tick tick tick tock . . .

Time is oozing slowly. Out comes the warmth of the day with a grey overcast. The trees squeak with groans of agony like an elderly pair of hands aching from the spell of arthritis and twisting the joints beyond control.

Aging. TIME is but a midst. Our age process quickly here and quickly lived. Now age is a precious commodity. When a child we wish it away. When teens we can wait to "be adults". As young adults, ready to turn the world upside down with a feverish passion. In the thirties contemplating change. Forty and fifties appreciating what matters. Sixties and reflecting. Seventies and eighties where did the time go? Time. Enjoy the present because the Lord gave it as a PRESENT for you to enjoy for the moment because the present quickly changes to the past. T - I - M - E . . . . today was sweet to live it with Kent on his day off. Gaze deeply into the pools of wonder in the golden rod hues surround by a misty blue pair of eyes that knew she was loved. To make our favorite homemade chocolate chip pancakes, listening to Faith's Friday devotion, sing with the sweet harmony of our family as Haddy smiled, giggled and clapped on beat mouthing her praise. Eating together one more TIME before all departing out the front door. Standing out doors as the leaves were cleaned out of the gutters. Talk with a dear sister in Christ trying to re-assure her that the Lord IS in control of her business and set up a prayer vigil walk through her shop. Tick, tock, tick, tick, tick, tock - - - The clock of the Lord is worthy to be praised.

As the girls all came home then one by one left again with a friend -they each stepped into their time captured moments. Mya drives away, Emily packs an over night bag, Kent goes to the library to study, Faith grabs the phone and leaves to skate and Tia gets ready to Cosmic bowl the night away. Each of them added to their lives another set of memories in some way or another. Their TIME . . . is sweet and I cherish every moment to see the sparkle of what they received.

Indian Summer a good laugh

Leaves, leaves, leaves. It seems so funny to be "raining leaves" all around us. What is so ironic is the bustling of the wind blowing; the Indian Summer permeating in its' warm spell so late. This Indian Summer ~ Early in November, is making my once close to completely dead flower garden start to become rather confused and bloom one more time an aromatic set of rose clusters as if they were waking up early in Spring. But all the leaves of the neighbors trees are back & seem to be invading our porch, steps and street, and what seems to be just around our three vehicles! ;-) Hahahahah hahahaha

After a continuous sneezing spell that sent me reeling into the house "ahhhh cheeee, ahhhh cheee, AHHHH CHoooooo!" After five mountainous, monster sized bags later the yard looked very groomed before we left to Illinois :-) . All was in place. Ready to depart to family in the east. This Indian Summer ~ It gave Kent a time to just THINK while laboring to gather the leaves from the five neighbors trees, who seem to be VERY fond of OUR "greener grass, treeless, leafless front yard property while desiring to share the wealth of their fruit. ;-P Only to come home late Friday evening and discover and giggle to see . . . their sharing hadn't stopped. The Oaks, Maples and Cotton Woods all desiring to blanket the yard. Yes sireee, the trees seemed to act like a well planned quilters guild ready to lay their creation on the loom; tight and taught with the batting ready to receive every patch work and stitch, yielding mostly browns and a few golds. However, the breath of the air plays & desires to tease the yard and redesigning it's pattern continually before yielding to be a fixture of permanence or being combed with a raked or even gathered to be stuffed in a blue bag resembling a large body pillow (a trash bag really) to line the back yard/garage trash receptacles. The sneezing begins again! Yikes!

Yes it is time to start re stuffing the the bags . . . and enjoy the fact that God is perfect and we are thankful that our health is good enough to be able to even allow us to work in the last warm spell of 2009's Indian Summer in NOVEMBER.

With the whirling of the street cleaners coming by in a tyme of 4/4 slowly washing the streets of the leaves that surround our cars before long. Or maybe the forcasted "showers" will bath the newly sealed streets and the small little streams will wash them along to a different ending, with not a trace of evidence of a single tree bearing and sharing it's abundance with us this years not once, twice but thrice.

Here is to Fall ~

Think, Think, THINK . . . I think

Denial. Interesting isn't it. What is denial? The act of saying that something is not true. Act of saying that one does not hold to or accept. a refusing. a refusing to acknowledge. self denial. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the WHOLE WORLD, yet forfeits his SOUL? . . . " So why do we play "keep up with the JONES' " game?

Okay . . . I know everyone deals with it "keeping up with the Jones'" in the western culture; or the desire to fully living the "American Dream". But the American Dream . . . is not really any dream worth achieving really other than to freely worship the one and only TRUE Savior. Jesus Christ. To follow him at all cost - really? self denial? Refusing what? SELF? Yes. Picking up my cross daily is a huge effort to put others interests before my own. My impatience often gets the best of me. Or how about my competitive spirit (in some way or another there definitely is one) that battles to walk in true humility. The proverbial grass ISN'T greener on the the other side really because then I am looking back and seeing that the grafted sod did catch hold & is growing. I don't desire to forfeit what really matters I mean what REALLY MATTERS.

I've been thinking, thinking, and THINKING. Ana, why is it that we as a culture try to make the gospel more palatable? Or watered down so "NOT to OFFEND anyone?" I've been wondering about Jesus approach. He didn't seem to do that. He told the TRUTH in LOVE. Both together, direct. I remember when we did our first couple of ministries it was so very tempting for me to desire to be every persons chum, lower the bar so that others could attain "Christianity" easily. But one wise individual told me not to lower the bar but to reach down and help pull others up to God's standards. Was it hard? Yes. Did I want to fudge and bend differently? Yes, because it was easier; Wasn't it?! NO. Now 22 years later . . . . God's ways are never wrong but the world YIKES IS! Let me explain.

See the world and all it's lures give temporary pleasures. It Looks appealing, is not so difficult. Gives immediate gratification. Who's it gunna hurt - nobody. The world appeals to all the senses and tends to be subjectively driven. Only to leave individuals with an odd void, a type of hole. It tends to be all about "ME". But when really looking for true filled gratification it comes by being committed to giving.

Giving.
Self denial = selfless servitude
Humility = not needing others to recognize
reach out to others that CAN NOT reach back
LISTEN = Less of "imparting MY knowledge" dispensing
Actively SERVING
Giving!

It's time for me to learn and apply and GO!

Sisters' - Orilla Landers/ Gram'ma L Service

Revelation 21:4

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

"Landers' Sisters" Constance Knuckey & Barbara Klundt

November 6, 2009 - Friday

Jim & Connie Knuckey: Barb & Vic Klundt
"Landers' Sisters"

Keith, John, Kent, Julie Nellis (Klundt), Dave & Dan Knuckey
1st Cousins - "Landers Sisters"
Klundts' and Knuckeys'

Victor & Barb Klundt Family

Julie Nellis, Keith, John & Kent

Vic & Barb Klundt

12 Grandchildren

Back row: Brittney (Zach's fiance), Zach, Matt, Alex

2nd Row: Faith, Emily, Hadassah, Tia & Mya
Missing: Alizabeth, Arlis (Fiance), Josh, Kameron & Haley Nellis

Uncle Kent & Hadassah with his nephew Alex Reed (Julies' son)

Kent & Ana-Maria Klundt -Barbs' Eldest Son

Tia & Faith Klundt
Kent's second and third daughter
Tia, Mya & Emily Klundt
Kent's third, first & fourth daughters

Dan, Janice & Samantha Knuckey
Jim & Connies' youngest son

Dave, Thomas, Amy, Abigail & Emma Knuckey
Jim & Connies' eldest son

Kent & Ana-Maria Klundt Family

Mya, Hadassah (baby), Emily, Faith & Tia (blonde)

Vic & Barbs' eldest son - Missouri

Matthew, Tabby, Keith, Zach Klundt and Brittney (Zach's fiance)
Vic & Barb's second son - Illinois

Julie Nellis (Klundt & son), Alex Reed - Iowa
John Klundt - Arizona
Vic & Barbs' daughter (youngest) and son (third)

Missing: Gary & Haley Nellis

Kayleen, Alizabeth, Josh & Kameron Klundt

Keith & Tabby Klundt

third cousins fellowshipSisters - Kent's girls

Vic & Barb Klundt with Marv & Ruth Klundt

2 of 5 brothers

Jim & Connie Knuckey Grandchildren

Abigail, Thomas, Emma and "Sam"

Knuckeys' 1st cousins

Papa (Vic Klundt) with 2 grands

Tia & Mya Klundt (Kent's daughters)

Uncle John visits with niece Faith (Kent's daughter)

Tia Holds Hadassah Klundt (10 months) and Ana-Lou Holds Samantha Knuckey 5 months)

The newest "Great Grands to Orilla Landers" day of Services

November 6, 2009

30 Days

"Thirty days has September, April, June and November . . . ." ???

Whisking by "30 Days or less". As the deep morning hours around 1:30 this morning anticipation aroused my senses as well as my sense of SMELL and a whimper, no a cry. I couldn't get the sent or sounds out of my head. It smelt as "fire or a smoldering smoke" out of place. "Am I dreaming? Wake up, wake up!" I was awake. What if there was only but a moment to take another step? Did I have everything in order? Are the Girls okay? Is it a fire? What's going on? Oh my . . . . what IS going on? I awoke because Hadassah was crying herself awake. I gingerly cradled her in my arms as I lifted her from her bed. She had tears that softly moistened her eyes, her cheeks and she clung tightly around my neck as if life depended upon it. That is when reality hit that it wasn't a dream. She was in my arms, melting into my neck while upon my chest. The smell . . . it didn't diminish. Quickly walking around the house trying to stay calm. I did smell smoke!!! But where was it coming from? The inside? And if so, where from; the basement, the chimney (but we haven't used it this year!), the landing or girls room, the attic, in the walls? WHERE!!! Kent noticed my absence asking what was wrong. We both began to smell the odor rafting around but from where? Girls all asleep - even Hadassah in my arms they are all secured in their slumber.

Kent . . . thinks it is from outside. It smells like leaves burning . . . but why at 1:30 in the early morning?! We reside and chide our self to go back to bed. Kent, Hadassah as well as all the girls are sound asleep. I can not. It was stronger! What if it was a neighbors home like four almost five years ago when I smelt it from the basement four doors down?! Pray . . . that always works. I went outside the front door to be greeted by a brilliant light from "The Man on the Moon" and the very deep permeated sky filled with the deep odor of burnt earth and leafs'. Assured now that it was not an emergency but an awareness of my surroundings.

Those very surroundings ~ The trees almost completely barren and looking cold. Fall getting ready to surrender to Old man Winter . . . as the brilliance of colors turned the leaves that painted the sky; now flayed on the ground in hues of brown like a heavy blanket trying to warm the creation that lie beneath it from the bitter bite of freeze coming around the bend.

I breathed deeply in the cool crisp air and began to walk around the house Thanking the wonderful creator for the sense of smell. For the foliage that always cycles here in the mid western state I preside in. Than I began to pray over the occupants that lie with in. Kent . . . Mya, Tia, Faith, Emily and Hadassah. ;-) Now for a brief moment it came to me . . . The daily parts of life make the new month of 30 days to be THANKFUL.

What if I only had 30 days left? Would be any different? I remembered the little poem I learned very very young in primary elementary school in Colorado: "Thirty days has September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31 . . . . EXCEPT February which has 28 and on LEAP YEAR has 29." "So Mommy . . . This month." Faith reminded me "guess how many days are left for the birthdays just around the corner. Guess!!! 28, 30, 40 and well . . . Then Hadassah will be ONE!!!" It it me . . . again, there it is "30 days". There were 30 days again. What is IN the next 30 days? I want to LIVE, LOVE 'cuz the days we are given are from ABOVE! Yep like one of my favorite songs from Super Chick says in it's lyrics . . . May my next 30 days be Lived in LOVE from Above.

Live it with me. Won't You? Here's to the next 30 DAYS ~ LIVE as if it were your last! ;-)