My thoughts have been on little boys today. What a pleasure it is to have children and grandchildren and a great-grand or two sprinkled in as well. I love all my grandchildren and think of them and pray for them constantly, but three of them have distinguished themselves this week in my reminiscences. The first is TJ--Thomas Jordan Jensen. TJ is ten, and he is becoming quite a wonderful young man. During my recent visit, I enjoyed TJ's quick wit, and I witnessed a sweet expression of TJ's compassion and sense of humor. I was at one end of the kitchen table clipping coupons, Toby, TJ's four year old brother, at the other building a lego airplane. (As you can see from the picture above, the Jensen men are gadget guys. The Eiffel Tower was built by dad, Eric.) TJ sat in the middle playing with his transformers. Toby was talking to me in a non-stop chattering that I was having a hard time following and responding to. TJ advised, "Just say um-huh and Yeah a few times, and he'll think you understand what he says." I wondered how many times TJ has had to say Um huh and Yeah as he's patiently listened to his little brother!! Suddenly, Toby burst into tears, having just discovered that Mom and Dad were gone, and he was alone with Grandma, who, at that point in our visit, was not his favorite person. No amount of hugs and kisses would persuade him that I was his friend! TJ tenderly took Toby's hand, leading him upstairs to the comfort of his favorite movie. Maturity and compassion in a ten year old!!
I thought of Vale, our twelve-year-old grandson, when we pulled into this mini-mart in Toppenish during a recent visit to my sister. The store is located on the Yakama Indian reservation and is rather non-descript when you approach it from this angle. When Vale was about three, he and I made a trip to Aunt Joan's and stopped at the Yakamart. Vale informed me that he'd been here before, but I was sure he'd been too little to remember any earlier trips. "No, no, Grandma," he stubbornly replied. "It wasn't a store then. I was here in my other life when I was an Indian warrior, and this was a field where I was taking care of my grandfather. He was the Indian chief, and he was dying. I fought for him." A lot to ponder, since Vale really had no way of knowing that this station is on the reservation.
As you drive around the Yakamart, the depictions of life among the Yakama Indians cover every wall of the building. Hmmm...On that particular trip, I took Vale to see this impressive monument:
According to an article in "The Oregonian" by Terry Richard, hundreds of drivers traveling on busy I-90, near the Vantage Bridge over the Columbia River, have seen the rusted steel, life-size sculpture of 15 wild horses (1989) on a ridge above the Columbia River. The 200-foot line of life-size charging horses captures a mystical spirit from a time when real wild horses roamed the steppes. However few realize the horses are only half the sculpture planned by the artist, 57-year-old David Govedare of Chewelah, Washington. Govedare had plans from his conception of the sculpture to add a "great basket" to illustrate his vision of Grandfather (the Great Spirit) spilling wild ponies out of the basket as a gift to the planet.
I thought of Vale, our twelve-year-old grandson, when we pulled into this mini-mart in Toppenish during a recent visit to my sister. The store is located on the Yakama Indian reservation and is rather non-descript when you approach it from this angle. When Vale was about three, he and I made a trip to Aunt Joan's and stopped at the Yakamart. Vale informed me that he'd been here before, but I was sure he'd been too little to remember any earlier trips. "No, no, Grandma," he stubbornly replied. "It wasn't a store then. I was here in my other life when I was an Indian warrior, and this was a field where I was taking care of my grandfather. He was the Indian chief, and he was dying. I fought for him." A lot to ponder, since Vale really had no way of knowing that this station is on the reservation. As you drive around the Yakamart, the depictions of life among the Yakama Indians cover every wall of the building. Hmmm...On that particular trip, I took Vale to see this impressive monument:According to an article in "The Oregonian" by Terry Richard, hundreds of drivers traveling on busy I-90, near the Vantage Bridge over the Columbia River, have seen the rusted steel, life-size sculpture of 15 wild horses (1989) on a ridge above the Columbia River. The 200-foot line of life-size charging horses captures a mystical spirit from a time when real wild horses roamed the steppes. However few realize the horses are only half the sculpture planned by the artist, 57-year-old David Govedare of Chewelah, Washington. Govedare had plans from his conception of the sculpture to add a "great basket" to illustrate his vision of Grandfather (the Great Spirit) spilling wild ponies out of the basket as a gift to the planet.Vale proceeded to tell me all about these ponies. "They're spirit ponies--see they don't have all their bodies. Heavenly Father gave them to us so we would have their help." Wisdom from a three-year-old!!
We witnessed a winter dusting of frost on Satus Pass when we came home from Joan's. A reminder that it is not yet Spring, and Old Man Winter was warning us that he isn't through with us yet!! As I write this blog, a new winter storm is drifting our way in spurts and fits. I'm counting the days until I wing my way to Guam!!
We witnessed a winter dusting of frost on Satus Pass when we came home from Joan's. A reminder that it is not yet Spring, and Old Man Winter was warning us that he isn't through with us yet!! As I write this blog, a new winter storm is drifting our way in spurts and fits. I'm counting the days until I wing my way to Guam!! We are well. Life is very comfortable for us at this point in our lives. We laugh a lot; cuddle a lot, and remind ourselves of all that we have at the hands of a Beneficent God. Hope all of you are counting the "spirit horses" God has given you. Cheers. Mom
1 comment:
Your story about TJ brought tears to my eyes. I really love that tender hearted, sweet young man.
I loved the story about Vale as well. Do you ever think about how we seem to have more time and patience now which means we are better listeners than when younger moms?
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