Monday July 13, 2015  I REMEMBERED IT IS MONDAY!

So, what does one write on a travel log night after night when one is not traveling?  I guess that makes no sense.  I have a column titled Travel Log.  Perhaps I should have one titled Home Log.  As long as no one complains I’ll keep it as is.  Besides even if someone did complain I do not have open forum so no one else ever need know.

However, I am planning in the future to have another blog.  I do think I wrote of it once in the months past.  My son gave me the idea.  I’ll repeat myself here and let you know I am repeating myself so you won’t think it is my old age catching up with me.  I know some have joined this blog later than others and per chance they did not read that particular blog wo I will reiterate.

When I asked my son what I should name the blog I was planning to write while on my trip he QUICKLY responded with “THE OPINION YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR”.  Hmmm…that was a bit too quick of a response.  Makes me think he might think I give my opinion too often!  So…I looked up the domain and it was taken and could only be used by a paying blogger.  Well, if I can get it without costing something I’d rather do that.  So I googled the domain name “THE OPINION YOU DID NOT ASK FOR” through wordpress and it was available so I gobbled it up.  It sits there waiting for me to start work on it.  Until my life situation settles down a bit it will be on the back burner.  But…I really do look forward to working on it.  I plan to have an open forum and bring up some controversial opinions contrary to the popular secular world.  I would love to get some discussions going.  When I finally have time I just hope I can still remember what I want to do.  Oh well, I like dreaming, and thinking, and planning.  My son asked me what I was going to put on the bog.  “MY OPINIONS OF COURSE”, I responded.  I hope I still have some opinions when the time comes.  Life is getting shorter by the day.  I may have only 30 or 40 years left!  However many years I have left I sure do enjoy living each moment of them.

Today consisted of two doctor appointments with Dave, one workout session with myself, laundry, and just the normal everyday tasks, fixing meals, eating meals, cleaning up.  What more can I say.  Life goes on even after a four month trip.  But there is a lot of catching up to do.  And my poem arises from my depths.

LIFE HAS A WAY

By Kathleen Martens

July 13, 2015

When you live a dream

It begins to feel real.

And then something happens

To break the deal.

Time marches on

One moment at a time

And the days number on

And time flies by.

And all that you do

And all that you see

Is tucked in your heart

As neat as can be.

And all that happened

In those days of yore

Becomes the dream

That is no more.

For life has a way

To fill the space

Of each day that passes

In such a race.

The dream that was lived

Is like a borrowed treasure

To bring out and admire

And give you pleasure.

The reality is gone

But the memory lives

And so much joy

To the heart it gives.

And that which is precious,

The everyday task

Is where life is lived

And questions asked.

The simple and ordinary

Are the special things.

The everyday of life

Simple joys bring.

To be home again

The normal becomes

The precious moments

When you’re on the run.

And through ups and downs

God puts a smile on your face

For even the hardships

Are lived with grace.

When you love life

Regardless what you do

You love where you are

And whatever you ensue.

Today when Dave and I went to one of his appointments he was seen by a Physician’s Assistant.  At the end of his appointment I asked her what was the best wisdom she had for us if she could tell us one thing.  This is what  P.A., Joanna told us.

Joanna’s wisdom:  “Eat Clean”.

Two simple words.  The very same words that was on the top of an article that Dave and I were reading out loud at lunch before we went to see her.  And what is interesting to me is that just yesterday Dave and I were talking about food and I told him the best way to eat was to eat clean.  He asked me what that meant.  I explained that it was eating foods in their natural state, the foods I like to eat.  And then the next day (today) we have two confirmations of exactly what it does mean by both a PA and an article written by a nutritionist.  I think that was good confirmation.

I have just returned from a journey of my own.   Dave is now embarking on a new journey of his own.   He is a very private person, and that is difficult when you’re married to me.  But, this is, and will be his journey and I will not be writing much about it after this blog.  If he says I can write some milestones and landmarks I will do so but other than that you’ll just have to wait and see where his journey takes him.  Maybe when he gets farther down the road he will open up and share.  All I will tell you here is that my husband is one of the greatest men I know and is worth everything I can do to help him as he goes down a new path as he enters into retirement.  After living with him for 42 years I can truthfully say that there is not another man alive that I have ever met has the integrity that he has.  Can you tell I’m still in love with him?

Good night, my husband is going to bed and so am I.  It is only 9:20 p.m.  Yeah!  Another early night.  I’ll go get my beauty sleep.  I heard once that the best sleep your body can get is the accumulative sleep you get before midnight.  I have nothing to base it on except that it  is  what someone told me.  Believe what you want.  I choose to believe it!

Good night and sweet dreams.

Sunday Sabbath July 12, 2015  EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS!

I have finally figured out how to exceed my expectations of what I am going to accomplish in one day’s time.  I simply do not make any expectations!  Yesterday I told Dave that all I wanted to do today after attending church and going to Costco was to come home and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.  Well, so far Dave carved a chicken off the bone, I cooked the bones for broth, Dave strained it and bottled three quarts of broth that now is cooling to be put in the freezer.

While the chicken was boiling I made broccoli/cauliflower salad (take into mind that everything must be cleaned and cut up).  Baked a pan of broccoli with lime juice (delicious recipe my daughter-in-law made up).  Stir fried a zucchini pepper pie double size (without the pie crust to lower the carbs) and baked it in the oven. Cut up a mango (the kind that has the perfect taste) and refrigerated it for later.  Dave husked the corn on the cob for dinner. Prepared several vegetables for cooking later and washed and prepared fruit to have ready to eat.  Dinner is ready to serve up when we are ready to eat.

Maybe you think I am obsessing about food but I just want to tell you something.  I probably am obsessing about food because I have so much of it come into my house at once that if I am not obsessed with getting it cooked, cleaned for later use,  prepared for later dinners or freezer, it would go to waste.  Those who have a vegetable garden to tend to probably know what I mean.  At certain times it consumes you.  And people ask me what do I do to call myself busy?  Part of it is the food prep from the farm boxes I receive each week.  Thursday comes around fast and fortunately for me Thursday is not every day like Saturday is. So, I tell you about my food because it is what I accomplished today.  I had no plans to do so (remember my expectation was to do absolutely nothing today).   So…since that was my expectation I am just “bragging” a little bit by telling you how much I exceeded my expectation.  It is a good feeling to have it all done.  Yes, it is never ending and there is more to do tomorrow.  I still need to make a cucumber salad.  And yes, we will eat all this good food throughout the week as well as next winter from the freezer.  Can’t remember if I told you but I made 13 quarts of soup a day or so ago.  Nine made it into the freezer, we are in the process of eating the two in the fridge and the other two went to a neighbor.  And I have lots more soup to make.  Now you know why I had to get home.  Oh yes, I almost forgot.  I want to make a huge coleslaw tomorrow.  Lots of cabbage in this house this week!

Dave is slowly feeling better.  He is down most of the time with his leg elevated and comes knocking on the kitchen door volunteering to do short tasks so he can be upright for a while.  He can only be up for a few moments at a time.  But hey, I take all the help I can get.  He did not go to church today as he needs to be isolated from close contact with other people for a while, more for his benefit that the other people.  He did go in for his antibiotic infusion and is able to drive.  Tomorrow he has two appointments, one of which I will need to be in attendance.

Our pastor is doing a three week series about how to pray.  The first one was the last Sunday in June and the second one was today.  I listened to the first one online because I wasn’t home yet.  An excellent series.  The second one was today because of last week being a holiday weekend.  I especially enjoyed today’s message.  To hear google City Church Madison Wisconsin.

Our “new normal” is slowing coming to surface.  I think it will take about a year for it to evolve.  One thing we have agreed on is that we do not plan to take on any new commitments in the next 12 months to give us time to accomplish a few things that will help make our life a little simpler.  I didn’t know just how many opportunities would come knocking.  I love being involved with people and doing things and going places but we are saying no to the commitments of weekly or monthly participation.  We will still have fun with our friends on occasion and maybe even entertain a bit when things settle down with Dave’s health situation.  It is a great relief to know that we do not “have to” take on new responsibilities if we do not want to.  We do want to be in the Lord’s will and have a close relationship during these next few months.  We are taking this time to rest in his presence and invite His Holy Spirit to come into our lives in a mighty way.  I feel a poem coming to surface:

THANK YOU FATHER FOR YOUR AMAZING PLAN

By Kathleen Martens

July 12, 2015

Come Holy Spirit as I sit at your feet.

Speak to my heart so I hear Your voice.

Allow me to rest in Your loving presence

As I come to You by my choice.

I seek Your face and You draw nigh unto me

Your compassion and love like a blanket spread.

I ask for Your favor and You pour out Your peace

And You set the table where I am fed.

Fed from Your word written in my heart

And the words Jesus spoke on earth.

Your love is greater than I can comprehend,

More valuable than Gold is Your worth.

You are my comforter sent from the Son

That I would never be alone,

But would have all eternity with You

Worshiping around God’s throne.

Thank you Father for your amazing plan

That a way would be made for me

That I would be able to live with You

Worshipping throughout eternity.

I give You my heart, I give You my love

I give you all that I am.

Thank you for giving to me

Your Son as the righteous lamb.

Thank You Lord for the poem you just gave to my heart.  May it bless another.

Hey this has been a record time.  I have only been at the computer for 50 minutes.  It will take a bit to publish and proofread so I will end soon, eat dinner, and be ready for another early night.  If I do nothing else I will still have exceeded my expectations!  That’s a good feeling.

Have a great evening!

SATURDAY (IT REALLY IS) July 11, 2015  GETTING BACK TO REALITY

Getting back to reality means questions.  I am constantly asking questions; to myself; to God.  As I sat down to spend time with the Lord this morning the questions came.  I always write the date, the time, the weather, and where I am.  I did so in my journal and the following is the rest of what I wrote:

“Simple lines on a page.  Denotes I AM here.  Later it will tell others that I WAS here.  I exist in this moment of time.  What will it matter 100 years from now? I hope to some lives that I’ve touched it will matter because they too will be living in eternity with God.  The wisdom a blog reader sent in last night “only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last” has made me do some thinking.  Oh how true are those words.  And what I must remember is that every action, every word I speak, has the power to make a profound change in another’s life.  For good or for bad.”

My time was interrupted and I didn’t get back to my written journal until this evening as I opened up to write my blog.  I hadn’t yet written a poem and as quickly as I sat down at the kitchen counter this poem came spilling out of me.  More questions.

ONLY WHAT’S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST

By Kathleen Martens

July 11, 2015

Only one life am I granted to live.

How will I spend it?  To what shall I give?

Does it matter what I choose to do?

How will my life help others through?

What words can I say that will fashion a soul?

Is it important as to what are my goals?

Do I need be concerned about my actions,

Or who I’m involved with, or with what factions?

Do I live for self, care not for others?

How do I address the needs of my brothers?

All these questions swirl in my head.

No matter what I do, someday I’ll be dead,

Though I am here now in 100 years will it matter?

If the answer is “NO”, there is nothing sadder.

Will even one life be changed by me?

Will I be the cause of where someone spends eternity?

Will something I said change their course of direction,

And their spiritual life, given an inspection?

That they would know God in an intimate way

Because of the words that I say today?

I have “only one life, so soon will be past,

Only what’s done For Christ will last.”

This poem is inspired by the words of wisdom sent in last night by Robin.  Thank you Robin for your inspirational wisdom.

The Lord gave me words of confirmation after I wrote this poem.  I sit here now debating if I am to share them on my blog.  And I hear in my heart “The words I give to you are for you to share”…OKAY…here goes.

These are my heart sounds that I believe are from the Lord:

“Every word you say, every action you do, do it as unto Me.  What one person can do to influence another to turn to me is the great commission I have set before you.  Let your life tell My story.  Actions always speak louder than words.  Live out your salvation that others will know there is something different about you.  My message will be shown by what you do, how you love, then and only then, by what you profess.  Be my disciple wherever you go.  You may be home but I will still be bringing to you those who need to hear My voice.  Encourage and confirm others.  There are so many who need to hear what I speak to you.  It does matter.  Every day of your life matters.  When you touch one life it has a rippling effect.  Each life you touch will in some way touch and influence another life.  No one is unimportant.  I love the multitudes.  Let your heart be tuned to Me, but keep your eyes on the multitude.  There is always someone who is ready to hear my message for I am wooing the lost.  Be my voice to those searching.  You are my beloved.  I will give you strength and courage.”

It is a bit intimidating to me to share my actual journal writing.  A blog is not my personal journal but rather a chronicle of my trip; my days since I’ve been home.  It is more about what I’ve done or thought so I don’t lose it in the haze of my old age memory.  When I give you a peek into my journal it’s sort of like I am undressing in front of a crowd.  AND I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!  I think God is preparing me to share more of what I have already written and I need the courage to do so.  Well, he just impressed upon me that He will give me strength and courage so I will accept that and believe it to be true.  I have courage about a lot of things, and for all those things I give thanks.  Now I guess it is time to step out and let him boost my courage in the areas yet untraveled.

My “chronicles” today are meager.  Listened to a great sermon in bed before getting up.  I am waking up earlier and earlier since I’m going to bed early.  Dave must lie down as much as possible so we lie there together listening to the words of a minister in Modesto where I attended in April while I was there.  I love his teaching.  Maybe I already told you about him but I want to mention him again so if someone doesn’t read that blog but reads this one they will have the resource to find the website.  Google “Modesto Calvary Chapel” The pastor’s name is Damien Kyle.  Excellent teacher.  Dave and I are listening to the series of Matthew.  If you want some more good teaching you can google, City Church Madison Wisconsin, where we attend and receive some interesting sermons as well.

Worked outside in the yard today.  Weeded a lot and planted several pots of flowers and a planter in the back yard where I am starting a perineal garden.  The yard got away from Dave this spring due to his long work hours and all the spring rain watering the weeds.  We have a big yard, lots of borders and gardens and LOTS OF WEEDS THAT CREEP IN FROM THE WOODS! After lunch I went to the gym, then came home to neighborhood gab with the ladies on the street.  We live on a circle (cul-de-sac) with 4 houses.  Everyone is always working in their front yards, or garage, or back yards.  We live a community where there are no fences.  One yard runs into the next one.  I love the openness and freedom of this kind of living.  It was very different getting used to all the fences around homes in some of the states.  We’ve lived here almost 30 years now.  We’ve seen one generation die off, another come and go, and we’re still here.  I hope I go out head first.  Or is it feet first?  Oh well, I hope I live here till I die.  Just thought you’d like to know Dave.  I don’t’ think I’ve ever told him that.  I’m the one that is always wishing we could sell and downsize.  He’s the one who wants to live here forever so he can work in the yard.  After today’s weeding I can’t wait until his leg is better!

I finally came in the house, fixed dinner just in case we got hungry, started writing my blog and it’s 8:30 and we still haven’t eaten.  I guess I’ll close so we can eat and go to bed.

Tuesday I will start working on my design work for the wedding album I must do.  I need uninterrupted hours and that will be the first day for such a possibility.  Who knows, since there are so many Saturdays between now and Tuesday perhaps I’ll even finish my unpacking.

Good night.  Still waiting for some more wisdom to come in.  Please go to contact tab and give me a line!

Friday July 10 2015  EVERYDAY IS SATURDAY!

My husband is truly retired.  I am supposed to be truly retired but I have left over work to do so I don’t feel truly retired.  But one thing that is different, now that my husband isn’t going to work every day, every day is now Saturday.  Truly!  When I wake up without an alarm, look across the bed (before he went into the hospital) at him still sleeping, I think it must be Saturday.  Then I remember that it is not.  And then the really hard part is trying to remember what day of the week it really is.  I’ve yet to establish a routine of any sort.  Perhaps when that falls into place I’ll remember the day of the week.

Oh well, I like Saturdays!

It is good to have Dave home again.  He can’t do much because he must keep his leg elevated but it is nice to hear the background noise of him in the house.  I’ve discovered that a house is not a home.  It is the people in the house that make it feel like a home.  Having him gone for four days opened my eyes to how empty it must have felt with me gone.  However he did confess, that as usual, he always left for work early morning and worked late while I was gone.  He had so much work to accomplish before he retired and had to tie up a lot of loose ends of different contracts so he was under a lot of pressure at work and probably under less stress with me not around since he didn’t feel pressured to come home earlier.  Anyway, that’s the way I’ll think about it so I won’t feel so bad for being gone so long.  I will say IT IS GOOD TO BE HOME even if every day is Saturday.

Dave still has a long recovery ahead of him.  He was told today at the infectious disease place he went to for intravenous antibiotics that he will be coming longer than they originally told him.  The Doctor told him that it could be weeks before He is out of the woods.  He must go every day for several more days for the drugs and then will be reassessed as to what they plan for a course of treatment.  His leg, the source of the infection, still looks very bad.  But, he could walk today.  That is a good step (no pun intended) in the right direction.  It may take a while to get his full health and strength back but I am just so happy that he is feeling better and is coherent to what is going on around him.  It was not a pretty picture to see the kind of pain and condition he was in.  I am so thankful that he has made such progress the last five days.  I thank God every day for Dave’s continued healing.

Part of my Scripture reading this morning was in Psalms 92.  Here are the verses that spoke to my heart.  Read each line slowly and carefully out loud.  I love writing scripture longhand in my diary because it seems to take on a new and more understandable meaning.  When you must put in all the punctuation you realize that sometimes sentences can mean something entirely different when the punctuation is not emphasized.  Writing it out helps me see and understand that.  Here is the scripture:

Psalms 92:  12-15:

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,

He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

They shall still bear fruit in old age;

They shall be fresh and flourishing,

To declare that the Lord is upright.

He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

I purposely made a new line for each end of punctuation.  Notice what kind of punctuation each line ends with and read it accordingly.  It is powerful.  As an older person in our society I listen more acutely when the scripture talks about the “old”.  There are some mighty awesome promises given to us old geezers!  I could go on and on about the different verses but I won’t take the time now.  Just really read these lines as punctuation dictates and realize that God is giving us promises in his Word about so many things.  I take these promises to heart.  I probably interpret it differently than a young person would because to me these promises are real.  Here is my interpretation of what it means to me.

“As I live righteously (following in the steps of Jesus) I will live and stay tall and strong, yet will still be able to bend to the winds of adversity and flourish, by again being tall and straight, when the winds pass.  I will have roots that will last a long lifetime and give shade and comfort to the weary as they pass by.  Because by feet are steadfast in the presence of the Lord I shall flourish in His presence and have a close intimacy with the Lord.  And even though I am old I will still be of service to God and bear fruit for His kingdom.  I will maintain a freshness and vitality of life that I will flourish and not let old age cause me to wilt, lose hope, or give up.  And while I flourish I will declare to others that the Lord is upright and give witness to others of who He is to me, that He is my rock and I know that there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

That is what that passage of scripture means to me.  And I hope it is true until the day I go to be with the Lord.  I desire to declare the glory of the Lord and the miracles He has done in my life.  Here is the poem I wrote this morning after reading the above scripture.  I just love the scripture!

YOUR WRITTEN WORD

By Kathleen Martens

July 10, 2015

Oh Lord, You are mighty

And I give my thanks to You.

You are higher than the mountains,

The whole world is in Your view.

I sing praises to Your name

For You have made me glad.

Your lovingkindness washes over me

More amazing than anything else I’ve had.

You speak that the righteous shall flourish

And grow like a cedar.

And when I am planted in Your house

I will know You are my leader.

And You say I will flourish in Your courts

And will bear fruit even when old.

And continue to be fresh and flourishing

For in Your scriptures these words are told.

And I will declare You are upright

For You are my rock and my tower.

In You there is no unrighteousness

For You are Holy and pure, my source of power.

Clothed in Your majesty, some day I will see

Your throne established from old.

For I believe Your written Word

The inspired Word You have told.

Thanks to all of you who got to the end of this blog tonight and for listening to an “old lady”* on a Saturday.  Oops!  It’s not Saturday, it is still Friday.

*Just so you know, I don’t feel old on the inside.  Just thought you might like to know.  Short blog tonight as I’m aiming for “old lady bed time”.  Didn’t make it though, because it is already 9:40.  But it’s an improvement over 3:00 or 3:30 a.m.  I think I am getting used to the two hour time change now.

One more thing:  I only last night let my neighbor ladies know that Dave was in the hospital (that was before He came home).  I am so blessed with wonderful neighbors.  We live in a country neighborhood and I just made a calculated guess, by mentally walking the neighborhood that we have 34 homes in this community.  Only homes, no businesses.  I think I know almost everyone one, at least a little, who live here.  There are several neighborhood functions that happen throughout the year which helps in knowing the neighbors.  Last night I had one neighbor that said she would mow for us.  Then today, my next door neighbor knocked on the door and asked if she could mow for us right then because she was going to do her yard too.  She has a riding lawn mower and that is a great help on a lawn like ours.  I accepted and the lawn is now mowed.  I thank God for our neighbors.  So if you are reading this blog Karen I want to say thanks again for your generosity of time and energy.  It is people like you that make our neighborhood so great!

And one last thing.  I just received an email from a lady I met on my journey.  She gave me her word of wisdom just before I was ready to publish this blog.  Her name is Robin and I met her in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.  This wisdom was given to her from her grandmother.  Robin’s email really blessed me.

Robin’s wisdom: “…only one life will soon be past,only whats done for Christ will last”.

Thank you Robin.  I love your wisdom.  Let me know if I can share more of your email with the public.

Goodnight everyone.  Thank you for your prayers.

Thursday July 9 2015  HOME AGAIN!

Yeah!  The antibiotics seem like they are working!  Dave had another round of intravenous antibiotics last night that covers the MRSA range.  His leg is responding.  He had another bag of them this evening and then he was discharged.  He must return three days in a row for three more treatments of the intravenous drugs that seem to be working.  I thank God that he is home.  It was never decided for certain that he actually has MRSA because they did not get a wound culture.  But, if the MRSA drugs are working that is all I care about!

I had my first day in my library since I have arrived home.  Now, just so you know that is a big thing to me.  My “normal” routine before I left on my trip was to get up about 5:00 a.m. and go downstairs to my cozy library and study God’s word, pray, listen for his voice to speak to my heart and write for two or three hours.  That has not happened since I returned from my trip.  Actually had no time and I certainly wasn’t getting up at 5:00 a.m. nor going to bed at 9:00 p.m.  I am slowly making the transition back to getting to bed earlier.  However, tonight is a later night as I went back to the hospital to pick Dave up once he found out he was going to be released.  I was glad to do it.

So…tomorrow (if I dare to make plans) is a cooking day.  Today I actually accomplished my first computer return with my photographer’s hat on.  I was able to set into motion the needed work to have one of my orders completed.  It will still take a couple of turnaround times with my lab.  But, I am one step closer to being finished.  Worked most of the day on that.  That and laundry.  My office is close to the laundry room so it made it easy to hear the buzzers go off.

Now, back to tomorrow’s cooking day.  This may not seem like a big deal to most people but because we have a membership to receive food from an organic farm I must make use of the food by cooking it up and freezing it.  I freeze rather than can because I like the food better that way.  It take a lot of time.  I can’t even fit all the food in my fridge.  I had to give some of it away so it wouldn’t spoil. I hope to make two big pots of soup and one zucchini pepper pie.

There is so much I’d like to write but due to the late hour I will finish with the words I felt impressed into my heart from my Lord.  First I wrote a poem to the Lord, then I had the scripture from Romans 8:14 come to mind “THE TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE THOSE WHO LET GOD’S SPIRIT LEAD THEM.”

Then I wrote this prayer as it came to me:

“Lord, I pray that my spirit will become once again attuned to You.  Lead me Lord and call me unto You that I will hear Your voice.  I give You all of me.  Ground me with the fullness of Your love, mercy, and grace.  Forgive me of my lack of time and neglect.  Thank You for Your blessing and protection on my trip.  Thank You!  Thank You!  Lord, release healing in Dave’s body.  Thank You that I am here for him.”

The following are the words I felt the Lord speaking to my heart.

“Just bathe in My presence.  Allow yourself to let go and not be hurried.  You have learned to trust Me but sometimes you still lean on your own resources.  Yes, you are capable of much but I am so much more able to do beyond what you even ask or think.  Give your time to Me without rushing.  Remember, the present is your friend.  And I Am the greatest Friend that walks that present with you.  Even now as you sit here you need to stop and breathe and relax, and just think on Me.

Do not allow yourself to pick up the worry of the future.  Your future is lived in each moment.  Relax and enjoy our time alone.  It is not the time to feel guilty about not working at something; not accomplishing a task.  Ask Me for strength and guidance.  Let my Spirit lead you.  Stop and rest in Me.  Just as My Word proclaims, My true children allows My spirit to lead.  You are My true child.  You are My beloved.  You are the one I love.  Slow down.  We will work on that together.  You may be pleasantly surprised by just how much will be accomplished when you allow your spirit to be led by mine.  You do not have to prove anything to Me.    As a matter of fact, you do not need to prove anything to yourself either.  And, you surely do not need to prove anything to anyone else.  Think on these words for there are great lessons hidden in them.”

THINK ON THESE THINGS

By Kathleen Martens

July 9, 2015

Think on these things

That I place in your heart

In your early hours come

As the day you start.

Look toward My heavens

In quiet time alone,

I am waiting to listen

At my Father’s throne.

And our spirits entwine

And we two become one

Because of the blood

Of my precious Son.

Open the ears of your heart

That my words you hear

And know the day long

I am always near.

Receive my joy

And everlasting peace

And remember my love

Will never cease.

Just rest in me

Without rush or hurry

And all will be well

Without any worry.

For I am the one

Who loves you most

When you abide in me

I am your host.

So come and enjoy

Our time alone

For it is then

When you feel most at home.

The above poem just came to me after I had typed my heart sounds above.  The one I wrote earlier today will stay tucked away in my journal for it was a personal poem to God.

I AM SO THANKFUL THAT DAVE IS HOME AGAIN!

Have a great day tomorrow!

Wednesday July 8 2015   PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

So much to be thankful for.  I am so thankful that I am home.  I am so thankful that I was at the house when Dave got so sick.  I thank God that Dave agreed to go to the hospital when I couldn’t even get him to agree to go to urgent care.  I am so thankful I remembered to tell the nurse to look at his legs.  I am so thankful for antibiotics.  I am so thankful for modern medicine and clean surroundings.  I am so thankful for blood tests that can check for diseases.  I am so thankful Dave is being treated for his illness.  I am so thankful that people go to medical school to learn as much as they do to help out in such situations.  I have all of the above to be thankful for and I am so blessed by God.  PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

Dave is a doing a little better in how he feels overall but his leg is still very infected, red and swollen.  And it is extremely painful.  It is difficult for him to walk on it.  And…he didn’t get to come home from the hospital today.  His primary hospital physician is concerned that it may be MRSA.  (MRSA IS AN INFECTION THAT IS RESISTANT TO ANTIBIOTICS).  Dave was seen by an infectious disease control specialist today.  He didn’t determine for certain if it is MRSA but they are giving him an antibiotic that has a broader spectrum and may cover some of the MRSA bacterial staph infections.  He was being treated with a new bag hookup to his IV line when I left this evening.  Hopefully this will start the process of reversing the infection in the leg.

Dave was able to talk coherently tonight and hold an actual conversation.  With the severe pain combined with the pain medication he has been sort of fuzzy.  It was good to see him acting and feeling more like himself.  We are praying for a full recovery.  Please pray with us.

I am just about finished with the unpacking of personal items.  That’s a good feeling.  Now I can concentrate on working on photography when I am not needed at the hospital.  I will have a great release of pressure when all my work is signed, sealed, and delivered!  We have several different groups of people coming to visit in the next two months and I want all my work out of the way as soon as possible.

I am back at the gym now.  Yesterday was my first day.  I think today was a little harder than yesterday.  It is tough getting back into a regular routine when nothing “regular” is taking place around me.  I think I forgot what “regular” is.  I know my routine is extremely different but I am working on correcting part of that.  I actually don’t think I want to go back to what was my norm.  I will find a new normal.  With Dave retired now I think our new normal should just evolve without force or manipulation to make it work for the best for both of us.  What worked for me when I was home alone each day working in my home studio and home office, and Dave was working away from home may be not be what will work best now.  I don’t think I would have understood all that had I not been gone all these months.  I am seeing things from a different perspective and from new and different experiences.  It really helped that I visited in homes where couples were retired.  It was interesting and informative listening to all the wisdom and advice and suggestions that each person gave me.  I received so many different ideas and views.  It was also interesting and VERY INFORMATIVE to watch and listen to the couples interact who lived with each other day in and day out.  Very informative indeed.  I loved it.  And then I have my cousin Joyce who is a single lady.  Out of everyplace I visited I think she is enjoying her retirement to the highest degree.  Each of us chooses what brings us the most fulfillment and joy.  I learned that that special joy and fulfillment is different for each place I visited as well as for each separate individual in that home.  It was a beautiful thing to observe.

Right now for me, it will be to finish what I started, close my business down with a good feeling in my heart that I fulfilled all commitments and then walk away into my new “normal”.  Any good advice and wisdom out there?  I still have plenty of room for some “red letter wisdom”.  Just go to Contact Tab and send me an email.

Early night tonight.  It is not quite 8:00 p.m.  Maybe if I start getting ready for bed when I finish this blog and poem I’ll be shut eye by 9:00.

MY NEW NORMAL

By Kathleen Martens

July 8, 2015

Where is the normal I left behind?

Is it even what I want to find?

Do I try to do as before?

Or perhaps seek new doors?

What once was perfect for me to do

No longer entices like the new.

My dream is to continually explore

New ideas I’m searching for.

Untraveled roads loom ahead

Lots to do before I am dead.

People to meet, places to see

And in my thoughts ever free.

My new normal will be as I choose,

Partnered with God, I’ll never lose.

For what I desire to accomplish each day

Is to forever walk in God’s way.

Then my new normal will be God’s plan

For with Him I will forever stand.

His design for me is perfect always

For He is beside me all of my days.

Tuesday July 7 2015 THERE IS ALWAYS TOMORROW…

Words of wisdom sent to me by my cousin in an email:  “…slow down and accomplish what you can each day.  What gets done, gets done.  There is always tomorrow to finish any task”.

I’ll have to think about that for a while.  Good advice however, TO SLOW DOWN!  Living in the moment has helped me to slow down quite a bit but when I hit the pavement when I arrived home all that learning seemed to just fly out the window.  I am so yearning to have all  my professional work finished so I can do exactly that…SLOW DOWN.  But until I finish it I am in the fast mode.  With Dave getting so sick my plans have changed somewhat as I take care of things on the home front plus all the little loose ends of “this and that” which need to be sorted and taken care of.  There are a lot of plans that are in the making and I must work to that end because other people are involved and I have made commitments.

Life is truly an adventure.  Whether traveling on the road or going in circles in your own home town.  Everything takes so much time.  Always more than I anticipate.  So, you see, I still have lessons to learn.

Dave is very sick.  He has a sepsis in his blood and his body is infected.  It causes severe pain in joints and bones and in his legs.  He has hot, red discoloration of the lower extremities which is a cellulitis (inflammation of the cells of the surface and underlying areas of the skin.  This is a side effect of diabetes when the blood sugars are not under control.  The sepsis affects several different parts of the body.  The body starts using its own muscle to fight the infection which cause high lactic acid build up in his system.  He often wretches without results which is very painful.  It is difficult for Dave to walk or even to lie down because of the pain.  He needs all the prayers he can get.  I’ll probably be in Dutch when he reads this.  I’m just reporting the facts!  And there are a lot of facts I’m NOT reporting.  To a writer this is like getting up close and personal headline news.  I do not mean to sensationalize this but this blog is becoming my journal also and I want to document what is going on.

My day consisted of running several errands that could not be put off due to needing to put into motions certain things that had to happen so results would be done by a certain date.  Accomplished everything that was on My Monday’s list.  Still one or two more other things that have cropped up since then.  We are transferring to Medicare on August 1, 2015 and lots of situations must be put into motion, called about, signed off, etc…  With me being gone some things had to wait until I returned to be accomplished and now we are down to the wire.

I went by to see Dave at the hospital but he was feeling too sick to really visit so I only stayed about 1 hour.  Home now and hopefully early to bed.  I had a rough night last night.  I slept like a baby in every bed I stayed in while on my trip but last night my sleep evaded me.  And now I am sleepy and it is only 8:18 p.m.  I’m still not totally unpacked and put away.  Just thought I’d throw that in.

Dave has two large tables set up in the formal dining room strewn with papers that he is organizing.  He thought He would be finished by tonight.  Now they sit abandoned and silent and look rather forlorn.  It is a different house without his presence.  I know he is coming home.  He may have a long road to travel to get where he wants to get but I know he can do it.  We live one day at a time.  As I’ve said before, each day is full of decisions and choices.  The choice we make today will affect our tomorrow, out next week and ultimately our whole life.  Think about your choices today.

I think this is an excellent place to write the wisdom I heard today.  I met a super young man today who helped me with the IPhone at AT&T store in Madison.  He was young, intelligent, extremely educated in the workings of the IPhone and helped me with a problem I had with mine.  As we spoke to each other I could see his joy and excitement for life.  I asked him what his wisdom would be to the world.  The following are his exact words (I’m getting the knack of recording verbatim and type it as such.  His wisdom fits in with the above paragraph.  Listen closely to Linelle’s words.  Thanks Linelle for sharing your wisdom with me.

Lilnellle’s wisdom:  “So my piece of wisdom to my younger self would be to not worry about the small things, and just keep going.  That’s the biggest focus, just keep going.  Things change over time, views change, perspectives change.  In the grand scheme of things if you keep going you’ll get to somewhere brighter.”

And that is my hope for today, that Dave and I will keep on going and “get to somewhere brighter”!

JUST KEEP GOING

By Kathleen Martens

July 7 2015

Sometimes it seems we worry

About all the small little things,

Frustration seems to rear its head

Unhappiness it brings.

I tell myself not to fret

For there is too much of life to live,

Fretting creates worry debt

And has nothing at all to give.

Instead of being in a bog

Just keep on and keep on going,

And before you know it

Your heart will be glowing.

Over time things will change,

And views also will

Give yourself a full range

In a place to be silent and still

There truly is a grand scheme,

Allow your load to be lighter.

If you just keep on going

You will get somewhere brighter.

Thank you Linelle for the inspiration to write this poem.

INSPIRATION:  BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO ANOTHER PERSON!

One last thing to remember. “If you want to accomplish something, start today.  We are not promised tomorrow!  When tomorrow no longer comes for us we may not finish what we started but we’ll have had fun accomplishing what we did get done.” (Kathleen’s wisdom)

Monday July 6, 2015  BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN

Just when you think you have everything planned…

More of that later.  Up early, Dave at 5:00, me at 7:30.  I’m getting used to the time change (excuse?).  Or maybe it’s the late nights up writing my blog.  I’m only up late because I’m not doing it in the morning like I used to.  Well, let’s put it this way, I’m not on my “regular” schedule just yet.  It’s coming.  First I must finish all the unpacking and organizing (which is taking way too long).  The next is reclaiming my mornings and the last is to get to bed early.

I promised myself this morning I would be in bed early tonight.  Well it is almost 10:30 and I am just having my dinner (2^nd dinner) and typing my blog.  Ate a salad I made for lunch which did not get eaten and a cup of stewed greens.  YUM!  Had everything organized last night so I could just step right into my list from a few days ago that I wrote on the blog.  Had all the phone numbers in order, called a lot of the places, made excellent headway and was going to eat lunch and then leave to do all my errands when my day had a bit of about face.  My plans were laid, I was organized, I had planned everything down to the “T”.  And then…

Well, I just arrived home from visiting Dave at the hospital!  That was not in my plans.  Nor was his getting sick.  Dave went out to breakfast with his men friends, which he does each  Monday morning.  He felt fine, acted fine and them whammy!  He told me he was cold and shivering, then his stomach hurt, then he started shaking from the cold, then he needed a throw-up bag, then he went to bed and then he was in excruciating pain with his lower back.  We had him accessed over the phone with instructions to get him to emergency room. This all took about two hours from first chills to hospital.  Had I left earlier I would not have been here to take him to the hospital.  I have never seen Dave quite so sick.  He is the type of man who never complains, plays everything down and keeps very quiet when it comes to his pain or discomfort.  For him to agree to go to the hospital told me all I needed to know.  I knew to take him seriously.  Just an hour before he wouldn’t even agree to just go to urgent care to be looked up.  The pain level was a 10.

Sunday night Dave looked very flushed and his face was broken out.  I could tell something was not quite right even then.  But there was no complaint so I left well enough alone.  I think it was already brewing even before that.  At E.R. he had a high fever, the chills were somewhat better but the pain was intolerable.  He was made comfortable with drugs, calmed down considerably and the shivers stopped.  Lots of test were started with blood work.  He had an infection but the source was unknown.  When he arrived at the hospital he was disrobed from the waist up.  Nothing could be found.  A while later when a nurse was in the room and the doctors had already gone to the next patient.  I happened to think about something I saw on his lower leg the night I arrived home.  His leg looked swollen and very red and tender.  I told the nurse that no one had looked at his legs and I thought Dave should undress so that his legs could be examined.  After seeing his legs the nurse called the doctors back in.  One of the doctor came in, touched Dave’s leg and felt the heat coming from the red area and said he was being admitted as an inpatient, which means at least two nights in the hospital and would be reassessed at that time.  The doctor felt that the redness and swelling was the source of the blood infection.  So, that is where Dave is and has already been told he will likely be there at least one more night.  After that time passes and He has a lot of antibiotics pumped into him they will reassess the situation.  This kind of infection can do a lot of damage real quick.  His blood sugar was also way out of whack.  WELCOME TO HIS FIRST DAY OF RETIREMENT!  His diagnosis at this time is cellulitis.

For those of you who believe in prayer I ask that you will pray for his recovery to be without complications.

I came home in the afternoon and accomplished a couple of time sensitive situations that Dave wanted me to take care of, packed a bag for Dave and then headed back to the hospital.  Stayed there until after dark and when I left it was pouring down rain.  Hard to see all the way home but I made it.  Hey, if I could travel 11,024 miles all by myself across country I could defeat a torrential rain storm in the dark!  Again, reality struck.  I walked into this big house with all these empty rooms and no husband waiting for me.  I wondered if this was how Dave felt when he came home to this house every night for 4 months?  It made me feel guilty.  Dave made certain to never make me feel guilty for going on this trip but I must admit I did a good number on myself, of doing just that, when I came home both times from the hospital.  I guess I am still learning from this journey.  Maybe I will never quit learning from it.

Dave is 6 miles away at St. Mary’s Hospital.  I feel as if he is a million miles away.  I do not like it when he suffers and it makes me feel sad to know he never complains and often suffers in silence.  I have never known anyone like my husband.  He is so selfless and always puts me and others first.  He will sacrifice for others, he will bear pain without complaint to do something for someone else and he never ever steps into the limelight.  He is one of the most intelligent men I know and never has a need to put it on display.  He is amazing with facts and figures and trivia regardless the topic.  Personality wise Dave and I are polar opposites.  Clothes wise; polar opposites.  Food wise, you got it, polar opposites.  Yet, our hearts are connected with a thread so strong and so tight that we are bound together for life.  And I want him around for a lot more years.  God shined down on me the day I met Dave.  And if you read the story in my blog how we met you will remember that God put a love in my heart for him before I even met him or knew his name.  Go to UNCATEGORIZED and read DAY 111.  I accidently did not put it into the Travel Log.  You can look it up and read how Dave and I met and the “rest of the story”.

I am believing in God’s healing and restorative power.  Put that together with intentional thinking and combine it with what Dave said last night, I think Dave has a bright future!

AND TURNS THEM TO GOLD

By Kathleen Martens

July 6, 2015

When the road gets a bit rough and weary

It does not mean we must be dreary.

But rather give thanks in the situation

For there is no hope in obliteration.

God takes the trials and turns them to gold,

Whatever the difficulty we must be bold.

For God has a way of taking our pain

And turning the outcome into one of gain.

We trust Him when the times are right,

We must trust Him in the darkest night.

When we reach out our hand He is there,

Holding us tight because He always cares.

God is our fortress through all our trials,

He walks beside us mile after mile.

He never tires and He never sleeps

And all His promises He always keeps.

He has promised to love me and light my path,

He showers me with joy and not with wrath.

Whether on the mountain top or in the valley

His strength is the source of my rally.

When I fall down He picks me up

And His word is a banquet where I can sup.

He is with me through every sorrow

And I know, He’s in all my tomorrows.

Through all sickness and even unto death

His spirit is my eternal breath.

So I will thank Him IN ALL THINGS

And give Him all praise for the joy He brings.

Thank you to those of you who have asked me to continue blogging.  I may do so as I find it easy to compose a poem even on the keyboard.  I always thought I could only do it with deep concentration with a pen in hand.  It is actually quite easy writing on the computer because I can type my words so much quicker than I can write them out long hand.  I may also start writing in the mornings again as I like getting up about 4:30 or 5:00 a.m.  To rise so early I must be disciplined with my bedtime.  I’m going to work toward that.  You may invite your friends to read this blog but be certain and tell them that the address must be typed into the URL box because it is not a public forum and will not pop up when googled.  I purposely did that so the information I write is not for the entire public to hear.  I don’t mind if it is passed around to friends and their friends.  It is a little easier to control that way.

It is now 11:57 and I have a makeover day to do tomorrow.  So many more things I wish I had time to share on this blog/journal/ diary of sorts.  I just hope I remember it all.

Thanks for listening to my heart tonight.

Sunday Sabbath July 5, 2015  THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE!

I LOVE SUNDAY SABBATH.  I have chosen to honor God on this day.  To keep it holy.  To rest and be restored in body, mind, and spirit.  Sunday Sabbath is set aside as an oasis in busy world.  It is as if God is giving me a gift with permission to use it.  “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”. Exodus 20:8

I believe keeping the Sabbath Holy is to refrain from working your regular work.  A time of rest for mind and body, from that which taxes your mental capacity all week or your physical body.  To refrain from doing the toil of your everyday life.  A time to reflect and think on God.  To serve Him with your worship and praise and fellowship as a community with other believers.  This is my concept of keeping the Sabbath Holy.  I know that it is necessary for some people to work on calendar Sunday but Sabbath can be honored on another day.  A day set aside when you are not required to report to duty.  A time to think on God and do something you enjoy doing that will give you a reprieve from that which is your regular toil.  Try it.  Take time out to rest in the presence of God, to do something that refreshes your heart and soul and give yourself permission to use the gift that God has actually given to us as a commandment.  How awesome it is that God purposely tells us to rest from our work.  Not only do we have permission to have a Sabbath rest once a week, I also enjoy taking “little Sabbaths” each and every day.  I stop and just turn off the world and have a conversation with the Lord and just rest in his presence and wait to hear the words He has for me.  If I wait, He always has words that he speaks into my spontaneous thoughts.  I listen and then I write when the words start coming.

God is a good God.  His words are always full of love and exhortation.  He builds me up, never tears me down.  He fills me with loving thoughts, never negative ones.  I just wait and listen and ours spirits experience an intimate relationship.  Did you know that the Lord can and wants to impress His thoughts into yours.  The more we do this, the more we have the mind of Christ.  The more we become like the one we follow.  I love this Sabbath time with the Lord daily.  While on my trip I often did not have pen in hand when I spoke with my God.  I was in the car a lot with all his majesty and glory surrounding me in the mountains, and rocks, and valleys, and oceans, and lakes, and wildlife.  I glorified Him in my thoughts and in my heart for all He created and continues to create.  Sometimes when I look at something he has made like a rainbow I just know He put it there just for me!  There are so many things I just see that no one else in the entire world will ever see.  It is but a glimpse, come and gone, and I am the only one there to see it.  These are the little gifts and jewels He sprinkles into my day.  So…as I drove I did not do much writing but He put beautiful thoughts of love and encouragement into my heart and I cherished them.

Usually when I write I write everything out longhand.  I love the feel of a pen in hand, my journal on my lap and the peace and comfort of my surroundings as I lean into the Lord (figuratively speaking) and listen for what He speaks.  I am alone.  I am quite.  I am silenced from the world around me and I start worshiping and thanking God for His love and wonder and majesty.  I visualize Him and think of Him as the person He was walking on this earth, I think about Him sitting at the right hand of God, and I visualize all the praise taking place around Him in eternity.  And this same Lord, through His Holy Spirit, lives within me.  How awesome is that.  I was created in the likeness of God that our spirits would dwell together.  And I sit and listen.  Sometimes I ask questions.  Sometimes I put on instrumental music by David Hollandsworth and it just seems to reach to the heavens.  And I “hear” God speak to me.  It is more of an impression of thoughts or images that come flooding out of my pen onto the paper and I just write down all that flows from me during those few moments.  And later I read it.  To me it is beautiful.  No beautiful writing, but beautiful words that touch my heart, that give me strength and encouragement and sometimes chastisement and directions of what I should do.  Given in love which gives me positive awareness of which path I should follow.  And I ask now:  “Lord what words do You have for me this night”?

Here are the words I have felt impressed to write from the spontaneous thoughts coming into my heart.

You are My beloved child whom I have chosen.  I have chosen you to love others and be My light to a dark world.  I have chosen you to smile and let My smile shine from your countenance.  Your journey is not over but just beginning.  I have promised to bring those to you that need my touch, those who need their eyes open to see the truth of who I am.  I am blessing you that you will bless others in my name that they would feel My touch, and desire a relationship with Me.  Just be yourself.  Be who I created you to be.  Though some will try to tear you down, always know that My strength is sufficient for you.  You can do all things through Me for it is my strength that lives within you.  Forgive others as I have forgiven you.  .”…clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Put love over all these because it will bind them all together in perfect unity…  (Colossians 3:  12-14 paraphrased) and lives will be changed.  Go and rest in Me and I will restore your strength.  You are my beloved whom I love.

And the above is the first time I have sat at a computer and asked God to give me the words He wants me to hear this night.  I have journals filled with God’s loving words to me.  If these words touch your life in some way then I am honored to share them with you.  Some may raise their eyebrows with skepticism and that is okay too.  But you’ll never know until you enter into a relationship with the Lord and ask Him for yourself what words He has for you.  The more you ask to hear God speak, the easier it becomes to hear His voice and recognize it.  If you desire Him to speak in your life, read the scripture for it is through His scripture that He speaks to us.

I had no idea this was going to be my blogging this night.  I just assumed I would share my Sabbath day with you.  Well, here it is in a nutshell.  Sunday morning service at 8:30 a.m., a wonderful time of quick exchanges with friends I haven’t seen for four months, an even more amazing worship service and then a sermon about becoming a community of God.  More visiting afterward and then Dave and I hightailed it to Costco to rejoin after our card had elapsed on Feb 28^th, just when I was scheduled to leave.  It was nice we waited because they gave us a $10 gift certificate for rejoining (which we were going to do anyway).  Shopped at Costco, then went to grocery store for toothpaste, came home and I prepared dinner (midday meal) while Dave deboned the chicken.  After dinner I called my cousin Joyce and I talked her ear off.  Then I rested, fighting sleep (I don’t like to take naps) so I got up and continued unpacking.  I know this unpacking talk sounds like a lot but let me tell you, it is taking me longer to unpack than it did to pack.  It is taking time to reorganize my closets (yes closet with an “S”).  When I left it was snowing.  I have returned in my Rip Van Winkle state to summer in the 80’s.  I must change my winter closet into a summer closet, which means swapping my clothes from one room to another.  We must actually have two very separate wardrobes to accommodate our extreme temperatures.  So that is part of my reorganizing.  Dave went back to church to hear Pastor speak on “Let’s talk about Israel”.  I decided to stay home and finish my Sabbath by writing my blog to you and now it is already later than I hoped.  The alarm is set for 5:00 a.m. in the morning.  Reality is knocking.

Davie is in the other room and it was so quiet I asked him if he was in there.  He said yes.  I asked him if he was sleeping.  He said no he was thinking.  I asked him what about.  He said oh just this and that.  I asked him if he had any wisdom for me tonight.  Here is Dave’s quick response.

Dave’s wisdom:  “If you don’t like your present circumstances do something about it”.

I asked him where that came from.  He said “My brain”.  Then he continued with…I’ve found if you stop and think on things long enough it seems things seem to fall into place.

Hmm…now that got me to thinking! Just what is taking so long to fall into place?  I didn’t ask any more questions.  Every man is entitled to his own personal thoughts.  I do like that it sounds like things are falling into place…  I sure do love my husband!

Tomorrow is a busy scheduled day to tie up a lot of loose ends before I open my Big MAC and put on my creative hat.  I hope my brain isn’t rusty.  I’ll just ask God to help me because He is always there for me.

I don’t know how many of you are still following my blog.  Let me know if you would like me to continue and then again, maybe I will just continue anyway.  I’ll have to see how my life settles in.

SUNDAY SABBATH

By Kathleen Martens

July 5, 2015

Oh how busy life can be

Time for me is never free.

But one day finally comes

Set aside for God’ Son.

Sunday Sabbath worship time

Ah a day oh so fine.

To be with God all day long

As over me He sings His song.

And I sing in repose

The most tranquil time I know

Honor and worship to my King

Joy and peace is what He brings.

I love this time with my Lord

And my hours I secretly hoard

That to Him I freely give

All my life for Him I live.

Good night.  Sweet Dreams

I arrived home BEFORE Dave retired.  Tomorrow is his last day of work.  Not only did I arrive home for that occasion but I actually accomplished what I set out to do.  I wanted to see so many people and I saw many of them,  I didn’t have a chance to see everyone I would have liked to but I still feel very fortunate to have been able to reconnect so many as I discussed in yesterday’s blog,

Well, someone was the first to call me to find out my mystery of “doing a first” and she got the story.  She couldn’t stop laughing (at my expense!).  I was laughing too!  I did another first again today.  It may be a good thing this trip is over because no telling how many “FIRSTS” I could get myself into.  Some of the things I only did once:  Lost my check book  (I didn’t do it again).  I didn’t do it again because I am still not signed onto our account because of being out of state when I lost the checks.  Oops!

I lost my keys once and after that I kept my keys in a very certain place when not engaged in using them.  That is, until I got home.  I went down to change of load of clothes and there were my keys on the washing machine.  I’m sure glad I saw them and put them into my purse.  I leave early in the morning to take my car into the dealership to be detailed cleaned.  I love it when my car comes back absolutely like brand new.

I only took one person’s key with me when left her house and it is still on my key ring.  I remembered that out when I tried to open my door with it.

One thing I did do more than just “a first” was get lost.  I was “lost” a lot but I just made it into an adventure and then purposely got lost more.  Of course I had my Garmond with me the second half of the trip so I was never really lost.  When I got majorly lost, like take a wrong freeway from the the six freeways that were splitting up and I had to go off to the left but to be sure and be in the right third lane so I could make a quick right curve and then get in the center lane so I would be going to Fort Worth instead of to Dallas, now that was really getting lost.  It was amazing how many re-dos I would have to re-do to get undone.  But…I never lost my temper with myself and always found myself before I ended up “lost as a goose”.  Being “lost as a goose” is one thing I always remember my mother telling me she was.  I NEVER want to be lost as a goose because them someone has to come and find  you.  When my mother  was lost as a goose in the downtown L.A. area one time when she was driving down to see Dave and I in Orange County, Dave’s father had to drive all the way out to where she was lost and then have her follow him home.

I only left my clothes at someone’s house as a first.  I never did that again.  Thankfully, Cynthia mailed my package of clothes to me.  And wouldn’t you know it, I actually went back by to see her on my return trip.  I could have picked them up!

Well, maybe I’ll tell you the whole story about  my first time of losing my phone.  No time now but I’ll do a followup blog when I have all my contemplating over about my trip.  I will, however, tell  you about a first I did today.  I stayed at a very nice airbnb last night.  Everything was fastidiously clean and neat.  I don’t think I could live quite that neat if my life depended upon it.  Well, by the time I finished with it, it wasn’t quite as perfect as before.  I went to bed at 3:00 a.m.  There was a ceiling fan and I love sleeping with a ceiling fan blowing a breeze on me.  This fan had a little rebellious spirit for living in such a neat house so it decided to be a clutter to my ears.  There is a little chain that hangs from it to turn the lights on or off.  As the fan blades make their rotation a slight jiggle takes place and that little chain jumped at each rotation and went click, click, click and so on and so on…  I don’t mind clutter around me but I don’t like clutter in my ears.  So I decided at 3:00 in the morning to stop that little bugger from jumping and clanging and clicking.  I looked for something I could tie around it.  Nothing.  I had one pair of dirty smelly socks I had worn for two days so I decided against that.  I didn’t want to add any aromas flying around cluttering my nostrils.  Ah…I thought.  I found a pair of clean underpants that would work.  (The operative word is clean).  So I tied them in a knot, slipped the chain end through and my problem was solved.  No more sound.  I drifted off to a restful but short sleep thinking to myself to remember and get those panties in the morning.

About 2:00 p.m. this afternoon while I was in Iowa I happened to think about the fan and wondered if I had turned it off.  Then my eyes opened real wide and I remembered what I had left there…my under drawers tied in a know around that little gold chain where another guest would be coming and looking up at that fan.  Would the man see them up there.  I hoped he would but I hoped he wouldn’t.  I couldn’t believe I did that.  About that time my son Courtland calls and I tell him what happened.  He said don’t worry about it, just call him and tell him you left your granny panties hanging on his fan and make sure and let him know they are clean.  So I did just that.  Mr. Don was laughing about as hard as I was trying not to.  He said he was going to tell everyone about that but in order to protect the innocent he wouldn’t use my name.  I told him I was going to write about it in my blog and I was going to tell everybody his name!    Like I’ve said before, every day I am learning.  What I learned today is to not use my underwear to buffer the sound of of a clicking chain.  They are too expensive.  Those unders cost me $9.00 a pair!  Next time I’ll use my dirty sock.  I get my toe socks on sale at Walmart after Christmas for half price and they are only $150 a pair!  Actually, we both had a good laugh over that.  He was thankful that I had given him the heads-up on my dilemma. He said He would find something else that would quiet the fan chain.  Thanks Mr. Don for not making me feel bad.  It was a pleasure staying at your Campbell House Airbnb in Lincoln Nebraska.  If you’ve never used this service go online to Airbnb.com and see what kind of travel deals you can get all over the world.  Way below hotel costs and a lot more fun.

I now have about a week’s worth of work getting everything back in shape in regards to all the STUFF I had in my car.  Because Dave is so allergic to cat and dog dander I am washing everything item of clothing, towel, blanket, etc that traveled with me.  I’m on my fourth load of laundry and have several more to go.  At least my favorite pant (because they still fit) are washed and ready to go when I get up in the morning.  I am taking my car to my dealership to have it detailed in the morning.  It will be there at least four hours and maybe longer.  I suspect “the longer” when they see just how embedded it is with bug death on it.  It is quite gross.  Both inside and out.  I have to leave here at 8:30 a.m. and then I will have a shuttle return me home and pick me up.

When I drove into Wisconsin it was like night and day from the rest of the country.  Remember how I commented about all the dry and dying trees in Yosemite and other parks I visited.  So much brown, and dust, and dying grasses made me sad for our earth and especially for our country.  I saw half empty lakes and dried up river beds.  I saw mountains that usually have snowcap all year but the snow is already gone.  And the rivers are dropping.  Even the Columbia River Gorge that flows as a border between Southern Washington and Northern Oregon has a lot less water than normal.  And I drove up from a somewhat dry area, but not as dry as the deserts and the south area and Wisconsin is like an unreal oasis of green.  So many different colors of green all in one photo snap.  The light green  of new crops pushing through soil,dark rich greens of crops  of opening leaves and nutrients going to work wonders.  I wish I could describe in true detail how fulfilling it was for me to see the sea of green before me.  I wish a camera would do justice to what my eyes see.

SINCE I AM SLEEPY

by Kathleen Martens

July 2, 2015

Since I’m so sleepy

I shall lay down my head

Before it falls off me

For then I’d be dead.

And I have requests

That my head must do

For it always tells me

How to tie my shoe.

And it’s just so much smarter

Than my hands or feet,

For it knows when I’m hungry

And tells me to eat!

So I shall go sleep

But my fan chain is quiet

Having panties in the air

Is not tonight’s riot.

Goodnight one and all

Go rest and be still

Let your brain think on God

And with peace you will fill.

I do want to tell you what it felt like driving into a green paradise.  The Wisconsin terrain is very hilly and graceful with curves and gentle sloping sides.  Hill after hill was either growing crops or had just been mowed and waiting for harvest.  Graceful lines of smiles were cut into the soil as row planting was done like stair steps.  I wish I could have stopped and taken photos.  The sunlight was coming at an angle and creating beautiful bright hills full of the promise of autumn’s bounty.  But it was the green that caught my eyes.  Every color of green you can imagine.  Huge fields of the lightest shade of new plant growth, silver greens, forest greens, apple greens and blue greens could be seen all in one eye view. And the smell!!! I rolled down my window to a brisk 67 degree temp which was so refreshing, having come from a 97 degree day in Nebraska the day before.  Fresh mowed grass along both sides of the road mingled with all the sensory pleasure to create a full picture.  I just breathed and breathed it in as my eyes soaked in the visual pleasure.  And was there a place to pull over and snap a photo?  NO, OF COURSE NOT.  As I drove the five miles from the highway to where I live I did have the luxury of stopping and taking some local photos right around where I live and travel.  I tried to download some but only my tree (not really one I own but one I love around the corner from where I live) did get uploaded onto the blog.  Be sure and look at it.  To give you a perspective of how big the trunk of that old oak tree is, it takes 4 of my arm spans to circle around its girth.  I have literally taken about one thousand photos of that tree in every season, every time of day, every light, and from every angle.  Panoramas to up close and personal.

I just noticed a couple of other photos finally showed up on my blog below.  They are both right here close to where I live.  I pass by these places on my way to where I buy food.  We have no retail close by us but what I see when I drive to and fro sure is pretty and relaxing, even in winter.  After driving in all the cities I have have just come from it makes Wisconsin my #1 Favorite place to live.  I wouldn’t mind staying a part of each year in different states but I will always come home to Wisconsin.   I have some other favorite states picked out but will share those later too.

Good night by beloved friends and family (and new friends as well)!

Kathleen