Safety Protocols + Food Fit for Siblings

MON 7/24 Hill Sibling Bash

A Three-Hour Tour

• I didn't go fishing with the boys on SUN 7/23, because I was still recuperating from my fishing trip on FRI 7/21. 
• The Skipper, aka Paul Farmer, took us out on his boat. The USS Minnow? No. The "Penguin." I don't really have time to explain it.
• Carmen hadn't been out on the "Penguin" yet. [OK. It was the Skipper's nickname at one time or another.]
• Even though we were not taking a 3-hour tour--it was more like an hour or so--the Skipper took us through the entire safety protocol. 
• This included very specific, very detailed instructions re:  what to do in case someone falls overboard, i.e. . . .
• Yell, "Man overboard." Point in the person's direction. Yell a direction, like "NINE O'CLOCK!'"
• When the Skipper asked if there were any questions, I raised my hand & asked for reassurance that if I was the one who fell overboard, the Man Overboard Protocol would be enacted.
• Knowing glances were exchanged while I was left in suspense.
• That's right . . . I was left in suspense.
• It sucks to be me.

O Give Me a Home

• Bison burgers . . . I LOVE bison burgers.
• I'm also a little--no, a lot--of a bison snob.
• The American bison is NOT a buffalo. It's a bison, more closely related to antelope.
• And it's delicious. Also extremely healthy. More healthy than grilled grouper? Idk. 
• The Skipper grilled bison burgers for supper.
• It was a bountiful repast, made even more so by the addition of flea market sweet corn, prepared by the Skipper's wife, aka Kathy Farmer.

Correction + Family Counts + Ticks + Global Warming + LCMS

Errata

Alert blog reader Carmen Hill * pointed out that we have actually made FIVE trips to MN since the 1st of the year. I neglected to include our trip for her father/my Uncle Harold's funeral. And since we will most likely make our annual Labor Day trek to visit Calvin our grand-son ***, we could very well be making at least SIX trips to MN this calendar year. ****
* my 1st cousin, also married to Lois' brother David **
** This will be relevant soon & very soon.
*** His parents are Nathan & Laura.
**** We've already shattered our record for annual treks to MN.

Family relationships explained

A few(?) entries ago I asked for help in determining familial relationships involving myself, my children & my grand-children w/David & Carmen's children & grand-children. Alert blog readers Carolyn Brott, my sister, & Christy Leckband, my sister-in-law, provided me w/what I assume to be reliable information. Sadly, but not surprisingly, I cannot find their e-replies, nor can I find the hard-copy of the note I originally wrote to myself for future blog references. So, to the best of my recollections--which is always a dicey proposition--here are familial relations, as I recall.

• David, Lois' brother, is married to my 1st cousin, Carmen.
• This also makes Carmen my sister-in-law.
• Therefore, their children Kyle, Kory, & Katie are my nephews & niece.
• They are also my 1st cousins, once removed.
• They are also my kids' [Nathan, Sarah, Rachel] 1st cousins.
• They are also my kids' 2nd cousins.
• They are also my 2nd cousins, once removed.

How are we doing so far?

• Kyle, my nephew &, 1st cousin once removed & 2nd cousin once removed, have two children, Kylie & Haiden.
• They are my children's 2nd cousins.
• They are my children's 2nd cousins, once removed.
• They are my 3rd cousins.

CAVEAT:  As I mentioned above, I lost my original note, so some of the preceding information is theoretical. It is my hope that some alert blog readers will once again come to my rescue & show me the errors of my ways.

There is No Place Like Nebraska . . . Texas

From Lincoln Journal Star (7/6):  "Starting a business? Nebraska 5th-best . . . NE got high rankings for its office space affordability, % of gross domestic product spent on business incentives, & avg length of work week . . . ND came in 1st . . . followed by TX, Utah, & OK . . . " Sorry, family . . . No mention of FL, NC, MN, CA, IA. 

There Is No Insect Like . . . Ticks

From Norfolk Daily News (6/26):  "Still too early for the tick forecast. Evidence doesn't yet provide it's bad year for tick bites, tick-borne diseases . . . " Then why is everybody saying it's been a terrible year for ticks. My thoughts? The same scientists who have been shrieking about global climate change are shrieking about lack of evidence re:  ticks . . . Wait . . . Could this be further evidence of GCC?

There Is No Denomination Like the . . . Lutheran Church-Mo. Synod

From NDN (6/26):  "Court rules for church in playground dispute. The Supreme Court ruled MON that churches have the same right as other charitable groups to seek state money for new playground surfaces & other non-religious needs. By a 7-2 vote, the justices sided w/Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, MO, which had sought a grant to put a soft surface on its preschool playground. The church was denied any money even though its application was ranked 5th out of 44 submissions . . . " (1) Even partisan justices on the non-partisan Supreme Court voted for this LCMS church & its school. (2) I would never suggest that this evidence suggests that my denomination is better than your denomination. *
* But it might.

Mystery Solved?

From LJS (7/6):  "Film claims to solve Earhart mystery. The photo is haunting. Among a number of figures, gathered on a dock, the fuzzy image seems to be that of a woman, her back to the cameras, gazing at what may be her crippled aircraft loaded on a barge, & perhaps wondering what her future might hold. Is this Amelia Earhart? . . . " I can neither confirm nor deny that our Commander in Chief responded by tweeting, "Loser."

A wife of noble character who can find?

SUN 7/9 My devotional thoughts

My wife has had to put up with a lot from me. I am not an easy person to live with. Don't believe me? Just ask her. Better yet, ask my children. [On second thought, just take my word for it.]

• In the months leading up to my "nervous breakdown" & enforced "sabbatical" from LHNE, she kept warning me what was going to happen. I either agreed half-heartedly or spaced her off. What she told me would happen, well, it happened. Like my grand-daughters are always quick to tell anyone willing to listen--which is a lot of people--their grandma is always the smartest person in the room.
• In the months that followed, especially as I was told that my services at LHNE were no longer needed, which--in hindsight--was pretty accurate, & as I slipped deeper into clinical depression, guess who still chose to live with me? Yeah, it's still hard for me to believe, too.
• She has continued to stick by me while I have continued to have my ups & downs. It wasn't all that long ago that I was experiencing a high. For the last couple months I've been in a pit, for reasons that I think I will save for my next Mental Health MON. For sure I have been in quite a pity party, & yet, as I continue to repeat, she continues to stick by me. ["For better or for worse?" I think that was in our wedding vows. "Love, honor, & "obey." Ask me about the "obey" part sometime." On second thought, I don't want to talk about it.]
• Lois has given me her shoulder to cry on. [True confession. I am the cryer in this family.] She has also told me to "suck it up" when I've needed to hear that. [She's especially good at that, too.]
• So, when I wrapped up the Book of Proverbs in my daily quiet time just a few days ago, I came across this passage, Chapter 31:10-31. This section is entitled, "The Wife of Noble Character." So now it's time for the scriptural truths that made me think of the wife I have . . . a blessing from Jesus.

Truth from Scripture

• "She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her & lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." vv. 10-12
• "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."  v. 17
• "She is clothed with strength & dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."  v. 25
• "She speaks with wisdom, & faithful instruction is on her tongue." v. 26
• "She watches over the affairs of her household & does not eat the bread of idleness." v. 27
• "Her children arise & call her blessed; her husband also, & he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.'" vv. 28-29
• "Charm is deceptive, & beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." v. 30
• "Give her the reward she has earned, & let her works bring her praise at the city gate." v. 31

Today's prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, may You bless Lois with the reward she has earned. May her works bring her praise from my lips, from the lips of our children & grand-children, and from the city gate. Amen.

Jesus did not come to bring us peace? Wait . . . What?

TUE 7/4 Some devotional thoughts

It's the 4th of July. On Sunday we were joined in worship by our daughter Sarah & grand-daughters Brianna & Hadley. Last week we spent w/family in MN, including our nephews Kyle & Kory, who are both in the Navy. We have many other members of both sides of the family who have served and/or continue to serve in the military. Family was heavy on my mind during church, & our liturgy & hymns also left me pondering themes of patriotism & peace.

Truth from Scripture

[Jesus said:] "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword . . . " Matt. 10:34

More devotional thoughts

Even given both actual & threatened terrorist attacks, I think most of us think of our country being at peace, not war. And when we think of & pray for Jesus to bring peace, we think of peace in terms of the absence of conflict, the absence of war . . . so these words from Jesus are baffling. He didn't come to bring peace? He came to bring a sword?

Our Opening Hymn:  "God Bless Our Native Land" *

(St. 1) "God bless our native land; Firm may she ever stand
Through storm and night.
When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave,
Do Thou our Country save By Thy great might."
* Source:  LSB #965

MY COMMENT:  What are we praying for when we ask the Lord to save our country?

The Gloria in Excelsius *

(St. 1) "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth;
Good-will from God in heaven Proclaimed at Jesus' birth!
We praise and bless You, Father, Your holy name, we sing--
Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav'nly King."
* Source:  LSB, p.204

MY COMMENT:  I'm beginning to get the feeling that peace between God & humankind, made possible by His Son Jesus, is a treasure that far surpasses any earthly peace.

Prayer of Thanksgiving *

"Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life . . . We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ . . . "
* Prayed before Holy Communion

MY COMMENT:  
Conflict with God is deadly. Conflict with God leads to eternal death. Peace with God leads to eternal life, and this is made possible only through the redemption prepared for us through Jesus Christ.

Closing Hymn:  "Today Your Mercy Calls Us" *

(St. 1) "Today Your mercy calls us To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass, Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy Our hearts have turned away,
Your precious blood can wash us And make us clean today."
* Source:  LSB #915

Some final devotional thoughts

This hymn stanza brings closure to today's devotion. I've been reading Red Dawn at Lexington, by Louis Birnbaum (Houghton Mifflin, 1986). I just finished the chapter about Bunker Hill & learned things that I didn't know, namely, the bloodshed that both sides suffered. The colonials experienced many casualties, many men, both the very young & old--those killed & those grievously wounded--fighting for the cause of freedom & liberty. How can this NOT resonate on the 4th of July?

Yet what really, truly resonates with me is the death of Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior. While the death of the men on Bunker & Breed's Hills was a sacrifice not to be discounted in the birth of our nation, ultimately bringing peace between our American colonies & Great Britain, it pales in comparison to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Jesus' death on the cross brought peace between God & humankind, rescuing untold numbers of men, women, & children from the sure oppression of sin, death, & Satan . . . oppression that leads to everlasting subjection in hell. This is a fate far worse than "taxation without representation."

• I will be forever grateful for the men & woman who gave their lives to win our independence & the freedoms we enjoy.
• I will be forever grateful for the veterans--including many members of our family--who risked much to serve our country in the military.
• I will be forever grateful for the men & woman who continue to guard our freedoms by their service in the military.
• I will be forever grateful to our Lord & Savior who won our freedom from the chains of Hell & brought us true peace with our Father in heaven.

A Grave Error Corrected!

MN Trip #4 Epitaph

I realized this morning that last SAT 7/1, Lois & I completed our 4TH MN TREK of the year. Earlier this year we attended our grandson Calvin's b-day party in Eagan. We returned to MN for my Aunt Dolores' funeral, then returned for our trek to Northeast MN for our annual Anniversary excursion. Last week we enjoyed our annual trek to Chalet David & Carmen's on Little Island Lake near Nevis. Here's a quick round-up.

• The fishing was abysmal. On our last fishing day, FRI 6/30, I did catch the 1st fish of the day--a largemouth bass--but on our last foray onto the lake, David experienced a fishing frenzy. He caught 3 fish, 2 of them on consecutive catches, which was unprecedented. To my credit, I did have one strike on my white hula popper. I have to say, albeit grudgingly [I am NOT a good sport when it comes to fishing.] that David deserved his success that evening, success being a relative term. 
• The highlight of that last trip around the lake was seeing a bald eagle fly across the lake & alight in a tree just 3 docks down from our dock. He allowed us to get within 3-4 pontoon lengths before he took off. Lois got some great pictures. Unfortunately, I do not know how to post pictures on my blog.
• KUDOs to nephew Kyle for making coffee every morning, despite a coffee maker that seems bent on causing caffeine withdrawal for more than one of us.
• Kylie & Hayden provided us with much entertainment. Since Carmen is my first cousin, & think that makes Kyle my nephew & 2nd cousin. How am I related to the two little girls? Somebody help me out!
• FYI . . . I made it through the whole week without falling down the steep stairs leading to the dock; also without tumbling into the lake.

Big Bang Boom

We had an uneventful trip back to Norfolk on SAT 7/1. Our good friends Steve & June from Lincoln joined us. So did Sarah & the girls; also Rachel, Derek & Bentley. Rachel catered our supper, which was delicious. We strolled over to Skyview Lake & found our location a little after 9:00 p.m., for the best fireworks show, possibly in the whole state of Nebraska. The aerial display was as awesome as ever, offering a cornucopia of visual & auditory delights. There was also a PLETH-or-a of people, perhaps more aptly described as a mob, who joined in the festivities, which made our exit from the park quite an adventure. Bentley, our 4-year-old grandson, handled the loud explosions with great aplomb. 

Yesterday we went to church w/Sarah & the girls. That was a highlight. Later in the afternoon Derek & Sarah put together our new grill, & Derek grilled brats & hamburgers to break it in. It was a well-deserved honor for him to grill supper. On my grill.  

Man's Best Friend Update

Sammy is having trouble coping w/the sound of fireworks. It started already on 7/1. About the only way we can get him outside is by putting on his leash & dragging him into the backyard to do his business. Last night Lois did manage to drag him into the front yard. He dutifully marked his territory on one of our trees, then rushed back inside. I assure you, however, that he is just as patriotic as any other dog. He comes to attention immediately whenever we pledge allegiance or sing the Star Spangled Banner. As far as you know.