John has indeed gotten to experience the dubious joys of snow....yes, it is beautiful and yes it makes the entire world pristine. Yes, compared to the dull and hollow world of fall, after the leaves have fallen, it is wonderful. Until you try ( and I do put emphasis on the word "try") to drive in it.
Last evening we were invited to supper at friends from my church. They have a ranch near Black Lake, not far from Angel Fire. Off we go...John, Zack and I while it is snowing. Mind you, it had been snowing since 7am in the morning. And mind you, the road crews here are less than stellar. If they show up.
We were supposed to be there at 4:30 and ( of course ) because of me, we left a few minutes late. I am talking maybe 3 to 4 minutes late. But John decides to make up that lost time and speed it up a bit. Not much....just a bit. However, ( you knew there would be a comma, didnt you???) when you are going 40 in an area where the " suggested" speed limit on the sign is 35 and there is snow to slide upon...wellllll....you slide. Actually what you do is "fishtail" ..back and forth and back and forth and back and then you dang near die of heart failure. At this point there was no need to hit a tree because between my heart murmur and its arrhythmia I almost did die. Never mind any trees....just bury me here, thank you. John was not all that concerned and seemed rather amused. Ha. Not.
We did make it ( thank you Lord ) and supper was wonderful. Zack got to meet their horses and John got to play pool after eating...all in all a great time. The ride home was uneventful except for me hyperventilating and praying but I think the next time we visit we should wait until the roads are clear or until we can ride horses out to see them. Horses may have attitudes but they dont fishtail quite as fast as a truck does.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Our own Christmas miracle
I know the first Christmas miracle was the birth of our Lord....newborn, frail and tiny...the hope of the world. Delivered in a place for animals, born of Mary, little more than a child herself. But a child who said yes to the fearful wonder of God. In those days, in those times, a woman risked death by becoming pregnant outside of her marriage. It was no simple "yes" but carried a great burden. Yet in her faith, in her great uncompromising faith she said yes. For the incarnation and the gift of Jesus we are truly blessed.
This past week we were blessed again. Not by a birth but in the answered prayers of many. We heard from Tia that Liora had been to the doctor...not for anything more serious than a cold or flu. While there, the doctor measured Liora's head and it was off the charts....not a gentle growing curve but a straight line, up and off that chart. He suspected hydrocephalus. Even with treatment this is a bad thing. It can be fatal.
We know the shattering of heart a child who is medically fragile brings to parents. The risk of reverse in the natural order...of a child who goes before his parents. The agony of the unknown.
My faith is not the unqualified faith of Mary...my faith quivers and quakes. It fears. It falters. But this time I knew to pray. I knew not to blame God and to question His workings as I did in the past. Not much of an improvement but He isnt finished with me yet. As old as I am, I am glad to still be a work in progress (even if it is slow progress).
So we asked friends to pray...and pray they did.
After the first test...an ultrasound, we thought we were in the clear. Her ventricles are slightly enlarged and there is a bit of extra fluid : the radiologist said not to worry. But the doctor wasn't satisfied. When this test proved somewhat inconclusive, he thought perhaps the bones in her head had fused too early. Another dire situation, with even the best options less than good. Second test was a CT scan....while we continued to lift her to the Lord in prayer. While we prayed for her parents to be blessed by the grace and peace of Christ as they waited.
The results of that scan proved that she has a big brain...not a big problem.
There just are not words that cover the depth of our gratitude, our blessing, our gift. There is nothing in this world , nothing, that is a greater gift than this....our granddaughter is fine.
To all those who prayed with us...thank you. We know, intellectually, that the Lord is a loving God, that our best interests are safely held in His hands even if we can't see the whole picture and we may not understand His plans. It is just rare, at least for me, to literally be on the receiving end of a miracle and that is what this is...at least in my book.
This past week we were blessed again. Not by a birth but in the answered prayers of many. We heard from Tia that Liora had been to the doctor...not for anything more serious than a cold or flu. While there, the doctor measured Liora's head and it was off the charts....not a gentle growing curve but a straight line, up and off that chart. He suspected hydrocephalus. Even with treatment this is a bad thing. It can be fatal.
We know the shattering of heart a child who is medically fragile brings to parents. The risk of reverse in the natural order...of a child who goes before his parents. The agony of the unknown.
My faith is not the unqualified faith of Mary...my faith quivers and quakes. It fears. It falters. But this time I knew to pray. I knew not to blame God and to question His workings as I did in the past. Not much of an improvement but He isnt finished with me yet. As old as I am, I am glad to still be a work in progress (even if it is slow progress).
So we asked friends to pray...and pray they did.
After the first test...an ultrasound, we thought we were in the clear. Her ventricles are slightly enlarged and there is a bit of extra fluid : the radiologist said not to worry. But the doctor wasn't satisfied. When this test proved somewhat inconclusive, he thought perhaps the bones in her head had fused too early. Another dire situation, with even the best options less than good. Second test was a CT scan....while we continued to lift her to the Lord in prayer. While we prayed for her parents to be blessed by the grace and peace of Christ as they waited.
The results of that scan proved that she has a big brain...not a big problem.
There just are not words that cover the depth of our gratitude, our blessing, our gift. There is nothing in this world , nothing, that is a greater gift than this....our granddaughter is fine.
To all those who prayed with us...thank you. We know, intellectually, that the Lord is a loving God, that our best interests are safely held in His hands even if we can't see the whole picture and we may not understand His plans. It is just rare, at least for me, to literally be on the receiving end of a miracle and that is what this is...at least in my book.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The day after...and the day before
I still dont know the fate of the mouse. The sunflower seeds still sit under the rock, untouched. Hopefully the chipmunks didnt have mouse sushi but that is beyond my control.
The day after the trauma drama the shower plugged up. One minute I am happily sudsy and the next I am standing the three inches of water. Supposedly all the drains in the master bath are connected...bathtub drains fine, sink drains fine but the shower plugged up.
And the flourescent lights in the creepy ( I just know there are legions of other rodents waiting to chew their way into the house) icky garage burned out. Arent they supposed to last for years and years?
The shower finally flushed itself so thinks me to myself....chance 'um again. I actually do aim for a shower a day just out of habit, even if it seems like a waste of water some days. And what should be crawling out of it but a lovely ( NOTNOTNOT) spider. Big fat body and short legs. Ugly even by spider standards.
John comes home with Zack tomorrow and I am willing to bet not one thing will break, we will have no rodent issues, the wind won't blow, the wildlife will have vacated the area and we will have nothing but sunshine and lollipops here....until the day he leaves.
Sigh.
The day after the trauma drama the shower plugged up. One minute I am happily sudsy and the next I am standing the three inches of water. Supposedly all the drains in the master bath are connected...bathtub drains fine, sink drains fine but the shower plugged up.
And the flourescent lights in the creepy ( I just know there are legions of other rodents waiting to chew their way into the house) icky garage burned out. Arent they supposed to last for years and years?
The shower finally flushed itself so thinks me to myself....chance 'um again. I actually do aim for a shower a day just out of habit, even if it seems like a waste of water some days. And what should be crawling out of it but a lovely ( NOTNOTNOT) spider. Big fat body and short legs. Ugly even by spider standards.
John comes home with Zack tomorrow and I am willing to bet not one thing will break, we will have no rodent issues, the wind won't blow, the wildlife will have vacated the area and we will have nothing but sunshine and lollipops here....until the day he leaves.
Sigh.
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