P.O.O.P.I.E. Day

POOPIE stands for: People Opposing Objectionable Pretend plants In the Environment

How could I skip this fun? The Nester is hosting a "P.O.O.P.I.E. Party" today (see above) and all sorts of folks are sharing their loved and not-so-loved fake flower/plant/greenery arrangements. I have to admit, if The Nester lived near-by I'd have a tough time not knocking on her door, begging her to make me an exact duplicate of the fall wreath she just made.

I don't have much in the way of fake flowers around my house. They always just look too... fake. I do have a few although I'm only sharing two. One of them is hanging on my front door and I'll have to take pictures of that one later but the others are in my living room. One proudly sits on the mantel, one fills a void next to the piano and another one I hide in a corner.

The one in the corner, though, I just can't get rid of or give away, no matter how tacky it may look. It is a piece I did in the late '80's (that should be obvious by the color...) and I painted it and filled it with flowers myself. I was 19, I think. I worked in a daycare center at the time and the other woman in my room (we were in charge of the babies), Rose, had a ceramics business on the side. I had always loved "big" stuff and wanted to paint one of these vases so... Rose helped me out. It was fun work and I believe it was one my last forays into the crafting world. I'm just not talented - or patient - enough to do much of this kind of thing. (I buy from others - I support America small businesses this way. :) )

Rose passed away in the early '90's. She was young, to me anyway, and I have always missed her. We worked together while I was still in New Jersey and my own family had moved to California. She became a combination Mom/Big Sister for me and her death hit me hard. So - the vase stays. No matter how tacky and fake it may look. However, I'm not above sharing it for a great cause such as this one!

Have a fun day, folks!

The Saga Continues

Here I sit wondering what I want to write. I haven't really been able to settle down and focus on much the last few days. Surgery went well but there seems to be a minor "after" hiccup. We're trying to figure out if I'm allergic to Aleve. It hasn't been pleasant since yesterday morning. I woke up with, of all the odd things, blotchy spots on my upper arms and those spots feel as though they have a fever in them. I don't have a fever, so the thermometer says but I have some muscle weakness, some light-headedness (as if I'm faint from hunger) and my arms both feel like I just had a tetanus shot. I don't trust myself behind the wheel of a car and when the mailman came today, I almost lost my balance trying to stand on my front porch.

It's not pleasant.

I have stopped taking the Aleve and have chatted with my doctor's office. I'm supposed to take some Benadryl and if that doesn't clear up my problem, I'm off to see her tomorrow.

This is something new for me. I haven't had an allergic reaction to medication before. The thing that makes me most sad is the Aleve was helping the pain I've been having in my knees! I suppose that's a good thing, though, too. If I don't feel the pain in my knees I may not be quite so motivated to start walking again, lose some of the excess weight I'm carrying so my knees aren't having to shoulder (ha ha) so much of a load... On the other hand, a few days sans pain has been incredibly pleasant.

I'm wondering what comes next, if I'll get better or if there is more in store. I wonder what the something is God is going to teach me (the TV hasn't been on all day - I've been reading instead!) and hoping I don't miss it.

By the way...I'm preparing some devotions for the women at the shelter. I start this Sunday going every Sunday and I promised them we'd talk over the women in the Bible. If you have any insight into Eve and want to share, I'm all ears. Or eyes. I have a couple of books I'm reading through and, of course, reading through Genesis but I am open to more information. After Eve I'll be talking about Mrs. Noah (since we're never given her first name) and then Sarah.

There is so much to learn from these women and I can't wait to see what God opens up to them - and to me - through these women. I think the part I love best is learning more about God together. Ecclesiastes reminds us: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12) and as we learn together, grow together, that cord grows stronger. We support one another and become accountable to one another, becoming a part of each other's lives in community as God intends.

Ah...if only my brain were more clear. I'm off to read again. I hope you all have a great Monday evening!

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays - The Crist Family

*before reading through...don't forget to scroll down and turn off my music. :)

This week I'm including a couple of videos from a family gospel group, The Crist Family. They are originally from the northwest, members of my church and a few years ago felt a call from God to leave everything here and head to Tennessee. Their story is incredible and I love listening to them sing (They have glorious harmony, all sing beautifully and God blessed Tammy (their female lead) with an amazing voice!). I had the pleasure of meeting them and getting to know them (just a little bit) because a dear friend of mine is very close to this family. They are Jesus following, God fearing people who serve others with their music. You cannot listen to them, talk to them or even be in the same room with them without wanting to know the God they serve. It is that powerful from them. The love that just rolls off of this family is visible, almost tangible. They have faced adversity in several forms but don't seem to see it that way. It has always been another time of God leading them in the way He wanted them to go and grow. Not to say they're perfect - there were probably plenty of private moments of doubt but they always knew who is in control! I haven't had the pleasure of seeing this family for a few years now, they haven't been home long enough for me to have that opportunity but they are on my heart often and I love them dearly. I hope you enjoy their music, their message is strong and clear.

Surgery Over!

I'm not going to pretend there hasn't been some discomfort today. Surgery went well but my husband insists I was nervous. Not sure how he knew...something about my 91 bpm heartrate or the 164/82 blood pressure... He said it was because I was a bit of a chatty Kathy with the nurse. The #'s just confirmed his theory.

Don't know why I was nervous...I spent the morning praying that Jesus would stand with my doctor and the operating team during my surgery. His name was the last thing I remember thinking (I was repeating it over and over in my head because I know how fast they knock you out!) before the nurse said "she'll take your glasses..."

He definitely stood with them. I'm not going to share details here but apparently one or two things will have to be clarified with my doctor when I go in for my follow up. Nothing disastrous or scary but there is a chance this isn't going to completely take care of my problem. Man oh man oh man...

However. I know this is just one more thing that God wants me to experience and I know He is with me all the time. Jesus promised to be with us ALWAYS. It will help me have compassion for those women who have to deal with this or similar issues.

It makes me wonder, though - how many women through the centuries have gone through something like this with absolutely no relief at all. How blessed am I to live in a time when the "fix" is relatively simple and pretty well painless. I have thought often of the Thugater woman in Luke and while I have gone through 4 months, she went through 12 years. I have prayed, cried, been annoyed and angry. So I wonder - How did she not give up? What kept her going? Where did she draw her hope? - I'm not sure I could do for 12 years what I have done for the last 4 months.

That is all for now, I think. I am tired and ready to take my place on my couch again for a few hours. I am looking forward to spending just hours in my Bible tomorrow, chatting with a couple of visitors and talking with - listening to, hopefully - God. A full day of forced rest. How wonderful it sounds.

May your weekend be blessed!

Laurel Wreaths Giveaways

In honor of fall, Laurel is doing a Fall Giveaway. It's been too fun so I have to share. Hope all of you pop over to her blog, see what's up and enter.

If you win, let me know! If you win the coffee, invite me over to share. :)

Thankful Thursdays - Seasons

I think I've decided to read through Iris' post before posting my thankful list each week. Some weeks there may be something specific that God places on my heart but if not, I'll go with her subject. She makes me think and that's a good thing.

This week she wrote on seasons. Not just the seasons in a year but seasons in your life. That puts you into rewind mode a bit, a walk down memory lane. It's interesting, too, because I went to visit my brother's family over Labor Day weekend and my brother was in the mood to talk "the good ol' days" so we sat up late on Friday night, talking through memories and about people we hadn't thought about in years. It was a lot of fun and what was even better about it was realizing we had more positive memories than negative.

My thankful list, the seasons in my life...

1. Lord Jesus, Father God, thank You for all of the places my father took us when we were kids. He loved camping and that vacation he would get every year was put to good use.

2. Lord Jesus, Father God, thank You for my Nana & Pop Pop Johnston. Every child should be blessed with grandparents such as they were.

3. Lord Jesus, Father God, thank You for my time as a single mother. That was a long time and while I spent a good part of it ignoring You, pretending You didn't exist, You loved us. You took care of us. You kept us safe.

4. Lord Jesus, Father God, thank You for the opportunity to be a wife again. My first husband, poor man, had his own problems but he married a very selfish girl. I wasn't a follower - or much of a believer for that matter - then and it showed in every aspect of my life. It took me almost 15 years of being single, including all of those lousy choices in the relationship department, to realize that being a wife did not mean that the man of the house existed to serve her. It means supporting him, loving him, encouraging him to be the man that God intends for him to be. It means a lot more but in the interest of avoiding the rambling I tend to do, I'll just say read Ephesians 5.

5. Lord Jesus, Father God - thank You for whatever is next. For Your purpose for my life. Thank You for all that You have taught me and will teach me. May my eyes always be fixed on You and only You.

I'm probably missing a season or two in there but... that will do for this week, I think. God is so good and I am always amazed at His blessings. Thank you, too, Iris, for making me think through all that He has done and given me. What a great time I'll have strolling down memory lane, holding His hand as I walk.

Have a gloriously blessed Thursday!

Labor Day Weekend

I feel a bit out of touch. It's been almost a week since I last posted and I'm not even sure where to begin with this one. Last Thursday I posted my "thankful" list and then headed off to the doctor for my pre-op appointment. It included a test that sent my body into turmoil. Not sure how else to describe it. I have spent every day since in misery physically. The thing that keeps me going every day is knowing that Friday is my surgery and then, prayerfully, this problem will be rectified and I can stop feeling like it's my sole focus.

It's not even an interesting focus.

Friday Christopher & I headed down to Oregon to hang out with my brother and his family for a couple of days. There was an ulterior motive but seeing them was the best part of our trip. We headed off to the Oregon State Fair for some one on one time with a boa constrictor. My sister-in-law & I were talking about the fact that holding & touching a snake doesn't bother us. It's when they're out "in the wild" and we come across one suddenly that we aren't too keen on. Snakes are not my friend but this one is pretty, she's yellow and not too huge but big enough to be a bit intimidating. We had our picture taken with her but I forgot to give my sister-in-law my camera so... the electronic version is on her camera still and the polaroid is at home. Not scanned.

However, I have a few great pictures of the clouds in the sky. Don't ask me why but on occasion I'll hold my camera up to my windshield and just snap a picture. These are a couple of samples of what I've managed to "catch" so far.

If you enlarge the pictures you can probably see a spot or two on them. They're on my windshield.

I wish I could say I managed to relax yesterday but... had laundry to do and errands to run. Had to buy a few groceries, too. I'm working on that. I spent over $100 yesterday and that will only cover a couple of days. Aaron & I have been talking about really settling in and figuring out better ways to budget our food money. There has to be a better way. Even with clipping coupons and trying to shop as many sales as possible our food bill is somewhere around $700-800 a month. It's crazy stuff. We know there is a better way to shop out there but we haven't stumbled across it yet. It needs to be simple, too. As much as we would love to be able to spend several hours just sitting around cutting coupons, shopping sale ads, etc., we can't do it all. So...some weeks we bargain and other weeks we don't. Even if we cut our food bills by $50 a week, I'd be thrilled.

I think that's going to be it for today...I'm sleepy. My surgery is Friday at 9:15 AM. I would really love it if you'd pray for my doctor while this is happening. :)

Thanks!