Today there was merchandise sent into a store that had no place to call home!  It was sent to the wrong store, had already been checked in, and they had called me to come "quick" to put up this $1700 order.  After discussing the procedure of returning this to the warehouse, my boss asked me if the rest of my day would be any better. He was assured that the day had been just wonderful, and this would not change it in any way.

That got me to thinking again.   Often times the larger the problem in our lives, the "easier" we seem to cope with them.  Just let something little constantly arise, day after day, and it will iritate me until I just "can't stand it any more"!  God gets the credit for helping me "sail" through the "big" stuff, but where is my dependence on Him to assist me in getting the "sand out of my shoe"?  He cares enough to help me thread a needle, or find the keys that I misplaced (so I can go to work), or answer any prayer of help we send to Him --- so WHY don't I turn the "little" sand pebble over to Him as well? 

Just thinking........

As I was going through some boxes that needed some "weeding", I found a 10 dollar bill!    Showing Merle what had been found, he said, "How did it get in there?".  Of course, no one knew.  Toward the end of the box, there was another bill -  - $5 this time.  $15 richer?  Never broke when we thought we were!  Again, Merle asked, "How did it get in there?"  Of course, no one knew.

This comment got me to thinking.  Many times we don't remember how something got into our lives, be it for the good or bad.  But - as we find these things, we can eliminate the bad and enhance the good.  Soooo, I suppose the money should be used for the "good".  Since money is neither good or evil, only known by how it is handled or used. 

I do hope this storm off the coast will reach far enough to let us have some rain.  It is not as dry as it has been, but the lakes are down and we need to have them up for the winter. I have a picture of a little girl walking through a large puddle in the middle of a lane hanging in our bedroom. It is black and white, except for the pink of her dress.  Makes me think of being young and care-free. It causes me to wish for a warm gentle rain, lots of time, and to just walk in the rain until the desire has passed! Now doesn't that sound like a fun thing to do? Care to join me?

I heard a children's story last evening.  The children were on a boat with Jonah (the owner of The Whale's Belly).  He told them they would go fishing.  They could not see any fishing poles or bait, and asked how he was going to catch fish!  He told them that he catches them with a net, and asked how they caught their fish.  The children said, "We catch them one by one!" 

That made me think. Sometimes we see a "net" thrown at revival meetings, and see them come to know the Lord in numbers. Don't let that be a discouragement, they also learn to know the Lord from you and me -- one by one!  Often, that seems to be the best way. It offers the privilege of being a mentor and example to them as they grow.  A book about a preacher  which  taught me how to allow the Holy Spirit do the work, and for me not tell them what they should do. He can do a much better job at it, and although we may not think it is progressing very fast, it is in His time, not mine. He will very often remind me that "He's still working on me! to make me what I ought to be" and that helps me to keep things in perspective.

I am very grateful that the Lord is willing to take me as I am, make something out of me that can be a "drawing card" for those that do not know Him, and continue to mold me into something better yet!

What would one do without friends? Our freezer (of 34 years) was leaking water out of the lid when Elizabeth opened it Saturday.  Merle said that it had to go before we lost everything if it "croaked".  A new one was delivered today, and the old one taken away.  Now - what did friends have to do with that "simple" transaction?

The wall needed fixed where the new freezer was to be placed. (You see, there is an upright one now instead of a chest type - the kind I could not reach the bottom without falling into it!).  I called my faithful "fixer-upper" baby sister, and she came and replaced the sheet-rock for me.  Also called my friend, Lee, and she was soooo good getting everything out of the old chest freezer so the delivery men could haul it away!  This all began at 9:30 am, and was all completed by 12:30 noon!  My sister and I  "celebrated" with a large bowl of blueberry soup! Frozen blueberries made the milk so nice and cold, and really cooled us down after working on the warm/hot back porch.

You will notice that the new one is full- there were a few things that should have been thrown out long time ago that were sent on their merry way this time.  Maybe there should have been a few more pitched. We feel blessed with the full freezer.

The new on the way in!                  Now I can reach everything!!!    

This is a really special fellow in our lives! This is our grandson, Isaac. Elizabeth and I were invited to share a wonderful potatoe soup supper with him and his mother on Friday evening. She had the table set so pretty, and made us feel so welcome. The evening went too fast for me.

What a sight!!! A whole section of the restaurant was filled with children and their mothers! All the children were so well behaved.  I was impressed with the adventure of it all.  Can you imagine the good times all those cousins will have in the future?  All the times the parents will go to bed exhausted from all the fun they will have with them?  All the wonderful Christmases, vacations, etc. that will be experienced together in the years to come?  I foresee a real ADVENTURE for their lives, and hope they are enjoying every minute of it. (I was priviledged to see this because I was eating lunch with my daughter-in-law and grand-son!)

There was a unique item in a newsletter the other day.  A man at the age of 55 realized there were about 3900 Saturdays in a average 75 year life.  He calculated there were 1000 left in his.  (He told this while talking to a young "hard working" husband/father, encouraging him to consider what are the important things in life.)  When he realized there were 1000 left, he purchased that many marbles and placed them in a large plastic jar next to his ham radio.  Every Saturday he would pull one out and throw it away, and thus visually see his time diminish.  He mentioned that he was going to sign off and take his wife to breakfast, and that he had removed his last marble from the jar that morning.  He was now 75, and knew that to live til the next Saturday would be "extra" time, something all of us would like to have.  The young man signed off also, went up to wake his wife, and take the family out for breakfast.  He told her that he would like to stop by the toy store and purchase a few marbles.......

Maybe I need to buy 900 marbles----

Had the privilege to speak to my Daddy on the phone the other morning.  I mentioned that he and Mother would have their 60th anniversary in December 2007, and that they would be turning 80 this fall.  He told me that he had been laying in bed that morning thinking about that very thing - turning 80. Wanted me to know that he would like to have the children come home and celebrate with them.

All the children were dutifully notified of his wishes, and we plan to meet on Oct. 21 (his mother's birthday), a date somewhat between Mother's and Daddy's birthdays.    The children (and spouses that can come) will spend Friday night at our parent's home.  The grandchildren that would be there will stay at my sister's home.  Saturday morning will find the "family" at the breakfast table eating omelet and tomatoe gravy! (You really have to have some "Dutch" in you to want to join us!!   Not sure what the rest of the weekend menu will be. 

The grand-children are planning the Saturday night supper for us, and will serve us in fine style. (Black pants, white shirt, etc.)  They will be using "nostalgic" items to set the table and to serve the food.  Some of the food may be items of our "memories" -- i.e.. toasted cheese sandwiches and canned peaches or pudding parfaits.

Mother has been known for taking pictures, so some/alot of the time will be spent looking at slides or pictures.  We will travel in time to many places - with lots of memories!  I can already see the bear in the dump at Big Meadows, and Daddy going tooooo close for our comfort - just to get a better picture of it for Mother!!

The only problem I see at this moment --- the weekend is not even here, and yet it has already gone by too fast!!  Is that the way with you also?  The planning is so much fun, and then it all goes too fast!

The digital camera will come into much use that weekend, maybe there will be a few to share! (We all sort of caught Mother's affair with the camera- there will be lots of them before that weekend is over!)

A lady was supposed to deliver about 10 pounds of tomatoes Saturday afternoon for us to have for sandwiches.  She did not arrive until 8:30, after I had gone to sleep!  Elizabeth went out to get them, came back in somewhat breathless, and informed me that the tomatoes were so pretty, she was going to can them!  All 35 pounds!   (I wasn't sure when -- as the next day was Sunday, and on Monday she would be in Charleston working, and I would be at work also!)At 9 PM we had the water on to scald those round objects, she was washing jars, and I cut and skinned the tomatoes, slid them into the jars, and by 11:30 the first canner was coming off the stove! 

There were 19 quarts of whole tomatoes when we finished, and about a dozen left for sandwiches.

My life is filled with "impromptu" type memories.  One of the most often recalled is one of the trips we took to Pa. on a Friday night after looking at slides as a family.  (My sister had just gotten out of the hospital, and her throat was quite sore yet!) My father had suggested visiting one of his aunts when he saw her picture, and mother immediately said that there was a wedding she wished they could attend the next day! I do not know how long it took to pack, but we attended the wedding!!  Could not tell you much else about the trip, but learned that "impromptu" decisions can be good memories. 

It must be Dog Days!  It is so hot -  all one wants to do is pant like a dog and drink lots of water! The heat index yesterday was 105!  Elizabeth was finally warm enough, although she does not think it is all that hot!  She is perspiring, I am sweating!

We needed a digital camera for our work, and I found a nice one at Circuit City.  8 pixel, small enough to carry in the purse, and easy to use!  Maybe I will have pictures on the web more often now.

I have 14 quart of peaches done.  It is too hot to think of more right now!  That is really a pity to say, especially since they are done in my air-conditioned kitchen.    I have been so grateful to have a cool house to be in and come home to relax - and for a husband willing to work hard to give us such nice "creature comforts".