32 Years

I've lived in Oklahoma 32 years now.  I realized that when I read a news report of the big tornado that hit this area 32 years ago.  Actually there were several and the worst one hit Wichita Falls.  I remember riding it out in the closet of a house that we had rented.  Now I live in a trailer house.  Why?  I don't know, if I had it to do over I would buy a frame house but I don't have it to do over.  We'll probably live the rest of our lives in this trailer because it's a whole lot cheaper than a regular house although it is scary in storm season.  The house itself isn't scary it's just that the weather people are always hysterical about storms around here.  Even though it's been 32 years since we last had a tornado and we can wait another 32 years in my book.  Actually this house would probably hold up about as well as some of the houses they're slapping up around here.  No worry about storms right now.  It's bone dry with low humidity and wind.  There's a big grass fire in North Texas, over 100 miles away.  I hope they get it put out soon and no one gets injured.  That's the big fear right now, fire.  We could use some storms to break the drought.  Droughts are common in this area just like storms are common.  God made this a short grass prairie and put buffalo on it.  Then white people came along and changed all that.   It's just not good farm country. 

I finally had enough extra money to have my hair cut the other day.  She did a great job, I'll probably go back there.  All the barber/hairdressers were Korean ladies.  I got a neck massage out of the deal as well.

Seven more Sundays and the Sunday School year is over.  I'm looking forward to going back to an adult class.  The Children's Division Director already has someone to take my place. 

I've been forcing myself to eat 3 vegetable and 2 fruit servings every day.  It's amazing what that does for the digestive tract.  I'll probably add another vegetable soon.  "They" always say to eat more veggies but I didn't think it was all that important.  I'm a believer now. 

I still haven't taken photos of the drawings that I've done recently and we haven't taken any road trips because the gas prices are too high.  But I still have some photos that I can use for the photo of the day that I haven't used before.  At least I don't think I've used them before.

Photo of the day, I took this photo a few weeks ago when we were out riding around and checking out the little country cemeteries.

God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;

taking, as Jesus did,

this sinful world as it is,

not as I would have it;

trusting that You will make all things right

if I surrender to Your will;

so that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

-Reinhold Niebuhr