At the top of the Sears Tower

 
I flew into Midway Airport on July 6. My friend met me there, and we proceeded into the city for our two days at Women of Faith. After we got to the hotel, we walked over to the Sears Tower and took the elevator to the top. As the elevator was ascending, our ears were popping. The view that day was visible for approximately 30 miles. A museum of sorts is at the top giving some of the highlights of Chicago's history. Many visitors were there, each taking his turn looking through the windows, taking photos, and then moving aside so that others could see as well.
 Looking out and down, the vehicles on the street looked like insects; in fact, when I looked at this photo, I thought I had pressed the shutter with nothing in view, but then when I looked again, there they were. 

Thought for the Day

I had a post all ready to publish the other day from Picasa when my computer decided to do ugly things and wouldn't let me publish. Idon't know how to save my posts in Picasa. There isn't a button for saving it a a draft...I'll post later today, but I read this from Pastor Tim's website:

Thought for the Day

A South American scientist from Argentina, after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with "IBA" or insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse.

Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late…

The Senility Prayer

Someone sent me an e-mail with jokes about old folks. I was going to include them all here, but then I realized they were probably better just left where they were. I do like this one about these two elderly ladies though. Sometimes I find myself in their predicament.

Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.
One day they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, "Now don't get mad at me....I know we've been friends for a long time.....but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is." Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her. Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?"

THE SENILITY PRAYER
Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight to tell the difference.

A new blog

I found a new blog yesterday. Fire and Ice is a blog of an artist commissioned by the Marine Corps to paint images of the war in Iraq. He is now back in the States, and he has introduced a new artist, Sketchpad Warrior. Kris is a landscape artist, who has now been commissioned by the marines to do a similar job.

When I went to his site, I found out that he had lived and worked as an artist and missionary in Haiti. In 1965, I went to Haiti and stayed with the same people that he worked with many years later. I'm constantly amazed at how the internet brings people together.

Stop by and encourage him in the work on which he is about to embark.

"The Literary Cat" or "So you thought you'd read the paper?"

 

One of the reasons for my going to Chicago was to attend the Women of Faith conference at the United Center with my good friend, Peg. Since it was July 7,8, and then I had the Pampered Chef conference the 13-15, I stayed a few days with Peg out in Huntley.

Peg and her husband (my former pastor here in Bradenton) moved to the Chicago area to work in the office of the Baptist General Conference. It was a hard move for Peg. She had spent her adult life here in Bradenton and had made many lasting friendships. Their cat, Sandy, had died of old age here in Bradenton about a year ago.

After being in Huntley for a few months, Peg once again had the longing for a cat. She and her husband searched the shelters, and then one day, as she was leaving one of them, the lady in charge told her that there was a cat who was isolated from all the others because she tested positive for feline aids. When Peg saw her, her heart melted. Jacinda, her original name, came home to live with Don and Peg. She's about 2 years old and is one of the friendliest cats I've ever met. She was up in my lap the minute I sat down. She loves to be loved, and loved she is.

With Jacinda, there is no need for a television. She entertains with her romps and playfulness. She appears quite well, not displaying any symptoms of her illness.

And as you can see, she has found her place on the newspaper...perhaps checking out the weekly cat food specials, or reading some mouse tale. 

It's good to be home

I left Bradenton July 6 and attended the Women of Faith conference at the United Center in Chicago with my good friend Peg. If you've never been, that is quite an event...usually 16,000 women all in one place, most of them needing to go to the bathroom at the same time. I've attended every year except for the very first one. I was listening to the radio one day and heard about this women's meeting that had taken place, and I determined that if it came anywhere near where I was, I'd be there. It was, and I did.

After that I spent a few days with my friend in Huntley, and then back into the city for the Pampered Chef conference. I didn't see and do all that I had hoped. My spirit is willing, but sometimes the flesh is weak. I'll post about some of my activities when I get the pictures downloaded and all that stuff.

A note from Becki

I received a letter from a young woman the other day who is completing four years of work with the same campus ministry organization that my son worked with. She wrote something in her letter which really struck me.

At a training we did with CCO staff in May we were taught the difference between "roles" and "identity." This was a valuable lesson for me to hear as I prepare for this transition. I need to remember that though my role for the past four years has been OLT manager, it is not my identity. My identity lies in Christ and in who God created me to be--and that will remain constant no matter what my role my be.

I wish that someone had taught me that many years ago. When I retired from teaching. I was no longer Mrs. Whitcomb, first grade teacher. When I went to a doctor's office and had to fill out a form and state my occupation, it struck me that I didn't have an occupation any longer...well I did, but not the 7:30 - 4:00 kind of occupation.

When my husband died, and again I had to fill out a form and mark "widowed", that was almost more than I could bear. When you live and work with someone for almost 30 years, your identity is entwined. After his death, I flitted here and there, sort of like a butterfly from flower to flower, trying to figure out who I was and where I fit in.

So I thank you, Becki, for writing that paragraph in your letter, helping me to distinguish between "role" and "identity." May you soon find your new role that God is leading you into.

Happy fourth of July

This website is a wonderful tribute to our founding fathers and those who fought to make us free.

Have a good day with family and friends as we celebrate our freedom.

Abraham's Drug Store

I should be cleaning my house. I should be getting ready to leave on Thursday for ten days. I should...I should...I should...but here I am.

Some of you may wonder why I chose the name, "Lacoochee Kid", for my blog. Lacoochee is the town in Florida where I was born. I was only there until I was four, but as I've gotten older, and studied the history of the town and its people, I've come to love it. I said in an earlier blog, that I had thought Lacoochee was a bad place. I can remember hearing my parents say, "When the war is over, we're leaving Lacoochee." They must have seen that the saw mill business would not go on forever. Indeed the saw mill did close in 1955, and many of the residents did move away. My parents just chose to move away 10 years before that.

 
The photo above is a little blurry. It is a photo of a photo. As the photo is blurry, so is my memory about a lot of things in Lacoochee, but I'll never forget Abraham's Drug Store. Elias Abraham immigrated to the States, found a place to live, and then went back to Syria to get his bride. Lacoochee, which was pretty much a company town, did have a string of stores on its main street, one of which was the drug store. In my memory, it was big, but as I look at the picture, I realize how small it was.

As with any good drug store, you could get almost anything you needed here. What do I remember? Ice cream. And I'm sure there were only chocolate and vanilla...maybe strawberry, but with chocolate, who needs anything more.

Elias, or Abe, as he was called, has been gone for a while, and Abraham's Drug Store is no more. His son, Louis, who became quite a force in Pasco County and Dade City died three or four years ago. His daughter still lives in Dade City, and she is the one who has filled in a lot of gaps that I didn't remember about Lacoochee. 

Felis Crashus

 
SRP, over at Melange, posted about Mr. Rhett today. He apparently helped her install her dvd burner. I decided that it was time to post another page from the Kitty Cat Sightings book. There is a cat for every occasion.

By the way, I haven't seen my little gray and white kitty for a few days. The people across the street moved out, and apparently they took her with them. I hope they take good care of her. 

Arky, Arky

Many years ago, when my children were small, Psalty and the Praise Kids albums were very popular. They were always playing in our car...one of those songs starts, "The Lord said to Noah, 'There's going to be a floody, floody...get those animals out of the muddy, muddy, children of the Lord.'" I would make light of all this, but with the situation the way it is with the rain in parts of Virginia and other areas, it's not a laughing matter.

Last weekend my daughter and I traveled to Waynesboro, Virginia to attend a baby shower for my son and daughter-in-law. (Did I tell you I was going to be a grandmother?) We left on Thursday after Sarah had worked for a half-day, and at the motel there was a USA Today for the taking. When I opened up the paper to the entertainment section, there was a full-page article about the new movie "Evan Almighty." A sequel to "Bruce Almighty", this movie is being filmed in Waynesboro and the surrounding area.

When we drove through town, I noticed new street lights and a freshening of the city. When I mentioned it to David, he said, "Mom, they're filming "Evan Almighty"here." Duh. I asked him why he didn't get a part. He said he thought about it, but it only pays $8.00 an hour, so he declined.


 
The newspaper said that an ark of biblical proportions was being built in Crozet, a community about 12 miles from Waynesboro. Off we went on Saturday afternoon to see it. There it is right in the middle of a subdivision that is being developed. As you can see in the second photo, there is a brand new house right beside it. David said that the film company is paying the people's mortgages while they're there.

There was a steady stream of cars driving by. When we stopped, the guard said, "Hurry up and take your picture."
 
So we did.

I was reminded of a trip I made to Philadelphia to visit some missionary friends from Haiti a few years ago. David was interning at Carpenter Technology in Reading PA, and we met him for lunch in Lancaster. After David left, Shirley and I went to the Millenium Theater and saw the production of Noah. The first half of the play is the building of the ark. At the end of the first half, Noah and his family and the animals walk up the center aisle and enter the ark.

As the second half starts, you're inside the ark with Noah, his family, and all the animals. The rain and thunder starts, and the people who had mocked him, are pounding on the ark, hoping to gain entrance.

After the rains stop, and the waters recede, Noah and his family come out of the ark. As they are coming out, the sides of the ark fall away, and the cross is left standing. I had goosebumps throughout the production. Realizing that the ark in the Old Testament was a foreshadowing of Christ, who is our ark of safety.

If you ever have the opportunity to see a production there, it is not to be missed. 

Steel and Velvet

A week or so ago, I copied a story from an e-mail, and I'm doing so again today. This has such a moving message. It comes from this newsletter.

An unusual tribute was paid to Abraham Lincoln by Carl Sandburg.
The poet wrote, "Not often in the story of mankind does a man
arrive on earth who is both steel and velvet, who is as hard as
rock and soft as drifting fog, who holds in his heart and mind
the paradox of terrible storm and peace unspeakable and perfect."

Lincoln demonstrated then and now how a person can possess both a
will of iron and a heart of tenderness. Nothing deterred the
president during the American Civil War from his "noble" cause,
and few persons have ever endured more criticism and detractors
than Lincoln. Yet he was no more a man of steel than one of
velvet.

When General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army, Lincoln sent an
unexpected message to the enemy commander. "Tell your men they
may keep their horses; they'll need them for plowing," said the
president. Then this: "Tell your men they may keep their rifles;
they'll need them for hunting." When Lee read those words he
wept.

For each of us there is a time for toughness and a time for
tenderness. A time for resolve and a time for compassion. An iron
will is not the same as an iron spirit. Another courageous
American, Martin Luther King, Jr. some hundred years later
encouraged us to exhibit tough minds and soft hearts...not the
other way around.

Be mentally tough; your resolve and determination will overcome
great obstacles along life's path. But let your heart be soft;
your compassion and love will make the journey worth it.

This and that

For those of you who have been following Ben's progress, this is the latest e-mail from his wife:I just found out that Ben's latest HCG level is 74. Remember, that's down from 1.5 million at the beginning! So, that's encouraging.


Other news: Since Ben won't be able to drive for a good while after having his brain surgery, and now the seizure, he's decided to give away his truck. So, he's donating it to CIU for them to use at the Physical Plant. We've attached a picture--it's the only truck Ben has ever owned, so we're a little sentimental.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My daughter and I drove to Virginia to attend a baby shower for my son and his wife. It was a co-ed shower, so that was fun. Some of Sabrina's friends from work were there; David's boss at his construction job; friends from David's former ministry; friends from their Wednesday night Bible study. The shower took place in David and Sabrina's new home. I'll post more with a couple of pictures later.

We drove, so It was quite a trip...very uneventful going up, but lots of rain on the way home. One thing that we noticed, however, was that along I-95 and I-64, there were no billboards. Are they outlawed in Virginia? SRP, maybe you can tell me the answer to that.

I have an eye appointment this afternoon with the retina specialist to see how the lasering of my bleeds has progressed. My vision has not been impaired so far, for which I am so grateful.

More later...

Yellow hibiscus

Many of you posted so many beautiful spring flowers this year. After the cold, bleak winter, the flowers of spring are surely wonderful. Here in Florida we don't have cold, bleak winters. That's why we have so many snowbirds...but that's another story. We do have flowers all the year through.

The hibiscus is my favorite flower. It can be seen in several colors. Some, like the one shown above, are single while others are double. I am particularly fond of the single hibiscus. I love its simplicity. It's life is fleeting. It opens in the morning and then closes by evening. While it is oen, it is as if it smiling upon the day. This one was smiling at me this morning when I went out to pick up the paper and pet the kitty, seen in the post below. 

Kitty

I think I've mentioned the little cat who lives across the street from me. We've been friends for a while now. She started coming over for some scratching and loving several months ago. Not too long ago, the people who lived in her house moved out. Did they take Kitty? No. Someone from the family has moved in, but I don't know if they feed her or not.
I told my daughter that I was going to start putting food out for her. One day I saw her over on her front porch, patiently waiting for someone to love her. I walked across the street with a dish of food and water. She didn't wait for me to put the dish down before she came to it.
I since have moved the food dish to my front porch. This morning when I went out she was in the driveway. I've tried to photograph her from time to time. This morning she wouldn't be still. Whenever I'd bend over to try to get her photo, she rubbed against my leg and then rolled around on the driveway, waiting to be scratched. (That's a displaced participle, isn't it.) It was the cat who was waiting to be scratched, not the driveway. Oh, well.

I've noticed another kitty who has been coming around, so I'm sure that I'm feeding not just one cat. There are probably some raccoons who come around as well.

So, I guess I'll call her mine until someone tells me otherwise. 

Brain Dead

I must be brain dead. I read everyone's wonderful posts, and I think to myself, "Why can't I write like that?"

Last Saturday our Sweet Adelines chorus had a coaching session that went from 9 to 3. Coaching was us was Jackpot, a quartet from our region who placed sixth at international last year. What a day we had. We worked on our competition songs. Each of the ladies contributed so much, from helping us with our breathing, to listening for the other parts so that we sang smoothly as with one voice. It was a wonderful day.

Later that evening our chorus took part in a benefit for a men's quartet who is traveling to Indianapolis to compete in the men's international contest. After standing on risers for most of five hours, I wondered how we would do in the evening. Along with our chorus, Venetian Harmony sang. The men's chorus from Sarasota sang. Two of the men's quartets each sang a couple of songs, then the Ditchfield family sang. This group is made up of a man, his wife, three sons, one daughter, and a daughter-in-law. The quartet, My Three Sons, which is Mr. Ditchfield and his sons are the quartet going to international.

Our chorus didn't get on the risers until about 9 o'clock in the evening. I wondered if we would have the energy needed to sing well after sitting for a couple of hours. When we got on the risers, though, the energy came. We put into practice what we had learned during the day. And we had FUN.

We were still talking about it this evening at chorus rehearsal.

Thursday afternoon, Sarah and I are leaving for Waynesboro, Virginia, to attend a baby shower for my daughter-in-law. It will be a quick trip, too quick, since I have to get back for an eye appointment on Tuesday afternoon, but at least we'll get to share in the fun for a few hours.

Father's Day

I've read blogs about fathers today. I rejoice with those who still have their dad and can talk to him. In some cases, the adult child is living with the parents, seeing to their care while they're not quite finished raising their own children.

My daddy died when I was twenty-two. Now I'm 64. Many years have passed. I have pictures of him at my college graduation. He was so proud of me and what I had accomplished. He had only finished the eighth grade. I don't know why he did not finish, perhaps to work and help out the family. He was a very smart man. His penmanship was immaculate. I don't have any letters that he wrote, but I have his signature on documents that he signed, and I cherish even those.

When I graduated from college, I went to Norwood, Ohio, and taught in a small Christian school for a couple of years. That first year, one of the teachers could sense that I was homesick, and said to me, "Why don't we go to Florida for Veteran's Day weekend?" And so we did. That weekend was enough for me to realize that it was o.k. that I had moved so far away from home (or so everyone in Florida thought.)

Since I had come home in November, I didn't come home for Christmas. Rather, I took a bus to Iowa to visit a college teacher and then up to Minnesota to visit in the teacher's home...the one who had come to Florida with me. On the morning of January 24, 1964, I received a phone call that my daddy had died during the night of a heart attack. My life stopped for a while. I came home that day to see my mother, distraught, and grieving this man who had been her husband for 30 years. As I met her, I thought to myself, "I've got to be strong for her," and so I never cried during the week I was home for his funeral. But that came about a month later. I started crying and thought I'd never stop.

Fast forward to 2002. My daughter graduated from college in 1999; my son, in December 2001. Their father was so proud of them. He had had a hard time in school...not a scholar, but again, a very smart man. He found in his genius in the electrical trade. All of his clients know about his children and everything they were doing. His life ended in a tragic accident in April 2002. My children's lives and mine have been alike in losing our fathers.

Just a few years ago, I began grieving for my father in a new way, and I couldn't quite figure out why. Then I came to the realization that I had not ever known my father as an adult. I didn't know really who he was, and what he was thinking, what made him tick. I didn't have that friendship with him on the adult level that I was seeing with my friends and acquaintances with their adults parents.

So I think on today with a bit of sadness, not just for me, but also for my children, who do not have their father to laugh with and cry with, and just be with.

Laughing -- It's Just Plain Fun

A couple of updates -- Ben has finished his fourth round of chemotherapy and his having continued physical therapy. The mangoes are ripening. I sent a box to my friend in New York. I hope they don't ripen too much before she gets them.

The post today is from YOUR LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM, a free newsletter
sharing life, love and laughter, published by Steve Goodier.


LAUGHING -- IT'S JUST PLAIN FUN

My friend Jack was in the hospital when the new pastor from his
church arrived. He sent a message that he would like the pastor to
call on him. Before the pastor came to the hospital, Jack ordered an
extra catheter bag from the hospital pharmacy. Since he was a
pharmacist in the hospital, he knew the staff well enough to make
such a request. Then he filled the bag with his favorite pale soft
drink --Mountain Dew.

The new pastor soon arrived and they visited for a while. At one
point, Jack reached down and picked up the bag from the side of the
bed. He studied it for a moment and then said, "It looks a little
thin. Maybe I'll run it through again." And he drank from it.

After the new pastor recovered from shock, he laughed with his new
friend. And he discovered through the years that Jack brought a
valuable gift to life -- laughter.

"The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that on which one has not
laughed," said Nicholas de Chamfort. And another merry soul made
this wise observation: "Ever notice how everyone who gets a flat tire
can laugh about it a week or a month later? The shorter the distance
between the flat and the laugh, the healthier the body, the keener
the mind, the stronger the spirit."

Laugh quickly. Laugh heartily. Laugh often. Sure, it's good for your
body, mind and spirit ... but mostly, it's just plain fun.
__________

Up a Tree

As you know from my posts, I'm going to be a grandmother pretty soon. Most people my age have grandchildren who are graduating from high school and college and getting married, but I married late and was in my mid to late thirties when I had my children. My life was wonderful before children and even more wonderful after, so I can't imagine what being a grandmother is like. From what everyone says, there is nothing like it.

In thinking about this baby who is going to make her appearance in about seven weeks, I've been going through baby pictures and pictures of the children when they were small. This is one of my favorites.

When we built our house in 1976, I was expecting my daughter. We had wanted to find property that had trees. A friend of ours who was dabbling in real estate, found a double lot in the city that had never been built on. In fact, it had been kept a bit like a park. When we actually built the house, we had to remove some trees. A landscape company traded work with us for some of the areca palms that were on the property.

However, in the front of the lot, there was a big cedar tree, which we definitely did not remove. It has provided shade for our house. I'm sure over the years it has helped save on our electric bill. It also was a fun place for the children to climb (not too high up) and a great place for me to get some good pictures of them. 

Alberto's Aftermath

Well, the most we received from tropical storm Alberto was quite a bit of rain and some strong wind. As I said in a previous post, our area seems to escape the wrath of the storms. I would say that we’re blessed, but then, what about the people who are hit? It’s always hard to know how to pray when a storm is on its way. You don’t want it to hit you, but that leaves all the other people.

During the night there was quite a bit of wind. This morning I walked out into the back yard and saw probably 100 mangoes lying on the ground. They are still green, but I think they will ripen. They have little yellow dots on them. I’m going to box some up and send them to a friend in New York. We worked together in Haiti, and she loved them there.

In Haiti, during the season that mangoes and avocadoes were ripe and plentiful, when people would come to the clinic with ulcers or sores of any kind, it was noted that the sores healed so much more quickly. The good vitamins in both of those fruits aided in the healing process.

The mango is in the same family as poison ivy and cashew nuts. One day my husband picked up several from the yard to take to the lady next door, and his arm broke out in a rash. He had laid them against his arm to carry them. He stopped at the dermatologist’s office to see if he could take a look at his rash. John said, “Don, you have poison ivy.” Don said, “But I havne’t been in poison ivy.” But he had handled the mangoes.

Now, what to do with all these mangoes. They are native to India, and I know green ones are used to make chutney. I guess I’ll have to do a search for some recipes.

If you’ve never eaten a mango, try one sometime. They are, to me, one of the most delicious fruits that exist. I looked up some information about them, and they have just about everything you need to be healthy. Read this

The fruits, bark and seeds of mango plants have been scientifically shown to possess a range of health-giving properties.
Properties
Mango fruits can help to prevent colon cancer, especially in cases where there is a lack of fibre in the diet. The fruits also contain a compound called mangiferin, which has several medicinal attributes. It is particularly useful in promoting the action of the heart and excretion of urine, calming inflammation, treating diabetes and as an antioxidant. Fruits also contain the chemicals gallic acid and quercetine, which give protection against viruses.
Chemical compounds in extracts from the bark of mango trees have been shown to protect against diarrhoea. The powdered seeds also have antimicrobial activity. Safety
The only toxic parts of the mango plant are various substances that are found in the skin of the fruit and the sap of the trunk. Mango is in the same family as poison ivy (Anacardiacaeae) and, like many other species in this family, can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. Contact with the skin of the fruit can irritate the skin, and it may be toxic if eaten.
I found this information here,

Tropical depression Alberto

 
As I came out of the grocery store this evening and looked in the western sky, I was taken by the beauty of the sky, but also watched the clouds. If Alberto follows his path, we will be receiving lots of rain by Tuesday morning, if not earlier. Hopefully, that's all that it will be.

Our area of the west coast of Florida has been spared from major hits. In fact, I have read and heard that the Indians used to come to this area for shelter when storms were coming.

I must confess I get a knot in my stomach when these depressions form, wondering which way they will blow. The weathermen are usually pretty much on the money when it comes to predicting. They have such sophisticated equipment these days.

Penn State has an outstanding meterology department. Several of the meterologists in the Tampa Bay area are Penn State grads. When my son first went to Penn State, he lived in the material science and engineering interest dorm. The meteorology majors all lived there. He had one roommate that drove him nuts. All he wanted to do was watch the weather channel. Also, that dorm had the only working balconies...during storms the students were out on them watching the weather, while everyone else took cover. 

A blog about Whitney

I referred to a blog about Laura VanRyn the other day. This is one of the two young ladies in the accident in Indiana. Whitney, who was thought to be Laura, is convalescing now in Michigan. You can read about her recovery here.

This story is such a testimony of God's sustaining grace.

Jack the Cat

Attention all bears! Stay out of Jack the Cat's yard. One unfortunate bear entered the yard and got chased up a tree. When he came down, Jack proceeded to chase him up another. Beware of Jack!

Rock-a-by, Baby

 
Twenty-seven years ago this was the scene at our house as our son came home to live with us. Pretty soon my son will have a picture like this one...one of him holding his new daughter. I can hardly wait! 

Kitty Cat Positions

After I had been blogging for a short time, I went around the world reading blogs of many different authors. I soon came across Melange, a blog of wonderful photography and prose. Anytime I visit there, I come away with a smile on my face as I read about the family cats (all seven of them), look at a ladybug on a leaf with her lunch, or read about the daughter.

Recently when I read about one of the cats, I was reminded of this book.

I bought this book several years ago, after reading a copy that a friend had. I loaned mine to a friend, and I think she thought that I had given it to her because I never saw it again. This field guide to kitty sightings has a map of the world in it with all the places where cats have been sighted. Of course, the whole world is colored in.

Each drawing of a cat has an appropriate title, along with the scientific name. When I read about Miss Scarlett and her yoga, I was reminded of this particular page in the book.

Looking through the book I was reminded of Mr. Rhett, another of the Siamese who resides with Miss Scarlett. His mom wrote that he keeps her feet warm by getting all comfy on top of them. His sighting is in the book as well.


I did eventually get another copy of the book by going to Amazon.com. It is no longer in print, but I was able to buy a used copy of it. I won't loan it out again.

A note from Ben's wife

Good Monday morning. Several of you have commented on Ben's progress. Here is the latest update from his wife, Liza.

Well, God is up to his usual prayer answering, and we're very thankful for it. When we learned that Ben would be able to do outpatient rehab starting this week after our LAST hospital visit (yea!), we were very happy. It will be a more rigorous routine for him, and allow more intensive therapy than he was getting through the home health therapists (who have all been excellent). He will be going to the outpatient rehab at the same hospital that has been treating his cancer, so not only are we familiar with the place, but it is very close by.

But the biggest prayer request I have had lately is that we would be able to come into contact with a hand specialist there who could really do wonders with Ben's right hand which is still not functional, even though he has regained some movement. When they called to set up his evaluation, I learned the occupational therapist he will be working with is certified in hands and was described as the best person for this job. So, one more big prayer answered by a big God. Please continue praying with us for Ben's healing, and especially that his therapy would yield fantastic results! He has two more treatments left, and we will be finished on June 12th--Lord willing!

Incredible faith

Yesterday and today I have been reading the blog of Laura VanRyn, one of the young women who was in the tragic accident in Indiana, that took the life a staff member and students from Taylor University.

As you have read in the news, there was a mixup in identity of the two young women. The parents of the dead girl were caring for the survivor, thinking that it was their daughter.

They say in their blog that, as time went on, and she began to come out of the coma, that they began to wonder if this was truly their daughter. It is just amazing to read...of the faith of these two families in this time of grief and confusion that has come into their lives.

Bummer

I just came from the retina specialist's office. In 1999, I had quite a large hemorrhage in my right eye, which impaired my vision. Wet macular degeneration they call it. I was really bummed when that happened. My daughter was just graduating from college; in fact, the weekend that we went for her graduation, I had another bleed. The first time that it happened it was so large that he couldn't really tell exactly where it was originating and to laser it would take my vision. It finally began to dry up, and then came the second one on the graduation weekend. That time he was able to laser it.

I've been seeing him every six months since then, relying on my left eye for good vision. Last year, he began to see some changes and had me start coming every four months. I went today, and after taking some fancy pictures found three bleeds in my left eye (the good eye). So I got zapped in those three places. Fortunately, so far, it hasn't impaired my vision. Thank the Lord.

way back in '99, he also told me I have dry macular degeneration. I told him I wasn't' old enough for that. He looked at my birthday and said, yes, that's so...but you have it. And they call it "age related."

When I took the trip to Nashville on the bus with all Those senior citizens, there was the cutest little lady on the trip. She used a walker when she was off the bus, but on the bus, she held on to the seats and shuffled like a penguin. We were sitting at a table in a restaurant, talking about driving and this and that. Someone asked her if she drove. She said, "Oh no, I have macular degeneration. At least I'll never go totally blind." She said all this with a smile on her face. I hope I can keep a smile like that when the day comes.

I bought a new car in November 2005. Although my other car was going on 10 years old, I really didn't need a new one, but I rationalized that the day would come when I would not be able to drive, so I wanted to enjoy a new one while I could still see!
And I am enjoying it, and I hope that I can for a long time.

Talllinn Estonia

Cats are everywhere, aren't they?
In July of 2003 I had the opportunity to visit Tallinn Estonia with a group from my church here in Bradenton. Our church has established a friendship relationship with a church there, anda group of us went to see if we could be an encouragement to them and to see what we could learn from them.
Tallinn has a walled city which dates back to the 1100's, and that became our field trip many of the afternoons when we were free to roam. Walking down the cobbled streets one day, what did I see but this lovely cat, sleeping the afternoon away.


the church steeple that you see is that of St. Olaf's Church. This church was once used as a lookout by the Russians. Also at one time, all of the various denominations were made to worship there together. One thinks that the communists were trying to destroy the church, but it only made it stronger. Today it is a Baptist church.

Tallinn is an interesting city. It used to be economical to go there, but it is becoming quite popular as a tourist attraction. Cruise ships dock there, and people go ashore for the day...so up have gone the prices...not quite the bargain that it once was. It is interesting to be in a country that has known freedom since 1991. 

Seeds of Hope

I'm concluding this e-mail from Ben's wife today. If you've been reading my blog for a while know about Ben, the young man with testicular cancer. He is the son of a pastor in my hometown, and he is the same age as my daughter, Sarah. Many of you have commented whenever I have posted about him.

The week after Ben's first hospitalization, before we knew about the cancer, we were all at home, trying to keep him from being too active, so as not to aggravate the hemorrhage. So Ben got the idea to have his dad plant a little vegetable garden that he could watch grow during his recovery time at home. Little did we know what awaited us!!!

However, despite our extended time at the hospital, and our preoccupation with other things (like his daily therapy visits, chemo treatments, etc.) those little plants took root, and are starting to bear fruit. In the same way, during this time of great adversity, I have seen God bring about fruit in our own lives. We have learned to value each moment we spend together. We have learned the importance of hope, hard work, and courage. And we have all learned how to serve each other and work together. What a blessing! I would not have chosen to learn these things this way, but one of the joys of knowing God is that He brings good out of all circumstances, and so we praise him.

Thanks for keeping up with us. Your many cards, letters, emails, prayers, visits, meals, financial gifts, acts of service such as lawn mowing, car washing, and painting, etc. have been greatly appreciated. Ben made it upstairs today for the first time to check his own email, and as he responded to someone's email he said, "I'm gonna get better!" And I believe that he is. So thanks for the part each of you has played in his recovery so far. And please continue to pray with us for complete healing!

It Came

Yes, the card that I knew was coming arrived in the mail yesterday...my very own Medicare card...effective September 1.

B-r-r-r! It was cold

I spent the last week in the upper peninsula of Michigan at Cedar Camp, not far from the little town of Cedarville. I flew to Detroit, and then one of the camp workers picked me up and took me to the camp...quite a long drive from one end of the state to the other. It was dark when we got there, and then for the next two days it was gloomy and rainy. I had been warned by friends here in town and on the blog to take warm clothes, and I'm glad that I did.

On Tuesday, I think it was, the sun shone, and I finally saw the beauty that everyone had spoken of. I've never seen so many Christmas trees anywhere actually growing before. There were daffodils still in bloom, so I paused to look at them each time I passed, enjoying them over and over.

The camp that I went to is owned by Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. The week that I was there, there were students from University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus, and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The students there made up the leadership teams of the chapters. Their directors were there with them as they studied and made plans for the coming school year.

During the morning and afternoon, the students studied various subjects, ranging from an overview of the Bible to racial reconciliation. In the evenings there was a speaker who Taught from I Samuel 15-17...the stories of Saul and David, and David and Goliath.

I think the thing that I enjoyed the most was the singing in the evening group. Throughout the weeks of camp, the same music is taught or sung, so that when chapters meet together, they're all on the same page as far as the music is concerned. A couple of the songs were in Spanish. The nice thing about Spanish is that even if you don't understand it, you can sing it because it's all phonetic.

My favorite song that was sung is a hymn that was written in the last few year entitled, "In Christ Alone."

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Words by Stuart Townend

As we sang the third and fourth verses singing of His resurrection and power, there was cheering in our voices and clapping of our hands in praise to Him in Whose power we stand. It was awesome.

Going to Michigan

I'm leaving tomorrow for the upper peninsula of Michigan to volunteer for a week at an Inter-Varsity camp, so I'll be away from my computer.

I'll tell you all about it when I come back.

Ugly and Unwanted

It seems that sometimes when I post that it is about something sad, and I don't intend it to be that way.

A group of six ladies met together about 10 years ago to celebrate a 50th birthday. At that breakfast it was decided that once a month we would meet for breakfast, and for the last ten years, we have done just that. The makeup of the group has changed just a bit; we've never grown in number, (by choice) and we have never announced ourselves to those outside our little circle.

The great thing about the group is that we have never gossiped about anyone (that's unusual for six ladies, isn't it). Rather our group has been a support group to each other; sometimes we meet and don't say much. Sometimes we meet and laugh a lot; at one point, we didn't dare frequent the same restaurant twice in a row for fear that they wouldn't let us in. Sometimes we meet and weep with each other.

This past week was one of weeping for me. One of the friends in our group announced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Boo-hiss! The sage of the group, whom we sometimes fondly call our "mother superior" said to her, "You know what you're dealing with. You have a diagnosis. If it were there and nothing being done, it would be so much worse." But I cried. The year that I retired from teaching I was 57. One of my dearest friends died that same week. She had been diagnosed with colon cancer the previous October and lived almost nine months. Her sister had died of cancer, and she had done everything "right." She exercised, watched her diet, had those cysts in her breasts checked twice a year, and she died anyway. I could never quite figure that one out. She was 57. A former pastor's wife in our church had surgery colon cancer when she was nearly 90, and the surgeon told her to come see him in a year. I say that I don't question God, but I couldn't figure out why she lived, and my friend didn't. And I told her so. I knew her well enough to know that I could say that to her. She's still living...I think she was 93 this month.

The title of this post is "Ugly and Unwanted." The lady whose birthday we celebrated originally, the one that caused us to begin meeting monthly worked with a support group at our church that hopes to help people who have issues with alcohol or other dependencies. One morning at breakfast, she made the statement that it seemed that all the friends she gathered around her were either ugly, or unwanted. We looked at each other and laughed...the name became ours.

Tucker and Samson

Samson and Tucker are my two grandkittens. They own Sarah, my daughter.


Samon came to live with her about a year ago. While shopping for pet food for Tucker at Petsmart, she met Samson. The Humane Society takes cats there for people to meet, and Samson chose Sarah. He's a licker. We like to call them his kitty kisses. He is a very sweet natured cat.

Tucker came to live with Sarah the year that she lived in Mount Olive North Carolina. After Sarah graduated from Mount Olive College, she came home for a year, but she really wanted to live andwork in North Carolina, so she went back to the bustling metropolis of Mount Olive (the home of Mount Olive Pickles.) She worked at a bank while she was there. One of her co-workers fed a cat who came up to her house. guess what! The cat was pregnant. Sarah made up her mind then and there that she was going to have a kitten. She asked her landlady and promised that she would spray for fleas and everything whenever she moved, and the landlady gave her permission.


Tucker was the only black kitten in the litter. Sarah held him from the day he was born, and he is truly her
cat, or perhaps I should say she is his human.

The cats get along famously. Tucker is the older cat and was there first, but Samson has fit right in; in fact, he seems to be the dominant cat in the house. Tucker loves to sleep on Sarah. Samson will lick and kiss, but he isn't a lap cat...not yet anyway.

Whenever I need a kitty fix, I go see them. I am gong to be traveling a bit, so I don't want to get another one or two just yet...but the time is coming!!

Cats are Wonderful Friends

Gentle eyes that see so much
Paws that have the quiet touch,
Purrs to signal "all is well,"
and shomw more love than words could tell.
Graceful movements touched with pride,
a calming presence by our side
A friendship that takes time to grow
Small wonder why we love them so
Author Unknown

 

Rain

 
It seemed a bit dark this morning when I woke up. I looked at my clock, and I hadn't overslept...then I heard a noise that I hadn't heard for quite some time. The sound of rain gently falling to the earth. What a welcome sight and sound.

Yesterday there was a brush fire up near Tampa that closed I-75 for several hours. People from three subdivisions had to evacuate their homes. People took hours instead of minutes to get to their homes from work.

this is the first time that we've had brush fires this close to us in our area. A few years ago there were several fires to the south which did a lot of damage, and now there is the one that has been burning on the east coast.

A few years ago when we had such a drought, I went to Orlando with a friend to a conference, and we could smell the fires from the northern part of the state. The manager of the motel said that people were calling wondering if the state was on fire.

Everyone today has been thankful for the rain that has come today, and we may be more on Thursday. We need lots right now to quench the thirst of the parched earth.

The rain is raining all around.
It falls on field and trees.
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.

Robert Louis Stevenson

 

Vickie

 
Meet Vickie. Vickie sings in our Sweet Adelines chorus. I have never spent much time with anyone who is blind, so I'm learning a lot from her. She rode home from competition with my friend and me. We had never been to her apartment before, and we had a little bit of trouble finding it. When we finally turned into the correct street, Vickie said, "Oh, that's it. I recognize the bump."

When we got to her apartment, she told us that she and Jimmy don't use the lights. (Jimmy is blind, as well.) So she walked into a perfectly dark apartment. What is the first thing that you do when you enter your house? You turn on the lights, don't you.

Vickie is gifted with perfect pitch. On the ride home, we had all four singing parts in the car, so we sang some. She got us started out in the right key, and when we finished one song, she said that we had stayed on pitch. Now, that is an accomplishment.

At our annual dinner last week at the Olive Garden, Vickie sang for us "Ave Maria" with her sweet, clear voice. Bev, in the background, accompanied her on the violin. No one said very much when she finished...just a hush.

By the way, Ben made it to his wife's graduation on Saturday and felt well enough to go to church on Sunday. Back in the hospital today for his third round of chemo. 

More about Ben

I've been rather quiet this week...sort of beat since last week's trip to Kansas City and our chorus competition. on Wednesday at Christian Women's Club, our speaker had the time mixed up, so I had to speak. That took a bit of starch out of me too. The rest of the time I've been reading blogs and trying to clean up my office...not an easy task.

I was just reading an update on Ben, and I thought I would let you know how he's doing. He has been home over a week. The doctors felt that his spirits would be better at home. The physical therapist has been working with him, helping him with his walking, and as you can see in the photo, he is walking with the help on only one person. In one update, his mom wrote that he had taken over 100 steps in the house.

His mother also wrote that when he had the surgery for the brain tumor, that his sense of humor would remain intact, since that was so much a part of his personality. One day she was on the porch reading, when she heard laughing in the house. as the therapist left, he made the comment that Ben certainly has a sense of humor...one prayer answered.

Ben has said that his goal is to be back at work in 10 weeks. He enters the hospital again on Monday for his third round of chemo.

His wife, Liza, graduates from University of South Carolina on Saturday. Her desire is for Ben to be able to attend, so keep them in your prayers that this might indeed happen.

Wa-hoo! We did it!

Well, we didn't quite win first place, but our scores improved by about 70 points. We are now a "B" chorus, instead of a "C". We placed second in the med-size choruses and sixth overall, which in our region 9, is very good. The chorus has worked long and hard to achieve. We were feeling very good about ourselves when the competition was over.

The picture at the top of the post is from our show this year. We were "The Sweethearts of the Shimmering Shawls." Our shows are always fun and draw lots of folks. The chorus sings; we have a couple of quartets from within the group, and then we always have a guest quartet come to entertain. This year we had the Humdingers. They work at one of the main attractions in the Orlando area and go by a different name there.

Singing barbershop is lots of fun. As you probably know, or may not know, all the singing is done a cappella. There are four parts: tenor, lead, baritone, and bass. The lead sings the second line of notes in the treble clef, the tenor, the top line. Baritone is the top line in the bass clef, and bass, obviously, is the bottom line of notes. All the music is memorized and is usually choreographed.

Right now, I'm singing baritone. Our part has been described by one as the chameleon of the chorus. We fit it wherever needed to fill the chord. (That's probably not a correct description, but I'm not really a musician.) I may switch to tenor, since I've become part of a quartet, and tenor is the part that was missing.

I sang in Sweet Adelines when my children were in elementary school; then I got sick, and the kids moved on to junior high, and my time was taken up with them. After my husband died (I promise not to talk about that too much) one of the ladies asked me how I was doing, and I made the comment that my days were pretty much as they had been before, but evenings got long. She said to me, "I know just the place for you." My response was that I had been thinking about that very thing, so I made the decision to join again. That has probably been on the best things I've done since losing Don.

I'll have to say, though, that learning the music after an absence of ten years is not as easy as it was back then...but I guess it is good exercise for the brain.

If you ever have the chance to hear a barbershop group sing, by all means, go. You'll be glad you did.

April 30

April 30 is a date that will forever be embedded in my memory. Four years ago, on this date, my life as I knew it changed. My husband left for work that morning, and about 3:45 in the afternoon, my best friend and pastor's wife, came with the news that Don had been killed in an accident. I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks. I shared about Don in my post on Valentine's Day. I won't repeat all the details here.

One's life is changed forever after an incident like that. A new normal must be found. Choices must be made. One choice that I made is that I will be happy and not wallow in misery...not that I don't miss my husband terribly. I hurt for my two young adult children who no longer have their father.

God is my sustainer; He brings peace and joy when the plans that I have are suddenly turned upside down.

This week when I was traveling I picked up a book by Ann Lamott in the airport bookstore. I had heard her name mentioned before but had never picked up one of her books to read. She wrote this in one of her chapters.

I have survived so much loss, as all of us have by our forties--my parents, dear friends, my pets. Rubble is the ground on which our deepest friendships are built. If you haven't already, you will lose someone you can't live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and you never completely get over the loss of a deeply beloved person. But this is also good news. The person lives forever, in your broken heart that doesn't seal back up. And you come through, and you learn to dance with the banged-up heart. You dance to the absurdities of life; you dance to the minuet of old friendships.

Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

Don's practice every morning was to shave and then have his devotions. Part of that was spent reading Our Daily Bread The Scripture passage for that day was Romans 8:28, a verse that is often quoted glibly during hard times. The Message says it like this,

"That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives for God is worked into something good."

Thank you, Father.

Off to Kansas City

I'm leaving early in the morning to fly to Kansas City for a three day conference connected with Stonecroft. Stonecroft is the parent name of Christian Women's Clubs.

I'll get to hear Carol Kent. Does anyone know her? She has quite a story. I'll share more when I return.

On the weekend, our Sweet Adelines chorus will be in competition with other choruses in our region. We feel like we're singing so much better than last year...Here's hoping we can get the "most improved chorus" award.

Till later...

Does Jesus Care?

I was reminded of this song at church today. One of the men in our congregation is battling cancer. He had cancer in his tongue a couple of years ago. After treatments, he was free for awhile, and now it has recurred. He has a tumor in his neck that has wound its way around a vein, so the doctors were not able to do surgery on it. They have an appointment on Tuesday with the oncologist to discuss his options.

While I was talking to his wife, I said that I have not dealt with cancer. My mother did die from it, but by the time she was diagnosed, she was gone in three weeks. All the things we had observed in her seemed to be signs of old age. In talking with Erma, I mentioned that even though I had never dealt with cancer, I had had my own tragedy in my life, losing my husband in an accident.

I reminded myself that while our tragedies are great, nothing compares to the pain that He bore on the cross for us...

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress
And the way grows weary and long?

Refrain

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

Refrain

Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief there is no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long?

Refrain

Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye”
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

Refrain

What comfort to know that nothing happens to us without the Father.

What's the weather like where you live?

Each of us makes his own weather,
determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits. -- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

This quote was in an e-mail that I received this morning. I thought it quite an appropriate thought. I have read blogs from people who live in the far north who are just now beginning to see signs of spring and sunshine. They are rejoicing.

In Florida, winter days are often just "another day in paradise." We wear sweaters, maybe, and we almost always have the sun shining. I remember my children going north for college and commenting about rarely seeing the sun during winter. My best friend and her husband moved to the Chicago area in October, and she told me that she went out and bought brighter lightbulbs for the lamps in her house to make things brighter.

We are affected by our surroundings, aren't we. Temperatures are beginning to climb here, and hurricane season will start soon. This brings a certain unease.

But this certainly isn't the weather that Bishop Sheen speaks of. Our circumstances might seem dismal at times, but we can make the choice to have sunshine in our days, contentment in our hearts.

When I lived in Haiti, a favorite song of the Christians was "My Father Planned it All." It says that even when the way seems dreary, and there are dark shadows, we can know that wherever He leads us, our Father planned it all. I love it in the Creole language. It says Papa-m ranje-l konsa. God is lovingly referred to as Papa in Creole. I love the intimacy that that words expresses.

Where Did I Park?

 

When I was in Nashville, as I stated before, I stayed at the Opryland Hotel, which is next to the Grand old Opry, which is next to the Opry Mills Outlet Mall. At the end of the mall in the parking lot, I noticed this sign.

I used to watch elderly people come out of the grocery store, or out of Wal-Mart, and stand looking, looking for their cars. I used to think, "Poor dears."

Now it's not so funny. I have become one of them...not always remembering exactly where I left my car...especially if I didn't take careful notice of what aisle I had parked my car in. 

Christ Is Risen! Hallelujah!

What a glorious day to sing of His resurrection and hear the message that is unique to Christianity. No other religion in the world can claim a living Savior! When I was at university, every Sunday morning our church service took place on campus. Below is one of the first hymns I remember learning there, and it is probably the one that has stayed in my mind the most over these years.

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

These words were written by Charles Wesley.

Thank you, Lord, that my name is written on Your hand. I am born of God, and I can draw near to You with confidence...all because of the death, burial, and resurrection of my Lord.

Happy Birthday, David

 

On Easter Sunday, 1979, David came into our lives. What an Easter gift! Easter was April 15th that year. My friend, Sara, who worked as an accountant, was working that day. I called her from the hospital to let her know that David had been born. Her comment was, "Well, he may be the Easter bunny this year, but from now on he'll be known as form 1040. Isn't that some reminder of one's birthday...the day that income taxes are due.

1979 was known as "the year of the child" because the children born that year would turn 21 in the year 2000, and her it is 2006. Twenty-seven years have passed, and now my son is a young man, who is married and will soon become a father himself.

Happy birthday, David. I love you. 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows.” Isaiah 53:3

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, Who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Words and Music by Philip P. Bliss

Words cannot express the feeling in my heart on this day.

Inside Opryland

As I mentioned before, I went to Nashville for Mark Lowry's Senior Trip. While in Nashville, we stayed at the Opryland Hotel. We were told that this facility is the largest hotel and convention center under one roof in the world. That is, a facility without a casino. Some of the hotels in Las Vegas are larger.
Everything is first class. There are nearly 2900 guest rooms there. We stayed in the Magnolia section, which is the oldest section of the hotel, having been built in 1977. The Delta section was added, then the Cascades. All of these photos were taken in the Cascades section. All of the guest rooms in the Cascades look out onto these gardens.

As one moves from the Cascades to the Delta section there are more gardens. Much of it is similar to what one might see in Florida in places like Jungle Gardens in Sarasota. In the Delta section there are shops and a river that contains water from rivers from around the world. A boat ride is available for those who care to ride around.

A return trip is a definite for me. Southern hospitality abounds. People take time to talk to you. The only down part of our time was the fact that tornadoes struck around us in some of the communities; homes were destroyed, and lives were lost.

It was a good time for getting away and relaxing for a few days, enjoying spring and fellowship with other folks.

Captain Speece

This is an update on Ben, the young man who has Stage 3 testicular cancer. His mother has taken a leave of absence from her school here in Florida to go help care for him. Ben's wife, Liza, is student teaching, and Marilyn is there to try to ease some of the stress on her.

His mom wrote, Ben got an MRI today [4/11] about 3:30 using galleon because he had an allergic reaction to the other dye. We don't know the results yet, but he did not have a reaction to it. The next chemo they have put off until tomorrow and the port the doctor has postponed until Wed.

Part of what I was reading in my devotions this morning was II Chron. 20:4, 12, 15, 17, & 20. What an encouragement to share with Ben and Liza and for myself! "We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you...For the battle is not yours, but God's Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you...Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

The doctor gave us answers to yesterday's concerns. Mostly time would take care of the sore arm and swollen leg. The nurse quoted scripture when she saw the slogans on the wall. Two friends visited and prayed with him and 7 others came. He has cards taped on the wall where he can see them.

[A friend] put up a new poster, "They call me Captain Speece because my progress is astonomical." It came from an e-mail that Liza had sent to friends referring to when Ben moved his right arm for the first time on Sat. Liza said, "That is great, Ben!" Ben replied, "That's astronomical!"

The OT therapist was in today. She worked with him on the bed for 2 days because he needed 2 units of blood yesterday. Today, however, Ben stood and his blood pressure didn't drop. He was exhausted when it was done. Then the speech therapist arrived. Ben has to think hard to produce words. There is a lot of retraining of his brain to be done. She showed him pictures to identify, had him produce words in a category, name days, months, generate words in a sentence, etc. The therapist said Ben showed improvement from last week.

Continue to remember Ben and his family.

Senior trip

 
Last week was a fun time. I had shared with some that I was going to board a bus in Bradenton and go to Nashville for Mark Lowry's Senior Trip...not the type of senior trip that one thinks of. Everyone on this trip had to be at least 50 or married to someone over 50.

A good time was had by all. We stayed in the Opryland Hotel...such a hardship...just kidding. That was an experience in itself. The complex is the largest hotel and conference center under roof in the world that doesn't have a casino. Hotels in Vegas are larger, but they come with casinos.

One can easily get lost wandering up and down halls. After our first meeting that evening, I told my roommate that I was going to walk around and get my bearings. After I did that, it was much easier.

If you're a fan of the Gaither Homecoming gatherings, you are familiar with Mark Lowry. He was for a time a member of the Gaither Vocal Band. After a while, he went out on his own. He is quite a comedian, singer, and song writer. He is the author of "Mary, Did You Know?" a Christmas song that is no doubt on its way to becoming a classic.

Chonda Pierce was there on Thursday evening to help host the show. What a character! She is a comedienne, as well. If you've never had the chance to hear her and you hear of her being in the area, by all means, go. She's so funny, but then she brings her comedy act to thoughts of the Lord...outstanding. She helps us Christians laugh at ourselves.

Many other notables were there also. I'll share about them in another post.

The picture in this post was taken in the Delta section of the hotel. More later... 

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

I just got back from a trip to Nashville with a group of senior citizens. What fun! A group called the Breakfast Club took a trip to Nashville. We stayed at the Opryland Hotel and enjoyed a 2-day program with Mark Lowry. If you're familiar with the Gaithers, then you know Mark. Laughs were to be found everywhere, and sometimes a tear of two. I'll check back in later with some more information.

I stayed up quite a while last night getting caught up with everyone's blog that I frequent...I suffered a bit of withdrawal while gone.

A Song for Sunday

When I thought about an entry for today, my mind was still on Ben and his family. I worshiped this morning where his dad is pastor. It is also the church that I grew up in and was a member of until 1992 when our family went to a new church. I have many close ties there still.

Ben's dad wasn't back from North Carolina today; he'll be back tomorrow. His mom was, however. Her dad died yesterday after a short illness. His memorial service is tomorrow. And then Ben's mom will be taking a leave from her classroom for the rest of the year to go back up and help be a support to her daughter-in-law, who is student teaching.

One of the songs we sang this morning was "Great is Thy Faithfulness." Such a wonderful hymn. We sang that at my husband's memorial service four years ago. I was going to put the words here, but when I went to cyberhymal.org, there was a copyright sign after the title with the warning not to cut and paste it without permission...so I didn't. But it is such a wonderful hymn...speaking of God's faithfulness through good time and bad. It is probably my favorite hymn.

We also sang "I Can Only Imagine," another great contemporary song that has been sung a lot lately. And then we shared the Lord's supper. That was just where I was supposed to be today.

On Tuesday I'm going with a group of senior citizens to Nashville. I hate to admit that I'm that age. But the thought of getting on a bus and let someone else do all the planning and worrying sort of pleases me, so I'm going to give it a try.