A Moving Experience or How a Perfectly Rational Person Was Brought to Her Knees

After several years of invitations
Met by excuses and rationalizations
Circumstances forced reexamination
The fact was – something had to change

Alternatives were at a minimum
Renewals and deadlines held dominion
Now or never the prevailing opinion
But where in the world was Chanhassen?

Plans were made to minimize drama
Mom sent ahead to avoid the trauma
It will be OK, I can handle it Mama
You forgot your what?

The battle cry was organization
But time didn’t follow my estimations
Plans A through Z met annihilation
You want to deliver it when?

Downsizing was definitely on the agenda
State lines and weight meant a Goodwill bonanza
A pruning – no – pillaging extravaganza
What did it cost? – We won’t go there

And just when I thought I was over the worst
It was time to take on a new enemy – dirt
Unbelievable, undeniable, so embarrassing it hurt
I will never again pull the stove out

After all that there was still a long drive
A car full of must haves piled up high
Peace at the going but tears in my eyes
I always said that I loved adventure

My family and friends and the times that we shared
The moon through my window and the cat on the stair
The noise from the high school when the home team was there
You’ve got a lot to live up to Chanhassen

A Message to My Oh Lucy Followers

Thanks to all who have continued to check for Oh Lucy posts over the last two months.
As much as I love to write there are times when life turns upside down, temporarily, and the last two months were about as topsy turvy as it gets. 


With the Lord's help and the help of family and friends, who I will never be able to thank enough, my ship has been righted and there is smooth sailing ahead.


What else would I do after a life changing experience but share it with you.

August In The Midwest

The mornings are drenched in dew that clings to everything it touches, coating even the silken strands of a spider web. The heat comes early and tries to claim each droplet as the cool earth pulls it back into white waves of fog before letting go. As the sun climbs higher the fragrances of the wet grasses and musty soil give way to ripening fruit and the earthy smell of mushrooms and nuts.

The sun, intense and relentless, fills the days with heat and humidity, helping to slow the frantic pace of parades, picnics and family vacations. The sounds of fireworks and brass bands are replaced by a symphony of insects and birds that reaches a crescendo with the rhythm of the cicadas. The trees, so laden with leaves they seem weary from holding them up, are motionless in the still heavy air.

The evening ushers in breezes with a hint of coolness but so thick with moisture that they seem to caress the skin. The cool clamminess is a welcome exchange for the stinging heat of the days. The night song of crickets and frogs join together, rhythmically rising and falling like the chords of an organ, soothing and peaceful.

August is not the end of summer it is the peak of summer. It is God’s nature on joyous display and a time to rest, before the harvest, in the fullness of His creation.

I Know You Don't Hear a Word I Say

I know you don’t hear a word I say
But I only wish there was a way

To tell you how important it is
To heed the advice I’m about to give

On the highways and the byways
Danger lurks both night and day

Any driver can make an error
And there are some that just don’t care

You wouldn’t believe the things they’ll do
Instead of watching out for you

I wish I could communicate
And save us all from the heartache

Please look both ways and make sure it’s clear
You’ve got to be very careful - Deer

The Wreck

The no nonsense, 75 year old cook ran the kitchen with a cast iron fist. We were a bunch of unruly teenagers that saw our summer on the guest ranch as more of a working vacation then a job. She didn’t like it when we got rowdy and would only allow a few boredom breaking activities. One that she tolerated was singing. We sang show tunes, country western ballads, and our favorite – TV show theme songs to pass the time. She only drew the line when we started making up our own lyrics because well, let’s just say they may have been a bit off color at times.

She would not put up with any horseplay like food fights or chasing each other around. If we started any of that she would come out from behind the work table wielding a large spoon or rolling pin and threaten to let us have it. She couldn’t have weighed more than 97 lbs. soaking wet, but nobody dared find out if she really meant it.

One day we walked in to see her standing at the top of the basement stairs, shaking with laughter with tears rolling down her cheeks. We ask her what happened and she pointed down the stairs and choked out the words “We’ve had a wreck”. We all ran to look and there at the bottom sat someone, almost unrecognizable, covered in flour with clouds of white still billowing around him. It was our dishwasher who, when trying to carry a 50 lb. bag of flour downstairs, had missed the last step. We all laughed so hard we cried, not just because of the wreck but because of the sight of her complete loss of composure.

Eventually she pulled herself together and told us to get it cleaned up and get back to work. Still feeling lighthearted someone started to hum until everyone burst out singing “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”. Out of the corner of my eye I caught her quickly turning to stir a pot so we couldn’t see her smile. Still fighting to maintain order she grabbed a large metal spoon but when she turned to threaten us, couldn’t keep from laughing and ended up using it to direct the choir instead. 

And Then I Thought

A calendar was given to me
With pics of the grandkids 1, 2, 3

I proudly hung it on the wall
To be seen by one and all

I thought I’d write my schedule there
It was meant to be useful that was clear

To maintain its future heirloom status
I changed my mind and left it as is

Then I thought how cute it would be
Seeing memories of when it was given to me

But no, the pics were from birth on up
So one year’s dates just wouldn’t match up

I wondered if I could tear the dates off
I’d just keep the pictures was my next thought

But I worried that the binding would come undone
And the pictures loose would soon be gone

And if they were scattered all over the place
Of the thoughtful gift there would be no trace

Then I thought I would never make a decision
If I calculated every what if with precision

Because at that rate it would stay on the wall
Until all of the grandkids had grown big and tall

They’d laugh when they saw it still hanging there
And suddenly I thought with clarity rare

It didn’t need additions, adjustments or change
Love frozen in time is forever the same

Decision

Choose Joy
Choose Life
Choose Love
Choose Right
Choose Peace
Choose Light
Choose Hope
To God’s Delight
When in repentance faith you choose
Life saving grace belongs to you
And in your heart you’ll know the truth
By His sacrifice he first chose you

Summer's Eve

Hello, I posted my latest poem "Summer's Eve" on  http://www.thebarndoor.net/ today.  It is a blog about Midwest living that I think you will enjoy.  New stories and poems for Oh Lucy coming soon.  Thanks for visiting!

No One to Blame but Myself

Where in the world did you come from
How did you get in here
I was rid of you, I thought, for sure
Then I turned around and there you were

I don’t know how you do it
I’ve put certain things in place
To guard against your onslaught
And keep you in your place

Sometimes I blame myself
For being open to yet more
Of things that make you who you are
And let you in the door

But I’m tired of the battle
And I’m tempted to give in 
After all no one is perfect
And having you is not a sin

But I’m warning you right now 
There are times I won’t allow
Your presence to disrupt my plans
Some people would not understand

Why I put up with you at all
Because they’ve managed not to fall
Into the habit that makes me mutter
Under my breath – I hate you Clutter

A Skip In Time

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, I couldn’t believe it, 6!  At first I thought it was magic.  Of course the first time I saw him do it I was probably 3 or 4.  Later I was convinced that it was a trick. It had to be, he never failed to do it better than anyone else.  I tried and was a complete flop.  I just couldn’t do it.  The worst part about failing at this particular endeavor was the sound.  People didn’t even have to see you fail. The Ker plunk that seemed to echo off the river banks told the tale.  But when Dad did it, it seemed like everything and everyone went silent.   We watched as it gently tapped the water as if to tease it with its gravity defying flight, until it chose its final diving place.  A simple thing like skipping a stone caused smiles and cheers all around.

As he did with every activity, Dad taught us the proper techniques and how and where to find the smoothest and flattest skipping stones.  I was great at finding the flat stones and realized my true calling was to provide for those who could use them to their fullest potential.  I knew even if I could manage a skip or two, I would never follow in his footsteps so I was content to hear his praise when I found a “good one”.  6 skips wasn’t even his record but the most amazing thing was his consistency.  He had the knack and never failed to impress.

I will never forget the day, long after my father’s passing when I stood alone on the shore of a high mountain lake.  It was a place where I would go when I was sad or lonely or angry and that day was no different.  I was heartbroken and I ran to my sanctuary to figure life out.   All I could think to do as I stood looking out over the beautiful shimmering water, was pick up the first rock I saw and fling it unceremoniously  into the water.  It was one of those overly wound up, and purposely wild armed throws that had no real intended destination.  Well, you guessed it, it slapped the water hard enough to sink but instead it bounced again and again and again.  I have no witnesses to this and I certainly couldn’t claim to know how I did it, but what I do know is that a simple thing like skipping a stone brought a smile to my face again.

Simply Love

Forget the flowers and Candy too
The Hallmark cards with words so true

A Mother yearns for a simple thing
No measure of the joy it brings

To know no matter how far away
Her love still reaches you every day

If the miles keep you apart
Or anger and hurt within your heart

Or guilt and shame keep you away
Remember this on Mother’s Day

There’s one thing you can know for sure
Her heart still beats in time with yours

And if she rests in God’s dear arms
Through your life and love that beat goes on

Just Try & Stop Me or We Both Knew This Was Coming

I’ve had it with you

I’m calling your bluff
 

I’m so overwhelmed

Enough is enough
 

I’ve followed your schedule

And met all your needs
 

Gone above and beyond

Just hoping to please

But there comes a time

When what’s left of me

Wants to reclaim some ground

And longs to be free

So I’m taking a stand

And pulling away

I’m not looking back

It’s all yours come what may

This siren’s call

 I cannot resist

It’s there for the taking

Right off my wish list

I know it won’t last

And I’ll need to come back

Not because of your charms

Just the plain simple fact

What you add to my life

I can’t do without
 

You’re one of the choices

That I sometimes doubt
 

But oh Work you must know

That you’re not all that fun

So I will and I must

Leave you for - vacation

Two In The Hand is Not All It's Cracked Up To Be

Working in the kitchen at the guest ranch I didn’t get too many opportunities to ride or learn to be the cowgirl I dreamed about.  I had already discovered that I was not a natural and was actually somewhat afraid of the powerful beasts now that I had met them up close and personal.  I was determined to overcome my fear so when they asked for volunteers in an emergency situation I stepped up.

The heavy rains the night before had threatened to flood the riding trails due to a beaver dam blocking the creek.  A few of the wranglers had gone out early to dynamite the dam when someone realized one of the pastures near there had not been cleared of horses.  The less experienced staff got a two minute class on how to lead a horse quickly and safely without getting stepped on.  The few wranglers there were catching the horses and putting bridles on them.  All we had to do was lead them back in.

I reached a wrangler and he handed me the lead.  After having only gone a short way another wrangler came up asked if I thought I could handle two at a time.  I didn’t have time to answer before he put the lead in my hand and ran off to get another horse.  Being sandwiched between them was pushing me toward panic so I kept my arms out as far as I could to avoid being crushed.

As I approached the barn I notice some wranglers who seemed to be arguing and pointing in my direction.  One of them held his hand up as though I should stop but before I could, the cowboy next to him slapped his hand down and gestured for me to keep coming.  After a got a little closer he ran out grabbed one of the horses and swung it out and away from the barn, while I led the other one in.

My pride at helping to rescue them from danger was soon replaced with horrified relief when they explained that the two horses I was leading were bitter rivals. The potential for a truly life threatening confrontation was pretty high but the wrangler that handed me the second horse was new and did not recognize the first one.  The argument I had seen was about if the odds of a fight would be better or worse if I stopped and waited for someone to come to my aid.  The final consensus was, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.  Cowboy wisdom or wishful thinking, I didn’t want to know.

Sign Swiped or Oh Lucy VI

 Although my husband usually handled the lawn mowing, when he didn’t have time I would pitch in.  One day as I was mowing the shallow ditch near the road, something suddenly flew up from under the mower. It smacked me in the shoulder hard enough to make me take a step back.

It was one of those moments when I was truly afraid to look.  When I did, all I saw was a perfectly round hole, about the size of the eraser on the top of pencil.  It wasn't bleeding much, but the size and shape gave me the creeps and I was almost afraid to feel the back of my shoulder for fear that I would find an exit wound.  I cleaned and bandaged it then finished the lawn.

My husband called at lunch time and I mentioned that I had a little accident.  Trying to be funny and minimize the issue I told him that I had been shot.  (In our neighborhood that was only slightly outside the realm of possibility).  I was laughing when I said it but even after I explained he didn’t join in.  I received a rather stern lecture about how serious it could be if a foreign object was lodged in the wound and was told to go to the acute care center to have it checked out.

It was embarrassing to explain how I happened to get a perfectly round hole in my shoulder and the doctor seemed more amused than concerned.  After he checked it out he left for a minute or two only to come back with two more doctors.  I was a little worried that he needed not only a second but a third opinion and asked if it was serious.  “No”, he said, “It has just been a long time since any of us have seen a case of shrapnel “, and 3 out of the four people in the room got a big laugh out of it.

I had completely forgotten about the mower and when I got home my husband had it upside down and was untangling something from the blades.  I had been “shot” by a piece of wire frame that once held a political sign.  The same grey as the dry ground, I hadn’t seen it in the grass.  I spent the rest of the day trying to decide which editor to send the story to at Reader’s Digest:  All in A Day’s Work or Laughter the Best Medicine.

Legacy

They say life flashes before your eyes
When you are about to die

I don’t know if it is a fact
But I wouldn’t be surprised by that

All memories and thoughts set free
From the mortal prison inside of me

Pain and emotions then released
That were held fast by shame and grief

And oh, the joy, the loves the friends
What comfort to see them again

When all has gone from mind and heart
And from this world my soul departs

Will what I saw be captured here
Within all those whose lives I shared

Imprisoned now in their memories
Every time they’d think of me

A weight they’d stumble underneath
Or a gift of love and joy to keep

Lord help me to right all the wrongs
And heal the hurts that I have caused

So when my life passes by my eyes
Your grace and peace I recognize

Then to all who hold my memory
Your love will be my legacy

It Could Have Been Friday Forever

Before our Saviors love displayed
Constant sacrifice was made

To cover sin and ease the shame
Because the law was disobeyed

Atoning blood was spilled each day
To keep the power of sin at bay

And then their came a precious King
To end the pain and suffering

They praised His name and led the way
With hope His power would win the day

They didn’t understand the plan
God our Father designed for man

They chose the innocent again
To be slain by their own hand

They know not what they do He said
As he surrendered all to death

Until His glory was displayed
The day the stone was rolled away

For sins, past present and to come
His sacrifice the victory won

Without His love that knows no measure
It could have been Friday - forever

Days of Hope

When dreams give way to schedules
And days begin too soon and end too late
When filling time is not the problem
And autopilot is my normal state

When I begin to think that life is living me
The things I’ve done all must be done again
When I forget that faith is hope in the unseen
And on His strength and love I don’t depend

Through His word I am reminded that His plans are greater still
If I follow Him through all the turns and twists
And if I would just trust Him He’ll work everything for good
His mercies new each morning in such a time as this

When All Else Fails, Think Like an Iguana

As a stay at home mom a large percentage of the family's pet care responsibilities ended up on my to-do list.  It didn’t help that we had a menagerie that at one time or another included dogs, parrots, turtles, gerbils, rabbits and well, you get the picture. 

There was one, however, that I just had to draw the line at – the iguana.  Oh, he was cute when we bought him for our son.  Just a few inches long and easy to care for, in fact everyone got a kick out of feeding him and he grew accordingly.  He was gentle with his owner but for some reason when I tried to remove him from the cage to clean it I found myself engaged in a wrestling match.  A 2 1/2 foot Iguana is surprisingly strong.  I knew he was just waiting for his chance to wriggle free and make a run for it, leaving me to blame for his untimely death in the jaws of one of the family dogs.  So I resigned as his part time caretaker and announced to my husband and son that he was their responsibility.

One day as I passed my son’s room I saw the cage door open and no sign of my former wrestling opponent.  I cautiously looked around the room thinking that he was too large to easily conceal himself.  He was nowhere to be found and I was beginning to panic.

I don’t know what always made me think that our bird dog could track any living thing, (blind faith or too many episodes of Lassie), but desperate times call for desperate measures.  I put a leash on him and took him into the room.  He went straight to the empty cage and started sniffing at it; I was excited until he immediately showed the same interest in the garbage can and some dirty socks.  I sent the dog packing and tried to think logically. Where would I go if I was an iguana?  It would have to be somewhere warm; he was a lizard after all. Under the heat lamp in his cage was the warmest spot I could think of and he wasn’t there, so clearly this iguana was illogical. 

Just then my son came home and I frantically tried to explain how I had tried everything to find him.  He just laughed and pulled the bedroom curtain aside.  There he was sunning himself on the windowsill.  I guess there is such a thing as lizard logic.

The Cleansing Truth

I never meant for it to happen
It wasn’t something that I planned
I just went on my merry way
Not sure, even, when it began

I didn’t notice the effect on you
And how you had begun to change
And when I finally saw the truth
I couldn’t help but be ashamed

To others it was very clear
I’m sure they were appalled
They must have thought I didn’t care
Or think of you at all

Even though I’ve not been perfect
I know this time I’ve gone too far
Before we travel on together
I have to wash you dirty car

Secrets of the Hedgerows

There was a small but picturesque farm that sat on top of a hill near our home.  I knew the young girl that lived there but her mom worked and her dad spend most of his time in the fields.  She was not allowed to leave her property after school and I was not allowed to go up to the farm unless one of her parents was there. Getting together to play was a challenge that demanded to be met and our solution was to push our boundaries to their limits.

The farthest corner of their farm fields ended at the road that led to my house.  I would meet her there after school, hiding my bike in the bushes and crawling through the fence into the hedgerow.  To our young minds she could tell her parents that she had not left the property and I could tell mine that I had not gone “up” to the farm.

It was our private playground and an absolute wonderland for our imaginations.  There was a creek running right down the middle and a paradise of long grasses, wild flowers and assorted wildlife including rabbits, squirrels and an occasional whitetail deer.  We were Pioneers, Cowboys and Indians, African explorers and anything else we could dream up.  We waded in the creek, caught minnows and sailed driftwood boats down the imagined rapids.  It was our secret place where we buried our treasures, built our forts and spied through the trees at imaginary enemies.

From a distance they look like narrow rows of living fence but up close they reveal natural habitats for wildlife and wild imaginations.  Even now when I am driving through the farmlands of the Midwest I wonder what secrets are hidden in the hedgerows.

(First Published on www.thebarndoor.net)

Right Where We Are

What if God called fishermen
Because they understood the wind
The waves, the tides and the life within

So He could walk upon those waves
Fill their nets on a hopeless day
And calm the storms to teach them faith

What if God calls each of us
Right where we are to learn to trust
That WHO WE ARE IS WHO HE LOVES

And if we give Him all we do
And share His love with others who
Need to know He loves them too

He’ll fill our nets and calm our storms
Teach us to stand and right our wrongs
Because we all to Him belong

The Uninvited

OK so you’re gorgeous, I’m forced to admit
You even look good when you are soaking wet
Commanding attention wherever you go
You arrive with a flourish and put on quite a show

It’s hard to believe how some hope just to see you
I have seen all I want; to me you are old news
The entourage with you seems very nice
But their bright sparkling faces hide cold hearts of ice

You don’t worry that your welcome maybe overstayed
You party all night and into the days
And what of the cost to clean up what you do
The comfort of others means nothing to you

Am I jealous of the power that you seem to yield
Over all that I know despite how I feel
Others have run to avoid your displays
But I stand my ground and count out the days

Until you move on and there’s nothing left
But the remnants you leave in a big ugly mess
For a time someone else will be front and center
But I know you’ll be back for an encore oh Winter

The Escape

Day and night you stalk your prey
Although you don’t mind being seen
You hunt the youngest in the dark
Defenseless you invade their dreams

But young or old, rich or poor
To you they’re all the same
Relentlessly pursuing them
Until they hide from you in shame

You own the weak, but know in fact
That weakness dwells in all
So you hunt the strong as well
And hope to see them crawl

Unwilling to admit you’re there
We find our backs against the wall
We hold our tongue when we should speak
Or lash out when we hear you call

You paralyze our hopes and dreams
And hold us prisoner in our minds
But the only power you really have
Is the power of the lie

There is a place that we can flee
To escape your cunning ways
The place of truth that sets us free
Within God’s Mercy and His Grace

Surrendering our hearts and minds
By faith believing He is near
His perfect love will cast you out
And shield us from you - fear

Friends with Words or Vocabunerds

Biguana means a big iguana
Logically I don’t know why
When tiles are short and patience thin
You can’t accept my valiant try
To save some face and not be creamed
By those who use words such as QI
So I don’t know if that just rhymed
A dictionary might define
It’s meaning because I never heard
A single human use that word

Your perfect placements could be blamed
Four words at once, have you no shame
After all it’s just a game
You not supposed to kill or maim
My self-esteem and confidence
Just challenge me to make some sense
Of random vowels and consonants

Oh well it’s just another thing
That eats my time and makes me think
There’s more to life than Scrabbeling
OK OK that’s not a word
At least I’m not a vocabunerd

Up to Our Knees in Trouble

Our subdivision was actually a small peninsula with the Fox river on 3 sides.  One of the benefits was that it remained a small community without the threat of urban sprawl.  One of the drawbacks was that when the river flooded, it swallowed all of the low lying property, covering the road right up to our driveway.  We were lucky to live on higher ground so the floods became just another fascinating part of living by the river.

Fish of all sizes and shapes would swim in the shallow flood waters so it was like a giant interactive aquarium.  We begged our parents to let us wade in and try to catch the fish with our nets.  We were allowed to go into the water with strict instructions to stay on the road so we could tell how deep it was and always wear our rain boots.  We didn’t mind staying on the road because it was easier to see the fish where there was no mud or grass but we hated wearing our boots.  We wanted to go barefoot because we knew that we could go into the deeper areas where the larger fish seemed to be.

The giant aquarium eventually became too much of a temptation and we took our boots off to wade barefoot in water just behind the garage where we couldn’t be seen from the house.  We had a great time chasing fish and looking for floating treasures.  Afterwards we put our boots back on and went back to the house with plans to enjoy our covert activities again the next day.  Unfortunately, our parents had a very good reason for telling us to wear our boots.  Fish were not the only things that filled the flood waters. By the end of the night we were all horrified to find a large, itchy, red rash covering our legs right up to our knees from the bacteria in the water.  There was nothing worse than our painful self-inflicted punishment except maybe watching our parents try to stifle their laughter as they applied the first aid.

No Escape

Insidious they stalk your life

Asking you to shed some light

Their only purpose to fill the need

For the knowledge that sets you free

Some will tease and tickle you

Their purpose only to amuse

Others may just change your life

When all their pieces fit just right

They’re always there to interfere

Pushing you to make things clear

You can’t ignore, avoid or shun

The power of your own questions

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you

                                                                                                                           Matthew 7:7 (KJV)

Lost and Found

Have you ever given up a dream
Released it like balloons on a string
And watched it slowly float away
Beyond your reach your hopes betrayed

And wondered why it could not be
The fulfillment of your destiny
As the vision only you could see
Became clouded by reality

So in regret you mourned the loss
And imagined what you thought it cost
The hope you had, exchanged for doubt
Not knowing it was all about

An open door to what could be
When if by faith you’d just believe
God knows your thoughts, your hopes and dreams
And if you seek Him you will see

Beyond imaginations view
Into His perfect plans for you