truly a blessing in a basket ...

Sorrowfully, the husband of one of my fellow-commuters passed away just last week; they were only recently married. Keep her lifted up in your prayers; it was so sudden - I can't even imagine what she is going through. In the effort of finding a suitable expression of our sorrow - I came across a wonderful site - Blessing in a Basket. Others offer a similar item of comfort, but this one offers an array of very special sentiments. I was very touched by their offerings and found the perfect one for our friend. The service was kind and thoughtful. Do check them out - they even have free shipping. What a blessing it was to find them!

TX trippin' San Antonio bound

On this daylight savings Sunday, we are headed home which is only the final chapter of this saga still in progress.

Our San Antonio roadtrip started Thursday mid-morning after we dropped by the eldest's school. We found ourselves chased out of town by impending snow. Of course it initially disguised itself as rain but soon fluffy stuff was falling onto the windshield. It didn't seem to lose pace until we were outside the Dallas Fort Worth area, leaving us - after lightning to contend with - decreasing rainfall. Our weather forecaster was fired!

The Thursday afternoon weather slowed our drive down to a crawl; it was dark before we arrived at our destination. But as before when we crossed countryside with the Rodriguezes, it was a delightful trip. The husband who was the constant driver distorted a quote from Die Hard, saying "Come out to Texas, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." We laughed, yammered on with quips and silliness about things, and lapsed into a delirium of singing to the tune of mp3s playing. At the end of the day, before losing our sanity loomed too near, we arrived.

5 a.m. yesterday I was all prepared to leave for work, but the little one had been coughing the night before. Since he has asthma, I keep a close eye on such things. I took his temperature and it was only slightly above normal. Well he got up to go to the bathroom and while he was there he gave up his dinner from the night before as well. That was that; it was back to bed for both of us.

At Bible study last night, we took the DISC test which reveal your spiritual gifts and your personality. It was insightful and mostly reconfirming. My top gifts were encouraging and teaching. Get this though, I have the personality of a Golden Retriever! Hot Dog! LOL

Cast die; but dye not cast ...hmmm ... and more

Okay, to the side is a depiction of my fire roasted creation. I made it again - it is a hit in the household.

We are watching closing episodes of Stargate Atlantis. The other night we lost a beloved member of the Atlantis team. I was loathed that should happen while I was not quite yet dealing with real personal loss, but at least - my reality was not death. Yeah, I know, clear as mud and morbid. Okay, but the good news is that there has been a outcry from the fans, and they are going to bring the beloved team member back from what was beyond next to impossible odds. Remember the tune "I Write the Songs..." - well this is more "we write the words, that make the characters we love live" LOL.

I spoke to the Giant. He's fine. His room looks awfully empty.

Halloween is the worst traffic night of the year! Left work at 4:30 pm and got home near 7 pm. Set up to give candy out at the parsonage and Prayed Until Something Happened.

But the dish looks great doesn't it!

Okay so I rambled! I'll meander some more soon. Goodbye October. Night!

You Are Worthy Doe

I'm often prompted to pray for the people in an accident when I hear of or pass one by - the people, their families and friends. That is not the case here, although I was driving home the day of this accident and heard about it on news-radio. It had happened earlier but traffic on the freeway in that area was still disrupted. But the fact that I received no prompting doesn't mean that God wasn't at work - He doesn't really need me anyway! This accident didn't effect me, bother my traffic conditions, nor require my prayers - or did it? What is surprising all the time is however remote to my own life something may seem to be, the fabric of it may be stitched more closely to me than I think. I take that wee bit of information and apply it to everything I observe.

Today my sister in the Lord, colleague, and fellow-commuter, shared with me about her nephew. Her sister had been called back from a cruise because her son had been in a serious accident and not likely to survive - the earthbound powers that be were going to try and keep him alive about 48 hours to give her time to get back.

He was at work driving what they call a light truck when the big rig jack-knifed in front of him and he was unable to avoid slamming into it. His vehicle became engulfed in flames and he was trapped inside for at least some 20 minutes. Although ladies, unable to themselves extricate him from the vehicle - the steering column had come forward and pinned him inside - screamed to nearby officers for help. A passerby who walks with the Lord heard the screams of the ladies and clearly the directive to circle back and assist the person he saw was trapped, and was able to remove him from the inferno. Immediately thereafter there was a final explosion - and if the picture is still with the story under the link, you can see how the vehicle faired. He, himself, had 3rd to 4th degree (to the muscle) burns and was rushed to UCI burn center where he is now under the care of the chief of staff.

He, himself, had a relationship with the Lord where he felt unworthy; after all, he had mis-spent times of his life. At UCI he was given his prognosis, and he gave a call to his brother and one more person - he was urged to have a good talk with his Maker. Now in the midst of organs shutting down, smoke burned lungs breathing being assisted, skin grafts healing, comatose, among a myriad of symptoms, he hangs on with a wing and a prayer of many. A police officer, maybe one of ones standing by possibly following procedure, came by to share with the mom don't think me a hero 'but I was able to pull your son to safety'. However, the ladies who screamed for the young man's life, the gentleman who obediently came back for him, and his mom constantly, are often there in support.

Who is to say that this young man in the prime of his life is in God's plan to go on with his life which will include months and months of healing or to go home to the Lord. Only God knows. But the Lord brought those ladies, and that man, and has miraculously sustained him to date.

Because of the HIPAA laws, the hospital listed him with a fictitious 'Doe' name to protect his privacy. Not ficticious to God, this man who felt unworthy of the Lord, by the grace of God was called 'Worthy Doe'.

My prayers are with you Worthy, and with your family! God bless the agape obedience of those who were there for what He considers of worth!

train of thought

My brother was on a train that had an accident today. He called, something we are not in the habit enough of doing, afterward, to tell me about it. The husband said someone at his job was also on that train - the last car. The brother said he had an E-ticket (and I don't mean electronic), first car-front row seat - a pick-up truck attempted to run the track. People in response attempted to jump off the train, which was then in no further harm. One lady broke her leg severely in doing so. Women were screaming beyond what the situation called for. The brother said however, the professional response was great; everyone was on their job, though there was one cop who was like "every one off the train NOW!"

The brother had a good humor about the whole thing so I believe his saying he's okay. I 'instant messaged' the sister about the incident and she ironically had the same sardonic wit. We surmised it is in the DNA (too much Heroes for me maybe?). How else could it be explained?

Metrolink Train Collides With Truck, Several People Injured
September 11, 2007, 10:01 AM PDT

Metrolink Train Collides With Truck, Several People Injured A crash between a rush-hour commuter train and a pickup truck north of downtown Los Angeles injured at least seven people.

The crash in Highland Park occurred just before 8 a.m.

The truck was pinned between the MTA train and a concrete pillar. The train crushed part of the truck bed.

The driver was briefly trapped but was conscious and alert when he was cut free and taken to a hospital.

About 50 people were on the train. Four passengers, the train's operator and a sheriff's deputy complained of neck and back pain.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Copyright © 2007, KTLA

I'm glad that the brother is okay in a time which seems to be under a cloud of such things (it is 9-11 after all) - reminding me somewhat of Sixth Sense, that God is watching over him, and that he called me. Love that guy!

into February ...

A week into February - where did the time go? Life has been a many splendored thing!

• Well, thank you Brown, the package has finally arrived to stay - today! It wasn't in the best of condition, this delivery; but workable - so it gets to stay. The husband is at home and maybe the giant too - I wonder if it'll be put together by the time I get home. The giant didn't get the job from the last interview, but has some more set up - keep him in prayer. The floor is matted. The exercise bike is in place. And today I am a pound less than last week. It's time to step up the program!
• The 9/80 work week started and is going pretty well. I had my first Friday off last week. I used it to wait for people like housecleaners, service people, and school principals - oh joy. But more progress was made on the garage - and more things given to Goodwill and the Agape House. The next day off will be a 4-day weekend as the following Monday is a holiday - how kewl!
• The husband has wooed me to dinner a few times - we have patronized Tony Roma's again and also went to Chili's. At Tony's my eyes were so much larger than my stomach. I brought half of those ribs home.
  At Chili's I just love their Chicken Crispers. Again, I think the effects of working toward weight loss was reflected, as I couldn't begin to consume all of the food. But this time maybe it was because I over-ordered ;-). With a main course you can get a side of ribs for $5.99. Who could resist that? And then those onion blossoms! I couldn't even order their delicious mexican eggrolls sigh. But the good news is I dutifully packed up a lot of my meal for take home and dined on it over the rest of the week. Still maybe those bump ups on my weight loss progress chart are for a reason ...
  
• We had our annual superbowl party complete with tossing penalty flags into the middle of the floor and replete with food. And yet again, I did very well - one small plate of food even though I, yes me, made a dish myself - chicken nachos (recipe forthcoming). I was for the Colts, so very happy with the day's outcome.
• We must give homage to the youngest's godfather (picturing Marlon Brando in my head), a dear friend of ours - Happy Birthday Andre!
• Other dear friends of ours had an anniversary - Congratulations Aaron and Jody!
• The husband and I sensed a need to request a change for the youngest one's teacher. He had and absolutely wonderful teacher, Mrs. Zappe, in kindergarten. In 1st grade, Mr. Ferguson continued to challenge and stimulate him. But we are noticing signs of discouragement in the 2nd grade and not because the work is too hard. So after the principal did not return my 2 phone calls and a subsequent conversation I did have with the teacher (after 2 emails), dad took over the reigns and carried the baton from mom. They met today and if there is no improvement for the youngest, it'll be pressed even without relenting.
• The family room is getting a face lift - along with the TV the husband has been long wanting (no not a plasma!), I on the other had was able to adorn it with a lovely entertainment center. He was able to take advantage of 'after the bowl savings' and I snagged a no longer to be carried item before it disappeared into oblivion for a remarkable price that was only available until midnight the evening I spotted it. The wonders of the internet - I could still snatch it up even though the hour was late. It is now scheduled for delivery.

That's enough for a week into February; isn't it?

to the dogs ...

I admire canine, equine, and cetacea. While it is difficult to hang around cetacea, and equine don't seem to return my admiration (a story in and of itself), my favorite of these animals is the dog family as they are such friends and less expensive too! In my youth I read of Flipper, horses such as Black Beauty, and Jack London books and those on other dogs like the Lassies, Sounder, The Incredible Journey, Old Yeller, etc. As an aside, the eldest told me these animals didn't possess the ability to have the thought patterns portrayed in these stories - what is wrong with her? How did I not raise her right?

Wonderful true stories of the canines saving people often occur and I heard one today on CNN Headline News - Kaloipe, the black labrador rose to the occasion in Fresno (I wonder if she is acquainted with the husband's Ziporrah). Kaliope, trained to help her own owner, insisted upon taking her owner to a neighbor who was in need of help, thus saving their life.

These brave furry friends often exhibit such valor, even just recently

• in China a man's dog saves him from the gas engulfing his home by waking him.
• Bangor, a labrador setter wakes a man in his tailer where a fire started.
• in Boston, a terrier mix saves a 91-year old by him from the danger of a malfunctioning furnace.

When not bred to be otherwise, dogs are such selfless companions. Now, while my staffordshire beagle Chloe, and the husband's black lab have failed to exhibit such ultra redeeming valor, they are delightful, entertaining, lovable, companionable family members - as if we didn't have enough in residence here.

My commuter co-pilot shared that her Sam sniffed out his own Christmas present and was well in the process of enjoying it, leaving the other gifts undisturbed, when she got home. That might not be selfless, but gets high ratings for cute!

Here's to our canine companions!