CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGERS ~ November

[Ashbee]

Bargoo Thank you so much!

[wilma12]

Gary: Thanks for sharing your church's story with us. I enjoyed seeing how God has blessed your church and how it is growing. What a nice facility!

It's an incredible day here today. Temperatures way above normal. I hear it's supposed to end by the weekend so we've been out enjoying it as much as possible. We went out for a family "birthday breakfast" this a.m. and have basically been relaxing the rest of the day. DH is well on his way to recovery. Yesterday's checkup went well. He should be at home until after Christmas. Just have to think of some things he can do so he's not too bored.

I've been exercising a bit more faithfully. We've been walking outside a bit more and will until it gets too cold to go. I've also found a nice walking program in the WII fit which I'm enjoying as well as a step aerobics one that I like as well. Hopefully I'll be able to keep lengthening the time I'm able to do them.

Ashbee: Welcome and congrats on your engagement. Looks to me like you're well on your way to losing the remainder of your weight.

Iris: You have to do what is right for you even if it hurts. When I look back on some of the guys I dated and one that I almost married I'm glad I listened to my heart and waited for the right one. Prayers for you.

Gotta go make supper. Hubbie is craving spaghetti. Nice and easy.

[iriswhispers]

congrats and welcome, Ashbee! Love your avatar!

Wilma, glad to hear things are going well for you =) It's warmer here than usual for this time of year as well - I'm ready to it to cool off!

I'm going a little crazy about this break-up. I talked to him last night and a little while today... I'm just feeling very confused. I need to keep praying about this.

[CountingDown]

Ashbee Glad you joined us!

Gary - awesome building, what a wonderful facility to carry out your ministry and mission as a church

Prayers continuing for everyone! It has been a very busy week with church meetings every night.

We are doing well here in MI - just way too busy!

Blessings!

Laurie

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

ASHBEE ~ congrats on your upcoming marriage. Do you have anywhere special planned for the honeymoon or do you know yet?


We had another lovely day today, so we took advantage of that and spent a good part of the day on our deck hanging our Christmas decos. This way they are now up and we don't have do put them up during a blizzard or anything like that ... Got lots of walking in today too!

HI WILMA ~ glad your DH is feeling better. Today is our pasta day also, so I made a lovely Bolognese sauce with Penne and it was yummy. Have 4 dishes leftover over for another dinner and maybe a couple of lunches: into the freezer they go for a day when I don't feel like cookin' ...

IRIS ~ prayers going up for you to feel peace at this time, so you can make the right decision about this relationship.

HI TO EVERYONE ELSE and all our MIA's ~ hope you all have a great day tomorrow ... ROSEBUD

[EZMONEY]

HI GALS ~

Angie is up having dinner, she is going to a yoga class tonight she wants to try out. I made a new veggie soup, from a recipe, for dinner with some crusty bread. We are trying to eat more "vegetarian" and less meat...not giving up meat

JUICE NEWS Read an article in the paper today that juicing is back...becoming a bit more popular again...but I also read that there isn't any benefit to it over eating your fruits and veggies raw.....everybody has an angle on it Whatever...we all know fruits and veggies are good for us anyway that we get them down

My surgery has been bumped up to 8:00 here tomorrow morning....meet for prep at 7:15...happy about that...I am not a happy camper w/o my morning coffee

Thank you all for your prayers and wishes...I will carry them with me until I am knocked out ...then it's all in God's hands

Thanks also for the compliments on my church, as you all know we love it there...but I can also tell you I bet I could love some of the other ones, we have attended on vacations over the years, just fine too.

ASHBEE ~ Welcome and congratulations on your wedding

ROSEBUD ~ Thanks, my son will sit with me, after the surgery, tomorrow evening while Angie goes to yoga at church. She will take me there, wait for me, bring me home and be with me until he comes over after work. Great on hanging up those Christmas decorations...Angie won't let me yet Our tradition is the week-end after Thanksgiving and not a minute before.

IRIS ~ I know you didn't just "throw" the break-up card out there kiddo...be careful...emotions are not reliable! But, we need to listen to them too. Being young isn't easy when it comes to this stuff....go slow and pray-pray-pray! Are you still training for that run? Doesn't sound like it....but remember that "thing" we have on it doesn't matter one way or the other on if you run or not...that was all for the cause...just want you to know that

WILMA ~ Love the new avatar. Glad DH is getting better and you are kicking it on the work-outs! Thank you, it is a nice facility...but there are a few churches in our area WAY BIGGER and nicer for "stuff"...We have waited a long tome for this gym , kitchen and meeting rooms. Enjoy that warm weather...I will be sending the sun soon I'll bet

BARGOO ~ great job on getting that juicer out...maybe I'll break out the bread maker here ...oh! and the George Foreman grill....

KAREN ~ Outstanding link to the vets! Thank-you so much for sending it

SCOOTER ~Thank you! Take it easy girl...all that work can wipe a person out! Like I would know...too many days off lately...love-love it!

HELLO TO ALL THE MIA'S...hope all is well

[Ashbee]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

Rosebud: Yes we've decided on our honeymoen ... b/c we are planning the wedding w/o a wedding planner we decided to go somewhere simple for our honeymoon ... We are going to Asheville, NC. We are going to stay in a really cute bed & breakfast, visit Biltmore, go to a spa, and do a sunrise Hot Air Baloon Ride ... Thanks for asking

EZMONEY: You all should try Deborah Maddison's Book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (I ate vegan for 26 days and did several months as a vegetarian) ... Her book is chocked full of no-fail recipes and lots of creative ways to use common and not-so-common vegetables. I would say she is The Joy of Cooking for the vegetarian world. Good luck with eating a more meatless lifestyle ... we still try to do meatless Mondays (and often eat veggie a few times a week)

[Ashbee]

Just wanted to say as an English major I'm really embarrassed at all the spelling errors in my post ... will be using spell check next time

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

GARY ~ Our Thanksgiving is already over; we put up some lights with the Thanksgiving and Halloween decos; we took those down and left up the lights and then put up the Christmas decos today. We won't be turning them on til December 1st though ... DH is a stickler about the hydro cost ... He put up my Christmas chime clock but ?forgot? to put the batteries in that make the chimes work???


Here's my favorite Canadian Poem for Remembrance Day by John McCrae, but I'm partial as he was a Canadian soldier who came from the city I went to high school in (Guelph, Ontario); but the poem is lovely too! I even like to sing it sometimes ...

IN FLANDERS FIELDS by John McCrae (1872-1918)

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid, the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago.
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
... In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die --
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
... In Flanders fields.

___________________________________

[CountingDown]

Ashbee - thanks for the cookbook suggestion. I'm not familiar with that one. And I have LOT of vegetarian cookbooks (DH and I have been vegetarians for 27 years).

Rosebud - ah - one of my favorites too!

Gary - thanks for your thoughtful words. So very many times I wish that there was more balance in my life.

But, I'm doing what God has called me to do

I'll be that little old lady knitting in the rocking chair in a few years
Until then ...

[EZMONEY]

Thanks for the book info ASHBEE...we bought an "easy to make" vegetarian book a few weeks ago...just finished a soup I made from a recipe in it...very good and easy!

ROSEBUD...That's right! Your Thanksgiving is already over! Decorate away!

SCOOTER ....Angie is getting pretty good at this knitting stuff....already has her needles sharpened for the wait on my surgery tomorrow....wink

[CountingDown]

Gary - prayers continuing for you!

Can Angie give us an update on how you are doing?

[EZMONEY]

Thank you Scooter ~ She probably can if I promise to vacuum after surgery...all those knitting of the yarn pieces on the floor ya know...

[iriswhispers]

Gary, prayers for your surgery tomorrow! And I certainly understand about the necessity of coffee
Thank you for your wise words on emotions - I realize mine are extra volatile right now.

I've been running about once a week - I might end up doing it all walking, but I will complete those 13 miles!!
I just got back from a 5-mile run - for those who don't know I have been training (though not so much in the past few weeks ) for a half marathon in December to benefit the AZ cancer center. I was really scared I wouldn't be able to keep up with the group tonight because I've mostly been doing 3-miles at a time, but I stuck around the middle of the pack. I should get back into blogging about it - my link is still up but I haven't written lately. It really helps me stick to training.

Rosebud, I know that poem!
I am trying to figure out where I will be this Christmas, but starting to think maybe I will get a tree for my place in Arizona either way... just a little one - or something festive to decorate with.

Laurie, prayers that you will find the balance you are looking for in your life.

Ashbee, I was not and English major but I am a stickler for grammar sometimes - I used to correct the notes our office manager posted at my old job! No worries, though - it's easy for those typos to slip out. Your honeymoon sounds lovely! Asheville is a great city - I think the Carolinas are my favorite part of the country. =) Blessings and prayers for your wedding and your future.

Those of you who are knitting - is it for Christmas presents? There are some people I have classes with who knit during lectures this time of year. They make some really amazing things! My great aunt (who was like a grandmother to me) taught me to knit but all I ever learned was rows like to make a scarf, and I don't think I'd remember it now if I tried. I'd love to make a hat or something, though!

[Ashbee]

About the cookbook I am a cookbook addict ... I ate vegetarian for several months and in that process bought 5-20 cookbooks, Deborah Maddison's is one of my favorites.

Iriswhispers: Wow, 13 miles! I tried running for about a month and a half but found myself hating it so much I was wondering why I was doing it & switched to walking. That's awesome, though!

EZMONEY: Prayers for your surgery