Misty Or As Sometimes Called Misty-May

Does this look like a soft tummy waiting for a rub or not!As I sit here commenting she is on my lap pawing out the keys she wants me to touch.This here kitty the good Lord gave back to us from deaths door.She is an answer to my hearts cry.When I took her in to our vet doctor,she just sadly shook her head.If you didn't read my post on her back alittle while ago,please reread.It was titled Update To Answered Prayer,dated september 02,06.I don't want to retell the story because I will end up in tears remembering the saddness I was going through at that time.Needless to say as you can see,she has improved.She is getting bigger and is a very loving affectionate friend.RuthAnn calls her,her angel.
We are very thankful for the Lord's answer to our prayer for her to get well and be able to remain with us.

Daily Devotional Of Mine

As of about a month ago I began using a daily devotional book by the title We Brake For Joy along with my bible in the morning and evening.It is a combination of six Women of Faith crew who has made thousands of women laugh,lighten up,and face the challenges of life with a smile.We Brake For Joy is a devotional straight from the hearts of these six extraordinary women.Each devotion includes a Scripture passage,a meditation,a closing prayer,and wisdom from traveling companions who know how tough the journey can be-and how God is.Patsy Clairmont...is the author of such best-selling books as Sportin' a "Tude.She lives in Brighton,Michigan. Barbara Johnson....is the author of numerous best-selling books,including Living Somewhere Between Estrogen and Death.She lives in La Habra,California. Luci Swindoll....... is the former vice-president of public relations for Insight for Living and the author of many books,including Celebrating Life.She lives in Palm Desert,California. Sheila Walsh......is a well-known author whose books include Honestly and Bring Back the Joy.She lives in Nashville,Tennessee. Thelma Wells...... is an internationally known corporate keynote speaker,president of her own company,and author of God Will Make A Way.She lives in Dallas,Texas.
One particular devotional written by Marilyn Meberg really tickled my funny bone and had a very good follow up with verse and prayer.I have looked back at it different times because it tickled me and helped talk to me in this particlar area of my life.This morning I sat here and read it to Dan and talked alittle about it.We thought of a few different ones who we could see having fun doing the same thing and having their funny bones tickled by it also.I decided I would like to share it with you all.Here goes.

PARTY OF FOUR
Marilyn Meberg

Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled
1 Peter 4:7


Last night, I had the fun of buying my grandson Ian his first tricycle.Feeling celebratory, I asked my friend Pat,who had accompanied me on this excursion,if she felt like popping into the pizza place across the parking lot and taking a pizza to my house.
Neither of us was prepared for the inefficiency and confusion that characterized every young person working at the restaurant.After we had waited fifteen minutes to place our order, four different people eventually made an effort to attend to it. With difficulty, one person finally understood that I didn't want two but only one medium pepperoni pizza with thin crust.Another worker asked if it was "for here or to go" while someone else gave me change from my twenty-dollar bill. Yet another worker with sauce on his wrist asked if I'd like to see a menu.
Leaning on the "Please Wait to Be Seated Sign,"I asked Pat if she saw anything on the walls stating "We hire the incompetent." Seeing nothing,we decided they hadn't gotten around to posting their policy yet.
Oddly enough,either through ignorance or compassion about the restaurant policy,people started to pour in the front door and stood about waiting to be seated. Since none of the confused workers felt inclined to host, I thought it only charitable to help out. Grabbing a few menus, I asked the two people at the head of the line to please follow me,and I'd be happy to seat them. Then,after seating a party of four, I noticed Pat had disappeared.I spotted her seating a party of three on the other side of the salad bar. Relieved to have cleared out our waiting space, we settled in to wait for our pizza.
Ten minutes later Pat nudged me "Marilyn,that party of four you seated over by the window is pointing at you and looking pretty hostile."
"They probably don't know the restaurant policy.Maybe I should go tell them." I walked over to their table hoping to diffuse their anger.
One of the men, in an argumentative tone,asked,"Do you work here?"
"Well,actually,no. I was waiting for my pizza."
"Why did you seat us?"
"Somebody needed to."
The couple sitting at the table next to this crabby foursome,and whom I had seated first, were smiling broadly as they listened to this exchange."We wondered why a hostess was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt," the woman said,"but we were more interested in sitting down than inquiring about your uniform."
At that moment my name was called, and amazingly enough,I was handed one medium,pepperoni pizza with thin crust.I walked over to the fun couple and said,"I just paid ten dollars for this pepperoni pizza.I'll sell it to you for twelve."
"Does it have anchovies?"
"If it had anchovies,I'd give it to you!"We laughed and they thanked me for at least a place to sit and said they would leave in a few more minutes to go down the street to Coco's.
Glancing at the still glowering party of four,I said,"Your waitress should be with you any day now. Enjoy your meal." I then bolted for the door.
Pat and I giggled all the way home over that crazy interlude.We agreed that the foursome had appeared crabby when they walked in.It wasn't just the lack of service or even my obnoxious behavior that set them off.They undoubtedly lived their lives in a state of perpetual annoyance.
Choosing not to be annoyed by life's annoyances is admittedly difficult at times.I often have to remind myself that I have a choice in how I'm going to respond.I'm not talking about denying my feelings and stuffing them away so they can later come back as a headache or a mystifying body rash.I'm suggesting that once I identify the feeling,I can choose to take control of it instead of its taking control of me.I'm also talking about those pesky annoyances that have the potential to join forces so that by the end of the day they have become one big party of four.
First Peter 4:7 reminds me to be clear minded and self-controlled. If my mind becomes cluttered by the day's annoyances,it's a given that sooner or later I'm going to lose my self-control.If I lose my self-control,for sure I'm going to lose my joy.I hate losing my joy.Fortunately, I have a choice in how I react: just like I have a choice in where not to go for pizza.

The Prayer:
"Thanks for reminding me,Lord,that I don't have to let the small stuff rob me of joy.When I keep my mind centered on who you are and who you are to me,it settles me down and enables me to smile instead of frown. Keep me ever mindful of your loving support through the annoying events of each day.May I reflect who you are instead of who I am. Amen"

Our Double JJ Ranch Vacation

Hello!My name is Mr.Ed. I was in this here corral to be sold to someone with a sweet heart and a big pocket book.This horse loved coming over to be pet by anyone who wanted to give him some love.I would have loved to have wrote that check out and loaded him up to take back to Grand Rapids.
Meet Lisa and Dave.They were a very nice christian couple from the Detroit area Chuck and I met on Saturday.I sent them some pictures I took for them and let them know we would love to know the next time they want to go so that Chuck and I could be there also.Its wonderful to be there just the two of you having a little special time but even better and alittle more fun when there are two couples to have fun togeather.The horse that Dave was on was my horse for one of our rides.
This is the owner of the Double JJ.Chuck met him on Sunday morning.When we got over to the barn to saddle up,Chuck's horse whom he had rode yesterday,acted frisky like he wanted to run.Chuck decided to change from our walk to the ride that included trot and canter.That was fine I didn't mind at all.I had not been feeling well the whole time we were there.This morning I only wanted the walk,which meant it ended up being only myself and my wrangler.After I got back to the barn I began waiting,waiting and more waiting for Chuck's ride to return.Lisa and Dave came walking over for their ride out and they waited with me.Finally we saw the horses returning but one horse was minus a rider.My first thought was,oh no the older man must have had problems on their ride.I soon found out that it was Chuck that was missing.He soon came walking up to the barn.Chuck's horse saddle was not tight enough to begin with and at one point he had went sliding off to the ground.After he was given a different horse,that horse got too close to the back of the horse that was in front of him and decided to buck.Chuck got bucked off and landed on a uprooted tree root that had protruded out of the ground abit.The owner was there to help Chuck out.Unfortunately we didn't go out on the next ride as extra on the extra sheet.That was ok because Chuck might have had trouble anyway.
This here just shows a small amount of horses they had.If I had taken my camera out earlier I would have gotten better pictures of the horses they had.To the left side of the picture a wrangler is standing with a horse that looks exactly like the horse I had on my first ride out.Its the tan and white horse that is so beautiful.He was a good horse.
This sign is on the path out to the corral and barn to saddle up for our rides.
This is the Chuck Wagon where you eat your meals.On saturday night we walked in and I felt we were underdressed.They had a beautiful food set up with every table having candles lit and the servers were dudded up in white and black fancy outfits.It had all the looks of a very expensive elegant place you would wear a suit and tie to.I said something to one of the girls and she said not to worry about it.They have decided to do this on Saturday evenings to make it alittle more elegant and realize the ones staying at the ranch will be dressed down.I do believe the next time we go we will be prepared with dress clothes for this evening.Of course cowgirl clothes.
This is The Wildcat Trading Post.This is where the ones staying at The Ranch come to sign in for their stay and receive all the info for staying there.It is just across from the Chuck Wagon.We received our cabin assignment and proceeded to go and unload our luggage.We drove our caddy back over to the small parking lot prepared to have it sit their for our stay and checked in about the rodeo that was to take place our first night.We had only been there about 40 minutes when my cell phone rang and I received the awful news about Jeff.
This is where we stayed.We were actually in the back of this unit.I believe it was the Hobie.We stayed in this same cabin the last time only in the front of it.The cabin has no tv or radio in it.We could have taken a radio but chose not to.It just would have got in the way of us connecting togeather for our short vacation.It is right across from the entertainment center,The Silver Dollar.We don't have far to walk to check out the evening entertainment.We had gone over to The Back Forty for a hay wagon ride and bonfire saturday evening after dinner but discovered the wagon ended up being overloaded with girlscouts.We called for the van to pick us up and went back to the Ranch.
This is the main entertainment center,The Silver Dollar, around front which has the lake in the front area.This is where they have Saturday lunches for everyone and it is grilled to a tee.It is scrumptous.They have row boats to go out in on the lake.The bottom of the entertainment center has a few arcade games,a couple of pool tables,a bar that you can get a drink at,a big screen tv,an old fashion juke box to play singles and a few table booths where you can sit your butt down in.The top area is the large open area where they can have dances with country line dances being taught at.They have a very good instructor for country line.He does it quite often through the night.This is the place if you want to be up to all hours of the morning.Many do and then realize they can't get up and going for their ride they signed up for in the morning.This time as we were in the back of the Hobie Cabin we didn't hear a lot of the going on.
A good swing before we left.I had taken my camera around for some needed pictures before we left. Join us next year? As we drove away quietness filled the car with a great heavy sadness of heart for what we were driving back home to prepare for.The whole time we were there tears constantly threatened to erupt from inside me and did at night as we would return to our cabin to sit down on our bed for night.I would soon find myself asking Chuck in tears if we could bow our heads one more time in prayer for Aunt Ruth and all the family involved.

Oh Well Whats A Couple More!!!Can You Handle It?

With alittle more horseing around I now have the bull picture in here and it will bring it its right video.One added plus,if as it ends I wait a minute it brings in and plays the other video and plays it,the child riding the sheep.Go figure!Oh well success in one way.Now to get the picture in here and be able to hit it and have the child riding the sheep play right will be the next step.Only the Lord knows.

Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!


This is the horse that was there for the parents to walk their child around on in the corral that were there as paid customers for spending a night or two or three or four or five ect.
Bummer! We were there just alittle two late to get a wrangler to ride RuthAnn around on him,the horse I mean,for alittle bit.When we inquired in the place we got RuthAnn's hat and our boot drinks after alittle talking with her she would have let us check if a wrangler would be able to do it for alittle while but realized it was just as the last riders had come in and noone else was going back out and it was too close to the rodeo starting up.

Live Video Of A Child Having Fun At The Rodeo

The Kids Have Some Fun
You should also be able to click on the bottom left corner of this picture for a short video.As you click on the bottom left corner spot it will bring up only half of the picture.We have Windows Media Player on our computer for this situation.If you don't have it its easy to do a free download from the internet.Down at the bottom of my computer to the right of the start spot,I have a small circle with a play arrow in the middle of it.Press on this and it will bring up Windows Media Player.Down below press on the play arrow and it will bring into play the live video I did on my camera for this shot.Its fun to do and see.Love ya.

This is hysterical.I have now taken back out the bull rider video cause I couldn't see to get him to show in here all I got to play was the video of the child riding the sheep.Now in all of my horsing around and editing under the child picture so everyone will understand what has happened,as I hit to play this picture video it is now showing up as the bull rider video.Go Figure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am totally messed up.Bryan was over here this afternoon playing around with downloading some music for me and then burning it onto a cd.He left after we had pizza and I got on here to edit my video picture.This morning I had deleted the Bull Rider because of problems viewing.Annette and Emma arrived and she got on my laptop to show me her Ebay Web Page.Her and Earl have now joined in on selling items on ebay.Her,and Earl are watching for items that they can put on Ebay for income.They have already sold several items netting some income coming in.Anyway,I wasn't able to edit at that time cause her,Emma and I took off to Ebay item look,do alittle grocerie shopping and get some nourishment for our tummys.Once I got on here after Bryan left to edit my picture and get on to view my video,Bryan had taken it off and I have fish tailed trying to figure out how to view it again.I have been in and out of Windows Media Player and my two video pics and have now really made things interesting.Now when I hit to play my picture video you all see in my post,it shows me a bull rider video,the one I had earlier took off because I wasn't knowing how to get it in right.I think I am getting brain fry.Love one and all.Oh well at least I am trying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Go Figure.Hurray for Dianne.Encouragement is needed I think.Watch Bryan come over and find out I have royally messed up Windows Media Player.I don't believe I have but whoever knows.

I have done some messing around today and the video of this picture will come in after the video of the bull plays.I just have to wait a minute for the bull to be over.I don't have to touch it,it just automatically comes in and playing.

The Klein Rodeo,Labor Day Weekend

In the last several years the Klein Rodeo that had long since been out by Sparta and Kent City moved to Chuck's home town area Fremont,Michigan.This last year low and behold we discovered it has moved up to the Double JJ Ranch Resort where Chuck and I enjoy going to spend a couple of nights and a couple of days horseback riding up in RothBury Michigan near Ludington.Every labor day weekend there are normally several different places that will host a rodeo you can get in on.This year we took RuthAnn with Chuck and I and enjoyed spending the time watching her enjoy all of the cowgirls,cowboys,horses,bulls ect.We started out stopping at the Back Forty which is part of the Double JJ Ranch Resort.It also consists of The Thoroughbred Golf Club which will also have a new 60,000sq.ft.indoor waterpark with over1/4 mile of water slides, and Homestead Condominiums.The Wildcat Rv Park is over at The Back Forty designed for kids and families.They already have a fun outdoor water park there at the Back Forty along the left side of what you are looking at here.Actually it sits along the right side as you are looking at it this way.The horse stables and the petting area is along the left side as you are looking at it here.The Back Forty is where people can come in and park their Rv's or stay in cabins and also let their kids sleep in Indian Tepes.It is family orientated.The Ranch where Chuck and I stay is adults only.They are just a little drive away from each other so that you can either drive back and forth or just park your car and call from their phones to ask for the van to pick you up to drive you over to one of the other spots.Their are horse stables at both the Back Forty and The Ranch.
Join us at the counter by hopping up on a horse saddle and ordering a cold delicious icecream drink in a fancy boot cup.RuthAnn fits right in with her new green cowgirl hat for the occasion.
Wow Ruthie says look at all the horses Papa!As we had arrived over to the stable a large group of horseback riders and wranglers had just trotted in sending dust everywhere.Hey you can't expect to stay dust free at a horse ranch.Those horses sure did kick up lots of dust getting settled into the penned area,now free of the rider and saddle.
Over at the rodeo the cowgirls begin their ride around the area displaying the flags of the different sponsers of the rodeo.
What beautiful horses.Did I say I was really enjoying being their in the stands?
RuthAnn says join us next year?She is really enjoying watching everything going on especially all the beautiful horses.She loves horses like Grandma and PaPa.
There is always a clown with his barrel for every rodeo cracking jokes and telling stories while the different things take place.The clown is especially helpful when the bull riders come out.They normally help distract the bull when the rider is thrown off their back and they are frantically trying to make it to the side and up on the fence before they get mulled by horns or hoofed to death.Unfortunately this clown was not enjoyed too much by Chuck and I.His language and jokes were not the best for children that were there.He also kept knocking large heavy set women which I thought was really down grading.
At one point all of the cowboys made it out to the arena where their names and town homes were announced and then a spectacular display of fireworks lit up behind them.
Every rodeo has a special half time of entertainment.The speciality Act: Was an exciting Team Relay Race and Hilarious Buffalo Breath,Plus A Famous Wild Horse Race.
One interesting thing that happened as it had gotten dark and the flood lamps were the light for the rodeo.Several cowboys on their horses had come out for a race in around the arena and just as they got moving all of a sudden everything went pitch dark.Sound system went out,all flood lamps went out,no sign of light from anywhere.They finished the night out with only maybe two flood lamps back on and a partial sound system.It took everyone by surprise.It sure made for a memorable ending,unfortunately while they were attempting to get lights back on we began to have a frightened little girl sitting between us.We enjoyed our evening with RuthAnn that Sunday afternoon and evening.By the time we got back home to Grand Rapids we had one very sound asleep girl that was carried in and put to bed in her clothes and never roused until morning light.

And More

Here are a few more Colleen.I can't wait until Metro Cruise next year.This is one event Chuck and I will look forward to each year.I can't help but think about Chuck's convertable he had when we got married.It sure would have been nice if we could have kept it.Unfortunately when your first married there isn't alot of cash flow to hang onto a car for future cruises.We always had to trade in our cars for a down payment on another car.Bummer.I am going to see if I can hang onto my caddy and just cover it up and park it in the driveway.I am at that point right now because repairs are beginning to add up.I know one of these times I may need to make a decision about getting another car.Right now the air conditioning,cruise and heater needs fixing.I had it into Ron and Russ's yesterday for them to try to find out why there not working.They put it on the machine after they looked at it for awhile and have come up empty.They think it might have something to do with the wiring.Monday morning it goes back in to them and they will send it to a shop that specializes in checking out the wire system in autos.They pay them 70.00 for them to check it all out,wait for them to come up with whats wrong and then will call me to let me know where the trouble is at hopefully.If its to expensive of a fix I may need to make a decision.I happened on a car yesterday when Annette and I were garage saleing that was parked in a yard across the street from the sale.I took the phone number down in case I need to make a decision on parking my caddy and getting another car.Pray for good news about an inexpensive repair job.I talked to Chuck and told him I would really like to park my caddy with a cover in the driveway and hang onto it.

Lots More Pictures But Enough Is Enough