Choosing what to focus on

On November 6, I decided to start posting a pretty/peaceful/positive photo a day to Instagram (and sharing it on Facebook). Looking for said photo opportunities is keeping me grounded when the world around me is tempest tossed. Sometimes I see something that begs repeating (like a WWII PSA reel), but there's no point. I'd either be preaching to/commiserating with the choir (surprisingly unsatisfying), or provoking the rest (though never provoking thought, just reaction 🙄). As I commented on Leigh's blog, "I don't spend much time analyzing 'the world and its ways;' I live in it but that is not where my security or future is. I've read the end of the book; it's going to get a lot worse before the ultimate 'better.'" So I cling to the truth of which I testified like a flotation device, look for beauty in God's creation, and remind myself to aid "the least of these." In addition, having animals gets me outside and moving, which also helps my mood/attitude if not my knees. (MRIs of both knees are scheduled for November 26; appointment with Portland clinic is on December 5).

What say you? Should I post all my daily photos here on my blog as well? (I thought I had a link to my Instagram account at right but it seems to have disappeared; you can access it here, no need to have an account). You know I usually make and save more than one photo a day; I could share the others here and leave the daily photos there, or share all of them here. Or?

Right now you get what you get, as these are the only photos I had already moved to my laptop from my iPhone. Our internet is temporarily down at home and I have too much else to do to stay here at work for the wi-fi any longer. Give me your feedback so I know what to post when next I can!

That's it for now from . . .

From sweetness and light to heavier subjects

lilac bud!

Daylight Savings Time is affecting us all more than I initially thought. Even Poppy is slower to get going in the morning; yesterday she spent a lot of time "sunbathing."

At the school meeting Monday evening, the Costa Rica trip organizer made it clear that if it is legal to travel, he's going, as he has materials and supplies to deliver. (He also grew up as a missionary kid in Africa, and feels he's lived through far more dangerous circumstances.) So far, all the seniors but one are still planning to go, and I hope they do. The burden of shearing (and trimming the feet of) 11 woolly Shetlands is starting to weigh heavily on me, and Brian being gone for two weeks would clear my slate a little. If I stay on task (and torture my puppy with extra crate time), I should be able to get them all done in that time . . . if my back holds out. My lower back has been extremely cranky for unknown reasons since yesterday, and NSAIDs aren't helping much. Getting a start on hoof trimming was on my list today, but so far I've been hesitant to try it.

Yesterday afternoon, the "neighbor boy" (the neighbors' dog) came over to play with Poppy. Toby is a bit bigger and older than Poppy, and they played hard. Before long, the neighbor commented that Poppy's limp seemed worse. I wasn't too worried about my 'tough terrier,' but later in the house I noticed that the splinted leg didn't look as straight as it had been. I picked Poppy up and investigated further; there seemed to be some definite 'play' in the formerly-rigid splint. Wondering if it might have broken, I taped a tongue depressor to it to help stabilize it until Rick got home. Sure enough:

Apparently the splint isn't 'terrier tough"! That spot on the foam side is from a pressure sore. 😔 So Rick disinfected it and we wrapped the leg back up with a new splint Rick fashioned from a PVC pipe and an insole from one of Brian's old running shoes. Hopefully this will hold her until her appointment with the small animal vet a week from today. I wish it could be sooner, but the vet is out of town until then; I'm going to do my best to curtail Poppy's activity while we wait. I wonder if any of her other patients have broken a splint? 🧐

Today, after Toby discovered –3X! – that he could get to our place all by himself

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We are a divided household. My husband and I don't see eye to eye on everything, but we agree on a lot of things. Our son seems bent on disagreeing with us on most things. Politically, he is an outspoken Trump supporter – and a Democratic basher. When he brought home a free Trump t-shirt from the State Fair last summer, it 'disappeared.' When he bought himself a "Trump 2020" hat (not one of those red things, but still), I had to control the urge to make that disappear, too. I also have to bite my tongue a lot....

Last Sabbath Brian had that hat tucked in his belt (he was decked out in full "redneck" attire) as we were leaving for church. I told him to leave it at home; church is not the place for campaigning. He said he wasn't going to wear it at church; he was taking it for the memorial service we went to later that afternoon. I asked him to put it in the trunk because I would be transporting an elderly Dutch couple (ages 90 and 95) to and from church, and they would not want to see it. He asked why, and I reminded him that they lived through WWII. They witnessed the rise of fascism, the results of racism and state-sponsored discrimination, dictators drunk on dreams of world domination – and they recognize all those things in our current administration. His reply? "If they want to be Left-Wing Liberals, that's their problem." 😳😱😖 I love my son, but sometimes it's awfully hard to like him....

John Pavlovitz' Instagram post this morning said it well. (I don't see eye to eye with Pastor John on everything, either, but enthusiastically cheer him on as the rare evangelical Christian leader who follows God, not a demagogue.) You can double-click on it to biggify.

That's it from the mostly 'Humane Middle' at . . .

The sun also rises, and other 'bright spots'

Instead of just posting pretty pictures to Instagram, I decided to do another blogpost.

My new mantra when it comes to my son is "Victory belongs to the Lord" (Proverbs 21:31). When I am tempted to despair as Brian engages in self-destructive behavior,  I repeat my new mantra with conviction. The change of focus from the burden to the Burden-Bearer is making a big difference in me, which is, after all, the only thing I can control. So this post is about the 'bright spots' in my life, starting with this morning's sunrise:

Followed by both dogs seeming to feel a little better, and eating better.

I feel better, too. Several weeks ago I read something about collagen supplements for joint problems. I did some research. Most collagen supplements are comprised of ingredients this vegetarian doesn't want to ingest, but I finally found eggshell membrane and ordered some to try. I've been taking it for a few weeks now, and can say with confidence that my knees and even my problematic right foot are all feeling more comfortable. I've even jogged short distances without pain, which I haven't been able to do for a long time.

This morning, our sidewalk got wider.

Today is our monthly trash pick-up day. After emptying all the trash cans in the house, there was still room in the bin, which I take as a landscape clean-up opportunity. Today I decided to whack back the candytuft, sedum, and overgrown Japanese maple that encroach on our front walk. There's great satisfaction in the visible improvement this relatively small project makes! And the weather was dry, making the work so much easier and more pleasant.

Animals are the best entertainment.

Chuckie found me working at the front of the house, and proceeded to stalk me from the maple trimmings, climb to the top of my laceleaf Japanese maple, and gallop around the yard. Oh, and the ewes enjoyed those maple trimmings, too. 😊

We have a great group of hens.

Their total production in September was 115 eggs – just shy of four eggs a day. That's pretty good for ten middle-aged hens; they're all early 2016 models so not 'spring chickens' anymore. And there's been no attrition from this black and blue group (three olive-eggers, three Australorps, and four blue Wyandottes), so they are healthy as well as pretty and productive.

I'm so thankful for a handy husband:

It may take him awhile to get to things, but there's not much he can't do. He recently fixed our ceiling fan, and is working on troubleshooting our washing machine.

Counting blessings one by one at . . .

Christmas church service

The Sabbath before Christmas – as always – was our congregation's Christmas service. (We don't eschew celebrating Christmas because of it's origins, but neither do we revere it just because it 'converted' to Christianity; therefore we celebrate on the Sabbath of the Lord and not on the actual eve or 'holy day.') After church, and dinner at home, we headed to the Wheatland Ferry. Parking our car, we rode the ferry over the Willamette River on foot, then enjoyed a walk through Willamette Mission State Park. The sky was grey and didn't give up much light, but it didn't give up much moisture, either, thankfully. Rick took his 'big boy' camera and lens and I had my iPhone; together we got some nice pictures along with exercise and family time.

But back to the church service. Our youth leaders, their adopted daughter, and another young lady had an interesting story to tell. Very recently they had learned of a short term mission trip coming up this spring, but pretty much dismissed it because of cost. The husband did say, perhaps facetiously, that if someone gave them $2000 they'd go; the next day they learned that a sponsor was willing to cover the $1900 cost for their daughter to go. Shortly after that, they were notified that another sponsor was willing to give $500 towards the young lady's cost. The couple took the hint, sent in their applications, and let the congregation know that they would be doing some fundraising – as well as putting out a final call should anyone want to join them. I immediately thought of Brian.

My parents have talked about taking Brian with them on a mission trip with them for years, but life has conspired to limit their availability to do that since Brian has been old enough. That afternoon I sent a tentative email to my parents, just in case they might want to help sponsor him. My mom called within minutes with an enthusiastic "Absolutely!" With an application deadline of December 26, though, things had to happen quickly. Brian wrote the requisite short (surprisingly encouraging!) essay about why he wanted to go, we got the application filled out with necessary signatures and faxed it in. Now we wait to see if it is accepted, and pray that it is a positive, life-changing experience.

Writer's block

I have been casting about for a thread, a theme, a single word to start a post. It's how I write; without it I flounder. There is so much going on in the world, in our country, in my circle of family and friends, in my home; I have been feeling . . . what is the WORD? Sadness, powerlessness, inevitability, disconnection; yes, all of these – but not hopelessness. I look for a better land but live here for now; while there is beauty and goodness to be found, the enemy is clearly hard at work EVERYwhere. No surprise; "your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." BUT, "when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him;" amen. I try to be one of His standards but don't feel very effective.

For the second time this year, my dad's side of the family will soon gather for a reunion / memorial service. My uncle lost his brother, my dad, in April; his wife, my aunt, died Tuesday after a massive stroke. The week before a former co-worker of mine lost her fight with cancer; I will have two memorial services to attend in December. Between those and holiday gatherings, Brian's basketball games and concerts, and transporting family to / from the airport in Portland, the month is going to be hectic, with a few days containing two or more events.

The West Coast is finally getting some rain; we need it but not as desperately as California does. The sunny weather was lovely while it lasted but I welcome the precipitation and even the gray; this is what November is supposed to feel like. I like predicable rhythms, schedules, routines....

We had a nice Thanksgiving; I hope you did, too. As we have for the last several years, a group of us gathered for a shared meal at our church; I contributed whole wheat crescent rolls, spiced roasted sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie cake. Afterwards some of us stayed on to socialize over games and a jigsaw puzzle, and we still had time to have an NCIS marathon when we got home.

We have so much to be thankful for, it's humbling. The very real friendships I've made through blogging is not least among these. I wish I could give each one of you a bear hug, or a handknit gift in appreciation for how you warm my heart.

Thank-you, from . . .