Clean Slate

Trees are pros at starting over with a clean slate dropping all those dead leaves and starting again.  They let what’s past fall to the ground and be buried.  We should, too.

We encounter hills and valleys during a year's journey.  If life was just a even path, it would be a dull existence.  Our ups and downs, shape us. How we deal with what comes our way makes us who we are.  We often go back to what we did to deal with troubles in the past.  A drunk returns to the glass.  God's child grabs His hand.   The Bible says “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly”.  I know "God's will WILL be done"  but let Him hold on to my hand in the doing.  So much better to walk through life with a faithful Friend.  I need Him to hold my hand not me hold His.  I want Him to lead me.

This 2021, I want to be a good sister, mother, granny, friend and walk my path with courage doing my best for Him.  Yes, I want to eat healthy and exercise my body and mind.  But I want to please my Father.  I want to obey.  I am glad he gives me a clean slate each time I ask and even if I don't!  

Today, I ask your forgiveness if I have harmed or hurt you in anyway this last year.   I want the best for you and pray I never post or repost anything that might cause you to stumble.  Erase any bad marks you added to my name.  Help me clean my slate.

 

Blogging Along

 I have been posting to this blog for 14 years.  I started in December 2006.  The picture of Astrid is from that first post.  She has changed a lot and I have too.  I did not have Clayton, Greta, and Ada.  Their births are recorded here.  I have lost family too.  Brothers Richard and Clayton and then my Sister Patsy, finally my biggest lost this year, my husband of 49 years passed away.  

I will try to continue to record my boring day to day activities, not to entertain others, but just to log my life happenings. 

Paper Full

 I take the local paper.  Today it was full of obituaries. 19!  Filled two pages.  The norm for obituaries in our small town used to be 2-4 and obituaries were not even in there everyday.  Many are still saying the virus doesn’t exist.

Recipe for Sister Helen

 Posting my new banana bread recipe for Sister Helen.  She’s a great cook and loves getting new, tested recipes.  

Supper’s Ready

Ada is cooking supper.  She’s taste testing.

 

Pink Sky over Galla Meadow

Red sky at night, sailors' delight.
Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

The concept is over two thousand years old and is cited in the New Testament as established wisdom that prevailed among the Jews of the Second Temple Period by Jesus in Matthew 16:2-3.

 

Fenced In

The farmers worked on Pop’s fence all weekend.  They almost have the side pasture fenced.  Pop would be so happy.  He worked on this fence from a chair when he could no longer stand.   His mission was accomplished by Logan and Astrid.

 

Fenced In

Astrid and Logan made this neat flag for a family member for Christmas.  It will hang on a large back porch.  The stripes are cedar and pine strips of wood.  Astrid painted the stars.  They also made cutting boards using some of Pop’s seasoned walnut and other woods.  They are completing Pop’s  fence around Galla Meadow.  Astrid’s Christmas gift from Logan was two little donkeys, Jill and Jack.   They will soon be roaming Galla Meadow.

 

Ada’s Surprise

 Ada received her own chair from Santa.  She likes getting into a chair and standing up on chairs.  She looks like she just got up. She is jabbering constantly now.  Some words are understandable.  Greta received a keyboard as did Sigrid.  I hope they both learn lots of songs.

Erin had the kids make the tree ornaments so Ada wouldn’t pull pretty shiny ones off.  I like the tree.

And Clayton got this...I don’t know what it is.

Studying Luke

 A friend shared this study with me. Between December 1 and the 24, I was to read a chapter a day.  The book has study questions and points to ponder.  In Chapter 24, the last words Jesus speaks to the disciples instructs them to go forth and teach repentance and remission of sin.  Repentance means confessing sin and remission means erasing the sin from our quilt page.  Such a simple sweet message.  Acknowledge our sin and the mighty eraser does His job.  

I am proud to have completed the task Amy~Patsy gifted me.   I enjoyed the project. 

Proud of Sigrid

 

Sigrid took the ACT a month ago.  She got her score.  It was a 24.  She is only a sophomore and will be able to take the test several more times.  She will take a “raise your score” class probably next year.  Usually, one’s score rises quite a lot with the class.  She’s already in the top 25 percent of test takers.  I am really proud of her.

Is a 24 a good ACT score?

Yes, a score of 24 is a good score. It places you in the top 73rd percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you've done an above above average job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test. 

Walking A Ways

Laura is home this week and we have enjoyed an early morning walk.  Last night Eric grilled steaks for us. They were delicious.

We have been seeing this bird sitting in an oak tree.  Just watching the water.  I think it is a heron.

This is the tree the heron was perched in.

It was 60 degrees this morning and I walked out on this rock pier.  It was a beautiful scene.

Laura is fixing a taco dinner Christmas Eve.  It sounds good to me.  Much better than turkey.

 

Christmas Star

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
    Star with Royal Beauty bright,
            Westward leading,
            Still proceeding,

    Guide us to Thy perfect Light.

My Christmas Star picture isn’t great, but I enjoyed seeing it this week.

Sister bought me a walking hat like hers.  It came with gloves, a neck wrap, and a face mask.  I wear a hoodie when I walk.  The pompom was so large.  I decided to just snip it off.  I guess I cut one little thread.  The entire hat is unraveling.  It was lined and really warm.  I’m thinking of trying to repair it.

Ada Came

I had some special company but Phinnie thought they came to see him.

 

Sigrid’s Admiring

This is Pop with Sigrid when she was a new babe.  Before long, she’ll be 16.  He loved her and she him.  Once for a school project she wrote about what he meant to her.  

I admire my Grandpa because he is the nicest person in the world.  He helps people.  He can build anything.  He tells me I’m beautiful.  He makes me happy. He lets me play with all eleven dogs.  He buys me anything I want.  I love him.

Holidays are really hard.  I’ll be glad when 2021 finally gets here.

 

Tractorless

 I have 13 less tractors.  Mr. Spear delivered my check today.  It was a sad task, but I am glad it’s completed.  A 98 year old man bought this Farmall. Larry would have loved that.

Good Breakfast

Mountain Visit

 

My cousin Margaret and I spent the day in the mountains.  We went to see her Aunt Irene, who is my cousin.  We had a wonderful visit with a cherished lady.  There was still a little snow.  Margaret and I wore our masks and also stayed 5 feet away.  Cousin Irene was feeling poorly, but hopes to be perking again soon.  She said she was really tired of not being able to hug folks. Irene is a young 82.  May God bless my sweet friend.

Ada Sees First Snow

 Ada had never stood in snow until this weekend.  She seems to like it.

Bible Thoughts

My Bible—I like the KJ version and the Matthew Henry Commentary.   If one does not understand something in Bible the concordance and a good commentary is helpful, but the best help is prayer.  Pray to understand and your eyes will be opened.  Unbelievers will not understand as the Bible is written so they will see it as foolishness.  I am enjoying my quiet heart study of Luke.  I hope the sun shines on you today and you understand.  Belief does not change truth and lies.  The truth is the same whether I believe it or not.  A lie is a lie even if one believes it.  

Matthew Henry wrote his Commentary in the first decade of the 1700’s.   He died with it being unfinished.   13 friends finished it starting with Romans.  Below is Henry’s idea of how the relationship between men and women should be.  It’s a favorite of mine.

“The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”

Another thought that came to my little brain today is if you love the Word your Bible will be well worn because the Lord and you commune together there.  How does your Bible look?

 

Tractor Sale

 The tractor sale ended today.  Tomorrow is pick up.  I’ll be glad when it’s over.

Chili’s Lunch

Got to have lunch with these girls celebrating Ingrid’s 19 years.