Christian Photographers Community

Yes, Carol, still working.  But if I have many days like today, I won't be for long.  Hope you get the "all clear" in your report from your tests.  Yes, a lot of small businesses are struggling, times are tough for lots of people right now. 

Etta Sue, good for you, getting the problems solved all by yourself!  I was just trying to order some prints online, and for some reason, it only picked up about a third of the ones I wanted.  So it's back to the photo machine.  Thankfully, we have one in town now, at Alco's, and so far, it's doing good.  They had one earlier, and it was a total mess.  I mean the photos from it were.

Ruth, I need to do a lot of "weeding out" too.  I'm doing lots better about getting rid of stuff quicker, but have years and years of backlog.  Sigh...

Oh!  I wanted to tell Liz that I also read Glen Beck's The Christmas Sweater; and the end left me confused.  I still don't know what to think of the end, but the rest of the book was really good, I thought.

been away for awhile. busy fixing up the house and then taking a trip to michigan to meet my husband's family and spend christmas with them. now that i'm back I re-signed myself up for fostering animals for the shelter since i've been missing that for a long time. and now that i'm not living in an apartment anymore and am in my own house i can be less picky with what i bring home.

i'll try to be on again soon and post some more pictures.

 :)Good evening to all.

I was talking to friend of mine that we met on the last cruise that my sister-in-law took me and my wife on.  Well his wife has had a lot of illness so I started to tell him about C.P. And he said he enters some pictures in our challenges and then he told me he was poppa smurf well I said what a small world.  I told him that we had prayed for Sue his wife long before we had met him on the cruise.

It is amazing how God puts his people together long before they ever know it then you meet on a ship in the Caribbean and you are able to share with each other but not until tonight did we find this out about C.P.  Praise his name he is so Awesome.

I dutifully did the treadmill this morning and had to listen to local news because the t.v. downstairs only brings in shows with ads at this time of the morning.  Local news is that there have been 90 mph winds at top along the front range.  Not so bad here. 

is ready and I have a thermos for Don as he is going into the high country today & there is no heat or electricity at the cabin that son is building.  Yikes, not me. 

Marilyn:  Am knitting a scarf with one skein of soft yarn and the other skein of Homespun.  Do  not like the clumps in the Homespun Lion brand.  I have been on the  SN & Friends site with knitting and a gal sent me a pattern for making prayer shawls (if I ever get that good).  Using the bamboo 10 1/2 size & they are so comfortable. 

Janet:  I might have had results if the group in  FC had sent my records as requested.  Now I have to call today and start that in motion once again.  Really not happy that someone was lazy. They gave me an ultrasound yesterday as well.  You need to care for yourself because you have so many to care for in your life - just a gentle reminder.

pitbullangel:  Fostering animals is such a devotion to their welfare.  Have a safe trip to Michigan.

Gord:  You mentioned small world and the fact that we meet people because we are meant to meet them - I have thought about that forever.  It is amazing. 

Good morning, friends,

Brrr, it's pretty chilly in here right now, but supposed to be really warm today, then the "bottom drops out" and high only in the 20s tomorrow. No wonder I keep having these sniffles!

My son who lives in England is coming today to help pack and determine if he's going to purchase the house. So, I'll be missing in action while he's in the States.

Good news for my daughter (and all our family, too, of course) - her fiance presented her with a gorgeous ring and now they'll be making plans for the wedding. No, I don't know any details, but will let y'all in on the secret as soon's I know something.

Have a wonderful beginning to the fresh New Year and an even better walk with our Lord during the upcoming days.

See y'all later...

Ruth Ann

Carol I have been following the posts at seniors and friends in the knitting forum. but had forgotten what you were knitting.

I reached 500 workouts this morning at Curves; it has taken my 2 years and 2 months to get there.  At first I gained 6 lbs as the muscle formed and I began to lose inches. Then I lost 17 lbs over a year and now I have gained back 9 lbs. At least the 23 inches I lost are still off. The gain has been due to the change in my eating habits since Keith and I got together.  What a bummer, we eat well and I gain weight. I will continue to workout after the move at a gym near the house with a friend of mine who lives in Coos Bay.

Happy (dog) will be having surgery on one of his back paws to remove a growth that is growing  on one of his toe pads, in a couple of weeks; I won't be traveling again until after his foot is healed. I don't want to leave his care to anyone else.

Today I think I will take all the pictures and things off the walls, books out of the book case and knick knacks out of the China Cabinet and get that packed up. Might as well start with the stuff I don't like to do first. I also need to call my Chiropractor to make and appointment for an adjustment.

Congratulations to your daughter, Ruth Ann!  (I hadn't been aware she was single.)  So nice you will have help with the packing.

Carol, it is frustrating when people don't do their jobs properly, isn't it?  We have experienced similar things several times.  I hope Don stays warm and healthy while working in the cold!

Today is the day!!!  At eleven we go to the new care home to select Beth's room.  I'm already frustrated about that because they made the rooms much too small---again.    And they have free-standing wardrobes that will hold about 12 to 20 items of clothing on hangers.    Who picks out that junk?  And the "Chester drawers" (as the administrator says) are about the size of a large night stand.  So I'm thinking there will be a lot of problems.  You can't expect people to consider that their home if there is no place for their stuff.  Everybody wants to have their own stuff around them.  Granted, most of us have way too much, but still.........  Well, I hope I will have a different attitude after I actually see the room she will have.

Gord, how nice for you to meet another CP member in person!

I wish you all a wonderful day!

Hi everyone.  Just back from the gym where we walked a little over a miles this morning.  It was chilly at McDonald's this morning.  Not much on the agenda for today other than to attend a meeting this morning.

Ruth, just type Picasa 3 or Irfanview in the search engine and you will find the link to where you can download the software.  The Picasa program is offered by Google now as they own the rights.

Gord, it is indeed a small world.

I was very wordy yesterday so will make this short today.  

Finally, a very nice human helped me with my medical records this morning.  She found out that they were not sent for almost two weeks - just sent yesterday.  But the records are needed now so she went ahead and faxed the information as I thought they would two weeks ago.  What a relief as I had been told all had been in the mail so we thought it had been lost. 

Janet:  Everything is about money and the love of money. 

Ruth Ann:  Exciting news.  Will you be sewing the wedding dress?  (Just kidding). 

Larry:  You can always say more!

We are warmer than Tucson right now but they will get up into the 70's this afternoon and we will stay the same in the 40's. 

Good morning, everyone!

I haven't posted in this thread for a while, so I thought I'd pop in and say hello.

We had a very nice, quiet Christmas with lots of beautiful fresh snow.  I've also had some visits from some very cool birds right to my backyard.  If you haven't seen them, they're in Wildlife/birds thread.  The snow is now melting as we have a warming trend on right now.  Now, it's an ugly slushy mess in most areas.  It was over 50 degrees yesterday.

I've been battling different illnesses as I usually do in the fall and winter.  It's a struggle to do the must do's, much less the extras. 

I am hosting a New Year's Eve party tomorrow night.  It will be the 10th anniversary of my sister's death.  I can't believe it's been that long.  I am glad I'll have lots of friend and family around to make a fun evening of it and keep from being too melancholy.

Gord-That is amazing!  My mother met someone on a cruise that my brother knows very well.  They went and surprised him by attending one of his shows (he's a musical director & pianist for musical theatre) together and he didn't know that my mother and she had met.  Boy was he surprised!

Marilyn, Congratulations on continuing your workouts.  Keep it up and you'll get the weight back off!  We got a Nintendo Wii game system for Christmas.  We have never had any games like that, so it's kind of strange to have in our home.  We got the Wii Fit and I have begun to work out with that.  My asthma has finally calmed down enough to do it.  I never thought I'd be doing yoga exercises, but I do need to work on my balance and it should help. (I shall ignore the weird yoga mumbo jumbo)  Wii Fit is neat because it keeps track of your weight and workouts and also the rest of the family and reminds you to encourage them to work out, too, and if they have a birthday coming up it asks if you've shopped for their gifts.  Technology these days...

Well, I hope you all have a great day and a Happy New Year, if I don't get back in here.  I've been doing more photo posting than chatting these days.

Blessings, Kathleen 

Another night of very little sleep.  Reason was either the 3 glasses of Pepsi I drank at Don Pablo's OR the last of my chocolates to me for Christmas.  Caffeine!  I saw 4am before finally going to sleep and then didn't wake up until 9:20!!  I hope I don't get my nights and days mixed up! 

While up last night, I discovered itunes and I am listening to Hawaiian Radio right now.  Love it!!  Wish I could find an easy listening/all instrumental music radio station!  I had to register but I doubt if I ever pay for tunes on itunes. 

Ivalou and I are going for our Christmas special out to eat tomorrow.  We are going to Muncie, Indiana, to Sirloin Stockade.  Maybe to a movie also...as long as it isn't too late in getting home.  Don't want to get caught in the drinking crowd mess!  Been there, done that...a long time ago!! It really wasn't fun then!

It looks spring outside.  Bright and sunny with a little wind.  But still cold, I think.  Don't know the temp.

I forgot to mention that the friend I will be working out with is our very own Jane Yes she will be coming out of the corner to go work out.

I discovered that I don;t have enough newspapers  yet to start wrapping up the breakables from the China Cabinet, I went to Safeway to get some of the old North Coast Journals and they out all gone. Hmmm Just when I need them they are gone.

Maybe I will just loaf around the house today and do a whole bunch of nothing.

Larry thanks for the info I will give it a try. I am still nervous about downloading in case a virus enters or I take too much out. 

Last evening I finished knitting a scarf using some bulky but very soft yarn I will put it with my coat to have handy at all times. 

We went to Wal Mart to get some photo's printed and while there we looked at some watches and to our surprise we saw one that was $20.00 less then at another well known store it pays to check Wal Mart out first, then on to Home Depot to get some new lamp shades, Wal Mart did not have those, we checked first.

Evening is almost upon us so best get a little more done before it gets to late. 

Ruth

oh man oh man what a wild 24 hours it had been in a little less than 24 hours i will be married and off in some undisclosed location enjoying a stress free weekend! i hope ya'll are having a wonderful end of the year and hopefully preparing for a wonderful start to the new one coming in! i have to go get some things taken care of as tomorrow is the "big day"
have a blessed day and new year
sarah

Hi everyone.  Sarah, I hope this is a most memorable and enjoyable day for you.  Then the work of being married begins. 

It is to be windy and only up to about 50 degrees here today after a lovely day yesterday.  I enjoyed the nice quiet day yesterday.

This evening we have been invited to a church friend's house to help finish up the goodies from Christmas.  Just what we need but always enjoy the visiting and we probably will play some games.  I don't expect we will be out very late tonight as I agree with Etta Sue in that I like to have my car in the garage and be safely in my house before it gets late on New Year's Eve.

Ruth, I have downloaded and installed lots of software over the years and don't ever remember having a problem from the download.  I assure you the two programs I mentioned, i.e. Picassa and Irfanview are safe.  We also use Wal-Mart a lot although get very tired of the crowds.  We have several stores within about 5-7 miles from us. 

Marilyn, it must not have been the right time to wrap your breakables. 

Etta Sue, it sounds like you and Ivalou have a nice day planned today.  Hope you find an enjoyable movie to watch.  If you are looking for pretty music to play through your computer let me suggest Pandora.com and ask for easy listening or instrumentals. 

Kathleen, good to see you posting and to read that you are feeling better.  We have a friend who got a Wii for Christmas but they hadn't hooked it up when we were there on Christmas afternoon.  I have never really seen one in operation other than to walk by a display in Best Buys.

Carol, glad you got the medical record situation straighten up.  Doesn't it make you sad that people tell you things that are not true.  I guess that is a way to get out of work.

I am just going to have a quiet day today doing some odds and ends types of projects here in my office. 

Etta Sue:  We can listen to hundreds of radio stations from all over the world.  It is a USB connection that I am sure was under $30.  Just love it.  All the different languages & you can choose types of music instead of countries.  Don isn't here - email me & I can give you some info.  I hope.  Meanwhile, I had cocoa last night - caffine - wired.  Now sleepy.

Larry:  Why can't people admit a wrong - a mistake?  Why can't they just apologize and get on with it?  Tsk Tsk  Tsk  Look at the politicians and they set an example. 

Sarah:  Best wishes to the bride and groom.  I am sure you won't have time to read this! 

All of a sudden, it is New Year's Eve.  We never go out unless it is really early - before six and home before 7 for sure.  All of our children stay home as well.  That night and Halloween is the night that no one in our family wants to drive. 

Time for  de-caf, of course.  Have a safe holiday. 

I am in a rush.  Have to get ready to leave in a few minutes. 

I am listening to Pandora.com .... Instrumental.  I really like Hawaiian music and Salsa/Tejano music.  Peppier than what I am listening to right now. 

Sarah ~ I wish you well on your new endeavor.  Remember marriage takes a lot of work...give and take.  Go in with a positive attitude and with a marriage of three with God first, you will have a very happy marriage! 

Off and running. 

Cold but sunny and windy day!!! 

Sarah, I wish you every happiness in your marriage.  Just remember to put God first, and other things will fall into place.

What a busy day we had yesterday!  We went to the new care home with Beth to choose her room; she chose #408, which has an East window looking out into a small patio between wings of the facility.  I think the deciding factor was when they said that when they get a pet, if it is a dog, it will be put there to run around.  Also, she likes the number 8 because she says it is the symbol of infinity.  I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in the new facility!  We (taxpayers) are spending over seven million dollars for it; they promised the rooms would be larger; and they are actually smaller than the ones they have now!  I could barely hold back the tears.  There is barely room for the stupid wardrobe, the bed, the over sized night stand and a chair, and she really needs her recliner and also wants to have her computer desk in there.  No way will everything fit and leave room for her power chair or the lift they have to use to move her from bed to chair to bathroom, etc.  I guess it will work out someway, but...

We had a horrible thing happen last evening in our small town.  A little 5 year old boy was riding his bicycle and got hit by a semi truck and killed.  His grandma is a long time friend of mine; she started vomiting violently and having chest pains and was taken to the hospital, but I heard she got out this morning.  Such a terrible thing to happen to anyone. 

On a brighter note; there is a group of people coming in to pray for Beth tomorrow morning!  Please join your prayers with theirs that God will see fit to heal her.  Having John here has given her so much joy this Christmas, and I know she will be really lonely for him after he has to go home.  His 50th birthday was yesterday and we had a little "over the hill" party for him which turned out nice.  We will take him to meet his train Sunday night at 11:30. Yawn......   

I'd better stop before you get bored and stop reading!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!!!

Good morning .... I thought I'd better get in here before next year! 

Janet, I will continue to pray for Beth and especially tomorrow morning, when the prayer group is with her.  Sorry about the disappointment with her room.  Makes one wonder what they were thinking -- or even IF they were thinking. 

What a terrible tragedy for the family of that little boy.  I pray the grandmother is recovering from the shock.  Something like that can really wreak havoc not only emotionally but physically as well.  How does anyone come to grips with such a thing.   

I continue to keep all these prayer needs in mind and trust each one of you are doing well and that God will give you a blessed and peace-filled New Year. 

Sarah ... CONGRATULATIONS!  Go forth with God as your guide and enjoy your new (married) life.  Whenever you can manage to get your feet back on the ground for a bit, come in and let us know how you're doing; where you honeymooned; where you're living .... you know, all the good stuff.   

Sarah - loving self sacrifice, cheerful giving of each to and for the other, dedication to being the best thing that ever happened to each other = LOVE.

Hi everyone. I am finally here to post, I have been reading of an on today.

Janet I am so sorry that  Beth's new home is not what as expected or what they had promised. It seems to be especially hard for you as well as for Beth's comfort. How terrible for that little boy's family. I will also be praying for Beth tomorrow morning. I pray for her every morning.

Larry How is Stacey doing? I am still praying for her daily.

Jane how are things moving along with Tom?

I dread the midnight hour tonight. the neighborhood  celebrates the turn of the New Year from  midnight until about two. Just about the time it is quiet of awhile suddenly there is another fire crackers.

I have been on-line paying bills and getting that over with. I had my supper of Chili beans with rice and tortillas.

Hi!

I'm Julia!

I've been a member on here for several years but haven't posted due to computer problems.

I'm a friend of Pat's and I'm the co-owner of Geordie!  HAHAHAHA!!!!

I also know JudyB.

I'm hoping to take part more now as I have a new computer.

Hi Julia!    You just made it in here (again) before the end of the year!   It's good to see you and to know you'll be around more often now that you have a new computer! 

Hey JULIA!!!

How lovely to see your name pop up here!

Now, you mustn't be a stranger now.  Just come in and read all the posts every day and then post a message like I showed you!

Welcome again!

January 1st

READ: Mark 1:1-8

    And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).

John announced this great word: that repentance is the way people come to God, and the result is the forgiveness of sins. The greatest blessing people can experience is to have their sins forgiven. This is what the people who streamed out of Jerusalem to listen to John were looking for, and this is what they found. They found forgiveness of sins, and it came by way of repentance.

That is why the prophet Isaiah said John's message would be like a great bulldozer, building a highway in the desert for God to reach the isolated stranger in the midst of the wilderness. Without a road you cannot drive out into the desert in order to help somebody. You must have a road, a highway in the desert. John was God's bulldozer to build that highway. You know how roads are built—exactly as Isaiah describes in chapter 40: "Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain" (Isaiah 40:4). That is what repentance does. It brings down all the high peaks of pride that we stand on and refuse to admit are wrong. It takes the depressed areas of our life, where we beat and torture and punish ourselves, and lifts them up. It takes the crooked places, where we have lied and deceived, and straightens them out. And it makes the rough places plain. Then God is there at that instance of repentance.

John brought people to Christ the only way they can come—through acknowledgment of guilt. When people come this way, God meets them, cleanses them, and forgives them. John demonstrated that by the baptism he performed. But there is a greater baptism—that of the Holy Spirit. And on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God came, Peter stood up and offered people two things: forgiveness of sins and the promise of the Spirit. From that time on, God has made these things available to any man or woman who will begin at the beginning—the place of repentance.

Have you ever repented? Have you ever changed your mind, stopped defending yourself and trying to blame everything on others, and said, "No, Lord, no one else is to blame, only I. This is the way I am—and I need help"? That is where God will meet you. He always meets humans at that point, washes away guilt, cleanses, forgives. That is where you will find forgiveness of sins. If you have never repented before, I urge you to do so now. God will meet you right there. In the quiet of your own heart, where God alone hears, you can say to Him, "Lord, I repent. Lord, send me the Holy Spirit through Jesus." And He will.

    Lord, thank You that You promise to meet me in this place of repentance. I come to You now on that basis.

"Whoever said, "Procrastination is the thief of time," was right. We keep postponing, promising ourselves we'll do better. be honest, How many of last year's resolutions did you keep? This year do things differently. Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. In other words, Make them;
(S)pecific: Get up earlier in order to read your Bible and pray before going to work. Make time for your family. Exercise.Eat right, Take care of you body; it's God's temple. (1Cor. 6:9-10)
(M)oderate: Tackling more than one project at a time dilutes your focus and makes it harder to stick with. When you start too much you finish too little. Start small and build on your successes by mastering and maintaining one thing at a time (Php3:13)
(A):chievable: Don't try to swallow the whole elephant in one bite. Baby steps are the name of the game. Talk n terms of what you will do instead of  what you won't. For example, instead of saying, "I'm not going to be so critical," say, "Today I'm going to look for something good in everybody I meet" (Php. 4:8  )
(R)ecordable: You can't manage what you can't measure. Documenting your progress (or lack of it!) makes you accountable, show how far you've come and what you need to work on.
(T)ime Specific: Review your goals weekly (or daily if you're struggling). That way you can trouble-shoot early and change direction when necessary. The Bible says, "Throw yourself into your tasks so....everyone will see your progress" (1Tim 3:15 NLT) Come on, make up your mind, get up off the couch and go for it!"

(The Word For today)

Just wanted everyone to know that I was on the treadmill for 40 min. this morning 

Janet:  How sad for everyone and must be for the truck driver as well.  Prayers for Beth this morning. 

Janet, what a terrible thing to happen in your town.  That poor Grandma. 

(Continuing to pray for Beth)