4th of July - Past

Nostalgic memories -
Always a picnic
at the lake.
Swimming and fishing
Aunts, Uncles and Cousins
have joined us.
Free to run and play
No worries or cares
It's the 4th of July!
Celebrating our Nation's
Freedom.
We all knew it was a day
to honor our country and
the freedom we have.
A picnic lunch is ready
to eat.
Gathering around the
picnic table.
We all enjoy this time
together.
We pop all our fireworks
in late afternoon.
Say our goodbyes
and head for home
Tired, but happy
we live in the
 "Land of the Free"

My mother Viola Strecker

Tomorrow is Mothers Day and I am happy to be able to go to my granddaughter's home to enjoy a brunch with my family that lives here.  Being a mother has been a privilege that I enjoy.  I loved the years when my children all lived at home and I could nurture, raise and be with them.  One hears often "Enjoy these years when your children are young because they go all too fast!" How true it was! I have had the joy of watching my children become parents and raising them to be good people. In March I became a great grandmother for the first time. All of these events hit home how fast life goes by.  My mother passed away January 1990 and at times I long to be with her and just sit and visit. She was a good mother and tomorrow I will honor her in a special way on Mothers Day.  She raised seven children and worked hard on the farm where I was raised.  Her cooking was 'par excellant' and I think of her whenever I cook some of her dishes that I loved. She took us to Sunday School and Church every Sunday and I'm thankful for the spirituality that she passed on to me.  She taught me how to work until the chore was finished and to not be lazy. My clothes were made by her hands and I in turn learned to sew.  I owe a great debt of gratitude to her for the way she raised me for I am the person I am today because of her.  So I begin this day honoring my mother, Viola Strecker and thank God for choosing her to bring me to this earth.

"A New Day"

Happy February! So good to feel the sunshine today and have temperatures on the plus side! I'm dog sitting for my daughter this week and the dog did not want to go outside, however she was excited to go for a long walk today.  We enjoyed the walk until we came to a street that no one had bothered to clear their sidewalks, so that was a bit like tramping in the back country! I've been trying my hand at some poetry the past few months so I am going to share with you "A New Day" which I wrote one very early morning. Hope it inspires you to spend some time in prayer when you are up early.

A NEW DAY 

                                                   

I awaken early each morning

tossing and turning.

It’s no use – I get up.

The darkness hasn’t lifted

I await the light.

All is quiet and calm.

It is good to be up and awake.

No noise to clutter my brain.

What to do first?

Thank God for a new day.

Praise him for being with me

through the night.

Love and adore him and

acknowledge I am nothing

without Him.

Read His Holy Word.

Let it speak deep within.

Ready for the day

with God by my side.

Nothing can shake me -

I am steady as a rock.

God has prepared me

for whatever comes my way.

His love enfolds me

and tenderness surrounds me.

The light is beginning

to shine through the window.

My soul has been nourished

I’m ready to begin,

a new day has dawned.

    --Dorothy Lansing

 

Graduation

I am sure we are all shivering at certain times during this latest cold spell.  I woke up early this morning and after being up only a minute decided to crawl back into my warm bed. The electric blanket was still on and it felt so nice and toasty.  I don’t know if it is an old wives tale, but I used to hear that a really good cold spell kills all of the germs that are in the air.  I certainly hope so, because I have had two colds already and winter isn’t even officially here.  My husband and I went to Laramie on Friday to attend our grandson’s graduation and it was bitter cold there.  However, seeing Craig graduate warmed our hearts and the tears welled up in our eyes as we watched him walk across the stage and stretch out his hand to receive his diploma. This is a beautiful milestone in his life and a proud moment for all of his family.  I always feel so very grateful when someone from my family accomplishes a goal they have set out to do and getting a good education is one goal that I am especially happy about.  Raising six children has afforded me many opportunities to attend graduation ceremonies and so far I have attended all of them from High School, College, Master Degrees, and Doctor Degrees.  I’ve been to six grandchildren’s high school graduations and four college graduations and have two grandchildren that will graduate from college in the next few years.  I have four little grandchildren ages 3-7 and am hopeful I can attend theirs as well.  All in all that is a lot of speeches to hear and tears to shed, but seeing them all reach their goal is a proud moment that is etched in my memory.  So, back to the minus degree temperatures we have been having, it was worth the time and effort it took to trek over the hill to attend one more beautiful celebration and to be there to give a big hug to my smiling grandso

I am sure we are all shivering at certain times during this latest cold spell.  I woke up early this morning and after being up only a minute decided to crawl back into my warm bed. The electric blanket was still on and it felt so nice and toasty.  I don’t know if it is an old wives tale, but I used to hear that a really good cold spell kills all of the germs that are in the air.  I certainly hope so, because I have had two colds already and winter isn’t even officially here.  My husband and I went to Laramie on Friday to attend our grandson’s graduation and it was bitter cold there.  However, seeing Craig graduate warmed our hearts and the tears welled up in our eyes as we watched him walk across the stage and stretch out his hand to receive his diploma. This is a beautiful milestone in his life and a proud moment for all of his family.  I always feel so very grateful when someone from my family accomplishes a goal they have set out to do and getting a good education is one goal that I am especially happy about.  Raising six children has afforded me many opportunities to attend graduation ceremonies and so far I have attended all of them from High School, College, Master Degrees, and Doctor Degrees.  I’ve been to six grandchildren’s high school graduations and four college graduations and have two grandchildren that will graduate from college in the next few years.  I have four little grandchildren ages 3-7 and am hopeful I can attend theirs as well.  All in all that is a lot of speeches to hear and tears to shed, but seeing them all reach their goal is a proud moment that is etched in my memory.  So, back to the minus degree temperatures we have been having, it was worth the time and effort it took to trek over the hill to attend one more beautiful celebration and to be there to give a big hug to my smiling grandso

Fun with granddaughter

I am so thankful that our country sets aside a special day to give thanks! I awakened early Thanksgiving morning and the first thing on my mind was the many things I am thankful for.  First off – I thanked the Lord for a good night’s sleep.  I had been having pretty restless nights as my muscles have been aching and I can’t sleep on the side I’m used to sleeping on.  So to have a restful night for a change was truly something to be thankful for.  I thanked the Lord for the safe arrival of my family from up state. Later in the day I thanked him for the phone calls from my family that could not come for Thanksgiving, but will come for Christmas. I am very thankful for my three year old granddaughter.  She is such a joy and fun to be with. I was playing “My Little Ponies” with her and we had them all lined up in a row. Seven of them. I asked her what we should do with the little ponies? She replied “Oh just let them horse around.” She is always coming up with really cute little sayings and also trying out big words.  I asked her if she would like some chicken noodle soup and she said: “Grandma, I don’t particularly like that.”  She is also into great imagination in her play.  We start to play together and soon she is in her own little world talking to herself and having great fun with whatever she is playing with.

My daughter and son-in-law helped us bring up the tree decorations from the basement today and then said “Let’s just put the tree up too.”  I was dreading my husband and I having to do it next week and having all of the boxes setting in the family room, so this was an unexpected blessing.  We all pitched in and soon the house was decorated and the tree looks very pretty. So, I have much to be thankful for in just the past two days.  My daughter prepared the Thanksgiving feast and had us all to her home, so I didn’t have to do that and my husband and I could just enjoy everyone.  I did my Christmas shopping in early November and decided we would only buy gifts for the four young grandchildren. That was quite a challenge!  As soon as I thought I was finished I received telephone calls with ideas of what they would like. Naturally nothing I bought was on their lists!  So we rushed out and bought one nice item that they each had requested. Our older grandchildren like getting money, so they are easy. 

All in all it was a wonderful week filled with many blessings and to me the greatest blessing is to having family all gathered around the Thanksgiving table eating a hearty meal, laughing and enjoying this time together.

Rain

I have lived in Wyoming for sixty eight years and I never remember a week of constant rain like we have had this past week.  Many people prayed for rain this summer when it was so hot and dry and now it appears we may have to invoke the Lord to stop the rain.  I am not a Meteorologist, so I don't understand why our area is being deluged right now with so much rain and our neighbors in Colorado are experiencing flooding. I do wonder what it was like in the days of Noah living in a dessert  and he was building an Ark to prepare for the great flood.  He must have been called crazy by many, but he just kept building it anyway and obeyed God so that his family and animals would be saved.  When a flood comes, oftentimes lives are lost and great destruction takes place and one may wonder why did God allow this to happen?  I don't have any answers to that question, but I do believe it is a time to turn to God in our great need and allow him to help us just as he did Noah and his family.  I guess the bigger question is: Do you turn to God daily and spend time with him in prayer?  Or do you wait until something devastating happens and then cry out to God to save you?  Hopefully, you are developing a relationship with His Son Jesus and know Him personally.  During my prayer time with Jesus I began to write down what I felt he was speaking to me in my heart and thus my book "Living Waters: Writings from the Heart of a Christian" came about.  My second book, "Living Waters Volume II; A Message of Hope," gives you an inside view of my conversations with Jesus.  If you are struggling with your prayer life, I believe either one of my books will help you.  Don't put off praying until you are desperate but know that God loves you and desires to have a relationship with you, so come to Him now and don't wait until a flood comes and you are hanging on with all of your life.  Reach out and He will throw you a life line and bring you to dry land.