Sunday Evening in Billings

One of the things I wanted to do in Billings was to spend some time on the Rimrocks that frame the North edge of the city. It is a great place to go for a lovely view. That tallest building was our hotel, just in case you needed to know that.

Mike was so patient as I wandered around taking photos.

There was evidence up there of many parties.

Alcohol and a cliff edge just don't seem like a good combination to me.

I came across an interesting sculpture.

Do you think it is meant to be Jesus?

Mary?

As I got closer I could read the engraving but

it only said "class of 1956".

Mike came down and took my photograph.

And I took his.

But I didn't so much appreciate it when he was 

pretending to fall or jump. 

I walked away so as not to encourage him.

Sometimes that is just all you can do.

After the Rimrocks we moved on to Lake Elmo

for a few more photo opportunities.

Lucky you!

Anyway, it was a lovely Sunday.

That's all.

Sunday Afternoon in Billings

Mike and I enjoyed a quick week-end in Billings, Montana. We didn't go to see anyone, just to be together. We had no agenda, just did what we wanted.

For church Sunday we attended a little mission congregation, Joy Lutheran Church. We didn't know anyone there but we knew they were a small congregation with an average attendance of 15. Well, let me tell you, they were 15 very friendly people!

From the moment we entered their building we were made to feel very welcome. They weren't overwhelming or anything, just kind and warm. After the service we were invited to join them at a nearby park for a picnic. We decided to go with the flow and we had a sweet time getting to know these people. They told us we were their honored guests and asked us to go through the food line first. That was really sweet because actually we were the party crashers who brought no food to the party!

Later we went back to our hotel room to rest a bit. I didn't so much feel like resting, though. I decided to go for a walk instead. I took my camera and looked for whatever caught my eye. I like beauty but sometimes I like quirky things. Hey, its my blog so I get to choose what photos I like. Here I go...

The Vine Monster

Mike and I enjoyed a week-end out of town and I took a lot of photos. When I sort through them, I'll show you some of the things I found beautiful or interesting along the way. For now, I just want to warn you about vines, yes, vines.

Vines are so pretty, don't you think? Don't be fooled by their charm, though! They can be quite aggressive! This building looks as though it is being consumed alive.

Eventually, vines can take on their own spooky personalities. Look at this guy! He's terrifying!

So just be careful out there. Vines are everywhere!

Summer's Final Bookend

Memorial Day and Labor Day are kind of like the bookends of Summer, don't you think? Does it make you sad when we reach that second bookend? I've heard several conversations lately where people were grieving the end of Summer. I am not one of those people.

Don't misunderstand, I like Summer just fine. However, I really, really love Fall. I always have. Part of that is maybe that I always loved school and Fall was when school started again. There's more to it than that, though. I really like the crispness of Autumn! The colors, the smells, I love it all!

So, in case you are mourning the loss of Summer, I decided to post a few photos from last Fall. Maybe it will help you feel some happy anticipation for the next few months.

Rest

Jesus knew that it was important for us to have times of relaxation. It is important to remove ourselves from stress and busyness. How do you find ways to refresh?

Mark 6:31 - Words of Jesus

And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while..." 

Best of... Only The Manager

You know how musicians put out their "best of..." albums? I decided that I want to do some of those for my blog. When I go back and read through a lot of my posts I think they sound kind of dumb. I may even feel a bit embarrassed by them. However, there are a few that I think are worth repeating. Maybe I was better tapped into a higher wisdom those days. I don't know. Sometimes I just think I happen upon a topic that is worth a rerun. The following is one such rerun...

 Edify, this is a very important word to me.  It goes through my head a lot.  Sometimes it really annoys me.

(from firstcal.org)

The definition of edify includes "to build up, to construct, to strengthen a person" as well as "to inform or enlighten intellectually or spiritually." (from dictionary.reference.com)  When I consider if something is edifying or not, I ask myself if any good can come from it.

I suppose you wonder why such a nice word can be annoying.  Well, sometimes I just want to say stuff, whatever I'm thinking.  It may be something that would classify as gossip or it may be something just a little bit mean.  Why do I want to say things like that?  I don't know, but sometimes I just do.   I'm not proud of it but there it is.  It may be something like, "Hey, have you gained weight?" or "Did you hear that so-and-so cheated on his wife?"  It is even possible to SOUND sweet when you say it.

(from Kerripom.com)

Also, if you say "bless her heart" after such a comment, it's ok, right?

WRONG.  WRONG.  WRONG.

Usually the word "edify" comes to mind when I take time to think before I speak.  I'm guessing the Holy Spirit is responsible for that.  I'll have these little brakes screeching in my head and I find myself thinking, against my will, "Is this edifying?"  Rats!  I am usually, but not always, able to stop myself from blabbering out the non-edifying thoughts.

On the flip side, sometimes I find myself thinking edifying thoughts about someone but don't make the effort to share those thoughts with them.  I'm trying to notice when I DO have an edifying thought so that I may pass it on.  Even that can be difficult.  Maybe they will think I am a weirdo.  What if they think I am trying to butter them up or think I am being phoney?

I have to say, though, I've yet to get a bad reaction when I pass on an edifying thought to someone.  It might be one-on-one or it might be saying something edifying in front of a group, but it needs to be said.  This world can be dark and scarey, but we are called to be bright lights of hope, letting Jesus shine from the inside out.  We are to encourage and build-up others.

(from Centralaz.com)



                    Maybe striving for an attitude of edification is where it all starts.

                                   This is a link to a post on a blog I enjoy.
          http://loveinactionjourney.blogspot.com/2011/06/speaking-up-loud-clear.html
            Janine elegantly writes on this subject.  You could say it is an edifying post.

So, now you know about being edifying.  Now you know why sometimes I look like I have a little struggle going on in my head as I am questioning myself, "Will this be edifying in any way?"  What are your thoughts on the subject?  Does edification come easily to you?  Tell me about ways you've found you can be edifying.

Little Girls and Dandelions

All little girls pick dandelions, don't they? 

I know that I did. 

Maria did. 

It is just one of those things that little girls do. 

I love it!

When we were at the Natural Bridge Cordelia found lots of dandelions. 

In true Cordelia fashion, she made sure we each received one. 

She is such a giving little thing.

Well, Elise watches every move that Cordy makes.

She wants to be just like her big sister.

It is pretty cute to see. 

She is a quick learner, though.

And she gave me this beautiful dandelion.

Ayers Natural Bridge

Yesterday was my day off. Maria and I had plans to take the girls to my Mom's. Well, I ruined that by flossing a crown right off of a tooth. That is not a good idea! I was very, very grateful to my dentist and his staff for getting me right in. By the time I was re-crowned, though, it was too late to head to Mom's. I felt a bit pouty about that but we came up with a second choice plan that turned out to be delightful.

We went to a beautiful park that features a natural bridge. It is a short drive from where we live but it seemed like a little oasis in the middle of the Wyoming prairie! The colors were so wonderful! I took over 300 photos! Yep, I am going to post them all. OK, maybe not all of them. Here's quite a few for you to look at, though. As you do, I hope you can feel a bit of the peace and relaxation that place had to offer.

23andMe... Yes, Me!

I've done something kind of interesting!

 I've always found genetics to be fascinating and now I've discovered a really fun way to find out more about my own. Earlier this summer I saw a brief news clip about a company called 23andMe. For $99 I could find out a LOT of hints about my health and ancestry. I didn't ponder long before I decided it was worth $99 to me to do this. When I mentioned it to one of the doctors with whom I work, he knew of this company and said it was a legitimate DNA test.  I don't want to mislead you. It isn't total and complete but rather only tests for certain markers. It's pretty cool, though. It's been featured on PBS's series, Who Do You Think You Are, the show where they track some celebrity's family line.

When I went online to read about 23andMe I found a nice website absolutely full of information. It told me that I would get reports on hundreds of health risks or traits. I also learned I could find out information about ancestry. So, I ordered my test kit.

My test kit arrived in only a few days. I was required to register my kit online and then directed to spit into a tube, seal it and mail it back in the prepaid packaging they provided. The instructions were complete. It was all very simple and required only a few minutes of my time. The hardest part was the waiting. It took about 4 weeks to see my results.

There are lots of cautions and such along the way, both when ordering the kit and later when choosing which reports I wanted to see. As they put it, "knowledge is irrevocable". 23andMe can provide information that leads a person to know they are adopted or that maybe they have a half-sibling somewhere. I can see where this information could be hard for some families to learn.

Maybe you would see that you had a really high risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease or something. That knowledge might be devastating! Would you want to know? The way the results are set up, you may choose to keep some of the information locked while viewing the more general results. No one should take this without being fully informed. The site gives a lot of thought-provoking information.

However, the results may tell you that you are at high risk for developing a heart condition. Maybe it would help you be motivated toward better health. Some of the results tell you if certain medications will work well for you or not. You will also learn a lot of ancestry information. It identified over 900 members who are related to me, most quite distantly. By choosing to communicate through their message system I have made contact with some of those people. One of the first turned out to be a third cousin. We were able to identify our common ancestor. It amazed me that this company could identify all those relatives just by our spit!

My results, so far, haven't been too hard to take. There are some things for which I have a higher than normal risk. A few of them I already knew about as I've already been diagnosed with them. I also found I have a lower than average risk for Parkinson's Disease. That was good news. The results do NOT diagnose anything. They just come back with a percentage number for you. It may be something like telling you that you have a 23% chance of developing some disease or ailment for which the average person only has a 3% risk. They also give you information on how to change health habits to perhaps lower your risk or at least to identify it earlier, perhaps when it is more treatable.

This company is heavily involved in research. All of its members, over 300,000 of them so far, are offered a chance to be a part of that research. Some of the results you receive won't come with a percentage because they need more results from more people before they feel sure of their answers. As more people become involved, those results will be updated. You don't have to pay to get those updates.

There are fun results on this report as well. It will make some guesses about you, based on your DNA. For instance, mine said my hair is likely slightly curlier than that of the average person, which is true. It said I was likely to be a person with blue eyes, which I am. It told me I was likely blood type AB, which I am.

As for the ancestry information, the more relatives you have who do the test, the better for your results as well.  Women, for instance, get a more complete result if a close male relative (brother) takes the test and allows you to link as being a known relative. That helps fill in some information gaps due to us women not having a "Y" chromosome.

I did have one really big disappointment when I got my results. I found out that I'm pretty vanilla. I am likely over 99% European, almost all Northern European. I was kind of hoping for something more exotic!