Vintage Terri Circa 1960

2011 Has Ended, But Will Not Be Forgotten

2012-01-05T18:14:00.001-05:00

There were many changes in my life and my family's in 2011, endings and beginnings: January saw me going under the knife for a new right knee...a beginning.

In May, my daughter received her AA degree in Psychology...an ending.

In the summer, during our OBX vacation, Megan began to learn how to surf...a beginning. During that same vacation, God placed Neil in the right place to save a man (whom we now consider a dear friend, along with his fiancee) from drowning in the ocean, by using the surfboard Meg had rented...an unthinkable ending avoided - a new beginning created!

In August, I graduated from my online medical transcription school...an ending.
That same month, my daughter transferred to a local state university, an hour's drive from our home...a beginning. She then moved to an apartment (thankfully owned by family) to be closer to the campus...a beginning. We became empty nesters...an ending and a beginning. I do not like this change and I have made it well known. ;-)

In September, I began a part-time MT (medical transcription) job...a beginning. Six weekends later I resigned from that job (too many reasons to list)...an ending. In November, I accepted a full-time job offer with Nuance Communications, and am thankful for the wonderful mentoring, training, and encouragement...a beginning.

In October, hubby began working on his master's degree...a beginning.

Many changes, many endings and beginnings. Through it all, God was with us, as He is daily. He has told us in His word that He will never leave us, nor forsake us, if we are His children. I cannot imagine going through life's many changes without having Jesus Christ in my heart, in my life. I am so thankful that God loved me enough to sacrifice His only Son on the cross, to atone for my sinful nature and life. I am also thankful that, as He promised, Jesus was resurrected and since has sat at God's right hand, interceding on my behalf, and on the behalf of all who call on His great name. When I left my desires and selfishness behind...an ending. When I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior, brother and friend...a beginning.

ALPHA AND OMEGA

2011-11-14T19:44:00.001-05:00

1: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

Those verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible tend to come to mind at this time of year. I love Autumn, but I'm always so sorry to see the last leaf fall, the last flower petal fade away, and the temperatures begin to fall. We've had some beautiful Autumn days here in Maryland, but I know it won't last for much longer. Thanksgiving is just a little over a week a way. I find it hard to believe that summer is already past, with Christmas is staring me in the face.

Here are some pictures of the beauty of autumn in Maryland.

WV Vacation

2011-10-19T22:30:00.000-04:00

A most beautiful and peaceful place. I'll let my photos do the talking. :-)

A mere sampling of the beauty all around me on this vacation in Great Cacapon, WV.

Empty Nest? I don't like it one bit!

2011-08-15T21:11:00.001-04:00

I know, we parents are supposed to raise our children to the best of our abilities so that one day they can spread their wings and fly. My daughter is doing just that this week. My husband & I have been fortunate to have home schooled her, having her home with us more than if she had attended public school. And her first 2 years of college were spent at the local community college, so she lived at home. She received her AA degree in Psychology in May, and now she has transferred to a state university to earn her bachelor's in psychology. The college is about an hour from us, so to save her driving time, etc., she's moving to an apartment. Woe is me! ;-) She's very excited about having her own place, and God certainly provided a good one, as it belongs to family members who live upstairs. We've been helping her acquire the necessary items, helping her move some things from home (but her bedroom remains intact!), so it looks like this week will be moving week. I'm treating it as a dorm room, which means she has it for 2 years, then back home until the next big life event. Ah well, life must go on and will do so, no matter how hard I try to slow it down. :-)

An interesting year ahead, indeed. And as a student myself, I am anticipating graduating this summer from a medical transcribing school, with the hopes of being hired soon thereafter. Yep, lots of changes this year.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T17:44:00.000-04:00

I took this shot of the American Flag while in Baltimore City on Thursday, June 30th (my 27th wedding anniversary). I never tire of seeing Old Glory waving in the breeze. To be able to freely honor that flag is an honor we may not always have considering the state of our country today. Only by God's great mercy will she continue to wave "in the land of the free and the home of the brave." Let's cherish our freedom and be willing to stand up for it. Happy Independence Day!

You Never Know What May Happen While On Vacation

2011-06-06T19:45:00.000-04:00

Finishing day 8 of vacation, with 4 more days to go. We've decided that having 2 weeks at the beach is so much more relaxing than just one week.

I love sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll in, the water then roll out...there's something so very relaxing about that. Saturday, however, was not one of those relaxing days.

Towards the middle of the afternoon, I was in the water with my husband and daughter, they were further out than I, with my daughter out there on her surfboard and dad hanging nearby, just in case she needed help. The tide was out, the water was very refreshing, not cold at all. A perfect day at the beach.

I was heading back up to the beach to go sit down when I noticed a woman near me yelling and waving her arms. I finally realized she was yelling for help. I looked around and saw a man quite a ways out in the surf, and saw him floundering in the water...it took me a moment to realize the man was drowning! I raced to my beach bag where I grabbed my phone & called 911. I then saw my husband trying to get to the man, but the water was nearing my husband's neck, and he is not a strong swimmer (a couple weeks at the beach each summer does not make one a great swimmer) and I could tell that he didn't know what to do. He told me later that he was remembering that he & our daughter had a difficult time getting into shore earlier that morning because of a riptide. This is why even at low tide, the man in danger was suddenly in water over his head...he hadn't realized he was being pulled out until it was too late. But suddenly, my husband turned towards our daughter and yelled for her to bring him her surfboard. That's right, Megan had a surfboard out there! With the board, my husband was able to reach the man just in time, and after the man rested on the board a little, he was able to work with my husband to get back into shore. The medics arrived after the man got to shore. He refused any help, saying he just wanted to rest. He and his fiancee (the woman who'd been yelling) profusely thanked my husband for saving the man's life. Even though the medics/life savers were there in record time, they would not have been able to reach this man in time to save his life (there are no lifeguards on the beach where we stay on vacation).

My family is thanking God for planting the seed in our daughter's mind about learning to surf, then giving her the nudge to be out there in the surf with the board the same time as that drowning man, and for nudging my husband to remember the board would be the perfect lifesaver.

We're very glad my husband was in the right place, at the right time. We're glad that Saturday was not the day for that man to die...but what if it had been? Would he have gone to heaven to meet his Creator, or would he have gone to Hell, because he didn't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for all mankind? One day, we'll each have our last day on this earth. Where will you spend eternity after that last day?

Promises to Keep Book Review

2011-05-03T17:41:00.000-04:00

Promises To Keep
by Ann Tatlock

Promises To Keep is a very engrossing story told from the viewpoint of 12-year-old Roz (short for Rosalind) Anthony. She is very mature for her age, perhaps because she has lived with much heartache in her young life. Roz lives with her brother Wally, her little sister Valerie, and their mother, Janis Anthony. They have recently moved from Minnesota to Illinois, with the help of Roz’s grandfather who lives in their new town. Roz did not want to move from her old home but knew that they had no choice. They had to get away from Roz’s father, an abusive alcoholic whom we learn about bit by bit throughout the story.

On one of their first mornings in their new home the Anthonys meet an older woman named Tillie, whom they find sitting on their front porch reading their newspaper. Tillie insists that they are living in her house. Tillie’s story then becomes interwoven with the Anthony family’s story. I did not like the Tillie character at first, but I warmed up to her rather quickly. She lends a special warmth to the story, reminding one of a favorite grandmother.

The story takes place in the late 1960s, when the Vietnam war was still raging, drugs were becoming the activity of choice among teens and college students, and racism was still very much alive. The Anthony family finds their daily lives intertwined with those radical events, especially Wally, who is 17 when we are introduced to the Anthony family.

At her new school Roz meets her very first best friend, Mara, a young black girl the same age as her. The bond they form, especially because of their unique relationships with their fathers, becomes stronger than even some family relationships. Mara makes life bearable for Roz on some of Roz’s darkest days.

The story had me engrossed from the first page where we met Tillie. I found myself totally caught up in the Anthony family’s struggle to start life anew in a new state and town. I felt the chill that Janis Anthony felt whenever she thought about her previous life with her husband, an alcoholic with a horrible temper who did not want to give up his wife and children. Always at the back of her mind is that he will come looking for them. When he does not, however, she begins to think of life with a new suitor, a life that would be safe… I sympathized with Roz’s desire to have her family back together again, to have the innocence she deserved to have as a young girl.

This is a story that is both humorous and heart breaking, chilling and bittersweet. I believe it will appeal to a very wide audience. This is the first novel of Ann Tatlock’s that I have read. I feel certain I will be reading more of her future novels.

DISCLAIMER: I received a FREE advanced copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I did not have to do anything but write a review, regardless of whether it was positive or negative. No monies were involved.

Book Review

2010-11-07T16:32:00.000-05:00

I recently read "Masquerade" by Nancy Moser, published by Bethany House Publishers. I tend to be more of a mystery genre reader, rather than reading romance or adventure novels, but every now and again I will see a book in one of those genres that seems appealing. I was not disappointed with "Masquerade". This was, I believe, the first time I had read a book by Moser, although I was familiar with the author.

The story is one of romance and adventure, but also one of discovery. The book begins in 1886 in England and eventually takes the reader to 19th century New York City. The two main characters are Charlotte Gleason and Dora Connors. Charlotte, better known as Lottie, was born into a family of privilege, so much so that Charlotte was considered a spoiled, rich girl. She thought more of herself and her own desires rather than those of others. Her friends were much like her, passing their time visiting one another, attending parties and balls, and ultimately seeking a mate of equal or higher stature.

Dora, on the other hand, was born into a family of lowly means; a family who served the wealthy and elite. Dora was Charlotte's personal maid and attended to her mistress's every need and whim. Dora was only a year older than Charlotte, but quite often thought of herself as years older, especially when Charlotte would throw one of her tantrums or pout over the least little thing. Even so, Dora and Charlotte were as close as any two sisters, something money could not buy for Charlotte: siblings.

In the beginning of the story, we discover that Charlotte's father has unfortunately squandered away much of his fortune, to the point that he and Mrs. Gleason could not even afford to buy their daughter a birthday present. We also find out that he has not been the most devoted of husbands, something Mrs. Gleason knew of and was properly embarrased about, but in those days one stood by one's husband regardless of what he did. Charlotte does not realize how bad things have gotten until her parents tell her they are sending her to America to meet the wealthy Tremaine heir, Conrad Tremaine. She knows nothing of him except that his family has great wealth, and that his letters to her are boring and stilted, and the very small portrait he sent made it difficult to judge his appearance...but enough that Charlotte knew he was no Mr. Darcy or Willoughby from Pride & Prejudice, one of her favorite novels. She mainly knew that the joining of Conrad and Charlotte was considered by both families to be a proper match. His family knew nothing of the Gleason's financial woes. And the Gleasons seemed not to care if their daughter married for love, but were more concerned with the financial status the marriage would procure for them.

And so, Charlotte and Dora set off on a ship to America at the request of the Tremaine family, with Dora traveling as Charlotte's companion rather than as her maid. But, while on their voyage, Charlotte decides she cannot marry Conrad, no matter how much her family needs the match. Her desire had always been to marry for true love. So, in the vein of "The Prince & the Pauper", Charlotte has Dora trade places with her, with Dora becoming the bride-to-be to Conrad Tremaine, leaving Charlotte free for the first time in her life to live as she chooses; but, living on the streets of New York? Nothing in her sheltered, pampered upbringing ever prepared her for such a life. Thus begins the maturing and awakening to reality for Charlotte Gleason. As for Dora, she enters a world she has only looked at from the fringes. She enters it willingly, but with the expected qualms of one who was not born into high society. For both young women the masquerade comes at a price. Read the novel to find out the ultimate fate of Lottie and Dora.

I was impressed with the historical accuracy of Moser's story, as well as with the flow of the events. Although the story line and outcome were not a surprise to me, the journey there was enjoyable.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sharing another blog today.

2010-09-21T12:56:00.000-04:00

I'm getting ready to read "Masquerade", by Nancy Moser, in order to do a review for Bethany House publishers. So until I'm ready to post the review, I wanted to share another person's blog with you today. It really struck close to home for me. Perhaps it will for you, as well.

Prayer Life…What a Joke

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 10:00 PM PDT

I wept for some “friends” yesterday. You see, I read a blog that brought up the topic of prayer. Basically, the author was saying, and the comments echoing, that prayer can be difficult, guilt ridden, unfocused, and, at times, all together non-existent. I read over 30 comments that shared the author’s sentiments.

I made my comment, headed for more coffee, stopped in the living room, and burst into tears.

I didn’t cry because I related; I cried because I didn’t relate…..anymore.

There was a time about 8-10 years ago that I would have nodded my head in agreement with them. However, that day, my heart was broken over those, although they love God dearly and serve him, feel so distant from him and so unable to connect with him. I cried because for a few moments, God allowed me to “feel” the heaviness of his tender heart for his people, the longing for them to be free to pray.

These are just some of the words I read:

guilt
difficult
distracted
terrible at it
wandering thoughts
short prayers
failure

WHAT?

What are these words coming from his beloved? Prayer should NOT be something that brings us guilt or condemnation. There is no specific formula.

Prayer can be as unique as your own DNA and as intimate as your own breath.

What is a prayer life anyway? What the heck does that mean?

Do we say my “worship life” or my “service life”? nope. Why do we say my “prayer life”?

I know why… because we have a spiritual enemy who wants to take anything, and I mean anything, intended to bring us strength, satisfaction, courage, wisdom, knowledge, etc. and kill it. He wants to take anything that elevates God and dash it to the ground. So, he infuses guilt. We are guilty if we don’t pray for an hour. We are guilty if we don’t pray scripture. We are guilty if our thoughts wander. We are guilty if we fall asleep! We are guilty for not having a “prayer life.”

Stop believing the enemy! Rise UP in the strength of the God’s Spirit to have an intimate relationship with him!

He has destiny for you!
He as truth and words for you!
He has love and strength and hope and power and laughter for you!

Prayer is life. Life is prayer.

When you think about God, he hears you. When you pray in your heart, he hears you. When you whisper a small request he hears you. No doubt, there are real and amazing things that happen from carved out time with him, just as there is in the natural world. We carve out time for those we love, we invest in it, we work for it. Sometimes it’s heavy and hard work, sometimes it’s sitting outside with a coke talking about the puffy monkey in the clouds. Do the same with the Father.

Invest yourself.

Relax
Listen
Enjoy
Confess
Wait

This journey with him on earth can be the best thing on the planet in the history of everything. Don’t let the enemy cloud your mind with lies of guilt and condemnation, formulas and programs. Let God teach you how to pray, which really means, just be you with him and see how this thing turns out. It’s a trip.

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:6 NIV

For Freedom,
Natalie
www.nataliewitcher.com

The Prophecy Answer Book by Dr. David Jeremiah

2010-09-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

This is a most handy little pocket-size reference book that answers just about any question one might have regarding biblical prophecy, signs of the end times, Christ's second coming, the Book of Revelation, and so forth. This would be an excellent addition to one's reference library. The Q&A format makes for easy reading and reference as it is divided into 7 categories: Current Events; The Rapture; The Tribulation; The Antichrist; The Second Coming; The Millennium; The New Heaven and the New Earth.

I believe "The Prophecy Answer Book" would make a good tool for the believer to gain better understanding of what is true regarding prophecy (as opposed to some of the wild and not-so-wild theories that have been floating around for eons), but also for the nonbeliever who seeks to have a better understanding of why followers of Jesus Christ have so much to look forward to someday.

The author, Dr. David Jeremiah, is the founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries, as well as the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church. To read more about Dr. Jeremiah, please go to: [...], to read his biography. I have found Dr. Jeremiah to be a very solid and trusted biblical teacher/scholar.

I highly recommend this reference book for anyone seeking to better understand biblical prophecy and the Book of Revelation.

Book Review of The Thorn, Book one of The Rose Trilogy, by Beverly Lewis

2010-09-07T14:21:00.000-04:00

Bethany House Publishers recently gave me the opportunity to review Book One of Beverly Lewis' new series “The Rose Trilogy”, available to the public starting today (Sept. 7). Book One is entitled “The Thorn”. The story focuses mainly on 2 Amish sisters: Rose Kauffman, a young Amish woman who still lives with her family on their farm near Quarryville, PA, and Rose’s sister, Hen Kauffman Orringer, who left the Amish life to marry Englisher Brandon Orringer and to embrace his modern way of life.

We learn that when Rose was younger, she befriended the Bishop’s young foster son, Nick Franco, an orphan from Philadelphia. The Bishop and his family are neighbors of the Kauffmans. Throughout the years, Rose and Nick grow closer and closer, as Rose must spend most of her time at home caring for her invalid mother. Many of the Amish folks feel Nick is trouble. But, Rose feels she knows him better than anyone…until Nick refrains from joining the Old Order Amish church once he becomes an adult, and begins to talk more and more of modern things. And then there is Rose's beau, whom Rose feels quite strongly towards.

We also learn that Rose’s older sister, Hen, has a 5 year old daughter, Mattie Sue, who has naturally begun to embrace the modern life, with encouragement from her father. But, Hen begins to question whether that is what she now wants for her daughter...and for herself. She remembers all the things she loved about the Amish world she grew up in and the importance of the Amish faith. She starts to think the Amish life might be a better fit for her and Mattie Sue…but where would that leave her husband, Brandon, who wants nothing at all to do with the Amish way of life, nor the spiritual life the Amish live and breathe?

Buy “The Thorn” to find out what happens when modern everyday life collides with the quiet, simple Amish life. I believe you will have as much difficulty as I did in putting this book down. In my opinion, Lewis has proven once again that she is the ultimate author when it comes to writing novels that bring us into the world of the people known as The Amish. I am fortunate to live within 45-minutes of beautiful Lancaster County, and I never tire of seeing the Amish farms and the folks who make up that community.

Beverly Lewis is known for her insight into the Amish Community, especially that of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, as she was born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Her love for the Amish people is evident in the more than eighty bestsellers she has written.

DISCLAIMER: I received a FREE advanced copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I did not have to do anything but write a review, regardless of whether it was positive or negative. No monies were involved.

So many books, so little time

2010-08-23T15:21:00.000-04:00

I love that quote because it is absolutely true. No matter how much I read for pleasure, there are still tons of books I've yet to open. Even when recuperating from surgery, I find I still don't have the time for reading as much as I'd like. My last surgery was 7 weeks ago tomorrow, and I have probably read about 20 novels in that time frame. Twenty novels is a drop in the bucket compared to my "to read" lists.

I have been a mystery lover since the days when I discovered Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden, and Agatha Christie. I am amazed at authors who continually produce excellent stories that cause me to want to read late into the night and early morning hours. Where do their ideas come from, I often wonder. How do they manage to find that kernel of an idea and then expand it into 500+ pages? Take Agatha Christie, for example; not only did she create wonderful characters such as the beloved Miss Marple, but also the daunting Inspector Hercule Poirot. Not only that, but she placed them into so many diverse settings, with so many interesting characters. And you know, I don't believe I ever figured out "who dunnit" before she announced the murderer?! In my humble opinion, that is an excellent author, the one who keeps you guessing until they uncover that oh-so-important piece of information.

I am pleased that there are now so many Christian mystery/suspense/legal thriller...authors nowadays. When I was a kid in the 60's and a teen in the 70's, I did not know there were any such authors. I really did not discover them until the early 1990's. One of my all-time favorites is Terri Blackstock. I truly admire this woman for her faith in Christ, and her willingness to share her heart in some of her novels. To understand what I mean, I highly recommend her novel "Intervention". The story was close to her heart. Then there is Ted Dekker, who weaves such an amazing story that at the end, you are left pondering his various themes for days afterwards. I love novels that not only entertain me, but give me food for thought, especially ones that cause me to look inward, to examine my heart and my motives in any given situation.

That is not to say that I only read Christian authors these days, not at all. I still read many secular authors; however, I have become much more selective in my choices; for example, noting whether they consistently use vulgar language, gratuitous sex scenes, and the like. I feel those things do nothing for the storyline, nothing to enhance the plot. There's a verse in the Bible that sums up what I am now looking for in my reading, be it fiction or nonfiction: "Finally brothers (gender neutral), whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (New Testament, Book of Philippians chapter 4, verse 8).

Lots of Savings

2010-08-11T20:47:00.000-04:00

I found what appear to be some really good sites designed to save us money. Here is a sampling of what I found:

www.MomsWhoSave.com
www.dealtaker.com
www.couponmom.com
www.thefrugalgirls.com
www.retailmenot.com
www.shopaneer.com
www.dealseekingmom.com
www.shesaved.com

Enjoy those savings!

Sixth Time A Charm?

2010-06-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

Back surgery #6, coming up July 6th...OY! Spinal stenosis & spondylolisthesis are becoming familar terms to me, both because of my medical terminology course AND from personal experience. I certainly hope this will be the last surgery. I have an awesome surgeon, one who recognizes that his skill comes from God, the Great Physician. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself, then I recall the scores of people who have had far more medical procedures, illnesses, diseases, etc. than I have experienced. Why does God allow any of us to go through these hardships? Because it is an imperfect world, that's why. God never promised we would not have trials, hardships, heartaches...but He has promised He will walk with us through each and every one of those events.

Hallelujah! I serve an awesome God!

Book Review for "The Prophecy Answer Book"

2010-06-24T14:39:00.008-04:00

"The Prophecy Answer Book" by David Jeremiah

This is a most handy little pocket-size reference book that answers just about any question one might have regarding biblical prophecy, signs of the end times, Christ's second coming, the Book of Revelation, and so forth. This would be an excellent addition to one's reference library. The Q&A format makes for easy reading and reference as it is divided into 7 categories: Current Events; The Rapture; The Tribulation; The Antichrist; The Second Coming; The Millennium; The New Heaven and the New Earth.

I believe "The Prophecy Answer Book" would make a good tool for the believer to gain better understanding of what is true regarding prophecy (as opposed to some of the wild and not-so-wild theories that have been floating around for eons), but also for the nonbeliever who seeks to have a better understanding of why followers of Jesus Christ have so much to look forward to someday.

The author, Dr. David Jeremiah, is the founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries, as well as the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church. To read more about Dr. Jeremiah, please go to: http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/content.aspx?id=58, to read his biography. I have found Dr. Jeremiah to be a very solid and trusted biblical teacher/scholar.

I highly recommend this reference book for anyone seeking to better understand biblical prophecy and the Book of Revelation.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Blogger Reviews

2010-05-08T14:06:00.004-04:00

I've decided that since I read so many books, I may as well begin reviewing them. There's no pay in it, at least not for a novice, but I will be able to keep the books I review. I'm hopeful that this will be a worthwhile endeavor. :-) Only time will tell.

Unity Among Believers in Christ

2010-04-12T16:00:00.004-04:00

I had a very interesting, albeit emotionally and physically exhausting Sunday afternoon. We had debated whether to attend the morning worship service at the church we've been visiting, or to just stay at home. We knew in the afternoon there was a meeting at the church we've temporarily left (at least until God tells us to return or that it's definitely time to sever our membership there), and I wondered if we would even be able to concentrate on the sermon. But, Neil decided we should go, so we went to the church we've been visiting, where the preaching and music are totally Christ-centered, and the pastor seems to be a truly humble, godly man.

Well, we're certainly glad we went. The sermon was all about Unity In The Church, unity among God's children. The scripture the sermon was based on was Ephesians 4:11-16. The pastor reminded us that church is NOT a social club, but should be thought of as a hospital, where each believer is at a different stage of disease, where becoming more Christlike is the only antidote. Interesting analogy, isn't it? He then proceeded to give us 7 reasons why the body of believers in Christ should be open, speaking the truth in love! True believers should not be tearing one another down, but building each other up and encouraging one another. One other point that was made that I really liked hearing again, was that the way we communicate with one another should be in love, we should not bear grudges nor gossip about others, especially if they have offended us. We are to go to them to work the issue out, as we're taught in Matthew 18 of the New Testament of God's Holy Word. That's not an easy thing to do, and I have failed many times in that area. But somehow, seeing a pastor do that, as we have, seems so much worse. He is to be a leader, a shepherd above reproach. He should not be a part of the problem! We want to lead others to God and His glory. Confronting someone about sin is to lead them to godliness. Patience, humbleness, and grace is what we should bring when confronting a fellow Christian regarding sin.
There was much more detail, but suffice it to say we knew why God had directed us to go to church that morning, rather than staying home.

The church we have taken a leave of absence from is not a united body of Christ, but a most divided body. The votes taken at the meeting were so very close, a person would have had to be totally blind (figuratively) to not see that. What was being pushed was voted down, and the people who wanted the subject to pass, did not act very loving nor Christlike after hearing the outcome; actually, they didn't act very loving nor Christlike throughout the whole 5 hour meeting...that's right, a 5-hour meeting.

I was heartened, though, to see that God had moved many people to find their voice and to finally gain their courage to speak out against not only the subject matter at hand, but also to highlight matters of sin that have never been addressed by the senior pastor, nor his family.

My prayer is that God will continue to intervene there, should that be His will, and if not, that He would make it plainly clear to those believers that are hanging in there to move on. It was very obvious that the current senior pastor does not have the best interests of the congregation at heart, rather, he only has his own interests. He is to be pitied. He will one day have to stand before God and account for those he has led astray.

Always Learning

2010-03-10T11:45:00.003-05:00

Life is a lesson, one that I'll never complete until either God takes me home or Jesus returns for me, whichever occurs first. Sometimes I feel frustrated at knowing that I'll never truly learn all I'd like to learn, all I need to learn...I won't live long enough! And, when I'm in heaven with Jesus, will I even want to know the outcome of all those lessons? Will I still care? I'll have unfinished lessons! Arrgh! HaHaHa! What else is new, I'm terrible about beginning something and then not finishing it. I need to set goals, but I don't want the pressure of having to attain them. Ridiculous, I know.

One thing I have learned, though, is that only God truly knows why the female body and mind is full of mysteries. This is one of those lessons I'll never be able to learn in one lifetime, and probably won't care about when surrounded by the delights of Heaven. So, anyway, one day I'm upbeat, happy...the next, I'm depressed, tired, maudlin...what's up with that? Perimenopause, I guess? BTW, this is the new term for entering the midlife change, menopause is apparently what you are once you've competed perimenopause...sigh. If so, could I please just endure the perimenopause NOW and be done with it already? Oh, and the hot flashes! No rhyme nor reason, some months nothing, some months I feel like I could heat the whole house using my own body! And the mood swings, oy! Is there any period in a woman's life when she doesn't have mood swings? I mean, really?

Ah well, nothing I can do about it (I hate feeling helpless), but to forge on, thank God for even these things, keep my gaze on Him, and pray there will be survivors after I've made it through this period in my life. On to the next lesson. :-)

Another Christmas Has Come & Gone

2009-12-28T20:47:00.006-05:00

Last Friday we celebrated the birth of Jesus, for the year 2009. The weekend prior, we had the Blizzard of 2009, with absolutely beautiful snow, about 20-27" worth. I've been confined to the house due to a mild case of shingles, the grown-up version of chicken pox. I haven't been able to go out and enjoy much snow scenery, nor have I seen any of the regional Christmas Train Gardens...rather, I've had time for reflection, not a wasted use of time, to be sure.

As always, I anticipated the Christmas season for so long, only to suddenly find it had passed, and here I am, once again looking at a new year, this time 2010. In just a few short days, 2009 will be but a memory. I look back and wonder how a year could have gone by so quickly! Is this how the rest of life will be, I wonder? Each year seeming to pass by more quickly than the last? If so, I pray I will cherish each day, relish whatever God has in store for me, and remember to ask daily for His divine guidance. I hope to have a life that was worth living, one that was not wasted on frivolous, worldly ventures, but one that honored God, so that one day His Son, Jesus Christ, can look at me and say "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Marriage, Trinidad, and cooking

2009-11-03T15:36:00.003-05:00

Soon to be heading to Trinidad to conduct a marriage seminar at one of the local churches. This will be a first for me, Neil, & the Roush's. We're excited, and truth be told, a tad bit nervous. But that's good, because it will force us to rely more on God's strength rather than our own. Definitely a good thing. :-)

Found some wonderful recipe websites, and I'm thinking perhaps I need to weed out my many cookbooks, and give them away. I need the room, plus, I tend to use the online recipes more than my cookbooks anyway, so it's really a no-brainer. One of the sites is www.tasteofhome.com, a cooking magazine published by Reiman Publications, same publisher for "Country Woman" magazine, a favorite of mine. Through the Debt Proof Living website I found www.5dollardinners.com, a site hosted by a woman who manages to make meals for $5 or less. Her site led me to another great cooking site,
www.susieshomemade.blogspot.com/.

Wonder if the next industry to bite the dust will be cookbooks? I hope not, because even though I'm weeding out, I'm NOT getting rid of my church cookbooks. Cooking like that may become a thing of the past, and many of the fine cooks are now gone.

Until next time...

Mystery & Crime

2009-09-13T13:46:00.002-04:00

I guess Nancy Drew was the beginning for me...the beginning of a love for mysteries, crime novels, thrillers (medical & legal especially), even the "cozy" genre of books, such as Laura Child's tea mysteries with her mouth-watering recipes! But I also love books in many other genres, such as the Father Tim "Mitford" series by Jan Karon - those are such delightful stories! I also try to toss in some nonfiction from time to time.

I know that many times my love for reading prevents me from my more mundane tasks such as laundry, cooking, cleaning...and, I'm ashamed to say, from my Bible reading...I'm forever scolding myself for that one! And let's face it, the Bible has every genre possible in it, it's certainly not boring! I think sometimes it's because I know the stories and people so well, that I tend to put them aside. Which is ridiculous, because I haven't begun to peel all the layers in that life changing, life affirming book that God inspired so many men to write.

And so, as I sit here, contemplating what to do on this fine Sunday afternoon, with a very painful, swollen arthritic knee...what do I read?

No Longer Waiting!

2009-09-04T15:34:00.003-04:00

Last blog entry I was not-so-patiently awaiting direction on my life. God, in His always perfect timing, gave me the answer I sought. I am now a student of CareerStep, a well-known, well-recommended online school. I enrolled in their Medical Transcriptionist program. Rather than units, the program is broken down into Modules. I have finished 3 modules in 2 days, and have an "A" average, thus far. :-)

The school assists graduates with job placement, I'm happy to note. Also, apparently the majority of MT's are now work-at-home employees, some self-employed, others employees of medical companies, hospitals, etc. An MT can work for someone who lives across the country from them, thanks to the Internet and computers. Nice when computers are used for good, not evil. :-)

And so, I wait

2009-08-29T15:49:00.002-04:00

I'm not a patient person, never have been really. As I grow older...I mean, um...more mature (that's better), I'm realizing that waiting is God's way of teaching me patience. I'm not a very good student at times, wish I would learn the lesson already! But alas, here I have waited, impatiently, for God to make clear to me what I am to do with my life from this point onward.

After serving as my church's Sunday School director for 5 years and 8 months, I felt God leading me to resign. I'm still involved with the Praise Team and the Adult Choir; but, I haven't felt led to serve in any other area at this time. I am also still very involved with missions trips to Trinidad, and anywhere else God may lead. Four of the ladies from last year's Bible study have asked whether I am going to host again this year...part of me wants to, another part does not...not sure why. I need the study time, regardless of what else is going on in my life. And I do so much better when there are others to help with accountability.

So actually, perhaps I'm involved enough at this time. And, perhaps, this is God telling me to move ahead with the medical transcription program, while I am unfettered by any major service or tasks...time for a new beginning?

August Winds Down

2009-08-21T16:09:00.003-04:00

After unexpected hernia surgery and a week of being homebound and going a little stir crazy, Neil took me over to Havre de Grace for some fresh air and change of scenery. Beautiful, hot day, got some great pictures, had a good walk, and then an early dinner. All in all, a nice day.

Today, it's rainy, stormy, and still really muggy and hot. Thank God for A/C! Megan's in OC with the deWits, hopefully being wise and watching for the reported rip currents. So, it's just been me and Jasper at home today, with no car. The PT had to have work done, which is finished now, so we'll pick it up tonight and have dinner out, again. It seems we don't go out to dinner for weeks, then all of a sudden we have a few nights of eating out. Hard on the budget sometimes, though, but sure is nice to be waited on! LOL

Also today, I realized that no matter how long you're in a family, you never truly "know" some of the members. For example, how one can be so nice to most of the family, but with me that one simply fails to see my humor, and because he doesn't get it, he takes umbrage...so annoying, I really hate that. As the saying goes, you can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends...thankfully!

End of July

2009-07-26T20:42:00.002-04:00

We're coming up on the last week in July...unbelievable! So many summer events I'd been anticipating, and now some are already over: Our OBX vacation the first week of June, Megan's 18th birthday in June, my missions trip to Trinidad in June, my 25th wedding anniversary with Neil in June, Shawn's 20th birthday & the 4th of July celebration at his home, the latest Harry Potter movie (went to midnight showing with Megan), Neil & Megan's missions trip to Trinidad which is right now. August should be fairly quiet compared to June & July, but then colleges & schools begin classes August 31st, and then we hurtle into the fall months. I sincerely hope the dog days of August will truly be slow, lazy days.

The fall may be a bit busier for me this year, too. I'm praying/contemplating enrolling in an online medical transcription school. The health field is to experience much growth in the next 10 years, and medical transcriptionists are going to be in demand. Since I have 20+ years secretarial experience, including transcription, I'm thinking this may be a way for me to supplement our income. Hopefully, I'll eventually be able to do this from home...IF I decide to go this route. There's another part of me that would dearly love to open a consignment shop, and to have a book section...children's books! Ah, decisions, decisions, decisions.

What shall I do? Only God knows the answer to that question.

Life is So Short, A Mere Blip on a Radar Screen

2009-06-27T16:04:00.003-04:00

Three major icons have passed away in the last few days: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson. Ed's passing was not that big of a surprise, considering his age. Farrah had been battling cancer for a couple of years. Michael, however, was a surprise. He was only 50 yrs old. I'm sure that when he woke up the other morning, he had no clue it was to be his last morning on this earth. And, where is his soul now? Where is Ed's, Farrah's? Had they at some time in their lives asked Jesus to save them, had they repented of their sins and asked forgiveness? Only those close to them may know.

Life is short, the older I become the more I realize just how short it is, and why it's so important to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the only way to eternity in Heaven, with God. That's it, no other way.

Life is short, we need to make it count, we need to be about God's business on this earth - sharing His gospel with unbelievers, no matter where we are and regardless of the consequences. We need to desire more than anything to hear Him one day say "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Walking Around My Haven

2009-05-13T17:54:00.004-04:00

I walked around the yard today, taking pics of various blooming flowers and shrubs. One of my Lilac bushes has finished blooming, and now the other 2 are just beginning, they’re some type of late blooming lilac…don’t know their proper names, but they smell wonderful and are so pretty! The Hostas are all up and looking quite healthy, I’m happy to say. The Peonies are budding, but haven’t bloomed yet. They’re so beautiful when they’re all blossomed out, fuschia and white ones.

Then checked on my herb and veggie seedlings…some are popping up nicely, others I’m not too sure about. I noticed the Pumpkins from last year have seeded themselves and now there are little green leaves popping up…hopefully we’ll have a bountiful pumpkin patch come August/September.

My husband put up more birdhouses for me, and we now have 8 birdhouses, plus 1 Purple Martin house. All the houses are occupied!! I was thrilled to see the Purple Martins swooping down over the lawn and up to their house. Hopefully they will cut down the mosquito population this summer…speaking of summer, only 39 more days till official summer begins! Yes!

Rainy Days are Getting Me Down!

2009-05-06T14:45:00.003-04:00

If we have a drought this summer, then we'll know why we're receiving all of this RAIN this week...my word, everything feels like it needs to be wrung out like a washcloth! Rain is good, especially the rain we've had that is totally soaking into the ground; however, too much of a good thing...I do believe our grass has grown at least 5-inches this week! It will be interesting when I can finally mow the lawn - wonder if I'll be able to make it through? ;-)

Signed up today for a site that helps women to be accountable with their daily time with God. It's called the 5:16AM Club; however, I'd rather make my time more like 8:16AM...yes, that would be much better. I've no little ones who will be rising early, even with college, Megan doesn't have to arise until around 8AM or so. I've no job I have to be at by a certain time. Basically, my hours are my own, so why begin before the Sun is even up working...although lately it has apparently been on vacation!

Considering various possibilities for earning some income from home. It's tough having 2 cars with 3 drivers, but with car insurance being so high for females under 25, we just can't swing a car AND insurance for Megan right now, only the insurance. So, my hours at home are many. :-)

Time to research more options.

Bye for now.

Don't Become Discouraged

2009-05-05T13:39:00.006-04:00

"Whenever you get discouraged, remember Joseph. He became a powerful man—a savior of his people—but not before he endured horrendous trials. He labored faithfully in Potiphar’s house and then in utter obscurity in prison. Still, God saw him. Through the trials, God built character and empathy and courage into Joseph. In our celebrity-driven society, we tend to view Joseph in the latter chapters of Genesis, skipping over the pain. We want to be Joseph, but we don’t want to walk the rocky path he journeyed on. Don’t despise your current circumstance. Don’t disdain your humble beginnings. These are places God can build upon, brick by brick."

(The above was part of an article written by Mary E. DeMuth in Christian Fiction Online Magazine)

I've had two most discouraging months, and I'm sorry to say I've allowed the discouragement to really get me down, rather than looking constantly to God. I mean, I've looked at Him, more of a glance actually, when I should have gazed upon Him, His glory, His magnificence, His love, His brilliance that is brighter than the very sun He created. Satan loves nothing more than to see God's children turn their gaze from the Saviour, and instead turn their gaze to their troubles, trials, discouragement, and so forth. Anything that turns God's children inward, away from Him, causes Satan to rejoice.

I appreciate writers, such as DeMuth, who write words of encouragement. I also appreciate that I have such a loving Father, one who knew I'd be looking at that online magazine and knew I'd see that article, and that the ol' lightbulb in my head would finally flicker back to life. No matter my troubles, whatever the trial or problem, God already knows the outcome, He has it all under control and in His most capable hands. So then, why do I worry? Why do I allow myself to become discouraged? Because I take my gaze off of Him. The solution: Keep my gaze ON the Father! How much simpler can it be?! Duh! :-)

And so it goes...

2009-05-01T17:38:00.003-04:00

I hate things like IBS. It turns my day (not to mention my stomach and lower regions) totally upside down, wrecks any plans I might have, and reduces me to a quivering mass of ectoplasm...ugh. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason as to why I get these attacks anymore. It used to be stress, but now that's not the case. All I do know is that I HATE it!

That's all. I've nothing left to say today.

April 22, 2009

2009-04-22T15:44:00.003-04:00

Considering we live in the boonies, it's amazing how much goes on around here. Today, 2 cars banged into each other at the corner of our road and the little country lane that's next to us. No one seemed to be hurt, don't know who was at fault, we couldn't see the damage from our angle. And, not a week goes by that we don't hear the siren of a fire engine or ambulance. Then there's always the sheep who get a little rowdy once in awhile at night.;-)

I'm so glad to have finally experienced a true spring day last weekend. Yesterday was pretty nice, too. Today it's a little cooler, mid-50's, but this weekend it's supposed to reach 81!!! WhoooHoooo! That should lift my spirits considerably. I also have our OBX vacation coming up in a little over 4 weeks!! :-) I need something to look forward to, as I've been rather depressed lately. A problem with a Sun. School teacher at church has blown out of proportion, thanks to his obsessiveness about his class. I do believe this was the last straw for me, and I'll most likely be resigning as Sunday School director very soon. I've done the job for the last 6 yrs., so now someone else can take on the headaches. I'm ready to just work on singing with Praise Team and Choir. I didn't go to either last week, and will probably stay home tonight, too. But hopefully next week I'll be ready to sing again. It's hard to sing when I'm feeling low or depressed.

Okay, this was a most depressing blog. Time for me to hush.

Spring, is it really here?

2009-03-28T20:16:00.003-04:00

Today was quite the rainy, dreary, gray, blah type of spring day I'm not overly fond of experiencing. I know we need the rain, but a few days of uninterrupted sunshine would surely be a nice change of pace. At least the temperatures are hanging in the 50's range, which is a nice change from the frigid temperatures of February. Still, I'm looking forward to 70-ish temperatures, when I can open the windows and let the stuffy, winter air out of the house and the warm, spring air into the house to circulate. I always feel like I'm ridding the house of germs and other unwanted nuisances. :-)

Adding to the blahs today was the fact that I'm still sore from a really bad IBS attack on Thursday. I've never had one quite that painful. I hope it wasn't a harbinger of things to come. The pain, vomiting, and diarrhea were the worst! On Friday, I felt like I'd either been beaten in my abdomen, or, had accomplished 500 sit-ups, at the very least. Truly amazing what the human body can experience.

Today has been a bit better, however, I began experiencing pains while in the shower, so I quickly took some Imodium which apparently warded off another potential attack. I hope I'm good enough to go to church tomorrow morning. Once upon a time I only had these attacks in the morning and usually when I was under tremendous stress. Lately though, these attacks hit me any time of day, and regardless of stress or not. Curiouser and curiouser...

My weight on Monday was finally down again, thank you, Lord! Now if I can just keep it down, down, and down some more. I'd really like to succeed with this weight loss for health reasons.

Till next time...

Spring tomorrow!!

2009-03-19T17:36:00.003-04:00

Keeping up with a blog, not so easy! Ah well, anyway, the weight control issue continues. Lose a little, gain it back, lose it again...right now trying to get down to weight 2 weeks ago. It's truly amazing how water can affect the weight. Women retain so much of it! Crazy!

Neil isn't home for dinner tonight, so Meg & I had vegetarian baked beans and sourdough Italian bread. Nothing exciting, but filling. Would like to have had a salad with it, but all out of ingredients. Tomorrow's payday, so I'll need to go shopping.

Tomorrow night we celebrate Neil's & Karen's birthdays (his 2/28, hers 3/28), so there will be enticing dessert to be had. I'll just do my best to be careful of what I eat tomorrow. A food journal is beginning to sound like a good idea. It's too easy to lose track of food intake otherwise.

Saw my first robin of spring this week!! Woot!! The bluebirds are out scouting, too, and there is a lot more bird activity in general. I love this time of year...of course, I love all of the seasons, but there's something about spring: rebirth! The promise of warmer temperatures, sunny days, gardening...love it!

I Love You's and Happy Birthday Mr. Presidents (George & Abe, that is)

2009-02-15T20:35:00.004-05:00

The weight control issue continues to rage. :-) Haven't lost anymore since last week, but haven't gained either. I felt lousy most of last week, guess it was some type of virus, but who knows, maybe it was a perimenopausal week. Anyway, didn't exercise. I am drinking a lot of water, though, and that does seem to make a difference when I remember to do it. So, this week is a new week, and Lord willing, I'll get back to exercising and water drinking. And even with Valentine candy in the house (Meg's boyfriend, Shawn, gave Neil and I each a box of candy...chocolate, but of course!), I'd say I'll do fine, because I usually put that type of thing away in a cupboard now, so it's out of sight. Amazingly, this does seem to help me.

Actually, I did get plenty of exercise yesterday, as Neil & I walked around Federal Hill and the Inner Harbor. It was quite chilly, but invigorating. I took a few pictures, but it grew increasingly colder and the sky cloudier, so I gave up. There were even a few snow flurries. We were surprised to see a lot of family groups down there, perhaps because of the long holiday weekend, thanks to Presidents Washington & Lincoln having their birthdays in February. But it wasn't too crowded, plus it was just so cool to see families together, something we don't see much of these days.

Neil & I had a wonderful dinner at Phillips-Harborplace. They had some Valentine specials that we took advantage of: I had Cream of Crab Soup for my appetizer, Filet Mignon (with mushrooms) with a Crab Imperial-stuffed Lobster tail, broccolini (skinny broccoli), hash potatoes (chopped finer than breakfast hash browns) for my entree, and a bread pudding for dessert (which I couldn't eat so I brought it home and it's still sitting in the fridge). Neil had Filet Mignon (with mushrooms) with a Crabcake, and same appetizer, sides, and dessert. Good thing we did a lot of walking afterwards!!! Whooo! But it was the best meal we'd had in a long time.

Afterwards, we went to the movies to see "Mall Cop". What a hilarious film! We laughed quite hard a number of times. I highly recommend seeing it. Then we came home, and some time later Megan & Shawn came home, and Shawn stayed to visit for awhile. He left after 11:30PM, and then Meg, Neil, & I (and Jasper, of course) headed upstairs to bed. Really pleasant day for all of us.

Breaking Up (With Fat) Is Hard To Do...shoo bop do wop

2009-02-04T14:53:00.003-05:00

I love the verse from Philippians 1:6, "He who began a good work will complete it." Amen!

It took a long time to get this temple (my bod) out of shape, it will take a long time to slap it back into shape.

I found a exercise dvd at the library entitled "Dance for Weight Loss" with Patricia Moreno (wonder if she's any relation to Rita Moreno of song & dance fame, broadway...?). Haven't started it yet (waiting till Megan goes to classes tomorrow so I can dance freely!), but I'm looking forward to it because dancing for exercise is so much more enjoyable than walking or stepping-2-3-4...or aerobic gyrations that my body just refuses to do right now!

Meanwhile, we've had more snow than I've seen in a long while; HOWEVER, where it's going as it falls from the sky is anyone's guess. It falls quite beautifully, then lands on the ground, and then a few hours later...it's gone! A fellow blogger on a garden website I frequent said to enjoy it, as his area of northen NY has had over 100FT total accumulation this fall/winter. They snowmobile and ski to make the best of things, but they sure would like to have an early spring this year. So, I guess I shouldn't complain. But, I only want about 2FT of snow, just enough to close everything down for a day, just enough to go sledding and build a snowman or two...is that asking too much? I think not.

Anyone else gaining ground on the weight issues?

Snow, Ice, Food...

2009-01-29T19:35:00.003-05:00

Loved the snow we had, didn't care for the ice. Yesterday, when I looked out the window, it seemed as though all the color in the world had been zapped away leaving a bleak, gray landscape. Even the snow on the ground didn't lighten things up. So depressing! I declared a personal snow day...didn't exercise. No, not a good excuse, but an excuse, nonetheless. Didn't eat too much, though, probably because I need to go grocery shopping; however, the Christmas yummies are finally gone, for which I am thankful, since I don't/didn't need them.

I've been searching the internet for yummy desserts that are low in calories and/or fat, and the results are promising. I found a good site (well, haven't tried the recipes yet, but they sound really good): www.anitasrecipes.com. Promising.

Trying to drink lots of water...I should be floating by now.

Hopefully a good recipe for London Broil

2009-01-27T12:54:00.005-05:00

Neil went to the grocery store the other day, found that London Broil was on sale, and purchased some. So, I looked around for a way to cook it in the house, rather than grill it (what with the weather being snowy, etc.). I found a recipe that enabled me to use the crockpot, which I love (the house smells so good all day!). Now, we just wait to see if it's worth eating...sure hope so! Now, I'm off to see what I can fix for a side dish and dessert that will be heart-healthy, lowfat, but tasty! I'll post those later if I find anything worth sharing.

Here's the recipe & site where it was located:
http://www.lowcarbcafe.com/modules.php?name=Dynamic&op=viewdyn&dyn_id=713

Crock Pot Spicy Beef Roast

Serves/Yields 12
Difficulty Easy

Ingredients:
3 pound round tip roast
1/2 Tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup reduce-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dry mustard

Directions
Step: 1 Rub cracked pepper and garlic onto roast. Put roast into crock pot and make several shallow slits in the top of the roast. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours on low 8-10 hours.

Nutrition Information
2g carb per serving

Weigh-In Day

2009-01-26T20:24:00.003-05:00

Okay, I didn't lose any pounds this time, BUT, I didn't gain any, either. I guess that's good? Cathy says it is, as in definitely better than gaining. But there are so many things working against me! Arrrgghh! Neil brought home Entemann's dark, luscious, chocolate-on-the-outside-yellow-cake-on-the-inside doughnuts this past weekend...one was screaming to me tonight, and well, I just had to answer the call. What else was I to do? Just let it continue screaming at me?! Sheesh! I just can't be that mean & nasty....LOL!

Ah, I am a sucker for chocolate...and this time of month does not aid me whatsoever. I think I'm looking forward to "The Change" (does one whisper those 2 words the way older folks used to whisper "cancer" or "child-out-of-wedlock"?), because at least I won't have that little problem each month and hopefully none of the I-can't-live-without-chocolate-on-these-days problem. So, I broke down today, but as one of my favorite book & screen characters once said "After all, tomorrow is another day!" (Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind")

Tomorrow we're supposed to have snow on/off all day, right on in to Wednesday afternoon. So, if I have to cancel my Tues. Bible study tomorrow, then I should have time to do my dvd walking...otherwise, well, I guess I could do it in the afternoon...we'll see.

Well, my poor hubby just arrived home. He had jury duty all last week, and tonight they just finished. Now it's back to his regular work week. It's 8:32PM, and he heads to bed at 9PM. So, off to talk with him for a measly 30 minutes.
;-)

Out With The Old, In With The New

2009-01-24T16:38:00.004-05:00

I have this nasty habit of taking on projects that seem really interesting at the time, but then something happens and WHAM! it doesn't get completed. I'm sure there's a scientific or psychological term for this habit of mine, other than dysfunctional? So, I'm trying to tackle this nasty ol' habit, understanding that I didn't acquire it overnight; therefore, I won't lose it overnight, but one must begin somewhere.

I began by deleting my "Books, Tea, & Thee" blog. It seemed like it would be fun, but it quickly became a drag. I read soooo many books, and picking out just one to review/suggest actually became a bit of a hassle. Plus, some books I've read aren't worth suggesting...one never knows what one will encounter when one reads a new author.

I was considering beginning a weight loss blog, but then realized that that would cause me to have yet another commitment. But then I realized, HEY!, I already have a blog, why not share this weight loss trip on here. Yep, sometimes I use the ol' brain for good, not evil.

I owe my bestest friend, Cathy deWit, a huge "thank you!" for giving me the push and motivation I needed: Our 2 families are vacationing together at the Outer Banks in NC this summer, and she knows how I HATE to put on a bathing suit! LOL And let's face it, this body should not be seen in one (see pic above for proof!)!

So, if anyone would like to join me (no, Megan, not you darlin'!), feel free to share your successes, temporary failures, frustrations, ventings...you get the idea. We can journey together. I'll also do my best to share some good tasting, lower-in-fat-lower-in-carbs recipes as I come across them.

I have also pulled out my exercise videos (yep, videos, not dvds, wonder how long I've had them?). I really like the walking videos by Leslie Sansone. I would highly recommend using those for exercising in your home. It works for me because my treadmill takes up a good amount of space, so for the winter it has been relegated to my potting shed...as in outside and across the yard...it's COLD out there, people! I don't want to bundle up, go outside to the potting shed, and then have to peel layers as I start to sweat, then have to bundle back up...talk about lack of motivation! So, I found the ol' Leslie Sansone tapes and they work just fine. I also unearthed my hand weights (also known as dumbbells...who gave them that name, anyway?!), and began some strength training yesterday for my arms. No one wants to see that flabby 2-step swing under anybody's arms, know what I'm saying? I haven't worn a sleeveless blouse since....??

Just so you know, I have no delusions of grandeur here! Quite the contrary! There is no such thing as immediate, overnight (or over a month) huge weight loss (unless one is seriously ill). And, as with my habits mentioned above, I didn't gain the weight overnight, nor will I lose it overnight.

The more the merrier...misery loves company? Uh, take your pick!

Till next time!

Never forgot how we obtained, and thus far retain, our freedom in the U.S.A.

2009-01-16T17:02:00.003-05:00

A friend recently shared this with me, and I felt it was worth sharing here.

This is a good story. It is about giving -- something that should
not be just for the holidays.

"As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of
groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car
up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my
car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five
feet away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his
arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming
too and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point
to his open hood and say something.

The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new
Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him
yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to
drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got
in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow
as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then
went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it
would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He
saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I
said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'

He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the
hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond
me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old
man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went
inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of
them and related the problem the old man had with his car and
offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and
appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened
up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the
problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps
ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a
Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did
you serve with?'

He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at
Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. He had hit all the big
ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked
we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the
hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet,
but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my
AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed
had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all
shook hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to
the station. Once at the station I told them that they had
interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old
man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge
me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly
like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me
then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook
hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should
look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and
drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and
took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long
time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf
and under his name....... 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and
over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and
marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together,
because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it
felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor
to have been in his presence.

' Remember, old men like him gave you FREEDOM for America '

America is not at war.
The U.S. Military is at war.
America is at the Mall.
If you don't stand behind our troops,
PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!

Remember, Freedom isn't Free, thousands have paid the price so you
can enjoy what you have today."

Will We Ever Have Measurable Snow Again??

2009-01-10T15:52:00.003-05:00

Okay, twice in one week the so-called weather experts have predicted snow, or at least, snow showers. Wrong-O! Nary a snowflake have I seen. Bah, Humbug! Do I sound bitter?! LOL Since we moved to our beautiful rural area, we have not had one decent snowfall, and we are in our 3rd year up here in the boonies of northern MD.

I have a friend out in Montana who would probably gladly send me her snow...wish it were possible...heavy sigh.

It's 31-degrees here right now, and we've had a little sleet, but other than that, nothing but frigidness and gunmetal gray skies.

Anyone else out there wishing they had snow?

End of 2008

2008-12-30T19:04:00.002-05:00

Almost the end of another year. Another year full of laughter, sorrow, major events...Megan graduated in May, a year early...Megan received her driver's license this year...I began a Bible Study in my home, first time ever...Neil took a new position with Verizon enabling him to be back in the Hunt Valley/Cockeysville office, rather than Silver Spring...we lost some dear family members...Neil & Meg went to the Dominican Republic on a missions trip...I had a 3rd back surgery, followed 3 weeks later by another surgery to remove staph infection...Megan got her first job...we spent a week with Neil's sister, Christine, and her family in Charlotte,NC for the first time in 9 years...Jasper, our family dog, had a bizarre vertigo episode, and now has occasional periods of trembling (he also turned 8-y.o. this year) but overall doing well...Megan became a college student taking 2 courses and received A's in both courses (WHOO HOO!)...our nation elected its first black president...I could go on and on.

Some good, some bad, some sad, some hilarious...yep, another year full of life's events. Wonder what 2009 will bring?

Christmas in 2 Days!

2008-12-23T19:36:00.004-05:00

Another Christmas Day is fast approaching, one shopping day left for those who wait until the last possible moment to buy their gifts, or for those like me, who need to pick up a couple last minute gifts. I really don't like shopping on Christmas Eve with the masses; however, Megan had to have the car every day for the last 8 days (including tomorrow)for work, so I haven't been able to get to the stores. Well, I could have, if I'd wanted to arise at 6:15AM to shower, dress, eat, and take Meg to work by 8AM so I could have the car (goofy mall forces all shops to open from early AM to late PM, causing Meg to have to work earlier than usual). Nah, didn't choose to do so, and now, I pay! :-) Ah well, no big deal.

Tomorrow night, Christmas Eve, we have a 5PM service at church. Wish it weren't so early, however, it looks as though Neil will be off by 3PM, and Megan's boss is letting her leave at 4PM, so we can actually go to the Christmas Eve service in the same car. Then off to the deWit's for dinner and an enjoyable evening with our close friends.

Then, Christmas Day! The day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Emmanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, King of Kings, Lamb of God...

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to one and all.

Sticker Shock at the Grocery Store?

2008-12-17T15:07:00.006-05:00

Sticker shock getting you down this Christmas? I know it's getting to me! Neil & I are only spending around $30 on each other for gifts this year. Megan will notice a few less gifts, too (sorry, Meg!). We just can't see going into further debt for things that we either do not need, or can just make do without.

So, on that sticker shock subject, there is now shock at the grocery store...total bummer. There are only 3 of us, yet it amazes me at how much I'm having to spend on groceries every 2 weeks, and trying to make those groceries stretch for that time period...well, I'm not doing very well. The end of the 2 weeks is rather lean in the Schmidt household! However, I'm not alone. The above link is just one place for Christmas recipes (dinner, appetizers, etc.), but also year round recipes. Here are some more sites I want to share:
www.SavingDinner.com, www.betterrecipes.com, www.cheapcooking.com, http://chowhound.chow.com/recipes, www.frugalrecipes.com

Those are just a few of the thousands of sites that are all about helping people save money on food purchases. We can have enjoyable, nourishing meals without having to take out a loan once per month. :-)

Colonial Williamsburg at Christmastime

2008-12-13T15:27:00.002-05:00

We recently visited Colonial Williamsburg to see the "Grand Illumination", something we'd never experienced in our many years of visiting there. We were surprised that the colonial area wasn't crowded on Friday and Saturday. By early Sunday evening, however, masses of people began pouring down Duke of Gloucester Street (aka DOG Street). Apparently, the locals really enjoy attending the Grand Illumination, even though it was wicked cold! Even with all those people clustered together in one huge, street long group, it was still bitter.

The colonial houses were decked out in their natural finery (no tinsel or ornaments or Christmas trees back in colonial days, just the bringing in of the greens). The candles were lit in all the windows. A multitude of cressets were placed along the streets and lit at approximately the same time. I say approximately because there were so many people clogging the streets that we couldn't really see just when the cressets were lit, just that they were at some point. The fireworks were the most fun, with 3 different areas to watch: the Magazine, the Capitol, and the Governor's Palace. We 3 walked to one of the "back" streets and had a birds eye view of the fireworks over the Capitol; there was no one around us at all! Neil set up his tripod and camera right in the middle of the street (no cars allowed until after
10PM) and had a ball shooting pics of the brilliant lights in the sky. Megan got some pretty cool pics with her camera, too. I was content to just lean against a fence and enjoy the sights. At one point, I could see the fireworks at all 3 locations! Pretty awesome sight!

Not sure if we'd go that same weekend again, but it was definitely worth going at least once.

What Will Happen to Authors, Writers?

2008-12-09T14:44:00.002-05:00

I just read the following quote from a blog I frequent, "”Save yourself, save your local small business, save an industry. Buy a book.” It was in reference to the publishing industry's money woes, the same problem as many other industries. If the publishing industries fail, many, many writers of books, novels, columns, articles...will be in peril as well.

To this avid book reader that news is not good, to put it mildly. I love the following quote: "So many books, so little time" (don't know who to attribute the quote to, sorry). And the quote from Thomas Jefferson: "I cannot live without books"; I have that quote on a t-shirt I bought from the Library of Congress, wherein lies the bulk (perhaps all?) of President Jefferson's library. What a well read individual! Several Bibles were among his vast collection, for which I was glad to see.

Fewer publishers means fewer printed materials. Think about that for a moment: Fewer Bibles being printed which would mean fewer translations of Bibles printed, which would mean fewer people around the world would have God's Word. That's just one area in which the Christian community will suffer; then there is Christian Education materials for Christian schools and churches and missionaries, fewer Bible studies for believers to use in their daily study of God's Word...and the list goes on. I haven't even mentioned the many novels that are printed monthly, many of which I love to read (especially the Christian mystery/suspense genre). Of course, with money being tighter these days, my daughter & I tend to go to the Library, for which they're quite thankful! Hey, there's another area that would suffer from fewer books being published: the Library!

So, do you enjoy a good book? Better get out there and buy some of them. Any aspiring writers? Better pray the industry doesn't collapse (think banking/financial industries, auto industry...).

So, here's to good books! As C.S. Lewis once said: "You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me."

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2008-12-01T10:53:00.007-05:00

Ahh, Christmastime, one of my favorite times of the year, well, sometimes. I mean, yes, it's a wonderful time for remembering Christ's birth, the fact that He left the glory of Heaven to come to earth in the form of a man, all to save mankind from an eternity in Hell, IF they chose/choose to ask Him to be their Saviour. This is, after all, the reason we have Christmas.

Some parts I don't like are the extra expenses involved with gift buying. I enjoy shopping for others, but this year is one of those years where the money is just not there for buying really cool gifts. I am determined, however, to make the best of things, while attempting to prod that creative section of my brain (I know it's hiding in there somewhere!). I do find it is more blessed to give than to receive, although that has come with age, at least for me.

Other parts of Christmas I don't like are the memories of some of my past Christmases. The holidays seemed to invite trouble and heartache from some family members. Those memories I wish I could forget, but they still linger, as I suspect they always will.

This year, I am determined to reflect upon the blessings God has bestowed upon me and my family, to remember our traditions of Christmas Tree searching, decorating the tree and house, spending extra time with extended family...and to remember the most wonderful gift of all, God's Son, Jesus.

Trivia of the Day:
Tea bags were created by New York tea wholesaler Tom Sullivan around 1900.

When The Unexpected Happens

2008-11-25T21:58:00.002-05:00

We were on our way to church Sunday morning, the usual 45-minute drive. We were almost to church when I began experiencing discomfort in my chest. Neil stopped at a Rite-Aid to get some Tums for me. They helped slightly, but the discomfort was still there, and now was joined by tingling along my jawline, plus numbness in my left arm. We arrived at church, but after being there for only 5-minutes, we decided I should go to the local ER. Little did I know I would end up being there overnight! Seems they decided to keep me for observation, doing EKG tests, blood tests, and the like.

I had a stress test on Monday morning (such fun), and by 4PM was told I had a very healthy heart, no signs of heart attack or anything similar, and by 5PM Monday I was released, praise the Lord! I had Neil immediately drive me to an Arby's so I could have some food that tasted like food, not the low sodium, low fat, low-everything-else-including-taste food they'd fed me at the hospital for the past 30+ hours.

It was so very nice to arrive home. I was so tired though, and ended up going to bed at 9PM and not awakening until Megan came into the bedroom to tell me she was leaving for school...that was at 10:15AM this morning!! 13 hours of sleep I had! I shouldn't have been surprised though, as anyone who's been in a hospital for even one night knows that you do not get uninterrupted sleep nor rest.

I'm so thankful that the problem wasn't my heart. We still don't know what it was, but I'm chalking it up to either muscle spasms of some sort, or indigestion/heartburn. Either way, an experience I'd rather not repeat ever again!

Friday nights

2008-11-14T19:04:00.002-05:00

It is so strange to be sitting at home on a Friday night, knowing that my daughter is at work...she recently acquired her first job! She loves it, her co-workers are nice people, the shops (there are 3 under one management) are in the mall (a favorite place of Meg's), and the inventory is fun and pretty and...

I'm so glad she finally found a job, and one that is enjoyable. She knew she didn't want to work in food service, which narrows the employment field quite a bit when one is in her teens. She couldn't find anything near our home, unless she wanted to work on a farm...not! So, I believe retail is a good fit for her, and I think it's good that it isn't a clothing shop, otherwise she would probably just sign her pay check back over to the store owner! :-)

We'll see how much she still enjoys her job after the holidays (and the return days) are over. Hopefully, she'll take it all in stride, as she does most things.

November 11, 2008

2008-11-11T18:43:00.004-05:00

Today is Veteran's Day. I hope we all remembered to thank a veteran for securing our freedom. Also, don't forget those in the military who are presently securing freedom from terrorists in other countries. Terrorists would love nothing more than to see the death of Americans. Our military must stay strong in order to protect the United States of America, otherwise, we will no longer be known as United or even America.

Speaking of our country reminds me of the Bible study I currently host in my home. Each Tuesday morning, seven lovely ladies come to my home to study the Book of Daniel, from the Old Testament of the Bible. The study was written by Beth Moore, and includes a dvd session, as well as a workbook for the participants to work with during the week.

The Book of Daniel is greatly linked to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Bible. Daniel was one of many Hebrew teens captured by the Babylonians, during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar (you can call him "Neb"). They were taken to the country of Babylon, which had everything the world could offer, but none of what God offered. Daniel and 3 of his friends remained true to God, the one and only God of creation. And God was faithful to those young men for their devotion to Him. Daniel never went home again, he spent the rest of his life in Babylon, but gained favor with all of the rulers of Babylon, and even after the fall of Babylon.

If you've never read the Book of Daniel, please do so. One can't help but see the parallels between ancient Babylon and our culture today. The Babylonian motto was: "I am, and there is none beside me". In other words, total self-absorption.

I had a class in college titled "Daniel & Revelation", one of the few classes I really enjoyed. It's so great to study it again, and to learn even more now that I am older (and hopefully wiser?). No matter how many times one reads the Bible, there is always something new to be gleaned from it. God is so amazing!

Until next time...

Crockpot Cooking & Casseroles

2008-11-11T16:03:00.007-05:00

I'm beginning to truly appreciate the advantages to cooking with my crockpot. I've had one since Neil and I married over 24 years ago, however, for whatever reason, I've always tucked the crockpot away in a cupboard, only pulling it out perhaps once a year. Lately though, I've begun using it with more frequency. Why? Hmm, not sure I have an answer, although perhaps it has to do with becoming bored with cooking the same ol' stuff? With grocery prices steadily rising the past year, certain meats and seafood have been eliminated from my grocery list, thereby making it a tad more difficult to be creative, hence the need for the crockpot.

I was recently made aware of another blogger's site devoted wholly to crockpot cooking. The address is: http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com. She even includes pictures! Wonderful resource. It truly is amazing the number of creations one can make in a crockpot: lasagna, spaghetti, desserts, baked potatoes...just to name a few.

My friend, Cathy D., would love to utilize a crockpot, however, she has some finicky eaters in her family. They do not want their foods all mixed together. Sheesh! I say, serve them a crockpot dinner, tell them that's all there is for dinner, and then not allow them to have anything else. Eat Mom's dinner or go hungry. :-) Truly, it would make her life so much easier.

The next best thing is making casseroles. Most casserole dishes can be made ahead of time, even frozen for those nights when you need something nutritious but quick. Some cooks prepare several casseroles all in one day, or over a weekend, then freeze them for later use. Then there are those who cook all meals once a month. I haven't felt the need for that, being a stay-at-home wife/mom. But, for moms with lots of kids, and/or moms who work outside the home, this would be another way to go towards making nightly dinnertime more enjoyable.

Until next time...

Post-Election Blues?

2008-11-08T17:20:00.003-05:00

Sure, I was totally bummed to learn the McCain-Palin ticket lost the presidential election. And totally bummed (putting it mildly) that the totally anti-life, totally anti-family, totally anti-God, totally anti-traditional marriage duo of Obama-Biden won the election. However, like a tape running a continuous feed, the song by Twila Paris "God is in Control", looped over and over again in my mind and heart on November 5th. So it was with my dear friend Cathy D., who said the same song was running through her mind that day.

That's the bottom line: GOD IS IN CONTROL! No president, no king, no dictator will ever be mightier than my God. And no matter how persecuted USA Christians may become, no one on this planet will ever separate us from the love of our God. Will we see more persecution in the years to come: Most assuredly, unless the Rapture occurs in this lifetime. Our Christian brothers & sisters in China and other religiously intolerant countries have been persecuted for years...persecution of Christians goes back centuries. We in America have been protected from that persecution because we had leaders who, if not true believers, were at least morally good on the surface. But good morals will be even less prevalent in the days to come.

However, again I say, God is in Control. As it says in Romans 8:38-39 (in God's Holy Word):

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In another New Testament book we're told:

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Colossians 1:16)

Who is in control? Sounds pretty clear to me.

Amen and amen.

October 31st

2008-10-31T15:47:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween, Happy Reformation Day, Happy October 31st...Can it really be the last day of October 2008?? Do you realize Christmas Day is in 57 days?! :-) Better get moving on those Christmas gift lists. I've bought a few Christmas gifts and stowed them away.

Neil and I are getting ready to head down to BWI to pick up the Hunters, our friends and missionaries in Trinidad. They've been away from Trinidad for a year, because religious workers cannot stay in the country longer than 3 years, then must leave for a year before being allowed to return. So, they worked in Canada for about 9 months, and now are visiting churches in the states. They're coming to our church this weekend for our yearly missions celebration. They are such fun folks, so giving of themselves, and they have such a heart for the Muslim people. God is using them in many ways!

Okay, time to scoot. Gotta grab something to eat on the drive down.

Till next time...

Tis the Season for Colds

2008-10-24T17:33:00.003-04:00

I was really hoping I wouldn't catch a cold this year. I take my vitamins religiously, but haven't upped the C-vitamin...maybe that's why I've caught a cold so early in the season? Sigh...who knows? We're surrounded by so many germs, and by so many people who refuse to sneeze into a hanky or tissue, who cough without covering their mouths...have they forgotten all those niceties taught to them by their loving mothers?!

And so, here I sit, with intermittent sneezes, coughs, an ear ache, fatigue, sore throat. The weather today is quite fitting for how I'm feeling (gray, dreary, chilly, damp), quite appropriate. :-)

Hope everyone else is hanging in there, fighting the good fight against those germs.

Till we meet again...

Children in Our Throw Away Society

2008-10-22T16:07:00.002-04:00

I just found the following news article at OneNewsNow. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I mean, our country condones murdering innocent unborn children, Obama favors infanticide...so what's wrong with dropping one's children off at a hospital and walking away, without so much as a glance over the shoulder? Does this anger anyone? Am I the only one who has had Enough?! Read on.

Child dumping spurs Nebraska to revisit safe haven law
Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 10/22/2008 8:20:00 AM

Nebraska officials are rethinking the state's safe haven law after numerous infants and teenagers have been abandoned at the state's hospitals.

The law, as it stands, permits people to drop off unwanted or unruly children through age 17 at a hospital with no questions asked. Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman and 40 of 49 members of the unicameral legislature agree that the law needs to be revisited and modified to establish an age limit that would apply only to infants up to three days old.

Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel notes that the next legislative session in the Cornhusker State is in January, and that the governor is reluctant to call a special session to vote. Staver disagrees.

"A special session should be called so that this law is reserved for its proper purpose, that it doesn't have this open-endedness to it because, in the meantime, what's going to happen?" he asks. "People can come here [and] dump off their children and then simply walk away, throw all their cares on the doorsteps of a hospital, and just simply walk away as though there's [sic] no consequences to that."

Putting an age cap on the safe haven law would move Nebraska's law from the most lenient to among the most restrictive. Staver believes something ought to be done to keep families together. "And a culture of life instead needs to be established, as opposed to this throwaway kind of mentality," he contends.

So far at least 18 children have been dumped at Nebraska hospitals, including nine from one family. Two children were brought from neighboring states. Sixteen other states have a similar three-day-old age cap.

Today's Evangelical Church...Not Preaching Christ

2008-10-18T13:12:00.007-04:00

Many times I've heard the old saying "the world's going to Hell in a hand basket", but I never really gave it much thought. However, in light of today's world, it's a saying that is becoming all too true.

Our founding fathers laid the foundation of our country on God's holy Word, The Bible, even though some were not true followers of Christ. Those men who were not believers, at the very least had strong morals. These men were heroic in their fight for religious freedom.

Today, though? The Christian faith is becoming the most persecuted in our world. In many countries, true Christian believers are being martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. Thus far, this hasn't happened in America. I can't help but wonder though, when it will begin, for to be sure, if our country stays on its present course, that day will come when Americans will not be free to worship in the house of God, not be free to share their faith, not be free to pray in public. Oh, wait a minute! Prayer in public is one of the primary areas already being taken away from American Christians! We can't pray in the public schools, at the beginning of sports activities, on the pavement near abortion clinics...

Unfortunately, not enough evangelical churches are stepping up to preach Christ and His death and resurrection on the cross, and why He did so; they're not preaching in a convicting manner, challenging the congregations to get out into this world and share our faith with everyone in our sphere of influence. Rather, too many of our churches & pastors are being careful about what they preach, not wanting to "offend" their congregations; or they preach a "feel good" message, or they preach on "topics", and toss in some scripture to back up those topics.

What happened to preaching from a book of the Bible? How about some expository preaching? Revelations would be quite timely right now! How about preaching Christ, and why He came to this earth in the first place over 2,000 years ago, and how He now awaits God's sign to return a 2nd time for His co-heirs in God's Kingdom?

How about your church? Is Christ being preached, or are you being given some scripture verses based on topics, or being taught about "your best life now!"?

September & October musings and happenings

2008-10-05T19:57:00.003-04:00

Since I last wrote, our dog, Jasper, had another "episode". First it was vestibular disease...haven't seen anymore signs of that, praise God. Then, in the wee hours of yet another Sunday morning, I awoke to find Jasper shaking uncontrollably. I thought we were about to have a repeat episode of the vestibular. However, after waking Neil, and then Megan, we decided to wrap Jasper in a blanket (just like a baby). I then held him close, while the three of us talked quietly to him. Finally, the shaking ceased, but we noticed he was having trouble using his back legs. Neil placed Jasper next to me on the bed, then went to sleep in the guest room (what a wonderful husband), and Megan returned to her bed. The rest of the "night" passed by without anymore problems. However, later in the morning, Jasper's legs were still very shaky, so I stayed home with him while Neil & Megan went on to church. I'm happy to report that the last couple of weekends have passed without any heart-stopping events from our little Mr. Jasper.

On September 23rd, I began hosting a women's Bible study at our home. We're studying the book of Daniel, using the Beth Moore curriculum. She is such an awesome teacher! There are 7 in our group, and I'm looking forward to hosting for the next 10 weeks. I'm especially thrilled that my sis-in-law, Ruth, is able to join us!

The last weekend of September, the ladies in our family gathered for a surprise baby shower for our niece, Janelle. It was a gloomy day, but plenty of family members showed up with absolutely adorable and precious gifts for Luke & Janelle's yet-to-be born Summer (yep, that's her name...and their favorite time of year). Janelle was positively glowing, in that way that only healthy pregnant women do. She's due November 20th, the day before my 48th birthday!

After the shower, all the men folk arrived, and we had a potluck dinner, and then celebrated 2 of the September birthdays in the family, Joy's and Ruth's. Then 2 cakes were shared, one delicious applesauce cake and one equally delicious 1-2-3-4 cake (fudgy icing...yum!). By the time cake was served and the birthday song and presents were dispensed of, the women were ready to call it a day...well, most of the women. A few hardy souls continued to party the night away watching The Muppets, Season 2...LOL!!

Now, it's October, and there are more birthdays to be celebrated...my great-aunt Lydia turned 90 years old on October 2nd; our nephew-in-law Luke, turned 28yo on October 2nd; and our great-nephew, Joshua, will be 3 on October 8th with a party on the 12th for him. At church, there will be a Feast of Tabernacles, also on the 12th, in the evening.

Yesterday, we spent an enjoyable day with our very good friends, the deWits (minus Casey, who had to work,) at the Darlington Apple Festival. This is a yearly event that draws folks from near & far. One can buy all things apple: apple cider, apple pies, apple dumplings.... There are events for children (stuff your own scarecrow, hayrides, and so forth), as well as music, food, and crafts for the adults. It was a beautiful day for a festival, too, and we all enjoyed our time there. And, as always, we simply enjoyed the company of our dear friends.

A few weeks ago, Neil bought us a firepit, one of those mobile types. It's quite enjoyable to sit out on the back patio on a cool, crisp autumn evening. If I can ever remember to buy the ingredients, we'll have S'Mores on of these times.

So far, I'm loving this beautiful autumn God has given us!

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-13T16:22:00.003-04:00

"Prayers needed as Ike roars ashore in Texas
A massive Hurricane Ike ravaged southeast Texas early Saturday, battering the coast with driving rain and ferocious wind gusts as residents who decided too late they should have heeded calls to evacuate made futile calls for rescue."

Texas and Louisiana residents who have experienced some aspect of Hurricane Ike really need our prayers, as the above article and many other news articles and reports are giving more details as the devastation is surveyed. Parts of LA experienced much flooding, and those in the Galveston and Houston areas are still determining how much damage has been done to their state.

Vestibular in Dogs

2008-09-07T10:43:00.003-04:00

For the past week, we have been tending to our dog. In the past week, we have been to the Emergency Vet Hospital twice. Stop the madness!

The first trip was due to the fact that the dog was extremely lethargic, listless, no desire for food...of course, that particular day our regular vet wasn't in the office, so we had to go the emergency vet route. They ran tests, determined what he didn't have, then gave him pain relief pills and an antibiotic. Okay, by the time we got back home and he rested, finally ate a little, we thought it was all behind us. Took him to see our usual vet, she proclaimed him to be fine, even checked for heartworms, 3 types of ticks, etc. Said to keep him on the antibiotic unless he began to have nausea because of it.

In the wee hours of today (4AM Sunday) he awakened us by the sound of his nails scratching on our hardwood floor. He was trembling, his eyes were bouncing horizontally and then vertically, but what was scariest was that he couldn't walk. He got very frightened when my husband picked him up to take him to the truck.

We made it to emergency vet hospital in record time (not much traffic between 4-4:30AM), they took him to the triage area. Meanwhile, I was shaking so much I had to sit down, and of course I was crying...I thought we had seen the last of our dear, little buddy. The vet came out and said she thought he may have vestibular disease, sounds scary, doesn't it? Vertigo, etc., can occur, which explains why the dog couldn't get up and walk, too dizzy, room spinning...the vet said this would probably last 2 weeks or perhaps several weeks. Said I would have to nurse him, monitor him, put a towel sling around him to take him outside, etc.

At 7:30AM, my husband phoned the hospital and...they said our dog was up and about, acting perfectly normal! After only about 1-1/2 to 2 hours of sleep, we were in shock, wondering how this could be! So, while Neil & Meg went on to church, I went to the emerg. vet hosp., where a very scared, but very relieved dog waited for me. While I was trying to better understand what was going on, he was scratching at the door, desperate to leave that place (I couldn't blame him!). Seems that they're sticking to the vestibular disease, it just happened swiftly in our dog. I've been on a website where others have had these same episodes with their dogs, some poor dogs have had it repeatedly, to the point where they had to finally be put to sleep. To the other extreme there are dogs who have a permanent tilt to their head (keeps the balance a bit better) and no other symptoms.

So, now we're left wondering if this will happen again, or, was this an isolated incident? We'll be taking him to our vet for a follow-up visit and to see if she has any words of wisdom for us.

I have had pets most of my life, mostly dogs, and I can say without a doubt that when our dog had this "attack" (for lack of a better word), I was scared beyond words. I thought for sure we were losing our dog to a stroke or similar. I never dreamed I'd be bringing him home 4 hours after leaving him at the hospital.

This has just been one of a series of misfortunes my family has had to deal with in the past 2-3 weeks. We'd be great for a part 2 of "A Series of Unfortunate Events". How much more, Lord, how much more?

I cling to this verse in the book of Philippians, in the New Testament of God's Holy Word, the Bible: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6,7 (New International Version)

So be it, Lord.

A Breakfast Casserole for Your Labor Day morning?

2008-08-31T20:25:00.004-04:00

I just found what sounds like a scrumptious recipe for a breakfast casserole. I found it at another blog site (http://www.elise.com/recipes/). I probably won't make it for tomorrow's holiday breakfast(why labor on Labor Day?), but sometime I'll have to make it for a Saturday or Sunday brunch, or another holiday morning. If any of you try it, please let me know your yeas or nays.

(I could not get the link to work, so I'm afraid you'll have to copy and paste the address):

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007307as-you-like-it_breakfast_casserole.php

Summer's Last Hurrah

2008-08-29T22:20:00.003-04:00

I've heard so many comments lately from people who, like me, cannot believe how quickly the traditional months of summer (June, July, August) have flown by this year. Although, it sure seems like it's happening every year now (maybe since I passed the 40yo limit? :-)) I'll be 48yo in November, and all these months and years seem to be flying by ever so quickly. When I was a teen, I used to laugh when I heard adults say time flies quicker the older one grows - guess I'm laughing at myself now! ;-)

Although I'll miss the warm, lazy days of traditional summer, it's always good to know that when schools resume and most folk's vacations are over, summer won't actually be over until mid-September. Until that time, I'll enjoy the many beautiful days of summer remaining. And then...wonderful, crisp autumn!

The Real China Already Peeking Through the Glitter

2008-08-09T15:40:00.002-04:00

I just found a news article that confirms what I've been writing. Go to:

http://www.persecution.org/suffering/index.php

Go down to the 3rd article to read about 3 Americans being forcibly removed from China because they were praying out loud on a Beijing street, and protesting that country's violation of human rights.

Not the Real China

2008-08-09T15:09:00.003-04:00

The Olympics began with quite a show, fireworks to amaze everyone, lots of pageantry, etc.. People from all over the world attending, even though entrance to the country was reportedly tight. Olympics aside, though, what concerns me is that visitors to Beijing are being led to believe that everything is really quite nice there, modern shops, minimal police or military presence (until the unfortunate attack that is all over the news now). I saw a clip of a visitor commenting that "Americans just don't understand the Chinese...it's a very nice country". Now, that disturbs me greatly.

A Persecution.org group, International Christian Concern, has listed China in their Hall of Shame report for 2007, as one of the Top Ten persecutors of Christians. No, I understand the Chinese government quite well: Do as we say, or pay the penalty, sometimes with your life. Bible-believing Christians have to have their worship services in secret in many parts of the country, because according to the Chinese government, there is no God, no freedom of religion. I know for a fact that there are Chinese Christians in many of the prisons because they either dared to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, or they would not deny their belief in Christ.

No, I understand all too well that there are many, many oppressed Chinese citizens living in fear for their lives, every day. The government-run media along with the Chinese government, simply do not allow the rest of the world to see what's really going on over there.

We need to remember that the China that is being portrayed during the Olympics, is not the real deal. Venture outside of Beijing, and you'll see the dark side of China. But praise God, even the dark side cannot dim the light of the true Chinese Christians who will risk their lives for the cause of Christ. No government, no country, no entity can hide the light that comes from being a true child of God. Amen!

Heirs with Christ

2008-08-03T20:38:00.004-04:00

A staff member of our church filled the pulpit today at morning worship (our Pastor and his wife are in China on a missions trip for a couple weeks). He spoke about our adoption as Christians - that we are heirs with Christ, and because of Him, we are counted worthy to be called children of God. Interestingly enough, this afternoon I discovered Dr. Albert Mohler's website ("Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., serves as the ninth president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary-the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world.")
which was highlighting the following book:

Sons and Daughters of God -- The Wonder of Adoption
Posted: Friday, June 20, 2008 at 5:50 am ET

The doctrine of adoption is one of the sweetest dimensions of salvation as revealed in Scripture. Joel R. Beeke has written an inspiring and informative work on the doctrine that looks particularly to the Puritans for guidance. Heirs with Christ: The Puritans on Adoption [Reformation Heritage Books] will educate and encourage Christians and help believers to understand the wonder of adoption and the comfort and challenge this represents for the Christian life.

An excerpt:

Above all, the Puritans use the truth of adoption to transform God's needy children through powerful comforts. Thomas Hooker shows how adoption comforts them in the face of their unworthiness, outward poverty, the contempt of the world, infirmities, afflictions, persecutions, and dangers. When oppressed with sin, buffeted by Satan, enticed by the world, or alarmed by fears of death, believers are able to take refuge in their precious, heavenly Father, saying with [Samuel] Willard, "Am I not still a child? And if so, then I am sure, that though he correct me (and I deserve it, nor will I refuse to submit myself patiently unto it) yet he cannot take away his loving kindness from me."

Sounds like a wonderful book!

Some of this, some of that, and a little of both

2008-08-01T16:58:00.003-04:00

I was reading the Old Farmer's Almanac (OFA) the other day, and discovered that we are currently in the "Dog Days of Summer". I've always heard the phrase, but never thought about it being a particular time period of summer...I just figured it was the end of summer, or the hottest time of summer, which, on the East coast, could be any time of July, August, & the early half of September. But, according to the OFA, the Dog Days of Summer, the hottest days, are from July 3rd through August 11th. Perhaps that's why we have such terrific storms in the summer. I've never noted just when we have the most storms; perhaps it is during those dog days of summer. :-) I find that rather interesting, but then, most weather tidbits and news are quite fascinating to me...my husband & daughter say I should have been a meteorologist; just think, I could have been on The Weather Channel! :-)

I don't know why, but I love thunder & lightning storms, when the sky seems to open up wide and just flood the earth with torrential downpours (I like it when I'm home, not out driving in it, of course). I love the thrill of seeing the sky light up the heavens and the earth...God's fireworks are so much more awesome than man-made fireworks. Hurricanes and tornadoes also fascinate me, although I am greatly saddened when they take lives and/or homes. If we could just have those fantastic phenomenons without anyone being in danger. I don't know that I would ever be a storm chaser, but I certainly love the film footage those brave (or maybe they're nuts?) storm chasers have shot. And how about those airplane pilots who fly over hurricanes to report back to NOAA and other weather-related outfits the dimensions, velocity, etc., of those sometimes massive storms! Again, we get great images from those folks.

Okay, enough about me and storms. However, then there's the winter to look forward to, always with the hope of one, super great snowstorm. The type that forces businesses to close, and causes families to nestle down in their homes for a couple of days. I know many people would not agree with me, but I just love to watch the snow fall and to wake up the next day to a beautiful, winter wonderland. And, according to one member of the weather forum on OFA:

"Date: August 1, 2008 12:51PM

With the neutral pattern in place through this winter and the absence of La Nina or El Nino this year, for the first time in 5 winters, I believe this will be a severely cold and snowy winter in the East. The stormier weather pattern this summer indicates a return to wet weather. Last winter was not snowy in the I 95 corridor, because we received little rain and drought conditions as well. You need precip to make or have snow.

The Ohio Valley, Pittsburgh and the North were a different story than what the East Coast had. I think by winter of 2009-10 we will have another El Nino and that may be a very bad winter. Don't expect the heat to stick around much past August. September and October may be cool.

The farmer's almanac pegged last winter and this summer right. The winter was mild and snowless in the Baltimore-Washington area and the summer has been hot and stormy as predicted. I think our days with heat are numbered once we get past August."

Well, we shall see, won't we? :-)

School supplies on sale, already!

2008-07-26T11:39:00.004-04:00

The month of July has flown by so quickly! August is fast on its heels, and before you know it the schools will be back in session...well, for some people. :-) Thankfully, and somewhat sadly, my homeschool teaching days are over. Megan is registered for classes at the local community college. She took me over to the campus one day and showed me where her classes will be; she was so enthused about "her" new campus. It was great to see her so happy about more school. :-) She has a college hoodie sweatshirt, and a pair of shorts with the school name. Now she just needs the truly practical things: notebooks, pens...

Remember what it was like to buy school supplies? I loved getting a new, hardback notebook with (usually denim, it was the coolest), folders with pockets (with cool pictures on the front), fresh new pencils waiting to be sharpened, erasers, pens, notebook paper...loved choosing it all, looking forward to the first day of school when I would get to use those supplies. Those elementary school days were so much fun. I truly loved going to school. Wish I could say the same for high school, but I can't...sigh. I sometimes envy people who had great high school years. The only thing I liked about high school was being a part of the concert choir and the choir director herself, Dolly Wright. She was such a wonderful person!

Anyway, days long gone. Nowadays, I look forward to seeing the school bus stop to pick up the kids for elementary-high school in September, knowing that when I go shopping at Target or one of the malls, there won't be scads of kids crowding the aisles, no moms with children lagging (and many times whining) behind them as they go up and down the store aisles...just me, older folks, and moms with wee ones, taking our time shopping, no crowds jostling us, no long lines at the checkout...I've become sooo spoiled! :-)It's been that way since I first began homeschooling Megan for the 2nd grade. She's become spoiled, too, loving the short checkout lines, going to matinees at the movies and sometimes having the whole theatre to ourselves...going on vacations during off-peak times...truly spoiled. :-)

Sad news received about a dear friend from the past.

2008-07-05T17:30:00.000-04:00

I was reading through a friend's blog today, well actually 2 friends' blogs, and learned that a dear, sweet man we knew from our church in Salisbury, had died back in May. This man always greeted us at church as soon as he saw us, always had a smile on his face and kind words or a story to share. We've lost touch with so many people we used to see regularly while living on the Eastern Shore. This was one such friend. I copied comments from friends about Mr. Bennie, and his obituary.

Mr. Bennie

My mom called yesterday to tell me that Mr. Bennie died. He was a friend of mine from my old church in Maryland. A great man, he was not surprisingly married to a great woman, Lorna, who preceded him in death.

Mr. Bennie was always teaching - and I don't mean standing in front of a classroom - I mean teaching by word and example in the ordinary moments of life. He possessed encyclopedic knowledge of all things, it seemed, and always commented articulately, regardless of the subject matter.

And he wasn't afraid of anything - except God. I always admired him for that. Mr. Bennie was remarkably kind and empathetic, ministering to God's people with an ear to listen, a hand to help and a box of donuts. I'm sorry to be so far away, because I'd like to attend his funeral and pay my respects to his family.

In any case, here's Ralph's obituary. It's obvious that he was a hero, but it does not comment on his love for and service to his Savior, who received him last Sunday.

WHITEHAVEN -- Ralph Frost Bennie Sr., commander, United States Navy (retired), 79, of Whitehaven died Sunday, May 18, 2008, at Coastal Hospice at the Lake in Salisbury.

Born in Taylor, Pa., he was the son of the late William Richie and the late Elizabeth Anne (Frost) Bennie.

Commander Bennie served 23 years in the Navy as a naval aviator, Navy attack/fighter pilot, Navy helicopter pilot and ships-company officer of the deck and command duty officer. He served on board various aircraft carriers and on a communication/command ship in the Atlantic Fleet. This service included active duty in World War II, Korea and Vietnam time periods.

He was a Navy test pilot on the vertical take-off, four engine, tilt-wing aircraft, XC-142A, and set four world records of flight in 1967. He also represented the Navy and the United States by flying in the Paris Air Show in 1967.

Commander Bennie graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Aeronautical Engineering and was elected to the Honorary Society of Aeronautical Engineers, Sigma Gamma Tau. He was awarded several patents on helicopter and autogyros. He has also published numerous technical papers on aircraft design and testing. In addition, he wrote and published a Celestial Navigation Book for Small Boat Sailors.

He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, the European Occupation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

He was also an Eagle Scout and a member of Providence Presbyterian Church.

kibbe said...
Mr Bennie truly was one of the men who made his generation "the greatest generation".

4:20 PM

ukrainiac said...
Amen, Kibbe. Hey, it doesn't say that he built a plane in his house. Or that he had children in WHENEVER to teach them about aviation -- and ANYTHING else. Or how he spoke at church Memorial Day picnics, truly a patriot. Or how he loved and cared for Lorna as her health failed. Or how he supported missionaries.

Or how much people will miss him...

What an encourager!

Atariology?? Are you kidding me?

2008-07-05T14:35:00.000-04:00

Just when I think I've heard it all...just when I think I can't possibly be surprised ever again at what occurs on this planet, something like "Atariology" crosses my path and I am SURPRISED!

This "new" religion apparently began as a prank in October of 2005, according to the official Atariology website. A t-shirt store (selling the Atariology shirt) on the Internet has this to say: "A humorous, postmodern, religious satire. The central idea of Atariology is that life is a videogame. The name is a humorous poke at Atari and Scientology."

However, apparently there are people who have chosen this as their religion...anything to keep from accepting Christ as Savior and Lord, eh? The website includes the Atariology Manifesto, t-shirts, and Inspiration page which contains links to, among other things, the BBC website's "Science & Nature" page.

I first found out about it from a fellow online missionary with Global Media Outreach (GMO), which I recently joined. This is a fantastic way of reaching people worldwide with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you want to know more, e-mail me and I'll share.

Anyway, a fellow online missionary shared the following regarding Atariology:

"Just a heads-up, but I got an email with someone asking about Atariology. I looked it up on Google, found a few pages. It's a tongue-in-cheek try at looking at life as a video game. However, the philosophy is bunk and involves multiple realities and parallel universes. The ironic thing is that even though it's ridiculous in nature, it's got some serious quantities of people searching for answers. One annoying part is that it uses a Cross in its logo, which irks me to no end, especially since it's not nearly an acknowledgment of Jesus Christ." (The bold words and italics were added by me.)

So, are there true believers of this hoax? Or, are there people out there who truly believe this fake "religion"? Either way, this is why those of us who are true followers of the one and only true God need to get the word out about the only One who has the power to save lives from eternity in Hell. To show seekers and pranksters alike that once we put our faith in Jesus Christ, admitting He is the one and only Son of God, no one can keep us from Him. We read in the Old Testament book of Psalms 95:3 "For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods." And in Jeremiah 16:20 "Can people make their own gods? No, what they make are not gods at all.”

Once we believe in Jesus Christ, only Son of God, no false religions nor gods will be able to take us from Him. As it says in the New Testament book of Romans 8:31 -
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" and again in Romans 8:35,37-39, we read: "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

AMEN!

2008-07-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

This Friday is July 4th, Independence Day, the day our country won its freedom from the British empire. A day celebrated in a multitude of ways: picnics, parades, tanning on the beaches, swimming in pools, gathering with family and/or friends...

This year is an election year, we'll elect a new president. I hope when we're all celebrating Independence Day this week, we'll remember how important our freedoms are to us when we go to the polls in November. Who stands strong for America? Who believes in God and country, in keeping our freedoms? Who does not wish to reduce our military? Who will maintain our country in the manner our forefathers envisioned? Maybe it would be a good idea for each American to read our Declaration of Independence each Independence Day.

Here's a portion our Declaration of Independence:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

Here's hoping everyone has a safe Independence Day!

In the slow lane today...

2008-06-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

On Monday, June 30th, Neil and I will celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. Hard to believe so many years have passed by, and so swiftly, too! We'll celebrate tomorrow, very low key, spending the day out of town...antiquing, stopping to see whatever sites entice us. At the end of the day, we'll hopefully find a nice restaurant for a relaxing dinner, with reminiscing about our day as the finale.

An elderly, married couple from my church recently celebrated over 65 years of marriage. I guess one could say they're like antiques. I don't just mean that they're getting on in years, but rather, like antiques, they started out fresh and new, and through the years they've been tested and tried; their Creator gave them the strength to carry on through the years, guided by His merciful hand. They've mellowed now, they're showing some wear and tear, but through their relationship with God and each other, they've become more beautiful than ever.