CATCHING UP

Thought I'd start 2008 posts. Catch up time. Let's see.....what's been happening since last post....hmmmmm. Well I started a new Beth Moore study "Living Beyond Yourself" at Parkcrest Church on Wednesday evenings. It's nice going to another church and meeting other Christian sisters. This is my third time doing a class there and it's just now that I'm starting to connect with a few of the women. Miss Paula the leader is very nice and I enjoy and am encouraged by her humor and love for Jesus. She is a fellow Beth Moore groupie. We enjoy talking about Beth's latest family happenings, especially Beth's grandson Jackson.

Last Tuesday I started up my Tuesday night Bible study group after a Christmas break. We're doing Genesis. This class has given me a little anxiety because we are so small and when one person is missing it makes a big difference sharing and answering questions. Well the last two times no showed up due to various reasons. I feel so dissappointed. Last Tuesday, again no regulars showed up and I was ready to quit. Then Asenath dropped in and I decided that maybe it was God's way to keep me doing it. I so wish these ladies would get excited about the Word. I wonder if it's me as the teacher but no I think they aren't there yet. No judgment intended. If only they would do the homework! But I try and teach these dear ones anyway and we do have good times and leave happy, but it does get frustrating for me. Maybe I need to forget about myself and just keep doing what God has called me to do. Praying about it much, so we'll see what happens this coming Tuesday.

I got an IPOD for Christmas from Frank and Adam & Change, Gina and am loving it. I have downloaded mostly sermons from different speakers and different churches. The ITUNES website if so addicting. One can order music for 99 cents. This can sure add up. So I've put myself on a budget and will not order until payday and set a limit at $20 for the month. One blessing is that the Christian speakers and sermons are free, so I've been downloading those everyday. I now have Chuck Swindoll, John Piper, BEth Moore (of course!!) Kay Arthur, Charles Stanley and many more from various churches around the country.

On Dec. 23 I went to the church where I work to help with Angel Tree ministry. This ministry gives gifts to children who have a parent(s) incarcerated and would not otherwise get a gift from their parent. I was in the narthex (church foyer) when I tripped and fell on my should and dislocated it. Yeah another dislocated shoulder! this time it was the other shoulder. I couldn't believe it was happening! Again! The other shoulder! Lord, why! to make a long story short, my shoulder is so much better and just needs some exercising to get it back 100% I just thank God that there was no major damage like my right shoulder 5 years ago. Now I can laugh about it but at the time the pain was excruciating. Hurts more than labor! Labor pain comes and goes, this pain is there all the time. Thank God for morphine. Since I had experience with the right shoulder I kept telling the nurse to give me morphine! No lie. I sounded like an addict. "Can you give me some morphine?" They finally gave me some, three doses. Ahhh, I like it! Then the doctor had me lie on my stomach, poked around my shoulder blade real hard and the nurse pulled on my arm at the same time and the "pop" my should popped back in. The pain was gone immediately. Thank you Jesus!! Now there is just some discomfort but I can live with it.

Tomorrow is church and am looking forward to praising the Lord.

That's about it for now. However is reading this post, May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and give you peace.

THANKSGIVING MEMORIES

Thanksgiving was yesterday and what a wonderful time we all had. I don't know why but I feel like this was my best Thanksgiving in a long time. I had my children and grands here and my mother shared the joy with us. I know she had a good time.

My daughter did ALL the cooking. This is what she made:

21 lb turkey with stuffing and gravy
yams
corn
potato salad
macaroni salad
rolls
2 chocolate pudding pies
1 apple pie
1 pumpkin pie
(I made the green bean casserole.)

My daughter is a saint!!

She was up until midnight the night before Thanks cutting and chopping. Then she got up at 5AM to put the turkey in the oven. Right until we all ate she was in that kitchen whipping, spooning, basting, etc.

It tooks us about 20 or less to eat. But it was delicious!!

I volunteered to clean the kitchen since I HAD to do something. But I didn't do it until later after eating. I can't eat and then get up and start washing dishes.

We all spent time with Mom and it was great having her in my home. She doesn't come often to my house. I want to have her over more. She enjoyed being with her great-granddaughters Gina & Larissa.

The evening ended way to soon. We all were contented.

I'm so thankful for all the things God has been doing in my family. The main thing is my son-in-law Tim is now going to AA. He is doing so much better. He is taking time for his kids now and is becoming the father they have needed. He shows my daughter much attention and consideration. It will take awhile before she learns to totally trust him again. She has been hurt so much but they are on the mend. Thanks be to God.

God's blessings are overflowing. Thanks you Lord.

OCTOBER 19, 1973

Today is our 34th wedding anniversary. It's been a peaceful day with Frank. We actually had time alone together. We went to Outback for lunch but got there and were informed they don't open until 4 PM. So we went to Chili's instead.

I can't believe the years that have gone by. They did go by fast. For all the joys and deep heartaches I wouldn't trade them for anything. Our past is what has made us what we are today as a couple. We've had some hit's and misses but we've stayed the course. The best thing to happen to us is that we have a life in Christ together. There's nothing like having your man love Jesus too. NOthing like seeing him worship the Lord. NOthing like seeing him with his glasses on studying the Word. Nothing like hearing him play praise songs on the guitar and letting me sing with him. Nothing like sharing spiritual things together and understanding what each other is talking about. Nothing like knowing that we'll each be in heaven someday at the Banquet of the Lamb sharing bread with our Savior.

Who knows how many more years we will have together here on earth. All I know is I want to spend them with him. I want to retire with him, do ministry together someday with him.

Want to close my days with him and the Lord by my side.

When Frank and I had some really bad days that I thought our marriage was over, God saw it through by His grace alone. It was only through Him that we are together. We tried to sing a song together at church when we recommited ourselves together and I couldn't get through it because I was crying too much. Frank had to finish the song alone by my side. It's by Bill & Gloria Gaither, "Something Beautiful."

"If there ever were dreams that were lofty and noble, they were mine...
something, something???
But my dreams turned to ashes, my castles all crumbled,
My fortune turned to loss,
So I wrapped them in the rags of my life
And I laid them at the cross.

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer him were emptiness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life.

This has been the theme song of our marriage and we still look at each other today and smile when we hear that song play. It's our song.

All we had to offer Christ in our marriage was ruble and ashes but God made something beautiful of our lives together.

So I relish today's 34th year with Frank. It's a great adventure.

Did I say I love him? :)

OH MY!

It's obvious I was having a bad day from my last post. I was feeling a little inadequate with myself. Comparing myself to other.

I wish I could find blogs written by older women. All the ones I go to have young children etc.

The women are much younger than me. My children are adult (with adult problems) and my function as nurturing mother is done.

I'm more into talking about the grandkids.

THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

EVERY blog I visit is amazing to me that women can be so creative. Everyone with a blog is beautiful. Have the beautiful children. Handsome husbands. Patience of a saint. No one seems to have problems.

I wish I could come across a blog that had normal people, like my family. Not perfect.

I think every blogger has gone to college because they write so creatively and humorous. Some blogs, its like reading a book. And the graphics, oh my. Did they go to school for that too?

I've come to realize that the people who look average or below don't blog or don't let anyone visit their blog. Only the beautiful people reveal themselves.

This culture is so looks oriented and it comes out on the blogs.

Will the real people please come out of the closet.

THE DAYS ARE COOLER

Ahhhh. The days are much coooler now. I think we might have a few more days of heat though. Every September we have a hot spell right in the middle of the month. After that is Autumn time. One of my favorite seasons. It starts to get cool and the leaves start falling. Unfortunately in SoCal we don't experience the beautiful fall colors that appear in other parts of the country. (like the picture)

Some trees here to change colors, but most trees either stay green all year or just lose their leaves. Either way I love autumn.

IT'S SO HOT!!!!

Every winter when I am so cold I think about what it was like the summer before and can't remember the heat. Today I remember thinking about the heat last winter and yes, it is hot! I can't remember it getting this hot when I was growing up. And the humidity. We used to have a dry heat, now I feel like it's Florida. (exagerating) Now I wonder how cold was it last winter when I was shivering and thinking I can't get warm!!

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised with the heat. It is summer. September will be hot too. Maybe Oct.

Well I'll say by and go outside and sit a spell. Til the mosquitos start biting.

Hate to see my electric bill this month. Have been using electricity alot with fans and A/C.