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Morning Devotional...


But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. --Galatians 6:14

The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it. The old cross brought tears and blood; the new cross brings laughter. The flesh, smiling and confident, preaches and sings about the cross; before that cross it bows and toward that cross it points with carefully staged histrionics--but upon that cross it will not die, and the reproach of that cross it stubbornly refuses to bear.

I well know how many smooth arguments can be marshalled in support of the new cross. Does not the new cross win converts and make many followers and so carry the advantage of numerical success? Should we not adjust ourselves to the changing times? Have we not heard the slogan, "New days, new ways"? And who but someone very old and very conservative would insist upon death as the appointed way to life? And who today is interested in a gloomy mysticism that would sentence its flesh to a cross and recommend self-effacing humility as a virtue actually to be practiced by modern Christians? These are the arguments, along with many more flippant still, which are brought forward to give an appearance of wisdom to the hollow and meaningless cross of popular Christianity.
Dr. Tozer in The Pursuit of Man, 53,54.

"Lord, it's not popular today to be 'old-fashioned.' But I commit myself today to the old cross. Help me today to deny myself, to take up my cross, and to follow You. Amen."

very gusty winds and the temp did drop. 

We worked most of the afternoon and will drive two vehicles tomorrow to the new home.  We can get in right away Tues morning so will stay Monday night with one son.

Under_:  The writing just have a pleasant rhythm - glad you like it as well.

Pat:  Thanks for the update on Judy Mc.  Am praying that this is the final surgery and healing will be complete. 

Marilyn:  It sounds like you could use a quiet time - are you still going to Curves? 

Etta Sue:  Do hope that you feel better soon.  Sending chicken soup!

Nice to read all the posts and see everyone has been very busy.
We are having nice weather here on the island and it is expected to become very hot this week.  Hope not too hot!

I enjoy your video's Colin and love the music.  Such a beautiful country.  Also enjoy all the graphics being posted and they bring a smile....

Sorry about Judy M and have prayed and will do so again.  They are fortunate to have you for a friend, Pat.

My granddaughter was housesitting for her former art teacher this past week.  They have two dogs and since she works on the weekend, my daughter and I went to let them out at lunch time for a run, yest. and today.  Lovely ocean view property and the dogs are so sweet.  A very old black lab and a little white maltese.  Bear and Snoopy.  Also a nice bird that my daughter got to talk a little.  She is really good with birds. 

We took my cat Misty to be groomed and she is all ready for the hot weather coming this week.  Was really good but had a hard time getting her to go into the carrier.  Not a problem when it was time to come home...

I have been having a few health problems and must go see the doctor this week.  Not my fav. thing to do.  Guess with my 76th birthday coming in Sept. it is wise to accept changes.  Mostly ignore things and hope they will correct with time.  Papa John posted a version of Psalm 90:10 that stuck in my mind:

The length of our days is 70 years
or eighty if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass and we fly away.

I alway enjoyed Papa John's postings and keep track of them on S.N.  A very wise man.

That is a lovely prayer, Carol.  Melody, your postings are so nice.  It is good to see another Canadian posting.  Lots of things going on in BC with the holiday weekend and the North American Indigenous Games here in the Cowichan Valley.  Next comes the Olympic Games in 2010....

It has been a long day and time to rest.

Pleasant Evening/Day and God Bless.

Liz

To all today . It's clody here today and I am waiting for sun
Janet-I think its great to be able to  do scuba !!
Gord you did have a big bbq group. Did I mention I love BBQ
Pat May God bless you for being so kind and thoughtful to others.
Liz-Love that signature. That is my heartbeat also.
Marylin-so you don't know what a jiggs dinner is! It's a  lot of vegetables (potatoes, turnip, carrot , cabbage and usually salt meat for a good taste  and roast meat or chicken with Lots of gravy over it) It's a heaping plate full and you will enjoy a good jiggs dinner!-Yummy.
Hello to Janet, Colin, Summicron, AL , Larry, Under_His_Shadow, Etta Sue, Carol and others that I don't remember the names yet but I am getting use to all your postings and enjoy each one.
Got to go

Melody Jiggs dinners sound very good.

Good Morning Everyone!

It's going to be a hot day today in Guelph!  I'm closing my blinds.  Geordie doesn't even want to be out there. 

Let's have a great week here on Christian Photographers!

Have you all checked out our latest challenge?

Hi everyone.  Pat, we also are on tap for a very hot day.  I will have to get out around 1 pm to go to meet a couple of other men for lunch and then this evening we are meeting friends at the place where we have the ribs.  This is going to be a challenging day for my diet but I have a plan in mind, including bringing most of my ribs home this evening.  I will just have a big lettuce salad with a little baked chicken for lunch and that will not play havoc with my WW points for the day.  For some reason I am feeling very weary today and decided not to walk this morning as I am really dragging.  Just hope this is not related to the congestive heat failure as have been taken off the diuretic. 

Pat, I think the devotional hits the nail on the head.  We shouldn't be going to church to be entertained but to worship and to be feed from the Gospel. 

Liz, hope there is nothing too seriously wrong but a good thing to see your doctor. 

Melody, is the jiggs dinner like a pot luck dinner?  Thanks for the info as I didn't have a clue as to what it was since I had never heard the term before.

Carol, I know tomorrow will be a big day when you can finally have access to your new home and get serious about getting it ready. 

Janet, glad you enjoy being in the water.  I never really learned to swim although can make it across the pool and can float on my back.  I just never mastered the breathing part.  Unfortunately, now I am not physically strong enough to swim as the exertion brings on the heart pain.  Even the low impact water aerobics became too much for me and so I gave up my "Y" membership.

Ruth, I am sure different weight programs appeal to different people.  So far I think this is the program for me.  What makes it a bit challenging for me is that we eat out a lot and there are many items on the menu that I have to stay away from that I would really like to order.  Actually, having ordered many of these items in the past is why I need to be doing the WW's now. 

I do have some good news to share concerning our daughter.  She spoke by phone with her doctor this morning and he had read the MRI they did while she was in the hospital and it shows the infection had not infected the bone as he had first thought.  He confirmed that she does have Charcot syndrome which is a rare complication of neuropathy in diabetes and is characterized by an acute inflammatory episode of the foot that is associated with variable degrees of dislocation, fracture, and deformity. It has no single cause but represents the final common pathway in people who are predisposed to its development by the varying overlap of several different factors.  She does have bone fractures in her foot as well as the infection site.  He told her there is treatment but it is a long and difficult process.  He also told her she must be careful on walking to the point of bringing on the pain in her foot, which right now is a serious problem, and that she will likely have to walk using a cane the rest of her life.  I am thinking that after she gets moved to another floor in her apartment where she will have an elevator and no steps to contend with that she is going to need an electric scooter or wheelchair so that she can have mobility to get where she needs to go.  The buses and subway are handicapped accessible and people use these mobility devices and the transit system all the time.  She foot will be subject to the broken bones and her not even knowing it, which is apparently what has happened as she has three places where the bone has cracked or broken.  The doctor told her that after the blood test tomorrow if her white count is OK she will be able to finish the antibiotic IVs this week and have the picc line removed on Friday.  All of this was very good news to her this morning.

O Melody we are going to have a Jigg....great stuff!

Hi everyone and salutations from N. Ireland. Read all the posts and keep up to date with all your goings on. Glad you all enjoy the videos. Sorry Pat if you cant see them.

Having trouble with Windows Moviemaker....it wont let me save to the computer. It just freezes. Any ideas abart from giving it a good kick!

Glad I have some more videoes in Godtube of Jeannine's Excursions so I can give you another helping until I figure something out. I have been playing around with Roxio and it looks quite good but I have found a lot of drawbacks too. O well!

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=698b0e7d6f720f4d20a7

Please enjoy.  

Church was awesome.  The message being Why does God allow suffering in good people?  Very interesting sermon.  Then Sunday School and then seven of us ladies went to Olive Gardens for lunch. 

Again, Saturday night was a rough night for sleeping.  I saw 3am before finally going into la-la-land.  I was so sleepy after I got home that I honestly fell asleep playing my Mahjongg games on the computer!! 

Then Kitty came at 4.  We shared a sandwich and fries at Arby's...she is diabetic so has to eat.  Then off to the State Fair to see how our photos did.  Most of the guild only got two out of three entries hung...including myself.  One lady got a Special Award.  There was a few 1st, a dab of 2nds and some 3rds and one 4th.  Some Honorable Mentions.  I?....me?...I got a third place ribbon for my Twirled Maple entry...I am so jazzed about it!  (Remember Soni saying jazzed?)  And that's a $20 cash prize, too! 

After the fair, Kitty and I stopped at Chili's for chips and salsa.  Then we went to her house to get a bag of garden goodies.  She set them by a door so she wouldn't forget to bring them to me and then went out a different door.  So for lunch I am having bacon, tomato sandwich, a summer squash and cucumbers and onions.  YUM!!

I hear thunder in the distance.  It was sunny when I got up but has turned to cloudy now.  Actually we do need rain.....except rain makes the grass grow and when the grass grows, I have to mow the grass....

Yessir, Colin!  I did!  (Enjoy, that is.)   

Carol, good you are on the home stretch with changing houses, will rejoice with you when you're all moved and settled again.  God bless.

Larry, Stacey's foot problem sounds really complicated, but glad it wasn't infection in the bone.  And at least now you know what you're dealing with, as does she.  Not knowing is very hard, and that's what we are dealing with in Beth's case now.  Someone made an appointment in Amarillo for her, and we don't even know who did it, nor why, nor if the MRI results have even gotten to her doctor!  It is frustrating beyond words.  When I was in charge of her appointments, etc., at least we knew what was going on; now the care home, plus two different doctors are involved, and they leave Beth and us out of the equation, as if we don't have a need to know!  But guess who is to transport her to the appointment?  Us, of course.    Okay, off the soapbox, and I will make an appointment with the doctor this week to see what's going on.  I need my prescriptions rewritten, anyway.

Pat, it's really hot here, too.  Was 105 yesterday.    And so terribly dry, as well.

Melody, so happy to have you as a "regular" here! 

Liz, hope you soon feel much better.  Not fun feeling draggy and punk.  I'm doing great except for my feet, when I'm on them too long.

I need to do some research on the computer, go see about Beth, get a couple things at $ General........back later.

Hi, Etta Sue!  I see you have posted as I was typing, so will see what you have to say this morning!

I sure like this new browser I am using, it Safari for windows. IE has been freezing up my computer so much lately I was having to reboot it  3-4 times a day. Apple used to just have this for the Mac but recently published it for free the Windows too. Sure is nice. It even has automatic spell check just like Word.

Sounds good, Marilyn.

Hi everyone.  Life is never simple.  We had gone out with friends to dinner last evening and then stopped by the house to put some left overs in the refrigerator and saw a message on the phone.  It was from our daughter.  Pat called her and she was having severe chest pain, which would stop with the nitro.  She had to call 911 and was taken back to Grady hospital to the ER.  Pat talked with her at midnight and she was still in pain but they had given her some morphine and were waiting for the blood test results to come back to see if she has had another heart attack.  Her blood sugar had gone way up, the heart rate was way too high and her blood pressure was too high.  We haven't heard from her this morning. 

We had planned to go to her apartment this morning and take her to the hospital to have another blood test to determine the effects of the antibiotic.  We will still go down today as when she called 911 she was hooked up to the IV and wasn't able to pack anything to take with her.  She said she had the clothes she had on, her shoes and her cane.  I am sure it was a very long night for her. 

Marilyn, I have the Safari browser on my computer and have used it.  I think they recently made some improvements in it.  I decided I liked the Firefox the best so use it and the Internet Explorer as my browers.

Janet, It sounds like you have the right to raise a little ruckus so that you are not left out in the dark.  It doesn't sound like you are being treated correctly, nor is Beth.  She certainly has a right to know why and what they are doing that involves her. 

Etta Sue, congratulations on your prize winning photo and the cash prize.  I am sure the State Fair is a high level of competition.

Colin, have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Movie Maker software?  Sometimes files get corrupted and this is the easiest way to correct them.  Another possibility is to use the system restore feature of Windows XP or Vista to go back to when things were working correctly.

This is going to be a long day and a very hot one here but we do what we have to do.  Hope things go well for each of you today.

Hi Larry...so sorry to hear about your daughter having all this trouble again. I am sure you and your wife are worried yet you take time to say hello to all of us and to share your advice. I would like to thank you for that in regards to Moviemake. I will get my son Gregory to have a look. I have done a couple of short videos in Roxio. I like the transitions in it but find it harder to work with than Moviemaker. Will pray for you and your family Larry. I hope I did not discourage the other day about Weightwatchers. It seems to be a very good programne and lots of people I know have lost weight through it. It is just keeping the weight is the problem! God bless

Hi all who will board this ship today.

From my part of the world today.
Larry thinking about you and your wife today has you once again see your daughter taking to hospital. I am

Colin I looked at the other video and really enjoyed this one also. In it you (about the middle) showed a few seconds of a duck that to me is similar to the one we have here. At least I thought it was

Have a God Blessed day everyone.

Good morning folks.  It is a beautiful day here in the north.  I have 3 sickies in the family, John and Kassie being the worse.  This cold/ virus really takes the stuffing out of a person.

I have read all the posts.  I am praying. 

I have been looking for a pattern making kit.  Finally was able to contact the company who made it and found out that they have closed the doors to their business, retired and they have no more stock left.  Well there is EBAY, so that is my next option.

We were to have Kids Sewing Camp this week.  The teacher has the same cold as the girls, so she cancelled, and there were only three to the class so that has been cancelled as well.  Perhaps we will try again later this month.

I must run, work to do and letters to answer.

Have a great day and make it a God Day.

Luke 14:28-30

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish."

Can ants count? It seems so! When a scout ant finds an item of food too big to carry, but especially good, the scout will return to the nest to get help. Scientists have discovered that ants apparently size up the task ahead so that they can return with just sufficient help.

One scientist cut a dead grasshopper into three pieces. The second piece was twice as big as the first, and the third was twice as big the second. He then left the pieces in different locations where ants could find them. He watched as each was discovered by a scout, inspected, and each scout returned to the nest for help. When the scout returned with help, the scientist counted the number of ants working at each piece of grasshopper. The smallest piece had 28 ants and the piece that was twice its size had 44 ants working on it, almost twice as many as the smallest piece. And how many ants do you think were working on the piece that was twice the size of the second? If you doubled that 44 to 88 you would be within one of being right – Yes, there were 89 ants working to return the biggest piece to the nest!

The ants were carrying out the Biblical principal to: "count the cost of the project before you begin it."

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, You spared nothing for my salvation, even though it cost You terrible suffering and death. As Yours, give me wisdom to plan well in the things of the world, but no desire to withhold anything from You because of the cost. Amen.

Larry, I'm so sorry about Stacey.  Poor girl is having such difficulty.  Please know that I'll be praying for all of you at this time.

Judy, I hope that all the "sickies" get better soon.  Looking forward to having a coffee with John this week.

Quote
I?....me?...I got a third place ribbon for my Twirled Maple entry...I am so jazzed about it!  (Remember Soni saying jazzed?)  And that's a $20 cash prize, too! 

CONGRATULATIONS, ETTA SUE!!!

I'm so proud of you and for your accomplishment!

Karma has posted a prayer request HERE

I am taking Kass to the hospital for a check out later today.  John has a Doctor's appointment, and Elizabeth seems somewhat better today. 

I didn't take the time to watch the video of Karma's, but am praying.

This is a slow day that started off with flared tempers here at work, someone is stirring problems and we don't know who. 

BUT GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL

Ivalou and I both needed to go to the bank and to Dollar General so what better excuse than that to go out for lunch.  We both had Swiss Steak sandwiches at Woody's.  Yum! 

Thanks to all for the comments about my third place ribbon photo at the Indiana State Fair.  Ivalou and I have decided that the only time we both have a day free to go to the fair is this Friday.  Just hope it doesn't rain. 

Not much else going on here today.  It was raining earlier and when I got up my bistro table with the umbrella up was blown over.  So we must have had some wind last night.  Truthfully, I didn't hear wind or rain...just some thunder in the distance.

CONGRATULATIONS, Etta Sue!  Way to go!  I'm so happy for you.

Larry, so sorry to hear of Stacey's further problems.  Just sometimes feels as if there is no end to troubles, doesn't it?  But I admire your steady encouragement and good sense, and dealing with things as they come.  We cannot do more.

I worked today, took another pair of shoes along and changed about two hours before getting off.  That plus two Ibuprofen helped me make it through.  But I should have quit earlier!  Now another cook has given notice, last day to be the 25th, and I will feel even worse about quitting.      I shouldn't have hesitated.

I believe a little nap is in order for me! 

Father, I pray You'll so move in Janet's situation that the care center will have adequate help without her.  I pray You'll provide her strength, along with wisdom to know what to do.  Bless her with special energy, strength, etc. even while she's working, so she'll know You are there in all Your mercy and love through Jesus Christ.

Hi everyone.  Thank you all for your expressions of concerns and for the prayers for our daughter and for us.  Yesterday it was confirmed that our daughter had suffered her 4th heart attack, all of these in the last two years.  She is to undergo yet another angiogram in the cath lab sometime this morning.  Pat and I both detected that she is pretty fearful but is trying to hide that from us.  We will go to the hospital as soon as the rush hour is over so she will know she is going into the procedure with us there for her.  We spent only about an hour with her yesterday as she was very tired and needed to be resting and not talking, which she does when we are there. 

Yesterday while at her apartment made arrangements for her to move on October 12th to the 9th floor into an apartment close to the elevators and where she no longer will have steps to deal with.  We have to go through the requalification process again and pay another $150 transfer fee and the rent is going up $30 next year from what she has been paying.  Fortunately, all of the utilities, except water, is included in the rent so there is basically a fixed cost per month. 

Janet, I sense you feel a personal responsibility but that is the role of the management.  I take it you have not yet given your notice.  However, this has to be your decision and not something you do because your friends here push you in that direction. 

Judy, sorry to hear of the illness in your household.

Thanks to you all for the other postings and comments.

Well we went to the Dr, at the walk in clinic last night and were told Kass hjas strep throat.  OK we can deal with that.

On the way home we saw a beautiful rainbow to the east, actually it was a double bow.  What a beautiful site.  This morning we were shocked at the news that Bonfield, a small community to the east of us has had most of its roads washed out.  I was wondering at the darkness of the clouds to the east.  We are to have up to 60mm of rain again today.  Our creeks and rivers are swollen from yesterdays rain, so for many this could be a problem.
Interesting note from a customer.  We here in the north have had so much rain this season and yet further north in the North West Territories they have had no rain since April.......So strange.

Well I really must go.  Much to do today.
God bless and I am praying for the needs represented here.

Just passing through!  Hi y'all! (Larry, I am praying for your daughter)  Take care.

Samantha

Al, thanks for that prayer--on target, as usual. 

Larry, I am praying for your daughter today.  And thanks for the words of wisdom, you are also on target!  I do tend to make things my personal responsibility when I shouldn't.  That comment is helpful to me.  They have me scheduled to work next Monday, after I told them I will NOT be here, as we will still be in Nebraska.  They can cover it or not, I have told them more than once. 

We had quite a storm last night!  I decided to join Weight Watchers and was at that meeting at the Senior Center, when a terrible wind hit, really blowing stuff all over.  Then behind the wind came the rain--sheets of rain!  As I was driving home, I could barely see with wipers on fast.  And all the street lights had been knocked out, too.  I don't know how much rain we got, but we are thankful for every drop.

I'm ready to go for my swim, then will go to the care home and if necessary the doctor's office in an attempt to sort out what is going on with Beth's appointment, and track down that MRI!! 

Wishing you all a blessed day.
Janet

And God bless to each one.
I have read the post and praying today for the needs represented here.
Last night we had a time to pray for each other in our prayer meeting and I think that is something we need to do.
Pat loved that story on ants a lot of truth in it.
Have a great day all