2233 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us."

Read on and fall sound asleep

Yesterday while driving around I realized that felt exactly as I had when I was 38. In my head I am the same. My body shouts “No you aint!” All the people I know of my age or older report the same feeling. I, personally, am convinced that I will never feel wise. When I was a young man I was certain that the older people around me had something called wisdom and they all felt “wise”. Now I know all we old folks have is experience. The rapid technological changes around us are rendering that experience less useful every day. I do not foresee ever needing to know how to decipher the ring pattern on an old party line telephone. Similarly I doubt fluency with a slide rule will ever again impress lay people. All we “old farts” can do is grump about progress and talk about adventures of the past all the while being increasingly bewildered by the communication tools around us.

I immersed myself in Shakespeare’s Henry VI parts 1, 2, and 3 in the Winedale barn from 9:15 am to 10 pm Sunday. About 10 of those hours were spent sitting on metal folding chairs cushioned with something nearly like a “whoopee cushion”. I could barely walk Monday and Tuesday. My feet felt as if they belonged to someone in Germany. I had to look at them to keep from mis-stepping.

I have been practically useless for the last 2 weeks. For some reason this year the heat has really bothered me. I can barely breath in the car before the AC cools the interior.

I went to my Kidney doctor Monday. He told me to cut back on my water consumption to not more than 28 ounces per day. He told me that if I continued to drink as much water as I have been drinking I was going to be a strong candidate for dialyses. He showed me the ultrasound of my kidneys and pointed out the failed parts. Because of the failure I cannot process enough water into the excretory system so my body stores the excess in the cells. Therefore my legs and feet swell. That also leads to higher blood pressure that increases the risk of stroke. So far I have not come with 100% of that goal. I have been putting water into 12 ounce Coke bottles. Two and a third bottles equals 28 ounces. My minimum has been 48 ounces.

8/4: Dear God, thank you for those who speak in your name and who serve you by encouraging others. Amen. 8/5: Lord, when life's circumstances challenge us, teach us to accept your direction. Help us to remember that all things can be used for good. Amen. 8/6: Dear God, in times of grief help us to lean on your word. Strengthen us to know what is most important -- our relationship with you. Amen. 8/7: Thank you, Lord, for giving us peace as we work to help others. Thank you for the opportunities you give us to be a part of your work in their lives. Amen. 8/8: Our God and guide, strengthen us and give us the hope that will enable us to overcome life's difficulties. We trust you. Amen. 8/9: Heavenly Father, forgive us when we fear giving back to you what is yours to begin with. Help us always to give to you with a cheerful heart. Amen. 8/10: Lord, we pray for peace that can be found only in your love. Help us to overcome our sinful nature and its desires. Amen. 8/11: Loving God, always give us the faith to do your will and to trust you in the storms of life. Amen. 8/12: We praise you, Father, for always taking care of us, here on earth and in eternity. As Jesus taught us, we pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."* The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/email/

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Pecan Bites

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs beaten

Combine sugar, flour and pecans set aside. Blend together butter and eggs, then mix into flour mixture. Grease and flour mini-muffin cups and fill cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Yields: 1 1/2 dozen

This recipe and many more can be found at Darlene’s Kitchen HERE.

”The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”
Mark Twain

SGGP

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