Saturday Evening Blues

I found this as a draft. It belongs back there in July somewhere last summer. I'll post it here as a back flash. We are glad that it really was not quite this bad over all to be "empty nesters" for a few weeks.

     

    Just like that, it has hit again, a crushing weight that hardly allows me to breathe. We sailed along busy enough to keep from thinking about it all week.  But tonight, alone, I can't escape the waves. Nights like tonight, I think I cannot do this one more week...I won't. I'll simply make a few phone calls and end it.
    Was this our fifth or sixth week?  Are we over half done? Yes, maybe only four weeks left of this frantic effort to keep up with the work here at home and spend the quota of hours of our week in the woods, just the two of us. Plunging on in our work to not have time to think. The projects melt away done and over too quickly.
     What I miss most tonight is having everyone gathering in the living room to discuss everything.  We solve the world's problems together here, just by talking about them. We count accomplishment.  We tell the funny stories of the day, laughing at ourselves and others without malice. We read scripture and discuss it and get totally off the subject on a labyrinth of rabbit trails.  We pray together, and plan tomorrow and next week or next year.

   I promise us that when everyone who belongs here gets home again, we are going to do EVERYTHING together. I vow, we will not let them out of our sight for this long again, ever! You might say that I indulge in a veritable wallow of self pity and lonesomeness. But then we buck up by morning and push down the whimpers and SMILE and get back to work. And I know that if we would "wimp out" now, four short weeks from the finish line, I'd never forgive myself.                                                                   

   

 
     Besides, it is just me. The children are enjoying their summer in Nebraska.  And I am happy for them!



   

Selections From The Weekend

"We must learn to look for miracles. We can't decide ahead of time how God will answer our prayers, lest we miss His unique way of doing it. Miracles are happening all the time...are we seeing them?"  - a friend from church shared this during Sunday School
" You must be willing to be expended emotionally in your writing to make it come alive for your readers." - a friend who writes for CAM
"When I decide to shut down and be quiet because I realize that my words are not being appreciated or I am afraid, something dies inside of me." These words resonated with me. - one of the women in my world who with her husband is raising up godly children besides helping with leadership in their little fellowship.
"I believe that my prayers for our children will produce fruit someday, even though today it may seem hopeless. I chose to believe and to pray continually." -Another friend I meet only a couple of times a year


God gave rich encounters this past weekend. There is a story behind each of the these selections of tried faith and commitment lived out.

Monday

               

                Tribulation – Perseverance – Character – Hope 

                                         (Romans 5:1-5)

          What really is tribulation? For me, it has been the conflict between church men. Worry, tension, distrust and frustration have thrown us into despair and prayer and frank discussion. There have been times of peace, yes, like the ebb and flow of all things. Always it returned to distract and frustrate.

          I believe that most tribulation is people induced not circumstance induced. Nobody would truly starve or be ill due to neglect in our circles. These inconveniences are overcome among us, for us, and by us. We take care of our own! But we conflict about each others’ motives. We argue a lot. We elbow for a better position in the parade. We create our own tribulation. “In honor preferring one another” is fairly foreign to our human nature even among us Christians. We prefer our own way, often.

          How much of perseverance is sticking to it…OR just being stuck with no escape possible? Maybe most of perseverance is slogging along simply because one does not have the option of running. Maybe it is to understand that “get me out of here” is just a dream to diffuse the current pain of our conflict. I, for one, do not deserve any reward for gallantly persevering. If perseverance is to hate the issues at hand and purposefully refuse to discuss them while others have to, I’m in. If perseverance is flying to prayer, I’m in. If it is burying myself in my own responsibilities and doing them with all of my might to avoid what is going on around me while others have to face it, I get an A+ on it. If scorning conflict as immaterial to the real deal of eternity is perseverance, I win.

          In the end, I have to conclude that perseverance is all of it. God wants each of us: those who engage AND those of us who duck; but we all meet it with prayer and trust in God Who controls everything anyway. To come through and not around is perseverance and lo! It does produce character.

          I am kinder today – a bit beyond the tolerant me of yesterday. I am softer and more generous in my heart with the rest of us because I realize that we all have equal share in failures and in growing up.  Now we know that behind this man’s weakness and that man’s reflexive behaviors are incidents and events that shape him to be who is he is today. He has reasons for what he does. This doesn’t justify him; it explains him. Only Jesus can justify him, or me, for that matter.

          Which brings me straight into the way of hope. All of us hope for an eternity with Him. Not the wishing kind of hope, but the guarantee kind of hope.

         Verse 5: Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  

Growing Up

   Someday I hope to be all grown up. To have no burning questions. To be able to move beyond indecision. To not worry. To know what is the right thing in every trouble. Someday.
   But now and then I gain another rung.  Like this one: We have discovered that happiness in marriage is more about commitment through forgiveness than about how I can let him know how he can best love me. The Love Language discussion boiled down to so much me-ism for me and didn't yield so great after-all.
    Just so happens that my own dear husband is rather unique and the things the marriage self-help books purported to be good for marriage was pretty well bunk for us. Now I realize that others are being encouraged and strengthened by said literature, so I will not condemn them altogether. But frankly, I entered the muddiest place of stuck-ness upon reading Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggrich. Honestly!
    Turns out that the best thing that ever happened to us and our marriage is forgiveness and the offering of grace to each other. I suspect that this could very well be the answer for anyone. To accept that I need forgiveness and so does he and to give it freely and graciously knowing good and well that we are just people after all is to move into a huge area of fresh air and beauty.
   Now, to not forget! To choose to live IN victory instead of UNDER condemnation is absolutely the most freeing thing there is. Go through the gate of praise into righteousness and live there. Ask for forgiveness, you know you need it, and give it, too. Choose grace in your dealings with others. Never mind the pop mind games of today's gurus. The simple gospel of Jesus Christ works the best anyway! Try it for yourselves.
 

Ten Things To Know Today

1. Jesus reigns.  If this feels dubious to you; it is not His fault. Victory is found in clinging to Him moment by moment.
2. Happiness is not just an event. It is relationship. Same with faith. Commitment, too. With our Creator.
3. Eternity is now. How are you spending this minute? Answer this question with destiny in mind.
4. God wastes nothing, not even our weakness and failures. Will you believe that, turn your messes over to Him and let Him fill you? See what He does. It's amazing!
5. Little things count big in God's economy. Like sparrows, and clothes for the lilies. You are more important than a bird, granted, but it would make no difference if you were not; God would still notice and care for you.
6. Love still wins. Jesus commanded it of us. Don't be fooled into thinking that the negatives are more real. Stop and smile for a change.
7. The Bible is God's current Word for you today. Go read some of it and hear Him.
8. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. Jesus said so. If you are feeling condemned and trapped, you're being mis-guided.  Stop and turn to the Savior for rescue and ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit who "will guide you into all truth." Truth gives you a way OUT of condemnation. What is more comforting than not being condemned anymore? Guaranteed!
9. Prayer becomes like breathing as soon as we understand how much we need Him combined with knowing how much He wants to be in us.
10. And worship completes the circle giving God the glory all day long.

Don't Waste Your Life

Elv and I had opportunity to be in Duluth yesterday, and we grabbed at a chance to see The Rose Garden in full bloom. Garden roses were everywhere in groupings of colors and kinds. There were mowed paths and water fountains and benches to sit and look or dream or visit as you wish. The very air was permeated with the smell of roses. I took pictures and looked my eyes out. The pictures are far from adequate.

This morning Dot told me about an article they re-read this week by John Piper with commentary from a college called Don't Waste Your Cancer. I recommend this reading to anyone cancer or no. Instructions to learn to know and trust our Creator even better in the hard times. And to become more eternity conscience. That illness or trial, in this case, cancer, are not curses but a part of life designed by God to bring us closer to Him.

And lately, I have been thinking how important youth, beauty, and craft are to our society. How much we focus on these transients. We do so many things to ward off the ravages of age, especially we women do this. Because age is not desirable anymore. And that's sad.  As long as we worship youth and beauty; we block ourselves from seeing and understanding reality as God sees it. How can we learn to see what is beautiful in the old wrinkled hands of the aged?

I want to understand the real beauty of age: wisdom, kindness, and grace. Actually, I want to exhibit wisdom, kindness, and grace to the senseless world around me. What is more disappointing than a bitter, thankless old lady? I have met a few of them.

We choose about this. Life comes with hard things and unhappinesses. We grow kindness and grace from being thankful anyway. Is there anything more beautiful, really, than a graceful, kind, elderly person?

I met a cousin the other day, who isn't old, by the way, but has become a beautiful person through trial. I was so drawn to her openness through her tears as she told me about herself.  She drew kindness out of me as she talked. And she said not one bitter word, even though in the world's eyes she certainly had a right to do so. I believe I saw the real deal in her. She is a lovely lady, comfortable to be around, and a blessing to me. Thanks so much for sharing. I did not mean to be snoopy, I really admired your spirit and attitude. And hoping that I can inspire others as you did me that day. 

Daisies For You

The daises came blooming right on the end of the trillium again this summer. Daisies grow anywhere: ditches, fields, woods, pastures, and along the roads here in Northwoods Beach. They grow over the graves of good men, says legend, thus the expression "pushing daisies". They are hardly ever bothered by pests and are grown world wide now-a-days.

 

  Daisies show up as the symbol of purity on paintings and in weddings. Children make daisy chains and wear them. Lovers pull the petals saying, "she loves me, she loves me not", hopefully the last petal is a cinch with, "Yes, She Loves Me!"
How silly!



 


The word daisy is Greek for 'day's eye' named this because daisies open at dawn, so they say. I think that is probably a bit romantic. Who stands by the daisy patch to prove when they open up? And I have a feeling that once they have opened, they stay open all the nights through that they last. If anyone of you has witnessed the daisies opening at dawn, I will happily acquiesce.

Take the time to pick the daisies this weekend besides enjoying the 4th of July stuff. For those who maintain Mennonite heritage; I would inform you that Mennists were staunch Loyalists. When they came off the ships to the New World, they were asked to sign a document stating same. Just a point of interest on this day in America.

Summertime

Canoe rides and water play. 

The men enjoyed loading the red and white canoes on each their Jeeps. 

Elv and I took Clark's boat and perused the Billy Boy last week one evening.

 We found the yellow flags blooming.

One of the beaver condos we pass.

 

 

 

He caught one lonely fish, but pronounced the  fishing a success since he hadn't been "skunked". 

This summer is an odd one for us. Elv and I live at the old stone house by ourselves. The boys are off to the big world to seek their fortunes so to speak.  Brad and his sisters are in Nebraska helping the two families of ours there who need extra hands for a few weeks. Of course, you know this.  So it is quiet here. A pair of yellow finches chatter and snack at the feeder by the hour with nobody running by to scare them off. I get to listen to my own style of music all day long. ( If you think I'm in a rut you ought to meet Pandora.) 

Lance and Noah each have found a house for themselves. Suddenly, these guys want recipes and advice about dishes, cutlery and cleaning stuff. This is fun! For me, anyway.

I'm not trying to be flippant about missing the children. We do miss them, but Elv and I got married so that we could spend more time together, and we have not had nearly enough of that to date and it's been nigh on to 31 years! 

I am rediscovering things about two year olds. Did you know that if you whisper to them when you want to hear birds or other critters; they catch on immediately and whisper, too? I love those babies! Benny and I whispered awhile yesterday on the canoe, listening for the bullfrogs. Priceless moments!

Frank says life is amazing. I think life is absolutely full of a lot of little things that make a big difference. Notice, count, savor, enjoy the little things today.

1. yellow finch conversation

2. toddler whisperings

3. lupines blooming in the ditches

4. daises everywhere

5. clean, freshly caulked, (vintage) windows in this old house

6. marvelous decorating ideas from a grown son. Actually, this is a big deal to me. He has a brainstorm and if we get it accomplished, I will show you one of these days.  

A List For The Girls

    All of our daughters are away from home just now, depending on each other as friends. Two of them are married with little ones of their own. This list is from my heart to our girls. I learned these things from watching my Skrivseth Aunties and from my own mom and her sister's good times together. And from enjoying the grown up friendships of my own sisters.
    So to all the girls who read this blog.

1. Do have good times together.
2. Protect the reputations of the folks you speak about, jealously, as if they were there hearing you.
3. Be kind, always. Anyone merits a little kindness, no matter how slovenly or unkind they might seem to be to you.
4. How do you want the others to feel about having been with you? Blessed, cared for, loved? Think ahead of time, how you will meet that goal while you are together.
5. Bring something lovely to the table with you: your latest creation, newest idea, something you read, or pinterest stuff. Share something lovely with the rest.
6. Do that coffee shop together.
7. Spread cheer and comfort. Especially comfort. Every busy woman needs the comfort and understanding of her friends.I can't over stress this comfort thing. You have struggles in each your worlds: things you are learning, serving little ones, and being beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.  It's VERY energy sapping. Your times together can be fuel if you offer comfort to each other.
8. Think of ways to encourage the others: by your compliments or affirmations.
9. Laugh, cry and pray together.
10. And keep it safe between you, for all of you, confidentially.
You girls are each others best friends for life; you'll find this out very soon. So start now to be the best kind of friends while you are young. Never let fear rule in your hearts about each other. Face those things and talk about them immediately. Foster comfort for each other's hearts. Respect each other's husbands carefully and kindly, always. Always! Always! Your husbands are your other best friends. Help each other to be the best kind of wives you can be.
  Here's for a lifetime of laughter and goodness together, amg

February, The Busy Month

    People used to eschew something they called the February blahs.  I simply don't understand. Our February calendar is always full. It's the month we realize that school has been half over for a couple of weeks already; but our books aren't quite to the middle, yet.
    It's the month for Elv's birthday.  This year he turns 50. So along with wishing I could go all out and buy him a four-wheeler like he suggests, or that gun, two wild ideas neither of us can afford; we're having a party for him. We are working on inviting Lewi's and Steve's and his mom. We'll see.
   It's the month for Valentine's Day. Elv brings flowers and chocolates home for me.  And I'll see to it that he gets his sparkling grape or apple juice. It is pretty neat to be able to celebrate our marriage right smack in the middle of the winter logging rush, before spring-breakup.  It's a great time to take a deep breath and grab some "perspective" on what really counts in the long run: not the work or the bills, but that we have each other, our family, our faith, and our love, to boot.
    It's the month of Sugar On Snow on the north shore.  All the hoopla of prep, people, food making, costuming, deadlines, overnighting away from home, packing, hauling, and working with the public is hard work. On the other hand, I look forward to the complete break from the normal routines of our winter and school to visit with the annual host of friends and workers and interpreters for three solid days.  I enjoy swishing about in a full skirted costume that I wouldn't be caught dead in anywhere else, and seeing everyone in theirs. It's fun to walk back into history and imagine lighting my house with those precious, home-made candles, to visualize the hard work and inconveniences of colonial life and to be thankful for our rich heritage and the modernization of our day more than ever. I love watching the miller and the carpenter helping the children to learn the trades.  There is nothing quite as good as warm, baked cornbread from the quern-ground corn, spread thickly with freshly churned, sweet butter.
   It's the month of taxes for us.  Its a good time to go back over the year and give account for how we handled the income of the year! There really are no surprises, but always reconsiderations of whether or not we did the right thing in that purchase or this expenditure.  It's good to know that for one more year the Lord has provided for our family and brought us through these times when fuel and food costs have gone up and up, yet we eat plenty and drive to where we need to go. It's a time to ask Him to please go with us in the year to come, as well, and to show us how to prioritize as we go.
    It's the month before spring breakup.  If winter is going to give us any more storms or snow then it had better get at it, because time is running out for interesting weather. Loggers are getting in their last good licks. Log trucks roll constantly because road bans will be upon us in a few short weeks.
   It's the month for garden planning and lists, and freezer and canning shelves inventory.
   For us this year, its the month before Dru's get home for their 10 week visit. If anyone has a car seat to loan us for Jube(2), please let us know.  Happy Valentine's Day and Happy February Busyness, Everyone!

My Thankful List

    Elv gently reprimanded me yesterday.  You're a different woman now that we've decided to change the schedule back to fewer hours.  Okay, I admit it.  I'm pleased about that decision, inordinately so.  We had further bantering discussion about how he ought to have married a woman who wanted money more than time together.  We're both happy that he married me!
    Those of you my friends who were in the back ground the last four months tsking over my "unnecessary" stress over his long hours can go ahead and do that.  I am shamelessly delighted to have it over with.  Yes, that sentence is ungrammatical. But "over with" is what I mean so it is what I write.  Elv's theory of language usage works for me in this case. Which is: as long as I am communicating to you what I mean, it doesn't really matter about grammer, so there.!
   But, back to my list.  I am thankful for these lovely fall days.  October weather is reaching in to November and not letting go. I suppose we'll pay for this, but while it lasts, we are enjoying it.
    I'm thankful for Saxon Math for our 15 year old.  I have taught Math for almost 8 years with Abeka.  This new Math is just plain fun.  Not only do you learn the how of Math you get to finally learn the why of Math.
    I am grateful for a new computer, too.  Lance walked in and handed me a new still in the box computer the other day saying, "I love you, Mom."  No, Aunt Amy, he didn't do it to impress anyone.  Just me, I guess.  And I am.  I have work stacked up to do on my computer...now I can do it.
   I am thankful for dry pine for firewood this time of year.  There's nothing like a snappy fire in the stove on a grey blustery day in November.
   I am thankful for work for Frances, at last. She gets to teach two first graders several days a week and three other children piano once a week.  Yes, it means that I have to get out of the house and chauffeur her about till she gets her license in January, but that's okay.
   Then there's the usual things that people generally say they are thankful for like a good husband, our children, the wonderful grandchildren, health, home, friends, and Salvation.  I AM very thankful for all these things, too.  But most of all I am glad to FEEL thankful again for all our blessings.
 
 
   
   

Ramblings From The Scribbler

         Gone are the blue skies of October. And now are the grey skies of November. Lawn chairs and outdoor grillings have been abandoned. It's too cold for evenings of patio fires.  The flower foliage stands dead and soggy in the garden. We're in that inbetween time of putting autumn away and before taking the holidays out for the 2011 rendition. 
        We went shopping last night in Rice Lake. Can you believe it? Christmas has already arrived at KMart and Farm & Fleet, at least the commercial version of it. What a waste.  We haven't had a go at Thanksgiving yet! I still have carrots to dig. All their hurry won't change a thing about the calendar.  We'll take the proper amount of time there is to savor today and the rest of fall, so there.
         Here are some leftovers I found on picture files of this fall.

 Have you all seen this one before? I like this picture. The only way to get a really great picture of Elv is when he has no clue it is happening.  He was quickly fueling the machine prior to a walk in the woods with the family. 

 And a random picture of our front door a few weeks ago.  Now the geranium is inside gracing the entry with lots of blooms.  The trick to blooms is Miracle Grow for Blooms. Thought you might like to know that.

 This one is just to show you that dead foliage has a certain beauty, too.  You can find beauty almost anywhere if you care to look for it.  Same is true for happiness....in the eye of the beholder, you know.

 More.  Okay, so I was playing with ordinary Arla caliber pictures on Picasa 3 and discovered the warmify and saturation options.  Ummm, you camera geeks...isn't that a little lame?

 Just like a magazine picture.  This is from our annual Copper Falls excursion.  Clark got a lot more and better pictures than I did with my relic of a camera.

   

Just Ramblings

    First about being in limbo: Elv is working an hour from home and staying there in a the "Tamarack Residence" at Heartwood this week.  The room is a little duplex with lots of bunks, a very modern fireplace, a teeny kitchen, a massive, many partitioned rest/shower room, and tile floors.  We thought about going over there and being with him in the evenings at least, but thought better of it, too. 
    The boss is still working on renting a house near the job.  Meanwhile we are separated most of each week. Family devotions, supper time, and morning coffee are not much fun without Elv at home.  I looked up that word limbo and here's what I found: in a state of uncertainty, neglected, up in the air, in abeyance, ... That describes our life exactly right now.  
    When limbo is over, we shall then enjoy family life more than ever.  That's a good thing, I guess.
    Then there is this hot weather that we are enduring not so well. I have lived in Wisconsin all my life. I don't care what the statistics claim...this is new for us.  I feel claustrophobic and it's getting to me, knowing that the only way to exist is to stay downstairs in the basement sitting room where our only AC is located.  One day of 95 degrees is kind of a novelty, especially if it is nicely followed by a relieving thunder storm. But now the novelty is over.  Let patience have her perfect work! 
    Now, a happy thing. The girls cleaned the pantry under the stairs yesterday. Now instead of a jumble there are tidy rows of jars and pantry things. Beautiful. Thank you, girls. 

    

Another Post About Visiting Northern Minnesota With The Aunties

    Dad, did I tell you how we lost and found the Graceton Depot? The Aunties and Trenda and I decided to go driving around to see the old places.  When we drove into Graceton and crossed the tracks the old depot was missing. The Aunties noticed immediately and set up a howl of protest.  Oh well, so it was old and it's gone was my thinking and what could be the big deal?!  But we found the house where you lived as a boy and the old cemetery where the Grandparents and Uncles are buried.   
   

   We continued our search of old places and stories and by and by we headed back to Aunt Enorans house by Lake of the Woods where we were staying.  Somewhere several miles from Graceton we found our lost depot in a garden.  As you can see the depot is a treasure to more than just The Aunties.  A little creek (krik) runs through the yard from under the front stairs there.  I suppose the creek is a man-made affair but it looks really quaint and the depot looks happy and proud nestled there in the garden. You will have to ask Carol whose yard this is. I'm sure she will know.

Good Taste Matters

Amy posted about choices and finding joy and contentment wherever we are today. Read it here. She did a grand job of saying it well.  
The quote at the top of her post set me back just a little.    A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves." -Henry Ward Beecher- 
Now I don't really have a pick with the quote itself, but this week our family had to reconsider the connection between pride and being deserving. 

Elv's work takes him a hour from home, logging in "blow-down".  I'll skip all the details of the storm and how the woods looks...it's bad.  He is expected to put in "marathon" hours on this job since it is a resort/retreat/convention center for an exclusive group of folks...never mind who it is.  Anyway, they were putting him up in this cabin or that motel room where ever they had an open room in the complex and feeding him too, in the dining hall, if he wanted to take the time for it.  The cabin/condo they suggested for us just never materialized due to other reservations.  Which doesn't matter here either, but the upshot of it is that we ended up taking the travel trailer up there and parking it by the warming shack at the back of the property where most of the trees were down way back in the woods.  We lived there for two days and decided that maybe we could be content like that for a few days every week till freeze up anyway.  We'd have family time in the evenings that way and the kids found blueberries to pick and there were acres of woods to explore. 

 As of yesterday word got around, I guess, that the gypsies (I don't know what term they used; but Bob assured them that we were not what they thought), had moved in on the resort till it reached the ears of the big-wig at the top who lives out of state.  Never mind that the gypsies were hired to log on their property to clean up their complex... it was not okay!

I told Elv that I am not homeless, as it happens, and I will not wait around for eviction notices. We moved home this morning.  As soon as the boss finds us a house to live in by the job we'll move back. 

But now I wonder if our contentment with travel trailer living just to keep the family together was taking things a bit too far.  I have a feeling that we should have had more pride than we did , so that we could have avoided the embarrassment we were headed for.  Seems to me that our zeal to get it right by the family over-rode good taste and made us look less deserving than was necessary. 

So I don't think I totally agree with Mr. Beecher, after-all.  Brother Andrew had to learn this lesson too, when someone finally clued him in that God isn't stingy and to have a few nice  clothes is okay, even for missionaries.  I believe that God has a plan for keeping our family together while this particular job gets done and we are ready to do whatever that is without making ourselves look gauche.  


Note:  It's generally considered okay for a logger to pull in a travel trailer and live on the job if he chooses. 

A Little Old Church

Does any of you recognize this building? Our family, the Skrivseths, do. Too tired tonight to explain...just home from a weekend with "The Aunties" as Trenda and I dubbed them, but till later, here is a teaser.

7/10/11 Okay, I'm back.

   It's the little Mennonite Church in Graceton, Minnesota.  The doors have been closed for  years now and the grass and brush are taking over. Never again will the bees buzz outside the screens and the thunder and whistle of the train be heard during the preaching of the Word. "My Jesus I Love Thee" will never again be sung within those walls.  No more swinging bare feet patiently waiting in the hush of quiet for dismissal. No  children will run about in the sandy parking lot after church while the moms and dads visit. The little church stands alone, slowly receding into the overgrowth.
    It was so sad when the doors closed. It seemed like a failure to those who watched it happen. I remember hearing the talk about it when I was a listening little girl.  Daddy's disappointment was palpable and we didn't even live there.
   Forty years later I realize that the story was not all told. From just one of the families who started out serving the Lord there, are preachers, missionaries, faithful grandchildren and great grandchildren belonging to churches all over the United States, Canada, and even a family or so in Central America.
   So maybe you're in a major church transition for whatever reason.  Maybe it seems to you that the Enemy is  winning right now.  Don't be so sure.  Trust in God who is in control. You never know. Faith is bigger than Failure.
   

Lake Superior Winnowing

Elv and I parked the Jeep by the shore in Kitch-Gami park in Duluth last night.  It was about 48 degrees and the water was a grey green color in real life. I wondered why the camera picked up the blue that we couldn't see. The seagulls thought we were bringing hand-outs and kept watchful eyes on us to be the first to respond. If we had thrown them food they would have squawked and squabbled noisily with one another till the last crumb disappeared.  But that's not why we were there.  We were on a date and in the mood to sit and watch the waves.  I had my camera.  I am always on a hunt to get a good picture. I have taken hundreds of them and only a handful are really good, and even those, I am not sure of.  Elv's comment about the waves, wind, and seagulls was that it was soporific.  At any rate, when life gets too busy to have time to sit and watch the waves; you know something has to change. Watching the waves helps us sort the important things from the chaff of our  lives! I would recommend it to anyone; but especially to those folks who believe that they have more important things to do than to watch Lake Superior waves.  Nobody's work is SO important that they can't take an hour to watch waves, a running river, or the wind playing over the hayfield. What a waste to build mansions and businesses and never really  live in them or reap the benefits.  

Just Some Notes On Life At The Stone House

 ~ We had a few days of hot summer, but the northland cool weather has returned.
~ Yesterday we put up a worktable in the sitting room down stairs under the AC for scrapbooking.
~ And we took down a big, old bookcase in the process of making a   workspace. Charlotte has dreams of painting it white and having a place   for books and things in Benny's room.

~ And we have plans to take about four big boxes of books and                                                                       dishes to the Salvation Army used shop.

                                                      ~ The girls and I cleaned a rental house today for Select                                                                                   Industries. It was hard work but the pay is good.  And the house is                                                                 much cleaner.
                                                      ~ Tomorrow I get to clean a very old, rustic log cabin on Lake Windigo.                                                         I hope to take Amy along and see if she will draw it for me again.
                                                      ~ All the trees are green, and I saw baby zinnias when I watered the                                                                garden this morning.

Morning Storm

So far it is just gently raining. I can hear the rain and feel the sweet coolness through the open window. Will we get the hail and wind?
We have a bear now!  He was investigating the compost pile the other evening.  Elv took the Jeep over there and honked him off, but he only climbed a tree nearby. But then he changed his mind immediately and came down to climb up a different tree just close to the compost pile.  He finally left when he realized that our place was too noisy and distracting for the careful perusal of the compost pile that he had in mind.  But we know that he will be back. So annoying. I admit it was a little exciting for all the children, Lattin and Graber, to watch the whole show.

A fun Grandpa coming up, wouldn’t you say?

By the way, am I the only blogger that wishes the lurkers would own up and comment now and then?

Rainy Day Ramblings

I noticed something yesterday.  I took a pickup like this to town to do my grocery shopping instead of

This.

         (These are just google images of the two vehicles.) Is it just me or do people notice vehicles? I don’t mind driving old, not-so-pretty vehicles as long as they get me from point A to point B okay.  My cut-off is when the vehicle attracts the attention of the local cop like the last time I took the Jeep out because the license plates are still out there in the snail mail world somewhere. So I took Lance's and found out that new and nice means something to people. I guess I am a little fuddy-duddy, but methinks folks put a little too much stock in looks.


Nice rainy day today.  I stepped into Northwoods Craft and Gift this morning to buy a roll of white crocheting thread.  I suggested to the lady behind the counter that we get to enjoy a nice rain today.  She said, “Enjoy?” I assured her that yes we will enjoy it since rain is what will green things up.  What wrong with rain? I love a rainy day especially in the spring. You can about see the grass turning green hour by hour!


Elv and I have decided that the old metal shed out back must go!  It’s heavy enough to bring a good scrap check and it is ugly!  We thought we would just turn the check into a shed-in-a-box or something. We also planned to take pictures of The Tub, the old red boat, and put it on Craigslist for sale. In the meantime Delvin got wind of our plans and wanted the boat for his family use, so Elv suggested they trade… “I’ll give you The Tub and you give me your old covered trailer for storage.”  Elv and Delvin do this sort of horse trading all the time.  They trade time for goods, time for time, goods for goods and tool use for tool use…whatever.  Almost never does money change hands…we won’t say why that is but I personally believe that is ONLY because they don’t have that on hand, usually.  There is a certain saws-all that goes between our two places that I cannot remember who owns. I ask Elv now and then and he tells me but I keep losing track because when Elv wants to use it he goes over to Delvin’s and gets it and then when Delvin wants it, he comes over here and gets it.  They don't even bother calling unless they’ve lost track of who has it.  Anyway, the storage trailer is perfect for storing the valuables that were in the ugly metal shed and Delvin’s children are ecstatic about owning The Tub. We hope they have just as many happy evenings of family fishing as we enjoyed over the years.