Thursday, January 31, 2008

Megan's Birthday

Megan loves cows! Her bedroom is full of cows! She loves to draw pictures of cows! So I made her a cow cake! I used one of her small stuffed cows as a model, picture # 1 she's holding the little cow. She loved the cake! She had a band concert the evening of her birthday so we went to that, which was very nice. She plays the flute. I had to take her picture at home because she was in the second row and I barely could see her. The last picture here is Megan during the concert. There is a girl right in front of her, the legs you see are not Megans. At the end of the concert the director said, "We have a special surprise now. One person tonight is having a birthday! Miss Megan, will you please stand up?" We all sang "Happy Birthday" to her and then someone brought out a cupcake with a candle in it and gave it to Megan! We were all very surprised! What a special treat for Megan! Of course she was embarrassed. (My spell checker won't work! I don't think that's spelled right.) None of us knew this was going to happen. After the concert her other grandparents also came over to have birthday cake with her and the rest of us.



You can barely see Megan in this picture. Thank you, Lord, for the good day we all had on Megan's birthday. It was a very special time for a very special girl. Thank you for Megan.

Kitty Cat & Cody

Meet Kitty Cat and Cody! They belong to Christy's family. They are very nice pets. They just tolerate each other! Cody is a black lab. Christy and Sean went away for a few days while we were there so I slept on the sofa in the living room to be able to hear Maddie if she woke up crying in the night. Cody slept beside me on the floor, like he was protecting me! He loves to lie or sit in front of the door and watch the out of door activities. The outside door is all glass so he has a good view. He can only go out on a leash. He's very patient with Maddie. When she bothers him he just gets up and walks away. Thank you, Lord, for family pets. They bring such joy.


Home

We've just returned from a trip to Atlanta! We had a really good time with Christy, Sean, Max, Megan, Miller, Mason, and Maddie! But it's also so good to be home! It's cold here and I forgot my jacket! I left it hanging at Christy's! Sooo, I'll have to buy a new one!!! Okay, that's a good idea! I'm back to dial-up on my computer but that's alright...I'm used to it. Thank you, Lord, for a safe trip back home. Thank you for the good time we had, thank you for Christy and Sean and their five beautiful children! Please watch over this family and guide them.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Megan! I'm sorry this is a day late. We had problems with the internet yesterday and I couldn't get on-line! Very upsetting! But now I'm on and I wish you a very happy belated birthday! You're a very sweet, pretty, bright, creative young girl. 12 years old! Next year you'll be a teenager! Oh no! Not already! Heavenly Father, thank you for Megan! Please watch over her as she grows up. Help her to have a good year still as a child. I love her but You love her more!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Maddie




My little Maddie Grace!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

M & M's





The beautiful M & M's!
Max, Megan, Miller, Mason, & Maddie! Thank you, Lord, for these beautiful 5 grandchildren. I love them, but You love them even more! Please, keep them in Your Watchful Eye and care.







Friends

A lady comes to our house every few months to talk to me about God, the condition of the world, her beliefs, etc. She always has another person with her and never the same person. I always invite them in and we visit (she loves our house) and then she starts talking about the condition of the world and God today. She always gives me a couple of small magazines. I take them and later throw them away. (That's two less to be given to someone else who'll read them and be misled.) I don't say I'll read them. I never argue with her but I do try to tell her something about Jesus. I've told her I'm a born again Christian and that means that Jesus is a living reality within me. And I've been praying for her ever since she started coming to our house which was several years ago! She keeps coming back so I keep praying and talking to her about knowing Jesus and my personal relationship with Him!
I recently met a man who is very knowledgeable about computers and was helping me with mine. He told me he loves to help people, especially older people. He was so kind and so I finally asked him if he was a Christian. That's not a question I normally go around asking but he just seemed to be. But no, he's not a Christian...he's a Buddhist! I was very surprised and told him I've never talked to a Buddhist before and that I'm a born again Christian. We had an interesting short conversation then before our time together ended. I may never see him again but I've added him to my prayer list! His name is David and God loves him! Thank you, Heavenly Father for these chance meetings. To me they are chance meetings but maybe they're not to You! You know and love Ardie and David even though they are in different religions and not accepting of Jesus as Your Son. But yet, Jesus died for them just as He died for me. Please reveal Yourself to them. Give me courage to speak up for You and possibly plant some seeds in their hearts. I need more boldness. I love You and praise You, Father.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Small Group

Jerry and I are now hosting a small group at our house twice a month. There are eight of us who meet regularly. That's just the right size. We're very informal, have coffee and (last night) banana bread. Made with ripe bananas not plantains!!! We always discuss the morning sermon, (not rip it apart) we try to go deeper and apply it to our own lives. The sermon yesterday was on John 3:1-21, very familiar scripture. Nicodemus went to Jesus at night to ask some questions. Our pastor does such a good job with scripture. After Nicodemus said that they knew Jesus was sent by God because of all the miraculous miracles he did, most of us would have thanked him for the nice compliment and let it go! I'm sure I would have. But Jesus went straight to the man's heart need and told him he had to be born again to receive eternal life! And, as you can imagine, we had a really good discussion in our small group. We try to hold the time to 1 hour and we always begin and end our time with prayer. Then they stay as long as they want just for visiting. We're becoming quite close friends and know we can depend on each other if we have a need. Thank you, Lord, for our small group. Thank you for John, Larry, Linda, Donna, Vera, and Rose. Thank you for giving Jerry and me this privilege of hosting such a time twice a month. Help us to grow closer to You as we grow closer to each other. Help us to not become a clique, but to be open to others joining us and even to branch out and start new small groups.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Banana, anyone?

When is a banana not a banana? I bought two bananas on Thursday to add to a fruit cup for breakfast yesterday. Well...I thought they were bananas. They were with all the other bananas. I only needed one or two and there they were, nice size, yellow, two-just what I needed! Yesterday when I was peeling...trying to peel them, I knew something was different about these bananas. I know there is a similar fruit called plantain and I suspect that's what I bought! Our company was polite and ate them (Jerry too) but I couldn't. They were hard and it took me longer to peel them than it did to peel the orange that also was in the fruit cup! I just looked plantain up on my computer and it says they are to be cooked! Oh, well, I hope I never mistakenly buy them again. The person who put the fruit out in Meijer's obviously didn't know the difference either! Lord, thank you for fruit...all kinds...especially bananas! Thank you for gracious guests who are open and able to laugh with us and not at us!

Friday, January 18, 2008

"A Little Princess"


Yesterday we went to see the play "A Little Princess" at one of our middle schools. The play starred Joe and Emma, two young friends of ours! They did a really great job! Last year they were the stars in the play "Annie" and were really great in that one too! I'm so proud of them. They were two of 'my' kids in Club 56 a couple of years ago when I taught the 5th/6th grade class, so I know them well. Thank you, Lord, for Joe and Emma! What great Christian kids they are! Please help them to always use their talents for you.

Cousins

Sydney, Shelby, and Isabella! Kind of distant cousins but related none the less! This was their first meeting and you can see it was a pleasant meeting! They share the same last name and Shelby lives on Isabella St.! They had a lot of fun together at our house last Saturday when Shelby and her dad stopped by for a visit. Thank you, Lord, for family and good times.

Breakfast, anyone?

We've had company for breakfast two mornings in a row! Yes, I fixed my favorite: puff pancake with sausage and peaches! I know it doesn't sound good but it's delicious...! My mom gave me this recipe. A few blogs ago I wrote about writing a newsletter bi-weekly. The front page feature is "Getting to Know You" (like the song, Getting To Know You) where I write about a senior couple or single person in our church. The only way I know enough to write an article about someone is to interview them which means either I/we go to their house or they come to ours. So yesterday we had a couple over and really had a fun time. They are newly weds, less than a year, married on our anniversary! Today we had another couple over, same breakfast, but different, very interesting and stimulating conversation! They were both worth the work of fixing breakfast and now I can write these up in advance of when I need them. I'm going to try to stay atleast two ahead. I won't always do it two days in a row and I won't always cook breakfast! Thank you, Lord, for this privelege of writing this senior newsletter. Thank you, for giving me ideas, know how, creativity, interest of readers, etc.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Harper




Meet Harper! He's a very beautiful dog and he's a seeing eye dog. Here he is at a luncheon, under a table, meat ball and other good food smells all around! He is very well behaved! He never left his place under the table! I couldn't resist taking his picture. Thank you, Lord, for Harper! Thank you, for seeing eye dogs, for their ability to be trained to be eyes for the blind. Thank you for Sheryl and Harper.

Fire


Saturday Jerry and Ted burned one of our brush piles. Since there was snow on the ground they didn't need a burning permit. It was a big fire as you can see. Thank you, Lord, for helping the guys to keep the fire under control.

Pineapple Upside down Cake


Jerry's birthday was past but over the weekend two of our granddaughter's were here and wanted to celebrate his birthday. Bella wanted me to make him an eagle cake but I didn't have what I needed sooo...I made a pineapple upside down cake and we put candles in it. The candles were used but no one would know because I lit them in the kitchen and Sydney carried the cake to him in the living room. That is...no one knew until he tried to blow them out! I didn't even realize it, but they were the kind that re-ignite! It was so funny trying to get those candles out!!! The girls loved it!
Another funny thing happened that Sydney and I laughed about but had to keep a secret. As I was preparing this cake for Jerry the phone rang, it was a friend asking if it would be okay if she made a cake for Jerry for the next day to take to a luncheon we were going to. I said sure, that'd be fine. Would you believe she was making a pineapple upside cake?! Sydney and I had a good laugh but decided not to tell Jerry, he'd just have to be a good sport about it. He was. In fact, there were so many desserts I'm not sure what he ate!
Thank you, Father, for family, for birthdays, for friends, for laughter, for memories.

Ruffled Grouse!

He's baaack! The ruffled grouse that was eating the tiny apples on our crabb tree stopped coming when the snow all melted during our January thaw. but now that winter is back and we have several inches of snow again he has just flown into the tree again to eat those tiny, sour apples! Well, I imagine they're sour! Thank you, Lord, for providing food for the birds even in winter when there is snow covering the ground. "For His Eye is on the sparrow (ruffled grouse) and I know He watches me!"

Monday, January 14, 2008

15???

Big News! We are expecting our 14th and 15th grandchildren! What?! When?! Who?! Rob and Jessica are...adopting a little brother and sister from Haiti! It takes about a year or longer to get all the paper work finished (red tape) and lots and lots of $$. Armon Robert is 3 1/2 and Elmise Sarah is 4. Jessica just returned from Haiti where she met them and grew to love them in just a few days time. Rob will be going down in couple of months. We've seen pictures of them...our darling little grandchildren! Lots of details have already been started along with the red tape, like an adoption bank account, plans for the remodeling of bedrooms, the excitment of sharing the news with family and friends, I could go on and on! Heavenly Father, I love You. I am amazed at Your plans for each of us and how You work out plans and bring details together in amazing ways. Please be with little Armon Robert and Elmise Sarah. Keep Your Hand upon their lives both while they are in Haiti and after they come to Michigan to live. Please also be with Rob, Jessica, Tyler, and Haleigh. They are so excited and pleased to be used by You. Help them to remember, when the going is tough, that You are there beside them, that You have chosen them to raise these two precious children of Yours and You will not forsake them. Be with Tyler and Haleigh, it's not always easy to share parents with new family members and also to share space and belongings, etc. Help Jerry and me to be good grandparents. What an awesome responsibility! I love You, Lord.

Question

What new dream is God leading you into this year? This question was at the end of a blog written by a friend. It's quite thought provoking!

A year and a half ago I retired from teaching the 5th/6th grade class (Club 56) at our church. At that time our assistant pastor asked me what I'd be doing in place of teaching. I didn't have an answer, but he told me I needed to think about it and pray and talk to him again later. Skipping a lot of details here...I did teach another class last fall but it was only for five weeks, so I was idle again. I prayed about it but nothing seemed to fall into place...until last Labor Day weekend at the pig roast. Some of us women were sitting around a picnic table talking, when Joan said what we need is a senior newsletter. We all agreed that was a good idea! Then she looked right at me and said, "Anita, you should write it! I think you could do it!" Everyone looked at me and smiled and nodded! Oh my goodness! That was an interesting thought and my mind took over. I do love to write. Well, that night I was up all night working on a newsletter! I printed out the first draft and took it to church in the morning to show Joan! Yes, that was what she had in mind! So we've gone on from there. Prime Time News is bi-weekly. I'm just about finished with issue 11! It's definitely a God thing. I love writing it and being kind of creative with it. I've only had good positive comments on the newsletter so far. I give all the credit to God. Pastor Shane was right, I needed something to do to keep from becoming discouraged and feeling useless.

What new dream is God leading me into this year? That's very thought provoking. I looked back over last year and I can see how God led me into writing this newsletter. It has opened some doors to me that I never even saw before! I want to be available to God for whatever he places in front of me. Heavenly Father, I want to be so close to You that I see opportunities to show Your love. Give me the courage to act on those opportunities. I love You. I am free to become the person You intended for me to be! "I know the plans I have for you..." Jeremiah 29:11

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Home safely

Jessica is home safely from Haiti! We haven't seen her yet or talked to her but we will soon. I'll write more about her trip later.Thank you, Lord, for her trip to Haiti. Thank you for keeping her safe and also the rest of the team. Thank you for this opportunity to serve You.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Home safely

We just got word that Pam and Gene are home safely. Thank you, Lord, for a safe trip home for Pam and Gene and for the wonderful time they had.

Encouragement

This morning I had two separate communications that made my day! One was an e-mail and one was a phone call.

I've been wondering lately if I should change my way of writing blogs. Maybe readers are tired of my ending my blogs with a prayer or a scripture verse...then I think, well, what do I care what they think...it's my journal. But I found out this morning...I do care! A friend e-mailed me telling me how much she is encouraged after reading my blogs and to keep on writing! WOW! She said more then just that but that's the gist of it. How did she even know I was considering changing or even stopping writing blogs!

The phone call was a person calling with a question. She started out by saying, "Hi, how are you?" Well, I've been too sick to answer with "Just fine." So I said, "I'm doing better now." She didn't even know I'd been sick. We talked a few minutes and then were ready to hang up.
But she suddenly said, "May I pray with you?" She then proceeded to pray a most beautiful prayer on my behalf. I felt God's Spirit well up within me as she was praying! I know God heard her prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for these two friends who encouraged me so much this morning. Without even realizing it they were both used by You! Help me to be sensitive to other folks too so You can possibly use me as an encouragement to someone. I love You, Lord.

Thoughts

It's a very gray day...the bare ground is covered with a thin layer of fresh white snow. We went to Applebee's for supper yesterday for Jerry's birthday. Rob and Haleigh went with us and we saw some friends there, Gene, Lois, Kyle, & Christina. Having been sick for so long,,, I haven't seen anyone for ages, so it was a very good time for me! Pam & Gene are on their way home from SE Asia. It's a looong flight and we have no idea where they are... Jessica will be on her way home from Haiti tomorrow... Sean will be, or is, on his way home from northern Canada! I praise you, Heavenly Father, because You are Omnipresent and You are Sovereign and In Control! Please give them good smooth flights.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, Jerry! Oh yeah, another year. I love you and I'm very proud of you! I'm also proud to be your wife! You've gotten two phone calls already this morning...Malaysia & Georgia. I'm sure you'll be getting more before the day's over! I think I'm well enough now to go to Applebee's for supper! You're a very good husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, friend, neighbor, etc.! Lord, thank you for Jerry. He's a very dedicated Christian man. Please, keep him well and safe and close to you. You love him and so do I!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Praise

I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your Wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1 & 2

Expectations

I had unrealistic expectations this morning! I got up with real ambition. I had so much I was going to do today! After cooking breakfast...I took a nap. After lunch...I took nap. Jerry took me shopping...I'm now exhausted...think I'll take a nap! I'm sure I'm well but I don't have any strength. Lord, please help me to get the strength I need to carry on. I have so much work to do. "The joy of the Lord is my strength." Nehemiah 8:10.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Calendar

We have our new calendar hanging on the wall in the kitchen. So what...you say? Well, our calendar's are very special! They are grandchildren calendars! Pam makes a calendar for us every year mainly featuring our 13 grandchildren. We love it! This one arrived while Sydney and Isabella and Haleigh were all here so they practically devoured it! Then they got out all the old calendars and had fun searching through them. I think she made the first one in 1998! Haleigh and Miller were both one year old! Haleigh is 11 years old today and Miller will be in a few months! That's a lot of calendars! Thanks, Pam. We love them! I know it's a lot of work. Thank you, Lord, for Pam. Thank you for families, for grandchildren, for memories. Help us to live pleasing lives to You.

Surprise call

Last evening we were very pleasantly surprised by a phone call from our oldest grandson, Andrew! He has moved to South Carolina to begin a new job. He graduated from MTU last month and was hired right away! He has a lot of promise and we're very proud of him. Back to the phone call...he just called to tell us he's moved in and ready to begin work. It's a big move for him. It makes us feel very good to think he called us! Lord, thank you for Andrew! He was our first grandchild and we're very proud of him but our love for him is nothing compared with Your Love for him. Please guide him as he begins this new phase of his life.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Haleigh! Oh my goodness! Eleven years have gone by since that tiny little girl was born! How time goes by! We've had a lot of fun over the years...searching for the troll! Building a snowman! Playing games, reading, putting puzzles together on the computer! Watching movies, going shopping! I can't name everything but it's sure been fun! You're a very sweet girl and I'm very proud to be your grandma! Happy, happy birthday! Thank you, Lord, for Haleigh. She's a bundle of joy. Please guide her as she grows up. Help her to want to serve You always. Keep Your Hand upon her life.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Scattered!

Our family is really scattered all over the globe! We have six in SE Asia, one in the Caribbean, and 15 here and there in North America! I praise You, Lord, because You are Omnipresent!

Weather

Well, today it's foggy, warm (50's), and raining. Our snow is disappearing fast. We can see the ground in many places in our yard. Lots of schools in our area are closed but ours is still open...so far. Lord, You are the Creator and You are In Control.

Breakfast

This morning I cooked breakfast! This must be a sign I'm getting well! First I fixed Jerry a pink, juicy, Florida grapefruit. He got our juice...orange for me, V8 for himself, he also made the coffee. I cooked bacon and eggs and toast for both of us. It seemed so good. I was exhausted after eating so I took a nice long nap! Thank you, Lord, for touching me and helping me to begin to get over this time of sickness. I praise You.

Noises in the night

Last night we heard noises, very close! It was scary but we can't find anything disturbed this morning. I thought maybe an animal knocked down the wood we have stacked on the porch...but no, it doesn't look disturbed. Jerry said it may have been ice falling from the roof since we're having such a January thaw. Lord, I thank you for Your Abiding presence. Please, keep Your Hand of Protection on us. I praise You because You are Sovereign.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

January Thaw

Today the temperature was in the 40's F. We lost a lot of our snow and in the next couple of days we'll probably lose the rest. But winter isn't over. This is just the usual January thaw.
It was foggy out this morning and it looks like it's foggy again this evening.

I'm still sick and bored. I'm so sick of being sick! But if I overdo I feel worse so I try to obey Jerry and not do too much. Having my lap top helps. Lord, I'm trusting in You to help me. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Ruffled Grouse


We have a ruffled grouse coming to our flowering crabb tree quite regularly to eat the tiny apples still hanging on! I opened the front door just far enough to hold the camera out and take a picture. This was done before I got so sick but we watched him again today so I thought I'd post this picture now. I wish the picture was a little clearer but I'm lucky I got this. Can you see him? Thank you, Lord, for Your Creation. It gives me a glimpse of Your Greatness!

A Little Better

Good Morning! I had a very rough night...but I'm feeling better this morning! I'm eating dry toast for breakfast. Jerry has warned me not to overdo. I prayed a lot during the night. Besides myself and Jerry I prayed for all of you. I especially prayed for Jessica as she left to go to Haiti (3:00 AM). I feel so bad I couldn't do anything to help her get ready because I was so sick. I'll try to help Rob when I'm a little better. Thank you, Lord, for touching me. I love You.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Sick

Well, I'll just write a quick note here to tell you that I'm sick, Jerry's sick. I reacted to the medicine the doctor gave me and got very sick. I'm on something else now and doing a little better, enough to write a blog and ask you to pray for me and for Jerry. He's taking care of me and he doesn't feel well either. Lord, we need you to touch us and make us better. Thank you for Your abiding presence.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Doctor

Today I went to the doctor, finally. I didn't get to see our own doctor, he wasn't in today. I saw another one who is very nice and I know a little bit. He's a Christian and that means a lot. I have a sinus infection, which I already knew. I'm not contagious, thank goodness, since our granddaughter's were here. My orginal cold would have been but it settled in my sinuses, which is what usually happens to me. I'm now on a prescription medicine for ten days...which I hope will work fast. Thank You, Lord, for doctors and their knowledge. I praise You, because You are my Healer.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Burned hand

When Jerry took the bandage off my hand yesterday we decided we'd let my hand go without one to see how it reacted. It feels so good! The blisters are down now, not one broke, thank goodness. I may have some scars left but that's okay, they'll be a reminder to me to be more carefull next time! Thank you, Lord, for touching and healing my hand. Thank you for keeping infection away. I praise You, because You are my Healer.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Well, I watched TV last night and Jerry went to bed. At about 11:58 he came out to the loft to watch the ball drop and we wished each other a happy new year and he went back to bed! Not a very romantic way to bring in the new year but I'm still not feeling well and he's not up to parr either. We heard the canon being shot! (Family knows about that.) Thank you, Lord, for another year! How time is flying by! I praise You because You are the same yesterday, today, and forever!