Thoughts for a New Year

As a caring parent, you probably told your young child, “Don't cry! It will be okay.” Or maybe a close friend told you not to worry about a certain situation, suggesting everything will be okay in the end.

I discovered another 'okay' the other day. This might be news to some contact wearers. I have worn them for centuries, but never saw the secret message printed on them.

The other morning, I experienced eye pain from my contact. I took it out two times and cleaned it thoroughly. It still irritated my eye. I thought, maybe it was wrong side out. This can happen if I'm not careful. When it collapses like a taco, that's a good sign. But my new-style contacts fold too easily on either side. Finally, I put it on my fingertip and held it up to the light to look for an eyelash or a piece of fuzz. What did I see? I saw the letters OK. I smiled. So I put it in my watery eye again, this time no pain.

If you don't wear contacts, maybe this incident sounds confusing. But I thought, there must be a spiritual message here. This morning, Max and I were talking about looking up to God for guidance. If we look up in prayer for help, the Lord will give the okay sign, a promise:

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deut. 31:6 NKJV

The view is beautiful from where I sit. Thanks for joining me today. 

See you next year!

Juanita

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Peace on Earth !

Welcome to my library.

Let's have a cup of hot, soothing tea and share our thoughts.

The people of the world are hurting, the families in Newtown, Connecticut are desperately hurting, and maybe you are also.

At this time of the year, Christians sing 'peace on the earth and goodwill to men.' Another song has been on my heart for several weeks and now is the time to share it.

In 1842, blind and elderly William Walford wrote a poem and one hundred years later, George Beverly Shea made the words dear to our hearts.

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

Happy Birthday, Chuy !

Happy Birthday, Jody !

Happy Birthday, Larry !

Merry Christmas, Everyone !

Love, Juanita

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A Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln

      The year, that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

      In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

      Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plow, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. 
 
      No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. 
 
      I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwells in the Heavens. 
 
      And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

      In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

      Done at the City of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

You Are Guilty !

Guilty! The jury returned and the verdict was pronounced!

The one-man jury (actually a woman, myself to be exact) determined the inconceivable crime was not committed by a mere human. I'll admit that people are the usual culprit in a robbery case; but in my opinion, circumstantial evidence against the masked bandit appears overwhelming.

The same night the overhead electrical cord disappeared from the apple trees leading to the glass greenhouse, we were awaken in the wee hours of the morning by a loud metal bang. It's the same sleep-shattering noise heard when the coon cage door is tripped and slams shut.

The exact timeline is still to be determined to tell how the cord was successfully unplugged at both ends. Picture this: The cord ran from an outside outlet under our bedroom window, through branches of several trees, up the seven-foot-high wall of the green house, through the roof area, then down to the heat lamps inside keeping my geraniums alive. I know that is a long sentence, but it was a long cord – seventy-five feet.

The door to the green house was closed, but there is a doggy door for an easy access and quick escape. One final question for the accused: which plug end did your little hands disconnect first?

I read his mind and discovered his thought process. Even though the cage was resting near the electrical outlet, he decided to relocate the cord first. Then return to the cage to investigate the shiny foil bait illuminated in the light of the motion sensor.

My closing argument: If a neighbor kid removed the bright orange line from the trees used as temporary power poles, he would have taken the item home to Mama. But upon searching the property for clues, I discovered the stolen object in question one hundred feet away from the green house, laying in a straight line as if dragged to a new home.

Let me remind you that if both ends were plugged in at the new site, I would suspect a different thief. Friends, I rest my case.

My judge is not convinced of this jury's decision, but the man of the house still administered the usual punishment for getting caught. 

Don't ask!

Happy Birthday, Tall Tom !

Happy Birthday, Ken W. !

Happy Birthday, Jewel !

Happy Birthday, Iona !

Happy Birthday, Georgia !

Happy Birthday, Colleen !

Happy Birthday, Brad !

A great week for a party!

Juanita

Comments:  email: folks7777@gmail.com

A Meeting to Forget

A pleasant autumn morning, indeed!

Recently, I had a meeting with a local college president, one of their professors and a Toastmaster speech winner. I brushed my teeth, fixed my hair, put my face on and dressed up in my best dress for the occasion. I've had this dress a very long time. With this dress, I always wear a long black slip with a lace bottom. This slip also is very old.

Do you know what happens to an old slip? The elastic becomes weak and stretches. I wasn't aware of it's condition until after this very important meeting.

After an hour, we rose from our chairs to leave the conference room. We entered the hallway, talking as we went. I felt something down around my ankles. I looked and beheld my slip falling fast. The bottom lace was touching my shoes.

What's a women supposed to do when her arms are full of books and carrying a heavy purse? I could have asked Curtis to hold my purse, but that would have brought more attention to myself and embarrassed him. Through this thin fabric, I felt the elastic band hanging on the widest part of my hips. Another step would have brought the slip over my hips and tangled my feet. That would have been a scary scene – in the middle of the hall with college students walking by.

I backed up against the wall and shifted my purse to the other arm. With one hand free, I slowly inched the slip up on my left side. Then I reached behind my back and nonchalantly worked it up to where it belonged.

No one mentioned the slip and by the time we reached the stairs to leave the building, I was presentable and breathing normal.

I wish I could say I lost my slip because I lost 20 pounds, but that's not the case. The truth is: we all get older and so does elastic. Now I have a big safety pin in the waistband.

Thanks for laughing with me.

Proverbs 15:13  NKJV
"A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance. . ."
 

Love, Juanita

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Birthday Humor

A happy Autumn day to you! These cool mornings are perfect for a cup of green tea. Thanks for joining me in the library.

Our middle grandson, Erik, turned eight last week and we attended his birthday party in Bend. His other grandma made her usual super creation of a birthday cake. Jean's delicious cakes are animated and one-of-a-kind. I entertained the adults with my Toastmaster humor . . .

My grandsons were visiting us this summer. Craig took the boys to the city park to play on the ladders and swings. As they were driving down main street, a fire truck came up behind them with sirens screaming. Craig pulled over to let the vehicle pass. The boys noticed a black and white Dalmatian dog in the front seat of the truck. The boys began discussing the duties of the dog.

Brayden, the oldest, was sure the dog was used for crowd control.

But his brother, Brogan, argued that the dog was just for good luck.

Erik brought the argument to a close by saying, “They use the dogs to find the fire hydrants.”

When we arrived at Erik's house, I asked him how old he was. Of course, I already knew. Then he asked me how old I was. When I told him I was eighty years old, his mouth dropped open, and then he whispered, “Did you start at one?”

Then he turned to Grandpa and asked how old he was. Grandpa is a big tease, “I'm not sure.” 

Wise Erik informed him, “Look in your underwear, Grandpa. Mine says I'm six to eight.”

Happy Birthday, Tom P. !

Happy Birthday, Brian !

Happy Birthday, Betty !

Happy Birthday, Bonnie !

Happy Birthday, Lynda !

                               Psalm 119
"How sweet your words taste to me; 
they are sweeter than honey.
  Your commandments give me understanding;
  Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path."  NLT
 

Love to all of you,

Juanita

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Memories

Thanks for joining me in the library today. I know some of you are attending the Gideon convention this week and I'll see you there.

There are certain songs we will never forget, even when we have forgotten everything else. I experienced the memory of the elderly in action Sunday afternoon.

A retired pastor and his wife come twice a month to the complex where my mother lives. The couple bring their keyboard and guitar. They use a song book of a dozen old hymns, like The Old Rugged Cross, Onward Christian Soldiers and Amazing Grace.

I like to attend the gospel sing-along for three reasons. One, I love the old songs; two, the older men and ladies bless me as I watch them sing; and I get to sit beside my mother.

Some of the people are not able to follow along on the song sheet, but as soon as they hear the tune, they sing from memory. Some will close their eyes, tap their feet, smile or just hum. One lady in the room reclined in her chair and snored most of the time. Another lady looked totally confused with the page numbers (and didn't want me to help her). She didn't know what number followed a certain number, but she knew the songs.

It is sad to think how many people are effected with dementia. I read that half the elderly people will suffer with it. So between you and me, one of us will have a normal memory in our later years. Isn't that encouraging! Now I'm sorry I mentioned it. Anyone want to go for a healthy walk with me?

Happy Birthday, Aunt Leona !

Happy Birthday, Sharyn !

Proverb of the week:

          Proverbs 16:24 NLT

“Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

Juanita

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A New Feathered Friend

Welcome to my library and welcome to Autumn!

He made my day! I listened to his singing all week, but never saw him until today. My tea cup was empty and I was talking to the Lord when he landed in front of my library window. He was “up close and personal”. He flew off several times, spreading his eye-catching, short white tail feathers as he went vertical. (Just like on Touched by an Angel program) His graceful flight held my attention until he disappeared out of sight. Once he landed on the metal fence post near my nine-foot rose bushes. On the ground, he tried persistently to pick up the end of the fishing line I had tied to the fence posts to discourage the deer from eating my rose buds.

I have five different doves in my bird book, but only one, the morning dove, lives in Oregon. This bird with the black neck collar was NOT in my book. Another piece of exciting news! I learned from the Internet this bird is the Eurasian collared-dove. Now you bird lovers know two different doves live in Oregon.

When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John, the Holy Spirit in the form a gentle dove hovered over Jesus. Picture Jesus soaking wet, hair dripping, clothes clinging. I image the dove sat on his shoulder, then spread his white tail feathers and flew straight up as mine did today.

I love to listen to their sad song “ooahoo oo oo oo”. (Try to say that four times fast!) I believe they are sad because they remember their relatives' sacrifice on the altar in Jerusalem centuries ago.

Proverb for Your Week:

Proverbs 10:19 NLT

       “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.”

If I knew your birth date, I would send you best wishes. Do you want to share it with me?

Love, Juanita

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Potpourri

Evening and too late for tea, but just in time for pear cobbler and milk!

It took me ten minutes to find the word potpourri in the dictionary. I couldn't even start the word. I knew it was French with silent letters. I almost called Nancy who studied that language. For you today, I made potpourri, a mixture of unrelated literary subjects.

The bull frog I showed you a couple weeks ago made itself right at home in the koi pond. The other day, I actually sat down (not working) to enjoy my garden. The frog sat in one of the iris-filled pond pots and croaked. I counted his croaks – 26 calls! He paused and took only one breath in between. He must have been desperate for attention. 

We both enjoy the music Mr. Frog provides in our secluded wing of my library, the pond area. This is Craig's favorite place to read his Louis L'Amour books. Did you know his real last name of LaMoore?

Do you recall old conversations, I mean really old, from when you were a child? My Uncle Jim just came to my mind. He was a school teacher in California in the '50's. My family visited his family every summer when I was in grade school and high school. I remember one particular conversation. He challenged me, “Juanita, why don't you ever say something?” As a kid, I preferred to listen to the adults talk. Now, I smile as I think, if he only knew what he started. Right, Harold?

Today must have been national Squirrel Day. Every squirrel in my yard celebrated—running across the lawn, jumping up and over the fence, tail flipping, chasing each other, almost flying off the neighbor's shed. Aren't the brown tree squirrels supposed to stay in their tree house?

Every day the headlines shout disaster, tragedy, hopelessness; but Jesus declared God gave His son to provide eternal life for all of us. Now that's news worth celebrating!

Happy Birthday, Jean & John !

Happy Birthday, Julie !

Happy Birthday, Shirley !

Thanks for the 66 visits last week!

Juanita

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Hanging by a Toenail

Good morning! Time for a cup of strong coffee while you read my sad note. I really wasn't going to tell you, but Harold, I had nothing else to say today.

Life is hard sometimes, especially for the birds. They mind their own business sitting on a wire and what does it get them?  Upside down – for the last time. This scrub jay experienced a dreadful end. The scene made me sad and I suppose you are now, too. 

                    "I should have kept both feet on the barbed wire!

                                 Why did I grab the electric wire too?"

Is there a lesson learned here? Well, not for the bird. I showed Craig this bird on our neighbor's fence. He said it reminded him of a prank his neighbor boys played on a younger boy about sixty years ago.

The boys were walking down a red cinder road in Central Oregon near a cow pasture with an electric fence. Four of the boys slowly walked over to the fence and held hands. Billy was new to the trick and was caught unaware. As soon as Billy joined hands with them, the first boy grabbed the hot wire and Billy on the end received the jolt. I bet that only happened once to poor Billy.

My dad would have been one hundred years old this week.

Happy Birthday, Dianne !

Happy Birthday, Nancy B. !

Proverb for the week:

          “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom.”   Proverbs 9:10

Thanks for checking in with me!  I enjoy talking with you.

Juanita
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Antique Roadshow

Happy Labor Day weekend to everyone!

This morning, a large colorful bouquet of yellow sunflowers (the remains of my last garden party) is visible from my library window. Very few birds to watch, but the young squirrels still entertain me. The signs and smells of autumn in the air have changed my view. The crabgrass in the lawn turned yellow and my roses have fewer blossoms. The busy honey bees completely cover the purple Russian sage.

Last week I showed you a new snowball in midsummer. The one lone flower on the bush has now become friends with nine others. If this wasn't so unusual, I wouldn't mention it. Maybe the Willamette Valley will skip wintertime and move right into spring before we realize what happened.

The Antique Roadshow on TV is not a program I watch, but we thought we possessed a few antiques. So we applied for tickets to the show in Seattle last week. Interesting experience! I will refrain from discussing the adventure of driving on one-way streets in Seattle trying to locate the convention center parking lot. You can use your own imagination of standing in four lines for a total of four hours.

The old treasures we took were a hand-carved goddess Diana cameo rimmed in 14-caret gold, a colorful yellow Japanese bowl, and small flannel sheets designed with Indian warriors which lined old tobacco tins. Our winner was an Amos 'n Andy wind-up toy taxi from 1929 valued at $500-$600. 

The best part of the trip north was visiting with Linda, Marlene and a new friend, Gurdi.

Happy Birthday, Ruth !

Happy Birthday, Mother !

Happy Anniversary, Betty & Gary !

Happy Anniversary, Brad & Dawnita !

Proverb for your week: “Never let loyalty and kindness

                                       leave you. Tie them around

                                       your neck as a reminder.”

                                                Proverbs 3:3 NLT

God bless you and America!

Juanita

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Alone on the Bush

 Hi, Friend. I'm glad you stopped for a visit.

One lone snowball exists on my snowball bush hidden among hundreds of green leaves. Did the flower forget to bloom in the spring or has it hung there all summer and I never noticed? 

We can be so familiar with a person or flower, we really don't see them until something good or bad happens to them. Several times I have wanted to mention this topic on my blog. Today's the day.

Be encouraged to look closer at people you know.

    Do they have friends? Be one to them.

    Do they usually keep to themselves? Invite them to an event or lunch.

    Do they enjoy reading books? Give, not loan, them one of your favorites.

    Have you talked on the phone with them in recent months? Now's the time to call, emails don't count.

They might be dying for a hug.

Be alert to those acquaintances who need a real friend like you.

Join me in being a better friend to someone this week and thereafter. We might make a huge difference in their lives and their future.

This is not deep psychology, just friendly advice.

"The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart . . ." Psalm 34:18

Belated Happy Birthday to Linda L. !!

Happy Birthday, Dawnita !

Happy Birthday, Nancy !

Happy Birthday, Kylee !

Happy Birthday, Craig !

Happy Anniversary, Mel & Marguerite !

Proverb for the Week: "As the beating of cream yields butter
                                     and striking the nose causes bleeding,

                                     so stirring up anger causes quarrels."
                                     Prov. 30:33 NLT

Love to all of you, Juanita

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