BURNT TOAST

"When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food
for dinner every now
and then. And I remember one night in particular when she
had made breakfast
after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long
ago, my mom placed a
plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front
of my dad. I
remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad
did was reach for his
toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at
school. I don't remember
what I told him that night, but I do remember Watching him
smear butter and
jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

When I got Up from the
table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to
my dad For burning
the toast. And I'll never forget what he said:
'Baby, I love burned toast.'

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I
asked him
if He really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his
arms and said,
'Debbie, your Momma put in a hard day at work today and
she's real tired. And
besides-a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!' You
know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the
best housekeeper or cook.


What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each
other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each
other's differences - is oneof the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing,
and lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today. That you will
learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your
life and lay them at the feet of GOD. Because in the end, He's the only One
who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt toast isn't a
deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base
of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!! "

LOVE

"Love, simply stated, is the essence of life. It can put the smile on your face, the bounce in your step, and most importantly, the joy in your heart. Even when your whole world is crumbling around you, one person holding your hand, looking into your eyes, saying "I love you" is enough to get you through."

Random Thoughts - 5-14-09

So, hubby says "wanna go for a ride on the Prowler", it's like nearly 10 pm but 90 + degrees, so I say "sure"....to have the warm wind blowing in my face on/in our "convertible" not really caring that my hair is becoming and looking like a tangled mess...but the night, warm air blasting in my face, seeing like a bazillion stars out, thanks to a small city without tons of lights to wash-out the view of the night sky...going down McCullough, over the London Bridge, taking a little U-turn into the park, feeling the temperature actually feel "coolish" the closer we got to the lake, like maybe 90 instead of 95 and back out around the island, wondering what I've missed with all the flags at half-mast? I keep puzzling that over in my mind...our little local newspaper, Today's News Herald, not giving me a reason why, so I just keep wondering. Talking cell-phone to cell-phone to "DD#1" wondering what their future holds for them, but just trying to be patient, because time will reveal all things in it's own time, not mine. Enjoying "DS#2's" new haircut, feeling that "shorter is better"...for my man and my boys I've always liked that kind of look. Always feeling good when I know all my kids are home and safe and I don't have to worry and wonder "where are they"..."DD#2" hanging out with 2 g/f's tonight...havin' fun but home at a good time, glad she could go have a little bit of "girl-time"...feeling a little anxious that school is out for them in less than a week, and soon we'll be out of our little 'routine' and into a new and different routine, but trying to 'go with the flow' and looking forward to seeing my family and everyone else up there in Washington! So much to be thankful for, I/we can leave our little life here in Havasu and go up to Washington and be in the same fellowship, the same unity of spirit with those we love...The Lord is good....wanting to be preparing in this life so that I'll be prepared for the life to come and hoping that I never become a "flagpole without a flag"...I want to hold the banner of Christ high in my life...not even at half-mast! The final record is the one that counts!

Aquarius Mountain Quad Trip - 5-12-09

"On the road again"...(our little group of quads)

A farmstead we came across in the valley.
Desert Wildflowers

Desert view in the Aquarius Mountains.

Quad Riding at the Aquarius Mountains (AZ)

Desert Wildflowers
Desert Wildflowers


View from leveled spot where Keener's want to put their travel trailer. It looks down on
honeymoon suite!



Desert Wildflowers

Cool looking fence on their property.

Aquarius Mountain Quad Trip - 5-12-09

Desert Wildflowers
Honeymoon Suite and pond on Keener's property


No dust, No noise, No problem! Pam prepared!

Ranger taking a swim in the pond.

Ocotillo on the road (9 miles from main road) to Keener's property.

Quad Riding at the Aquarius Mountains (AZ)

Lisa (Keener) & Ranger "Ready to Roll"
Our Prowler ready for the trail


Windmill & Cistern at the beginning of our ride.

Jim (Keener) and his buddy, Ranger. "Man's best friend"

Ranger resting on Lisa in our Suburban. He loves to ride on the quad.

BANK ACCOUNT

BANK ACCOUNT!!!

This is AWESOME ... something we should all remember. A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year old just having been presented with a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on th! e new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing.

'Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less.

Happy Mother's Day

The driving force behind Mother's Day was one woman named Anna Jarvis who organized observances in West Virginia and Philadelphia exactly 101 years ago today, May 10, 1909. Congress set the day aside six years later and finally succeeded in 1914 and designated the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. According to the US Census Bureau there were 82.8 million mothers in the US in 2004. Also, in 2006, more women became mothers in AUGUST, with 387,798 births. the most common day of the week on which babies were delivered in 2006 was WEDNESDAY. That was the first time since at least 1990 a day other than TUESDAY had this distinction. Thank you Anna and Zane for the beautiful flowers that arrived this morning shortly before we left for meeting...what a HUGE surprise...Sunday morning the doorbell is ringing....who could it be??? Lady Di's, of course, bringing flowers for the mom of this house! Daniel & Malia had just given me a $20. gift card to Starbucks shortly before that and I'd received phone calls from Anna and Derek and they apologizing that their cards were in the mail. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness of all my kids...the older they grow, the more thoughtful they become...they're maturing into the adults that a person hopes and prays for all their days of growing up! Love you kids...you're the best!!!

Random Thoughts

Thankful that my knees felt good enough to go out for a walk this morning with Jack, but feeling warm @ 7:45 a.m. and 87 degrees already, and especially hot at my "turn-around" spot on the road, only to feel the satisfaction of a "cool" breeze on my face the rest of the way home. Walking by the Palo Verde trees in full-bloom and hearing the trees all "abuzz" with thousands of bee's lapping up the nectar from the blooms, not caring that I am even in the area, feeling content on getting the most out of the blooms while they're still in bloom, only to be hit with a head full of pollen causing my allergies to go crazy this week, but glad for allergy medicine to keep it 'at bay'. Thinking about Mother's Day tomorrow and knowing I haven't had to cook on that day for the past 24 years, but hubby asking me last night if I wanted to do a pot-luck with our meeting, realizing he didn't even remember it was Mother's Day, but reminding him, and he saying "well, there's always a first" (for cooking), but knowing that when it's all said and done, I won't have to cook on Mother's Day. While walking, appreciating the thought that the more effort I put into my service with God, the greater joy I'll receive from it...the effort to read and pray, make it to meetings whenever possible, getting to convention...that kind of effort, God rewards and the more our heart is in it, the more joy I'll get...it really does work! I've proven it many times through the years. Thankful that I got to all of Casa Grande Convention...just being in the "convention" atmosphere is tonic to my soul...fellowship with God's people and receiving more than I was able to take in. Now, soon thinking about our summer ahead, counting the days the kids will be out of school...only 8 1/2 days, wow!!! Two plus months living out of a suitcase, trying to think about how lightly I can pack for that much time away from home, away from my bed, away from my pillow......but knowing it will all be here when we get back home in time for the kids to start school on August 3rd....and if, per chance all was not here, well, then it wouldn't matter. Happy for health, happy for life, happy for my hubby and children...life is good.