Here we are in the month of June! No blogs in May, unusual for me, although it was a very eventful month! Has anyone ever been sick from a tick bite? Let me tell you, it was no fun! Body aches, fatigue and general malaise. I finally went to the doctor, who gave me meds that REALLY made me sick. Couldn't eat or drink, became dehydrated and was sent to hospital for IV fluids. Lost 11 pounds in a week!
All is well now, although I was feeling sorry for myself when Mother's Day came and I missed my kids. Still under the weather that day, moping around, I didn't feel like going to church. The phone rang, and our son, Trevor, asked me if Jamie was here yet. What? From Houston? It was true! Not only did he cheer my Mother's Day, but he took us home with him for a week!
What fun to get to see our grandchildren at their gymnastic practice! We also got to go to church with them, eat out a lot and generally enjoy ourselves. How would we get home? Jamie would have to work! Well, he had planned everything out. We would meet son Mark halfway to his house in Austin. He would drive us to Waco where son Trevor would take us home to Oklahoma! What great kids we have!
There was a little layover in Waco waiting for Trev, so Mark drove us around the Magnolia Silos and gardens of Chip and Joanna Gaines. When Trevor arrived, we all had a delightful lunch at beautiful Collins Street Bakery, home of the famous pecan pies. The white, colonial-style structure with walls of windows was built a few years ago closer to the beaten path than the original bakery location.
What a treat to have Trevor here overnight when we got home. He hadn't seen our new environs since we moved to the country, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself, and we him! Reminiscing, seeing our chickens and goats, eating mom's cooking, and laughing over family videos all added up to precious moments.
Our next big adventure is a planned reunion with all our children and as many grands and great-grands who can come for our 60th wedding anniversary later this month! Can't wait!
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Monday, April 30, 2018
Open Door
"Arf! Arf!" I heard as I lay on the sofa for a rest. "Arf! Arf!" repeated every few minutes. I knew it was the family dog, Pebbles, probably demanding a treat from my husband who was having a late lunch in the kitchen.
"Arf! Arf!" The staccato bark was steady, finally responded to by her master, our grandson Adam, coming down from upstairs.
"I don't know what she's barking at," I offered as he opened the front door. Oh, she was outside and the sofa was near the door. No wonder I heard her so clearly! In a few minutes they were back, Adam cradling her and stroking her soothingly.
"She couldn't get in the house," he explained, setting her gently on the floor. What? Couldn't get in? Doesn't she have a doggy door? I thought.
"She couldn't figure out the ramp," Adam said. O-oh, Howard had just had a ramp installed at the back door. "She was going under the ramp," he laughed, as he carefully set the aging dog down. "I had to show her to her doggy door at the top," he said fondly.Well, I guess it's true, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, as the old saying goes.
I was reminded of a song the children used to sing in church. "We're building up the temple... we're building up the temple...we're building up the temple of the Lord...it's so high you can't get over it, so low you can't get under it...so wide you can't get around it, you must come in at the door."
Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." (John 10:7). And again in John 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
I have heard that the shepherds often built sheep enclosures on the hills, but an opening was left for them to enter. It is said that the shepherd lay across the opening, he himself was the door.
Jesus also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." I think of an illustration I heard about a guide leading a safari. The group became alarmed when the path was no more discernible. "Where is the path?" they cried out. The guide stated, "I am the path."
May we always find the Door that is open to us!
"Arf! Arf!" The staccato bark was steady, finally responded to by her master, our grandson Adam, coming down from upstairs.
"I don't know what she's barking at," I offered as he opened the front door. Oh, she was outside and the sofa was near the door. No wonder I heard her so clearly! In a few minutes they were back, Adam cradling her and stroking her soothingly.
"She couldn't get in the house," he explained, setting her gently on the floor. What? Couldn't get in? Doesn't she have a doggy door? I thought.
"She couldn't figure out the ramp," Adam said. O-oh, Howard had just had a ramp installed at the back door. "She was going under the ramp," he laughed, as he carefully set the aging dog down. "I had to show her to her doggy door at the top," he said fondly.Well, I guess it's true, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, as the old saying goes.
I was reminded of a song the children used to sing in church. "We're building up the temple... we're building up the temple...we're building up the temple of the Lord...it's so high you can't get over it, so low you can't get under it...so wide you can't get around it, you must come in at the door."
Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." (John 10:7). And again in John 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
I have heard that the shepherds often built sheep enclosures on the hills, but an opening was left for them to enter. It is said that the shepherd lay across the opening, he himself was the door.
Jesus also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." I think of an illustration I heard about a guide leading a safari. The group became alarmed when the path was no more discernible. "Where is the path?" they cried out. The guide stated, "I am the path."
May we always find the Door that is open to us!
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Heartthoughts:Keep on Keeping on!
"Wait! I want to see the pillows," I said to my hubby as we were walking up the aisle at Walmart. I glanced quickly through the decorative pillows, and then one took my eye. "Oh, look, isn't that pretty?" I exclaimed.
He had walked on by this time, so I took it upon myself to put it in the shopping cart when I caught up with him. Not that I needed any more sofa pillows, but it would complement the decorative motif I have going on. Anyway, it was only eight dollars.
"Hey, that pillow rang up $16!" Howard protested. The cashier stopped and said that was the right price, while I thought it was probably worth it and we had made a mistake. When he had totaled our purchases, he called after us that we could stop at Customer Service and they could verify the price.
I thought we would go on, but my thrifty spouse stopped there. After much waiting and checking, an employee came back with the good news that it was only $7.99! They refunded the over-payment. It pays to be persistent!
We had put out tomato plants and green onions and covered them when a cold snap was predicted. Alas, we lost them to the freeze. But we persisted and have now set out more tomato plants, beans and okra! While doing this, I noticed curious, leafy plants growing in an orderly pattern. Potatoes! We had planted them earlier, and now they were up!
Several incidents in the Bible demonstrate the importance of persistence: The woman with the issue of blood who was healed by pushing through the crowd to touch Jesus, as recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Canaanite mother who protested to Jesus that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table, Matthew 15:27. And the story of the unjust judge who rendered justice to a persistent widow. Luke 18:2.
Whether pertaining to pillows, plants or people, the moral of the story is "Don't give up!"
He had walked on by this time, so I took it upon myself to put it in the shopping cart when I caught up with him. Not that I needed any more sofa pillows, but it would complement the decorative motif I have going on. Anyway, it was only eight dollars.
"Hey, that pillow rang up $16!" Howard protested. The cashier stopped and said that was the right price, while I thought it was probably worth it and we had made a mistake. When he had totaled our purchases, he called after us that we could stop at Customer Service and they could verify the price.
I thought we would go on, but my thrifty spouse stopped there. After much waiting and checking, an employee came back with the good news that it was only $7.99! They refunded the over-payment. It pays to be persistent!
We had put out tomato plants and green onions and covered them when a cold snap was predicted. Alas, we lost them to the freeze. But we persisted and have now set out more tomato plants, beans and okra! While doing this, I noticed curious, leafy plants growing in an orderly pattern. Potatoes! We had planted them earlier, and now they were up!
Several incidents in the Bible demonstrate the importance of persistence: The woman with the issue of blood who was healed by pushing through the crowd to touch Jesus, as recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Canaanite mother who protested to Jesus that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table, Matthew 15:27. And the story of the unjust judge who rendered justice to a persistent widow. Luke 18:2.
Whether pertaining to pillows, plants or people, the moral of the story is "Don't give up!"
Friday, April 27, 2018
Heartthoughts:Do I Know You?
"How is Oscar Mayer?" we heard a voice from somewhere up there! Where did that come from, we puzzled. Then we saw a construction worker standing in an opening high up in a city building under renovation.
"They are growing!" Howard shouted back when we determined where the voice was coming from. Who was this? And how did he know the names of two of our pigs, Oscar and Mayer? We couldn't figure it out, and the man was too far away for us to recognize him. No doubt somebody that Howard had talked to, I concluded as we entered a restaurant for lunch.
We were served tasty bowls of ham and beans, with a wedge of corn bread. All too soon, we could see the bottom of the shallow bowls and let the waitress know they were skimpy. She agreed, and took our empty bowls for a refill. Some time later, a manager-type person brought them, and apologized. He surprised us by saying he wouldn't normally do this, but since we were regulars, he would. Regulars? The popular eatery had opened months ago, but we had only been there a few times! How could he know us?
I was reminded of a time recently when Howard attended a Men's Breakfast at church. A man he didn't know approached him and asked how our grandson, Reid, was doing. My husband had no idea who he was, but answered that he was doing fine. Reid had been thrilled to go on the road with musician friends and a famous gospel artist. Proud Pa Pa Howard had told several about it, but he had never seen this person!
These incidents made me think of the phrase, "You are not invisible." In other words, people notice and hear your words and actions, even if you are not aware of it. It gave me pause to stop and think about how I might appear to others, even strangers. Do I demonstrate Christian behavior, or do I unconsciously frown and look disagreeable while shopping or discussing with my husband in public.
There is a saying that you're the only Bible that someone may ever read. 2 Corinthians 3:2 states, "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
(3:3) For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with
the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart."
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matthew 5:16
"They are growing!" Howard shouted back when we determined where the voice was coming from. Who was this? And how did he know the names of two of our pigs, Oscar and Mayer? We couldn't figure it out, and the man was too far away for us to recognize him. No doubt somebody that Howard had talked to, I concluded as we entered a restaurant for lunch.
We were served tasty bowls of ham and beans, with a wedge of corn bread. All too soon, we could see the bottom of the shallow bowls and let the waitress know they were skimpy. She agreed, and took our empty bowls for a refill. Some time later, a manager-type person brought them, and apologized. He surprised us by saying he wouldn't normally do this, but since we were regulars, he would. Regulars? The popular eatery had opened months ago, but we had only been there a few times! How could he know us?
I was reminded of a time recently when Howard attended a Men's Breakfast at church. A man he didn't know approached him and asked how our grandson, Reid, was doing. My husband had no idea who he was, but answered that he was doing fine. Reid had been thrilled to go on the road with musician friends and a famous gospel artist. Proud Pa Pa Howard had told several about it, but he had never seen this person!
These incidents made me think of the phrase, "You are not invisible." In other words, people notice and hear your words and actions, even if you are not aware of it. It gave me pause to stop and think about how I might appear to others, even strangers. Do I demonstrate Christian behavior, or do I unconsciously frown and look disagreeable while shopping or discussing with my husband in public.
There is a saying that you're the only Bible that someone may ever read. 2 Corinthians 3:2 states, "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
(3:3) For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with
the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart."
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matthew 5:16
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Heartthoughts: By Any Other Name....
A funny video on Facebook about choosing a "Grandma" name made me think of an incident several years back. I was at their house one day when my grandchildren had a friend over to play. I saw the little girl as she passed the window, seeing me, then I heard her say, "There's a Go-Go in there!"
I laughed, because I knew her grandmother was called "Go-Go." It seems when one of the grandchildren was young, he tried to say "Grandma," but it came out, "Go-Go." The name stuck through the rest of the grandchildren!
Sadly, I didn't have a close relationship with my paternal grandmother, and I only saw my mother's mom a couple of times that I remember. Actually she was Mama's step-mother who raised her. Mama's biological mother died when my mother was still an infant. Distance was a factor at that time, and southwest Texas was just too far.
It seems most grandmothers today have the joy and pleasure of being near their grandchildren and a part of their lives as they grow up. With the exception of one family living close, all mine live far away. It reminds me of when I was raising my children, and we lived 500 miles from my parents, their beloved grandparents.
There were grandchildren aplenty living close to Mama, though, and she had the opportunity to see that they were in church and learning to serve the Lord. I still hear from those nieces and nephews about the influence she had on their lives, getting them to the altar to be saved and baptized!
I am reminded of the scripture in II Timothy 1:5, when Paul writes to Timothy, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."
My daughters now have the fun of choosing a "Grandma" name. I am "Mimi" to my grands, and my oldest daughter has chosen that for her name as well! That promoted me to "Mimi the Great!" My youngest daughter, Amy, expands on her name to be called "M'Amy"!
So what's in a name? A lot of love!
I laughed, because I knew her grandmother was called "Go-Go." It seems when one of the grandchildren was young, he tried to say "Grandma," but it came out, "Go-Go." The name stuck through the rest of the grandchildren!
Sadly, I didn't have a close relationship with my paternal grandmother, and I only saw my mother's mom a couple of times that I remember. Actually she was Mama's step-mother who raised her. Mama's biological mother died when my mother was still an infant. Distance was a factor at that time, and southwest Texas was just too far.
It seems most grandmothers today have the joy and pleasure of being near their grandchildren and a part of their lives as they grow up. With the exception of one family living close, all mine live far away. It reminds me of when I was raising my children, and we lived 500 miles from my parents, their beloved grandparents.
There were grandchildren aplenty living close to Mama, though, and she had the opportunity to see that they were in church and learning to serve the Lord. I still hear from those nieces and nephews about the influence she had on their lives, getting them to the altar to be saved and baptized!
I am reminded of the scripture in II Timothy 1:5, when Paul writes to Timothy, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."
My daughters now have the fun of choosing a "Grandma" name. I am "Mimi" to my grands, and my oldest daughter has chosen that for her name as well! That promoted me to "Mimi the Great!" My youngest daughter, Amy, expands on her name to be called "M'Amy"!
So what's in a name? A lot of love!
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