ALL HALLOW'S EVE
A woman dropped off a few small items for the church's Trash & Treasure Sale this coming Saturday. She mentioned that when she went to play bingo, there was a nun sitting at the round table she usually sits. Her heart sank as she realized she would need to behave and watch what she said. As she went to sit down, the nun said, "Hi" and the woman realized it was one of the ladies who also sat at that table - but all dressed up for Halloween in a nun's habit!!!!
It will be a quiet Halloween here. Our town has postponed Trick or Treating
until Saturday, when the rain will have ended and temps a couple of degrees warmer.
They even cancelled school yesterday and actually, although it was somewhat windy at school time, it had abated from the gusts during the night. They really could have had school yesterday. They used up one of their precious snow days.
So the door bell won't be ringing and I won't be on the porch for two hours handing out candy and smiling at all the various and sometimes very creative costumes. A very quiet Halloween.
Tomorrow will be All Saints' Day with time to reflect on all the wonderful saints who have blessed my life in all the churches I've served, those in my family, former teachers, and those who have left their imprint on my life through their writings -
Joyce Rupp, Henri Nouwen, Frederick Buechner, Mary Oliver, Walter Wangerin, Jr., and a whole host of others. I would not be who I am without their being a part of my life and I would not have the wisdom I have gained without the sharing of themselves. I am finding that All Saint's Day is full - full of the cloud of witnesses that surround me. Full of encouragement, inspiration, love, grace, strength, hope and peace. I pray that I will not disappoint them by my one insignificant life. I pray that I might be faithful as they are faithful, to serve lovingly and joyfully, to be a grateful disciple.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
WINDY -
Wind and rain for the last 14 hours. Actually, rain since Sunday and dreary, dreary, dreary. Thankfully, we have not lost power but it is amazing - the far reaching effects of Frankenstorm Sandy. The ground is saturated but since we live higher up, our basement is dry. Certainly, prayers are with all the East Coasters who have
suffered so much more.
Rain is in the forecast through Thursday and hoping to see some sunlight on Friday.
All of the trees around our subdivision are young and seem to have survived, although most of their leaves have been stripped from the high winds.
I think I will look forward to the quiet once the winds abate.
God, hold in His tender care all affected by the storm.
Wind and rain for the last 14 hours. Actually, rain since Sunday and dreary, dreary, dreary. Thankfully, we have not lost power but it is amazing - the far reaching effects of Frankenstorm Sandy. The ground is saturated but since we live higher up, our basement is dry. Certainly, prayers are with all the East Coasters who have
suffered so much more.
Rain is in the forecast through Thursday and hoping to see some sunlight on Friday.
All of the trees around our subdivision are young and seem to have survived, although most of their leaves have been stripped from the high winds.
I think I will look forward to the quiet once the winds abate.
God, hold in His tender care all affected by the storm.
Friday, October 26, 2012
RELEASED -
As of this morning, my orthopaedic doctor has released me from his care! I still have about 3 more weeks of therapy, twice a week instead of three. Finally, progress!
I still can't do stairs normally, but have gotten stronger. It will come. The doctor reminded me that this injury takes 6-9 months to totally heal. I've got a few months more to go!!!! It will be a relief not to have to go to therapy every day I'm not working!!! Yipeee!!!! I was told I was an old veteran at PT!!!
Now, I'm focusing on Reformation Sunday and my portrayal of Ulrich Zwingli - another reformer. Since he was Luther's contemporary in Switzerland, he does talk quite abit about Luther. Hoping the Lutherans will appreciate it and laugh in all the
appropriate places. I would think no one would fall asleep during this lively sermon/monologue. I used to look more like Zwingli until I had to wear glasses to preach. No getting around that, unfortunately, unless I went to contacts which I won't ever want to mess with. I pray that these Lutherans have a sense of humor and expansive spirit to welcome this type of sermon and to learn about another church reformer. I just have to make sure I can lay hold of the hat I crafted years ago that looks like Zwingli's and Luther's.
If I was a tall, thin male, I could probably pull off Calvin, but my body type is more like Zwingli. Besides which, I grew up hearing his name, have visited his birth home, have a Zwingli Bible, and have touched and read a copy of his original Bible from centuries ago that is housed at his birth home. Because he brought about the reformation in Zurich and my family comes from 40 minutes outside Zurich, Zwingli was a more familiar name than Calvin who was way down in Geneva. Of course, growing up Presbyterian - I came to know Calvin as well.
May your Reformation Sunday be an inspiration to all you serve.
As of this morning, my orthopaedic doctor has released me from his care! I still have about 3 more weeks of therapy, twice a week instead of three. Finally, progress!
I still can't do stairs normally, but have gotten stronger. It will come. The doctor reminded me that this injury takes 6-9 months to totally heal. I've got a few months more to go!!!! It will be a relief not to have to go to therapy every day I'm not working!!! Yipeee!!!! I was told I was an old veteran at PT!!!
Now, I'm focusing on Reformation Sunday and my portrayal of Ulrich Zwingli - another reformer. Since he was Luther's contemporary in Switzerland, he does talk quite abit about Luther. Hoping the Lutherans will appreciate it and laugh in all the
appropriate places. I would think no one would fall asleep during this lively sermon/monologue. I used to look more like Zwingli until I had to wear glasses to preach. No getting around that, unfortunately, unless I went to contacts which I won't ever want to mess with. I pray that these Lutherans have a sense of humor and expansive spirit to welcome this type of sermon and to learn about another church reformer. I just have to make sure I can lay hold of the hat I crafted years ago that looks like Zwingli's and Luther's.
If I was a tall, thin male, I could probably pull off Calvin, but my body type is more like Zwingli. Besides which, I grew up hearing his name, have visited his birth home, have a Zwingli Bible, and have touched and read a copy of his original Bible from centuries ago that is housed at his birth home. Because he brought about the reformation in Zurich and my family comes from 40 minutes outside Zurich, Zwingli was a more familiar name than Calvin who was way down in Geneva. Of course, growing up Presbyterian - I came to know Calvin as well.
May your Reformation Sunday be an inspiration to all you serve.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
A BEAUTIFUL THING -
Finally, a new hard drive installed and back home. After reinstalling Office, it appeared on screen and was a most beautiful sight - to have Office in front of our eyes, just like before, ready to be used!!! I stroked the monitor. It was a blissful thing!!! Now LH and I can type our sermons and newsletter articles.
It truly is a beautiful thing!
At PT, I have had my knee bent to 116 degrees! Also a beautiful, if somewhat painful thing! The bicycle seat is set down to 2 from a high of 7. All signs of slow and gradual progress. Now I am working on strengthening the quad which is so terribly weak. I cannot stand and start squatting on the left leg without help from the right.
More work and exercises to be done, daily.
But how glorious it is to mark progress and to have Office back. Beautiful things.
Finally, a new hard drive installed and back home. After reinstalling Office, it appeared on screen and was a most beautiful sight - to have Office in front of our eyes, just like before, ready to be used!!! I stroked the monitor. It was a blissful thing!!! Now LH and I can type our sermons and newsletter articles.
It truly is a beautiful thing!
At PT, I have had my knee bent to 116 degrees! Also a beautiful, if somewhat painful thing! The bicycle seat is set down to 2 from a high of 7. All signs of slow and gradual progress. Now I am working on strengthening the quad which is so terribly weak. I cannot stand and start squatting on the left leg without help from the right.
More work and exercises to be done, daily.
But how glorious it is to mark progress and to have Office back. Beautiful things.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
CRASH -
Gone. Our hard drive bit the dust after a mere 3 years. It's benn a long week without being on-line. Hopefully, LH will get the new hard drive that's been put into the computer hooked up this afternoon. A good rainy day project on a day off!!!
How exasperating this has been. What a lesson in wondering what we did before the
internet!!!!
Will need to get the router put in as well by this weekend and maybe, we'll be back in business and enjoying the resurrection of our computer!
Gone. Our hard drive bit the dust after a mere 3 years. It's benn a long week without being on-line. Hopefully, LH will get the new hard drive that's been put into the computer hooked up this afternoon. A good rainy day project on a day off!!!
How exasperating this has been. What a lesson in wondering what we did before the
internet!!!!
Will need to get the router put in as well by this weekend and maybe, we'll be back in business and enjoying the resurrection of our computer!
Monday, October 08, 2012
SIMPLY AGGRAVATING
Don't know if it was LH or I who picked up a very nasty computer virus. So much for
paying for anti-virus protection!
So, the computer is getting cleaned and we are realizing how much time we spend on line,
looking up things, emailing, and playing a game or two. Perhaps, we're spending more
time on-line than we should.
Sad that we didn't get the new router hooked up so we could use my new laptop. But we put off for tomorrow what we should've done today and now we are off-line. It stinks.
Fortunately, I'm in the church office twice a week and can get on-line there.
I really hope we have our computer back by Friday.
For the time being, my dinosaur laptop is plugged in at home to at least type a sermon, save it to flash, print it out and play a game of solitaire or two. So, at least we can prepare for Sunday.
How simply aggravating and irritating it is to be off-line.
i did manage, however, to make some tarragon vinegar when I harvested the tarragon on Sunday afternoon before the frost last night. The dried basil has been jarred, while the oregano and more tarragon is drying. I covered my red pepper plant last night (with its one green pepper on it) and it survived as did the geraniums I covered.
I'm not quite ready for all this frost stuff.
If my presence and lack of Friday Five seem spotty and after the fact, it's cause the computer is getting fixed.
I wish we had a kid who was computer savvy. Sigh. But all our kids have paws!!!
No help there! Besides, a virus needs professional help. They called the FBI virus.
Nasty, nasty, nasty. Don't get it!!!!
Don't know if it was LH or I who picked up a very nasty computer virus. So much for
paying for anti-virus protection!
So, the computer is getting cleaned and we are realizing how much time we spend on line,
looking up things, emailing, and playing a game or two. Perhaps, we're spending more
time on-line than we should.
Sad that we didn't get the new router hooked up so we could use my new laptop. But we put off for tomorrow what we should've done today and now we are off-line. It stinks.
Fortunately, I'm in the church office twice a week and can get on-line there.
I really hope we have our computer back by Friday.
For the time being, my dinosaur laptop is plugged in at home to at least type a sermon, save it to flash, print it out and play a game of solitaire or two. So, at least we can prepare for Sunday.
How simply aggravating and irritating it is to be off-line.
i did manage, however, to make some tarragon vinegar when I harvested the tarragon on Sunday afternoon before the frost last night. The dried basil has been jarred, while the oregano and more tarragon is drying. I covered my red pepper plant last night (with its one green pepper on it) and it survived as did the geraniums I covered.
I'm not quite ready for all this frost stuff.
If my presence and lack of Friday Five seem spotty and after the fact, it's cause the computer is getting fixed.
I wish we had a kid who was computer savvy. Sigh. But all our kids have paws!!!
No help there! Besides, a virus needs professional help. They called the FBI virus.
Nasty, nasty, nasty. Don't get it!!!!
Monday, October 01, 2012
As I say good-bye to September and welcome October, I am looking at another month of therapy. The Doc seemed pleased enough with my progress that doing a manipulation was not mentioned. (yipee!) But for some reason, it seems to me that 7 years ago, I was further along in the healing process than I am now. Me thinks there is still scar
tissue that needs to be boken through. I did get new pain medication and can ease off the high powered one, which also is progress.
I am again amazed at how each little accomplishment feels like a huge win!!! Whenever the seat gets adjusted on the leg press or more weight is added - wonderful.
Whenever the seat or springs are adjusted on the other machine - good! When the bike seat gets lowered a notch - hallelujah! Each another step further on the journey of healing.
I didn't get considered further for a different position closer to home. I have to let that go and the rejection as well. It is simply not the place God wants me to be for whatever unfathomable reason. I guess God wants me to be a different denomination for the time being.
after hearing a popular preacher/author/professor speak at our Presbytery meeting on Saturday, I feel bad worrying about health insurance come next June and the fact that I have earned no pension in the last year. These are the things of this world and yet, I would not be honest if I did not say that I am concerned and sometimes anxious
about these things. There has been much sacrifice in serving the church - most of which
has been ok or that I can accept. However, the health insurance and pension is what worries me most.
It is all well and good to serve part-time, to serve as an interim, but lacking pension and health insurance is just not adequate, nor just.
I don't believe that the speaker on Sat. loses a wink of sleep wondering about his health insurance or pension.
I am puttinng these things in God's hands, turning them over to God, for they are too big for me to deal with. Somehow, some way, I just have to trust God and stay as faithful as I can, one small step at a time.
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