Visions of Poetry

Tuesday August 25 2015  IF I THINK I CAN I CAN

My title today comes from Kayla, my new Mary Kay Consultant.  Last week I realized it was time for me to have some new moisturizer for my face because the product I have used for the last 20 years or so is no longer being made.  It was a lotion recommended by a dermatologist for sensitive skin.  My face is looking old and perhaps it is just because I am getting older each year or perhaps because I don’t spend hundreds of dollars cleansing, cleaning chemicals off my skin, defoliating, moisturizing, sun screening, basing with a makeup base and then applying makeup and whatever else ladies paste their faces with.  All I needed was some moisturizer.  My last bottle was down to the nothing zone and I had been praying like the lady in the Bible that used her oil and it just kept being refilled by God.  Last week I asked God to direct me to a good moisturizer and was remembering back when I used to use Mary Kay.  I didn’t have a consultant and did not really know about how to get someone I might enjoy as a consultant.

Later that morning while at the gym I was talking with a young lady and she just happened to say what she did for a living.  You got it.  She was a Mary Kay consultant.  The kind that even has her own Mary Kay Car.  I told her my dilemma and we set an appointment.  She is a good sales lady because she also sold me something else.  I bought two little tubes for the lips.  One defoliates the old lip skin and the other oils the lips.  I like the feeling and the look.  It was clear and very soothing.

I asked Kayla if she had some wisdom that she likes.  She said it was not her original quote but would like to share it anyway.  I have even used this quote in one of my past blogs.  If I remember correctly I first read it in THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING by Norman Vincent Peale.  It is worth hearing again. Here is Kayla’s wisdom:

“If you think you can, you can.  If you think you can’t, you can’t.”

Thank you Kayla for spending time with me today and sharing your knowledge and expertise with me.  I look forward to seeing you again.  And I say to ladies out there who do all the above to just continue to do so as it helps the economy. Besides, you’ll probably end up looking a lot younger when you die.

Today has been one of those days when I was so busy that I could not get anything done.  Let me explain.  My entire day was set aside to work on wedding #2.  I have wedding #1 designed and ready for the client to view and make changes and then I will order!  Yeah!  Wedding #2 I still must start, but it is a simpler project.  I never did get into my office to even open up the computer.  It is so wonderful to have this laptop set up in the sun room so I don’t need to use my office PC.  All my wedding work is done on a MAC.  When I go into my office (such as to write this bog) I become quagmired in there and I don’t remember to come back up to upstairs life.  I try not to do that as Dave needs to eat on a schedule and I don’t do too well if I go much past eating time.  So I was busy, busy, busy, doing all the little things that takes up time to do and you don’t have anything to show for it.  I did talk to a friend who called today and that was worth it because she is coming to stay with me a few days next month and we needed to work on scheduling of some events and places while she is here.  I went to the gym and then remembered my Grandsons are arriving this evening and I needed to get some things from the library to help entertain them.  Then I needed to get home quickly, stir up a sauce that has to be refrigerated before I made a Chicken salad this afternoon, make and eat my lunch quickly because the Mary Kay lady was coming.  She came and went and I went back to the kitchen to continue making up all the food which I need to get out of the fridge before Thursday (Food Day).  I finished as much as I could and asked Dave if he could make the dinner salad for tonight and tomorrow.  The chicken salad is all finished, and turned out delicious!  It has coriander and nutmeg in it.  A great combination!

So here I am, writing about nothing important so I can be finished before my boys arrive about 8:00 p.m.  They had to go to karate tonight since Zach will miss his regular class on Wednesday night.  He has a test coming up next week.  He is very serious about karate and has several belts behind him.  Don’t ask me the colors because I have no clue.  I’ll ask him and can tell you tomorrow.

It is also poem time and I must sit and think to see what I come up with.  I started a study on the book of Isaiah today and there were a lot of comments about the book of Isaiah that gave me an idea for a poem. I think I shall need to do some research first in order to write the poem.  I often use scripture as a starting point and even use the scripture itself at times.  I call them my “Scripture Poems”.  This poem that is brewing is about the Holiness of God.  I think that will be an awesome subject to inspect.  I think that most people don’t really stop to think of the true Holiness of God.  Holy, consecrated, hallowed, sanctified, blessed, divine, sacred, righteous…that is who our God is!  That will be an awesome poem to write when the time is right.  Tonight is not that time, due to the fact that I must actually stop and think first.

 

STOP AND THINK?

By Kathleen Martens

August 25, 2015

 

Stop and think before I write?

What a novel thought that would be.

Sort of like keeping my mouth shut

Before my tongue wags free.

 

Stop and think before I speak?

I’m trying to master that plan.

It doesn’t often seem to work

But my mouth always can.

 

Perhaps I should always listen

To what the words in the Bible tell.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

So think on that a spell.

 

And the wise men store up knowledge,

The mouth of the fool invites ruin.

So run to the Word of God

And keep your heart attune.

 

When words are many sin is not absent.

Keeping your silence may be best.

The wise man will hold his tongue,

Keeping words close to the vest.

 

So whether you speak or whether you write,

Perhaps it is wise first to think.

Be certain what you say is fitting

So  you won’t dig a hole and sink.

 

The tongue has the power of life and death,

So be careful what you write or say.

Let your words be like apples of gold

To show others the righteous way.

 

Dinner is ready and time is ticking.  Oh, by the way, thanks to all of you who shot  off an email after reading last night’s blog.  It was fun to go through them and read your thoughts.  Writing my blog is something I enjoy so I’ll continue to write until life gets too hectic.   If you know anyone else who you think might like to read it please share my blog address with them.  I am thinking of opening it to the public now that I am not traveling.   www.visionsofpoetry.wordpress.com

Goodnight.

 

Tuesday August 24 2015  WE ONLY HAVE THE MOMENTS WE LIVE AND THEN WE HAVE FOREVER!

 

NO THING IN TIME WILL LAST

By Kathleen Martens

August 24, 2015

 

Night Is falling, a chill in the air,

Eventide in quiet speaks.

Days are shortening,

Stealthily, Autumn sneaks.

 

So soon summer will be past,

Lazy days of traveling fun

Wrap up quite quickly

When languid days are done.

 

Trees adorned in seasonal attire

Too soon will undress,

And piles of leaves will blanket earth

Creating an artistic mess.

 

And marching in next

Is Mr Frost,

When all the gardens

Will then be lost.

 

Unhurried days are exchanged

By hurried hours of light.

So much to do in such short time

For earlier will come the night.

 

Enjoy these last laid-back hours

Before school and schedule resumes

When all of life’s precious moments,

By tasks, will be consumed.

 

Enjoy the now, it passes quickly,

No thing in time will last.

WE ONLY HAVE THE MOMENTS WE LIVE,

And they too will pass too fast.

 

We only have the moments we live.  Here on earth, that is!   My cousin Janey Beth died Saturday night.  She was 60 years old, daughter, wife, mother, grandparent, sister, aunt, friend, and cousin.  One life gone too early from cancer, and left behind are all those who love her.  I say ‘LOVE’, not ‘LOVED’ because I am certain that all who knew her, love her still.  I do.  Janey was a one of a kind person, soft spoken, gentle, kind, and ever giving of herself.  She will be greatly missed by all those who knew and love here on earth.  I know where she is and I know our separation is only temporary.  There are so many people in heaven to greet again when my time comes to go there.  I’ll especially enjoy seeing my mother in her new heavenly body, no more pain, with a sound body and mind, and no sorrow.  I can’t even begin to imagine how beautiful heaven is.  Just make certain you know where you are going!  There are only two places to choose from.  I know where Janey was headed.  It makes me glad to know I will see her again too!

I do extend my heartfelt love and sympathy to Janey’s family for the great loss they feel by no longer having Janey’s presence with them.  May all their beautiful memories bring them comfort.

Never allow even one day to be shortchanged by worry or anger or frustration or even sorrow while you are here on earth.  I was listening to a sermon the other day by Damian Kyle from Calvary Chapel Modesto.  He said the one piece of advice he would impart to others that he wished he had learned earlier in life, is to never waste even one moment on worrying.  Absolutely nothing was ever changed by worry except the wasting of your time.  And I feel the same way.  God is in control.  I truly believe that to be true. I put all the outcomes of my life into His hands, listen for His quiet voice to speak to me in my thoughts,  ask for God’s wisdom, and go forth.  Someday I too will die just as Janey has died.  I do not worry about the “IF”, or when, or how.  First of all, there is not an  “IF’, UNLESS I am still here on earth when Jesus comes back to take the righteous up with Him.  Now that would be awesome!!!  So, as I was saying when I began this paragraph, don’t worry, just live each day with the fullness of joy in your heart, doing good, and staying on the righteous road.  Then there is nothing to worry about.

Dave is still on the intravenous antibiotic treatment.  I choose not to worry, but instead I pray that I will have him with me for many more years.  I thank God that we found the brewing of this infection earlier this time.

Hopefully things will start to settle down around this house.  We have Court’s boys from Tuesday night through Thursday evening.  We’ll get to have another family dinner on Thursday when Court and Amy pick them up.  I love the times they are here for dinner.  Perhaps next week we will be able to start a bit more of “routine” living.  Is there really such a thing as a routine???  Come on sister Velma, you should be able to expound on this.  Teach me how!

Hey to you guys out there in blog-land!  I need to hear from some of you on my contact page.  Shoot me an email.  Shall I close out my blog or continue writing?  Even if I don’t write a blog I will continue to write for myself.  Probably a bit different content since I do know that a lot of things I write in my private world need to be kept to my private diary.  But it would make it easier to just write once a day if no one is interested in reading what I write.  Let me know occasionally who is reading.  Just a quick hello would help!  During the summer I had a lot of short correspondence and I loved it.  I’m feeling a bit lonely right now in blog-land.  Thanks to my sister I still have some response and I can see that I still have numbers reading, or at least clicking on the blog, but haven’t had any questions or responses lately.  Would love to hear from you if you are reading.

This will be another short blog since I am trying to shorten them anyway and I would like to get to bed on time.

God bless all of you!

 

Sunday Sabbath  August 23 2015  DISCOVERING OLD AGE

 

IT MATTERS NOT THAT I AM OLD

By Kathleen Martens

August 23, 2015

 

What a beautiful day it is to be alive!

White clouds and dancing trees,

Sunshine and wind caressing my face,

And my heart enjoying the breeze.

 

For this is the day that the Lord has made

And in it I will rejoice.

I will lift my eyes to the hills,

And sing with my inner voice.

 

I’ll sing love songs to the King of Kings,

And my spirit will be glad

For all the joy that lives within

Leaving no room to be sad.

 

I’ll give thanks for every hour,

Each moment a blessed pleasure.

No negative thought will I invoke

For every day is such a treasure.

 

It matters not that I am old

Or that I have aches and pains.

It matters not if the sun is shining,

Or even if there is rain.

 

What matters most is I’m alive

To share life with those I love.

And someday I will find out

How my life fit like perfect glove.

 

Everything was for a purpose,

For everything God has a reason.

He numbers our days before our birth,

And we each have different seasons.

 

So while I’m alive I’ll live to the fullest

Preparing for my eternity ahead!

My body may someday expire,

But my spirit will never be dead!

 

Just as earth’s sun caressed my face

A Heavenly SON will look me in the eye,

And He will welcome me into His arms,

For just this moment, was why He died.

*********

 

I actually started to write my blog with the first line in the above poem and then at that split second I knew that my poem was exploding from my heart.  I didn’t have a clue what it would be about, but the opening line was all I needed.  Try doing it sometimes and maybe you will find pleasure in composing a poem.  My poetry is usually about whatever I am feeling, or have experienced on this day, or something on my mind I just want to get down on paper.

I’m going to give you a little reading lesson.  Sometimes I ask people to read my poetry to me.  I want to hear how the reader perceives the poem, where they pause, does it make sense hearing it spoken aloud (I always read my poems aloud to myself in order to finalize them), is the cadence correct, does the reader feel the flow, IS there flow, does it make sense, does it have a true beginning and a true ending, and so forth.  I can learn a lot by listening to my poetry being read by another.

Now for the lesson.  Look carefully at the punctuation.  If the end of the line has absolutely no punctuation it is to be read in conjunction to the following line and so forth.  Sometimes there is a period after each line or perhaps only at the last line of the stanza.  If there is no punctuation until the ending then read it as one long run-on sentence to understand the meaning.  If there is a comma, pause very briefly, then go on to the next line.  It signifies that the first line is the precursor to the thought or meaning of the second line.  If there is another comma, it means the same thought is still flowing.  When a period occurs, stop completely and let your mind grab hold of the idea that a new thought is coming.  In other words, simply put in the punctuation as you read the poem and the poem will end up making much more sense (I hope).  My goal and joy in sharing my poetry is that it will give a smile to the heart of another and bless them in some way.

It seems so awesome that God seems to know how to orchestrate our days so much better than we do.  For some reason I felt it important to do my blog in the afternoon because we were going to see THE KIDS FROM WISCONSIN perform later in the evening.  So when I felt prompted to lie down and rest and received the nudging to write my blog instead (which I perceive as the voice of God’s spirit), I reluctantly followed lead and wrote my blog.  That way when I got home I could get to bed earlier.  Well, my day did not quite turn out like I thought it would  Sort of like the scripture in Proverbs 16:9 that says, “A MAN’S HEART PLANS HIS WAY, BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS”.  I certainly had my day planned out, but God sees the beginning and the end.  It was through His direction that my blog was finished and I had all my needed work accomplished.

About 15 minutes before we were supposed to leave for an event, Dave shared with me some new symptoms he was experiencing in his body.  I think I forgot to mention yesterday that on Friday Dave had to again go to the doctor because he had become ill on Wednesday night and got worse on Thursday.  By Friday morning his leg was again red and swollen.  In other words the infection was returning.  He then seemed to rally a bit and we thought he was getting better again.  It was not to be.  He discovered that he had some very swollen lymph nodes that had come up very suddenly.  We decided it was best to call the nurse on call and find out what we should do about it.  On Friday when he went to the doctor he was again put back on antibiotics but of a lesser potency.  The leg was beginning to look worse by the time I looked at it last night and we both knew he needed some kind of intervention.  He talked to the doctor on call and they advised him to again go into emergency.  We asked if 3 hours would make a big difference as we both wanted to see the KIDS FROM WISCONSIN perform.  The doctor said as long as we got to the ER that night it was okay to wait three hours.  So we promised.  We bailed out of the performance at 9:30 just as the last song was finished.  It was their final performance of the season so there would have probably of been an encore and lots of crediting of all the workers, etc.  We knew we needed to get to the hospital.

To make a long story short, rather than tell you all the nitty-gritty, we went to ER.  The infection in the leg is rearing its head, but there is no sepsis in the blood.  That is a good thing.  He was taken off the weak antibiotic and given an infusion of the strongest antibiotic that is available to man, the same thing they used last month.  He had to go to the Infectious Disease Control once again to receive another infusion today.  He goes back again tomorrow and will see another doctor.  This is a very serious infection due to the fact that he is diabetic.  It is fortunate that we discovered it early this time.  The doctor in the ER said in a rather flippant way that if Dave didn’t take the drug or if they didn’t work he could die.  No concern, no worry on his part.  He was just telling the patient the facts.  Well, now we will find out what the new doctor says at tomorrow’s appointment.  I have a lot of opinions I would like to write in this paragraph but I keep erasing them, so perhaps I am to keep them to myself. (Just in case you want to know, I really do, do that SOMETIMES).

To make my account of the story even shorter, I will say we came home and we were in bed by 2:30 a.m.  I slept in this morning until 7:30 and it was too late to go to church.  I drove Dave to the infusion clinic and since it was by Costco I drove over and did our weekly Costco shopping.  We made a couple more quick stops so I could pick up the food supplies for the kiddos  who are coming Tuesday evening through Thursday evening.  We have lots of kid friendly food on hand!  All healthy!   Poor kids!

Just to close tonight’s saga regarding Dave, his leg is quite swollen and angry and red looking.  He is feeling better in body.  I bet you didn’t know that a leg could get angry!  It is only Dave that hears it yelling.

**********

Now, to what I really wanted to write about which IS DISCOVERING OLD AGE!  My beloved sister Velma wrote me an email (which I told her no one else would ever see) (then I changed my mind) that I just had to share with my readers.  I love it.  Velma is hearing impaired and it is difficult for us to communicate except through writing because of the distance between us.  She lives in California.  Since she has been reading my blogs our communication has become more frequent.  I think my blogs to her are like reading letters from me.  I never before sat down and emailed her such a long “letter” every day and now she has a better insight to my life.  I love the correspondence with her.  Velma is almost 10 years older than I am so she is much more aware of what is yet to come for me.  It is funny to realize that it is now MY GENERATION that is in the 60’s and 70’s age bracket.  If my brother were still living he would now be 79 or 80 years old.   How could I have lived so long to see my sisters get old!  When I look out from my eyes I do forget that I too have aged.  I just don’t really think of myself as old.  But like my sister said in the quote I am going to write below, that I am “only on the fringe”.  Here is her quote.  I shall highlight it in red as it a personal wisdom from my sister that stands alone.

Velma’s quote:

“The things you are now discovering about aging are things I have been telling you about but you were never getting old—remember?  You are just beginning the journey and only on the fringe.  OLD AGE IS TOTALLY ABOUT CHANGE; one only has the choice of trying to cope and manage.  Anyway, I can still feel you are not ready for the next phase.”

Well, maybe she is right.  Maybe I will never be ready for the “next phase”.  I am so believing that my spirit will never age, and will live for eternity with God, that I hardly think of myself as my body.  I’m pretty much low maintenance when it comes to trying to defy “old age”.  I use no makeup, shop in my favorite boutiques such as St. Vincent’s or Goodwill (except for shoes, pressure stockings, and underwear), use lipstick about once a week, and shave my head to a razor cut #1 so I won’t have to be concerned about how it looks for four months.  I choose instead to eat healthy, exercise daily, do lots of reading, (I read somewhere a million years ago that reading was good for you), and love and obey God.  Now the obey part I sometimes fail at doing, but God keeps right on loving and forgiving me.

So…I will get old if my season is long enough.  Well, perhaps it has already been long enough and I just don’t’ recognize it yet like my sister prefaced.  But, one thing that I have been doing is learning to cope and manage.  I know, and see, and feel the CHANGES taking place within me.  When I lose something, like the use of my fingers, I adapt to a different way of doing things.  When I realize I don’t remember like I used to, instead of beating myself up over it, I chose to understand that I am going through changes that are natural and normal for someone my age.  When I have a new flavor of pain for the day, I work around it and handle it with a glad heart, rather than bemoan or gripe (too loudly) about it.  Yes, dear sister, I am on the fringe and have been for a long while.  And yes, I know it is about change and I am feeling and recognizing these changes, both in me and in my husband.   And over the past few months I have quietly decided to cope the best I can and manage what I must do and be willing to give up what I cannot do.  Just because I can’t do it one way doesn’t mean I can’t try something new and devise a new way.  So, so many things I could tell you Sister, but will not do so here.  Secretly I am glad that you do not perceive me to be ready for the next phase.  It means I am holding my own.

Velma referred a book to me.  If Velma refers a book it is usually worth getting and reading. I am an avid reader but I cannot hold a candlestick to the amount of books she reads.  It is truly amazing.

The title is: “THE DOCTORS BOOK OF FOOD REMEDIES”, by Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention.

I have not received the book as yet from the library but I pass on the title to my readers in case any would like to investigate it further.  I have it on order.

What I have learned in my “OLDER age” is that I need not be afraid, for God is with me.  I remember seeing my mother age.  Her faith was so steadfast that I truly believe she had the ability to already see with her spiritual eyes.  She was so awaiting the time when the Lord would call her home.  I too await for that day, but in the mean time I am going to jam pack every day full of life, and love, and experience, and joy, and peace, and reaching out to others, and sharing God’s love, and reading and writing and creating.  And most of all, I intend to love my family with a love so deep that it will remain even after I am gone from this earth.

What a long blog!  I wonder if any will read one so long.  Remember, I said I would try to make them shorter.  I failed.  That is what happens when I have all Sunday afternoon to write what my heart speaks.  And there is so, so much more inside me.  Sometimes I wonder if there is even just one other person out there in this world who has so many words inside them that are always just bursting to get out!

Good night!

P.S.  Oh dear!  Now I have to proof read this!

P.S. Again.  Proofreading is done at 7:52 p.m.  I had one more thing to tell you and then I forgot and now I remember again.  I am going to send a photo of a stack of books on a table here in my sun room.  This is my favorite author of fiction.  The first book in this series is “JULIA’S HOPE”.   I highly recommend these books!  Her stories and compositions are beautiful to read!  These are the only three books written by Leisha Kelly that I own.  I wish I owned all her works.

Good night for the LAST TIME TONIGHT!

Saturday August 22, 2015  A DAY OF MY OWN

 

Sunday is Sabbath Sunday but Saturday is Sacred Saturday!  Sacred to me because I choose to do whatever I want to on this day.  That is a new and trilling experience!  I awoke with a plan to start sorting my office and cleaning it up but rapidly changed my mind as the course of my day changed.  The first change was realizing just how exhausted I was from working so hard yesterday.  When it was all said and done we did not go to bed until Midnight!  I worked a couple of hours on the blog last evening while Dave cleaned the kitchen.  We were also waiting for the food to cool as I do not put hot jars in the refrigerator, nor warm jars in the freezer.  We ladled everything into the containers I came up with and the liquid was still slow to cool.  Finally the non-glass containers cooled enough to be put into into the freezer and the warm glass jars were put in the fridge.  They were transferred to the freezer this morning.  The inside of my fridge looks so nice and sparse.  My fridge has a very temperamental personality.  In the center back, on each shelf there are vents for circulation and cooling of air.  Absolutely nothing can be placed in the middle third of my fridge without freezing the back half of the fridge’s contents and warming the front half of the fridge.  It is a Maytag, three doors, with the bottom drawer being a pull-out freezer compartment.  I found out about another person who has a refrigerator exactly like mine and has the exact same problem as I do.  That is a bad design as far as I am concerned.  I used to be a Maytag user but I will never buy another Maytag product since they are no longer truly Maytag, but built by a different company.

The other plan that changed my mind was that I wanted to do a more extensive Bible Study today than I usually have time for.  So I did.  I am studying First, Second, and Third John.  I was on First John Chapter 5.  The books of John are so amazing.  If you have a chance to read them you may find that you will enjoy them as much as I do.  I am listening to a study by the Pastor from (where else) Calvary Chapel Modesto.  It was recorded in 2005.  Still very excellent as the books of John have not changed since then.

Tonight we are attending an annual event.  Our daughter Rebecca was once a member in a singing/dancing group, called THE KIDS FROM WISCONSIN which travels throughout Wisconsin.  Rebecca performed for three years during the summers of 1993, 1994, and 1995.  It is a group of young people who audition from all over the state.  Only the best of the best make it to the stage.  You must be under 21 to participate so Rebecca “grew” out of it.  When she travelled with THE KIDS FROM WISCONSIN we attended as many performances as we possibly could.  Remember at that time we both held down busy jobs and were still parenting her younger brother.  However, we did see A WHOLE LOT OF PERFORMANCES that were close to home.  Since the time she toured we have not missed seeing the KIDS FROM WISCON at least once during each summer.  Well, tonight is the night.  It will be two hours of high performance with 20 singer dancers and 13 in the live band.  And boy, are these kids talented.  The choreography is simply amazing and the changes of outfits are beautiful.  It is a very high performance to be entirely made up of  non-professionals.  Rebecca went on to perform for several more years touring with other groups and on cruise lines.

It is only 4:15 and I hope to be finished creating this blog before we leave at 6:15.  We must eat before we go so I mast factor that time in as well.

As well as doing a leisurely Bible Study I was able to read more of the book “YOU CAN’T AFFORD THE LUXURY OF A NEGATIVE THOUGHT” by Peter McWilliams.  I promise not to overly mention this book but since it is new to me there is so much for me to share.  It belongs in a series of “The Life 101 Series”.  There are several books that follow one another if people are interested in different ways for self- improvement and learning about life.  Perhaps at my age I should be past that but I guess I am just a slow learner.  I like being slow.  It is so much better than speeding through life and not really enjoying much of it.  So of course, I have a couple of little tidbits from the first few pages that I would like to share.  Remember, there are a lot of quotes in the book so I am just quoting the quotes by other people from long ago.

First quote:  Norman Cousins (page 2)

“THE WAY A BOOK IS READ—

WHICH IS TO SAY,

THE QUALITIES A READER BRINGS TO A BOOK—

CAN HAVE AS MUCH TO DO

WITH ITS WORTH AS ANYTHING

THE AUTHOR PUTS INTO IT.”

 

Oh my, but did I love that quote.  It is so true.  I read so many books.  I share a title with others, and some read, or start to read it, and say to me, it just didn’t “do” anything for me.  That comment alone gives me great insight into the person saying it.  And of course it probably is about face as well.  There are many books I have tried to read that others refer to me and I just can’t get “into them”.  I prefer non-fiction, most of my friends prefer fiction.  It doesn’t make one kind better than the other kind, but stands primarily on personal preference.  The same would probably relate to movies or T.V. shows as well.

Second quote:  Winston Churchill (page 4)

“THE QUOTATIONS

WHEN ENGRAVED

UPON THE MEMORY

GIVE YOU GOOD THOUGHTS.

THEY ALSO MAKE YOU

ANXIOUS TO READ

THE AUTHORS

AND LOOK FOR MORE.”

 

Another good quote.  It’s because of that quote that I find it interesting that people do not allow me to write quotes from the books they write.  Oh well, their loss.  And yours too.  Because I get to read it and you may never have the opportunity to hear it or discover the book it is in.

Well, my poem is already written today.  Actually I wrote two of them this morning while spending time in my library talking with God.  Here is the first one:

 

GIVE ME PURPOSE

By Kathleen Martens

August 22, 2015

 

I love You Father,

Let not my eyes be on me.

Teach me Lord to do

Everything for You.

 

When I awaken

Give me grace.

Call my name and beckon

That I meet You at our place.

 

Draw me close.

Don’t let me go.

Let Your thoughts

Be what I sow.

 

Give me purpose

To live my best

With enthusiasm and joy,

Full of zest.

 

That I will desire

The desires of Your heart

And do what’s right

And never let it depart.

 

Here is the second poem:

 

ONE OF YOUR OWN

By Kathleen Martens

August 22, 2015

 

Lord, I desire Your song

So my heart will hear

What You sing over me

And that it’s always clear. 

 

I long for Your voice

That I will hear what You speak,

That my heart is receptive

As Your words I seek.

 

That what You say

I will recognize

And that all I hear

You authorize.

 

Let our souls entwine

As we dwell with each other.

Let not a day happen

That You do not usher.

 

Be my confidant

In all that I speak

And give me strength

When I am weak.

 

I put my trust

In You alone.

Thank You Father

That I am one of Your own.

 

I suppose when I do what I want to do, life is not very exciting to write about.  But it sure is exciting living it.  Be sure and take time out for yourself that you can be rested and rejuvenated.  I believe that God is trying to teach me that seemingly easy task.  It is not so easy for one so desiring to always being busy.  If nothing else, I think “old age” will be my greatest teacher in that area!

Have a great Sunday Sabbath tomorrow.  Remember to take time out to honor God.  Remember, Sunday rest day was His idea!  What a good God is our God!  Just a reminder- check out the books of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd John.

P.S.  Just think what my blog “THE OPINION YOU DID NOT ASK FOR” will be like when I already offer so many suggestions and opinions in a Blog about Visions of Poetry and the Gift of God’s Art.  The difference is, I plan to have an open forum.

Time to get ready!

One more P.S.  REBECCA:  The vegetable strata was delicious!  Just thought you might like to know!

 

 

 

Friday August 21 2015  THINKING

 

Mornings are the best time for thinking.  And I  have lost my mornings.  My really early, quiet, dark, intimate mornings with just myself and God.  No one’s fault but my own.  Yes, I can go down to my library before noon and it is still literally morning…but it isn’t morning to me.  Morning to me is before sunrise when the house still holds the mystery of night and the quiet sounds it speaks in the darkest hours.  Even if others are home sleeping it holds that hollow feeling of a house abandoned by all others but me.  I think it is the quiet tranquility of solitude that comforts me as I linger alone in my library, gazing out the windows at the view of the magnificent trees in silent repose.  There is a restfulness and peacefulness cradled in those quiet moments that disappear as the house seems to awaken from its own time of relaxation.

I have given those moments up since I have been back home because it is such a joy to awaken with Dave, linger together in our own intimacy, sharing our thoughts,  planning the day, discussing heart issues, hopes, and dreams with each other.  These are mornings I have looked forward to all our married life.  The closer we approached retirement, the more I realized how fortunate, that first of all, we are still married after 42 years when that seems to be an oddity, rather than the norm, and secondly, that we are  both still alive to share our retirement together.  There were times when I wondered if that would truly ever happen.  When I left on my trip I had it planned to be back home on the night before Dave’s last day at work.  I felt it was very important for me to say goodbye that morning, knowing when he came home he would never be expected to go back to work again.  I wanted to be there when he came home that very last day!  For those of you who have long ago retired you may have your own thoughts about how silly my thoughts might be, but for me, I so wanted us to live long enough to retire together I could hardly believe it was true when it was finally happened.  From that day on it was quite a bit different than I expected.  On the first official day of retirement he ended up in the hospital (I was glad I was here for that) and since then it has been a roller coaster ride, never quite knowing what to expect.

His sickness yesterday was related to his hospital adventure.  His leg is again inflamed and red and painful.  He is again on an antibiotic treatment.  So he spends half the day today at the doctor’s office and pharmacy and I spend the same half day, and more, cooking in the kitchen.  Remember in yesterday’s blog I mentioned REFRIGERATOR SOUP and today was the day I planned to make it.  I got the bright idea of making two pots of refrigerator soup AND A STRATTA!  Somebody take me out and shoot me!  Remind me not to do that again.  However, I had so much food that needed to be used up that I knew I had to use it or lose it.  I made two huge pots of soup that are cooling down as I write.  I have no idea how many quarts it will fill.  The only problem is that I do not have very many empty quart jars to fill.  So I have scavenged my kitchen finding anything I could freeze in.  I’ll know later if I have enough capacity.  One soup is a tomato base and has many, many different vegetables in it.  The other soup is a chicken broth base with cabbage, carrots, onions, and beans!  It’s got what we call “GO POWER”.  It is delicious.  And my refrigerator has a bit more space.  But, I still have too many vegetables that I can’t use us quickly enough.  We’re working on eating them in salads.  I do want to mention that I worked VERY, VERY HARD all afternoon to accomplish two pots of soup and one huge vegetable strata that will be baked tomorrow.  Our freezers are about full and the veggie season is just a little over half over for us.  I guess I’ll have to invite a lot of company to help eat it up.  I always have plenty of volunteers for that.  Dave saved my life tonight.  Thankfully he was feeling well enough to clean up the kitchen for me.  He is always so good about that and I appreciate it so much.  I am exhausted.  I started work about 1:00 p.m. and finished at 9:00 with just one break for a short dinner time at the table.  And now I am sitting and don’t know if I’ll be able to rise when I am finished.

My food stories may be the most boring to read but just so you know I am very pleased with my accomplishments when I work so hard, and so thankful to God for the bounty that he provides for us each day.  When I work with real live food, it makes me realize the greatness of our Heavenly Father for providing such food, over and over, year after year, that we may eat and be healthy.  I am so sorry when I think of all the people who have the opportunity to eat whole, live, nutritious foods and rather choose to eat from boxes of prepared foods with ingredients that you cannot even pronounce, much less know what exactly it is that you are putting into your body.  I ate like that for years so I cannot point a finger.  All I know is that it feels so good to feel good, and that only happened after I changed my food intake due to extremely poor health and diagnosis.

INTERUPTION…DAVE JUST WALKED INTO THE SUNROOM WHERE I AM AND INTERRUPTED MY TYPING AND ASKED ME “ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOME WISDOM FOR TODAY’S BLOG?”  I ANSWERED “YES”.  DAVE THEN CONTINUED TO TELL ME THAT WHEN HE WAS AT THE BANK TODAY HE SAW A NOTE THAT A BANKER HAD STUCK ON ANOTHER BANKER’S DESK THAT READ:

“WHAT YOU ALLOW, IS WHAT WILL CONTINUE”!  

And I thought to myself, how appropriate to be inserted exactly where he interrupted me.

Remember that it is only you that can change you.  You cannot change another person, no matter how much you love them and want the best for them.  Change must happen from the inside of self.  I now understand that.  I always had excuses and yes but… Just as the book said that I told you about last week.  We must get off our buts, all the “yes, buts” and make no more excuses for not accomplishing what we want to accomplish in our lives.  It is only you, it is only me that can decide if change will happen.  And then again, perhaps there are some who are so perfect that there is no need to change.

I will take the liberty of a quote from “YOU CAN’T AFFORD THE LUXURY OF A NEGATIVE THOUGHT” by Peter McWilliams, page 163:

“Focusing on the positive may not be as strong yet; it may, in fact, be a 97-pound weakling.  The way to make it strong is to exercise it.  Use it often.  Unlike physical exercise, if you do too much positive focusing, you will seldom wake up sore the next morning.

DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO BECOME STRONGER IN.  BECOME STRONG BY DOING IT.”

Okay, so where is my poem coming from today?  The problem is…I must think…and it is getting late.

 

GIVE THANKS TO GOD

By Kathleen Martens

August 21, 2015

 

My day winding down

My body is still.

Night cloaks around me,

And peacefully fills

My heart and my mind

With complete satisfaction

As a result of my day

And all of my action.

 

A good feeling to know

I accomplished my goal

By starting early

And staying on a roll.

It was not easy

And my feet became sore,

But I determined to finish

All the more.

 

So do what you plan,

And plan what you do

Work diligently to accomplish

Until you are through.

Give thanks to God

For His strength He lends,

And when energy gets low,

More He sends.

 

Goodnight and God bless you!

Thursday August 20 2015  AND NOW IT IS TOMORROW…

…And I have been so busy that I haven’t even had a chance to think of anything worthwhile to write in a blog at the end of the day when I am tired!  So how’s that?  Oops!  Is that the real me coming out?  I surely hope not.  It sounded a little like a cross between self-pity and a bit of griping.  And I just won’t hear about that!  So…I go retrieve a book I picked up at the library yesterday, from my little safe place where I keep all my library books when I am not reading them.  Sometimes I have checked out at many as 30 or 40 books so I have to have a system to keep close tabs on them.  I only have a few out right now.  The title of the book I checked out is: “YOU CAN’T AFFORD THE LUXURY OF A NEGATIVE THOUGHT-A Book for People with Any Life-Threatening Illness—Including Life.”  Copyright 1988 by Peter McWilliams.  The best part is, there is no threat of jail or anything else if you quote from it.  So…YOU’VE GOT IT!  I’m going to quote from it.  I actually haven’t even cracked it open until just now and the first thing I read is worth repeating.  It is a quote from Samuel Smiles from 1859.  I don’t think they had any technical machines to transfer data from one place to another back in 1859, so perhaps he would be honored to have his quote quoted 156 years later by a little old lady writing on her new-fangled gadget, sending his words to who knows where.  So here goes:

“The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual; and, exhibited in the lives of many, it constitutes the true source of national vigor and strength.  Help from without is often enfeebling in its effects, but help from within invariably invigorates.” 

Read it over a few times and get the full impact of what he is saying.  I believe it is so true.  I believe in part that my journey this spring had something to do with me finding the “spirit of self-help” so I could experience genuine growth within myself.  However, I did have a lot of people offer me help in so many ways as I traveled, and for that I will be forever grateful.  Even with the help I received I did learn a new self confidence in myself that I could depend on myself for help when I needed it.  And one of the things I practiced while on the road was exactly what the title of this books speaks about. I DID NOT ALLOW MYSELF THE LUXURY OF NEGATIVE THINKING!   Because of adopting that attitude, no job was too big, no road was too long, no night was too dark.  I think I shall enjoy reading this book by the same Author that wrote the book I talked about last week about “get off your buts, and just do it”.  Just my sneak preview tonight while sitting here in front of the computer makes me excited to have found another book filled with such treasures.  Uh oh!  I feel a poem coming!

 

NEW FRIENDS

By Kathleen Martens

August 20, 2015

 

Oh, so many pages

Filled with such treasures

Hours and hours

Of reading pleasure.

 

Just the title

Quickens my mind

Because of all the words

I know I will find.

 

Books become friends

That you spend time with

Whether fact or fiction

Science or myth.

 

Books become alive

When they speak to you

And show you a world

That you never knew.

 

Books filled with wisdom

Or a funny little story,

Or Science fiction

Somewhat gory.

 

What matters most

Does it make a better you?

Does it give you solid ground

To help you get through?

 

Books are all different

So choose wisely what you read,

What you deposit in mind

Plants a little seed.

 

Fill your heart up

With goodness and gold,

All the words in a book

Through your life will be told.

 

Give thought to improve

By words others plant.

So use discretion

Which friends that you grant.

 

Your books are your friends,

Treat them with respect.

The returns are bountiful

More than you ever expect!

 

I LOVE MY FRIENDS!  Even the people ones.

 

My dear sister Velma I so appreciate.  Thank you dear sister for helping my blogs present better.  She is great at proofreading them (the day after) and telling me where they need fixing.  I told her today in an email that it is too bad she isn’t able to proofread them BEFORE I publish them.  She’s always a day late!

Today was food day but I have not had the time to fix anything yet.  All had to be refrigerated with hopes of making “REFRIGERATOR SOUP” tomorrow.  Another busy day tomorrow so I’ll see how it goes!  Dave is still sick from last night but is better in blood levels.  He seems to have a full-fledged virus that is taking a toll on his low immune system.

And I leave you with another piece of wisdom from same book above quoted from Theodore Roosevelt:

Do what you can,

With what you have,

With where you are.

I leave you with these words.

Good night and God bless each one of you!

Tuesday August 18 2015  AND TO LIVE FOREVER…

There is never a dull moment when the grandsons are visiting.  Actually, there is never a spare moment either.  I can’t believe how much I didn’t get done.  But, we accomplished what was most important.  Sleep and food.  And they actually even ate.  I realize I don’t have the “usual fare” of food that is in most cupboards, but I did try to convince the kids that it was okay to eat what was on their plate.  Some food they ate, some food they didn’t.  But that is okay, they didn’t starve!  We had popcorn remember.  I was quite creative for lunch today and they scarfed it down.  I made individual pizzas with a bit of a twist.  Thought I’d share it here in case you might try this at home.  I took two whole wheat tortillas, spread both pieces with pizza sauce.  On one side I spread chicken, cut in small pieces, added very small cut up purple bell pepper,  took one slice of Havarti cheese, broken it up and placed it on the chicken, topped it with the other tortilla and cooked it in my Quesadilla maker.  It turned out delicious.  I even made one for Dave and a half of one for myself.  I think we’ll have it again.  So…enough of my food obsession Paulette.  What can I say, I just like making food!

Today was a low key day (if that is possible with two rambunctious boys present).  We had a leisurely breakfast, I went to the gym, Dave wrestled two to one, time for lunch, and then a nap.  Both boys were exhausted from being boys and we were exhausted for them being boys.  Everyone slept but me!  But, I did lie down for 45 minutes and listened to another great sermon from Modesto Calvary Chapel.  I’m not finished with the one I was listening to this afternoon but I listened to an entire message last night after I climbed into bed.  It was titled: “The Significance of Jesus’ Ascension”.  I think this message was by far the most enlightening and interesting sermon I have yet heard.  I learned a lot through the scriptures that were used.  I will probably listen to it a couple of more times before putting it to bed.  When I come across an excellent teaching such as that one was, I enjoy sitting in my library, taking notes, and writing out the scripture verses.  It seems to make a greater impression on my memory.  I think my memory is a little bit like hardening cement.  I once was able to memorize so much, so easily, but not so anymore.  I have decided not to hide my aging aspects.  What is, is!  But I still try to retain as much as possible for as long as possible.

I read a book over the last week during my afternoon mandatory resting hour.  The title is: “100 Things I’m Not Going to Do Now That I’m Over 50” by Wendy Reid Crisp.  I’m many years over 50 but I could make a list going forward from this point if there were things I’m not Going to Do.  As I read through the list I realized most of what was on her list I have already done and probably have no problem continuing to do so.  A few I thought were sensible.  I realize that the woman was probably about 50 at the time she wrote the book, and had no clue that some of the things she said that she is never going to do, are next to impossible not to do, as your body ages.  I won’t mention them here.  She’ll find out.  I think old age is the second best kept secret of the world.  As we age, we are either too embarrassed to talk about some of the changes that take place, or we don’t dare whisper it to the younger generation for fear of taking away their enjoyment of living in the present age they are.  Sort of like the best kept secret of the world which is a mother-in-law who never speaks of the horror stories of pregnancy, birth, and raising rambunctious kids, for fear of frightening their daughter-in-law from producing their longed for grandchildren.  We older women, who have been there/done that, do not want to spoil it for the younger generation.  They’ll find out soon enough for themselves.  I actually remember my daughter-in-law asking me after the birth of her first son, “why didn’t anyone ever warn me of what it would be like to be pregnant, have a baby, and about the first few months afterwards”.  Like I said, we really do long for those grand-babies.

Rather than things I’m not going to do after a certain age, my mind seems to think more toward the list of the 100 things I am going to do, regardless of how old I am.  I may not accomplish them all and I may have to do them differently than I would have when I was younger, but I want to look forward to all that I have left to experience, places to go, things to see, people to meet, facts to learn, and I could go on and on.  I never realized I would take a trip like I did this year, at the age I am.  I do not want to limit what I can do, rather I want to experiment and see how much I can do!  There is one thing I never want to do regardless how old I become.  I never want to lose sight of who my God is, how much I love Him, and how much I am loved by Him.  I never want to turn my back on Him and say no to whatever He calls me to.  And one other thing.  I never want to quit writing poems to God as my gift back to Him each day.  Someday it might happen and when and if it does, I know God will understand.

God just gave me an explanation point confirmation on that last paragraph!  We are have a very loud thunderstorm going on and when I dotted the last sentence a great clap of thunder went off right over the house and actually shook the whole building.  It made me jump up!  Yes, I think God will understand.

 

AND LIVE FOREVER…

By Kathleen Martens

August 18, 2015

 

As I age I look back at the years

I remember the joys, I remember the tears.

So many memories a lifetime speaks,

The sweetest ones, my heart keeps.

 

I remember those who have been kind

And on my path helped me to find

The way to go, to lead a good life,

Free from woe, and free from strife.

 

I listened to the wisdom of the old,

Heeded their advice that they told.

Learned from others how to read God’s word

And then one day, God’s own voice I heard.

 

I don’t remember what all people said

But rather feelings that to me were fed.

I don’t even remember all their gifts,

But rather their compassion my heart would lift.

 

I think of my babies, when they were young,

And the amazing adults they have become.

Those long ago memories bring such pleasure

Tucked in my heart like a golden treasure.

 

My body has aged in earth years

But my spirit, no death it fears.

My spirit has soared since my birth,

And never will it lose its worth.

 

Inside I am young and ever will be

My spirit eternal and forever free.

I may look older to the very young

But I remember all the songs I’ve sung.

 

And I look forward to what I can do

As I seek out experiences new.

This earth to me is a beautiful place

And someday to be replaced by Jesus’ face.

 

When that happens, I’ll have no regret

For that is when my soul will let

My eternal flame burn so free

And live forever  in eternity!

 

A new day awaits when you rise in the morn.  What will you do with your day?

 

Calendar Wisdom for August 18^TH;

“WHEN GOD MEASURES A MAN HE PUTS THE TAPE AROUND THE HEART—NOT THE HEAD.”

I hope my heart is bigger than my head!

 

Good Night.

Thanks  to Velma for pointing out that yesterday was Monday and not Tuesday.  Reminder: to me every day is Saturday.  I only get it right when I write it in my blog.  And as you can see, I can’t even get that right all the time!

P.S.  We are having a torrential rain downpour!  The trees are circling, the night is dark way too early and the thunder is roaring.  I feel the vibrations!  I’m sitting here in the sun room, the trees are silhouettes, and the lightning is flashing.  It really is a beautiful sight to behold.  I just hope we do not get struck by lightning.  I think I talked about that yesterday.

No More P.S.’s