April 16, 2021 - Msg 116535:

BOO--I offer you my sympathies upon the passing of your
pets. We all know how they become adopted members of the
human family. I will also keep you and yours in prayer.
Sarah, you are so kind to help get the right food for
your sassy. :)
PH--thanks for that photo of the top of the building.
Did you take that from the el? haha I notice that there is quite a railing around the top. So you didnt even want to go up
to the rail? I like the marina in the photo too.
Oh, and your little knock knock joke above made me think of the time that
my wife told me that she made a bunch of brownies, but when I pulled back the foil from the top of the pan...there was indeed a bunch of brown "E"s, as in cut-out brown, construction paper "E"s, the little stinker! ha
I did not get to see tags tonight, so no 'report,' tho on Gomer Pyle
I noticed in the credits that writer Jack Ellisen was the Producer!
Prayers for all,
MDC



April 16, 2021 - Msg 116536:
MDC, I liked your story about the brown e's. Next time, stick a few in your mouth so they are partially sticking out and tell your wife that her cooking is improving.
That photo link I posted of the top of the John Hancok Center was probably taken from a drone flying nearby. A person at ground level would have to be at least a mile away to see that enclosed structure in the middle of the roof.
Also, I need to correct you. That is NOT a vertical safety railing all around the edge of the roof. Those are two metal horizontal track rails that the scaffolding equipment travels on as it hangs over the edge that the window washers use. That equipment is motorized so that it can move around the building while the washers can raise and lower their scaffold. When not in use, it is kept inside that large enclosed structure. I have walked up to the inner rail, but I never dared climbing over it or the outer rail to reach the edge of the roof.
https://tinyurl.com/bhcu8rz6

from Poor Horatio

April 16, 2021 - Msg 116537: Funny story MDC...Here’s a Funny Cooking story too...Back when I first got married my wife made a birthday cake for my Dad’s Birthday. He was a serious guy, but he had a closet prankster side to him too.. So we got him back one time...

We had only been married for a couple of weeks when we decided to do this..She told him she was going to make him a cake, she said she never made one before and it was her first attempt...So we got a piece of foam rubber cut it into a circle and put chocolate icing on it....The look on my Dad’s face was PRICELESS as he TRIED to cut it..He was trying to be polite and sensitive since this was her first attempt..We all laughed watching him saw away at it... It was like Ellie Mae Clampet once did on the Beverly Hillbillies. (If you remember she was a terrible cook) ..https://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5750508

It was one funny moment in time, and grin on his face was a snapshot for the ages!...

G-F

April 16, 2021 - Msg 116538: *When he knew he was pranked....

April 16, 2021 - Msg 116539: Thank you for the kind words and prayers. It means so much. We are sad today but today is easier than yesterday.

Boo

April 17, 2021 - Msg 116540:
Boo, so sorry to learn about Dea needing to be put to sleep. How is Ollie handling it?

G-F, Ellie May (from The Beverly Hillbillies) and Lisa Douglas (from Green Acres) were not the only television characters who had a problem with cooking and baking. Click on the link below, cue it up to 10:00 and start watching from there.
https://www.facebook.com/Curlyinstead/videos/1334238973416510/

from Poor Horatio



April 17, 2021 - Msg 116541:
"soit-ing-lee" (:



April 17, 2021 - Msg 116542: Funny One PH...It was much like that!....I had not seen that Stooges one in a LONG time...haha..G-F

April 17, 2021 - Msg 116543: Hello all. I wanted to respectfully address a few things PH asked. I am not looking for any kind of Feud where'd we have Andy pacing us off, so I'll be as gentle as I can. My only goal is to answer the points raised the best I can.

//Although the Bible was written by man, I was taught to believe those writers were inspired by God. But if the Bible was meant to guide all of us who came after Jesus, why was it not put in written format during the time Jesus was on earth?//

I don't know. I really don't see any significance to this point. Would the Bible being written during Jesus' lifetime have given it any more credibility in the scheme of things? We routinely trust biographies of people written after their death and don't discredit them on that account. But again, I don't know the answer to your question as posed. And I can't say it matters to me much.

//After all, in the Old Testament, God delivered His Ten Commandments in written form on stone tablets. Why not transcribe the Bible first hand with one or more secretaries among the Apostles?//

I don't know. I don't feel God is beholdened to do things the same ways throughout time. Do you trust the Old Testament because it was as described but not the New Testament because it wasn't done the same way? That strikes me as a bit of unwarranted sophistry.

//And when Jesus traveled alone, he could dictate to a secretary later. After all, we are taught that God is all knowing. So God would know that future generations would need guidance that they can trust and comprehend.//

Future generations trust all kinds of writings set forth after the death of the person under consideration. I'll recognize the closer to that person's lifetime, the better, but if it's within the lifetime of an eyewitness to that person, I have no problems at all with it.

//As far as I know, the beginning of the Bible was not written until a few generations had passed after the crucifixion of Jesus. I question stories passed down by word of mouth especially when multiple generations are involved. Stories can intentionally or unintentionally be embellished. When I took a psychology course in college, since it was a Saturday morning class, we had about 100 students. We did an interesting experiment. The teacher whispered a sentence into the ear of a student sitting up front. Then as the teacher continued to instruct our class, one by one, each student was required to repeat the exact sentence into the ear of a student next to them or behind them when the end of a row was reached. After about 15 minutes, a student at the back of the class finally got the message. Then the first and last students were asked to print the message on the front chalkboard. After reading what was on the chalkboard, many of the students gasped and began to make loud remarks. The two sentences were significantly different and even conveyed two different meanings! I wish I could remember both sentences but this happened way back in the early 1970s. As a result, I now suspect anything given to me by word of mouth.//

Your story fails as an analogy as the New Testament writers were eyewitnesses, or solicited testimony directly from eyewitnesses. The only eyewitness in your story was the very first student the professor whispered to. Hence, I think it's a false analogy.

Okay, that's My Sermon For Today.

Billy Ray the Preaching Postman




April 17, 2021 - Msg 116544: Thank you MDC and PH. I appreciate the sympathy. We are doing better. I had to cry for a bit this evening when I was coming home after dark. When I get out to open the gate to drive up to the house, Ollie and Dea are always at the end of the driveway as I drive up. They used to run to greet me when they were younger but its a long way down the driveway. Tonight I saw Ollie sitting there alone and I just had to sit and cry. It was such a sad sight. Those two old dogs have always been part of the place and when one of them is gone, you really feel it. PH, I am happy to say that Ollie seems to be taking things well. I can tell he isn't grieving much because he will eat anything you put in front of his face (with great delight). LOL...Its like I told Bruce this morning, "Ollie seems happy since Dea died, but he has always been kind of a b***hole". Its true, too. Ollie is the kind of dog who lays around like a slug until there is food in sight. He is kind of grumpy old man and has to be muzzled when taken to the vet. He isn't sweet like our Dea but we love him anyway. I think we named him right.

We had a interesting thing happen here today. It is the season when webworms start to invade all the oak trees and we have hundreds of trees on our place. Well, this morning I went out and there were hundreds of starlings flying low in the yard, eating the worms. I stood out in the middle of the front yard and they weren't afraid of me. They flew right over my head and within a foot of the side of me. It was one of those nature experiences that brings tears to your eyes! The sound of all of those starlings and being right in the middle of them was an amazing blessing! They were so pretty..blue backs with tan chests. Amazing experience. They were at it all day and didn't stop until the sun went completely down. I hope they are back tomorrow.

Better go finish in the kitchen and sit down for awhile before bed. I am driving to san Antonio tomorrow to take ERin's dog back to her. I kept him here and had him fixed last week. It was something I insisted on because if he goes back up there unfixed he would wander and probably be killed or lost. Erin keeps him inside at night but during the day he is out in an unfenced yard. There is very little traffic on the road they live in but there are other dogs running loose.

Hope you all have a great evening.

Boo

April 17, 2021 - Msg 116545: One other thing about Ollie, PH, is that I am going to take him to a good groomer who is a family member and get him groomed and will start letting him come in the house so he wont be alone all the time or have to suffer with the heat in the summer. He is getting too old and fat for that. ha..We orginally had outside dogs as watchdogs since we were on five acres, and they did a great job. We have a neighbor next to us who was broken into four time because they didn't have a dog in the yard. I know though, now, that I wont ever have another dog outside. They deserve better. I know my dogs loved being out and were all over this place chasing racoons and anything that moved but as they got older, they really didn't do much and suffered in the heat.

Boo

April 18, 2021 - Msg 116546:
Boo, I am so glad to learn Ollie has an appetite and just does not mope around with Dea gone. I am also glad you will allow him indoors more where he has human companionship in his senior years.
Have you considered other animals to serve as outdoor security such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_goose ?

Billy Ray the Preaching Postman, thank you for your comments. I would love to continue this topic, but since you and I have made our beliefs clear, let us just agree to disagree. Or as Barney would say "Nip it in the bud"

G-F, I am glad you enjoyed that Three Stooges video. I am not sure if I ever mentioned this before, but not only am I a huge fan, my family and I were fortunate to see them perform in person way back in 1961 when they went on a cross country tour to promote one of their movies. And while they signed movie still photos for us, my father took polaroid pictures of them signing.

from Poor Horatio

April 18, 2021 - Msg 116547: Boo...Ya know some people just don’t understand that when we lose a pet it’s just like losing a member of the family. That pain and sorrow can be just as strong. They too have personalities just like people sometimes..

I sure enjoyed hearing about the antics at the “Funny Farm” Bernie the Rooster and Thelma Lou the donkey and the rest of the gang...

I make Mayberry related items for the Mayberry Days Auction that brings in money to help support the event. I just finished a stained glass one that turned out pretty cool, Maybe MDC can post the picture since he knows how now...As for me, that is beyond my pay grade and not in my wheelhouse to learn how to do....lol

G-F

April 18, 2021 - Msg 116548:
Just popping by to say Good Sabbath to all!
GF-please send me a photo of your project,
and I'll see if I can recall how to do that. Thx

Prayers for all,
MDC :)

April 20, 2021 - Msg 116549:

Hello All! Wow, very quiet on the porch today.
I hope everyone is doing OK.
I sat down to catch the 2nd tags tonight, but it was Citizens Arrest, which, for me, ranks
right up there with Roger Hanover! ha
PH--I was thinking today about how some of the "shakespeare English," if you will,
has carried over to today's english. For example, we still use phrases like "That's much ado about nothing," or "Lo and Behold!"
As the island of Britain was continually conquered by various peoples,
English 'accepted' their words, such as 'bouquet' until we finally have what we speak today. Well, at least I find it interesting to see the entomology
of so many of our "English" words of today. Ha!
Hang in there folks, God loves us! :)

MDC



April 20, 2021 - Msg 116550: Yes, He does. Why? I'll never know! --Romeena

April 20, 2021 - Msg 116551: Morning all. I hope and pray everyone is well.

MDC, I agree with you concerning Citizens Arrest. That just might be my most disliked episode. It may be the only time we see that Andy seems to have had about all he can take of Barney and his antics and the only time Barney seems to be genuinely angry at Andy. It just pains me to see that. In the end though they bury the hatchet and I guess that is the real point of the story. Sometimes even best of friends will fight, but hopefully patch it up. I do like the very end when Andy tells Barney he will file his letter of resignation with all the others and then starts reading off all the other letters of resignation that Barney has written. lol Old Barney, so emotional.

Boo, I am so sorry to read about the loss of your two pets. That is so hard to go through. As you mentioned about not seeing Dea there at the gate. When we had to put our Sammy down years ago it was a middle of the night trip to the E.R. vet. We got home about 5 in the morning and although I was sad at having to lose him, I was somewhat bothered at how well I was dealing with it. I thought it would hit me a lot harder than it seemed to be doing. Well later that day it did. I had to go run an errand and when I got home, I did not hear the usual barking and jumping and carrying on on the other side of the door that had greeted me for 14 years. I opened the door and no jumping on me and happy barking. Nothing! And then it hit me like a ton of bricks and I bawled liked a baby for a good long while. It's funny how there can be such a delayed action like that. Just remembering it now while typing this out has me a little teary eyed. I am so sorry for your loss.

Romeena, it's funny you say you'll never know why God loves us. We surely don't deserve it. I just happen to be be teaching our Mens group this Sunday via Zoom and much of my lesson is going to be on the two greatest commandments. In prepping for it I have spent a lot of time reading and thinking about Gods love for us and how do we love him with all we can, or even tougher, how do we love our neighbor as our self. It's easy to love those we like and get along with. Very tough to love those who are not very loveable. In prepping for the class I have been thinking as how I have aged I have been able to be much more tolerant of people than I was when I was younger and knew it all. And then I got to thinking, suppose I try that phrase on my Wife. Look her in the eyes and say "Honey, have I told you how much I tolerate you lately"? lol As you can imagine, tolerance is not love and I still have work to there. lol Any advice anyone?

Well off to fire up my mower for the first mowing of the year. I aerated a few weeks ago, fertilized last week. Now our water is on and I have watered a very dry lawn. It has been one dry spring here.

Prayers for all. If you feel inclined please say a prayer for Matt (my son in law). He is very sick with covid at present. Thanks all.

Asa

April 21, 2021 - Msg 116552:

Just a quick hello tonite. Prayers indeed for Matt. And very good thoughts on God's love ASA! :)

Tonight on tags was the Cave Rescue. That is one that I like, even tho there is that darn phone call in there! ha

Lord Jesus be with us all this evening.

MDC



April 21, 2021 - Msg 116553: Thank you again for the card, MDC. So very thoughtful of you.

Asa,I could certainly relate to your story about Sammy. We are doing pretty well now and I am enjoying NOT having a litter box in the house..not having a cat crying in front of my bedroom door every morning, and not having the corner of my walls used as scratching posts. lol Gracie was a wonderfully sweet kitty, but was causing me a certain amount of stress, which I don't miss at this point in my life. I do miss our dog, but that is getting easier for me. We are now officially down to two pets, which has never been the case in over ten years. It is a nice break for me.

Our remaining large dog, Ollie (now affectionately called Fat Ollie) has to have his thyroid checked soon. He has gained a LOT of weight over the past year. I cant even get him to walk up the driveway with me. He's like a hairy slug...until the food comes into view. If he sees food he starts hopping and spinning and whining until he gets something. Strange dog. He seems happier than ever.

Asa, I am sorry to hear that your son in law is ill. Prayer for him! Please update us on his progress.

Better get to the chores. Its a beautiful day here today so I am about to go into Erin's old room and steam clean the floors and open the windows. King slept in there after his surgery and he had an accident or two. Im so thankful we don't have carpet in there!

I did end up taking King (Erin's dog) back to her in San Antonio because she has a small fenced area that he cant be too active in until he is fully recovered and she will keep him inside at night. I got a scare, though when I got there. King was in the fence but there appeared next-door, a very large black and white male pitbull and he looked very menacing. The hair on King's back stood up and I thought the dog was a threat. I watched him and another pitbull in that yard begin to come over to where we were standing and I was too far from the car to make it there ahead of them. I felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck and I just braced myself. Well, those two dogs came up and started licking me and were the sweetest dogs. When I got a good look at the male he was very young, probably a year at best and he was a big baby. I ended up feeding them both leftover mac and cheese with a plastic spoon and they were very well-mannered. It must have been a sight. I just hope they don't turn on King if he gets out of the fence. You never know with dogs. Nothing I can do, though. Its Erin's dog. Bruce wasn't ready to take him up there, though. He would like to keep him on the place to be Ollie's buddy but Ollie doesn't like King a bit. I don't know if I shared it but before Ollie's surgery, I looked out the back window and saw Bruce giving King a ride on the tractor. I couldn't believe my eyes. Bruce is a real softy when it comes to dogs now..and cats too, apparently. He really like Gracie.

Ya'll have a good day and stay well.

Boo

April 22, 2021 - Msg 116554:

You're welcome Boo. Our pets are family members too! :) It sounds like Ollie is doing OK. Maybe it is sort of like Trey, Opie's new friend. Maybe Ollie likes it by himself, who knows. Even tho Opie and Trey ended up being "regulation, full-size, genuine friends," maybe in the animal world its more king of the hill. :)
ASA--your delayed reaction to losing barney was very sweet. Kinda 'got to' me a bit also, and i was just reading it.
All goes well here. We finally got out of the 90s to some 80s again. I can't believe it got so warm so early this year.
APB for SPOT, MAVIS, MAUDIE, STERLING, CHARLOTTE, LUCY, AND ALL! Please check in when you can.
Prayers,
MDC



April 22, 2021 - Msg 116555: Our granddog crossed over the rainbow bridge yesterday, he was fifteen and lived the best dogs life. He was buried in a special spot in our daughters back yard. Sarah

April 22, 2021 - Msg 116556: hello porch family, thought I'd better check in and rock for a spell.

not much to report from my end of the porch. It has turned cold here the past couple days. It was 29 when I got up this morning and now has warmed to 46. some areas of Southwest VA near by had snow yesterday and last evening. We are right on the border of that part of VA and about an hour drive from Asheville NC.

I am now fully vaccinated... I got the Pfizer vaccine through our local health department. A pretty easy process just pull up to a tent, drive in and they give it while you sit in the car. I received by 2nd dose yesterday. so far so good. My arm is a little sore but other than that no side effects to complain about. Mr. Maude is administering the Moderna vaccine at Wal Mart so he took that from them. He has his second dose in a couple of weeks so hopefully he won't have major issues as well.

Beth did get a new puppy a few weeks ago. Her name is Winnie and she is a shih tzu mix. she is about 11 weeks old and runs on full throttle at this point Beth really missed Belle after we had to send her over the rainbow bridge last summer and decided it was time for another doggie. She is a cutie . Hopefully Ms. Winnie will settle down as she grows up.

Not much else to report from my rocking chair.

Lunch menu will be: homemade sloppy joe's, chips and a Mr Cookie bar for dessert. tea or kool aid to drink.

prayers and blessings to all
Big Maude

April 22, 2021 - Msg 116557: Good morning, porch! I've been a little scarce lately, have been busy tending to some things that needed to be done. One more thing faces me now - got to get a will made. I have a will, but since it leaves my children in the care of my (deceased) parents, I think I'd better update it a bit. I will also make a "living will", which will make my end-of-life wishes quite clear. I don't want my children to have to make those decisions. I've watched many families go through that, and it's always difficult. So much easier when there's a clear statement of the parent's personal wishes. No, I'm not planning to go anywhere anytime soon, but one never knows. That's up to God, and at 81, I have to acknowledge that He could be making plans for me.

I'm glad to see that folks are getting and completing vaccinations. Mine are done, and I even had a Covid test a couple of weeks ago, when I had that little puny spell. I still don't know what that was, just a little fever for about four hours, felt lousy for a day or two, then finally woke up feeling fine. Maybe a delayed reaction to the vaccines? Who knows! Anyway, I had a test, was negative, and all is well.

So sorry for those who have lost little critter friends. I know only too well how that can hurt. I still miss The Plum, and Toye Starr is never far from my thoughts. Of course, I have Trinket now (or Stinky Trinkie) and she is such a little bright spot. When I turn off the alarms, and open our bedroom door each morning, she scampers out, makes a quick bouncy tour of the house, and ends up in the kitchen. She has a cuddlebed in a corner of the kitchen, about three feet from her food and water spot. She races through the kitchen, and about four or five feet from the bed, she gives a big jump, spins in the air, and lands with a plop in the bed, facing out into the kitchen. Such enthusiasm! She makes sure that I begin each day with laughter, and you just can't put a price tag on that. So happy for Beth and Winnie. They will explore many life-trails together.

Well, better get dressed. I'm going over to have lunch with a friend of about 45 years. She's wanting to do some updating on her yard, and for whatever reason, wants my advice! Why me, I'm not sure, but I'm happy to help if I can. I've got some recent bulb and flower catalogs, and have a few ideas. She has a lovely wooden fence across the back of her yard, and it will be the perfect backdrop for the TFS plan that my friend Joe, who landscaped my yard, taught me. That stands for Thriller-Filler-Spiller. Something tall and dramatic at the back of the bed, something of medium height and colorful in front of that, and ending with something low-growing and lovely along the leading edge. That same plan can be scaled down and modified for container plantings. Florists use it all the time when making arrangements. Right now, in a bed that's visible from my kitchen windows, I've got a very dramatic and beautiful stand of purple irises, surrounded by Dusty Miller, and below that, a circle of pansies. So pretty! It's out in the middle of the yard, so it's more of a circular arrangement, but that TFS plan can be modified to suit any location. Such fun!

Well, off I go. Prayers for all my porch friends. The needs are many, but you are all strong, and God is good. Blessings! Keep looking up! --Romeena

April 22, 2021 - Msg 116558:

RO--May I suggest a "Living Trust" instead of just a will. So glad my folks did one, and we now have one as well. It will really help your beneficiaries.
Here in AZ no lawyer is needed, just a financial person. More later,
MDC

April 23, 2021 - Msg 116559:

Oh Sarah, I am so sorry to hear of your granddog's passing. 15 is a good life for sure. I am quite sure that we shall see our pets again in heaven. There is a very well-written twilight zone about pets in heaven, about a man and his dog. Maybe you can catch it sometime on ME-tv.
Tonight's tags was ROmeena's episode with Ernest T and Ramona. Quite an ending! ha
The second one was the lady prisoner. I know it is not well-liked, but there are
some very funny lines in it; like when Barney says he wouldn't know her from Adam, to which Andy says, "With eyesight like that, how'd you get to be a deputy sheriff?" haha
Well, I made a trip to JC Penny today to buy a few new T-shirts.
Dept. stores are just not what they used to be. The funniest thing is seeing people pushing 'shopping carts' (albiet mostly cloth cages on them), but still.

RO--Did you get my email? Hope you found it interesting. As far as your puny spell goes, several of my friends have had similar episodes, so not to worry.
Your friend's TFS plan sounds like a little TLC is what it needed! :)
My wife's dusty millers are going great guns.

ASA and GF...ever use "Liquid Wrench"? It is sure great on rusty bolts.
I finannaly had to buy a new can of it today. Old one was still a metal can! (Just finally used it all up.)
Now the can is plastic, of course.
Tomorrow (Friday)is help-my-brother day. He aint heavy, he's my brother. :)

MDC

April 23, 2021 - Msg 116560: Good morning, porch! Gray and gloomy-looking outside, except in my back yard! There are five big clumps of "sundrops" out there, and they are just so bright and pretty that they overcome the gloom. All were purchased as little 4" pots, with a little fist-sized plant in it, and at around $2-3 each. They grow into a mound, about a foot high, and around 3 ft across, and they come back strong, every year. Can't beat a deal like that. The little buttercup-type flowers are so bright, they almost glow, and there are probably at least 200-300 flowers on each mound. They survived the freeze beautifully. They're out in the open yard, unprotected, and it didn't faze them. They tend to look dead in the winter, but I just shear the dead growth off, and as soon as the warm spring sun hits them, they explode with new growth and are blooming before you know it. Tough, beautiful little plant. I love 'em!

MDC, your suggestion for a living trust is a good one, I know a little about them, but not much. I will definitely explore that option. And yes, I did get that email, and appreciate it! Very interesting, and enlightening. Angels fascinate me, and I am quite aware of their activity in our lives, including mine. There have been times in my life when I have felt their presence, and seen the results of their activity. They do exist, they are active, and they do the will of the Lord. At times, they can even be seen, though they are not recognized for who they are, until later, after they have gone. Children see them at times, just as adults do. My cousin and his wife were keeping their four year old grandson, and needed to attend the visitation before the funeral of a good friend. With no one to keep the child, they just took him along. When they entered the room where the coffin was, the child stopped in his tracks and loudly asked "Hey, who ordered the angels?" He looked up at my cousin, then looked back toward the casket and said, "Oh, they're gone." When questioned, he described "big guys, with wings, and their clothes were shiny, like lights." Okay, do with that what you may.

Several years ago, I was driving, and about to make a right turn onto the one-way access road of the highway that runs through the center of town. Since it was one-way, I was looking to my left, waiting for a big enough gap in the traffic to occur. I had not looked to the right, since no cars would be coming that way. A gap showed up, but not a very big one, so I started to floor it to get into the space. My foot would not press down on the gas, instead it lifted and hit the brake, very hard. Shocked, I sat there, foot on the brake pedal, as an elderly man on a rickety bicycle wobbled across in front of my car, coming from my right. I missed hitting him by scant inches. I had no idea he was there. If I had floored it, as planned, I would have knocked him over, then rolled him around under my low-slung car, bicycle and all. It would have been horrible. Someone just lifted my foot and planted it on the brake, and thereby avoided a terrible thing. So, when I'm asked if I believe in angels, and their activity in our lives, my answer is always a definite "Yes, absolutely."

Well, we've got a big thunderstorm brewing, lots of growling on high, my light-sensor-controlled back yard lights have come on, and I think we're about to get a frog-strangler. As my grandma would say, "it's about to come a-somethin'." I think I'm going to leave this keyboard. There's no wind out there right now, but this is shaping up like the kind of storm that will have some hard blowing wind in it, and I'm not comfortable sitting here about three feet away from that cracked glass in my big window. I've got duct tape over the crack, but still it's weak, and could be a dangerous thing. It's the interior pane that's cracked, the exterior pane is intact, but still.....

Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena

April 23, 2021 - Msg 116561: Hi, porch! I wish you could all see what I'm seeing right now. The rip-roaring thunderstorm I was expecting didn't come. We got a good rain, just a steady, gentle rainfall for about an hour, but no high winds or lightning. The skies are still lightly overcast, and the sundown in the west is coming through some rose/gold clouds, which is just washing the earth with a beautiful peachy glow. Everything is washed clean, the grass is so green and the flowers are so bright, and that golden rose glow in the air just finishes it off. I'm so glad I got up out of my chair for a moment, or I would have missed this. It won't last long, in fact is already starting to fade, but it is so beautiful I just had to share it! God is good! Blessings, all! --Romeena

April 23, 2021 - Msg 116562: MDC, that is my favorite Twilight Zone episode of all time! It's called, "The Hunt". I will never forget seeing it for the first time when I was in my teens. We were visiting my grandparents in Royal Oak, Michigan and everyone had gone to bed except for me. I was in the den with an old black and white TV and watched it alone. I thought it was amazing..and still do.

Your description of the evening sounds wonderful, Ro. Thank you for sharing it. I have spent a big part of the day in the kitchen but before finishing up the cleaning, I snuck outside to go to the mailbox. Its was very breezy out of the southeast and pretty humid but it felt good being out at dusk, which is my favorite time of the day. I saw a flock of ducks flying overhead, which was nice. I really need to spend more time outdoors before the heat sets in.

I have Erin home with me because of some health issues she is having. I had to take her to the doctor yesterday and she is in a considerable amount of pain. I wont go into detail, out of respect for privacy, but please say a prayer for her because I am really tired and I am the one she wants with her when she is sick or hurting. I had driven to san Antonio to get her and back yesterday and finally got to bed at around 12, only to be awakened at 3am by her crying. I was up with her the rest of the night. I am hoping I can sleep tonight.

Better go put my feet up and rest while I can.

Boo

April 24, 2021 - Msg 116563:

BOO-yes indeed, I agree. I like the fact that the man 'sees' what the devil is trying to do by inviting him in, but not his dog. It was so very well-written and thought provoking! (And prayers for Erin! :)

RO-glad that you did not have a big thunderstorm! But the rain sounded 'just right' for
cleaning the air. Very nice.
Regarding a Living Trust, the best thing is that it prevents everything from going into probate. When we did ours, our wills and living wills became part of the trust, as well as our home, as@ets, etc. We are the trustees, until both are gone, then our named trustee (my youngest sister) becomes the trustee and executor.
Plus any and all other contingencies are covered.

I just got to see the last 10 minutes of tonight's episode, the songfesters. Boy, that Jim Nabors could sure sing!
God's peace to all, :)
MDC


April 24, 2021 - Msg 116564:

Oh RO, I have had a couple of 'angel encounters' myself! :)



April 24, 2021 - Msg 116565: Hey, MDC. I'd love to hear those stories, either here or by email. I have a couple more myself! --Romeena

April 24, 2021 - Msg 116566:

I forgot to say Howdy to Big Maude! Thanks for checking in.
So glad that the mister is working again.
Sounds like you are still in 'winter' there, whilst we have had a heat wave. They are saying however that we could have rain on Monday! Maybe even a gully washer. That would be nice as we sure need it.

GF--I have been meaning to ask, how did the kayaking go?
From the emailed pics, looks like it was all decked out and ready to go.

RO--a couple of years after we were married, around '78, my wife and I went up to northern AZ to 'play in the snow' after a big snowstorm had hit the Flagstaff area.
I am pretty confident with the side roads up there, and with chains on, it was
no problem finding a good place to use our inner tube. Well, in my excitement,
I forgot to change from my tennies to my snow boots. So once we walked in the snow for a while, I said Oops, I'm going back to the pick-up to change.
When I started back, I got completely turned around in the all white surroundings,
and I called out her name, but to no avail. (Now comes the angel part)...
suddenly, as I turned around again I saw a sign (best described as a 2 ft X 1 ft piece of plywood on a 2 in X 2 inch pole that said "Cecile >") , yup, with an arrow! I did a double-take, but then it was gone; so I just went that direction, found my 'back-tracks' in the snow and soon found her!! Yes, a sign sticking out
of the snow! :) Angels among us? Hmmm :)

More later,
Steve




April 24, 2021 - Msg 116567:

Oops, MDC that is!



April 24, 2021 - Msg 116568: HaHa...MDC..No kayaking yet...We had SNOW ❄️ Tuesday..😱
Hopefully soon!...The campground opens May 1st.

MDC..Romeena and I talk about this often...God–Wink. Noun. (plural God winks) An event or personal experience, often identified as coincidence, so astonishing that it is seen as a sign of divine intervention, especially when perceived as the answer to a prayer.

Godwink
An occurrence so odd and out of the ordinary, it had to be put in place by God. A wink from God letting you know you're in the right direction.

I TRULY Believe that things are shown to us and or put in our path at times we need them the most...Just Sayin’

Coincidence? I think...NOT!.....G-F

April 24, 2021 - Msg 116569: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pifA9e8OIwc

April 24, 2021 - Msg 116570: A ""Cecile" sign? Yep, I buy that. Wouldn't put it past God for a minute. Can't you imagine the angel saying "Really, Lord? Can't I just write it in the snow?" Was there really a physical sign? Who knows? It's quite likely that God just generated the vision in your mind, you saw it, it went away, but you had the information you needed. It really doesn't matter how it was handled - you got the message, and that was the whole idea. God is good! (And He has a sense of humor. If you doubt that, take a good long look at a camel.) --Romeena

April 25, 2021 - Msg 116571:

RO--and along that same 'God humor' train of thought, how about a talking
donkey, or a coin in a fish's mouth to pay a tax! haha
Regarding my 'God wink,' when I told some friends about it, all kinds of things were said to "explain" it, like 'maybe it said "Camp >" and then some wind covered it
to cause it to seem to disappear', and I suppose that's possible, but I like
the 'God wink' better! ha The good news is, I found her, we had a great time
together in the snow, and I thanked God the whole day. :)
Good Sabbath to all!
MDC

April 25, 2021 - Msg 116572: Amen GF. God is in charge if we will just step aside and let him.
Reminds me of a quote I once read. Something to the effect that if you find yourself in the pilots seat, and you look over and see God is your co-pilot, you might want to consider changing seats. lol Although I do believe God has blessed us with a brain and expects us to use it. We should always make sure our brain is on the same wave length. 10-4?

Boo and MDC, Thank you for the prayers for Matt. They are very appreciated. He is still sick as a dog and not having the time of his life. Stacey said he has lost close to 30 pounds in a week. And so far he is not getting any better. At least he's not getting worse. So we are trying to see the glass half full. His symptoms are so odd though. No fever at all. No congestion. Just bad nausea and really bad headache and very lethargic. Please continue with your prayers for him and Stacey and the kids. Thankfully no one else has been sick.

Boo, so sorry to hear about Erin and her pain. Prayers for sure. Maybe this is God trying to tell her she needs you in her life now. And I know you are there for her.

Sarah, so sorry to read about your grandpuppy. That is so hard to deal with. Prayers for sure.

MDC, I enjoyed your story about Cecile. And it is so awesome that you could see Gods hand in that event and show appreciation. I think God blesses us in so many ways and yet we are not in tune with Him and don't even recognize his hand in it.

Romeena, same with your event. Amazing how God can look over us like that. I have a somewhat similar event that happened that I will share someday. I'm pressed for time right now.

Prayers for all. My Zoom meeting went well this morning. Glad it's over though. A teacher I ain't! lol

Asa

April 26, 2021 - Msg 116573:

A great Bible reading at services today: Acts of the Apostles 4:10-12. I'll let y'all look it up if you like, put a bucket over yer head, and give it a good think! :)

We met some friends for lunch today at Cracker Barrel. So good to do that again. AZ numbers way down and we are doing well!
Well, it is a fresh new week. Prayers for all!
MDC :)



April 27, 2021 - Msg 116574: Ha! We had a table for six at Olive Garden on Sunday afternoon. You're right, it is wonderful to be able to share each other's company again. We're all old and decrepit to varying degrees, but we still enjoy getting out and spending time with old friends. Old, in that case, being friends of long standing. Of the six, four of us have been friends for over forty years. One of the others, a friend for about twenty years, and the last one - a newcomer! She is very welcome.

Newcomers are always a good sign that there is growth in the church. Our new (two years now) and energetic, Spirit-filled pastor has been a blessing, and has hung in there with us through Covid and everything else. He just turned 30, and I'm impressed by his knowledge, his enthusiasm, his spiritual outlook, and his memory! I don't know if he sits at home and studies the church directory or what, but he's learning the names of everyone in the congregation! At first, I was "you drive the red Cadillac with the little white dog alongside." That was his impression, formed when we were doing services drive-in movie style, on the parking lot. So I told him my name, and now he remembers it. I think God sent us the right man, but then, He always has.

By the way, MDC, that passage from Acts has been part of our Bible Study material in the past few weeks. Lots of good stuff there!

Asa, I think I would differ with your assessment of your ability to teach. I would imagine that you would be a very good teacher. Kind, calm, patient and well-prepared. As the old saying goes - "If God calls you to it, He will see you through it." Some serious truth in that.

Well, guess I'll go scare up some lunch. Just got home from the dermatologist, she froze off some barnacles again. I don't know where those things come from, but they do sprout now and then. Not malignant, just annoying. I have to work at not laughing (and often fail) when my children come to me now and show me a pesky thing that has sprouted on their skin. I tell them they have just joined the club - the club for "barnacle bearers." They don't think it's all that funny, especially the girls. Life will have its little jokes at times.

I wish you could see the sundrops that are blooming out back right now. I've just got to buy some more of those tough little things. They survived that bitter freeze and are blooming like mad. Big old 3 ft wide mounds, just a pile of yellow blossoms. So pretty.

Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena

April 28, 2021 - Msg 116575:

Hi All! I saw 'Floyd' in a western on Grit TV yesterday. He played a concerned townsman, a serious role. Very 'funny' seeing him with such a different demeanor. I guess that was the actor of the man! :)
RO--I see my dermatologist twice a year now. Those younger days at the swimming pool, when we would put on suntan oil
all summer are catching up to me! So far 2 small skin cancers have been taken off, so so far so good.
Also SO happy that your new pastor is doing SO well, you know, so-in-so! (OK, Iguessthatsenoughofthesos. :)
ASA--sounds like you had a good class. One nice thing about Zoom is that you can 'mute' it now and then! :)
BOO--your fam is in my daily prayers! Jesus will never abandon you, keep hangin in there OK? Just take your direction from Him and you'll do ok.
Did anyone else here get a little package from Spot? I'll wait and see, but it's contents were definitely not made in NEW YORK CITY! HAHA.
Well, our big rain turned out to be a a big bust! We sure need some, so hopefully soon.
Prayers for all,
MDC