The Covering of Feathers: A Lifestory of God’S Faithfulness

By Ruby Hovda

The Covering of Feathers is a lifestory of Gods faithfulness, mercy, and goodness. Through prayer, God has orchestrated and directed us through many events in our life including the times when we were without jobs, were completing an unfinished board game, had accidents and illnesses, and faced other seemingly-impossible situations. Through it all, we have learned that God is supreme, He is in control, and He cares even about the little things.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483683362

Ruby Hovda

The author, Ruby Hovda, works part-time at Serenity, usually greeting and seating guests. She is a retired elementary teacher who has taught school in Minnesota, Kentucky, and Illinois. She was married to Gary for 45 ½ years until cancer claimed his life. They have two children and five grandchildren. After Gary passed away, Ruby moved to Zionsville, Indiana to be grandma to her son’s family. Her other books are The Covering of Feathers and Feathers, Faithfulness and Friends. Both books by Ruby Hovda are available on Amazon.com Lily Hovda, 13, lives in Zionsville with her parents, a brother, and two dogs. Grace Fieger, 11, lives in Anaheim, California, with her parents, two dogs, and a rabbit.

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Copyright © 2013 by Ruby Hovda.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2013914492

ISBN:      Hardcover       978-1-4836-8335-5

                  Softcover        978-1-4836-8334-8

                  Ebook             978-1-4836-8336-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 08/21/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

139695

CONTENTS

Before Gary

Special Scriptures

My Early Life

Northwestern College

The Car Accident

With Gary

Gary And Ruby

A Jumble Of Jobs And No-Jobs

Our Family

My Teaching Years

The Ring Finger

The Organ

Hovda Video Services

The Game(s)

Saying Good-Bye

Juice Plus

Heaven is for Real

The Cancer

After: Without Gary

Notes From Sympathy Cards

The Girlfriends

Ron’s Books

My Feather Story

More Notes On My Feathers

Our House In Rockford

Zionsville

Finding Community At Zionsville Meadows

My Gary Days

It’s The Big Things

It’s The Little Things Too

Thoughts For The Future

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my dear husband Gary

who loved me unconditionally, and with whom I shared the best

45 1/2 years of my life;

And to our two children, their spouses, and our five grandchildren—

all of whom we love from the bottom of our hearts.

Before

Gary

August 23, 1943-

December 16, 1965

SPECIAL SCRIPTURES

GOD listened…

GOD remembered…

GOD saw…

GOD understood.

Exodus 2:24, 25 (TM)

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May the LORD bless and protect you;

may the LORD’S face radiate with joy

because of you;

may He be gracious to you,

show you His favor, and

give you His peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (TLB)

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Haven’t I commanded you?

Strength! Courage!

Don’t be timid, don’t be discouraged.

God, your God,

is with you every step you take.

Joshua 1:9 (TM)

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Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

I Samuel 7:12 (KJV)

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The joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

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I have God’s more-than-enough,

more joy in one ordinary day

than they get in all their shopping sprees.

At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep,

for you, God,

have put my life back together.

Psalm 4:7, 8 (TM)

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Let the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Thy sight,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 (NAS)

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He will cover you with His feathers

and under His wings you will find refuge.

His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91:4 (NIV)

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Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of His saints.

Psalm 116:15 (NIV)

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This is the day which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 (KJV)

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Trust in the LORD with all thine heart,

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways, acknowledge Him,

and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 (KJV)

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The wise heart will know

the proper time and procedure,

for there is a proper time and procedure

for every matter.

Ecclesiastes 8:5, 6 (NIV)

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But they that wait upon the Lord

shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

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Your widows too

can trust in me.

Jeremiah 49:11 (NIV)

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For with God

nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37 (KJV)

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But I’m not abandoned.

The Father is with me.

I’ve told you all this so that,

trusting me,

you will be unshakeable and assured, deeply in peace.

In this godless world,

you will continue to experience difficulties.

But, take heart,

I’ve overcome the world.

John 16:32, 33 (TM)

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And we know that in all things

God works for the good of those who seek Him,

who have been called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

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Embracing what God does for you

is the best thing you can do for Him.

Romans 12:2 (TM)

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May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in Him

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

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Immersed in tears,

yet always filled with deep joy.

II Corinthians 6:10 (TM)

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My grace is sufficient for thee,

for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

II Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)

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Rejoice in the LORD alway,

and again, I say rejoice.

Philippians 4:4 (KJV)

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Don’t worry about anything.

Instead pray about everything.

Tell God your needs and

don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.

Philippians 4:6 (TLB)

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But my God shall supply all your need

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith

develops perseverance.

James 1:2 (NIV)

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Let us celebrate; let us rejoice;

let us give Him the glory.

Revelation 19:7 (TM)

MY EARLY LIFE

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart,

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways, acknowledge Him,

and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 (KJV)

I was born in the hospital in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the second daughter to Hans and Carrie Drotts. My older sister Rhoda was just 19 months old at my birth.

We lived in a very small house that my dad had built on 40 acres on the edge of the Red River Valley. Our place had lots of trees and many rocks so we did not really farm. We raised some chickens, had a couple of cows, a couple of pigs, a dog and a cat. There were a lot of jobs to do all the time, as I remember it… . get the cows, weed the garden, do the dishes, carry in the wood, bring in the water (we never did have running water inside that house), carry out the water, and on and on the list went.

Our family never had much money. We basically raised our own food. Mom cooked from scratch, and Dad had several odd jobs that didn’t bring in much