Sing ‘Bible’ Again

 

When Tanya babysits Payton, she will often call us so that we can talk with her.  Sometimes Payton talks to us, but often (on the phone) she doesn’t say much…just listens.  This last time, she did say “hello” to me and then I heard in her sweet little voice, “Bible”.  Babysitting her once a week, I would sing to her as she was taking her bottle or settling in to sleep.  I would always start with “Jesus Loves Me”. 

Jesus Loves Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

At a very young age, she would pull the bottle out of her mouth and say, “bible” when I reached that point in the song.  She said it so much, for quite awhile that was her name for me.  As she was calling others by their name, I continued to be referred to as “bible”.  I have graduated to “Grandma Polly”, but she still requests her favorite song each time she sees me.

I did sing Jesus Loves Me to Payton during the last phone conversation.  When I finished, I heard “sing Bible again”.  Tanya and I talked for a bit and Payton continued her request.  I sang it again (sorry Tanya :-).  At the end, once again a sweet little voice requested, “sing Bible again”.

As I thought of her persistent request for this particular song, I had to think, are we as dedicated to hearing/learning about Jesus’ love for us?  As other things are swirling all about us, do we stay focused on Jesus?  Undeterred in our quest to learn about Him and striving to be more like Him?

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ Hebrews 2:1-2

Keeping busy…

A week ago, Ken and Becky were down to visit John and Marge.  We had them over for a night and we went out to eat with them one night.  The Wednesday evening they were here, there were four of us (couples) that had been to Alabama together last year – Rudy and I, John and Becky,  Warren and Shirley Fehr, and Jerome and Mary Witzig.  The very next Sunday, we added another to the mix, John Cottrell and his wife were here in Sarasota.  One of the added blessings of the work teams are the friendships that are formed!

Monday night we had John and Marge over for supper and a round of “Mexican Train”.

Tuesday we went to the World Relief sewing. 

  

Wednesday evening, we went to Harold and Carole’s for supper with Carol and Everett, Ron and Hope Gasser and Ed and Anita Riggenbach (though Ed was exhausted from their travels and did not come for the evening….on flight standby, they traveled from Cleveland to LaGuardia to Miami to Tampa and then had about a two hour drive down to Venice).

Thursday morning we went to Sarasota Health Department to get our prescription for Chloroquine (anti-malaria for our return trip – one pill a week while we are there and four weeks after we return).  Of course, we each had to pay for our “doctor visit”.  It was almost comical – Rudy almost couldn’t stop laughing, which tells me he is rather excited to return.  He was laughing at the fact that we paid $60 ($30 each) for a 5 minute meeting with a person who couldn’t even sign the prescription; he had to go to another office, which is why the meeting didn’t take 1 minute.  While the gentleman was gone, Rudy could hardly control himself - “It is costing us more to get this prescription than it does to have a baby in Haiti!”  And we haven’t paid for the actual pills yet!

Last evening, 21 of us met at Joanne Widmer’s for supper (Carol Beery was in charge of planning the meal).  We had soup and sandwiches and it all tasted wonderful.

Unfortunately, I seem to have hit a wall in the weight management.  Eight pounds came off in the first two weeks seemingly easy (added during the holidays and the inactivity from the ankle sprain – which is still giving me fits at times).  Since then, I have been limping (figuratively) along with 1 or 2 pounds per week, and this week they don’t seem to want to let go (hmmm…I wonder if three gatherings, i.e.. “big” suppers, has had anything to do with that…).  The pounds that have been stuck on for awhile, the last four years, are much more proving to be much more difficult to shed.

Regardless, we continue to enjoy and grow spiritually from the study.  Rudy has said a number of times that we need to go through it again once we finish and we aren’t even half way through.  I am glad that he is enjoying it and benefiting form it.  It helps me to slow down and focus in the morning.  The morning is by far my most productive time and I can sometimes be tempted to go 90 miles an hour as soon as my feet hit the floor (rudy’s description).  Sounds great, but using this method, I often run out of gas by noon!  And having that time of focus on His word along with Rudy is so profitable for the soul.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”     ~ I Timothy 6: 6-8

An evening at the Otts

Sunday evening, Kim and Aaron invited us for supper along with Kelsey and Matt.

This is the first outfit that China wore for the evening.  She came stumbling out of the bedroom half asleep from her nap with her barrette hanging on a strand down in front of her eyes.  Oh, I wish I could have had the camera ready. It was quite comical.  i wish I could have gotten a better picture of her skirt. One of the ladies at church makes them out of men’s neck ties – cute.  She then changed into a princess dress and then decided she was too hot and spent the evening in her darling underwear.  Of course, Ayana also decided she was too hot and had to have her shirt off.

 

Kim and Kelsey slaved away while I walked around taking pictures:-)  As soon as Kelsey sat down, China was glued to her.  Definitely a bond has formed there!

 

   Ayana was “helping” me take pictures. She saw me take a picture of Rudy and Aaron and she ran over, hopped up on the couch and gave a smile. She then ran back to see the picture and to take some more herself.

 

Kim and Kelsey from Ayana’s perspective

The picture of Matt that she got was blurry, but he was there…sorry I don’t have one to include.  We had a fun evening and were so thankful to spend time with Kim and Kelsey and their families.  Matt shared some of his first year teaching experiences so far and talked of an overnight trip to the Everglades with his students.  We enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him a bit look forward to more times together.

When it is cold in Florida...

What does one do when it is cold in Florida?  We have definitely been having a few cooler days - tomorrow is supposed to be mid 50s.  Yesterday, we went on some errands - very casually...so relaxing.  We went to the Dome flea market for some reading glasses and socks for Rudy.  We also stopped at Wal-mart for some T-shirts for Rudy and some black shoe polish...for Rudy....are you sensing a trend :-)  Don't worry, he did buy me some half price Valentine's candy!!!  Oh, and I shouldn't forget to mention that he also wanted to stop and buy a different "foot" for our sewing machine.  (He wanted to try to make one of his engineer caps)  We had a great time just strolling along without any pressure to hurry. 

In Wal-Mart, there was a dear older gentleman in a wheel chair kind of stuck on a seam in the floor.  We helped to wheel him over to the motorized carts and got him set up in one that was charged up.  You could just tell that he was so thankful and it felt so good to be able to help him.  I know that people can often joke about the abundance of elderly in Florida.  I have to say that my eyes have really been opened to a whole new world.  The people I am around on a daily basis have so much spark - it just can really amaze me at times.  At exercise in the morning, there are ladies in their late 80s.  There is a lady at church you still goes to water aerobics each morning and she is 90.  One of the gentlemen that shuffles is in his mid 90s.  The gentleman in Wal-mart had trouble moving from the wheel chair to the cart, but yet was there shopping on his own.  What else was he to do?  I have to admit that in the past, I didn't give much thought to the elderly, but I have gained such a high respect for them.  I am sure they remember very well what they were once able to accomplish; they were not always limited in body and mind.  I just hope that I am able to age as gracefully and wisely as many of the people I have been blessed to encounter.  While I am living, I need to live!  If I am still on God's planet, I have a purpose and He can use me if I am willing.

In addition to our shopping and finishing up the kitchen cupboards, we have read and played games.  I introduced Rudy to "Angry Birds" on the tablet and showed him how to access Solitaire.  We also played a few games of a fun new game that Deanna sent us - Gobblet.  Very fun - thank you!  Rudy has been steadily reading "Great people of the Bible and how they lived" - a big book that reminds me of an encyclopedia.  It was Dave Zollinger's and he gave it to Rudy when they closed up their place.  He didn't show much interest in the book last year, but has been engrossed in it this year.

Verses from today's study:
Romans 12:1-2  I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Order restored...for now...

The items are back in our kitchen cupboards and the hinges, doors and knobs are reattached.  What a good feeling!  And it looks great, but, wow, what a job!  And I thought I was going to sand down and varnish the kitchen cupboards at home this year.  Hmmm...may have to rethink that plan...  On the other hand, it looks (and feels) so much better!

Rudy was a HUGE help during the process and I can't imagine having done it without his helping hand.  It is a continued lesson in "asking" for help.  I remember how difficult it was for me to move into the office at school and to learn how to work with a secretary.  For years, I had honed the skill to manage my classroom on my own, manage my home on my own, etc.  Then I was in a position where I had someone to work with me - someone to help me.  Sounds great, right?  It was an adjustment!  Still working on this area in my marriage also.  Rudy loves to do things together, whereas I have a tendancy to zone in on things myself.  As I learn to work as a team, things do go so much more smoothly.

I would love to paint our bedroom yet this year, but time is drawing to an end.  In two weeks, we return to Haiti (March 2).  And shortly after we return (March 23), we will be heading home to Ohio.  Having the time broken up likes this, it does make the time go much more quickly.

We continue to ride bike, shuffle, play bocci, gather for card games, and occasionally walk on the beach.  The last time we went to the beach, we experienced the "red tide".  Started out on our walk and everything was great - people were sitting out along the beach and a few kids in the water.   We walked from Nokomis beach to the jetty.  As we returned, we hit a spot of deserted beach (not even any birds) and we both started coughing and noses were burning and running.  Not a good feeling.  Then we passed through that spot and we were OK...hurried home and took a shower to make sure we got any pollen off us.

FYI:   A red tide bloom is a higher-than-normal concentration of a microscopic alga (plant-like organisms).  It is important to realize that many people still enjoy the beaches during red tides.  People may experience respiratory irritation (coughing, sneezing, and tearing) when the red tide organism is present along a coast and winds blow its aerosol onshore.

This week, our Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 tablet arrived.  I have downloaded some books as well as a few games and have spent some time just trying to learn how to use it (the club house has wi-fi so I can explore without using up the data on my plan).  I do plan to take it with us to Haiti (the guest house has wi-fi) so hopefully, I will be able to keep the blog updated.  Though i have read a few blogs from there and it sounds like there have been some connection issues. 

Also, the hydo plant generates their electricity and they are nearing the end of their dry season...limited water may mean limited electricity...should be interesting....  (not sure how it all works).  Rudy is pumped to return; I am starting to stress over logistics - what to pack, how to pack it, arranging for rental car to Miami and hotel once we get there....oh, it will all work out fine and it will be a great experience.  It is just coming up fast and it is not like we can just run to Wal-Mart if we forget something.  We are both looking forward to additional time to interact with the Haitian people as well as the American families living there. 

China and Ayana Ott come for a visit!

We had the pleasure of babysitting China and Ayana on Saturday!  What fun!!  Kim and I were not sure how it would go, especially for Ayana – they hadn’t been here without their parents before.  They were great.  We watched Veggie Tales, while China rocked three babies and Ayana explored.  We then walked to the lake, walked around the pool for awhile.  It was tough keeping Ayana from jumping in – I had to go running for her just as I snapped the picture below.  She moves fast and constantly!!!  They had to be exhausted when Kim and Mardell came to pick them up.  Not only did their short little legs carry them to the lake and back, but we went around the pool at least 8 times.  I held Ayana’s hand as they walked on the edge (inside the pool – about an inch of water).  Every now and then she would just dip her leg in the pool area.  Then as we headed back to the house, they ran around, falling down in the only “nice” grass in the park.  Back at the house, we brought the sidewalk chalk out.  China wanted Rudy to come outside with us and told him he was moving too slow!  He promptly fell asleep in the chair – surprise! surprise!  The girls weren’t sure what to make of it, but had fun poking him to wake him up.  They had to give him a couple of good pokes!

 

 

  

Another subject, Rudy woke up the other morning and told me that he had the strangest dream.  We had a cat on the farm and it had 13 kittens…(I am thinking at this point that it sounds like a great dream) …and 8 of them were black (getting even better).  The grandchildren would come and play with the kittens and they kittens would jump all over them (sounds normal and delightful)…and then he was downstairs and walked out into the small porch and a kitten jumped on him…he walked outside and tossed aside to play with the other kittens….I just really don’t understand why he thought it was strange!! Ha! Ha!  He probably considered it a nightmare!

Here are some more pictures of shark’s teeth we found last week and some of the singles shuffle tournament…

 

 

Turtles and shark's teeth are great, but no snakes!!

Often when we are riding our bikes on the legacy trail, we encounter turtles either alongside the trail or plodding along on the trail.  On each of the last two trips, we have encountered a snake slithering across the path.  The first one was moving fairly slowly and as I screeched to a halt (along with a little scream), Rudy went zooming by me and I thought he was going to run it over!  Yesterday, it was a fast moving big black snake!  Ugh!

In the afternoon, I walked on the beach (while Rudy shuffled) and I found 3 shark's teeth.  Unusual for me.  Rudy seems to spot them with ease, but I am not always so fortunate.  The last two days, I have had a walk on the beach and it has felt wonderful!!  The red tide continues to be a problem off and on.  Fortunately, I have not gone over on a day when there are dead fish lying on the beach - yuck!

Sunday, Marvin Indermuhle stopped before church (had a conference in Orlando) and then spent the day at Sarasota church.  We had a potluck and singing in the evening.  Tuesday, we went to world relief sewing again.  Carl Graf came along; he thinks he will be busy on the next few Tuesdays (ha! ha!).  Greg Tieche brought some things to the church for the Sunday School Auction while we were there and invited us to stop by their place.  We did afterwards - surprised Peg and no Greg.  They have done a lot of work during this trip!

Today we had the Singles Tournament in Shuffling.  Rudy won his first two games and then lost a very close match.  I lost my first one, then won two and then lost to Harold Widmer.  We are both done and that is OK.  Had fun, and now we don't have to shuffle tomorrow :-)

Our latest project is the kitchen cupboards.  Rudy took all the doors off for me and removed the hinges and handles.  I have the inside of the cabinets painted and will paint the doors and the outside of the cabinets.  We will spray paint the hardware.  This is a project I have been dreading.  I DON'T like working on cabinets or closets or any other tight spaces.  But the insides look so nice and shiny and white rather than the dirty looking discolored white that they were - it does make it worth it.  Contrary to popular belief, I don't always love to paint.  I just love to have things painted, so I usually bite the bullet and dig in.

We continue to enjoy our bible study on weight management, "The Lord's Table."  It has been especially valuable to work through it after visiting an impoverished country such as Haiti.  We have so much!  Do we really focus on living for God and giving all glory to Him?  Or are we sidetracked and focused on all that is around us?  Do we truly view gluttony as a sin?  It is.  I have a long way to go to change my habits and my thought patterns.  I still have those moments while going through the grocery store when I want to buy a bag of peanut butter snickers and eat the whole bag before I get home. (and right now they are even "buy 1 get 1 free" at Publix - yikes!).  Rudy doesn't have near as much weight to loose with me, but I am so thankful that he is willing to go through the program with me.  It has been a special time of growth for each of us.

Shopping, Shuffling, Painting and Fellowship

Well, the title pretty much sums up our last week!  Sunday evening, we had Lorrie and Lottie over for supper and a couple rounds of Five Crowns.  Tuesday, we went to Joanne Widmer's with Carol and Everett for a game of "Social Security" (not quite sure where the name came from..kind of like "sorry") and "Sevens" (just learned that card game - fun).  Wednesday night was church.  Thursday night we went to Carol and Everett's with Howard and Helen Zobrist for 6 handed euchre.  Tonight, we are going over to Clara Bodager's with John and Marge Zollinger!  Wow!

Mixed in there we have the usual shuffle matches, though i have stayed home some - a bit breezy here.  I have refinished and painted our kitchen table and chairs.  For those of you who have visited, you will be glad to know that you, along with any towels or hot pads, will no longer (hopefully) stick to surface of the table!  We are both very excited with how it turned out.  It has been a week long project - waiting for each layer to dry and we are also excited to have things back in order (until we start the next project :-)

I went shopping yesterday and had FUN!  I don't usually put those two words in the same sentence...guess I am not the typical female in that sense.  But, yesterday, I was browsing the clearance racks at kohl's and Target as well as the items at the Goodwill Clearance store.  If it was a $1 or $2, looked like it would benefit the haitians, I bought it.  I didn't have to worry about sizes or colors, etc.  It was so stress free!  Unfortunately, most of the items were winter items.  I would have also liked to find more shoes.  And I could feel good about the purchase...seeing people without basic necessities was very difficult!  Martha Lou Marty and the sewing group are also going to work on more of the simple little dresses that I took over the last time.  They are hoping to make 50!

Marvin Indermuhle called and he may come tomorrow evening and go with us to church Sunday.  He is in Orlando for business.  Sure hoping it will work out!

Hope all of you are doing well.  We have dipped into the low 60s here and VERY windy (frigid for Florida, but all things are relative, right?)  hoping that next week we can get to the beach some (don't usually like to go on the weekends)!  I think we have only been there 2 or 3 times this year.  Unbelievable!!!!