OWNING YOUR CONSERVATIVE RELATIVES AT THANKSGIVING *

* Compliments of Babylon Bee

> Say a toast for the indigenous land acknowledgement.

> Volunteer to say grace & thank Biden for the meal.

>. Dress the turkey in drag.

> Invite Elizabeth Warren:  She can demonstrate how indigenous peoples would hand-shuck corn.

> Set up a TV screen to play Kamala Harris speeches.

> Talk about how thankful you are for inflation.

> Sit at the kids' table & indoctrinate the young impressionable minds.

> Show everyone your paid off student loans:  Oh, wait.

MORE THANKSGIVING NEWS

"Tension at first Thanksgiving as One Pilgrim wears 'Make America Great Someday' Hat." Babylon Bee

CULINARY TRADITIONS

"In the end, the culinary traditions that mark this holiday are deeply personal, shaped by our region, our upbringing, our family, and our palate. May the diverse offerings adorning our tables this Thanksgiving remind us to remain united in gratitude for our nation and its blessings of liberty." Alexandra DeSanctis, National Review Online, 11/24

AMERICA'S THANKSGIVING HYMN

"Our freedom not only is consistent with humble gratitude — it inspires a thankful attitude. We see this point articulated and celebrated in the song “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee).” Written to the same melody as “God Save the Queen,” Samuel Francis Smith composed the lyrics while attending Andover Theological Seminary in 1831, publishing it the following year — 190 years ago. For its beautiful tune and soaring lyrics, it remains one of America’s best-known songs. Yet it also is a song grounded in a profound and sincere spirit of thanksgiving. In fact, one rightly could call it America’s Thanksgiving Hymn. The song’s gratitude centers upon American freedom." Adam Carrington, NRO, 11/24

GRATITUDE FOR THE U.S.

"Gratitude for the United States is hard to come by these days. Intellectually, it’s quite en vogue in fact to argue that the United States is a particularly pernicious polity. As various original sins are presented as the foundations for the American republic, it’s not hard to understand how Americans, particularly younger Americans, might think the world would have been better off had the union never existed. But gratitude and thanksgiving for the United States and constitutional liberty have been important aspects of American civil, cultural, and social life since the beginning of the republic." Miles Smith IV, NRO, 11/24

CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING

"We live at a time, of course, when even the concept of “thoughts and prayers” is under attack as meaningless. They are real things for those of us who believe that all good gifts come from God. And even if you are not sure about God, we did not show up on the scene and invent all that is good. There is history before us, and it’s not all to be canceled, but to be learned from.

"As we celebrate Thanksgiving — and in the weeks leading up to Christmas and the new year — let’s choose to bear in mind that we are blessed and have life-giving responsibilities that will encourage others in ways that only Providence can fully transform for the fullest freedom. We just need to be humble and cooperate!" Kathryn Jean Lopez, NRO, 11/24

THE LORD HAS DEALT BOUNTIFULLY

"Consider & answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, 'I have prevailed over him,' lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me." (Ps. 13:3-6)

THE GIFT OF GRATITUDE

"Gratitude does not spring forth from sinful hearts. Gratitude does not start with you . . . Think about this profound truth:  the Lord gives good gifts to ungrateful sinners. He gives you gifts that you have not earned & do not deserve.

"Name one reason why the Lord God should have died for you, baptized you, claimed you, & made you His own. There is no reason why He should have done any of these things for you & one thousand reasons why He should not have. And yet, He did all this for you!

"The air you breathe, the peace you enjoy, the food you eat, the love you share, & the forgiveness you receive are all sheer gifts from the Lord! When you contemplate all you have been given, gratitude has a way of bursting forth.

"Lord, I praise & thank You for all the good gifts You have bestowed on us. Grant us gratitude. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen." Matthew Richard, Minute Messages

THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR

"Yes, we are still a free people. We have taken this for granted for too long. Our gratitude for our incomparable liberty and the prosperity it produces includes fighting to ensure that our children and their children will enjoy those same blessings. Our Founders fought a war for it. We can do no less. Happy Thanksgiving, America." Laura Hollis, Townhall

PRAYERS FOR THANKSGIVING

From My Prayer Book

With a heart full of appreciation because of Your goodness & with thanksgiving in our souls for Your boundless grace, I come on this national day of thanksgiving, God of loving-kindness & mercy, to join with heart & voice all the people of this country to praise & adore You as a wonderful God & understanding Father in Christ Jesu. Throughout the year You have opened Your hands & poured out on us blessing after blessing. You have provided us with all that we need to sustain body & life. You have opened Your heart & drawn us closer to Yourself, blotted out all our sin, cleansed our conscience from guilt, & spoken peace to our hearts. Richly & abundantly You have offered to us Gospel & Sacrament, that our souls be healed, our faith strengthened, our character developed, & our lives directed. Accept the thanks & praise of our grateful hearts. I sing of Your goodness, I shout for joy because of Your mercies.

Let our thanksgiving, however, go beyond words & give evidence in the sharing of our blessings with the hungry, the needy, the lonely. Give us the grace to continue to praise You as thankful children of Your love & with all the family of Your household to serve You with faithfulness & loyal devotion through Jesus, our Savior & Friend. Amen.

From Lutheran Book of Prayer

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good & His mercy endures forever. Lord God, heavenly Father, You have created us & endowed us with all that we are or have as a pure gift of Your "fatherly, divine goodness & mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us." You sustain us from day to day with the gifts of daily bread in the food that we eat, the family that surrounds us, the friends we enjoy, the country where we live, & countless other benefits that we constantly receive from Your open hand. 

On this Day of Thanksgiving, cause us to gratefully remember the good gifts that You shower upon us. Deepen in us the knowledge of Your goodness, & awaken our hearts to praise You for all of Your gifts, especially the forgiveness of sins that You have purchased & won for us & the whole world in the atoning death of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Keep us mindful of Your mercies every day, & grant that we may thank, praise, serve, & obey You not only with our lips but also with lives dedicated to the service of our neighbor. To You, O Lord, Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, be all honor & glory, praise & thanksgiving, now & forever. Amen.

A Thanksgiving Collect from Lutheran Worship

Almighty God, whose mercies are new every morning & whose goodness, though undeserved, still abundantly provides for all our wants of body & soul, grant us, we humbly pray, Your Holy Spirit that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness toward us, give thanks for all Your benefits, & serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen.

A THANKSGIVING HYMN

For the Fruits of His Creation (LSB #894)

For the fruits of His creation, Thanks be to God. For His gifts to e4v'ry nation, Thanks be to Go. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, Silent growth while we are sleeping, Futur needs in earth's safe-keeping, Thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labor, God's will is done. In the help we give our neighbor, God's will is done. In our worldwide task of caring For the hungry & despairing, In the harvests we are sharing, God's will is done.

For the harvests of the Spirit, Thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, Thanks be to Go. For the wonders that astound us, For the truths that still confound us, Most of all, that love has found us, Thanks be to God.

VERSES FROM PSALMS

"Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King & my God, for to You do I pray . . . For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you . . . But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, & spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For You bless the righteous, O Lord; You cover him with favor as with a shield." (Ps. 5:2, 4, 11-12) . As I continue working my way through "Engaging the Psalms:  A Guide for Reflection & Prayer," I'm going to continue posting some of my favorite verses from the Psalms I've read. 

TRENDING

"Locals call for tourist to be sacrificed after dancing on Mayan temple." Drudge Report

"Scholars believe overflow crowd watched Sermon on the Mount via Jumbotron." Babylon Bee

"New Disney CEO promises to make child grooming slightly less obvious." Babylon Bee

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Stacey Abrams announces election bid for Senate in Pennsylvania after finding out any Democrat can win there." Babylon Bee

"Qatar authorities throw U.S. soccer team off top of building." Babylon Bee

"Nancy Pelosi steals Speaker of the House podium as souvenir." Babylon Bee

"Taliban quits Twitter to protest return of Trump." Babylon Bee

MAN'S BEST FRIEND

"Your next dog may be a robot." Drudge

"Hybrid animals could soon roam Earth." Drudge

THANKSGIVING

"FBI closely monitoring gathering of Christian Nationalists. The FBI has dispatched surveillance teams after several reports surfaced of Christian Nationalists planning to spend a day thanking God for His blessings & praying for America." Babylon Bee

"Turkey denied presidential pardon after image of it attending Jan. 6." Babylon Bee

WEDDINGS

Last SAT, we were privileged to attend the wedding & reception for the daughter of one of our very close friends. I don't know about you, but whenever I'm at a wedding, I remember with great fondness & appreciation our own wedding on 10/31/75. God blessed us with a beautiful wedding. He blessed me with a godly wife & devoted mother to our children. I'm also reminded at every wedding that it's not really all about the wedding. It's all about the marriage. If a wedding is the high point of a couple's marriage, something is wrong. 

Lessons from a good wedding *

* Column by Sharon Randall in Norfolk Daily News

"Weddings can teach us a lot about life. For example:

> Be yourself. If you like who you are, others will usually like you, too. If you don't like who you are, be someone else--the kind of person you want to be be.

> Be happy--as happy as you can possibly be. Smile every chance you get. You deserve it. And others need to see it.

> Be committed to someone or something. Commitment changes the world. It brings out the best in us & each other.

> Try to remember that not everything is about you.

> Surround yourself with people who will make you laugh, hold you when you cry & maybe even bake your wedding cake.

> Dress for the occasion, but wear sensible shoes

> Fall in love with someone who loves you, who will be your perfect match & best friend forever.

> Finally, remember this:  Things don't always go as you plan. Life is full of surprises. Sometimes a toad turns out to be a treasure.

NUMBERS AREN'T PRETTY *

* Source:  Editorial in NDN, 11/8

Recently, [Planned Parenthood] released its 2020-21 annual report, albeit nine months later than it typically would do so. Even though delayed in becoming public, some of the data is still telling. Such as:

* Planned Parenthood performed 383,460 abortions--an all-time high in 2020-21 & up from 354,871 the previous fiscal year.

* Performed 371,755 breast screenings & gynecology tests, down from 542,659 the previous year.

* Conducted 127,095 'well woman' exams, down from 208,248 the previous year.

* Made 1,940 adoption referrals, down from 2,667 the previous year & less than half of two years ago.

What to make of that data?

First, Planned Parenthood performed nearly 200 abortions for every adoption referral it made. Next, the declines in PP's actual health services, such as breast screenings, are striking. 

For many years, PP representatives are pushed to have their organization described in the media as a comprehensive women's health services provider. These most recent numbers, however, would seem to indicate that it's becoming primarily an abortion provider.

At the same time, the organization's funding is increasing. The report indicated PP had more than $2.1 billion in net assets, up from $2 billion the previous year. Government funding increased from $618.1 million to $644.4 million in the 2020-21 year . . . 

The unfortunate reality is that Planned Parenthood & its allies (including the Biden administration & many in Congress) are pulling out all the stops to still promote abortion on demand . . . if PP has its way, abortions & taxpayer funding will keep rising, even as its other key health services keep declining.

THE REASON FETTERMAN WON

* Source:  Column by Christine Flowers, NDN, 11/16

"The real reason that Fetterman was elected over a competent, well-educated surgeon who saves lives instead of seeking the release of those who took them in the most brutal manner, is because more people hated us than liked Oz. Let me put it another way:  The reason Fetterman was elected to the U.S. Senate is that his supporters cast a vengeance vote. There was nothing appealing, nothing inspiring, nothing admirable in this man who will now represent 50% of our senatorial presence in D.C.

"There was nothing noteworthy, particularly commendable or even redemptive about him. The thing that Fetterman harnessed better than anyone else could was the anger, the hatred & the resentment that Democrats have harbored since Donald Trump was elected president of the U.S. six yers ago.

"It has festered, & it has corroded the innards of every progressive & even every center-left liberal for a very long time, & this was their opportunity to exact that pound of flesh at the ballot box. Simple as that. The truth is that we now have a senator who was elected out of hatred & anger, misogyny towards conservative women, disregard for victims of crime, & a sense of gotcha.

"Well, they got us, that's for sure. And they should be prepared for what happens in 2024. Elephants have long memories."

ONE PERSON WITH YOUR WIFE

Malachi 2:15. “You were united with your wife by the Lord In God’s wise plan, when you married, the two of you became one person in His sight. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. Therefore guard your passions! Keep faith with the wife of your youth.” The Living Bible

GOD ANSWERS

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious in me & hear my prayer! . . . In peace I will both lie down & sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:1, 8

LIFE THOUGHTS

"Parents delivering children to death, as in abortion, indicates the end of the age is near (Luke 21:16). We rejoice that God has given limits to evil, & this will not linger forever. Our neighbors cannot afford for our tongues or talents to grow idle (2 Thess. 3:6). The Lord moves in surprise pregnancy & terminal diagnosis, turning hearts of parents & children to one another (Mal. 4:6). Let us also be about this the Father's business." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

STEWARDSHIP CORNER

Prior to Jesus ascension, He told His disciples, ' . . . you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem & in all Judea & Samaria, & to the end of the earth' (Acts 1:8). Our witnessing takes pace in our homes, neighborhoods, at our places of work & beyond. Our goal in witnessing is to help others come to know Jesus as the way, the truth, & the life (John 14:6). We have the opportunity to tell others of the greatest miracle that has ever occurred. The Son of God came to earth to live as one of us, to humble Himself for the sake of all people. This miracle is one to be shouted from the housetops, for it is meant not just for you & me, but for all humankind. Don't keep this miracle a secret. Spend your time, talents, & resources so that others (if not you yourself) are enabled to be His witnesses to 'all nations.'" Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

TODAY'S HYMN

Take My Life & Let It Be (LSB #783, Sts. 1, 4, 6)

Take my life & let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments & my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my silver & my gold, Not a mite would I withhold; Take my intellect & use Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet it treasure store; Take myself, & I will be Ever, only, all for Thee.

TODAY'S PSALM

As I continue to use "Engaging the Psalms:  A Guide for Reflection & Prayer," in my daily quiet time, I'm going to continue to share passages from Psalms. 

"O Lord, how many are my foes! . . . But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, & the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, & He answered me from His holy hill . . . Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be on Your people." (Ps. 3:1, 3-4, 8)

RESOLUTIONS REVIEW

I missed my monthly review of my 2022 New Year's Resolutions, which I usually do at the very beginning of the month, because we were on our Hawaiian cruise. Here goes.

* Lose at least 12 lbs. F  Not even going to weigh myself, since our 15-day cruise included the speciality restaurants and/or buffets every day, along with our unlimited drink package. Suffice it to say, I'm sure I gained weight in OCT, & my chances of achieving this goal seem pretty slim.

* Cross 2 things off our bucket list. A+  We crossed off a Hawaiian cruise, a trip to Key West, & a visit to Dry Tortugas NP.

* Have fruits & vegetables at least 4X/week. A

* Walk at least 4X/week:  D

* Publish my 365/day devotion book:  A+

* Write & publish another 365/day devotion book:  B  I'm almost done with NOV. Not sure I'll have time to get this book published.

* GPA:  B-

ALOHA CRUISE POST-MORTEM

We got home from our 15-day Hawaiian cruise last week very early on TUE morning. What a great experience! We had a couple of hiccups on the way back from the Omaha airport. We got to our car in the Budget parking lot, & the battery was dead. Fortunately, they were able to give us a jump. Then there was our tire pressure. Already on the drive to Omaha the tire pressure warning came on. We stopped at a C-store & put a little air in our tires, but we knew we'd probably need more before we returned home. We stopped at that same C-store. The air pump was out-of-order. We stopped at one more C-store on the way out of town. No air pump. So, we took our chances & made it home safely. We did end up having to buy a new battery.

Food:  What can I say about the food that I didn't already say in my daily posts? The food, whether it was the speciality restaurants or the buffet, was (almost) always a treat. I say "almost," because the one meal I had of gazpacho soup & calamari steak was disappointing. I got to eat seafood just every day, including lobster tails, lots of shrimp, scallops, & mussels. Baked Alaska on the last night was a highlight for both of us. And we got to have shave ice twice! Once at Matsumoto's on the North Shore of Hawaii, & once on Kauai. I got to have my favorite:  lilikoi (passion fruit).

Drinks:  Despite our unlimited drink package, we drank in moderation. No! Seriously! Among the drinks I sampled were riesling wine, IPA beer, pina coladas, a martini, scotch & sour, bloody mary, long island ice tea, & possibly our favorite:  dirty bananas. [Look it up on Pinterest.]

Oahu:  Our good friend Myra picked us up at the port. Lois taught with her & her late husband at Our Savior Lutheran School. Two of our kids had them as teachers, & they were our choir director & accompanist. We reconnected with our pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aiea, which is adjacent to Pearl Harbor, & we toured the church & school building. Lots of good memories. Another friend who taught with Lois & had one of our kids in school picked us up at OSLC, & the four of us traveled to the North Shore. We had lunch in a local cafe in Haleiwa [mahi mahi sandwiches!], enjoyed the aforementioned shave ice, & drove to Waimea Bay & back. More great memories.

Other excursions:  We were disappointed that we were too late to sign-up for the excursion to Haleakula NP on Maui, since our goal is to check off as many NPs as we can, & I doubt if we'll ever make it back to Hawaii again. Having said that, the Road to Hanna on the North Shore of Maui was breath-taking. We took the excursion to Waimea Canyon on Kauai--well worth it. And although we've been to Volcanoes NP on the Big Island before, it has changed a lot, & we weren't disappointed. 

Weather:  The weather in Hawaii was of course nice & balmy. We got soaked in the rain at the zoo on Hilo, also on the Big Island, but we still enjoyed the zoo. It rained a little bit on & off on the Road to Hanna. At times the weather on the Pacific was very windy, also chilly, & sometimes rainy. Also, the sea was pretty rough at times. When the ship slammed into a 10-15' swell, we could feel the ship shudder. Sometimes we were left staggering around our cabin on on the decks. Thank goodness for our motion sickness medicine!

Ensenada, Mexico:  I explained in one of my posts why the Ruby Princess had to make a stop in a foreign port before returning to San Francisco. We've been to Ensenada before, but on this tour we saw parts of Ensenada that we hadn't seen before. The winery was nice. The historic convention center was nice. The shopping district? Meh.

Presentations:  The naturalist presentations were definitely a high point. We learned about whales, sharks, sea birds, oceanography, dolphins, volcanoes, & probably more. We also enjoyed the enrichment presentations about legends of comedy. Our favorite was probably the information & clips about Carol Burnett. The two presentations about Johnny Carson were very interesting, too, since he grew up in Norfolk.

Other Entertainment:  We watched several movies on the big screen out on Deck 16. We also attended several shows in the Princess Theater. Lois attended a few line-dancing classes, which she enjoyed, & we enjoyed--surprisingly--watching ballroom dancers in The Piazza.

DEPT. OF SHAMELESS JOKE-STEALING *

* Compliments of Reader's Digest, Mar/April 2022

I asked my 4-year-old, "What would you like to do today?" He shook his head & said, "I don't know, but I definitely do NOT want to do anything interesting."

FAMILY STRUCTURES

"The two-parent, male-female home has been the bedrock of societies. Some traditions have lasted because they work. When social mores are individually rejected, school shootings, street violence, & anti-American ideology can be the result. Ancient Rome & other licentious societies collapsed because of their indifference to moral restraints. What makes Americans think we can avoid a similar fate? We are committing cultural suicide & few want to risk the criticism that comes from standing against the tide. We 'invent ways of doing evil' the Apostle Paul wrote. If a judge & a growing number of people no longer recognize what many consider immorality, then immorality wins." Column by Cal Thomas in Norfolk Daily News, 10/15

MIDTERMS

I'll admit it. The results of the November mid-terms were very disappointing to me. My news & opinion sources were generally predicting a red wave, which did not happen. There were some bright spots, but a lot of disappointing results, too. Some of the candidates & ballot initiatives that were passed in various states are mystifying to me. 

However--& it's a big however--God reminds us that we are not to put our faith in earthly leaders & political parties. God is still in control. Christians are still called upon to speak out against evil, such as abortion & the LGBTQ agenda, but our mission is to advance the kingdom of God. Finally, I'll quote from Cal Thomas again. "People who are happy or breathing easier because of the outcome of this election now own its consequences. Inflation, high gas & food prices, & an open border are likely to continue. Republicans have a lot of work to do to change voter attitudes. Maybe another two years of suffering will do it, assuming the country survives." Column in NDN, 11/22

 MON 11/14

SEASON AFFECTIVE DISORDER *

Source:  Omaha World Herald, 11/11/22

"Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression related to changes in seasons. Millions of adults in the U.S. may suffer from SAD, although many may not know they have the condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Signs & symptoms may include:

* Feeling listless, sad or down most of the day, nearly every day.

* Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed.

* Having problems with sleeping.

* Having appetite changes, including either a crving for foods high in carbohydrtes & overeating, or poor appetite.

* Having difficult concenrating.

* Feeling sluggish or agitated.

* Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty.

Causes:

> Your biological clock or circadian rhythm.

> A drop in serotonin levels.

> A distruption in the balance of your body's level of melatonin.

Risk factors:

* Family history

* Having major depression or bipolar disorder

* Living far from the equator

* Low level of vitamin D

Treatment options:

> Light therapy

> Cognitive behavioral therapy

> Staying active

> Talk to your doctor

> You can also call the Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

MIDTERMS

I have a couple of thoughts about the midterm elections. There were some encouraging results; also some discouraging results. A fascist takeover if Republicans won? I don't think so. In any case, I'm reminded that Scripture warns us not to put our trust in "kings & princes." God is in control. Here is a prayer from Lutheran Prayer Book for government.

"Lord God, as I pray for al who are in authority, I thank You especially for the form of government given us in our beloved country. Give us the grace with our fellow citizens to value the officers & the magistrates of our government as those sent by You. Instill in us that respect & honor that is due them. Lord, endow them with wisdom for their several duties, with a spirit of sacrifice for the common welfare, with mercy & justice, with uprightness & kindliness. Correct the evils of selfishness, greed, a vain desire for honor, or abuse of power among us as well as in the other governments of the world. Grant that the true purposes of government may prevail, safeguarding peace & prosperity, so that we may live soberly & uprightly in Your sight & have opportunities to tell of You & Your kingdom. These petitions I direct to You because in Jesus we know You as our Father & Lord. Amen. 

TODAY'S READING FROM PSALM 2:10-12

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, & rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, & you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

ALOHA CRUISE POST-MORTEM

I've been in a real slump since we returned from our cruise very, very early on the morning of TUE 11/8, so I just haven't felt up to providing you with a pithy summary of our once in a lifetime experience. I'll get to it. Suffice it to say, Lois has proved unwilling to make lobster tails for me.

LECKBAND TEMP CHALLENGE

After seeing our temperature at 6:55a, CDT this morning, I decided a temp challenge was in order. Here are the results, based on Wunderground.

#5, BALMIEST LECKBANDS, Eagan, MN, my son Nathan, 25/wc 21

#4, Ventura, IA, my niece Christal & brother Mark, 22/22

#3, Lincoln, NE, my daughter Sarah, 17/17

#2, Beatrice, NE, my sister Carolyn, 17/11

#1, Norfolk, my daughter Rachel & us, 16/6 *

* Could be a long winter.