May 5 2015 Day 59 Another Desire Fulfilled!
God is so good!
So many wonderful experiences to remember. I just hope writing the blog will help me remember more than I forget. Any one else out there have that problem?
Today was a lovely, busy day. To just arise in the morning is always a joy to me, no matter what the weather, no matter where I am, no matter if I am to work or play. To just awaken again knowing I have the chance to live another day makes morning all worthwhile. The earlier I rise the better I like it. Someday I will awaken on my last day and perhaps not even know it is my last day. And even that day will have its own wonderful experiences. Perhaps not to remember but to be enjoyed while I have every breath left in me. And oh what an experience it will be to awaken in a new place and be able to stand boldly in the presence of the Almighty God. I actually look forward to that amazing experience but on the other hand I am in no hurry to make it happen.
So, back to my lovely, busy day. Early workout to start the day. And then…I actually walked into a Great Clips by the gym and gave a perfect stranger the privilege of cutting my hair. Now I know my hair doesn’t look like much (that’s because there isn’t much of it) but I only allow one person to cut my hair and that is my sweet hairdresser Angela back in Wisconsin who owns Bonjour Barber. She cut it very short before I left on my trip so I thought it would outlast my journey. I guess I should have had it shaved. My hair had crossed the line into shagginess and I couldn’t stand it one more day. God provided a superb lady named Jennifer the opportunity to work her magic. And magic she worked! It is SHORT again. Not quite as short, but short indeed. Jennifer was wonderful. Not only did she cut and style it, she washed it, (remember I was all sweaty from the gym), massaged my scalp, wrapped my face in hot towels and put me in a vibrating chair while I lay back for the shampoo…then…gave me a short shoulder massage with a hand held vibrator. Oh man…I felt wonderful when I left there. And the best thing of all Jennifer was in love with the Lord too. She was a good listener too. Hmm…does that surprise you?!
When I arrived back at home base my friend Wendy from High School was sitting on the door step. She was early and I was a bit later than I had intended. I changed and we high tailed it out of there like two giggling teenagers we once were. It matters not how much time passes between visits or phone calls, we can just pick up from where we left off and still feel the comradely feelings we shared as teens. We had an enjoyable time together, eating lunch out, driving around awhile on side roads and stopping at the Meadow Lark Dairy in Pleasanton again (for me again) for an ice cream cone. We had great conversation and we had to part. I wish I could share all our conversations but of course I cannot so I’ll just say that God was in them.
After Wendy left I readied myself for the next event which was to leave in a short while to go to Jeanette’s sister’s house for dinner. Linda and Ron live about 5 miles from Jeanette in Danville California. The homes in this surrounding area are all beautiful, well kept homes. The property values in this part of California are exorbitant. I suppose if something retains such a high value it is well cared for. The homes are close but not as close as they are in other areas. So many people have cultivated beautiful flower gardens in both front and back yard. So much warmth and growing season that much can be accomplished in the growing season. I saw flowers I have never laid eyes on. Ron cultivates roses and another exotic flower that he gets from Japan or China (Sorry Ron, I guess I wasn’t listening too well) which are one of a kind here in the states. He orders them and has a collection of them in pots in his side yard. His yard is beautiful! On the other end of his house he has a gorgeous rose garden with a collection of extremely exotic looking roses. Amazingly beautiful. I took a few pics on my cell phone so I could send you some. Most I took with my real camera because they will be beautiful on cards.
I told Jeanette this morning that I wanted to stop in some of the yards in the neighborhoods around here and just pick one rose from each bush (especially at one house I drive by everyday). I told her I would love to have a boquet of the beautiful roses I see. They are so huge and diverse in color, style of blooms, sizes, and smells. When I was admiring Ron’s rose garden he said I could pick any I wanted! WOW! WOW! WOW! There it was again! God just giving me another desire of my heart! Linda came out with the clippers and kept encouraging me to cut more. In the photos I posted I included the bouquet I brought back to Jeanette’s from their backyard. They sit regally in a vase behind me in the office where I am writing and the fragrance mixture of all the varieties smells like a lush wonderful fruit drink of some sort. Sort of lemony and subtle and yet spicy all in one inhalation. I shall sleep with them in my room and then place them in a communal area for all to enjoy while I am gone tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll even take one to each of my sisters whom I will see tomorrow. That is…if I can part with two.
Linda and Ron set a beautiful table and the food was delicious! I’ll try to remember to get the name of the dish Linda served. It was a bit different and ever so wonderful. It will be interesting to find out if anyone has ever heard of it before. Not only is Linda talented in cooking she is also very artistic and creative and prolific in the quilt making department. She showed me many quilts and pillows that she has made and they were all exquisitely and finely made. She does all the quilting herself. Some she actually uses a straight stitch sewing machine to quilt curved repetitive designs in the quilt patterns and they look beautiful. I posted a few of her quilt photos that I snapped this evening. Enlarge them and look at them closely. I shot a lot of the quilts with my real camera too.
I returned to home base, leaving Denny and Jeanette behind to watch a basketball tournament game. Don’t know what team, can’t remember the team name and don’t recall even seeing them on screen to tell you the color of their uniforms (which I don’t know if that even matters). Some pro games to do with basketball must be going on right now because everyone here is ensconced in it. I am happy for them. But…their team lost tonight on this 5th day of May. (I included the date because my computer is blogging things with the wrong dates attached. Even when I put the correct date on tonight tomorrow it will show May 6th. I change it or at least try.)
I will close with Wendy’s words of wisdom she would like to tell others:
“Do not gain weight. Do not let yourself go because it is so hard to get yourself back. Stay active and work on being healthy”.
Thank you Wendy for your honest words to others.
And thank you God for all your blessings on this day. I love my roses!
Oh, and thank you Linda and Ron for allowing God to grow them in your back yard. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. It was so good to see you both and look through your old albums!
Good Night!
P.S. Note to cousin Joyce: I’ll return your call tomorrow but don’t know when.
5 May, 2015 00:16
Jeanette and Denny on right. Her sister Linda and husband Ron on right. 54 years of friendship with all.
Monday May 4, 2015 Day 58 Roses and More Roses
Note to readers: For some reason my computer changes the date of each day’s entry when I post it. The entry below was written and posted on Monday May 4, 2015. Day 58
Yeah! I found another gym to work out at this week for only $10.00 for a week’s pass. The other was free for 3 days only and then $25.00 per day. No thank you! The new fitness center has a great gym, small and cozy but excellent equipment.
After our workouts Jeanette and I headed out for an adventure. We decided to do a tour of the local area’s Arboretums and Botanical gardens. We first went to the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek. When we arrived, to our disappointment we discovered they are closed on Monday. It looked like a really great place! From there we drove to another location in Walnut Creek, The Gardens of Heather Farm and that one was open. It was on the small side (probably one full square block which included parking). It was well worth going to. Primarily it was a rose garden (again, one of my favorite flowers) and a small like/pond that you could walk around. I’ll post a few pics if any turned out on my IPhone. We stayed quite awhile and enjoyed the roses. There were a lot of them for me to smell so it took awhile! I think I will post a lot of the pics I took today so you can enjoy the roses too.
After the Gardens of Heather Farm we stopped in Concord Markham Nature Park and Arboretum. That too was well worth it. It was a wild habitat with only native plants from the area. Very rugged with a simple beauty. We got a little carried away with the hiking and realized we were in dangerous overly rugged territory and turned around and made it out safely. Actually going down was a bit more dangerous than the going up had been. Jeanette had a hip replacement just two months ago and I certainly did not want to hurt myself and need a hip replacement. Not much light in the woods so don’t have many pics. Besides, we had to watch every step carefully so we wouldn’t fall into the almost empty waterway and I couldn’t focus on photos.
On the way home we stopped at Costco so I could stock up on a few things. Picked out what I needed only to get up to the register and Costco would not take Visa. I did not think I would have enough cash with me. However, when I got my money out I had exactly enough dollars (and not a dollar more) to pay for my items. How is that for cutting it close. My cash was elsewhere and I didn’t have it with me.
Once home we prepared a dinner fit for a king! My kind of food! That’s why it was so good! Shh..don’t tell Jeanette!
It is even earlier than normal and I’ve already finished my daily blog! WOW! So…I will use a little of my time to share something I wanted to share way back when it happened. For about three weeks when my trip was young I did not have WiFi and thus got very behind in writing. I want to tell you one of the stories that happened then. There are three main stories in sequence I will tell over the next few days.
Story #1 THE MIRACLE
On March 19th Russellville was in my rear view mirror and Euless Texas loomed ahead. It was a long drive to Euless where my cousin Janet and her husband Chuck lived. I was driving there so I would have a stop over on my way to San Antonio Texas. It was a very short overnight stay at Janet’s before I was to leave for San Antonio. On the 20th when I preparing to leave I receive a call from Peggy and Dave who were my next destination. Rain and flood warning were being issued for the areas I would be driving through and the news stated that if you didn’t have to travel it might be best not to get on the road. This put a pondering in my thoughts. I called the emergency road condition number for the Texas Patrol and was told if I stayed off the interstate and went the back roads it would probably be safer for me. I called Dave and he told me to ask the Lord and do what the Lord directed. So I did just that. I prayed and this was what I believed the Lord impressed in 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 love to others and do My work, the more evil will rear its head to fight and try to stop you. I call My angels to do My bidding–fear not the wars that rage around you, for 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.”
So I decided to go.
The speed limit in Texas is 75 mph on most roads. Some highway speed limit is 80 mph. And that is on highways with light signals. Go figure that one out. Well, that particular day it was raining cats and dogs. The highway was divided and the speed limit was posted at 75 mph. To Texans I don’t think heavy rains means slowing down one little bit. If anything they keep pushing the speed limit and continue going 80-85 mph. I kid you not! They drive like maniacs. Well, I drove 75 mph just so I wouldn’t get run over in the slow lane. The road was divided and it slowed down periodically to go through little spread out towns. Then of course in the country part of the driving there were occasional light signals that allowed traffic cross. I saw one such light a ways ahead as it turned yellow. I had plenty of time to stop, nothing was following me closely and I was in the right lane of two lanes going in one direction with a high earthen berm separating the oncoming traffic. As I approached the intersection the light turned red just as I stopped. The yellow light is rather longer that usual yellow lights (perhaps to compensate for the 75 mph speed limit). I was sitting at the light approximately 3 or 4 seconds when a double cabbed, large pick-up truck pulling a large, loaded down trailer behind it, zoomed by me on the right (where there was no lane) out into the intersection. He was trying to get control of his truck and trailer, in the rain , on wet pavement, and it wasn’t going to happen as long as he was applying his breaks. I did not see where he came from, nor did I see him approach. On the right side of me there was a cement raised area where a light pole stood. This truck went by at about 60 plus mph, did not scratch my car, did not hit the light pole and I could swear there was not enough room for that big truck and trailer to sidle by me. It was amazing.
Since he couldn’t not stop the vehicle and the cross traffic was coming over the berm, the driver had to accelerate and keep on going. As soon as he swooshed by me I was so shocked I just spoke out loud, “Why’d he do that?” in a very perplexed tone of voice. In my heart I thought I actually audibly heard the answer, “Because he could not stop” in a very matter of fact, purposeful answer. Followed by the words “Now do you trust Me?“. Whew! that was a close call. I had no fear or adrenaline rush as I never saw him until he was already past me. All I know, it was a miracle for that large truck to get between me and that light pole, gain control of his vehicle and trailer on wet pavement, and have no one hurt or killed.
That morning before I pulled out of the driveway of my cousin’s home in Euless Texas I prayed a very diligent prayer that God would put double the angels around my car and place on duty his biggest and strongest angels. I said a lot more of that but that was part of what I prayed. After the above situation took place a laughter bubbled up within me as I imagined His angels surrounding my car and just directing that truck right around my little Kia Soul and through that narrow gap beside me. God protected me in that moment. I trusted Him before I left. I trusted Him even more in that moment! Just to retell this story to you again renews my trust in His love and protection over me. Thank you to all who are praying for me on this trip.
I arrived in San Antonio Texas safe and sound! And that is when the stories start getting even better. Remember, as God’s children we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
Here is the poem I wrote after that miracle.
WHY’D HE DO THAT?
Each hour unknown as what is to come,
As to what will happen going to and from.
All I know is I’ll pave the way
By taking time each morning to pray.
Just as yesterday I prayed God’s will
That I be in His presence, busy or still,
To watch over me and protect my well being
From all that can happen which I am not seeing.
I ask for His angels to take extra care
That wherever I am they will be there’
In the authority of Jesus, Angels are at His call,
Whatever He commands, they do it all.
Their protection I felt; as disaster was averted,
The power of Jesus was definitely asserted.
A horrible collision did not take place
As angels guided the driver through a narrow space.
I sat in silence as angels swarmed my car
As the truck zoomed by not missing by far.
I asked out loud “Why’d he do that?”
And the answer came, “Because He could not stop”.
And then I understood the power of God’s force
That he could change a driver’s course.
Because of my prayers and my trust in Him
I am whole today in life and limb.
Thank You Lord for the protection you give
In all my hours of the life I live.
Your glory reigns within my heart
As my every day, with You starts.
by Kathleen Martens
March 21, 2015
I thank God for His protection. And believe me, I do trust Him.
Good night. It is now 10:28 and time for bed!!!
May 3, 2015 Day 57 Sunday Sabbath
Note to readers: For some reason my computer changes the date of each day’s entry when I post it. The entry below was written and posted on Sunday May 3, 2015 yet it show it as posted on May 4. I am sorry for the confusion. I don’t know if having it in another time zone caused the mix up. I now have the time zone corrected. Let’s see if the blog I write tonight will be correctly posted. Kathleen
A new Sunday. A new church to attend. And it was interesting. My cousin Lynette attends First Presbyterian Church in Livermore. I was planning to spend the day with her so decided to drive up early to meet her at church. I am trying to attend as many different worship services as possible. I am enjoying the diversity immensely. I learn something at each place I go. One sentence today that impressed itself on my memory is: “Be more ready to listen than to correct and speak”. That is so hard for me to learn. I always have something to say. Perhaps that is the reason that when I asked my son what I should name my blog he so quickly responded “The opinion you didn’t ask for”. Well, as I said before, I couldn’t get that one but I did reserve the domain name “The opinion you DID NOT ask for”. But that will only happen after I arrive home. Sorry, but you’ll just have to wait.
This cousin (I only have about 150 or so if you count first cousins and their children) is the daughter of my mother’s brother. Her name is Lynette, and her husband is John. I really do not know John well as we’ve never really been together except at family reunions over the years. It was a delight to get to know John and renew my connection with Lynette. John and Lynette treated me to a wonderful Mexican restaurant for lunch. Afterwards my cousin and I strolled the downtown in the town of Pleasanton where she lives. Very well laid out and planned city. Lots of trees and businesses to entice the shopper. And…they even had a resale shot named something like “Classy Seconds”. Can’t remember for certain and I don’t want to have to go dig out my receipt to see the name. YES…that means I purchased something. I always know that God has plans for me and they are good. And I think my purchase was the reason I was supposed to stroll down that street. That, and the Dairy that served soft serve vanilla ice cream. Oh my, it was so good!
We finally ended up at Lynette and John’s lovely home. Impeccable. I wonder if anyone will ever be able to say that about my home? It was so refreshing to be in the quiet and peaceful setting of her home after the busy busy street strolling. In case I have mentioned it, there are a lot of cars here in California and if there are a lot of cars that means there are a lot of people! I enjoy the crowds but I enjoy the quiet even more. We talked and talked and it was good. Found out a lot about each others lives when younger. It is so interesting to see how we each remember the same events differently. As kids our parallax is limited and often impaired because of lack of experience. Very rarely do we ever see the same situation with the same perspective. It was interesting for me to listen to Lynette’s perspective of how she remembered so many things. We shared poetry. She read me some of her Father’s poetry and I read them some of my poems. That was a lot of fun. My uncle was a very gifted poet. She gave me a copy of the poems she had typed up for him. Can’t wait to find time to read them.
We all posed for our tripod timed “family shoot” (that means I was in the picture with them). Not too long afterward I packed up for home as I wanted to arrive at Jeanette’s before dark. I made it.
My day was uneventful as far as excitement is concerned but it was a lovely, slow, and intentional day with a sweet cousin in the confines of her comfortable cozy home. I will even post the bedroom I would have slept in had I stayed the night. She must awaken early and leave for work. Since she is only about 5 miles from where I am already staying I decided that I would just go up for the day instead of sleeping at her place. Smart move on my part because I didn’t need to haul my belongings around with me. Lynette sent home two exquisite roses from her yard. I think she said that one of them was “Lavender Lace”. The other is a tiny small yellow rose. I think it an old fashioned rose. Thank you cousin Lynette. I just want everyone to know I REALLY DO LOVE ALL MY COUSINS!
Came home, ate, and wrote this blog. Going to bed ASAP as I almost fell asleep here at home front while typing. Oh how I enjoy days like today. So quiet and peaceful!
One last thing I would like to leave with you is the wisdom that John and Lynette gave me.
Lynette: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
John: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
Wishing all of you a great night and blessed tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Kathleen
Visions of Poetry 