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.