When New Neighbors Move In

Our friend Carolyn, who lived behind us, sold her house a few months ago and moved back to St. Louis to be closer to family.  The couple who bought her house, Ricky and TJ, already lived in Corrales in an older house.  They wanted a newer, bigger house.

They sold their old house and the new folks are moving in within a week or so. That meant that Ricky and TJ needed to build a pen for their animals - two Angora goats named Frankie and Pickles.

Well, Frankie and Pickles moved into their new digs this morning and Morgunn and Sugar didn't know what to make of these new monsters who moved in next to them - with horns no less.

Morgunn seemed more curious than anything else, but his energy level was still pretty high.

Hey, Dad, what the heck are these things?

Sugar, after prancing around for awhile, decided she didn't want anything to do with these weird creatures and decided to keep her distance.

I'm sure that in a few days Frankie and Pickles will be no big deal - I hope.

Monday Video - Fly Like A Bird

I suspect almost all of us have wondered what it would be like to fly like a bird.  There are sky divers now who wear winged suits that enable them to get horizontal flight as they fall.  Check out this video where several winged sky divers attached several cameras to give us a bird's eye view of their flights.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflection - Hope

1 Timothy 1:1 -- Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,...

Have you ever hoped for something?  Kids hope for things all the time - a toy, a pony, their parents to get along.  Beauty pageant contestants always hope for world peace - or whirled peas, I'm not sure.

The Bible has a lot to say about hope.  Job talked about his hope a lot.

Job 6:8 "Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, ...

The Psalms say even more about hope.

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. 

The Old Testament Hebrew word for hope is 'tiqvah' which literall means a cord, as an attachment.  The New Testament Greek word is 'elpis' which means to anticipate, usually with pleasure and confidence.

Over the years I have hoped for many things.  I hoped that Betty and I would get married some day.  When I was in the Navy and our ship was in Vietnam I hoped we would get home safely.  I hoped both of our boys would be born healthy.  I hoped they would find good Christian girls.  I hoped my career would provide for my family and for Betty and me in retirement.  I hoped Betty would get over her horse accident several years ago without any lasting damage to her body or spirit.  I hoped I would survive my prostate cancer.  And, on and on.

It's safe to say that I was attached, as with a cord, to each of those things I hoped for - and I hoped in confidence that my hopes would come to fruition.

You know what?   Hope sounds a lot like prayer.

Friday Funny - Tail Gate Party Origin

Now we know.

Have A Blessed Thanksgiving

Betty and I hope everyone has a blessed and joy-filled Thanksgiving.

Christmas de Caballos Parade - 2011

This past Sunday, Corrales held its annual Christmas de Caballos Parade which is a celebration of the horses in Corrales.

If you would like to see a snapshot of the parade, check out this video.

Monday Video - Man and Beast

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to animals? Perhaps be Dr. Doolittle?

Well, the actor Robin Williams had that unique opportunity when he was able to meet and 'talk' with Koko, the gorilla who knows sign language.

Enjoy this touching video.

Taking a Walk on the Inside

Have you ever awakened in the middle of the night and started worrying over something coming up that's a problem/issue for you? Your mind goes, "If this happens, I'll do this," or "If he says this, then I'll say that," or "If she does this, I'll feel this way." Those are future-oriented thoughts, but it can also occur with past issues. "Why did I do that in that situation?" "Why did she say that to me?" "Why did he do that to me?"

This is 'what-if' thinking and officially is called 'introspection.'

Introspection is a self-examination of our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behaviors and actions. It almost always stirs up feelings of worry and anxiety about our past and/or our future.

What does God say about this walk on the inside?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, ..." (Matthew 6:25)

God clearly tells us not to worry or be anxious. That's easy to read, but hard to put into our daily lives. If introspection produces worry and anxiety then it's probably not what God wants us to do.

David gives us a clue to God's approach in Psalm 26:

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; (Psalm 26:2)

God wants us to be examined, but there is a difference.

In introspection, we are the guide of the walk on the inside - it's a self-examination. And, it doesn't allow much or any room for faith in God. The focus is on us - our worries, our short-comings.

In God's examination, the Holy Spirit is the guide of the walk on the inside - it's a God-examination. Faith in God is a prerequisite for and an outcome of this walk. The focus is on God and our relationship with him.

Ready for a walk?

Good Horse Day

Yesterday morning, Friday, was a nice day - a little breezy, but still nice. We decided to work with the horses again.

On Thursday morning we both rode our horses in the back. Since we've been gone so much and had some minor health issues we haven't been able to ride as consistently as we want. So, we're going back to the basics to re-establish our connection and communication with Sugar and Morgunn. The only problem we had on Thursday morning is Morgunn is really connected to Sugar so he had a hard time when she wasn't close. That's called being 'buddy-sour.' It added an extra distraction for Betty as she was working with him. She did well, but she couldn't focus completely on the exercises she wanted to do with Morgunn.

Betty had a good idea and we did it on Friday morning. Betty saddled up Morgunn and rode him in the back. I took Sugar, without her saddle, into our round pen and did some ground work. Morgunn could see Sugar, but he couldn't get to her. So he paid much more attention to Betty and it went a lot better. She was able to focus more on the exercises without having to deal with him thinking about Sugar. I did a lot of good ground work with Sugar which was good.

We're going to do this a couple more times next week and then we may swap. I'll ride Sugar while Betty does ground work with Morgunn in the round pen.

Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers coach, used to hold up a football at the first practice of each year and say, "Gentlemen, this is a football." He knew the value of rebuilding a good foundation for his players by focusing on the basics. Sometimes we need to go back to the basics with Sugar and Morgunn and it's worth the time.

Friday Funny - 11 Sounds Your Kids Probably Have Not Heard

Check out the web site below for 11 sounds your kids probably have not heard before. Their world today is so different from the world I grew up in.

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/106713

Oh, Aching Back

A little over a week ago, my lower back - right at my waist - started hurting a little. Another back spasm, I thought. I have had them over the years, but I haven't had one in several years.

Only this one is a little different. Most, if not all, of my back spasms have been the kind where there's a sharp, jerking pain - that's the only way I know to describe it. When it hit, I couldn't move for several seconds. However, this one just hurts a little, especially when I get up after sitting for awhile.

Some days have been better than others. Yesterday was a good day, even though I did some light work outside. When I went to bed my back felt better than it has since it started. This morning the pain was back.

I don't want to let this stop my life. I'm being careful, but we're still exercising. We're still riding the horses. I'm still shoveling manure twice a day. None of this makes my back hurt any more.

At Betty's suggestion, I have made an appointment for next Monday afternoon to go see her chiropractor. I've never been to one, so we'll see how it goes.

In the grand scheme of things, this is pretty minor, but it's annoying. If you think about me in your prayers, throw up a quick healing prayer. Can't hurt.

A Nice Surprise

I just received an email today and it was appropriate since Veterans Day was this past Friday.

I spent my four year Navy career on one ship, USS WILLIAM H. STANDLEY (DLG-32). For most of that time, the commanding officer was Captain Al Blanks.

Captain Blanks was a 'Mustang.' That's someone who stared their Navy career as an enlisted man and then became an officer. He was an enlisted sailor in World War II and became an officer after the war.

I learned so much from this man - not only what I needed to know as a Naval officer, but also what I needed to know as a man - integrity, respect, absolute honesty, brevity, character, honor, duty - and not to ever assume. He had a sign on his desk that said, "When you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME." And, he was a man who could correct you in such a way that you never felt demeaned. Even after chewing you out, he would give you a smile that said, "We're still OK." Being a former enlisted man, he knew how to relate to both enlisted and officer. For him, being an officer was just another job.

The STANDLEY served in Vietnam twice and on the last tour made an around the world trip while I was on board. As a result, a lot of us have kept in touch over the years and we've had several reunions. Betty and I were able to make the first reunion, but none of the later ones.

So, I was very pleased to get an email today that Captain Blanks sent out telling everyone how he and his wife Helen survived another Veterans Day celebration at their church. And, he attached the following pictures.

There are a few people in all our lives who change the direction of our lives and Captain Blanks is one of those people in my life. I am honored to call him friend.

Monday Video - Watch the Dress

If you have been a reader of this blog for a long time, you know about my interest in illusionists. Here is a couple who share equally in the illusions. Especially watch her dress.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflection - Simple Words, Great Meaning

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43)

I can't imagine any greater words to hear from Jesus than, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Sometimes, I think we make salvation too complicated. Inadvertently, we can make it a barrier to those seeking God. Here's a man, a criminal - probably most of his life - condemned to death by the law of the world. All he does is acknowledge he deserves death and then asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom.

So simple, yet that is the essence of salvation - acknowledging we don't deserve mercy and acknowledging that Jesus is king, lord, savior - the words don't matter. It's what's in the heart.

My salvation moment came late at night. For years I was trying to find my salvation, my worth and value, through my career. After several months of having that shaken through several events, all I said one night was, "God, I'm tired of trying it my way. I'm ready to try it your way." And I meant it.

Simple words with little apparent theological meaning. There are probably some well-meaning Christians who might say I didn't do it the 'right' way. All I know is my life was changed from that moment on.

God has given us the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of his son Jesus. Let's try not to complicate this simple gift so that we inadvertently become a stumbling block for others.

The old Shaker song, 'Simple Gifts' may have some simple truths:

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.

Corrales Veterans Day Parade

Yesterday, Corrales held it’s first ever Veterans Day Parade.  Betty and I decided to go watch it to support whomever showed up for the parade – not knowing how big it would be or how many people would show up to watch and support the veterans.

We were pleasantly surprised at the parade itself.  There were lots of veterans, veterans groups, vehicles, bands, and dogs.  Even better, there was a large crowd along the parade route and it was great to see a lot of families there with their kids.  There was a lot of support and we heard a lot of ‘thank you’ shouted from the watchers.

I didn’t take a picture out of respect, but the most touching thing we saw was a Vietnam Vet who needed a walker to walk who was determined to walk the whole parade.  Almost everyone else was riding.

Here are a few pictures of the parade.

You can’t beat a parade that starts with a bagpipe – and he was pretty good.

One of the honored guests at the parade was John E. Allen from Rio Rancho.  Mr. Allen was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen and flew an F-4 Corsair – one of my two favorite planes when I was a kid right after World War II (the other being the P-51 Mustang).  I can remember seeing both planes flying over our house.

There were several neat, restored military vehicles.  Including one with a dog at attention.

And a neat restored non-military vehicle.

There were representatives from Paws and Stripes, a Rio Rancho program that connects rescued dogs to wounded veterans.

And, of course, a military band from the New Mexico Military Institute.  A man standing next to me, retired Air Force, was a proud grandparent of a young girl in the band.

No Veterans Day Parade would be complete without motorcycles – lots and lots of motorcycles.

Finally, my favorite picture.  Parents who are teaching their children well.

The Veteran’s Day Parade in Corrales was a good place to be yesterday.  I’m glad we went.

Veteran's Day - 11/11/11

"Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known only to God."

When our boys were in the Boy Scouts, we took the troop to Washington DC. It was a great trip and they experienced a lot of neat things. But one of the most moving things was when we took the subway over to Arlington National Cemetery to watch the changing of the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

It was amazing watching these young, exuberant boys become quiet and thoughtful. They knew they were in the presence of something special.

The Honor Guard marches before the tomb 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year - cold, heat, rain, snow, sleet, wind - doesn't matter. It's a vivid example of honor, duty and sacrifice - and they consider it a privilege.

Most veterans understand honor and duty. Most veterans understand sacrifice. There's a saying about veterans - "All gave some and some gave all."

So, if you know a veteran or have a veteran in your family, take a few minutes to connect today and say whatever your heart leads you to say.

Catch Up

I realized this morning that I haven't done a post since Sunday. Boy, how time can swish by. So, here's a quick recap of our last few days - at least the parts of our lives that might be half way interesting to a few of you.

On Monday we rode the horses in the back. Because of our travels and various ailments (nothing serious - headaches, back aches), we haven't worked with the horses on a consistent basis. We're going to try to get back to some consistency, even if it's a little groundwork. We worked on basic in-the-saddle movements and they did pretty well. So did we, I guess.

Later that day we learned that a good friend may be facing a serious health issue. She'll find out tomorrow, Thursday. That put kind of a downer on our day.

On Tuesday we exercised first thing in the morning. Betty had a dental appointment and all was well. In the afternoon we trailered the horses over to the vet's for their Fall shots and that went well.

Today I went to the lab to have some blood drawn for my appointment with my urologist next Monday - a follow up visit from my prostate surgery earlier this year. Hopefully the blood test results will still be good. After getting home we cleaned up last night's manure. Then we did about 15 minutes groundwork with the horses even though there was a cold North wind. We'll spend the rest of the day reading and watching old movies on TV. Two of my favorite things if we can't ride.

So, that's our week so far. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning with our family doctor for an annual check up. Hopefully the weather and my back will be good enough on Friday morning so we can ride again.

Sunday Reflection - Age and Wisdom

Proverbs 3:13 -- Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding..."

As I grow older, I think more and more often on what kind of man I want to be in my old age.

I have seen men and women grow more and more bitter as they got older. In many cases it's understandable as they have endured many, serious health issues. It's also understandable when the independence we value so much is taken away by age and/or illness. Having to live the last years of your life in a nursing home can take away the best of spirits.

Both Betty and I have gone through some serious health issues in the past few years. It's tough and very hard to keep your spirits up when you're hurting and dependent on others for your daily living.

Yet, I have also known men and women who have gone through the trials of age and illness and done so with much grace and beauty. They exemplify the beauty moving from the face to the heart mentioned in the above quote which I love.

What makes the difference? Why do some people live in beauty and grace and others live in darkness and despair? Here are my thoughts about the people who live in beauty and grace.

1. Their personal relationship with God is the center of their lives. All else revolves around that. Jesus Christ is their foundation upon which they stand in the midst of life's storms.

2. They know this life is not all there is. They look forward to something better.

3. They have learned to let go - to let go of physical things they can no longer do, to let go of material things that no longer matter, to let go of friends who are no longer here, to let go of life itself.

4. They understand the difference between happiness, based on circumstances, and joy, based on something more than themselves. They seek joy, not happiness.

5. They value the peace that passes all understanding. They have learned what it means to be content - in all circumstances.

I have never considered myself as beautiful. I'm an average, off-the-rack kind of guy. Yet, I hope and pray that as I get older and encounter more things I must let go of, I will learn to have a beautiful heart.

Friday Funny - All Things Good

Prickly City is one of my favorite comic strips. Sometimes the artist runs across a fundamental truth. In this case, God uses our hardships so that we may comfort others with the comfort we have received.

Halloween In Fort Collins

As you probably know, we spent last weekend in Fort Collins, Colorado with our kids and granddaughters. Since we came home on Tuesday, we were there for Halloween. It was a beautiful Colorado night - clear, cold and lots of stars overhead.

We went over to Marie's sister's house for a quick dinner, then we headed out to the neighborhood to see what the kids could gather.

Juliet went as Strawberry Shortcake and Leah went as a Vanilla Muffin - at least as much as she would wear. Being only one year old, Leah just enjoyed being out with everyone without knowing what was happening. However, Juliet being four knows real well what was going on. She went from house to house with her cousins, Maggie dressed as a Blue Smurf and Kaley dressed as a Princess. Juliet, being smaller, usually trailed her older cousins, but she still had a good time.

Here are some pictures. First, Leah watching all the pre-activities.

Pictures of the door-to-door visits. Marie's sister lives in a nice neighborhood where most of the neighbors participate in the Halloween activities.

Then there were the post activities - checking out the night's haul.

We're Home

We drove home from Fort Collins yesterday, Tuesday. It was an uneventful trip and we're glad to be home. We had a great time with the kids and grandkids, especially on Halloween night. Juliet is a fun four year old and Leah, at one, is a delight. She smiles all the time except when she's hungry or has to put on her pj's to go to bed.

I have to work on a few pictures and then I'll share them here.