Metal Mouth

I awoke this morning in my usual way, but very surprised that the magnets from the refrigerator had not been attracted to my metal mouth. I started a new antibiotic last night that is very similar in taste to Biaxin. Ummm! Nothing like licking your lips to the taste of pots and pans. I wonder if the person who created this drug said, "I know I can do better than Biaxin. I'll make this one the "heavy metal" of them all!"

Mission Trip

Well, he is off to the mission field for a short-term trip. My husband is so excited about it. He and 2 others will work in Honduras for the next two weeks. Hope and pray the flight is successful and that they will be able to do much work.

Waiting In Line

By 6:12 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving, we were on the road to the big city, eager to obtain the bargains listed in the ads. My list was fairly long with things that would be useful not only as Christmas presents, but as personal items. First stop was a fabric store. If nothing else, I needed to buy flannel material for making diapers for Haiti. My daughter and I quickly found several bolts of double nap flannel in cute baby prints and headed for the already elongated line waiting for cutting of material. It was then that I encouraged my husband and daughter to go to another store of interest for them. While in line, waiting and waiting, I struck up a conversation with a couple of ladies in front of me. One gal was purchasing several pieces to make blankets for foster children. Her church had begun the ministry and she was the head of the service project. It was fun and informative to discuss and exchange sewing stories, tips, supply sources, and more. I was afforded the opportunity to detail our service ministry for sewing diapers for Haiti. Two ladies ahead of us were buying quantities of yardage from numerous bolts. I could hear the restless undertones behind me. The murmurs narrowed to dissatisfaction in having to wait behind them. I felt it necessary to share (in a very nice way) with those closest behind me that the two ladies were indeed buying volumes of material, but to be used to make lap robes, blankets and such for nursing home patients. Not another discouraging word was heard, even when one lady's whole shopping cart of bolts had to be remeasured because the machine failed to print out the ticket. During my wait in line for the cutting of the material and the wait in line for checkout, my husband and daughter were able to visit four stores, stop at the bank, and return as I approached the cash register. Now mind you, at all but one of the stores the lines were sooooo long that they were not able to buy. In fact at one store's early business hours, the parking lot was full and overflowing to the street preventing them from entering the store. They did not feel short-changed by my wait. My 2 hour and 45 minute wait in line was not so bad after all. I successfully purchased 75 yards of flannel at 75% to 80% off and boldly shared our service ministry with others. "...If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." I Peter 4:11

Happy Thanksgiving

No matter what you have to serve at your table today, whether it be roasted turkey with all the traditional trimmings or jelly sandwiches, enjoy the company of your family and friends and give thanks. "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I Thess. 5:18

Shoebox Christmas Gifts

What a wonderful project! My family and I contributed to the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes again this year. Over the span of four months we shopped for just the right items to include in boxes for boys, aged 10-14 years. (This age group is in demand because most want to buy for the little girls.) By shopping when items such as crayons, pencils, and glue were the least expensive, we were able to fill to overflowing each shoebox for a fraction of the cost for one at the regular price. Thus, we were able to fill more boxes. Thank you family for your willingness to participate in the shopping and providing the funds. Three of us at school, who exchange gifts each Christmas, have decided to do it in a different way this year. We will pool our money and buy items from either Samaritan's Purse or IDES or both. We haven't decided what to purchase. Some suggestions: a milking goat for a family, a flock of chickens to provide income for a family, a bag of corn to feed a family of six for one month, school uniform and supplies, and traveling medical clinics. Many more are listed on the web sites for both organizations. Why not check out the sites and see how you can make a difference in the lives of people who are in desperate need?

Farewell

Our minister and family spent their last Sunday with us at church yesterday. After 15 years of service Greg answered God's call to move to a New England state to work in new church plants. What does one say to them that can equal all that we have learned because of them? I so appreciate how real they always were. No pretense, no guessing. Both shared their genuine love of God and His people. I am excited for the church that will receive Greg and Kathy. There are young families waiting to be mentored. There are people who don't attend church who will soon be touched by their example. There is a congregation that will grow spiritually because of Greg's sermons. May God grant all that and more to the new church. We love you, Greg and Kathy.

Cat Tails

Our daughter came home for a visit this weekend and had to bring with her the two felines that reside in her home. While we were excited to see "the boys" who used to live here with us, my cat, Pepe', was NOT pleased. He has taken upon himself to guard our house from the intruders. This action has not made for a pleasant visit with the cats. Anyway, during a lull in the action, out of shear boredom on our parts, or was is whimsical curiosity, we decided to measure the girth, length of body, and length of tails of each cat. Would you believe that Pepe' has a 12 inch long tail and measures 34 1/2 inches from nose to tip of tail? I was impressed. Not to be outdone, Max, or Maximus as we usually call him, has a 12 inch long tail, but measures 35 inches in total length. Frosty wouldn't hold still long enough without biting for us to accurately measure him. Pepe' measured 16 inches in girth while Max was 21 inches. Do I need to explain who eats his food and everyone else's?

Bickering

There is a bit of a problem within my room at school. Seems the few girls that I have are not getting along. Unkind words are slung freely at each other. Rumors are spread easily. Each feels she is entitled to say "bad" things about another because someone said "bad" things about her. How do I get them to understand that that behavior only escalates the unkind words? We'll try it again tomorrow. I will be a good example for them and offer kind words. I will try to be Jesus with skin on.

Unwaivering Devotion

No matter what I look like, no matter what I have done for the day, or still need to do in the night, I have a devoted friend, my cat. He seeks me out as soon as I arrive home. His pleasant twirp lets me know that he is pleased that I am back home. Later in the evening, when I've had a chance to sit on the couch and read the paper or grade school work, he announces his arrival with another chirp, then, jumps up on my lap. His purr, louder than the television, tells me that he is happy that we are there together, no matter what.

Satisfaction

Have you ever started the day with so much to do that you don't even know where to start? That was my day yesterday. I felt so fragmented that my "To Do" list turned out to be more than one list. As I endured the morning tasks, I kept adding to the list of things that had to be done, only on several pieces of paper and in different locations. (I really don't know why I do it that way at times.) My day progressed with the flurry of a Saturday morning, with me slowly, but surely, checking off those jobs. An unexpected lunch out brought me the pleasure of being with friends, yet took a bite out of the time for the "To Do" list. This time with friends also brought about a change that eased one of the big jobs on the list--take the soup I that was made instead of creating the cole slaw recipe for the party Saturday night. I'll be honest, at the end of the day the list was far from being marked off. But I had made wise choices in accepting lunch out with friends, visiting my sister-in-law, and running an errand for a friend that the other jobs just weren't that important. I eased into bed with satisfaction that I had accomplished what I needed "To Do".

Please Help Me I'm Falling

I fell. It was so quick. One second I'm looking at the concrete, next second I'm looking at the sky. I had made it down the concrete steps before I turned an ankle and fell on my knees, then hands. To say it hurt wouldn't be enough. I knew for what seemed like minutes that I was going to land on the concrete walk, on both knees. Good news is that I didn't drop nor damage my cell phone. I don't bruise, ever. At least I didn't before. Can't imagine how stiff and sore I will be by morning. It is already showing signs of bruising. Guess I should have used the new handrail that my husband and son-in-law just installed last weekend.