This and Maybe That

If You Can't Fly...

A favorite quote of mine from Martin Luther King Jr. I hope I can always keep moving forward...

"If you can't fly, then run, if you can't run, then walk, if you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

Learned this chapter of the Bible, the 24th book of Psalms, in Mrs. Daisy Manes' class. She was my teacher for the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. Not sure which year I learned it but I am going to guess the 6th grade. I could recite it for many years but now I am rusty. I keep thinking I will memorize it again but so far I haven't tried. I have liked this book ever since we memorized it in Mrs. Manes' class.

24:1- The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2- For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

3- Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4- He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5- He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6- This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

7- Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

8- Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

9- Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

10-Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

open

BERMUDA GRASS---ARGGGGHHHH!!!

Well, I've killed enough time already this morning. It is time to get out there and weed-eat the garden. Yes, that is what I typed, weed-eat the garden.

We planted green beans in our garden where we always did, but the Bermuda Grass has taken over that garden. I knew it and planted the beans there anyway. It is almost impossible to eradicate Bermuda Grass from anywhere. The roots spread underground and come up any and everywhere. Break off a piece and drop it and by willikers it will take root and grow. I guess if a person were vigilant enough, if they LAID in the garden rows and pulled every single leaf of Bermuda Grass that came up, and did that EVERY day, they might, and I mean MIGHT keep it under control, but the roots would still be there, waiting for that day you miss, and POOOOOOF! it would be growing full blast again.

The only way I know we could get rid of Bermuda Grass is to spray it with a powerful weed/grass killer, and spray many feet around the garden, and keep it sprayed around the garden so it wouldn't creep back into the garden. I don't know if that is even feasible.

In the meantime, I need to go out and weed-eat all the Bermuda Grass out from between the rows of green beans, and leave it in the rows, because I know if I try to pull the Bermuda Grass up from around the beans, the roots are so entangled with the bean's roots that it would pull up the beans.

Okay, more later on how that works!

Guitarzan!

Bob told me if I would learn to play a guitar, he would buy me one....buy away, Bob! I can't learn to play it until I have one!

No, I wonder if I can ever do something like learn to play the guitar? Old dogs and new tricks and all that, you know? Also, if I do anything with my hands or fingers for any amount of time my fingers go numb. I am sure it is something to do with the alignment of my vertabrae in my back or neck, maybe. Maybe because I have arthritis? I don't know. I just know I would love to be able to play the guitar or piano, but just don't know if it's possible. I have the piano but can't make myself sit down and practice, and just can't grasp the essentials of it. I'm afraid it would be the same with the guitar and hate for the expense of buying one when I almost know I won't learn to play it.

Alicia plays and she said she would try to show me, and I think I could go to Sparta and maybe take some lessons from Bob Hammons. I think my problem is my number one sin, which is pride. I don't know if I could handle it well if Bob Hammons told me I couldn't learn to play it or forget it.

Why am I so afraid I will fail at doing something, and what is the sinful pride I have? I am surely not prideful about the way I look, or I would have controlled my weight all these many years, and maybe learned to fix my hair to look nice, but I don't care about those things. But to know that somebody might think I can't do something just bugs me. Bob Case was right when he told me a few weeks ago that he knew how to get me to do anything was to tell me I couldn't do it....he is right....I might die trying then.....HAHAHA!

So, if I can build up my nerve and my resolve, I might be the next Chet Atkins.....

The Grass Withereth

Isaiah:40:8 (King James Version)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

Isn't that a comfort to know? All things pass with time, but the word of God stays strong...forever!

ARMY OF GOD

I am a soldier in the army of my God.The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.The Holy Scripture is my code of conduct.Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience,
tried by adversity and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity.
I will not get out, sell out, be talked out or be pushed out.
I am faithful, reliable, capable and dependable.
If my God needs me, I am there. I am a soldier.

I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted,
primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier.
No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, invite me, entice me or lure me.
I am a soldier. I am not a wimp. I am in place, saluting my King,
obeying His orders, praising His name and building His kingdom!
No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards or candy, or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for or
catered to. I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad
enough to turn me around. I cannot be discouraged enough to
turn me aside. I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into this army, I had nothing. If I end up with nothing,
I will still come out ahead. I will win. My God has and will continue to supply all of my need.
I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ.
The devil cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me.
Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments
cannot silence me, and hell cannot handle me. I am a soldier.

Even death cannot destroy me. For when my Commander calls me from His battlefield,
He will promote me to captain and then allow me to rule with Him.
I am a soldier in the army, and I’m marching claiming victory.
I will not give up. I will not turn around.

I am a soldier, marching heaven-bound.
Here I Stand! Will you stand with me?

unknown author

Bear at the Mailbox

Okay, gotta record this for posterity! Bob and I came home from church today (July 23, 2017) and came around the corner to our road, and I thought I saw somebody standing at our mailbox, in something long and black and furry looking. I said to Bob, who is that at our mailbox? Bob said look closer, and when I did, I saw a black bear!

When we got closer to the mailbox, the bear ran across the road and up on the bank. We stopped in the road right in front of the mailbox and Bob rolled down his window. The bear was just standing there on all fours looking at us. Bob hollered at it and it ran about halfway up a tree, just a little tree, maybe 10 in. through the middle. Anyway, it just hung there on the side of the tree, staring at us with those big bear eyes. Bob and I both were talking to it like idiots, and Bob whistled a couple of times at it. When he whistled, the bear came down off the tree and ambled up over the hill towards Lynda and Virgil Neuenschwander's place. They have gone back home to Oklahoma so nobody up there to see it.

Several people have seen bears around our house at different times through the past years. One guy saw a bear run across the road and down our road several years ago, and somebody saw one between our road and Delbert and Lorri's house a few years ago. Bob saw a big big bear out at the back of our place when he was hunting one day. Seems like everybody had seen a bear around here but me and Julie. I don't want bears to be around here, but if there is one here, I want to see it!

I thought the bear was a young one and not very big. Bob said it might have been young but it was grown and probably weighed 125-130 pounds or so. He said it also looked gaunt. We wondered if it was trying to get the ants and bugs out of our mailboxes. Surely there are more bugs and berries in the fields and woods than in our mailboxes!

I am glad I saw the bear today. I have been slightly afraid to get out in the fields and woods around our house, didn't want to pick blackberries either, because I was afraid I would encounter a bear, and with my gimpy knee and hip and weighing a ton I knew I couldn't get away from one. Which you aren't supposed to do anyway, you are supposed to stand your ground, raise your arms up and holler loudly, and back away slowly. Yeah, right, that's what I would do all right. I would probably have had a heart attack right there!

But after today and watching it run away from us, looking scared, I'm not so scared anymore. I still don't want to meet up with one, but maybe if I do, I won't have a heart attack now.....hahaha.

camper

Oh, I want a camper. I never thought I would want a camper. I never did like to camp very well. Well, until I stayed with Julie and Scott in Scott's folks campers.

One time we stayed in a pop up that belonged to Carrie and Cody. Once in Corey's camper. I think. A few times we have stayed in Ivan's camper.

Now I like camping in a camper. I want one. I want to go to bluegrass festivals and stay in our camper.

I want to go to Buck Creek and stay in our camper.

I want to go to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Cades Cove, everywhere, and stay in our camper.

It would be cheaper than staying in a motel room, wouldn't it?

It would be more restful to stay in our camper instead of driving home from Beacon Park or Starvy Creek, wouldn't it?

I don't know.

I am obsessed with looking at them on craigslist. I look on craigslist and make Karen's list. Then I show them to Bob. He is very non-commital. He doesn't really want to buy one, I don't think. He is tired of working, tired of payments, tired of money, money, money that goes out.

We would have payments for a few years.

Upkeep.

Tires.

Gas.

Maintaining a good vehicle to pull it.

I just don't know.

Pros and cons.

Bob says that we can get one. If I want one.

Then I will feel bad if it is too expensive, or too hard to pull around.

I also would feel like I was forcing him to go places he doesn't really want to go? Ugh.

What decisions.

Bob likes bluegrass festivals as much as I do.

But he could take the money we pay out for a camper and go on a hunting trip like he has never been able to do. But after we had it paid off, he could take the camper on his hunting trip. Oh....decisions. I am not good with decisions.

I want a camper.

It would be so handy and fun to camp in it at Buck Creek.

But the expense. Ugh.

WELCOME SPRING

January 18, 2012
A poem I wrote many years ago. I lost the original version but this is very close.

WELCOME SPRING

I'm listening for the peepers,

Their chorus welcoming,

For when I hear their happy song,

Spring is more than just a dream.

I'm looking for the crocus,

That blooms in spite of snow,

For when I glimpse their blossoms,

Spring is close, I know.

I'm listening for the redbird,

Its cheery song to sing,

For when I hear that welcome song,

My own heart just takes wing.

I'm looking for the green leaves,

Upon the trees so brown,

For when they look so lacy,

I know winter has lain down.

I'm waiting for the lilac,

Their bouquet to appear,

The heavenly blossoms' fragrance

announces Spring is finally here.