Ellie the Cat's Christmas fun!

When we got home Christmas evening, this is where we found Ellie! :-) Sorry for the glowing eyes, but it just can't be helped! It's a cat thing, you know? *smile* I bought a new pair of Earth Shoes leather loafers. When I got home, I took them out of the box and put the box on the floor for Ellie, wondering if she would try to cram her furry little body into it and sure enough, in time, after sniffing around it and acting haughty and like she wasn't REALLY interested in it, she stuffed her cute little self into that shoe box! By the time I got my camera, she was gone! BUT.....I am determined to get one and I will post it when I do!

I Can't Think of a Title!

Soooo, I'll just put up a quick, non-titled after-Christmas post! Well, first of all, I am all better after having a terrible head and chest cold and all that goes along with that! Yuck!
On Christmas Eve, Ed and I baked cookies! And then we went to see Christmas lights. It was such a sweet evening together. Christmas morning, Daniel and Erin came up and we exchanged gifts and they opened their stockings. They left in the early afternoon and I made chicken and noodles to take to Erin's aunt and uncle's house where the Pullin family all gathers for dinner. Bro. and Sis. James joined us this year and we had a wonderful time!! We had a delicious bountiful dinner around Dale and Darlene's humonguous table and then some of us played games, which I love to do!! We came home at about 7pm, having spent a wonderful day with our children, family and friends.
The next day, Wednesday, Ed had to work, taking his kids to REACH and I didn't do much of anything as the pain level had spiked. I was hoping to go to church with Daniel and Erin as our service was cancelled in Logan, but I just couldn't do it, but Ed went.
Yesterday, I made some delicious ham salad with the leftover Christmas ham and also fixed stir-fry for our dinner.
Today, I was up early and went for a massage. It was wonderful! And now I am at the library, catching up on some blog reading as my computer will not connect to the internet for some unknown reason. I have tried everything. It is probably just some little glitchy thing as most of you computer owners knows just happens sometimes for no good reason. I just don't like calling tech support because I usually have to talk to someone that I can't understand and it is so frustrating. How many times can you reasonably ask someone to repeat themselves. But I really have no choice.
So, I am off to get myself home as I have a lady coming at one to have her hair done and then I will bite the bullet and call tech support. *sigh*
I hope your holidays have been peaceful and good. May the New Year bring you blessings that you cannot contain! I'll do my best to get back into the swing of things here on my blog! Thanks so much to all of you who have been faithful visitors. I look so forward to your visits and comments. The Lord's best to each of you!! ((HUGS))

Only In Ohio

Soooo....yesterday morning, Sunday, when we got up, it was 54 degrees, cloudy and raining. When we got home from church, it was 41 degrees, sunshiney, and the wind was tearing through the valley. Last night, when we got home from church, it was 29 degrees and snow-flurrying. You want weather? Come to Ohio. *smile*
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I am feeling much better, though I still have some chest congestion and the pain level in my lower body has been pretty fierce, BUT I must push that aside and get some things accomplished today. It's Christmas Eve! *smile* Actually, the only thing I REALLY HAVE to do is get groceries. AND pick up a couple of stocking stuffers. But I love to be in the stores on the day before Christmas. That has always been a tradition of ours.....me, Ed and Daniel, though now it is just me and Ed. I just think there is such a wonderful Christmasy feeling all about on this day. After I finish posting here, I am going to get ready and go to Sis. Pam's new apartment. She invited me up this morning for coffee and the grand tour. *smile* Her youngest son and his family are up from Florida and her oldest son is getting married on New Year's Eve day! Her oldest son just came back to the Lord about three months ago AND his wife-t0-be! There has not been a service go by for as long as I can remember that Pam has not requested prayer for her children and loved ones and the Lord has been answering these prayers. Both of her sons and their families have come to the Lord during the last two years. It has been so awesome!
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We had our Christmas program yesterday morning. It was so wonderful! What is a Christmas program without tinsel angels???? *grin* AND they left quite a trail of tinsel behind them, too!! *smile* I know, because I helped clean it up! LOL I sang one of the most beautiful songs yesterday morning. Oh, not because I sang it.....sheesh....*grin*.....but it is just such a lovely song. It is called "He Made A Way In A Manger". I'm not even sure where or how I found it. I think it was on the internet somewhere and then I went to the library and listened to it alot on youtube, until I got it down. I am not sure of our exact attendance but it was very close to 150, which is just wonderful! There was such a wonderful sweet presence of the Lord there in our midst! I remember telling Ed yesterday as we were in the car pulling out of the church parking lot that I just felt so good in my spirit and body and all. And that felt so good after having been so sick all week. The Lord is good.
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Well, my dear blog readers, I will try to get back into the swing of things here and get to posting more often, okay? But for now, I must be on my way! It's that most wonderful time of the year!!! *smile* May the Lord bless you one and all!!!
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Here's the youtube video of He Made A Way In A Manger! Enjoy!

Why I haven't posted

I have been sick and am still sick. *sigh* It really hit me Tuesday night. Head cold, chills, fever...then coughing and congestion and hacking.....and now the intestinal floogey. Yuck. AND all of this on top of the "back and hips and knees and feet" usual pain and discomfort. (sung to the tune of "head and shoulders, knees and toes" children's song) *feeble grin* I did drag myself out of bed this morning, shower, got dressed, fixed my hair, thinking all of that would make me feel better. It didn't work. I did manage to fix Ed lunch, make my bed and do a load of laundry. You know how we are girls. We push ourselves to do what HAS to be done, but Ed kind of scolded me and told me to rest and take care of myself, 'cause he can take care of things until I get better. BUT, for now, it will be light to no blogging until I get better. Hope your holidays are going good. I would appreciate your prayers so much. Christmas is just around the corner, you know. *little grin* Felize Navidad!! *achhooooooo* *groooaannnnn*

Wind Advisory

My outdoor Christmas decorations are under an air assault! Will they survive? Only time will tell. The wind is roaring through our little valley here this morning and I hope the Christmas decorations survive and don't head for the wild blue yonder, aided by the fierce winds. I'll keep you posted!

Christmas Music Website

I happened upon this Christmas music website where you can just listen to music or download it for free. It has most any Christmas song that you can imagine, but there are a few that might be more than a little questionable, so I wanted you to know,k? But most of them are fine. Happy Holidays!

Wednesday randomness

After talking of the wet, cold, dreary weather that we have been having, it was a balmy 70 degrees here in the Hocking Valley yesterday!!! It was wonderful!!! I opened all of my windows and sat in the sun on the back porch and warmed my bones AND petted Rocky.
Our annual ladies Christmas party was last night at church and I made a fruit pizza and baked chicken and dressing. The fruit pizza was beautiful AND delicious. I should have taken a picture of it to post here. I am thinking of making another Saturday to take to the Nelsonville church's Christmas party, to which we have been invited. Soooo, if I make another one, I will definitely take a picture and post it. Oh, and the chicken and dressing was really yummy, too. And it is really easy to make. If you'd like the recipe, just let me know.
It rained most of the night and the chilliness has returned, with it being only in the forties today. Brrrrr......I think I am going to start looking for some kind folks who live in Arizona who would take in an aching 56-year-old woman for a couple of months beginning in January. I hear the dry heat there is great for aches and pains. *feeble grin* Snow is forecast for Saturday and Sunday. Pastor Martin was asking last night why it always snows on the weekends. *grin* I've no clue. Oh, and I have been trying to get Ed to buy a snowblower or let me buy him one. He has been checking them out for about a month, since the last time he shoveled snow he twisted his knee. Now look, we can't have two cripped up people living in this house! Soooo, there was an ad in the paper where someone is selling a $700 snowblower for $400. We are going to check it out tomorrow. *fingers crossed* And we need to get it before this weekend when it is supposed to snow again.
I took Sis. Alice home from the ladies meeting last night. She just got home last weekend from staying in a local rehab center for 6 weeks after having knee replacement surgery. She is doing great. I believe she is in her sixties. Anyway, she had a box of peanut brittle that she had to get into her house from my car somehow but she had a cane and I had my walker. Thankfully, her granddaughter came by and carried it in the house for her. I've noticed something of late, though. Alot of the people that I spend time with are either on oxygen or using a walking apparatus of some sort or have some other ailment. Sis. Pam had her arm in a sling last week when we went shopping because she had just had carpal tunnel surgery. My friend, Pat, just had knee-replacement surgery Monday. Another friend had a mammogram this week. A couple of others had colonoscopies. MRI's. Scans. Blood Tests. Good heavens. Does this mean I am getting older and so are my relatives, friends and acquaintances? *feeble grin* help. Oh well, these bodies weren't meant to last forever, hm? So why then does it surprise us when they begin to kinda break down a little? Why do we think they should last indefinitely?
I know I've talked about losing weight many times and I HAVE lost weight many times. I know that in 21 years of marriage that I have lost at least 50 pounds at least 4 times.......only to gain it back. If I had kept all of that weight off, I would now be invisible...LOL....BUT......at the beginning of the year.......when Weight Watchers will probably be running a special where it won't cost anything to join......I am seriously going to change my eating habits. I really must, considering how weak my body is getting. I just can't be carrying around this extra weight any longer. I've gotten more exercise this week than I have for some time and I still do my daily exercises for my back and legs. I've gone up and down the stairs at church, the ones that go to the Sunday School rooms downstairs, three times this week. Now, the going down isn't so difficult. It's the coming back up that isn't pretty. Oh my, but it is not pretty. *feeble grin* But I manage. I just can't believe that I can't just hop and skip up stairs anymore. Do we ever think that day will come when we can't navigate stairs?
I needed to go to the Sheriff's office last week to get a background check so I can be Ed's subsitute driver in case he is sick or something. Anywayyyy.......when I got there, all I could see were all of these steps leading up to the front door. Soooooo, I drove around back, thinking that there had to be a handicap ramp or entrance but there wasn't. Soooooo, I drove around a couple of more times and ended up parking out front. I just sat there for a bit looking at those steps. I decided to take one more trip around the block to make sure there wasn't another entrance when I noticed the NEW SHERIFF'S OFFICE on Second Street! AND it is all one level!!! Yayyyyy!!!! How was I to know the Sheriff's office had moved? I mean, it's not like I go there alot or anything! Sheesh! And then when I do finally make it into the lobby to inquire about getting a background report, the doofu...er...uh....I mean the ossifer behind the glass panel said that there wasn't anyone there who could do that for me, so could I come back on Monday between 9am and 3pm. Helloooooooo.......so tomorrow I am going to go back and HOPEFULLY there will be someone there who can assist me. I'm calling first. *smile*
Well, I am going to go and make out Christmas cards as I have given myself until tomorrow to get them done, so I hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday. The Lord's best to you!!

A young boy named Logan

My friend, Ellen, sent this to me this morning and I just had to share it with you. Click here to go to the radio blog that posted it. It looks like a really good station and blog.

It's the most busiest time of the year!

Okay, so I know that that isn't proper grammar usage up there but it just seemed to say it correctly for me TODAY! *whew* It is now 6:25am and I am waiting for a dear friend to arrive at 6:40am to have her hair done. I have quite a list of things to accomplish today. I just hope my body will cooperate. *sigh* It has been quite a painful past few days. Since getting the beautiful snow last week, which I believe was on Wednesday, it has been cold, rainy, foggy, and just plain dreary.....every day. Wait. I believe there was ONE day that the sun managed to peek through but it was only momentary. I'm thinking that the weather is contributing quite a bit to my pain level. But it's Christmas and I have so much to do and I need my bones to cooperate here! "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!", it seems.
The weather has been wreaking havoc on my outside Christmas decorations! First, the wind took off with a few of them, but we recovered them and put them back in place. THEN, over the weekend, the snow came sliding off of the roof and knocked a few of them off but they have been recovered and put back in place.
On our country road here, we have our house decorated, as does our neighbor, Samantha, and then her mother, Tracy. Well, as you come around the bend where our house sits in its little valley, you can see Samantha's and Tracy's house, too, and it looks like Christmas Tree Lane! *smile*
For those of you who live in this area: Someone who lives on St. Rt. 93 South has a wonderful light display. It is on a hillside to the right, right before you get to Bear Run Road. They have written out "Jesus Is the Reason For the Season" in white lights below a large cross made of white lights. It is just beautiful and surely took alot of work! It is worth the drive out to see. Also, just beyond Union Furnace in what we always called Stringtown, past the fire department, Jerry and Doris McKnight have a wonderful light display. They live on the right side of the road. We drive down every year to see it! There are numerous animated light displays. It, too, is well worth the drive whether you have little children or not! We grown-ups like the lights, too, hm? *smile*
Well, it is about time for my hair appointment to arrive so I must be off!! Happy Holidays to all!!!

Christmas Bingo

I am sitting here printing out Christmas bingo cards that I made at this website....free! And here is a webpage with lists of Christmas words, in case you need some help filling in the blanks! *smile*
We are getting ready to go to my family's annual Christmas get-together and for the past few years, we have played a rousing game of Christmas bingo! *smile* My sister, Bev, and I just purchase dollar prizes and everyone has so much much trying to win these "treasures"!!! LOL The children especially love it, but some of us grown-ups have just as much fun!!!
Anywayyyy......I thought I would pass the idea along to all of you just in case you were looking for something fun to do besides exchanging gifts, which we no longer do as an extended family because there is just too many of us and the most important thing is getting together and eating and singing and eating and reminiscing and eating......well, you get the idea!!! LOL
Happy Holidays!!!!

Nostalgia

While reading Bro. and Sis. Holley's blog, a wave of nostalgia came over me and I began to remember so much of when Daniel was young and still at home.
I am so thankful that we were able to homeschool Daniel beginning in the 4th grade. It enabled us to spend so much more time with him and instill our values in him and bring him up in the fear and admonition of the Lord in an even greater measure, I believe. It wasn't all easy and fun, but it was so worth all of the work and effort that it involved. We have such precious memories now.
Not only did Daniel learn the "book" stuff, but he learned how to do laundry and cook and clean house. He used to make a bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough and keep it in the fridge to munch on. *smile* Every so often he would go get a spoonful and eat it while he did his schoolwork. Gosh, but it did seem like he took alot of breaks and lunchtimes, looking back. Hmmmm.......*grin*
Many evenings were spent playing Yahtzee.......boy, did we play yahtzee! It was always me and Daniel because Ed just isn't much for playing board games. Or we would play Sorry or Trouble. And then there were the long winters when we would have a game of perpetual Monopoly going. A game could last for daaaaayyyyyyys, sometimes weeeeeeekkkkkkkssss. *smile*
One particular Saturday night, when Daniel was in one of the early elementary grades, I got the great idea of teaching him how to play poker, of all things! Well, I taught him how to bet using toothpicks. Don't ask me where I came up with THAT idea! LOL He caught right onto the game and wagering and all and I never thought too much about it, nor did Ed. Wellllllll, the next morning we go to church.......I'm music director and Ed is an usher and soundman........and lo and behold if little Daniel doesn't go running into the church and in his childish, innocent way started telling everyone: " My mommy taught me how to play poker last night and to bet with toothpicks!" We all about died laughing. A dear friend at church took me aside and said I should have told him we were playing "toothpicks"! Well, yeah....now you tell me!!! LOL
On Sunday afternoon, after dinner, it was game time for me and Daniel! When he was really young, we played Chutes and Ladders and Candyland. When he was a little older, it might have been electronic Battleship or Life or some other board game. Oh yes, Uno. We can't forget Uno. *smile* We would through a phase of playing Oregon Trail on the computer. Daniel and I took every possible route their was and used every possible mode of transportation. We kept track of all of this in a log that we kept. It was fun, educational and a bit trying at times, too. *smile* Ed always played checkers with him, thankfully, because I am just not a big fan of checkers. They also played indoor basketball with a nerf basketball and hoop. They did get pretty rowdy, let me tell ya! Oh, and Daniel has three or four of those miniature MLB baseball bats and he used to wad up paper balls and have his dad pitch them to him. It was hilarious to watch his dad ducking those paper balls that Daniel would send whizzing by his head. Oh, but we laughed ourselves silly.
And another of our favorite games was where Daniel would get three different sizes of plastic cups or glasses. He would again wad up paper balls. Then the three of us would sit in our respective chairs and try to toss the paper balls into the cups, the smaller the cup the higher the score for that cup and so on. He had three cups that he always used for this game and I packed them away with his other things after he married and left home.
Oh, and Daniel and I made bean bags one day so long ago because he had see Mr. Rogers make bean bags on TV and wanted to do the same. I still have those bean bags in their coffee can, packed away in one of Daniel's storage boxes, along with the cups and paper balls and baseball bats. *smile*
You know, it just doesn't take big, expensive toys to entertain kids. Daniel had alot of what most kids had, but he always came back to the simple things that required us to play with him and I believe that that was the most important thing: That we played together and spent time together.
Ed used to come home from working all day and as soon as he would get out of the car, Daniel would say: "Dad, will you throw some baseball with me?" Well, after we had had supper and Ed had rested for awhile, many, many evenings he spent throwing baseball with Daniel, then throwing a football, onto playing basketball and lastly shooting pool with him. I often wondered how Ed found the energy, but he did. Sometimes they would go to the local elementary school and play basketball or Ed would take him to Mingo park where they could play basketball on the court there or pitch baseball on one of the diamonds.
AND most nights, it seemed, they would have to have a round of wrestling before going to bed. I would always ask them why they had to wait until ten o'clock at night to wrestle. I don't remember ever getting an answer. It was just part of their routine.
And Daniel liked nothing better than for us to sit down and watch a movie with him. So, we'd pop popcorn and cuddle up on the sofa or him and his dad in the recliner or me and him on the floor, while Daniel rewound his favorite parts, over and over again, to watch them again and again and laugh and laugh,driving me and his dad crazy, wondering if we'd EVER get through the movie. (Have any of you other parents been through that? *grin*) AND how many times can you watch the same movie over and over again? (although Ed and I are somewhat guilty of this, too, but not to the extent that Daniel was! LOL)
Which reminds me of the many nights we read to Daniel before he went to sleep. He always wanted the same books read. Oh, we would add a new one now and then but some, in particular, that I remember are The Monster at the End of the Book, Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree, The Little Puppy, The Little Kitty, Teep and Beep Go To Sleep. There were sooo many.
Yes, we've made some wonderful memories through the years and in the busyness of life AND the Christmas season, may I gently remind you who are parents and have your children still at home with you: What they REALLY want, most of all, is undistracted time spent with YOU doing the simplest of things that don't really require that much time and energy and they are your most precious investment.
God Bless each of you this holiday season. Thank you for letting me share some memories with you!

Christmas in our little valley

We were blessed with three inches of beautiful snow the night before last, which caused schools to be canceled, much to the delight of many, many children! Here are some pictures that I took last night as we were leaving for church. I've not taken pictures at night and was not sure of how they would turn out but they look pretty good, I think! The snow makes the Christmas lights and decorations look so much prettier!

Christmas Bits and Pieces

My sister, Debbie, called me yesterday evening and asked me what the last four or five verses of the Twelves Days of Christmas song were, so I looked them up on the internet.....of course....and not only found all of the verses but also the history behind the song and thought some of you might find it as interesting as I did. So here it is:
"The Twelve Days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas Day, December 25, and Epiphany, January 6.
These twelve days were memorialized in a popular song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," written by a gentleman named Drennon.
During the period 1558 to 1829, it was a crime to be a Catholic in England. Catholics were prohibited from any practice of their faith by law - private or public. Anyone caught with things that associated him with Catholicism, such as religious writings, would be severely punished. Devotion to the Catholic faith could get you imprisoned, hanged, or beheaded.
Drennon wrote the "Twelve Days of Christmas" as one of the "catechism songs" to teach young Catholics the tenets of their faith in song, instead of in written form.
It was a great memory tool that aided them in the learning of their faith while still hiding the fact that they were still practicing Catholicism. Drennon helped to prevent these young Catholics from being punished for reading religious books.
Each of the gifts given in this song has a hidden meaning intended to help teach and preserve the Catholic faith. For instance, the "true love" mentioned in the song does not refer to an earthly lover--it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the gift refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge who fakes injury to lure predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."
The other symbols mean the following:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity-- the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which relays the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of Creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
The Twelve Days of Christmas differ very little from other religious celebrations, in that they give us a reason to celebrate and exchange gifts.
Initially, people carefully meted out their gifts during the course of the twelve days, as Drennon's song reflects, to avoid a glut of presents on Christmas Day.
This old-fashioned approach to gift-giving eventually gave way to today's practice of exchanging gifts on Christmas Day."
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Also, my friend, Amy, sent me the link to a really neat Christmas webpage that has all kinds of recipes and neat things to do with and for your children and family, if you so choose. Just click HERE to view it!

And nowwww...for your viewing pleasure!

Here are the animals! *smile*
First, we have Heidi and her new puppies:



Heidi is such a good mother. She is a sweetie!
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Secondly, we have the leopard lizards:

Now, their names are Crazy and Lazy and one is a male and the other is a female, but don't ask me which is which. *smile*
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And lastly, but not leastly, we have Max, the bald python:

Believe it or not, Max does have some personality and he IS a cuddly little critter. Erin, Daniel and Brian just love him. It's taking me a liiittttllllleee while to warm up to the creepy crawler but it may happen in time.

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Also, Rocky, our lab, got a 4-point buck last week. :-) I looked out the kitchen window Saturday morning as I was doing dishes and here he came dragging this, this "thing" into the yard and lo, and behold, if it wasn't a deer head with the antlers still intact. He has had more fun playing and chewing with this thing. It is now gone, so I imagine that he probably buried it somewhere, only to dig it up at a later date and enjoy it some more. :-)

A quick post

Sooooo, there was these redneck carpenters. They stopped by the lumber store and one of them went in and told the clerk behind the counter, "I need some 4 by 2's." To which she asked, "Are you sure you don't mean 2 X 4's?" "Well, let me go out and check," said the redneck. He came back in and said, "Yep, you're right. I need 2 X 4's." "How long do you need them?" asked the clerk. The redneck carpenter looked kind of puzzled and said, "Well, let me go out and check." He came back in and said, "Looks like I'll need 'em a purty long time ' cause we're buildin' a house."
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We now have a Bald Python in the family. Yes, you read correctly. *weak smile* A co-worker of Erin's GAVE her a bald python with all of the trimmings, meaning a lovely display case and pedestal and all of the other paraphinalia that you need with a Bald Python.
So at last count, they have 4 dogs, 8 puppies, 2 lizards, and 1 Bald Python. And Brian. LOL (Erin's younger brother)
I'll post a picture later today of the animals, and maybe even Brian, but for now, I have to go. I have such a busy day ahead. I just pray that I can get everything accomplished that I need to and want to. Happy Holidays!!! It's the most wonderful time of the year!! *smile*

Awwwww......

Sooooo, I was watching channel 4 weather this morning and those of you who live north of Columbus might be getting some nasty stuff later today. Anywayyyy, pretty soon here came my sweet husband down the hallway singing:
"Oh, Darlin', let it rain, let it snow,
Let the cold north wind blow,
Just as long as you love me,
North or South, East or West,
You know our love stands the test,
Just as long as you love me."

Wow. I got tears in my eyes and got all choked up as he came over to where I was sitting and finished singing it to me. Has the Lord blessed me or what? *tears* I could not ask for more. It has been worth every struggle and difficult time that we've had through the years to now experience the love that we share. I just want to tell some young -married person out there: I know it can be so rough during the early years as you both are finding your way and endeavoring to "become one" but don't give up. Commit your way and your marriage to the Lord, do what is right, keep a right attitude when it is the most difficult, cast all of you care on the Lord and He will see you through the difficult times. And you will be blessed. God will come through for you. You can have the marriage and relationship that you desire. If you will allow the Lord to change you, you will see a change in your spouse. I know this to be true because it has happened in our lives and marriage. For so long, I kept waiting for Ed to change into the husband I wanted him to be but when I finally (with the help of a loving mentor and counselor) realized that the only one I could change was ME, submitted myself to the Lord and allowed Him to change some not-so-great-things about ME (and yes, there were quite a few AND still are. I'm a work in progress. *feeble grin*), that was when we began to have the blessed relationship that we both had hoped for. Now, all of these years later, it has been worth it all. I look back at the early years when I thought I had to be right or I knew what was best or it had to be my way or no way (can you believe I was ever like that? *grin*), well, I wish I had learned those lessons sooner, BUT I did learn them. I gave up my right to be right a long time ago. It just doesn't matter. It isn't worth it. I can still remember one of the first times when we started to have ANOTHER argument, probably started because I thought I just HAD to be right. BUT I backed away and did not challenge him as I would normally do. But instead, I turned away and let the tension subside. And the most amazing thing happened. He did the same thing. And HE apologized to ME for the misunderstanding and then I apologized to HIM because I was the one who was really at fault and, well, that was the beginning of learning to do what is right. It is just that simple. I'm not saying I wasn't probably still "chomping at the bit" inside but now when we find ourselves starting into an argument, we catch ourselves.....we both do, which is amazing....there was time a time when I NEVER thought I'd see the day.....and we won't allow it to escalate. It just isn't worth it. Our relationship matters so much more than winning some argument. "......as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." That includes our spouses. *grin* The Lord truly blesses when we obey His word and apply it to our lives.
Oh, that is part of an old Buck Owens song up there. *smile*
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AND......some of the best gifts are not things at all. I've always wanted to go to the Nazarene Church and see their Christmas Cantata Drama which they host every year, but for some reason or another have not been able to. Well, last night, Friday, they performed AND my sweet husband took me!! Now, he does not particularly care for these sorts of things so I usually go with a girlfriend but EVERYONE busy, and he KNOWS how much I love these sorts of things, so I was sooo HAPPY that he would take me, especially considering that he was gone, on the road, driving most of the day yesterday. Yet, he came home, showered and then headed right back out on a chilly evening to take me to this cantata. We had a wonderful evening and were home by 8:30. And, now, here I sit all teary-eyed, blogging about it. It is just that I am so thankful for my sweet husband. God has been so good to me and to us. AND that was my FIRST Christmas gift this year. *teary smile* May each of you have a wonderful and blessed Saturday! I'm off to fix breakfast for my hubby!! (After I blow my nose, wipe my eyes, wash my hands.....you know the drill! LOL)

We have 8 new grand-doggies!!!

And here are some of them! They are registered boxers.

I'll post more pictures when I get them. We are going down tomorrow to see them in person. These are pictures that Erin sent to me. They were born Wednesday evening. Daniel and Erin said Heidi, the puppies mama, didn't have any trouble at all. Erin is taking them to the vet this morning to have their dew claws clipped and their little tails bobbed. Me? I'm going to go lay down for a little while as I have been on my feet most of the morning, doing hair, morning chores and fixing breakfast for Ed. I may post again later.

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Oh, and for those of you who like to play Tetris, as I do, I found a really neat site where it is so easy to play. If you have dial-up, as I do, once it has loaded, which only takes a sec, you can disconnect from the internet and play to your heart's content. I must warn you: It is addictive. I will not be held responsible for you wasting inumerable amounts of time playing Tetris. Here is the website.

A wonderful Sunday!

See this little cutie pie? He is my great-nephew Nathen and he was dedicated to the Lord yesterday by Bro. Tiller where Drew and Bethany, Nathen's parents go to church, Reynoldsburg Grace Apostolic. It was a wonderful ceremony! He is the most precious little baby. We all went out to dinner after the morning service which was awesome. The sweet presence of the Lord was there from the start. Pastor Tiller preached a wonderful message, "Sealed". There was a great altar service and the Lord truly ministered to so many, myself included.
Daniel and Erin went with us and we had a great time going to church together and then to dinner afterwards. We also shopped a little on the way home later that afternoon.
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This morning, my friend Pam, from church, called and told me that she had the day off, so we went to Bob Evans for breakfast and about talked ourselves silly! *smile* We then went to a local nursing home to visit with a dear saint from church who is recovering from knee replacement surgery. She is going home this weekend and is so excited! She has recovered remarkably well for her age. I could hardly believe it when I saw her and how she is getting around! The Lord is good! Her name is Alice and she was telling me that she needs to go for her first doctor's visit sometime in December, so I told her that I would be glad to take her if Pam would go with me. Well, Pam is scheduled to have carpal-tunnel surgery a few days before Alice's dr.'s appt. but she was sure she would be able to go. I said, "Boy, we'll really be a group, Alice with her cane, Pam with her arm in a sling and me with my walker!" Talk about the blind leading the blind! BUT, we are strong, capable women and we can do it!! *smile*
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It has been raining buckets here today! But I'll not complain because we do need the rain after having such a dry summer. But is has made me just want to sleep all day, especially since we had such busy weekend. I did take a cozy nap this afternoon after I got home. Mmmmm......love those warm afternoon naps on a chilly, rainy afternoon with Ellie curled up beside me.
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Today is also the first day of deer hunting season. It has been pretty quiet around here because of the rain, I believe. It usually sounds like the Civil War has broken out. *grin* There have been so many deer killed on the highways around here. I come very close to hitting deer several times since the weather has turned cool. I try to be so careful when out driving, watching for the deer. Have a great week everyone! Ed has carried the Christmas storage boxes out to the living room for me, so it will be work in progress here at the Cavinee household this week, spreading Christmas cheer throughout! *smile* Happy Holidays!! Enjoy the season, as we remember our Saviour's coming to us so long ago. It is the most wonderful time of the year!

On the other side of Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!! I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving with your families and friends. As usual, I talked to each of my siblings on Thanksgiving morning and talked with Daniel and Erin. We had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner and enjoyed a relaxing day here at home. Ed and I did go out later in the evening to Big Lots where I purchased two small lighted pine trees in urns for the front porch. We then went to Walmart and shopped a bit. There was hardly anyone out and it was fun to be in the stores when they were almost empty! *smile* I am not much of a shopper in the first place and I've never been out on Black Friday. Ed has ventured out before and I would like to be able to see all of the frenzy but only if I could hover above it and see it from that vantage point. I wouldn't want to be right in the middle of it. Daniel called us at 7am Friday morning. He and Erin had gotten up early and gone to Parkersburg to get in on some of the early morning bargains!

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The annual Logan Christmas Parade was today. Ed, me, Daniel and Erin, my sister Debbie and her daugher and her family gathered on Main Street in front of where Debbie lives and we all watched the parade together. Our church had a float in the parade once again this year and won first prize!!! Caleb McCarthy, one of our young people at church, does the float design and then others help get it together. He does a fantastic job! Here are a couple of pictures of it:

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A few weeks ago, my oldest sister, Bev, had an open house for her daughter Bethany and Bethany's new little baby boy, Nathen. While we were at the open house, Bev's husband took a picture of me, Bev and our oldest brother, Bill. I am not very photogenic, so I was so pleased to see that it was a decent picture of me AND of Bev and Bill. Here it is! Boy, but we are all getting gray, hm? *smile* Oh, that is me on the left, Bill in the middle and Bev on the right!

Well, that is about all I have to say for now! I am so mixed up on my days. I thought yesterday was today and now I don't know what I think today is but it doesn't seem like tomorrow should be Sunday. We will be going to Bro. Tiller's church in Reynoldsburg in the morning for service as Bethany and Drew are having little Nathen dedicated and they've asked the family to be there, of course! I'll take pictures!

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Oh and last but not least, Ed and I got all of the outside Christmas decorating done! Well, he did most of it, but I helped ALOT! *smile* It looks so pretty! I love Christmastime! I'll take some pictures and post them soon. Now to get the inside decorated! That will have to wait until another day, though I do have the fall and Thanksgiving decorations put away! I've been pretty busy the past few days!! I may be slow but I manage to get it done, with the help and encouragement of my wonderful husband and the Lord. Have a blessed Sunday, everyone!!

Why we celebrate Thanksgiving

Many Americans think of Thanksgiving as a wonderful time to celebrate getting out of school for a long weekend, and eating a great dinner. Or, maybe they think it is the start of the Christmas holiday season. What is the real meaning behind Thanksgiving?
We can trace this historic American Christian tradition to the year 1623. After the harvest crops were gathered in November 1623, Governor William Bradford of the 1620 Pilgrim Colony, "Plymouth Plantation" in Plymouth, Massachusetts proclaimed:
"All ye Pilgrims with your wives and little ones, do gather at the Meeting House, on the hill… there to listen to the pastor, and render Thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings."

This is the origin of our annual Thanksgiving Day celebration. Congress of the United States has proclaimed National Days of Thanksgiving to Almighty God many times throughout the following years. On November 1, 1777, by order of Congress, the first National Thanksgiving Proclamation was proclaimed, and signed by Henry Laurens, President of Continental Congress. The third Thursday of December, 1777 was thus officially set aside:
"…for solemn thanksgiving and praise. That with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor;… and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them (their manifold sins) out of remembrance… That it may please Him… to take schools and seminaries of education, so necessary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety under His nurturing hand, and to prosper the means of religion for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth of 'righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost'…"

Then again, on January 1, 1795, our first United States President, George Washington, wrote his famed National Thanksgiving Proclamation, in which he says that it is…
"…our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue is… our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced…"
Thursday, the 19th day of February, 1795 was thus set aside by George Washington as a National Day of Thanksgiving.

Many years later, on October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed, by Act of Congress, an annual National Day of Thanksgiving "on the last Thursday of November, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." In this Thanksgiving proclamation, our 16th President says that it is…
"…announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord… But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, by the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own… It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people…"

So it is that on Thanksgiving Day each year, Americans give thanks to Almighty God for all His blessings and mercies toward us throughout the year.

Thanksgiving dinner traditions

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I was reading blogs yesterday and also talking to my sisters at one point or another during the day and evening. In doing so, I've come to realize that not everyone has the same food traditions at Thanksgiving. Depending on what region of the country you're from, the food traditions vary. One thing that I got to wondering about was if we had had a green vegetable on our table at Thanksgiving time when we were kids. So I asked Bev and Debbie and they said they could not remember any green vegetables being served. Our Thanksgiving feast consisted of Turkey, dressing/stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, homemade noodles, yeast rolls, and pumpkin pie. And there was plenty of EVERYTHING! Oh, and Dad always made oyster dressing, too. Yum! Me and my siblings each loooooove oyster dressing, but our spouses do not, which I think is interesting. So every year, at Christmastime, I make each of my siblings a small dish of oyster dressing.
Now that I am grown and married, I've always fixed green beans with our Thanksgiving dinner. Not green bean casserole because my guys don't care for it. But I love vegetables of every kind and always fix alot of them for me and Ed.
Bev and I were talking last night and she shared with me that one of her co-workers, who is not a native Ohioan, said that although they usually had homemade noodles at Thanksgiving, they would never think of putting them over the potatoes and stuffing because that would be putting a starch on a starch. Wellll....yeah. *smile* At least, that is what we've always done in my family.
Soooooo, what are some of your Thanksgiving family food traditions?
If Daniel has turkey, noodles,mashed potatoes, and rolls, he is in food heaven! Oh and lots of butter for the rolls, of course. He doesn't eat anything green or orange! When he was little, I made him try sweet potatoes because I felt as a good mother, I should make him at least "try" different foods. Well, he gagged and choked and with little tears in his eyes he looked up at me and said, "Mommy, please don't make me eat orange potatoes again, please?" That was the last time I ever made him try something he didn't want.
So, please, share your family food traditions!

Go Bucks! Beat Michigan!!

So Ed and I went to Athens yesterday evening and went to Appleby's with Daniel and Erin. As we are waiting in the lobby to be seated, we noticed two couples walking by us to be seated. They had a little boy who was about two years old, dressed in Michigan garb: a toboggan and jacket. He was a cutie! Well, as we are being seated in our booth, Daniel nonchalantly says, "I can't believe they made that little boy wear Michigan stuff" to which the mom turns and says, "Go Blue"! They were seated at a table next to us! Daniel didn't see them there! *smile* So I took it upon myself to ease the tension a bit and said, "Well, we think he's the cutest Michigan fan we've ever seen!" *smile* And we all laughed and went on with our evening. Oh, and Daniel had on a "Whoop Michigan" t-shirt! LOL

GO BUCKEYES!!!

We'll be going to Daniel and Erin's to watch the game and play with the grand-doggies.!

Ohhhh Nooooo!!!

Okay, so I'm sitting here at my computer. It's 8am on Saturday morning. I've been up for about an hour and a half. Ed just got up a few minutes ago when he smelled the fresh coffee. He checked the woodburner, put some wood in it and headed for the den. I just heard the familiar strains of "Green Acres is the place to be, Farm livin' is the life for me........." and I thought and said kind of quietly, while smiling, "Ohhhhh noooooo......" To which Ed replied, while laughing, that he needed his morning laugh, which brought back some fond memories.
Wayyyyyy back when Ed and I first started dating, I would call him EARLY in the morning, around 5:30am, to make sure that he was up and getting ready for work. At this time, I didn't have a TV, but he did and when I would call him, it was nothing for him to answer the phone laughing because he had the Beverly Hillbillies on, watching and listening to them while he got ready for work!!! AT FIVE-THIRTY IN THE MORNING!!! LOL And he wouldn't be just chuckling a little. He would be really laughing!!! It got me to kind of wondering, "Okay, what kind of a guy is up at 5:30AM, watching the Beverly Hillbillies and laughing like crazy?" I was a bit concerned, to say the least. Then after we got married and maybe we had had an argument and I was in the other room stewing, he would be in the other room laughing his head off at something he was watching on TV. How could he do that?????? How is that possible????? Well, I still haven't quite figured that one out and we've pretty much put arguing behind us. It just isn't worth it. But, still, I could never understand how he could just walk into the other room, turn on the TV and laugh like crazy.
*Pause* I wish you could hear him laughing right this moment at "Green Acres"! LOL Even I think Green Acres is funny. It's so stupid! LOL
Anywayyyyyy......while I may have been concerned all those years ago about this man I had met, who laughed at these ridiculous shows in the WEE hours of the morning, I'm so glad I got to know him and married him and worked through the difficult times and trusted in the Lord to see us through, and am now sitting here on a chilly November Saturday morning listening to him laugh at those crazy people who live in and around Hooterville! *smile*

Yesterday and a few days prior

The pain level has really been up there the past several days, for whatever reason, making just doing the basics really a challenge and causing sleep to be elusive. A few nights ago, my tossing and turning in bed must have caused Ed to wake up and he turned over and asked me if I was in pain, to which I answered yes. I was so worn out and just couldn't get comfortable or find any relief. He immediately began to pray for me. I am telling you that instantly the pain left my lower body and I drifted off to sleep while he was still praying. *tears* Our God is such an awesome God. Then a couple of nights later, the same thing happened and the Lord immediately caused my pain to ease so that I could sleep.

Yesterday, I could barely get around here at home. Still, you have to understand that I push myself to get the few things done here at home that just have to be done and Ed is so wonderful to help me do anything that I ask of him. But I do get concerned when I am like this, when it is such an effort to do the smallest task because of the pain.

By the time I had everything ready to take to the ladies' meeting last night, I was just about done in. Of course, Ed said I should not push myself so hard. He said I should stay home and take care of myself. He said that everyone would more than understand. But I felt that I should go because I was in charge of some things and Sis. Scism was going to be speaking and on and on. So, Ed took everything out to the car for me and helped me get on my way.

Thankfully, when I arrived at the church, I was able to load everything onto my little walker and take it into the church and a couple of the other ladies who had just arrived walked with me. We all gathered in and got everything in place and Sis. Martin started the meeting. We prayed and then everyone got something to eat. As I was walking back to my place to eat, I noticed that I wasn't in very much pain, if any at all. I was walking with my walker of course, but still, I noticed the definite absence of pain.

Fast forward to this morning: Ed asked me how I did at the ladies' meeting last night and I told him about not being in pain and he told me that he had been in prayer for me. AND I went to bed last night and slept soundly until 3am and then until 7:15 this morning! Ed had gotten up, made coffee, fed the kitty and I didn't even notice! Usually I am the first one up at around 6am!

I said all of that to say this: I am so thankful that when we pray, the Lord so mercifully causes my pain to ease and lift, so that I can sleep or do whatever I need to do. I don't know why I am not completely healed. I know that He is able, for He has healed me completely of other things so many times, even during the past two years that I have been dealing with this back and leg pain and disability.

I was reading my Bible a few nights ago and came upon the scriptures that I typed below and my heart was just overwhelmed with the love and concern and mercy that the Lord has for me, I just cried. Perhaps if I was pain-free and all, I wouldn't have this deep, heart-felt love Him or truly appreciate the way He loves me and takes care of me.
"I'll keep holding onto Jesus, I'll keep holding onto Jesus,
I'll keep holding to His precious nail-scarred hands,
And though the way gets weary, I can't see the way too clearly,
I'll keep holding to His precious, nail-scarred hands."


Oh, but it keeps me ever before Him, ever dependent on Him. *tears* And if it serves no other purpose, then so be it. I won't complain.
"God is so good to me, He is so good to me,
More than this world could be, He's so good to me,
His spirit came to me and gave me victory,
God is so good to me, I can't complain."

"Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."
Hebrews 2:17-18
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:15-16
"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."
Psalm 103:13-14



I heard a story one time: A Shepherd had a sheep that kept wandering off. No matter how good He was to this little sheep, it wandered off and away from the shelter and safety of the flock and its Shepherd. So, one day, for its own good, the shepherd allowed the little lamb's back legs to be broken. During the healing process, the Shepherd had to carry the little sheep everywhere, holding it close to His chest, in the protection of His loving arms. In time, the little lamb's legs healed and it was able to once again stand on his own legs and get about, but during the healing process, while he was being carried about by the Shepherd, the little lamb fell sooo in love with the Shepherd that he didn't want to be away from Him for any reason. He never strayed again. The pain served a purpose, though the lamb could not see it during the process.
"I feel the touch of hands so kind and tender.
They're leading me in the paths that I must trod.
I'll have no fear for Jesus walks beside me,
For I'm sheltered in the arms of God."

Belated Veterans' Day Post

My grandfather was in WWI and survived to tell about it, as did my father who was a paratrooper with the 101st airborne division in WWII. My oldest brother and two brothers-in-law served in Vietnam and made it home alive. I am thankful for all of the freedoms that I have as an American. May I never take them for granted for they came at such a high price. God Bless America, our veterans and those who are still serving in the military

Please observe a moment of silence

Illinois 28,Ohio State 21
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LSU takes top spot in BCS standings
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Ohio State plunged to seventh in the standings.

The Chili Cook-off!

We had such a great time! And no one suffered any ill effects, thankfully. Well, I did in an indirect sort of way, if you get my drift. Anywayyyy.....moving right along......we had THIRTEEN entries, aka crockpots of chili. Just let me say here that I didn't realize just how many varieties of slow-cookers there are! No two were alike. AND do you have any idea of just how many different versions of chili there are? I tasted all of them and they were all so different, some really delicious, some too spicy hot, some too soupy, some with too many beans, some too bland BUT we had a winner! And it wasn't me and Ed. Yes, we conspired on a delicious pot of chili.

And here is the WINNER:

Sis. Jody Rowe! She is pictured here with my brother, Johnny, who so generously contributed the first place prize of $100. And all I was going for was a chef's hat or maybe an apron that said something cutesy on it. Jody was extremely happy with the $100!!!

Now, there is a real story here. She and her mother live in the same apartment complex, across the hall from one another. Her mother, Sis. Patty, called me around noon and told me that she didn't think they were going to come. They both were dissatisfied (disgusted *grin*) with their chilis. Sis. Patty's car went on the blink....again. Just everything was going wrong for them. And then when they finally arrived at the church, they came in all discomboobalated, having spilled one of the pots of chili in Jody's car and it got all over the other things that they had brought with them. Well, some of the men helped them get everything into the fellowship hall. Some of the ladies helped them get everything cleaned up and all settled in. And then to top it all off......JODY WINS!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!! We all said, "Who better to win?" And she and her dear mother can really use the money. (She shared with her sweet mom.) So everyone was happy!

Ed and I came in seond!!! Yeehaa!!! The judges said it was a close call but Jody's won out in the end. The judges asked her to share her ingredients with everyone and we couldn't believe all that she had put it in. The judges said that they think the italian sausage she put in it may have made the difference. Ed had wanted to put some in ours but I said that I didn't like the taste of sausage in chili. *feeble grin* Oh well.......there 's always next year.

Pastor Martin's son, Michael came in third. Pastor Martin made a really hot, spicy pot of chili and ended up giving it away to his son-in-law, as Pastor said that he couldn't be eating very much chili on the eve of Sunday services.

Here are our illustrious judges: Bro. Matt Olson, who pastors in Pleasantville and Sis. Chris Kornmiller, a member of our church. They did a great job!

I organized the event as best as I could but it was only with the wonderful help of everyone who came that it was such a great event!! Everyone is already excited about next year's chili cook-off!!

More pictures and birthday news

As I was leaving the Baymont Inn yesterday after swimming, I took these two pictures: The first one is of the stone and brick entrance to the American Legion grounds. The next picture is of the tree-lined drive back to the American Legion grounds.



Well, today is the big day. I am now 56. This is one of the years when Ed's and my birthday numbers are switched. He is 65 and I am 56. It also happened when I was 34 and he was 43 and when I was 45 and he was 54. My how time does fly by! He took me to Jack's Steak House for a wonderful breakfast! I am going to take a nap here shortly and then it is off to Lancaster with my sisters and sisters-in-law! AND I think Daniel may join us after he gets off of work!
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Oh, another bit of news: Ed and I began teaching Exploring God's Word to two wonderful gentlemen who have been coming to church for a few months. Bill is in his 40's and Doug is in his 70's. They are best friends. Bill's daughter, her boyfriend and their three little children have been coming to church for some time now. She received the Holy Ghost and Bradley was renewed in the Holy Ghost after many years. They are a wonderful family. Well, Bill and Doug are so hungry for the word of the Lord and it is such an indescribable blessing to be able to teach them and answer their many questions and just be a partaker of their spiritual vitality. They've both told us that they went to other churches and even took part in some bible studies but never experienced anything like this. They apparently were in discussions about other beliefs and religions and that sort of thing. They have many questions and they are certainly welcome.
I just know that it has once again re-invigorated me and Ed spiritually to be teaching these fine men and helping them to grow in the Lord. It's truly what it's all about for a christian, hm? I'll take their picture next week and post it here, if they don't mind! *smile*

Autumn in my valley

Here is a picture I took from the back porch the other evening when the sun was going down.

Below is a picture of the beautiful flower garden to the right of the main entrance at church. It caught my eye yesterday morning and I just had to take a picture!
Here is a picture of the vestibule at church, which Sis. Martin has decorated for fall. And in the foreground is a table with Christmas for Christ cans on it. The cans are SFC cans that have been "reborn". I covered them with Christmas paper and labels and voila! (Please don't tell anyone in the youth department,k? *grin*)

It's birthday week!

My sister Debbie's birthday was Sunday and my birthday is this coming Thursday, so we will be going out to dinner with our sister, Bev and our two sisters-in-law this Thursday evening. Wellllll....this past Sunday, my secret sister brought me my first birthday gift! And she couldn't have gotten me anything I would have loved more!! Here it is!!!

Yessssss, we ARE a #1 team!!! Go Bucks!!!

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Andddddd, then today, my piano student and dear friend, Laura, gave me this beautiful tapestry bag in which to carry my music. On the front it says, " Let us exalt the Lord with music and song." Psalm 45:2

Laura and I met last March at a music workshop in Dayton, Ohio where Bro. Ken Dillingham is the pastor. Sis. Pam Rentzel is the music director there and was my first "apostolic" piano teacher. It would be well worth your while to check out her website here. Laura and her friends sat down at the same table as me and Stacy for lunch at the church and she discovered that I gave piano lessons and that was how it all began. *smile* She has such a passion for music and ministry! She is such an inspiration to me. Each week, I look so forward to our lesson because I know that I am always going to leave feeling strengthened and inspired by her, the student and my friend! Laura and her husband pastor a good church in Pleasantville, Ohio and her husband is one of the judges for our chili cook-off this coming Saturday afternoon!

I'm Alive!!!

Yes, Sirree, I surely am. I've just been kinda busy and haven't felt like blogging. Do any of you get that way? I mean, I had alot of things to blog about but I just didn't feel like typing it out and posting it and, well, you get the idea.

Anywayyyyy......here I am, once again, ready to blog. Tada! *smile*

Wellllll, last Friday, my three New York girlfriends and I had our Christmas lunch get-together EARLY! *smile* I call them my New York girlfriends because we three went to NYC for the first time back in October of 1999. We had such a wonderful time and made some great memories! We went to see Phantom of the Opera and walked a million miles and laughed ourselves silly! The next year, Arlene was not able to go because of health problems, so, because we had already bought tickets and made reservations, the other three of us went. We went to see Lion King on Broadway and it was absolutely breathtaking! All four of us are each so different in personality but we just mesh so well as travelling buddies and we have such a great time together! Here is a pic of us having lunch at Old Dutch Restaurant last Friday afternoon!

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It is a cold and blustery day here today but the house is so nice and cozy. Ed started the woodburner today for the first time this fall and it is wonderful. It keeps the house so evenly heated and comfortable and my aching bones welcome the steady heat. Ellie has taken up residence for the winter right in front of the stove! *smile* Her bed is made of an old box that macaroni and cheese dinners come in from Aldi's and a little blanket that I bought at a yard sale for a quarter. Now, we could have spent a nice little bit of money for a kitty bed and all, but she just loves old boxes and blankets, so she is in kitty heaven. When Ed put it in front of the stove for her, he called her to it and was babying her but she just stood off across the room acting kind of snooty and all.....just being a cat.......like she was saying, "If you think I'm going to purr and grovel at your feet over some dumb box and blanket, well, I'm not about to lower myself." So, instead, we just left her alone and gradually, over about a twenty-minute period, she sauntered over to the box, sniffed around it, sat beside of it and groomed herself a little, inching a little closer, untilllll..... eventuallyyyyy......... she couldn't resist any longer! I knew she'd break! *smile* And she has hardly left her new-found bed since early this morning! Here she is all snug and warm:

1st Church Chili Cook-off

It all started with my friend, Laura. She told me about their church's chili cook-off and how much fun it was. She then suggested that our church have one. Sooooooo.......I thought: Why not?

Welllllll.....I never dreamed everyone would get so excited about it! I asked Pastor Martin if I could organize an afternoon get-together for the married couples and adults and how about if we have a chili cook-off? He gave me the old thumbs up and I made the appropriate announcements, had it put on the multi-media, and put a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. But I just never dreamed that everyone would get so excited about it. Well, part of it might be attributed to the fact that a generous soul at church has put up $100 for the first prize chili winner! *smile* BUT, I have been reminding everyone that is is for FUN and fellowship. I've been having a little difficulty getting people to be judges because everyone I talk to wants to enter. Soooooo, I am waiting for the last person to call me today about being a judge and if she says yes, I have my three judges. Even Ed....my dear husband.....is going to make crockpot of chili and he hasn't made chili in the twenty-one years that I have known him! This should be so much fun.....really!!!! There are also several friends and family members of those who attend First Church who are going to participate! Isn't that great?

Well, I hope I can pull this all off. *sigh* Well, I will be able to because I have some wonderful people helping me and that is the only way it can be done. I'm reminded of that old Sunday School song:

"If we all pull together, together, together,

If we all pull together, how happy we'll be,

For your work is my work and our work is His work,

If we all pull together, how happy we'll be."

Soooo.....I will be busy this week getting it all together for this momentous occasion which is taking place on Saturday, November 10 at 3pm in the fellowship hall of First Church Praise and Worship Center! May the best chili-maker win!!! *smile*

Over the river and through the woods

Okay, so let me see......we went over a river or two and we definitely went through ALOT of woods. Yesterday (Saturday) Ed and I drove up to Mt. Vernon to visit with the Ryans, aka, Donnie, Charity, Becky, Michael and Gabrielle. I had made Becky an OSU afghan (how about them Buckeyes beating Penn State??? Yayyyyy! And YES, they ARE a number #1 team! Hello!). Okay, now what was I saying? Oh yes, I had made an OSU afghan for Becky for her 17th birthday and was going to mail it to her but decided to take it to her instead. We had a good visit and I just couldn't get over how much Gabrielle had changed since I last saw her and talk? Does she ever talk!? She had on her OSU cheerleader outfit which used to be Becky's. She was so cute! And I'm sure Becky was just as cute when she wore it! *smile* I got to see Donnie's office where he makes the big bucks! *smile* AND you should see the beautiful sofa and loveseat that Charity got for a steal! Wow! Why don't I ever get those bargains? Here is a picture of Becky and her coveted afghan! Oh, and we saw Michael briefly. He was in and out, socializing at the neighbors and so on. *smile*

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Next, we drove out to Sparta to see Bob and Betty (Sheets). Betty had fixed supper for us and we had a great time visiting, eating and then playing cards. Betty and I handily beat our dear husbands at euchre. Two games to zip! Yayyyyyy!! The last time, the guys beat us and, boy, did they ever rub it in. Betty and I were much more humble in victory. ;-) We are so thankful for Bob and Betty. Though we don't get to see one another very often, when we are together it is such a wonderful time of fellowship.
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We got home at about 9pm, in time to watch most of the Ohio State game. It was a good one! And, yes, Ohio State is a NUMBER ONE team!! Sheesh!

On A Rainy Day In Ohio

It has been rainy and gloomy here in our little valley for the past couple of days and just a little chilly and damp. I was going about the house lighting candles here and there to make it feel a bit more cozy and I thought the candlelight looked so pretty, so I thought I would take a couple of pictures to share with you.

The first one is of a small grouping of pictures on our dresser. The crystal cross was a gift from my sister Debbie. The crystal heart paperweight was a gift from my brother Johnny. The boxed Bible on which they are sitting was given to me as a gift from the funeral home when my mother passed away. The wrought iron candlestick which is sitting in front of the mirror is one of a set that belonged to my mother.

This picture I took in the bathroom, of course...*smile*. The candle was a gift from my friend Stacy. The three little elephant figurines were given to me by my nephew Troy. The teacup and saucer were given to me by my secret sister one year. When I get out of the shower, I just love to look across my bathroom and see the little mementos setting about. Well, they are all over my house actually.....little gifts that I cherish and that cause me to remember and to whisper a prayer for the many people who are so dear to me.