Mindy's come!

What a joy to wrap my arms around my daughter again!  They drove all the way from California!

 While driving on 70 in western Kansas, they went through a huge storm.  They saw semi's over-turned from the high winds.

* * *

It reminded me of what I heard from David Jeremiah on the radio.  "Though I walk in the midst of trouble..."  "In the midst" - it is there He perfects us.  Not on a bed of ease.  We don't get to volunteer for what sufferings we go through.

"With Your right hand, You save me."  Ps. 138:7
Being in the hands of the Lord -- the hands that created the universe.   Those nail-scarred hands that hung upon the cross, that paid for my redemption.  Those hands that will one day welcome us to glory - those are the hands we are in.  Wouldn't you rather be in those hands than anywhere else?  Whatever we are facing, challenges you are facing, grab hold of His hands and let Him take care of you.

Special Father's Day "gift" to see our daughter!

Al was raised on a wheat farm and did custom harvesting for several years so wheat is in his blood!  I know he misses being on the combine so this is what he does every year; he picks wheat to put in a vase.

 They gave me an early birthday gift.  A 3000 piece puzzle!!

We worked on it every day.  

We took the  1954 Chevy Belair on a Sonic run.

Jason worked on-line with his bank each day, but Al found the opportunity to put him to work for him too.

We girls gave oversight.

There were a couple of dead trees that we volunteered to cut down for the neighborhood and Al got Jason and Mindy to help.

Al roped Mindy into giving him a haircut.

We ate well.

Tried out a new restaurant.

Mindy and I went on a drive to reminisce growing up days.

What a wonderful week we had.

We ALMOST completed the puzzle. 

 There was still a little to do after they left.

What a good feeling to accomplish it!!

We found one piece that fit all right, but we could tell did not match the surrounding picture.  But we were not going to look for where it really belonged!!  This was a HARD puzzle!!  I figured it would take till Christmas to finish it!   But with Mindy and Jason's diligence and perseverance, we were able to do this in 1 week!!

In John 17:4, Christ said "I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do."  His "work" was to die and reconcile us to God.

God has work for each of us too.  One day, my work will be completed, just like we finished the puzzle.  He will call me Home one day to be with Him.  One day He will call your name.  Will you be ready?

“Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” 

                                             Romans 10:13  

  

In the meantime...

June found us taking walks around the lake.  

Kansas wheat fields!

We enjoyed biking too.

As we biked past Dave and Marilyn's one day, they invited us to visit on their back porch.  Dear friends!

 They were enjoying a visit from their orioles, as are we.  Ours are visiting the hummingbird feeder as well as their own!  The sugar/water ratio is different, but they seem to like both!



A squirrel broke this feeder, so I'll need to get a new one for next season.  It is taped and Al made it do for now.

 The orioles aren't the only ones who love oranges and grape jelly!



We have so many barn swallows this year!  I think Al counted 6 nests x 3-4 babies apiece....  Will they all return next year??  Will we have 30 nests???

We continued to watch some services on-line.

 Our church went back to meeting on location.

Wonderful!!

June found us a little sad as we had to cancel a trip.  We had tickets to go to Japan.  We were going to take 2 of our grandchildren and show them where I grew up.  The photo below is down the road and around the bend from my "home".   I do not like the disruption that Covid-19 has made into our lives.  Will it ever be the same?

Jill sent this picture of my granddaughter chilling out in the pool, finishing up her schooling, putting in some reading time.  Wisconsin lets out in June; later than in Kansas.

My Bible study group began to meet together in person again.

 The Kansas heat arrived along with the spring rains.  We needed to water our "baby" trees around the lake.

 The trees are growing!  It won't be long that this one will be taller than me!

I began to take up sorting my photos once again.  It is a HUGE undertaking!  But what a joy to look at old photos!

This is our school field trip to a shoyu (soy sauce) factory.  I still remember the smell of the place!  I'm the brown haired girl with the plaid skirt in the front row.

We need to find joy in the little things.  It can be so easy to become a negative ninny.    I was reading Chuck Swindoll and he says "Nobody wants to be around an old crotchety person."  He encouraged us to see the sunny side up.

"Tell great stories!  Quit addressing all the aches and pains."  I would add "quit addressing all the difficulty of this time."  Preaching to myself here.  It is not easy to not grumble!!

Laugh!



"Encourage people!
   Pray for others!
       Seek Him above all.
Be satisfied, fulfilled and challenged."



Don't be a worry-wart.  "Cast ALL your cares on Him, for He cares for you!"  One version says "You are His personal concern."  1 Peter 5:7
                     
         Be kind.