activity

These pictures may not mean much to you--but to us they are our day to day activities. We find satisfaction in small things.

If you look hard enough you will see -1004- little airplanes that have dropped from our maple trees and have sprouted in our gutter. We have had a wet spring and I tell you all the--5497 -airplanes have all found a place to grow. The lawn mower does a good job of spoiling there growth..

Three years ago I set out an Easter Lily. Well, it hasn't bloomed since that. Look, it has ten buds on this year. PATIENCE Ladene. I had that once in Bella Vista, and before they bloomed, the deer ate the buds off.

The neighbors cat always uses my flower bed for her bathroom. Well,--I got disgusted with that, so set three mouse traps. Two days in a row they snapped and now the problems over. I should have thought of that long ago.

It's time to bale hay. No one live in the duplex next to us. Kirk Wright, who owns it , lives in West Fork. He used to live here, but he remarried and the single girl who lived in the other unit, got married. It has been standing empty since a year ago Dec. Kirk comes every so often and mows, etc, but hasn't been here since last Sept. While I was in the Hosp. he came and mowed and also did mine. He did that often. Then we had that ice storm-so I dragged all his bigger tree limbs to the road for pick up, but he hasn't been back yet. Well- I won't report him. We are used to seeing hay fields. We grew up with them.

And that's about the news for now. If you want more I will have to make it up.

Found it

A few blogs back I mentioned a favorite poem of GrandpaVZ- but could not find it. Well here it is.



Around the Corner I have a friend

Around the corner I have a friend, in this great city that has no end.
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, and before I know it, a year is gone.
I never see my old friends face, for life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well, as in the days when I rang his bell,
And he rang mine --but we were younger then, and now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game, Tired of trying to make a name.
'Tomorrow' I say! I will call on Jim-just to show that I'm thinking of him.
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes, and distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner, yet miles away, 'Here's a telegram sir,' 'Jim died today.'
And that's what we get and deserve in the end-
AROUND THE CORNER-A VANISHED FRIEND.

The Best Eraser

We read something at our morning devotional that is to good to keep to ourselves. It has to be past on.

What is memory? What is this faculty that enables us to recall past feelings, sights, sounds, and experiences? By what process are events recorded, stored, and preserved in our brain to be brought back again and again? Much is still mystery.

We do know that memories can be blessings--full of comfort, assurance,--and joy. Old age can be happy and satisfying if we have stored up memories of purity,--faith,--fellowship,--and LOVE. If a saint looks back on a life of Christian service and remembers the faithfulness of HIM who promised: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13-5), his or her sunset years can be the sweetest of all.

But memory can also be a curse and a tormentor. Many people as they approach the end of life would give all they possess to erase from their minds the past sins that haunt them. What can a person do who is plagued by such remembrances?

Just one thing. He or She can take them to the One who is able to forgive them and blot them out forever.

He 's the One who said, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Heb. 10-17"

You may not be able to forget your past. BUT the Lord offers to blot out, "Like a thick cloud, Your transgressions." (Isa. 44:22)

THE BEST ERASER IS HONEST CONFESSION TO GOD.

Isn't this just the best advice ever.? The weather is great today- and I'm ready for more of it. Dave and Elaine are coming over latter this p.m. we plan to go out for early supper, and then play a few games. SJ is doing well, and like someone said- "He's just not at home often any more."

PRAISE THE LORD

A stillness lay upon the earth, as in the eastern sky-the signs appeared in coral tints, that day was drawing nigh; Yet 'neath the shadow of the hill there stood a Roman band, To guard the tomb of Christ my Lord, as Pilate gave command.

But hark! and earthquake rends the rock, the guards fall to the ground; An angel rolls the stone away and Death no more is found; For tis the resurrection day, And Christ in victory - steps forth from out the shrouded tomb - in immortality.

O, hallelujah, HE arose who once was crucified; HE lives, He lives, and I through Him - am fully justified; The bars of Death He tore away, and Satan and his horde are conquered by the living pow'r --Of Christ my risen LORD!

In triumph now He treads the earth - Which once received His blood, And fragrant beauty bursts anew--Like blossoms from the bud, As men behold the mystery-- That He who once was dead- is now alive for evermore- Just as the Scripture said.

And now the centuries have passed , The world in darkness lies; Yet we behold the day unfold Across the morning skies, For Christ who rose to heav'n above Is coming back again, And we shall rise as He arose, And with Him we shall reign.

"The Resurrection and the Life" In Christ the Lord we see, For Life hath overcome the stroke of Death on Calvary; In Him the Victor o'er the grave We stand identified, We live who love Him, since He lives Who once for us hath died.

Then sound His praises from the heart All ye, His ransomed host, Give glory to the Father, Son, and to the Holy Ghost; Awake, O world, to welcome Him Who, from the gates of pearl shall come " with healing in His wings" Love's banner to unfurl.

Behold, He standeth at the door, Then haste thy lamp to trim, Lift up thine eyes in gratitude O Christian, worship HIM! He breaks the fetters from the soul, New life through Him is born, Then praise the living Lord of Life-- On this fair Easter Morn!

This comes from one of moms old Ideal books -- March of 1955. May all of you have a blessed Easter--one of the most beautiful, wonderful, most important event in the Bible -for us-just for the taking.

Me again

Today looks like another nice day. I was just reminiscing while listening to wonderful Easter ,taped music, playing in the living room.

My dad was a great April fool prankster. Not a year went by that he didn't get us some way or another. That's one thing I tried to continue in our family, but I was a failure compared to daddy.

April 1-1997 Cindy called Evonne and said--Mom broke her neck and Evonne said- "April Fools.". No-she really did, replied Cindy. Sometimes I wish it had been an April Fools joke. That little accident made a lot of changes in my life.

The most hurting thing of the whole thing was learning to do some little things again that my grandchildren had no trouble with. Ex. Turning nuts on bolts-putting pegs in holes-moving rings on dowels-etc.

Not really having physical pain really helps when it come to having a burden placed upon you -or having a stint put in- or burning yourself. Anyway- I'm still here and having new challenges every day and thankful for it all. GOD is so good. And that's not April Fools.

Dena and C Van Zee

This Blog has nothing to do with the nice spring weather outside we are some time going to enjoy.
Some times my mind wonders. Many times I think of my wonderful grandpa and grandma. You see I only had one set of grandparents. Dad's parents both died before he was 12. His oldest brother married and kept the 9 children all together until they spread there wings--got married--went off to war--died of influenza or what ever. Uncle Hubert and Aunt Gertrude did a great job. We always had family reunions -visited a lot-and still the cousins get together at least once a year. The number has really gotten smaller, but 12 of us did get together again this past Sept. None of dad's family lived to be very old or married long. Uncle Ben 's did celebrate their 50th tho. They complained of sickness their whole life and dad used to say--always sick and never dead. Dad and mom celebrated their 35th in Feb. and dad past away Mar. 1 the next month.


Back to grandpa and grandma. Grandma lost her husband when she was about 35. She stayed alone until 1927. Then she married C Van Zee from Zeeland, Mi. Uncle Garrett actually got them together. He was in Holland ,Mi going to school to become a pastor and missionary. They came to Iowa Jan. 13-1928---Yep-the day we were born. They stepped off the train and the first thing they heard was that Anna had twins.
They lived in Orange City in the same home until after grandma died and grandpa went to the Pioneer Home. Lois and I cleaned house for grandma in June and she past away a few weeks latter. She gave us each an elephant book end that Uncle Garrett had sent home from Arabia. She also gave us each $20.00 and said that would probably be the last gift to us from her. The Sunday after she died, Leona, Lois and I sang "In the Time Of Roses " at her church in memory of her. Sher always liked rose, but was very allergic to lilacs. She and mom would call each other every day. Grandma would call us in the morning about 9 am and mom would call her about 4 pm. I still remember her telephone # - 210 J. We would call the operator and she would connect us.


Grandpa was an intelligent man. He had a large library on the second floor. He had an orchard in Mi. and really new how to prune fruit trees and grape vines. He loved to garden and always kept record of the sun length--longest and shortest day by putting a stake in the garden on various days. They would come to the farm every Sat. Grandpa would always tinker with something in dad's workshop while mom visited with grandma. Grandpa could fix anything with wire and nails He was a long , lanky man who did so much for grandma, like put on her shoe rubbers. He would kneel on one leg and that would stick out half way in the kitchen. At lunch time he would always have hot milk and rusk. Doesn't that sound great? What is so amazing though is that he came to Iowa on our birthday and he lift his earthly home on our birthday. He was 85-just one wonderful man. He had a favorite poem, and I only remember one line "Around the corner I have a friend." It was about a friend he was going to visit-put it off until it was to late. His friend past away. And I think about how that's true today. One thing I didn't like about him tho, was his mustache , especially in the winter when the ice cycles would hang from it.

Church house cleaning

Our church is going to have a cleaning day next Saturday. Should I go or not? Maybe I can polish the pews. They are terribly dirty--need nail holes filled with colored putty and greatly in need of some Old English on the many scratches. Maybe I should not--I am questioning my sanity.

Me--I have a lovely lady, named Vicky, who comes in and helps me two days a week for three hours. I don't tell her what to do anymore. She just does things the way she wants to do them and when she wants to do them.. She rakes the leaves from the lawn--sweeps the drive way--vacuum's the garage--mops the kitchen and bath--vacuum's the carpet--dusts or polishes the furniture--changes the bedding and washes the dirty stuff--cleans the bathroom every time--Windex's the windows--wipes down the kitchen cupboards and appliance's and still has time to pay her bills--watch the soaps on TV--drink a 10 cup pot of coffee and of course runs to the bath at least five times while she is here.

I don't know how she does everything in such a short time. When it all started I asked her to change the bedding every other week and also mop the floor every other week. Do you think I should complain? I will think about the church all this week. Do you think I should? Hope you all agree on my decision that I will be making but right now playing games on the computer sure sound more interesting to me.