Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 132
August 23, 2015
All Dogs Go To Heaven
“A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won't be too bad.”—Robert Wagner (actor, The Longest Day)
I just read on Facebook that some friends of ours put their dog to sleep. Cinnamon had just celebrated her seventeenth birthday, which is very old for any dog, but she was a golden retriever, and an internet search just told me that the average lifespan for that breed is twelve.
I haven’t seen Cinnamon in many years, but I’ve heard her stories and seen her pictures. I feel a loss in her passing, but not nearly the loss her family must feel.
I look at my devoted Dino and wonder how I will survive losing him some day, what a hole will be left in my heart when he’s not there waking us up at five a.m. every morning without fail, when he doesn’t greet me at the door every night so excited that I have returned to his house just to see him, when he doesn’t plop his 60 pound body of fur on my lap when I am trying to read in bed at night. What will my yard look like in the spring without two wheelbarrows full of poop?
Which brings up the question – do dogs go to heaven? To which all of us dog lovers know the answer.
"Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." —Mark Twain (author, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)
I just read on Facebook that some friends of ours put their dog to sleep. Cinnamon had just celebrated her seventeenth birthday, which is very old for any dog, but she was a golden retriever, and an internet search just told me that the average lifespan for that breed is twelve.
I haven’t seen Cinnamon in many years, but I’ve heard her stories and seen her pictures. I feel a loss in her passing, but not nearly the loss her family must feel.
I look at my devoted Dino and wonder how I will survive losing him some day, what a hole will be left in my heart when he’s not there waking us up at five a.m. every morning without fail, when he doesn’t greet me at the door every night so excited that I have returned to his house just to see him, when he doesn’t plop his 60 pound body of fur on my lap when I am trying to read in bed at night. What will my yard look like in the spring without two wheelbarrows full of poop?
Which brings up the question – do dogs go to heaven? To which all of us dog lovers know the answer.
"Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." —Mark Twain (author, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)
August 20, 2015
Short Track
Monday night around midnight, I returned home from my fifth Green Lake Christian Writers Conference. I searched those words on this blog and I must be boring you to death with stories from the previous four trips there. I’ll cut it short this time, just like my time at the conference again this year.
I took 120 pictures, mostly on the grounds of the Green Lake Conference Center, in the day and a half that I was there. Let me just share some of them, then we can both get to sleep.
Yup, there I am, all serious.
This little boy was so cute, checking out the statue of kids his size.
With Lynne, a friend who I dragged along with me this year.
I took 120 pictures, mostly on the grounds of the Green Lake Conference Center, in the day and a half that I was there. Let me just share some of them, then we can both get to sleep.
Yup, there I am, all serious.
This little boy was so cute, checking out the statue of kids his size.
With Lynne, a friend who I dragged along with me this year. August 16, 2015
Someone is there to pick you up
9 Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together.10 If one falls down, the other can help him up.But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (New Century Version)
My husband and I left our daughter’s wedding reception early last Saturday night. We are getting too old to party all night. I crawled into bed at the hotel, exhausted, and laid there wide awake for hours. I didn’t feel like I had anything on my mind, but I couldn’t get to sleep.
Around midnight, panic seized me out of nowhere. My daughter. Something had happened to my daughter Val. She was in pain and needed my help. The feeling was so intense that I had the urge to wake my sleeping husband, get dressed, jump in the car and drive the 20 miles back to the reception.
The feeling passed and I eventually drifted to sleep.
In the morning, when I talked to Val, she was miserable. She had fallen some time after midnight and knocked her knee cap out of place. She’s got bad knees and this has happened before. She knew what to do about it. She was not only in physical pain, but emotional pain that this had to happen now.
My feelings were spot on.
But Val was surrounded by family and friends when she had fallen. She wasn’t alone. Loving arms picked her up and caring individuals got her an ice pack. In the morning, not just one, but two sets of crutches were delivered by people who care about her.
What a blessing to have support in our time of need.
Heavenly Father, thank you for surrounding us with family and friends, people who care about us and are willing to pick us up when we fall. Thank you for sending people like that into my daughter’s life. And thank you, Lord, that her knee is doing better, and please grant her full healing. Amen.
My husband and I left our daughter’s wedding reception early last Saturday night. We are getting too old to party all night. I crawled into bed at the hotel, exhausted, and laid there wide awake for hours. I didn’t feel like I had anything on my mind, but I couldn’t get to sleep.
Around midnight, panic seized me out of nowhere. My daughter. Something had happened to my daughter Val. She was in pain and needed my help. The feeling was so intense that I had the urge to wake my sleeping husband, get dressed, jump in the car and drive the 20 miles back to the reception.
The feeling passed and I eventually drifted to sleep.
In the morning, when I talked to Val, she was miserable. She had fallen some time after midnight and knocked her knee cap out of place. She’s got bad knees and this has happened before. She knew what to do about it. She was not only in physical pain, but emotional pain that this had to happen now.
My feelings were spot on.
But Val was surrounded by family and friends when she had fallen. She wasn’t alone. Loving arms picked her up and caring individuals got her an ice pack. In the morning, not just one, but two sets of crutches were delivered by people who care about her.
What a blessing to have support in our time of need.
Heavenly Father, thank you for surrounding us with family and friends, people who care about us and are willing to pick us up when we fall. Thank you for sending people like that into my daughter’s life. And thank you, Lord, that her knee is doing better, and please grant her full healing. Amen.
August 14, 2015
Story of a Wedding Day
As you may recall, my daughter got married this past weekend. Which explains my negligence in writing this blog all summer. Hopefully I will get back on track. What did my day last Saturday consist of?
After running a few other errands, Hubby and I piled these flowers in the back of my car.
Then dropped the flowers off here, where a friend of my daughter's turned them into beautiful bouquets and center pieces.
My daughter and I supervised the preparation of transforming four friends from young ladies
Into beautiful hillbilly women.
Luckily I had no part of this - taking that poor pig out of the cooler
And fitting him onto this grill.
But my most important task was taking this
And this
And creating this. Over 25 years ago when I first made her, I never imagined she would ever, ever turn out so beautiful.
I sure didn't think this motley crew would be her wedding party.
Or that we would get them safely on this dock and back to dry ground.
But a momma will do anything for her family.
And a momma's daughter will always be her baby girl.
Even when she is now joined as one to a fella like this.
And that's how the hillbilly wedding turned out.
After running a few other errands, Hubby and I piled these flowers in the back of my car.
Then dropped the flowers off here, where a friend of my daughter's turned them into beautiful bouquets and center pieces.
My daughter and I supervised the preparation of transforming four friends from young ladies
Into beautiful hillbilly women.
Luckily I had no part of this - taking that poor pig out of the cooler
And fitting him onto this grill.
But my most important task was taking this
And this
And creating this. Over 25 years ago when I first made her, I never imagined she would ever, ever turn out so beautiful.
I sure didn't think this motley crew would be her wedding party.
Or that we would get them safely on this dock and back to dry ground.
But a momma will do anything for her family.
And a momma's daughter will always be her baby girl.
Even when she is now joined as one to a fella like this.
And that's how the hillbilly wedding turned out.
August 5, 2015
Neglected, but not Forgotten
I have been so neglectful of this blog. When I first started writing The Dino Chronicles in 2010 (five years ago, holy cow!), I posted something nearly every day. I cut back to four times a week, then three. This summer I think I have been averaging twice a week.
Yes, I have had a lot going on, so I am not going to beat myself up. What I am going to do, if I can't write about, is share the rest of the pictures from our trip to the UP the end of June.
The Free Library, obviously, at the public garden in Hancock.
At Finlandia University in Hancock.
Again, obvious.
The lift bridge between Hancock and Houghton.
Dino doing the thing he loves the best, playing fetch in Lake Superior.
Me and Dino the Wonder Dog on the beach at Calumet Waterworks Park.
The entire reason for our trip (or at least the Hubby's), to buy goodies from the monks at Jampot.
Most awesome place I've been to. Essery Park.
I didn't know bald eagles hung out along Lake Superior. But since this was near Eagle Harbor, it all makes sense.
One of the restored homes at Old Victoria.
I promise to get back on track after my daughter's wedding this weekend.
Yes, I have had a lot going on, so I am not going to beat myself up. What I am going to do, if I can't write about, is share the rest of the pictures from our trip to the UP the end of June.
The Free Library, obviously, at the public garden in Hancock.
At Finlandia University in Hancock.
Again, obvious.
The lift bridge between Hancock and Houghton.
Dino doing the thing he loves the best, playing fetch in Lake Superior.
Me and Dino the Wonder Dog on the beach at Calumet Waterworks Park.
The entire reason for our trip (or at least the Hubby's), to buy goodies from the monks at Jampot.
Most awesome place I've been to. Essery Park.
I didn't know bald eagles hung out along Lake Superior. But since this was near Eagle Harbor, it all makes sense.
One of the restored homes at Old Victoria. I promise to get back on track after my daughter's wedding this weekend.
August 2, 2015
What Advice Do I Have?
With my daughter’s wedding coming up next weekend, I wanted to write an inspirational post about marriage. Unfortunately, most of the Bible verses which clearly discuss marriage include the word submit, as in “wives submit to your husbands”. Which causes every young woman in this country to get her hackles up. I think that this word means something different today than it did two thousand years ago. But I’m not going to go there; I do not have time tonight. It’s bad enough I am writing this at 9:00 at night instead of my usual nine a.m.
What I will say however is that the women who lived during Biblical times were a strong and feisty bunch. In my Tuesday morning Bible study we are reading “Twelve Extraordinary Women” and to supplement that study I am reading “Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter”. And I can tell you that so far none of these women are doing what I would consider “submitting” to their husbands.
Yes, their husbands are the head of the household and the leaders of the family. And their wives follow that lead. But if you read much of the Bible, you will see that, behind the scenes, the wives were still running the show. Not so much different from today.
The story I want to share doesn’t involve a husband and wife, but a mother and her Son. Mary was a feisty one in her own way.
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus and his followers were also invited to the wedding. 3 When all the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why come to me? My time has not yet come.”5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to do.”(I can’t help but picture Mary rolling her eyes at Jesus’s statement, knowing that no matter He says, He is still going to do what His mother asks Him.)6 In that place there were six stone water jars. The Jews used jars like these in their washing ceremony. Each jar held about 20 or 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled the jars to the top. 8 Then he said to them, “Now take some out and give it to the master of the feast.” So the servants took the water to the master. 9 When he tasted it, the water had become wine. He did not know where the wine came from. But the servants who brought the water knew. The master of the wedding called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “People always serve the best wine first. Later, after the guests have been drinking a lot, they serve the cheaper wine. But you have saved the best wine till now.”John 2:1-10 International Children’s Bible
Maybe not words of wisdom for my daughter’s upcoming marriage, but maybe a good story to keep in mind for the wedding.
Mason Jar wine goblets for the wedding.
What I will say however is that the women who lived during Biblical times were a strong and feisty bunch. In my Tuesday morning Bible study we are reading “Twelve Extraordinary Women” and to supplement that study I am reading “Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter”. And I can tell you that so far none of these women are doing what I would consider “submitting” to their husbands.
Yes, their husbands are the head of the household and the leaders of the family. And their wives follow that lead. But if you read much of the Bible, you will see that, behind the scenes, the wives were still running the show. Not so much different from today.
The story I want to share doesn’t involve a husband and wife, but a mother and her Son. Mary was a feisty one in her own way.
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus and his followers were also invited to the wedding. 3 When all the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why come to me? My time has not yet come.”5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to do.”(I can’t help but picture Mary rolling her eyes at Jesus’s statement, knowing that no matter He says, He is still going to do what His mother asks Him.)6 In that place there were six stone water jars. The Jews used jars like these in their washing ceremony. Each jar held about 20 or 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled the jars to the top. 8 Then he said to them, “Now take some out and give it to the master of the feast.” So the servants took the water to the master. 9 When he tasted it, the water had become wine. He did not know where the wine came from. But the servants who brought the water knew. The master of the wedding called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “People always serve the best wine first. Later, after the guests have been drinking a lot, they serve the cheaper wine. But you have saved the best wine till now.”John 2:1-10 International Children’s Bible
Maybe not words of wisdom for my daughter’s upcoming marriage, but maybe a good story to keep in mind for the wedding.
Mason Jar wine goblets for the wedding.
July 28, 2015
Michigan Mostly Wild Flowers
Hubby, Dino and I took an overnight trip to our favorite place last weekend – Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. I still haven’t gone through all the pictures, but I did pare it down from 160 to 122. 
I thought that I would share at least these theme pictures – flowers, most of them wild and along Lake Superior. 
No flowers here. But can you pick out the beauty that I spotted as we were driving along the road. One of the few times when Hubby appreciated me shouting “stop the car”.
July 26, 2015
Wedding Day Countdown
I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 International Children’s Bible
One of the first blog posts I wrote had to do with sewing and my daughter’s faith in me. Click here to read it.
That baby girl of mine is getting married in less than two weeks and she is once again placing her faith in me. Here are just some of the things I have spread around my house in my quest to answer her plea to remodel her wedding dress.
All I can do is turn around and place my faith in Christ to get me through, not only the sewing of the dress, but the entire wedding day and these two weeks leading up to it.
God, Heavenly Father, grant me Your peace to endure these stressful days. Be with Val and her fiancé and bless their marriage. Amen.
One of the first blog posts I wrote had to do with sewing and my daughter’s faith in me. Click here to read it.
That baby girl of mine is getting married in less than two weeks and she is once again placing her faith in me. Here are just some of the things I have spread around my house in my quest to answer her plea to remodel her wedding dress.
All I can do is turn around and place my faith in Christ to get me through, not only the sewing of the dress, but the entire wedding day and these two weeks leading up to it.
God, Heavenly Father, grant me Your peace to endure these stressful days. Be with Val and her fiancé and bless their marriage. Amen.
July 21, 2015
Just Sharing a Miracle Baby
I don’t like reposting other people’s blogs because it seems the lazy thing to do. But I’ve been following this family’s story since March and thought it was time to share it.
Click here for the first link that chronicles Baby Annalise entering this world and her first week. It is a long post, but you can skim it if you need to.
Annalise has hydranencephalus and hydrocephalus. From another of her mom’s blog posts: Hydrancephaly is where the brain’s cerebral hemispheres are absent to varying degrees. So from what we understand right now, Annalise does have brain tissue and her hemispheres. It’s just that the ventricles, where the fluid is stored, were larger than they should be when formed. So the brain had to form around the ventricles in a sense. Because of this, the fluid was building up so much that it just pushed the tissue to the outer rims. All that to say, the brain is somewhat there, it just isn’t fully formed. Her brainstem and cerebellum are completely developed though which is why she is doing so well.And from another post: Hydrocephalus is the excess fluid in the brain. This is the cause and reason for her abnormally large head.
The first pictures of Annalise haunted me at first, but as I have followed her story and watched her grow, I can see how precious and beautiful she is. I share her story to remind you that each life matters and each baby brought into this world, each baby conceived, is a gift from God. Also, if you have read about her, you will realize what a miracle she is; she wasn't expected to live more than a few hours. She is now five months old!
In the more recent posts of Annalise here, you can see how adorable she has become. You can also follow her progress on her parent’s Facebook page.
Click here for the first link that chronicles Baby Annalise entering this world and her first week. It is a long post, but you can skim it if you need to.
Annalise has hydranencephalus and hydrocephalus. From another of her mom’s blog posts: Hydrancephaly is where the brain’s cerebral hemispheres are absent to varying degrees. So from what we understand right now, Annalise does have brain tissue and her hemispheres. It’s just that the ventricles, where the fluid is stored, were larger than they should be when formed. So the brain had to form around the ventricles in a sense. Because of this, the fluid was building up so much that it just pushed the tissue to the outer rims. All that to say, the brain is somewhat there, it just isn’t fully formed. Her brainstem and cerebellum are completely developed though which is why she is doing so well.And from another post: Hydrocephalus is the excess fluid in the brain. This is the cause and reason for her abnormally large head.
The first pictures of Annalise haunted me at first, but as I have followed her story and watched her grow, I can see how precious and beautiful she is. I share her story to remind you that each life matters and each baby brought into this world, each baby conceived, is a gift from God. Also, if you have read about her, you will realize what a miracle she is; she wasn't expected to live more than a few hours. She is now five months old!
In the more recent posts of Annalise here, you can see how adorable she has become. You can also follow her progress on her parent’s Facebook page.
July 19, 2015
Psalm 37
I haven’t shared anything from the Book of Psalms in a very long time. I kind of like this one and can’t think of anything that needs adding. It is a long chapter though, so I didn’t reprint it all. You might want to check it out or maybe I will copy it for next week.
Psalm chapter 37 Don’t be upset because of evil people. Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.2 Like the grass, they will soon dry up. Like green plants, they will soon die away.3 Trust the Lord and do good. Live in the land and enjoy its safety.4 Enjoy serving the Lord. And he will give you what you want.5 Depend on the Lord. Trust him, and he will take care of you.6 Then your goodness will shine like the sun. Your fairness will shine like the noonday sun.7 Wait and trust the Lord. Don’t be upset when others get rich or when someone else’s plans succeed.8 Don’t get angry. Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.9 Evil people will be sent away. But people who trust the Lord will inherit the land.10 In a little while there will be no more wicked people. You may look for them, but they will be gone.11 People who are not proud will inherit the land. They will enjoy complete peace.12 The wicked make evil plans against good people. They grind their teeth at them in anger.13 But the Lord laughs at the wicked. He sees that their day is coming.14 The wicked draw their swords. They bend their bows.They try to kill the poor and helpless. They want to kill those who are honest.15 But their swords will stab their own hearts. Their bows will break.16 It’s better to have little and be right than to have much and be wrong.
(from the International Children’s Bible)
Psalm chapter 37 Don’t be upset because of evil people. Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.2 Like the grass, they will soon dry up. Like green plants, they will soon die away.3 Trust the Lord and do good. Live in the land and enjoy its safety.4 Enjoy serving the Lord. And he will give you what you want.5 Depend on the Lord. Trust him, and he will take care of you.6 Then your goodness will shine like the sun. Your fairness will shine like the noonday sun.7 Wait and trust the Lord. Don’t be upset when others get rich or when someone else’s plans succeed.8 Don’t get angry. Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.9 Evil people will be sent away. But people who trust the Lord will inherit the land.10 In a little while there will be no more wicked people. You may look for them, but they will be gone.11 People who are not proud will inherit the land. They will enjoy complete peace.12 The wicked make evil plans against good people. They grind their teeth at them in anger.13 But the Lord laughs at the wicked. He sees that their day is coming.14 The wicked draw their swords. They bend their bows.They try to kill the poor and helpless. They want to kill those who are honest.15 But their swords will stab their own hearts. Their bows will break.16 It’s better to have little and be right than to have much and be wrong.
(from the International Children’s Bible)
