He slept on the couch because the coughing is so bad. Yet he never complains. The radiation causing side effects that have no remedy. He is weak and so tired. Yet not once has he slept in. Not once has he been able to. The son the same way. He too rising each morning; never complaining. I struggle. There were plans set in place so he could rest. But it hasn't worked out that way. When things continue to spiral out of your control it makes you hold tighter; grasp with all your might. Clench everything that you can. As if ... View Post
I Can’t Grow A Garden, But I Can Plant My Feet Firmly On Solid Ground
My feet are planted firmly on the ground. It's about the only thing I plant. A farmer's wife that can not grow a garden. Can you believe it? It's true. It's the ugly truth. There is nothing green, or any other color, for that matter, that prospers under my thumb. I am more interested in cultivating souls. Cultivating ground that yields to our Savior. Soft earth willing to accept life in Christ. Or the hard packed earth, where trouble and pain have made joy almost obsolete. This is the ground in which I want to plant seeds. Seeds that sow eternal life, grace and peace for the ... View Post
Grace at the door. . .Day # 4 of Thankfulness
He stood at the door. A young woman by his side. There were tears in his eyes. He was struggling to find the words. I let him have his space. He said he was sorry it's taken him so long to come. He was in the Marine Poolee Group with Elijah. He too, in the Delayed Entry Program. I recognized him after a few moments. He was also a classmate of Elijah's. I also knew the young lady he was with. A cousin. Her Grandpa the fiddle player in the band Gary played in. He was leaving at 1:00 p.m. for Boot Camp at Parris Island. He had wanted to come and see us. One of the last things he ... View Post
There is A Season
One of Gary's Uncles drops off an article he has had since 1974. It is an article about Gary and the farm. I sit and read this old news. Gary is 18. The age our son never saw. Funny how pieces of the past draw you in. Popovers and Oatmeal for breakfast this morning. Elijah did not like popovers. I can't remember how he felt about oatmeal. I always had to ask the kids to remind me what they liked. I walk out of the bedroom. It is warm. We have heat in the house. Such little things. Yet so important. I listen to the messages on ... View Post
Even on Your 20th Anniversary, One Can Get Cranky
Even on your 20th Anniversary one can get cranky. We don't relax. We are in constant motion. Every moment needed to survive. For a farmer there is work and there is sleep. And when the harvest is in or the sun too hot. . . There is a season for rest. But not much. So when 20 years come and we take a break. There is bound to be bumps in the road. But we work them out. . . it's the way of marriage. It is giving and giving more. It is loving better, being patient and kind. Keeping NO record of wrongs. I Corinthians 13 And time away has been good. We live in a ... View Post
Distracted
The girls leave and strangely, I find myself alone. This does not happen very often. I expect to feel overwhelmed and sad. Yet surprisingly I feel fine. This might be due to the fact that we have a financial appointment in 2 hours and I have not gathered any of the information required. So, I begin the sprint to find obscure pieces of paper that I know I have seen in the past few months. . .but not quite sure where. I soon realize that I have lost much over the past few months but not my ability to be easily distracted. I head to the timer. I usually set it ... View Post