This morning I hurried to visit a friend that needed some help. What a surprise, when I walked out the door, to see rain lightly falling. It felt like spring.
I looked out the window later that morning and wondered if there was snow in the air..it seemed like there was a change out there. Mom called to warn me of the ice. She had taken her garbage out and had fallen twice on the ice. After the first fall she wasn't going to give up-- she was going to get her garbage out. She then fell again before she managed to get it in the garbage receptacle. She did not get hurt.
I left my friend's condo about 10 and went down the back stairs of the condo complex, cutting across the grass to the sidewalk. The moment I set my foot down on the sidewalk I began to slide across the walk on one leg, with arms flying outward trying to get a balance. It had LOOKED wet, but it was a solid sheet of ice. I stopped in an upward position and gingerly and cautiously crossed the street to my pickup. Driving slowly, I got home and drove right up next to the garage door. The drive was a sheet of ice. I held the door and took a huge step to the grass and walked up the lawn.
Then over to Mom's. My brother came down for an early Christmas celebration, since he couldn't make it on Christmas Day. Before getting there, he picked up some ice melt for Mom's sidewalks. NOW, it is time for our first Christmas dinner this year. My 2nd cousin, who is Mom's age, came over and we enjoyed a wonderful ham dinner with everyone taking time out for a lot of teasing. It was fun! Mom loved having everyone's company.
As years pass, time seems to lose a foothold in our lives. It sifts through our lives, as sand through our fingers, making memories of the moments spent together. We come to realize that, soon, what we have today will be gone forever. Nothing remains in this life, only the blessed HOPE that we have--to spend eternity with the Lord, in a new and beautiful world where all things are new. And our hope that those we love will be there too.
"Revelation 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'
"5 Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'
"6 And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'
* * *
"22 (The Glory of the New Jerusalem) But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day. 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life."
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Shopping with Mom
Good news. Little black kitten was back this morning.
Today was a shopping day for a few hours with Mom. We ended up doing a lot of walking, so she was tired by the time we got out of Holiday Village--and we only hit two stores.
To get from one level to the other, we had the option to go up the escalator. Mom, now 88 yrs old, had said she wasn't going to walk up the stairs. Wonderful! This means she WILL go up the escalator. I tied her shoe lace up, so it wouldn't drag and get caught. She didn't think I needed to bother with that, so I explained to her how dangerous it could be. Then she stepped on the escalator, and, of course, stepped half-way on two steps, so she kinda got bumped to only one step. At least she hung on, and she did try to climb a few steps by herself.
When we went to leave Penney's she wanted me to take her to the front on the top level, and then for me to go to the lower level and get the pickup and go all the way around the stores to the front and pick her up. This is twice the distance for me to walk, and my knee is already giving me difficulties, and, in addition, I am packing her heavy bag. She just didn't want to go DOWN the escalator. I told her she was going to have to live a little dangerously and go down the escalator. (She commented that she does live dangerously to go with me.) I just chuckled at her and cautioned her to hang on and not try to walk it. Luckily we were pretty close to it and she didn't have much time to think about it. So down the escalator we went. She hung on and just stood there. It was a complete success.
Now we just had to walk down the hallway and out the store. She was really going slow, so I told her I was going to pick up the speed and leave her and go get the pickup and meet her at the door. We were over half way down the hallway, so she wasn't by herself for long. I went out and climbed the hillside to get to the pickup, got in it and drove to the doors. NO MOM! It is totally glass all the way across and I can't see her at all. I don't move that fast, so I know she had plenty of time to get to the door. So I park the pickup right there and locked it up. (No parking area!) She can't be too far away. As I was heading in, a young lady suddenly opened the inside door and out came Mom. What a relief. Now, one more stop...the grocery store for two items. I got delegated to do the running, so I left her in the pickup and locked the door. I cautioned her against trying to open the door, as it would set off the alarm. I came back out and she hadn't set it off. So, good!!
After I took her home and then got myself home, she called. She has to go back to the store to straighten something out. So...another adventure tomorrow morning!
Today was a shopping day for a few hours with Mom. We ended up doing a lot of walking, so she was tired by the time we got out of Holiday Village--and we only hit two stores.
To get from one level to the other, we had the option to go up the escalator. Mom, now 88 yrs old, had said she wasn't going to walk up the stairs. Wonderful! This means she WILL go up the escalator. I tied her shoe lace up, so it wouldn't drag and get caught. She didn't think I needed to bother with that, so I explained to her how dangerous it could be. Then she stepped on the escalator, and, of course, stepped half-way on two steps, so she kinda got bumped to only one step. At least she hung on, and she did try to climb a few steps by herself.
When we went to leave Penney's she wanted me to take her to the front on the top level, and then for me to go to the lower level and get the pickup and go all the way around the stores to the front and pick her up. This is twice the distance for me to walk, and my knee is already giving me difficulties, and, in addition, I am packing her heavy bag. She just didn't want to go DOWN the escalator. I told her she was going to have to live a little dangerously and go down the escalator. (She commented that she does live dangerously to go with me.) I just chuckled at her and cautioned her to hang on and not try to walk it. Luckily we were pretty close to it and she didn't have much time to think about it. So down the escalator we went. She hung on and just stood there. It was a complete success.
Now we just had to walk down the hallway and out the store. She was really going slow, so I told her I was going to pick up the speed and leave her and go get the pickup and meet her at the door. We were over half way down the hallway, so she wasn't by herself for long. I went out and climbed the hillside to get to the pickup, got in it and drove to the doors. NO MOM! It is totally glass all the way across and I can't see her at all. I don't move that fast, so I know she had plenty of time to get to the door. So I park the pickup right there and locked it up. (No parking area!) She can't be too far away. As I was heading in, a young lady suddenly opened the inside door and out came Mom. What a relief. Now, one more stop...the grocery store for two items. I got delegated to do the running, so I left her in the pickup and locked the door. I cautioned her against trying to open the door, as it would set off the alarm. I came back out and she hadn't set it off. So, good!!
After I took her home and then got myself home, she called. She has to go back to the store to straighten something out. So...another adventure tomorrow morning!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Chinook winds are here
What a great relief from the cold. The chinook winds blew in rapidly melting the snow and bringing warmer temperatures. The ground is almost bare again. I love those winds. When I was a kid and the chinooks came in I would run across the pastures just to feel the freshness of the wind blowing against my skin and through my hair. Droplets of cold moisture mingled with the warming wind, moisture gleamed from the snow it passed over. Always promising a new life, yet to come.
The dogs were in last night. Early this morning about 5, something woke them. The next thing I heard was the crashing of the baby gate, which we used to pen them into the front hallway. Now the sound of the pitter-patter of paws moving quickly on carpet and THEN here they come straight into my bedroom, tails awagging. With their noses in my face they got the message to me "We're up!!!" So I grabbed my robe and headed to the deck door and out they went. It was nice out, so I locked the door and there they stayed.
When I awoke the little black kitten was gone..and only him. Since it was such a beautiful night last night I wonder if he had gone hunting with MaMa Cat and got lost along the way. We will see if he is here tomorrow morning.
Tonight I had lunch at Applebee's with Andy's Mom. The time went quickly as we enjoyed our meal and caught up on what we were doing in our lives. Then we hurried and scooted out of there before falling to the temptation of those "Little Shooter" desserts that looked so very good in their pictures.
Earlier at Mom's I saw my niece, who just had laser surgery on her eyes. I didn't recognize her without her glasses and then having gotten herself a new swept-back hair style, also! Perhaps I should do something about my appearance too. Well, I guess that is what New Year's is for.
Time is running out to complete stuff for Christmas...mailing deadlines are passing by and nothing is ready for Christmas up here. Busy time ahead. So glad Mom is putting together a cookie box for us.
Christmas what a wonderful family time. How easy it is to foget to take time out to wish our Lord Happy Birthday!! And, to thank our Heavenly Father for the sacrifice he made when He gave us His son to live and die for us. When we celebrate our birthdays, we don't think of when we were little babies, we see each other in the "now" and wish each other happy birthday and see the future, not the past. But this little baby was different...this one was a miracle that would save all those who are God's children. What "Happy Birthday" present will we give our awesome King of Kings and Lord of Lords?
The dogs were in last night. Early this morning about 5, something woke them. The next thing I heard was the crashing of the baby gate, which we used to pen them into the front hallway. Now the sound of the pitter-patter of paws moving quickly on carpet and THEN here they come straight into my bedroom, tails awagging. With their noses in my face they got the message to me "We're up!!!" So I grabbed my robe and headed to the deck door and out they went. It was nice out, so I locked the door and there they stayed.
When I awoke the little black kitten was gone..and only him. Since it was such a beautiful night last night I wonder if he had gone hunting with MaMa Cat and got lost along the way. We will see if he is here tomorrow morning.
Tonight I had lunch at Applebee's with Andy's Mom. The time went quickly as we enjoyed our meal and caught up on what we were doing in our lives. Then we hurried and scooted out of there before falling to the temptation of those "Little Shooter" desserts that looked so very good in their pictures.
Earlier at Mom's I saw my niece, who just had laser surgery on her eyes. I didn't recognize her without her glasses and then having gotten herself a new swept-back hair style, also! Perhaps I should do something about my appearance too. Well, I guess that is what New Year's is for.
Time is running out to complete stuff for Christmas...mailing deadlines are passing by and nothing is ready for Christmas up here. Busy time ahead. So glad Mom is putting together a cookie box for us.
Christmas what a wonderful family time. How easy it is to foget to take time out to wish our Lord Happy Birthday!! And, to thank our Heavenly Father for the sacrifice he made when He gave us His son to live and die for us. When we celebrate our birthdays, we don't think of when we were little babies, we see each other in the "now" and wish each other happy birthday and see the future, not the past. But this little baby was different...this one was a miracle that would save all those who are God's children. What "Happy Birthday" present will we give our awesome King of Kings and Lord of Lords?
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