From Pixabay Some days are hard. Harder than others. Good days and bad days. They come and go until for humanity, they are no more. Matthew 11:26 says the following: “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” NIV. In this verse, Jesus thanks His Father because He, the Father, is confounding the wise. It seems odd to me that God, the Father, would want to confuse the educated, the unlearned, the misguided, the handicapped, the beautiful, the ugly, or anyone for that matter. Well, He is God, and He can do as He pleases. So, when the days are hard like mine today, a ..read more

My family takes a lot of photographs, but we don't often look at them. I decided to pull a few of Shelley and our family from their hiding places and put them on this blog. Shelley has always been a hugger, a smiler, and a happy person.  Shelley 2 years Shelley and Christy 3 and 2 years Shelley at 18 years 1990s Early 20s. Shelley expects a baby. (Courtney) September 1999 Shelley, Christy, and Lanissa Shelley was on her way to meet her future hubby, Don. They married in December. Don, Courtney, Richard and Shelley Birthday 2010 The family. Gay, Paul, Christy ..read more

  Shelley arrived in March two days after her dad’s birthday. At the time, we lived in a small rural Texas area in a parsonage.  A church furnished preachers with a house situated next to the church back in those days. As a young minister and wife expecting a baby, we came to serve this sweet congregation. Along with three churches, this little community had a post office, a general store, a gasoline station, and a beauty salon. The paved, asphalt highway in front of our house enjoyed the distinction of being the primary road to travel, but a few of our flock lived off the ma ..read more

Images Today is Sunday, February 11, 2024. We visited Shelley after church. We arrived around 2:30 to find her sitting in the main room with other residents. A few napped in their chairs, and a small number stared at a television. Shelley seemed oblivious to all of it. We wheeled Shelley to her room for privacy. In certain ways, she seemed better, at least she held her head up straight. Most of the time, her head hangs to the side.  She didn’t indicate she knew us as much as she did a few days ago. But then, that’s typical for patients with dementia. I again noticed her cheeks. They ..read more

  I met two friends for lunch recently. We chose a restaurant featuring an endless shrimp menu. Wow! We had such fun delving into the various ways this eatery prepared shrimp! My favorite is popcorn shrimp, but I tried several other varieties. I didn’t care for the coconut selection, but that’s okay, there were other assortments, and I did my best to try them all. We talked and ate for about two hours. To this day, I feel stuffed with shrimp.  These little things are high in cholesterol but are so satisfying and delicious. We ate a lot and laughed often. The three of us s ..read more

I wrote this in May, 2018 and ran across it again recently.  In A Bible Study, my group talked about Eve. You know, the first woman to live on earth? Yeah, that Eve. Poor lady. She had her sins recorded for history, and now we talk about her. Wouldn't you just hate having your sins written down for all to see and discuss? Me too. Eve talked too much, was an over eater, and that led to her downfall. The good news is that God rescued her from shame and forgave her for failure. Oh, sure, she faced consequences, but she witnessed first-hand the resources of a faithful God.  God ..read more

  While Shelley’s daughter, Courtney and baby Mackenzie were here from New Hampshire, we visited Shelley. We sang, danced, and almost stood on our heads as we entertained Shelley and the baby. At one point, Courtney said, “Breathe, Mom, breathe.”  Courtney then said, “Mom, you used to tell me to breathe all the time.  You’d say, ‘breathe in the good and breathe out the bad.” I don’t remember Shelley saying that phrase, but it was glued into Courtney’s memory. And it is a beneficial idiom. Shelley has always been an optimistic, positive person. Even though she suffers in the th ..read more

  Shelley’s daughter, Courtney, flew in from New Hampshire to visit her Texas family. Mackenzie, her adorable daughter, came with her. I had been telling Shelley for weeks they were coming. Did Shelley understand? I don’t know, but she has moments of clarity, so perhaps she did. I’d say, “Courtney and the baby are coming.” At times, she’d reply, “Bebe bebe.” This woman used to be exceptionally verbal and outgoing. She can make appropriate comments at times. When the day came, I believe she recognized Courtney, but she didn’t seem to register the baby, I don’t think Shelley understands ..read more

At times, we don't wish to complain, but there are circumstances that need to be addressed. When we report a facility, it is to improve the service. As caregivers, it is our responsibility to see that our loved ones receive the best care. When we help one, we help all. I'm in Texas, so I'm listing numbers for Texans to call if they question the service in a long-term facility. I also suggest looking up your congressman and sending a letter to them. At times, state laws need changing. Office of the State Long/Term Care Ombudsman Texas Department on Aging P.O. Box 12786 Austin, TX 78711 5 ..read more

 October 1,, 2023 Look at Shelley's sweet smile!  She is natural, no makeup. When I go, I always apply the Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream to her little face. It helps with dryness, and for some reason, her skin stays dry. Nevertheless, people think she’s is a Barbie Doll. A teenager came to visit her grandmother, and she asked an aid, “Is she younger than me?”  The young lady who asked is eighteen. Shelley doesn’t look like a teenager, but she definitely appears younger than she is. When she was well, she loved makeup, and I remember the day I visited and she didn’t ha ..read more