Dear family and friends,

We greet you HOTLY (not warmly) from Phoenix this Monday afternoon. Soon it will reach 112 degrees. A friend from Mpls. mentioned on the phone that since we don’t have humidity – we are probably able to enjoy being outdoors and do lots of fun things. I told her that No – we rush from house to car to market or to Gym or church – between the sunbeams! Actually we are so very comfortable in our air conditioned double-wide and thank the Lord for all the comforts we enjoy.

We don’t expect to do much traveling this summer. Because of our challenges with ‘aging’ as well as the PROJECT I have been doing for LIFT (Leaders in Fellowship Together). Lots of you know that I have been involved in COACHING Women Leaders in Ministry for a long time. Now we are videotaping these classes and they will be put on DVDs and with a manual, will hopefully encourage and equip women in their ministries. IT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING thing I have done in years….your prayers are deeply appreciated.

July 30 and 31st are the dates for the taping of the 2nd series of six sessions at Calvary Community Church. They are so well equipped in their media ministry. I am in the process of putting together the manual for this second series.

DAVID is so patient - we take time out to go to the gym, out to lunch, to a movie (when there is one we can see!!!), or up to the rec hall for a potluck. We are enjoying the new pastor at Scottsdale Bible Church.

We have made contact with NIVEA LOPEZ, who now lives in Austin with her husband and now grown family. Nivea was the first young woman to come to the Lord 44 years ago in Puerto Rico – at our home. We just found a photo of the outdoor Sunday School in Barrio Monacillo. I am holding up one of the wonderful song charts that Betty made for us, and David has the guitar. Our Lois is the only red haired one in the group – about 4 years old. When we feel our limitations – we remember all the adventures the Lord has led us on and are very grateful! I may try to get the photo scanned for my computer.

Our kids are good - David and Carol and DJ staying close in this summer…Lois and Bryan are ‘at home’ in Liberty – and have had the worst of the Midwest weather go by them. Emily is in Washington at Warm Beach for 7 weeks, working in the Horsemanship Camp. Brianna works at a Vet’s office, but will go to Colorado for RUNNING CAMP late July.
Sam went to SUMMERFEST camp with his sisters (but they didn’t make much contact during the week of hundreds of Jr. and Sr. Hi kids - J)

Thanks for keeping in touch…we send our love

Daisy and David

Enjoy Your Vacation at Home

Go next door or across the street; sit there and wish you were home. Remarkably like being on vacation.

Examine the ruts the delivery truck made in your yard. Use a magnifying glass. Looks exactly like the Grand Canyon.

Fill your suitcases with books or bricks, and run to the car every day. Same thing as touring Europe. (Be sure to have a camera hanging around yur neck, too.)

Fill the bathrub with water, put in some sharp stones and a lot of gravel. Aha! Just like the beach!

Let the faucet run in the kitchen sink or bathrub. Sounds as if you were at Niagara Falls.

Leave the bedroom window open, without screens, so the mosquitoes can come in.
Just like Camping!

Stress relievers

Forget the diet center and send yourself a candy gram.
Make a things to do list of things you have already done.
Retaliate for tax woes by filling out your tax return in
Roman numerals.
Leaf through a National Geographic Magazine and draw
underwear on the natives.
Brush your teeth vigorously with Cheez Whiz.
Pound your head repeatedly on a pile of Wonder Bread.
Stare at people through the tines of a fork and pretend
they are in jail.

Still in the velcro boot!

Wish you could see me getting into this VELCRO boot each a.m.

Someone sent me this old phrase, updated a bit:

VENI, VEDI, VELCRO = I came, I saw, I STUCK WITH IT!

That's what I am working on.....

THOU SHALT NOT WHINE

John 1:16
From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another….

We have a wooden sign above our kitchen windows THOU SHALT NOT WHINE. How I need the reminder – the most effective antidote to whining is THANKSGIVING….listing blessing after blessing.
For instance, I broke my foot last week – the Doctor wisely reminded me that the greatest blessing of the break, is that I had not fallen and broken a hip. Hurray!

I have prayed over and over, for special grace to conquer complaining.
Just yesterday I learned of a pastor in Kansas City who gave his congregation purple flexible wristbands. They are to wear them on the right wrist – moving the bracelet to the left hand every time they complain, or are negative. He has distributed over a million to churches and individuals who have heard of the plan and want to join.
The goal is to go 21 days without complaining or WHINING. After several weeks trying, the pastor made it!

I am buying a bag of bracelets for us here at Boulder Ridge at our Spice of Life….Try it!

Family Photos

Our daughter Lois and husband Bryan and kids came to visit just before Easter. So with David and Carol and DJ,

we took the opportunity to have a family photo taken....here we are with the four grandkids, and then all of us together....enjoy!

WHATEVER!

WHATEVER YOU WANT, LORD….

W - Whoever You put in, or take out of my life…

H - However You want things to end up…only you see
the big picture.
A - As much as I can take, Lord…You know me best

T - Time is nothing to You…help me to be patient.

E - Everything is in Your hands…Help me to let go.

V - Victory comes with You as my guide.

E - Eternity with You will be worth it all!

R - Restoration is mine through You.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Just a note....

I have not posted any items in this BLOG for a few months. Please excuse....I do want to keep in touch and this seems at lest one way to do it. Phone calls or coffee klatches are better...

Just a note from us….
Mama used to address the family letters: Dear All, That sounds good to me because we would love to visit with you all – one by one – but hopefully this will keep us in touch. We appreciate so much the notes and emails…

April is the most beautiful month in Arizona…
It is also the month of David’s two cataract surgeries – he now wears only reading glasses. A week ago Sunday evening I was getting ready for a Monday morning trip to Tucson for some more LIFT (Leaders In Fellowship Together) classes, when I tripped in our kitchen, turned my foot HARD, and yelled. I won’t give you all the details – but my foot is broken and in a BOOT. Our prayer is that it will heal well so that I will not have to go to a plaster cast in another week.

We have a new family photo, which I will have Carol help me put on my BLOG.

Blessings on you – ALL, Daisy and David

Count Your Blessings....

John 1:16
From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another

We have a wooden sign above our kitchen windows THOU SHALT NOT WHINE. How I need the reminder – the most effective antidote to whining is THANKSGIVING….listing blessing after blessing.
For instance, I broke my foot last week – the Doctor wisely reminded me that the greatest blessing of the break, is that I had not fallen and broken a hip. Hurray!

I have prayed over and over, for special grace to conquer complaining.
Just yesterday I learned of a pastor in Kansas City who gave his congregation purple flexible wristbands. They are to wear them on the right wrist – moving the bracelet to the left hand every time they complain, or are negative. He has distributed over a million to churches and individuals who have heard of the plan and want to join.
The goal is to go 21 days without complaining or WHINING. After several weeks trying, the pastor made it!

I am buying a bag of bracelets for us here at Boulder Ridge at our Spice of Life….Try it!

Some New Perfume...

I received a very special gift of DAISY perfume. It came in a zippered gold case and the bottle itself has the shiny top of gold and white daisies. It is elegant and will be used carefully!
Paul, the apostle, encouraged and challenged the Corinthians with these words from The Message:
Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the
exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is
recognized by those on the way of salvation - an aroma redolent with life..." II Cor. 2:14-15
May this lovely cologne which bears my name be a reminder of the TRUE FRAGRANCE I desire of my life....even the knowledge of Jesus.

Not merely by the words you say,
Not only in your deed confessed,
But in the most unconscious way
Is Christ expressed.

Is it a beautiful smile?
A holy light upon your brow?
Oh no -- I felt his presence while
You laughed just now.

For me 'twas not the truth you taught
To you so clear, to me still dim,
But when you came to me you brought
A sense of Him.

And from your eyes He beckons me
And from your heart His love is shed,
Till I lose sight of you and see
The Christ instead.

GO OUT INTO THE WORLD UNCORRUPTED, A BREATH OF
FRESH AIR IN THIS SQUALID AND POLLUTED SOCIETY.
PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH A GLIMPSE OF GOOD LIVING
AND OF THE LIVING GOD. Philippians 2:15 msg

Did you get a new computer for Christmas?

The new girl in the office asks: My LAPTOP COMPUTER IS LOCKED UP, CAN YOU HELP?
Dilbert replies: REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT UPSIDE DOWN AND SHAKE IT TO
REBOOT.
New girl: Oh, THAT'S RIGHT.
Dilbert: I WONDER IF SHE'LL EVER REALIZE WE GAVE HER AN ETCH-A-SKETCH.!

A Lighter Touch

Someone has quipped: I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor's permission to join a fitness club and start exercising. I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But, by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over.

A Senior Moment

Carol Soderquist forwarded this wonderful note to me a while back.
"I received these words in a letter from Ingafrid, a mentor in the faith in Sweden. She and her husband are getting 'up there' in years, and she was describing their limitations of eyesight, etc. She said, "...we ae goriwng old and incapacitated. That means that we have to hand back by and by the gifts and abilities we have had on loan for so many years. And we have to say, 'thank you for the time we've had them'." What a blessing to know someone like this in whom His Spirit has been working for so long."
In this time of our lives, may we cheerfully surrender these gifts, and
pray for our continuing stewardship of all that God has given.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

It is as though we have been catapulted into the next year of our lives! On December 10, my husband was recovering from a bad cold, and when he tried to get up, he fell. 911 was called and
the firemen came. It was a friendly moment in the midst of the crisis when a couple of the firemen recognized David from the Community College Fitness Center! He is so social and talks to everyone..(ask me about it sometime). Five days at Mayo Hospital, then 3 and a half weeks at the Scottsdale Life Care Center - now home for two weeks. Life goes on and we thank the Lord with all our hearts for the loving support of family and friends. I am going to attach a photo of David in his new recliner.