A familiar sight

My beautician, or hair stylist, as they are called these days, opened her own shop recently about 20 minutes from where I live. I used to have to drive all of two minutes to get there. She's worth the drive, and really, in our county, nothing is far away.

I stopped in Palmetto for some breakfast on the way home, and as I was driving through town I saw a very familiar sight. Standing on the corner waiting to cross was a trainer with a Southeast Guide Dog puppy. Southeastern Guide Dogs is located in Manatee County, north of the river. They raise and train dogs to be placed with blind people, and now are training service dogs as well.

From time to time at the UPS store, or the grocery store, or anywhere you might find yourself, you will see someone with their guide dog puppy, patiently working with them, getting them accustomed to being around people without wanting to play or respond. It is SO HARD not to reach out and pet them or talk to them.

The folks who raise these puppies are a dedicated bunch, taking that puppy in their home to love them, train them, and then give them up when the time comes for further training.

After the dogs begin their training with their new owners, they can be seen on the streets of our town learning to guide across the streets and maneuver on the sidewalks. I always get a little teary-eyed when I see them. The dogs literally give their lives to help someone.

One day when I was at the vet's office with my cat, someone came in with a huge box filled with collie puppies. They were there for their checkups, and I believe, were destined to become guide dogs. That reminds me of the story I read about the man who took his litter of lab puppies to the vet for their shots. As the vet would give one puppy his shots, he wet his forehead with some water, so that he would remember which ones he had treated, and which ones he had not. Finally the man said, "Oh, I didn't know you baptized them too."

An interesting article about the training program for the dogs in a correctional facility can be seen here.

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe, we are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made." --Roger Caras

Losing one's pet

If you are an animal lover, or even if you aren't, this post is a must read.

Mother and child

 
I wanted to show you a picture of this beautiful granddaughter with her eyes open, and oh yes, her beautiful mother.

Thank you all for your interest and concern. When my son called me Friday evening and told me about the call from the pediatrician's office about the blood test, he was understably upset. They took her Saturday morning for another blood test. Results will be known this coming week.

The doctor did tell them that there is a very high percentage of "false positives" with this test and even with the second one. If the second one should be positive, they would proceed with the sweat test at the appropriate time.

So I thank you for your continued concern and prayers. I'll let you know the results as soon as I know.  

Encouraging news about Ben

In April, I began telling you about Ben, a young man, my daughter's age, who was stricken with testicular cancer. Here is the latest update from his wife. I thought you would like to read this and rejoice and pray for continued healing.

Good news!!!! Ben's HCG (cancer count) is down to 24. We also had a very encouraging appointment at a different rehab facility. They seemed very positive and hopeful about possibility for Ben's arm and are recommending him for a day program designed for younger people hoping to get back to work. It is a much more aggressive program and meets 5 days a week for about 6 hours. It even includes transportation which would be a huge stress relief since I've gone back to work now and am not as free to take him to his various appointments. Please pray that our insurance will cover this, and that if it won't, that we will find a way to cover it.

Some disturbing news

My son called this afternoon and told me that the pediatrician called to say that a blood test done on little Ella tested positive for cystic fibrosis. He did say, however, that a large number are false positives. She will go for another blood test tomorrow and they will know by the middle of next week.

Please pray for my son and daughter-in-law, David and Sabrina, and my little granddaughter, Ella marie.

Thank you.

My new granddaughter

Here she is!!! My granddaughter and first grandchild entered the world, Friday, August 4, 2006. I flew up on Sunday to spend a few days with son and daughter-in-law. I arrived on their doorstep just as they were arriving home from the hospital.

It's hard to remember holding one so tiny. I can't imagine what holding a preemie would be like. She looks big in the photo, but when my son, who is 6'8'' holds her to his chest, she looks like a little peanut. I'm amazed at her hair with its two cowlicks. Neither of mine had very much. My daughter-in-law is Asian, and so bets are being placed about her eyes (just kidding) but they would be very happy for that to be evident.

Everyone told me what a wonderful experience it is...and it is. I can hardly wait to go back and spend more time with this new little girl. More to come...

Flying home yesterday seemed like any other day, except for heightened security at the airport. I flew out of Richmond, and when I went through security, of course my knee set off the alarm. I was taken to a private security check area. Often at the airport I'm asked if I prefer that, and I always say that it doesn't matter. Perhaps that is their practice in Richmond. The checker asked me if I was traveling with anyone, and when I told her no, she gathered up my belongings. That is always a concern to me; however, usually they seat me so that I can keep my eye on my belongings. Yesterday as well as checking my body, the checker went through my purse as well, looking for offensive liquids. I always check everything except my purse and may a small tote bag because I don't like the weight on my shoulders.

When I got to the airport and returned my rental car, I tossed the bottle of water that I had after having heard the news that morning. The only glitch in travel was that in Charlotte, the plane that would take me to Sarasota had started at Newark that morning and had been delayed a couple of hours after news of the arrests in London. It had then flown to Kansas City then to Charlotte. It arrived about an hour after the time that I would have taken off for home. I was none the worse for the wear. It was good to be home safe and sound.

Arriving home, a friend met me at the airport. Her first question was "Do you have pictures?" "Of course," I said, "let me get my camera." Well, I scrounged and looked and my camera wasn't there. I called me son, and he said, "Mom, your friends in Florida aren't going to be happy." I had left my camera at his house, so he sent me a couple that he had sent my daughter earlier...so soon I'll have my pictures, and I promise not to bore you to death with them. 

Good News From a Distant Land

Note: I'm off to Virginia until Thursday to see my new granddaughter (and my son and daughter-in-law.)


GOOD NEWS FROM A DISTANT LAND

A man from Holland called simply, Brother Andrew, had just smuggled a load of Bibles in his VW across the Rumanian border. He checked into a motel and began praying that God would lead him to the right Christian groups-- the ones who could best use his load of Bibles.

On Sunday morning Andrew walked up to the hotel clerk and asked where he might find a church. The clerk looked at him a little strangely and answered, "We don't have many of those you know. Besides you couldn't understand the language."

"Didn't you know?" Andrew replied, "Christians speak a kind of universal language."

"Oh what's that?"

"It's called Agape."

"Agape?" the clerk wondered. "I never heard of it."

"Too bad," Andrew replied, "It's the most beautiful language in the world."

Well Andrew was able to locate several church groups in the area and he managed to arrange a meeting with the president and secretary of a certain denomination, we'll call them James and Leon. They sat down together in a small office. Andrew was eager to tell them about the Bibles he had smuggled into the country. He also wanted to find out something about the men and their churches. But soon the three discovered that they couldn't speak each others languages. The men knew several European languages, but none in common.

So there they sat staring at each other across the room. Andrew had come thousands of dangerous miles in his little VW. He longed to bring greetings and encouragement from Christians in the western world to these brothers isolated behind the Iron Curtain. But how? They couldn't understand a word he said.

Then Andrew got an idea. He noticed James had a Bible on his desk. Andrew reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a Dutch Bible. He turned to I Corinthians 16:20 and held the Bible out, pointing to the name of the book, which they could recognize.

Instantly their faces lit up. They quickly found the same chapter and verse in their Rumanian Bibles and read this verse:
"All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss."
(I Cor. 16:20) James and Leon beamed back at Andrew. Then James looked through his Bible and found Proverbs 25:25. Andrew found the verse and read: "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land."

By then all three were laughing together. Andrew responded by turning to the
book of Philemon. He pointed his brothers to verses 4 and 5. They read: "I always thank God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints."

The two Rumanians nodded, smiling. Then Leon's eyes wondered down to verse seven. He pushed the Bible over to Andrew, pointing to these beautiful words: "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."

These three men had a wonderful time together. They spent half an hour conversing and sharing---just through the words of Scripture. They were so happy in their fellowship they laughed until tears came to their eyes. Finally Andrew showed his brothers the Bibles he had brought for them. James and Leon were overwhelmed and overjoyed. They embraced him again and again.

That evening when Andrew returned to his hotel, the clerk approached him and remarked, "Say, I looked up agape in the dictionary. There's no language by that name. That's just a Greek word for love."

Andrew replied, "That's it. I was speaking in it all afternoon."

Adapted from "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew in Steven Mosley's book:
"Great Stories and How to Tell Them."


For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
"In prayer; expect setbacks, but refuse retreat." Richard Eastman
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord is!


This is from an e-mail that I received from this website.

The story was sent in by a Pastor Michael Jackson.

Happy birthday

I just would like to announce the arrival of my very first grandchild, a little girl, born at 3:26 this morning. Parents and baby are doing fine. I'll be on my way to see her soon.

Waiting

Tuesday was the due date for my first grandchild. So far, she (the baby) has decided to stay right where she is. Maybe she knows that it is nearly 100 degrees in Virginia where they live. I've been reading and enjoying a lot of blogs lately but not posting. The first three days of the week were hectic, and I didn't want to take the time to sit down and try to do a decent post.

Tom wrote on Tuesday about Greg Maddux's leaving the Chicago Cubs for the Dodgers, and then he mentioned today that he had been a Cub before he ever became a Brave. I had only known him as a Brave. SRP has been writing about her experiences in New York City, from riding the subway to visiting the museums, seeing Broadway plays, and in general describing the neighborhood in Brooklyn where she has been nanny for a couple of weeks to Tanya and Tucker, two cats.

I went to see a baseball game on Monday night. In our area we have the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Some folks call them the "Rays." They prefer to leave the devil out of it...which is o.k. with me. Tampa Bay has a strange sports history. Years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started up and had a losing season for how many years? Well, I haven't looked up the statistics, but probably 20 or so. Then Tony Dungy came and turned the team around with his defense. The team became contenders, but because He didn't get them to the Super Bowl, he was fired. One of the players said of him the other day, "He made us what we are today." I believe he was talking about the character he helped instill in the men as well as the football skills that were taught and caught by the men.

Years ago, the city of St. Petersburg build a dome to house a baseball team. When the leagues expanded, the Arizona Diamondbacks came into being as well as the Devil Rays. What were they named? Tampa Bay...this caused a lot of anger in St. Pete. They sort of lost their identity. Then along came the hockey team...the Tampa Bay Lightning, winners of the Stanley Cup a couple of years ago. They built the "Ice Palace" for them...it is in Tampa. What is it named now? The "St. Pete Times Forum." The newspaper bought rights to the name. So in Tampa they play at the St. Pete Times Forum.

I find myself wandering here...I went to the baseball game, which is now played in the same dome, now known as Tropicana® Field. Tropicana is the orange juice brand which is made right here in Bradenton where I live. As I sat and watched the game, I recognized a few names on the Tigers team. The Rays are a young team. They have traded away their experienced players for younger ones...We're building, they say. The team really does have some talent on it, and management says they have a plan. Hopefully, it won't take as long as the Bucs did to succeed. Unhappily, they find themselves in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox.

A few things that management did this year to try to boost attendance at games was to offer free parking (a savings of ten dollars,) lower the price of food (you can buy a hot dog for a dollar, also a small drink for a dollar,) permit food to be brought into the dome. Attendance is up 30% over last year, and gradually a fan base seems to be building up.

Unfortunately, Northerners who move to Florida bring their team loyalties with them. When the yankees or Red Sox come to town, there are more of their fans their than Rays' fans, but a gradual change is being seen. One day...one day, perhaps the Rays will rule

I have many more thoughts on baseball, but I'll save them for another day. If I contine, those of you who visit here and are not particularly baseball fans will long ago have stopped reading...z-z-z-z.

A Hymn for Sunday

I believe that this is one of my favorite hymns.

And Can It Be?

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

The words and music of this hymn can be found here.

Why We Love Our Cats

I started to name this blog "More About my Grandkittens", but then it took a different turn, thus the reference to Color's not being a grandkitten.

No, this is not one of my grandkittens. This is Color, the kitten who at eight weeks of age worked her way into our hearts and stayed there for eighteen years, before she left us. I remember the first night that she was with us, she ran and played and then just lay down in the middle of the family room floor for a little nap before resuming her activity. My husband, who had not been particulary fond of cats (he had never had one,) fell in love with her and she with him. Every evening when she heard him in the garage taking off his work shoes, she would sit at the door, waiting for him to come in so that he would pet her before he did anything else.
Now, these are the grandkittens, Tucker and Samson. They fill my daughter's life with joy (except for the early hours of the morning when they want something to eat.) That seems to be a common occurrence among cats.

The other evening I went with her to PetSmart to get some cat food. Before she got the food, we went to the room that had cats available for adoption from the Humane Society. One particular Tuxedo kitten reached out to me. She's just a little over a year old, and did she ever play. Then there were a couple of others, who looked wistfully with their big eyes, saying, "Pick me."

When my granddaughter (no, she isn't here yet, but SOON) is about three months old, I'll be going to Virginia for about a month to take care of her. When I come back home, I plan to adopt a couple of cats. I know there will still be plenty available. I do love reading about all the cats in the blogs. Some of the cats even "speak" for themselves.

On the back page of this month's Good Housekeeping magazine, there is a page that is titled, "Why We Love Cats and Dogs." Some of the descriptions of cats are: Supersoft pink paws, their love affair with open boxes and rubber bands, rhythmic purrs and full body stretches, their haughty independence combined with their constant need to be near you, and many more...These are by Alice Oglethorpe.

I know that many of you who read this blog could add many, many more reasons why you love your cats (or dogs.)

Me-ow for now.

Isn't that just like us?

Fred was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life and give up drinking."

Miraculously, a parking place appeared. Fred looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one!"

Courtesy of Pastor Tim.

Happy birthday, Snooty

Last week, our resident manatee, Snooty, celebrated his 58th birthday. Snooty is a west Indian manatee who resides at the Parker Aquarium in the South Florida museum in Bradenton. Nearly 4,000 people came out to help thefamous manatee celebrate the occasion.

Snooty was born in captivity at the Miami Aquarium as "Baby Snoots" on July 21, 1948. He came to Bradenton with his mother as part of a manatee exhibit during the 1949 DeSoto Celebration. When his mother was released back into the wild, Snooty was forced to remain in an aquarium because he had always been hand-fed and did not know how to survive on his own.

When the Miami Aquarium closed, Snooty came to Bradenton permanently. His first home was a small pool and then a larger tank was built in the museum. Even then he became crowded for space. Whenever we took our first graders on a field trip to the museum, seeing Snooty was the highlight of the trip. We wanted to touch him so badly, but that was forbidden because of the spread of germs.
In 1993 a 60,000 gallon pool with upper and lower viewing areas, a medication pool and deep and shallow water for feeding opened at the museum and became Snooty's most recent and most elaborate place of residence.
I wrote about "Cows on Parade" in Chicago. When I flew home to Tampa, before going to get my bags and getting my car, I went up to get a bite to eat. On display in the airport were these manatees. They are similar to what the cows were like in Chicago. AC wrote that her town had bears all over the place.
The manatee is the gentle giant of the waters in Florida. Wild manatees are docile creatures whose survival has been threatened by boats and red tide. Last year, the Florida Fish and Wild Life Commission reported 225 manatees died in Florida. Watercraft accounted for 50 of those deaths and another 80 deaths were from red tide.

I live in Manatee County. I graduated from Manatee High School. At one time I had a "Save the Manatee" license plate. I had it for about 10 years, in fact; then I changed it to "Choose Life", the plate that promotes adoption.

During the winter when the water is cold, groups of manatees can be seen at the power plants that are near the water, enjoying the warmth given off.

I took some of this information from a newspaper article in our local paper. To see some photographs of actual manatees, go to this website. 

Holy Cow!

Several years ago when we went to Chicago for Pampered Chef® conference, the city was celebrating "Cows on Parade." Perhaps you saw them or read about them. Everywhere you looked there were life-sized cows that had been creatively adorned. I believe that after the session was over, the cows were auctioned off, for charity, I assume.

One year when my consultant friend and I went to Chicago, we had tickets for a Cubsu-White Sox game at Wrigley Field. I know that to some of you, you might say, "so?" but we were elated. The reason we were able to get tickets at all was that our seats were behind a post...but we were on the third base line. Seated among about six young men (all Cubbies fans except for one,) we had the time of our lives. Such fun! The Cubs won, but it was a game where you didn't know until the end who was going to win. Sammy Sosa hit a home run; Frank Thomas hit a home run that I am sure is still traveling out in space...and just to be at Wrigley Field was an experience.
As I recall, the Donald was there to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Pretty bad.

Anyway, this year on our stay in Chicago we decided to have dinner at Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse. Another fun experience. Lots and lots of baseball memorabilia to enjoy, and yes, this cow with his signature glasses. Holy cow! If you don't know who Harry Caray is, never mind. I know AC knows, as does Tom.


Srp mentioned in a comment that her brother had stayed in one of the round buildings on the river when he was in Chicago singing opera. This must be the one. There are two of them, and if you look closely, you can see the cars parked in the bottom of the building. These are affectionately (or not) called the "corn cob buildings."

More about Chicago

On Wednesday evening before our conference started, a large group of us went on a boat tour. The weather could not have been worse. It didn't rain, but as you can tell from the photos, the clouds had rolled in by late afternoon. A couple of years ago when I was in Chicago, my friend and I took one of the architectural boat tours up the river. It is a must if you ever visit the city.
As the boat left the dock, we entered a lock and waited for the height of the water to equalize before going out into the lake. This particular ride went along the shore for quite a way. The docent told us that Montgomery Ward was responsible for keeping the shore free of high-rise buildings. There is a beautiful park along the water. As we rode past we could see Soldier Field, the Shedd Aquarium, and one of the several museums of Chicago.
.
Before I wrote this post, I searched for quotes about Chicago. Most all of them spoke of the corruption of the city and how unpleasant it can be. But Dear Void, a blogger from the DC area, has an entry about Carl Sandburg and his thoughts of Chicago. Read it here.

Michael Jordan at the United Center

On Friday, July 7, we made our way to the United Center where Women of Faith was being held. Having seen this statue of Michael Jordan on an episode of ER once, I was eager to see it for real.

As we were standing there, we heard a young woman so, "Oh, did Michael Jordan play here?" Duh. I realize not everyone in the world knows or cares, but I found it really neat. Inside the arena were the retired jerseys of Michael, Scottie Pippen, Jerry Sloan, and another player that I did not know. There were also retired jerseys of some of the Chicago Blackhawks (hockey). Those I was not as familiar with since hockey has just begun to be a big sport in Florida.

Hanging from the rafters also were all the banners from all the winning seasons. It was neat to be there. I would have loved to have been there for a Bulls game back in the days of MIchael and all the other great players who played during those years.

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.