Mon.-Catch up day. Lots of wash. Cleaning. Guys work schedule changed and they came back from NC before Phil left to join them. Checked on Philip's pig. Has two piglets so far. 25 round bales of hay delivered from the R farm. Susan had a game tonight. They won. Best game so far. Alli and I got groceries before going to the game. Caught up with Katherine and Judy today. Beautiful and balmy 60 degree weather. Food Lion was crowded. Is it going to storm? I asked the check out lady. Supposed to get more snow than we've gotten at one time for the last 25 years. Checked on face book when I got home and I think it probably is not going to happen. Which is fine with me after Susan's accident and Philip's close call with a friend all due to icy roads. I love snow as long as everybody is inside and there is food in the house and the electricity doesn't go off. I miss my Banton Nation. Very much. XO
Tues.-So cold and damp outside. Had a good day. Exercised right away and that always helps me feel like I accomplished one of my three main priorities. Made 7 layer salad for lunch and supper and added some of the chicken I had cooked in the crock pot during the night. Susan wasn't feeling well and didn't go out for drama and then practice was cancelled anyway and not everyone got to try out so we were glad she didn't go out. The roads were getting slick anyway. Just a light dusting so far this eve. I finished 'Georgie's' blanket. It is a Winnie the Pooh and Friends fleece blanket. I put two pieces together and cut 4 inch strips all around the sides and tied them together. Also did some knitting while watching a WW1 documentary with Susan. She was in a baking mood in the afternoon and made 4 grain pancakes and healthy banana bread. Michael had an oral exam for aviation that lasted several hours and he felt pretty good about it. He's studying like crazy again. Over at the guys house to use their internet service to watch all the videos he needs to see for class. Philip, Freeman, and Tommy, were working on cleaning up around the little house on the property on the one acre right down the road. I helped Alli put away some kitchen things later in the day. Their house looks so nice. Susan said that Mr. Fisher, the athletic director at school, came up to her after the game last evening, put his two hands on her shoulders and said, "Susan, it's basketball, not football." "Right, but it worked, didn't it?" "Yes," he said. "It worked."
It's so nice to be thinking about Gil and Lindsay and their children. Now I can put them in rooms in my mind. Actual house rooms. And I can see their town and their pizza place and their marijuana co-op store that smells just like a health food store near us.
Wed.-A day at home getting lots of things accomplished. Grams and More phone calls and scheduling, cleaning off desk and doing paper work, roasting chick peas, listening to a speech CD with Susan, making yummy sliced potatoes baked and topped with cheesy chicken salad for lunch, chicken curry with rice and toppings for lunch, carting two boxes of books over to the old house, CD's organized, another area of the bedroom cleaned up, studying for Encounter, exercising, a Martha Stewart candle decoration put together, reading about women in ministry in Bible times, many of whom were Paul's friends, and I forget what else. Susan got lots of studying done and took a nap and went to youth group with Philip. Michael visited with Phil and I in the eve. and played his guitar. Earlier today, Philip and Freeman brought in the baby pigs. One was a real yelper. Davi wanted to eat them.
Thurs.-Good day. Got up by 5 and studied until 7:30 and it went by in the blink of an eye. Started walking on the treadmill and was ready to stop after 5 min. and 15 calories burned. Made another 7 layer salad for lunch. Tommy was working with the guys at Happy Valley and received a bump on the head. After cleaning it up with peroxide we could see that it wouldn't need any stitches. Michael and Philip went to worship practice. Susan got groceries and went to basketball practice. Then she and Philip started for Appomattox to take his car to the garage and it stopped. Phil went out to help him. Fortunately, he had only run out of gas. I roasted a cauliflower but we didn't care for the chili, cumin, curry flavorings mixed in with the yogurt that we spread all over the white flowerettes. I also roasted chick peas at 400 after tossing them with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Our new favorite treat. Susan studied WW11 and read to me the highlighted portions of her book. We both found it interesting and terrible. It was about 2 degrees this morning. In an area close by it was minus 7. State of the union address must have been a real doozy. People are talking about it on face book. God help us. Also, the grammy awards caused quite a stir. As did Lindsay's Bee School tidbits of knowledge. :) Did some wash and dusting and cleaned our bathroom too. I am so thankful for the way our children love each other.
Fri.-Listened to Speech CD 3 while exercising. It's so interesting. We have 7 more to go. Walked for 5 1/2 min. on the treadmill. I am starting to use 5 pound weights instead of 3 and I am not sure if it's the treadmill or the weights that are making me so stiff and sore. Could also be recovering from traveling and the fact I ran out of Epsom salts. Phil did not pass the sugar test for the insurance company. Maybe it was from the apple juice from the cleanse. He hasn't been eating much sugar. Michael went to school this morning and is studying out there for most of the day. Susan went to Richmond for a game. Philip is having Buck night. Tommy has been working with them at Happy Valley so he is just staying here. Philip is writing his sermon on 'Turning the other cheek.' Austin, Jimmy, and David are coming over too. Studied some more by reading 'The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke' by Roger Stronstad. Gil recommended it. Vacuumed and washed all the floors, tidied the back room and porches. Didn't sleep last night. I hope these good brain vitamins don't keep me awake all night. Susan made the best coconut zucchini cake. Everybody that got a taste liked it. I am thankful for the beautiful sunshiny day after such a cold night that we had to keep the water running so the pipes wouldn't freeze. A good 50 degree jump from night to day.
Sat.-Susan went to Dr. F's this morning and then out to Lynchburg in the afternoon with Julie to go Goodwill shopping. Then they went to AJ's skating rink to attend a party that Tommy H. organized for his homeschooled friends. I went out to church to attend Chai with Jenny. It was a great time. At least 70 women came to hear the word, enjoy their pastor's wife who somehow makes us all feel like she loves us best, fellowship with each around a table, enjoy some breakfast, and worship together. After Chai Time we had a Grams and More committee meeting where we discussed our next Grams and more on the 15th. Then I went to lunch with Katherine, Corrie, and Cathy, at The Golden Palace. After that Mack cut my hair and then I went to Food Lion and Walmart, the later being a big mistake. I got behind a lady with a gazillion coupons. Came home and put groceries away, stuck two chickens in the oven plus 6 potatoes, made my candle centerpiece, did some laundry, and talked on the phone with a few friends. Phil was working with Tom on our farm all day. Philip had breakfast with Stephen L. and later went over to play hockey at the Lapps after working on his pig barn. Michael is working hard with a group doing a flash mob dance. He has practice every night until his performance which I think is Wed. I wish I could see it but he said it will be on youtube. It was nice to see my peanut M&M girlie for awhile tonight. Davi was happy to see her too.
Sun.-Good morning at church. Guys came back here and hung out with Jordan a little. Susan went to the gym with Savannah and out to eat and then to Fine Arts Festival human video practice and then to a movie and back to Savvy's house and then back home. Phil and I ate quickly and then went to take sausage and scrapple to Brother Nolte. It was great to see him in his habitat. Then we went to visit Steve and had a nice visit with him and Dianna. Came home and watched Airforce One and went to bed. Logan called. He said that he will be down here tomorrow as long as he can get through the snow that is to come.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
Hertzler Doings~Jan. 20-26, 2014
Mon.-Alli and I cleaned their new house today. Worked from 9-ish to 4-ish with lunch break. Their house is so beautiful and I am so happy for them. I said, "I love your kitchen," and she said, "You'll have to come cook in it." Made some chicken corn noodle soup. Watched Monk with Susan and Phil in eve. Philip is on his way home from Pa. Michael went to Liberty. I've been studying about women in ministry and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It's so cool to read how Paul gave greetings to women pastors and leaders in the early church. It's wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit gave gifts to both men and women. Mary, the mother of Jesus, received the baptism of the Spirit in the upper room. John said that Jesus would baptize with fire and with the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to serve others and minister, so do we also need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to serve others and minister. His Holy Spirit was given in measure in the OT for specific acts but the Holy Spirit in the NT was given so we could live and move and have our being in Him.
Tues.-Took a cooler and a bag of food over to Gina's that her mom sent home from Pa with Philip and had a nice visit with her. Susan studied Chemistry. All of the guys and Tommy, Jimmy, and David, were over cleaning up at HValley. We made three packs of scrapple for lunch for them and I made some homemade syrup. Michael didn't go to Liberty because of the weather forecast and because he would have been flying. It started to snow around 3. Probably got 1/2 inch. Blowing. At least a dozen cardinals were having a party around the two feeders. We took some pics of them through the door window. I cleaned up our bathroom and my desk and started working in another area of our bedroom. Brought in boxes to organize things. Phil is setting up a woodstove in the garage due to 55 gallon paint drums that shouldn't freeze. Supposed to be 4 degrees tonight. We'll have to keep the water running. Found out recently that Karalee is expecting in Sept. Wahoo! Lots of babies. It's funny to think of Linda being a Grandma. We'll rock our grandbabies together next Christmas. Won't that be fun. And now the little boys will have younger playmates and thus another generation of Hertzler's grows up together.
Wed.-Went to Baine's with Lisa H. Always good with my DDF. Susan made supper-chicken over salad. I got groceries while out with Lisa. Michael and Susan played Monopoly after supper and later, Susan and I watched, "Sweet Home Alabama."
Thurs.-Finished packing. Family gathered together for a blessing from Phil and then he and I left to go to CT to see Gil and Lindsay, Emma and Adi, and little new baby, Ben-Philip. We got a motel in Scranton after traveling 8 hours. Phil and I talked with Mark N. on the way. Drove through snow. So cold.
Fri.-Arrived at the Bantons around noon and joined them for lunch. It was zero there and they had a hard time getting the house to warm up. Walls are not insulated and they heat with a pellet stove. But they all seem acclimated to the colder climate. Phil and I dressed in layers. I played Barbies with the girls upstairs and read a book to Adi. We snuggled as much as possible the entire weekend. I recorded Emma singing "Silent Night" on my camera. She has an angelic voice and much of her time is spent drawing. We made soup for supper-creamy potato and hamburger cheese. Both so good. After supper we went to Cabela's and found several bargains in the bargain center (insulated camouflage coveralls) and Phil delighted in getting the little girls two Cabela sweat shirts each that will keep them in the right size for the next 3 years. We slept in Gil and Lindsay's comfortable bed with lots of covers on. Slept the best I have for a long time. Lindsay slept in Adi's bed. Adi slept on the floor and Gil slept on the sofa.
Sat.-Phil made scrapple and eggs for breakfast. The girls and I made a colorful experiment using baking soda and vinegar. Then I made them pink Kool-aid playdough which kept them occupied for a long time. We taught Gil and Lindsay how to play Chicken foot Dominoes. (Meanwhile, back at home, the pipes froze. And Susan spun out on some ice.(on Thurs.) And Philip just missed killing a cousin who couldn't stop on ice and skidded right out in front of him. And his very pregnant pig disappeared.)We went to a cool little pizza shop for some incredible pizza and then to the Dairy Bar. I had coconut and chocolate ice cream. We also got to see the university. I love that now I can picture where things are in their town and in their house. Lindsay made a London Broil, rice, green beans, herbed butter, and warm bread for supper. Then we had our Sabbath blessing. We went around and said something we were thankful about each person. I had to cry. Then we played a Disney version of Apples to Apples. Emma won with flying colors. I made too much popcorn and we watched 'How It's Made.' Lindsay and I tried to stay awake with the fellows to watch Sherlock but we were too tired and hit the sack.
Sun.-Lindsay made Harvest Steel Cut Oats for breakfast with raisins. So good. Every morning we had Gil's good coffee. Ben-Philip loves me and I'm so glad we stayed longer than just a few hours because the first day he wanted nothing to do with me. But by the next day he was smiling at me and sticking out his tongue when I showed him how. Lindsay said, "He's always had an overactive tongue but he's never stuck it out like this on command before." I asked Adi, "When you are 16 and I am 65, will you still snuggle with me?" "Yes," she happily nodded. She has quite a fashion sense and let me know several times that I needed to improve my appearance. She also communicated with me that I needed to sleep with her stuffed bear so she would smell like me. Annie, her bear, is named after me. We left their place around 8:30 in the morning. It was 24 degrees-a real heat wave, and the house was warming up nicely. It was really hard to leave them and their dear sweet house and their unconditional love that always sees the best in us. Phil caught up with several friends on the phone on the way home. Near Chambersburg, we pulled off and got a car wash and when we got back on 81, we saw brake lights and emergency lights and managed to get off the on ramp and travelled on 11 for several exits. After that, there was very little traffic on 81. We googled for info on line and found that a woman had parked her car on the side of the road and walked right in front of a tractor trailer. She was hit by that one but not seriously injured enough to keep her from walking in front of another one. I figured God spared us some awful things and that he also wants us to pray for Dorothy B. She is in her 40's. Jesus, help her, wherever she is, whatever is going on. Comfort and help her. We got home around 7 and were able to get the car unloaded with Susan's help. It's good to be home again. But it was sure good to be with our family in CT. Oh-at one time, Gil was on the phone with someone and he talked with him for awhile and then said, "We have family here so I'm going to have to go now." Warmed my heart. Lindsay and I snuck in private conversations whenever we could and I miss her so much. But I am thankful that our friendship is not just for a season.
Tues.-Took a cooler and a bag of food over to Gina's that her mom sent home from Pa with Philip and had a nice visit with her. Susan studied Chemistry. All of the guys and Tommy, Jimmy, and David, were over cleaning up at HValley. We made three packs of scrapple for lunch for them and I made some homemade syrup. Michael didn't go to Liberty because of the weather forecast and because he would have been flying. It started to snow around 3. Probably got 1/2 inch. Blowing. At least a dozen cardinals were having a party around the two feeders. We took some pics of them through the door window. I cleaned up our bathroom and my desk and started working in another area of our bedroom. Brought in boxes to organize things. Phil is setting up a woodstove in the garage due to 55 gallon paint drums that shouldn't freeze. Supposed to be 4 degrees tonight. We'll have to keep the water running. Found out recently that Karalee is expecting in Sept. Wahoo! Lots of babies. It's funny to think of Linda being a Grandma. We'll rock our grandbabies together next Christmas. Won't that be fun. And now the little boys will have younger playmates and thus another generation of Hertzler's grows up together.
Wed.-Went to Baine's with Lisa H. Always good with my DDF. Susan made supper-chicken over salad. I got groceries while out with Lisa. Michael and Susan played Monopoly after supper and later, Susan and I watched, "Sweet Home Alabama."
Thurs.-Finished packing. Family gathered together for a blessing from Phil and then he and I left to go to CT to see Gil and Lindsay, Emma and Adi, and little new baby, Ben-Philip. We got a motel in Scranton after traveling 8 hours. Phil and I talked with Mark N. on the way. Drove through snow. So cold.
Fri.-Arrived at the Bantons around noon and joined them for lunch. It was zero there and they had a hard time getting the house to warm up. Walls are not insulated and they heat with a pellet stove. But they all seem acclimated to the colder climate. Phil and I dressed in layers. I played Barbies with the girls upstairs and read a book to Adi. We snuggled as much as possible the entire weekend. I recorded Emma singing "Silent Night" on my camera. She has an angelic voice and much of her time is spent drawing. We made soup for supper-creamy potato and hamburger cheese. Both so good. After supper we went to Cabela's and found several bargains in the bargain center (insulated camouflage coveralls) and Phil delighted in getting the little girls two Cabela sweat shirts each that will keep them in the right size for the next 3 years. We slept in Gil and Lindsay's comfortable bed with lots of covers on. Slept the best I have for a long time. Lindsay slept in Adi's bed. Adi slept on the floor and Gil slept on the sofa.
Sat.-Phil made scrapple and eggs for breakfast. The girls and I made a colorful experiment using baking soda and vinegar. Then I made them pink Kool-aid playdough which kept them occupied for a long time. We taught Gil and Lindsay how to play Chicken foot Dominoes. (Meanwhile, back at home, the pipes froze. And Susan spun out on some ice.(on Thurs.) And Philip just missed killing a cousin who couldn't stop on ice and skidded right out in front of him. And his very pregnant pig disappeared.)We went to a cool little pizza shop for some incredible pizza and then to the Dairy Bar. I had coconut and chocolate ice cream. We also got to see the university. I love that now I can picture where things are in their town and in their house. Lindsay made a London Broil, rice, green beans, herbed butter, and warm bread for supper. Then we had our Sabbath blessing. We went around and said something we were thankful about each person. I had to cry. Then we played a Disney version of Apples to Apples. Emma won with flying colors. I made too much popcorn and we watched 'How It's Made.' Lindsay and I tried to stay awake with the fellows to watch Sherlock but we were too tired and hit the sack.
Sun.-Lindsay made Harvest Steel Cut Oats for breakfast with raisins. So good. Every morning we had Gil's good coffee. Ben-Philip loves me and I'm so glad we stayed longer than just a few hours because the first day he wanted nothing to do with me. But by the next day he was smiling at me and sticking out his tongue when I showed him how. Lindsay said, "He's always had an overactive tongue but he's never stuck it out like this on command before." I asked Adi, "When you are 16 and I am 65, will you still snuggle with me?" "Yes," she happily nodded. She has quite a fashion sense and let me know several times that I needed to improve my appearance. She also communicated with me that I needed to sleep with her stuffed bear so she would smell like me. Annie, her bear, is named after me. We left their place around 8:30 in the morning. It was 24 degrees-a real heat wave, and the house was warming up nicely. It was really hard to leave them and their dear sweet house and their unconditional love that always sees the best in us. Phil caught up with several friends on the phone on the way home. Near Chambersburg, we pulled off and got a car wash and when we got back on 81, we saw brake lights and emergency lights and managed to get off the on ramp and travelled on 11 for several exits. After that, there was very little traffic on 81. We googled for info on line and found that a woman had parked her car on the side of the road and walked right in front of a tractor trailer. She was hit by that one but not seriously injured enough to keep her from walking in front of another one. I figured God spared us some awful things and that he also wants us to pray for Dorothy B. She is in her 40's. Jesus, help her, wherever she is, whatever is going on. Comfort and help her. We got home around 7 and were able to get the car unloaded with Susan's help. It's good to be home again. But it was sure good to be with our family in CT. Oh-at one time, Gil was on the phone with someone and he talked with him for awhile and then said, "We have family here so I'm going to have to go now." Warmed my heart. Lindsay and I snuck in private conversations whenever we could and I miss her so much. But I am thankful that our friendship is not just for a season.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Hertzler Doings~Jan. 13-19, 2014
Mon.-Busy catch up day-washing, vacuuming, making buckwheat pancakes because I started reading 'The Long Winter' in the bathtub last night and Almanzo was making the, visiting Dr. F., catching up with Philip while he washed the meat grinder and catching up with Michael while he was eating supper. Phil visited neighbors to get their okay in a neighboring building project. It's been interesting for him to meet the neighbors and talk to them on the phone. Saw Alli and Freeman today too and told them how much I enjoyed him as a child (not that I don't enjoy him now)...he'd say things like, "You're so beautiful and you smell good too." And pick me flowers. She said, "Aww...that's encouraging." Tonight we were ready to vacuum pack the scrapple and realized we had the wrong sized bags. Philip called Susan and she was just finished with basketball practice and she is going to pick them up. Meanwhile, they watch The Three Stooges.
Tues-Friday-Well, it's been a great week. Basketball games, a day in town, an Encounter meeting, agreeing to teach, a prayer hour in the sanctuary, getting to first base in housecleaning the bedroom, being rammed by Davi while on my knees cleaning and needing to go see Dr. F. quickly, Freeman getting his Certificate of Occupancy, Philip heading to Pa for the weekend, so much. So much leaving the past behind and reaching forward to what is ahead. So much joy. So much readiness. Starting to make plans to go to the shore in April with the girls. And I forget what all. But it was a wonderful week. A friend had a major breakthrough in her thoughts and is good to go again. So thankful. I will try to write better tomorrow.
Sat.-First meeting of Grams and More! Alli went with me and helped to teach knitting. There were 25 of us total. We filled out some papers and wore name tags and drank tea and coffee and ate some brunch items. We were greeted and welcomed by Katherine and Margaret led a devotional. Then Judy sang a blue grass song about contentment with little because of God and there wasn't a dry eye. I played the piano while we sang hymns for half an hour and I've already been told that we need to lengthen that time to 45 minutes. Then we played a Christian taboo game and our group won. Then we had lunch-veg soup and toasted cheese. We broke into knitting and sewing and observing groups after lunch and shortly after 1, people began to slowly leave. It was a wonderful time. Looking forward to next time. Went mop shopping with Alli at Lowes. Came home and tidied up things. Julie was here with Susan. Justin and Elizabeth Weaver and their three children-Daniel, Joey, and Kayla-came over with Freeman and Alli and we had a nice visit. They were going to Dawn and Aaron's for supper and it was nice that they got to meet Julie after having heard about her from Andrew. Slept very little this night. Thinking about many things.
Sun.-Great church service. Fellowship and understanding. I love how the Holy Spirit takes our failures and uses them to join others to us because we understand how they feel and also uses the divine struggle that keeps us awake at night to help those who feel understood by us also feel the desire to change also. Janelle and Micah and her parents came to church. Micah liked going around and hugging people. Susan and I went to a Fine Arts meeting after church and then she went home in the truck, having locked her keys in her car this morning. Phil and I went to Sho-gun after he was finished counting money. Came home and rested and studied. Susan went back to work on the vocal part of the Fine Arts Festival. Michael went to Sarah's church and is spending the day with her. Philip is still in Pa with his buddies up at the cabin.
Tues-Friday-Well, it's been a great week. Basketball games, a day in town, an Encounter meeting, agreeing to teach, a prayer hour in the sanctuary, getting to first base in housecleaning the bedroom, being rammed by Davi while on my knees cleaning and needing to go see Dr. F. quickly, Freeman getting his Certificate of Occupancy, Philip heading to Pa for the weekend, so much. So much leaving the past behind and reaching forward to what is ahead. So much joy. So much readiness. Starting to make plans to go to the shore in April with the girls. And I forget what all. But it was a wonderful week. A friend had a major breakthrough in her thoughts and is good to go again. So thankful. I will try to write better tomorrow.
Sat.-First meeting of Grams and More! Alli went with me and helped to teach knitting. There were 25 of us total. We filled out some papers and wore name tags and drank tea and coffee and ate some brunch items. We were greeted and welcomed by Katherine and Margaret led a devotional. Then Judy sang a blue grass song about contentment with little because of God and there wasn't a dry eye. I played the piano while we sang hymns for half an hour and I've already been told that we need to lengthen that time to 45 minutes. Then we played a Christian taboo game and our group won. Then we had lunch-veg soup and toasted cheese. We broke into knitting and sewing and observing groups after lunch and shortly after 1, people began to slowly leave. It was a wonderful time. Looking forward to next time. Went mop shopping with Alli at Lowes. Came home and tidied up things. Julie was here with Susan. Justin and Elizabeth Weaver and their three children-Daniel, Joey, and Kayla-came over with Freeman and Alli and we had a nice visit. They were going to Dawn and Aaron's for supper and it was nice that they got to meet Julie after having heard about her from Andrew. Slept very little this night. Thinking about many things.
Sun.-Great church service. Fellowship and understanding. I love how the Holy Spirit takes our failures and uses them to join others to us because we understand how they feel and also uses the divine struggle that keeps us awake at night to help those who feel understood by us also feel the desire to change also. Janelle and Micah and her parents came to church. Micah liked going around and hugging people. Susan and I went to a Fine Arts meeting after church and then she went home in the truck, having locked her keys in her car this morning. Phil and I went to Sho-gun after he was finished counting money. Came home and rested and studied. Susan went back to work on the vocal part of the Fine Arts Festival. Michael went to Sarah's church and is spending the day with her. Philip is still in Pa with his buddies up at the cabin.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Hertzler Doings~Jan. 6-12, 2014
Mon.-Both Phil and I were feeling somewhat better today. He worked outside cleaning up junk etc. I cleaned up the yard from the dogs frolics. Susan cooked. Made chicken, fish, potatoes, green beans, chocolate chip bars out of chick peas, etc. I made some vegetable soup out of chicken broth, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, quinoa, and rice. Also made a big turkey in case we lose power and so that those who aren't doing the Daniel Fast can have some food to eat. Cleaned up 1/3 of my desk. Feels so good. Caught up with Sara on the phone. Judy's mom is having some trouble with her lungs and bp. Had such a vivid dream about her that I was awake at least an hour before I realized it was a dream. Talked with Gina S.B. for an hour or so. She's in the hospital on bed rest with twins. Dear girl. Temp. was 47 today and will drop down into the single digits by morning. Susan had basketball practice. The wind was more bothersome than the roads which weren't icy as predicted. Schools are cancelled due to the cold. One school in Appomattox is cancelled for tomorrow and has a 2 hour delay for the next day. I don't blame the bus drivers for not wanting to drive in this plus the heat pumps in the school have to working extra hard to heat the school and they may as well wait and see if they can carry the load before having all the kids there and sending them home due to this record breaking cold wave.
Tues.-Phil overdid it yesterday. Doing some paperwork and he and Michael put up a ceiling fan right above our dining room table and then Phil and Susan put up one in her room. They had been bought to be temporaries over at Happy Valley. Made mashed potatoes and turkey gravy and peas and salad for lunch. Everything we refrigerate on the back porch gets frozen solid. It was 0 degrees this morning. Susan went out to practice and her game and I went out to Lowes to get another light for above the sink. No one is out shopping. My front left tire looked squishy when I came out and I tried to fill it with The Beast but the battery ran down so I drove to Sheetz and filled up the tire and went to Judy's to charge my phone and The Beast. Carleen stopped in and I had a quick visit with them before leaving to go man the money table at NL for the girl's game. What a game. Neck to neck the whole way. I was trying not to make any noises but when Susan held on to the ball and pulled it away and gave another girl the privilege of flying I had to yell. She didn't hurt her and no one told her that she had to try taking the ball from Susan. I became an obnoxious parent at one time and yelled out a number on the other team and told her to knock it off. She kept pawing at the girls. Kathy M. said that maybe her love language was physical touch and I bet she's right. The girls won and just barely. I get a bit of a rush. After the guy's game-they lost but it was close-the teams went out to Cook Out and it is there that they talk about the game. I think that's a good thing. I went to Walmart afterwards and from now on I must remember that the best time to go to Walmart is when it is dark and 19 degrees outside. Wow. Three check out clerks were checking me out and loading up my cart. They heard a baby crying and I thought, "Poor baby. Out on a night like this." But they said, "I never want one of those. Do you ever want one of those? No..." they said to each other. And then I cheerfully said, obnoxiously too, I suppose, "Guess what I found out today?" "What?" they perked up. "I found out that I am going to have a grand baby boy!" "Congratulations" they said with all the enthusiasm they could muster. Then I felt a little guilty for making them look bad so I said, "It is really good that you know that you are not ready to bring a baby into the world. Etc... " and one of the girls said, "Yes, I love my sleep too much to be ready to have a baby."
So, that is the real news of the day. Alli and Freeman went to the doctor and found out that he/she is definitely a little boy. They showed us a 3D picture and he has Freeman's nose and Alli's forehead and it looks like he is hitchhiking or giving a thumbs up. I cried and cried and when no one was around I sobbed some more for all the little babies who never get born because their mother thinks the only option she has or the only option she thinks she wants is to destroy the life of God in her. Never has if affected me like this. To realize if he was given to another he might never be. But here he is being born into a family with parents and uncles and aunts and grandparents and church families and neighbors and friends already love him and are rooting for him and are waiting to see what he will become and what he will do. It is glorious. And it is heart wrenching. But I will focus on the glorious life that will be and trust that God in heaven will treasure those who are trashed on earth. I see Him in my mind, holding millions and millions of little babies and they are growing up in Him in a perfectly beautiful heavenly environment and I am sure my mother, who always loved babies, is helping Him with them all. Amen.
Caught up with Rosalee on the way home from Walmart. Phil helped me put stuff away. I took night time cold medicine and talked his ear off for an hour and then couldn't wake up this morning so I better take it earlier tonight.
I can't wait to find some flannel blue material and make a little boy blue comforter.
Wed.-I overdid it yesterday and am paying for it today. Getting little done. Susan is studying Chemistry. She helped the guys with firewood and the guys have been working on it all day. I made turkey, rice, black bean, salsa tortilla mixture for supper and we sat at different places in the LR and DR because the DR table was full of Phil's office stuff, etc. Then the three got on the floor with Davi and rolled on each other and tried to get Davi to climb over each other and fought and played with each other and I was so happy and it felt like Christmas morning. After awhile, Michael went to study and Susan and Philip went to youth group and Phil and I watched Carrie Underwood in Sound of Music and it was good and I thought about how proud her parents must be and I prayed for her. I posted something on face book today that I read in a mentoring book. It makes my soul ache with longing and there were a few who understood it and I understood why they were the ones who understood it. It was a quote by Guillaume Apollinaire-
"Come to the edge," he said.
They said, "We are afraid."
"Come to the edge," he said.
They came.
He pushed them and
they flew.~
I read it and can barely breathe. It is a deep calling unto deep in me.
Thurs.-Have more energy but feel worse. Like I have a fever. Head stuffed. Head ache. Detoxing in a big way with Dr. F.'s box of detox meds. This should teach me to eat better between Thanksgiving and New Year's next year. It's not worth it. Phil's much better. Talking on phone, etc. I had wondered if he would ever get his voice back. It was hard not to whisper back to him. He did a lot of paperwork today. The guys were working on fixing equipment, getting feed, etc.They were cleaning up the mancave and making popcorn and Jordan came over to hang out this eve. Susan had a productive school day and she and I played PIG basketball for a good half hour in the sun today. I won about 1/3 of the time. She had basketball practice tonight. I ran all the crystal on the shelf in the kitchen through the dishwasher-several loads. Also worked on my desk for another hour, throwing out papers, notes, etc. I want to get this bedroom super cleaned in January but at this rate, it may take longer. Worked on Grams and More as well. I read this today in Henri Nouwen's book-Bread for the Journey, and posted it on fb. It was written for Jan. 9 and was quite fitting for situations I'm hovering over in prayer. "Sometimes we have to 'step over' our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Then we become the "offended one," "the forgotten one," or the "discarded one." Yes, we can get attached to these negative identities and even take morbid pleasure in the. It might be good to have a look at these dark feelings and explore where they come from, but there comes a moment to step over them, leave them behind and travel on."
Fri.-Worked some more on my desk. Went to Susan's basketball game in the eve. with Phil and Susan. They won. Susan played a great game and laughed in the face of her adversary. And that's all I'll say about that although I registered an official complaint so the right people would know some things about the other team, etc. The nerve of some people. Susan didn't think it was that big of a deal but I said, "No, this shouldn't have happened and some one needs to know about it," so I told and they wished Susan had spoken up earlier. We made some plan changes for Feb and will be going to Conn. sooner instead of later and will learn about aquaponics after we know a bit more about greenhouses which also frees me up to be involved with something at church that I really wanted to do. A young man wrote me on fb yesterday and asked if I would teach an online Bible study for young mom's. I love the idea.
Sat.~Raining cats and dogs, thundering too. 30 degree change in weather upward today. Guys are making scrapple outside under the roof of the little shed out by the basketball court. Susan made lots of homemade nutritional baked goods for treats. I mixed up all the dried cornmeal and seasonings, etc. and am waiting for the word to mix the water with it. If it would freeze right now, we could skate on some places of our yard. Still working on my desk.///Finished it. Made about 30 gallons of the 'best ever' scrapple. And we ate some of it and ate a lot of the sausage too. Philip figured out an ingenious way to mix up the cornmeal into the boiling mixture. Saved some human energy. Watched Monk with Susan after she and I cleaned up the dishes and floors. Phil went to visit the Glovers and take them some scrapple and Philip went to Lapp's to play hockey. They fixed up the work warehouse at their home and turned it into a gym. Now they can play basketball, hockey, etc. indoors. Michael and Jordan fried up a lot of sausage for us tonight and I feel like a stuffed pig. I've been working on an area of fasting and not focusing on food. Obviously. The rest of the church is getting thinner while I'm just not.
Sun.-Great service at church. Freeman and Charity led worship. It was nice to sing songs we knew because then we can focus on worshipping rather than learning new words. It's nice to learn new songs too. It was one of those services where I couldn't stop crying. Three things overwhelmed me. During one of the songs about not being afraid...whom shall I fear...I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, etc. I looked up at the worshippers who were leading worship and I saw God at work. I saw how not only did He bring people through, He overcame the evil that came into their lives to destroy them. Besides my precious son, I saw a beautiful woman who had been adopted as a baby-her mother had become pregnant with her through another's willful violation. I saw another woman abandoned by her father as a child, now reaching out to her Father in heaven through her beautiful voice and song and another young woman who lost her mother in an accident when she was a young teen. Not only had they overcome but they were leading others to the God who overcomes.
Pastor Bill cast a vision for church growth and the practical ways we are going to prepare a setting for growth. The bottom line motivation he shared for growing in the Word and the ways of God was so that we could become more like Christ. I became overwhelmed, #2, of the bottom line unity of The Body of Christ. It is this. The Lord my Righteousness. He is my righteousness. He is your righteousness. There are no levels. There are no elitist groups. To the sisters who don't talk to each other, He is The Lord their Righteousness. No one is right. We don't have to choose sides. To the people who are offended with decisions that have been made and are unable to move on, I do not judge them. I do not worry about them judging me. Because we're all on the ground. He is your righteousness. He is mine. And that righteousness destroys the dividing wall between us. All our of self-justifying walls. Destroyed. And I can love you and you can love me even though we disagree. Even though we've hurt one another. If our unity was based on doctrine-our interpretation of the Word of God, then we will never be united. And, if it were possible to be so unified we could do anything and then we would build a tower of Babel in our midst and have a church that everyone knows about; that's made a name for itself. Called by something other than "The Lord our Righteousness." And I just reread what I wrote and I still cannot explain what I experienced so I guess I will just hold it and soak in it and revel in the glory of The Lord my righteousness.
And the third thing was the altar call and at least 8 people went forward and there was a certain young man that went up and it moved me because I saw the love of God the Father all over him and I saw his brokenness and I had a glimpse into his future. At least I think I did. And it all made me cry. And I will watch and pray over that young man.
We came home and ate a royal breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage, scrapple, and eggs. Jordan and Sarah were here and after awhile the McIntoshes came and some of the kids had some more lunch. Then PBill and Jenny and Lexi and Livi and Phil and I, piled in our car and went over to Freeman and Alli's place and they gave us a tour and we shared in a prayer of blessing over their home. And then we all came back here (Phil had Lexi help him drive) and I made popcorn and the kids had been watching The Three Stooges and sleeping, and they played some Apples to Apples and some of them batted a volleyball around outside while we sat around the kitchen table and shared. It was nice. My house had not had its Saturday cleaning due to all the scrapple making and the coming in and out and I barely stressed about it because they already feel like family.
Tues.-Phil overdid it yesterday. Doing some paperwork and he and Michael put up a ceiling fan right above our dining room table and then Phil and Susan put up one in her room. They had been bought to be temporaries over at Happy Valley. Made mashed potatoes and turkey gravy and peas and salad for lunch. Everything we refrigerate on the back porch gets frozen solid. It was 0 degrees this morning. Susan went out to practice and her game and I went out to Lowes to get another light for above the sink. No one is out shopping. My front left tire looked squishy when I came out and I tried to fill it with The Beast but the battery ran down so I drove to Sheetz and filled up the tire and went to Judy's to charge my phone and The Beast. Carleen stopped in and I had a quick visit with them before leaving to go man the money table at NL for the girl's game. What a game. Neck to neck the whole way. I was trying not to make any noises but when Susan held on to the ball and pulled it away and gave another girl the privilege of flying I had to yell. She didn't hurt her and no one told her that she had to try taking the ball from Susan. I became an obnoxious parent at one time and yelled out a number on the other team and told her to knock it off. She kept pawing at the girls. Kathy M. said that maybe her love language was physical touch and I bet she's right. The girls won and just barely. I get a bit of a rush. After the guy's game-they lost but it was close-the teams went out to Cook Out and it is there that they talk about the game. I think that's a good thing. I went to Walmart afterwards and from now on I must remember that the best time to go to Walmart is when it is dark and 19 degrees outside. Wow. Three check out clerks were checking me out and loading up my cart. They heard a baby crying and I thought, "Poor baby. Out on a night like this." But they said, "I never want one of those. Do you ever want one of those? No..." they said to each other. And then I cheerfully said, obnoxiously too, I suppose, "Guess what I found out today?" "What?" they perked up. "I found out that I am going to have a grand baby boy!" "Congratulations" they said with all the enthusiasm they could muster. Then I felt a little guilty for making them look bad so I said, "It is really good that you know that you are not ready to bring a baby into the world. Etc... " and one of the girls said, "Yes, I love my sleep too much to be ready to have a baby."
So, that is the real news of the day. Alli and Freeman went to the doctor and found out that he/she is definitely a little boy. They showed us a 3D picture and he has Freeman's nose and Alli's forehead and it looks like he is hitchhiking or giving a thumbs up. I cried and cried and when no one was around I sobbed some more for all the little babies who never get born because their mother thinks the only option she has or the only option she thinks she wants is to destroy the life of God in her. Never has if affected me like this. To realize if he was given to another he might never be. But here he is being born into a family with parents and uncles and aunts and grandparents and church families and neighbors and friends already love him and are rooting for him and are waiting to see what he will become and what he will do. It is glorious. And it is heart wrenching. But I will focus on the glorious life that will be and trust that God in heaven will treasure those who are trashed on earth. I see Him in my mind, holding millions and millions of little babies and they are growing up in Him in a perfectly beautiful heavenly environment and I am sure my mother, who always loved babies, is helping Him with them all. Amen.
Caught up with Rosalee on the way home from Walmart. Phil helped me put stuff away. I took night time cold medicine and talked his ear off for an hour and then couldn't wake up this morning so I better take it earlier tonight.
I can't wait to find some flannel blue material and make a little boy blue comforter.
Wed.-I overdid it yesterday and am paying for it today. Getting little done. Susan is studying Chemistry. She helped the guys with firewood and the guys have been working on it all day. I made turkey, rice, black bean, salsa tortilla mixture for supper and we sat at different places in the LR and DR because the DR table was full of Phil's office stuff, etc. Then the three got on the floor with Davi and rolled on each other and tried to get Davi to climb over each other and fought and played with each other and I was so happy and it felt like Christmas morning. After awhile, Michael went to study and Susan and Philip went to youth group and Phil and I watched Carrie Underwood in Sound of Music and it was good and I thought about how proud her parents must be and I prayed for her. I posted something on face book today that I read in a mentoring book. It makes my soul ache with longing and there were a few who understood it and I understood why they were the ones who understood it. It was a quote by Guillaume Apollinaire-
"Come to the edge," he said.
They said, "We are afraid."
"Come to the edge," he said.
They came.
He pushed them and
they flew.~
I read it and can barely breathe. It is a deep calling unto deep in me.
Thurs.-Have more energy but feel worse. Like I have a fever. Head stuffed. Head ache. Detoxing in a big way with Dr. F.'s box of detox meds. This should teach me to eat better between Thanksgiving and New Year's next year. It's not worth it. Phil's much better. Talking on phone, etc. I had wondered if he would ever get his voice back. It was hard not to whisper back to him. He did a lot of paperwork today. The guys were working on fixing equipment, getting feed, etc.They were cleaning up the mancave and making popcorn and Jordan came over to hang out this eve. Susan had a productive school day and she and I played PIG basketball for a good half hour in the sun today. I won about 1/3 of the time. She had basketball practice tonight. I ran all the crystal on the shelf in the kitchen through the dishwasher-several loads. Also worked on my desk for another hour, throwing out papers, notes, etc. I want to get this bedroom super cleaned in January but at this rate, it may take longer. Worked on Grams and More as well. I read this today in Henri Nouwen's book-Bread for the Journey, and posted it on fb. It was written for Jan. 9 and was quite fitting for situations I'm hovering over in prayer. "Sometimes we have to 'step over' our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Then we become the "offended one," "the forgotten one," or the "discarded one." Yes, we can get attached to these negative identities and even take morbid pleasure in the. It might be good to have a look at these dark feelings and explore where they come from, but there comes a moment to step over them, leave them behind and travel on."
Fri.-Worked some more on my desk. Went to Susan's basketball game in the eve. with Phil and Susan. They won. Susan played a great game and laughed in the face of her adversary. And that's all I'll say about that although I registered an official complaint so the right people would know some things about the other team, etc. The nerve of some people. Susan didn't think it was that big of a deal but I said, "No, this shouldn't have happened and some one needs to know about it," so I told and they wished Susan had spoken up earlier. We made some plan changes for Feb and will be going to Conn. sooner instead of later and will learn about aquaponics after we know a bit more about greenhouses which also frees me up to be involved with something at church that I really wanted to do. A young man wrote me on fb yesterday and asked if I would teach an online Bible study for young mom's. I love the idea.
Sat.~Raining cats and dogs, thundering too. 30 degree change in weather upward today. Guys are making scrapple outside under the roof of the little shed out by the basketball court. Susan made lots of homemade nutritional baked goods for treats. I mixed up all the dried cornmeal and seasonings, etc. and am waiting for the word to mix the water with it. If it would freeze right now, we could skate on some places of our yard. Still working on my desk.///Finished it. Made about 30 gallons of the 'best ever' scrapple. And we ate some of it and ate a lot of the sausage too. Philip figured out an ingenious way to mix up the cornmeal into the boiling mixture. Saved some human energy. Watched Monk with Susan after she and I cleaned up the dishes and floors. Phil went to visit the Glovers and take them some scrapple and Philip went to Lapp's to play hockey. They fixed up the work warehouse at their home and turned it into a gym. Now they can play basketball, hockey, etc. indoors. Michael and Jordan fried up a lot of sausage for us tonight and I feel like a stuffed pig. I've been working on an area of fasting and not focusing on food. Obviously. The rest of the church is getting thinner while I'm just not.
Sun.-Great service at church. Freeman and Charity led worship. It was nice to sing songs we knew because then we can focus on worshipping rather than learning new words. It's nice to learn new songs too. It was one of those services where I couldn't stop crying. Three things overwhelmed me. During one of the songs about not being afraid...whom shall I fear...I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, etc. I looked up at the worshippers who were leading worship and I saw God at work. I saw how not only did He bring people through, He overcame the evil that came into their lives to destroy them. Besides my precious son, I saw a beautiful woman who had been adopted as a baby-her mother had become pregnant with her through another's willful violation. I saw another woman abandoned by her father as a child, now reaching out to her Father in heaven through her beautiful voice and song and another young woman who lost her mother in an accident when she was a young teen. Not only had they overcome but they were leading others to the God who overcomes.
Pastor Bill cast a vision for church growth and the practical ways we are going to prepare a setting for growth. The bottom line motivation he shared for growing in the Word and the ways of God was so that we could become more like Christ. I became overwhelmed, #2, of the bottom line unity of The Body of Christ. It is this. The Lord my Righteousness. He is my righteousness. He is your righteousness. There are no levels. There are no elitist groups. To the sisters who don't talk to each other, He is The Lord their Righteousness. No one is right. We don't have to choose sides. To the people who are offended with decisions that have been made and are unable to move on, I do not judge them. I do not worry about them judging me. Because we're all on the ground. He is your righteousness. He is mine. And that righteousness destroys the dividing wall between us. All our of self-justifying walls. Destroyed. And I can love you and you can love me even though we disagree. Even though we've hurt one another. If our unity was based on doctrine-our interpretation of the Word of God, then we will never be united. And, if it were possible to be so unified we could do anything and then we would build a tower of Babel in our midst and have a church that everyone knows about; that's made a name for itself. Called by something other than "The Lord our Righteousness." And I just reread what I wrote and I still cannot explain what I experienced so I guess I will just hold it and soak in it and revel in the glory of The Lord my righteousness.
And the third thing was the altar call and at least 8 people went forward and there was a certain young man that went up and it moved me because I saw the love of God the Father all over him and I saw his brokenness and I had a glimpse into his future. At least I think I did. And it all made me cry. And I will watch and pray over that young man.
We came home and ate a royal breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage, scrapple, and eggs. Jordan and Sarah were here and after awhile the McIntoshes came and some of the kids had some more lunch. Then PBill and Jenny and Lexi and Livi and Phil and I, piled in our car and went over to Freeman and Alli's place and they gave us a tour and we shared in a prayer of blessing over their home. And then we all came back here (Phil had Lexi help him drive) and I made popcorn and the kids had been watching The Three Stooges and sleeping, and they played some Apples to Apples and some of them batted a volleyball around outside while we sat around the kitchen table and shared. It was nice. My house had not had its Saturday cleaning due to all the scrapple making and the coming in and out and I barely stressed about it because they already feel like family.
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