"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

We're learning about goats as this circus experience progresses. It seems goats choose a particular place for relieving themselves. They'll go there, "assume the position" (back legs slightly extended and a bit of a lean forward), get a far-away look in their eyes, and stay like that for about 30-45 seconds.
Asante's favored spot is astride Bear's pillow over in the corner of the living room. If Bear's laying there...no problem. Straddle him.
Alas, Itzhak's preferred location seems to be my recliner.
Note: No diaper made for humans is effective in containing the contents of a 17 pound goat's bladder.

They both still have scours but the intervals are increasing and we're clinging to that as a token of better things to come.

Tomorrow is January 3, one of those marker days on our calendar. The first reason: it was my maternal grandmother's birthday. Of my four, Grandma Helen lived the longest, dying when I was at my first church in 1974. I knew her the best, too. She lived in Everrett, WA, 25 miles north of us, and as kids we'd each take a turn staying a few nights at her house during summer vacation. I remember walking to church with her and playing with the pots and pans in her kitchen.

She was a godly woman. I remember coming down the stairs from the upstairs bedroom where I slept to find her sitting at her kitchen table, Bible open and head bowed in prayer. (I snuck back up the stairs.)

Part of her commitment to God was the support of his work in the world. Think the widow's mite. Grandma Helen didn't have much money; I don't know if she lived off S.S. or had other income, but if she did it was meager.

One of the things I treasure is this little red book. It's about 6" tall and well worn. It was her ledger book where she recorded all of her giving with a page for every month from January 1971 to May, 1974. She also wrote the names and addresses of missionaries and mission boards that she sent money to.











Here's a pic of one of the pages, showing the recipient and
amount for this particular month, September of 1971. Four entries up from the bottom she wrote "Craig...$15."

She sent me money monthly while I was a student at Grace Bible College. It started out at $10 a month, but Pam and I got married in August of '71 so she raised it to $15.

That was a big sum of money to us; we lived almost all the time on the wrong side of the line that marked "broke." My sense is that it was a significant amount of money to her, too.
Note: under my name is "Mark...$5." That's my younger brother who was also a student at GBC at the time. She always loved me more.

I am acutely aware that my 32 years as a pastor and 10 years as a prof happened because of God's great grace and the help of a lot of gracious people - my parents, my home church, and my grandmother.

Every January 3rd I think of Grandma Helen and give thanks for her example and graciousness. Tomorrow will be no exception.

The other reason that date stands out in my mind is something I'll explain tomorrow. Alas, it's not such a fond memory, though no less an example of God's good hand.