To say I've been unable to post is an understatement. Just smile here. I type it in  and lose the entire post. Today I'll try again. Our year has passed first quarter. Taxes and lawn mowing have arrived. I watched the men in the family (father and son) fertilize the lot across the way that we call "the park" for lack of a better word and I wondered if we needed lush grass there to mow twice a week? But men are men and it will even out as the lot has a slope and spring rains run pretty free. Our winter of ice and snow changed to spring rains. Not a lot of corn has been planted in our area while the ground is slowly beginning to warm. Easter has come and gone; that time to remember who we are, why we are and what it's all about. Maybe we first have to remember it's not about us. We did not pay the price but we can reap the benefits. Choice. We choose. A risen Saviour does not demand but gives choice.  As the days slide into summer and the plans we all hope to achieve come in to play, let us all stop as the expression goes, "stop to smell the roses," life is short and we must not miss the small things in life, for one dat they are the important things of life. Blessings.

The year is nearing the end. It has been a good year and yet filled with health issues. Not mine. It is strange how the calendar becomes an important scheduling device that rules your life. How has your year been? Have you justified the New Years resolutions you made first of the year? If not, I guess it is time to make new resolutions. We were discussing the activity of the family. The toddler has filled our life with many chuckles, while the kindergarten girl shared what she was learning. We forget those days of school, the learning process, the songs, the programs, the anticipation of all things accomplished. Then we watch the sincerity on their faces and our hearts just melt. They, too, will grow up to face life. It seems the first part of the year brings taxes. The middle of the year requires maintenance and yard work, while the last always keeps us busy pulling it all together in time to pay taxes again. Isn't there an old saying, two things are for certain, death and taxes? As we have just finished Christmas, it is interesting Joseph went up to pay his taxes. Christmas was good at our house. We tried to return to a time of family being more important than wearing ourselves thin searching for certain gifts. It all came together. What an amazing feat to order on-line and save ones self from struggling through the crowd. The oldest family member read the Christmas story, one of the youngest begin the prayer and everyone sang the carols. It was harmonious. Smile, there, because we know there are times feelings are ruffled. If they were, the recipient covered well. My time to smile. I wish you peace and joy as this year comes to a close. I count my blessings. Blessings to you until next post.

The little one in our life is sick. She does not feel like playing but she tries.
Remember when you were small. There are always hurdles. This wee one is
Cutting teeth and it isn't easy. She has no control in what order they will  appear,
and no understanding of the pain. Besides that she cannot tell anyone how it hurts

What was your hurdle? Kindergarten? First grade?

How could we miss September 1? My how time gets away! You blink your eye and it won' be long until Christmas. I am guilty, I think of Christmas decorating before the Thanksgiving turkey is cooked. We do observe Thanksgiving with thankful hearts. We always hope the weather holds and harvest is finished. Then there are the deer hunters! Enough said. Do men really enjoy "roughing it" or simply enjoy the camaraderie of friends. I believe the latter. So what happens in between? Being thankful on 9-11, and remembering those who fell, those who grieve. Thankful, remembering the terror of 9-11 has not reoccurred but listening and watchful of the present dangers in our world, we will care what happens to other nations. In our own lives there are situations we each must deal with. I wish you wisdom and grace and for myself also. Rest well. Blessings.

I am truly amazed that we take so many things for granted and often fail to appreciate the availability of  what makes life easier until we lose something. What we lose differs for each person. Children lose parents. That is an adjustment. We lose people who have made our world secure. Our hearts grieve. Yesterday, encountering a man whose story went like this, made me think. He went to bed as usual to awaken the next morning blind. He had a stroke in the middle of the night. Sight was gone. Another person, at a fast food place struggled to stand. A year ago, he said I had little difficulty rising to my feet. Now Arthritis has claimed him. (in one day, stories of loss and the various ways people cope with loss)"I hear you are having a book published," one greeted me. "Any characters with real life problems in it."  "What age person are you interested in?" "Well, I'm feeling old today," he said. I laughed. "Well, you might like Ruthie. she is three but feels like four, or the neighbor next door, a wealthy lady who has no one and demands everyone stay off her property, until the ice storm when her furnace quits. Or, there's the young widow or the young divorcee. Take your pick." "I'll think about it," he said, What's the name of your book?"  Forgiven. I appreciate that he asked. Rest well.

I was not aware of the little girl kidnapped, when I posted earlier. In writing Forgiven I had to research kidnapping. The main character in Forgiven, has a little daughter, three year old Ruthie. when Ruthie is kidnapped, Captain Mayfield questions Ruthie's distraught mother."Have you at any time since your daughter's birth had her finger printed."  "No, sir."     "Have you heard of the Amber stick that can be uploaded in PDF format, containing DNA?"   "Yessir, we have studied that in our Nurse training, but I haven't done it with Ruthie."  Ellen's heart raced; she thought it would jump out of her skin. Trying to zone in on the police officer's questions and remember what she studied in class, she was sweating profusely while her hands were numb and cold to the touch.    I was not aware of the procedure myself and there may be others such as I. Our hearts are wrapped up in our innocent children. Look into this and see what you think.  Blessings.

Today has been blessed. Visiting with friends, we can't say old which means putting an age on them, but we can emphasize we have been friends since we started raising children. The best of times remembered. Funny how you can pick up where you left off and fill in the missing years. Last visit I mentioned a poem Bob had to memorize and I, in helping, have never forgotten The House By The Side Of The Road. Their are hermit souls that live withdrawn in the place of their self content. There are souls like stars that dwell apart, in a fellow less firmament; There are pioneer souls that blaze the path where highways never ran but let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to man. (Stanza number three was in last nights blog.)Let me live in a house by the side of the road where the race of men go by, the men who are good and the men who are bad, as good or as bad as I. I would not sit in the scorners seat nor hurl the cynics ban, let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man. Sam Walter Foss. Thanks to the carpenter who verified the plumb line in setting blocks. I hope you identify knowing someone similar to Foss people of the poem. I know we walk elbow to elbow each day  with folks who walk to different beats of the drum. Isn't life interesting?