Monday, November 26, 2012

Hertzler Doings-Nov.26-Dec.2, 2012

Mon.-Henry came for the day. What a delightful little boy he is! Alli brought the movie, "My Sister's Keeper" and we watched it while he played with toys. I laid him on my bed and he went right to sleep. I took a nap beside him on Phil's side of the bed. When Grandma Dianna came to pick him up, he wasn't ready to go. I laughed nervously and said, "Sorry," to Dianna. She said, "I love it." "I do too," I admitted.  Later, Susan had basketball practice and musical practice. Phil, Philip, and Peter, packaged up the scrapple this eve. Ivona came along and we had a nice visit. Peter brought me three bags of wheat free flour and fresh bread and a recipe to boot. Thankful for dear friends.

Tues.-Spent the morning on the phone with insurance company and specialist. Took Susan to Anatomy and Sara and I had a lovely lunch at Riverside. Sara is my guardian angel.  Picked up Suz and went to Walmart to get musical items-blue skinny jeans, black scarf, pink feathered earrings, dry cleaning packet, red lipstick. Also bought mardi gras beads at the dollar store to complete her outfit. Bought a big white poinsettia to take the place of a Christmas tree this year. Easier to keep a plant safe from Lucy than a Christmas tree. Took Susan to Worsham for basketball practice and came back to Walmart to finish shopping. April dropped Susan off to meet me there and I transported her to church for practice after a quick stop at Cook Out to get a Heath Toffee milkshake for Suz and fries for me. Phil finished up packaging the scrapple. I hit the sack early. Soon after 11, the phone rang. Freeman had welts and some tightness in breathing. Long story short-Alli took him to Southside. They took him in right away and gave him more benedryl, Pregnizone, and an epi-pen injection. His breathing had gotten tighter as they went in. They got home after 3:30 and slept until nearly noon.  Thankful that they didn't wait around and that they went in right away.

Wed.-Every day I see a watercolor picture I want to paint. The sky was gray and pink this morning and then white and blue. Birds silhouetted on black branches on walnut trees.  I weep with worship at the beauty of this breaking dawn.  Ollie sees me in here writing. He's trying to get in.  He flies up on the roof and then down to the ground right in front of my window. 
It's been 3 weeks since my toe injury. Doing better. Still looks bad. Can't wear shoes, but I could wear slippers for the first time this morning, for a little while.
Decorated for Christmas. I brought in the white manger scene and arranged it on the book shelf with white angel hair, blue ball jars with sand and goldish pebbles and red berries and white candles, and holly leaves and berries from Mickey's yard.
I put up the manger scene mother gave me. It's from Africa, I think. Made of cloth. I made some arrangement with the poinsettia and lights and fake fruit and branches and old fashioned ornaments. I put white fake pointsettias in a big white pitcher with lights at the bottom. I put a center piece on our dining room table with a manger scene that has room for a tea light in the back, a crock with a candle in it, and a candle in a natural holder.  My favorite 'decoration'?  I took the oval bread bowl from Kenya and wrapped a baby doll in a white pillowcase and laid it in the bowl with some greens and reds at the feet and head.  Jesus, the Bread of Life. Born in a manger. Laid in a bread bowl at the Hertzler house under their flat screen tv.
Susan is at musical practice. Philip went to Calvary. Phil and I will hit the sack early and keep the phone by our bed. I'm thankful that Judy answered when I called her last night to get some medical advice regarding Freeman. Definitely an allergic reaction to something.  Perhaps the detergent used to wash his Bethlehem outfit?

Thurs.-Cleaned the kitchen, made gingersnap cookies, wrapped gifts, deleted photos, took a nap. Had the eve. to myself. Phil and Philip went to Bedford. Susan, Freeman, Alli went to musical practice. Ate some chocolate, corn chips, and cookies. My joints are locked up and I feel lousy. As I looked through my camera and deleted pics, I came upon a photo of Emma twirling in her red Christmas dress just before Ollie attacked her. I think it had to do with her movement and her red dress. Poor thing. He took after her and she ran like crazy, screaming, to the house. Susan hollered at Ollie which just added to Emma's flight of fright. When we followed her inside, she was in Philip's arms. We have brought up this scenario several times in our family and we all laugh about it because of the look of sheer terror on poor Emma's face. Something must be wrong with us.

Fri.-slept in. Lots of interrupted sleep last night and I paid for eating wheat flour in the ginger cookies. Finally took a Benedryl and read for awhile. Tidied house, gathered all of my Christmas CD's, made potato soup, watched 'I Love Lucy', did some on line communications, took Susan to Alli and Freeman's for her transport to New Life, etc. First performance of musical is tonight.

Sat.-What a day! Butchered chickens over at Spiggles. 39 of theirs. 48 of ours and one naughty rooster. He took the most time. So scrawny we had to skin him because his feathers wouldn't come out. Phil, Philip, Susan and I went over soon after 8 in the morning and we were done before lunch. Phil took Susan home after the first batch so she could get ready to be picked up by Freeman and Alli to go to the musical performance. Two performances today. Back to the chickens. After we had all the chickens in the freezer or in the cooler on ice, we went over to Cynthia's and had her homemade chili, Nancy's amazing cornbread-with cheese, sour cream, and corn, baked right into it, and gingersnap cookies I made. It was nice to catch up with the kids-Caleb, Gabe, Wade, Olivia, and Gus. Gail wants to do this twice a year and we do too. So happy to have found an answer to raising chickens in Va. Came home. Put the chickens in several different freezers. Took a nap. Vacuumed and washed the floors while a chicken baked in the oven and rice and vegetables cooked on the stove. Played one of Mother's Christmas CD's that had an exclamation point on the front. I can hear why she liked it. It's dark outside and it's not even 5:30 but I think it might be my bedtime. Fun, fun day.

Sun.-Steve Fisher called from Zambia (I think) this morning. The barrels of goods and shoes have arrived!  Took 2 months by sea. All of the orphans were together and they were able to choose 2 pairs of shoes per person. It is the first time they ever got to choose something for themselves. Steve was really happy.  A little effort on this side of the world brought joy that will strengthen for the daily heavy battle on the other side of the world.
Discovered something today. The less I have it together when I arrive at church, the more I notice and experience His grace and mercy. Today, I was poor in spirit and He gave me the Kingdom of heaven.  Why am I always so afraid to be poor in spirit? When I find myself in a place that I can't
'fix', do I really believe that God cannot fix it?
The sermon caused me to consider my sins of gluttony and gossip. But my experiences today taught me that my sin of worry causes more sin than anything else, because when I worry, I intervene and try to control. Oh God. Increase my faith. Help my unbelief. Forgive my sin and heal my land.
I just noticed a quote I have written on an index card on my desk. It's taken from my Mother's Life Application Bible-notes on 1 Peter 5:7-"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 'Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God's concern.  But, when we turn to God in repentance,  He will bear the weight even of those struggles.  Letting God have your anxieties calls for action, not passivity.  Don't submit to circumstances, but to the LORD who controls circumstances.'
After church, Phil and I went for lunch at Country Cookin' and talked with more church friends there. Susan showed up with the Helton Gang. Then we headed to the parade and waited in front of Amish Originals with Danielle, Noah, and Carter. Gabby was on a date with her daddy Nate for her birthday. He had bought her new shoes after a lunch of pizza and her blue eyes were shining bright.
More and more of the Mennonite Gang showed up in front of our reunion store. It's a great way to see everyone from the different churches. Calvary had a nice portion in the parade. Graham helped to carry the banner. I think next year, Phil should drive a tractor and we should have a hay ride and go Christmas caroling in the parade. I think we could have plenty of people representing 'Immanuel'-God with us-as we sing together. After the parade, we walked down to Riverside, where we had parked our car. Then to Sweet Frog. I haven't had anything that sweet for a long time. Cappuccino, chocolate, vanilla, pumpkin. Then to New Life, where we met Peter and Ivona and Philip and had Betty Gibb's Balcony seats to view 'A Misfit Adventure,' starring, in my eyes, Freeman, Alli, and Susan. Man! These kids can act, sing, and dance! I loved the plot-finding our purpose-knowing where we belong-ultimately kneeling with others before Him. My tear-jerker moment came when Jay, (Josef), said that he had once been a follower of Christ but that it seems he has lost his way.
After the musical, we came home. Relaxed with another MacDonald book. Listened to The Messiah as we went to sleep. It is like listening to a miracle. And it never grows old.

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