A Sweet Moment for Papa...

Saturday I went to the nursing home to visit Papa around lunch time. The weather man indicated bad weather coming in the late afternoon and I wanted to be home if and when that hit.

As I walked down the hall Papa lives in to his room, I passed Paul's room. Paul sits at the end of the table for dinner and Papa sits beside him. They tell the same stories over and over again and never tire of them. That my friends is a tender mercy. Paul's family was there and they were cutting his hair. We chatted about that and then I found Papa, told him it was about time for lunch and asked if he wanted to walk on down to the dining room with me. He agreed and we were off to the dining room.

We sat down and visited for a bit. Then Paul and his family joined us. Paul's daughter and her daughter and her daughter were there. That meant Paul's daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter were visiting him. The little one was 9 years old. 

She told me she sang Paul a song about Baby Jesus. I asked her if she would sing it again and she was very happy to do that. She took her Grandmother back to Paul's room to get the words so she didn't mess up. Her mother found the music on her cell phone. Then the little one cleared her throat and got close to Papa so he could hear her soft voice. Like a little angel she sang her song about Baby Jesus birthday as loud as she could so Papa could hear. He grinned and enjoyed it so very much. When she finished she reached over and gave him a big bear hug. He reciprocated.

I love these moments. I told this precious little one she just gave the best Christmas gift she could ever give to Papa and thanked her for doing that. It was one of those moments where a tear comes to my eyes and I felt the true Spirit of Christmas.

A Claude Christmas Poem...

Claude posted this on Facebook today. How cute is this?

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AGAIN...

T’was the night before Christmas, again…

And all over the places

The old folks were mobile, painting smiles on their faces

The brisket was smokin out back on the deck

And Pa’s acting calm but he’s an emotional wreck…

You see the grandkids are comin, as fast as they can

And soon they will be here, “devices” in hand…

They’ll wind us all up as soon as we’re sittin

And make lots of noise and mess up Ma’s knittin…

Then the food will abound, and bring “Yum’s” all around

Here’s hoping the brisket don’t turn way too brown…

Then boxes and bags, and gifts we’ll review

Assuming that Amazon finally comes through…

Yes, tis the season of givings and goings galore

When we’ll all look forward to eating leftovers some more..

Till then at the end, the carnage we’ll view

Looking forward to January when the bills will come due

When the year is near gone, and the grandkids as well

And Ma and Pa whisper, “I think that went swell”…

Then they’ll smile and sigh, as the kids leave their sight,

And grab the packed bags and head for their flight

In someplace warm and someplace quiet

They’ll look back on December tucked in at the Hyatt…

WISHING YOU AND YOUR'S A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS 

AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Feeling Christmas...

Yesterday (since I am posting this in the wee small hours of the morning), while visiting with Papa, we went to the multi-purpose room to sit. I took Papa a donut for a treat and we were eating a donut each and having a soda to sip on. They announced over the PA system that they would have a little worship service with communion at 11am for anyone who chose to participate. I told Papa and we decided to stay for that and sing with them.

Glen starts these with a prayer. He works to keep it open to everyone of all faiths. He has someone who comes in to play the piano and, after the prayer, they sing songs to get everyone involved. There is a good supply of Baptist hymnals. We all take one and choose any song we want to sing as a group. This day all the songs people chose were Christmas carols. 

Then Glen had us turn to page 407 to sing Because He Lives to prepare for the passing of communion. I love this song. I have heard it before and the melody is just beautiful and lends itself to a very easy and equally beautiful harmony. It was fun to sing the harmony to this musical selection. These are the words:

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

CHORUS:
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is with the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

CHORUS:
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is with the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river;
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know he reigns.

CHORUS:
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is with the living just because He lives.

My mother was a good old Southern Baptist when she met my father. She was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after they were married. So I grew up with a Baptist hymnal in my home and enjoyed all the old Baptist hymns. This was not one of them but I have heard it and loved the music through more recent years.

Today it just made me feel good. I sat in that room full of people who have come to live their final days in this little nursing home. The final verse seemed so fitting for each of them and for me. I view my own mortality more directly each passing day. Caring for my parents in their final days has taught me some things and helped me to know and understand some things I probably would not have felt as strongly or understood as deeply. Each of the residents will 'cross that river' some day as will I. Each of them is fighting life's final war and some with lots of physical pain and all with emotional pain. I understand that. But the hope that comes in the knowledge that Christ does live and he died for me so that I too might live is the reason for the joy in this Christmas season of the year. So I drank in the goodness of this simple hymn from the beauty of each note to the simple message contained in its words. I shall live because He lived and died for me. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

Ugly...

Thursday, December 21st, we attended the Kentucky League of Cities Christmas lunch. It was held at Portafino's in Lexington. Very nice restaurant. Claude and I each chose vegetarian lasagna. We were served a salad first. The lasagna was really good, lighter than lasagna usually is. Tiramisu was dessert.

This year they had an Ugly Sweater Contest. Each year KLC receive lots of gifts from corporations and law offices and others they work with through the year. They collect all these gifts and give them as prizes to the employees who participate in the contest. This is a really nice thing I believe as the employees do lots of work to make their operation run smoothly. They are a happy group that seems to really enjoy working and playing together. While Robin, who is an officer, did not participate, he did dress for the occasion and was kind enough to let me take pictures of him in his attire.

These people are just really nice and so much fun. Thanks for sharing your Christmas lunch with us.

Christensen Christmas Letter 2017...

Claude writes it. I mail and eMail it. Enjoy!!

THE CHRISTENSEN FAMILY CHRONICLES

Circa 2017

Hi There.  Read and Remember as There Will Be A Test Later…

WE THE FEEBLES…

Why is it that as we age the clock seems to move faster?  Enquiring minds want to know…  It seems like the ink is just barely dry on our last update to you.  Not to mention that next month I have to do the taxes…again…  On that happy opening z,m,’salvo, we begin this year’s update.  Be not faint of heart.

Vegetable-wise (the garden, not the author) we had a fairly productive year, growing a small but tasty harvest of the world’s most expensive tomatoes and some nice herbs (the vegetable, not the neighbor).  Got some top-notch salsa out of the deal and oh yeah – Claude 1 – Deer 0.   Thanks to the green thumb of a neighbor, we had a good supply of zucchini and he perfected, perfected I tell you, his zucchini bread baking skills.  There is still a loaf in the freezer if memory serves… (I must make a note of that).

While the grass kept re-growing regardless of how often he cut it Sadieville’s First Couple had a fairly full cultural agenda.  Trips hither and yon yielded entertainment encounters to and including: Another Eagles encounter – this with the 2017 version (added Vince Gill and Deacon Frey).  They still don’t miss a beat (corny but had to be said).  Also, we went to see Ronnie Milsap on his Farewell Tour; Neil Diamond on his 50^th anniversary tour; Mama Mia (again) and Credence Clearwater (for some reason we had a particularly good time at this one).  December included a real corker to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert in Lexington.  We also took the grandmonsters to the Wizard of Oz and a couple of the Harry Potter Concert series performances.  Travel also ensued but I’ll cover that shortly…

He completed his term as President of Kentucky League of Cities and moved on to his new assignment as Immediate Past-President (this is akin to being a pair of brown shoes in a world full of tuxedos).  It was a busy but productive and enjoyable year.  He traveled over 9200 miles and visited 36 different Kentucky cities at least once; Testified a time or two before the Kentucky General Assembly; Traveled to Washington D.C. twice to meet with KY Congressional Leaders; and found a new favorite place (Jeckyl Island, Georgia) by way of attending a Southern Municipal League Conference.  Just recently he returned from the National League of Cities Summit in Charlotte, NC.  In an unanticipated turn of events, He was reappointed by the Governor to the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center Board and elected Chairman, so he’s got that going for him.  Oh yeah, and he did put some time and effort into that Sadieville Mayor thing.  A good and growing year all in all.

She continued her life’s work as the real heart and true domestic goddess of the family -- On point constantly as primary caregiver for her Dad, Husband, Children, Grandmonsters, and Great-Grandmonsters.  She also continued her CES work as an Institute Teacher molding young, mostly unemployed, post-pubescent minds toward their respective possibilities.  She also came on-board as a Specialist in an effort to aid her main squeeze in his new church assignment with Self-Reliance Services.  She once again shined as the chief weeder of the City Flower beds too.  Just for fun (kind of), in early February he bought her a new car, marginally as an anniversary present.  Then, again mostly for grins and giggles, she gave him a wink and a nod that led to his buying a new Jeep in late February.  Some might think that the Midnight Amethyst (dark purple) Buick Envision was the grease that allowed the Ultra-Green-Don’t- Need-To-Turn-The-Light-On-In-The-Garage-Jeep Wrangler to take up residence in Sadieville.  To that I can only say, in the finest tradition of our political leaders, “I do not recall.”

To summarize a busy 2017 domestic travel schedule we reference the aforementioned auto-buying frenzy that led to several trips north to ferry old cars to new owners who live up that way.  (The kids think they’re going to get a nice inheritance when in reality what we’re doing is just giving them old cars.)  I think we are on trip 6 at this point for the year.  Of course there were contributing factors including an additional great-grandmonster arrival, revisiting the original great grandmonster, supervising a relocation to a new house even further north, and getting next to what have to be the best gyros in the world.  We the Feebles also ventured up to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame so that is now off the bucket list.  He took a quick trip to Utah to visit gramma Bonnie and attend his ?? Class Reunion (who ARE all those old people).  Our Christmas date this year saw us head down to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to lounge around, look at the lights, and eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

We must make mention of our premier travel of the year.  In late March and early April we boarded a big ol’ airplane and traveled far to the west to visit the far east – in this case China.  It was a two-week effort that gave us a chance to visit several Chinese Provinces and get a good feel for the Chinese people and their history and geography.  China is big with lots of people and is a far more rural country than we had anticipated.  We climbed the Great Wall (as best we could), said “hi” to the Terra Cotta Warriors (you really need to visit this place), rafted on the Li River, rode the bullet train, ate lots of noodles and other strange food, visited numerous palaces and temples and shrines, learned a little calligraphy, and bought some really cool stuff to bring and/or ship home.  A street artist did an unposed caricature of him at the Emperor’s Summer Palace in Beijing and declared him to be an “Invincible Dragon Master” (yes, he bought the art and accepted the title). As a capper, we met the “Cricket Man” a cagey old man who raises Fighting Crickets.  These are thoroughbred creatures similar to our race horse industry with pedigrees, rules, and value.  We were shown one supposedly worth $10,000. 

OUR OFFSPRING – AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…

Todd and Nissa are the ones with the new house.  It’s a lovely lodge-like home in a small town a little north-east of Muskegon, over the river, and through the woods.  They are doing well and still selling cars one part at a time.  Aubrey gave us Nelson, our newest great grandmonster.  What a cute little guy.  Paul is Paul and working hard at it, again, what a cute little guy.

The Marx’s are very alive and well in LaGrange.  Michael fills his days as an Insurance Analyst and keeps the peace on the soccer fields on the side.  Andie still teaches but switched over to 1^st graders this year because they are easier to catch.   Hayden is officially a teenager now and is doing well as a musician and family computer expert.  Bailey is now a “tweenager” and continues to wow us with her musical performing and energy – her teacher declared her savagely quirky – yeah, that about covers it. On the upside she did take grandpa to a movie of her choosing and a dinner of her choosing, on her “dime” for his birthday.  Little Ponies ROCK!!!! 

The Jakester  still abides in Chelsea and has a day job as a technical writer, graphic design dude, and all around good guy at a Hi-tech equipment reseller.  He gets around a bit and joined us for our trip to the R&R Hall of Fame and on some of the Muskegon runs.  He continues to write creatively on the side and is active on the “Chautauqua” (story telling) circuit winning a regional competition a while back. 

The Ropers – Are doing well in their part of the world (Grand Haven).  Raelyn, our original great grandmonster is growing like a weed and moves quickly and silently around their apartment stalking the cat.  They are both in new jobs this year, Drew works as a welder at an automotive manufacturing company and Katie now is the first face you see at a Law Firm in Muskegon. 

Yea You!  You have completed your most important task for this year and may now resume normal programming. 

BTW Merry Christmas and Happy New Year The Christensen’s !!!