Mon.-Ps. 149:5_"Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud for joy in their beds." My mother-in-law, Ginny, literally awakens the dawn with song. What a pleasure it is to wake up under her homemade quilt to the music of her singing. Phil bought a rotatiller and a weed whacker today. He ploughed up a little area of soil and mingled the foot of manure on top with the dirt underneath. Janelle and Micah came by to pick up Buddy and to discuss the making of a raised garden bed. Susan began Economics with Richard Mayberry. She read his first book already and gave us a well thought out book report as a summary. Eight more books to go. Michael picked up his friend, Jordan, and the guys were boys down at the river, building a dam, making a fire, and talking about life. Susan and I visited with Michael in the morning and he made a yellow cake for Alli's birthday in his Cutco cookware right on top of the stove. I iced it with white and chocolate icing and then we ate it because it didn't suit to get together that eve. and we didn't have the self-discipline to freeze it for later. The idea around here is that we can always make another one.
#734-737-Thankful for kids who like to cook and a mother-in-law who likes to sing and a husband who likes to dig around in the dirt and a daughter who has a business mind.
Tues.-Happy Birthday, Alli dearest! We are so thankful that you were born!!! Overslept. Mooing cows crying for their babies kept me awake again. Sat out with Michael in the morning while he played guitar. His guitar instructor said that his experience with piano for several years is the reason he is able to keep up with the other students in the class. The others are all worship majors. I can't believe how quickly he picks up things. He is picking out songs classical style both by sight and by sound. Went out to co-op today. Sat outside with Lori K. for a good hour. She pulled out a lawn chair and I sat it in and she sat in her 'trunk' and we gabbed away right their alongside N. Bridge Rd. in Farmville. Helped her set up for the cast party and we played some fun games with the kids. We're thinking about getting more involved next year by joining and helping out with the morning classes of history/literature. Susan and I went to Walmart after co-op. By the time we got home, Phil had already left for a meeting. Judy told me today how much Sammy Jo enjoys playing with Ryder in class at church. They are three years old, I think. Sammy Jo says, "I love his little chunky cheeks." Sammy Jo pretends that she's waiting on him; she brings him what she thinks he may need. Today, we got a special envelope in the mail. Lindsay recorded the things that Emma loves about Philip and why she wants to marry him. It deserves its own blog and Lindsay said I could, so just wait. It's a treasure. I bought a frame to house the precious paper.
738-I am thankful for friends who call and who answer the phone when I call.
739-I am thankful for little people who act more grown up than big people
with their sincere love and unoffensive ways.
740-I am thankful for the freedom to homeschool and for the precious new friendships for Susan and I.
741-I am thankful for the six year old who has wanted to marry my 23 year old for at least two years now. There is no way that girl is going to walk down the aisle as his little flower girl in waiting.
Wed.-Susan is working on getting Lucy, her calf, used to drinking milk from a bucket, rather than a bottle. Philip's calf caught on the first time he tried. But Lucy, loves to be bottle fed. She wants her mommy, Susan, to rub her back and straddle her while she feeds her. She likes the whole experience involved with the bottle. Susan came inside and wailed,"I feel like a terrible mother. Lucy's acting all stupid-like-"Maa. Maa.." I asked, "Do you feel like a terrible mother because she's acting stupid or because she's making you feel guilty?" "Because she's making me feel guilty!" "AHA!" I said. "I know someone else who does that really well!" She laughed and I laughed and as she closed my door she said, "If I could lock you in your own room, I would!" Later, I took her to Judy's to get her prom dress fitted and then I went to the muscle therapist and my foot is doing so much better! I can walk now without thinking about how I am going to take that next step. I am not staying awake for several hours a night wondering if it will be this week that I will have to admit to someone how bad it really is. I am so thankful.(742) This thankfulness could be its own 1,000 thanks. The inability to do a lot has helped me prioritize my life because I have had to. And now I know what I've always known. I want to be a wife. A Mother. A daughter. A sister. A friend. Nothing else really matters to me anymore. And I feel so free. I don't need to 'be' anything other than what and who I am. Later, we went to the thrift store in Amherst and Susan got quite a few clothes for $19. We came home and washed them and then I took her to Calvary for youth group. Phil worked late and I got to finally have some time to catch up on my blog. Unfortunately, I've been hitting something that keeps shrinking my page that I'm writing on and I can only see a line or two at a time and can't figure out how to go back and read it. So, I guess I'll print it now and see what happens.
Thurs.-11 Thess. 3:3-"But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." Had fun reading 'Emma Loves' to the family this morning. Went out to Appomattox and met Doreen and Graham at Granny Bee's for a very good breakfast. I was impressed with the price, quality, and quantity. Doreen was working at Millie's store 'The Little Things in Life', a children's clothing consignment shop. Susan found several pairs of shorts and tops. I found a pair of shoes for Micah, a peach shirt, and two cosmetic bags. Doreen and I talked for awhile and Susan spent the day with Graham in town. She had a haircut appt. which they walked to and they had a chicken basket at Dairy Queen. She thinks they walked about 4 miles. Graham is such a good, trusted friend. He kept her in the inside as they walked along the road. I picked up some strawberry's at C&S and came home and sliced up 4 quarts of strawberries. I made an angel food cake for Alli's birthday party on Sunday and shortcake for supper. I split the strawberries and froze half of them to have with Alli's cake. Went back to Appomattox and picked up Susan and made a trip to Walmart. The guys were thrilled with the supper menu. We ate our fill of strawberry shortcake while we watched a few Three Stooges. Everyone so tired. Last night it was so cold that I slept with sweats and a hoodie on. Extra blanket as well. I would have started up the Hardy but couldn't find matches anywhere. Rats! I forgot to buy more at Walmart. Matches, big boxes of matches, disappear around here. I try to keep a private stash but to no avail.
744-I am thankful for Doreen. She said that she misses her 'thinking friend.' We are going to try to get together more often. She teaches at the school where I taught music and our children were in class together.
745-I am thankful for Judy and the way she gave us her time yesterday to work on Susan's prom dress.
746-I'm thankful for Sara's phone call yesterday, 'just so I can hear your voice.'
747-I'm thankful for May strawberries in April
748-I'm thankful for that sweet strawberry lady who is so kind year after year. Her brown lab sat beside her in her golf cart and you could tell that they were close buds.
Fri.-Read Matthew 5. Jesus completely upset that cultures way of thinking. If we take what He taught and applied it to our culture, it would completely upset ours as well. Tidied house. Exercised. Washed. Made mint tea. Made two chocolate cheese cakes for Alli's birthday luncheon this Sunday. I put 5 violets, a leaf, and a fragrant sprig of lily of the valley's in 3 tiny little blue bottles and spaced them around my centerpiece on our old (as-in-antique) dining room table. Prepared for the weekend. Looking forward to time with Phil and other friends.(Went to Richmond for a Cleansing Stream Retreat. It's been at least 10 years since we were involved with this ministry and it felt the same only better. Stayed at a motel nearby.)Susan went home with Freeman and Alli and he took her turkey hunting in the morning. Didn't shoot any this time.
Sat.-At Cleansing Stream Retreat from 7:45-6:30. Wonderful. Amazing. Healing. Thank you. Mother to LGH today with pf symptoms. Michael had his dorm and his sister dorm down at the pond. Susan and Philip were with them. They had 21 kids there and played games-Hands and had cops and robbers. Had a blast.
Sun.-11 Thess. 2:16,17; 3:3-"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. And the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." This verse has been getting my attention. It just about takes care of everything. After being at Cleansing Stream and dealing with the issues of this past year in a deep way and wanting so badly for others to experience healing and freedom, I 'take' this verse. I receive its truth. He has comforted us with His everlasting consolation and given us good hope-not just any old hope-good hope. And He will protect us from the evil one. I no longer feel detached. I no longer feel like I am on the outside looking in. There are many things about which I can say 'No longer'. While I was waiting in the Cleansing Stream prayer line,
I thought, "This must be what the blind man felt while he was waiting for Jesus to make His way to him. This must be how the leper felt. Jesus, ministering to the multitude, one by one. He's coming to me. I'm going to be healed. I'm going to be whole!" And I began to praise Him as if He had already healed me because I knew He would. I am so thankful. A new thing springs forth and we are aware of it.
After church, which was refreshing as well, we came home and had pizza and angel food cake, cool whip, strawberries, ice cream, and chocolate cheese cake to celebrate Alli's birthday. We watched a movie. The guys went out to Liberty-Michael to study and Philip to play volleyball. I took some pictures of Susan in the yellow hay in the late afternoon sun. Helped paint her fake nails in order to get used to fake nails for the prom. I contacted Aunt Esther and my cousin, Anita, to let them know about Mother.
749-That I am blessed beyond the curse.
750-That things we go through can become an anchor for our faith. If He can get us through this, He can get us through anything.
751-That the best way to become whole is to admit we are broken.
752-Cleansing Stream
753-The gift of heaven's air
754-that marriages that are like dead bones can have life breathed back into them
755-for friends whose lives are healthily entwined with ours
756-for my brother, Abe, and my sister, Rosalee, who take such good care of my mother. All of my siblings love and care for my mother. But Abie and Rosalee are the oldest and they have to be 'the oldest.'
757-for my armor bearer
758-For the sermon-1 Sam. 14-Jonathan's intiative to go up to the enemies camp, the loyalty of his armor bearer, his use of discernment, and his ability to identify his enemies. He climbed up the mountain and with the help of his armor bearer, destroyed 20 soldiers at an outpost, and the camp trembled and the enemies became disoriented and scattered and then they began to kill each other. They did more damage to each other than the Israelites did. So many times, we see the enemies camp, and we are afraid to face the 30,000 challenges with our one little sword. But, if we deal with that which is in front of us, and take the challenge, one 'uncircumcized enemy' at a time, God takes over, and fights for us, and our enemies may turn on themselves with the help of some supernatural trembling, and we may look around in wonder and realize that although we are a little battle weary and pressed down a little bit, we're not destroyed. Too often we give up right before the battle is won because we think we have 30,000 enemies to fight, and really, there are only 20, which isn't really all that difficult when you've got some righteous anger inside you and a loyal armor bearer at your side.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
She Sang He Sang
What Mary may have sung when faced with the empty tomb:
"It is Finished
It is done.
His body's broken,
His Spirit's gone.
How could they kill Him
God's only Son?
The battle's over
Darkness has won."
What Jesus may have sung to Mary when He found her weeping there:
"It is Finished
It is done!
The battle's over
The Victory's won!
Come see my triumph
Hell's demons run!
Death now is conquered,
Life has begun!"
I imagine her sadly singing at the tomb.
I imagine her beginning to sing her sad tune a second time.
"It is Finished...it is done..."
I imagine Jesus' deep voice singing those same lines with her.
I imagine Mary turning around to see who is singing...
I imagine she likes His version a whole lot better than hers.
I imagine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Words taken from 'You Were the Joy'-copyright 1996-Annette Hertzler
"It is Finished
It is done.
His body's broken,
His Spirit's gone.
How could they kill Him
God's only Son?
The battle's over
Darkness has won."
What Jesus may have sung to Mary when He found her weeping there:
"It is Finished
It is done!
The battle's over
The Victory's won!
Come see my triumph
Hell's demons run!
Death now is conquered,
Life has begun!"
I imagine her sadly singing at the tomb.
I imagine her beginning to sing her sad tune a second time.
"It is Finished...it is done..."
I imagine Jesus' deep voice singing those same lines with her.
I imagine Mary turning around to see who is singing...
I imagine she likes His version a whole lot better than hers.
I imagine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Words taken from 'You Were the Joy'-copyright 1996-Annette Hertzler
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Hertzler Doings~April 2-8, 2012
Mon.-Started new schedule today. Susan is getting up earlier and we are getting more accomplished in our day. Alli and Susan did the Zumba videos and went for a walk. Then we watched 'The Three Muskateers.' Philip wanted to see it too, so we kept it, and watched it again in the eve. Susan and Alli went out to Farmville. Susan got our groceries and Alli got theirs. She delivered Susan and groceries back home. I made quick caramel popcorn and we ate it while we watched the movie. Take a stick of butter. Melt it. Add some brown sugar and maple syrup. Say, maybe a cup of brown sugar and a half a cup of maple syrup. Bring it to a boil. Boil slowly for 5 min. Add vanilla and a tiny bit of baking soda. Pour over popcorn. You can add peanut butter to the mix as well. The key is to let it simmer for 5 min. That will make it the right consistency once it hardens.
Tues.-#728-thankful for Roger's encouraging call expressing appreciation for our family.
#729-Catch up chat with Lindsay.
#730-People's votes and encouraging words regarding devotional.
#731-KNIT group in eve. Had to leave early. Upset stomach again.
Wild Warm Wind Whips Wimpy Winter's Weather aWay While Saucy Spring Sprinkles Soft Showers and Spreads Soothing Sunshine on Sensational Spicy forSythias.
#732-I put that on face book and Melva, Leon's mother, wrote, "Are these musings brought on by Spring fever?" I think they do seem a bit feverish sounding.
#733-Thankful for protection. A truck veered over to Phil's side of the road and his mirror whacked Phil's mirror, breaking it. About 45 min. after they were at the job the window banged like a gun and shattered.
Wed.-Lindsay fixed my blogger! Yippee! I go through withdrawal when I can't write. Get a little grumpy, I think. Went out to Farmville and delivered some eggs. Went to Belk's, Cato's, and then to Walmart. Susan took her prom dress (which had just arrived in mail box as we were leaving) into the Cato's changing room. She tried on some shoes to go with it but none fit. We saw Rosie and Jenny in the parking lot and they ended up taking Susan with them for the day. She borrowed some money from the car stash and they went to Goodwill and then to Calvary Chapel. We'll pick her up after youth group tonight. I went to my first session with a man I'll call Dennis. He does deep muscle massage and he worked with my neck and already I have less vertigo. He thinks it will go completely away. Also, worked on my foot and ankle and leg muscle and showed me several stretching exercises. When he said, "You will walk again," I wanted to lay my head down and sob. I have not been able to take a real walk since mid-November. Every step hurts. My calf muscle is pulling my heel up and not allowing my foot to hit the ground correctly. His wife was helping him by taking notes and he was testing the strength of my muscles and they both were exclaiming at times about the strength I had and they said that very few people did what I did the right way. I forget exactly what it was right now, but it is sure nice to hear some good news when you think you're all washed up.
Thurs.-Achievement tests for Susan in Language Arts. She made buttermint dough which she didn't like so I colored them and added Kool-Aid flavoring-grape to the purple, cherry to the pink, lemon to the yellow, and I kept the green as mint. The flavored ones taste like those extreme sweet and sour candies that sort of sizzle in your mouth. The consensus is that they taste like playdough, which makes sense, since I make playdough with Kool-aid powder and color it the flavor's color. Susan made supper. Grilled chicken and green beans and salad and homemade dressing. So good. I planted some pansies and seeds in the front flower garden that Meredith worked on for 7 hours while I was in Pa. If you ever need a landscaper, she's great. Oh, Susan made real peppermint patties dipped in dark chocolate, too. The best. It was a cold, rainy spring day.
Fri.-Good Friday. Not rainy like it usually is. Psalms 145-David's praise of God. The LORD is gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, great in mercy, good to all. His tender mercies are over all His works. His dominion and kingdom endures forever. The LORD upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. He gives us food. He opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He also will hear their cry and save them. He will preserve all who love Him.
We read so fast. Sometimes, like when we come to the words in this Psalm, we should read slowly and think slowly and not hurry on to the next thing. I transplanted some irises growing along the lane. They never have bloomed because they have too much shade, so I moved about a third of them to the front garden. They will continue to multiply along the lane. But they'll bloom elsewhere. That sounds like a sermon plot but I don't have time to think about it. I've got sausage in the oven and pasta on the stove and peas in a kettle and a salad draining. My oldest brother sent me a quick e-mail about my devo for Zondervan publishing. I had miss-spelled a word-qick-instead of quick, and he wrote, "I was qick to vote. Actually I thought this was very good. Abe." I copied it and will keep it in my top drawer. Others have written words of encouragement. It means so much.
I did some wash today. Also, I headed down to the river to take pics of bluebells. I went down the lane to go in that way and again, I just wasn't thinking, and I got stuck in the creek with the gator. I had to walk around the meadow and back up the lane and climbed over the gate down from the other one, because that one is shocking with a vengeance. That's why I went a different way. Fortunately, Michael had come home a few hours earlier. He walked barefoot to the skid loader and led the way down the lane and through the meadow, and pushed me out. I got into the very muddy gator and continued down to the river. He was so pleasant about it and not put out about it at all. When I came back, I hosed down the gator and my shoes for a good 20 min. I'm washing my shoes and clothes in the washer as I write. The amazing, wonderful thing is this. I COULD walk!!! And yes, my feet are sore, but I could walk!! Susan mowed our lawn today and now she is mowing over at Happy Valley. She's been trying on her prom dress and showing her brothers and dad-three separate times now, and they tell her she's very pretty but then they say something like, "I-Yi-Yi". She put her converses on and she looks adorable with those black and white sneakers on. I think she is going to go with her high heeled black boots, however. Her dress is a silvery sage green with black etchings and sequins on the bodice. She has a slit that will be tacked down a bit and filmy material that flows over the dress. Where did the time go?
I talked with Mother in the eve. and she said, "I wish you lived here." I said, "I'm sorry." She said, "Oh, well..." I am looking forward to the day when we'll all be together in heaven's oxygen tank-less air. Breath of Heaven...hold us together until that hour.
Sat.-Ps. 147:7-"The LORD executes justice for the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners." I am looking forward to justice. I am looking forward to having my soul fed. I am looking forward to freedom. It's a 'comin. What a great day was today. Freeman and Phil took Susan turkey hunting. They didn't get anything. I cleaned the house. Susan and Philip went out to Farmville to help set up for the egg drop. Michael stayed around here and helped Phil with some things. Michelle M. came around 2 with Maddie. We took a ride down to the river on the gator. Angel and Maddie came with us. It was good to have a boxer around again. It will be fun when Susan gets her boxer puppy in the second week of May. Will and Don came over too. Most of the Chi Alpha kids went home for Easter break. Philip made his famous chili over the fire. He puts in two bags of brown sugar in it. He made about 5 gallons total. I told him we should get t-shirts made. "Hertzler's Chili..." something or other. Maybe we could have some Banton ideas sent our way. I turned my back for a second and Michele was over on the far side of the lawn, shaking like a leaf. ;) Michael had a black snake draped in his hands. He had gone around the corner of the old house and there was the snake! He was draping it around his head and his shoulders and eventually, he put it in the rye field and then Michelle came back to us. Maddie and Angel began fighting not long afterward and we had to separate them. Later, the guys and Susan went over to fish at Happy Valley but they came back before too long because nothing was biting. Phil and I relaxed and read in the house. Michael is learning to play classical guitar. It is just beautiful. His interest gets Phil involved in playing and singing again. I love that. We are praying for the Rozier family, whose son, Hunter, is in Susan's drama group. He was in a serious accident on Monday.(Hit a tree with his vehicle.) He is in ICU with a fractured skull, punctured lung, broken ribs, broken nose and jaw, etc. They have him heavily sedated. He is one of the nicest young men in the world. Please pray for him. He is a Senior and is graduating this year.
Michael handed me an 8x10 certificate today. It says:
SOLO FLIGHT
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
This is to certify that Michael Hertzler
has broken the bonds of earth and successfully
soloed at the Lynchburg Regional Airport.
It was signed by the Associate Dean and dated 3-26-12.
Today, I walked some more. Besides the exercises that I am doing every day to stretch my achilles tendon and other muscles, I am doing that yucky foot detox thing. Ever since I had the muscle massage, I am getting heavy metal material out of my body. Before it was more joint junk. I think this detoxing is helping me walk better. Dr. Forand had said that all the toxins in my body had settled in at my heel. This is more for my own records, so please don't read this. Thanks.
Michael has gotten my laptop working today. I couldn't use it all week. It kept saying, "Bad request" for anything I tried. I also don't have spell check or options to use italics, color, or enlarging letters on the laptop. So please forgive any miss-spellings. Like that word. How do you spell misspelled? Also, I can't save. I've been using our old computer this week but now that I am on the laptop, I can't save this, so I will print it now, before the week is up.
Sun.-"..a haven of rest for the weary...how beautiful heaven must be." I've been listening to the Gaither videos all week. They were in my mother's pile of things to give away and I jumped for them. No one else was around to compete with me, but I jumped anyway. I love them. There is a guy named David Ring, I think, who shared on their show. He was born with cerebral palsy and was orphaned at 14. He has quite a testimony. Then he began to sing, "What a day..that will be...when my Jesus I shall see..." I didn't realize that Philip was in the house when I first saw it and I 'let go' and he came to see if I was okay.
Woke up at 5:30 and we went down the road a mile to Walkers Presbyterian Church for their Easter Sunrise Service and breakfast. Mitch and Mickey had invited us. We had gone to their Thanksgiving service in the fall and it's been good to get to know their interim pastor and his wife as well as the others in the community. We had part of the service outside and the sunrise was beautiful. Then we went into the warmth. The pastor asked if anyone was brave enough to begin the hymn. There was no one there to play the piano. Phil looked at me and asked, "Can you play this?" I nodded. Phil spoke up and said, "I volunteer my wife to play this song." Everyone was happy about that. It was 'Lo, in the grave He lay." No sharps. No flats. And it was the younger children's favorite song at Easter when I taught last year. I was wearing Phil's big camouflage jacket with his license pinned on the back. At the end of the service, the pastor asked if I'd play another and so I flipped the page and there was, "Christ the Lord is risen today..." It was great fun and a great joy and everyone appreciated it so very much and I was offered a job at $100 a week just to play for Sunday mornings.I said that I was busy elsewhere on Sunday mornings but if they ever had special services or funerals, I'd be happy to play. We had a delicious breakfast. Biscuits, sausage gravy, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, tator tots, strawberries, watermelon, strawberry yogurt,cinnamon rolls, and coffee. And that's just what I ate. They also had grapes and cheese and donuts, etc.
Then we came home and got ready to go to New Life. It was so good to see Laurel and Ivan Henry. Michael came into the worship service and said that on his way to Calvary, he saw an elderly hitchhiker. He picked him up and he needed a ride into Farmville. Michael told him to have a happy Easter and then asked him if he knew what Easter was about and he didn't know anything about Easter. So, Michael told him about Jesus and took the dear old man to Him and the man wanted Him and received what He had to offer. What a thrill! Oh, Jesus. Help that dear old man to know you more and more every day. Help him lead the rest of his family to You. Help us know what else we can do.
The sermon was interesting. There were at least three kinds of people at the cross, just as there are three kinds of people at church. There are those who were forced to come, like Simon, who carried the cross for Christ. These folks stay in their bondage and don't voluntarily come to the place where they could hear the truth that could set them free. There are those who were fools, who linger too long between the space between believing in Christ and rejecting Him. They stay in the grave, locked in by the huge stone. And there are those who are forgiven. They want Jesus to come in any room that may have been locked in fear. They want to live a Resurrected Life. They don't want to live in bondage or fear.
After visiting for awhile, we came home and had some leftover chili and took a nap. The Fishers and clan put in at the river and went canoeing, kayaking, etc. It was fun to see Aaron, Thomas, Andrew, Matthew, Teresa, Kyle, and another relative. We invited them to stay but I think they had other plans and not all of their families were there. Bethany, Meredith, and Tommy came over with two baskets of plastic eggs filled with candy around 3:45. Susan and I took everyone and their eggs down to the river where we hid them for the little girls to hide. When the rest of the family came a short time later, we went back down to the river and Abby and Serena looked for the eggs for about half an hour. We came back up and had supper outside around a fire. Freeman and Alli came too. Helen made a ham, a carrot casserole, a salad, a peanut butter pie, mint tea, baked beans...I stuck with our original simple plan and brought the hot dogs,saukraut, paper goods, s'more fixing's, and Susan's eggs.I added chili to the menu as well. The kids played 'volleyball' and we had a good time visiting until some time after 9 I think. The night was so clear. It's been a blessed Easter from start to finish. The LORD is risen! The LORD is risen indeed!
Tues.-#728-thankful for Roger's encouraging call expressing appreciation for our family.
#729-Catch up chat with Lindsay.
#730-People's votes and encouraging words regarding devotional.
#731-KNIT group in eve. Had to leave early. Upset stomach again.
Wild Warm Wind Whips Wimpy Winter's Weather aWay While Saucy Spring Sprinkles Soft Showers and Spreads Soothing Sunshine on Sensational Spicy forSythias.
#732-I put that on face book and Melva, Leon's mother, wrote, "Are these musings brought on by Spring fever?" I think they do seem a bit feverish sounding.
#733-Thankful for protection. A truck veered over to Phil's side of the road and his mirror whacked Phil's mirror, breaking it. About 45 min. after they were at the job the window banged like a gun and shattered.
Wed.-Lindsay fixed my blogger! Yippee! I go through withdrawal when I can't write. Get a little grumpy, I think. Went out to Farmville and delivered some eggs. Went to Belk's, Cato's, and then to Walmart. Susan took her prom dress (which had just arrived in mail box as we were leaving) into the Cato's changing room. She tried on some shoes to go with it but none fit. We saw Rosie and Jenny in the parking lot and they ended up taking Susan with them for the day. She borrowed some money from the car stash and they went to Goodwill and then to Calvary Chapel. We'll pick her up after youth group tonight. I went to my first session with a man I'll call Dennis. He does deep muscle massage and he worked with my neck and already I have less vertigo. He thinks it will go completely away. Also, worked on my foot and ankle and leg muscle and showed me several stretching exercises. When he said, "You will walk again," I wanted to lay my head down and sob. I have not been able to take a real walk since mid-November. Every step hurts. My calf muscle is pulling my heel up and not allowing my foot to hit the ground correctly. His wife was helping him by taking notes and he was testing the strength of my muscles and they both were exclaiming at times about the strength I had and they said that very few people did what I did the right way. I forget exactly what it was right now, but it is sure nice to hear some good news when you think you're all washed up.
Thurs.-Achievement tests for Susan in Language Arts. She made buttermint dough which she didn't like so I colored them and added Kool-Aid flavoring-grape to the purple, cherry to the pink, lemon to the yellow, and I kept the green as mint. The flavored ones taste like those extreme sweet and sour candies that sort of sizzle in your mouth. The consensus is that they taste like playdough, which makes sense, since I make playdough with Kool-aid powder and color it the flavor's color. Susan made supper. Grilled chicken and green beans and salad and homemade dressing. So good. I planted some pansies and seeds in the front flower garden that Meredith worked on for 7 hours while I was in Pa. If you ever need a landscaper, she's great. Oh, Susan made real peppermint patties dipped in dark chocolate, too. The best. It was a cold, rainy spring day.
Fri.-Good Friday. Not rainy like it usually is. Psalms 145-David's praise of God. The LORD is gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, great in mercy, good to all. His tender mercies are over all His works. His dominion and kingdom endures forever. The LORD upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. He gives us food. He opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He also will hear their cry and save them. He will preserve all who love Him.
We read so fast. Sometimes, like when we come to the words in this Psalm, we should read slowly and think slowly and not hurry on to the next thing. I transplanted some irises growing along the lane. They never have bloomed because they have too much shade, so I moved about a third of them to the front garden. They will continue to multiply along the lane. But they'll bloom elsewhere. That sounds like a sermon plot but I don't have time to think about it. I've got sausage in the oven and pasta on the stove and peas in a kettle and a salad draining. My oldest brother sent me a quick e-mail about my devo for Zondervan publishing. I had miss-spelled a word-qick-instead of quick, and he wrote, "I was qick to vote. Actually I thought this was very good. Abe." I copied it and will keep it in my top drawer. Others have written words of encouragement. It means so much.
I did some wash today. Also, I headed down to the river to take pics of bluebells. I went down the lane to go in that way and again, I just wasn't thinking, and I got stuck in the creek with the gator. I had to walk around the meadow and back up the lane and climbed over the gate down from the other one, because that one is shocking with a vengeance. That's why I went a different way. Fortunately, Michael had come home a few hours earlier. He walked barefoot to the skid loader and led the way down the lane and through the meadow, and pushed me out. I got into the very muddy gator and continued down to the river. He was so pleasant about it and not put out about it at all. When I came back, I hosed down the gator and my shoes for a good 20 min. I'm washing my shoes and clothes in the washer as I write. The amazing, wonderful thing is this. I COULD walk!!! And yes, my feet are sore, but I could walk!! Susan mowed our lawn today and now she is mowing over at Happy Valley. She's been trying on her prom dress and showing her brothers and dad-three separate times now, and they tell her she's very pretty but then they say something like, "I-Yi-Yi". She put her converses on and she looks adorable with those black and white sneakers on. I think she is going to go with her high heeled black boots, however. Her dress is a silvery sage green with black etchings and sequins on the bodice. She has a slit that will be tacked down a bit and filmy material that flows over the dress. Where did the time go?
I talked with Mother in the eve. and she said, "I wish you lived here." I said, "I'm sorry." She said, "Oh, well..." I am looking forward to the day when we'll all be together in heaven's oxygen tank-less air. Breath of Heaven...hold us together until that hour.
Sat.-Ps. 147:7-"The LORD executes justice for the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners." I am looking forward to justice. I am looking forward to having my soul fed. I am looking forward to freedom. It's a 'comin. What a great day was today. Freeman and Phil took Susan turkey hunting. They didn't get anything. I cleaned the house. Susan and Philip went out to Farmville to help set up for the egg drop. Michael stayed around here and helped Phil with some things. Michelle M. came around 2 with Maddie. We took a ride down to the river on the gator. Angel and Maddie came with us. It was good to have a boxer around again. It will be fun when Susan gets her boxer puppy in the second week of May. Will and Don came over too. Most of the Chi Alpha kids went home for Easter break. Philip made his famous chili over the fire. He puts in two bags of brown sugar in it. He made about 5 gallons total. I told him we should get t-shirts made. "Hertzler's Chili..." something or other. Maybe we could have some Banton ideas sent our way. I turned my back for a second and Michele was over on the far side of the lawn, shaking like a leaf. ;) Michael had a black snake draped in his hands. He had gone around the corner of the old house and there was the snake! He was draping it around his head and his shoulders and eventually, he put it in the rye field and then Michelle came back to us. Maddie and Angel began fighting not long afterward and we had to separate them. Later, the guys and Susan went over to fish at Happy Valley but they came back before too long because nothing was biting. Phil and I relaxed and read in the house. Michael is learning to play classical guitar. It is just beautiful. His interest gets Phil involved in playing and singing again. I love that. We are praying for the Rozier family, whose son, Hunter, is in Susan's drama group. He was in a serious accident on Monday.(Hit a tree with his vehicle.) He is in ICU with a fractured skull, punctured lung, broken ribs, broken nose and jaw, etc. They have him heavily sedated. He is one of the nicest young men in the world. Please pray for him. He is a Senior and is graduating this year.
Michael handed me an 8x10 certificate today. It says:
SOLO FLIGHT
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
This is to certify that Michael Hertzler
has broken the bonds of earth and successfully
soloed at the Lynchburg Regional Airport.
It was signed by the Associate Dean and dated 3-26-12.
Today, I walked some more. Besides the exercises that I am doing every day to stretch my achilles tendon and other muscles, I am doing that yucky foot detox thing. Ever since I had the muscle massage, I am getting heavy metal material out of my body. Before it was more joint junk. I think this detoxing is helping me walk better. Dr. Forand had said that all the toxins in my body had settled in at my heel. This is more for my own records, so please don't read this. Thanks.
Michael has gotten my laptop working today. I couldn't use it all week. It kept saying, "Bad request" for anything I tried. I also don't have spell check or options to use italics, color, or enlarging letters on the laptop. So please forgive any miss-spellings. Like that word. How do you spell misspelled? Also, I can't save. I've been using our old computer this week but now that I am on the laptop, I can't save this, so I will print it now, before the week is up.
Sun.-"..a haven of rest for the weary...how beautiful heaven must be." I've been listening to the Gaither videos all week. They were in my mother's pile of things to give away and I jumped for them. No one else was around to compete with me, but I jumped anyway. I love them. There is a guy named David Ring, I think, who shared on their show. He was born with cerebral palsy and was orphaned at 14. He has quite a testimony. Then he began to sing, "What a day..that will be...when my Jesus I shall see..." I didn't realize that Philip was in the house when I first saw it and I 'let go' and he came to see if I was okay.
Woke up at 5:30 and we went down the road a mile to Walkers Presbyterian Church for their Easter Sunrise Service and breakfast. Mitch and Mickey had invited us. We had gone to their Thanksgiving service in the fall and it's been good to get to know their interim pastor and his wife as well as the others in the community. We had part of the service outside and the sunrise was beautiful. Then we went into the warmth. The pastor asked if anyone was brave enough to begin the hymn. There was no one there to play the piano. Phil looked at me and asked, "Can you play this?" I nodded. Phil spoke up and said, "I volunteer my wife to play this song." Everyone was happy about that. It was 'Lo, in the grave He lay." No sharps. No flats. And it was the younger children's favorite song at Easter when I taught last year. I was wearing Phil's big camouflage jacket with his license pinned on the back. At the end of the service, the pastor asked if I'd play another and so I flipped the page and there was, "Christ the Lord is risen today..." It was great fun and a great joy and everyone appreciated it so very much and I was offered a job at $100 a week just to play for Sunday mornings.I said that I was busy elsewhere on Sunday mornings but if they ever had special services or funerals, I'd be happy to play. We had a delicious breakfast. Biscuits, sausage gravy, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, tator tots, strawberries, watermelon, strawberry yogurt,cinnamon rolls, and coffee. And that's just what I ate. They also had grapes and cheese and donuts, etc.
Then we came home and got ready to go to New Life. It was so good to see Laurel and Ivan Henry. Michael came into the worship service and said that on his way to Calvary, he saw an elderly hitchhiker. He picked him up and he needed a ride into Farmville. Michael told him to have a happy Easter and then asked him if he knew what Easter was about and he didn't know anything about Easter. So, Michael told him about Jesus and took the dear old man to Him and the man wanted Him and received what He had to offer. What a thrill! Oh, Jesus. Help that dear old man to know you more and more every day. Help him lead the rest of his family to You. Help us know what else we can do.
The sermon was interesting. There were at least three kinds of people at the cross, just as there are three kinds of people at church. There are those who were forced to come, like Simon, who carried the cross for Christ. These folks stay in their bondage and don't voluntarily come to the place where they could hear the truth that could set them free. There are those who were fools, who linger too long between the space between believing in Christ and rejecting Him. They stay in the grave, locked in by the huge stone. And there are those who are forgiven. They want Jesus to come in any room that may have been locked in fear. They want to live a Resurrected Life. They don't want to live in bondage or fear.
After visiting for awhile, we came home and had some leftover chili and took a nap. The Fishers and clan put in at the river and went canoeing, kayaking, etc. It was fun to see Aaron, Thomas, Andrew, Matthew, Teresa, Kyle, and another relative. We invited them to stay but I think they had other plans and not all of their families were there. Bethany, Meredith, and Tommy came over with two baskets of plastic eggs filled with candy around 3:45. Susan and I took everyone and their eggs down to the river where we hid them for the little girls to hide. When the rest of the family came a short time later, we went back down to the river and Abby and Serena looked for the eggs for about half an hour. We came back up and had supper outside around a fire. Freeman and Alli came too. Helen made a ham, a carrot casserole, a salad, a peanut butter pie, mint tea, baked beans...I stuck with our original simple plan and brought the hot dogs,saukraut, paper goods, s'more fixing's, and Susan's eggs.I added chili to the menu as well. The kids played 'volleyball' and we had a good time visiting until some time after 9 I think. The night was so clear. It's been a blessed Easter from start to finish. The LORD is risen! The LORD is risen indeed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)