Monday, September 24, 2012
CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING -
It's good to be back serving once again.
While studying the scriptures and focusing on Mark and saltiness,
I had the idea to give out little individual packets of salt.
So this afternoon, I drove down the street to The Girl-Named Hamburger place
and spoke with the manager. I mentioned I was serving as interim pastor at the church
just down the street and was looking to see if I could purchase 100 packets of salt.
He donated them to me and this Sunday, the parishioners here will be given a packet of
salt to remind them to be salty in all they do and wherever the day and week may take them
I toss this out to you in the event you may wish to do the same!!
It supports a local business that employs local folks even though
it is free advertisment for the fast food chain!
A neat free thing to do and a tangible reminder of the scripture.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
NEWLY BEGUN -
I have begun a new position in a church of another denomination - two days a week and Sundays with two services. I survived the first Sunday intact although rather tired
and sore afterward which warranted a two hour nap in the afternoon.
It is a 70 minute commute one way. I don't know how this will go in the winter with snow or ice. We'll cross that bridge when it comes.
It is good to be serving again. I simply wish I wasn't as lame or the folks as anxious in this interim time that they drive away a council member who does so much and is wise and is working for the good of the church.
Yesterday was PT day. Again they brought me to tears and to the place where I have to yell - "no more", "I can't" and "enough". They always apologize and I always assure them that they are only doing what needs to be done. It is hard on us, both the PT and me. I don't know why it's taking longer this time. On the bike, after heat and bending, the pilates machine, the leg press and the leg curl machine and more bending and stretching of the muscle, they put me on the bike and were abe to set the seat at 6
instead of 7, or is it 5 instead of 6. Either way it's a notch lower.
I wish I was beyond the pain and could work on strengthening the muscle. I also get very sore in the back of thigh muscle up to the gluets and hip. Believe me, the commute reminds me of it. I am waking up every time I roll over or change position in bed. Our mattress is way too firm and hard for me any more. May have to ge a new mattress and see if it helps.
Also had to invest in a new laptop. My old one still runs on ME!!!! And it weighs a ton compared to this little Vaio ultrabook. I am newly beginning to learn and get used to a touchpad and laptop.
So in the midst of pain and torture and healing - newness is rising up in serving a new church, gaining laptop skills and putting lots and lots of miles on an old van.
I pray I can help this church weather this interim time, to lessen their anxiety,
to look to the future, to invite others to a bible study or other church event.
I desire newness in the degree of bending in my knee so that I can get on and be
"normal" once more and move like I used to. It all comes down to trust, for me and for the church. Trust in God for help, guidance, and simply God's presence and healing. And to keep looking for the newly begun springing up around us.
I have begun a new position in a church of another denomination - two days a week and Sundays with two services. I survived the first Sunday intact although rather tired
and sore afterward which warranted a two hour nap in the afternoon.
It is a 70 minute commute one way. I don't know how this will go in the winter with snow or ice. We'll cross that bridge when it comes.
It is good to be serving again. I simply wish I wasn't as lame or the folks as anxious in this interim time that they drive away a council member who does so much and is wise and is working for the good of the church.
Yesterday was PT day. Again they brought me to tears and to the place where I have to yell - "no more", "I can't" and "enough". They always apologize and I always assure them that they are only doing what needs to be done. It is hard on us, both the PT and me. I don't know why it's taking longer this time. On the bike, after heat and bending, the pilates machine, the leg press and the leg curl machine and more bending and stretching of the muscle, they put me on the bike and were abe to set the seat at 6
instead of 7, or is it 5 instead of 6. Either way it's a notch lower.
I wish I was beyond the pain and could work on strengthening the muscle. I also get very sore in the back of thigh muscle up to the gluets and hip. Believe me, the commute reminds me of it. I am waking up every time I roll over or change position in bed. Our mattress is way too firm and hard for me any more. May have to ge a new mattress and see if it helps.
Also had to invest in a new laptop. My old one still runs on ME!!!! And it weighs a ton compared to this little Vaio ultrabook. I am newly beginning to learn and get used to a touchpad and laptop.
So in the midst of pain and torture and healing - newness is rising up in serving a new church, gaining laptop skills and putting lots and lots of miles on an old van.
I pray I can help this church weather this interim time, to lessen their anxiety,
to look to the future, to invite others to a bible study or other church event.
I desire newness in the degree of bending in my knee so that I can get on and be
"normal" once more and move like I used to. It all comes down to trust, for me and for the church. Trust in God for help, guidance, and simply God's presence and healing. And to keep looking for the newly begun springing up around us.
Friday, September 14, 2012
FRIDAY FIVE - RANDOM
Hello dear Friday-fivers!
Without further ado, here is the Friday Five Random-Style meme for you on this September morning!
1. What is one of the best things that happened to you this week?
I made a full revolution on the bike today! Of course, the seat is set at 7 and I
just reach the pedals. I did have to lean to the right to make it backwards.
Forwards seemed to go almost better. Progress!
2. If you were in a Ms., Miss, Mr. (name your country) Pageant, what would your talent be?
A synchronized swimm program.
3. You were just given a YACHT!!! What would you name it, and why?
"Dances with Waves" - just because I like how boats do dance with the waves
and it sounds graceful.
4. If you were to perform in a circus, what would you do? (I can't remember if I asked this before...)
I'd be a clown, because I make a fool of myself generally anyway!!!!
No big stretch for me!
5. What do you have in your bag/wallet/backpack that best describes your personality?
My pen since I journal and have to write everything down to remember things.
Sadly, also a credit card to pay for the things I buy for others and myself.
Hello dear Friday-fivers!
Without further ado, here is the Friday Five Random-Style meme for you on this September morning!
1. What is one of the best things that happened to you this week?
I made a full revolution on the bike today! Of course, the seat is set at 7 and I
just reach the pedals. I did have to lean to the right to make it backwards.
Forwards seemed to go almost better. Progress!
2. If you were in a Ms., Miss, Mr. (name your country) Pageant, what would your talent be?
A synchronized swimm program.
3. You were just given a YACHT!!! What would you name it, and why?
"Dances with Waves" - just because I like how boats do dance with the waves
and it sounds graceful.
4. If you were to perform in a circus, what would you do? (I can't remember if I asked this before...)
I'd be a clown, because I make a fool of myself generally anyway!!!!
No big stretch for me!
5. What do you have in your bag/wallet/backpack that best describes your personality?
My pen since I journal and have to write everything down to remember things.
Sadly, also a credit card to pay for the things I buy for others and myself.
Monday, September 10, 2012
WEEK 10 or 11 -
I have begun to lose count as the days and weeks go by. My days are filled with PT and exercising and progress seems so very slow. I have endured more pain in these weeks than I care to mention and enough to last a lifetime. And it is not yet over. PT is hard at work bending my knee, working on breaking up scar tissue, using heat and ice. I have yet to make a full revolution on the bike and the seat is at 6. I have to use a foot stool to climb aboard and just reach the pedals. Not making a full revolution pedalling backwards yet is a discouragement.
I have brought the leg press carriage down and they reset the seat so that I can't bring the carriage down again. Sigh. As soon as you accomplish something they make it harder again. It's the nature of the beast of PT.
I have also brought the carriage all the way on the pilates machine and that, too, they have reset.
I am beginning a new position (interim) this week on Wed. I pray I can endure the over hour drive and the grueling Sunday schedule of two services with Adult Sunday School inbetween. I will leave at 7:15 am and not get home til 2 pm or after. The drive itself proved agonizing for a good 20 minutes last week. The first 30 minutes went well, the next 20 were painful adjusting my knee as best I could, and then the last 20 were ok again. I had to repeat the process on the drive home. Those are the longest 20-30 minutes when the pain is so great.
As this is a church of another denomination, I again have to learn the liturgy and tab the altar book for the words for communion. I hope I don't get too lost and scew things up too royally on Sunday.
In the meanwhile, I have shortened three dresses, taken in a skirt at the waist, and shortened pairs of pants, and the sleeves of one shirt. All done in blocks of 30 minutes or so at a time, since sitting too long is uncomfortable. I have accomplished something.
I had hoped that by now I could sleep without a pain pill. I try every week but by 3 am I am in discomfort enough to distrupt my sleep. I am tired of the pain, the discomfort, and not being able to be my normal self and doing things without taking a half hour to do them. I am getting cranky and it seems that it's once again time for pain pill as the one from this morning is wearing off.
I am also out of sorts since learning that my cousin - a year older than myself - has just passed away in Switzerland due to some type of cancer. He is the first of my first cousins to pass away. I had hoped that we would see each other again sometime, but apparently not in this life on earth. I pray that he had God's peace not knowing how much of a faith life he had. It has been so unsettling and he so young yet. He and his wife had no children (like us). His mother, my aunt must be so grief stricken as well as his wife. My aunt has lost her husband and son, and her younger son suffered a traumatic head injury at 13 and has never been the same since - 36 years ago.
It is too bad we live so far apart, making it impossible to attend the services. I miss that and the gathering of family. My prayers and heart are with U's family and with all the family on my Dad's side. It's only us cousins left know. All the brothers and sisters are gone and spouses as well, except for two aunts by marriage.
So, it's been a week of pain, of change, and heartache. But through it all, God is there gently holding me up and giving me strength to endure, to keep trying and to keep working.
I have begun to lose count as the days and weeks go by. My days are filled with PT and exercising and progress seems so very slow. I have endured more pain in these weeks than I care to mention and enough to last a lifetime. And it is not yet over. PT is hard at work bending my knee, working on breaking up scar tissue, using heat and ice. I have yet to make a full revolution on the bike and the seat is at 6. I have to use a foot stool to climb aboard and just reach the pedals. Not making a full revolution pedalling backwards yet is a discouragement.
I have brought the leg press carriage down and they reset the seat so that I can't bring the carriage down again. Sigh. As soon as you accomplish something they make it harder again. It's the nature of the beast of PT.
I have also brought the carriage all the way on the pilates machine and that, too, they have reset.
I am beginning a new position (interim) this week on Wed. I pray I can endure the over hour drive and the grueling Sunday schedule of two services with Adult Sunday School inbetween. I will leave at 7:15 am and not get home til 2 pm or after. The drive itself proved agonizing for a good 20 minutes last week. The first 30 minutes went well, the next 20 were painful adjusting my knee as best I could, and then the last 20 were ok again. I had to repeat the process on the drive home. Those are the longest 20-30 minutes when the pain is so great.
As this is a church of another denomination, I again have to learn the liturgy and tab the altar book for the words for communion. I hope I don't get too lost and scew things up too royally on Sunday.
In the meanwhile, I have shortened three dresses, taken in a skirt at the waist, and shortened pairs of pants, and the sleeves of one shirt. All done in blocks of 30 minutes or so at a time, since sitting too long is uncomfortable. I have accomplished something.
I had hoped that by now I could sleep without a pain pill. I try every week but by 3 am I am in discomfort enough to distrupt my sleep. I am tired of the pain, the discomfort, and not being able to be my normal self and doing things without taking a half hour to do them. I am getting cranky and it seems that it's once again time for pain pill as the one from this morning is wearing off.
I am also out of sorts since learning that my cousin - a year older than myself - has just passed away in Switzerland due to some type of cancer. He is the first of my first cousins to pass away. I had hoped that we would see each other again sometime, but apparently not in this life on earth. I pray that he had God's peace not knowing how much of a faith life he had. It has been so unsettling and he so young yet. He and his wife had no children (like us). His mother, my aunt must be so grief stricken as well as his wife. My aunt has lost her husband and son, and her younger son suffered a traumatic head injury at 13 and has never been the same since - 36 years ago.
It is too bad we live so far apart, making it impossible to attend the services. I miss that and the gathering of family. My prayers and heart are with U's family and with all the family on my Dad's side. It's only us cousins left know. All the brothers and sisters are gone and spouses as well, except for two aunts by marriage.
So, it's been a week of pain, of change, and heartache. But through it all, God is there gently holding me up and giving me strength to endure, to keep trying and to keep working.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
RAIN, GLORIOUS RAIN!
Yesterday and today we are receiving the renmants of Isaac. So far, between yesterday and last night, we got an inch and a quarter of much needed rain. The grass is getting greener and the garden seems much refreshed and happier.
It's amazing to think that the rain we are rejoicing in, wrecked such havoc in the Carribean and in New Orleans, but even more amazing that this rain had it's beginnings as a storm off the coast of Africa, travelling across the Atlantic, through the Carribean, across the Gulf of Mexico, and up from New Orleans all the way to NE Ohio.
What a journey this water has made! What grateful recepients here that we are. I doubt that most people give rain a second thought. Yes, some farmers are truly rejoicing and are thankful. But the majority merely complain about the dampening of their Labor Day weekend plans.
African rain in OH! How amazing is that? Or how water recycles itself the world over.
God has created an astounding universe and world in which we live, breathe and have our being. Do we even stop for a moment to consider that, give thanks, and savor the glory and wonder of it all? I will today. Hope that you will join in as well.
Yesterday and today we are receiving the renmants of Isaac. So far, between yesterday and last night, we got an inch and a quarter of much needed rain. The grass is getting greener and the garden seems much refreshed and happier.
It's amazing to think that the rain we are rejoicing in, wrecked such havoc in the Carribean and in New Orleans, but even more amazing that this rain had it's beginnings as a storm off the coast of Africa, travelling across the Atlantic, through the Carribean, across the Gulf of Mexico, and up from New Orleans all the way to NE Ohio.
What a journey this water has made! What grateful recepients here that we are. I doubt that most people give rain a second thought. Yes, some farmers are truly rejoicing and are thankful. But the majority merely complain about the dampening of their Labor Day weekend plans.
African rain in OH! How amazing is that? Or how water recycles itself the world over.
God has created an astounding universe and world in which we live, breathe and have our being. Do we even stop for a moment to consider that, give thanks, and savor the glory and wonder of it all? I will today. Hope that you will join in as well.
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