My granddaughter Kennie came over this afternoon with my great-grandson Maverick.  He is the sweetest baby.  He never cries, or fusses.  He just looks at everything that is happening, is very calm, and takes it all in.  I didn't have any babies like that.  Mine were all easily bored and making sure that I knew it.

She brought me a Christmas present from her sister Megan, that my son Scott was supposed to get to me.  Along with the sweetest letter from Chrissy Phillips.  I was supposed to get both of those things four months ago.  I guess "later" is better than not at all??? Thanks, Chrissy for your kind words. Also Amy Smith.

I've been cooking supper for Becky and a friend, Josh, that works for her.  She says he is the first person she has ever known that works as hard and as steady as Craig does.  Josh is thin and eats everything I put in front of him.  It's nice to cook for someone who likes to eat.  All three of them, as well as my gardener, John, that used to do yard work for me, are working on a place that is so big that it will take an entire crew a year to get everything cleaned and set up.

My publisher is coming over Friday evening.  We are comparing notes, and doing the final editing.  I'm probably going to get my copies before the end of May.  I am sooooo....anxious.   

My sweet friend Carolyn just had her fifth surgery on her foot.  It's been a year of misery for her.  It just won't heal.

This is a disjointed, catch up kind of blog.  Today is "Teacher's Meeting" at the church.  We will review what is coming up next Sunday.  It is interesting to be in a group that has so many smart Bible students--all of them teachers, former pastors and even an FBI retiree.    I always learn something new.  You would think that after teaching so many years I would know most of it!  But it doesn't work that way.  They call the Bible the Living Word, because it is always fresh.

  

I am hooked on the TV show "My 600 pound life."  I know.  It's a stupid fascination.  People are eating themselves to death, and they say that they don't know what to do about it.  I just don't see how anyone with access to media doesn't know what makes them fat.  They consistently say, "I don't know how to stop," or "I can't stop." Some of them have been emotionally broken in childhood and eat for comfort.  Many of them were molested and felt it was their fault, and they are punishing themselves.  It's sad that they feel so helpless.

It's almost like there is a disconnect between what they put in their mouth and what they think that means.  Some of them don't even know what a calorie is.   I keep thinking the show is all "made up" but they show these people lying in a bed who haven't been up for years because they weigh 600-700 pounds.  They can't walk because their legs won't hold them up.  People wait on them.

To keep gaining weight, they have to have somebody bring them the food.  Why would you bring junk food to help kill someone and say it's because you love them.  If you want to lose weight, stop eating fried food, bread, (Pasta) and sweets.  That's it.  That's where the calories are.  It's simple.  High protein, low carbs.  There isn't a plan B.   But you can have anything you want--occasionally.

I went to one of those church buffets where everyone brings their favorite food. I ate all of it.  Fried chicken, mac and cheese, lime jello pecan salad, baked beans (with molasses) potato salad and huckleberry pie. Among other things. I love to taste different foods that I don't normally cook.   I gained 1.8 pounds in one day. That's how you gain. (But, then I lose it in a week because I cut my calories.  It's my once a month indulgence.  Once.)

Some people eat like that every day and wonder why they gain weight. It's actually simple.  It isn't how much you eat, it's what you eat.  I've never joined Weight Watchers, but they have an easy to use point system that is effective. 

Americans are notorious for not granting the government authority.  They riot.  Break laws, run stop signs, cheat on their taxes, drive over the speed limit, steal, and on and on and on...Americans are notorious lawbreakers.  They want to decide which laws they will obey and which ones they won't.  The laws don't apply to them if they decide they don't.  Americans want to be in charge of their lives with no regard to others.  We are notoriously independent.

But to live in a safe and secure place, we have to make a decision to obey the laws of the land, and recognize (or hope) that they are for the common good.

But we also know that some of the laws are stupid.  Which drives us nuts.  The government has drifted closer and closer to trying to legislate morality because we have become a nation of immoral people.  We now have hate crimes.  School rules on bullying.  Inclusiveness.  Things that used to be part of a social differences, we now try to legally enforce as behaviors of tolerance.

Tolerance is not achievable without people giving up principles, regardless of whether those principles are right or wrong. Principles are the bedrock of our differences.  As an example: There are dozens of Christian denominations that differ on the subject of baptism.  Some immerse, some sprinkle, some think baptism saves you, some strongly disagree, some require immersion for joining their church, some regard it as optional.  But all agree on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  These denominations don't tolerate, they agree to disagree.

Every institution, every organization, every race, every group has its beliefs.  To tolerate, you have to agree to give up your principles.  And if that happens, we will no longer be individuals, we will be an amalgamated blob.  Differences define us.  What we really want is for people to quit fighting over small differences and come together on large principles.  What we really want is to go back to the moral laws the Bible defines.  We want a Godly nation.

Authority.  Who has it?  There are a number of ways to gain authority.

1.  Appointed.  Like a federal judge, or by being granted authority over a specific situation by your boss or someone else who is in charge.

2.  Elected.  Voted on as the class president, governor, senator, president, etc.

3.  Conquered.  There has been in a war and someone is victorious.  That leader, or country has won the authority to rule by force.

4.  Granted.  You follow someone because you choose to do so.   

Ken taught Sociology after he retired from the Marine Corps.  It is the study of the way people interact with each other, and why, and how. The Marine Corps has a unique system of authority over its members.  And every member at every rank accepts that authority.

Ken taught that authority is always granted from the bottom up, and never from the top down.  No one has any authority over you if you don't grant it.  They may torture you, or kill you, or throw you in the brig, but ultimately you are the one who decides who you will obey.  And who you will follow.

People followed Jesus by choice.  Throngs, crowds, and disciples.  Which drove the Pharisees and Sadducees mad.  They sought a way to kill him.  They had been "appointed" by the Romans to rule the Jews, but the people wouldn't follow them; they followed Jesus. People chose Jesus over the religious rulers.

 I have "granted" God authority over my entire life because I decided to do so .  And it is life changing.  It also changes eternity for those who follow Him.  

There was a pattern in the 1930's and 40's of depression glass called Waterford.  Sometimes called Waffle.  It came in three or four different colors.  I started collecting it over fifty years ago in pink, and it was fun.  Kind of like an Easter Egg hunt.

Through the years, Ken and I would stop on our way to somewhere else, run in an antique store and make a quick pass through to see what we could find.  He wasn't particularly interested, but was a good sport about it.  

Once on the way to Tulsa, we stopped at a hole in the wall junk store in Inola, and Ken came back to where I was looking around.  He was holding four salad plates and asked, "Isn't this what you are looking for?"  It was.  I was so excited.  I had never found a salad plate before.

It got harder and harder to find through the years for a price I was willing to pay.  But I finally had a full set--except for the round butter dish lid.  I found the bottom but no lid.  So it was the only thing I didn't have.  I quit looking because the butter dish on e-bay came up only a couple of times and was $250.  Which is outrageous.  I was thinking five or ten dollars at the most.  And never in all those years did a lid come up for sale by itself.

So last week I was looking for something else, and a notice for the lid popped up.  Valued at over $150.  Which is also ridiculous.  That's not an Easter egg hunt, that's just buying over the counter.  But the temptation was too much.  I bid on it at a price so low I thought e-bay wouldn't accept the bid.  And then forgot about it.  I just got a notice that I bought it.  For almost nothing.  What that says is that nobody is buying it anymore.  We buy what our grandmother used and Depression glass is out of date.  Tupperware is in.  Save some money because none of your kids will want any of it when you are gone, anyway.

I got a note from a lady who lived in my Pryor neighborhood--which was small--during the late 60's.  She said she didn't know how she discovered my blog, but she was reading and enjoying it.  I thought that it was interesting that someone from the past found, and is reading what I am writing.  It was a pleasant feeling to know that. 

I have no idea who reads this unless you let me know.  There is a "Send Feedback" button, and every now and again someone uses it.  Thank you.

I finally got the book contract like I wanted it.  And today, I signed it.  Jeanette came over and we went over it for one last time.  It has been a lengthy process because I didn't want to sign my rights away.  I could have signed it three months ago, but couldn't bring myself to do it until I was completely satisfied with it.  I didn't want anyone adapting it or adding to it.  

It shouldn't delay printing.  There is some editing to do. But I've finished that.  All that needs to be done is for the publisher to correct her copy.

I feel like a weight has been lifted.  There is not much else I can do.  I've done everything I know to do.  All that is left is for people to buy it and read it.  In September.  I think the name of it will be "The Letter."  Unless that name has already been copyrighted.

This has been a strange thing to accomplish at my age.  But I am encouraged.

Maybe God isn't finished with me yet??

I thought there would be thirteen people.  There were eleven.  It was Jon's birthday and I think the last time Easter was on the 21st of April was in 1957.  It doesn't happen very often.  Not in Jon's lifetime.  He was born in 1972.  

I know there is some algorithm for figuring out when Easter is, but I always forget what it is.  

Dinner was a free-for-all as usual when any of my clan get together.  Three dogs knocking over the water bowl.  People sloshing through the water with others mopping it up with their feet on a towel.  Craig slicing ham, Becky stirring the gravy, people sticking their fingers in everything to get a bite.

My friend Jeanette brought a huckleberry pie.  That was unexpected and delicious.  My family is nuts about huckleberries.  Everybody brought something, and everyone ate too much, so it was a successful gathering.

Brady checked the potatoes that he planted last time he was here, and was delighted that they were coming up.  He also told me that my tomatoes looked good.  Declaring himself to be the judge of gardening.  He's seven.

Tate scattered the puzzle pieces all over the floor--laughing at the mess.  He's four and his mother was ready to thrash him.

All in all, a wonderful day.

Christ is risen and lives in our hearts.