The Best Is Yet To Be

Boats & Birds

2012-02-01T14:39:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we had a delightful day with friends. It was the last day of January, the middle of winter, and the temperature rose into the 60s. It was a day to savor the beautiful weather.

Our friends have scheduled a trip next year on the still to be completed Mississippi Queen. It is being built in the Chesapeake Shipbuilding yard in Salisbury, MD. Yesterday we joined them on an excursion to the Eastern Shore to see this boat under construction. If you have never toured a shipbuilding yard you have missed a fascinating experience. We donned our hard hats and followed Tony, the construction foreman, for a tour of the boat.

We learned about insulation and wires and potable water. The number of details that go into building a large passenger boat are overwhelming, and far more interesting than I expected.

There was dust, noise, wires, and timber everywhere. Construction workers were busy on every level. From the back deck we could see The Glory, the boat we are scheduled to cruise on in 2013.

It really was a fascinating, tour.

After lunch we went to the Ward Wildfowl Art Museum. This place is dedicated to wood carvings of birds, mostly duck decoys. I was totally blown away by the beautiful sculptures we saw. They were breathtaking. These hand-carved wooden sculptures looked so lifelike, just like birds in flight. If you have opportunity you really should stop and see this place. I loved it!

I love enjoying unusual special days with friends.

Republican Bus

2012-01-23T15:45:00.000-08:00

Did you ever play that game about who you would rather sit by on a cross-country bus trip? Someone gives you two names and asks which one you would choose to sit by on a cross county bus trip and you have to explain why. Who would you choose, Marilyn Monroe or Sophia Loren? George Washington or Abraham Lincoln?

I decided to take an imaginary cross-country bus trip with the Republican presidential hopefuls. How would I, a moderate Democrat, fare with this group of people? In my imagination I got on the bus in Iowa just as Tim Pawlenty was getting off. He seemed like a friendly fellow, but I didn't have time to get acquainted with him. I looked around and decided to sit with the only woman on the bus.

Michelle Bachmann seemed like a nice Christian lady. We showed each pictures of our kids and told each other funny family stories. I told her about my faith in a loving and gracious God. Her faith came across as far more judgmental than mine and has a lot more rules. She seemed to be very uncomfortable with my interpretation of scripture and very uncomfortable with diverse opinions. I was relieved when she got off the bus. I thought she was scary.

Next I sat next to a man with a big, friendly smile. Herman Cain made a fortune selling pizza and thought he could use this experience to make America a better country. He kept saying something about 9-9-9. He thought his tax scheme would fix the economy. It seemed to over-simplify a complex problem and I had my doubts. When I asked him about foreign policy his answer got really weird. It turns out Herman had a mistress and the Republicans are the party of family-values. The mistress was a big no-no, so Herman had to get off the bus.

There was a nice man from Utah who rode the bus for awhile. Jon Huntsman seemed like a nice guy . He had worked for Obama as ambassador to China. I admired the way he put serving his country ahead of political ideology. The Republicans didn't seem to like him very well. He too got off the bus.

A good-old-boy from Texas was my next seat-mate. Rick Perry liked to hunt and fish. I don't hunt or fish and I found it hard to talk to him. He just never seemed to quite figure out what to do with himself outside of Texas. He got off the bus and headed back home.

I looked around and decided to sit with the older gentleman from Texas. I really liked Ron Paul, but his fellow passengers don't pay him very much attention. He comes across as an honest, sincere man who champions the cause of small government and withdrawal from all foreign entanglements. I find myself disagreeing with his proposals, but respecting him as a man of honor. I don't want him to drive the bus, but I do like him.

Rick Santorum was my next seat-mate. He reminded me a lot of Michelle Bachmann. He is driven by faith. I'm sure he is a loving husband and father. I think he is sincere. Sincerity just doesn't seem to be enough to qualify a person to president. Especially not when I disagree about many of the things that he holds dear. I think he will be getting off the bus in the near future.

I look at the last two men on the bus and decide to sit by Mitt Romney. This man has money. I think he probably paid for the bus. He seems a bit stiff, but still likable. He has a nice wife and has raised five sons. I find it is easier to talk to him as I get to know him better. He was once the Republican governor of a Democratic state. Somehow he seemed to be able to talk to people with different opinions and find a consensus they could both agree on. That is a rare talent. He really wants to be president. He has made this bus trip before. I'm not really sure where he stands on several issues because he seems to have changed his mind about lots of things. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Did I mention that Mitt has a lot of money.

There’s one man left on the bus. I approached his seat, but just couldn't make myself sit down. There was a stench that completely repelled me. Newt Gingrich is a man with a very bad history. Congress convicted him of ethics violations. He has been through two messy divorces. He owed Tiffany’s $500,000. Surely the party that stood for family values would find this man repellant. He comes across to me as a creepy, dirty old man.

It was an interesting bus ride, but I don't think I want to ride with this group any further.

Warm Nights

2012-01-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning, as I do most mornings, in my comfortable, warm bed. My husband of fifty years slept beside me. We were safe in our warm, quiet house house. The only difference was that this morning I was acutely aware of the blessing of having a home and family.

This week our church is participating in a program run by the county social service department called Warm Nights. During the cold months various churches in our town volunteer to turn their building into a shelter for a week. This is our week. Last night my ladies' circle prepared dinner for our guests. About six PM our guests began to arrive. They were pretty ordinary looking folks. You probably would not identify them as homeless if you passed them on the street. Some of them work during the day. The children attend school. Some have mental problems that make working impossible for them. The folks I visited with were friendly people who were profoundly grateful for a safe place to sleep and some food to eat. They are nice people who have hit a hard place in life. We had prepared a meal of meat-loaf, potatoes and collard greens, with sweet potato pie for dessert. The greens were the big hit of the evening. The pot was licked clean. After dinner some went to take a shower, some visited and shared events of the day, some watched the TV. One man had a sewing kit and was mending clothes for others. A few curled up and their cots and went to sleep. For this week our fellowship hall was home, and they were glad to be there.

This morning other church folks fed them breakfast and sent them out for the day with a bag lunch prepared by another group of church folks. They have to be out and gone for the day about six AM. Tonight they will return. Sunday morning they will move on to the next shelter for the week.

I am grateful for the work of the county and it's churches in helping these people. I am grateful that I was able to be part of the effort to keep these needy people safe, warm and fed.

I am just overwhelming grateful for my life today.

Our church fellowship hall as a shelter from life's storms.

Cars

2012-01-17T06:10:00.001-08:00

I love this picture of my daughters.
I find it amazing just how much the car they each drive says about them.

Dr Pepper

2012-01-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine is upset by the new Dr Pepper commercial. According to the commercial the taste of Dr Pepper is, “Not for women.” My friend says the commercial is sexist. She is offended and has vowed to never drink another Dr Pepper. I will admit that it seems a bit dumb to tell half the population that this drink is not for them.

The whole discussion about Dr Pepper took me back to the Texas vacations of my childhood.

I grew up in California where Dr Pepper was not yet distributed, but both my parents were Texans. That meant we traveled to Texas every summer to visit relatives. In spite of the heat and the chiggers, I really enjoyed these trips visiting with all my kinfolk. One of the best things about these trips was Dr Pepper. My grandmother loved Dr Pepper. There was always a case of this wonderful drink sitting in her kitchen. With all my well-meaning relatives watching me I never got to drink nearly as much as I wanted. My crazy, good-hearted Aunt Rubye (pictured with her daughter Janice) knew how much I loved Dr Pepper and tried to help. Every morning at ten she would sit me down with my cousin Kenny and give us orange juice in a Dr Pepper bottle. We sat there on the back steps swigging our juice from the Dr Pepper bottles and talked about how much we would prefer to be drinking the real thing. Finally at two in the afternoon we were allowed to drink a real Dr Pepper. I remember getting the icy cold bottle from the refrigerator and sitting on the shady steps with Kenny We clinked our bottles together and sipped our cold sodas. It was one of the best moments of the day.

I seldom drink Dr Pepper any more, but when I do I am flooded with memories of people and happy times long gone.

Far Away

2012-01-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

My grandson is in the hospital. He's in the Air Force stationed in Texas. I'm sure he will be fine, but he is far away.

My daughter came straight to me this morning at church and hugged me tight with one of those, “Oh Mom, I'm scared,” hugs. Her son had sent a text saying he was in the hospital having his appendix out. They had been asleep when he called and found the text just before coming to church. That's all she knew and that just was not enough information for his parents or his grandparents. He called later just as he was waking up from surgery, sounding OK, but a bit groggy. We are grateful that he is in a place with good hospitals and medical care. Appendectomies are routine surgeries. We expect he will recover without problem. But Texas does feel very far away today.

I just called the hospital, really just trying to find out which hospital he was in, and was connected to his room. He sounded good.

Letters

2012-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you received a long, hand-written letter from someone you loved?

I'm reading a wonderful book,”Last Letters from Attu” by Mary Breu. Most of the book is a collection of letters from the author's aunt who was a teacher in remote native villages in Alaska during the years before World War II. She was captured by the Japanese from the small island of Attu and become a prisoner of war. The letters are long, newsy letters to her family about her life. They are fascinating. I am so glad her family saved them and made them available for others to read.

The book reminded me of all the letters I used to write and receive from my family. My mom and I exchanged letters at least once a week until she was no longer able to write. I loved the long letters full of the trivia that made up her life. We shared stories about family and news about friends. We shared our fears and joys. Those letters were always such a joy to read. Sadly only a few of her letters remain. The few I do have are a precious connection to her and a fascinating family history.

Letter writing is a lost art. We tweet and update our status on facebook. We text and occasionally actually talk on the phone. We don't sit down and write letters to the people we love. I miss the joy of going to mailbox and finding a letter addressed with the familiar hand writing of someone I love.

I don't plan to start a letter-writing campaign, although the US Post Office could use the business. Instead I will write my letters on this blog. I hope one day that my family will find them interesting.

Verse for the new year

2012-01-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is going to be my Bible verse for 2012

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

A Fond Farewell to 2011

2011-12-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

If you pay any attention to the news of the past year you know that 2011 was not a very good year. There were wars and rumors of war. There were protests and angry mobs. The economy was a mess, and politics has been very nasty. Yet, when I look around my little corner of the world ,there has been a golden glow of joy, goodness and peace. In the place where I have lived, the year 2011 has been a wonderful year.

We celebrated my seventieth birthday and our fiftieth wedding anniversary this year. Perhaps all those years have taught us to be a bit more patient and to trust God a little more. In all those years there have have been many dark and difficult times, but we are still here. We are surrounded by family and friends. God has seen us through to the other side of those dark times. We are now enjoying the green meadows and quiet waters that have been waiting here for us all along.

Here is a list of some of the reasons, in no particular order, I have felt so blessed in 2011.

1. We had a most wonderful party for our 50th anniversary which made us feel very loved.
2. Two more of our beautiful, intelligent grandchildren graduated from high school. I see great hope for the world when I see my grandkids and their friends.
3. Our daughter and her sweetheart became engaged. We get to plan for a fall wedding.
4. Our son has lost more than 100 pounds this year. He looks and feels so much better.
5. I get to teach the toddlers' Sunday school class. These beautiful babies are so much fun.
6. My oldest granddaughter bought her own house. How did she grow up so quickly? Amazing.
7. Our long lost son came home. What a wonderful reunion!
8. Our kids' businesses are both making a profit this year.
9. Our grandson’s ulcerative colitis was declared to be in complete remission.
10. We have discovered that retirement gives us time to enjoy all that life has to offer. We have enjoyed beautiful sunsets, good books, the company of friends, the joy of quiet evenings together, and the certainty of God's grace.

My only resolution for 2012 is to continue to count my blessings and to live each day with joy.

Christmas Snapshots

2011-12-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

We began a brand new tradition this year with Christmas Eve brunch at our granddaughter's new home. It is good to pass the joy of hosting a holiday party on to the next generation, even if it is really hard to believe our granddaughter is now an adult.

I love the Christmas eve services at church. The lit candles and music always bring tears and sweet memories.

Christmas day brings the family together. Although we missed our oldest grandson who was needed by the Air Force and youngest son who was need by the Army, we managed to fill the house with love and laughter.

DQ arrived wearing his new Christmas hat.

Not to be outdone, his dad received a new head of hear.

We did have a hula-hoop contest. Girls are better hula-hoopers than boys.

After a long day of food and family our granddaughters crashed as usual in a nap on the couch.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Reunion

2011-12-02T18:11:00.000-08:00

In 2002 our son came home for a visit. He drove his big 18-wheeler down our little street, picked me and took me for a ride. We found a parking place for his big rig, and he stayed and spent Christmas week with us. We loved having him here, but we knew he was going through a difficult time. His marriage had ended and the future was unclear. After the holiday he got into his truck, and disappeared. More than seven years passed with no contact. We knew nothing about his life. The not knowing was very hard.

In the spring of last year a friend called to say that Todd was on facebook. I looked and, and sure enough, there he was! His big smile and beautiful eyes stared back at me from his profile picture. I just cried. He was alive. He looked happy. His profile said he was the army and that he was married! I was amazed. I sent him a message and asked him to call. On Mother's Day, 2010, I got an email form Iraq. It said,

“Hi Mom. I'm sorry it's been so long. I miss you. I love you. I'll call soon. Todd”

We have talked several times since then. We met his wife and step-daughter. We have been getting to know each other again.

Thanksgiving day Todd flew home. He was nervous. I was excited. The moment we saw each other we both started running. It was a wonderful hug! There were lots of tears and lots of laughter. His sweet wife just stood there laughing and crying with us. In the moment of that wonderful hug the long years of not knowing melted away. We were a family again.
God does indeed answer prayers.

Blessings

2011-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

Each day of this month of November I have been listing one of the many blessings in my life. I posted them of my facebook page, and it has been interesting to see how people have reacted to my list. I have more blessings to count than I have days in the month. It has been a fun exercise.

I thought I might try to make a list of things I hate to stand in opposition to my gratitude list, but I had a hard time coming up with anything I hate. I hate liver and pickles. I hate the helpless feeling that comes when people I love are hurting, and there is nothing I can do to make things better. My hate list is pretty short.

Today, in honor of Thanksgiving I will share one of my sweet memories.

The last several years of my dad's life were hard. His health had deteriorated to the point that he could no longer care for himself. The time finally came when the very difficult decision was made to move Dad to a nursing home. I flew to California to be with them during this hard time. The morning of the move Mom and I were up early trying to prepare Dad's favorite breakfast. Mom started crying. I started crying. We just stood there holding each other, trying to get through the moment when we both started to sing, quietly at first and then at the top of our voices.

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

We danced around the kitchen, crying and laughing and holding on to each other. Somehow the day that lay ahead seemed possible. Our blessings were greater than our pain.

Today I am thankful for the gift of song that makes the hard moments of life bearable.

Old

2011-11-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I helped at a church Halloween party for the children. It was, as always, a fun time. I enjoy seeing the kids in their costumes and having time to listen to them.

Yesterday I saw this picture of me chatting with one of my young friends. I was startled. I look like an old lady. I suppose the fact that we celebrated my seventieth birthday and fiftieth anniversary this year is a clue to the fact that I should look old, but it still surprises me. In my head I'm still the girl I was when I was young. In my head I still look like I did when I was twenty.

In my head I still look like this. I'm sure the mirror is just playing tricks on my eyes.

Hudson River Valley

2011-10-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

After playing in the big city for a few days we boarded our river boat, the American Star. This was a wonderful way to explore the Hudson River valley. We unpacked and enjoyed our comfortable room, good food, interesting, beautiful sights and the company of pleasant people.

I loved getting up early and sipping my morning coffee while watching the fog roll across the river. It was a peaceful way to begin each day.

The river has several lighthouses along the way, each unique and different from all the others. It had never before occurred to me that a river needed lighthouses. None of them is in use any longer. They just stand as a symbol of a time gone by.

The first evening of our cruise we docked at West Point. It is quite a formidable sight from the river. It's appearance did remind me a bit Hogwarts, and I suspect that a bit of magic is sometimes practiced there. It is a beautiful, impressive campus.

The leaves were just beginning to change color when we left New York. By the time we returned the trees were becoming beautiful signs of autumn.

This valley is home to many beautiful homes. We stopped in Hyde Park where FDR and the Vanderbilts lived in splendor. My favorite fine house was Olana, the home of Fredrick Church. Church was a great American artist who lived in a Persian castle in the Catskills. If I looked out on his view of the Hudson valley every day I believe I too might become a great painter.

The Hudson River valley is a beautiful, interesting part of the world. I am so grateful that we able to enjoy it.

Immigrants

2011-10-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

When our boat sailed by the Statue of Liberty I got goose bumps just thinking about what this sight must have meant to the masses of immigrants who sailed past her on their way to America. This symbol of freedom is one of those things that makes me proud of my country, a place that welcomes the all those yearning to be free. This great country of ours is built on the lives of immigrants who have worked hard to make this land their own and have blessed this land with their talent.

Most of these people passed through Ellis Island on the way to their new home. The Lower East-side of New York became crowed with these new Americans, fresh off the boat.

At the suggestion of my favorite rabbi one of the things we did in New York was to visit the Tenement Museum. It was a very educational and emotional tour. We went through two of the 300 square foot apartments that were home to two of the families of the many immigrants, one appeared as it did in 1890s, the other as it was in the 1930s. Life was very hard for these people as they adjusted to a new land that was in the midst of economic hard times. Most did not speak English and lived in great poverty.

Some things never change. People of that time formed political parties to keep these newly arrived citizens out of America because they had a different religion and spoke no English. It was said they would hurt our country and never be real Americans. The children and grandchildren of these immigrants are now part of the American tapestry and have helped to make our land a great place.

I hope our country still can be a place that welcomes the huddled masses yearning to be free. I believe these new arrivals can help bless this country and make it a stronger, more beautiful place.

God bless America.

Times Square

2011-10-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

I believe Times Square in New York is the best people-watching place on earth. Everybody comes here to see and to be seen. The crowds of people, the bright lights, and general craziness are great fun to watch. Our traveling companions, Pat and Ralph, and I just sat down and looked in amazed wonder at all we saw.

I'm not sure what these two were talking about, perhaps a business deal of some sort. The gentleman was one of the hundreds standing in line for cheep show tickets.

These two people chose a busy place for their wedding. No one seemed to be paying them much attention.

I loved this entrepreneurial young lady. I suspect there are many folks at Times Square who need a little mending done along with a little encouragement.

I smiled when I saw that even Minnie Mouse needed to take a break for a hot dog.

This handsome character befriended Pat and me for only a dollar.

We returned to the square after dark only to find it more crowded and a bit more crazy. It was great to see, but I believe one visit will be enough to last me for a long, long time.

New York

2011-10-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to get excited now. We leave tomorrow morning. We will catch the train and ride to New York City. I'm a small town girl and the big city is an exciting place to visit. I am always overwhelmed by to enormous number of people and the gigantic buildings. I expect I will walk into a pole while I gawk at all the sights. On Saturday we will board a river boat and head up the Hudson river. I have never been in that part of the country. It should be beautiful along the river with the autumn leaves coloring the landscape. We will stop along the way to tour Hyde Park ,West Point and several other spots.

I hope to be able to share some good stories and beautiful pictures.

The Kingdom of Childhood

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a good story, The Kingdom of Childhood by Rebecca Coleman. It was one of those books that interfered with my life because I wanted to read the story instead of doing anything else. Now that I finished I want to know happened to the characters who filled my last two days. I always hate when the book ends and I don't know what happened to everybody.

This is not a nice story. It is full of people who do things they should not do. Judy is a middle-aged teacher who has an affair with a teenaged boy. The story includes pieces of her sad childhood that make me feel for her, but never quite enough for me to forgive her adult actions. Judy is one of those people I want to hate, but find I can't quite hate.

This is a good story that left me feeling a bit uncomfortable because it sounded like a story that might be true. I don't want this to be a true story.

My reason for wanting to read the book is that the author is friend. She's one of those people I liked instantly. She's a bright and funny lady who always makes me feel good. She is the happily married mother of four young children. She teaches Sunday School. This dark story does not seem like it would come out of my sweet young friend.

It is a great read!

Stuff

2011-09-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

We have spent the last few weeks getting rid of stuff. We have collected an amazing amount of stuff over the years and it is time for most of it to go.

I began in my closet. When you can't possibly squeeze one more piece of clothing into the closet it is time for something to go. That part was pretty easy. Anything I no longer wear or never really much liked got cleaned out. Clothes were either given away or thrown away.

Next I began cleaning out cupboards and closets full of old toys, crafts, and art supplies. I threw away 14 jars of dried out Play Doh, a big box of broken crayons, dozens of games and puzzles, and broken toys my now grown grandchildren played with when they were little. It was hard to get rid of some these things. They triggered many sweet memories. I kept the memories, but threw away the battered toys. One closet shelf held 43 vases. They all came filled with beautiful flowers, but 43 vases really are more than I need. My husband boxed them up and took them to the local florist who was delighted to take them. The florist even gave him a big bouquet of flowers to bring home and put in one of the six vases I kept.

Inspired by all my cleaning, my husband decided it was time to clean out the attic. That has been a very interesting bit of cleaning. We have lived in this house almost 50 years. The attic held remnants from all those years. Mixed in with the old college books were letters we had written to one another before we were married. In one of them I told of my great excitement after an interview for my first job as a registered nurse. I had been offered $395 a month! I didn't know what we would do with all that money. There were parts of science fairs and school projects going back to my husband's high school days. There was a lot of old camping equipment. We used to love to camp, but now we find hotels are far more comfortable. So much stuff!

It feels good to clean out the dusty left-overs and make way for whatever the the future may bring.

Politics

2011-09-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

My politics lean to the left. I donate money to and vote for Democrats. I listen to my friends and family who have another view of politics, but I just can't agree with their conclusions. I find it interesting that people who share the same faith and values, who love one another and love this country of ours disagree so strongly about politics. I wish we could remove the angry accusations and name calling and realize that we all are all patriotic people who love this country. Is it possible to disagree respectfully?

Power, Power, Wonder Working Power

2011-09-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my new favorite person. After Hurricane Irene blew through leaving us without power for five days, this lineman from Kentucky was a very welcome sight. Thank you, Mr Lineman, for returning to us the wonder working power of electricity.

I think the one thing I missed most was light. We are both night owls, rarely going to bed until well past midnight. We played Scrabble by lamp light and were forced into some long, interesting conversations. Without light we were in bed by ten every night.

My all electric kitchen did not work. On night number one we enjoyed dinner and visiting with our daughter and grandchildren. On the third night we emptied our defrosted freezer and cooked all our meat on our other daughter's grill. We enjoyed quite a feast together that night. There are some very nice restaurants in our town that all had power. We enjoyed dining in several of them. My morning coffee is a necessary ingredient in life, so we got to go to my favorite coffee and bagel store every morning.

During the day we worked in the yard, read, and went to visit our daughter who is doing daycare for 3 month old twins. There is always a baby to rock at her house. One day we played tourist and went into DC and visited the Newseum. It is filled with thought-provoking exhibits. This broadcast tower from atop the World Trade Center in the 9/11 Exhibit was part of a very poignant display.

On day four of no power I cleaned out the refrigerator. Fortunately I was planning on loosing power so I did not have a lot of food in it. My refrigerator has not been this clean since the day we bought it. I took this picture right after the power was turned back on.

Our power was finally turned on just before dark yesterday. Today I am very thankful for all the wonders of electricity. The lights are on. My washer and dryer are running. Music is playing. My refrigerator is once again full of food. I was able to enjoy my morning coffee at home. The computer works. The TV works and we were able to watch our Redskins win a game last night.

Life is good. Life is better with electricity.

How Did That Happen

2011-08-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago my daughter came to tell us the very exciting news that she was pregnant. This baby was much wanted and the answer to many prayers. My third granddaughter was beautiful and perfect in every way. She has filled our world with joy.

I can't quite figure out this beautiful baby girl grew up so fast. I blinked my eyes and she became a young woman. Today she is on her way to Ohio to start her freshman year at Kent State University. It is a day filled with many emotions as she begins this new phase on her journey though life.

We love you Sofie. You fill us up with pride.

My Amazing Son

2011-08-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on my porch reading this afternoon when I noticed a good-looking young man walking up my driveway. It took a minute to realize that this was actually my younger son. Paul has been working hard over the past year to loose weight and get healthier. I have been very proud of his efforts, but today he looked so healthy, happy, and confident that I hardly recognized him. He is a school teacher and he had bought new clothes for the start of the school year that show off his slimmer body. He was stopping by to tell me about the first day of school. When he walked into the first meeting of this new school year after not seeing any of co-workers this summer, he said everyone stopped talking and just starred at him. Then they all stood up and started cheering for him . It was really a feel good moment. A loss of 120 pounds does make a man look better. I think his accomplishment is amazing.

Down By the Sea

2011-07-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

We have just returned from a few days by the sea with family and friends that are like family. It was such a lovely few days. I think my favorite activity was just sitting on the porch and visiting together, but all of it was fun.

We enjoyed the surf.

We enjoyed the sand.

Mik and Alex found that flying a two-string kite is more difficult than expected.

We learned that stand-up paddle boarding is harder than it looks.

Mark found this was the best way up handling the paddle board.

Julie thought this was the preferred way to paddle board.

Ann found her yoga training useful and was able to actually stand up on the stand-up paddle board.

Tim and Gary thought the kayaks sounded like a lot more fun.

We are glad to be home, but we did have fun down by the sea.

Why I Teach VBS

2011-07-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

After a very hot week of Vacation Bible School I am very tired today. Each night for the past week I told an exciting, wonderful story from the Bible. It took a lot of energy to make these wonderful stories come alive three times every evening for a group of very energetic children. This morning I am feeling every one of my seventy years, but I am also feeling that sense of happiness that comes from being part of a something important and successful.

Faith in the almighty loving God is at the core of who I am. I want to pass that faith on to another generation so they will feel that same love and security that can only come from God. So we sang and danced and even went inside the smelly belly of a whale to hear exciting stories about the God who made them and loves them.

Every night I received wonderful hugs from some of the children. I listened as they excitedly told their parents about the story of the night. I don’t know that they will remember all the stories, but I do hope they always remember that they are loved by the loving, powerful God.

Time for Grandsons

2011-07-14T14:10:00.001-07:00

We have just returned from a three day vacation with our two teen-aged grandsons. We went to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA where we rode some scary rides, saw some silly shows, watched the fireworks, played in the wave pool and floated along the lazy river. We had discussions about important topics like whether pretzels taste better in twisted shapes or straight and the fact that grilled cheese sandwiches should always be cut in triangles. There was also some talk about what they wanted to do with their lives and what they need to do to achieve their goals. Our sixteen year old with his learner’s permit drove the whole way there and most of the way back. He only scared me a couple of times.

In my head these two are my little boys. In reality they are now man-sized almost adults. I am always surprised at how quickly children grow up. Enjoy each precious moment with your little ones.

TG Fowler

2011-07-05T08:11:00.001-07:00

During communion last Sunday I began to think about all the people who helped to shape my faith. There is a long list, but Sunday my thoughts centered on my grandfather, TG Fowler. My memories of my grandfather are of an old man who loved me enormously and told funny stories. He was a preacher at a large Church of Christ in Texas. I did not know him when he was a young man, but I have heard a lot of stories. The world has gone through a lot of changes in the past hundred years. I wonder what he would think if he could see us now.

I have a book titled, “Gospel Preachers Who Blazed the Trail.” It was published in 1911. It contains stories of men who were preachers in the Churches of Christ at the turn of the twentieth century. My grandfather was one of those men.

He was one of eleven children born on a cotton farm in Tennessee. His help was need on the farm and he was not able to attend school as a child. He was sixteen when he was first permitted to attend classes. He could not yet read. I have a very hard time imagining a life without reading, but it was a common experience in the 1890s. He was able to go to school for three months each year for the next three years. When he left home at age nineteen he was just barely able to read. After he married my grandmother he enrolled in the Gunter Bible College, a small school run by the Churches of Christ in Texas. He attended classes there for three semesters.

My grandfather may have lacked formal education, but that man loved God and he loved the Bible. When I was little we would play the Bible Game. I would read a verse from the Bible and he would quote both the verse before and the verse after mine. It was very rare that he wasn’t correct. He had the entire book memorized. I thought he was amazing. His faith was innocent, pure and contagious.

My mom told stories about going to hear him preach at arbor meetings. He would preach every night for two weeks and crowds would gather under the shady arbor to listen. She and her sister would sit in the buggy and listen. After preaching each night he would baptize people in the river. I think it must have looked a bit like the baptism scene in “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou.”

I now worship in a Presbyterian church, but sometimes during communion I remember my grandfather. He was a good man. He and my grandmother raised five children who all loved God. My mother is the laughing one on the left in the back row.

This is the article published with his picture in book from 1911.

THOMAS GIDEON FOWLER was born near Lewisburg, Tenn., April 20, 1883. His parents moved to Texas in 1893. Thomas was old enough to be of service in the raising and gathering of cotton. Being the second boy and fourth child of 11 children, the father unable to work, it was necessary for him to stay out of school and assist in making a living for the family.
He was 16 years old when he entered school, at that time not knowing his letters. He attended a small country school three months for three years. The day he was 19 he began life for himself. Seven months later he again entered school and continued for nearly two years.
September 14, 1904, he was married to Miss Jessie Mullins. November after his marriage he entered Gunter Bible College, where he was a student for nearly three sessions.
He began preaching the first year after entering Gunter Bible College, and by the grace of God, and the help of his faithful wife he has continued to preach the word with success --- though at times he has had to teach some in the public schools.

Walking

2011-06-27T14:14:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was part of a group of people walking to raise money for research to find better treatments and a cure for Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. Our family team was able to raise $2262 for the cause. Hopefully one day treatments will be found for my grandchildren and all those others who afflicted by this yucky disease.

Because we live near our nation's capital we had a beautiful route to walk. We met the other walkers on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

The walkers headed out about six in the evening, heading towards the Tidal Basin.

By the time we reached the tidal basin we (my sweetie and I) had fallen to the end of the pack and were falling behind. My not quite recovered foot and my arthritic knees were beginning to complain. When the other walkers turned left at the Tidal Basin to walk around the Jefferson Memorial, we turned right and found a bench.

We enjoyed the view and the lovely weather and then walked about a block to the place where the others would complete their journey around the basin and we joined the route to the finish line. We cut more than a mile off the route with our shortcut. We were strolling along when the first of the walkers overtook us. A father and his young son had obviously run the entire way and were far ahead of the rest of the pack. I heard the boy say too his dad as they ran past, “Wow, those old people really must be fast.”

We walked on past the world War II Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial in the background. It was a beautiful sight.

Approaching the end of the course we saw the White House and found a comfortable wall to sit and wait for the rest of our family. How many other places could you walk with such beautiful scenery?

We all crossed the finish line together. It had been a good day.

Golden Afterglow

2011-06-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

I think we are both radiating a golden afterglow as reflect on the wonderful weekend our kids planned to celebrate our golden anniversary.

We began with a crab feast on Friday night with small gathering of family and friends at our daughter Ann's house. It was a lovely evening full of food and laughter. I was a bit distracted looking forward to the big party on Saturday, wondering what surprises our kids had in store for us.

Saturday we were told not to arrive for the party until it was time for the festivities to begin, so we spent the morning at a dance recital watching our thirteen year old granddaughter. Since we have no previous experience at celebrating our fiftieth anniversary we assume a dance recital is a normal part of the festivities. Finally it was time to put on our party clothes and head off to the church.

When we walked into the church hall the first thing we saw was my wedding gown displayed on a mannequin. Our daughter wore the same dress twenty-seven years ago, but it had been packed away since then. It is still as beautiful as I remembered it to be. We looked around and the next thing I saw was my three handsome grandsons all dressed up in white shirts and ties. This was not there normal attire and they did look beautiful. The room was decorated with flowers and candles and looked like a great place for a party. A big wedding cake filled one corner with a groom's cake next to it, decorated to look like a left handed dice.

Guests began to arrive and we were busy greeting them when our daughter called us to greet some special guests. There stood Randy and Edna. They had been our best-man and maid of honor. We have not seen them in over thirty years. We had all been best friends in college and for the many years after that. Careers and family have separated us, but our love and friendship has continued. I could not believe they were here. It took my breath away. What a wonderful surprise!

Our son-in-law called everyone to attention and we all sat down as he welcomed everyone and said some sweet things about us. He started talking about our wedding and how they had recently seen some color pictures of the event and discovered that our bridesmaids had not worn gray dresses. They had been a lovely blue. At that point our grandchildren entered the room dressed as our wedding party had been dressed fifty years ago. Our daughter had made the dresses to match those dresses worn at our wedding. Of course I cried as these beloved grandchildren of ours entered the room.

After the grandchildren entered, Gary went on to say that I always said I wanted a brass band to play, “When the Saints Go Marching In” at my funeral. The kids decided that if they were going to hire a brass band they would prefer to have me there to enjoy it. So they had hired a band to play for us. The band played and I cried. The band continued to play as we visited and laughed with friends and family. What an amazing, wonderful party!

We had a photographer for the big event whose pictures we have not yet seen, but I'll share a few now. Rest assured there will be more.

We concluded the day with a cookout at Laurel and Gary's house. It was good to have time to sit and visit with everyone and reflect on the day.

Just to make the week end complete all my children and grandchildren joined us for church on Sunday morning. It felt so good to worship surrounded by the people I love most in the whole world.

It was all perfect. We felt very loved and very honored.

50 Years Ago Today

2011-06-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

25th

2011-06-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

My in-laws twenty-fifth wedding anniversary came the same week as my graduation from nursing school and our wedding day. They had decided that there was no time to celebrate their big anniversary. We knew they had wanted a party, but there just was no opportunity. They hosted our rehearsal dinner. They had prepared and served a lovely dinner and were preparing to serve the pie they had fixed for dessert when people just sort of disappeared. They were a bit confused and irritated when they were summoned to the patio. The kids had ordered a small wedding cake in honor of their special day. My betrothed and I marched in bearing gifts of silver wearing the clothes they had worn on their wedding day. They were delighted that we had found a way to honor them.

Twenty five years later our children and friends surprised us with a silver anniversary party. We felt loved and special and we understood how our parents had felt when we surprised them.

It is twenty five years later. This weekend our children are planning a party to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary. We are very excited to see what wonders they have have in mind for us.

2011-06-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Fifty years ago this week I graduated from Pasadena City College's School of Nursing. Dressed in my starched white uniform, perfectly set cap, and a wool red and blue cape I marched into the Rose Bowl with my class of forty nursing students and a thousand cap and gowned regular college students. It was a hot day and that wool cape was uncomfortably warm, but I did look so professional and I felt so proud.

I chose wisely when I became a nurse. The career suited me. I delivered babies and cared for tiny preemies. I gave shots, started IVs, emptied bedpans, changed dressings, bathed and comforted the sick. I held both patients and their families while they cried. I cheered when they recovered. I learned so much about life and people. I have so many wonderful stories and memories. I loved being a nurse. Now I enjoy knowing that my RN stands for retired nurse.

On that day fifty years ago my parents were proud and happy, just as parents everywhere have always been on graduation day.

Sofie Graduates

2011-06-08T17:54:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Sofie's high school graduation. This was a different child and a different graduation, but still overflowing with love and emotion.

Sofie's class had seven hundred graduates. The audience filled up the big Comcast Center at the University of Maryland. Because she is a member of the National Honor Society she sat in the middle of the very front row and was among the first to graduate. We are all so very proud of her. It is hard to believe she is grown and leaving for college in the fall. The years have flown by too quickly.

You would think that after watching our five kids and now five of our grandchildren graduate we would have learned to less emotional about these events. It hasn't happened yet. I still cry every time Pomp and Circumstance is played.

All her happy parents and siblings

With her brother and sister

Proud grandparents

DQ Graduates

2011-06-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated my son's birthday by attending his son's high school graduation.

Today's ceremony was much like all other high school graduations. Pomp and circumstance played as the graduates marched in. Proud and happy families filled the room. There were the routine commencement speeches. In other ways this was a most unusual graduation. DQ graduated from RICA, a special school for kids who have had trouble dealing with life. There were only fourteen kids in the graduating class, each with a special story. Today's joy was a very great achievement for them and for the many people who have helped them to get to today. I cried as he walked across that stage today. Along with his diploma he revived several awards and scholarships.

Here he is with his mom and dad.

And with his happy grandparents.

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

Prom

2011-05-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

Friday was prom night here in our town. There were long lines of boys standing in line at the floral department of the grocery store. Some were already in prom finery, others were still in jeans and tee shirts. They were all trying to act very cool as they picked up corsages for the evening. I am just a little old lady who thought they all looked adorably cute.

Of course I knew it was prom night. My seventeen year old granddaughter, our prom queen, has been planning on this event since she entered high school. Prom is a really big deal. Several couples were invited to the granddaughter's house for a pre-prom paparazzi party. There were fancy snacks and many parents with cameras. The girls were all so beautiful in their lovely gowns, the boys so handsome in their tuxes. I think they actually enjoyed posing for the pictures. I loved seeing these beautiful young people. They were so full of joy and excitement.

After the pictures were all finally taken they piled into a limo and were off to the prom.

The parents all settled into the kitchen to relax and eat when the phone rang. The big limo had broken down half way to the prom. They were stuck beside the road. There was a flurry of discussion about what to do. The parents of one of the boys had a big van that would hold all the kids. They drove it to the stranded prom goers and they all made it the big dance. They had a wonderful time with a more interesting story than they had expected.

Notes From the Other Side

2011-05-17T05:34:00.000-07:00

My friend Carol died yesterday. This poem, written by Jane Kenyon, is for Carol as she discovers life on the other side.

Notes from the Other Side

I divested myself of despair
and fear when I came here.

Now there is no more catching
one's own eye in the mirror,

there are no bad books, no plastic,
no insurance premiums, and of course

no illness. Contrition
does not exist, nor gnashing

of teeth. No one howls as the first
clod of earth hits the casket.

The poor we no longer have with us.
Our calm hearts strike only the hour,

and God, as promised, proves
to be mercy clothed in light.

Three Score and Ten

2011-05-15T04:08:00.000-07:00

“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years.” Psalm90:10

It is amazing how fast seventy years can fly by. I am now officially old.
I can quit worrying about dying young.

Compassion

2011-05-11T12:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday our class at church was discussing compassion and how to teach kindness to children. Of course it takes many lessons for us to become compassionate people, but this example from my childhood is one of my favorite memories.

My mom truly enjoyed doing good deeds for others. Frequently I tagged along on one of her many good works. One day when I was about seven years old I went with mom to visit the patients at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, a large rehabilitation facility. I didn't like the big wards full of sick people. The ward that scared me most was the one that was full of patients in iron lungs. I couldn’t imagine how anyone could live in one of those big, scary tubes. Mom had given me a Hershey’s chocolate bar as a reward for behaving while she went to see people. I was carrying my candy bar as we walked down the long porch of the hospital. Patients in rocking chairs lined the porch. One of them saw my candy bat and said he sure did love Hershey's Bars. He sure wished he could have some chocolate. My generous mom gave me “the look,” and I knew what I had to do. I gave the old man my candy and walked on with a dejected face. I really had not wanted to give it away. When mom was finished with her visit we walked back out along the porch full of patients. A little lady tapped me on the shoulder. She said she had seen me give away my candy and wanted to thank me for my generosity. To reward my generous act she gave me a whole, unopened Whitman's Sampler. A big box of chocolates just for one candy bar. I looked at it in awe. Being the good church kid that I was I looked at my mom and said, “I have cast my bread upon the waters and it has returned unto me.”

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

My daddy would always try to sneak the white boxes from the florist into the house. Mom and I would look at each other and grin. Tomorrow was Mother's Day and we knew what was in those boxes. We pretended not to see what he had and wait for him to go upstairs. As soon as he left we ran to look in the refrigerator to admire our corsages. Mom's was always white because her mom had already gone to heaven. Mine was always red because my mom was alive and well. My dad adored my mom, and I always knew I was special because I was his little girl.

Yesterday I enjoyed a lovely day with my family. My sweet husband does not carry on the tradition of the corsages, but he always buys me a beautiful, sweet card. Most of the family gathered for a backyard cookout. The guys cooked while the women sat on the front porch and sipped mimosas. I have been well blessed to have a father who thought I was a princess and a husband who treats me like queen.

Painting

2011-05-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

I am discovering muscles today that I haven't noticed in a long time. I spent most of the week end helping my granddaughter paint and clean her new condo. To say she is excited about becoming a homeowner would be a great understatement. She is so thrilled with her first place. I loved being able to help her and to listen to her happy chatter all week end. Today though I am feeling my age. I am achy and tired and grateful that she has to work today so I can rest from a far busier than normal few days. I used to be able to paint, clean and take care of four small children without even thinking about being tired. No more.

I remember the first time I painted our kitchen. It was a beautiful spring day which the meant the kids could play outside. I opened the paint and began applying the paint to the walls. Of course the kids came in and wanted to help. I gave them all brushes and set them to painting with me. Their enthusiasm for home improvement didn't last very long and soon they were off to playing again, running in and out of the house with a gang of neighbor kids. I painted, fixed lunch, settled an assortment of minor squabbles, and had an assortment of neighbor kids as short term assistants. I climbed the ladder, moved the furniture, and finished in time to fix dinner. When my husband returned home from work he admired the paint and asked what was for dinner. It was just another day in the life then. Now it makes me tired to even think about so much activity.

God was very wise to give us children when we were young.

Seasons of Love

2011-04-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite songs is from the musical Rent. “Seasons of Love” keeps repeating a phrase about the 525, 600 minutes that make up a year. Then it asks how do you a measure a year, and answers “In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee; In inches in laughter, In strife. Measure in love.” In others words it is our many everyday moments that add up to make a year.

Next month will be my birthday and I thought I would honor that day by remembering some of the 525,600 minutes multiplied by my almost seventy years that have my made up my life. I'll try to share some of the ordinary moments that have made me who I am today.

This is one of my earliest memories.

I woke up in the dim light of my room. Pulling myself up on the side of my crib I look around at the familiar objects. Turning my head to the right I see the closed door. I know my mother is on the other side of that door. I turn my head to the left. In front of the window there is a rocking chair with a pink and blue blanket draped across it's back. I am aware of the sound of the mourning doves. The birds sound so sad and lonely. I wonder why they are so sad, and suddenly I need my mother. I call for her and she comes and lifts me out of my bed. We sit together in the chair rocking slowly back and forth. My mother's lap is warm and safe.

There are days now when my life is sad and difficult. On those days I remember that warm safe place in my mother's arms and long for that place of peace again.

Shopping

2011-04-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

My son called and asked if could help him shop for some new clothes today. Without any hesitation I agreed to his request. I knew this would be a fun shopping expedition.

I'm not quite sure what Paul's “Come to Jesus” moment was, but about a year ago he woke up one day and decided it was time to get serious about taking off the pounds he had packed on over the years. He joined a weight loss program with strict diet and a support group. He went the nutritionist and this time he really listened to the advice. He started exercising. He has slipped off the wagon a few times, but always just started back on his plan. He weighed 397 pounds last year. This morning he weighed 309 pounds. He has lost ten inches from his waist and his clothes were falling off of him.

Today he bought 2 pair of pants and four shirts. He is looking quite happy and handsome.

I am so very proud of him.

Discharged

2011-04-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

Today was a lovely day.

This morning we went to Baltimore's Mercy Hospital to see the foot surgeon. I told him I was much better, but still not as good as I had hoped to be. After looking at X rays he said my foot had healed beautifully. He seemed quite happy with his handwork. He told me that I should continue to improve over the next six months and that there were no restrictions on my activity. There was no reason to return to see him and he discharged me.

Being officially discharged seemed like a good reason to celebrate so we went to the Inner Harbor. The parade of people passing by as we ate lunch was quite entertaining. I love people watching. Office workers walked alongside of tourists, sailors, young lovers, teenagers with baggy pants and young families. They were all out enjoying the sunshine and entertaining me.

To reward my husband for his months of tending to my needs I suggested that we visit the Maryland Science Center. He happily agreed to this suggestion. This man of mine absolutely loves science fair experiments, and this place is three stories crammed full of science fair experiments. Most of the school children were leaving when we arrived so it was not crowded. He got to push buttons, pull pulleys, crank handles and play science games all afternoon. He was in his own personal amusement park. It was wonderful to see him having so much fun.

Today was a lovely day.

Rehoboth

2011-04-07T10:36:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful time on our short trip to my very favorite beach. We arrived at Rehoboth about noon on Monday. The weather was spectacular, with blue sky and the temperature at 80 degrees. We ate outside on the balcony of the Green Turtle, enjoying the sunshine and the view of the beach. After lunch we joined the other cute elderly couples, holding hands while strolling on the boardwalk. Most of the shops were still closed for the season, but the candy stores were open selling salt water taffy and chocolate Easter bunnies. The Kohrs custard shop was open and we enjoyed an orange-vanilla twist cone, the flavor of the beach. We checked into our room at the Avenue Inn, luxury at off-season rates is a lovely thing. After a bit of a rest we drove over to Gordon's Pond, a wetland by another of our favorite places, Whiskey Beach. Walking along the trail we felt like we were very far from the rest of the world. The only sound was the wind, the birds, and the sound of the surf.

Tuesday we woke up to wind and rain. We spent the morning enjoying the warmth of our fireplace and a swim in the indoor pool. After lunch I had a massage. I think there must be a spa in heaven that gives heavenly messages all the time. Later in the afternoon we did a bit of shopping at the outlets.

Wednesday was sunny, but cool. We walked down to the beach and soaked up a final bit vacation time and headed home. It is always good to come home with a heart full of warm memories.

Progress

2011-04-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

It has been almost eight months since my foot surgery last summer. There have been times when I thought I would never recover, but on this first day of April I can say that I now believe I will indeed recover.

Two months ago I limped into the physical therapy office leaning on a cane. Yesterday I was discharged from therapy and walked out without assistance. I have not completely achieved my goal of walking a mile, but I can walk a third of a mile. I am not yet without pain, but I no longer need pain medicine. I can't yet stand on just my left foot, but I can stand on my own two feet. The rest of my recovery will just take time and persistence. Last week I returned my wheelchair and donated my wonderful knee scooter to the Lions Club.

Next week we are going to the beach to find out how far I can walk on the boardwalk. Life is looking good here.

Lent

2011-03-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

“Sh*t! Why did you bring pepperoni pizza. Don't you know it's Lent. I can't eat meat during Lent. D*mit! Now what am going to eat?” My co-worker stormed out of the lunch room as the young salesman who had bought us the pizza looked stunned and apologetic. The rest of us waited a moment and then thanked the generous salesman for the pizza and began to eat.

One of my good friends recently said,“Lent is always good for my diet. By giving up sweets for Lent I have managed to lose five pounds.” Is Lent just a forty day weight-loss program?

I am pretty sure neither one of the above stories are what the early church fathers had in mind when they came up with the idea of Lent. Neither one seems to reflect the love I see in Jesus, nor does either of them seem to show that their Lenten sacrifice makes them more spiritual or closer to God. Admittedly I have never made much effort at any particular discipline during Lent. I am a Christian, but the religious tradition of my childhood did not follow a liturgical year. The practice of one day or season as more holy than another was discouraged. Holy days were considered “denominational”, and therefore wrong. The strong anti-Lent attitude of the church of my childhood seems overly judgmental. Making others uncomfortable or bragging about the personal sacrifices you are making in the name of your religion is wrong.

It seems to me that Lent could be a very useful time of spiritual growth. I know several people who look upon Lent as a very important time of growth and reflection. I respect their faith and the reflection of Jesus I see in their life.

Is Lent a useful period of spiritual growth in your life?

The News

2011-03-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

So how do you handle the news from around the world? I hear about wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear meltdowns, genocide, economic woes and nasty political attacks. Is there anything I can do about any of those? There is so much bad news that is bombarding us all the time. Sometimes I just want to go hide in a cave and wait until it all goes away. Unfortunately I can't really hide for very long, nor is there very much I can do to solve the big, awful problems of the world.

Here is my strategy for dealing with world problems.

1. I limit watching the news. I just turn off the talking heads that keep yelling,”Disaster, disaster, disaster!”

2. I find moments of peace. I find these moments in times of prayer, in yoga, and in swimming back and forth in a pool and just feeling the water flowing around me.

3. I do something good for somebody else. One of my better skills is listening, and it seems to help people when I just sit and listen to their concerns.

4. I laugh. Laughter is a wonderful stress reducer. Just look around and find the humor in your life. I assure you that are some very funny things going on in our world.

What are some of the ways you handle world news? Do you have a funny story that will make me laugh out loud? Where do you find peace?

Another Day

2011-03-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to one and all. May God's rich blessings fall on each of you today.

This day has always been celebrated with birthday cake in my family. My older brother and my younger son are both leprechauns born on Saint Patrick’s day. Happy birthday Bill. Happy birthday Paul.

It seems as I get older most of of the joy of my life comes from seeing the joy and excitement in the lives of my children and grandchildren. Last night my twenty year old granddaughter and her boyfriend came over to eat dinner with us. It was lovely to spend time with them and hear about the world as seen through their eyes. My oldest granddaughter is in the process of buying her first home. She is so excited and happy. Her excitement spills into my life and makes me smile. I seem to live vicariously through their lives. That is not all bad, but I need to find my own purpose and joy in life. I can't just sit and hope that one of the kids will have time to come by and visit and fill me up with the joys and concerns of their lives. I need to find a purpose of my own for each of the days remaining in my life.

This long recovery from foot surgery has been difficult. One of the hardest things was not being able to much of anything. For a long time I did nothing. I got comfortable doing nothing. I find joy now in each new accomplishment. I can again do most of the usual household chores. Who knew that doing laundry and cooking and cleaning up the kitchen would feel like such an accomplishment. I still can't walk far, but I can walk, and I will walk further. I am working hard at physical therapy and getting stronger. Still there are long periods of empty time that I mostly fill with reading and computer games. I need to find some activities now that make me feel useful to the world around me.

My question is now what? What shall I do with the rest of my life? What can I do that matters?

Dust to Dust

2011-03-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

“From dust you were made, to dust you shall return.” These were the words I heard as ashes were placed on my forehead yesterday. One of the main lessons of Ash Wednesday is that we are mortal. We will die. Live life now in the abundance of God's grace, knowing that this life is just temporary. There will surely come a time when I no longer need this body of mine.

With this thought in mind yesterday my husband and I filled out the registration for for the Anatomic Gift Registry. Perhaps I will yet get to go to medical school. Part of the form was our death certificate. We filled in all the necessary information, leaving only the date of death and the cause of death blank. When this body is no longer useful to me it seems like a good idea to let it be used for research to possibly help someone else to live a more abundant life.

Filling out my own death certificate was indeed a statement that I am living each day ready to die. Are you prepared to die?

Christchurch

2011-03-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

A few years ago we visited New Zealand. One of the most beautiful places we visited on our tour was the city of Christchurch. I recently read this blog, written by a woman who was in Christchurch the day of the horrible earthquake on February 23. Her story made me cry. Read about it here.

Music

2011-02-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

I am not a musician. I don't know any music theory. When the orchestra plays I cannot tell one instrument from another. I just know I love music. Music reaches down into my soul and stirs all the emotions.

Last night we attended a performance of the Montgomery Philharmonic. We went because the world's greatest daughter-in-law, who is my favorite french horn player, was performing with the orchestra. Last night one of pieces was Concerto for Solo Tuba by Arild Plau. It was magnificent. I never had heard a tuba anywhere except as part of a marching band. This was something entirely different. I did not know a tuba could make such beautiful music. After the tuba solo the orchestra played Shostakovitch’s Symphony #5. I loved it. I sat there and just let the sound wash over me. The music invoked all sorts of images and emotions. There were dark and stormy moments and times of peace and beauty. It was just a wonderful evening.

When was the last time you sat back and just let the music wash over you and carry you to another place filled with beauty?

Julie

2011-02-25T17:38:00.000-08:00

Fifty years ago today I knew that I had made the right choice when I accepted my beloved's marriage proposal.

We were in the mountains with his college fraternity and a bunch of friends. We had played in the snow all day and were sitting by the fire talking when the chaperon came looking for me. (Do college fraternity parties still have chaperons?) I had a phone call. I had left the phone number to the lodge with my mom in case of emergency. I was a bit nervous as I hurried to the office to take the call. I knew from the tone of mom's voice that she had good news. “Sue, you're an aunt. You have a niece. Everyone is fine. The baby is healthy. Her name is Julie.” This was indeed exciting and wonderful news. My brother and his wife had just become parents and I was an aunt. I had never been an aunt before. I was bubbling over with the joy of it all. I went running back down the stairs telling everyone that I had just become an aunt. People just glanced up and said that's nice. No one seemed to understand how grand this piece of news was to me. I finally found my beloved and shared my exciting, wonderful news. He hugged me and asked me to tell him everything. He wanted to know all the details. He listened and shared my excitement. He supposed that this meant he would become an uncle when we married. It was wonderful to know that this man would share the joy and excitement of my life.

I wanted to carry my baby niece down the aisle at my wedding. I thought she would be far better than a bouquet of flowers. My mom vetoed the idea.

Julie and I have spent all of her life on opposite coasts. We have never been able to spend great amounts of time together. When she was little I thought she was bright, beautiful and amazing. Now that she is grown with grown children of her own I know that she is bright, beautiful amazing.

Happy birthday Julie. Thank you for making me an aunt. I love you.

Yoga Trees

2011-02-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

“Find a focal point. Preferably find something that's not moving. Find something to focus on while we work on our balance.”

Whenever my yoga instructor says these words I look out the window at the trees in the outside garden. It is winter and the trees are bare of leaves. Their trunks and branches are unhidden. I focus on these bare trees and notice their shape. Like people, no two trees are just alike. One particular tree in the middle appears strong and straight. It has somehow withstood the storms of winter with little change in it's climb upward. I admire this tree, but I think I am more like the tree just to it's right. This tree is not quite so sturdy looking. It started growing up straight and tall, but then some unknown storm made it bend toward one side. Soon it regained it's course and grew back toward center. The storms of life have made it bend back and forth as it continues it's journey toward the sky. It seems to me that finding balance in life, as in yoga, means bending back and forth in the storms of life as we continue our journey toward the sky.

Spring will soon be here covering the trees with new green leaves. It will be harder to see their strong trunks. I will know though, that under the beauty of spring there is a trunk, strong and true, reaching toward the sky.

I am looking forward to spring and seeing the trees in another season.

Birthdays

2011-02-17T06:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my husband and our second daughter celebrated their mutual birthday at a family dinner. This year our son-in-law won the best gift award. He had just returned from a mission trip to Honduras and brought them each a shiny new Honduran machete.

Engaged

2011-02-14T17:58:00.001-08:00

Last Friday night we were enjoying dinner with friends when my cell phone beeped. I looked and saw a picture had been sent to my phone. My cell phone is very old with a very small screen that makes it hard to see pictures very well. I could tell it was a picture of my daughter and her sweetheart. Why would they decide to send me a picture? I looked and could see happy smiles. I studied it a bit longer and noticed her left hand was being held up for the camera. There is only one reason to send your mom a picture displaying your left hand. I passed my phone around the table to see if someone with better eyes could see anything sparkling on her left hand. The picture was too small to see jewelry, but the smiles told the story. My daughter's sweetheart had finally popped the question. She had said yes. They are officially engaged. We are all delighted.

He took the whole family to a nice restaurant and proposed in front of her three teenagers and his teenage daughter. The kids were excited and happy. In this age of smart phones the kids had the news on facebook before they left the restaurant. Some news is just too exciting to keep to yourself.

Here's the picture they sent to me on Friday.

You'll Never Walk Alone

2011-02-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

The senior chorale with which I sing has started rehearsing for our spring concert. This program is a collection of “inspirational” songs. I like them all. We are learning”Eye of the Tiger,” “The Man In the Mirror,” “You Lift Me Up,” and many more. The one song that is my favorite for this program is, “You'll Never Walk Alone.”

In 1956 I was fifteen years old. I dreamed about one day falling in love and was full of visions of romance. That was the year Rogers and Hammerstein's musical “Carousel” was made into a movie. I loved that movie. I believe I saw it at least ten times. In an age before DVDs and videotapes that meant I went to the movie theater. I would walk a block to the bus stop and pay my 25 cent fare and ride into town. Then I would walk to the theater and pay my 25 cent admission to see it yet again. Sometimes I went alone. Sometimes friends would come along with me. Sometimes we would sit through the film twice on the same afternoon. I thought Billy Bigalow was so handsome. I wished I was the beautiful Julie who won his heart. It was just so romantic. I would cry every time when Billy died. The song “You'll Never walk Alone” was so inspiring and I would cry every time I heard it. I did buy the record of the sound track and played the music over and over again on my phonograph. I knew every word to every song.

Last week when we started to sing this song in rehearsal for just a moment I felt like I was once again a starry-eyed fifteen year old girl.

What was a movie that captured your heart when you were a teenager?

PT

2011-02-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

It has been almost six months since my foot surgery. Yesterday I was finally able to begin physical therapy. My goal is to reduce the pain and swelling in my foot and to increase the strength and range of motion. . Right now I can walk for about five minutes before I need to rest. I need to do better than that. Actually my real goal is to be able to enjoy a long walk on the beach this summer. I want to just walk and enjoy the feel of the surf and the smell of the ocean without stopping to think about how much pain I am enduring. I want to walk through the woods and listen to birds. I want to walk the streets of the city and see wonderful new sights. I want to do all of that and not even think about my feet. My therapist said she thought those were all worthy and achievable goals. I am feeling very optimistic.

It is groundhog day. Phil did not see his shadow. Spring is coming and with spring is coming my recovery. Life is good.

Home Sweet Home

2011-01-29T12:44:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time in sunny California, but are very happy to be home again in snowy Maryland. After a week of sunshine it felt very cold when we stepped off the airplane last night. There is no place sweeter than home after any trip away.

The wedding was beautiful. My niece and and her new husband were so cute and happy. The wedding was a perfect reflection of who they are. As a great-aunt my favorite moment was watching my brother, her Grandpa Joe, dance with his his granddaughter the bride. It was such a sweet moment in time.

It was wonderful to have time to visit with my two brothers. We don't get to see each other often. Long time readers of this blog remember my sister-in-law Jean who suffered in a severe head injury two years ago. She now lives in a rehab hospital and is totally paralyzed on one side. For the occasion of this wedding a specially equipped van was hired, a beautiful new dress was purchased, and Jean attended the wedding. Seeing her dressed up and happy filled us all with a little extra joy.

After the wedding we headed south and enjoyed a few days of vacation in San Diego. We visited zoo where we went on our honeymoon.

I don't think I have changed much in the last fifty years, but this time I toured the zoo in a wheelchair.

We took a tour boat and saw the sights of the San Diego harbor and soaked up the sun.

We rubbed shoulders with the rich while eating lunch on the sun deck of the posh Hotel Del Coronado. The sun reflecting of the ocean made the Pacific look like a sea of diamonds.

Now I look out the window at my snow covered yard. It is good to be home.

California

2011-01-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Early tomorrow morning we are leaving for California. This is a bit sooner than I I would have chosen to travel, but there a very good reasons for going now.

My great-niece is getting married on Saturday. I love weddings.

There will be a wonderful family reunion and time with people we seldom see. Living on opposite coasts does make frequent visits hard.

We can enjoy a trip down memory lane as we visit places important to our childhood.

I can put flowers on my folks graves. I don't why this seems so important to me. I know they are not in a cemetery. They still live in my heart and influence my everyday.

We get to go to the San Diego Zoo. Last time we were there was on our honeymoon almost fifty years ago.

My recovery from the foot surgery is not quite complete so I get to ride a wheelchair through the airport and get on the plane during pre-boarding. I will feel so special.

It is warm and sunny in southern California, with temperatures in the seventies. Snow is predicted in Maryland.

MLK Day

2011-01-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

This morning I attended an interfaith community service to honor the work and legacy of Dr King. It was an inspiring service attended by young and old, black and white, Christian, Jewish and Muslim Americans. It was a time to reflect on victories against injustice and to look at all the work that lies before us. We came away grateful for the progress our nation has made and determined to continue to make our world a better place. My Bible verse for today is from Micah, chapter six,

And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Mic 6:8

Several years ago I drew this picture of two of my grandsons playing at the beach. When I look at these boys I am grateful for the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Unscrewed

2011-01-11T18:18:00.000-08:00

I am home with one less screw in my foot. The procedure today took only about thirty minutes. The worst part was the ginormous needles the doc used for the nerve block to numb my foot. After that I could only feel some pressure and pulling. It was a weird feeling to feel the doctor unscrewing the screw in my foot. It is a little hard to walk tonight because my foot is still numb. This should be only a small bump on my road to recovery. I expect to back on track in a day or two.

Foot Update

2011-01-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

I saw my foot surgeon this morning for my five month follow-up. He said the bones have healed well and everything looks good, EXCEPT one of the screws is little bit too long. The offending screw sticks into the joint space between the foot and the ankle and causes pain whenever I flex my foot. The screw has to come out. So tomorrow morning I head back to the OR to have it removed. The doctor assures me that this is a very minor procedure. The only reason it must be done in the OR is the need to see it with the X-ray so he knows just where to cut. He will make a small incision and just pull the bugger out. It will be done with only local anesthesia. I should be able to walk the next day. This has to be done before I can begin physical therapy to increase my strength and range of motion. I am actually pretty bummed about it. The doctor says it is a minor procedure, but anytime it is my body being cut it becomes major.

The Loyal Opposition

2011-01-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's tragic shootings in Arizona have made me very sad. A mentally unstable young man killed several people out of a hatred for our government. Many believe that extremest, violent political rhetoric encouraged him to do this terrible thing.

Politics in our country has become very divisive. Loud voices from the extreme right and the extreme left provoke fear and hatred. Politicians with opposing views post pictures of their opponents in the cross-hairs of a rifle and encourage people to take aim. People with different political views are called awful names. Opposing points of view are labeled un-American. The name-calling and extremism have made it hard to even understand what another person is saying. I often want to just stick my head in the sand and ignore the whole mess. Then something like the shooting in Arizona happens and I can't ignore it anymore.

In this big country of ours there are obviously going to be different ideas on the best way to handle the complex problems of our time. We live in a big, diverse world with big complicated issues. There are no easy answers to these problems. My personal political view is on the liberal side. Many of my friends and family are far more conservative and have different ideas than mine on the best policy for a particular situation. None of us really have enough information to know what is truly the best choice. We have to talk to each other and discuss our ideas and our understanding and our goals. Sometimes we have to compromise and not get our way. We have to quit calling each other names. We can never encourage or condone violence.

In the English parliament the minority party often is referred to as the loyal opposition. I like this term. It indicated that there is disagreement about policy without questioning the fact of patriotism. Somehow we have to understand that good, patriotic people can disagree about issues without calling one another names. We have to respect each other and learn to listen to each other.

Can we please speak more softly and listen with open minds?

I love this country. It is my home.

God bless us all.

Chair Yoga

2011-01-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

As a symbol and a promise of my continuing recovery my beloved and I signed up for a series of chair yoga sessions. I am loving this yoga class. My daughter and her good friend have opened a new yoga studio. One of their offerings is chair yoga which is perfect for those of us who have trouble standing up for for long periods. The studio is beautiful with big windows looking out into a lovely garden. I look forward to watching winter turn into spring through those windows. By the time time the garden is green and once again filled with flowers I expect to be walking and dancing with a grateful heart. For today I am content to stretch my arms and imagine I am one of the butterflies that decorate the room.

I love my yoga teacher . She is a beautiful soul.

Anticipation

2011-01-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

For the past five months about all I have done is sit in a chair and let my foot heal. My sweet husband has done the shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry. In addition to that he has been a patient and loving nurse to me. I have gotten pretty good at being pampered while doing nothing. As the pain leaves and I begin to walk I am full of anticipation about beginning to do things again. Things that were just chores are things I really am looking forward to doing again.

I want to go grocery shopping. I want to see what is on sale and what looks good each week. I want to browse through the produce department and pick out fresh fruits and vegetables. I want to look at the meat and pick it out myself. I want to run into friends and neighbors and stop and chat for a few minutes. I should be able to do this in just a few more weeks. In the future I promise to appreciate the joy of grocery shopping.

I want to cook dinner and clean up my kitchen.

I want to go to the pool. I want to walk into the locker room and laugh with my friends as we change into our swim suits. I want to move through the water and feel my muscles getting stronger again. I want to soak in the hot tub and relax after a good swim.

I want to do the laundry.

When warm weather comes this spring I want to work in my yard. I want to plant flowers and pull weeds. I want to climb on a step ladder and trim the bushes. I promise not to complain about having to weed the garden.

I want to walk. I want to take long walks without needing to stop because of the pain. I want to walk the familiar streets of my neighborhood and strange, faraway streets where I have never walked before. I want to walk on the beach with the surf pounding in my ears. I want to walk through the woods and listen to the birds. I want to walk through the airport to the furthermost gate and fly again on a jet plane to some wonderful destination.

Recovery has been a long time coming, but it is is getting nearer each day. With each day's improvement I grow more excited about the things I can do.

I can hardly wait for all the wonderful things I will be able do in2011.

2010 In Review

2010-12-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

It is an interesting exercise to look back over the year. Much has happened in my little corner of the world. As a review of 2010 I've chosen a sentence a month from the past year.

January
My main occupation since the beginning of this new year has been trying to stay warm.

February
Our winter road trip through the deep south was a wonderful experience. Each day was different from the day before, full of different sights and emotions.

March
I spent the weekend in the Pennsylvania mountains with forty of my girlfriends. The speaker was my older daughter. She shared her journey of faith with words and music that inspired a room full of women.

April
It is hard to find words to describe all the emotions involved in watching our grandson become one of the nation's newest airmen. Of course we are very proud of him.

May
Today I received an email from Iraq.

“HI MOM! happy mothers day i miss you and the family i would like to talk to you soon”

June
If you had asked me a year ago if Paul could walk a 5K I would have laughed at the improbability of the idea. Saturday Paul was laughing as we all cheered him across the finish line.

July
It was obvious the our Todd had found the perfect woman to be his wife. Pam adores Todd and is so proud of her soldier. Courtney refers to him as Dad. They are counting the days until he returns home again.Todd called the next morning. For the first time in more than eight years I heard his voice. He sounded so good. I cried.

August
I have been spending a lot of time with pain since my foot surgery five days ago. Pain just takes over your life and colors everything you see and do.

September
Sunday I was finally able to get to church. It felt so good to be back.

October
I saw the doctor this morning for a follow-up appointment. He is quite pleased with my recovery. It will be a little longer than I expected, but I will walk again.

November
This morning my seventeen-year-old granddaughter Sofie had her keys blessed. Sofie received something quite wonderful when she returned to the church parking lot. She had received a phone call from the admissions office of the University of New Haven. Not only had she been admitted, she was awarded a significant scholarship.

December
I can walk!

10 Joys of Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

We've enjoyed a wonderful Christmas holiday this year. I'll share ten of the joys.

1. Joy one came on Thursday evening. We had just finished a Christmas Eve Eve supper at daughter number 2's home. We were trying not to talk about our young airman because he would not be home for the first time this year. The US Air Force wouldn't let him off. Then the door opened and in walked John. There was much screaming and crying and laughter as we rejoiced that he was home. Our family does love a good surprise.

2. Any grandmother will tell you that getting the whole family together at the same time in the same place is one of life's greatest joys. Here we are posing for a picture for gramma.

3.This year the simple act of walking around my house and being able to help with day's festivities was glorious. Not being able to walk for more than four months makes me very appreciative of my growing mobility.

4. My grandsons the manly men were having such fun together. They do make me smile.

5. My beautiful granddaughters bring us hugs and great joy.

6. Being part of the candlelit singing of “Silent Night” always makes me cry. Sharing it with family and friends makes it seem like a bit of heaven.

7. My husband, who is still a little boy at heart, spent most of Christmas Eve putting together a marvelous marble machine so he would have a toy on Christmas morning.

8.Our daughter adopted a blue-footed-boobie in our name. I love blue-footed-boobies.

9. No Christmas would be complete without festive neon yellow sweatshirts for the whole family.

10.The greatest joy is the love that fills the air and surrounds us all with love that makes us count our blessings and remember who we are. God is good.

"What's A Virgin?"

2010-12-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

One evening just before Christmas, 1969, I was at the piano picking out some Christmas songs. My six-year-old daughter joined me on the piano bench and we sang together,“Silent night, Holy night, round yon virgin..,” when she stopped singing. She looked at me and asked,”Mommy, what's a virgin?” Ahh, one of those questions every mother looks forward to answering. I said something to the effect that Joseph didn't help Mary get pregnant like daddy helped mommy get pregnant. She looked startled and said, “I didn't know daddy had anything to do with that!” She then seemed to loose interest in the subject and went off to play with her little sister and brothers.

The next day my six-year-old went grocery shopping with me. I was in the check-out lane and she was sitting in the cart's child seat. Just as the clerk began ringing up my order my daughter decided she had one more question. She asked in a loud, clear voice for all the store to hear,”Mommy, just what did daddy do to help get you pregnant?”

That little girl is now the mother of two grown children. I have greatly enjoyed watching her answer their questions.

2010-12-19T05:34:00.000-08:00

I can walk!

Christmas 1963

2010-12-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

1963 was one of those years when everything in my world changed. I left my full time career as a nurse because I was pregnant. Hospital policy did not allow nurses to work after the second trimester. I became a mother. My husband accepted a job at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. We packed all our worldly belongings into a moving van and sent them off to Maryland. We moved out of our cute little house in Santa Monica and moved back to Whittier where we lived with my parents for the last month of the year. I was so in awe my beautiful newborn daughter that all the big changes going on in my life faded into the background.

Christmas morning I dressed my baby in a cute little red Santa suit. My day revolved around her. She seemed to delight in the Christmas lights. My family all delighted in her. The importance of our impending move across the country had not really sunk in with me. I didn't realize that this would be the last time I would celebrate Christmas with my parents, my brothers and my nieces. I did not realize that my role in life would largely change from being a daughter to being a mother. Two weeks later we left California and flew to Maryland.

The next Christmas I was large with child and my doctor advised against traveling across the country for the holidays. Santa found us in Maryland. Our house filled with children and we always stayed home for Christmas. I missed my California family. Every year when we put up our tree I would call home and exclaim, “ It's the pettiest tree we've ever had!” just as my mom had said every year. Every year on Christmas Eve we would open the big packages that had come from our families and celebrate California Christmas. I would have a few pangs of loneliness. Christmas morning we awoke to the happy squeals of our children as they discovered the pile of goodies brought by Santa. Our children all have wonderful memories of Christmas.

Was there a year in your life when everything changed and you just didn't realize it at the time?

Christmas 1989 & 1990

2010-12-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

Some Christmas memories are melancholy and always bring a touch of sadness into the joy of the season.

One Sunday afternoon in early December 1989 we were sitting at the kitchen table when the phone rang. It was my brother-in-law calling from Colorado to tell us that my father-in-law had just died of a heart attack. His death was unexpected. He had been in the midst of a busy retirement and enjoying life. The day before he died he had put up the Christmas tree and gone to a children's party where he had played Santa Claus. That morning they had gone to church. In the afternoon he and his wife had sat down to watch their beloved Broncos play football. She turned to say something and he was gone. We flew to Colorado and drove across the snow covered mountains to be with the family. The mountains were beautiful, with all the small towns twinkling with Christmas lights. It looked like a glittery holiday card. Christmas lights reflecting on the snow always remind me of that drive and my wonderful father-in law. Bill was a good man. We still miss him.

Just over a year later we were again sitting at the kitchen table when the phone rang. This call was from my brother. After a very long, difficult illness my father had died of pneumonia. He had been in a nursing home for five years. His last years were hard. I was expecting the call, but it was still hard to believe that my sweet daddy was gone. We flew to California for the funeral. The church was full of friends and family who came to honor this good man. We flew back home on Christmas eve. My children, my grandchildren, and my mother-in-law were waiting for our arrival so the Christmas festivities could begin. My grandchildren were little and very excited about Santa Claus. It was a hard thing to celebrate that year. The joy and the sadness kept getting mixed up.

We love Christmas, as did our fathers before us. I feel their presence every year as we gather to celebrate the joy of being a family.

Christmas 1975

2010-12-04T11:10:00.001-08:00

This time of year is so full of memories of times gone by that on many days I tend to get very nostalgic. Recently I came upon this letter to Santa written by my children in 1975. I cherish the memories of my house full of children.

Grandsons

2010-11-30T08:54:00.000-08:00

I love my teen aged boys. They always make me smile.

Foot Report

2010-11-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

After our feast yesterday my daughter decided to give us all a tattoo. She is learning the fine art of tattooing with henna and wanted to practice. My good right foot was blessed with a beautiful design. My husband's hand was tattooed with the solar system and my son had Mom with a heart around it for his arm. It was a fun activity. I could commit to a two week tattoo.

Several people have asked for a report on my left foot. It is getting better. Recovery has just been harder and is taking longer than I had expected. I am now sixteen weeks post-op. I still have to wear the big orthopedic boot and use crutches in order to walk, but I am starting to walk. I am able to put full weight and the foot. I no longer need to take pain medicine. Yesterday I drove the car for the first time since surgery. My goal is to be walking without help by Christmas. Not being able to do the things I usually do has been frustrating, but this to shall pass. I will dance next year.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T06:03:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving Day. We are headed over the river and through the woods to our daughter's home where we will feast on turkey with all the trimmings. (Actually it's just up the road, about ten minutes from here.) There will be a small but thankful crowd around the table. Two of our children and their families will be sharing the day with the in-laws this year. Our grandson will be gone for the first time this year. He is in Texas where he will celebrate with his Air Force buddies.

Take time to count your blessings today and have a wonderful day.
Happy Thanksgiving!

A Teetotaler's Fruitcake

2010-11-21T14:22:00.000-08:00

My parent's were teetotalers, as were all their friends. When I was a child I never saw anyone drink anything alcoholic, no beer, no wine, no alcohol. Occasionally I heard a sermon about the sin of drunkenness and I grew up just assuming that good people never drank alcohol. I tell you this so you will understand the following story.

Every Christmas my mother made a fruitcake. The fruitcake making was one of the rituals of preparing for Christmas. One year one of my mom's fellow teachers told her how much better the cake would be if she soaked a cheesecloth in peach brandy and then wrapped it around the cake. The brandy would impart a peach flavor and keep the cake moister. Mom wanted to try this idea, but she had a problem. Dad was an elder in our church. The church did not approve of alcohol . She did not want any of the congregation to see her going into the liquor store, so she drove to a neighboring town to make her purchase. She parked at the store and looked around, then hurried inside to make her purchase. As she left with her little brown bag of brandy she literally bumped into the wife of the other elder in our little church who had also driven to the neighboring town to make a similar purchase. They were both embarrassed and vowed to keep their secret.

I was a young teen that day when mom came in with her arms full of groceries. In an unusual gesture of helpfulness I hopped up and helped her unload groceries. The first thing I pulled out of the grocery bag was her little brown bag with the peach brandy inside. I shrieked with amazement. “Mom, is this really brandy? Did you really buy alcohol?” My poor mom. She was so embarrassed as she explained the whole story to me.

The fruitcake was exceptionally good that year. It was so moist with a hint of peach flavor. Everyone asked for a second serving that year.

Blessings

2010-11-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

One of the sweet traditions in our congregation is “The Blessing of the Keys.” Shortly after a young person gets their driver's license the congregation blesses their car keys, praying for safe driving. At the beginning of the service the young person is called to the front of the church and there is a brief prayer. Then the young driver goes for a drive with a selected sponsor. At the end of service they return and the sponsor reports on the young driver's ability. The new driver is then given a new key chain as a token of our blessing.

This morning my seventeen-year-old granddaughter Sofie had her keys blessed. In fact she drove our youth minister to Starbucks and they talked until time to return. Her sponsor gave her an A+ on her driving skills and then said Sofie had received something quite wonderful when she returned to the church parking lot. She had received a phone call from the admissions office of the University of New Haven. Not only had she been admitted, she was awarded a significant scholarship. Her family heard this exciting news with the rest of the church. She truly did feel blessed this morning.

Yesterday I attended my first Bar Mitzvah. It was a beautiful, moving service. I cried several times as this young man was blessed by his family, his religious community and many friends. It is a wonderful thing to watch faith and heritage passed from one generation to the next with such love. Mazel tov David. You filled us all with pride.

I hope all our children all feel blessed with love by their families and their community.

Old

2010-11-09T06:23:00.001-08:00

"OLD" IS WHEN... Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Pick one, I can't do both!"

"OLD" IS WHEN.. Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.

"OLD" IS WHEN.... A sexy someone catches your eye and your pacemaker opens the garage door.

"OLD" IS WHEN... Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

"OLD" IS WHEN. You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... "Getting a little action" means I don't need to take any fiber today.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... An "all-nighter" means not getting up to pee.

Thanksgiving Times Six

2010-11-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

In honor of the fact that this is the sixth day of November, the month of Thanksgiving, I will list six things for which I am thankful today.

1.There are no political ads on TV. I think I prefer ads about erectile dysfunction and feminine products than the filth politics produces.
2.Today I took a shower without any assistance from anyone, my first solo shower since surgery last August. I am thankful for the shower stool and long-hosed hand-held shower that made that possible.
3.I am thankful for a laptop computer that has allowed me to stay in contact with the outside world.
4.I am thankful for Mark, my daughter's sweetheart. Happy birthday Mark.
5.The world outside my window is filled with beautiful autumn leaves, I am so thankful for the beauty of nature.
6.I am thankful for Dennis, my sweet, loving husband, who has been such a wonderful caregiver as I recover from surgery. I could not have survived the last few months without his steadfast love.

What are some of things that you are thankful for today?

Bells

2010-11-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

One of the things that has kept me sane for the past few months has been going to bell practice every week. I roll into the practice room each week in my wheelchair where I find of group of friends who help me forget my troubles for a little while. There is something about counting, 1-and-duh – 2 – 3-and-duh 4, that just makes everything else disappear. It is kind of like musical yoga. We hit a lot of wrong notes in practice and sometime we get pretty silly. We have agreed that happens in bell practice stays in bell practice. Between laughs we practice hard. Our official name is the Clinquant Choir. We call ourselves the ding-a-lings. Occasionally we get to make glorious music.

We joined the vocal choirs, the Westminster Trombone Choir, and the organ this past Sunday to play, “Lord Speak To Me.” I hope God smiled at our song of praise.

To hear us play click here, then click on the mp3 audio for the anthem on Reformation Sunday.

Psalms 150

A Victory Over Breast Cancer

2010-10-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

October has been designated as breast cancer awareness month. Before the month is over I wanted to share my all time favorite story about a victory over the disease.

For many years I was a nurse in a big family practice clinic. It was a great job. Over time I became very close with our long-time patients. One of my favorites was Heidi, the fifty year old mother of one college age daughter. Heidi was a delightful, funny lady.

One day Heidi came in to see the doctor about a lump she had just discovered. She was concerned. Tests were done and the results were not good. After the doctor told her the results indicated cancer she came to me. I held her while she cried. She was afraid she would die and never her see her daughter graduate and marry. She would never know if she had grandchildren. Cancer is a very scary diagnosis. After a good cry Heidi pulled herself together, told her daughter, and arranged to be treated for the disease. She had a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. The treatment was difficult, but after a year she was declared cancer free. Heidi was there to celebrate when her daughter graduated, married and gave birth to Heidi's first grandchild.

On the five year anniversary of being cancer free, Heidi and her daughter celebrated with a trip to mardi gras in New Orleans. There is custom at mardi gras about beads involving the showing of your boobies. A man with an armload of beads approached Heidi and her daughter, offering their choice of his beads in exchange for a quick peek. Heidi asked if he was sure he wanted to see her boobies. When he assured her that he did, she reached inside her blouse and removed both her prostheses and placed them in his hands. He starred at them for a moment before he realized what she had done and then started laughing. He told her that she was one brave woman and returned them to her and then placed everyone of his beads around her neck. He thought she deserved them for her great courage and humor.

Heidi came into the doctor's office when she returned and brought us all beads from New Orleans. She said to share her story of victory. She wanted women everywhere to know that victory over cancer is possible and that life can still be full of joy.

The Doctor Said

2010-10-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

I saw the doctor this morning for a follow appointment. He is quite pleased with my recovery. After eleven weeks the bones have healed and are now in alignment as they should be. I was expecting to be referred to a physical therapist and be walking again in the near future. It will be a little longer than I expected, but I will walk again. I can start walking now with my orthopedic boot on and using crutches until I am strong enough to not need them. This will take six to eight weeks. In the office today he manipulated my foot an toes to break up the adhesions and scars that have formed during my recovery. I'm sure most of the people in the hospital heard me scream. It hurt a lot. I will have to massage my foot three times a day and stretch the toes back to prevent the adhesions from reforming. I will not be seeing a physical therapist now. I should be walking without the boot before Christmas. He said it would be spring before I would be walking without being aware of foot. Looks like it may be next summer before I can take dancing lessons.

Day of Birth

2010-10-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my daughter's birthday, or as I often tell her, it is the anniversary of my suffering. It is fortunate that women are able to pretty much block out all memory of labor and delivery or none of us would ever have a second child.

The day before giving birth I woke up before dawn aware of intermittent back pains and cramps. I got up and walked around trying to decide if this was really labor. If this was it was it wasn't so bad. I had fixed myself some coffee when my husband came out ready for work. He asked why I was up so early and I told him that I was in labor. He went pale, sat done and asked what he should do. I told him it was going to be a long process and to go on to work. He did, but he was home before noon, saying there was no way he could concentrate. He wanted to be home. I thought things were progressing nicely and we left for the hospital later in the afternoon.

I had worked in labor and delivery until hospital policy required me to resign after my second trimester. I knew the staff and the routines well. I was excited, but not too nervous as we went through the admission process. The hospital was a big, modern teaching facility. It was a very progressive place allowing fathers in the labor area. It was a long labor. The pain was far greater than I had expected. At one point a young nurse came in and told me that if I just took long, slow breaths it wouldn't hurt so much. I was tempted to hit her, except I could remember saying the same thing to patients I had cared for when I had worked there. At one point my husband assured me he would do everything else if I had the babies instead of him. Finally the next afternoon it was time for delivery. My husband was sent to the waiting room. Fathers were not permitted in the delivery room. I was given an epidural that brought sweet relief from the pain. As the nurses moved me from the gurney to the delivery table my leg slipped down and prevented me from getting where I needed to be. I remember seeing my leg hanging there and thinking how strange it was that I could neither feel nor move my leg. Finally I was on the delivery table. Then a miracle happened and my beautiful, perfect baby girl was placed in my arms.

The baby and I were checked out, pronounced healthy, cleaned up and placed in my hospital bed to be transported to my room. My husband met us as we rolled down the hallway. He kissed me and then just stared at the little face staring back at him. Finally he said that he had never seen such big beautiful eyes in a baby. Then he asked if this beautiful creature was a boy or a girl. He was thrilled to be the father of a daughter.

The lifetime of joy and love that little girl and her sister and brothers have brought us far outweigh any of the pain of childbirth.

Two of My Favorite Things

2010-10-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

There are two inventions that have made my life immensely better.

The first is the mute button on my TV remote control. The airwaves have been totally polluted with obnoxious advertisements. During this election season whenever a political ad begins I happily hit my mute button. The lies, innuendos and half truths are silenced. An ad begins that extols the wonder of a pill that enhances a man's erectile function and I hit my mute button. I just don't want to hear it. I also hate ads for feminine hygiene products. It just seems some things should not be shouted into my living room. My mute button is a great stress reducer in my life.

What advertisements make you hit the mute button?

The other invention that improves my life and reduces it's irritations is the caller ID on my phone. I think ninety percent of calls made to our house are junk calls. If you call from an 800 number or the ID shows up as an unknown caller I don't answer. I miss lots of pushy salesmen and lots of politicians that way. I figure if it is important the caller will leave a message. The fact that I own a phone does not mean I have to talk to you. I love my caller ID.

Do you screen your calls?

Ten Things To Do While Waiting For My Foot To Heal

2010-10-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

1.Feel sorry for myself. This is depressing so I try to limit this activity, but I have managed to have a couple of very good pity parties.
2.Take naps. This was much easier when I was taking the good drugs.
3.Play free cell. This is a big waste of time but it is better than number one.
4.Watch daytime TV. I can only do this if I am taking the good drugs which prevent me from thinking.
5.Tour the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I have been watching a series of illustrated lectures by an art historian about the great works in these two museums. I am learning a lot about art history. It really is interesting. Someday I plan to go see both theses museums.
6.Eat. I wonder if I will be able to fit into an of my clothes after three months of boredom and inactivity.
7.Read. Since I quit taking the good drugs I have been able to enjoy reading again. Currently I am enjoying “Peace Like a River,” by Leif Enger. It is a sweet story about family, love and faith with delightful characters. I tried to read “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” but found it just too boring. I didn't like any of the characters and didn't care what happened to any of them.
8.Try to think of something interesting to post on my blog. My life has not been very exciting recently.
9.Visit with friends and family when they come to visit. I love to listen to stories about the people in my world.
10.My very favorite thing is to get out of the house and go anyplace else. Since I travel by wheelchair I have really come to appreciate handicap accessible places. I am grateful that our church, the senior center and several restaurants are all wheelchair friendly.

Lexie Sue

2010-10-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Thirteen years ago today I had the honor of being present at the birth of my seventh grandchild. What a breath-taking moment that was! After a long labor, suddenly there she was, a beautiful, perfect baby girl. As the doctor handed this new baby, fresh from heaven, to my daughter a feeling of amazing joy filled my heart. My daughter then looked at me and said that her name was Alexandra Susan. This child's middle name is in honor of me. I felt overwhelmed at such an honor.

I love this wonderful girl who today begins the exciting adventure of being a teenager.

Happy birthday Lexie Sue.

Two Month Follow-Up

2010-09-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from my two month follow-up appointment with the surgeon. I heaved a very large sigh of relief when he said that everything is healing well. Recovery looks to be right on schedule. I am now allowed to start puting some weight on my foot as long as I wear my orthopedic boot. He expects me to be able to be completely weight-bearing by the time I see him again in a month. I was quite happy when he gave me permission to take this hot, uncomfortable boot off when I go to bed. I am greatly looking forward to a comfortable night's sleep.

I feel like I can see a light at the end of this long tunnel of recovery. I will be able to walk again.

Hope

2010-09-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

After a week of fighting boredom and cabin fever I was really looking forward to going to church this morning. My expectations were well met. The singing was uplifting and the sermon left me feeling hopeful. The gloom and doom of the news combined with the cabin fever that has attacked me had left me feeling pretty down this week. Today I was reminded of all the good things going on in the world and in my life. After the service I enjoyed a cup of coffee while visiting with many friends. Six year old Abigail told that she really was the smartest girl in first grade. Five year old Grace let me look in her kaleidoscope because it is always pretty in there. How can you not be happy when Grace lets you look in her kaleidoscope? I came home counting my blessings,

What is something good going on in your world?

A Moment of Panic

2010-09-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

This morning I was sitting in the chair where I spend most of my life these days just chatting with my husband and our daughter. As we talked I glanced down at my hands and felt a moment of surprised panic. The diamond was missing from my engagement ring. How could that be? That diamond has been sitting in that ring on my hand for over fifty years. It is always there. My husband and daughter both jumped up and looked at my hand. I was not hallucinating. The ring was still on my finger, but the diamond was not in the ring. I jumped up as fast as a one legged woman who can't walk could stand up and wheeled myself and my scooter to the couch so the chair could be closely investigated. My daughter slowly removed each pillow and cushion. She turned the chair upside down and look in all the crevasses. She found lots of dust, but no diamond. My husband took the blankets off the bed and looked closely for my diamond. No shiny diamond in our bed. I was trying hard not to cry. Suddenly there was loud, “Eureka! I found it.” Somehow it had fallen into the trash can in the bathroom. It sat there shiny and bright under the collection of trash. I felt such sweet relief. It can be reset and fixed as good as new. My hand just feels naked without my diamond.

That which was lost has been found.

Love Thy Neighbor

2010-09-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

With all the upsetting news recently about people behaving badly in the name of Christianity, I found this story to be very hopeful.

The Heartsong Methodist church near Memphis Tennessee recently learned that the property next door to their building had been purchased by the Memphis Islamic Center. A mosque and Islamic Center was to be built there. Instead of reacting with fear this church responded with Christian love and hospitality. Following the command to love their neighbors they put up a large sign that said the Heartsong Church welcomed the Islamic center to the neighborhood. They hosted their new neighbors for dinner. During Ramadan they invited their new neighbors to use their building for evening prayers while the Islamic center was under construction. They are cooperating in programs to help needy children in the neighborhood.

I think I would enjoy worshiping with my fellow Christians at the Heartsong church. It makes me smile to know that there are people who still believe that God really is love.

River of Life Park

2010-09-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

I used to love doing yoga. It was a wonderful way to stretch my muscles and relax my body and soul. I quit the classes when my joint pain worsened and many of the poses became too difficult for me. I have continued to do some of the poses to stretch my muscles and quiet my mind. My favorite pose was always the one that was the last pose of the class – relaxation pose. I would stretch out on my my back and just try to relax my whole body. That is easier said than done. Frequently our teacher would guide us through a visual imagery. Think of a place that is quiet and beautiful. Try to feel yourself there just relaxing.

One of the things that I have found helpful during this long recovery period is practicing the relaxation pose and visualizing a place of pain free peace. It has gotten so that I look forward to taking myself to this perfect place as I escape the pain and frustration of recovery. I am getting better each day and I think part of that is due to my daily escape to what I have called the River of Life Park. Let me tell you about my wonderful world of imagination.

In the Bible's book of Revelations the River of Life is said to flow from the throne of God right through the golden streets of heaven. The Tree of Life, with it's healing fruit grows along it's banks. In my imagination as this river flows outward from God's throne it goes through a wonderful heavenly park. The banks are covered with green grass and shaded by the Tree of Life. I swim in the river and feel it's healing power. I come back to the tables and chairs scattered along the bank and sit down next to my mother. We laugh and talk and feel the joy of being together. We look out to the river where my dad is fishing. I'm sure heaven's river is good for fishing. My children and grandchildren are all around us, playing and laughing. My beloved is counting the birds nesting in the tree of life. The sound of God's heavenly choir is carried by soft, warm breezes. There are tables filled with all the things we love to eat, bananas for mom, blackberry cobbler for my dad, My crazy, loving Aunt Rubye is there serving the children orange juice from Doctor Pepper bottles. In a rocking chair nearby my grandmother is rocking her babies who died shortly after birth. There is no pain here. There are no tears. Love permeates everything.

For now my excursions to River of Life Park are a brief respite from the long journey to recovery. Someday I plan to live there forever.

Sofie

2010-09-13T09:40:00.001-07:00

Since my surgery it seems like time as just been just barely moving by. I wonder how I can survive the remaining long, slow two months of my convalescence. Then something comes along and reminds me that time is moving by at incredibly fast speeds.

It seems like just yesterday that my second daughter gave birth to her much wanted first baby. I remember each moment that day so clearly. After a very long labor, suddenly she was here, our perfect baby girl, our Sofie. Today Sofie is seventeen years old. She is a beautiful, happy high school senior. Being Sofie's gramma is one my greatest blessings.

Happy birthday Sofie. I love you.

Labor Day

2010-09-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Considering I am still an invalid,we had as good a Labor Day weekend as possible .

Saturday my friend Evelyn came over for Chinese carry-out and some good conversation. We had not seen each other all summer and I was way behind on the gossip from her side of the world. A few tidbits of juicy gossip always makes for some fun conversation.

Sunday I was finally able to get to church. It felt so good to be back. I was hugged and grandly welcome by so many friends. I was on the edge of tears all morning because of my barely controlled emotions. One of the hymns of the morning was, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord.” My mother used to rock me to sleep while singing this hymn. I always feel my heartstrings pull when I hear it, especially when it is the sweet acapella version we sang Sunday.

Monday we ventured over to our daughter's house for an end of summer cook out. I really wanted to go, but spent some time trying to figure out how to negotiate her porch steps safely. I finally sat on them and skooched up on my behind. It was pretty undignified, but I got up and down the steps without falling. By the time this foot heals I should have some strong arms. The delicious kabobs and fine company made it well worth the effort.

Tomorrow we are going back to the doctor's office in Baltimore. This orthopedic boot is driving me crazy. It is so uncomfortable. I took it and the dressing off today for my shower and noticed the skin is red and raw on my ankle and heel. I sure don't want to develop any pressure sores on that foot. I think I need a different style boot. Hopefully a solution will be found.

That's all the news for now from the healing room.

A Good Day

2010-09-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day.

I went to rehearsal with the senior chorale. It felt so good to be out of the house, with a room full of friends practicing notes and rhythms for the holiday program. It was good to feel normal for a little while. My sweet husband took me in in the wheelchair. I was only able to stay for about an hour, but it was a good beginning.

Son number two is here tonight. It was nice to have him here for dinner. He is having a minor medical procedure at o'dark-thirty in the morning. He needs a ride to and from the hospital, so he is sleeping over so his dad can drive him tomorrow

Today is my newest granddaughter's sixteenth birthday. Happy birthday Courtney. I'm so glad to have you in our family.

My husband got a bunch of new left-handed dice (don't ask) to add to his collection. He is very happy about this new addition to his collection. He is easily entertained.

In only eight more weeks I will be able to take off this orthopedic boot and start physical therapy.

Life is good.

Did You Hear the Angels Singing

2010-08-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Did you hear the angels singing this morning? There were rainbows in the sky and happy little bluebirds were dropping flower petals around me. It was a moment of sheer bliss in my little world. Their song went something like this, “ Praise God for great blessings. Sue is taking a real shower. Rivers of warm water flow down her back. Water washes the wounded foot. She feels so clean, so fresh. Showers of blessings are falling, Soon Sue will be well.”

Dreams

2010-08-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

It has been four weeks now since surgery. I know I am getting better because the boredom has begun to set in. The pain is pretty well controlled with the meds, but I just can't do much. Yesterday I had hoped to go to church, but I just didn't have enough energy to really go. My stamina has gone to just about none. It is frustrating. I've watched a lot of TV, but that wears out quickly. I don't mean to complain, I am healing. I know this is a temporary situation, but it just looks like a long boring road ahead right now.

I've had a lot of colorful, kind of scary dreams. I assume they are the result of the good drugs I have been taking. The dreams are not pleasant. I can't understand why people would take these pills for fun. Last night the dream seemed more real than normal. My husband was holding a flashlight and running around the bedroom with a flashlight and a flyswatter whacking the floor and yelling “Gotcha!” It seemed to be odd behavior for my studious, sedate husband. In the morning he said he hoped he hadn't bothered me, but he did kill two crickets who were driving him nuts during the night. He has now lined our bedroom with cricket traps in an effort to prevent another night of wild cricket hunting.

Precisely Where it Should Be

2010-08-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

The nurse finished cutting away the many layers of bloody dressings and pulled it all away from my foot when the surgeon walked into the room. I looked down at my bruised, swollen foot, crisscrossed with sutures and said that my foot was ugly. The doctor smiled and said that my foot looked great. He put the x-rays on the screen. It looked to me like someone had dumped an erector set into my foot, there were screws and plates everywhere. The doctor said everything was precisely where it should be. He was extremely happy with the way everything looked. I was extremely relieved to hear all was okay.

I am now wearing a much smaller dressing and a big orthopedic boot. In a week I will be allowed to remove the boot and take a shower. No weight-bearing until he reevaluates me in five weeks. I am still taking my good drugs for pain, but I can go almost six hours between doses. Mobility is difficult and frustrating. But just knowing that everything is precisely where it should be gives me courage and hope for the rest of my recovery.

Post-Op Day10

2010-08-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

It has been ten days since my foot surgery. I knew it would be painful and hard, but it has been more painful and difficult than I had expected. The pain is beginning to ease up some, but I am still very grateful for the good drugs. Everything just seems difficult. My foot is very heavy. I'm pretty sure that there are concrete blocks wrapped under the bandage. My right leg should be very strong when I get to the other side of this recovery.

I have a big stack of books that I was planning to read, but I think my brain has turned to mush. I just can't concentrate. My big diversion each day is to watch House Hunters on HGTV.

My minister came by and prayed for me. My friend Jack came by laid his big hands on my foot. Jack has the hands of a healer. My daughter came by and did reiki on me. My friend the rabbi has prayed for me. Sometimes I am very aware of the energy of divine grace and healing filling me. It is wonderful to have friends who have faith enough to pray.

The yummy food, the cards, the visits and the phone calls have really helped. It is good to have tangible evidence of love and friendship.

I have the most awesome husband in the world. He has done all the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry and shopping. He washed my back and shampooed my hair. He gets up in the night and helps me when I feel wobbly. He holds me when I cry.

I will be better tomorrow.

I Got a Scooter

2010-08-16T17:52:00.000-07:00