A List of Miracles

I haven’t spent much time here in the last months.  It isn’t that there haven’t been many, many blessings, but simply that my time has been taken up with so many other things.   

Looking back, I see that I’ve neglected to mention that we have moved from Ohio to New Mexico.  Rachael and Michael have had A Plan to move here from the time they were married.  They had a beautiful house in Ohio. They loved their house and its location, but it wasn’t New Mexico.  Their plan was to save their money, upgrade their house and accumulate enough money to make the move.  When Rachael and Michael set their minds to something, they DO it. 

Shortly after the first of the year in 2015, they decided the Time Had Come.  They began putting the finishing touches on their property to make it as attractive as possible.  They made a trip to NM to scope out available properties.  That provided a contact with a realtor and access to a very attractive house.  Things moved forward for the move

One of their problems was getting ME moved.  I have a lot of junk!  After a number of conversations with Notah they hatched a design to move me and some of my things first, at the end of April.  I began packing my personal things and cleaning drawers, shelves and my closet.  Some of the things I boxed and left for them to take their moving truck.  My clothes, some of my books and my plants I took with me.  My bearded dragon and Maggie were at the top of the list to go along.  Moving pets was a bigger hassle than moving myself.  In addition to them, I took Rachael’s turtle and her cat, Cole. 

Notah was in the process of purchasing a cargo van for the moving company.  He would have to pick it up at some location since it wouldn’t be shipped to them directly.  He elected to pick it up in Columbus as the least expensive way to go.  See how God works things out for his children?  His time table is NEVER wrong.

I stayed with Notah’s family while Rachael and Michael moved forward, listing their house with a realtor and arranging their move.  As soon as that was accomplished they began packing.   Their house was listed in May and sold within a month!   We have an amazing Lord!  How often does a house sell within thirty days!  Yet when God has His Hand on the timing, it happens.  There was blessing after blessing but by mid-July Rachael and Michael arrived in New Mexico!!  How can I help but praise the Lord?!

By this time I was living in Notah and Kerra’s  ‘old house’ that they were preparing for sale.  Rachael and Michael were able to store their things in the back room and live with me while they were job hunting and getting organized for a few months.  But after six months of rushing and working and organizing, they took a little time to kick back and relax.  Rachael wanted to show Michael her homeland.  He had seen the area around Albuquerque and Gallup during the times they had visited Notah and our family in Rock Springs, but there was the whole southwest that he’d never seen.  They took a week or two as a break and visited Monument Valley, Zion National Park and other.’ landmarks around the reservation before they began looking for jobs.

Now another example of how the Lord works things out for His People.  When they returned and began job hunting they both had jobs within a month.   Again, how amazing is that!!  In a time when jobs are hard to come by, especially good jobs they found good jobs almost immediately.  Michael was hired to manage an ironworks shop—the same position as he’d had in Ohio.   Rachael was hired as an assistant manager in a bank!  I could hardly believe it! 

The next issue was finding a house.  They explored the area around Albuquerque, north to Santa Fe and south to the Tijeras area.  They wanted a house ‘in the mountains.’  After they had made a few rounds viewing houses, Kerra mentioned that some friends of theirs had a house for sale in Tierra Grande.  I didn’t thing they would be at all interested; Tierra Grande is a wide flat plain lying in the bowl between the Sandia Mountains, the Manzanos, Los Pinos and the Ladrones.  I liked and still do like, having the distant mountains watching over us, but the land could by no stretch of imagination be called ‘mountainous.’

But when Rachael and Michael looked at the house they liked it immediately, in spite of many drawbacks.   The people living there were horrible housekeepers.  Their could-be beautiful house was in an awful condition. They had goats and pigs and dogs running loose.  Their granddaughter kept Rabbits and chinchillas in wire cages on the floor in her bedroom.  The property was overgrown with well-intentioned but improperly maintained vegetation.  I couldn’t believe it when Rachael and Michael began talking of buying it.   Now THAT was the Lord.

At any rate, the sale finally went through and they took possession the first of December, 2015.. 

Remembering Linda

Michael brought home the DVD for “The Hobbit.”  Of course I watched it.  I’ve written of the Tolkien stories before in these blogs

I first found The Hobbit when I was in about the sixth or seventh grade, perhaps 1957.  It may have been before that because I began reading from the adult section as soon as I was allowed.  I believe that was at the beginning of the eight grade.  I found The Hobbit in the children’s section of the library.  I can even remember exactly where I was standing when I found it—in the front left hand corner of the library.  There was a shelf section of about eight feet or so between the corner and the window.  The hobbit was on the second or third shelf in about the middle.  I remember because I went back there to pick up The Hobbit again several times even after I graduated to the adult section.  It was considered a “children’s book.”

The Trilogy of the Rings did not become widely available in the US until later in the 1950’s and I probably found it in 1959 or ‘60.  I devoured that as soon as I discovered it on the adult shelves.

When Peter Jackson presented his movie version of the Trilogy I was excited to see it, even though many of the exciting portions had to be cut in order to keep it from becoming a long running series instead of three movies.  In the end of 2012, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened and just a few days ago it came out on DVD.   Michael and Rachael surprised me with it Friday evening.  Saturday morning (March 23) I watched The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey.  It was ‘okay’ but only because I had read the book before.  If I hadn’t known the story I would have said the movie was great.  This morning I watched the second disc.  It was a compilation of ‘extras”—scenes of New Zealand, video blogs about production, and copies of the trailers as well as previews of the games the movie has spawned.

The blogs were what impressed me the most.  They were made to give fans insights into the production and shooting of the movie. 

When I was director of the day care, my head teacher for quite a few years was Linda Mitchell.  I’m not sure how she became involved in day care but she was an excellent early childhood teacher without the degree in early childhood education.  Her first love however was the theater and movies.  Her bachelor’s degree was in Theater, I believe.  She was involved the local little theater group, interested in movies and sci fi conventions. We spent a lot of time, in between the business of caring for children and the needs of the day care, talking about the little theater.  Linda was seldom involved in the on-stage aspects of the productions, the acting, singing, dancing, etc.  She was interested in the back stage production.

 These video blogs have brought memories of her back in force.  How she would have loved the scope and wonder of the Rings and the Hobbit!  The intricacies involved in costuming especially would have drawn her in.  I was amazed to see the actors and then the dwarves they became.  Because there were 13 of them and they were the ‘stars’ of the show, their costumes involved foot after foot after foot of costumes for the myriad of scenes and actions.  Transforming them from men into dwarves required several hours of make-up.  I enjoyed watching the process.  Linda would have loved the wigs and prosthetics and actual make-up to achieve coloring that would film correctly!

The set requirements were extensive.  Hobbiton was built of polystyrene for the Rings movies.  For The Hobbit it was built of real materials on site then left for tourists to experience.  The intricate planning and construction was breath taking.  And of course, not everything could be filmed on site so there were acres it seemed of sites constructed on the production lots—the goblin caves, Elrond’s house, the interior of Bilbo’s hobbit-hole.  And they were all intricate to the last detail. It took my breath away.  I could envision Linda involved in each and every part of it, whichever allowed her talents for drawing, painting and creating effects.

For the very first time I caught a glimpse of the reason for her fascination with behind the scenes work for the theater and, by extension, movies. 

Linda Mitchell, you were loved and remembered fondly.

back in the desert!

This weekend we went to the Quebradas Back Country.   (http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/socorro/quebradas_backcountry_byway.html  or  http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/nm/programs/recreation/rec_docs/rec_docs_socorro.Par.19376.File.dat/QuebradasGuide2010.pdf ) 

It’s one of my favorite parts of New Mexico.  Of course, I say that of almost every part of New Mexico.  You can go look at the link or take my word for it; the Quebradas is 25 miles of unpaved road from Socorro to the middle of nowhere. It’s beautiful and rough.  If you decide to go don’t take your cute little city car.  And be sure to take lots of drinking water and a full tank of gas.  Because there isn’t any any where.

Off the road there are several little even less developed roads that take you to hidden canyons and monumental cliffs. 

We drove up a little canyon that has no name as far as I know.  After a ways, Notah stopped the truck (Dodge RAM four wheel drive, with so much clearance I need a step stood to get into it.)  He said “Here, Mom, you can walk a little ways and then sit by the pool.” 

And I DID walk a ways-about a quarter mile!  There was a beautiful pool caught between the arms of rock, shaded by cotton woods and high rock walls. 

I came on the plane this year so I didn’t have my camp chair, but Notah and hit Wal-Mart (Yeah. Sorry, Rachael) and gotten me another one for just such things as this.  Seth, bless his heart, carried my chair with its handy case and sling.

Seth and Keva climbed a bit on the rocks around the pool.  Then came over and hung out under my cotton wood.  Seth must have shot ‘a hundred’ little rocks across the pool and at the rocks on the opposite side.  Keva sat under another tree and read until angry buzzing and a swarm of bees made her leave that spot.  I watched Seth shooting rocks with his slingshot—he’s pretty good—and reading and napping.  It was wonderful.

Notah, Kerra and pat went hiking up to the top of the canyon and made a big quarter circle.  They came down over to my left from where they had climbed the wall behind the pool.

The whole time was quiet.  The only sound I heard was Seth’s rock plunking in the water or clicking off the wall and a pair of doves that flew around the top of the walls, cooing to each other. 

When everyone came back Thain and Sadie went swimming in the pool.  It was deep enough that Thain couldn’t touch the bottom for most of the breadth of it.  He spent a lot of his time retrieving sticks for Notah.  When Notah stopped tossing them, he went over to one side where there was a fairly good sized limb floating in the water with only its end on the bank.  He thought maybe Notah needed that, too.  Sadie just kinda swam around enjoying the cool water after her hike. 

Bella, with her long legs and slim body, doesn’t like swimming much.  She will wade out in the water and lap some but then she comes back.  I guess Great Danes just weren’t designed to swim.

When the dogs had cooled off, Notah put them back in the truck and we drove farther up the road.  Finally it just petered out.  He turned around and went back the way we had come.

A few weeks back, they had hiked the same area and found an old grave.  They wanted to take Keva and Pat to see it

 

It is always awe-inspiring to me when I see these indications of long past explorers and pioneers who walked through this country or tried to live here. This isn't a native grave because the manner of burial doesn't fit. It is an anglo or spanish grave. How lonesome it seems to have died in such a desolate place. The stone was set up, but any writing seems to have disappeared in the sand, and years.

It was too far for me to hike.  I’m getting good, but not that good yet.  I read and watched the wind blow through the trees.

They weren’t gone long.  My first indication that they were coming back was Sadie showing up at my open truck door, followed by Thain saying he wanted some water.  Not only do you have to take water for the people, if you drive the Quebradas you have to take water for the dogs too.  

Keva rescued a baby horny toad that had been trapped in the bottom of a dry water tank.  Poor little thing!  In the process of giving it water and putting it in a warmer place, Notah was stung three or four times by a bunch of wild bees who objected to him dumping water on a little horny toad so close to their hive!

We drove back out the main dirt road and continued on to the other end where it connected with the paved road again.

If you’re a ‘camper’ who uses the nice little amenities of proper campgrounds, don’t think about camping in the Quebradas.  There are no ‘campgrounds.’ no out houses or port-a-potties, no water faucets and no camper hookups.  Take everything you will need and be sure to carry out all your trash.  Oh yeah, if you gotta go potty, be prepared to dig a little hole and then bury your TP!  

please and thank you

Last night I was already in bed when Rachael took the dogs out for their late night potty break.  I had been almost asleep when she came and called Maggie and Gabriel out. I woke up enough to realize there was a very cool breeze from the open window.  It had been warm enough during the day that I’d opened it for the fresh air and I’d forgotten to open it. Now it was too cold.

When Maggie came back in I asked Rachael to close the window.  I don’t even think I said please, but it was a request, not a demand.  She didn’t grouch. She didn’t demand that I say ‘please.’ She didn’t even stomp her feet on the way to the window.  She simply went across the room and closed it.

It started me thinking how complicated ‘correct’ social behavior can make life. So much interaction between close friends and family is made difficult by selfish quirks and the desire to make even loved ones jump through hoops of our own self regard.  

When I studied Navajo I discovered that traditionally the Dineh did not have a word for our polite ‘please.’  The assumption was that if you could help you would do so because tomorrow or next week or next month you might be in a position to make the same request of them. It's probably changed now since anglo society is making inroads into Navajo ways. Yes, sometimes the situation was taken advantage of, but the same thing happens in our society even when someone uses a polite and respectful ‘please’ before their request. 

I’ve known two women in my life who were very particular about folks using the polite forms of speaking in any situation.  Their children were severely reprimanded for not saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’   They were subjected to harsh repercussions if they were so excited about some childish thing if they interrupted an adult conversation no matter how trivial. They ran the risk of being ignored completely if they didn’t approach mom in a polite way to ask something or tell her something.  Others were treated to a cold stare if a please was omitted.  Or sometimes even an outright reproof--not very politely worded.

The thing is, the women could be very self serving in their own actions. They had no qualms about interrupting a conversation—politely—but still the interrupted with the assumption that what they had to say was oh so much more intellectual and knowledgeable than what you were saying.  They used the words ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ but the phrases cloaked a demand and arrogance that showed through clearly.  Their attitudes and expressions were rude and arrogant regardless of their cloak of courtesy. 

The one, thankfully, has mellowed since she came to know the Lord.  The other divorced her husband under almost concocted circumstances and has alienated her children.  She is now a lonely and emotionally isolated woman.

I heard it said once that manners oil the wheels of personal interactions. But I’m not so sure. Sometimes I think they make things more antagonistic because real motivations and emotions are hidden behind the facade of civility and a polite conversation.  Responses are then forced into conformity and amiability.  Because ‘polite’ words were used people are forced to comply and not reject the request or overture outright as they might were it not hidden behind politeness.

 I’ve noticed that when relationships begin to break down, the courtesy becomes more compelling with a huge under-current of hostility.   When friends or couples are angry the ‘pleases’ and ‘thank yous’  fly thick and fast, but the anger and bitterness isn’t hidden at all. And all the polite words in the world don’t keep the situation from escalating.  In solid loving relationships, the courtesy is not so evident because the love and innate consideration of one another permeates every essence of the bond.   How much better it could be if all interactions were motivated by honest affection or emotion (good or bad) and left to rest as they were stated.

So, half asleep, I asked Rachael to close the window for me.  And she simply came and did it. 

Of course, it could always be said her actions were based on a life-time of obedience, but she’s an adult.  She doesn’t obey me anymore.   She doesn’t have to.  Her response to my request was motivated by love, whether or not I said ‘please.’ 

Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.  Eph 5:2-3

Dessie got married yesterday

I haven't written here forever, but so much happened yesterday that I have to begin writing about it. 

 I was so happy to be at Dessie’s wedding yesterday.  Lots of things came together to make it a good day.  Lots of memories surfaced.  Almost too many to put together.

First off.  Dessie was beautiful, radiant. The wedding was simple-not a big one as society events go, but with all the people who loved her and her new husband. The decorations were simple: A few candles with white tulle and red roses.  Suites were not mandatory.  Dressy dresses weren’t necessary for the guests.  The spotlight was on the bride.  She wore a long dress with a fantastic ruffled train.  I took a picture of the train alone!

The groom was handsome in a deep red shirt with a white rose on his shoulder.  The groomsmen wore black shirts with a red rose.   The bridesmaids wore long red satin dresses.  Kati’s little girl was the flower girl. 

McKenna wore a pretty white dress with a lacy hair ‘doojie’ that had streamers down the back.  When it was her turn to walk down the aisle and sprinkle her red rose petals she took one look at all the people, turned around and ran back to the door!  Her Aunt Luci had to go take her hand and lead her down the aisle while she dumped hands full of rose petals every little bit!  All the while with tears streaming down her face.  Poor baby.  But that’s just one of the things that make weddings special! Dessie will remember that long after other wedding details may have been forgotten. 

The thing that thrilled me most was the intermittent seeping of tears from the groom’s eyes.  Any man so deeply touched to be waiting for his bride must love her tremendously.  I hope he always remembers that feeling as the years go by.

For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.   Matt. 19:5-6

I wish you the best, Adessa and Michael Harris!  All my love and prayers go with you.

What a Mighty God We Serve!

I realized something today.   It has been exactly two weeks since  my knee replacement.  Last week about this time (the 8^th or 9^th)  I was in a  lot of pain; my leg was severely swollen and had a fever.  Movement was limited and I needed help getting out of bed.  I could walk a short way, but not too easily.

That evening or the next, I sent an email to Notah and Rachael and my sister in law, Helen, and my nieces asking them to pray for me.  What a fantastic God we serve!  And how surely He answers prayer!  On Saturday and Sunday I was able to get out of bed alone.  I was able to use the bathroom and come back to straighten out my bed and get back in.  All without any help! 

On Saturday I tried to do the exercises I’d been doing in physical therapy.  I was able to do most of them without any difficulty.  The whole straight leg lifts were difficult.  The heel slides which are designed to bend the knee were do-able but I could only bend my knee enough to raise it about two inches off the bed.  I did the toe kicks sitting on the side of the bed since I didn’t have the roll to prop my leg on.  Those happened without any difficulty!  

Sunday I did all the exercises again.  This time I could raise my knee in the heel slide a little higher each time so when I reached the 20 times the therapist wanted I kept on going.  My knee was loose and bent a little further each time.   I stopped when I got to 50!  I did 15 whole leg lifts.  And the other exercises I was able to whip out in short order! 

Last night I was so blessed to remember that prayer I asked for on Tuesday or Wednesday last week.  All this progress has been because of those prayers!  Wow!  My leg is now just about the same size as the other one.  The bruising is nearly gone.  There is no fever!  This morning I walked from my room to the physical therapy room! The therapist said it was about 250 feet!  And I wasn’t even hurting when I got there. 

All that may not seem like much to you, but believe me, it is amazing.  And everybody here says so, too.  Last week this time this all looked impossible, but the Lord has made it possible.

And now I'm going home on Friday morning!

Thank you, Lord!

Wow.  What a fantastic, busy, crazy, painful few weeks since I wrote about the end of my days in New Mexico.  On November 1^st I had my second knee re-placement.   

The surgery went smoothly-as far as I could tell since I was ‘out’ for the whole time.   However as soon as I was able to see what was happening, I realized that this one had been much more invasive than the first.  I had used the knee much harder since the other leg worked better and was much more dependable.  Over the summer, I walked and went more places than before since I could do so with a cane or staff.  Of course that contributed to more damage to the old knee.  

By the time I got back to Ohio, I had to resort to crutches for the few days before the surgery.  The knee was swollen and I could feel new ‘bumps’ in the deposits around the bone. So, although I didn’t ask the surgeon, I think it must have taken a lot more to prepare the ends of the bone for the new knee implants. 

At any rate, the results of the surgery were widespread bruising and swelling.  My first knee was swollen around the knee and a little downwards to my ankle and foot, but this was seriously swollen and feverish from day one.  It was much stiffer than the first.  

The good news is that now, 13 days after the surgery the swelling has gone down and I can walk on the leg.  I think the progress has been faster than the first time.  The goal, my goal, has always been to be finished in rehab within two weeks.  In April I was here something more than three weeks.     Even though I started out with a stiffer leg with less mobility this time, I knew more of what I should be able to do, so I pushed harder.    Saturday I was able to get out of bed by myself and back into bed alone after having straightened the slide pad and the sheets!  I can also go and open my window and the blind.   I walked from my end of the hall to nearly the door of the Physical Therapy room.

Tomorrow I will go the whole way!  

I miss being home with my old dog and my Maggie.  I wish I could be there to help with potty training Maggie.  Rachael says she will go out with the Big Dogs to potty.  That must be a cute thing to see.  Maxim goes tearing out, Sebastian and Gabriel rush along behind him and then comes Maggie bringing up the rear.  I wish I could see it! 

I’ve been stuck here in rehab while Rachael’s new store reopened with all kinds of good reports.   I saw Michael’s work on re-finishing the cupboards, but I haven’t seen the new face-lift on the dishwasher and trash compactor (we never use it as a compactor, only a glorified trash can!)  It must be beautiful. 

I intend to be home before Thanksgiving! 

puppies living and puppies dying

On Thursday night Chloe had six puppies.  They were four days early, but she is little and I think they had to be born because there was no more room inside for them.  They were all born active and squeaking!  :o)  Three gray ones and three in various shades of tan.   I was immediately concerned about the smallest gray one.  I’ve had a lot of little puppies in my years and when they are born with pointy noses and bulgy heads, they are premature and don’t live long.  Kerra was hoping it was because they were ¾ Chihuahua, so I let it go, but the next evening that puppy died.  Then a larger gray one died too.  When I saw it, the puppy had the same head shape as the tiny one.  Their feet were also smaller and the toes were undeveloped.  We all were sad, but it is simply the way of life. 

I only have concern for the last gray one. It seems a little immature yet to be out of mama’s tummy, but when I saw him this morning the face and head had developed a little more and the ears were coming forward  so I think maybe it will make it. 

I get a little girl and I’m praying that the breeders won’t choose my favorite since they get the pick of the litter.  They are all sweeties, but I especially like this little dark brown baby.

Chloe was very determined and efficient when they were born.  She wanted them in Notah and Kerra’s bed and refused to have them in her box.   When Notah came home I told him that I was a little worried because I hadn’t heard a peep out of her all day.  He went in and opened the kennel.  She immediately wanted on their bed, when he put her there she had the first puppy within just a few minutes.  The next five came like pop, pop, pop!   I don’t remember a litter of puppies ever coming quite that fast.  She had them all in about an hour.  I think she had refused to have them until she got under the covers in Notah and Kerra’s bed!    You can tell they are my kids—they just put a towel under her and let her stay.

Kerra had to change the whole bed and scrub the mattress before they could go to bed!  Fortunately the stains came out and they only had a wet spot on the mattress.  Once the puppies were all there she was content to get in the box with them and go in her kennel.

We have two girls and two boys left.  And she polishes them every ten minutes.  No big dogs are allowed near them.  They come and twitch their noses from six inches away when Chloe goes out to potty.  Thain and Bella sniffed and were satisfied.  Sadie would really like to have a baby of her own to love, but Chloe is NOT sharing.  Probably when they are older she will let Sadie love them.  Sadie was her surrogate mama when she came to live with us.

                                                                 Three days old.

I love having puppies!

So...

Seth stayed home with me yesterday.  He’s a sweetheart, even if he is so full of energy and orneriness he drives him Mom and Dad crazy.  I’ve had too many years of really naughty kids in day care; he doesn’t bother me.  And if he does there’s a ‘school teacher’ voice that usually works. :o)  

 We played Battleship and Seth made paper airplanes which he flew out side my window for a long time.  Then he played ball with Thain.  That dog would have chased tennis ball all afternoon.  He is so graceful when he runs after it—not at all like the full tilt gallumping style that Maxim uses.  And he doesn’t do a Victory Lap like Maxim.  There is not much that I enjoy more than watching kids and dogs play.

 Notah called Kerra in the afternoon and wanted to go eat dinner at Sopa’s; so that was good too.  I was tired but it was a good tired, not a depressed can’t-do-anything-else kind of tired. I slept good last night too—went to bed with the light out around 10:30 and slept till 1:30 when I woke up to go potty, then back to sleep till 5:30 this morning.  That’s really good.

So now I’m sitting by my window.  There’s a cool pleasant breeze blowing and the sky is overcast for as far as I can see.  I guess the sun came a a few minutes ago, but all I can see of it is a few bright rays shining through breaks in the cloud cover.  That’s pretty amazing for New Mexico. 

 Thain just came and stood in the window checking the breeze as it drifts through.  His long German Shepherd nose twitches as he stand perfectly still.  Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have such a sensitive nose; he certainly seems to find a lot of interest in the scents that are carried on the breeze.  What is he smelling, I wonder.    Cattle, horses, sage, juniper, coyotes, of course, and maybe even a cougar (the neighbor said there had bee a report of one sited just recently down here on the flats).  Whatever they are, Thain finds them fascinating. 

But we still need the rain those clouds might dump out. The two or three days when we had an hour of good soaking rain (our courtyard actually flooded!) helped the vegetation tremendously.  All of the dry bushes and trees are putting out leaves.  Our locust trees along the road are finally looking like real trees.  There are a couple which might not recover from the hard freeze last winter and the following drought, but most of them are putting out branches full of green!

The morning feels so good. I could probably go back to sleep.

sunday!

Yesterday was a great day.  First and foremost, I was able to be in church services for the first time since last year.  I really like the little church Notah and Kerra go to.  The people are sincere and loving.  The pastor and his wife have a burden for the work.  The song service yesterday, rather than being the traditional hymns, consisted of remembering the songs of our childhood in Sunday School. They had to put the words to them on the screen up front because for lots of folks they were lost in time. Those ‘children’s songs’ carry a lot of meaning that we adults often disparage because they are only ‘children’s songs.’ 

 One that stuck with me--We sang ‘Happy in the Savior.’  Now there is a message.  And I haven’t sung it since probably Bible School at Rock Springs.  “Happy in the Savior.  Happy in the Savior.  Happy in the Savior, I am Happy in the Lord!”    Now that’s a chorus that lots of adults could begin to practice more regularly. 

Pastor Chad brought a good message on unity among the church.  Good one! Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: ²Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.   Philippians 1:1-2 was his text.

He pointed out that we are all designated as ‘saints’ so that doesn’t make any one of us better than another and we are all servants of Jesus.   That means that no specific individual’s opinion is better than another’s and we must be humble enough to consider that in our dealings.  Pastor Chad pointed out that Paul prayed grace on each saint and through that we have grace to deal with one another kindly and with love.  The third thing we must remember is that he wished that there might be peace among God’s people.  What can we offer the world if we are quarrelling and fussing among ourselves?

I can’t remember all the texts he used but these two stuck with me.  (Now when a minister preaches, I sometimes have a concordance running through my head, so I don’t guarantee that both of these were ones he cited.  I know this first one was. I think the second one was.  My Bible was buried in my suitcase and I didn’t have anything to write with.  NEXT Sunday will be different. )

   I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:1-3 If we are following the Lord as we were called to-as saints of God, we will walk carefully so we are fulfilling the ‘vocation’ God has designed for us.  We will do it with (whew! Get this) ‘lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearing one another in love.   That will keep us joined together in peace.  That is hard to find in a lot of congregations and between congregations.  That hits a little close to home.

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;  Romans 12:9-10  He didn’t comment on it but I liked the concept of being ‘kindly affectioned.”  For me that means not necessarily living in one another’s pockets, but making an allowance for our brothers and sisters in the Lord with kind thoughts and an attitude of consideration in times when we are apart.   Sometimes it is ‘out of sight, out of mind’ among the fellowship of the saints.  If we are ‘kindly affectioned’ toward each other we will remember our family in the Lord from time to time with a prayerful thought or a happy smile. 

Now he did say, that we will allow the others to be before us and favor or permit or prefer their view over ours.

As I thought more on his message, it occurred to me that this wasn’t speaking of doctrinal things but the temporal things that occur in the business of the congregation—the decisions that must be made regarding property upkeep, maybe fellowship dinners or get-togethers that the family of God enjoys having.  I have seen more fussing over the color of the new carpet and the padding on the pews and the menu for the fellowship dinner that you can believe.  What difference does it really make if the carpet is brown or gray, or even if there is any carpet at all?  What difference does it make if there is a planned menu for the fellowship dinner or just a catch all carry in?  But that has all caused a lot of ungodly attitudes among the very people who should be ‘preferring one another.’

Yep I enjoyed my first day back in service!

After service was over Notah had a board meeting.  Keva wanted to go with her fried and ride a four-wheeler or a dirt bike or something.  Seth’s friend Zach had gone to church with us and Kerra needed to take him home.  So we all split up in different directions. 

Kerra drove us into Belen to see if the flea market there was still open.  I want a walking staff to use instead of a cane when I’m out side on uneven ground and she said she had seen a whole bunch there.  As it turned out it was so hot that everyone was going home early.  We stopped and got something to drink and I got some chicken sticks to tide me over till lunch/dinner.  We finally ended up at Wal-Mart, wandering around there until Notah’s meeting was over. 

It’s a good thing I don’t go to Wal-Mart very often!  I managed to spend 50-plus dollars in about 45 minutes.  Of course $25 of that was for books, but still.    Probably the thing that pleased me most was getting tennis balls for the feet on my walker.  (I still have to use it when my right knee is tired.)  On Kerra’s tile floor with all of NM’s sand it made a nasty scraping noise.  The tennis balls slip on over the walker legs and voila! No more scraping noise!

Then we went to dinner at Henrietta’s when Notah caught up with us.

Oh, my legs were tired when I got home.  And we had been driving around with the windows down so my skin and hair was covered with fine NM dust.  So I went straight in and took a quick shower; then I was down for the count.  Surprisingly after all that trekking around, my knees and feet weren’t swollen.

Before I quit, I have to say something about how good the New Mexico sun felt.  It was around 101 or maybe higher, but the heat just burnt into your skin and sank into your bones. Only common sense makes you come in out of it.  It felt so good. 

Excitement, excitement, excitement!  Living with Notah’s family is sooo different from living with Rachael and Michael.  There is so much going on! Whew.  In Ohio we have a humdrum existence.   Not boring, mind you, but very routine and quiet.  Notah has two kids and a busy wife.  Seth alone is enough to keep life from becoming dull. Add in Keva and Kerra coming and going, then add two big dogs, one medium sized dog and a Chloe-biscochito in the house AND two more dogs outside…. Well life is very interesting.
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Did I write about Sweetie?  I can’t remember.  Notah and Kerra picked her up on a desert road; she was laying in the middle of a dirt road.  When they slowed down she got up and moved to the side.  Of course they stopped and discovered she had been badly bitten all around her neck and shoulders.  There was a huge swelling over the back of her neck from a bite there.  Of course, they picked her up and brought her home.

Sweetie when they found her

Now there is a problem.  She had been used for dog fighting and although she is ‘sweet’ (hence the name ‘Sweetie’) she has problems with dogs that look like pit bulls.  Sweetie herself appears to be a Dalmatian pit bull cross.  That was where the excitement came from last night.

Keva went out to play with the dogs.  As long as she was playing with Sweetie and her buddy Jack, things were okay.  When Keva came into the other yard and paid attention to Bella and Sadie, Sweetie was jealous.  A little later, Notah went out and thought he would let Bella and Sweetie play for a while, but Sweetie was still in jealous-mode and jumped Bella.  Now Bella is a Great Dane and NOT a good candidate to jump into a fight with.

Thank the Lord Pat was here.  I don’t believe Notah alone could have separated them.  As it turned out Bella gave as good as she got, but there were no major hurts!  I think mostly it was a ‘minor’ scuffle, but while it was happening, Kerra was running around all over trying to find a heavy broom to use to separate them.  Seth was screaming to ‘stab’ Sweetie. Keva was crying and I was hustling around without a cane or walker!  Finally Notah and Pat succeeded in getting Sweetie to turn loose of Bella’s throat.  Bella had no injuries that I could see, maybe one or two tooth marks.  Sweetie had a couple bites on her head where Bella had nailed her. 

Bella came in and lay on my bed for a while.  Keva’s room, which is now my room, is her secure place.  She was there for about a half hour or forty-five minutes til she calmed down and felt safe again. 

I wish we could find a pit bull rehab center for Sweetie.  She is exactly what her name says in relation to people, but I don’t think they will be able to trust her around other dogs without constant vigilance.

I watched the sun come up over the Manzanos this morning. The smoke from the fires in the west kind of dulled it. One minute it was bright and gray, the next the sun flooded the whole world with light! There were none of the bright oranges and pastels we usually have. I’ve lived Navajo long enough that there is something in me that makes me love the sunrise. I opened the curtains long enough to see the sunrise and then about an hour later I closed them again to keep out the heat of the day.

I had a lot of trouble with my knees on Monday after we arrived. Today I’m doing a little better; I had to use a walker all day yesterday, but today I’m using my cane again, at least for the morning and early afternoon. I eventually had to resort to the walker again.

Seth and Keva were both home today. Like teenagers, they slept till ten and then played video games and watched TV all day.

It’s good to be here.

travelling west June 18

Packed everything up, packed the cats in and we got started by about 530. It was pouring rain when we were ready to leave. Fortunately Notah already had everything in the car except me with my purse and my pillows. He ran back and forth quick to do them. Then we waited till the rain slacked a bit and he backed the car right up to the step so I could get in fast. I got a few sprinkles, but nothing soaking.

Notah gave the cats their pills so they were mostly quiet for the day, a few complaints but nothing major.

Notah called his cousin Kathleen when we got to Tulsa. She wanted to know if we could pick up Tamia when we came through OK City. Aunt Helen is missing Leonard because it is coming up Father’s day and she thought maybe Tamia would help distract her. The pick up was smoother than silk! Kathleen was at the Sinclair station when we got there and after a quick hug, Tamia was loaded into the two feet beside the cats on the back seat and we were off.

From OKC on to Albuquerque the speed limit is 75 so the miles passed quickly, especially since Notah has a lead foot. We made it all the way to Amarillo. We could have gone further because it is only 4 or 5 hours from t here to home, but I was really tired. I didn’t realize just how tired until we got to a motel and I was able to lay down for a little while.

We had dinner at the Big Texan restaurant. http://www.bigtexan.com/ (wait for the promotional video to load and play)  This is a neat restaurant that is advertized all across Texas and a few times in Oklahoma and NM. It serves buffalo meat and a few other exotic dishes, but mostly just good steaks. The atmosphere is neat and that basically is what you pay for, but if you only do it once every 5 to 25 years, that’s okay.

There are mounted animal heads all around the dining room balcony. There are tables on the balcony. One time when we were there (the kids and I) they even staged a gun battle and one of the bad guys got shot and fell off the balcony!

They are famous for their 72 ounce steak that is offered free of charge to anyone who can eat the entire meal in an hour or less! That steak is HUGE. While we were there this year some man finished it in 57 minutes and 3 seconds. I don’t see how people do it without being sick. You have to eat the baked potato, roll, salad and all the fixings! Never in a day could I do that. ( I couoldn’t finish my pidley little 8 oz. steak. I had to bring some of it home with me for lunch Monday!) Notah’s friend Pat who just moved here wants to try. I asked him if he had the $80 to pay for the meal if he doesn’t eat it!

Go to the Big Texan website and click on the ‘Joey “Jaws” Chestnut’ link beneath the promo video to watch this guy finish the steak in under 9 minutes! I wondered if he had time to enjoy it. And he wasn’t a big guy either! Maybe he went down the road a ways and barfed it all up.

travelling west June 17

Today we started our trip to NM. Notah arrived yesterday afternoon, collected his rats and touched base with his other snake buddies. We had me pretty well packed already but we had to get a few grocery things to snack on for the trip.

It was nostalgic to get in the car this time. It was only Rachael and Notah and me. How many trips have we started with just the three of us? I asked Notah to pray for our trip because I was already on the edge of tears. I think those memories were in all of our minds as we prayed together because we all had teary eyes by the time Notah said Amen.

It made me remember all of the years I had spent time organizing for this trip But this year they did almost everything. Rachael put my things together in the suitcase (I’ll never get everything back in again.) and took me around for the few things I needed. She even cut up the meat and cheese to eat on the trip. And in betwen times, she triple cleaned my room. ( as if Notah would notice a dirty floor!) Notah arranged for the car and did all the packing. By the time we were ready to start all I had to do was go out and get in the car. It is strange how the life moves. It is a blessing how those years of raising kids pays off when you see them tall and strong and responsible. And even more of a blessing it is to have kids that can pray a prayer that you know reaches the ears of God!

End of the day.

We travelled all the way to Rolla, Missouri today. That was a good day considering we didn’t get on the road until nine. And then we had to stop and get dry ice to pack Notah’s rats and put in the cooler.

We had some hard rain a couple times; visibility was nearly zero. Once I saw a sign up ahead but after a few more feet I realized it was a semi-trailer! Once we drove through that mess it was clear sailing into Rolla.

We brought Pat’s two cats along since he is moving to New Mexico. He has looked forward to that ever since Notah moved and it is finally happening. I was a little worried about the cats traveling with us, but they did real well. Buddy complained a while but only with plaintive mews, no yowling. Fat Black slept. We had a handicap motel room so it had a big bathroom. Notah just put the cat carriers in there to let them out. Buddy came out and found himself a corner to park in. Fat Black stayed in his carrier and looked out for a while. But when I went to the toilet at one or two o’clock he came out and wanted to be loved.

time of the singing of the birds

It must be coming on toward morning. Even though the clock says 4:30 and the sky is still dark, the birds are beginning to discuss the coming day. It is peaceful and I turned my soft music off so I can hear them singing better. Solomon said, “the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;” I know he was speaking of the springtime, there is a little session of that every morning if you are up early enough to hear it.

I wish Louie were here. We could share this time of day together. He was an early morning person. I was never a voluntary early riser. I would get up if I needed to but only if I needed. He was always up trucking around. By the time I rolled out he would have coffee made and, in NM, the fire fixed so that Notah and I were all cozy. When I came out to the kitchen, he would be sitting at the table with his coffee and a book or magazine playing the radio softly. The door would be open and the early morning sunshine pouring in. Those days are past. 

Now I look forward to going to the desert again in a few days. I like Notah’s new house. I can open the door to the east now if I have Keva’s old room and sit there with my book or just sit and watch the birds. It isn’t quite as good as having Louie with me, but it is close.  

Time to get on with my day.

morning coffee

I shared my coffee with Gabriel this morning. He hasn’t gotten much coffee in the last couple years. In fact ever since Dianne got me the “Fuzzy Duck” mug he has missed out on his favorite beverage.

He used to steal my coffee all the time if I set it down on the end table and walked away from it. He’s been know to chug a half cup at one time. I’d go to the bathroom or to answer the phone and come back to an empty cup! Then Dianne found the “Duck” mug. It is a mug with a wide base and a narrow top. Gabriel’s nose won’t fit in the top. And besides that there's a lid! Hee hee.

The “Fuzzy Duck” is a coffee shop in Morehead,Kentucky.   (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/183/1006958/restaurant/Kentucky/Fuzzy-Duck-Coffee-Shop-Morehead ) Dianne and Kris found it when they were visiting Tomy who was in school there. I’ve posted pictures of the mugs here before.

So this morning I had about half of my second cup of coffee left in a regular cup when I finished my breakfast at the counter. I gave Gable some and then, of course, had to share with Sebastian, too. Sebastian wasn’t very sure about it but Gabe was slurping it so it must be good, right? They shared back and forth until Gable licked out the last few drops.

He drank coffee for a long time before I found out it isn’t supposed to be good for dogs. Hmm. Guess Gabe didn’t read the same article I did. He has certainly enjoyed a lot of coffee in his past ten years.

I’ve not found much time to post blogs or even play on Facebook since I got home from rehab. I thought I’d be able to be online all the time when I finally got home but instead with the additional exercise I’ve found myself exhausted. I can make it till about noon and then I’m fading out fast.

My knee is doing great, but the complications have come with my ‘other’ knee and also with the swelling. I don’t know if you’d call them complications, but at any rate the whole combination has slowed me down.

I was able to practice a bit with the cane on Thursday with the therapist. And happily it went pretty well. Made me tired. Of course! But it again was my ‘old’ knee that hasn’t been repaired yet which gave me the biggest problem. It gets tired and then I have to stop. I don’t suppose I’ll be able to walk very far until I have it replaced too.

The other exciting thing is that Notah will be here in about three weeks plus a few days to take me to NM! I can hardly wait!! I’m anxious to see the kids and the dogs, as well as Notah and Kerra. 

I guess this has been short but it has been better than nothing which is about all I’ve managed these last few weeks.