Memories

Today has been a tearful day for many people and I was not spared. 9 11 we all have memories of that day, where we were, what we were doing. I know that was the first time I realized that America wasn't immune to war. It COULD happen right here. I must admit that now when I hear the jets flying low over my house I wonder for a moment is this it? Could it be happening here? I can't even begin to imagine living everyday wondering if the bombs will fall on my village or house, or having soldiers walking my street looking for terroist. I couldn't imagine being so loyal to the goverment that I would allow them to strap bombs on me and I would walk into a crowd and detonate blowing up me and anyone else around. I remember at work watching the planes going into the buildings the second one as it was happening how awful to watch those buildings collasp. I remember sitting on the couch with Glen watching the whole thing over and over, holding eachother and being so thankful that we were together. I can only hope that I am loyal to my Lord Jesus,I am well aware that someday I may be called to give my life for my faith. I pray that I will be strong enough to stand up fo my mighty God. How about you?
Some things that came across my mind today from things I read or heard on the radio. Think about this I Must Go Through The Valley to Stand on the Mountain. Don't ask Why Me? But ask What Now? These two things really stood out to me today. But the best one is still If God is For Me Who Can Be Against Me?

My mind just won't stop!!!!

As I look at the pictures I post sometimes I laugh and sometimes I cry, tonight I cry. Tonight I am angry,angry at myself for crying all the time and angry at Glen because he is gone. Angry because he is in Heaven with Jesus riding his motorcycle,and building wonderful buildings for Jesus and I am left to try to find affordable insurance! I look at the pictures and I see a big hole in many of them,Glen, Bob, Vivian,Eddie, those are just a few that I miss. Yet tonight our growth group sent a Sunshine Basket full of food to a single man who just lost his dad and is facing an auction of his parents home this weekend. What is funny is that among other things sent there were big cans of Campbell's chunky soup, the gentleman was so thrilled to have BIG cans of soup because he had been eating oatmeal for supper and was kinda tired of that! God had me choose that soup, because I understood that sometimes you want comfort food and yet ya just don't want to cook for one! Isn't is amazing how God works things out? Now if God would just make getting health insurance so easy! Do you realize how much we take for granted? We are blessed with so much that we fail to see how precious things are. We all know how precious relationships are yet sometimes we take them for granted, but look around you if you are reading this you have a computer,and electricity, and a home with a roof and windows. How do you feel when you can't get on the computer or the electricity goes out? Lost,angry,afraid? Even now that I know how quickly life can turn into a nightmare I still find myself taking things for granted but I am working on cherishing the things and friendships I have because nothing is forever especially if you don't take care of it. So to all you friends out there I Love You and thanks for sticking by me during these tough times. I thank Jesus that he put you just where you are for such a time as this.

The light house tour

Before I start tonight I would just like to say that I go to the most awesome church! God is alive and it's people are growing and Pastor K well just can't say enough good about this man of God. We've got growth groups going,active youth and more. Oh yes the praise and worship is beyond compare!!! I LOVE FARMLAND FRIENDS CHURCH!!!

The bottom 2 pictures are as we are getting ready to cross the Mackinaw Bridge this is important because this is where I began to loose my fear of bridges. Yes I was scared to death especially knowing that they sometimes shut the bridge down for wind and you can see right through some of the road into the water!!! God was preparing me even then for New Orleans we had to travel 5 mile bridge everyday two times!!!

the top picture is Glen dancing with a complete stranger named Yolanda from Argentina who was celebrating here 30 years ago on her honeymoon and her husband didn't want to dance in front of all those people so Glen took his place for a song and made her day!! Just like my Glen.

This trip starts on July 3, 2003 when we traveled I made notes on the way to jog my memory what you read is my notes you can imagine the details. We left at 6:20 pm after a long day felt like maybe we should rest and leave tomorrow but no we have to be in Canada tomorrow so we will leave. Stopped in Decatur for supper at Wendy's, stopped again at the In/MI line for gas and on to Lansing. We are going to stay in Lansing tonight. Finally crashed at a Best Western on 96 west. Wait 96 west? Portland MI? What happened to Lansing and 127 N? Well we thought 69 east to Flint was the wrong way to go but it was the way. Well it is only 15miles back not bad Our room is clean, neat and big and only $69 don't have time for a pool and hot tub. July 4th we slept till 8:15 got to bed at 1:30am. The sun is shining hope it holds.On our way up 127 man these MI drivers are crazy they are going 90 miles and hour! I am scared, it will be OK honey I am watching them. This is one time I CAN'T sleep .!! We finally reached Sault Saint Marie the Holiday Inn but it is PINK! We have no reservations for Cox but I have confirmation! Oh yes but it is in Canada okay another bridge to get over but finally get there check in boy this is a really nice place. Hey honey ! The bathroom floor is heated!! how coo is that?!?! Brenda what am I going to do with you? LOVE me of course!! They are having a benefit for Fibromyaliga on the boardwalk that is where we met Yolanda and Glen graced her with a dance. We walked the city, took pictures of each other, took a ride,and went to the mall. Since it is July 4th we sat out on the boardwalk and watched the US side of Sault Saint Marie set off fireworks so fun. We got to bed about 1am. Today we got up and it is a pretty day so we took a ride and then went to the Charity Casino We took 40 dollars lost it all but gained back 26 that bought us a great meal for 20 We have met people from Indianapolis,MI, Florida, Canada, Wales and Argentina. Took a ride through the locks really enjoyed this. Well time to leave this warm bathroom floor( yes I love that heated floor) It is foggy this morning sure hope it clears up after breakfast. Time to "Lock and Load" in line for customs now Why were you here? "Vacation" Where are you going?"Home" Where do you live?"Indiana" Did you purchase anything? "No" We need to see proof of citizenship for both of you. Proof of citizenship both of us? Drivers license please. What mine is in the back of the bike locked up! Glen where are the Keys? okay found them dig around found my license okay mam sir take off your glasses. OK have a good day (how embarrassing!) It's cold today got to get over the bridge again the sign says the wind speed is 45-52 mph! This time though I managed to look down and even take some pictures! Back in the US stop to get gas and directions. We are going to search out lighthouses I love lighthouses- just look at my bathroom! anyway we head south on 23 along lake Huron. We stopped at 3 light houses, an old mill and a little park today it is getting time to find someplace to sleep. (one of the lighthouses was at Presile sp which little did I know I would visit it again when my daughter moved up there) We got a place at Taws Was MI at a super 8 right on the beach! We went out and walked the beach and waded in it for a while. Then we went to MAMMA'S KITCHEN for supper probably some of the best and cheapest food so far! Met some other bikers some of the same ones we saw at the bridge and some we saw off and on all day. Got to bed about 9:30 the earliest so far. Glen was up at 6:45 am cleaning the bike ( a biker thing) Brenda is on vacation so she doesn't get up till 7:30. Shower and pack off about 9 after breakfast at MAMMA'S Hope to see a couple more lighthouses,a Harley shop and Frankenmuth. Walked around Frankenmuth for a while and then headed for Flushing got a room at the Baymont, cheep room and neat. A king bed hey Glen are you over there? I like our full bed better I can touch you then! We visit the kids and then we head home to Winchester. Glad to be home I love you can we just stay in bed tomorrow and stay on vacation?

memories

Last night I started the task of going through boxes of things that I had put aside because I didn't want to do it. I was surprised that I could walk down memory lane and not just sob and sob, yes there were some tears but I laughed too. If you will allow me to we are going to walk down that lane the next few entries. The first 5 1/2 years of 2000 were some of the best years of my life and I would like to share them with you through pictures so here goes.
my brother, Glen and me at thanksgiving, our wedding.New grandpa! More new grandpa!
on the bike when he was happiest, we were in the mountains Rog and Glen's birthday
Christmas party with riding friends More next time and I will tell a story next time.

memories

The cover-up

I decided Wed. night that it was time to give my old wicker some new life. Actually I wasn't sure how it would work but I wanted to use it in my bedroom and the way it looked well it sure wouldn't work in the house!! I had a can of burgundy spray paint so I though why not? I started our and it looked so good I headed to WalMart to get some more paint. Four cans later I have a brand new piece of furniture and it has a new home in my bedroom. My bedroom is my retreat when things get to crazy in the rest of the house and it contains the only TV that has color and when you are watching Design on a Dime you want color!!
While painting I got to thinking maybe it was God talking to me but the subject of new life kept coming. I was reminded that just as I gave the wicker new life so Jesus gave me new life. As the paint began to cover the old chipped wicker I was reminded of how the blood of Jesus covered me. I had trouble getting all the nooks and crannies covered but Jesus blood had no problem covering ALL of me. Since Glen's death I have learned how to become resourceful, to scrounge around to make things do double duty or even give something a new purpose. God takes the broken, dirty, aged,and worn out and puts it to a new use. Each one of us has a purpose one that God has Jeremiah 29:11 tells us clearly that God has a purpose for our lives and it is one of prosperity and good. It is the best it can be. How awesome even when we think things are bad
God has it all under control and it will work out to be the best!
Speaking of the best can anyone tell me how a simple broken toe can end up with complications and be the best?!?! Yes I went back to the doctor today for a follow up and he could now see that there was more than a broken bone going on. I knew that the day it happened but no one wanted to hear my opinion!!! There is plans in the works to reconstruct the ligament between the toes,major surgery. I know Mila and Yes I am still laughing cause Dr.Miller said that this type of injury is rare and he can't even remember seeing one!! I am not surprised are you?

Vacation and other stuff

Grandchildren, aren't they great? I spent Labor Day weekend with my Michigan kids and had a wonderful time. We went to an arts and crafts festival in Harrisville MI, went to the beach on lake Huron (we all forgot our cameras for this trip), roasted marshmallows in the back yard, took walks, ate,went to the grocery and ate, cuddled on the couch for cartoons and ate!!! Did I mention we ate? Both of my girls are wonderful cooks and since I don't cook much for myself (cooking for one is not fun) the home cooked meals were a treat, and I didn't gain a pound,didn't loose any either!! The kids live in a little town called Lincoln MI in one of the poorest counties in MI but you couldn't tell it. The little town is clean and busy. They are on the edge of one of MI national forests and we had the opportunity to drive through that forest at 11 pm, not a fun thing to do at that time of night!! The road was hilly, curvy and foggy! I know my guardian angels were with us because there were times when I could not see the road and sometimes the road just turned with little warning! The kids love living up there and have told me if they ever get to build their dream home it will be in the middle of the forest and I will have to be flown in by helicopter! Now I really like the slower pace of life there in Lincoln but I have no desire to live where you have to fly in!! It is amazing to watch the kids entertain themselves, they are not afraid of anything which was evident from all the bumps and bruises and bites! Shawn is growing a garden for the first time and it is producing 20-30 cucumbers every morning! She has tomatoes big as the palm of a grown man's hand, delicious sweetcorn,green beans and carrots. We ate fresh all weekend oh so good! I miss the days when I could go out each morning to see what new thing has grown in my garden. Growing a garden is kinda like life so I have concluded we have a new day to open up and see what God has growing for us and it is always good. Some days though you wake up and there are bugs in the garden and things are dying, so it is with life. Some days you wake up and your world is turned upside down you are sick, or someone in your family is ill, you or someone close to you is handed a pink slip at work and now has no job. I could be that some tragedy is about to happen or has while you were sleeping or getting your day started. How we handle these bugs shows a lot about our character and where we turn for help in our efforts to make life healthy again. I have been thinking a lot about this lately and wonder do I turn to the maker and author of my life as often as I should? How often do I try to clean out the bugs or try to make things better on my own? More and more I see that I can not do it alone and even more important I do not have to!! How great is that? I was really dreading coming home to an empty house last night but something happened, which I will not go into, that reminded me that it is not empty and I am not alone. How about you? Do you lean on the maker and author of your life enough?
On a lighter note I did deposit my first $10 in my savings last week so I am on my way to saving for something I really want or to be prepared for the unexpected.