THOUGHTS AT THREE A.M.

WHY WE DON'T LIKE WHAT WE SEE IN THE MIRROR!

When we are little, the mirror image is fascinating. But then after we realize that is actually our own faces, we begin to compare it to those around us. It doesn't take us long to start to find flaws, either in ourselves, or in others. Standards of beauty develop. Usually, what we see in others becomes more desirable than what we have. I have always had pin straight hair...I guess it just goes with the German and the Swedish in me. Although if I grow it long enough, it does have a nice wave to it.From little on, my mother, grandmother ,and sister have tried to get my hair to take a long lasting curl, and it just doesn't happen. Any time a big event was coming up, the night before was the same story. Shampooing, and curling my hair. If they used the curling iron, it would be beautiful when I went to bed,and be sweat out in the morning. If they tried putting rollers in my hair, any kind, even the soft pink foam ones, when I woke up the next morning, the rollers would be all around  me in the bed, and my hair would be hanging, weepily with just the barest hint of a curl. That set me up for a lifetime of trying to get that curly hair,and for the most part, failing miserably.

So yesterday, a pal,(She of the naturally curly hair variety) let me know that she had gone and had her hair straightened!I was appalled! Why would anyone pay good money (I hear the process is very expensive) to have straight hair?And then, it dawned on me. She must have thought many times, why would people go and pay good money to get their hair permed? I've tried it a few times, but was never really impressed with the results, because then no matter how it turns out, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with it until it grows out enough to be able to cut it off. Myself, personally, I like to leave my hair fairly long, and unprocessed,because even if it is a long drawn out ordeal to curl it, at least when I am done, if I don't like it, I can change it...(or just wait a day or two and it will change all by itself!) Also, it is more versatile this way. I have clips and scrunchies so I can get it up off my neck, or clear up on top of my head, or just brush it out and leave it hang.

Besides which, I have come to the conclusion that it is in the perverse nature of man to be discontented with what he has, and forever desiring of what he has not. People with curly hair want straight hair, and those of us with straight hair, want it curly. That is the whole premise of the billion dollar cosmetic industry!

So, there you go. Everybody seems to want what they don't have,simply because, they don't have it!

OUI?

WHEN A SMALL FAMILY REUNION BECOMES CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!

After the events of Wednesday night,Yon son and I were not prepared for what came Thursday! We were all just so relieved that Wifey was alive,and well,and running, we just didn't concern ourselves with anything else. We were up at the normal time, and did all the usual things, and so much more! We got laundry done, and the garden watered and worked in, even though it was hot out, and Yon went to the extra trouble to hang the wash out on the line, so we had the wonderful fresh outdoor smell in our clothes and bedding and towels. Not that I can take any credit at all for the big stuff, like cooking and cleaning...Yon just would not allow that. But in my own little way, I helped. I minimized my requests, and stayed out of his way, basically. I cleaned the mouse, and went on line, and once I found out what had occurred in Typepad on the 12th, got pretty much caught up in that until nap time.

Then, we got the call that Yon's wife was in the area, and was due for a shut down, for a ten-hour break. We tried to call Sherry, so she could be here, since we consider her part of the family, but she was not responding, so we left messages,and went ahead with what last minute straightening we could do, before he went to meet her. When she arrived, she had so much stuff with her, that it took two trips in from the car to unload all that she had brought. There were three campchairs, with canvas covers, built in drink holders in the arms,and they are easily collapsible, in one swift determined motion, meaning, they don't just fall by accident, but it takes no time at all to fold them away,and store them in a small space. I was very impressed by this gift, since we are always shuttling chairs in from the kitchen to the dining room, or vice-versa, when we have more than three people in the house. So, that extra work is a thing of the past,for which I am duely grateful! Then Wifey presented Yon son with the one thing he specifically asked for, postcards from every place she has been. Now, he had expected to get an ongoing stream of postcards in the mail from his darling bride...(imagine! Three years they have been married, and he still calls her that!) But instead, she did exactly what he asked,and brought home, hand delivered, a stack of cards from all over the country, which took us half the evening to go through. They are marvelous! Between them, they go for two things  in regards to such stuff. Beautiful, and cute! Well, I have to say,that she cornered the market on cute and beautiful with these cards,and she says she isn't done yet. However, this time Yon made one more stipulation...that she buy some stamps, and send the cards to him from now on! That way, she can jot down her impressions of the place while it is still fresh in her mind, and won't have to search her memory for what happened,where she was, and spend so much time explaining things, once she is home, and we go through the cards!Then they exchanged gifts with each other, things that they both saw that reminded them of the other one, and when that was done, they both turned to me, with these silly secret grins,and said, Now it's mom's turn. Now, I had already given her some fun, glittery socks,a whole stack of them that I knew she would love, and a purple velvet-suede spiral bound book, for her to keep a journal of her travels in,so I had nothing left to give, and felt a little nervous that I didn't have more, but they waved that aside,and she produced a rather big cardboard box, and started pulling out smaller boxes. The first was a candle holder the size of a Christmas gingerbread house, which is exactly what it looked like, with the exception that this is a spring-to-summer house, covered with ivy twining around on it, and mixed into that, are flowers and butterflies,one of which is placed right on the top of the chimney.The house takes two votive candles, and the heat from those candles makes the butterfly on top of the chimney spin,and rise, floating above the top. In addition, all the windows and doors are very nicely lit with the candles. So cute! So clever! Then, she gave me a clock, with a Madonna and child on the face,and the batteries not only power the clock, but also light up tiny red lights that flash in a series of sequences, on the outline of the head and shoulders, halo's and hands of them both. They are highlighted with what looks to be hand painted gilt trim, and the quartz clock is set off to the side of the picture, so neither interferes with the other, and the whole thing is set in an oval glass encased frame, again, trimmed in gold. It is breath-taking.The kids made several suggestions as to where I could put the clock, but I have already decided that it should go in my room, on my bedside table. My room being the only room in the house that isn't overrun with clocks already. Besides that, it will make for a perfect night-light! Then she gave me a key ring, of the Canine Collection, and mine, of course, is the Shetland Sheepdog, or Collie, with a name tag of the breed of dog,and  an image of a Collie  dangling from it, all of it highly polished, mirror bright, and although it looks to be sterling silver, I am sure it is probably chrome.There is another tag that looks like the breed tag, both of them shaped like slender leaves, but it is blank, and Yon has vowed to have it engraved with my name...which is the only reason I haven't already dug out my set of keys,and attached my new beautiful keyring to it. I'll give him a couple of days to make good on his promise,and then attach it. Once that is done, he will play heck getting it away from me again! Then I was given two cards, and two envelopes. All were blank, and none of them really matched, but oh, they are lovely! One card is a Pegasus, and the other is a unicorn, surrounded by clouds, or fog, and the envelopes were softly rendered native American themes, one was just wolves and the other was an Indian maiden, with wolves. I really can't imagine using them for anything. They are just such works of art, that I shall be scanning them into the computer real soon,and add them to my album.Next, I opened a heavy medium sized box, which turned out to be a huge candle,in a glass jar with a lid scented with English ivy. It is so aromatic, you don't have to light this baby up to smell it's goodness. Just with the lid off, in  a few moments time, the whole room was perfumed. At last I was presented with a long, slim fabric- covered, rose themed jewelry box.

Now, all throughout this gifting session, Yon son and Wifey-poo had been speculating on what to do for dinner. Although we had a round steak thawing in the kitchen, they came to the conclusion that it being about 90 degrees outside,and thank God, comfortable in the house, that it would be a mistake, a real shame, to heat up, even just the kitchen, preparing dinner. I reminded them that they need not consider me in this, since our food budgets are separate and I had all I needed for a nice salad and perhaps cold chicken, or a tuna sandwich for my meal, that they go ahead and please themselves,and get what they wanted for supper.In response, I got a fire-storm of protest, saying they had a right to treat me to dinner occasionally if they wanted. But all conversation stilled,when I picked up this box. I sensed that this was no ordinary present, and I could tell that Yon son had been "in on" everything so far given, so these were presents, jointly conferred and agreed upon via the phone, all throughout Wifey's travels, and that this was the important one. Had I not known my kids as well as I do, I might have been disappointed, pole-vaulting to conclusions that way. But, as I opened the box, Yon and wife traded looks,and then passed around the box of tissues.They each took one,and set the rest by me. I was not disappointed. The inside of the lid was white satin with gold lettering, and said, " My prayer for Mom". I looked down,and two thirds of the interior was a rose edged text, and the rest of the space was taken up by an even smaller jewelry box. My voice betrayed me, and I knew I would not be able to read the words of the prayer aloud, so they sat there staring at me as I read it to myself, and then, I made really good use of the box of tissues,and held my arms out to my kids,and they came and filled them,and we all bawled together. The Jewelery box contained a sterling silver fine chain and rose covered cross. Now, my kids know that I don't wear necklaces, because I hate the feel of anything tight around my neck,so they had intentionally looked and looked for this chain, which is 24" sterling silver, and so light and tiny, that I could wear it with ease. And, once you read the prayer, you will understand why I went ahead and let the kids put it on me. You will find it in my photo album.The actual item did not scan well, and even though it is in my album, the text is all but impossible to read, so here goes:

"Dear Mom,

When I was a child you didn't think twice about what it cost or how you'd sacrifice to show me your love, or just how much you cared; for there was no limits to what you would bear. And somewhat like Jesus, no other would do, for no other mother could quite replace you. Your life makes a difference without any doubt, because you're the mom that I can't do without. And so, to say thank you, for each memory, you know you can count on these prayers from me, because they are placed at the foot of the cross where none of your prayers for me have been lost. So please wear this necklace so you won't forget that your job as Mother is not over  yet. And always remember the cross that you bear, will never be greater than the one that you wear."

Anyway, then they went to the store, ostensibly to get things to fix dinner, but what they did was to go to her ATM, and went and got Chinese food, and when they got back we were all so hungry, we feasted rather than ate, and talked and laughed,and caught up on all that had gone on since the last time we were together. And when we bowed our heads to give thanks, believe me, we weren't just moving our lips,but thanking our Lord and savior for bringing us all back together, safe and sound, and for all the blessings he bestows upon us, each and every day.

And if you have been paying attention to what is going on in the world around us, then you know what a momentous blessing His bringing us back together safely really is! Praise the Lord!

OUI?

OH HOLY NIGHT THAT EPITOMIZES THE TITLE OF MY WEBSITE!!

This is the night. This is the moment, now, when it has once again come together. I can deeply feel the hand of God upon me, and we have been communing in the spirit,hanging in time suspended, I tingle with his touch, and I have been drawn to the glass door to look out and see his handiwork.As I gaze out past the street lamp, I can see the shards of snow descending in a cascade of west to east wind driven gusts, slanting hard to the ground. The sky is lavender,gnarled with the black naked tree limb tentacles reaching upward, outward and downward, now taking on a coating of frigid,glittering white frosting. He speaks to me of what has transpired, and of what will come, and my soul is filled with his glory and love.The pain of the past hours my body experienced, as always just before the storm, is now lifting, and I thank him for that,even as my "wings" tweak me just a little.There is no revelation without pain. No enlightening without a physical shudder of agony just preceding their emergence from my scapula,but as they bloom over my head and shoulders,and as I flex my muscles, I can hear the whir of their stirring the air, and even though I cannot see them, I know they are there.There is no vision, this night in my mind's eye, of the throne room, but I can hear his voice speaking to me, and he tells me of things that have gone before, and I can only gaze, eyes beginning to tear, as those words, so precious, come to me.  I am told things so important to hear, that the whole world seems to have held it's breath, so I miss not a single word.The reason for the pain is given, and it is perfectly understandable, now, why I had no rest for so many hours before this night.Why I was so weary from lack of sleep when the call came through telling me of the fulfillment of the prophetic word I gave over two years ago,and had repeated over and over again, at his prompting.The warning which had fallen again and again on deaf ears,until all those components of the impending doom it was given to me to predict had fallen into place, and once they were there, I stopped relating them, and those to whom it was given me to tell, seemed pleased that I stopped.It was not a good sign, but they took it as such. Now when the call came through, I was so sleep deprived, I could not properly react as one most surely had expected.My emotions were taken over by a mind-numbing,thick tongued apathy that refused all but the most basic responses as the story tumbled out.I know it appeared that I did not care. This was not so.Deeply I have cared enough to bull my way through for months at a time to push home the story that I knew was to come, all to no avail.It was given to me this night to wait until all had been said, and then I said the only thing I was allowed,nay, capable to say.

"I am so terribly sorry it has all come to this, but you do remember that I told you over two years ago of the word the Father had given me, do you not? Now you ask what can we do. All we can do now, is to pray the Omniscient, Omnipotent Father will be merciful, and to intervene in this situation,and to keep that loved one who would not listen to sound advice and fair warning, who walked into this with eyes wide open,and yet willingly blind as a bat, went back time after time, will be spared. Please forgive me, but I am so tired, I can barely stay awake.I love you, and I know you want to talk this out, but I have to go to bed.Don't stress over this any more tonight. Get some sleep, and we will talk tomorrow." I wanted to cry aloud, but I couldn't.It was all I could do, with help, to get to bed. I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow. Were it not so, I wouldn't have been able to function, other than to weep and wail and mourn the ultimate fate of someone so dear to me, she might well be considered my own daughter. But, of such is the grace and mercy of God Almighty. Grace! Unmerited favor had been shown to me and to those whom I love so dear, with such early and detailed warning, that cannot be explained any other way than the Love of God...but it had been ignored, and now, no matter what happens, my faith in him will not be shaken, because I am not a Prophet,yet an important prophesy was handed to me, and it was right and true, but not respected.

What more could God do? They knew I was a servant of the Lord for many years. He loved them enough to give me that warning. He cared enough to make me repeat it over and over and over,in the very face of smiles and even laughter at my dogged relentless "Jesus Freak" delusions.He only let me stop saying it when it was too late to change what was surely going to happen. Now, let me make this  clear. I am nobody. Nothing.I deserve no honor or glory, and I expect none.All I did, and all I do, is to try to follow the leading of the spirit. All the honor and glory go to God, should this turn out well. Keenly do I feel my failure to reach those to whom I was sent.But, He sent it, not I. All I did was to try to deliver his wisdom, but they received it not.I am just a messenger in an Iron breastplate. Or, to put it another way...IRONANGEL.

OUI? 

OCTOBER BLUE SKY!!!

The October blue sky is here again.Next to the gold, yellow, orange and red of the leaves on the trees, the blue becomes a whole new color, rich and sparkling, across which  a tiny brilliant bird flies, and I thrill to the sight.I have always loved autumn.The heat of summer is over, and now the nights are chilly, and the days are filled with warm sunlight. Quiet days, now that the droning of the air conditioners and fans have been stilled, the mowers have been put away, and the children are back in school. Nights are deeply silent too, now that the motorcycles have become too cold to race up and down the streets on after dark, and all the fireworks displays have ended for another season. Even the man next door has decided it is too chilly to set off firecrackers! Up and down the block the late afternoon sunlight is golden and filled with raking and last minute harvesting of gardens,and some planting is going on in preparation for next springs bloomings.Here an there, there might the be crackling of the burning of leaves, or an occasional hammering of someone patching the roof before the snow flies,the sizzle of a late grilling going on,and all of these sights and sounds punctuated by the "whap" of a a walnut hitting the roof or the porch,and above it all, that glorious blue sky. It's easy to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of this kind of October day, because after all, there are so few of them left.Soon the rain, wind and cold will come,and the days will become dreary and grey, and all we will have to remind us of the seasons to come, will be that glorious jewel, the occasional, October blue sky day.

OUI?

YOUR CHILDREN BEING WHAT THEY WERE MEANT TO BE!

Raising your children to be what they were meant to be, means you being the Mother you meant to be.Not to discount Fathers, for they are certainly important too, but so often any more, it is all about the Mother and her kids. She is left with the care-giving, and the nurturing, and the correction, even if Dad is in the home. Not surprising considering the amount of effort, time and dedication it takes to bring home a paycheck. But even if Daddy's there, and willing, his time, and therefore his impact is limited.He works hard.He gets tired sometimes, long before the children do, and so, the bulk of the parenting falls on Mother's shoulders.Even if she works at other things, and whose to say she can't or mustn't, yet still she is the mainstay of the family. The  one who props up the main "breadwinner" when he falters, or is weary or discouraged, the one who steps up and sees to it that the home is being run quietly and efficiently, who knows what needs to be done, when it needs to be done,and doesn't shirk certain duties when she is called upon to do them.Part of all that is keeping herself strong enough to endure the task. Not just physically, although that is a part of it.But mentally and spiritually, and emotionally strong.Much of this is self-explanatory,so it is not necessary to bore you with details, however, I will just touch on one or two points. Mothers get tired. In fact, I believe it is in the job description, "Mother must be tired." If you are well rested, and refreshed when you wake up in the morning, then you must have forgotten to do something... However campy that may sound, it is not altogether wrong. BUT! If Mother uses that excuse to ignore or avoid fulfilling her role as a mother, she is leaning a little too heavily on this excuse,and needs an attitude adjustment. As Wendi Speciale pointed out in her blog yesterday, If your response to inappropriate behavior on the part of your off-spring is to laugh it off, you are shirking your duty to your child, to raise them up to be sensitive people. If it is too much trouble to explain things to your children, perhaps you need to cut down your schedule a bit to fit in the raising of the kids! If this is your response to off-color remarks made by anyone, adult or child, but you find it especially amusing coming out of a small person's mouth, then you'd better check to make sure you are all there mentally, because allowed to go unchecked, that "funny" language will continue and grow in size and soon you will have a surly,foul mouthed, disrespectful pre-teen, whom no one, not even you, shall  be able to control. Emotionally, you must be in control of yourself, if you ever hope to control your child. It's just that simple. If you break down over the slightest little thing, then what will the future hold for you and your family when the serious problems arise? How can you hope to handle it, and stay in control of all your faculties, when your world is turned upside down, and you realize you don't have all the answers? Notice, I did not say "IF". I said "WHEN". When the serious problems arise.When the world turns upside down. Because, unless you live in some paradise of  undisclosed location, somewhere down the road, it's going to happen. Plan for it. The only way to plan for it, is to make that spiritual connection, now, before those kinds of conditions arise, and you find yourself desperate to find someone to turn to. In that state, you will be vulnerable for all sorts of  disastrous consequences, should you make the wrong decision. A strong spiritual base may or may not make  the problems go away, but it will keep you centered, and strong enough to endure the storms of life to get through it.And, NO, I am not talking SPIRITUALISM, as in tarot cards, Ouija boards, or astrology, chanting, having seances, or meditation.Those things run a poor second to real spiritual connection with our Creator.Only GOD can give you the peace that passes all understanding, no matter what you are going through! Only He will be there for you when no one else is. All those other things MAY put you in touch with the spirit world, but remember, not ALL spirits love you and want to help you.Even Angels, are not necessarily heavenly beings...if you recall, the evil spirits are FALLEN ANGELS. They have the ability to transform themselves into angels of light, but they are deceivers,and their purpose is to lead you away from the cross of Christ, and ultimately to destroy you and your family. Should you even DABBLE in that nonsense, you will suddenly find yourself beset on all sides with evil influences.Before you know it, you'll find yourself more mixed up than before, popping pills, and running off to a therapist three times a week, and talking the problem to death,while your kids do what they please, because Mom is never home, even when she's home, and your house and marriage go down the tubes! Sounds grim, I know, but that is what happens when you don't have control mentally, and you look for answers outside of the word of GOD. Your brains get scrambled.

If you love your kids, and I know you do, make that connection with the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT. Let the Lord lead you, in all things, and particularly in raising your child. Then, when those problems occur in your life, you don't have to worry, and you don't have to fret, you just give them to the Lord! He will keep you in perfect peace. Hey! That's the kind of God I serve!

Oh, by the way. Mustn't forget the physical side. After all,with that connection, you will find yourself on your feet more, running up and down the stairs twenty times a day, getting up and correcting your child NOW! AT THE MOMENT IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED! And responding to quarrels and other distressful sounds, and of course, keeping your house clean and neat. That takes care of the exercise you require to stay fit.As for your diet, DON'T! Just make sure you have your 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, more protein than carbs,and drink lots of water,plus a glass of skim milk at each meal.After all that, I doubt very much if you will have room for high calorie sweets, sugary carbonated beverages, desserts, or junk food. Follow that, and you will have the energy necessary to run after your kids! Be a good Mom. Your the only one they've got! God Bless!

OUI?

HOW CAN YOU FEEL ALONE, WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON?

Do you feel alone? Why? Don't you know, that even if you are alone, you really aren't? Don't you feel it in your heart? Don't you know it, in your brain? How is it possible, that you can look out through your eyes, and not sense there is a power making it possible for you to do that? No, I am not talking ghosts or anything creepy like that. That is just silliness, talked about to scare children. I am refering to being surrounded by so great a cloud of wonderful spiritual beings, who are so intensly interested in your everyday life, you should be able to detect them. If  you sit still, and don't distract yourself by television, or a book, or radio, but just be quiet, you should know what I am talking about. Now, I am not speaking about visions of  Angels or God or Jesus, although, I would never rule anything out. What I am talking about is that sense that we all have, that tells us "someone is watching me." Though it shouldn't raise the hackles on the back of your neck, but should be just a knowing...you are part of the universe, meant to be here, and with a purpose, that, if you listen, you will begin to hear and understand what the spirit world is trying to tell you.

I was up first and early this morning. I opened the door, and sat looking out at the garden. I was inspired to do this, by seeing the flags and trees being fluffed in the wind, and the breeze was so sweet, and the sunrise was so new, it took me back to vacation mornings by the lakes.I would do the same thing then, and sometimes, slip into my swim suit,and grab a towel, and go down on the dock  by myself, after leaving a note for the family. I would drape the towel over the bench at the end of the dock, and go down the ladder, and slip into the water, easy and quiet, pushing off from the ladder as soon as the water was waist high. I would feel the same thing I felt this morning. The fragrant air, so sweet. The lake water, like silk as I would glide out, breaststroke, sidestroke, back stroke, turning and almost spinning as I went,and then coming to rest on my back, floating, deaf with my ears filled with water,watching the sky and birds as they flew, through the tree cover. With a fluttering scull stroke I stayed close to shore, and the dock, not allowing the tide to take me out to the middle of the lake, or ground me on the beach. All of that came back to me in an instant, just smelling the wind and seeing how lovely the garden was, and I could actually FEEL that silky water again, oh, how lovely it was. What a wonderful sensation to be out of that hot stuffy loft bedroom of the cabin I shared with my sister, and to be alone, with only my own breathing in my ears, my long hair no longer a blanket on the back of my neck, but to be in the water and cool....coool, and then, reluctantly, I closed the door,and with the calmness brought on by that memory, what else could I do? I went back to bed...hehe

And with reliving that memory once again, guess what? I think I'll take a little nap....nite-nite

OUI?

EXCEEDING YOUR EXPECTATIONS!

Just when you think God can't do any more wonderful things in your life, something happens. It can start out as simply as an invitation to a friend, to come and spend the evening. Something you have done a dozen times before, and out of nowhere, he can turn it into something so miraculous, so fabulous, that it takes your breath away. Sherry came over tonight, and Yon son was able to spring for Chinese take out, and I had,(naturally) sweet and sour chicken, and we all had something different, but we sat and enjoyed tasting each others favorite dish,and that was great. By the time we were done, we  were stuffed,and then we moved into the dinning room,and played the games on the computer, and then we had bible study, and some singing and more music, went here and there on the Internet, and then went back to the games. It all sounds so ordinary, and routine, but let me tell you, there was such a spirit of love and companionship tonight, that, as every visit from Sherry is, it was different.Before we had even one bite of food, we bowed our heads, and asked the Lord to bless us and our evening, and he did. He blessed our food, our laughter, and took control of our whole night.That, as they say, is as it should be. He inspired our thoughts and led us to pray for the lost souls in our families, and helped us to understand just what he could and would do for us, if only we would ask.When it comes right down to it, we know what it is the Lord wants us to do, and what he wants us to pray for, and yet, there has to be an inspiration there, that leads us. Truly, every time with Sherry is an event, and The Lord just makes it more so. To elucidate, I feel it important to say that even when Sherry and I or Yon son have a disagreement, it does not  degenerate into more than that. We have found it is possible, even entertaining, to put emotion on hold, and trade points of view, without a fight. We delight in the art of conversation, debating our separate stands, with eloquence, good humor,and mirthful analogy, and sometimes even gentle teasing, cackling all the while, and sometimes we reach a point where one of us will accept the others point of view, and sometimes not. I doesn't matter. Inevitably, we will end up, respecting the others viewpoint, and then, we drop it!

And, we have made a pact, that from now on, when we pray for our families, we will do it agreeing with each other in prayer, because that is what the body of Christ is really all about.Unity,in one spirit, stretching out forward to the mark, the goal, that the Lord will bring us together, to do his will, and by the grace of God, we are brought into his will.

It was a perfect night...and, in fact, it isn't even quite over.But Sherry's such a darling, she insisted that I do my blog, before we go back and play the games some more. Isn't she a sweetie?

It reminds me of an old song, that comes to mind on nights like this...it's" when you come to the end of a perfect day...." And, even without money,without price, this has been as perfect a day as I have had in a long, long time.

PLEASE PRAY FOR SHERRY'S FINANCIAL NEED! IT IS EMINENT!

OUI?

MEMORIAL DAY MORNING

I went to the kitchen door, and what I saw there drew me out to the garden. My white-gold rosebush is in almost full bloom, with deep red roses...how odd, but what drew me there was the pre-dawn light mingled with a soft fog. It was as though clouds had descended upon my back yard,and the arch the rosebush has grown into, all on it's own is so lovely the way it swoops over the birdbath, and seems to be reaching for the volunteer three year old black walnut tree on the other side of the birdbath.This was the sight that becond to me as I glanced out the door, and then, around the corner of the porch, my shocking pink peonies winked and nodded at me, and I just had to see it all up close. So, I went out, still in my slippers and jammies, to a chorus of birds, with their beautiful morning calls, and it was all so perfect. No one was about to see me. It was as though for the moment, I was in my own little world, and it lent itself to reflection of just what this day means. I thought of Mother and Daddy, and my brothers, all of them, gone. The thought came again, I have more family in heaven than I do on earth...and the feeling came over me that just for that time, perhaps, I was allowed a tiny peek of what heaven must really be like. So beautiful.The fog, so soft and lovely, the birdcalls, so sweet, and the songs so delightful. Then again, as I have before, I felt the love of God enveloping me...and it was all, so perfect.

Memorial day. Remember them, as they would have wished. I did.

OUI?

BATHS,SHOWERS, AND OTHER KINDS OF CLEANSING!

When you were an infant, your mother or nurse bathed you, first by cradling you in her arm, and washing you with a warm washcloth, dipped repeatedly in a large bowl or other container of warm water,and perhaps a mild suds from a baby cleanser, or oil,or baby shampoo, that would not make your little eyes tear.Then later, you were immersed in that water, still cradled in those loving arms, and finally, you graduated into a baby bathtub, or an even larger bowl, or perhaps even the kitchen sink,where you actually sat up on your own.If she,(or he) did this job well and with gentle confidence, you learned from little on, that bath time is a good experience,and even joyful, punctuated by you with lots of giggling and splashing,once you reached a certain age.About the time you started walking,you grew too big for the kitchen sink.A real good indicator is, by the time you are capable of climbing into and out of the sink by yourself, you can no longer take a bath there! So, once again, you graduated to the actual bathtub. When my son came of this age, we lived in a little dinky house, with one bedroom, which possessed NO bathtub.We had a shower. I had two choices. To keep laboriously filling the baby bathtub, and lugging it to the kitchen table, so I could bathe him without killing my back from bending over too far, or to take him into the shower with me. It was a difficult choice,and a difficult time, for me. My baby was just as happy as a little toad to sit in his baby bathtub, and splash around, grinning, while I washed him, and rinsed him, and shampooed his hair.He loved it. I, on the other hand, did not love the number carrying all that sloshy water back and forth to the sink was doing on my body. The shower option wasn't much better. Imagine, if you will, how dreadfully uncomfortable it is to go naked into the shower with a naked baby in your arms,and to proceed to try to wash said baby, while wriggling, wet and slippery, while you struggle to clean all parts.On a scale of one to ten, the level of difficulty was ten,compounded by the fact that my baby HATED the shower.He did not like the bathwater falling from above his head,he did not like not being able to sit and splash,and he was terrified,once we were both wet, that I was going to drop him.That is instinctive, by the way, all children are terrified of falling. I got the picture, real quick. The second time I walked into the shower with him, and turned on the water, he began to scream, and turn all red in the face,and that was it.I turned off the shower,and dragged out the baby bathtub. Still, I had a problem, but the solution was simple.We moved. Well! I didn't say it was EASY. But in order to have a proper environment for a child, it is imperative that you have easy...make that workable access to bathing facilities for them, and for you. Sending him into the shower alone, was not an option.I don't know about your child, but my child wasn't capable of walking across a clean, bare floor,bone dry without falling down! I certainly wasn't going to allow him to slip and slide around in an archaic old bathroom, with a shower head and a drain that was supposed to be a shower.That,coupled with the obvious fact that children under age 5 or 6, depending on the child, should never, ever be left alone in the bath,made my mind up for me.So, we moved into a larger place, with a bathtub, and turned around my son's new hatred for the bath, back into an attitude of total delight.It is essential that you make sure your child loves to bathe, because the life long tendency is set up by the parent.He now loves not only a bath, but also a shower, because I was able to make that change quickly. I shudder to think what he might be like now, had I not heeded the warning signs and gone on insisting that he take showers. He might have turned out to be one of the unwashed individuals it has been my misfortune to come in contact with,whose fragrance precedes them.Or, to put it more bluntly,someone who has body odor. I am mystified by such people. How, in this day and age,does one grow up without learning the simple techniques of cleansing oneself? Are they victims of improper rearing? Did their mother never give them baths they enjoyed? Were they throwbacks, to the era when, in order to wash up, they had to go outside with a pitcher and a bowl, and draw water out of a cold cistern,take a bar of lye soap,and shiver while they washed, in order to get clean? It is possible. There are still homes, in rural areas, where there is no running water,and one must take sponge baths. I have had such experiences. I know what it is to have to be very determined to have a hot bath.It is a lot of work to drag ice cold water into the house, heat it on the stove,and pour it into a portable bathtub,and repeat the action seven times, just to have enough hot water to get clean.To say nothing of the amount of work involved in reheating that bath for several children, getting them all dry before they start to turn blue,and then to empty the tub, bucketful by bucketful. But the people I have encountered recently, now,do not have those kinds of drawbacks to everyday bathing. Most of them have only to walk into the bathroom, turn on the water,and get in. So why do they remain so pungent? Can't they smell themselves? Do they find it amusing that even their friends won't walk downwind of them? Don't they know that soap is cheap? Hasn't anyone ever introduced them to deodorant,anti-perspirant,after shave or perfume? Now, I know that in the vast configuration of things, this is only a small consideration. Only a part of the total life of a human being. But we were given noses,and sweat glands for a reason.Both should be responded to  in an appropriate and timely fashion. If your life is so busy, that you have to make time to bathe, by all means, do it.If your family or co-workers give you bath items as gifts, they might be trying to tell you something. If, when you walk into the room, people back off from you, and hold their noses, they might be trying to avoid smelling you. And, finally, if the reason  you don't take baths is because you don't have a shower, or you do, and prefer a bathtub,then do what I did. Move. If you don't appreciate what you have, then you'd better get what you can appreciate, and use it, to make us all more comfortable, and healthy.Last of all. If you are one of those individuals who doesn't care that they smell bad,or look dirty,grimy and greasy, then at least do the world a favor and find a job where you don't come in contact with others, and resign yourself to a lonely life, because most of us like a sweet smell about us, and enjoy seeing clean skin, hair and clothes...Or, buy yourself an industrial sized vat of fabreeze!

OH! By the way, Both a bath and a shower will get you just as clean, though some people don't like the " Idea of sitting in their own dirt", to quote a fanatic on the subject, but it is all in what you like.Either way you'll be clean...Okay?

And finally, should you not understand the whole purpose for keeping your body clean, remember, the human body comes in contact with millions of germs and bacteria every day,and sheds millions of skin cells,and secrets oils from surface glands.Now, consider scientifically the impact on the human body that likes to keep warm and moist, if those germs and bacteria are allowed to mingle with the waste cells and oils, in an ideal growth environment of warm moistness.The germs and bacteria  will then grow,and that unclean body becomes a mobile center for illness and disease! It is an unhealthy situation for the person who does not wash, as well as for every person with whom that person comes in contact. Should you doubt any of this information, contact your local hospital, and question them on the way medicine was revolutionized by the simple act of keeping patients clean!

OUI?

HEAVY STRANGENESSES

WHAT A DAY. A DAY LIKE ALL DAYS, AND YET, NOT. FILLED WITH

SUCH PECULIARITIES, REFRESHING WIERDNESSES, STRANGE

PEOPLE AND COMMENTS, OFF THE WALL OPPORTUNITIES, AND

ALL OF IT NORMAL, AND THEN, ON SECOND REFLECTION..ODD.

ALL DAY LONG, THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING TO ME, AND

EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, I AM SHAKING MY HEAD AND

SAYING, HOW VERY ODD.

IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN. MOST NIGHTS I CAN GO WHIPPING

THROUGH A BLOG WITH NO PROBLEMS WHATEVER, BUT THIS

TIME, IT'S LIKE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING AND HAVE IT TURN OUT

THE WAY IT SHOULD, AT LEAST, TO MY SATISFACTION.

STUPID BLUNDERS, SILLY MISTAKES, AND IT JUST GOES ON!

I HAVEN'T TAKEN A BREATH OR MADE A MOVE IN THE LAST

24 HOURS, THAT I HAVEN'T HAD TO BACKTRACK AND FIX

SOMETHING I'VE MESSED UP. WELL, BREATHING, THANK GOD,

YES, THAT GOES ON ALL THE TIME, BUT THAT IS ONLY THANKS

TO GOD. EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR, HAS

BEEN AN UNQUALIFIED DISASTAR FROM BEGINNING TO END.

THERE! YOU SEE? IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN! YOU HAVE NO IDEA

WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON, REALLY. I HAVE HAD TO GO BACK

AND REWORK THIS LAST PARAGRAPH TWICE!

AND THAT ONE SENTANCE I LEFT FOR YOU TO SEE, IS JUST THE

(CHOKE ) TIP OF THE ICEBERG. LORD, I CANNOT BELIEVE I USED

THAT OLD CHESTNUT. IT GAGS ME WHEN I HEAR, OR SEE

OTHERS FALL BACK ON IT, IT IS SO OVERWORKED, BUT  WHAT

AM I TO DO? I AM SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OPPRESSIVE

ATTACK OF THE STUPIDS TODAY. I AM ALMOST AFRAID TO THINK

OF SOMETHING CREATIVE, FOR FEAR IT WON'T TRANSLATE

WELL. ARE YOU WITH ME, HERE? EVEN WHILE I AM RELATING

THESE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS, I AM WONDERING IF I WILL

BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO MY EVENTUAL POINT, WITHOUT

SOME MAJOR OVERHAUL OF MY BLOG, OR (GOD FORBID)

MY COMPUTER CRASHING...KNOCK ON WOOD!

WELL, PART OF THIS I BLAME ON YE OLD SWITCHING THE

E-MAIL . WHEN IT FINALLY CAME THROUGH, I HAD 620 EMAILS,

WHICH I HAVE  SLOGGGED THROUGH TILL NOW I HAVE ONLY

315 TO GO. WHAT A JOB!

AND NOW, FOR SOME STRANGE INCOMPREHENSIBLE REASON,

I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF EMAILS RETURNED TO ME, UNDELIVER

-ABLE. I FEEL REALLY AWFULL ABOUT THAT. I SUSPECT THAT

SOMEONE GOT OFFENDED BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET THEIR EMAIL

RIGHT AWAY, OR FOR SOME REASON, THEY DON'T WANT TO

HEAR FROM ME.

I CAN NOT COMPREHEND WHY ANYONE WOULD BLOCK AN

EMAIL OR COMMENT FROM ME. I HAVE ONLY NICE THINGS TO

SAY TO OTHER BLOGGERS. IF I DON'T LIKE SOMETHING I'VE

READ, I JUST GO ON AND SAY NOTHING . I ONLY COMMENT ON

THE ONES I LIKE.

BUT, I GUESS THAT'S THE WAY IT IS IN THIS WORLD. NO MATTER

HOW YOU TRY TO "BE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER IN

HEAVEN IS PERFECT," WE'RE ALL GOING TO FALL SHORT OF

THE MARK.

THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN.

SO, NOW I'VE GOT MY BLASTED FEELINGS HURT, AND SO

I'LL WANDER OFF AND WHEN I GET OVER IT, I'LL BE BACK...

AND I KNOW WHEN I DO, I'LL CHECK MY STATS AND REFERRERS,

AND I STILLWON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS.

BUT, IT'S ALRIGHT. I AM SORT OF GETTING  USED TO IT.

IF I GOT A COMMENT NOW, I'D PROBABLY FALL OUT OF MY

CHAIR.

OH WELL.

GO AHEAD AND BE THAT WAY. SEE IF I CARE.

I BLOG BECAUSE I LOVE TO WRITE. SILLY ME, I THOUGHT I

MIGHT  OCCASIONALLY GET A RESPONSE.

AND THAT, AS THEY SAY, IS WHAT I GET FOR THINKING!

WHAT THE HECK? I NEVER SAID I WAS PERFECT!

OUI?