It's drizzling outside. I woke up with low back pain and was unable to do my thrice weekly mall walk with Jill. But this is the day the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it! One never knows what blessings the Lord has waiting right around the corner. If we concentrate on the things we find distressing, we never get to the blessing. I like to remember Paul the Apostle, who was cheerful and ministered to others even when he was in prison! Paul looked at EVERY situation as an opportunity to serve the Lord and to spread the gospel. Lord give me the power to do that, too!
I am on jury duty this week...well, sort of. I am in the current week's pool of jurors, but so far I haven't even had to go to the courthouse. Each evening, I call a recording, and it tells me which jurors are needed for the next day. So far, my number hasn't come up, but this is Wednesday and I have two more chances. When I was practicing dentistry in a large group, I had to be excused from jury duty, which happened three or four times. Now that I am retired and able to answer the call to my civic duty, I have not been needed.
Today is Patrick's last game of the season. He is coaching 8th grade boys' basketball. So far, the team has done very well. They are fun to watch, because they are such team players. There are a couple of boys who are obviously more talented than the others, but they are not prima donnas. Patrick is one of two coaches for the team. TJ is the ostensible head, although he and Patrick are billed as co-head coaches. Patrick primarily works with the kids individually on developing skills and on defensive coordination, and TJ covers offense. If my back feels up to it this afternoon, I will make the 60 mile drive to Independence to see the game. C'mon, back, let's go! I love this game.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
It's all good...
We had a lovely morning worship service today. Our pastoral staff has been taking us through a series of sermons on financial management over the past five Sundays. It is scriptural and has been quite good. Most of the information is not new to me, and Jill and I have managed to keep our finances under control and arrive at a zero debt status...just in time for the economic meltdown that we are currently experiencing. Still, it is good to see the scriptural basis for being good stewards, and we have been moved to work on our budget to see how much more we can give to others.
The weather today is nothing like yesterday. Currently, the rain is drumming on the roof, and I am contemplating turning on the gas fireplace for both the warmth and the cheer that it adds to this room, which is a bit dreary at the moment. Jill and I got out in the backyard yesterday and raked leaves, pruned bushes, pulled weeds and generally cleaned up the yard. As usual we got carried away, and when the day was done, we had filled five 30 gallon yard debris bags! The yard looks so much better! It is almost as if someone lives here.
I was just informed by my darling bride that there is popcorn in my future this afternoon. That is our usual Sunday treat, but I am always so grateful when I get it, because Jill makes perfect popcorn, whereas mine is usually tough, burned or both! So, hooray for Sunday afternoon, and thank you, Lord, for my beautiful wife!
The weather today is nothing like yesterday. Currently, the rain is drumming on the roof, and I am contemplating turning on the gas fireplace for both the warmth and the cheer that it adds to this room, which is a bit dreary at the moment. Jill and I got out in the backyard yesterday and raked leaves, pruned bushes, pulled weeds and generally cleaned up the yard. As usual we got carried away, and when the day was done, we had filled five 30 gallon yard debris bags! The yard looks so much better! It is almost as if someone lives here.
I was just informed by my darling bride that there is popcorn in my future this afternoon. That is our usual Sunday treat, but I am always so grateful when I get it, because Jill makes perfect popcorn, whereas mine is usually tough, burned or both! So, hooray for Sunday afternoon, and thank you, Lord, for my beautiful wife!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Isn't this a lovely day...
It is going to be a lovely day! Well, in fact, every day is a lovely day, because every day is the day the Lord made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it! But what I am talking about, here, is that the sun is coming up, and the temperature is expected to reach 60 degrees.
Yesterday was almost that warm, and we were able to go out and putter in the flower beds. Jill weeded our front bed; the one everybody sees when approaching our front door. I trimmed the roses back to their proper level for this time of year. I think I may even feed them this year I have shamefully neglected the poor things, but I hope to be more attentive this year. We are blessed to have a perfect, sunny location for roses along our driveway. It is a shame that I don't take better care of the area.
Yesterday afternoon, we had the privilege of serving at the home of dear friends, who were hosting a post-service gathering for their dear friend, whose husband went to be with Jesus a week ago. Jill and I arrived before the party returned from the cemetery and began preparing the last minute food items. Kathy had put a turkey in the oven before we arrived, and we put a ham in the other oven. (How decadent! Two ovens.) After we set up the coffee urn, the guests began arriving. Jill made a big salad. More helpers arrived to assist with serving and preparing food. It was such a blessing to be allowed to serve others in their time of grieving, and they were so appreciative. There were about 25 guests in all.
Today, we have the prospect of a sunny day with no obligations. I hope we can do some more work in the yard. The 16 inches of snow we had in December was hard on our plants. Some of them didn't survive. Of course, I see that as an opportunity to try some different plants. We do not have a symmetrical landscape plan, so we are not constrained to planting the same things that we lost.
In addition, we probably will call some friends and see if they would like to come over for dinner. We know a couple of couples who are "spur of the moment" types, so who knows what will happen? We do know that God will give us a glorious day, no matter what happens. He's like that, you know!
Yesterday was almost that warm, and we were able to go out and putter in the flower beds. Jill weeded our front bed; the one everybody sees when approaching our front door. I trimmed the roses back to their proper level for this time of year. I think I may even feed them this year I have shamefully neglected the poor things, but I hope to be more attentive this year. We are blessed to have a perfect, sunny location for roses along our driveway. It is a shame that I don't take better care of the area.
Yesterday afternoon, we had the privilege of serving at the home of dear friends, who were hosting a post-service gathering for their dear friend, whose husband went to be with Jesus a week ago. Jill and I arrived before the party returned from the cemetery and began preparing the last minute food items. Kathy had put a turkey in the oven before we arrived, and we put a ham in the other oven. (How decadent! Two ovens.) After we set up the coffee urn, the guests began arriving. Jill made a big salad. More helpers arrived to assist with serving and preparing food. It was such a blessing to be allowed to serve others in their time of grieving, and they were so appreciative. There were about 25 guests in all.
Today, we have the prospect of a sunny day with no obligations. I hope we can do some more work in the yard. The 16 inches of snow we had in December was hard on our plants. Some of them didn't survive. Of course, I see that as an opportunity to try some different plants. We do not have a symmetrical landscape plan, so we are not constrained to planting the same things that we lost.
In addition, we probably will call some friends and see if they would like to come over for dinner. We know a couple of couples who are "spur of the moment" types, so who knows what will happen? We do know that God will give us a glorious day, no matter what happens. He's like that, you know!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Look, Dick, look. See Pogo run...
We had lunch today with a couple from my past. Dick is a former colleague from the days when I was down in the mouth. He and his wife, Linda, were also skiing buddies a decade or so back. Although I have seen Dick and Linda a few times in the intervening years, it wasn't until recently that I really reconnected. Dick is one of a gang of recovering (read=retired) dentists from the dental group (PDA) I worked for some 23 years. Recently, we "alums" started meeting monthly for breakfast to reminisce and keep up with each other in our "golden" years.
Jill had met Dick and Linda several years ago at the annual PDA Prom, but that was when we were first married, and it was all new and rather intimidating for Jill. A group of 125 dentists can be that way, I guess; especially if you are new to the situation. It was with some trepidation that Jill agreed to accompany me to this luncheon, but when it was over, she admitted that Dick and Linda were not at all intimidating, and in fact are quite charming. Beyond that, we didn't even talk about the past that much. We were more interested in comparing notes on retirement, that blessed state in which we all find ourselves. I am so fortunate to have a wife who is willing to take a risk!
Leaving the restaurant, we discovered that the sky had cleared some, and the sun was streaming down on us. After we arrived home, we decided that Pogo needed some exercise, but since we had gone mall walking this morning, we were loath to take our usual 2 mile doggy dash. So, we walked about three blocks to a new housing development, where building has not progressed due to the real estate crash we are currently experiencing. There we found a string of vacant lots. Jill and I separated ourselves by about 50 yards and then Pogo ran at full tilt back and forth, back and forth between us, until her tongue was hanging out. At that point, she actually asked to be put back on the leash and go home.
Jill had met Dick and Linda several years ago at the annual PDA Prom, but that was when we were first married, and it was all new and rather intimidating for Jill. A group of 125 dentists can be that way, I guess; especially if you are new to the situation. It was with some trepidation that Jill agreed to accompany me to this luncheon, but when it was over, she admitted that Dick and Linda were not at all intimidating, and in fact are quite charming. Beyond that, we didn't even talk about the past that much. We were more interested in comparing notes on retirement, that blessed state in which we all find ourselves. I am so fortunate to have a wife who is willing to take a risk!
Leaving the restaurant, we discovered that the sky had cleared some, and the sun was streaming down on us. After we arrived home, we decided that Pogo needed some exercise, but since we had gone mall walking this morning, we were loath to take our usual 2 mile doggy dash. So, we walked about three blocks to a new housing development, where building has not progressed due to the real estate crash we are currently experiencing. There we found a string of vacant lots. Jill and I separated ourselves by about 50 yards and then Pogo ran at full tilt back and forth, back and forth between us, until her tongue was hanging out. At that point, she actually asked to be put back on the leash and go home.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Gaming and griping...
Well, again it has been several days since my last post. The time has been filled delightfully with a number of activities. The highlight was a trip to Monmouth to visit son and daughter-in-law on Saturday. Patrick is still fighting a cold that has been hanging on for a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, we had a delightful time playing board games, and watching the animated movie Wall-E.
When I say board games, I don't want you to think of Monopoly or Sorry. No, these are games that originated in Germany. Many of them have won the coveted "Spiel des Jahres" or "Game of the Year" award. Well, I guess it is a coveted award, else they probably would not display the award prominently on the box. At any rate, the games are interesting in that, with few exceptions, they are played on a board that changes each time the game is set up. Some, like the labyrinth game we played, have a board that changes with every player's turn.
My favorite was a game called "Pandemic." As the name implies, it has to do with the spread of infections. The interesting thing about this game is that, unlike most board games, where the object is to beat the other players, Pandemic is a co-operative game, in which the players work together to beat the game. We failed. We not only failed; we failed miserably. Once we came close to curing two of the diseases in this make-believe world, only to be beaten by another. It is a fascinating game, and I liked the fact that there was not a lot of competition involved. There was, however, a lot of teamwork and group strategy required.
On Sunday, Jill and I were honored to make a presentation to the lay counseling ministry of our church. We talked about communication in marriage. This is a subject near and dear to our hearts, because we have struggled to develop a communication strategy in our marriage. It is also a favorite topic with the marital counseling that we do through the church. We are by no means experts, but we seem to be able to communicate openly with each other, and we have seen other couples learn to improve their communication skills, as well.
The weather in our area continues to present interesting "opportunities." Today, there have been snow showers in the western Willamette valley, just to the south of us. We had a hail storm a few minutes ago here at the house. So, winter continues apace. I, for one, would just as soon have spring show up at the earliest possible time. January, for me, is interminable, and February, while it offers some hope, as the crocuses and daffodils begin to poke their heads up, is seldom warm enough to suit me. In all fairness, we did have a week or so of sunny weather with daytime temperatures in the upper fifties and lower sixties. But that has passed now, and we are back to gray, dreary skies and frequent precip. Still, "this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Amen.
When I say board games, I don't want you to think of Monopoly or Sorry. No, these are games that originated in Germany. Many of them have won the coveted "Spiel des Jahres" or "Game of the Year" award. Well, I guess it is a coveted award, else they probably would not display the award prominently on the box. At any rate, the games are interesting in that, with few exceptions, they are played on a board that changes each time the game is set up. Some, like the labyrinth game we played, have a board that changes with every player's turn.
My favorite was a game called "Pandemic." As the name implies, it has to do with the spread of infections. The interesting thing about this game is that, unlike most board games, where the object is to beat the other players, Pandemic is a co-operative game, in which the players work together to beat the game. We failed. We not only failed; we failed miserably. Once we came close to curing two of the diseases in this make-believe world, only to be beaten by another. It is a fascinating game, and I liked the fact that there was not a lot of competition involved. There was, however, a lot of teamwork and group strategy required.
On Sunday, Jill and I were honored to make a presentation to the lay counseling ministry of our church. We talked about communication in marriage. This is a subject near and dear to our hearts, because we have struggled to develop a communication strategy in our marriage. It is also a favorite topic with the marital counseling that we do through the church. We are by no means experts, but we seem to be able to communicate openly with each other, and we have seen other couples learn to improve their communication skills, as well.
The weather in our area continues to present interesting "opportunities." Today, there have been snow showers in the western Willamette valley, just to the south of us. We had a hail storm a few minutes ago here at the house. So, winter continues apace. I, for one, would just as soon have spring show up at the earliest possible time. January, for me, is interminable, and February, while it offers some hope, as the crocuses and daffodils begin to poke their heads up, is seldom warm enough to suit me. In all fairness, we did have a week or so of sunny weather with daytime temperatures in the upper fifties and lower sixties. But that has passed now, and we are back to gray, dreary skies and frequent precip. Still, "this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Amen.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Mid-winter delights...
How the time does go by. Since my last post, we have had a Super Bowl party, celebrated Groundhog day (complete with pork sausage, and Bill Murray), and enjoyed a picnic by the Clackamas river. It has been a good week.
Sunday's Super Bowl party was a smashing success. Eight of the ten members of our Bible study group were here. Two of the ladies were unable to attend, one due to a family commitment and one due to an injured shoulder. We never did take a poll to determine how many Arizona fans and how many Pittsburgh fans were in the group. No one was interested in wagering on the game, so we simply enjoyed in order of importance, one another's company, a fine spread of comestibles and potables, the annual roll-out of amusing commercials, and the game. I do believe that by the time it was over, the consensus was that, whereas the best team won, it was difficult to watch the underdog come from behind to take a late lead, only to lose it in the final minute and forty-seven seconds.
Monday, of course, was Groundhog Day, the history of which is unclear to me. Nevertheless, the annual rite of observing Punxsatawney Phil emerging from his lair in frigid Pennsylvania illustrates once again man's eternal optimism and his superstition: optimism, because we want to believe that if Phil does NOT "see his shadow," this would actually hasten the advent of spring; and superstition because we humans, as much as we tend to deny the existence of a supreme being, are pretty certain that something out there is controlling the things over which we feel powerless. To wit: the changing of the seasons.
Jill and I were not blessed with time to watch Bill Murray ride the merry-go-round of endless repeats of Groundhog day on Monday, but we did take it in yesterday. And to be quite honest, we didn't have any pork sausage (ground hog), but I did suggest it. Nevertheless, I believe we determined that winter will end on March 21st.
Today was one of those glorious February days in Oregon that we get from time to time. The temperature actually topped 60 degrees farenheit. The sky was cloudless and azure, and we had time on our hands. So, we got Sadie, our venerable motor home, out of storage and drove her out to Milo McIver State Park for a picnic. Since Sadie had been in storage for a couple of months, I wanted to exercise her mechanicals and to run the 6.5 KW Onan generator that is on board. It was a beautiful day for a drive in the country. We had a lovely stroll by the Clackamas river and around the grounds of the fish hatchery in the park. On our way out of the park, we stopped at the off leash dog area and let Pogo run. It was with some sadness, but a great deal of satisfaction, that we returned Sadie to her home away from home.
So, rest easy, Phil. Enjoy a long winter's nap. We will be here waiting for your return and for the end of winter on the vernal equinox. Is it really still six weeks away?
Sunday's Super Bowl party was a smashing success. Eight of the ten members of our Bible study group were here. Two of the ladies were unable to attend, one due to a family commitment and one due to an injured shoulder. We never did take a poll to determine how many Arizona fans and how many Pittsburgh fans were in the group. No one was interested in wagering on the game, so we simply enjoyed in order of importance, one another's company, a fine spread of comestibles and potables, the annual roll-out of amusing commercials, and the game. I do believe that by the time it was over, the consensus was that, whereas the best team won, it was difficult to watch the underdog come from behind to take a late lead, only to lose it in the final minute and forty-seven seconds.
Monday, of course, was Groundhog Day, the history of which is unclear to me. Nevertheless, the annual rite of observing Punxsatawney Phil emerging from his lair in frigid Pennsylvania illustrates once again man's eternal optimism and his superstition: optimism, because we want to believe that if Phil does NOT "see his shadow," this would actually hasten the advent of spring; and superstition because we humans, as much as we tend to deny the existence of a supreme being, are pretty certain that something out there is controlling the things over which we feel powerless. To wit: the changing of the seasons.
Jill and I were not blessed with time to watch Bill Murray ride the merry-go-round of endless repeats of Groundhog day on Monday, but we did take it in yesterday. And to be quite honest, we didn't have any pork sausage (ground hog), but I did suggest it. Nevertheless, I believe we determined that winter will end on March 21st.
Today was one of those glorious February days in Oregon that we get from time to time. The temperature actually topped 60 degrees farenheit. The sky was cloudless and azure, and we had time on our hands. So, we got Sadie, our venerable motor home, out of storage and drove her out to Milo McIver State Park for a picnic. Since Sadie had been in storage for a couple of months, I wanted to exercise her mechanicals and to run the 6.5 KW Onan generator that is on board. It was a beautiful day for a drive in the country. We had a lovely stroll by the Clackamas river and around the grounds of the fish hatchery in the park. On our way out of the park, we stopped at the off leash dog area and let Pogo run. It was with some sadness, but a great deal of satisfaction, that we returned Sadie to her home away from home.
So, rest easy, Phil. Enjoy a long winter's nap. We will be here waiting for your return and for the end of winter on the vernal equinox. Is it really still six weeks away?
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