More Intentions.

 More Intentions.

 

Din-upper is on in the crock pot, so at least that has begun the day. Cleaned out the chicken water bowl and little vacuum water bowl as well. Seems that they really prefer that over the larger, open bowl. Go figure. Closed up the front coop door to deter (somewhat) the doves that gobble the chicken food since Lance discovered that he could prevent some of the loss by closing up the one door and making it more difficult for the birds to feast. That has made a big difference in the expense of feed, believe it or not. Anyway, those are a few of the small things that have been accomplished so far today. Now to the intentions!

 

Quite some time back a formula for safely killing fire ants and those tacky little stinging ants that take up residence in my sidewalk came up on FB. It is my intention to take one can of baking powder (not soda) and half a bag of powdered sugar mixed together and sprinkled liberally over each of those mounds out there. If this works—well, swell. If not, at least it won’t hurt my hens or any wild birds.

 

Second intention of the day is a trip to the bank to get some smaller bills so that things like paying Gregg and Vickie or leaving a tip for the waitress at Pioneer on Thursday will not be quite as difficult. For some reason, ones and fives seem to disappear quickly. Oh well.

 

Got a message from my friend Judie Garner Brunson yesterday that she is now a published author! SO very happy for her. The book is illustrated for children, but when proofreading for her, it made me realize that the old woman must still be a child because it truly appealed to me. It is called Edgar’s Faith and will be on Amazon (Kindle maybe?) soon. You can bet that this old woman will want a paper copy to have signed. My only regret is that my book Destinations never saw an editor and that it should have had chapter headings. Don’t much feel like going back and doing it now. Such is life.

 

After being thoroughly scolded about not drinking enough water, several water cups with lids are placed in my usual spots for reading. No excuses for not reaching over and having some H2O. But on the other hand, have stopped doing the exercises that pulled on my back, so maybe that will alleviate some of the pain. Taking muscles relaxers has bad side effects for one’s digestive tract.

 

Got tickled at my neighbor Patty yesterday. Had suggested a certain type of preventive for her personal health problems that worked for her. Meanwhile, she discovered that the remedy caused some discomfort that only the two of us could enjoy finding amusing. Getting old is definitely not for sissies! But at least we can laugh together about dealing with the side effects!

 

Made the trip to the bank, got black-eyed peas with Roger’s little tomatoes and the last of my flower bed okra on cooking. As soon as the okra is soft, it will be a quick snack. Din-upper is still in the slow cooker waiting for the carrots to get soft enough to eat. Both situations will make some tidy little meals to enclose and put in the freezer for later. Meanwhile, discovered that plumcots can be cut off the seed and eaten with a fork. Then managed to cut my thumb while cutting the plum from the seed. Duh and dumber! Nothing like doing things that make one shake one’s head.

 

Received a box that had been ordered from Walmart. ONLY instead of cans of chicken, it contained packages of CHICKPEA crumbs!! WHAT does one do with those? Sent a message to the company to let them know about the error. Have no idea how that mistake could have been made. Will have to look up recipes using chickpea crumbs! Will ask my granddaughter if she would like to try a package. She avoids gluten, and apparently chickpeas are gluten free.

 

Umm yum! The black-eye peas, tomatoes, and okra turned out very tasty! Love that Roger plants tomatoes in his garden! Did, however, scare the dogs with my black pepper sneezes! LOL Just wish I had the patience to peel the little tomatoes! Think there is a quick way to peel them, but can’t remember it.

 

LOTS of jets going over today. Just trying to stay as calm as necessary when thinking about who is being trained to fly those things.

 

Patty and the old woman were discussing the current horrors that are brought straight from hell when people burn homes, wish to shoot children, and otherwise reflect only evil. Let us pray for our nation and for those who can make a difference under God’s direction. Let us repent of any thoughts that do not reflect God’s love!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

The Same Floors with the Same Fuzz!

 The Same Floors with the Same Fuzz!

 

Yes, in the hallway is a nice long handled dust mop that should be able to gather all the excess dog hair into a couple of piles, but that simply has not happened just yet. Good intentions don’t always get things done, don’t you see. Maybe tomorrow.

 

Someone said that Amazon had a prime date that was good for restocking trash bags, paper products, and Ziplock bags. Think the old woman needs to make another list and try to get that done before the prices go up again. It does not take long to use an entire box of trash bags when it takes at least two a week to use in the trash cans. The Ziplock bags are not quite that quick to evaporate, but even so, they do go in a hurry. Accidentally got TWO-gallon bags instead of ONE-gallon bags last time. Did not even realize that they had a two-gallon version! Cooked chicken fills up those quart bags rather quickly, but the dogs get two meals out of each bag.

 

Started watching a movie called Oppenheimer or something like that. Seems that he was a brilliant physicist who was the victim of the McCarthy era communist gang busters. Did not finish watching the show because government excuses for “protection” of our nation infuriate me. Not that it does not still happen, but it just looks slightly different. Still think that if a president can only have two terms in office, the same should be true of our Congress.

 

We have a gang of squirrels running rampant in our neighborhood. Lance could not understand why they would be out in my yard, but just across the road are two big pecan trees and a large pin oak with lots of acorns on it. Those squirrels know where to look for all the goodies. Guess they are not crazy about the sunflowers on the place, but that is ok. The wild birds still get to feast on them.

 

One other intention that did not manage to be met was a trip to Wichita Valley Landscaping. They grow their own flowers and plants and keep them outside just as if the plants were in our yards. That is the kind of plants needed around here. Nothing fragile is going to make it on this old hill. Watering can happen, but the wind is almost an everlasting situation. Oh well. Maybe next week.

 

Still have hopes that the few remaining prisoners in Gaza will be released/returned. It isn’t all that likely, but we can still hope and pray for those affected. These wars today are even more horrible than any have ever been. Total wastes of lives and resources!

 

Let’s plan for a good week coming up. The weather looks fairly promising and not overly hot, so there’s that. Then, too, we can look forward to more fall weather pretty soon.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Left Behind--the List.

 Left Behind—the List.

 

Usually, the best idea is to find the things online for a United Supermarkets purchase, and then picking it up at the store is a cinch. No muss, no fuss. But thinking that the discount meat market might be a good idea, the old woman did the walk around an acre of concrete floor. So now the knees and legs are letting me know about it. Such fun! No sense in griping; Sterling says that mess eventually gets somewhat better but never really goes away. Nuts! Anyway, the list of things to be picked up got left on the little table in the living room. Perfect! Forgot a few minor things, but still ended up buying more than was necessary.

 

The trash truck came early enough that parking in front of the house to unload the groceries was not a problem. Just had the little four-wheeled cart to load down and pull inside. Lovely way to get things done. Who knew that these little helpers would make such a difference as age caught up with the way things had to be done!

 

Reading a pretty good book right now called Unlikely Friends. It sounds so realistic that it boggles my mind. SO many young people do not have any kind of home life in this world. Those who have one parent in prison or both trying to overcome drug addiction have my sympathy. But it is difficult to simply be sympathetic without wanting to actually do something worthwhile to help. At the same time, “helping” has its limits in so many ways. Only so many snacks and bottles of juice can help if the teen or child does not get anything else except a clean, well-lit place to do homework. That place has to be convenient to the child and a safe place for meeting with adults who can help. Not the easiest situation to arrange. Just thinking.

 

Got a call from the granddaughter tonight. She showed me what their little house looks like. She has done a good job of arranging and cleaning the place. She got a washer/drier combo that had to be scrubbed and de-molded. Apparently, they are both in good condition now. Determined kid! So proud of her. Six more classes and she will have her master’s degree in accounting.

 

Sitting here trying to remember when my first nephew was born and when he would have graduated. According to my calculator, our class of 1966 will have its 60^th reunion next year. That means that my nephew will have been out of school for forty years! Wow! Looks to me like we are all getting along in years! Looking forward to seeing my classmates this coming Thursday at Pioneer on Maplewood. Great, noisy bunch of folks!

 

Max Lucado reminds me often in one of his books that trusting the Father should be simply a habit of life. Loved my parents implicitly, but knowing that they were not perfect showed me that a better place to look was to my heavenly father. May we all be comforted this evening knowing that whatever happens around us and in this world is known by the One Who watches over us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

A Better Day According to Me.

 A Better Day According to Me.

 

Yeppers, life can be pretty awesome on some days. The lack of any major pain and the fresh air of an October day has been enough to make me smile today. Then Blake came and mowed, weed eat the edges of the yard, and just generally made things look much neater. Then the old woman went out and pulled some bean vines out of the raised garden, cut stems from the trumpet vine, and stuffed all of that inside the trash bin. Will still have room for a sack of household trash tomorrow. Gathered a few eggs and noticed that the doves have not been feasting on the hens’ feed lately. That has lowered the feed bill at least. Lance thinks that using the BB gun out there every so often also deters their resting around the coops. Never hit anything, but the noise excites Thompson and makes me laugh when the doves take off like a small storm of grey feathers.

 

Read a book about the Swiss mercenaries who were supposed to protect the king of France during their revolution. Sad situation in so many ways, but obviously the “little man” meant nothing to the elite aristocracy or those who were held in esteem by those who had money. Not much feels as if it has changed in so many ways, but then, it IS possible for a person to live quite happily without fancy cars, a huge mansion, and all the things that seem to matter to some folks. My little house makes me happy. The old Ford truck still gets me places, and even if my pants and shoes are a bit worn, they cover what is necessary. The laws that seem to restrict our lives do not necessarily affect most of us. It just seems that it would be better if the same laws were meant to encompass the lives of everyone instead of just the common folks. Someday it will be better when our so-called leaders are taxed and made equal to those who actually work for a living. For a congress person to gain a million dollars while in office is highly suspicious in my little beady brain. If Congress is only paid for the work done and for the unnecessary regulations removed, it seems that we could all be better off. Just a thought.

 

Patty told me about the 500 trucks stopped by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol recently. Of those, 200 were being driven by those who did not speak English and had false or fake licenses. But then Lance reminded me that probably half of the drivers in the DFW area have neither license, insurance, or tags on their cars. And, too, the population of that area has doubled in the last ten years. Wow! And here is WF saying that our population has begun to drop considerably. It is still cheaper to live here, but there is hardly any work available and no real industry. Such is life.

 

Took the dogs out on the deck a few minutes ago to see if we could remove some stray hairs. Wow! It’s no wonder the house gets so furry! At least my hair doesn’t fall out quite as often as theirs does. What a mess that would be!

 

Let us try to have good thoughts about the life we have been given and about those around us. Pray for those who are ill or those who mourn.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

What Sundown Brings Tonight.

 What Sundown Brings Tonight.

 

For over twenty years, my little family celebrated the seven feast days established by God for mankind. The Feast of Trumpets is one of my favorites because it basically declares the return of Christ as Lord of Lords! How badly our world needs His return!

 

Since pain has been my companion since last night and has hung around to add to my general grumpiness all day, perhaps it is better to just give you the outline found online concerning the Feast of Trumpets. Meanwhile, just to assure you that all is well, the doctor told me today that my progress is super and that the pain will remain up to a year. Since writing the blogs makes me just a bit happy, it seems silly to wait until pain has made its way out the door for the rest of this year. So, again, pardon me if the old woman gets extra gripey.

 

Foreshadowing and Prophetic Elements

The Feast of Trumpets carried symbolic meaning beyond its immediate historical context:

• A Call to Repentance: The blasts of the shofar alerted the community of faith to the holy days ahead. This call to soul-searching was a time to approach God collectively and individually.

• Recognition of God’s Kingship: Many have seen in the trumpet blasts a proclamation that God is the true King over Israel and all creation. Jewish tradition ties Yom Teruah with welcoming the reign of God and acknowledging His sovereignty.

• Messianic Overtones: Later biblical writers and Christian interpreters have seen the trumpet motif as a foreshadowing of end-times events. Passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:52 speak of “the last trumpet,” at which God’s people “will be changed.” Likewise, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 refers to “the trumpet of God” announcing the return of the Messiah. These passages highlight the ongoing resonance of the Feast of Trumpets with God’s redemptive timeline.

New Testament Reflections

While the New Testament does not mandate direct observance of the Feast of Trumpets for believers in Christ, its themes-repentance, redemption, and expectancy-align with the broader scriptural portrayal of Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Testament types and shadows. The apostle Paul’s references to trumpets sounding at Christ’s return (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) echo the spirit of Yom Teruah and its anticipatory nature.

Archaeological and Manuscript Evidence

Archaeological discoveries, including evidence of ancient ram’s horns and cultic instruments found near sites identified with ancient Jewish worship, reinforce the tangible reality of this festival in Israel’s sacrificial calendar. Furthermore, fragments of Leviticus and Numbers in the Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered at Qumran) confirm the consistent preservation of the texts prescribing this feast. These findings underscore the enduring message of Scripture and the strong manuscript tradition that has preserved the commandments about the Feast of Trumpets.

Spiritual Significance and Application

In modern times, many people of faith reflect on the Feast of Trumpets as a reminder of God’s sovereignty and a call to recalibrate their spiritual lives. The trumpet blasts can be seen as a spiritual wake-up call, an occasion to return to the One who created everything with purpose and design.

Conclusion

The Feast of Trumpets holds both historical and theological importance. Instituted by the command of God in Leviticus 23 and reiterated in Numbers 29, it draws attention to the holiness of God, the need for reflection and repentance, and a recognition of the divine reign over all creation.

Beyond its Old Testament origins, this feast resonates with the biblical theme of God’s ultimate redemptive plan-culminating in Christ’s return “at the last trumpet” (1 Corinthians 15:52). Whether studied for its rich historical practice in Israel or its prophetic echoes in the New Testament, the Feast of Trumpets offers a timeless call: be watchful, honor the Creator, and anticipate the day when He will make all things new.

 

May your hearts be full with the expectation of the return of Christ and the filling of our world with love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

More Water Today.

 More Water Today.

 

Yes, both bottled and that which comes straight out of the nearest clouds! Have set three bottles on the table next to my chair where reading takes place most often, but then watched the “flash flood” of rain come down earlier this morning. We got plenty of flashes and rumbles during that time, as well. But then, it is the end of September in Texas. However, Carol Thonton tells me that our area is so blessed to get rain while West Texas stands high and dry without a drop. Had to suggest that this much rain in West Texas might create some humongous sink holes with all the punctured landscapes out there in oil country. Whether the holes are drilled sideways or straight down, those holes eventually will fill up with either salt water, oil, or natural chemicals from around the wells. Sad to see that happening.

 

Jennifer always reminds me to “drink, drink, drink,” so the old woman is truly trying to do as told. Not having any energy is not my idea of fun, but here we go with the gripes again! Sorry.

 

The swelling in my knee has gone down enough that the kneecap is actually visible and can be manipulated to some degree. One of the physical therapy moves includes moving it from side to side, but until this weekend, that has not been possible. Weird. Whoever thinks about moving one’s kneecap? Oh well.

 

Have been re-reading a book about some older women who love looking through houses that have to be cleaned and sorted before they are to be sold. It has been fun reading the book again even if knowing the outcome has remained with me. Sometimes books are worth re-reading and this has been one. This one is called “Hattie Gets a Gun” from the Hattie Moon mystery series. Neat

 

Patty intended to watch all the network stuff about the Charlie Kirk assassination. It has been making her cry, but she refuses to get depressed. We agreed that Satan is doing his best to cause havoc and more hatred all over not only our country but all over the entire world. This Monday night begins the Feast of Trumpets—symbolizing the return of Christ to straighten out this mess and remove the injustice in this world. As a Christian, what we can do is call on our Father in Heaven and ask for His intervention.

 

Meanwhile, Lexi has surgery on Thursday in Cook’s Hospital. Tami Yonts and her husband will need to make decisions about the cancer that has again complicated life for them. Let us pray for the surgeons and for the necessary decisions in their lives. May God give them peace and comfort.

 

Where it is in our hands to be kind, let us do so both willingly and with generosity.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Silly Stuff.

 Silly Stuff.

 

Know most have either heard or read the term “knackered.” Well, that is pretty close to how things are feeling at the moment. Thompson asked to go out this morning around 3:30 and came back at 5:30 needing a bath desperately. He found and killed a young skunk! By the time he had been well lathered and soaked up all the baking soda and dish detergent, we needed to dry him, clean the bathroom, and throw six towels in the washer. He lay down on his bed and stretched out. The old woman tried to lie down on her own bed to rest, but by 7:30 it was obvious that rest was not going to happen. Oh well. It could have been so much worse.

 

Had pretty much made up my mind not to try to write a blog until discharged from Dr. Vietenheimer’s office, at least until after feeling less grumpy, but decided today that anyone who did not like to read endless complaining could just skip the blog.

 

Got a call from Patty early this morning to tell me about some ol’ gal that calls our Texas Governor Abbott, “Governor Hotwheels.” She is said to make AOC look and sound intelligent, but the funniest thing was that someone said that she had been successfully escaping from common sense all her life. Love it! Just love it!

 

Sterling took an afternoon off Tuesday and made a new TV table for my living room. He and his friend George measured and sawed, and fitted and bolted together a very nice table to fit in the corner so that the TV was in the perfect position. REALLY like it!

 

Jacqui and Sterling came Wednesday afternoon and delivered the new TV table and stayed for lunch. The old woman really tries to make things that folks like, so it was pork steaks in the crockpot and roast with brown gravy to go over the mashed potatoes. Also, we had some fresh creamed turnips that Sterling really liked. Funny how many people have a very strong opinion about turnips—either love ‘em or despise ‘em. My kids think they are good, so that always helps.

 

The dessert served at our lunch was the new Bluebell Pecan Pie ice cream. Talk about sweet!! It is just a bit much, but it is definitely filled with good pecans. Must have been grown in Texas.

 

Monday a trip to the doctor’s office will finish the stuff that is necessary before being discharged. As it is, the physical therapists and nurses thought that things were going well. The surgical site looks good and most of the swelling is gone. The exercises are still necessary, but my friend Kim Bragg says that walking is the very best thing to do from now on. She has had both knees replaced. Michelle Malay had hers replaced—one in December of 25 and one in May of 26. She looks good and gets around well, too. Praise God for all that our doctors can do for us.

 

Please continue to pray for Lexis Leos. She goes to Cook’s in Ft. Worth this coming Thursday to try to open up the circulatory system to her intestines. May God bless her and the surgeons.

 

Whatever we have that makes us grouchy or gripey, no one needs to be hurt by our remarks—and certainly never by our actions. It is possible to disagree without being hateful or acting out in a hurtful manner. May God protect us from those who are too easily influenced by hatred.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.