I’m Impressed

In beginning the narration part of the ‘Special Memories Recital’  I am constantly impressed by the leading of the Lord on many parts of the narration. Five different friends at different times; while I am still in the thinking about and planning stage of the narration; have shared things that will become an important  part of it.

Tonight, thanks to Penny, I have the 7 points that will tie it all together.  Now as soon as Bill’s initial recovery is past I will be confirming which students will be attending.  Then will be scheduling who wants to perform and what they want to do.

In the meantime I will be doing more of the housework that Bill usually does.  We are trying to do some of the catch up things in the next 3 days before the cataract removal.  That will give me more free time to be with him, do things with him and for him after the 2nd.

We are so blessed! I’m loving the time we are able to be back with our church family.  There is something so special with being with other Christians in united worship.  We’re praying for continued good health and nice weather to enable us to be there.

To give you a little preview of the recital; we will be covering the benefits of music,  singing, and lessons; along with recognition.   So far about a dozen of my former students,  a special friend and my 5 current students will be sharing their music.  We plan on having music and memories from 1pm until 3pm.  Then munchies and more memories until shortly before 5pm.

Tonight my mind is so full of all the important, mostly joyful things, that need to be done in the next 8 weeks it is hard to stay focused on any one thing.  Have patience with me please. 🙂

Some of those events,  Michele called tonight and she will be planning to be here for Lyndi’s dance recital and Mother’s Day,  folks that are planning to be at the recital or helping with it,  invitations given and students planning to attend lists.  Then the ‘Special Memories Recital’ itself.  Love the preparations and the event itself.

Most important events in the next 8 weeks started today with Palm Sunday services and of course the most important day of our year  Resurrection Sunday or Easter.  Such a joyful ending for a week with a crucial, apparently sad day, occurring near the end of it.

But then RESURRECTION !  The foundation of our hope, our faith, our love, our lives!

The very best ending for any of my blogs.  Have a very blessed day!

 

 

 

Three Times in a Row PTL

For the third time in a row we were able to attend church this morning 🙂 ❤ This was a real blessing since we have been prevented by cold temperature, bad roads, and physical limitations.  We have been able to hear the sermons, thanks to Aaron, but it just isn’t the same as being there for the worship, singing and the friendship of other believers.  So we are rejoicing and praising the Lord for the privilege 🙂

Another blessing this week was the developing health benefits I experienced from being in the group of Clean Eating and Fitness.  I noticed several days this week that it was much easier to think about what I was eating.  As a result many healthier choices were made in what went into my very undisciplined mouth. I will be asking how to invite others to join tomorrow; so if you’re interested just message me on Facebook.

Now, 7 days later, it was 4 times we were able to be back worshiping at our church It is wonderful to be with others in our church family ! We’ve had the benefit of the teaching before but missed the church family so much.  Facebook helps us keep in contact but nothing can take the place of ‘face to face’ fellowship.

If I had the monetary means I would have an elevator installed so I could attend all the wonderful activities that we miss with our physical limitations.  The stairs to the fellowship area are very hard for us to go up safely.  I’m so thankful that the Lord and many of our church family understand my caution.

Blogging regularly will be one of my top priorities for the next 10 weeks to keep me focused on what is really important in our time schedule.  I have been asked several times when the next book will be published. It is time to work on that, as well as prepare for the “special memories recital”.

In the midst of that Bill has a cataract surgery; writing the narration for the recital needs to be completed; former students have to be contacted to see what talent they are going to share; munchies for the recitals need to be planned; regular schedules need to be taken care of  etc etc etc.

Any suggestions on how to put 24 hours worth of work into 16 hours?  Me neither 🙂 Many years ago when I complained with not having enough hours in the day, the Lord asked me, ” if He gave me more hours, how many hours of work would I try to put into the extra hours.”  He knows me so well.

I continue to gain much of my strength and a little more discipline every time I take the time to go to church or spend time reading the Bible.  Hopefully before my 80th birthday I will complete the 75th time of reading completely through this wonderful book.  Hope to be disciplined enough some year to match the times I have completed reading it through with my age.  That is close to the top of my long-range goals.

“In spring a young man’s fancy turns to love” is a well know quote.  Well I’m definitely neither young or a man, so spring gives me very different thoughts.  It is always a time of more busyness and completing the cleaning I usually start at least by mid January.  This year the cleaning is only beginning.  The especially confining temperature of winter plus a mild case of the flue, combined with being exhausted much of the time caused many extra hours of sleep.  I think I slept more in the first two and a half months of 2015  than during any other 10 months. Coupled with the age related limitations I’ll need a miracle from the Lord to complete my  daily goals. The older I get the more I appreciate the benefits of serving the Lord. 🙂

How does the Lord daily bless you?

 

New Address, Same Author

Since I have tried for a month to get back in my former blog address and was unsuccessful I simple changed addresses.  so let’s renew old acquaintances as we make new friends.  Hopefully this will last for another 3 or more years

What’s been going on in my life and thoughts for the last month?  Lots of things and thoughts.  Mostly how to reopen my blog so I could write. 🙂

Like many of our Michigan friends we were surprised when winter arrived much earlier than it has in many years.  But it did happen when I was a much younger person.  It happened one beautiful Thanksgiving Day.

Well at least it started out to be a beautiful, sunny Thursday!  It was long ago and I have forgotten what the temperature was on that morning.  We had gathered at my folk’s farm. There would have been probably 7 ladies, 5 men, 2 boys and 2 girls.  There, as usual, we had a great meal and lots of good visiting for the afternoon.

Imagine everyone’s surprise when late afternoon someone noticed that it had not only been snowing, but there were several inches of snow covering everything.  Though we usually had supper before everyone left for home the adults decided to leave early. Especially since Uncle Charlie, Aunt Hazel and her mom lived in Detroit.  Uncle Bud and Aunt Nellie would be taking her mom home a few miles away and the country roads weren’t plowed as soon as convenient many times.

Since no one had put on boots that morning and the snow was already above the ankles and still snowing it presented a problem.  Dad had 2 pair of overshoes fortunately; he shared one pair with one of the other men and they went out and started the cars.  Then they made seats out of their arms and carried the ladies, one by one out to their cars.  No one got stuck on the way home, but I think we ended up being snowed in for a few days.

With the weather forecasts available now it might not have come as such a surprise and we could have been prepared.

But with the number of accidents, when the roads first get slippery, many drivers are just as unprepared today.

The Bible speaks of another time in the future that many are unprepared for.  Music also portrays the thoughts and reactions to that future event.  If you’re interested you can read about it several places in the Bible.  One song phrases it “I wish we’d all been ready.”  Another asks the question,  “say will you be ready when Jesus comes?”  Jesus said that no one will know the exact day or hour but gave us some signs to watch so that we could be prepared.

If you are interested in having more details about what I think and expect from this event you can comment here or message me on Facebook,  As I learn more about how to do things here I plan to blog regularly a few days every week.

My preparations for the next few weeks will be varied and many.  This week will be spent mostly in getting ready for a Christmas Bazaar and Expo.  I will be displaying some of my craft items and 3 books I have written.  The titles are:  Dearest Claudia How I Love You.  it is a true account of a young woman’s battle with cancer several years ago.  Much of the research came from a running account that her husband kept for her.  It starts out with this quote,  “Dearest Claudia, how I love you.  You will not remember much about this day so I thought I’d keep a record for you ……” The second title is my own account of the first of the many times I’ve had cancer and was not surprisingly, for those who know me  “Why I Had Fun in Spite of Cancer”  The third is a romantic mystery novel.  Set in the 1970’s  which is also when it was written,  it is the story of a young couples expectations which are cruelly hampered by the young woman’s terrible fear of the color white.  The mystery deepens because her lack of memory about what caused that fear.

My preparations for this sale of the crafts has been slowed because I’m looking for a particular pattern that is ‘somewhere in my house’.  if you know me or as you learn to know me, you’ll find that is often the case when I’m looking for some particular thing.  Do you have that problem?