Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 17

what happens when you cram too much into 16 days

 TodayI was going to start posting pictures and stories from our vacation to the Dakotaslast week, but then I wrote a blurb on Facebook about how stressful the lasttwo weeks have been. Many people took that as my life completely falling apart.In reality, it was just overbooked. Here is what a spreadsheet might look like:

 

          Monday, June 3, 9:00 – low stress –phone preop visit for Hubby’s knee replacement on June 17. Oh, except that theydidn’t call until around 10:30 for this phone appointment

          Monday, June 3, 4:00 – low stress –Hubby’s physical therapy appt so he knows what to expect following surgery

          Tuesday, June 4, 9:30 – low stress –Hubby’s radiology appt for a CT of his leg prior to surgery

          Tuesday, June 4, 12:30 – slightly morestress – Hubby took the car to the dealer for an oil change and tire rotation,and of course they found other things to replace and it took longer thanexpected

          Tuesday, June 4, 4:00 – low stress –Hubby had to be back in town for his preop appt with his primary care provider

          Tuesday, June 4, all day – higher stress,because I make everything more stressful than need be – I cleaned house allday, washed clothes, and packed

          Wednesday, June 5, 7:00 am – medium stress– We wanted to leave for our drive to North Dakota, but were half an hour lategetting going due to some family drama, but where would we be without family

          Wednesday, June 5 through Thursday,June 13 – up and down stress – sometimes I wonder why anyone even takesvacations. Sure, you have a good time in the long run, but there’s the packingand traveling and getting lost, running into sketchy weather and road construction,unpacking, etc. Overall, though, yes, we had a very good time, and I will shareall about that in the coming weeks.

          Friday, June 14, 11:00 – low stress – finalcall to Hubby’s surgeon to get a time for Monday’s surgery. The rest of the daymostly spent washing clothes.

          Saturday, June 15 – low stress – more washingclothes and some house cleaning, while Hubby visited a friend and his aunt

          Sunday, June 16 – should have been nostress, but what would I do with no stress – I surprised Hubby by inviting thekids over for dinner for Fathers Day, but there was still stuff to do to get ready for hissurgery

          Monday, June 17 – massive stress – Youknow the saying: any surgery can be routine, unless you’re the one beingoperated on, then it’s a major surgery. Right?

          So Hubby got his knee replaced and itall sounded like it would be simple and everything did turn out all right, butit still turned out to be one of the longest days of my life

          Tuesday, June 18 – more stress – Let’sjust say it was another one of the longest days of my life. No matter what theytell you, knee replacement surgery is not for sissies and the patient’s spousebetter not be a sissy either. And I wouldn’t recommend going on a nine-dayvacation just before surgery.

Butwe are moving on and each day things will go smoother. And now you just can’twait to hear about that trip, right? I’m anxious to relive it myself.

The Challenge

I have the strength toface all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. (Philippians 4:13, GoodNews Translation)

I shared the same verse last Sunday, but today, Ithought I’d explain why it popped up on my radar last week.

We were on vacation in the Dakotas for several days (Inever post when I am gone coz it feels like announcing to the world, “Come robme; I’m not home"). On our second day on the road, we drove through the southernloop of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. There were many places to pull overto take in the scenic views and even a few trails going off into thewilderness.

At one such pull-off, a short trail led up to a bluff.Sixteen months ago, I would have charged up it without giving it a thought. Butfor the last nearly year and a half, I have walked gingerly wherever I went andeven resorted to using a cane when I was not sure of myself.

It really wasn’t that much of a slope, and the trailwasn’t even that narrow. But I still hesitated.

“Is this a smart move for me to take? There’s nothingto grab onto if I lose my balance or get a sharp pain in my back. I wouldn’thave the strength to help myself. I’m all alone out here.”

But there was the voice in my head—the other voice,the one that only encourages me: “Jesus will walk beside you up that hill andgive you the strength and confidence you need.”

When I got back to the car, feeling triumphant, Iasked Hubby if he wondered what had happened to me. I didn’t think he could seeme, but he assured me he had watched my every move.

Just like Jesus watched my every move, too.

Dakota Vacation Selfies - Blog Post 1

A week ago, Wednesday, June 5, we pulledout of the driveway for our nine-day vacation to the Dakotas and back. Thefirst picture shows that it was rainy that morning, but the forecast promisedimproved weather.

We just got home yesterday afternoon, so I am still processing the pictures and the memories. Today, I thought I'd post, in no particular order, all the awful selfies we took.

We don't seem to smile much, do we? 


Here's the final picture of the trip. The poor car almost got eaten up by bugs on the 2,300-mile drive. In addition to washing clothes today, I need to wash our faithful mode of transportation.  



 

No Challenge Too Great

I can do all thingsthrough Christ who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

I was doing something this past week which wouldn’thave been a big deal sixteen months ago. But as you know, since April 1 of lastyear, I have been defeated and broken in more ways than one.

But there I was that day last week, wondering if I wasup to the physical challenge that I put in front of me, when the above versecame into my head. I knew this verse, I’d heard it many times and in manyplaces. So where was it over the past sixteen months? I don’t know. Butsuddenly there it was and there I was meeting what should have been a minortask, had I been as physically fit as I had been in the past.

God is good and it is only through the strength ofJesus Christ that I have made it this far.

More next week about this teeny challenge. For today,I look at that picture above, and think, was that really me? Talk about achallenge, climbing and hiking miles through Hell’s Gate in Kenya, seven yearsago. I couldn’t do that now. Or could I?  

 

Oh, Glorious Day

 

I heard a loud voicespeaking from the throne: “Now God's home is with people! He will live withthem, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he willbe their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be nomore death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.” (Revelation21:3-4, Good News Translation)

I think it’s been a while since I’ve given you anyupdates on my chronic pain. I feel like that affliction itself is pretty much gone.Oh, sure, I still get the quirky pains in random places. I’d been doing wellfor a week, and then my left hip jerked me around, and I couldn’t bend for afew hours. But it loosened up, and life went on.

Mostly, my body is constantly stiff and achy. Istretch out my back throughout the day, but it only helps to a certain extent.My neck isn’t too painful anymore, but it is exceptionally stiff, so I can’tturn my head to check traffic while driving. Thank You, God, for the safetyfeatures in my car, like the backup camera and warning lights when someone isin my blind spot.

I can live with what’s been going on in my body, evenmy old nemesis – the kidney stone, which came out of nowhere Monday night.

The Bible passage above was yesterday's verse on the BibleGateway website. It reminds me that someday I’ll no longer have any pain; Iwon’t even have the stiffness and achiness. Oh, what a glorious day that willbe!

And then there was one

Asyou may recall, a year ago last January we made the tough decision to put downour Dino. He had lived with us for over fifteen years and had made friends withall the cats who came and went in our household. But his best buddy was theCheshire Cat, or Ches for short.

Last summer Ches was diagnosed with diabetes. He continued to go downhill, and we knew that eventually we would have to make a decision.

Over the weekend, his breathing got much worse, and he wasn’t interested in his food. When I called the vet on Tuesday, they were able to get him in that day.

Heis once again with his best buddy, Dino.

Ches was by far our most photogenic pet.

And sadly, poor little Emma is all we have left. 

Some Place I Know

Ayear ago, we sold my mom’s land to another relative of ours. On Memorial Day,Hubby and I had the honor of being invited out to visit that piece of propertywith its new owners. I was so happy to see them enjoying it – getting outdoorswith the kids and getting them away from their cell phones and video games.

Icouldn’t remember exactly where I had taken pictures of before, but I gave itmy best shot.

May 2024 July 2017

May 2024 July 2017
May 2024
August 2018
May 2024 Aug 2018They said they were going to put everyone’s hand prints on this rock. I thought it was a cool idea, until I saw the face on the rock. Hmm? Maybe a paint job would cheer him up. 

Someone I Do Know

 On Friday, I wrote about the last words that my parents said to me. My dad's words, I thought, were especially profound. "You are someone I should know."
Here's the really cool thing - when I die and go to heaven, all my loved ones who have gone before me will greet me and my dad will say, "You ARE someone I know."
And then you know what Jesus will say to me? "I know you; I have called you by name." Jesus more than just knows me as someone in passing, He knows me as someone He loves and was willing to die for. 
The Lord who created you says, “Do not be afraid—I will save you.  I have called you by name—you are mine. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you. For I am the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you. I will give up Egypt to set you free. I will give up whole nations to save your life, because you are precious to me and because I love you and give you honor. Do not be afraid—I am with you!" (Isaiah 43:1-5a, Good News Translation)  Some of my husband's family - grandparents, aunts, uncles and his mom.
Five of them have been called home to Jesus. 

Last Words

 
Mymom would have been 97 years old today. Hard to believe. But she passed away inFebruary of 2017, a few months shy of her 90th birthday.

Thedoctor had admitted her to the hospital that afternoon because she was declining so much. Ihelped the nurse tuck her in bed before returning to work at the clinic justdown the hall. I’m pretty sure the last words I said to her were somethinglike, “I love you, and I’ll be back when I finish with work.”

I’mpretty sure she answered with something like, “I love you, too. Thank you foreverything you do for me.” As if she hadn’t done more for me as my mother.

Twohours later, her doctor – the one I worked for – came out of his office to tellme the hospital had just called him to say my mom had passed away.

Quitethe surprise, but I knew she was ready.

Afew weeks ago, I watched an old episode of a TV sitcom where the character’sdad had died, and he couldn’t remember what his dad’s last words were to him.His dad’s death was even less expected than my mom’s, so why would he saysomething loving and meaningful?

Mydad had Alzheimer’s, and it was getting more and more challenging to keep himat home. Mom finally admitted him to the nursing home on a Friday morning, andI went to see him that afternoon. He was happily pacing the hall, along withseveral other residents who didn’t know what they were doing.

WhenI walked up to him, his face lit up. “You’re someone I should know.”

Ianswered, “Yes, Dad, it’s me, Chris.”

Hesmiled, nodded, and then kept walking down the hall.

Heended up in the hospital with pneumonia on that Sunday and passed away onThursday.

Ifeel blessed that both my parents had gentle words to say to me just beforethey left their earthly bodies. If any of your loved ones had less thankindness to share with you before their passing, please don’t sweat it. It’slife. But you might want to remember to say something loving to those you careabout whenever you see them.

(The picture is of my mom and my sister Pat at my first wedding in 1985. I always liked this picture - they both look so happy. I can't remember what Pat's last words were.)

Turtles, turtles and more turtles

LastWednesday, when we had that rare day of beautiful weather in the Northwoods, Itook a walk with a friend through a local park, and we saw a few turtles.

Okay, it seemed like more than just a few. How many can you see in the picture above?

But I did manage to take pictures of things other than turtles.

Andas nice as those shots were, I kept coming back to the turtles. How many canthere be on three different small bodies of water within a quarter mile of eachother?