I've been served!

I just got subpoenaed to testify about a car accident I witnessed on April 15, 2005.


Oh dear ...

I knew one day I was going to wish I kept a diary. :) I have vague memories of the accident. It was a doozy! But memories I'd be willing to testify to under oath? Ummmm ....

They sent me a $10 check along with the subpoena. I'm guessing my memory isn't worth much more than that!

I'm going to see if, by any chance, I wrote an email to anyone on that date that might describe what I saw. That's about my only hope to be helpful to them!

Meijer Gardens

I went with two other ladies from church to the Meijer Gardens today. It was so beautiful. The gardens themselves are just lovely, but there was also a special sculpture exhibit of these metal sculptures that were made with precisely balanced elements, so they would move very gently in the air. It really reminded you of tree leaves, or tall grass, moving in the breeze.

It was a lovely choice for a Sunday afternoon, with delightful company as well.

The gardens now has a children's section, which I'd love to take the adorable nieces to one day.

a relaxing paddle / working without a contract

I found a park yesterday near my house that has a boat launch into the river. It's at a wide spot, so the current isn't quite so fast, and I had such a nice time. There were two blue herons on the bank watching me, and I was able to see them so close-up. I've got to start bringing my camera.

Wednesday night, in prayer meeting, one of our pastors was speaking and he was talking about rewards.

He used the two parables of the talents, and the one about the boss who hired several sets of people to work in the vineyard at different times of day. He was pointing out how God rewards believers in different ways - according to their labor (Luke 19), according to their use of the abilities He had given them (Matthew 25), and according to no standard those around them could ever see (Matthew 20).

He then talked quite a while about the vineyard parable, and how the unseen quality in those who started late in the day was their faith ... the first workers had a contract, but the latter ones only had "I'll do what's right by you."

The early workers were blessed by the boss. They signed on, and got what they were hired for. And that's a good thing.

But the later workers ... they were standing around because nobody hired them, and the boss came and offered them work, with no promise of what he'd pay. And he paid them the same as those who worked all day. The people looking on couldn't figure out what he was doing. But it came down to the fact that the had, in the secret places of their minds, trusted him, and stepped out in faith.

And in the combination of his grace, and their faith, there was a great reward.

on how we discovered the current is stronger in the center of the river

After a delightful Fernando Ortega concert last night in Berrien Springs, I came home this morning, went to church, and headed out with my kayak looking for an inaugural voyage.

I was originally planning to go to a small lake near my house, but when I got there, the beach was closed due to e-coli warnings. This triggered my "ick" reflex, and I left in search of less disgusting water.

After some wandering, I ended up at a public boat launch on the Grand River. I didn't have any trouble setting up the kayak, or getting it in the water. I decided to paddle up-river, and float back, since I wasn't sure how easy the little Dragonfly would be to paddle or steer.

It's definitely not AS easy as a hard kayak, but I think the fact I can realistically carry it from place to place more than makes up for it.

I paddled like CRAZY upstream. I went out in the middle of the river, so I wouldn't have to dodge around fallen trees. After 15 minutes of furious paddling, I looked back, and realized ...

I'd gone about a quarter mile.

That's it. :)

I floated back, enjoying the view.

But despite the lack of long-distance progress, I had a great time, and my arms now have all the strength one would expect to find in cooked spaghetti noodles.

such fun

One of the ladies who was at the retreat sent me this picture. :)

a handy bit of information I just found out yesterday

Picture this ...

You're driving a rental car, or a friend's car, or even an "I just bought this car" car.

You pull into a gas station.

And then you realize you forgot to look and see which side the gas tank door is on.

At this point, I normally open the window, and crane my head outside, trying to see the door.

But ... did you know you can tell from looking at the gas gauge?

You did?

Well, I didn't!

See the arrow next to the picture of the pump? It's pointing at the side where the door is located. (Or sometimes, they just show the picture of the gas pump, and the hose is coming off the pump on the proper side.)

Amazing the little conveniences that surround us, and we don't even realize they're there!

bought myself an early birthday present

Now I've just got to wait for it to be shipped here from Texas. :) Yesterday was a perfect fall day - warm, with the sun on the changing leaves, and I just kept thinking of how much fun it would be to be out paddling along the river shoreline at Riverside Park.

Of course, when it gets here, the weather will probably be cold and miserable. But I'm thinking ... I'm going south for Thanksgiving ... I might just take it along. :)

our church's first ladies' retreat

This past Friday and Saturday, our church had our very first ladies' retreat. It went so well - we had a nice mix of ages, and many ladies came who were fairly new to the church. This gave us a great chance to get to know them.

There were a lot of set-backs that the ladies doing the organizing faced - the lady who was scheduled to speak was hospitalized, and not able to make it. The lady who was scheduled to play the piano wasn't able to come, as her husband went home to be with the Lord. (He was a very active member of our church, and has been seriously ill for 4 years now. He and his wife were very much "present" in the weekend, even though they weren't there.)

Yet God worked all those unexpected events into the plan, and the time was a true blessing.

And ... on a personal preference note ... they had kayaks. I do love kayaks. I ended up soaked to the skin, but had a wonderful time! :)

I've wanted a kayak ever since the first time I tried one, but my short little car won't accommodate one on the inside, and my short little arms wouldn't be able to boost one up to the roof to carry it on the outside!

But in yesterday's most recent bout of online kayak shopping, I ran across a couple inflatable models that have a rigid bow and stern. I had resisted the inflatables before, because it seemed like using them would be similar to paddling around in a child's pool-toy. But these models, with the stiffening in front and back, seem like they would glide through the water more like the real deal.

I'm pondering ...

what a blessing this weekend was

I took a long weekend, and went to Kirksville, Missouri to meet some friends there from Lake Road Chapel. It was such a treat to enjoy their fellowship for a few days. And one lady who attends there spent her whole Saturday helping me, and my friend T., get our Access databases smoothed out and working well.

What a refreshment to come home, not only having enjoyed some great fellowship, but also having made such huge strides with the database. There's nothing like the help of someone who really knows what she's doing!

On the way down, we stopped in Hannibal, and enjoyed seeing the Mark Twain museum, and a beautiful over-look called "Lover's Leap" which looked down across the Mississippi river and Hannibal.

We discovered later that there's a little shop in Hannibal where they make dulcimers by hand -- so we'll have to go back again and try to find that. But I sure enjoyed what we did see there.

I picked up a shirt with a Twain quote I'd somehow missed all this time, but which I really liked: Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.

nothing can sweeten a sour disposition

I made banana-oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies last night, so I could bring them along on my long weekend visit to some friends in Missouri.

These are my MOST favorite cookies, and I made a double batch, because I wanted to be able to give them to the people we're staying with, take them to the meal at church on Sunday plus have a few to nibble on in the car.

I finished up the last batch, washed the dishes, and put a couple of hot cookies on a plate. I poured myself a big glass of milk, sat down ...

Took a big bite of hot cookie

Took a big sip of cold milk

Except, the milk was about as sour as anything I have ever tasted. I think I can STILL taste it. UGH!

No matter how much sweetness you try and cover it with, there is NOTHING that can overcome rotten and sour.

Here's to aging well!

(P.S. the milk's expiration date was Oct. 6 ... so even we, who may not have reached our elder years, have to be careful of going sour too!)

maybe a second chance

As I contemplated the upcoming need to bring my house-plants inside, I singled out several for possible euthanasia-by-frost.

However, as I examined #1 candidate for an untimely death, I noticed that the scraggly-looking thing is producing FLOWERS. Strangely-flat flowers, but flowers.

Maybe it deserves another winter in the house. :)

I like plants, but I hate clutter - and the two preferences conflict greatly sometimes. I have absolutely no trouble getting rid of un-needed things, but I find it more difficult when "getting rid of" involves killing something alive ... even a plant!

I'm thankful, but ...

Our local Christian school is having a day where they send their teens out to volunteer at different organizations.

We're getting 10 or 11 to put to work tomorrow morning.

I'm thankful to have their help. But I sometimes wonder if getting READY for volunteers is more work than just doing the volunteer work myself! :)