Early Monday morning rain!

Two and a half inches of liquid dashed against the house, causing a crawling puddled to expand on the floor of the basement.

Whew! Glad I don't have to depend on my literary skills for a living. We from that first sentence you can gather what my activities included this morning.  The puddles came in in an entirely different place. 

Well it does give me a chance to keep the floor scrubbed and vacuumed. Basement floor scrubbing hasn't been a priority of mine lately.  

Psalm 88 is supposed to be the saddest Psalm. The devotional this morning the author wrote, "What do you do on difficult days? Hold on to all that God is and all that He does. God is still working for you. All things are still working together for good. Don't turn away from Him. Wait. He will bring you out of your affliction.

 When ever you experience a difficult day, encourage yourself by focusing on God's character and His attributes--power, loving-kindness, and faithfulness. Remember what He has done for you in the past. In spite of what you see around you, trust the Lord. He will see your through your affliction."

I pass that on to you. 

Another week went by

This week went really fast. Let me share what happened. 

Monday, Grandpa Lewis, Pastor's father-in-law was laid to rest. I had the privilege of sitting with him on Sunday mornings while Mrs. Pastor taught her Sunday School class. 

Tuesday was Bible Studay in the morning.  Dad fell in the early afternoon and really hasn't acted too perky since. Not sure what is going on. I have some theories, but going to leave it with the Lord. That evening Larry had a very long call to Japan for work. I went to the Rutledge's to help them pack. They are moving to Pennsylvania next " Monday. As I was going out the door I grabbed a cookie. Didn't think much about it but it was more "crunchier" than normal. Got home later and felt a large hole in my tooth. 

Wednesday morning Wesley was here bright and early. I got him situated and called the dentist. Couldn't get me in until Tuesday. "Oh boy!" They would put me on a call list. I was putting Wesley in the highchair and "snap" something gave way in my shoulder. "Ouch!" I called the chiropractor for an appointment at 3 p.m. Well was putting WOW down for his nap and the dentist called, "Can you be here by 2:30?" Praise the Lord. My tooth wasn't hurting but to go 7 days I was not sure what it would be like. "Yes, I'm coming." So changed the chiro appointment. IN THE MEAN TIME, Larry left on a surprise trip to North Carolina. He took the van. Since I don't like to drive his puddle-jumper I borrowed Dad's van that Joel and Amber have been keeping (Still waiting word from the insurance company on what will happen with the damage to Dad's van), and made it to the chiropractor and got my tooth fixed.

Thursday was a day of working on Dad's financial stuff.

Friday got my hair cut and got some Grandma toys at garage sales. Larry called and said they didn't get the work done so he wouldn't be home tonight. Melissa and Andy have come in for a quick trip.

That's my week. I will say that God has been good in all these happenings. In all the 8 or 9 falls that Dad has taken in the past 2 years, He has allowed not one bone to be broken. He allowed my tooth not to hurt and that the dentist could work me in the same day. God's appointments are not disappointments.  He worked out the switching of my appointments around to make them all work. He changed things so that Larry may not be home tonight, and he would have been arriving at midnight. This way he will arrive home in daylight, hopefully. He made it so I won't be alone again tonight as Andy and Melissa will be here. So I have much to praise the Lord for. Also Aunt Betty had another surgery and came through it okay.

Trust that your weekend will be great in every way as you take each step with the Lord.

More Balloons

There were six of us that went to the airport tonight. Rutledges, Lumpkins, and Wires. I fixed baked potatoes, and Michelle brought cookies, salsa, cheese, and chips. We ate near the runway and watched the balloons come in. Then after sunset, the burners would go on in the balloons. The "afterglow" as they call it, was beautiful.

Balloons are in town! & Wesley on Tuesday

This is the weekend for the SW Iowa Balloon Races. The Hare and Hound drop place was just a block to the south of us in the old school track. We sat and watched the balloons drift over. Quite a site. 

Faith had Homecoming Weekend so the kids were busy. Andy had charge of some of the goings-on there. The other set of kids went up for the banquet. 

Hit some garage sales this weekend. Nothing too grand to report. Just a lovely day out. Looking forward to the Balloon Parade in the morning and hoping to see the balloons go up at night again.

Summer has come to an end so quickly. It seems that the days have just flown. Not sure that I'm ready for the cold weather. Almanac says that we are to have a record "burrrrrrry" time of it. Not sure what can top the ice, snow, and floods of '08. Don't really want to find out.

Have a great weekend. 

Wednesday night rain pattern.....

The Lord must have Wednesday night designated as the night for rain to begin here in Creston. It is garbage night also, but I'm sure that that isn't His priority. The roof over our bedroom just has the tar paper on it, and I was sure I was going to wake up to Chinese water torture, but God didn't allow that to happen. We are watching two storm systems that are to the West and South of us. The front half of the main part of the house still has old shingles on it. Dean wants to make sure that he can get the shingles off and the paper back on before rain would set in. 

Been trying to get my house back into some semblance of order in between all the other things that are calling to me. Monday - clean bathroom, Tuesday - vacuum, etc. Well I did pretty well this week. Hope that I can keep it up. I do not like to be tied to a schedule, but that's the only way I can get things done. 

Need to get some work done in the flower shop as I as to attend a Craft Show in Greenfield on October 4. Have to remember where I am, because when I was in Michigan, my uncle called on the c-phone and asked where we were, I told him Greenfield, "Where?" then I remembered Greenfield is Iowa, Greenville is Michigan. 

Still traveling through Warren Wiersbe's meditations in Psalms. Yesterday it was that when things are tough, hard, stressful, and overwhelming we forget what God has done for us. Just as the Israelites forget how God LED them to safety. It's good to remember that God doesn't PUSH us through situations, He leads His dear children along.  

Had a wonderful evening with my friend and classmate. We went from eighth grade through 12th grade together. Jo and her hubby, Gary Schulz, live in Midland. Then came to Bay City, 20 miles, to go to Bob Evans' restaurant with us. Neither of us are going to be able to go to our 40th class reunion next week, so we got together ourselves. Was a nicer atmosphere. They are busy in their church and working for the Lord.

We stopped at the South Haven light house on the way back. Asked someone to snap a photo and he surely did. Asked us to say "cheese" and must have clicked it just as I said it. I've never had such a "cheesey" smile in my life, no pun intended.

Have a great day, it is a good day because God created it for us.

Shingles.

No, don't have to go to the doctor to take care of this type. I'm so very glad that we don't have to be up on the roof doing this. A friend from Church, Dean Johnston is taking care of re-roofing our home. It was damaged in the June hail storm. We praise the Lord that our house insurance is caring for the cost. The machine in front of the house conveniently carries the square of shingles up to the roof and saves much labor. God gave us a grand day to start this, cool, clear, and sunny.

Computers!!!!!

Brother, this is what I call dedication to one's computer. The reception at Mom Wires' was not the best. All of us would be in the living room with our computers up in the air trying to catch the signal so that the web would move to the next page. Then Larry got a bit impatient, and we saw him walking up and down the street, finally selecting a spot on the curb as his place of a "good connection." 

Vacation has been great. You plan, dream, and get ready just to have each 24-hour day sail by you so very fast. The 4 kids and Wesley are traveling home today. Larry and I take off for Iowa tomorrow. It will be a 11-12 hour trip. Michigan is beautiful this time of year. Some of the trees have just started to turn. The weather has been cool in the evenings and mornings with warm sun at mid-day.  

It is always hard leaving loved ones. There were tears this morning as the kids left, and I know there will be tears on my face as we leave tomorrow morning. We plan to stop back through Grand Rapids to lunch with the Wanners.

Saturday is GARAGE SALE time anywhere. Yeah! Went to one of the swanky condos in Bay City. Was weird to walk in as see the palatial rooms with furniture, clothing, and nick-nacks with prices on them. The clothes were in her closets, on the bed, and in the bathroom. Shoes, jackets, dresses, and etc. just there. Man, oh, Man, designer labels coming out your ears. I found a Calvin Klein jacket with the price tag still on it. $295.00. Zowie! Coats were $20, suits were $10, and other items of clothing wer $5.00 each. Not sure whether I will keep the coat or sell it on E-Bay. (It does go well with a skirt that I got at Gently Used clothing store.)

It never ceases to amaze me the beauty of the country that God created. I am still partial to the many birch and evergreen trees with the sand hills that Michigan has. The beauty is a sight to behold. More pictures later and words later. 

Vacation shots

Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron

On Cousin Cammie's Harley

signed edition

Whoa, Dude!

Uncle Lynn and Aunt Jeanne

Great-grandma time!

Grandmom and Wesley reading a book at Great-Grandma's house

Joel was having too much fun with his computer. I just love it.