OLD BIRDS

The Pray Without Ceasing Friend and I were in a conversation today about our various ailments and challenges in this season of life.  Face it, I just had a hip replacement and surgery for adhesions and an incarcerated hernia in the past eight months.  She's newly retired and has some decisions to make about a possible remedy to one of her season-of-life problems.  

My tolerance for pain is off the charts.  I even think over the past couple of days I have "tracked" my pain and feel certain my 2mm kidney stone is moving downward toward passage....if I'm lucky.  I made the statement to her that I thought that she shared my high tolerance for pain.  Then she replied with something that gave me a chuckle and made me want to share to potentially give you a chuckle.

She said, "In the grand scheme of things, no one would want us in bird soup.  We are tough old birds!"

I love it!

Consider..... 

THE FRONT PORCH

 I really enjoy watching these home shows on television where folks are choosing a home.  I find many generational differences in things that seem important.  For example, now it's a big deal for people to buy a home that is great for entertaining.  That usually includes an outdoor space for cooking out and such.  In my 43 year old ranch, we have a very small uneven spot of concrete that barely holds the two of us.  When we built this house, 43 years ago, it was built with a small budget and in years since has had some improvements and a nice sized "den" added.  One thing that has remained constant is the front porch.  

The front porch houses a swing, a single rope swing seat, and two rocking chairs.  A bit of trivia about one of the rocking chairs is that it's an antique.  Years, really years, ago in high school home economics I "antiqued" that rocking chair green and got an A+.  (Yes, I had pride in that endeavor.)  The rocker stayed antique green until I repainted it gray a while back.  There is a small table , some wind chimes, and a corner with frisbees and sidewalk chalk.  Reckon who uses those?  :)  I do have a smidgen of decor on the house by the red door that makes me happy.  All in all, the porch itself just makes me happy.  

I was recalling how, through the years, we have photos of "entertaining" times with family and friends.  Entertaining is used a bit loosely as that would involve sitting on the porch and talking--sometimes serious talk, sometimes junk, but good talking.  I can recall a time when The Girl was just a toddler and she got her head stuck in the porch rails.  Ahhh....that was a challenge but afterwards The Husband took care of the rails so it never happened again.  I've watched birds and animals from that porch and there has also been a time a few years ago where a stray cat gave birth to more than two kittens on the front porch door mat.  That was NOT a fun time.

Now at this season of life, I still wake early, usually at daylight (not the 4:30 a.m. I did for years) and spend some time on the front porch.  The Husband joins me often.   He says the "waking up of the world with the sounds of nature" is something he misses from his hunting days so I told him the porch sitting is a good compromise.  :)  We have a bit of a habit now of being there when The Grandbaby's car goes by on the way to school, blows the horn, and we stand and wave.  Yes, we have "arrived" at the "senior" mode.  It's the little things.  :)

This sitting on the front porch in the early morning has become a bit therapeutic for me.  Some mornings I try for many many minutes to capture the perfect hummingbird photo but I ain't there yet so I will share the few I have.  I am hopeful for a nice clear one....just one....eventually.  Hummers are a challenge to photograph.  Here are some of my moments on my front porch in the morning time. 

My favorite coffee cup beside my now gray antique rocker....

...and my favorite book....

And look at these big guys right at my porch.  They positioned themselves between each post of the porch just for my enjoyment....

...and this little one all alone....

My two favorite "morning" scriptures....

"....weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  Psalm 30:5

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning:  great is thy faithfulness."    Lamentations 3:22, 23

And then, after lunch on this beautiful Sunday, I took my little camera and resolved to sit on the porch for 10 minutes and got these treasures....

Which makes a sermon of it's own....it's not always the big cameras that take the best pictures just as it's not always the BIG things that make the most differences.

Consider....

HOW DID WE DO THAT?

This past Saturday began as an exciting day.  The Grandbaby's very first county league cheer football game was early that morning.  All week was filled with anticipation as she loves cheering.  The Out of State Nana and Grandaddy were here to observe the fun along with The Girl, The Son-In-Law, The Poppa, and me.  

I was quite unprepared for the multiples of parents, grands, and children that was at this event or I should say the multiple events in this one location.  When The Poppa and I arrived, we saw The Grandbaby's group of K-2 cheerleaders waiting in an area.  The Grandbaby ran to happily say hello and give hugs.   My heart is filled with joy that she actually does love The Poppa and me.  In a few years when she gets to MS and HS, her visible love for us may change but for now, I'll enjoy the joy and hugs.  

As The Girl is Team Mom for the group, the other five of us made our way with our chairs and such and waited for the first game to end.  Then we settled in our chairs near the cheerleaders.  We immediately noticed our sweet double-jointed cheerleader was not doing her cheers enthusiastically.  Then after the 3rd cheer, she turned around to tell her coach something then promptly hit the ground in a faint.  I'll skip details here but will say was so very scary.  EMS came and checked her out and she was allowed to be driven to the ER by her parents.  After a ten hour time of testing and treatments in the pediatric ER, the little family arrived home Saturday night.  Heart checked out okay thankfully.  The diagnosis was dehydration and onset of pneumonia.  The Grandbaby had a cold for a couple of weeks but it had gotten better after about 8 days so no pediatrician was visited as they don't prescribe antibiotics until it's been 10 days.  She is tiring easily and has begun nightly fevers but is much improved.  The Grandbaby is full of the ER story....wires (EKG), seeing inside of her body (x-rays), breathing treatments, needle sticks (labs and IV), and a TV showing the movie Cars.  She was most enamored with the bright purple elastic bandage going from middle of thin little upper arm down to mid lower arm....her purple "cast".  :)  

That night, The Girl said to me, "I was surprised and proud of you, me, and The Nana that we didn't fall apart at all."  Quite frankly, The Nana and I had already decided that as we four grands had waited together all day and spoke of that.  I did consider how we were able to do that.  Many girls, as you know, fall apart easily and sometimes mamas, nanas, and neemas are no exception.  I will admit that as The Out of State Nana and Grandaddy, The Poppa, and I "hung out" that day waiting for reports, we had a time or two of sincere prayer together with many tearful requests to the Heavenly Father we all serve. We also had a lunch out and The Nana and I took some time for some retail therapy in the Target Toy Department as The Nana and I held our phones and looked at them constantly.  I told her I bet people were thinking we were like the phone obsessed teenagers but I really didn't care.

How were we able to get through such a fearful, heart wrenching, totally worried day?  I've heard so often that "it takes a village" and I guess that is the truth.  We all worked together to do what had to be done on this end of the experience while our children took care of their little girl that is the world to us all.  And even moving a bit further, all you blog readers know that our Heavenly Father helped comfort us as we continued praying a hedge of protection around those we love.  As The Poppa and I got in the car from their house to head home Saturday night, The Poppa and I just sat in the car as The Poppa said aloud, "Thank you, Jesus!" to which I replied, a hearty "AMEN!"

The Grandbaby still tires easily and has begun nightly fevers but is much better from two days ago.  We have, of course, went to play when she has called to ask and have enjoyed puzzles, dolls, and games.  The Poppa looked great in a tiara and jewelry as he won the Pretty Pretty Princess game. So life works its way back to a normal with a few more days away from school ahead for the week.  Hopefully The Grandbaby will have her nightly prayers answered of "Please let my hospital boo boos heal (the IV and lab efforts were hard and left bruises) and please let me cheer again."  The answers to those sweet prayers are already on the way, I know.  As the ER doctor said, The Grandbaby is a tough cookie.  The Girl said, "She comes from good stock."

The Son-in-Law (who strongly did his dad skills well) and I did finally yesterday get a chuckle as we recalled the help that folks were offering.  There were two nurses there, the mother of a diabetic child, and a mother calling EMS.  The funny thing was the mother who was wanting to check the blood sugar of The Grandbaby.  She was explaining diabetes (I actually saw myself in her as a young diabetic child mother)....but she was explaining to The Girl sitting on the ground holding The Grandbaby who was whiter than a sheet.  The funny part was The Girl finally said, "I have had diabetes for 31 years...yes it's fine to test her sugar."  Oh, and I failed to mention the funnier part....The Girl had two blood glucose sensors taped to each arm for yet another sensor/diabetes research trial she only began last week.  So there was some humor there....trying to tell The Girl about diabetes which she has lived with so long.  But with all that said, we were glad to grin a little at that point yesterday and are forever grateful to all who offered help.  My family doesn't want to do that scary experience any more.  Once was enough.  

This experience also goes along with my last post, "More Than Enough and Extra."  Yes, grateful are we for those who care.

Again, we claim Romans 8:28 in action in our lives....

"And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Consider....

MORE THAN ENOUGH AND EXTRA

Our friend, Mr. Webster, defines "enough" as "as much or as many as required".

Here lately I've considered what is enough and what is not enough in certain areas of my life.  I'm still considering that as there are areas that I certainly seek the correct improvements.  I guess we all do to a certain point.  

I had an experience yesterday when I was unable to find something that was REALLY important that I needed in a very timely manner.  I called all the different places that would possible have this and no one did.  Then I thought of one more place that I knew well and had dealings with and called that as a last resort.  I left a message as to my dilemma and got a callback that yes, they could help.  I just had to come and pick up.  I explained that I only needed one or two of this item to get me to the point I needed to be.  I drove there and they had a bag ready for me.  I could tell the provision in the bag was more than the one or two items I had requested.  When I explained I only needed a small amount, I was waved away kindly with the whole bag.  It solved my problem and gave me extra.  

I have been struggling a bit the last few days and seeking the Lord's guidance for things in my life.  I thought about yesterday's experience this morning and had a heart full of thanks for those who are kind and so caring.  Their actions speak more than enough and extra.  

As this blogger often winds up leading to, this experience has encouraged me and I in turn am going to encourage you that we an be more than enough and extra with our actions, with our thoughts, with our kindnesses and with our love.  I'm not going to tell you that doing this will be easy.  We are so so so human.  But I will testify to you for myself as I'm the only one I know about for sure, that I have a heavenly Father who will help me with this when I feel like I am not enough.  I would encourage you to know that blessings are more than enough.  And extra!

Consider.....

WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE.....

It's been a couple of weeks now since school began.  It's on that first day when all these cute photos begin to appear via text and social media of all the little darlings ready to attack their new grade for this year.  The Grandbaby is in the first grade.  Mercy, how time flies!  

I enjoyed the trading of grand pics between me and The Pray Without Ceasing Friend.  Mine was of The Grandbaby of course and hers were of her three grand boys.  I do remember last year how The Grandbaby's chosen profession was a nail lady.  I don't know that anyone asked her this year and her yearly first day of school chalk wipe on/wipe off board doesn't as either.  I did a chuckle with the remarks of The Pray Without Ceasing Friend as she said her oldest whose profession choice is an engineer would probably be an engineer.  The youngest's choice was a doctor and she said he technically COULD become a doctor.  The middle boy's choice was a baseball player.....ahhh....the wishes and dreams of the young.   We laughed about these a bit while we continue to pray for all four of ours that whatever they become, it will blessed by our Heavenly Father.

Out of all the profession choices I saw, the "winner" had to be from the oldest girl grand of another good friend of mine.  She said and it was so good, "When I grow up, I want to be happy."   Does that not get you?  Really?  What better wish?  

Some days I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up but now that question seems to have the best answer ever.   When I grow up, I want to be happy....and going on a bit further I can truly say that I want to be kind, give grace and mercy, and love others on a daily basis.  I fail at this many days and I struggle and repent and am forgiven.  

So as I close here I want you to consider the sentence and finish it.....When I grow up, I want to be_______?

Consider....