Seasons

Hummingbirds

2009-05-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

This is a female Rufus Hummingbird. The red spot on her throat is clearly visible.

This is a male Rufus Hummingbird. His red throat is irredescent and turns yellow as he moves.

This is a male Rufus Hummingbird. He is about 3.5 inches. He is very friendly.

This year we have put up 3 humming bird feeders. One in the front of the house, which is visible from the laundry room window. And two on the back deck - one visible from our bedroom window and one visible from the living room window. We began to see the little hummers about a month ago and so I put up the first feeder. Well, it was not long before we had lots of hummers and they were very aggressive towards one another. I put up the other two feeders to give them plenty of syrup, which helps with the aggression and fighting. The hummers are very friendly and very curious towards us. When I fill the feeders with fresh syrup, they are so interested and buzz me and check out what I am doing. The other day I had my camera in hand and stood about 2 feet from one of the feeders on the back deck. The lighting was great and I got some AMAZING photos of these beautiful and brilliant little birds.

Elsa on Easter

2009-05-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

Miranda sent these photos of Elsa in her Easter dress. It had a crinoline petticoat and she looked like a little princess. I miss her so much. She is so adorable. She just turned one year last week. Looking at the adorable little face, you can see why I miss her so much. They are coming out in Sept. for a visit, but that is still 4 months away. Thank God for digital photography.

Elsa Jane

2009-05-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

In March Joe and Miranda went to Hawaii with Miranda's family for a vacation (Christmas gift from Miranda's parents). They had a fun time on the beach, and enjoyed the warm sunny weather compared to cold Toronto. Elsa would not keep a sun bonnet on her head, so they put a scarf on her and she kept that on to protect her little hairless head from the sun. You can see that she clearly loved the water and the boogy board.

I love this photo of Elsa looking at her Daddy with absolute love.

Great family photo

Birds and Babies

2009-05-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

We are confirmed 'birders'. We have 3 seed feeders on the south side of the house and love to watch the birds of all varieties come and eat. Some are definitely feeder eaters. Some are ground eaters - eating what the feeder eaters drop. Some are very skittish, some are very aggressive, and most are willing to share the seed. We have a large number of Red Wing Black birds this year for the first time. They love the feeder, but they scare the smaller birds away. And we have seen very few of the lovely American Goldfinch because of the large black bird population. We also have a large number of the Cow birds. They are not particularly pretty and also keep the finches away. We have a lot of the various sparrow varieties. And recently a pair of Grosbeaks have made our orchard their home. We even have a Peregrine Falcon that seems to appear every now and then. Unfortunately, he has killed a sparrow and a Mourning Dove. We have seen the remains under the feeders. Bob even saw him appear out of no where one day and dive bomb a sparrow and poof! No more sparrow. It was lightening fast and brutal. But Falcons eat other birds. One day he sat on our feeder for hours just waiting. There was not a bird in sight for an entire day after that. They may have small brains, but they are not stupid.
This week we have a delightful couple that seems to have made our orchard their home. A pair of Lazuli Buntings. Their coloring is exquisite. They are very skittish and it is almost impossible to get a good picture of them. But I did manage to capture two of them thru the kitchen window. One is at the feeder and one is in a cherry tree next to a female Grosbeak. What a treat!

When our daughter, Jenn, was 2 years old we got her a Playschool fun house for her birthday. It was quite expensive 32 years ago, but we thought it would be a toy that would provide hours of fun and creativity. After she played with it, our son, Joe, also had many years of fun with it. Being the practical person that I am, I decided that I would clean it up and put it away for our Grandchildren one day. So I put it in a big plastic bag and we lugged it with us for four different moves. I know that these toys are rare and if you find them on Ebay, they are very expensive. All the parts were still working and none of the pieces were missing. Well, now that we have Grandkids, I got it out and put it in the Toy Cupboard for Jacob and Abby. They love it! I was able to get this wonderful picture of them playing with it yesterday. One generation passing their fun on to the next generation - 32 years later. Nostalgia and memories fill my heart.

Jacob with his Grandpa

Abby and Grandma

Yesterday was so fun because our Grandchildren, Jacob - 4 and Abby - 2, came over and spent 8 hours at Grandpa and Grandma's house. Jenn and Tim wanted some time alone and we were most anxious to accomodate. Abby is talking so much and you can understand most of what she is saying now. She is absolutely crazy about Grandpa and wants to sit in his lap and look at books all the time. He is naturally willing to spend as much time with her as he can. We both know this window of opportunity is so short. They grow up much too fast. Jacob is such a sweet boy and so polite. He says, "Please, Thank you, Excuse me, etc". He wants to be right with us and is such a social little fella. They both are really funny and keep us laughing. This is a precious time and we are so blessed to be able to spend time with these amazing little people. Thank you, God!

Birthday for Jacob and Abby

2009-04-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, April 18th, was a combined birthday party for Jacob and Abby at Jenn and Tim's home. Bob and I picked up Mom and Dad and took them over for the party. My brother, Paul, and sister, Barb, also came to share the birthday celebration. Jacob is now 4 years old - April 15, 2005. And Abby is going to be 2 on May 1. Jenn made the cutest LadyBug cake and put 2 candles in the head for Abby, and 4 candles in the body for Jacob. They got lots of nice gifts. Jacob was not too thrilled with the quilt that I made him. But Abby loved the quilt that Grandma made and sat in Grandpa's lap with it wrapped around her all afternoon.

Great Uncle Paul and Great Grandpa dueling with party favors.

Great Grandpa and Jacob

Great Grandma and Jacob

Great Grandma and Abby

As I look back over the last 4 years, I wonder where the time went? How did that tiny little baby boy who weighed in at 5 lbs. and was just 17" when Jenn took him home, grow up to be a busy, active 4 year old preschooler? He has a head for numbers and loves to sing. Just like this Grandma. That makes my heart smile.

Spring Time Blossoms

2009-04-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

I love living in Oregon in the Spring. Every where you look you see blossoms. Every tree, bulb, bush, and many plants are blooming and the rainbow of colors is amazing! When the cherry orchard is in full bloom, it is a breathtaking sight to behold. The contrast of the white blossoms with the deep blue sky is beautiful. The orchard hums with the sound of hundreds of thousands of honey bees that are pollenating the 490 cherry trees. It is magical.

My friend, Michelle, has a flowering plum tree that is so beautiful and I got some lovely pics of her tree. We have a flowering cherry that is full of pink blossoms also that I plan to get pics of when it is in full bloom.

When I was driving into town the other day I saw a lot of daffodils by the side of the road in a ditch. I wanted to cut a few to take to my Mom. When I got out with to cut the flowers, I had to run back and get my camera because these were the most beautiful daffodils I have ever seen. They were multilayered and ruffled. They were stunning, and just in a ditch. Where did they come from and who originally planted them for all to enjoy.

I continue to marvel at how much God loves color and how creative He is by the variety and beauty of the flowers He created for us to enjoy! Enjoy just a bit of what I see everywhere.

2009-04-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

This came from a friend and I thought it was so good that I wanted to post it on my blog. Sometimes I hear things or read things that resonate within my soul, and this sure does. This demonstrates a life lived as a reflection of Jesus, who came to serve and not to be served.

"True service comes from a relationship with the divine Other- the Holy Spirit - deep inside. We serve out of whispered promptings, divine urgings…Self-righteous service is impressed with the “big deal.”…True service finds it almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large service…Self-righteous service requires external rewards. It needs to know that people see and appreciate the effort…True service rests contented in hiddenness. It does not fear the lights and blare of attention, but it does not seek them either…Self-righteous service is highly concerned about results. It eagerly waits to see if the person served will reciprocate in kind. It becomes bitter when the results fall below expectations. True service is free of the need to calculate results. It delights only in the service. It can serve enemies as freely as friends. Self righteous service picks and chooses whom to serve…True service is indiscriminate in its ministry…Self-righteous service is affected by moods and whims. It can serve only when there is a “feeling” to serve (“moved by the Spirit” as we say)…True service ministers simply and faithfully because there is a need…Self-righteous service is temporary…True service is a lifestyle…Self-righteous service is insensitive. It insists on meeting need even when to do so would be destructive. True service can withhold the service as freely as perform it. It can listen with tenderness and patience before acting. It can serve by waiting in silence…Self-righteous service fractures community…True service builds community." Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, (San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishing Company).

Birthday Quilts

2009-04-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

This year for Jacob's 4th birthday and Abby's 2nd birthday, I decided to make quilts for them. I made my first quilt ever for myself in 2008. It turned out so well that I wanted to try my hand at making quilts for my grandchildren. The incentive that I had for these quilts was that I was given a bag of quilt squares already cut out into 6 1/2 inch squares. These squares were cut over 30 years ago by my cousin Barbara, and she never got around to using them for anything. However, her Mom saved them in a bag for "someday". Last spring Barbara died from liver cancer and is now in heaven with our Lord. It was about this time that I was making my first quilt, and I took it over to show Jackie, (Barbara's Mom). Light bulbs went off in her head and she ran into the bedroom and came out with a bag of lovely quilt squares that were Barbara's and said I could have them. What a gift! Well, I had to use them to honor my sweet cousin's memory. With the help of my dear friend, Karen (a quilting expert), we figured out how to make a quilt for Jacob. I had to add some fabric that I purchased to make it more appropriate for a little boy, since Barbara's fabric was so "girlie". Both quilts are hand tied and that is a process that really hurts my back....bending over the floor. But it was worth it since both quilts turned out so nice and I am pleased.

This is a close up of Abby's quilt. I used all Barbara's fabric for the front of this quilt because it was such pretty, feminine material, and so appropriate for a little girl. It is done in a nine square pattern, with a strip of tiny pink rose material between the rows. It is quite large (98" X 64"), and will be perfect as a bedspread when she gets into a "big girl" bed. She will be 2 on May 1.

For the back of Abby quilt I had to purchase a large piece of fabric. Since it was too narrow to reach the sides, I used more of the squares from Barbara's fabric to add width to the quilt by adding two more rows of squares.

I wanted to hold up the quilts so that you could get a perspective on actual size. Abby's quilt turned out to be the same width as Jacob's, however it is about 20" longer. That is why it will be perfect for a bedspread.

Here is Jacob's finished quilt. It is made with the yellow, green, and orange squares from Barbara's fabric. I added blue gingham, and a pattern with little cars and trucks on it. And a town print as well. The back is car print and town print in four large blocks.

So my next quilt will be for our sweet Baby Elsa. Not sure if I will make it in time for her birthday on May 5. But since she will only be 1 year old, she won't know the difference. I will be using some of the remaining squares for her quilt as well.

That is all for now. Enjoy the photos of my newest hobby.

Beautiful Spring Day

2009-03-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

New baby cherry trees - they look like little sticks in the ground.

Frostbitten Choisea Ternata - I hope it will survive after pruning.

Our happy old girl - she just loves a sunny warm day.

Today was a brisk, but sunny and beautiful spring day. The temps were in the mid 40's and there was a sharp north wind, but the sky was clear and there was a definite "spring" in the air.

I did several outdoor chores: filling the bird feeders, sweeping out the lower garage and driveway, and raking the last of the dead apples from under the apple tree. I did some much needed pruning of the decorative grasses out front. Sally kept me company the entire time.

I got some photos of our new little baby cherry trees that were just planted on Saturday. Also I got a shot of one of my Choisea Ternata - otherwise known as Mexican Orange. I don't think it liked the two feet of snow we had this winter. The top half of the bush is pretty well frostbitten. I hope with some severe pruning that it will survive and bloom again. And I had to add a lovely photo of my sweet girl who loves to keep me company. Hard to believe she will be 10 in July!

Great Family Photos With Four Generations

2009-03-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

Grandma, Elsa Jane, Great Grandma

Grandma and Elsa Jane laughing together

Three beautiful Grandchildren - Jacob, Elsa, Abby

Great Grandpa Gipson kissing Elsa Jane

Grandpa and Elsa Jane

Elsa Jane Snyder 10 month

Elsa Jane at Grandma and Grandpa's house

Great Grandpa and Great Grandma with Jenn, Abby, and Jacob

Grandma with Abby and her black eye

Where did the last month go? Time has a way of moving so slowly you never think a day will end, and at the same time it goes so fast a person hardly has time to catch their breath. It is over three weeks since I last posted pictures on my blog. I will try and catch up now.

February was very dry this year. We are about 4" below normal for rainfall for the month. Then March came and with it lots of snow and cold. But spring is not to be dissuaded from appearing, and daffodils, camelias, crocuses, and snow drops are blooming all over.

Last week our daughter-in-law, Miranda, and our little Granddaughter, Elsa, came for a visit for 6 days. Elsa is 10 months now and such a funny baby. She is so much like her Daddy. She has very little tolerance for hunger pangs and needs food quickly when she is hungry. She is mobile and cruises around the house. She particularly loves her naked time after her bath. She made up to us in only one day. I was able to get her up in the morning and we spent about an hour with her each morning before her Mommy got up. It was so wonderful to be able to get to know this little girl and watch her interact with Grandma and Grandpa. Jenn brought Abby and Jacob over one day to be with Aunt Miranda and to get to know their little cousin, Elsa. It was great to have all three Grandchildren together. What a blessing these babies are to our family.

It has been great to have Mom and Dad close by to share in the times with the family. They are really enjoying getting to know their Great Grandchildren. What fun for all the family. Abby particularly loves her Papa and Great Grandpa. What an amazing heritage this family has. God has blessed us so much and we are so thankful for His protection and love for us all.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

Elsa with Misa and Rudy. Notice how big Rudy is compared to Elsa.

Elsa and Joe

Elsa in her little rocking chair.

Jacob and Abby on a winter walk.

VALENTINE'S DAY

When I think about Valentine's Days of my childhood, I have such happy memories. We always spent time the week before the holiday, either making or cutting out premade Valentines. My favorite to make were the ones made from the lace doilies and red and pink construction paper. We learned how to cut out hears that did not have a crease and glued them precisely in the center of the white lace doily. It was lovely. Then we wrote a special message on each Valentine. I remember getting the box of the Valentines on the sheet of paper and we had to carefully cut each one out. That was long before the days of the precut and prefolded ones. We spent so much time choosing just the right message for each person in our class. And then we had the decorated shoe box that we had on our desks. Each child in the class would come by and put their Valentine for you in the box with the cut out slot on the top. We usually had cupcakes decorated with pink or white icing, with just the perfect amount of red sprinkles on them. And one can never forget the conversation heart boxes. Back then they were 5 cents a box. We carefully opened each Valentine to see what our classmates gave us. And when school was out we put everything back in the decorated box and carefully took our treasures home. Once home we had to go through each Valentine again and show our Mom. I loved Valentine's Day then and I love it still today.

When I think of Valentine's Day I think of love. My special Valentine is my husband of 37 years and this year we spent our 38th Valentine Day together. We did our taxes......YEA! We went to Salem and looked at computers, and we went to Chang's Mongolian Grill for a wonderful lunch. It was a lovely day with my honey.

My other special Valentines are my children and my grandchildren. They make my heart warm and put a song in my heart. I am very happy to be able to have a special day to tell them how much I love them. What a joy they are to my life.

The love that means the most to my life is the love of God. Jesus gift of Salvation is the best Valentine anyone could ever have. That is the kind of love that has no human equal. It is unconditional love that we do not deserve. And I am so blessed that God loves me so much.

Family Photos

2009-01-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

Kath and Carolyn

Barb, Carolyn, Kath - Sisters

Paul, Barb, Carolyn, Kath, Phil - Siblings

Mom and Dad

These are some family photos from Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008

2009-01-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

Snowy Cherry Orchard

Sally Peeking Through Fence

Beautiful View of House in Winter

Christmas 2008.........Reflections and Reminiscences......

The first thing that comes to mind as I think about the holiday season of 2008 is snow. Lots and lots of snow. And cold......extreme cold! We did not have temperatures above 32' for over 10 days. Often in the morning the temperature on our back deck was in the teens, the coldest being 13' one morning. And the deck is somewhat protected from the open cold, and I do not even know what the temperature was outside in the open. The result of all the cold was that the snow, which kept coming down, did not melt. We ended up having 10" of snow, with about 1" of ice on top of that, followed by 8" of new snow. Walking through this was difficult. And since we do not have studs or chains or a snow plow, we were unable to get our car out of the garage for 8 days! The day before we got 'stuck' up on our hill, I had gone to the grocery store and stocked up on double of the items I use most......"just in case". Thank God, I had the foresight to do that because we had enough fresh items to last us for the 8 days we were house bound. My first shopping trip after we were set "free" from our garage was quite expensive. But I realized how creative a person can be when you have a limited supply of groceries. Thankfully, we did not lose power for longer than 4 hours one night. The furnace worked so hard day and night just to keep the temperature in the house at a balmy 68'. The consequence of that was a PGE bill that was $100 more than the previous month! YIKES! But with layers, we kept warm.

My next thoughts are about family. My sister, Carolyn and her husband, Nelson, came out to the NW for a week from Chicago. They had not seen Mom and Dad's new little duplex. They stayed with Mom and Dad for 4 days, and then came over to our house for the last 3 days of their visit. My brother, Phil, also came down for 10 days from WA. He stayed with us the first part of his visit, and then went to Mom and Dad's. We were all planning to have a big Christmas dinner with the family, and our daughter, her husband, and grandbabies on Christmas Day. But the family in McMinnville could not get out, so they had Christmas with Mom and Dad. Jenn and her family did make it up to our house.....thanks to a neighbor who took his big truck and drove back and forth over the lower driveway to make a path for her little car. It was a nice Christmas with just the 6 of us. It was the first Christmas that Jacob, 3 1/2, understood the concept of presents. He did not care what was in them, particularly, he just was excited to open them, and more than willing to help Abby open hers. We did have a fun party at Mom and Dad's on the weekend. It was all the siblings and spouses, my niece, Elaine and her husband, Jeff. We ate tons of yummy food, and played games, and laughed a lot. Very special time as a family. This is why it is so good for Mom and Dad to be closer to family.

We ended 2008 with our annual New Year's Eve party with three couples who are very dear to our hearts........my sister and her husband, Crit and Janice Haney, and Max and Patty Huff. We ate lots, played games, and just had fun bringing in the New Year with very special friends.

My prayer is that as we begin a new year, we will all live by Proverbs 16:9 "Man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his steps." We may make plans that seem good to us, but we must be open to the plans that God has for us each day. Spiritual maturity is being flexible and willing to follow where God is leading us each day.

Winter in the NW

2008-12-17T18:49:00.000-08:00

Snow in cherry orchard

Snow in back yard

Heavy snow falling

Well, we are in the middle of a winter storm event that is going to be about 10 days or so. An arctic blast from northern Canada decided to move west and south and park itself right over the Pacific NW. Combine that with some moisture off the Pacific Ocean mixed with a southerly wind warming things up in the upper atmosphere, and you get snow. Not a huge accumulation, but just enough to be an annoyance and cause problems on the roads. It is, however, lovely to look at. The unsettling thing about this Winter weather event has been the extreme (for our area) cold temperatures. It has not been this cold in 2 decades (20 years). We have had daytime highs in the low 20's, and dropping into the teens at night. Add a strong east wind of 15-20 mph, and you get wind chills of about 5-7'. That is cold! My cheeks are chapped from the icy wind. Sally does not seem to mind the cold. But I have to go out and check her water and break up the ice in her bowl frequently. I went around the house and closed all the foundation vents to keep the icy air off the pipes. The poor heat pump has been working nonstop. And I keep going out to fill the bird feeders. This morning there were about 30 birds munching on the Wild Bird Seed. We have Oregon Juncos, Chickadees, Sparrows of all sorts, Nuthatches, Mourning Doves, Towhees, etc. It is fun to watch the symbiotic relationship of the birds. Some of them are feeder eaters. Others eat from the seeds that fall to the ground from the scratching of the sparrows on the feeder (they are messy eaters).

We are scheduled to have more snow tomorrow - up to 3 more inches. And Sat. looks like it could be a nasty snow/ice storm. Not fun for all the Christmas events scheduled. A Christmas concert that I wanted to go to last weekend was cancelled because of snow. And our annual Church Ladies Christmas Cookie Exchange was also cancelled on Monday night.

At least I got all my Christmas cards addressed and sent to the ladies that are part of the Changed Choices program in the SE prison system. I sent out 52 cards this year. Many of the women have no family and getting a Christmas card means so much to them.

Well, that is all for now. Stay warm and well. And be blessed.

The beauty of the Sun as it sets and rises

2008-11-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

Last evening Bob called me up to his office to look out his window over the orchard. This is the sunset that was visible. I ran and got my camera and got this amazing picture as the sun was going down and illuminating the clouds with bright red and orange. Beautiful!

That same morning I had captured this shot of the sun coming up over the orchard, with the valley all fogged in. I love living up on our hill above the fog line. The valley is often shrouded in fog this time of year, but we wake to beautiful sunrises quite often. The fog does move up the hill most days, but not before giving us a lovely look at the sun's greeting.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving us such amazing beauty to behold. This is just a tiny glimpse of Your majesty, and I am sure a small taste of the beauty of our eternal home in heaven. Thank you for allowing us to see Your creativity through this amazing world .

2008-11-16T16:02:00.000-08:00

We had a very fast moving thunder storm the other day. I was able to get a great picture of the storm after it moved over us and down into the valley. The sun came out and everything was all sparkling and bright. A rainbow appeared and was just the perfect finish to the storm event.

Mt. Hood peeking out over fog shrouded valley

Large old Royal Anne Cherry tree

Cherry Orchard at the end of Autumn

I was outside this afternoon admiring the lovely autumn afternoon. The air was crisp and the last of the leaves were still hanging on to the trees. The valley is white with fog, but we are above the fog line quite often, and today is no exception. Mt. Hood was just peaking out and looks like it is floating above the fog in the valley. I love it up here on our hill this time of year. We get to see sights that are not visible from the valley floor. So I wanted to share this autumn splendor with you all to enjoy.

Our Little Lamb

2008-11-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

Eating the yummy fall leaves, like a good little lamb.

Thank you, God for making such a lovely world.

Am I adorable, or what?

Elsa Jane, our Little Lamb

I grew up in a very strong Christian family and we made a big deal about the holidays. We usually dressed up for Halloween and went Trick or Treating. It was just a 'fun' time for us. My husband's family did not celebrate Halloween at all. No costumes, no Trick or Treating. Halloween was considered to be an evil day. I respected that, and since it is not a big deal to me either way, we did not celebrate Halloween at all when our children were young. Often our churches would have a Harvest Party on Nov. 1, and we would go to that. But Halloween was not even acknowledged. Our kids are pretty normal even tho they did not dress up for Halloween or participate in any of the 'festivities'.

Miranda sent me some pictures of our little Elsa Jane all dressed up for Halloween as a little black and white lamb. She was so adorable, that no matter what you believe about Halloween, you could not be offended by this Little Lamb. I just wanted to squeeze her when I saw her costume. Surprisingly, she did not even pull at the fleece on her tummy. How precious.

Colors of Autumn

2008-10-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

Brilliant gold and reds of God's palate
Brilliant beauty of fall leaves

I LOVE this time of year! I drive around town and the trees are amazing with their intense colors. I know it is not as amazing as the East Coast this time of the year. But I think, somehow, that our colors are better because they are mixed with all the Evergreens that don't change color. So the contrast is greater. I have seen pictures of the colors in the east and it is stunning. But I really love seeing the bright reds, oranges, and yellows against all the green here in the NW. I took some photos today to illustrate what I mean by the beauty of our colorful trees.

October in Oregon

2008-10-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Sunrise over the foggy Willamette Valley - Oct. 12, 2008

Sunset over the Snyder Cherry Orchard - Oct. 16, 2008
Sunrise over the Willamette Valley - Oct. 17, 2008
Banana Squash fully cooked - 10 lbs.
16 cups (4 quarts) Banana Squash ready for the freezer
( Dad will sure be happy since this is his favorite squash)

This is my favorite time of year. The air is so clean and crisp. The colors on the trees and bushes are so vibrant. The sunsets and sunrises are amazing because of the clear air. The days are warm, the nights are cool, and there is a nice breeze to keep things fresh. The harvest in the Autumn is abundant, and so the freezer is full of containers with fruits and vegetables to enjoy during the winter.

Getting Ready for Mom and Dad

2008-10-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

Since Mom and Dad will be moving to the NW at the end of the month, I am trying to make sure that their new 'home' will be ready for them.

I went over yesterday and spent about 5 hours cleaning. The duplex was supposedly left 'clean' by the former tenants. However, I have learned that everyone has a very different idea of what 'clean' is. I took my step stool, a bucket, rubber gloves, environmentally friendly 'green' cleaner (hey, this is Oregon), some disinfectant wipes, and a roll of paper towels. The first thing I did was to weed the yard. The grass may be dead, but the dandelions continue to grow even when there is no watering done. I got a very large bag of yard debris. Next, I went into the kitchen and washed out all the cupboards, drawers, stove, fridge, and counters. It fairly *sparkles*. On to the bathroom, which was not that dirty........amazingly! But now it is spotless. My next cleaning chore was to clean the windows, troughs, and sills. My last cleaning chore is to clean the kitchen and dining room floors. I discovered that there are little spots of tar on the floor, which I don't know how to remove without harming the surface. Any suggestions? I did talk to the owner about some things that need 'fixing'. One of the keys does not work in the deadbolt and one of the drip pans on the stove are missing. No big deals. I did find a great - over the toilet - vanity cupboard for the bathroom. Got it half price at Walmart and need to put it together. It will give lots more storage in the bathroom. I will put that together today........maybe. Anyway, things are coming together. I talked to Mom yesterday and she actually said, "I am getting excited about moving up to Oregon". Now that was an amazing thing for her to say! I have prayed over and over that she would do well with this move. I know how the weather affects her moods, and we do have a 'few' days of grey in the winter. But being closer to family is something she is really looking forward to. They put their home on the market this week, and that is great. We need to pray that just the right buyer will come along and that the timing will all work out for them. God is in control and He has orchestrated every step of this move so far. I know all the last bits will fall into place as well.

Autumn's Seasonal Bounty

2008-09-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Thursday at the Farmer's Market I picked up some winter squash. One variety was called Golden Nugget and the other was a Sweet Meat. And yesterday I saw an older farmer with his truck in our little town of Amity. He sells produce out of the back of his truck. He had an ENORMOUS Hubbard Squash, and he was selling it for only $5. It was over 20 lbs. And it was 38" around the middle. Pretty cheap. Anyway, I cut the squash up and bake it in the oven at 350' for about 2 hours. ( I had to take Bob's hacksaw to the Hubbard, it was so tough and so big!) Then I let it sit for about half an hour so that the squash pulls away from the rind. Then I scoop the meat out and put it in a bowl and mash it with a potato masher. After it is all mashed, it goes into containers for the freezer. We have 12 pints of frozen squash now. I had a small sample of each left over, which we had for dinner. Our favorites were the Hubbard, and the Sweet Meat. The Golden Nugget tasted a lot like an Acorn Squash. Bob eats his with butter and salt and pepper. I like mine with butter and brown sugar. Delicious!!!

The other benefit of the Autumn Season are the apples in abundance. We have a Gravenstein Apple tree and a Golden Delicious tree. The Gravenstein did not get worms this year and since we love them the very best, that was very good news. Yesterday I spent about 4 hours outside cleaning up the ground under the Gravenstein Apple tree. There were so many good apples that had fallen. I put them into a big tub and it was heaping. The bad apples were tossed into the orchard for the birds, deer, racoons, and squirrels. This morning I made two batches of applesauce from the apples under the tree. Bob came home from Spokane and he also cut up enough apples for two batches of applesauce. We got 19 pints of delicious applesauce in the freezer. We just quarter, core, and peel the apples. Then let them bake slowly at 300' for about 2 hours. Then mash with a potato masher, pour into containers, and freeze.

I took some photos of the apple tree before and after the cleanup. And also the huge tub of apples, and the gigantic Hubbard Squash. I put a can of soda in front of the tub so you could get a perspective of exactly how many apples there were. What a project!!! But I am so happy that we can experience the bounty of this, my favorite season - Autumn!

No More Babies

2008-09-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Monday I went over to Jenn's to see Jacob and Abby. I had not seen them in a month due to my trip to AZ, and all the time spent finding a place for Mom and Dad to live up in OR. When I last saw Abby, she was still crawling and not at all motivated to walk. But all that changed and she is all over. Lots of bumps and bruises - big knot on her forehead. She is chatting up a storm and the only time she is not talking - and loudly - is when she is asleep. Jacob is using so many more words and making sentences now. He loves his sister so much and he is so affectionate to her. He has such a sweet little personality. Here are some pics from my time with these two. I put Abby's hair in little pigtails and she looks sooooo much like her Mommy at the same age. I love those babes so much!

Little Comedienne

2008-09-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

Miranda sent me some recent photos of Elsa. She is 4 1/2 months old now. This baby is so cute and funny. It is as tho she knows the camera is on her and she plays to it. I don't think I have ever seen a funnier, more comedic infant. She makes the goofiest faces and looks like she is enjoying herself immensely. We will be seeing her in 2 weeks and I am so excited. I can't wait to kiss that little bald head and just hug the stuffin's out of her. She will be 5 months when we see her this time. Our first and only visit with her was in Toronto when she was just 5 weeks old. What a difference! Her little personality is really coming out and she is very personable. She makes me laugh out loud when I see her photos. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Season of Transition

2008-09-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I posted my thoughts and adventures. I will 'catch up' here and now.

The end of August, I flew to AZ. Drove my Dad from the hospital in Phoenix home to Yuma. I helped Dad get settled in at home. He had been away from his home for 130 days. Mom had a lot to do to get things back in order. We got home health care set up for two weeks, as well as two weeks of home rehab for Dad. Their church brought in meals every other day for two weeks, and that was great since there were usually a lot of leftovers for another meal.

We started the long and very stressful job of sorting out years of paperwork, files, bookshelves, cupboards, etc. We are going to move Dad and Mom to the NW to be nearer 4 of their children who live here. Mom needs some help and 1500 miles is just too far for any of us to be able to give them the help they need on a regular basis. Anyway, we gave an enormous pile of 'goodies' to the mission, two very large boxes of books to their church, lots of knick knacks to the AWANA store at church, and still had several large trash cans full of garbage that went out. It is amazing how much a person accumulates over 57 years of marriage. It was very difficult for Dad to pare down his treasures, but I got him a huge box for all the things he could not part with. He spent hours reading old letters, newspaper clippings, and lots of things he had saved.

Mom and I spent hours going thru old photo albums that had lost all their 'stickum'. We threw away hundreds of photos of scenery that no one knew where it was taken. I put all the photos of us six kids in piles and we sent them to the appropriate sibling. We had such fun laughing at the way we all used to look. We honestly thought we looked good with those awful hairdos! It was a time of nostalgia and reminiscence. Mom kept all her albums of all the wonderful cruises they took over the years. Those will be for the "remember when" times.

I was blessed to be able to be with Mom as she celebrated her 80th Birthday on September 3. She was given a delicious carrot cake, which we enjoyed for days. And lots of beautiful flowers. Barb gave her 2 dozen mixed roses that were stunning! It was a lovely birthday.

Now that I am home, I have spent days looking for an appropriate place for Mom and Dad to live in. It must have no stairs, and that is a problem. Most of the nice apartments that are ground level have an enormous waiting list. Literally years in some cases. There are just a lot of seniors that can not use stairs and not enough places for them to live. I finally found a little duplex that is ground level. It is in a nice, quiet, residential neighborhood in McMinnville. I think it will be perfect for them for a few years or until they need to have more care.

So this is a time of transition. Mom and Dad will be transitioning to life in the NW and being close to their children and grandchildren (and two great grandchildren). And I will be transitioning to a life where involvement with aging parents will be a regular part of my week.

I look forward to having them closer, so that holidays will be shared with them. And I am very thankful that I am able to help them in this 'winter' season of their lives. It will be exciting to see how God blesses our family having Mom and Dad here.

Finished Quilt

2008-08-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

I did it! I finished my first quilt. It actually did not take that long. I worked on it for about a month and only once a week. I started with a very simple pattern for my first quilt. Karen, my friend and teacher, helped me understand the pattern and the 'how to' part of the instructions. I have been sewing since I was a kid, and since this was all straight sewing, it went really fast. Sunday afternoon I hand tied the entire quilt and that took about 4 hours. Then yesterday I sewed the edge binding on by hand and that took another 4 hours. It measures 54" X 68" and is a really nice size. I know I will use it a lot in the cool evenings to snuggle up with when I am watching a movie or reading. I have to say that it gave me a great deal of satisfaction to have it done and to see what I actually made by myself. Those of you who are "crafty" people may not understand that feeling because you make things all the time. But my talents do not lie with hand crafted items, so this is all new to me. Now I have the 'bug' and may make a quilt for each of my Grandchildren. Who knows.........this may be my new hobby. Who would have guessed?

The new Mummy movie

2008-08-02T21:03:00.000-07:00

Well, we went to see the new Mummy movie today. It is the third in the series. Lots of special effects, lots of action, and lots of noise. There was an appropriate amount of comic relief when the situation got really intense. The surprise for me in this movie was Michelle Yeoh. She was the star of Crouching Tiger, Sleeping Dragon and she was also in Memoirs of a Geisha. She is a beautiful Chinese actor and she is great in this Mummy movie. She is beauty and grace and feminity, yet strong and powerful. I love the role she plays, and her costumes are amazing! It was a fun movie, full of action and suspense.

New photos of Elsa

2008-07-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

Well, Elsa and Miranda are home from a 2 week trip to Alberta to see her family. They had a family reunion with her father's family. It was a chance for all the Aunts and Uncles and Great grandparents to meet Elsa Jane. And also Elsa got to meet her cousin Harris Drake who was born 2 weeks to the day before she was. Here are some new photos that Miranda took on her trip. Elsa is such a pretty baby and her deep blue eyes just sparkle. I miss her so much!

Vacation Memories

2008-07-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Every year we take a week and go to Silver Lake, WA for our vacation. This is a shallow lake close to Mt.St. Helens. Ten years ago we stayed in a cabin and I became friends with the owner. She is a wonderful Christian lady and we really enjoy sharing about our families and our faith. We have continued to go to the lake and have a great time. Bob loves the fishing - crappie, bass, perch, blue gill, catfish, and carp. He is a catch and release fisherman. He gets up early every morning and is on the lake by 6 a.m. in his little aluminum boat with a nice quiet trolling motor. I take the quiet mornings as 'my vacation time'. I watch movies, go for walks, and read.........all by myself. Bob comes back about noon and cleans up. Then we have lunch, and spend the rest of the afternoon playing cards and reading. We usually take a boat ride around the island or elsewhere on the lake in the evening. It is a very relaxing week. No telephone, no computers, no blackberrys.....just R&R.

Jenn, Tim, Jacob, and Abby came up for one day. We got a small life jacket for Jacob and he went on his first boat ride in Papa's boat. He grinned from ear to ear, he loved it! He did not want to go in. We had to take him on another boat ride later in the afternoon. Abby spent the day exploring the deck. Everything is a curosity for this very busy 14 month old. Jenn even got a thrill when the owner's son came to the dock with his new wave runner and he took Jenn out on a ride on the lake. The wave runner turned over and Jenn got soaked, but she did not care for one minute and loved her time zooming around the lake.

All in all it was a very nice week. The weather was perfect and we made lots of memories. The photos will be of our week. It is great to be able to preserve these moments for posterity.

Before and After

2008-07-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

Abby after her haircut with Jenn..... Jacob playing in the dirt before his haircut........ Jacob after his haircut and all clean from a bath.....

This week both Jacob and Abby got haircuts. These are some pics from before the haircuts and from after the haircuts. Jacob got a nice buzz, and Abby got her long stragglies cut off. But kids looked so cute afterwards.

Vacation Highlights

2008-07-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time on our trip. My 2 days in Chicago were great. It was so fun to see Melissa and her boys. And a special treat was getting to see John-Mark and meeting his wife, Sheena. Melissa's boys are so fun, and the baby Aidan is just a squishy bundle of love. I had a chance to see Carolyn at work, as an efficient and essential assistant to the Director of Friedman Place, a home for the visually impared. Time went by quickly and then it was off to Toronto.

We had the best time ever with Joe, Miranda, and baby Elsa. Bob and I took turns holding and loving on our third grandchild. She was so small compared to our Abby. Elsa was just beginning to smile and coo. We got to babysit her one afternoon for 3 hours while Joe and Miranda went out for their 7th Anniversary and then went over to a friends to pick up a crib, which Joe and Bob put together when they got home. Miranda is such a relaxed and comfortable Mommy and Elsa senses this and she is a very mellow baby. Joe just adores his daughter and is always kissing and loving her. What a special blessing to be able to see our son as a father. We fell in love with this beautiful baby instantly and it was so difficult to say, "good-bye".

Our Next Adventure

2008-06-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

We are packed and all the necessary details are complete in order to facilitate a peaceful and fun vacation this coming week. We leave for the airport this evening since Bob's flight to NY tomorrow is at 5:45 am. We will stop and see the grandkids for a while before heading out to our airport hotel. It is a way to park the car for free and saves us an extra 2 hours in the morning. I like going out to the hotel the night before a flight. Flight day is less stressful.

I fly to Chicago tomorrow to spend three days with my sister, Carolyn. I will get to see my niece, Melissa and meet her three little boys. Can't wait to hold little Aiden who is 4 months. Bob is flying tomorrow to NY for his quarterly meeting. On Thurs. we will both fly to Toronto and arrive (weather permitting) at about the same time. Then Friday - Sunday we will spend all our time with Joe, Miranda, and Elsa Jane. YEA!!!

I will be taking tons of photos of our little Elsa Jane to share with everyone when we get back. My arms are anxious to hold and cuddle with this new baby. Babies smell so sweet. You could just sniff and kiss them all day. Bob and I will be vieing for 'Elsa' time. Abby is so big and active now that we don't have any baby time any more. No more snuggles for her.

Being a Grandparent is a wonderful surprise and joy. I don't know anyone who does not love it and the pleasures of just loving without conditions. These little grandbabies need all the love and support they can get in this world. They need to know that Grandma and Grandpa are on their side, no matter what. What a privilege it is to be a part of their lives.

More later...........

Time Flies, Life Continues

2008-06-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been over three weeks since I last posted to my blog. My Dad had knee replacement surgery over 6 weeks ago. His recovery has been very slow and painful. My brothers, Phil and James, went down also to help Mom and encourage Dad. My sister, Barb was down in AZ with my parents for 2 weeks to help out. And now my brother, Phil is back down in AZ trying to keep Mom encouraged and is helping with so many things. Carolyn, Paul, James, and I have been on the phone talking to Dad and Mom frequently. Dad has been in the hospital, in a Rehab center, in a nursing home, back to the hospital, and now back in Rehab. With the encouragement of the attending Dr. at the Rehab center, we are seeking a second opinion as to why Dad's knee is not healing like it should. He is a Diabetic and he does have Parkinson's Disease, so those things do contribute to his slow recovery. Monday, Dad will go to the CORE Institute in Phoenix to see a knee reconstruction orthopedic surgeon. (Center for Orthopedic and Reconstructive Education) The surgeon that will be seeing Dad was the head of Orthopedics at the Mayo Clinic for 17 years. His credentials are top knotch. Hopefully, he will be able to discover what is going on with Dad's knee and help with his recovery. We just wait and see. Please pray with us for a complete and swift healing of Dad's knee and for his body to recover.

Her Mommy's face, her Daddy's chin

2008-05-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

Well, Elsa is now almost 5 days old now. She looks so much like Miranda, which is a good thing since Miranda is very pretty. However, she did get one physical characteristic from her Daddy's - a cleft in her chin. Joe got that from my Dad, and I noticed it right away. And Elsa now has it from her Dad. Very cool. Her skin is so beautiful and she is such a pleasant little baby. I can't wait to hold and cuddle with her. My lips ache to kiss her soft head. Here are more photos that Joe sent of Elsa at 4 days old. I love digital photography!

We are off on a trip for 9 days to Southern CA........business and pleasure. We will be back Mon. May 19. No photos for a week. More later.

New Baby Pictures

2008-05-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

I just got these adorable pictures of Elsa Jane. Such a cute baby.

New Granddaughter

2008-05-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well, on May 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm our new little granddaughter arrived. Elsa Jane Snyder weighed in at 7 lb. 14 oz. and measured 20". She has a little bit of dark hair and she looks so much like her daddy did as a newborn baby. The midwife says that she is very healthy. She is a good eater and sucks with enthusiasm. Joe says she is peeing and pooping a lot, so that is good. He even has changed two of the nasty meconium diapers. Both Joe and Miranda are smitten with their little girl. We are very anxious to get out to Toronto the middle of June to see her. I can't wait to hold and cuddle with this new baby. Being a grandparent is the best role ever!

Interesting bit of trivia......both Joe and Miranda weighed 7 lb. 14 oz. and measured 20" when they were born. Very unusual for all three of them to have the same statistics.

Miranda was induced at 10 a.m. Monday morning and really did not progress much during the next 12 hours. But then about 10 p.m. her body responded to all the pitosin and things began to move very quickly. She began pushing at 11:20 and in 15 minutes Elsa was born. By 3:30 a.m. the little family was in a cab on their way home from the hospital......less than 4 hours after the baby was born. The midwife said that healing is faster and the family bonds much quicker in their own home. Joe has the week off and he is loving this time alone with Miranda and Elsa. Miranda's Mom and Dad are coming in on Friday and are anxious to meet Elsa.

You can see from the pictures that Elsa Jane is a very pretty little baby. We pray the God will wrap His arms around her heart and that she will grow up to be a mighty woman of God.

April - A Wild and Crazy Month

2008-04-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

April has been a very unusual month weatherwise. About the time my cherry trees began to blossom, we had several late spring snow storms and very cold weather. I got several photos of snow on the cherry trees. Hopefully the snow and cold won't hurt our crop this year. It does seem that winter is saying "good-bye" and spring is finally here. We are getting temperatures that are no longer in the 40's for daytime highs. Yea!

April was a very busy month for us. Jacob turned 3 and we had a big birthday party with lots of family. He understood what the presents were all about this year and had fun opening them. His favorite gift was a big blue truck from Uncle Paul. We combined his birthday party with Abby's 1st birthday. Their birthdays are only 2 weeks apart, so it is logical to have a joint party. Barb made a flower cake for Abby that was so cute.

My sister, Carolyn, came out from Chicago for a week and it was such fun to have her here. Barb, Carolyn, and I went out to the beach for a day. It was great to spend time with my two sisters - first time we have done that in over 7 years. We had a big family dinner while she was here and it was fun to have everyone all together.

This last weekend I went to a Women's Retreat at the beach. It was nice to get to know some of the women of the church that I had never really talked to before. The weather was great.

No word from Joe and Miranda on their baby. We wait daily for that phone call that will tell us whether we have a new grandson or granddaughter. Pictures will come when we get them. It does not look like she will have an April baby. It would be funny if the baby came on May 1, which is Abby's birthday. That would be easy to remember. We will have to wait and see.

April did not arrive or leave quietly like it normally does. But all in all, it was a good month.

Sad Memorial

2008-04-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a memorial service for a 20 year old girl. She was driving about 100 mph and lost control of the car and hit a tree. The car broke in half and 6 of the 7 people in the car died. Three of the dead were children and three were adults. None of the children were in seat belts. The only survivor was the 2 year old baby of the driver, who was in a child seat. He is now living with his Mom's parents. What a tragedy that could have been avoided. This girl was troubled as a teenager. She got in with the wrong crowd and made some very bad choices for her life. The father of her baby is an illegal and in prison. Her parents were Godly people who tried to raise her to love Jesus and live a life following God's will for her. She rebelled and did not want to do what she knew was right. People said she had a very loving heart and a very happy spirit. But no one said anything about her faith or her relationship with Jesus. They just don't know where she was spiritually. What a horrible place for parents to be.........not knowing if you will ever see your child again. But they are commited to raising her son to know the Lord and to grow up loving Jesus. What a challenge that will be as people who are in their 50's.... to start over with a 2 year old. I pray for God's grace to cover each day. They will need it.

End of March Snow

2008-03-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

We are a week into Spring 2008, and the snow does not know that. We woke to an inch of the white stuff this morning. It was so pretty, but very unusual for this late in the season. It has been the coldest and winteryest Spring Break I can ever remember.

Jacob was over at Grandma and Papa's for 3 days and he had a blast. We took the opportunity to go to the park and play outside several times. He loves to go down the curly tube slide by himself.

Well, I just looked outside and it is currently snowing and the temp. is only 33', so this snow is not going to melt soon. It's 10:30 pm Friday nite.

All for now. I will take more pictures of the snow tomorrow.

He is Risen!

2008-03-23T07:27:00.001-07:00

Easter is all about the cross and the empty tomb. It is incomprehensible to me that Jesus willingly went to an excruciating death on the cross for me. I can not wrap my mind around it, but I am so thankful for what that means to my life. My prayer is that I will daily live a life that brings honor and glory to my God. And that I never forget the price that Jesus paid for my life. The fact that I was chosen to be a daughter of the King of Kings and joint heir with Jesus of all the riches of the Eternal Kingdom, is overwhelming.

Thank you Father for choosing me. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and paying the price for all my sin. And thank you Holy Spirit for coming to live in my heart and for teaching me the truth about God's Word. I pray that I will always live to glorify You! I love you with all my heart!

Winter goes out with a ROAR!

2008-03-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

It may be officially spring as of last night, but winter is not going quietly into that good night. We had quite an intense blizzard for about 45 minutes this evening. The temperature dropped about 6 degrees in 15 minutes. The snow was sticking and we got about one inch accumulation! We are at about 700 feet elevation and there was an Artic front that moved in, but really.......Snow! I did get some photos to prove my story is true. I am sure that my daffodils did not appreciate this icy blast right when their little heads were facing the sky.

Trip to Yuma

2008-03-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I am flying to Yuma, AZ for my annual trip to see my Dad and Mom. I used to go with our son, Joe, every year at Spring Break. Joe loved the attention from Grandma and Grandpa, not to mention all the home baked cookies (which he never got at home). He would sit outside all day and get a very dark tan to show off to all his friends who stayed in OR in the cold and rain for the week. Then Joe grew up and left home, but my annual trip to Yuma continued. It has been 10 years now that I have been going by myself. Mom and Dad are so thrilled for me to come and spend the time with them. I take Mom out for our annual lunch and shopping trip. She protests the "expensive" lunch that I pay for, but I know she really enjoys our time together. Dad likes to have the house to himself for several hours in peace and quiet. We will go to a movie together, out to lunch several times, and hopefully, I can make it to the Flea Market. That is so much fun for me. Mom and Dad sit and people watch and I zip around and pick up several things that I can't get here. (Yummy fresh dates). It will be a fast week, but a good time. I am looking forward to the 80' weather and sunshine, and Mom's home cooking. I will let you know how the trip was when I get back. I wonder.......will my kids come and see me when I am old and lonely?

Vantage Point

2008-03-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

Bob and I just got home from seeing the movie VANTAGE POINT. Very good political thriller. Lots of fast car chases, which I am not fond of.....makes me dizzy and I am afraid someone will get hit. Very interesting twist to how the movie was made. It is amazing to me that the liberal suits in Hollywood allow movies to be made that paint the radical Muslim extremists in such a negative way. They are the bad guys with no exceptions. I recommend this movie.

Now on a different note entirely, I went to see FOOLS GOLD with a friend yesterday. It was a fun romantic comedy. Very predictable, but lots of fun and laughs. Matthew McConaughey is so cute, but he sure gets beat up a lot in this movie. Kate Hudson reminds me so much of her mother, Goldie Hawn, when she was younger. The best character, in my humble opinion, was Donald Sutherland, as a benevelent billionaire. He has such class.

Those are my opinions on my latest movie adventures. Recommend both.

Mentoring

2008-02-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

I have always love to write letters. With the introduction of inexpensive phone rates and then email, people do not write letters much any more. However, I am involved in a ministry that requires me to write letters. I mentor and encourage women who are currently incarcerated through our justice system. Many of these women have no family or friends to communicate with. Most have children that have been taken away from them or are being raised by a family member. These women have just come to faith in Jesus or have had their faith renewed as a result of their circumstances. The majority come from alcoholic homes or homes where drugs were used. Many have been abused emotionally and physically. These ladies have no hope apart from their relationship with Jesus. They love the Lord, but they need encouragement. Enter mentoring. I write to about 7 ladies and answer their spiritual questions, share their lives with them, tell them about my life, share scripture with them, and love on them. Their only form of communication is thru letters, so this is a ministry that fits me perfectly.
I do not judge these ladies. None of us knows where we would be if we had been raised with or lived in the circumstances they have. Yes, they made bad choices and are daily living with the consequences, but they admit their mistakes and want to change their thinking so they can make a better life for themselves and their families when they get out of prison. I feel so honored to meet these ladies and be a part of their lives. Do they all get out and stay on the straight and narrow forever? No, but the rate of repeat offenders is very low if they have a mentor who can hold them accountable and encourage them. Often when they are released, I lose touch with them, but that is OK. God knows who they are and He will take over as their encourager. And my time with them is just for a season.

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalms 20:7

That is the motto of my life. If I trust in things........possessions or people, I will be disappointed. But if I trust in the name of the Lord my God, I am trusting in God's very character, and that will never disappoint. That is the only certainty I have in this life.

Thoughts on Blogging

2008-02-27T08:15:00.000-08:00

I love to write. And I love to share my thoughts on things. Many of my musings are abstract and so I don't share them often. But I thought that a blog would be a good place for me to put my thoughts down. So here it is......My Blog. I am 55 years old and never thought that I would have a blog. For the first 50 years of my life, very few people even knew what blogs were. And now they are common and an excellent way for people to stay in touch with family and friends. Wow! The internet can be such a wonderful way to communicate.
If anyone happens to find this and wants to share any thoughts with me, please feel free. I love the reparte that comes with words. It is fun and challenges the brain.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5,6

That is the secret to a life of peace and joy!