Betcha ya didn't know.

Betcha ya didn't know we have a new library in my town and we checked it out the other day, or that we have a great farmers market every Wednesday and Saturday where you can get real yummy fresh fruits and veggies, flowers and even fresh bread and rolls. If your real good you can walk the boardwalk just a few feet from the farmers market and get just about any kind of ice cream a person can think of. My favorite, of course Mint Chocolate Chip, Sweetman likes butter pecan or turtle sundaes.

Or that you can grow bamboo here in Michigan, yup you can.

A couple of years ago I got a root of bamboo from my former boss. He told me that it will take over if you let so I planted the root in a corner of my yard where not to much grows just to see what it would do, and surnuff, it grew!!! Just this year it is about 7 feet tall and has increased in circumference alot. I noticed a smaller one growing along side the this one so it is spreading. I think its pretty so I will just let it go to see what happens next year.

Just thought you might want to know these things.

Super Sunday Ride to Ludington

Unlike yesterday's chain of not so fun events that turned out to be pretty funny at the end of the day, today was very very nice!!!!

We decided that we didn't want to tackle any more boating so opted to take a motorcycle ride.

Our original intentions were to go visit another brother and sister in law but that didn't work out.

So we did get together with one of Sweetmans brothers who also is a motorcycle fanatic, in fact his wife also has a full dresser Gold wing with a side car that she drives, but she had to work today and couldn't join us.

Anyway after a great Sunday sermon on a continuation the spiritual warfare series our pastor is taking us through we met up with brother #3. After a short discussion on where to ride it was decided to head north to Ludington.

I got my pictures loaded backwards here but we took the back roads along the lake shore, through Pentwater, past farms, cherry orchards and small towns.

We ended up at the house of flavors in downtown Ludington for huge sundaes that really hit the spot and then headed back home.

Stopping to take a small breaks to stretch the legs and work out the kinks.

Here's the boys as you can see Sweetman is the shortest but he has the most hair of all the brothers.

It was a fun uneventful day, which I was thankful for.

Laurel and Hardy here

You remember Laurel and Hardy, three Stooges, Buster Keaton, Little Rascals, Lucille Ball, you know slapstick comedy, well you should have seen Sweetman and I today, launching the 11.5 foot fishing boat this afternoon. If someone would have had a camera they would have won the $10,000 prize on the funniest videos for sure.

Picture this if you can, I'm standing on the dock holding the rope tied to the boat as Sweetman is backing the trailer into the water, when things started to go kiddywampus, you know the trailer is crooked, the van's right wheel is riding up onto the dock and Sweetman seems to be oblivious to whats going on behind him. So I start yelling "STOP, STOP"!!! At the same time the little trolling motor thats on the boat shifts and starts to fall off the boat, I reach down to grab it and about this time Sweetman realizes something isn't just right so he stops, which jolts the trailer and me trying to grab the small motor which is now half in the water, and I lost my balance and join it in the water. The boat by the way is now sideways on the trailer but not released free from the trailer. So now you have one wheel of the van up on the dock, one lady slightly wet, holding on to a small trolling motor and a sideways boat still on the trailer. Some people next to us are busy launching their boat with precision perfection and they look over at us with amused smiles and say to me, who is now very drenched and slightly upset.. "are you alright"?? I just nodded and smiled back.
By now Sweetman is standing at the back of the van yelling what happened, can't you pull the boat off the trailer? Ah, no its stuck!!! He gets back in the van as I pull myself on to the dock, and begins to pull the trailer and the sideways boat back out of the water, tries to straighten the van out and backs down the ramp again to attempt to release the boat, this time it floats off the trailer like it supposed to do in the first place.

Finally, we take off and head out into the water, fortunately it is warm and I dry off fairly well.
Now I do believe I have said I love the water and being out on it, however I may have to reevaluate that statement, or at least fine tune it just a bit. I love sailing, as in sail boats not power boats, and Sweetman seems to think everything has to go fast, even 11 foot fishing boats.

So as we are racing down the water way first my sun visor flies off and we have to turn around to retrieve it out of the water, so now I have not only slightly wet shorts and shirt on but my sun visor is dripping wet as I stick it back on my head. I have to keep the sun off my nose the Dr. said so, or it will fall off, I always get a sunburned nose.
Ok onward we go and I have to say it was very pleasant that is until suddenly the seat I'm sitting on crashed to the bottom of the boat for some unknown reason and the two of us just started to crack up laughing, you know the real belly laugh that you can't stop even if you tried.
At that point I told him I will not be going boating with him any more I don't think it is conducive to my well being, I never had such troubles sailing ever!!!

We made it back to the dock without any more mishaps but the first thing Sweetman says to me is "Ok, now how are we going to get it out of the water"? We did it just the day before without any problems so I don't know why it was such a hassle this time but it sure made for an eventful Saturday. Not so funny then but hilarious now!!!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot my cell phone has suffered a cardiac arrest, it is not meant to be submerged in water it was hooked to my waist.

Activities of the evening

Summer is my favorite time of the year, and I live in an area of Michigan where so many different kinds of activities can be enjoyed. We're a hop skip and a jump away from the water so tonight we traversed the waterways of the local river in our latest little fishing boat.

All went well getting it into the water, and we zoomed off, taking in the smell of fresh water, looking at the homes along the shore line, seeing an occasional blue heron or swan.

I'm not one to enjoy fishing but I love to be out on the water.

Sweetman likes to feels the wind in his face so he cranked up the speed a couple of times making the cool spray of water splashing on us. We took jackets along but didn't need them it was one of those warm summer nights that you wish could go on forever.

My favorite perch is on the bow but that turned out to be the wettest place so I sat back into one of the seats.

I think I need a pedicure don't you???

Random shots

Happy Tuesday to you. We just got a new camera so I took a few random shots today on my walk. I'm still learning the hows and whys, but so far it is pretty user friendly which I need and it has large enough instructions on the LCD screen so that I can read it without my glasses. My friend Mari, is always taking pictures of trees, she likes trees, and so do I. So here is one that is extremely tall and probably very old. I could hear a woodpecker up there some where but couldn't see it.

This old hand pump is in my yard but it isn't functional just for looks

I'm not sure what this flower is but it was growing along the road, almost like a small tree, it may be some form of hydrangea but I didn't think they grew wild.

This is a vegetable garden that I wish was mine but it isn't. This man puts a lot of effort and hard work into it each year. I walk by it everyday and its been fun seeing it grow. These people will eat well for sure.

Independence day fun in my town

I haven't posted much lately but just had to show you the fun time on the Fourth in my town. First of all you can see we are well protected and our hard earned tax dollars were put to work for this function. The police were very visible and all over the place to provide assurance of no out of hand rowdiness.






The location for setting off the fireworks is perfect. Up on this hill and across the river from the crowds. Here our firefighters are hosing down the grass to prevent any fires. This is a lesson learned after a huge fire broke out one year from the ashes falling on dry grass causing a fire that took over the hill.

Face book has nothing on this wall to wall mass of humanity. Many spent the day with coolers filled with snacks, games and any means you can think of to entertain rambunctious kids. Of course the beach is not far and walking the boardwalk to the light house is always a must when here.




We had a super good viewing spot just to the left of the tree and just beyond that you can see all the boats rafted off out in the channel. The Coast Guard did a great job of controlling the water ways.

Many of the boat owners decorated their boats with flags, and streamers.

We have what is known as the Musical Fountain that shoots up beautiful colors of water in different shapes and forms to music. Of course the selection of music was patriotic and played as the fireworks were going off. You couldn't help but think of all those gone before us and the price that they have paid to keep this nation free.

Hope all of you had a fun safe fourth and said a prayer of thanks to the Father for allowing us to live in the freedom we do.

Engage the Enemy, this is boot camp

Hey, did ya'll know that Satan is ruthless, and he has four schemes to get ya, he comes in disguise, all warm and fuzzy like, making us think just this one time it will be ok, and no one will find out. The old saying if it feels good its gotta be right.. NOT!!

2 Corinthians 11:14 and no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

He comes to deceive, makes us question our faith, is it real, how can you know? you really don't have to follow all those rules, your a prisoner, not free.

John 8:44 "you are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him."

He comes to divide, he'll appeal to our weakness, we want more, so we work more to get more and the family unit suffers, but its ok, the kids are busy anyway on facebook, or my space. Why bother getting married you'll just get divorced anyway in a few years, just live together until you get sick of each other, don't carry that child to term it will just be a burden in the long run. Go ahead and eat all the fat stuff you please, your body can take a lot, if your heart gives out I got ya...

Isaiah 59: 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

He comes to destroy, Satan wants to steal you joy, he will go to any means to turn your head away from God. Satan wants your daughters and sons. He entices and appeals to our inner most secrets. He wants our time, you don't need to read that Bible right now, why don't you watch some T.V. let your brain turn to mush so I can control it better.

1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

This battle with Satan and his demons is intense, there's a war taking place every day, every minute over our spiritual priorities. Victory requires disipline on our part and that is to stay in the word, having done everything, EVERYTHING!!! to stand firm. That might mean asking forgiveness for our sins, every hour, it might mean memorizing scripture, something I find very hard to do for some reason, it might mean saying no to your kids when they want to go out with the kids that your not so sure about, it might mean foregoing that extra piece of pie.

Battle with the devil requires disipline on our part and God will give us the strength, we don't have to fight this war. But we have to do EVERYTHING in our power to be strong in the Lord and His strength. That takes work, disipline, control of our actions, emotions, time, our private thoughts.

Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you,according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.

Now that is encouraging, isn't it?? I find it freeing to know God is helping me to fight this battle, He is far stronger than I am and He knows my weakness better than I do. Satan can get to us but he doesn't know everything and can't be everywhere, cunning yes, ruthless you bet, but greater is He in me than He that is in the world.

I'm preaching again I know but when these thoughts get in my head I have to put them down.

Fight the battle daily and live in victory

We need to ask God for a Mulligan

Has anyone ever heard of a Mulligan??? If your a golfer you probably know what that means. I'm not a golfer so when I heard this term it really didn't make any sense but last Sunday our sermon was about restoration.
Psalm 51 is all about that and the plea for mercy. Its about crying out to God for restoring a fallen soul.

Have mercy on me,
O God, according to your unfailing love,
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

David had just been confronted with his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba, and then having her husband killed. He saw his sin as God saw it and cried out for mercy. He needed mercy and restoration for his soul. Only God can give that by seeking forgiveness, by confession and repentance. That means we have to take action and call out to the Lord.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me
against you , you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight.

This country is falling apart at the seams, and lets be honest and call it what it really is, sin!
How can we expect God to have mercy on us when we kill the innocent unborn, when we bring laws into effect that say it is OK to marry same sex partners, when Christmas and Easter the two most holy holidays are turned into folly for a fat Rosy cheeked present toting man, and a bunny who hands out chocolate eggs??? When our very own president says we are not a Judeo-christian nation!!!

These are only on the forefront of my mind right now there are so many more sins that are becoming the norm in our daily lives, and they are covered over with, its just an altered life style or we have to be tolerant of how others feel or believe.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

We need to be on our faces before a Holy God begging forgiveness for our own sin as well as the sins of this great nation we live in. Praying for the eyes of our government to be opened, for the scales to be taken off the people to see clearly the path were headed on is straight to hell.

Create in me a pure heart , O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence,
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit ,to sustain me.

A "mulligan" is a do over in the golf game, if you hit the ball into the rough and your partner agrees, you can take the shot over. God gives us a do over or a mulligan if we seek His face and ask forgiveness, believe in the cleansing blood that the Son shed for us, its the only way to get to our permanent resting place in Heaven. This earth is not our final home, Praise God for that!!!

Our pastor left us with a little saying that says alot, I think you will like it too.

Sin takes us further that we want to go,
Keeps us longer than we want to stay,
Cost us more than we want to pay.