WEEK OF MARCH 4TH TO 10TH

I am going to try an idea that Ilene over at www.the sunroseandthewindblue.wordpress.com does. She write on her blog all week then posts it near the end of the week. I think I will join her. She actually has two blogs now. This one will more detail about their move to Oklahoma and the changes they are making to the house they bought. The other blog www.rockwhisperersgarden.wordpress.com is about the challenges of gardening in what I would assume is much like we have up here in parts of Manitoba sort of a desserty/hardpan/rocky type soil with lots and lots of wind. Hey that could also be like the place I grew up in.

When I was younger, I would think about God's creation and I imagined that each area of the earth would be different and within each country each area would be different. By different I mean that each area would be extremely different - guess I had a wild imagination. God did do that to some extent, but he in his infinite wisdom has areas around the world that are similar. I now understand it has to be this way because of the jet stream, weather patterns etc. I also have experienced many weather pattern changes over the years I have been alive and for a short period of time I fell for the Climate Change idea. Now, I see it fits in with all the other things; wars, disturbances etc. I now believe it is another way God is using to get our attention. I am not knocking the Climate Change thing, but I do firmly believe that God made this earth and because he knows the beginning to the end, he would have taken into account all that human's were going to do to the earth. I firmly believe that if God chooses for the earth to be here for another 1000 years, he is going to be taking care of it and all of our needs and we don't need to worry so much and fight so much over who is wrecking earth. God Is Good - All The Time! I do believe though that to show respect to my wonderful creator, I must take care of my little area and be mindful of what may or may not be a good thing. As he chooses to provide for me, I need to be aware and provide and look after what he has given me. So, if I was living on a farm I would certainly do the grain farming etc, but I would first take a good long look at what God put there and needs to be protected the most. I think that as the world got settled in that those people did this otherwise how would we see and know about all the beautiful flowers, streams, grasses. Yes, some are gone and that totally is human fault. I think we can get back to living in a more down to earth friendly way. Didn't mean to rant about climate change - sorry.

This week was a week of looking back and forward. God has been having me go through a very hard season for the past six months or so. I love Widow's Christian Place and how so often God uses the daily post. Usually they speak to me about whatever God has on my heart. So comforting to know that he uses others in this way and the magical part for me is that these people write these bits sometimes months in advance and don't even know who their writing will touch or how it will work, but as they write and pray God knows who will be touched by their words. God Is Good --All The Time.

I heard a sermon about a month ago speaking on how God works though our layers. These layers will be all the things he wants to either remove or change in our lives. Before I heard this sermon, I couldn't quite figure out why God would touch on one thing and then in rapid succession touch on so many others. After the sermon I realized that he is working on my layers. These layers for me often hinge on the next level and so it just seems like everything is all wrong. I was beginning to doubt God and my faith. That also is a place I did not want to go. However, I prayed that he would continue to work through the layers no matter how much I squirmed. One of the layers is family and how ours seems to not be doing so well. God has brought me to realize a couple of things. One is that we pussy-foot around how Glenn was the buffer in our family. My kids are much like me in ways and we rub each other the wrong way. We need to learn to talk things out and so we are starting to do that. With this we also need to forgive. Saying "Sorry" is not the same as forgiveness and we are slowly learning the difference. Praise God for his mercies. We will be whole again. Another thing is that I had given up on all my dreams. Dreams Glenn and I had together. God allowed me to make some decisions, that I thought were important because they were ones Glenn and I shared. Then everything went wrong - way wrong and I chose to give up. This week there was an awesome post on dreams and goals and not giving up - but allowing God to change them into what he wants. He does have plans for everyone of us. When I look back on our dreams, they just need an adjustment and that is what God is showing me. The journey will go on and it will be good.

This week was also Glenn's birthday. What to do - so we all did nothing, choosing instead to reflect on him and his life. At some point we will all come together with our stories and it will be a wonderful time of sharing.

Back in mid December, I had to put my little buddy down. Roscoe had been with us for 13 years, but his kidneys were failing and he wasn't able to hold it very long. It was time. It was hard. It was a Glenn thing. We all remember him walking the dog, playing catch with him and on occasion taking him for rides. The biggest one was him walking Roscoe and taking the littles to the park. Such hard memories but so gentle at the same time. Fast forward to about six weeks ago, when I decided to get another dog - a puppy. A cute little Shi tzu cross Sheltie. Duncan is a wonderful little dog, so playful, so smart, so good. I was really hoping his fur would be hair and not fur. He got the Sheltie fur-not good for me. I starting getting the allergies right away and kept thinking, I will adjust. But I didn't, so then I took more asthma meds, more nasal spray, more eye drops then added the Reactine. By this last Wednesday, I felt pretty bad and by Friday I knew something was wrong besides the obvious. I checked my blood pressure and it was through the roof and my throat was feeling thick. So, it became my health or the dog. Yesterday, I gave him to his new forever family and I know they will love him to bits. I on the other hand will miss him, but have learned an important lesson and that is listen to what the spirit is saying and God was really telling me to not get a dog. Today I am starting to feel better. This week will be better and hard just as each week has been since Glenn went to his new abode in heaven. I need to remember God Is Good -- All The Time.

May God Bless you all this week.

Jean

An Ode to Nike

My son and his family had to put their beloved dog to sleep today. Nike was 11 and had gone blind, had bladder and kidney troubles, arthritis and was at times becoming disoriented. We all loved Nike, but probably not to the extent that my daughter and youngest grandson did. There were tears today and I am sure there will be tears for a while.

Nike

When Nike came into our lives, my son and daughter-in-law lived in "the little house on the prairie". Within a few short months of living there, they obtained two dogs. Cassie, the first acquisition was a rescue dog from way up north. Cassie occupation would be to chase the ball for hours on end. Cassie was a bit territorial and if she didn't hear you coming, the situation could get a bit dicey. When she was probably 9 or 10, they decided it wasn't safe and had her put down. Nike had come from another pet rescue place. Both dogs were a little big for a 900 sq. ft. house so hours everyday would be spent outside.

Nike was a bit challenged when it came to learning to play with toys but my how she could run and run she did. You did not let her out of your site for a second or we would be running down the road often for miles to catch her and bring her back home. When she got home she would be smiling like she'd just won the dogie marathon! Her second occupation was digging. They put in a beautiful dog run which lasted all of about two weeks. No, the dogs didn't destroy it, Nike dug her way out so many times that there was no use in keeping the two of them in it any longer. So, what was the alternative - the horse barn. The dogs loved it in there. It was cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It had a dutch door and weather permitting, Nike could hang her head over the bottom part and watch the world go by. Thankfully, she never did get the notion that if she jumped, she could get out. From there they moved into a town and Nike's days changed. They had a yard that was fenced and Nike never did figure out how to get out. Her next occupation became goose chaser. My son runs a golf course and the players do not take kindly to having goose droppings all over the course. A few times a week my son would take Nike to the course. She loved her new job and took it seriously. Those poor geese never knew what hit them when Nike was on patrol.

When the two kids were born, they each had a favourite dog. Granddaughter's was Cassie and Grandson's was Nike, though he would never let on that he even liked Nike. However, if you took a glimpse around the corner more than likely grandson would be curled up next to Nike having a snooze. Already grandson is asking when Nike is coming home to cuddle with him - he's almost 3 and is having a hard time understanding. We have suggested to him that Nike is with granddad and that granddad is taking Nike to do a job with him. You see, grandson's favourite thing was to "do a job" with granddad. They would fix things and Glenn always had the patience and took the time to teach little grandson, so if he has the visual in his head of Granddad taking Nike to do a job with him, it might help him feel better about loosing his best friend.

As for my daughter, she took very good care of Nike when she was visiting with them and yes, she too will have many tears for Nike today. Even though she is in her 30s, I believe she hopes God has a special place for all the pets in heaven!

And so ends another day. I am thankful how this dog has made us all stop and pnder life today. My hope is that through the process of losing a pet, we will become softer hearted people. Not just towards animals, but towards people and relationships, as everything that happens in life is an opportunity for us to grow and become more Christ like.

Blessings

Jean

A Lost Summer

As it is now almost the end of August, I have officially lost all of this summer. If you were to ask what I did, I can't remember. I certainly didn't go anywhere. It took me till the end of July just to clean up from winter. I do remember the blistering hot days with humidty that did more than curl my hair. I will really be glad when it cools down and stays that way! This week we are to get back up to +35 with humidex of +40 so hot again.

Mostly, I've been thinking about changing my life and what that entails. I know that I want to move by the end of October. Will it happen? I sure hope so because usually halloween night winter starts. It is so weird. During the day of halloween it is usually a very mild day with temps. up in the 18 to 20 range (around 68 F) and then once the kids hit the streets, the wind comes up and by the end of the night it is snowing. Yes there have been a few years where that did not happen, but they are few and far between. Anyway, back to moving! I really would like to move before the snow falls. I have my eye on a couple of places and hope to have it all sorted out this week. Then I can get my house up for sale. I am told it will take a week at most to sell. Before I can list though there are a couple of things that need doing. The people who renovated my house did not know to tape the drywall (or maybe just skipped a step) - hence in my sewing room (a.k.a. the spare bedroom), the ceiling looks like it could fall at any time. You can also see where they put up the metal on the corners, but again did not tape. In the living room, my dear departed darling decided to see how they made the bay window, so out came a bit of drywall and boy I don't know what planet he was on when he fixed it - what a mess. His dad was a carpenter and painter and the apple really fell far from the tree in this case. I also need to put some new carpet in the basement and paint down there. You would think that I would know a drywaller but no, no, no, not a one to be had. I need to find one this week. Hopefully will be able to find a painter too. In my dream world they would be one and the same. The carpeting, I am hoping both sons and my daughter will do that, but that too may be only a fading dream. If only some other relatives lived closer, but they are all at least 900 miles away.

I am wading through my life and finding it very interesting to see the things I wasted good money on and know within my heart, I will never get to creating or using them. I know at some time Glenn must have warned my about this, but did I listen? Never, and now I am really sorry I didn't. I really had to have a good confession and prayer time with that. In fact, God has been dealing with a lot of things big and little that I probably wouldn't have let him in to deal with if Glenn was alive. I know it sounds bad that Glenn had to die so I would smarten up, but it really isn't like that at all. God's timing is perfect and so his time to take Glenn was then and now it is time to deal with things and move on.
Moving on is hard too. Some days I miss Glenn so much, I too want to go home, but in my heart I know now isn't the time. As I go through all our things deciding what goes and what stays, it really shows me how unimportant things here on earth are and how important prayer, obedience, trust and relationships are. I am praying now very differently than in the past and God has given me different burdens than before. What a wonderful God we have. As for the things, I also realize how little I need on a day to day basis. After I get through them mess in my sewing room, (why oh why did I keep all those scraps and patterns from the internet) I will just have a few things to get rid of in the basement and a whole lot of old paperwork. Glenn believed with all his heart that if he threw out one scrap of paper it would come back to bite him. So we will be having a few fires once it gets a bit cooler. I have so much furniture to get rid of also. Though I am only in a 1180 sq. ft. place, there were areas that needed larger furniture i.e. who wants three sofas? I am really hoping to get this condo that is a little way out of town. It is an apartment type with 1320 sq.ft. and has just been totally remodelled. It is gorgeous I tell you. If I get it I will post pics. Two bedrooms, one is set up for an office and has a murphy bed. That one will make a great sewing room. It has a large laundry room where I plan to keep all my fabric and stitching gear. It has a great kitchen, dining room, living room that is open concept. The bedrooms are not side by side and have their own bathrooms. It has a very nice balcony that has an attached terrace. I swear the terrace is so big I could fit my current house on it. I am really looking forward to being able to entertain out there. It overlooks the river and the lock. I would be on the second story and underneath my terrace is the indoor parking. I like this one so much but if it gets sold before I am ready, then I know God has something even better, so am not worried at all. All I can say is that if this falls through, I will be very excited to see what God does provide. My daughter would like me to move to a town closer to her. I am hesitant though winter driving here is really bad sometimes. The vehicles are good for the weather, it usually is the blowing snow that makes the drive so bad.

Roscoe went to a new groomer last week. She did an awesome job. She did a short show cut and he knew it! As we strolled around the block you could see him smile and hold his head up high and oh my when he saw the "missus" well she really hurried her walk to keep up to Roscoe. Usually the missus is very slow and stops to have three or four good rolls in the grass or snow. Her "dad" could hardly keep up to the pace that day. By the way he is a Bichon and she is a large golden retriever. The neighbours have such a laugh over the two of them. Just a few days ago, the neighbours across were walking their little shitzu cross. A few of us were standing there talking when they came up, so I introduced their little lady as the "mistress". We all had a good laugh over that. Roscoe will miss the girls, but hey I'm sure there are more out there for the little gigolo.

Got a new camera so maybe one day soon there will be pics. Have been working still on my stash with a couple of quilts. Got a new Phaff so am slowly getting use to it. In the needlework area I am working on one Hardanger piece and one cross stitch. I normally don't do much cross stitch, but in this case I will make an exception.

Have a blessed week all!
Jean

Some Days are Diamonds

What a beautiful day! We are hitting plus 4C about 38F and so took the Darn Dog (herein after known as THAT DD) for a well deserved long walk. Roscoe is getting older - eleven, but for a Bichon that's not too old. He like me, has arthritis and he suffers from colitis, so today was a Diamond Day and we had fun.... sort of. Roscoe never likes walking in water. If you are older and you ever saw those Peppi-La-Pew cartoons where he walks on his tonails, well Roscoe walks just like that in the water. Of course he just has to give me that woe is me look - what a dog! He is good company these days as I adjust to being a widow.

Strange how that word hits you within days of your mates death. I think it was the first thing that hit me, next was "How will I make it on my own," then I just fell apart for awhile. Now I am back to what my oldest son called the New Normal. I thank God every day for the "New" Truths he is giving me. You know the ones... the words we've known for a long time, but only become reality when we hit a tough spot. I can hardly believe what I've missed in his word. Thank God he is patient and understanding and gives us time to "get it".

I had earlier in the year decided I would do the UFO Challenge that Sue from Blackberry Creek Home Arts is sponsoring. The rules are really lax - gotta love that and now that my life is starting to settle down, and I feel like being creative again I am on a roll. I have completed two items (shown on the side bar) and am now working through my scraps.

I had started about a year ago thinking I would diminish my stash somewhat by using up what I had. To get myself organized, I took out all of my material, sorted it and then decided which ones would go to together. I then bundled them up and they are now ready for whatever project I choose to start. Of course like every other quilter, sticher, knitter etc. out there I did not get very far into the year before I started buying, but that is as always another story. Back to the scraps, I have plastic containers that stack on top if one another and slowly I am cutting all the scraps in the bins into various sizes and when they are all done, they will be sewn into quilts. On the other side of the coin (stitching) I have so many little bits, I have decided to make a bunch of book marks and donate them to either one of my teacher neices or to an inner city school. Up here February is Love to Read month, so I figure maybe I can get 30 to 35 done by next February. I hope to get a list up soon,of what I want to finish this year.  THAT DD is calling for dinner dear! So I better go. Enjoy the day!
Jean