Time to lighten up and laugh a bit.
If it is on the internet, it HAS to be authentic.....Abe said.
More next Saturday . . . enjoy your week. Go to church tomorrow .... or tonight if you are one our many Jewish friends.
Blessings,
Gary
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Saturday FUNNIES
Time to lighten up and laugh a bit.
Our kitten didn't think is was so funny either.
Can't think of anything to add to this one.
Hey! I resemble that depiction!!!!!!!!
If it is on the internet, it HAS to be authentic.....Abe said.
More next Saturday . . . enjoy your week. Go to church tomorrow .... or tonight if you are one our many Jewish friends.
Blessings,
Gary
Time to lighten up and laugh a bit.
If it is on the internet, it HAS to be authentic.....Abe said.
More next Saturday . . . enjoy your week. Go to church tomorrow .... or tonight if you are one our many Jewish friends.
Blessings,
Gary
But what are we waiting for? Are we waiting to be "Un-tired?" Are we waiting for our ship to come in? Perhaps we are waiting for our health to improve. Are we waiting to be offered that perfect job?Are we waiting for that cup of instant coffee to be ready to drink? Are we waiting for the coming of Christ?
There is so much that we can wait for. The excuses are limitless! Remember the "Left Behind" series of books that was such a big hit several years ago? I do. I read each one, and each sentence was read with excitement and wonder. I am not a fast reader. I read slowly and savor each phrase and paragraph. Right away I got the message of that "story". It is a story book series . . . plain and simple. Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the series. "Why is that?" you may ask. Because it got me thinking about how prepared I really was for the coming of Jesus the Christ. I was pretty much coming up short on the preparation aspect. Now isn't that strange. A person goes to church all their life. They sing the songs, read the Word, serve on the church committee's, say all the pretty things expected, and all of a sudden, realize there is something missing. That something is RELATIONSHIP.
Left Behind series IS an interesting extrapolation from the Bible, in my opinion. But here is the problem that is bugging me today. There are folks that are so rapped up in the "RAPTURE" that they can't enjoy the WAIT! I see folks that are so tuned into what they are seeing as the "Signs of the end times" all around them with what is going on with the world, and seems like they are so worried and almost to "tearing of their garments" time, that they are missing the RELATIONSHIP of knowing Jesus the Christ, with all the assurances and peace that it brings.
Even the Disciples thought that Jesus was going to return in a couple weeks or so. Some folk refuse to understand a simple verse of the Bible: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 "Now you do not need to have anything written to you about times and dates, brother, for you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a tier in the night." and then Paul goes on to encourage them with these words: "For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us in order that, whether we are awake or asleep, we might live together with him." THEN Paul finishes up with these wonderful words of verse 11: "So then, encourage one another and build each other up, as you are doing."
QUIT fretting and being anxious about the "Signs of the times". You are spending too much energy worrying about or anticipating the Coming of the Lord. Wasting all that energy and wasting all that time when you could be deepening your relationship with Jesus instead. Getting others around you all wound up as tight as a clock spring is not healthy, when what is needed is what God wants of us and that is to LOVE our brothers and sisters as HE LOVE US. To me that is not making your brothers and sisters anxious and fretful about a rapture and loved ones being left behind, and bad people taking over the world for years while the newly faithful are struggling to survive. But it does make for exciting reading though . . . for a storybook.
The time now is to develop your relationship with Jesus Christ. Don't wait for any signs . . . don't wait for tomorrow . . . don't wait until there are bunches of empty clothes (like in the book) It has been over 2000 years of waiting so far. I think it is about time to be in a deep and meaningful relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
It reminds me of when I was coming home on advanced party leave from Viet Nam. We were flown into Clark Air Base in the Philippine Islands to fly home. We waited for two days and couldn't get a flight to Travis AB, Ca. So we went to Subic Bay Air Base (bussing through rough jungle dirt roads) to wait there for two days. Then we bussed back (in the night again, on those rough jungle dirt roads) to Clark AB. All of a sudden it came to us. Catch a plane to Hickham Field in Hawaii and fly commercial the rest of the way home! That is what the other folks that we saw come and fly away were doing! So we did that and it wasn't long and we WERE home. We were waiting, but not talking, or establishing relationships to get the right answer to our needs. When we found out "the secret", our anxiety was over, and we were HOME!
Point of the story is: Establish a relationship with Jesus. Stop fretting. Stop WAITING! Stop thinking your are smart enough to figure out the SIGNS...the Bible tells us we aren''t going to know the "WHEN" so why worry? End of story.
Blessings,
Gary
Friday, March 15, 2013
Dogs are man's best friend. Close anyway huh? How many of us grew up with a dog in the family? I got inspired about what to write this morning by my niece Diane Weiss. Daughter of my sister Suzanne, she has a wonderful love of dogs. Pit Bulls are her love. They ARE a misaligned breed of dog. People have mistreated them and tarnished their true nature...which most still have, but are not understood. When living in north Minneapolis the family on the corner uphill from us had a family of White Pit Bulls, and they were the cutest bunch of puppies and was a joy to walk by their place and see them playing. They would even come to the fence and try to socialize with us passers by. One day a wolf type dog from across the street from them wandered down to our end of the block and the boys next door collared it and were playing with it between our houses. Pat and Todd (youngest son) went out to see what the noise was, and say the boys petting and talking to the dog. Todd had "Spunky", a terrier puppy of about 7 lb. who followed him outside and squeezed under the back yard gate. (very small puppy) The wolf saw him, jumped up, swooped him up and started shaking the puppy by the neck, killing it....in front of everyone...including my son. The Animal Control was called. The wolf dog was put back in its' kennel where it escaped from, and signs were put up on the kennel fencing. We wanted stronger action taken with that particular animal, because we felt it was a danger to the children of the neighborhood. Not in this lifetime I guess. What did AC do? They went across the street and made the folks with the Pit Bulls get rid of THEM!!!! Incredulous! NO ONE understood that decision, and most the neighbors were very upset. Pit Bulls, raised and treated with respect, make great family members.
When I was just a small kid living in S. Minneapolis, my sister Suzanne went on a kids TV show and won a Golden colored Cocker Spaniel puppy. Of course with my name Gary, and I think my next youngest brother Guy was around then...maybe not...the puppy was named Goldie, which opened the door for my youngest brother to be named...Greg. But the naming is truly another issue. Anyway, Goldie was the beginning for me a life going to the dogs. We all loved Goldie and learned how to raise and nurture a pet properly. She was a house dog...never considered anything but a house dog. We were city people, didn't have space for an animal to run, let alone stay outside. Besides we are Minnesota folks...it gets really, really chilly in the winter time there, doncha know.
So it was no stretch of the imagination to understand that when I got married, as Pat had a Miniature Manchester Terrier before we were married, we acquired a Golden Retriever puppy when we moved into that house on Yale Street in Vegas I have been telling y'all about. We didn't have Lady too long, before someone stole her out of the back yard....even after I went to a lot of work putting up a fence for her! Darn..hate it when that happens. We miss her and think about her, hoping they took good care of her. When living in Minneapolis we had several dogs through the years. One day, we all went to the movies to watch "Benji". Big mistake for those that don't want to own a dog. After the movie, the kids and Dad (me) suggested we swing by the pet shop! There in a cage of all black puppies was one chestnut brown puppy with great BIG, brown eyes....staring at me and the kids like he was saying..."take me home". The cage had a sign "Cockapoo". Of course we all told MOM we would take care of it and love it....we NEED that little brown puppy! Benji was a curse for those that didn't want puppies....but a boon for those that did! We brought him home and named him "RALPH". Turns out he wasn't a Cockapoo. He was more like a stubby Iris Setter. Color was that beautiful reddish brown, long hair, flag tail curving over its back, pantaloons on his back-upper legs, wide chest, long ears, and SHORT! Maybe 18" at the back. Ralph had a large head and his neck was very strong. What a fantastic dog! Since I was working at the Bus Company then and my hours were all over the clock, Ralph was a good watch dog, and took his job seriously.
He took over the kids stuffed chair as a puppy and kept possession of it throughout his life. When he was in his chair, it was his safe zone....no harm (scolding) will come to him....of course any treats gladly accepted.
Blessings,
Gary
When I was just a small kid living in S. Minneapolis, my sister Suzanne went on a kids TV show and won a Golden colored Cocker Spaniel puppy. Of course with my name Gary, and I think my next youngest brother Guy was around then...maybe not...the puppy was named Goldie, which opened the door for my youngest brother to be named...Greg. But the naming is truly another issue. Anyway, Goldie was the beginning for me a life going to the dogs. We all loved Goldie and learned how to raise and nurture a pet properly. She was a house dog...never considered anything but a house dog. We were city people, didn't have space for an animal to run, let alone stay outside. Besides we are Minnesota folks...it gets really, really chilly in the winter time there, doncha know.
So it was no stretch of the imagination to understand that when I got married, as Pat had a Miniature Manchester Terrier before we were married, we acquired a Golden Retriever puppy when we moved into that house on Yale Street in Vegas I have been telling y'all about. We didn't have Lady too long, before someone stole her out of the back yard....even after I went to a lot of work putting up a fence for her! Darn..hate it when that happens. We miss her and think about her, hoping they took good care of her. When living in Minneapolis we had several dogs through the years. One day, we all went to the movies to watch "Benji". Big mistake for those that don't want to own a dog. After the movie, the kids and Dad (me) suggested we swing by the pet shop! There in a cage of all black puppies was one chestnut brown puppy with great BIG, brown eyes....staring at me and the kids like he was saying..."take me home". The cage had a sign "Cockapoo". Of course we all told MOM we would take care of it and love it....we NEED that little brown puppy! Benji was a curse for those that didn't want puppies....but a boon for those that did! We brought him home and named him "RALPH". Turns out he wasn't a Cockapoo. He was more like a stubby Iris Setter. Color was that beautiful reddish brown, long hair, flag tail curving over its back, pantaloons on his back-upper legs, wide chest, long ears, and SHORT! Maybe 18" at the back. Ralph had a large head and his neck was very strong. What a fantastic dog! Since I was working at the Bus Company then and my hours were all over the clock, Ralph was a good watch dog, and took his job seriously.
 |
| Ralph in his "safe zone" chair |
 |
| Ralph at the back door waiting to come in. |
We have had many dogs in our 46 years of marriage. There were only two that we had, that were less than joyful. One was a miniature poodle that started to be nippy, and since we had small children, we had to give her up for adoption, and a long haired Miniature Dachshund that was, for some reason, impossible to train. Other than those two, every one was a blessing to us, and every one was an indoor dog. We had a Field Beagle (Some all a Fox Hound) for 16 of his 17 years. I got him from a friend at work when he was a year old. His name was "Scooter". What a fantastic and loving dog he was. He put up with cats, kids and foolishness his whole life. He loved the grandbabies and let them crawl all over him, pull his long ears, poke his eyes, grab his nose, all without a hostile movement at all. When he was 11 years old, I let him out in the back yard for his last of the night "going", and after 10 minutes called him to come in. He didn't. I discovered the wooden gate had blown open with the upcoming storm approaching. I got into my truck and went to the opposite side of the block where he usually waited for me, when he would get away.....not there. The next morning, after much looking, and calling the pound, he finally showed up in the pounds outside cage, where he had been since the night before when the Police dropped him off after he had been hit by a car! Pat and Amy rushed over and took him to the Vet, where they had to take his left hind leg off at the hip. His recovery was quick and he responded to his new name "Tripod" very rapidly. That was my name for him and he still loved me. He lived for another 6 happy years until a series of mini-strokes took him to Dog heaven.
 |
| Wendy and Sarge |
The two clowns we have now are Miniature Schnauzer's Wendy and Sarge. We got Wendy from a Pet Shop that claimed "No Puppy Mill puppies sold here". LIE!! Her records showed differently when they were mailed to us. But we still love her through her many Vet. visits, and all. She helped train Sarge (Saffell's Sergeant Schultz...after Hogan's Hero's TV show..."I know NOTHING!") Sarge was the Valedictorian of his Pet Smart Basic Puppy School class. After many weeks of training, and excellence, we walked out of the graduation ceremony and he forgot everything he had learned. If he wasn't so cute, I would have been upset! Before we left Henderson, I had the opportunity to learn how to groom Schnauzer's, so now I do their bathing and grooming needs. They seem to like the fussin' with but are also very excited for the "get down, it's over with, you've been good" cookie.
During this long road of pet ownership, we have had some really wonderful members of the cat family live with us as well. One, Milo, was an exceptional cat that LOVED to be shaved in the summer months. We had him get the "Lion Cut". Being a tan cat, we had his head left full, the feet and end of tail had tuffs and he would lay in the center of the living room floor, spread out as long as he could get, with his front legs crossed at his paws and his head held up . . . surveying his empire! He was only one of many unique and different cats we came across and they were ALL house cats. Did you ever think this way about Cats and Dogs? "To Dogs we are family . . . to CATS we are Staff."
We don't let our cats out or our dogs roam the neighborhood. We value our animals, and since we live in farm area, there are coyotes roaming this area as well as the desert area of Las Vegas/Henderson.
Point of this story: God provided caretakers for His creation. That could be human for animal, or animal for a human...ask a K-9 Soldier or Police Officer. I feel that He is teaching us THROUGH His animals on how to take care of each other. I know that being a pet person, I have learned so much from my animals. How to take care of them when they can't take care of themselves. How to love them and play with them. But most of all, it is how they love us....just like God does...with unconditional love. Especially the dogs. They are here for you whenever you need someone to talk to. They seem to know and will cozy up next to you when you are feeling low. Even after you may get angry with them....they will come back to you and look at you with "those" eyes of love and concern. Pets help us grow within ourselves when we need it. Isn't it amazing? I really feel sorry for folks that don't have a relationship with animals. God evens things out for us through our pets. We find answers, where we least expect them. Someone (Unknown) wrote a wonderful poem called RAINBOW BRIDGE. Here it is for your contemplation. Does it fit your thoughts? What happens when our animal friends of many years die? I'm not sure, but this makes me feel good anyway...so I will think this way and ask God for the answer when I get to see Him face to face.
RAINBOW BRIDGE
| Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. | |
| All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... Author unknown... | |
Blessings,
Gary
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Right up front . . . It's a special day today that I MUST share with everyone.
For those that that are missing that special something, and you can't put your finger on, or for those of you that think you have everything together with your spiritual life, or for those of you who haven't a clue but are going to continue to read on . . . need to consider what I will share with you today.
Let's back up the train a bit first and give some groundwork to build on. Years ago, my life was being built on a spiritual framework and didn't realize it. It was because I was blessed with a Godly heritage of parents that felt that church and learning about God and living a life of kindness, gentleness, hope, faith and Love, was the way to live. As life went along, I pretty much lived that kind of life, although there were (as with most people that aren't Saints) little side trips that weren't all that good for me, but I moved ahead with the foundation having been firmly planted in God....without a big fanfare or "in-your-face" knowledge beating me on my head at every turn.
It was one day in Henderson, NV (well that same day was the same everywhere, but I was in Henderson, NV) that I learned of something special called the Walk to Emmaus. I had never heard of it before other than in the Bible, there is a retreat called that and someone from church was going to it! It got my interest because it was a program that you could attend only by invitation! Not knowing what went on during the Walk, I was still excited to learn about it and get an invitation....after all, I was a church leader, a pillar of the community, a worthy "inductee" into this secret society! It is no wonder I wasn't invited.
In the back of my mind, it bothered me so much, and actually irritated me somewhat that no one would invite me. It sat back there for quite a few years. Then we moved to Tennessee and continued here with my church involvement until I was assigned a church to Pastor. I have to tell you that God HAD sent me to that church for a reason. That reason was to get me invited to a Walk to Emmaus! My first official Sunday preaching, I was told that that a couple of the men were at not at church that morning because they were finishing up their Walk to Emmaus. I shouted out "I've never been, how can I go?" They were excited to hear that and told Pat and I that we would be going when they held it next. Around here there is a Spring and a Fall Walk.
"What is it?", you ask. In a nutshell, it is a Personal Spiritual Retreat. Sounds pretty bland said that way does't it? If you get to go, when you come back, the people around you will KNOW something is different about you. YOU will know something different is about you. God is working in your life whether you are aware of it or not. Walk to Emmaus is a 72 hour period of total personal God time without outside "stuff" going on. No radio, clock, internet, computers, smart phone, or any other attention deflector to interfere with a series of informational talks and small group interpretation. There are a lot of surprises along the way that if told about every detail before hand would spoil the surprise, so we try not to ruin your Walk. It is NOT a secret society or anything like that. There are special moments throughout that are so awesome that when it is all over, you are so realigned with you and God that it is UNBELIEVABLE! There are a large number of people of our Emmaus community (which when you complete this retreat, are a welcome part of, should you choose) that are taking care of you, supporting and uplifting you and your family (if needed) during this whole time. You are fed, and prayed for continually, snacks galore, medical care if necessary, or whatever your personal physical needs are, are all being taken care of during the Walk, so that you can focus totally on your personal spiritual revelations. In other words, you are being PAMPERED the whole 72 hours.
You can find out other information by Googling www.emmaus.tn.org . It is world wide, but this is our West Tennessee group. The key is (and they can help you) to have someone that has been on a Walk to INVITE you. The purpose of that is simple. To go on the walk, you are interacting with potentially 50 to 75 other people at the same time. You must be wanting to experience the feeling. Disruptions would un-focus from the "why" you are there. There is a lot of Spiritual and Emotional overload that I experienced and when it was happening, could feel God's Grace and awesomeness over-flowing throughout me. THAT is what is happening.
The way West Tennessee Emmaus community runs the Walk is that the Men's Walk is held, then two weeks later, the Ladies Walk is done. That "in-between" time is somewhat difficult, but a good difficult, because the guy already knows what is coming up for his wife, and that is Awesome renewal. When both have gone, the sharing begins! And ohhhh, what a wonderful time that is. For those that are ready for The Walk to Emmaus, the amazing thing is that what you thought your spiritual knowledge and foundation was, that you really needed this revival weekend.
The special day today of sharing is this: Pat and I were able to sponsor two couples for this Walk. Both of course, are friends. One is Pat's hairdresser, and her husband, a good friend of mine and a Pastor of a local Baptist Church. The other is a Girl Scout Mom, and friend, and her husband who is a guitar playing friend of mine. The ladies are leaving this evening on their walk and we are all excited, as are they.
The point of this story is: Don't take for granted that you are ok, spiritually. Don't think you have all the answers about your foundational basis of how healthy your "religious" knowledge and understanding of salvation is. I thought I was pretty well grounded. You may be in for a big surprise after a Walk to Emmaus weekend. It is an interdenominational event. It doesn't matter what your denomination is. On my Walk, we had Baptists, United Methodists and others. It is not about denomination....it is about your personal relationship with God, though talks, prayer, special moments, and self reflection. There is no denominational theology or methods discussed. It is not about denominational religion, it is about YOU and GOD. Without an opportunity like this, my experience is that we can drift off and not even know it. What a personal and spiritual renewal it was for me.
Check it out . . . it is being done for your benefit
Blessings,
Gary
For those that that are missing that special something, and you can't put your finger on, or for those of you that think you have everything together with your spiritual life, or for those of you who haven't a clue but are going to continue to read on . . . need to consider what I will share with you today.
Let's back up the train a bit first and give some groundwork to build on. Years ago, my life was being built on a spiritual framework and didn't realize it. It was because I was blessed with a Godly heritage of parents that felt that church and learning about God and living a life of kindness, gentleness, hope, faith and Love, was the way to live. As life went along, I pretty much lived that kind of life, although there were (as with most people that aren't Saints) little side trips that weren't all that good for me, but I moved ahead with the foundation having been firmly planted in God....without a big fanfare or "in-your-face" knowledge beating me on my head at every turn.
It was one day in Henderson, NV (well that same day was the same everywhere, but I was in Henderson, NV) that I learned of something special called the Walk to Emmaus. I had never heard of it before other than in the Bible, there is a retreat called that and someone from church was going to it! It got my interest because it was a program that you could attend only by invitation! Not knowing what went on during the Walk, I was still excited to learn about it and get an invitation....after all, I was a church leader, a pillar of the community, a worthy "inductee" into this secret society! It is no wonder I wasn't invited.
In the back of my mind, it bothered me so much, and actually irritated me somewhat that no one would invite me. It sat back there for quite a few years. Then we moved to Tennessee and continued here with my church involvement until I was assigned a church to Pastor. I have to tell you that God HAD sent me to that church for a reason. That reason was to get me invited to a Walk to Emmaus! My first official Sunday preaching, I was told that that a couple of the men were at not at church that morning because they were finishing up their Walk to Emmaus. I shouted out "I've never been, how can I go?" They were excited to hear that and told Pat and I that we would be going when they held it next. Around here there is a Spring and a Fall Walk.
"What is it?", you ask. In a nutshell, it is a Personal Spiritual Retreat. Sounds pretty bland said that way does't it? If you get to go, when you come back, the people around you will KNOW something is different about you. YOU will know something different is about you. God is working in your life whether you are aware of it or not. Walk to Emmaus is a 72 hour period of total personal God time without outside "stuff" going on. No radio, clock, internet, computers, smart phone, or any other attention deflector to interfere with a series of informational talks and small group interpretation. There are a lot of surprises along the way that if told about every detail before hand would spoil the surprise, so we try not to ruin your Walk. It is NOT a secret society or anything like that. There are special moments throughout that are so awesome that when it is all over, you are so realigned with you and God that it is UNBELIEVABLE! There are a large number of people of our Emmaus community (which when you complete this retreat, are a welcome part of, should you choose) that are taking care of you, supporting and uplifting you and your family (if needed) during this whole time. You are fed, and prayed for continually, snacks galore, medical care if necessary, or whatever your personal physical needs are, are all being taken care of during the Walk, so that you can focus totally on your personal spiritual revelations. In other words, you are being PAMPERED the whole 72 hours.
You can find out other information by Googling www.emmaus.tn.org . It is world wide, but this is our West Tennessee group. The key is (and they can help you) to have someone that has been on a Walk to INVITE you. The purpose of that is simple. To go on the walk, you are interacting with potentially 50 to 75 other people at the same time. You must be wanting to experience the feeling. Disruptions would un-focus from the "why" you are there. There is a lot of Spiritual and Emotional overload that I experienced and when it was happening, could feel God's Grace and awesomeness over-flowing throughout me. THAT is what is happening.
The way West Tennessee Emmaus community runs the Walk is that the Men's Walk is held, then two weeks later, the Ladies Walk is done. That "in-between" time is somewhat difficult, but a good difficult, because the guy already knows what is coming up for his wife, and that is Awesome renewal. When both have gone, the sharing begins! And ohhhh, what a wonderful time that is. For those that are ready for The Walk to Emmaus, the amazing thing is that what you thought your spiritual knowledge and foundation was, that you really needed this revival weekend.
The special day today of sharing is this: Pat and I were able to sponsor two couples for this Walk. Both of course, are friends. One is Pat's hairdresser, and her husband, a good friend of mine and a Pastor of a local Baptist Church. The other is a Girl Scout Mom, and friend, and her husband who is a guitar playing friend of mine. The ladies are leaving this evening on their walk and we are all excited, as are they.
The point of this story is: Don't take for granted that you are ok, spiritually. Don't think you have all the answers about your foundational basis of how healthy your "religious" knowledge and understanding of salvation is. I thought I was pretty well grounded. You may be in for a big surprise after a Walk to Emmaus weekend. It is an interdenominational event. It doesn't matter what your denomination is. On my Walk, we had Baptists, United Methodists and others. It is not about denomination....it is about your personal relationship with God, though talks, prayer, special moments, and self reflection. There is no denominational theology or methods discussed. It is not about denominational religion, it is about YOU and GOD. Without an opportunity like this, my experience is that we can drift off and not even know it. What a personal and spiritual renewal it was for me.
Check it out . . . it is being done for your benefit
Blessings,
Gary
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Grandma and Grandpa Rockart were really great Grandparents, but then so were Grandma and Grandpa Saffell. They were equal on the "Greatness Scale". We had a family tradition of sorts when it came to Grandparents and kids. Every so often, each of us grandkids, individually, were able to spend some "overnight time" with them, and it was GREAT! I will talk about Grandma and Grandpa Rockart first. Grandpa loved woodworking. He had a nice shop in the basement of his house in South Minneapolis. We lived several miles away and were able to visit regularly. One day I came to Grandpa with a project. We were studying the Wild West in school and I wanted him to help me build a fort that I could take to school and show how the settlers lived. Off we went on a wonderful trip in table saw safety and cut up a bunch of slats and posts. It turned out GREAT! It was squarish and we put hook and eyes at the corners so I could take it apart and carry it easier. One side had a wonderful swinging gate with the posts extending above the walls and over the gateway. There were walkways toward the top for the people to stand on and fight off the indians, and small buildings placed inside the fort. It was a fun project. That project was my first time to learn how to use a table saw. Grandpa also taught me how to use a table scroll saw as well. He showed me how to drill small holes for the screw eyes to be screwed in and the hooks on the other piece to be placed "just right" to hold the parts together. Grandpa taught me lots of things as I was growing up. One keeps coming back to my mind through the years that I remember fondly. One weekend while I was there, Grandpa decided I needed a hair cut. He used a bowl as a guide. When Mom came to pick me up, she was less than happy, I need to tell ya! That next Monday afternoon, I was at Dick's Barber Shop and there was really, very little he could do to make it look good. Mom's standing order after that was NO HAIRCUTS! I didn't really care . . . my eyes were in the front of my head and couldn't see my hair anyway! But the lesson I learned there was that Grandpa Rockart was great with woodworking, but not so much with barbering.
One day, Grandma and Grandpa took me to a restaurant over in St. Paul that had an "All you can Eat" Fried Chicken Special. I LOVE fried Chicken. Grandma and Grandpa Rockart took great pleasure in watching me eat "all I could eat". After all . . . that was the purpose that we went. I was a skinny kid and they wanted to see how much I COULD eat. Guess I ate enough that day, because they talked about that for years later.
Staying over at Grandma and Grandpa Saffell's house was always a super treat too! Grandma made the very BEST Silver Dollar Pancakes on Saturday morning. I could eat a slew of them. I regret that the receipt was never found after Grandma left us. Those were some wonderful pancakes. One morning I got up and wandered out into the kitchen where Grandma and Grandpa Saffell were sitting at the table (it was actually a breakfast nook, which is a table with a bench on each side, between two walls, with a window on the end of the table, looking into the back yard) and the pancake fixin's were ready to start! I told them the screw fell out of my glasses and don't know what happened to it. Grandma said that it is probably on the floor, to go look for it. About five minutes later, out of the guest room I came with this little bitty screw in my hand. Luck was on my side that day, because I was pretty well blind without my glasses. As I remember I saw a glint of light from the screw on the hardwood floor. Of course my nose was almost touching the floor when I saw it. I remember the joy and smiles on their faces when I handed them my glasses and that little screw. My cousins and I always had a great time when family gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Saffell's home. They had these humongous ferns on both sides of the front steps that, as kids, we played among them like in a jungle. Cousin Diane and Cousin Lee and I are all the same age within the year. Diane is our ELDER with a February birthday, Lee is somewhere in the middle and I followed up in November. We had a great time when we could get together and play. Dad and Mom, along with sister Suzanne and I, actually lived in a 20 something foot long, canvas roofed travel trailer, for a while in Grandma and Grandpa's back yard! We would have to use the bathroom in the house because there wasn't one in the trailer....THAT I remember well. It gets cold in Minnesota . . . don't cha know.
Memories of family for some folk are not as great as I experienced. I was blessed to have wonderful, caring parents, and Grandparents. We would go on family outings to Saint Paul's Como Park, which had a zoo and everything! That's what we thought. It had an outside monkey display and inside snakes, bears and large cats in cages, and was really a neat place to go on Sunday afternoon. I thought that Como Park was a great place. AND it IS! When I got married to Pat, and we were stationed in San Diego, however, I saw something quite a bit larger with a bunch of newer types of animals I had never seen in real life before when Pat guided me to the San Diego Zoo! Both are wonderful, and great places to go visit. St. Paul's Como Park has a FANTASTIC Conservatory. That is a very big glass building that houses many different plants and flowers. Wander through there and it is like walking through a jungle, only bigger than Grandma Saffell's fern garden.
I have been so blessed as well as Pat, to have a family that wasn't too dysfunctional that we could share holidays and normal days together and enjoy being together. Christmas was always a wonderful time when my Dad and his brother and two sisters families always gathered on Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Saffell's house for Capon dinner with all the trimmings and then we opened our presents from our cousins. Then we cleaned up and all went home. Our home, in that time, was in Circle Pines outside and North of St. Paul. When we got home us kids went quickly to bed because Santa was coming. And sure enough, he had been in the living room while we slept! What wonderful memories. Although I was too young to realize a lot of things, as a father, grandfather and older and wiser now, I can imagine my folks smiling contentedly seeing us kids enjoy the gifts of Christmas...and those through the year as well.
The point of the story: However your situation was when you were growing up, there were some good times, hopefully, maybe those were few, or maybe plentiful. However blessed you were, or how challenged you were, perhaps shaped who you are today. Those with family values of closeness and sharing are to be thankful. Did you know that we ALL have a Heavenly Father that takes great joy in blessing us with His gifts of Love? No matter what has happened to us throughout the years, we have a Father that has been with us in the good times, and has stood beside us in the bad. God loves us so much that He sent His Only Son, Jesus the Christ, part of the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . . . to come down and die on the cross for our sins. THAT is a gift that can't be topped. That is a gift of such pure love that it takes away all the ugliness of our sins, that we can't get rid of but by His Grace and Jesus' sacrifice. We all have memories of our earthly family. There, no doubt, has been good times and bad. Think about the good times, and never mind the unpleasant times...they are gone....don't dwell on them as they don't mean anything now. Think of God's gift to you. There is a Christmas feeling in there somewhere to remember. There is a memory of Grandma and Grandpa that will pop up and make you smile.
Blessings,
Gary
 |
| Lily and Edward Rockart |
 |
| Marjory and Guy E. Saffell |
Memories of family for some folk are not as great as I experienced. I was blessed to have wonderful, caring parents, and Grandparents. We would go on family outings to Saint Paul's Como Park, which had a zoo and everything! That's what we thought. It had an outside monkey display and inside snakes, bears and large cats in cages, and was really a neat place to go on Sunday afternoon. I thought that Como Park was a great place. AND it IS! When I got married to Pat, and we were stationed in San Diego, however, I saw something quite a bit larger with a bunch of newer types of animals I had never seen in real life before when Pat guided me to the San Diego Zoo! Both are wonderful, and great places to go visit. St. Paul's Como Park has a FANTASTIC Conservatory. That is a very big glass building that houses many different plants and flowers. Wander through there and it is like walking through a jungle, only bigger than Grandma Saffell's fern garden.
I have been so blessed as well as Pat, to have a family that wasn't too dysfunctional that we could share holidays and normal days together and enjoy being together. Christmas was always a wonderful time when my Dad and his brother and two sisters families always gathered on Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Saffell's house for Capon dinner with all the trimmings and then we opened our presents from our cousins. Then we cleaned up and all went home. Our home, in that time, was in Circle Pines outside and North of St. Paul. When we got home us kids went quickly to bed because Santa was coming. And sure enough, he had been in the living room while we slept! What wonderful memories. Although I was too young to realize a lot of things, as a father, grandfather and older and wiser now, I can imagine my folks smiling contentedly seeing us kids enjoy the gifts of Christmas...and those through the year as well.
The point of the story: However your situation was when you were growing up, there were some good times, hopefully, maybe those were few, or maybe plentiful. However blessed you were, or how challenged you were, perhaps shaped who you are today. Those with family values of closeness and sharing are to be thankful. Did you know that we ALL have a Heavenly Father that takes great joy in blessing us with His gifts of Love? No matter what has happened to us throughout the years, we have a Father that has been with us in the good times, and has stood beside us in the bad. God loves us so much that He sent His Only Son, Jesus the Christ, part of the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . . . to come down and die on the cross for our sins. THAT is a gift that can't be topped. That is a gift of such pure love that it takes away all the ugliness of our sins, that we can't get rid of but by His Grace and Jesus' sacrifice. We all have memories of our earthly family. There, no doubt, has been good times and bad. Think about the good times, and never mind the unpleasant times...they are gone....don't dwell on them as they don't mean anything now. Think of God's gift to you. There is a Christmas feeling in there somewhere to remember. There is a memory of Grandma and Grandpa that will pop up and make you smile.
Blessings,
Gary
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Communication and understanding.
Have you ever said something that didn't come out right? Did you ever hear something said that you misinterpreted? Does this sound like rehash of YOUR life? Don' ya love all these questions?
While living in Las Vegas...actually IN Las Vegas, 100 Yale Street. Our back yard faced the NEW Municipal Golf Course on the other side of Decatur Avenue, a four lane major street. Pat was always concerned that she should be wearing a hard hat when hanging the clothes on the solar clothes drier we had strung out back. We could have gone into the used golf ball business had we thought harder. On our move in day, a realtor came to the door and asked if we wanted to sell our home! Six months later, we sold it to her. Within that time Nevada's Right to Work status and the Union where I worked came into play. One day at work, while starting up a smaller printing press (Chief 15 model, for those printers reading this) I inadvertently used my left hand to stop the machine. I got away this luck on my side this time. My ring finger on my left had required 9 stitches and and my middle finger needed some pressure released behind the nail, and both became white gauze beacons for everyone to admire my carelessness. A few weeks later, I was forced to find myself another job....at $2 less an hour. The new place was much more pleasant to work, and I enjoyed the people there as well. However, my family needed more security (I thought) and still being in the Navy Reserve, and Viet Nam going on, military life was again tugging at my inner being. The military life had advantages of a sense of stability that no other place offers. With my income now cut because I refused to join the union and pressure had been applied to the owner, after my accident I was let go (yes, I could have fought it, but this was in the late 60's), I thought Pat was wanting me to go back on Active duty, and of course that was ok with me. I was actually pretty ok with that idea because I was in my comfort zone there and liked the "family-ness" of it. Eventually an opening on Active Duty was available and off I went on the USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31) to two tours of Viet Nam. The Bonnie Dick was an Essex Class Air Craft Carrier. It had 3500 sailors aboard including the Air Wing. Being a First Class Petty Officer, Lithographer, I was the Print Shop Supervisor and enjoyed my position and responsibilities as such. During the second deployment things were getting a little old though. I was starting to think that being away from Pat and the kids for these periods of time were not really the best thing, so decided NOT to re-enlist, which the time was coming up for. Up to THAT moment, things were going fine...I was "one of the 'lifers'". Once I made known my decision NOT to re-enlist, I more or less put myself on the blackball list of a civilian. We were about to depart Yankee Station to go home anyway, so it wasn't too long before we would be back in San Diego. We got word that the ship would be going to Bremerton, Washington after we got back to be de-commissioned, and I would be getting released back into the Reserve sector upon arrival.
Up to now, the only communication I had with Pat was via cassette tapes being mailed to and from the ship. It was pretty crude and delayed communications back in those days. I was pretty concerned that Pat may not have liked my decision to get off active service again...because I thought she wanted and needed the security of the service. As it turns out, she thought that I wanted the security of the service and the challenges of profession. When we finally got together upon my arrival, I discovered a very happy Pat and that of course made me very happy as well. The communication had broken down, in this distant and time consuming process that we had to live with. When we were able to sit down and communicate, I discovered that she was going along with what she thought I wanted, and I had made decisions on what I thought SHE wanted. From that point on, we have made sure that when we talk (which is ALL the time) we understand each other. Most times it has worked that way through the years. Every once in a while there is a little hitch, but nothing serious enough to be any major problem.
Don't get me wrong though. I loved the Navy, and did enjoy the military life style. As you have read already, after this came some Army time and that too was an experience that comparatively few experience, and that I loved doing and being a part of.
Side note: Twenty years later I took a visit to the old neighborhood, you remember don't you? 100 Yale Street? Those spindly little trees across the street in the NEW Muni Golf course are now big THICK and TALL trees. The old house is a commercial building addressed on Decatur Ave. Times do change don't they?
What's the point of this story? Looking back on that, and how we do communicate, makes me think about our journey through life with our faith. How are you at communicating with God? Do you make an effort to understand what His love and desires for your happiness is? Do you communicate what your wants, needs and thoughts are?
Do you pray often? Or only when you want something? Do you talk to God only when you get yourself into some kind of a challenge? In any relationship, there has to be a healthy two way, get this now: TWO WAY conversation. If Pat and I had had a TWO WAY Conversation, we would have understood each other more clearly. Perhaps it wouldn't have changed anything at the beginning, but would have eliminated the stress of my decision between the decision and talking face to face with Pat when I got back. As it was, things turned out well. And the same can be yours as well with GOD. Talking things out always helps in understanding. Here's a suggestion: Try talking to God for a while and see how that works out for you.
Blessings,
Gary
Have you ever said something that didn't come out right? Did you ever hear something said that you misinterpreted? Does this sound like rehash of YOUR life? Don' ya love all these questions?
While living in Las Vegas...actually IN Las Vegas, 100 Yale Street. Our back yard faced the NEW Municipal Golf Course on the other side of Decatur Avenue, a four lane major street. Pat was always concerned that she should be wearing a hard hat when hanging the clothes on the solar clothes drier we had strung out back. We could have gone into the used golf ball business had we thought harder. On our move in day, a realtor came to the door and asked if we wanted to sell our home! Six months later, we sold it to her. Within that time Nevada's Right to Work status and the Union where I worked came into play. One day at work, while starting up a smaller printing press (Chief 15 model, for those printers reading this) I inadvertently used my left hand to stop the machine. I got away this luck on my side this time. My ring finger on my left had required 9 stitches and and my middle finger needed some pressure released behind the nail, and both became white gauze beacons for everyone to admire my carelessness. A few weeks later, I was forced to find myself another job....at $2 less an hour. The new place was much more pleasant to work, and I enjoyed the people there as well. However, my family needed more security (I thought) and still being in the Navy Reserve, and Viet Nam going on, military life was again tugging at my inner being. The military life had advantages of a sense of stability that no other place offers. With my income now cut because I refused to join the union and pressure had been applied to the owner, after my accident I was let go (yes, I could have fought it, but this was in the late 60's), I thought Pat was wanting me to go back on Active duty, and of course that was ok with me. I was actually pretty ok with that idea because I was in my comfort zone there and liked the "family-ness" of it. Eventually an opening on Active Duty was available and off I went on the USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31) to two tours of Viet Nam. The Bonnie Dick was an Essex Class Air Craft Carrier. It had 3500 sailors aboard including the Air Wing. Being a First Class Petty Officer, Lithographer, I was the Print Shop Supervisor and enjoyed my position and responsibilities as such. During the second deployment things were getting a little old though. I was starting to think that being away from Pat and the kids for these periods of time were not really the best thing, so decided NOT to re-enlist, which the time was coming up for. Up to THAT moment, things were going fine...I was "one of the 'lifers'". Once I made known my decision NOT to re-enlist, I more or less put myself on the blackball list of a civilian. We were about to depart Yankee Station to go home anyway, so it wasn't too long before we would be back in San Diego. We got word that the ship would be going to Bremerton, Washington after we got back to be de-commissioned, and I would be getting released back into the Reserve sector upon arrival.
Up to now, the only communication I had with Pat was via cassette tapes being mailed to and from the ship. It was pretty crude and delayed communications back in those days. I was pretty concerned that Pat may not have liked my decision to get off active service again...because I thought she wanted and needed the security of the service. As it turns out, she thought that I wanted the security of the service and the challenges of profession. When we finally got together upon my arrival, I discovered a very happy Pat and that of course made me very happy as well. The communication had broken down, in this distant and time consuming process that we had to live with. When we were able to sit down and communicate, I discovered that she was going along with what she thought I wanted, and I had made decisions on what I thought SHE wanted. From that point on, we have made sure that when we talk (which is ALL the time) we understand each other. Most times it has worked that way through the years. Every once in a while there is a little hitch, but nothing serious enough to be any major problem.
Don't get me wrong though. I loved the Navy, and did enjoy the military life style. As you have read already, after this came some Army time and that too was an experience that comparatively few experience, and that I loved doing and being a part of.
Side note: Twenty years later I took a visit to the old neighborhood, you remember don't you? 100 Yale Street? Those spindly little trees across the street in the NEW Muni Golf course are now big THICK and TALL trees. The old house is a commercial building addressed on Decatur Ave. Times do change don't they?
What's the point of this story? Looking back on that, and how we do communicate, makes me think about our journey through life with our faith. How are you at communicating with God? Do you make an effort to understand what His love and desires for your happiness is? Do you communicate what your wants, needs and thoughts are?
Do you pray often? Or only when you want something? Do you talk to God only when you get yourself into some kind of a challenge? In any relationship, there has to be a healthy two way, get this now: TWO WAY conversation. If Pat and I had had a TWO WAY Conversation, we would have understood each other more clearly. Perhaps it wouldn't have changed anything at the beginning, but would have eliminated the stress of my decision between the decision and talking face to face with Pat when I got back. As it was, things turned out well. And the same can be yours as well with GOD. Talking things out always helps in understanding. Here's a suggestion: Try talking to God for a while and see how that works out for you.
Blessings,
Gary
Monday, March 11, 2013
Flowers. Not just ordinary flowers like pansies, marigolds, or Johnny Jump ups. We are talking about flowers like in Hi-bred Tall Bearded Iris. This is from the 'workers' point of view, as that is what I do/did. The State Flower of Tennessee is the Iris. There are other "species" of the Iris as well, like "Bemini" an Intermediate Bearded Iris. Within the elite Iris growing arena, the flower is actually named. Let me tell you, growing and showing Iris is not for the faint at heart. There is a LOT of work involved. We started out growing those when we lived in North Minneapolis, and continued on to Henderson Nevada. It all started when Pat's Mother decided it would be a great thing for THEM (her and her husband) to do. I really don't know how we got involved except through the Mother - Daughter relationship. But there we were, growing these plants and when Minnesota winters come about, they are buried snuggly under a heavy layer of hay/straw. Then the work begins again in the early spring to get them ready for showing because Iris are an early Spring blooming flower. As I recall, Pat pretty well did most of the technical stuff, I was always the encourager and the laborer in the fields. I liked it that way. The grooming of the flower for the show didn't seem like something that was all that appealing for me. That was what Pat liked to do, and was fine with me.
When we moved to Henderson was when we really got seriously into growing and showing. We dug our garden in the front yard at our first house which was mainly our prime time showing period. We had over 100 different Iris of several different genre's (musically speaking) i.e. Tall Bearded, Intermediate Bearded, etc. There were at least three plants, planted for each name (just in case theory). But they are not just planted in a hole dug in the dirt . . . O NOT SO EASY as THAT! The soil must be prepare first. WHY? Because regular dirt grows regular flowers. "Special" dirt grows ShowCase flowers. That's what I was told anyway, so what do I know? To accomplish this feat of horticultural magic, one must prepare. There is an actual recipe to follow. To start out involves alpha cubes, water and a 32 gal. Garbage can. The cubes are soaked in the water until they become loose and stir-able. Then other ingredients are mixed in the can, like triple sixteen fertilizer, and some other things like bone meal, etc. That is stirred in and is tended by stirring and mixing for a few days. Then the big day comes when Gary gets into his Farmer mode of operations, and appears in the front yard garden in his t-shir, shorts and bare feet. The garden soil has already been prepared by raking smooth. The garbage can(s) are in their places. A small plastic (but substantial) bucket is at the ready. The garbage can lids are removed, the small bucket is in hand! Let the slopping of the GUNK begin!! Spreading the GUNK mixture two-three inches thick as evenly over the garden area is the task at hand. At this point, I make comment of the fact that I am shoeless, because it would ruin a pair so shoes, and is too "mucky" to wear flip-flops. Besides, it has that warm squishy feeling between the toes. So now we have everything out of the big garbage cans and glopped onto the dirt. Out comes thick plastic sheeting and it is to cover what I just put down. We lay whatever boards we have around the shed on top of the plastic to keep everything in place and the plastic from blowing away. It stays that way for at least two weeks. Baking in the sun. Killing any weeds that thought of growing in that mess. Then tilling is started and the mixing of the glop and soil is done and complete. The now highly enriched dirt is smoothed out and the mapping, planting, label placing, commences. That is a two person project, so Pat is the Map Maker and I am the hole digger-plant planter. It is a good system, believe me. Each one enjoys their position in "the TEAM". Now we sit back, and let God work His wonders, and I go in and (after a nice welcoming shower) have a refreshing Coke.
At the appropriate time, usually the evening before or the morning of the Southern Nevada Iris Society Show, the specimens are cut and placed in plain green (without labels) wine bottles. The purpose is to show the flower, not the container. Then they are CAREFULLY transported to the mall and placed in the appropriate category on the tables. Later in the morning the Judges are there with their clipboards (what kind of judges would NOT have a clipboard). The winners are named, the growers are proud and gushy and mall shoppers are treated to a very nice display of a variety of Iris flowers.
One year as Pat was walking out the front door of our house on her way to the show, that little flower mentioned at the beginning of this issue . . . Bimini . . . was standing out there shouting "Take ME!" So out came her knife and put her in an available bottle, and off she went. Bimini WON Queen of the Show that year. One of the judges was heard to say: " This looks like a porcelain iris." Pat AND I were in tears......such proud parents of Bimini.
Pats Mother (Louise Todd) was the one who got us involved in Iris growing for shows. There was a California Hyberdizer that took a liking to Mom's outlook on Iris'. He grew, developed and produced a beautiful tall bearded iris and put her name on it. Louise Todd are in our garden today, proudly standing tall in their light blue glory, every spring. I get to fuss with them late spring to keep them looking good for next year. Always something to do around the homestead you know.
Now wasn't that a touching story? Every word is true. I can't make this stuff up. Well maybe a little, but it is all in the presentation, for your enjoyment.
What is the Point of this story? God has such a wonderful and wide way to touch each and every one of us, somehow. Some it is in the beauty of flowers. Others it is in the majesty of the mountains. Still others is in the sound of music . . . . no I won't start singing, but its tempting. All we need to do is to have our hearts, our eyes and ears open for His message of Love. Maybe there is a sunrise or sunset coming up soon . . . just for you to watch. Keep your eyes open. Love each other. Be kind to animals.
That's it for today. Hope you enjoyed a little horticultural information and how God love YOU.
Blessings,
Gary
When we moved to Henderson was when we really got seriously into growing and showing. We dug our garden in the front yard at our first house which was mainly our prime time showing period. We had over 100 different Iris of several different genre's (musically speaking) i.e. Tall Bearded, Intermediate Bearded, etc. There were at least three plants, planted for each name (just in case theory). But they are not just planted in a hole dug in the dirt . . . O NOT SO EASY as THAT! The soil must be prepare first. WHY? Because regular dirt grows regular flowers. "Special" dirt grows ShowCase flowers. That's what I was told anyway, so what do I know? To accomplish this feat of horticultural magic, one must prepare. There is an actual recipe to follow. To start out involves alpha cubes, water and a 32 gal. Garbage can. The cubes are soaked in the water until they become loose and stir-able. Then other ingredients are mixed in the can, like triple sixteen fertilizer, and some other things like bone meal, etc. That is stirred in and is tended by stirring and mixing for a few days. Then the big day comes when Gary gets into his Farmer mode of operations, and appears in the front yard garden in his t-shir, shorts and bare feet. The garden soil has already been prepared by raking smooth. The garbage can(s) are in their places. A small plastic (but substantial) bucket is at the ready. The garbage can lids are removed, the small bucket is in hand! Let the slopping of the GUNK begin!! Spreading the GUNK mixture two-three inches thick as evenly over the garden area is the task at hand. At this point, I make comment of the fact that I am shoeless, because it would ruin a pair so shoes, and is too "mucky" to wear flip-flops. Besides, it has that warm squishy feeling between the toes. So now we have everything out of the big garbage cans and glopped onto the dirt. Out comes thick plastic sheeting and it is to cover what I just put down. We lay whatever boards we have around the shed on top of the plastic to keep everything in place and the plastic from blowing away. It stays that way for at least two weeks. Baking in the sun. Killing any weeds that thought of growing in that mess. Then tilling is started and the mixing of the glop and soil is done and complete. The now highly enriched dirt is smoothed out and the mapping, planting, label placing, commences. That is a two person project, so Pat is the Map Maker and I am the hole digger-plant planter. It is a good system, believe me. Each one enjoys their position in "the TEAM". Now we sit back, and let God work His wonders, and I go in and (after a nice welcoming shower) have a refreshing Coke.
At the appropriate time, usually the evening before or the morning of the Southern Nevada Iris Society Show, the specimens are cut and placed in plain green (without labels) wine bottles. The purpose is to show the flower, not the container. Then they are CAREFULLY transported to the mall and placed in the appropriate category on the tables. Later in the morning the Judges are there with their clipboards (what kind of judges would NOT have a clipboard). The winners are named, the growers are proud and gushy and mall shoppers are treated to a very nice display of a variety of Iris flowers.
One year as Pat was walking out the front door of our house on her way to the show, that little flower mentioned at the beginning of this issue . . . Bimini . . . was standing out there shouting "Take ME!" So out came her knife and put her in an available bottle, and off she went. Bimini WON Queen of the Show that year. One of the judges was heard to say: " This looks like a porcelain iris." Pat AND I were in tears......such proud parents of Bimini.
Pats Mother (Louise Todd) was the one who got us involved in Iris growing for shows. There was a California Hyberdizer that took a liking to Mom's outlook on Iris'. He grew, developed and produced a beautiful tall bearded iris and put her name on it. Louise Todd are in our garden today, proudly standing tall in their light blue glory, every spring. I get to fuss with them late spring to keep them looking good for next year. Always something to do around the homestead you know.
Now wasn't that a touching story? Every word is true. I can't make this stuff up. Well maybe a little, but it is all in the presentation, for your enjoyment.
What is the Point of this story? God has such a wonderful and wide way to touch each and every one of us, somehow. Some it is in the beauty of flowers. Others it is in the majesty of the mountains. Still others is in the sound of music . . . . no I won't start singing, but its tempting. All we need to do is to have our hearts, our eyes and ears open for His message of Love. Maybe there is a sunrise or sunset coming up soon . . . just for you to watch. Keep your eyes open. Love each other. Be kind to animals.
That's it for today. Hope you enjoyed a little horticultural information and how God love YOU.
Blessings,
Gary
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