Christmas time!

What a wonderful weekend! We had church this weekend and it was an awesome way to celebrate Christmas!! Saturday night service went home with me. Others too. Sunday The Lord was surely in that place. I brought Him with me just as everyone else did too! Saturday night was a restless night. There wasn't much sleeping going on. Sunday service was awesome. I was up at 5 making my pies and dumplings for dinner at Sandys. 

Today I'm making my homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls. There will be some extra and there will be a few lucky recipients who will only have to place them in a pan, let them rise about an hour, bake, ice, and enjoy fresh homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls!! Nick and I will have ours Christmas morning as we always do. Rick always loved those rolls!!  If you want the recipe, it's available in one of my other blogs--

Myfavoriterecipesandotherstuff.blogspot.com 

It is linked to this blog on the left of your screen if you are on a laptop or desktop device. The recipe is in the October 2011 posts along with starter and feeder recipes and coffee cake. 

Merry Christmas!!

I love all y'all!!❤️

To be continued.......

You know, my blog, my thoughts!

All this talk about Duck Dynasty and Phil (I think I have that name right- have never seen the show) being axed for voicing his beliefs has me thinking. I know, scary right? I have thoughts on this. Of course I do! You do too, I'm sure!! Since this is my blog, this is a free country, I am free to write those thoughts here. You are free to agree or disagree. You are NOT FREE to write your disagreements as comments on this post, those will be deleted! You ARE FREE to voice YOUR thoughts on your own blog or other social media. And I will be free to disagree or agree but I will not disagree on your page! 

My thoughts: he is correct in what he says. According to the Holy Bible, which is the Word of God, everything he said that I saw is correct. I'm not a bible scholar by any means. I just know what I read. I have a few family and friends who live an alternate life style. I still love them- just not what they do. I'm certain there are things about me they don't like too. But God also gave us this thing called free will. So if they make the choice to follow that lifestyle - and it's a choice to follow that lifestyle- then it's their choice! I'm not meaning to say whether or not they are "born that way"!! We are all Gods children!! If they believe they are born that way, they still make a conscious decision to live the way they do. They could make the choice to live as we do. Some say then they aren't being true to themselves if they do! Looking back for centuries there has always been an alternate lifestyle. According to the Bible, a city was destroyed by fire and brimstone because of the lifestyle. One could say other cities in our day and in other days/centuries have been destroyed by floods or quakes or great storms. I have NO KNOWLEDGE of the lifestyle of those cities. But I have an idea of one or two of them and I do wonder. I wonder because I'm human. I wonder because I'm nosy I guess. But, really, it's none of my business! I know that the Bible warns us of these days. And it's a warning that the end days are getting closer! We can not change when that will be and we can not predict when that will be! Only The Father knows! Not even the angels in heaven know! It also says there will be a great falling away. And it says people will be calling evil good and good evil. Can you see any of that? I can!! I am certainly not without sins and faults! I will answer for those myself! 

What can we do? Lots! We can not judge! We can love one another. We can pray for our friends, family, neighbors! We can follow our own hearts. We go to the church of our choice. We can listen to the Word of God. And we can put that word in our hearts! And Follow Him! Wherever HE leads! And we can let others have their opinions! It's most surely their right just as much as it's my right to post this! And we can not try to put our beliefs off on someone else! We will each answer for our own sins and I have enough to answer for already!! And we can raise our family according to our beliefs and be sure our children hear His word from an early age and pray that when they come to the age of accountability, God has mercy on their souls and saves them and they follow Him! I pray for my own children to return to follow Him! Maybe one day they will! 

In this Season of His birth, remember the Reason for this glorious Season! It's not about what you spend on anyone!! It's about the joy if His birth! 

I love all y'all!❤️

To be continued...

Isaiah 5:20-21

King James Version (KJV)

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Christmas is close!

Merry Christmas! I won't be sending cards this year. Couldn't find any I liked very much and it's just not the same. 

Graduation for Ashley went well! She received an award for highest GPA in Maternal Nursing. She tied with a classmate. I believe I read this was the 64th class to graduate from the LPN portion of the school. That would make my class ('78) the 29th class. Part of a tradition!! 

After the ceremony, I found a new Prim Store - new to me- Tori's Consignment and Gifts. It's in Cave City if you love prims and you're local they're directly behind the Minit Mart there. Oh, my!! 

One of the items I bought yesterday! My house smells amazing!! I love scentsy but I also love this!!  I hope to go back soon!!

Short post, y'all have a blessed day!!

I love all y'all! ❤️

To be continued.......

Graduation Day

My graduation photo from WKU School of Nursing. December 1981. I have somewhere a photo of GSPN graduation day June 1978. I've been at this nursing thing 35.5 years. I'm 54 years old. Both are a long time! I was the only nurse most nights on a busy 22 bed med-surg post CCU floor at Bowling Green Warren County Hospital in September 1978. I was 19 years old and as green as they come. That fall I decided to go "back" to school and in January I started at WKU. My first class was anatomy and it's lab. I did ok so I kept going. Challenged out of Nursing 101. In ways that was great but in ways it made it harder. I had to learn how they wanted care plans papers etc. other students already knew! But I also knew all that was busy work. Back then we didn't have care plans on paper in the 'real world'. We have them in the computer now. And all that was to help us learn. Anyway. It finally came: graduation day. Actually I only participated in the pinning ceremony if the nursing school, not the WKU graduation line. I don't regret that at all. But I remember the excitement of graduation and having known I did it myself. I worked full time as a LPN while in RN school. I paid it as I went. I had no debt after graduation. Unfortunately, times have changed!! I digress! My parents and brothers were coming. Pinning was in DUC in the theater. I was in stage with my classmates looking out over the crowd. I could see them clearly. They weren't there. No one. I cried through the ceremony. My classmates thought they were tears of joy. And they were a little. But mostly because every one of them had someone there. But me. My papaw had just died about a month before, feelings were still there from that and out of town family had stopped by that couldn't make it to his funeral. Instead of telling them they were on the way to my graduation, they kept quiet. It hurt my feelings at first. But then I understood. I had already had one graduation from nursing school and they were there. So it was ok. But today my nephews wife graduates from BG Tech Nursing School. So memories came flooding back. It's the same school (GSPN) with a different name and a degree now and RN instead of LPN (they got that after one year) but I'm proud of her and I want her to know that. I plan to attend her graduation today! I'm sure Jeffrey and their boys and her mom will be there too. But, just in case I don't want her to not have anyone there! 

Happy Graduation Ashley! Love you!! 

I love all y'all!❤️

To be continued......

Something I've learned

There are many, many things I've learned on this journey called life. The main lesson is that His will, not ours WILL be done! I listened for weeks from late November through March 6 and that still small voice putting the words "trust Me" in my heart and they still echo in my heart today. But oh, how difficult it is when you want, ask for, pray for one outcome and His will is another. And we don't understand why and we know we shouldn't ask. And people tell you that you should move on. And you try. And every day you wake and there's a reminder of one event or another. This year is more difficult than last for some reason. I just needed to say these things. It is here to be read. I shall not post a new blog post notice for this one. As much as I loved you in life, I still love you now Ricky. I miss you everyday. I know many others do too but they don't miss you like I do. Unless they've had a spouse to die, there's no way they can know how this feels. And I hope they never have to know in one way. But, as humans, it is something we all must face. And half of us will face the death of a spouse.  I never want this experience again.  So sometimes I wonder: why was love created when it causes death to hurt so much. I have a friend in Nashville whose husband died. After a few years, she met and married a man who treated her like a Queen. He too died. I don't see how she stood it. I really don't think I could. I really don't. 

I'm ok. I just had to say these things and there's really no one to say them to. So I write it here. 

I love all y'all ❤️

To be continued.....

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Ah! Christmas Time is Here. I love this time of year. I love what Christmas means. I love the reason for the season! I followed tradition and put my tree up my first day off after Thanksgiving and that happened to be Friday. I put a lot of my ornaments on the tree. I've been collecting Precious Moments ornaments since Rick got me my first ones Christmas 1984. 

And from 1986 and 1990 for my babies first Christmases. 

And I have many more ornaments including a collection from Hallmark called "Mary's Angels" - I love those ornaments. They are so cute. And now they have their own tree. 

I do miss Rick so much right now. 29 years ago we were dating, about to be officially engaged and our first Christmas. It's difficult this time of year - holiday time - when people you love are no longer here. It's a fact that depression rates go up. There's an increased sadness and loneliness even when you're among friends and family during major holidays. But I'm ok. It is what it is and I am dealing with it. 

I've taken the step to turn off his phone. It was a difficult decision but I did it. He wanted me to do it- it was something we had discussed. One step at a time. 

I love all y'all. ❤️

To be continued.......

I am Thankful For my family and friends ALWAYS!

We are well into our Thankful For posts for November. In fact, Thursday is scheduled to be the last post. Some carry it through to the end of the month. There is no wrong or right way. Remember it is your post. End it when you wish. Also, I haven't seen as many negative comments this year. Maybe I am just not seeing them. I  am sure some are out there. I don't care, I post anyway. Posting what I am Thankful For in November in no way shape or form means I am NOT thankful the rest of the year because I am. I find that it brings things in perspective to post about them. Don't know that I want to carry that out all year long, but for 30 days I can. And if it helps me, then since it's my post, that is all that matters to me. Doesn't matter about what anyone else thinks. Period. I am sure this post doesn't matter to them either! It is OK too! No problem! So, keep posting what you are Thankful For each day through at least Thanksgiving Day.

I love all y'all!

To be continued.........

So many feelings

On Wednesday October 30, this fine lady, my favorite Aunt lost her battle with cancer. I will miss her. But, I am blessed that I have so many memories of her that go so far back to my earliest memories. And for that I will always be grateful!

And on a note of gratitude, today is November first and the first day of our "Thankful for" posts on Facebook. It's a very simple concept. Your first post of the day should be something you are thankful for that day. No rules for length of post or anything except be nice and no dissing anyone's post AND no worries if you miss a day or are late! Just post when you remember! Read others post too! You will be blessed by it! I have on day one!! We go through Thanksgiving Day. Some chose to go through months end. There's no right or wrong way. It's your post! And it makes you think about the things you have been blessed with. Sometimes blessings are difficult for me to see! This helps bring them into perspective for me. I hope it does for you as well! 

I love all y'all!❤️

To be continued......

Childress Family Reunion

Today the descendants of Lawrence and Linda (Lindy) Childress and cousins came together at the Bee Spring Park. It was a good day! Of course, for various reasons many weren't there but it was a great turnout! Aunt Pauline is in the hospital not feeling well. She and her family weren't able to attend and they were missed! 

Standing from left: my mom Aleen, Elmo, Kennith, sitting from left: Owen, Lelan, and Floyd. Absent: Pauline. Deceased: Rosie, Georgie, Howard, Valaria, and Kelly Wade. 

From left standing: Mom (Aleen), Williwdean (Georgie's widow), Kathy (Owen's wife), Vernice (Elmo's wife), Elmo, Thelma Jean (Lelan's wife), Chris (Floyd's wife) and Kennith. (Nina Ken's wife had already gone home). Sitting: Pap (Farrell, my dad), Owen, Lelan, and Floyd. 

Part of the grandchildren! I'm not even going to try! Well I might try some....

Sitting front: Wayne MCDougal (Rosie's), Ronnie Childress (Lelan), Pauletta (Lelan), Jiggy -Barbara Jo (Howard), Denise (Owen), Scott (Elmo), me (Aleen), Greg (Aleen), Sherry (Owen), Kim (Ken), Jenean (Georgie), Rita and Chris (Georgie), white shirt with her back to camera Snip - Susan (Howard), Danita (Wade), Melanie (Ken), Georgie Lyle (Georgie), Garry (Floyd), Mark (Lelan).... I might have managed that! 

Roger (Floyd's oldest) had already left when we made pictures.

 

Great grandchildren. I'm not going there except sitting first is my Val. Beside her and behind her are Melanie's girls - Ken's grandchildren. Amanda - Garry's daughter Floyd's granddaughter is in stripe shirt back row. Tallest in back is Paulettas son Kerry, Lelan's grandson. Last in back is Ryan, Ronnie's son, Lelan's grandson. I think next to Amanda is her brother Jason. I think. Unsure of the others :(  Jeffrey (Greg's son) and Heather (Doug's daughter) had already left.

Great great grandchildren! Sitting: Perry and October (my grandchildren) Amanda's kiddos (Garry's grandchildren),

Charlotte standing at left Denise's granddaughter, next 3 unsure, last 2 are Kerry's children (Paulettas grandchildren).

My pies didn't last long. Chocolate and lemon. Nolan kept asking for more cake and for me to feed him mine! 

Lemon pie

Chocolate pie! Nolan's favorite! 

Jeffrey and Ashley had to leave before picture time as did Heather and Jonas. Heather and Jeffrey would be great grandchildren; Thomas Nolan and Jonas would be great-great grandchildren. 

I'm certain with this much content there will be typos and grammar boo-boos so you'll need to excuse that! I will fix what I find! 

It was a great day and we were blessed with a great turnout, great food, great company, great visits with family! Hope we get to do it again sometime! Update on Aunt Pauline: she has a large gastric ulcer. No other details are available at this time!

I love all y'all! ❤️

To be continued......

Family!

This is my Papaw Childress. Not too many years after this photo, he died. I was in second grade. I will never forget the morning my momma got the call that her dad was found dead. He'd recently suffered a big heart attack that he wasn't supposed to survive. But he did. I can't tell you how long he survived after he came home- it was so long ago and I was so young. I will never forget my moms screams. The boy in the picture with him is my cousin Davy. He is about a year and a half younger than me. 

I have vague memories of him. I remember going to the barn with him he was stripping tobacco. I touched it. He told me not to put my fingers in my mouth. Of course, I did. Yuk. Haven't forgotten that either! I had very poor eyesight back then. I can't remember much visually. But he was my papaw. I remember I loved him. I was the first grandchild in a long time who lived close by - and I was his baby girls first baby. There were several grand babies after me. And great-grand babies. :)

I look at this picture- I see my brothers in some way in this face. I see my mom. I see Uncle Howard. I see his kids. I see Jerry. Aunt Pauline. I see many others in this face. On Sunday at Bee Spring park I will get to see many people who have this mans blood flowing in their veins. Childress Family Reunion is happening! It's been so long! I cannot wait!! 

See y'all later!

I love all y'all!❤️

To be continued.....

Are you a mentor?

Have you ever thought about that question? I have. A lot. Sometimes because they made me think about it. Now, I think about it on my own. Who was your first mentor 

Webster's on line dictionary describes a mentor as someone who educates another (among several definitions).

I think my first mentor was my mom. I wanted to be like her. I had baby dolls. I was their mommy. I patterned my mommy play from her. I guess next was my mammaws. Both of them. Mammaw James was a teacher. I teach. I taught my children life lessons. I teach nursing students. I teach new nurses. I teach new to CCU nurses. I teach my patients and I teach their families. Teaching and learning are lifelong! 

Mammaw Childress was a midwife in her community. She delivered babies and even helped deliver her only twin grandsons! It was February. About 60 some odd years ago. There was snow butt deep. No one could get out or in. Those babies slept in a dresser drawer for a few weeks. They were like 2 weeks old before Dr Wilkes could get into see them! They are fine!! Now, I'm not even close to a midwife. But that's part of caring for others! She had no formal training. She surely knew what she was doing. Had 12 babies herself!! 

There were others growing up. Aunts. Friends mothers. Ladies at church. Oh! I just thought about that! Gertie Geralds could get ahold of the spirit of The Lord! So could Thelma Strange! Wava, Becky! Pauletta! Oh, my!! 

There were two nurses I admired too as i was growing up. One was Thelma Blanton. She worked for Dr Wilkes. (Her daughter is also a nurse.) the other was Mrs Alexander, the Edmonson County Health Nurse. I decided I wanted to be a nurse because of her!! I remember when she retired. She encouraged me to be all I could be. She's been gone a number of years now. I think she'd be proud of me. 

I want to be the kind of nurse who people will remember. Not because I was mean, not because I felt it necessary to follow the rules, not because I'm better than someone else. Because I'm not. I want to be remembered as a mentor who helped someone in ways so that they didn't even know I was helping until later. Like Thelma and Mrs Alexander. And Gertie. And Thelma. And Virginia. And the others!!

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued......

The bite is much better! Much better!!!

A great week so far!

I've had a great week and its only Tuesday! Dr Wierson yesterday and Dr Lin today and two happy doctors equals one happy patient! Dr Wierson believes the bite is as bad as its gonna get and should heal. It will scar. That's a given you know. It might take a while but it will heal. Dr Lin was also happy with my blood pressure. Last few checks my diastolic pressure (bottom number- pressure while heart is at rest) was in mid 60's!!!! Including today's pressure! Systolic was in 130's but that's ok! He was happy with the other progress and that I wasn't short of breath. I have ankles and I don't have to go back until January! No med adjustments and no new meds!  I don't go back to Dr Wierson unless I wind up needing to! 

Rick always said worry is a lack of faith. And I must admit, my faith has been a bit low if late. These two visits are reassuring! 

Miss Tobi is loving school! I need to see my babies! Soon I will get them for the weekend! 

Summer is winding down. Although, you can't tell it by the temp outside! Upper 80's with high humidity. I'm looking for more fall like temps so I can walk some more! 

That is all for today. No bite pics- it's covered with band aids because its draining ever so slightly. 

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued.....

Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. (Psalms 30:7, 8 KJV)

Oh my goodness!

This sweet angel is in school. Preschool but school non the less! I feel so old. It's making me cry! She's too little to be going to school! Gamma's precious girl can't be old enough! But she is. In less than 2 months she will be 5 years old! And Perry will be four! She's gotten a haircut since I saw her. Her journey is just beginning and I'm about to cry! 

I love my babies!

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued.....

It's Thursday!

I'm glad it's Thursday! I have to say though that I'm very surprised that a little critter about the size of a penny can make such a mess! 

It still hurts. It hasn't completely stopped hurting since Saturday. It feels like a fresh incision for lack of any other description. I will be glad when it's over! I'm also a little upset that no one until today gave me anything stronger than Tylenol for pain. They all asked if it hurt. I said yes! I gave it an 8 out if 10 (and that's being conservative!) and still nothing. But today that got taken care of! Thanks!! I asked a Dr friend who specializes in infections and such what she thought. She deals with this kinda thing. She said 2-3 weeks for the red to get better and who knows on the rest. She again confirmed the tissue damage is still up in the air and nothing to do until it 'finishes' its damage. So.... We go on. I do ask again if you would kindly mention me in your prayers. That whatever His will is in this that it not be too bad. 

If Rick was here he'd make a joke about it to try to keep me upbeat about it. He would also try to comfort me and tell me it's gonna be ok. 

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued.....

It's getting bigger

 

So I went to the surgeon yesterday. He said it is definitely a brown recluse bite and it will have to declare itself as to how big it is gonna get and do it's worst before he can do anything to help. Nothing will fix the damage, it is what it is. It has gotten bigger since last night. It still hurts quite a lot. There is lots more red and sore than just the yellow-tan area. The yellow-tan area will likely die out. What or if anything can be done will depend on how deep it winds up going. If it is just superficial, then there might not be much else to do. I am still scared. I don't know what is gonna happen and I am afraid because of how much it hurts. It hasn't stopped hurting since noon time on Saturday just after the lil devil bit me. I just wish I knew for sure it was dead. I take Tylenol for the pain. It does nothing. I take Tylenol PM at night just to be able to sleep some. When I roll over on it, it hurts worse. I can't wear my heart necklace Rick gave me because the necklace hurts it too. First time it has been off in over 3 years. I will take my Keflex antibiotic for a total of 10 days and call the surgeon when/if I need him. 

I am at the library right now. There is a woman here who talks to herself. I hope I don't do that. It is kind of odd the way she acts and what she says. Please tell me if I do that!

 

I have to remember the above scripture right now. Really I do. There is a lesson in this somewhere.

That is all for today.

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued..............

Where to start?!

Saturday I went to Greenview to visit a friend. I came home and was on the front porch watching the hummingbirds after I put out frest food for them. While sitting there, I killed a biting fly (no, it definitely was NOT a horsefly) and a long legged brown spider of some sort. Just a few minutes later my chest started hurting stinging and burning pretty badly. 

I thought ok one of those critters bit me! As the afternoon wore on, the pain did not stop. In fact, it's been 36+ hours now and it still hurts non-stop. I was supposed to work yesterday. I went in but it was hurting so bad they finally sent someone to replace me and I went to ER. 

It is hard to tell in this photo but I am red and swollen from left neck to waist. It is red most of that. There is a large amount if swelling on my upper chest/neck. The ER folks were very concerned. Labs were drawn which the CBC showed the inflammatory response that was obviously taking place and blood cultures were drawn. I was having chills. If you know me, you know I am never cold and rarely wear an actual coat unless its below about 25 degrees. They did a CT Scan if my chest which also showed the inflammatory response. It is cellulitis according to the ER doc. I see a surgeon today for his opinion. I know there is not a surgical issue at this point. The reason is all this inflammatory response stuff can get worse and if that brown spider was a brown recluse or fiddler spider, then there is an increased chance of this becoming much worse and the bad part of that is there is still no way to prevent the tissue damage if it is going to happen, it will and it takes several days to determine whether or not it will happen. 

Last night the red was really bad. ER gave me IV meds (Benadryl, Solu-Medrol and Pepcid) to help with the allergic reaction part of this and Rocephin which is a potent antibiotic. The whole area is still very tender to touch. I can't describe how tender but similar to a deep cut that required stitches or a fresh surgical incision. The brightness of the red has dulled considerably. Though, it appears higher and a little more on the right side too. And though just about everyone in CCU and ER saw, I just can't show you how far down it goes, you will have to take my word for it!! 

The blue areas are where the bites were. They haven't gotten longer overnight but are wider. I am still worried. Hopefully Dr Wierson will be able to tell me more thus afternoon. The Rocephin is good for 24 hours, I will get Keflex filled today and take it for ten days- unless Dr Wierson changes it. 

I ask for your prayers that this is the extent of the problems and it will get better each day. 

I also ask you for prayers for my friend in the hospital. She (among others!) has been there for me and my family many times. I ask for prayers for healing for her!

That is all for today!

I love all y'all! ❤

To be continued..... 

O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. (Psalms 30:2 KJV)

 

Old friends!

So yesterday while I was doing some internet "stuff" a friend and neighbor messaged me on Facebook. Seems she was in a mood to become an investigator. We have both been looking for a mutual old friend for some time now. Way back in 1978 (November to be exact) I moved out from my parents house and in with a co-worker who needed a new roommate because her current one was getting married if memory serves correctly. I was working 11 pm to 7 am and driving about an hour. I was getting so very tired driving home in the mornings that it was getting dangerous so Thanksgiving after lunch at my grandparents, my parents let me borrow their station wagon and move my bed to the new place. It was a 3 bedroom trailer in Shive Lane Estates. An older friend's mom said "She will be back in a week!" That will be 35 years this coming Thanksgiving and I haven't moved back home yet; though I have thought about it from time to time HA!

I digress-again! So, Deborah and I were there in that trailer both working nights. I was having a hard time sleeping in the day time. She didn't so I stayed in my room and tried instead of getting up. I never did learn to sleep in the day time. Anyway, in a few months Carol joined us from New Jersey. Did I mention Deb is from New York? So here we were the 3 of us. My first time out on "my own" and it was kind of hard for me. I did get homesick sometimes. I realize that now. In the spring, we moved to a new apartment at Knox Manor. When our lease was up there, Carol took a single bedroom there and Deb and I moved to Kenton Street. I was working 3-11 by then and at WKU full time. Deb's boyfriend and I moved all our stuff to the new place. By this time Deb was working for an orthodontist in Bowling Green, she and her boyfriend were getting serious. When our lease was up, I moved in with a childhood friend, Deb moved in with church friends and married shortly after that. Though we were all in the same town, we didn't see much of each other after we moved out. After Val was born and before I moved to Massachusetts, Deb came over with her son and we had a great visit. I think that was the last time I saw her. I have seen Carol, she became my roommate again prior to Rick and I marrying. After we moved back to Wingfield, we contacted Carol. She came up and spent the weekend with us. We haven't seen her since. I learned that we had all 3 suffered great loss since we saw each other last. Carol's husband passed away in 2005 I believe from cancer. Deborah's daughter passed away in August of 2008. She was just a few weeks older than Nick. Deb never met Rick. Carol was still my roommate when Rick and I married. 

I hope one day before too long, the three of us can get together and have hamburgers and baked beans. Ah! Memories! Deborah could make some killer spaghetti sauce! Yum! It was great!

So back to the friend/neighbor who also knows Carol... her husband used to sing with Carol back in the 80's. They had a contemporary Christian group. They were great! It was so great "talking" with them last night over facebook! Very, very pleasant surprise!

That is all for today.

I love all y'all❤

To be continued.....

No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. John 15: 13

Last night's sermon

I have talked about this before in this blog somewhere.....

The signs of the end of time are all around us. Matthew 24:7 talks about earthquakes in diverse places. You know we hear about earth quakes several times a year now and it seems they are becoming more frequent. Matthew also talks about wars and rumors of wars. What happened this weekend?  War is threatened with at least 2 different countries. This past weekend most US embassy's were shut down because of  Al Qaeda threats. Timothy talks about marriage being forsaken. False profits and teachers will come, we will not know the day or hour until it happens. There are many more signs Matthew also warned The Ten Commandments would be abandoned. There are many more. Read about them. Ponder them in your heart. You know you see the signs. Some of them anyway!

Brian preached about some of these things last night. Got me to thinking about it. I was watching someone during the preaching. I hope it lodged in her heart. Something has to!

If you are not ready for the hour of the coming of the Lord, I beg you to get ready!

I love all y'all!❤
To be continued.....

Isaiah 5:20
King James Version (KJV)
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

It's been a good day

I've had a good day. Seeing different pictures of folks garden bounty has brought back many, many memories of days in the garden with Rick. I still miss him like it was yesterday. This is our fourth summer without him. Didn't get any calls about garden stuff for the first time this year. But mom did and folks who saw her with me at the farmers market see her and ask about beans. Our 'regulars' tell me how much they miss Ricks half runners. I have 2 cans left. I don't know if I can open them or not. 

I've used this picture of him a lot. I dreamed about him last night. My contract I'd almost up with AT & T for my cell phone. I have considered changing to Bluegrass because its a lot cheaper. But I still have Ricks cell on and I still call it sometimes to hear his voice. I don't know how long I will keep it on. I may never turn it off. I just don't know. He would be so excited because his girl is starting preschool this year.

They were 2 peas in a pod! He sang T-T-T Tobers to her all the time. She said T-T-T before she said mama. 

But I'm not upset tonight. He always said he would never make it past 65.  He was a good man with a dreadful cancer. One day maybe a cure will be found. Yes, I miss him and yes if I could have him back healthy I would in a second but not to suffer! He did enough of that. I would not keep him here one more second to suffer like he did for 6 weeks. Tobi knows who her papaw is when she sees him in pictures. She knows he's in heaven. I don't know how much she understands that though. She's Gamma's girl for sure though. 

It's been a great day in other ways too. As I posted earlier in another blog, my changes are going well. I walked again tonight. My hip bones/joints hurt like the dickens when I walk. Cardiologist took my Mobic away (arthritis med) I might have to talk about that some. Gotta have something to help the arthritis! Tylenol just won't cut it! 

Please remember several folks in your prayers! I have a cousin who got bad news (cancer) this week; friends have sick family who need prayer; those involved in the accident Saturday night- those in the wreck and those who tried to help all need our prayers; also Facebook friends whom I've never met have sick loved ones who need our prayers. I have other friends who needs our prayers. God knows why and who!! I need your prayers!! 

I love all y'all!❤

Have a blessed night!

To be continued!

 

Saturday Night

(Google images)

Saturday night after work I was going home my usual route. It was almost dark. I got to the Minit Mart at Warren East. I am half way home and looking forward to getting there it is almost 8:16, more than a half hour later than normal. I get to Hardees. Moving forward tired. I am almost to the light. Brake lights. Wonder what it is, I can't see. Light is green, what is wrong. Much debris in the road. A helmet? A shoe here, then there another. A motorcycle on the road on its side, pieces here and there. Then I see. Woman from 68-80 running to something in road. It is a man. He isn't moving, she bends over him sobbing - she is hysterical. Someone running to her helping her to her car. I am running to the person in the road with 911 dispatcher on the line. He takes an agonal breath. A few seconds later a second agonal breath. Then no more. He is gone. EMS Dispatcher comes on the phone. A young man comes up and says I know CPR. Another woman does the same.  We follow dispatchers instructions. Then first responders come on scene and help with the CPR. Richardsville and Gott Fire Departments arrive.  EMS supervisor is on scene. It is over. Eleven minutes from the impact. The young man, a lifeguard, desperate to help another human being, is devastated that he cannot help. He tried his best.  He was so sad. The woman was so sad. I was sad. I have seen these situations before but from a first responder side of it. Never as a bystander within seconds of the accident. I pray I am never in that situation again. I am not a first responder anymore for this very reason. This bothers me. I could not sleep Saturday night. I kept seeing the woman from the car hovered over that young man sobbing. Devastated and hysterical. She did not see him. Now, two families are forever changed. Her sobs still haunt me today.

This is the second terrible motorcycle vs. car accident I have seen in the past 3 or 4 years, the first there were serious injuries but no fatalities. In both cases, the car driver simply did not see the cyclist. In both cases, the cyclist had the right of way. In both cases, the driver simply did not see they motorcycle or rider. The first time, I was a first responder and first on scene and had the equipment necessary to assist. Saturday night I was not a first responder. I had no equipment. Had I had equipment, it would not have made a difference, the young man's injuries were fatal. He was alive, riding his motorcycle then in a split second, he was gone. NO warning, no time to prepare. He was gone. Life is that way. We are here then when our time comes, we are gone. Nothing anyone can to to prevent it. If you are not ready for that hour, please do not wait. Get ready today. Now. We cannot escape it. Earlier this year, I was going to work. I was near Houchens on Louisville Road. I was going to change lanes (left to right). No one was behind me or beside me- or so I thought. I checked my mirrors. I looked behind me to my right. I signaled. I started to move over and low and behold a motorcycle rider was riding in my blind spot. I did not see him. I did hear his horn. The road was wide open. He had no reason to be riding in my blind spot. But he was. And I almost hit him. I feel for that woman. I did not see or hear him behind me either. I hesitate to change lanes when driving for that very reason!

January 21, 2010 Rick was in an accident about this same time of night at this very intersection. I was behind him, too. I witnessed the whole thing. Luckily, he was not injured and the people in the car who came out of 68-80 at that red light were not seriously injured. I kept reliving that on Saturday night as it turned into the wee hours of Sunday morning as well. Two days later he would make his last living journey through that light in the back of an ambulance with lights and sirens blaring with a very low oxygen level. You can find the rest of that story in the blog archives from my 2010 posts should you wish. Look to the right of this post.

The book of Matthew Chapter 25 speaks of people helping strangers. I witnessed that Saturday night as I believe one way it was intended. 

Remember me in your prayers and please, please remember the two families involved in this terrible tragedy. Also, please remember that young man who tried so desperately to help. He really gave his best!

I love all y'all❤

To be continued..........

          Matthew 25

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.