The Circus, The Monkeys, The Ringmaster.

 The Circus, The Monkeys, The Ringmaster.

 

Whenever the old woman gets a little bit flustered or otherwise concerned about things, my sweet girl has this refrain that she pulls out: “Mom, not your circus, not your monkeys!” Of course, that is probably more factual than anything that comes across my mind when something is bothering me, but it seems like there is a limit to my ability to ignore some situations. Maybe a good night’s sleep will give me a better outlook. Maybe God will provide a better answer to my concern or thoughts about how to remove a problem.

 

Well, here it is after midnight on another day. Have killed another spider in my bedroom after seeing it climbing the wall. REALLY do not care much to share the inside of my house with long legged creepy spiders. The little black furry jumping spiders don’t really scare me, but the ones that look more like the brown recluse things that can really cause damage are just about enough to make me want to jump and stomp! Patty said the Arrow man should be here this Thursday to do her house, so we will see if he plans on coming up my way as well. She wants to get our houses on the same schedule to save him from making two trips.

 

We have not had fireworks tonight. Last night and the night before we had plenty of booms and bangs, but the police must have caught the ones on this side of the lake because they stopped shortly after midnight. Wish Archer County would not allow the fireworks stands to set up anywhere near our county line!

 

Blake came and cut the grass short enough that it will be drying out soon if we don’t get any more rain. It won’t cost as much to keep the yard looking decent, but it will also be more likely to catch fire if we are not really careful. Seeing all the fires in Utah and across the western states just makes me cringe. And so far, they have lost some firefighters as well. May God bless their families and friends.

 

It seems as if Venezuela is going to be taking quite a while to dig out from under the buildings that have been destroyed in the earthquakes. Even with all the help that is being sent their way, it must feel hopeless to those whose family members are under all those buildings that have collapsed. The few rescues that have been posted online have been encouraging and enough to make a person cry at the same time. One woman wrapped her body around her baby and died protecting the little one. Now the husband has a child to raise without its mother. It makes one feel helpless knowing what kind of problems he will face. May God bless the father and the baby.

 

Looks as if the old woman needs to call the pharmacy at Sam’s again to see if they are sending Thompson’s medicine for his arthritis. The package should already have arrived if they were sending it. Hoping not to have to go to the vets’ office to purchase his pills considering their prices. Sigh.

 

The trash truck will have a heavy load tomorrow when it picks my bin up. Forgot to put my trash out last Friday. Duh. And in the morning Patty said that her bags were going to be heavy. It doesn’t bother me to go down to throw hers in the bin, but she is having considerable trouble just catching her breath lately. Anyway, the walk down there is good for me, and Roxy gets to go out and run around for a bit when my help is needed. Of course, my dogs really resent the fact that they don’t get to go with me to run around down there. Oh well.

 

Started another book on Daniel today. This particular author uses up quite a bit of verbiage to express his disapproval of “modern” habits of dress and hair length. He obviously does not think that women should have short hair or long fingernails. If he were around in these days, he would really have something to concern his strait-laced ideas. Just because the Israelites used only one kind of cloth or clothing styles does not mean that those same styles would work today. That is one of the problems of any age—deciding that what was used in the past by the Israelites does not mean that God would not allow changes in current uses. It reminds me of the Amish all looking alike. How we wear our hair, how we dress, or how closely we might try to follow the laws set down for Israel does not determine any form of righteousness. We are under grace and not the law. Attempting to live with a decent attitude and loving kindness toward others is about the best we can do in a social context, but what is more important is trying to be the kind of person that will find the works that God has already determined for us. Let us attempt to do all we do in love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

More Thoughts about Wine Skins.

 More Thoughts about Wine Skins.

 

Have thought more about what Sterling said that they were studying in the men’s Bible study. Ok, we can understand the new wine not belonging in old skins and new cloth not working in an old garment. New Christian does not keep the laws of the OT in the same way: not keeping the seven holy days. How about the father being crossways with his son or son-in-law, or the daughter being upset with the mother? Since the new Christians could not attend synagogue services or go to the temple, it made it obvious to others that these people were not honoring God in the manner accepted by the Israelites. As far as the people of Israel were concerned, the folks who were worshipping Jesus Christ were going after false gods. That was one of the things the Israelites had had to battle when settling the land that God gave them. So, of course, these people who were different were not simply misguided; they were abhorred by those who believed in ONE God because they were being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

For years the Jewish people have attempted to keep their children from marrying the goyim—the gentiles. Can you imagine if the parents went with believers in Jesus Christ and the children were trying to stay on the good side of the rabbis? Talk about family strife! It was not enough to have a good lifestyle of kindnesses and uprightness toward others. While the actions of the Christians may have been faultless (not likely), they were still not going to be accepted into the Israelite society by those who demanded that the laws be kept to the dotting of the alphabet. It is quite possible that in the future, those in churches today will not be acceptable to society simply because they don’t support some organization. Now, don’t start asking me which organization, but just think about what happens when one particular church says that they don’t participate in same sex marriage vows. It doesn’t take much to get some folks riled up about how they think others are putting them down! It is not enough to accept same sex marriages; they think that folks should approve of those marriages! Give a little and see what kind of garbage gets pushed next.

 

Just got a call from Sterling to say that his birthday card actually got there TODAY—his birthday. Had already called to warble the birthday song to him earlier today, but this is just fantastic that he actually got the card today. Their mail service usually lacks something for that part of the country. Anyway, he was still laughing at the funny card. That is thanks to Jennifer and her selection of cards that she sent to me to use. They are the kind that are a teeny tiny bit disrespectful or silly. Just my style!

 

Watered some flowers yesterday and managed to track dirt into the house. Dadgumit! Thought maybe a wet mop would take care of it, but have a feeling it would just make mudpies. Maybe in a bit the old woman will try to get the worst of it up. My back is not too bad today, and my knee is not swollen, so there’s that. Maybe tomorrow going to services will be relaxing.

 

Shonna said that they needed to get the tags on their trailer so that they could go dump it at the transfer station. There’s a tarp in my shed that has never been used, but no rope. Every load has to be really tightly contained or they will fine the driver. Anyway, will let Albert know about the tarp if he wants to use it.

 

Need to go fry up some hamburger meat into patties so they will be quick meals to slap between bread anytime the old woman gets hungry. Got a piece of mail from Arby’s the other day with meals that sounded so good, but have to think that one Arby’s meal would cost what at least two hamburgers from Nancy’s kitchen would cost. So, there’s that. Yep, stingy and conservative.

 

The Sahara dust is headed this way. Sterling told me it fertilizes the Amazonian rain forest. Not just too sure what it does to Texas and the coast along the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe that dust feeds the fish and the alligators.

 

Would really like to hear that all the ships had been evacuated from the seas near Iran and Oman. Wonder how many days of food those ships have left after being stuck in those waters all this time. Or maybe they have fishing lines? Here’s hoping none of them snag an underwater mine.

 

Let’s pray that we can be faithful to what God has put before us as individuals. The national and international mess is pretty much up to God. We can let a few people like the Scots and the Brits realize that the U.S. is not nearly as bad as CNN et al might portray our country and our people, but we have to keep doing what is right in God’s eyes to prove our faith. Let it so be.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

A Quiet Night.

 A Quiet Night.

 

Well, except for the music and beautiful voice of Josh Groban, my house is pretty quiet tonight. Just put the dogs out for one last run to do their thing before it is time to lock up and just chill for the night. A bit earlier the old woman made a quick trip to pick up a few groceries. Messed up the thing on my phone and used my computer to do the order, so somehow did not get the order number. Apparently, that is not totally necessary. So, there’s that.

 

Sterling called earlier and talked about the scripture in Mark where Christ explained that one does not put new wine in old wine skins or new cloth in an old garment lest it tear. The idea, of course, is that the new Christian would have a different lifestyle than the people who tried to live under the law. Now we have discussed things like this before. The new Christians were not even allowed to attend the synagogues or to be seen in the Temple because of their beliefs. Therefore, they would not keep the holy days that God had given Israel at the beginning. They would not travel to Jerusalem or anywhere to celebrate the Passover. Yet, Jesus celebrated His last Passover with them. And he said, “As oft as you do this . . .” Does that mean once a year or how often would that have been done? And was it a celebration of the Passover or was it simply a meal with fellow brethren? Anyway, we got into a discussion about Christmas and Easter. He thinks that these are simply celebrations of Christ’s birth and His resurrection. Sitting here shaking my head.

 

Eddy Arnold is now singing “Our Memories of Us.” Love that song and his voice.

 

This morning the old woman got a burr under her saddle blanket and started cleaning the kitchen down to the floor from the top and sides of the stove, dishwasher, and freezer. A “moose” is loose in mah hoose. Despise those furry little dip waddies! Anyway, by the time Maria got here to clean the house, this old woman was soaked with perspiration from head to toe. She helped me clean the baseboards and put things back in place. It was wonderful to be able to sit down and rest while she got everything spic and span. Love having the house de-furred. Mopping the floors should not hurt. But neither should the use of a vacuum! Argh!

 

Shonna called me over this afternoon to see the two pieces of furniture that AnnaBeth gave her. They are very pretty and look very good the way she has things arranged. The tall mirror looks like something from a boudoir in the corner of her bedroom. Neat!

 

Saw that Yellowstone has had some scary activity in the largest caldron. And then there were four separate earthquakes in various parts of the world with Venezuela suffering terrible damage. Does anyone else feel that scriptures are being fulfilled?

 

And then there are the ships stuck in a small area of ocean while folks on the shores are shooting at them. It feels as if someone has decided to shoot fish in a barrel. Somehow this is infuriating. It makes me feel that we should DO something, but what does this one old woman know? Then the men who were hurt in our military feel that their injuries were downplayed. Maybe that is some kind of sticking out the tongue at the Iranians, but it will not make those men and their families feel like their leaders care about them. Nuts and berries! Our men and women deserve our respect and support!

 

Guess a shower and a good head scrub is needed before bed time. Well, actually a guess is not even needed. As soon as Kevin Mattson’s song, “What’s a Baby For” is finished, maybe it will be time to get a good scrubbing.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Bissel or Shark!

 Bissel or Shark!

 

Apparently, a vacuum is a vacuum is a no-no for the silly ol’ woman who lives here. Trying to get my house de-furred and spent probably 30 minutes getting all the dog hair out of the line leading into the cannister of the Bissel. Yesterday the entire living room looked furry to me, so tried to just move things around to clean the floor. Using the little vacuum seemed not much of a problem, but it has a tendency to make me sore anyway. Today, just trying to do it a bit easier, used the dust mop and took it out on the deck to try to get the fur coating off the mopping head. Unbelievable! That thing was totally coated and not the least bit easy to clean off. Had no idea that dog hair was that clingy! Deep sigh. Maria will be here in the morning to clean the house. She is considerably younger than the old woman, but she is also well organized. The house always feels and smells so good after she is finished.

 

Got a call from a friend who wanted two pieces of furniture out of her house. These were really nice pieces, but my house is about stuffed. Anyway, Shonna said that she could probably use them, so she and Albert have gone to pick them up. Here is hoping that they can make connections easily. My friend does not walk easily, so getting a door open at the right time might not be as easy as it would be for some of us.

 

Looking on FB to see the reactions of some of the folks from Scotland and other countries to being in the US has been pretty enlightening. They came with some trepidation and have found so much to enjoy that it is fairly hilarious to hear them talk about the different things they found to enjoy. The drinks in cups as big as a bucket was one that made me smile. That was always the way Lewis wanted his tea or Pepsi—an entire bucket full! Then there is the barbecued everything! They love the food! And the beer—except for Bud Lite—has apparently filled a hole for them. They drank Boston dry for a night! They were also impressed by the military flyovers at the stadiums. Anyway, it is great that they have found us to be a hospitable country. Let us hope that their impressions will only improve.

 

A while back, after the last cataract surgery, a pair of readers were purchased. Trying to use them did not result in any kind of a good experience, so someone must have put them up somewhere “safe.” Uh huh. Right. Have no idea where those suckers have gone! Looked through the desk in the living room, but did not find anything there except some cases “for” glasses. Life in the fast lane around here!!

 

Decided to have some chicken fiesta soup for the last meal of the day. Think someone (yes, we know who) stubbed her toe just a wee bit on the picante part of that mixture. My tongue is not reacting now, but it was very interesting there for a bit! Rotel tomatoes come in various shades of heat. Someone we know must have picked up one of the hotter versions. Oh well.

 

Finally got all the laundry folded and put away or hung in the closet. One would think that is not a big deal, right? Four trips back and forth to the bedroom and closet to hang or place the things that needed to be put away. Once upon a time all of that stuff would have gone to the bedroom to be placed on the bed so that everything could be sorted from that place to the nearest drawer or closet. Getting less organized in my old age. How did that happen? Oh well. Everything is in its place for the time being.

 

Nephew Erin managed to get in contact with the man who puts dates on tombstones today and finally got Anne’s side of the headstone updated to show her death date. The company who should have handled that had sold out and did not take care of it at the time, so the kids had to pony up some money to have it done. Apparently, Erin talked to the stone cutter today and paid him to get it done. The man even sent a picture to show it. Neat.

 

Unless the pharmacy at Sam’s has already sent Thompson’s meds through the mail, the old woman is going to have to go to the vets’ office to renew his prescription. Not sure he would be able to get around without his arthritis meds. Know it is hard for me, and he is “older” in dog years. Arthritis hurts, dear Hearts!

 

Maybe it makes me look like a turtle hiding from thunder, but simply cannot make myself watch the “news.” Just have the determination that God will do what He says He will do. If anyone is believable, God is. Some of these sports figures are going all out to put their faith out in public. That makes me happy! Whether it is a soccer player giving the crown to God or the players who put Bible verses on their hats during the “pride” mess, these men are gutsy! May we all have the courage to let our faith be known.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Hopalong Happily.

 Hopalong Happily.

 

Some days the ability to walk just makes me smile. Somehow it makes me feel free to do just about anything if getting there is easier than stumbling around like a blind person in a paper bag. Anyway, today has been a rather stiff day for at least one leg and part of an old woman’s attitude. Doing more laundry has not been the least bit of a problem, but looking at the furry floor has not caused any actual de-furring to occur. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow.

 

The calendar says that tomorrow is the 24^th day of June. This Saturday will be my brother’s 81^st birthday. This month has just about slipped away already! Just how does that happen? Time is one of those sneaky situations that boggle my mind. Back when the children were small, time seemed so far away, and each day was about enough to frame some of the events in our lives. Like the day the neighbor took Lance fishing down on Lake Wichita. Odie Porterfield had him bring the fish home with him. The old woman had no idea how to kill and clean a fish, so it went into the bathtub until Lewis got home from work. Poor man worked all day in that nasty diesel and transmission oil and then got home to a bathtub full of catfish! It makes me wonder how my husband lived with this crazy wife! Sigh. But he loved us.

 

Today AnnaBeth called and wanted me to find someone who could use and appreciate two very nice pieces of furniture. Shona’s husband agreed to go pick them up tomorrow afternoon. Again, it is the husband who gets off work and still has the honey-do chore list to meet at the home doorway! Sorry about that, Albert!

 

We’ve had some thunder, some rain, some wind, and some heat today. But the clouds have kept us wondering what is next. It’s Texas as usual. At least no trips to the vet had to take place today! That is a relief. Michelle said she was going to have to start using the PETS clinic to be able to take care of her dogs. After Patty ended up paying $385 for Roxy’s visit on Monday, it is no surprise that Michelle would make the trip all the way across town to PETS. Prices are simply insane! Which reminds me that Thompson needs a refill on his prescription. Crazy that his drugs cost more than mine!!

 

Have a swollen jaw for some reason tonight. Here’s hoping that it goes away quickly. Why lymph nodes tend to swell in one’s face is beyond me. The older a body becomes, the more quickly things fall apart. One of the ladies at church is over 90 years old and gets around better than this one at 78! Go figure. Maybe she is not as mean as this one is.

 

Hope that Barry Ice can look at the electrical situation at church tomorrow and give them some kind of estimate. One of the deacons said that they had an estimate years ago, but it never hurts to have another one. In my estimation, getting the work done when it needs to be done matters. But then, a woman’s viewpoint never seems to go along with how a man looks at things. Oh well.

 

A friend sent me an email about something that made my day. We all need hats. We can think about that for just a minute. Now WHY would we need hats? Dad had a saying about hats and that was my first thought. “The wind blew, and the ___ flew, and we all had on paper hats.” Yep, that is about as close as it gets to what is in the news or what the talking heads seem to be concerned about right now. Personally, it just feels safer to avoid listening to any of the so-called “news.” Some of us already know what will happen in the future—despite whatever lies anyone might be flogging around on the world’s stage. Nothing changes unless it is allowed by God. And He has already told us the outcome of all this stupidity. It is so much of a relief to know that God has things worked out already. Take a deep breath and relax. This, too, shall pass. And nevermind wearing a hat.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

A Grandson Visit.

 A Grandson Visit.

 

Jennifer called this morning and wanted to know if her mom would be at home this afternoon. It’s not like the old woman runs around a lot of the time, but sure enough, Grayson called and asked me to come unlock the front door. The dogs did not even hear his car drive up!! Anyway, we had a nice visit and watched Clarkson Farms episodes on TV. He asked me what the last movie was that was watched at a real theater. It was one of the last James Bond movies! That was probably ten years ago! Oh well.

 

Grayson said that he could not smell the skunk odor in my house, so here’s hoping that it is washed away on the dog. At least Thompson’s coat is soft and fluffy after his bath. He and Grayson had some good moments while visiting. Thompson and Sylvia don’t get that much attention around here to be truthful. Fed, watered, brushed, but not played with necessarily. Sylvia loves to play tug-of-war, but Thompson gets upset when that happens. But Grayson did it anyway! Sylvia really seemed to enjoy it.

 

Talked to Barry Thomas Ice today and he is going to check out what kind of electrical work that needs to be done at the church. His work is always good and his prices have always been reasonable, so we will see what he says when he comes out on Wednesday to check out the church and its lights. Meanwhile, Daniel Hernandez of Night Shift computers has offered a free laptop computer to the church. He has a big computer priced at $500 that he felt was too much for my needs, but it’s not likely that the folks using the computers at the church would be that much more advanced in usage than the old woman. Or not. Paula Whiteman could probably handle whatever they need. She is a really sweet lady who planted flowers out in the pots along the front of the sanctuary. Pretty plants and likely to make it through the summer heat!

 

Grayson went with me to United to pick up a few things. Meant to pick up a big bottle of peroxide for the next batch of skunk wash, but totally forgot it. Probably just as well. The total was over $110. Grayson kept asking why everything was so high. A lady heard him ask me that and said, “It’s just like everything else! Nothing is reasonable anymore!” She is totally correct. Was surprised that Grayson thought my little United for U store was so well stocked and had good looking produce. Thinking to myself that the manager named Vietenheimer is the reason things are so clean and the quality is so good! Anyway, it is a very good store.

 

Thinking it would be a good time to get a shower and scrub my head. Just a wee bit tired tonight. Have not even folded and put away the laundry, but it can just wait. It’s not like the kitchen table has a time limit for being used as a laundry table! At least the dogs are fed and nothing except getting my bags together for services tomorrow needs to be done. Maybe it will be a good night for sleeping.

 

Prayers for those who need to be reassured that they are loved and matter to God.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Skunked!

 Skunked!

 

Here it is after midnight and Thompson just got a bath. Such fun! Not sure if the smell is less now or if it is stuck in my nose for the night! Yikes! Wondering if he actually got a bite of this skunk or if he just got sprayed. The de-skunk spray that Michelle Malay brought up here seems to be working pretty well, but now my bedroom smells like wet dog and eau d’ stinky! Standing over the big tub is not easy when scrubbing a dog, but Thompson waited patiently until he was told he could get out. Such a sweet boy!

 

Have been running around some thoughts about a computer that Daniel Hernandez has for sale. He said he has a laptop to donate to the church, but this computer is for sale and has Windows 12 on it. Even my computer is not that up-to-date with software. If Daniel can take everything off of my computer and transfer it to the new computer, might just be worth doing that. Have been considering getting a new computer anyway. This would probably save quite a few dollars and some stress if it would transfer, but then, the church would not have the latest. May just wait and see what the church wants to do.

 

Mr. Stinky T just came to lie down under my desk. For sure it will be hard to sleep with that odor in the house! At least he got all the skunk oil off his face. Sprayed the rag and wiped his face as well as he would let me. Poor baby. He is my hero!

 

Saw a weather report earlier in the evening that said that some part of Louisiana got 26 inches of rain in about two hours. That is a deluge! Imagine two feet of water dumped all over your yard! Asked our father in a prayer for safety and hope for those folks, their livestock, and pets.

 

Have been hoping that Angel would post about her grandson Zeke on Common Sense. The little guy is about to have some kind of hip surgery so that the doctor can make it where the little guy will be able to use his leg in the manner it should work. He has had such a hard life so far for a little one. And his parents have had it really rough as well. They lost the little baby who came too early. It was a little girl. Know how that feels! Just makes a person feel hopeless. Zeke’s parents are such sweet kids—well, they are grownups, but their parents grew up with my children, so to me this generation seems so very young.

 

Might as well break out a book. My mind is skipping around like a child overloaded on jelly beans. Not sure how concentration ever worked for me when the old woman was younger and trying to study. Not sure if ADHD is a mindset or just something one develops, but Jennifer teases me about not being able to pay attention for even a short amount of time. Things that interest me can keep my attention easily, but what interests others may not even register with me. Maybe that is not such a bad thing. At least, adapting makes life challenging.

 

President Trump actually sounds like someone who could be one with ADHD. He seems to want to get things done just exactly how he wants them and more quickly than most things can be done. Someone is going to make a big deal of him saying that he is the most powerful man to ever walk the earth. We know, of course, that he means the global reach of American power, but it sounds so wrong when we think of a single person who controls (more or less) the power of one nation with the resources America has now. The actual person who was the most powerful who ever walked the earth was born in Bethlehem. But as disappointing as it was to many in that day, that man came to serve rather than conquer as He will when He returns. THEN we will see true power. May that day hasten!

 

Maybe to bed again. Just getting tired now. Tomorrow is semi here already.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Patching Pavement?

 Patching Pavement?

 

Today a meeting at the church began with the pastor talking about getting people to attend church. As usual, my mind was not on the exact topic being talked about, so while my mind wandered, it occurred to me that making folks feel welcome included offering to feed them. We have a hot dog lunch scheduled for the 5^th of July after services. Mentioning the local network of community affairs did not seem to really appeal to the minister, but at least one other person knew about the app available and she even had it on her phone. Now whether or not the luncheon will be opened to the public remains to be seen, but at least it would not cost a fortune and likely have more effect on attendance than walking the neighborhoods and handing out pieces of paper. Just sayin’.

 

While at the church, one of the men who takes care of mowing the huge amount of grass out there said he would be back on Saturday to finish mowing. We walked up to the entrance to see how much damage was evident in the pavement near Hwy 79. It is obvious that several bags of pavement mix are needed, so the old woman went to Sutherland’s and got another five bags of that nasty black stuff. If the young man can spread it, the old woman can run her truck over the stuff enough times to pack it down. Maybe that will prevent humongous holes from forming. Sometimes it is the little bit of prevention that makes the difference.

 

Not sure just why, but today has been so pretty and filled with songs from the birds. Looking at the weather forecast says that we may have rain again soon. That suits me just fine. The seeds that are spread out front in the flower bed look as if each seed may have sprouted twice. Now to see what those seeds produce. Meanwhile, the birds have been busy eating whatever is in the side lots down in the grass. The ones that are not in the grass are busy singing and making beautiful arcs through the sky. The scissortail flycatchers are simply amazing! Love watching them. The only bird that is really missing out here is the field lark. They were everywhere years ago, and now they seem to have disappeared. Strange. My daddy stopped the car once on the way into the lane to Granddad’s farm and pointed out some birds to us. “Look carefully. They are dying out and won’t be here when you are a few years older.” Not sure what the birds were but know that Daddy was so terribly sad about the loss. He and Mom knew the birds mattered to the land. The ones that amaze me now are the purple finches—which, by the way, are not purple—that have congregated in this area. Have never seen this many of them before. The robins took over the back yard this morning and were apparently finding things to eat out there. They were not the least bit concerned about my dogs and just hopped around as if they owned the place.

 

Reading a book about a woman who grew up in a totally dysfunctional family. She became a media expert and knew how to get a company on a more public and promising position. The things that happened in her childhood and the way she adjusted to life have made me consider that it is truly impossible for any of us to judge why people may seem grouchy or rather abrupt in manner. The tendency in this character was to remove problems in communications and to force wrongs to be acknowledged and eliminated. It makes me wonder what kind of person it would take to be like this woman—minus the heartaches she endured. To provide others with a voice and the strength to remove obstacles to happiness sounds a lot like becoming a Christian. Love covers so many sins or “problems.”

 

Noticed today that the fireworks stand is almost ready to open. Not sure what the regulations are about how soon they can open, but will just state right here and now that fireworks are the most dangerous and deadly way we could possibly use to “celebrate” our nation. Those things are fires waiting to happen; they frighten animals; they are dangerous explosives around any who handle them; and they hardly seem appropriate for expressing love for our nation. Why can we not cast bells and ring them for the celebration? Bells can be beautiful and are hardly ever dangerous. Yes, the old woman is gripey. But my dogs know why.

 

Talking to Sterling today and he was tired and somewhat frustrated again. It reminded me that nothing is really new under the sun. Then Patty told me about a woman who decided to start dating at 78. That sounds pretty insane to me, but some folks just can’t deal with being alone. Somehow, being alone is much more sensible than being responsible for the happiness or at least the satisfaction of someone else. But then, it has been years since Lewis died. Praise God he is not seeing the things that have happened since then. The Bible says that there is no marriage in heaven, but surely, we will know each other. Memories are worth so much more when shared.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

A Freshly Cut Yard.

 A Freshly Cut Yard.

 

Notice that it is not a freshly cut “lawn” as that implies something much neater than what this place has. Still have a pile of branches that either need to be burned or broken up and hauled off. At least one of those branches is too large for me to even move. Blake, the lawn guy, moved it onto the cellar top so it would be out of the way when he mows. Unless it can be cut up with a skill saw, the old woman may just have to live with it. Anyway, everything under my fencing looks pretty good this evening. We were so glad that Blake did not come early today as the grass was still wet as a mop! Dew or dropped from the sky matters not in the least if it is just soaking the grass. Told Patty that letting Roxy out in the high grass was about the same as popping her into a bucket of water. The grass got tall enough to be over her back.

 

The purple coleus on the front porch has decided to make itself known by lying down across the pot and over onto the bench arm. The aloe vera at the back of that pot has really grown as well. But now the amaryllis needs to be taken out and dried or replanted in the flower bed. It seems as if growing things always requires getting into the dirt again. Just so happy to be able to get around and do things like that! Lance placed the plants that Brenda Jones gave me on the ground near my herb garden. Each pot has Bermuda grass in it, so it will require UNpotting each of them to keep from just growing some healthy grass! Brenda suggested waiting until the plants were stable before trying to repot. Last time she gave me some plants and they just curled up their toes and died as big as Dallas! Shucks!

 

As per usual, have been reading today. Someone basically put the story of Christ’s life and ministry into prose and used the stories from the first four books of the New Testament to keep the time line straight. Had read those in a different format before—can’t think of the name just this moment but each book shared the same basic information from a different viewpoint. Matthew was written as a type of genealogy for the Jews; Mark was written to for the new Christians to show the servant position of Christ; Luke was written for Gentile Christians to show the compassion of Jesus and the universality of salvation; John emphasizes the I AM or divinity of Jesus and our need to have a personal relationship with Him. Synopsis is the word that seemed to elude me tonight. Sigh. Not sure if my age is showing or if my brain is just stuffed too full to quickly stir through the mess in there to pick out the needed words!

 

Anyway, a lady at church handed out these little booklets and that is what was read today. Not certain where they originated, but they can’t hurt anything. Remembered last night about Jesus telling his disciples that it didn’t matter if someone was casting out demons in His name because that person would not be casting aspersions against Christ if he was using His name. It’s one of those things we think about—for whoever is not against you is for you.

 

The temperature is supposed to get up to 99 degrees tomorrow. You can bet your bippy it will get there quickly. But we really can’t gripe. This has been a very mild spring so far. Summer is officially here until the 21^st of this month. If Lewis had lived, that day would have been our 58^th wedding anniversary. Sigh. Just thankful that he gave me some great children and a stable situation.

 

Patty is thinking of taking Roxy off some of the allergy meds that the vet thinks she needs. Now they want a blood test to keep her on them! If you think the grocery store is expensive, just try going to the vet’s office!!

 

Tomorrow, we have a “Bible” study at church. The minister is going through a book on how to be the fisher of men type of person. Or at least that is what has come to my mind so far. My approach to others has always been rather conservative. Oh, just like my Grandmother Pollard, exchanging information with a fence post is easy enough, but going out of my way to be an example of the Christian evangelist is not quite my style. Being able to give an answer to others about my beliefs has never been a problem, but being pushy or demanding doesn’t quite get it for me. Guess the old woman has plenty to learn yet.

 

Guess we will see if this “deal” with Iran works or not pretty soon. About all we can do is hope and pray that God lets us bring our troops home sooner rather than later.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

And a Riding We Will Go.

 And a Riding We Will Go.

 

Oldest child took me out to see Brenda Jones to pick up some eggs and a few flower vines. Think he was very impressed by her beautiful flowers and all the things she had growing out there. She has spent an enormous amount of time and effort to have blooms all over her yard and out front of the house on a raised berm. Just beautiful! Really enjoyed visiting with her.

 

Lance mowed, did some weed eating, and just generally spent time visiting with me. Even though it takes over an hour to get to his house, there are times when it would be so nice to just go visit if driving that far did not make me feel so vulnerable in traffic. The old truck would probably do just fine. Not so sure about the old woman. But any time with the children is better than none.

 

Even if it rains a deluge before Tuesday, the yard already looks better than it did before Lance worked it over. The dressed stone sidewalk out back looks much cleaner now. Spraying it with weed killer might help to keep the grass out of the spaces between the slabs of stone. Here’s hoping. Now to get that done on the front walkway. The wind is up right now and the old woman got tired before finishing this morning. Maybe tomorrow evening or Monday will see a little more work done.

 

Nearly always find that talking with the kids—either one of them—helps me to think about things differently. Jennifer’s remark that “It’s not your circus” was pretty much reflected in what Lance said, “Unless you are personally involved, let it go.” How did these kids get so smart? Maybe it’s their age and experience. They have dealt with more things in their lives than the old woman ever even considered. And they are still dealing with a world that is totally different than the one where someone my age grew up. They are probably more realistic. May God bless them.

 

The mosquitoes were horrible this morning, so we used Deep Woods Off and kept moving. This week the mosquito baits will have to go out. Of course, the extra heavy, tall grass has made it impossible to think about spraying the yard with anything. Simply too much green stuff to cover! All the rain and all the chicken fertilizer have made my grass look totally like a hay field. Of course, the nutgrass is so hard to cut that even a sheep would have trouble eating it! Asking Brenda Jones about her goats and what they eat, she reminded me that goats do NOT eat grass unless as a last resort! Silly critters prefer weeds and brush!

 

Time to go soak my head and body in the tub of hot water. Maybe all the walking and stuff done today will not make me sore tomorrow, but hot water can’t hurt these tired muscles any! Need to decide what to wear tomorrow to church, but nothing else to do tonight except pray and read a bit. The blessings of a loving family simply require prayers of praise and thanks.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Spelling Matters.

 Spelling Matters.

 

Our daddy had several sayings that stuck with us for life. One thing he said included the advice to never do a half-@ssed job. “If you are going to do something, do it right!” was his advice. So, when something hits me as “wrong” or sloppy, that makes me remember what he said. He attended school off and on down in Montague County where he would wave the school bus on past his grandparents’ farm if he had some cats to chase or things of that nature, but he was not ignorant despite his lack of enthusiasm for the classroom. He moved back to the Clay County farm with his parents after his folks left their jobs in Ft. Worth, so he attended school in Hurnville and then later in Petrolia. He rode his horse to school in both places. Now he would readily admit that our mom helped him pass the senior year there in Petrolia, but he still thought that his children should be educated beyond what he had learned. He and our mom read voraciously for their entire lives. In the last twenty years of their lives, they studied the Bible and learned everything that they could about what God expected of them. Some of the books that my brother has sent me are those that came from our parents’ bookcase including the last book about Revelation by M.R. DeHaan. Yes, they studied and they learned. Their example set a goal in our lives.

 

My neighbor made the comment that people make decisions quickly based on your personal presentation—your clothes, the way you walk or whether or not you smile, and your vocabulary. It always bothered my mother that my hair was totally unmanageable and stuck out in places no matter what she did or how it was cut. It never really bothered me until the day an electric worker yelled, “Little boy! Stay away from that wire!” My hair was up in a pony tail, so he could not know that he was yelling at a girl. Mom took me to get my hair cut for the first time in ever! Anyway, it never helped tame my hair no matter how it was cut. It finally dawned on me that how my hair looked was going to depend on the weather and not the amount of effort given to keep it in place. So, today it is long enough to put on top of my head or to pull it behind my head to hang in a pony tail out of my way. Once in a while the old woman gets disgusted and has it cut way back to almost “boy” cut so it’s easier to “wash and wear.” Then it takes about three years to grow it out again. Oh well.

 

Just returned from eating a late lunch with my friend Judie Brunson. We went to Cotton Patch and decided that next time we would just eat on the appetizers rather than try to have fried green tomatoes, deep fried mushrooms, PLUS the entrees. Her husband will be having the meatloaf meal tonight for his supper, and the old woman will have her meatloaf dinner tomorrow for lunch. That was just a lot of food! Both of us took home a piece of lemon icebox pie. Oh yes! Wonderful! That was definitely worth the trip! Plus, it was such a great time to visit with Judie!

 

When we came out of the restaurant, it was beginning to sprinkle. Apparently, it had already come down like a gully washer out here on Fenoglio Hill. My carport had standing water out under some of it. Here’s hoping that we really do meet the forecast for sunny weather tomorrow. Lance will be here to help me get a few things done. Poor kid never just has a visit. It is always to see what all can be accomplished from the “honey-do” list! He asked me this time what tools to bring. Smart kid!

 

Sterling was asking me about our great-great grandfather Camp and when he was born or when he died. According to one of the records Sterling found, the older Camp had died in 1919. That is possible, but he was just a young man when he fought in the Civil War. Well, saying fought is stretching his service a bit. He was a farrier for the Confederates. He shod mules while the Pollard great-great grand made shoes for the soldiers for the Confederacy. Family history certainly can be interesting.

 

Not much going on here with the neighbors and the lack of interest in the house across the street. Feel just awful for Max and Laisha having to make house payments on a house they can’t sell. Guess that is actually not that unusual for many folks right now. Properties are simply not selling or even renting. Those who want to purchase are finding it pretty difficult to come up with the loans to make any kind of property worth the struggle of making payments. Life simply gets harder as we try to live within our means. Some of the younger generations are finding that out the hard way.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Useful Reading.

 Useful Reading.

 

Finished reading a book by M.R. DeHaan this afternoon. Its title is 35 Simple Studies on the Major Themes in Revelation. It was definitely worth the time to read as it gave me some definite things which had not occurred to me or that had never been said in any Bible study or sermon in my memory. It would be unfair—and probably less than useful—to just give you a book report, but if you can pick this one up at a used book place or get in on Amazon, it might make you think beyond what we usually hear in any sermon.

 

One of the things about being a believer in Jesus as the son of God, is that we are told so much in the New Testament that is just spread out with little details here and there with no overall explanation of what or how it all fits together until reading in Revelation. A discussion among some of the church members the other day brought out the point that some of us were so very naïve about what we were committing to when we asked for the covering of our sins by the sacrifice made by Jesus. Books like this one by DeHaan help immensely to provide a more comprehensive picture of what we need to expect in our relationship with God. This picture also creates a clarity of how important our example is to others, especially to our family. No doubt my parents were very concerned about their son and daughter over the years.

 

Heard a lawnmower making noise across the street. Albert is getting their grass cut down before the weekend, and it just makes me wish my mower were in shape to get this done even if it might cause extra pain to use the zero turn. By the time Blake is supposed to come on Tuesday, we are supposed to have rain again. Even after trimming up some of the edges of the grass along the back walkway, the grass is well beyond my ankles. Healthy grass after several years of chicken stuff!

 

Having a background as an English teacher has its disadvantages. The other day an x-ray tech asked me to “lay” down on their table. The other tech was getting my body situated and listened with nodding when the old woman said, “Lie, not lay.” She said, “Yes, my mom would say the same thing! She used correct English and insisted on it!” We just smiled at each other.

 

It looks as if we are banging away at Iran again. Not surprising considering that they are being so defiant. They think if they hold out long enough that they will get us to just go away. As long as President Trump is in charge, it does not look as if we will back off. And that’s probably a good thing. No one wants to see “boots on the ground,” but if it means that we will prevent Iran from having a nuclear bomb, then so be it. May God protect our military, our allies, our leaders and the world as we know it.

 

My friend Judie Brunson has invited me to lunch tomorrow. We are celebrating a birthday a bit after the fact, but just getting together is pretty much a celebration whether or not it involves food. Her family was much bigger than mine when we were growing up, but we still have many things in common. We both love horses! Anyway, tomorrow should be fun.

 

The other day at Bible study we had a discussion about some of the things that need to be renewed in the church building. It seems that in the nursery, all the beds would have to be replaced because they have a standard that has changed over the years. Who knew that car seats have an expiration date!!! The same is apparently true for cribs. They can’t even be given away!! Of course, my children grew up in church services and were kept on the floor in front of my feet on a pallet until they were old enough to sit in a chair and be still. In fact, one of the funniest things about the pallet that our children used was the fact that it was given to us by a friend and it was an owl in embroidered shape. My kids were very fond of the “owl” blanket. In my estimation, unless they needed a room for nursing mothers where they could put a speaker so that they could hear the sermon, a nursery would pretty much be useless. The services at Lakeside Baptist are only about an hour long. Our children sat through two-hour services for as long as they went to church! Put a child on a pallet and train it to stay for an hour and that takes care of “child care.”

 

Maybe tonight we should all just consider that in the plans that God has for us, the battles of the future will not be over meaningless philosophies or religions. If we have asked for our sins to be forgiven and our lives to be in the hands of God the Father because of the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ, then our future is assured through faith on His promises. Let us pray that Christ will come soon.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Enough for One Day.

 Enough for One Day.

 

Argh. Not that it shows, but some things were done around here today. The bed stripped, the covers all the way to include the mattress protector washed, the bed remade, the living room dust mopped, a trip to see the doctor, one book finished and another started have kept the old woman busy-ish. Tomorrow will be a quick trip to the clinic on Barnett for an x-ray and then a stop at the pharmacy for a prescription—if it is ready. Nothing can be accomplished before nine a.m. apparently. And it is hot by ten. Whew! Oh well.

 

Thompson just came to tell me that it is feeding time. Sylvia had already cleaned up what he refused to eat earlier, so she did not get any extra good stuff on top of her kibble. That sounds totally unfair, but she is gaining weight on his refusal to eat.

 

Michelle Malay called today. She told me that she managed to fall and used her ice machine to help with the pain. She got up this morning to discover that the machine (the rubbery parts) had been shredded! Puppies. Maybe she can order parts for it. So much fun in life!

 

Apparently, my doctor thinks that the old woman is tough. She could hardly believe that the broken bone in my back had not sent me to see a doctor much sooner. Seems she has some patients who get the sniffles and have to come see her. The Nettie Pot works for me!!

 

It only took a few minutes to spread some seeds out in the flower beds. Would love to think that some of them would come up and turn into flowers. One package was called Bumblebee Buffet. That sounds lovely to me. Put some seeds in the pot on the front porch. But these were spaghetti squash seeds. Here’s hoping.

 

Came back from seeing Dr. Blackwell and stepped up on the front porch. A Spiney Texas lizard greeted me. They are bold little buggers. Sterling said that he had never heard of them. Hmm. But then, he used to catch Mountain Boomers up in the hills above Granddad Pollard’s farm. Those critters kept making holes all over the area where the rocks were. Bet little owls would have enjoyed the holes, but think the rattle snakes took over those hills.

 

Both dogs just exploded out of my office because AJ came and rang the cow bell on the front door. He had some clothes in a bag that his sister no longer wanted or could no longer wear. Some things get hauled up to the resale shop for the women’s shelter and others are given to the kids (mine) if they want them. Have not heard from them lately. Such is life.

 

About time to ask for God’s blessings on our nation, Israel, and our church. Then to bed, to bed, said sleepy head! Night all.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Just Breathing!

 Just Breathing!

 

Patty called this afternoon sounding as if she could hardly breathe. But she really was ok except that she just needed to be calmed down a bit. She said that she had her din-upper delivered, but as she opened the door to the young man, she screamed as a big Spiney Texas lizard ran inside her house! You would have to know Patty to understand that she can’t even stand bugs, much less lizards! She left her door open and pushed out into her carport. The young man with the dinner in his hands said, “That was a BIG one!” Well, yes, but it could have been much smaller and Patty’s reaction would have been the same. The driver who was waiting in the car asked the young man if he needed help and came to see if Patty was ok. The younger man stepped inside the house as did the older man and the lizard took off under the door and went toward Patty. Another scream from a woman who has to wear oxygen just to live! The two gentlemen saw to it that Patty was able to go back inside and sit down before they left her. Good guys! And this woman has guns every six feet to prevent strangers from coming into her house!!

 

The old woman must confess, my mind could see this situation unfolding and my mouth simply would not stop the giggles and laughs! Patty had recently told me about the trash man who jumped about two feet up in the air when one of those lizards hopped off her trash bin at him. And yes, she had to laugh. Well, so did the old woman! That is the hardest laughing that has happened around here in ages!! Just glad to be able to enjoy the story and to tell Patty that, yes, if the lizard had gotten loose inside her house, she could have come to my house to stay! She had started the conversation by telling me that she wanted to say that she knew she would be welcome to come live with me if they had not seen that lizard leave the premises. Great way to start that story!

 

The two-inches of rain kept most of the older women at home today, so we only had less than twenty folks at services today. It was still a good service and a very good Sunday school lesson. Our teacher is over 90 and has a sharp mind and good resources for teaching. Oh! to be so blessed with a good memory and common sense.

 

Oldest child said that if nothing happened, he would be here next Saturday. So looking forward to his visit! He and Tracy spent the weekend in OKC to celebrate their 30^th wedding anniversary. He sent pictures by phone of the places they saw, but said he would explain them later. Suspect that he was a bit tired. They drove to Ardmore to get the train to OKC and back, so it was not quite as hard as driving the entire way. Even so, they both work hard every day.

 

We still need to be praying fervently for our nation and its leaders. So much depends on the decisions being made, so we have to ask God to direct them and lead them for the good of everyone.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Expectations.

 Expectations.

 

The seeds are collected on the little table in the living room, and the flower bed is semi-prepared, so it’s about time to go out there and spread some possibilities. That really does not mean that we can expect flowers to happen, but this old woman certainly would be happy to see some sprout and eventually bloom. Even have some spaghetti squash seed to plant in a pot. The pot is too heavy for me to move, so it will have one pretty blue flower in it and whatever comes up among the squash seeds. Oh well.

 

We have been getting showers since last night. Not griping, you understand. It is wonderful in my estimation. Of course, there is still a bag of pavement seal in the back of my truck. A 50-lb bag is not going anywhere until someone else moves it. Bought the stuff to fill in a pothole at the church, but when the old woman drove up there to do that, the pothole had disappeared. Hmm. Maybe someone else noticed it, too. Anyway, the church secretary said that they might be able to put the bag in the janitor’s closet. Guess it is not a big deal. Would rather it not fall apart in the back of the truck, but it could always be drug out with a hoe. The truck normally stays under the carport, so it should be ok for now.

 

Took out hamburger this morning to prepare for these two dogs. They love that stuff better than just about anything. They are not that picky about the percent of fat and meat either. However, having just stepped into the kitchen to feed the dogs, reminded myself that the big Ninja cooker that Jennifer had sent here needs to be dumped into a plastic bowl with a cover so the dogs will have food tomorrow. And, yes, Thompson thought it was time to have din-upper.

 

The dogs and the old woman are really not that picky, but the pork steak is so cheap that all three of us have taken to eating just enough to keep us satiated. Unlike beef, the pork does not make a bolus of impossible to swallow meat. The way it is cooked probably makes a difference, but the thin cuts must also make it easier to cook. Anyway, noticed that the sack of dog food is getting much lower, so it’s off to Amazon this evening to order what the dogs like best.

 

Tomorrow is Sunday and it looks as if it will be a fairly sunshiny day. Looking forward to going to services and seeing the ladies from Sunnyside who were my friend Danny’s congregation. We went to one of his services with them one day—all of his friends from school. Have been hoping to get the former students to show up one Sunday to Lakeside Baptist. It’s not like any of them would change churches, but it would be neat for the ladies to see Danny’s friends show up again. That’s just a thought. Will talk to them this next Thursday when we all meet at Pioneer.

 

Have spent some time on FB today and have about decided that FB has it figured out: the old woman likes cats, horses, calves, President Trump, and real Christian history or encouragements. Otherwise, why would all these things pop up in my feed. Oh! And the Scottish histories wave in there quite often. Texas history and Arizona history are also important to me, but then reading just about any history is better than most other types of reading. Today there were articles about things that happened and people who tried to get help for the Jewish people who were being slaughtered in Germany and other places. Roosevelt KNEW about what they were doing and did nothing to prevent what was happening. That just makes me feel sick at my stomach. It’s like the boat load of Jews that were made to float around nearly forever while they starved because no country would allow the boat to land! India took in one boat full of children, but America could have taken in that one ship or made sure it was able to land in the area of Israel where they wanted to go. God will judge those (in my opinion) who are not kind to others. We–as a nation—might be making it up to Israel now, but we could have done so much more when it mattered at the beginning. This old woman was born the same year that Israel became the current nation that it is today. Have no desire to leave Texas, but my feelings for Israel are deep.

 

If my body will allow it, have intentions of getting up early and having coffee before leaving for church services. Leaving off any pain meds has definitely shown up as a difference. Trying to do more—going outside and spraying grass in the sidewalk and such—has made me realize that a few things can be done before the energy totally leaves the body. Sneezing still causes all kinds of problems in my lower back, but at least the pain does not make me yell! Will see Dr. Blackwell Monday afternoon to see if she has any recommendations, but have just about decided that the old woman refuses to take anything else with side effects. Oh well.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

No Tug of War.

 No Tug-of-War.

 

This has been a day—probably with a capitol D. Ate some fig cookies yesterday and drank one of those water drinks that contain aspartame—either or both were probably a contributing factor in a very unruly intestinal situation this morning. Anyway, had expected Julian to come early to work on the yard, but he did not come until after lunch. It was definitely too late and too worrying to go to Bible study, so the only real accomplishment today was an afternoon trip to my favorite store: Sutherlands. Got the fixtures that Albert said were needed to repair my water hoses. Maybe Julian can put them on for me.

 

Decided to stop taking this stupid pain medication. It really does not seem to be doing that much good, if any. The arthritis medication doesn’t do much if anything either. Have decided that going around with a frown on my face and grunting when having to get up or down just may be the standard for the rest of my days. Won’t try taking up my grandfather’s answer to arthritis: peach brandy. Can truly understand why he kept brandy in the feed house for those cold mornings when he had to lift a fifty -pound bag of cow cake and walk up the hill to the feed trough. It wasn’t until after he had a heart attack that he loaded feed in his truck and fed from the back. But then, that reminds me of the cold morning that the stupid Hereford bull decided to get in the back of the truck with him. He had a shovel in the bed and hit the bull over the head and knocked off one of his horns! It made Granddad so angry that he hit the bull on the other side and knocked off that horn, too! Family history is always so much fun!

 

When Julian came this afternoon, we talked about how he keeps dreaming of his daddy. He wonders if God wants to let him know something. But it isn’t like we know what causes our dreams. Lewis is often in mine, but then every so often, sitting here thinking about something, the desire to call Mom comes to me. Our lives are so very intwined with those we loved.

 

My friend Carol Thonton went in for an arteriogram this morning. She says it is like a teeny tiny roto rooter of the arteries in her leg. The doctor had just started the procedure when he found that two of the original stints were blocked, one getting bad and the other complete. So, he cleaned one and replaced the other. Now she has to go back on the 15^th to let him try to do the right leg again. Her comment was simple: razzled fats! But then, she tries to be ladylike with her language. Anyway, your prayers would be appreciated.

 

Sterling got the swinging door and table for his Coptic Christian friend loaded up and on its way to Ft. Smith to their church there. Apparently not many Egyptians live in NW Arkansas. He explained to me that Coptic Christians are about a hare’s breadth away from being Catholic except their “pope” is not infallible. Sterling is just a good friend to whomever he meets, so maybe what they want to tell him about their religion or whatever is not really the point.

 

Then, when asked about how Danny is doing with the amputated finger, he said that so far, the bone seems to be healing and they will soon be able to take the stitches out of his flesh. We are just hoping that every bit of the infection will be gone so he can go ahead and have the kidney transplant.

 

Our minister handed out little booklets the other day called “The Baptist Faith & Message.” Under the heading, God’s Purpose of Grace, it says, “All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.” Despite all they might do “yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”

John 18:9

That the saying might be fulfilled, which he said, “Of them which thou gave me have I lost none.” It might seem as if Jesus was referring only to His disciples since he was telling the band of men to “let these go their way.” But if we belong to Christ, then we are ones that the Father has given unto Him. Being a small person—well, neither tall nor strong—tug-of-war was not one of my favorite games as a child. As an adult, physical games hardly appeal to me at all. But if one were to imagine that anyone would be silly enough to try to take one of His from Jesus, can you imagine that He would turn loose and let that one go?

 

Feel like it is time to try to get some sleep. Nothing much accomplished does not mean no energy expended. Oh well.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.