Faith Based Support Groups - Christian Encouragers-September

You've found a great place to come and vent, share or ask for prayer support. This is a great group who will be very encouraging, caring and loving....anyone is welcome to join!

A Servent's Prayer --

Jesus, My Jesus....How marvellous your ways....
Far more splendid than my mind can envision.
What an honor to be chosen by you.
A lowly child I am, but empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great hope to which you have called me.
I give myself totally to you, Lord.
Take my imperfect heart and make it perfect.
Peel away the hardness.
Close the doors I have opened to the temptations of this world.
Gently remove the roots of painful memories, sins, doubts and fears.
Discard anything that separates me from you.
Lord, fill the emptiness with the light of your love that I might be a beacon calling the lost back to you.

To love as you love.....
To serve as you serve.....
To forgive as you forgive.....
Always mindful of my nothingness while doing great and marvelous things in your name and for your glory.
This I pray, Jesus, in YOUR name ...
Amen.
_

Hi, Everyone! I decided to take matters in my own hands this morning, since it's already the 2nd and we were still posting in last month's thread! So glad to hear of blessings and answered prayers in the last couple days.

Rosebud-glad your DH is doing better! And, that God provided help when the need arose. You've been in my thoughts and prayers:hug:

Gary-glad you're feeling better and are not in the fire zones. That must be so terrible to see all that destruction so close to where you are, though. You and your family (sister and all) are in my prayers. As we've found out, cancer affects so many others than just the patient.

Laurie-hope your day goes well. Don't get too worn out or you'll be catching all the bugs once the kids get back to school! My dad used to teach teachers at NKU a long time ago.....

Bootsie-still praying for rains and for God to confuse those coyotes and send them elsewhere. We hear them here a lot, but haven't heard of any in town in the past year. Now, someone had to kill a 7 foot black bear only about 3 miles from here this spring-it came up in their farmyard and was coming after the farmer. Fortunately (for him, not the bear) he had his gun nearby.

Well, hi to everyone else, too! We've got a lot to do today-trying to get stuff up to mom's for our yard sale and the boys have youth groups tonight. Keeping busy helps keep the mind off the troubles, you know (you can read about some of that in the prayer thread so I won't go over it again here). Our weather has been so nice, DS3 and I have been going out to walk every day -well, I walk and he rides his bike, frequently circling around me like a satellite as we go down the street:lol: He's just goofy sometimes!

You all have a great day! Prayers for blessings for all!

Good afternoon Everyone,

Gary ~ Glad you are feeling better and pray that you will be back to yourself very soon. Also glad you are all that close to the fires.

Rosebud ~ Glad God sent the help you need. I love how God has a way of doing that. Good for you staying OP in spite of the ordeal thrown your way.

Ronni ~ Prayers coming your way.

Yesterday was supposed to be my monthly WI, but did it today. I lost 5.5 lbs which I thank God for.

Bootsie ~ Still praying for that rain. I saw on tv yesterday where a guy in Austin said he was in the shower and soaped up, turn on the water to rinse off and had no water. So I understand it is really bad there. Hope things aren't that bad where you are.

Kellie, Laurie and Everyone else I pray all is well with you.

Have good afternoon and evening. Prayers for all of you are continued.

It is not that bad yet here our wells are pumping into tanks and I watch them and keep the tanks full. I have one for an emergency if we do run out of water ,use the water out of it every 6 months to keep the water good, one for the house and animals and one for the animals but the water is getting a-lot of lime in it so we are close to the bottom and am afraid we will run out just like everyone else is, someday. So far the Lord has kept it going , I water once a week my flowers which are not much and use the water from the washing machine to water the plants, the soap helps keep fire ants out of them. There is nothing wrong with the water even old tea & coffee they get, that really gives them some get up and go. They don't like diet drinks though.

Thanks RONNI for starting September....I am pretty sure I will never have to keep this thread going on my own...with WILMA's help of course!

We have been blessed to have so many friends here in recent years!

I can't show what I wanted to show you all from my job....the artist didn't take down his templetes so I didn't take the picture...it can wait.

Work is getting just a bit easier....finally!....for me at least...maybe not for my boss. He did come into the building a few times today to "kiss up" for being a jerk recently. I told him I knew he was under a lot of pressure...who wouldn't be building a 30 million $$$ building!

Feeling a bit better yet today...almost normal I think.

Angie is just coming home from teaching yoga at church....I can hear the garage door opening...so I will say bye and go have leftover enchiladas with my wife...

Peace and Prayers to all of you ~ Gary

Thanks Trish!

Gary -glad you are feeling better! I DO want to see pics of your project when you can get them!!!

Rosebud - thanks! Prayers continuing for you!

Ronni - thanks for starting the new thread :D

Bootsie - prayers for rain continuing!

Another crazy day here. I trained secretaries all day on the new software, and then headed over to another church in town (Christian Reformed) to do a session on PowerPoint in the worship setting. I finally got home - I'm pooped!

Prayers continuing for all!

Laurie :scooter:

The coyotes passed by this morning about 6 AM but now we have a convict on the loose and has a gun. Located the car he stole in kale Texas, but the car he stole was the house by my Uncle in Liberty Hill! Yikes!
I seen a video of coyotes in California coming into town and killing dogs and cats,digging into garbage etc.. Ronni, I think if I seen a black Bear coming toward me ,I would find the strength to run! They say a mountain lion has been sighted around here and something was getting my brother-in-laws goats and dragging them out of the pen, no sign of anything!

Thanks for all the prayers, mostly appreciated , but when the weather comes on I walk out it is so depressing,having a hard time staying on my menu and doing my exercise. I must stay on track but this is not easy! Sounds like you might be feeling better Gary hope so, prayers here for your sister.

Bootsie,

Trust Jesus! We have a battle going on in our hearts and minds at all times. Two forces one good one evil. We have the flesh part of us, who only wants to satisfy the lust of the flesh. Then we have the spirit part of us, who only wants to satisfy the Holy Spirit.

Mark 14:38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Right now the flesh part of you is stronger than the spirit part of you. The only way for your spirit to become stronger, is by taking steps to strengthen it. You are doing what God wants you to do, by staying in His Word and fellowshipping with other Christians on this site. Keep that up! Even if you have a set back, you’re not starting back at the beginning. Each time you do try and succeed your spirit becomes stronger than your flesh. Each time you pray, each time you fast, each time you praise Jesus, each time your spirit wins over your flesh, each time you have a victory, every time you get back up after a fall, you build those spirit muscles... Keep at it DON'T GIVE UP!!!!

Go after Satan like you do the coyotes, only not with a stick, but with the Word. It hurts Satan when you use the Word on Him like Jesus did when He was being tempted! Use the authority you have in Christ, through His Word.

Sorry, I don't have time for personals right now, will be back tonight, Love you all!
Love, Kelli

Thank You so much Kelli for taking the time to give me a for GOOD CHRISTIAN KICK this morning, I needed it badly. I am driving by but wanted to check in will be back later. I am late got to go feed the animals, they are going to fire me! Ha!

Quick flyby for now. Just wanted to say hello and I am praying for everyone as well.

Till later,

HI EVERYONE ~ well, I tried to come in an do a post last night, but my PC kept going off on me. It turned out to be that our power bar had a glitch in it. We started having trouble a few days ago where my PC would just go on and off by itself ... and we thought ... oooweeooo ... spooky ... :lol: Anyways, this AM, we tried a new power bar and so far things seem to be back to normal again.

EDIT TO ADD ~ DH just opened up the power bar and showed me that the bar was shorting out; I could smell the burnt wire as soon as he opened it. Boy, we are sure blessed that we noticed that becuz if that happened at night, it could have caused a fire. PTL and thank you GOD for protecting us from harm ... DH says that the power bar should have kicked off permanently as it is supposed to do that ... eeks!


OUR DILAMMA (jk) ~ We had some stuff put away in storage, but had to move it quickly as the owner sold the place, and turned the keys over to the buyer on Tuesday, but didn't tell us until late Tuesday afternoon. Usually one has 30 days to remove your stuff, but the new owners wanted the space right away. So we went out Tuesday night, and someone came by and helped us. Then we went back Wednesday AM, and got the rest of our stuff
(it all took us only 2-3 hours in total).

The new owners came by and told us that anything that we didn't want, to just leave it there and they would haul it away themselves becuz they had lots of other stuff to take away, which was very kind of them also ...

So GOD answered our prayers for that -- we asked Him for help becuz we didn't know how we could move everything out of there with such a short notice, and all by ourselves. Once again, GOD sent us help, and a whole lot of peace of mind to go along with that too.

DH is building NIKO a dog house with a friendz who likes to do things like this to keep busy. UP until now, he had what is called a lean-to shelter, but a nice dog house is much, much better. DH had to go get some screws for the tin roof, which will last a longer time. His friend is very generous; and is giving him the metal for the roof ... may GOD bless him for his generosity.. We just had to supply the plywood and 2" x 4" wood which thankfully, we already had.

So GOD has been answering our prayers about finding us some really good friends here close to home; plus we are blessed to have such a great group of friends here at 3FC's too ...


The hydro folks came by and put in our new 'SMART METERS' which should help us all to save even more $$$ on our electricity bills, if we use stuff in off-peak times of the day (ie 10 pm to 7 am). We unplug all of our small appliances when they are not in use: like the TV, video & dvd machines, fans, air conditioner, coffee maker, etc. I also unplugged some unnecessary cords and plugs today, as they all draw energy even when you are not using them; and a lot of people don't know that ...

My eating has been very good (credit moi); and I have been doing my daily routine as per usual ... kudos 2 me! The water pills that the doctor has me on is helping to keep the water down in my legs much better; hopefully that will help them heal as well.

Thanks for all your prayers; they sure have been answered very quickly. Hope you all have a wonderful evening ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^PRAYERS^ continuing for you and yours ...

Here are the pictures I promised ~

The pictures are of the dome on the car dealership we are building. The owner is a Christian. I was having a hard time getting the look....the yellow in the pictures is a flat ceiling....all the clouds and blues/whites are in the dome. The scripture is PSALMS 68:34-35....didn't quite get it all in the pic. I will take more of the building...batteries were low.

ENJOY :)

EDIT ~ That is not a hole in God/Jesus's head...it is a fire sprinkler.....guess the artist should have lowered the pic!....wink

Just a fly-by tonight - I didn't get much sleep last night (pet issues), but I wanted to let everyone know that I read your posts and prayers are ascending.

Rosebud - glad you were able to get moved out in time.

Gary WOW. Just WOW. I am speechless.

Gary, That is just absolutely Gorgeous!!! You should be very proud!!!

Prayers going out for everyone! And special hugs to all those who need those "Cyber hugs"!

My son and his wife made a decision to go ahead and take the children back to Colorado to her parents house for the next few months in hopes that they can get jobs, and find work is Florida. Then they can be all set up and be able to go and get the kids on their Winter break. This broke my heart to see them split up their family so that they can try to go to school, work and find a place to live. I am so hoping that it works for them but have also mentioned to them that this may just not be the right time to try and do this. They have had so many obstacles put in their way but seem to have blinders on and can't seem to think of any other way. I am very worried about how things are going to work for them. Saying lots of prayers that the right thing does happen for them-- what ever that will be.

Oh Gary that is awesome ,breath taking, love them!

Gary ~ Awesome!

Praying for all of you. Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.

Gary-the painting is incredible! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Hi to everyone! Hope you all have a great holiday weekend! We're off to football soon-first home game tonight, so it's parent's night. Have to brag a little bit-DS2 submitted a design for the school's homecoming buttons and his design won first place! So cool! He won money for it and also a free button-the best part of it is that he's so accepted even though we still do most of his schooling at home. We're very proud of him-he worked really hard on his design:D.

Yard sale went well today and will be doing it tomorrow too, so hoping for getting rid of a lot more stuff! Well, prayers for blessings for you all!

Karen, prayers ascending for your family!

Ronni - :congrat: to your son! That is AWESOME! He must be quite talented as those types of contests usually get a lot of entries!

Whew - glad the week is over. Time to switch gears and work on church stuff for the weekend. I better get to it so that I can have SOME time for fun this weekend! DH is working Monday, so it is a typical weekend for us.

Hope you all have a fun and safe and blessed weekend!
Prayers continuing!
Laurie :scooter:

HI GALS ~ :)

Just taking it easy, watching some football and baseball. I was able to get home from the job I was doing at church today to see all of my USC TROJAN game :carrot: A nice win for us.

Angie and I went for a 3 mile walk in the neighborhood this morning, then I went to church to work on some walls that we built years ago. The concrete is settling and the walls needed repair work at the ceiling. I intended to do it a few months ago but then they ended up tearing up all the concrete next to the classrooms for some lines to the new gym, had to wait until all the "shaking" stopped. Part of me was bummed because I had to go on a holiday week-end and the other part of me was so happy to be able to be there doing "talent" stuff :) I also did some reflecting on the time when we built those walls, over 10 years ago, some of those men....including my little brother....have passed on.

Angie and I went for Italian tonight, we each brought home 1/2 of our meals. I had penne with vodka sauce and Angie had spaghetti with zucchini in a cream sauce. We went to our Mexican place last night and I brought home 1/2 my plate too....1 cheese enchilada and 1/2 the rice and beans...I did have an add on taco with my enchilada last night ;) I am down a couple of pounds from being sick....no tummy sickness :) just not eating as much or drinking beer with the fever.

Well I hope you are all having a good holiday week-end. I will join up with you all later...hugs and prayers!

Gary - good choices - bringing home food :D Glad you are feeling better! And, as usual - I'm proud of you for seeing the good in having to give up your Saturday to do volunteer work.

I hope all of our CEs are having a blessed weekend!
Today was good - got lots done around the house. DH got more work done on the garage roof :)

Prayers ascending!

Laurie :scooter:

:wave: HI FOLKS ~ We have been having lovely weather here lately; and warm with a nice breeze. Seems like summer just arrived for almost the whole week. So DH wanted to go out to our lot to take some measurements of the window that needs replacing. While I did a few things inside the camper, DH cut a bit of grass, but by that time it was getting fairly hot, and he just ended up tiring himself out, which wasn't a very good idea.

After that, we came on home for dinner: I had just plain meat patties (no bun) with some beans, sliced tomato, and salad. I made DH a cheeseburger; plus he had some real fries with gravy that we picked up for him on the way home. He likes the fries, but I just have something a little healthier for me. It's funny, I used to really like fries & gravy, but lately I have noticed that I have lost my taste for them; but hey, I'm not complaining ... I'm thrilled about it. I would much rather have a nice, small baked or boiled new potato with skins on, or homemade homefries instead.

Yesterday, I made a crockpot of homemade pasta sauce with tomatoes and veggies like mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery, and zucchini for a nice variety; then added in some mini-meatballs and we had this on some special high-fiber & protein spagetti. I had enuff leftover to make three lunches too.

So the last few days, I have been able to keep on plan very well; and with the added stressors we have had, I think that is superb ... credit moi! I also got a bit of walking in yesterday and today, and washed the floor in the camper which is good exercise too, so kudos 2 me for that too. I have a new appreciation for housechores these days ...

Lots of folks were out at their cottages and camps enjoying the great weather for this last long weekend of the summer/fall. Some kids started back to school last week (the French school, I think). We have one Public English Pre-K to grade 12 and one French Pre-K to grace 12, plus one other English Catholic School here. I know the French kiddies in our neighbourhood did start early for sure this year.

I hope to make some more curtains for our camper this week and for the doorway of our washroom as well -- thought I could do it today, but had to bring it back home for some alterations. I find the little camper quite comfy and handy; I really prefer having my own place finally. In time, we'll get all the cushions and mattresses that we need, do a few small repairs, and spiffy the place up a wee bit to our tastes. I managed to get some nicer pictures in the full sun today, so when I get them downloaded, I'll post one in here for you all to see.

Well, that's all the news for now; hope you all have a lovely long weekend; and a BLESSED SUNDAY tomorrow too! Take good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Here are some pics I took yesterday of the outside of the building we are doing. The first pic is the far left, then middle, then far right...couldn't get it all in one picture!

The biggest of the 3 box looking designs in the first picture is a TV screen....huge...the freeway is right next to it. On top of advertising cars of course, the owner plans to share messages of outreach programs for youth she is involved with....what else I don't know ;)

HI GALS ~ :)

Angie is off getting her hair done...something about frizzes and the humidity..:dizzy:

Getting ready to watch some NASCAR and some baseball tonight. I am sure Angie will find a movie upstairs to watch ;) She is getting much better at knitting! Yesterday she watched the USC game with me....her goal was to make a scarf that said could be done in 3 hours...just about the same time of the game....well, she was 11 inches short but she is not :mad: as much when she drops a stitch ;)

We are having tri-tip and leftover pasta dishes from last night's dinner. I had leftover pizza...just 2 pieces....so that was good.

Angie and I went out for 3 miles before church this morning. Took off a little after 6:30 and got back in time for a quick shower before 8 o'clock service....it is nice that church is only about a 6 minute from my house :)

Church was exciting today :carrot: Even though the gym and new meeting rooms are not completely finished it is safe to walk through. People were really excited. Our principal let me in yesterday and he and I walked it...way cool....I am so happy to see it finally come....I have been "chipping" in to the fund for around 25 years. If anyone wants to see what it looks like and you have facebook you can PM me and I will tell you how find them.

ROSEBUD ~I am glad the weather is nice for you. Angie has been making burgers w/o buns with a little feta cheese melted on top and stir frying some veggies to go along side of it....very tasty. Glad dh is doing better and the camper is becoming home :hug:

SCOOTER ~ Did you get that cougar back in it's cage? ;) Yep...but I have dropped the ball on volunteer work at church in the last few years. With all the out of town work it has been difficult to get there on Saturdays when that is the day I need to take care of "stuff"....Angie and I were so involved for so long a little burn-out set in. We were real busy with the fundraising and awareness of the new building but our work is done on that now. Balance...I have been thinking of getting back into the "boards" but with, again, all the out of town and not even coming home for weeks at a time, well....it can be difficult. Enjoying your rest this week-end? Me too!

RONNI ~ Awesome on the button design! You should be very proud :carrot: Glad the sales were good. How was football? Continued prayers for your dad :hug:

TRISH ~ How is your week-end going?

KAREN ~ That can be very hard on the kids. Life is tough for a lot of folks these days as you know. The kids that moved back here from where you were are still struggling. Both boys have jobs but it just isn't enough....especially for the one with 3 kids! Prayers and hugs :hug:

SUGA ~ KATHY ~ BARGOO ~ COURTNEY ~ KELLI ~ WILMA ~ BOOTSIE ~ AND ALL...have a great Labor Day :)

Rosebud - sounds like you are doing well. I hope you got the curtains made.

Gary - thanks for the pics - WOW looks like an incredible project. I can't believe that anyone is building a structure that big in this economy right now. CA is a lot like MI, and you guys are facing a lot of challenges. Sounds like the owner is following the Spirit - so hopefully everything will work out for her!

Hi all - hope you had a blessed Sunday! A glorious day here - good balance too ;)

Church went well, and my media presentations fit perfectly :D

I got enough food made for the week (another crazy work week ahead) so that we won't be tempted to go "off plan".

We had a lovely fire outside tonight - we need to savor these warm evenings - there probably aren't a lot of them left :lol:

Prayers continuing for all!

Laurie :scooter:

SCOOTER ~

It is quite a project in this economy since it is a car dealership and cars aren't selling. It has been in the works for some time though. We started it almost 2 years ago when things were still going good here. We have been stopped on 4 other dealerships.

There will be more here than cars, there is a restaurant, florist and shops, video game area and video golf for the kids...and dads! There will be an awesome patio on top where she hopes to have concerts...Christian I'll bet.

Need to send the dogs in on Angie for our trip to the beach...

Prayers ~ Gary

Counting Down recommended I check out this forum. To make it easy, I just copied and pasted my intro.

My name is Karyn, and my life has been one long diet with no results. In 2005 I reached my peak at 316. I then lost some and managed to stabilize at 290. Well, last September, I learned my husband was having an affair. Amazing weight loss device! After a year of trials and tribulations and a current two month separation, I am down to 239. (Had actually gotten to 230 but been having some issues :dizzy: ) Anyway, after losing some of the weight, I realized how GREAT I felt. Then I got to buy new clothes out of the regular size sections!!! That was more fun than seeing the pounds lost.

Well, now I am ready to lose even more. I've been off the diet for a month and a half now but want to hit it and hit it hard. I've got two wonderful daughters (ages 18 and 10) that are very supportive but I want to hear from some grownups. Additionally, although I have attended church off and on throughout my life, I have only recently come to have a relationship with the Lord. I would appreciate any support in any area you guys can provide.

Thanks!

Karyn ~ :welcome2: This is a great group. I am sure you will enjoy being here. Sorry about the problems you've had. DH DD went through that a few years ago with her ex. God has blessed her with a precious man who loves her and her children. It is great you have a relationship with the Lord as that is what gets us through the tough times. Looking forward to getting to know you.

Gary ~ Thanks for sharing the pics. What an awesome Christian project. So glad you are feeling so much better. It is great Angie is learning to knit. I tried to learn to knit years ago, but my stitch was always too tight. I finally had to give it up.

Rosebud ~ Sounds like you are having a busy weekend. Just think of all that exercise you got cleaning.

Laurie ~ Smart getting the foods prepared ahead of time so you can stay OP. Hope your week goes well.

Ronnie ~ Congrats on the button design. I know you're proud.

Bootsie, Kellie and Everyone else ~ :wave:

We went to a neighborhood get together Saturday night for a little while and really enjoyed it. It was nice meeting the couple up the street we hadn't met and also DH met the ladies and the hubby of one he had not met. We have another new couple that moved in Thursday, but they didn't get to come so hopefully they will be able to meet with us at our next gatheing. I've never lived in a neighborhood where everyone gets to know each other so it is really nice. Didn't make it to church. DH is having some problems and didn't feel like going. He's been having tests run and has an ultrasound Thursday to check gall bladder. I decided to go off regular coffee and try cutting carbs back to almost none and boy did I have headache. If that is anything like a migrane, I sure don't want one. Today was better for me, but DH is still not feeling really well.

Hope everyone has a good Labor Day weekend.

Blessings and prayers coming your way.

Hi GALS ~

Angie and I had a nice easy day. We were going to go to the beach for our 3 mile walk and have breakfast at a cafe we go to....but....we decided to take another route. It is one we usually can't do, and have breakfast, because the deli doesn't open until 8am on the week-ends. Angie usually has bell choir practice at church so we can't eat and get back in time without a rush. Since it was Monday and nothing going on because of the holiday here (in the USA) Labor Day, we decided to do it. We had a nice walk and had great breakfast sandwiches. Of course we weren't thinking and the deli opened up at 7am because it wasn't the week-end...ha....oh well, it gave us time to relax and read the paper and do the computer stuff.

I have spent most of the day reading a book by Lee Strobel, A Case For Christ, and loading music into the computer and onto my i-pod shuffle...thank you Angie for teaching me!!

Angie made a "yarn" run....she was on the computer this morning and I saw some pictures of yarn...asked her..."Babe, are you on yarn porn?"....she said she is getting addicted! She took off for Michaels after we got back from our walk.

Having salmon on the BBQ tonight.

TRISH ~ I strongly suggest weaning yourself off the caffeine. Maybe 1/2 to 1/2 regular and decaf then 1/4 and 3/4 for awhile. Just a thought, it worked for me when I went 1/2 to 1/2.

KARYN ~Welcome, and we are here to support.

Well GALS I will check in later...anyone seen AGS around? I hope she is OK.

Karyn - glad you came over here - these folk are just awesome!

Trish - sometimes it helps to wean off that caffeine. Try mixing regular and decaf, and continually decreasing the regular coffee. It really does help. Caffeine withdrawal is serious stuff and you need to make the transition safely.

Gary - your post made me laugh. I bought a TON of yarn on ebay a few years ago, when I was felting like a crazy woman. Of course, my passion for felting ended before I could use all the yarn I bought.

I actually dragged it all out this weekend and printed out a few sweater patterns. I was appalled by the prices of some relatively simple sweaters when I went shopping this weekend. So, I'm back at it - knitting needles in hand. I'm about 1/4 of the way through my first sweater.

I forgot how much knitting relaxes me - it has been good to have needles in my hands again :D

Have a great week all!

And - yeah - we are missing a bunch of folk around here - hope it is just the holiday and nothing serious???

Hi all!!!

Wow there are so many things I wanted to say! This thread really gets away from me there are so many friends here.

So I will try to think back on the things I really wanted to say when I saw the posts.

Laurie, your hair is really lovely and very sophisticated. Just right for a teacher of teachers!

Karen, Your son is moving to Colorado? What area? I live in northern Colorado, between Longmont and Loveland.

Gary, beautiful painting and the building is gorgeous, wow praise God He is blessing that Christian business. I bet that feels nice using your craft for family!

Rosebud, can't wait to see more pics of your new home away from home! It sounds so nice and peaceful.

Karyn! :welcome: So glad you found us, and I know it wasn't by accident. This thread has been going for years! It is such a nice place to meet nice people who care and pray for you! They are a neat bunch. I am sorry you have had such a hard time with your STUPID X... Sorry that's not real Christian. any way :hug:

Trish! AAAAA (that was me screaming for your screaming headache!!) How did you do that! When I stopped drinking coffee, (Started back again tho) I cut down to half and half decaf and regular. Seriously girl you are Tuff!

That's so nice to meet friends in your neighborhood, I was planning on planning a block party this summer as we just moved in last September, but I never got around to it. :rolleyes:

Ronnie, Wow that is so cool about your son winning that contest! tell him :congrat: for me!

Hey everybody Bootsie got rain! :carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::c arrot::carrot::carrot:

Well, I hope I got everyone... If not, I'm sorry and I love ya! :chockiss:

I have been doing well, but I have been having some food issues as of late, but God is sooo Good! You know for a long time It was so easy to resist the temptation to overeat, but then the last few days I have been having a bit of a struggle. I overate a few times and started getting scared I had "lost it".

I was eating an ice cream and started to get satisfied, but I just DID NOT WANT TO STOP! I wanted my ice cream. It's like I "forgot" to use the principles God had taught me. I stopped asking God for help, and to tell you the truth I didn't want help.

So while I was eating, I just started to pray that God would help me ask for help... I told Him, I don't want help! Lord, did you see that the Ice cream? It has chocolate and little bits of heath bar!!! As I continued to pray, I suddenly realized I didn't want to eat one more bite... I started praising and thanking him because I didn't even want the rest of the ice cream, not even one bit!!! I threw it away!!! It was the easiest thing in the world to do. No will power, no nothing, I just had to break that emotional barrier of "I WANT"

HE IS SO WONDERFUL!

Love, Kelli

Thanks for the kind words. It's really been hard adjusting to both my husband and my eldest moving out. My daughter just started college three hours away. The worst part is they were our primary cooks. My ten year old is just gonna have to get busy:D Honestly, a friend described her separation and divorce as "the best worst thing" that ever happened to her. I'm starting to see that. I've finally lost some weight and even more importantly, I've gained a relationship with God. Whether we ever get back together, I only hope that he also returns to God. Anyway, my focus is on the Promise, not the problems. Thanks again.

KELLI ~ Angie and I were in your area a few years ago for my Goddaughter's wedding. We stayed at the Ramada in Longmont, her wedding reception was at the VFW there in Longmont as well as the Lutheran church. Her husband's family lived in Loveland.

We had some friends down in Colorado Springs that we went and visited while we were there.

Gary, I just moved from Longmont (Old Town) last September. I have only lived in this area for about two years so I don't know where the VFW is, and I think there are a couple of Lutheran Churches in Longmont.

I really Love it here. I lived in Utah for most of my life, and it's so different here. I work with so many Christians, they are usually studying their Bibles at lunch, and nobody thinks anything about it. It's Awesome.

Does your God Daughter still live here? I still work in Longmont and a lot of folks that work with me live in Loveland!

Cool Kelli ~ No, she moved from Longmont to Windsor about a year ago.

Kelli the VFW was in an old part of town, probably the main st. The ramada was near that in a newr part, a main road to the freeway. It was near a Johnny Carinos and newer stores.

Hello,
My name is Jan and I so happy to find a Christian support forum. I have read several of the post. I hope to read more in the coming days. I have traveled this weight loss journey many times but I know that I am not going to be able to conquer this food addiction without God's help.

I hope to meet many new cyber friends on this journey.

Have a Blessed Day.

Jan - glad you joined us. This is a FANTASTIC group of Christian folk. And, you are so right - I can't imagine this journey without God's help and grace!

We are blessed to KNOW that we can do this - and we don't have to rely on willpower alone. God CAN and WILL be with us every step of the way!

Hi,
I posted somewhere in this forum already but I think I did it wrong.

I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Jan and I am so excited to have found this forum. I hope to find inspiration, encouragement and accountability. I know that I will not make it this time without God's help. I can only take it one day at a time.

I hope to make new cyber friends along my weight loss journey.

Blessings,
Jan

God doesn't want perfection just progress.

Jan - glad you joined us. This is a FANTASTIC group of Christian folk. And, you are so right - I can't imagine this journey without God's help and grace!

We are blessed to KNOW that we can do this - and we don't have to rely on willpower alone. God CAN and WILL be with us every step of the way!

Thank you for the welcome.

Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a great and safe Holiday weekend. We didn't do much -- just relaxed the day away!

Kelli, My son moved from Colorado to Florida but after being there awhile found it was to tough to try to get jobs, and in school and a place to live with the two children there. They have been staying in a motel and it was just not a good situation for the kids. So they talked to her parents and decided to take the kids back to stay with the grandparents there for a couple months hoping that things get worked out there, then they will be going back to bring the kids to Florida with them. My son is wanting to go to the Le Cordon Bleu academy and there is one in Miami and one in Orlando. I just worry that it may not be the best decision at this time but they will have to learn this for themselves. I hope everything works great for them but it just isn't a good time.

Gary, that is a beautiful building and I'm sure you have to be proud of the work that you have put into it. Thanks so much for sharing the pictures. I did tell my son that if he feels that things just aren't going to work for them now there, that he doesn't need to feel ahamed to come back and regroup for a year or two until they can really get on their feet. Just saying lots of prayers!

Welcome to everyone! You will find that this is a great group of people for anything that you need.
Have a good night!

Hi all, can I jump in and join you here? :wave:

Hi Jan and Liss, :welcome: So glad you guys found us! Can't wait to get to know you better!

Hi Kelli and thanks for the welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you all! :D

Hi I am new. I was glad to see this thread. I definitely need prayer to get through this.
My introduction post:
I signed up because I am getting to the point where I am afraid to go certain places because of my appearance. I am supposed to get an award in two weeks but am thinking of not going due to my weight (pictures). I want to take a trip but wonder if the airline will make me pay for two seats.

I want to focus on losing weight and getting in shape.I was in a wreck many years ago and deal with back pain. I was about 60 pounds overweight then but have added 100 since the wreck. Anyway, I do not want to make excuses and settle for less. I know others in my situation have been succcessful in losing weight.

I need to change.

I look forward to reading your posts.

I don't know if this will make it are not because it has been telling me after I post something ,even though I signed in that I am not allowed to post, because my time has collapsed:(. Want to welcome all the new ones to the group and i sure hope this clears up where I can post. Don't rightly know what I am doing wrong.:?:


Yeah it made it, will be going to Llano today maybe to pick up some wire for husband . It is my home town, a -lot of childhood memories made there. Got up early to go walking with Lee my dog, so I best be going before it gets to hot. I hope all those bird hunters are gone.

Hi, Everyone! And, :welcome2: to our newbies! Glad to have so many new faces here! I've found this to be a wonderful and supportive group of people and I know you will too.

Not a very eventful weekend, but DS2's team did win their game! It was close and they probably only won because the other team made a couple significant errors within the last 2 minutes of the game giving our guys possession of the ball (in the opponent's end zone) for the remainder of the game and keeping the other team from scoring!

The sale went well and we got rid of a lot of stuff-donating the rest to a local charity that does fantastic things in the community. Had a really good message in church Sunday and it's given me a focus for my next book to study-Proverbs-it's been a while since I've spent time in that book.

I seem to be getting back on track with my plan. I know I just have to keep working it and not let exterior issues ruin my resolve to get the rest of these pounds off! Like we learned in al-anon/ACOA, "it only works if you work it".

Today was to be the beginning of homeschooling, but we now have some things to do in town, so we'll be doing what we can fit in, but must get our town stuff done. We've found with the homeschooling that every day, every trip is a learning opportunity, so we really don't feel we're "skipping" school-it's just that the lessons for the day may have a slight shift from what is written in the textbooks;)!

Well, better get going. Hope and pray you all have a blessed and wonderful day!

I wanted to thank everyone for welcoming me. I hope to make some new friends along my way. So far this morning I am doing pretty good. I will see how this evening goes because night time is the worse for me. I eat out of boredom so I am thinking of things to do.

I finally made an appointment with a specialist due to my heel spur. I have not be able to walk like I want too. So hopefully this doctor will have better advice than my family doctor.


God wants Progress not Perfection

Liss and thisisit - :welcome2: glad you joined us. We LOVE new folk here!

Just a quick fly-by tonight. Long day (first day of school) and I'm beat. I know tomorrow will be closer to normal.

Prayers continuing for all! I am so happy to see our new members here - what a blessing!

Laurie :scooter:

Lee and I walked 4 miles this morning, he kept waiting for me to stop, started to tell him we would make it 5 but I was tired and I had work to get done.

Got me a cup of coffee and he had went and jumped in the duck pond and I sit down well that big old thing jumped right in my lap! I could not get mad because he was just being friendly but boy was I wet and dirty! So glad I had a rock behind the chair or my feet would of been sticking up in the air! He is always a happy dog, I swear he was born with a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

Started my Fall garden but doing it a little different, I am filling in a liquid feeder that he fed the cows in, that has a hole in it with dirt, got a ways to go on that! I am going to put some spinach in it, hope it will grow, love that raw spinach! Was going to put turnips in it and Hubbie goes NO!!!! He hates turnips.

I fixed my tires on my little wagon, filled with green slime to stop all the leaks and aired them up. Got my golf cart charged up that Glen gave me and I will be hauling dirt from the old horse barn where it is somewhat sandy may put a carrot or two in the liquid feeder also.

Got tired and folded some clothes turned in our hardware order, can hardly wait to get the order, my faucet did not come in last week so that did not get fixed. I am getting some staples ,going to fix my own screens for my windows! I am so excited about making my own screens.

Well best go wash the dishes, have a great Wednesday!

:welcome3:Jan and Liss. This is a great group. Glad to have you here and look forward to getting to know you.

Just a quick flyby tonight. It is late and I'm tired so just dropping in to say hello. Praying for all of you to have a blessed Wednesday.

:wave: HI EVERONE ~ We are having lovely and warm weather here this week ... almost like a fall summer, which is nice really. The buggies went into seclusion, but a few came back out today; thankfully, there weren't too many though ...

:welcome: to the NEWBIES, LISS, THISISIT, and MYSELF ~ great group of folks here; very understanding and supportive. We know how you feel, as we've been there ourselves ... :hug:

I put my legs up after dinner and fell asleep and didn't wake up until now. Am having my tea right now; and DH just sauntered out too. He's gonna have a coffee and a light snack (a chocolate pudding).

We got some minor repairs done around here today; some new floor trim in the bathroom (as some was getting old and hard to clean). Plus they had to make the door on NIKO's doghouse bigger as it was a bit too narrow; and we put an old piece of carpet we had saved in there too. We folded it in three so it would be nice and thick for him -- after all, we want our furry baby to be tres comfy. With a little coaxing, he went in and then laid right down; but from what I can see, I still think he prefers to be outside or under the trailer.

We went shopping this afternoon, so I got some walking in today (kudos 2 me); picked up some chicken burgers that were on sale again (I love them as they are half the calories of beef burgers). We did pick up some beef burgers for DH as he loves them now and then. I had a chicken burger for dinner with a big slice of tomato; it was really nice too. I ate well today (OP) ... so credit moi!

I picked up a big box of TULIP BULBS today and we planted them this afternoon; put in some new soil too along with my other flowers which bloomed nicely this past week. My neighbour says they are blooming later this year, but they are pretty: I should take a picture of them tomorrow.

I would like to plant some daffodil bulbs too, if I can find some; we are going to look again tomorrow morning, first thing, before they are all gone. They seem to sell out fast here and I wanted to get some other kinds too, if I can find some that I like. We are trying to fill the garden up with perennial stuff that comes up year after year; so we have less work to do each year.

We also got some paint on for half price clearance to touch up inside our camper trailer and also a piece of plexi-glass to replace one window that was broken. It didn't cost as much as DH thought; so we really lucked out on the prices. So DH wants to go up and do a bit of work there this week at least one day.

We have spent the last 2 days helping friends hook up the hot water to their bathrooms and kitchen sinks; sure is nice for her to finally have hot water to wash dishes, clean, and have showers finally. I've been thru that myself in the past and know how it feels, so I'm so glad that they are good to go now ...

Takd good care, and hope you all have A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY ... time to get back to bed and get some rest before it's morning already ... :lol: :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

I am just doing a quick flyby, but I wanted to share with you (my friends) that God really spoke to me this morning while I was doing Bible study.

One of the questions was:
You need to figure out what the payoff of overeating is for you. What are you getting out of it? What is there about food that you desire so much? What need are you trying to fill by over loading your stomach? Spend time contemplating your answer. Ask God to help you understand why would do such a destructive thing to yourself

I prayed and God showed me why I overate,

I wrote:
I believe for me it was a zoning out thing. I used it when I was trying to avoid doing or thinking stuff. (I am a BIG procrastinator, but now I know why) because I always felt like I had to do twice as much to be half as good as everyone else and it was too much, it overwhelmed me.

That's it in a nutshell, for me that was the reason. I'm going to pray that when I feel like overeating I am going to ask God to show me what I'm trying to avoid.

It was a way to nurture myself because I needed to be nurtured, but I didn't feel I was good enough, and Satan made it so difficult to go to God when I needed comfort?

With food there is no emotional barrier, no act of humbling myself, no fighting Satan. Since there is no meeting with Satan its easier to run to the refrigerator rather than God. You can feel nurtured by the food without the emotional barrier. It’s the easy way out. I didn't need to humble my heart to shove food in my face and I could zone out, but the payoff was a fake.

:carrot: whoohoo, He is so GOOD! I am going to put this in the Study!

Love, Kelli

Yesterday went from one extreme to another. Started great: exercised, ate fruit, etc. It ended with me eating at 10:30 pm last night. My cutoff time is 8. My stomach was upset after that too.

I have to begin again.

I have almost got 5 miles in this morning, 4 with Lee my dog, who he and I had a meeting of the minds this morning. He won the first round but I won in the second round, he did not want to get back into his pen and I told him he had too and tried shoving him in, he turned on me , so I backed off but I held his collar and told him to please go in and his feet were stuck to the ground, was not moving. I said fine! I know how to get you in! I went in the house and grabbed a piece of lunch meat and he ran over and got in his pen and sit down and was ready for me to hand it to him. I was not going to fall for that trick, grabb it and knock me backwards ,no way, I threw it in the back of his pen! Ha! I won! He ain't going with me tomorrow I am taking Pepper or Sunny, not him! How dare he threaten to bite me!
Went to the well house and turned the water off ,it was running over out here, so thankful for that. All the tanks are full right now and the weather man has predicted rain about all week, hope he is right.
Fixing to go feed the animals and work on filling that liquid feeder up with dirt.Y'all have a wonderful day!

Thisisit, maybe have a nice smoothing cup of hot cocoa before bed and I like to pick up the Bible and read a passage in it and go to bed 30 minutes or 1 hour before normal, sometimes we have to out wit ourselves for we know what we are going to do, if we don't do ;what we know we should do. I am always tricking myself, to do what I want to do; for I know my habits.

Well, PTL, BOOTSIE ~ I'm so glad to hear that all your water tanks are full-up right now -- we knew that if we kept praying and waiting, that the rain would show up eventually. We hope that the rain does fall for the entire week and fill up everyone's wells too.

Sorry to here that Lee was giving you a bit of angst today, but some males will try to push the envelope now and then. Some young fellas told me that this is more common with male dogs. When we had our girls, they hardly ever gave us much of a challenge, but NIKO can be a bit willful now and then, when he gets into the mood. We have to make sure that he continues to know that we are the 'leader of the pack' as they say.

EDIT to add: Oh yes, as all of us with furry babys know, a little bribery always goes a long way too! :lol:

That was a good tip that you shared about going to bed a bit earlier to fool your body; I have been doing that a lot lately and find it really helps me too. Like you, we have found several lower fat and calorie snacks that we prefer to have, so there isn't much damage to worry about ie low-fat yogurt ice cream, lowsugar hot chocolate, fruit, yogurt, fiber bar, toast, etc.

Ate well yesterday (credit moi); and got lots of walking in today as well. We went hunting for more flower bulbs but no one else has any this year, so I may just order some thru the mail. We can plant them until the end of October here, so I am going to hunt down my 'fall bulbs' book right after posting.

We managed to get everything we need to do a couple of minor repairs on our camper; so that will get done this week as well. We are trying to go up the our lot (or camp as it is popularly called here) at least once a week to get a bit done. We won't be doing much more on the cottage this year, and now that we have the camper, we can take our time.

Hope you all have a great day tomorrow; and do take good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi Everyone,

I've had a good week so far this week food wise and exercise. I hope it is those lessons I'm doing of Kellie's.. It has been so easy that it is almost scary. Any way, I'm thankful and I will take it in Faith that the Lord will help me keep going.

thisisit I heard somewhere that some people need a little something before they go to bed. So I would suggest saving something for that time if you find that you need it. I think that sometimes we get so strict about what we think we cannot do that we don't hear what our body is trying to telling us it needs. I follow a plan, but I also am flexible. For example, on my plan I can have breakfast, however, I don't have to. So there some days I eat breakfast and there are days like today that I don't. Last night I was up so late that I needed something so I ate a "legal" snack. However, I don't always need one. Build on the fact that you did great for most of the day. We have to have "good" that we do to build on. We are our own worst enemy sometimes because we criticize ourselves more than anyone else would. Give yourself a "star" for doing such a good job for most of the day. Hope this helps.

Rosebud ~ Sounds like you are getting lot of exercise working on your camper etc.

Bootsie ~ I am so glad you finally got rain. We got a gully washer ourselves. I had to get up and close windows. Exercise... I had to go upstairs twice once to close a window and then I realized I had forgotten to close the door so I had to go back. I don't do stars well as it is hard on my knees do I counted it as exercise.

Kellie ~ What a revelation. I think that probably fits me as well. I always feel like I need to do twice as much as anyone else does to be accepted. My self-esteem hasn't been so great as a result of being over weight.

Gary, Laura, Liss, Jan and Everyone else:wave:

Still praying for all of you. Have nice evening.

Blessings,

Hi all I have not been here since I posted and introduced myself to you all. I am having a hard time getting started doing anything, and all of you sound so motivated. I am hoping and praying that I will get some energy here soon and get with it.
Blessings to you all,
Lynnie

Bootsie - I love green Slime! I put it in my scooter tires - and SO FAR, I haven't had a flat since :D Congrats on the exercise!!!! Glad you are getting rain http://fc09.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/223/2/9/_happy__by_hat_man.gif

Rosebud - sounds like you have been extra busy! I hope your legs are doing OK and that you are finding time to rest!

Kelli - great insight and an important personal discovery! :woohoo:

Trish - don't you just love it when the week goes smoothly? It makes you realize that you really CAN do this - forever :yes:

I'm doing well here - work is still crazy, but I'm trying to let things go that I can't control. Thus, I'm more relaxed and balanced than I might be otherwise. And - that means that I'm not even tempted to eat for emotional/stress reasons. How different from a couple years ago!!!

The weather is glorious here, so I've gotta fly and get some things done outside.

Hope you all have a blessed day!

Laurie :scooter:

HI GALS ~

Angie is at church teaching yoga and I am watching the US OPEN...just love that Melanie Oudin! Switching back to the USA vs. Trinidad Tobago soccer match too.

Well, I have been off work for a few days, had a short one yesterday. We hired some guys to catch us up, well they worked all 3 days over the Labor Day week-end...10 of them and ran my regular guys out of work! Actually good for me, and I can't say as I blame them...some of them hadn't worked for 8 months or more and none of them have anything to go to. I still have work on the project but it isn't ready for me yet. I am sending 2 guys up north for a few weeks and waiting for another small project of ours to break for me this week or next. Enjoying a well needed rest! Just wish it was a few weeks ago when Angie was off for the summer...oh well....life! :)

I did some honey-do's today around the house and got 3 miles in with the mutts.

SCOOTER ~Glad the weather is nice and crazy work isn't causing stress eating!

LYNNIE ~ Welcome :)

TRISH ~ Awesome! He will be there to keep you going...and I am sure YOU will be there for yourself too :hug:

ROSEBUD ~ Super job on the walking! I hope you get as much done at "camp" as you need before winter comes....how exciting it must be for you to see the growth! DH still ok?

BOOTSIE ~ Kind of funny with Lee.....I have a stubborn one too...last year there was a time she refused to go into her crate at night....threw a cookie in and slammed the door...still don't know why, it was for about a week....she had never before or since complained about going to bed...sometimes she goes and gets in it before we are ready to put her down. Great job on the walking...rain...baby....rain!!!

THISISIT ~Keep up the good work!

KELLI ~ Looks like that bible study is a success :)

JAN and LISS Welcome :)

RONNI ~ Glad son got the win :carrot:

PHOENIX ~ How are you doing?

KAREN ~ Continued prayers for the son and dil. How are you doing? Sister and brother issues over?

HELLO ALL YOU MIA'S :)

I'm a MIA!! WELCOME TO ALL THE NEWBIES

Just wanted to send a quick hello. Been busy at work and had been concerned about my little nephew but thanks to go he is well now!!!!

Back to working hard on the weight loss!!!

God bless ya'll
~Suga :-)

I am sorry, i think I mislead y'all , we still need rain, so far we only got 1/2 inch of rain, the water tanks at the house are full but our dirt tanks or still empty...those are what we need for the cows . We have the cows on the weak well now for there is absolutely nothing in the big dirt tank or the front dirt tank. We still need rain but i just know Jesus is bringing it! Just know it! We had a 70% chance today but no show, tomorrow is another day and I have hope, just know he is going to bless us.
Gary how is California doing? How close are those fires to y'all? If I can get it on here Rosebud want to show you my surprise this morning!

Can we post images on here? It says down below that images are on, hmm.. can we?

A quick one today. DH has been having a lot of tests done to see why he always feel so full and has a difficult time eating and breathing. He is having an ultrasound for gall bladder area this morning. So would appreciate prayers that they find the problem and that it will be fixable.

Y'all have a great day.

Pattygirl
Yes I will pray for him.
Bootsie that sounds good. I will try that tonight.

BOOTSIE: Jesus will bring the rain and in abundance so your animals and your crops will continue to grow and strengthen.

Trish: Will pray so the doctors will find answers to your DH discomfort. Hope everything turns out ok.

Suga here is realizing that wedding dress shopping is getting closer. I really have been on a horrible standstill with my weight loss:(, but I gotta start chugging along that train again :cool:

Well, I will try and check in later on today, gotta get ready for social for my kiddos at school.

Have a blessed day everyone!:hug:
~Suga:carrot:

Trish, praying for your DH .

Trish will pray for your husband and the Doctor have good wisdom. Suga , praying for your loss of weight and getting into shape for that wonderful day!

Got up late but walked two miles with Sunnie, border collie. She is a sweet heart.

Hi Gals ~

Not too much going on here today. I was off work again so I took the mutts out and about the neighborhood for 4 miles. Saw an older gentleman, that I enjoy talking too, that I haven't seen for quite awhile. He cracks me up because when he sees me he waves and gets real excited....as I get close to him he just says..."Don't tell me"....which I know means he wants to remember my name on his own...it always goes to...."let me think,....a state"....then he goes through the alphabet until he gets to "I"....then he stops....says....INDIANA....Gary, Indiana :carrot:

I decided to get a haircut and give blood today. I walked into the barber and no one there...takes about to minutes to cut my hair ;) but the gentleman kept me there for a half hour....pretty sure the "economy" is making him lonely ;)

Then I go to the donor site, walk in and see a ton of people. I ask..."Are you taking any walk ins this morning?...."sure but there will be quite a wait, can you come back tomorrow"....just then one of the gals that recognizes me goes over to her, whispers to her and she looks back up at me and says..."We need your blood today, can you do a double red cell?"...yep....You get "special" treatment being o-neg ;)

BOOTSIE ~ I don't think you mislead us dear...we know you still need rain-rain-rain! Glad the walk with Sunnie went well.

TRISH ~Continuing prayers for your husband as he goes through the testing :hug:

SUGA ~ Just keep on getting on that "health" wagon....the pounds will drop :hug: Glad your nephew is getting better.

Prayers for all ~ Gary

Hi all - just a quick fly-by tonight. Off to another meeting in a few minutes.

Prayers continuing for everyone above :)

Laurie

Just wanted to tell y'all we got a inch of rain this afternoon! That makes 1.5 inches so far! Hope it comes again and again till it fills our dirt tanks! Feel so blessed!

PTL, BOOTSIE ~ that's a start ... 1.5 inches and there's more a comin' ... it will all add up soon. Yes, you can download images; click on the 'paperclip' at the top of the post page and you will see the instructions come up for posting pics. There is also another picture box (it is yellow) for those who know the "urls or addresses" of their pics; or you can post on facebook or another photo site, and give a link to that as well. LAURIE and GARY ~ know much more about this than me though ...

TRISH ~ hope whatever is bothering your DH isn't too serious; prayers going up that the doctors will find the probem so they can solve it very soon ... :hug:

GARY ~ thanks for asking about DH; he is doing much better. The doc has him on daily aspirin therapy, and he is hasn't complained about anything but the heat ... :lol: So ... I guess that means that he is getting much better ... ;)

Great day today; too hot though: lots of :sunny: and high temps. Thank GOD for the clouds and the breeze, or it would have been much worse. We went to our lot (our CAMP) today, and put the new window in; plus all the curtain rods and curtains (that should help some). That alone took all day, but it is starting to look better all the time.

Time to go put my feet up; long day; good day; kept OP (credit moi); got lots of exercise too (kudos) ... will sleep really good tonight, esp now that it is finally cooling down. DH and I both have to get new glasses tomorrow; hope that goes well.

Hope everyone has A FANTASTIC FRIDAY tomorrow ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^Prayers^ continuing for you and yours ...

Hi, everyone! Very foggy here this morning, so it makes everything seem gloomy. Lots to do today and I have no ambition to do any of it. DS3's 13th birthday is tomorrow and I have absolutely no idea what to get him. He says there's nothing he wants, because all the toys and video games out now are 'stupid' so I have no list to work with. I may just give him cash, so when he sees something that interests him, he can get it himself.:dunno: The boys' best friend (yes, they have the same best friend and he's older than both of them-he's more like an older brother to them) is coming over tomorrow for the day. DS2 has to take the ACT in the morning and, of course, there's football tonight. DH needs to fix his mom's car, as there's more broken than what they knew, so it wasn't finished last weekend, but that's 100 miles away, so I guess he's going there Sunday (and mad that I don't want to go along-oh, well, not the first time he's been mad at me). I need to go to town for a couple things. And, of course, the garden's producing like mad and I have tons of tomatoes to juice and freeze-I've been working on that for a couple days now. Also, peppers to freeze and potatoes to dig, but the beans & cukes are done.

So, I guess I need to get to it, huh? Or, maybe I'll hang out here a little longer;)

Prayers for all needs mentioned (here and in the prayer thread). Hope you all have a nice day!

OH WOW RONNI wish I was there to help you with processing those tomatoes!
You are so blessed! Do you ever have trouble with Spider mites? If so what do you do to get rid of them?
Rosebud here was my surprise , this is my first washing machine, it was used and still working and I refused to get rid of it, have moved with it 4 times! I have in it some iris and turkey peppers that came from my Grandma Smiths.I guess I should paint my old washing machine.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk313/NitaAnn_2008/2009sept008-2.jpg

Oh I like this, gotta share with y'all a picture of my new granddaughter Johnie.


http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk313/NitaAnn_2008/johnieJane-1.jpg

Hi Everybody,

Another quick one today. I'm running late on everything around here.

Thanks everyone for your prayers. I'm not sure when we get the results of the tests, but I know I can trust God to take care of it all. He always does. He is sooo good.

Rosebud ~ I'm so glad your DH is doing better. Will continue to pray for you two.

Bootsie ~ Johnie is a beautiful sweetheart. Glad you got to see her. And glad you got the rain. It looks like y'all may be getting some more from what I saw on the weather channel.

Continuing to pray for all of you and your request in my prayers and even praying for those unspoken things you haven't asked for.

Have a great day everyone.

Bootsie-your granddaughter is beautiful! Thanks for showing us her pic. As far as spider mites, I haven't ever seen them in the garden, but we always get a tomato blight that makes the leaves turn yellow with brown spots. I pull of the blighted branches and the tomatoes still ripen and look wonderful. I pulverize them in the blender, then cook them with celery and onions, then freeze in qt containers to use for soups, casseroles, and chili all winter. It's such a time saver!

Pattygirl-keeping you in my prayers.

Hope you all have a great weekend. We'll probably be too busy for me to get here, but you'll be in my thoughts and prayers. :hug: for everyone!

Hello all.

First I want to thank everyone for the warm welcomes. I really needed a positive thing to happen this week and this forum was one of many. As for the diet, I have been less than faithful. For some reason, my energy is so down, I'm having trouble getting motivated to get out of bed, much less exercise. I have been going off an anti-depressant and think that may be to blame. However, I have adjusted my bedtime and am feeling a little more chipper today. I don't think Monday weigh in is going to be as pleasant as I had hoped:o

I have to say how nice it is to see such supportive posts from everybody. I would like to request a prayer from ya'll (my Georgia kickin' in). My husband and I are separated by his choice. I would just ask you to pray for him and my daughters as they seem to be drifting further and further apart and I can't seem to pull them together. I love them all and hate to see more unnecessary hurt happen out of stubbornness or depression. I would really appreciate this. In the meantime, know that you are all in my prayers.

Know that you and your whole family are in my prayers. Phoenixk26 tomorrow is a new day, a new start and I am praying for Jesus to wrap his arms around you and give you the strength and the want too. When I feel this way I reach for my Bible, and ask Jesus for help, and I always feel better after reading his word.
If getting on the scales Monday Morning is going to not encourage you, don't get on them and start looking positive and take control and do the best you can with your diet then get on the scales the next Monday, if you lost great, if you had not, after working so hard , don't give up , get more determine to do what you have set out to do. I find also Kelli's Bible study helps me ,have you checked that out? It is on the board here.

Phoenix, be assured you and your family are in my prayers.

BOOTSIE ~ I heard somewhere that spidermites don't like garlic; maybe make a rinse by boiling garlic in water, let it cool and spray on the plants really well. Some people plant garlic in their gardens and near roses and such for the same reason. Like someone mentioned they usually cause trouble on flower plants and that is the natural remedy for them. You must keep it up as they can spread quite quickly, so keep the infested plants away from your other plants or garden, if possible. If you can't solve it with the garlic spray, they say you should BURN IT, baby ... burn it all ... :lol:

Oh, and the flowers in the washing machine are great; I'll try to dig up the dryer drum garden pics for you too (drats, I have to resize them then I'll post some for you; OK, it's done -- look below). I asked DH where my drums were today becuz I want to plant some of those bulbs in one at our camp lot; he had to go empty it so I can use it ... ;) He had borrowed it for his hobby. Your new baby grandaughter is adorable too!

We went up town today to pick up some more flower bulbs and I was fortunate that there were some left, so I picked up quite a few. Our little garden along the house should look pretty nice come next spring and early summer. I picked up some different kinds of tulips like pretty pink rose-tulips and daffodils /or narcissus, hyacinths, and alliums today to give us more variety to go along with our irises and gladiolus, which look very pretty, I must say.

It was another very, very hot day again today with lots of :sunny: but the clouds came by and saved us by late afternoon. So then I spent some time searching perennial flowers and bushes, and discovered that some kinds of Irises can bloom twice in a season (spring and summer); so I am watching to see if the ones we have in the front yard re-bloom soon too???

:welcome2: PHEONIX ~ will send up some prayers for your family situation too. You have lost a good amount of weight already; just keep on, keepin' on -- good health is as good a motivator as any, in my books anyways ... :hug:

Wow, RONNIE ~ you do have your hands full; but remember that you need some rest too! I bet your DH is getting worried with all the hard work you are doing right now that you need to have some rest time too. A day off visiting on the weekend might be very refreshing too??? ;););)

Thanks, TRISH ~ your prayers are very appreciated; I have been keeping an eye on DH to make sure he takes his meds and doesn't overdo it ...

We went out for lunch today as I had to wait for our pharmacy to re-open after lunch (1:30 pm); and we met up with a friend and ate with her. I just had a cheeseburger to keep on plan and it was a nice homemade one too. For dinner I just had our favorite super chicken dogs; and I had mine with some beans and stir-fried veggies, so kept on plan well today (credit moi). I also got some walking in today going around a few smaller stores (kudos for that) as well.

I am finding that the water pills are really helping the swelling stay down on my legs and feet; and I hope this continues on. I have been feeling a lot better since taking them too. I have also started taking Vitamin E and that has been noticebly helping my circulation as well. I also started taking Vitamin A to try and help my leg to heal; plus using the tegaderm pads which are a lot easier to use as well -- they cost a bit more but they are worth it.

I did some research and these two vitamins were recommended to help that as well (skin wounds). I bought some fish oil capsules and am taking them a couple times a week; but I did notice you have to watch taking them if you are taking blood thinners, so will ask my doctor about that next time I see him to be on the safe side.

:wave: to all our CE'ers and our MIA's too. Well, that is all the news from here for today; and I hope everyone has A WONDERFUL WEEKEND ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^Prayers^ continue for you and yours ...


1) Salad drum 2) basket of marigolds 3) drums and tire garden 4) spring-planted gladiolus from bulbs 5) NIKO has this very cute way of sitting like a gentleman; does this all the time -- finally caught a good one to show you all ...

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Hi all - another busy day and a fly-by. Hopefully I will have more time to post tomorrow!

Phoenix-prayers ascending!

Blessings to all!
Laurie

Rosebud - Thanks for the comment about the weight already lost. I have to tell you I had the best time today when I got compliments on a pair of jeans I bought at Target. I've gone from a size 28 to an 18. The best part is I can buy jeans for $22 instead of $45. :carrot: Good thing there was some positive feedback because I just snuck in a weigh in and it's looking mighty poor for Monday. I'll manage though, just got to get back onto a schedule.

Bootsie - - Thanks for the recommendation for Kellie's Bible study. Looks good but I'll have some catching up to do

Hi all,
Just a quick one again tonight, I have to be at the airport tomorrow at 6:30, that means getting up at about 4:00 :yawn:

Thanks all for your prayers for my Mom.

Pheonix, I am soooo praying for your family, I know it must be hard for you. Mad is a much easier emotion to handle than sad, and I'm sure your girls are just sad about what their dad is up to and taking it out on each other because they feel safe in doing that knowing they love each other... I know it will work out for them. It may take some time tho.

Remember in the mean time you have us. We will stand with you and support you. I have found these people here are the best at non-judgmental, loving support.

About the Diet Bible study, don't feel like you have to catch up. I think everyone is on a different day, nobody is doing the same day... ;) And don't think you have to follow the "Diet" part either, but it does have a lot of really good Scriptures...

Well love you all and I'm taking Rosebud's prayer list on the Prayer warrior thread with me and will be praying.

Love you all,
Kelli

Kelli praying for you a safe trip, and that you wake up at 4AM.
Phoenixk WOW! 28 to an 18! :woohoo: Way to go girl! :cheer3: That is awesome!
RoseBud you have a green Thumb! How beautiful , Oh those marigolds are beautiful and that sweet Niko love his pose! Y'all must not have fire ants????
They are bad here but I am going to try to do that with some of my tires. What all do you have planted in the barrels and tires? Is it easier to keep the weeds out and easier to water? Can you tell I am excited seeing a garden? :broc: :carrot::broc: ::carrot::broc::carrot::broc::carrot:

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk313/NitaAnn_2008/HappySaturday.gif

It is raining here! What a blessing! Rained 2 inches so far, just a crows fly from here 35 miles rained 14 inches! Just passing through brother is suppose to come stay with me this weekend . He does not like it when i get on the computer, so if you don't hear from me that's why.
Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

YEAH .... BOOTSIE ~ so glad to see more :rain: falling down there; we knew it was comin' ... :lol: Thank you GOD for sending the rain to Texas and other parts. Hope you have a wonderful weekend with your brother. That is a really cute pic in your avatar; how appropriate ... a hen and her chicks! :lol:

We had overcast day with a sprinkle or two (nothing you could measure though); a cooler day and that sure was nice for us. We spent the AM doing outside work; I planted those bulbs I mentioned yesterday while DH trimmed the grass along the patio stones as they were looking very untidy and needed some lovin' care ... ;)

Couldn't believe how time flew by while doing that, but I got them all planted. I had a chair out there with me though, so I could sit down and rest often; then I sat there while watering the whole thing down really well. So with GOD's blessing, we shall have a glorious spring garden full of several kinds of tulips, daffodils & narcissus, hyacinths, alliums, and of course, the Irises in the front and the Glads further down.

RE: SALAD DRUMS & TIRE GARDENS -- The salad drum has lettuce in the center, surrounded by radishes, spinach, and the outside has mulitiplier green onion sets in a circle. The other drums had similar stuff (only romaine lettuce in one and red lettuce in another), but also cabbage starts and regular onion sets and other greens. Later, I also planted green and yellow beans in each drum amongst the onions and boy did they grow well.

We put thick cardboard on the bottom to keep the weeds out and planted the stuff really close together to keep them down: hardly had any weeds in these drums and any we had, were easily pulled out. I told DH that I would love a whole garden of these drums, if I could get enuff of them, as they are very easy to use and pick from.

We had 3 salad/veggie drums and 2 tire gardens zigzagged in front of the main garden. In this tire, we had green beans, and in the other, we had chives that come up every year. I had both regular chives and garlic chives; and I want to get some for the garden at this house as well.

The marigolds in the basket are ones that I planted myself; some were from seed and a few were seedlings I picked up real cheap. I also had baskets with petunias, and some with red geraniums, and some with pink geraniums, all of which grow really nicely (and EZ too). I picked up the starters from the nursery for those too.

They are well worth the money as they bloom all summer, and right into the fall until a hard frost gets them; or you can bring them inside (trim them down to about 7") and keep them over winter in a dark, cool place. Some people start new shoots, or just buy new ones each spring from local nurseries.

I have pictures of those too, but I can only post 5 pics at a time; and I have had to resize them several times too. I will try to post more as time goes on. The gladiolus are the bulbs I planted here in the spring and my, are they gorgeous or what? I want to get some more of those in different colors next spring, plus some double-blooming Irises for next year too.

KELLI ~ Prayers for travelling Angels for a safe and enjoyable trip to visit your mom this weekend ...

My Dad called last night for a chat and sounded in really good spirits and working hard as usual; plus got a call from my brother this afternoon too, he is feeling well but his spirits could be a bit higher. We are praying for some good news that he will be able to come home soon; maybe in October would be really nice. He says his knee is healing well, but they told him that he needs at least 6 months for it to be restored to like new.

Hope everyone else is having a restful, and peaceful, and blessed weekend ... take good care of yourselves and each other ... :hug: ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi all!
Phoenix - WOW - you are doing GREAT! Keep it up! Prayers continuing for your family!

Bootsie :) RAIN!!!!! :woohoo: God is GOOD!

Rosebud - your gardens sound WONDERFUL! Beautiful AND edible :)

A good day here! Wonderfully balanced. DS1 called and he and his wife are doing well. His church is undergoing some change, and some stressful times, but I think it will be a growing experience for him as a pastor :)

Prayers continuing for all!
I hope your weekend is going well!
Blessings,

Laurie :scooter:

Hello All! Have to say today was a pretty good day. Got a lot done around the house that had been stacking up. I'm still behind on my work but at least now I can see some light at the end of the tunnel. In the afternoon, my ten year old and I spent the afternoon shopping around for fall decorations for the house. Later went to my Divorce Care group. The hardest part of the day was my daughter and I meeting my estranged husband for dinner. Instead of talking, I felt like stuffing my face with pizza to keep from saying something stupid or hateful. Actually, I had prayed to God before the dinner that He guide my words and thoughts so that I could make it through the evening with some dignity. All went well. God can work miracles. I pray daily that His will, whatever that may be, is done through me. I also pray He changes my significant other so he can see the light, make amends and return home but I'm going with whatever God sees fit for me.

Wonderful pics of your gardening Rosebud.

Kelli Thanks for your wonderful words of encouragement. One of the most aggravating things about all this is that I can't seem to really get angry, I'm just disappointed and sad about it all.

As for the rain, I know how great that can be! We have been in drought here for the last four years and have only this year managed to get the rain necessary to fix it. I especially love the rain in the fall when it's starting to turn cool. Hopefully that will eventually happen.

:wave:Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow!:wave:

Hi Gals ~

Just checking in before I head off to bed.

Angie and I had a nice day today. We started with our 3.5 mile walk to Starbucks with the goldens. Then we headed off to San Diego Harbor for an outside art exhibit after she got home from bell choir practice. A really nice day with lunch at a sports bar watching some college football then looking at all the art work.

We came home and I made a pork roast for dinner next week, had a frozen BBQ Chicken pizza from California Pizza Kitchen and watched my Trojans win a very good game :carrot:

Angie went off for a teacher retirement party.

Church in the morning then off to a "street reunion" for Angie.

Prayers for all ~ Gary

I will catch up!

It has been A MONTH since i have been here!!!! I missed you guys! :)

Gary - dennis got your letter...if he ever buys stamps, he can write you back he said...don't know if he has or not. but at least he thought it enough for him to tell me (a month ago!)

AGS!!!! - girl, how are you?

Laurie, Kathy, Rosebud...oh boy, i will be here all day! :) I MISSED YOUR "faces"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been 'gymming' it almost everyday...minus the travel i had going on and the bouts of sickness. yuk. but i bought a little black dress tonight...MEDIUM and it looks outstanding! :) a few things still need MAJOR toning, but SO much better!

saw dennis today and he is in good spirits. mom stressed me out...but that is my problem i need to deal with. she is who she is and i have to learn how to be around her without wanting to...well, its not nice! :) but does not involve physical violence lol

my 40th bday was last week....i mean, my 29th. oops. :) my friends threw me a party and i had a beautiful man come! after the party he and i laid in the middle of the street (no houses or cars obviously) and watched the clouds pass by the moon. it was lovely. he was a gentleman, but did give me a kiss at the end of the night! he kept looking at me like he wasn't sure what to do with me. very odd. i've had a crush on him for 7 months to the day! :) nice.

anyway, gotta get up and go to church with barbara...the lady that was on crack. she has been clean 60 days now! :) :woohoo:

peace and take care!

Bev - been missing you, girl! Glad you are back, and it sounds like you are doing GREAT!

Gary - glad you got the girls out for a walk! I bet they enjoyed getting back into the routine :)

Phoenix - :cp: praying really DOES make a difference, doesn't it!

A quiet day here - I plan to cook for the week again. School is still crazy and I have church meetings 3 nights this week. If I'm going to get any exercise at all, I won't be able to spend time cooking.

I should get my sweater finished today - I'm done with the knitting, I just need to assemble and put on the final touches.

Laurie :scooter:

:wave: HI EVERYONE ~ just a quiet day at home today; spent some time talking to family. NUMPSTER and her DH are still actively pursuing their dream of a business venture; some hope has come for the financing. The banks wanted them to put a huge down payment and a family invester may be able to help them out. They are looking for prayers for guidance and direction and GOD' will for this venture which has great potential. We really hope that everything comes together for them and works out well for all ...

Kept on plan today (yeah); and had lean boneless pork steaks with veggies, salad, and new potatoes for dinner. Got a couple of small walks in today (kudos for that); something is better than nothing, and this was good rest day for me. We were up very late the last few nights, so it's time to put my legs up and rest for the evening.

HI BEV ~ good to see you drop by again and sounds like you have a romance blossoming too. Glad things are going so well for you and yours ...

PHEONIX ~ glad you liked the pics; prayers continue for you and yours ....

LAURIE ~ I posted some pics about a page back of those gardens; some are from here and some are from last year's gardens in the country. You are busy as a bee as always ...

HI GARY ~ glad you are getting some down time with family and some rest as well ...

Well, that's all from here; not much going on. Our dear AUTOMOBILE is having problems again: maybe gas line and something else that makes us lose antifreeze ... I am not happy to hear this at all. I am not buying another vehicle; this car a year thing has to stop now!!! I am going to press on repairing this one as it is a nice car with a comfortable ride; it's better than a payment and I have to keep reminding DH that! :dizzy:

Anyhow, take good care and have a blessed evening ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Rosebud - prayers ascending for your transportation issues!

And for Numpster's business venture!

Hi Everyone,

A quick flyby. Had a busy weekend and have a busy week. I'll try to get by here in a day or two to catch up. I pray everyone is doing well and that you had a great week end.

Have a great Monday! Try to get back here Tuesday. Start BSF meetings Wednesday. Will have Bible studies from both BSF and Kellie's site for a while so will try check in from time to time.

Still continued prayers going up for everyone.

Good morning everyone!

Has anyone had success sticking to their meal plan while on a church retreat?

I've been looking forward to our women's retreat for months, but it just occurred to me that I don't even know what kinds of food we'll be eating. I'm sure there will be healthy options, though. We're women, after all.

I've decided that I will make good choices, save my flex points and try to get in lots of walking while I'm there. :)

:welcome: CRYSTALINA ~ I am pretty sure that there will be lots of different things to choose from there; lean meats, veggies, and salads & fruits; just watch your portion sizes. You might want to take a few protein bars along if you are worried about good snacks and that wouldn't be too bulky to pack. I buy the fiber bars that come 5 in a box: you could just take them out of the box and pack them in your carry-all. Have a wonderful time ...

What a mixed bag today! :dizzy: Started off a bit rocky but it seems to have all settled out by now. My daughter began to have a melt down just when we were leaving for school. I just pulled back into the carport and we got out and sat on the porch swing, hugging and rocking. Between school and our family issues, she just couldn't quite hold it together. We talked for a while and then she went on to school. I'm starting her in some counseling so she can talk more freely than with mom. This is the part of the separation that just kills me.

However, after talking to her new counselor and spending some quiet time with God, I felt much better about everything. I actually got quite a bit done at work and even stayed late to finish up some stuff. I've been true to my diet, watching what I've had to eat and drink. A friend is coming over in a little while and we're going to walk for an hour. I know that'll make me feel great (at least when it's over).

Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow!

Hi all - another long work day and meetings tonight.

Crystallina 27 :welcome2: Glad you joined us! I usually pack a few protein bars and the like when I go to those things. USUALLY they have healthy choices, but just in case! I like the individual drink packets to. Crystal Light has one that has fiber and protein.

Phoenix - sounds like you had a good day! You handled things very well with your daughter.

Hope everyone had a good start to the week!

Laurie

THANKS for the prayers for the car, LAURIE ~ the car is going into the garage tomorrow AM first thing; this one could be costly but we are praying that the guy will give us a break and just fix what needs doing to keep us going for the winter. We think that we have a couple of leaks somewhere -- we are losing our antifreeze and I can smell gas for some reason every time we hit a bump or put gas in. So the prayers are appreciated for this one.

PHEONIX ~ separation and divorce are very hard on the kids becuz they don't understand why it is happening. I agree that you handled the situation well and counselling is a good idea. You are doing well yourself, considering you are under such stress at this time too. :hug: and prayers for you all ...

We had a busy day today -- first, I had to go to the hospital for some tests; they took 5 vials of blood, and DH says that's a good way to lose weight. :lol: I also had to do one of those yucky urine samples, but it actually went pretty smoothly this time. I had to fast for these tests since yesterday, so after they were done, DH and I then went to Timmy's (Tim Horton's) for a brunch.

Then I had to go to my dentist appointment right after that, but this was just for a consult and xray. I have to go back in October for a cleaning and November for a root canal for that one where the filling fell out. I got the new younger dentist this time, and we are going to try and save the tooth for as long as we can since I am missing a tooth on the bottom, as I gotta have something to chew my food with. So everything went well there and I had total peace about it.

After that, we went up town and did our weekly shopping early since we were up there anyways; so I got a good amount of walking in today as well (kudos for that). Ate good today (even with having a brunch out as I only had something small); credit moi ...

Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday tomorrow; take good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:


Here's a link to more pics that I posted in another thread; there's one of our camper that we put on our lot. It is an older model, but it is still nice and more than adequate in size for us (20' long by 8' wide). It has a full 4-piece bathroom on the left end, a kitchen with table and benches in the center, and a livingroom (/bedroom) on the right end (the couch benches pull out to create 2 beds) ...

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/dieting-obstacles/180681-physical-challenges-september-thread-3.html#post2925843

So sad to hear of Patrick Swayzee passing on. But he can now forever dance and be free of pain. I loved him in Dirty Dancing, Havannah Nights, Ghost and Road House. I have all these movies and I even recorded Road House on VHS a long time ago!! RIP

I had overtime today...

Angie's "facebook" we grew up on ****** street reunion went very well....over 60 people came...a lot of fun.

Prayers for all...

Ok I made it on here , having so much trouble getting on here this past weekend because of poor kbps, they are 21.6 and very very slow! Brother did not come because of rain and don't know when he is going to pop up now. Rain has stopped , we got 2 inches and 3 tenths.
If I am not around, I just cannot post or even get connected, don't even know if this is going to work, for I have made it this far and it would not go any farther, but thought I would give it a try. I emailed Kelli last night about the problem I am having, so she might repeat, when she gets back, what I just said to y'all please pray for my computer. Praying for your car Rosebud and all the rest of you.

Hi Everyone. Man i feel like evertime i get back intot he swing of things something happens. Well Im back for now and hopwfully not leaving for a while. Im not sure if you guys remember but i had surgery a few months back and it got infected. Well it still hadnt healed right and i wound up back inn the hospital because of a staph infection. Luckily we caught it in time and everything is better. Meanwhile my grandma that had the aneurysm last year had a surgery as well and was in the hospital for a few weeks. But besides that everything is going well. I miss you guys terribly. Hopefully there willl be no more bumps in the road for a while. I really could use the motivation right now. I see that scale creeping up and i need to really buckle down and do somethinga about it.

Happy Tuesday!

:wave: HI FOLKS ~ having a good day today; got lots of laundry done this AM; we had some good news already about the car -- we put a new manifold in the car last year; if it turns out to be that, then it will be replaced free becuz it is still under warranty. If it's something else, it is more likely to be something much smaller and will not cost us that much ... yeah! :carrot: We will likely find out tonight what's going on; they were quite busy today at the garage.

HI COURTNEY ~ sorry to hear that you were sick again; but so glad that you are starting to heal and feel better. Good news about your grandma too! ^Prayers^ ascending that your health will be totally restored ... :hug:

HI KAREN ~ nice to see you drop by; so sad to hear about Patrick as I was a big fan of his too, as were so many millions of people ... sent up prayers for his wife and family!

HI GARY ~ glad you're feeling well enuff to go back to work; and maybe that overtime will make up for when you were sick: that worked out well for you ...

BOOTSIE ~ when you are on dial-up, your internet speed can be very slow sometimes; there are peak usage times that can cause this -- ie evenings and weekends, but sometimes it is just a glitch. Your computer is not causing that; it is the speed coming from your internet service provider (ISP). I have found that when it comes on at low speed, just turn the internet back off, and go on again right away and often, it will come back on at a much higher rate of speed!

While it is true that some modems are faster than others; this is still likely not the issue. Of course, getting HIGH-SPEED internet will speed things up a lot more, but it costs a lot more too; and some areas don't have HS Internet available to them yet. Also, my computer is only a Pentium III and a Pentium IV would be much faster: all of these things can help speed things up a little more. I was told that HSI here is $80 month, but I can think of many other things that I would rather spend that money on right now. I will get it some day, but not at that price; I have heard that there might be someone else who is offering it for much less, so I am going to look into that to see if that is true or not.

Hope everyone else is having a good day; GOD Bless you all with good health and peace ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: Thanks to all of you for your prayers ...

It is woking and it is up to 45 .2 kbps! Yeah Rosebud your right and also 17.95 a month think I can put up with it. I took all my garage sale stuff down to the community house trying to get a new roof on the place. I worked really hard and this lady had given me her stuff and she was in crafts. I had washed the bottles etc. and really worked moving all the stuff going through throwing away stuff, but don't think they liked the stuff I brought, but they put it out and I helped them. The place is full. Opps! I forgot to put my ducks up Knew I forgot something!

Quick fly-by. Worked late, retirement seminar at the hospital afterward, then chaired 3 hour church admin council meeting.
I'm dog-tired and ready for bed.

Blessings all!
Prayers ascending!

Laurie :scooter:

I am tired too....but it isn't even 8 o'clock here yet

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick flyby as I need to get to bed as I have busy day tomorrow and won't get here in the morning.. Just wanted to drop by and say that I haven't forgotten you guys. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Things are going good. I'm staying OP so that is in my favor. I who didn't want to count anything am now counting calories... thanks to Kellie and her Bible study.
I'll be back when I can to catch up.
Yall have a great Wednesday.

Como estan? ( How are you)

Hope everyone is doing well and staying blessed. Its been crazy at work. I was by myself last week and the beginning of this week. I was pretty overwhelmed but I made it through. My co-worker caught the bug that's been going around. Glad she is back! Anyway. Just wanted to drop by and say hi.

God Bless,
Suga :)

:wave: HI EVERYONE ~ we have had a beautiful :sunny: day here today with cool (but nice) temps, so we decided to wash our windows for the fall; that took most of the morning. This afternoon I worked on curtains for the bathroom of the trailer; they are all cut up, just have to do the finishing and trim.

The mechanic called and he does think the problem is the manifold and he verified that since we just put it in last fall, it is still under warranty, so it will be replaced for free; that leaves us just the labor costs, which are enuff really -- but hopefully that is all it will be. The parts will be in tomorrow and they will be able to do the work tomorrow as well.

DH just came back from helping a friend with some plumbing in their house; he's earning a lot of gold stars with GOD for all the favors and help he gives to others, and I'm sure GOD will bless him for it ...

We're having whole wheat pasta (spagetti) and mini-meatballs for dinner tonight; had a good OP day too. Got lots of exercise in doing the windows, doors, etc this AM (kudos for that); it all counts since it's extra stuff we don't do on a regular basis.

Glad to hear that you are all doing so well, albeit a bit tired from working and playing so hard. Take good care of yourselves though and have a good evening ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Okay, its been two days since weigh in and I can now actually accept it. Since I first signed up for this site I have gained five pounds! To say I was not a happy camper doesn't begin to describe me. However, I am THRILLED the Biggest Loser is back on as it motivates me like nobody's business. It also helps that work is picking up now. Less time to snack. My biggest downfall is getting back into the swing of walking. I just don't want to give up the time for it but I have got to.

Today was a great day, not as wet as yesterday. DD has to go to rehearsal tonite so I'm on my own for a few hours (I'm going to the gym:carrot:). After that, it's bedtime. I think my wacky sleep schedule has caused me as much trouble as anything.

Well, gotta run. By the way Laurie, I love the "prayers ascending" tagline. It just makes me feel good!

Phoenix - thanks! Don't worry about those lbs - just stay OP and they will disappear. One reason I weigh myself daily is so that I don't freak with those GAINS. They happen to all of us. In fact - my normally totally stable weight has been up and down over a 3 lb. swing this week. But I KNOW it isn't because I'm off plan, so those lbs will go - hopefully as fast as they came :D

Rosebud - glad the car part is under warranty. I'm praying that the labor costs are not too much of a burden. I'm so proud of your staying on plan progress. You are such an inspiration!!!

Suga - we have one of our techies out on a long-term illness right now - I totally feel your business! I'm trying to stay sane, myself. :hug:

Trish - Gary - Hiya!

And, hello to everyone else as well.

Another crazy day in my life. Work, then on to church for ANOTHER meeting. Being lay leader can be a pain sometimes. But, as usual - the meeting was productive and we are moving forward - doing the minstry and mission God has called us to do. So, even though I have less time to spend with all of you, it has been a good day.

Blessings to each and every one of you!
And - prayers ARE ascending for each of you (and yours) as well!

Laurie :scooter: (FYI - the weather is gorgeous and I'm doing a LOT of scooting these days - which is a GREAT way to enjoy the glorious surroundings that God has provided) :D

HI GALS ~

Well it was a tough day here for my family. My sister was officially diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer....I posted in Prayer Warriors....:(

Life goes on though doesn't it?! God is good....it is something we always need to remember, even when the going gets tough!

Work has been hectic again....what's new :D However it should ease a gain for me in a day or two.

Angie is over at church teaching her yoga....I have fajitas and black beans warming up on the stove. I continue to make the same meals I did when the kids were here so I always have leftovers in the freezer for nights when I work late and Angie is off to yoga somewhere....church....school...hospital....she is quite popular :)

SCOOTER ~ No burn-outs allowed! :hug:

PHOENIX ~ I went through a rough divorce 20 years ago...one day we'll chat! Things will work out for you :)

ROSEBUD ~ I bet that car has more prayers on it than miles now!! :D

COURTNEY ~ :carrot: HI!!!! :carrot:

WILMA ~ Where are you?

SUGA ~ Watch that work stress :hug:

KAREN ~ How is the pool coming?

BARGOO ~ :hug: Thanks for the "prayers"

TRISH ~ Just keep stopping by!

KELLI ~ looks like the study is doing great!!

BOOTSIE ~ Love the new avatar....rain still coming? What dog did you walk today? :)

BEV ~ CRYSTALLINA ~ AND ALL :)

Gary - prayers ascending for your sister and family :hug:
God IS an awesome God - and may his will be done. May your family have peace and feel God's presence as you move through this very difficult time.

Gary so sorry to hear about your sister. You and yours are in my prayers. Sometimes life seems so unfair. But HE must have bigger plans.

They have most all the "stuff" out of the bottom of the pool now. And they have taken the borders off from all around the top of the pool so it is looking a little more ugly now. But they should be finished in about 3 weeks. I just tried to post a picture of the liner pattern I chose but it says it is too big for the site and I don't know how to change the size. But it is called Natural /Stone.Breakwater. The top edge of the pool looks like stone work and the sides and bottom look like a blue marble. I'm pretty excited.

Now I think I need to get in on another challenge to get ready for Spring/Summer! I put on about 15 pounds since the move and all that happened since then, so need to grab a hold of the reins and take control once again.

Hello to everyone. I will try to get back in the next couple days for more personals.
Prayers for all and God Bless you.

GARY ~ yes, our car has so many prayers under it that it should be flying by now ... :lol: We are lifting your sister Annie and her family; plus you and your family up in prayer as well! May GOD bless you all with peace and comfort at this time ...:hug:


THANKS LAURIE ~ I am trying hard to find ways to shave off a few calories here and there, and to burn more energy each day any way I can. The new meds I am on are helping me to feel better and I am trying to take advantage of that too.

PHEONIX ~ I agree with Laurie; I often go up and down with water weight. Just try for one meal at a time, one snack at at time, and one day at a time -- and you are back on track again ... just keep going ...:hug:

HI KAREN ~ nice to see you back here; sure missed you and your pleasant posts. That pool sounds wonderful -- so glad for you ... keep us posted! We love pics ...

^PRAYERS^ continue for you and yours ... :hug:ROSEBUD :hug:

Hi, everyone! Nice morning here-warm, no rain, but could use some soon.

Gary-:hug: and prayers for your sis and your family. God & your love for each other will get you all through this. You've been a rock and inspiration for all of us here and I know we all want to help support you and yours.

Rosebud-very glad that the car parts are under warranty. Cars and their issues can make a person crazy! Unfortunately, all of ours a well beyond any kind of warranty...DH has 2 waiting for repairs right now, but has to fix the brake line on his '90 Ranger pickup first, as it broke while he was hauling stuff the other day and we have more stuff to haul! Plus, his car needs new tires-time to try selling something on ebay-lol!

Karen-a pool would be very cool! Your design sounds pretty. Here home pools are just impractical, since warm weather seems to only last about 2 1/2 months:p, but it sure would be nice to be able to exercise in a pool on a regular basis-that's why we're hoping to retire somewhere further south!

Phoenix-those ups and downs happen, like Laurie said. It takes time to tweak the plan, so to speak, and I also weigh every day to see how things I eat affect me (anything salty, like chips or football game popcorn, really makes me puff up). The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up over it, though. :hug:

Well, this week (the 15th) was one year since I started this journey. I'm so glad I found 3fc and the group of people here who gave me the courage to try one more time. I was on 3fc quite a while before committing to doing anything again to lose the weight. Now, after losing over 70 pounds, I've been on a stall for most of the summer, partly due to traveling for family issues and partly due to my problem of turning to food when I'm upset, so now it's time to get back down to business. I know God has helped me change my bad habits and lazy lifestyle, but He wants me to keep relying on Him and complete this mission. I have to remember that food is NOT a friend to turn to for comfort. Only Jesus and His followers can provide the comfort I need when times are tough. I'm so thankful that He kept me from falling back into ALL of my old bad habits during this summer, like drinking 6 cans of coke a day-aaaaaack! But, I'm sorry Schwan's, I won't be buying as much of your frozen yogurt from now on:lol:!

Thanks, everyone. I just needed to get this down in writing as a more solid commitment. Prayers for you all! Have a great day!

HI RONNIE ~ nice to see you drop by and with such a renewed committment to continue on your road to good health. You have done really well, and should be very proud of yourself; just consider that stressful summer as a holiday, and starting fresh this fall is a good idea. I am still tweaking my plan to improve things even more, by learning from other's successes.

Yes, vehicles can sure cause so many issues for us; I think DH and I have just finally come to accept that "have cars -- have repair bills" ... we sure know how you feel. DH says that you could try and find some good used tires from a garage or just buy 2 at a time; our car will need some new ones soon too. We keep telling ourselves that this is better than a car payment but there are moments we wonder ... :lol:

We started out with :sunny: today, but dark clouds rolled in and we have had :rain: since the afternoon; maybe these clouds will go south after they replenish the earth and gardens here. We had leftovers for dinner: I had roasted veggies with chicken breast and DH had same with roast pork and new tators. I had a small romaine salad for my appetizer, and that filled me up so that I ate less for dinner.

Now I am off to do a bit more exercise; did my toners this AM and some hand weights this aft. Then will have some tea and do some hand sewing of my curtains again tonight; it is very relaxing sewing by hand -- I actually prefer it and I can rest my legs at the same time.

Hope you ALL have a FABULOUS FRIDAY tomorrow!:hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^PRAYERS^ continue for you and yours ...

I love you gals!!!

EDIT....Angie can see my posts....still no problem!

Another quick one here to say hello. So busy with Bible studies. Starting week 7 of Kellie's Diet Bible study next week. Started BSF this past Wednesday morning. Not getting the usual break between lessons series at Sunday night class. So we start our new series there Sunday night. But I am enjoying it so it is good for me. Trying to hang in there with the diet. Still waiting on results to DH medical tests.

Gary So sorry about your sister. I will continue to keep her and your family in my prayers.

Hope everyone else is doing fine. Y'all are always in my prayers.

Toodles till later.

Hi all -
Prayers continuing for all!

I'm TRYING to get some balance - thus, I'm spending much less time online. HOPEFULLY work will slow down a bit soon - if not, at least we have a vacation planned in a couple weeks :D

I got some knitting done tonight, weight lifting, and organizing some of my music on my Zen.

Not terribly exciting - but at least it wasn't work or a church meeting - which has dominated the last couple weeks!

Blessings to all!

Laurie :scooter:

Yoohoo - anyone home?

Hi all - so glad it is the weekend! I'm excited to report that our team (actually DH's pharmacy team at the hospital) took 3rd place in the "Let's Get Moving Northern Michigan" challenge. AND - DH took 3rd place overall - which netted him $250 :D

During the 4 month challenge you got "miles" for your exercise, and water, veggie, and fiber intake each day. I finished in the top 10 as well :D All those miles of walking to work really add up :woohoo:

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend. Work is still a mess, and I need to let it go for a couple days.

Hope you all have something fun planned!

Prayers ascending for all!

Laurie :scooter:

:wave: HI LAURIE ~ I'm still here ... posted updates in the Prayer Warrior's thread. Was just lurking around the net for awhile tonight as DH has a cold or flu and was tired from biking around today and went to bed early; hope he is feeling better tomorrow.

They finally found the leek on the underside of the manifold but it took them all week; the boss came back and helped them find it by putting lights all around the car. But we won't get the car back until Monday as they have to put it back together with the new manifold carefully so no damage to seals or parts will take place. So we will also just be having a quiet weekend at home with no wheels ... :lol:

GARY ~ Angie knows that you just have a bunch more sisters (in Christ) here; not to worry ...;)

Hope you all have a fabulous Friday night and a great weekend too! Take good care of yourselves and each other ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

I made it! This computer is whack -o ! So slow and then so fast! Don't know what is going on.
Gary I took Lee today first time since we had a meeting of the minds and again today I thought we were going to have another one. I got to thinking today, Lee and I are sorta like Jethroo Bodean on the Beverly Hill billies and me Granny. I used to be Elly Mae, Ha! Lee smelt something on the other side of the fence (neighbors) and he was going to try to go under, He just looked at me and I said a few words,I swear that dog started laughing, he came over there to me just a grinning at me with that big old tongue sticking out, wagging his big old tail and pounced around all around me, then took off running , then ran all the way back to me. I am saying all the while, shaking my finger at him, I mean it Lee, trying not to laugh at him! I think he did that on purpose just to get my attention. He is one more character. Other than that he did real good and I had made some scrambled eggs and took the yolk out of them, with a touch of sausage and tortilla and cooked them for him and he just loved it, so he was easy to get in the pen this morning.
Lee always looks happy! That is what i see every morning when I come out, ready to go walking.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk313/NitaAnn_2008/LeeNaumann.jpg



Helped with a community garage sale this morning, putting it together, for the old school house needs a new roof and they are trying to raise money for it.
It is so hard for me to get on here anymore it is unreal, but I am not giving up.
Laurie, go girl on your exercise I got a small trampoline this morning at the garage sale and I got a ball you roll around on in town but got to get something to air it up with. I hear they are great exercise.
Rosebud my green beans came up and I have some onions that came up on their on, plan on planting them in a row tomorrow or Sunday.
The rain was suppose to be here Sunday but they moved it to Monday and Tuesday, so I don't know what it is going to do but I pray it comes on! Well I best see if i can get this posted and hit the sack. It is 12:28 AM! Y'all have a great weekend!

Gary I am so sorry to hear that about your sister, will be praying for your sister and you and Angie and your sisters family, doctors.

Busy weekend. A 90ish year old woman in our church is having a book signing for the book she wrote and was released in January. Going to be supportive of her this afternoon.

So far next week will be a slower week, so will come and read and catch up Monday or Tuesday.

Keeping all of you and yours in my prayers.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Oh Gary my goodness! I watch a show in what is happening to the farmers in California! I feel so sorry for them! Here in the US vegetarian is not going to be good for people because what California farmers are going through and there goes our fruit too! There goes the truck drivers jobs the people in the factories jobs also in California. I feel so sorry for them and it is also going to effect all the rest of us too! There will be a shortage of veggies and fruit all over the good old USA this year, unless we buy them from across seas. I hope the California Governor Arnold S can help his state out, sure don't see him doing nothing ,he is a good man and I hope the state of California stands behind him and the people of the Good Old USA does too! This is just terrible! It looks like there could be a better solution than turning the water off to save the fish , how about freezing the fish for food ,keep a few back or restock,and turn the water back on for the farmers. We have to sale our cows if we run out of water for hardly nothing, why should it be any different for the fish? For some it is just to late but there are some barely surviving that could be saved. I stand with Gov. Arnold S. {sorry can't spell his last name.} I am praying for California and our Good Old USA!

BOOTSIE ~ maybe some other southern states will have to start growing fruit trees and more veggies (which can be grown in many states really) to make up the difference. It is something the other states should consider becuz it also creates jobs; ie the states along the east and west and southern shores. In Canada, many fruits and vegetables are now being grown in greenhouses to lengthen our short season.

Lee does look like a very happy fella; he was just playing with ya cuz he knows you wouldn't harm him. I bet he just loves going for walks with you. Our NIKO loves car rides and walks anytime, anywhere ...

We had a beautiful :sunny: day here so NIKO and I sat on the porch twice to catch some rays! I did some more sewing on my curtains; one set is done and just one more left to do, so will work on that this evening again. I tried to find my instruction manual for my sewing machine this afternoon but couldn't find it. I will likely do them all by hand; and I am learning some tricks to improve my sewing while I am at it, so this has turned out to be a benefit. This is likely what folks did many years ago before sewing machines were ever invented.

Did my toning exercises and some other indoor exercises today while DH went fishing at a nearby lake. He met someone there from way down south who was looking for land and DH took him to someone we know that had some for sale and they have struck a tentative deal. He didn't catch any fish though -- but maybe next time.

Well, time to go put something really fast on for dinner, as Saturday is our fun and lazy night. We can have whatever we want, preferably something quick and easy ... hmmm ... ;)

:wave: HI to TRISH, and LAURIE, and EVERYONE else out there ... Hope you all have a great weekend ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

HI GALS ~ :)

Just hanging out tonight watching football. My USC lost today in a game they were supposed to win...but we are getting used to losing a "little" one every year now...dang!

Angie has a cold so we won't go to church tonight, I will go in the morning with or w/o her. She wasn't up to walking the dogs this morning so we didn't do the beach or Starbucks, I did take the girls out for a 3.5 miler though. Angie was going to bell practice but called in sick at the last minute. She'll be fine, just one of those head colds she gets this time of year.

:sssh: Now I'm not saying she plays it up a bit when she's sick :no:....that just wouldn't be nice :no:....but the kids and I used to tease about unhooking her life support if she didn't get better soon ;)

Had a busy week at work again with overtime, this week should be easier and I may yet miss some more work. Things are starting to be hit and miss for us for a while.

My sister seems to be doing about as well as she can be, being scared and all. I really wish she hadn't quit going to church. She really hasn't gone for at least 14 years. I know she doesn't "feed" herself at home either. Oh well.

BOOTSIE ~ Honest to God...I was thinking of you this morning as I got up. I was wondering if you were still having computer problems and if the rain was "grand". I listened to an hour on the california smelt on Thursday. I really don't know what to say, from what I heard it seems like such a tradgedy. From what I heard it seems the smelt does little if anything for us. Now, I don't know all the details so I will leave it at that. I hope whatever God wants is worked out in the situation very soon! I am at the bottom of the state, the situation is in the middle....BARGOO lives a bitcloser to the situation than I do.

It is obvious your dogs are not leashed! I was wondering how they got away with some of that stuff :D I love the picture...Angie says that is a "happy dog" tongue! Happy planting!

SCOOTER ~ :cool:Way to go for you and DH! Sounds like a great program up there. I know what you mean by balance....sometimes my work is slow and other times way too much...but everything else...cooking...laundry...walking...church stuff...still needs done.

ROSEBUD ~Way cool for your sister! Good luck with the sewing. Too bad DH didn't catch fish but sounds like he was a real help. Yep...our Reba abd Rylee will go anywhere-anytime-anyway too! Keep up the exercises :hug:

RONNI ~ :carrot: Outstanding journey for your first year! I hope the treatment works for your dad. I hope the issue with the football boys was resolved in a way that wasn't rough on your son :hug:.

KELLIE ~ Maybe your mom will listen soon :hug:

KAREN ~ SUGA ~ KATHY ~ TRISH ~ PHOENIX ~ COURTNEY ~ WILMA ~ BARGOO ~ BEV and all I missed :hug:

GARY ~ sent up prayers for ANGIE's cold -- she needs to be well becuz she is a teacher and is very needed. DH can go fishing again anytime; the man wants to build a house here and was looking for land at a fair price ~ DH was helpful, as he always is (GOD bless him). I updated your prayer list for Angie; and Annie regarding a renewed hope in the Lord. With all the pain and ill health Annie has had she might not have felt too comfortable going anywhere. I know when I was sick a few years back -- going to church wasn't always very enjoyable for me, so I learned to discern when I really felt well enuff to go out. Maybe Annie would find going to church a blessing when she gets a little better; and you can always keep the invitations out there, right? :)

Gary~Praying for you wife and continued prayers for your sister.

Hope everyone has a Blessed Sunday.

Gary, Thinking of you and your family this morning. Prayers going up that Angie feels better real soon. And continuing praying for your sister. Maybe she will open up and talk to you soon about her feelings. Praying for all.

Gary, praying for Angie, being a teacher she is a victim of all the parents who send their kids ro school when they have a cold. Continuing in prayer for your sister, She can't stop us from praying for her even though she doesn't go to church. I wish I could share with her the" peace that passeth all understanding " Phillipians 4:7.

Hey all! Just touching base. It's so hard to get on here with everything I seem to be touching lately. I don't know where my time goes...i feel like my hands are in everything, but not anything at the same time. i've been writing a bit and kissing... :D

Gary - prayers going for all!!!! be praying for your sis to make a path back to God. and just thank you for all that you do!

Hi all hope it has been a great weekend for all of y'all' I did not go walking this morning but i should have. Wish i had stayed up and washed the dishes last night, so I could be doing something else like working on my screens for my windows.

No Gary my dogs are not on leashes unless they go to the store or ride in the Pickup Truck. I don't want to take a chance with Lee in case he thinks he can take over driving the pick up. I love watching them run and feel the freedom they are feeling in the field. The only thing is Lee puts his nose where it does not belong a-lot and yesterday he stuck it in the hole of a red ant bed , I saw him and hollered, he got out of it real quick and thank the Lord he did not get stung. Boy did he make them mad!

They are calling for rain tomorrow , hope it pours down!

Being not on the computer so much, may be me too Laurie , while this computer has been on the blink ,I have got so much done, think God had to show me I am staying on it to much , so I am cutting down some but slowly because I love you guys! Have a great week!

HI GALS ~ :)

I went solo to church today. Angie is feeling better but not quite up for church. I took the dogs out for 3 miles after I got home and did a quick trip to the grocery store....then settled in here for some computer and football!

Thank all of you again for prayers for my sister :hug:

BOOTSIE ~ We have a protection thing that goes behind Angie's seats so Reba can't come on over! She is always trying to get up front. In my truck they are on the back seat and the front seats are too high for them to climb over. I hope you get rain and faster computer action :)

BEV ~ Kissing?....:o....good for you! :)

BARGOO ~ That is the "peace" I hope she has but cannot see how :(

ROSEBUD ~ I am always inviting....mostly by sharing what is going on at church...hoping to keep it in her mind. Thank you for your prayers :hug:

Thank you TRISH and KAREN :hug:

now...back to the game....;)

Hi all - just a quick fly-in tonight. I've got to get things ready for another busy week.
I did get lots of cooking done today, so we won't starve this week :D

I'm out of town tomorrow (conference), so I may not get back until LATE on Tuesday.

Prayers are continuing for all!

Laurie :scooter:

:wave: HI FOLKS ~ well, we really had a scorcher here today; was a bit of a surprise after the cooler temps we had lately. We hybernated indoors for the afternoon (well DH did go out visiting for awhile); he can stand the really hot temps better than me. Any extremes in weather doesn't sit well with me and my body ... ;)

We had a nice dinner tonight -- I had steak with mushrooms & onions and veggies; and DH had a boneless pork chops with veggies and new potatoes as he is skinny and a potato nut. :lol: I did more sewing and my curtains are almost done; came here to take a break before my eyes get too blurry.

Since we are still wheel-less, we are pretty much confined to the house today, except for short walks outside in the early AM; it is finally cooling down out there now and we have all the windows open to let air in. DH and NIKO are listening to music; actually, I can hear it all the way out here.

GARY ~ when DH goes to his church alone, he brings home his churche's weekly newsletter so that I can read the message on it and any current items of interest. I also can listen to local sermons on the radio here and I have my sermons from my favorite internet church sent to my box plus daily devotions as well; and I also do the Daily Bread devotions each morning too. Maybe you could arrange for something to be taken or delivered to your sister that she could read at her leisure and in the comfort of her home or hospital (wherever she may be). Just sharing some possible ideas ...:hug:

Well, not much else going on here; gonna go see if I can get those curtains done tonight. Hopefully, we get our car back tomorrow and the bill won't be too high; we have to trust GOD about that, and not worry.

Hope you all have a marvellous Monday and a blessed and peaceful week ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:^PRAYERS^ are continuing for you and yours ...

Thank You ROSEBUD. We do have a church bulletin, I actually brought it home for Angie to read since she didn't go to church because of her cold. My sister was listed on the prayer list.

I receive the Daily Bread along with Portals of Prayers. Over the years I have given my sister stories, from them and my Guideposts, relating to her lupus and other ailments. Stories of hope. She never got around to reading them. She has never seemed to have an interest in church since she left.

I know if I asked her if she believed in Jesus she would say yes...If I asked her if she knew she was going to Heaven she would say yes...then she would add...Jesus died for me, and then this would follow...I have been a good person...I never killed anybody, I took care of mom and dad...etc....

She just doesn't get it...it isn't about what she did or didn't do...it's all about what HE did for us....

We will be talking much in the next few weeks...I will keep nudging her....wink....and my brother in law...who when I asked when do you think you will go back to church answered..."When God gives me enough money I don't have to work on Sunday"....


and there you have some of my family and their thoughts on religion...we all went to the same church...same time...same message....

Sad to share the news that our friend and mod, MEOWEE (Linda) passed away this afternoon. I had asked for prayers for her when she first shared with us that she was sick in the spring/early summer. They just found out one month ago that she had lung cancer -- hmmm ... something wrong with our testing up here in Canada, if you ask me. (Dear Lord, we need some improvements in that area, please ...)

Anyhow, we will miss Linda's great sense of humor, her knowledge and insight, her group hugs, and her AM cheers ... well, we will just plain miss her presence here ...

Here's one for Linda ... :grouphug:

In honor of MEOWEE (Linda) ~ Good Morning Chickies (and our resident rooster)-- hope you have a good one. Nice and :sunny: up here ... Enjoy the day!!!! :grouphug:

INDEED, Linda will be greatly missed.

Prayers ascending for her family and her kitties.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers! My husband came by this weekend and said he wants to get counseling! He's also started spending more time with my daughter and me. Thank you so much and please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.:cloud9:

I also got to visit my eldest daughter at college this weekend. We had a good time visiting and, of course, spending my money to stock up her pantry. All in all it was a great weekend.:flow2:

I also want to offer my condolences to you all on the loss of your friend, Linda. I know you will all miss her.

Phoenix - Wonderful! Prayers continuing for your family.

And I TOTALLY understand about having a child in college! We have gone through having one or more in school for the last 9 years (and counting).

God is good!

:carrot:THAT'S WONDERFUL NEWS, PHEONIX ~ like GARY says, GOD IS GOOD!!! Prayers will continue for you, your husband, and family ... :carrot:

Well, we had a mish-mash of weather today; started out with lovely :sunny: and cool temps, but by this afternoon, clouds rolled in and some :rain: came down all evening. That's OK cuz my flowers needed watering anyways ...

Well, we finally got our car back and not without DH getting on their cases about it too; the bill was much higher than we expected -- $500.00! That's a lot considering they didn't have to pay for the parts which were under warranty: that was all labor & taxes. So DH and I sat down and rolled coins to cover a portion of that; and there went a huge chunk of "MY" savings. I will be cutting down our budget starting next month to put that back a bit each month. We'll just have to pull in our belts a bit, that's all ...

Once we paid that off, we picked up a roll of burlap to put on the roof of our trailer; we already had purchased the fiber tar, so now we can go up and get that done as soon as we have another sunny day. We are trying to get it all ready for the winter months. DH has to cut some 2" x 4" pieces to put in the
inside to give strength to the roof from inside: these can be taken back out in the spring once all the snow is gone.

I am happy to say taht I did get those curtains done last night; and as I went along, it got faster and faster! It almost seemed like magic -- once I got into a groove. They will look really nice in our camper.

Well, today I ate pretty good (credit moi); I had a banger (large sausage) and beans with salad for dinner; and DH had his super dogs on whole wheat buns. For lunch, we had grilled cheese sandwich and I had a chicken noodle cupasoup with mine too. For breakfast, I had homemade oatmeal, to which I added some natural bran and wheatgerm. We all did some dancing tonight for extra exercise; I did get some walking and toning stuff in today too (so kudos for that) ...

Well, that's all the news for tonight; hope you all have a TERRIFIC TUESDAY tomorrow -- and please do take good care of yourselves too ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^Prayers^ are continuing for you and yours ...

I stayed up and waited for Jesus to bless us with some much needed rain and it was 2AM when it started and so far we have 1.5 inches! That means we have received 4 inches so far - 6 to go!
That is great Phoenix!
Rosebud so glad you got your car back. So glad you had the money to get it back!

I don't think I had the privilege of meeting Meow sounds like I missed out on a wonderful friend. So sorry about our loss. Be praying for her family.

Hooray for rain for Texas. Praying for those that are getting too much.

Rosebud - sorry about the repair bill. But, I'm sure you and DH will be fine. God does provide!

Another crazy busy day here - but I am blessed because we did get out for a walk tonight. I'm trying to keep things balanced ...

Prayers continuing for all!

Laurie :scooter:

Yes, LAURIE ~ the car is back; we don't smell the gas or antifreeze anymore (yeah) but the jerking is still there. The mechanics 'think' that is the spark plugs & wires; DH will be picking them up next week and installing them himself. Lesson learned here: we will make different arrangements next time ...

BOOTSIE ~ PTL for the :rain: ... I'm sure more is coming ... ;)

Had a good day: got my meds. Nice weather. Stayed on plan and got lots of walking in today: kudos for that! Hope you all have a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY tomorrow -- and take good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^Prayers^ continue for you and yours ...

Hi everyone! It's been ages since I posted. It's been a little busy around here. We are enjoying the last few days of gorgeous weather and getting things done outside. It's been unseasonably warm here and I love it!

We've had 2 weddings to attend in the past 2 weeks also. Beautiful! Plus with all the training I'm doing at work I just haven't had time for much else.

I've been doing well with my eating and did not gain one pound during the summer. Now it's time to get back into a routine again.

I do keep all of you in my prayers. Have a good day!

Hey everyone. Just a quick hello today. Back to work and things are crazy. Im feeling much better though. Starting doing my 30DS and hoping that i can start getting this extra weight off. Hope everyone has had a great week so far. :-) Happy Wednesday.

Hi all - another crazy day in northern MI. But, the weather is glorious, and only 9 more days until VACATION!!!!

I am so thankful that I did all the cooking over the weekend. It is GREAT to have OP, healthy food to take for lunch, and be able to pop something in the microwave after working a 12 hour day :)

Hope you are all having a good day. Prayers are continuing for all!

Great to see Wilma and Courtney back with us again - we missed you guys!

Laurie :scooter:

:wave: YES, it is nice to have WILMA & COURTNEY drop by today; we know that you both are busy working hard. Glad to hear that you are both well though ...

LAURIE ~ that is a great idea to make some meals ahead and freeze them. Tonight I made Creole Patties (or Exeter Stew, which is the old English name) and have some leftover to freeze for lunches or dinners.

Had a good OP day and alternated with indoor exercises and toning for today; yesterday maybe did a bit too much walking, so my feet and legs are a tad sore. Did get my light housechores done though ...

Hope you all have a great day tomorrow ... :hug:ROSEBUD :hug: ^Prayers^ continue for you and yours ...

:faint: Wilma and Courtney back in the same day?...oh my...:faint:

Hi, Everyone! And, yes, it's nice to hear from Wilma and Courtney-I'd been wondering about you both! Sounds like absolutely everyone is busier now than even in the summer...will keep that in my prayers, so no one gets overly tired, run-down and falls victim to all those nasty little germs prowling around.

It's going to be a busy day here, too, as today's my turn at cooking for the football players. The other mom is roasting pork loins and bringing corn, I have to bake 50 potatoes and made the BBQ sauce, and the 4 junior moms are making bars and bringing milk and applesauce, as well as potato toppings. Should be a yummy meal!:T

Oh, one thing I forgot to tell everyone, but I know someone's been praying for the situation with my sil and the funeral bills--after a big blow-up on Saturday between her and my DH, she finally said she'll take the insurance money and pay the funeral bill in full (as that's what fil had intended, but she had become greedy). She's not happy and has "disowned" all the rest of us, but really, that's what we need right now-some distance from her and her problems. So, thank you for keeping this in your prayers-it's a great relief to not have to figure out where to come up with the money to pay our "share" of fil's funeral.

Well, gotta get moving, so I won't forget to take something along for this dinner. Have a great day!

I am so sorry things are not better for you than they seem Ronnie , I went through the same thing with my sister. I hate the greed people seem to get during these times. It is good to see Wilma and Courtney back. They say it is going to rain again today hope so!
50 baked potatoes! You are going to be dreaming about potatoes!

:wave: HIYA FOLKS ~ Lotsa good news tonight -- we now have our car fixed up and it is running better than ever. Turns out the problem was the wiring connecting the spark plugs; we put new ones on anyways. Now the jerking has totally stopped.

DH did a favor for someone and helped him with his vehicle (the body part, which used to be his trade), and the man not only paid for the parts we needed, but helped DH fix our car too -- isn't that great? GOD is good; and so answered all our prayers about this car!!!

We also got a call that our glasses were ready; so we went up and picked those up today. There was a bit of a mistake with DH's -- as they forgot to put in the bi-focal; but they will fix that up and call us. I now have to get used to my bi-focals, that I don't have to bend down my head to look over the top to see everything else. :lol:

You know, they are perfect for seeing far; perfecting for seeing close, but I guess they can't do anything for the mid-range, where you guessed it, is right where my PC screen is!!! So I have to use my old glasses for reading my screen. :dizzy: I must look pretty funny with my regular bi-focals around my neck and another pair of glasses on my face; maybe kind like a mad professor or something like that ... or Mrs. Frankelstein ... :lol: No, no -- not that bad! Ha!

We had a lovely dinner tonight of Wild Pacific Salmon poached in lite Ceasar Dressing (mixed with equal amount water) for 20 minutes; along with rice and mixed veggies. I like this salmon as it is nice and mild tasting, so we will be having this again. Very on plan today (credit moi).

I also did all my toning and strengthening exercises today; I do 30 minutes of toning work when I first wake up, then I do some more in the afternoon, and did some dancing this evening for aerobics. We also did a bit of walking today as well; so very good on all fronts -- kudos for that!!! :D

RONNI ~ like I said in another thread; I am so glad to see that issue resolved for you. I'm sure in time, your SIL will come to her senses and learn to appreciate her family more; and if she doesn't, she is the one who stands to lose much more ...

We had :rain: most of the day today, but the :sunny: did peak out around dinnertime and that was nice for us; but the trees really did need the rain too. Hope you all have a FANTASTIC FRIDAY tomorrow; and take good care of yourselves too! :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: ^Prayers^ continue for you and yours ...

Good Morning! I'm still pretty new here and would like to join the group.
I'm 27 yrs old, I'm living my life for Christ, I'm on this weight loss journey again, I live in Brooklyn, NY and work and go to school full time. No hubby, no kids.....love to travel!
Hope to get to know you all better!

Imdedicated-:welcome2: We're always glad to have new people join our little group! I've found a lot of help and support here and I'm sure you will too.

Rosebud-isn't that just the way God works!? When we least expect it, someone comes along with the help we need. So glad your car issues are taken care of.

Hello to all! The dinner went very well last evening. We had more football players come than had gone to the last few weeks' dinners, so had more there for the pastor's blessing;) And, there were absolutely no behavior issues or disrespect (I guess at a couple of the dinners, there had been some food throwing and the parents were very upset, as I would have been). In fact, every single boy thanked each one of us parents personally as he went through the line, so someone must have had a 'talk' with them! Then, a couple of the dads were able to come too, so clean-up was a lot easier than anticipated and my boys, who I thought had left, snuck back in while we parents were eating and cleaned up all the tables, took out trash, and reset the chairs and tables that had been used for food. Just made me glad to see them pitch in and work together to help us old folks out!

Now, I'm really tired, and the rain we've had all night and this morning is just making me want to go back to bed(I sure hope you're getting the rain too, Bootsie!), but I suppose I need to accomplish something here today, even if it's just washing dishes:p. So, I'd better get going...You all have a great day!

Thanks for the welcome! Call me Cle...

Hi Cle! :welcome: I love it here hope you do too!
Rosebud I could hardly wait to get here to tell you . One of the girls on here, directed me to where to find some lettuce seed that was not bitter and they have a forum there talking nothing but gardening and I am learning so much from them! I hope the site let's me post it here. http://rareseeds.com/ and click on their forum Alright looks like they are going to let me.

Hi All! Just wanted to let you know DH and I went to counseling yesterday and things really seemed to go well. I give kudos to the counselor as she was not biased at all, even though she had been working with me for three months already. She asked both of us some rather pointed questions and then gave us some homework for the weekend. We're to work on our house together. Personally I hope it jogs his memory how good we've had it and gets him back home soon. Our anniversary is coming up next month and I want to celebrate it, not mourn it. Thanks for all your prayers. God has truly blessed me, no matter how this turns out.

Cle :welcome3: I've only been here a short time myself but these folks are very supportive, not just for weight loss but for life itself.

Ronni - I cannot imagine cooking for fifty football players and having them over! The thought alone overwhelms me. Glad it all went well. Also know that with time things with your SIL will likely settle down. My prayers are with you.

Now I have to display my ignorance. What does OP stand for? I just can't seem to wrap my head around it.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. My daughter and I are off for camping, just the two of us. Should be something to see!

Cle http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs28/f/2008/155/5/9/596f913922d680c6c6f6ef1d71d724de.gif So glad you joined us! The folk here are the BEST encouragers - they are awesome!!!

Phoenix - OP means "on plan". POP means "perfectly on plan".

Here (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/announcements-forum-help/83430-acronyms.html) is a great list of acronyms for 3FC - of course there are lots of other ones around here too!

Ronni - oh, my - I can barely cook for the 3 of us! How daunting! You deserve some rest this weekend!

Rosebud - good news about the car. Oh, I feel your pain with the bi-focals. Since my job is on a computer all day, I finally had to go with the progressive (multi-focal) lenses. I was forever changing my glasses :lol:

Glad it is Friday! And a beautiful one here in northern MI. I love fall!

Hope everyone has a blessed and fun weekend!
http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs15/f/2007/003/1/5/_pray__remake_by_the_ace_chef.gif

Laurie :scooter:

Laurie, thanks for the acronym list. I kinda thought that was what it meant but for some reason it just didn't seem right to me.

I can relate with ya'll about the glasses. I've been making do with my reading glasses but the doctor said it's time to get real ones and he wants me to get progressive lenses. :mag: I spend a lot of time on the computer as well. I can't get over how much these little things cost!:yikes:

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!!!

WELCOME ... Princess CLE ~ we are glad to have new people join us; the more the merrier, we say ... wow, you have a busy life working and studying full time!

LAURIE ~ I didn't even know there was anything other than single or bi-focals until today; in England they have something called 'vari-focals' and you have 'progressive multi-focals' ... wow, I was thinking -- how do you get used to many focals? I find it odd right now trying to get used to two, but I just got them the other day! :dizzy:

PHEONIX ~ yes, glasses are very expensive and we are lucky our insurance pays for them; and the company that made my frames waves the extra fee for disabled persons: GOD bless 'em (Peachtree) for that; and there are a few other companies that do that too.

BOOTSIE ~ thanks for that link to the rare seeds site; looks very interesting indeed.

RIGHT ON, RONNIE ~ and look what those boys did for the parents; they did something nice in return for the lovely meal, and what a blessing that was for everyone as well!

Did light housechores this AM; went visiting this afternoon in the country; had a quick dinner (I had a chicken burger with a cob of corn). It was an all round good day; felt a wee bit sick after lunch but, thank GOD, it cleared itself up with a bit of water and distraction.

We also had a glorious :sunny: fall day; great for a drive in the country as the trees are changing color -- love that! Hope you all have A SUPER-DUPER SATURDAY, and a restful weekend too! TAke good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

WELCOME ... Princess CLE ~ we are glad to have new people join us; the more the merrier, we say ... wow, you have a busy life working and studying full time!


Awww thanks :hug: that whole princess Cle nick name came up when my friend who reintroduced me to Christ explained it as...he's the King and we're his daughters so we're princesses.....and it's stuck ever since....I'm his princess! :D

I can't get over how much these little things cost!:yikes:

:yes: Mine are way too expensive - and I go to Walmart to get them!

But, I am blessed that both DH and I have vision coverage, so about half of the cost is covered. I actually budget for our glasses. I figure that I wear them every minute I am awake - every single day. Thus, I would rather compromise somewhere else and have glasses that fit, make me feel good, and give me the best vision possible.

And - it doesn't stop there.
DH had eye surgery when he was a teen, and it left him with a serious vision disability. His glasses run about $650 (pre-insurance cost).


I am so thankful that we are blessed with good physical health. It all evens out in the long run :lol:

I don't know if you have an optometry school near by, but when I was in college, I got my glasses about half price by buying them at the school. Students did the exam, and the on-site lab actually made the lenses.

I got my glasses at Walmart too. I don't like them as well as my old ones I had for 9 years. I just could not afford to go back to my old eye doctor. Sometimes you just have to go that route. It has stopped raining but I know Jesus will bring some more. The sun came out today and the veggies started playing peek - ah - boo! They are all popping up out of the ground except those old turnips. I guess they have to have a grand entrance. :encore:

Hi GALS ~

WELCOME PRINCESS CLE!!!!!!!!!!!

Gals ~ I will be back soon.

Very busy this week-end with the ex-wife's Viking Festival that Angie and I help with each year.

To be honest...I have been reading here...but I am having a hard time saying what I want to share here with you all about my sister.

Keep her in your prayers...

You Are My Rock Here ~ Gary

Praying here Gary.

Lots of prayers for you and your family Gary

:hug:GARY ~ ^Prayers^ are going up for you and your sister at this time; for comfort and peace, and a blessing of GOD's love and tendermercies into Annie's heart ... :hug:

:hug:GARY ~ After I was praying for Annie and you, there was something that came to my mind that I wanted to share with you. When my Aunt heard the diagnosis that her husband had cancer again (for the third time), she said that she was so upset that she thought she was going to have a heart attack; and it took some time for her to be able to feel at peace again becuz she was so frightened ...

They started to go to a 'spirit-filled' Christian church (as she likes to call it) becuz she felt she needed to be with a group of Christians who really believed in the 'power of prayer'. She felt she needed the support of 'true believers' and those who would support them in prayer; and she called her believing family and friends to prayer for them as well.

EDIT: At first, she went by herself for awhile, and he joined her later on. My uncle was hesitant to pray or let them pray for him; but after awhile (about 2 years), the pastor approached him again, and asked him if he would mind if they did a special prayer for him where the people would lay their hands on him and pray for him as a group becuz they really believed that it might help him, and he finally said yes (when he was ready in his own time).

My aunt said that it was the most touching thing she had ever seen, as even small children went up and put their little hands on him and prayed for him to be well. She says that all she could do was 'bawl her eyes out' ...

I reminded her that she has been praying for her husband's salvation for many years and that we are also praying that GOD would reach out to him thru this experience. Sometimes, we forget this very important fact ... that often, it is during these scary times, that many people will turn to GOD for a touch of his love and healing grace.

We the people are members of the body of Christ and we are his church. I believe that wherever we are, we are his church. If only two of us are gathered in his name, we are his church. I believe that all of us here are his church. Sometimes, people think that everyone should go out to a church (to a building at a certain place); but I think that church is wherever we are ...

So ... what I am getting at, is this -- if Annie can't or won't go to the church, maybe the church can go to Annie ... they can certainly pray for her and show her that they truly care for her by supporting her wherever she is. Sometimes, we need to meet people where they are; and the best way we can share Christ's love with them is just by loving them!

How do we show that love? By caring for them ... going to her, listening to her, taking books or music to her, cooking for her, run errands for her, just meet her where she has needs and be there for her. Then maybe she will believe in the church again, but I think the church has to meet her needs too. So many people say ... oh it's not what the church can do for you but what you can do for the church; but I say, it should be both and right now, Annie NEEDS the church (the people) to be there for her ... that is, to be where she needs them to be so that she really knows that they really care about her ...

We know that you love her and care for her; words cannot convey ... and GOD loves her too, but maybe in time, she will come to know that -- becuz GOD can use her family, the doctors, caregivers, friends, and other Christians to show her how much He cares. We just have to TRUST HIM ~ and keep praying for her, diligently, and then be patient and let Him work, and be ready and willing to be there to do whatever He prompts you to do for them.

And we stand with you, and are sending prayers up for Annie and you all ... daily. Trust us -- that we are there for you too ... :hug:

Thank you all so much.....you are the BEST!

And Rosebud thank you for your thoughts and taking the time to post them. You hit the nail right on the head for a lot of it.

I have a busy day but hope to be back here today or tomorrow to post...I will be back to read for sure.

Bless all of you ~ Gary

Gary - prayers continuing for your whole family!

Good Morning everyone! Just passing through...I hope you all have a great Saturday!
Gary thanks for the welcome, I'll also keep your family in prayer!

HI GALS ~

We just got the news my sister's cancer has not spread from her breast. She will have a double mastectomie on Tuesday. Thank you all for your prayers.

I will post later on a conversation her and I had.

Angie and I just got home from working the VIKING FEST...such fun! I had one polska kielbasa sandwich and 3 beers...not bad for me. We will go back in the morning for another shift...I feel sorry for my ex...she is under a lot of pressure...she told Angie and I today..."I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you two and our family"...the our family...is mine.

We will go to church tonight. We did get 3 miles in with the mutts this morning in the neighborhood.

I will return...I hope you all have great news today...amazing isn't it?...you only have cancer in your breast...is great news....

As always...we PRAISE GOD!

Gary, I am continuing in prayer for your sister, I truly know what she is going through. The difference is I have ny faith in the Great Physician. I will continue to keep her in prayer both physically and spiritually.

Gary still praying. Rosebud you just don't know how special you are to all of us, you must be one of Jesus walking angels.

Gary: My prayers are definitely with you and your sister. :hug::hug:

Gary, still sending prayers and good thoughts your way.

Rosebud---Thank you for such a wonderful post. It really makes us all stop and think!

BOOTSIE ~ you're the sweetest lady! I think that is one of the kindest things anyone has ever said to me ... and I copied it into my prayer file so that I can remember it on one of those days when I get a little too critical of myself. Over the years, I believe GOD has shared many things with me that He wants me to share with others; and sometimes, I think that maybe we all are His Angels, and we just don't know it yet ... :hug:

KAREN ~ you are all very welcome. My aunt and I have had many discussions about these kinds of things; trying to understand what GOD's will is and why He allows these things to happen. I really believe that these trying experiences are all for a greater purpose, and for a greater good, that we will see and understand sometime in the future. The word says that one of the reasons we go thru these kinds of things is so that we can be comforted by GOD and then, in return, comfort others when they go thru similar experiences ... and BARGOO is a perfect example of this!

In the past, I wondered why I had gone thru so much pain and physical traumas; and today, I see the evidence of why ... I have met so many people who are going thru similar experiences; and now, I can support them and comfort them and encourage them -- only becuz I really know how it feels to endure and overcome pain, sorrow, hurt, sadness, disappointment, fear, loss, abandonment, homelessness, poverty, loneliness, and so on ...

GARY ~ yes, that is awesome news -- that the cancer has not spread! While we would rather that she not have to have that surgery at all, if it means saving her life, then it is worth it; but we will pray for her for peace and comfort becuz she will need that to adjust to the changes in her body. When my mother had cancer, the surgeries left many scars and changes in her body too, but she always told us how much more important it was for her to be alive; and we knew that was true. ^Prayers^ continue for Annie and all of your family ... :hug:

PS ~ is Annie's surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday? Want to be able to pray for her and her doctors on the right day; I think I may have the wrong date on the group prayer list ... thanks.

Rosebud :hug: we DO love having you here. You are our rock - no matter what is going on in your life, you always say just the right, encouraging, thing in your posts.

Prayers continue for you and your DH.

Gary - prayers continuing for your family as well. It will be an emotional week - keep us posted as you are able.

Hi to everyone else. Hope you had a blessed Sunday.

Having a good day here - I finished my sweater, and wore it to church today. I just love chunky knit sweaters. And the ones in the store are that cheapie acrylic yarn. My virgin wool one just feels great :D In fact, I like it so well, I think I will start another one this evening :)

I'm off to cook for the week. Protein bars to make, and a few main dishes. Oh, and apples were on sale so a HEALTHY apple crisp is definitely on the menu :yes:

5 days to vacation and counting down ;)

Prayers are continuing for each of you (and your dear ones).
http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs40/f/2009/034/b/f/Praying_Angel_by_Momma__G.gif

Hope everyone had a blessed day!
This song blessed me today and I wanted to share!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ&feature=PlayList&p=EAE85BEDB2E61503&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=53

:hug:LAURIE ~ Thanks for all those kind words, and right back at ya ... YOU are also an inspiration and solid rock yourself with many, many talents! Now, I have more encouraging words to tuck away for a rainy day ... :D

I came across a verse today while doing my morning devotions (and I'm sure it was planned by the big guy upstairs too) in Deut 7:6 .. "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy GOD: the LORD thy GOD hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." I have always believed that we have been chosen for special jobs too, and being a CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGER is certainly one of them, I'm sure!

My mother was also a very talented knitter and would make sweaters for her kids and grandkids as gifts too. You are blessed with a talent that can be used for so much good: here we have places that take donated knitted baby sets and give them to the babies that are born in our local hospitals, esp in the far north. I have seen how much they are appreciated by young, new mothers who are on very tight budgets ...

THANKS, Princess CLE ~ we love to share inspirational stuff with each other on this thread; anything that can lift each other's spirits and spread His Joy ... plus we just love LAURIE and GARY's (and Angie's) recipes too!!! :D

We had a good day with :sunny: on and off; so we went up town and picked up some spit BBQ chicken for dinner and that was so yummy and healthy; and we picked up a few things we needed to carry us into next week. So I got a bit of extra walking in today as well (kudos for that). We were going to go for a drive later on, but when DH went to check the oil and antifreeze, he noticed that he has somehow lost a piece off the car that is very important, so he will going on a hunt tomorrow to replace it.

Hope you all have a BLESSED SUNDAY EVENING and a marvellous MONDAY tomorrow as well ... :hug:ROSEBUD :hug: ^PRAYERS^ continue for you and yours ...

HI GALS ~

Well Angie and I had a busy week-end with the Viking Fest...but it was a lot of fun too! We were in the bbq booth for 5 hours yesterday and 4 today, my brother was a big help, he did most of the cooking while we served and did the errands. Yesterday we spent some time in the beer garden listening to a local favorite here, the Highland Way....Angie just loves men in skirts ;)

We had over 20 kids each day work there from our church youth group. They did a fantastic job as usual....you always have your "lazy" ones...but most of them were on their best behavior...a nice example for our church. This was not a church event. The kids work it for my ex-wife every year she has been in charge of food....the last 5 I think it is now. She swears this is her last...we shall see...wink

Today we just came on home....not without spending some $$$ on the way out...Angie found most of the stuff she wants us to wear on Halloween. We now have a nice collection of pirate looking gear...we are having a trunk or treat at church, where you give candy out of your car/truck and dress up and decorate your car if you wish. Gonna be a pirate....if I know what's good for me ;)

Angie is calling dinner soon so I better move on....

I know I have left you with worry about me and my sister. I am sorry for that. As I said she found out good news(?) that the cancer is confined to her breast. That of course is scary and troublesome.

What my biggest issue is, is difficult to explain. One reason why I am having such a hard time sharing. An issue that sometimes "steps on others toes"...which is something I never want to do on this site...unless of course it is all in fun in one of those "smack talk" threads I start or join ;) But those are different.

When my sister was over the other day I just let her talk and didn't say anything to upset her, it wasn't the time. I just let her air it all out...her feelings and scares. Most of what she said is understandable...the pain...the why me...human nature.

However, she also uses the...why did God do this to me?...why, after taking care of mom for all those years did this happen to me?...why does God give me such bad luck?...and on...


She also says things like...I know God loves me and can use His miraculous hands to heal me if He wants to....

Now we all know that God can do anything He wants...

It is very difficult for all of us to call on Him for healing and find it not happening...as we want...

We probably have all done that in our lives.

It is difficult to comfort someone that feels this way. It is difficult to share with them that it isn't God causing the pain...it is the sin we were born into in this world.

Which leads to the why me's...and not you's....why are you so lucky...why are they so lucky...why have I suffered so much when I do all this...

well....I have to go Angie is calling dinner....I will be back...:)

I'm Back....

As I was saying it is very hard for me to talk to my sister when I know she was in a church that taught the WORD...had people concerned for her health (remember she has had lupus for some time)....

My sister went to church with my ex-wife and I for around 10 years, she taught nursery and kindergarten Sunday school, she taught pre-school for several years.

Her church attendance was maybe 50/50 at best. Always a reason why she didn't go...but she did teach her classes when it was her time.

She never went to a grown up Bible study...has never opened a Bible in her home that I know of...probably doesn't even own one. She never joined in discussions of the sermon we had after church when we went to my folks house to visit.

I guess what I am trying to say is her depth of knowledge ends at the pre-school - kindergarten level...Jesus Loves You....awesome for sure but....

She worked the youth group for several years but there but she was never involved in any Bible study or lessons.

My brother in law went even less but he did come to help with the youth group. He told me once he'd come back to church on Sunday's as soon as God gave Him enough money to support his family. He makes the same money I do most of the time.

I don't know where I want to go with this or end it but it's time to move a bit on...

Some of you know I start threads here that sometimes get a bit heated....sometimes I wonder if I should just stop and forget about it. I start these threads to try and get people thinking...maybe I turn more away with my "sharing"...

I don't know....

I just know I would feel more comfortable about my sister and what she was going through if she were stronger in her faith.

Thanks for you prayers ~ Gary

CLE ~ beautiful song!!!!!!!!!

Gary not long ago I was walking along side your sister, no I did not have a sickness but I had a broken spirit and heart . In other words, I felt the same way but I kept reaching out just like your sister is searching for the answers. I did Bible Studies I was going to two churches even though I did not agree with the people in the church. None of them could tell me how to get my faith back and then I hit rock bottom and said Father you know I love you and you know my anger and sadness for loosing my sister, but you also know I love you even though I am upset with you. Please help me find my way back to you. The phone rung it was my friend , I told her everything and she laid into me! First she wanted to know what the churches had done to help me, I said nothing, she blew a fuse! It was like God was talking right through her. Nothing! Bootsie , most people would of gave up on God and turned away but you did not! You have done several Bible Studies, going to two churches,you have never gave up on God but kept reaching out to him, I would say that is the strongest faith of all! I said but how come I feel Jesus hates me? Bootsie he does not hate you he loves you. I cried because I could feel his love through the phone and the joy of knowing he loves me, well I just don't know the words to express it to you, it's magnificent!

They found your sisters cancer, she could of never known and never had a chance to fight it. Jesus could of kept her from knowing, but he did not, for he loves her and seeked help for her.
Gary your sisters cancer is in one spot, it has not spread ,right? Jesus could of let it spread, but he did not, that is one way of showing he loves her. She has Doctors with wisdom, that is another way he is showing he loves her, Another is having a brother like you, who loves her and cares about her. Right now the poem the Foot Prints in the sand fits her life. Sometimes we feel we are so alone , even in a room full of people Gary, but he is carrying us down that old rough road, even though we don't know he is there.

You know at the end of my friends conversation, my friend had no idea why she called me, this was the first time in weeks I had heard from her.

hello, I am a new member.

GARY ~ I agree with BOOTSIE that your sister shows evidence that she is 'still seeking' ... so all is not lost. She still believes but is questioning which is quite normal under the circumstances. I think most people that get a diagnosis of cancer ask the question 'why me' ... I know my mother did and my uncle did (we've had several people in our family with cancer). And it doesn't just have to be cancer -- it can be anything really (any type of illness or trouble) ...

I don't think it matters how many times she did or didn't go to church; and maybe GOD is calling her to a deeper walk with Him by 'allowing' certain events in her life; and again, as BOOTSIE says, there is evidence that the LORD is helping ANNIE too, which shows how much He cares for her. Right now, it may be hard for her to see that clearly with so much fear in the way.

Sometimes, we feel helpless on how to answer someone in this kind of situation; and maybe no answer will ever be satisfactory (intellectually, that is) ... So many times, we erroneously get the idea that if we are good people that nothing bad is supposed to happen to us. Well, that just isn't true, and could be caused by teachings that didn't come across right, or were misunderstood.

The truth is (like JESUS said) -- we all will have troubles in this life. Bad things do happen to good people! It's the reality of our imperfect world. We are flawed, and our flesh is weak, so we can get sick. The reality of illness and pain, and loss (esp of dear loved ones) can smack us so hard that we almost tumble over with sorrow ... and JESUS understands that too. He loved his friend LAZARUS and weeped when he heard that he had died; but he also raised him from the dead to show us just how much power that GOD has at his disposal.

Yes, HE can raise us and our loved ones from illness, and/or from the brink of death; and even from death itself, and He will someday. He is also looking after them for us on the other side right now. Yes, JESUS sometimes has to carry us during the darkest times of our lives. This is a dark and scary time for ANNIE, and even if you don't have all the answers, just say that ... but also tell her what you do know ...

THAT GOD LOVES HER, and cares about her; and He will help her in some way. He will help her get thru this and so can you. You know, one of two things can happen: either He will help her (and others) get thru this or He will take them home to be with Him. It looks like He is going to help her get thru this ... but that doesn't mean that she won't have some battle wounds, becuz she will, but she will grow thru this experience and she has a chance to get closer to GOD thru this experience as well.


BOOTSIE ~ thanks for sharing your story with us. When our mother died, my siblings were devastated; and it almost seemed like our family just 'fell apart at the seams', but over time (many years) ... we have slowly learned to heal and pick up the pieces. This is one of the hardest lessons in this life: death of a loved one, or facing death ourselves. Until we are actually going thru it -- it is hard to imagine; but I know that this one thing is true ~ GOD is faithful, and HE will help carry us through ... :hug:

Have a blessed and restful and peaceful night, friends ... :hug:

:welcome3: SYNERGY ~ come on back and tell us something about yourself -- this is a very kind and caring and supportive group of people here ...

Good Morning all!

Hi Synergy...I'm new also!

:welcome: Synergy! I see you like cats,is that your cat? I have 4 cats now, Rufuss,Harry,Crip and Fat Girl. I am so used to having so many cats but vaccinations cost so much for them! Then if they get sick......doctor bills and you think our doctor bills are high. I think you will love our group I do!

Thank You Rosebud , Jesus is faithful.

Hi all!

Cle -thanks for the link! GREAT song!

Rosebud - thank you for taking the time to compose all of your wonderful posts yesterday :hug: You ARE a blessing to this group.

Bootsie - the same - your posts really helped Gary! Thanks for sharing more of your story.

Synergy :welcome: Glad you joined us! This is a GREAT group - I hope you come back often!

Gary, one of the hardest things we are called to do as Christians is to step back and let God work. It is so "human" to feel helpless when we can't help those we love. Sometimes, God calls us to take action - to say or do the right thing at the right time. But often, God uses us in ways that we aren't aware of.

You are doing everything right - and yet it feels frustrating. Why?

I can't answer that question for you, but when I am feeling that way it is because I am trying to do God's job. I'm trying to change people's hearts and minds. And - while God may use me as an instrument to help the process along - NOTHING I do or say can change someone. NOTHING.

Now - if I am truly doing what God has called me to do - my job is to be faithful. Keep doing what I am doing.

And let God do his job - in his way - and in his time.

"Let Go and Let God" is hard to practice.

My favorite Mother Theresa quote is, "We are called upon not to be successful, but to be faithful.”
:hug:

Prayers are ascending!

Thank ALL of you so much for your input. I am so blessed....

Out walking my mutts today I kept thinking of things my sister has said...and I know her faith is not strong....but I truly believe she is a Christian.

I am having her over tonight for dinner with our immediate family...and more! Maybe 20 or so...anyway, maybe I will have something tonight to share.

I will catch up on the posts soon! Off to make the carnitas...

Welcome SYNERGY!

:wave: Well, our fall rains have arrived here as ususal; a bit late, but we had :rain: here all day long. It started to feel chilly, but after putting our dinner in the oven, that warmed things up nicely for us. DH went hunting for car parts; he found two, one to go ... he'll find something for that too, not to worry.

GOOD NEWS FROM NUMPSTER ~ well, the deal is done so I can share what they are up to. NUMPSTER and her DH bought an awesome B & B (bed & breakfast) home/business in a lovely area in southern Ontario. It is on a private lake and the place is stunning; I spent some time tonight downloading pictures and will find a way to show them to you all as soon as I can.

You'd also be interested to know that my father and SM came in as her junior partner and they will be helping them get the place up and running. Now all we have to pray for is that her condo sells in time for the take over set for March 15, 2010; and preferably well before that date. The previous owner just wants to spend one more Christmas there as it is so beautiful in the wintertime too.

Thanks for all our prayer support; I know that they are very grateful, and she expressed that to us more than once. They are very thankful and grateful that GOD worked things out so well for them, and they have some marvellous plans to hold some Christian Retreats there too!

Just stayed home and rested; doing little things around home. Couldn't do much else with it pouring so much outdoors. Have a terrific Tuesday and take good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

PS ~ I did manage to get the pics downloaded; as they had already been downsized ahead of time (see the next 2 posts). As you can see, this is one awesome place; our entire family is tres excited for them and we all plan to visit there often ... :lol:

Here's some pics of NUMPSTER's new place from the inside ~ the big room fireplace, the kitchen, loft office, diningroom, and big room living area ...


3333533336333373333833345

I can only put 5 pictures in each post, so here's some of the beautiful outside as well -- the aerial view, the winter view of the house, the lakeviews, and the dock ...

3334233340333413334333344

I will be back later but I wanted to post that my sister will have her double mastectomy surgery tomorrow morning at 11:30. Doctors will also remove her gall stones at that time.

Thank you all for your past and present prayers.

Will keep you and your sister in my thoughts and Prayers. Keep us updated.

Rosebud, Thanks for sharing the pictures. I love looking at pictures from everyone. I'm sure they are going to enjoy that so much.

They started pouring the floor on the pool yesterday and should be done with it today. Then it will have to dry before they can put the liner and the coping around the top. But it is getting closer. Will try to post some pictures later.

HI GALS ~ :)

We met for dinner at my house, as a family, last night to be with my sister. There was about 20 of us family and very close friends...family!....I made carnitas which was a big hit :carrot:

Although I was busy with the food, Angie had made the rice earlier but was off teaching yoga until later, I did get a chance to visit with my sister.

The house was pretty busy and loud....that's my family :)

I saw my sister, brother in law and ex-wife out in the driveway...my bil and sister still smoke....anyway I went out and had some "quiet" time with her.

She said she was afraid to die. I told her being scared was only natural but a Christian shouldn't be afraid to die...not that we want to go anytime soon! But in death, for a Christian, all the pain is gone.....we will walk in paradise.

She said she would miss all of us...I told her...not possible! That would be painful. When we get to Heaven it will be perfect. If things don't go as we pray for, we will miss her...she won't miss us.

She then told me that people say so many different things about Heaven...I told her it doesn't matter what people say...God says it is PERFECT! We trust in that.

She then told me she is worried she isn't praying as good as I do since she doesn't go to church. I assured her that God hears her prayers and that from all of the people praying for her one of us will get it right ;)

I then asked her if she believed in Christ as her Saviour and that He died for her...has already felt her pain...and that there is nothing she can do except believe that in order to get to Heaven....she said yes....I believe Jesus died for me and is the Son of God.

As the conversation went on more and more family came outside...eventually everyone was out there except Angie and my daughter in law (Angie was showing her some knitting moves ;))....my ex-wife asked me if I would like to have a family prayer before people left, I sent my niece in to get Angie and dil...we all held hands in a circle out in my driveway and I said prayer.

This morning when my sister called me, to fill me in on the times for tomorrow, I asked her if I offended her in any way...she said oh gosh no...but I just don't understand as well as you Gary...you have always gone to church and study but even when I went I didn't really study...I understood what Pastor said most of the time but I didn't understand all of it.

We had a nice long talk and I feel much better now....I have been able to explain some things to her that she needed to hear.

She really has some issues and even more so her husband...on WHY DOES GOD ALLOW BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN....I think I made her feel better with my answers....

Thank you all for your prayers :hug:

GARY ~ Thanks, prayers are going up for Annie, her family, and her doctors ... :hug:

KAREN ~ they are all very excited about this new venture; Numpster has been thru so much, but she is a kind, generous human being. This is a dream of theirs -- to have a business where they could semi-retire in the future; and it will be the place where they will take care of our parents as they are aging and have both had ill health. They are going to help them too: it's a win-win situation for everyone. They also will be sharing this place with other Christians as a retreat ... what a blessing it will be for so many people!!! Looking forward to seeing pics of your new pool too ...

We've had a very cold day; went down to 63 F in here today with winds, so we put the heat on for a few minutes and piled the warm clothes on too. Hope you all have a blessed day tomorrow ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

ROSEBUD ~Great pictures!!!! WOW!!!

KAREN ~Pool just in time for snow ;)

SCOOTER ~ Mother Theresa....amazing!...just flat out amazing!

BOOTSIE ~ Thanks so much for sharing :hug:

THANK YOU ALL!

RONNI I keep forgetting to tell you I am so glad the team dinner went well! I remember those days....loved them!

At least living here in MO. I shouldn't have any "FEET" of snow!! I don't know what we will do not having to shovel snow this year!! First time in many years!!!

GARY ~ you and I posted at the same time; and it was interesting to read what ANNIE had to say to you about how she feels. While we all may believe in Jesus and accept him as our Savior -- that doesn't mean that we all have the same understanding of theology, etc. We are all at different levels in our walk with the Lord.

Just as in life, some people go to university, some college, some only high school, some only public school, and some never pass a single grade; but that won't keep them out of heaven, if they believe in and on our Lord Jesus Christ, who grants salvation as a free gift -- it cannot be earned and doesn't require a degree.

She and her husband are not alone in asking that age-old question -- WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE? I have a book here by that very name and it is a good one; and for those who would like to read it, you may be able to get it at your library or at Amazon.com.

I am glad that you were able to pray for Annie, and have such a nice visit and personal talk with her -- I'm sure that she has found having a brother like you by her side, as a great comfort to her during this scary time in her life ... :hug:

Rosebud - wonderful pictures. If we ever vacation in that area, we would LOVE to stay there!

Karen, can't wait to see the finished product. I loved the earlier pics!

Gary - :hug: prayers continuing for your family, and especially for Annie. What a blessing that she has you and your family for support!

I hope everyone else is well. Crazy busy here - tomorrow is "count day". In a nutshell, it is the day we "count" all of our students, and gather a ton of info to ship on to the state. That is how schools get paid in MI - based upon their student count. I'm responsible for getting all of the mountains of paperwork and electronic files sent in to the state. Thus, lots of overtime getting ready. (unfortunately, I don't get PAID for the overtime).

We are definitely looking forward to our vacation in the UP starting Friday.

I can already feel the crisp air and hear the waterfalls :D

Prayers continuing for ALL.

Blessings,

Laurie :scooter:

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great day!

Gary- I just read your post and as I read it...I just thought about how pleased God must be that you made sure you explained Christ's love....I just lost a woman I worked with she was young, had a stroke and died...so out of the blue...in prayer mtg tonight...I thought about all the times I laughed and joked with her...good times...but I can't remember telling her about Christ...I don't know if she knew how much he loved her....I hope she did.....everyone at work knows I'm a christian...but taking that personal time to share...so critical.....to be fishers of men....I'm so glad you told her...no matter what happens....she knows!
Be blessed!

Hi Everyone, Here are some pictures I took of the "pool progress" today. They got all but just a little square of the floor done. They had to stand somewhere!!! But it should be dry in a few days and they will finish that square and smooth out any bumps! I've never had a pool before so it has been pretty exciting to see how it keeps changing. The walls were there when we bought the house but the floor was just sand. I guess they put their liner on the sand... this should be a little better so the vinyl liner won't be shifting around so much. At least that is what I was told. They will be putting up foam on the walls and the coping around the edges for the liner. It shouldn't be too much longer, depending on weather, and it will be done. I have a cover on order too so that it will be coverd through the Winter. But I can hardly wait until May when I can take the cover off!!!

Everybody have a good evening.

Gary, lots of prayers coming your way.. Please keep us updated when you get a minute.

KAREN ~ great pics Karen -- it's coming along. I bet you are tres excited ... I would love to have my own private pool, but I'd have to have one graded so that I could walk in easier. When I was younger, we went to a Spa that had steps build into the right end where yours slopes up. They were wide with a rail that went all the way down the steps to the left and it was very easy getting in and out of that pool; it was probably made that way for those with mobility problems. They also had a sauna and a spa whirlpool there too.

LAURIE ~ where are you going on your holiday that has waterfalls -- Niagara Falls or somewhere more exotic like South America? Gee, too bad you don't get paid for all that overtime; you'd have made a bundle! ;)

Princess CLE ~ you never know that your 'living example' as a Christian may have been a great witness -- I was so surprised when I was told that by a co-worker many years later. Sometimes, we think that we didn't say enuff when actually others are more interested in watching what we do more than what we say we do ... becuz it's one thing to say that you are a Christian; and it's another thing to live like one! :D

GARY ~ lots of prayers still going up for ANNIE, and all her family ... :hug:

Had a busy day too; had to go to doctors; got hung up there for almost 3 hours becuz of meetings. My tests turned out pretty good; blood pressure was down; gonna take a small cholesterol pill to get it in the normal range, but other than that OK. Doc still wants me to investigate the WLS thing; had a big discussion, but we'll see ... DH isn't too keen on it and neither am I. I ran into an old neighbour who told me her sister is having WLS in October and she will have to be on liquid shakes for 6.5 months ... eeks ! It's all so confusing to me; so will have to do a lot of praying and a lot more research.

Anyways, that's all for tonight; may do a bit of shopping tomorrow; ate really well (OP) today; and got in a bit of walking too (kudos for that). Take good care; and have a blessed day tomorrow ... :hug: ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi Rosebud, I thought about stairs for this one until I found out is would be about a $1,000 more to put them in. I decided that right now the pool ladder will work fine. The shallow end of the pool is 3 feet and the deep end is 6feet 6 inches. They do have steps that can be added later but I think I'll just wait and see how things work out. I'm not one for just jumping in and even though at one time there was a diving board-- my diving days are done!!! Plus the law here now says it has to be at least 8 feet deep for a diving board. I'll just be happy to have it here and be able to get out there and get some "FUN" exercise in this Summer. :swim:

Like you Rosebud, I would be skepticle about weight loss surgery. Just get all the info you can on it. And make sure you are totally on board with it. I'll make sure to keep you in my prayers that the right decision for you is made.

Gary, you and your family have been on my mind today. Sending thoughts and prayers your way.

Real quick up-date ~

I was at the hospital most of the day....we spent several hours with my sister as they prepared her...held her hand as she headed off for surgery. I came home for a couple of hours and had lunch and a little nap in case we had an all-nighter.

The nurse came out and told us that they had to remove all the lymph nodes on the right side because of cancer....doctor came out later and said he did a radical masectomy .....gall stones removed....

She came to her room and was wide awake which surprised me. She is doing well considering. Sore chest of course, trouble breathing but all in all as good as she could be. We had 7 in her room and my nephew and close friend (aunt) were in the hall waiting so I came on home and brought my bil's mom with me.

Thank you for your prayers ~ She will meet with the doctor on Wed. ~ hopefully will be coming home tomorrow.

THANKS, KAREN ~ I appreciate that ... actually, I was never interested in WLS -- this was his idea and I never asked him for a referral; he just did that on his own. I just don't feel that it is a good thing FOR ME; but I know for others, it has helped them immensely, and I'm glad for them.

Just from my initial research already, I just can't see myself only having shakes before and after for 6 months ... I would have a hard time doing that now for a few weeks or even days; you'd have to lock me up away from food totally. :lol: I don't eat huge amounts of food now; but after this surgery, my stomach would only be about the size of a large egg for quite a while, but might stretch later on.

My doc said that after a while (6+ months), I would be able to eat small amounts of chicken or fish only. :?: He said that this is necessary if they want to PROLONG MY LIFE ... I feel that I am being SCARED or TERRORIZED into something I don't believe in.

Someone else told me that her doctor told her the same thing and she told him -- ADIOS AMIGO; but we only have a few doctors in our town and aren't allowed to change them. This is a big downer about the Canadian system.

So, now I have a new doctor that doesn't believe that anything can help people lose weight successfully and permanently except surgery ... becuz he says that WLS is more successful %-wise. Oh boy ... here we go: the debate rages on ... :dizzy:

I want to try and beat this thing on my own, with GOD's help ... so yah, I would really appreciate those prayers ... and thanks!


GARY ~ prayers continuing for ANNIE and all her family ... :hug:

HI GALS :)

I will try and catch up here a bit.

My sister was released a little over an hour ago. She had a rough night with a lot of pain, she is really swollen, nurses and the doctor that checked on her said it isn't normal...but he wasn't too concerned about it. He said he thinks her surgeon will take a look and drain it. I am not going to see her today, let her rest, but will go over to her house tomorrow.

I am working but more miss than hit right now...this is fine with me, gives me time to be with my sis and get some rest/miles in and chores around here done.

I am making dinner tonight....spaghetti and meatballs with a salad and garlic bread :)

I told Angie a few minutes ago I was going to make a couple of lasagnas to take to my sister's house tomorrow...asked if she wanted me to make us one...she says..."spinach?"...I say...meat...she says...nope...then if you want one OK...but I really want you to make your spinach lasagna...guess I know what a chore next week will be if I am off ;)

ROSEBUD ~ Prayers for weight loss ;) I can't say much about it as I don't know much but I do know it is a struggle for many making that decision. Glad your tests went well. Great thing for your sister!

KAREN ~ You should have a nice time in that pool next summer :) Great progress pictures.

PRINCESS CLE ~ thank you for your kind words. I truly am hoping some of what I share goes in and stays there. She really prayed a lot before her surgery, if it was successful and the Lord gives her much more life I pray to see her back in church :)

SCOOTER ~ I hope counting down :D all those kids was easier than you thought!

Well, again thank all of you for your prayers and thoughts! :hug:

Rosebud, my son has lost 250 pounds by diet and exercise, he has kept it off and did not have any kind of WLS. Tell your Doctor it CAN be done.

Hi all, just a quick fly in. Work has been crazy (14 hour days) but it was necessary to get everything done before we leave in the morning.

Prayers are continuing for all.

Gary - prayers ascending for Annie :hug:

Rosebud - you absolutely CAN do this without surgery. You have the most powerful healer, friend, encourager, comforter, sustainer, and miracle worker on your side :)

I will check in if we have Internet access - regardless - I will be praying for you and yours!

Laurie :scooter:

Time for a new thread (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/faith-based-support-groups/183176-christian-encouragers-october.html#post2952428) - C'mon over!