Feeling the Bite

With the quickly rising gas prices and the prediction that it could be as high as $5.00 per gallon by the end of summer Dirk has suggested some adjustments at the ManyMeadows.

He is considering leaving his work truck at one of our rent houses in Oklahoma City and riding his motorcycle to get his truck each workday to save gas consumption.

We will not be mowing as often this year. Some of the orchard and other out-of-the-way areas will just get tall. (gas cans filled for the rider mower and the tractor tonight came up to $50…eek!)

I know some of you may have to make some adjustments of your own to off-set that rising gasoline expenditure.

What are some of your ideas and suggestions?

The price of gas is getting up there with the price of milk. Did you start buying less milk when the price went up?

Jump Off the Rollercoaster!

Is your life a roller coaster? Do you find yourself moving from one crisis to another, up, down, up, down?

Let’s look at Psalm 84:5-7

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

God’s Word tells us that we can move from strength to strength. Even when there are valleys. Can you imagine? Strength to strength! Not high point to high point, but strength to strength.

As we go through this “pilgrimage” the Psalm even tells us that we will pass through the Valley of Baca (weeping) …ever been there? But, it also tells us that we can make that valley into a spring! You know, making lemonade out of lemons, making the best of every situation. Seeing that there is good somewhere past the hard times. Keeping our eyes on the One who is Strength. Seems like it’s a choice.

I don’t know about you, but I choose going from strength to strength.

How about you? Ready for a little less roller coaster life?

Jon is Back!

The Tulsa airport was alive with anticipation on Saturday morning. Around 200 family members, Marine veterans, and friends of the 23 members of the 323rd Platoon, Jump Company Marine Reserve Unit from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma were returning from Iraq.

The children played, the wives chatted excitedly, and everyone anxiously watched the clock and the hallway leading from the American Airlines gate.

Finally, the airport security gave the thumbs-up. The plane had arrived! The civilian passengers departed first, making their way through the crowded waiting area. I overheard one man declare, "Wow! This makes me wish I were a Marine!"

Erin, Kaden, and Will were eagerly waiting at the edge of the "Do Not Enter" line leading to the security check area. I was poised with a ready camera.

And then, we saw them. Warriors, dressed in their Marine fatigues, standing tall, their presence filling the hallway as they made their way to cheers, smiles and tears. Mighty men, with a willingness to serve our country being welcomed home by those who support them, pray for them and love them.









"Daddy, are you ready to go home?"

Remember those who have now gone to replace this unit.

Friday Finds

Some of my girls….

Erin's husband, Jon and the rest of the 323rd Battlion, Jump Platoon Marines arrive Saturday at noon at the Tulsa airport! He called me this week---can't WAIT to see him! Again, thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

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Next daughter, Ali starts work this weekend at Supercuts, 2nd and Bryant, in Edmond. Ali has been a stylist for 6 years. If you want one of the best haircuts EVER, ask for her on Saturdays or Sundays. Be sure to leave her a good tip!
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3rd daughter, Anna is running in the OKC Memorial Marathon Sunday. She's running the 1/2 marathon (ONLY 13 miles!) Leave her a "blug" on her blog.

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Youngest daughter, Katie is Employee of the Month at Edmond Medical Center. It’s a big deal, people! She even gets the special parking place. However, since she walks, not drives, to work, she's considering putting a lawn chair in her parking place as a claim on her special territory. ; )

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Some of my other girls....

You’ve gotta see the cake we had at a recent family birthday bash! Abbi is amazing!!
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My good friend and blog-bud, Cindy Beall is back on-line. See what happened to her this week!

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We'll be at a wedding for a family friend tonight. Our granddaughter, Lily, is the “Flower Princess”, ( a name she chose and the bride is listing it in the program).

Your weekend?

Go Fly a Kite!

A couple of weeks ago, Dirk and I headed the motorcycle out to Lake Overholser in west Oklahoma City. We came upon a new park, Route 66 Park, located on the southwest side of the lake.

This park is a delight!

It’s worth the drive. Take a picnic and plan on spending a few hours. Take a kite. Take your roller blades or skateboards. (Come on, you know you want to). I’m looking into one of those new wave boards. Looks like FUN!

; -) There are large ponds and a really nice, big playground area.

Explore the Route 66 sidewalk at the south end of the park and you’ll feel like you did school for the day. It’s like an outdoor museum!

Whatever you decide to do there, make plans to go! You won’t be disappointed.

Have you been here? Are you going? Do you want a wave board too? ; )

What Do You Think?

"Attitude is a

choice"

Is it? Or not?

Your thoughts?

Lessons from Some Weeds

It’s spring! Time for me to head to the garden. It’s a passion of mine. I’m not great at it, but I do enjoy getting my hands in the dirt. And there are plenty of spiritual applications found in that garden of mine.

This year, on one of those early spring warmish days, I put on my gloves, went across the road (a short walk from home) ready to begin tilling, digging, spading, and making ready the soil for some early seed.

What I was met with was a big disappointment. The garden was covered in weeds. Dead weeds, but still weeds.

You see, last year, well… I just didn’t get back over to the garden during those hot, hot August/September days to remove the grass and weeds. And grass and weeds LOVE hot weather! I always meant to. It just didn’t happen.

It got me to thinking. Weeds are a lot like sin in our lives, particularly the sin of negligence.

Here are a few ways negligence has shown itself in my life:

That’s just the way I am.
Oh, it’s just a little thing, not that big of a deal.
I’ll work on that later.
I’ll get back to it soon.

And just as those weeds are strongholds in my garden, going to seed, creating more and more weeds this season, those sins of negligence take root in my heart. I get comfortable with them. I don’t notice them. I don’t deal with them.

Oh God. Reveal to us the sins of neglect that will consume us if we don’t wake up and allow you to reign fully in our hearts.

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 NLT