Clara

It occurred to me just now, while I was milking the goats, that I never told you about Clara. Clara was the milk cow whom I milked twice a day for over 5 years except when I was too ill to do so; was attending a BodyTalk class; or maybe one or two other minor reasons. Anyway, most of you probably recall the struggle that I went through this Spring as I was pondering selling her.

Clara was 14 years old and in excellent shape. I loved her as I have loved few animals. She was a Brown Swiss and had the most amazing huge brown eyes that always seemed to hold oceans of wisdom. I love, present tense intended for I still do love, her cream-colored muzzle; her elegant long tail (not at all like ordinary cow's tails); and most of all her soft, fuzzy ears that would bend backwards to catch every word I said to her. Well, maybe not when I was upset with her, but that wasn't very often.

You may recall how I agonized for several months about selling her but that the day of Jacob's test I finally had peace to give up my dear one in favor of spending more time with Jacob during his last 4 years of school. When I realized that Jacob needs me more than Clara did, I could let her go. Of course, with my BodyTalk business growing, I needed to make room in my heart for new dreams to replace the one I had of owning the world's oldest dairy cow.

It all was very painful until I took the animal communicator class a week after I'd sold Clara. Kris, the woman who taught the class, took the time to tune into Clara's energy as I gift to me. She told me that Clara was still alive, but was going backwards without her daily BodyTalk sessions. I recall the joy of knowing that I could keep in touch with Clara by doing distance sessions on her just like I do on my clients. Now why hadn't I thought of that?

You may recall that I did about a dozen sessions for Clara after that and she seemed to be doing better. I was VERY happy to be able to help her get over that wet spell we were having as Clara did not do well during wet spells. Then I got very busy dealing with getting ready for my dad's auction sale and I forgot to tune into Clara on a daily basis.

Now, the day of the class, Kris did caution me to be prepared for a final parting. She said that I would know when Clara died as I would no longer be able to get any responses from her body/mind. She had chuckled, "It's kind of hard to get a yes/no response to questions about organs, endocrines, and body parts after an animal is dead."

I had chuckled, but was sure that it wouldn't happen for years. After all, I could still do sessions from a distance and keep Clara going for I knew that she could feel my love through sessions just as when she was being milked and I was sitting right beside her in our milking parlor.

I was wrong, though. I never wrote about it because it was just too painful and, with the sale just a few weeks away then, I didn't really have time to absorb it. But now I've begun processing the moments from an awful day when I went into the milk room and sat down by Clara's stall to get a yes/no to "Permissions a priority?" Except no answer came.

I did the usual things. I checked to see if I needed cortices or was switching and asked again the question which begins all BodyTalk sessions, "Are permissions a priority?" Still no answer. I spent a little time praying for my girl and asked the Lord to guide her session just as I do at the beginning of every session I do. When I asked for the third time, "Are permissions a priority?" and there was still neither a "Yes" nor a "No," it registered in my thick skull that there was a reason for there being no reply.

With tears streaming down my face, I asked the Lord, "Is Clara still alive?" Then I got a very clear, "No" reply. Just to be sure, I asked in the reverse, "Is Clara dead?" and I got a strong, "Yes" reply. I'm crying now just to remember that moment. I know that it's good to cry and get those emotions out, but sometimes I plain old get tired of crying. I wonder sometimes why I've had such a sad life. Maybe the Lord just really likes comforting me?

So now I'm wondering whether or not I should start a new session report column. What do you think? I know that several of you enjoyed it when I was doing sessions regularly for my girl. Any thoughts on this? I have all kinds of animals to choose from, if I did decide to continue doing this. Any suggestions as to which breed of animal to choose from?

Well, I need to go soak in the whirlpool. Jacob and I spent the whole day pulling monstrous weeds in the garden. They got away from me and, with the recent rain, they came out VERY easily. Trouble is, tonight my back isn't thinking that it was an easy day at all. I am so very thankful for the whirlpool and I'm still recommending that everyone get one if at all possible.

Thanks for listening to me talk about Clara one last time! Isn't she beautiful?

Dawn

Master Cleanse 4 ~ Day 3

Today was about like I expected--pain wise. I was driving the 9030 in the hayfield in the morning, when Andrew came out to the field with our "New" 4-wheeler. He told me that he and Jacob were going to go stack the bales, so they needed that tractor.

I asked him, "Are you going to take me home?" looking at the 4-wheeler in anguish. Now, keep in mind that one of my friends became a widow because of one of them; another one is crippled; and Jacob lost a dear friend due to 4-wheeler accidents--as in 13 years old and DEAD! I had made up my mind that I WOULD NOT DRIVE THAT THING!!!!!!!

Andrew said, "Come here, Mom. I'll teach you how to drive this thing." I looked at it for a moment and then thought, "Good grief. I'm driving this great big tractor and I'm not afraid. I guess it's time." And so it was. Cora took this picture of me when I safely arrived back in the yard with it--but I did NOT take the ditch!!! I will say here and now, "I will NOT take the ditch with that thing!"

Cora and I had a little time to play a few piano duets while we waited for the guys to get in for a late lunch. Now THAT is always a delight. Then she left for work; the guys left for the hayfield 13 miles away, and I was faced with a decision.

Am I going to take care of my needs or keep pushing on until I fall apart again? The stress has been mounting as I ponder the sale. What will happen when I see my brothers all together? What will happen if anyone starts yelling like the last time they saw each other? What will happen if nobody comes to the sale to buy dad's stuff and we're stuck with it all? What will happen if Dad comes to the sale and starts crying his head off as he does whenever he goes to the house? What will happen if, when all of the work is done, my dad doesn't show appreciation for all that we've been doing to get ready for the sale? So far he hasn't.

Elizabeth would say, "BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!" I could go on like that up until the sale and put myself back on bee stings. ):

"NO, I WILL TAKE CARE OF MYSELF," I decided and headed for the whirlpool. The other night when I was hurting, I talked myself out of taking a much needed soak--but NOT today!

There is just nothing like the whirlpool to sooth my raw nerve endings in my neck and shoulders where the shingles had started. Now the dishes aren't even done from lunch yet, but I feel so much better! I cannot recommend a whirlpool enough for anyone suffering from shingles as I know that I could never have tolerated the pain without it. So, now that I'm a prune, I can face the dishes and the garden and the laundry and................

Once again I find myself praising the Lord for HIS marvelous, gentle healing ways. There truly is NO problem too big for Him to handle. AMEN?

A truly exciting part of today was receiving an email from my cousin, Kristi, stating that she may be able to come along with her parents for a visit to our farm next week. We have been

wanting to get together for years and now it may really happen. I know that the Lord knows how much moral support I'm needing before the sale and I praise Him for stirring up this idea in her heart to come at this time. Isn't He just awesome?

Well, it looks like I'm alone for chores tonight so I'd best sign off. I continue in need of prayer. That old song from my childhood just popped into my head right now--see if you remember it.

"Not my father; not my mother; but it's me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Not my sister; not my brother; but it's me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Hopeful,

Dawn

GOD AND GOD ALONE CAN HELP ME

This morning I was feeling overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed by all of the wonderful material that I learned in the past 4 days. The perfectionist in me was thinking, "How in the world will I ever memorize all of THAT material?" There are almost as many new techniques as I have already mastered.

Then I was overwhelmed by this finger STILL itching; swelling; peeling; blistering; and tingling. I am soooooo glad that I had a session with "Melanie's" Andrew when he was here during class. He's a chiropractor/BodyTalker... In that session with Andrew, I learned that there are 5 factors involved in this finger problem and hopefully it will be a thing of the past here soon, but it's still a pain in the hand..................................

I was also overwhelmed this morning as I pondered a personal situation that I must deal with involving another BodyTalker. It came up as a factor in this finger situation and Dr. Andrew Colyer told me that I need to address it for the finger to heal. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. I hardly slept last night as I prayed over this, but the Lord showed me a plan of action and now it's just for the courage to follow through.

I'm still shifting from the incredible session with Andrew which I had on Sunday. My head hurts quite a bit and I know that I "Should" (I'll post on SHOULD soon) just take it easy today. However Cora is gone babysitting today and it's time to make lunch but all I want to do is go and soak in the whirlpool. Tomorrow is my office day in Bismarck......................

Just now I cried out to the Lord when I came in the kitchen from the bathroom and saw that I had turned on the wrong burner on the stove. Instead of warming the water in my teapot, I was cooking my bread knife which was VERY hot. I guess I need to be more careful where people put things when they clear the table AND which burner I turn on.

Well, to be honest, I was just plain overwhelmed. That's when I turned my face towards Heaven and cried out to the Lord for help. This song popped into my head then and I knew that I was to find it on U Tube. I watched it and, after I had a good cry, I knew that I was to share it with you too.

I'm hoping that, if you're having a day where you feel like the whole world is resting on your shoulders like I was this morning, this song will be a reminder that it doesn't. Oh yes, He had me do the BodyTalk technique where you get rid of false belief systems before I listened to the video. The concept was, "The whole world is MY responsibility." WOW--no wonder my neck and head are hurting today. I covet your prayers!

Be blessed,

Dawn

Dad's new home

If you are a regular reader on Cora's blog, then you already know that my dad is moved into his new Winter home. I still want to write about that day, though, as it was a big day in my life too.

On December 29th, the boys and I headed down to Eureka, SD (my home town) to meet with 4 of the staff members from their Assisted Living Facility. It was very much a Winter day and I'd much rather have stayed at home where it was toasty warm. I did a BodyTalk session on my dad on the way down, to help him with the transition, as Andrew drove quickly down to the meeting.

My brother, Duard, and his wife, Sharel were at the meeting too and had brought dad up to the meeting. I found dad calmly chatting with the pretty nurses, so he seemed in good spirits. This is the conference room where they meet with family members. We were told that we can reserve this room for family gatherings and have them cook our meals (if we let them know in advance) for the price of $5.10 per meal. I'm not sure why the 10 cents is necessary but that's the way it is. These ladies are the nurses from the hospital which has been moved upstairs. The facility where the residents live actually was the hospital which I was a patient in several times in the "Olden days." Nowdays one of the nurses goes through every 2 hours at night to check on the residents.

When the hospital quit having births, they moved the hospital upstairs and converted the main floor into this assisted living facility. It REALLY is quite spacious and VERY nicely decorated. I felt my spirits lifting as the ladies went over what the facility has to offer the elderly to help get them back on their feet--and then keep them there.

After the nurses shared what they have to offer, they went over the list of things that they expect from their residents. They expect Dad to eat his meals with the group in the dining room which is GREAT. He's had 8 months of eating alone and frankly, he's not eating one bit healthy. Dad is expected to participate in their group exercise every morning and the group activity in the afternoon. In fact, a resident can be asked to leave if they do not participate in group activities--they were quite serious about this. I sighed a deep sigh of relief when Dad said that he would "Give it a whirl for the winter." Here he's signing the admission papers.

I enjoyed seeing the nurses dealing with dad. He'd been lazy that morning and hadn't shaved. They said, "We'll let it slide today and then, after that, you get one warning, Harvey."

"Then what?" my dad asked.

"You DON'T WANT TO KNOW," the nurses teased but they made it clear that dad WILL keep himself clean, neat, and respectable at all times. HOW WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After the papers were signed, the nurses gave us a tour of the facility. This is the waiting room. I remember sitting on these wretchedly awful straight chairs in that very room when I was a girl and my parents were visiting somebody in the hospital. Can this be the SAME PLACE? Everyone is heading into the dining room.

Three times a day the residents gather here for their meals. In between times, they can come here for a glass of milk or juice or a light snack kept in the refrigerator. That day the snack in the frig was veggie pizza--YUMMMMMM. I made sure that Dad understood that he is NOT to drink directly out of the jug in THIS refrigerator--the nurses agreed wholeheartedly. :) Dad also has a small refrigerator in his room for moments when walking half way down the hallway is just too far to go for a drink of OJ. I don't suppose anyone will yell at him if he drinks out of THAT jug. :)

Right outside the dining room, we found this bulletin board. I guess they always have some little item here where residents can give small gifts to each other if they so desire. Not that dad lives there, there are 11 little stockings.

This is also where the schedule is posted for their group activities. I noticed that they have singers come in at times to do hymn sings with the residents. I asked if they would ever want US to do so or to bring our puppets in for the residents. OH YES--WE ARE VERY WELCOME TO DO SO!!!!!! They have a grand old upright piano in the corner for just such purposes. :)

When we got to Dad's new room, his new neighbor came over to greet us. LO AND BEHOLD, THIS WOMAN JUST HAPPENED TO BE OUR NEIGHBOR OUT ON THE FARM WHEN ROBERT AND I WERE NEWLYWEDS!!!!! This woman taught me to save seeds and was a wonderful neighbor to us! Next month she turns 99 years old and is in better shape than dad is. I'm so hoping that living in this place will be as good for Dad as it was for Mary who has lived there 6 years already.

This is Dad's room. It has a toilet in a spacious bathroom. We put a cabinet in there for him to store his laundry supplies--everyone in the building does their own laundry instead of paying someone else to do it. The frig is sitting on top of it. This is Sharel, Dad, Duard, and Bonnie who is one of the nurses in charge of the program.

This is the community shower. Each person has a time slot of their choice which they are expected to use daily. I wonder what Dad will think of such a waste of water? :)

Dad checking out the laundry room while Andrew and Lettie, the other nurse in charge of the program, look on.

This room is the beauty shop. :) The nurse said that Dad can ask any barber in town to come up there and cut his hair. He asked if his "Girl," would come up there to give him a haircut and they said, "Oh yes, she comes up here all the time." How's THAT for service? See the hymnals along the wall? They're for the hymn sings any time that they can get a pianist to play for them. :)

Well, once it was all agreed on, we took dad to his house and proceeded to take it apart. He needed a twin bed which is the one thing that he didn't have. Sharel told me that they had already ordered one with a built-in headboard that would be delivered the next day.

Dad needed his recliner; some lamps; a small table and chair; his laundry things; his clothes; and personal care items. My nephew, Cody, came over and we hustled. Within a few hours, everything was up in the room and the house looked like Swiss Cheese. I regretted that I didn't have time to make it look a little more homey, but there was no time, as we needed to get home for chores.

I did a load of laundry and Sharel came downstairs to talk about what else needed to be done. We decided that the best thing to do would be to empty the refrigerator. Just before we left, then, I went through the frig and threw out everything that had green growing on it. Then I sorted off what dad wanted to take up to his room and the rest we loaded up and brought home.

This was a VERY hard time for me. I was crying in Dad's basement, after I started the washing machine, when Sharel came in. I wished that I'd had more time to think it all over but I knew instinctively that if we didn't move him when he was willing to go, that we'd regret it later on. I said to her, "Some day you and I are going to have to go through everything that is in this house." We both groaned but I knew that somehow the Lord would give me the strength when that day comes.

The boys and I ate supper with my dad and then took a few more things up to dad's room. Andrew took this picture of Jacob and I in the group's living room. It all is very pretty and, for an institution, it is very homey. I didn't realize, until I looked at this picture later, how stressful the whole day was for me. I was STRESSED OUT but was stuffing it for dad's sake!!!!!!

After this, we visited with Mary a little longer; drove 80 miles home; and carried in the contents of Dad's refrigerator. When everyone went out to the barn for night chores, I tried so hard to make myself go out to the barn after I'd washed up the milking supplies. I walked over to the barn closet and looked at my barn clothes. That's when the alarm went off in my head which I got used to listening to in '06. It said, "You've had enough stress for one day, Dawn."

Then I went over to the food and decided that I should at least be useful enough and put the food away. I started looking through the 4 boxes of things when the alarm got louder. I literally do hear an alarm in my head when I've reached the limits of my endurance. I listened to it for 4 months in '06 when I had a freight train running through my brain constantly night and day.

Finally I LISTENED to the alarm and went into the whirlpool room and started filling the water. Even with a wonderful, long soak that night, the next morning I felt as though the freight train had run over me. Still, there was a peace that I'd not had in 8 months since mom's death. I did Access on myself; popped 2Tylenol; and headed to work in my office in Bismarck. All that day I noticed that a most glorious calm was starting to seep into my spirit. It grew and grew all day and hope started to enter in where the despair had been. GLORY!!!

That wonderful peace has stayed and I know that the reason is because DAD IS IN A SAFE PLACE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! As hard as it was for him to leave his home, his new home is a very nice place! Now he's with other people who use walkers when they need them; who exercise daily while sitting on the couch; who need to sleep 12 hours a night; and whose children were getting stressed out by having them alone in their homes after their spouses died. Besides all of that, he can come and go as he pleases! What could be better?????

PRAISE THE LORD FOR DAD'S NEW HOME!!!!!!!!! I'm sending many thanks to all of you who prayed for him to get over the hump of mom's sudden death. God bless!

Dawn

MC3--Day 11

Yesterday was awesome. Please read Cora's post to see what we all did. As always it is a treat to get to visit the Keister family and this was no exception. It was great that Lane took the time to show us how to fill in music. I have always admired people who can play piano by ear and I usually think, when I hear someone doing it, "How in the world can they play so well without even reading the notes. There must be something that they know that I don't know!"

Well, Lane showed us a few simple tricks to dress up in between the notes when the music is written rather simple. That was a BIG blessing and visiting with Sarah afterwards was even better. She is a super special lady to me and I always learn something new when we can get together and swap ideas on health, cooking, and gardening. I got to share some about the Master Cleanse (on my mind a lot these days for some reason) and we discussed making kombucha.

After we left the Keister's home, we drove to Linton to meet an old friend from church there. I was sooooooo happy Sunday afternoon when I remembered that Martha B. takes old coats and makes the most wonderful teddy bears out of them. About 10 years ago I had taken the children to see her house and it was full of the most wonderful little friends a child could want. Each bear was unique and each one was special because Martha has an incredible way with bears. I wish you all could see her home.

Anyway, she said Sunday when I called her, that she would be happy to take my mom's expensive fur coat and makes some bears out of them for us. She also said that she would be in Linton yesterday and that she was aching to see Cora. She had just recently gone through her old thank you cards and found the one that Cora had made for her in appreciation for the bear she doted on Cora with. What a special lady she is.

We met at our former church and she was so disappointed that Cora wasn't with me. However, I led her to the FSA office after we were finished discussing the coats and asked her to wait a few moments. When I came out of the office with Cora, her eyes were soft and she embraced my girl as if 13 years had never come between us. My eyes went soft then and she said to Cora, "I'd know you even though you're not that sweet, little girl any more." We all smiled. How wonderful it is to be a part of the family of God. No matter where you go, there's always somebody near who loves the Lord too!

I picked this picture today because, as I look at this sweet, little miss, my heart just throbs with love for her. That must be what Martha felt for Cora years ago as the love for my girl just oozed out of that lady. It was such a blessing to see the joy that Cora's life brought to Martha. Martha just begged us to drive out to her farm when the bears are ready. How could we say, "No" even though it will be a very long drive there--probably about 70 miles. Well, all good things are worth making an effort for!!!!!!!!!! When we go, I will certainly capture her family of bears with my camera, you can be sure of that! :)

Well, after that we went to our house in Temvik and dug through the mess there. We have been needing some things which are in storage there. Somehow the animals got the basement window open and helped themselves to a great big cat house. It was sooooooooo gross. I wonder if God will ever show us what He wants us to do with that house.

After that we worked on apples while Jacob did his schoolwork. I was hurting really badly in the neck so Robert and I finished the day by soaking together in the whirlpool. I thought very little about food so it was a good day in that way but just pretty achy. Only 4 days to go!!!

Shooting after decades

I have fallen behind with my writing as I have something going on with my left foot. I noticed it about a week ago and each day it has gotten more painful and swollen. Yesterday I realized that it was acting like it did about 8 years ago when I ended up going to the doctor after I could hardly walk anymore. Even he couldn't figure out what it was, but the steroids that he gave me took care of it after a few weeks. What a miracle--NOT! That is certainly not a pattern that I care to fall into!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So yesterday I freaked out as I recalled that month and a half long nightmare. I decided to soak in the whirlpool with a cup of apple cider vinegar added. This draws out a lot of poisons. I also put myself on the Master Cleanse, with additional fruit, until this is cleared up. That was a rather abrupt decision but I am NOT going to go through that whole ordeal again.

As the water swirled around me and I started to relax, I could think a little bit. I started doing the BodyTalk Access procedures and felt more and more calm. "I have the skills to deal with this now," I told myself.

When I reached the wrist to ankle reciprocal, though, something broke loose in me and I wept for about 10 minutes. "What is this all about?" I prayed and then slowly I came to understand what was going on with my ankle. I believe now that most of it is emotionally based. Let me explain.

Close to the the time period involved when I had the extremely painful episode on that foot, we were also dealing with West Nile in our horses. One of the best friends that I have ever had was our horse Gabriel--Gabe for short. Wouldn't you know it--Gabe got West Nile. It was a long ordeal with 3 vet visits and finally coming out of the house that morning to find him dead. We had moved him under the tree close by so that we could nurse him. The minute I opened the door, I knew that he was dead. I could feel his absence on the earth!!! I can't even write about it now without weeping. Maybe I'll try to find a picture of Gabe and post it sometime.

Anyway, yesterday in my BT session, I realized that Gabe's death was linked with the infection in my foot which had turned my foot black. Well, for the past 3 weeks we've been trying to get Cora's milk cow, Leisle, back on her feet after a complicated birth. I understand now that, as I watched Leisle's decline I was going back in my mind to the time when I was forced to watch Gabe's decline and death. God was taking me back to deal with Gabe's decline, which I have never dealt with not having the skills to do so before this. Well, now I do so I dealt with it.

I did Active Memory on myself to Gabe's death and then I had to do Emotional Freedom Technique on top of it as the trauma of it all was so painful. I cried like a baby and let out years of pent-up emotions. I should add here that all 3 of my children got West Nile the week that Gabe was dying too. I had treated it with massive doses of Tahitian Noni juice and their suffering was mild. All of this did NOT have a mild affect on this mother's hearth though.

So to make a long story short, today I have about 1/4th the pain in my foot as I had yesterday at this time. My conclusion is this: watching Leisle slowly die was horrible for me as I know how much Cora was being affected by it. Yesterday, when Robert shot Leisle to stop her misery, Cora was devastated. Gabe's death and the children's week-long battle with West Nile all came back to me in full force and I fell apart. I praise God that He has given me the skills to deal with such trauma through BodyTalk procedures and Emotional Freedom Technique. I praise Him too for a whirlpool which seems to free up my emotions like nothing else.

I'm still going to stay on the cleanse until the pain is completely gone but my heart tells me that the weight has been lifted that brought on the infection in my foot. Isn't it incredible how the mind affects the body?

WOW. I cannot urge you all enough to give BodyTalk a try at your next health crisis. Better yet, why wait for a blowup? Sure, I'll gain a little money by doing your sessions for you, but you will gain peace inside and what is that worth in our crazy world? Please consider giving BodyTalk a try. End of advertisement--I really had not planned on going there at all. It just sort of oozed out of me in my enthusiasm to help others! :)

Here are pictures from last Sabbath. We're trying to prepare for our Appleseed Shoot which is scheduled for October 3rd and 4th here at our farm. We're still waiting for them to post it on the website but you can study there and see if you'd like to join us. You can find the link on my sidebar.

Anyway, we first had to set up the targets. We used some electric fence posts and duct taped some cardboard to a wire that we strung between the posts. The targets get stapled on at an official shoot but we just used tape them to the cardboard.

Robert was so kind and sighted in his rifle for me. He used his dad's old rifle so that I could use his good one. I very quickly learned, though, that I'll need to find a shorter rifle. It wasn't too bad when I shot sitting up but it was imposable for me to even cock the thing when I was in the prone position.

I learned that there are 3 sitting positions. The first one is the best but I absolutely could not get my knee to bend that far back. The second one hurt too as my shoulders ached from leaning over so far so I had to use the third, least secure position. I didn't do too bad with the scope. I got 3 in the bulls-eye and the rest nearby. However, shooting in the prone position for me was a nightmare with that gun. I did terrible!


Checking our results. Everyone did better than they expected except Andrew. He was shooting with his new rifle and it takes some getting used to when you make changes like that.

Reloading to shoot again. I didn't realize that I'd grown so clumsy with a rifle. My goodness it's only been a little over 25 years since I've shot gophers with Robert as a young bride. I'm glad that we're starting to practice ahead of time. :)

How about you? Will you accept our invitation to join us at our shoot? We'd love to have all of you who are concerned about our country's future to come and join us. We'll learn together about the past that gave us the freedoms that we now enjoy. I, for one, am willing to accept the challenge to become the best marks woman that I can be. Who knows--maybe someday I'll even make Riflewoman. Maybe after about 10 shoots or so. :)

Gladys

I finally have a few moments to write as things have been busy here. Actually Saturday was about as un-busy as a day can be, but I was too busy enjoying being lazy that I didn't even have the urge to write. That was a lovely day of sleeping in late; lazily doing chores; exercising; showering; dining on leftovers from Friday night (we do not cook on Saturday); singing together; "Churching" with pastor Davis; resting; playing games; choring; watching movies.

At chores that night Cora said, "Do you mind if I pick a movie?"

I said, "No, what do you have in mind?"

She surprised me with, "Cinderella." I was delighted and we managed to talk the guys into watching with us. When I was a girl, Cinderella was on tv once a year and I was always fascinated. How could a little nobody become a princess? It still absolutely fascinates me to ponder and it was so much fun singing the songs with Julie Andrews that I haven't sung in years. My favorite is, "10 minutes ago I met you..." Jacob left during the mushy parts but the step-sisters were so pathetic that Robert and Andrew laughed most of the time. I never viewed it as funny when I was a child but with them laughing beside me, and knowing how it would turn out, they weren't nearly as threatening as they were years ago.

Anyway, we were almost finished watching Cinderalla when the phone rang. It was Leo, our neighbor and he was very somber. He said, "I want you to know that I took Gladys up to the hospital in Bismarck--she could hardly breathe." I told him that I would visit her on Sunday, but it weighed on me, and the rest of Cinderella was not very joyful.

Yesterday was as busy as Saturday was restful. I got up and felt very poorly. I'm sure that the stress over Glady's situation was weighing on me. Glady's has been a mother substitue for me ever since we're here--she's one of the few people around here who has been friendly. I knew that I needed to act quickly if my plans for the day would be saved.

I stayed in from chores and did a BodyTalk session on myself while the whirlpool slowly filled. There were lots of emotional issues that came up in the session and I felt much better emotionally afterwards but oh, how my body ached. I'll never really know what the whirlpool does but it works miracles every time I take the time to use it. Thanks, Lord, for this BIG blessing in my life!

Then it was 11:30 and Cora asked me, "Are you well enough to go?" That was what I was wondering too. So I sat down and prayed and felt led to go. Cora quickly packed my lunch while I gathered my books, linens, and purse and I was off to Bismarck which is 60 miles away.

My session was with a new client whom I will call, Walt, and it went very well. It was my first time that I was alone working on a man as I was the only one working in the office and he isn't married. I was glad that I knew him or I'd have died of embarrassment. His session was set for 1:00 and I was dusting when he showed up at about 1:15.

Walt came breathless into the room and said, "Dawn, oh good, it's you."

I laughed and asked why. He said, "Because you wrote that the address is 1101 S. Washington and that is on the other side of the street. I've been driving up and down the street looking for your van."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. So we went outside and looked for the street address on the building which wasn't on the side of the parking lot. Walt took off running around the building and came around a few minutes later stating that the number is on the other side and it is 1102 South Washington. I'M SURE THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET NOW. So, if you're ever scheduled for a session with me at my office, and I give you the wrong address, this is what the building looks like. :)

Anyway, I apologized and we laughed and went back up the steps to the office. He put my cell number in his cell phone then in case that ever happens again. A year ago I'd have died to have a man put my phone number in his phone but I am getting so much more balanced with each session I do and I've come to see that men are just people too!!!

We had a great session and a great talk afterwards. He's very interested in BodyTalk so maybe we'll get a man in our group of BodyTalkers yet!!! I told my family later that he said that he wants to take the next Access class in September and he seemed so interested in learning more about BT and they said, "Sure mom, but he's interetsed in everything." So we'll have to see where that leads.

Anyway, I digress. After I cleaned up the office, I went to the hospital to see Gladys. I was shocked to see how terrible she looked. I prayed silently, "How can I bring it up to her that I KNOW BT would help her in some way." We visited for about half an hour when I felt led to ask her if she had heard about the young man in our neighborhood who committed suicide.

BULLS EYE!!! She started crying. Gladys told me that this young family had joined their church not too long ago but that she left him because of his drinking. Still, she was very upset when he had shot himself through the heart.

When she started trembling, I suddenly remembered her telling me once that a member of her family had shot himself. Then things clicked in my brain. I have read repeatedly that asthma is very strongly emotionally based. Gladys took a sudden turn for the worse right after the suicide. She told me that yesterday morning she had had a terrible attack where 4 nurses tend to her to try to keep her breathing. Well, this would have been during the time when she normally would have been in church.

"May I do a BodyTalk session on you, Gladys?" I found myself asking timidly.

She seemed to take comfort and stopped trembling although the tears still flowed. "Can you do it in here?"

I had decided not to take my books with me when I went in as I felt that I would have been stressed trying to do BT on somebody who was hooked up to all kinds of machines. I told Gladys that I would go out to the car and do it when we were done talking. She nodded and when, a few minutes later she got a phone call, that is just what I did.

It was beautiful there under the trees with the breeze blowing through the van but my heart was heavy. It still is. I was working on trying to free up my special friend from the memories of this terrible thing called suicide, while deep feelings stirred inside reminding me of when I struggled with those thoughts throughout my life and not so long ago.

This was when something neat happened. I don't know if I sobbed but suddenly I felt somebody was watching me. A nice, plump man in his early 70s had come back to his pickup which was parked beside my van. I looked up to see him gazing at me intently. He asked in a friendly way, "Are you ok?"

I smiled at him and said, "Yes" so he smiled back and said, "Good". He got in his pickup and left then and I blessed him for that little, "Are you ok?" meant so very much to me. You see, God always gives us encouragement at just the right time.

Well, I finished Glady's session and found myself out of food and very hungry. I treated myself to a taco salad at Taco Johns and then went to be with my kindred spirits at the Doublewood. The monthly BodyTalk practice for practitioners was extra special this month for not only was Elizabeth there but Melanie, my teacher from New York, was present also.

I learned about upcoming classes and then we reviewed Body Chemistry and practiced on each other. I got to work with Lauri who took Mod. 1 & 2 last year and is a really neat lady. Although we were in Body Chem, a link to my skeletal system came up and my back felt much better afterwards.

All too soon it was time to head for home and I left my little cocoon of safety with my fellow BodyTalkers. Oh, I should say that my friend Ellen Schultz was honored for passing her test. She tapped me on my arm after she sat down next to me and said in my ear, "You're next." Then, when I said my farewell to Melanie she said, "We'll see you in November, Dawn." I laughed as she knows that I'm planning to test then when she comes back to teach again. It was just so wonderful to be together with my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After I tore myself away from them, I sped towards home. It was a pretty rough trip for several reasons. First of all I knew that I wouldn't see everybody for another month. Secondly, I was burdened for Galdys (who needs another session today by the way) and thirdly because there were TONS of bugs splattering into my windshield. By the time I got to Steels, I could hardly see through the glass. I scrubbed on it for at least 10 minutes while the gas ran into the van. After I was finished, I looked around and saw a sight I have never seen. All around me there were men, women, and children scrubbing for all their might to get the bugs off of their windshields. It was really weird--the feeling that you get at a gas station when you're out there in the middle of a blizzard. There's a comradery in joint misery and so we scrubb, scrubb, scrubbed the bugs off of windshields, dashes, and even headlights so we could continue on our journey.

Well, I thought that was the end of my trials but not so. Three miles north of here I came around a curve to find 2 black yearling steers on the road. One headed for the ditch but, just at the wrong moment, the other one turned in front of the van. I was glad that I usually slow down for the curves as I hit him broadside. He bellered and ran in front of the van for awhile until he figured out that he could get away from his tormentor by heading into the ditch. WOW--what a stressful day. I got home with only a broken licence plate holder just in time to pray with my family.

Is it any wonder that today I'm hurting? Now I need to drive tractor all afternoon so I'm asking for prayer. After all of that negativity I want to close with some positive thoughts complete with pictures. This is the broccoli head that I picked on Friday night. I have never in my life grown such a large, tight head of broccoli not to mention that hundreds of little heads growing out there. I would say from the broccoli, Sonic Bloom DEFINITELY WORKS--thanks for sharing it with us, Bob.

This morning I found these pictures of Cora on my computer so I thought it would be a good time to honor her. What would I do without my lovely daughter, Cora? She keeps this place running like a clock whether I'm here or not. Besides being beautiful on the outside, she's a true beauty on the inside. She told me this morning that she sprayed everything with Sonic Bloom again yesterday. Thank you, Cora Beth, for all of the joy that you bring into my life!!!!!!!!!! I agree with you, how I wish that hats would come back into style again. :)

Best get to work.

Dawn

PS. Please keep my neighbor lady, Gladys, in your prayers.

Dumb

OH FOR DUMB!!!!!!! Last night when I was finishing hand milking (she doesn't let all of her milk out with the machine) Jacob's cow, Lilac, I was reaching for the salve container. It was further away than usual, and no children happened to be there at the moment to hand it to me, so I reached a little further. It was just out of reach so I reached a little further and then it happened. I fell off of my pail. Since the shingles on my brain, I always sit on a 5 gallon pail (turned upside down) while milking my cow. This way I don't have to look down which STILL makes me dizzy after 3 years.
Anyway, I reached for the salve container when suddenly the pail slipped out from underneath me. I fell on the hard floor at just the wrong angle. My formerly broken tailbone hit the piece of wood that sticks up and it HURT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Immediately I did deep reciprocal #4 to the back of shoulder-back of hip. This helped quite a bit and then I did #16 occiput to sacrum which helped even more. I was able to sweep the floor; get the milkers washing; milk a few goats; and limp to the house. Jacob and I soaked in the whirlpool and I took some clove capsules which help for pain. I put the ice pack on and went to bed. I slept pretty well considering and only stirred when Robert woke up in the dark of early morning to go over and plow all day.
The good part is that Cora had just let Cheerio out 2 minutes before this. If Cheerio would have been in her stall, I would have fallen right underneath her. She tends to be on the jittery side of things so I could have gotten a nice kick to the head or chest too. Praise the Lord that this did not happen! I find that when I'm in pain, Polyanna's glad game comes in handy. All you have to do is find something good in the situation and focus on this instead of on the pain or sorrow. Being we can only focus on one thing at a time, the good begins to appear bigger than the bad and one goes on their way truly happy. Judging from this pain in my back, I'll be playing the glad game a LOT today. I just pray that the tail bone isn't broken AGAIN. It's been broken 3 times already so it is weaker than the average tail bone. OH HELP, LORD!!!!!!!!!
The first move I made this morning told me that it wasn't just a little injury, so I'm icing it again. Please keep me in your prayers today as we need to prepare for Sabbath; finish setting out the plants the Dagleys sold us at the graduation; and sell pizza in Napoleon tonight at their 125th birthday party. OUCH--just thinking of it makes my back hurt!

Please pray for Jacob

My dear son, Jacob, is REALLY bummed. Last week his friend, Jacob Long, got killed in a farm accident which was tough. Now he's been looking forward to going to this shoot at Chris's place for months. This morning Jacob came down with a bug and threw up. Right away Andrew said, "We're not going." Well that set me off on a quest for what would help Jacob get well FAST!

The first thing that I did was a lengthy BodyTalk session on him. After that I got him soaking in the whirlpool with a cup of apple cider vinegar in it. Then, while he was still very warm, he lay in the shower curtain. This trick I used once when I desperately had to get well NOW. It worked as I sang at a wedding the next day. What you do is soak in the tub or shower until you're very warm and then lay for half an hour in a plastic sheet of some sort. You sweat like crazy and then go in the shower to wash off all of the poisons and to cool off. Well, when Jacob was in the shower we did Dr. Schult's hot/cold cure which has done wonders for us before. After that we hit Body Chemistry Fast Aid and did that every 15 minutes for about 4 hours. THEN HE SLEPT LIKE A BABY. Since then he's been doing Fast Aid whenever his throat hurts and it's been staying at bay.

Robert and I know how badly Jacob wants to go to the shoot so we talked it over and gave him a plan of attack. He had to eat supper at the table and keep it down--which he did. If he does that, we'll set our alarm clocks for early. He has to sleep like a rock and wake up without a sore throat in the morning at 5:00 AM. If he feels as good as new, then Andrew and he will take off so that they can be there at 8:30 when it starts. You should have seen how Jacob perked up at the hope that they still may be able to go.

Andrew called Chris at supper time and told him that they won't be coming tonight for sure. Chris said that he may host another shoot later in the summer if things go well this weekend. This softened the blow for both boys in case it turns out that they just cannot go in the morning. At any rate, please pray for my Jacob as he is really hurting right now and doesn't really want to wait for "Later in the summer." Poor kid.

So I just asked him if he thinks it's a possability that he will be ready to go in the morning. He grinned at me and said, "I'm not giving up." So he's going to soak while we're out at chores; then lay in the sheet again (he loved this by the way); and then the shower cure after that. It could get late but how can I not give him this hope?

Blessings,

Dawn

Master Cleanse 2-Day 3 summary

Day 3 didn't go as well as day 2 did for me. We learned that organic friends of ours lost their 13 year old son, Jacob, in a 4 wheeler accident. Their Jacob was friends with our Jacob, so it was hard here. Stress like this makes my pain worse. Usually stress likes this makes me EAT too. I really was tempted last night when all-beef fry sausage and potatoes cooked with it was on the menu--this is one of my favorite meals. I thought of the graduation coming up, though, and hung firm. I couldn't watch my family eat this, so I kept picking rocks in the playground where we just planted the grass. Then Ben Dagley came for organic feed for his broilers. He brought me some plants for my garden so that was really nice and took my mind off of eating.
After chores last night, Robert and I soaked in the whirlpool so that took the bight off of the pain and I slept well. This morning I decided to step on the scale. WAS I EVER SHOCKED. I lost 14 pounds over the 15 days that I did MC 1, so I wasn't expecting much. Here in 3 days time I already lost 6 pounds!!! How's that for a reward for passing on fry sausage and potatoes? I am REALLY fired up to keep going now. Is there anyone out there who would like to join me for a day or 2?