The Indians Meet TJ

The Indians had a big day today. They weren't the first ones to have adventures and go on vacation. My friend, Jen, from Living Life One Cheerio At A Time as been traveling with a special companion all summer. On her blog, there are a series of "Traveling With Jesus" (or TJ) posts. Jen has been my go to for getting started in the blogosphere, and we've had a lot of fun watching each others sites develop.

Today, the Indians got to meet "Jesus". He's a doll, that actually speaks and it was fun to get them together. They also got to visit for a few minutes with their "mom" as she was with us today as well. But they're not ready to go home yet. There's still a lot to do!!

The Indians with TJ

The Indians mom and foster mom

We who had sweet fellowship together

Walked in the house of God in the throng.

Ps. 55:14

Linking up to: Living Life One Cheerio At A Time

Mondays Grace 8/26/2013

Because of temperamental wifi on the road, this is last weeks grace. I just couldn't share it then. It's okay. It's still good. 

35 years of marriage to this guy. I'm so thankful.

After 4 years of dating, May 27, 1978

Garden Grove Community Church

Garden Grove, California

Intreat me not to leave thee,

or to return from following after thee:

For wither thou goest, I will go;

And where thou lodgest, I will lodge:

Thy people shall be my people,

And thy God, my God:

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:

The Lord do so me me, and more also,

If ought but death part thee and me.

Ruth 1:16-17

The Neignborhood Kids

I don't think we ever forget the kids we grew up with. They continue to rattle around in our brains as we grow older and occassionally, the funniest memories pop up. My brother, Ming, was four years to the day older than I, and my little brother, Bunns, was 6 years younger, so our neighborhood friends covered a broad age range and provide lots of amusing flashbacks.

There was a kid who lived around the corner named Stevie Martin. (No relation to THE Steve Martin. He lived in the next town over.) I called him "Mean Stevie Martin" and he was a twisted kid. I'm pretty sure he's probably in prison right now. He used to scare the junk out of me on a regular basis. I lived in perpetual fear of him turning the corner and heading down the street and kept an eye peeled for him at all times. I'm not too sure what he would have done to me if he'd caught me, but one time after chasing me home, Ming met him on the front walk and chased him back around the corner. "Something" took place at the end of that run and Stevie never bothered me again. Ming didn't often play the knight in shining armor, but he filled the role nicely that day. I thanked him for it when I was about 40, and he didn't even remember the incident, but I'm pretty sure he saved my life.

Melvin lived a couple of doors down from us and he was kinda different too. He didn't come out much, so none of the neighborhood kids knew him very well. Darren lived across the street and he was really high strung. What I remember the most about him was that the cords in his neck were always standing out. He didn't talk, he TALKED, you know? The Kingsbury's lived a couple of doors down from Darren, and they had pomegranate and olive trees in their back yard. So Brian provided all the fuel we needed for good seed spitting contests, and we'd end the day completely stained by the pomegranates. The olives weren't good for eating right off the tree, so we just made a mess with those.

Mark lived down the street and he was a day younger than me. I took great  pride in reminding him of that. Probably because that was the only thing I "had" on him. He lived in a really nice house and spoke French. Sheesh!! He was often a part of the pick up baseball games in the street in front of our house, and one day, hit a line drive right through our front window. His dad and my dad were friends and they worked together to replace the glass. When we were in junior high, I missed several weeks of school because of mononucleosis. I was looking out that window one day when Mark passed by and asked where I'd been. I told him I had the clap, and had to stay home.  Honestly, I didn't even know what "the clap" was at the time, but it sounded cool. Yeah. My mom's reaction told me different. 

The Enrights, who had 3 daughters,  lived down toward Mark's house. Nancy was BEAUTIFUL, Kathy was Ming's age, and Colleen, who was a year older than me. They moved away when we were still pretty dweeby looking, but I'm sure Colleen turned out beautiful just like her sisters. Ming lied about his age and went on American Bandstand with Kathy. He also carved her name in his headboard.When they were on ABS, Dick Clark actually asked my brother what he thought of The Beatles. In his infinite 14 year old wisdom, he made some statement like "they won't last". I'm not sure how Dick Clark kept from bursting out laughing.

When we were growing up, my dad worked for an orthodontist named Dr. English who had lots of cool toys. He owned a condo in Mammoth that we used every summer when we were kids for vacation. He had a Jaguar XKE and dad drove it fairly often because Dr. E would sometimes imbibe a bit too much. On those nights, he'd call dad to pick it up for him. One time I remember dad going for a drive with Dr. E, and he didn't get home for hours. He might have been "dad" but there was still a little boy inside, and when given the opportunity to drive a really cool car, he drove it until it was nearly out of gas!

Sometimes Dr. English would pass his toys along when he no longer had any use for them. And as a result of his generosity, our family became the proud owners of a reel to reel tape recorder. Remember the one that the secret service used to record the infamous Watergate tapes by Richard Nixon? Yeah. It was exactly like that! It was cutting edge, and we thought we were so cool. It became our favorite toy. 

Ming broke in the reel to reel with  his friends, Steve and Frank from down the street, by making a specialized tape of assorted belches. They managed to turn out some impressive works of art! They actually let me remain in the room when they did it, and I laughed as hard as they did when they continued to play it back. They were adolescent boys, so, of COURSE it didn't stop with assorted belches. They eventually turned the mike to the "other end" for an assortment of a different kind, but since they didn't have nearly the amount of "breath control" there, it was a much shorter tape! 

Little brother, Bunns, also enjoyed some play time making a sound effects tape with his friend Kerry on the reel to reel. By the time he got to it, it was fairly well used, but still working quite well. After Ming finished with the mike though, I don't think I would have wanted to get my face too close to it!

For the sake of my brothers and my friends, 

I will now say, 

"May peace be with you."

For the sake of the house 

of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good.

Ps. 122:8-9

Planes, Trains and Automobiles! The Indians on Vacation!

The Indians are pretty excited about their vacation!

Though, they're easily bored, so decided to do a little origami on the flight. This is a fish. 

Got to Boston, and promptly hopped on the "T"

On the Freedom Trail, there were "Eco Exhibits" that detailed all the various ways we were ruining the earth. The Indians had to jump right in.

They just kind of followed their noses and promptly found themselves behind a BPD barricade  No worries, it was just the beginning of an awesome street festival on the north end!

Rested up a little at Bunker Hill

Checking out the dry dock at the Naval yard 

Spent a little time in the car looking for more cool stuff to do

Ended up catching some rays and watching the  jets fly over in Winthrop

Yacht watching

Of COURSE they had to do some shopping!!

And they made some new friends!

The Lobster insisted that they looked exactly alike, but the Indians didn't think so

But they liked that "lobst-ah" so much, they decided to try and catch a few to go along with their "bee-ah"

Dinner time!!

Nighty night!

All things were made by Him;

And without Him was not anything made 

that was made. 

Jn. 1:3

The Indians Go Shopping

The Indians get so excited about doing the most mundane tasks. I took them to the grocery store recently and they LOVED it!

God blessed them; and God said to them,

"Be fruitful and multiply, 

and fill the earth, and subdue it;

and rule over the fish of the sea 

and over the birds of the sky

and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Then God said, 

"Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed

that is on the surface of all the earth, 

and every tree which has fruit yielding seed;

it shall be food for you; 

and to every beast of the earth 

and to every bird of the sky

and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life,

I have given every green plant for food";

and it was so.

Gen 1:28-30

Making Old Things New Again 10 on 10

Grace Bible Church Canal Winchester

A beautiful Sunday morning in every sense of the Word

I picked up this old chest yesterday for $17. What a fun project!

I originally planned on painting the inside, but loved the old chalk paint, so just washed and sealed it

It's new life will be as a side table in the family room

On humid days like today, I'm REALLY thankful for this baby!!

Curly's clematis vine neck tie is off to a great start!

Befoooooooooooooore.........

........... and after! Sprucing up the patio

Looks a bit ominous

My favorite kind of art work!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ,

he is a new creature;

The old things are passed away;

Behold new things have come.

Now, all these things are from God,

Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

2 Cor. 5:17-18

Linking up to: A Bit of Sunshine

Mondays Grace 8/12/2013

Today, I'm remembering my extended family. On July 16 my cousin, Lesa, ended her earthly struggle. She is survived by her "Irish Twin", Dorian. In Lesa's memory, and in honor of what would have been her 50th birthday, family from all over the country released pink balloons. 

We'll miss you, Lesa.

Dorian and Lesa (on the right) 8/11/63 - 7/16/13 

Little #2 assisted in our launch

He sent them aloft one at a time

"Bye bye banoons!"

We had a beautiful afternoon to send them skyward

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His names sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the 

shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of 

my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Ps 23:3-5