Christian Photographers Community

Our daughter and granddaughter came for a safe visit yesterday along with two friendly dogs - spoiled and they love petting attention too.  Masks on - Don and I are really doing all the prescribed suggestions.  It is just a new routine. They brought the artificial tree from the basement and set up our old Christmas things.  It was pleasant last night to be giving thanks and having the holiday routine begin.  Now to start some of the cooking and baking. 

Judy:  You two sure have had a real dump of snow this year.  We are late with snow - well there is still some on the ground but no difficulty in driving.   It can come and the moisture is needed. 

Our grandson who was in his truck accident is now at his own apartment - he will be taking physical therapy daily for some time.  His mother took him to the apartment and Chris climbed the stairs - I think he is or has been moved to a lower floor.  Thanks for all your concerns and prayers.  We won't be phoning him until he is ready.

Have you heard of Lee Strobel?  I think it is the correct spelling.  He used to be at a mega church nearby and we really enjoyed his sermons.  He is a writer not the pastor of the church - left to live in Texas (when a very strong pastor took over & is now gone).  We loved the early morning service until that huge change - a change in too many things that bothered us.  Lots of the seniors quit or were roughly let go.  Well, that pastor is gone - and Lee Strobel is back visiting - I really want to hear his sermons.  Otherwise, we have been going to a little Lutheran church that is what we grew up with and really feel at home. 

It will be a banner day when church opens again. 

 

Judy:  Sorry, I cannot read your notes - the size is too small.  I don't know what changed but this is on every one of your notes.  Sorry - Is anyone else experiencing this? Did you get that huge snowfall?  We have one more day of fair weather it will be more common to have a to have a few blizzards that will stop all traffic and planes. 

One son came for a visit last night - he has not been in our house for safety sake - sat on a stool with mask and far apart and talked about everything for over an hour.  I cannot tell you how much that meant to us - we are privileged to have such a caring family.   

Wonderful news from the UK that they have started the anti-virus jabs.  I really hope there will be a one jab cure some day because people are not going to follow orders to get the 2nd. shot.  Continue praying that the public listens to the experts. 

Judy:  Are your schools open?  I was wondering if John was driving  the bus - surely not in the 2 feet of snow days? 

    

I know that the devotionals are small.  So here try this!

https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/117217/advent-calendar-2020.pdf?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=98306444&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9tO7xCTgTEEiwDoKjxNU6lm-c_-5onqAObWqOMKrp1jDk8lbJnZotJPx5HCt1U2AWawlyEdJBe91x6D_GPJ7nzo4QvyA&utm_content=98306444&utm_source=hs_automation


OK That is the link for the Daily readings.  I have tried to enlarge the posts and I am missing something.  Times like this I am missing Pat. 

Yes both John and I are driving school bus this year.  We have had 2 snow days, however the rest of the time we are out there! 

I had a funny thing happen this week.  -20C and there was a cat walking down the middle of the road, lifting his paws carefully, cold!. I suspect he was a feral cat, we have lots of them around in the country.  Then said cat stopped in the middle of the road, I stopped behind him.
 I couldn't go around him, and didn't want to risk hitting the poor thing.  I waited..... Suddenly he must have heard the bus, or felt the vibrations on the road..... He turned around a look of shock on his face and then dove off the the field into about 2 feet of snow.
 Think a bullet out of a rifle!    I'm sure the 3 kids on the bus wondered why I was laughing!

R.I.P Dame Barbara Windsor age 83 ( Alzheimer's ) 10th December 2020..

Most famous for her roles in our Carry On films and EastEnders soap..

   Thanks Judy~

We have the snow but it isn't enough to even mention.  However, this is when I am really careful taking the garbage bins out to the curb.  A good friend fell and injured her hand permanently doing what we all do once per week. 

I mailed a little box yesterday - standing in line forever.  Don was in the car and I left my purse and only carried a $10 bill.  This little box was so light that I was positive it would be under $4 or so.  Lo and behold, our US post office told me it would be $10 and 75 cents.  A lady behind me stepped out of line and insisted on paying the 75cents.  Such a sweet thing to happen - it made my day. 

Jackie:  Praying for a cure for Alzheimer's Disease.  It is such a sad disease that affects family and friends.

We may try to get in touch with our grandson (who was injured in his truck roll over (ice plus a hole in the pavement).  We hope he would call when he could.  Our other grandson is in pilot training plus his job at the airport and he is in Minnesota now. 

Where is Janet?

 

Hello, my friends!  Have you missed me? 

Oh, Carol I'm so sorry about your dear grandson.  What is his name, so I can pray more specifically for him?  I pray they find a way to transport him home as comfortably as possible.  Hugs and much love to you, special Grandma.

Judy, glad they finally broke through the snow to your place.  Not fun, for sure!  They keep
predicting snow here, we did get a nice few inches, but need more.

I enjoyed all the music, but I cannot read the other things.  Will try to figure them out later maybe.

My news is that on November 28, I got up at 6 AM, was dizzy and fell across the couch near our bed.  Didn't hurt me, I waited a bit, but still needing the bathroom, got up ad tried again--,still dizzy, I staggered into the wall on opposite side of room, then, still trying to catch my balance, ran into a fan on a stand that Darrel hadn't put away since summer, knocked it down and fell on top of it.  It hurt so bad I could hardly bear it, but I thought surely it would let up.  We waited until 4 that afternoon, then decided I'd better go to emergency to get checked.  Darrel called ambulance, they took me in, I had X-rays, CT scan, blood work, etc.  They found I had fractured a rib fairly high in the right side of my back.  They don't tape or wrap you anymore for that, as they found a person won't breathe deeply enough, and often get pneumonia.  So I was given a big shot of morphine and sent back home.  Well, breaking one rib doesn't sound like much, but I have never had such pain from anything in my life!!  Day after day and night after night.  Every time I had to get up and go to the bathroom it was agony getting up from the chair and then back into it.  Finally we called our furniture store and asked if they had a lift chair, and thank God, they did!  And he is going out of business so we got it for half price (Thank You, God!)  That reduced my pain greatly!
Not sure when I will be able to sleep in bed, but I am improving and able to do a few things around the house. Doing a lot of sleeping, which is the best medicine.  I didn't leave the house for two weeks, then felt enough better to get out for a bit. Trying to finish up my Christmas cards.

God is Good, All the time!

Janet...
... as my late father often would have said " we never know what is waiting for us around that next corner " how true, i know i would have run a mile if i had seen my Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis coming, yes a figure of speech because i can barely walk, let alone run...

Sending my thoughts and Blessings for your future recovery...and do find out what is causing your dizziness, you dont want to be doing that again...

Jackie..

Janet:  That was some tumble you had in the house - so sorry for your painful recovery.  It is good you were not alone.  Grandson is recuperating at his apartment - his girlfriend checks on him.  We cannot visit until they finish  the battle with the virus.  It looks like months more. 

I believe stress is making making a lot of people feel this way - a tiny bit off balance.  We don't even know we are stressed but --we take extra care - never shake hands anymore and so many other ways to cope.  Yes, I believe in prayer and do so often every day - still we must be vigilant and I believe this is in our daily lifestyle now.  Going to pick up my prescription -for instance -we walk through only one door and exit another (same at doctor's office.  Always alert and careful to not walk close or towards anyone.  Driving is not easy - others are speeding over the limit - lots of inner anger out there. 

There were several interruptions for my typing this note.  Friends and family call often and we keep tabs on each other in the neighborhood as well.  Always appreciated.  Take care.

Janet:  Grandson  is sounding very good and is going to do all the exercises recommended.  .  He knows there is a reason for this episode in life. Thank you for your prayers. So sorry for the pain you are enduring and prayers for a speedy recovery.   

Judy:  Did you have that heavy snowfall?  We only have about 4 inches here.  This group of houses contracts with a company for street and sidewalk cleaning.  They just don't know how to really clean the sidewalk and driveway so I have to go out and do it right.  It is a good exercise.  They did clean our gutters so that was nice not to have icicles hanging over the garage entrance. I am almost half way into making some sweets for family and friends.

 



 
   

https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=Y6DK67NX&utm_medium=fbpage&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=cdupdate&fbclid=IwAR0mpsF2wnRMvyRs5C9dLoqOGR2MvUVA-Nv_ofZzeTL3YraPiSh1oXqANpg

Janet yes we got the snow. we now have about 2 feet.  WE are dealing with greater than -20C (-4F) temperatures.  Our busses don't like the cold.....The breaks don't want to release.  Several tricks we use to create the desired release.  One more day and we are off for 2 weeks.  However saying that we have been warned there may be a complete lockdown before the January startup. 

We are looking forward too a quiet Christmas day.  Heather and Jon will be with us. So dinner of duck and desert of English Plumb pudding or pie, we will be full.

Please click on that link, you will love that child's voice!

What a gift, where did that voice come from...absolutely beautiful...
Was that the mother playing the piano..

UK Christmas cancelled...
As the late Ken Dodd once sang...Tiers ( tears ) for Souvenirs...as we go into our new number 4 lockdown tier system over Christmas...I think Father Christmas needs to step in and put his foot down...i am sure he will have something to say about this...God wont be too pleased either...

The Star of Bethlehem is to make an appearance over Christmas, UK the 21st, for the first time in 800 years...This has to be a sign from God telling us that soon everything will be alright, after our nightmare Covid year 2020...one of God's miracles is soon to take place...

https://www.crosswalk.com/culture/music/away-in-a-manger-amazing-a-cappella-christmas-hymn.html?utm_medium=fbpage&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=cdupdate&fbclid=IwAR0FG5FwOWEO_snMcRQmqEWj407IbacSOdZTCLupj9__E_VjcmodXwfzT-Y

Our province is officially in lockdown on the 24th. Starting at 12:01 in the AM


https://globalnews.ca/news/7534030/ontario-new-coronavirus-restrictions-2/

Judy...
... could they not have waited one more day to have gone into your lockdown, that sounds so cruel...at least we ( UK ) have been allowed - granted us the Christmas day...

Thank you all for the good wishes.  I am doing a bit better day by day, still have pain and am undergoing tests on my heart to try to find the source of the dizziness.

At least we aren't going to be locked down.  Governor tried for a statewide mask mandate, but every county opted out. We Kansas folk are an independent lot!

I bought animals from Heifer international for my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids for Christmas.  I haven't been able to go out and shop, and why not help people who need it instead?  I hope they all understand.  I haven't hung or put out one ornament, or wrapped one gift.  Did get some cards in the mail, which caused me a lot of pain.

And I have some good news!  I have another Great-granddaughter!  Layna Marie is her name; her parents are both serving in the US Air Force, and they live near Little Rock, Arkansas.  She had a hard time getting here, mom was in labor for three days!  Have no idea when we will get to meet her.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and may you feel the Lord's blessings in your life.

Janet...
...sending positive energy for a clear result on your heart...I too am now booked for a lower stomach diagnostic test which will take place soon...
Welcome Layna Marie to your new home...although your home is now very different to the home of our past...

Well the good news is the lock down is to take place at 12:01 on the 26th.  So we can go to the Christmas Eve service..... Our celebration will be us and Jon and Heather, they live with us so that is legal.

We have milder temperatures, and snow.  A typical northern Ontario saying is "it is snowing so it is mild outside". Anyone else say that?  It is to get cold on the 26th again.

Marilyn I an sorry I forget to put my posts at a larger font.