Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this windy March day in Northern Iowa where the weather continues to act like a roller coaster. Last Wednesday we woke up to a blizzard and yesterday a lot of that snow was already gone because temperatures were rising.. We are supposed to get a high of 65 on Monday?! The only animal we've seen out and about has been Charlie when Joel takes her outside to do her business. The Blizzard didn't seem to bother her at all.

 Speaking of blizzards it has been a lot like our life the last couple weeks. I shared on Facebook earlier than our neighbor moved from her two bedroom ranch style home.  Joel went over and talked to her family and ended up looking at the house. Then he brought me over to look at the house and we went back and looked at it a third time. Joel has been over a couple more times checking it out. Long story short we contacted a realtor and our house is on the market! We have an accepted offer on the ranch with a contingency if this one sells. Basically this is a very nice house but it has a lot of stairs and they have become a bit more challenging. This option seems the best for us, being able to stay in the neighborhood with Joe's bike trail right out the door. But only God knows what's best and we are praying that if this is not the door for us to walk through it will not open!

 Speaking of houses, it's a lot of work to move it's a lot of work to show your house and it's a lot of work to purge and organize. One of our daughters says we're already so organized that it doesn't need much to be open to people looking at it. That's good to know. Speaking of what's good to know, most of the time I feel at peace  with whatever the outcome of this adventure is. If the house sells okay. If it doesn't sell okay. Getting the house ready and hearing other people's comments about it has made me appreciate it more! One showing was done through FaceTime. It's a whole different world now! 

Thinking about moving has me going back to remember a few of our 23 moves over the years.  As an officer, the military packed us up and moved us.  As a pastor we often used U-Hauls to drive across  country.  One move to Montana in 1980 had someone from one of the three churhes Joel served coming with a cattle semi.....there was actually still some straw in the truck where we put our furniture.  That was a fun move!  When we moved from Illinois to New Mexico in the Air Force as an Airman, we took what fit in our 1960 Ford....with me pregnant and throwing up in a garbage bag all the way there.  This move would be across the street.  Moving was always a new adventure that we mostly enjoyed but having lived in this house 20 years and both of us creeping up on 80? Adventure is not quite the word I would use.  

Our oldest celebrated a birthday this week! Happy birthday B...... and and a dear friend celebrated her birthday too! Every year we get to celebrate is definitely a gift! Happy birthday Lana.

 Joel has not been working in the workshop because he'd have to get everything out and put it all away if someone wanted to see the house. He's been in his office taking care of taxes. I have been walking as much as I can with a complaining hip. The house has smelled like homemade bread homemade soup and cookies this week . My 6 months of check up at the dermatologist was all good. Love that! The chiropractor is helping my hip. Love that! We've been watching a new show with Ted Danson on Netflix. A Man on the Inside . It makes us laugh! Love that!

And speaking of love it's time to say what we're grateful for this week. We're grateful for the snow we had because we needed the moisture. Grateful for a warm house during the blizzard. Grateful for the sunshine that his melted almost all the snow already. Grateful for Charlie who has been a great distraction for the grandparents. Grateful for a good report at Dermatology. Grateful for homemade soup homemade cookies and homemade bread. Grateful for the memories of all the moves we've made over the years. Grateful for our future here or across the street! Grateful for all the phone calls, the texts, the emails, and the photos that are sent our way to stay in touch. Grateful for all this and so much more. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

 

Another good Saturday morning to you from our corner of the world in the Upper Midwest where snow is plentiful. This last week we had some bitterly cold temperatures with wind chills close to 40 below but now we are heading to 40 above in the coming days! Definitely a roller coaster ride. We haven't seen much wildlife but I expect that the deer are sticking close to the woods or coming out at night when we don't see them. 

Speaking of wildlife, a couple days ago I heard a story about how cows and bison respond in a storm. Of course it's an analogy for how we deal with life. When there's a storm coming cows turn their back to it and they also try to outrun it.   Bison, on the other hand, run towards the storm.... they face it head on and move through it faster. It's a little like life I think..... no, it's a lot like life! There are times we run like heck to try to out distance the storms in our lives and then there are times where we stand firm turn around and face the storm where we are or by moving forward to get through it quicker. Sometimes I'm a cow sometimes I'm a bison.  The vision challenges for my future can have me trying to outrun the storm even though I know it will need to be faced eventually.  With this challenge I need to turn around and face the storm but...I don't like what I'm seeing. Figuratively and literally ! It's a good time to remember that no matter what lies ahead we are not alone. Jesus gives us examples in the BIble on how to deal with storms! And we certainly all are faced with them.

Moving on, Joel worked on the wooden TV trays that he's building this week and he got the whole house vacuumed. He had the snow blower going and took care of the several inches of snow that we got. I did some baking, cleaning and walked every day.  We just finished the Northern Exposure series and are watching quite a few episodes of a show called The Repair Shop on Prime and I believe Acorn but it could be Britbox.  Joel has been reading a book on faith by Jimmy Carter and I'm listening to the 5th Father Tim book in that series by Jan Karon. It's February in Iowa and there's not a whole lot going on for these retired over the hill people. Well that's really not true... behind the scenes there is plenty going on but not much to talk about. 

For today I'm grateful for the slow pace of February. Grateful for the snow that is much needed for the moisture. Grateful for the story of the Cows versus the Bisons. Grateful for friends and family and phone calls and texts and emails that feel our days. Grateful our kids are doing so well in their own lives in their own corners of the world. Even though we miss them greatly they're doing what they're called to do. Yeah grateful for the wisdom of friends, and mentors, plus the little phrases that God sends our way that resonate and you just know they're from him! Grateful for all this and so much more. 

Enjoy your weekend

Saturday's Scribbles

 

Good Saturday to you from our corner of North Iowa where winter snow has arrived! We've got several inches on the ground and we're getting more this afternoon. Joel has been outside bblowing snow off the driveway and the sidewalks. I forgotten how much the white is bright!

 Last Sunday Joel preached at two churches south of Mason City. He said goodbye to St Peter Lutheran and will do two more Sundays at St Paul's. And then we'll see what life brings our way! On Monday we headed to the post office to take care of getting our passports. Oir original passports were from 1974 when we were in the military heading to the Philippine Islands . We used them when we went to Taiwan while living in the P.I.,too.  We actually have not traveled out of country since we left the Philippines in 1976 , so we decided maybe we should get our passports just in case. You can always hope and dream right,?! After going to the post office for our official passport appointments,  we headed to the local library for the Second Adventure of our monthly  scavenger hunt that our oldest and her family gave us for Christmas. This time we were to go to the author autograph section and find our favorite one and take a picture of it to send them. We decided on George Elliott who's actual name was Mary Evans. The story goes that her dad thought she was too unattractive to ever get a husband so he had her educated instead and her education helped her become an author.... she wrote seven novels.

Tuesday we headed to the grocery store in the bitterly cold weather I think it was nine below if I'm recalling correctly? Wednesday it was cold and snowing enough that most churches canceled their Wednesday evening activities. Joel went to a conference pastors synod assembly meeting on Thursday and on Friday we celebrated Valentine's Day with Culver's salads and a movie starring Harry Connick Jr titled, "Find Me Falling"  It was a light romance and pretty good. 

Our neighbor June had to move across town into an apartment. She's 96 years old and we will certainly miss her. Until 2 or 3 years ago she was mowing her own yard twice a week and doing all the yard work outside, even carrying gravel in a wheelbarrow.  She absolutely loves to be outside. I used to watch her from the porch and think if I could have just half the energy she has! She was strong she was agile and she lived alone for a very long time. An example for us all. Hope and pray she enjoys her new home.

 Tomorrow our son Mark will turn 50! Hard to believe the years have gone by so quickly. He was 5 months old when we welcomed him into the family and he's been a blessing over the years. Happy birthday Mark!

Giving thanks today for a week of moderate activity, moderate snow, and moderate surprises! It seems like there's always a few surprises to deal with! Grateful for the moisture for the land and for the people who love outdoor activities in the winter. Grateful we took care of the passports appointments and information and had a fun time on our second scavenger hunt to the library. Grateful for the homemade bread and homemade soup that made our house smell so good this week. Grateful for our son Mark. Grateful for all the phone calls emails and texts that we receive that keep us connected to friends and family. Grateful for all this and so much more. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from Northern Iowa where I can look out our large living room window and watch a gentle snowfall. The ground is already covered in white.  Even though we expect only an inch or two the moisture is needed for our land. It's a peaceful sight watching this gentle snowfall and at this point peace is what we both long for in this house, in our city,  in our country, in our world. The peace that passes understanding. 

This past week we've had several duck "couples " milling around looking for food I expect at the neighbor's  who likes to throw out corn cobs all winter long. They may have been a little confused by our warm weather, but today mother nature is letting us know that winter is still here. 

This past week Joel has continuined to build wooden TV tray tables for the grandkids in between the daily routines and his sermon for tomorrow. I got an appointment from a cancellation, so on Thursday we headed over to Rochester to Mayo Ophthalmology for a day of testing for my eye and the severe glaucoma diagnosis I had. We got home around 2:00 in the afternoon and we're awake before 4:00 the next morning to get ready to head back for a 7:30 appointment. We're too old for this! Travel was good and we arrived in time to relax before more testing and then an evaluation with a glaucoma specialist. It wasn't really what we wanted to hear. It wasn't worse news...... it wasn't good news.... it was just hearing that this doctor,  this Mayo specialist doesn't know specifically  why my vision changed because so many things are going on in my eye. It could be from the glaucoma that got somewhat worse or it could be from the dry macular  that has changed or it could be from the medication that I'm taking that can affect the eyes but he knew nothing about that particular drug. He did suggest that I have laser surgery to open the drainage tubes in my eyes. If that doesn't work then I'll be put on a second medication I believe. Since this began last fall it has been confusing and unclear besides scary to think about losing my vision completely. We're still kind of in the same spot but we're trusting ths doctor to do laser surgery. It doesn't give us answers for  if or when I would go blind....or the if we should move to a smaller one level home or if we should live closer to one of our children or.....or.. or. There's no definitive answers. But we have today. The Serenity Prayer says God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 

And that Serenity Prayer brings me to the struggle that I am having over the terrible accusations that have come up by Elon Musk saying that the Lutheran services that have been an establishment since the 1800s are money laundrying among other things. One in 50 people receive some kind of services in their lifetime from Lutheran Social Services Lutheran World relief, Global Refuge, etc. Lutherans have been dedicated to serving others the way God has asked us to according to the scriptures. It's confusing, a bit overwhelming, and a bit more irritating to hear the things that are being said and watch what is being done to stop aid to others. In some ways the Lutheran Church and their organizations are being persecuted. It's not the first time. 

Speaking of time,  Joel got up early this morning and went down to the basement and walked in water. It seems that the meter reading device that they put on the front of our house has malfunctioned and Joel spent a couple of hours cleaning water out of the laundry room area carpet and trying to fix temporarily the problem. You can call the utilities here in town and they will tell you we'll be back on Monday. No emergency number to call. So Joel is off to the store to buy more of this waterproof tape that he just happened to have on hand.  Thank you Lord our garage that looks like a Menards of left over materials! For now it's holding and I was able to shower without adding more problems to the basement carpet. Are we having fun yet?

Speaking of fun, well at least sort of, we spent a lot of time sitting and waiting in between testing and we did a lot of people watching. Our world is filled with such a variety of people ! It's amazing! What we find amusing is that when we go to Mayo Clinic Joel manner of dress with the cowboy hat, vest, and boots draws a lot of ridiculous attention. If he remembers he'll take the hat off before we go in so he's not constantly meeting other people's eyes as they look at him. I find this curious since Mayo Clinic is filled with people from around the world  all unique and special for their own culture.  I guess other people do people watching too!

Tomorrow is Joel's last Sunday as a fill in pastor for a church South of us. He has quite a long history with them having served them as interim before and fill in and having accumulated almost 5 years with this congregation and a smaller one Southwest of there. There is some sadness in saying goodbye while feeling excited for what is ahead for them!

So, today I'm grateful that we got into Mayo Ophthalmology and we have a plan for laser surgery and we have some understanding that I have the dry macular that will eventually cause vision loss and I have the glaucoma which will eventually cause vision loss and then there's that drug for cancer that maybe influencing the timeline for that. Guess I'm saying that I'm grateful that It's in God's hands now as he directs us. Again going back to being grateful..... I'm grateful that I got in over there that I saw a good doctor and then I got all these tests and was thoroughly examined and that there is a plan in place. Grateful Joel has the energy he has to travel like that for 2 days being up at 4:00 in the morning. Grateful for safe travel. Grateful for our Lutheran Foundation. Grateful for all the work that the Lutheran ELCA has done to serve others. Grateful for a gentle snowfall that brings a sense of peace to our hearts. Grateful that Joel is very good at figuring things out and fixing or temporary fixing things to get us through. Grateful for Trader Joe's and grateful for Mr Pizza in Rochester for Joel! Haha Grateful for all the time Joel has served as a fill in pastor for two churches south of Mason City. Grateful for all the phone calls emails and texts we received every week. Grateful for all this and so much more.

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you again from Iowa where winter is not showing up.  This week we had 64 degrees...at the end in January! Such strange weather but then again it's strange weather in many parts of the country. Joel told me this morning that our resident ducks were out front. I don't know if that's because they're confused about what time of year it is or if they are letting us know that winter isn't coming?! 

It has been a quiet week again here with only one appointment for Joel at the VA clinic for his eyes.  We headed to church last Sunday which was nice. We walked outside around the cul-de-sac and for Joel down to the river road for 3 days, enjoying the warmth. We quietly celebrated me being cancer free for 5 yrs this week.  Thnks be to God.  Besides that.....A little bit of shopping has been done, a little bit of cleaning, a little bit of cooking, a little bit of woodworking, a little bit of walking a little bit of visiting... I guess the theme here was "a little bit..." 

It's my sister Jan's birthday today! She is an amazing woman who has lived in amazing life. So grateful for her in my life and in the lives of so many many others. Enjoy your day Jan and have a wonderful year ahead!

It is also our grandson S. birthday today. Seventeen!  Happy Birthday Buddy!

This morning I watched a service about missionaries at a church in California. This church supports or helps support a large number of missionaries across the world. Mission work always stirs my heart and it has since I was 13 years old and stood before the bulletin board in our church, St. Olaf Lutheran in Austin, Minnesota. The bulletion board where letters and pictures of our missionaries we supported in Brazil were shared. The Grant Family with their five boys. I used to stare at that bulletin board and wonder what it was like to be on the mission field.

About 35 years later we were gathering with pastors in West Central Minnesota for a Super. Bowl party and began talking to a pastor and his wife about their history. Long story short turns out that Dave, the pastor, was actually one of the Grant Boys on the mission field in Brazil. My response to him was..... oh my goodness I prayed for you when you were there as a child! We prayed for you and your family as a church.  It felt like a full circle moment and they became fast friends. In fact, Joel just had a long talk with Dave this week catching up on each other's lives. I love how God is in the details of our lives. 

Getting back to the mission field...........as I have shared before, Joel and I were drawn together because we both wanted to be on the mission field. Joel's second cousin was David SImonson who served with the Masai tribe in Tanzania his whole life.  He is buried over there on the land given to his family by the tribe.  His ministry livies on today ....Operation Bootstrap......This stirred Joel on for his own desire to be in the mission field.  The last attempt we made for that was in the early 1980s and God shut the door. He had other plans but it does not take away the fact that we have a interest in Global Missions.  It is part of who we are as Christians following Jesus.  We help others, we preach the gospel, we share the good news, we serve as Jesus served. Whether it's at home or in another country we are all called as missionaries of the gospel. We are all called pray for those who need prayer to help those who need help. God has a plan for each of us in the corners of our world.!  

So,  this week I am grateful that Joel was and is able to serve God in the ministry for so many years.  Grateful to be by his side. Grateful for the mission work that is done in America and in the world. Grateful for warm temperatures this week that gave us the opportunities to walk outside. Grateful for so many phone calls and stimulating conversations. Grateful for our residents ducks while praying that they stay safe when it snow does come! Grateful Joel's eyes are doing well and he's getting new glasses. Grateful for the home we live in and the opportunities presented to us to keep serving God. Grateful for my sister Jan on her birthday and every day! Gratful for our grandson and his 17th birthday.  Grateful for texts and emails, phone calls and whispers from God to our hearts. Grateful for all this and so much more.

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from our corner of North Iowa where the weather is all over the board. Warm then bitterly cold with high winds and 33 below wind chills.  Now heading into a few days above normal. I'm not sure our local creatures and critters know quite what to do with it especially when it's the third week of January and there's still no snow on the ground! And it's colder here than it is in Alaska. And it was colder in the South than in Alaska!?! Everything seems to be a little off-kilter. Not unlike the whole world I guess. 

On the 24th we celebrated Joe's 13 years of miraculous healing from Lyme disease and other diseases and physical concerns. God is The God Who heals! Made him pumpkin pie to enjoy as a special treat and oatmeal cookies besides.

In the past week we've traveled to Mayo Clinic on Sunday to see the ocularist regarding my eye. They took it out and cleaned and polished it hoping that will help with symptoms. On Monday the country inaugurated a new president. On Thursday Joel went to his colleague group. We have managed to get out once in awhile too the store. Stayed home mostly and cooked and cleaned on cold days.  January in Iowa!

 Speaking of Iowa at times I'm still surprised to find myself living here. As I have shared in the past when you're in the military you always have a home state and our home state of course was Minnesota. So no matter where we have moved when people ask where you're from we say Minnesota because that's where we're from. Now the fact that we've spent 29 years in Iowa doesn't seem to affect the fact that we're still from Minnesota! Haha.. the plan was always to retire in Minnesota but then..... the best laid plans... This takes me back to a time when Joel was in the military and they were granting early outs for people. We decided that's what we were going to do after we went down to the Seminary to see friends and we were so sure that we were supposed to go there to Seminary.  We even looked at a house to buy on that same weekend. When we got back to Duluth where we were stationed Joel went in and said, " I'm applying for an early out" and they told him "Lieutenant Dahlen you cannot apply for an early when you have orders! " Joel asked, " Where am I going?" And the sergeant said to the Philippine Islands. Joel had one question... am I going  accompanied or unaccompanied? Your family can go with you here the sergeant replied. So our plans took a sharp turn and we ended up thousands and thousands of miles away on an island in the ocean for 2 years. It completely changed our lives for the better. We grew our family by two children and we made lifelong friends. We experienced the grace of God, the protection of God and the direction of God while there. We were introduced to people of different denominations and expanded and affirmed our lbeliefs while strengthening our faith. God certainly blessed that "detour" and after our two years in the Philippines Joel got out of the military and went to Seminary. Those two years shaped our lives and still do today. 

And speaking of today, my heart is heavy with what has happened this week regarding the January 6th assault on our capital. You know you can watch the news and in my opinion there is NOT ONE news channel that speaks without bias but when you see something happen LIVE  like I did on January 6th it affects you deeply.This is not a political issue.  It is beyond my understanding how our new president could pardon those who were so destructive on that day. I watched a police officer being crushed by a door and the hands of those holding it. I watched as people chanted hang Mike Pence our vice president at the time. I watched as officers were overrun by violent protesters, beaten, assaulted and fearing death.  I saw it all first hand sitting in my living room.... my tears flowed then and now.  Now these violent men have been pardoned and what the police went through that day and our government has been put to the side for reasons beyond my understanding. Police officers have a special place in my heart and for the most are good people trying to protect the people they serve. How sad that they were betrayed that day and still are being betrayed. This is not political its moral. It is a right vs wrong issue for me

   I've said my piece now and I won't revisit it but my heart is heavy and my prayers for police officers everywhere continues.

Today I give thanks for the police officers that put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve no matter the cost. I give thanks for sunshine today and warmer temperatures. I give thanks today for a warm house, plenty of food, good bed to sleep in, safety and security.  I give thanks today for our safe travels to Mayo Clinic and back. Grateful for 2 years in the Philippines and what it's done to shape Our Lives for the last 50 years. And give thanks for Joel's commitment to going to the Seminary and being a pastor since 1980. I give thanks for being able to walk. Give thanks it the house could smell like oatmeal cookies for Joel and pumpkin pie on his healing anniversary. I give thanks for all the phone calls the prayers the text and the emails that brighten our days. I give thanks for this and so much more. 

Enjoy your weekend!