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| Alas, I forget this is here! Things are going pretty slow right now. Amanda is busy as usual, we're still at Crossroads Church, I'm toying with the idea of going back to work, but don't know where, and besides, until our summer vacations are done, that can't happen. Matt and Dena are still together, he's still in school, but starting to have more stresses. This semester seems to be a little rougher than last semester. Next year will be even more interesting - he's got all academic classes which I suspect will be even tougher. I really hope he sticks not only with the 2-year program, but that he goes on to get his BS degree. Dianna is finally considering going back to school, I think she might. I'm really praying that God uses this time to draw her back to him and that she is vulnerable enough to listen to his still small voice.
One exciting thing - Tom and I are leaving in 5 weeks for Hawaii! We finally have enough miles to get there for free, so all we have to pay for is the hotel, rental car, food, and stuff to do. Those in and of themselves is expensive enough, but this is our long-delayed honeymoon! I can't wait! I'm working on sloughing off some of the excess weight I'm hauling around, and am actually down 12 pounds. If I keep up a this rate, I should be down a total of 20 -25 pounds by then, but I'm not holding my breath. My weight loss goal is 50-60 pounds, and I'm working hard at that.
My second motivation for loosing weight is our family reunion on July 4. It will be the first in over 10 years, and there are lots and lots of new grandbabies to see and help spoil - actually they are all my grand-nieces and nephews, and most of them are little tiny babies to hold! We're going to bring Abby and Ian home with us for the rest of the month of July, which will be an adventure.
We are in flux at church again, and praying about the Lord's leading. For now, we are staying at Crossroads, but we're really unsure about some things there. NO, they are not heading down the apostate road that Pantano did, yet we still feel something is missing, we're just not sure what that something is.
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Posted on my MySpace also :)
Christmas is coming
And Thanksgiving is over. We had a housefull. Mom, Dad, their dog,
Dianna, Mark and Corey, Tommy and Andrew in addition to the four of us.
Nice dinner - turkey (made by Tom of course) with all the trimmings. At
Corey's request, I made hashbrown casserole. I was surprised because I
don't recall his ever being over to eat it, but apparently he was at
some point.
We took Mom and Dad to Gaslight. Even though the
seats were pretty uncomfortable for them, I think they enjoyed it. It
was Scrooge, set in the 50's, and of course, funny.
We now
have a new puppy - see him in my profile picture. We found Jake two
weeks ago (November 12) when we were out walking. We posted found puppy
pictures everywhere, with no luck, so he's now part of our family. He's
a shih tsu, about a year or so old. Very cute, very loveable, but needs
some discipline work! 
Saturday,
Chuck called and needed help making kolach. So, we set up web cameras
and I walked him through rolling out the dough and filling it, all the
while watching Ian and Abby being silly in the background. I sure wish
I lived closer to them.
This
month is going to be busy. Of course it is, it's Christmas after all.
Today we went to Bill Cunningham's father's funeral to support Bill. It
was ok, for a funeral where we don't know anybody except Bill, Diane
and Ryan. This is the last week of little activity. Saturday is the
Student Council murder mystery dinner at Germany's house. Next Monday
and Tuesday are normal school days, Wednesday is the CPC Resourse
Center outreach, Thursday-Saturday is Pantano's tea, and Bob asked me
to help out this year. Amanda is gone to Model Legislature
Friday-Sunday. December 12 is my tea, the 14th is the CHET Christmas
party, the 15th is our home group party, the 17th is the church party,
our family Christmas is probably going to be on the 18th, (maybe the
14th), Amanda leaves on the 19th, 21 or 22nd we are having or meeting
our old group for dinner, the 23rd is Leah Williams wedding (which Matt
and I are catering)...   That's about what I feel like! | | |
| I'm saddened by what I have discovered is going on at Cedarville, but
can't seem to find any more definitive information. I hope and pray
they aren't embracing the EC movement, but it certainly sounds like
they are heading that direction.
Got some news on my mammogram that was Monday. There seems to be a
problem, and they want to retake pictures. I am praying/trusting that
it's really nothing, but until I am sure of that, I am concerned.
Matt got his job at Ventana and so far seems to be enjoying it. Of
course, I'm NOT enjoying the long drive twice a day - 40 miles each
trip, and I'll be really glad when he gets his license and his car.
Mandy is doing well in school. She is actually getting down to work
early and finishing pretty early, and seems to be staying on top of
it.
Life is going to be pretty busy for a few weeks. First is taking Matt
to and from work and school. Second is Mandy's school, CHET events,
Youth in Government, church activities. Add in doctor visits, food
handler's training next Wednesday, Amanda's dr. visit tomorrow (oh
rats, I forgot about that!) I'm just not sure when I'll get rest time.
But I have it easy, Tom is over booked/over committed again, mostly
with work, but also estate issues, and he doesn't feel very well.
Sigh. I just wish the houses would sell and we could be done with it.
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| I can't believe how lazy I am right now.  I really have done nothing contributory to speak of in the past two weeks. I tried to work on my quilt, but just couldn't. Biggest bummer is that CHF is down again, so I don't even have that to read. I did get Mandy's school work entered in the computer and got her new work ordered. I have kept the house clean, but still really need to vacuum and mop, which I will probably do tomorrow. It's just been a really blah two weeks, probably due to being in the hospital and then doctor's appointments this week. Today was the ultrasound, won't hear the results of that (unless they are really bad) until October. I suspect they found nothing at all.
Matt comes home on Sunday. I spent time today reading his Cuisine and Culture book. He won't like it, since it's history, but I love it! I keep wondering if I should go back to school and major in history, but what would I do with it? Mandy comes home a week from Saturday, then life will be very busy once again, so I guess I should enjoy this quiet time while I can.
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| First, I listened to Chuck Swindoll's messages on the last chapter of Ecclesiastes. I have notes transcribed on them saved, and I'll copy them at the end of this blog entry. Very interesting.
Second, this has been an eventful week. Sunday we went to church as normal, and my leg started acting up. It was really beginning to hurt, to the point I had to take some aspirin. We came home, and after lunch just relaxed. I was beginning to worry, since I was starting to get chest pains. I know that you can get deep vein thrombosis from sitting a long time, especially if you have heart disease, and I was afraid that that is what had happened, and that was what was causing the pain. So, off we went to TMC.
TMC ER, was, as usual, a pain. I was triaged ok, and they did all the normal tests, then it was time to wait until it was my turn to see the doctor and get in a room. I kind of knew I would be admitted, I usually am because of this heart thing, so that was no surprise. It was ok in the waiting room, until the last hour, when a drunk (.264 breath test! Ouch!) came in that was on a gurney because he had fallen and cut his head open. He screamed off and on about wanting painkillers, but obviously due to his rather inebriated state, they were NOT about to give him any. He was a trip. At one point, I was ready to go give him my own version of a painkiller! The second shift nurse finally told him to zip it! Then, a mentally challenged young woman came in with a suspected broken foot/ankle. She kept trying to roll herself out of the room, but was stopped, over much protestations on her part, accompanied by the drunk agreeing with her! Fortunately, it wasn't long after that that I was taken into a room, and away from that circus.
I started to have some pain from my chest, so they gave me Percoset. After it started taking effect, Tom noticed that I was starting to sleep off and on, and decided since it was already 10:00, I was going to be admitted, that he would head home and come back in the morning. I did fall asleep off and on, and was finally brought to a room at 1:15 Monday morning.
I had the usual blood tests, x-rays, scans, ekg's, you name it. Didn't get much sleep Sunday night, but I really didn't expect to! The on-call doctor came in at 5 and said that he suspected that I was just having more complications from acid reflux, since all the heart tests to that point were negative (good thing!). He said that Dr. Pennock was likely to move up the angiogram to Tuesday instead of the scheduled one on Wednesday, but wasn't sure about that.
Monday morning finally came, with lots and lots and lots of rain. So much rain, in fact, that Tom had a hard time getting in. What is normally a 20-30 minute drive turned into almost an hour long trip. Dr. Pennock came in before he got there, and said that they were going to go ahead and do the angiogram that morning, sometime before 10:00. Tom finally made it, and they wheeled me away for the angiogram at about 9:45 or so. While I was in the prep room, the guy who was giving me the drip to help me through the procedure mentioned that he knew Tom from their days at El Camino! That was kind of nice, knowing a believer was in there with me!
They rolled me in, and well, the guy hadn't quite given me enough meds because I felt the first cut! After that was fixed, the procedure went as normal. As I was rolled out, I heard Dr. Pennock tell Tom that he found that the original blockage looks better, but there was some more blockage that he is concerned about, but not enough to do a stent or angioplasty, which is good news.
After recovery and getting back to my room, they told me that Dr. Pennock wanted to do a lung CAT scan to see if there was any blockage there. That test also came out ok, more good news. I was in pain from having to lay flat on my back for a few hours, so I was given another Percoset. Again, that helped me doze off and on the rest of the day.
Since all the tests came out normal (well, as normal as possible for someone with heart disease), they let me come home Monday night. Dr. Pennock isn't worried, because he said not to come in again until September 12, unless I have other problems. Wednesday, I went to Dr. Armbruster's office and talked to him about the hospital stay. He said my leg problems are probably a pulled muscle or tendon that will eventually work it's way out (blah, it still hurts off and on, and I still don't have full range of motion!), and yes, the acid reflux can mimic heart issues, and since I DO have heart issues, I still need to go in whenever the pain gets too me. Sigh. He did suggest that I ask the GI doctor about an endoscopy when I go in for my colonoscopy. Since our insurance is pretty good, I will do that on Monday when I go in.
Dianna called yesterday, and asked me to go to the dentist with her today. So, in a few minutes, I need to shower and head out to pick her up. Nice to still be needed as a mommy sometimes by my oldest daughter.
That got me thinking, what kind of legacy am I leaving for my children? Is it the same one my own mother is leaving? That of a complaining, never satisfied, always negative person who is never happy? Or is my legacy better? I'm praying that I can change that. I'm praying that my legacy is one who loves and honors God in everything I do.
Ok, now the promised notes from listening to Chuck Swindoll:
August
9, 2007
Notes
on Ecclesiastes 12 From Chuck Swindoll’s
series Living Life on the Ragged Edge Ecclesiastes Chapter 12
Remember - to act decisively on behalf of someone or
something
- While
you are young, don’t wait until old
- Pay
attention while you are young, drop the pretence of self sufficiency and
commit ourselves to Him.
- Vs 2
Mental aging – old age depression and memory loss
- Vs 3
House is the basis of the allegory that is chapter 12: 1-7
- Trembling
of lips, shaking hands, mighty men stoop – legs give out
- Grinding
ones stand idle – lost teeth
- Those
who look at things through windows grow dim – eyes
- Vs 4
Slightest noise wakes you up
- Vs 5
Terrors on the road, afraid of high places. Almond trees blossom – silver
haired people
- Vs 6
silver cord broken – spinal cord. Golden bowl crushed – blood clots and
stroke. Pitcher shattered – heart failure
- Vs 5
“For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.”
Death
- We are
not ready to live until we are ready to die.
- Vs 7
Then spirit will return to God who gave it.
(Have I Stayed) Too Long At The Fair
Artist: Barbra Streisand
I wanted the music to play on forever,
Have I stayed to long at the fair?
I wanted the clown to be constantly clever,
Have I stayed to long at the fair?
Allow me blue ribbons to tie up my hair,
But I couldn't find anybody to care.
The merry-go-round is beginning to slow down,
Have I stayed too long at the fair,
There is nothing to win,
And there's no one to want me,
Save me!
Face the
facts, we are getting older
- God has designed me to be empty without him –
Augustine
- Now is the time to prepare for eternity.
The Touch of the Master's Hand
"Twas
battered and scared, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar - now who"ll make it two _
Two dollars, and who"ll make it three?
"Three dollars once, three dollars
twice,
Going for three". . . but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody,pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bidden for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow;
"A thousand dollars - and who'll make it two?
Two thousand - and who'll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going - and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand -
What changed its worth?" The man replied:
"The touch of the masters hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd.
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of
pottage," a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He's going once, and going twice -
He's going - and almost gone!
But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the MASTER'S hand.
~Myra B. Welch
- When a preacher questions – shock waves (Dave White? No kidding)
- Vanity – 30-35 times The book is a sermon, this
is his conclusion
- Vs 8-12 Solomon is talking about himself –
horizontal relationship
- Vs 13-14 Vertical relationship – Solomon is
talking about God now
- A preacher’s job is to teach people knowledge as
he ponders, studies, debates, mulls over, chews on God’s word
- Vs 12 – words are strong and powerful, but vs 12
But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless,
and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. Too much that is written is worthless.
Most of what is written will not do a thing for you eternally. Choose
wisely what you read, starting with God’s word.
- Conclusion
Vs 13-14 The
conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments,
because this applies to every person.
14For God will bring every act to judgment, everything
which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
- Since when do I worry about what you or I
believe, it is what GOD says that matters.
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