Maggie

Maggie is finally gaining weight.  And I think

she has finally decided to trust us completely.

We are certain she had been treated poorly and

malnourished when Heidi found her.

It has taken me a while to decide to let

her into my heart.  But she is starting to

take up more space there.

She isn't good for much.  Her parents

did a good job of giving her the

low energy gene.  And it shows itself

more the older she gets.  Don't get

me wrong this is a good thing.  To me

a good dog should sleep all day to

get ready to sleep all night.

Unlike Boo, she barks.  This is most

annoying.  But then she might scare

off an intruder one day.  She also has

a very wet nose.  Just a little nudge and

I have to wash whatever part of my

body she touched.

I sure loved Boo and still miss her.

How does it work in dog-people

relationships?  Is it OK to love Boo

or am I supposed to say she was

just a dog and that the new dog

is supposed to totally replace a most

loved pet.  It hasn't felt that way yet.

However that works we are taking

care of Maggie.  And we enjoy

her wet nosed low energy company.

Fireproof

I've been watching some Christian

based movies on Netflix this past week.

It is so nice to watch stories that

don't compromise the Spirit and

reinforce my briefs.  

I recommend them.  Start with this one. 

I really wanted this couple to work

out things and loved the father of

the husband and his help.

I learned two things. 

 First, you

bring Christ into your

 marriage relationship by treating

 your spouse the same way

Christ treated others...with love and

caring.  It is a lot more than a picture

of Him on the wall in your bedroom.

Second, "wait on the Lord".  

 Approach him in prayer with the mind

set that he will answer in his time and

in His wisdom. We

pray in faith, our hope is in Him and

we wait believing in His answer.

Wait in faith.

Who knew I would find

these great principles in 

a show about a broken marriage.

Two good things for me to

do even after 40 years of marriage.

God Gave Us Families.

Silverton, Colorado July 2014

This is our family.  Lee's husband had an Air Force commitment

and her toddler stayed home with Grandma Rena.  ( He would have

found the Animas River and been swept down stream

in the first five minutes of our camp out.)  

We have sixteen grandchildren and two on the way.

When we were having our own babies I never thought

of it as a sacrifice to carry a baby.  It was just my

life.  I see it more as a sacrifice now as I watch all my daughters

and how it alters their lives for nine months and then

for the many months of adjustment after the

babies are born.  And for the years going forward

taking care of their needs. I don't think they look at it as

a sacrifice either.  It is just their lives.  

In a world where men have forgotten to be

men I can't express enough thankfulness to the

men in my life.  My husband and all my

good sons wake up at least five mornings and

sometimes more to work and provide for

their families.  It is just their lives.  It is what

they do. 

All this "just doing" has given David and me

this family, this posterity, this place of

belonging, this place of loving.

It is my favorite place.

"God gave us families to help us

become what He wants us to be--

This is how He shares His love,

for the family is of God."