Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 162
September 24, 2013
Tell this guy's story for me
Since hearing the news Saturday morning about the shootings at Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, and continuing to follow the ongoing events there, I haven't been wearing my creativity hat. I've mostly been trying to just stay busy, clean house, spend time with the hubby, get caught up on reading. Oh, and I'm on vacation this week. Maybe a good thing. I don't want to have to focus on other people and their problems right now. Patients who haven't got a clue what life is like in a foreign country.
But I am starting to ramble. I will not get on my soap box and vent to you, my faithful blog followers. Instead, I will offer you the opportunity to write my blog for me.
A few weeks ago, as I wrote at the time, I took my kinship kid to our local animal park. This little opossum was so cute. Someone help me out. Tell me what he is thinking or what his story is.
Isn't he adorable?
But I am starting to ramble. I will not get on my soap box and vent to you, my faithful blog followers. Instead, I will offer you the opportunity to write my blog for me.
A few weeks ago, as I wrote at the time, I took my kinship kid to our local animal park. This little opossum was so cute. Someone help me out. Tell me what he is thinking or what his story is.
Isn't he adorable?
September 21, 2013
Never stop looking to Jesus
We must never stop looking to Jesus. Hebrews 12:2a (Easy to Read Version)
One afternoon last week, a young mother brought her baby in to our clinic for her well-child checkup. As I laid the little one on the table to measure her, she kept looking at her mother with bright trusting eyes. I’d call her name to get her attention, and she would turn her head to me for just a second before turning back to Mom. At just two months old, she already knew who she adored, who supplied all of her needs and who would never let her down.
Good thing she didn’t look at me with any devotion. When the doctor was done examining her, I returned with three immunizations.
Most babies don’t like the first shot, but they can’t quite figure out the pain, so it’s not so bad. By the second shot, they have processed the pain and are not happy. At that point they are crying their heart out. The third shot. Well, it doesn’t matter by then. I just get the vaccines in as fast as I can. After I slap on the last Band-Aid, I tell Mom it’s ok to pick the baby up.
The sweet little baby girl last week was no different. She just wanted to get into Mom’s arms. That tiny two-month old brain already knew that Mom would make it all right. Her tears subsided quickly.
It just reminded me of life with our heavenly Parent. We look to God with devotion when things are going well, but as soon as the pain starts or we run into problems, we forget where to turn. It isn’t until He reaches down and takes us into His loving arms, that we feel safe again, that the pain eases. That we can look to Him again with devotion, knowing that He will provide our every need.
I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help.Like servants, alert to their master’s commands, like a maiden attending her lady,We’re watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy. Psalm 123:1-2 (The Message)
(The pictures are of my kids, one of Nick and one of Val. I won't tell you which is which. They get mad enough at me when I post pictures of them.)
One afternoon last week, a young mother brought her baby in to our clinic for her well-child checkup. As I laid the little one on the table to measure her, she kept looking at her mother with bright trusting eyes. I’d call her name to get her attention, and she would turn her head to me for just a second before turning back to Mom. At just two months old, she already knew who she adored, who supplied all of her needs and who would never let her down.
Good thing she didn’t look at me with any devotion. When the doctor was done examining her, I returned with three immunizations. Most babies don’t like the first shot, but they can’t quite figure out the pain, so it’s not so bad. By the second shot, they have processed the pain and are not happy. At that point they are crying their heart out. The third shot. Well, it doesn’t matter by then. I just get the vaccines in as fast as I can. After I slap on the last Band-Aid, I tell Mom it’s ok to pick the baby up.
The sweet little baby girl last week was no different. She just wanted to get into Mom’s arms. That tiny two-month old brain already knew that Mom would make it all right. Her tears subsided quickly. It just reminded me of life with our heavenly Parent. We look to God with devotion when things are going well, but as soon as the pain starts or we run into problems, we forget where to turn. It isn’t until He reaches down and takes us into His loving arms, that we feel safe again, that the pain eases. That we can look to Him again with devotion, knowing that He will provide our every need.
I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help.Like servants, alert to their master’s commands, like a maiden attending her lady,We’re watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy. Psalm 123:1-2 (The Message)
(The pictures are of my kids, one of Nick and one of Val. I won't tell you which is which. They get mad enough at me when I post pictures of them.)
September 17, 2013
Why the name of this blog?
Of course, you already know that this blog is named after my dog, and you’ve maybe noticed that for some reason we call him the Wonder Dog. Why is that? What has he done to earn that title?
Hmm? He doesn’t do any special tricks, just the standard sit, shake, lay. It’s a struggle to get him to rollover; by that time he is just too excited. Once I give him one treat for being a good boy, I might as well forget it.
He has gotten better about staying in the yard, but still wanders off if given the chance. He doesn’t wander off to relieve himself either. No, the whole backyard, as I believe I mentioned in another blog post, is his toilet.
I really wish I could teach him how to pick up the phone and bring it to me when I need to make a call. Or could he get me a cold beverage from the frig like that one dog on the commercial (not that he would bring me a beer, because there are none in my frig).
He can’t seem to understand what weekends are for. He has it in his head that seven days a week we all need to bound out of bed at five a.m.
But he sure loves his kids, any kids. Any child between the ages of four and forty-four comes in my front door and the dumb dog runs and brings every toy in the house as an offering. No, not really, he will keep bringing things until someone starts playing fetch with him.
He does know the following phrases, “Go get a toy”, “Go to the back door”, “Who’s here?” He does not know “Go find the kitty”. Again, I have blogged about those escapades that my husband and I partake of on winter nights when it is time to eradicate the cats from the house. The dog does not participate in this.
And yet there are times when he shines. When my mom comes over, walking slowly, slightly hunched, needing to hang on to something as she navigates my house. Dino stays at her side, he doesn’t jump, he doesn’t get under her feet like he constantly does to me. When she sits down, he sits next to her. Asking for nothing but a pat on the head. Ok, that’s not true at all. He knows that she will feed him table scraps, and he will take them as gently as if a snowflake were falling from the sky.
And when I am sick, when I am in bed with a migraine like I was earlier this week, he will not leave me. He follows me from bed to bath to couch and back again as I try to find some kind of relief. He lays at my side and his brown eyes intently watch me, raising one brow-less brow and then the other.
Oh, I guess he is ok for being a dumb mutt.
Hmm? He doesn’t do any special tricks, just the standard sit, shake, lay. It’s a struggle to get him to rollover; by that time he is just too excited. Once I give him one treat for being a good boy, I might as well forget it.
He has gotten better about staying in the yard, but still wanders off if given the chance. He doesn’t wander off to relieve himself either. No, the whole backyard, as I believe I mentioned in another blog post, is his toilet.
I really wish I could teach him how to pick up the phone and bring it to me when I need to make a call. Or could he get me a cold beverage from the frig like that one dog on the commercial (not that he would bring me a beer, because there are none in my frig).
He can’t seem to understand what weekends are for. He has it in his head that seven days a week we all need to bound out of bed at five a.m.
But he sure loves his kids, any kids. Any child between the ages of four and forty-four comes in my front door and the dumb dog runs and brings every toy in the house as an offering. No, not really, he will keep bringing things until someone starts playing fetch with him.
He does know the following phrases, “Go get a toy”, “Go to the back door”, “Who’s here?” He does not know “Go find the kitty”. Again, I have blogged about those escapades that my husband and I partake of on winter nights when it is time to eradicate the cats from the house. The dog does not participate in this.
And yet there are times when he shines. When my mom comes over, walking slowly, slightly hunched, needing to hang on to something as she navigates my house. Dino stays at her side, he doesn’t jump, he doesn’t get under her feet like he constantly does to me. When she sits down, he sits next to her. Asking for nothing but a pat on the head. Ok, that’s not true at all. He knows that she will feed him table scraps, and he will take them as gently as if a snowflake were falling from the sky.
And when I am sick, when I am in bed with a migraine like I was earlier this week, he will not leave me. He follows me from bed to bath to couch and back again as I try to find some kind of relief. He lays at my side and his brown eyes intently watch me, raising one brow-less brow and then the other.
Oh, I guess he is ok for being a dumb mutt.
September 15, 2013
From Kenya to Uganda to Wisconsin
All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Galatians 2:10 New International Version
Today is the big day. The organizational meeting for Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., the nonprofit that my daughter Val is forming to help the people of Kenya. I pray that it all goes well and we have a good turnout.
And because we serve a God who is bigger than all of our plans, yesterday I met a man who runs an orphanage in Uganda. Joseph is here in America for a month to raise awareness and funds for Bulamu Children’s Village. He is staying with a fellow writer while he is in Wisconsin, so I drove 155 miles one way to attend the Pens of Praise writers group, knowing that he would be there.
He kept saying that he is not a writer, yet he shared a moving devotion which he had written. His words took me right back to Africa and I could picture the children gathering around, begging for their daily ration of biscuits.
The children. “Sigh”. May God be with them, no matter where they live, no matter their circumstances. May God free them from their poverty, whether they are lacking in physical or spiritual things.
Jesus said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Mark 10:14 New International Version
Can you believe that I didn't take any pictures yesterday? And what a beautiful setting we were in! I pulled these pictures off of Debby Erdmann's Facebook page. Thanks, Debby, for the hospitality and all the work you do for the orphans of Bulamu.
Today is the big day. The organizational meeting for Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., the nonprofit that my daughter Val is forming to help the people of Kenya. I pray that it all goes well and we have a good turnout.
And because we serve a God who is bigger than all of our plans, yesterday I met a man who runs an orphanage in Uganda. Joseph is here in America for a month to raise awareness and funds for Bulamu Children’s Village. He is staying with a fellow writer while he is in Wisconsin, so I drove 155 miles one way to attend the Pens of Praise writers group, knowing that he would be there.
He kept saying that he is not a writer, yet he shared a moving devotion which he had written. His words took me right back to Africa and I could picture the children gathering around, begging for their daily ration of biscuits.
The children. “Sigh”. May God be with them, no matter where they live, no matter their circumstances. May God free them from their poverty, whether they are lacking in physical or spiritual things.
Jesus said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Mark 10:14 New International Version
Can you believe that I didn't take any pictures yesterday? And what a beautiful setting we were in! I pulled these pictures off of Debby Erdmann's Facebook page. Thanks, Debby, for the hospitality and all the work you do for the orphans of Bulamu.
September 14, 2013
A Challenge of Windows and Doors
A couple months ago, I discovered another blog challenge, A Personal Photo Challenge. I thought it sounded like a great idea as it would be a chance to show off some of my more obscure photos, or to even have an excuse to take obscure photos. If you have been following me at all, though, you know that I have my hands into so many other things, that I don't know what makes me think I can take this on as well. But when the photo challenge for this month posted in August, I though, ah, ha, I got this one.
The theme is "Windows and Doors". I already had some cool pictures which I thought would work, but that day back in August, when I stopped at the Novitiate near Gresham? Would any other place offer more awesome windows and doors?
The theme is "Windows and Doors". I already had some cool pictures which I thought would work, but that day back in August, when I stopped at the Novitiate near Gresham? Would any other place offer more awesome windows and doors?
September 12, 2013
To Remember and to never forget
Our entire world had changed on September 11, 2001. Living in the relative safety of northern Wisconsin, things like terrorist attacks were a distant tragedy. I prayed for the victims and the survivors and all of the affected families. I cried that evening when I drove into our yard after work and saw that Nick and Val had lowered our flag to half-mast. I called my friend in Minnesota just to hear her voice. My brother-in-law had been in Washington that morning on his way to the Pentagon. My prayers included a tearful thank-you that God had kept my loved ones out of harm’s way. Five years after that, I felt safe in Africa. Except for the quilt-fetching incident in the slums, I was confident nothing bad would personally happen to me or the team. While we were in Kenya, however, just days before we were to leave, fourteen suspected terrorists were arrested in the London airport. With the liquids they planned to carry onto their planes, they hoped to construct bombs. Security worldwide went on high alert.
(Excerpt from Chapter 16, A Time of war and a time of peace, "A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven: One Woman's Trip to Africa - My Story")
Ok, maybe I am a day late with this, but are we are ever too late to share, to remember, to look forward with hope and to pray without ceasing.
September 10, 2013
Embarrass?
I was driving home from a writers conference this summer, taking the back roads, when I came across a sign for Hayman Falls.
I may not have been to every waterfalls in my fair state, but I thought that I had heard of every one of them. Naturally, I was intrigued and followed the signs to this small parking area. I put on my walking shoes and started up the trail.
A very picturesque river. Apparently it's the Embarrass River. Wonder where that name came from?
Still walking. Did I mention that it was close to 90 degrees out and humid?
Oh, looks like I must be getting close.
Is this it? I believe so. I could have kept walking I suppose. At one point there was a dam somewhere along here and that is probably where the falls came in. The water looked pretty calm though the further upstream I went.
Ok, I wasn't disappointed, though, but perhaps that's why it's called the Embarrass River. But this waterfalls isn't nearly embarrassing as this:
Really? Someone thinks that someone is going to steal this bench from the middle of the woods?
I looked up the Embarrass River on Wikipedia. The French word for obstruction is embarrass. So that would explain that.
I may not have been to every waterfalls in my fair state, but I thought that I had heard of every one of them. Naturally, I was intrigued and followed the signs to this small parking area. I put on my walking shoes and started up the trail.
A very picturesque river. Apparently it's the Embarrass River. Wonder where that name came from?
Still walking. Did I mention that it was close to 90 degrees out and humid?
Oh, looks like I must be getting close.
Is this it? I believe so. I could have kept walking I suppose. At one point there was a dam somewhere along here and that is probably where the falls came in. The water looked pretty calm though the further upstream I went.Ok, I wasn't disappointed, though, but perhaps that's why it's called the Embarrass River. But this waterfalls isn't nearly embarrassing as this:
Really? Someone thinks that someone is going to steal this bench from the middle of the woods?I looked up the Embarrass River on Wikipedia. The French word for obstruction is embarrass. So that would explain that.
September 8, 2013
Are you living on an ark?
All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another. Genesis 8:19 New International Version
Yesterday I went to the local zoo with my Kinship kid. She has been there many times and just loves seeing (and naming) all of the animals.
For myself, it wasn’t quite so much fun. Having seen these animals in the wild, in their natural habitat, it is so hard for my heart not to break seeing them behind bars, knowing that their habitat is now a fraction of what it would be in the wild.
I know that zoos serve their purpose. They are there to educate people about these magnificent creatures in a way that looking at pictures in books cannot come close to achieving. Zoos also allow some of our most endangered species to survive. Efforts in many of the world’s zoos and animal preserves are keeping these animals from becoming extinct.
It wasn’t until I looked up the story of Noah that this really dawned on me. Conditions in that ark had to be worse than nearly any of our country’s zoos. And even though it hadn’t been for the lifetime of these animals, they had to be scared and uncomfortable.
Just like those animals on the ark, sometimes we are scared and uncomfortable. Maybe our boat is different, but we are still cramped, if not physically, then often times emotionally and spiritually. We feel like we aren’t living where we should, that this isn’t the life we were meant for.
But this life here on Earth isn’t eternity. It is a short piece of all time. One day we will be set free. We will be in heaven, able to roam the vast spaces we were meant to roam, live the life that God set out for us.
Then I saw this zebra. Do you see a word in the stripes on his back? At first it looked like it read “Jesus”, but I can also see the word “life”. But aren’t those really the same words?
Yesterday I went to the local zoo with my Kinship kid. She has been there many times and just loves seeing (and naming) all of the animals.
For myself, it wasn’t quite so much fun. Having seen these animals in the wild, in their natural habitat, it is so hard for my heart not to break seeing them behind bars, knowing that their habitat is now a fraction of what it would be in the wild.
I know that zoos serve their purpose. They are there to educate people about these magnificent creatures in a way that looking at pictures in books cannot come close to achieving. Zoos also allow some of our most endangered species to survive. Efforts in many of the world’s zoos and animal preserves are keeping these animals from becoming extinct.
It wasn’t until I looked up the story of Noah that this really dawned on me. Conditions in that ark had to be worse than nearly any of our country’s zoos. And even though it hadn’t been for the lifetime of these animals, they had to be scared and uncomfortable.
Just like those animals on the ark, sometimes we are scared and uncomfortable. Maybe our boat is different, but we are still cramped, if not physically, then often times emotionally and spiritually. We feel like we aren’t living where we should, that this isn’t the life we were meant for.
But this life here on Earth isn’t eternity. It is a short piece of all time. One day we will be set free. We will be in heaven, able to roam the vast spaces we were meant to roam, live the life that God set out for us.
Then I saw this zebra. Do you see a word in the stripes on his back? At first it looked like it read “Jesus”, but I can also see the word “life”. But aren’t those really the same words?
September 6, 2013
Let me help you, Mom
Mom feels bad that she totally forgot to write her blog last night, so this morning, while she was running around trying to get to a meeting at work by 7 am, I looked at her with my big brown eyes and said,
"Let me do it for you." So here I am.
Mom has got a lot on her plate right now - what does that mean anyway? "A lot on your plate". Is it like having a lot of food in the food bowl? Because that never happens to my bowl. I empty it just as soon as I can.
Anyway, I should write something inspiring like Mom always does, but I kind of have food on the brain right now. Of course, when do I not have food on my brain? The only other thing I think of is sleeping on the bed all day while Mom and Dad are gone and going for a run with Mom. I am glad that Mom still takes me for a run when she can. I love going for a run. It is my favorite thing next to eating and sleeping. Oops, I guess I told you that already.
Wow, I don't know how Mom does it. I can't type much more. The puppy paws are starting to cramp.
But one more thing. You may be hearing from me more now. Mom says that she is publishing a second book and will be busy working on that every night until it comes out later this fall. I don't know what this book is about, but I don't think I am in it. I think she needs to keep writing until she comes up with a book about me. I mean, really? Is it enough to name your blog after me? I don't think so.
I gotta go nap. This wore me out. Have a good day!
"Let me do it for you." So here I am.Mom has got a lot on her plate right now - what does that mean anyway? "A lot on your plate". Is it like having a lot of food in the food bowl? Because that never happens to my bowl. I empty it just as soon as I can.
Anyway, I should write something inspiring like Mom always does, but I kind of have food on the brain right now. Of course, when do I not have food on my brain? The only other thing I think of is sleeping on the bed all day while Mom and Dad are gone and going for a run with Mom. I am glad that Mom still takes me for a run when she can. I love going for a run. It is my favorite thing next to eating and sleeping. Oops, I guess I told you that already.
Wow, I don't know how Mom does it. I can't type much more. The puppy paws are starting to cramp.
But one more thing. You may be hearing from me more now. Mom says that she is publishing a second book and will be busy working on that every night until it comes out later this fall. I don't know what this book is about, but I don't think I am in it. I think she needs to keep writing until she comes up with a book about me. I mean, really? Is it enough to name your blog after me? I don't think so.
I gotta go nap. This wore me out. Have a good day!
September 3, 2013
There's no place like home.
There's no place like home, except maybe when it get hitched behind a tractor and driven 180 miles down the road. Even though this mobile home was Mom's home for 17 years, lucky for me, it was never my home. I think I maybe slept here three times. But it is still sad to see it be driven off. The good thing is now that this home has a new home where it can keep its owner happy and cozy for many more years.
