I have been away from my blog TOO long, missed September completely so how do I catch up? I will start with today and work backward! So here goes.
A friend on Facebook had listed four things for which she is thankful - Faith, Family, Friends, and Farm. I thought those fit with me too so I will expand a bit on all four of those today.
FAITH
I am so thankful that our parents saw the importance of raising us in the Christian faith. Alan and I were both baptized by Pastor Storsteen, went to Sunday School at Bethel Lutheran Church in Frontier and took confirmation classes together under Pastor Pegelow. We both took piano lessons from Kristine Gilbertson!
Now we are members of Trinity Lutheran Brethren Church in Torquay and so thankful to have this church family in our lives. Following Sunday services at 9:00 am led by Pastor Danny Krauss or soon to be ordained, Nick Leven, we enjoy the fellowship that takes place around the tables in Trinity Auditorium. Families take turns bringing goodies for lunch. On the last Sunday of each month we have a potluck dinner. We are blessed to be part of this faith family as we gather each Sunday to hear God's word.
FAMILY
After Howard passed away in May of 2012 I spent three years alone on the farm. I wasn't afraid to be here by myself as I knew that I really wasn't "alone" as I had God's promise that "I am with you always" and I felt His presence with me. But there were lonesome times and I wondered if a second marriage was a possibility for me. I even checked out "eHarmony.com" but how was I to know which fellow was right for me? The next day's daily devotion had advice for me "Wait on the Lord".
In due time my first boyfriend from high school days, Alan James Lutz was back in touch! We were both alone and hadn't seen each other for more than 50 years. Thanks to computers and Facebook we were soon sending emails, then making daily phone calls and finally, he drove six hundred miles from his home at Bon Accord, east of Edmonton, so we could meet in person. That happened on November 15, 2014, and, as they say, the rest is history. We were married on February 14, 2015. Now we celebrate our wedding anniversary on the 14th of each month. That means that today is our 56th (month) anniversary and it's time to make a Flapper pie, his favorite. We are both so thankful to be happily married to our first loves!
We are so thankful that our six children, their spouses, and our thirteen grandchildren as well as our sisters and brothers, have accepted the changes that our marriage has brought to their lives too. It helps that Alan is a great sports fan like most of my kids and grandkids. He played, coached and umped ballgames in his younger years and enjoyed curling too. (I tell people that our TV only has sports channels on it but I think the problem is really with the remote. It stays pretty much next to Alan's recliner!) We also help Clare with farming, mostly moving machinery and vehicles "down east" or "out west" and providing lunches or meals if needed.
We both like to read and are enjoying the Overdrive app that allows us to borrow library books online on our iPads. Yes, we each have an iPad as well as a computer and WiFi. We are content to spend winters in SK and not head south. We get lots of sunshine through our south-facing living-room windows and can turn the thermostat to whatever temperature feels comfortable.
We have learned to stock up on groceries and other supplies as it's 35 miles to a grocery store in Estevan, SK.
We sometimes head to Crosby, ND which is just 18 miles from the farm. I also have PO Box 72, Ambrose, ND 58833. It works well for online shopping as we are just seven miles from Ambrose and just over four miles from Torquay Port of Entry. We both grew up shopping "across the line" as Frontier was fourteen miles north of the US border and Havre, Montana was our closest shopping place.
FARM
Alan and I both grew up on farms. The Lutz farm was seven miles west of Frontier and the Erickson farm was five miles south-east of town. So we are content with farm life and plan to stay here as long as our health allows and as long as one of us can drive! We are down to one vehicle now, a 2017 F150 pickup, as we sold the cars that we each owned. Our Cedar Log home is so cozy and has room for visitors too, with three spare bedrooms.
We have our health problems - he with type 2 Diabetes and me with chronic kidney disease, but they are under control with doctor supervision, medication and a Weyburn kidney group that I meet with regularly.
We enjoy gardening and had a bountiful crop of carrots, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes.
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| Digging for veggies |
Most of the crops in the Johnson fields were not bountiful this year. Too much moisture is usually not a problem in this area but this fall was an exception. Some of the early harvest that was expected is still waiting in fields that are too wet for combines to venture into. Chickpea crops are not worth threshing due to sprouting in the fields. The oat crop was good! Swathed crops need drying weather and we've had few days of that, especially now with shorter days, below normal temps and above normal rain and even snow! It is a trying time for farmers and we need to trust that God will provide for our needs.
There are now five oil wells on the home quarter so we are blessed with extra income from surface rights.
FRIENDS
I enjoy taking part in a music group known as "Homespun Harmonies". It consists of five accordion players, a banjo player, and a piano player. We mostly play at Senior Homes in Estevan and area. Now that winter is around the corner several members will be heading to Arizona so our playing days are limited. Here we are playing at Creighton Lodge in Estevan.
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| Part of a bachelor party on the bus! |
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| At the game! |
Alan and I both enjoy keeping in touch with friends and family via Facebook and phone. You can reach us at our landline 306 923 4427 or on the cell phone at 306 421 6490. We prefer to talk rather than text but are happy to receive texts too or you can email hejohnson@xplornet.ca When I call Kirk's landline the kids say "It's either Grandma or a solicitor". Everybody else calls or texts to their cell phones!
In closing, the opening words of Psalm 23 come to mind. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." or as a newer version puts it "I have everything I need". On this Thanksgiving Day, how blessed we are to be able to say " I have everything I need".
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| Thanksgiving bouquet from Ardis |
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