Update on Mom

I just talked to my sister, Mom is being kept at least another night, she is ill again. They are running quite a few tests, her gal bladder, kidneys, etc. to see where there may be a problem. Please continue to keep her in your prayers. Mom is 81. We pray they find what is wrong and that she bounce back soon. Blessings to all, Laurie

Thank God for Life Line. We signed my mother up for this when my sister moved, in case of emergency. Yesterday morning she used it. She became ill during the night with the stomach virus that is going around, and by 6 in the morning she was so ill. My sister was called and found her unable to move, in her chair. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital where they found her severely dehydrated and quite sick and very weak. All day yesterday they pumped her full of fluids. Mom will be there for a couple days, while they run some tests and let her regain some strength. Please keep her in your prayers. And if you know a senior who lives alone, please check on them. What a scary thing to go through. One of us girls visit Mom every day, and if we had known what was going to happen, well we didn't and are so grateful she pushed that button.

Eye of the Needle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-KQS_wLbGQ

If you haven't seen this yet, give it a look! This man is amazing, the things he sculps no bigger than the eye of a needle. I've never seen anything like this!

Love Comes in Many Ways

As I sit here at 2 in the morning with my cat on my shoulder, (his look-out post whenever I'm on the computer, I can't help but wonder what attracts some of us to creatures like this, and others to turn their heads in disgust. What makes him so beautiful to me, and so repulsive to others? I adopted Andy from the humane society because I felt so sorry for him. Part Sphinx, he was picked on by people coming in to look at the kittens, laughed at and ridiculed. He just sat in the cage, only 8 weeks old at the time, and you could see the sadness in his eyes. No one wanted to hold him or pet him. Why didn't anyone want him? What was so repulsive that couldn't be looked at as unique and beautiful? I had to take him home. Andy is one of my greatest joys. I wouldn't trade him for anything. He is the most affectionate creature, loving, more like a dog than a cat, he has to be with me all the time. He sleeps under my covers curled up by my chest, even follows me into the bathroom, and loves to play with the dogs. Andy is the ideal cat. He can perch on my shoulder anytime he wants. It wouldn't seem right if he didn't.

All Year Long

When my father was alive, it was a tradition in our church each Christmas, for him to join the choir in a recitation of this song by Larnel Harris, "All Year Long" With his deep, beautiful voice, he would recite the verses while the choir sang the refrain. It always moved the congregation to tears. With Dad gone now, I still reflect on the message of this song.
In our home, I have held to the tradition of taking down the decorations on January 6th, Epiphany; the arrival of the wise men to the manger, traditionally the 12th day of Christmas. Then comes the hard part. How to keep that spirit alive all year long. How do you? What traditions, acts, or feelings keep the birth of our Lord, and the purpose He came to us alive in your heart?



He braced the old ladder with all of His might
And shouted, "dad have no fear"
As I stretched high to store the stockings and trim
In the attic for another year.
We were busily packing our Christmas away
While singing a carol we knew
When I heard my son in innocence inquire
Do we store away Jesus too?

I smiled at my boy as again I explain
God's longing to reconcile
How He gave to the world the gift of new life
When His yearning became Mary’s child.
Though surrounded by all of man's goods we embrace
The hope of that Bethlehem night
We will never store this blessed gift away
With the tinsel and colored lights.

All Year Long,
We must worship day by day
All year long tis the season to obey.
May the Christmas tree lights
And the sleigh rides at night
Remind us all to stay
In Gods' presence
All Year Long.

As we welcome the Epiphany, may each of you, my dear blog friends, carry the spirit of Christmas in your hearts, and have a very blessed 2009.

Nature's Heart

I came across a blog called Pretty Paper Hearts. Each week is a challenge to make a heart of a different theme. This week is using objects from nature. For mine, I made the heart from bark I found in the yard, and embellished with holly leaves, cone flower seed pod, dogwood branches, pine needles, weeds, and some rose buds I found on the remains of my rose bush. I also used a piece of antique lace, which didn't show up too well. (I really need a new camera!) Check out the site, it's very interesting.

Morning Scene

While taking my morning walk, I noticed the ice on the holly bush. I wish the sunlight reflections would have shown up in the picture, like prisms dancing in the sun. It's still really pretty, though.