Used in Grading and Excavator Contracting Blog 2008 “What is the first thing you do in an emergency?” She asked again. “What is the first thing you do in an emergency?” The class shouted back, “Call 911!” It felt like Boot Camp. After four and one-half hours of CPR and First-Aid training, we were shouting answers back to the instructor. The drill was to engrave automatic responses in our mind so that in an emergency, we could act … Continue reading →
Rocky ledges jutting out along the coast within Point Lobos State Reserve So near the splashing waves and droplets of water spray, I perched on a craggy ledge poking into the sea. There I drank in the water and tingled as the exhilarating waves crashed against the volcanic rock. Hubby and I were on an escape. A time of refreshment and rest. A blessed retreat to Carmel, CA. The ocean was luring me closer. I asked Hubby if I … Continue reading →
Time alone. Just the two of us. Time to refresh our spirits, our marriage, our romance. From the airport, we took the scenic, woodsy route to our destination. A road that shifted gears from the racing daily pace and gently eased us into neutral, calmer moments. Stands of Coastal Redwoods lined the narrow winding road beckoning us to roll down the windows and let the surrounding beauty fill our minds with wonder and praise. They marked the … Continue reading →
The desert sky in summer just around the corner from our home “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18 NIV Who would have ever thought that the Lord meant the desert to be my peaceful dwelling place? That in the desert our family would build a secure home–as secure as we, with all of our faults, could make it? That, here, in the heat that nauseates my … Continue reading →
“Has everyone practiced their ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’,” he asked our group, grinning as we settled into cloth or plastic bound chairs. Happy faces smiled and voices chattered up there on the knoll that stared across to the majestic Pusch Ridge Mountains. Anticipation of the show to come sparked a myriad of conversations. People standing in the Wisconsin snow for the world’s best-tasting custard. The most beautiful spot to camp in South Dakota. The snooty RV sites … Continue reading →
In this dry, parched desert, water is a necessity, not just a fashion statement that you carry with you. The thermometer streaks red to 109 degrees. Leaves on the trees shrivel under the blazing sun’s heat. Birds take refuge in the shade of scrub bushes and the streets and sidewalks are barren of people as everyone hides in air-conditioned homes, stores, or places of work. Water, the life-quenching drink, glides over prune-like lips. It slides over the tongue, … Continue reading →
Ocean off Carmel from Point Lobos Creation speaks loudly of God and His characteristics. It is here that I experience Him most deeply. But to those who stand in awe and wonder at the crashing waves or a summer sunset or tremble at the thundering power of a storm, their inmost being declares to them that there is a God. No matter how hard they try to resist. “since what may be known about God is plain to … Continue reading →
“The God of the Universe knows you and STILL loves you.” Our pastor’s words were a soothing balm to my heart and soul this Sunday. Only the Lord knew all the ugly thoughts and feelings that had raged through me on Friday. They were thoughts far from praise for our Lord, far from the joy I had felt the last week, far from the rest and peace that had flowed through me. They were angry thoughts full … Continue reading →
Carmel from Pt. Lobos State Park Framed for my memory is this scene among the cypress groves overlooking the Northern Coast of California. Colors of aqua, blue, and white were churned by the day’s blustery winds, but the only thing my heart grabs is the beauty of the Creator’s hand. His creation touches my inmost being, which echoes with love and praise as the waves crash against the rocks. Here I find His strength, peace, and magnificence. … Continue reading →
Hubby and Our Two Sons For Father’s Day, I made my husband’s favorite Bearnaise Sauce to top the steaks barbecued by our oldest. It had been years since I attempted to make this sauce. Every attempt in the past 34 years failed in my estimation. But as far as Hubby was concerned, the homemade sauce tasted wonderful. To him, the taste was all that mattered. To me, making it to perfection, producing a thick creamy sauce like the one … Continue reading →
