Wednesday, August 25

Supposed to be a lot cooler. Lower 90s upper 80's. Actually got down in the 60's last night. Pool turning green. got to get on it quick. Had the boy last night and had spaghetti. Nathan and Allyson were over. Nathan and I went fishing below the dam at Copan. I caught a 3' gar, Nathan caught a gar and 3 drum. Nothing moving much. Very little water flowing. Going to be a busy day again today. Lots to do. Have choir practice this evening. Hamburgers at the WCS cafeteria. Got the Mariner new tires and brakes at Sears yesterday. Will see how they do. Had it serviced also. Need to have the pickup serviced, too, but should just be basic stuff. Always something.

Tuesday, August 24

Still hot but not quite as blistering as it has been. Temps been in upper 90s with heat index in the 100s. Been a busy weekend and start of this week. Last Friday did another project and worked until 5am Saturday. Got home around 4pm and rested. Sunday up and to church. First Sunday of choir for this next year. Sounded good. We have good people. I worked on paperwork in the office, then took Allyson and Nathan to Burger King. Nathan and I went to Justin's to look at the boat project and Allyson and Terri went Mom's and Allyson to play ball. Justin has done a great job on the bench/storage for the boat. Sent Terri some photos and she was happy with it. Have to remind the boys it is a fishing boat. They start talking about stereos and speakers. LOL. Hoping to hear from Hurricane on the trailer specs soon so we can get that fixed properly. Boat will be easier to handle once we get the trailer done. Then to have steps built to get up on it easier. Too hot to go fishing. Back to T-Town on Monday morning then over to Nowata to work on equipment. Home to rest. Too hot to go fishing again, besides was very tired anyway. Maybe this evening Nathan and I can run up to the lake. Will see. Going to get the boy this evening so we can hopefully take the boat out Thursday evening. Dog to a cord wrapped around her neck and went into panic mode. Got it off, but now got to puppy proof the room some more. She is quite the dog.

Friday, August 20

Mom n Dad's 61st anniversary was yesterday. Weather started getting hot again after a couple really nice days. oh well. got to work and do stuff anyway, so not that big an impact. We started choir Wednesday evening and ate at the school. Meatloaf, mashed potatos and green beans. Had blueberry cobbler and a salad not necessarily in that order. pretty good stuff. Mom n Dad still talked about the boat ride monday evening and how much they enjoyed it. Had the boy Thursday evening. Going to school now and getting an attitude. Nana is going to have to have a firm hand on that boy. Ate a quick supper and off to the ball fields to watch his Ally and Nathan play ball. Had a good time. He is not a bit shy. Cheered and talked and visited and on and on. The boy has a lot of words inside that need to get out. Busy days are here. Headin out of town for a project and will be back Saturday afternoon...I hope it goes that well. It should. Plan to mow and take care of the yard. Devotional from Purpose Driven is about procrastination, so need to see what needs to be done and do it. Asked the boys to join me in reading the Purpose Driven devotional and share their insight. Not much chance they will do it, but doesn't hurt to ask. At least it is Friday.

Wednesday, August 18

Long day yesterday but a good day. Not quite as warm as it has been plus we got over 2 inches of rain. Did not cover the boat so everything is soaked. sigh. Terri called me when she was home for lunch and the trolling motor is running. hmm. Had Dad come over and disconnect the power lead from the battery until I could get home from Tulsa. I reconnected the charger and plugged that in, then got to thinking on the way to work that the switch for on always may have gotten turned on. Checked it when I got home and it was on, so don't know what the deal was, but anyway it is working properly now. Been having to jump the engine battery from the trolling motor batteries, so need to get a charger for that. Took Terri to Braums for a burger for supper. Then called Dad to see if he wanted to fishing with me. We went to city lake Hudson. Boat ran ok. Ran it up and down the lake a couple of times but still had to jump it when we were ready to head back in. Need to really run it on a big lake to get it charged good, but will get a trickle charger anyway. no fish. Rain must have changed their attitude. While waiting on dad to back the trailer in, the finder was pinging fish all over the place in 29' of water at a depth of 5' - 12'. Go figure. I bit the bullet yesterday and called Dr's to setup appointments for my eye, knee and to schedule my shoulder surgery. Will fit that in between Tulsa projects. Just got to getrdone.

Tuesday, August 17

Dad is 81 today. Weather is not quite so hot. Would like to take the day off and go fishing all day. Nice thought. Can't. Have to out of town, but a job needs to be done, and am needed. We had rain Sunday afternoon and the weather was absolutely wonderful afterward. Monday was not near as hot as last week and was very tolerable. Terri fixed a pot roast with potatoes, onions, and carrots in the crock pot. We had Mom n Dad over for his birthday and their anniversary. Took them to Hudson lake for a boat ride. Nathan came along to drive and help unload and load the boat. Fished. Dad caught the first, a small crappie. I caught a nice Sand Bass, Nathan caught a crappie, blue gill, drum and another crappie. Dad caught another crappie. I hooked something that hit hard and fought hard. Got it to the boat and it splashed and rolled and flipped the hook out. Nathan said it was a catfish, Terri got wet from it splashing and I saw it roll. Pretty sure it was a Blue Cat and probably would have been my personal best if I could have gotten it in the boat. Think it was in the 4-5 lb range. Mom and Dad really enjoyed the ride and the lake and weather were great.

Sunday, August 15

Where does time go. I have been neglecting my blog. Since the last post, Bryanna has turned 2. We had a great visit with Ron, Tammy, Krystyn and Bryanna. Katy was sleeping. The temperatures have been way too high. 109 several days and the heat index has been as high as 120. Allyson, Nathan and I took the boat out a week ago today and I got overcome by the heat. Had to take me back to the dock so I could cool down. They decided it was too hot and we just went ahead and took it home. Boat is running pretty good. Controls still seem a bit sticky. Nathan to the boat 630 Friday evening with a couple of friends and I joined them after dark when it had cooled down to the mid 90s. They had a good time casting the net and catching bait fish. We fished a couple of different locations. Nothing. Nathan had caught a couple crappie earlier, but threw them back when we quit around 130 due to the possibility of a storm blowing in. Other than that it has been too hot to take the boat out. Both of us have been very busy at work. Merle, Dad, Darryl, and Twila have been keeping the memories coming and I need to get it all put together again. Good stuff and I need to do the same thing. Maybe will use this blog to do that. Don't know. Mike had shoulder surgery and then got upper respiratory infection so has had a rough week. Doing much better Saturday. Girls came up again this weekend to see him. Boysenberry's are doing great. Strawberries bout croaked in the heat. Sure need some good rain. Gidget is growing. Probably twice the size when we got her. Funny little dog. Be glad when she quits chewing things up. She, Cinnamon and Jojo play a lot now. Wiggles just pretty much ignores her except when she is eating. We take her over to play with Sugars and they just romp and romp and romp. Patches and Lobo pretty much stay out of the way when those two are at it. Choir practice starts Wednesday and we will be singing for the 9am service soon. Summer is gone but not the heat. Ryan started school this year. Goes to day care, they bus the kids to school and then pick them up. Time just seems to fly.

Friday, July 30

Where does time go. Been awful busy with work and pretty tired. Have not been getting up for my morning routine like I want and that frustrates me. I will try to remember where I left off and add the details. Dad, Merle, Twila and sometimes Darrel have been adding to their dialog of memories. I worked on a document that has taken their comments and tried to make it flow. Hope to add photos to it and put it together for a booklet for each of them at the next reunion. Really really good stuff. Nathan and Allyson took the boat to Eufaula for the week. Their grandparents have gone camping down there every year since they were both small and they wanted to go. They took Nathan's grandparents ski boat and our deck boat for fishing. They didn't catch much, but had enough for supper one evening. Terri and I just hung out most of the time. She is training new people and I am working to get my region ready for AD Migration. Lots to do. Dad went fishing with me on Tuesday evening. I caught one drum but nothing else. Had a good time together though. Will try to do that more. The kids brought the boat back Wednesday evening. It did well for them. I worked at the office Wednesday evening from 630 to 900. Thursday we got the boy, fed him his hotdogs and he and Terri took me to the bank to do some more work while they visited Terri's mom and brother Mike. Ryan wanted it clear that I was at his Nana's work. LOL. And now it is the 30th already. Got to get a lot done. Will probably have to come in Saturday to knock more stuff out. Main thing is adding memory RAM to computers and replacing old ones. Getting there, just a lot to do. I think I am swamped, but compared to my team in Tulsa, not so much. I had 33 new computers to do and they have over 300. So I quit whining..LOL.

Monday, July 19

Time just seems to fly. Left for Fayetteville Friday. Stopped by Vinita to install some equipment and work on a printer. Drove through some patchy rain. Really bad looking clouds in Fayetteville. Got checked in and then on to the first facility. Got started in good time and finished our three up by 115am. Then the boss called and needed help. Finished up around 430. To the motel and to sleep until 930 or so. Drove home. hot but good weather. Rested Saturday, then to Terri's mom's for spaghetti supper with Mike, Raynelle and girls. Nathan and Allyson came by. She played ball all day. Too hot. Up and to 1020 service Sunday morning. Mom and Dad are in Wichita visiting Shirley and Gordy. Ministry fair and Dinks for lunch. I signed up for 1020 setup crew again and Terri and I signed up for choir again. Took Terri home and then back to church to take down the 1020 setup. To the office to finish up the Nowata computers and load them in the truck. Home to rest. Fighting my home network. Made some changes to the router and maybe that will fix the problem. We shall see. To bed.

Thursday, July 15

The baby is 24 today. Hard to believe. Where does time go. All those years of playing ball, going to school, learning to drive, off to college. It seems to have just flown. Sure proud of our daughter Allyson. Happy Birthday my daughter. Busy at work. Time is flying. Got a lot to get done in the next 3 weeks. Seems like stuff breaks when you need time to get other stuff done. Oh well. such is life. I can't even remember what we did Tuesday. Yesterday we went to Walmart and did birthday shopping and grabbed a bite at Taco Bell. I checked out the 75 bait shop with new owners. Seem a bit high. Went to Johnnies and bought 2 dz worms. Nathan and I went to Copan below the dam to fish. Had success casting the net and we fished using shad for bait. Nathan caught 3 drum and I caught a gar, buffalo, 2 channel cats and 2 blue cats. Wore me out. Caught a nice once but got tangled in a snagged line and lost it. Got a nice weight though. Came home and cleaned fish. Got about 3 lbs of fillets. Went to bed. Wore out.

Tuesday Morning, July 13

Sunday up and to church, then took Terri to Eggberts for breakfast. Pancakes knocked me for a loop. Finally got up and mowed. Had to come in and cool off three times. Went fishing around 5pm below Copan dam. Hooked a nice Catfish but it spit the hook. Snagged a 24" gar that tangled my line and I had to rebuild the setup. Nathan, Neal and Neal's dad came up and fished. Caught some catfish and gar. threw them back. I threw the net for practice and got two sandbass, two drum, 3 shad spawn and at small 6" channel cat. Maybe I have learned how to throw the thing. Home to bed. Monday was busy. Had to make the call and answer questions from the past. Went well. We shall see how it comes out. Hoping for the best for everyone. Sad deal. Worked on replacement systems and adding tickets. Got to hit it hard this week. Lots to do. Took Terri to Murphy's after work. She stood all day with her two new people in their places so I couldn't see her in the kitchen after that. She had a Jr Hot Hamburger and I had a Hamburger steak. Was good. Home to rest and she played with the puppy who is working hard at getting into trouble on a moment by moment basis.

Saturday, July 10

Long day. We finished up around 5am. I headed home and on top of being very tired had to drive in pretty heavy fog. Eyes kept going to sleep while still opened. Not a good thing. Made it to Vinita around 545, pulled into the branch parking lot and laid down. Terri texted me around 715 and woke me up. Stopped and got a drink and headed home. About 5 more miles of fog and it cleared up the rest of the way home. The sleep helped and I made it home fine. Went to bed. Terri woke me when she and Allyson were getting ready to go shopping in Tulsa. Then Wiggles and Gidget kept barking so I finally got up and put the dogs out and when they came back in, I just laid down in the recliner and shut the sun room door. They seemed happy with that and I was able to catch some short times of sleep. When Terri got home, I went back to bed for a while, then got up and took her to Monterey's for dinner, Walmart for some needed shopping, then home to just hang out together. Went to bed and slept good.

Friday, July 9

Where has the time gone. Can't believe it has been so long since I posted. We have been busy. Work has been very busy for both of us. I have gone fishing a few times with Nathan, once with Mike, and once with Nathan, Allyson and Terri. Haven't been doing well at all. Boat is doing well, but it is time to get some professional work on it. Going to call a guy in Nowata with a good rep for boat work. The puppy slept well the first week but since then has been waking us up in the middle of the night. She is wearing Terri out. Last night Wiggles was up at least 4 times. What is going on. Can't have this very long as will affect Terri's health and I won't let a dog do that again. This morning I leave for Siloam Springs for that region's AD Migration. Hopefully it will go well. Terri is training again and hopefully today will go well for her. She is very tired. Lots of rain the past few days and the lakes and rivers are filling up. Have to watch low lying areas for flash floods as well as anywhere the roadside ditches fill up as they have been over flowing and flooding the roads. Been interesting.

Monday, June 28

Busy busy day. Met Allyson and Nathan for lunch at Mazzio's. Ate too much again. Fell asleep at the keyboard in my office. not good. Took Terri to another branch to work with one of her newbies. Home to work on the boat. Hooking up the charger. Got it done and charging good. Mounted the new shop vac on the wall. Tammy came over with Kaitlyn and left some Avon books for Terri and others. Had a nice visit. Katy cried a lot, but is so cute. Took Terri to taco bueno for supper for a light supper. I ate too much again. When will I learn. Puppy played and played. Allyson used the laser light and the puppy was so funny chasing it. Laughed til I cried. To bed.

Thursday, June 24 - Sunday, June 27

It has been a series of hot days. Temps in the mid to upper 90's with high humidity. Thankful for good air conditioning in our homes, jobs and cars. Terri has been busy training and I have a lot of work preparing for migration. Enjoying it as it keeps me very busy and the days go by quickly. We had the boy on Thursday evening. He is a hoot. Getting stubborn and ornery. Have to pray hard for him. Met Allyson and Nathan at Ocean China for supper and then to Mema's for a visit. Friday evening rested and enjoyed a surprise visit from Rob and Lori from Canada. Justin came over and we hooked up the trolling motor. Works great. Needs some adjusting but not difficult to do. Will hook up the charger next. Saturday, mowed and weedeated the yard. Weedeater is leaking fuel, so had to quit. Got to work on that. Allyson and Nathan playing ball in a benefit tournament. Awful hot out. Worked on finances while waiting for them to call us to come up to the lake. Fueled up the boat and headed up there about 5pm. Got on the water and went up to the island and out of the wind and waves. Tied up to a tree and set the anchor and fished until 11pm. Nathan caught a 20 in, 2 lb flat head. Too small to keep, but was fun to watch him catch it. Allyson swam before dark. Tired and home about 1pm. Overslept and went to 1020 service. Pastor's son Michael from Dallas preached. He is a good preacher. Was a good message. Picked up Allyson and Nathan and took them to Caney cafe for lunch. They didn't have any food at the camp ground. Home to rest and Mike called to see if I wanted to go to Birch lake and check it out. Headed there about 3pm and fished until we saw storms building toward us. Beat the rain, got the boat loaded and covered and headed home. Rained quite a bit on us. I had not covered our boat. Terri lowered the bimini top but the cover is too heavy for her. It will dry out. Will work on it Monday evening. Rested Sunday evening. She sure enjoys her new puppy.

Wednesday, June 23

Another hot day. Not in the 100s yet but feels like it. Busy day visiting several branches. Home to eat left over burger and hotdog from supper last night. Terri training new people and is worn out. Took her to Goldies for supper so she wouldn't have to cook. We rested in the Sun room all evening. Kept eye on weather and decided to cover the boat just in case. Good decision as the storms moved in and we got some good rain. Puppy is so cute but is like having a new baby although she does sleep all night and the storms didn't seem to bother her.

Tuesday, June 22

Another scorcher of a day. Been hot for several days now. Busy at work. Same stuff. Tickets to fix stuff and getting ready for AD Migration in August. Ate at Taco Village. Good stuff. The ran home to let the puppy out and play a bit. Nathan and Justin came over and we screwed the trolling motor down. Feels pretty solid. Took the boat to Copan and launched. Headed out and turned on the bilge pump to see if we really solved the water leak. Stream out the side. hmmm. I forgot to put the plug in and so did the guys. Beached the boat and Nathan got in the water and put it in. Makes a difference..sigh. Boat still not running optimally but think it might be in the controls. Running better though. Anchored in the trees and Nathan caught a 6" blue cat, but that was it. Headed in around 930. Boat ran pretty good back to the ramp. We are getting there. Home and to bed.

Friday, June 18, - Monday, June 21

Wow. Where has the time gone. Missed my morning postings the past few days. Friday, June 18, was busy at work all day. Can't remember anything unusual. After work, Nathan and his friend Neal, and I took the boat out. Fished the dam, the rocks, back to the dam and then loaded the boat and fished below the dam. No luck this trip. Boat still taking on water. Motor runs very good, but controls are a bit temperamental. Humminbird worked great. Going to be a good fishing boat. We got in around 1am. Short night. Saturday, June 19, up and took Gidget to the vet for her first checkup with our Dr. Gave her a needed shot and treated her for worms. Sounds pretty healthy. Ornery little creature for sure. worked on the boat, then we got around and met Mom & Dad at Rib Crib for all you can eat ribs for Father's day. Had a great visit and the ribs were very good. Home to rest. Wanted to go fishing again, but too hot and just didn't have the energy to face it. Sunday, June 20. Up and to church. Nathan and Allyson came to first service. Ally gave me some new shirts. 2 for fishing and one I can wear to work. will wear it Monday. Very cool. Talked to Meg. Worked on the boat some more. I get frustrated with my lack of organization and inability to figure things out. Takes me so long to do stuff. Will get it done eventually. I did figure out why it was taking on water. Live well drain was disconnected and since it drains below the water line, was letting water come into the boat. Fixed that problem. Ate left over chicken and noodles for lunch with cantaloupe. YUM. Rested and then met Allyson and Nathan at Mazzio's for Pizza and salad. Went to watch Allyson play softball at 8pm. Not too bad out. Went home and to bed. Monday, June 21. Up and to work. Busy day. Had to meet groomer at the house. Nice service and Jojo can now get groomed without being traumatized by a trip. Home and working on the boat. Planned on fishing but Nathan couldn't go due to other plans, so worked on boat. Mike came by Sunday afternoon and helped me figure out where to put the trolling motor and batteries. Now to get that project done. Frustrated as I can't seem to get it worked out. Can't find the right power cable. Will call a dealer service center tomorrow. Finally just went to bed.

Friday, June 18, Rescuer

Thankfully God works through my conscience and through His Holy Spirit to help keep me from yielding to temptation. When I look back at all the times He has rescued me, it humbles me to think He loves me that much. He has been so faithful to me over the years. I sincerely believe a daily time with Him helps keep me on the right path. It must be true as Satan is attacking my daily time. Father help me to stand true to You and not yield to the temptations that come my way. Thank you for being there to rescue me when I fail.

Thursday, June 17

Another busy day at work. Terri had a lunch and learn so I went home to eat and unload boat stuff I bought. Picked up a storage box for the boat, three trolling motor batteries, anchor, rope, bearing buddy caps, and odds n ends. Ate chicken and noodles left over from night before. Back to work and pretty quiet. Waiting on support to respond to some issues. Picked Terri up and went and got the boy. She had put on a roast so I sliced it for French Dip sandwiches. Boy wouldn't eat his so I ended up eating two. So good but didn't need that much. Very hot and humid out, but worked on the boat anyway. Cleaned up all the tools and parts and vacuumed the boat. Storage box is still soaked. Not too usable in my opinion. Oh well. I got the Humminbird hooked up and working and flipped the headlight lenses so they had the drain hole on the bottom and plug on top. Nathan and Allyson got home from softball and ate supper, then Nathan came out and helped me with the boat. Terri and Ryan had gone to Mema's to visit and came home. Allyson played with the puppy and Ryan. Nathan and I went to Lowe's to get parts for the pole holders. Screws will work. plate will not. Back to Atwoods tomorrow. Oh, and I greased the wheels and motor. All look good. Wanted to get it hooked up to the truck and go get fuel, but just didn't get that far. Might do it at lunch Friday, but going to a church for Indian Taco's, so will see how things shake out for the day. Might leave early. Will see. Nathan and I are anxious to get the boat on the water and get it in use. Pretty tired. Shower and to bed. Ryan finally settled down and went to sleep.

Thursday, June 17, Warrior God

Having been picked on when I was a kid, I have always enjoyed shows and movies where the little guy comes out ahead. Science fiction is one of my favorite for books, TV and movies. The concept that I have a Warrior God ready to stand up and do battle for me is an interesting one that I am trying to wrap my mind around and apply to my daily life. He did that constantly for His people. That example should help me realize that I can join with Him in battle against the forces of evil that want to destroy my life. He has promised that I will win in the end if I just trust in Him. This is better than any fictional story one can find. Thank you Father for standing by me and for me. Help me to trust in you daily and to stand against evil forces attacking me.

Wednesday, June 16

Another busy day at work. Where are they coming from. Anthony came up today to keep me in line again. Knee is doing well and I am doing pretty good at behaving. Got a lot done. Took him to Murphy's for the hot hamburger experience. Terri and her Mom were there. Back at it after lunch. Got him headed back to Tulsa by 345. Terri and I to Walmart after work, then home. Got the cover off the boat and Justin arrived and we started working. I got the Humminbird transducer installed and he finished up the gauges except the Trim one. Can't get it to work right. I will call the gauge company. Headlights work. Cool. Mike, Mom and Taylor came over to see the new dog. Mike brought the trolling motor and charger over. Terri will move money to his account for me. Had to take the front rails off the boat for the trolling motor to fit. Now to figure out how to mount it to the bow, run the control and power cables, etc. Got to get batteries. Will look at Walmart tomorrow. Need some U bolts to see if I can mount the pole holders on the rail. All coming together. Puppy was wore out and was ready to go to bed. Been a full day but got a lot done.

Wednesday, June 16, Power

God is all power. How can I forget that, yet I do when I start thinking I can do things on my own. It is so important to be in the Word daily so that I can keep reminded that God is in charge and he stands ready to battle for me. Why do I worry and fret when He is by my side. He created everything and is in charge and cares for little ole me. What a friend. While His power is something to be feared when I turn from Him, it is there for me when I am walking with Him. Why would I even consider going my own way. Father, thank you for your might power and that you care for me.

Tuesday, June 15

Busy busy day. Tickets and systems to work on. Was able to work on all if it from my office today. Should have Anthony back tomorrow and we will install the systems that are ready. No rain so took the cover off the boat soon as we got home. Called the puppy people and met them at 600pm at Talala. Nice couple and the puppies are soooo cute. Bought the little piebald female and Terri calls her Gidget. Ate at Sonic in Nowata, then home. Justin was working on the boat and Nathan got there shortly after we got home from Lowes. I helped the boys and Terri played with Gidget. Allyson got home from meeting a client and played with the puppy too. Justin had to go to work at 730. Nathan and I pulled the Humminbird cable and got the base mount holes drilled, so that is ready for tomorrow. Getting late so covered the boat and the kids went home. Played with the puppy a while, put her in a dog cage for the night. Not going to work. Put her to bed with Wiggles and she settled down fine. Will see how the night goes.

Tuesday, June 15, Father

I don't know why I have such a hard time visualizing and accepting God as my Father. Dad was a good example to me of a father and I have the highest respect for him in that role. Often, God feels far away and unreachable and nothing like a father. I understand that is because of my own perspective and I have to get into His Word, read it, accept it and then simply choose to trust Him as my Heavenly Father. I know He cares for me and wants to be there for me all thru my life. I want Him there, too. As the devo states, I have to spend time with Him, listen to Him, read His Word, and then choose to trust that He is the perfect Father and will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank you Father for your love and patience with me. I know you are there and always will be.

Monday, June 14

Rain. Lots of rain. Rained over 3" for us. Terrible flooding in OKC. More to come. Got caught up on emails and the new guy Anthony came up to make sure I behaved at work and didn't get down or carried anything I shouldn't. Nice young man. Enjoyed having him here. Took him to Ocean China for lunch. Went to Colonial and Caney, then back to the Tower and to the office to take care of some tickets. Got him sent home around 4pm. Raining so we didn't work on the boat, but I did go to Lowes and return items and picked up the correct stainless steel bolts so I could get the planer board put back on. Nathan came over and ate supper with us and just hung out all evening since Allyson had to work. I worked on fishing poles and got them ready to go for the next opportunity. Watched TV and searched for ways to make pole holders for the boat. Think we will come up with something. Allyson got home and they took off and we went to bed.

Monday, June 14, Responsibility

Over the years I have had a lot of different responsibilities. Because of my attitude and actions I have lost some of that responsibility. When I get to thinking I am bigger than I am, I lose perspective and begin to say things and do things that are not pleasing to those in authority. The same thing happens when I am doing work for the Lord. When I get to thinking I am in charge and things should go my way, God is not pleased and sometimes has to take me down a notch or two to remind me that He is in charge and it is His plan. I am to do the work and leave the rest to Him. I have found more joy in doing my work and taking care of my responsibilities when I recognize He is in charge and I leave the results of my work to Him. He has a plan and my part is to be responsible by being prepared and doing whatever comes my way in a way that portrays Jesus to others and not myself.

Sunday, June 13

Slept in as much as I could but was up by 600am anyway. Rested pretty good. No pain pill needed. God is healing. Caught up on my Bible and devotional reading and caught up on the blog. Been a little lax the past week or so. Rested most of the morning and early afternoon. Nathan and Allyson got home from his brother's wedding in Stillwater around 130. He called Justin and he came over and we started working on the boat. Got the new switches put in and some of the new gauges. If the rain doesn't interfere the plan is to put it on the water Friday evening and do some fishing. We will see if the weather cooperates or not. Took the kids to Murphy's after Allyson's two ball games. Had a good time visiting with them. Home to bed.

Sunday, June 13, Assumptions

Another one I struggle with. I am often too quick to assume something without checking into the truth first. It is easier to assume since I don't have to do any interaction with someone or work with something to find out the truth. God does not want me to assume anything. He wants me to be open to the truth and to seek it above any prejudicial feelings that I might have. Seeking the truth may be an avenue of witness or work God wants me to do. Father, help me to daily seek the truth in all situations and to not assume anything about anyone or situation.

Saturday, June 12, Comparisons

I struggle with comparing myself to others in every aspect of my life. My Christian walk, work, home, yard, cars, talents, skills, are all compared to someone else. It is difficult for me to accept myself as a creation of God with my own abilities to be used for Him. Others are so much more skilled or talented than I am. Yet He created me for His use and I must choose to accept myself since He accepts me. He has a plan and a use for me. Reading the Bible daily and communicating with Him helps me to focus on being what He wants ME to be and not to look at others. When I start looking at others, Satan has an open door to put me down and tell me I am a failure.

Wednesday, June 3, through Saturday, June 12.

Been a long week and haven't done too well with the blog. Will come back and catch it up later when I am down this weekend after surgery tomorrow. The last post was Tuesday, June 2, so got some catching up to do. Have been working on the boat. Nathan's friend Justin came over on Sunday June 6, and rewired the console. I ordered new switches, lights, horn, and 12v power outlet for the console. Everything looking good and working fine after his excellent work. Monday evening, June 7, Nathan, Terri and I took the boat to Copan point and put it in the water. took some work to get it started but finally fired up and off we went. I had taken the planer board off the motor and it seemed to take a long time to get up on plane. Terri didn't like the front of the boat going to high. Will put the board back on for the next run. Oh, Terri and I took the boat to Hudson Lake and backed it into the water. Got it up on the trailer like it should be. Did not take it out on the water, just testing the motor and gears and wanted to get it further on the trailer. Gears seem a bit stiff. Will look at that. While working on the switch and gears I broke the little collar on the switch. Got to get that replaced now. I think we can grease the gears and make them work smoother. Might just start working smoother with more use anyhow. Will see. Rained Tuesday, June 8, so left the boat uncovered to dry and was able to cover it Wednesday, June 9, for the next rain. Up at 230am Tuesday, June 8, and over to Mom's to leave for Dallas and Taylor's graduation. Long trip. Got to Dallas by 8am and it started at 1000am. Took us 2 hours to go the last 20 miles and find a parking place and walk in. Mike and I dropped the ladies, Mom, Terri and Meg, off close to the convention center and hunted down a parking place. We walked in right at 1000am. Quite a deal. Mike found Taylor in the 1300 grads so we were able to watch her most of the program. We walked out of there at 1204. Met Taylor at Italian restaurant and had a great time visiting. She is growing up and so pretty. headed back home. Long trip and not much room in the back seat. hard on knees and butts. Dropped Meg off at home and we stopped at the Mexican restaurant on Hway 75 and 86th street. Had a nice quiet restful supper. Home to bed early. was a long day. Mike and I have been looking for a trolling motor and finders. Missed some on Craig's list. Will keep checking. Work has been going along fine. Not much coming in so I have been doing prep work for the AD conversion for BRT in August. New tech coming up next Monday to help me while I recover from surgery. Have a lot for him to learn and do. Good opportunity to get to know him and teach him stuff. Had the boy on Thursday, June 10, and he was ornery. He, Allyson and Terri went to see Mema and I worked on the yard and searched for boat stuff. Friday morning up at 630 and off to Tulsa union pines surgery center for my knee scope. I don't remember what time I went in, but we didn't have too long a wait. Meg, Mom and Dad and Terri we there. I felt pretty good after waking up and was hungry so decided to go eat at Los Cabos by Bass Pro shop. Dad hadn't eaten at Olive Garden so they went there. Mike joined us for lunch and we all had a good visit. Pain pill was working fine so we went to Bass Pro shop. Motorized cart quit 10' from the entry so just crutched it. Terri couldn't find me and when I called her, she was just around the corner of the aisle I was in. She didn't think it was funny but I did. Bought a nice life jacket on sale, Gauges for the boat, Great Humminbird 788ci fish finder, 2 sets of pole holders (won't work with open face spinning reels, bummer). Mike told Terri to never give me a pain pill and then take me shopping. Was getting tired so headed home. Still looking for a trolling motor. Size I need are pretty expensive but I will find a used one and save some money. Took pain pill and slept pretty good. Figured Mike would go fishing but didn't call him. Don't want to push my luck with the knee. Woke up Saturday and no pain so no pill. Felt pretty good. Girls from Texas on their way up and got here around 1115 and Mike was starting the grill. Mike and TC dropped brush this morning and were talking about my boat. TC just bought a new trolling motor for his boat and has what I need for sale. Done deal. I don't believe in coincidence. Not sure why God would help us find a trolling motor but He did. Went to Mom's for lunch with the Texas girls. hamburgers and hot dogs. Was very good. had a good visit. the girls hadn't been to Kansas so Mike loaded them up and took them up to a blackberry patch near Havana and they picked blackberrys. Us home to rest and keep leg up. Doing good. no crutches all day. Kind of felt like I had overdone it, but still doing well. To bed with no pain pill again.

Friday, June 4, Work

My work is important to God. I struggle with the concept that I can do anything that is important to God. The idea that Christian service requires me to go to the far corners of the world is still a big part of my mental concept. However, my vocation is an avenue for Him to reach the lost around me. My church is an avenue for me to serve Him by being involved in the ministry there. Singing in the choir, helping setup for 1020, directing traffic and helping people find a parking place for special events. All are part of what He wants me to do well. Satan tries to defeat me by telling me that I and what I do are totally insignificant to the plan of God. What a lie. Father help me to daily spend time in your word and in quiet time with you so that I am tuned into you for the day. Help me work in such a way that others see You and not me.

Thursday, June 3, Work

I admire people who work hard and know what they are doing. It is a good character trait. I haven't always been a hard worker. Thankfully a number of people have influenced me and I have learned how to do good work. Still learning. When I was younger I always thought the work of the Lord was in specific Christian service such as missions, preaching, missions, teaching Sunday school, missions, song evangelist, etc. Did I say missions. Now I know God needs me where I am to do the best job I can so that others will see Him in me. We have a mission field full of the lost right here. I do not need to preach or talk incessantly about religion or God, which is pretty much unacceptable in the work place. He wants me to reflect His character in the job I do. My actions at my job will be a witness for Him. He will speak to those around me through that witness. Not that He doesn't present opportunities for me to speak, but He does not want me to break rules, lose my job and alienate those around me. He wants to do the work through me in His way. Daily reading His word and communicating with Him, increases my sensitivity to opportunities He brings my way. I need to pay attention to Him.

Wednesday, June 2

Headed to Broken Arrow to pickup the camper shell or topper for the pickup. I love the English language. Stopped by the boat and had the registration run by my friend at the PD. Came back clean. Stopped at Scott's camper sales, didn't open until 900am, so delayed there. Bought the clamps and sealing tape. Ran up to the nearby sonic and got breakfast burrito while waiting. Headed out to the camper shell place. He had it ready. Took maybe 30 minutes to get it installed. Looks great. Stopped by the OPC and picked up the Audit switch setup, then headed back to Bartlesville. Rodney with the boat is already in Bartlesville. Went over the boat with him and decided to buy it. Risky since can't start the motor and check it. Went to the branch and gave him the cash and had the titles notarized. We own a boat. Went back and hooked it up to the Chevy and it pulled it just fine. Parked it in the yard, uncovered it and set everything out to dry. He had washed it down and got everything wet. Called insurance and got that covered. It is under the home owners policy. I didn't know that. Went to the tag office and got the boat and motor tagged. Had to pay penalty since it was last registered in 2007. Wasn't too bad. More than I wanted to pay but not as high as I feared. To work and moved the people I was scheduled to move this morning. They were fine with the delay. I had called them. Got that taken care of and had to go East to work on the printer again. Since the stapler had been worked on had to reset the tray paper information. Fax was working fine so I don't know what the problem was. Told her to call me if she had any more issues with it. Went home. Got called about a recent issue and it bummed me out. More to deal with HR. Terri got home and we looked the boat over, went to Walmart and got WD40, Oil n Gas Mixture oil, LED trailer lights and wiring harness, and a key floater. To O'Reilly's to get some stabil to make sure any gas in the tank is OK. Took Terri to Sonic for supper. Had Hickory burgers and super sized drinks. Home to hook the boat up and take it over to her mom's so Mike could look it over and give guidance. Battery wold not charge past 4amps, so replaced it from AutoZone. Good power now. Motor would still not trim down. Mike and I took cover off motor and it is very clean and plugs are good quality and look good, so happy about that. I found a flip bar that was keeping the motor from trimming down. Worked fine when I moved it out of the way. Book on this motor would be handy. Need to replace the winch and strap as they look pretty bad. Mike said to replace the gauges, check the electronics and redo the wheel bearing packing. It has bearing buddies, so I think that is all OK, but best to check. Will need to measure and replace a lot of the boards on the trailer. Need to get a fiber glass repair kit for some nicks and scratches on the boat. Most can be done a little at a time. Mike said do not put the boat on the lake without a trolling motor that works in case the motor quits. Got to have a way to get back to the dock and trailer. Home to rest. Terri disappointed we couldn't put it on the water this evening, but is still pretty happy with the boat. Very tired. Rested, researched the boat and motor and to bed.

Wednesday, June 2, Hipocrite

Being a hypocrite is a big trap for me. I can't stand people who go to church on Sunday, act all pious and religious, but are anything but as soon as they leave the church grounds. Lots of them around. Now, being judgemental of those people puts me right in their place. I have to go look in the mirror and make sure I am taking care that I portray Christ likeness no matter where I am and what I am doing. What other people do or don't do is not my responsibility. Spending time every day reading God's word tells me how I should be acting every moment. Most of the Bible talks about daily living so I pray God works through me not just on Sunday singing in the choir, but anytime I am interacting with others as well as when I am alone.

Tuesday, June 1

Up early to read and pray. Caught up emails and listened to good worship music. Quiet day at work. Home for lunch and fixed chef salad. Called on camper shell and going to see it after work. He also has a deck boat for us to look at. Terri liked it but too much work to get it usable, so won't take it. Will come back down in the morning to get the camper shell. Paid down payment on it. On way back home decided to not go with that deck boat for sure. Passed the Park and Sell lot coming into Bartlesville and there was a deck boat sitting there that hadn't been there when we left this evening. Checked it out and called. Awesome price and we are meeting him at noon tomorrow to look at it. Terri loves the boat. Good Motor, 115 Merc, some upholstery work needs to be done and will have to add a trolling motor but for the price, we can take care of that. 19' so perfect for us. Will see what transpires tomorrow. Mike is going to stop and look at it on his way to work in the morning. Home to rest and try to keep Terri's excitement and hopes contained. Can't believe she is so excited over a boat.

Tuesday, June 1, Example

Everything I do is watched by someone. Fellow workers, family, children and grand children, strangers. It is so important to start my day with God and in His word so that my thoughts are focused on Him when I walk out into the day to face whatever comes my way. My actions and reactions show who I am inside. Being an over emotional and reactionary type person, this is a tough area for me to manage. God has helped me and I am improving in this area. Father help me to be an example of your continual and unconditional love to others.

Monday, May 31

Up at 500am. Mike and I left for Kaw lake at 530. As we were putting the boat in, saw the bearings on the driver's side of the trailer had blown and we were about to lose the wheel. Pulled back up to the parking area and assessed we were in trouble. Long story short, AutoZone and O'Reilley's in Ponca City were open. TC and Tyler came over to Kaw instead of going to Oolagah and we finally were able to rebuild the wheel. Had to use a small hook file to file down the spindle enough to get the new bearings on. Went ahead and put in about 1230 and fished until around 4pm and headed home. hot and tired. Took Terri to Monterey's for supper, rested and to bed. Oh and while waiting on parts I fished off the dock and caught a crappie and while moving from one brush pile to another I was trolling my lure and caught a sand bass. That was it for the day. bummer for sure but a good education on boat ownership.

Monday, May 31, Legacy

This is a tough one for me as I have lived in rebellion for so many years, I feel I have left no Christian legacy for my family. Not a good feeling at all. I have to leave the past in God's hands and let Him redeem it in His way.

Sunday, May 30

Up and to church. Not a very big crowd. Mom stayed home and Dad was there. Mom getting over her cold hopefully. Over to Mom Bessie's for lunch with Mike and Ranelle. Chicken and Noodles, Corn on the Cob. What more does one need. wow. so good. Home to rest. Mowed the yard and cleaned the pool cover. rested, then headed to the lake. Setup below the dam. no gates open. bout lost the big cat rod. Didn't have the reel set correctly. Changed that real quick. Don't know what hit it but didn't take the hook. Storm coming in, so packed up and went home.

Sunday, May 30, Regrets

This one hits me right at home. I really struggle with regrets about my bad decisions and rebelliousness in the past. The devo talks about forgiving myself and feeling that I don't deserve to be forgiven. Personally, it has taken professional counseling to help me get past this problem, and I have found that daily devotions, reading the Word, spending time in communication with God, has helped me understand his forgiveness. If God can forgive the people in the Bible he has given us as examples, then I know He wants to and will forgive me. I have to make a mental choice to believe. I have to forgive myself and others and leave the past in God's hands. The scripture says, He will redeem the past if I put it in His care. What a great God we serve. Thank you Jesus.

Saturday, May 29

Up and to the lake by 630am. Fished below the dam on the East side. Nothing. 2 gates open. Went to the horseshoe bend up by Osage plains. nothing. Went to the rocks by the Osage plains boat ramp. Caught some small channel cats and a drum I cut up for bait. Went back to the West side below the dam. Only one gate open now. Cut bait hit the water and I had a blue cat of about 2 lbs. Fished a while longer and caught another one. Had fun. Used the cat rod Mike loaned me. Nice rig. Sure can tell a difference between it and a cheap one. Fished until around noon. gave the two cats to a young couple there to add to their stringer. Saw quite a few people catching catfish. Went home, took a shower and Terri fixed BTP (Bacon Tomato Pickles) for lunch. Great for such a hot day. Pool looks good. We rested most of the afternoon, then to get Terri's Mom and take flowers to the cemetery for Poppy, his parents and his mother. Got that done and Mike and Ranelle were back from the lake. Visited for a while, then had chicken and noodles, salad and baked beans for supper. Oh yum. Allyson called and they were off the lake and headed home. Wanted Terri to grill hamburgers while they swam, but didn't realize how late in the day it was. Pool is just a tad cool yet. They decided to order pizza and just hang out at Nathan's. Watched TV and to bed.

Saturday, May 29, Forgiveness

I am constantly amazed at God's forgiveness. It is a concept not easily grasped by my mind. It is easier to understand when I need to forgive someone. Over the past few years, I have had to focus on forgiveness of others. A hurt is hard to let go of. If I forgive and let go of the hurt, then I have given in to them and Satan tells me I have lost the battle and they have won. God tells me to let it go, Forgive unconditionally, and leave the results to Him. When I have let it go and worked on forgiveness, my mental state is so much better. My sins cannot be forgotten, but God has promised to not remember them against me. Hurts cannot be forgotten, but God can help me remember them less and less through His plan of forgiveness.

Friday, May 28

Nothing unusual today. Hot though. Got tag for Mariner and ate lunch at home. Planned on going to Tulsa to look at a pontoon, but he called and had just sold it. Bummer. Took Terri and Allyson to Outlaws for supper, then went to the lake with Mike. Caught 4 keepers. Well, Mike did anyway. I caught one dink. Good evening. Lake was was smooth and it was hot but a nice evening. Home to rest and to bed.

Friday, May 28, Memories

From what I understand our mind remembers everything we see, say and do. Rather an awesome thing when I consider my almost 60 years of memories. Why is it that the ones I don't want to remember seem to be the easiest to recall. I have let memories from the past dictate how I was reacting to others and it cost me dearly. Good and bad memories should help me to make better decisions today. They should be used as a reference for today's experiences. God can use these for direction in my life. I try to turn them all over to Him. Only God can redeem the past and turn it into good for today. It is so important for me to communicate with Him daily so I can open my mind to His direction for today. The more good memories I can create, the stronger I become in Him.

Thursday, May 27

Busy again. Guess it will be the rest of the year. I like it though. Picked Terri up for lunch and took her to Taco Village. Worked on tickets, old equipment, etc. Picked Terri up from the SRV, took her to Colonial for a few minutes and then to get the boy. He, Nana and Papa took the cover off the pool. Water is pretty warm. He put his suit and water wings on and sat on the steps but was afraid to hold onto the edge and kick. Will be better when we are in it with him I am sure. Ate supper and then to Mema's. TC picked Mike up and they went to Copan. We took water to Allyson and Nathan at the ball fields. Saw Allyson get a walk, then Nathan hit an in field home run with the bases loaded and that ended their game. Took the boy home, and us to home to rest and to bed. Still waiting for pontoon owner to contact us. Sounds too good to be true for sure. 2006 with warranty for $4800. Doubt it is a real deal. Hope the one in Bixby is still available. Waiting for him to call me back so we can go see it this evening. Ranelle coming up Saturday so we get to meet her.

Thursday, May 27, Past

While my past has a lot of good in it, there is much that I must use as lessons to apply to my life today. More discipline and more reliance on God. I can see how self centered I really was even when I was serving on boards and doing things for the church and community. I can see that God did use me for His work, but He could have used me more had I been communicating with Him on a daily basis and had a heart and mind for His work and not for my own edification. I cannot change the past, so I must leave it in God's hands to redeem and trust Him to use me (past included) for His plan for today. I don't know how you do it, Father, but thank you for redeeming the past so that I can live for you today. I am blessed.

Wednesday, May 26

Hit the road for Nowata, Vinita and Grove today. Took care of tickets and visited the managers and associates. All pretty good. Stopped at Madden and McMain Cemeteries and took headstone photos. Ate leftover tortilla soup. Was pretty good. Got back in time to go back to the office and open and close tickets for the day. Terri and I to Novaks for the choir party. Terri setup the chocolate fountains for the party. We got to visit with my folks quite a bit. Good time. Home to rest, watch TV, work on laptop and then to bed.

Wednesday, May 26, Reputation

I am so thankful that God has changed me over the past few years. He has a lot to do with me yet, but He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. If I do my part by trusting in Him, daily communication with Him, believing on Him, and living for Him, then He will work a change in my life that others will see. My selfish desires destroyed my reputation many years ago, but God is redeeming the past. Thank you Father that I can change through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tuesday, May 25

Busy busy day. Still working on some bizarre problems. Got to go to Vinita tomorrow. Home for lunch. Had leftover papa Murphy's pizza and a strawberry banana milkshake. YUM. Back to work. Finally got one issue resolved. Home to change, then to Nathan's for a Pampered Chef party. Bought some good stuff plus got Meg's birthday present. Then home to rest and to bed.

Tuesday, May 25, Honesty

We often think of honesty in the context of business dealings and the scriptures today point that direction. Honesty in relationships is also important. Being completely open with my spouse and children helps keep me honest with them. When I was into pornography on the internet, I had my computer monitors setup so they could not see it and everything was password protected. Now that I have cleaned up my act with the help of God, I have everything setup so any of them can see what I am doing at anytime and the only necessary passwords are open to them. It not only helps me be accountable to my family, but helps me resist temptation. When I am honest with myself, my family and God, He is able to help me stay honest.

Monday, May 24

Busy day. Lots to do. Odd stuff and had to go to Level 2 and server team. Moved some people around today. Went home for lunch of sandwich and ice cream. Went to Copan to look at pontoon boat. Too rough for the money. Lots of wood rot. Would cost too much to bring it up to what we want. Will keep looking. Took Terri to Copan truck stop for burger and onion rings. I had a steak sandwich. Was very good. Ate too much and then snacked at home. Bad night with indigestion and had to do the Alka Seltzer thing in the middle of the night. I have got to lose weight or I am afraid it is going to kill me.

Monday, May 24, Theft

Having served in law enforcement for many years, I have seen the results of thievery. It is not a good thing. I can not stand a thief. Someone who steals what someone else has worked hard to obtain just sets me off. However, Satan is so subtle. I can very easily be caught up in theft in so many other ways. Stealing time from the boss and from God or even from my family in selfish endeavors. The scripture is very plain that stealing the little things is as bad as stealing physical things. It is so easy to justify it and Satan makes it sound so innocent. Father, help me to clearly see the lies of Satan and to never fall into the trap of theft.

Sunday, May 23, Laziness

Oh man. Two of my problems two days in a row. I am lazy. By admitting it to myself, I have been able to over come it for the most part, but it is a daily battle. In this day and age of computers and TV, it is so easy to just sit down and not do anything that is worth while. Satan has a hey day with me over it. I am constantly battling over my daily routine. In my younger years I became involved with too many good things thinking this would counter my tendency toward laziness. My motives were not correct and it cost me in burn out and falling into sin. Kind of a reverse laziness I guess. Then, at times, I fall into the sin of pride over my ability to work hard and do a good job. An interesting battle we have here, to say the least. Father. Without you I am going to fail. I will be come angry, lazy and prideful. Be with me daily, guide me, and fill me with your spirit so that I will bring honor and glory to you.

Saturday, May 23, Anger

I have an anger problem. It has cost me dearly over the years. I actually broke my hand in a fit of anger a number of years ago. Pretty stupid, but uncontrolled anger gets one into trouble and is with out a doubt sin. Anger almost cost me my job at one point in my life and I sought professional counseling to help me learn to control it. While some of the issue at that time turned out to be a side affect of diabetes, it was still something I needed to learn to control. With the counseling and daily devotional study, I turned my life back over to Christ and He has helped me immensely over the past few years. My wife and kids have noticed a difference. I can still feel it boiling up at times, especially when I miss my daily devotional. God is faithful, but I must do my part by placing myself in His hands daily and avoiding those things that trigger my anger the most.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, May 21, 22, 23

Friday was busy. No call from Dr office about surgery. Went to Mom n Dad's for supper with Shirley, Gordy and Stephanie. Ron, Ryan, Bryanna and Kaitlyn were there. Had a great time visiting and playing with the little one. Krystyn had a fever so she and Tammy stayed home. Terri and I to Copan to fish after supper. Nothing.

Saturday, slept later than normal but got up and went to Copan. Mike was there fishing. Had caught a couple crappie. I caught a double double. Two sand bass at a time twice. Pretty fun. He didn't feel too good so left them with me. I caught a couple blue cats and fought some gar. Gave the fish away and went home to rest. Terri and I cleaned the patio up, got over heated, took a nap and went back up to Copan. Caught some gar again and some trash fish, but no crappie. Home to bed.

Sunday, Mike texted me at 450am he was going to Copan at 530. Said I would meet him there as I needed to leave by 730. Caught gar and sand bass but no crappie. Pretty disappointing. Headed home at 715, called Terri to get up at 730. To church. Last choir song until Fall. Went real well. Great song. Dad and Mom not there. They were home fighting colds. Went to Walmart after church, home to eat a skillet meal, then to rest. Just too hot already. Worked on my cat rods. Mike loaned me a big one. Got them ready for cat fishing. To Papa Murphy's for a couple pizzas, Taco and Rancher, to take to Terri's mom's. Ate supper and the Pizza's were very good. Mike and I to Copan. I caught one Sand bass. Mike caught several drum, Sand Bass, and one crappie. Just not getting the crappie to hit. Allyson and Nathan were back from their visit to Topeka. Visited a bit, then Terri and I home to rest and to bed.

Friday, May 21, Pride

I agree with the devo today, that pride in my children, my spouse, or a job well done, is healthy. But it can turn into sin if I take credit for any of it. God is the giver of all things and any accomplishment is really because He has used me to do it. When He uses me to do something, I can be proud that He has done it through me, yet I must take care that I don't turn it into self pride. Even though I am rather shy and quiet, I tend to want attention, so it can be tough to keep quiet about something God has done through me or is using me for. Complicated yet simple. Give God the glory whenever I can and whenever it is appropriate.

Thursday, May 20

Another busy day. grabbed a bite to eat at McD, picked Terri up at 1pm and we headed to Tulsa to Dr B. He explained the problems with my knee, meniscus tear and shoulder, bursitis inflammation due to spurs and we set a game plan. Surgery for both. Will do the knee first and the nurse will call me tomorrow with the schedule. Hopefully on a Friday and soon. Knee giving me more and more trouble. Shoulder will be done after the knee heals enough I don't need crutches. Shared fajitas at Monterrey, then home. Worked on my fishing stuff, watched TV and to bed. Terri baked a cake for dinner tomorrow evening at my folks with sister and family.

Thursday, May 20, Pride

Pride comes at me in different ways. It has cost me in the past when I thought I was better than I really was. Pretty painful lesson and it not only affected me but my family. I sometimes get a feeling that I have been left out when I should have been included. This is pride. I have to turn this feeling over to God. Sometimes pride makes me feel that I need to be involved in a lot of different activities and this can lead to burn out or overload. It affects me and my family again. Pride and Motive go hand in hand. Why do I do what I do? For the attention? For God? For others? For myself? Father, help me to daily turn to you for guidance in my thoughts and activities so that I will bring honor and glory to you and not to myself.

Wednesday, May 19

Busy day. Boss was up and we worked on a project together. Terri went with us to Murphy's. He likes it a lot. Went to Caney in the afternoon. Home to rest a bit, then to supper at the church. BBQ and then to choir practice. One song for Sunday. Party next Wednesday. Home to rest and watch the bad weather erupting around the state. We had some pretty heavy rain. Worried about Meg n Brad as it was bad around them. Mike was stuck in Downtown Tulsa. Assume he made it home sometime. Will see damage reports in the morning on the news. I go to Dr Bazih tomorrow. Will set a game plan for my knee and shoulder repairs.

Wednesday, May 19, Motives

Having pure motives is an area of temptation for me. I have a tendency to barter with God and I know that is sin. When that thought comes into my mind, I confess it and ask God to help me have pure motives. My daily scripture is Psalms 139: 23 and 24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Daily devotionals, reading His Word, and Praying for others, helps my motives to be on the right track.

Tuesday, May 18

Busy day at work. Ate at Taco Village with my sweetie. YUM. Back to the office. Left at 4pm and headed to the lake. Fished below the dam again. Caught 5' gar broke the line. big fish and a great fight. Was so fun. Caught a couple more 3-4' ones. broke line or shook the hook. What fighters. Caught and kept (gave away) a nice hybrid. Nathan and Allyson came up and she caught a nice lb or so channel cat (might of been a dark variation of a blue). Had fun though. They brought me fried fish to eat. was so good. home to rest and to bed. Terri mowed the yard. upset me that she did it while I went fishing. sigh.

Tuesday, May 18, Motives

Wow. What a good devo. I have to constantly question my motives when I do something. I tend to look for what I can get out of something or how it is good for me. Why do I pay tithe, give to missions, attend church, volunteer for things? Do I do them for the attention I would get? Or do I do them for Him? A very good point. Father, constantly check my motives, so that I do what I do for you and not for my own edification.

Monday, May 17

Very busy Monday. Lots to do in preparation for an upcoming project. Got to getrdone. Some stress added at the end of the work day, but prayer, God's strength, My lovely wife's support, and her sending me on a stress relief fishing trip helped me get through it. Caught several Sand Bass and it was great to watch those poles bend double when hit. Got a small Blue Cat and released it. Caught a gar but it dropped off, then caught about a 2 1/2' one that broke my 6lb test line. Was a nice battle though. Then, my Cat pole bout went over the fence. Grabbed it and set the hook. Wouldn't budge. Gave it line and it stayed tight. Let it set about 20 min, then tried to bring it in. 50lb test broke. Will always wonder what hit that thing. Could have been a nice one that got into the rocks or a tree. Who knows what is down there below the dam. Anyway was a nice stress reliever for the day. Thanks to my sweetie.

Monday, May 17, Thoughts

As I stated in some of my other posts, my choices in the past have set my thought life up for temptation. What I have fed my mind with in the past has affected my present life. Now I must be careful of my daily choices and work to fill my mind with the things that God would want me to think on. I can tell when I haven't had time to read the word and spend time with God in prayer. My defenses are weakened.

Sunday, May 16, Thoughts

My mind is my own worst enemy. Most temptation comes through my thoughts. These are fed by my past choices and actions. I can see clearly how the path I have taken over the years has opened up opportunities for Satan to tempt me. God is being faithful in helping me redeem the years, but it is up to me to make the choice to spend time in His Word and in communication with Him to fill my mind with fresh thoughts. I cannot change my past, but I can change my future by filling my mind with God's Word and by worshiping Him in everything I do.

Saturday, May 15, Recovery

What a great God we have. He promises to accept my repentance and take me back into His presence after I have chosen to turn away. His word gives me guidance and His Spirit gives me strength, not only to resist temptation, but to come to Him in repentance.

Friday, May 14, Resistance

Part of resistance is preparation. I must decide in my mind and heart that I do not want to yield to temptation. Making that mental decision helps keep me from being blindsided by Satan. Preparation for possible problems is a part of training in my job. When I am prepared, I can handle issues in a much better way. In the same way, by reading God's word on a daily basis and communicating with the Father, I prepare myself for anything that Satan might bring my way. This past week I have not gotten up and had my devotions every day like I want. I was tired and my resistance was low. Satan blindsided me and I failed. Thankfully, my Father is quick to forgive and I am working on making changes so that I can get back into my daily routine.

Thursday, May 13, Escape

What a great promise from God. Satan cannot make me sin and God will always provide a way out when temptation comes. However, this puts the responsibility directly on me to make the decision to yield or turn away. This is a part of God's magnificent plan of free will. He gives me the right to choose my path. When I choose to resist temptation, He gives me strength to succeed in turning away from it. My daily communication with Him, helps build up my resistance to temptation. Father, forgive me when I allow my weaknesses to turn me away from you. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that is always there willing to help me resist and flee from temptation.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, May 12 - 15

Been busy and tired. Not getting up like I want to. Frustrating cause it has been a good thing over the past couple of years. Need to go to bed earlier and stop eating so much. Weight going up. Got to stop. Can't remember much of the past few days. Wednesday, choir practice was short. Got home and mowed yard. Thursday we got the boy. He, Nana and Ally went to Mema's and Nathan and I went fishing in a private pond. Caught some fun dinks. Mostly bass, one crappie and some bluegill. Friday I left for Fort Smith, AR., for the AD conversion. Worked until 1am. Saturday up for a great breakfast at the hotel, then out to the branches to work some more. Finished up and headed for hom around 5pm. Got home around 8pm and enjoyed supper and the company of my sweetie. Getting where I don't like being away from home much. Rested and to bed.

Wednesday, May 12, Temptation

I know temptation is allowed to come to help me become strong, but I wish it would just leave me alone. Most of my temptations come through avenues that I have opened up in the past. Satan knows I like those things and constantly throws them at me. It takes being in the word daily and constant communication with God to overcome them. His promises are a good shield against them. Our loose society doesn't help, but it really doesn't matter. It is my choice to entertain or reject temptation when it comes. Father, help me to hold on to your promises and trust in you. Help me to accept your help in resisting temptation.

Tuesday, May 11

Up and to work. Ate at Murphy's for lunch. Was going to see if Vic could work on the truck for me, but he has retired. Guess I will take it to the Chevy dealer. Visited with Dad a bit when he came by. Mariner wouldn't start after going to get Terri. Jerry gave us a jump. Will take it to the dealer tomorrow to get it worked on. Probably the battery as it looks like the original. 5 years isn't too bad. Mazzio's salad and buffet for supper, then home to rest and to bed.

Tuesday, May 11, Temptation

Temptations come every day and I never know what it will be. One of the things I have learned over the years is that through my past rebellion, I have created avenues of temptation that Satan uses against me on a frequent basis. Since he knows I have weaknesses in certain areas, he throws those at me. Thankfully God has promised we can not be overcome by temptation. We always have a way out. It is my choice to turn away or not. The more I refuse to yield to temptation the stronger I become. Yet, I must be careful that I do not allow pride in my strength become a temptation in itself. Satan is so sneaky. God, on the other hand, is up front and open in His promise to be there for me. Thank you, Father, for being with me on a daily basis.

Monday, May 10

Busy day at work. Home for lunch and ate left overs and visited with Allyson, then back to work installing a new printer. Home from work watching the weather. Tornado outbreak all over Oklahoma but we were spared the bad stuff. Got good rain. To bed.

Monday, May 10, Words

Words hurt or encourage. I often react to others based on the words they say to me but am I interpreting them correctly? I must balance my sensitivity with common sense and not react until proper time has been given for evaluation and interpretation. In all probability, a negative reaction is not necessary at all. Over the past few years, I have been trying, with God's help and direction, to be careful what I say to others so that they feel uplifted by what I say. I often hear critical words spoken about others and it leaves me with a negative feeling. This day and age of email and texting has removed facial expression, emotion, and body language from our daily communication and misinterpreting words is very easy. God has been helping me to contain my words, but I still struggle in this area. I want to leave people with a good feeling when I talk to them. Father, help me by your Spirit, to say what you would want me to say in every situation.

Sunday, May 9

Got up late 845 and couldn't make early service and choir so went to 1020 and sat with the kids. Good service and message. Met Mom and Dad at Golden Corral. Long line and they were near the front. As we got closer the cash register computers went down and we had to wait about 20 minutes for that to get fixed. In the meantime tables were clearing out so was not a bad thing really. Enjoyed a time of visiting and eating. Ate too much though. Home to change and rest. Mike took Mom Grant to the lake on the boat and she caught fish. Sat in the back seat and would swing the fish to Mike on the front and he would take them off for her. She caught several really nice ones. Over to Mom Grants for cookout of hotdogs and hamburgers. Was so good but I ate too much again. Visited and watched TV then home to a miserable night. Got to use discipline in my eating. Just can't seem to control it. Was a good day though.

Sunday, May 9, Confession

I have always felt better when I have confessed to something I did wrong. There is a saying that says "Confession is good for the soul.". I don't know if that is biblical or not, but it is true. Guilt weighs pretty heavy on a person. For me, I have to admit that I did something, then truly be sorry for doing it and then confess it, whether it be to God or another person. Probably the hardest part of confession for me is admitting I was wrong. I can be a bid hard headed. Part of confession for me is becoming humble and recognize my wrong. Can be tough. Thankfully God's word and Spirit work for me constantly to help correct me when I step aside. Father keep me humble in spirit and mind so that I will quickly recognize the need to confess a wrong, keeping me close to you.

Saturday, May 8

845am Terri and her mom head to Tulsa to get Meg, then over to Stillwell for the strawberry festival. Had a good trip except for getting lost a couple of times. Porta potties were full and no TP, crowd was huge and mostly Hispanics and Indians, food was not fresh, but strawberries were good. Bought a flat and split it. Gave some to Meg for them. Terri home and bought stuff to make freezer jam. YUM. I got home in time to help her. Mike and I to the lake. water was rough. I had set the minnows behind the seats and when we hit the rough waves, lost the bucket. I dived for it and got it but lost most of the minnows. My hat with my flip down magnifier went bye bye too. Never saw it. Waves were bad. Dropped a couple of brush piles and caught 21 crappie. Home around 230 to do some needed errands and yard work. Mike to do his and me home to mow the yard and fix the pool pump/filter hose. Got a truck radiator hose for $40. Couldn't believe it was so expensive. Not sure it will hold up but can't find reinforced hose at the pool places. oh well. we shall see. Mike texted he was ready when I was. Loaded up the minnows and headed over there. Back to the lake and the wind was pretty much gone. Waves were pretty calm. Very nice evening. Fished a couple of spots and pulled in some nice crappie. Got 5 more. Home and put the fish on ice. Mike will clean them in the morning. Home to help Terri make strawberry freezer jam. Mom and Terri had stopped by Bass Pro Shop in Tulsa and bought me a replacement magnifier. $22. Couldn't believe it was that expensive. Will take much better care to not lose this one..bummer. They ate at Los Cabos and brought left overs home. I ate Terri's and Mom told Terri Mike ate hers. Good day.

Saturday, May 8, Empowerment

What a promise. If I desire to obey Him, He will empower me to be able to do so. All I have to do is my best to follow His instruction. Again, this emphasizes how important it is to read the Word daily and spend quiet time with the Father. How can He help me if I don't communicate with Him. Father turn my desire to obey you into action.

Friday, May 7

Quiet day. Ate lunch at Senior Salsa and supper at Dinks. Nathan and I went to Post Oak to Cat Fish. Lots of nibbles but no hits. Was a beautiful evening. Home to bed.

Friday, May 7, Obedience

Simple obedience is all God requires of us. Pretty easy, but I tend to make it complicated by following my own way far too often. It isn't that I don't want to obey God, but I just want my own way. How do I correct this behavior? By spending daily time in God's word and in communication with Him. Without my daily time, I open myself up to selfish desires and lose my focus on God for the day. This leads to my failing to hearing His voice guiding me in every situation. I expect obedience from my children and grand children. Why is it so hard for me to obey God. Father, help me to start the day by being obedient and reading your Word and communicating openly with you.

Thursday, May 6

Busy day. Picked up meds, picked up xray, headed to Tulsa to see Dr Bazih. Xrayed my shoulder and hand. Checked shoulder, knee and hand. He feels that I have torn cartilage in shoulder and knee and is ordering MRI. Waiting on that word now. Met boss and team for lunch and short meeting on the coming conversions. Going to be busy this summer, fall and winter. Texted Mike to see if he was in the office but he was out. Came home. Terri picked up the boy and we had supper and went to see Mema. Terri took him to get something for Bec for Mother's day and he made a paper card for his momma while at Mema's. Home to rest, but picked up some leaves and stuff for trash day, then in to rest. Got TC's work # for a friend to call about his carpel tunnel. To bed.

Wednesday, May 5

I haven't been posting my blog lately. Too tired or lazy. Anyway, yesterday was pretty quiet. Took care of a couple routine issues for people and worked on some hardware. Took Terri to sonic for lunch. Got the truck serviced and it needs tires and brakes. Not good news but knew it was coming anyway. We had taco salad at church. Mike texted me to go fishing but have choir. Pastor Loren practiced a couple songs and let us go by 715. Terri ran me up to the lake and Mike and Nathan picked me up. Caught a really nice crappie but as it broke the surface it waved bye bye and was gone. bummer. Home to rest and to bed.

Thursday, May 6, Communication

Do I listen to God speak to me? I get so caught up in talking to Him, I sometimes forget to just shut up and listen. When reading His word, I must pay attention to the words and not just read. It is often hard to keep an open mind and heart so that He can talk to me. A recent situation. I was praying about a purchase and asked God to show me the right way to go. As I worked, part of my mind was searching for the answer and He gave it very clearly and the decision was made with no question and with peace of mind. Pretty awesome. I wish all the answers came that way.

Wednesday, May 5, Routine

I follow a simple acronym for guidance. ACTS. A for Adoration, C for Confession, T for Thanksgiving, and S for Supplication. ACT seem to be a small part at times when S is the bulk of my prayer time. Regardless, I feel that God honors my routine as I spend time communicating with Him and that is what He wants. Satan sometimes defeats me by telling me that it is routine and ritualistic and God isn't there, but I know better because of His Word and promises. Father, help me to communicate with you, not only at a specific time each day, but through out the day as life comes my way.

Tuesday, May 4, Communication

Communication with God is a struggle for me. I make it that way because I listen to outside influences. Satan tells me that God is too big to listen to little ole me and tradition tells me that I must talk to God in certain ways, many of which conflict with each other. I must kneel at an alter. An alter must be a bench, chair, quiet place, be alone with God, and on and on and on. I get caught up in the rules and my communication with God doesn't happen. The devo today simply tells me to be humble before God and trust in His goodness and love for me. Father, help me to daily humble myself before you and talk to you about your plan for my day.

Monday, May 3, Answers

I struggle with prayer, but I struggle more with expected answers. I know what I want to see happen and/or receive, but is that what God wants for me. I know He answers prayer, but part of my struggle is "will He answer my prayer". The answer is Yes He will, but I have to mentally take hold of that promise and accept it. Then I have to mentally grasp that God will answer in the way that is best for me. I appreciate the attitude of the three Hebrew men. They were confident that God could save them from the fire, but if not, they would still serve Him and accept His answer. What faith. Father, give me the attitude that regardless of your answers to my prayers, I will serve you.

Saturday, May 1,

We did go to DQ last night for a small blizzard treat. We shared it. Last day of traveling and heading home. Quick breakfast of cereal and bagel with juice. Rested pretty good. Short episode of breathing issues, but meds worked quick and was able to get back to sleep. Saw a few more antelope, a Jack Rabbit, more pheasants and some turkey traveling through Kansas. Called Shirley and Gordy and met them for lunch at Wendy's. Short but good visit with them. Steph was there too. Always good to see them. Got home around 530pm. Terri was so happy to see her new dining room floor. I arranged for a contractor friend to tile it while we were gone. Allyson did an awesome job of cleaning the house and it was a huge job she did extremely well. Very proud of her. We took her and Nathan to the Copan truck stop for supper and had a good visit. Got everything unpacked and put away. Cinnamon had disappeared on Friday and showed up at the SPCA Saturday morning, so had to get her out of jail..LOL. Good vacation but glad to be home.

Sunday, May 2, Listening

We were gone on vacation this past week and one of our pet dogs disappeared. While just an animal, she is kind of a family member and is our responsibility. We could do nothing since we were out of town. It was rather stressful thinking about all the things that can happen to a small dog out in the cold cruel world. They are pretty defenseless. I told God she was just a dog, but was one of his creatures placed in my care. I could do nothing from where I was at. I asked Him to take care of her for me. Short story shorter, we got her back safe and sound. I struggled with leaving her in God's hands, but kept telling myself that God cares for even the little things in our lives and He does. Thank you Father for showing me in this life episode that you do listen and answer our prayers.

Saturday, May 1, Prayer

I struggle with prayer. I know it is how I communicate with God, but I struggle with keeping it an open and personal conversation with him. I tend to be ritualistic and follow a set routine. This makes my prayer life become dull and unemotional. I talk to God all day long so that part of my communication is fine, but how do I take my daily devotional time and make prayer a real time of communication with the Father. The scripture is pretty plain and simple. All we have to do is ask within His will and He will answer. Father, guide me through your Word to deeper more meaningful times of communication with you.

Friday, April 30

Got up and to breakfast of waffles, cereal and bagels with juice. Terri was making her waffle when a group of kids came in. One little girl about 14 said, oh waffles, where are the plates. Terri pointed to the plates and the girl got one and held it out for Terri to put the waffle on..LOL. Terri told her this one is mine. You have to do this and this and that and make your own. More kids came in and lined up for waffles..LOL. We got there just in time..whew. Headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park. Snowing hard but we went anyway. Saw deer and Elk and for the first time saw some wild turkey. Snow and wind keeping the groups from moving down into the meadows. Can't say as i blame them. We headed home down Highway 7 and the Peak to Peak byway. By the time we got to Golden, Colorado, we were both tired of the snow and mountains..LOL. Grabbed a bite at A&W, and headed around Denver on 470 to I25 and caught Highway 86 East toward Limon, Colorado. Thought about heading south to Lamar, but decided to just stay on I 70 and head home that way. Stopped in Goodlin, Kansas, ate at Hank's downtown, was very good, and to room to rest. Might run next door to the DQ for some dessert, but will see. Saw deer, antelope, and turkey as well as a coyote on the Colorado prairie. Going to get some good rest tonight and then hit it for home tomorrow. Good day.

Thursday, April 29

Up and on the road after a breakfast of egg, sausage, cheese and cereal. Headed south out of Pocatello, Idaho then over to Kemmerer, Wyoming to catch I80 across the southern edge of Wyoming. Snowy off and on, but Windy almost all the way. Saw a bald eagle, deer and antelope all the way. Got to Laramie, Wyoming and cut down toward Ft. Collins. Ended up driving through town again. You would think I would learn. Got to Loveland and decided to head on up to Estes Park. Got dark on us and very tired. Been a long day. Got our room and hit McDonald's for some small burgers and fries and to bed. Kids in motel up and at it until midnight, then my allergies kicked in bad and couldn't breathe. Meds finally kicked in after an hour and finally able to sleep. Another long day after a very tiring one driving in blizzard conditions. Have seen a lot of animals so been a good trip.

Wednesday, April 28

Snowed during the night. 2-3" on the car. Hard to remove. Cleared the windows and left it on the rest of the car to melt and blow off. Headed out after a good breakfast of waffles, cereal and juice. Snowing on us immediately but cleared when we got to Lamar Valley. Got some photos of baby buffalo, then stopped at Lamar lake and got some more photos of the black bear who was still guarding the carcass he has been feeding on. Headed on to Mammoth Hot Springs and saw elk, antelope, deer and buffalo on the way. Snowed off and on. Headed for Norris Junction from Mammoth Hot Springs and were immediately in heavy snow. Visibility very poor. Stopped at Swan lake as we had heard there was a grizzly and two wolves fighting over a carcass there, but the snow was so bad we couldn't see anything. Could have been anywhere in the large area, but just couldn't see good enough. Just before reaching Norris Junction we were delayed almost an hour due to three vehicles sliding off the road. Interestingly enough all three belonged to the same company who also had their own wrecker service. See a lot of their vehicles in the park but don't know what service they provide. Got to Norris Junction and headed for the next Junction to head for Old Faithful and the South entrance. Ranger told us the South entrance is closed until late May, so out the West entrance we head. Bad. Very bad. Snow and visibility very bad. Actually saw buffalo and elk by a river and also saw a bald eagle flying to it's nest next to the road, but driving conditions are very bad. Finally made it through the twists and turns and construction zones in the park and reached West Yellowstone, Wyo. Got gas and a hot dog and noticed their trash containers are bear proof. Interesting. Heading to Idaho Falls, Idaho to try and get out of the snow. Just west of West Yellowstone saw a couple on the side of the road with binoculars so we stopped and I started scoping for what I figured was a moose in the willows south of a large field by the road. Oops. Big bear by a tree just sitting in the snow. Looked like a bit black bear, but when he got up and ran for the trees, looked like he had a hump and was cinnamon color. Was too far to get photos of him, but Terri was excited about seeing a 2nd bear today. Driving in heavy snow again. Very tiring but it has been a great trip. Got to Idaho Falls and decided to go to Pocatillo, ID, spend the night and head across south Wyoming and on the way home. Ate at Perkins. Resting. Been a long but good day.

Tuesday, April 27

Up to a hot breakfast of waffles, cereal and juice. Good start to the day in Buffalo, Wyo. We drove north west to Highway 14 West just North of Sheridan, Wyo. From there we drove over the mountains to Greybull, Wyo. About half way and on our descent from the summit, we spotted a Rocky Mountain coyote out on the snow fairly close to the highway. He seemed to ignore us, but watching him you knew he was aware of our presence. It appeared he was tracking a rodent that was under the snow and was more interested in a meal than in our possible threat. Watched him for several minutes. Hope we got some good photos. Will download them this evening. From Greybull to Cody was almost an arid desert. What a change. About 23 miles East of Cody, both Terri and I saw what appeared to be a moose down a deep draw next to the highway. It had a creek running and lots of willows. Sure enough a large moose was grazing in the willows. Shot several photos hoping we could get a picture of it. Will see. Decided not to stay in Cody but to head up to Cooke City, MT. and if we got there in time, visit the North road of Yellowstone. Turned on 296 the nez perc trail and sign said the road was closed. We decided to chance it since the Internet said the roads were open. Long 50 mile drive one way if closed when we got there. Saw a lot of deer and some elk herds. A marmoset was playing dead in the road and as we approached jumped up and ran off. Thought it was road kill. Got to Highway 212 to Cooke City and it said it was closed but there was no gate and was only 18 miles. As we traveled along more and more snow, but we kept going as there was no gate. When we got withing 6 miles of Cooke City, the road was only one and a half lane open, but we persevered and got to Cooke City. The Super 8 owners had just driven in ahead of us. Got our room and headed into Yellowstone. Immediately began seeing buffalo and antelope. Finally saw a herd of elk, then another and then another. When we went past Lamar lake, saw a number of cars, but couldn't see anything they might be looking at except some cranes nesting in the middle of the small lake. Boy were we wrong. Got to Mammoth Hot Springs and there was nothing open that served food, so decided to turn right around there and head back. Might get back by 8pm. Seeing elk everywhere now as well as buffalo and antelope. Bout ran over a ground squirrel and then a chipmunk. They need to learn how to cross the road. Cars still at the Lamar lake so we stopped and asked what they were seeing. A Black Bear across the water was eating a carcass. Looked like a burnt stump to us until we put our binoculars on it. Clearly saw the bear then. Took several photos hoping to get some good shots even though across the way about 200 feet away. Will see. So we had a great day of wild life viewing as well as being totally in awe of Gods magnificent creation.