Countdown to Triathlon – 159 Days, 22.71 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 71 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

It's Snowing.  Check out the ground.  It looks like snow and is the only "snow" we get in the central valley of California.  (It's the pedals of the flowers that drop and look like snow.)

The Journey - Installment Seventy-One

God gives me a gift-wrapped gift of enormous value!

 Early the next week, after that Sunday at church and the episode with the bird flying beside me, I continued to try to contact Lisa.  The amazing thing was that if this were the Lisa I knew what a true miracle it would be.  Of all the people who could have signed up for the northern California ride, including people from southern California and even from other states, the fact that there were only going to be twenty riders and someone I knew would be on that list was truly amazing.  I contacted another former Tupperware manager who knew Lisa well but she wouldn’t give me her number.  I wouldn’t give up the quest.  When I finally reached Lisa, several days later, I told her how excited I was that she was going to take part in the bike ride.  She said that she had signed up the same month that I had signed up, January 2001.  However, she said that she had not been riding and had not sought out any donations and was probably not going to participate.  I surprised even myself when the next words out of my mouth, “Oh yes you are, Lisa!  You are going to ride because God gave you to me as a gift, just as if He had put you in a gift box and wrapped you up with paper and a big red bow. You have to ride!”  I was absolutely sure in my heart that she would be riding.   After talking to her she said she would talk with her family and get back to me.  I had no doubt in my mind that Lisa was going to ride.  I knew God had given her to me so I wouldn’t have to ride alone. 

        She called back a few days later and said that she would ride.  I already knew in my mind and heart before she even told me.   For the first time in all of these months of training I was feeling assured and confident.   We talked and caught up on our lives since we had last seen one another, about sixteen years before.  We made arrangements to meet at her house later in the week for a bike ride together.  We did meet and it was as if that sixteen year separation never was.    We took up just where we left off all those years ago.  She showed me through her beautiful home and then we took a bike ride in the area around her house.  Lisa is about eighteen years younger than myself and not overweight like I was, but she had not been training.  We were still not on the same biking level as she had much more energy and strength than I, but we were nearer in our abilities than I would have imagined.  I cannot remember exactly, but I think it was the only time we rode together before the ride. 

Countdown to Triathlon – 160 Days, 22.85 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 70 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - "Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines."

Robert Schuller

Now, if I could figure out what the "guideline" is.  My arm is so painful that I sometimes have to take my other hand and lift my wrist of my right hand to move my arm.  I have been to the doctor and had it x-rayed but they don't what the problem could be.  I need to be better soon or the triathlon will not occur for me.  I can train the lower body, but I will for the race have to swim and cannot practice in the pool at the moment. Time is getting shorter until August 24th.

The Journey - Installment Seventy

  If God could own the cattle on a thousand hills, know every bird in the mountains and the insects (by the gazillions) are his then He could certainly cause this pitiful woman to complete the bike ride. Here is Rick's song.  I am so sorry that I couldn't figure out how to post his recording of the song.  If I find out, I will post it later.

(If you missed the posting about the cattle on a thousand hills, go back to archives, February 23rd to read it.)

The Cattle on a Thousand Hills ~ Psalm 50 

Mesa Way Tunes, Steve Blechschmidt & Rick Larson, 2002 ~ All Rights Reserved

The Mighty One, God, the Lord has spoken. 

Summoned the earth from the rising sun to it’s setting. 

Out of Zion, the perfection of God shows forth. 

Every beast of the forest is Mine, 

The cattle on a thousand hills. 

Every bird of the mountains. 

Everything that moves in the fields. 

Call upon Me in the day of trouble. 

I will rescue you, 

And you will honor Me.

Rick, thanks for sharing your song with us.

Dear Wanda posted this story in my comments sections: "I heard a wonderful true story of a man who was in need of financial help, raising support as a missionary, and reminded the Lord he owned the cattle on a thousand hills in his prayers...so he would trust Him for his support. Later that week, he received a large check from a rancher in Colorado he didn't know, and the rancher wrote that the Lord impressed him to sell one of his cows, and send the money to this struggling missionary.
Sounds like a Barbara story, doesn't it? "

Countdown to Triathlon – 165 Days, 23.57 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 69 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

CLAM CHOWDER

I promised a reader from Canada that I would post my clam chowder recipe.  It came from my Uncle Robbie who used to gather clams in Baja (Mexico) and cook the chowder right on the beach.  We have done the same from Tomales Bay on the northern California coast.  Often, after skiing at Lake Tahoe, we would come back to the cabin and I'd fix a pot of delicious clam chowder.  It is quick to make and very filling - a real comfort food.  I'd serve it with sourdough bread or French bread and we'd all go to bed warm and toasty and quite satisfied. You can also serve it with a Caesar Salad or green salad of your choice, but we just eat it with bread. It's really good in a hollowed out individual bread bowl but we usually just eat it the regular way, a bowl and spoon.  It proably serves 4-5 people depending on what else you serve with it.  I used to triple the recipe for our family of six when the kids brought friends to Lake Tahoe skiing. They ate every last spoonful and there were never leftovers.  Here is the recipe:

1/4 # bacon, diced
3-4 stalks celery, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced.
1 small onion, diced

Put the above in a dutch oven or deep pot and cook until the bacon is thoroughly cooked and the vegetables are limp.

Add 3-4 large potatoes, diced and enough water to cover everything in the pot.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are done.

Add 1-2 cans minced clams (depends on your taste - start with 1 can)  and heat 5 minutes at medium temperature.  Cooking clams at too high a temperature or for too long will make them tough.

Add 1 can (15 oz.) of evaporated milk.  Be sure it is evapored milk and not Eagle Brand Condensed Milk whch is sweet and you don't want that.  Heat until chowder is hot. Salt and pepper to your taste. If you don't want to use black pepper you can use white pepper and you won't have the black spots in your chowder.  I don't usually care - we just want to eat it.

Here's the secret to thikening the chowder:   Add about 1 cup of instant potatoes.  It takes a few minutes after you stir them in to begin to thicken. You may have to add more - just wait a few minutes to see how thick it gets.   If you don't finish it at one sitting, remember, after the soup is refrigerated and eaten the next day or so, it will be even thincker so you'll have to add more evapored milk or even whole milk.  We never have any left over so it's never a problem.

You can also add a can of drained corn and/or red bell pepper instead of the green.  Some of the chefs in Mendocino had added shrimp and mussels out of their shells and Sherry.  The sky's the limit.  But my family loves it just plain, the way I describe it above.   .

     Just typing the above recipe is making me hungry for clam chowder.  Unfortunately, we can no longer eat it because Bob has a heart condition and cannot eat cholesterol rich foods.  I could however, use the Smart Bacon (soy product) and use soy milk.  We won't be quite the same, but as close as we can get it.  The rest would be fine for him.  I'd have to use a little olive oil because without the bacon grease, the veggies won't cook quite the same.  But where there is a will - there is a way.  I only just thought of doing this as I was typing.  Good idea!  I think I'll try it tonight.

The Journey - Installment Sixty-Nine

Recently I wrote about the Cattle on a Thousand Hills. I am trying to figure out how to insert the mp3 of Rick singing the song of the Cattle on a Thousand Hills into blogspot. If anyone can help me, please comment below.  I googled "how to add an mp3 to blogspot".  I downloaded Open Drive but am stuck on the next step.  I have the mp3 copied into the Open Drive file but don't understand how to go from there.  HELP SOMEONE!    I'll post that tomorrow or whenever I find out how.  PEA - DO YOU KNOW HOW?

I hope you're ready to see some photos.
This is the house we rented with our friends, Shirley and Lynn.























Here's the view from the house on Friday - storm's coming in.

Saturday was the Whale Festival in Mendocino.  We started at 11:00 am with chowder tasting.  There were about 10 chefs with their chowder from various hotels, bed and breakfast places and restaurants in the area.  For $10 each, we could sample all the chowder we wanted until the supply ran out.  YUM!

Then there was wine tasting.  One of the wine tasting stops was in the Mendocino Art Center. In front were these whimsical animals made from nuts, bolts, various gears, car parts, etc.  You have to believe that someone has a very vivid immaginaton.

KITTY

ANOTHER KITTY

DOGGY

PIG

RABBIT WITH CARROT

BIRD (I GUESS) WITH IT'S OWN WINE BOTTLE

YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE - THOSE ARE OLD DOOR KNOBS FOR HANDS

A LADY OF SOME SORT!

A HORSE MADE OUT OF DRIFT WOOD

Lynn, Shirley and Bob (right) in the rain.











Bob and I

My sweetie bought me a hat!













The Village of Mendocino

These are the yellow flowers in the picture of the water above.  I just thought these were pretty photos of the ocean I shot.

I'm afraid that this is all we could see this weekend of the whales.  Look closely and you'll see their spouts way in the distance, almost like puffs of clouds.  It was stormy terribly on Saturday and today (Monday) there were so many white caps because the sea was rough that you'd never see the spouts.  In January when we were in Mendocino, you could actually see their backs.  All those dots in the foreground are part of a kelp bed. Instead of tree-like roots that extend into the earth, kelp has "anchors" called holdfasts that grip onto rocky and sandy bottoms. When you scuba dive you navigate around the stalks which is like being in a forest with tall trees where the foliage is way above your head.  Once the kelp get to the surface, it fans out with all the "foliage". 

I don't want to overwhelm everyone, so I'll continue tomorrow with the bike ride story. 

Countdown to Triathlon – 171 Days, 24.42 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 68 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

GOD GIVES ME A LIVE BIRD RIGHT AFTER SHOWING ME A DEAD ONE (OR WHAT WAS LEFT OF A DEAD ONE – ONE FEATHER ONLY)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - I believe that the turning point for this entire bike ride exercise - 18 months of preparation and three days of actual bike ride occurred at this exact time. 

I believe that when I saw that feather; when I straightened my back in determination and raised my chin, setting my jaw I turned the corner in my then present and future attitude.  My bike and I literally turned a corner, but then my attitude and behavior did also.  

turning point
n.

1. The point at which a very significant change occurs; a decisive moment.

2. A moment when the course of events is changed

 3. A point at which there is a change in direction or motion


The Journey - Installment Sixty-Eight

           

        I continued to ride to the end of ten miles at which time I stopped, turned my bike around and took a short break, drinking some water and eating an energy bar.  I had stopped my bicycle along side the road that was bounded by three feet of weeds to my right in front of a barbed wire fence surrounding a pasture of cattle.  As I got back on the bike and started to ride again, slowly at first, but picking up speed gradually, a bird flew out of the weeds and hovered at my right shoulder.  I was startled, to say the least, and turned my head toward the bird.  We were only a few inches apart as it hovered there beside me for a short distance. I was eyeball to eyeball with it.  As I looked into its little beady eyes,   I remember questioning God out loud asking, “Okay, Lord!  What does this mean?”  At that instant the bird flew off – I don’t even remember which direction it went. When I think back, I was in a forward motion on the bike with my head turned toward the bird.  The bird was facing me, otherwise we would not have been eyeball to eyeball.  But how was it able to fly alongside of me, sideways.  Only God knows.   I would suppose that the bird had a nest in the tall weeds and was trying to get me away from her eggs.  However, the incident seemed to me as being God-inspired.  Think about all of the incidences of God's creation which were interjected into my traiing.  There were dead birds, snakes, a huge hawk with a snake in its mouth.and now a live bird hovering, looking me in the eyes, God does use His creation, whether it be animal, mineral or vegetable to teach us and show us His mighty power.  He uses wind, volcanoes, lightening, waves in the ocean and any part of his magnificient creation that He feels like using.  It is up to us to see it and understand what the message is.  I had never in my life had a bird fly along side of me and look me right in the eyes as that bird had done.  It was immediately clear to me that I had absolutely no idea what that meant. 

            After continuing home and preparing for church, my husband Bob and I discovered that particular Sunday a visiting missionary, a man named John Earle from a ministry called Sports World, was to speak during the service instead of Pastor Don.  John explained that his group, former professional athletes, visited public schools and gave their testimony about the Lord.  I was amazed that people were allowed to mention Christ in public schools because I didn't think that was a possibility.  He told a story of how he had been in college, expecting to be drafted by the NFL, a chance of a lifetime. He had worked toward that goal his entire life.  At that time he had weighed over three hundred pounds and had been having trouble with bones in his feet breaking. He was so concerned and upset that he might miss the opportunity to be drafted by the NFL, that he found himself alone in his dorm room crying out to God.  At some point he began to ask God to forgive him for his unfaithfulness. He told God that he knew that God had been with him all his life and that God had blessed him so much.  He said he realized that God loved him and that God didn’t have to prove Himself to him anymore.  At that very instance, sitting in the pew next to my husband, I wanted to shout out, “God, you don’t have prove Yourself to me anymore either.  I don’t need any more dead birds.”  Then, the early morning incident of the bird flying beside me made sense.  I saw that bird as representing God and that He had been flying or coming along side of me, this entire time I had been in training.  What a revelation that was to me! I had known it all along in my head, but hadn’t truly felt it in my heart.  Now I felt confident that I no longer needed God to show me dead birds in order to cause me to remember that He loves me and that He is with me. Beginning at that moment, I rejoiced in my new-found assurance.  I was literally a new woman!

Come back Tuesday - going to Mendocino for a few days.  Maybe I'll get some good pictures to share of the whales in the ocean.  It is Whale Watch weekend in Mendocino and Ft. Bragg.

Countdown to Triathlon – 172 Days, 24.57 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 67 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

Can we conceive what humanity would be if it did not know the flowers?
Maurice Maeterlinck

 I had to get pictures today of our camelias and the neighbors' Tulip trees (from the Magnolia family)Pictureds taken today at 3:00 pm, Wednesday, March 2, 2011.  We're expecting rain tonight and tomorrow so that might be the end of the blooms.  Just had to share with you and I wanted pictures anyway.  The camelias were all planted by my Mother-in-law many years ago. 

Neighbor's Tulip tree photo taken today, 2011.





















AND NOW, FOR THE Pièce de résistance (or the best one)

That same tulip tree in the photo above - only instead of 2011 the pictures below were taken of Bob and I in 1968 - much skinnier and with brown hair no less.





What a stud!

We were mere babies -

Bob was 26 and I was 24
This was taken just before we left for the Army in Kentucky.


Was I ever smart!  It is hailing right this minute so it is so great I got the photos when I did.  Probably many of the pedals are all over the lawn now.

 One last picture - our kumquat tree in our front yard.  I make kumquat marmalaide with them.

I'm still not getting much exercise because of my arm and not getting very much sleep either.  Next week though, I'm going back in the pool and at least do the conditioning class even if I can't swim laps.  Now back to the bike ride story.



The Journey - Installment Sixty-Seven
        As I rode along that early Sunday morning, crying out to God about my problems, I happened to glance down to my left because something caught my attention.  When I looked, I only saw what appeared to be a grease spot in the road.  I turned my head back so that I was again looking forward down the road ahead. I had just turned my head forward when it seemed almost like an invisible hand had placed itself on my right cheek and pushed my head to the left and downward.  In that brief second, while I was still in forward motion on the bike, on the very outer edge of that grease spot, I saw one feather.  I immediately realized that it had been a bird but that it had been run over by vehicles so many times, it was flatter than the proverbial pancake.  I know for sure that I would not have turned my head and looked on my own since all I saw was a grease spot - no reason to turn and look down.  Again, as I had so many times before, cried out to God to please forgive me for my unthankful and unfaithful spirit regarding His mercy, grace and His provisions for me.  I told God that I was so sorry that I have continued to complain and grumble, even after such a long time. 

(Here is a good spot to ask anyone reading this blog, where do you see yourself?  If you picture a scale with grumbling, complaining and gripiing on one side and thankfulness and positive attitude on the other side, which side would be heavier or be holding the most?  We know what the answer for me at this particular time and day in the story.)

        After telling God how sorry I was, I straightened my back, raised my head, set my jaw as I rode, tears streaming down my face and announced to my Heavenly Father that now I understood why he had not given me someone to ride with the last several months because I was destined to ride alone in the bike ride. I told him that if that was His plan then I was okay with it and I would ride by myself if that were necessary.  I made up my mind that I would stop complaining. I told God that I was sorry to criticize Him for giving me a hybrid bike and that I knew I could not have ridden a road bike.  I realized that even though my bike was heavier than recommended, it was the one He intended for me to use – He hadn’t made a mistake! And, if the Lisa on the list wasn’t my Lisa , I was all right with that too.  As I turned the corner onto the next road, I could feel in my heart that after almost a year of complaining, crying, and grumbling, not only had the bike and I turned the corner, but so had my heart.  I felt different inside and for the first time full of confidence!

Philippians 1:6
...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
NIV  

No more whining!!!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

Countdown to Triathlon – 173 Days, 24.57 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 66 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

With all the discouragement I was experiencing, what was I forgetting?  The motto of this ride – The power behind me is greater than the task ahead of me” Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power – Ephesians 6:10.  Boy oh boy!  Did I keep forgetting that motto.

This is what I saw yesterday.  The almond orchards are all in bloom.  Unfortunately for the farmers, we had a hard frost this last weekend and today it is gloomy, windy and raining.  Very nerve-wracking times for the farmers.

The Journey - Installment Sixty-Six

When I thought I had exhausted all the names of the women on the list, I was surprised to see one more that I had missed. I had been glancing down the column that listed the home city and found Atwater, which was only about thirty-five minutes away.  When I followed the line over to the left side of the page, the name “Lisa ...” was listed.  My heart must have briefly stopped and I exclaimed out loud, “Lord, that can’t be my Lisa, can it?”  Lisa and I had been Tupperware managers together many years before and I hadn’t seen her for some time.  I had always had great respect for Lisa because she lived her love of Christ at all times, even when in a group of non-Christians.  I was always impressed with her sweet demeanor and cheerfulness and the fact that she always prayed before a meal, no matter where we were or with whom we were sitting.  At that time, early in my Christian walk when I first knew Lisa, I was not likely to say grace in public and was quite amazed to see Lisa give thanks to God wherever we happened to be eating.  Praise to God that I am no longer such a wimp or coward about praying in public!

            I remember that Lisa had an unlisted phone number and tried Friday night and all day Saturday to find a way to contact her.  That Sunday morning, I had still not been able to reach Lisa.  I had decided to do a short 20-mile ride before church. As I rode, I was once again crying, tears streaming down my face and bemoaning the fact that God had given me the wrong bike.  I cried also because the Lisa on the list was probably not the Lisa I knew, and that I probably would be riding at the back of the group all alone.  Never having been on an organized ride before, except for the one at the Wine and Cheese Festival earlier in the fall, I assumed that I would ride alone because I would be so slow.  I didn’t realize that on the Focus on the Family Ride, we would be accompanied by a Focus team member who would always be the last one in the group, bringing up the rear to be sure no one was left behind