Prepping for St. Paddy's

I finally finished the invitations for our "Annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration." This year I'm even growing a pot of "Shamrocks" for the event as well. You can see them in the green pot up above. I hope they make it and I can keep them alive. HA!

This is something that we have done for years now because alot of people don't know about Irish culture and haven't tasted Irish foods and such. Especially where we live. As you can guess.....the culture here is very much French.

We do this for our friends for fun....and we always ate and celebrated St. Patrick's day when we were growing up in the Midwest especially because every did and my husband's family is Irish. Hence their last name. Which I never put on here but trust me, if you heard it you'd know.

Some of the people we invite are Irish and some went to Ireland with me on the trip I took. So that makes this special as well. We celebrate Ireland and many of our family "roots."

We have continued to do this through the past could of years because people look forward to our party and we enjoy doing it for them.Every year I do the invitations different and usually buy some sort of cards with Irish scenery and write in them or whatever....last year I used a personalized online card service that did all the work for me....but this year I decided to "hand make them".....which was a challenge for me because some days my hands don't work so great.

Earlier this week I had a "good hand" day so I went to work and got most all of them finished. I still need to make a few more but these are done are going in the mail TODAY!

We will have upwards to 25 people here not counting our family and the kid's friends....all eating Corn Beef and Cabbage that we now have resorted to cooking outside in our giant "Crawfish pots" over a burner because we don't have household pots large enough.

We also do boiled potatoes, carrots and potatoes rolls. Others bring various deserts...last year we had some "Green bread" that someone baked.
We love just having fun.
We don't do anything crazy, there is no drinking..there are no "Hooligans" and everything just always flows nicely. People meet new people and eat and chat while listening to Celtic music in the back ground.

"Tis great 'Craic."'

"Craic" means "Fun." So in essence we have "Great fun"......wish you all could come.

I can never get one of my boys to wear my "Kilt" I own though....that would be over the top if someone would.
Any takers?

Yesterday afternoon we recieved a text message on my phone that our Pastor, Steve..was going into emergency surgery at that moment and to please pray. He was still recouping at the time from his first surgery that took place last Friday.

I called my friends right away to find out what was going on. We had learned earlier in the morning that he wasn't feeling well and there was some concerns.....so I had an "odd feeling" about it all.

Somewhere around nearly 3 plus hours later, we heard via text again.....that he was out of surgery and he was given a "colostomy"....which he didn't have previously.

This had to be done due to major infection that had set into his body in the area where the surgery was performed.

This will be a HUGE disappointment to him I know because he didn't want one and didn't need one with the initial surgery.

I had been "waiting" somewhat (on the further test results) to post about how things had gone and were going with him. Things were progressing nicely really......

The tumor had slipped a bit when they went in for surgery but they were able to get it all and it was the size of a smaller doughnut they said. We are awaiting results on the "Lymph" glands to know if the cancer is in them but his lungs and liver were "clear."

Now this setback....

It's okay though.....we press "onward."

Please pray for Pastor Steve will you.....his dear wife was "beside herself" yesterday when all this happened. I am sure she is better this morning but it was a shock and I know she is exhausted at this point.

A Few Off My Favorite Things....

My sweet husband brought me this beautiful rose a few days ago and had it placed in this vase and sitting on my dresser for when I got home.

He is VERY mindful of the fact that I do not like "red roses"...I think they are pretty. But they don't dry well and that bugs me so he always buys me some other color and he was very PROUD of this one. The color and how pretty it was once it opened up a bit.
Funny....
I love roses...but only ones that aren't red. I like red ones too..but they must be on a bush or possibly someone else's roses and not mine. Then I like them. HA!

Miss Priss got a bouquet of roses for Valentine's Day and they were so GORGEOUS! However....they look very dead and yucky now.

So he's one of my favorite things.....probably second to the top of my list of the "top" things in my life. He is my best friend too.

I love poached eggs.....in fact. Me and Miss Priss who just happens to be home today....just ate some. Ummm....with English muffins. This is one of my most favorite breakfast's.

I really, really, love "paper napkins"....but they have to be very decorative and catch my eye. I have TONS of them in all types of styles and shapes and for every holiday. I use them everyday in my house. I have a special napkin holder for them. My teacup is sitting on one right this very moment.

IF you ever get a package from me....or a gift....chances are.....it will have some cute "paper napkins" in it.
After Christmas I received a package from a friend in No. Ireland..inside of it....was a package of special "paper napkins." This lady has NO CLUE how much I like them.....so this was "EXTRA" special to me. Fun!I buy a lot of these napkins at a local store....okay well I will give you my source.
It's the "Tuesday Morning" store...they have GREAT paper napkins for all occasions at very reasonable prices.

Traveling.....I LOVE to travel. Don't get me started. I always am planning a trip.
I don't always get to go on that trip....but in my head and my heart. I am always planning a trip. HA! We don't get to travel NEAR as much as I want us to right now....but we will...one day. Hopefully SOONER than LATER.


I'm plotting a trip right now for say...the Spring break from school. But we will see. I'm not sure it will work.I'm thinking.....BEACH! Although it's still a tad bit cold.

There you have it.....a few of my "Fave Things" for today.
Don't worry. I have plenty more for another day.

"Busy as a Bee on a Mondeeee...."

"Buzzzzzzz"
I'm flitting around my house trying to get a bizillion things accomplished.

I can recommend this to you...."never get on the Internet" if you are trying to get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time. :~)

I DID need to write some letters and respond to some as well so it was necessary to do so but you know how it works.....one thing leads to another.

I woke up this morning to a "list" that I made myself regarding "things to do on Monday," last night during the conclusion of "Pride and Prejudice"

Which I might add I loved all along but I felt the ending could have been a bit better.
"Something" was lacking but I am not sure quite what it was. I think they rushed the whole "proposal and then wedding of Eliza and Mr. Darcy" thing to much. I'm sure they had to though to get it all into the time sequence they had for the program.

I am awaiting my imaginary "worker bee" to show up so I can JUMP onto his back and let him help carry me through my chores and my list of things to do today.
Hopefully he will show up soon because I have a lot to do and you know how fast time
"flies."
Ahemmmm......yes, "pun intended."

Funny......I have my AOL radio on .....which I normally do....on the "Romantic Classics" station and the "Flight of the Bumblebees" just came on..I'm serious too, NO joking....that is very odd isn't it?

That song drives me mad. I've got to change the station now!!!!

I hope you have a good day....

Restful Sunday......

"He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities” Benjamin Franklin (American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher, Printer, Writer and Inventor. 1706-1790)

I hope that you enjoy a day of "rest" today. Sometimes it is hard to "relax" but we must try to just that.
"Rest" or "down time" as many call it today, is needed to help our bodies, minds and souls.

I plan on doing this as well with my family today.

Don't forget to watch the conclusion of "Pride and Prejudice" tonight on Masterpiece Theatre at 8:00pm (central time) on your local PBS station.
Cheers!

Two stories about Two very AWESOME couples...

Left to Right....Norried and Doris, Dianne and Pastor Steve

On Friday our Pastor, Steve is going to be having surgery to have a tumor removed from his colon. I had mentioned it about two weeks ago...but now it is surgery time. They do know that the tumor is cancerous, and a fairly good size.

However, he's had very encouraging support from his Dr.'s and I want to again state that they do not have health insurance and as of now...all has been worked out.
Whew!

Please pray that he will do well in the surgery and be back on his feet again soon.

I will update on this as soon as we know what's going on. I haven't said much regarding this the past few days because we have waited to see how things would fall into place...and it all has so far.
We are trusting God for him and for his total well being.

*******************************************

The other couple in the photo are very GOOD friends of our family. We've known them for years and love them dearly.

They are Missionaries to the South Pacific Island of "NAURU".....

They left the States in June and the last we heard of them was when they were in Hawaii ready to head to their new Island. Then nothing. We hadn't heard a WORD from them until we FINALLY got a letter the other day routed through Australia to here.
Crazy!!!
We've wondered about them like MAD.

First of all....apparently....they sent a newsletter out to everyone the last of 2007and NO ONE recieved them. Once they realized that, they did a new one and stuck in a new copy of the old one to update everybody.

Norried reported this in the newsletter we recieved......

" **The Church has us living in a former phosphate office that they have somewhat converted into a living quarters.

**There is no piped government water supply in Nauru. Everyone must ration water from their own cistern. It has rained only 4 times in the last 3 months. We have one daily bath with one bucket of water. WE save dish water for a small vegatable garden. We infrequently wash our clothes.

**Electricity is on and off in 6 hour shifts.

**It is hotter here than any country we have served in.

**Nauru is extremeely isolated and about 25 miles SOUTH of the Equator.

**Our bedroom averaged 95 in the day and 88 at night. At night when our electricity is off we literally "sweat sleep."

**Our only transport is our legs. Some errands or shopping is as far as 5 miles away.

**The physical state of this nation is 'dilapidated and deserate.'"

**There has not been a bank operating here for over 5 years, a somber handicap and a unique challange.

**There is only one internet cafe here with 6 sometimes operating terminals."

Oh......and on top of all that....they've been ROBBED TWICE.

Yikes!
I can't tell you how dedicated these people are. They are older people than my husband and I and I don't know how they do it especially considering all the hardships they have faced through the years.

Again we have known them for years...they have been working in the South Pacific for a long time....first Norried went over with the Peace Corp...and now they are Missionaries with a major Missions organization.

They have very huge hearts for the people of the Islands...Doris herself is a Marshall Island national.
They both have worked hard to help the people of the South Pacific region for most of their lives.They build buildings, the help the people physically and the work with the people spiriutally.

Norried and Doris have worked in the Marshall Islands, Micronesia (an Island called Chuuk (Truk)), the Solomon Islands for the past 15 years and now they are currently in Nauru.

They have three grown children...that they raised on the Islands. They are close to my older kids ages. Two have gotten married and just this past year while Norried and Doris were home on "furlough" both couples had babies....and one of the couples had UNEXPECTED TWINS...their youngest daughter had a girl and a boy with no prior knowledge!!! They thought they were having one baby. Can you imagine?

So they left three brand new Grandbabies and their three kids (and a daughter-in- law and a son-in-law) when they left the States.

It was very hard for them to leave this time but off they went.
They are the neatest people and some of my heros.

~My good friend Nora~

Here is a photo fo my friend Nora.

We went to lunch last week and I begged her to let me snap a photo of her because I think it helps people to have a "Visual" of someone or something that you are talking about.

She looked very good too that day. She has her wig on, although, she told me she nearly went without it that day but when she was doing her hair she saw "Six hairs in the sink that morning" so she decided to wear the wig.
She is so funny.

Nora used to be one of my employees.

Then I became ill and needed to totally quit my job and then she became ill and took a very long leave of absense. During this time we would check on each other on the phone and I would go and pick her up and take her out shopping or out to eat because she wasn't getting out much. She had been through such a major surgery, she was very weak.

She just started back to work at the same place last year. Which I was very excited for her because this gave her some "purpose."Recently the Dr's have told Nora that her "cancer" is back....it's the same breed but now in different places and including some of her stomach again. It's a rare cancer they tell her. She's now back on oral chemo.

When she first was diagnosed she had a "cancerous tumor" the size of a FOOTBALL in her stomach and other areas....so we are praying she will get through this again because she was "clear" even as of November of last year. This cancer is VERY aggressive they told her.

She has lost a TON of weight but she hasn't lost her humor or wit...both of which I love. She has a very "dry humor" and she cracks me up all the time.

Recently she went to the Library to get a John Grisham book and it's new so they needed to put her name on a "wait list"....they told her she would be #55....she told them......"Forget it I will be dead by then."

That's Nora.

I fussed at her for saying that because I am always encouraging her NOT to say what she says about her life and other such things. I want her to stay a bit more "postive." But she IS pretty much the same age as my own Mother so I can't fuss a whole lot. She's just a very spunky person.

Anyhow, here's a photo of some beautful silk tulips Nora gave to me last month.
I LOVE them. They are a great reminder of her to me.Sorry the first photo is clearer but I have an old tea cup and saucer and a gaggle of antique dolies I had just purchased at a store and was had taken a photograph of them for something or another and captured the tulips Nora gave to me in that picture.
So I had to use it today because it's better than this second one.

It's very over cast and cloudy here today so my next photo with the cleared off table isn't shooting well....ugh.
I am no photographer that is forsure.

Of Mice and Men.....

This weekend was eventful in many ways ALL "good" though.

We had several things "come up" thus changing other "plans" we had made along the way.
It happens that way sometimes.

I tried to comfort my husband with this quote on our way somewhere Saturday afternoon.

"The best laid schemes of Mice and Men oft go awry."

My good friend Diane, who also was my boss at the time......would always quote this saying to me when we would have made a "plan" for the day or the week or whatever only to have it dashed to the ground with one simple phone call from her boss.

It would seen that our best "plans" would suddenly "fall to pieces."

We would then fly into what I liked to call our "Triage" mode and we would quickly "re-scheme" our plans.

That particular line hails from this poem:

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
(The best laid schemes of Mice and Men
oft go awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!)
Robert Burns, To a Mouse (Poem, November, 1785)
Scottish national poet (1759 - 1796)

Sigh, oh to be a cute little mouse.
Well, UNLESS you were a cute little mouse in a house full of mouse traps.

Let's "Pay It Forward."

I'm going to leave this posting up until Monday night because I need ONE more person to sign up for this!!! So far I have..."Deena and Pat" who have signed on to "Pay it Forward"...thanks so much to you both for doing this.
Do we have one more brave soul?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey ya'll!
Here's a chance to get a surprise from me, on a surprise date, in the next 365 days. (I'm responding to this via Steph's Cup of Tea)

Here are the rules:

1.~Leave a comment on my blog that says you want to play. First three folks to comment will get a gift! (If I don't know it already, let me know how I can contact you, an e-mail is fine.)

2.~Do the same thing on your blog!

The first three folks who leave a comment and commit to doing this on their blog, too, will get a surprise from me at a surprise time in the next 365 days!

This should prove to be fun.....and interesting.

This is a great way to make new friends too.....let's see what happens.

Fab Friday

This has been an interesting and busy week for some reason but I am not complaining.....I'm THANKFUL that I am able to do what I've been doing.

Today I am off to meet a friend at an "Irish" restaurant...fun......then tonight my husband and I have a "Valentine's Day Dinner" to go to at some friends of ours home and it will be FUN as well....one more couple will be there as well. Mutual friends of the host wife and mine...our friend Susan who just went through the Breast cancer surgery.....and her husband.

I know my friend Diane is already into "painstakingly" setting up and cooking this dinner. It's her "gift." She has the "gift of hospitality" big time so she is very into this and I love that we are all able to "recieve" from her and her kindness.

It's very overcast and dreary here. I'm not sure what it's like where you are. ButI wish you sunshine. Or a nice nap.

I was very sad to hear last night about the lastest shootings in upper Illinois.

May PEACE and mercy come on those families of the victims and to the people of that area.
We lost THREE young women in our own town last week due to this same type of situation at a local college.
It is SO wrong for these things to happen.

I am thinking of them all today.

Valentine's Day Wishes

How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Song of Solomon 1:15

"He took the bride about the neck and kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack that at the parting all the church did echo."
William Shakespeare

Have a DELICIOUS day!
With love.....Joyce

Wistful Wednesday

Valentine's Day is now upon is.

Last night my husband took "Miss Priss" out for a "date" to a nice Italian Restaurant. They had a very nice time. He wanted to spend "special time" with her and I of course was very encouraging of this.
She growing up fast and will not be with us forever. We have to make these precious memories while we are able to.

My husband had been at a seminar all day and was in driving rain and bad traffic on his way home so he didn't have time to stop and get her flowers. But he asked her if she would "like to stop and get a bouquet of flowers" while they were on their way to the restaurant and she said "No Dad, I'm fine. Besides I have some."

Which was true.....some "young man" whom she is "only friends" with had given her a bouquet of VERY NICE red roses the other night. Hummmm.....interesting. They sit on our kitchen table even now.

I just want to remind the Mom's to not forget the "sons" and the Dad's to not forget the "daughters" not just on Valentines Day.....but always.

This is a good way to "train" them for their relationships in the future and to spend quality time with them. I already mailed a card and a bit of "cash" off to our son in Connecticut....we are missing him.They can move away but they never leave your heart.
My heart is heavy today for the countless Mom's who can't send Valentine's Day cards out to their children. Maybe because their child has left the "earth" or they are possibly disconnected from them in some way.

I'm wishing you all a wonderful day.

"In Heaven"..........

Amy Stockstill made her "entrance" into heaven last night.

This is as follows from her husband Joel's blog......
"With both sadness and joy I regret to inform all of you that tonight February 11 at 9:40 pm my lovely wife Amy went to be with Jesus. This is a mighty victory and the half will never be known. With great love and appreciation to all who have joined with us."

Joel
*************************************
Please continue to pray for both of their two families and their church.

Although this isn't my church....I stand with them as do many of the people in our city and across the nation, and in fact.....world wide. Because the church they are at has had an impact on the entire world for years.

I had written a previous post on Feb. 8th about this situation.

Joel and Amy Stockstill are Youth Pastors at the "Bethany World Prayer Center."
They hadn't been married very long when she became ill.

Joel himself has been ill for many years......he's been on a "DOUBLE Kidney transplant wait list"since he was in his teens.

I've often wondered "why" they have had to endure so much in their short lifetimes.

These kids have had and shown some amazing courage and fortitude.
I appreciate them.

Off for the day.....again.

I'm off to lunch today and to do a bit of shopping with two friends.

It seems as if I haven't had a few full days home in AGES......but it's okay.

It is always good to see friends.

Speaking of friends....my friend Susan has found out she is "FREE" of Cancer. She is going to have to take preventive "Chemo" treatments for the problems they found initally but otherwise....she's good.

Her and her husband have traveled all over the world. Like she said the other day......"they have a list"....last year they did 8 weeks to New Zealand and Australia. Soon after returning home they learned her husband had Prostrate Cancer.....he went through that regiment and is now all clear.

As soon as Susan is finished with her treatments.....they are planning to go to Ireland and Scotland.
I am ALL about that! I'm very excited for them.
They are "mapping" out their trip already.

Fruit anyone?

Thursday after my Dr's appointment I stopped off at the "Fruit Stand."
It's a "Fruit and Vegatable" market but we all always call it the "Fruit Stand." I guess it's just easier that way.

I LOVE the fact that we have "Fruit and Vegatbles" fresh here all season and can go to the "open air" market to purchase them even in the dead of winter.

I always buy way too much it seems like because I don't get there really often so I get all I can while I can. So my truck was LOADED with stuff.

On the weekends.....my husband "makes fresh juice" for me and which ever child may be home.

We bought a "juicer" last Summer and it has been so WORTH IT!
It is "amazing" to have fresh squeezed juice in your own home.

Right now....we are REALLY "into " Carrot and Apple juice....yummmmm.

I already can't wait for tomorrow.

I drank my "Carrot Apple juice" on our back patio today and it was lovely. The juice, and the sun hitting me as I sat there at the table.

Do you juice? It's a good thing....check into a juicer if you don't have one yet.
If you do have one....get to it. It is a bit of a hassle.....but so benifical to your body.

Plus......if you have a "compost bin" like we do.....it will love you for all the leftovers. We stick all the leftover pulp and skins and what have you in there so it's a two fold gift really.

We need a "DELUGE"

I need to ask you to pray and I mean we need a "Deluge" of prayers for the many various situations that are happening all over the place right now.

This is what kept coming to my heart this morning so I looked it up......and it means this.

Deluge:
1 a: an overflowing of the land by water b: a drenching rain.

2: an overwhelming amount or number

I KNEW that was the correct word when I found it so hang on a minute with me while I quickly explain.

Many requests for prayer for illness have come up in the past few weeks. So much so that I am amazed at what is trying to happen.

The other day we were contacted to pray for this young lady in our area.
Her name is Amy Stockstill. She's been very sick with Hodgkins Lymphomia but it's become a very serious situation at this point.

Her husband and her are the Youth Pastors's at "Bethany World Prayer Center" a local and well known and respected church here in town. The Pastor is Larry Stockstill.

His Daughter in Law Amy needs prayer NOW.
I will send this link to her husband "Joel's" blogsite to you and ask you to read it and to pray. It is serious. She is young, and this little couple haven't been married long.This is a photo taken by someone there.......1500 young teenagers showed up OUTSIDE the hospital where Amy is at to pray in the parking lot for her.

That is amazing.This is just what she needs.

My sister called me last night to ask me to pray for her Sister in Law who is having "biopsy's" done on her other breast today. She's alreayd been through Breast Cancer and had all her lymph glands removed and other such things on the other side of her body. She's younger than me and has two young kids.
We had just seen her at Thanksgiving in Nebraska and she is such a sweet and dear person.

I was so sad to hear this last night. Her name is Dawn.

Our Caleb is home very sick with near bronchitis and a terrible ear infection and near pneumonia. He needs prayer as well.

Deena, was to have started Chemo today as well in the Midwest and I have been praying today that it STARTS up finally and she will handle it all well.

Please consider all these things and I will be back on here later. I have two things I have to appear at today so I must run even now.
I just had to get this on here first.

Thank you!!!!!

"13 Things I Have Done That Are Pretty Awesome" ....ugh....I am SO FAR behind!

Today has been a very BUSY day.

Before leaving to meet some friends for lunch I checked my "Garden" and saw that Shari at "Onward Christian Woman" had tagged me to tell "13 Things I Have Done That Are Pretty Awesome".....and I immediatly started thinking...."what HAVE I done that is so awesome???"

This is a good reality check really....and I am so far behind. I wanted to get so much MORE accomplished by this point in time....so I need to get on it....but I seem to be a bit "stuck" in this "season" that I haven't any control over.... anyway I must press on and make the best of it until the "season" changes.

Well..if you haven't gotten to know me yet.....now you will REALLY get to know me I suppose.

I HOPE no one is tooooo freaked out. HA!Hang on here we goooo.....

#1. I've been married to my High School Sweetheart for....sigh...
30 YEARS this October.
Hey....we got married when we were like 10 years old.
Well, we had just graduated actually. Figure that one out. :~)

#2. Have given birth to FOUR wonderful kids....."all natural childbirth I might add."Breath with me.
My third child was delivered in the hallway of the hospital.
I think I might have gotten there a little bit ...late.

#3. Went to Brussels for one day. So not long enough. I plan on doing that one again one day.

#4. Have lived in several towns all over the United States....and will move again

#5. Have "Managed" a store.

#6. Hosted a Teenager from Northern Ireland for an entire month one July through the "Ulster Project." I am still in contact with his Mother and we send Christmas gifts to each other every year.

#7. Took my two older boys to El Salvador and interior Mexico to do some Missions work.

#8. Have planted several wonderful gardens and flower beds through the years....

#9. Organized and led a team of 18 to go on trip into Northern Ireland to do some "Reconcilliation" work for 10 days.

#10. Hiked to the top of a volcano in Central America and hiked to the top of a Mountain in Donegal.
I nearly died doing that last one because I had gotten very sick with bronchitis. But I just HAD to get to the top of that thing and view it. I nearly gave up halfway there because I could hardly breath. Someone else who was ill too gave me their prescribed "codene" cough medicine because I was coughing so badly. Once I got up there I sat down and I swigged it right from the prescription bottle....just like I was in Ireland or something.
At that point, I didn't care because I was trying to figure out "how I was going to make it back down that thing."

#11. Went to a "KISS" Concert when I was a teenager. Is that crazy or what??
Thanks a lot "Miss Priss" for reminding me. I don't think that is going to rank real high up there.

#12. Rescued a drowning little boy at Lake Wakonda State Park when I was probably
14-15 while swimning with my sister Jenny. It was very traumatic.
We were pretty far out when we got to him and he nearly drowned us in the process of us getting him to the shoreline. We took him to his parents. We never did know who he was.
I'm SO glad my Uncle Bill taught me and Jenny both how to swim.

#13. Have take numerous trips into Central America with my husband to help build buildings, and do other relief work.

I think that "KISS concert" thing canceled itself out.....so I need to do one more.

#14. Lived through FOUR major hurricanes in this state, one which hit the town we were living in at that time pretty hard, even destroying our church.

I guess one of the greatest things that has been awesome in my life is that......

"I have loved many people deeply and have been given love back by many."

That one is huge.Okay well......I'm pretty GREEN at this type of thing.

So I think I am supposed to "tag" someone else now......????
I've never done this before. HA! Can you tell?

I will now officially "TAG"......
Suzie, Stephanie, my cousin Sara, and Ms. "Valentine Hearts" in the U.K.

I must go now because "I'm late, I'm late!"

This makes me CRABBY.......

Though I am very grateful for the health care profession in America.

It also makes me crabby.

Yesterday our Pastor went to go get his full results of a PET/CT scan and surgery schedule date from the surgeon he has been sent to. He's been seeing an Oncologist.

I know I asked for prayer for him last week without going into great details but because we know more I will venture out a bit more now in the details.

Pastor Steve has been told that he has a "tumor" and that it is "Co-rectal Cancer."
He must have this tumor surgically removed. He is nearly 3 pints low in blood at this point as well.
This is sad news because we love him.....but we are trusting God with them through this process.

The good thing is that Steve's spirit is in very good shape and he's kept his great sense of "humor" which is a very strong point of his.

Yesterday he went to the Surgeon at one of the local hospitals and they wouldn't allow him to see the Dr. Even if they paid for the visit. They only deal with insurance.
Amazing isn't it?

Long story short....he and his wife do not have health insurace. The church we attend is small and there isn't any way for them to afford a policy for themselves. No day is really ever a "good day to be crabby"......but this issue is and has been a frustrating thing to me over the years. I have seen how humbling it can be because you feel "second rate" when you have to say....."I don't have insurance."

I know this only because we had two different gap times in our marriage when we were not covered by a health insurance plan. It wasn't the end of the world for us.

But it is harder for some than for others........especially when a person may come down with a major illness....I just can't imagine how badly they must feel. They didn't do anything wrong. There isn't a crime in not having health insurance, yet you are made to feel that way.
I know I was more than once when we didn't have it.

We are very BLESSED to have it right now at this point in our lives. In the times we didn't have it though...... somehow GOD always worked things out for us. I mean "miraclously." And I feel this will happen for Pastor Steve as well.

So I have GREAT compassion on those who haven't any health insurance.
I know that they go through things......

Such as the time recently when "Ms. Mary" at Isabella's Closet went through when her ear drum burst and she had a jaw infection and all these things were happening to her right around Christmas and she didn't go to the Dr. right away because she didn't have health insurance. She ended up going to the Emergency Room. Going to the "E.R." isn't cheap, especially when you DO not have health insurance.

People in these hard places, try to "ride out the storm" because they can't afford the Dr.'s and the drugs and the treatments.

Please pray for Pastor Steve and his wife. They are trying to get him ran through the local "Charity" hospital which is currently ran by LSU so it should be good health care provided there. He's not afraid nor is he against doing this.

Besides he works with the "needy and the homeless and the down and out" every week.
Steve and his wife run a huge "food bank" ministry here in town and are very well known and respected because of their big hearts.

It's just that "time" right now is the essance because of the point he is at.
And we aren't sure "when" he can be seen.

America really needs a revolution in the health care field.

I say this in a nice way. Because I still think we have one of the GREATEST most advanced health care systems in the world.

However...

I have said all of this on behalf of all those "tax paying citizens" that STILL can't afford health care on their own because it's gotten so DASTARDLY expensive that they can't possibly afford it.

Even though I have good health insurance..I know people can mess things up.

Doctors aren't God and they are "practicing medicine" aren't they?

I can say this because I myself have to go see Dr.s on a pretty constant basis.
They have to moniter me pretty regular, do blood tests, etc. because of the injections I must administer to myself weekly. In fact I'm back off to my "Specialist" this week even. It is time for my regular visit. It's okay though......I'm in very good shape I feel. Things could be far worse and I know that.
Actually I am one VERY grateful person.

I just still always feel badly for all those people with the problem of no means of health care and there really are more of "them" out there than you can imagine.

Please forgive any spelling or mistakes I've made.......Blogger isn't working as of late and I am very dependent on it to correct me.

Just like I am dependent on my Heavenly Father to "heal me, correct me or just help me" when I need it and in ALL areas of my life.
Believe me.....I am more reliant on God than I am the health care arena.

~Sunday Strength~

“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh”

To all of those that are struggling today with various battles...maybe in your body, possibly it's a financial issue, or a battle in your mind, or in your spirit.....
I wish you "courage" and I pray for you for strength for the battle.

Hold on.
Help is just a prayer away many times.
But whatever you do.....don't give up.
Keep trusting for your situation.
I'm trusting with you.

"Happy Groundhogs Day"........

Today is the day set aside for when the Groundhog named "Punxsutawney Phil" will come out of his Groundhog house at "sunrise," take a look around and depending on whether he does or doesn't see "his shadow" will thus predict when the world can expect spring.

Amazing....I know.

If Phil sees his shadow, the "legend" of the Groundhog is that that we can expect six more weeks of winter weather. No shadow indicates an early spring.

My sister Jenny in Iowa called me the other night on her way home from work in Nebraska....she told me that "IF that stupid Groundhog didn't see his shadow she was sooooo going after him."
In not so nice of words I might add.
I had totally forgotten that "Groundhogs Day" was even upon us.

But to people in the cold north.....I suppose might consider just "WHAT" that Groundhog might be seeing..."shadow wise" and all.
You see......she was just a tad bit...ummm...."frozen and frustrated."
It was at minus 20 below wind chill where she was at that night. Plus she had for some reason cracked her window in her car and it had snowed and she had a pile of snow in her car. Brrrrrrr!

My husband had talked to a lady on the phone in Minnesota that same day and she told my husband it was -50 below wind chill there.

Tonight my Aunt Pat in Missouri sent me an e-mail and in it she mentioned that they were having a "dinner party" for "Groundhogs Day" tomorrow night. She said that her husband's Father used to have one every year so they were upholding the "family tradition."
I love that.

I wrote her back and gave her some "menu ideas" and decorating hints on how to put up some various "Groundhog" decorations and such.
That would be fun.

Not sure how this all got started.....but I think it's time to stop this train.

Check the news tomorrow and see how soon "Spring" will be knocking on your door in your local areas depending on Mr. Groundhog.

I wonder...."does this weather forecast work for all of America or just for Pennsylvania?"