The Front Porch Swing

[LindaB220]

Hi checkin in.... any one made that Apple Pie moonshine yet.... HI new people...

dont read its depressing.... sigh.

its been a heck of a chronological year...

Last summer I had to put my beloved Rosie dog down she was 17 and failing. All my chickens were killed by coyotes because the well died and I had to let em out to get water.... long story that.... The goats made their own gates on their enclosure and have been thriving on eating what is out in the Chaparal I finally got a lead on some fencing that is goat proof and I can afford it. Things were looking up.

Today I was cleaning up my corner where my computer desk is.... I reached out to pick up a bit of paper from my computer chair and it flipped over Sending me into a water jug on the floor which exploded and water shot out and drenched my sons school books. for thos who dont know me I am close to 400 lbs and if I have to walk far I use a rolling walker. Now I can get up off the floor still thank god.... But it takes a moment to get coordinated and I have to turn over to get on my hands and knees. I was pondering that when the phone rang.

It was my neighbor Tom who caretakes my animals for me. He feeds the horse and goats and I feed his dogs cats and chickens Um er provide food for them. ITs a win win for us because I need to be here with Grandma. He called to tell me Coyotes got in with my goats and killed at least one.... He couldnt find the other two ... I only hope they ran far and high up in the rocks... He only found my dead one because of the Vultures.... and Crows... Then he told me he needed Catfood and chicken food.... He will bury my Goat tomorrow.

Sigh.... I got back up my cleaning spree way over now. All enthusiasm is gone.... I must deserve this.... I have become one of those people that drag negative energy around them. I only have my horse now... Of course I have my family.... I am grieving.... for failing my critters... and for not being able to be there for them.

deb

Aw Deb, we love you. All of us are getting older and I definitely can't get around as good as I used to. Grieve all you need to. We all do. Try to get some rest Honey.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Stay safe Jellybean. I wonder if it's heading this way. Shreveport

I think it is. It is near Sulphur Springs right now. My map isn't showing Shreveport right now.

Stay safe!

 

[Blooie]

Glad to hear you are staying safe ! Those storms can be so ugly ! God Bless !

Me too! We don't get bad ones here very often, but we do get a lot of wind and hail. Reminds me....

Ken and son Kenny are in love with Celtic Woman. Jenny and I don't worry - the chances of any of them knocking on our doors and taking our menfolk are slim to nil. But they watch every special, have every CD, and every DVD Celtic Woman has ever made. They've been enamored with them since the first group got together and have followed the evolution and cast changes like two groupies!

In March of 2010 Kenny made some remark to Jenny about Mother's Day and Father's Day' coming up. Every year Kenny (who is an excellent cook) makes us steaks on the grill, some of his lime marinaded shrimp sticks, and crab legs. We love it! But neither he nor Ken fares as well on Father's Day. We mean to get them something special, but they work, we don't, so the minute we take money out of our joint accounts they know just where we shopped and how much we spent. Happens every holiday! So Kenny said, "I am sooo looking forward to my annual Father's Day bacon sandwich on toast!" He was kidding, of course, but Jen and I decided, "That's it! Somehow they are getting something special if it kills us!"

We found out just a few days later that Celtic Woman would be appearing at the Metra Park Arena in Billings on June 21. Oh, how we started saving! We'd go to the store or get fuel, and we'd write our checks out for 5 or 10 dollars over, then stash it. Whatever it took to have these tickets come as a total surprise was the plan. We finally had the money saved and called the ticket office, only to be told that the tickets wouldn't go on sale until April something (I forgot the exact date) at 9:00am. That gave us time to take what we had saved and get a pre-paid Visa card to use so the purchase wouldn't show up on our on-line banking. Ain't we clever?? The magic morning that sales began, Jenny was here and I punched the number into my cell phone. At 9:00 I hit the "call" button. Well, lo and behold we were among the very first. We bought Ken and Kenny front row, left side tickets - best seats in the house! We were so doggone excited we could hardly stand it! We'd DONE it!

Father's Day morning Jenny made Kenny a bacon sandwich on toast. Ken had his usual Honey Nut Cheerios with a half a banana. We had this planned down to the minute - two households right across the street from each other with the same plot. As soon as Kenny was done eating, Katie handed him her homemade card. He hugged Katie and went to hang it on the refrigerator as he did with all the things she made him. But already clipped with a magnet was his card from Jenny, and when he opened it he just stood there, staring at his ticket with his mouth open! In the meantime, Ken finished his cereal, rinsed his bowl and opened the dishwasher to put it in, and his card was inside on the cup rack. He opened it, looked twice at the ticket and kept repeating, "Are you ******** me?" At almost the same time the guys hit their front doors on their way to each others' houses They met in the street, waving those tickets and yelling like high school kids!

That afternoon, just a few hours after it actually sunk in that they had tickets to the event of their lifetimes, the first tornado to hit Billings in 50 years hit the Metra. It was totally destroyed, but fortunately no one was hurt. The irony is that the funnel stayed in that area for almost 15 minutes, making absolutely sure that there was nothing left. Ken and Kenny sat here watching the news in stunned silence. The Father's Day tornado in Billings effectively ripped those tickets right out of their hands, and there was nothing they could do about it. I sent Ken's back and got a refund, but he kept the stub and the seating map of where their seats would have been. Kenny refused to do that - he kept the ticket and the stub, along with his map. Sadly he looked at Jenny and said, "I'd rather have a bacon sandwich on toast for Father's Day than a chance." Ken nodded his head. "Next year, " he said, "A card will be plenty."

 

[jmoeller]

Me too! We don't get bad ones here very often, but we do get a lot of wind and hail. Reminds me....

Ken and son Kenny are in love with Celtic Woman. Jenny and I don't worry - the chances of any of them knocking on our doors and taking our menfolk are slim to nil. But they watch every special, have every CD, and every DVD Celtic Woman has ever made. They've been enamored with them since the first group got together and have followed the evolution and cast changes like two groupies!

In March of 2010 Kenny made some remark to Jenny about Mother's Day and Father's Day' coming up. Every year Kenny (who is an excellent cook) makes us steaks on the grill, some of his lime marinaded shrimp sticks, and crab legs. We love it! But neither he nor Ken fares as well on Father's Day. We mean to get them something special, but they work, we don't, so the minute we take money out of our joint accounts they know just where we shopped and how much we spent. Happens every holiday! So Kenny said, "I am sooo looking forward to my annual Father's Day bacon sandwich on toast!" He was kidding, of course, but Jen and I decided, "That's it! Somehow they are getting something special if it kills us!"

We found out just a few days later that Celtic Woman would be appearing at the Metra Park Arena in Billings on June 21. Oh, how we started saving! We'd go to the store or get fuel, and we'd write our checks out for 5 or 10 dollars over, then stash it. Whatever it took to have these tickets come as a total surprise was the plan. We finally had the money saved and called the ticket office, only to be told that the tickets wouldn't go on sale until April something (I forgot the exact date) at 9:00am. That gave us time to take what we had saved and get a pre-paid Visa card to use so the purchase wouldn't show up on our on-line banking. Ain't we clever?? The magic morning that sales began, Jenny was here and I punched the number into my cell phone. At 9:00 I hit the "call" button. Well, lo and behold we were among the very first. We bought Ken and Kenny front row, left side tickets - best seats in the house! We were so doggone excited we could hardly stand it! We'd DONE it!

Father's Day morning Jenny made Kenny a bacon sandwich on toast. Ken had his usual Honey Nut Cheerios with a half a banana. We had this planned down to the minute - two households right across the street from each other with the same plot. As soon as Kenny was done eating, Katie handed him her homemade card. He hugged Katie and went to hang it on the refrigerator as he did with all the things she made him. But already clipped with a magnet was his card from Jenny, and when he opened it he just stood there, staring at his ticket with his mouth open! In the meantime, Ken finished his cereal, rinsed his bowl and opened the dishwasher to put it in, and his card was inside on the cup rack. He opened it, looked twice at the ticket and kept repeating, "Are you ******** me?" At almost the same time the guys hit their front doors on their way to each others' houses They met in the street, waving those tickets and yelling like high school kids!

That afternoon, just a few hours after it actually sunk in that they had tickets to the event of their lifetimes, the first tornado to hit Billings in 50 years hit the Metra. It was totally destroyed, but fortunately no one was hurt. The irony is that the funnel stayed in that area for almost 15 minutes, making absolutely sure that there was nothing left. Ken and Kenny sat here watching the news in stunned silence. The Father's Day tornado in Billings effectively ripped those tickets right out of their hands, and there was nothing they could do about it. I sent Ken's back and got a refund, but he kept the stub and the seating map of where their seats would have been. Kenny refused to do that - he kept the ticket and the stub, along with his map. Sadly he looked at Jenny and said, "I'd rather have a bacon sandwich on toast for Father's Day than a chance." Ken nodded his head. "Next year, " he said, "A card will be plenty."

OOHHHHH, that is so sad.

 

[Blooie]

Hi checkin in.... any one made that Apple Pie moonshine yet.... HI new people...

dont read its depressing.... sigh.

its been a heck of a chronological year...

Last summer I had to put my beloved Rosie dog down she was 17 and failing. All my chickens were killed by coyotes because the well died and I had to let em out to get water.... long story that.... The goats made their own gates on their enclosure and have been thriving on eating what is out in the Chaparal I finally got a lead on some fencing that is goat proof and I can afford it. Things were looking up.

Today I was cleaning up my corner where my computer desk is.... I reached out to pick up a bit of paper from my computer chair and it flipped over Sending me into a water jug on the floor which exploded and water shot out and drenched my sons school books. for thos who dont know me I am close to 400 lbs and if I have to walk far I use a rolling walker. Now I can get up off the floor still thank god.... But it takes a moment to get coordinated and I have to turn over to get on my hands and knees. I was pondering that when the phone rang.

It was my neighbor Tom who caretakes my animals for me. He feeds the horse and goats and I feed his dogs cats and chickens Um er provide food for them. ITs a win win for us because I need to be here with Grandma. He called to tell me Coyotes got in with my goats and killed at least one.... He couldnt find the other two ... I only hope they ran far and high up in the rocks... He only found my dead one because of the Vultures.... and Crows... Then he told me he needed Catfood and chicken food.... He will bury my Goat tomorrow.

Sigh.... I got back up my cleaning spree way over now. All enthusiasm is gone.... I must deserve this.... I have become one of those people that drag negative energy around them. I only have my horse now... Of course I have my family.... I am grieving.... for failing my critters... and for not being able to be there for them.

deb

You know, there are hundreds of words in the dictionary and when someone I care about is hurting I can't think of two of them to put together to ease the pain. I agree - there is not a single one of us on the Porch who thinks you deserve this in any way, shape, or form. I'm probably going to start another "Holy War" on here, but sometimes I don't think everything that happens is God's Plan. I think it's just bad stuff that happens, period. But I do think that what matters to God is how well we take what we have learned from Him (and from those He has guided into our lives) and handle those things. Do we close our eyes and do nothing to make our situation better, or do we ask Him to help us do what we know we have to do? I have a little trouble with the concept of "Gee, Deb's having a pretty easy time of it right now so I think I'll have her fall down, splash water all over, and let a few predators take her animals." What I do believe is that God is thinking, "Well, I see Deb has had some adversity. I'll stand right by her here and help her handle it, if she'll let Me. And while I'm at it I'll help her friends find a way to offer their comfort to her as well."

I went through that when Austin died. I kept hearing people say, "It's all part of God's plan." or "God decided it was time to take Austin home, where he'd no longer be in any pain or suffer." Wait a minute......I can't believe that God looked at his watch, said, "Golly, it's 10:00 - time to get Austin." And God has plenty of things to do - why would he need a 22 year old kid who worked at Burger King? Besides, in his entire life Austin had never even broken a bone! He loved his family, loved his wife, had a promising career as a film maker for nature documentaries, and was a genuinely happy person. He didn't have any suffering or pain, not even at the accident. He was unconscious from the moment the car rolled and never woke up. He suffered no internal injuries - every single organ was healthy enough to donate. He didn't break any bones - his bones were all young and healthy and even they were donated, as were his corneas and skin. He didn't suffer - he just didn't buckle his seat belt and he died. God didn't make that front axle snap on his car, and God didn't unbuckle his seat belt. Austin didn't get the car checked, and Austin didn't buckle up, period. And if I had to believe that God intended Austin's death so that so many other people could live, then what does that make those people who got his organs? I know they prayed for their loved ones' health, and that a donor would be found, but I refuse to believe that any of them accepted those organs without feeling awful for the young man who had to die so they could live. What mattered to God that night and for the months that followed was how well we supported his young wife, his parents, his little brother Evan, and each other, and we did it the way I believe God intended - firm and solid in our faith that God would take care of us for Austin. My favorite people after Austin's death were the ones who came up to us, hugged us and simply said, "I don't know what to say.", because that was the truth.

I hope that isn't offensive, but that's exactly how I think about it - me, personally. I'm not trying to convince anyone that I'm right, because I don't know if I am. But I believe that a loving God gives us a heart, a soul, and a mind, then puts us down here on Earth to do the best we can while we're here. All He wants from us in return is to do the very best we can, every time we can, walking with our hand in His the entire journey. Okay, I'll shut up now.

 

[rrrmamma]

Oh Deb, you are having a rough time. Wish I could be there to give you a big hug but a virtual one will have to do

Please don't blame yourself.
Prayers going out to all of you dealing with the severe weather tonight . Be safe and check into the porch when you can.

 

[RachaelS]

I hope that isn't offensive, but that's exactly how I think about it - me, personally. I'm not trying to convince anyone that I'm right, because I don't know if I am. But I believe that a loving God gives us a heart, a soul, and a mind, then puts us down here on Earth to do the best we can while we're here. All He wants from us in return is to do the very best we can, every time we can, walking with our hand in His the entire journey. Okay, I'll shut up now.

Not offensive at all to me, thank you, I needed to hear this, also. Thank you

!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

You know, there are hundreds of words in the dictionary and when someone I care about is hurting I can't think of two of them to put together to ease the pain. I agree - there is not a single one of us on the Porch who thinks you deserve this in any way, shape, or form. I'm probably going to start another "Holy War" on here, but sometimes I don't think everything that happens is God's Plan. I think it's just bad stuff that happens, period. But I do think that what matters to God is how well we take what we have learned from Him (and from those He has guided into our lives) and handle those things. Do we close our eyes and do nothing to make our situation better, or do we ask Him to help us do what we know we have to do? I have a little trouble with the concept of "Gee, Deb's having a pretty easy time of it right now so I think I'll have her fall down, splash water all over, and let a few predators take her animals." What I do believe is that God is thinking, "Well, I see Deb has had some adversity. I'll stand right by her here and help her handle it, if she'll let Me. And while I'm at it I'll help her friends find a way to offer their comfort to her as well."

I went through that when Austin died. I kept hearing people say, "It's all part of God's plan." or "God decided it was time to take Austin home, where he'd no longer be in any pain or suffer." Wait a minute......I can't believe that God looked at his watch, said, "Golly, it's 10:00 - time to get Austin." And God has plenty of things to do - why would he need a 22 year old kid who worked at Burger King? Besides, in his entire life Austin had never even broken a bone! He loved his family, loved his wife, had a promising career as a film maker for nature documentaries, and was a genuinely happy person. He didn't have any suffering or pain, not even at the accident. He was unconscious from the moment the car rolled and never woke up. He suffered no internal injuries - every single organ was healthy enough to donate. He didn't break any bones - his bones were all young and healthy and even they were donated, as were his corneas and skin. He didn't suffer - he just didn't buckle his seat belt and he died. God didn't make that front axle snap on his car, and God didn't unbuckle his seat belt. Austin didn't get the car checked, and Austin didn't buckle up, period. And if I had to believe that God intended Austin's death so that so many other people could live, then what does that make those people who got his organs? I know they prayed for their loved ones' health, and that a donor would be found, but I refuse to believe that any of them accepted those organs without feeling awful for the young man who had to die so they could live. What mattered to God that night and for the months that followed was how well we supported his young wife, his parents, his little brother Evan, and each other, and we did it the way I believe God intended - firm and solid in our faith that God would take care of us for Austin. My favorite people after Austin's death were the ones who came up to us, hugged us and simply said, "I don't know what to say.", because that was the truth.

I hope that isn't offensive, but that's exactly how I think about it - me, personally. I'm not trying to convince anyone that I'm right, because I don't know if I am. But I believe that a loving God gives us a heart, a soul, and a mind, then puts us down here on Earth to do the best we can while we're here. All He wants from us in return is to do the very best we can, every time we can, walking with our hand in His the entire journey. Okay, I'll shut up now.

I was reading a book and there was a line in there that said God doesn't look down from the balcony of heaven and say oops!
He knows what is going on and allows things to happen or not happen. He is in control of everything. Sometimes that means bad things happen to good people and good things happens to bad people. Why? I don't have a clue. I just know that God is in control and everything will work out in the end. Even if that is when I get to heaven.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
16 Rejoice always!
17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.​

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Blooie not offensive at all. Your comments put this in perspective. while I am not Christian by the standard so many relate to... I do believe in God. And I do know we have no way of knowing the "reasons" things happen. For instance I have family I love them dearly and yes they come first and foremost. My grandma is 97 and in july will be 98 I love every minute I live with her. I am the only one in this family that could even be considered a caretaker/giver.... this is my lesson.... I need to concentrate on what I need to give to may family. I am not important at this time... to myself.

deb

 

[RachaelS]

Quote: I respect your thoughts but I don't agree with this. He allows you the support you need when things go wrong, the devil still does exist and he can also allow things to happen,