January 17, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. On The Mend

Yesterday was a month since my pickup truck accident. The bruise on the outside of my left knee has gone from the size of a baseball to the size of a silver dollar and has progressed from red, blue, black, purple, green, brown, yellow to its current almost normal skin tone. This should have taken about two weeks, but longer for us up-in-age folks.
As for the truck, maybe we'll know more this week. I've done a few chores around the cabin, taken some walks on the dirt roads, stayed away from the fitness club and minimal time at the Play or RV the past month; and just awaiting the echocardiogram scheduled for the 28th and the scheduling of my shoulder surgery. It has been a lazy time, but a chance to enjoy the cabin, catch up on files, mail, looking through bins and boxes, appreciating the slower pace and thanking God for how He has watched over us, protected us and provided so bountifully.
Every time I look at this cabin and our acreage, at all the things we have "reaped" where we haven't "sown", the prayers answered and the "mending" which God has brought to our life, I am amazed at how blessed we are. With so much happening "in the world" it is refreshing to have a place to escape it and wait on God and His path for us.
Pray for America, our leaders and our people, for mending of hurts, mending of emotions and mending of hearts; a humbling and a return to civility and gentleness and thanking God for His favor, when we have not always favored Him. No matter what we are being told, we have gone beyond what we can fix or solve in our own strength. We need God, we need His plan, we need His Kingdom......and we need it NOW. In advance and with believing faith......Lord, mend our land........THANK YOU LORD.

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January 14, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. New Phone

My cell phone decided not to work a week and a half ago. It had a long life, as cell phones go. I took the old phone with me to the store and all of a sudden it came to life. It was similar to IRMA, our Garmin GPS which went nuts one day, but came to life when we were about to trade her for newer model. IRMA is still with us to this day, but my old Samsung 6 has been relegated to WI-FI status (if we ever get WI-FI service at the cabin). I now have a Samsung A51 for my contact with the outside world.
Remember when we traveled across the country using pay phones, CB radios, paper road maps, cash and vacancy signs on motels as our travel aids. Boy, have the times changed, but it was a far cry from covered wagons, shooting your supper and cooking out over a wood fire.
We live in a fast-changing world. We see so many new things every day. New medicines, new companies selling products we have never seen before, life styles and world views which defy the moral standards we grew up with, rampant technological advances(?) and having so much of our personal lives available to the general public and being vulnerable to hackers, scammers, identity thieves, spammers, robo callers and people who want to take what is ours and make it theirs.
And amidst all this, my new phone knows more about me than I know about myself. Is it listening to me while I sleep, monitoring our private conversations, building a record of my activities which are open to prying eyes and evil-minded people? Poor Samsung 6, awaiting WI-FI and it's potential return to some of its former glory. Oh, for simpler times.

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January 11, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Out Of The Box

For nearly seven years, Karen and I lived in a 39foot Class A Motor Home. When we found the cabin in the woods in May of last year, it meant we would be expanding our "box" from about 400 square feet to over 2200 square feet, have a wrap-around deck, and plenty of room to roam outside. Of course, it meant a totally different life style and while Karen never stayed in the RV after we moved into the cabin in June, I split time between both locations until the Play season ended on October 31. Then I became a commuter, with the RV being an occasional oasis.
With the virus, the potential shoulder surgery, my truck accident and my leg injury, the bigger box has been a real blessing, and It would have been a lot different if we didn't have it and had remained solely in the RV for the past seven months. Both of us have felt very fortunate to have found the cabin, been able to afford it, done some fixing, furnishing: personalizing it to make it feel like our own home. We are so thankful that what happened happened and that God let it happen at the time it did. Yes, there have been some obstacles, delays, plans being delayed or modified, but they have all added to the new season we find ourselves in and it's new challenges.
Out of the box, but still committed to seeking, asking and knocking .......taking one day at a time and trusting God for all HE has in store for us. Thank You, Lord.

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January 8, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Too Many Words #3

Earlier today I set out to blog about the unsettling events of the past week. Since so much has been said already, and the vitriol and finger pointing has not abated, I didn't want to say much. Thus the title, Too Many Words. I added the picture (already posted) as a final "feel good", but I guess the total content was too much to be sent, and it never reached the blogspot. I tried a shorter message, including the picture, but it too was too "wordy" and never made it, and was kicked back to me. I then just posted the picture.
I guess enough has been written and we will have to endure the final insults, accusations, resignations, hateful words, investigations, charges, prosecutions and other attacks on the Trump Presidency, and then await what will probably be an internal battle to see which wing of the Democrats gets its way for the next 2 years until the next midterm elections. And by the way, we are still at the mercy of a persistent virus and a lot of words flying around about it.
Enough said, on my part. No wonder Americans rate the five least respected professions to be: newspaper reporters, tv reporters, car sales people, lobbyists and finally, most dishonest....members of Congress. Those are my "words" for today. Hope you enjoyed the picture.

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January 8, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Picture Only, This Time

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January 5, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. On Hold

I was supposed to have my rotator cuff surgery on December 16, 2020. I really should have had it a year earlier, but I had cold feet and put it off. Unfortunately, the shoulder didn't get better with therapy and my falling down a few times and aggravating it didn't help much either. When I saw the orthopedic surgeon this past December 9th it was time for action and he and I were both prepared to proceed the next week.
But my primary VA doc wanted an EKG and the reviewing doctor requested an echocardiogram and on the 16th instead of surgery, I wrecked my pick-up,and the pick-up damaged my left leg, so things ground to a call. The echo never was scheduled and today I found out the earliest time I can have it is January 28th. So we're on hold and who knows what will happen between now and then, and when we can do the surgery after that, if the cardiologist gives the okay and the primary care doc gives her release to allow the surgeon to operate.
Does it seem like maybe the surgery is not to be? Not for me to say. Too many variables, beyond my control. Kind of like the whole situation we are facing with the virus, the restrictions in place for businesses, hospitals and life in general. And then there is the political turmoil and the decision on what will happen in Georgia and the control of the Senate remaining "red" or turning "blue" or somewhere in between. Are we on hold and at the mercy of too many chiefs and no indians. Ask the Washington Football Team what they think of the Cleveland Indians, Buffalo Braves, Edmonton Eskimos, Golden State Warriors, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves...........and a bunch of college and high school "incorrect" team names. But.......I digress........on hold for.............?
One day at a time, sweet Jesus.

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January 2, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Starting Over

Every year, I start reading the Bible from "the beginning". January 1 means Genesis 1 and Matthew 1, as well as my Hugs for the Heart devotional calendar which reads:
O Lord,
Help me to live this year
Quietly, easily
To lean upon Thy great strength
Trustfully, restfully
To wait for the unfolding of Thy will
Patiently, serenely
To meet others
Peacefully, joyfully
To face each tomorrow courageously

Yes, starting over, but building on what has gone before, looking to God for His plan, His purpose for me, and how I am to serve Him, serve His Kingdom and come closer to truly knowing Him, being more like His Son, and staying diligent to the promptings of The Holy Spirit. A new year, but more importantly, one more day to live In Him and For Him. Thank You, Lord, for each new year and every new day.

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