Thank God for Betty, Galloping Grace and Horses

It would be so easy to get depressed these days.  

Our retirement investments have been on a roller coaster with a lot of stomach-turning down hills and very few up hills.  Our political process is rife (that's a Michelle-type word) with crooks and idiots.  This election has been a compendium (oops, another Michelle-type word) of lies, exaggerations and gaffes.  However, it's only a lie, exaggeration and gaffe if our objective, investigative mainstream reporters say it is so (I'm sure you'll note the sarcasm in my words).

I grew up with the notion that honesty and integrity were important and meant something.  If you made a mistake or a misstatement you owned up to it and corrected it.  There were certain things that were always right and other things that were always wrong.  If you chose to work for someone you would never think of doing anything but your absolute best so that you could accept your pay with a good conscience.  The American dream was to own a home, provide for your family and maybe enjoy a few hobbies or sports.  The only people who ever thought of asking for help were those who were truly not able to provide for themselves due to health or age problems.   If you had an obligation such as a mortgage you did everything possible under heaven to fulfill that obligation.  Being in the military was an honorable profession.  Honor, duty, sacrifice were words that had real meaning in our culture and in our lives.

None of that seems to apply, at least in the popular culture.  I know there are plenty of people who still believe those things as I do, but it seems that is no longer what is 'popular' or 'acceptable.'

What keeps me sane and happy these days is trusting a God who says...

(Matt 6:31-34)

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

What keeps me sane and happy is having Betty at my side with both of us still believing and committed to those vows we said over 41 years ago...

"I promise to love and cherish you in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, until death do us part."

What keeps me sane and happy is working with horses and kids at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch and being with our friends, Max and Michelle, and their great kids.

What keeps me sane and happy is my church, Destiny Center, and the wonderful people there who want to do God's work in our community.

What keeps me sane and happy is seeing Morgunn at our courtyard gate knowing he accepts me just as I am - on both my good and my bad days.  It's kind of the same way that God loves and accepts me.  Morgunn's a good reminder of that love and acceptance.

There's an old cliche - "This too shall pass."  It's not scriptural, but it's mindful of the truth that Gods plan is working itself out in this world, in our nation and in our lives.

In that and in Him I put my trust.

Today is October 16 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Kellie Martin, Flea, Tim Robbins, Suzanne Somers, Angela Lansbury, Eugene O'Neill, Oscar Wilde, and Noah Webster (of dictionary fame).

On this day in 1793 Marie Antoinette was beheaded (talk about a bad day).  In 1859 abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry.  In 1962 the Cuban missile crisis began as President Kennedy was informed of the presence of missiles in Cuba.  In 1978 Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope and became John Paul II.  In 1987 rescuers freed Jessica McClure, an 18-month old baby, who had been trapped in an abandoned well for 58 hours in Midland, Texas.  And in 2002 President George Bush signed a congressional resolution authorizing a war in Iraq.

Sweet Juliet and the Balloons and Pumpkins

Well, our family left yesterday morning after visiting with us for the Balloon Fiesta.  We were blessed to have our son, Wade Daniel, daughter-in-law, Marie and our wonderful granddaughter, Juliet.  Plus, Marie's sister, Melissa, her husband Nick, and their two girls, Maggie and Kaley were with us as well.  We had a wonderful time.  After they left we kept our emotions at bay by going over to the Galloping Grace Youth Ranch Pumpkin Patch yesterday to help out with a couple of large groups that came.

To put a finishing touch on their visit with us here are just a few of our favorite pictures.

Marie and Juliet watching the many balloons

Juliet, Marie, Wade Daniel, and Betty

Proud father Wade Daniel and Juliet

Marie and Juliet share a special moment

Juliet playing 'Knock the Cups Down'

Juliet in the corn seed bin at the Pumpkin Patch

Wade Daniel, Marie and Juliet at the Pumpkin Patch

Wade Daniel, Marie and Juliet, Nick and Maggie, Melissa and Kaley, and Betty and me

Cute, huh?

Juliet with Marie playing in our hot tub

Trying to splash her Daddy

Notice any family resemblance?

Now, we're counting the weeks, days, hours, and minutes until we can see them again - especially Juliet.

If you want to see even more pictures you can go to our photo site at: http://corralesdan.smugmug.com/

Click on the gallery titled "Juliet and Balloons 2008"

Today is October 14 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Harry Anderson, Ralph Lauren, Roger Moore, John Wooden, Lillian Gish, Dwight Eisenhower, and William Penn.

On this day in 1066 the Normans defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.  In 1947 Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier in the Bell X-1.  In 1964 Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize.  In 1968 the first live TV telecast was made from the spacecraft Apollo 7.  And in 1977 singer Bing Crosby died.  

Sunday Reflections - Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

If you are from New Mexico when you read this then you know that yesterday, Saturday, was a rainy, windy day in the afternoon.  We wanted the kids to see the Galloping Grace Youth Ranch Pumpkin Patch so we headed over there in the morning before the rains came.  Here are some pictures from that great visit.

Kaley riding Black...

Maggie riding Black...

Kaley and Maggie posing in the kids play area...

Auntie 'Ree with her niece Maggie...

Kaley and Maggie playing in the seed corn bin....

Juliet playing in the seed corn bin...

Daniel, Marie and Juliet in their pumpkin pose...

The whole group - our son, Daniel, Marie, and Juliet, Nick and Maggie, Melissa (Marie's sister) with Kaley, me and Betty...

It was a great time and Max and Michelle, Renee and Trish were all great hosts.

"All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots..."  (Isaiah 22:24)

Today is October 12 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Kirk Cameron,  Hugh Jackman, Luke Perry, Chris Wallace, Luciano Pavarotti, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

On this day in 1811 the first steam-powered ferry boat began operations between New York City and Hoboken, NJ.  In 1890 the Daughters of the American Revolution were founded.  In 1968 the first manned Apollo flight, Apollo 7, was launched.  And in 1975 "Saturday Night Live" made its debut on NBC.  

Special Shape Rodeo

Our son, Wade Daniel, daughter-in-law, Marie, and our granddaughter, Juliet, all arrived safely last night.  Shortly after they arrived, Marie's sister, Melissa, her husband, Nick, and their two daughters, Maggie (5) and Kaley (3) arrived.  After a very short night's sleep, we got up at 4:30 AM this morning to catch the bus to the Balloon Fiesta Park and watched the Special Shape Rodeo where all the special shape balloons go up together.  It was a beautiful morning and a great show.

Here are just a few pictures from this morning.  I'll have more after they leave on Monday.

Juliet and her Dad, Wade Daniel.

Juliet and her Mom, Marie.

Today is October 10 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (vroom, vroom), Brett Favre, Tanya Tucker, Ben Vereen, and Helen Hayes.

On this day in 1845 the US Naval Academy opened in Annapolis, MD - Go Navy!  In 1886 the tuxedo dinner jacket made its debut at the Autumn Ball in Tuxedo, MD (hence the name).  In 1935 George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" made its debut on Broadway.  And, in 1970 Fiji became and independent country.

More Balloons

A quick post of mostly pictures.  We're finishing up getting the house ready for our family who should get here about 5:00 PM.  We're going to the Special Shape Mass Ascension tomorrow morning, the Special Shape Balloon Glow tomorrow night, and the All Balloons Mass Ascension on  Saturday morning.  I'll take a ton of pictures and it may be Sunday or Monday before I have time to get them off my camera and onto a post.

Here are some pictures from the balloons that came by this morning from the Special Shape Mass Ascension this morning.

Finally, a picture of our resident Roadrunner, Simone, drying her feathers in the morning sun as she watches the balloons go over.

Today is October 9 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Annika Sorenstram, Tony Shaloub (Monk), Scott Bakula, Sharon Osbourne (Ozzie's wife), John Lennon, Charles R. Walgreen, and Aimee Semple McPherson.

On this day in 1701 Yale University was chartered.  In 1776 a group of Spanish missionaries settled what was to become San Francisco.  In 1888 the public was first admitted to the Washington Monument.  In 1930 Laura Ingalls became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.  And in 1967 the Latin guerilla Che Guevara was executed.  

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Mop I Go

A real short post today because I mopped our whole house today and I'm pooped.  My Dad used to say as he got older, "I can do everything I always could do.  It only takes me twice as long to do it and twice as long to recover."  So true.

We have tile in all the house because we have family who are allergic to cats.  Carpets collect cat dander like crazy.  I like the tile a lot, except for the two times a year when I mop it.  I spent most of yesterday vacuuming everywhere - even moving furniture to get all the little dust bunnies that have lived there for almost 6 months.

Tomorrow, we finish getting the house ready and our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter should be here in time for dinner.  We'll also have Marie's sister and her husband and their two little girls.  It will be a fun time.

Today is October 8 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Matt Damon, Sigourney Weaver, Chevy Chase (who used to be funny), Jesse Jackson, Paul Hogan, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Juan Peron.

On this day in 1871 the Great Chicago Fire erupted.  in 1981 Sgt. Alvin York singlehanded killed 25 Germand soldiers and captured 132 in the Argonne Forest in France.  He won the Medal of Honor.  in 1944 "Ozzie and Harriet" made its debut on CBS radio.  In 1956 Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series.  In 1970 author Alexander Solzhenitzen won the Nobel Prize for literature.  And, in 2004 Martha Stewart reported to prison to start a prison makeover.

Fall Colors

This is that time of year when the last colors of Summer are still hanging on and mix with the colors of Fall - mostly purples and yellows.  Here are some pictures of the flowers and blooming bushes in our yard.

A Wild Blue Aster...

Yellow blooms on a Turpentine Bush...

The plumes on an Apache Plume...

One last white flower on an Apache Plume...

The blooms on a Four-Wing Salt Bush...

Purple blooms on a Rosemary Bush...

Berries on a Heavenly Bamboo...

Salvia Greggii blooms...

Blooms on a False Yucca...

Blanket Flower bloom...

Yarrow blooms...

Summer Sage blooms...

Butterfly Bush blooms...

Finally, the good old American Rose...

"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land."  (Song of Solomon 2:12)

Today is October 6 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Adam Harvey (our worship pastor at our church), Amy Jo Johnson, Elisabeth Shue, Tony Dungy, Britt Ekland, Janet Gaynor,  Carole Lombard, and George Westinghouse.

On this day in 1889 the Moulin Rouge cabaret opened in Paris.  In 1927 the era of talking pictures began with the opening of "The Jazz Singer."  In 1979 Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit the White House.  In 1981 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated.  And in 1989 actress Bette Davis died.