February 4 - “Getting back”

We had been thinking about heading up to Waco yesterday. We wanted to watch Caleb play basketball on Monday and Luke on Tuesday. However, upon consultation with Waco health officials (aka Josh), we determined that it would be better to wait a little longer and give everyone up there plenty of time to fully recover from the flu bug that has been plaguing their household. Nope. Can’t have that. Places to go, things to see, and all that. 

Speaking of getting back in shape for our next excursion … we walked again yesterday. Outside. Only went a mile and a half though. Almost starting from scratch after our month-long winter weather hiatus. 

The rest of the day was quiet. Chris went outside and trimmed back her plants that were “affected” by the cold weather. I spent a good deal of time preparing for our Super Bowl commercials party coming up this Sunday. Lots of research and then making copies for the games. We did have time to watch part of a movie. Titanic. Remember that one?

James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭says, Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.

Father, thanks for the warm weather. It’s getting to be more like home. Amen. 

February 3 - “Groundhog vs. Sand crab”

Simon the Sand Crab squared off against Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog to reveal to the world which would be the top weather forecaster of the new year. 

Simon faced an “official” prediction of 55 degrees and clear (after the National Weather Service had already issued a dense fog warning). Punxsutawney Phil, on the other hand, saw a prediction of 18 degrees and cloudy. So which would it be?  

Well, the results are in. Old Phil officially saw his shadow. Dove back into his hole in abject terror. Six more weeks of winter, at least for Poor Old Pennsylvania. Sorry, weather service. Phil’s decision trumps yours. 

Simon had to wait another hour or so to make his prediction for Galveston. Island time is a bit more relaxed than that of America, you know? When he finally crept out from his sandy burrow, he, too, was met with sunny skies. Ah, but here’s where Simon is different from Phil. Si’s eyes are on top of his head, so he can’t see his shadow, anyway. And on top of that, Simon likes the sunshine. He can more effectively scurry about the sand, searching for whatever scraps it is that sand crabs enjoy feasting upon.  So his report? Bring it on, Summer! Er, OK, OK. Stick a week or so of Spring in there first. But then, Bring it on, Summer!

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ says, Give us today our daily bread.

‭‭

Father, thank you for the sunshine and the warmth that it brings. Kinda like a hug from above. Amen. 

February 2 - “Acid Coke and Deadly Dawn”

We split up a bit yesterday morning. Chris had a baby shower to attend in Dickinson. I generously offered to stay home. While she oohed and aahed (or however you spell those), I spent the time working on the Bible study for Thursday night. I also took the truck for a little spin to make sure the battery stays charged up. 

There was one other thing I attempted. I heard somewhere that the best thing for cleaning grout and killing mold is … drumroll here … a mixture of coke and the dishwashing liquid, Dawn. It sounded good to me. After all, Dawn kills fleas. And Coke is, well, pure acid. I mixed up a batch and tried it out on our shower. Even added some good, old-fashioned elbow grease. Honestly, I didn’t see much difference. Sigh. The treacherous duo of Acid Coke and Deadly Dawn kinda let me down. 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ says, Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

Father, be with Kelly as she gets closer to her due date. Keep baby Jesse safe. Amen. 

February 1 - “A bit of history?”

I went outside early to grab the newspaper. I have to confess, I may have looked to the skies - well, at least to the treetops - as I exited the front door. No paper in the trees, however. A second glance found the paper. There it was, nestled comfortably in its usual bed of winter clover growth - UNDER the crepe myrtle tree. 

After perusing the news, we hit the road for Texas. Chris had an appointment for her yearly mammogram at the Victory Lakes branch of UTMB. speaking of Victory Lakes, I learned that the area now hosting the hospital and a myriad of major developments used to be owned by none other than Salaam ben Laden, half brother to the infamous Osama. That was long ago when the land held nothing but a tiny local airport. Interesting little tidbit of history. Of course that very well could also be naught but unverified Facebook drivel. 

Oh! All looked fine on the mammogram. At least, all they said was, “See you next year.”

After a quick lunch we finished out our errands for the day. The bank for some as-yet unanswered questions. CVS pharmacy for some specialty vitamins for Chris (the only place in town that carries them, but they wouldn’t accept the coupon we had). Randall’s for some gas and to pick up a few prescriptions (which were free, if you can believe that). And finally … Walmart. Yep. Bananas. Well, and milk. So two key staples. 

Oh! And last night we went to Cailyn’s soccer game. She played the whole game on defense and of course did a fantastic job. And to top it off, the good guys won 3-1. Woohoo!

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭says, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

Father, thanks for the good news on the mammogram front. Amen.

January 31 - “Wiling away”

We wiled away our morning hours, rescuing an errant newspaper and paying medical fees for Chris’ upcoming mammogram. Oh, and located a few more puzzle pieces. Never a dull moment around here. 

Yep. I went outside around six to get the paper, as was my custom. It was still dark, but even with the use of my phone flashlight, I couldn’t find it. Not that unusual. I continued with my morning routine until it was daylight. Then I tried again. 

I made the usual rounds, checking in the yard, in the bed of the pickup, and even under the car. Nothing. I assumed a phone call to the Daily News office was in my future, when I happened to glance upward. 

There, stuck fast in the wintered, naked branches of our crepe myrtle tree, was the Thursday morning edition. I snapped a quick picture of it, but decided to wait for Chris to see it before attempting a rescue. 

So … the rescue. I debated briefly whether I could reach it without tool assistance. Of course my male bravado won out, and rightly so. I managed to grab it with but a long stretch and the tiniest of leaps. And the errant publication was free from its precarious perch. How’s that for a way to wile away the morning? 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Father, thank you for that guy who delivers our paper. Bless him. Amen. 

January 30 - “Recharging”

We spent the morning charging. No, not “charging” as in using credit cards. I mean we charged up Chris’ electric vest. Yep. There’s such a thing as an electric vest. It uses battery heat to warm the vest. Pretty amazing. 

We also plugged in the stadium seat I got for Christmas. Also battery. Also heated. I have never had occasion to use it yet, but Cailyn does have a soccer game Friday night. It is on the schedule. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬ ‭says, What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the 99 on the hillside and go and search for the stray?

Father, thank you for weird and wonderful inventions. Amen. 

January 29 - “Top Dogs”

We did some trip planning yesterday. Actually, we nailed down one of our road trip excursions. Looks like we managed to get seats on a tour of the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and surrounding grounds. It was kinda weird, though. We had to enter our info for a background check. No red flags that I know of. Guess we’re OK with the military. 

We had a family-type visit in the afternoon. Christina and Noa and Ezra came by to do a little redemption. By that I mean they came to pick up their dog Leia. She’s been hanging out with her cousin Freddy for a couple of days. They had a great sleepover, but I think they were both ready to get back to being the respective top dogs of their establishments. 

Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭says, Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”

Father, thank you for those grandkids of ours. They’re doing a pretty good job taking care of that dog. Amen. 

January 28 - “All was well”

Chris had the early morning requirement this time. Well, I still woke up before her, but she had an appointment with the oncology nurse. Just a check-in kinda thing.  All was well. See ya in 3 months. 

We stopped by Sherwin-Williams for a paint sample. It’s paint the house time again. But not today. 

And since we were out … Walmart. Time again for a bananas run. Also apples and an avocado. Oh, and it was quick. Some of the self serve stations were actually open. 

Wow. 

We dove back into our hard work all afternoon. By hard work I mean, of course, quilting and puzzling. Puzzling and quilting. And a Hallmark in the background. Very relaxing day. 

Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ says, You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.

Father, thanks again for a quiet afternoon. Amen. 

January 27 - “ Quilt and puzzle. Puzzle and quilt”

I met some travelers from afar at church yesterday. One couple was from Davenport, Iowa. They apologized for bringing the cold weather with them. The other was from the “Panhandle of Oklahoma.” Interesting distinction. They said they have visited several times, but usually years apart. Hmm. Seems like I would remember “Panhandle of Oklahoma.”

Our afternoon was chock full of serious activity. First we had lunch and watched a Hallmark movie about the Thunderbirds (The airplanes, not old cars). Then it on to … Quilt and puzzle. Puzzle and quilt. 

And so it continued. Quilt and puzzle. Puzzle and quilt. There were football games on tv, but we didn’t really watch them. Quilt and puzzle. Puzzle and quilt. I did catch the end results, though. Eagles vs. Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Looking forward to some fun new commercials that night. 

‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬ ‭ says, If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Father, thanks for giving those folks a safe trip from so far away. Please give them a little of your tropical island sunshine. Amen. 

January 26 - “Discombobulated”

OK. Before I get started telling about my day, I have to record the absolute best surprise I have ever had in watching a movie. We were watching an old romantic comedy on Freeform Channel. Name was “Sweet Home Alabama.”  

We were sufficiently caught up in a dramatic scene when I let out a rather loud “Whoop!”  What should appear on the screen but a sign that we had actually seen in person. Not one anyone would expect, though. See, we saw it in a rather off-the-beaten-track location. 

Ready for this one? “Coon Dog Cemetery “! Yep. Same sign. And the characters walked around in the cemetery. Almost perfect reproduction. How did I know it was a reproduction? There were houses in the background. When we went to the real thing, there was no sign of civilization.  Anywhere. But, hey. Nice job on the realism, there, movie makers. I was impressed. 

OK. On to the day’s key event. We spent our fine Saturday morning inside. Actually it was cloudy and overall yucky. Chris worked on her quilt and I worked on a new jigsaw puzzle. Like I said … “Fine.”

Then we had some lunch and shifted gears. Had to get fired up for football! No, not on TV. Yesterday was college basketball day, anyway. There were a few really exciting games, too. Baylor beat Utah. Then University of Houston bested Kansas in Kansas in double overtime. Then Tennessee almost knocked off number one Auburn. But enough of that. 

We bundled up and hit the road for a game of our own. Ezra had a football game at Victory Lakes Intermediate School. Not against a bunch of junior high kids. I just wanted to say “Victory Lakes Intermediate School.” Sounds kinda intimidating. 

The game didn’t turn out like we hoped. Bad guys won this one. But the biggest issue was … it was cold. And wet. The temperature read 60 degrees. Felt more like 30. Miserable. 

Oh! There was one high point in the game. The opposition had the ball and lined up for the snap. When from somewhere in the clouds a voice resounded, “Hut!”  The center hiked the ball. The QB received it. But that’s as far as it got. The QB started crying and pointing to the defensive secondary. Yep. The signal was not given by the QB, but instead came from one of the defenders. His name may or may not have started with E and ended with A and had some combination of Z and R in between. 

Now technically, that’s not allowed. And the coach immediately demanded a penalty be called. But the ref was well-versed in the rules … of baseball. A heated argument ensued between the two, and the ref’s bottom line? “It’s just like in baseball when the defense yells, ‘Hey, Batter, Batter, Better!”  Hmm. That’s even frowned upon in Little League nowadays. And apparently it’s a penalty in the NFL. Not sure why the coach made such a big deal about it, though. They were ahead by two touchdowns. 

Oh. And that kid who discombobulated the coach and quarterback? He beamed. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭15‬ says, He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

Father, thank you for keeping the youngsters safe on the field. Help them (and us!) to stay warm today. Amen. 

January 25 -- “Gift card saga”

Well, we were back to dealing with our Walmart gift card issue. We have been struggling with this one since way before Christmas. We have tried literally everything. 

The Team Lead (same one that tried to help once before) was back in action this time, despite a horrendous headache. He made the call to the number on back of the card. The computer voice we have become quite intimate with insisted it still had $20 on it. He punched in a few more requisite numbers and was connected to a human. They looked the number up and informed him that the issue was probably due to the fact the card was originally issued in 2014.  Their only advice? Try putting it on the Walmart app. Yep. We already tried that, but he asked if he could give it a whirl. Sure. But … no dice. He finally issued us a new card and kept the old one. We were happy to let him have it. Hey … $20 is $20!

‭‭Mark‬ ‭13‬:‭33‬ says, Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming.

Father, thank you for that manager who helped us through his headache. Bless him. Amen. 

January 24 - “Indoors”

Chris had one of those medical appointments yesterday. Just a blood test in advance of her trip to the oncologist next week. She was very careful to avoid patches of ice along the way - both in the car and on foot. The only issue she had was with some of that cruise ship traffic. Carnival and Royal Caribbean were both in port. Oh, and she did have to wait at the lab longer than usual. They were trying to make up for the missed ice days. Lotta sticks. 

She did have an interesting adventure in the parking garage. As she was leaving, a couple and a younger man joined her in the elevator. She pushed her button for the 4th floor, and the other lady told her they were on floor 2.  New job there, Chris? Elevator operator. Used to be a thing. 

Chris complied and they started up. On floor 2, however, the other lady refused to exit. She was certain that they had parked “inside”.  Hmm. There is no “inside” parking at UTMB. They pushed floor 3 to check that one out. Nope. Still outside. At floor 4 Chris said, “Excuse me,” and made her way out. Not sure what became of Chris’ elevator mates. They said they were returning to the first floor to figure out where they parked - that was definitely indoors. Good luck with that. 

But Chris’ luck didn’t stop there. On her way to the car she was cold. Hunched over with hands in pockets cold. Suddenly, another lady appeared at her side (not the same one. I’m sure that lady was still looking for indoor parking). 

Coincidentally enough, though, this lady was also searching for her car. All she knew, though, was that she had parked in that garage. No idea what floor or where on the floor her car might be. So she was strolling around every floor, just looking at all the cars, hoping to stumble across her own. At least she wasn’t expecting it to be indoors …

Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭44‬ says, The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.

Father, thank you for that lady walking around looking for her car. That attitude was awesome. Bless her. Amen. 

January 23 - “Shoveling”

Chris kind of buried herself in the latest quilt creation, so I decided to do something physical. I grabbed a flat head shovel and attacked the stubborn ice remaining on our porch. It amounted to shoveling ice and a little bit of snow. Snow in Colorado was easier. This was satisfying, though. At least I uncovered enough concrete that if we needed to get to the car, we would have a clear path. It also cleared a path on the remotest of chances that the mailman might try to deliver. He didn’t. 

Later in the afternoon Chris tried to uncover the bushes and plants that she had thrown a sheet over. She ran into a bit of a problem. The sheets were still frozen to the bricks holding them down. They were in the shade, so they were falling behind in the thawing race. They’ll come around with a few more tropical paradise warm days. 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ ‭ says, Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail.

Father, thank you for change. Especially when the change is away from ice. Amen. 

January 22 - “Ice-tastrophe”

We were pretty much entranced for a few hours upon awakening yesterday. Precipitation began falling from the sky, first in the form of sleet and freezing rain. After establishing a nice, solid foundation of ice, the droplets changed form, and we had an outright snowfall, worthy of any we saw in Colorado. 

Freddy went out back with us. Briefly. When we went back inside, she wouldn’t even go around to her dog door. Ran up to the back door and demanded immediate entrance. She got it. So much for her foray into the icy realm. She snuggled up on her chair and didn’t move. 

The Geran’s came outside to enjoy the moment. Actually, they had to walk their dog. She ran Corey to the end of the street and back. And she didn’t appear interested in going back indoors, either. She was overruled. 

Of course the snow-pocalypse was the talk of the family chat group as well as the neighborhood Facebook page. Apparently the street right behind us lost power. They got it back fairly quickly, though. Guess the power company was ready this time. 

As it turned out, this snow-pocalypse turned out to be more of an ice-tastrophe. Still really icy today, in fact. It was fun to watch the flakes when they were coming down, though. 

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭11‬ says, I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.

Father, please continue to watch over the folks who are on the road today. Amen.