services start "around dusk". )

It hasn't been very good weather for bike-riding, but today was beautiful and fairly calm, and my hubby had put new tires on my "old" bike, so I decided I needed to go for a spin. I was feeling really good for the first half of the trip; coming back I was riding against the wind. I went a total of 5.5 miles. By the time I got back I was hot, sweaty and out of breath. As I walked into the house, my legs felt like jelly. I thought to myself "What a wimp". I really do need to make a regular habit of this and build up both my strength and my distance.

My memory verses for these two weeks are from Phillipians 1:9-11. "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless...to the glory and praise of God."

As I went over these verses this morning, I was just sort of overwhelmed; If I really make this my prayer, what an amazing difference it could make. Oh to have that kind of love, with knowledge and deep insight, and to be able to discern what is truly best: best for me to be doing to serve the Lord, best in my relationships with family and friends, best use of my time. And most importantly, my life would reflect His glory and bring praise to my Lord and God.

As I said, it was an overwhelming thought. As I memorize these verses in the next couple weeks, I also need to begin to really apply them and allow the Lord to use me for His glory and praise.

A New Family Member

2010-05-01T17:26:00.007-04:00

Ever since we had to have our dog, Allie, put to sleep last fall, Lynn has wanted to get another dog. Allie was a Golden Retriever/Lab mix. She had a sweet personality. I think Lynn was hesitant to get another dog, as he wanted to get one that had a good personality like Allie.

On Tuesday, some friends of ours ask Lynn's daughter, Janelle, if she would like a dog. She said, no, but her dad would. They bought this dog as a small puppy. They have 2 kids and thought it would be good for them. However, they feel the kids haven't bonded that well, and for whatever reason they have decided to give her to a good home.

This is Chloe (her name was Clover, but Lynn wants to change it to Chloe; since it has the same "first sound" I think she'll get used to it). She is a Golden Retriever, and has coloring very similar to Allie. She seems to have a good personality, and I think she'll be a good dog for us. We have a fenced pasture where she can run; you can see the fence in the above picture.

Now I won't have to take my walks alone--I can take Chloe with me. I'm just not sure who will actually walk who. She seems to have a lot of energy! She is 11 months old, so is technically still a puppy. I think she's going to be especially good for my hubby; I know he has missed having a dog.

Kid's Connection

2010-04-25T21:18:00.009-04:00

I had a rather exciting day on Friday. I have been writing and e-mailing Nichole, a young lady in Rockville Correction Facility. She has 2 little children, who are now 2 y/o and 3y/o, and she hadn't had any recent pictures or heard much about how they were doing for several months.

I was able to get in contact with their aunt, their father's sister, and was finally able to go see the kids. Their aunt was going to be keeping them over the weekend and said I could come see them.

Nyla, the 2 y/o, just had her birthday in March, and R.J., the little boy will be 3 in May. So I took them each a little birthday gift, and a little cake. They were a little shy at first, but very quickly wanted to see what was in the bags!

(opening gifts)

Nyla liked her pink bag almost as well as the little gifts. I had gotten her a little kitten that meowed when it went across the floor, a ball and a cute little dress. R.J. has a little nerf football, a Thomas train T-shirt, and a truck that moved by friction.

We put 2 candles on the cake for Nyla and 3 for R.J. and they blew them out. As you can see, Nyla was having a little trouble and got some help from big brother.

We then went outside to play, and they had a great time with the balls, truck and kitten. Nyla likes the hood up on her sweatshirt when she's outside. She also really didn't like my camara! She would look away when I was trying to get a picture.

I e-mailed a few pictures to Nichole, and have sent the rest of the prints to her in the mail. I know I will probably hear from her tomorrow. I know she is going to be very excited to finally get some new pictures of her kids.

I not only connected with her kids, but established a relatonship with their aunt and their dad. Hopefully we can arrange for the kids to visit their mom sometime in the near future.

Spring Fling--Answers

2010-04-24T05:18:00.004-04:00

Ok--those of you that were brave enough, and took the time to take the quiz, here are the answers.

1. A
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. C
6. B
7. B
8. A
9. A
10. B
11. C

I hope you had fun with it. I thought some of them were very interesting.

I trust most of you are now enjoying some Spring weather. Have a blessed weekend.

Spring Fling

2010-04-23T09:33:00.005-04:00

We took this quiz at church on Wednesday night, and I thought it would be interesting to see how you can do (I didn't do very well) The only rule is that you can't cheat and look them up on the internet (at least not until you've tried to answer all of them.) I will post answers tomorrow.

Spring Fling Quiz 2010

1. During March the weather in the southern hemisphere is different from our weather in the northern hemisphere because:
a) The southern hemisphere is not attached to Antarctica whereas the northern hemisphere is attached to the arctic by a land bridge.
b) The southern hemisphere is closer to the sun than the northern hemisphere is during the springtime.
c) The northern hemisphere has more bodies of water surrounding it than the southern hemisphere.

2. It is most likely the word "spring" became the name of this season because:
a) It signified melted snow flowing out of underground water sources creating "springs"
b) It signified the opening (or "springing forth") of a new leaf
c) It means to "jump" or "leap" which references a moving forward out of winter.

3. Which is true on the first day of spring?
a) The bowl of the big dipper is in the down position as if to empty out rain on the earth.
b) The north star, Polaris, moves directly over the equator.
c) The sun moves directly between the earth and the moon.

4. In Japan the first day of spring is an official national holiday celebrated by:
a) Throwing of paper mache flowers into rivers.
b) Eating tuna, as these fish begin their spawning runs in the spring, signifying new life.
c) Visiting family graves.

5. One of the spring festivals is the Christian period of "lent". This word originated from:
a) The Celtic word for "spring" in the Middle Ages
b) The Roman Catholic term for "sacrifice" signifying the passion of Christ.
c) The German word for "long" because the days of spring get longer.

6. When is the first day of Spring?
a) Always 7 days before Easter
b) When day and night are roughly the same length
c) The 3rd Monday of March

7. Technically, "spring" is defined as:
a) The spring solstice
b) The vernal equinox
c) The sun crossing the Tropic of Capricorn

8. What is it about the earth that causes "spring" to occur?
a) The earth is tilted on its axis at 23 1/2 degrees from vertical.
b) The earth's oceans are pulled by the moon's gravitational force.
c) The earth's rotation is faster at the equator than at each of the poles

9. Easter, the most famous of all spring events, has its annual date calculated by:
a) The first Sunday after the furst full moon on or after the March equinox.
b) The closest Sunday to the first day of spring.
c) The Sunday that is 50 days prior to the Jewish Feast of Penticost in a given year.

10. In Annapolis, MD, the spring equinox is celebrated by:
a) Umbrella Day--Throughout the city (rain or shine) everyone carries an umbrella signifying the coming of spring. Children's umbrellas, left by the front door, are filled with candy on the forst spring morning.
b) The Burning Of The Socks festival. Traditionally, the boating community wears socks only during the winter. These are burned at the approach of warm weather. Officially, nobody then wears socks until the next equinox.
c) Sea Dog Sunday--Originating at the United States Naval Academy, this is the day that Neptune supposedly awoke from his winter's sleep and came from the depths of the ocean to create a typhoon. Festivities include drinking of blue tea and eating shrimp gumbo and other seafood delicacies.

11. In many Arab countries the first day of spring is also the day they celebrate:
a) The islamic new year
b) Mohammed's ascension to heaven
c) Mother's Day

Fun, Friends, and Back Home in Indiana

2010-04-19T19:36:00.008-04:00

I spent most of my time in Oklahoma City with my son and with my mother-in-law. I totally enjoyed my time with them, also realizing I may not have my sweet M-I-L a whole lot longer. She is a sweetheart and I enjoy her company.

However, on Thursday night I had a really fun evening with a good friend of mine from the hospital where I used to work. She has been a friend for a long time, not just at work. I had spent time with her family on various occasions. She asked me to come for supper and spend the evening, but she lives about 40 minutes from where I was staying, and I really don't do well driving at night. So she said, "Just come and spend the night! We'll have a slumber party!" So I did!

Her 3 girls are an absolute delight. The oldest one, Cali, (in the middle), is so mature and very sweet. She helped her mom clear the table. And she got my room ready for me. She wanted to show it to me so we all went upstairs. She had made the bed, turned it back, and had my book and the TV remote laying by the pillow. She also showed me where clean towels were in the bathroom. (Later, when I was going to bed, she brought me a big glass of ice water--so I wouldn't have to go downstairs in the dark if I needed a drink.)

After supper (which was grilled T-bone steaks, baked potatoes, green bean casserole,salad and rolls!) the girls had a jump rope contest for me. I tried my luck, but let me just say--I'm out of practice. They all surpassed my ability.

They have a huge exercise ball, and they were showing me tricks they do with it. They are all sitting on the ball here, even though you can't see it. After supper, hubby made rice krispie treats--which thrilled all the girls. You can see the middle one, Kinsie, enjoying one. (I think she had at least three!). The youngest one, on the right, is Chloe. This is my assessment of the girls: Cali--sweet, mature, compassionate; Kinsie--fun-loving and laid back (not much bothers her); and Chloe--mischievous and a bit ornery--just like her mother. I told Joely that "pay back is rough". She said "I knew I would have one exactly like me--it's scary!

After taking the girls to school Friday morning, Joely and I had coffee and talked, and then I headed back to OKC. It was a totally fun evening.

On my road trip back, I got a book-on-tape from Cracker Barrel to keep me awake. I've done this before, and it keeps me from getting sleepy. This was "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks. It was a really good book--I enjoyed it.

However, there is nothing like getting back home. I have obviously gained a few pounds while I was gone, so it's back to the routine. I got back on Sunday about 3:00 pm and mostly unpacked, did laundry, and "chilled" in my recliner, caught up on blog-reading, etc.

So now it's back to getting in the routine. Yesterday was a gorgeous day! I got out early and rode my bike 3 miles. For seasoned bikers, I know that doesn't sound very impressive, but I'm definitely going to have to work up to longer distances. (The first and last 1/2 mile is on gravel and makes me a little nervous.) I did get a helmet, in case I take a tumble.

A Busy Boy and Some Geneology!

2010-04-16T06:53:00.009-04:00

I am staying with my 1st cousin (from first marriage), and she was babysitting on Tuesday for her great-grandson. Some of you who are great with relationships can help me out here. I think that would make little Aiden my third cousin--or would that be 2nd cousin, twice removed? I get so confused about these things!

This little guy really kept us "old folks" busy! He is 18 months old, and cute as a bug, but NEVER stopped moving! He even fought going to sleep by keeping in constant motion. We finally put him in his high chair with some crackers and banana, and he fell asleep watching a kids program on TV.

These were throw rugs that Aiden decided to pick up and re-arrange. At one point he had the pink one over his lap like a blanket. He played with his toys, danced to the music on TV, in between trying to see what he could get in to. My cousin has a poodle, Bridget, and Aiden and Bridget get along famously together.

This is my mother-in-law, Gloria. She is nearly blind but she was also enjoying little Aiden. Ok--here we go again! If my mother-in-law is an Aunt to Aiden's great-grandmother, what relationship is Aiden to Gloria? I think it must be great-great-great aunt!? At any rate, we're all related!

It was fun to get to know this little guy! (BTW, he's going to get a hair cut on Saturday so that people won't think he's a cute little girl).

Beautiful Drive, Good friends and family

2010-04-12T20:05:00.010-04:00

I started out early Sunday morning to drive to Oklahoma City. It is always a two-day trip when I drive, but I also had a few stops I wanted to make along the way.

My first stop was in Rockville, Indiana at the Rockville Correctional Facility. As most of you know, I have been writing to and mentoring a girl at this facility.(well I guess she's a lady--35 y/o, but looks so young!) They are allowed to have visits from family or friends for 2hours at a time. I arrived there about 10:30 am and had a wonderful visit with her.

This is Nichole with her kids, R.J. and Nyla. They are 3 y/o and 2y/o. Nyla just had her birthday. She hasn't seen them for a long time. I am currently trying to work out a visit to see them and get some current pictures for her. I am impressed with the way Nichole has grown spiritually and she has a very positive attitude, in spite of some of the negative things that go on. She is in college there (through Ivy Tech) for Medical assistant. She is also in a work program at a factury there (Penn products), which will help her with employment when she gets out.
One humerous thing is that she always wants me to tell her what I've fixed for meals. They have pretty bad food, and I told her I thought it would make her feel bad. She said, "Oh no! I can almost smell the roast and taste the food" A good imagination I guess.

When I left Rockville, I went to Terre Haute to see my friend Naomi. (This is an older picture, as I am in OKC and forgot the cord to upload pics from my camara. I took her a care package and visited for about an hour.

When I left Terre Haute, I drove as far as I could until sunset. (I don't drive after dark). I got to Rolla, Missouri at 7:30 pm and stayed in a Best Western.

I couldn't believe it, but I slept until 6:40 am (my time--it was actually 5:40 in Mo). I got ready to leave, had juice and coffee at the hotel, and left there about 7:15 am (Mo. time)

Sort of on a whim, I decided to stop to see the Precious Moments Chapel. I knew I wasn't on a strict schedule, and had wanted to see it for a long time. My kids and first hubby had been there a long time ago, but I wasn't with them. The grounds are beautiful, and the chapel was really impressive. We couldn't take pics inside, but these pictures below are from the internet. One room had beautiful stain-glass windows, each one depicting one of the beatutudes.

This was the main room, as you walked in. It had murals along both walls, and this big mural at the back, called "Hallelujah Square". I was really glad I had taken this little respite from my driving. (Besides I really needed to walk for a little while!)

I arrived in Ok. City about 3 pm their time and went to see my mother-in-law, Gloria, and son Tim. I went to her home and he came over to visit with us.

I am staying with my cousin, Donnie and her husband Gene, and had supper there. Her computer modem is broke, so I came to the library to catch up and get my "computer fix".

(I'm really hoping my cord for my camara is in my suitcase, but it didn't get here to the library with me.). I will be spending most of the week here, and leaving again for the drive home next Saturday.

A Tale About Trees

2010-04-07T09:39:00.001-04:00

The last two days have been quite an experience. We have 7 trees in our yard and had a tree-trimmer come and trim six of them. Were talking a major trim job. He was very good, but to keep our cost down, he doesn't do his own clean up.

He came on Monday afternoon and by supper time he had done four trees. We began to clean up the mess. Lynn would saw and I would carry the pieces to a place at the back of our garden to burn them. By 7:00 pm we were already exhausted, and didn't seem to have made much of a dent. Lynn had taken off work for Monday and Tuesday so that we could get this done. He said to me, "Do you think we could get anyone to help us?" He seemed so discouraged.

I remembered that it was Spring Break. So I immediately e-mailed several people in church who I thought might have contact with teen-agers, pleading for anyone available to come and help, and we would pay them.

By 9:30 pm I had received a call from one of the boys and he said there would be two of them coming.

What a blessing and a total God-send. These boys were such hard workers. By noon we had almost the entire mess cleaned up. However, the tree-trimmer was coming back that afternoon to do the other 2 trees. The boys said, no problem! Give us a call when he's done and we'll come back.

He finished trimming at 3:30 pm and by 5:00 we were finished. We thanked the boys, paid them and told them they had been a God-send. They told us anytime we had work to give them a call.

Not only were Lynn and I so encouraged and thrilled to have our yard nice and clean. It also restored my faith in young people. These 2 boys were so cheerful and pleasant to work with, and it was a joy to get to know them.

This is the fire that we kept going all day. It doesn't look very large here but there were times that it was huge. There was quite a lot of wind, But we watched it and it did very well. (I think we did singe the grass

just a little). I couldn't believe how much we burned. Lynn also cut up quite a bit of it for firewood.

The above 2 pictures are the "after" pics. I thought it was interesting that I also got the shadows of the trees. Apparently the sun was just at the right spot to cast these shadows.

It was a truly exhausting job, but we are so glad to have it done. The plus side is that I also now have a farmer's tan. Why didn't I wear a sleeveless top?! I also have some very sore leg muscles. But this, too, shall pass.

Spring, Glorious Spring!

2010-04-05T08:02:00.000-04:00

I have been energized by the warmer weather,

the sun, the flowers the birds.

I didn't realize it, but I think I was actually getting kind of depressed.

I actually have some daffodils in my yard, but for some reason the program that I use to upload my pictures from my camara to my computer is not working recently. So I borrowed this picture.

(I thought maybe it had something to do with blogger, so I went in to blogger and did an update, based on a recommendation from another blogger--several people were having trouble with their pictures uploading very slow from their files)

Let me just say, I am less than thrilled with this update. It uploads the pictures faster from my files. But it keeps wanting to help; for example, today it won't let me type in normal fashion. I guess because I have pictures, it keeps centering everything. Also, if I pause to think, it jumps back up to the beginning of my script.

BUT--I digress!

Spring, Spring, I heard a robin sing

I'm glad because it's Spring again!

Spring, Spring, it makes me want to sing

I want to play ball, I want to jump rope,

and roller skate again I hope,

In good, old Spring.

This is a song we used to sing as kids. I think I would modify it--instead of saying "roller skate",

I would say "and ride my bike again I hope", since I've made plans to ride bike this spring.

Ok! Energized or not, my computer is driving me crazy this morning, so I will stop.

I trust most of you by now are enjoying warmer temperatures and some sunshine,

as well as enjoying His Sonshine.

(By the way, I've been using Walgreen's Photo Express to upload my pics from my camara.

I think I need to change. What are some of you using?)

Belated Happy Birthday!

2010-03-31T08:13:00.005-04:00

I wanted to wish Wanda, at Moments of Mine, a Happy Birthday yesterday. So I went to her most recent blog, but there were TONS of comments, and I was afraid mine would get lost in the shuffle. Then I was going to post it on mine, and I got distracted. Hopefully it's OK to be a day late!

Wanda, I absolutely love your posts! You seem to live in a paradise of beauty. What a lovely home and property. I do hope your birthday was a great one! I know you will have many more! Please accept my Birthday wishes, a day late.

Excited to Ride

2010-03-27T12:30:00.008-04:00

I have been wanting to be able to ride bike, and so I had decided I would start checking garage sales or thrift shops to see if I could find a bike. My hubby said he had one up in the barn and would get it down and fix it up for me. I thought "great!". I even put a "yellow stickie" on the kitchen table with the word "bike" and drew a picture of me riding it. (All of this because he often needs a visual reminder to get something done).

FINALLY, Thursday evening he got the bike down and showed it to me. Let's just say, it was not exactly like one of the new mountain or road bikes in the stores. But He assured me it will work fine. Friday evening he oiled all the gears, etc. on the bike. As you can see from the picture, it is still going to need a little work. But we both tried it out, and it actually rides just fine. Now when I get a really nice day, I'm going to clean it up and see if I can get some of the rust off of it. Any ideas of something that works well to remove rust without a lot of work? Or maybe I'll just try Coke--I think someone told me it takes off rust. (Imagine what it does to our insides!)

So now--no more excuses. Even though it's only about 40 degrees today, it is sunny. So I believe I will take the bike for a premier spin and just hope that I'm not too old to stay upright on a bike. I canceled my fitness center membership for the summer, so I'm hoping this will be a way to keep up with my exercise goals. Walking around my country mile by myself is just plain boring.

[Post-Script]: I just got back from my premier ride, and I learned something. Apparently riding bike does not use the same muscles as walking on the treadmill. I only rode 2 miles (part of it riding into the wind) and my legs are like jelly. When I got back, Lynn looked at my hand grips and said, "No wonder you were working so hard--you had it set on ;high'! Duh! Maybe next time I'll start out in 'low'.

A Day Away

2010-02-26T07:58:00.010-05:00

No, it wasn't a day at the Spa. However, it was just as relaxing and fun. My cousin Barb and I decided to take a day trip back in time (sort of) to the town where we grew up--Archbold, Ohio. Our parents lived there all their lives, and now that they are gone we don't really have any real reason to go back. We do have some cousins who still live there. But it's kind of sad for us, because we really liked going to see our family there, and now it's different.

We stopped on main street at a little gift/floral shop and bought a cheery flower in a vase to take to our Aunt Mable. She is still in a nursing home in Archbold, and is 101 years old! In one month she will be 102. She's a little hard of hearing, but her mind has always been pretty good. She has a sweet smile, and likes to see us,though it sometimes takes a little time for her to remember what family we belong to. This time however, she didn't look as good to us physically, and she had a really hard time communicating her thoughts. We just sort of felt like maybe her time here is nearing to an end. (This picture was not taken yesterday--it was on a previous visit last fall). We prayed with her before we left, and she thanked us for the flower and for coming to see her.

Our next stop was at our cousin Carol's house. We picked her up to go out to lunch with us. We went to "Mom's Diner", which has sort of a 50-60's atmosphere, complete with a juke box. I had a delicious cheeseburger and chicken rivel soup. We sat and visited for a little while.

You may remember seeing previous posts about"Walt's House. It is the house where I grew up (at least from the time I was in grade school). It is now being used as a home for men who have been in trouble and need a fresh start. There are currently 4 men there which is about the maximum they can have). I hadn't seen the house since it had been re-furbished and furnished, etc.. so we were given permission by Cecily, the lady in charge of it, to go by and see it. They have done a wonderful job of fixing it up. I was very impressed. We also met 2 of the men who are staying there.

You have probably heard of Sauder's furniture. Their manufacturing factory is in Archbold, and there is an outlet store there. Barb was looking for a particular piece of furniture to go with her daughter's bedroom set, so we went to the outlet store, and had fun just browsing. They have some unique pictures , lamps, etc.

There is a meat store in Pettisville (just a short distance from Archbold) that has certain meats and foods that are sort of to die for. So we went to the Pettisville meat place. I got a ham loaf (which is one of their specialties) and potato salad (also totally delicious). The ham loaf was frozen, but I'm letting it thaw so that we can enjoy it tonight.

All of us are supposed to be on diets. (Carol has lost a lot of weight and looks great!). But there is a candy place in Archbold that has been there for years and years called "Al-Meda's Chocolates". Barb decided she would like a couple gift boxes of "local" candy to have on hand for gifts. There was a sample dish there, and between the 3 of us we nearly finished it off while we were there. We had to make sure we still liked it! Barb got her gift boxes (I wonder if she'll open one?) and I got a little bag of broken pieces. Just what I needed, right?!

I had to back by supper time, so we took Carol home and headed back home. It was just a fun day of visiting with each other and re-visiting some of the familiar places.

Of Mice, Women and Cars

2010-02-15T07:43:00.006-05:00

I had pretty much decided that, at my mature age, there was nothing I hadn't heard about before, in some form at least. However, I was sitting in my recliner, with my laptop, just enjoying a quiet Saturday afternoon, when my hubby came in with this very strange look on his face. He said, "Donna, I have to tell you something". (he seemed so serious and tentative). He proceeded to say "you've had a mouse in your car". OK! So NOW maybe I've heard everything. I thought at first he was trying to pull my leg, but I should have known better. As much as he likes fun, he wouldn't have thought this one up on his own.

He proceeded to explain that he (being the good hubby that he is) had taken my new license sticker tag out to put it on my car, and then was going to put the registration in the glove box. When he opened the glove box, there were bits of paper torn up, a pair of gloves eaten through with many holes, and mouse dirt! He found a little place in the carpet that the mouse had eaten through. (Although I still don't totally understand it, he explained where the little opening is that the mouse came through).

Now, mind you, I've had my share of experiences with mice. And I felt I was fairly objective about them. After all, I didn't get all emotional at the sight of one. In fact, when my hubby and I were cleaning my dad's house, we caught many mice--once even catching two mice in the same trap! But I digress. All of this to say, it was kind of freaking me out that I was driving around with a mouse in my car!

Lynn had of course cleaned up my car and glove box. (Did I mention--I'm really thankful for a wonderful hubby who looks out for me!) He said he would set a mouse trap in my car overnight.

Sunday morning, I am once again relaxing in my recliner with a cup of coffee. Hubby comes in, with sort of a half smile on his face and said, "Well we caught your mouse!". I couldn't believe it! My next thought was, "I wonder how many friends and family he has?!" I encouraged Lynn to set some traps in the garage, as that is where my car is always parked; so surely this mouse had to be in the garage, before he found my car.

I slept in a little bit this morning, but when I got up there was a sticky note on the table where I usually sit to eat breakfast. It said "There was no mouse in the trap in your car this morning. Maybe there was only one. Your lover".

I got up in time to see him off to work this morning. He was kind of laughing, and said, well at least the mouse story will give you material for your blog. What was he thinking? It's hardly worth mentioning!

The Eyes Have It

2010-02-12T18:56:00.003-05:00

Just over one week ago, I told you about a laser treatment I had on my eye. It is actually called Photo-dynamic Therapy. (PDT). Ever since that procedure, I have had very limited vision in that eye. It was as if there was a black circle covering my central vision. I was trying to maintain a positive attitude, as I had read that your vision might be blurry for several days following treatment.

Finally, on Thursday, I went back to see my Doctor. I told myself it was to quiet the concerns of my hubby and other friends and family members. But of course, deep down, I was also rather concerned. After doing the routine tests, my Dr. explained to me that the laser treatment was doing exactly what they want it to do--sealing off the blood vessel at the retina. However, as best I understand his explanation, the light from the laser has temporarily caused my retina to "go to sleep", thus causing this impaired vision. He said this could last as long as one month. He also said, that sometimes the vision will come back better; but he was quick to add a disclaimer, not wanting to make any promises he couldn't keep.

I was very glad I decided to go back to have this checked, as it has put my mind at ease, and actually gave me more information about the actual procedure. So for now, we are praying that indeed, my vision will be restored, at least to what it was before the treatment.

The Bible has much to say about our eyes, as well as the eyes of the Lord.

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Psalm 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Thank you Lord, for providing doctors and treatments that have allowed me to keep my eyesight these past few years. Help me to always keep my eyes and my focus on You, and then I will see all things in proper perspective.

A Window of Opportunity and Beauty

2010-02-09T07:11:00.011-05:00

I woke on Monday morning to a dusting of snow

It gave our humble country dwelling a fluffy white glow.

The sun was coming up, so I seized the day,

Before this winter scene would melt away.

The fence looked like an intricate needle-work crochet

I had never seen it look quite this way.

I could have blown this fluff a way with a puff of air
It looked so fragile as I gazed on it there.

It was quiet and peaceful, with hardly a breeze,

But alas, I must get inside before I freeze.

Though my pictures don't compare to Moments of Mine,

I so much enjoyed this glimpse of God's design.

According to predictions, we're in for much more snow,

I wish I had a fireplace, to enjoy it's warm glow.

But not to worry, with a good book and a cup of tea,

Comfy and cozy in my recliner, I surely will be.

Just a Note

2010-02-05T08:18:00.007-05:00

I admit this is a bit humorous, but nevertheless, I wanted to post a tribute to letter writing. I'm dedicating this post to Cindy at Letters from Midlife, as I know she truly believes we should not lose the art of sending letters and notes by snail mail. I always enjoy getting a personal note or card in the mail.

This is a poem that was passed on to me by a fellow "senior". I'm sure it will be mostly appreciated by those of us who have a "senior moment" now and then.

Just a note to say I'm living, that I'm not among the dead
Though I'm getting more forgetful and mixed up in the head
I got used to my arthritis, to my dentures I'm resigned.
I can manage my bifocals, but gosh I miss my mind!

For sometimes I can't remember, when I stand at the foot of the stairs,
If I must go up for something, or have I just come down from there?
And before the fridge so often, my poor mind is filled with doubt,
Have I just put food away, or have I come to take some out?

So if it's my turn to write you there's no need for getting sore,
I may think that I have written and don't want to be a bore.
Just remember that I love you and wish that you were near.
Now it's nearly mail time so I must say goodbye my dear.

Here I stand beside the mailbox with a face so very red!
Instead of mailing you my letter, I have opened it instead!

Maintaining Eyesight

2010-02-03T16:57:00.007-05:00

About 2 1/2 years ago I was diagnosed with wet AMD--Age-related Macular Degeneration. At the time that I was diagnosed, I was legally blind in my right eye. (My left eye is normal). Fortunately, there is a medication that they can inject in the eye to slow the progress of this disease, and sometimes it improves vision. In my case, it improved my vision initially, from 20/200 to 20/50. However, for about the last year I've had to get an injection every 4-5 weeks to maintain that level of vision.

Today, I had another procedure done, called Photodynamic Therapy. This used to be the only option available, before they found that Avastin and/or Lucentis would help this condition. My Doctor felt that by having this procedure today, it would seal off the blood vessel at the retina and then I won't have to have injections every month; I might possibly need an injection once or twice a year.

The procedure itself isn't painful. I had some tests to check my vision, and then they inject a dye which targets the abnormal vessel. They then shine a laser on that part of the eye and this process seals the blood vessel, keeping it from leaking into the eye.

The dye, however makes your skin extremely photo-sensitive. They told me I would need a hat, sunglasses and gloves (and long sleeves) when leaving the office, to prevent sunburn. My good friend, Rebecca, had taken me for this procedure, and also loaned me the beautiful hat! Thus, leaving the office I was decked out in my movie star outfit!

It was a cloudy day, so possibly this was overkill. But the nurse had told me a couple horror stories of people who got sunburns, and said that even on a cloudy day I should cover up. It will take 4-5 days for this dye, and consequently the photo-sensitivity to get out of my system.

As you might have guessed, I plan to lay low, read, scrapbook, maybe even put together the puzzle on my dining room table (although I'm finding I'm not a very good puzzle person, so I might have to give that up).

I am very thankful that these procedures are available. I am still able to read and do all of the things I enjoy doing, so this has been a real blessing.

Friendship is a Treasure

2010-02-01T08:22:00.006-05:00

My sister-in-law, Annette, shared this with me, and I thought it was really appropriate for my blog. I know that I haven't met many of the women who read and comment on my blog, but I consider them friends. We share things that good friends share. So I wanted to pass on this poem about friends.

Friendship is sincerity, wrapped up in a smile,
A corner of tenderness shared for a while.
It's a niche in the heart, that is suddenly filled;
A deep-seated longing, discovered and stilled.
It's a hand on the shoulder when problems increase,
A sharing of laughter, a heart filled with peace.

A milestone that brightens each step of the way,
Like a beautiful thought at the start of the day.
It's deep understanding, a thoughtful reply,
A glance shared in secret, a wink of the eye.

Friendship is that rarest of treasures to hold,
It cannot be purchased with mountains of gold.
It's being protective when hope tumbles down,
A fault that's forgiven, a smile for a frown.
Encouragement offered when the goin is rough;
It's a hand set to help when the job is too tough.

Friendship is the essence of faith, deep and strong.
It's a poem unwritten, a beautiful song.
Alice Leedy Mason

Those of us who have friends like this are truly blessed. Thank you Lord, for the friendships you've given me.

A birthday visit

2010-01-19T19:59:00.004-05:00

My son, Tim, lives in Oklahoma City, which is approximately 1000 miles away from my home in Indiana. So I try to go visit him about every 2 months when possible.

My mother-in-law (from my first marriage), Tim's grandma, also lives in OKC. She is 87 years old. She is nearly blind and has a hearing aid; but she continues to live alone in her own home. She gets along amazingly well. However, on Friday ( the 8th), she tripped on her own feet and fell. She didn't initially tell anyone--she is fiercely independent; and she said that Friday and Saturday her side was hurting but it was tolerable. Tim has been going to see her every Sunday; when he got there on that Sunday (the 10th) she was grimacing and moaning and in severe pain. He said he'd never seen her that way before. He immediately took her to the Emergency Room, where they found she had bruised ribs and one fractured rib on the right. Tim stayed with her that night and has been staying with her ever since. I know she has really appreciated his help, as well as just having his companionship.

An added benefit for Tim, is that grandma has been teaching him how to cook. He made a delicious taco soup; and he is now making eggs over-easy every morning for breakfast. So maybe now when he gets back to his own apartment he'll be able to have more meals at home. I think he's actually enjoying doing some cooking.

I apologize for the quality of the pictures. I cannot even believe it--but I forgot to take my good camara. These were taken on my phone camara. I left on Thursday the 14th to go visit Tim and "G-Ma". In spite of her injury, we had a great visit. On Sunday, she was able to go with us for dinner at my cousin's house, to celebrate Tim's birthday. I think she was glad to get out for a little while.

Tim really wanted a computer, so G-ma and I got him one for his birthday. He is very excited to be able to catch up on technology. He is on facebook, and has just enjoyed 'surfing the net'.

I HAD to include a picture of our sweet little Aiden. He is the great-grandson of my first cousin by marriage; I never can figure out what that makes him to me--maybe a 3rd cousin. Maybe some of you geneology buffs can help me out. Anyway, he's a sweetheart, but he fell asleep before dinner, so this was the best picture I could get.

I know many of you know a little about Tim's background and challenges. I am just so very much encouraged, as he is seemingly doing very well: complying with probation, has worked part-time for a man who has a moving company, spending time with his G-ma, and going to church. Spiritually, he seems strong, for which I am very thankful.

It's always good to go visit; it's also wonderful to be back home. Now I need to get back into my routine of exercise, proper eating, etc. I am just so thankful for the blessing of a relationship restored with my son.

What Does 100 Years Look Like?

2010-01-11T07:09:00.010-05:00

Yesterday we had the privilege of attending an open house for Clara Gerig. She has been a member of our church for a long time, and very active in church. She is also related to me through my grandmother on my mother's side. On Tuesday (she informed me that is her actual birthday) she will be 100 years old.

She was telling some stories about when she was a little girl. And I was thinking, I hope I remember the stories of when I'm a little girl if I live to be 100. She is a dear sweet lady who loves the Lord, and gives Him all the glory for her length of years and good mind.

What was going on the year Clara was born? William Taft was President; the Cubs were actually in the World Series--they lost to Philadelphia! Also, the price of a first class stamp was 2 cents!

In the 1920's, the Prohibition Act was enacted (we could use that again), and thenwhen Clara was 19, there was the infamous stock market crash. And then in the early 1930's unemployment was at an all-time high; that decade was called the Great Depression.

It seems that what goes around, comes around. The 1930's don't sound much different than today, and the stock market is certainly not stable.

However, we weren't focusing on all of that . We were celebrating a life well-lived, and the birthday of a fine lady, who has had her share of difficult living, but in the last few years since I've gotten to know her better, I can't remember seeing her without a wonderful smile.

The Bible speaks about old age--and it seems to me being 100 years old would fit in that category.

Proverbs 16: 31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Leviticus 19:32 Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you,

and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Psalm 71:18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me O God, till I declare your power to the

next generation, your might to all who are to come.

Certainly, Clara Gerig has declared to all those she comes in contact with, the power and might of her God.

Happy 100th Birthday, Clara!

My Hope is in God My Savior

2010-01-07T08:14:00.007-05:00

Psalm 25:4,5 "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth, and teach me. For you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

These are my memory verses for the first 2 weeks of January . I plan to be accountable through blogland, initiated through Leah, at The Point. I want to not only memorize them, but meditate on them. The plan is to memorize a new verse/verses every 2 weeks. (By the way, it's not too late to join us, if you'd like to be included in this Bible memory accountability group.)

So, I wanted to see if I could find out more about 2 words in these verses. First, what exactly is God's truth? I first went to Webster; it said "that which conforms to fact or reality; characterized by being in accord with what is, has been or must be". My New Concise Bible Dictionary, edited by Derek Williams, says "truth is an attribute of God who is utterly reliable." It also says He judges in truth and that demands a truthful response to him through obedience.

To me, it means that my God is absolutely dependable, and that He has provided His Word to show me the truths I need to live by. It is very reassuring to me, that because He himself IS truth, I can totally trust in His word to be truth.

Second, I was thinking about Hope. We hear that word tossed around a lot. "I hope it doesn't snow", or "I hope I get that job". Even when there seems to be no rational grounds for it, people continue to hope; and more often than not, they are sorely disappointed. Webster says, "desire with expectation of obtaining what is desired, or belief that it is obtainable; trust".

In this verse, it tells us what true hope should be. Our hope needs to be placed in the Lord, and not in any situation or circumstance. It is belief in our God, who keeps His promises and who works in our daily lives and circumstances for our best good. Hope , Faith and trust are almost synonymous. We put our trust, and hope in the Lord, who has proven His faithfulness over and over again.

So, as I seek to know His truth, and place my hope in Him, I can be assured that He will show me the path that I should go. We truly have an awesome God!

This Is Scary!

2010-01-05T12:56:00.009-05:00

As is my usual routine, the other day I made coffee, prepared my cup with a little milk in it, and went to brush my teeth while it brewed. (It seems to take longer to brew if I'm standing there waiting on it)

I poured my coffee, brought it in and put it on the stand by my recliner, and sipped on it while I started checking e-mail on my computer. But, as is also very common, I got busy on the computer and my coffee got cold. S0-o-o, time to go get another cup.

What is this? It is the filtered water that we keep in the frig. All of the sudden I found myself by the frig, with my coffee cup in position, starting to get some water! What? No, No, Donna! You were coming for coffee!

I poured out the water, filled my cup with coffee, added cream, and came back to my recliner and computer.

I once again placed my cup of coffee on my table, but made sure I spent a little time enjoying it, before working on the computer again.

Oh my goodness! I'm way too young for these things to be happening! Just thought it might be encouraging to anyone who has had a similar experience.

One of the best old-age forgettfulness stories I've heard was from my Dad. I don't know if it actually happened, or if he was just sharing his wonderful sense of humor; but he said, "I was on my way upstairs, and sat down to rest a minute; when I got back up, I couldn't remember if I was going up or coming back down".

To those of you too young to truly appreciate these things, you will probably be able to relate some day.

Choices--A reflection for the new year.

2010-01-02T09:42:00.005-05:00

I wrote this poem last February, and I posted it then. I haven't thought about it for many months, but came across it again as I was going through my journal. (True confession--I started journaling again last year about this time, but didn't keep it up--only about 2 months.). As I was thinking about the events of this past year, and some goals for the coming year, it seemed to me that the paths we find ourselves walking through and many of the circumstances we find ourselves in are a result of the choices we've made.

As we begin our journey through 2010, may we seek the Lord's guidance and wisdom in the choices we make.

CHOICES

In God’s perfect plan, He made a way,
For us to make our own choices each day.
Sometimes we chose well, sometimes bad,
We surely often make His heart sad.

So many choices we are allowed to make,
What career we’d like, and what way we’ll take.
Where we will live, city or country,
Who to marry, and who our friends will be.

In some things we have absolutely no control,
We don’t understand, and it grieves our soul.
We would never chose to suffer great loss,
Yet He chose to suffer for us on the cross.

No matter what the circumstance may be,
I know the Lord’s working it for good, you see.
As my love for Him grows greater still,
I chose to seek and follow His will.

So many promises we find in His Word,
When we pray, we will always be heard.
He gives peace and joy, we can’t comprehend,
And for every need, on Him we can depend.

So, I’m making a choice to give Him praise,
I want others to see Christ in me all my days.
Many times I will fail, but He gives strength to the weak,
He will guide and direct me when I listen to Him speak.

Thank you, Lord, for blessings you bestow,
With praise to You, may my heart overflow.
May I be an encouragement to others, I pray,
Help me to serve you joyfully each day.