Monday March 7 2016  ONE YEAR AGO TODAY

Today it is necessary that I write a short blog.  (Is that applause I hear?)  Again, my schedule is tight and my time is running out for this afternoon.

One year ago today was the day I left for my trip of my lifetime.  I spent some time this morning reading the first few blogs I wrote last year in February and March.  I was testing my wings with the writing bit.

Oh my goodness!  I was flooded with such memories.  It almost feels like a lifetime ago and yet, it just seems like yesterday.  I wrote infrequently when I first left on the trip because for several weeks I did not have access to WIFI, or even plug-in internet.  On a subsequent trip when I was there in October with my family I finally figured out how to get around that dilemma.  On one occasion I sat on the cement steps outside of the Russellville Arkansas  library early one Saturday morning while Dave, my sister Scarlett, and my aunt waited patiently (or impatiently?) in the car while I connected and published a few blogs.  But I didn’t know I could do that my first time through.  Thank goodness a light bulb finally clicked on in this old brain of mine.  I wasn’t experienced enough last March when I left to realize that, so unfortunately, there are some gaps in what was blogged.  I missed capturing a lot of exciting and interesting things that happened along the way because I wrote only when I had the internet hook up.  By the time I had access to internet, I then had no time to write.

Well, now I know.  Even if I cannot publish on a daily basis, I can still write on a daily basis, so as to capture my memories before they escape.  I can always publish them later.

Comment about yesterday’s blog;  I did not realize how painful it still is for Dave to relive what happened to him so many years ago regarding his job loss.  I offered to not publish it but he said it was okay.  He felt it was as if he still had post-traumatic stress disorder from the event.  There was so much more involved than what I wrote about yesterday.  I just glossed over the easy stuff so I could tell part of our story.  And I really do want to continue it when I have more time.  I asked Dave if that was okay and he was agreeable with that.  We both feel that there may be some valuable lessons that others might learn if we share out story.  As I look back I realize how very important it was for us to have someone who was always there for us through the thick and thin of it.  My confidant was the only one that ever knew just how difficult a time it was for me.  It became so financially tight that there were times we had to decide whether to buy food or accumulate the money for our house payment.  We decided to do what was most important at the moment and trust God to provide what we needed for the next day or next week.  And over and over we discovered that God always provided enough!

To have someone in which to confide was my safety net.  She was the only one I would call and talk to when I thought I couldn’t get any lower.  She offered money but it was too hard for Dave and me to accept it.  If I remember correctly I think that at one time she sent us money.  She was the only one who we ever accepted help from.  We also paid it back.  Just having her concern and support at the other end of the phone was the most important help.  She is my sister Velma, who for so many in our family, has always been there to pick up the pieces.  And she is still doing it today for those who are in unfortunate circumstances.  How can you ever repay love and generosity, such as she has shown throughout her lifetime?  We’ve had our ups and downs through our tenure as sisters, but she is always there when someone is down.  I have tears in my eyes as I write.  Perhaps this blog is therapeutic.  Well, at least it isn’t expensive to keep up.  Thank you Velma.

So…more of that story to follow.

I must leave soon and still have lots to do.

 

TO TEACH THEM WHAT THEY’RE WORTH

By Kathleen Martens

March 7, 2016

 

As much as I would like to rest

There is no rest for the weary.

Instead I write a hello blog,

And now my cheeks are teary.

 

Sometimes a bit melancholy

To see the past unfold.

But I know that these memories

Really must be told.

 

Life is but a shadow

When it’s lived without voice.

A vapor that dissolves in time

Unless you speak by choice.

 

And I choose to tell my story

Not for money earned.

Rather to pass on to those I love

All the lessons I’ve learned.

 

If my words someday will help

One descendent not yet birthed,

How awesome that would be,

To teach them what they’re worth.

 

To let them know how precious

God considers them to be.

That when they give their heart to God

Someday their Lord they’ll see.

 

And I too will be waiting

To greet them at heaven’s gate.

So they can meet great-gramma

And in forever I’m willing to wait.

 

Have a blessed day! 

 

Job 8:8-11

 

“Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned, for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.  Will they not instruct you and tell you?  Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Sabbath March 6 2016  THE CONCEPT OF ENOUGH

When is enough, enough?  And of what, must we have enough?

Dave gave me the title for this blog.  We were talking yesterday, and to be truthful, I don’t even remember exactly what we were talking about but he asked the question, when is enough, enough?  He then suggested it would be a good blog topic.  And then he just said I should write about “THE CONCEPT OF ENOUGH”.  So there I have it.  A new blog title without thought as to what I will write.

So here goes.

There are some absolutes as to what we must have “enough” of in order to literally survive.  First and foremost, we must have enough air.  We must have enough water.  We must have enough food.  We must have enough protection from the elements (I can vouch for that living in Wisconsin), both in housing and clothing.  And the list could just keep going if I wanted to be nitpicky.  We must have enough energy and capacity to work in order to buy enough food and housing and clothing.  We must have enough education in order to get the job to buy the “enough stuff”.  We must have a car or other transportation in order to get to the job and as you can see the list can just keep on going.

But what about once we become settled in our life and we have the education, the job, the food, the clothing, the shelter, and the water and air?  Then we want the bigger house, the better clothing, the finer car, the sparkling waters, the fine restaurants, the big screen TV’s in every room of the house, and the maid to keep it all up.  And then we must work more, to earn more, to have more…When is enough, enough?

It reminds me of the story in 1^st Kings, chapter 17 at a time when there was a drought.  The Lord directed Elijah to go to a ravine east of the Jordan and he would find a brook to drink from and God would have the Ravens feed him.  He did as he was told.  Finally the brook dried up because of the lack of rain.  Once again the Lord directed Elijah to take a journey and go to a city where he would meet a widow.  He did as he was told, and when he arrived, he found the widow picking up sticks for firewood.  Elijah asked her to bring him a drink of water and a piece of bread to eat. 

The story continues in 1^st Kings 17: 13-15 NIV: “ ‘As surely as the Lord your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug.  I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.’

Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid.  Go home and do as you have done.  But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.  For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’

She went away and did as Elijah had told her.  So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.  For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”

As I thought about this story in the Old Testament I began to realize “THE CONCEPT OF ENOUGH”.  God, in His abundance, could have given the widow an abundance and even overabundance of much more than just oil and flour.  God’s scriptures promises that God provides for all our needs.  It does not say that God is going to give us everything in the world that we could feasibly fathom.  God provided for Elijah as well as for the widow and her son with just enough.  Notice how it was even determined just how long it would be provided.  His provision was enough to last until the drought was over.

This story reminded me of a time in our lives when Dave came home from work one Thursday and no longer had a job.  Several of the executives in the bank where he worked were downsized out of a job.  It was unexpected and we were unprepared for this type of a “disaster”.  I was a full time stay at home mom and did not work.  Nor did I want to work outside of the home and leave our young children.  We prayed.  Dave was over 40, over-qualified for most of the job positions available and no one wanted to hire someone who was in his salary bracket.  Dave didn’t care about the salary as much as he just wanted to get a job and get back into the workplace.  He worked full time sending out resumes, and working with head-hunters.  It was apparent that I would need to go to work. 

We thought this situation would be somewhat temporary so rather than leave our children with someone else we decided that I would open a daycare in our home and provide care for other people’s children.  And we prayed a lot.  We also promised that we would not allow the devil to gain a foothold in our marriage and tear our family apart.  There is a lot of stress and depression that can manifest during a crisis such as this.  AND WE PRAYED!  A LOT! 

My main prayer was that God would provide all our needs and that Dave would be able to find work.  As the weeks and months and then years started rolling by, our prayers, the daycare business, and Dave’s part time jobs he obtained once in a while kept us afloat.  Barely.  It was during those three years without insurance or employment that we learned THE CONCEPT OF ENOUGH.  We felt as if   we should put our home on the market.  We surrendered all we had so that God could take us down the path he had for us.  Was it difficult?  You bet it was.  Neither of us wanted to sell but we were willing to do it if it was what God wanted.  Each month I would collect all the monies that came in week after week and scrape together enough to pay our house payment.  Only one month during the three years of Dave’s unemployment did we not come up with the entire amount needed to pay our house payment.  The month we were short we received just enough to make a late payment and it was only 5 days late.  We didn’t even have to pay a late fee because it was still in the “grace” period.  After months of keeping the house spotless for looky-loos we decided to take it off the market.  And we prayed some more.  We were still scraping by.  Dave was able to get some sales jobs at furniture stores but the furniture business was also not doing so well and the store’s ethics and Dave’s integrity were not a match.  You might be surprised at how certain businesses train their sales force.  Dave was taken aback by some of what he was supposed to do and say.  He could not stay and work with a clear conscience. 

Daily we trusted the Lord.  Daily the Lord provided.  We always had “ENOUGH” to eat.  It might not have been fancy or even very healthy, but our kids were not hungry.   Day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year God continually provided us with enough.  AND FOR EVERYTHING, WE WERE SO GRATEFUL!

I remember our son asking us if we were going to be homeless.  It tore my heart out.  So many aspects of your lives change when you don’t have a job.  My business grew, God provided all the children I needed, I went back to night school during those years for my early childhood education, became licensed and hired people to work for me.  It was still financially tight.  It was still rough and it took a lot of energy to keep my prayer life and my emotions from plummeting into despair.  I did break down a few times.  Dave and I had promised to always be there for the other if one was sinking.  And he was there for me and I was able to help pull him up a few times when he felt he was drowning.  And through it all, God was right there by our side. 

It would take a book to tell you all I learned in those three years when Dave was without gainful employment and the two years following his return to work.  It certainly felt like we were going through a desert at the time.  I look back now and I know it was during those times when God worked on my heart in so many ways.  He taught me how to not be so judgmental.  People would come and see our home and wonder why we were in need.  I can’t begin to tell you how humbling it was to accept food boxes from church for holiday meals.  We never asked, but undoubtedly, someone else asked for us.   And I can’t tell you how much joy and gratefulness was included in those two boxes filled with a turkey and a ham and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner.  Never underestimate what your giving is doing in the lives of others.  And never judge a book by its cover.  Yes, our house was beautiful, well decorated, comfortable, and like any house, expensive to run.  If you don’t know the details of another’s life, there is no room for judgement.  Those food boxes fed us a lot longer than just one Thursday in November.   We probably ate for two weeks or more on the meals I prepared from that turkey dinner.

We found that a lot of people we knew were uncomfortable around us, yes, even some from church.  I don’t think people know what to say or perhaps they were afraid we were going to ask to borrow money.  It was painful but I never held it against them.  Our experience taught us how to interact with people who were experiencing what we experienced during our time in the desert.  I tried to figure out ways we could help.  And that is another whole story in itself.  God filled my heart with compassion and concern for those going through similar situations.  God doesn’t waste a lesson on any of His children.  He uses all that we go through to show us how we can be the best we can be.  He takes what the devil meant for harm and turns it into something good. 

Because of the length of this blog I going to draw it to a close, but this story is far from finished.  I would like to tell you the journey of the years following, once Dave was again gainfully employed on a full time basis WITH INSURANCE!  It was in a totally different line of work than being the Vice President/Manager of the main office of a large bank.  He was hired for less than half of what he made previously.  Guess what, I was the owner of a day care for many more years.  AND GOD ALWAYS PROVIDED…ENOUGH!

 

JUST ENOUGH

By Kathleen Martens

March 6, 2016

 

When trials come

And troubles brew

It could be

God is talking to you.

 

When life is weary

And full of pain

And by a thread

You are staying sane.

 

So many times

So unprepared

For the unexpected

And all the cares.

 

The world falls silent,

And you feel alone.

There is one

To whom all is known.

 

It is God

Who by your side,

Through all your woes

He will abide.

 

What you need,

Regardless your sorrow,

He is with you

In all tomorrows.

 

Regardless how destitute

You may become,

He will pick you up,

Because you’re His son.

 

And those times

When out of stuff,

He will offer

Just enough.

 

He is your port

In any storm.

And His comfort

Should be your norm.

 

And He will shield

You from all harm.

And He will hold you

In His arms.

 

Do not despair

Or turn your back.

Our mighty King

Provides all lack.

 

His scriptures promise

Adequate supply.

And your essentials

He’ll not deny.

 

Just pray and ask

When things get rough.

He always provides

What is enough.

 

Good night and God bless you. 

P.S.  If you did not read last Sunday’s blog you might find it interesting to read in light of today’s topic.  It is the true story of a recent event when God did even more than provide “just enough”.  It shows the miraculous power of him providing above and beyond what was needed in quite a remarkable way.

 

Saturday March 5 2016  TIME, OUR TEMPORARY HOME

If my mother were still alive she would turn 98 years old this year.  I remember when she was in her 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s it seemed as if she attended at least one or two funerals every single week.  She lived in Arkansas in an area where she had friends that dated back to her school days.  And she also had a lot of relatives.  During those decades in Arkansas she lived part of them with her mother and some of the funerals were for her mother’s friends as well.  Her mother was actually the last surviving person of her graduating class.  It is a sobering thought to experience the death of so many in your later years.  Either you are attending the funerals of those you knew, or they are experiencing yours.  Dave’s father stopped reading the obituaries in his 90’s, because by then, all his contemporaries had already died.  He lived to 101 years old.

Well, today I went to a funeral.  As far as funerals go, it was mighty fine!  I mean that in all sincerity.  It was a funeral such as I have never attended.  John, the deceased, marched to his own tune.  At times he could  be hard to live with and did not always have the best of manners.  However, seen through the eyes of his son, who was the minister that delivered his eulogy, an entirely different perspective was brought to light.  The son himself, admitted to the adjectives I used above, but also showed his father from the perspective of a child’s love, expressing honor to a father who was always there for him.  And as always, it seemed that I left knowing more about the person from what was said after they died, than I ever knew while they lived.  Funerals are a place of education.  I always learn a lot when I attend a funeral.  And today I learned a whole lot more than I expected to learn.  It was enlightening and it was refreshing.  I walked away understanding that there is so much more to the inner workings of some people than I even imagined.

My cousin was buried yesterday and had no funeral.  Most of her family have moved away from the area where she lived and her mother, my aunt, is in an assisted living facility and cannot get out easily due to her own health.  She is in her mid-eighties.  At a later date there will be a memorial service for my Cousin Cynthia held at the facility where my aunt resides.  Our family is aging and there are but just a handful left here and there around the country.  There are lots of cousins but they are all spread out.  It is my generation that now bids farewell to the cousins of their youth.

And my sister too will be attending a funeral this week.  Her close friend and neighbor for the past 54 years died within the same few days as did my friend’s husband and my cousin.  I wish I could be there in California with my sister as she grieves for the loss of her friend.  Perhaps there would be some comfort I could extend.  I was only acquainted with Ruth through brief encounters but I can still imagine the loss my sister must feel.  It does not matter in old age that your friend is old.  What matters is the person you know deep inside, and it has nothing to do with how many wrinkles are on their face.

In the book, “A GIFT OF A YEAR” I read a sentence that said, “Time isn’t our enemy.  It’s our home.”  Relating to some instances I might agree with that to some extent.  At least, that time is our home WHILE we are here on earth.  The way I really see it, is that this earth is but my temporary home.  I am just passing through a period of time that earth measures on a calendar.   Time is the measurement of how long I live in the confines of earth.  My spirit is eternal, and it will continue to live, even after my time on earth ends.  And it is only then that I will truly be home.  I know I am taking this statement out of context from the book, but just from reading the few pages I have read, I surmise that the author and I are coming from two different perspectives as to what time really means to the person who knows God.  From my point of view “TIME” is like living in a holding pattern, waiting for the landing.  My landing comes when I take my last breath on earth and step into the light of my Savior’s arms.  OH WHAT A “TIME” THAT WILL BE!  And when my “TIME” comes, I think John will be one of those that will greet me for my HOMECOMING right along with my cousin Cynthia.   I fear not when my time on earth is done.  I just hope that I will not leave grieving hearts behind, but rather hearts that are rejoicing because they know that I have come in for my “landing”.  As cantankerous as John could be at times, I know he consecrated his heart to God, and today I stand rejoicing for where he is, not that his time on earth has ended.  John has come in for a “PERFECT LANDING” and I’m just a bit envious that he is already in the Lord’s presence and my run-way has not yet been cleared for landing. 

Time on earth is our friend when we use it to become better acquainted with the God who created us.

 

TIME, A GIFT OF PURE LOVE

By Kathleen Martens

March 5, 2016

 

This world is our home

For but a short stay.

It is our training ground

To learn God’s way.

 

We are born for a reason,

For God has a plan.

He has designed an eternity

For each woman, each man.

 

Our very days numbered,

Counted in time.

When we walk on earth,

In days confined.

 

Time has no constraint

For what is to come,

When we cross into eternity

To meet God’s son.

 

Hours will no longer hold

Us hostage in a world.

Forever we’ll be

Into eternity hurled.

 

And oh what a day

Of rejoicing it will be,

When we meet Jesus,

Forever more free.

 

Time isn’t our enemy

But a gift of pure love

To introduce us to God

Who lives in heaven above.

 

My Prayer of Thanksgiving:

O God, I give you great thanks for giving me a godly mother who taught me Your way.  Thank You for the prayers she prayed for her children, that they would open their hearts to You.  Thank You for opening my heart and accepting you as my Lord and Savior who died on the cross to forgive my sins. 

Thank You too God for being with me each step I take, for giving me comfort when I need comfort and for giving me strength when I need strength.  And most of all, I thank You for loving me first and teaching me to love You, and teaching me to love myself, and showing me how to love others. 

Thank You for all the healings you have done in my life, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  Thank You for abiding in me through Your Holy Spirit so that I am never alone.  Thank You for taking all my cares upon You and that I need never worry about tomorrow.  You are my strength.  You are my deliverer. 

And Thank You God that you have promised Your children in 2^nd Peter 1:11  that we “WILL RECEIVE A RICH WELCOME INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST”.  Thank you Lord for the rich welcome you made possible for John and Cynthia and Ruth.  I thank You that I have Your promise to hold in my heart until the day that I too shall see You face to face.  Amen

Good night and may God bless you richly.  Remember, His promise of eternal salvation is extended to all who just reach out in faith, and receive it.

Thursday March 3 2016  THE PERPLEXING MYSTERY

It sounds like a Nancy Drew Mystery title.  Many of my readers may not be old enough to know who Nancy Drew was.  I wonder if the series is still around in the modern day world?  I read every Nancy Drew Mystery written by Carolyn Keene.  An interesting note regarding Keene is the fact that Keene was a pseudonym used by several writers that contributed to the series.  Each writer was paid $125 per book.  I believe the books were first marketed in the 1930’s and 1940’s.  The statement “You’ve come a long way baby” speaks for itself in regards to the rights of the author.  Just think what some authors earn now through their literary skills.

Now, back to my perplexing mystery.  “The mystery of the splatters” is what I shall call it.  It began on a cold bleak day over one year ago.  I took my car into the Kia Dealership to have a warranty oil change performed.  It was extremely cold.  If I remember correctly it was just a few degrees upward of ZERO.  Now that is a cold day.  I have sense enough to know that you NEVER wash a car when it is below freezing.  The water freezes almost immediately upon contact with the outside air.  I specifically told the man I checked in with that I DID NOT WANT MY CAR WASHED THAT DAY.  The Dealership usually includes a car wash with each oil change.  Well, when I went outside to pick up my car there it was, frozen like a Popsicle.  I opened the back door to set something on the seat and the door resisted a bit.  Well, a couple of minutes later I tried to open the driver’s door and I could not get it open.  I kept pulling at it, and finally I heard what sounded like a loud gunshot as the door reluctantly opened a bit.  I forced it open so I could get in.  I grabbed a towel and dried as much of the water off as I could around the opening.  I got in, struggled to get the door closed and drove away.  I was just hoping that when I got home I would be able to open the door to get out.

The weather last year was not delightful.  We had a lot of snow.  It was snowy, slushy, icy, and mucky (all mixed with road dirt).  After I had my oil change and the frozen door incident, a couple of days later something happened.  I went out to the car early in the morning, and when I started to get into the driver’s seat, it looked as if someone had taken some diluted white paint and splattered it all over the interior of my car.  It was under the dashboard, on the sides of the door, all over the front controls, the steering wheel and steering column,  and even deep inside the hooded part of the dashboard where the odometer and speedometer are.  Even the sides of the seat were splattered.  The splatters actually reached into the back seat area too.  I took my car into the dealership and simply said “LOOK”.  Well…actually I said a lot of other things too.  All polite and nice but they knew I wasn’t a happy camper. 

The dealership had absolutely no clue as to what was going on.  They cleaned it up.  I went back out on the road and within a couple of days the splatters were back with a vengeance.  I took the car in, and the service department cleaned it up again.  We started brainstorming.  My suspicion was that when I opened the frozen car door a seal had been disturbed or broken.  I had a difficult time convincing them of that.  The service men searched and searched and could not find the breech.  The sad part about the whole thing was that I had just had my car detailed a week or so prior to that frozen car wash.  When I mentioned how disappointed I was about what was happening and that I had just paid for a detailing they took it back in and detailed it for free.

Time after time I would bring my messy car in and they would clean it out.  On two or three occasions they kept it for long periods of time.  They replaced seals and removed and repositioned trims  on the outside that surround the windows.  

The roads cleared up.  I had no more trouble for a few weeks and then lots of snow and muck again and WHAMO.  I was back in “Streak City” inside my car.  The thing was, I could never tell when it was happening.  After the water drops dried, the salt streaks appeared.  I could not see where they were coming from.  The mystery of the splattering was like trying to solve a murder mystery with blood splatters.  Where were they coming from?  Exactly where were they intruding?  By this time the consensus was that it was road salt.  I was promised that anytime it happened, until they could find the cause, that my car would be detailed for free.  So, when it happened I was there for a complete detailing job.  Sometimes just a couple of weeks apart. 

Before I left on my trip last year, the car frame around the front car door was taken apart and hopefully repaired.  Well, I never had another chance to test it.  I left on my trip, headed south and did not confront any snow on my entire trip.  Fast forward to now.  Dave has done most of the driving since I’ve been home so we can put the mileage on his car while it is still under warranty.  I have done very little driving in the snow, until this past week.  And BAMO!  The perplexing mystery returns.  It has been quite slushy the past few days and because of our schedules I have had to do my own driving around town.  A couple of days ago I noticed a couple of little splatters but thought that perhaps my foot had splattered something getting in.  I am usually very careful about that but I supposed it could happen.  I was up and out of the house very early this morning for a therapy session on my torn rotatory cuff, then to the gym and on to Aldi’s for last minute cooking items.  When I came out from the store the sun was up and  the light was good.  I opened the door to get into the car and the brightness exposed all that my dark garage could not.  I was in Splattersville again!  All over the sides and underneath everything, the seats, the console, you name it, was splattered.  You may wonder why I don’t feel the splats.  Remember, it is cold here.  I am covered from head to foot, gloves, scarves, long thick coat, pants, two pair of stockings, and to top it off, a doubled over wool blanket covering my legs and lap.  I don’t feel a thing through all those layers.

Well, my car will be the recipient of another free detail job this week.  I must drop my car off tomorrow, pick up a loaner, and one of the service techs is going to wipe the interior down and drive it all weekend.  There is snow in the forecast and hopefully it will be slushy.  I asked him if he was doing it because he did not believe that I was telling the truth about the splatters.  He said no, it is just the policy that everything has to be verified and that he hopes to figure out where the water may be penetrating.  When it first happened I had to verify with everyone around me that they had not splattered something in my car.  So I called Dave and asked him if he had opened my car door and flecked all those spatters into the car.  I really believe that at first they thought I was doing it myself.  Amazing.

So, I pray for snow.  I pray for muck. I pray that they will find the out what exactly is happening and where the droplets are coming from.  Maybe I shall take some more pictures of it before I take it in tomorrow.  I’ve already deleted all of last year’s photos from my phone.

So, the plot thickens.  The good thing is that I will have a detailing before we leave on our next quest.  Just last week I told Dave that I was so happy that I had not had any muck in the car this winter and that I planned to have it detailed when we arrived home from our jaunt.  I had planned to pay just like I normally do.  And then this happened.  And believe me, it is only a detailing job that will take care of this matter.  It is extensive.

So that was my plight this morning.  I came home and have been cooking the rest of the day.  Actually I still have food on the stove cooking as I write this.  I must now leave to take over a pots of soup and rice for my friend Judy, whose husband’s funeral is Saturday.  With her family visiting from out of town I suspected the extra food would come in handy.  I meant to do it yesterday but was waylaid with my vertigo attack.

 

 

SPLATTERSVILLE, KIA SOUL

By Kathleen Martens

March 3, 2016

 

A place of unknown origin

Deep in the planet CAR

A very secret hiding place

Where splatters can go far.

 

But when or where,

From whence they come?

In they tiptoe

To have some fun.

 

Splatter lines

From unknown source,

Enter quietly 

With great force.

 

They do their duty,

Drop here and there.

Decorating profusely

While they share.

 

To rid my “SOUL”

Of all the muck,

Is my goal

With any luck.

 

But time again

In happy tune

They laugh in unison

As they ruin.

 

And the mystery

In secret held

From whence they came

Is not dispelled. 

 

God bless you and have a great night’s sleep!

 

 

Wednesday March 2 2016  DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE

This is my Wonderful Wednesday but it didn’t go quite like I had hoped.  So I am just rolling with the punches.  Since we were not able to drive in the snow yesterday I was unable to collect all the foodstuff necessary for cooking today.  That took many hours away from my STAY AT HOME DAY.  My priority for today was changed and I had to go out.

First thing on my list was to have a fasting blood drawn.  It was only last night that I opened an email from my doctor’s office which informed me that I had to have blood drawn for my physical on Tuesday.  I had to go in today to make that work.  I received the message on 2/25/16 but only opened it last night.  Oops!  I get so many emails that it takes me a few days to get around to everything I need to open.  So my advice to you and any who want to take it, don’t wait until the last minute to do what you could do sooner.

Everything from yesterday caught up with me.  I was up until 11:00 P.M. (two hours past my bedtime), woke at 3:00 A.M. and could not go back to sleep.  I finally got out of bed and was awake the rest of the night.  I never do well if I do not get enough sleep, and 4 hours of sleep is not enough!  By the time I arrived home this afternoon I was barely able to function.  I ate some lunch and then crashed.  When I over extend myself or go without adequate sleep, I absolutely start spinning.  Vertigo comes over me with such force that I can do nothing else but lie down.  That was one concern I had last year before I left on my trip.  I determined I would be as kind to myself as possible and be certain I had all the rest I needed, and never once did I get an attack of the world spinning out of place.  I must remember to slow down and be kind to myself now that I am retired.

I have rested and now I am doing better.  I did not sleep, but just lying down helped a lot, that and the food I ate for lunch.  The only concern I have is, that all the cooking I was planning to do today may be put on the back burner (no pun intended), and it will be waiting for me to do tomorrow.  Tomorrow already has its own concerns because it is already punctuated with appointments.  I actually had planned to have this food prepared today so I could take it over to my friend’s tonight.  She has family from out of town staying with her.  Her husband’s funeral is Saturday.  I plan to cook for the funeral tomorrow after two morning appointments.  Our son called this afternoon and needs emergency childcare tomorrow for both children (about 40 minutes away) and both Dave and I are fragmented with appointments we cannot change.  So my advice, don’t wait until the last moment to do what needs to be done.  You never know what may thwart your plans.  And then again, some things must be done at the last minute when it comes to cooking.  So of course I am torn between the commitments I already have, and wanting to help our son in his situation.  Dave is also tied to certain commitments that he cannot cancel.

So here I am.  My head is no longer spinning.  Dave just arrived home to finish up the work I could not do on some of the food I brought home today, and I am here sounding like a belly aching old woman.  It’s just the facts ma’am, just the facts.

I guess I said all the above so you would know why I can’t write a blog today.  And now I realize I should have just written whatever I was going to write and not belly ached about what is going on in this aging body.  Every single day I forget that I am old.  Only when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror do I remember.  Maybe that short term memory loss is a good thing sometime.  And sometimes I wonder what I REALLY look like, because I don’t see quite as well as I used to either.

 

DON’T DO AS I DO

DO AS I SAY

By Kathleen Martens

March 2, 2016

 

 

Do what you enjoy

Every hour you live.

And to yourself,

Rest do give.

 

Think things through

And plan ahead.

Go to sleep early,

And be well fed.

 

When you’ve lived long

You don’t bounce as well.

Balance your life

And you’ll get along swell.

 

Forget not your limits,

Do not over extend.

Yesterday has

No oomph to send.

 

Instead save up

On today’s supply,

So that tomorrow

Will comply.

 

Because the unexpected

Can zap your energy,

Plan hours carefully

To extend your synergy.

 

Don’t do as I do

Rather do as I say.

Rest and relax

And take time to play.

 

And wouldn’t you know it, today I had so much I wanted to say.  I’ll save it for another day (that is, if I remember).

God bless you and have a wonderful rest of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday March 1 2016  IT’S TIME TO GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS (PLANNING FOR THE PERFECT DAY)

When March rolls around (or comes galloping in) that’s when I always tell Dave, “Well, it’s time to get ready for Christmas”.  March seems to come in the blink of an eye once the calendar turns to a new year.  And here I sit, with so much to do, and I know I won’t be able to get it all done before Christmas. You know how you feel those last couple of weeks before Christmas when you are trying to remember all the final details of what must be done by such and such a date?  Well, that seems the way my life goes.  I usually have some sort of deadline looming before me and it seems I only meet my goals just in the nick of time.  And so, I start in March preparing for Christmas and rarely do I even put up a Christmas tree.  I always run out of time!  Oh well, maybe this year.

I have two or three blogs I enjoy reading.  Most of the other bloggers do not write as often as I do, but I check in once or twice a week, to see if there is news on their home front.  One blog I especially enjoy reading is written by an author named Sarah Loudin Thomas.  Her web address is  http://www.sarahloudinthomas.com  if you are interested in following her.  I read her most recent blog this morning while I was on the hydro-massage table at the gym.  (That is my perk each day after I work out).  She was commenting about what it would be like to have a FREE DAY to do whatever she wanted to do.  I enjoyed reading about her dream day.  After I read her blog I put my phone down, enjoying my wonderful back massage, and spent the rest of my time on the massage table contemplating about what would be the perfect day of freedom for me.   Fortunately for me, I have already had some of what I call “perfect days”.  I liked her idea of calling it a FREE DAY.  It connotes freedom and so much more.

Later in the morning Dave and I were coming home after having our taxes done and I asked him the question,  “What would he would do if he could do exactly as he wanted for one entire day?”  First, he said it would depend upon the season.  Living in Wisconsin, that is definitely a key factor.  My previously perfect days have always taken place during good weather months.  As we were discussing the daydream of the perfect day we were driving about 20 miles per hour on icy roads thick with snow.  There was ice on the windshield that the wipers could barely keep up with, and the snow was fiercely swirling around us, causing a hazard, both to our driving, and our visibility.  Hmmm…the perfect day, what would we do on THAT day?

Dave chose a summer day.  He would like to be outside, sitting in warm sunshine, just enjoying the quiet and solitude (notice I am not there with him, otherwise he wouldn’t be in solitude, nor would it be quiet).  I didn’t feel the least bit perturbed about that.  I know that just being alone in nature would make the day perfect for him.  He did say that maybe he would read some too.

In regards to my day of freedom, I didn’t care if it was cold or warm.  Absolutely any day would make a perfect day for me if I could do exactly what I wanted to do.  I would want to go to bed on time (9:00 p.m.) the night before so I would wake up naturally between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m.  Then I would stay in my housecoat and do my getting ready routines for the morning.  However, instead of dressing, I just might stay in my housecoat (ALL DAY).  I would have my favorite breakfast of hot homemade soup with a bit of chicken and wild grains in it.  Then I would eat a fresh orange.  I would then watch for the sunrise through my library windows.  Though my library faces the west side of the house I can see when the sun starts rising as the tips of the trees light up.  I would watch the changing light go from black to an amazing indigo blue, to lighter and lighter shades of azure, all the way to morning’s magic.  I would be in the presence of the Lord in the secret garden of my heart.  I would read my Bible, pray, sing, give praise to God and write my heart out in my hand written journal.  And, I would anticipate the poem God would allow my heart to unwrap.  My next venture would be to go into my craft room and contemplate on what I would like to create.  I have several projects awaiting my attention.  Who knows, I might even work on the photo albums of our family history for my sister Faith.  I have all the old family photos that she chose as part of her inheritance.  I am being entrusted to create an album(s) for her.  I am so looking forward to presenting it (them) to her when I finish the project. 

My next desire would probably be to eat again.  This time a lovely salad with lots of wonderful micro-nutrients to give me lots of energy and that “feel good” feeling.  There is nothing better than feeling good.  Dave would probably be up by then and I would enjoy sitting across the dining table from my very best, life-long friend, of over 43 years.  I get all squishy inside just thinking about how much I love him.  He makes every day perfect for me.  But…on to my fantasy of not having anything to do except that which I would absolutely want to do.  I would get up, leave the dishes, and the kitchen would be entirely clean when I came back to it later (just like on my “usual” days).

Following lunch I would lie down on the couch and watch a T.V. show I recently discovered called “STRANGE INHERITANCE”.  The episodes are always very interesting to me. After the half hour show, I might watch another episode, or choose to watch a “HALLMARK MOVIE”.  I would prop up my feet and just relax.  Then I would sit down at my computer, open up my blog site, and write on my blog page:

“SORRY GUYS, THERE WON’T BE A BLOG TODAY.  I HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO!”  I might also say, “God bless you”, and that would be about it.  There would be no gym time and no phone time.  I would take the wall phone off the hook, turn off my cell, and enjoy the silence.  I think I would then ask Dave if he would like me to win him in a card game.  We both play a competitive game of HAND AND FOOT.  Great card game.  The only thing is, he doesn’t “let” me win.  I have to really work for my wins.  But even if I lost the game, my day would still be perfect.

I would then read until dinner time.  Dinner would consist of Greek vanilla yogurt, fresh berries, walnuts, bran buds, and two prunes.  And then I would read again.  Finally, I would hang up the phone, and climb into freshly laundered purple sheets, wrapped in my purple fuzzy blanket.  Dave would tuck me in, turn out the light, and then go and eat a steak.  Each to his own.

WHAT WOULD YOUR PERFECT DAY BE LIKE?

The question that Sarah asked was: “WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A COMPLETELY FREE DAY?”

Well, Sarah, I think I have answered that question.  Thanks for giving me so much to think about.  Now I think I’ll just pick a day and make it happen.  THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF RETIREMENT!

P.S.  I might somehow get a tub of popcorn included in my day, smothered in coconut oil.

 

A DAY OF FREEDOM (OR THE PERFECT DAY)

By Kathleen Martens

March 1, 2016

 

 

A day of freedom

What does it entail?

How does one plan it

So it does not fail?

 

How is it possible

To only do

What your dream desires

To be true?

 

And for each one

What would it be,

To feel that your day

Is totally free?

 

For each is different

In parallax view.

From an unalike position

All would ensue.

 

What is right for one

May not be for another

Regardless if married,

Sister or brother.

 

So each to his own,

Entitled to dream

What is perfect for one

May cause another to scream.

 

So dream away,

Enjoying your reverie

Plan it your way

Very cleverly.

 

And enjoy each moment

Regardless what you choose

Your day of freedom?

Might just be to snooze.

 

Good night and God bless you!

 

 

 

 

Monday February 29 2016  YOUR THOUGHTS WILL SPEAK IN SILENT WORD

Today, being the extra day in Leap Year, always reminds me of the presidential race.  And I just realized something this very moment as I typed the above date.  I am already looking forward to four years from now when we will have a new leap year, and a new presidential election.  I know I promised to not get political, but I want it on the record of my blog journal, regardless who is elected, it will be a sad day for me. And regardless of who loses, the greatest loser of all will be our country, The United States of America.

So, on to reality! 

My mother died at age ninety one due to a strangulated hernia that caused gangrene to become sepsis in her entire body.  In other words she died of acute irreversible infection.  My mom also experienced progressive dementia.  When did it begin?  I don’t really think anyone knows with certainty.  Though I was only with her on intermittent visits to Arkansas, I began to notice it after she turned about eighty one or eighty two.  And because my visits had long months in between, I would notice a  progression of the dementia each time I was there.  Before turning eighty she was a bit forgetful, just as most of us become after sixty five or seventy.  She was still able to care for herself, her garden, hold interesting conversations, drive, attend church regularly, as well as devour book after book.  She moved slower, her walking sometimes painful, but every day she was up by the crack of dawn.  By sun up she was in her garden planting, hoeing, snipping, transplanting, and picking huge bouquets of flowers all through the spring, summer, and fall.   She always had a huge fresh flower arrangement in the middle of the table by breakfast time.  So many times it were so big that one could not see who was sitting across the table.  The first person who happened by to visit usually received the flowers as a gift to take home.  When someone came by later she would go out with the guest as they were leaving and pick them a fresh bunch of her beautiful flowers. 

Mama’s flowers were her gift to the world.  And then one day she went out to weed and upended all of her little sprouts, unbeknownst to her.  Over the course of time is was obvious that she no longer knew which seedling was a flower and which was a weed.  Her gardening days were over.  She lived with her sister who owed the property.  Her sister, being ten years younger, understood what was happening to my mother.  Both their mother and their mother’s mother exhibited the same symptoms at about the same time in their lives.  And after that, things changed for mama.  This happened in her early eighties.  By eighty five my mother no longer knew who I was.

When mama was seventy nine years old she announced to everyone that it would be her last year of driving.  She had given some thought to her progressing years, and realized she was no longer “a spring chicken” (her words).  Mama decided that she would extend her car insurance so she would be covered for three months past her eightieth birthday.  She would then have time to sell her car while it was still insured.  And true to her word, on her eightieth birthday, she gave up her driver’s license and never drove another day in her life.  She had her car checked out, and cleaned up, and then placed an ad in the newspaper.  It sold on the first day of the ad.  Her life was different after that.  She knew she would no longer be able to attend the church she had been so involved with for the past twenty five years.  Now she would be a passenger in her sister’s car and would attend the church her sister attended which was in the opposite direction from her place of worship.  That was hard for her, but she did it without complaint.  She decided ahead of time what her attitude would be.

Even prior to giving up her driver’s license my mom knew the tail end of her life was being lived.  She began sorting through all of her personal belongings.  Some she gave away, some she saved to give to her children and grandchildren.  My greatest sadness was when she went through all her personal correspondence, read every single piece of mail one last time, and then burned everything that she believed was too private for others to read.  She possessed very old letters and documents that she thought would cause sorrow to others, and she never wanted another eye to “set upon the pages”.  There was always so much heartache that she and her siblings shared through letters and she did not want any of the writer’s descendants to know what their parents and grandparents had said in the privacy of a personal letter to her.  Oh how I would have loved to have known those secrets!  I think that must be the “writer” in me.  There was no changing mama’s mind.  As I look back, I do believe that some of her dementia had already started and was in its early stages.  And then again, perhaps she was exhibiting much more wisdom than I will probable ever aspire to. 

Mama would become quarrelsome when someone confronted her with facts she no longer remembered.  Subtle changes at first, but unrecognizable to herself and most others around her.  But as the years rolled by it became more obvious to others that she could no longer make her own decisions and had to have someone with her at all times.  As subtle changes escalated, I do believe that even mama became aware of something happening within herself.  We found notes left behind in her dwelling that attest to the fact that she felt like she was “losing herself”.  The notes are heartbreaking to read. 

I said all of the above in order to arrive at the ultimate discourse of this blog.  This morning Dave and I were discussing our future and what we need to be aware of and what we need to be prepared for.  Yes, we are already a bit slower in both body and thoughts.  Yes, we both feel as if we still have some good years ahead of us.  Realistically, we both understand that what happened to my mom could happen to one, or both of us.  My mother never agreed that she was changing and needed help in making her decisions.  Finally when it was no longer feasible for her to manage her own decisions, someone else had to step in and make the decisions for her.  Was it easy?  No, neither to mama or my two sisters who took over her care.  But it was determined by all of her children that mama no longer had a voice in the matter.   In other words, mama no longer had a vote.

This morning as Dave and I discussed this scenario in our lives Dave said something profound and sobering. He said to me, that should one of us exhibit dementia, regardless of who it is, that person will not have a vote.  In other words it will not be the one who is exhibiting the symptoms that can vote on whether or not it is true.  That sentence alone gave me the topic for this blog.  What if it were me?  When you put yourself into the first person of that scene, all of a sudden it becomes a big issue.  How do we prepare for that possibility?  Can we prepare for that possibility?  I think there should be some thought and discussion that goes into that possibility.  We long ago decided that we want to be as prepared as we can be, regardless of how our ending years play out. 

I believe it is important to discuss these matters while we are still of sound mind and good judgment (assuming that time has not already passed).  We need to convey how we want our lives handled and to give permission to the one that must make the decisions as to when and how the one with dementia will be cared for.  We need to give our consent now, while we can still make sound judgement calls.  Dave needs to know how I will take care of his situation and he needs to give me input as to how it should be handled, even when he may no longer have sense enough to agree.  And I must do vice versa.  Realities and decisions such as this are not pleasant to think about, much less discuss.  But I really do believe pre-planning should be discussed and brought out into the open.  And if you are a single person, you should have someone you trust enough to have power of attorney over your health.  And your wishes should be discussed while your mind is healthy and you can make some of the decisions of where you might go or who would handle setting up personal care.  And make certain your legal affairs are in order with trusted trustees and a trusted and competent attorney who is YOUNGER THAN YOURSELF.

I made up my mind to enter these years with a good attitude, with a love for life, and a zest for living.  I also want to enter into them without clutter in my home.  My mother was wise.  She relived her past through her letters and she gave relics of her past to those she loved.  She enjoyed the two passions of her life, both God and gardening, with constant attention to both, as long as it was possible.  She was most content if she were employed in doing something constructive.  As crippled as her hands were, she would sit in the kitchen and peel peaches by the hour during canning season.  As feeble as she was she would be right in the middle of harvest, culling bushels of black eyed peas for winter dinners.  She would scrape corn off the cob until she no longer had the strength to do it.  And she never complained.  Again, she chose her attitude.

And eventually, the life she knew and loved, was over.  And she no longer had a vote.

I wonder how long I will have a vote?

Be ready people.  Think about these things.  Don’t let life happen around you, instead, become involved with what is happening.  Be real and true to yourself.  Give as much of your heart as possible to others, and accept the graciousness and heart of those who love you.  And most of all, make your decisions now, while you still have the ability to do so.  Make your vote count while you still have a voice.

 

AND THE PLEASURES OF LIFE…

By Kathleen Martens

February 29, 2016

 

Life is too short to waste an hour.

Boost yourself, hang on to your power.

Someday your voice may not be heard

Your thoughts will speak in silent word.

 

Do what you can to stay healthy and strong,

Tuck in your heart a happy song

Live life to the fullest, each and every day,

And speak the words, you yearn to say.

 

Life has a way of ending too soon,

Allow in your heart a lovely tune.

It takes so little to find joy and peace,

That pleasures of life seem to increase.

 

Good night and God bless you.

Friday February 26 2016  A THOUGHT PROVOKING TALK

It is so awesome to have two adult children, who, when I talk with them, still light up my heart.  Heart to heart talks are more the “unusual” rather than the “usual”.  Life seems to be so busy in all our lives that our phone conversations are often to convey necessary information about upcoming events, where to meet, what we need, how everybody is, and bam, the conversation is over.  That’s just life in the fast lane I guess.

But…every once in a while a time coincides when you catch each other in a quiet, unhurried moment and the heart opens up.  That happened just a few moments ago when I called to talk with our son.  Dave is at the gym, this is my morning off, and I just wanted to check and find out some information from Courtland and ask him if he has time to come and help us move a huge couch through a small door.  We must be ready to receive delivery of Dave’s retirement present, a beautiful Lazy Boy leather recliner for his office.

I invited Court and his family to dinner on Sunday hoping that might entice him.  I knew the dinner wasn’t needed but it is something I like to do.  Dave and I really enjoy seeing the kids as often as possible. 

Now, to the conversation.  It was one of those rare times when Courtland was off, the boys were home, Amy was at work, and both of our homes were quiet and peaceful.  Courtland is a great conversationalist and extremely interesting to talk to when he is not in a hurry.  I enjoy hearing him talk about that which he is learning in law school.  I also enjoy two way dialogue regarding all the political issues brewing during this upcoming presidential election.  I like hearing his slant.  Though we don’t always agree, I always know so much more, after having talked with him.

Of our two children, Courtland is the most like me in personality.  He far surpasses me in the intellectual and retention level of brain power but he also has a tender and compassionate heart.  Courtland brought up the topic of his children going to college and actually how soon all the changes in his life will take effect.  All of a sudden a flash of realization hit me.  There is coming a time when Dave and I will no longer be a part of our grandchildren’s lives.  Even if we maintained a close relationship for all the viable years we yet have, there will come a time when we are no more.  I actually felt a deep mourning in my heart for my own demise.  I have never experienced that before.  I know our kids have thought about losing Dave and I.  It shows when we discuss our estate planning and what is to be done when we are gone.  Even during those conversation I am aware how difficult it is for them, realizing that someday Dave and I will not be part of their lives. Well, I actually had tears fill my eyes for my own death.  It wasn’t because of the loss I would be to others, it was because of the loss I felt, knowing I would no longer be able to partake in the lives of our grandsons.  Someday we will be gone.  It is as simple as that.  Court also sounded a bit emotional.  He reminded me that he had thought about it before and it was not just our grandsons’ lives we would no longer be part of, but also his, and his sister’s lives and their spouses. 

Somehow we still feel like the kid, young and invincible, with a long life ahead when our parents are still living.  I remember when my mom died realizing that I was now the elder generation in our family.  Yes, I still have aunts and one uncle, lots of cousins, some who are older, some younger, however, in my lineage I am now the oldest generation living.  And even when I realized that, I still wondered if I was truly grown up.  Even in my 60’s I felt like I too young to be an orphan.  I think it may be a sobering thought for our son to look ahead and see himself as the “elder generation”.

So this is the time to live.  This is the time to create memories for future generations.  This is the time to love vigorously, laugh heartily, hug tightly, and spend as much time with each other as possible.  This is the time to say “I LOVE YOU” every single day.  With all the random shootings happening in the past few weeks it causes me to pause, giving me insight to how precious and wondrous is each and every day that we survive.  As I write these words I am speaking them to all of you who read them, “NEVER TAKE FOR GRANTED EVEN ONE HOUR OF ONE DAY”.  Reach out to those who are close to you and let them know how much you love and care for them.  Just to hear my little grandsons say, “I love you so much grandma” is like depositing riches into my bank account.  How much will all the richness of my words compound for them over the years?  Be generous with your love.  Be generous with your words.  Let your love be substantial deposits into the lives of others.

Now is the time to forgive those who have hurt you.  Now is the time to ask for forgiveness from those you have hurt.  Renew and rebuild the relationships you have.  Take time to live, not just to work. 

There was so much that was said in today’s conversation with Courtland.  So much that I hold close to my heart, knowing how very fortunate I am to be blessed with the children God gave to Dave and me.  God is the sustenance of my very being and it is through His grace and love that I am who I am today.  He put a love in my heart for our children that burns deeply to this very day.  When I became a mother my one prayer to God was that He would allow me to live long enough to raise our daughter.  The same prayer was prayed when our son was born.  I would not be the person I am today if God had not blessed me with two such precious eternal lives to rear.  It was not all easy, but it was all worth it.

And so today is one of those days when it absolutely was worth it.  Our conversation touched the deepest part of my soul and I don’t even think my son realized it.  I never thought I could love anyone else as much as I loved our children…until our grandsons were born.  There are some things you just have to experience for yourself before you can believe it.  I thank God for that experience. My prayer for them IS THAT GOD WOULD ALLOW THEM TO OUTLIVE ME.

 

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

By Kathleen Martens

February 26, 2016

 

Nothing quite like

Holding your new born baby.

A love so profound

That never is it maybe.

 

So unconditional,

Even before birth.

Cradling life in the heart

Understanding its worth.

 

A daughter and son

God graciously gave.

One of each

For both me and Dave.

 

Nothing in the world

Could I love more,

Because I had yet to experience

A future knock at the door.

 

This time a grandson.

I felt no pain at his birth.

But that didn’t mean

I didn’t understand his worth.

 

And then number two

Came to tug at my heart.

Unconditional love realized,

A brand new start.

 

Because two little boys,

Multiplied a mother’s love

As it kissed my heart

With gentleness of a dove.

 

A vulnerable deep love

Was born with each one.

Both were the children

Of our only son.

 

And then I realized

That my love was the same

As it was for our children

But each given new names.

 

I will take this opportunity to say to both of our children:

 

REBECCA AND COURTLAND:

I LOVE YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART!  

I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR MOTHER!

 

I pray God’s blessing on each one who reads these words.  I hope that something I have written today will tug at your heart until you tell those in your life, just how much you love them.  Never wait until tomorrow.  Tomorrow never really IS.

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday February 23 2016  DON’T GIVE UP

 

Today is another one of those days that have caught me shorthanded in the hour department.  There just aren’t enough hours to finish all I would like to do so I must compromise as to what will be finished.  Today I have no alternative except to inform you that I do not have time to sit, think, and compose a blog.  So this will be very short.  But please DON’T GIVE UP ON ME!  I plan to write more in the future.

I just walked in the door and it is almost 4:00 p.m.  We have a commitment to be at our son’s home by 5:00 p.m. and it is about 40 minutes away if traffic is good.  Between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. is commute time here in Madison. 

I do have one important matter to let you know about.  I am a “real” blogger now.  I have graduated from a free website to a domain website.  What that means, is now I must pay for my domain name, and I can take the word “wordpress” out of my URL address.  It will also be more easily accessed by the general public.  IMPORTANT NOTE HOWEVER:  Whichever address you use will take you to my site.  

Since I am committing to writing my blog for at least another year I would appreciate if you would share my site if you know others who might enjoy it.  It was about three years ago that I felt God prompting me to start a blog.  I told him I would and then it took me about two years before I really fulfilled my commitment.  I originally began writing it so I would be able to log information about my travels and allow Dave to follow my daily course.  Through God’s intervention I connected with a very knowledgeable man that manages about 10 or more of his own blogs.  Just so you know, it’s more difficult for an old dog to learn new tricks.  It was so confusing for me at first.  I still don’t keep it up like I should, nor do I feed all the information into the right categories.  But, I did get the hang of it before I left.  I met with Len for many weeks on Sunday afternoons until I was adept to pretty much take care of it myself.  A few times on the road he had to bail me out of sticky situations.  I sure am grateful for Len.

When we go to Monday night movie nights it is at Len and his wife’s home.  We always have such a great time.  And the good part is that I can ask him questions if I am stuck somewhere in the blog and need some help.  Last week I was informed by another friend, that because I used the free website from WORDPRESS, that WordPress actually had content rights of what I write as long as I used their site.  I  have hope of publishing some of what has already been written and did not want to ask for permission to use my own compositions.  Once I no longer am under their free site I hold my own rights of everything that has been, and will be written.  So, I said that to say this: my new web address is the same, except it no longer has “WORDPRESS” in it.  Now it is:

www.visionsofpoetry.com

You are welcome to share it with your friends and I ask that you please do so if you think someone else will enjoy it or may benefit by some of what I write.

 

Visions of Poetry

By Kathleen Martens

February 23, 2016

 

My new little address

Is now all my own.

And I write to tell you,

So it is known.

 

Now what I write

All belongs to me.

So if it gets published,

To do it I’m free.

 

Please tell your friends

So they will tell more.

And I hope that their hearts

Will walk through new doors.

 

And I pray God will bless

The words that I say,

As well as the poem

I write each day.

 

And thanks to you all

Who faithfully read.

May what I have written

Plant new seeds.

 

My hope is to give

Others a smile.

And to fill them with joy

As they walk their miles.

 

And I pray God will bless

Each and every one,

As they read when they can,

And hopefully have fun.

 

And for another year

Now I must write.

So invite new readers

At least one each night.

 

For it would surely be

Such a great shame,

If others don’t know

About God’s great fame,

 

For that is my message

That I desire to share,

To let others know

That God for them cares.

 

Good night and God bless you.

 

 

Sunday Sabbath February 21 2016  A DAY OF REST

A quick hello to tell everyone I survived the party.  My house survived the party.  Two little boys and two big boys survived the party.  But oh boy, can they create quite a ruckus!  Especially, when the little boys want to wrestle with the big boys, and the big boys want to wrestle with the little boys.  I can’t quite figure out just who the biggest kids are?  All I know is that Zach, at eight years old, is getting too strong to wrestle with the “older” generation.  And two, three, or four bodies take up a lot of room.  And the noise enters another decibel level.  And we two women just talk over the cacophony of grunts and giggles and Amy prays that no one gets hurt (as I pray that NOTHING OF VALUE gets destroyed.)  All’s well that ends well.  The evening ended well, but it was a lot of fun for the big boys and the little boys. 

Today is the first Sunday night service at our church which will continue from this point forward.  The service will be a repeat of the two morning services.  Dave and I would like to support this endeavor, and even though we will attend the early A.M. service, we would like to be present for at least the first night of the P.M. service.  This service is to be an outreach to the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus.  I hope it is a successful outreach.

Today I am just checking in to let my faithful readers know that I am taking the afternoon off from writing my blog due to the fact that my day will be so short and I have much rest to do.  I was trying to figure out what I absolutely needed to do so I could tell you how busy I am, but I decided I am not going to do anything but cook and rest.  I need to come down from the past few days of anticipation and excitement.

 

A DAY OF REST

By Kathleen Martens

February 21, 2016

 

A day of rest

To replenish

And refill my reservoir.

A day of rest

To finish

And restore.

 

A day of rest

In silence sweet

To contemplate.

A day of rest

The Lord to meet.

And on him wait.

 

Have a wonderful Sunday Sabbath!

 

 

 

Friday February 19 2016  A DAY OF RECOVERY

Today is someone else’s birthday.  It is no longer mine.  It is a good thing because I don’t think I could handle two birthday days in a row.  Instead, I must use some of today to cook, clean, and prepare for tomorrow’s birthday party (so you see my birthday is not quite over yet), and the remainder of the day to recuperate from yesterday’s saga.  The entire day yesterday was delightful, even going back to pick up my credit card.  Dave did not complain one iota.  Tomorrow should be fun too because we’ll get to be with our family.  I’ll have the house all decorated with balloons and Valentine décor (which was last Sunday’s theme) so it should be festive and colorful.  Martha Steward I AM NOT, but it is fun trying.

I was up quite late last evening writing yesterday’s blog so I would have everything fresh in my mind.  There was so much more I could have written about but it would probably have made you realize that it was just the random thoughts of “the elderly”.  And so perhaps they would have been.  My blog is the voice I want to be heard, and I write whether anyone reads it or not. Someday my written words will become pictures of the past.  My grandchildren will someday be able to read about their childhood written from grandma’s point of view written in real time. My children will have stories written from the perspective of what I remember first hand.  My blog pages may not seem important in the present, but perhaps someday my family will find pleasure in reading them.  When the elderly pass away, so many stories, so many memories, die with them.  I wish I had my mother’s stories in writing.  I do have her journals but she wrote only about day to day life (which is a story in itself) but she rarely bared her heart and soul to her pen.

When I write personal, hand written journals, I more easily let it all hang out.  I must be a bit more tasteful and “correct” if I am going to write for an audience.  I realize that.  Not all laundry needs to be hung out in public.  But, to my chagrin, I find that even though I hope I am being tactful, I often compose words that others (mostly my family) do not think worth saying, or should simply not be printed.  And that is okay too.  I like hearing from those who think differently.  Never do I intend to come across in my blog as my way is the only way.  It is not.  It is just my view of things from my perspective.  I learned a long time ago that I don’t agree with the way many others believe, or think, or the choices they make for their lives.  Does it stop me from being their friend or from loving them?  Absolutely not!  I know that it is okay to disagree.  We are all different, come from different backgrounds, and though we may even do some of the same things, we do them unalike.  Please don’t think that because I am giving my opinion about a topic that I expect another should do it just like I do.  I do apologize if I have stepped on any toes.  But…I will keep speaking my own voice, my own opinions, and telling about my own experiences.  Who know, just as some may be turned off by what I voice, others may be enlightened by the same words.  The intent of my heart is to write words that will build up, not tear down.  My goal is to give hope to a world that is falling apart in so many ways.  My hope is to reach out and touch a life for the better.  I know I cannot fix the world, but if I even help one person, by my touch, by my action or through my words, I will not have lived in vain.

I love writing, for myself, for my readers, for God, for the peace and release it brings to my soul, and to hopefully leave a legacy behind that in years to come will still touch a heart that I may never know.  What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

 

BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL FACE

By Kathleen Martens

February 19, 2016

 

Who we are in body form

Is but the casing of our soul.

The true self only exists

In that illusive inner hole.

 

Others see the outside casing,

The part that decays and crumbles,

And often ignores the aged one,

Who now is old and mumbles.

 

But if one would stop and look

And view with spiritual eyes,

They would see the inner being,

The share that never dies.

 

Often so misunderstood

Until experienced firsthand,

Though our body will grow old,

Our spirit always stands.

 

But alas, the young don’t see

Beyond the beautiful face

That the true test of time

Is found in the inner space.

 

I will go and cook, and rest, and clean, and rest some more.

God bless you on this cold, wind-howling day.  It feels like a storm is coming.  It is supposed to be in the 50’s by tomorrow.

GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU!

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday February 17 2016  WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY

The house is quiet.  I am alone…Sounds like the opening lines for a sinister mystery novel.  However, a mystery novel it is not.  Alas, it is only my Wednesday blog.

I decided to tackle my blog early this morning so as to clear my day from anything which will distract me later.  Remember, this is my day to plunge in and work without interruption.  Dave is at the barber.  He then will go and exercise, come home and shower, eat lunch (which is already prepared), and leave again for his afternoon session that takes place each week.  And WALA!  My day is quiet.  And again, I find myself hoping that God is not laughing at that comment!

So, what is happening today?  I plan to continue culling my office.  It is actually a very selfish endeavor due to the fact that I need my work-space back.  I need my file drawers emptied so I can start organizing my manuscripts and poetry.  I need my computer accessible so I can work in my office without all the clutter.  I work much better in neat, organized surroundings.  And that hasn’t happened for quite a while.

So here goes.  Now, what to write?  I asked my husband that very same question this morning as we talked in the twilight of our bedroom, snuggled under the warm blankets. (It is so hard to get up in a cold room on these frosty mornings).   He came up with two topics.  The first topic was “The joy of working” and the second topic I can’t remember at the moment.  So maybe I’ll go with the “Joy of working”. 

The joy of working sounds like an erroneous topic for a new retiree to write about.  And I actually have no idea what will twinkle out of this keyboard as my fingers race across the keys.  Which reminds me, when I was entering my first year of high school (10^th grade for me) we were offered one elective the first semester.  I was determined to be in the first semester of typing.  More than anything I wanted to learn to type.  I was saving my babysitting money to purchase an IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITER, the kind with the little round ball with all the letters on it.  As you typed, the ball would rotate and the correct letter would be imprinted onto the page.  That was the day of ink ribbons.  And it was really sophisticated!  The ribbon had a black strip AND A WHITE STRIP so you could make corrections!  How’s that for technology?

If I didn’t learn to type, I would not be able to submit TYPED HOMEWORK REPORTS.  That seemed like a very impressive thing to do.  The type writer cost about $200 dollars and that was a small fortune for me.  My mom paid upfront for a big portion of it and I worked faithfully to pay back every single dollar.  I knew that much money was a fortune to her too.  Well, I did get into the typing class that first semester and from then on all my homework was typed.  For some reason typing came easily for me.  I was very exacting as I learned each finger movement.  I practiced and practiced until it was imprinted as a permanent pattern in my brain.  Now, did I make mistakes?  You bet I did.  That white ribbon was put to good use!  Do I still make mistakes?  You bet I do.  And sometimes it take two or three times of proof reading to even see them.

And what does my typewriter have to do with the joy of working?  For me, it meant if I had a job that required typing, it was not really work to me.  I simply loved to type. I have loved it ever since.  I am so thankful that my arthritic fingers still allow me to type without problems.  I cannot bend some of my fingers, but with hand movements all the keys are accessible, and I can still type rather swiftly.  The hand surgeon I see has suggested on a couple of visits that I have my finger joints fused to eliminate the pain in my fingers.  I would rather type and have pain, than not type, and have no pain.  It is not usually painful to type.  With other tasks I am not quite so fortunate.  But I can still type and that is what matters to me.

I believe one fact that denotes “JOY IN WORKING” is having the proper tools with which to work.  There is nothing more frustrating than having a job assigned to you that needs certain items or tools to complete and not having the correct implements in which to carry out the job.  Whether it be cooking, writing, photography, phone work, building, medical, cleaning, or any other kind of work, if you don’t have what you need to do the job, you are prone to be more frustrated than joyful.  There is not much joy when the tools, time, or space is not available.  Especially when the employer is expecting you do a top notch job, regardless of your limitations.  That can even translate into the category of working with computers.  When there are constant technical failures, the lack of your accessibility to the internet can cause great distress.  If you want to know the opposite of joy, I would call it COMPUTER FAILURE when a deadline is looming.  Deadlines don’t wait.  Bosses don’t wait.  There is absolutely no joy in working on that day.  Dave has had several frustrating such days when computer or phone malfunction threw off all schedules and timelines.  Not a good day.  Not a good evening.  Not much joy.

I suppose “Joy in working” could be summarized as being different for everyone.  When it comes down to the nitty   gritty, I suppose the greatest joy in working would be to have employment.  No matter what kind of job, how dirty, how grueling, whether or not you have the proper tools, to simply have a job, might result in the greatest joy of all.  Especially in the economy we live in.  Whether it is working for a wage, or having your own business that supports you, just the simple fact of working is joyful to many.  Even if it is not the job of your dreams, being able to eat and pay for living expenses can be the stepping stone to the next level.  And perhaps the most important aspect of having joy in working is the attitude you choose.  Even having a less than desirable job, if you have a good attitude, can create joy in your life and give you hope for the future.  Being content in the moment can create joy in whatever you are doing.  And you may even find your joy is contagious to others.

I find great joy in my work here at home.  Perhaps others do not see what I do as work.  Perhaps the definition of work has a new meaning for me now that I don’t compete in the market place and do not go out into the big bad world.  I have decided that what I define as my work, is that which must absolutely be done before I can do what I really want to do.  I would prefer to sleep in everyday and wake up without an alarm, whether it be 4:30 a.m. or 6:30 a.m.  I would prefer to put my energy toward organizing all my writing and selecting what I want to go into my first book (which I hope to finish by December), I would love to work on my own photo collection from my life and trip, and I would prefer to cook.  Yes, cook.  Cooking is not work for me unless I have deadlines, and time constraints.  I would love to spend more time with Dave and have our grandsons over for sleepovers two or three weekends a month.  However, I have other demands calling at the present.  And, I would love to travel more, visit more people, have more company, throw more parties, join a book club, go to the senior center and get to know all the old people.  I would love to volunteer at church and build stronger relationships with my friends.  I would like to read more and get into bed earlier!  So much I would love to do.  And someday, I hope to be able to do all the above I mentioned.   Oh, yes, one thing I forgot to mention.  I would love to finish watching my Christmas movies.

But now is the time to continue working on decluttering, throwing away, giving away, and putting to good use that which I keep.  It is time to organize the sale of all my equipment.  It is the time to let go.  It is the time to finally build the library shelves needed to house the remainder of my book collection.  Books bring me joy.  Some I will donate, some I will cherish and eventually read.  Someone else can discard them when I am gone.  But the rest of everything else I have collected over the years I choose to touch and remember one last time.  And I have chosen to experience great joy as I go about my work.  It will be about memories and it will take me a while to do.  Sometimes I view it as a daunting job but I refuse to become discouraged or overwhelmed.  It must be done moment by moment, in my precious present.  And I refuse to allow the disharmony of my past belongings and possessions rob me of even one moment of experiencing joy as I work.  And in the meantime, I’ll fit some of my little pleasures in-between (like having my grandsons come for a sleepover).

Do you receive joy in the work you do?  Stop and ask yourself that question.  If not, why not?  Life is too short to live without joy.  My joy comes from the Lord and the precious moments we share together each morning, regardless how brief.  I am learning to set limits on myself in some areas because the day is never long enough to accomplish all I would like to do.  But believe me, whatever I am doing, I choose to do it with a joyful heart and attitude.  And I think that is my secret for having joy as I work, regardless the task.  Whatever I do, I do it as unto the Lord.

 

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY

By Kathleen Martens

February 17, 2016

 

Each morning when dawn breaks

My time with the Lord begins.

I ask him always to forgive

Any and all of my sins.

 

I begin my day with joy in my heart,

Basking a short time with my Lord.

Because my moments are ever so precious

Each second with God I hoard.

 

And then my day begins with relish

And I look at my calendar wall,

To see what beckons ensuing hours

So I make sure to do it all.

 

Two special days I set aside

So I am not bombarded by the world.

There are too many appointments

That seem continuously hurled.

 

My WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY is one such day

I set aside to work all alone.

No appointments or visits with friends,

Not even on the phone.

 

Except for the greatest Friend in my life,

The Lord who sits on His throne.

And  I work throughout my day

Knowing I’m never alone.

 

Such great plans and expectations

I relish with sweet abandon.

And there is such joy when I work

With such a great companion.

 

I pray blessings on all of you and wish you much joy as you go about your awesome day.  May God protect and watch over you.

Just the fact that I awakened this morning, makes my day awesome!

P.S.  I receive much joy writing my blog each day.  Thanks to all of you who read it.

Tuesday February 16 2016  A PLATE OF MIRACLES

The mystery of life never ceases to amaze me.  So much we do not know.  So much we cannot comprehend.  So much to wonder about. So much to explore.  Every day is a mystery to me.  One of those mysteries being the food that is on my plate, day after day.  Not only is it a mystery to me, but a miracle as well.

Do a little true-life pretend time with me.  Pretend you are sitting down to my lunch that I ate today.  On your plate is a wonderful salad.  This salad consist of butter lettuce, and a handful of food from a bagged salad purchased from Costco with pieces of kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chicory, dried cranberries, roasted pumpkin seeds, and poppy seed dressing.  Added to the salad are cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, ¼ of an avocado, and diced fresh beets.  Beside the salad is a wonderful slice of chicken breast, also purchased from Costco.  Included on the plate is a multigrain casserole consisting of barley, brown rice, hard winter wheat, and wild rice.  Included in this recipe is olive oil, fresh mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic, black beans, a can of corn, soy sauce, Monterey Jack Cheese and fresh parmesan cheese.   Also on the plate are three beautiful strawberries (from Costco) and a small ripe nectarine from Aldi’s.

All that on one plate.  We grab our bags of greens, our pre-roasted chicken, a big spoon of the homemade rice casserole, fresh strawberries from their tidy little box, and pick a ripe nectarine off the counter.  And there is your simple lunch.

Have you ever thought about how many different people have been involved to make it possible to sit down to such a feast?  Let’s look at the rice dish for starters.  Four different grains.  Probably all of them grown in a different region, different state, and possibly even different countries.  Think of the fields barren in the winter waiting for spring plowing.  Someone had to plow the land.  Someone had to plant the grain, till it, harvest it, clean it, and package it.  Not to even mention all the people it took to build the machinery to do the above tasks.  Someone else had to think of the design for the equipment to do all that work.  Some other factory produced all the parts.  Another factory had to assemble them.  Someone had to make the plastic bags to hold the grain and somewhere the bags had to labeled with the contents and information of calorie count, etc.  And someone else had to market it.  Then there are the packers, and loaders, and truck drivers, and train cars to transport across country, and dock workers at the supermarket, stock people, and the shopper.  And that is for a bag of rice or barley or just name all the other ones available.  And what about the canned corn?  Where do the cans come from to hold the corn?  Who makes the cans?  Who designed the sophisticated equipment to actually produce them?  More people, more hands on, more intricate details of marketing and delivery before it is put on the grocery shelf.  And that is even without mentioning the farmer, the land, the toil, the long season of hot summer sun, the harvesters, and on and on and on. 

Do you see where I am going with this?  What about the fresh onions and carrots in a Wisconsin February?  What about the garlic cloves?  And what about the olive oil?  Think of the millions of olives that must be grown to create the abundance of olive oil for the world.  And where does it come from?  Mine comes from Italy.  Do you ever imagine the acres and acres of ancient olive trees that live and produce for over 300 years?  Acres and acres of land.  And the ships it takes to transport it across the oceans, not to mention in detail all those who had anything to do with building the ship, working on the ship, and so on… And think of the soy sauce.  Little teaspoons of it used to create so much flavor.  What is it?  Where does it come from?  How many people are involved in bringing that to market?  What about the bottle makers?  The box makers, the packagers, the insulation needed?

Oh, and don’t forget the strawberries.  In February no less.  Do you ever think about the back breaking labor it takes to grow them?  And who are they that are doing that grinding labor so we can go to the store and purchase them in small, beautifully displayed, plastic boxes? 

And we sit down at the table without a second thought of where and how and who went into bringing us the fruits of their labor.  And I wonder if they can afford to buy what they work so hard to grow.  When I sit down to eat I marvel at the sheer beauty of food.  God created such an amazing plethora of shapes and sizes and fragrances and tastes, colors, and varieties.  Do we even pause to say thank you?  Have you ever thought to ask God to bless each one who had a part in making it possible for us to have such an abundance and such a variety at our finger tips?

I know I have probably said enough in past blogs for my relatives to think I am bonkers, so here I go again, giving them even more fodder.  Several years ago before I had my foot operated on I could barely walk.  And going to the grocery store was the greatest pain ever.  Everything was so spread out and the store was so big.  Dave did most of the shopping during those two or three years when my feet were so bad.  Every time I had to go grocery shopping my spirit grumbled inside.  One day, it was as if God tapped me on the shoulder in the produce department.  The thoughts that came pouring into me went something like this: “Take a look around you.  What do you see?  This is My bounty prepared for you.  You did not have to grow these green beans.  You did not have to toil for these strawberries.  My whole world is at your door and you do not see the beauty that surrounds you.  You see not the labor involved, the toil, the heartache for some.  I bless you with choices and you complain.  Rather than grumble, give thanks when you walk through these doors.  In your heart give thanks and pray for blessings over all those who are involved in making this food available.”

Oh man!  Did that hit me right between the eyes.  It sobered me up a bit.  It made my pain seem minimal compared to what it took for all the workers, people like you and I, as well as migrant workers, farmers, and truck drivers, to bring to market all that was available to me on the shelves and in the bins.  My attitude changed that day.  I went home and told Dave about the experience.  It was an eye opener for me.  That must have been about 14 years ago.  I remember the timing because I was still doing film photography at that time and was laid up for several months following the surgery.  Well, going to a grocery store has never again been a chore to me.  It was as if blinders were taken off my eyes. 

When I go to other areas of the country one of my favorite things to do is to go into local grocery stores and walk through the produce section just marveling at all it is stocked with.  When you do that all across the country it gives you a perspective that it isn’t just your little (or big) neighborhood market that is full to overflowing, but all across the United States it is that way.  It gave me perspective as to how much our earth produces just for our country.  It made me grateful for all the machinery, tools, trucks, paper products, can makers, growers, harvesters, packagers, factories, and most of all for God, who created the earth to grow the food.  Never again do I grumble.  I just walk through the aisles thanking and praising God for all He has provided for my enjoyment and my delight.  And because of that, I try diligently to not be wasteful. 

JUST A SIMPLE LUNCH?  I SEE IT AS A PLATE OF MIRACLES.

 

A PLATE OF MIRACLES

By Kathleen Martens

February 16, 2016

 

One simple plate

What will it hold?

In just one salad

What story is told?

 

Whose hands have touched

The soil of earth,

That our plate

Has not dearth?

 

What back has labored

That we might eat,

In the comfort of home,

On a comfortable seat?

 

One grain of rice

Added to millions,

Will feed the multitudes

Into the billions.

 

Who picked the fruit

That we so enjoy?

Regardless the season

Was it man or boy?

 

Who picked the berries

And gently packed

Each one with care

That we buy off the rack?

 

And the potato

Hand set in soil.

That we might buy

To bake or boil?

 

So much beauty

We arrange on our table,

Without considering

Those who were able

 

To bring to market,

To deliver so near.

And we should give thanks

For that which took a year.

 

Perhaps we should pause,

And children should be taught,

That without the workers

No food could be bought.

 

Never take for granted

That which is available

It took hundreds of hours

To make it salable.

 

Good night and God bless you!

 

 

 

 

 

Monday February 15 2016  TO BE HIS INTIMATE FRIEND

A day packed full (again) so I must be brief. 

GOD IS SO GOOD!  I just wish I could somehow let the whole world know.  I sometimes marvel at the miracle of being God’s child!  Sometimes even those who “know” God as their redeemer, lose out on so much of what God desires to give us, all because they chose not to have a personal relationship with Him.  God desires a relationship with us.  Did you know that we are created to PRAISE THE LORD?  We are actually called to PRAISE THE LORD in Psalm.  Psalm 135 speaks about how God has called us into His service and has instructed us, as servants of His ministry, to PRAISE THE LORD.  God doesn’t NEED our service, RATHER HE DESIRES THAT WE HAVE A DAILY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.  We are to PRAISE HIM AND TO WORSHIP HIM.  God can do more and above what we can do.  Remember, He does not need us, HE DESIRES US!

I wrote about this topic earlier this year, but it bears to be repeated.  GOD DESIRES YOU.  GOD DESIRES ME.  He loved you and me so much that He allowed our sins to come upon Him.  God, in the form of Jesus, hung on a cross for six hours and defeated death…for you and for me!  He sweated drops of blood, for you and for me!  How can we not desire that same relationship with Him that He desires with us?

Is God knocking at your door?  Are there times when you had a daily, current relationship with Him, but life has become too busy now to take the time needed, to be with God, to worship Him, and to give Him Praise?  When I retired I thought I would have so much more time to do just that.  I see now that sometimes I become so busy that some of my “MUSTS” become my “SHOULDS”.  Slowly the routine you (and I am speaking about me too) had at one time seems to disappear.  Before I left on my trip last March I could probably count on one hand all the days I may have missed in one year that I did not spend with the Lord on an intimate level.  When I stepped back into the reality of Wisconsin in July my life exploded with the unexpected.  Slowly I found myself spending shorter times with God.  And then I began to be sporadic.  And then I might miss several days in a row.  So easy to do when you are being pulled from so many different directions. Oh, I listened to great sermons everyday as I exercised, and even praised and worshiped the Lord in the privacy of my thoughts when working out, but somehow, that close, personal intimacy was not felt.  And every day I missed it tremendously.

It is so easy to rationalize and make excuses for missing our rendezvous with God.  “My husband is ill, I must work out at the gym, my grandchildren need child care today, I’m preparing for an event, I must have surgery, I must get ready for vacation, I’ve so many appointments, I need to write my blog, I want to watch a Christmas movie, the food box is here and I must cook it up, company is coming, and the shorter and shorter my time with the Lord becomes.  And then less and less frequent.  And every day the Lord is calling  my name, calling your name.  Every sermon I listen to I hear His voice using the words of the minster to give my heart a reminder.  The songs I listen to beckon me with words of longing from the Lord.  And even the scriptures I read daily are echoing the same refrain.  Yes, I read the scriptures but due to all the excuses above, it is easy to rush off and not sit and dwell in His presence. 

It is during those quiet, restful times when I hear the voice of the Lord through the thoughts he places within me.  It is during those times when my spirit opens up like a spring flower, soaking in the light of His presence.  It is when I quiet myself in the stillness of my library that I am able to experience the heart of God in my life.  It is when my spirit longs to praise and worship and intercede for my lost friends and loved ones.  It is when I remember the prayers that people ask me to pray for.  It is when I write in my THANK YOU JOURNAL and am reminded of how great and how good our God is.  It is a time of renewal; a renewal of faith and strength and love and hope and joy.  And my heart is now LONGING for those quiet interludes.  My soul is thirsting, my need is great.  I WANT MORE OF GOD.

It’s as if this time in my life was designed to allow me to spend it in God’s presence.  God must be my priority.  I cannot live without that precious time with Him.  I believe God is bringing so many people across my path to minister to.  Yet, I feel empty and less than capable to do the work He has for me to do.  Remember, He doesn’t “need me”, but I need Him.  Almost every day my path crosses with those who may need to hear about His love for them.  Almost everyday someone asks me to pray for them.  I need to be full to overflowing of God’s love so that I am more than ready.  I need to be fed on His word, not just read it.  I need to pray and worship aloud, not just silently, I need to take the time to hear His voice and write down what is impressed upon my heart, so I can listen to His voice over and over, as I go back and re-read my “HEART SOUNDS”.  What it boils down to, I just need more of God.  I need to set aside my morning so I can have the quality time it takes to have a deep and true relationship with the God of the universe.  And everything I am hearing, and everything I am reading, and the sermons I listen to at the gym, testimonies at the Ladies Brunch on Saturday, and words from those who were baptized yesterday, emails received from friends with the perfect scripture verse I needed to hear, all keep tugging at my heart.  I hear God’s voice calling.  He has my attention!  I am listening.  There are some “MUSTS” I must prioritize. Not next week or next month, but now, this moment.  And of course it is now, during one my busiest times, that I must stop, look, and listen.  Stop what I am doing, look into the eyes of God, and listen to what He is speaking into my heart!

I meant to spend just a few minutes writing so I could complete and fulfill the rest of my obligations for the day.  Earlier it was necessary for me to cancel one event (movie night), due to my overbooked agenda.  And here I am pouring out my heart to my readers.  Right now the thought just went through my head that perhaps I should not send this blog.  I will wait and see.  Perhaps it is time for me to come to grips with what is going on and to let you, my readers in on my situation also.  I always find time to write my blog (because it is important to me), but I sometimes do not find time for my quality one on one time with the Lord.  I must change that.  I want God to be the most important EVERYTHING in my life!

Thanks for reading this if you have so inclined.  The banquet table is spread before me.  I desire to partake of what the Lord has prepared for me.  I hope you will come along with me and allow me to share the fruits of His table with you.  Actually, He has a table already prepared just for you.  All you need do, is take time to partake.

 

TO BE HIS INTIMATE FRIEND

By Kathleen Martens

February 15, 2016

 

To know that the Lord of the Universe

Loved me enough to die for my sin,

Is reason enough for me

To allow Him to come in.

 

To come into my life,

Ruler and King over all.

For He is the one who loves me.

He is the one who calls.

 

He calls me to be His own,

To lay down all my burdens and cares.

His blood alone is my salvation

He has defeated the devil’s lair.

 

He longs for my hours and days

That He reign supreme in my heart.

So I offer my mornings as sacrifice,

That with Him each dawn I start.

 

There is no other like Him

Who satisfies my thirsty soul.

None can ever match His love,

To be more like Him, my goal.

 

He gives me rest in the night.

He calms my stormy sea.

In Him is true freedom.

Only through Him I’m free.

 

And He beckons me to come, 

And what’s broken He will mend.

All He truly desires of me

Is to be His intimate friend.

 

If you do not journey with God on a daily basis, think about it.  You may be surprised at the peace and joy that will bubble up in your soul when you take time to listen to that what He desires to speak into your life.

Good night and God bless you. 

 

 

Sunday Sabbath February 14 2016  TO BE, OR NOT TO BE?

That is the question.  Best laid plans of mice and men!  Again, our plans have changed for the day.  We arrived home about 1:00 p.m. in the middle of a snow storm.  The roads went from clear, to powdery white, to icy, in about a half hour.  We stopped at the store on the way home to pick up the dessert.  When we came back outside we realized the roads were becoming icy.  Not a good thought when people are coming over later.

Once home I began my final preparations for our party.  I still needed to finish some last minutes placemats I was making, but decided to begin the meal preparation first.  The more I thought about how dangerous the roads were, the more I became concerned for our daughter-in-law driving 40 minutes (in good weather) to come over.  She called Courtland, who was at work, to get a report on the road conditions.  There was a 10 car pileup on the interstate and another multiple car crash on the beltline.  So, that sort of answered the question as to whether or not Amy should get out on the roads.  When is snow is falling it is often the most dangerous time to drive.  Though the snow is not yet thick, the roads became icy, and the snow plows have not yet had a chance to plow.  Just one accident can cause long delays in reaching your destination.  I can’t imagine how long It might take to clear the roads of multiple vehicles.  So, we decided to postpone the event until next Saturday. 

Well, we have lots of food in the house.  As long as there is electricity we can eat.  We especially need the electricity to keep all our food in the freezer frozen.  I started freezing more.  Some food I had prepared the day before.  I packaged that up and prepared it for the freezer.  There was just too much for the two of us to consume.  The salad makings we can eat!  I would rather have leftover food than chance our children and grandchildren being involved in a collision.  It is still snowing lightly.

Though Valentine’s Day will be over, the real reason we were celebrating has not yet happened.  And it will happen whether we get together or not.

We had an amazing service this morning at church.  There were five baby dedications and several people were baptized in water.  Being baptized in water is a public act that a person does in order to declare to the world that they have given their heart and life to Jesus by accepting and believing in the salvation Christ gave to the world by dying on the cross for our sins.  Several of those baptized read a short story of how they came to know the Lord.  Their testimonies were amazing and well worth listening to.  The service may be put on line.  However, I am not quite for certain since our pastor did not preach.  It may be worth checking out online later this week.

Short blog today as I would like to rest a bit and get ready for another busy week.

 

EVEN TODAY WILL BECOME A TREASURE

By Kathleen Martens

February 14, 2016

 

Sometimes there are decisions

That are difficult to make.

But when loved ones are involved

It’s easy for their sake.

 

Never my way would I demand

If danger is rearing its head.

I’d rather forego a party

Than have someone end up dead.

 

Of course there’s disappointment

When cancelling a day of fun.

But this is just one moment in time

Because our life is not yet done.

 

So I will carry in my heart

Anticipation for next week.

And new memories we will make

To forever cherish and keep.

 

Wisdom always knows what’s best

When God is at the helm.

I desire to continuously live,

Only in God’s realm.

 

And even though the snow is falling

I still see beauty in the hour.

I refuse my spirit to droop

Like a wilting flower.

 

Today is far too precious,

To waste even the simplest pleasure.

Every day is a memory to savor

Even today will become a treasure.

 

I pray each day that I receive more wisdom from God.  I hope that my decision today shows proof that God is answering my prayer.

That reminds me of the quote from President Lincoln that I once read:

“I DO NOT THINK MUCH OF A MAN WHO IS NOT WISER TODAY THAN HE WAS YESTERDAY.”

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!  MAY THE TREASURES OF YOUR HEART BE FOCUSED ON GOD!

Good evening, and God bless all of you!

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday February 13 2016  NIGHT BECKONS

A Late night for me.  Just returned home from an incredible birthday party for a one year old.  It was more in the line of something like a wedding reception.  Actually I have photographed several wedding receptions in the same reception area.  The party was black tie or dressy.  Dressy it was.  The party was hosted by an Eastern Indian family to celebrate their son’s birth.  Most of the guests were Indian and were attired in the most brilliant colored saris. The Indian women’s clothing was gorgeous.  The people were beautiful and so very friendly.  I was impressed with the behavior of all the children.  They were all so well-mannered and respectful.  Even the birthday boy did not make a peep the entire evening.  And what a gorgeous little boy he is.

I felt honored to be invited to this celebration.  I met this young couple at our church and photographed their newborn son last year just before I left on my trip.  I have not seen them since that time.  It was unbelievable to see the baby first as a newborn and presto, now as a one year old.  I had a great time while at the party and stayed way too late.  The food was unbelievably delicious.  There was a great many selections and it was all perfectly spiced with HOT HOT seasonings.  

I took a few pictures on my cell phone and received permission to put them on my blog.  It was a fun, well organized event and I loved every moment I was there.  It was great to be with such a nice group of people.  I met one young lady of 14 named Venika.  “Venika” sounded so beautiful when she spoke her name.  I also took pictures of both her, and her mom, and have been given permission to share them on my blog.  I also asked Venika what she had learned in her short life that she would like to share with others.  I was quite amazed at her answer.  Here is her wisdom:

“I THINK IF YOU MEET SOMEONE YOU SHOULDN’T PUSH THEM AWAY, BUT YOU SHOULD OPEN UP AND TALK TO THEM AND BE KIND, BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE   AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT PROBLEMS WE ALL FACE IN OUR LIVES.  I THINK EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE SHOWN KINDNESS AND BE CARED ABOUT EVEN IF YOU DON’T KNOW THAT PERSON WELL.”

I think I would be proud to be Venika’s mother.  Thank you Venika for sharing your wisdom with me.

As I promised last evening, the conclusion of last night’s episode will be shared in tonight’s blog.  If you have not read yesterday’s blog, you may want to read it before you read the following.

Here it is:

Journal Entry:

Saturday March 20, 2015 9:10 a.m.  San Antonio Texas

 

“DO YOU TRUST ME?”

WOW!  What a wonderful, watchful God You are!  Thank You Lord for Your amazing care and grace over my life yesterday.

Texas highways are a threat to your life.  Drove from Fort Worth to San Antonio, all back roads.  Speed limits posted up to 75 mph on two lane roads and highways WITH TRAFFIC SIGNALS.  I was on a divided stretch with posted limits at 75 mph.  I was driving that speed when I noticed the red light ahead turn to yellow.  I glanced in my rear view mirror, no one was close behind me, it was raining but visibility was still fine and I leisurely came to a stop as the light turned red.  When I began slowing down I was probably less than an eighth mile from the intersection.   I was in the right lane.  There was no other lane to my right, just the light pole on a little raised cement triangle.  No one was in front of me.  A couple of cars were in the lane to my left.

About three or four seconds after I stopped, a large pick-up truck with a large irregular shaped, loaded trailer, went zooming by on the right side of me where the shoulder should have been.  But there was no shoulder there, only the light pole.  I didn’t see the truck coming from behind. I did see him pass me because I was looking toward my right.  He must have been traveling about 60 miles per hour.  The look I saw on his face was one of horror and bewilderment.  He was not behind me in my rear view when I began breaking for the light.  He must have been quite a ways behind me, perhaps became distracted looking at the scenery, and when he glanced back at the road, was when he may have realized the traffic had stopped.  When you are traveling 75 to 80 miles an hour (yes, even in the rain) you cover a lot of ground rather quickly.  When he looked up and saw me he was unable to slow down in time due to the slippery roads and the heavy trailer pushing him, so he chose to squeeze between my car and the light pole.  And somehow he was able to accomplish that.  He ran the red light, barely squeezing by.  He was fighting to keep his truck under control.  He finally quit breaking and gunned his engine as cars from the cross street started coming over the divided area of the highway. 

When he swooshed past me I heard myself say aloud, “Why’d he do that?”  A voice that seemed almost audible, immediately replied back in a calm voice, “Because he couldn’t stop.  Do you trust me now?”

WOW!

It seemed it all happened in slow motion.  My adrenalin was never triggered because I did not notice him approaching.  By the time he passed me all danger was over.  A laughter bubbled up in my heart as I imagine God’s angels surrounding my little Kia Soul, directing the devil to stay clear of the back of my car.  I believe it was also the angels that guided the truck driver between my car and the light pole, not allowing his truck or trailer to even skin my side mirror.  When I looked at that light pole afterward, there is no way in the world that I thought a truck that big could fit in between that space.  It was amazing!  And even more amazing, no cross traffic hit him, nor did he hit anyone else. 

I truly believe that God answered the prayer I prayed yesterday morning sitting in my cousin’s driveway when He asked me “Do you trust me?”  And I responded, yes Lord, I trust You!

The End

So now you know how God protected me on that rainy Friday.  And I am forever thankful!

Now for the rest of the story.  While I was eating my food at the brunch this morning before I was going to speak, I felt a tug in my heart that I was not to share that story.  All of a sudden I knew that I was to share the story of my first night on the road.  I have never shared it publically, but for some reason I felt I was to change my talk and ad-lib the first night story.  So I did.  Oh well, at least it spurred me on to share with my readers what happened on my drive through Texas.

 

I LISTEN AS SLEEP CALLS MY NAME

By Kathleen Martens

February 13, 2016

 

Night beckons my tired body

To lie down and go to sleep.

I think that’s just what I’ll do

And you’ll not hear another a peep.

 

The day was long, night grows shorter

As each moment I type these words.

I listen as sleep calls my name.

And its bidding I have heard.

 

So I’ll bid you adieu

And my routine I shall keep.

Even though it is a bit later

It will be no trouble to sleep.

 

Good night and God bless you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday February 12 2016  GO WITH A BRAVE HEART

Tomorrow I will be speaking for a few moments at church at the ladies monthly Saturday brunch.  I have been working on the words I will share.  I was encouraged to tell a little something about the trip I took last year.  I had two very different stories that I was vacillating between and finally settled on the one I am going to share here.  If you have been a long time blog reader I may have touched on this last year.  I truly can’t remember.  I know the information I share today is from a different perspective because it is the actual writings from my journal for those two days.  Some of the grammar will not be correct because I sometime do not write in complete sentences when writing in my journal, nor in a logical sequence.  I’ll try to correct all the misspellings.  I’m sure there will be a few.

To set the stage:  I am at my cousin’s house in Euless Texas and planning to drive to San Antonio Texas.  Perhaps you remember the torrential rains and flooding that Texas experience last year when their drought was broken.  Well, that was when I was there.  The weather channel was warning drivers to stay in and some of the interstates were actually closed and there were quite a few fatal accidents taking place due to flooding and traffic accidents.  Even in good weather Texas is a dangerous place to drive.  Boy, could I tell you about some traffic in Dallas and Fort Worth.  Unbelievable.  They drive like rude maniacs going way over the posted 80 miles per hours on the highways.  Just think what the roads must have been like after a drought, no rain for months and then bam,  slick roads, maniac drivers, and millions of HUGE pickup trucks zooming past you on all sides.  I never could figure out those Texans and their infatuation with trucks, WHITE TRUCKS!  For some reason they like the white ones.  The truck in my story was grey.  So here is the story. 

Journal entry:

Friday March 20 2015 9:30 a.m.  Overcast Euless Texas

Storm warnings of flash flood where I am going.  On the phone with emergency road services to talk about road conditions. 

God, I hope my phone line to You is open for an emergency call.  I need an emergency answer.  Should I go, should I stay?  The man says I’ll hit some rain but if I go the back ways and stay off the interstate the roads should not be prone to flooding?

Oh God, what should I do? 

So I called Dave and asked him if he thought it a good idea for me to drive five or six hours in pouring rain and floods?  He told me to pray and see if God would give me peace to go.  If He did, then go.  If He didn’t, then don’t go.

The following is what God impressed upon my heart:

“You can do all things through me for you have my strength.  Trust Me—allow peace to reign in your heart.  Use wisdom and continually ask for more wisdom.  The more you give to others and do My work, the more the Devil will fight to stop You.  I call my angels to do my bidding—fear not the wars that rage around you. Your strength is in Me and My blood covers you.  Speak in authority and the evil one flees.  Trust!  Stand firm!  It is going through the perils of life that make you stronger.  Fear not, for I am with you.  My rod and My staff will comfort you.  Go with a brave heart.  You are My beloved and I am with you!”

I sat in the driveway of my cousin’s house and prayed and prayed.  I asked God to send His biggest and best angels to surround my car.  I prayed for his continual protection.  I prayed for wisdom.  I prayed that I would stay alert and be ready.   I was still vacillating as to whether or not I should go.  I just kept praying.  Then when I was finally quiet so God could get another word in edgewise, I distinctly heard the question, “DO YOU TRUST ME”?

Yes Lord, I responded.  I trust you.  My confidence was in Him and I was no longer afraid.  I wrote the following poem.  Closed my journal and drove out of the driveway, confident that I was in His care.

OR JUST TAKE THE HAND

By Kathleen Martens

March 20, 2015

 

When storms come

Do I bow?

Am I discouraged?

Or take action now?

 

When the rain falls

Do I give up?

Or lean on God,

And on His word sup?

 

When the wind blows

Do I take cover and run

Even though my race

Has barely begun?

 

When it seems hopeless

Do I cave in?

Or just take the hand

Of Jesus, my friend?

 

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear not for I am with you.  Be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes I will help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Little did I know what was to come.

 

I will give you the rest of my speech tomorrow.  It is the journal entry for March 21, 2015. 

 

NO TIME TO JUST BE FREE

By Kathleen Martens

February 12, 2016

 

So tonight I bid farewell

As my night is already here.

A long day it has been

And my sleep is very dear.

 

Tomorrow comes quite early,

And a long day planned for me.

As well as is the day after.

No time to just be free.

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!

 

 

 

Thursday February 11 2016  TO DO OR NOT TO DO?

That is the question!  So much on my plate no matter what happens.  I look ahead and try to plan as little as possible so I can accomplish all that needs to be done with getting this house in order.  My sister keeps telling me it becomes harder and harder the older you become.  But I didn’t know she meant just one day older at a time.  I figured she meant YEARS OLDER.  It seems I take one step forward and two steps backward. 

This party I am having on Sunday has been planned for one year!  I started preparing the tail end prep work about three weeks ago.  Crossed off several days here and there so I could finish the last minute details.  And here it is, three days before the event and about another week’s worth of work to do.  I’ve had so many “MUSTS” to accomplish, unexpected appointments, and fatigue from doing too much (including my traipsing around the country side yesterday).  I am not used to getting tired so it hit me like a whammy today when I felt in need of rest.  I actually finally conceded and laid down for one hour.

Tomorrow I must shop for food, finish cleaning the house, do last minute decorations, and finish my preparation for the talk that I will be doing on Saturday morning.  Usually I do not go to the gym on Fridays, but due to the fact that my Saturday is used up before it even happens, I must work out tomorrow morning instead of Saturday.  Dave and I plan to rise early and get to the gym so we can be at Costco by 10:00 a.m. when they open.  We will make one stop before we get there and then must make one other shopping stop after we leave.  Some things you just can’t get at Costco.  Having Dave with me is a great help.  He even helps carry in all the “stuff”.

Saturday I leave early, get home mid-day and then I am committed to attending an event Saturday evening.   One good thing is that I already have the gift wrapped and packaged up for that event.  I will not be able to stay very long.

And then comes Sunday.  Church, then home to cook and prepare last minute items for party.  You may be asking yourself what kind of party am I having that is so important.  Well, I will tell you after next week.  It is always a surprise in my book!

And next week’s calendar does not look a whole lot better. 

I have several blogs formulating in my mind.  I am going to give them a topic here and now so I hold myself accountable to writing them in the near future. 

1. To discuss what we learned when we went to the University of Wisconsin to hear the guest speaker from MIT speak on Monday night.
2. To discuss a photograph I saw yesterday that just amazed me.  It was for sale at the Bargain Nook.  I wish I had purchased it.
3. To finally share about the very first night I spent on the road last year when I began my trip.

 

 

WHAT TO DO?

By Kathleen Martens

February 11, 2016

 

I think there are things I must give up

If time is to work for me.

Just doing what it takes to live

Seems to never allow time to be free.

 

Whatever I do, the be-hinder I get

And though I try as hard as I can,

It seems there is one more thing

Which always its way demands.

 

So what should I NOT do

When I look at the day ahead?

Should I not, go to the gym?

If I didn’t, I’d probably be dead.

 

Perhaps I should give up cooking

And just stop at Burger King,

Order hamburgers and French fries,

And eat all of those greasy things.

 

Then I’d have to go shopping

For clothes of a bigger size.

And perhaps I’d save a little time

If I didn’t soak my eyes.

 

And surely my sheets would not mind

If I didn’t change them at all.

Or if I didn’t need to bathe

Or clean the bathroom stall.

 

I could give up laundry

And not mind if I stink a bit.

And maybe not even go shopping

And all my friendships quit.

 

Or better yet I could design

A clock with a 40 hour day.

And perhaps have enough time

For all my work and play.

 

This poem, and a conversation I had with Dave earlier today, gave me pause to realize what I cannot, and must not give up.

I must go to the gym in order to keep up my strength.

I must cook and eat healthy in order to stay as healthy as possible.

I must write my blog, as it helps my mind to stay sharp (hopefully).

I must not give up my friends, as they help me to stay connected with the world.

And I must never stop spending time with the Lord because He is my source of life.

So I guess I will just keep on keeping on. TO DO OR NOT TO DO? That is the question I must ask myself before committing to ANYTHING that goes on my calendar.

Good night and God bless you.

P.S. For some reason I had a bit of trouble with the spacing on writing this blog. Please forgive all the irregular spaces between lines. I could not figure out how to make this computer behave tonight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday February 10 2016  AT DAY’S END

 

A DELIGHTFUL DAY

By Kathleen Martens

February 10, 2016

 

What a delightful day. 

Filled with play.

Three old hens

Having fun again.

 

Hunting and pecking

While inspecting,

Bargains galore

Looking for more!

 

If I can spy

Then I will buy.

To my chagrin

I found it again.

 

Sweater and jacket

And I packed it

Into my cart

Nice and smart.

 

With a blouse beside

Two vests lined

And a stack of books

On which I’m hooked.

 

And yarn and string

Toys and things

Favors and cups

In which to sup.

 

Candles and vase

Will not go to waste

And decorations hardy

For my party,

 

And little presents

To be pleasant

For my guest

Filled with zest.

 

Then the lunch

We loved a bunch

And more shopping

Until dropping.

 

Now I’m home

No more to roam.

I go to bed

To down my head.

 

The above poem came with my first sentence so I wrote it first.  It tells a short synopsis of my day.  And a delightful day it was.  St. Vinney’s was our first destination where I found all I needed for the party decorations and some of the gifts I plan to give.  I really enjoyed the unencumbered day.  No time limits, no rushing, quite solitude as I shopped, and then giving each other opinions as to whether or not what we modeled for each other looked okay.  That is a time when you realize the power of your words.  Just one look, one “NO” from any of us, and whatever was being modeled was O-U-T!   We trust each other to be truthful.  Nothing worse than a friend who isn’t truthful because she doesn’t want to burst your bubble or hurt your feelings.  I know that I appreciate their candor and their persuasive “YEAH: OR “NAY”!  Their frankness has never steered me wrong.  And they even listen to me!

 

We had a delicious lunch at a little café, in a little town about 20 miles away.  Then we stopped in at a place called the Bargain Nook, which is a resale shop where Land’s End ships things that have been returned to their stores, or excess merchandise that didn’t sell in the retail stores.  The store also takes donated used items, so essentially it is run as a resale shop, and priced accordingly.  There are a lot of new items amongst the racks but with really great pricing.  On your birthday you can buy up $50.00 worth of items for half price.  It was no one’s birthday today so we all paid full price.  If we don’t have a snow storm on my birthday we will go back and buy some things for Dave.  They have unbelievable bargains.  And half price even makes it better!

One more stop at a local Goodwill store and we were finished.  Found a few good buys there as well.  Mostly in the book department.  All children’s books sell for 89 cents each.  Adult books are $1.49.  They do add up however.  But, like I said yesterday, I just enjoy browsing the books.   I just make a list of those I would like to read and then I go to the library and check them out one at a time.  I buy only the ones that I think will take me awhile to get through.  Besides, I like to mark my books up, underlining that which I know I will want to re-read at a later date.  I always have about 10 to 20 books at a time that I am reading through.  All non-fiction.  In addition to that I have at least one fiction book I am reading straight through, rather quickly, as well as one non-fiction title that I spend time reading every day.  Makes for interesting reading.

Well, this blog is over.  I still have some reading to do before bedtime.  You see, reading is not something I MIGHT do, it is something I MUST do every single day.  A day without reading is like a day I haven’t lived.

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU.