Yes sir, its 8:30 p.m. and there is still drops falling from the roof and the air is still damp... I was wondering but I refused to quit believing for the rain I was determined we would receive today! When I left Denver at 6:00 this evening it had not been raining where I was at since we had arrived at 1:00 but here in our region it rained from this morning and is still not completely cleared! Believing pays off!

I hope you all had a great day... And for those of you wondering how things are turning out on the home front today? It's all good you see; because “God is in the process therefore, we can trust the process!!!"

GOOD NIGHT!

It's RAINING!!!! I'm still believing for more, much more before the day is over! And best yet - the wind isn't blowing currently! Hooray!!!!

The Power of Visualizing and Prayer!!!!

Okay, understandably there will be those of you out there who did not have the benefit of reading earlier blogs about the notoriously well known "Satan Poop"! So, I will attempt to give you a brief run down so you don't have to search the blog to find out what in the world I'm talking about.

It went back many years - my sister-in-law and I were cussing and discussing the woes of a day in the life, so to speak. We had often acknowledged how apparent it is that Satan takes advantage of every opportunity to get under our skin and rock our world which in turn is often capable of rocking our ability to "walk the talk". One of the incidents that day or for a few days running was one of her dogs having doing his doo in the house. It was apparently a result of the pup not feeling well, but when you have to clean up after such messes, it's hard to keep a deep seated sense of compassion; at least while in the process of cleaning it. With the combination of the two conversations it was deemed the messes she was dealing with were most certainly "Satan Poop".... Hence, comes the term and reference to Satan Poop in our daily follies in life.

Okay, with this much explained... You will best or at least better understand when I say that this week has been brimming over the top with more than an ample dose of Satan Poop. My question is this... If we have more than our share in a given day, week or month, does that buy us favor for future days, weeks and months? Hmmmmm....

Based on forty six years of life (nearly 47), I'd have to say probably not. But hey, it's a nice thought, specifically on weeks such as this. I pondered the concepts of "The Secret" in all that has befallen the week and I have to ask... "Did I really beckon all of this to happen by being unappreciative to the last week of every month?" And better yet, if I did, why is it flowing over into everyone else's life this week?

Consider the work we've been praying and believing for concerning Chad (our son)and his new excavation business came in the form of a farmer needing some ditch and pond work done. The pond being dried up and the job seeming to be a relatively simple job for someone with his experience he was off for a good days work. That was until in the midst of the dried up pond the backhoe began sinking... Then the Loader owned by a friend of the land owner that compassionately came out to save the day and pull him out found himself even more stuck than the backhoe. In the process the backhoe continued to sink little by little. By the time the winch truck arrived it was sunk all the way to the step - about 3 feet. Happy ending however, it was pulled out with no further problems along with the loader as well.

The Wench truck on the way out of the location nearly ripped off his gas tanks on a hump in the road..... Fortunately, as Ron had a similar situation happen when he was driving a dump truck - he was able to get the driver stopped and avoided the further crisis.

Then yesterday one of Chad's pick-up trucks started making noise in the rear-end. Hopefully nothing to be too concerned with, but it's parked for now. Thank God he has a back up!

Ron and his boss nearly blew up on one of their leases (he works for an oil company) when one of the pipes that had been improperly installed by a roustabout crew gave way to the pressure as they were working on it.

And then there is my own personal "Satan Poop" for the week... Due to confidentiality matters I can only say that it began with a call from one of the schools with a request for my immediate attention to come meet with a police officer. Okay... Got that one handled, sort of, and as I'm leaving that school the other one has called and left a message that I need to get to that school as soon as possible. When being greeted by yet another officer, I had to presume there was more than a bit of coincidence in the matters. No coincidence at all when it's all said and done.

I suppose in all of this Satan lost his battles... Chad is unstuck; he got more calls on additional jobs the same day he was stuck up to his eye brows... He does have a back up truck... Ron is alive and well in spite of the blow out.... As for me and the kids...”What will be will be”, but I'm actually maintaining my sanity and I’ve made it through the day without so much as even raising my voice through it all! Woo Hoo!!!!!

So, if I beckoned any negativity to the week by concentrating on the reality that the last week of every month can be a bit overwhelming in our lives, I have survived and "The Secret" has prevailed.

I'm still believing for the rain - the skies are cloudy and the wind had blown none stop since about 7 p.m. last night. However, I'm still hopeful that the moisture will arrive before the day and the storm is done. Of course, it's already pouring rain in other vicinities less than an hour from here! Call it "Satan Poop"....

So, with all this stated, I suppose you can find it in your hearts to forgive my missing yesterday's blog. It's amazing how good my excuses tend to be when I miss a day!

I suppose I should be getting something done today before I have to head out to Denver... Unless I can put it off until tomorrow???? Denver that is, as I have to go then as well to discharge one youth and do an intake with another.

Have a great day and don't let the Satan Poop get you down! After all, "God is in the process, therefore trust the process!"

Love to all!

Really, is it that big of a deal to miss a Monday? I mean really now, let’s think about it.

By most peoples standards (who work a standard work week that is) Monday is generally the least favorite day of the week. With this much stated it is safe to say, by the sheer reality that we draw to ourselves what we process in our thoughts... Monday often presents the greatest difficulties and obstacles in our on-going responsibilities and appears to be the longest day of the week.

I suppose I have to be the other sides advocate here as well... That means the greatest difficulties that befall our Mondays are probably no greater than any others we have in the course of the other days of the week, but the furthest away from the next weekend, offering us a reprieve from the grind of solving them. Therefore, they only appear as the largest looming events due once more to our own thoughts and perceptions making them so.

However, in any event, there is still a striking reality and understanding that Monday's are not our favorite... Therefore, perhaps missing a Monday was a blessing in light of the bigger picture.

Now, let me address once more as I have already many times here over the resulting months of blogging... My interpretation of the last week of the month is not only comparable to Monday's but beats them all together. Plus, the fact that coming off of a difficult weekend as a foster parent, it's safe to say that many Mondays are celebrated in my life with the knowledge the kids will be in school for the day; at least for a few more weeks pending summer vacation… Oh well… It’s all good, right?

Okay, enough on that...

I was shocked this weekend or over the past few days when I discovered how pricey books have become when bought brand new! My goodness, when I realized what the publisher priced my book at I could have nearly fallen out of my chair. Of course, it's safe to say I have always struggled with valuing my work, regardless of what area of my life we are speaking of. Therefore, it is probably a good thing I had nothing to do with setting the price, as I suppose I would have been way off base. Perhaps I'm simply stuck in a previous day and age when things were a bit less expensive.

Speaking of the book…I have received a couple of reviews on the content and am all the more eager to see how it is received within the larger populous of readers.

I was flatly told some folks are going to simply love it while others will think it is horrible. Additionally, as Christian based as the book's content is, it has been deemed as a "NOT LIKELY" possibility of being Christian Book Store friendly. Sorry folks, but it's real... Though there is not a great deal of cursing or intimacy involved through out the story, it does have some. Truthfully, I feel it is appropriately placed emotions of anger and relationships within it are content, but that is simply my opinion. What can we say here besides "You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time." Let me simply surmise to say, I'm okay with both the good and the not so good reviews that may and more likely will come in time.

Truthfully, I tend to think some controversy would be good as it tends to drive attention and sales on most books, movies and so forth. However, I just don't think this would have the components to drive such publicity. In today's society that would have to be pretty risqué, if you know what I mean.

On to other matters of life and times on the farm… It sounds like the rain I’m still believing for, may arrive here on Thursday! Yeah! I am eager to see it and am going to keep believing for more! Which it is going to take a lot more to make up for what we have not received this winter around here!

So how about those oil prices? Folks, it's getting down right scary out there! I am thinking "The Big House on the Hill" may not have been such a good idea at the rate things are going. I suppose that large and that old of a house could easily run up $1,000.00 in heating expenses if the oil prices stay the way they are or even worse????? I can't imagine where this is all going to end and the reality sure isn't looking favorable.

I know things are getting questionable when we even consider the idea of having chickens and a few cattle for the families self preservation! Let alone a garden too boot!! Hmmmm... I suppose it's all worth giving some very serious contemplation, but admit it may not go any further than this... We'll see.

I have to admit however, I did have a dream that we bought a bottle feeder calf - adorable I might add - at a sale barn. Yes, I woke up shortly after we realized what we thought we had purchased for only $20.00 turned out to be $200.00.... However being the eternal optimist that I am, I kept assuring everyone it was still a good deal. I think she was to grow up to be our milk cow... LOL

Not to sweat here though, as I plan to win the power ball jack pot lotto tonight. I intended to do it a week ago but got busy and kept forgetting to purchase the winning ticket. I have to get out to the store to get that done before the drawing cut off today or I'll have to wait until Saturday again. I'm sure the next person waiting to win after me would be happy if I'd finally get it out of the way so the pot can start increasing for them again....

Okay, go ahead and say it... I've already heard it before! You think I'm a bit out there, crazy you might say??? Just a bit, but it makes life so much more bearable!

Okay, I suppose I have rambled on long enough here to leave you all wondering if you should send the little men in white jackets... Therefore it must be time to get something accomplished before I have to leave to attend Foster Parent on-going training tonight in Denver... I know they try to keep it interesting and fun, but all we can say to these fun filled nights away from the kids for a few hours is.... "Whoopee... Oh Boy..."

You all have a great day, evening or whatever it happens to be in your time zone... Make it good at any rate!

See you tomorrow, God willing!

Hi everyone! I'm assuming everyone has had a nice weekend as we were supposed to be visualizing - right? No, don't give me that... I shouldn't have to remind you to visualize good weekends now... Should I?

Okay, so my weekend has been okay... Good.... Great???? Sure, I woke up, able to walk, talk, feel, think, love, share, care and any other number of huge, gigantic blessings! Therefore, it has to be
G-R-E-A-T!!! As Tony the Tiger would say, that is!

I have been, I suppose you might say, wallowing in the aftermath of the joy of receiving my book in print Thursday night. I have also had a good dose of stress around the gills so to speak with the boys. Nothing major, but the final change over will hopefully accomplish minimizing some of these matters in the near future. I'm hopeful anyway that the one last child we have discharging from our care and the new youngster who is coming in to his spot will be a good thing. Of course, we never know until it's done how it is going to work out... But I'm thinking positive and visualizing a great summer before us! After all, school is nearly over for the year!

We have yet to receive any measurable or considerable moisture in our region of the state and it's getting a bit scary again! I am still hoping, praying and believing for this moisture that has been withheld for some reason??? I could simply dismiss the idea assuming that my menial prayers are not enough to move God to bless all in the area by what I seek from him in healing. I could presume that even if I sought his forgiveness, grace and mercy that if in fact he is angered with the community as a whole or anyone particular, that he won't have much to consider in my seemingly small voice. But I know that I am someone special, created in his image and precious to him - just as are the rest of us. I know just as much as my children can come to me in times of need, I too can find answers from him as his child. So, I'm simply going to keep asking, keep praying, keep believing and keep seeking his presence and on-going blessings in my life in the meantime.

Speaking of water and such... The economy sure appears to be growing increasingly frightful! I don't want to be a skeptic around the financial matters of our nation, but I have to admit it sure makes me raise a cautious eye brow! I have even contemplated the idea of getting a few cows and some chickens.... I suppose even as much as I absolutely dislike weeding a garden, it may not be a bad idea.. But this time I better be seriously considering canning and/or freezing what we produce. Stocking the pantry with four teenage boys in our care is not an easy feat, but still may not be a bad idea in light of the way things are heading right now.

I can't imagine anyone fighting to get into the office of presidency right now! Why in these times, who would want the burden of responsibility for so much? Of course, if we are at all honest we have to admit that one person at the top doesn't run the nation..... They truly are not much more than a figure head to operate and complete the plans and motives of the parties behind them... However, I still in any event would not want anything to do with such matters of responsibility with the state of our society today!

I believe I may conclude my political comments at that as I simply have not cared to make this a political outlet... So, as I was saying initially, I think being somewhat self sustaining with living in a rural farm setting may not be a bad idea. I suppose that most would say that seems like a no brainer regardless, but the reality is I am not real good at raising anything for the intent of slaughter... But then again, I have never lived in a time such as we are facing right now and it isn't sounding like such a bad idea after all. I have enough folks around here, including my daughter-in-law who has and can handle that end of it and we all do what we have to do when push comes to shove...Right? Perhaps, we will seek a few others who may be interested in investing in a side of beef for themselves in the process to help off set some of the expense of the plan. It could be a win-win situation for everyone involved - better quality food, all natural, available, and best of all less expensive for all involved!

I'm going to have to give this all some more thought as it will take time, money, set up and planning to accomplish, but it isn't a bad thought in the bigger picture.

On to other news... I don't think I mentioned this as of yet?? I have the first 55 pages completed on the new story - which is loosely based on the true story of our long lost but still loved Palomino Stallion - Moonlight. I'm hoping to be progressive this week in accomplishing as much as possible in the coming week!

On that note, I believe we are going to dinner soon so I best be closing for now!

Love and Blessings to All!
Sher Bear