Cherry Blossoms

It seems like we were just in Colorado, but actually we've been back home for close to two months. Where has the time gone? I could be quite happy to see cherry blossoms for much longer than they stay on the trees. I'm so glad we were in Vail at the right time to get our family picture made right there on that wall.

Well, I still have lots of summer chores to do around here. The weeds have taken over, yes, poison ivy as well. So, tomorrow I hope to dedicate the day to weed removal, some by chemicals and others by a good jerk on their roots. I pulled quite a few today and found the ground ideally soft so that the weeds extracted from the soil readily.  While I'm working, I'll most likely think of this lovely picture at some point and day dream about those blossoms.

The rest of the time, I'll most likely think about getting through the next couple of years  without completely losing our country to those eager to capsize us in a sea of debt.  If our citizenry had been duly educated in history and government, we would have never let it go so far astray. However, they had a plan, a good one that has worked. They put socialists (communist) professors in our colleges of journalism and education, so that they could indoctrinate our media workers and school teachers in the ways of socialism. Meanwhile they were teaching those same students that we are a bad country. They robbed those students of their pride in our country. We are now paying the price for neglecting to protect our youth from these outside provacateurs.

I Have Eyes For You

Okay, I do have eyes for you, trick is, they are not my eyes...they belong to our precious grandson, Oliver. I can hardly hold my own open right now.  Was planning  to post more to this blog, but think I'll just head off to bed and let someone else solve all the problems of the world.

Rodeo Cowboy

Our trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming was so much fun, that the kids went back again for Pioneer Days last week. Wish I could have gone along.

One of the things I enjoyed there was the rodeo video of trick riders...one after another being thrown off their horses. And some wonders who were able to stay on those horses for the duration. WOW

Sometimes in the last few years and more and more as the days go by, I have felt like I'm riding a bucking horse that is trying its best to throw me off.

This world is not my home. That statement rings more true every day. Our president is following a communist plan to destroy our freedom and enslave us under a tyrant.  Now he has proposed going around Congress to plan a large scale expansion of rights for illegal immigrants by executive order, which would alter the constitutional framework  in an unacceptable way. The law says that if you are in our country illegally, you are to be deported and of course you are unable to legally work  here.

But the liberals in Washington have other ideas.  The president has proposed an executive order which could grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.

As much as I like to blame this on our president. As Max Lucado says, "Our problem is sin. Not finances, Not budgets, Not overcrowded prisons. Our problem is sin. We are in rebellion against our Creator.  We're cut off from the source of life.  A new president or policy won't fix that. It can only be solved by God. "

He says to ask yourself three questions:

1. Is there any unconfessed sin in my life?  Confession is telling God you did the thing He saws you do.
2. Are there any unresolved conflicts in my world?  Go and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.

3. Ar  there any un-surrendered worries in my life?  Worry is a noose on the neck and a distraction of the mind."

Thank you. Max Lucado.

A Little Levity

It seems that much that we see and hear these days is very serious, yet we need a laugh now and then. While we were in Colorado, our grand dog, Rado perked up when PaPa would read Bible Stories. It was quite cute, so we took advantage of his interest and I made this page to remember how cute he was.

On a more serious note, I'm posting an email I received second hand today. It originated as The Daily Encourager. I'm not sure who is responsible for it; howevcr, I do recognize the Bible verse. It is a good message for us now.

Eagles in the Storm

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages, below the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us ... and all of us will experience them...we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on  wings like eagles." Isaiah 40:31a

 

Snap

Caleb  puts his iPhone to good use, sharpening his photography skills. I wish I had one of the pictures he took that day for this layout, but I don't, so I finished the page anyway.

Oh my, I never would have guessed that people all over the county would be talking about Obamacare.  There seems to be a lot of hatred out there to make them talk to complete strangers in reckless abandon, not caring what others think. A complete stranger told me today that she had been a Democrat until about 5 years ago, at which time she switched parties and she has been taking all her neighbors to do the same.  Individuals are talking in grocery lines, on sidewalks, in public waiting rooms, restaurants, everywhere.

Statue of Liberty

I'm not sure how many copies of the Statue of Liberty there are, but I know that we have one here at the lakes in Ohio and Ft Collins, CO has one in its City Park.  It is a beloved monument in the states. It declares our freedom from foreign rule. It declares our personal freedom of choice. We have not been told what to do and when to do it. We can choose for ourselves how we want to live our lives.

But recently there have been those who have risen to power  who want to rule over us, to tell us how to live everyday, to make us into subjects instead of free spirits. It is not a good thing. Even though there are many asleep or that have already been brainwashed in socialist schools, there are still many who are alert to what is happening day to day.

Please pray that our God gives us our freedoms back soon, and that we can use them responsibly.

Gramma's Vacation

This photo was taken the day we arrived at John's and Beth's house from the airport.  We had a very special time with  the boys, Caleb and Oliver. Of course, there was much more interaction with this 4 year old who knew us well.

Oliver Walks

Oliver just started crawling a few days ago, and now he is determined  to walk. He is just 7 months old.  

It is cute to watch Caleb help Oliver accomplish this fete. Looks like they can be real buddies now.

Fireworks at the Lakes

July 4th has come and gone.  Our liberty has come and gone as well. At least it is on its way out. But as long as I'm permitted to salute this flag and celebrate the birth of this nation, I will. We have been the best nation ever...and if you are from another country, you might feel the same about your country. That is your prerogative and mine.  I will continue to say, God Bless America because He has and I pray He will in the future.

Every year we have fireworks over the lakes. It is a privately funded celebration. There is no government involvement.  Private citizens and businesses choose to support the fireworks display. Every year, we take the boat out on the lake to watch the art work in the sky and we are never disappointed.

I may have written earlier about this... many of our neighbors around the lakes buy their own supply of pyrotechnics and entertain the rest of us night after night. Although I've heard many people in other parts of the country complain about that kind of thing, I've not heard complaints here. I love it.

Write a Book

Does it matter whether of not Caleb knows how to write? He is writing a book that only he can read.
He doesn't even need a ghost writer. Pretty clever, isn't he?

I would imagine he is writing about his trucks, but I have to admit, I don't know. I can't read....his writing..


I've been saving a piece by Max Lucado that I think is very relevant in today's world. It is about greed. We hear people accusing the rich of this daily. It seems clear to me that one does not have to be rich to be greedy. Let's look at what Lucado says about it. To do that without missing his point, I am going to quote it exactly.

"Jesus had a definition for greed. He called it the practice of measuring life by possessions! Greed equates a person's worth with a person's purse. You got a lot equals you are a lot. You got a little equals you are little.  The consequence of such a philosophy is predictable. If you are the sum of what you own, then by all means own it all. No price is too high. No payment is too much. But God's foremost rule of finance is that we own nothing. We are managers, not owners. Stewards, not landlords.  Maintenance people, not proprietors.

Our money in not ours, it is His.  It's not as if God kept the future a secret. One glance at a cemetery should remind us that everyone dies.  The Bible says 'The Lord owns the world and everything in it- the heavens, even the highest heavens are his! (Psalm 24:1).  This includes our money."

We should be trying to think about our earthly possessions from God's point of view. It should affect our shopping habits and our giving. After all, our God has been generous to this nation.

Fragile Girl?

Ron had started the wall on his own, but when April showed up and offered her help, he didn't turn her down.  It was cool to see her lift those big heavy blocks.  There is a family joke about her being fragile.  Yeah right. I doubt anyone would call her that after seeing these pictures.  She may be small, but look out!

Not sure why that reminds me of the problem we have with TV shows these days...but here goes. Some of us girls were discussing our favorite shows. We had noticed over the years that once we were really hooked on a good show, after a couple of seasons, they would throw in a gay and we would lose interest in the show. We couldn't understand why they would do that. It didn't make the show any better, as a matter of fact, it usually just didn't fit. Certainly it wasn't necessary to add that element.

Today, on Rush, he talked about that. He said that statistics say about 2% of the population is gay...just 2 %. Now, why would they add gays so often to the scripts, when there are so few of them? It certainly would not be for that 2%, since it offends many, many more people. And they are using the shows to market goods and services.   Rush has the answer. It is not a financial decision, it is political. They want to make it look like there are many, many gays. Part of that plan is to make Christians look mean spirited, narrow, cruel, anything that would make them less appealing .

Of course, I feel it is Satan working his evil.

I can overlook that life style, if it is not purposefully thrown in my face. I understand that none of us are without sin...and that is just another sin.

I can love those who feel differently.

Examine that Frog

Caleb got a chance to examine this little frog in his backyard.  I'm glad his mother encourages him.  Not all of us are that adventuresome.


It looks like the president is not faring well with his own people in Chicago. I don't blame them.  He is letting our citizens go without and courting illegals.  Watch some of those who have had enough here:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/07/13/chicago-slams-obama-worst-president-ever-elected/comment-page-2/

Ashley

Only one of our triplet grandchildren is a girl. Her name is Ashley Summer and in this picture, she is bright as summer. We are happy to announce that her birthday is coming up this month and she will be 12.

After summer is over (can't believe I've mentioned that already, but summer is going so very fast) she will be in 7th grade...with her brothers.  Being home schooled has been a way of life. This will continue with a slight twist.  They will have a 'real' teacher, one who could teach in the classroom, but has chosen not to do that.  They still will be taught at home, however. It will be a new experience and I'm thinking it will go very well.

Are we counting down to her birthday? You bet!  Wish I could just run down and be there that day, but I doubt if that can happen.

On the 10th of this month I received an email from Max Lucado that is making me think. I believe you will profit by it as well, so I am copying it here in its' entirety.

" I CHOOSE

It's quiet. It's early. For the next 12 hours I'll be exposed to the day"s demands.  It's now that I must make a choice.  And so I choose __love.  I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy.
I choose peace. I will live forgiven.
I choose patience- Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I'll thank God for a moment to pray.
I choose kindness- for that's how God has treated me.
I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness. Today I'll keep my promises. My wife will not question my love.
I choose gentleness. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control. I will be impassioned only by my faith and influenced only by God.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  When this day is done, I'll place my head on my pillow and rest."

Get Ready, Pet Cat

After tying her shoes and petting the cat, April is set to help her Dad prune the patio. Today they removed a large unsightly bush that grows pretty little red berries that attract birds, but when the berries are gone, it is ugly. Even though it partially blocks  the view of the driveway, we decided to remove it. The maple tree looks much better there without it.  

During the winter much of the ivy died. We have removed quite a bit of it, but much of the brown stuff remains. Hoping to get it trimmed well before winter comes again. I'm also hoping it won't be that cold again this year. But it probably will, since God seems to be sending  us into an ice age so that we can all point Al Gore to our father God in heaven who controls the weather.

Team Work

Taken on the nineteenth of June, this features Kim and April with their dad, Ron. He is very tired. It is after 11:00 and he has worked much of the day on one thing, then another. I would be reticent to  go to sleep right now, if I were awake enough to make that decision.

    Not thinking. Will go to bed, before I write  something no one understands.

Good night and God bless you all.

Three Beautiful Ladies

While Kim and April were here in mid June, they were very busy.  When they were not here working, they were visiting other family members. It was a very busy few days for them. 

We surely appreciated all that they did and were glad they got to see relatives as well.  

This picture was taken at Tracey's dad's house where they met.  Aprils' bright blouse gave me the idea for the fun colors in painterly look for the layout.

From beauty to duty.  Our Constitution provides for a life of freedom for those who are citizens of this country, but we are not stepping up to the plate and demanding that those WE elected stay within the boundaries set up by that document. We are shirking our duty.

And speaking of boundaries, this country, as well as all countries in the world, has borders.  They were designed to keep those who do not belong here out. It should keep them out until they have completed steps to abide by the law. 

What happens when an American crosses the border of another country while unauthorized to do so? If you don't know, google it. Find out. Check out any country you wish. The consequences are not good at all. They are in most cases pretty severe.  Yet, we now have a president who brings them in by the bus load and coddles them. Generally, in the last few years, have given illegal immigrants housing, medical care, schooling, food stamps, welfare, driver's licenses.  You name it, if you are an American citizen and can get something from the government, so can the illegals.  And don't tell me they shouldn't be called illegal immigrants. There is no better term, unless it is burglars.

May we stand firm and vote out any office holder who does not respect our Constitution or way of life. 

I'm looking for a mass exodus of uninvited people,  but I know there are alterior motives for keeping them here...and they are NOT GOOD for our country... for Obama, who  desperately needs more votes, since he is succeeding in breaking our country day by day. It is hard for him to hide that fact now that it has gone  so far.

I pray that those who love the Lord will stand tall and fight for the right to live in freedom.

Eye Candy

Even though I don't watch much TV. I understand it can be especially interesting to those who are involved in developing the shows.  Our granddaughter, Leah, has that opportunity at times. Here she is at a shoot for their channel  2.  I don't know much about that day, but I do know that the cap she is wearing in the photo is not hers. I know that some use the word Ratchet to mean eye candy. However, in  other circles it has a much different connotation. I prefer Eye Candy.  It does make her look like a real country girl, which she is not. I had fun making a layout for it.

Looking forward to 2016, there may possibly be something on TV I'll watch. I can just hear most of you out there laughing when I tell you what it is...The Republican Convention. It is be held in Cleveland, OH...practically next door to us.  We are not really that close.  But I am anxious to root for the person who must go up against the big Hillary or whoever ends up on the Democratic ballot.  There are probably thousands of people who would be better than whoever the Donkey Party selects. No, make that 10 thousands.  I'm anxious to see us throw a life raft at a drowning society.

Ecclesiastes 10:2English Standard Version (ESV)

2 A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
    but a fool's heart to the left.

Wall Project 3

Ron got the nickname of Nehemiah over ten years ago, when he completed the mammoth project of building several long, high walls on our last property. He spent all summer at it, literally. Two summers ago, you might remember, he built a seawall over the section of property that is in front of this house.  (Last summer, when he tore down a rental, it left us with twice as much frontage on the lake...1/2 of which needs a new sea wall. I was terrified he would attempt to do that portion of the wall this year. You see, I fear he is too old to be doing this to himself.  

Well, he was feeling deprived, I suppose, and finally found the site for another wall, lesser than his other projects, but still a manly endeavor. He built one along the north side of our driveway. These two layouts give you an idea of this job. Tomorrow, I hope to show a little surprise concerning this block work.

Thank you, Father God, for allowing us to work with our hands and minds to your glory. May we show forth your love each day of our lives and glorify your name forever. Amen

Mine Craft

Now that the triplets all have their own rooms, each decided to decorate to his or her own taste.  Mason wanted his to represent his favorite  video game, Minecraft. Here he is posing in his cool room.

His mom made the quilt for the bed and found the  Minecraft torch online. His dad taped off the room for painting, then they added the pattern to the walls. His sister Ashley even helped with that. Chelle printed the pictures and photoshopped them to fit 8x8 frames. She printed pictures to cover the light switches and Mod Podged them.

The room is quite interesting, Mason.  Good choice and hope you realize how blessed you are to have such a loving family with cool imaginations and wonderful crafting skills.

Just now, when I added the title to this post, I noticed that I had titled the page Mine Shaft, Where was my mind? Evidently there is something named MineShaft as well, since I found this title online.
I'll need to change that, but not tonight. I'm too tired already. So here it is. I'll change it before I do my next book.

On the Road

Boys and their cars...and it all starts with these little ones that will roll along a window sill.  Caleb is having some indoor fun with a few of his vehicles.

Now he is on the road, with Daddy driving the family. It's a time to get together with Mommy's family. But it is a long ride in the car for little boys, especially if one is less than seven months old.

I'm hoping we will hear from them soon and see lots of pictures from the trip.

Happy Independence Day.  'Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance."  Psalm 33:12

Boating

I've  been looking forward to a boat ride. It seems Ron isn't as interested in it as he has been in the past. Maybe that is because it is a lot of work for him.  He has to uncover it, wipe it down, fill it with fuel, drive it and then recover it when the ride is over.

We have barn swallows  who have built nests above the boat in the rafters of the boathouse.  Between them and the spiders, it is necessary to at least attempt to clean before we take anyone for a ride.

Our nation is being invaded as you read this trivia. People are pouring over the borders.
It was interesting to hear a lady today talk about the child trafficking that is going on here. She suggested we arrest the president, vice president and many more on charges of child trafficking and endangering children. Isn't it crazy that these 'children' are being confined, that not even the media is allowed to see them.  It is really frightening.

We must understand Proverbs 12:34, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people."

Beach Nearby

After living in the neighborhood many years, Greg found a beautiful beach very close to their house.
I can see a great summer ahead.

Fountain Fun

The two brothers were being entertained by the little fountain in Fort Collins. The boys' expressions entertained us.  I would have imagined that Oliver, being a baby of 6 months, would have started screaming at the unexpected shower of cold water, but he reacted sweetly.   These two boys are very special and I'm proud to be their gramma.

As I was reading this morning, I came across a Bible verse that is fitting as we near July 4th, our nation's Independence Day, our celebration of liberty.

We fought to free ourselves from the British who were taxing us to death. Now, 238 years later, we are allowing our own government, which has usurped much authority from us,  to tax us to death.

We are no longer free. We are in bondage to our government. The verse I mentioned above,
II Corinthians 3:17, gives us an indication of why this has happened to us.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."  Evidently, the Spirit of the Lord is no longer here.  And why not?  We have thrown God out when we got too big for Him and thought we didn't need Him anymore.  He isn't allowed in our schools, in our sports arenas, on the streets. We have to confine Him to our churches and if our beliefs don't coincide with what is popular, we must keep them to ourselves.  God is no longer welcome, His Spirit is not here. Our freedom is gone.

There is a cure for this. Our people must give up their wicked ways and return to God.