Memorial Day

Today we remember, that's what a memorial is, a remembrance.

In my cedar chest, I have a treasure from my parents' lives. Medals my father won in high school because of his athletic prowess, certificates of recognition he received during World War II's nightmares in Europe. My father was a medic and a man of great courage and leadership ability during his years in the military. I marvel when I look at pictures of him in his dress uniform and in his everyday military attire. These are simply tangible mementos of his abilities and courage, and the courage of his buddies, some of whom came home and others who did not.

During the same war, his cousin Eric was a Commander in the British Navy. Sometime during that treacherous time, his leg was crushed between two battleships. He recovered and continued his military career for several more years, fighting for our strongest ally and in turn, for us.

I recall my Grandma Scott, who came to America from England during World War I, traveling on a cattle ship. Along with her came her mother and her great aunt. Talk about courage to travel 3000 miles in embattled waters, for the privilege of experiencing the opportunities and freedoms that could be found by immigrating to the United States. My Grandfather (not then married to Grandma) had already come and contributed his weaving expertise to the New England textile mills. Many British came, many Germans and Italians came, to find a better life in a new world. Most of them came through Ellis Island in New York, past the famous Statue of Liberty "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . ."

I remember my Mother telling of one of the horrors of war while my father was overseas. Just across the street from their duplex, was a small grocery store. Each day one or two uniformed military would enter that store, find out the location of an address they held on official U. S. Government papers, and would then walk or drive to those addresses, delivering messages of gloom, injury and death to wives or parents of loved ones serving our country. Each day my mother prayed that the knock would not come to her door. It was not only the men in uniform who suffered, but the wives and parents who waited and hoped for the war to end.

I remember Vietnam and its incredible atrocities, 9/11 and the terror on our soil, and the resulting conflict in Iraq. Memories are stories of the heart and mind, symbols of days gone by, sometimes hidden away until some stimulus from the present brings them vividly before us again. Memorial Day is such a stimulus!

On this day of remembering please recall with us the greatness of our country for which these men and women fought, the liberties they sought to defend and the leaders who were worth following. Perhaps our remembering and our prayers will reawaken sleepy pride in our land and rekindle some sort of determination to keep our country great enough to fight for and true to its founding principles and its God.

Blessed Rain

Today has been one of the nicest mountain days we've experienced so far! It rained!

About two weeks ago, we were headed to town on an errand that needed to be done. As we rounded the corner out of our subdivision, we saw plumes of smoke and orange flames shooting into the air from about 50 yards ahead. Now that's a moment that takes your breath away! Here in the mountains it has been dry. Yes, there was snow this winter, but not enough for the forest to remain sufficiently moist enough to discourage wild fires. Unfortunately, added to the dry conditions are the destructive behaviors of some folk who love to see fire and perhaps the devastation it causes, so they deliberately start the flames. That fire had been set.

Fifteen minutes later, we called our daughter who lives about three blocks from us, to inform her of the situation. "Oh yes, I know," she said. "There it goes again! A huge plane has been dive-bombing overhead - I think it is spraying fire retardant. There are a couple of helicopters buzzing overhead too. I just talked to hubby (a police sergeant) and he said they aren't letting anyone into our sub-division, so you'd better call me before you try to come back home," she warned.

Yesterday afternoon, Ron and I decided to take a break from the unpacking and other work, to take a ride for gas in our putt-putt (glorified golf cart). When we went outside, we could smell smoke. The eastern skies were filled with the stuff. One of the neighbors told us that the fire was in Arabella, a town about 30 miles from us, but the wind was carrying the smoke our way.

By the time we got home, an hour later, the smoke had greatly lessened, but I was in trouble! Dry smoky air and traveling pollen and allergens had hit me with a vengeance! I had been battling a mild cold, but with the addition of these irritants, I went into an allergic reaction like I hadn't had for years!

A quick hop into the shower, Benadryl and an herbal anti-allergy medication finally settled down the reaction. Today, things are considerably better. Many prayers for rain have brought moist relief to the mountains, and the deer are visible in abundance, drinking in the welcome moisture from the wet grasses. God has sent a gentle, misty rain that has lasted most of the day and evening, and everyone is rejoicing. Probably the visitors on motorcycles aren't too happy, as their festival is being dampened, but the residents of our community are breathing easier tonight! We expect another rainy day tomorrow.

Showers of blessings! Everyone benefits: Allergy sufferers, forests, forest animals, the fire departments in the area, residents whose fears of the next fire are being quieted, and certainly all of us who have prayed for this moisture, preserving fauna, forest and homes. Showers of blessing, indeed!

The Touch of God

Have you ever felt totally exhausted, overwhelmed and wondered where the energy would come from for one or two more activities? Well, that's just where we were a few days ago!

As you know, we moved a couple of weeks ago - truck, trailer and car. Behind, we left items that couldn't fit into our traveling vehicles, in the garage, and that faced us after endeavoring to unpack, spending four days preparing for EIDO, making the trip to Washington State, making the necessary purchases and then teaching for six long days. Then there was a bit of counseling yet to do, and finally the return trip. We had planned to drive to Phoenix, pack up the remaining items in our flatbed trailer, and then drive to El Paso, pick up the Pacifica parked at the airport where we left it to go to Washington, and then three hours up the hill to home.

After finishing EIDO, we decided we would postpone that trip to Phoenix and head straight home, endeavoring to get a little rest before the last leg of the move. We called our friends to let them know that they didn't have to worry about overnight guests, and got the surprise of our lives!

Kenny had taken his son and his worker to our garage. He had built sides for our trailer, and packed it completely with all the leftovers. WHAT??? He would do that for us?? Yes!

So again we changed our plans, and got off the plane in Phoenix. Ken and Donna met us at the airport, took us home for a cool, light supper, gave us the beautifully appointed guest room for the night, a delightful breakfast in the morning, and then sent us on our way to El Paso and on to home.

What kind of friends would care that much to take the risk, pack up someone else's "stuff" and surprise them with the greatest gift ever? Friends who love you and want the best for you; friends who know you well enough to know that you'd be exhausted after a move and a lengthy seminar, friends who know that you have enough challenges and want to lighten your load, friends who listen to God and respond to His voice.

So yes, Kenny, Donna, Robbie and Mario - you loved, you cared, you listened, and you cannot believe how loved we feel! The relief that the necessary move has been made is beyond thrilling.

Thank you seems so insipid - yet it seems to be all we can say. YOU ARE LOVED!

And now, on to more of the unpacking!