Steve Haarman

The day was bright

No sunshine, but

Almost blinding gray

Clouds. Nature is not

Predictable. Before you

Know it there is rain and

Then finally some sunshine.

Birds are scarce today and

There is no noticeable breeze.

Outside work can be done

Without much suffering.

Bugs are not out biting and

It is almost joyous to be

Outside. The lake water is

Very calm and no boats

Or play toys are visible.

I am inside feeling a slight

Chill. I am waiting for an

Operation on my gallbladder

Which is scheduled for

The 25^th of July. This will be

The third attempt with

Infection getting in the way

Of the first two attempts. A

Week from now I hope I am

Sitting right here and healed.

Stanski

July 20, 2024, ^

I love art and try to enjoy

Every piece I see. I look

At the technique the

Artist used. My favorite

Artist is Vincent van Gogh

He was a miracle and

He also could write lovely

Letters to his brother.

When I look at art I am

Filled with the desire to

Do everything I do as well

As I can. I am aroused

This way. The impressionists

Each had their own unique

Way of painting and they

Are often imitated. It is

Difficult to come up with

Original renderings, so I

Can understand why some

Artists copy others. Original

Work is the way to go. It is

Available in all price ranges.

Always buy because you like

The work not because you

Hope to make money on it.

Stanski

July 19, 2024,, ^

I looked toward the street and

Saw the effect of the setting sun

On the deciduous tree trunks

Beautiful tones of gold lit up

The mini-forest and brought

To mind the presence of God.

We know He is present everywhere

Not just Pennsylvania. His

Greatness is not always known

Or appreciated. In parts of

The world you are punished

If you mention His holy name.

One is not allowed under the

Pain of torture and death to

Preach and enlighten others.

He works in many ways and

Nature shows us some of His

Works. The disasters we see

Are for reasons we don’t

Understand, but are part

Of God’s plan. We are lucky

To be able to live in this country

And be able to worship wherever

We wish. We give Him thanks

As we ask Him to continue to

Bless America.

Stanski

July 18, 2024 ^

I was walking on the deck

Using my walker to assist me

Looking up I saw the blue sky

The color was sky-blue. It

Contrasted nicely with the

Evergreens. The sky was not

Alone. There were white clouds

Off in the distant. Some of the

white clouds had gray mixed

with them and further off down

by the horizon it was all gray.

I thought of the wonders of

Nature, looking up again at

The blue. The sun was shining

And there was a warm breeze.

Last night there was thunder

And lightning along with rain.

More rain is expected for later

Today, but for now it is beautiful

And wonderful.

Stanski

July 16, 2024 ^

Today I had food and water

I was not nervous about

Praying or going to church

I had no fears and was

Living in peace. The same

Can not be said for many

Millions around the world.

They are really living martyrs

If caught saying a prayer to

Their redeemer and savior

They may be tortured and

Then killed. They are hungry

And have no water. Mast of

The aid that comes their

Was is confiscated by the

Enemy. There is not much

We can do except praying

For them and for God’s

Intercession, as well as

Donating in every way we

Can. It is pitiful that we

Have this condition in our

World, but that is just the

Way it is. We hope and

Pray for relief. As they are in

Need we try to help.

Stanski

July 14, 2024, ^

The need for prayer

There are many places

In the world where you

Must hide your praying.

If you don’t you may get

Caught and then arrested

Tortured and killed.

Many risk getting caught

Because it is more important

To pray and share with others

Then pretending you go along with

The false worship of the enemy.

Many will pray silently and

Also teach others to abide as

This savior will protect them

From harm. Faith in the risen

Lord makes living more peaceful

Many willingly face the chance

Of being caught because they believe

In Jesus and His protection. We

Should all have that degree of faith.

We can learn a lot from the Martyrs

Especially the willingness to face

Up to our oppressors, even if it

Means certain death. We know our

Savior will welcome us with open arms.

Stanski

July 12, 2024, ^

I am waiting for my

Physical therapist to

Arrive. That will be a

Episode in pain, but,

If I wish to heal that

Quadricep ligament

I have to go through

The drills. It has been

Just short of 29 months.

I will keep up with the

Work and also the prayers.

How many saints are

There. I pray for intercession

And hop one of them comes

Through for me. If they don’t

Then I will continue to

Carry my share of the cross.

I am also waiting for July 25^th

That is the day of my gall

Gall bladder surgery.

I pray that nothing happens

To postpone it again. I am

Praying for success.

Stanski

July 8, 2024, ^

Hi Grandma

Hi honey

I played baseball today

Oh, that’s great

What position did you play

First base

That’s where grandpa used to play

Yea! Until they kicked him off the girl’s team

Really, Grandma?

Yes, dear. Then he went home and cried.

He wasn’t okay until someone baked cookies for him.

Then he was all smiles.

He went to the playground and played marbles.

The little kids could always beat him.

He was a real jerk.

Stanski

July 8, 2024, ^

At dawn the misty gray

Went all the way to the

Horizon. The water was

Very calm and there was

No noticeable breeze.

It looked like the beginning

Of a beautiful summer day.

The woods were quiet and

No singing was heard from

The birds. Everything and

Everybody were waiting for

The sun. It finally showed

And the wind came up

Making waves as the birds

Chirped and flew over the

Water. The small animals

Were staying still as hunger

Had not occurred to them.

It is a Sunday morning and

People are happy that the

Fourth of July festivities are

Over. Now is a time for rest

As the Good Book suggests.

We had a good week and

Now we are thankful.

Stanski

July 7, 2024, ^

The depth of color in the

Green leaves at dawn

Against the background

A gray sky is awesome

And so different when

Lit up by the sun. it makes

One think of nature in

All its forms. We, who

Have a mostly singular

Personality cannot compare

Cannot compare ourselves

To nature although at times

We can be as destructive.

It is best to just enjoy the

Many phases and learn

From them, rather than

Trying to better nature

In the things we do. we

Should live in harmony with

Nature and always be in awe of it..

Stanski

July 6, 2024, ^