Milestone

Every year, about this time, I think of the lyrics to the New Year's Favorite, "Auld Lang Syne"....but, then I forget about them, until next year.
The words "old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind", have always bothered me. For some reason, I believed that those words meant that you should forget the people that you were acquainted with (maybe for the past year, or maybe forever) and never think about them again. Well, I never liked that thought. The people that I meet and the friends that I hold dear, are very important to me.
So, I did a wee bit (it's a Scottish tune, ya know) of research, learned a lot and now, I feel much better.
The "acquaintance", in the song, refers to knowledge. In the Dictionary, it's the second choice of definition. We are cautioned, as the song goes, to forget the knowledge or worries, that we have accumulated in our mind, for the past year and Holy Moley.......Let It Go!
It's difficult, you know, to forgive and forget, but that's what a new year should be all about. So, let me tell you, I for one, am moving on. It's going to be a super new year, full of many, many blessings.
Happy New Year.

This, BTW, is my 400th Post on Nansense. I have been blessed
Thank you.

"Walkin' to Missouri"

At my place of work, devices to "assist persons in walking" or Walkers, are a preferred mode of transportation.  So many of our residents use walkers, that I became curious about who invented them and when they began to become so popular.
In Great Britain (where they were apparently invented), Walkers are called Zimmer Frames, after the company that first produced them. The first patent for a walker was granted in 1953, to William Cribbs Robb, in the UK. This is information from the Internet, so it has to be true.:)
Walkers are wonderful devices. Life without these clever devices must have limited a great many folks to wheelchairs or even kept folks bedridden.
Walkers are so prevalent these days, that the simple technology of legs and handlebars has developed into Walkers with two or four wheels. Some Walker wheels are made to swivel and can turn on a dime. The wheels have independent suspension and hand brakes. Walkers now sport trays, seats, baskets and even horns.
So many folks are using Walkers, that the possibility of Walker races has occurred to me. However, I can foresee that once our folks get rolling and experience a taste of wheeled competition, we might have trouble getting them to slow down..
Happy New Year!

Dear Lord. We wonder at our many blessings. We are in awe of your steadfast love and amazing power.  Guide us to do your will in this New Year and forever.

NANA SAYS

Everyone has a Christmas Story to tell, and most of them are interesting and worth hearing. Today however, I was lucky enough to hear an especially wonderful story about two ladies named Jane.
Jane #1 is the great-grandma of her namesake, Jane #2. Jane #1 is a delightful lady who exudes a very positive outlook and tremendous Christian Faith.She is in her 9th decade. Her most favorite name is Nana.
Jane #2, otherwise known as Janie, is three years old, going on 30.
Janie thinks that she and Great-grandma Jane, are twins. You see, they were born on the 23rd and 24th days of the same month. Jane #2  says she is the oldest twin, because she was born on the 23rd, and they are both 20, because that's all the further she can count.
Jane #2 wants a walker for Christmas, so she can be just like her twin, Nana.
Now, I received all of this information from Jane #1, who finished her unique Christmas Story by adding that Christ gave us the best Christmas Gift of all, when he gave us grandchildren.

Dear Jesus, thank you for grandchildren. They are a special blessing. Thank you for the Janes in our lives.

"Winter Wonderland"

More often than not, in Kansas City, we have snow on Christmas. Most years there is just a dusting. But, on December the 25th, the dormant grass is generally sprinkled with the white stuff. It's a beautiful time of the year. And, in spite of the snow, it is rarely too cold to go for a holiday-afternoon walk or to play a game of touch football.
 Almost every year, we have a white Christmas. The lights on the Country Club Plaza, when they are surrounded by snow flakes, are about the "prettiest sight to see".
I have never lived in a place that doesn't have some snow in the winter months. I'm not so sure I would like a warm December or January. Oh, I know that millions of folks celebrate Christmas without cold weather, but it to me, it just isn't Christmas and the holidays without snow.
Irving Berlin, who wrote "White Christmas" spent most of his life in New York. He knew about winter weather. But, did you know that he wrote one of his most famous songs, "White Christmas", in California? The opening verse is all about warm weather winters.

"The sun is shining, the grass is green,
The orange and palm trees sway.
There's never been such a day
in Beverly Hills, L.A.
But it's December the twenty-fourth,—
And I am longing to be up North—"

 

Christmas is just one week away and once again we have snow everywhere. Hooray. Another  "White Christmas".

 

 

Dear Lord. We are so blessed. Rain or shine, snow, sleet or sunshine, you are always here for us. We can depend on you. Show us how to put our worries aside and trust in your steadfast love.

We are thankful for the arrival of Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 





Addicted

I have a confession to make.
I believe I have developed an addiction to Christmas movies. So much so, that I have been staying up, way past my bedtime, just to watch them on the Hallmark Channel.
The Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel all feature pretty much the same story. Beautiful young girl meets handsome young man. They fall for each other. Problems develop, but everything is always resolved by the end of the movie. Very predictable, easy to watch and non-thought provoking.
But, it's just not the Hallmark movies that I must watch, at this time of year. I have to see "The Grinch", Frosty the Snowman", "Christmas Story", at least one "Home Alone", "Miracle on 34th Street" (I prefer the Natalie Wood version), and even "Meet Me In St. Louis" (only because I love to hear Judy Garland sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".....(it makes me tear up every single time I see it). I've seen every possible version of  Dickens'  A Christmas Carol", and I have loved every one. The story is timeless.
My favorite Christmas Movie is probably "Holiday Inn", which features Bing Crosby, introducing the song, "White Christmas." It's terrible un-PC, but I enjoy seeing it every year. In order to see it, I have had to purchase my own copy.  The networks would probably get fined for showing it. Sometimes, they will show "White Christmas", but, in my humble-sort-of-expert opinion, it's just a showcase to have Crosby sing the song again. "Holiday Inn" is the masterpiece!
As far as addictions go, I'm not looking to cure myself. By January 1st, I'll have had my fill.......until next year.

Good and gracious Lord. Thank you for Christmas and all that it brings to us. As we go about doing all of the things that make this a special season, let us always keep the reason for this season in our hearts and on our minds.

Not a clue.

Funny how relationships develop. Friendships usually develop between folks who have lots of things in common. But, I have only one thing in common with my friend, Forrest. Our ages are different and our genders are different. He lives in an apartment and I live in a house. I work and he is retired. He is very tall and slender, and I am, well, let's say we are different in stature.
Our common interest is the New York Time Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The NY Times Crossword is unique. Each day, from Monday thru Saturday, it gets increasingly difficult. Over the years, I have encountered very few folks who share my enthusiasm for the challenge of the NY Times puzzle. A person who loves doing the NY Times puzzle must be patient and realize that skill increases with practice and that it is nearly impossible to complete the puzzle every day. It is the rare individual who can accept that challenge.
My pal, Forrest, visits my desk nearly every day and because he is a man of few words, he often just says things like, "25 down.......Jedi." I will concur or offer another suggestion.
Other times, I will say things like, "I didn't get very far today. I think today's puzzle has some missing letters."
Then, we both smile, I return to my work and he continues his walk.
Our relationship is truly unique and special.

I am so blessed. My life has been touched by so many wonderful people. God has placed me in a special place to do his work. I am truly thankful.

Venting

I'm venting about vents today.
At work, we have two rooms that don't have good ventilation. In the summer they are too cold and in the winter, they are way too hot. The problem is very simple. They have vents that push the air out to heat or cool the room, but no vents to let the air out of the room.
Vents are important. Vents are essential openings that lead to various kinds of tubing and duct work in a home or a place of work. Central air and hearing systems rely on vents to carry air into rooms and another set of vents allow the outtake of air from a room. In order to work efficiently a system needs both types of vents.
Our lives, I believe, are like modern HVAC Systems. Our Faith in God, love from family and friends, and encouragement from our co-workers, comes into our lives, like the air from a intake vent and then, when we do our best and work for the the good of others and ourselves that effort comes out, like the hot air from a furnace or the cold air from an air conditioner.
We need both kinds of vents.

Lord God. You keep us working. Show us how to live our lives in the best way possible. You are our strength and our salvation. Through you all things are possible.

HO HO HO Holiday!

Every family has a funny holiday story to tell. Sometimes it involves the mispronunciation of Christmas Carol Lyrics, like a 3 year old belting out "round John virgin". Or perhaps it's the tale of the little brother asking Santa to bring "pickles and dirt" for his older sister. Well, funny things happen during the holiday season. And, we all enjoy the retelling of these family stories.
Just yesterday, our seven year old granddaughter waltzed into the living room and peered at the Nativity Set, which had appeared since her last visit. You could tell she was taking her time and studying each figure. She finally asked, "Where are the Kings?"
I walked over to the table and showed her the three figures, representing the Kings. I pointed out that they were each carrying gifts to the Christ Child. Then, I pointed out the figures representing Mary, Joseph and the baby.
I could tell that she was taking it all in.
"So", she said, very seriously, looking at the remaining figures, " these guys must be the walk-ins."
Shepherds to you and me, but "walk-ins" is a pretty descriptive explanation of their presence.
What a gift. Now, we have a brand new family Christmas Story.

We are grateful for Christmas. We need reminding that You came to Earth to save us all. We appreciate the wonder of children and the joy of making our loved ones happy. We are blessed.

"Be Prepared"

Did your mother caution you to "always wear nice underwear (without holes), because you never know when you might end up in the hospital and someone would see the holes"?
Well, to this day, my underwear is never holey. I am prepared. I will forever be ready for that surprise hospital visit.
This old adage came to mind, just last Saturday night. Scott and I were invited to a Dance Troupe fund raiser. The event was held in a private home, in a nice area of town, and we were excited to attend.
Upon entering the home, we were greeted by two nice young women, one of whom told us to put our coats and shoes downstairs. I was dumb-founded. "Shoes?" I asked. She replied that the host had requested that all guest remove their shoes.
Now, this was a nice house, but really? I've had lunch in the Missouri Governor's Mansion. I've toured Monticello, Mount Vernon, a couple of Lincoln's homes. I've walked through the White House and Versailles, for Pete's sake, and I wore my shoes in all of them.
But, I weakly complied with the request and went downstairs to take off my boots. They were my best boots. Off came the boots. Now, everyone knows that no one sees your socks in a pair of knee-high boots. But, uh-oh, I had a tiny toe hole in one of my stockings. So, off came my socks.
I came upstairs in my bare feet.
I need not have worried. There were plenty of bare-foot folks at the event. Apparently, lots of folks wear socks with holes!
I briefly ☺ wondered about their underwear.

Dear all-knowing and all-powerful God. You really know us. You know what we do and how we think. Help us to remember that in every circumstance, you will be there for us. We don't surprise you. We trust your love and guidance.

"......drift by my window"..

There is a distinct nip in the air this morning. It is nearly Thanksgiving and we are finally experiencing some Autumn weather. It was coming. It always does. But because we are well into the eleventh month of the year, and we are still wearing short sleeves and sandals, many of us were beginning to doubt the arrival of chilly weather.
Winter will also visit us, in the near future. Then a couple of months later, Spring will come bursting in. Changes in weather are inevitable, and we can do nothing about it.
There are many things that we cannot alter to suit ourselves and one of them is the weather.
In Scripture we are told, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself."
Live today. In fact, live today like there will be no tomorrow.
We have no guarantee we will see the sun come up.
God has given us this moment, let us enjoy it.

Dear Lord. Life is a very uncertain thing. We have so many blessings, and yet we constantly worry about what is going to happen next. Show us how to live in the moment. Remind us, however you can, that we are but momentary creatures put on this Earth for a mere lifetime. Remind us of your glory and steadfast, enduring love and care. We praise your name.

Just your average Joe.......

One of my very special friends at work has been under the weather for a couple of months. I watched as he started a slow decline. He started having more and more difficulty with movement. He was laboring with his breathing. But, most importantly, his declining health was causing him to lose his signature smile.
This man is always smiling. He has the most pleasant disposition of anyone I have ever known. And, even though he wasn't feeling well, he never seemed to lose his positive outlook on life.
Nothing rattles him. Sure things bother him. He sometimes can't hear his doctor's nurse on the telephone and his sons irritate him occasionally, but this man is a ray of sunshine, to just about everyone, on any given day.
But, his smile was missing. I was worried.
Last week, he went to the local hospital for some "minor" surgery. Unfortunately, at work, this is a scenario that doesn't always turn out well.
But, thanks to the wonders of modern medicine and a timely placed Pace Maker, my ray of sunshine is back. He looks terrific. He has great color and I can tell that he feels much better.
How do I know? Because that million dollar smile is back.
Miracles Happen.

Dear Lord: Why are we so surprised when things turn out well? Where is our faith in You? Life certainly has its ups and downs. Bad stuff happens, but good stuff happens, too. Throughout this journey our only constant is You. You are always with us, on every hill and in every valley. Thank you for the "Joes" in our lives. We thank you for all of the folks that we meet. Every relationship blesses our lives. We glorify your name.

"Not for just an hour, not for just a day,........."

My work colleague told me that I work too hard. He also said that I take my job too seriously. Well, what's wrong with that? Apparently, working hard and doing your best isn't expected these days. And, that my dear readers, just might be what is wrong with this country.
I'm so old, and maybe you are too, that I remember what "service" used to mean.
In the Good Old Days, doctors made house calls, gas station attendants filled up your tank, checked the oil, and washed your windshield. There were no "self check-out" lanes. And, people stayed in one job for more than 6 months, so you were able to recognize the clerks at the grocery store and the waiters at the local restaurants.
People cared. Teachers and other professionals dressed well and looked nice when they went to work. They did it out of respect for their students and their clients. Today, jeans and a wrinkled tee shirt is the norm. The highlight of the week, at many work places, is "casual" Friday. Oh Yippee! We can go to work looking like we are not working. That, sure is professional.

Well, I can't change. I will continue to work hard and provide service because it's the right thing. And, when someone comments about my work ethic, I will smile and remind myself of the Golden Rule.

Dear Lord: Nowhere in the Bible does it say, do a "half- hearted job". You have not promised us "half" or a "casual" paradise. I know there is scripture about being lukewarm...and being "spat out".
Life is so wonderful. We should give it and You our best, always. Help me to live by the Golden Rule. Always, allow me to be a model for others.

Stop it!

Whoever invented those miniature candy bars should be tarred and feathered! I realized years ago that you can't eat just one. No. No. Because the bars are so small, just a few more won't hurt. The more the merrier!
How many of those miniature candy bars, do you suppose, equal one regular sized bar?  Is it three or is it four? Or maybe you can eat five or six before you have ingested the equivalent calorie and sugar amount that credits you with eating a whole Snickers or Milky Way.
How many teeny tiny bags of Peanut M and Ms, equal a whole handful eaten from a candy jar? How many?
Those little bars come in giant bags these days. They appear right after the Fourth of July. You can pick them up at Sam's or Costco for next to nothing, and before you know it, the bag is gone. It isn't even close to Halloween, but you realize, you are going to have to go and buy more candy for the neighborhood Trick or Treaters.
Thank goodness this only happens once a year. But, then after Halloween, when all the candy is finally gone, it will almost be time for Thanksgiving. Uh, oh. Then Christmas, and then New Year's.
Time to think about all those resolutions to improve myself.
Where is my will power?

Great and powerful God: It may be that the greatest temptation of all is chocolate. Help us to focus on what we know is right and steer us away from what we know is wrong. Be our strength and when we go astray, help us to get back on the right road.We glorify your name.....always.

EH?

My Word! Just what has happened to correct pronunciation, these days? I admit that my hearing isn't what it used to be, but the language folks use these days is atrocious..
Many of the newer sports broadcasters say "corder" when they mean quarter. What they say is.....The Chiefs failed to score in the third "corder". What does that mean????
How about "axe"?  Usage being.....He "axed" me that question. There is no x, in asked! It's like crying in baseball!
And, for the umpteenth time....there is no "R" in Washington. There never has been one. There will never be one. George didn't say it like that. His name was Wash...ing...ton. His name was not Warsh..ing..ton. And, please don't say......I'm going to the warsh room and warsh my hands. Egad!
Then there is Kindygarten. If you say Kindygarten, perhaps you should have stayed there and never graduated, with honors, from Harvard!
Oh, and then you have names. There is only one Barbra......the rest are Bar..bar.. as. I have yet to meet a real Dorthy, but I know many Dor-o-thys. How awful to have your name constantly mispronounced. 
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.
My workmate says "sar" instead of saw, but, for Pete's sake, she's British. She has an excuse.
There is no excuse for sloppy speech.
Forgive us, English teachers of America. We are an embarrassment.
So folks, while you are doing the right thing!.....Just say the right thing.


Great and all powerful God. As we go through this journey of life, keep us on the right path. Show us your way. Speech, as fouled up as we make it, is very important, as we attempt to communicate your word and work. Help us find the right words to share our many blessings.

PICCO*

Let's talk acronyms. Just when did they become so popular? When did they overtake regular spelling and cause us to live in an abbreviated world? The first real academic acronym I remember is CBD. I think I was taking a class in some type of Geography and CBD was being thrown around here and there. Eventually, I wised up and finally decided to look at the book to figure out it meant Central Business District.
Then, years later, I was at a large conference of church folk and they were talking about the DNC. When I announced that I had had one of those once, a deadly silence filled the room. It seems that the folks were discussing a big loss by the Democratic National Committee and I was talking about a medical procedure!
I have belonged to UMW for years. No, it doesn't mean United Mine Workers. It means, at least to the women I hang with, United Methodist Women. And, I belong to JASNA. The Jane Austen Society of North America. I am a also a  proud P.E.O.
Most of my contemporaries are members of AARP. Our favorite teams play in the NBA, the NCAA, the AL, the NL or the NFL. We all just spent a couple of weeks watching the presentation of the games of IOC. Our favorite TVshows are more acronyms....CSI and NCIS.
So, the bottom line is we are all living in the age of  acronyms, whether we like it or not. Let's see if we can start a new acronym of our own.  Maybe we could be, OAAG (Older Americans Aging Gracefully) or maybe BBBS (Baby Boomers Break Seventy) or OMG is this what getting old is really like?

Oh Lord! Sometime I feel so disconnected to the modern world. As I age, I feel more and more obsolete. Show me how make myself more relevant and useful. Allow me to act like a Christian and share your Gospel with others around me.

*PICCO (Pittsburg Ice Cream Company)

Canteloupe

If you attend church regularly, you have probably witnessed numerous "Childrens' Sermons." But, for those of who are not familiar with this term, here's a little tutorial.
In many Protestant congregations (I have seen them in Lutheran, United Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches), the pastor or a designated church member calls and gathers the youngest members of the congregation down in front, by the altar, for a little pre-Adult Sermon message. It's always fairly simple and often has several common elements:

1. Kids know that most questions, asked by the speaker during the short sermon, can be answered by saying God or Jesus.
2. They often involve a give away......candy, a toy, or something seasonally relevant, like a candy cane or an Easter Egg.
3. They almost always end in a prayer.
4. When they are over, it means that someone is going to lead the kiddos out of the boring service to a playground of some sort.

Sermons for children are pretty predictable. We once had a pastor who stopped giving sermons for the kids, because a couple of the kids knew more about The Bible than he did. All he wanted was a "Jesus" anwer to his questions and those kids kept giving him, and the whole congregation, a lesson in Christian Theology. You could almost hear him groan, when the two of them would come tromping down the aisle to sit with him at the front of the church.

Today, as all the kids were gathered around the pastor, she held up a big globe. "What is this?" she asked. A little voice yelled out, "A canteloupe!"
Well, God, you have our attention now!

Dear Lord: We love the surprising way that you teach us to love you and to love each other. Every day is a learning experience. Whether we are old or young, open our hearts and our minds to witness your glory.

Hey, Old Man!

Here are a few more thoughts on aging.
Last week, I wrote about not feeling my age. I still subscribe to that idea. Chronological age isn't logical at all. However, just yesterday, something happened that made me pause to think about the subject of age, yet again.
My husband was having trouble getting the computer to print. He was struggling with the buttons and while he was working, he had as an observer, a child of 6 (and one-half, as she would carefully add), who was closely watching the proceedings. His frustration must have been evident, because the little person to his right pleaded with the computer, "Come on computer, help this old man!"
So, no matter how we view ourselves, how others view us is also relevant.
Remember how old we thought our teachers were? Those folks were really old to us and actually the very oldest of those venerable folks couldn't have been over 65. That's not very old in any one's book.
Years ago a common phrase was, "Don't trust anyone over 40". And, I remember thinking, at the time, that 40 was really ancient. Today a 40 year old is just starting out! Forty is a distant memory and I keep wondering where have all those 70 years gone?
Today, I realized that I really couldn't jump rope anymore. I tried and I just couldn't get in the rhythm. Truthfully, any kind of jumping is a bit beyond my current skill set. But, I can still pitch a mean Wiffle ball and bend to pick up a gently hit grounder.
My new goal, as a senior, is not to worry about the years piling up, but to concentrate on having the best time of my life........right now!

Good Lord, I am thankful for the life I have. My blessings are many. Help me to age gracefully and graciously. Show me how to help others and to follow your teachings. I want to live many more years, doing what you want me to do.

....is the new 40!

Here comes another birthday. With the passing of this particular birthday, I will formally be classified as old. And the problem is, I don't feel old. Maybe, if you would see me on the street, you might say, "Gee, she's old." But, although I might look old, I don't feel old.
Old age is relative. Many of the folks I work with are in their late 80s and even late 90s. They are  considered really old, but most of them don't behave like old people. Shoot, they are just young folks in old people's bodies. They think young and they talk young. They have opinions and they aren't afraid to voice them. Age has made them bold!
Old age is a state of mind. Just because your birth certificate dates you as old, it doesn't mean you have to really be old. Thinking young keeps you happy and moving.
Old age isn't for the weak. It takes a whole lifetime of hard work to reach old age. The weak folks never make it.
Old age is great. Well, there are some "not so good days", but it's still a blessing to wake up and keep on trucking. There is so much to do and the clock is ticking.
I want to make the most of the days that I have remaining, and I hope there are a whole bunch of them.

Great God: I feel blessed. I have so much to be thankful for. Thank you for the life I lead. Let me do your work and allow me the grace to show others how thankful I am for your steadfast love.

Play it again, Jerry Lee Lewis!

My sister called last week to ask me if we were anticipating any tornadoes, here in the heartland, during the month of September. Springtime, I assured her, not autumn, was the time of bad weather in Missouri. We are bound to have at least a couple of tornado warnings and quite a few tornado watches, but they almost always happen in the Spring.
My sister and all of her immediate family live in Southern California and she's planning a trip to see us this month. So, she was sincerely concerned. Tornadoes don't often happen, in California. And, according to my wise, much older sister, they rarely have rain, let alone lightning and thunder.
Years ago, I asked her what it felt like to be in an earthquake. She said it was a sense of movement underneath your feet. Sort of like a shaking sidewalk.
Earthquakes happen in California. Tornadoes occur in Missouri.

This morning we were awakened, in Missouri, by an earthquake, and it sure felt like someone was shaking the house. It was a surprise to all of us, especially those of us who have never felt one before.
Isn't life amazing?

Good God: We are thankful that no one was hurt by this earthquake. It surprised us. It was an experience. We give thanks for all of life's events and we thank You for being our rock and constant in good and bad times.

Sweet treats

The grand girls and I had an fun outing last weekend. We visited a little store where I had planned to buy them to ice cream sandwiches. I thought it would be fun to let them choose from the nice selection of prepackaged ice cream treats, in the store's freezer. The oldest grand girl chose a generic ice cream sandwich and the youngest one decided on a name-brand square item. We sat down at a cute little ice cream parlor set of table and chairs and proceeded to enjoy our ice cream.
The sticky chocolate cookie covering the ice cream sandwich, produced a great deal of finger licking by grand girl #1. She quoted her Grandpa, while doing her licking. Grandy says, "Ice cream sandwiches make fingers taste great!" She is, after all, a very neat eater.
Younger grand girl dove into her treat. But, there were no soggy cookies on her ice cream square. Instead, her ice cream was completely covered with a thin coat of hardened chocolate. She carefully removed the coating from her ice cream, piece by piece, until all that was left was a blob of melting goo. She really loves chocolate.
After we cleaned up the fingers, faces and table, we headed home.
We were full and happy. A great time was had by all.

Dearest Lord: Life is full of surprises. Most of the time it isn't what we expect at all. Help us learn how to enjoy our surprises. Remind us to remember to lick our fingers and occasionally just eat the chocolate coatings in life.
You are a great teacher. Life is full of amazing blessings.

.......Next to Godliness!!!!!!!

When I write my book on the Meaning of Life, the first chapter will be titled, "Life is too short for Cheap Soap". That may seem like an unusual statement, but give it a few minutes to soak in.
Now, let me give you a clean perspective on the subject of soap.
An average bar of soap is cheap. A bar of soap lasts quite a while, depending on how much you use it. Years ago, a wise home-economics teacher told her classes to unwrap bars of soap, upon purchase, so that they would "dry out", harden and last longer. A great money saving tip. It probably saved her three or four dollars, over her lifetime.
Many women receive pleasantly scented bars of soap as gifts. Grandma used to keep the ones she was given in her dresser drawers to make her undies smell nice. Other women just keep gift soap, in the box or wrapper, until it doesn't smell anymore, or until they die. Just like the "good towels", nice soap rarely gets used.
Well, here's a news flash. Buy good soap and use it.
A really nice bar of soap does cost more than the grocery store variety. After all, you can always purchase 6 bars, for a couple of bucks. But, the benefits of a great bar of soap are worth so much more than the money you save.
Buying and using a great soap can make your whole bathroom, and you smell wonderful. Good soap is not a frivolous purchase, if you use it. I consider a good bar of soap a bargain vacation, a cruise. or a trip to Europe, that costs me, at the most, $6.00, every three months. It's a luxury anyone can afford. And, everyone deserves a bit of pampering.
A good bar of expensive soap is a cheap way to change your life.

Great and powerful God: You have given us life, and we need to be brave enough to live it. Why are we so afraid to be bold? Where is our Faith? Why is it so hard to trust in Your everlasting power and guidance?
Show us how to live our lives to the fullest. Teach us to be unafraid and to walk in Your shadow, loving others as You love us.

Sha Boom, Sha Boom!

Today was one of those "survival days". I'm sure you have had them, too. They don't come along very often, but when they arrive, you know it.
I couldn't decide on what to wear or what to pack for lunch. My stomach was upset, even before I left the house. My thoughts were along the lines of, "If I can just survive until lunchtime, maybe I'll just take the afternoon off and spend the rest of the day in bed."
Nothing major happened at work to perk up my attitude. The usual number of residents didn't remember to push their "check-in buttons" and my "regulars" ordered their weekly groceries on-time and in an appropriate manner. I registered quite a few folks for the Bingo Night, and the Doctor Day Appointments increased in a normal manner. I put postage on about a dozen bills and letters for residents, and posted a parking violation notice on a car parked in the wrong spot. Then, in fact, by noon, I was feeling pretty darn good.
Do you know what cured me of my "just-make-it-through-the day" attitude? It's really quite simple.
I quit thinking about myself and starting doing for others. When you are thinking about your own troubles and woes, life can be pretty overwhelming. But, when you put others and their needs ahead of your own.....voila'........Life can be dream, sweetheart.  Life can be quite wonderful.

Dear Lord, Thank you for showing me the way, today. Thank you leading me towards a better attitude. I am so blessed to be able to help my brothers and sisters.
I am a believer.

Randy Newman had it right!

When I hired on to my latest job, I agreed to do a great many things. My list of responsibilities is long and my goal is to do each item on the list, to the best of my ability. I work hard at doing my job.
However, it is a bit of a struggle to maneuver around a few testy challenges, during my work hours.
For instance, my feet don't touch the floor, when I sit at my work counter. My feet don't even reach the footrest of my tall chair. To my employers credit, I was recently given a nice foot stool on which to rest my feet, while sitting. But, it is still a challenge to climb into and out of my chair. Sometimes I feel like a mountain goat.
Another challenge is my reaching ability. When standing, I cannot reach to the front of the counter. I have twisted and turned, rearranged and adjusted all of my paraphernalia, to no avail. When I am  perched on my chair, I am suspended in air. I cannot reach anything but my computer, so I have to carefully dismount and then stand on my toes to reach the cash register or anything else located on the counter.
I don't mean to complain. It's a beautiful counter and a beautiful work place. My job is the best.
It just doesn't fit me.
I'm too short.

Dearest Lord. Life is full of challenges. Our job is to make adjustments. Most of the time adjustment is difficult. Teach us patience and perseverance and guide us on the path that leads to everlasting salvation. Show us how to love You and one another.

Eenie, Meenie...........

Every now and then I get a severe case of writer's blob. No, I didn't misspell that. That was not a misspeak. I meant to type.... blob.
Writer's blob is my term for when my mind is so full of things, about which to opine, that it is impossible for me to settle on only one subject. I just can't decide on what to write.
So, the solution is to just list my possible topic ideas, and I will let my readers take it from there. So, here they are:

• The weather....because it has been 100 plus, several times in the past few days. There is just so much to say about the weather.
• Fire Alarms......because we have been testing them and everyone complains about the sound. I just can't reason with folks about the safety of alarms.
• Wonderful old friends......because I met up with a few hundred of them at a recent event, and I was reminded of how much they mean to me.
• Mini vacations.......even if they last only one evening. A wonderful dinner, at a new restaurant, in a beautiful setting, is a great refresher of life.
• Frustration.........candy wrappers on the floor behind my desk. When 3 trash cans are within paces from the candy dish, why do folks contine to use the floor?
• Grandchildren.

There are more, but perhaps you can think about these topics and imagine the rest of the stories.

God: Life is a kaleidoscope of experiences and wonders. Give me the patience and intelligence to embrace the vastness of existence. I honor your presence in my life. I am truly blessed to know You.

Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalal............

I just got a phone call from Donald Trump, and I'm sure he had something important to say, but I hung up on him after a few seconds. Hillary Clinton appears, scowling, on the right side of my email inbox, each and every time I log in. She keeps asking me to follow her and contribute to her campaign, and I haven't. Once she even asked me to have dinner with her....for a price, of course. Bernie Sanders pops up occasionally, when I switch on a couple of the games I regularly play. And well, Facebook has had an assortment of candidates whining and pleading for my support from almost every page I open.
Enough already.
I am not going to make up my mind to vote for or against any candidate, for public office, by listening to a "sound bite" or watching a derogatory ad.
As Officer Friday said, "Give me the facts.....just the facts." I'll make an informed decision after I use my God given mind to rationally decipher what I find to be the truth, from all of the verbose garbage I see, read and hear.

God give me wisdom to know the truth. Grant me the patience to listen to those who insist on telling me their political views. Allow me to behave in a rational manner, even if I disagree with them all. Teach me tolerance. Show me how to exhibit mercy. Keep me calm.

Put on a Happy Face......or at least try.

It seems that every time I turn on the TV, I hear someone screaming in anger. At work there are folks who are always angry and frustrated at one thing or another.  With all of the anger in our world, no wonder there is so much unhappiness.
I truly believe that angry people are unhappy people.
But, sometimes I hear comments, like.....You know so and so is only happy when she is complaining. Or, he is happiest when he is angry.
That is just not true.
If you are thinking about your problems all the time or focusing on how unhappy you are, then you are just going to succeed at making yourself more miserable and more miserable. Miserable people are never happy.
Guess what? When you get your mind going in the right direction and put some of your energy into the good in your life (and we all have good in our lives), then you will experience some real happiness.
Happiness will give you peace.

Dear Lord. We are grateful for many things. How truly blessed we are to know that you will always be with us. Help us to embrace the good in our lives. Show us how to throw out our negatives. Grant us peace.

Sum-sum-sum-sum-sum-sum-sum-er-time. Summertime. Oh-oh-oh 0h."

Our friend from Vermont was stunned when the car thermometer read 99 degrees. He couldn't even imagine what he was seeing and experiencing. An hour or so later, that same thermometer topped off at 104.
Recently, after a dozen or so days of 90 degrees or more, our vibrant green, grassy lawns started to go dormant (that's burned out, brown and dead for you Yankees or Californians) and the potted flowers started wilting. No amount of artificial watering can stem a horrendous Midwestern hot spell. The natives were saying that June was not supposed to be this hot. The weather persons on TV were saying that we were having record breaking high temperatures.
Fast forward to today, July third. Flash flood warnings and record breaking cool weather. The soil in my flower pots is soggy and I had to jettison the extra water in their saucers. What a difference a day or so makes.
Welcome to the Great Midwest. And, this ain't Ohio! I'm talking Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska and Iowa. We are what weather is all about!
As I sit here wrapped in my sweater (I refuse to allow my husband turn on the heat in JULY), I am contemplating the strangeness of Mother Nature. How dare we plan for a hot and dry 4th of July! We are not in control of the Universe. We are in control of very little and oh how upset we get when things don't go our way.
Buck up, cowpokes! Hang on to the reins and hold on for dear life. Life is a wild and unpredictable ride.

Good Lord: Sometimes this journey is tough. But, You never promised us a smooth and easy trip. As your children, we know that we can turn to You for comfort and assurance. Your arms are always wide open and welcoming. We praise You and welcome Your blessings.

The Match Game

Picture this......Three mature couples, each of them married over 50 years, embattled in a "Not So Newly Wed Game".  There were three rounds of questions. The sport was in just how well did these anciently married folk know their spouses.
Well, it appears, not very well. None of the men could remember  the when and wherefore of  their first date. No matches with their female counterparts. Or, what gift they had first given their spouse. Harder still, to answer, was where would their spouse want to go ....if time and money were no object. ( I said Italy....my husband said Hawaii!)
Fifty years is a long time to live closely with one person, yet none of us seemed to know much about  each other after all.
Well, maybe that's just the trick to staying married for a very long time. Mystery! The Unknown may be the greatest aphrodisiac of all.


Great and powerful God: We thank you for the surprises of life. We are thrilled with the unknown and the unusual. We appreciate the change and  randomness of our existence. Variety is indeed the spice of life.
You are our shield and protector. Thank you for being our constant and our rock.

Bomb-Pop, Grandpa?

Thursday brought something new to the retirement community.
The Ice Cream Wagon came trolling by. I wrote trolling, but actually the driver wheeled in the driveway and stayed just about as long as a "drive-by" shooter stays at a crime scene!
He must have been unaware that even if our residents could have heard the tinkling music or
made the connection between the music and the impending arrival of the Ice Cream Man, they could never have chased after him.

If he comes by again, the video I may make just might become the next Internet sensation. We'll be ready for him next time. Residents with their canes and walkers, money in hand, will be waiting eagerly behind the shrubbery. Men and women on their electric chairs will be poised and ready, with their fists on the controls and purses in their baskets.
Folks will all "peel out" and start rolling through the parking lot, before his wagon hits the corner. I can see them now, surrounding the surprised driver with their demands for the goodies.Then they will grab the cool stuff and speed back inside to eat the frozen treats in their air-conditioned apartments.
Ain't summertime great?

Dear God we are so thankful for the fun times. We will continue to follow you and ask your guidance in the not so fun times. Life isn't always an ice cream sandwich, but your steadfast love endures forever.

Lord, save me from myself!

Spoiler Alert! I am a Senior Citizen attempting to use the Internet.
Back when it was cool to take "typing" in high school, I took it and got an A. (Not an A+, but a regular A.) I was really pretty good at "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party." Over the years, I have taught classes in keyboarding, Office and Word.
My spouse and I were a couple who bought a computer for family use, before we knew what the Internet was or how to connect to it. That was years ago.
So, don't call me  Missy Tech-no-nothing. I do Social Media. I email. I process, make labels and create cards.
But, yesterday, when I received a bizarre multi color notice on the lower right corner of my monitor, I was puzzled. What did the message mean?
"My logmein was not connected." OMGoodness!
My first thought was. I have been hacked. And, to top it all off , it must be someone or something from China. That rascal!
Then......Maybe it had something to do with food.  Chow Mein, you know! Maybe I was been stalked by a Chinese Restaurant!
I'd never had a message like this before. What had I done wrong? What button had I pushed, to cause this message?
Then, I ran over to my much younger work colleague. "Kaycee!" I pleaded. "Help me. What have I done? My logmein isn't connected."

"That would be Log Me In," she replied patiently. "Just hit the X in the corner. It will go away."

Oh, Lord. Save us from ourselves. We are so in need of your help and protection. We cannot do life without you. Asking for Your help and the help of others is a very good thing.

" I'll make it anywhere...."

I know many fearful senior citizens. They worry about many things, and they are afraid of a great many more. Fear and worry have paralyzed them. They are afraid to enjoy the rest of their lives.
Here's what I believe.
My youth was spent worrying and being fearful. I always deferred to the sensible and followed along doing what others told me was right. Well, hear this, folks, I refuse to be afraid in my senior years!
I've made it this far. Praise the Lord. I am a survivor!
I just spent the weekend in New York City. On Saturday, this little old lady walked by herself for 4 hours. I shopped, did some sightseeing, visited Grand Central Station, Central Park, Rockefeller Center and Times Square. It was great fun.
On Sunday, I had some family with me, but again, we were adventurers, exploring unknown environs without fear.
Monday, the same.
Look out world. To quote Pogo, (in sort of a bizarre way), " We have met the enemy and he is us." Our enemy in life is truly "us". God has given us the power to do whatever we want. We just have to do it. It is up to us.
With God as our ally, we cannot fail.

Dear God; Let's make it happen. Together we can succeed. You are my source and my shield. AMEN.

Pants on Fire!

I  just listened to a popular TV Commentator talk about what makes him angry. He read a list of things a mile long. I suppose that he must be angry, most of the time. That would be very stressful and lead to the consumption of a whole lot of antacids!
By contrast, I would have a very short list of things that make me angry. Oh sure, I get disappointed and fuss when things don't seem to go right, but I don't often get angry. I roll my eyes a lot. I frown and pout, but, I rarely get really  and truly angry.
But, if hard pressed to tell you about the one thing that makes me angry, it would be lying. I believe that it is very important "to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth".
But, as a addendum to that truth statement, I am reminded of what my mother taught me. My mother used to repeat the "if you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all" mantra.
The Lord, and many people know, that I am not a saint. So, I'm quiet a lot!  I would rather keep my mouth shut, than tell a lie.
I try very hard to be truthful. So, in turn, don't lie to me. I don't like it. If I catch you at it, you will disappoint me.
It's true what they say about lies. Lies are a lot like potato chips. You can't tell just one! Lies grow, with each retelling. Lies are hard to live up to and with. No one ever told just one white lie.
Please, don't lie.

Dear God; Sometimes we want things to be better than they actually are. We mess up. We fail. Sometimes we just try to cover up our mistakes. It is not always easy to be faithful. Lead us towards the Goal and show us how to put our faith in You. You are our strength and our rock.

Give Me A Break!

Want to make a three-year old happy? Tell her that you are going to take her to the park.....five minutes before you go. Instant love and undying affection.
Want to create bedlam, chaos, fear and mayhem? Tell an educated and otherwise intelligent group of 80 to 90 year-olds, that two weeks from a specified date, you are going to execute an orderly, planned evacuation of their automobiles, to a secure and guarded site. Promise to return those same cars, after resurfacing the parking lot, to the exact same, numbered spot, and get it all done within 24 hours. Immediate hatred and instant mistrust. Instant anarchy.
My colleagues and I have honestly been herding cats for the past two days. We have had crying women and screaming men. As one man said to me, "This has been the worst day of my life!"

Oh, my word. Up to this point, sir, how truly blessed your life must have been!

Good God! Give us understanding and patience. Help us to realize that we are not the only ones on this planet. Help us to keep things in perspective. Relieve us of our self importance and remind us that possessions are just material things. Grant us wisdom and courage. Give us the joy that comes from truly believing in You.

For Paul's Sake!

Paul's Letter to the Philippians is just a small book in the New Testament. Last week, in our Bible Study, we attempted to seek understanding of a passage where Paul asked the readers of his letter, the members of the church at Philippi, to become more like Christ. He said "always consider the other person to be better than yourself. Have no conceit. Always put the other person's interests first."
Oh, my goodness. Well, that is so simple. Isn't that the solution to all of our problems?
How grand life would be if we, all of us, all of humanity, always put the interests of everyone else, before our own interests.
But, by golly we just can't do it. We live in a ME FIRST Society. No wonder we have stress. No wonder we're unhappy. No wonder we complain all the time. No wonder we con't get along. We are selfish.
Today at work, I encountered a great many selfish and greedy folks. They were, to a man and woman, concerned about their own interests. Nothing was pleasing them. It was a ME FIRST day. Everyone I encountered wanted it "MY WAY or the HIGHWAY".
In my efforts to find create harmony and peace, I just encountered more unhappiness and discord.
But, God is Good. Tomorrow will be better. Paul also said, " There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength."

Great and powerful God. Give us strength. Show us how to put others first. Give us an understanding of others and help us find the good in everyone. Give us patience.

Do you have something else besides Mexican food?

I have based much of my philosophy of life, on my favorite movie, "The Three Amigos." Not every
one I know understands this, but believe me, there is much to live by in this ridiculously politically incorrect movie. So much so, that even the most conservative soul could learn something of value from Dusty Bottoms, Ned Nederlander and Lucky Day.
Last night, my dear friend and I attended a "Three Amigos Quote a Thon". Apparently, I am not the only "Three Amigos" geek and aficionado in our area, for at least a hundred senors et senoritas were with Sophie and I, as we toasted and saluted the Infamous Tres Amigos.
During every gunfight, we shot off our cap pistoles and during every song we shook our maracas. We sang along with the lyrics of  " My Little Buttercup" and  echoed the words spoken between the Three Amigos and El Guapo. We understood that El Guapo didn't know what foreplay was. And, we understood what happened to the invisible swordsman, because when the emcee asked, "How many of you have seen this movie a hundred times?".......most of us raised our hands and shouted, "Viva los amigos! "
There have been numerous times, over the years, when an earnest presenter has asked me, "What is it that we can do really well? What is it that we are especially good at?"  Each and every time, I have wanted to yell out....WE CAN SEW! Amen and Amen. We are all great at something!

Dear Lord. You have given us so many things to enjoy. We can laugh at ourselves and enjoy the foibles of others. You are our rock and our salvation. We praise your name, over all things, invisible and visible.

"Come and get it, "afor I stick my foot in it." *

I don't remember my mother cooking a "new" meal, at anytime during my childhood. By that I mean, that I can only remember eating "left-overs". 
Now, I'm not saying that the meals during my growing up years were bad, I'm just saying we always ate left-overs. You only have to look at pictures of my sister and me, from ages 3-16, to observe that we were not starving to death.
But, some weeks we had left-over roast and potatoes on Monday. Tuesday we would have roast and potato stew. Wednesday, roast and veggie casserole and Thursday, Dorothy Soup. Then, we would have some kind of fried fish and left-over veggies on Friday. On Saturday, the left-overs from Friday. Sunday, we would start all over again.
Only on this week, it would start with left-over Chop Suey.... left-over from Grandma's Sunday meal, Chop Suey with extra rice on Monday, with canned crispy noodles on Tuesday, Dorothy's Chinese goulash on Wednesday, Chinese Soup on Thursday, etc.
The next week it would be chicken....all week.
On and on. Week after week. Year after year.
I am not complaining, only stating what I remember as fact. To this day, I admire my mother's creativity and thriftiness. She fed us and we ate well. Although, come to think of it we had no choice and it didn't occur to us to question the menu!


* Pat Butrum, Roy and Dale's Cook.


Good and kind God: We are thankful for many things. Good memories are a special blessing. Life is a journey to be taken by everyone of us. Help us to pack lightly and travel well. Show us how to enjoy both the bumps in the road and the smooth pavement. We glorify your name.

Your're never to old.

My ocean of knowledge, compared to a great many folks, is pretty shallow. I know a little about a whole lot of things. And, because of my addiction to talking, I will agreeably converse, with anyone, about anything.
Today, there I was, jabbering on about the subject of coinage. I know next to nothing about coins. For Pete's Sake, it's hard for me to make change! Anyway, in the process of describing a particular coin to a friend of mine, I told him that the front of the coin had the image of Caesar Augustus, and the back of the coin.......
He said, "OBVERSE. The front of the coin is the obverse and the back is the reverse. The side with the head, on any coin, is the obverse."
Obverse is a totally new word to me. Joy of Joys. It's a great day when you can learn something new. My puddle got a bit deeper.


Dear Lord, Blessings come in all shapes and sizes. A discovery. A new word. A new friend. They are all blessings, given to us from You. Teach us how to look for them. Show us how to treasure them. Remind us to be thankful for them.

Attitude rocks!

Not long ago. I wrote a piece about worry. I told about two famous non-worriers, Alfred E. Newman and Jesus Christ. They both had the right idea. Worry is a useless activity. It accomplishes nothing. Don't do it!
Now, I am going to expound on attitude. Stuff happens. Listen up folks! Not everything, that happens in life, is wonderful, rosy, grand and glorious. Surprise, surprise.
I challenge you to think of a recent day when something bad didn't happen to you. How did you deal with your misfortune? Did the badness suck you in? Did it ruin your day? Your week? Your life?
Or, did you accept the bad and look for the good in the situation? Did you look on the bright side and ask for God's help with solving your problem? Did you make the best of it?
It is our choice, you know. It's that old "glass half-full or half-empty" scenario.
This weekend, I received to very powerful statements of Positive Attitude. I was given two mugs by two long time friends. One had the phrase "tell me something good" written on it. It made me contemplate the terrible truth, that we often tell each other about about something bad.
The other mug was a paraphrase of the WWII British Motto, "Keep Calm and Carry On". This mug said "Keep Calm and Sparkle On".

I am going to try...really try.... to keep a positive attitude. I promise to tell something good and Sparkle while I'm doing it.

Great and Power God,
Remind me that you are always with me. My life isn't bad. I have many, many blessings. I have Faith and I have really good friends. I am so blessed. Thanks a bunch, God.

Cleanliness is next to .........

Spring, here in the Midwest is a beautiful season. The dogwoods, pink and white, are in bloom.
Red bud trees, with their tiny purplish blosssomed branches dot the landscape and they look spectacular against the barely leafing out larger trees. Lilac bushes are at their peak and they smell fabulous, whether they are lavender or white.The daffodils have finished  blooming and the tulips are at their climax of their color.
Every one of God's natural creations seems new, fresh and colorful.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the inside of my house looks dirty, sad and cluttered.
It's time to clean and pitch.
I feel this way every year. It's an overwhelming task, especially if you start with the big stuff. I know, that's they way I usually do it, and I never get very far. My success at decluttering is very minimal.
This year, for a change, I am going to start small and maybe I will be more successful.
I am going to start with photos. Any photo without people is going to get pitched. That will be, I'm guessing, at least 40% of our photo clutter.
Next, I will toss out all of the "just acquaintance photos". That's got to be another 20%. In this category will be Photo Christmas Cards from several years back.
Duplicate photos will be thrown away. Shots that make me or other people look bad, fat or ugly have got to go, too.
Voila! I will have cleaned out more that 80% of our photo clutter. Hooray.
I am going to get started, right now!

Lord, guide my feet. The race is getting pretty slow. I'm slowing down in body, but not it mind.
Help me to set priorities. Remind me daily to do your will and make life a little better for all the folks I encounter.

Jesus and Alfred E. Newman were right!

Just in the past week, two folks have spoken to me about worry. Worry is an extremely powerful emotion. It is very easy for us to allow it to consume our every thought. The very idea that two different people, from two very different parts of my life, could have the same worry......that their loved ones were worrying too much, is proof that worry is a powerful force.
Some people actually describe themselves or others as "worriers" I grew up as a very worrying type of person. My mother used to tell me not to be such a "worrywart" (whatever that was?). And, I have worked at doing just that. These days, I don't worry so much.
Some where, along my life journey, I figured out that worrying was a fairly useless activity. My mother used to say to me...."Is this thing that you are worrying about, whatever mistake you have made, whatever stupid words you said.......is it going to make any difference one hundred years from now?"
No, of course not.
Worrying doesn't help a thing, and even God doesn't want us to worry. He tells us, in the New Testament, not once, but twice, to stop worrying.  Look up what he says in Matthew 6:27, and Luke 12:25. He must have known how important it is to not waste our time worrying, to have said it twice!
Worrying makes us fearful. Don't spend your time worrying. Worrying never cured cancer. Worrying never gives anyone happiness, wealth or fame. It only keeps us from living a full and meaningful life.
So stop worrying....or at least try let go of a few of your worries and fears. You are worrying us.

Good Lord. Why do we continue to worry? We are not Faith Full. We have very little Faith. We haven't learned to turn things over to you. We are slow to realize that you will be here with us, no matter what happens.
Show us how to increase our Faith. Release us from worry.

One More Time.....

Let's talk about longevity. It is the 19th of March, and it just happens to be the day that the swallows traditionally return to Capistrano. Actually, they return to the Mission San Juan, in the city of Capistrano, in southern California.
The mission birds are returning from their nests in the Southern Hemisphere, to California, where they will spend the Spring and Summer. They have been returning on March the nineteenth, since Spanish Colonial times, in the California Territory.
The city of Capistrano has a big celebration every year, on the anniversary of the swallows return. It includes a sidewalk fair, a parade and lots of festivities. The Mission Docents march in the parade. Horses prance and bands play. A great time is had by everyone who joins in the celebration.
The swallows have never failed to arrive.
There is, no doubt, a scientific reason why the birds faithfully follow the tradition. But, I don't really need to know why they continue to come. I just feel comforted that they keep returning year after year.
Maybe they don't want to miss the parade!

(Happy Birthday, to my favorite sister and favorite docent.)

Dear Lord, You are ever faithful...just like the swallows. We don't need to know why you are always here for us. We should just accept that you just are. Your loving care surrounds us, for ever.
Thank you for our many blessings.

Trust Me!

We come to that time of year, slightly before St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), Easter (never before March 22nd) and Tax Day (April 15th), when the infamous Ides of March occurs. For my readers who didn't have to memorize Brutus' speech from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", the Ides is actually the 15th day of any month. However, Caesar was murdered on the 15th of March, so that's the only Ides, anyone every talks about.
Caesar was warned, you know. "Beware" Watch out for that day! Of course, his "friends" ended up killing him him....stabbed him, according to first hand reports (did you like that pun???) around thirty times.
The moral in this story just has to be.... be careful in whom you put your trust.
We are in the midst of a campaign for President of the United States. Missouri holds its Primary this Tuesday......the Ides of March. I'm not sure I trust anyone candidate enough to cast my vote for him.

Great God: I trust you. "Trust and Obey, for there's no other way." When everyone else fails us, you will always be there. Help us to be discerning and wise. Direct our minds and bodies to do your will.

Take your place, please.

Our Kindergartener in the house has recently informed us that we now have assigned seats at the kitchen table. Who knew? The 6 year old has assigned herself a seat at one end of the table, grandpa is to be seated at the other end. Little sister, grandma and dad will now occupy the side chairs.
I am relieved to know that we are all aware of the whereabouts of our designated spots. From now on, there will be no switching of places.
Place is important to all of us. Regardless of how "free spirited" we claim to be, we all know our place. For example, don't you regularly sleep on one side of your bed. (Certainly, if you're sleeping alone, this doesn't apply.) Most folks sit in the same pew, if not the same seat, every time they attend church. How about where you store your silverware? Spoons in the spoon slot. Forks in another. Knives belong in yet another place. When you go to a movie theater, don't you always try to head to the row where you sat the last time? It's where you are most comfortable. It's your place!
We all have our feel-right places, from your favorite chair in the living room to your preferred spot in a restaurant booth.
Familiarity breeds security.

Great God. We know that our place is ultimately with You. On our journey through life, be our guide and deliverer. Help us to find our proper place in your world.

"Whenever I walk in a London Street."

I am a reader-kind of person. My earliest memories involve trips to the Public Library in the small town where I grew up. My mother read to me. My much older sister read to me and I read a lot of books at an early age. Books were great entertainment.
Besides reading a lot of borrowed books from the library, we owned some books that were all given to us by our Aunt Anna. Anna gave us great books, over our growing up years. We had copies of lots of children's classics. We had beautifully illustrated volumes of Robinson Crusoe, The Tales of King Arthur, and The Yearling. Really good children's literature worth keeping.
But, the Aunt Anna book that I still have, the one I that I continue to read to my grandchildren, is the Better Homes and Gardens Story Book, published in the late 1940s. It's been out of print for years, due in part to the fact that a couple of the stories are definitely politically incorrect. Because of its advanced age, my copy has torn and folded pages. But, thankfully none of the pages are missing.
One of the poems, found in this old book, is by A.A. Milne. Originally published in the volume, When We Were Very Young,  "Lines and Squares" has only about 18 lines. I can recite it without missing a word. (I am a memorizer-kind of person, as well.) And, this particular little poem, is responsible, more than any other thing I can think of, for forming my moral character and personality.
 You see, according to Milne, "it's ever so 'portant how you walk." You simply must follow the rules of life and walk in the squares.
"And, it's ever so jolly to call out," Bears. Just watch me walking in all the squares!" has always given me strength and confidence.

Great Lord. We are influnced by many things. As we travel on our life's journey, may we be influenced by worthwhile things. We never know who we influence. Let those whom we influence be led to greater and more meaningful lives. We ask these things in your great and all powerful name.

Misnomer

My much older sister wanted to name me, Jane. Jane was the main character in the book she was reading at the time. She was a first grader, and Dick and Jane, of course, was what all first graders were reading. Instead, I was named Nancy.
The story, as I remember it, was that my mother was enamored by the way a relative pronounced the simple name of Nancy. She drew it out, giving it a couple of extra syllables. Maybe sort of like Naaaaa-yannnnn-ceeeee. My mother thought the name Jane was just too plain.
But, over the years, there have been many famous Janes. Jane Seymour, Jane Austen, Jane Eyre, Jane Adams,  Jane Fonda and Mary Jane shoes just to name a few. There haven't been very many famous Nancys. I can only think of a couple. There was Nancy Hanks (Think Abraham Lincoln), the two Nancy Sinatras (Think Frank), and Nancy Reagan (Think Ronald).
The name Nancy just doesn't stand by itself in history. Nancy has to be tied to some other, much more famous  person.
I think I must have been mis-named.
However, if my sister had  been able to choose my name, the name of this Blog would not have been "Nansense". It might have been just "Nonsense".

Great and powerful God. Draw us closer to you. Guide our thoughts and our deeds. Help us to follow your word and do your will. We can change who we are, but we cannot deny whose we are. Show us how to follow you,

Just a Regular Party Girl

 I am just remembering the three biggest days of the school year. Oh, there were other big school days every year. My birthday, if it fell on a school day, ranked about number four on my Big Day List. Then there was the last day of school, in May. That had to be number five.
But the three biggest days, of any school year, were the Party Days.
First of all came the Halloween Party. I think we must have done the dressing-up thing for all of the K-6th grades. We wore our costumes to school, ate candy all day, played all kinds of games and must have driven the teachers crazy.
The Christmas Party came next. Not as much chaos, but the treats were better. I seem to remember cake and ice cream and candy of course. I think we must have gotten those "orange bag" pre-stuffed stockings just about every year. And, candy canes. The more candy, the better.
Then, there was Valentine's Day. A lot of preparation went into the celebration of Valentine's Day.
First, there were the boxes we decorated during school hours. You couldn't have Valentine's Day without a mail box for your Valentines! I also remember spending hours, at home, pouring over my bag of valentines, deciding which Valentine I would give to which class member. You were supposed to have one for each student in your class. And, there was always a special one for the teacher.
Putting the Valentines into the various mail boxes was always a lot of fun, and it had to be done very secretively. Opening the Valentines was a big deal. It was very exciting to see who gave you really special valentines.
And, in order to have a great party atmosphere, we had to create all kinds of Valentine Art for the ceiling and walls of our classroom. ( Free-hand, cut hearts are still a specialty of mine AND did you know that three green hearts glued together, will make a Shamrock?)
Treats were often red and white frosted cupcakes or iced sugar cookies. The room mothers had hand- baked them and brought them for us to gorge on. Valentine's Day was the best.
At my Granddaughter's Elementary School, they didn't have school on the Friday before Valentine's Day, this year. It made me very sad to think that she didn't have a Party Day.

Thank you for holidays, Dear Lord. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy those days and make them special. Thank you for the times that we share with our children and grandchildren. Seeing them grow and enjoy life is a blessing.

Pucker up, girlfriends!

Ladies! Remember when your mom told you to make sure your knees were together when you were having your picture taken? Or, when you discovered that turning to the side a bit and making sure one leg was in front of the other, made you look thinner in a photo? Well, those bits of wisdom have stayed with you, haven't they?
Fast forward to 2014, or so. Someone must have told every female under the age of 50,  to "put a hand on a hip, when you are being photographed and it will make you look great",  because somehow all of the photos we were seeing then, had young women posed .... hand on hip!
Now, in 2016, it is pucker up and pout those lips, girlfriend, and you will look marrrrrvelous!
Recently, facebook is full of these "fish faced" young things, looking their poutiest.
Well, personally, I don't think those women look so hot. They just look kind of goofy!
But, what do I know? I am still trying to get my knees to stay together.

Great God. Thank you for caring so much for us. We do the silliest things. We are vain. We think we are so special. Thank you for loving us unconditionally. We don't deserve it.
Remind us that it is not what we look like that matters. Remind us to be humble and deserving of your love.

The Big Three

Storms are coming. Everyone in town has been or is planning to rush to the grocery store and buy these items. Yes, everyone stocks up on the big three in preparation for an up-coming "snowed in".
Why do we (yes, my family is guilty, also) choose these items?
Who knows? Maybe it's inbred, pun intended, or perhaps we are all just a tiny bit crazy.
But folks, this tee pee, moo juice and sliced bread tradition is senseless.
First of all, most of us desperate grocery store looters live in cities. City ordinances say.....the roads must be plowed, in a timely manner. No one is truly "snowed in" for days, anymore. Hours maybe, but certainly not days. So, if we are in possession of only one extra roll of toilet paper, we're going to be fine. And, who doesn't have some extra magazine pages taking up space?
Now then, there's milk. How much milk do we need? Milk for dry cereal, I suppose. Well, did we buy cereal? Didn't think about that, did we? And, if our power goes out, the milk is going to go bad pretty fast. A better buy would have been canned tuna, peanut butter, canned soup, chili or even canned or powdered milk. Best choice of all would have been bottled water.
Now, how about that white bread, the squishier the better. We all know that whole wheat is better for us, but we're going to get what we like, when we're faced with carbo-starvation. What are we going to do with three or four loaves of white bread? And, of course, we forgot to get anything to eat with it. Plain bread, folks, is not very filling, healthy or appetizing. And, it gets moldy pretty fast.
Planning for an emergency is wise. Running out to the grocery store, in the wee hours of the morning or late at night, to stock up on the big three, is pretty silly.
I need to stop doing it.

Well, Lord, here we are again. We are allowing our lack of Faith and common sense to get the better of us. We know better.You have given us great biblical examples of both preparedness and trust.
Help us to get our lives on the right track. Help us to remember that your way is the best way. Remind us to get ready, to trust and  to obey.

Bad Girls

I like words and I like pondering and using interesting quotes. One of my favorite quotes these days is attributed to one Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. I have been aware of it for years, because it is printed on one of my favorite "inherited" tee shirts. And, recently it showed up in a Christmas gift book.
Some quotes reek of truth, others not so much. But, Ulrich's "Well behaved women seldom make history.", cannot be disputed. It rings true.
Think about Mary Magdalene, Joan of Arc, Clara Barton, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks. Groundbreaking, admirable women. All in them in our history books.
Of course there were other women, ill-behaved as well, who made history. Using another of my favorite quotes..."They are more than famous. They are in infamous." (TTA) On that list would be Salome, Marie Antoinette, Mata Hari and Monica Lewinsky. They misbehaved and made history.
What's my point? Nothing I have done or will do in my lifetime will be written about in a history book. But, I like to think that I will, at least, have made a mark somewhere with someone. 
Here's just one more quote. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24.)

Good and Loving Lord: All of us know that life is often rough and things do not always go the way we have planned. We cannot seem to help messing things up. Show us how to right our wrongs. Remind us that we will not live forever and that we had better behave in a way that we want to be remembered. We are continually leaving our mark on others.
Guide us and show us your will.

Light my Fire.

And, what about light bulbs?
For several years now, my husband and I have replaced almost all of our incandescent light bulbs with the new swirly CFL lights. I'm sure you all are doing the same thing. After all, these new bulbs s are the only ones you can buy. Old fashioned, light-bulb-shaped bulbs are long gone. Passe'. Kaput. Obsolete.
I'm sure you know that these new bulbs are very expensive. They don't put out the same type of light as our old kind. They take a long time to "warm up". And, above all they are supposed to last eleven years.
Well, you and I know they don't. We have replaced dozens of them, and so have you.. They don't last any longer than the old ones. We have been lied to.
But, so what? There's not a darn thing we can do about it. We just have to pay a pretty penny for the deception and use them.
What's the deal with that???????

Great Lord: I try to focus on the good things in life. But, sometimes I get discouraged. Sometimes the right does not prevail. Wrongs happen. I get angry.
Open my eyes to what really matters. Guide me and give me strength to persevere.  Give me patience and peace.
You know my heart.

Want a Date?

A new year! A new start! I am looking forward to all kinds of new things.
Starting today, in this brand new year, I feel the need to encourage all of the oldsters and youngsters to start dating. Yes, dating.
Take a Sharpie or other kind of marker and start writing the date of purchase on your stuff. I'm finding, as I get older, that I often cannot remember when an item was purchased.
Take for example the Blood Pressure Cuff my spouse just bought. His doctor told him that our old one might need a replacement (faulty readings, etc.), and sure enough it did.
But, when did we purchase the old one? Five years ago, ten years ago? Who can remember?
Just how old is our mattress? Perhaps by noting the dates of purchase we can estimate the life of the object and replace it before it dies for good?
When did we last replace the smoke alarm batteries? The water heater?I could go on and on.
Age matters, I think.
Sometimes I can't even remember who I am and where I am going......or why?
I think that dating things might help.

Kind and all-knowing Lord. We are funny creatures. I know we have too much stuff, but we have it and we must choose to use it wisely. We need to be good stewards of our world.
Watch over us and guide us.