Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 172

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In February 2010, when I first started blogging, I wasn’t quite sure how to find other bloggers with like interests. I was just new to Facebook, too, so I didn’t find much there either. I did a few searches on Blogger and one of the first blogs I found was “Thoughts from a Bag Lady in Waiting” by Linda Myers. At the time, she was counting down to retirement and I was counting down to getting up the nerve to just up and quit my job, so I thought that maybe I could glean some wisdom from her blog. She also likes to travel, so I thought that was another bonus.
At the time, she also had it in her head to write a book. Over the last years, having found lots of other blogs to read, I kind of have neglected the Bag Lady. When I would check in with her I noticed that her book was coming along and then suddenly I discovered it was out. I thought that due to my neglect I really owed it to the Bag Lady to get her book, so I downloaded it on the Kindle last week and barely put it down until I had finished.
“Return to Viet Nam: One Veteran’s Journey of Healing” was not at all what I expected. I knew it was the story of how Linda’s husband Art returned to Viet Nam as a way of dealing with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but I never realized just how complex the disorder is and how it effects everyone in your life.
Using a journal format, and including perspectives from everyone else involved, Linda shares the journey that she and her husband made to Viet Nam and back, both the physical journey and the emotional one. She describes the fascinating country of Viet Nam and how it is still struggling from the effects of the war. She even includes her own failings on the trip (something I so can relate to).
I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who has served during any war, the loved ones of anyone who has served, and anyone who is interested in Asian culture and history. This book is available from Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, both in paper format and e-reader. 

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs

A long while back, I promised that on Thursdays I would share a saying, some song lyrics or an interesting sign which I spied somewhere in my travels. I've been neglecting the sign aspect. I haven't run across any lately which warrant an entire blog post, but here are some from the archives.  This is at the city park in Houghton, Michigan. Doesn't this look like a lot of fun? But remember, kids, go down feet first.
I don't know about the aspargus salad, but I'd like to try one of Ken's pot pies.
But do those vehicles and their trailers need to be upside down?
 Bicycles? I think these are really wooden shoes.
Oh, the bicycles are in the background.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Tuttle

During the month of December, one of the bloggers I follow shared daily some of the toys which she had as a youngster. I had some of the same dolls, same games and same books. It was a great flashback and I thought that someday I would get out the old toys and share them with you. Then I realized that I really don’t have many of those old toys left. Or I don’t know where I stored them.
This afternoon, while cleaning out the linen closet I came across this great find.
Her name is Mrs. Tuttle. Yes, she is a little ratty but at 46 plus years old, I think she is managing. The story as I remember it is that my sister Pat and I were spending the night in Wausau with our much older sister. Judy is 15 years older than me and was working at a bank and living in an apartment building which is long gone. She bought me and Pat each a stuffed animal. Mine was the turtle and Pat’s – well it really wasn’t a stuffed animal.
It was this hideous plastic snake. If you can picture a Hawaiian lei where the flowers are four inches in diameter but flat and green, white or yellow thick plastic, and when spread out this thing is five feet long, that is pretty close to what that thing looked like. Hideous.  I don’t remember what Pat named the snake, but it had many adventures with Mrs. Tuttle and our other stuffed friends, who I suppose I will now have to tell you about next time. 

January poem #2

Another day of tryingAnother day with lots of sighing Another day to end up cryingAnother day you feel like dyingYou wonder when it all will endYou wonder how you can help this mendThat’s when you fall and stumbleWhen you feel lost and humbleThere’s only one place left to go That’s into the arms of your God and Lord.
A couple nights ago I woke up with someone singing the above lyrics in my head. Does anybody recognize these words? I really hate to steal them, but I thought I better check. I think that whoever that is who lives inside of my head wrote this and felt the urge to wake me at three am so that I could jot down the words. Too bad I don’t know how to write music or I would’ve written that down too, but the tune is lost forever. Or at least I hope it is because if I wake up another night with this in my head I will be seeking psychiatric help.
I think that most writers have been awakened in the night with a great scene from their book in their head, and they have to get up to write it down. Does anyone know if song writers wake up with new songs in their heads? Just wondering. 

Where do you go when you are sick?

Those who help the poor succeed will get many blessings.    When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.The Lord will protect them and save their lives.    He will bless them in this land.    He will not let their enemies harm them.When they are sick in bed,    the Lord will give them strength and make them well! 
Psalm 41:1-3Easy-to-Read Version
Since Tuesday, my daughter Val has been fighting the flu-bug. I went down to see her on Friday and she just wanted me to bring her home. I don’t care how old you are, when you are sick, don’t you just want to go to Mommy’s house?
So for the last two days, she has curled up on my couch during the day, watching movies and sitcom reruns. I have pretty much parked myself on the other end of the couch. Because why else does a baby girl want to come home when she is sick if not to have Mommy on the couch with her. 
The last two nights, I have been lying awake in my own bed listening to her cough. The poor baby. What I wouldn’t give to take this illness away from her, even if it meant me getting sick. I just want her to be healthy and full of life again.
Our heavenly Father looks at us the same way. He doesn’t want us to be sick or to suffer. He wants us healthy and happy. So much so that He sent His Son to take our illness away. We may think that sometimes we do suffer here on this Earth, but it is nothing compared to the pain we would endure if God hadn’t already saved us from our sins.
Thank you Lord for being the ultimate Physician. You not only heal our broken bodies, You heal our broken souls. Amen  

It's tough seeing this beautiful child not feeling well.
(This picture is from four years ago, by the way. I wouldn't dare take a picture of how she looks now.) 

The Inside Scoop on Writing Book Reviews (not really)

Last summer a writing friend of mine invited me to a writers conference at Country Memories Farm in Manitowoc. It was a wonderful weekend of learning more about the craft of writing, as well as making new friends.

One of the speakers, Debby Erdmann, shared the story of the road her own book took to publication. At the time, I could only hope that would be me one day, and now with my book out there, I can certainly relate. At the end of the day I had to buy her book, "The Inside Scoop on God".

This is the part that I am so bad at when I write a book review. How can I tell you how much I enjoyed this book? I really really loved this book. I laughed, I cried, I said, "Yes, this is me!" I make the same mistakes and I ask the same questions. I wonder what God is all about and does He really care about my dog and my cats and the roof of my house? Is is ok to ask Him that the new Christmas cookie recipe turns out good or to thank Him for rain on the day of that picnic I didn't want to go to?  What does He really think of me and how is it possible He loves me as much as He does?

If you have had similar thoughts you will be able to relate to Debby's amusing stories.

My Best

Just for today, I will appreciate myself. I will not look to others for approval; I will provide it for myself. I’ll allow myself to recognize that I am doing the best I can. Today my best is good enough. “Courage to Change: One Day at a Time in Alanon II”
If you have been reading this blog since the beginning, you have followed most of my life story. There’s a big piece which I left out and that was intentional.  In true-life movies, they say that certain facts have been changed to protect the innocent, but I really do want to protect the guilty too.
Back in 1988, when my first husband totaled the truck, I finally convinced him that our lives were out of control and said that we needed help. He agreed to AODA counseling and I started going to Al-anon. Whether you live with someone who abuses drugs or alcohol or not, a lot of the concepts of Al-anon (and AA as well) apply to numerous aspects of our lives.
 Keep It Simple ~   One Day At A Time ~ Let Go And Let God ~ Easy Does It  ~ But For The Grace Of God, there go I ~ Let It Begin With Me
Though I haven’t been to a meeting in many, many years, my “Courage to Change” book is still on my nightstand. Last night, God pointed me to it and I opened it to the verse above.
I’ve been kind of hard on myself lately – ok, basically when have I not been hard on myself? I think that I have to be perfect all the time and that everything I touch must also end up perfect. Guess what? Life ain’t like that. And imperfection is totally acceptable. Our best may not be THE best, but it is still our best. 

Dino wishes you a belated happy Christmas

Well, it is about time that Mom got off this computer for a few minutes so that I can post pictures of myself. She has been such a computer hog ever since she got a publisher for her book. I am even amazed that she took the time to take pictures of me (and I guess the rest of the family) over Christmas. Don't you think that she needs a break?  Here I am with my boy Nick. He is trying to teach me something. Silly boy, I already know all the tricks I need to know.
 My girl Val got something called a French rolling pin. Weird. It looks like a good stick to play fetch with.
 Mom, are you trying to distract me?
 Coz, I am on to your wicked ways. I know there has to be something for me in one of these presents.
Ahh, the best of times. Me distracting Mom when she is trying to type on her computer.

January poem #1

For some crazy reason, when I accepted the Ultimate Blog Challenge and committed myself to post a blog a day, I decided that on Mondays I would write a poem. I know, what am I thinking? I can't write poetry. Yet, by studying poetry, by stringing stingy words together line by line, any writer can become more attune to the finer aspects of description.

A friend of mine from Green Lake Writers Conference offers up a monthly poetry challenge. This month's challenge inspired me to pen not one but two verses. The longer one is submitted to Wilda's challenge, but the second one I share here.

I wrote a blog on this subject once. After you have absorbed these lines, check this blog post to clarify my imagery. And then let me know if you think I am completely daft. 


Dad’s New Safe
Big sisterBig safeLittle sisterBig gullible
“I promise I won’t close the door,Just see if you fit.”
I fit
“But I have to close the door,To see if you really fit.”
Life flashes before my eyesIt is not more than five secondsTill I see daylight againCan breathe again
Big sisterBest friendReally?Little sisterDesperate for friendsI would say. 

Who's in your Manger?

I was going to write about the gift of the Magi or maybe something to do with the twelve days of Christmas, since it is the twelfth day of Christmas today. I went on-line to do some research and came across this story. Click on this link for the entire article. It is taken from the website of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Rochelle, New York. 


In 1994, two Americans traveled to Russia to teach morals and ethics in prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. During the Christmas season, they shared the story of the first Christmas with the 100 orphans at the orphanage. Then they helped the children to recreate their own nativity scenes using scraps of fabric, cardboard and paper napkins.
One of the Americans watched as one six year old boy, Misha, finished his project and put two cloth babies in the manger. Through the translator he asked the young boy to explain why where there were two babies.
Misha accurately retold the story of Jesus birth until he got to the end of the story. This is what he had to say:
"And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay.   "I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift.   "So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.""So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him---for always."
The volunteer who wrote this story went on to write:
As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed.    The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him-FOR ALWAYS. I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.