Showing posts with label #goodcheer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #goodcheer. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

THESE Things


All the things in this life that aren't politics. 

Fifteen years of Winnie the Pooh....

Aren't newsworthy. 


Aren't on the television. Or social media. In font sizes over 48. 

That aren't the Cubs......


That still make life rich, memorable, vital, and individual.


Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  
Phillippians 4: 8

Think on THESE things.

Lizzie.  At the helm of the auger wagon, bouncing over the bean field on her dad's lap, steering and singing in her pink t-shirt and John Deere green french terry pajama pants.  Pure happiness.

Abbie and Josh. With armloads of fake autumn leaves and weeds, stringing a garland here, setting a pumpkin there,  every vase with its flower, every bowl with its gourd.  Finally, the TA-DA moment as I'm led (close your eyes, Grandma!) to the dining room to ooh and aaah over their enterprise.  Lovely, indeed.


Ryan and Lee.  Lee with her foot bound up and her big toe stitched.  Ryan taking the laundry downstairs, bringing her drinks and ibuprofen and making brownies. Putting dishes away.  Lee: "That's not where those g....oh....just put them where ever you want to!"  When your wife is laid up, where ever those  clean dishes are stacked is the definition of commendable....

Gabe and Abbie, Aaron and Lizzie, Josh and Annie.  After school and after work, the "knackers" come help clean up the leftovers of the fall mum crop.  With high spirits and a Tom Sawyer attitude (make work fun!), they give the dead plants the old heave-ho into the back of the green pickup, roll up the irrigation lines, make big nosegays of fragrant bronze blooms, and stack up the used pots; all for a 6 ounce Sunkist orange pop!  Well, except for Aaron, who takes advantage of the opportunity to practice his mad manual transmission driving skills in the '95 Dodge Ram five speed....Worthy...worthy of praise!




Aaron. First junior high basketball game.  His mother calls..."Keep moving...use the backboard!" Aaron, to his credit, not only meets his mom's eyes, but mouths.."I know".   I remember junior high basketball....and the girl who shot the basketball just so her dad would shave off his beard.... Whatever is honorable....Whatever is just.




Josh. A font of information and a sponge for knowledge now that he's in kindergarten. "I can count to 100, Mom." from the back seat. "Yes, and I'm so proud of you..." from the driver's seat.  From the back seat...."One zillion and one....one zillion and two....." Absolutely true... 

Levi.  At a fall hayride with his parents.  Riding the skid loader, checking out the John Deere tractor, watching the cattle in the pasture: "If this were a real farm, there would be a combine...."  Excellence...in story telling anyway!

Think...and smile....at THESE things....



Bob the Builder circa 2005

Construction guy circa 2016

Froggie suit circa 2014
Froggie suit circa 2011

Froggie suit circa 2004


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Most Wonderful Time...

It's that most wonderful time of the year: the day that Snow Village, like Brigadoon, springs full blown from a cloud of fractured styrofoam, to glow magically atop the mounts of the pie safe in the front room and the sideboard and china cabinet in the dining room.
No place on earth will the bride and groom stand for hours outside in the church looking deep into each other's eyes while their get away car putters unheeded in the knee deep snow and the other guests have apparently dispersed to the reception or other celebrations.
No where but Snow Village is the local greenhouse cheek by jowl with the Van Trapp family estate..
Or the businesses so concerned with catering to such culinary comfort food as Krispy Kremes, Hershey's and Starbuck's.
Just one little boy even seems to notice that the town Christmas tree is a shocking pink!...
Come, come visit because your toes will be toasty, the shops are open, and the town bustles with good cheer. The countryside is blanketed under untracked white but there are marshmallows roasting, skaters, a sleigh full of merrymakers and even a lone photo bug.

You'd think he'd be spying on old Santa Claus, but his attention is elsewhere. Santa is around every corner in Snow Village; every day of the Christmas season its cheery light spreads through this old house....