Murph
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Post by Murph on Jan 11, 2008 18:33:30 GMT -6
Did you say DUCKS!!!MY KINDA PEOPLES... ;D Even in the picture the sky is just beautiful. It must have been breath taking when you took the picture. I still got dibs on the glider.... Keith...
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Post by Caretaker on Mar 31, 2008 9:44:02 GMT -6
God bless you all; It is coming spring in the Flinthills of Kansas, and the pasture burning season is upon us. Yesterday about 5:00 PM the fire call sounded, and we rolled our little red wildfire truck 15 miles NW. The wind was running 25 mph out of the SW and the flames were whipping across the big pastures. It hit 56 highway and never even hesitated. As we drove up Americus road I could see the large black smoke all across the horizon, and trucks out in the pastures on our left trying to extinguish the flanks up and over the hills. As we approached HI 56, the incident command was franticly flagging us ever onward to the north. We rolled across the highway and up the gravel road. A mile up we passed the raging head fire on our right, and found a gate to enter the big pasture. Just ahead of us was Chief Allen in our 6x6 with his son-in-law Dusty, while Richard and I were in our 4x4. Entering the pasture we spotted a wet gully meandering across the path of the fire. Chief wet a line along the pasture fence and told us we could retreat to that point if the fire got past, but we were going to try to stop it at the gulley. It slowed at the gulley and we patrolled back and forth the 1/8 mile of front. Chief found a path around the gulley and began putting-out the east flank. As the gulley was secure we folled his path while he returned to the road for refill. Across the fence to the south in the next pasture, we saw three head-fires rolling up the flank. We crossed through a gate and began mopping each one in turn rolling back and forth to knock down at the short grass by the fence. We radioed Chief our position, an Americus truck came up and we directed them to the east flank as we were in the center. Chief returned as the Americus truck ran out of water. Chief and Dusty began backfiring along the fence from east to west, as we backfired the east area. Just as we ran out of water we contained our area, and Chief had the rest secured. We had all of the fire contained north of 56, and with a two mile backfire along the south side of 56, the fire was secured, although it was allowed to burn itself out overnight. The fire was approximately 5 miles north to south and 2 miles east to west. There were 4 different departments involved and we were out about four and a half hours. An interesting finish to the day for a bunch of old grandpas.
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Post by Caretaker on Mar 31, 2008 9:46:03 GMT -6
The Flames of Adversity
This was the initial posting by my daughter on the family site:
Melissa Montgomery-Grover - Mar 25, 2008 View | Viewers Please keep Dusty and Shelly Miller from the Council Grove area in your prayers. They and their 3 children (under the age of 7) lost their newly remodeled home yesterday to a fire. Thankfully, they were not home at the time. But her dad and my dad are on the fire dept and were two of the ones that were called to fight the fire. Thanks.
(I called home during the fire, and Jan called my son. He told my daughter Melissa, who had a home destroyed by fire about 9 years ago. When she heard she and my grandaughter drove out Dunlap Road until they could see the flames, and were in prayer for all involved)
An update by Shelley's Mom:
Here is an update from Karen, who is Shelley's Mom:
I wanted to let you know how the kids are doing after there great loss... Great, is the only word to describe it! Thanks for all the prayers....God has worked in such mighty ways!!! It is beyond anything we could have ever hoped for. As unbelievably aweful as their loss...God's leading, blessings and miracles have overridden the tragedy. I'm sure that sounds weird but SO many things have happened that were unexpected and above imagination...we are just blown away and amazed....! Their insurance was far above what they even knew it was worth...for the house and the contents. Steve, their insurance man, was out there the day of the fire and gave them a check for $3000 to help get them by till the rest of the settlement checks had come thru. Then it is paying for 1 year of rent so they can get another house ... whether bought or built... and other expenses too. They also got the estimate back and they totaled the car so they'll have that to go find another one. The Red Cross gave them a debit card the day of the fire worth $750 to cover the cost of clothes and stuff. AND then...the generosity of everyone...has been so overwhelming....we just can't believe it! We are so used to being on the giving end of things....it is the hardest part to be on the receiving end and not being able to say or show our appreciation enough. We've had more tears than I knew our bodies could produce! I know the little tear factory inside our faces have to be exhausted! Last night the kids all went out to Dusty's folks' and will probably stay tonight too. If I'm able...I'm going to try to sort thru all the bags and boxes of clothes that have been given to them and put them in baskets with each ones name on it. It is so frustrating (with our stressed little brains) to dig thru 10 places to find a complete outfit everytime they get dressed. I'm not very good at organizing... but I'm going to give it a whirl today! I'm sure Rich told you but so many people wanted to know if there had been a fund set up so they could donated to it...so we called Farmers & Drovers Bank and now... because of 'privacy laws' the individual has to sign for anything like that to take place and the bank said they had been getting many calls to see if there was a fund yet. Anyways...the kids went up and gave the info. and signed a card and in the process... was told that the bank had 2 rental properties that were going to be available... so another miracle or at least, God's leading. One of the houses is in a very remote area of CG, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage and very nice. They went and saw it and are going to start moving in Monday or Tues. AND then, Dusty and his family know a man that gets furniture from Fort Riley (from soldier's housing when they come and go and leave stuff behind). He has a warehouse in Herington and in about one hour last night they filled our horse trailer with almost everything they need to fill the rental..for free! God's leading again!!! We've already heard of a couple groups that want to give them a community shower to help them with essentials...towels, linens, kitchen stuff, etc. They do have a money from insurance, Red Cross, donations and they want to just say to everyone...'Thank you for the offer...but we have enough'. But something we were told after our fire has stuck with us over all these years..... A lady we didn't even know got in touch with us and said she had been through 2 fires and for us to take whatever anyone had to give... even if we didn't need or want it..because...giving is the nature of men that God put on this earth and people that want to help and give...fulfill that nature and are blessed by it. I know that full well from when we are on that giving end. It is more blessed to give than receive but oh my...the blessing we have received from all the giving loving people has been outstanding! I/we don't want to cheat anyone of that blessing. She said just take anything they give, go thru it, keep what you can use, and take the rest to the trift store for someone else to get some good out of it. So, that's what we're doing. I'm sure your eyes are worn out from my book here. I don't know how we would have came thru this as well with out our loving family and friends. We love you and thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I'll talk to you later. Bless you, Karen & Rich & family
Hi everyone....I got the feeling that my "update" gave some the idea that we were happy that the fire happened....Huh This couldn't be further from the truth. Instead of going into depression and grieving over something that can't be changed...and with the help of SO many awesome family & friends and some people we don't even know...we've been able to get back on our feet and look toward a new start. Everyone's heartfelt love and generosity of food, clothes, furniture and money has given us what was needed to put this tragedy and great loss behind us. The kids will never forget all the hard work and beautiful life they had before last Monday....but now they are working and planning a new future, with God's help and guidance. I just didn't want anyone to think for a moment that they are coming out of this better than they were. We're just greatly thankful that no one was hurt or taken from us! They are SO precious and I can't imagine ...I can't let myself think about what it would be like if we had lost them! So, thank you again for all your love, prayers and support. It's brought us to this point and allowed us to smile and get started going forward again. Love & blessings to all, Karen
This is my posting as a summation:
As I topped the high hill, in our fire truck one could just see the outline of a large two-story home engulfed in flame. By the time I had pulled-up and charged a line the only parts left standing were the first story walls. A strong sw wind was blowing but the heat was intense even upwind. One could only get within about 20' of the structure in full gear.
They had been remodeling the house for the last few years, and had poured their hearts into making it right one piece at a time. All gone in a brief moment in time. The white suv was parked 30' downwind, and the passenger side was scorched brown, the windshield starred, and the rear passenger window shattered out.
The small yellow puppy was going from firefighter to firefighter with such a lost woebegone look. As I operated the hose I reached down and scratched him under the chin and belly and he laid down at my feet. We got the flames knocked-down, and pushed the debris into the old stone cellar. We were there about 4 hours and went through over 15000 gallons of water.
As Dustin and Shelley arrived home, the pain and anguish was stark upon faces covered in tears and the shoulders sagging as they forced one foot in front of the other. Family and neighbors flowed in from many directions, and the Red Cross and insurance agents were on the scene before we had the walls down and out.
This old world can be a harsh testing ground, and the trials can seem horrific as we pass through the valley laid-out before us. Through Christ Jesus we know that no matter what comes we will never be separated from the love of God. We also know that we can count on family to be there as the flames are rising all around us. It is the hand on shoulder, the loving hug, the steadfast stand together, the indwelling faith and assurance within our heart which helps us walk through the valley of trial, one foot in front of the other.
Romans 8:
35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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DB
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2008 17:55:39 GMT -6
Thanks caretaker, i really enjoyed the reading.. and praise the Lord for His protection and mercy....
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Post by Caretaker on Apr 16, 2008 8:10:29 GMT -6
God bless you DB.
Spring is sweeping in upon the Flinthills of Kansas. Yesterday and today the strong south winds have been whooping in from the south at better than 40 mph, but it clears out the smoke from the thousands of acres which were burned two days ago. They are saying that the wind will die down to under 25 in a bit, and I will be grading some roads and then cutting some old stumps.
Yesterday I tackled a 6x6' stack of books, papers and misc. which was stacked in front of my bookshelves. I literally hauled two 55 gallon bags of papers, old magazines, trash to the dumpsters. Also were stacks of books.
I hated to throw any book away, but I have to make my floor to ceiling shelves usable. Among the stacks were three folders of Jimmy Swaggert tapes, books by a number of WOF proponents, and a large stack of college text books. Literally over a thousand dollars + went into the garbage.
The econ, chemistry, business, anthropology, etc. were +$60 apiece to purchase and when it came time to sell-back they were outdated and I was stuck with them. No use except to take up space.
The dozens of tapes/books from WOF, and the disgraced Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Baker and PTL, had quite a price tag originally, but had been relegated to refuse taking up space needed for solid theology and support of faith and practice.
I still have an apologetics section which includes the New World Translation, two different Books of Mormon, D&C and Pearl of Great Price, The Urantia Book, and a few others from different cults. It can be handy to reference the source when needed.
I still am surrounded by books on three sides with my loaded desk in the center, but I am eliminating what was once important but has been floated to the surface as dross to be skimmed-off and eliminated.
It is a refining process, and sometimes it takes us older fellers a bit longer to float the dross as it can be more solidly entrenched.
Happy Trails to you and yourn'.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 16, 2008 18:23:40 GMT -6
Great minds...while I have been sick and now gettin' better I have been doing almost the same thing. Gettin' rid of extra baggage and dead weight...
even with all that I had my children haul away...there is still plenty left.
but it is the good stuff...old commentaries and books...tapes of sermons by some favorites like our own Redneck...and a couple of pastors CDs...DB sent to me. Those are the things I kept.
You are right Caretaker...sometimes it takes a while to get rid of the extra baggage. Toss the dross...
Been reading about the forest fires out in your area...doesn't sound too good.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 20, 2008 6:06:33 GMT -6
Got to laughin' last night Caretaker. I cleaned it all up and got it all "organizated"...
last night went looking for a book and couldn't find a thing...least when it was a mess I knew where everything was...
;D
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Post by Caretaker on May 23, 2008 23:19:13 GMT -6
God bless you Sis; Been known to put things down and immediately lose them. My clutter acts more like quicksand sometimes.. God has had His Hand upon us the past three days. This is our busy season as we prepare for the first three day weekend of the season. I have all of the areas to mow and I also have to be on guard for teenage parties and escalating potential problems. A cabin-owner volunteered to help mow our shelterhouse with his Dixon rider and I gladly accepted. He not only mowed the SH but also our primary entrance area, which manicured two of the criticals and saved me a couple of hours. As he was mowing, I was able to run my brushog and while mowing a call came in of a man passed-out on his tractor. I jumped off the tractor and rolled emergency response as one of three firefighters responding. This is more than coincidence. We drove through two creeks and a half mile back into the field. The gentleman was almost 90 years old with a history of heart problems. A gentleman from the bank had decided after a month's delay to pick that very morning to inspect a ditch adjacent to that field, and discovered the man sitting still in the cab of his tractor. The man had stopped the tractor in the field and was sitting their barely responsive. If the banker had not picked that morning the elderly farmer would have been their barely responsive for hours. If he had gone unconscious he would have been into the trees and possibly over the creek. We worked him out of his cab and onto a gurney for transport. That afternoon I had a report of a car in the ditch 2 miles south of the lake. I arrived and found a Honda with four teenagers standing around and asked me for a tow out of the ditch. I advised them an officer would need to file a report, and called for the local SO. The car had a blown left front tire, had skidded 200 feet into a ditch next to a fence. If the car had turned a smidgon they would have rolled multiple times. No injury and they were able to walk away. From the officer I learned that these kids were notorious for drugs, and had been enroute to the lake. The accident shut them down dead in their tracks. Today Dick and Katherine had two part daschand dogs go missing at 11:30. Their home backs tall hay meadows and there is much brush around the lake. If the dogs were lost overnight they would not survive the coyotes, and other predators. I heard about the wee-ones about 3:00 PM and began searching. I drove to the next road north and scanned the meadows for sign. As I approached a crossroad I spotted a small terrier not much bigger than a Chihuahua, at the edge of the road. I stopped and she ran under the truck and I was finally able to call her to me. She seemed happy in the cab of the truck and laid across my lap to be petted while I drove. The little precious was not one of the two which were missing, and she had no tags. So I did some calling and found out some one was looking for her but no location. As i drove I met a family in a car asking about a lost dog, precious pops her head up, and smiles of joy break forth. The family had been picking up cans, had headed home and did not realize she was not in the car. They had franticly turned around and rushed back. I scratched the wee-one under her chin and told them how glad I was she was safe. I also told them about the two that were missing. As the family was driving across the dam they spotted a wee black dog down by some timber. The father stepped-down the dam, retrieved the dog, and they came looking for me. The poor fellow was soaking wet and just nestled down tight next to me on the seat and periodicly reached up to lick my chin. I cam around the curve and met Kathy, who had just picked-up the other wee-one a half-mile west. I followed her home and the wee-ones were safe at last. An amazing direct answer to prayer for their safety and recovery. Tom has been driving every week to the lake to hold Sunday services since Easter. The problem is that Easter was way early, and a cold spring has kept people away on Sundays. I called him early this week about a property which needed mowing to enhance saleability,(Tom sells real estate), and he said that he would be in Georgia this weekend and he was not going to set-up with a substitute as he did not want them to drive out and no one attend. This is going to be the first busy lake weekend. I will be there if anyone shows for service, and we are going to open the lake season with a prayer service for our lake. Late this evening an elderly couple in their eighties had gotten lost and came knocking on my door for directions to a nephew's cabin. I gave them directions but they were totally lost in the dark, so I said that I could lead them there if I could put my boots back-on. The gentleman was thrilled. As we drove the steep south hill I cam upon an SUV nosed over a steep embankment attempting to back out. I stooped and stopped the elderly couple. Got out my spot and approached the vehicle. The lady was drunk and had turned on the wrong side of the ditch from her drive. She had her front wheels turned wrong and was ready to slide over the edge and 200' down into the neighbor's cabin. I got her wheels turned and she was able to back-out in 4-wheel drive, and then I spotlighted her driveway and made sure she made it home. Then we got the elderly couple tucked-in at their nephew's. The Lord brought this couple to my door and a lady made it home safely. I saw some precious miracles these past few days, and the very Hand of God move to comfort and protect those in need. Chris was a young man who truly resented me when I would slow down his "fun" a decade ago. Today he shared with me the glory of his new son, Noah, born premature in January at 3 pounds, who is now doing fine, as Chris was stenciling "Noah's Ark", on the back of their new pontoon boat. Just a few scattered reflections at the end of a long day but one which leaves me amazed and sweating from the eyes a few tears of joy in the Lord.
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DB
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Post by DB on Jun 7, 2008 17:24:44 GMT -6
May the Lord bless you Caretaker and family.
enjoyed the read.
DB.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Jun 7, 2008 19:34:12 GMT -6
Found myself smiling at the end of the piece...smiling at Noah's Ark stenciled on the back of a pontoon boat. Thanks Caretaker... needed to smile...
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Post by Caretaker on Aug 7, 2008 10:46:53 GMT -6
A neat video on our spring burning: A neat video of the Z-Bar Ranch with its limestone barn, limestone ranch house and old school. It sits just north of Strong City up on a hill overlooking highway 177. The last scenes are of the Cottonwood Falls courthouse. My grandmothers uncle was one of the stonemasons in 1871: We are about 20 miles to the NE. Just part of our part of the country. That is pretty uptown style having a privy in the house. Keeps the frost off of the seat on a cold morning. Also has special children's facility,(lower seat). The gentry would have a chamber-pot in the bedrooms. We are a bit like the hills of Scotland/Ireland, with a native limestone. One sees many old homes using the stones for fencing, foundations, wall construction. After the treaty of 1848, some of the Kaw/Kansa villages had stone walls, as did the Kaw Mission building located on Mission Street in Council Grove: The Kaw (or Kansa) Indians lived in three villages southeast of Council Grove from 1848 until their removal south to Indian Territory in 1873. Methodist Episcopal missionaries built this school for Kaw children in 1851. But when efforts to influence the Native Americans failed, the missionaries turned their attention to educating white students. Today, the two-story limestone Kaw Mission, the region's oldest stone structure showcasing the heritage of the Kaw Indians, the Santa Fe Trail and early-day Council Grove. The Seth Hayes Barn is a classic two story stone barn, built of native limestone in 1871, and was part of the county poor farm from 1889-1945. My great grandparents immigrated from Scotland in the 1880's and settled in the same area as the Z-Bar Ranch, where my grandfather was born. My grandfather was delivering fuel oil to the Z-bar around the turn of the century, with a team of horses. My grandparents leased a farm about a mile west of Cottonwood Falls, where my father was born. Strong City is only a mile north of Cottonwood Falls, separated by the Cottonwood River and some of the richest bottom-land in the state. In my early days we would ride our horses in the June Rodeo parade, and receive free tickets to the Saturday afternoon rodeo. Dad cowboyed with and competed in some of the Roberts pasture rodeos and knew personally the Roberts family whose daughter Marge, and sons Gerald and Ken are in the Rodeo Hall of Fame. I met Ken when we stopped by his home place and got to see some of the Brahma Bulls up close. Dad had a set of spurs which he had won for bronc riding at one of their early events. www.flinthillsrodeo.com/history.htmThe Flint Hills Rodeo began from a regular practice in the 1930's of staging pasture rodeos at the farm of Emmett Roberts near Strong City, Kansas. 1937 is marked as the birth year of the Flint Hills Rodeo. It was only a natural step when Roberts along with his son Ken Roberts and his son-in-law Eddie Boysen put on what they called the First Annual Chase County Rodeo in 1938. The rodeo they hosted was renamed the Flint Hills Rodeo the following year and has kept going without fail ever since. Today, the Flint Hills Rodeo holds the distinction of being the oldest consecutive rodeo in Kansas. The first full weekend of June finds the rodeo convening in Strong City, using the same arena and grounds built for the event back in 1948. Growing-up on horseback I had a chance to cowboy some with my Dad. I have ridden some of this same country and almost exactly as is pictured. Course it was 40 years ago: media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2001/08/12/flintcattleanddrovers_t640.jpg?a6ea3ebd4438a44b86d2e9c39ecf7613005fe067
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DB
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Post by DB on Aug 7, 2008 18:21:03 GMT -6
may the Lord bless you too, Brother Caretaker!
I have really enjoyed your writings and the pictures you have posted. Btw, it has been a blessing to have met you and Sister Caretaker by way of cyberspace as well.
It was interesting to see how those pork-chop sideburns have progressed into a full grown beard. The two of you look so happy, thanks for the articles and keep them up. You and the rest of the "gang" here on DI are a true blessing to me. I come here and find a great fellowship and a soothing atmosphere amidst this wretched world.
I wish we lived closer, that front porch and lemonade sure sounds inviting!
I'll be looking forward to meeting all of you that are saved in heaven, where we'll share our stories and we'll worship the Lord forever...
Reminds me of a good song I like to sing... " Won't It Be Wonderful There"
Enjoy your day, DB.
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DB
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Post by DB on Aug 7, 2008 18:33:50 GMT -6
Either I'm loosing my mind, or this computer is about to go through the window.
I clicked on this thread a while ago, on the last page and saw all of the pics of Caretaker and his wife, along with part of the articles that appear on this page I'm looking at now which is supposed to be the last page....
........it's been a long day, what day is it anyway?
Sorry for any cofusion caused by my posting which will appear to be waaay out of its place...
backing out, DB.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Aug 7, 2008 19:04:50 GMT -6
Been sniffing too much polecat again down on Polecat Creek? However, I must be getting old or something because I clearly understood what you wrote...and it didn't seem to be out of place till you said it was out of place. Now I see it is clearly out of place...
Caretaker I read the last post at lunch today and really did enjoy it...thanks.
Duck
(polecat for all you city slickers is another name for skunk. Smelling too much of it is not good even at a distance)
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DB
Senior Member
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
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Post by DB on Aug 7, 2008 19:53:10 GMT -6
OK,
Sorry for the hijack, Caretaker.
here's the deal, I clicked on the thread " Rocking Chair Reflections" ( the last page). I sstarted out seeing the pictures of Bro. Drew and the Mrs. - hence the comment about the sideburns ( no offense, humor only). which is where I got the statement posted for being out of place.
maybe i should have been more specific..
returning to the regularly scheduled reading, DB.
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Post by Caretaker on Aug 7, 2008 20:10:52 GMT -6
God bless Y'all so very much; Not out of place at all and anything is fair game on my old front porch. Every once in awhile we get dat old polecat perfume just a waftin through the air, and it shore gets one to sit-up and take notice.. One night a couple of years back, a cabin-owner got to his lake home with the wife, kids and their golden lab. Its about ten PM when they open up the cabin, and start taking stuff in. Goldie goes sniffing next door and finds a Mama Skunk and her kittens. Ol Goldie gets gets a full "polecat welcome", runs into the cabin and rolls on the carpet. At 2:00 AM they are running out tomato juice and whatever else they had to wash the dog with, and the cabin stays opened-up for the rest of the weekend. I stopped by in my boat the next day, and Goldie's collar was perfuming the dock just hanging on the railing.
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ldysly
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Post by ldysly on Aug 9, 2008 11:02:04 GMT -6
So wonderful to meet you brother caretaker! I love your thread and have immensely enjoyed reading it. It's a pleasure to sit on the porch with you. Reminds me of a duck pond I once spent a great deal of time lounging around. ;D I hope you stick around so we can get aquainted.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Aug 9, 2008 11:25:39 GMT -6
reminds me of the same thing Sylvia...good place to sit and talk. Did you see the pictures Brother Drew posted...peaceful as can be.
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Post by Caretaker on Aug 9, 2008 12:55:03 GMT -6
God bless you my Sisters in Christ;
A true pleasure to sit and visit on the old front porch. Brother Mike on another BB, from Arizona was passing through on HI 50, on his way home to Minn. We made arrangements and he was able to park his motor coach out in the drive overnight, and it was a pure pleasure to fellowship and share a couple of meals with he, his wife Charlotte and their wee doggy.
It is as if we are having a family reunion whenever I am blessed to get together with my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
We had a wedding in our front yard yesterday evening at 6:00. My grand-niece Danielle had asked if they could be married here and if I could officiate their vows. We of course agreed.
We set-up 50 folding chairs out in the yard, set up a couple of folding tables next to the porch, covered them and the two picnic tables with tablecloths. There were bows on the chairs and a cloth runner from the steps across the walk to the south, and down the center row to the front.
Her parents have been divorced and remarried a couple of times, and are just now becoming responsible. I am proud of her Dad as he is getting ready to celebrate 2 years of sobriety. It was my Brother-in-law, and Sister-in-law, and Jan and I who made the wedding happen, and many came together for these children who are still trying to work through old wounds and hurts.
There was no rehearsal and it was formal with music, flower girls, two ring bearers, and dress clothes. I gathered and organized the wedding party just ahead of the service, and then guided them as we went through. Dave my BIL guided them down the steps and timed them down the aisle, and the processional just flowed with the wee-ones spreading the petals and walking like little ladies and gents down the aisle.
The wedding was a true success, and the hugs of thanks at the end, from Danielle and her grandpa and grandma were such a precious reward for Jan and I. It is such a blessing to be able to place a hand on a nephew's shoulder and to tell him how proud I am of him. This was my 8th wedding, and each is very different, and each so very special. I have had the wedding party in tuxes and gowns, and the wedding party in cut-offs and sandals. The words change to become personal for each precious couple but the emphasis remains the unconditional love one for the other as Christ loves the Church, and that their vows are a covenant before the very throne of God.
I have had my ordination for I guess going on ten years now. It is nothing I desire, but for eight couples it has made a pastor available at odd times, at a spur of the moment, in an isolated location. On several occasions the Lord has called me to bring a few words of memorial and comfort at a funeral. It is an honor and a blessing to eulogize one whom I have known, to bring a smile or a laugh with a joyful memory, and tears with blessing to honor a life which has so blessed the hearts of others.
I have been asked to do a few family baptisms in the Lake, later this summer. My youngest Sister-in-law asked if I could baptize her, following our Brother-in-law's funeral which I preached. I told her it would be an honor. I will also be baptizing my wife Jan, my son Rob, a couple of grandchildren and two nephews. We plan a covered dish dinner, along with the worship and baptism service.
I don't desire a pulpit, and do not really want to step up in front of folks and deliver a sermon, bring a message, or to fulfill a pastor's duty. When the Lord calls, when someone requests that I do this I have answered yes on several occasions, and carry the tools necessary to do what is needed.
I long for the day when we can all meet in fellowship, and I can tell you what a blessing Y'all are to this old greybeard.
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ldysly
Advanced Member
Lord make me thy servant.
Posts: 1,732
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Post by ldysly on Aug 9, 2008 19:16:23 GMT -6
A wedding? I LOVE weddings and wonderful blessings of folks overcoming. You, brother caretaker are truly blessed! May the Lord bless this young couple as they start on thier way. And you know the wonderful thing about the web? You do have a pulpit and it reaches far more folks than you could ever know.
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