WORDS! WORDS! WORDS!

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

My sisters and I used to get together once in a while and when we were talking, if we couldn’t think of a word, we would just say, “Word-word…” and continue talking. Since we no longer get together—all living in different states, all (except one) older and less likely to get around much, and all trying to stay safe from the plague, that means that most of our conversations are phone conversations.

But, to get on with what I am saying, why is it that some words just simply slip away from our memories and others are always there? For instance, having just had a knee replacement six weeks ago (Sorry for no blog post last month.) I currently need to do a specific procedure on the scar tissue. Why? In order to keep the underlying tissue from forming…. Word-word… what? Why is it I can NEVER remember the word “adhesion”? No matter how many times I have repeated it, (old people spend a lot of time discussing their aches and illnesses) no matter how many times I have heard it, it always takes wing and departs.  

Or like when I was talking to a sister about the thing you drive around while you are walking when you first have surgery. We both blanked out and were calling it a “crutcher”. Are you kidding me? A “crutcher”? The thing that helps you WALK? At least I have the consolation that it is no longer needed, so I don’t have to think of its name. (Maybe I should associate it with the old TV show, “Walker, Texas Ranger”…)

So why is it I can ALWAYS think of certain words and phrases which irritate me? Phrases like: “reason why” (It’s a reason. Or it’s why something happens. It is redundant to say “reason why”.) Or why do I cringe when I hear someone say she was about to “jump into the shower”? Yes, having just had knee surgery may make me paranoid about this one, but do you really know anyone who JUMPS into a shower?

Ah, the ruminations of the aging wordsmith. It will probably get worse rather than better. I am now wearing a sling and looking forward (why does that phrase have the connotation of eager anticipation? Is it still “looking forward to” if it’s into a raging forest fire or a raging lion?) to surgery at the end of the month for a deep tissue rotator cuff tear. Be prepared for more thoughts and vague wanderings of my mind. The sweet fruits of age and curiosity.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

I wish you a lovely Thanksgiving. Look forward to it. And don’t forget to play lots of word games with the family! 😊

Let's READ!

Hey, there, guess what! It’s September! I don’t know about the rest of you, but I still get that little tingle of excitement when I turn the calendar to September, just remembering all the years of excitement and anticipation at the beginning of a new school year! Yeah, I know, and yes, I am a little old for that, but some things don’t change.

One thing that never changes is my love for reading. My son and daughter were reading at the age of three. Their love for the written word is limitless, and they have passed that on to many others, including my granddaughters. Lucas wears a shirt that reads, “So many books; so little time!” And Lacy loves this from Kenko Yoshida;

“To sit alone in the lamplight with a book spread out before you and hold intimate converse with men of unseen generations—such is a pleasure beyond compare.”

When we began our ministry to Sierra Leone, West Africa, we brought our two younger girls. They weren’t three—they were about 11 or 12. They didn’t speak English. They didn’t read. We soon began working to change both of those situations. One thing they probably had nightmares about was my unswerving determination that they should read. They can probably repeat the mantra I used. “You must learn to read. If you can read, you can do anything in this world. If you can’t read, it doesn’t matter what else you can do.” But they love me anyway. I must be a soul mate to Dr. Seuss, who said, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go!”

Jane Austen wrote in Pride and Prejudice,

“I declare after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book!  — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

And I suppose that would include listening to books on tape, or reading on a computer or Kindle, but somehow there is nothing like the heft of a good book in one’s hands, the crisp pages that whisper to you as you turn them, the amazing, great things you are introduced to  - as Jane might say, “It’s all too wonderful!”

On the other hand, in Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Clare declares that “Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.” And, of course, we have that rascal Mark Twain describing classics (not knowing that we would long consider his books classics themselves) as “a book which people praise and don’t read.”  

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

Since my husband and I don’t have TV, that has not been a big time-waster in our lives. We have always read, either quietly or aloud, to one another. However, I do have to fear for the other time-waster—the one everyone carries in his hand—which can replace TV. I wish everyone carried a book like that. I kind of like what that great saint and philosopher, Groucho Marx, said,

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”

Of course, the great science fiction writer Ray Bradbury really says it all when he comments,

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

So as my team and I are working to get my Down Home on the Farm book #5, A Job for Dancer, ready to go to press, I think a lot about books. About how so many people have written so many billions of words over thousands of years which have taught me, encouraged me, opened my mind to worlds beyond my own. Yes, Dancer is a children’s book. I hope that the adults who read my books to children like them as well as the children do. I love C. S. Lewis and he wrote children’s books as well. I leave you with his thought on children’s books:

“A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”

So, let’s all just settle down and read, shall we?

~ Lura (Katy) Houk

"MOMMY, BE KIND!"

We recently had a lovely visit from our equally lovely daughter, Sia, and her four-year-old daughter, Malika. It wasn’t nearly long enough. And yet it’s taken all day today for us to get off the recliners to get ready to go out to eat in order to celebrate our 53rd wedding anniversary. I wonder how older folks who have custody of grandchildren manage to parent. It’s not a question of lack of experience or knowhow, but rather, how do they find the energy? I salute you if you are in that situation.

We loved having them here. Sia is a CNA working 12-hour shifts in order to raise her sweet girl. I just had to share a few “out of the mouths of babes” stories, and hope you will bear with me. After all, I am old and should be allowed to ramble from time to time!

As she decided to play “school” with four adults sitting around the living room, she pulled out several toy cars (ones my son played with when he was a child), and announced, “Now we will talk about colors,” going through them, and then concluding with,

I’m really proud of you. Good job!

Next came recalling numbers on playing cards, which brought an evaluation of,

That was very good.

On we went through the afternoon as we (adults) rested and caught our breaths. Later on, as my husband was walking down the hallway, he passed her, and she announced,

You may pass, Sweetie.

As I think back on their visit, I am awed to think that she picked up her mom’s affirmations as well as her teachings. She will go to school in another year, and already is learning so much and able to carry on conversations in a logical way. No doubt she will be a leader in her classroom and be ready to help others who are struggling.

I remember one time sharing with Sia how I used to play a game with my kids when they were young (Sia didn’t come to us until they were already adults.). We’d read a couple of books I certainly wish I could find entitled “What Do You Say, Dear?”, and “What Do You Do, Dear?” The book had hilarious scenarios, with great pictures, setting up a problem and then ask, “What do you do, dear?” Like, two people eating in a restaurant and a giant ape enters suddenly. People are running and screaming. What do you do, dear? Answer, “Always place your napkin beside your plate before leaving the table.” Or something like that. (Like I said, I’d love to find copies of these books!)

So we had a game we would play. I would make up a situation and ask, “What do you do, dear?” Then we would figure out the best answer. Like, you are playing in the house, and Mom has gone over to the neighbor to borrow a cup of sugar. The doorbell rings. What do you do, dear? Or you are visiting an elderly neighbor for the afternoon while Mom goes to an appointment. The neighbor suddenly can’t talk or move. What do you do, dear?

I’d also realized, being military and often not near any relatives, that they should have our names, information, and phone number (before cell phones) memorized. I’d just recently shared this with another single mom, and while Sia and Malika were here, a relative asked for Sia’s contact information so she could send her a picture. Sia said, “Malika, tell Auntie Sara Mom’s phone number.” Which she could do. And did.

It really makes you feel good to see your daughter bringing up her child right. And with this I will end: As Malika was playing on the floor, G’Daddy and Mommy were playing Skipbo while Granny worked on lunch. G’Daddy was moaning and complaining because she was beating him so badly, and Malika looked up from her play. In her best schoolteacher voice, she cautioned,

Mommy, be kind!

I had to smile. What would you do, dear?

Lura (Katy) Houk

Banner Photo by Nick on Unsplash

Book Photo from PeasporridgePress Etsy Shop

Living the Charmed Life

Twenty-one years ago we brought (through the ministry we were running) several children over to the States from Sierra Leone, West Africa. Two of the young ladies became our daughters. At that time I was writing a monthly column called “On the Home Front”. I ran across this piece and decided to use it this month (with a few changes). At the time of the original piece our ladies had been with us for a little over a year. Now they have children of their own and they are all precious, living the charmed life. Here is what I wrote:

In Creating a Charmed Life Victoria Moran wrote, “In doing that thing — the thing that may be nagging or difficult — you develop courage. In doing the thing that seems tedious or boring, you develop poise. In doing the thing that looks to be beneath you, or just not what you want to do right now, you develop character. Keep at it and you will generate a presence about yourself that may not have been there before.”

(At that time) Maria and I were discussing her hair. She’d wanted to wear it in a way that was perfectly acceptable in Sierra Leone, but which looked, quite frankly, hideous to me. At one point in the conversation, she said, “Well, if people look at me and think that I don’t know how to take care of myself, then why should I care what they think. It’s my problem.” (Basically; not a literal translation.) I explained to her that our appearance makes a great deal of difference. Sure, that may have been the way she and many other people in Sierra Leone wore their hair. She wasn’t in Sierra Leone.

(Lest you jump to the conclusion that I was attempting to annihilate her ethnic roots, let me assure you that this is not the case. We have always wanted them to know who they are and were, and where they come from. I also want them to continue to know their families, their culture, and their language. However, I also realize that true pride in oneself will free one to be appropriate in other circumstances or settings as well. She may have been from the tropics, but it would be inappropriate for her to continue to dress like she did in the tropics on a 20 degree day.) Some things we do because it is the “right thing to do.”

But back to our discussion. I explained that when others saw her appearing inappropriately groomed, others might possibly think that she was unintelligent, or negligent, or just plain dirty, and that could lower their opinion of her. I explained that this could cause others to think our family was negligent about caring for her needs, and that would cast aspersions on our character. I explained that our mission organization could be considered shirking its responsibility to see to her welfare. I explained that people might think that people from Sierra Leone or Africa were dirty or slovenly. I explained that this could be translated to our Christian witness as well. If someone wants to think poorly of Christians anyway, it would give them more reason to do so. She accepted what I had to say, though she didn’t embrace it wholeheartedly. She learned to listen to what we said and accept our advice.

At any rate, today she is a beautiful Christian lady with a handsome husband and four beautiful, brilliant, and talented children. I don’t remember whether I have ever shared that quote with her. But instinctively she has realized that in accepting submissively the training we offered, she has continued to add to that courage, poise, and character. Not that she didn’t have those qualities before, but one can continue to develop and nurture what one already possesses.

How about the rest of us? Can we say that we are working to do what we don’t want, and developing courage? Are we trying to do those things that are tedious or boring, and thus gaining poise? Are we doing what we feel to be beneath us, and developing character? What kind of presence do we emanate? Thinking on the Moran quote might help you live a charmed life.

Try it. You might like it.

Photo by Yoksel 🌿 Zok on Unsplash

Home

Home 

Home. One of my favorite places to be. Recently I ran across an old column I wrote. With a few changes, I’d like to share it with you.  

Home. What a wonderful word. Just mentioning it brings thoughts of warm apple pies, a cheery fire in the winter, or maybe a family game of croquet in the summer. It just feels good, doesn’t it? I have a friend who once said, “Home is where the mattress fits.” And I think we can just about all agree with that…there’s just no place like home.

Of course, we all know that there are places where people live together as families that don’t have the “homey” feeling. Where harsh words and abuse are the norm, rather than hugs and support. But what does our Bible tell us our homes are meant to be?

I would submit to you that the home is the first institution mentioned in the Bible. I think God did that on purpose, to let us know that the home is the most important institution in His creation. God didn’t create Adam and Eve and then give them the church, or the government, or the Ten Commandments. He instituted the home.

In Deuteronomy he said: “Teach them (God’s commands) diligently to your children and talk of them when you sit in your house; and when you walk in the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Maybe that’s why the home is so important to God, because it is to be the very center of learning about Him. It is our job to teach knowledge of God personally, intimately, and continuously to our children and grandchildren.

It would please me greatly, when you purchase one of my Down Home on the Farm books, if you were to go to the Reading Comprehension link on my website. On it you will find questions that tie each book to the Bible.

I hope you are preparing for a wonderful summer as a family. And that home is the center.

 Enjoy!

Lura (Katy) Houk

(Photography by Jacques Bopp, Unsplash)

Are ya hit?

Photo byRoksolana ZasiadkoonUnsplash

Are ya hit?

This beautiful May weather is just the thing for those of us who dip back into remembrances of yesteryear. It was always the month of May when you could go barefoot and play outside later and later, when the summer clothes came out and the winter clothes went into hiding (only to be too small for you to wear the following fall), when flowers and birds and butterflies made life just too beautiful to mention. Ah, the memories of May!

As a child, I was always a tomboy. I loved climbing trees, playing cowboys, being around the horses. One thing I loved most was watching “my” cowboys come on TV. Those were the good old days—the days of Roy Rogers… Paladin… the Cisco Kid… Sky King… The Lone Ranger! Man, I could play cowboys all day! One of my biggest dreams was to look out my bedroom window and see all my cowboys come riding down the road to my house! Wow, that was exciting! What a daydream!

One phrase I know well from my six-gun toting days was the question, “Are ya hit?” We’d be slapping leather, shooting, running, and someone would hit the ground. We’d grab him and drag him to safety. Then the question, “Are ya hit?” Usually, because no one wanted to die and not be able to ride and shoot and rope again, the answer was, “Yeah, he grazed me. Let me at ’im; I’ll get that scoundrel!” Of course the grazed one would tie a bandana around an arm and soon be off and running and going as hard as the rest of the gang. Invisible bullets don’t hurt too much.

How is your game of life going? Are you running and riding and roping as hard as you can in your adult life as we did in our childhood play? Are you finding that some bullets and arrows in actual life hurt a good deal more than the invisible ones of yesteryear? Well, when you don’t particularly feel like saying, “He grazed me. Let me at ‘im; I’ll get that scoundrel!” When you’d rather just say, “Yeah, I’m hit. Now go away and let me die.” That’s when you need to remember one thing. (Yep, it’s another old saying I like!)

“It is only at a tree loaded with fruit that men throw stones.” Are you bearing much fruit, fruit that will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord? Sometimes it would be easier to hide our fruit and not stand out so much. Maybe no one would notice, and then the stones and arrows and bullets would not fly our way. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t say, “Yea, he got me, pal,” and die off. You’re created to bear fruit for the Lord. Bear it proudly. Keep your eyes fastened on the goal and bear all the fruit you can. God will keep track of the stones and arrows and bullets. Keep your eyes on Him and bear fruit for Him. And maybe one day, we will see Him with all His “cowboys” returning on the clouds, riding white horses, and we’ll have a dream come true!

Now ask yourself — “Have I been hit lately?” Maybe you ought to check out your fruit. Are ya hit?

Blessings for a beautiful month of May.

Lura (Katy) Houk

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

Lent: Sharing the Passion

Having been raised a Baptist and spent most of my adult life in the Church of the Nazarene, there are certain things that I had not really been aware of in my spiritual walk. It seems that all churches have their points that they emphasize, but the time of Lent was not one of those for me. Then our children were in a Lutheran school. I loved the Lutheran Church. I loved the liturgy. And I especially loved the season of Lent. 

“Hey, Mom, Tim didn’t eat any ketchup at lunch today! He says he’s given up ketchup for Lent.” Tim? Not eat ketchup? Remarkable!

Those were words from my son his first year in a Lutheran School. Lent, hmm? I’d heard of it, but didn’t really know much about it, since our church was of a denomination which didn’t “observe” Lent. Who were those strange people who walk around with a smudge of ashes on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday? Or the ones who say, “No, no chocolate for me. It’s my passion in life, but I have given it up for Lent.”?

It seems that so often, we have vague ideas about what we believe. We (kind of) follow handed down traditions. We (sort of) know about things. But until we put our thoughts into words, either verbally, or on paper, we often don’t have a good grasp about what we believe. I thought it might be a good exercise to look into this, to research it, and to decide what I really believed.

I found it to be not nearly as foreign as I had assumed. Lent is a wonderful season, a time of growing consciousness of the coming exultant Resurrection Day, a time of celebrating the victory over sin and death by our Lord and Savior. Lent is simply a preparation of believers’ hearts and minds for this coming celebration.

Most of us know about the Advent season and the preparation time prior to Christmas. I found that Lent can be similar to that. A misconception by many I have discussed this with is that this is just another religious practice whereby people attempt to manipulate or appease God. I did not find this the case at all. God has already granted us more favor than we could ask. God is far above our manipulations. He has a wonderful plan for each life. All we must do is set our hearts on Him, and He will give us the desire of our hearts – Himself.

No doubt there are those who are spending the Lenten season looking drawn out and drained through the wonderful and awful sacrifices they are making for the Lord. But that is not what it is all about. God does not desire our sacrifices; He has told us that in His Word. To celebrate Lent in that mind frame is without gain.

Some will celebrate Lent merely because it has always been done that way. But guess what I learned! You can celebrate it not as a religious tradition, but rather as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, from your heart. Because God loves us, and to show our love for Him, we can offer to Him six weeks of thought, denial, and preparation for a glorious Easter.

One friend asked where it talks about Lent in the Bible. The Bible says nothing about Lent. But, I reminded her, the Bible does not use the term “rapture”, or “apocalypse”, or “trinity” either. The Bible does not speak of organized Sunday Schools or Vacation Bible School, or Bible College, or Seminaries, or many other things. That does not make them wrong.

As one Lutheran pastor told me at that time, “Lent is a penitential season, a preparatory time when we take time to reflect on the passion of our Lord. We take time to evaluate our lives and hearts and ask ourselves, ‘Am I living up to what He would have for me?’ But most importantly, he said, it is a time to reflect on what Jesus did for us, and not on what we do (or don’t do).

The Holy Word admonishes, in many places, “Reflect…consider…turn from…come to…bring…study…think on…”. Romans 14:17 says, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness.” Eating and drinking, not eating or not drinking, all are addressed in Paul’s letters. The important thing is not the physical acts, but the attitude of the heart in doing them.

It is easy to make Easter about bunnies and chocolate. But for some, the six weeks prior to Easter will be a time to try to align ourselves with the passion and sacrifice of our Lord. For those of us who do so, Easter will be a season of wonder and beauty and joy and celebration of God’s victory over sin and evil and death. And this may be, to some extent, through the observance of Lent.

Will Tim’s giving up ketchup really make a big difference? Will my giving up computer solitaire? Maybe not. Maybe. But a decision to deny oneself something in this material world will be a way to draw closer to the Lord, to magnify His Holy Name. Can’t hurt.

The next time of see a teen age girl give up chocolate, or a kid give up ketchup, or a family give up TV for Lent, I will rejoice and be glad. Because anytime one withdraws from the world and draws closer to God, God is glorified, and, to quote Jesus, that person is “not far from the kingdom of heaven”. What better place to be?

Lura (Katy) Houk

STUFF Gets in the Way

Photo by Luca Laurence on Unsplash

Many years ago I wrote a column for our Sunday School Class’s newsletter. I have been doing some going through things, again trying to simplify my life, when I found this column. So since this is March and March makes me think of spring cleaning, I decided to resurrect it.

Balki Bartokomous said, “What a wonderful day we’ve had. You have learned something, and I have learned something. Too bad we didn’t learn it sooner. We could have gone to the movies instead.” 😊

Learning is a wonderful thing. The problem is that every day we are exposed to so much information that we don’t have time to really process very much of it! Some days I feel like if I have to absorb one more piece of information or a bit of data, or sound bite, I will run screaming out into the street pulling my hair out. Well, I mean I would do that louder and more viciously than usual. 😊 No, seriously I don’t do that much running and screaming, but I do think about having to think about…. STUFF!

STUFF is so worrisome! Whether STUFF means things (and we know that “things take time” is not just a bromide to make you learn patience; things literally take up your time.”), or whether it means words, figures, data, mental wear and tear, or emotional baggage, STUFF gets a lot more attention than it deserves to get. This is something I learned many years ago. Guess who I learned it from most – our Sierra Leonian daughter, Maria, when we first brought her back from Africa.

As a tween/teen, Maria didn’t want to go shopping. Maria didn’t want to visit friends. Maria didn’t want to go and do and get back and do some more. Maria got tired. And I think I can really identify with her. (Now that I am 71! – A slow learner?) She came from a place where she didn’t have much more to do than to sit around the camp and try to stay alive. I can only imagine how all the hustle and bustle of regular (American) life must have seemed to her. Like an avalanche threatening to bury her. She didn’t need all that in her life. She just wanted to stay at home and BE.

You know what? It doesn’t take a lot of stuff to BE. And what I learned from Maria is that the more STUFF you must be answerable for, the more STUFF you must answer to. Oh, I know, I’ve said for years that you don’t own your STUFF; it owns you. But I was always thinking of things – you know, tangible STUFF – when I said that. Maria taught me that anything that interrupted your emotional equilibrium, anything that kept you running in circles chasing your tail, anything that stressed you to the point of exasperation is probably just STUFF. And STUFF doesn’t want you to BE.

Maybe we are getting on top of that lesson with the time of COVID. Maybe we have learned a little more how to BE. At home. With family. Without interruptions. Maybe there is a blessing in a plague that will allow us to consider our relationship with our loved ones more than our STUFF.

Now back to the basement to reorder some priorities and deal with some STUFF that with any luck won’t be around to plague me any more.

Happy March!!!

Lura (Katy) Houk

I have three books out in the Down Home on the Farm series. You can find them listed on Amazon or you can get them directly from me. Look around my website for information about my books,  further reading comprehension questions on each book, and future releases.

Technology Managed

Boy! Am I pumped! It is so great to know you have friends who have your back! 

I admit that I have a very deep lack of understanding when it comes to tech thingies. Even with great tutoring, I simply cannot seem to understand how to work my website and computers in general. Then put a few days between that tutoring and getting back on the computer and I have totally lost all recall of how to function. Basically, I am a typist. Sigh. 

 As most of you know, there are two ladies who have been such encouragers and mentors to me in getting my books published. The first is my precious daughter, Lacy Lovett of Redemptive Wordcraft, and the second is my dear friend/sister/mentor, Kathy Perry of Chickadee Words. Kathy has just given me the most incredible gift. In seeing my struggle with dealing with the world of internet information,  she has begun managing my website for me. 

 Not only that, but she has interviewed me so that we can get some information out about my books!  It was great fun to do the ZOOM interview with her! In keeping with this great gift I would like to let you have a look at the interview. 

Tom T., the farm turkey, shares his memories and stories with other characters in the farm in this seven-book series "Down Home on the Farm". L. K. (Katy) Ho...

 While you are checking out LKHouk.com, check out chickadeewords.com and see how amazing she is. I put a review of her most recent book, Emeline: The Journey, on Facebook recently and encourage you to get her book, especially if you have tween or teen readers. For those with younger kids, you might be interested in her Bandana  Acres series. She is an amazing friend with amazing gifts and at the top is kindness.

 We all know that the Bible tells us in Proverbs that a friend loveth at all times. So let’s lift a cup of chai in tribute to Kathy and her kindness.

 Grace and peace to you!

Authors Always Love Books - Theirs or Others'

Books. Books are nearly always on my mind! I love them. My parents and siblings loved/love them. My husband and children love them. My grandchildren love them. We love books!

The most recent book I love is one from Chickadee Words, written by Kathy J. Perry. Kathy is a retired school teacher with many skills and talents. She has a series of children's books, as well as other things on her website (chickadeewords.com). But her latest achievement isn't necessarily for small children, like her Bandana Acres books. It is written for 12 - 16 year-olds and it is fascinating! I just got hold of my first copy this morning, and although I have much work to do at my desk, I don't want to put it down.

It is set in 1890 in Kearney, MO. A young girl is left orphaned and her dying father's wish was for her to go back to her grandfather back east, whom she has never met, rather than staying alone on the farm. Her encounters, troubles, and trials don't overcome her faith in God or her decision to fulfill her father's dying wish.

The back cover reads:

"Will she make it, and if she does will she stay? How will the events of her journey redefine her life? This Christian historical fiction adventure will educate, entertain, and inspire young readers."

So for those of you who are looking for a great read for your kid (and who isn't reading in this time of quarantine?), check out Emmaline, by Kathy J. Perry. It would make a super Christmas present!