Spring

Janie's vantage point on Sunday Morning.

Spring is here and I love hearing the birds sing and seeing the flowers bloom.  I don't care for the allergies and they have hit me hard this year.  I have been known to lose my voice in the spring but so far that has not been a problem.  I was sick Wednesday and missed church due to having a temperature of 100.4.  I hate to be sick and hate missing church even worse. 

The repairs to the church building are coming along good.

Had a good visit with mother.  Her short term memory is getting worse.

I met with the nursing home staff to discuss mother's care.  They are doing a good job taking care of her.  Mother had been sick but was all better today.  She was smiling and happy.  When she came to the nursing home she weighed 126 pounds and she weighs 144 now.  She says she does not do anything but walk the halls and sit in her room.  The activities director says that she does go to some of the activities and to the church services occasionally.  Mother has no memory of any of this and I have found that she really does not remember anything which happened even minutes before.  She had returned from supper about an hour before our visit and she did not know that she had even been to supper yet.  She could not remember how many children she had no idea of how many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  I review the status of my family with her but I know that she will retain none of that information.  I do dread the day when I enter her room and she does not know who I am.  God bless you.

Winter is almost gone but not yet

2 of the teenagers from our church at the park in Hillsboro.

Janie and I helped with the "DNOW" youth activity this year.  The young men pictured above took this picnic table out of our truck and it took them a little over 4 minutes to figure out how it went together and assemble it. They did it without any hints from me.  I like helping with the youth activities of our church but am very glad that we have a young lady who does the lion's share of the work.  It was a beautiful day with the temperature of 80 degrees.   It is nice to have a warm day in the winter time.

Janie practices the songs she will be playing at church on Sunday mornings.

Winter returned with a vengeance the next day however.  The temperature dropped to the low 20's and we were hit with a sleet storm like we have not seen in a long time.  We had to cancel our evening services on Sunday.

It was tough keeping the chickens water thawed out.

I have gone two weeks and a day without any headaches.  I did have a root canal this past week.  I did not really dread it all that much and sure enough it was quick and easy.  The Endodontist used a device that made the whole procedure so much more comfortable.  It was like a rubber shield that caught all the water and grindings keeping them out of the mouth.  He also used very little deadening for my lip and face did not feel numb at all.  It was a very good but expensive experience.

Got to Skype with our son and his family who are in France.

Every time we Skype with Jason and his family I think of the Jetsons.  It is wonderful to be able to talk to them and see them at the same time.  One of the amazing things about it is that it is virtually free.

My mother did not feel well when we went by to see her last week.

Mother was in a good humor when we went by for a visit but she did not feel well enough to sit up.  We will be going to see her tomorrow Lord willing and I hope she is feeling better.

Clearing the driveway to the cottage.. a never ending battle.

After a visit with mother we went to check on things at our house and cottage in Henderson.  It seems like I have to clear away dead trees or fallen branches every time we go to the cottage.  I get out and grab the saw and Janie grabs her camera.

Janie and her mother at Waldrop Cemetery

Naomi has learned to use and iPhone to take selfies.

James has not learned the iPhone yet but he is one happy boy.

I know where James and Namoi get their intelligence and disposition.

The Rangel family joined us at the nursing home and sang for the glory of God

It was the best nursing home service I can remember this past Monday.  Art and Yvonne are school teachers and were off on spring break so they came to the service and sang.  Robbie, one of the young men from our church also joined us there.  Robbie's parents were at the hospital at the time.

I love to preach at the nursing home.

Yesterday was a great day for golf.  This Art my spanish teacher. Yes he won.

I hurt my back today so I am going to have to take it easy for a few days.  May God bless you.

Headache returned

The first eggs laid in the new nest box.

I went two weeks without a headache and then when I needed it the least it happened.  The Tuesday morning Bible study in our home was going well until I just could not put it off any longer.  I dismissed myself from the table and went to the bathroom and lost my breakfast.  I am not sure what caused this one but it was not lack of sleep.

We made a trip to Henderson last week by way of Palestine to see the grandkids.

Our daughter in Palestine, Texas needed a light switch replaced and so we went by there for a visit.  The light switch was an easy job.  The grandkids were as sweet as ever.  We went by Hot Rods Burger Shop and I tried a deep fried hotdog wrapped in bacon.  It was real good!  Afterward we went to my mother-in-law's to spend the night and take her to Wal-Mart to get her hair fixed.  Her regular beauty shop will be closed for some time due to the illness of the owner/operator.  The Wal-Mart beauty shop did a good job and I was able to shop while Janie stayed with her mother. 

My mother-in-law with her Wal-Mart hair do.

It has been good to stay at home this week.  The headache Tuesday has been the only bad day.  The services Sunday were good and the Wednesday night classes were well attended.  I have learned another Spanish song and am working on a sermon in Spanish for our next Spanish class.  I intend to be able to deliver that sermon fluently to a Spanish speaking audience one day. 

Family Pictures back up after 1 year of being down.

Janie's birthday was Monday and I spent the day with her working on putting the pictures of our grandkids back upon the wall.  They had been down ever since the house leveling was done last January. 

Our cup runneth over!  We have out grown our grandkids picture frame.

Janie's birthday present from me. Bird songs on the hour.

Some serious progress was made on the north wing of our church building.

Working on the sermon for Sunday.  All the resources I need at my finger tips.

The last day of Feb. and it hit 80 in Hillsboro. I love winter in Texas.

God bless you.

Tired of Head Aches

My wife and daughters at Hot Rods Burger Shop

I have been having too many headaches.  The last one caused me to miss our Wednesday night services.  I have put myself on a strict schedule which requires I go to bed at 10:00 pm and rise at 6:30 each morning.  Caffeine, chocolate, and lack of sleep are the biggest causes of my headaches.  These have been confirmed causes.  I have quit the first two and the last three headaches were each a result of not getting enough sleep.  So this schedule is working for me I have not had a headache since.

My mother is doing well.  Her memory is worse but she still knows me.

Rode out an ice storm at my mother-in-law's. Ice all gone the next day.

Work progressing slowly at the church.

Always something blocking the cottage driveway.

Nest box for the chickens ready to be taken to Hillsboro and installed.

At Hannah's ball game on our journey back to Hillsboro.

Hannah playing basketball.

Nest Box installed and the chickens love it.

Nest Box installed and painted

Water trough brackets painted.

Water, Feed, Nest.. all it lacks are wheels and handle.

Grandkids in the house

Rain is no longer a problem with the north wall covered now.

Progress is progress even if it is slow.  The contractor works one day a week on the church building.  The lower part of the wall has been repaired but the rafter part of the wall is still as it was.  There has been no progress this week but the weather has been cold and we had rain yesterday. 

The inside wall has new studs and decking.

Our daughter, Stacie, has come to visit with us for the week while Scott is at a meeting.  The grandkids are fun and work at the same time.  They make a mess when they eat and wet on the furniture and track in mud but the joy they bring is worth it all.  I was able to play Algebra Teacher with the older children.  They are at that level in their math education and though I hated it in school Algebra became my friend when I worked in engineering.  I enjoyed giving them problems to solve and they did a good job.  Next time I see them it will be time for Trigonometry.  We have played our favorite games, Wahoo and Hearts, and played chutes and ladders with the younger ones. 

Janie and Ruth putting the covers back on the couch after Elijah's mishap.

We will be heading over to Henderson on Thursday by way of Palestine.  We plan to go to Hot Rod's Burger where we will have 8 of our grandchildren together in one place.  Sure wish our French grandchildren could be there.  They are planning to come to the states in June and stay through August. We are anxious to see them.  God bless you.

Elisabeth is a sweety!

Birthdays

North Wing of our church is being repaired ever so slowly

The repair to our church building is going rather slowly.  The weather has been cold but clear and perfect for working but the contractor has other jobs in the works and gets to our church when he can.  I as so looking forward to having things back to normal at our church building.

Playing Wahoo with Cole a 4 year old and he won

Cole Rogers and his mother came by the parsonage and while his mother practiced the special music for our Sunday services Cole and I played Wahoo.  He won the game and I was very impressed with his ability to concentrate on the game.  He such a smart kid for a 4 year old.  He is a really sweet boy!

Cole giving us some really good news!

One of the main reasons Cole and his mother came by was so that Cole could let us know that he is expecting a little brother or sister in September.   This was exciting news and we are so happy for him and his mother and dad!

Janie's class Wednesday night

Our attendance was outstanding Sunday morning and that was followed up by an good attendance Sunday night.  Wednesday night was good also and we had to take care of some business.  The church voted to permit the Junior college to put a sign on our property that will inform truck drivers of a turn around point that is just up the road from our church and the college.  They as well as we are tired of having trucks ruin our properties trying to turn around.  The sign should be up soon. 

89 year old showing a 1 year old how to eat birthday cake

We took my mother-in-law to Palestine to Hot Rod Burgers for a birthday party.  Our daughter's mother-in-law made a cake for each of them.  I had a piece of my mother-in-law's Italian Creme cake and it was the best I have ever eaten!  Christie sure can make good cakes!  They both had a happy birthday.  The hamburgers were excellent and the cake afterward was wonderful.  It was a good time.  James is ever bit as sweet as his great grandmother.  God bless you.

Mother and grandmother helping with the presents

Baptism

Baptized Moses Rangel today

We had a great day at church today.  Our attendance was way up and I baptized a youngster who was saved just a couple of weeks ago.  My favorite thing to do as a pastor is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost and to see them be saved and baptized. 

My semi-automatic water trough for the chicken tractor works great

I installed the water trough in the chicken tractor.  It works really good and I can use just about any size bottle including a one gallon jug.  The chickens seem very happy in their new home.  They are doing a great job getting my garden spot ready for this spring. 

Feeder and water trough will keep them fed and watered for several days

With the feed shoot full and the water bottles full I can be gone for 5 days and the chickens will not miss me except for the eggs stacking up on the nest box.   Our neighbor next door said she really likes the chickens and enjoys seeing them.  I am sure she will have no problem gathering and enjoying fresh eggs on those days we have to be out of town.  God bless you.

The inside part of the water trough. The chickens took to it right away.