New arrivals

Well, glory be!

After sharing my sorrows, my eldest son (who is presently at the top of the list for the will) came over with Ashlee, his beautiful daughter and they brought me three new gold fish. They are outstanding, with such talent! They can even swim!

I have begun their training already. I knock on the side of the tank and then drop in some fish food. So far they just look at me like their saying, "Cool it man! Don't you see we are trying to get some rest? After all, it was a long trip from Walmart and that jerky driving got us seasick!"

I couldn't get the aerator pump working, but after a few whacks with the hammer, I discovered that it was installed upside down! So it was pumping water out instead of in! Do you think I am too mentally and physically challenged to be entrusted with three little golden lives? Let me know!

WLC

A time to mourn

I'm in mourning today. All of my fish died last night. And it is my fault. I began the process of changing the water yesterday, and forgot to turn off the spigot. So they were overwhelmed with chlorine, or whatever, and when I discovered it this morning, they were all floating on their sides, off to "the great pond in the sky."

It's not funny! So quit laughing, Bill & Mark. They have been in the family for 7 years! I have named them and fed them by hand. When they were in the fish tank, they would come to the side and blow bubbles at me when I approached. One had grown to just over 7 inches, and another almost 6!

And one was named Fred, I think. Named by Mylie. Sorry, Mylie.

So a moment of silence please,

While I mourn.

Dad and Granpa

"Do You Love Me?

A Tribute to my Wife

Fifty years ago today, a beautiful lady walked down the aisle on the arm of her Dad, Marvin.  She was an incredible, wonderful lady who I had the grand fortune of taking to be my wife.  Now, four children and 14 grandchildren later, (of whom I am extremely proud!) we celebrate in the quiet of our family room.  (That is a great term, isn't it? "Family Room.")  Where would I be tonight without the steady love of this lady named Sharon?  She is one who is always content to stay in the shadows, faithfully supporting me and being the "wind beneath my wings."  She is the one who cleans up after me (and all of the grandkids!) and does it without complaint.  She is beautiful inside and out.  She loves Jesus and she loves me.

I went you tube tonight and listened to my favorite love song and sat here and cried.  Tevye sings to Golde,

"Do you love me?"  

"For twenty-five years (50 for me) I've washed your clothes

Cooked your meals, cleaned your house,

Given you children, milked the cow.

After "50" years, why talk about love right now?"

"But do you love me

It ends like this:

It doesn't change a thing, but after 50 years, It's nice to know.

It sure is.

Just thinking!

After going to a couple of funerals involving sudden deaths, and hearing of other friends struggling with the big "C" word, these words came to my mind:

About the time you begin to feel immortal,

Death slaps you in the face

And the sting of death brings you back to reality.

But lest you feel trapped

In the dark tomb of inevitability

Remember,

HE sets the prisoner free!

Free to live life abundantly!

Free to soar above the pain and hopelessness of sin!

And free - finally and forever free

In the unrestricted glory of the presence of Jesus!

Forever Free!!

Cryderkids at Great Wolf Lodge

Yesterday, Grandma and I took Ashlee, Aaron and Katelyn to the Great Wolf Lodge for a getaway. We actually left right after church on Sunday, drove the 3 and a half hours (listening to Katelyn ask, "How many more minutes?" a thousand times! Ha!) and then unpacked and hopped into the nice warm pool.  Grandma even went down the "green" slide again!  She is getting quite brave, (or her memory is so short she forgets how scary it is!)  We had sandwiches in the room, went back to swim only to find out they close the pool at 9:00 pm!!!  So back to the room, watched TV (three men and a baby!...very cute!) and then to bed.  Another morning of swimming, hot tubbing, and floating down the lazy river.  Finally we left, stopping at Lakeside Charlies in Cadillac (after going by the old homestead in Mesick) We had a delicious meal there and then on home.  Tired, but satisfied that we had a fun day! 

Florida trip

We took our annual trip to St. Petersburg, Florida during March and April.  What made it special this year is that we spent time with the Mark Cryderman family and the Kulagas.  They all stayed with us at the Sands of Treasure Island and then we met again in Kissimmee at a neat motel.  Then the Kulagas, Heather, Matt, Michael, Kara, Beth and James and us went to Disney.  It was hot and very crowded, but we had a great time.  It is good to be home now.

Does Jesus really talk to me?

OK, let me explain....

When I left home and went to college, my Mom and Dad and I would talk quite often.  Now back then there weren't cell phones, and besides, my folks lived in Japan so we couldn't even talk on the telephone, it was so expensive.

But, you see, I knew my parents very well.  When I was with them, I watched them, listened to them, saw them in every type of situation, and I had heard them talk so much, I could almost predict what they would say before they said it.

In fact, if I would do something wrong when they were near, I knew they would tell me that it was wrong and what would happen if I continued it.  But I also knew that when I pleased them they would say.  "Bill, you make us so proud!" or "We are glad you are our son!"  

I would hear Dad say, "You're driving too fast!"  "Get your homework done."  and Mom, "Clean up your plate."  "Go make your bed!"  (Sound familiar?")  I still hear them talking to me.  But it's a little different.

Well, the more we get to know Jesus, the more we can hear his voice.  When we read the Bible and learn about Him, what He says, and what He does, it begins to teach us His "character" and pretty soon we can pretty much know what He is going to say, because we know Jesus!

So no, I don't hear actual voices, but just as sure as I am writing, I know when He is happy with me, and when He is disappointed, and when He wants me to think about something and then do it.

I hope this helps.

Let me tell you a story

I want to tell you a story.

 

I have been trying to "practice the presence of Jesus" in all that I do.  It is not always easy, since my wife, Sharon, tries to lead me astray!  Ha! (just kidding)

 

Anyway,  I usually get up around 5:30 and grab the Free Press and read it with my coffee, then have a time of Bible study and devotions and that is pretty good, but not as good as I'd like.

 

Recently, I have tried something different.

We have a couch that sits across the room.  Over by the piano.  Well, I have been imagining that Jesus dropped in and is sitting there as I read the paper.  That seems so rude, that I put the paper down and just concentrated on Him.  And I talk.   I talk to Him about my family. Sometimes I will spend a lot of time on just one of them.  Like this morning, I just talked to Jesus about my son-in-law, Matt.  No, he hasn't gone into deep sin or anything!  I just wanted to make sure Jesus knew all about the frustrations, and fears of retail management. I discovered that He does!  He knows all about Matt and He told me that He has him in the palm of His hand!

 

Then I bragged on Micah.  How grown up he is!  (Even though he dyed his hair yellow!)   Jesus just asked, "What happened to his hair?"  But he assured me that He is taking care of him and that He has a plan that He will tell Micah soon.

 

It is so neat to sit in your living room and talk to Jesus!  I mean, really talk honestly and openly to Him.  I cried and told Him that I wished that I could be more like Him.  He sort of laughed and said, "Well, don't give up.  Keep on trying!"  That made me feel so good.

 

It was moving when he pointed to the wreath above the couch and said to me, "You know, Bill, that sort of reminds me of a "big" crown of thorns!  You remember that?"  And then He told me about how lonely he felt when none of His friends was around to encourage Him during that time.  "But you know, Bill, I still love them....and they love me, in spite of how much they failed me."  

Then He said, "I know you love me....even when you fail."

 

Sometimes we just sit there, me drinking my coffee and He...well I haven't offered Him any coffee yet.  (I am not that crazy!)  But I know He is right there.  I want to ask Him questions, but I will wait until another time.

 

This morning, I told Him about all our grandkids.  I described them, (He already knew) and I told Him how much I want Him to take care of them and let them grow up to be great saints of His Father.  And He reminded me, "You know, Bill,I have a special place in my heart for kids.  You've read in the Good Book how I took them in my arms, and how I said the kingdom of heaven will be chuck full of kids.  Don't you think I will watch over them like a hawk?  (or maybe an “angel!”...He laughed again.)

 

This is not the result of Alzheimers, or overdosing on the cough syrup.  It is a practice of mine until it no longer serves its purpose. The interesting dilemma though, is,....How do you get up and leave? How do you start reading the paper again.  When Jesus sits across the room from you.....nothing else really matters!

 

OK, OK, don't call the nursing home.

 

More later.

 

It works!

Pardon my absence, but I couldn't get on my blog for some reason.  I am back and will post as often as I have something worth saying!

Christmas is over!

Well, there were a lot of tears this afternoon in the Cryderclan households.  Even Grandma and I had our moments of loneliness.

Is it possible to have 24 people together in a lodge and not have even one major argument?  Well, we made it possible.  

Grandma made a humungous smorgasbord with honeybaked ham and smoked turkey.  Heidi made a traincar load of a delicious mexican flavored soup.  Liann and Mary made a baked potato lunch with all the toppings, Mary brought her well known baked goods, cookies, candies etc.  Of course the Kirkland coffee was always brewing!  Heather's baked spaghetti, and the trimmings was an immediate hit.  Oh, did I mention the pizza salad a la Heidi, and the mexican nacho dip by Liann, or the pumpkin, apple, cherry pies and brownies by Mom/Grandma.

We had the winter olympics, talent night, hockey night, video night, a piano recital by Crisilee, and a bean bag toss game that Chris and I made.  Michael, Chris, Crisilee, made dvd's, Bill digitized zillions of Grandpa Jopling's movies as a gift to his mom. (Made her cry!)  Ashlee made an excellent video reminding us of the genocide in Darfur.  (Made us all cry!)

So now it is quiet here in the Senior Cryderman household.  But if you listen carefully, in our hearts, we can still hear the laughter, the magic tricks, the games, the songs, all of which remind us of what a wonderfully diverse, yet united family we are!

A lesson in frugality

A few days ago I tore my garden up and started laying leaves all over it.  During the destruction period, I came upon about a dozen nice tomatoes.  Perfect shape, no spots or rotten places, but no good to eat.  But I picked them anyway and brought them in the house.  Next I wrapped each one in a sheet of newspaper.  Tonight I  unwrapped them and "voila!"  They are beautiful, soft, juicy and perfectly red/orange!

I could have just stomped them in the garden, but think what I would have lost!

Sort of like children.  Young, immature, nice to look at but they don't taste too good.  But wrap them up in love and let them simmer in life situations, with mom and dad being patient, waiting for them to "mature" and guess what?  They will be more special, and more worthy of bragging, than my tomatoes!  (At least my kids were!)

Dad and Grandpa

Ghastly Grandpa

Tonight I was bored, so I grabbed my costume and sat on the porch, in order to pass out candy for "trick or treat."  I got quite a reception from some!  A few hit me on the head.  Darby wouldn't even get close!  Other families thought it was quite a blast to see this old man impersonating a Ghost.  Mom wouldn't let me cut any holes in her sheet so I sat there not seeing a thing, while everyone got their kicks! (literally, I think!)  I also had a tape recording of hideous noises, grunts, groans, screams, etc.  I punctuated it with a buck call and I would scream a bit as well.  Fun!

So here is a picture of me.   Next year I will be a scarecrow.

Grandpa

My Favorite Picture

A few years ago, I was taking some pictures of Darby and I caught this one.  It has to be the cutest picture of Darby ever.  She seems to be contemplating the meaning of life.  Or maybe Jesus is talking to her for the first time since she got here on earth.  I don't know.  But if it was Jesus, then she is already very wise to pay close attention to what He is saying.  That's what I want to do, don't you?

Grandpa

Another day

Last night Grandma and I went for a bike ride with the DeBacker family.  We went up to the University to see the "Cryderman House."  That's a nice gesture in honor of Grandpa Great, don't you think?

Enroute, Crisilee, who was on in line skates instead of biking, wiped out going around a corner.  She was pretty beat up, but took it like the young lady she is.

Piano lessons this week for Crisilee and now Ashlee.  Both are doing well.   Crisilee is planning a "mini-recital" as she closes out her first complete year of lessons.  

We are still picking tomatoes!  They are delicious!  

I'm going fishing tomorrow night.

That's all that is in my mind this morning.

How do you like the picture of Grandma and Me?

Grandpa

This past week

It was a busy week.  First I went out to wire brush and sand the outside door of the garage, but after looking at it I decided it needed to be replaced.  So I went and ordered one and it was delivered that afternoon.  In the meantime I took the old one out and cleaned up the opening.  When the new one came I discovered it was about a half inch taller than the old one.  So I had to tear out some wood and then it fit.  So after I shimmed it and caulked it, it worked perfectly!  For a non-carpenter, I felt pretty good about it.

Then I had a meeting with an insurance man in Portage, so I decided to take Mark and the "I" man out to eat at Red Robin.  Well, the "I" man ended up paying for it, so that was cool. Then Friday came and McKenna wanted us to come back over again to hear her play the tuba at the football game.  So back again.  (Let's see, three trips in 7 days at about 120 miles a trip, divided by 28 miles a gallon times $4 a gallon makes,...let's see, about $52!!!   I guess I'd better cool it with the driving.  But I did repair Mark's garage door opener, so when he sends me the check for that I'll be fine!

Church today...good...sang in the choir with Brent...then to Aaron's football game and now getting ready for bed.  Nite!  

New friends

Tonight I noticed that my hummingbird feeder was empty so I went in and got the sugar water and began to fill it.  While filling it, I heard the unmistakeable "buzzing" of one of my hummingbird friends and I had an idea.  What if I would hold the feeder instead of hanging it up? Would they come and feed or would they be too frightened?

So I held it quietly.  In about a minute I heard one of my friends coming.  It was a little female and she flew quite close to my face, as if she was looking to see if I was friendly or not.  (I seem to have a way with women...birds)  She apparently concluded that I was a friend so she began to drink.  It was just beautiful and it almost made me cry to see that little creation of God, wings fluttering so fast I couldn't see them, drinking away.  I could even see her tongue as she brought her beak out of the little orifice.  She would then fly up to my face (so close I thought she might poke me in the eye).  I think she was just saying "Thank you for being my friend!"  The males, with their ruby throats, stayed away tonight, but I will be back trying tomorrow.  In the meantime, they can drink at my window ledge.  Grandma tried to get a picture, but I don't think you can see it, she is to tiny.  We will try to get a better one tomorrow.

This is a test

Heidi is trying to teach me how to add photos to my blog.  

Here is my very youngest granddaughter.  I am not sure what she is doing here, but we will see if this works.  If it doesn't, it's Heidi's fault.

Today I went to a soccer game in which my granddaughter, Mylie, played.  She did so well.  Once she was defending when a girl came down the field.  As she approached the ball to take it away, the girl kicked it hard and it hit Mylie right in the chest.  She had a sad look on her face because it hurt, but she didn't cry.  She just played all the harder.  Then when the quarter ended, she came over to her mom and the tears came down.  But she went right out when the next quarter started and played her heart out.  She never gave up.  And then, when there were about thirty seconds left in the game,  she and a teammate got the ball in close to the other team's net and when the other girl hit it over to Mylie, she kicked it really hard!  And what do you think happened?  The ball smashed right into the net.  Mylie SCORED THE FINAL GOAL!  And you should have seen the look of joy on her face.  It was priceless!

Mother's Day

Yesterday I was planting some grass in our yard.  I had a sack of hay in my shed and planned to put some of it on the fresh seed so it wouldn't wash away.  I wondered if, during the winter, some animals might have been tempted to make a nest in the straw, so I looked carefully.  Sure enough, there was a pile of fur in the corner.

Not knowing if it was a rat or some dangerous animal, I dumped all the straw in my wheelbarrow and then I saw movement!  Being the brave person I am, I went and got my pitchfork and began to move the straw around.

There peeking its little head out from under the straw, was a mouse!  Now I don't like mice, so I thought I might send it off to heaven.  But as it moved further, lo and behold, it was carrying, or rather I should say, dragging five baby mice along its side.  As "she" (I now realized it was a mother" tried frantically to get away from this 6 foot 3 monster, she was carefully dragging her little ones.  Actually, they were in the process of drinking their lunch, and she couldn't move very fast, nor would she desert them!

So I decided to let her, and them, live for another day.  After all, Mother's Day is just around the corner and this little mom just tugged at my heart strings!  (please don't tell Mariah!  She thinks I am an animal hater! Ha!

So, in honor of Mother's Day 2008, these little six of God's creation are going to live for another day.  Pass the cheese!