Momstheword

ALIKE BUT DIFFERENT

2010-12-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

The following is an article I wrote for a monthly newsletter at a veterans nursing home where I worked on the Alzheimers secure unit.

May I share some of the things rattling around in my head? "They're all the same but different." How many times have we heard that expression? It never really meant much to me until I began working with Alzheimer's Disease victims. How much they are alike, how much they differ.

Sometimes when I feel particularly distressed, I go sit with the guys in the solarium on the secured unit. We visit and hold hands and smile at each other. I observe them as they observe me.

One gentleman sits upright, with his legs crossed, arms in an appropriate position, looking for all the world as though he were not suffering from a devastating disease. He speaks appropriately, but it seems he wakes up to a new world every few minutes because he doesn't remember things that occurred very recently.

One of the many things I don't understand about this disease is...why do these men remember the way back from the dining room from day to day? How do they remember that it's okay to go with me for a cup of coffee? They know when I walk into the room that I just might offer them that opportunity or invite them to go for a ride or a walk or offer them a snack. We are familiar to them yet we are strangers. They obviously sometimes think we're wife, sister, daughter, brother, mother, father, or an old neighbor from their childhood. How can they recall how to fix their coffee to their liking?

There are some mannerisms that many of the guys have used at one time or another. My favorite is the one in which it appears that he is handling a piece of hair, lifting it from one hand to the other. I am so tuned into this mannerism that, when he gives me that object (which I can't see), I will not only take it, I will carefully put it into my pocket! How about the mannerism where he is placing a "long key chain" into the palm of my hand, watching it curl into a circle on my hand, winding it a little so it stays on my hand. What is he seeing?

One the few things I can accept is the way these folks lose their "hang-ups" or inhibitions about certain things. For instance, the way a couple of men will walk down the hall holding hands with each other (Now, really, would they have done that without feeling like a "sissy"?). But they've forgotten that men "don't do that" and just respond to the need to be comforted by the closeness of another.

Good Friends Forever

2010-07-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Something I had considered off and on during the past 10 years or so, finally happened! I didn't start it but I helped finish it. Our church had a Christian School from 1974 to 1992. A reunion always seemed like a good idea but I never tackled it. So... one of the young ladies, who attended for a year or two when she was very young, started making plans. I, like the softie I am, offered to help get addresses from the people in the church who were associated with the school. Funny me! Things were going well until the young woman had some personal situations come up and she felt she couldn't continue. She suggested cancelling it, but I said we couldn't because of all the people who had already notified. After a period of time she was able to jump back in and did a great job getting it all together.

Do any of you have any idea how much fun it is to find people after 18 years? I spent a total of 10 hours going through the school records, looking for parents' names, addresses, or phone numbers that jived with our current phone book. After mailing close to 100 invitations, and asking people to notify their relatives and friends, we had a wonderful reunion. We had only 22 people actually associated with the school, plus their spouses and children, but with some wonderful helpers, we had about 62 people. We all had such a good time. We had a table where we spread out the yearbooks and all the photos we could gather. Some came from other states to reunite with some of their school buddies. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, corn on the cob, peach cobbler and ice cream.

Will we do it again in a few years? Don't know, but we have a pretty good start with a nice long list of names. Although I was disappointed that the most likely ones didn't come, I was so pleased that some unlikely ones did come.

Indifference

2010-05-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for three months. Not sure why except I seemed to run out of things to talk about. Today God reminded me of something of which I am not particularly proud. I care more about some people than others. Example: If a friend's son is badly hurt in an accident, I pray fervently for him. However, if an acquaintance's son is also badly hurt in an accident, I pray differently, less fervently. Is it because I know the friend's child, and don't know the acquaintance's child? When I read in the paper or hear on television that someone was injured, I usually, "Oh, that's too bad!", and go on about my business. May the Lord forgive me for this weakness.

TROUBLEMAKER

2010-02-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

He has quite a history. He went missing for a few months some years ago and was eventually found to be living in a drainage ditch, bumming off the people nearby. He disappeared more recently for about 3 weeks and was found to be living in a drainage ditch in another area of town. A man was feeding him. He's had some very severe times of illness, once thought to be leukemia, was treated, and got well. The doctor said it must not have been leukemia, but maybe severe anemia, or he would be dead. Another time he was actually seen trying to avoid people and find a hiding place. He was forced to go see a doctor. They ran some tests and found out that instead of leukemia as the cause of his severe anemia, he had a blood parasite! He received daily care, almost forced medicating, and a room of his own. It took two months for him to heal, but he is fine.

However...... yesterday he climbed up a tree in the neighbor's yard and couldn't get down. I tried everything I could but had to resort to calling for help. Some handsome firefighters came, big truck and all, and helped get him out of the tree.

His name is Vinny and he's a flame point Siamese.

2009-11-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

THOSE FLINT HILLS AGAIN

Some people complain that Kansas is boring and has no beauty at all. Well, those people have never gone through the Flint Hills, Gypsum Hills, tall grass prairie or whatever name you want to use.
We took another trip through Kansas to and from Missouri this past weekend. We went across the southern part of Kansas, through those beautiful flint hills, with the beautiful red and golden grasses. Low rolling hills covered with red grass, with golden seed stems. The grass appears to be about 3 feet tall in places and usually is leaning over a little from the dominant winds. There are interesting towns along the way. The Dalton Gang hide-out, Carrie Nation’s home town, the Cherokee stockade, etc. There are areas with very red soil, which is extraordinarily beautiful.
If your destination is more northerly, then you can enjoy the beautiful hills on that route. Some interesting things from the trip:
1. We saw a parade of cats crossing the highway from one farm house to another. There were four orange tiger cats and one black calico. The calico turned back but the others crossed, one after the other. I don’t know why, but I hope they don’t do that again. We did get a good laugh, though.
2. Our daughter’s neighbor was playing in the street with his boys and we ran over their football. Didn’t mean to but I guess one of them threw it at a bad time. The look on the face of one of the boys was hilariously funny. He yelled. "tragedy, tragedy!"
3. At the library, while using earphones, I talked really loud. My daughter shushed me.
4. My grandson has black and yellow hair.
5. We got lost many times in the city.
6. Saw some white "whitetail" deer.
7. Ran over a dead armadillo which must have been really hard because we thought we'd blown a tire.
8. Had ""fun going down a windy highway with a motorcycle riding upright (but fastened well) in the back of the pickup.

We had gorgeous weather and not a bit of that Missoui humidity. Short sleeves. Ate a lot. Enjoyed the kids. Glad to get home.

Repost: JERRY

2009-10-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

One day at the mental health care center, one of my regulars called me over just before I was to start. He asked me if I pray for people. I said yes and asked what was wrong. This man has told me countless times how he got saved at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting years ago. He always talks about having Jesus in his heart and that we have to do that before we can go to Heaven. He knows a lot about the Bible, too. This day though, he was having delusional thinking. He said that years ago when he was a rock star, he caused hundreds of people to disappear from a football field and a concert hall. He was so upset because he said that he was going to go to hell for that when he dies. He said that Satan deceived him into doing it. Okay, I thought...the only thing I can address is his salvation. I know nothing about him, although he does dress like a rock star from the 70s or so, and he has been to college. Anyway I told him that when we do something that displeases God, all we have to do is repent of it and ask for forgiveness. He said he had prayed but he was still going to go to hell. I told him that if Jesus came into his heart when he in college, then Jesus is still there. He fretted about those people who had disappeared and I assured him that God knows where every one of those people are and they are under his care. So finally, he said, "Ohhh. Because I asked Jesus to come into my heart, when I die I will go to Heaven!" I said, "Yes, Jerry." He smiled and thanked me.What a blessing that he felt he could talk to me about such a personal thing.

My Version of That Story

2009-08-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Flower of the Family, posted a story she wrote. Since I wrote one from the same prompt, I decided to post mine, also.

I slowly opened my eyes. The room seemed to be spinning and the light hurt my eyes. I closed them again, covering them with my hands. I slowly opened my eyes again, squinting, and slowing moving my hands from my face. There was blood on my left hand. I felt around and determined that the area of my left eye had an injury. There was some light coming in a small window up high on the wall. I sat up, looking around carefully. I was so confused to find myself in this strange room. How did I get here? As I sat up, I noticed that my feet were tender. What had become of my sandals? My bare feet burned as I walked across the rough surface of the floor to look at the window. It was only about 8 inches in height and about 2 feet across. No way a body could climb through that window, even if one could reach it. There was nothing in this little room, except a container of murky looking water and a chamber pot. The door was made out of very heavy timbers with some type iron reinforcement. There was no way out of here unless someone unlocked the door from outside.

I called out to see if anyone would hear me and come to the room. That was soon seen to be a fruitless maneuver. I started pacing around the small room. I was famished for water, so I reluctantly drank most of the dirty looking water in the pot. That seemed to make me feel better and I was hopeful that it would help me to focus on my circumstances better. I stuck my hands in my pockets and was startled to find something inside the hidden pocket in my garment. I pulled out five stones. Five little dissimilar stones; three of which were beautiful shiny stones, one odd-shaped one, and one very rough and dirty on one side, and smooth and beautiful on the other. I sat down on the floor and lay the stones out in front of me. I simply could not figure out what they meant or where they came from.

As I handled the stones, I realized that, if properly placed, the three beautiful shiny ones would fit together and form one uniform shape, a perfect circle. I thought to myself, "Hum! Three of the same put together make one." Why did that seem so familiar to me? The odd-shaped stone was shaped somewhat like the letter T; perhaps more like a plus sign. The other one was a common stone, except for being rough, unpolished and dirty on one side only. As I stared at these stones, some memories began forming in my mind. Yes! I knew what these stones were for. Yes, they were mine.

I jumped up at the sudden noise at the door. Someone was coming. I could hear a sliding lock being forced back to free the door. The door opened slowly, making a loud creaking noise. There were two men there, one holding my sandals, and the other holding some papers. I stood there silently, expecting them to declare me guilty of some crime and take me out to be hanged.
The man handed me my sandals and watched me as I placed them on my feet. The other man spoke to me in a very official sounding manner and said, "The charge levied against you was that you were using materials to tell people about this Jesus Christ, however, we have found no such materials on your person, therefore, we are obligated to set you free." I thanked them, and as I was leaving, they told me to not return to this village again, ever.

As I walked down the road, I took the rocks out of my pocket. I fitted the three together; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, into One. I held up the dirty rough stone, laid it on the cross-shaped stone, then turned it over so that the clean smooth side was up. Yes, it’s amazing how one can tell another about Jesus’ cleansing power with a handful of stones.

Well, They're well.

2009-08-23T21:00:00.001-07:00

The cats have finished their medications and are back to normal. They got to go outside and visit their old territory today. Now I have to clean up this room where they spent all that time.

Cats, Cats, and More Cats

2009-08-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, one of my outdoor cats was sick. I took him to the vet and they found him to be so anemic he was only one number away from a blood transfusion. After several days of giving him cherry flavored liquid steroid medicine, they discovered that he had a blood parasite. Then I had to give him antibiotic pills for 21 days! Now, most of you have probably tried giving a pill to a cat. IT IS NO FUN! I finally started wrapping him up in a housecoat and pulling the sleeve over him so he couldn't move. He is cured but now has to be weaned off the steroids, still for a few more days. The problem is this..... my other outdoor cat developed a HUGE abscess on his right shoulder blade (?), about 6 inches in circumference, and protruding about 2 inches. The vet lanced it and got some very green gook out of it. He came home with gauze packing and a little cute net looking shirt to keep the pressure on the incision. I am pleased to say that now I have another cat to nurse. At the moment they are both in the same room, one is in a cage and the other is lying on my keyboard. They shared a bedroom outside so they aren't fighting, so far. I love my cats! I love my cats! I love my cats!

REPOST of "Where Had She Been?"

2009-08-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

When I worked on a VA Alzheimer's unit, there was one woman there. I'm not sure she had Alzheimer's or some strange type of mental illness, but she had been in this condition for a long time. She was ambulatory but wouldn't speak. She seemed to understand directions. I had known her for several years and had never heard a peep out of her. She had been a nurse during, I believe, the Korean War. She was sitting in the solarium day room and I heard her say, "I know a good nurse when I see one and there aren't any around here." I alerted the others and one of the doctors came in with a recorder and sat with her for several hours. Her voice was very weak and raspy from not using it for so long and she was a little hard to understand at first. She spoke about being an Army nurse and other aspects of her life. She talked about things that had happened on that unit and mentioned some things she felt the nurses had done wrong. Then she quit talking and, as far as I know, never did it again. It about blows my mind every time I think about it. Where had she been and where did she go?

2009-07-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

CAN WE RETIRE FROM GOD'S CALLING?

I am curious about something. When a pastor/preacher retires, does he retire only from pastoring or does he retire also from preaching? We have several retired pastors in our church but there are only about three that will preach at the nursing home services. Why is it that a man can stand up in front of a group of seniors in a classroom but can't stand up in front of a group of seniors in a nursing home? I am constantly being told that it takes a "special gift" to minister in a nursing home. I don't buy that entirely. I believe God burdens certain ones for that ministry, but isn't a pastor/preacher suppose to minister from the cradle to the grave? Please explain this to me. In case you didn't get it, I will be "preaching" at a nursing home tomorrow morning because no one else will. My sister will help me gather people for the service. I let them sing a lot and then do a quick "devotional". I pray with them and tell them that I love them. I guess that's all they need. I just needed to vent a little. But let me know what you think about the retirement issue.

Interesting Signs

2009-07-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

Taken from "Eats, Shites & Leaves", by A. Parody

1. Open seven days a week and weekends.
2. Rare, out-of -print and non-existent books.
3. Wonderful bargains for men with 16 and 17 necks.
4. Seasonal toilet rolls.
5. Now is the time to have your ears pierced and get an extra pair to take home, too.
6. Same-day cleaning. All garments ready in 48 hours.
7. One-hour photos. Collect tomorrow.
8. We will oil your sewing machine and adjust tension in your home for $1.00.
9. Soft and genital bath tissues or facial tissues 89 cents.
10. Prize-winning sausages. Once tasted, you'll never want another.

Huh?

2009-06-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

What does "guaranteed for life" mean? What does "lifetime warranty" mean? What is the lifetime of an object? Doesn't the lifetime end when the thing dies? Then that must mean it is guaranteed for the time it isn't dead. So what's the point?

Bonk

2009-06-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

The word "bonk" is the sound you hear when your bumper bumps the other guy's bumper gently. "BONK" is the sound you are glad you didn't hear. The lesson learned here is: Do not allow a bottle of water to get wedged under your brake pedal and then expect the car to stop, even while going very slowly.

Hey, I'm Not Done Yet!

2009-05-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

An interesting thing happened to me this morning. I really didn't feel like going to the grocery store but the sale on the Wisconsin Cheddar was about to expire and my husband really wanted some, so I went. To the store in a neighboring little town. Dragged myself into the store. I decided to get a few other things in anticipation of a lunch at the church later this week. I was contemplating the big red hothouse tomatoes, trying to figure out which one would be just perfect in two days. A woman spoke up and reminded me that the Roma tomatoes were on sale. We talked a little bit and she asked me what I would be using the huge tomato for. I said that I do a Bible study at a mental health care center and that, a few times a year, I have them over to the church for a lunch outing. She began to talk very softly and I leaned toward her and asked her to repeat what she had said. She was asking me to pray for her because she was going through a really hard time. I said okay and asked for her first name. I asked if she had a church home and she said yes. I told her I could pray with her right there if she wished, but she seemed to not want attention drawn to her so we didn't pray in the store. She thanked me and walked away. Coincidence? Chance meeting? I don't think so. Her name is Elyssa. She is probably in her 30s or 40s. I have no idea what her situation if but we don't need to know, do we........?

THINGS WE SAY TO OUR KIDS

2009-04-30T21:27:00.001-07:00

1. I don't like your choice of friends.
2. It's not that I don't trust YOU...I don't trust OTHERS!
3. Were you born in a barn?
4. Because I said so!
5. Don't make me stop this car!
6. You're grounded for life!
7. Someday, when you're older, you'll understand!
8. One day you'll come home and I won't be here!
9. You'd better watch the tone of your voice, young lady (man)!
10.Over my dead body!

40 Random Things You Didn't Want to Know About Me

2009-04-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

1. My uncle once: told me that if God wanted salt on a cantaloupe, he would have put it there.
2. Never in my life: Been on a moving plane
3. When I was five: I gave a sick kitten a bath and it died.
4. High School was: fun.
5. I will never forget: one special horseback ride.
6. I once met: Marty Robbins
7. There’s this girl I know who: could clean up for a date in five minutes.
8. Once, at a bar: we hung out because it was the only place in town with food.
9. By noon, I'm usually: awake.
10. Who knows what #10 is?
11. If only I had: an adobe house
12. Next time I go to church: I'll do the count.
13. Terry Schiavo: was murdered.
14. What worries me most: my children's futures
15. When I turn my head left, I see: a bulletin board.
16. When I turn my head right, I see: books, books and more books.
17. You know I’m lying when: I say something :)
18. What I miss most about the eighties: my age.
19. If I was a character in Shakespeare, I’d be: a clown or something.
20. By this time next year: I will probably be doing the same old thing.
21. A better name for me would be: Perfecto.
22. I have a hard time understanding: how we are depleting air waves.
23. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: study art or writing.
24. You know I like you if: I tease you sometimes.
25. If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: the person who did the work for me.
26. Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferraro: crazy man, genius man, good ol' boy, and crybaby feminist.
27. Take my advice, never: vacuum your cat.
28. My ideal breakfast is: pancakes, eggs over easy, and bacon.
29. A song I love, but do not own is: Swing Low Sweet Chariot.
30. If you visit my hometown, I suggest: Old Mission Deli
31. Tulips, character flaws, microchips, & track stars: beautiful, normal, weird, and fast.
32. Why won’t people: learn to obey the laws.
33. If you spend the night at my house: bring an allergy pill (cats)
34. I’d stop my wedding for: too late.
35. The world could do without: pants with crotch dragging between knees.
36. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: be buried alive.
37. My favorite blond is: not.
38: Paper clips are more useful than: thong underwear.
39. If I do anything well, it’s: taking a nap.
40. And by the way: this is sort of dumb.

The Byways and the Highways

2009-04-06T19:42:00.001-07:00

"I'm so tired...all my family and friends are gone and I'm all alone, I'm tired of being in constant pain. All I want to do is die and have some peace."

This statement can be heard in some variation any day at any nursing home in this country. Approximately 8% (my guess) of those over 65 years old are living in some type of institution, nursing home or health care center. For the majority of these people it will be their last address on this earth. Death and dying is a definite part of their daily existence; however, many welcome death as a release from the suffering and loneliness they are experiencing. Many believe that they deserve to go to Heaven because they are suffering, or simply because they are old. The thinking often is that "surely God wouldn't let me go to hell after all I've been through." There are those who have never heard the Gospel even though they have lived in this "Christian" nation for 80 years; there are those who have heard the Gospel most of their lives and have hardened their hearts; those who base their salvation on church membership, baptism, living a good life, even on being a member of a service club or secret society. They have all the same excuses any other segment of the populaation have, however, many have developed impairments which could hinder their ability to comprehend. Many have waited too long, many will not have that peace that they believe will come with dying.

Cute Drama Just For Me

2009-03-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

I saw the cutest "drama" last evening. I had pulled up at the church and watched the cows in the adjoining pasture. One of the teenage boys from the church was standing by the fence and a few calves had joined him. More calves came, one or two at a time, until there were about 15 of them standing by the fence. Then I saw a little brown one coming, followed by his mother, several strides behind. What struck me so funny was that I imagined what type of mother she was! I could just see her stomping her feet and clenching her fists, and saying, "Well, I never! I won't allow my child to hang around strangers like that. What is wrong with these other moms?" She apparently said something to her child, turned around and walked back toward the other cows, followed closely by her calf. I laughed and laughed about that. It always amazes me that the calves know that the other calves are calves! That they are the same. Even on the day they are born, the calves get together and nose each other. I love watching them but soon they will be gathered up and taken to summer pasture. I will miss them, as usual.

Brother, Where Are You?

2009-03-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

Huey, Dewey and Louie are Donald Duck's nephews but he doesn't have a brother. He does have a sister named Dumbella. In 1938 she sent her "three angel children" for a visit. They stayed forever apparently.

WHERE, OH WHERE?

2009-03-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

WHERE is Donald Duck's Brother?

Another Mysterious Local Tragedy

2009-03-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

About ten days ago, another young woman associated with people in our church was found dead in her bed. There is no connection to the one who died in Kansas. Her two youngest children were asleep in the bed with her. She had sent an email to a friend at 3 A.M. and apparently died at 4 A.M. No cause has been discovered. Her boyfriend found her and tried to awaken her. Her little boy was patting her and telling her to "wake up, Mommy." Her memorial service was today. I didn't know her very well but had known her boyfriend for many years. They had been attending another Baptist church and had joined on the Sunday before she died on Wednesday. We may never know what happened.

Beware of .........

2009-02-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

I worked for many years at a doctor’s office. The doctor loved history, artifacts, petrified wood, fossils, etc. I worked during off-hours sometimes as I was the transcriber and the quiet helped. One day as I was preparing to leave the office, someone knocked on the front door. I opened it, expecting it to be a patient. There were two young men standing there. They were dressed rather pecularly, in a manner commonly thought of as geek wear. Their pants seems a little too short and their waists a little too high, and, believe it or not, they had pen holders in their shirt pockets. I asked if I could help them and one of them replied that they had something that would be of interest to the doctor. They had heard about his interest in antiquities and such and wanted to show him what they had. I informed them that he was not in the office. They proceeded to unwrap an item and showed me a small metal looking thing that appeared to be a likeness of a griffin. For those who are not familiar with a griffin, it is a winged monster with an eagle like head and the body of a lion. The guys told me it was a genuine iron likeness which had been uncovered during the unearthing of an ancient city in the far east. I took hold of it and turned it around in my hands. It was heavy but it didn’t feel like iron to me. I tapped on it and decided it was ceramic and probably was not what they represented it to be. I handed it back and told them that the doctor wouldn’t be interested.

You know, it just goes to show you…. Beware of geeks bearing griffs!

God Can Handle IT

2009-02-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

I would like to share an amazing story. It concerns some friends of mine and it shows me very clearly how God takes His own sweet time to meet our needs. This man and woman have had some hard knocks over the past few years, mostly to do with his health problems. He went into renal failure and is doing dialysis three times a week. He has been unable to work and his wife's work varies from part time to full time. They have had problems dealing with the VA and disability services. During these years, they began attending a church where they found the love and friendship they desired. Because of various transportation problems, they became unable to travel the 20 miles or so to their church. Being a tough Vietnam Vet, he was a little skeptical of "religion" but loved the pastor and the people. Well, things continued to worsen for them financially. They were on the verge of losing their rental house, several utilities had sent disconnect letters, she got laid off, they were still struggling with getting their retroactive disability and VA benefits. They were one step away from being homeless. He talked to the VA officer and was told that he could expect the check in two weeks. He and his wife pondered this, wondering how they would survive that long. This is the good part. They both told me that, though she had been praying all along, he had finally said something to the effect, "Well, God! Only you can take care this." Instead of two weeks, the check came in two days. They paid for six months' rent in advance, paid their utilities, bought a vehicle that actually runs, and put some away for a "rainy day". And the Sunday after the money arrived, he woke her up and said, "Get up! We're going to church." So do you want to guess who is praising the name of the Lord these days? I pray he takes the appropriate step to ensure his salvation (I don't know if he has or not, of course.)

I explained to them that sometimes God just wants us to be willing to be willing, and that when you're flat on your back, the only way to look is up. God broke his will and he became mold-able. PTL

I Have a Question.

2009-02-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hey writers out there! I have a question. When I want to tell a story or antedote about a real person, will I get in trouble if I don't use their real name? What if he is recognized because of the story?

Second Time Around

2009-02-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

I was reading this old post, one of the first ones I did. I decided to republish it because I don't know if anyone actually saw it then, except for my daughter.

The eyes of the "unloveables" Today was our church service at a local mental health care center. While Carl was speaking, I was looking at each person sitting there. All were listening carefully and respectfully. Because I also go there weekly to do a "Bible study", I know them all pretty well. I saw in their eyes a soul and spirit that God had placed there. A spirit which has been beaten up by mental illness and the stigma that goes with it. In spite of that, most of them are friendly and as happy as they probably can be anywhere. I know that a lot of them had been basically turned away by their families because of years of mental illness, behavior problems, drugs, or alcohol. Many do have family members who are in contact. Many have schizophrenia or bipolar diagnoses and have probably been sick most of their lives. There are a few elderly but most are probably under 60, many in their 30s or 40s. I was thinking... "who loves these people?" I do. They trust me and treat me very well. Some of the staff love them. Some have worked there for many years and consider the residents their own special family. Others can't take it for very long but it's just as well that they move on. It is a difficult place to work. Every staff member has to know all the behavior modifications for each resident, if there is a problem. Who else loves them? God, for sure. For some reason he allowed them to be affected by mental illness. Why, I don't know. But whenever someone treats them kindly, he is treating God's creation kindly, and He gets the glory.

Do a Rewrite

2009-02-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

What originally struck me was: "......that would require the owners of cats that are 4 months or older to be tagged...... Okay let's tag the owners of cats but only if the owners are 4 months or older. Now, let's rewrite the paragraph (long sentence).

By the way, the next sentence says: "The measure also require that animals impounded for any reason not be returned to owners until they comply." Well, you tell me. How do you get a cat to comply?

HEE HEE

Writers and Wordsmiths, Analyze This Please

2009-02-02T13:55:00.000-08:00

This is an excerpt from an article in CAPITOL NOTES by Charles Ashby, Pueblo Chieftain's Denver Bureau chief. Credit given:

Read this sentence (paragraph) and tell me what strikes you. This isn't about the contents of the bill itself but the contents of the paragraph.

"Two Denver-area Democrats have introduced a bill that would require the owners of cats that are 4 months or older to be tagged with some form of identification, either in the form of a tag on its collar or a microchip in its head."

Very Disturbing

2009-01-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

At one of the care centers I visit, there was an old man who had been there a few weeks. He was always very rude to me. He told me he was a Russian Orthodox Catholic and that he wanted nothing to do with a Baptist. The story was that he had been living in a monastery but required much more physical care so he was taken to a nursing home. This man also was mentally ill. A week or so ago, on a Tuesday, he told me, "I just want you to die." Apparently I didn't react the way he expected. I said, "Oh, thank you! I'll just go to Heaven." His reply was "huh?" The next Sunday we were there for afternoon church service and he was in his bed with oxygen, apparently not recognizing anyone. For obvious reasons, I did not disturb him. When I went back on the next Tuesday, I learned that he had died. It disturbed me very much but I know there was no way I could have talked to him about the Lord. My only hope is that someone he respected reached out to him.

What Determines a Good Mother?

2009-01-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure I was a good mother when my girls were growing up. For the first several years I had problems with an almost constant feeling of irritability and impatience. I yelled at my girls even when they probably weren't doing anything bad. I hated the way I felt. When the girls were about 8 and 10 (I think) I discovered B Complex, thanks to my sister. It contains all of the B vitamins, which nourish the nervous system. After about a week, I was a different person. Before that, I was irritable and mean all the time. I have wondered much about this rapid change but, after studying a few things, I decided that my body just didn't seem to absorb the B vitamins from the food I ate. I most certainly had a deficiency. Also, although this may have nothing to do with it, I had a reaction to the "saddle block" anesthesia I was given when my first child was born. My neck became extremely painful and stiff. I had a terrible headache and had to lie on my back for a couple of days in the hospital. My back hurt from the labor (I guess) and it hurt to lie on my back. I was on muscle relaxants for a couple of weeks and nursing my baby at the same time. Who knows what effect any of this had on my nervous system, or on the baby.

I still take B Complex (which contains numerous forms of vitamins) every day. I can tell within a few hours if I forgot to take it. I get irritable and grumpy. I have made my girls promise to make sure I get my daily B Complex if I have to be in a nursing home.

Other reasons I wonder if I was a good mother: I was never the hugger, smoochy, on my lap kind of mother and I regret that. I don't remember my Mom doing that but I never once thought she didn't love me. I never let my kids have what they whined or cried for. I didn't praise them for every little thing they did right. My girls were part of the family, not the center of it. I didn't do a good job of teaching them to be homemakers (hard when you're not good at it yourself). But I did encourage them to draw, read, write, and use their imagination, to look down when walking across the prairie, to see the bugs, flowers, and weeds.

One of my favorite quotes is when someone asked the elder President Bush (after he had been the head of the CIA, vice president, and president): What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment? He answered: "My children still come to visit me." That is my greatest accomplishment. My children still call me and visit me and show me respect I'm very proud of my daughters.

Does History Really Repeat Itself?

2009-01-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

Does this sound familiar?

The Presidental campaign of 2008 was fought out in a country deep in the trough of depression. It is now the fashion of some economists and certain critics of the Obama plan to say that recovery was beginning in the summer of 2008. Certainly, by the fall of 2008 no one realized it. Mr. Bush (McCain) ran on a "do-nothing, let nature take its course" sort of platform. Mr. Obama was going to do something, but was not very specific about what he was going to do. He earned a reputation as a shrewd politician but there was nothing in his record as Senator from Illinois to warrant any general expectation that he would be a strong man in a crisis. He was clever enough to know that he did not have to commit himself, that the people were so determined to get Bush (McCain) out that his wisest course would be to avoid commitments which might offend his potential supporters. Minority candidates spoke to large audiences and did discuss real issues, but, the very audiences which applauded them made it clear that their set purpose was to eliminate Bush (McCain). This was done. Mr. Obama was elected by an immense popular and electoral college majority, but with less of a devoted following than some of his defeated Democratic predecessors.

Now change Bush (McCain) to Hoover, Obama to F. Roosevelt, 2008 to 1932, senator from Illinois to governor of New York, depression to recession.

The New Deal, Doctrines and Democracy, edited by Bernard Sternsher
Article: The New Deal in America, by Norman Thomas

I Was So Naive!

2009-01-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

Listening to all the talk about swearing in our first black president tomorrow, I began thinking about my only black childhood friend. I was raised in a small town in Colorado where there were Caucasians, Hispanics and a few Japanese families. There was one boy whose mother was Hispanic and his father was black. In junior high, we would occasionally have school dances in the gym. I would get pretty shy when a boy asked me to dance. My brother-in-law asked me who I danced with. When I told him I danced with S.W., along with other boys, he teased me mercilessly. After graduation from high school I moved to a larger city where there was a black population. That was in the late '50s so many rights were not available to all. Then, and only then, did it dawn on me.... that my b-i-l was teasing me about S.W. because he was BLACK. I had always thought he was teasing me about him because he was a BOY! Even to this day, it is hard for me to fathom the reality that blacks were not allowed to vote during those days. Here in Colorado discrimination didn't seem to be so intense as in some places,(this coming from someone incredibly naive about such things at the time). In the 60's a group came in to encourage the blacks in one of our cities to protest at various businesses. They were told, by the local black leaders, to leave. The locals could work anywhere they wished, at all the major places of employment, etc. I am glad we have reached this point in history although I would prefer a more conservative person.

The Answers

2009-01-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

1. An acre originally was the amount of land that could be plowed by a yoke of oxen in one day. By the time Henry VIII reigned, there was universal agreement that an acre should be 43,560 square feet.
2. A vaccination mark is scar tissue, in which the hair follicles are destroyed. You can trasplant hair to a vaccination mark if desired but you could never bring the dead follicle back to life.
3. The two Ms stand for Mars and Murrie, the head men at the candy factory in the early 1940s.
4. And yes, it is a mini sonic boom. Whips can reach a speed of more than 700 mph when snapped, breaking the sound barrier.

Some of you got some of it right, some didn't. :)

Some Interesting Questions?

2009-01-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

1. Why is an acre 43,560 square feet?
2. Why can't hair grow on a vaccination mark?
3. What does M&M (as in the candy) stand for?
4. Why do whips make a cracking sound when snapped?

I hope for some interesting answers. I know the answers already so you can't fool me!

What Month is This?

2009-01-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

:)I have very little to say right now. I am holiday weary and I didn't even go shopping, didn't cook any big dinners, didn't decorate my house, didn't participate in any cantatas, plays, etc. Every year after "the holidays", I feel I need to restart what few routines I have, get back on the proverbial road, and become a person again. I don't understand it but that happens every year. I almost forgot to pay my bills, which I always pay on the first of the month. I've lost track of the days off and on for a couple of weeks. See, I don't even need a lot of stress to get stressed!

Okay, Here's the Whole Truth

2008-12-30T17:33:00.001-08:00

That blog didn't create much interest. Reckon if the real story was as insinuated, I wouldn't be sharing it!

The truth is: I was returning to my home town on a bus (you remember those...Greyhound, Trailways, etc.) on an overnight trip. Somewhere along the way this cute sweet Air Force guy got on and took the seat beside me. So we visited and then we fell asleep. I woke up and found out he was asleep with his head on my shoulder. I was very careful not to move because, after all, he was a hero. When we reached my hometown, he woke up. And that was pretty much it!

An Overnight Whatever

2008-12-27T18:17:00.000-08:00

Loopdeloops recently shared a diary entry with us. I got out my diary from 1955 and 1956. . By the way, I am rather fascinated by the Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth. This is the truth. Tomorrow or someday, I will tell you the whole truth.

July 23, 1956 ....met cutest sweetest Air Force guy. We hit if off together fine. Don't know his name. Can't forget him.

July 24, 1956: Talked with Air Force boy til dawn, then slept. He put his head on my shoulder. Offered to buy my breakfast.

Any comments? What do you think this is about? Please, jump to a conclusion!

Small Town, Big People

2008-12-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

Years ago, my sister and I both worked in a nearby smaller town. One day after work we ran into each other in the variety store. While we were visiting, the owner of the nearby shoe store came in looking for my sister, as he had given her the wrong box for her shoes. After he left I commented about the special people in small towns and how that wouldn't have happened in a city. She told me about the time her husband had called the local dentist to say that he would be too late getting there to pick up his partial plate. The dentist told him to not worry, that he could just pick it up at the flower shop next door.

My Four Things I Do

2008-12-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

Flower of the Family wants me to tell 4 things about myself that no one knows, not even family. But if I do, then family will know!

1. I have restless toes, not legs, toes.

2. In my head I go back to previous conversations and rewind them.

3. I talk myself through my chores sometimes, step by step.

4. Sometimes I create scenarios, such as, what if that bicyclist falls over into the traffic lane. What would I do if I were the one to rescue him. I think it through step by step. You see, that way if that happens, I'll be prepared. This isn't a worry or fear thing, though. Kinda like writing a story in my mind. :) I'm always successful.

I'm even weirder than I thought!

TRUE SPIRIT OF GIVING

2008-12-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

Darlene Franklin posted about wonderful people helping in the time of need. It reminded me of an incident several years ago in our church. A single mother with one daughter at home was having a hard time. She never complained that I can remember. Our church announced that we were collecting for a grocery shower for one of our families. She went home and practically cleaned out her cupboards and brought a big box of stuff. Was she ever surprised when she found out the grocery shower was for HER! That to me symbolizes the true spirit of giving and sharing. That is her gift and she honored God by sharing what little she had with someone else (she thought).

Old Man Tuck

2008-12-04T17:25:00.000-08:00

Many years ago there was an elderly man living in a nursing home. The story was that he had been transferred from one of the prisons because he had become wheelchair bound and required a lot of assistance. I guess they figured he wouldn't run away. He had killed a man during a fight over a poker game. Sounds like the wild wild West, doesn't it? He was a nice old guy and soon started coming to our church services there. There was another Baptist church also doing services there, on a different Sunday, of course. We very patiently talked to him, answered his questions, and prayed for him. One day, after several months, one of the workers from the OTHER church came up to me one day and told me that Tuck had gotten saved during their church service earlier that week! I was thrilled! But I was also a little jealous. I wanted him to get saved during OUR church service! Isn't that pitiful? One of his arguments was that he had done something so terrible that even God couldn't forgive him. Goes to show how much better it is for God to be in control, instead of us. PTL

Reality Check

2008-11-26T10:02:00.000-08:00

Loopdeloops has been talking about being thankful.

This morning on the news, a heart broken grandmother was talking about her grandchild's disappearance some time ago. If you recall, the mother has been arrested for her murder. No body yet, but someone thinks there was decomposing smell from the trunk. So I'm listening to this woman and thinking, "Oh, dear God! She believes her granddaughter has been seen on a security tape in a mall. She believes the child is still alive. And her daughter is in jail." I felt so ashamed of myself.

Guess what I had been fussing about at the time? Which method of cooking to use for my sweet potatoes! Make them plain or make them sweet? Use pineapple, use oranges? Thanks for the kick in the head, Lord.....

Once Saved, Always Saved

2008-11-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

John 3:15-18; John 10:28-30 plus numerous other scriptures

There wouldn't be anyone in Heaven if it were up to us to earn and/or keep our salvation. If we lost our salvation every time we fell short of God's ideals (sinned), none of us would be saved for more than a few minutes at a time. If so, what was the purpose in His death? If we could lose our salvation, we would be lost forever because Christ died only once.

This information was gleamed at AllAboutGOD.com. Check it out.

Ever Wonder?

2008-11-21T12:40:00.001-08:00

How do flies know when I pick up a fly swatter, but don't care if I pick up a cup?
Why do birds sometimes RUN across the road to get out of your way?
How does the phone know when you have just sat down on the potty?
How do cats and dogs know which lap belongs to the person who couldn't care less about them?How does a pear know when it's time to drop off the tree?
Why do bees have to look you in the eye?

Being Thankful for Little Things

2008-11-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

A young woman I know was leaving one city to go to another where she had a close friend. Her no-good "boyfriend" dropped her off at the bus stop, threw her two bags out of the car, and took off, calling her a crude name. She had her ticket but was surprised to learn that the second bag would cost an extra $10.00. She had no money at all with her. She debated about leaving one bag behind but all of her worldly goods were in those two bags. She began to cry, she was so upset. The bus driver came over to her and asked her why she was crying. She explained the situation to him. This lovely man reached in his pocket and gave her a $20.00 bill. She tried to refuse, but he insisted. She took the money and paid for the extra baggage. She returned to the man and handed him the $10.00 bill. He refused to take it, saying that she might need some extra money. She asked how she could pay him back and he said, "Tell you what! If you ever see me again, you can pay me back. Otherwise, you can help someone else." This young woman needed that tremendously as her life has been a wreck for some time. It gave her hope again.

Isn't that an amazing story about unselfishness and kindness on the part of a stranger.

Which leads to this: I'd like to thank:

Those who hold a door for me, especially when it's a child.
Those who signal me to go in front of them.
Those who wave a thanks when I let them go first.
Those who wave at me when I drive by.

Not enough space to mention more "little things" that mean a lot. Care to join me?

Isn't He Cute?

2008-11-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

The wild version of this "gorgeous" bird needs a mix of trees and grasses. The trees provide the birds with some of their food, cover in which to escape predators during the day, and roost sites at night. They need the grassland for most of their food, both plant and animal. A hen usually lays 10 to 13 eggs . Sometimes two females will lay up to 26 in the same nest, which is a shallow scrape in the soil, thinly lined with plant material. Incubation is about 28 days. Straight after hatching, the chicks learn how to catch insects, which form almost their entire diet. A week old chick may snap up as many as 4,000 grasshoppers and other insects each day. As they get older they switch to more plant matter. Wild turkeys probably numbered tens of millions before European settlers and their guns reached America. Good eating! So are the domestic ones.

This picture was a gift from my daughter, Kay. Happy Thanksgiving!

Colorful Names

2008-11-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

We all know people with surnames of colors, such as Green, Brown, Black, White and Gray/Grey. Well, according to Whitepages.com, there are over 300 of the following names: Red, Purple, Blue, Aqua, Pink, Tan, Orange, and Violet. There are 298 Maroons; 272 Yellows; 6 Mauves; 28 Indigos. That's only the beginning! Do you know how many color names fall into just these categories? I think I have a new fascination!

What Does Change Mean, Anyway?

2008-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

Change: alteration, mutation, variation, modification, transition, turn, shift, diversion, break, New Deal, New Frontier, generation, deterioration, transformation, transfiguration, makeover, evolution, etc. Check out a thesaurus. There are dozens of meanings of the word and/or concept of CHANGE. Which one is Mr. Obama talking about? Change doesn't automatically mean good. I thought I'd freak out every time someone said the word CHANGE. Enough already!

It's Over

2008-11-04T20:57:00.001-08:00

It's over. The election is over and maybe we got the president we deserve.

Oh Yeah! Another Horse Story

2008-11-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Irish Eyes' comment reminded me of another incident. The black mare, the one I rode to the mailbox, had a colt. My just older sister was riding it and I was on the mother. The colt jumped over an irrigation ditch. I don't recall whether sister fell off or jumped off. Anyway, we took the bridle off the young one. I'm pretty sure it was my idea to put the bridle somewhere safe and we'd pick it up later. So...... I picked one sagebrush out of the 100's in the pasture and placed the bridle under it. Well, I couldn't find it and had to go tell Daddy. He wasn't very happy with me but we walked around until he found it. He never had to spank me, he just had to scold me or get stern with me and it broke my heart. I say it was my sister's fault for getting off the colt! What do you think? Huh? Huh?

The Other Horse

2008-11-03T20:02:00.001-08:00

The most important horse in my life remains nameless. A friend and I were riding him double and bareback. We are on an elevated road when a dog appeared out of nowhere, barking at us. The horse bucked down the incline, which was probably 9 feet from top to bottom. Well, I did stay on one jump longer than my friend. She went off first and then I fell. I landed on my left hip/buttock. When the dust cleared, Charlotte was coming towards me. I couldn't get up so she went for help. The horse and dog apparently went somewhere together, I don't recall. In a few minutes Charlotte came back with a neighbor in a car. They drove me home and my folks took me to the emergency room at a hospital about 20 plus miles away. They x-rayed and told me that the pain was from muscle spasms in my hip and buttock and that it would work loose (the muscle spasm, not the hip/buttock :). So,being 17, I figured square dancing would do the job! A couple of days later we got a phone call from the doctor who said I needed to come back to the hospital right away as the x-ray (which they had to send to another city to be read) showed a fractured back. Oh goody! I spent a few days there, flat on my back, having to be fed by a nurse. The funny thing was... they let me get up to go to the bathroom!

I rode lying in the back seat of a car to the larger city to a "real" hospital. I was given some morphine and taken somewhere to have a cast applied. I was allergic to the morphine and broke out in huge red hives and was so weak I couldn't hold my head up. I was supposed to stand and hold onto an overhead trapeze so they could wrap the casting material around me. I ended up being stretched between two tables while they wrapped the casting stuff around me. Consequently, the belly part bulged so I had a rounded belly. I spent a couple of months in that (I think) and then a month or so in a brace. The strange thing was, I never had much pain. The worst part was that there were no loose clothes available then except for housecoats and maternity clothes. It was rather embarrassing but that's what I wore.

I will always believe that my friend was hurt more than I was, but she didn't have the option of getting medical care. And you know what mothers always say? Don't wear ragged underwear because you might be in an accident? Well, my bra was pinned together, much to my mother's chagrin.

The H-Word

2008-10-31T17:46:00.000-07:00

A few horse stories.

We had a black mare when I was a kid. I got to ride her to the mailbox, which was about a mile away. The first time I wasn't very prepared. I had my hands full of mail and she decided she needed to gallop back home. Well.... Mom made a sack (maybe it was a flour sack) with ties on it so I could put the mail inside and tie it to the saddle horn. That worked. Did you know that most horses walk slowly away from home and then want to run back home? At least one I know of anyway.

We had a gray horse named Smokey. He was such a good horse and gentle. We pastured him out at a friend's farm. This family consisted of three older boys. Well, when my sister and I went out some time later to ride, he had become a bucking bronco. Mom and Dad figured the boys had been spurring him and making him buck. We had to sell him because he was ruined for riding.

We had another black horse who galloped like a rocking chair. Riding him bareback was so easy. He was a big horse but I loved him. I don't remember why we sold him.

My brother-in-law bought a skinny old buckskin mare at the sale yard. She was gentle but was stiff necked about being reined. I rode her out in the pasture and taught her to neck rein. One day, my BIL, still thinking she was stiff necked, got on her to move some cows. When the rein touched her neck, she turned so quickly that he was riding on her side. It was one of my most proud accomplishments. Sandy got bogged down one day in a muddy irrigation ditch up to above her knees. We pulled her out but she would not go into water again. On the way to bring in the milch cows one day, it was necessary to go down a rather steep slope, through a little creek, and up the other side. She wouldn't even go down the slope after her incident, so I tied her to some brush. I went after the cows on foot and, while I was going over to the other side, I heard a commotion. Sandy had fallen down the slope partway. I pulled on the reins until she got herself back up. I got on her and she gave me no argument! She headed right down the trail and through the water and up the other side. I think she thought she was being punished for her actions. Did this horse's brain connect her refusal to go down that trail with the roll down the hill? And then knew somehow that she needed to obey in order to avoid being punished again?

The C-Word

2008-10-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged much lately because I am now kinda fearful. I never thought much about that C-word, you know, the one that protects the contents of a book, paper, story, song, etc, from wrongful use. I won't type it because it might trigger a tag and someone will get on my blog and find my quotes from other sources. I didn't know the Bible has a C-word. How does one publisher know you quoted from his and not some other publisher's version? When I use definitions of words am I stealing someone's work? Beats me.........................

And Then....

2008-10-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our visit with our daughter and her family. Just a word of caution, though. Don't ever get a cockatoo, unless you really enjoy noise! Their new house is beautiful. The kids are doing well, one is really talented in writing essays and stories, the other loves designing clothes and drawing. The boy is in love and that's about all I can say about that!

By the way, our second choice of motel wasn't too great after all. There were young people standing around in the parking lot, drinking beer, smoking, and talking and laughing loudly. It made us uneasy so the next day, we found a motel where we had stayed 15 or so years ago. We had a nice big room and it was quiet. We felt safer there and it felt more homey. And it was considerably cheaper.

We came home through the most southern part of Kansas. It was beautiful. Along the central part of Kansas there are flint hills, a tall grass prairie of rolling hills. To the south, there are red rocks and red dirt. The tall prairie grass turns reddish in the fall and is absolutely beautiful, waving gently in the breeze. We stopped to potty, stopped to get gas, stopped to eat...well, actually we did at least two of those every time we stopped. One time we even stopped because of anticipated gas, but that's another story.

We were glad to get home, but enjoyed our visit. We didn't go to Bass Pro, though...the first time that we didn't. Guess we've graduated!

OOPS! Recap of Trip Across Kansas

2008-10-14T17:49:00.001-07:00

Somehow I accidentally deleted my blog about getting to Kansas and some subsequent happenings. I don't know how to find it, that is, if it is find-able.

Oh well! When we stopped at Pratt, we probably found the last motel room in town as there was a rodeo going on and there were lots of people in town. I found out I couldn't call from the room without a phone card so the manager brought her cell phone down to me. I managed to mess up and call someone named Steven. I gave her my daughter's phone number and she tried to call it. I didn't realized later, much later, that I was giving her the wrong area code. So she called my sister but the battery was low so she went back to the office to charge it and to call my sis. Then here she comes again to tell me that the phone in the room is off the hook and my sister couldn't get through. So, I called my sister (on the cell phone). I figured at least someone knew we had made it that far and were okay. For all this trouble, Rose took only one yellow squash and one tomato as her pay. We had taken some garden veggies to my Flower of the Family.Rose was very nice but I was somewhat embarrassed for being so much bother.

In the blog I deleted, mentioned two potential divorces and the phone card. I'll explain. I totally regretted not getting a phone card before leaving home or at least before getting a motel. After the first stay in Pratt where the wonderful desk lady went to so much trouble for us, you would have thought I’d have learned the lesson. NO. We went to our daughter’s house upon arriving in town, looked in the phone book and located a couple of motels. I decided a brand name motel would be better than an unknown one would so we went there. That’s the second one where the lady let me use her cell phone because I didn’t have a phone card, nor is there ever a pay phone nearby. I called and talked to my dear Son IL and I explained where we were as we planned on going out to dinner. He said, "Call us when you’re ready." And hung up. I wasn’t through with the conversation because I was going to tell him to head on over and we’d be ready. So, instead of asking that desk clerk f0r the use of her personal cell phone again, we opted to go down the strip and find a pay phone. We came to a QT, which I think means Quick Trip, where there was a pay phone and phone cards available. I used my change to call again and told my daughter where we were and that they could just meet us there as we were going to gas up anyway. I went inside and bought a phone card. We waited and waited and waited. I decided to call again and see if everything was okay, when they drove into the parking lot. My daughter cautioned us that things were cranky in their car. Well, I guess someone (my daughter) forgot to mention the cross street and P. thought it was the QT that was far away. We weren’t there so they went to the motel. I’m not sure but perhaps the lady directed them to the nearby QT. Anyway, they headed down there with P. wondering why in the world we went there and what logical reason was there for that (he’s one of those logical thinkers). Meanwhile my husband and I were both quite tired and cranky also, thus the two divorce thingy. However, we were hungry and eager to spend some time with the kids and the grandkids. Things were a little tense but after we followed them to Ryan’s (a wonderful steak and buffet), everyone was chilled out a little. Things went fine and we enjoyed our selves.
Now, guess who came back home with a brand new phone card?

Gonna Scoot Across Kansas

2008-10-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

No one seemed very interested in my strange dictionary.

If you read my daughter's blog (Flower of the Family), you know we going to drive down to see them. We actually enjoy crossing the entire width (West to East) of Kansas. There are lots of interesting things to see if you look around a little. Most people I know complain about having to drive across Kansas. There are lots of historic places there. I guess people just want to see mountains! Will check in when I get back. :)

The Devil's Dictionary

2008-10-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

First published between 1881 and 1911, the Devil's Dictionary is the work of Ambrose Bierce, who was born in Meigs County, Ohio, in 1842, and who vanished without trace in Mexico in 1913. Some examples:

Absurdity: A statement of belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
Barometer: An ingenious instrument which indicated what kind of weather we are having.
Clairvoyant: A person, commonly a woman, who has the power of seeing that which is invisible to her patron...namely that he is a blockhead.
Diplomacy: The patriotic art of lying for one's country.
Egotist: A person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.
Fiddle: An instrument to tickle human ears by friction of a horse's tail on the entrails of a cat.
Lawyer: One skilled in circumvention of the law.
Ocean: A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made for man, who has no gills.
Positive: Mistaken at the top of one's voice.
Truthful: Dumb and illiterate.

Is anyone willing to attempt modern definitions for these everyday words?

1. diplomaacy
2. education
3. free press
4. highbrow
5. jazz
6. lowbrow

More About Wii Wee

2008-10-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about the Wii products, except for what I mentioned. You can go to
www.ezinearticles.com, click on gaming, then consoles-games and then article #88. Or to an article at www.elpasotimes.com/ci_9449216?source=rss or just search for Wii in nursing homes. That ezine articles has lots of information about the Wii systems, etc. They are more than just video games apparently. I'm not electronic-friendly so don't expect me to know much more than this :)

Wii Wee

2008-10-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

Robin commented about her MIL wanting to get her kids a Wii. Some of the nursing homes have been using them to get residents to exercise. They use the ones that simulate baseball, bowling or tennis or whatever, so the residents can sit in a chair and move their limbs while reacting to the motions. It gives them exercise and lots of fun and laughter.

Go Outside and Get The Stink Blowed Off of Ya!

2008-09-26T19:46:00.001-07:00

I found a book at the library that is entitled: Last Child in the Woods...saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. By Richard Louv.

In case you haven't already guessed, he thinks our children these days do not play outside enough. Well, I think that also. You seldom drive down a residential street and actually see children playing outside, but perhaps they're behind that privacy fence at the back of the house.

He has a list of 100 actions we can take to change this. Here are a few.

1. In South Carolina, a father bought a load of dirt for his daughters, plus plastic buckets and shovels. It cost the same as a video game.

2. Tell your children stories about your special childhood places, then help them find their own. Under a weeping willow, the ditch behind the house, a meadow.

5. Find a scrap board and place it on bare dirt. Come back in a day or two, lift the board, and see how many species have found shelter there. Identify with a field guide. Return once a month and discover who's new.

6. Camping in the backyard. Buy them a tent or help them make a canvas tepee and leave it up all summer.

He lists numerous websites and books pertaining to this topic. It's worth checking out if you have couch potato children. For more information, visit www.lastchildinthewoods.com or www.cnaturenet.org

My Short Vacation

2008-09-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I spent Sunday afternoon through Wednesday morning with my daughter (Loop de Loop) and her two kids and her dog. Her hubby was busy with his work. I went with her to a writers' group and met some of the ladies whose blogs are linked to hers. It was really interesting and everyone was so nice. It's no wonder she loves to go and loves those friends.

I don't know why I was so tired when I got home. I just slept three nights are one of her sofas, a little different than my own bed. :) It was a mini-vacation! Enjoyed it.

The Flower of The Family Update

2008-09-20T15:20:00.001-07:00

Julie has moved and has no access to the internet at the present. She plans to either go to the library, McDonald's, or Panera and check things out. The move went well. She started her new job yesterday, and son Jon found a job already. They're doing fine. So don't give up on her. She'll make up for lost time, I guarantee ya!

A Quote From Mother Teresa

2008-09-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

"Someone asked me, 'Are you married?' And I said, 'Yes, and I find it sometimes very difficult to smile at Jesus because He can be so demanding sometimes.' This is really true. And there is where the love comes...when it is demanding, and yet we can give it to Him with joy."

Well, why not?

2008-09-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

Forty miles from here, there is a town of around 100,000 people. In the past few weeks there have been numerous stabbings, including several fatal ones. It seems than many are gang related. Now, I say, let's get some of those liberal professional demonstrators and give them some signs that say: Knives kill people. Ban knives. Ban all types of knives, large, small, hunting, steak, etc. Lives will be saved. People don't kill people, knives kill people.

Have ID checks at any store that sells any type of knife. Do a background check.

A SAD LOSS FOR OUR CHURCH

2008-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

We got word a couple of days ago that one of our 25-year old mothers in our church was found dead in her bed. She and her husband have a 4-year old daughter and an almost 2-year son.

Here's the story, with names changed. Our pastor's daughter Mary and her family lived in the same apt. building at one time with this family. Mary's daughter, Anna, was about three then. Anna liked to ring their own doorbell and go hide. It was a game she and her Mom played. Well, one day Anna came in crying, saying that the neighbor was going to kill her because she had rung that bell by mistake, Mary took Anna with her and went to meet the neighbor. It was Christy, who had a baby girl. They visited and became friends. Mary invited them to church. Christy came and shortly after got saved. Her husband Roger came and he got saved. They joined the church and were very faithful. Christy's parents joined the church also. Roger had been in the military and was working at a federal prison. He wanted to re-enlist in the military and he did so. It's been about two years I think. They were living in Kansas. Roger had just come home from Afghanistan for a week to see his family, Christy's family had just arrived there to see Roger, Christy, and their two grandchildren. Christy was found dead in her bed. Isn't it interesting to see that God used a little girl's "mistake" to bring that family to Him? We don't know yet what caused her death, but God chose to have almost her entire family there. I believe they got to see each other for a special time and for special reason. I am eager to find out what the pastor says after he gets back from doing the funeral and visiting with the family.

Today, we got word that an older guy passed away. He came to visit the church one day and got saved at that service. Not too long ago either. Praise the Lord that he found what he was seeking when he visited our church.

The Village Blacksmith by Longfellow

2008-09-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Village Blacksmith
Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And bear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshingfloor.

He goes on Sunday to the church
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his haul, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--Rejoicing--sorrowing--
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

Repost: Sensory Stimulation

2008-09-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

Years ago when I worked at a nursing home as an activity director, I decided to use a picture to provoke a conversation for a group activity. It was the picture of the blacksmith shoeing a horse underneath a tree. One of the ladies had extreme memory loss (we didn't know about Alzheimer's disease then). She could answer questions sometimes but she couldn't remember what she did 10 minutes before. You know the story. Anyway, several of the residents commented on the memories the picture provoked. One lady told about how her father was a blacksmith but he didn't go out of business when cars became so popular. He just learned to work on them and did very well. Mrs. B., the lady with the memory loss, who hardly knew her name anymore, began to speak in her weak, not used very much voice, and recited the entire poem "The Village Blacksmith", word for word. Needless to say we all had tears streaming down our faces. After that recitation, she became quiet and re-entered her little world. It is one of the grandest memories I have.

A Firstly

2008-09-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at placing a picture. I have one orange cat and used to have one that looked just like the brown tabby in the background. His name was Flatears but my grandkids called him Buddy. He had no ear tips (probably frozen when he was a baby), was very old, rather homely, but such a sweetie.

Get me my socks!

2008-09-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

I hope I have this story straight. A woman in our church received a call from a friend, asking that her three-year old boy be put on our prayer chain. She apparently had found him twisted somehow in his swing set, not breathing and blue. That was all we knew until we were told that he was okay. K. D. then related the rest of the story to my sister. The mother did CPR and called 911. Later, at the hospital, He was in the bed with nothing on but a diaper. Apparently, he woke up, looked around, and said, "Get me my socks! I'm naked!". The family was told that he might be six years old before they could really detect any brain damage. What do you think? If a three-year old can assess a situation, and do what is reasonable to him (?), can't we assume he's okay? Can you imagine that family's response when their little boy said that.

Has Everyone Said These?

2008-09-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

1. Someday when you're older, you'll understand.
2. Watch the tone of your voice when you talk to me.
3. Shut the door, were you born in a barn?
4. Stop your crying or I'll give you something to really cry about!
5. Do you think I'm made out of money?
6. Do you think money grows on trees?
7. If I've told once, I've told you a thousand times, don't exaggerate!
8. Are you deaf?
9. Would you jump off a bridge if everyone else was doing it?
10.Just wait until you're a parent someday!

If Wishes Were Horses, Beggers Would Ride

2008-09-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

I wish I had invented Velcro.

Things I Saw at the State Fair

2008-08-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

1. The Sea Lions, cute cute cute
2. The Tigers, beautiful, fearsome, fascinating
3. The Baboons, sassy, not self-conscious (if you know what I mean)
4. Beautiful Brown Swiss calf, hungry, tried to suck my fingers
5. Forest department's huge mules
6. Sand sculpture of Mt. Rushmore and a few other symbols of our country
7. Lots of junky souvenirs
8. Corn on the cob for $3.50
9. Funnel cakes for $7.00
10. Lots and lots of rabbits
11. Some really really strange art work
12. A very realistic looking doll handcrafted by someone. It was so real looking it was spooky.
Kinda gave me the creeps.

Okay, Here are the Rest

2008-08-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hope chest - bottom drawer
Suspenders - braces
hotdog bun - bridge roll
Recess - break (school)
Thread - cotton
Dry-goods store - draper
rubber cement - cow gum
Electric cord - flex
Water heater - geyser (gas)
Green thumb - green fingers

Did I forget any?

A Few Answers

2008-08-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

OKAY. Here are a few of the answers:

hamburger bun - bap
roller coaster - big dipper
trailer truck - articulated lorry
cookie - sweet biscuit
cracker - unsweetened biscuit
face flannel - wash cloth
hairgrip - bobbypin
oven cloth - pot holder
number plate - license plate
fish slice - spatula/turner

Come on, give it a try

2008-08-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'll give you the answer someday soon.

A QUIZ

2008-08-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

We like to pretend we speak English in the United States. Maybe, but we don't necessarily speak British! Answer the following questions. What is British for:
1. hamburger bun
2. roller coaster
3. trailer truck
4. cookie
5. cracker
6. hope chest
7. suspenders
8. hotdog roll
9. recess
10. thread

What is American for these words:
1. face flannel
2. draper
3. cow gum
4. fish slice
5. flex
6. geyser
7. hair grip/kirby grip
8. green fingers
9. number plate
10. oven cloth

A New Look for My Blog (but not for me)

2008-08-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

Like my new blog look? Thanks to my daughter Kay. Why should I learn to do this stuff when I have two knowledgeable daughters?

A Sweet Time

2008-08-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

On Mondays (three times a week) I take the Sunday sermon tape to one of the nursing homes. This week I was having difficulty finding available and willing customers. Some of the regulars were still in bed, two were in the beauty shop, some just didn't want to come. I ended up with four ladies, all of whom are regulars. The sermon was about faith, Heb. 11:1-4, about Cain and Abel. It was an excellent sermon. Afterwards, I asked the ladies if there were any prayer requests. Instead, they talked about the sermon ( thought some of them were asleep). Somehow I had unintentionally positioned their wheelchairs into a semi-circle. I sat down with them. Then it was the perfect thing to do.; we held hands. One lady's hands are twisted with rheumatoid arthritis, but she grabbed on. A couple of them prayed and I prayed. It was so sweet and it gave me shivers (I just shivered, just now). When we have finished, we realized why the others didn't come. God wanted that to happen and it probably wouldn't have if the others had been there. Plus, it was probably the first time a staff member had not come through the room, interrupting the mood. Again, Lord, do it again!

Total Reassurance

2008-08-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

Many years ago we had a pastor who apparently liked to cause people to doubt their salvation. I figured he wanted credit for it somehow. In fact, at his previous church, a lot of members got saved under his preaching! I think he liked to do that, cause doubts and then "reap the harvest". Well, I spent some time doubting my salvation. He said "if you don't remember the day, the date, the time, what you said, and the place, you're not saved." So, I am not even sure how old I was, what the date was, what the day was, but I know the place. I know that I felt a "bale of hay" lift off my shoulders. But, wait a minute, he said you can't go by feelings or sensations! I settled it one day at the altar, and realized that I already had Jesus "in my heart".

I recently found a little purse-sized Bible in with some old stuff. The cover is almost off and it is falling apart. Inside the back cover is the autograph of that pastor, and underneath it is written:
"8-16-82
Dear devil,
I know I am saved and you will not make me doubt again!!"

That interesting blog again

2008-08-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

I hope you haven't forgotten to check on that blog I mentioned, the one about the African Children's Choir (teresemonnette.blogspot.com). Her mother commented on my blog and thanked me for mentioning it. If you haven't looked at it, you must. Check out Dave's dgainest.blogspot.com. He's part of the group and you can leave comments on his, but not on hers.

Cutest Animals

2008-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Check this out Cutest Animals You don't have to read the comments (some are rank).

The Eyes of the "Unloveables" - Re-post

2008-08-11T18:44:00.001-07:00

Today was our church service at a local mental health care center. While Carl was speaking, I was looking at each person sitting there. All were listening carefully and respectfully. Because I also go there weekly to do a "Bible study", I know them all pretty well.I saw in their eyes a soul and spirit that God had placed there. A spirit which has been beaten up by mental illness and the stigma that goes with it. In spite of that, most of them are friendly and as happy as they probably can be anywhere. I know that a lot of them had been basically turned away by their families because of years of mental illness, behavior problems, drugs, or alcohol. Many do have family members who are in contact. Many have schizophrenia or bipolar diagnoses and have probably been sick most of their lives. There are a few elderly but most are probably under 60, many in their 30s or 40s. I was thinking... "who loves these people?" I do. They trust me and treat me very well. Some of the staff love them. Some have worked there for many years and consider the residents their own special family. Others can't take it for very long but it's just as well that they move on. It is a difficult place to work. Every staff member has to know all the behavior modifications for each resident, if there is a problem. Who else loves them? God, for sure. For some reason he allowed them to be affected by mental illness. Why, I don't know. But whenever someone treats them kindly, he is treating God's creation kindly, and He gets the glory.

An Angel Unaware?

2008-08-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

Nancy's comment on my Family Reunion story triggered this memory.

Several years ago, my daughters and I stopped to eat at a Taco Bell. As we were eating, I noticed an obviously homeless young man standing outside the entrance. He was not asking for money or food. He stood there for a while and then left. We grabbed our stuff, ordered two burritoes and a drink to go, and hurried to the car to follow him. He had disappeared but I realized that there was really only one reasonable direction for him to go. I drove around and there he was! We rolled up near him and my daughter called him over. He came and we asked him if he'd like some burritoes. He looked at us, with the most beautiful blue eyes, and said "Thank you", took the food and walked towards the back of a building. One of the girls exclaimed, "Mom! He has angel eyes!" He did indeed!

I think about him often.

JEWISH SONS

2008-08-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

I found this on Inspirational Archives

Jewish Sons
A Jewish father was concerned about his son who was about a year away from his Bar Mitzvah but was sorely lacking in his knowledge of the Jewish faith. To remedy this he sent his son to Israel to experience his heritage. A year later the young man returned home.
"Father, thank you for sending me to the land of our Fathers," the son said. "It was wonderful and enlightening, however, I must confess that while in Israel I converted to Christianity."
"Oy vey," replied the father, "what have I done." So in the tradition of the patriarchs, he went to his best friend and sought his advice and solace.
"It is amazing that you should come to me," stated his friend, "I too sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian."
So in the tradition of the patriarchs, they went to the Rabbi. "It is amazing that you should come to me," stated the Rabbi, "I too sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian. What is happening to our sons?" Brothers, we must take this to the Lord," said the Rabbi.
They fell to their knees and began to wail and pour out their hearts to the Almighty. As they prayed the clouds above opened and a Mighty Voice stated,
"Amazing that you should come to Me. I, too, sent My Son to Israel....."
- Contributed by LMMyers

Family Reunion

2008-08-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

It was so hot here yesterday, even in a park under huge trees, with a river running just feet away. A cousin and his wife came from Oregon. They hadn't come before, that I know of. There weren't very many there, only about 26, probably mostly due to gasoline costs and other commitments. Relatives on my father's side started the reunions, but now there are about as many relatives on my mother's side. We had a good time and of course had lots of food. We have had some much more interesting reunions. One year, an old fellow was in the park with his bicycle, which had a box tied onto the back wheel, and in that box he had his old cat. I went over and invited him to eat with us, which he did. His story was that he has a home (I forget where) but he liked to travel around that way. He had come down the canyon road and someone in a pickup had given him a ride to our town. I knew by looking at his cat that she probably had leukemia and was about to die. He was quite an interesting person. Very learned in his speech and manner.

One other time there was a homeless man wandering around and we invited him to eat with us. He did, and was very courteous. He told us he moved to this town to live with his daughter, but that they had "fought" and he moved out. When he started to leave, I asked him if he'd like to take something for later. He rudely said, "No!". Then he caught himself and replied in a more friendly manner, "No, thank you." I knew that I had violated some code that implied that he was homeless.

Another year, an old dog lay under the tree close to us and slept. When we were getting ready to leave, he walked back across the park to his home!

P.S. Sorry you couldn't make it, Queen. The others didn't either. K. H. had to work. Don't know about B. S. (oops) :)

Eternal Life

2008-07-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

The next time someone shows you Matt. 7:23 and claims that you can lose your salvation, just turn to John 10:25-30. Ask him in which scripture is Jesus lying? The one where he says "I know my sheep", or where he says, "...I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity"? So, as I see it, He couldn't "know" you at one time and then say, "I never knew you". So tell me, which time was He lying?

In John 10 he is responding to a question from some Jews. In Matthew 7 he is speaking to mulitudes, people from all around, not just his disciples.

I Got an Award!

2008-07-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Deb at Deb's Country Kisses for the wonderful award. I appreciate her kindness. I am sorry, but I don't know how to do links yet, and I know only a few bloggers. Am I in trouble if I don't pass this along? :( I will study on this problem, I say, and maybe I can do the link thing soon.

Flower of the Family has internet problems

2008-07-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Just want to note that Julie is having internet problems. She wanted me to mention it so her "fans" don't give up on her!

Sniglets or Whatever...

2008-07-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

Have been under the weather for a few days so I am cheating. Go to that guy's website (in last post) www.bertc.com and click on humor and then sniglets. Be aware that some of his stuff is a bit crude. He has some really interesting recipes (yuck).

BAD ANALOGIES, NO NO

2008-07-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

Found this at the website below:
Bert Christensen's Truth & Humour Collection at bertc.com/bad_analogies

Bad Analogies and Metaphors

Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two other sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a Guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one those boxes with a pinhole in it.
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.
The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't
McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze.
Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph
They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.
Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
"Oh, Jason, take me!"; she panted, her breasts heaving like a college freshman on $1-a-beer night.
He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton.
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword.
Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser.
She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
Her voice had that tense, grating quality, like a generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band tightened.
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.

Some of you writers might find this helpful! LOL

Another Encouraging Thing

2008-07-13T20:36:00.001-07:00

Well, today I found out that one of the retired peachers in our church has been asked (by a nursing home) to preach there each Sunday morning. He is thrilled because, as he said, he's "been sitting on a pew for a year now." That, plus the ministry of the lady I mentioned in the last blog, increases our outreach considerably. Isn't God good?

I Feel Encouraged

2008-07-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

I had made a comment on Monday through Sunday's blog about Compassion and Kindness. I said I had been praying that God would renew my passion for the nursing home ministry. Tonight at church, a lady, who has been attending for awhile, came up afterwards and asked me how she can bring up the subject of salvation when she visits in nursing homes! She has been doing that for quite some time but feels timid about approaching people about the Lord. She has a heart for these folks and I felt as though I had found another kindred spirit (there are several of us already involved). She can't go on Sunday afternoons to our services but wants to visit on a one to one basis. A gentleman she was visiting had recently died. I told her that, since she is familiar to the staff, she could just sit and visit with someone and get to know her/him. A good way to bring up the Lord is to say something like, "Just look at that sky! I just love God's creation, don't you?" Or "I had a wonderful blessing from the Lord the other day." Or "My favorite Bible verse is etc. Do you have one?" Then she can find out whether they are agreeable to the idea of God. Thank you Lord.

I Don't Get It!

2008-07-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

Just what does "Rest in peace" mean? People say it at gravesides all the time. Doesn't it imply that we believe that person is somewhere and we want him to be at peace? Somehow I came across an atheist's blog. He had a link to a Tribute to George Carlin. You know him, he was that atheists' hero stand-up comic. This article commended Carlin for "softening us up to accepting that religion is completely man-made and man-driven, from start to finish. The gods are fair game; it's okay to doubt them, to joke about them, and to use their holy books as a means to even out wobbly tables or for toilet paper!"

THEN, at the end he writes "Rest in Peace, George." I thought these people (they call themselves '"freethinkers") don't believe in any afterlife, so why does he wish him peace? Isn't he suppose to assume that Carlin is just a chunk of flesh lying in the ground? This is the most absurd comment I've ever heard, considering its source. What do you think? If you want to read it all, it's at debunkingchristianity dot blogspot dot com

Quite a Day!

2008-07-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Today we had a dedication service for our new auditorium. Our old auditorium is now our fellowship hall and our old fellowship hall will be a class room and/or children's church, I think. We had lots of lovely music and a rather long sermon, good, however. We had dinner afterwards and then between 2 and 4 was open house. Anyone need some cookies? Plenty of food and cookies left. I think the cookies will be used for Vacation Bible School coming up soon. I counted about 390 people this morning. All the people involved in the construction were invited and many were there. Contractors, plumbers, electricians, etc. This evening we had some testimonies, a great sermon on evangelism and outreach, followed by communion.

Change comes harder for some of us than for others. I never thought we would have choir robes but we do! Kinda comical to see some of those guys wearing dresses :) The pastor and wife from 35 year ago were there tonight, plus their oldest son , his wife and their four kids. Bro. Leon S. for those who know of whom I speak.

It was a good day.

2008-07-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hey, I just caught on that I have passed my 100! This should be #102. Had not given it any thought. Don't have anything to say. It's 90 degrees and 13% humidity here today. Sun with some puffy white clouds along the horizons.

Fun Week

2008-07-04T09:13:00.001-07:00

Well, this has been an interesting week. Two of my grandkids came on Sunday to stay two nights. This was great because they are reluctant to be away from home. (We had a "tragic" thing happen a few years ago. They had to stay an extra night and it traumatized them). So that is why I was so glad they wanted to come. The best surprise was that they conspired with each other and asked their mom if they could stay another night!

Things my grandkids did while here:

1. Groomed cats, some against their will.
2. Carried my carry-able cat around
3. Tried to pet the cat that skirts around saying, "Pet me! Pet me! Don't touch me! Don't touch me!"
4. Searched for the cat that was scared out of her wits and hid rather effectively.
5. Ate weird things.
6. Wallowed around on the sleeping bags which lived on the living room floor for two days and nights.
7. Ipods, hand held games, etc.
8. Made a big mud puddle, took showers.
10. Groomed and wrestled sister's dogs.
11. Carried her cat around (the one that seems to have no bones, he's so "flexible.")
12. Grandson learned how to saw wood on a table saw.
13. Did some B-B gun target practice.
14. Grandson's tendency to car sickness helped us take three hours to take a two hour trip.

We stopped at a convenience store and the two people working there were so kind and concerned. The lady gave us a cold wet hand towel to put on our boy's neck. It helped.

I stayed overnight and enjoyed being with my daughter and her sweet hubby.

Long Time Coming

2008-06-30T20:27:00.001-07:00

Monday through Sunday's latest post reminded me of a similar situation. There was a lady in our church for years who prayed for her lost husband for 35 years or so. Every pastor we had went to visit him, each thinking he would be the one to get to lead R. to the Lord. No. No. No. On and on. He and his wife went fishing at a mountain lake and a pastor from another town sat and fished and visited with R. that whole day. When R. was in a hospital in that town, that pastor went to see him. The minute Pastor G. walked into the room, R. looked up at him and said, "Pastor, I need to get saved." After all those years and all those pastors, Pastor G. had the blessing of being the one. You see, he made friends with R. that day, and instead of just coming to the house as his wife's pastor, he came as a friend.

He never wanted his wife to watch Billy Graham or any other Christian program before, but after he got saved, they watched those programs together. When he went into renal failure and decided to stop dialysis, he talked about the Lord all the time. What a wonderful memory that is for all of us who knew that couple. They are together again, praise the Lord.

Lightbulb in the Brain

2008-06-30T20:01:00.001-07:00

I think I know what the problem is, in regards to the previous post. I started going to that unit because of a certain special wonderful lady who loved to sing the old hymns. I played them and we sang. She passed away and eventually it became a ball tossing time, which led to different music. I need to go back to the original plan, whether those who work there agree or not. I have no problem with the activities director or the administrator, both being Christians. I now believe the reason things are not going well is because I lost my intent. It may be that I won't go back there. I go four Sundays a month to nursing home church services, once a week to do a Bible study at a nursing home, once a week to play the preaching tape at another home, and that one, where I compromised. Yes, I do get burned out. So do the other people who have been going for almost as many years to the Sunday afternoon services. But God hasn't given us permission to quit yet. Perhaps if I go back to the hymns, things will go better. I really appreciate all the insight from my blogging friends (and family).

Cop-Out or Not?

2008-06-27T19:22:00.001-07:00

I stopped one of my volunteer jobs today, at least for July. I didn't want to exactly because I always feel so guilty and selfish. This particular job was going to an Alzheimer's unit and spending an hour with the residents. Originally I went to play music and toss a ball with them. Some of them got past that and are unable to do that anymore. So I started doing more 1:1 things with them. Walking, visiting, looking at magazines, etc. Some of them are very aware whether an activity is childlike and patronizing. For the past several months I have felt frustrated every time I walked out. I couldn't actually put my finger on what was wrong, but knew I felt no pleasure or assurance that I was doing what I should have been doing. The staff seemed mostly indifferent to me, sometimes moving the residents into another room just before I got there, instead of leaving them together in the dining room. They played "relaxing music" all day long so music was not a treat for them. They didn't seem to want me to stimulate the residents because they might get out of hand. Sometimes they would turn my music down or turn it off. Well, I am quite experienced at working with dementia victims and I know how to stimulate them and then bring them back to a state of relaxation. Sometimes staff conversations went on while I was trying to read a story or do an activity with the residents, disregarding my attempts to give the staff a little bit of a break. I think I mainly felt I was intruding and disrupting their routines. I will still visit but not at an appointed time as before. Perhaps I can reconcile myself to a better plan. Boy, is this a wa wa thing or not? Just pretend I'm crying on your shoulder, my friends.

The Bible in 50 Words

2008-06-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Found this in "Bits of Sonshine", published by the SONShine Society. It was submitted by David Pikel.

The Bible in 50 Words

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharoah plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.