The Snail Who Thought He Was A Cat

 
Who is this snail and why is he on a fancy green glass plate? Well, A few days after I came home from the hospital, my friend called me. It was late evening and I was exhausted and ready for bed, but she told me she had something for me. What could it be? She had found a snail on her porch! Knowing that I love to take pictures of unusual things, she brought the snail inside. Oh, did I mention that my friend feeds the stray cats in the neighborhood, and this snail was on a paper plate eating the cat food? Well, she carried him in, but he seemed to be stuck on the paper plate, so she got her shiny green glass plate, put a few drops of water on it for him to slide on, and waited for Phil to run to her house and get him. Needless to say, I was energized. When I saw him, I put the plate on the kitchen table, and he stuck his neck way out and peered at me, traveling around the rim of the plate. So cute! Can you find his eyes? They are on the very tip of his long antenna! Nowadays I am a lot like my friend the snail, I must move at a snail's pace. The world may not tell us to slow down, only to rush. But slow can be a really good thing. James says that we should be slow to speak, giving us time to think first. And God is very slow to anger. I also see many more things than people who are rushing around, both the good and the bad, the sorrowful and the joyful. So let me stand back while others rush past, that's alright. If they would slow down a bit like me, they would be amazed by what they see.


"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:8,12

Like Rain On Tender Plants

For the beauty of the earth
For the beauty of the skies
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our grateful hymn of praise.
Folliot S. Pierpoint


I post peonies every year, and here are this years that I took about a month ago. They are not mine, I found them in front of someone's yard. To see my peonies from last year, and read the story of how they got their name, CLICK HERE.  Did you know that peonies started out with only about one layer of petals? But man kept improving on them till they had many layers and were much more beautiful. However, there is a flaw in them now. All of the many petals turn upward, and when it rains, the water dumps the heavily laden blossoms over into the mud. I expect you have seen this before, a sad sight. We may think we can improve on what God made, but there is often a flaw, because we are not perfect, nor do we make perfect things. God knew just how the flowers should be when he made them. Sometimes beauty comes at a price.

"Listen, O heavens, and I will speak;
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants."
Deut, 32:1,2

A Song Of Joy

The silver swan, who living had no note,
when death approached, unlocked her silent throat.
Leaning her breast against the reedy shore,
thus sang her first and last, then sang no more;
"Farewell, all joys! O death, come close mine eyes!
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise."
Orlando Gibbons


About a month ago, I heard that the swans at the local park had babies! So I wasted no time in getting there. Aren't they cute? One thing that surprised me was that the babies didn't have long necks like the grown swans. These are Mute Swans, said not to make hardly any noise, but I discovered different at the park. The parents would honk loudly at the babies whenever they got too far away. My poem is a reference to the ancient belief that this swan is completely silent until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song. A strangely haunting myth, but untrue.


"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield."
Psalm 5:11,12

Leadings

Hi everyone! Well, this only works if you know the Beatles song "Baby, You Can Drive My Car". I just couldn't resist making up my own words to the tune of this old song. So without further ado, here goes:

Beep beep, beep beep, yeah!
The lab tech came in just to stick me
And he said "Patient, can't you see,
this is the Cadillac of beds
so you can drive, plus take your meds!"

Nurses you can drive my bed!
I'm so glad that I'm not dead.
Nurses you can drive my bed
And nurses I love you.

This bed's engine just purrs along.
And it is really very strong.
Things are not always what they seem.
It takes the curves just like a dream.

Nurses you can drive my bed!
I'll keep looking straight ahead.
Nurses you can drive my bed.
And nurses I love you!
Beep beep, yeah!


Now I know you are wondering what on earth this is all about, so I will tell you. When the lab guy came in to stick me, he asked me if I knew how special my bed was. I didn't. The bed is really a car. It has an engine on it so that it can be driven down the halls, and it slows on turns. No more heavy pushing of those big beds anymore, will wonders ever cease? Being led around was never easier!


"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 23:1,4

Top 20 Things You Don't Want To Hear When You're A Hospital Patient

You just KNOW that I couldn't stick to 10! These are all things I really heard during my ten day hospital stay. When reading #1, keep in mind these pictures of the glass enclosed cylinder I was in. So without further ado, here are the top ten things you never want to hear when you are a hospital patient:

1. Tornado warning
2. Oops!
3. What's this?
4. The cafeteria special today is Moo Goo Dry Pork
5. Good morning! You've been here so long, it's time to test you for secondary infections!
6. I'm extending your drug regimen
7. Don't mind the man in the next room. I know he sets off the alarm and screams a lot, but I assure you that he's harmless.
8. From man in the next room: Hey! It's almost nine o'clock! We gotta DO something!
9. We're out of grape popsicles
10. The doctor has just ordered a stat blood test and wants it read within the hour.
11. HOW many days have you been in here?
12. We need to interrupt some of these I.V. drugs, there's not enough hooks on the pole.
13. This vein is shot. Time to page the I.V. nurses to find a new one!
14. I think we forgot to change the furnace filter at home.
15. We only have extremely low sodium ginger ale
16. The regular doctor is on vacation, so you will get a different one every two days. But don't worry, they read notes very well.
17. Did you know that the three rooms surrounding you are all in isolation?
18. We need you to eat, with no protein you won't heal.
19. If this continues, we will have to remove your I.V. and put a port in your collarbone.
20.You must have a very high tolerance for pain!

But don't worry, it all has a happy ending. I got through all this and more because of the many kind and sympathetic nurses and doctors, and my wonderful husband! I had many signs along the way that God WAS with me, he even directed our footsteps by putting heavy fog on the mountain so that we had to to to a different hospital than I the one wanted. And of course His choice was so much better than mine.


"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, he will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5,6

I'm Home!

Hi to all my wonderful and loyal friends!! I got home yesterday at lunchtime. So I will give you a status report now. I got away with no bedsores except for one on my elbow. I am not healing as I should and should not have this much pain by now. So the hospital doctor has prolonged the drugs till I go to my own doctor next Wednesday for maybe more tests. I got a hiatus hernia from so much violent vomiting, but since that is much better, it should subside and be no problem. I have come away with something maybe torn in my good knee, necessitating us to get handicapped equipment for the bathroom; also a badly pulled back muscle that makes it very hard to stand. I'm hoping maybe an injection or something next week will fix that. My big accomplishment today was being able to clean out the toaster oven crumb tray!!! Other than that, Phil has to guide me around and do everything for me, he has taken emergency leave from work. Your wonderful and uplifting comments have made me both laugh and cry, and I can feel the love in them. I have the most wonderful followers in the WORLD!! I should take at least three weeks to heal, if nothing else is wrong with me, so I have to take it slowly!! I will be visiting all your blogs in a few days, but need to start slow, I WILL get there! I already have many posts in my mind! Your prayers and comments have meant more to me than you will EVER know, you are each so special and I am so blessed to have each of you!!! Hope to see you and what you've been up to real soon, I can't wait!!!!! By the way, isn't my header pretty? It is a fabric hanging in the hospital, with the hospital curved walls and pillars reflected in it. If you look closely, you can see my shadow in the lower right corner.

Sundays latest

Hello my friends. I had a few setbacks and will still be in the hospital a few more days. I talked with the doctor today, and will still need to recover quite a while once I get home. My computer is still not here, as I cannot sit up straight too long, so Phil is typing on the hospitals computer. The Dr. has said that part of my intestines will be a bit damaged maybe forever, so that means I have a 50/50 chance of this returning. If it keeps returning, this would mean major bowel re-sectioning surgery--not good. But the more time goes on, the less chance it will return. I really miss you and look forward to reading your comments when I get home. God bless you all.

weekend update on Ginny

Hi, Phil here, and I'm posting an update from the hospital computer, written by Ginny:  Hi my friends. I can feel your thoughts and prayers, thank you so much. I have continued to be very sick, often sitting up for hours to throw up,  not being able to even read. They told me if I waited to go to the E.R. much later, I could have died. I am much better today, able to go down the hall with a walker, keep popsicles down, and my diet was just changed to soft-liquid. I'm still getting daily stomach injections to avoid clots in my legs. I had my first 1/4 cup of coffee a few minutes ago, and it was so good. I have already composed a top 10 hospital post for you when I return home. I may be in here for the weekend, though.    Love to all!!!

Update on Ginny

I'm writing this from my hospital bed, and Phil is posting from a hospital computer. My white cell count had doubled and is really not better yet though I'm taking i.v. bags of 2 different antibiotics. Also taking lots of other drugs. Phil has been staying here 24/7, bless his heart. The pain is bearable as long as I don't move, so mobility is almost non-existant, hoping the drugs will kick in soon and this will all change. Also hoping I don't need surgery. Thanks to my dear followers, will update tomorrow hopefully

hospital

Hi, this is Phil, Ginny's husband. Ginny is in the hospital with acute diverticulitis. She is on anti-biotics, anti-nausea meds, and pain meds. The Dr. thinks she may be in the hospital the rest of this week.
Pray for us that she will get well soon!
Phil H.

Of Doctors, Cars, and Tastycakes

"The time has come", the walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of doctors, cars, and Tastycakes
Of cabbages and kings
And why the day was not so great
and whether pigs have wings."


I got the feeling today might go a bit askew when I was making the bed and a spider was on the bedspread. I am terrified of them. So you can only imagine me running around the house naked trying to find a way to quickly kill it without getting near it. That over, I went to my doctor for a check up. There I found out that I am pre-diabetic and I likely have some kind of rare genetic disorder that is turining my bones, ligaments, and tendons to mush. Don't know what the disorder may be, because we don't have a name to look up, and such is the state of genetic testing and insurance...blah bla blah. I left the office with a 30 page printout to read, and found out our car was dead again. We put in a call to son and daughter-in-law to rescue us. Daughter in law Melissa stopped in the middle of making jam and was there with jumper cables and our granddaughter in five minutes. Do we have a great daughter-in-law or what? Son arrived shortly thereafter, having missed all the fun. Word to the wise: not good to put your cell on vibrate. Back home, and after photographing me with my five pound diabetes printout, I finally decided it was time for some serious sugar. No irony here! How about it, is this a one cupcake day, or the whole box? I am actually fine because I am not diabetic YET, we have a wonderful family, and the car is back home waiting on our good mechanic. All things in perspective. And let's just totally forget that today was Friday The 13th.


"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4

The Watcher

This is the huge field where Phil and the rest of the soaring club play fly their gliders. And this is where you would have found Phil and I one evening at twilight a couple weeks ago. The field was empty and quiet, only the two of us there, and as usual I settled down to take pictures of the sunset while watching him fly his glider. When we went to leave, the car wouldn't start. Nothing. Not even a click. Phil discovered that acid had eaten through the battery cable. He rummaged in the trunk and found some medical tape and it started. Through all this we had watchers who came out into the twilight, but kept their distance. They were extremely curious. We made it home, though it quit once again. The next morning, our mechanic told him that the car could have exploded at the field while he worked on it. Many years ago, the car quit way out of town and he fixed the broken hose with a razor blade he found. Another time when the car quit, he fixed it enough to get us home, but whenever we needed to get in reverse, he had to get underneath the car while I kept my foot on the brake, yikes! I think someone else has been watching over us besides these deer.

"From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth - he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do...We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield."   Psalm33

Crabby

The crab apple trees are in bloom now, and they're beautiful! Most of these pictures are from the one on the corner. They are all covered with bees, but this one was different.  Usually bees leave me alone and even let me take their picture, because they are busy getting nectar. My friend Judy, over at THRUSQUIRRELEYES, taught me this. She knows almost everything. But these bees were different, and very aggressive! They buzzed me and buzzed me! I must have been a sight, standing on the corner swinging my arms around and trying to cover my head with my camera. A huge swarm finally chased me back to the car, and I am incredibly lucky that I wasn't stung. I had to wonder if they were African bees, at least partially. But then I got to thinking. The crab apple tree gets it's name from the word "crabbed", meaning crooked, disagreeable, or ill tempered. Because not only is the tree crooked like a crab, but the fruit is very disagreeable and sour. So these bees were just full of that crabby, ill tempered nectar. I'll think twice before snapping a crab apple tree again.


"Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings..."   Psalm 17:7,8

A Portrait Of My Love

There could never be a portrait of my love
for nobody could paint a dream
You will never see a potrrait of my love
for miracles are never seen.
Ornadel/West


I wonder how many of you remember the old song "Portrait Of My Love"? Phil and I spent Mother's Day at our son's house, where more family had gathered to celebrate. We sat outside under their gazebo in the cool breeze and watched the kids play. Of course they brought their dolls to dinner, as any good mom would do! It was a lovely day, and us moms each got presents! Mine was two tickets to the new luxury movie theatre in town, and a portrait that our granddaughter had painted of herself!! It was even framed in a beautiful frame. What do you think, not a bad likeness for a five year old! The other big love in my life is my son Mike, pictured here with me. But there is no portrait of the one who loves us more than anyone, so much that he died for us. We do not know a thing about what he looked like in human form, but I am thinking it was very average. He could have been beautiful and swayed people by his looks, but chose not to, chose to be just like the average guy. This is all we know about how he looked.


"There was nothing attractive about him. Nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand."   Isaiah 53


"Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privilages. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life, and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that - a crucifiction."   Philippians 2:8

Computer Problems

Having some computer problems, hope to be up and running soon. It's good if this post goes through!

A Strong Heart

Frances Agnes Elizabeth Peters : 1927-2008


She was born in a small coal mining town near Pittsburgh. She was born one month late, and with a tooth already in her mouth. When she was seven, her father left the family for another woman, something unheard of in 1934. That was when she came down with severe asthma, which doctors didn't know much about back then. She spent the next several years in hospitals inside oxygen tents, or at home in bed, at times barely catching her breath, unable to lay flat and still inhale. She had to drop out of elementary school, and was never to return. She had to lie about her age to get a work permit at age 16, and never stopped working after that. From about the age of 45 till she retired at 65, she worked two full time jobs, 16 hours a day, with never a day off. She received many awards, all with no education. At about age 60, she was mugged on a city street. She would not let go of her purse, and was dragged screaming. She was a fighter. She was tough as nails and soft as butter. At age 65, she retired and moved here to Virginia to be with us, but kept on working part time. She adored work, and it gave her her identity. She got bladder cancer and had two major surgeries. Went back to work. Then got lung cancer and had part of a lung removed. Finally the cancer spread. The tumors blocked her stomach so nothing would stay down. The hospital fed her thru I.V., but then withdrew it. We said our good-byes and they put her in a deep sleep, and removed all fluids. She would starve to death. Usually in that state, a person lasts maybe a week. She lasted almost two weeks. She was a fighter. I watched as her nightgown went up and down from the beat of her strong heart. I watched. It was un unspeakable time, so why do I speak of it now and sadden your day? Because it is Mother's Day and I must. I want others to know her. Will this help lessen my pain? Probably not. But now her story is here, and it seems right. For some reason, Blogger won't put my pictures in the right order, but you can figure it out..


"...do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you." Proverbs 6:20,22