February 21 - “A flustered Australian”

Got in a quick walk. Two miles. A little faster than usual, so I guess that’s progress. We were joking about how we have two weeks to get in shape for the cruise. And then Chris remembered that we signed up for a beginners’ pickleball class. That’ll be interesting, for sure. 

I had an interesting development come up after lunch. For some insane reason one of my hearing aids decided to … stop. That’s it. Just stop. No sound at all. Not a helpful position for a hearing aid to take, wouldn’t you agree? Sigh. See you next week, O thou tool of my ear. 

We stopped on the way home at Randall’s to get a prescription and some gas. From there we went to CVS to get a vitamin for Chris that is only sold there. 

But it was on our way out that we had our fun experience of the day. A very flustered lady was frantically typing into her phone when we entered. When we came out she was still there. She apologetically asked if we could possibly help her. She had been trying to explain to an Uber driver where she was, and was having no luck at all. She just needed someone to tell the driver how to find her. 

Well, instead of going to all that trouble, we eliminated the middle man and offered to take her where she needed to go. She accepted in her heavily accented way. We found out she was from Australia, in town to meet her daughter who works on a cruise ship (as Cat in the Hat!) and join her on a cruise. An Uber had taken her to Walmart, and she had wandered to CVS searching for a WiFi signal. In her words, we were her “angels” for giving her a ride. She promised to pay it forward when she got back from the cruise. So if a very nice Australian lady offers you a ride in a week or two … she’s OK. 

‭‭Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬ says, But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

Father, be with our cruise lady friend. Help her enjoy her time with her daughter. Amen. 

February 20 - “Apps and gold”

We had quite the full morning, and we never left the house. We both switched into cruise preparation mode. We enrolled in one of those Facebook groups for people going on this transatlantic cruise. It’s fun to see what other people are thinking and wondering about. 

We also downloaded the app for the airline we’ll be on coming home from Spain. We took care of some of the details about flight information and pre-registration. Now we can see our seat assignments and keep watch on any changes that might happen. And in a week or so we can even choose what we want for our in-flight meal. 

After some lunch we turned on the Winter Olympics to watch the women’s figure skating. The U.S. girl who messed up on her first skate did amazing on her second try. Skyrocketed her into first place for a while, anyway. She ended up fifth, but one of the other Americans won gold. And speaking of gold … the American girls’ hockey team beat Canada in overtime to win that gold. Woohoo! Go U.S.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬ says, No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Father, thank you for the encouragement of the other cruisers on that Facebook page. Amen. 

February 19 - “Ash Wednesday”

Well, I’m excited anyway. We did some walking again. Got our two miles in without much stress. Check. 

Chris worked out in the back yard for a while. She has been chomping at the bit to get out there. Not that she was able to do a lot, but there are now fewer dead leaves and branches than there were when she started. 

Last night was the Ash Wednesday service at Seaside. I’ve been leading that for 20 plus years, so Kel asked me to do it again. The teaching is essentially the same. What is the history and meaning of Ash Wednesday and Mardi Gras? The litany part is exactly the same (well, the same as when I updated the old Episcopalian version). We also did communion and the administration of ashes. It is certainly an experience not common to the average everyday Baptist. There were numerous folk who had not been to the service before, and I received a lot of positive comments.

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ says, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Father, be with those who experienced Ash Wednesday for the first time. Amen. 

February 18 - “Good ol’ treadmill”

I had the early doc appointment yesterday. 8:00 in the am. Of course, Doc didn’t come in until 8:15, but I think I saved him some time. In a nutshell, he said I had “a clean bill of health.” He recommended a few vitamins (he’s a big natural healing guy as well). 

Next was Chris’ turn. Her appointment was a tad more involved than mine. She had to undergo another stress test on the good ol’ treadmill. They asked if I wanted to go back with her, but I passed on the privilege. I stayed in the waiting room and read and I did a little praying. And I have to confess, there may or may not have been some pacing involved - especially after an hour passed.  Stress tests are not Chris’ favorite thing in the world. Mine either. 

As it turned out, the doc back there didn’t “see anything immediately distressing.” Guess that sounds good? Now we wait for her cardiologist to look at the pictures and numbers and decide what’s next. 

The early afternoon brought naps mixed with a smattering of Winter Olympics, followed by homemade vegetable soup that Chris made. That’s one good afternoon. 

We watched some basketball last night. Texas did well. Baylor, not so much. I started the Texas tech game, but that was too late for me. Found out this morning they lost too - to an unranked  team. Ouch. 

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ says, For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

Father, thank you for the good results in Chris’ test. Amen. 

February 17 - “A Pancho’s novice”

Chris took off early yesterday. Well, not “early” early. She had to be at the church by 10:15 for her weightlifting class. I stayed behind to work on some things I needed to get done before our next cruise. And I did get a lot done. Even got things ready for the Ash Wednesday service. 

I got a text from Josh. Seems that Luke experienced a first in his young life. Pancho’s. Yep. Raised the flag and everything. And from the looks of the photos they sent, he liked it. Well, at least some of it. Especially the sopapillas. Sigh. I’m just pining a little here. 

We battled the ennui with a trip to Walmart. We were out of a lot of things from clear back to our cruise, so there was some catching up to do. And of all things for them to be out of? No distilled water for Chris’ C-PAP machine. But all is well. We found some at Randall’s. 

Last night we took in some college basketball. Didn’t get enough of the old round ball last week. Had to cheer on University of Houston against Iowa State. Guess we should have gone on to bed. UH lost by 3. 

‭‭2 John‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ says, And this is love: that we walk according to His commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: you must walk in love.

Father, thank you for this pretty good weather. I like it better than the cold version. Amen. 

February 16 - “A date??”

We stuck around after church for the third Sunday dinner on the grounds event. As a a result we had a chance to chat with one of the two visiting couples. One couple was from Georgia. They were really sweet. The one we talked to at length was from Houston, but had a house in Galveston. They really enjoyed their visit, and they definitely plan to be back. Great folks. 

After lunch, Chris went with Christina and Noa to get the latter a new dress. Why? Seems 12 year old Noa has a date. For a dance, no less. But never fear. It’s a Daddy-Daughter dance. Made course that means she’ll be dancing the night away with Kel. Have fun, Noa. You too, Daddy. 

Last night we had a blast from the past visit. Our friends Anne and Eric and Cedric and Donna, along with a friend of theirs, stopped by to say hi. They live in the Austin area now. Just enjoying Galveston for a day or two. 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭23‬:‭24‬ says, The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

Father, give the Geswender clan a safe trip back home. Amen. 

February 15 - “Valentines Victory”

Breakfast at the hotel was a lot quieter. All of the four girls softball teams checked out before 8 to get to their last games. As I said … a lot quieter 

The finals of the basketball tournament were not held in Bryan like the rest of the games. All three final games (girls, boys division 2, and our championship game, boys division 1) were played at none other than Snook High School in Snook, Texas. Yeah. I never heard of it either. It’s a small town roughly southeast of College Station. 

Wow! What a defensive battle that championship game was. The Texas Wind (good guys) scored just enough, then played the absolute best defense in have ever seen in a high school game. And it was like our boys were playing a home game. The stands were packed with Texas Wind families as well as the other teams we played against. They were all cheering wildly for us the whole time. It was absolute madness. So much so that the coach asked the fans (who had stormed the court after the game) to return to the stands for a photo op with the team and the trophy in front. As an ex-coach, I understand how much of a difference a highly-partisan raucous cloud can make. Thanks to all for making the drive. You made a difference. 

Check out the scoring breakdown beginning at halftime:

19-6 at halftime

24-6 at the end of the third quarter (6 points given up in three full quarters!)

29-22 at the game’s end (that’s with the uncontested three pointer they made at the buzzer) 

Our guys really played their hearts out. I think they’re gonna be sore this morning. Proud of you, Seahawks. And especially Caleb, of course. He spearheaded the suffocating defense. That’s my grandson. 

We didn’t stay for the all star games. Three of our girls and three guys were on their respective teams. Nice job to all of them for the recognition they received. 

We did get invited to join the team post-game celebration. That was held at the nearest Chick-fil-A in College Station. And it was pouring. Raining cats and dogs. Torrential downpour. And I got a message on my phone that Galveston was under a tornado watch until 9 pm. Of course. We decided to give it a try, and if it got too bad we could pull off and get a hotel room. 

We finally got on the road home around four. The rain was coming down hard, but we eventually outdistanced it. We made it as far a Buc-ees by 5. We got some gas, raced inside to the bathroom, and raced back … into a driving rainstorm. It caught us. 

We switched out drivers, and I took the final shift home. It took us until well into downtown Houston to get a little ahead of the storm. The rain finally stopped completely somewhere just south of Houston. We made it home, and with the help of our neighbors, Corey and Janell, got everything inside before the rain caught up with us again. Phew. Missed us by that much. 

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ says, Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Father, thank you for watching over the boys and girls in their games. Sons of them got pretty physical. But no apparent terrible injuries. Amen. 

February 14 - “On Victories and Defeats …”

So … basketball. Yesterday was a day of victories and defeats, of course. For our teams it happened to be more victories than defeats. 

The Texas Wind Girls won their  first game. That one was the 8 am game. It put them into the winners’ bracket, so the worst case scenario would be a fourth place finish. Sadly, they lost their next one. That put them into the game playing for third place. Victory! Third place medals for the girls’ team. Proud of you, ladies. 

The boys varsity team (Caleb’s) also won their first game … handily. And almost immediately they garnered the reputation as the team to beat, even though they were ranked only number 2 in the North division. Well, they soon lived up to that reputation. They soundly defeated the top ranked team from the South division - the group from El Paso. And they did it with a lot of class. Both teams encouraged each other, smiled a lot, and chatted incessantly (well, Caleb and whoever he was guarding certainly did). 

The championship game is today at noon. We’ll be playing  the team that we split victories with at regionals. So … noon today. Go Seahawks! Always proud of you guys. 

We didn’t get to lunch until almost four. We went with Christi’s parents to the local Rudy’s Barbecue. I had ribs and Chris had chicken. Good stuff. 

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ says, But if anyone suffers as a “Christian,” he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name.

Father, thanks for keeping the kids  saved this far. Please help Josh and the two guys on the team who are sick to heal quickly. Amen. 

February 13 - “Still a little early”

We had an early morning visitor yesterday. I heard a knock around 7.30 or so (I think). It was Janell coming to pick up Freddy for her sleepover at their house. She (Janell, not Freddy) even remembered to grab all the meds that little dog has to take. It’s great to have great neighbors and friends. 

We had one stop to make on our way. Chris’ charm bracelet was ready to be picked up. The James Avery crew did a good job hooking on the two new charms. We were in and out in no time, even with the inordinate amount of chatting going on. 

Next stop was Buc-ees, of course.   I decided to try something different from the barbecue. Instead I got chicken strips and fries. Well, ok. Some of the best fries I’ve had in a long time. Chicken wasn’t bad, either. That one just made the rotation, for sure. 

Right around the corner from there was a giant graveyard of concrete and plastic statues. By graveyard I don’t mean abandoned. These were hundreds of random statues of yard decorations for sale. And they didn’t come cheap. Big ol’ giant gorilla costs $10,000 plus, if you’re interested. They had statues giving a nod to the cultures of India and China and Japan and even Texas. How about a life-sized giraffe? Or Bigfoot? Or a bunch of aliens? All I wanted to do, though, was get a pic with the giant chicken. Mission accomplished. 

Since we were still early to check in at the hotel, we decided to check out the Navasota DQ. Apparently it’s the local hangout for senior citizens. Let’s just say … we weren’t alone. And the senior discount was nice on our Blizzards. 

It was still too early for the Hotel, so we drove over to the basketball venue. It was just 15 minutes away. Big place. Cool big electronic sign announcing our organization’s presence.  Can’t wait to see inside. 

We finally got checked in. Really nice place. Pretty sure it was still brand-new. Only negative so far? Our room is right across the hall from the elevator. Convenient, but a tad noisy. 

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ says, I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Father, please keep these youngsters safe on the court today and tomorrow. Amen. 

February 12 - “All those checks”

Guess what we did? No. Nothing that exotic … yet. We walked two miles. Now, we’ve been walking about that much every day on the ship. But that’s more cumulative. And it includes stairs. This was just plain walking on our neighborhood route. Hey. We have just a month to get ready for the transatlantic cruise to Spain. Oh, and Chris has a stress test next week. Let’s go!

It started raining after lunch. Not great for an afternoon full of errands. We persevered through the dampness, though. 

First up was the past office. Bought some stamps and mailed off our income tax stuff to the accountant. Check. 

Next we stopped at Randall’s. First order of business was to fill up with gas. Heading out of town again today, so that’s fairly important. Then we made our way inside. I had a prescription and some vitamins to pick up. Check. 

Then we hopped across the street. That’s where the H&R Block tax office was. They are the only ones around us who I could find to do estate taxes. Just a reconnaissance mission. Had to find out what they need from me to get the final taxes done for Sam’s estate. Well, at least I got the appointment set for next week. Hope Dodie knows her stuff. Check. 

Final stop? Yep. Walmart. The Valentine Bunny or Easter Frog (or is it Christmas Cuckoo?) had to collect some paraphernalia for umm … future disbursement. I also needed some deodorant. No explanation needed there. Check. 

And by the time we got home, the rain had stopped. Check. Now … on to College Station. 

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ says, And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.

Father, thanks for the rain. And thanks for all those checks. Amen. 

February 11 - “adorable, lovable Valentine guy”

Chris had another doc  appointment yesterday. This one was up in Texas, though, so we made one of those infamous “while we are off the island” lists. 

The appointment went pretty well. All was OK on the breast cancer front. However … she got referred to yet another kind of doctor. Seems breast cancer survivors are more likely to get ovarian cancer. And that’s what her mom had. Yep. Family history strikes again. So. That’s one more doc to keep up with. Glad Chris is a master at doing that. 

Next on our list was a quick stop at  Mardel’s Christian Store. I needed some more cards, and that’s the only place that has boxed cards with Bible verses in them. 

From there we went to James Avery Jewelry. She wanted to have her sloth charm put on her charm bracelet. Little did she know that she was also receiving an early Valentine’s Day

present as well. Her adorable, lovable Valentine guy got her a red heart charm that, for us, has a double meaning. One is, of course, that she is my Valentine. But the red heart - again, for us -  is also the symbol for combatting heart disease. 

We had to get back home in time for Chris’ next appointment. This one was a little less stressful. She went for a haircut. Looks fabulous. Of course she looked fabulous before the haircut …

Last night we went over to Ball High School. This time it was for a basketball game. Cailyn’s boyfriend Gavin (and his Santa Fe teammates) had a game against the local team. Ball High won this one, 66-53. But Santa Fe gave it a valiant fight. 

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ says, And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

Father, thank you for the good report Chris had on her follow-up. Amen. 

February 10 - “Dismantling”

Chris had her exercise class yesterday, so I spent the morning working on that wonderful yearly opportunity … income tax. I think I got all the paperwork together and ready to send to the accountant. Not trusting my own manipulation of the data for the final send-off. 

I also began the process of compiling the paperwork from Sam’s estate to get that all ready to turn over to an accountant as well. That part kinda scares me, to be honest. Guess it’s because I’ve never done anything like that before. And I found out that my accountant does not do estate taxes. I may end up at H&R Block or something. 

We watched a Hallmark movie with our supper. Cute one set In Melbourne, Australia. Couldn’t finish it then, though. It was time to head over to Ball High’s soccer field. Cailyn was playing there in the varsity game. And our friends’ daughter Alexis was playing in the JV game. Two birds with one stone and all that. And two cute birds, at that! 

As it turned out, Alexis’ JV team lost 8-0 in the first game. Kind of mixed emotions there. She was playing for my Alma Mater, after all. But she was playing against the school Cailyn goes to (Santa Fe). Oh, well. I’m still proud of you, Lex. 

In the varsity game Cailyn’s team (SantaFe) pretty much continued the dismantling of my old hometown team. Ball High lost 6-0 in that one. Good job, Santa Fe! And I’m proud of you, Cailyn. 

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬ says, When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.

Father, thanks for taking care of those girls in what turned into a pretty physical game. Amen.