Bottle Baby

Two weeks ago we bought a little Jersey calf at auction. It was only about two days old.

My sister Iva's family was here for the week, so the children had such a ball taking turns feeding the calf.

 

A few days later, the calf became very weak and could hardly stand up. We got him into a cooler place and began to feed him more often, as well as giving him water in the bottle as well because of the heat. In just a short while, he was perking up. Someone let him into the house, and before I knew it, he had already explored the house clear back to the little boys' bedroom and then here he was in the office!

 

Sammy takes good care of the calves.

Here is Rose's raised bed of lettuce, beets, turnips, radishes, squash, and carrot.

We have to keep them covered at all times with hail screens.

Gardens out here must be kept safe from hail, wind, heat, dryness, chickens, goats and calves. If you get anything at all, it is something like a miracle.

A good caption for this picture would be

"How many differences can you spot between the two girls?"

Carrie and Rose had each sewed her own three-tiered skirt in time for July 4th. Then Carrie also sewed Hannah a matching dress, which perhaps we'll get a picture of later.

 

Here is an upside-down peach cake which Rose made.

And then in between the good times, the fun times with Iva's family,

the delicious food, the successful projects,

wellll.............

we won't let on which cousin this is......

 .....there are just those times that leave you feeling like that look on that face!!

 

Did I look like that when I pulled up the garage door and looked at the enormous job staring us in the face? Thanks to my sister's courage, together we worked for hours several days the last couple weeks to get the mess in the garage under control.

Iva was here to escape the heat and humdrum and smoke from fires near where she lives.

No humdrum here!

Lots of fun and LOTS of hard work!

Even the young ones help carry things from where they had been unloaded on the driveway to stow where they belong.



Timmy polishes his boots.

Did you ever arrive at church on Sunday and as you are heading toward the door, you realize your son's cowboy boot sole is almost completely off, and it is going

flap-flap, flop-flop,

right under the nose of the preacher?

What are you supposed to say?



This week, on the Fourth of July, Jonathan got out glue, contact cement, yellow glue, gray glue, clamps, and various other repair articles and repaired such things as Timmy's broken guitar, the piece of laminate that has been off our piano since we bought it, the piano bench which nearly collapses when we sit on it, kitchen chairs which were wobbly. and Timmy's flopping boot sole.

Under the care of the repairman, broken things become whole.

Furniture becomes sound.

Boots become wearable again.

"He restoreth my soul."
Recently I ran across notes I had taken from a former pastor's sermon about "Broken Nets."
The fishermen, Peter and James and John and Andrew,  were repairing their nets not because the nets were bad, but because
they were worn out from use.
Those cowboy boots were not bad boots. They were just worn out from use.
And when we discover brokenness in our lives, it is not always because something is wrong or bad, but it is often because we are worn out from use.
I wrote in my diary how during that sermon about broken nets, I had sat listening, and how I had started crying and couldn't stop.
It was so comforting to feel that not all the brokenness in our lives is from some kind of
inward badness.
That some of it is from just being a worn out human being who needs the tender, compassionate, skilled care of the Master Fisherman who not only catches fish,
but Who also spends an awful lot of time repairing broken nets.
It is hard to keep the tears back, okay, go ahead and just cry while I write.
Repair, oh Lord, our souls, our broken nets, and all the broken things
that You care so deeply about!

Mountain Beauty on Father's Day Weekend

A couple weeks ago, when I asked Jonathan what he would like to do for Father's Day, he decided that what he would really like to do was to go to the mountains for the weekend.

So that is what we did.

At first we thought we might have to stay home because of the fire in Black Forest, but it was becoming contained by the weekend.

We found a camping spot near a stream which was full of water melting from snow in the mountains.

We found a lovely trail to hike, and found numerous pretty spring flowers. Jonathan said these ones are called Jacob's Ladder because of the way the leaves look like a ladder.

(I had to use my imagination a lot on that one.)

How Danny and Hannah loved criss-crossing the rushing stream!

They would hang onto their daddy's hand, and swing across.

 

Teach us, Lord, to hold tight to Your hand when we must cross the raging waters of life!



Those waters will always be there, perhaps over and over, in between the quieter paths under aspen leaves and sunshine.

Teach us to look to You to find our way when we can't get through these situations by ourselves.

Show us the Way, the Rock to step on, the log to Cross, or the courage to make the

High Jump and land safely.

 



 

 Some Sundays the best sermon comes from a child.

And you can't call it a sermon, really. Just a real life lesson in sweet, childish terms, like Danny showed us as we walked along.

Would you call him a Jack-in-the-pulpit, like this one we saw on the trail?



As we walked, it began to sleet and drizzle. Hannah, who had only worn a sweater, began to whimper that she was cold. And Danny, who was walking ahead of her and who had on a winter coat, offered quietly,

"She can have my coat."

Without looking around, just thinking about the little sister who was cold and miserable in the drizzle,

the same little sister who can be bossy, brazen and sometimes a little bit downright mean.

So Danny shed his coat, and let Hannah wear it the rest of the way.



That little act of kindness, unexpected and unasked for, sweetened the whole trail.

Nobody else's jacket was small enough; only Danny's would work.

And he gave it up.

Sometimes an act of kindness can sweeten trials as well as trails.  

It meant sacrifice.

Later, there was more drizzle. Cold, chilling drizzle.

Hannah was too cold to expect her to give back the coat, so I shared my jacket with Danny.

The two of us together, freezing in the mountain rain, hanging onto my jacket as we hurried back down the trail to the dry, warm safety of our van.

But the sweet way our tender-hearted little boy shared with his sister (the one he is great pals with but also often has trouble with!)

stayed in his mother's memory, as she pondered it in her heart.

It is a good thing to give one's coat away.

It is also a good thing, when one is feeling their heart raked over the coals with the hurts of life, to remember that while some people just enjoy scorning the ones who are hurting, and raking more, and taking one's sweater away to add to their coat, there are actually some people in this world with tender enough hearts to take off their own coat to try to ease the misery of someone else--even when that person has also hurt them in the past.

And above are some more spring flowers--shooting stars, in a beautiful meadow that made my throat ache. How I miss the Pennsylvania meadows, green and flowery. We wandered through some meadows up there, sat in the middle of dandelions and bees and ants, drinking in the beauty and trying to store it up for the next weeks when we must live near forest fire and smoke.

But even then, we can look for treasure, like our little Danny did. As I sat reading my Bible and praying and meditating in the meadow,

Danny was going around our campsite collecting little pieces of bullets.

"I am so lucky to be here!" he cried to me, coming down from the woods with pieces of already shot bullets in his dirty hands.

Lucky!

He had found bullets and casings in the dirt.

To me, they are dirty trash. They can gladly stay in the dirt in the woods.

But to Danny they are treasures.

Perhaps it is a matter of perspective?

I prefer flowers and spring green aspen leaves, beautiful scenery, writing poems, watching duck families.

Danny loves bullets. Dirty, broken bullets.

Considers himself lucky, with shining eyes and eager voice and overflowingly joyful, thankful heart.

"I'm so lucky to be here!"

His words come back to a mother at home who misses the flowers and spring leaves and trees and bushes and rushing streams as she dips water out of tubs to flush toilets, to try to conserve water.

As she looks over the back yard that is scraped practically bear of all green,

looking more like concrete than a back yard.

"I'm so lucky to be here!"

There may not be a lot that is beautiful in our life. Maybe at times it seems like the flowers are all gone, like the green pasture of the Good Shepherd has turned into concrete;

maybe all that remains is bits of broken pieces of something,

like bullets,

a bit of copper or lead or brass.

But if there are no flowers to gather,

and it is all we can do to stay on top of whatever life throws at us,

we can look for something to gather,

maybe just a broken-hearted child of our own that needs a hug and a bit of comfort and something to do to get back to good cheer,

maybe a spouse that needs a tender hug, a kiss, a back rub, or a word of thankfulness that lets them know they are not taken for granted,

maybe a shut-in who needs a note or card or visit or song or hug,

maybe a person you have wounded who needs an apology or an act of kindness done,

maybe a person you have been wounded by who needs forgiveness despite action you may have had to take to stop the wounding process from being ongoing;

Broken bits and pieces of humanity--broken bits and pieces of love and caring--

turning trash into treasure through the power of redemption.



Boys and 'Copters

Yesterday was quite a day for the boys! Almost all day, at least three helicopters were flying around the countryside dipping into local ponds to take water to the fire.

 

Waiting for the helicopter to come back

Scene from our front yard

 

A helicopter is getting ready to dip into the pond behind this building a couple miles away,  where our church has twice held two baptisms.

Across the road is this spring-fed pond where a helicopter is approaching.



The orange bucket is dipping in.

Once the helicopter had to try twice before the bucket cooperated. Now away it goes!

Sammy got most of the above pictures, and Carrie got this one with two helicopters in it as we drove home. I should say Crystal drove, as she had just succeeded in obtaining her driver's permit,  while I had several consecutive heart attacks in a row!

(Or was it really that bad? No, we just came close to hitting a mailbox!)

Timmy brings in several radishes from his little garden. Good for him! I had not heart to plant anything, but the children did. They have faithfully kept their little raised beds covered with hail screens to keep them safe from chickens and goats. We've also gotten a little lettuce. 

Black Forest Fire Begins Tuesday

When the Black Forest Fire erupted Tuesday, thousands of residents had to evacuate. When several horse trailers lined up at our neighbor's place, we offered to keep some horses overnight. They are unloading the horses at our front gate.

 

Jonathan had promised to take the children fishing at the lake at the park nearby that evening, and even though we were antsy about the pre-evacuation notice not far from us, we took off for a while, after which we spent a couple hours packing in case we had to evacuate.

Last Saturday there had been a grand reopening at the park, and free fishing poles had been given to the first couple hundred children who attended. Our children were very eager to receive their own fishing pole! They were also given string and bobbers.

Then they wanted to hike to the top of the bluffs high enough to see the smoke and fire in the distance.

Jonathan couldn't resist this scene, the sliver of moon just ahead of the children's silhouettes, and the smoke and fire to the left. 

I had stayed in the van, but Jonathan and the children waiting for darkness to fall at the top of the bluffs, where they captured many stunning views of flareups of the fire.

At home, Timmy, the one who had begged and begged to go fishing, shows the fish he got! He was the only one who got one, but was he ever happy!

This morning three helicopters were flying back and forth nearby, dropping their buckets into local ponds, then taking them to dump on hotspots at the fire. This one was in Falcon near the golf course. Jonathan had taken all of us for a ride to see it happen.

Up closer. The guy in the copter waved!

These trucks and trailers were lined up at the neighbor with horses being evacuated or ready to evacuate.

This is what the sky looked like over our house on Tuesday.

 

Smoke billows in the distance as folk from Black Forest unload their horses to take to our pasture.



Memorial Day Picnic

On Memorial Day, we hosted a picnic for all of Jonathan's clan at Fox Run Park. They were all on their way back from a weekend in the mountains where they had seen quite a number of moose. In fact, they saw the very first baby moose of the season, as no one else had reported seeing any yet.

 



Had to snap a photo of the newest couple to the Lucas clan--Chad and Barb Clemons from Idaho (center). Hard to believe they've been married 2 years now. Jonathan's brother Rob is in the center right with dark glasses, and his sister Esther is on the left below.

We took along our propane grill and grilled lots of brats which turned out NOT spicy-hot enough for the ones who like them VERY hot. To make up for it, there was a whole casserole dish of bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed jalapenos. Those also go over well in the Lucas clan. Expect to please if you bring the hottest dish you can imagine! We had cherries and watermelon and would you believe we all ate up over four whole boxes of icecream?? (Did I say something about the hottest dish you can imagine?) The peanutbutter cup icecream, and the mint chocolate chip and the Rocky Road went like crazy. I had to be careful not to eat too many calories. Ha ha ha ha. Thump. 

Rose helps Hannah try out her new old bike that Jonathan was given by someone getting rid of one. Julie Lucas, Rob's wife, is in the background.

A little over a week ago, on our way to a baseball game at Ben and Marlene Reynolds' place,  we dropped by some friends of ours who have put together a fodder system for feeding their animals. Each of these rows of trays has barley sprouts growing at different stages. Little water hoses are connected to the higher end, and every couple hours, water runs down the tray, keeping the root system irrigated. 

Below you can see that the bottom tray has just been seeded. The second tray is ready to sprout. The third tray is growing sprouts already. The sprouts grow a few days (it takes only seven days to grow the barley/sunflower sprouts big enough to feed the animals), and then you can literally just roll up the sprout mat in the tray and feed the whole thing to your animals--sprouts, roots and all. Not counting initial cost of setup, this feed system is a fraction of the cost of hay and feed. Right now hay is up to $20 a bale here in Colorado, so a system like this is one option. 

 The same friends had a very friendly pig. He doesn't mind the kiddies using him for a bench!

Danny is on the left.

 

We really enjoyed the baseball game at Ben and Marlene Reynold's place. Jonathan is up to bat while Bro. Derald Hunt has just pitched to him. Can you find the ball in the air? I had to get a photo of Jonathan actually playing! (Since he usually works 6 days a week from sunup to bedtime.)

Duane Hunt is in the back center of the picture. Bro. and Sis. Hunt had come back for a week and a half from North Carolina because Derald's mother has only been given a short time to live because of cancer all through her. 

Get that ball!

But just because someone pitches you a ball doesn't mean you have to bat it.

And just because someone hands you a shoe, doesn't mean you have to wear it.

It may be a bad pitch.

It may be a bad fit.

It's your choice.

What is best for me? What is the right thing to do and the right way to do it?

I can waste my energy batting at all the balls that come along, miss the mark, hit foul balls, lose my balance, lose respect, lose the game.

I might feel obligated to wear every shoe that is handed to me even though it doesn't fit and just rubs my big toe wrong all the time. Wearing it might boost the giver's ego, but it doesn't work for me.

We have the wonderful gift called choice.

We can choose how we live, Whom we focus on pleasing, what we wear, what balls we bat.

We must keep an eye on the balls that are pitched to us.

The Great Pitcher of the universe will always pitch His balls just right.

Satan's balls are pitched too low or too high, too far to the right or too far to the left, too slow or too fast.

We need to have a good eye for the arc and speed and aim of the balls in our lives.  

If the pitch is good, bat that ball, and then run for all you're worth!

We have a game to win, a crown to gain, and we gain it one base at a time.

Go for it!



Johnnie Jump-Up

Flowers like these that Rosie grew in a little pot are some of my favorites. The purple reminds me of the dark times; the white of God's purpose in everything; and the yellow of the joy and the sunshine that God wants for us no matter what happens.

 

Once again our family is grateful for God's touch on my dad. When the doctor came in after a long Memorial Day weekend, he asked, "Why didn't they discharge him two days ago?" The creatin numbers for his kidneys had come down amazingly. From being almost at death's door, with his kidney numbers being around 9 (with 10 meaning he was dead), the numbers are down to a little over three! So my dad was promptly discharged on Tuesday. My nephew Peter, Dorcas's son, took this photo of the nurse helping my Dad leaving the hospital. Peter had driven all the way from Vermont to Illinois to be a help to my folks for several days. He left today to go back home, leaving a very grateful Grandma and pa.

I have to admit it was a different feeling to see a picture of my dad in a wheelchair. But we have so much to thank God for. Dad is sleeping better than he has in years, and God is giving a healing touch. Pray for my mom and him. They are home but very exhausted! They will probably need to find a place to move in PA where they can be near sons and families.

 

                                                    Sometimes life takes you by surprise!

Sammy and his cousin Kenny are boosted over Steve Cunningham's shoulders while Timmy enjoys watching. 

Not all of life is pansies and roses. Some of it is just plain old scrubbing! Carrie and Rose are scrubbing the goat milkstand before expecting company--the Doug Smith family from Alberton, Montana. 

And sometimes, life just requires that you

take a deep breath!

Because you just don't know when you might have to blow out some candles!

Lucas's 50th Wedding Anniversary

On May 28th, Jonathan's parents, John and Helen Lucas, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with all five children and their spouses and children.

L-R in the above picture by families: Rob and Julie with Cassady and Danielle; Barb and Chad; Jon and Esther with Stacy, Vanessa, Rebecca and Ryan; Jonathan's dad and mom (in her original wedding dress and veil from 50 years ago); our family; Dave and Ruth with Bryan and Emily (Cheryl was the only grandchild not present).

Below, Esther is finishing decorating the three-tiered cake with yellow roses. Esther was in charge of the cake while Barbara and Ruth decorated the tables for the formal dinner. About 70 guests were present, including about 27 of the Lucas clan. 

Our family arrived in late afternoon to help with preparing food. Many hands made work light for the dinner. Below dear Sis. Gault is allowing the children to help with making delightful fruit salads.

Carrie learned to spoon watermelon balls out of the watermelon (while hungry children looking on snacked on the extra pieces! Mmm.) 

Crystal and I made lots of stuffed eggs on lettuce beds. 

Paula sat patiently by the oven watching the rolls. Hannah is waiting for her hair to be made!

The beautiful cake with home made mints and nuts. 

And we could hardly wait to get started eating!

Grandpa and Grandma greet guests. Behind Grandma is the lady who had been her bridesmaid 50 years ago, Lois Echols.

Getting ready to feed each other cake!

Three cousins (Emily, Rebecca, and Danielle) ready to serve out the plates of cake and icecream.

Timmy has just served Grandma her plate. 

Janet McVey and Sis. Gault help with mixing and serving the punch with the cake.

There was a short program after the dinner. Ruth Lucas (Dave's wife) and Julie Lucas (Rob's wife) sang "Jesus, Rose of Sharon," which had been sung at Grandma and pa's reception 50 years ago.

This photo got mixed up. At the end of the program, our family sang words Anna wrote to the tune "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," only Maggie became Helen, and the words were about Grandma and Grandpa.  Crystal played for us.

Stacy and Vanessa played "Silver Threads Among the Gold."

Congratulations to Grandma and Grandpa!