Hello! Very cold here today and snowing again. DH is working on his garage and the snowblower so it'll be ready for us to use (since he won't be able to after tomorrow's surgery), but he did take a break to watch his MN Vikings win! Had a really nice church service today, also.

Wanted to share something that happened this week that, once again, showed me how God works in our lives, even in what are very small ways. DH went to work Monday after a few days off for Thanksgiving and vacation. While he was off, the "Angel gift" cards arrived at the plant and all of them were taken except the ones with the most expensive gifts requested. After I saw what the kids had requested, I just wondered how we could come up with the money to fulfill their wishes (they had requested items we can't even afford for our own kids this year). Well, we had had to rent a tool from the local hardware store for DH to complete the work on our van and had had to keep it extra days, so when I went to return it, asking how much more we owed them, the manager said, "Merry Christmas, there's no charge for the extra week." I was almost in tears, because that gave us enough money for the Angel gifts that had been requested!

God is so good. Even in these difficult financial times that we're all facing, He will provide for our needs, both big and small. Praise Him for all blessings, especially the blessing of His son!

Ginny-Dh is having rotator cuff repair after many years of pain. Doc is not sure how bad the tear and muscle retraction is, so he's not sure if he can repair it 100%. My prayers are mostly that DH can see God's hand in whatever happens and he'll come back to the Lord through this ordeal. Like Rosebud said, God allows things to happen so that we can get to a better place, and sometimes it's a spiritual place.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. You're all in my prayers.

ronni62, Good luck on your DH's surgery. Prayers for a Speedy Recovery.

Hi all -glad to be back with you, if not back to the snow and cold of northern MI.

Rosebud - thanks for the "extra" post in the other thread. I probably would have kept posting over there - LOL

Ronni - thanks for the wonderful Angel gift story, what a great reminder! Prayers going up for you DH and his surgery!

Rosebud - I'm glad you are doing so well with your holiday preparation! I'm quite behind this year (which is not like me at all). I've got a plan, and I'm hoping to be back on track by the weekend.

It is really cold and snowy here too - I've been spending at least an hour a day on snow removal. The only blessing is that it is really good exercise and helping me get those Thanksgiving/travel pounds OFF!

Ginny - we have really trimmed the buying this year too. I am putting together gift baskets with favorite foods/items for everyone on my list this year. By doing my own baskets (Dollar stores are great for finding fun baskets), I can put together a nice gift, that is personalized and yet quite inexpensive.

We also donate to charities in honor of some of our giftees. DH's mom loves sheep, so we give a sheep through Heifer International - for instance.

Our church and employers give us many opportunities to give this year.
~Blessing bags for holiday meals go to the Salvation Army.
~Toy and gift donations go to "Project Christmas" which is a local effort to provide all the gifts, food, and trimmings of Christmas to 1200 families in our community (all registered and verified through The Salvation Army and Love in the Name of Christ ).
~Operation Christmas Child gifts are collected and sent by our youth.

We try to give to local, national, and international groups this time of year.

dgramie - I hope you post often! We love new folk here

NitaAnn - It is sad isn't it - to see so many people overspend at Christmas. It really does diminish the true Christmas message when people are so stressed over giving "stuff".


Prayers requested for DS2 - he has a bad infection and is in a lot of pain. A trip to the emergency room this morning helped some, but the meds don't seem to be helping the pain much.

I hope you all had a blessed Sunday. I'm off to call "Mom" and maybe get some more cleaning done. I can't believe how behind I get when I travel!

Have a great week all!
Prayers continuing for everyone!

Laurie

HI EVERYONE ~ it seems that it is pretty cold in a lot of places this year; we woke up to -25C this morning, but thank GOD, we had sunshine all day to warm things up. It's about -21C out there right now, but the howling winds are gone.

DH kept asking me what I wanted for Christmas and I finally got it through to him that I would really just like some seed for the birdies; I had told him, but he wasn't taking that seriously. He had already bought me a church birdhouse and a church feeder; both small, but quaint and just right to put up on the front deck like our neighbour did. He wanted to buy me a breadmaking machine, but all my friends say they haven't had much luck with them and I have a food processor that makes dough now.

HI LAURIE ~ We also like to give to some charities at this time of year and pick a few things that are close to our hearts, because we already have way too much 'stuff'. BTW, we are still sorting and donating as we go; can you believe it? We took a break from that this weekend to get some small gifts for my parents and some guests who are coming for Christmas (we also have agreed to down-size the gifts this year as well); they had asked for some specific things, so we had to go hunting for them a bit, but we managed to get them all in our own town. We were glad to get some decorating done too; now I just have to get at the cards and letters for distant family and friends.

RONNI ~ prayers going up for DH and his surgery tomorrow. That is a great idea: the Angel gifts for kids.

HI WILLOW ~ hope you are having a restful Sunday.

Take good care friends, from your fellow encourger ROSEBUD prayers continue for you and yours ...

HI GALS ~

Had a fun time at the company Christmas party last night....too much food well, actualy pretty decent and not too many beers for me Making Angie very happy

Church was gorgeous this morning....our Christmas trees were up on the altar...I hope to remember to take the camera next week and take pictures to show you all.

We had our monthly family get together this afternoon, it was at my ex's and her S.O. place...taco bar...so good...too much for me!

RONNI ~I would almost bet that every single week we hear about the VIKINGS in my church! My Pastor is from Minn. and a big fan! Even though he has been at our church for 40 years! Always a rib on the Chargers or my Raiders Prayers for your DH and ther rotator cuff surgery....I have issues with mine....painful but hoping to get by w/o surgery if possible!

LAURIE ~Good to see you back. Prayers for DS2

ROSEBUD ~Way cool ...the birds!

Have a great week ladies

Thanks Gary - glad to be back! Do take pictures of the tree - I love seeing what other churches are doing for Christmas!
Our church does Advent decorating slowly - our tree goes up next week.

How exciting it is that it is already December! I had a wonderful message preached last night by my pastor and he said that people have forgotten and got mixed up in the Material Christmas that we all know instead of remembering the real reason for Christmas is Jesus. How wonderful it is to think of sweet Jesus who was born into the flesh but knew no sin, and he died for us. The sweetest thing I have ever read in the entire Bible is that he will not leave us comfortless. It is absolutely amazing how much love God has towards us, and how powerful he is that we will never understand.
God is Great!!! , and if we have him in our lives always there is no reason we should ever feel sad, what a loving and merciful God we have to bless us everyday even to get up in the morning and worship him! I remember the day when Jesus moved into my heart and I am so thankful that he walks with me every step of the way!

Hello and thank all of you for the prayers for DH's surgery. It went very well, in fact, when the surgeon looked in with the scope, the rotator cuff tear with muscle retraction that was shown on the MRI was gone! He couldn't even begin to explain it, but I know that God healed it, so DH wouldn't have such a long painful recovery. All the surgeon had to do was remove a couple bone spurs that were probably causing most of the pain he had. It's amazing what our Lord accomplishes when we least expect it! Surgeon said he could be out of the sling within the week, instead of 2 months.

We also managed to get home without incident even though it was freezing rain and sleet the whole 20 miles!

Again, I thank you all so much for the prayers. I know God heard every one of them and showed great kindness to my DH. Talk to you all later!

RONNI ~ yeah, wonderful news; thank you again, Father! He is so faithful to us!

COUNTING ~ prayers ascending for your DS2 as well ...

GARY ~ yes, we want pics! We want pics!

SATISFACTION ~ nice of you to drop by. Yes, JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!


Time for tea, take good care ROSEBUD

Satisfaction - thanks for your post! It was a wonderful reminder

Ronnie GREAT news - God is INDEED an AWESOME God!!!

Rosebud - Thank you for your prayers!

Contineued prayers are appreciated for DS2. The dentist changed his antibiotic and pain meds today. The pain is almost under control, but his face is so swollen that his eye has turned black and blue and swollen shut. He looks awful! He is trying to stay positive, but he is one miserable kid!

I had a good day - I'm almost back on track with holiday preparations. DH helped me address all my Christmas cards last night (a first in almost 30 years of marriage). I was blessed last year to find actual Christmas (not holiday) cards on the after Christmas clearance rack. Unless you special order from Christian websites, it is becoming almost impossible to find cards that reflect a Christian/Christmas/Christ-centered message. I bought several boxes so that I should be good for at least 3 more years

I stayed home from a church finance meeting tonight to be with DS2. I used the time to get my boxes ready to mail to my Mom and DS1 and DIL.

Hope you all had a wonderful and blessed day!

Prayers continuing for all!

Good evening!
Ronni- praise God for the great news about Dh's shoulder! And for watching over your trip home. I will continue to pray for his recovery. What awesome news!

Laurie- I make my own gift baskets too- and find them fun, pretty and a nice gift. Because it is several small gifts in one, it rather takes the pressure off finding that one "perfect" gift and gives some room to be creative. I always put something homemade in each basket too.....peanut brittle, fudge etc...
I will keep your Ds in prayer- how is he doing?


Hi Willow!

Satisfaction- thanks for the summary of your sermon. I get the most comfort from that He will never leave us or forsake us! Thank you Lord, for loving us so.

Gary- can't wait to see those pictures!

Rosebud- do you have a favorite bird feeder bird? What sweet little blessings from God our bird friends are!

I know I am missing someone,but I am so tired. This cold is still beating me up- the antibiotic is slowly working....thankfully. I just found out that my class goes on for one more week- thought that last week was the end! but the professor did not communicate the end date or course material well. Bummer.

I'd better go start work on that last chapter. Sorry to be so short.
G'nite
Ginny

Hi!
Never thought I would be the first one back.........not much new. got a walk in this am - cold but nice. Speaking of colds, mine is very slowly going away- but I am still pretty tired and weak.
Better go get ready for my afternoon.
Take care all
Ginny

Ginny - hope your cold is better soon! DS2 is still a sick puppy, but I think he has hit bottom and will slowly get better from here.

Everyone - thank you for your prayers!

It was a crazy day today, no school because we got dumped on last night (pictures below) Our nativity is half buried so I don't dare plug it in!

I walked to work because the roads weren't plowed yet, thankfully I have my hiking poles - they really helped me trudge through the snow! After I got home, I shoveled for 1 1/2 hours - I'm ready for a nap

Hope you all had a good day!
Prayers continuing for all!
Blessings,
Laurie

WOW! I don't know how you gals can live in snow like that!

Knucklehead nephew called me from Great Lakes IL. tonight since his NAVY school was snowed out! While he was talking to me they got a command over the loud speaker....he says gotta go....about an hour later he calls to tell me they had to go shovel snow...

so I ask him how he likes "WINTER"....since he was born and raised here in southern California where a cold day is in the 50's at the lowest!!...he says...

I HATE IT!!

My prayers are with you all ~ Gary

PS ~ Awesome RONNI! ~ SCOOTER, greta news on DS ~ ROSEBUD where is your sis? ~ GINNY Hope you feel better

Hi all! Thank you for your prayers. DS2 is slowly getting better - it is going to be a long haul I think. He needs a root canal and he doesn't have insurance now (still job hunting). Looks like Mom and Dad are gonna need to step in and help.

The snow has finally stopped. I shoveled another hour today - but we are finally cleaned out.

To clarify - DH and I both do the shoveling (and DS2 when he isn't sick). Many hands make light work. I have done the bulk of the shoveling for this storm since DH has had extended hours at work.

It is actually a NSV for me. In the "old" days, DH did almost all of the shoveling since the extra activity was very difficult for me. Now, I actually enjoy getting out in the fresh air and shoveling. While it is a strenuous workout, I have a great sense of satisfaction being able to do the entire yard by myself. And - really - snow is beautiful!!! God's handiwork is so evident in the freshly-fallen snow!!!


Hope you all had a wonderful day! Continued prayer request for DS2.

Prayers continuing for all!

Blessings!

Laurie