The Bible Tells Me

I’m not the Bible scholar I should be. I know some verses; not as many as I ought. Still, I find most of my experiences can be framed or underscored, explained or illuminated, by Scripture. Or maybe a hymn or a worship song, a devotional or a testimony. Frequently, I have those “Oh, yeah” moments when I see God clearly in an event. Or realized that I should have seen Him.

These are the moments of “The Bible tells me.”

These essays reflect that. Do know that I can proof-text as well as anyone. I have a concordance, and I know how to use it. Well, truthfully, I do all of that online now, where I can quickly find a passage, see it in many versions, and choose the one I like best. I try not to be narrow, but instead broad, as I apply Bible words to my experiences. I know that your interpretations and understanding may be different than mine. But I also know that our God is big enough for all of us.

I have a friend who, in her prayer time, likes to tell jokes to God. “I know He knows the punch line,” she says. “But I tell them anyway. He likes it when I laugh.”

He likes it when I laugh. I’m going to hang on to that. It’s Biblical. The Bible tells me.

Our mouths were filled with laughter then,
and our tongues with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord had done great things for us;
we were joyful.

Psalm 126: 2,3 (HCSB)

Is it Rustic? Or Is It Just Old?

September 17, 2021 | Faithfulness, Joy, Love

This business is across the street from the Main Branch of the Waco Public Library, so I notice it pretty often. I’m intrigued, but not enough to go in to shop. The last thing I need is more furniture in the house.

And while not exactly “rustic” (of, relating to, or living in the country, as distinguished from towns or cities; rural), a lot of our furniture is, well, “old.” I know, “antique” is a nicer way of saying “old.” But, really, the only thing in the house that could be thought of as “new,” or “modern,” is the treadmill. And that’s not exactly a piece of furniture, even though a cousin once said that, when they got a treadmill, a friend said that, all too soon, they’d be hanging their clean clothes on the their treadmill’s arms. And she said that that is what happened. While I don’t hang my clothes on the arms of my treadmill, if I did, I’m quite sure that there’d be plenty of room for my hands to grasp a space to hold on to, while I walked.

But, back to our actual furniture. The newest pieces of furniture we have are the stools that surround a cabinet extension. They date back to our previous home, which had an island in the center of the kitchen, where we often ate our meals.

Almost everything we now have is, well, old.

: This is a cedar chest that my parents got when they were first married. It had a very dark finish (chic for the day). Mother painted it avocado green and stained it, per the style of the time. I stripped it and discovered that it is beautiful.

: This very charming table was, in its beginnings, a child’s library table. It came from the Methodist church where we attended when I was growing up. At one point, there was a garage sale, and it was set out to be purchased. My mother bought it. It was Jeremy’s table when he was a little kid. Later, I stripped it and discovered how lovely it was.

: This chest has been in our bedroom in several of our homes. The story is that it belonged to someone in the family, and various family members who came and went, used one or more of the drawers at a time.

: This little rocking chair belonged to my great grandfather, Ozero Dodd Goodwin. It got handed down to his son, C.L. Goodwin, and then it went to my Dad, Ozero David Goodwin. Then it came to me, and then on to Jeremy, who is Jeremy Dodd Lintz. And, it’s still at my house. At some point we’ll send it along to JoAnne’s grandson, also named Ozero.

: This chair came from my Ohio grandmother’s house. Mother brought it home from Ohio one year. She had the seat remade, but, as you can see, the weaving didn’t last. I put a plant on a large saucer on it.

: I love the story of this chair. It also came from my paternal grandmother. David and I went up to visit her, in Wauseon, Ohio, one year, and I noticed the chair in her kitchen. (It does look pretty worn, doesn’t it.) When I sat down in it, I was startled, because it’s short. My grandmother explained that her mother was small, and she had trouble, when she was snapping beans, because the big bowl of beans would slip from her grasp if she wasn’t careful. So, my grandfather sawed off a couple of inches from each leg, so that her knees were elevated just enough for her to keep that big bowl of beans on her lap. Despite how dilapidated the chair looks, it’s quite sturdy. Come over sometime, and I’ll let you sit in it.

: This beautiful chair was a gift to my maternal grandfather from his siblings. And Mother ended up with it. Once, many years ago, she asked me and JoAnne what things did we want from the house. And, we both answered, “The Red Chair.” It is a lovely thing. JoAnne did have it, for several years. (I took the armoire.) Then, after several moves, JoAnne was going to get rid of it, and did I want it, which was a ridiculous question. Of couse. So, it’s now part of my chair collection.

: When we moved into the first house we bought, a friend of Mother’s offered this table for us. It had been used in a bunk house for some cowboys. We were glad to have it, and, eventually, I refinished the top. The chairs around this table, in the house where we live now, are chairs from my Ohio grandmother’s house. Every time we went to visit her, up there in Wauseon, Ohio, she would give Mother a chair, which she would put in the car’s trunk and we would arrange our luggage around it (and, of course, my Dad’s golf clubs).

: Mother called these sheves “whatnot” shelves, and they came from her parents’ home. I looked up Whatnot: a light open set of shelves for bric-a-brac. You’re just going to have to look up “bric-a-brac” youself. Mother kept pretty things like vases and china pieces and picture frames on it. We put books on it. And, before Peter was even born, we screwed it onto the wall.

: This armoire is the only piece of furniture that I recall from my maternal grandparents’ home. After several years of its being moved from one family’s home to another, it ended up at Mother’s. And, now, I am using it.

: This washstand was also from my Mother’s family. I keep gift wrap and tissue paper and ribbons and bows in it.

We have a cousin who did some Interior Decorating work. At one visit with her, we saw that she’d used an old sewing machine drawer to hold notes and pens. What a clever idea! A few weeks later, Mother dropped into a, well, sort of junk shop. She saw an old treadle sewing machine and asked if she could purchase one of the drawers. “Of course,” said the owner. Then, a couple of days later, she went back and bought the other three drawers. Then, a day or so later, she decided to buy the rest of the old machine’s cabinet. Then, she refinished it all and gave it to me. The cover worked for a machine. Then, another machine was taller. Now, my current sewing machine is a little taller still, which is why I’ve attached those small wooden spools to the corners, so it will rest a little more evenly on the machine’s surface. Of course, it’s run by an electric foot pedal, and not the treadle, but I very much still love my old/new sewing machine.

: This is the desk that my dad used when he was growing up. He was a great student in high school and then went on to Ohio State, where he expected to graduate. However, WWII happened, and he got drafted into the Army. He spent much of that time in Texas, where he met my mother. He ended up staying in Texas and graduating from Baylor instead of Ohio State. Kevin has the desk, now.

: This is the desk my parents purchased with wedding gift money, and the one that Daddy used for the rest of his life. Now, it is my desk, and that is my paper shredder under the desk.

God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.

1 Peter 4:10 (The Living Bible)

I think maybe the only piece of furniture we’ve purchased might be a bed. Really. Our decorating scheme can only be described as eclectic. (deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources [other people’s castoffs]

Still Summerish, but Fall’s on the Horizon

September 9, 2021 | Joy, Patience, Peace

So. September. The forecast for the month says only one day of 101° and, by the end of the month, highs in the 80’s. Sounds great! This fall could be one of the least hot. Hopefully. Back in early spring, we had the sprinkler system guy come out to check all the sprinkler heads. I think he replaced a couple of sprinkler heads, and he ran each of the stations for a few minutes. Everything was fine. Then, all the springtime rain, and the summer rain, meant that we didn’t run the sprinklers until last week. And, the cooler weather made doing yard work really pleasant.

I’ve seen some different attitude about overalls these days. For quite some time, all overalls, short or long, had tasteful (or not so tasteful) big rips in the legs, a sort of fashion statement, I guess. I did wear those overalls, but only in my yard. And mostly in the back yard.

: My overalls are quite a mishmash, but all have a variety of rips.

: I added some patch-like things over the largest of the holes, and added a little length.

: These are the newest overalls at Target. Nary a hole or a rip. Thank goodness I won’t be embarrassed by my out-of-style overalls, as I’ll be wearing them in backyard.

In other outdoor news:

: I know I’m not supposed to let the chives bloom. But, they’re so lovely. And, at least one of them is really determined to forge its own way ahead.

: Seems like summer must be over; Target is going to great lengths to get rid of the bug spray. I don’t know. I’m not sure we’re mosquito-free just yet.

: I don’t know if this tree, around the corner from our house, just dropped an excessive large limb, or if a tree professional (?) was taking down the large limbs of a tree that’s been lost from last February’s bitter cold weather. Whatever happened, it’s been a disaster. It’s been like that for a week now.

Last summer, I bought some Turk’s Cap plants: three pink ones and three red ones. They did all right, until February. Everything on that side of the house was really slow about rebounding, but everything did. I had planted the Turk’s Caps alternately, red, pink, red, pink, red pink. When they finally began to come up, ‘way into spring, they weren’t blooming, and I didn’t know who was who, and there were just three of them. When I visited the greenhouse where I’d purchased them, I asked if there was a way to know which were which, the owner said that the red ones had larger leaves and were sturdier, so probably, the red ones were coming up. As you can see, they have grown sturdy and strong, and there are lots of them. And they are all pink.

: The turk’s cap. growing REALLY well. And, they’re ALL pink.

: Coriander, growing in some gardening shoes that I cannot get on my feet.

: And a bunch of other herbs, which have made it through the summer pretty well.

O children of Zion, be glad
    and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
    he has poured down for you abundant rain,
    the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing floors shall be full of grain,
    the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

Joel 2:23-24 (New Revised Standard Version)

And there will be herbs for cooking, and flowers for fragrance, and ferns for beauty, and trees for shade.

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1a)

Time to Wake Up and Smell the, um, Lawnmowers

September 2, 2021 | Patience

We have mowers/edgers/grass-clippings-blower guys who come on Tuesday mornings. They take care of a few lawns on our street. And, then, another set of lawn guys come to a couple of other houses, on another day. For the most part, we are senior adult folks, and, if we didn’t have the lawn guys, our yards would look awful. Or, the senior adult folks would be keeling over onto their lawns on a regular basis.

Our guys charge $40.00 each Tuesday. Most Monday evenings, I write a check and put it in an envelope that I clip to the mailbox each Tuesday morning. Sometimes, I’m alerted to the roar of the lawn mower, edger, clipping blower, and I have to rush to put the envelope out on the mail box. Sometimes, I have to put on clothes to do that. I guess I could reach out, in my nightgown, and clip the envelope on, but it just seems more, um, seemly, to appear actually dressed. (Sometimes, I have to actually write that check, on Tuesday morning, after being reminded by hearing the roar of those machines.)

Last Monday evening, I carefully wrote the check and put it in the envelope. Then I set the envelope on the desk that is right there by the front door. So organized. Then I went to bed. I’d been a little under the weather for the previous few days, and had been going to bed a little earlier than usual, which I did, last Monday night. I went to sleep pretty quickly and slept pretty soundly.

I woke up on Tuesday morning, feeling better and pretty well-rested. I thought: I need to go put the mowers’ check out. I looked at the clock. It was 8:30!! Yikes. Yikes. And more Yikes! The mowers come around 7:30 each Tuesday morning. Had I slept through the mowers? Maybe they hadn’t come yet. (Oh, please.)

I looked out at the yard. Oh, yes, they had come. And mowed. And I HAD INDEED SLEPT THROUGH THE MORNING’S MOWING!

Our bedroom is at the front of the house. Our bed is up against the wall at the front of the house. My head was about a foot away from the large, riding mower that was making back and forth mowing lines right there by my head. And I’d slept through it.

I guess I was more tired than I thought I was.

And, when I stepped out, later, to retrieve our mail, clipped to our mail box, was an invoice for the $40.00 payment for mowing. I wish they’d rung the doorbell. Only I’d probably have slept through it.

How long will you lie there, O lazybones?
    When will you rise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want, like an armed warrior.

I could probably wait until next Tuesday, and have an envelope waiting with this week’s and next week’s amount inside. However, I think I should maybe go ahead and send this past payment, just to show that I do care about paying my bills, and I do want to show my appreciation for the fact that they don’t sleep in when they have a job to do.

Unearthed Treasures and Unearthed . . . Other Stuff

August 26, 2021 | Joy, Peace

I wrote a blog post, several years, about my parents’ cedar chest. They bought it when they were very first married. It was a dark piece of furniture, in the style of the day, I think. Mother painted and “antiqued” it, when that was the style. And, years later, I stripped it, and discovered the beautiful wood that had been hidden for so many years.

A month ago, we had lots of company. For a week, there were anywhere from three to seven extra people in the house. A couple of guys (and a little boy) agreed to sleep on nice, camping, blow-up mattresses. Then, there were beds to accommodate the four extra women.

I gathered all the extra sheets, pillowcases, towels and washcloths from the linen closet, to take care of all the guests. I think it worked. No one complained. I also opened up the cedar chest and pulled out blankets and quilts, which was something of a nostalgia journey. A few days after all the guests had left, and all the extra linens were being put away, David asked, “How many quilts do we have.” I said I wasn’t completely sure. So we opened the cedar chest back up and pulled out the quilts and blankets for an inventory.

One of the quilts, homemade for us by a relative, was showing some significant wear.

: There are several of these squares, sewn in at intervals. Each of these squares is deteriorating.

: And, these squares of blue striped fabrics are also coming apart.

I told David that this quilt cannot easily be repaired. The most sensible thing would be to completely remove the damaged rows (which go all around the circumference of the quilt), which could be removed and a new binding put on, but that would be a big project. I could donate the quilt to a helping agency, and let them decide if it was worth their time to do something like that. And he said, yes, and that they could fix it for us. And I said, no, if they fix it, it will be to sell it in their own agency. Or, they could create a smaller quilt that they would then put out for sale for their agency.

And he thought there might be a seamstress, somewhere, who could repair it. And I said that the amount of time and effort to:

1)remove all the tiny stitches from around each and every damaged square, and then

2) to replace all those damaged squares with new squares, also with small, hand sewn stitches, would undoubtedly cost ‘way more money than we would be willing to pay.

We said a sad good-bye to that quilt.

When JoAnne was getting married, she got some quilts from her in-laws. And, Mother, I guess, feeling bad for (quiltless) me, handed over some quilts that she had. I don’t know the story of most of them.

: I hung this quilt on big, empty wall in our previous home. When we moved where we live now, it was one of the first things that went up on a wall. I don’t know anything about it. But, I DID make the cover for the pillow in the chair.

: I recently changed up things in the room that’s my office and also a sort of guest room. There’s a trundle bed underneath. This is a quilt that I dug out of the linen closet. It’s history is shrouded.

: This quilt was a gift to Mother from someone I didn’t know. It’s obviously a more contemporary quilt. It’s the quilt we put on our bed each winter. It’s quite warm.

I do know about this quilt. David’s great-grandmother, Sarah Bible, made quilts. MANY quilts. David’s mother ended up with lots of them. Quilts on every bed. Quilts on quilt stands in many rooms. Quilts folded and stacked up on shelves.

At one point, she walked me around the house and asked me which quilt I wanted. And I chose one. And, as the mother of six children and oodles of grandchildren, she was quite organized. At one point, as she was getting older, she handed over this quilt to me. I didn’t actually recall which quilt I chose, but I’m pretty sure that this is the one, not because I remember it so well, but because I’m sure that she wrote it down in a notebook, so she’d remember.

: In addition to the quilts in Mother’s cedar chest, there were afghans. I made the Christmas afghan. A friend of Mother’s made the beige one, I think. I think David’s mother made the blue one, and I’m clueless about the pink one.

: This lovely Double Wedding Ring quilt top was hand-sewn together, but never quilted. I don’t know anything about it’s history. I’d love to give it to someone who likes to quilt.

: Also in the cedar chest, baby blankets and a baby afghan.

: And diapers. Diapers from my and my sister’s time. Really.

: JoAnne’s and my baby shoes and hairbrushes

: A favorite toy? I don’t recall being into horses. The horse is resting on a Japanese purse. Daddy was stationed in Yokohama, Japan, in the occupation army. He would shop and send things to her, back in Waco.

: My Girl Scout sash with patches.

And my grandfather’s razors, from his barber shop in downtown Hillsboro, Texas.

Apparently, I Can’t Be Alone with Myself

August 19, 2021 | Joy, Patience

I used to have music going in the house, years ago, as I did housework or sewed or cooked. Or, I could have music from a radio station on. Or, (do I have to explain this?) records or cassette tapes playing. At some point, I switched to audiobooks. If I was going to be travelling, and driving in my own car, by myself, I’d go to the library and get sets of cassette tapes of recorded books. I’d always take some music tapes, too, because I might get drowsy and need to put that music in so I could sing, loudly, in the car, to keep myself from falling asleep. (And I just can’t depend on stations providing music that I know the words to.) Maybe that’s how the seeds were sown that makes my ears and mind think that I need something filtering into my ears, much, some, or more of the time.

One of my primary activities these days is working in the yard. I listen to podcasts on my phone quite a bit. The problem with podcasts is that they range from 30 minutes to an hour, which means I have to stop, take off my dirty gardening gloves, dig my phone from my overalls pockets, and decide which podcast I’d like to hear next. And I’m usually searching for those that are lengthy, so I don’t have to stop so often.

This is a podcast I’ve been listening to for a while. Some episodes are longer. This one was pretty short. It’s really interesting, as people learn untold, hidden, deeply hidden facts and stories about their families, such as “I always wondered why everyone in my family was dark-haired, and I was blonde.” Some episodes are longer. This one was was pretty short.

I like to listen to audiobooks in the car, even if I’m not going to be driving for days and days. Sometimes it does take a few minutes of listening (or going back a bit) to recall what’s been happening in the story, especially if I haven’t been in the car for a couple of days. I’m just on disc 1 of this book. And, since I’m not listening continuously, I have to think hard to remember who is who. Who’s the old boyfriend? Who’s the new boyfriend? And who killed that other guy? And why did he kill the other guy? Or was it the girl? It can be a problem. And, on one or two occasions, I’ve actually checked out the print version of the book, to try to figure out what actually happened in the middle of the story.

There are some drawbacks.

One of my favorite ways to listen to a book is a Playaway. Books come in this orange container, and the Playaway contains an entire book. The library checks the Playaways to patrons, and we provide an AAA battery and earbuds. And, no matter how lengthy the book is, it’s entirely contained in that cassette-sized Playaway.

That means I can go outside for a whole day, and never have to stop listening.

The first Playaway I ever listened to was Twelve Years a Slave, (a true story). I’ve also listened to Like Water for Elephants and The Zookeepers Wife, (also a true story, and the whole time I was listening to that book, I’d never realized that it was a true story, until an epilogue contained the facts). Unfortunately, a limited number of Playaways have been produced. Or, maybe it’s just that our library has a limited number of them. I think they’re more expensive than the books themselves, and maybe the budget for them is limited. Too bad, they’re perfect for folks who don’t want to stop every hour or so to locate a new podcast.

And, of course, I still read actual paper pages of real books.Here are the books (I think all of them) that I’m reading right now. I’m behind on reading the fiction Pulitzers. For a few years, I was diligent about it. I even read The Road. Some were more interesting than others. Some were much less interesting. Re: The Road. I have a couple more to read to be caught up. This present stack of books is larger than it should be because I got a Bas Bleu catalog. They have gift items and lots of books. I read through the whole catalog and made a list of books that I thought might be interesting. Then, I checked the library to see if any of those books were there. Three of them were available, and I put them on hold and now they’re at my house. And, none of them were audiobooks, so, I’m going to have to sit down and actually hold them in my hands and read them.

Not that that’s so horrible.

This is a new book in my library. A church friend mentioned it on Facebook, and I thought it sounded interesting, so I went to my first go-to place for locating interesting books: the library. And, of course, they had it. I checked it out and read several pages, and it very much seemed like a book I wanted to own. I bought copies for me and my sister, and now I’ve thought of a few other folks that might like it, too.

The blurb on the front of the book says: “If you, like me, long for a devotional that is sharpening, witty, and downright real, well then, you must simply read this book.”

If you stop learning, you will forget what you already know.

Proverbs 27:19

“Unsafe at Any Speed”

August 12, 2021 | Patience, Self-Control

Ralph Nader, a political activist in the mid-sixties, wrote the book Unsafe at Any Speed, which describes the dangers in several cars at the time. I’ve come to believe that I might be unsafe at any speed. Recently, a couple of items have suddenly appeared in front of me while I was driving.

Peter was visiting us last week, and Monday, I drove him back home. It’s a straight shot from Waco to Fort Worth, and there wasn’t very much traffic, either way. On the way home, I stopped at West, where there’s a big bank of gas pumps, and a large place to shop for souvenirs, drinks, and famous Czech kolaches. I bought David a brisket kolache for dinner and some tea to drink, got back in the car, and drove on home.

The traffic was pretty light. At some point, as I was driving 70 or so mph, down I35, the car in front of me changed lanes, and, as I traveled in that lane, I saw what seemed like . . . a shadow? On the road? And, no. It wasn’t a shadow. It was, I’m pretty sure, a piece of a tire. And I ran over it.

There was an impressive THUMP underneath the car, and, in the rear view mirror, I could see what seemed like tire pieces scattering around on the road behind me.

Oh, Dear. I very carefully watched the dials on the dashboard, looking for evidence of what might have happened. The gas needle stayed in place. No lights came on. Maybe everything was all right.

As I drove into Waco, the car seemed to run normally. When I got home, David was there, and I pulled into the garage and went to explain what happened and asked him to look under the car and try to determine if he could see any damage. No liquids were dripping down on the garage floor. I’d driven several miles without any emergency lights coming on. No shaking, no rattling, things seemed normal. So, we just assumed that whatever noise I’d heard hadn’t done any damage to the car.

He checked again the next morning, and didn’t see any leaking or dripping.

A little later, I was on my way to run some errands. (Peter had left his piano music book here and would like to have it, and Jeremy needed a certified birth certificate. So, to the health department and the post office.) I backed out of the garage and pulled out of the driveway. And . . . SCRAPE! Scrape? I parked the car and got out to look. Ooohhh. That big noise that I thought was under the car? It was the big piece of tire slamming into the front of the car.

And it looks like this:

Later in the day (still Tuesday), I was driving down a four-lane street, on my way to the post office, and, in front of me, there was a heavily-loaded pickup truck that seemed to be part of a moving-day trip. A large blanket, or maybe, a tarp, sailed off the top of the truck’s load. I changed lanes to avoid the tarp, which landed in the lane behind the truck. Then, a block or so later, some pieces of light-weight furniture (?), maybe, dropped right off the truck, into my lane, right in front of me. REALLY!! REALLY!! I was able to come to a stop, right behind the debris. And I sat there. Cars came up behind me. I didn’t get out. I just sat there, shrieking in my head. WHAT’S GOING ON WITH ME AND MY CAR AND ROAD DEBRIS! The pickup truck slowly backed up, complicated by the cars trying to get around me. The people in the truck smiled at me and got out and retrieved their stuff, and I just nodded and waited.

It looked like this:

So far this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, I’ve not had any road disasters. We did however, have to make a trip to the the collision place to get an estimate. Let’s don’t talk about that right now.

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.
There is a time for birth and death,
    planting and reaping, for killing and healing,
    destroying and building, for crying and laughing,
    weeping and dancing

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 (Contemporary English Version)

So, I’ve done the destroying and weeping, and now I’m ready for the healing and laughing.

Magnolia

August 5, 2021 | Gentleness, Goodness

Dictionary.com defines “phenomenon” as: a remarkable person, thing, or event. That’s what Magnolia is, in case you’ve been living under a rock. (“Living under a rock” is defined as “To be unaware of things that most people know about.”)

Okay, I know that many, many people in this country are most certainly unaware of MAGNOLIA, but, based on the number of folks who are showing up regularly in Waco, it seems significant. I was recently in the Magnolia parking lot, and, I’m sorry to admit, I didn’t pay attention to the license plates. I do know that the people who were with me are from Seattle, so, if there had been a daily contest for “came farthest,” we might have won.

: Sometimes people say they’re going to the Silos. Yes, there are these two silos. They held cotton, ages and ages ago. They’re empty (I think), and I guess it’s too expensive to demolish them.

: A helpful map, so Magnolia guests can find their way around.

: I think this is the exact place that we were standing in line when David’s niece and her family arrived for her birthday visit a few years ago. It was the line to get into the bakery. The line was much shorter when we went last week.

: This is the bakery. I think I’ve mentioned before that, several years back, it was a florist’s shop called RoseTree. Rose retired several years ago.

: There are food trucks around much of the perimeter.

: There’s a wide variety of kinds of foods, and there are picnic tables in shaded areas

: Water’s available for thirsty patrons,

: and labeled trash cans help guests know how to separate their trash.

: This is the current waiting area for the bakery. Depending on the time of day, there can be quite a bit of shade as hungry patrons wait for their cookies and cupcakes.

: Another area for waiting and relaxing.

: There are restrooms in several spots.

: There’s a scaled-down baseball diamond where kids and (usually) Dads can go to play while (usually) Moms shop

: A few years ago, a church (which was no longer being used) was going to be demolished due to highway construction. The Gaines’ bought the building and moved it to Magnolia. They refurbished it, using as much of the existing woodwork, etc. as possible and creating new woodwork where necessary.

: It’s a quiet and beautiful place.

: And it’s a nice, cool place for sitting and relaxing and contemplating.

: Natalie, Peter and April, Magnolia, May 2017

: JoAnne and Natalie, Magnolia 2021

: This is my favorite place. It’s small, but I like the gardening supplies there.

: These are the window boxes at the side of the bakery.

: This is thyme, growing in a raised bed in the center of the complex.

: These are climbing plants, along the outer wall of the complex.

: And these trees, along the sidewalk, are, of course, Magnolias.

I don’t know how many employees are needed to create the well-organized, well-tended, grounds of Magnolia, but the restrooms are spotless, and if there is a dead leaf somewhere, it surely gets picked up and tossed into a well-hidden compost area. Every employee is gracious and helpful. An example: Last week, when I went with my sister and niece, we went first to the bakery and ordered some cookies. This past Wednesday, I went back, because I’d neglected to take any photographs, and I needed photographs. I stopped in at the bakery for a cookie. The young man who took my order looked at me and said, “Do I know you? You look familiar to me. Are you from Waco?” And I said, “Well, I was here last Wednesday.” “Oh, yeah,” he said. “I knew you looked familiar.” That’s paying attention to detail.

”

: This is the main store.

: These are smaller, boutique-type shops.

Whether you like (or LOVE) to shop, or whether you just like to wander around, or whether you like to try all kinds of foods, Magnolia might just be the perfect getaway for you. It’s not hard to locate in downtown Waco. There are those HUGE silos. You can hardly miss them.

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31: 10 and 11, and 30 and 31

It’s true, more women are apt to enjoy Magnolia than most men. But, it’s very family friendly. There’s something for almost everyone.

Nicaragua

July 29, 2021 | Faithfulness, Kindness, Patience

The Nicaraguan school looks much like any other school.

At the International Christian School in Managua, Nicaragua, where my niece, Natalie, teaches, about 65% of the students are natural Nicaraguan, 25% are North American, and 10% are Asian. Many of the students are children of missionaries, and some have parents who have businesses there. The student body is made up of 3-year-olds through 12th graders.

Natalie with some of the graduating sixth graders

Natalie teaches Sixth graders, and Social Studies to both Fifth and Sixth graders. The Fifth grade teacher teaches Science to both Fifth and Sixth graders.

Many students in Nicaragua go to school from Pre-K through 6th grade. Graduating from 6th grade is a significant accomplishment for Nicaraguan students. They are given a diploma from the school and from the government. For many in the traditional Nicaraguan educational system, that is the end of their formal education. Others may go on for further classes.

Natalie lives in a house with 2 other teachers. They rent the house, and that’s where they have lived in previous school years. The compound also has another small house where an additional teacher lives. They share a car for traveling the five-minute drive to the school, going to church, and trips to the grocery store. Or, there might be a trip to a Pacific beach.

: Sometimes hungry chickens show up outside the patio door.

: Sometimes, people send treats!

: Sometimes, there are hiking trips.

When I asked Natalie how much longer she plans to teach in Nicaragua, she said, “It’s a year by year decision.” She’ll be leaving next week for the new year of teaching.

When I ask why she so much enjoys doing this work, she says:

I enjoy getting to work with this community of believers. Our school serves many missionary families who are serving the country of Nicaragua. Some are training and mentoring local pastors, some own businesses that employ and train Nicaraguans, and others work with ministries that serve Nicaraguans living in poverty or those with special needs. In addition to teaching the children of missionaries, I also teach Nicaraguan students whose families are influential in the community. Their parents may be pastors or business owners who are in a position of influence. It is our prayer that by helping raise up these students to love and serve Christ, they will be future leaders in creating positive change in their communities and the country of Nicaragua.

Natalie’s favorite Bible verse:

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:11 (New International Version)

Apparently, That Nicer Weather Is Over, and Summer’s Really Happening

July 22, 2021 | Patience

After David watched the television news and weather last night, he said the weather forecaster said, “It’s over, guys. Summer’s here.”

It’s been so nice. For weeks. Here it is the end of July and we’ve not had any scorching temperatures. There’s been rainfall several times. EACH WEEK!! Several weeks ago, we had the sprinkler guy come out and check all the sprinkler heads. Everything was fine, and we ran the sprinklers a couple of times (when we’d not had rain). That was back in May. Since then, God’s been doing all the sprinkling. Apparently, that’s coming to a screaming, screeching halt. Summer has arrived.

According to the weather outlook on my phone, we’re looking at temperatures of 97 to 99 all next week. And there’s a little sun icon by almost every date. Next Wednesday has a little cloud over the sun, but it’s a little white cloud, not a little storm cloud.

I’ve been enjoying being outside for so many weeks. I have, however, been constantly spraying myself with bug spray. I’ve bought several cans of bug spray, just to make sure I don’t run out. We’ve had mosquitoes for quite a while, and I’ve had a few bites, but not many. They’re mostly out at the back of the yard, but not exclusively there. They fly right on up to the patio, and even if I’m just taking the trash to the bins, I still stop and spray. I hate to itch, and I know I’m not supposed to scratch. I have some itch cream, but it doesn’t always relieve the itching, especially if I wake up in the middle of the night and find myself scratching away.

I looked up some mosquito facts, such as at what temperature do mosquitoes not bite.

From insectcop.net

Mosquitoes are generally most active above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and prefer humid climates. However, they become less active when conditions become too hot and dry, and many species become completely inactive or will die below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Seriously, I’m not really OUTSIDE very much when it’s 50!

Mosquitoes are one of the world’s most widespread pests, and can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Iceland is also a mosquito-free zone.

Mosquitoes are most active in temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They are also more comfortable in humid climates. I prefer that mosquitoes NOT be particularly comfortable. Under these conditions, mosquitoes are more likely to bite, feed and breed. They are also more likely to transmit diseases in a hot, humid climate. Studies have shown that malaria and zika are both more likely to be transmitted at temperatures of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

What temperature is too hot for mosquitoes? Mosquitoes may thrive in warmer climates, but it can get too hot and dry for mosquitoes. Direct sunlight can dehydrate these insects, which is why many species are most active at dusk and dawn. If the temperature climbs too high, mosquitoes will become less active. Yes, that’s when I’m also less active, too.

Meanwhile, my sister and niece are coming to visit soon. We haven’t seen each other, face-to-face, in many, many months. We’ll do some catching up, and they’ll probably want to visit with friends. And, I think they’re going to want to go to the Magnolia complex. We should get there early, before that much warmer (really, hotter) weather makes the afternoon too uncomfortable. Of course, if we’re going to be shopping (and I’m pretty sure there will be shopping), then we’ll be inside air-conditioned spaces. Then, we’ll have to walk back to, and get inside of, the scorching hot car. It’ll probably be worth it.

For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, day and night will never stop.

Genesis 8:22 (The Message)

And families will enjoy being together, especially if they remember to bring the bug spray.

Some Refurbishing

July 15, 2021 | Patience, Peace

We’re going to have some company in a couple of weeks, and I need to do some cleaning up around here. We’re not going to paint or replace the flooring, or anything like that, but some areas of the house need some attention. Some more than others.

The space that is my office is easy to overlook. When I’m on the computer (reading something, writing something, watching something), the part of the room where people sleep and relax (single bed with a trundle underneath) is behind me. So, yes, of course, I see that part every time I walk into the room; however, I’m all too ready to drop books, knitting, magazines, and so on, on the bed. Things pile up back there. (Also, there’s a treadmill in the room. Yes. Really. And I do walk on it every day, so it doesn’t usually have things piled on it.)

There’s another bedroom, which is sort of a guest room. It’s also where the sewing machine is. I don’t sew very much, but, sometimes I’m repairing an article of clothing or sewing a gift. Also, the ironing board is stored there, hanging on a hook on the door, but it’s often set up in that room, where I might be pressing some wrinkled article of clothing. But, guests are coming, so I’ve had to be better organized about clearing off the beds and removing the clutter.

Here’s what the day bed looks like on a good day. It’s more of the look of the room when I know that company is coming, and I have to clear off the bed. It’s also where Peter and I sit when we’re ready to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. Or Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Often, Peter will barricade himself behind the pile of pillows while he watches all that baking going on.

The bed has looked like this since 2001. We bought it when Kevin and April were getting married. Kevin’s bedroom at our house was pretty small, and this was the solution for two sleepers in that cramped space. I made the blue cover, brown dust ruffle, and pillow covers.

I looked at it recently and thought, Maybe it’s time for a change.

That quilt’s been lying at the end of the bed for a few years. The blue comforter is pretty heavy, but, the person who’s sleeping on the trundle bed, at the floor level, might need some heavier bedding. That’s what the quilt’s been for. So, now, I’m going to have to rustle up some additional covering(s) for the lower level sleeper. I have more quilts. And blankets.

I like this new look in the room. Sometimes, even as small a change as a different bed cover and pillow covers can make a new resolution to keep things neater and better organized. This is where I typically dump library books that I’ve checked out. Hmmm. Where did I put those library books?

Even as I’m writing all this, I realize that I have all these books that I’ve not looked at for years. Some of them are treasured books that I sometimes revisit. Some of them are books that I used in class when I taught at our community college, years ago, which I am unlikely to ever want or need to keep. What if I cleaned out the unloved, unneeded books and made a place to keep library books that I’ve checked out.

And done

Then he said to the crowd, “Don’t be greedy! Owning a lot of things won’t make your life safe.”

I’m trying.