Just because

On Wednesday I'll be flying to Virginia in anticipation of birthday #3 of this dolly.

Maybe this could pass for Carmi's theme "elemental."

This might fit a "Caption this" theme. My first thought was "King Kong."
Have a good weekend.

In Christ Alone

This song has been going through my mind all day. Three years ago I had opportunity to work at an Inter-Varsity camp in upper Michigan. What a thrill it was to hear 300 college students sing this hymn of praise to God.

Today on the radio, Tony Dungy mentioned a football player who back in 1993 was playing in his first playoff game with the Buffalo Bills. He had been listening to this song all week. In the third quarter of the game, the Bills were losing badly, but this player led the team to a 41-38 victory in overtime. When he was asked how he did it, he laid down his playbook and quoted the words of this song, "In Christ Alone."

I pray that the words of this hymn touch your heart as it has mine today.

Muddy Monday

Mud is very nice to feel

All squishy squashy between the toes!

I'd rather wade in wiggley mud

Than smell a yellow rose.

Nobody else but the rosebush knows

How nice mud feels between the toes.

Distant - Carmi's theme

As I was on my way to Virginia in May, I left home about 3 in the afternoon, and I hoped to get as far as Brunswick, Georgia before it got dark. I almost made it. If you've traveled on I-95 or any other highways for that matter, you know that there is generally road construction. As I was approaching Brunswick, the traffic slowed down because of one-lane traffic on a bridge. While I sat there, I thought I might as well take a photo of the sun setting in the distant west.

Carmi's theme this week is "distant." If you visit his site, you will see his offerings and links to others.

My exciting fourth

I had an exciting fourth. I looked at the doors that go out to my pool this morning, and there lay a black snake on the inside. He must have been 3 feet long, if not longer.

I saw him by the front porch the other day. I'm assuming it's the same one. I thought later I should have grabbed my camera for proof, but I was so shocked at seeing him, all I could think about was getting him out of my house.

When you live alone, there is no one to call for help, so I got a broom and tried to hold him in place while I unlocked the door. He scooted over the broom and started further into the house, but I got him swept out.

I'm sure he was as glad to be outside as I was to have him out. I have no idea when he got in or exactly how, but I'm glad he's out, and I hope that he is happier outside than in. I've learned over the years not to be afraid of them, but it is rather startling to see one inside!

A Sure Shelter

This has been a rather long week to me. On Tuesday I had four squamous cell carcinomas removed, one from the top of my head, and one on my hand, the other two on my arm. I spent most of Tuesday, well, part of Tuesday in two different doctors' offices. The first doctor did the Mohs surgery on my scalp and hand; the second doctor did the repair work and excised the other two spots. By 1:20 Tuesday afternoon I was all stitched up and out the door.

I was given a prescription for an antibiotic and one for pain, and I was on my way. During the time that I was in the plastic surgeon's office, it started to rain...quite a downpour. By the time I was ready to leave, it had subsided, and I didn't get to wet walking to my car.

Before she started cutting and sewing, we were talking about lots of things, and I mentioned that I had lived in Haiti for three and a half years, and then the conversation turned to the difficulty of the living situation of the people in that country. She kept saying, "How do they make it through these storms and the hurricanes that sweep through the country?"

Well, the answer is, "not very well." Sometimes houses are swept away, animals swept away, even many lives are lost. It is a hard thing to see.

I picked up my prescriptions, got something to eat, and came on to my nice, dry home, safe from the storms around. I settled in for the rest of the day and listened as the rain came down, thankful.

I think too of the storms that come in my life...losses, hurts, disappointments, illnesses...and I think of the shelter I find...friends that I see often, friends that I only know through the internet, family, my church, and most of all my Lord Jesus Christ.

I was reminded of a song that we used to sing a lot at church...A Shelter in the Time of Storm.

The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A Shelter in the time of storm.
.
A shade by day, defense by night,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes afright,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

The raging storms may round us beat,
A Shelter in the time of storm
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

O Rock divine, O Refuge dear,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our Helper ever near,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land.
Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Can You Say "Awe?"

Do you remember when your children were small and you saw the world anew? Please note: This post is from Steve Goodier and Life Support System.

Albert Einstein said that wonder is the source of all true art and all science. "He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed."

I remember standing in rapt awe when I gazed upon the wonders of the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru. That amazing city was built above the clouds, and it was more than the high altitude that took my breath away. Can you say, "Awe"?

I'm reminded of the little girl who rode a train with her mother.Looking out the window, she exclaimed, "Look! A horse!" And a moment later, "Look! Houses!" She gave every indication of keeping this up, so her embarrassedmother apologized to the man next to her. "I'm sorry my daughter is going on like this," she said. "She still thinks everything is wonderful."

When do we stop thinking everything is wonderful? When we grow up? When do we stop saying, "Awe"? Does growing older mean growing jaded? And must we travel to faraway places to marvel once again? Can't we experience wonder and awe today - this moment? The slice of raisin toast I ate this morning was no less marvelous today than when I first tasted it. But I did not notice how good it really was. I think that few things are commonplace in themselves –it's our reaction to them that grows dull over the years. A man on his way to lunch happened to notice a visitor in Venice'sPiazza San Marco standing among the pigeons and gazing in apparent rhapsody at the Doge's Palace. After his meal he noticed the same man still studying the magnificent structure. Curious as to whether he'd been standing there all morning, he asked the man, "How long have youbeen here?"

"Twenty six years," came the reply, "and I never grow tired of it." As Einstein observed, those who will "pause to wonder and stand raptin awe" will TRULY LIVE. They will see what others miss. They will feel what others cannot. Life will be for them both exquisite and mysterious when they learn to say, "Awe."-- Steve Goodier

Cloudy

Carmi has chosen an easy theme this week - cloudy. I love looking at the cloud formations. These photos are all from last summer.

We've had some clouds that looked like rain, but we haven't had much, and we need it so badly.

To view more "cloudy" photos, visit Carmi's place.

Hot?

From what I read in blogs, everyone in the south is very hot. The humidity and heat here in Florida is stifling. I went into a store yesterday where the air conditioning wasn't working well and thought I was going to be sick before I got out. Maybe playing in the sprinkler would help...

or getting a quick drink.

The theme is green, but...

Carmi's theme this week is green. His theme may be green, but, as you know, the theme of most of my posts is the little girl in the photo. When someone looked at this photo not too long ago, they said that she looked like she was sitting in a meadow. It happens to be in the back yard.

I love seeing the green in Virginia when everything has bloomed in the spring. It is such a refreshing, invigorating shade of green. We who live here in Florida have green all year round, but often, unless it is well watered and fertilized, it isn't the beautiful green found in other places. As I look at the weather icons for our area these days, it shows cloudy skies and lightning, but we have had not a drop.

Drop in at Carmi's, see his offerings, and then look in the comments for other sites showing green. Maybe you'll even join in.

Turtles Can't Fly

Note: I didn't have a cute photo of a little turtle, so I used this one of a tortoise that I saw at Sarasota Jungle Gardens not too long ago. The following is from Steve Goodier.

A determined little turtle once climbed a tree and made it to the first branch. Then he jumped into the air waving his front legs and crashed to the ground. After a while he slowly climbed the tree again. And again he jumped.

This time he flapped all four of his limbs, but still plummeted to the hard ground. The persistent turtle tried again and again with the same results. A couple of birds perched on a branch nearby watched his futile efforts. One of them turned to her mate and said, "Dear, don't you think it's time to tell him he's adopted?"

There are simply some things we cannot do. Turtles can't fly.

Comedian Bob Hope once thought of pursuing a career in boxing. Later in life he quipped about it: "I ruined my hands in the ring" he said. "The referee kept stepping on them." Fighting is something he could not do well.

But he became a great comedian.

Lots of people have ability and talent. And most people have an idea about what they think they can do. So why do some excel but many do not? The famous American caricaturist Al Hirschfield explained it like this: "I believe everybody is creative and everybody is talented," he said. "I just don't think that everybody is disciplined. I think that's a rare commodity."

The secret seems to be discipline. Whatever ability we are born with is not enough. Even raw talent requires discipline to be nurtured and developed. And enough hard work and discipline can turn the most meager skill or ability into a great strength. A man jumped into a taxi cab in New York and asked the driver, "How do I get to Yankee stadium?"

The cabbie replied, "Practice! Practice! Practice!" He's right. And although discipline and practice may never get a turtle to actually fly, it will probably get you and me just about wherever we want to go.

Roads - 2

We take roads for granted, don't we. One day when Sarah and I were traveling down I-75, coming home, we heard on the radio that there was an accident at one of the exits, so I suggested that we get off and go over to US 301. What a pleasant change it was to be off the busy interstate and driving under the oak trees that reached from each side of the road and met in the middle, giving us a lovely shaded drive. I reminded Sarah that this used to be one of the main highways from north to south.

Traveling roads in Haiti was always quite an experience. In 1970 a trip from Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes, which was a distance of 120 miles, could take up to twenty-four hours. Buses and trucks loaded with people, livestock, and goods were one means of getting back and forth.

Motorcycles were another way. There were many areas where roads were almost non-existent, or there was a narrow path, that could only accommodate a person walking or riding a bike of some sort.

And, of course, there was traveling by foot which is not uncommon. Can you imagine what the bottoms of those ladies' feet looked like?

Does a detour bother you? We sometimes feel inconvenienced by a delay, I know I do, but I just need to be reminded of my times in Haiti many years ago and my travels in that country.

To see more posts about roads, visit Carmi's place.

Roads

It is said that the road to a friend's house is never long. When I leave my home in Florida and start north to Virginia, it seems that it is going to be a long trip, and it is, but along the way, I have pleasant stops. One of them is to my friend's house in North Carolina. Just off the interstate, this road leads to her house where we talk and talk for hours. When I'm on my way, I leave refreshed and ready to go the rest of the way.

Carmi's theme this week is roads. We've been on all kinds, haven't we. When I was little, the street by our house was a shell road, a bit rough and noisy as the tires of the car rode over them. The road to the beach was one that was also a rough one. I remember sitting in the back seat and going "uh-h-h-" as we drove over the bumpy road. I'm sure it must have driven my parents nuts. I told Ella about that a long time ago, and when she was on her daddy's lap, if he bounced her up and down, out came the "uh-h-h." She hasn't forgotten it either. Once or twice a day, I hear that sound coming from her. I smile.

In thinking of Carmi's theme, Roads, I thought of Paul Harvey's essay about dirt roads. At least, it is attributed to him. You can read it here.

Isn't she lovely!

I've just returned from spending three weeks in Virginia with Ella and her family. When I was there in April for Easter, there were some tulips and daffodils, and the dogwood was just beginning to bud along with the other trees and shrubs. Four weeks later when I returned, everything was in full leaf and flower. We grow so accustomed in Florida to having flowers all year around that I don't appreciate the newness of spring when I see it, although I must say that it is so refreshing to see the earth awake after the barren winter.

Some of you have commented on my photography. Most of the photos that you see of Ella were taken by either David or Sabrina, and I've just "borrowed" them. The photos above were taken at Easter. It is so neat to see how much Ella has grown and developed each time I visit. I cherish each visit with her. I continue to be amazed and amused by her vocabulary and some of her antics.

This past week when I was there David was away at a conference, and so I requested that Ella go to her sitter's for part of that week since I was rising early to do her treatments with her and get her ready for the day. On Thursday when I went to pick her up at Ginny's, she was happy to see me and said to Ginny and Phil, "Here comes my best friend, Grammy!"

I arrived home on Sunday after a very smooth trip down I-95. Traffic was not heavy, and there were no backups or accidents. I made it all the way to mile marker 3 in Georgia around 6 Saturday night and then came on home Sunday morning. It's always good to be home, even though I love my time in Virginia.

Today I was at my church, volunteering in the office, answering the phone while the staff had its weekly meeting. One of my "jobs" is to do a mailing to some of the seniors in the church. The pastor writes a weekly letter to them and includes a fun sheet with a word search and other interesting facts. As I was putting the address stickers on the envelopes and thinking about some of the people that I know, I thought how much they must look forward to receiving this letter each week. Personal mail is almost a thing of the past, isn't it. I remember someone complaining about all the junk mail they received, and the elderly person commented that junk mail was the only mail they received.

One of the ladies who receives this letter is now 101. I have known her since I was a young girl. Her husband has been gone for many years. One of her daughters who looked after her here got cancer and died a few years ago. Now she is living with a granddaughter in the Tampa area. She was at our church not too long ago, and I had the opportunity to speak with her. Her mind is still sharp, and she's in pretty good health, and she has a loving home to be in.

Another lady who receives this letter is 96 or 97. Her husband was the first pastor of the church I belong to now. Breathing difficulties make it hard for her to get out, but she has this connection with her church family.

It's a little thing, but I'm glad that I have a little part in brightening these folks' day.

I hope that something happens to you today to brighten your day.

Welcome Home

Bradenton became my home when I was four. My parents moved there after World War II ended to begin a new life after having lived in Lacoochee for several years. Since we were away from family, we took trips back to Lacoochee and Trilby to visit my father's parents and to Starke to visit my mother's parents. My mother and daddy had a '36 Chevrolet in that fashionable color of black. There were no interstates, and to a four-year-old, those trips seemed like an eternity.

Whenever we returned the trip, this sign was a welcome sight. It meant that we were home. This sign is now in our South Florida Museum...not the original sign, but a replica...a sweet reminder.

Carmi's theme this week is "signs." You can join in or see other signs at his site.

Smiles

I've read for sometime a blog by a mom of a 3-year-old toddler in California. Often she includes "Froggyisms," some of the funny things that her daughter comes up with. I commented once that I could hardly wait until Ella would be coming up with her own funny sayings.

Yesterday a nap was not in the schedule, Ella's schedule, that is. She usually goes right down and sleeps for three hours, and I generally get a nap in too. Not yesterday. I finally gave up and got some markers and paper out. When she managed to do it, I'm not sure, but sometime during our art project, she marked all over the bottom of her feet. When she got into the tub for her bath, she was quite upset that she wouldn't be "The Mixed-Up Chameleon" any more. Now you have to know Eric Carle's children's book by that title to understand..

Last night around 8 o'clock, she had her bath already and all the things that have to be done in getting her ready for bed. There was plenty of daylight outside, and she could hear children's voices outside. She went to the door and said, "My friends!" A couple of middle-school aged children from next door came over to the door, and Ella said, "I'm trapped inside!" That brought a chuckle to us all.

Growing up too fast

I'm going to take a quick trip to the store, Dad. Be back in a few.

Wordless Wednesday

Ask me what I did on Mother's Day

I read so many beautiful posts about Mother's Day yesterday. They were all so great. Sarah took me out for breakfast yesterday morning and then she asked me what I'd like to do. My response was, "Why don't we work on cleaning out the garage?"

Some time ago I had asked her to help me start getting rid of "stuff." My garage has lots of stuff. There is room for the car, but there is a lot of stuff. Sarah is super-organized. I'm not. Having taught kids who had labels like LD, EMH, EH, ADHD, I decided that I deserve the label OD - organizationally disabled. It's true... sad, but true.

We had worked on the garage some already, but yesterday as we worked there, actually Sarah did most of the work, we uncovered some treasures. In a small box were some school papers and art work that had been done over the years. I unfolded one paper, and it was quite a nice finger painting that Sarah had done. I opened another booklet, and it was a cookbook that David's kindergarten teacher had compiled and put together for the mom's.

I smiled as we went through the "stuff" and I discovered those treasures.
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I've had these photos waiting to be posted for a while. When I was on my way to Virginia back in April, I stopped in North Carolina for a couple of visits. Spring was just bursting forth.


A lovely home in a little North Carolina town.

The old tobacco barn at my friend's house

And a great friend, Kenju, whom I've met through blogging. This is the third time I've visited with her. The first time she drove over to the interstate for lunch. Last time I went to her house, and she served lunch. This time I took her out for lunch.

One of the lovely yards across the street from Kenju's house.

Fifty Years!

This past weekend our high school class celebrated our 50th year as graduates of Manatee High School in Bradenton. Friday morning several of us gathered to decorate the Palma Sola Botanical Park for the festivities of the evening.

Can you tell our school colors were red, white, and blue? As these balloons were being inflated, a few got away and landed on the ceiling. At the beginning we heard a loud pop as too much helium went into one of them. As they were tied, they were stored in the men's bathroom until ready to put them on the tables and tie them around the deck outside.

We were and are the Manatee High Hurricanes. On game day, hurricane warning flags fly. Our high school was the county high school until 1959 when the high school across the river had its first graduating class in many years. Now there are six.

It's always interesting to gather and reminisce. Some of the boys at dinner Saturday night were talking about cherry bombs and all the mischief they got into. The comment was made that you could walk into any store and buy the equipment needed for making all these things. They would have been a threat to the community these days. A lot of engineers came out of our class. Two of the very popular girls went into convents and lived as nuns for a few years. Our class president, whom we thought would surely be governor one day, did become an attorney, and continues to work in Dade County today.

The thing I like about these reunions is that we're all on a level playing field now. You can pretty much still tell who the cheerleaders were, who the rascals were, who the brainy ones were, but we've all gotten to be senior citizens with our extra pounds, some wrinkles where there were none, artificial joints here and there, but we still laugh together, cry together, and remember the "good times" we had in the fifties.

I think this is how most of us felt when the two evenings were over -- "too pooped to pop!"