How sweet the sound

I did something for a friend that was, perhaps, a little bold. I tried to show them that I care when they told me they had a problem. With nothing in my heart but a desire to help I sent them what I could think of that might ease their way. Then I didn't hear from them - until the other day.

I felt so glad to know that they were not upset with me that I cried for joy. I still don't know if I hurt or helped but they accepted that I tried. I am thrilled that we are still friends. I don't have enough to let one slide.

I stick my neck out a lot. You know that if you read along here. Sometimes I have to get a new head but I don't seem to change my behavior. This time it only cost me weeks of wondering if I had offended them or if they understood what I tried to do. I thought I might have really offended them.

Now my heart is at peace and that is something I really felt. I don't want to hurt my friends, I only want to help. I know that sometimes what I think might help seems a little strange. It's sort of like chronic foot in mouth. I call it being me.

What I try doesn't always work. I will almost always try. Not always wisely; not always gently; I won't just go by.

I'll attempt to pull you out even if you're a Mack truck and I'm an S-10. But I might toss you a tow chain and hit you in the head with it. I'll burn the clutch out in the effort. I won't leave you stuck if anything I can do will get you out and I will put it all on the line.

We all hate getting busted or punished or hurting ourselves or others. Half the trouble we get into is trying to avoid shame, pain, embarrassment, or worse, for our actions. If you take an action you have to accept the consequence.

Today's thought is that to forgive (To excuse for a fault or an offense) is not always easy; whether it is for others or ourselves. Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting and so it seems a half way measure to me sometimes.

Then, I thought, maybe it would be better to give amnesty ( a period during which offenders are exempt from punishment) . Amnesty was better yet. No punishment, just come on home. I liked that thought a lot. But there is a time limit included.

I don't want to excuse myself, (to release somebody from blame or criticism for a mistake or wrongdoing ) I want to totally have the event or action removed from my heart and I don't want a time limit on it.

I got carried away again, playing with the dictionary, sorry. Let's not leave out mercy ( leniency and compassion shown toward offenders)

Then I hit the word "pardon". (To release a person from punishment; exempt from penalty). To free myself or another from ever being punished. No record kept, no possible affect on your life or mine. Not a bad word for it.

If you add up all those words and thrown in how relieved I felt in my heart you will understand the word search. I wanted to describe how relieved I felt. None of them was quite right.

If I have no excuse and if I made a mistake, you may forgive me, showing mercy, or pardon me but I will hope to be granted grace (free and unmerited favor or beneficence).

My friend has graced me. How can you show you care more than that?

I understood a little better the power of Divine Grace for the showing of that grace to me from another person. May we all learn to give more of it, I know it eased my heart.

It's a fairy land tale that's come true...

"It was just another day with my favorite person on earth beside me where I could tell him how much I love him and hear how much he still loves me. "

http://forwardho.blogspot.com/2006/07/this-tiny-ring-is-token.html

http://forwardho.blogspot.com/2005/09/it-had-to-be-you.html

I forgot it was our anniversary. Is that good or bad?

It was bad when I remembered, but only for a moment. When I see how many are unhappy, lonely, hurting, in sad or bad relationships when we had so much love in our lives I just can't be sad remembering the day it was made legal.

Bless the mate for loving me and Bless me for loving him. We did right by each other. The only hurt is that my days are not as joy filled anymore. Perhaps they will be again, maybe not. I reach for it but acknowledge that true love is rare.

I live to show that true love is real, I had it and may have it again. I live to show God's love is real or I could not walk on without my first true friend.

If I did not walk in His love I would be there already. I could not have recovered to the point of forgetting our anniversary if the Divine Love did not hold me up each day.

In memory of what we had and in memory of my mate please, if you have an "other" in your life, do something special for them today.

Gonna sit right down and write myself a letter...

Heading for the weekend, not much to say but I love you all, see you when I think up shareable material!

Hugs!

Gotta roll on between the ditches

I went to a bluegrass festival this weekend. My favorite band was The Wright Sisters, http://www.wrightsistersbluegrass.com/ . They were fun, enthusiastic and talented. They not only made great music and had tight harmonies but they loved what they were doing. I would enjoy seeing them again anytime.

I hit the guitar workshop and the slow jam at the festival and met a lot of fun people making fun music. Aside from the low temps at night it was a great time.

I got to visit with my cousins and the Uncle that live over there. We jammed on the guitars a little and talked. They are doing ok. They lost their mom last year and it hit them pretty hard.

Jeanette is expecting her drywall to arrive tomorrow. Things are finally shaping up at her home. In spite of all the troubles in the family this year they are all still pulling together. I am tickled for her and looking forward to the first Thanksgiving there. She may be in by the end of October if things keep moving along well. I am so glad for her. She is ready to go home, big time!

#1Son and DIL are closing on their new home Friday with a pretty much "move right in" time frame so they are very excited. I love the area they are in and it's about half way to everyone in both families. I can't wait to see it!

The blessing is that all my kids have their own places now. Life is always uncertain but they have all got good starts to build on for now. I am so glad for them all. Scoooter Girl and her man got their place this summer. The boy is the last to land but he has pulled it off himself, with his loving wife working with him. I am proud and pleased for them all.

The Mom is up to her usual, she brought in another stray. He will be at bible study tonight and I will get to know him a little better. He seems like a nice guy, just another "no work in Michigan" hard luck story that needs a boost to get back on his feet. We can help with that. Jeanette is putting him to work in his profession, painting, as soon as she can get the board finished. Team work and caring about each other gets us by.

I will be getting the white truck back, I am trading the car for it. The #1Grand gets an automatic and I get back my stick. I lose the trunk room but I gain the security I feel being able to load and haul or tow whatever comes to me.

The summer is closing with no rides on the bike with anyone. I rode, but I rode solo. The boy will be taking it with him when he moves. I will find another bike to ride in the spring, I hope. By then I should have some idea of which way my life is going to go financially.

I am heading for Kentucky in October with Rebel and, maybe, Rustryder, if he can get off work. I will vacation with them for a week or so on their place down there. I plan to wander around behind the little animals in the 100 acre woods and see if I find anything to stop me from moving south or to encourage me to go there. I have always wanted to live in Tennessee. I am thinking about it some.

Life keeps me moving forward to see what happens next.

walk this way, talk this way

Did you ever do something that seemed to make absolutely no sense only to find out that it was exactly what was needed later? I always get weirded out when something like that happens.

You stay at a yard sale, done looking, but not leaving yet and don't know why then a minute later some long lost friend turns up to greet you. Maybe you decide to say hang it all to the chores and take the kids to the park then pull a boy out of the river and drive him safely home to his family, minus fishing pole, but alive and well. (I did that one, too)

I left my house once after putting a pair of full sized sissors in my purse that I walked by, looked at, picked up, thought "Take them with you.", decided "OK, why not?" and went on my way.

Walking the side of a road, later that day, I met a birthday boy that had his new jeans wound up in the gears of his new 10 speed bicycle. He had fallen, managed to get him and the bike up, but was hopping on one foot and then pushing the bike ahead.

I cut him lose with minimal damage to the jeans, reset the chain and sent him on his way. Let's just say that one freaked us both out. Me, that I had the right tool, him that he met me in the middle of nowhere and I helped.

You can't know when you get the urge to go out of your way or change your plans why the idea came to you. You either do it or you don't. Knowing why may never happen. That you did it is a form of faith, I think. You trust the urges you feel, even when they seem strange.

Call it ESP or the voice of God, the results are the same. You did something "for no real reason" and then may see later it met a need.

So if you meet me somewhere and I am carrying a few leaves of burdock, don't bother to ask me why. I will tell you I felt like picking them and that I know they are good for burns, but I don't know why I did it. Just smile as you go on your way and know I am out here trying to help in what ever way I feel lead.

Put me in jail for having too much fun

Too much fun. Don't believe it! Can't have too much fun.

Wednesday I played with a band at a picnic for the long term patients at the Thinks it's a big City Hospital. The partner of the drummer I jammed with works there. He arranged it and it was a blast. Boy, I learned a lot! I need more practice.

I am getting it! Played at the jam session Thursday last week and had a wonderful time there, too. I didn't make the Saturday bunch this week, maybe next. I went to a weekend party at the home of some of my new friends and played there last night. Outside, barbeque going, covered stage and lots of players. I may go back today sometime.

I went to here the local "Big Band" play and got wowed by their singer when she showed up. She reminded me of an Aunt I had and she had a pure and clean voice that hit all the notes. It was a blast, I love big band music.

Then the bass player I meet at the picnic and his band were playing on the stage at the Labor Day fest, too. I stayed to hear them and the drummer, whom I knew as a child and is the age of my Eldest, had his little daughter up to sing. She really did a great job for such a small child and the crowd loved it. The little kids stole the show with their dancing and enjoyment of the music.

So I have been out and about and loving it, sorry I have not stopped by to mention what a wonderful time I have been having.

I had a thought I am throwing in for your consideration. I woke up with a train of thought that combined several things and ended up with this.... The truth has no inflection. Maybe the truth needs no inflection is closer to what I thought. I hadn't had my coffee yet. Play with it and see what you come up with.

Later friends!