June Blessings

Two yellow day lilies are drinking water from a vase on the dining room table.  Katherine’s new wheelchair has arrived although the part to allow her to drive it has not yet arrived, so she went back to the old one for a couple of days in order to travel through her home.

It has been a pleasant week for the most part.  Not only did I get a nice visit with daughter Mary Ellen on Tuesday , but the next morning when I got out of bed at l0 a.m. (after surfing and catching up on the Internet too late the night before), there was a note in the kitchen from Mary Ellen with a meat loaf made from a new recipe she told me about on Tuesday and also containers of seven-layer salad—one for us and one for Katherine.  Both were very good, and one of the nice things about people sharing food is that often it is dishes you haven’t made in a long time—such as the that special salad that is so good but takes effort to create.

On Thursday I fried a package of fish that Gerry had cleaned and put in the freezer from their recent fishing time here.  With all the donations of food lately, our grocery bill ought to go down!

Grandson Sam and friends were out a couple of days to enjoy the lake, and I liked that. It is always good to see kids having a good time.   I finally got to meet his girl friend and a couple of other friends I’d heard about but never met.  There won’t be any visits this week, however, because he is at University of Illinois band and orchestra camp. His dad took him up in time to audition today, and he made second chair in the trombone section.  I was able to see Katherine’s pleasure this afternoon as she received the text message from David telling her about it.  To me the neatest thing about this camp is that our youngest grandchild Cecelie is there also with her violin.  That two cousins from opposite ends of the state can share this musical experience is very gratifying.

Last evening Gerald and I went out to dinner at our favorite quiet restaurant to celebrate our 57^th wedding anniversary.  This morning at Bible study before worship service, we studied Job together.  It is good to find out with Job that some bad things which happen are not the result of our sin.  And it is also good to know that friends who want to comfort someone in trouble should not judge or claim to speak for God.  Job never knew why he was the recipiesnt of such tragedy, but I guess he not only understands it now but he can rejoice that for centuries humans have been blessed by his example when he assured us that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away—but we can still say, Blessed be the name of the Lord.  This example of faith when things don’t make sense is especially valuable to our family right now.

With the coming of two new night CNA workers—sisters who were going to cover for one another if needed—Katherine and I enjoyed thinking I could again limit my help to the evenings and no more night duty. That lasted six days because tonight one sister ended up in the hospital—I still do not know why.  The other sister did not know and could not be reached for a long time to come to Katherine’s in her sister’s stead.  But when she belatedly heard, she came but had to bring her children with her since she had not prior notice. So she is there now putting Katherine to bed—something I cannot do.  When she and her children leave, she is to phone me and I will drive in to town to spend the remainder of the night.  So as often happens, Katherine’s careful planning goes awry.