Tuesday April 12 216 WHAT AN ODYSSY

The last few days have been quite interesting to say the least. Visions of Poetry had a guest blogger yesterday for the very first time. I think he did an excellent job. If you read it you will know that my husband was like my knight in shining armor by coming to my rescue by writing my blog.

Sunday evening I ate some chicken that I believe was left off the ice for a bit too long. As soon as I ate it I could tell that it did not sit well within the confines of my stomach. I was sick most of Sunday night and by Monday morning I was in full bloom food poisoning. I have experienced that only one other time in my life and I recognized the symptoms immediately. At first I felt fortunate that I did not experience all the experiences that can foist itself upon the pain ravaged body. I just hadn’t waited quite long enough. Before all was said and done I experienced every symptom possible…except death. I won’t go into the gory details but I will say that I was not able to function, except in the bathroom.

Dave and I stayed at an Airbnb Sunday night. It was awesome. It had a beautiful bedroom, a great bathroom (thank goodness), and an excellent host. Nate was 26 years old and the General Manager of a Target Store. His place was impeccable and he was master to one of the most delightful black retrievers, Bella. We planned to leave bright and early on Monday morning but I could not go anywhere. I have not experienced such pain in a long while. It was pretty bad!

This morning I was a bit steadier and we decided to make a break for it. We had already stayed an extra night at the Airbnb.

We had planned to spend part of the day in Charleston SC. enjoying the sights. I knew I would not be able to get up so early and expend as much energy as I would need to last the full day if I went in to Charleston. When I ate a bite of yogurt and was able to hold it down we decided to head to Columbia SC and take a tour of the State Capitol building. It was so worth it. Capitol building tours are always so interesting to me and we try to see as many capitols as we can when in close proximity.

It was interesting to hear the history of how the Capitol building was built and how long it took to complete. The building was started in 1853 and through was not completed until 1903. If you are interested in reading about its history click on this website: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/studentpage/Explore/history.shtml

It is too lengthy for me to read completely to fill you in on all that happened during the course of its building.

From Columbia SC we drove up to Taylorsville NC to visit our friends. The is the place we planned to stay last night as well. This morning at 5:54 a.m. Sandra received a phone call from the county sheriff. Sandra’s mother had fallen and called life alert and they needed Sandra to meet them there so they could get into her 80 year old mother’s house. They arrived first and since there was a front window unlocked they were able to gain access through the window. Sandra’s mother had fallen and received a serious head gash and had lost a lot of blood. To make a long story short, her mother has been stitched up, her arm in a sling due to breaking her clavicle and is now safely in a rehab center. Needless to say it has been a difficult day for Sandra.

Sandra and Scott are friends we met 38 years ago when we were both pregnant. No matter how long the time between our visits, we just pick up as if we were together yesterday. That’s the good thing about certain friends. And Sandra is that friend. Sandra returned home after we arrived. We all went out to dinner (at a Mexican Restaurant). I had a few bites of fresh avocado and two sips of chicken broth and I have been paying for it ever since.

It is late, I forgot to write my blog in the car, and Sandra hasn’t stopped talking to me all evening so I haven’t written much. Honest, it really was HER doing the talking! Don’t believe everything Dave may write in a poem. I did think it was a great poem however.

WHAT GOOD FRIENDS ARE FOR
By Kathleen Martens
April 12, 2016

It’s polite to listen
When others talk
And Sandra likes
To do it a lot.

Perhaps that’s why
I am so sweet
And listen to all
Her little mouth tweets.

But my blog
Will be cut short
So that I too
Can give retort

So goodnight friends.
Lord, today I am so thankful that I am on the road to recovery.
Thank you God for your protection through this day.
Thank You God for all the wonderful dogs I have met on this trip

GOD BLESS YOU!

Monday April 11 2016  SICK IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

You will be able to guess by the style, but to be clear this blob is being written by a guest blogger (her greatest fan and husband).  My role up until today was to edit Kathleen’s blog.  That is because it is much easier to find others “mistakes” then your own.  In this regard this blog mirrors real life.

We believe that Kathleen has food poisoning and so she will not be writing her blog today.  So now is my chance to put my prospective into this blog.  So I have written a poem.

A PEEK AT THE REAL KATHLEEN MARTENS

By David Martens

April 11, 2016

 What to say

And how to say it

And should I say it,

That is my challenge today.

What should I tell you about Kathleen?

About all her strange,

Unusual,

And mysterious ways?

Alas maybe I would

If I could.

But since she is sick,

None could be found today.

However she is good at blogging,

And she is a great picture taker.

But where she excels

Is at talking.

This is not a very long blog.  However, the chair is uncomfortable, the key board seems strange, and I am not focused.

Please keep Kathleen in your prayers.  And, may God Bless You.

 Sunday Sabbath April 10 2016  Yesterday’s Review

Our last day at our daughter’s place created a delightful bank of memories.  As promised in last night’s abbreviated blog I promised to bring you up to date today.  So here goes.

Our day began with our last workout at the gym for Dave and me.  We are not certain if we’ll have another gym opportunity during this last week.  We then went home (to Rebecca’s) to clean up and primp for the day.  It doesn’t take much for me to get ready, but it sure seems like it takes a lot of time to do whatever it is I  do.

The four of us, Rebecca, Neil, Dave, and I, headed out to CITY PLACE in West Palm Beach to the GREEN MARKET.  Bright and sunny, combined with a pleasant breeze, made the weather quite perfect.  The market is located on the Intracoastal and the backdrop with all the yachts in the harbor gives it a special flair of the nautical.  We decided to each choose what we wanted to eat for lunch.  I chose lobster salad.  It was quite minuscule with an abundant price tag.  It was delicious for the three or four minutes it took me to eat it.  Dave went to another stand and ordered a multi-grained bagel with egg, turkey, and cheese.  He said it was VERY GOOD.  I can’t tell you what Rebecca had because it had a Cuban name.  Neil had something similar to what Dave had. 

What we ate before lunch is what really counts.  I will tell you about the beautiful “boxes” that you saw in yesterday’s photo gallery.  The booth where they were housed had tables full of bright and colorful duct taped covered Styrofoam ice chests.   Inside each “box” were delicious, handmade, hand dipped, frozen popsicle bars.  That vendor was our first stop both last week and this week.  Because I cannot each chocolate (one of my favorite food groups) I chose a roasted coconut popsicle bar (AGAIN), and Dave chose a chocolate dipped peanut butter bar (AGAIN).  They were as delicious as we remembered them to be.  I will post a couple of additional pictures that you can enlarge if you would like to read about them.  The bars are all handmade and usually sold within the first 8 days of being made.  All the products are created from natural local produce which give them their flavors. 

Now I will go back to the lobster vendor.  The line was extremely long.  So, what do I do?   I strike up a conversation with the person in que behind me.  She was little reserved at first but the ice was broken when we realized we had so many common interests, with God being the main interest.  The lady’s name is Anne.  It was extremely interesting to hear a bit of her story.  I discovered that Anne is a talented Harpist and Pianist.  She performs at many events around the area, including working on a regular basis at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach.  She is a soloist and also works with an ensemble.  She is an organist, accompanist, and teacher.

She sparkled as she spoke of her art.  I would have loved to hear her play while I was in Florida.  I have her card and we hope to connect the next time I am visiting Florida.  I intend to be in one of her audiences someday.  Anne is a lovely lady who loves the Lord and has a close relationship with Jesus.  I cherish our short time we shared together.  It fills me with joy to become acquainted with others who seek and follow after God.  She loves the Scriptures like I do.  Her recall to quote them is much better than mine.  I know where to go in my Bible to find them, but don’t always remember their reference.  My Bible is well marked and gives me the cues.

I asked Anne for her words of wisdom.  These are her words:

“Sing and make music in your heart t0 the Lord.  You don’t even have to be a music major musician to do that.  It all boils down to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and body and love your neighbor as yourself.  She also quoted the following scripture as words of wisdom from Philippians 4:8 NKJV”:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”  

“MAKE MUSIC IN YOUR HEART”.  I wonder what the world would be like if more people would listen for the music their heart would like to make. 

MAKE MUSIC IN YOUR HEART

By Kathleen Martens

April 10, 2016

What exactly does it mean

To make music in your heart?

How is it accomplished

To create the sound of art?

It takes a soul attuned to God

Who hears His whispered voice.

When you make music in your heart

It is always accomplished by choice.

When we look for the good

Rather than gripe and complain,

A music will fill the soul

That only God can explain.

And when the melodies fill you up

It bubbles out from within,

And then God just pours in more

To share with all your friends.

Thank you Anne for inspiring today’s poem.

So many pictures and not enough space or battery power to write about them all.  So I must choose.

I will tell you about the man I met with fingers of magic.  I cannot even tell you his name because I was unable to understand his pronunciation.  I saw this man last week as well but it was later in the day and he was just finishing up his street performance.  He is from Romania and probably the most gifted solo violinist I have ever heard.  I’ve listed to violin music on CD’s, television, and stage shows.  But never have I heard music that literally reached so deep into my heart, soul, and emotions.  He played classical music as his main genre but I soon learned that whatever music he has heard before he can play it.  When children came up to listen he changed to music that would delight them.  His fingers played the strings like nothing I have ever seen or heard.  He never missed a beat or a note.  His music was like a delicate layer of musical lace that reverberated in my heart long after the sound took flight. 

Mr. Violinist was sitting in a chair with his case opened at his feet.  It was filled with one dollar bills.  I was so blessed by the music that came from deep within him.  He did not “play” the violin.  As if by magic he instilled in his violin a voice of song that connected with my heart.  Perhaps not with everyone’s heart, but mine and those around me were certainly amazed at his renditions.  It was as if he were able to interpret a foreign language into something that could be totally understood without effort.  I have never heard a violin sing with such clarity. 

The street where he sat was short and narrow, with tall buildings creating an amphitheater of resounding melody.  Even the tiniest nuance of his magic fingers on a string caused the sound to come alive.  It was almost as if the music was visual.  We all stayed until he closed up shop.  The music man was old and seemed tired after his performance.  We talked a great while.  He was from Romania and had been raised around the gypsies.  He has played his music in several countries but because of the language barrier I could not decipher all he spoke.  All I know was that his music touched me like no other music in the world has ever done so before.  I think if I lived where Rebecca lives I would bring my own chair every Saturday morning and sit across the street from him so I could surround myself in his creation of music which his soul interprets.  I may not be able to play an instrument, but I had the wonderful opportunity to absorb that which he so freely gave.  His music filled my heart with wonder and great joy.

What I described in the paragraph above is how I feel about coming before God, the creator of the universe and creator of all music.  When I sit before God, worshiping Him for who He is and thanking Him for sending His Son to die on the cross for my eternal salvation,  there is no greater joy to be experienced.  Being able to listen to the talent He has given another is a blessing He bestows upon his Children.  It is though God that true love and joy originates.  As much as I enjoyed the master violinist, it is so much more important to focus our attention to the Master and Creator of the universe.  The One who made us in His likeness.  When we linger in the presence of the Lord we will be filled with joy unspeakable.

Thank You Lord for bestowing talent on those willing to share it with others.

Thank You for the experience of life and meeting new people.

Thank You for this beautiful day of writing.

Thank You for toasted coconut popsicle bars.

It is time for a lunch break.  Will publish this later tonight when we arrive at the Airbnb. 

HAVE A GREAT DAY, A WONDERFUL TONIGHT, AND A HEART FULL OF MUSIC (THE KIND THAT GOD MAKES).

Oh, and thank you if you read this entire blog.  I hope somebody does.

P.S.  THE WOMEN WON THE LAST CARD GAME!  CLOSE GAME AND VERY EXCITING!