Distressed

As I made my exercise walk Thursday, I decided to toss out some summer sausage that I’d bought, not eaten, and forgot in the back of my refrigerator. It had dried out somewhat, but hadn’t grown mold or spoiled. My neighbor’s chickens will eat almost anything. I’ve fed them vegetable scraps and leftover and dry pizza slices, so I planned to share the sausage with them. Calling, “Chook, chook, chookie,” they came running on their spindly legs and began to devour the meat. I usually spread the food over several areas to limit the fighting for the tidbits and to offer some to the two areas where they congregate. One hen must have hatched a chick, not a newly hatched chick, because a small feathered bird burst from beneath the copper colored hen to eat some of the proffered sausage. It was a new addition to the flock and made me smile.

As I walked, I was presented with an ever-changing scene. The last time I walked this path; there were only a few blossoms among the budding leaves, but now the dogwood trees had spread their cross shaped flowers. The legend of the dogwood is that its wood was used to crucify Jesus and God changed it from a large tree to one that could never again be used for a cross and that the blossoms came to look like a cross with a dull red center and that also tipped the blooms and looked like dried blood. The tradition is unlikely true, but still emphasizes the story of Christ’s crucifixion and the dogwood blooms close to the Easter holiday.

The daffodils are wilting, but the fragrant lilacs are spreading their sweet smell as the tiny lavender blossoms part, making small mounds of color among the newly opened green leaves. The wind allowed me to catch the wayward aroma before snatching it away, shifting and swirling. It was necessary for me to watch my steps, dodging puddles of rain water. I managed to get my entire walk in by picking a weather window free from rain.

Now the distressing part; the rain has my joints aching, even the knee that was injected. I also have a headache with a runny nose. The beauty around me has my springtime allergies working overtime. I saw on the weather channel that there is a night where the temperature is to drop below freezing and the blossoms of the fruit trees, the lilacs, and the dogwood may be impacted.

And the Ravens…

We all know stories from the Bible, but even though we know the words are the truth, sometimes they remain only words. One story that recently came to life was the story of Elijah the Tishbite. He lived in Gilead during the time of Ahab. Ahab was the king of Israel. He was a very wicked king who married an even more wicked woman named Jezebel. She worshipped Baal and drew Ahab more deeply into the sins of idol worship and all of the despicable deeds of serving Baal. It included all sorts of sexual perversions and child sacrifice. They reared up altars and groves where the worship of Baal could be consummated. It provoked the LORD God of Israel and sent a drought into the land of Israel.

God told Elijah that “there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hid thyself by the brook Cherith, that is beyond Jordan.”

The word Cherith translated means gorge. It was probably like the ravines and gullies of our area, deep with water that flows along the bottom. It would be a perfect place to survive the extended period of the dry time God pronounced on Israel because of Ahab’s sinfulness.

Now the thing that made my experience that caused this passage come to life for me. God also said to Elijah, “And it shall be, that thou shalt drink from the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” Elijah did as he was told and made a place to dwell beside the brook Cherith. “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening and he drank from the brook.” 1 Kings 17:6

Sunday morning I backed out of my driveway and started to drive to church, a raven or a large crow flew in front of my car about 12 t0 15 feet above the roadway. The sun glistened from its ebony feathers. The remarkable thing that made Elijah’s story become real was the raven had what looked like the bottom half of a hamburger bun clenched in its beak. It was a pleasant surprise. When I mentioned it to our pastor, he said close, but there is no stream close to you.

 

California Gals

My wife-to-be Cindy Morrison started her college career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later transferred to California Teachers’ College in California Pennsylvania. She and Started dating while she was still a student there. She and her sorority sisters would sing the Beach Boys classic, “I wish they all could be California girls.” She kept in touch with several of those sisters and became good friends. Her childhood best friend Debbie married a man who graduated from California as well. Debbie was the person who lured me into a blind date with Cindy. Many times we would double date and our weddings were only a month apart, May and June.

I’ve known my best friend Kathy all her life and she’s known me most of my life. She was also a good friend of my wife and they often did things together. We’ve remained good friends even after my wife passed away. As a matter of fact, I’m often her travel partner and service dog. She’s several years younger than me, but she sometimes has episodes of vertigo and needs to have someone close. Last summer we flew to Sacramento California to visit her aunt Leah. Other than the discomfort of being crowded into the cramped seats aboard the airplane for the six hour trip, I had a great time.

When we arrived, I met her aunt Leah and the little snippet of a dog named Beauty. Beauty was a small, chocolate fur ball and spoiled. I was surrounded by ladies.

While we visited, her aunt allowed us to use her car. She would ride along to visit places that she’d not seen since her husband died. We drove to San Francisco, toured Old Town, and took the boat ride over to Alcatraz. The tour was disappointing because much of the prison was closed because of the “pandemic.” We drove to see the giant Redwoods, walked the trails, and visited Lake Tahoe. Some of the homes lining the shore were nice, but not quite mansions. On the return trip, Kathy who is usually quiet, blurted out, “Deer” when she saw the yellow sign with a deer silhouette marking a highly traveled section of the highway for deer crossing. And I, being the jokester said, “What sweetheart?” We laughed all the way home because someone would say; “Deer” and we’d start to laugh again.

The vacation time ended all too soon, and we had to say goodbye to California, the citrus trees, the dried grasses, and the smoky skies. We were soon flying back to Pennsylvania in another crowded airplane.

Doctor May I?

It’s been another busy week, well at least the first half of the week so far. Sunday was the first service of our revival with Samuel Mills and music director, Doyle Robertson. Both men came with their family. Both have been to our church before. It was almost like an old friends’ homecoming. Evangelist Mills is an extremely dynamic speaker sharing Bible truths with a bit of southern humor and an accent to match. Sunday evening was the second service and he had lost nothing of his humor, his accent, or his passion to preach the Word of God.

Monday I had my last visit for my right knee injection. It’s called Euflexxa or hyaluronic acid; laymen call it rooster comb injection. It’s helped the arthritic pain and the feeling that my knee wanted to give out with a catching sensation. It may take six weeks before I’ll know full effects of the medication.

I came home and I decided to mow my lawn. The grass really looked ragged. My post operative instructions said I wasn’t to mow my lawn until I was  released by my physician, but I’ve already been driving my car without permission, so…I figured I could flaunt another taboo. I did keep my word. I didn’t mow my entire lawn.

I also burned some paper trash. The wind was calm and I usually watch it until it goes out through a window, but because I was tired from mowing, I sat down and fell asleep. A knocking on my door woke me. The neighbor said there was a fire. The wind had picked up and the swampy area beside my house had turned into a small brush fire. Several neighbors and I were beating out the flames with spades until the fire department arrived to hose down the area.  I’m sure my physicians would not have approved of me fighting a fire or the briar scratches on my legs.

With the weather looking cold and wretched for the rest of the week, I decided to mow most of my neighbor’s yard. I dislike when my yard is looking neater and their yard is scraggly. So I again kept a promise not to mow my yard.

Tuesday was “invite-a-friend” to the revival service and the dessert fellowship afterward. The message was the need for seeking salvation through Jesus Christ. It was an exciting challenge to all who had loved ones who were not saved. A variety of desserts including delicious pies, cookies, and homemade ice cream were served.

 

                                                              Entertained

I managed to survive the busy week. It was much like my pre-cardiac surgery; something happening every day. Friday was a bit of a reprieve. I thought that visiting nurses were to do follow-up visit. I got no call nor did I get a visit. They made an attempt last Wednesday, but didn’t set a time as they usually do. They came, but I was in Stahlstown at the Chestnut Ridge Historical Society gathering filler stories for their newsletter. When I got home, I called the number on the answering machine, but the nurse had already left the area and she would set the next visit for Friday. Friday came and went, but the nurse didn’t.

Friday evening I had tickets to a musical. My granddaughters Celine and Moriah were characters in the presentation. Both sing quite well. I wasn’t surprised that they had parts in the representation of the classic, Cinderella. Moriah had several appearances as the king’s herald, singing many announcements of importance. Her costume was in more drab hues than the courtiers at the king’s palace.

Celine played the role of the queen. She and the king in their resplendent robes and fine clothing filled the stage just as the songs they sang. The king and queen wore fiery jeweled crowns on their head. Friday was the second performance. In the first, Celine’s crown was a bit large and became a necklace instead of a crown for a few seconds, but she kept her composure and continued without interruption.

The members of the entire troupe were true professionals; singing and dancing to tell the story of a poor girl who believed so deeply that her dreams came true. Cinderella was dressed on somber colored clothing when compared with her overdressed stepsisters and cruel stepmother.

After they dressed and set off to the king’s ball for his son the prince, Cinderella’s godmother appeared to help Cinderella’s dreams to attend the ball to come true. Her frumpy attire switched into a pink satiny gown. She transformed Cinderella’s garb into a dazzling white gown. A pumpkin coach rolled down the aisle to take her to the ball with four white human horses.

At the ball, the prince too was wearing white and they were drawn to each other. They dance. She runs off losing a slipper, and we know the rest of the story. Every maiden in the kingdom tries on the shoe presented by the herald and none of their feet fit the slipper. When all others females were exhausted, the prince walks in the garden and meets Cinderella. He asks “Have you tried on the slipper?” When she responded negatively, he slipped on the shoe and they married. THE END