Georgetown Tournament

It has been a pretty tough month for Adam with his grandmother in the hospital and nursing home. His commitment to the Lexington Southeast minor select baseball team has kept him away from Indiana where he would love to be.

It has also been tough for the team this week at Georgetown. After being crushed by the giant corn fed boys of Woodford county on Friday night and again by a Frankfort team on Saturday morning, I didn't think it could possibly hurt Adam's attitude if I told him that his grandmother died before they played Harrison County at noon.

I took a lot of pictures from right field where Carmen and I were planning the rest of our weekend while we enjoyed the game, but a mother of another player took these pictures from the perfect vantage point of Adam's score over a blocked plate.

This is the point where Adam was faced with a decision. He could dive head first and touch the plate with his left hand like he had seen the professional players do many times, but he had never practiced that. He could also choose a hook slide, but he had never practiced that.

Without practice, he decided to do what Adam Howard did to him in the SouthEastern All-Star game. He was safe at home plate.

Remembering Ruby

I don't know where to start with this one, but I guess it would have to be with her persistent influence on her husband to have another child late in life. Bud told me last week that she worked on him for years to have another child. Ruby was nine months pregnant with Jackie (that late child) at Shirley's High School graduation.

Ruby was all about family life. She loved match making. ( that's what she was doing when I met her and that is what she was doing the week before she was admitted to the hospital ) She loved weddings. She loved showers. She loved babies. Three of her grandchildren were born in Kentucky and she was there for all of them. Those things are the greatest things on earth, but where Ruby is today there is so much more and now she has a better picture of what is there.

One of the things I loved about Ruby was her faithfulness, loyalty, predictable behavior, consistancy. Those attributes combined with a hardworking body and a strong will are a powerful combination that can be used to overcome many obstacles in life on earth. Her success and joy on earth was the final ingredient that made the Ruby Recipe fight to the bitter end of life.

We love you, Mom.

Old Yellow Clipping from Ruby

Even while Ruby was confined to a nursing home bed and no longer able to talk to us, she left us another clipping, this one was yellow with age. This clipping was found in a mug by Jackie last weekend and there was never a better time for her to find it.

Earlier that week, Ruby told us that she wanted to stay with us despite the pain. Each day now is precious the principle of the cross is demonstrated. Everyone who loves her wants her free from pain and while she herself hangs on to the end with joy.

Other Items in the Barn

While Dad and I were in the barn looking at his onions, I noticed this Stop Sign. From the style of the writing it looks like it might be from around 1986

Big onions came early this year

After the heavy down pour in Wakarusa in the first part of July, Dad had to pull all of his onions. The rain washed all the dirt off the top of the onions so he put them in the barn to dry.

B.A.S.I.C. Youth Camp

I'm a little late in posting this, but two weeks ago, I took a load of boys to the Hill for camp. As is the tradition for Matt and his crew, they always stop at Walmart to unwind from the long drive and kill a few minutes before arriving at Bob's on time. This year we spent more time on the dirt bags than in the store. Adam thought he was Spiderman.

Some links from Camp:
B.A.S.I.C. Training
Back from the Hill ( Matt's blog )
Bob's camp 4th year ( Jess's blog )

This year I stayed at Bob's to talk with Rick, Brady and Matt while waiting on Michael and Stephanie Wilkerson, so I ended up getting an extra assignment of taking some of the girls to Burger King at 8:00 PM.

Picnic in a nursing home?

Tammy McDaniels was wonderful to Jackie's family during this difficult time. It is always good to have good friends that know how to minister to one another.

On this particular day, Tammy showed up with a picnic basket full of sandwiches, chips, flavored ice tea, a table cloth and cloth napkins. Shirley, Tammy, Jackie and Becca all ate together in the room with Ruby.

Ruby may not have been able to join in the conversation, but she knows that her girls and grand girls appreciate the same things that she does.

The Lord is my shepherd

I shall not want.

Mike Brady called a few minutes ago while I was in the room with Ruby to tell me that he had left “B.A.S.I.C. Training” camp with Carmen and Adam. My cell phone always breaks up in the room so I went outside to the covered porch near the entrance. When I got there, someone was moving a large rock with a fork truck, so I moved to the parking lot where it was sprinkling.

It was still loud so I moved to the sidewalk near the semi that brought the fork truck, still too loud, so I walked down the road. Next, it began to thunder and lightning, so I headed for my Jeep in the parking lot to finish the conversation with Mike and here I sit.

I’m listening to God play percussion on the rooftop.

Sometimes, if God wants you to listen, he’ll herd you like sheep. If you have ever heard Ken Davis talk about sheep, you know that loud noises scare sheep. Sheep can be herded by loud noises like a sheep dog barking or a wolf howling, but they can also know the sound of the Shepherd’s voice.

After reaching a resting place for the night, a shepherd may play a song for his sheep to calm them before he sleeps himself.

Can anyone be thankful for cancer?

This is a very difficult topic, but Jackie's family is dealing with the devastating disease directly.... and beautifully. Did I say beautifully? Love is beautiful, but love has a price, thankfully Jesus paid that price and now we all can face death with confidence, pain with confidence, separation with confidence.

One thing I have observed this week in Wakarusa is that by loving people her entire life, Ruby is now surrounded by loving people.

A transformation has taken place in Ruby this week. Throughout her life, she has ministered to people via cards, notes, prayers, phonecalls, verses, songs, Guidepost clippings, cookies, pies, meals, random newspaper articles, books, photographs, gifts, service, service, and service.

This last week, her family and loved ones needed courage. God has allowed her to exude courage when she directs us to get tissues for each other and ignores the occasion tear in her eye. She can't make us a pie, or even underline a verse in a card, but she has taken care of her family when she is at her weakest moment.

I am reminded of this chapter that I have altered. Originally, it was from Paul to the Philipians, but it is appropriate verse to describe the family that I love and the saint that has been at its core.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Did Jesus Love Martha the way she was?

Over the years, I have heard several pastors and teacher use Luke 10 to teach present day Marthas to slow down.

I know an 80 year old Martha, I know a 40 year old Martha and I know a 30 year old Martha. I love them all dearly.

Would I tell any of them to act like Mary? Never...

.... but the question to you is this, "Would Jesus tell them to act like Mary?"

Luke 10:38-42
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word.

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

A Soldier Comes Home

The world today is fast paced and goal oriented, always moving forward at the speed of electron flow beneath our fingertips on the keyboard, but today, on July 4th, a member of my family sent me a story about some of the photographs of the year that stopped me. That's one of the qualities of a photograph that I like. Photographs make time stand still.

Second Place
Todd Heisler
The Rocky Mountain News
"Jim Comes Home"

You might want to take a moment to view those photographs of a young family that gave up a great deal so that we could continue on our busy way.

Ultimately, God's purpose is much bigger. Through freedom, God's message of love is much larger than the message of war or certainly hate. In these eight simple photographs of the Cathey family, you can see that message of love.

As you freeze time with photographs of your children this holiday, remember the families that have given their lives for others all over the world.

Remember the story....

... I was telling just the other day about Adam getting rubber separators put in between his teeth just before the Pirates headed into the Southeastern tournament and how he ran into Stephan during the pregame warmups and got a black eye?

Well, Adam replayed that day for us yesterday. Different team, different day, different object, but basically the same story.

He got his braces on this week and during the pregame warmups for the tournament in Jessamine County, he took a ball to the same eye. He has another black eye, worse than the first and painful to look at.

The folks at church have given Adam a number to call if this continues.