Tag: Stray Gifts

A Piece of Clock-Work

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The course of the seasons is a piece of clock-work, with a cuckoo to call when it is springtime.

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–1799)

Cool, restless winds have been blowing for the last few weeks with a nice day in between here and there. In spite of this, blooms are popping open day by day in our backyard- a welcome site to see. A friend of mine who lives in New Mexico told me that there was a little snow on her car this morning, yet she has a hyacinth blooming and a golden currant budding. I told her they were raising their heads in defiance. In my imagination, I saw our own flowers “shaking their fists” at the cool air reminding winter weather that, according to the calendar, it is now springtime. Like clockwork, the plants are waking up and our vines are stretching toward the sun. We have more buds on our Lady Banks rose vines than ever before. Last year, there were hardly any! My day lily is returning as well and may need to be repotted this year. To our surprise, our Virginia Creeper is returning with loads of new leaves. We have tried that particular plant in two other areas which it didn’t like. The third time is the charm, we suppose because, in the newer location, it is thriving! Starting in April, our water restrictions begin again, so I know the winds will die down soon, the nice weather will stay for a few weeks, and then the heat will return. It’s such a fun time of year because we find new stray gifts every day in our yard.

Here are the latest stray gifts with descriptions down below.

Top Left: Wisteria branches twisting around each other – how interesting!
Top Middle: Sunset glow on last year’s purple passionflower pods
Top Right: White Lady Banks Roses blooming
Middle Left: Yellow Lady Banks Roses making an appearance as well
Center: Jonathan spotted this web a few days ago. He crunched up a few dried leaves and sprinkled them into the web to see what the spider would do. She didn’t like that at all and immediately proceeded to tidy her space. Jonathan watched her take each leaf piece and push it out of the web. He was highly entertained by that! The winds have beaten up her web the last few days and torn it a bit, yet each morning Jonathan finds the web to be clean and repaired.
Middle Right: The return of our day lily – a plant I bought for $3.00 on clearance a few years ago!
Bottom Left: Random wildflower seeds were planted here, so we are not sure what flowers we will have in this space – a fun surprise!
Bottom Right: This is a scrapbook that a long-time friend of ours from Washington State made us. In it, are photos of Jonathan and our family that I did not even know she had! She wrote special memories by the photos and wrote notes on each page. What a gift of love! The book arrived around the time we were packing for our trip to see West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX where Jonathan has been accepted into their Master of Arts Program in History. Tears rolled down our faces as we looked through the precious photos she had collected. A stray gift, for sure, and a priceless treasure!

(Photo Credit for this blog entry’s image belongs to my friend Kara who lives in Pennsylvania.)

Stable for the Situation

Stable for the Situation

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My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Psalm 62:5-7

It has been a while since I shared a life update. We have had many ups and downs in the last few months – days of hope and days of “what’s next, Lord?”. John is in physical therapy for his back and is still under the care of a good pain management doctor. He is receiving care from the VA neurologist for his migraines. He is trying a new treatment using an Alpha-Stim device which is supposed to help with overall chronic pain relief. In the short time that he has been using it, he has had more days of feeling “ok”. He is able to stay awake longer and perform small tasks such as walking to the mailbox and back, helping wash dishes, or working on paperwork for full disability compensation. He has trouble sitting for long periods of time. Some days he feels stronger, and some days, not so much. Things I take for granted every day, he has to fight for constantly. He feels more hopeful, though, since he started this new treatment.

I haven’t been feeling all that well in the last few months. It has been quite a long time since I have seen a doctor for any kind of health update. I have been feeling strongly that I needed to see a doctor for a general check-up and with a gentle nudge from a friend who recently had a health scare, I scheduled an appointment with a local family doctor’s office. I have several friends who are struggling with health issues and frankly, it’s scary. I have always been in good health up until recently. My doctor visit naturally started with a blood pressure check – and the doctor and I didn’t get past much else. My blood pressure was (and still is at present) dangerously high and I was immediately told to take medication while I was there. I was given several doses during my visit. While I have other issues needing attention, my blood pressure is the first to get under control. I now have to take medication for that and something to help me relax at night. The blood pressure number has us all very concerned.

Jonathan has been helping me with my dad and with John. At times, doctor or therapy appointments are on the same day for the two men and Jonathan goes with John while I go with my dad to his appointment. Jonathan is updating his Resumé and Curriculum Vitae for employment applications. While not needed for all job applications, they may be useful depending on what he will apply for.

In spite of all that, we are “stable for the situation”. We are processing changes which need to be made. We are working to limit stressors and make wiser health choices.

It has been a while, too, since I’ve shared a few stray gifts! I still look for them and absolutely love when friends text me various gifts of their own they see through the day!

Top left: Our passion flowers have been blooming quite nicely this year! Such a gorgeous flower. Top right: The roses were blooming last week, but have since all faded away. It might be the last time they bloom for the year. This coral color is stunning! Right middle: With as much rock and sand as we have, there is still plant life that does well. The Morning Glory vines need next to no help and they cover bare rock walls nicely. They do tend to grow everywhere, so we have to weed them away from the roses and honeysuckle as needed. Bottom right: As always, the pink oleander is a pretty site. Bottom middle: Jonathan has been making breakfast more often which is a huge help! Bottom left: The last of the butterflies, I believe, for the season. We have enjoyed seeing more bees and butterflies in our yard this year.

The Struggle Is Real

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Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

Isaiah 26:3-4

Have you ever heard the expression, “The struggle is real.”? We have been feeling it lately with the many ups and downs concerning John’s health. Discouragement knocks on the door as we seek balance in all things. John had an appointment with his rheumatologist this week who prescribed a pain medication that may help with the fibromyalgia. I don’t know what it feels like to be in constant pain, not knowing the right answer as to what will bring a sense of well-being. There may not be one single answer. Watching him struggle with illness and even depression as the days go by is difficult. This week, he is scheduled to receive shots in his back to relieve pressure in his lower back and legs. Migraine medicine is hit and miss as he tries different treatments. It has helped to understand what is happening in doing research on Gulf War Syndrome. While he never served in the Gulf War, his ship which supplied ammunition, oil, and explosives was in the Gulf around those times. Many of the veterans who were on the same vessel as he was are experiencing the same disabilities. Focusing solely on health has brought some peace because he isn’t trying to go back to Radiology school or do too many things at once. We are taking one doctor’s appointment at a time and praying for wisdom.

I saw a church sign a few weeks ago that said, “The struggle is real…but so is God”. Sometimes a statement comes in a still small voice. Other times it pierces through the heart like an arrow. What a timely reminder! Thank you, Lord. I needed that.

While seeking answers, we are still looking for stray gifts in life – bits of God’s presence throughout the day. We have had several really good rainy days here – and in the desert, they are a few and far between. We lost power for just a little bit, too, one night. It was fun to light candles and just sit and talk without watching television.

Top Row (left) Passionflower! We planted this vine last year and never saw one flower. We had caterpillars on the vine, which, at the time, we thought was exciting because we knew butterflies were coming. The butterflies were exciting to see, yes, but the caterpillars ate every bloom. This year, we watched carefully so that the flowers would blossom. We have a whole vine of them now blooming in different stages. (middle) A McAlister’s Deli recently opened near us. We used to hunt for this restaurant during our deputation days because we knew we could find a good sandwich or soup and of course, sweet tea. (right) Mums are still one of my favorite outdoor plants as they need little maintenance.

Bottom Row (left) I saw this art piece displayed in a doctor’s office while with my dad a few weeks ago. It is made from colored glass tile and is stunning. This piece is a depiction of a popular bit of scenery here in El Paso. If interested, you can read about the star on the mountain’s significance here. (right) Our daylilies are back in full force right now – especially after the rain. I may need to repot them next year!

Thank you to those who share your own stray gifts with me through text messages! I love the ripple effect this has had! I am thinking about sharing some of them here on the blog as I think others would love to see them as well.

The Grace To Be There

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“Be aware of what season you are in and give yourself the grace to be there.”

K. Dalton

It has been a while since I have written. I received an email recently informing me of my upcoming due date to renew this blog, so I am taking a look at the stats, drafts, and published work wondering whether or not to keep up with my writing. There are so many things I have shared here that I do look back on now and then and I would hate to lose all of that. Nothing has been written since last December for good reasons. So much has been happening with John’s health and with my dad’s as well. John is having tests done to investigate the cause of his migraines. He has ongoing pain management care which has included physical therapy and soon, he will be getting shots to relieve back pain. He also had ankle surgery in February which was a long ordeal in healing. My dad is having testing done for memory loss which means quite a few doctor appointments. Some days, my dad is just fine. Other days, he has trouble remembering how to get to a place he has been driving to for years or difficulty doing something on the computer he had no trouble with in the past. This has been a season of doctor appointments one right after the other and I have had to let some things go in order to be all here – present. This meant letting go of Facebook and trying to keep up with everyone. It meant burgers or pizza for dinner sometimes because we weren’t home all day or I forgot to put something in the crockpot. It means a lot of things for peace of mind. We try to be easy-going and take one day at a time.

Jonathan is doing well and is in a season of big decisions. He has been volunteering for the local Historical Society since he graduated from college last year. He may be leaving that position soon to look for a paid position elsewhere. He has enjoyed his time there very much and has learned so much! He still lives at home and is a HUGE help to us all.

In the midst of all that, I received orders one right after another for handmade cards! In a few months span, I made over eighty cards for friends and family and still have an order of birthday cards to complete. So exciting! Writing has been on my mind, too (somewhere way back there), during these months but I just have not had the time to “be there” for all my creative pursuits and for family and home life.

I am still keeping up with stray gifts and collecting them from friends who share their own gifts with me through text messages.

Left Row: Top: We believe this is a grackle egg. It’s so tiny! Bottom: There was a train exhibit in town last weekend all about how the train affected El Paso’s history. There was even a skit performed by a group called, “Six Guns and Shady Ladies”. It was a reenactment of the first deadly train robbery in the west. We enjoyed our time out together.

Right Row: Roses, Chrysanthemums, and Star Jasmine are a few of the beauties in our yard. We also have honeysuckle and alyssums blooming.

Working in Shifts

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Nature bestows her own, richest gifts and, with lavish hands, she works in shifts…

Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, “The Four Seasons,” 1940s

Our winters are mild here in the southwest, but we are starting to feel the shift of the season. The heat is kicking on in the morning, but by afternoon, the sun is up and the house heat gets turned down. Jonathan opened his bedroom window the other day and there was a nice breeze coming through the back of the house. There’s a shift in the yard as leaves are falling and the plants are changing in appearance. I have a few roses blooming for the last time this year, yet my chrysanthemums are shedding off. I don’t think I’ll see those bloom again until spring. Jonathan put hay out in the dog house for our girl to keep warm at night. I am stocking up on dry beans and canned goods for soups and stews. Fall decorations will be coming down, soon to be replaced with Christmas and winter accents. I’m shifting slowly from this season into the next, enjoying the transition. Do you like to see Christmas come early and already have your decorations up? Or do you gradually move into seasons as they come?

The latest in my stray gifts journey:

Gifts in the yard: (clockwise) I have two roses blooming on the same bush at the moment. Morning Glory flowers are still around in various places. I spotted this yellow leaf on the ground and loved the bit of fall present. The tomatoes seen in the photo are now turning red and will soon be eaten by whoever picks them off first! The passionflower vine had been eaten up by caterpillars earlier in the year. They ate most of the leaves and all of the flowers. The butterflies that came after were pretty, but I did not like that most of our new vine had disappeared. The leaves are growing back now quite nicely and we will be watching the vines like a hawk for any caterpillars come spring. I didn’t buy as many mums as I would have liked this year when they were on clearance, but I did get a few. By now, I have ‘deadheaded’ these and just the green leaves are left.

Gifts Unconventional: Instead of cooking a turkey and having leftovers for days, we decided we wanted to grill steaks this year for Thanksgiving. My dad said we can give thanks for a cow as well as for a turkey for the special day- and we all agreed. We had mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, and peas, too. Jonathan made a pumpkin pie from scratch that turned out amazing.

Gifts in the Kitchen: Jonathan and I wanted a cake mix for something a few weeks ago. I can’t remember what, but I don’t keep cake mixes in the pantry. We looked up a recipe on the internet for a homemade cake mix and tried it out one day. It was very good! We included shredded coconut so that it wasn’t plain. Instead of frosting, we added whipped cream on top before each piece was served.

Homemade bread is always a gift in the kitchen. By now, Jonathan and I have perfected our recipe to the way we like it. We make the recipe and keep it in the fridge in a vented container until we’re ready to bake. Cold dough is easier to work with. Fresh, hot bread goes well with the soups and stews we’re having lately!

Gifts from Others: From time to time, friends and family send me photos of their own stray gifts and I love it! A sunset in New Mexico is stunning! I’ve seen beautiful fall photos from Pennsylvania and a snapshot of snow from the same friend yesterday morning. A friend in Texas shared with me a photo of a new bread recipe she tried which used einkorn and kefir. It looked tasty!

A handmade card from my 10 year old niece in Alabama and a card, also, from a distant cousin in Wisconsin came in the mail last week. What a nice surprise!

Gifts from around the world: Our former church in Mexico is doing really well. The church held a teen conference recently, and the building was full of people. Our hearts bust wide open when we see photos of what God is doing.

Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find. -William Wordsworth, 1806

Just Baggage Enough

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Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.

Charles D. Warner

We have been going through the house again making decisions about what is serving us well and what is not. We have a nice arrangement with a man who has a second-hand shop. He stops by the house every once in awhile to see if we have anything we are getting rid of. He comes to pick up the stuff, pays us a little bit of money, and we all agree this is a good thing we have going. I don’t know why we hold on to things as long as we do – clothes that do not fit anymore, exercise equipment not used anymore, furniture we don’t have space for anymore. We are ready to move on and to travel lighter through life in the days ahead.

I haven’t written here since August. My mind has been on cleaning out clutter, on caring for the home and the men in it, and on making greeting cards. I’ve been making my own cards for quite awhile now and a few friends have showed interest in buying them. Being able to sell my creations has been a dream of mine and I am so thankful this stray gift came along! For seven weeks in a row, I was creating and selling cards for others. I have also had the dream of making cards for a ministry – for church, for a hospital, for a nursing home – the possibilities are endless, but I just don’t know where to start! I called a few local hospitals and nursing homes in our area, and only the Children’s Hospital said they would take handmade greeting card donations. I was so excited, I created over 70 cards in one week! I’ve never done that before. The cards were made with the thought of nurses, doctors, and volunteers having cards on hand to write an encouraging note to patients. While 70 cards is not nearly enough for the hospital, it’s a start to brighten one corner, one hallway, one patient at a time. I meet with the hospital tomorrow to deliver what I have. I hope they like the cards and will want more.

Before I share a few photos of recent stray gifts, I will update you on family matters. My dad just had another round of shots in his back for pain relief. He has struggled with degenerative discs for years and has an excellent pain management doctor. My dad is slowly regaining strength and is able to drive now as long as he doesn’t overdo it. John (my husband) has the same pain management doctor for his back and is in physical therapy lately. Even though the hip replacements went well, he still needs “maintenance”. If you have followed along over the years, you might remember an ankle problem – still a struggle to get help from the VA over this. An MRI was done last week, and we hope that care will come sooner than expected. We know the VA is overloaded and underfunded, so we try to be patient. After our move back from Waco, John was really ill for a long time. Migraines were difficult to manage, strength and balance were minimal. This year has been a year of a lot of rest for him. At first, the sleeping was out of pure exhaustion from feeling ill all the time. In recent months, he feels the extra sleep has been healing. He is more awake and alert – able to make decisions that need to be made. He was able to apply for Radiology school. He passed all the tests – so much so, he can skip all the math classes! I was impressed. He was told recently that he has been accepted into the school. The VA has a program that helps disabled veterans go to school so they can work. The next step is for him to start classes and training to be an X-Ray technician. While his ongoing health issues have been a long battle, some good things are happening, too. He is getting different treatment from a new neurologist which is helping and physical therapy is going well. Our Jonathan is still working as the volunteer curator at the Historical Society and loves helping others research their family and local history. He was hired initially to organize the archives, but because he is the only one working in the Burges House, he is secretary, researcher, and tour guide.

As far as I am concerned, I am doing ok – tired, but ok. Simplicity is key with “just baggage enough” for the day. I am content with the cooler weather when soups and stews are just right for long, busy days. I am thankful for a bit of time to be creative to make cards as I can. I love doing it! I am grateful for stray gifts in my path which cause me to stop in awe and reflect on God’s care for us all.

The latest of my stray gifts to share:

Gifts Inside (Left to right): 1) Along with getting rid of things not needed anymore, we have been doing a bit of updating in the house. Last month, my dad re-stained all the kitchen and bathroom cabinets and they all look brand new! 2) Cooler weather is here which is perfect for soups and homemade bread. 3) Cozy spaces in the house 4) I bought 2 gallons of milk that had close expiration dates. Instead of pouring the soon-to-expire milk, I made yogurt with one of the gallons.

Gifts Outside (left to right): 1) We participated in a local historic neighborhood’s Tour of Homes. One of the homes is the Burges House where Jonathan works. The yard is very well kept and it is a pleasant place to walk around. John was feeling well enough, the weather was great, and we enjoyed seeing the inside of a few spectacular homes. 2) White mums are blooming. These were bought on clearance a few years ago. 3) We’ve had Morning Glories galore this year. 4) Out of a packet of wildflower seeds, only a few have taken root. I saw this pretty little Zinnia this morning.

The Spare Moments

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Fill up the spare moments of your life with praise and thanksgiving.

Sarah Young

I like to read about efficiency. I enjoy watching YouTube videos about cleaning and organization. The topic of ‘minimalism’ has been of great interest to me in the last few years and I especially like Joshua Becker. Recently in his video, “20 1-Minute Habits to Keep Your Home Clutter Free”, he said, “Clutter free living is more than a project, it is a process.” Sometimes, the house and yard work can feel overwhelming. When I break a lot of it down into one minute tasks, they are a lot more manageable. Wipe down the counter, shred the junk mail, empty small trash cans throughout the house, sweep the front walkway, replace bathroom towels with clean ones, put away dishes – all tasks that can be done quickly when I purpose to do it. It came to mind recently that the one minute moments, the spare moments, can also be used to offer a quick praise, to read a few Bible verses, to pray for the family member or friend who has been on my mind. It declutters the mind and makes room for rest. Spiritual growth is more than a “project” we aim to achieve, it is a process of making good decisions in every opportunity of the day.

In spare moments, too, don’t forget to look for stray gifts!

Stray Gifts Outside: Alyssums are one of my favorite flowers. They smell like honeysuckle and are fairly easy to maintain. Not all are doing well in the heat this year, though, but this one is doing ok so far. • Our new passionflower vines are stretching quite nicely over the new netting we bought for support. • Our tiny tomatoes are coming in and they are delicious!

Stray Gifts Inside: Although meat prices have gone up, a local family owned butcher business we like to buy from is keeping their prices the same as they have been. • Pothos seems to be the magic plant I am able to keep alive for years on end. I have quite a few in various stages of growth in different places in the house. I am experimenting with ivy and spider plants (again). We’ll see what happens.

Stray Gifts Not Pictured: I lost my address book last week. I could not find it anywhere in the house or in the car. I went back to the postal annex thinking maybe I had left it there when I mailed a few cards out to a friend. Sure enough, an employee found it on the counter and put it in a safe place. Whew! • A yellow butterfly has been hanging around the yard lately. It was fluttering outside the kitchen window the other day – so much so, I felt it wanted me to stop and watch it. So I did. • Jonathan brought all of our clean laundry upstairs without me asking for his help (it took several trips). I didn’t even know he had done it until I went to bring them up myself later that evening. • A ladder was in the middle of the highway one day and I just “happened’ to be in the lane where I could avoid running into it. I guess it fell off the back of a truck sometime during the day. • A new (to us) neurologist listened to John during his appointment and really showed she cared. She is changing up his medicine for his migraines. It will take a few months to wean off the old and get used to the new, but she offered hope for better days. An appointment is coming up for John with a pain management specialist. This doctor is the one who has helped my dad with his back issues for years – and he is amazing. We are so glad the VA approved the consult. • And last, but not least, there was a bit of rain one night this week. It didn’t last long, but we enjoyed watching it come down for a bit.

A Steady and Perpetual Serenity

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Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity.

Joseph Addison

I have no major updates yet on John’s health as we are waiting for a follow-up appointment with the spine specialist. John had an MRI and a few x-rays done and we will know soon what the new doctor can do to help with John’s back pain. Also, a consult with a neurologist concerning John’s migraines is coming up in June, I believe. In the meantime, we try to stay cheerful and hopeful and not let dark thoughts crowd in and take over. Serenity lies in keeping faith steady and alive trusting that God cares and sees and has help on the way for the pain issues.

Here are the latest stray gifts!

I received a few birthday gifts in the mail, a few Happy Birthday texts, and some cards (even a few handmade ones)! A friend of mine in Georgia sent me a four leaf clover she found during one of her hikes. Another friend bought and decorated a nice cup for me! Both gifts were such a nice surprise.

Jonathan graduated from college this past week with high honors! The commencement was held outside in the football stadium. We were able to see him standing and waving on the end of his row. It was a miracle we were able to see him at all with the hundreds of graduates and families present. It was sunny and 91 degrees in the shade when we arrived, so we took a photo of Jonathan before we became all hot and wilted. As the night went on, that dark cloud came around the mountain bringing with it wind, sand, and rain. The night cooled off quickly and the rain was just a drizzle. The cool air was sure nice for the rest of the evening. At the end of the ceremony, we all enjoyed the fireworks. It was an exciting night!!

Last week, he had an interview with the local Historical Society for a volunteer position as a curator. He has to get experience somewhere, and the people he would be potentially working with are seasoned historians and it would a great place to ‘get his feet wet’ in this type of work. He was able to take a little tour of one of the grand old homes that had been donated which is in the process of being restored. Jonathan said he was in awe. The details! The craftsmanship! The architecture! He was thrilled to have seen a bit of the house and what the owners had left behind. I will have an update on how that’s going soon.

It is still a special time of year in our yard. The honeysuckles are gone for now, but the roses keep blooming. The roses on the left are right in front of our house below the living room window. Sometimes, when I look out, I can see the small finches hanging out on the rose branches when the birds come to the feeder that is close. (I throw a little birdseed near the window, too, hoping they will come up to the house so we can watch them up close.) The rose in the middle and on the end is from the backyard and is the same exact rose, one day apart. The roses look different day to day and it motivates me to get outside to see the fascinating changes.

Until next time, this is my newest Record of Graces and growing list of of “stray gifts”. Keep looking, keep noticing, and keep sending me your very own stray gifts! I love to see them!

The Oil of Hope

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The oil of hope makes life’s machinery run smoothly.

James L. Basford

In my last blog entry, I shared a bit about John’s health and the need to move from Waco, Texas back to El Paso. We have been in El Paso for a month now and it is great to be with Jonathan and my dad again. We thought that within a few weeks, John would be feeling better due to the drier climate. The migraines are finally calming some. Since we have moved back, John’s new VA doctor took him off the pain medication that has been helping with his arthritic joints and wants to try something new. John has been on this medicine off and on for about ten years and this has been the best medicine that has been used for the joint pain. Without this medicine, his fibromyalgia pain is also out of control, although he is on a different medicine to assist with that. Pain medication helps one issue, but affects other areas of the body in negative ways. The overall pain with little beneficial medicine in his system to help landed John in the ER. He wasn’t sure if it was a pinched nerve from lower back problems, a fibromyalgia outbreak, or the back/hips out of ‘whack’. Not much was done other than to prescribe him some other medication. John’s rheumatologist (outside the VA) is not happy about the VA doctor’s decision and there is some communication between them as to how to proceed with John’s healthcare. He is waiting now for an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon who replaced both his hips. John has been in a lot of pain and is using crutches to help walk. We are hopeful the three doctors (the primary care doctor at the VA, the rheumatologist, and the surgeon) can help and that he eventually can go back to work. Maybe physical therapy will help. Maybe a pain management doctor is the answer. Or maybe different types of treatment will be beneficial. In the meantime, we do look for and try natural remedies and ways to heal that do not include more medication.

From John: Since about 2003, I have been suffering from many things that also resemble other veterans who served in the Persian Gulf. I did not serve during war time, but I served two tours in the Gulf in ’95 and ’97. Some of those are things like GI pain (in 2004 I was checked for a hernia and no cause was found) and chronic headaches (which I had already been diagnosed with migraines while in service). Other symptoms have occurred since then such as chronic fatigue, joint pain all over the body, even/including fibromyalgia. I also had my thyroid removed a few years back and many Persian Gulf veterans have had thyroid problems too. At one time, it was called Gulf War Syndrome. One did not have to serve during war time -the service member just had be in the Gulf in a time period since Aug 2, 1990 with symptoms being expressed before Dec 31, 2021. Pray for me and for my doctors in this situation as I desire to work again in the future.

In other news, Jonathan is getting closer to college graduation. As part of his Museum Studies course, he is an intern for one of the local museums. His job is to look through collections of old photos that were donated years ago which have been sitting in storage. These photos have little documentation and Jonathan works to organize them and to transcribe the locations where they were taken. He is finding this task very interesting and loves learning more about the history of El Paso. He will be graduating with honors and we are so proud of him! So far, it seems the college plans to have a traditional graduation ceremony. Due to COVID outbreak precautions, only two people are allowed to attend per graduate, though, so far.

I am glad to be back working in the yard again. Jonathan and I have been working to clean up the yard. John helps as he can on ‘good days’. Rose bushes have leaves and tiny little blooms, the honeysuckles are thriving yet again, and we have been preparing the ground to do some planting.

Here are the latest stray gifts!

On the Left (Top) I highly recommend watching Back to Eden Gardening Documentary! John and I have watched it a few times. We loved the gardening concepts so much, we bought a wood chipper to make our own mulch out of our branches and such from pruning. We had always thrown the clippings in the trash, not realizing all the nutrients we could have used to nourish the yard. (Middle) It has been nice enough most days for a walk and Jonathan and I are spotting new blooms in the neighborhood. (Bottom) Yellow blooms are showing up on one of our Lady Banks rose bush.

In the Middle: (Top) The Texas blue sky mixed with the colors of sunset…and a layer of dust. It was an interesting view. (Bottom) Moody blue skies, the scent of spring in the air, and blooming trees. Others must have felt the change in the air too because neighbors were waving ‘hello’ as we walked by with our dog one day. Everyone seemed extra friendly!

On the Right: (Top) Our other Lady Banks rose bush is now changing day by day with more green leaves and white roses on the way. (Bottom) I tried a new way of cooking cabbage by slicing it and roasting the pieces in the oven with a bit of olive oil and seasoning. The guys loved it.

Feature image from top of blog post: The photo of the tulips was taken by my friend Jonna. I love when friends send me their stray gifts photos!!

Easy in Imagination

Published on by arecordofgraces4 Comments

What had seemed easy in imagination was rather hard in reality.

Lucy M. Montgomery

We had imagined our move to Waco would have been an easy one. It was easy in the beginning when John started working for the VA here. But as the weather changed in the fall and winter, John’s migraines increased. For years, John has struggled with migraines due to changes in barometric pressure. Medication never completely helped. Once his doctor put him on Vitamin B2 a few years ago, the frequency and intensity decreased. It was a huge relief! In El Paso, the air pressure stays mostly the same year ’round and his migraine ‘situation’ seemed better. After moving here, though, where air pressure changes due to more rain, some snow, and cooler weather in the fall and winter, it became a different story.

Another issue with our move here is that his job, while a great one, involves being on the phone and computer all day sitting down. After his two hip replacement surgeries almost two years ago, he really needs to be up and moving around. The positive side of this is that he is getting his ‘foot in the door’ in the work field again. We were in the ministry full time for fifteen years, he went back to college and graduated during that time, and now we are moving forward in a different direction.

So what’s the plan? We know that a drier climate is a must for John to feel less head pressure, so we are moving back to El Paso where Jonathan is in his last semester of college before he graduates in May. My dad, too, is still there. John has applied for several jobs within the VA and has had one interview so far. Our lease at the apartment here in Waco ends the last day of February. Sometime between today and then, we will be packing and moving back. We enjoyed being here for the most part with all the grass, trees, the lakes and rivers, but it is, in reality, not a place where John feels is best for him. We are at peace and know that God has something in mind. We just need to trust and take one step at a time.

Here is the continued stray gifts list from December and the beginning of January (description below photo collage).

Top Row: Stray gifts in a well working iron skillet. I’ve had trouble treating it correctly, even though I’ve followed directions. I guess with frequent uses and oiling consistently after each use has helped because I was able to cook scrambled eggs in it with minimal cleanup afterwards. I’ve never been able to do that before. Usually the pan is a mess with eggs stuck to it making the cleaning difficult.

While the Christmas tree was up, I had a great view of a glass ornament a friend sent me last year. It was such a surprise to receive the gift in the mail. The poinsettia ornament means a lot to me.

John surprised me with flowers when he came to visit me while I was in El Paso.

Middle Row: A long time friend of ours makes quilts and quillows. A quillow is a quilt that has a pocket to tuck your feet in. Also, you can fold the blanket up a certain way and tuck it in the pocket so it is in the shape of a pillow. Carolyn made Jonathan one when he was two years old and he wore it out through the years. John and I each received one years later and John wore his out. She made Jonathan and John new ones in the last year since both blankets were in shreds. Mine is still in good condition! We love them and use them often in the cold months!

On the way back from El Paso to Waco after Christmas, we saw snow! After living in the desert for fifteen years, I thought it might be nice to live in a place where I could experience all four seasons. After feeling the bone chilling freezing temperatures closer to Waco and the snow, I’ve changed my mind. El Paso gets cold, but it never sticks around for very long. We saw many deer out in the snow which was a pretty site.

Speaking of snow, I have a friend in Pennsylvania who sees snow every winter. She often sends me snow photos and I like that I can look at it, but not feel the below freezing temps!!

Bottom Row: While I was in El Paso helping my dad and Jonathan reorganize after the September flooding in the house, my dad made me a pegboard for my craft room. I love it and it will help keep stuff off the work space for when I make my greeting cards.

My banana succulent was reaching for the winter sun. It’s always nice to see a bit of green in the winter.