Year end thoughts

This may be one of the last if not the last blog entry for 2011. It has been a year of enormous changes in the lives of several of my children. If I am remembering right, every one of our children as well as Grandma and Grandpa all moved this year; some moved twice. Joshua gave up his business. Nate and Cori bought a house and moved into it. Becky and Charles moved within the state of Arkansas. They also bought a house. Becky joined and left the Coast Guard within the year. Victoria moved in with us, lost two dogs and is seeking a transfer to Bowie with Wal-Mart. Maggie married Aaron Ledford and moved to Mississippi. Brittany moved to Colorado Springs and is now engaged to Andrew Kim. Chase began home schooling, started working for Chick-fil-A and is preparing to go back to New Jersey to finish out his senior year; leaving what looks like a moderately serious relationship on hold until he returns. (I hope we don’t move during the time he is in New Jersey. That would break one little girl’s heart.)


Mama and I moved, bought a farm and gained a son-in-law. It has been a very busy year for all of us and the coming year should prove no less busy and full of changes – in all of our lives. Mama will turn 50 in 2012 and we will celebrate our 30th anniversary – if the Lord allows. We will fix a house, perhaps build a house, and populate our farm with animals. We hope to reap our first harvest, sell our first hay crop and can our first produce from the garden we are planning.

I know all of our children have their plans, dreams and wishes for the coming year and I hope they will succeed in most if not all of those aspirations – if they are properly focused. I do sometimes wonder if it is possible to step back and look at life as our very young grandchildren do; each day is sufficient if they are fed, clothed, housed and cuddled. They will happily wake up tomorrow and begin the very familiar process all over again. Their faith in the provision of mommy and daddy is absolute. Not all children are there, but my grandchildren are. At times, I feel that in my relationship with God I should be much more like that.

I realize I am a steward and in that capacity have multiple responsibilities, but I am not the source of the supply that is given to me, that comes from God in many ways; a good job, good health, His blessings on my family, my automobiles, and my earthly possessions. Plan your work and work your plan is a great axiom, but not the best. Bathe everything in prayer. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Have faith in God. Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Those are better.

My faith needs to be less impressive to me and more dependent on God. He has asked us to take some financial risks (especially in giving), but He will never ask us to take a spiritual risk. All we need to know is already written down and if our decision does not line up with that written Word, we need to go another way. I need to trust my heart less and His Word more.

I have often said that the idea of celebrating a new year is more than a little disingenuous. Nothing changes. No debts are wiped clean. It is a continuation of what is already in progress in our lives. There is no starting over. This is not dress rehearsal. It is only a change of a date on a calendar – unless there is a change of heart.

What heart change do you need to make the next twelve month different from the last twelve months? If nothing about your circumstances changes, will you still praise the Lord? If things get worse – from your perspective – is God still in control?

I remember reading one time about a daughter who, in despair, went to spend some time with her father who was a chef. I may not have the story completely right, but as they began to talk he put three pans of water on the stove. In one pan he put an egg. In one pan he put a carrot. In the third pan he put some coffee. The water boiled as she spilled her heartache out to her patient father.

After he had listened for some time he began to show her the three pans of water; his object lesson. The egg, he explained had hardened in the boiling water. The carrot had been softened and made virtually worthless. Then they looked at the pan in which he had haplessly put the coffee. He hugged his daughter and said “The water changed the egg and the carrot. Only the coffee changed the water.” She understood immediately that the choice of the outcome was hers to make. Her attitude would determine the outcome in any trial. She went on to say they sat and enjoyed a wonderful cup of coffee.

Are you the egg, the carrot or the coffee?

Success, dog troubles, storage and sales, children

Mama worked yesterday evening to get accustomed to the CPAA and had some success. As I kissed her goodbye this morning at 4 a.m. she excitedly told me she had made it most of the night with the machine on. At least she is determined to make this work and I am glad she is. It is her health that is at stake.


Victoria’s pup has a bad case of worms which will have to be taken care of if we are going to keep the pup for long. We are still wrestling with house breaking and the worm infestation complicates the issue by raising the need for potty times as well as food being thrown up without its control. She and Mama are going to start some worm treatments today to see if they can get the pup well. It has become one of three pups we are treating for one cause or another.

The farm dogs are doing very well and Grandpa is going to let them out during the day from now on. It will be great for them since they have been cooped up since before Thanksgiving. He will pen them up at night to keep them safe from larger predators until they can effectively defend themselves, but at least they will be free to roam some. Mama wants to bring them back to Amarillo for a few weeks to get them used to her attention, but I think with a wormy pup and a cantankerous older dog already on the premises, it may be a little much. One back yard can only handle so much poop.

Some of the furniture and other items we have been holding for a young couple at church will begin to make their way out of our storage and into the new home as of today. As cramped as we are in the little house it will be a huge relief to get the space back. We have items on the patio, in the attached garage and in the detached garage. It will really free up a lot of space for me. Maybe I can finally organize the garages to my liking and be able to find what I go looking for.

One of the families at church with younger children is buying our Wii. I am happy to see the money come in for something we rarely use. It will be a blessing right now and it is a great value to the family buying it. I am not sorry to see it go. I never used it the entire time we owned it. Chase is also selling his X-box and the “connect” that goes along with it: also not a sad thought for me. Both are being redeemed at a fair price and the money is of far more value presently that the electronic toys are. That will be two less things Mama and I have to learn to use, to maintain and eventually to move.

Mama and Victoria are looking into the possibility of taking in foster children. I think it is a great idea and encouraged both of them to pursue the idea as far as the Lord will allow. It would be a source of income for both of them while doing something they dearly love; helping children. It mostly came about because a lady we know through the bus ministry had a need she expressed to Mama concerning some children she used to have in her care. They were placed with family and after several months had to be removed and placed back into the foster care system. It is a sad circumstance we will not be able to help with at the moment, but it is a drive to explore the possibility to help in the future. The caveat is that it may require us to move yet again to be able to provide a larger house.

It is obviously something we will bathe in prayer.

Mama’s struggles, Christmas cheer? Real giving

Mama did not have a good night last night. We had a wonderful evening baking pies and a cobbler, but she did not sleep well at all. Last night was the first night with her new CPAP (Constant Positive Air Pressure) machine. I was a little apprehensive when she told me she and the tech had chosen the one that fit under the nose rather than the full face mask, but it is worth a try. It did not work out well for her on the first night.


All the doctor said to her during her follow up to the sleep study was, “Well, you got it good.” The study showed that she stopped breathing about every 50 seconds. That means that the brain would wake the body, reposition the tongue and neck and then go back to sleep – without any conscious memory of the event. That would happen every minute through the night; no wonder she is exhausted. It will take some time to get used to the device but once we settle into a routine of using it I think Mama will be able to tell a difference. At least she will really sleep.

As the week wears on the temperatures predicted for the end of the week are steadily climbing and lessening the chance of snow. That makes a big difference to Mama and me in our plans to leave Amarillo after church Sunday evening. That puts us in Bowie for the morning start to Maggie’s. Mama says she will drive to Bowie while I sleep but we both know that will probably not happen. We should arrive after 1 a.m. and if we leave the next morning at about 9 a.m. we should get to Maggie by 8 p.m. or so depending on our stops en route. So things are coming together. (I am looking up recipes for barbequed cat right now.)

My week has been slightly busier than predicted but things will slow down after the Safety Meeting tomorrow morning. There are a lot of big projects in the works over which I have the majority influence and this being the end of the year, all of them will drag into next year. So we should start with a bang in 2012. If only our finances were not a bust.

I almost got in the Christmas spirit while I was out shopping with Mama on Monday. Despite recovering from the near poisoning of my body to empty my colon, it was fun to look and try to plan for the coming celebration. But, alas, the mood did not take hold. One look at the account balance vs. life’s needs and reality set in. I have to struggle in this world of hype and empty promises to remember that presents and purchases are not the reason for this season at all. They have been marketed as passable substitutes for love or interest in a person, but if our driving interest was the eternal future of any given person our focus would surely shift away from what we can purchase to what we have to give. But ridden with guilt and not wanting to appear cheap we struggle through the season buying and wrapping our gifts in the hopes they will be well received – not thought too cheap. We will lick our financial wounds in January.

Mama and I have avoided that this year to a large degree but neither of us are guilt free in the exercise. I have to remember that that feeling of guilt does not come from the Lord but rather from our sense of not having met expectations – of ourselves and those to whom we give our less expensive gifts.

Sad, isn’t it?

I have no gift to give Mama this year. Giving will come later as our plans take hold and begin to develop. What I can give is myself and the promise that as much as is within my power I will be beside her every day for the coming year. Though it will be year number thirty for us, every day will be brand new.

I plan on living each one as a gift to be given.

Good report, Grandpa’s new vocabulary, why kids love Mama

I got through the colonoscopy yesterday without too many issues. I always have a difficult time recovering from any anesthetic and yesterday was no exception. I think I slept for several hours after the procedure and then stumbled through the day with Mama as we finalized some Christmas shopping. We should finish it off late this week as we pack to go to see our southern children and grandchildren. It is not much but we need to get it done the next time I get paid.


My bowels are still in recovery mode. I told my dad that even though I got a clean bill of health yesterday from the doctor, my belly did not fell like it had a clean bill of health. I belched all over Amarillo as Mama and I looked at various stores for our final selections. She encouraged me with every resonant outburst, realizing it had to come out somewhere and that was the lesser of two evils. She offered to take me home several times but I realized it was the last opportunity we would get to spend any time shopping together before we left next Sunday night – if those plans do not get snowed out.

Grandma called yesterday to let us know that Wise Electric had run electric over to the well so we can begin the process of getting the well outfitted for service. It has been raining in the Bowie area off and on for several days so we were all surprised to have the work completed. One step closer. Grandma was also telling Mama that one of the roosters is trying to crow and it sounds pretty pitiful. The chickens start to stir every time they hear the truck pull into the drive at the farm and Grandpa will crow to the rooster who will answer with his best response. So far Grandpa sounds better. Grandpa is also talking to the pups – which are still in isolation – in their own language. I think Grandma is thinking Grandpa is spending too much time on the farm.

Mama is thinking the pups will come home with us on our way back to Amarillo after Christmas. I will have to see how that works out. They will certainly have to be cleaned up thoroughly. Besides with Victoria’s dog and Rosie at the house in Amarillo, I think it may be a little too much, but I am not the measure of such things. I do feel it would be better for the pups to have a bit more oversight in the next few, developmental months. At least Victoria and Mama would closely supervise their menu and encourage the female to get her fair share of the feed put out. Right now, with the two of them together, the male, who is quite a bit larger, is getting the major portion of the food Grandpa puts out for them.

I thought yesterday as Mama talked to Maggie about getting the grandkids as we were staying with her, that I can understand why children love Mama so much; because no matter how difficult, time consuming or inconvenient doing things with children seems to the rest of us, it is rarely any bother to Mama. She loves doing things with children and the work that is involved in those events rolls off of her like water off a duck’s back. It does not faze her the way the rest of us are affected and children notice it without being ale to know what they are seeing. I saw it in Children’s Church yesterday also. It is a pleasure to watch it play out – especially when the kids are really rowdy, as they were yesterday.

My last four days of work here are going to be very busy as I finalize many things for the year. It is almost overwhelming to look back and see how quickly this year passed by.

Good and bad days, the kids

Yesterday was a very busy day for me with meetings taking most of the morning and all of the afternoon. I am pretty sure it was a productive time but I will know more as I work through the assignments I was given. It is reassuring to know that I still have a place at the table in the leadership team. I am investigating office space for the support staff, now located in Borger, in Amarillo. My boss told me pretty clearly to leave that alone. I am to look north from here in Borger, not south. We’ll see.


Also yesterday, Mama and I officially ran out of money. No, our accounts are not empty – totally. Just the spendable portion of our income is gone until next payday. I told Mama in the morning that we had only $37 left in our account and I did not want to transfer anything form the savings account I am holding for the well equipment. So she only bought two items; one for $14.50 and one for $50. That did not work out well for us.

She had returned about $160 worth of stuff to Sam’s and was somehow thinking the money was available to spend. None of the items purchased were outside of what we had talked about. One was an inspection on the little van and the other was a prescription for the procedure I am having on Monday. It is mostly my fault for not having the cash to give to her. It is more obvious when that runs out.

Chase got a new cell phone recently and he has been talking it up quite a bit. Every day he seems to discover new features that excite him more. I hope the enthusiasm will last past the next new upgraded gadget that comes along, but that is doubtful. Victoria is going to buy his old phone which has more gadgets and features than she will ever use.

Victoria got a call from the Wal-Mart in Bowie yesterday and they seemed interested in her coming to work for them. There were three fulltime positions open as a stocker or a cashier. One of the stocker positions was an overnight position and none of us felt good about that one. The other two are daytime positions. The HR person is beginning the paperwork to see if she is the candidate they are looking for. We should know next week. When they call for the transfer it will be a done deal and she will begin to report to Bowie.

Maggie is pretty sick right now. I think she is recovering but still feeling weak. She we complaining about the ways in which her body is exercising its right to reject food and eliminate waste but I told her it was an efficient weight loss program – not the most desirable, or the most healthy, but clearly the most efficient. She is taking the good (weight loss) with the bad (excess excretions). Aaron will be home soon.

Chase, Victoria and Brittany are planning a gift exchange for Christmas. I do not know the exact dates of Brittany’s travel but it will be largely dependent on the weather, not so much her time off. Mama and I bought a gift for her but we took it to Bowie since plans were to have Christmas there. With our plans changing so quickly, her gift is still there and will have to be shipped to her after Christmas.

Becky and Charles may still come down to Bowie after Christmas but there are no firm plans that I know of at this point. They are on the emotional roller coaster of financial troubles. All young couples I know of have gone through it. Some have higher highs and lower lows but every couple wrestles through it. Those who come together and work out agreed, workable solutions generally do very well in all the other areas or their marriage.

The only advice I would give is the advice I may have to follow soon: terminate all contracts – cell phone, internet and TV – pare down to purchasing only the essentials – food, shelter and clothing. Get your internet and news at the local library or internet hot spot. Write letters to stay in touch and get a cheap, pay as you go, phone. Use it only as absolutely necessary. Don’t just find ways to save on what you are spending, quit spending. It is amazing how loathe we are to do those things.

Still no word from Joshua.

Little things, weather woes, home

I have been having trouble getting started this morning. We had a dinner at church last night. It probably should be called our Christmas dinner but it has been called the Holiday dinner. That name was acceptable until one of the men asked in jest if we were trying to be politically correct. So now we have to adopt a new name for the event. I thought the entire exercise was cute but unnecessary.


It was a big event. I am not sure how many people attended but it was more than we usually have on a Wednesday night. We did not get out until 9:30 p.m. which is at least an hour past my bedtime. I woke up about an hour later than normal and after getting dressed sat in one of our recliners and slept another forty five minutes before leaving for work. I will catch up to the activities of the day. I will not so easily catch up to the missed sleep.

Sadly, Mama left the evening with her feelings hurt because the ladies in charge of the kitchen and the food assignments fussed at her because she brought more than she was assigned. I have a very difficult time understanding how that could be a problem, but it has turned into one for the moment. I will only let it go a little while before I say something. It tends to be little things like that that build into unnecessary problems. When you couple with that the fact that we seem to keep fighting with another couple for the seat we usually sit in, it breeds tension. But we are creatures of habit seeking to control our environment and when that control is threatened, when we are required to be “out of the ordinary” it quickly becomes uncomfortable. This too shall pass.

The morning temperature was near freezing this morning which is a good thing. It should be warm enough today to melt some patches of ice that still remain on our secondary roads. The next predicted morning temperature above freezing is next Tuesday. Of course with the weather patterns we have here on the high plains, this morning’s temperature could be the high for the day.

We plan on leaving for Bowie after church Sunday night next week. I am looking at the extended forecast to see what the predictions are for that night, bearing in mind, it is only a prediction and subject to change without notice. The good news is that when we get to Bowie, we will be south and east of the more severe winter weather patterns and probably safe in our travel from that point on. Again, only the Lord knows but tomorrow morning the outlook for that day should be posted on the ten day forecast. Technology is a blessing and a curse.

I love my children and grandchildren and am looking forward to seeing them and spending time with them, but I have to admit to looking forward to the last week of December when I can spend a few days on our farm. I appreciate the generosity of Maggie and Aaron in helping us make this trip and I want to devote my full attention to them while we are together but I am able to better understand my father’s devotion to the work on the homes we restored in Chappell Hill.

With the stress I am under at work and the financial burdens we have taken on to develop the farm, it is a blessing to have that kind of work to do, that kind of long-range plan to put in place, that kind of release of energy in a totally different manner. If all goes well it will be our home soon.

It is already beginning to feel like home.

Results and answers, national identity, Christmas plans

Mama got a call on Monday afternoon that there were several cancellations for the sleep study if she was interested in coming in that night. I had come home from work early due to weather and I told her to go ahead and take the slot. Snow had been accumulating all day, the roads were packed and icy so I could understand the reason for the cancellations, but for me it was an answer to prayer. I had prayed for the test to be done that night so we could go to Bowie for the remainder of the week and not miss an opportunity. Turns out, our travel plans were cancelled also.


Prayers were also asked that Mama would sleep as she usually does and that the technicians would immediately see her need for help in breathing while she slept. As I picked her up on Tuesday morning she told me they had awakened her after about two hours and fitted her with a CPAP facemask and she spent the next five hours sleeping with the mask as they regulated the pressure to her airway. That saves her going back to have the adjustments made in an additional sleep study. Praise the Lord! Mama is now a little disappointed that our follow up visit to the doctor is not until the 13th of this month. All in all, there were several answers to prayer in that one night.

I stayed home on Tuesday due to the weather but by late in the afternoon the streets were beginning to clear as the bright sun beat down on them. It is amazing to watch. The temperature never got above 25 degrees but the sun was able to melt away the layers of ice covering every exposed spot on the blacktop. It made travel easy this morning even though the outside temperature was 15 degrees – three times what is was on Monday morning.

Also on Monday I started to research Mama’s background to begin the process of applying for her to become a member of the Cherokee nation. Her great grandmother was some part Cherokee and I would like to get her instated into her Native American heritage because of the many benefits our government offers to descendents of that culture. It would benefit Grandma and her siblings greatly if we can succeed. Time will tell.

As it turns out, I met with a fellow employee for lunch yesterday to discuss some issues related to the office her in Borger. His name is James Journeycake. I asked the background of his unusual name and he explained that he is a direct descendent of a Delaware chief who negotiated the treaty to let the settlers in the early colonies build their towns in Indian lands. He is one eighth Cherokee. He is also an attorney. I asked if he would be a resource to us in our search and he happily agreed.

With our travel plans cancelled for this week, it leaves Grandma and Grandpa pretty much alone for the Christmas season. It is a good thing they are in a church. At least there will be someone to share the time with. Mama suggested they come over to Amarillo but Grandpa would not leave the farm animals for any more than an overnight visit and that would not be worth the fuel spent on their part.

Times are a little hard, but we have seen worse and gotten through. We will get through this also.

The coming weeks, Victoria, decorating for Christmas

One week from today I go for my colonoscopy and one week from that we are leaving Bowie for Mississippi and then Florida. It will be a very pleasant change to travel to see some of our children and grandchildren. The medical testing will not be so pleasant, but it is far better to have it done than to allow something like that to go undone.


I am praying that Mama will get her sleep test done before we leave for Mississippi. It would be very good to know what our options are for helping her – and, by extension, me. Lots of testing going on; physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially. Testing is not fun. It is especially unsettling when you are unsure of the results. There is so much fear in all of our lives today and I am not sure how to effectively mitigate it. I think less television, less internet, less live news could help, but how is that balanced against our need to be informed and thereby prepared?

Have faith in God. He knows the truth of what lies ahead and though the cries of the doomsday prophets is loud in the ears of those tuned into their broadcasts, only God really knows. I prefer not to have my head in the sand, but there is little I can do that would profit my family other than be about the work of the Lord and allow Him to guide me to the place of His protection. He has and always will be able to care for His own. I am glad to be one of them.

Victoria started the process of seeking a transfer to Bowie. I am still a little worried about her spiritual growth in the church there, but again, I must trust the Lord to get us to the place where he can use us most effectively and since there seems to be a need for her there, I am praying that the Lord will make the choice obvious for her. I know she can be a help to Grandma and Grandpa on the farm. I am not sure if now is better than in the Spring, but she has been advised by her HR that now is the better time due to predictable cuts in hours that follow the holiday season.

Victoria’s new pup is a funny little ugly thing. He has adopted her – which is what she has been looking for. It would premature to say he is already house broken, but he does seem to be getting the idea that his potty place is outside the house. With the bitter cold we have had lately it is a challenge to stay outside with him until he decides to complete his business.

Rosie is not thrilled about the recent adoptee. She is tired of raising pups and in her old age she seems unwilling to share her love seat with anyone, least of all a rambunctious pup. She likes the hollow between the cushions and if anyone or anything takes that spot it frets her noticeably. I like to put things there just to see her reaction since about 90% of her time is spent curled up there.

Mama and I spent Saturday setting up the Christmas tree. It is a fake tree, tall and skinny. It is perfect for the home we are now in. If fits in a small space and does not encumber access within the small living room where we have it set up. There are huge totes of unused decorations yet stored away, but we really may need them when and if we get to build our log home. It was fun for Mama to rummage through them and find everything she needed.

She was disappointed to be reminded that I left two huge totes of Christmas lights at the house on 6 Gifford. I thought it unwise to keep them since we were moving into an apartment and had no plans of buying a house in the near future. Besides, Christmas lights are notorious for not working more than one season. I suppose we will have to restock after Christmas this year when the price on such items will be more in line with what I am willing to pay.

Grandma and Grandpa will be alone for Christmas. Victoria, Chase and Brittany (if she makes it down to Amarillo) will be together for Christmas in Amarillo. Becky and Charles will be coming over for a few days near Christmas. I have no idea where Joshua is or what his plans are but Mama is thinking he will come over in the weeks before Christmas. We will be with Maggie and Aaron in the days prior the Christmas, then with Cori, Nate and the kids on Christmas day. Mama’s mother hen instincts are kicking in and she is lamenting the fact of our separation during this Christmas, but I see no good alternative.

There will perhaps be many more Christmases to follow much like this one. Only God knows.

Sick, doctor visit, shopping

I was out sick yesterday. I got to feeling badly late Wednesday evening and stayed home from church; which is very rare for me. When I got up in the morning, I just got right back in bed. I got to feeling better through the day, so between sleeping in and eating carefully, whatever was making me feel bad worked through my system. I must not be totally recovered because I woke up seriously late this morning, but I got up and made it to work.


Being off yesterday gave me the chance to go to the doctor with Mama. She saw a sleep specialist. We are investigating the possibility of sleep apnea. Over the past few months her symptoms have gotten worse and we finally agreed that the time had come to see what can be done to help us both. We both liked the demeanor of the doctor. Mama does not care at all for the overnight observation required of her for the diagnosis. She is allowed to bring her fan and a book to read – nothing else. She is truly dreading it; a dozen electrodes glued to various places on the head and face, two elastic bands across the chest and abdomen, and a special instrument resting below the nose make it a lot less like a hotel room than they tell you it is.

Her appointment is scheduled for early January, but with the changes we are going to have in our health insurance, we are trying to get her in before the year end. In order for that to happen we will have to be on “hot standby” for a cancellation. It might be better that way. If it comes about suddenly, it could be easier for Mama. The nurse scheduling the appointment told us there were almost always cancellations through the week so we will continue to pray.

We spent the entire day out. Good thing I was home sick. We went to the insurance agency, three stores and Sam’s, and finally, the Laundromat. I spent way too much money trying to plan for the time we will be gone this month. Since Victoria and Chase will be alone much of the month and since Brittany is planning on coming to Bowie to spend Christmas with them, we needed to stock up on foods they could easily prepare – translate that put in the microwave.

Victoria, like her brother Joshua, does not mind cooking but also, like her brother, does not like to clean up. While we were out yesterday, Mama and I stopped at a baked potato place to try their special; a baked potato covered in pot roast and gravy. It was delicious. While there we spent quite a bit to time talking to the owner. When we talked about cooking he explained that he liked to clean up as he went and often used the same pan for several items before he was done. It sounded very much like me and Mama remarked so. I am not sure my children have adopted that method – or if they even noticed it happening as I cooked. Chase won’t even put the lids back on the peanut butter and jelly many times, much less prepare any food. So don’t even think about him cleaning up outside of Chick-fil-A.

I am not sure if we saved anything but we got a lot of items for the money we spent – which in Mama’s account book is saving. We have a store called Panhandle Salvage and as Mama and I shopped there yesterday we found several items we will go back and pick up for our food storage supply. We are taking three steps forward and two steps back with the implementation of food storage. When we have been out of money and needed something, we pulled it out of our supply which is the correct manner, I suppose, but it does not seem to accomplish what my idea tends toward; then again, I have never been a hoarder.

Like building the ark, it is difficult to follow through on an idea whose time has not yet come.

Learning vs. testing, notes of interest

As Cori and I talked the other day she explained some of the frustration she was having with Grant. He seemed to be doing things which he knew he was not to do simply to see what the consequences would be; testing to see if the outcome would always be the same. Blake on the other hand is in the learning stage where he is not always aware of the consequences associated with a particular action, or his attention span so limited, he is still associating his actions with mommy’s reactions. Grant knows and still chooses to test the limits.


It reminds me of a more familiar adult attitude. If we are to be honest, we are guilty of doing the same thing as my three year old grandson. Mama, for instance, habitually drives five miles per hour over the speed limit. Are there consequences for that? Perhaps, but not very often. After all a police offices told her it was safe – although not legal – to do. I like to watch sci-fi movies and shows. Are there consequences for that? Probably, since I would not sit down with my pastor to watch them, but the consequences are not immediately obvious.

Psychologists would chalk it up to our competitive spirit, our exercise of individual freedoms, but it is only rebellion. Here’s what the Bible says, James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. How sad, such a simple answer to such a complex emotional, psychological and spiritual issue. It is sin. Will my grandson ever loose that desire to step across known boundaries? I am fifty-two years his senior and I have not, but I am developing the discipline to choose better.

It is Cori and Nate’s job to shape his will without destroying his spirit. We need to be taught to desire the things of God with the full understanding of that choice rather than simply to avoid certain things for the fear of the consequences. Fear of the consequences (translate that, punishment) is a good start, but it is not the final outcome we ought to be aiming for.

Nate sat down the other day to read Mykenzie a book. Sadly, he picked the book that Grammy narrated for the grandkids. He was not allowed to read the book, Mykenzie explained, “Because Grammy is in it.” There is no higher authority in the world for Mykenzie than Grammy. I think she has chosen a good role model.

Becky and Charles are talking about coming down to Bowie around Christmas. Becky asked if she could bring her dog – another miniature Dachshund. I assured her that that would be alright, but asked her to keep him in good shape in case the coyotes got after him. Domestic animals are their favorite fast food.

Yesterday I did a compilation of all the blogs I have in the folder I use to house them on my work computer. There are 276 pages in the complied draft. I was amazed to see the number that high. It is not all of the entries for the year since some have been done from home, but it was all that I had access to for this printing. It still made a 138 page book.

Maybe I can write a book.

New power, focus

I expect the power company to come this week to put in service which will be used for the house when we build, but for now it will be for the well. Putting it in service is crucial to meeting our expanding livestock needs. Having new power on the property does not really give me much advantage other than operating the well – which is a need. It really only gives me new power to generate more bills as we expand.


When the well is operational and the pig building being finished it would make sense that hogs would be our next purchase. I am ready to have them there getting fat for butchering, but that requires feed, which requires money to purchase the feed – unless we can take over another hundred pounds of bread as soon as we have them in the lot. It will all work out. It always does, but if I had any hair left I might be inclined to start pulling it out.

Pray for Grandma and Grandpa as they struggle financially. The holiday season with all its expectations is exacerbated by the higher costs of heating the double-wide they are renting. Grandpa was amazed at how quickly the level fell in the propane tank supplying their home when he turned on the heat. We are looking into other ways to heat the space while they are there, but there are limits to all of them. The weather is supposed to turn cold with snow predicted for Amarillo on Friday and Saturday of this week. It will be less cold in Bowie, but the outside temperatures will still require some heating to keep them comfortable.

At 69 I know Grandpa is not chomping at the bit (with his false teeth) to go out and get a part time job, but there has been some talk along that line. I would like to be able to provide more of their support but there always seem to be more pressing matters to pay for. God is good and we will certainly all make it just fine, it just feels stressful right now. As we grow older it is not as much a matter of making wise decisions for ourselves, it is more a matter of making wise decisions in those areas where so many other lives are affected by our choices.

Along that line, Cori and I were talking yesterday and she remarked about a conversation Nate had recently had with his parents concerning his younger brother. He was not able to give any advice but rather was a sounding board for his Mom as she related the trouble to him. That night as he and Cori were talking he asked, “Are we grownups?” The question may have been asked in jest considering the facts of their three children, their mortgage, their leadership positions in church, the nature of his employment, but it is a question far too few young couples are asking of themselves.

The short answer to the question is, “Yes”, and it probably puts them at odds with their friends and peers on more occasions that either of them would like to admit. I remember a young father years ago who was complaining that his very young children were taking up all of his money, all of his time and keeping their mama so busy that even she did not seem to have time for him. “When will it be my turn?” He asked. I smiled and told him it would be his turn when his youngest was thirty. That marriage did not last. (I remember writing a poem in response to his question. I will have to look it up.)

At that time I had seven children under the age of eighteen. Being the grownup is not a matter of age alone. It is a matter of focus; God, husband and wife, children, everything else. When the children are as young as my grandchildren it is a struggle to keep the marriage a top priority but if you do you will have that long after the children are married and repeating the struggle of focus you endured as you raised them.

Keep up the good work my brand new little grownups.

Holiday travel

As you are aware, Mama and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Bowie, mostly. On Friday we went to Denton to do some Christmas shopping and the crowds seemed pretty light. We did not go out for the all night shopping spree that Cori did but chose to get started about 7 a.m. After our time there we left for Chappell Hill to see my mom and dad.


I missed a turn on the way and it cost us about another hour on the trip but we got there and had a very good visit. After breakfast I pulled the truck around to Dad’s little garage/shop and got stuck so badly that we had to call AAA to pull the truck out. It had started raining early in the morning and the black clay at their house was as slick as grease. I had little chance of getting where I was aiming even if the ground had been firm under the snotty surface layer. When I did get out I backed into the fence of the neighbor across the street and later knocked over some landscape timbers lining the narrow entrance at Sarah and Fabian’s house. I returned a very dirty truck to Grandpa.

Getting stuck just gave us more time to visit. Dad and I sat on the front porch swing talking and watching it rain while we waited for the wrecker. As we left he gave me a very old copy of the Bible – dated 1816. He told me that of all his children I seemed the most interested in the things of the Lord. I considered it a great compliment. After church last night – in Amarillo – I loaned the Bible to our pastor to look through. He was thrilled.

While Victoria and Chase were on the way for Thanksgiving day with us I called to check on their progress and to see about what time they would be there. We were burning scrap limber and tree limbs to help clean up the property and I knew Chase would be interested in participating. Chase answered my call and informed that Victoria had been pulled over and was in the process of getting a ticket for going 63 in a 45 mph zone. I had warned the kids that the highway patrol and local police would be out in force through the weekend. It is, after all, their Black Friday too. As it turned out, the officer’s ticket writer/printer device had malfunctioned and she got off with a warning. Praise the Lord! She was VERY careful after that.

Chase however, was not so lucky. When they got back to Amarillo Thanksgiving night, he was on his way to some store or another and turned right on a red light into the path of another vehicle and damaged their vehicle in the ensuing accident. The occupants were quite expressive of their displeasure and used a few words Chase had not heard before to convince him how upset they were. He did get a ticket and our insurance will go up dramatically – again.

Back to the farm on the night before Thanksgiving: When Chase and Victoria did arrive at the farm we got the fire going again and sat around it and talked for some time. As the fire died down we could hear the coyotes inching their way closer to us as they yipped and yelped calling from one pack to another. It was freaking Grandma out and it was all Mama could do to contain Rosie, who was in full attack mode. Chase described it as “intense”.

We all made it home safely and I delivered the windows I had gotten from Mom and Dad; which I loaded while the truck was stuck in the mud. It was a long and difficult week and will remain so for Grandpa as the pups remain in quarantine and the surviving guineas recover from their separate attacks.

It was a mixed bag of memories for all of us.

Updates

According to the vet and the websites I read yesterday we have quarantined the pups for 45 days. Grandma is convinced, and may be correct, that Sasha, who Mama found very bloodied after the skunk visit, was not bitten but rather herself on the cage as she tried to get away from the spray. Since we did not witness the event we are obliged to play it safe and err on the side of caution. The vet asked for 45 days of isolation before he would give the pups their shots and pronounce them healthy. At any time during that time we could be visited by a State health official who would check our quarantine setup. I hope that does not happen but it could in the case of suspected skunk attack – thereby rabies potential.


I called Victoria yesterday to let her know so she could be praying and so that she would be aware of the potential of losing the pups. Both Grandma and Mama were pretty upset with me. Both wanted to wait until she was here to tell her. I disagreed, and the cat was already out of the bag. It is disappointing, but it is life in the country. Should the pups survive, it is an episode that will probably never be repeated.

I will only work through lunch today so I should have plenty of time to help Grandpa with a project on the farm. I bought wire to run electric service to the outbuildings which will give Grandpa some light in the dark hours that come so quickly in the winter evenings. It will also enable us to put up some dusk-to-dawn lights which I hope will discourage the skunks from seeking shelter in our out buildings. Mama thinks it will give the pups some comfort in their confinement.

Grandma is practicing saying ‘Hi, my babies!” like Mama but I don’t think the pups will be fooled. It just doesn’t come out the same when there is not the true intent of the communication in the voice. Only Mama can pull that off.

Mama and I are planning on going to see my parents on Friday after some early morning shopping. We will go to see Sarah and Fabian on Saturday. It is nice to be close enough to make the visits even though they are abbreviated visits.

Brittany called last night to tell us that Mr. Kim, Andrew’s dad, had passed away yesterday. It was not unexpected but it still caught Andrew by surprise. He is either there or on his way. She will be leaving today or early tomorrow to see the family. As it turns out the father of Andrew’s sponsoring family at the Academy is a pilot and he is working on getting Brittany a buddy pass. She and Mama talked about it last night but I did not get the details after they did talk. Mama was too distracted by Grandma’s interjections into the conversation.

Victoria and Chase will be heading over today after she gets off work at 3 p.m. I do not know what Grandma has planned for them when they get here but I did overhear some discussion on having a meal of some sort ready for them. Victoria will be excited by that, I am not so sure about Chase. If the food is not wrapped, slid over a counter or through a small window, he does not get too interested. I will be interested to see him in about six or seven years – especially if he gets married in that timeframe.

In the next few days try not to let the holiday activities swallow you up. In all the cooking, cleaning, entertaining, and wiping up spills, remember to be thankful. We really do have so much to use, to share, to enjoy. If it was not such a bother to keep it all clean and in working order, life would be really fun.

The unexpected, future plans

Yesterday as Grandpa got to the farm he noticed two dogs running out of the area where one group of chickens and the cage with the guineas is kept. He ran them off but when he got to the area where the guinea cage was there was blood everywhere. Two of them had been pull at through the tiny holes in the bottom of the cage and were very nearly dead. A third had been wounded in the feet and probably would have been killed had he gotten there any later. He let the two live birds out of the cage and buried the dead ones. He fortified the area and we hope for the best for last night, but he will be armed as he goes this morning.


Late last night Mama woke me to get help with the pups. It appeared that a skunk had attacked the two of them as we had them caged on the porch of a little building near the trailer they are living in. Sasha was bloodied on her hind quarters and the two of them were terrified. Did I mention that they had been sprayed and, my word, they stank? We looked them over (using gloves at arms length) and moved the cage closer to the living quarters even though the aroma was like aromatic ipecac. Mama, needless to say, was having a very difficult time, as much with the smell as with the wounding.

She will call the vet this morning to see what to do with Sasha especially. Since skunks carry rabies in their genes we may have to have her put down and destroyed in order to avoid having a rabid dog in six to eight weeks. I hope not, but it would not be unexpected. As for Samson, prudence may call for him to go to the same fate which would be doubly sad and quite expensive. If they both survive, we will praise the Lord and know that they have at least learned about the dangers of those smelly little creatures we call skunks. In their years of service to the farm, it is knowledge that will serve them well. As for me and Grandpa, all skunks are targeted with a “shoot on sight” standing order.

Between dinner and the skunk attack on our dogs I went to the farm in the last hour of daylight hoping to see the dogs that had cost us three guineas or a skunk. A skunk is living beneath the chicken house where the attack took place and Grandpa is working to get it out. It is a delicate matter due to the well publicized defense mechanism God gave the animal. But we want it gone and after the attack on our pups last night, dead. To that end I bought a used single shot 410 even thought Charles told me recently he had one I could get off of him. The need seemed a little urgent. The shotgun in this case is safer than using the .22 pistols or rifles we have.

It rained most of the afternoon yesterday and continued late into the evening. It is a blessing for the area and we never complain when God sends us moisture.

As we sat talking last night I finally got Grandma to hear my argument against building an herb shop on the farm. It would cost way too much money to do at this time. I need to approach this idea with as much wisdom as possible and in the beginning using as little money as possible if we are to succeed. It takes time and accessibility to build up a clientele – especially in a small town where a two mile trip to Wal-mart is considered a sizable trek.

Mama finally saw that with an herb shop, a farm, a garden, canning, milking, feeding, planting, harvesting, putting up hay, etc, it will be a very busy life for us. Grandma likes the idea of talking to people all day long and that is one area of her life where she still has amazing endurance, but all the other stuff that is required to make such a venture work is a secondary consideration.

I feel in my heart that God is preparing me for such a time, but I am not there yet; soon, I hope, but not yet.

Puppy passengers, shopping

Mama and I made the drive over after church yesterday and I think we could have made it in time for church except that we did not have a good place to keep the little passengers she had in the car with her. She brought both of the pups so she could take the male, Samson, to the vet here to get his first shots, etc. They traveled well as Mama tells it but I am just a little glad that I was not in the van for the trip. I drove the company truck since I am on call until Friday afternoon.


We brought over a lot of stuff. Most of the room in the back seat of the truck was taken up by the bread we bought earlier in the week; I am guessing it is about seventy pounds of bread. Grandpa says the chickens will love it. He and Mama are going to test that sometime early this morning. It is one of those times that I wish I could be there but someone has to support the recreational farming activities of our family and I suppose it should be me.

We also brought over the queen size bed so Mama and I will have more than a double bed to sleep on. It will be set up in the room Grandma has designated for Victoria, but Mama and I will sleep there when we are over here regardless. I have encouraged Victoria to stay in Amarillo working at Sam’s until spring, which to me is sometime in late February or early March of next year. She is, like me, a little jealous of the fun Mama and Grandpa are having on the farm, but winter activities are limited and Grandpa will need the most help in the coming spring.

Through the winter I hope to get the house fully investigated and know what we are most profited by doing in repairing and remodeling it. It will be a good amount of work but it will be extra living space in the future. My greatest concern is that it will delay the construction of the log home I have waiting in the wing. The drawback to that construction is that it will take a goodly amount of money all at once, unlike the remodel of the little house which will take little bits at a time over a period of time.

Mama and Grandma are planning on going to Denton to shop at Kroger’s today. It is supposed to rain all day – Praise the Lord! – and there are several items we have set aside to get at Kroger’s, not the least of which is our fresh turkey. I know the list is far more extensive than that but I do not know what else will go into it. I do know that Grandpa and Grandma are looking forward to shopping at a familiar store again, even though it is almost an hour away.

Denton is where Mama and I will go on Friday morning to do some very limited Black Friday shopping. I have set aside a little bit of money each week leading up to this week. I knew that once we took on the farm payments there would be almost no unassigned money from my paychecks, so several months ago I started setting aside the money for Christmas. It is not as much as Mama is used to having access to for presents, but it is enough. It is more than there would have been had I not started much earlier in the year.

Bowie is feeling more and more like home to me. The office in Decatur is not so much that way. I am far more comfortable in the Borger office than I am here and I suppose it is a matter of familiarity for the most part but there is still an oppressive and unwelcome atmosphere to this office. The saving grace of this week is that almost no one will be here these three days. I think these are the most popular vacation says of the entire year and were it not for the fact that I was assigned this week on call, I would be off too.

I am here and I will enjoy everything I can about this week. It is Thanksgiving after all.

Young hearts, dog news, Grant

Cori had Mykenzie call Mama (Grammy) last night and tell her that she “knows Jesus”. Cori and Nate have been praying for all of their children that they would come to know Jesus as their savior and while sitting on her bed, Mykenzie asked about that. As best I could understand, that led to a discussion and a very simple plan of salvation and Mykenzie asked Jesus into her heart. Praise the Lord! We realize it is not a finished work but rather a wonderful, early beginning.


Critics may argue that she is too young to understand and there may be some validity to their concerns, but I would rather err on the side of praying with a child who will come to a fuller understanding as they learn and grow than to tell them they are too young to understand that they need Jesus in their heart. If they can understand what sin is, they can understand salvation and their need for Jesus’ help. Our job is to carefully instruct as they grow into a fuller understanding of the Lord, but allow them to adopt and internalize as much as they are able regardless of their age. Salvation is not about what we do, it is about what God does for us in Jesus and a heart that is ready to receive Him should never be turned away.

The pups are growing fast. It is almost disappointing to see them so dirty though. We are committed to making them outside dogs but the baths they were initially given quickly lost their effect as they romped in the dust of Amarillo. I am not sure if they will ever be the clean, white little balls of fluff they once were – however briefly. I suppose clean dogs do not make good guard dogs and they do not mind each other’s darkening fur. Victoria plays with them constantly and is trying to get them to follow on a leash. They both love the play, not so much the leash.

We are planning on taking Samson with us on Sunday afternoon because he needs shots and worming. The vet in Bowie is far less expensive than the one we have used in Amarillo. By the way, the Amarillo vet sent us a sympathy card when we had to put Ketsia down. I thought it was a very nice gesture. Victoria and Chase will probably bring Sasha with them for the overnight they are doing for Thanksgiving.

Grandma and Grandpa have adopted a stray. I have not seen it but they describe it as a lab mix. They are feeding it but unable to get near enough to pet it. My only worry is how it will react to the pups and Rosie when we bring them. If it is a wanderer I would hate to have them led astray should all of them get along. So we have to be careful. I think it would be best to have it checked out by a vet but Grandma and Grandpa do not have the money to do so. I have paid enough vet bills so I am not willing to do so; at least for now. It seems like bad timing but we have dealt with that before.

We never did get our donkeys; disappointing. Especially for Grandma who had great plans of selling them. Speaking of disappointments, Cori discovered that Grant, who has been studying a booklet of small animals and talking with Grammy about which ones she should get for him, discovered that he was expecting the real thing – not the toy version. Her discussion with him to set the proper expectations left him very disappointed and Mommy and Grammy heartbroken. But it is far better that it happen now than upon delivery of the play items instead of real animals.

For his mommy and daddy’s sake, we will keep the real animals on the farm.

Lots of bread, Thanksgiving humor, thinking of doing better

I got home yesterday and Mama asked me what I thought we should do with the bread she had gotten from the bread store. She had bought what they call a “half rack” of non saleable bread. It is twelve trays of bread and related baked items for hog, chicken or bird food. It nearly filled up the back of the little van. Most of the loaves were fresh but the wrapping had been cut open somehow. It was tempting to keep some for ourselves but I told Mama we had no idea what they had been exposed to so to the chickens they go.


I filled three trash bags and it made a noticeable dent in the load. I expect it to take at least four more trash bags or six boxes. Either way it is a lot of stuff for the $5 price tag. At least our chickens will eat well the next couple weeks; after all it is Thanksgiving and we need at least one of them to be ready for dinner at Christmas.

I found some good recipes yesterday as I was looking for items for the Safety Meeting I have to do today. Most of them are for pies and cookies but one was for a green bean casserole. It caught my eye because it does not require a can of soup. It is a made-from-scratch recipe which sounds like it would be very good. Since I am looking to keep my salt intake very low, it is one I hope to try soon.

I also came across some very cute items. I was looking for Thanksgiving humor and it is amazing how much I had to sift through to find a couple very clever ones.

See below. This was my favorite!

I have a doctor’s appointment today to do the preliminary checkup for a colonoscopy. I have put it off for years and it is high time I got the procedure done. There is always the dread of bad news that overshadows such a diagnostic exam, but the news will be whatever it will be regardless of the expectation either good or bad. It is always better to know than be taken by complete surprise and there are ways to combat a poor result; things I need to do regardless of the review from the procedure.

It never ceases to amaze me how much we as individuals know to do right yet refuse to act on that knowledge. Diet is the prime example. Mama knows to avoid sweets. She suffers when she does not. Yet, she still does not. I know to avoid meats – especially pork. I suffer when I do not. Yet I still eat what I should not – and suffer for it.

Adopting any practice which denies ourselves is a difficult thing to do. Grandma is suffering from bone loss yet she refuses to stop drinking carbonated drinks – a primary aggravator of the condition. I suppose if eating something that was not good for us made us vomit it up right away we would be motivated to stop but such is not the case so we think we are getting away with it; even while the damage is being done.

It is a sad case in all of us and one that has kept me away from starting the herb shop I have often talked about. We can only help those who want to be helped. Sadly, by the time they ask for help there has been enough damage that their health and well-being has been greatly affected.

With the holidays upon us, let’s not forget that God expects us to be good stewards of our bodies and strive to enjoy the fellowship more than the food.

Good memories are always non-fattening and laughter (a merry heart) “doeth good like a medicine.” (Pr 17:22)

Our well, meal plans, time

The well is drilled and ready for the plumbing and electrical parts to be installed. The driller told Grandpa that it is one hundred feet deep, producing about twenty gallons per minute – that is outstanding! I spoke to the man who will be doing the plumbing and well pump installation and he is going to wait on the power to be run to the well to complete his work. I asked him to put in a frost proof yard hydrant during the installation so we will be able to use the well as soon as his work is done. Praise the Lord!


There are two other smaller wells on the property and I am trying to find the type of pumps that will be required to put them into use, unfortunately, I am having a little trouble with that. They are deeper than twenty five feet and only four inches in diameter. That does not allow me a very large volume of water to draw from when pumping so I need a small pump with a lot of lift; not an easy order in my price range.

Mama and I sat down last night to complete the shopping list for Thanksgiving. With only the six of us at the meal it is not a huge list, but it is an extensive one; covering appetizers to desserts, condiments and sauces, baking needs and containers for the leftovers. Grandma and Mama are both excited about the meal. I am excited about the time off. I am excited about having several days to help Grandpa at the farm. I am also looking forward to seeing my family in south Texas.

Depending on whether or not Victoria and Chase make the drive over for the day, we may have the three dogs with us for the event also. If they decide to stay in Amarillo, the dogs will stay with them and they will have dinner with local friends. It is a lot of driving for one afternoon; not our first choice, but times are busy and money is tight. Maybe Christmas will be better.

I was talking to one of my peers yesterday and he remarked that he was really ready for the time off. I guess it is a part of the holiday season and the year end. It is not that the date on the calendar has that much importance. It is more that we assign value to it as though we were completing something significant. January 1st will follow without delay the passing of December 31st and 2012 will start to count down. That year will pass even more quickly for most of us than this year has and we will stand here a year from today and wonder what happened to that year as we are wondering what happened to this one.

David asked of God in the Psalms (90:12) that He would teach him to number his days so that he would have the wisdom to know they were so few. I believe he wrote that as an old man. I look forward from here and see that by the time Chase comes home next year the year will be almost half over. Only a few more months and he will be in Bible College. About the same time my granddaughter will be starting school and her Mommy and Daddy’s years with her will swirl by until they will be standing where Mama and I are at the moment.

It is perhaps better as we enter this holiday season to realize that nothing is ending, nothing is beginning, life is just moving on and we had better make plans to enjoy every moment of every day as we journey through it together. Living for the Lord, being close to each other (emotionally and spiritually if not physically); nothing else really matters.

Enjoy the day. Don’t forget to share it liberally.

Thanksgiving, farm influences, hunting

It is hard to believe that next week is Thanksgiving. I know Mama and I have talked about the plans we have for dinner and travel – although I am not sure we will have enough money – but it really is here. All the buzz is about Black Friday. I guess retailers are trying to drum up sales but prices are already pretty low so if things are not drastically reduced I cannot imagine there will be any monumental deals.


Mama is a little anxious about this holiday season since we are not close to many of our children. She dreads the thought of Thanksgiving dinner with only a few attendees, but that is what we are anticipating. Chase and Victoria are driving over for the meal but both of them will have to return quickly to Amarillo due to work. I know Joshua, Brittany, Maggie and Becky and Charles will be able to celebrate the day with friends if not with family, but they will most likely not be with us for the event; Christmas looks even less well attended. Mama is trying to pare down the Thanksgiving menu and portion size to meet the needs of the smaller crowd, but I predict we will be eating leftovers until Christmas.

We are planning on being in Bowie for both holidays because I have time off during those holidays and I would rather spend that time near the farm. It tickles Grandma to death since she is far from everyone right now and does not travel well any more, but it has been disheartening for Mama to consider.

Mama’s and my focus on the farm must be contagious. Cori said even her friends are teasing about her “city kids” talking all the time about the farm and farm animals. Grant has always been obsessed with animals, but Mykenzie, at a recent tea party – to which her mother was invited – allowed her to pretend she was Mrs. Davis and that they were having the tea party on her farm.

Cori tells us that Mykenzie wanted to call her by her first name during the party but she (Mommy) does not allow that to be done. As a compromise to that mommy offered that she could pretend to be someone else for the party. So she became Mrs. Davis and the party was reinvented with the farm theme. I don’t know if it was a girl’s only party but I am sure Grants animals were not allowed at the table.

Rain is predicted for most of the week of Thanksgiving. That will limit our construction activities but it will provide the perfect weather for hunting. I have not been hunting in many years and I have encouraged Grandpa to get his hunting license this year. With the two of us legally registered we can tag four deer each. If we do the butchering ourselves we will not need the tags, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Even hunting on our own land we are required to have a license and since we do not know the game warden, I choose to play by the rules.

While we were burning the refuse from the garage we tore down I went for a walk. It was well after dark but the moon was so bright that it had the feel of early morning. The shadow I cast in the moonlight was pretty impressive and I knew I would not be able to sneak up on anything, but it was pleasant to be out. As I was walking back to the fire I noticed something moving towards me. It was following the fence line straight to the chicken coop – and it was huge.

It turned out to be a skunk. The biggest skunk I have ever seen. Grandpa and I had been wondering what had been digging by the coop and leaving huge piles of poop at various locations around the buildings. I had a .22 rifle and there was not enough light to properly aim, but I took a shot anyway. I am not sure if I hit it, but it definitely changed course.

Maybe next time.

Rough starts, not so black Friday, guard birds

Getting started this week is proving difficult. I could speculate that much of it has to do with the fact that we are getting back from a week at the farm; which is pretty close to a vacation for Mama and me. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I have been having trouble sleeping the past several nights. Being at the end of an extended fast may influence my motivation levels. But I think I would have to admit that most of my less than stellar attitude comes from the fact that we are very limited financially; not that God is not blessing. He is. It is just that our needs are expanding and our wants are at near epic proportions.


Some of that is to be expected with the development of the farm. Much of it is due to the approaching holidays. I think it weighs very heavy on Mama and by default, therefore, on me. I have managed to set aside a little money for each of our children, but it is nowhere near the amount Mama is used to having access to. This coming Black Friday is going to be a little more toward Light Grey.

We are planning on going to Denton the morning after Thanksgiving and see what we can do in preparation for Christmas, but we have no agenda for the money; at least I do not. And the only planning I have heard from Mama does not involve anyone over the age of four. But we will see how things go and we will make the most of the time together.

We are planning on visiting my Mom and Dad later that afternoon, where we will spend the night. Our hope is to make it over to visit Sarah and Fabian on Saturday late morning and stay into the evening. It should only be about three hours to Bowie from their home in Rogers which would put us back there late on Saturday night. We will then return to Amarillo after church, and probably dinner, on Sunday afternoon. It will be a very busy time – much of which I will be on call for work.

I am now officially dog poor. We have two of the pups sleeping at our back door. Victoria is getting worried about the temperatures we are expecting over the next several nights but I would rather not ever bring the dogs into the house. I have to leave through that door every weekday morning at 0430 and I would rather not have to deal with the dogs trying to storm the house when I open the door to leave. I had to deal with that issue with some kittens on our farm in West Virginia. Mama was not happy with the way I dealt with that issue; neither of them will be happy how I deal with the dogs if they create a problem for me.

We also bought, and relocated to the farm, four guineas. We think we have three hens and a male. Someone described them as resembling a bunch of AWOL army helmets, but we are told they will keep tick populations under control, find and kill snakes, and serve as alarm systems for their territory – without the fear of getting sued for a guard dog biting an intruder. We were told to keep them in a coop or cage for about a month. Then let out only one, keeping the others in the coop. After one week let another out and so on until all are free ranging. They will adopt their own territory and keep it under surveillance at all times. They love to roost in high places which gives them a decided advantage for keeping an eye on things.

Along with the dogs and the donkeys, if they come, who needs ADT?

Dog additions, farm updates, Mama

Mama is going back this morning to get one more dog: a little female, cousin to the male we got, to have a pair of the dogs for future use. We decided not to get more than the one since it would tie up too much money to try to sell the four or five we would not be keeping. I certainly do not want to be stuck with more than two of these brutes. I have to keep cautioning Mama and Victoria that these are going to be really large dogs even though it is hard to imagine it right now.


Victoria is getting quite attached to the little male and Mama is already worried that these dogs will not think of her as Mama – the way Rosie does. That will change as we are around them more in the future. For right now, I need for Victoria to be the unquestioned authority in their lives. It really is making her happy to have the little ones to give her attention to. I only hope when her husband finds her that she likes him as much as the dogs.

We are going to have a bonfire at the farm tonight. The ground is moist enough to handle a fire and we have a lot of things to burn, Most of the stuff is remnants of the garage we just tore down. We have salvaged about all that can be reused or repurposed from the building and now it is time to clear the building site so we can repurpose that. I am planning on staying out on the farm well into the night to keep the fire going and, hopefully, to see what animal is trying to dig into the chicken coop. It has been many years since I have done a night watch over chickens. I am looking forward to the assignment. I only wish the dogs were old enough to be there with me since I am not tuned to hear the things they would. I am praying that the burros will come tomorrow or Saturday so we will have some consistent protection over the livestock we are accumulating.

Tomorrow Grandpa and I will put up at least two walls on the pig building and take a load of scrap iron to Bridgeport to be sold. The latter will give us an idea of whether or not we can do any good selling the scrap off of the farm. There are thousands of pounds of junk needing to be hauled off or dumped in a hollow – our preference is to haul it off. Grandpa is hoping to recoup enough money to get a couple pigs and enough feed for several months. We will see if it works out that way.

Mama and I will be going home late Saturday. I am looking forward to being in my bed again. We are sharing a double or full size bed now; a far cry from a king size bed. I am not sure why it is called a double size since a king is the size of two twin mattresses. Pastor Miller once told me that the full or double designation comes from being the size of two crib mattresses. If so, it must never have been intended for two adults to share. Thank God someone thought of queen and king size mattresses.

Mama is getting better slowly. Evenings are tough for her. The sinus infection has her pretty worn out by then. Nights are tough for us both since she has real trouble breathing. She has been taking Nyquil in its recommended doses so she is able to sleep most of the night; not so much for me, but it is getting better. I will be off tomorrow so I will not be as concerned about the hours of sleep gotten or not gotten.

Saturday morning Grandpa and I are going to an auction to see what things sell for. Neither of us has any money to spend so it will be for information only – at least that is the plan. There are several items of interest to us, but I need an idea of relative worth in order to know if the price in an add is a good price or not. Grandpa is often a big help in that area; at least in the times his price structure is current rather than a decade or more out of date, which we often laugh about.

Chase is enjoying having the truck even though, with the transmission problem it has, he drove almost the entire way home in first gear – at 25 miles per hour. My teenager, tearin’ up the roads.

Mama, Chase, more dogs, the outhouse, chickens

Mama and I went to the doctor yesterday since she was feeling so badly in the morning. We went to a clinic in Bowie and after the initial visit I think we will be going there from now on. Mama has been fighting a very severe sinus infection. The doctor we spoke to said it has been making its rounds across north Texas and there is nothing modern medicine can provide to make it go away. He offered a steroid shot which we declined and suggested some over the counter medications which Mama was already taking.

She almost did not go since she was feeling better by the time I got to her. I left the office early so I could be there with her at the doctor’s office and she called me on the way to tell me she was better and was thinking about not going. We went anyway. I think we were both glad we did; more to meet the doctor than to solve the mystery concerning her ailment. Our biggest concern was that she had strep throat and since she did not we will keep doing what we are doing even though it is short changing her on her time here at the farm. She really does not like being sick.

Every time she is sick she tells people it has been several years since she was last sick – even though it has only been about six months. I corrected her this time when she was talking to Grandma and Grandpa and she was really surprised that I could think of a recent sickness. I told her I would check my blog entries for verification, but I probably won’t.

Chase and Victoria got home fine and in plenty of time for him to get to work. He is like someone else I know that likes to show up early. The truck did fine and the stormy weather they left in here in Bowie dissipated before they got to Wichita Fall. They thought the trip was an easy one also -as Mama and I have often said to each other. Victoria wanted to come back right away. They took both of the dogs with them even though Victoria was worried about leaving the pup for long periods of time after his relocation to Amarillo, but we were more concerned with Mama feeling badly that it would be too much for her to take care of the remainder of this week.

Since the man that is selling the pups has about a dozen left and he mentioned having trouble getting rid of them and since the pet shop near our Jennie house seemed very interested in the pup, I offered a suggestion. We could ask the man if he would extend his offer of selling a pup to us for $75 to selling us five pups at that price. We would then take them to Amarillo, clean them up and sell them for $200 each. Victoria and Mama want a pair and that wound give us four to sell – doubling our money. Mama and Victoria like the idea, we are waiting on the seller.

Grandpa and I put the finishing touches on the outhouse he built on the farm. It is pretty cute. It was put to immediate use last night – as soon as toilet paper was made available. We even provided a little shelving unit and a magazine rack for future occupants. I would like to have a sign like Victoria saw on a bathroom door in one of the homes she stayed in for Heather’s wedding. It read, “Reading limited to short stories and poems.” Grandma found a plaque of “Outhouse Rules” that was pretty cute, but I don’t remember them. I will have to update that tomorrow.

I took the rifles to the farm last night to see if I was even close on the job I did of sighting in the scope: turned out that I was pretty close. At one hundred yards, I put the first shot on the target when I shot from a standing position. The second shot, from a kneeling position was very hear the first. Then I compensated and shot again from a kneeling position and hit the bull’s-eye. I was happy enough with that. To really adjust the scope I will have to set up a bench to take out the wobble and jerk in my shooting, but what I have is close enough to start.

Mama was petting the chickens last night. Grandpa has the Rhode Island Red’s so tame that he has to be diligent about keeping the coop door shut of they will follow him out. It is anyone’s guess if we could get them back into the coop. We were looking at nesting boxes on our way home from the doctor yesterday. We were not impressed with the price but Grandpa seemed to be. We will not need it until some time around March. The question is whether or not it will still be available then.

Patience.

Chase and Victoria, Texas green, not the pup I expected, counting

Chase and Victoria head back this morning with the little truck. Chase was wanting to leave the topper here and reveal the pickup look for his use in Amarillo but it will be taken off there and stored somewhere close to the house. The idea as they spoke last night was to leave around 7 a.m. and get home well in advance of his starting time at 2 p.m; enough that he could get his work uniform ready in plenty of time. Mama wanted to start them off in the morning so the early departure was not setting well with her. I will find out later how all of that went. Meanwhile I will pray that they make it safely. The little pickup has a couple of minor mechanical issues that are annoying but do not greatly limit its use. I will probably worry more about them than Chase will.


Green grass really does grow in Texas. For the first time since we first saw the property it is more green than brown. The ground is soft under foot and the smell is more of life than the dormant dead, dusty smell it had when we first walked over it. I told Grandpa that if it has looked like this when we first found it, we would not have been able to get it for the price we paid. It really is beautiful. Grandma is able to pick buckets full of grass to feed the chickens and not even notice the place where it was pulled from. In West Virginia this was always the case, it is a new and almost inspiring experience to do that here. God really is blessing this little farm.

Mama did get a pup yesterday; a little male. He was very dirty and very flea infested but she saw what she liked and he came home with them. Victoria gave it a bath last night and he did look much better. He is solid white and fluffy – at least after his bath. Mama told me they were looking for the “badger faced” pups but none of that litter impressed her so the one we have does not have that quality.

He was protesting very loudly this morning when I got up. Although he is very quiet when he is free, he does not like the kennel. I let him out to go potty and he quieted down right away. As soon as I put him away the protests began in earnest. I will be surprised if it did not disturb someone in the house. I left earlier than I would have liked to because I felt like my moving around the house was only adding to the whining and there was no place for me to sit while I was waiting on 5 a.m.

With Chase on the couch in Grandma’s living room and Victoria in her bedroom, I have had to do my Bible reading sitting on the side of the tub. It is not too uncomfortable but it does keep me focused as I read. My routine will change back tomorrow to what I have been doing every other week Mama and I have spent here, but it is really a small sacrifice to be here. No one is in the office when I get there in the morning anyway so it does not really matter how early I arrive.

I plan to take Friday off so I can spend the day out on the farm. Grandpa is at the point on a couple of projects that he needs a little help and I hope to provide that. My back has not been good lately so I have to be careful no matter what I do, but I think us two old men can figure out some way to make things work in our favor. What Grandpa has been able to do on his own is impressive. I am probably the only one who can see it clearly – besides Grandma who has watched him do most of it – but I am constantly surprised by the progress.

Pastor was telling the story of a child asking his father how high he had ever counted. A little caught off guard the father could not come up with a number but instead asked, “How high have you counted?” Without even thinking the son responded, “7352” A little surprised the father asked, “Why did you stop counting at 7352?” The son responded matter-of factly, “The sermon was over.”

Road trip for Chase, Mama sick, Answers to prayer

As we drove over to Bowie last night, Victoria let Chase drive most of the distance. He did well on the open road. It was only after we hit rain in the dark that he started to slow down drastically. By that time we were within fifteen miles or so of Bowie. Overall he did a good job with the Lincoln on the highway. We stopped to fill up the Lincoln on the way and ended up overfilling the tank. Part of the spill got on Chase’s shirt sleeve. He put the shirt in a plastic bag from the convenience store and they endured the residual smell for the remainder of the trip – about two hours. The two of them had Rosie with them. I think she suffered the most.


Both the Lincoln and the van were loaded up with the items we are relocating to Bowie to have available to the kids when each of them have the opportunity to come over and collect them. I did not take all the seats out of the van for this trip so we were not able to get all the stored items in this trip, but we got a large portion of them. Every little bit helps clear out the garage. That is the goal I am striving for. In this trip the Lincoln will stay here and the little Ranger will go back to Amarillo so Chase can drive it – even though it will only be for a few weeks. He is excited about it.

Mama and Victoria are both a little sick today. Both have a sore throat and a little bit of a fever. I do not think Mama slept well again last night but it is hard for me to gauge until she tells me when we talk in the morning. She and Victoria are going to go to look at some pups this morning and I have a strong suspicion they will be able to agree on at least one to bring home. We are looking to Victoria to raise the pup to be a farm guard dog – to our little livestock. I am told that that is the nature of the Great Pyrenees. Time will tell, but at least they will get to see the dogs in their current farm attending situation. That, in and of itself, should be worth the trip.

Grandpa handed me a letter last night after church addressed to me at the farm address. It was from the tax assessor’s office and I almost did not open it. I have the first letter taped to the prayer rail (actually it is just the window sill) in my office in Borger so I thought I knew what was. Turned out I was wrong. It was a corrected tax statement for the amount we would owe if the farm had been properly registered for the Ag exemption. It was for $790 instead of $2400 as we were originally told. I am not sure what happened, but I know the Lord is behind it. Encouragement like that makes you want to keep praying.

I will not see the farm until after work today but Grandpa tells me the grass is over twelve inches tall and the tanks are quickly filling up. It will be such a change from the image I have in my mind of the dry fields and the parched ground. I was only beginning to see some hopeful signs of growth the last time we were here. Since then it has rained almost every week. Today the rain is supposed to continue through the day into the early evening so Mama and the kids were planning on cleaning the up stairs portion of the farmhouse. I have a feeling that will be put on hold as badly as she was feeling last night, but she surprises me with her enthusiasm every time we are over here.

We made it to the church here about ten minutes late but it all worked out well since when we got there Grandma was giving a testimony and it took up all the time we needed to get to the bathroom and get the proper footwear on for services. They are a pleasant group of people and they are doing a great work in the community but I think we will miss our very active, prayerful church when we make the move over here permanently. The important thing for now is that Grandma and Grandpa are happy in this church. It is their church, not ours and for some reason that is important to Grandma.

Pray for Victoria. The press will be on to make her choose to move to Bowie soon. I am not in favor of it at this point and will freely say so, because it is too soon for her to leave the church we are in right now. It will happen soon, but now does not impress me as being the right time and those of you who know Grandma can imagine what I am talking about.

New plans, dogs, money and life

Somehow, in my absence yesterday, plans changed for the coming weekend. It looks like Chase is going with us to get the Ranger pickup that is in Bowie. The plans – which have not been coordinated with his work schedule – are for him and Victoria to drive the Lincoln over to Bowie and drive the truck back. He is pretty excited about the prospect of driving the pickup versus the Lincoln. It will work out better in many areas of our lives at the moment to have access to the truck.


We have called on multiple dogs we have seen advertized trying to zero in on one for Victoria to raise, but there have no responses that I have heard about. I realize I am going to bed pretty early compared to the rest of the house, and I am writing this hours before they get up, but as of my bedtime last night there was no word. I am not overly concerned other than the fact that I will have to trip over another four legged poop machine.

Mama was particularly interested in one add I came across. It was for a Basenji. The one characteristic of that dog that caught my attention is that they do not bark. I have no idea what they do to make up for that lack, in other words, where that expressive energy will manifest, but I could do without the bark; especially when raising the dog with Rosie, who is quite expressive in that area.

Mama and Victoria are still planning on going to see the Great Pyrenees pups and I cannot see any way to avoid bringing one home, unless the conditions are so bad that we walk away. If we do eventually get the Jerusalem donkeys and have one of the large dogs I think there will be enough security on the farm to allay most of our fears of natural predators. Grandma is still excited about the possibility of selling one of the donkeys but I so not see it happening the way she envisions it.

Cleanup is progressing on the little farm house but all the other projects are slowing down for lack of materials. Grandpa outfitted another chicken coop and has the hog house near completion. He is waiting on materials for the floor of the hog building. It may continue to wait until later in November. I am praying for finances for these projects but I do not think they rate as high in God’s hierarchy as they do in mine so we are falling back to patience, persistence and planning.

Mama and I are finally getting a budget working and the difference is noticeable. There are a lot less purchases of cute, unnecessary items and more of durable necessary things. One thing I have noticed is that she is buying less cereal. Some of that is because our household is dwindling; the rest is due to the high prices of cereal. I have heard that peanut butter went up 40% yesterday, but I have not conferred with Mama to verify that. If it is indeed true, Seth will either have to get a big raise or have a significant change in diet to survive.

Like all things within the free market system, when the price gets too high people will quit buying. When people quit buying, supplies stack up and the price is dropped until people eventually start buying again. We were warned about the coming price increase, but I did not see the prudence in spending what little money we had stocking up on peanut butter when we needed milk, bread and eggs on a more regular basis; as healthy as it may be, it is no substitute for good nutrition.

It may however, have been wiser to buy peanut butter with the money we have spent on dogs lately. Though they are used as a source of meat in the Philippines, the idea is not immediately appealing to Mama and Victoria. Since I cannot eat the donkeys either, I suppose the farm will have to maintain animals that I cannot eat although that was my original purpose.

I only hope they do not get too attached to the edible animals. If that happens, I will just convert the farm to a petting zoo.

Joke, our Harvest Party, Chase alone, Prison Revival

As we began leadership meeting yesterday the pastor read a joke he had come across. At a political rally two very proud liberal parents brought their eight year old up to be introduced to the visiting politician. Seeing the obviously proud parents, he asked “What would you do if you were president?” Without hesitation the little girl responded, “I would make sure every homeless person had a place to live and food to eat.” Her parents just beamed. “You don’t have to wait until you are president to do something”, the politician explained, “Come over to my house and mow the grass, wash my car and weed the flower bed and I will give you $50. Then I can take you to where the homeless people stay and you can pick out a homeless man to give the money to so he can buy some food and pay for a place to sleep.” The little girl thought for a moment then asked, “Why don’t we just get the homeless man to mow your yard, wash your car and weed the flower bed? Then we can give the money to him for the work?” Whereupon the politician extended his hand and said ‘Welcome to the Republican party.”


The pastor also gave a report of the Harvest Party we had done last Friday night. Though we did not take an official head count, there were over one hundred children along with many parents. We had a houseful. There were 39 professions of faith – mostly from the children. We will be doing follow up for months to come. I personally shared the Gospel with three young boys and all three prayed to receive Christ. One youngster is a favorite of Mama and Victoria so we will hopefully be doing that particular visit. The pastor made a very valid point of instruction to all of us. If we do not win the parents many of these young believers will fall away because there will be no one to hold them close to the Lord; a sad, but true thought.

Both Victoria and Chase have long days today. Mama and Chase are going to practice driving the Lincoln later today or tomorrow so Chase can use it to shuttle himself to church and to work while Mama and I are in Bowie. The very fact that he is willing to drive an ‘87 Lincoln shows his desperation for independence. On Sunday evening he will be totally alone since Victoria will be going over with us through Tuesday evening. I am a little concerned, not because Chase has given us any reason to be worried, but because he is a teenager – a teenager with a girlfriend. That is the most dangerous teenager of all.

I am going to have Mama let the young lady’s parents know that Chase will be home alone until Tuesday evening so they are aware of the possibility of deception. It is always better to set up some accountability because we can never be certain what temptations will be tried in the absence of the normal deterrents. I hope Chase will not take too much offence to it. I do the same thing for myself. For instance, I do not get on the computer when I am alone in the house – too many temptations. If I am so affected by temptation after serving the Lord for over forty years and after 29 years of marriage, I know it affects my teenage son.

Today begins a revival at one of the prison units here in Amarillo. I will get to participate on Saturday, but the actual revival begins today. I am a little more fearful than usual about going to the prison to do soul winning. We were given some pretty stern warnings about how to deal with the men in the prison and I know that I am very gullible – a weakness they can easily spot and prey upon. Knowing that, I am praying for a very strong partner to spend that time with me.

An old saying is that God protects idiots and fools; I am or have been guilty in both categories.