Waynoka, Oklahoma

This weekend we visited the train depot in Waynoka, Oklahoma. You can dine on Mexican food in the restaurant located in the restored Harvey House and see trains speeding by outside the window.

If you take young boys, don't expect them to be very hungry.



You may even get lucky and a train stops while the crew has lunch.




The upper level is a museum. One room was set up to look as it did when the Harvey Girls were in residence.

Read more about the Harvey House here.

The restored building is quite beautiful.

Friday My Town Shoot Out: Weather

This weeks topic for Friday My Town Shoot Out was chosen by Carrie from Goodyear, AZ. Carrie is interested in weather, so here you go Carrie.....weather from Northwestern Kansas.

Most of these are file photos. These were taken in August 2006 by my son-in-law just south of my town. It did damage a sign and some windows at a motel near I-70.

This tornado was a few miles north of our home back in the 90's, it destroyed an irrigation system.

A blizzard in the mid 1980's created this drift reaching to the roof of a mobile home. My children picture here are now 28 & 31.



An ice coated weed.



A view of my house from the back yard.

A rainbow from this past summer.

Any Ideas?

I am clearing out things around here. A lot of stuff I brought home from my office when I retired. I don't know why. It's not like I'm going back to work in that field. I've collected local phone books since 1976. Well, I didn't really collect them, I just didn't throw them away. I think I'll call the museum tomorrow and see if they'll take them. Any other ideas? I know, I could just take them to recycling.

Cool Grandma

I was told recently that I had cool toys. Having just rearranged my toy area, it's tidy enough to show you. I made the toy box in a shop class before my daughter (who is 28 years old today) was born. It's made of wood from the telephone switchboard that I worked for many years.

Email from a friend.

A friend forwarded this to me. It's one I hadn't seen, but I like the message. It reminded me to refocus instead of stressing about Christmas.

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santa’s and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of
them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one,
look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS