The day after

We spent the weekend at my husband's brother's house. Paul and Naomi were on duty as house parents for most of the weekend caring for the cottage boys. This Friday they had a late. That means they hosted some boys for lunch and supper and were on duty till 8:00 P.M.

Naomi made taco soup for lunch and we served three boys.

The afternoon was spent reading and sleeping while Paul worked at the shop with the boys.

Elvin had stories to tell of his adventure with a friend traveling the States in a small car. They worked at a few different places. Other than that, they didn't get a motel but just slept in the car. And they didn't go to restaurants but ate beans from the can and what not. That also implies they didn't shower often. When they stopped at John's house, they said, "Just make us a HOT meal!" But they did this for the thrill of it and didn't spend much more than gas. What a trip!

Danny was also here and we had a great time with all of the brothers. Danny had lived with us a couple of years and worked with Merv so we have many fond memories.

Merv dug his nose in books if he wasn't sleeping.

We seasoned two turkeys then put them on the grill around 2:00 P.M. so they would be ready by supper at 6:00. Paul's and we both have a Holland grill. It's the way to go! We wouldn't trade this type of grill for anything else. We only checked the turkeys once during the entire time they were cooking. The grill never flames up. And the meat stays moist.

The turkeys were grilled to perfection!!! Danny had worked at Bald Eagle awhile back so he has been involved with lots of camping and grilling. He and Allison were the ones to season the birds before the grilling.

It was very nice of the men to carve the turkeys! That left us free to prepare the other things. We only had potatoes to cook and mash. The girls and I had made filling, two kinds of cranberry salad, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake bars, and spinach dip before we came. And that made the entire weekend cooking a lot easier. It's like we were on a mini vacation.

6:00 P.M. supper time and Paul's hosted our family, his two brothers, plus the cottage boys - this time there were 10 of them. Paul and Naomi always fix their plates before hand and that is the only portion they receive. They get no refills. But they do have three square meals a day. Two plates are always smaller than the others.

My sweet sister-in-law who is also my cousin is kept very busy. She has two babies that are 14 months apart, plus she cooks for these boys about 3-4 times a week. But I think it is so neat how God works.

Naomi always dreamed of cooking for some very needy people. And she sees now how that dream is being fulfilled by serving these special handicapped boys. No, God didn't answer her prayer like she thought He would, but He answered her prayer. God had prepared her heart!

Tom, the fellow to the right can remember everyone's birthdays. And when you tell him your birthday, he knows which day of the week you were born. It is incredible! It's like his brain is a built-in calendar.

Jeff, the 4th one from the right is constantly concerned about his watch and time. If he'd be normal, he would be a VERY scheduled person. He keeps track of his routine by the minute.

We had devotions and singing after the meal was served. The boys all took turns choosing a song. One selection included J.O.Y. The one that blessed me the most was the song about heaven. Heaven will be a lovely place for them. And they will be healed.

It was a good experience for our boys. Yet they loved the security of their daddy.

Merv read the book "Held Hostage: A serial bank robber's Road to Redemption" by Ken Cooper. It is a fabulous book.

This baby is very precious. She mostly wants only her Mama. What a neat stage. We did get a chance to hold her, though few and far between.

Allison was in the mood to work. She cleaned and scrubbed the stove all by herself and stuck with it to the end finishing an hour after the rest of us were done.

Late at night, the men enjoyed a couple rounds of the game Settler's. What a great way to end the day!

I appreciate being normal. I am also aware that during the holidays, life for these children and adults goes on. While most of us party with family and friends, their day pretty much stays normal like any other day.

These boys can't think much for themselves. The only thing they have to keep track of is where they're going to eat their next meal and where they're going for a late. Bless their hearts. So many times I forget the plight of others.

I will add that in reading Ken Cooper's story, I realize life in prison is no picnic and there's not a whole lot of special things for them, either. You may think these men don't deserve that. They may not, but they still need Jesus, just like you and me! How important our choices in life are.

Lord, help me to think of others and pray for them more often. Life isn't just about me. Too many times I forget and go my selfish way. There is one thing I can do more of and that is to PRAY. May I remember those working and serving the less fortunate in a fresh new way.