Thursday March 31 2016  A HOT DAY IN PARADISE

85 degrees today!  That is a bit hot for this northern girl.  It makes me realize why we usually travel to Florida in the winter!  The last day of March (so almost April) and it is already way too hot for me.  When our kids try to get us to move down here they always assure us that it really isn’t bad at all in July, August, and September.  But, when we are here in March and the temperature soars to 85 degrees AND the air conditioner conks out, then all of a sudden it’s a bit much even in March!  No one will ever convince me that Florida is the place I should live.

First of all, it is flat!  I do not enjoy flat landscape mile after mile.  Secondly, there are far too many people in the populated areas, and it is virtually impossible to live in the unpopulated areas due to lack of amenities and roads.  Thirdly, well, I can’t think of the “thirdly” right now but I am sure another reason will surface when I have time to think about it.  Oh yes, HURRICANES are a good third reason! 

Now Florida does have one positive situation going for it.  Florida has a long growing season so the produce can be purchase locally and fresh for many months out of the year.  If you purchase at the Produce Stores it is actually quite reasonable.  If you purchase at the grocery stores it cost way more than it does in Wisconsin.  We shop at the produce stands, but at the same time, I wonder if any of it is organically grown?  I suppose if I must wonder about it being organic, then it probably is not.  The more I learn about how pesticides can harm the body and brain, the more organic produce I buy.  But, while I am in Florida I am enjoying the best that the local Produce Stores provide. 

Time to leave shortly to take my car in for an oil check.  My little Silver Fox is now over 4 years old and I have driven almost 50,000 miles.  She has performed well and is so comfortable to drive and ride in.  I know the Kia Soul appears to be small from the outside, but most people are always so surprised at how roomy they are on the inside, both in the front and back seats.  Mine has a supercharged engine so it has quick pick up.  I have to be careful or I am accused of having a lead foot.  It is not that my foot is heavy, it is just that the little car has a quick acceleration.  It is fun to drive.

Oh by the way, the air conditioner in the house is working again today after a service man arrived bright and early this morning.  But the unit is still tentative.  If it will last two more weeks I will be quite happy!  I find that I must wear a jacket in the house and sometimes a neck muffler.  It makes me feel right at home.

WISCONSIN: HERE I COME

By Kathleen Martens

March 31, 2016

A hot day in March

As the wind blows,

Sunshine and heat

Fair skin’s perfect foe.

An umbrella needed

Without the rain,

To cover my lily white skin

So blisters will abstain.

A jacket in the house,

Sweating out of doors.

At least two wardrobes needed

To protect my delicate pores.

Sun glasses shield my eyes,

A hat covers my head,

So the sun cannot kill me,

Otherwise I’d be dead.

Oh so happy to know

That to Wisconsin I will return.

And I can go outside again

Without a persistent burn.

But while here I’ll enjoy

The hours when not home.

Few things I love more

Than being able to roam.

So, I’ll take the heat,

And enjoy my grand-dogs.

And look forward once again

To Wisconsin’s cooling fog.

Thank You Lord for this time away.

Thank You Lord for the opportunity to travel.

Thank You Father for watching over me every day.

Thank You Jesus for preparing a place for me in heaven.

GOD BLESS YOU.  BE THANKFUL FOR WHEREVER YOU ARE.

Wednesday March 30 2016  SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT THING

Life has a way of teaching, even when you don’t necessarily want to learn.  So is working in the domain of another’s kitchen.  I have cooked in a myriad of homes. It is my pleasure to concoct wonderful dishes, but it is a bit of a challange looking for what you need in a foreign kitchen.  “Foreign” in this instance has a definition of words found in the thesaurus to mean: “distant, far-off, extraneous, alien, external, and remote.”  There are several other definitions but these are the ones that best refer to cooking in another’s  territory.  It’s one thing if the owner of the home is present verses when they are not on the premise.  Pros and cons for both.

If the owner is close by they are usually helpful in finding a tool you cannot find.  Everything from spices, to graters, to certain pots and pans.  When they are not available for help a lot of rummaging must be done to locate (or not) the item for which you are searching.  The really negative side of not having knowledge of where everything is located, is the possible necessity of taking everything out of the lower cabinets and upper cupboards and then not having a clue how it all fits back in.  So that was my dilemma today.

For the last couple of days I have carefully spied Rebecca as she worked in her kitchen and tried desperately to memorize exactly where everything lived in her meticulously organized, perfect for her, kitchen.  Until you must get everything out of the cupboards to find what you are searching for, you have no idea of how much stuff can be “organized” into such a small area.  And for some reason it just doesn’t all seem to fit back in.  I assure you, even though I did get everything put away and out of sight (thanks to putting a lot of the dishes in the dishwasher), I know for certain that I probably didn’t get it all organized to Rebecca’s specifications.

I did the best I could.  Maybe she’ll read this blog eventually and give a little pity to her “old” mother.  Besides, maybe she’ll even like it better the way it is now.  But I doubt it.  Oh well, the dinner is baking in the oven and I know it will be delicious.

Rebecca’s kitchen showed me a parallel to life.  Every day that I live it seems that I learn at least one more lesson.  I must draw on past experiences in order to deal with what comes my way.  When you really think about it, living each day is like living in a “foreign” kitchen.  When a dilemma comes along you must use past knowledge to put all the pieces together in order to concoct a solution for pulling your life back together. So it was with Rebecca’s kitchen today.  It was simple to get everything out (except for the weight of her heavy pots and pans), but once everything was scattered all over the kitchen it took all my organizational skills from kindergarten’s stacking lessons to all the puzzle solving methods I’ve learned over the course of my lifetime.

But, in the long run, I was certainly glad that neither Rebecca nor Neil were home during today’s escapade.  It is now 6:47 p.m. and Neil just came home.  Whew!  I was able to have everything looking serene and peaceful before he walked in the door.  I told Dave, “I’ll do the cooking, but I won’t do it if they are home”.  I’ll be safely asleep in bed before Rebecca arrives home.  Maybe she won’t look in the cupboards until tomorrow while I am working out at the gym.

KITCHEN DILEMMA

By Kathleen Martens

March 30, 2016

Pots and pans

And dishes galore.

Wherever I look

There are more.

Just the right skillet

Is a must

To make certain

There is no fuss.

The perfect size,

The perfect cup.

Everything measured

On what we sup.

A recipe is but

A science experiment,

But it takes precision

To make it coherent.

A little bit of this

A little bit of that,

And nothing will work

If ingredients lack.

So the mad scientist

Scours around

The entire kitchen

Until perfection is found.

But then there’s the mess

When all is done.

And putting everything back

Is rarely fun.

Everything multiplied

And now there’s no room

To put it all back

Before disaster looms.

But when it is finished

Not quite like before,

The counters are clear

As I close the cupboard door.

Now if the food

Turns out great

Perhaps my ending

Will have a better fate.

Thank You Lord for the food You provide for me to cook.

Thank You Lord for the oven to cook it in.

Thank You for my daughter’s home.

Thank You Lord that she still trusts me enough to allow me access to her beautiful kitchen.

Thank You Lord for pots and pans even if they weigh a ton!

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU.

P.S.  I’ll let you know how it all turns out tomorrow!

Tuesday March 29 2016  THE MIRACLE BED

There is always too much to write and not enough time in which to write it.  Yesterday’s topic was heavy on my heart and I needed to get it off my chest.  Perhaps you did not realize that I use my blog as an occasional dumping ground.  It is like therapy to me to release my experiences and thoughts in words and since this also is part journal, I do so within its pages. 

Sunday night when we were in Live Oak, Florida, Dave and I slept in a queen sized bed at a lovely Airbnb.  The bed had some sort of pad under the mattress pad.  It was about two inches thick and quite firm.  We both did not think much about it as we snuggled under the warm blankets.  Dave and I both woke up feeling absolutely wonderful and quite refreshed.  We felt better having slept in that bed than we do sleeping on our own bed at home.  I decided to take a peek at what kind of pad was hiding under the sheet and mattress cover.  Whatever it was, it was enclosed in a sturdy case that zipped closed around the entire edge.  I couldn’t figure out what it was.

Before leaving the Airbnb I asked Doris, the host, what kind of pad she had on the bed we slept on.  She told me it was a magnetic pad.  We know people who use magnet “therapy” so this concept was not new to us, even though we have never pursued it.  Doris wears magnetic shoe inserts and a magnetic back pad that tucks into her waist band when she works in the yard.  She could not say enough good things about her magnets.  After just one night of such interrupted sleep it might be something we at least investigate when we arrive home.  It was so amazing that we both realized the difference in our sleep that night without an inkling of what may have allowed it.

Our daughter is wonderful as usual.  Her husband is trying to survive her abuse.  It seems she has a talent for doing things like vacuuming up his toes or banging the washing machine door into his elbow.  She turns over in bed and punches her elbow into his head or doesn’t screw a lid on tight and as Neil puts his strength into opening the “tight” lid his brute force causes his hand to come flying up to his face and the lid gives him a good smack.  The list goes on but I must admit, it sounds to me like it must be all his fault by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Believe me, I did not make this up.  When Neil told me he had a twinkle in his eyes.  But, we love him anyway.

Rebecca informed me that I could be cooking while I was here, so today was shopping day.  We went to Costco, Don Victorio’s House of Vegetables, and the grocery store.  We are set.  The chicken is cooked, the broth is done, the refrigerator is stuffed and I must wrap this blog up quickly so I can prepare Dave’s favorite dish, homemade Ambrosia.  It is a recipe I made up by copying the entrée from a fine place of dining.  The cook even gave me the secret ingredient I needed to buy in order to get the wonderful flavor we so enjoyed.  Tonight it will be Ambrosia Pizza.  Everyone is getting antsy for me to get up and make it so I must close.

NOTHING QUITE LIKE BEING A GUEST

By Kathleen Martens

March 29, 2016

There’s nothing quite like

Being our daughter’s guest

And never being allowed

To take a rest.

I must cook

And slave away

So there is food

To eat today.

Just don’t tell her

What I confess.

That cooking is what

I like doing the best.

Today I thank You Lord for food.

I thank You for taste buds.

Lord I thank you for Your love for me.

Thank You Lord for our daughter.

Thank You Lord for our son-in-law.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!

Monday March 28 2016  UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES 

WE HAVE ARRIVED!  Literally.  Our ultimate destination has been accomplished successfully.  And we are so thankful.  The world is moving faster and faster.  It’s as if, no matter how fast the speed limit is, it is just not fast enough.  If it is 55 mph  I might fudge and go 57 mph (in the slow lane) just so I can say I’m going over the speed limit and therefore not be considered “a little old lady driver”.  It seems as if other drivers are trying to push me off the road. 

My eyes were opened last year to the daring speeds of 75 mph and 80 mph on two lane roads with traffic signals.  I came close to being a statistic.  I was so thankful that Wisconsin only had 65 mph as their highest speed limit, that is, until I arrived home and found out it had been raised to 70 mph.  When it was 65 mph it was very usual for most cars to travel at 75 mph or 80 mph.  So, now that most freeways and highways are 70 mph it seems a high percentage take the leeway and travel upwards of 80 to 90 mph.  Even in the rain.

Dave and I shared driving off and on today to make the travel less tedious.  It was beautiful clear sunshine when we set out this morning from Live Oak, Florida, and I drove about two hours.  Dave took over and in no time at all the skies turned gray and the thunder and lightning began, along with torrential rains.  He drove about an hour and we stopped and traded seats again.  The rains stopped when I began driving.  Later Dave too over and again the rains came down. I kid you not, when Dave was driving it was raining, sometimes ferociously.  The roads were wet to the point that at one time the car hydroplaned.  He slowed down and drove between 60 and 65 mph.  What was so amazing were those cars that absolutely flew by at speeds that may have exceeded 80 mph and an additional few drivers that whizzed by so quickly that it actually startled us.  Finally the rains abated for a few moments while Dave was driving.  He again accelerated to about 70 mph so he wouldn’t be run over. 

I often wonder why people think they can get away with breaking the law so blatantly.  About the time I was thinking that, the rain had stopped and I noticed a string of cars on the opposite side of the highway which had been pulled over by several different policemen.  I smugly thought it was about time.  We noticed everyone slowed down.  About a mile past the string of flashing lights all the cars going in our direction started speeding up again.  It’s interesting how quickly the 70 mph speed limit can become popular, at least until the policemen are out of sight.  Stop and think about how you drive.  Are you the impatient dare devil, coming up quickly on the tail end of a car as the other driver is passing someone in the slow lane?  Is it you who hugs the car bumper ahead with only one car length in between going 80 mph?  Or perhaps you are a bit more courteous and follow the speed limits “even if everyone else is doing it”.  The “it”, simply means breaking the law of the land, putting yourself above all others, thinking you are more important than anyone else on the road, and you have the right to make other driver’s get out of their way, even when the speed they are driving is above the speed limit?  It’s as if no one stops to think about unintended consequences.  What about the “WHAT IF’S”?

Every decision we make has a consequence, be it intended or unintended.  Just entering a toll road is a decision.  You want to get from point A to point B.  Going faster than the speed limit is a decision.  You want to arrive sooner rather than later.  But, do you ever think of the unintended consequences that could happen because you are in a hurry?  Do you ever think about the unintended consequences that could happen just because you enjoy the thrill of speeding, zigzagging between the traffic and riding the bumper of every car you come upon, even in the rain?  Maybe there is a reason there are laws and rules.  Maybe those reasons are intentionally designed to make the world a safer place. 

Today I witnessed an unintended consequence.  The roads were wet.  The rain still coming down sporadically with cars whizzing by at breathtaking speeds.  By this time we were a couple of miles past the string of speeders who had been pulled over.  The traffic was again picking up speed.  I was in the passenger seat and was looking off to my right.  At first it was hard for my mind to register exactly what I saw.  There were two cars that had flown off the side of the freeway, one wrapped around a pole-like tree and another car close by.  The one wrapped around the tree had hit it head on, creating a crumpled mess of broken car, fiberglass, and caved in front seat area with thick billowing black smoke coming out of every opening.  The other car off the freeway had not hit a tree and came to rest in an upright position.  A woman was standing by the car with her head in her hands with an expression of disbelief.  We could not stop safely, but I called 911.

I do not know how it happened.  I don’t know who may have been at fault.  All I know was that what I viewed was definitely UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES for all those involved.  I don’t know how many passengers were in that decimated vehicle or what the condition the occupents may have been in.  I do know the car hit at high speed due to the crumpled mess and I do know with certainty that it was on fire.  I immediately prayed for those involved.  I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY OF THOSE INVOLVED WILL ARRIVE AT THEIR ULTIMATE DESTINATION TODAY, NOR PERHAPS WILL THEY EVER.  Did the driver ever once think about the unintended consequence of driving so fast in the rain?  Dave and I did, all day long.  We were cautious without being dangerous to other drivers.  We drove in the right lane of the two lane tollway.  We passed other cars when it was safe, and lowered our speed to match the slow lane of traffic once the rain began.  And we prayed.  We prayed that we would not meet unintended consequences as we continued our miles. 

Please give thought to what I have written above, especially if you may fall into the category of the law breaker.  I believe we are instructed in God’s word to obey the laws of our land.  So, is it a sin to blatantly speed and not give thought to other’s safety, even if you don’t give thought to your own safety?

It was very sorrowful to see that car in flames, knowing that someone was still inside and the 911 responders were still far away.

Don’t Rush, Even when Late.

By Kathleen Martens

March 28, 2016

Unintended consequences

Not for the faint of heart.

But perhaps one should think

Before their journey starts.

The decisions we make each day

Have great bearing on our fate.

The moral of the story goes,

Don’t rush, even when late!

I do not mean to end this blog on a down note, but what I saw today really shook me up.  THINK BEFORE YOU “DO”.  Use wisdom before you act.  Wisdom can be described as using your knowledge to make the best decision possible for each circumstance.  SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAYS and maybe you won’t become a statistic on the billboard above the Interstate!  Better yet, maybe you won’t be the cause of someone else becoming a statistic!

Thank You Lord for loving all those who You created.

Thank You for safe travels this day.

Thank You God that I believe in who You are.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU WHO READ THESE WORDS.

RESURRECTION SUNDAY March 27 2016  THE BETTER DRIVER

We are driving in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia on Easter Sunday Sabbath.  Speed limit is 55 mph.  Dave is driving a daring 60 mph and we are being left in the dust.  Or perhaps I should say, left in the pouring down rain!  The freeway is seven lanes wide going in one direction.  We are headed right into the heart of downtown Atlanta.  I hope the freeway stays intact until we reach the other side. 

I asked if Dave would like me to drive in the rain because I am the “better” driver but he said, “No thanks”.  You see, he thinks HE is the better driver!  I must pause now to view the city so I can say I’ve been to Atlanta!  Georgia is a beautiful state!  Kentucky and Tennessee all win blue ribbons in the beauty pageant.  This is by far the largest city we have gone through since leaving home. 

Time has passed and we survived going through the city (all on the freeway) but it seems the outskirts just do not end.  I do not think I would like to live in a city this size!

Dave and I have an ongoing sparring match as to who is the best driver.  It’s all in fun.  It is just amazing how he really does think he is the better of the two of us.  Especially since I know I am right!  Actually I have it figured out.  When he drives I am a bit on edge because he doesn’t react to the driving conditions like I would.  And I think he is on edge because I don’t react to driving conditions like he does.  So perhaps in our own eyes we are both correct.  I am not concerned about him when he drives alone, so why should I be concerned about his driving when he is doing the driving and I am a passenger?  So I choose to be quiet.  Overall he is an excellent driver.  And what he just said about me is that I am just not a very good passenger.  Just for the record, that is not true.

Now to the reason for this wonderful day.  It is a day of remembrance and rejoicing because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I touched on this topic last week.  It is the story that changed the world forever.  The first, being the day he was born on earth earth, and the second being His death and resurrection to atone for the sins of man.

The beauty of Christ’s death and resurrection is that not only are our sins forgiven if we but ask, but that He promised to send His Holy Spirit back to earth after He ascended to THE FATHER so that His Spirit would abide within us as our comforter and friend.  And so today we celebrate and rejoice and remember. 

We had three Calvary Chapel Fellowships picked out to attend so we could match our time on the road to coincide with their service time.  We decided to travel almost three hours before stopping in Chattanooga TN in order to help break up our nine and one half hour trek.  We were right on target with plenty of time to arrive in Chattanooga before the 11:00 a.m. service.  We both looked forward to our Easter celebration with a “church family”.  We had already left the other two church areas behind us.

About 45 minutes before arrival time we realized that Chattanooga was in a different time zone (something we had discussed before we left home).  But, on this day, we forgot!  Another senior moment.  We would be arriving an hour late because we forgot to change our clocks one hour ahead.  We looked and looked for other churches along the way, but by this time most service were well underway, or over.  We eventually stopped at a rest stop, changed out of our Sunday go-to-meeting clothes and put on our comfortable duds.  And here I am finishing up my blog.  Originally I planned to share about our church experience today.  There is just something special about joining in worship with a southern church body.

ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL

By Kathleen Martens

March 27, 2016

Two hundred and twenty two miles

Left to drive today.

Let’s hope we don’t get lost

Like we did yesterday.

Nothing quite as exciting

As arriving after dark

Especially without an address

Which creates quite a lark.

To be lost is one thing

But when you know you have arrived

It becomes exasperating

When the house seems to hide.

But all is well that ends well

For we finally found our stead

Filled our tummies, and went to sleep

And slept on half a bed.

I must explain the above poem.  When we received our information from Airbnb.com regarding our reservation we were only given the name of the subdivision of our designated location.  We found the location of the subdivision through google.  We thought perhaps it was the only house as the location was named BOYER FARMS, only to find out that there were dozens and dozens of houses that all looked quite similar.  I called, left messages to the owner but we did not receive a response.  After an hour of searching up and down the streets, stopping strangers on the street to ask them if they recognized the picture of the house on my cell phone which I received from Airbnb, knocking on doors which had porch lights burning, we were still house-less.  So I scrutinized the picture of the house to see if I could figure out what might be different from the others in the neighborhood.  Finally, I discovered a design difference in the walkway that led up to the front door that no other house had.  So, I kid you not, (after stopping at a construction site so I could use an outdoor latrine with my cell phone flashlight) we examined each house in order to find the nuance the picture characterized.  Would you believe it, we actually found it.  It had no porch light burning and only one light was on in the house.  By this time it was almost 9:00 p.m.  I have used Airbnb on many occasions but it was Dave’s first experience.  Not a great first experience for him.  The lightbulb on the porch had burned out.  There is a lot more I could tell you but I will refrain.  So now you know what the poem is referring to.  There is even more to the story.  Maybe someday I will tell you about the bed.  I am smiling and I am still learning.  Wherever I go God so graciously teaches me something. 

Thank You Lord that we finally found the house last night.

Lord, Thank You for providing a bed for Dave and I to sleep in last night.

Thank You for bringing us safely to our destination this day.

Thank You for washcloths.

It is now 2:36 p.m.  We are through Atlanta as well as Macon Georgia.  We are on our way to another Airbnb in Live Oak FL.  And the miles yet to go are now 192 with an ETA of two hours and forty five minutes.

GOD BLESS YOU ON THIS BLESSED RESURRECTION SABBATH!

P.S.  I cannot publish my blogs until night comes and I have access to WIFI. 

P.S. Again:  It is still pouring down rain!

P.S. This is the last one:  We arrived safely to Live Oak, FL.  Lovely accommodations!  It poured bucket all afternoon as we drove our leisurely 70 mph.  And we were in the slow lane, in pouring down rain.

Saturday March 26 2016  ON THE ROAD

Literally, on the road.  Dave is driving and I am sitting next to him in the front seat, baseball cap shielding the sunshine from my eyes, and happily writing what I hope will be my best blog ever!  (Dream on Kathleen.)  We are headed toward Decatur Illinois on our way to Clarksville Tennessee where we will spend the night.  It is a new experience writing in the front seat of a car as the roadside speeds away in my peripheral vision.  Illinois is flat.  At least the parts I’ve always driven through.  Flat, and beautiful in its own agricultural way.  In my opinion it does not hold a candlestick to the rolling landscape of Wisconsin’s rural farms.  But, wherever I am I can see beauty in the land.  

So, now that I have gone to all the trouble to get my computer situated on my lap, what is there to write about?  Ah ha! I found a topic.  It stems from a comment Dave made about 10 miles back.  We saw a sign on the highway that said “ARCOLA, THE GATEWAY TO THE AMISH COUNTRY”.  Dave turned to me and said, “Wouldn’t it be awesome to go on a trip with no place to go?”  I wholeheartedly agreed!  I told him if that were so, we could just turn off here and go exploring the world of the Amish.  Then I started fantasizing what it would be like, especially if we could email Airbnb in the afternoon of each day and have a bed to sleep in that night.  I imagine it could be done.  That would be awesome.  Perhaps that will be our next trip.  No itinerary, no time schedule, no bookings of where we’ll be staying until the day we need the reservation.  I wonder where an adventure like that would lead us?  Dave has planted a new seed in my heart and I may just take him up on the idea!

The road is lulling me to into a drowsy state (another one of those wonderful places to explore).  Perhaps I am becoming sleepy because it is peaceful and quiet, and the rhythmic click of the highway’s nuances has placed a spell over me.  The sun is warm, as it beats through the window and we actually need the AC on low.  The further south we go, the warmer it becomes.  It is now 61 degrees. When we left Madison area this morning it was about 31 degrees.  Sixty one degrees feels awesome about now!  Monday, when we arrive at Rebecca’s it will be in the mid 80’s.  HERE WE COME FLORIDA!

THE BEST THING BEING…

By Kathleen Martens

March 26, 2016

My eyelids droop,

My breathing slows

The further and further

South we go.

All is well

All is quiet.

Only the road

Creates the riot.

Though peaceful and calm

It lulls the brain

Shutting out the world

From its raucous refrain.

The world flies past

In rhythmic speed,

Taking us south

As splendor leads.

Retirement seems

To have its perks.

The best thing being

WE NO LONGER WORK!

Not my shortest blog.  Not my longest blog.  And hopefully not my best blog.  I just wanted to make certain I had time to say hello and let everyone know that we got off okay.  It’s a good thing we have house sitters because they called us when they got up to let us know that we left the garage door open.  Oops!  My fault.  I had backed the car into the garage last night in order to make packing easier.  We were so excited to finally be leaving that as I drove away I just forgot to look back. 

Hope you have a wonderful day.  Thank you for your prayers as we travel. 

GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU!

P.S.  As I read the blog to Dave he just informed me that it is now a balmy 63 degrees.

Friday March 25 2016 FINAL COUNTDOWN

I see the end in sight.  That is, the end of the interminable tasks that one must do in order to take a car trip.  It is so much easier when packing a suitcase and heading out to the airport.  First priority is making certain the car is safe and maintenance is up to date.  And when you have a car as compact as our Kia Soul is, you must also give great deliberation as to what you plan to take.  When not confined to a suitcase it is easy to allow your imagination, of what you THINK you need, to get out of hand. 

When I travel I would much prefer to take my own food, buy fresh food along the way to eat, and not stop at restaurants (especially fast food restaurants).  Dave prefers stopping, eating in the restaurant, getting back in the car and all is well.  We compromised.  When we leave I take all he food in the fridge and when we eat that up we’ll then we stop at Subway’s.  We like Subway’s because that is where I can choose what I want on my salad (which comes on flat bread) and not get all the grease that most other places sell.  On my four month trip last year I did not stop at one fast food restaurant until the day before I arrived home.  My food was long gone and I needed one more meal before I stopped for the last night.  Good old Subway was right where I needed it to be.  And…since I only eat half of a flat bread sandwich salad, I always have another meal to look forward to.  Now, if I must confess it all, I will say I did stop three or four times across the country for MacDonald’s soft serve cone.  And you know what?  They all tasted differently.  One MacDonald’s soft serve was so delicious I went back through the line and ate two in a row!  One other stop for restaurant food was at Panera Bread in Colorado.

So, tomorrow’s lunch is already made.  I designed one salad for each of us that will last for two meals.  We have chicken for one meal and home grown, grass fed beef for the next meal.  We’ll have plenty of boiled eggs along with sliced zucchini, sliced green peppers, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, baby carrots, oranges, and sliced apple (Honey Crisp) in case we need to munch on something.  So you see, we are set.  The lunches are already made and as one drives, the other one eats.  We share the trusty dusty bib!  If you know me, you know about my bib.  If you haven’t seen my bib you are probably only an acquaintance.  The bib works wonderfully in the car when it’s lunchtime.  It is made from a large terry cloth bath towel.  There is a hole cut out toward one end, bound with basting ribbon, that slips over your head.  The bib fits neatly down the chest wall and delicately curves at the lap.  And there you go.  All crumbs are trapped!  When I traveled alone, my bib served both at meal time and by being the blanket I needed to cover my knees during the rest of each day.  Two fold purpose!  I will say, I always stopped to eat my meals and did not eat and drive simultaneously.

I would rather eat fresh live food any day than packaged, processed, or cooked foods.  I could probably eat out for less cost.  When Dave travels he especially enjoys not having the mess of food in the car or needing to shop at grocery stores.  He does not say too much about it but I can feel his vibes.  So I made a deal with him.  We’ll eat up what I take during the first two long travel days and after that I will not prepare food to take along for the rest of the trip.  Even if food is fresh it must still be washed,  cut up, packaged, stored (sometimes on ice), and carted around.  He liked the compromise.   I get two more days of healthy eating.  And the way I figure it, we’ll then be at our daughter’s home and she always serves healthy nourishment, sometimes to Dave’s chagrin.  She especially creates healthy green drinks with foods you probably can’t pronounce.  Right up my alley.

Things are culminating nicely.  Now all we must do is get everything into the car.  But, perhaps I should finish packing first.

BUT THE TOILETS WILL BE CLEAN

By Kathleen Martens

March 25, 2016

We can only live in the moment

Yet we plan for days ahead.

Days which may never culminate,

Regardless if living or dead.

We just take one step at a time,

And do what we must do

That take us to the next plateau

Of that which we must ensue.

Wash the clothes, wash the dishes,

That we not leave our mess behind.

I certainly don’t want another

To be surprised by the mess they find.

So now that I am ready to go

I see my house through another’s eyes.

Oh my goodness what will they think

When all the dust they spy?

But the toilets will be clean

And the sinks will be cleared away.

And it will be fun just knowing

We helped others to have a nice stay.

And my time is up.  I’m going to do a little test in the car tomorrow while Dave is driving.  I am going to try to use my laptop in the car to write my blog.  If I don’t get dizzy and the computer does not slide off my lap, maybe I can do it!  I’ll give it my best.  Otherwise you may just receive a hello, a goodbye, and a GOD BLESS YOU! 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU.

PLEASE PRAY FOR GOD’S PROTECTION OVER US AS WE TRAVEL.

Thursday March 24 2016  A GOOD MORNING HELLO

A very short hello today.  This day is packed from one event to the next and for the most part involve other people (so I must be conscious of time). 

Scattered remnants of a trifling, insignificant snow fall dots the landscape.  It rained all day yesterday and by the afternoon there was frozen, slippery slush on the parking lot surfaces around town.  I skated carefully across the pavement when I walked to and from my car.  Last night the temperature dipped enough to turn the precipitation into snow.  Ice particles cling to all the bare branches and twigs and the evergreens are heavy with the weight of it.

It is mornings such as this that I would like sit here and write my heart out.  But it is not to be.  Not today.  The countdown is set.  Last minute details to take care of and the day culminates with a “teaching dinner” this evening.  And I’m the teacher.  So, lots to prepare and do.  I wanted to check in with my readers to let them know that all is well on our home front and I will have no other moments today in which to probe my thoughts out through my fingertips.

WORDS GIVE THOUGHTS A VOICE

By Kathleen Martens

March 24, 2016

Even when time is short

And I can’t call the shots.

No time to compose a blog

Or put together all my thoughts.

I can still say hello

And let you know I’m well.

And to thank you for reading

The little stories I tell.

And if no one reads my blog

I would still write my story.

To release all the words

That within me are warring.

Words that want to make a way

To the top of the heap.

Fighting for their meager space

As on the screen they leap.

So many words I have to say

And what I write is by choice.

Perhaps I can’t talk enough

And my writing gives thought a voice.

Though my words today are few

I send my greetings with prayer,

That God will bless you mightily,

And let you know He cares.

7 Daily Steps to Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

After all, the gift of the Holy Spirit to us believers reminds us that we can truly…

7. Rest in God’s Love

When we face a difficult world each day, we can sometimes wonder if God even cares. Why do bad things happen? Where is God when I need Him? Solomon reminds us that God never takes a break or leaves us to fend for ourselves:

“because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12)

Even in the midst of turmoil, God sticks with us and uses those challenges to shape us. When we understand that, our perspective completely flips. No longer do we see our setbacks as failures; we see them as moments when God, as our loving Father, works on us.

And that’s exactly why we can trust in the Lord with all our hearts. He cares for us each and every day. He gives us what we need to thrive. He pours blessing after blessing upon us.

Of course, following each of these daily steps isn’t easy. That’s why Jesus said we have to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Trusting God takes a whole-hearted commitment from dawn till dusk. But we’re never alone in it:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

This article first appeared at BibleStudyTools.com.

MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU THIS DAY.