Merry Christmas - do you have the right gift?

Getting down to the wire and before we know it (if the world doesn't end tomorrow, of course), Christmas will be here.  Celebrating the most important event ever...the coming of our Messiah, Jesus Christ.  I know you've heard of Him.  Perhaps many of you have gotten past "hearing about Him" to knowing Him as your Lord and Savior, your King, your Provider, your reason for living.  You know He's the right Gift.

Anyone who has lost hope, lost love, lost stability, lost family and finds Jesus knows why we celebrate Him, at Christmas time and everyday of our lives.  He has never left us.  He has never failed us.  He is faithful even when we are not.

Do you know Him?  Is He Lord of your life?  Are your burdens at His feet and you are at peace?  That's what He wants.  Us to have His peace because He can fix what's broken, including your heart.  He stores our tears in a bottle.

This Christmas, why not focus on Him.  Not Santa Claus, gift exchanges and family gatherings.  Not parties, baking cookies and egg nog.  But, just Jesus.  No fancy wrapping came with Him as our gift from God, only a ragged blanket.  A manger used for feeding animals was His bed.  He cried and was helpless at birth, no fancy crown on His head.  But, He is Worthy of our Praise, our Honor, and our Love.  He is our King.

 My prayer is if once the packages under your tree are opened you still feel empty, you'll seek the gift of Jesus and be filled with every good thing...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.  This gift is free! Just ask God for it.  Nothing to do first, if any changes are needed, believe me, He will bring them about if you sincerely turn yourself over to Him.

Have a very Merry Christmas

medical tests - don't read if squeamish

Oh boy.  Yesterday was my Cystodefecography.  Yeah, try pronouncing it.  In a nutshell think, embarressing, pinching pain, quiet anger, humor and relief when over.  First, no food after midnight (oh, I forgot STARVATION) on my list.  I slirpped on some nasty jello off the K-mart shelf.  Can of chicken broth and coffee. Yum!  The morning of the test the navy arrived and it was war on a bath towel when the "Fleet" came marching in two by two.  Yeah, those guys!

The drive to Portland, thank you hubby.  The Providence Professional Plaza, how could anything hurt in THIS beautiful building.  Of course we passed the cafeteria to get to Suite 117.  Rub it in.

The procedure itself began with drinking two containers of watered down chalk with a hint of raspberry.  Pride when the lady said, "I think you drank this faster than any other patient"..well, they did say not to sip it.
Instructions..DO NOT POOP!  Why not say do not BREATHE!  However, prayer is a powerful thing!!
Paperwork is a good distraction, also.  40 minutes later the pretty blond comes and gets me.

Then the new wardrobe..two gowns..first opens in back..2nd opens in front..I like that. Walk to first X-ray of innards.  Now, walk to what looks like an operating room and get on table..warm blanket.  "Sorry, picture didn't turn out"..back to cold X-ray table, bye bye warm blanket. Return to 'operating room'.  All this walking and I'm NOT to let anything out!!!  In a few minutes, a smiling chipper unsub from Criminal Minds comes in to torture me with a catheter insertion..MOMMY!!  Tapes tube to my leg with a pair of sissors dangling..ok now that's just wrong!!!  Then just to complete the agony (ok so maybe NOT agony in the true sense of the word, but to me yes!) they fill my bladder...wait it's suppose to go out not in.  Oh this is definately NOT fun.  Smiley leaves to get to her next victim.  Pretty blond girl leaves me alone as she goes to get the doctor.  I begin to sing praise and christmas songs to keep my mind off the pain..

Next the Dr arrives with two giant cylinders of goop..yeah..guess where they decide to store that..and yes they do use what resembles a calking gun come to think of it.  Now, without losing any of goop, they say "walk" over here.  DEAD GIRL WALKING came to mind as I slowly made my way across the room to some steps..up up up...now sit.  Before I know it and in spite of great discomfort they give me an amusement ride..my seat aka potty chair, is airborn.  Wheeeee!  NOT!!  Then the fun begins..Do this, squeeze that, hold that, cough, push...am I having a baby or what?  All to the eager eyes of the doctor and his girl Friday.   After they put me thru the paces, I have questions...so they begin to show me the images which are at my elbow...the girl says "look away..those aren't images of you yet"..oh yeah Hippa.  I'm so gonna tell everybody about blurry fuzzy pictures of strangers'  movements.  It was interesting as I watched mine, it was  like a video of cloud formations..see this is where you coughed, this is where you relaxed.  Hey..cool.  How do I know this is really me?  Faith man, just pure faith.

It's finally over and I'm left with the girl Friday to unhook all the tubing etc..it's no skin off her nose that I hurt like crazy and wanna scream..but I smile, I joke, and when she's done I go into my private dressing room and it's over.

I go back to where my dear husband has waited over an hour and where do I head?  Cafeteria of course.  There are things I wanna do to be more comfortable but I am a lady so I don't.  About an hour and a half later, the sharp pain from the catheter is gone. Thank you Advil.

Next we go visit our friend at OHSU who is really really sick and suddenly I am very thankful that my "agony" ended for the day, while our friend has been in hospital over 3 months and it ain't over yet for him.  Even if I have surgery, I won't suffer as much as this young man.  I am ashamed of how I whined on the way to see him.  But, there are more tests, no doubt more whining and if I do have surgery, I will be a coward.  But as long as I remember to praise God and sing He will see me through it all.

Mall shooting

http://news.search.yahoo.com/search?p=Oregon+mall+shooting

Our world is sick.  Come quickly Lord Jesus.  Meanwhile, tell others about His love and forgiveness.  His healing power for mind and body.  A world "doin their own thing" just doesn't work!  Bring God back to our schools, government and families!!

Hope you all have a great and safe Wednesday.  I'm heading to Portland for a medical test that probably will only hurt my pride.  Life in the fast lane of the elderly..  I may look ok and act youthful, but inside my body,  gravity is having it's way.  My sense of humor will prevail!!!!  It's brought me through worse places in my 70 years.  Laughter doeth like good medicine as the Bible says!!

Lord of all

If Jesus isn't Lord of all in my life, He's not Lord at all in my life.  I'm either all in..or it's not a relationship.
He didn't die for religion, He died for a personal relationship with me and you if you accept Him.  Total surrender.  I am on a journey.  It's a wonderful journey, too.  His faithfulness surpasses anyone else's.  He won't let me down, ever!!  I love Him!!!

buckies and retirement

Good morning!  Ah yes, I just finished one of my challenges for the day...wrapping a riding toy that has all that open space.  Ok it's not pretty!!  Ok the taped side is up. What's a person to do huh?

My 2nd challenge today will be getting my "buckies" cleaned.  It's my last appt with my dentist while insured.
With hubby retiring at end of December, so is my dental insurance.  Our medical goes thru January then we are medicare and supplemental insured.  What? Oh the fact I may require surgery very soon?  Yeah..that's a challenge that goes beyond today.  We'll just have to see.  I have 3 tests coming up to determine my fate. Just like my wrapping..they ain't pretty!!!

We will see a financial planner this afternoon also.  So you can see this is a productive busy day.  Bob retiring sure created a lot to do, but it's worth it to have some time together.  Will my life change?  oh yeah.  He'll put me on a dress code prolly (getting dressed before noon), I'll be on the clock with my computer use, too, I betcha.  Oh and there's that "I like to stay busy" mentality which I do not own.  Will he expect me to participate in that??

But, for now..he will work as a temp thru March, so I've got some time to wean out of my laziness, my wardrobe of pj's and tee shirt, and get off my twinkie addiction.

Have a great day!!!