The Cost of Living and the Cost of Killing.

 The Cost of Living and the Cost of Killing.

 

Mathematics makes sense to a certain degree, but the reasons for some things are going to be as totally unreasonable as anything mankind can try to understand. Look at the price of some of these drones, missiles, and bombs that are carried under the wings of some of the most expensive hardware in the skies. One drone—the cost at least—could feed a couple of thousand people for a month with decent food. One of those F-16 or F-18 or whatever number the planes are now could be the price of feeding an entire state for months. Yet we have homeless and hungry people all over this world, not just in third-world countries.

 

If the U.S. gathered a tithe of the billions of dollars spent in “national defense,” as long as some politician did not get his/her grubby hands on it, our nation would have housing and food for every person between the Canadian and Mexican borders! For that matter, just the food waste from every Walmart in the U.S. could feed everyone in our country every week! It is simply horrible to consider the waste of food and other resources that takes place daily. It does not matter to me that someone who has money has a three-story house with 20 bathrooms and 40 bedrooms. If that makes someone happy, so much for them. But if someone outside on the street is hungry, then someone in that house needs to look very carefully at their own priorities. Is extravagance more important than the care of those who need help—for food, shelter, health care, or other areas?

 

Each person needs to feel “needed” or useful. Each person could have a truly important job in life if we could train and help them to achieve whatever tasks that they found possible to their skills. Medical skills are not that difficult at the basic level. Nursing skills have been around forever. Train EMTs, nurses, aides, doctors, and researchers with the skills that match the mentality of each of those who are capable. Even a ditch digger has skill! House keepers for this nation can provide a service that is just as valuable as that of a cook! Keeping our country organized, clean, tidy, and comfortable is a major undertaking. Just ask any housewife! Taking care of the land, the livestock, the markets, and the roadways require major efforts.

 

So much in life that we take for granted can be changed in the twinkling of an eye. We could lose our country to any number of disasters: EMP, nuclear bombs, earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, and other weather disasters. But this nation can pull itself up from the ground the same way it has done from the beginning—with individuals striving to be the best persons that they can be. Helping one another, caring and depending on one’s self instead of waiting for someone else to care for us—these are true Americans. But the most important element of all these areas is the faith in our Creator. Without depending upon God’s love and His promises, we are nothing.

 

Someday soon, perhaps our mathematics will be changed completely. One God, one faith, one government under the rulership of Jesus Christ.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Math Lessons.

 Math Lessons.

 

Thinking of the type of math we were taught while in elementary school, it seems to me that our teachers tried to be sure that we all “got” the lessons. We had multiple examples given and chances to correct our mistakes. Patty tells me that our “score” in the mathematics area nationally is less than ten percent of our students who understand basic math and can do even the simplest of problems. Ok, guess what! Our schools have given up on books. Notepads or whatever the electronic name that is given to these little pieces of programming have taken the place of books. My strength in school was English—literature, history, essays, grammar, debate, and anything pertaining to that field. Math was not my favorite subject. Science was interesting as long as it was explained, but with classes as large as ours, it was not a class with homework. What teacher actually wanted to grade papers? Even back in the 80s, the teachers at Ben Milam gave homework and had tutorials for students who had any difficulties understanding concepts. No, we did not have a good math teacher back then, but most of the parents made up for that problem. One of the PTA mothers made the comment that the mothers were the ones doing the lessons in math during that time since the teacher just put the example on the board and gave homework based on that alone. Somehow the students still got what they needed. Looking at the books available in math today at Mardel’s, it seems the best books were Japanese. Somehow that strikes me as pretty strange. But if our schools still used textbooks, we would not need supplements! Well, but students still need good teachers who care about how well they are understanding the materials.

 

Got to thinking about the idea of understanding this morning after contemplating things like fractions and decimals. Some folks just seem to catch on right away to ideas or concepts, while others simply stumble around as if walking into a house in a foreign land and trying to understand the language. When we were growing up, we heard about the idea/person of God and the Son from the time we were little. We were not listening to a foreign language at all. The Jews in the days that Christ walked among men were not walking in a foreign land either. They had heard so much from the rabbis and the teachers who instructed them to keep the Sabbath. They had heard that the birthplace of the Christ was supposed to be Bethlehem. Then some guy walking from Galilee showed up. He told them “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” And the Jews scoffed and reminded themselves: “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, “I came down from heaven?” Eventually, Jesus made it fairly plain: “Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”

 

You know, Jesus reminded them that it was written in the prophets: “And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” (John 6:45) Some of the people hearing Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue wondered how he could even read, and yet he taught them. It must have been difficult to understand many of the concepts that Jesus was teaching—living water, his flesh to be their meat being two very difficult ones. Still, the people had been listening to religious teachings during their entire lifetimes. They would understand that giving half a basket of wheat to someone was very different from giving them a basket full and pressed down to be of good measure. It’s pretty obvious that God does not want just a fraction of our love, our understanding. He wants your WHOLE heart and mind to be His.

 

It is highly unlikely that our national scores will improve in any area of scholastic endeavor without some changes. As long as the current system continues to be used, teachers are not going to feel appreciated, students will remain confused, and other nations are going to climb the technical barriers that were in place for so many years. Each parent will have to begin to apply a certain amount of effort into making sure that their children have the tools that come with understanding math, science, and language concepts. And even teaching the “Golden Rule” could contribute to a better atmosphere for education in our schools—and in the nation. Yes, “Do unto others and you would have them do unto you” is still a good foundation of social skills.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Early Day/Night.

 Early Day/Night.

 

This is one of those days that makes me wish the girls could shut their own doors to the coop at night. So very tired. And the bad part about it is the fact that hardly anything got accomplished today. Guess at least nothing broke or fell apart. That’s good, right?

 

Stopped by the Leos household this afternoon and they offered me a hamburger. Yum! Took a hamburger patty with some mushrooms and brought it home to din/upper. Have some kind of bread with onions baked into it, so that was the bun. With some Ranch dressing and a tomato slice, that was a great meal. Nothing like having sweet neighbors!

 

Went down to Patty’s to check on Roxy and Patty. Roxie has been doing her bit to drive Patty up a wall. That dog gets the figgits worse than any critter. Think Patty gave her some pumpkin and a half a Benadryl to get her calmed down. After running all over the place earlier, that should do the trick. Otherwise, the old woman may have to take her happy hind end to the vet in the morning. Sigh.

 

Was so very happy with the work that Gregg did on the house and bragged on him to Shona. Have looked for a decent handyman for ages, but think God just blessed me this time. Now if only Shona and Albert’s house in Childress would sell!

 

Sorry if this is short and not all that thoughtful this evening. The old woman may not be all that old, but she is very tired, so will just remind you that we all have to listen to what the old body says to us eventually and take it easy. God gave us common sense along with other blessings, didn’t He.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Handy the Handyman!

 Handy the Handyman!

 

Gregg and Vickie came today, and he fixed some things on my house that needed special attention. He can climb a ladder and even brought his own. That was great. All the old woman had to do was put the dogs in the bedroom and point to the problems. He was able to use a plastic thing on the area next to the roof—the eaves? It was the plastic part of a thing that a painter uses when spray painting. It’s not like the old woman will ever be using that tool. Anyway, Gregg repaired the two spots, and it made me feel that he knew what he was doing. Plus, he came when he said he would. That really matters to me. Sent them home with payment plus a dozen eggs. Think all three of us were happy.

 

Visited with Shona this evening. Really love having her for a neighbor. Haven’t had a close neighbor in years since Jo Ann left the hill. Just had Patty and Donny after Lewis died. Well, and Jerry, but he was only here part of the time. He reminded me so much of Hanan. But he was as helpful as a person could ask for. God just blessed me with good folks to be there for me.

 

Not being able to sleep has left me too tired to care about very much. After reading in John this morning, got to talk to Shona about why Elizabeth had to wait until she was old to become pregnant. It was God’s timing that Elizabeth’s son John would be born right before Jesus the Christ. Sometimes we feel pretty impatient about things, but God has a time for everything. Patience has to come with time and some work. And sometimes we just feel very tired. But things are meant for our good. He promised.

 

Will leave you with this thought: count up the things that frustrate you and look at them closely. Did God give them to you for a reason? We are still learning, aren’t we.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Havarti with Dill.

Havarti with Dill.

 

The girls were a little ticked at me this morning. Couldn’t sleep last night for thinking of stuff—the kind of stuff one can’t exactly change. Should have just handed it to my Father and trusted Him to handle it. Anyway, slept late and did not get out to open the doors for the girls until seven thirty!! Just now made coffee and put bacon in a spinach wrap with Havarti with dill. Not bad. Looks a little weird, but that is nothing new around here.

 

Will be off to Sutherlands in a bit to see if they have two threaded bolts long enough to use on this chair leg. Seems to me that when stuff starts falling apart around here, it comes in multiples. No, the old woman has absolutely no reason to gripe. Compared to the problems of others, mine are really just silliness. The chairs were given to me, so if they fall apart, what is truly lost?

 

Read on FB yesterday that Tami Yont’s tests for the melanoma cancer are clear! It really made me want to celebrate for her. She is a special person and has one sister over in Henrietta who is just as sweet as Tami. Their mom did a good job! And God has blessed them.

 

Sitting here eating this bacon and cheese wrap and suddenly felt something wet on my leg. Sylvia is drooling over my breakfast! And yes, she has already been fed her cooked chicken on top of her lamb and rice kibble. Thompson was not interested in his, so slipped it into the bottom of the fridge. Maybe he will get hungry later. At least the hens are always up for food!

 

Patty asked me to get on Angi’s List and find the paving person. He had my phone beeping until late and then early again this morning. Patty does not want any of the neighbors inconvenienced, so whatever is done has to be done quickly and the last step taken at night. We are at the mercy of the weather, too. Oh boy. Life goes on. But at least this guy was understanding about us taking time to think these things through.

 

Shona said the realtor has just put off the signing until next week, so maybe the house will sell this week. For their sakes, it would be wonderful if something really good could take place soon. Think Albert needs a shop for his own work. If Lewis were still alive, he would know some of the guys who have those shops available. Seems like one of the guys lived next door to Roger. He worked for Darr until he decided to go out on his own. Wonder if he is still turning wrenches. Oh well. Something will work out.

 

Looks as if it will be hot today. Well, 90 degrees is hot compared to the 80s. Really can’t gripe about the weather at this point. Anything under 100 degrees is pretty nice. Not looking forward to having to light the pilot flame on the kitchen heater. Sigh. Love fall, despite the silly rag weed. Think it is my favorite time of year. Spring is always so very stormy and leaves me watching the clouds for hail, high winds, and those swirly doggone tornadoes. Texas! But lately we are not the only ones to have to deal with that kind of storms. Feel so sorry for all the places that have been hit this year. Those folks lose their homes, their livelihood, their schools, and everything in between. And that does not even take into account the lives lost. Sad. Hurricanes can be tracked—more or less—but tornadoes just zap things willy nilly. But the flooding this year, along with landslides in various places, have done so much damage! We need to be praying for God’s protection and blessings—and most important—for forgiveness for our sins. Our nation is not alone in our stupidity, greed, lack of humanity, and absolute chaos caused by our rebellion against God and His laws. For most of us, we just need to pray and look carefully at ourselves and our attitudes. Only God can make things right in our nation—or in any nation. May He bless His people.

 

Seems my friend Carla Beard has been on a road trip. She always takes the best pictures when she travels. The pictures are the kind that make a person wish they were along for the ride. Retirement does make a difference in how we see things, doesn’t it. Think she has been on every continent now. A couple of years ago she spent some time going south to Antarctica. Not like there is much to see, maybe, but she can now say she has been the length and breadth of the world. Think all those little countries along the coast of South America would be interesting. Well, as long as they are not having some kind of revolution. Wonder why people think a revolution would be a way to make things better? Well, then we think of our own history. This nation has been so very blessed despite the stupid wars—Civil or otherwise.

 

Guess putting off this trip to Sutherlands is not going to make those bolts pop up and repair themselves. Have to give the old donkey a kick and try to get things done today.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Third Shirt of the Day!

 Third Shirt of the Day!

 

Started out early and cleaned both coops. By the time that was completed, the sweat and dust required a fresh tee-shirt. Then found the caulk gun and after cleaning out the old stuff, got the sink recaulked. Had to remove that tee and wash the caulk out of it. New tee, more work, more sweat. Think it will have to finish the day out—well, maybe. Got the name and number of a handyman from Clint Robertson and arranged to have him come sometime Saturday for the two climbing jobs that the old woman is not supposed to do. The man who may redo our road came and talked about what needs to be done and said he would get an estimate to us in a few days. Hoping it will not cost an arm, leg, and all the drapery charges! [That is a saying that came about with the itinerant painters who roamed the early American countryside. A full-length painting cost more than most people made all year. A sitting picture without arms and legs was much less. The drapery was the gowns and folds of material in dresses.]

 

The pollen count is supposed to be eleven on a scale of twelve tomorrow. No wonder it is so difficult to breathe. And humid! Just walk outside to walk into a sponge! Even the dogs have been going out to get in their trough to take a cool dip! Would go and lie down under the AC if it were not likely to keep me from sleeping tonight. Know dadgummed well it would turn into a two-hour “nap.”

 

Was trying to retighten the bolts on a chair leg and reamed out the bolt heads. ARGH! Wondering if Sutherlands might have bolts that would work, but really don’t want to drive over there right now. Honestly am getting lazy in my old age. It makes me wonder how all the stuff got done around here years ago! Well, dusting was a form of punishment for the kids, so that was not a biggie. But even so, made meals, kept clothes ready for work, school, and church. Even had a garden part of the time! And believe it or not, the floors stayed fairly clean. Of course, our dogs used to stay outside more than inside like these dogs today. Thompson even gets on my bed once in a while!

 

Speaking of Thompson! Shona and Patty both let me know he was out this morning. Took three of those long, slender metal fencing rods and drove them through the fencing wire and into the ground. Will just hope that this does the trick. Love these silly critters and don’t want them injured or lost.

 

Shona told me a bit ago that their house in Childress has not sold. Seems the guy next door had his basement dug somewhat under their property. Of all things! And now he has died, and no one can sign the release or whatever. Honestly think their realtor is a dipstick, but no one asked me. Think they have to use her until November when her contract is up. Please pray that the Leos family can get that house sold! Meanwhile, their daughter Lexi has a leakage in the pulmonary artery—maybe that is semi-correct—and has to have at least one stint placed. They don’t know yet if she will have it done in Dallas or Houston, but either way, it scares her mom—and her, no doubt.

 

SO many folks have health problems today that just boggle the mind. My sweet nephew Danny Pollard is such a good son, father, and husband, but having some kind of blood cancer means that he can’t work. Rachelle (his wife) is a teacher, and their son is the one with that stupid type of disease that keeps him from being able to just grow and enjoy life. Carol Thonton calls Jacob the “Lion-hearted.” Saw a picture of Diann Dennis’ little granddaughter Raye who Carol calls Raye of Sunshine. The little lady seems to be growing her hair back. Have not heard if the cancer has been stopped in her eyes. But she always seems to have a smile on her face. Karen Snizek’s son Nate had his 16^th birthday, but have not seen anything from her about him for a while. Some of us gripe about getting tired while others are just happy to be alive. Guess our perspective needs to be stretched a bit to appreciate what God gives us each day—His love for another day. Let us be grateful for each day as well as for those we love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Early American Dirt Dusters.

 Early American Dirt Dusters.

 

Went outside to check on the girls and saw that most of them had decided they needed a good dirt bath. Dirt was thrown all over the area next to the “flower bed” that lays along the back of the house inside wooden poles that Hanan placed there years ago. Nothing grows there because of these critters, but they also have made the soil so soft by digging in it constantly. They go around fluffing themselves up and rolling around in that dirt. Guess it must feel good to them. At least the dogs don’t manage to fluff themselves up like that when they roll on the ground!

 

Recently we have had these little outages when our electricity goes off for a second or two and turns off things like the router, the microwave, and the computer. It’s not like we are going without electricity on a regular basis, but it just throws me like having a saddle strap break or something. Patty says she wonders what is going on. It’s not like we have high temperatures where the electric power would waver because of usage. Weird. She just gets irritated because she has to reset her router and phone lines. Guess we should not gripe. At least we have air conditioning.

 

We were talking this morning about having some kind of perspective on the problems we have compared to those of our neighbors, friends, and family. Across the street one young daughter has medical problems. Another is waiting and hoping for a house to sell. Another is trying to deal with family issues and housing problems. Sometimes it is so easy to take for granted the many blessings that we have when we are simply being inconvenienced by some little problem. Compared to the rest of the world, we really can’t gripe—not that we won’t go right ahead and gripe, moan, and groan! We just need to look around us at the real-world problems! We would all have a better attitude if we could be more appreciative for the blessings that God provides to us each day.

 

Our road just continues to deteriorate with the traffic of the heavy trash trucks. About the only thing to do at this point is haul in a bunch of those 50-pound sacks of asphalt and dump them in the tracks that the trucks have wallowed out. We have tried multiple times to find some paving company, but have had something like zero results for asphalt. Keith and Jane Miller’s son does concrete, but no one could drive on the road for about two weeks. That won’t work for us because Patty gets her meals delivered and her oxygen delivered once a week. Anyway, the trash truck might break up the concrete unless it was thick and reinforced with rebar. Oh well. We’ll eventually figure out something.

 

Had some egg rolls a bit ago. Really enjoy those things, and they cook up so easily in that hot air fryer. Had no idea those things were as handy as a pocket on a shirt! The fryer doesn’t heat up the kitchen and gets things cooked within less than thirty minutes. The kids have been using one for a long time, but it never occurred to me that one would work for the old woman.

 

Granddaughter Rachel is going to a birthday party for her boyfriend’s great-grandmother—ninety-five years old. Only had one great-grandmother who lived that long. Two others were in their early 90s. Rachel really enjoys his family. Have thought several times that it is great that she can learn about them without the stress of actually being part of the family just yet. Sitting here wondering if my outlaws would have wanted to be any kind of kin to me if they had realized what a ditzy old woman she is!

 

You know, one special family relationship is one that we can all treasure. We have been adopted and accepted as His children without any hesitation because of our older Brother. His acceptance and sacrifice for us makes us acceptable to the Father. We can love Him and appreciate Him from the day we understand Him because HE chose us. Praise the name of Jesus Christ, the son of God!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.