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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.  Matthew 25:40 KJV

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20 NIV

A Serving Spirit

Big Miracle is a 2012 family film, is based on the 1989 book Freeing the Whales by Tom Rose, which covers Operation Breakthrough, the 1988 international effort to rescue gray whales trapped in ice near Point Barrow, Alaska.

Three California gray whales, trapped in a hole in the ice of the Arctic Circle, are discovered by television news reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski). Their plight is publicized after he does a feature on them, which he hopes might be his opportunity to move up to a larger TV market. His news story draws international attention and sets into motion a massive effort to free the whales from the ice.

Drawn into the collaborative rescue work are several normally hostile factions: Inupiat whale hunters, a Greenpeace environmental activist, an oil executive, ambitious news reporters, the National Guard, the American president and politicians on the state, national and international levels. Also joining in the effort are two entrepreneurs from Minnesota, who provide de-icing machines to help keep the hole open. Finally an enormous Soviet ice-breaker ship arrives to remove the last barrier before the whales.

We all see horrendous things happening on the news these days, many of us have had terrible things happen in our lives or in the lives of family and friends.  There are fires, devastating health reports, family problems, rebellious teens and for that matter adults who are rebelling against God.  All of these things discourage us beyond belief. 

As in the movie help can come from all directions.  With the fire that devastated Pat's Grandson's home help came from every possible source imaginable. Welfare folks gave, the wealthy gave, people who didn't know Angela, Steve, James and Sean, gave. It wasn't just the "family" around them who gave.  Hands gave.

Many times we feel the situation is hopeless and our hands are tied.  Yet Jesus Christ said whatsoever we do for the least of these we do for Him.  We are His hands when we offer to help, the hand on the shoulder in comfort, the meal prepared for a sick person or someone who has suffered a loss. The gathering of resources for those devastated by weather, fire, or earthquake.  The relief for The parent with a rebellious child.  We are His hands.

Thank you for that very thought provoking devotional today, Judy, and the most appropriate hymn.

This morning I'm convinced that fall is indeed on the way, despite the slow color changing.  I woke up to a chilly 48 F and it's expected to only reach about 70 F this afternoon.  Time to put the fans back in storage and clean the furnace.  Summer always seems to pass so quickly!   

Hi everyone.  Another very nice day here in Atlanta.  I got up and went to coffee at McDonald's and then two other men and I stopped at the park and walked probably a half mile.  They were doing another round when I left but I needed to stop as was getting arm pain.  It is gone now.  I have my Monday men's luncheon at 1 pm and a meeting to attend this evening so it will be a full day or at least as full as I want it.  Generally this would be the day for the housekeepers but we traded our regular day for tomorrow so our friends could have them clean from them today as they have company coming.  The yard people will be here later today to mow and clean up the yard. 

Janice, so nice of your granddaughter to honor you on Grandparent Day with a lunch she prepaped.  Glad you didn't have to go to the ER and that you are getting back to normal.  It is unsettling to have a house robbery but just glad you were away.  Years ago we had a burglary while we were out getting dinner and it was broad daylight.  I had left a garage window up and hadn't locked the door from the garage into the house.  Sounds like Jackie will keep you company and keep you busy.

Judy, thanks for the good devotional thoughts for this week.  We are indeed in God's hands and he has a plan for each of our lives.  We need to pray for His will to be done in our lives and for the strength and courage to listen for and carry out that plan.

Jeanne, the leaves will probably all change overnight. I am beginning to see the leaves dulling and some brown showing up.  The grass however, is still very green.

Another song by Casting  Crowns that I had on my mind as I prepared the devotional.... Check out the words.

"If We Are The Body"

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girl's teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgemental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

Jesus payed much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

Jesus is the way

I am back home the Memorial/ Celebration of John's life was so awesome. His sister made a beautiful DVD of his life from his birth to the end. It truly celebrated his life. Keith decided at the last minute to go with me and he was so glad that he did. There was so much food that Ann's refrigerator was so full Sarah had to bring a whole banana box of containers home with her. We got home yesterday around 4pm, and were both so tired we went to be at 7pm. I slept straight through until 5:30 this morning, didn't wake up even once during the night. I've been so busy so far today, baked a cake, made a oaf of whole grain bread, went to the gym and I still need to go buy 1 or 2 more Scrub tops for work at clinic. so I better get going.

Hi, friends, I'm a bit tired after a lovely weekend. My great grandson's birthday was a special time with friends and family from Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia there. They even had a birthday cake pinata, and the children loved hitting it with a small baseball hat until the candy all tumbled out.

What good, homespun fun, and great fellowship with in-laws and, just maybe, an "out-law" or two. 

Sunday included church with our birthday boy and brunch afterwards. The boys (almost 1 and 3) played about the yard while we adults enjoyed the wonderful weather and lack of pests. What a great relaxaing time with 4 generations represented.

Now, it's time to scurry around this week and prepare for next weekend's "adventure"!

Love to all, and most of all, love and adoration of our Lord.

Ruth Ann

   Well I am finally back.  It has been a long time since I have been here.  I talked to Pat yesterday and then I had read a lot of post's before I talked to her. It seems that you all have also been having a busy time.  We went to a cottage at the Beginning of August for two weeks and the kids and grand kid's came for the first week then we were on our own for the last week so that was a great time.  Then since we were up north we went and visited some of our niece's and nephews and my wife's sister so we were gone for most of the month of August.  But when I was away I had a problem with my left leg swelling and when I got home it kept doing it and then I a very small cut on it and it got infected so I had to go to the doctor and he gave me an antibiotic which it seems to be working.

We are going to Disney World this coming Sunday with my oldest son and his family to celebrate his daughter's 5th birthday and it will be a lot of fun

My wife is still having the same problems with her back and also her knee which today she had a M.R.I. to see if they can find a problem with it. 

So keep us both in your prayers.  Larry good to see that you are still managing to keep going look after yourself and Pat.

Etta Sue.  My wife has the same problem as you when she has to go to get blood work done it can be a real pain, but they started to use pediatric needles and they do not have the same problem so you should tell them about that and see what happens.

Well as you all see I am still a night hawk and I must get to sleep so may the Lord be with you all this week and may he give you all many op-pertunities to be a witness for him.  Good morning to all.  Gordon and Noreen.

Hi everyone.  Even though I didn't go to coffee this morning Pat asked me to go to McDonald's to get her some eggs and sausage for breakfast.  The housekeepers are here and it wasn't convenient for her to fix breakfast while they are trying to clean the kitchen.  While out I made a quick trip to the Post Office.  It is so nice out at 69 degrees and low humidity.  Pat has physical therapy at 11 am this morning and that will be the agenda for the day.  The yard people were here yesterday afternoon and the yard looks so nice as it is still green. 

Marilyn, glad you had such a positive experience ath the Celebratiion of John's life.  Glad that Keith went with you on the long trip.

Ruth Ann, it sounds like you had a wonderful time at the birthday celebration.  You are so fortuante to be able to enjoy these special times with your family. 

Gord, what a nice vacation.  Sorry to read about the swelling of your leg.  Do you have Disney World up your way?  Is your wife having to use a cane when she walks.  My wife has gotten to the point she doesn't take a step without the cane in her hand or where she can hold on to something else as doesn't trust her bad knee.

Larry no there isn't a Disney here they will have to go to Florida.

We have winter coming......No I am not happy about that. I think I need to become a snow bird!  There was frost on the ground two nights in a row now.

Yesterday I had Rambo our male spaniel to the vet to have his eye operated on.  In rough-housing with the cats they clawed him in the inner eye lid and that created a cherry eye.  I have an ointment to apply 3 - 4 times a day and antibiotics twice a day.  HE is really disoriented with the cone around his neck, and I am having to guide him around corners and into his kennel.  I take him out on leash for walks to relieve himself, as he tries to take the cone off.  I really don't blame him, as I am sure it interferes with his vision.

Today is to be a wonderfully warm day, a real treat after all the rain on the weekend and the cold nights!

Well, maybe not quite that cold, but 35 F at 6:00 a.m. comes close.   

Having the grass crunching under your feet as you walk at 8:30 am......comes close as well!  At least we didn't have a frost in August as we often do, that really messes up the end of summer!

I am just stopping by to tell you I'm back home again.  I will  be back later to tell you about my wonderful few days in Nebraska.  I was feeling bad when we left, worse when we got home, but am some better today.

Later!

Ooops!  I didn't post yesterday! 

Well, yesterday was a full day!  I had an appointment with the Nurse in the morning.  All my numbers are much better except I am almost anemic!  So I purchased some iron pills today and some stool softeners since iron pills cause constipation!  I know, TMI!

Then after lunch yesterday Kitty and I went to the movies...'2016--Obama's America'.  Re-affirmed what I have felt for over 4 years!!

Then last evening was Church Council meeting.  We hired a lawyer to go to bat for us in changing the person in charge of the drainage permit.  He is asking that the church purchases more acreage and then we have to have a 3-acre retention pond!  He is wanting us to solve the drainage problem for all of Clarksville and surrounding area!  This lawyer has butted heads with Mr. Ward before and won!!  We need a new church...this one is falling down!

Today was the pool, eating breakfast out and WalMart.  Now I have everything purchased for Euchre here at my house next Tuesday.  Now I can concentrate on cleaning and then cooking! 

I am way behind on recorded TV shows so I need to do that and crochet.  Also need to mow tomorrow and then next Monday...need a nice pretty yard for company!

We left early Friday morning for the drive to Hershey, Ne.  (About 15 miles or so from North Platte.)  We stayed until Monday morning, and in that time, we packed in: visiting, cooking, tying a quilt, going to church, going to a movie--2016--everybody should see that!, picking produce from Sis's garden, lots of laundry and dish washing, going shopping together, four sisters, a sister-in-law and a niece, and other stuff I'm not remembering just now.  Oh, yeah, we all ate at Applebee's together, too--another first!

One sister remarked a couple of times that this might be the last time we are all together.  I hope it won't be, but we are all into our seventies now, and some have failing health in some ways, so we don't know.

We had such fun shopping together!  We hit the thrift stores!  And some were as nice as other clothing stores, and we loved the prices!  Niece JoAnne would make a wonderful "personal shopper" as you only needed to tell her what you were looking for, and she could find it!  We had a ball.  And we went to another store where prices were from 55% to 90% off, so almost as good!  Ha!

Good to see you posting again, Janice!

Darrel and I were up at 3:30 this morning to drive John to the airport in Garden City; then we drove straight back home and went back to bed!

I will close and talk to you later!

A couple of comments.  I believe this coming election is the most importsnt one we've had in my entire lifetime.  I just want to ask every one of you to pray, to seek our Lord's direction for your vote.    I urge you all to pray  for God's direction for you, your relatives and friends, and everyone you know.  Not that we deserve it, but may God have mercy upon us all through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen and AMEN, Al.

I had to go back to the Physical Therapist today for another manipulation, At yoga class this morning I had to go from a sitting position to  laying flat on my back the the room started to spin. Upon returning home I immediately called the therapist office and got in this afternoon.

Marilyn, is that the Epley Maneuver that you are getting done?  I have read about that, but there is no one around here who does that treatment. 

Hi, friends, I'm so relieved, for Judy and Bonesy helped my son make up his mind about a career. He leaves on Sunday for training school.

Also more praises - had a great telephone visit with my disabled son last evening - how good to be able to have a conversation with him!

May God bless each of us real good - He alone knows our needs and how to be with us through our Comforter each hour of each day.

Love to y'all,
Ruth Ann

   I am so glad to back on here.   I am going away on Sunday for  a week but will do my best to get back on as soon as we come back home. 

Ruth Ann.  It is so good to here that you were able to be able to talk to your kids and keep in touch as it is so important to stay in touch with them .  We miss them when you don't here from them and you think that they have fallen of the earth.   We have to leave them with the Lord and he will work things out.  God bless for now.  Gordon.

Hope that you will have a wonderful rest of the week. Love in Christ.   Gordon and Noreen.

I have spent some time revising/adding to the interview questions I use for my stories about the people in the care home.  My sisters helped me a lot, to add new ones.  I don't want the stories to get repetitive at all.

Gord, good to have you back.  Enjoy your week away and come back soon.

I have a chiropractor appointment in a little while, then plan to get busy doing some laundry.  I am feeling better each day and not coughing nearly so much now.

Can you believe that, even though the Chicago school teachers are on strike and the schools are closed, they are still open for breakfast and lunch?  To the tune of $3,000,000 per day!

Oh, how we do need to pray for our country!  If we don't, as President Reagan said, we will be "a country gone under."

Ruth Ann, so happy for your good news!

I must get dressed, see you later.

We do indeed need to pray for our country, and for God's leading in the coming election.  I have primary voting tomorrow and at least one of the positions still has me wavering.  There are two candidates from the same party and both have recently said or done something to "turn me off".   It will have to be God's hand that fills in the right circle. 

Janet the Ontario teachers are in an uproar here because the government has taken away their right to strike as well as their right to "bank" their sick days, among other things.  One teacher in 21 years has banked over 30 000 dollars.  I know of no other public sector job that allows banking sick days, also at 20 days in a 10 month year!  As a result to get the big end of career payout they go to school sick, infecting more students and teachers.    The thing that bothers me about this is the inequality to other vocations.  John doesn't get sick days, if he is off sick it is on our dime, and he works all holidays unless he specifically asks it off, even then it may not be granted.

Rambo is doing well.  he likes the ointment I put in his eye, I know it relieves the dryness and pain.  The "cone of shame" as Kassie puts it is imparing his vision, the only way I  can explain it is he no longer knows the size of his head!  He is funny to watch, however I am keeping him kenneled most of the day as that keeps him from trying to rub his eye.

I didn't feel the grass crunching when I went out this morning. furnace has been turned off, the sun  is shining, and I have a room to paint.  I am looking forward to it being done, then we can move the furniture back!

I bought the puppy's cat collars yesterday.  there is one very timid pup who needs a special home.  She is a little lover, however she tends to be timid and stress pees.  she will need someone patient with her, who won't get upset with the stress reaction.  I would keep her however 4 dogs is too many!

Have a great day everyone.

Judy, what is a puppy's cat collar?  New one on me!

I think teachers get treated pretty darn good, myself, and don't have that much to complain about.  The Chicago ones are upset that Rahm Emmanuel wants them to be proficient teachers and have students' grades prove it.  What's wrong with that?  IMO, the teachers unions should be abolished.  Okay, off my soapbox now.

I need to get more laundry going, fold a load, too.

Janice, No not the Epley maneuver did not work for me and neither did the other one I found online, The therapist said that those aren't  sufficient for what was going on in my ear.  There are 3 tubes in the ear shaped like loops. When a Calcium crystal breaks loose and starts floating in one of those tube, the Therapist has to perform certain moves with my head in order to know which tube it is in. Then does the movement for that particular tube to move the crystal out of the tube. He said that Doctors are not specifically trained to do the moves or to know what to look for, most of them will give a hand-out and tell the patient to do the moves themselves. No one does them properly without being specifically trained.

I got pleasantly surprised last evening.  My SIL called and asked what I had planned for dinner.  Nothing planned...maybe some popcorn.  So Kaye Don, Barb, Ivalou and I went to Famous Dave's BBQ.  It's a new restaurant at a fairly new shopping center in Noblesville.  I got the BBQ Buddies....miniature sandwiches for 4 different larger versions.  Now my problem is...they were all so good, I don't know which I would choose if I were to get the larger sandwich. 

Today I have already mowed the grass.  Hopefully, I can mow next Monday and the yard will look nice for Euchre Tuesday!  Now I am doing some laundry!

Need to get my agenda planned so I will be ready for Euchre at 3pm Tuesday!

Marilyn, I thought your explanation of the treatment for your vertigo sounded soooo complicated and confusing.  Then I saw the diagram and got even more confused!    I'm glad you've found a qualified therapist who know what he's doing and who is really helping you.

Hi everyone.  We have been gone all morning as Pat felt up to attending Bible study this morning and then we went over to the donut shoppe for another hour.  So we are seeing progress.  I am eating a bite of lunch and trying to catch up on the messages and discussions that I follow.  Nothing else on the schedule for today and I am ready for a rest period after lunch.

I have read all the postings but it is late today so will not make any individual comments.  I should have more time tomorrow.

Jeanne maybe I can make it easier to understand.  See the vestibule that is where the calcium crystals are formed, why ? they just do. If one breaks loos and goes into one of those 3 tubes, The therapist has to do a vestibular manipulation to get the crystal back into the vestibule. He turns the head is such a manner as to make that happen. 

Hi, friends, we've been hurry-scurry all day today addressing things on my son's checklist prior to leaving for his training.

So, you know who is tired this evening.

No more news except to say that our Lord is good. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the scripture in Psalms 136. In fact, the first 2 verses of this song were the ones I chose to teach our children at the day care I founded at our church many years ago. To this day, those verses are precious to me.

On another day when not so tired, I'll tell you a wonderful story about how praying that prayer ended up bringing one of the adults who attended the day care center to our Lord and Saviour.

For now - may our Lord richly bless each person who comes to this discussion.

Love, Ruth Ann