freedom honor flight

 

I’ll admit to being ignorant of the current news on most days.  Thankfully Tim listens to the radio while he runs the combine – and usually shares the highlights with me.  Last night he had quite the story to share.  I hadn’t heard the government had actually ‘shut down’ due to the continued battle over defunding Obamacare. 

And while that is news, it was the potential effect on veterans traveling yesterday from Mississippi and Iowa to DC with Freedom Honor Flights that really got my attention….

 

***Due credit to the Des Moines Register and reporters Jennifer Jacobs and Christopher Doering for the excerpts and photos posted here***

 

The 150 Iowa veterans who arrived in Washington, D.C., on day one of the federal shutdown weren’t sure whether they would be able to view the iconic sights they’d made the journey to see.

 

Iowa’s U.S. Rep. Steve King played a central role in helping the veterans breach the gates at the World War II Memorial, defying instructions from the National Park Police that the site was closed. The scene was “both emotional and comical at once” as 80- and 90-year-old veterans shuffled slowly past the guards, toppling metal fences, wrote a Stars & Stripes reporter at the scene.

“There’s a time when you just know it’s the right thing,” said King, a Republican from western Iowa. “I didn’t know what we were going to do when I went down there this morning. I just knew that to be there on the spot, I trusted that I’d know the right thing when the time came.”

The Washington Post reported: “Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he believed the Park Service opened the gates. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) said the congressmen did it. Rep. Steven M. Palazzo (R-Miss.) said the barricades just seemed to part.”

But the U.S. park police on site were complicit. One officer who declined to give his name told the Post: “I’m not going to enforce the ‘no stopping or standing’ sign for a group of 90 World War II veterans I’m a veteran myself.”

 

I say, Bully for Congressman King and his fellow legislators!

daybook 10/1/2013

 

For today, Tuesday, October 1, 2013 

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Outside my window... it is now dark.  Earlier today we saw combines in the cornfield to our north.  The cattle saw them too… and gathered at the fence to watch and wish a while.

Hearing... the Cattleman has been practicing at the piano

Pondering...  it’s October already!

Praying...  for Jill & Mrs. W both recovering from their surgeries last week, for the B family – induction scheduled for Thursday, for the A family in China, for our college kiddos, for the P family, for young families at church pursuing fulltime ministry, for Andy & Jon both in their second month of boot camp, for Tim & the guys working long days with harvest, for my folks traveling tomorrow, for the Popper – and the friends & family exposed to her sick germs on Sunday

Thankful... the Popper’s temp was down today without the influence of Tylenol

Reading...  Bible – Psalms, Acts, Philippians 

History read-aloud – This Dear-Bought Land {finally!}

One Candle to Burn by Kay Washer

In the kitchen...  last weekend – grilled turkey tenderloins, taco soup, deep dish pizza {leftovers still feeding us today}  One of these days? – farmhouse bbq biscuits, cheddar baked chicken, pepper steak

In the learning rooms...  At college Kate & Abby began their 9-week block of classes.  Kate has Bible Doctrines I, History of Civilization I, and Music History & Lit I.  Abby has Fundamentals of Music, New Testament Survey, and English 102.  Daniel continues his fall semester studies with Life of Christ, Pentateuch, Systematic Theology, Major Prophets, Hebrews/Gen Epistles, and Personal Evangelism.

Meanwhile at home, the Cowgirl has written a critical review for literature {Silas Marner}, the Cattleman has been reading about archaeology, geology, and paleontology – as well as assisting his older sister with a sound waves experiment by driving the car and honking the horn {20mph looks really fast to me when it’s down our field lane!}  The Popper was able to complete her science test on plants tonight and finished reading Message of the Mountain this afternoon.

Going…  to sleep soon.  to call the doctor’s office tomorrow if the Popper still has a fever.

Around the house... the air conditioner had to run today!  Another daytime heat wave before a cold front moves in this weekend.

The Mother Load... Probably the same as last week {at least my ironing pile is only items fresh-washed since Sunday!}  As well as treasurer reports for September and 3rd quarter.

Something to remember for later...   snuggles with my sick ‘baby’ girl

A Bible verse...

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication… Acts 1:14a

{from Sunday morning’s message at church}

A few plans for the rest of the week...

Thursday – piano lessons, groceries & other errands.  The Cowgirl has an offertory to prepare for Sunday.

A peek into my world...

The only picture on my camera card at the moment is of a tray of blonde caveman cookies, but here’s something appropriate from a couple years ago…

 

 

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

the favorite little sister

 

…is under the weather today  :-(

Those blue eyes are glassy and sad.  Our Popper has had a fever for at least 24 hours.  And the latest reading this evening was over 104F.  Worries my mama-heart.

She stayed home from church with me last night after telling me how cruddy her throat was {altho it’s still not sore!}  She slept most of the time.  And still went to bed early – and except for a brief cry for help at 1:30am, slept and slept.  I got her up for a tiny bit of breakfast {finally took her temp} and attendance at their video Bible class.  Then she slept away the rest of the morning!  This afternoon she was able to do a little more schoolwork while camped out on the couch.

Yes, I have our arsenal of home remedies engaged.  Gypsy Cold Care tea, homemade elderberry syrup, oregano oil, cranberry concentrate, vitamin C, and thieves essential oil.  Fresh ginger to suck on when her stomach hurts.  And today she’s had two mini-doses of Tylenol {I don’t think I’ve ever given our kids more than a teaspoon at a time – tho’ that is the recommended dose for a two-year-old}  I just want to take the edge off the fever, not undermine its purpose in fighting and killing off whatever nasty bug is currently plaguing our sweet Popper.

Her fever is back down below 102F now, so she should be able to go to sleep.  With the diffuser blowing a variety of oils.  And  the violins lullabying.

Good night ~ Sweet dreams

the little foxes

 

..that spoil the vines…

Is this really what the Bible is talking about?  Seems like that’s how I hear the verse quoted… the little temporal trials that we allow to rob our eternal joy now.  If so, the verse applies.  And I am guilty.

 

 

Why does this machine leave me so frustrated? 

We purchased a new printer/scanner/copier/blahblahblah last December.  Sometime this year {summer methinks} the top feeder stopped working.  Okay, whatever.  Then we couldn’t copy using the flatbed either.  :p  The scanner wouldn’t work unless the computer told it to.  If I didn’t have another printer in the other room, I’d have called HP sooner I suppose.  {Anyone else procrastinate when the job is spending hours on hold to speak with someone in India…?}

I knew I had $$ at Staples to redeem this month, and what I usually buy there is ink or paper.  Good stock of paper already, so I decided I should buy ink.  However I didn’t want to stock up on ink for a printer that was dying and irreplaceable.  So before I went shopping, I called Staples to ask what to do about this printer still under its 12-month warranty.

Since it was more than 60 days since purchase, he couldn’t replace it for me.  He gave me the phone number for HP.  After 67 minutes on the phone for their ‘free’ troubleshooting service, they had agreed I needed a replacement printer.  Hmmm, a “certified” reconditioned printer.  {fyi, “certified” sounds more like “thirty-five”  -- which had me a bit confused in the conversation.  It’s an Officejet 6700…}

Said printer arrived yesterday.  An hour or so later I had the ‘new’ printer hooked up with the original power cord and paper tray and other transferred parts…and the old one boxed up to ship.  {Soon, or I will be billed for the replacement printer.  No refunds.}  Anyway.  I saw a message “Scanner Failure” when I tried to copy something as a test.  But I thought surely after I’d jumped through the rest of the set-up hoops, it would think better of me… and work.

This is becoming a long story, eh?  Sorry.  Well, you can guess what I had to do.  After too much monkey business I called HP again.  And went through the 'free’ troubleshooting service to do a ‘partial reset’ [pretty soon I could work for HP too methinks]… while the tech hoped it would decide to work.  Not happening.  You guessed that already, didn’t you?

They will be sending yet another ‘certified’ reconditioned printer.  {No charge.  Unless I fail to return the broken printer soon enough of course.}  Ms. HP Hardware Support Supervisor assures me the next one will of course work perfectly.  I wish I had requested a coupon good for a NEW printer from my local Staples instead.  Tomorrow I will find the FedEx Store in Ames to ship the first printer… Next week I’ll have to return to FedEx to ship the second…

And hopefully that will make an end.  For at least six months?

 

Oh, here’s today’s additional joke… I opened an email this morning from HP Support with this request:

Please send us the original hardware purchase receipt (Scanned/Faxed)

Um, just how would I do that?  My printer/copier/scanner/fax machine does not work.  Oh, the irony.

# # # # #

 

Meanwhile I need to work on my response when asked how I am doing today by a service technician…  ahem. 

“Better than I deserve”

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ~ Ephesians 5:20

daybook 9/23/2013

 

For today, Monday, September 23, 2013 

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Outside my window...  sunshiney beautiful day!

Hearing...  the dryer tumbling and rumbling, the wind blowing through the open window, the Popper doing math, the Cattleman harassing and distracting his sisters.  No, our house is not “quiet” with the older three off to college  ;-)

Pondering...  a simple clothesline - umbrella style …and how quickly it would pay for itself if I didn’t run the work clothes through the dryer

Praying...  for Jill having surgery today, for Mrs. W having surgery tomorrow, for the B family expecting new baby soon, for the A family in China, for our college kiddos, for the P family, for young families at church pursuing fulltime ministry, for Andy & Jon both in their second month of boot camp, for Kali & family awaiting results from last week’s biopsy, for Tim & the guys getting started at harvest today 

Thankful... for last week’s rain,  for the changing seasons of  ‘seedtime and harvest’ – and for God’s faithful promises

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.  Genesis 8:22

Reading...  Bible – Psalms, Acts, Ephesians 

History read-aloud – Volume 1 of A Basic History of the United States by Clarence B. Carson

In the kitchen...  leftovers of pizza and beef roast, applesauce, Kate’s cinnamon rolls {from freezer}  More menu options: farmhouse bbq biscuits, cheddar baked chicken

In the learning rooms...  Too much fun.  [insert scowling face] 

As seen {heard} in the frequent laughter and chatter coming from the other room.  ;D

Going… to look for some deck chairs… hopefully on clearance?

Around the house... 

The Mother Load... Keeping up with school work and house work etc.  Defrost freezers?  Make jam.  We should visit our friends at the Berry Patch and pick apples.  And haul away the mountain of s.t.u.f.f. accumulating for Good Will.

[drum roll] 

I devoted Saturday afternoon to conquering my enemy, the Ironing Pile…

*** It is finished.  Hallelujah! ***

Something to remember for later...   to ride along with Tim to the livestock auction barn more often

A Bible verse...

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

A few plans for the rest of the week...

We still need to clean the office since we were otherwise occupied on Saturday.  Wednesday – first night of Kids 4 Truth.  Thursday – piano lessons, groceries & other errands

A peek into my world...

Little by little, inch by inch… Tim & crew ‘finished’ the deck project on Saturday – Yay! 

Railings to be added someday.  For now, Tim just needs to decide which new charcoal grill/smoker? to buy. Soon, says me, since I wanted it for him for Father’s Day… 2012.

    

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

daybook 9/17/2013

 

For today, Tuesday, September 17, 2013 

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Outside my window...  a little bit of R>A>I>N>  We might get half an inch in the next 24 hours, but that would still be a great blessing!

Hearing...   Mr. Fitch – the kids were watching Bible class

Pondering...  where to find some truly farm-fresh eggs this week {chickens at my usual sources are molting after last week’s extreme heat}

Praying...  for the Couriers group still in Moldova, for the A family in China, for our college kiddos, for the P family, for young families at church pursuing fulltime ministry, for Andy & Jon both in their second month of boot camp, for Kali & family awaiting results from yesterday’s biopsy

Thankful... for rain!

Reading...  Bible – Psalms, Acts, Galatians 

Volume 1 of A Basic History of the United States by Clarence B. Carson – I decided we’d better have a few days of meatier reading before we enjoy This Dear-Bought Land :-)

In the kitchen...  Yesterday was a kitchen day – large batch of dough became calzones, deep dish pizza {freezer}, and baguettes.  Banana muffins/bread and pumpkin muffins/bread.  Today I should bake regular bread while it’s still baking weather.  More meal prep for a family w/a new baby any day – and our supper – chicken tetrazzini for both?  It still amazes me how far our meals go with only three of the kids at home!

In the learning rooms...

four-digit divisors, percents, and irrational numbers {Popper, Cattleman, Cowgirl}

plants, simple machines, and sound waves {ditto}

US geography – Connecticut {Popper & Cattleman}

Creating… hmm?

Going… to haul the recycle items to town soon – before the garlic jars do any more damage

Around the house... too many fruit flies :p

The Mother Load... I was so pleased with myself last week – on Tuesday I spent time on all three areas of procrastination!  Conquering the school work pile was much easier than the ironing…

Something to remember for later...   how much food and how many workers to organize for next year’s church service in the park  :-)

A Bible verse...

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

A few plans for the rest of the week... piano lessons, groceries & other errands, cleaning at the office

A peek into my world...

 

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

remembering 9-11

 

 

Psalm 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

The best way to remember those who are lost is to do what you can to bring God back into our country.

I challenge you today to take some time to remember. Remember what made America great was that she was founded upon Christian principles. Those Christian principles will only become part of America again if individuals make those principles an every day part of their lives. It is up to us as individuals. If you are going to truly remember those who lost their lives twelve years ago, then you must make God the LORD of your life again!

~ Allen Domelle