Category: Current Events

Apr 26

Once More into the Fray

I feel very little inspiration for writing these days, but I still feel like I should.  I haven’t posted anywhere but Facebook since November.  This is my attempt to get back into it. 

I’ve been doing a lot of reading.  A little on my phone app for Kindle, listening to audio books when I drive, actual paper books for devotional time, and at bedtime to wind down for sleep. The book I’m reading on the Kindle app has been stagnant for weeks.  I just can’t seem to get into it anymore, although that used to be my favorite way to read.  I go through an audio book in, at most, a couple of weeks because it’s my go to now instead of music in the car.  It takes a while for me to get through a devotional book or the ones I read at bedtime because I only do a few pages at a time.  Still, it all adds up.  I am rereading the Outlander series at night and I’ve just started a new book for my devotional time, Discovering Fire by Robert  Wolsey of Kissing Fish fame. My current author for audio books is Karen Slaughter.

I’ve gone back to playing online games.  I play online solitaire or Mahjong while I listen to my audio books in line to pick up Damion and Elaina from school.  I let myself get sucked back in Farmville.  I used to play it on Facebook years ago and stopped when it got boring.  The new version is more challenging, but it’s becoming frustrating because they continually try to force you into spending money in order to advance.  I did that for a couple of months, but I’ve stopped spending and my progress is stagnating.  I have a feeling I’ll drop it soon.

I was cooking more.  I searched online for recipes and, for a while, it was a real challenge.  I’ve gotten burned out on that as well and, this week, I’ve reverted back to cooking about 3 or 4 days a week and eating leftovers the other days.  I’m also finding myself preparing the old faithful menus.

We are planning an extended trip in June.  It will be our first long journey since before Covid.  We did go to South Dakota to visit Brad and his family for a week last year.  But it was limited.  This trip will take us all the way across the country and it’s not to visit anyone, but just to explore someplace we haven’t been before.  I am looking forward to the experience.  I’m just worried a bit about my physical strength to make it.  I can barely walk a half mile without resting so there won’t be our usual extended hikes.  I’ve laid out the route, it will be a two week excursion (eight days driving and a week exploring Washington State), Jim is preparing to make hotel reservations and I’m researching locations.

I plan to add writing back into my daily routine.  We’ll see how that goes.

 

 

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Dec 18

Covid Continues Along with Tornadoes

We are all vaccinated, including our kids, and the adults have the booster.  Nevertheless, we feel threatened since the latest information indicates that we could still get sick from the new variants which aren’t necessarily stopped by the vaccines. 

So, we are continuing to mask in public, otherwise we are behaving like it’s “back to normal.” We all had Thanksgiving Dinner at Tim and Tracy’s house and we are planning our normal Christmas Eve get together at Jeanne and David’s.  So far, none of us have gotten sick.  We are SO fortunate.  

We feel that especially this week as we see all the terrible effects of the tornadoes last week.  We’ve donated money through our Christmas fund and Jeanne went to Dawson to help clean up with a group from the church.  I only wish I was strong enough to help physically, but I’m still not feeling up to par after my cancer scare this past fall. 

The devastation is terrible and we still have extended family living there.  One of those families lost everything and several others have damage.  Our good fortune continued as none of our people were lost. 

We thank God for our personal safety as we pray for all those who have lost everything, not only in Dawson, but through out the devastated area.

 

 

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Feb 06

Six Year Old Epiphany

I have been taking my great-grandchildren who live here in town to church with me for most of their lives.  They went to the nursery when they were babies and started attending Worship and Wonder as they got old enough.  Each week, I give each of them a dollar bill to put in the offering taken up during their worship service. 

This past Sunday, Damion was sitting beside me in “big” church waiting for time to go to their class.  As he held his dollar, folding and unfolding it to stretch flat between his hands, he murmured softly to himself: “I’m giving money to Jesus.”

Then the minister’s words as she talked about the need to provide food and shelter for the homeless and poor during the current arctic cold sank into his mind, connecting with his train of thought.

He looked up at me with that joyous expression children get when they’ve figured out a concept  and said, “Oh, that’s why we give money to the church! So they can feed poor people who don’t have money to buy food.”

My heart melted as I replied, “Yes, that’s one of the reasons.” I love watching children learn and grow. It is my greatest pleasure in life.

 

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Dec 12

Heart Melting Moments.

My weekly schedule involves chauffeuring various great-grandchildren to and from school and extracurricular activities.   Two of them, Damion and Elaina are in kindergarten and first grade.  I pick them up from school three days a week.  

These children are normal siblings. They spend at least part of every day squabbling about one thing or another.  Elaina adores her big brother and he is, frequently, annoyed by his little sister’s attentions.  

This week, the school had a Santa’s Workshop where the kids could buy presents for friends or family members.  Their mother gave them each money for shopping today.  

When I pulled up in the pickup space and opened the door, they were both bubbling over with excitement.  

Damion: “Mamaw, when we are buckled up, we are going to open our presents.  We bought presents for each other!”

Elaina: “Here Damion. Here’s what I got you.  Open it!”

Damion, as he tears open the wrapping: Oh, wow, you got me a top.  I wanted that, but I didn’t have enough money left over.  Here’s yours.  Open it.”

Elaina:  “You got me a bracelet and a pocket book?  Mamaw, look what Damion got me.”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well in their little hearts and mine is melting.  This is my favorite Christmas event so far.

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Nov 06

It’s New Year’s Day

It’s the first day of my new year.  Another way of thinking about Birthdays.  I am nearly 75, 3/4 of a century.  I say nearly, because I was born at 5pm and it’s only 3pm at the moment. 

It’s hard to believe.  Most days, I don’t feel it.  I feel, basically, the same as I did at 45, except for a few minor aches in my shoulders and hips.  I know that’s because I have gotten lazy this past year.  I haven’t been getting nearly enough exercise lately.  

So, thinking of today as the first day of MY year, here are my resolutions:  

  1. Walk, at least, 1 mile every other day.
  2. Do Yoga, pilates or some other type of stretching and strengthening exercise on the alternate days.
  3. Write, at least, 500 words on some topic every day. Even if I never publish it, I need it to keep my mind active.
  4. Be more patient with unruly children, not more permissive, just less impatient.
  5. Spend more time reading than playing games.  Both help with cognitive health, but reading has other beneficial features.
  6. Concentrate on getting my budget under control.
  7. And the last thing on my list, as usual, clean the house more often.

I plan to make that 100 mark with physical strength and mental alertness intact.  My children already have grown children, I have great grandchildren who will be reaching for their 30s by then.  I expect to hold the next generation in my arms before I leave here.

 

 

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