Lots doctors.

I went to IG for my yearly Medicare Dr. My blood pressure is high and so we are monitoring it for 3 weeks. I came home after getting sliced meats for lunch for the 5 teeneager grands We were home and then headed back for Denny's surgery. It turned out ok. I stayed in town for my dermatology. My

Flower

Rachel and Jessica came over and we put flowers together for Mary's birthday party Saturday. The cool bot is workig.

🚨Christians, Borders, Illegal Immigration, & Deportation🚨 With images like this floating around, it's clear Christians are going to have to think Biblically about these issues. Here are 10 (difficult) thoughts... 1⃣ Christians as individuals are commanded to love immigrants (Lev 19:34), and should not let debates about IMMIGRATION POLICY erode their love for IMMIGRANTS as people. But (wildly unpopular thoughts to come)… This does NOT mean that Christians should oppose the enforcement of immigration laws or support mass immigration, because… -- 2⃣ In the Bible, God establishes BORDERS, NATIONS, and WALLS. // Divides the world into nations (Genesis 11) // Establishes borders (Acts 17:26, Deut 32:8) // Led his people to build walls to protect their borders (2 Chron 14:7, Psalm 51:18, 1 Kings 3:1, Nehemiah). Now, that FEELS unloving, and we need to address that… -- 3⃣ OBJECTION: “But building walls and enforcing immigration laws is hateful!” No, nations build walls for the same reason you have a lock on your front door – not because you HATE the people on the outside, but because you LOVE the people on the inside. The reason we have a legal immigration process is to vet who comes into the country, just like a good father vets who comes into their home. Also… -- 4⃣ The United States allows (by far) the most legal immigrants per year of any nation in the world. Of the Top 10 countries that allow the MOST legal immigrants per year in the world, we are #1 at 1M+ annually, nearly 250K more than #2 on the list. This is why legal immigrants overwhelmingly support enforcement of immigration laws: Because allowing illegal immigration without consequence is saying to all those who are legally waiting in line: "Suckers!" -- 5⃣OBJECTION: “But the Bible commands us to ‘love the immigrant’ and ‘care for the sojourner’!” Using that verse to oppose enforcement of immigration law is a reasoning error called “category confusion.” The conversation is not about “loving immigrants.” It is about punishing criminals. The actions being taken have nothing to do with people being “immigrants” (which is why legal immigrants are not being deported). The actions being taken are because people broke the law (and the Biblical role of the government is to punish crime, Rom 13:1-5) -- 6⃣Illegal entry into the United States has been a federal crime since 1929 under 8 U.S. Code 1325: Improper Entry By Alien, and it’s not a victimless crime (like jaywalking) In California alone, taxpayers spend $9.5 BILLION on healthcare for illegal immigrants. And keep in mind, our nation is currently $37T in debt with financial analysts warning of the possibility of a catastrophic debt spiral -- 7⃣ OBJECTION: “But Christians should want LOVING government leaders, and loving leaders would WANT to care for people!” Yes, but in the Bible leaders are called to prioritize the people God has placed under their leadership over people who are not under their leadership. If a Dad cares for other people’s kids in a way that harms his own kids, that doesn’t make him a good man, it makes him a terrible father. If a nation’s leaders care for another nations’ citizens in a way it harms its own citizens, that doesn’t make them merciful people, it makes them terrible leaders in dereliction of duty. -- 8⃣ Response to the "JESUS WAS AN IMMIGRANT" thing: -Jesus never broke immigration laws -His family traveled to legally register themselves in a national census (Luke 2:1-5) -Jesus did not “immigrate”: He left Nazareth (in the Roman Empire) to go to Egypt (also in the Roman Empire) -Jesus commanded obedience to laws (Rom 13:1) -People like to selectively-edit Jesus to turn him into a mascot for their cause. You can equally say things like, “Jesus never left his home country, Jesus was unvaccinated, Jesus fed the poor without raising taxes, Jesus told people to buy weapons, etc” Jesus is a Lord, not a mascot. -- 9⃣ Response to protestors using this verse: “You shall not mistreat a foreigner nor oppress them.” (Exod. 22:21) Yes and amen! But… -The Bible also requires the “foreigner” to obey the laws of the land (Numbers 15:15-16), which includes immigration laws -It is not mistreatment to ensure the number of “foreigners” does not become harmful to the people of the nation. And, nobody ever seems to bring up this verse (#10)... -- 🔟 We must also be careful not to pick and choose which verses of the Old Testament we apply and do not apply to modern immigration discussions. This was also a warning God gave to the people of Israel that is rarely discussed: “Foreigners who live in your land will gain more and more power, while you gradually lose yours. They will have money to lend you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.” (Deut. 28:43) 💥 FINAL WORD 💥 DON'T let debates about immigration policy harden your hearts toward immigrants. DON'T get gaslit into supporting disorder. LOVE PEOPLE. AND GRACIOUSLY OPPOSE LAWLESSNESS.

OGT Cherokee.

I went to OGT I had 20 pictures of softball girls made at Courier. She was kinda Grumpy. I headed to Mandy's and was a little late because I misplaced my phone. Now that is stressful. Uffda!! I took the boys to lunch at the school. Then we went to the rec center because Tyler had been invited to a birthday party swim. We were treated to ice cream afterwards. While the kids were swimming I volunteered at New Leaf. I got repremanded for moving things around that other volunteers placed. Uffda!!!

Golf & Siblings saying

I took flowers and asparagus too Lake City golf. I played with Traccey and Jacque Drey, from Storm Lake. We shot a 39 and were pretty happy. It was a step back and with only 3 instead of 4 we each took turns doding double shots. Of course, we were just the bottom of the first flight. We played with Jan & Thelma and Jan & Diana, Donna an & Coleen, Phyliss& ? Denny painted in the Luandry room all day. It looks so nice, Great addition. At night we had Tiago stop, visit, have supper with us and watch the storm pass. Great Day!!! Pretty sunset on patio.

Brothers and sisters… such a simple word, yet so powerful. They are that piece of home that walks beside you, that mirror of your childhood, that refuge that remains when everything else changes. Sometimes we forget about them, caught up in the rush of life, but they are there—from the very beginning: from first steps, to shared games, to laughter without reason, and even those fights that always ended in forgiveness, without needing any words. They say siblings are the first friends we ever have in life, and often the last ones who stay when the world turns cold. And in the end, that’s true: a mother, with her infinite love, didn’t just bring us into the world—she also gave us a gift. She gave us someone to share our days with, our dreams, our pain, and our victories. A brother or a sister is the most genuine gift life can offer: an irreplaceable presence, unforgettable, and one that—no matter what—always leaves a mark on the heart. Life isn’t always easy. There will be storms, doubts, and falls. And that’s exactly when the true value of siblings shines through: in that embrace that doesn’t judge, in that hand reaching out without asking for anything in return, in those comforting words that come just when you need them most. Because that’s what brothers and sisters are for: to hold each other up until the end, to be whole when the other falls apart, to walk together even when life takes them down different paths. Between siblings, there should be no room for envy, distance, or resentment. Because if we truly understand what a gift it is to have a brother or sister, there’s no space left but for the purest kind of love: the one that comes from the soul, that feeds on shared memories, and that lasts even when there are no more words. The love between siblings should be sacred—a silent promise of support, respect, and unconditional loyalty. Life teaches us many things, but one of the most valuable is to hold on to those who have been with us from the start. Sometimes time or differences pull us apart, but the heart always knows the way back. And often that road leads to the very brother or sister who knows you like no one else does, who remembers who you are even when you forget, who would give anything just to see you smile. May there never be a shortage of “I love you” between siblings. May the silences not pile up. May there be more hugs than arguments, more support than pride. Because at the end of the road, looking back, we’ll realize that having a sibling means having an eternal part of ourselves.

Happy Father's Day!!

We met Jensens at the Travel Lodge in Holstein. It was SO great to see them!!! We had coffee until Denny headed north to got to church with Mandy and brunch at the golf course afterwards. Jensens and I visted Faith Lutheran Church. Nice, so very encouraging supporters

Car show

Denny left for the Odebolt Creek Days car show at 8. I just worked around the farm unti he got home around 3. We mowed and ate supper on the porch. Beautiful day. I made the 3 beds, put pictures in coop, watered/fertilized plants, did some laundry, hung up 2 pretty potholders made for me by an appreciative flower recipieant of golf flowers, cleaned the cold closet, and washed the Prius. Uffda!!! Good day!!

Darn Mitered corners.

Who would have thought we would spend hours making 6 cuts of window framing for the shower floor board. It was frustratingnot having the know how, not aving the right tools, and suspectiong the wwall itself was not square. Uffda!!. Finally it was good enough. Now it needs another coat of paint. I left to watch the girls play softball at BC and sat with Renae. The game went into over time inning and they team ost.

Pontoon

I weeded to DAB and recap. Study at Sue's. Huddle at 4. Lakeview with Bergmans' at 5:30. Wonderful day!!

SC doctor Kenney

I weeded to DAB and Recap. We left around 11 for my 1:15 Dr appointment with Dr. Kenney. He could not find any reason to do a Thyroid biopsy. Good news!! He just recommennded that we get a other ultra sound in a year. We got haircut at Sports Clip, Toes done down the street at KSC. To lowes for shower fixture, grab bars, and floor edge. We ate at noisy Texas road House. Food was good. Before we headed home we stopped at Walmart. The softball gals won their game 19-1. Crazy radio/phone on the drive home. Frustrating!!!

Cherokee boys

I was up and weeding before OGT> I returned shower hardware then headed to Cherokee. Fun afternoon, Pickup at Day care. Library story time at swimming pool park. Lunch at school. PLay in Central park. Stop at New leaf. Driving range in Aurillia. Then we stopped at Jan and Johns' I left for home around 5:15. We looked allaround at all Dnny got done at home. Most of the night we rocked on porch.

Dementia: FB post

I played golf at Sac City, but first I was up and around and got stuff done so I went to play PB in IG from 8-8:45, then golf. I played with Sheila and Linda from Holsteirn and Judy? from Twin Lakes? We shot a 40 and each got $4. All 10 asparagus sold. Alex came to work on the shower area. I visited with Keith the airbnb before PB. We mowed and I left for BC softball. They wonn 9-10. STella pitched the first 4 innings. Denny was asleep when I got home.

If I get dementia, I’d like my family to hang this wish list up on the wall where I live. I want them to remember these things. And I would add one more: Every time you enter the room announce yourself. “Hi Monica - it’s (name).” NEVER ask- Do you know who I am??? That causes anxiety. 1. If I get dementia, I want my friends and family to embrace my reality. 2. If I think my spouse is still alive, or if I think we’re visiting my parents for dinner, let me believe those things. I’ll be much happier for it. 3. If I get dementia, don’t argue with me about what is true for me versus what is true for you. 4. If I get dementia, and I am not sure who you are, do not take it personally. My timeline is confusing to me. 5. If I get dementia, and can no longer use utensils, do not start feeding me. Instead, switch me to a finger-food diet, and see if I can still feed myself. 6. If I get dementia, and I am sad or anxious, hold my hand and listen. Do not tell me that my feelings are unfounded. 7. If I get dementia, I don’t want to be treated like a child. Talk to me like the adult that I am. 8. If I get dementia, I still want to enjoy the things that I’ve always enjoyed. Help me find a way to exercise, read, and visit with friends. 9. If I get dementia, ask me to tell you a story from my past. 10. If I get dementia, and I become agitated, take the time to figure out what is bothering me. 11. If I get dementia, treat me the way that you would want to be treated. 12. If I get dementia, make sure that there are plenty of snacks for me in the house. Even now if I don’t eat I get angry, and if I have dementia, I may have trouble explaining what I need. 13. If I get dementia, don’t talk about me as if I’m not in the room. 14. If I get dementia, don’t feel guilty if you cannot care for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s not your fault, and you’ve done your best. Find someone who can help you, or choose a great new place for me to live. 15. If I get dementia, and I live in a dementia care community, please visit me often. 16. If I get dementia, don’t act frustrated if I mix up names, events, or places. Take a deep breath. It’s not my fault. 17. If I get dementia, make sure I always have my favorite music playing within earshot. 18. If I get dementia, and I like to pick up items and carry them around, help me return those items to their original place. 19. If I get dementia, don’t exclude me from parties and family gatherings. 20. If I get dementia, know that I still like receiving hugs or handshakes. 21. If I get dementia, remember that I am still the person you know and love.”

Heading back to Iowa

After showers we went to Zimmerman for breakfast. Evan wanted to spend as much time as possible with his older cousins. Matt was making lots of pancakes and sausages. It was great visiting with Hirshmans, and Missouri people.

Torren's Grad Party

I headed to Colin's lacrosse meet with the Cooks. Beautiful morning. Back at Luke's we had a great breakfast. Luke arranged for all 7 of us to fit in the Tesla. lHe used his subscription for auto pilot and did not touch the steering from his drive way to Matt's, 50 minutes later. Matt and Becky had everything ready to go. Great display of pictures, awards, games, great food, so many nice people to celebrate Torren.

TO Carroll to AMES to Excelsior. Uffda!!

I left about 6:45 to drive to Carroll. I played pickcleball in the park until 8 and took the RAV to get it serviced and then I went back to play pickleball for about 45 minutes. A quick stop at New Hope and the caar was done. Straight to Ames. it was fun to spend the afternoon with Laurie. We garage saled, and then went back to her place to take a nap. Denny got to Amesn about 4:15. Laurie fixed pizza and watermelon for supper so it was ready when Evan got off work. We took the pickup to Luke's and got thee around 10.

Study

I worked on my Thursday study lesson and caught up on DAB. I kept busy picking flowers for the widow's luncheon, picking and cleaning asparagus. Taking asparagus to study. AFter study I went to Dose, got mulch at Bomgaars, and splayed PB in the rain with Jessie H. I decided NOT to go watch the softball game. AT 8 we called Missy on her last day of school. During the day Denny managed the shower installation. We laughed about it when we were headed to bed. What the manager's job was... then I said that I was quite sure that I was a manager for all of Denny's construction. We laughed ALOT at that. So sweet to spend the night in the bunkhouse.

Beautiful Day

I was up and outside. It was wet and so I played PB til the grass dried. When I got home the shower guy wasn't theree. Uffda!!! Worried that it might be a scam, BUT Alex did show up. I mowed all the major areas and headed in to FCA Huddle before the softball gals got on the bus. Topic was your speech. Ephseians 4:36 and BAck to back challenge ane toothpaste example. At home the sunsset was beautiful. We do love our homeplace.

Cherokee Torren graduated today.

I headed to OGT after walking thru the garden. During 9 am break I went to the Courier and got some FCA pictures printed. I headed to Cherokee for a fun afternoon. I got car seats then got boys at day care. We stopped at the library for story time. We ate lunch at the school. SO good, cheese bread, choc chip cookies, carrots, ranch. We stopped at New leaf where the boys straightened the toy area. I paid them 25 cents for 15 minutes. They earned money for a couple of toys. Jo let them have the toys for the work they did, so they left with 50 cents in their pocket. Next was the museum. They spent that $ at the gift store. The most fun was playing ball on the tennis courts. After I itook them home I headed to get my nails one. Then home to see how Denny finished the drywall in the laundry room. I baked bars for FCA and worked on HUddle time. The shower is going to be worked on Wed , Thur, Friday til noon.

ladies' golf

I weeded and recap/DAB. I left for golf around 8:30. Fun day golfing with Judy P Sheri S, Marlene L. Lola and Karen. We shot a 39. Afterwards I stopped a thistledown on the way home. Denny had been fixing all day long. Appointent for truck. Ordered part for '72, Ayrmesh, Coolbot, and plug in moved for lak in shower. So goo to chill at night, on rocker with my husband, Denny.

Asisan Food

I weeded in the garden and listened to Recap and DAB. GReat way to start the day. I put together frlowers for church. Evan and Denny were eating breakfast ont eh porch. We went to SS and Church. Evan rode with Josh M. to Kiron. We eenjoyed the fundraiser for Mission trips to Spain. Evanand Dnny rocked and talked, I napped We headed to Cherokee for ball games. Fun time.

Heading home

Bruce fixed us breakfast. I played PB with Bruce,Keith and Jane. SO FUN!! Then we headed home. One stop at Rieff's greenhouse where I got a rudbeckia and Orientalstatus. Lots of driving, I listened to dab and You tubes. Lord, thank you for safe troubles. On the way to Burr Oak Denny stepped on the gas and the check engine light came on, so we're living on a prayer.

To Beau's Grad party

I got up and walked to Rose's school with Karen. Denny got Lincoln on the bus while we got Starbucks. We enjoyed the coffee on their back deck. I got 2 big tomato plants at Kalwaski's. Next we headed to Pine Islnd to have subway with Webb's. It was good to touch base with them. We got to Bruces and relaxed before going to Keith and Jane's home. Keith gave me a touor of his yard. Bruce drove the 5 of us to bEau's Grad party. Well, not directly to his party. We drove around the neighboorhood ALOT!! It was good to see neices and nephews from Craig. We stopped by pulpet Rock campground wo see Zimmermans camping and fishiing. At Bruce's we enjoyed sppending time around his big fire. Soft bed in the basement and we slept well.

Heading North

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SUE AND GORDON!!! I was up and had devo in the house. I baked a chocolate cake, I did a couple loads of wash. I planted the other rhdodendroum, right beside the lilac. And PUT TOGETHER some flowers for Karen. We went to Denny's urology appointment. It all looked good, no real problem found and so we made another appoinntment for the 19th. We headed to excelsior around 1. Driving, Driving, Driving.

Denny CT scan

6:30nalarm for getting rolling. I loaded the Prius with veg and flowers for Maebell to take to golf. Denny picked me up at the golf course. Thee was road construction but we made it there ok. Denny gort fishing gear at Farm Fleet. I got 2 azalia's at Lowels's. Half price. WE stoped in IG to get a check cashed and pickup my car. Hyvee stop and stop at Starbucks. Mow when we get home. AND pack AND clean the Rav 4. Good day!!! Especially because Denny checked out OK with his heart.

Memorial Day!!

Thanks to those who gave their lives to give us freedom. Coffee under flying flag. Mandy fixed donuts with olive oil. We made beds and gathered stuff that was Mandy's. Cooks rode the 4 wheeler, packed a lunch, went to the culvert, I walke over there with Mandy's weighted vest. They packed up and left for home about 2. Turmoil with my double booking Tuesday afternoon with boys and also thinking I could do Huddle time after that. Nope.... Bummer. Lord, help me. This week has lots going on AND my days are full. Lord, help me.

Sunday Fun Day

Up and put together red white and blue vase for church, We took the boys to SS. I gave the flowers to Lindsay L. to enjoy. Mandy joined us at church. We came home and ate smoked meat sandwiches. Around 3 Sherry and Jennifuer came to play pickleball. Sam joined them. About 4 Rose, Nikke, little Ada and Halle came to visit. So nice to kinda catch up on happenings. and fun to watch the little girls. Mandy took the boys on 4 wheel drive to creek. We ate supper of smokedd meat and chips. At night boys enjoyed Splish Splash while taking a bath. Jack got his front tooth bumped and broken. Mandy put it into a glass of milk.

Rooted at the farm.

I was up early and made coffee. Then to the garden. Before cheryl left I got some flowers for her and the girls. Thru out the day I got all the flowers planted and tilled around the flower beds. The families were busy playing kick ball, checkers, carpetball, soccer, walk the trail, explore the buildings. Denny smoked the shoulder roast that Mandy brought. He also sauted the asparagus and put it in a crock pot. SuCH GREAT FOOD ALL DAY!! AND LOTS done in my garden.