What is your favorite season: spring summer, autumn (fall) or winter?

Blessed by the spring robin and faith in Jesus

Blessed Spring Robin by Elizabeth Knaus using Adobe Illustrator software.

The calendar is marked and the climate changes with seasons. God’s creation instinctively knows what to do in order to survive and thrive. 

He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. Psalm 104:19 ESV

In one year, four distinctive three-month seasons each bring something different: occasional snow in winter, pleasant temperatures in spring/fall, and intense heat during summer. This fluctuation occurs in Kansas where I live; yet, near the equator temperatures remain steady and seasons are marked by the amount of precipitation that is received.

We live during the season of grace on earth before Jesus Christ returns on the Last Day.

“Every generation should expect Christ’s return as they see the signs of the end times. … God wants all people to come to believe and trust in His Son for their salvation and to lead holy lives in service to Him, eagerly awaiting with patience and perseverance His return on the last day.” Excerpt from pdf “What About . . .The New Millennium” by Dr. A.L. Barry, past President of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

We know there will be an end, yet in sin we often:

• slip up on good intentions
• procrastinate
• reject opportunities to receive His gifts of Word and Sacrament
• ignore chances to honor Him through caring and sharing with others
• worship and praise Him less or not at all
• become selfish with time, talent and money
• separate ourselves from Him
• apathetically, become complacent toward churches who support false teachers that twist His truth or flat-out reject it
• claim we don’t need Him/His forgiveness (are blind to our own sin)
• are lazy
• the list goes on as we think and act in ways that are against His commandments

There is no getting around it. We sin without even knowing it!

They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.’ Jeremiah 5:24 ESV

God loves us and hates sin. The Spirit provides faith, desire and ability to repent and turn away from sin. His command for us is to put Him above all our “small-g” gods and look to His Son whose virgin birth, perfect life, suffering, death and bodily resurrection took away the punishment we deserve. Only in Christ we receive forgiveness. Wisdom, courage and power is ours when we hear and read His Word. Out of thanksgiving, we strive to honor Him by making an effort to do great things and share His love.

Lovely sights in nature draw me to my Creator. 

I grew up in Minnesota where a robin sighting marks the beginning of spring. We enjoyed ice skating and building snowmen, but winters started early and were long-lasting. Whoever happened to see the first robin was somewhat of a hero who brought a little joy into the day! After I moved over 500 miles south, I learned that Kansans see robins two months before Minnesotans do and the warmer climate allows us to grow different plants. With the help of God we: confess/repent/recieve forgiveness of sin; watch our diet and exercise to improve our health; keep up property landscape aesthetics. We must clean the yard, prune pampas grass, physically and spiritually clean up our act. Spring is a season to start fresh growth.

Today I went for a walk and saw the largest flock of robins I’d ever seen; a rough estimate is over 50 of them! Repeatedly, they were taking-off and landing in the grass ditch near the Solomon River. I enjoy observing the mysterious lives of birds and imagining dreamy things like the ability to fly. I’m not alone—the birding hobby soars in popularity across North America. It is an art and science.

• John James Audubon, 1785–1851, US naturalist and artist, noted particularly for his paintings of birds in Birds of America 
• Learn more about ornithology here.

My parents enjoyed watching birds. They kept this pair of antique binoculars by the back door window. The vintage globe sat on the filing cabinet in the room we called den. Now they’re displayed on a stacking bookcase I inherited from my maternal grandmother. The cherished handiwork of my mother, Hardanger embroidery or “Hardangersøm”, was a Christmas gift which must have taken many hours to create. The green vase holds April plant clippings from my back yard including purple iris and viburnum alleghany.

Dad’s favorite bird species inspired him and Mom to study their patterns. 

Dad built fancy hotels for purple martins. To track migration patterns, Mom went online at the library to check sighting data which she reported back to Dad. Together, they anticipated the arrival of when their martins would check in. I imagine their bird watching hobby was sparked by their interest in the weather which had been an important aspect of their occupational livelihood as seed crop farmers before retirement.

In their lives I remember that in everything — the good and hard times — they studied the Word, gave thanks, and trusted His will to be done through Jesus Christ. They had peace.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25-26

In the seasons of a Christian’s life,

… we walk by faith, not by sight. … 2 Corinthians 5

No matter what we face, in God’s Word we can start each day fresh. His forgiveness is always there for us to receive when we pray and remember our baptism in Jesus Christ who suffered for us so by His pure grace we can live. He knows our challenges and pain. He comforts us and celebrates our joys — right here, right now — until the day we die and eternal life with Him is ours.

For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven: 

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV

If you have heard of the following terms…

• Ash Wednesday
• Season of Lent
• Holy Week
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter

…but you don’t know what it’s all about and want more information, please call and ask a pastor at a church near you.

How to care for feet, prevent blisters and what to do with the extra, pairless half of lost socks

Do walking shoes and socks matter? How do blisters have anything to do with a book?

Good shoes are important to enjoy long walks in the countryside. 

My favorite walking route is a five-mile-round-trip south of Solomon, in Dickinson County, Kansas. I cross the bridge where tributary Solomon River joins Smoky Hill River.

As I walk, I try to let go of concerns I dream-up, like: aging may cause me to develop knee pain and what if I become unable to walk? I contemplate future events, like: I may move away from this area someday.

All this thinking spoke: I want to remember this beautiful farm/river landscape! So, I brought my camera along one day to shoot some photos. Inspiration comes naturally in God’s creation while I’m soaking-in my environment, imagining and praying.

As an artist in need of a creative outlet, I became curious about experimenting in publishing. I authored words to go with the images I shot and designed an inspirational/spiritual, art/photography book for adults, similar in format to children’s books. It’s a quick, easy-read about my stomping grounds and the Word of God.

Read more about 5 Miles Round Trip for Exercise and Inspiration pdf Ebook Edition at my gallery. I published my 6x9" trade-size paperback book via print-on-demand (POD) at Blurb, Inc. who handles the sale of it through online booksellers. You may find the Print Edition at Amazon or by searching ISBN 9781320458795. Consider giving the book as a gift. You may scroll over to the right column on this blog to find a preview of the entire book which can be viewed full-screen.

Why are two feet of the same person slightly different sizes? 

Our Creator designed humans with internal asymmetry. By paying careful attention, we notice that our external features are asymmetric as well. For example, the left side of our face is not an exact mirror reflection of the right side. The sizes of the left and right feet are often slightly different.

I don’t go to the trouble of ordering custom-made shoes; so I buy hiking/walking shoes to fit my bigger foot. The smaller foot heel slips and rubs against the inside, causing the heel area of the shoe to wear out. The rubbing forms a blister on my heel—ouch! If I buy to fit the smaller foot best, the larger feels squished, cramped and tires-out easily.

Listen to advice about what to do and what not to do on important matters of life; also the trivial matters such as when one foot is a little bigger than the other.

I visited a shoe store, looking for stick-in-back-of-heel-cushions. The manager knew what I was asking for, but he told me, “that’s not the best way to resolve the problem because it causes the foot to push forward and can actually cause more rubbing on the heel; depending on the type of shoe, a professional repair can be done; it works best on shoes that have a removable insole”. Well, I didn’t have my shoes along to discuss it any further. My impatience lead me to Target where I found the heel-pads. I bought them despite what he said. When I gave them a try, I didn’t like the way they felt. I should have listened to the shoe salesman.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:15 ESV

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Proverbs 19:20 ESV

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7 ESV

I bought this pair of shoes while Stan was going through daily radiation treatments for six weeks. During that time, one day a week he was receiving chemotherapy for several hours. Upon completion, six weeks later, he spent 10 days in the hospital for his esophageal cancer surgery. There are times in life that things are new and go well, but the worn shoes represent that physical bodies wear out in this world. Memory foam insoles are a comfy feature of these Skechers®, but their lightweight foam outsoles didn’t hold up well over many miles of pavement and the cracks that offer flexibility catch pebbles and nature debris. Shoes in use won’t last forever and aren’t designed to perform on all terrains. After this pair, my mission became “find the perfect shoe and keep walking” or better yet: “The Perfect Christ has found me! I thank and praise Him that He keeps walking with me and He carries me when I am weak.”

There’s a tough carbon rubber outsole in these Eddie Bauer® shoes, but size issues caused friction and a big blister on my heel. What appears to be wonderful on the outside…

…may hurt on the inside. My foot rubbed the upper back lining until it wore a hole through the fabric. What do I do when people rub me the wrong way? …

…try to do everything that can be done to fix things (pray that God’s will be done) and with the help of the Holy Spirit, forgive others as I have been forgiven. I cut a piece of 2-inch bias tape and used Krylon® spray adhesive to apply it as a patch to smooth out the hole in the shoe heel lining.

Remember to hold spray adhesive upside down while spraying for 4 seconds to clean the nozzle after using it. Read number 18 [below] for the moral here :-)

My favorite shoes for hot weather and perfect fit—these Ecco® sandals have adjustable Velcro® straps across the ball, ankle and heel. Open toe and flexible heel strap eliminates pressure in those areas. They aren’t the sexiest footwear on the market, but, oh… my feet love them! I used these shoes for long walks while my bandaged blister was healing.

Trying again for tough-sole and perfect-fit sneakers, I found

ECCO Women's Biom Train Core Training Shoes.
 One of them is too big for one of my feet. I conclude…

The best solution for miss-matched feet size is to double-up on one foot by using pairless socks.

 

On top of a normal pair of socks, I use an extra sock on the small foot to prevent my heel from rubbing a hole in the shoe and a blister on my foot. This is an excellent use for extra miss-matched pairless socks. I look at the three socks in similarity to the Holy Trinity: Father/Son/Holy Spirit by Grace/Faith/Word—even though I don’t deserve it, they’ve got me covered.

Water blister on heel—to pop or not to pop? 

My unbroken blister was the diameter of a quarter coin puffed up about 1/8th inch. I Googled what to do for blisters and skimmed all kinds of advice including to leave them alone (don’t pop them) and also that it’s okay to do so if it’s a big blister. I didn’t weigh it out extensively. For lack of patience, I let my instincts trump. After washing well with soap and water, I sterilized a needle, poked a few holes on one edge, gently squeezed it and watched the fluid squirt into a Kleenex®. I smothered it in Neosporin®, left it open when barefoot around home, covered it when out-and-about in the elements, and the blister was completely healed in about a week. Later, when I got another blister, I used the same method the second time, it became infected and took longer to heal.

So, the moral of the story is:

1. Ask for help.
2. Listen to advice.
3. Accept instruction.
4. Wait patiently for the Lord.
5. Take proper action—persevere.
6. You screw up—just admit it.
7. When big pride puffs you up, clean up your act and pop your bubble.
8. Learn by experience.
9. Strive to avoid making the same mistake twice.
10. Use God’s gifts of creativity and wisdom to try to fix things.
11. Realize those in darkness hide from the Light and resist wisdom that can be found in the Word. 
12. Pray.
13. Remember baptism: Christ has already done it for you.
14. Look to Jesus when you’re rubbed the wrong way and experience friction.
15. Cover your pain in the comfort of prayer.
16. Reach for the healing balm of Holy Scripture.
17. Healing comes in God’s time, through hearing His Word (in church).
18. Bend over backwards, keep your head clear and nozzle clean in order to be prepared for and prevent sticky situations.
19. Trust God in the race of life—the prize He already has won is for all people.
20. Believe the mystery—the power of His promises/invitation/forgiveness—as you receive Him in the Lord’s Supper.
21. Live a thankful life.

Word from the Greatest Book Ever Inspired:

The Whole Armor of God  >  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10–20 ESV

Final Greetings  >  Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. Ephesians 6:23-24 ESV

Were you inspired by this story? Feel free to share by commenting.

How to update exterior concrete steps: replace old carpet with tile

Can you use tile for a front entry makeover of worn carpet on concrete stairs?

Tile was the best solution for our front steps update. Our home was built in 1969. My husband and I bought it in 1987. Before we moved in we replaced the out dated worn out indoor flooring and painted walls. To maintain a fresh look, homeowners must keep up property on a regular basis, constantly fixing things, requiring small and large investments. We remodeled with a major addition in 1996. This stairway entrance update in 2015 taught us once again about home improvement decisions, timing, materials and labor.

Tile for front entry makeover of worn carpet on concrete steps.

Backtrack nearly three decades in remembrance of the home we rented before buying this home

My husband and I moved over 500 miles from South Dakota to Kansas in 1986 and as a couple, we rented a house. Soon after, I was expecting our first child. It was a nice place. The large kitchen had a red counter top. But the green, long shag carpet hid oodles of stick pins which couldn’t be vacuumed out. I love the word oodles—it reminds me of Grandma Sonnack. As a seamstress, I understand how all those stick pins got there. During the process of working quickly to proceed to the next step on the guide sheet, pins hastily land on the floor. It wasn’t a problem in my Mom’s sewing room because the floor was sweepable. But, I’m thinking that whoever lived in this rental house before us should have been more careful. Stick pins aren’t healthy for our baby who would crawl on this dangerous floor if we don’t move. Yikes!

The home we rented was on an unpaved gravel street. Besides indoor plumbing and mid century modern appliances; open windows and electric fans were our only amenities. As a native Minnesotan, I’d expected this to be fine, but little did I know that the move south would make such a difference in temperature. Here we were at home in our new state which bragged, “Ah, Kansas!” in their promotions. I mocked claim on this slogan as I walked outdoors on a windy summer day into heat which felt like a clothes dryer set on high. The Kansas August record high of 118° is a scary thought for a woman well into the final trimester of pregnancy. Having open windows helps, but oh the dust each time a car drove by is not so lovely. Finding a place with central air and a paved street became a priority which eventually brought much joy.

We’d purchased a couch for $1.00 at an auction. It would have been called a davenport in my childhood home. Vintage 1940s fit our eclectic decor. I liked the style and color. We cleaned it well before bringing it in. It was a great place to put up my swollen ankles, but as far as comfort… well, it would have to do until we could afford a better one.

When you buy a home, it’s wise to start a savings account to allow for replacing, fixing and making improvements later

 

Professionally installed porcelain tile covers old concrete steps.

“Before” photos don’t exist, but try to imagine wear-damaged plastic green outdoor carpet on the front steps. 

The exterior steps remained the original plastic-green until 1996 when we built an addition. At that time we replaced it with a neutral gray carpet which looked great at first, but wore out its welcome in 2015. The carpet was literally worn out with frayed edges and dark spots that were probably mold. Yuck.

Coming up with a solution came about by process of elimination—by deciding what not to do after we ripped off the old carpet on the original concrete steps.

• Re-carpet—This would’ve been fairly cheap, but from experience we know how time flies and what to expect from it. Besides that, dirt and debris sticks to it, not to mention snow.
• Strip to bare original concrete—The old glue amd black stuff they used to attach the past two carpets was stuck on hard. We feared it would be impossible to remove entirely, even with a lot of chemicals and elbow grease.
• Paint over—The texture from adhesives left a tacky appearance and paint would probably wear off unattractively.
• Tear out the old steps and put new in—The existing steps are in good condition and it seemed like such a heavy-duty project for something that’s just asking for a face lift.
• Cover with stone—Even though it might have looked awesome, the idea of actually doing it seemed overwhelmingly out-of-the-box.
• Cover with slate—The slate tiles we found could flake or chip easily and cause a cut if walking on barefoot.
• Cover with cork—Fun thought, but not ideal for exterior flooring.
• Cover with wood—Wouldn’t work with the height of the threshold.
• Cover with recycled rubber gym flooring—It isn’t bendable enough.
• Cover with concrete patio brick—It’s too thick for the threshold.

Finally, our solution: Cover it with tile. 

Choosing tile for covering concrete steps was fairly easy. Instead of looking for the most appealing tile, we considered the surface first and foremost. This narrowed down our choices drastically. We chose an indoor/outdoor porcelain tile with a rough surface for walking grip so it wouldn’t be slippery when wet.

An extra single piece of tile is shown in the foliage near our front steps. FYI, cut hydrangeas (the flower in the corner) stay fresh longer in a vase which has a pinch of alum added to the water. This item is marked Nutrasand Tusk 12 x 24 887275009675

For labor and expertise, we contacted a reliable and talented person who accepted the job.

The father-daughter team used a wet cut tile saw with a diamond blade for cutting the porcelain tile. I don’t know the full details of the entire process. The tile project was reasonably expensive because of the excellent quality material and craftsmanship. Consider the factors which helped us decide to do it:

• The look.
• Easy to shovel or sweep
• Durable for longevity.
• Ability to hire the service.
• Utilize and support someone’s vocation.

What do you think? Do you have experience or ideas to share on this topic? Add a comment below.

In closing, here are Bible verses to encourage you:

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

How to prune pampas grass the easy way, without the mess!

Spring is a wonderful time of the year. We rejoice with flowering fruit/ornamental trees and smile to see daffodils and hyacinths blooming. Our neighbors have their gardens tilled and ready to plant. Everyone who owns property has some type of yard work that needs to be tended to. Life is fresh and new again.

Our son Nathan with our neighbor’s pampas grass in background. We transplanted some of this pampas grass into our backyard a few years ago.

Cotaderia selloana, commonly known as pampas grass, is a tall grass native to South America and was introduced to North America, Europe and Australia as an ornamental grass. Pampas grass grows in dense tussocks that can reach a height of 9.8 feet. Each plant is able to produce over one million seeds during its lifetime! The long slender leaves are green most of the year, but they go dormant during the winter. We leave our pampas grass alone in it’s dormant state because it is lovely all year. In the spring we cut it down so that it can start all over. Isn’t that what spring is all about?

Anyone who cares for pampas grass understands that it does require pruning each year. This year my husband Stanley came up with a brilliant idea to make the job a bit easier and more tidy.

For this tidy, easy method of pruning pampas grass and removal, the tools needed are:

1. Strapping tape
2. Chain saw
3. Pickup
4. Rake

Use strapping tape to wind around individual tussocks of pampas grass.

Use a chain saw to cut pampas grass off near the ground. Use the reverse side (or the top side) of the chain saw to prevent it from plugging up.

Because the tussocks were bundled with strapping tape, the pampas grass doesn’t fall all over the place while you are cutting it. 

A pile of strapping taped bundles of pampas grass.

Pampas grass loaded in an antique pickup truck.

My husband Stanley (left) took charge of the pampas grass job, pictured with my neighbor Duane (right) who mows our lawn—it got it’s first cut today!

Actually, the easiest part of the project is if your only role is photographer, ha!

Happy spring! As you prune out what is dead, may this be a season you recognize God’s many blessings in your life and keep Him first in your future. I pray you enjoy His creation and share your faith this spring by planting seeds to nourish and bless those in your life.

Need inspiration? Read John 15.