After the Ball is over

If Ted Stone had been required to dance at a Ball before accepting new leadership he'd have feigned a heart attack. ...or had one. When we lived in Houston, for weeks my usually prompt husband was late for dinner. The thought that there might be another woman in his life never entered my mind. ...but there WAS!  He was taking dancing lessons from a female instructor after work, planning to surprise me by taking me dancing on my birthday! We went dancing. ... on my birthday. He was struggling hard to relax but he was stiff as a board. I had known for years that myTed had no natural ability to feel the music and he never would. While we danced on my birthday night he was looking at a 3x5 card behind my back with dance step configurations marked on it. ...like his football coach had scribbled on a blackboard years before. I broke out in both tears and laughter and said, "Come on, husband. Let's get outta here and go have dinner."

Ted was an athlete, and a good one. All three of our kids were and are excellent sports people. They love music but can take it or leave it. ...not like their mom. When I sit down at that Grand piano at Triassic tomorrow afternoon every tune I ever heard will somehow come from my memory and through my fingers. ...not unlike the natural way my Ted and his kids felt and feel what to do with a ball, a bat, a mitt, a racquet, a golf club, their feet that hike, run and climb (but don't dance), and so forth and so on.

One Saturday night when I was still entertaining from the piano at the Apple Shed a lone man named "Gideon" was sitting nearby. We talked, and connected in the heart with Jesus. As I write, Messianic Jew Gideon and Alta,  his born-again Navajo Indian wife are sitting at my dining table, getting acquainted with a lovely young woman the Lord has recently brought through my door and into my heart. Such SPLENDID people He brings!

Franklin Graham's benedictory prayer at the Inauguration ceremony cut through some of the religious baloney.. ...and his dear dad is still here to HEAR him.  Father, praise You for Your mercy! You have put these men in office for such a time as this.

Love, Jo