Saturday Update

Phil and I just got home from the hospital. He is still pretty sick. He has lots of imitations, and is taking lots of meds. He should be back to normal in six weeks to two months. I will see how things go here, and may start blogging soon! But for now, Phil still needs a good bit of care. Thanks you all so much for prayers, good thoughts, and your wonderful comments!!

Emergency Surgery

    Hi my Blog friends! On Monday night, Phil had emergency surgery. Our local E.R. transported him to a big university hospital. They got a team of surgeons together. They removed almost TWO FEET of Phil's small intestine. Some kind of band had wrapped around it and twisted it, shutting off the blood supply and killing it. He has been terribly sick on the surgical ward.
    I have been with him for three days, watching and worrying and talking to the teams of doctors, never sleeping. Finally this morning, I collapsed. A nurse found me and could not wake me, so they called a team of medics and transported me to the E.R. I was diagnosed with extreme fatigue and sent home right away. As soon as I get a lot of sleep, I am going right back. But in these few hours, I can let you all know.
    I don't know what will happen, and I will need to try hard to take care of both of us. I believe Phil is out of the woods now and doing better. We may get some nursing visits at home. But I WILL be back to visit and post. Please be patient as we go through this hard time. I LOVE you all!!
   

Too Many Rows

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place, and in the sky,

The larks, still bravely singing, fly,

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

John McCrae, 1872 – 1918

No poppies here. Just rows and rows of white markers. This is the Veteran's Cemetery in Staunton, Va.

“He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise…”

1 Thessalonians 4

The Ladies Room

These are pictures I took a few years ago in the women's bathroom at a botanical garden. Have I sunk to a new low? But I loved the monkey wallpaper and just had to show you. This was a big bathroom with a couple rooms, so nice and clean.

Speaking of SINKING to a new low, their sinks were pretty cool too! No more monkeying around now, I am on my way to bed.

“The king had ships going to Tarshish with Huram’s sailors. Once every three years the Tarshish ships would bring gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.”

2 Chronicles 9

Welcome! Come In! But You Could Be Eaten Alive!

Doesn't everyone trust the Michelin Man when they go to buy tires?

Here is our local tire dealer, just a few blocks away.

But there's a mean surprise behind these doors. A vicious guard dog is roaming the store. These signs warn you to guard your life and limb. Be careful! Do not touch, pet, or even look this dog in the eye!

He could take a dislike to you or the way you smell, and then it's all over for you.

If you should doubt, there are many papers hanging up to tell you that this dog means business! Tread lightly, look AWAY from the dog, don't sweat or get nervous...

I'm assuming the place has had break-ins. Phil will go in, but not me. They even said I could come in and TRY to take pictures! NOOoooo, thanks anyway but I don't think so! I think this may lose them a lot of business. HEY, I am an animal lover, but killer dogs roaming around while I am trying to do business is a bit too much. What do YOU think?

The dog in my header is not the one I am posting about, but I liked  how it turned out with the big and tiny dogs. I would never go in THERE, either!

“You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.”

Matthew 24

The Hills

We went up on this hill to photograph the sunset. Well, that did not work out. But I noticed how the mountains changed color as the sun lowered.

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.”

Matthew 5

Joan's Garden

                 This is the house of a couple who are some of our best friends. Joan & Andy.

My friend Joan passed away a few months ago. She was a wonderful gardener. Her husband moved into a retirement home and sold the house. A few days ago, he told me to go out back and look at her flowers. They were all blooming. The new buyers had not moved in yet and the house was still empty.  Here is what I found, a beautiful memory of Joan's Garden. 

I was with Joan on the night she died. The last thing she said to me was that she will be walking on streets of gold. I know you are, Joan.

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

Revelation 21

After The Fog

When the fog had lifted and we got back to town, this is what we saw! You all had some really good guesses! But it was the grand opening of an Aldis. They have been building it for many months. The sun was shining on all of it, and it was so pretty.

We went to the opening.You have to put a quarter in the cart in order to use it. Then you get it back after you are done. Also they have no bags, one way of saving money to bring down costs. Ours is a very tiny store. Have you ever shopped at Aldis? Do you like them?

“It’s important to look at things from God’s point of view. I would rather not see you inflating or deflating reputations based on mere hearsay.”

1 Corinthians 4

The Fog

            Last Thursday, we got up very early and drove to a doctor appointment. It was foggy!

A barn?

A church?

Road work...

                                              An old stone wall with another church

A field of trees.

                             Back on the way home, it was beginning to clear. Another church...

Cabins in the woods.

By the time we got off the interstate, almost all the fog was gone. And look what we saw at the exit. What was going on? We went down and took a look. And you will see on my next post!

“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!”

1 Corinthians 13