Thanksgiving Blessings

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

On Our Sunday Drive...

...at night.

Christmas lights around town.

Some folks are lit up!

I'll have to figure out camera settings

to get better night shots,

but these weirded-out ones are kinda cool.

This is the bridge over the Smoky Hill River
at Mill and First Streets.
All the grand-cuties love to go over the lighted bridge.
When the Henry, Marcail and Naomi were younger, their word for bridge was "firge" and now "firge" has remained our word for "bridge".
We like to drive over the firge.

Here's THE Thing: "... He that first made me still keeps me alive"

Here is one of my favorite songs from the Builder and the Architect album by Sandra McCracken.  She is not the singer here, but it is very nicely done! The words are by John Stocker.


Check out Sandra McCracken  and more at the Indelible Grace Music website

O my Savior, help me.

"O my Savior, help me.
I am slow to learn, prone to forget, and weak to climb;
I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race,
my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.
I am blind while the light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust my heart of unbelief.
Make it my highest joy to study you,
meditate on you,
gaze on you,
sit like Mary at your feet,
lean like John on your breast,
appeal like Peter to your love,
count like Paul all things but dung.
I believe, help my unbelief. Amen"


This is a confession of sin we often read together as a church body.


I’ve been considering the difference between sin-loathing and self-loathing. It gets muddy in my mind, though it shouldn’t. I think too highly of myself and not highly enough of Christ who atoned for my sin. When I ask Mike about sin/self loathing, I interrupt him in his morning quiet time over breakfast and the Word just before he goes to work. He doesn’t grimace at being bothered or having to change gears in his thinking. He shares some scripture and makes a few comments and I’m washed. I don't think our discussion or my consideration of sin loathing is over. (Oh, may it never be.)
Romans 7:24-8:1


And again I joyfully sing a hymn worth repeating:

O I am my Beloved’s
And my Beloved is mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner
Into His house of wine
I stand upon His merit -
I know no other stand,
Not e’en where glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel’s land.
 

Eleanor and I stayed at Liv's

while Daddy was at work, Mommy took Chloe to the hospital for tests and Sean was at preschool. We read and sang awhile which I enjoyed, but I think the highlight for Eleanor was getting to play with my camera bag. She called it my "tiny bag" and maybe in comparison to my purse it could seem tiny. When Eleanor tries to say "t" words they come out as "s" words, so she played with my "siny bag" and a couple batteries. She got quite a kick out of that and liked wearing it around her neck.

Eleanor crawled up to be near Mommy and baby Chloe after they got home.

Chloe fell asleep in the car on the way home from the hospital after a big morning.

First Snow

 The snow had some fine landing spots.

It won't last, but it was pretty coming down.

Icy Snow on Magnolia Leaves

Lawnmower's Rest

On Our Sunday Drive

Crabapples and Raindrops

Hanging from a "Donald Wyman" Crabapple tree in our yard

A Hay Field

A Road with a view to "Twin Mounds"

A Deer Posing for a photo

(Check out the green grass of the wheat while so many things are giving way to almost winter!)

Curious Cows

"How Now, Brown Cow"

Scrabble Report

Just thought I'd report: Mike and I played two games of Scrabble last evening. We were going to watch a video that we'd seen before, but it just sounded too tiring, so we got out the Scrabble game and the helpful little turntable. I won the first game. Mike says I always win, but it's not true. He won the second game.
We used to play with a sweet older lady named Eloise. She'd have Mike and me over when we were a young married couple. She heard we liked Scrabble. She would feed us. We'd do the dishes, then get right to playing Scrabble. I may have mentioned this before, but she was a Scrabble champ! She was one of the sweetest ladies I ever knew. But she killed us at Scrabble every time! She'd put down a couple letters and score about 50 points and the coolest thing was she did it so sweetly! Now, Mike and I never play a game of Scrabble without remembering Eloise's sweet hospitality and amazing Scrabble skills! Since Mike won a game last night, I may have a more willing Scrabble partner! It's funny how competitive some folks get. Mike likes to win. (Or does Mike not like to lose... to me?) I just like putting words together win or lose! What a fun game!

Two Of Us (Sunday Driving)

We took the camera, memory card and batteries, but took no pictures. There were plenty of things to photograph, but I didn't. Some days are just like that. It was a gorgeous Sunday and it reminded me of this song, except that we didn't wear raincoats. (No, I didn't write the thought/comment bubbles in this video...)

Here's the Thing: Maple Syrup

Tab and I were talking on the phone this morning. Our conversation trailed smoothly from one topic to another and on the trail we briefly discussed maple syrup. Tab said she has really come to appreciate real maple syrup. As we were comparing fake thicker syrup to the real thing she said,
"I love real maple syrup. You have to search for the flavor of it."
She wasn't trying to be poetic, but that statement hit me as being poetically descriptive for maple syrup! (My loose interpretation of this statement is that while the fake stuff just gets right in there and makes itself known, real maple syrup is a sweet subtle treat that is best enjoyed by being savored!)
She then said that Cracker Barrel sounded so good!
I heartily agree!

Along the Road

Written by Dan Fogelberg
and sung by Susan Ashton, Margaret Becker and Christine Dente 

(Last song on Fogelberg's Phoenix album )




And as a follow-up video: Here is Monkey River:
(Just because!)

Contemplation on Christ

When God initiates his plan of salvation in a person, he will complete it. If he regenerates the heart of a sinner so that he can see the things of God, he will draw him irresistibly to his son, Jesus Christ, who purchased his salvation on the cross, and through the work of the Holy Spirit will escort him through this life to the glory of the Father's presence. And he will be as secure in that process as if he were living in the loving hand of God himself. 
- J.D. Wetterling

Blockbuster Tongue Twister

Sean and Eleanor are over today while Olivia and Chloe are home trying to get Chloe re acclimated to home and back on a sleep/eat schedule. After lunch today Sean began telling me a story about Blockbuster Video Rentals. He was telling me some serious story all the while calling Blockbuster, "Bwockbuster". Eleanor got into the conversation and her word for Blockbuster was "Bustbwocter". In all earnestness Sean tried to help Eleanor with the correct pronunciation for "Blockbuster". He would say, "No Eleanor, it's Bwockbuster. Say 'Bwock-Buster", Eleanor." Then Eleanor would say, "Bustbwocter" and Sean would again try his best to get her to say it right, "Bwockbuster" he'd say again in the most encouraging and coaching way a big brother can, "Say Bwock-buster, Eleanor." Again she'd say, "Bustbwocter" and by the end of the conversation, I'm not sure I could even say the word correctly!

We read two books before naps. Go Dog Go which is one of my favorites. I don't think I'll ever forget Mike reading this to our daughters in his entertaining way and Mike and I talking about the fun and silly nonsenseness of the story.

Eleanor's book was a picture book of different categories.
After I "read" it to them, they had fun asking me to find things. "Okay Grammy, where is the elephant or 2 blue socks or purple flower?" 

Never Alone is a Lovely Reminder and that Olivia and Chloe Are Home is an Answer to Prayer!

Chloe Update 2

My Mom and Chloe

Chloe sure loved sitting with Great Grandma and taking a little nap on a cozy lap!
Chloe's temperature has been in the normal range for most of the day, so she will probably be dismissed on Thursday.
I know Chloe and Olivia will be so happy to be home!
Thank you for prayers! 

Chloe Update

Here are some photos from today at the hospital. Chloe is getting much better! The i.v. drip was disconnected for the afternoon but she still received antibiotics through the i.v. port. The plan is to "hook her up" again to a drip i.v. overnight. Her fever is kept down by Motrin and Tylenol. She nursed often today and kept all but one feeding down. Until her temperature comes down and stays down for a consistent time, she will stay in the hospital.

The Doctor is hoping for (and we're praying for) a release by Thursday.

Chloe seems to be feeling and breathing better. She is getting more vocal and less lethargic.  Thank you for your prayers for Chloe. Please keep praying for full recovery from
E. Coli bacteria. 
(It seems to be near the same scenario as when my Mom was in hospital in June.)

Olivia is tired. Please pray for Olivia. Please pray for rest and peace.

Oh yeah, in the photos, please take note of the white board message one of Olivia's aides wrote yesterday which was not changed until late today.

"He is our Light."
I don't know how to express how encouraging that was in that hospital room!
John 1:1-4

On Our Sunday Drive

We went to the hospital. This is one shot of pretty scenery near a golf course as we drove along the highway on our way to Memorial Hospital.

We were on our way to see baby Chloe. After calling the Doctor's office on two occasions last week and essentially being refused an appointment as they advised Liv to just keep doing what she was doing which was alternating motrin then tylenol to help keep fever down and encouraging fluids. Liv felt enough was enough after many days of the same thing with no change, so this afternoon, Olivia took her to the E.R.. Chloe wa promptly admitted to the hospital. Her diagnosis is unsure as I write, but she has been tested for Swine Flu and tested negative. Her symptoms are a fever hovering near 101.5 degrees for too many days, lethargy and intermittant vomiting and barely eating or nursing. Thankfully, the vomiting has ceased. Her lungs are clear. She has had a few tests. The results have not been determined yet, but it seems to be bacterial, not viral, therefore not contagious.  Baby Chloe is gettting hydration and antibiotics through an i.v..

We're praying for

1. quick recovery for Chloe

2. protection and rest for Olivia as she stays with Chloe who is getting an i.v.

3. for her husband, Chris and other blessings, Sean and Eleanor

Please join us in praying.

Here is Mike encouragng Chloe to take some water from a straw. 

Mike is a natural gracious "nurse". 

After we spent some time with Liv and Chloe, Mike and I stayed with Sean and Eleanor so Chris could to the hospital awhile. I painted Eleanor's toenails

"Revlon California Sunshine".

Yeah, whatever.

They can call it whatever cutesy name  they want, but Mike and I decided to call it

 "stink pink"!

I'd say she was pleased.

I painted her toenails and Mike painted her fingernails!

Mike, Sean and Eleanor

So Shines a Good Deed in a Weary World AND Is Anonymity Even Possible?

I've heard it said "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" or something like that, but it's also true, "When baby's sick, ain't nobody gonna get no rest." So while Sean had preschool this morning, I picked up Eleanor hoping sick baby Chloe and Mama Olivia could have some rest time. Chloe slept most of the time. I sure hope Liv rested.

<----- Eleanor
Eleanor and I went to the two "hot spots" in McPherson. (Well we went to the two kid-friendly hot spots that I know of on a misty-moisty chilly autumn day.)
We went to Wal-Mart then to McDonalds.

While at Wal-Mart, I was looking for something in the same aisle as a young mama who had her baby girl in a car seat riding in the cart. The lady with the baby noticed Eleanor, looked at me, turned back to Eleanor and said, "Hi Ellie!" Then the lady looked at me again and said, "It is Eleanor, right?" (I didn't know the lady, though I was beginning to think I should.) She said she knew Olivia from church and asked about baby Chloe, then she asked if I was a relative. We chatted for awhile and I asked her name. July. Her name is July. I'd never met anyone named July and as you might be guessing, her birthday is in July.
A note about Wal-Mart: The cashier put my sacks into the cart for me! Wow! She was very helpful! I may seem a bit gushy about this, but this is Wal-Mart (and McDonalds) I'm talking about and in my opinion neither have impressed me as being very servant/service oriented.


Our next stop was McDonalds where the nice manager must have noticed I was struggling just a bit (after walking all over Wal-Mart), so he asked if I'd like him to carry our tray to a table and get my drink. (Bless his heart!)
Also while at McDonalds the lady who wipes tables (and talks to almost everyone) came over to chat with us. She tweaked Eleanor's cheek and asked about Eleanor's Mom, wondered if
she was okay and asked about the baby and "the little boy". (It surprised me that his woman had been paying attention! She doesn't know the family except for seeing them at McDonalds and having seen Chris working at a local grocery store when he's not teaching at a local college!) She told me where Chris (their Daddy) works then told me, in broken English with a strong Filipino accent, that her grand children are in the Phillipines. She expressed her delight in seeing sweet children and their parents or grandparents. It was all very friendly and home-towny. I do think she would have liked to sit with us, but she was on dining duty, so she sweetly got us more napkins (and some ketchup for Ellie) without being asked.
So the point of all this is to say that, "So shines a good deed in a weary world." And of all places,
in Wal-Mart!
in McDonalds!
These are two places that I usually complain about! (and feel indignantly justified to complain about!)
I was amazed that little Eleanor is known in a family connection and in her home town even at a very early age! So to the question, "Is anonymity even possible?", I'd have to answer that it doesn’t seem possible in these parts and that's okay. I don't mind not being anonymous really. (I guess if I did, I'd just have to stay home!) And as long as friendly cheek tweaks and kind gestures come naturally and can be reciprocated in kind words of encouragement and thankfulness, I view this as a general revelation of God's goodness and grace. I admit that there are days that I desire to just be anonymous, but that I'm "known" as "Eleanor's Grammy" and as "Olivia's Mom" is delightful!
"I know it's only a new role,
but I like it, love it, yes I do!"

Abba Father! Papa! My God!

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15


“I think this sweet word Abba was chosen to show us that we are to be very natural with God, not stilted and formal. We are to be very affectionate, to come close to Him and be bold to lie in His bosom, looking up into His face and speaking with holy boldness.
“Abba” is not a word, somehow, but a babe’s lisping.
Oh, how near we are to God when we can use such speech! Be satisfied to offer to God broken language, words salted with your griefs, wetted with your tears. Go to Him with holy familiarity and be not afraid to cry in His presence, “Abba Father."
Charles Spurgeon

Another Fireplace Photo to Go with the One Below

You know how it is when you begin looking at older photos?

Getting stuck on Memory Lane happens!

I don't mind being stuck for awhile.

Here's another stone fireplace picture. But for me there are memories and...

Wow! "A picture paints a thousand words!"

Tabitha Laurel and Christine Lynn at Christmas a few years ago