UNEXPECTED HAPPENINGS
(OTRA to Colorado)
“Spring makes me want to sing!” I’m not sure who wrote this quote, but you DO NOT WANT ME TO SING. I’d have lots of subscribers opting out of my newsletter if I included audio of me doing that. HA!!!
As you know, I always have a story to tell you. This one includes an unexpected trip to Colorado. While there, the weather people predicted high winds for the area.
Since they’d had the devastating fires a few years ago, the electric company turned off the gird to over 150,000 people. They didn’t want the chance of sparks from downed powerlines to start other fires.
And where we stayed while in Colorado was in the middle of the outage. And we made the best of the almost two-day shutdown. But as with any power outage – you can count of funnies happening. I’m sure you’ve done some of the same things. HA!!!
1) I put something in the microwave to heat it up. But when I pressed the buttons, it didn’t turn on. I finally realized that nothing was showing on the display. I turned around and Ray and our friends were staring at me. Yes, I’m fun to watch.
2) Someone mentioned later in the day that the Colorado Rockies were playing. Our friend said, “Let me go in and get the clock radio. Then we can listen to the ballgame…NOT!
3) The four of us are avid card players, and the lack of lighting didn’t stop us from playing. We got out candles, lanterns, and anything else that illuminated the area where we played. I thought maybe me and my partner would win under these darkened circumstances, but our losing streak continues.
Tell me a funny story about when the lights went out in your neighborhood…
I mentioned above that we were in Colorado for a while. And before I tell you the reason, I almost feel like I need to write out my hubby’s family tree to make this part clearer.
All I can say is a lot has gone on since my last newsletter. On March 17, our sister-in-law, Diana, passed away. She was married to Ray’s middle brother, Rich. It wasn’t totally unexpected, but it still surprised us.
I do wish everyone could have met Diana then you would understand her sense of humor. Let me give you one example of her funniness:
We were on a girl’s weekend years ago. I’m probably in my mid-twenties. I ran out of money, for whatever reason, and I don’t have my checkbook. On our way down the mountain on I-70, Diana said, “Janetta, I’ll give you $50 if you moon the car that’s coming up on the right.”
For a nanosecond, I considered it. Then I looked over to the person sitting next to me, and it was our mother-in-law. I thanked Diana but declined her offer. I believe souls were saved that day when I didn’t share my wherewithals on a major highway. Thank you, Lord.
I still laugh whenever I remember that story, and I almost shared it at her memorial. But I didn’t. It’s our story. I hope it made you chuckle too. Oh, and I must say—her funeral was one for the record books. Not a dry eye in the house. The tears were from laughing at her antics.
Now, to the second part of why we were in Colorado – Ray’s oldest brother, Jim, passed away on April 1, two weeks and one day after Rich’s wife, Diana, died. Ray and I both said at this point, “You cannot make this stuff up. WOW!!!”
Again, I wish you had met my brother-in-law. Joseph James (Jim) Messmer, Sr. was my biggest cheerleader concerning my books. He loved the Lord and wasn’t afraid to share his faith with those he met.
His funeral fit the man. Tears fell, but everyone in the pews heard the gospel preached that day. My sister-in-law, Donna, sat at a table after the service and told me later, “People came up to me and shared how Jim impacted their lives. Some said they came to know Jesus because of him.”
That’s the testimony I want at the end of my days.
FYI: I didn’t share the above to depress you but to introduce you to two of the best family members God graced me with for over 43 years. Rest in peace Diana and Jim. You will be missed.
And please pray for our family. As we all know, grief is hard. But memories of our loved ones help carry us through. AMEN!!!
 Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances | 
