Month: May 2022

When I got Covid-19 I didn’t realize my loss of smell so much as when I recovered it. One day, a few months after I was sick with blood clots moving up and down my legs, I could smell stuff again.

I never had a good sense of smell anyway. I smell peonies and roses, skunk and garbage, garlic (sometimes) and other herbs. When I was a kid I liked the smell of creosote and oil at my family’s “shop,” where staves were made for silos. I just wasn’t gifted with a good sense of smell. Maybe I damaged my sniffer with sniffing gas…:)

Today I am sniffing the spring air, and I do smell the white lilacs that are in my parents’ yard. I get delicious whiffs of other blooms too. Spring is heady with scent.

In my old age I appreciate the five senses all the more. It seems that I aged 4 decades since Brian died —I felt 40’s, but now I’m feeling my 80’s.

As a kid interested in Bible prophecy I never dreamed I’d reach the age of 40. Now, twenty years later, I am starting to think about age and all of its curses.

I know there are blessings, and the Lord determines our days, but I have the curse on my mind today.

Perhaps it is seeing my 95 year old dad decline.

Aging is normal in this sin-dominated world. I think most of us forget that the ill effects of age were never intended when God created the world. Alas, it is a reality for us, now, and since the death of my husband I am only reminded of it on a daily basis.

My hearing is worse, my eyesight is not what it was. I like spicy food nowadays. We’ve already discussed smell. I can still touch and feel, but it seems that even that sense is lacking.

Do you long for Christ’s Kingdom and our new millennial bodies? I do. I have.

I just didn’t think we’d still be here. I thought we’d be long gone to be with Jesus in 2020. Now it’s 2022 and we are still longing.

Life is so precious. Each life is such a gift from the Lord, and it is a huge blessing to be gifted long life. My dad is one of those blessed.

He must have honored his parents. (He did, I can attest.)

Long life, being a blessing, is something I need to come to grips with. I’ve wanted to go and be with Jesus my whole life. I never dreamed my husband would go before me. I think he valued life here on earth more than I did. God’s ways are not our ways.

I was being taught to value life when Ed was diagnosed with leukemia. I was convicted in my heart that I hadn’t given proper value to the gift of life, the gift of the earth, the gift of the genetic code and generations.

Yes, we are fading, but what a glorious creation each of us is! There is a universe of cell activity in each of us, all 7 billion of us.

How long, Oh Lord? How long?

End the suffering, Father, and come and get us. End the decay of all flesh, the sin, the hardship! The death and pain, sickness and grief.

We are waiting.

We are trying to be patient.

MARANATHA!

…painfully beautiful mornings when I sit on the porch drinking coffee, weeping, dealing with the pain in my life and the contrast to the spring colors my eyes are feasting on.

I’m reading Scripture, praying, and crying out to God for my needs—which of course He already knows and has answers for.

I went to my cousin’s funeral yesterday. We, my mom and I, took my dad. This is nothing short of a miracle, since the past week has been full of questions about his health progress—or regress.

It does seem that he is getting stronger after his mini stroke a week ago. Thankful.

The funeral was a real witness, evangelical, and uplifting. Hymn medleys were sung with the mighty (and distinctively special) Wooddale pipe organ. Wow. The key changes were masterfully executed, transitions were perfect. Kudos to the organist! My cousin had wanted his favorites sung, so I think we sang about 18 hymns. Seriously, and it was glorious.

Living For Jesus!

Ed picked that some time ago as one of his all-time favorites, and it was one of my cousin’s, too. I think it may become one of mine. Such pretty harmony! Wonderful words. Look it up and play it today. You will be blessed.

Tonight our summer guest, A, and I will help out the worship team at our new church. I don’t know how long this “helping” will last, but I felt the conviction that I should, as the music team was virtually decimated over the past two months. Pleas for help didn’t fall on deaf ears.

I am a musician. You probably know that, regular reader.

I can’t sit still with my gift of music when there is an obvious need right in front of me. I pray that I can be a blessing.

I’m going to be playing guitar tonight, not piano, so I won’t be on my best ability. It should be fun to jam a bit again.

Today I am thankful for how God arranged our summer. Ed is mostly home, working on a project. Cherie works at the hotel about three days a week. My schedule is reduced to being available for helping my mom.

I’m hoping to teach A to drive. She’s sort of a prisoner here in the country, not having her own transportation. She likes the quiet, though, too.

She is from the DRC. I find it very interesting how God weaves themes into our lives. 70 years ago my uncle built a hospital in the Congo. Tandala. That hospital, built under the direction of the Evangelical Free Church of America, is still operating. He came back from Africa, (and his family) and built the house I live in today. That was over 60 years ago.

Today we are loving having A with us, and I can’t help marvel at the ties from the past. Why the DRC? Why not Chad, or Libya, or —–?

God likes patterns.

That is one reason I am such a prophecy buff. The patterns are so evident, and they speak to the future and to hope. They speak to order and expectation. We can live our lives anticipating the return of Christ, our meeting Him in the air (very soon, people!)

God is amazing. When we recognize His fingerprints on this awesome creation and time, events and circumstances we can be wholly reassured that He is in control. We can’t be shaken.

So, when I sit on my porch and weep I can know that my tears aren’t unnoticed by heaven. The life to come is beyond my imagination, but I anticipate it. I may be lonesome and impatient right now, but I am not unmindful of the blessings and care God has bestowed upon me. Can I grieve and be grateful at the same time?

Yes. Because that is what I am doing. I can weep for my loss and marvel at the pale pink/violet color of the tulips blooming in the kitchen garden. There is a group of unexpected tulips that appeared out back of the house. Ed says he didn’t plant them. Did Brian? They are a spot of beauty this year. What a year for tulips at Corgi Hollows!

Yes, spring comes late here in Minnesota. This is the beautiful time of year.

Get those hands in the dirt! Such medicine for the spirit, apparently! Sunshine and scent, grass and loam. Birdsong and frog medleys. Spring is in full bloom at Corgi Hollows.

Thank you, God.

MARANATHA!

First of all, I want to thank everyone from social media and here on the blog for your assurance of prayer and support since last Sunday morning when my dad had a mini-stroke. I wanted to give an update about how the week went.

First, Dad, as his condition is the main concern. After an initial confusion and inability to move he seemed to become more clear in his thinking and even able to control his leg. It seemed to be miraculous to my mom and me. There was gradual improvement throughout Sunday. We were able to take him to the doctor on Monday for a routine check-up.

He tries so hard to help us and to be easy to care for.

This week we have definitely seen a change, and someone must be with him all night long. He is sleeping in a reclining chair to reduce chest pain. There is more confusion at night, so it helps to have at least two people there.

My nieces came to help out with this night-time duty, and that was a huge blessing! Ed and Cherie are also part of the team. Everyone, including my eldest son, and Margaret, have stopped by and contributed to my dad’s care.

I decided to stop subbing for the year, except for the jobs I’d already agreed to. That meant, for me, to work 7 to 3 at the high school yesterday, then 3 to 11 at the hotel. A long day, tiring, and I was already a bit tired from the interrupted sleep of the week, even though I only spent two nights next door so far. The team is just amazing. Ed and Cherie covered Grandpa during my time away at my jobs.

My mom is really amazing. She takes her role as a help-meet seriously. Even with her own health concerns she has been steady and strong this entire time.

I say—-answered prayer.

God is good, all the time.

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!

The plan this week is for my dad to actually attend his nephew’s funeral. He really wants to go. I’m pretty sure we can manage it, since the trip to the doctor went so well on Monday.

Isn’t life full of twists and turns?

God is in charge.

*relief*

My dad is 95. We share a birthday, I’m 59 this year, and I am close to him. I’m biased about my dad.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I’d say I have many reasons to state that my dad is the sweetest. A man of conviction, faith, prayer, intelligence, integrity, guileless, upright, slow to anger.

He really is a godly man.

The pudding right now is his declining health. A year ago he had a stroke, and combined with congestive heart failure and age he saw a year of progressing health concerns. He has a few other chronic health issues, too.

This morning he had another stroke, by all appearances. His speech is affected, his right side is less mobile. A mini-stroke, probably.

It is a blessing to see his sweet attitude in this. He expresses his gratefulness, his wishes, his hopes with limited ability, yet complete peace and a quiet spirit. He wants to be home. He said how grateful he was to have his family be willing to accept these health changes. He accepts the change quietly, peacefully.

We would like your prayers as we go through this next development. That is what we ask of our friends.

I am grateful for a dad with whom I get to spend eternity. His faith shines right now.

I asked him the other day if he’d rather go peacefully to be with Jesus or be raptured. He gladly exclaimed, “I’ve got no preference!”

Happy voice, happy countenance. Sweetness.

Come Lord Jesus.

Maranatha!

Better.

Is it the beauty of spring and the lush green grass after storms?

The tulips and daffodils are blooming in force around Corgi Hollows. Spring always comes late to Minnesota, making the burst of color almost painfully emotional to experience. I cried on the way to school yesterday—the beauty was overwhelming. The sun shone across the lake: deep blue water, golden green treeline on the other shore, sky of the most delicate color to the west.

I write about nature in Minnesota because it is so remarkable.

We’ve been following the return of the songbirds, and I put the grape jelly out for the orioles. They called their arrival and promptly partook of the sweet feast.

Ed has been monkeying around in the kitchen garden and planning his Japanese garden. With our new-found Asian knowledge (Chinese and Japanese, mostly) we are entering a new world. Both of us have learned a lot this past winter during our time of Hygge. (That is Scandinavian for being holed up for the winter.)

Now that Japan is possibly opening on June 1 I think we can consider buying plane tickets. I renewed my passport, so I have to wait for its return. It is exciting to think of traveling, and I wonder if it will become possible for us, again.

The world has changed.

We wait for the new kingdom, coming soon.

It is seven years since Ed was diagnosed with Leukemia. The Great Tribulation is a seven year period, Jacob’s Trouble. How quickly seven years can pass, how much can occur in that time frame.

Death, loss, change, new beginnings.

I am ready for Jesus to come. The next thing on my agenda is to see His Face.

In the meantime I will learn and complete the duties of my new job, the Chinese-American NGO.

Sometimes I think about implementing the original ideas for Corgi Hollows: a home-school resource, tutoring, music lessons, art opportunities, library. As an educator I see the need for experienced teachers/moms to impart help where needed. I am always willing to help. I want to encourage home schooling.

Right now I need to finish the public school year, figure out the academic plan for my master’s degree completion and continue learning Chinese.

Tomorrow we have a young lady moving in for the summer. We are all happy to have her. She is from Africa, and she is a college student here in Minnesota.

Ed and Cherie have summer ideas, and some plans, and we are all looking forward to positive change.

Rapture?

Eyes on the sky. Maranatha!

Brian was such a baseball fan. When he had trouble sleeping at night I’d wake up to see him watching baseball reruns of spectacular plays on his phone. He really loved baseball.

We went to a game as often as we could. Every year we’d think about purchasing season’s tickets, but always opted out. It seemed too expensive both financially and time-wise.

Still, watching the Minnesota Twins was just the best thing for us.

When Ed had cancer we would get tickets from Children’s Hospital about once or twice a year. Perks. Cancer perks. Those seats were always the best, right by first base.

Sometimes Great River Energy got us the ticket through a company gathering. Brian loved working for Great River Energy.

We savored those events.

I wanted to get to a Twin’s game so badly last year, but I was still hibernating. It just didn’t seem to work out.

When this season opened I said to Cherie that we should go to the opener. It was supposed to be a Thursday evening, but then it got postponed to Friday and both Cherie and I work on Friday. Boo-hoo.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day (and I heard from all my children 🙂 :)). I said to Cherie, “Let’s go to the game!”

What a fun afternoon!!! The sun peeked out. We got tickets in section 325, and the view of the field and Minneapolis is just awesome from there! We were practically the only ones in the section, so we could have a blast just by ourselves.

The Twins are doing so great these days. They won (yay!) and the game was appropriately exciting. Tickets were under 20$ and that is truly a bargain for such a great thing to do. I was sad to see the stadium so poorly filled.

Come on, Minnesota! Let’s support our Twins!

My favorite player is Max Kepler. His ties to Germany are so interesting and he’s good, too. I’m going to have to look for a Twin’s shirt with Kepler #26 on the back.

I expect to get back to Target Field this season….maybe often?