battle

Just beyond the well cared for shrubs and such of the doctor’s office parking lot – in which I waited for the Spice – was a whole other world. This was an untended strip of land betwixt and between several commercial plots. This area was a war zone of epic proportions, albeit the actions were very slow moving – or more accurately, slow growing – and it seemed that none save I noticed the desperate struggle.

Many species of trees and plants were involved in the conflict – types of coniferous, evergreen and deciduous growths were in the competition. My main focus was the four large trees in front of my vehicle. Three of which were of the same species and the other was a pecan – seen so because of the remaining nut hulls on the limbs after the drop of the trees nutty produce.

These trees were being set upon or attached to by at least three kinds of vines. One of these had attached itself to the bark and was probably more of a threat to people than to the trees – this since I took it to be poison ivy. Another type of vine was a briar, which had grown its way nearly to the top of all the trees and was competing with the trees for sunlight.

The third and most ominous of the vines was wisteria – identified by the legumes still attached. Wisteria is a deadly beauty because the flowers are beautiful but left to its own devices it will eventually grow to the top of the tree and choke – or shade – out the sunlight necessary for the life of the tree. This truth was shown because one of the trees was already dead with most of its limbs rotted and fallen.

The irony was that the dead limbs couldn’t even fall to the ground because they were so tangled in the vine growths. But this is the way God made these natural formations – only the strongest survive. I am always amazed at the way God created this natural world to continue no matter what we humans do. I’m also awed by the way He loves us and made a way that we could be saved from ourselves – and our wrong doings. ec

TX 0110-5

Looking back in time to finish the narrative on our TX trip, we awoke on Tue., Jan 12th, without a lot to do except to wish our visit could last longer. The Spice and I did go back to the acupuncturist for treatments but spent the rest of the day just being together. Next morn was the one of our departure and we arose to do last minute packing while OD got GM2 off to school. We took GM5 to K4 on our way out of town.

It was a sad leaving day from our TX dear ones but just one of the emotional speed bumps of life. We did our serious hugging before we left the house and applied the finishing hug after OD deposited us at the airport gate at Hobby-Houston. We went through security without problems – except for long lines. Then on to Atlanta and enough time to get a bite to eat – not thinking to check to see if our gate had changed.

We went over to another concourse only to find the gate had changed back to just a few gates from the one at which we had arrived from Houston. We did not miss the flight but we were one of the last ones to board – the up side was that we got much exercise changing gates. It was then on to Augusta and BIL transported us home from the airport. Our SC home place really felt good that night.

Fast forward to Friday, Jan 29th, to the arrival of our 7th grandchild - a girl weighing in at 8lb and 3oz and 19 1/4 inches long. Our youngest daughter was the Mom and the Spice and I took the two oldest of her young ones to see the babe.

On Sat, Jan 30th, We went to the hospital in the afternoon and took all of YD’s progeny to see their little sister. They all got to hold GM7 as did Granna and Pop pop. It had been many years since our girls were born and several since the last gruntmonkey came into the world and it seems that I had forgotten how quickly a very small human can wrap it’s tiny fingers around my heart.

As I held this precious one in my hands and gazed into her miniature face I was awestruck with emotion. It doesn’t take much to rattle my cage in that respect and I couldn’t help but think that if I had actually witnessed her birth moment I would have been a real basket case. When my girls were born the fathers were locked out and were just accessories after the fact – I would rather have been there. God still does all things well. ec

TX 0110-4

Still relating the TX trip. With the Spice and I having our various grunts and groans on Thurs. we both went to an acupuncturist that she had visited on a previous trip – my hip had been cramping the whole time we had been there. The change was slow but it did seem to help and it started to get back to somewhat normal. Other issues of upper respiratory natures had started to manifest themselves to me as well.

Friday came with an opinion expressed from TX that there should be a rule somewhere that a person can’t be afflicted with the upper respiratory crud when they are visiting this far away from home. It’s no fun trying to play with the “grands” while feeling like tepid toad spit. Not that I am an expert on amphibian salivary excretions or the ramifications of the various temp thereof, it’s just the worst thing I could think of.

Saturday, Jan 9th, came and I was glad to be feeling some better – also glad that toad spit didn’t have to be in the description of my condition. Chinese herbal meds really helped my throat. Even got a few of the small projects completed for OD that PM. Sun, Jan 10th, happened and although nobody was feeling like going to church, I received my pastor’s sermon via computer. Awesome word concerning relationships.

Our church’s web page is a real blessing in that one can not only receive the sermon live but can also enjoy other recent sermons at any time. I had to chuckle at myself in that the Sun sermon showed a pie chart for an illustration – great chart but I found myself thinking of the fruity dessert from which it got its name. I refocused quickly and got back on track with the message.

Monday came and though still a bit snorky I was feeling much better and charged ahead to complete all the projects on my requested to-do list. The last and the most time consuming one was completed in the PM. With the loan of a motorized miter saw from their friends I was able to custom cut some braces for their rickety ottoman. The braces worked when installed and it was sturdy once again – God is good! ec

TX 0110-3

Reaching back once more to the annals of our recent TX trip, I bring more details to light. It magically became Monday, Jan. 4th and I did a solo walk today – OD had errands. It was cold in TX but not as cold as back home. Later I finished taking down the outside Christmas decos and started the storing process. With this and keeping company with GM5 the day sped by.

Chilaxin’ is defined in the urban dictionary as a combination word that carries the meaning of chilling out and relaxing. On this trip I was searching out the depths of the word to see if anything can be more laid back than that – I didn’t find anything, unless I made up a new word – I have done that before. But somehow I did miss the outside work back home – I think Ethyl (the chainsaw) is just pining away for me.

Then another relaxing day burst into the present tense in TX even if I did get up feeling a little below par – I came close to achieving metaphorical par later in the day. Two thirds of my lady folk in TX went shopping this day – two young ones were in institutions of learning and FSIL is still out of town. The afternoon contained a few chores, sitting with GM5 and the holding down of the home fort.

The most difficult of the things accomplished this day was the cleaning out of burned residue in the bottom of a pot used for rice pudding cooking – and no, I didn’t do the burning. I tried comet cleanser, pot scrubbers, scraping with a knife and finally got the last of it with a sharp putty knife – tough stuff! Didn’t walk this day – got enough exercise with the scrubbing. Besides I was not feeling very perky.

“God’s call on a life is specific, extensive, thorough, and eternal. A life set apart by God cannot remain the same. Moreover, when we respond to God’s call, the kingdom of God will not remain the same.” We are all called to be a witness of what God has done for us. We don’t need a PHD, a lot of money or to be very talented – simply do what you can, use what you have, say what you know and start where you are. ec

TX 0110-2

Still relating past history of our TX trip. Saturday, Jan. 2nd, came as another work day for FSIL since he is in the accounting area of his firm and the end of year/beginning of year stuff had to be done. After b’fast OD and I went for a walk using interval training methods – i.e. – rotating normal walking with as fast as possible – in intervals of course. It was invigorating even if I did have a hitch in my gitalong.

The ladies went shopping for most of the afternoon with GM5 and I holding down the home front. Interaction was involved, as was college football and snacking – the young lad was not as much into football as I but he definitely enjoyed the snacking. In fact the snacking is the secondary reason I do the walking. If I snacked without the walking then I would not be able to get through the door to do the walking.

Sunday, Jan. 3rd, arrived and was only lighted by indirect sunlight due to the overcast skies and that lasted the whole day. FSIL left for a busines trip to his company’s headquarters this AM and we will be keeping OD and clan company for the next week plus. I didn’t leave the house except to go on a two mile walk with OD – was able to walk despite the hitch still being in my gitalong.

The evening meal was great, OD being the good cook that she is, but as usual there was something missing at the end of the meal. I knew this would be the case so I had made a banana pudding to fill in the missing part. Is there anything that can fill even the slightest void in the stomach like an old-fashioned, made from scratch, warm banana pudding? My stomach and I both smiled during the filling of the void.

Got a hitch in your spiritual gitalong? Could it be that you are focusing more on your faults and failures or even on what a rotten sinner you were in the past? Follow through with God’s forgiveness through Christ and forgive yourself. Only then can you walk forward in victory and be the spiritual warrior you were created to be. Fulfill God’s purposes and not those of the enemy. ec

TX 0110

Looking back in time just a bit, the Spice and I had been on an emotionally exhausting ride since the passing of her Mom. So many things to do and so many things to bring to a conclusion concerning that. With most of the urgent matters taken care of we put the rest on hold and were going to get out of Dodge – actually Clearwater, SC. We were going to TX to visit with OD and clan for about two weeks.

On the last day of ’09 we loaded up our luggage in the van of BIL and he drove us to the airport. I was a bit apprehensive about going through security after the scare up north but we breezed right through. The plane out of Augusta was on time and we arrived in ATL on schedule. The flight to Houston was uneventful except for being a little rough in spots. The view was awesome above the clouds – God does all things well.

OD, along with GM2 and GM5, met us at Houston-Hobby and drove us the hour south to their home. 4PM Texas time found the Spice and I in Lake Jackson for a 13 day visit with our TX clan. This would be the first time in several years that we would welcome in the New Year with these loved ones. We watched the ball drop in NYC – on TV – and I crashed for the night, even though it was still only 11PM in TX.

We celebrated the first day of 2010 in a very low-key manner, even though we did use part of it to also celebrate the Christmas we missed with them. I mostly just sat around and ate – OK, I did watch a lot of football. I didn’t mind the great vittles but some more moving around would be necessary for the maintenance of the physical parts of me. Also involved was much needed relaxing.

I entered the new year with the thoughts in mind of Phil. 3:13b-14 – “. . . forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” In Christ alone do I find hope for tomorrow. ec

Mema

This was the honorary title given to the Spice’s Mom when her first grandchild – our OD – was born. She was also known as such by our YD and the two daughters of the Spice’s bro. The title continued as the great-grands came along – our six and BIL’s three. My two daughters basically felt like she hung the moon and there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do – and there wasn’t a lot she wouldn’t do for her grands.

Before she was Mema I knew her as the Mom of the first girl I ever kissed – the girl that today is my wife and the Spice of my life. Our family moved to the Augusta area in 1949 and a few years later I started seeing the Spice’s family at church. A few years after that I started to notice that girls were different from boys, a fact of which I greatly approved – although I was scared witless of this “fairer sex”.

The future Spice and I started dating sometime in 1957 and I got to know the future Mema a little better and held her in the highest esteem. Through a misunderstanding with the future Spice, I fell to the bottom of her dating list but I still came around to chat with Mema when I had a chance. Then came HS graduation and with the army draft looming in my mind, I chose to join this branch of the military for 3 years.

Mema and my Mom had been friends for years and both wrote to me – Mema would notify my Mom when she got a letter from me and vise-versa. The Spice would write me polite letters because it was expected of civilians to write to service men they knew. My wondrous army experience concluded in 1962 and I started coming around again to chat with my future MIL. She was like an older sister and we talked of many things.

During this time the Spice would hardly give me the time of day. It seemed that her best friend had claims on me, feelings that were not mutual – and the Spice would not trespass. When I shared with Mema about a new girl I was seeing, she passed this along to her daughter, along with the advice that if she wanted to see me she had best get a move on in that direction. This happened and we were wed June of 1963.

Five years later our oldest daughter came along and the title of Mema was given to the Spice’s Mom. She carried the title well and joyfully through the other three grands and all nine “greats”. Then Mema had to journey through the passing of her life-long companion in March of 2006. Then almost imperceptibly her health started to wane also – although it happened slowly until this year.

In April of this year Mema went into the hospital, and then until September she was back and forth from the “skilled nursing facility” to hospital. Then we purchased a hospital bed and she came to our house. It was then back and forth from here to hospital until November 16th when they sent her home because they could do nothing more for her. On November 17th she was put on hospice until her passing on November 24th.

The day of her death was her 85th birthday and although she couldn’t respond, several had called to wish her happy birthday and the phone would be held up to her ear. Our oldest daughter had just sung happy birthday to her by phone when she breathed her last – OD’s voice was probably the last human one she heard on this earth. Her passing has left a large void in all of our lives but God is faithful to comfort.

In the 46 plus years the Spice and I have been married – and even before that – I have known Mema as a godly woman and faithful Christian and we are looking forward to seeing her again on a day of our Lord’s choosing. Even in the sadness of our loss I say with heartfelt conviction – God is still good, all the time! ec

A fire

Several months ago I purchased an odd looking torch, it was made for burning grass and weeds in the cracks of sidewalks and such. It has actually been used for that purpose but only in a minor part of its role. The major part of its usefulness has been in the control and extermination of a very annoying and painful species of pismire – better known as the fire ant. This process irritates them very much – but not for very long.

A new role has emerged for this tool. It is now also used as a fire starter, or sometimes in my case, a bonfire starter and has been used many times for this. Sometimes the fire comes from the burning of a pile of weeds, grass and pruned limbs – I wait until the pile is dry and no kindling is needed. But for the campfires down at Fort Gruntmonkey, kindling is necessary – it is split into small sticks and placed under the other wood.

My normal method of campfire prep is to place some larger chunks of wood on the ground, put kindling on top of that and build a sort of tepee over that with smaller sticks. Then once the lit torch nears the kindling, a roaring fire is just minutes away. The kindling I use under the wood for a quicker start of the fire is “fat lighter” – found here on the property in the stump holes of long dead and rotted pines.

The local gruntmonkeys are out of town this week but after my evening walk a couple of nights ago I got a hankering for a fire. I changed into bummy clothes, got the torch, a folding chair, some cutting tools and wandered down to the pond all by myself. In the lingering light of sunset I pulled some large fallen branches up from the water’s edge and chopped up part of these to put atop the pile of wood already in place.

As darkness began in earnest I unfolded the chair and placed it in the midst of Fort Gruntmonkey. The torch was fired off and shortly the kindling was ablaze with the rest of the wood following posthaste. Then the fire enjoyment started. I just sat and watched the dancing flames, soaking up the sounds and warmth of the fire. If I had been troubled with stress it would have been dissipated in the peacefulness of this ancient scenario.

I watched the sparks fly upwards with the breeze carrying them toward the pond that I could just make out in the darkness behind the fire. The crickets were giving a serenade all around me and occasionally I could hear a frog trying to break into the song with a bass note or two – even though it is a bit late in the year for this noisy critter. Soon all that remained were glowing embers so I gathered my stuff and headed back to the house.

It was a good time of reflection, pondering many things and communing with my very best Friend. How else can I say it but – God is good, all the time. ec

PS: The photo is of the ‘burner of grass in the sidewalk cracks/ant torch/bonfire starter’.