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Morning Devotional...




God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1


Recommended Reading
Psalm 46



Robert Vicino is preparing for the end of the world. His California-based company is constructing hardened underground bunkers all over the globe designed to withstand disasters that have the potential of extinguishing humanity. His most exclusive bunkers are inside a German hillside, where you'll find swimming pools, restaurants, multiple gyms, a hospital, a bakery, and even a zoo, which is designed to preserve some of earth's animal species. These five-star super bunkers are priced for the very rich.

No bunker or bomb shelter on earth can truly protect us from the distresses of life or the realities of death. But Jesus can. The Bible says our lives are "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The psalmist cried, "From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2).

Cast your cares on Him today. Give Him your fears. Christ is your hiding place, and you can dwell securely in the hollow of His hand and under the shelter of His wings.


When the storms of life are raging, tempests wild on sea and land, / I will seek a place of refuge in the shadow of God's hand.
Mary Servoss, in her 1878 hymn, "He Will Hide Me"

Hi everyone.  It is a beautiful and sunny Sunday morning.  However, I noticed in the weather reports that it is considerably warmer in Missouri and Iowa than we are here in the South.  However, we will warm up this afternoon.  I had a good nights sleep and our plans for today are primarily to go to Sunday School and Church and probably get something to eat before coming home.  I didn't accomplish anything special yesterday.  I have an HP printer that I have used remanufactured ink in for a long time.  Yesterday I had to change a couple of the cartridges and the printer locks up with the message about not being an HP cartridge.  So I put in two additional new ones with the same result.  The HP ink cartridges are about $60 for a set.  I am thinking seriously of getting a laser printer for black and white printing and guess I will have to bite the bullet and get a set of the expensive ink for color printing.  The other alternative is to just get a new combination printer. 

Carol, sounds like a good idea to break up your break back to your Colorado home and not drive late.

Janet, grandpas find it hard to say no to their grandchildren, especially sweet grand daughters.  Glad you finally have gotten a decent amount of rain. So sorry for Beth now battling another disease.  Apparently the doctors all of these years haven't looked beyond the Neurofibromatosis.  Beth and you all will be in my prayers.  No wonder you are worn down and have low resistance.  Maybe the cold is a way to get you to slow down and get the needed rest. Great news on your EKG.

Jeanne, thanks for the new devotional thoughts for the week.  Living in a mountain sure doesn't sound appealing to me.  I would rather be with our Lord. 

Hello Everyone!

First  of all, I'm so upset about the "mistake" that they've not shared with you for over 10 years, Janet about Beth.  That's absolutely terrible.  And her eyes?  Wow!  What a time you've been having.  I will continue to pray for her, Janet.

Thanks Marilyn for the link about Freckles.  Lovely!

Jeanne, what a wonderful devotional this week.  Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

Hi, friends,

I'm sorry I've been away, but have felt overwhelmed.

The company sent out a new cleaning lady Thursday, and she did an excellent job. I'm not to be billed for the disaster last Saturday.

I'm dealing with a difficulty with my leg. I nearly toppled over in the bathroom (they say often elders fall there), and have intense pain when trying to walk. So, the old faithful walker is unfolded and we've become close "friends." Perhaps my primary care physician can figure out what's causing such a long delay in healing from this. Come Tuesday, it will be 3 weeks since I nearly fell.

And, my poor sister in law's foot infection has now moved into the bone, and she will enter the hospital Wednesday for removal of the infected bone. She doesn't think it will entail any more amputation of toes.

Well, it's been great catching up on the news.

May God bless each of us with the strengths He alone knows we need.

Love to all,
Ruth Ann

Hi everyone on a bright and sunny 52 degree morning here in South Carolina but headed up to 82 degrees this afternoon.  I have for me a busy day ahead.  This morning I need to get to the Post Office and then want to look at new laser printers and will also buy ink for my HP printer.  Then at noon I have a meeting and plan on a quick stop at COSTCO on my way home for a couple of items.  Then this evening is our monthly men's meeting at church.  Pat has her Circle meeting this morning at church.

Yesterday morning we had an unusual experience.  Pat had turned off the TV and gone to the kitchen area when the TV came back on by itself.  She tried to turn it off and couldn't and I had the same results.  Most of the remote control keys also wouldn't work including mute or lowering the volume but could change channels.  We had to leave to get to Sunday School so just left it on.  When I got home I did a Google search on this problem and found that I just needed to unplug it and it would reset itself.  The TV sits on the mantel above the fireplace and the plug in is almost to the top of the TV.  I got the step stole and was able to unplug it and put an extension cord into which I plugged the TV so I won't have to climb up if this happens again.  Now the TV seems to be fine. 

Pat, good to see your post and hope you are feeling better day by day. 

Ruth Ann, so sorry your is not getting better.  You certainly don't need another fall so please continue to use that walker.  I know it is limiting to use it but it may well prevent something serious from happening to you.  Sorry about the new problems for your SIL.

Janet, how inept Beth's care keepers seem to have been and how discouraging the news must be for her and for you.  Praise the Lord that He seems to have led you to someone who has her welfare at heart.

So far as casting our cares on the Lord...  I have a strange one (and Pat is feeling the effects also) and I don't know whether it's something God is allowing it in order to grow my faith, or whether it's something satan is behind.  But for some strange reason I have been unable for over a week now to access Seniors and Friends at all.  Nothing else seems to be affected, only the one site.  It may seem like something strange to include in a prayer request, but all prayers for this problem to be resolved will be appreciated.

We planned to drive to another town and take my cousin and husband to lunch - but they had been to the airport so early this morning & I asked if she needed us to come another day - so we will plan for tomorrow.  Meanwhile, I need to paint some picture frames for three pieces of desert scenes for this place. 

Electronics are taking over our lives.  We had a warning from Homeland Security to take Apple Quick Start off our computers immediately - so we did.  I only hope it wasn't a hack into that system - it is difficult to believe what comes across in messages.

I put two chairs and ottomans on sale beginning today and Don will put two IKEA very good back supporting chairs together for the living room.  We have had them before and really like them.  Struggling here (me) to use a fancy Keurig coffee machine - it is more complicated, sometimes the cups don't fit and I have to put those grounds into the little plastic dealy - grounds scatter - oh, you get the picture.  More cleaning for me.  Struggling to figure out genealogy info sent to me by 2nd. cousin in Minnesota.   Wish I had never started.  OK - time to relax and let God control this feeling.

Our grandson posted a beautiful facebook thing and he credits God for everything in his life.  We were not surprised but it was so gratifying. 

Janet:  I barely know what to say to you - Beth deserved excellent treatment and if they were over their heads a good doctor would research her condition.   

2 plus feet of snow at daughters house - her husband is originally from Texas and he wants to "leave this liberal state (Colorado) with all the pot - snow 9 months of the year now" and so forth.   

Ruth Ann:  if you use the walker, will that help healing? 

Jeanne Lee:  Keep Calm, Pray On - that is my new motto. 

I am not sleeping well for the last couple of nights. I spoke to my son Roger in California  on Monday, he is the one with cancer. The kidney cancer from a few years ago metastasized I don't remember if i told you all about that, Well anyway he has been on pill form chemo for over a years, The 10 tumors on his pancreas have made him type 2 diabetic about a year ago.  He was in the hospital last week over the weekend. He lost 30 lbs in 2 weeks. I don't think he has much time left and I can't stop thinking about him and praying for a miracle. He is 56 yrs old and one of the twins.

Marilyn, that's a mother's worst nightmare.  It's not surprising you're not sleeping well. I'll be praying for Roger and for you as you cope with this.

Hi everyone on a beautiful morning with the expected temperature to reach 90 this afternoon.  As of now I expect to stay home today although we need to make a quick trip to a nearby nursery and get another tomato plant and some herbs and get them planted.  Yesterday was a very busy day.  We had a very good steak dinner at our men's meeting last night.  I did get new ink that cost almost $100 and also ordered a new Brother's Laser printer. 

Jeanne, I am pretty sure you have tried this link but I just checked it again this morning and it works for me for the Seniors and Friends website:  http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?action=forum  The only other thing I can think of that might help would be to empty the cache.  It is strange that Pat would also be experiencing the same problem you are having. 

Carol, I am pretty sure the Quick Time removal is for real as have read about it in several reputable newsletters.  I removed it from my computer yesterday and this reminds me to do it on Pat's computer as well.  Our Kuerig Coffee maker is used everyday by Pat and she really likes it.  So far we have had no problems with it.  I expect you would not like to see your daughter and family move away from your area but not hard to understand why they might want to do so.  I hate the smell of pot and I suppose you encounter that all the time with it being made legal in Colorado. 

Marilyn, I don't recall your speaking of the seriousness of Roger's condition.  I don't know what to say other than to urge you to put your trust in God that what is best for Roger will happen.  I will certainly keep he and his family and you in my prayers during this time of uncertainty. 

Larry, that link is the one that gives me "connection was reset" from any browser on any computer.  I didn't make it clear that Pat is not experiencing the same problem -  she's able to get to S&F.  It's just that she has been as frustrated as I am by my inability to get into S&F and help her where I've been able to in the past.

There has to be a reason (and a solution) that's yet to be discovered.  :-)

Jeanne, I did misunderstand the situation. I am not an administrator on the S&F's site or I would look around and see if I could spot anything that might be causing the problem. Maybe the webmaster can come up with a solution.

Thanks, Larry, but Michael has been involved in trying to solve this from the very beginning, along with Pat.  They have both run out of suggestions.   

Big news...  Everything is working now on S&F.  It took another phone call to Time Warner, almost 2 hours long, my modem was  reset again and this time it worked. 

Hi everyone on this Wednesday morning.  Nothing too stressful on the agenda for today.  Pat and plan on going to the nursery for some plants and perhaps a quick stop at COSTCO for a couple of items.  Then this evening we have our Wednesday night dinner and tonight it is Shepard's Pie as the main dish.  We are coming down to the last few weeks of these dinners before the summer break.  We do look forward to some time with Scott. 

Jeanne, glad you finally found the right person to help you with your S&F connection problem.  Glad it wasn't related to the software running that sight and that explains why we all weren't having the same problem.

Hi everyone on a clear and beautiful morning.  Today will involve my normal Thursday morning activities except I will not be picking up the fellow to take to coffee as he told me last night he has other plans for today.  I have two or three small errands to take care of beside coffee and going to the Wisdom group at Church.  Scott joined us for dinner at Church and then came out but didn't stay more than an hour as he wasn't feeling good.  His doctor put him on some new medicine and he thinks it may explain why his muscles are aching.  He was going to stop by the pharmacy on his way home and talk witht he pharmacist about it.

I see I was the only one to post here yesterday.  I do hope some other folks will stop by and at least say hi as it is boring to talk to yourself. 

Larry, I sure don't want you to get bored so I'll just drop in and say "Hello".   

Our nights are going below freezing and then the sun shines bright and the temperature goes up into the upper 60's or low 70's by afternoon. 

But Larry, I don't find it boring to talk to myself.  I do it all the time.  One of the perks of living alone, I guess.   

Hi everyone on a cloudy with a 60% chance of rain this afternoon and we are headed to the low 80's also.  Yesterday turned out to be a bit quieter than I had anticipated as at coffee I found out that our Wisdom group had been cancelled because the Pastor had been called out of town.  I came home and hooked up the garden hoses and watered the flowers and bushes in front and then hooked up the back hose and watered the plants we have purchased for the containers, which I need to get planted today.  The housekeeper is due this morning and it has been almost three weeks since she was here as she came early last time to clean before my sister and BIL arrived.  Likely we will go out to eat a late lunch and may go to Ruby Tuesday's as they are having buy one salad bar and get the other free since today is Earth Day.  Otherwise it should be a quiet day at home.

Jeanne, good to see your posting as you dispelled my sense of boredom.

I do hope everyone who posts or reads here are OK and just otherwise occupied.  If you have been looking in and wonder about postings, please do post as you won't find a nicer and friendlier group of folks than here and on the Seniors and Friends website. 

I took Freckles on a Therapy Dog visit at the hospital this afternoon and this evening Keith and I are going to dinner at the Mexican place in the mall with the usualy group of friends.

Not much else going one here.

 We did a lot of furniture lifting and assembly plus I painted some picture frames - paid dearly for it in aches the next day.  We'll never learn. 

This entire week we have parked in a lot about two blocks away since the street in front was to be repaved.  They did one half and told us the next half would be the very next day and we all waited.  One or two neighbors called to complain and ask if they forgot to pave the other half of the street - tired of toting groceries and so forth two blocks.  Suddenly, we have a message that this will be done next week - we shall see.  Meanwhile, we are enjoying the stars at night here in low-light Tucson.  there are special lighting laws here just to keep the observatory happy and no street lights in our area so we walk with flashlights if needed.  It is alright with us - we are used to this at a cabin in the mountains of Colorado - we love the hand-painted skies at night.  Thankful for the wonder. 

Hi everyone on an overcast day but sun is suppose to be on the way.  I have a few things I want to accomplish today like taking one of my New Guinea Impatiens back to Lowe's for a replacement or my money back.  It is looking very sickly and not doing well in comparison with the other two I purchased and have treated exactly the same way.  However, I will call before going there to be certain they do guarantee their plants.  We also want to go to the nursery nearby as they are suppose to get a new supply of herbs and other plants today.  I also hope to get all of the plants in the ground today as it shouldn't take very long.  After the housekeeper left yesterday Pat and I went to Ruby Tuesday's for the two for one salad bars and had a good lunch.  I did get my new laser printer installed in my office and now need to get it installed on Pat's laptop and the computer upstairs.  We did have a little rain yesterday afternoon but am going to have to turn on the sprinkler system for watering on Monday.

Marilyn, do you make regular rounds at the same hospital with Freckles to visit the patients.  Of course, I know that most people do not stay in the hospital very long anymore so probably see mainly new people each time you visit.  Hope you and Keith had a good Mexican dinner and nice visit with your friends. 

Carol, wouldn't it be shocking if what we are told is going to happen with things like your street repair actually were accomplished in the time frame indicated.  Nice that you can enjoy the night sky since you don't have street lights.  We have a street light right across the street from the front of our house and I like it as it shines on our front porch.  However, our family room, kitchen and master bedroom are at the back of the house so are not impacted by the light. 

Yes, it would be nice if people actually finished on time re. the paving of streets and so forth. 

We have to have night lights in places around the house just in case one of us is walking in the dark - even at home it is a fairly dark area.  Also, there is not daylight saving time in Arizona and have to adjust to that at home - wishing they would have just left the clocks on real time. 

time to read my daily lesson.  I am backwards this morning as that is usually first.

Larry we make the round once every two weeks, Sometimes we go to the same floor and sometimes a different floor; there are 6 teams so we go two teams to a floor.
At the Baycrest health center ( a nursing home and Rehab center) There are only two floors , half of the ground floor is for the rehab patients, so they are not the same people every time. The other half  are the patients that were moved there from the third floor. I do about 8 visits a month, to different places, but the hospital andfBaycrest  are 4 of the visits. Freckles loves going to "work" as soon as I put her vest on here she is ready to go out the door and runs right to the car.

We are looking at another car for me, Yesterday we found a Cadillac SUV that at a great price, from a very trusted  used car dealer who is a retired Police officer. It is a 2004 Cadillac SRX 6 cyl.

Hi everyone.  It appears we will be having a lovely day only getting up to 81 degrees this afternoon.  Today is Church Day and pretty sure we will go out to lunch following.  Yesterday turned out to be pretty busy.  I spent at least two hours on the phone with Comcast and was finally advised to take my Gateway box back and get another one, which I did.  I installed it and got all the settings on the computers and TV set and hoped things would be fine.  However, we had the same dropout problem as we tried to watch a movie last night so not sure I accomplished anything.  Guess I will ask for a technician to come out and see if they can accomplish anything.  I also went to Lowe's and exchanged one of my baskets that didn't look well and got another, which is a bright red New Guinea Impatiens plant, a tomato vine cage and some chemical to chase away bugs.  Then on my way back from Comcast I stopped at the plant nursery and got two beautiful hanging baskets for our porch porch and three different herbs to plant. 

Marilyn, thanks for the information about your visits with Freckles to the nursing homes and hospitals.  You are doing a valuable work.  It sounds like you would have a very comfortable car if you end up getting the one you mentioned.

Carol, we are once again getting into daylight around 6:30 in the morning as the daylight hours lengthen.  We also use a couple of night lights in the house plus the little lights on various electrical equipment.  We also are careful not to have anything in the pathway from the bed to the bathroom. 

It was a busy week for me; also I was quite ill; so now that I'm better, I have read all the posts and will try to stay current.  I will post again later,as I expect someone to come lock the door and start a new week!

Good Sunday all! 

It is two weeks until we pack the car and drive home.  My goals are to organize genealogy info. and leave all of that here and fill a notebook with important information on computer and house operations.  We try to keep up but so many things change and we should write that immediately.  So, a new notebook is ready to be filled.  Life was so much more simple growing up.  Not all those passwords and codes. 

Larry: We have stopped looking at anything to plant because it will be soon hotter than anything on earth ... in this area.     There are a few things on a drip system and now we only plant things needing the barest of water.  We have the nicest man with son who check our place every other month and a neighbor who walks the property when she looks at her yard.  The two Bougainvillea plants are thriving on a little drip and it seems as though the desert plants grow faster than anything at home.  Nice of Lowe's to replace your plant - they give us a military discount which we only use for big items and it is so appreciated. 

Looking forward to getting back with our home church.   

We have been watching a series on the 60's and I always said that I missed so much being extremely busy - working - moving - babies later and so forth.  It was eye-opening at times.  Moved from Seattle, Denver, Cheyenne, Washington,D.C, Denver, Cheyenne, St. Paul, Seattle, Eugene, OR., Denver, St. Paul, MN.  - There were later moves too, gosh, I didn't realize there had been so many moves - 11 moves in 10 years.  No internet and no cell phones.  The gift of Grace kept us going. 

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