Summertime

"Dog Days",  we called them on the farm.  I never asked why. I do remember our dogs and every other living creature's tongues hanging out for several months.  Except for a trickle,  Elm Creek below our barn nearly ran dry. The cattle and horses jockeyed for space around the metal tank that was kept full of clear cold water that was pumped from a deep well that never ran dry. Today if you were to walk up to my front door the sound of a stream of water from that one-hundred-plus-year old pump would welcome you. Many years ago, our sentimental son Doug travelled to the now deserted farm in Kansas and retrieved that pump for me.  One of my guys attached a small motor that pulls water up from a  garden pool,  producing a refreshing sound that soothes the soul.

It took a long time for Husband/Dad to understand that the rest of us simply could not thrive in the city. Deeply buried in the souls of our three children and their mother is the love of our Creator's creation.  At great sacrifice to himself  Ted made it possible for all of us to return to our beloved mountains. When Doug lived here his home was a magnificent castle at the 6,500 foot level, surrounded by the largest rocks he could find in Bear Valley. Coffee cup in hand most of his mornings began by his scanning the mountains all the way to Mount Whitney.  His sister Dee's home,  a quarter mile below, is surrounded by giant pine trees that husband Brent found here and there when they were pitiful little Charlie Browners.  He nurtured them along until now they are a sighing forest.  Shimmering quaking aspens add a sound that is calming.  For the last couple of weeks a very big black bear has been paying them a daily visit, thoroughly enjoying swatting their humming bird feeders around and around.  Son Jeff, six hours to the north lives at the base of the Sierras where the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe glisten.  Their family bikes, jeeps or motorcycles up, up and away when they can break away for even a few hours.

Their mom finds no reason to go anywhere else to vacation. I simply step outside my patio door, snuggle down under my electric blanket,  say goodnight to Jesus Who created the wonder all around me and sleep soundly.  Today, now that I have given birth to this blog, I will hunker down for the rest of the day and finish reading "Safe in His Sanctuary"  by Robert Rasmussen who was raised alongside my boys while their dads' brains were stretching to learn Greek and Hebrew at Dallas Theological Seminary. Bob, you have lovingly caressed an all-too-often deal-breaking doctrine.  Your dad and Ted would be proud of you.  So would Dr. Walvoord,  Howie Hendricks and dear Dr. Dwight Pentecost who just this past month slipped away to Jesus at ninety-nine years of age!

Tonight I will sit down at the old piano at the Apple Shed and entertain whoever comes to dine. I will have  to wolf down an extra pain pill because it is getting tougher to sit and entertain for several hours. ....but I won't quit until my fingers refuse to fly any more.  I love bringing fun to people who come in all bored with life and each other.

I have been working very hard but having fun this summer re-decorating my home.  After the water did its saturating job downstairs that large bedroom has been turned into a coral and blue-green sitting room/parlor.  The Thursday girls prefer to meet down there where it is delightfully cool and cozy. The upstairs where we officed for decades has been turned into a cheery open-to-the-mountain- view bedroom/sitting room.  In a junky, dusty warehouse I picked up a gorgeous 8'x10' wool rug for $25 that Julie who has a good eye for value says is worth big bucks.  It looks fabulous under my second hand dining table.  For $30 in the same junky warehouse a curvy coffee table tried to hide. With a coat of paint and a little gold here and there I have an unusual beautiful sofa table. For my safety and their peace of mind my family moved my office to the middle floor. Now I can change a word in this blog and other communications by a quick visit to my computer rather than climbing the stairs for a longer thinking and writing session.  Have you heard on TV the ear-piercing scream of the woman who fell and couldn't get up?  That scream has probably sold a billion dollars worth of Life Alert buttons.  I now wear one, but I couldn't stand to have it hang on that hideous black cord attached to it,  so I bought a long gold-plaited chain and put that button in a pretty little mesh bag and hung it down the front of me inside my clothes.  It connects to somebody I will never meet on the east coast who will alert the fire department a half-mile below my deck. ...whatever works.  

Yesterday, a six-day old new Christian was our guest of honor in the coral and blue-green parlor downstairs. The Thursday girls gathered Sabra into their arms and together introduced her to scriptures that she will know for the rest of eternity.  This lovely woman,  32 years old,  a security guard at the nearby prison saw the Light of Jesus years ago in Randy and Bea Grounds when they lived here.  Randy's prison work moved them to Monterey where he became the Warden at Soledad.   I called them last night to tell them how their sowing and watering has led to a new life in Christ.   Oh, how amazing is God's team that has a working crew that includes the angels!

                                        SONG OF THE WEEK:  THERE IS A RIVER

There is a river and it flows from deep within
There is a fountain that frees the soul from sin
Come to this water; there is a vast supply
There is a river that never shall run dry.

And there was a thirsty woman; she was drawing from the well
Her life was so ruined and wasted; her soul was bound for Hell
And He said: "If you'll drink this water, you'll never thirst again.

THERE IS A RIVER AND IT FLOWS FROM DEEP WITHIN;
THERE IS A FOUNTAIN THAT FREES THE SOUL FROM SIN
COME TO THIS WATER; THERE IS A VAST SUPPLY
THERE IS A RIVER THAT NEVER SHALL RUN DRY.

Love,  Jo