Notes to Self...and whoever's listening

Christmas is here, although, I'm not sure the weather has noticed!  It's been a bit of a bummer without snow so far this Christmas season, but, all in all, it's been a wonderful season for me this year!  I was determined to not look back this year and wonder what happened to the time....The time has definitely gone quicker than I like, but it has been pretty close to perfect. One reason it's been so enjoyable is the two little boys in my home.  Logan (4 1/2) and Lucas (3) have been ecstatic this Christmas!  This is the first year that Lucas understands (in a general sense) what is going on.  His brother more so understands that this is Jesus birthday, but Lucas is mostly enthralled with the lights and presents!  He wants to constantly go driving to look at the "de-co-ra-shuns" as he calls them.  Or, often he can be found at the foot of the tree, touching presents and asking what is this? or is this for me? His joy has been infectious!  And ...

I sat with a 94 year old woman yesterday while she told me how the doctor's have informed her that she will never walk again, that she will be confined to a wheelchair the remainder of her days.  She was heartbroken.  Some may think that she's 94, she's had a good run!  Or, a wheelchair is the obvious choice for someone of that age.  But, not for Betty.  She is sharp, sweet, God-fearing, honest, courageous, beautiful....And, now she's so sad. :( In the midst of all that pain, though, she asks knowing I had been at her retirement home doing the Sunday service what today's service was about.  How's that for dedication?! I told her the story of a most recent experience that I had where the Lord had used an unusual moment to teach me a valuable lesson.  My littlest nephew, Lucas, who is three struggles going to sleep.  He always has.  In order to get him to sleep and keep him in bed, you have to actually lie next to him on his mattress and ba...

It's all how you look at things, huh?  Glass half empty or half full?  Partly sunny or partly cloudy?  Yankees or anyone else? ;) Well, I had an interesting learning moment in the most unusual of moments this weekend.  The movie "Cool Runnings" was playing on cable and my sister and I started giggling and then had to watch it!  It's been years since I've watched it, although I had forgotten how many one-liners we repeat from it!  "I am feeling very Olympic today!" :) If you've never seen it, it is about the Jamaican bobsled team and that struggles they went through to make a name for themselves.  They made it past the qualifying run and, during a run, their bobsled crashes.  If they are touched by any paramedics, etc., they are automatically disqualified.  Rather than being disqualified, they picked up the bobsled (amazing in itself!) and walked it across the finish line. There is where inspiration hit me.  Since the games were in ...

Dear Friends: It's been a tough few weeks. A few weeks ago my mother's routine exam showed cause for concern. A second test insisted upon a biopsy. That biopsy confirmed "The Evil C" --- Cancer again. We've prayed, asked for prayer, believed for healing, yet here she is, facing cancer, again. Deep breaths. Before you think I've lost my faith or I'm thinking that prayer doesn't work, please don't worry. I can't tell you that I understand. I can't tell that you I wasn't shocked when it was revealed, because I was truly believing that this time the biopsy wouldn't show anything wrong. I can't tell you that tears, sadness, frustration and helplessness haven't been my companions. On top of this disheartening diagnosis, my father is facing another knee replacement. Of course, he's willing to put it off for her sake, but actually, he put this surgery off 3 years ago when she faced the last course of surgery and chemo. He...

Dear Pastors and Church Leaders: I have been a PK (Preacher's kid) since I was born.  Spending all of Sunday's in a church when I was a kid was not uncommon.  I was unfairly judged many times because I was the Preacher's Kid (or grandkid).  I was a part of every aspect of ministry from watching my dad preparing sermons, to dad and grandpa getting late night calls that took them away from the house, to going to thousands (you think I'm exaggerating!) of potlucks with an array of "interesting" foods!  Often, the church foyer was my playground.  I was always called on to answer the questions in Sunday School, not necessarily because I knew the answer, but they thought I SHOULD know the answer. Although the microscope of being a PK was difficult at times, the experience is not one that I would want to exchange.  I learned to embrace it as I got older and finally learned that if I don't like something, do something; if no one else is doing it, you do it; ch...

Phew!  With 9 boxes left unopened, I'm finally starting to see the end in sight!  If you had seen the boxes we moved on Saturday, you would understand what a triumph that is! :)  It has definitely been a whirlwind of blood, sweat and tears --- literally!  If you haven't heard me say it yet, I'll say it again: I HATE MOVING.  There is little to truly enjoy about the process, in my estimation....maybe it's because I have done it 4 times in the last 4 years....Regardless, the effort that it entails is purely ridiculous!  One of my helpers informed that she had been thinking about moving, but now that she remembered how unpleasant it was, she was thinking about not! Now, yes, the end result should be enjoyable...and sitting in our new living room last night and watching Hawaii 5-0 On Demand was pretty nice.  And, each time I look at the curtains and curtain rod that I hung, I have a tinge of pride.  But, I can't help but notice the things that haven...

When I first started at Bickford 1 1/2 yrs. ago, I was terrified of death. Not so much the act of dying, but the grief and sadness. I am an extremely emotional person and was so afraid that I would let my personal feelings get in the way of truly taking care of a resident and/or their family. Sadly, we have lost quite a few residents in the time I've been here. Yet, the Lord has been so gracious to me in guiding me at the beds of these beautiful residents. Sometimes I wish I had gotten to know what their stories were, who they were, what the circumstances in their lives were....but, as I sat by the bed of yet another resident this past Thursday, I realized that I got to be there in a most important time in their life as well....ushering them in the arms of our Savior. We are all brought into people's lives for different moments and my time at Bickford is to love them at the end of their days. I am so blessed by these amazing people and honored to be a part of their lives. Anoth...

I'm having one of those days where I feel like everyone's elses prayers are being answered, except for mine.  Ever have those days?  Yep, it's one of the woe-is-me moments that I'm not necessarily proud of, but am resigned to having every now and then.  I have actually witnessed many answers to prayers recently of people that I have been praying for....but, as for those people closest to me and me, myself....not seeing much. Put down the phone.  No need to call me and tell me that this is normal or that I'm being silly or that God loves me and hasn't forgotten me or that it's just Satan rearing his ugly head.  I know all of those things.  I'm just tired and weary today.  That's all. I am taking solice, though, in Psalms 147 on this bummer of a day.  (I 'm posting it below if you could use a little comfort, too.) One of the verses that stands out to me is vs. 13, "He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses the people within you....

Wow.  14+ inches of snow is heaped in mounds all around our city.  It's almost comical to drive around and see the sometimes ingenious places that plow drivers have found to put their nemesis!  Parking lots are just snow lots, with a few places left to park your car.  Little children actually are finding the white stuff enjoyable, my nephews included!  I don't remember seeing so much snow since we lived near Erie, PA! The day it snowed, it was difficult to look out the window because of the brightness of the snow.  It was weird to see the sun shining so brightly after such an incredible day of snow, wind and gloominess. Looking at the snow reminded me of when I was a kid in school.  More than one of my teachers through the years had us take a cup of snow into the school and let it melt to see the dirt that was actually in that beautiful snow.  We never believed her until, of course, it melted.  Apparently, that beautiful snow th...

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me;   listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the LORD your God,  the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely...

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—    where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD,    the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip—    he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel    will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD watches over you—    the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,    nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—    he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going    both now and forevermore. I was doing a little research into this verse this past week as I was using this scripture to teach from at the service for the retirement home residents I work with.  I was awed and comforted at some of the truths and depictions in this passage. First of all, a side note in the Bible gave me a new incite to the first ve...

Well, here's to hoping, anyway! I plan on blogging more and hopefully regularly...we'll see. Today is my first day of my newest "get healthy" plan. I have not had even one diet soda all day! I'm not in any type of withdrawal. Water is boring, but did what I needed it to do. It does leave a bit of an aftertaste, but so did soda. So, we'll see how this goes. I had already basically given up caffeine, so at least there is no headache accompanying me today. Next is to stop eating "100 calorie" snack packs and things in crinkley wrappers. I'm planning on adding more fruits and nuts. Again, we'll see or we'll just see if I'm a nut! :)