the 3 minuete massage

It seems I have been giving a lot of massages lately.  I think of many years ago when I first started doing them at "Mainstreet Stylist".  Linda and I went and picked out a bed and got a room all set up to go.  Buisness was tough... it seems people didn't want to spend the money for massage in Arlington.  It was just something hard working people didn't do that often.  I tried to give massages to all my family members when time allowed, not wanting to exclude my favorite brother Jeff...
I booked him.
He came up to the shop one afternoon with me, I had him take off his shirt and lay stomach down.   I put the oil on my hands and thought I will start with his back and shoulders so he can get nice and relaxed.    He seemed tense and would pull his shoulders up - tightening them rather than relaxing.  "Okay, take a breath in and then let it out slowly... relax your muscles... that's it breath in... 
Suddenly, he sits straight up on the bed, puts his shirt on and says...
"Well, that's enough exercise for now"

Songs

If I had one thing I would want you all to know it would be,
to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength.
When it's all be said and done,
there is only one thing that matters...
did I do my best to do whats right? Did I live my life for Christ?
I want to be a women who loves the Lord with all of my heart.
I don't want to be know for what I said, or what I wrote but I want to actually LOVE God.
I want my heart to move when I close my eyes at night and pray... to know He hears.
I want to pray to see His face and when I look to HIm, have a fire in my heart and know that it is real.
I want to live my life in such a way that Christ is who you see.
Break my heart Lord for what breaks Yours, that I might know how to pray.
Lord, I want to Love you so much that when I face things here on earth I can know that it is for the greater good.  That I can see what is going on and yet continue to trust You.
When I think about the Lord...
It makes me want to shout!
Amazing Grace, you saved me!'
Sometimes the greatest Blessings are unanswered prayers.
What if your Blessings come through tear drops?
What if a 1,000 sleepless nights are what it takes to make you His?
Praise God from whom all Blessings flow
Word of God speak, won't you fall down like rain?
Cover the dreary soil that has been used and abused...
Cover me...
His Grace cover me!
And you!
Good night, sleep tight!

Hamburger with peas, please

We went to a concert in New Ulm (Bob the beach comber).  It was Conner D, Grams, Lila and myself.  We met up with Carol and Du, Nick, Heather, Addy, Miranda and Evelyn at Johnson Park.
We were early enough that I decided we would grab a bite to eat at McDonalds,
but
not early enough to think a whole lot about what we were going to order when we got there.
So, grams asks the little guy what he would like to order for supper...
he replied (after quite a bit of little guy thought)...
"I will have a hamburger with peas and a beer, please"

A prayer (another moment)

I see him in the dining room.  Sitting by himself in the exact same place the other had been.  There is not a spirit of happiness.  I feel a desperate loneliness and I want to know what it is from.  It appears that no one has seen him in this condition before...
It appears he is in some sort of coma.
Lord, why are you showing me this human condition, this desperate feel of being unloved.?
Don't you love them all?
How can I gracefully show love to a man I don't know, I don't know his condition Lord...
"God is always good and I am always loved"
How can that be?
"Take the pain that is given and give thanks for it, then transform it into a joy that fulfills all emptiness."
I take him outside to let the sun touch his skin.  I do not know if he can hear me, if he can understand what I say...
but I pray.
Lord, I stand in the gap for this man, I don't know his story... but, I know we all need your forgiveness and your grace.  If there is anything standing in the way of this man meeting you face to face - I stand with him, forgive us Lord.
...and as the sun warms my skin I realize I am not much different than this person I sit with.
For each of us, individually He died on the cross, that we might be forgiven and set free.
I don't know what will happen
but
I do know that the empty spot of loneliness can be filled with glory
That the son shining on your face can warm your soul
That suffering nourishes grace, and pain and joy are of the same heart
and I give thanks for this Holy moment.

This story is a figment of my imagination, if it sounds like someone you know...
please pray for them.

Math

I remember when I was a young girl I got to go to the "Garratto" in West Bend, Iowa with a neighbor friend.  It has been so long ago that I don't recall a lot of the trip, but I remember the beauty.  It wasn't until later in my life when two and two started coming together and made four... that I realized the "Garratto" is where this picture of my mom and dad was taken.  They were on their honeymoon.  When I look at their picture I see two people who made four and now we equal sixteen plus!
...and it all started years ago, in a beautiful place...
when two people fell in love.

HOME (another moment)

She sits on the chair in the dining room, her husband in a "rock and go" wheel chair, seated at her right.  I can't help but notice them together, when I first met him she was still in the hospital.  His face is gentle and he carries a gentle spirit inside the body that doesn't move.  His lips perfectly cover a voice that has somehow been silenced... all around them is the sound of love, a gentle whisper beckons  me to go by them.
As I sit down and talk with her, she tells me he hasn't eaten in days...
"how can he do it, how can a body survive with no food?"
Taking the spoon I try to coax down some fortified oatmeal, but it does not go down and I wipe it away with a napkin.
I tell her..."he seems to have a wonderful spirit about him, a peace surrounds him and I can feel his happiness"
The words now spill out of her smiling face as she tells me about the man she married some 67 years ago.  He was a wonderful father and such a good, good man.  No one could have had a happier life than them... she had it all and is so thankful.  Listening to her words carefully, I hold on to each one knowing I am in a Holy moment... knowing she is sharing a rare jewel with me.
The next morning when I check on them, the rock and go is parked next to the twin bed he lays on and except for the heaving of his breath he is silent.  I listen carefully for the sound of love, she touches my arm and is smiling.  I do not know these people and yet I know there is a connection way beyond my understanding...
and as I leave the room I hear the brush of angels wings...
coming to take him home.

This story is fictional, if it sounds like someone you know... wonderful, that means you know someone who truly knows Gods love and how to live it out here on earth!

FUN!

I want to remember this moment forever.  Jaci, Conner, Chloe, Nola and I were out for a walk when the park was spotted.  How can a gramma say no on a perfect, very fine, beautiful day.
Jaci and Conner were crawling like monkeys on the bars when we noticed Nola Jean.
She had found the exact center of this monkey bar cage...
Stood there, smiled at us
and started hopping and singing...
"gramma, look, gramma, this is fun, fun gramma, fun gramma"
and I do indeed say in my gramma's mind...
that we had
FUN!!

Conzins

Today I write so I don't forget. Living in the moment isn't always the easiest...
sometimes each moment is so wonderful you don't want to move on to fast.
I drive to Howard Lake to meet my oldest daughter and her family.  Leaving in time to meet at "Troubles" at 6:00.
They are here! It is 6:30 and the food is ready to go.
We eat
Load the car...
my precious cargo includes JaciAnna  (8) and Jordyn Noel (1 1/2), some clothes, a new school bag, a soccer ball and then of course -
we need the net that goes with the soccer ball.
Chris bungee's the trunk shut and away we go. It is Sunday July 30th, 2012.
When we arrive in Arlington, they take a bath and put the pj's on.  I lay Jordyn down in Ann's room in her pack and play, with Jaci laying next to me in my room.  Within 5 minuets everyone is sleeping.
Grams comes in the morning so I can go to work, Allysa came about 10:30 to help with the tasks at hand, Lacey and Nola Jean arrive around 3:00.  We have supper, Lacey goes to the Chiro.  When she gets back I have all the conzins ready to go swimming.
OFF WE GO...
To the Glencoe city pool.  Me, Lila, Lacey, Nola Jean, Jaci Anna and Jordyn Noel.  Everyone has a wonderful time, it is worth the $28 to me to see the conzins play together.
To see Jaci so gently help the little ones on the slide...
to see her let them follow her all around the shallow end of the pool...
and her patience when I tell her she can't go in the "big" side until the little ones are done.  I see a side of my first born grandchild I have not seen before...
she is maturing...
she is a big sister...
she is a conzin!
Nola Jean and Lacey leave for home on Tuesday. When I get home from work we load up Jaci and Jordyn and head down the road yet again.  This time they will go with momma and Conner D. will come home with us.  I go to work and Gramma D. along with Alyssa play with Conner and make sure his time with gramma is fun. 
Today it is Friday August 3rd... I took off and we go out to the grounds to meet up with Carol and Duane, Nick, Heather, Addy, Emily, Jaci and Jordyn.  It was very hot, but that never stops us from having fun.  We saw animals, smelled hay, went on a few rides...
and then to the Arlington Haus for supper.
Okay...
it has been along day = time for bed, Brittany will be coming with Jack on Saturday so we can hold him and love on him a little.  The girls all meet up with Starla at the Arlington haus, they laughed and learned a new word - SKUNNED.  It is yet to be determined if that is in the dictionary.
Okay...
Carol, Miranda, Evelyn, Lindsey, Emi, Lacey, K., Robin, Al, Curt, Brittany, Dillan and Jack are here and it is a wonderful time of family and friends and of course a little food sitting out through out the day.
Okay...
I get ready to go to the grand, Emi takes Jaci, Lila and Conner to the movie "Ice Age Two", Lindsey left about 3:00.  Everyone else left about 9:00pm.  What a beautiful day
Okay...
I come home from the grand that had some excellent music.  Clean up the house and head to bed! Everyone is sleeping and grams and I serve at church coffee on Sunday.
Okay...
So we get up and ready to go to church, Jaci comes with to help us serve.  We make a little dinner upon arrival home and then head out to the fair for a little while again. Gramps comes out also and we just sit and enjoy the weather, the company, the love of family.
And now...
They are all gone
My house is quiet
and inside my heart I can hear the whole week-end

and I give Thanks.