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Ivalou, Marge, Betty and I went to our little church for Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.  So many families there!  The singing was great and the message was about our wonderful, marvelous Christ Jesus. 

And you know us four would find some place to eat before coming back home.  Steak and Shake are open until midnight tonight so we had steakburgers!! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Thanks, Etta Sue.  No better devotional can be found for Christmas than the story from Luke's gospel.

I have finished the FINAL proofreading of Rising Above, and found only one typo and two places where I think a comma would clarify a bit.  Now, tomorrow when Curtis is here to show me how to do it, I will mark these corrections on the PDF file of the book, return it to Tate Publishing, and then.......hope to be able to order books VERY SOON!!  Praise the Lord!

I need to get myself to bed.  We do have services at church in the morning, I think shorter than usual, including communion, I believe.  We went to Hugoton last Sunday, so I'm not positive about things.

Merry, Merry Christmas to all my dear friends here!  God bless us, every one.

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas {a day late since if you read the digest it will be the day after Christmas).  I have a few minutes before the rest of the family arrives so will write a few lines.  I think things are about as ready as they can be until the last minute.  Pat is putting together the last dish, mac and cheese to fix in the crockpot.  It is a new recipe for her to fix it this way.  So far no rain so our son and DIL and friend should get here this morning without having to drive in rain.

Janet, you can include me on the list of buyers of the book.  Wonderful the devotion of John to Beth.  I am sure it makes the holidays special for both of them.  Glad your kitchen is usable and you are well pleased with it.  Form you posting last evening, it appears your copy of the book came for your one last review.  Does the publisher only print the books as the orders are submitted? 

Our son called a few minutes ago and they are in the area and should be here in the next 10 minutes or so.

Etta Sue, it sounds like your Christmas Eve services were very nice and inspirational. 

 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!

May we all remember to celebrate Jesus' birthday and remember all He does for us each day of our lives.  I am so humbled and grateful when I think of all He has brought me through, and saved me from, as well!

Al, if you look in, please know you are in my thoughts and prayers today.  I pray you will soon be home with Marbeth.

Larry, no, I haven't yet gotten the actual proof book, but it was mailed several days ago, from Mustang, Oklahoma.  That's why I am perturbed that we haven't gotten our mail for four days!  I wanted to be able to show the family today when they come here for Christmas dinner.  But I know, God is in charge of all things, and this is no exception.  There must be a reason for the timing.  And the Tate people are off until Wednesday, anyway.  I received the book in a PDF file to make any corrections, and I need someone to show me how to do that.  I just made notes of the pages I found mistakes on, so I can find them again easier.  And I think yes, during that first six months period they print the books as they are ordered.  Then when it is released to all the bookstores, Amazon, etc. they print big batches of them for those places.  I could be wrong on this, but that's what I understood from my friend Patty Bultman whose book Tate also published.

A big THANK YOU to all who want books!  Remember, I will need your mailing addresses so I can send them ASAP!

Time to get dressed for church!

Thanks so much for your prayers, thoughts.  Nothing has changed yet.
I am thinking that evey day of the year should remind us of Jesus' coming, and we should thesrefore fejoice coninuallly in it.  May God so fill our hearts. Amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Merry Christmas to all.

I've put in a rather urgent prayer request for our three week old grandson in Florida.  Please go to our Prayer area and pray for wee Colten.

And now I only have the last two of the Twelve Days of Christmas to post.  I'm sorry that they all came in "bunches" but I so enjoyed them each day in our devotional and so thought that this would be kind of neat to share with you all.

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:..."  Matthew 1:18a
"And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."  Matthew 1:16


It is very significant that the Bible "does not" say that Joseph begat, but that Jesus was born of Mary.  All the rest of the folk in the genealogy recorded in Matthew one are "begats" of their earthly father.  This Child was and is the only begotten of the heavenly Father!  (See John 1:14).  Yes, He is God's only begotten Son, so that He can and does make many sons through His life, death, burial, and resurrection, "...for he shall save his people from their sins" (vs. 21).

The supernatural act that placed the seed of God Almighty in the womb of the virgin is mind-boggling, but faith budding reality.  I submit, that one must believe in the virgin birth to even be saved!  It is a foundational pillar of the Gospel story.  He became what we were, so that we could become what He is!  Paul said that though Christ was equal with God, He eliminated His reputation, took upon Himself the role of a servant, and allowed His glorious self to become humbly a man (see Phil. 2:6-8).  Oh, the grace that brought salvation down to man!

What must it have been like in the lamp-lit delivery room of Deity?  How did Joseph feel?  What did Mary think?  When did the blessed birth actually take place?  What did the shepherds imagine had transpired?  How did the heavenly host rally contain themselves at the first advent—the imposition of God into the realm of human reality?  Oh, the wonder of it all!  Think, that God, in Christ would leave the throne and come to earth for fallen man, to lift them from the morass of mortality, and bring them life, eternal life!  Oh, What a Saviour!!

"...thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, ...He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:  by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."  Isaiah53:10b and 11


Every tawdry seasonal tune that trades tinsel for truth fades in the presence of he One in the manger.  All who came into His blessed presence that first Christmas morn saw the Ancient of Days and the Day Star born.  They did not notice perhaps the humble setting of the Saviour's nativity, but were enamored with the One who's name is above every name.

Little did they know that those tiny, little feet would walk on water, and step on a cloud and ascend back to His glory.  Were they aware that those chubby baby hands would toil in a carpenter's shop, be nailed to a tree, and then reach way down for you and me?

Could they have known that the holy offspring's heart, the size of an acorn, would beat out a love song down through the ages of how love lifted the lost and comforted the bereaved?  How could they know that the blood that coursed through His veins would be shed on a hill, not but five miles away and yet reach the lowest depths and redeem the sin sick soul?

Did they know those rosy cheeks would be kissed by a traitor, his beautiful brow pierced with thorns, and his back furrowed by the flogger's lash?  Could they see into His tiny eyes and know that they saw the sin of the world, the fate of the lost, and the need of all mankind?  No, I don't think they knew all that the first day of His life on earth or the twelfth, but we do today.  We know He redeems the penitent, His grace is all sufficient, and his mercy is beyond compare!  O worship Him with me and have a Merry Christmas!!

I know it is the day after Christmas and I apologize for being late but I do want to wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

May all your needs be graciously met by our Lord and Savior in the coming years.

Thank You GOD for your precious gift to all of us.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!

We're having our family Christmas gathering today at our son's home so busy soon peeling potatoes and making a bean casserole.  (That's my contribution to the dinner)

Hi everyone.  Just back from coffee and in a few minutes will leave to take our daughter back to her apartment. We are suppose to be getting some significant rain later today and then again tomorrow.  It rained all day here yesterday.  We did have a delightful time yesterday with plenty of food, a nice gift exchange, and good family time together.  Our son and DIL got here about 9:30 yesterday morning and stayed until about 3:30 yesterday afternoon.  They took a lot of the food that was left home with them as well our daughter this morning.  Pat and I were both pretty tired by the time the festivities were over and I went to bed early last night but feel fine today.  A friend sent us a delicious Boston coffee cake and I am sitting here with a nice piece of it and a cup of coffee.

So nice to read about all your Christmas activities and plans.  We went to our friends for dinner.  What a wonderful peacrful day.  After dinner the Christmas story was read out of one of Mother's old Bible story books.  When we got to the end the 11 year old saif..."Look there are questions!" so we went through the questions.  It is amazing how much these kids know....

Today JOhn was supposed to go to work, but that has fallen in the wind so he is home!  YEAAAA.  We have a family friend coming to visit and stay for supper.  That will be nice for all of us.

I am off and hope all have a good holiday week this week.

December 25, 2011, may be over but the love for our Christ Jesus is forever!  The material Christmas is over.  The spiritual Christmas is never over! 

The sun is shining, the jets are flying in a cloudless sky and leaving their vapors behind, the wind is moving the limbs on the trees and the American Flag across the way is waving gently.  A wonderful day to be inside and looking out! 

I am super happy everyone had a Merry Christmas with our Savior and our families.

Well dear brothers/sisters,  here I still am in Eureka Care and Rehab center.  They didn't do much here for the holkday.  They did have a bunch of kids come and sing to us, bul that's all. Pray that I'll knlw whether to request the Dr. to go ahead and remove my prostate.  The idea would be to remove the cause of my problems.  But I assume there would be significant revover time for the surgery.  Only our Lore knows what I should do.

It is too bad you couldn't have gone home for the holidays.  It sure takes the "merry" out of Christmas doesn't it.  One day we will see the true Merry and be filled with His Joy.

AL I have been praying about that situation. Whether to operate or not, I have no opinion.  One person was told 10 years if we operate and 10 years if we don't, so that is up to the individual and their Doctor. God bless and guide you my friend.

Good morning!

Prayer request:  Darrel is having cataract surgery this morning in Garden City, please remember him in your positive prayers for the very best result!  Thanks.

We will be leaving within the hour to go to Garden.  I was here to read yesterday, but too wiped out to write anything.  I got called in to work, and that messes up my schedule for working or sleeping for a whole day.  Maybe it is time to retire.....again. 

I am so perturbed at the US Post Office, I could scream, if it would do any good.  This is absolutely the worst excuse for SERVICE from them I can remember in my lifetime!  No mail for us now for SIX days!!  I know my proof book is there, and I cannot get it!  GRRR!  Neither Darrel nor I needs to be out shoveling a three foot drift from in front of our mailbox, and they refuse to deliver the mail unless they can drive up close enough to put the mail in without leaving the vehicle.  I asked them to just pull into the driveway and honk, we will walk out and get the mail!  Or leave it at the post office so we can pick it up there!  It might be another week or two before that snow melts, with the temps below freezing day and night!!  Uh....can you tell I am frustrated?   

Yesterday while I was at work, I popped into Beth's room to tell her something, and she was sleeping; while John patiently sat by her recliner, playing with his new Kindle Fire.  He showed me how it works, and I think I might just decide I need one of those!    His love and devotion for Beth is just amazing, and such a blessing.  His birthday is the 30th, and she wants to do something special for him (well, that would mean she wants ME to do something!  )  I don't yet know what that might be......

Our carpenter didn't come yesterday, but did call, and Darrel told him we will be away today so he isn't coming today either.  It is easier to be patient when I look at my beautiful new kitchen!  My whole family thought it was beautiful, too, even though it isn't yet finished!

Al, only you can make the decision concerning your prostate.  I'm sure they have explained to you the changes in your life having it removed would mean, and you are the one to decide if you can live comfortably with those changes.  I am praying for God to give you wisdom concerning this, and to spare you from any depression while you ponder it.  Blessings to you, and a big hug, too! 

I must go get ready to leave.  I will definitely be driving today!  When we went to pick up John, Darrel's vision was so bad he was a menace on the highway!  I suggested he let me drive home, and he did.

I hope you all have a great day, and that YOU get your mail!! 

Oh!  Darrel just told me he isn't having the surgery today, just the preliminary exam.  Oh, well, pray anyway!  Prayers are always good! 

Let it snow!  Let it snow!  Let it snow!  We are finally getting a good snow.  The great big flakes.  The Christmas shopping kind of snow.  The kind that sticks to your eyelashes!  Everything is covered except the roads.  The pavements must still be too warm for the snow to stay there and is melting.  But the radio said it would be gone this afternoon!  Hmmm! 

Today is SAMs.  I am to drive Ivalou's car and take her and Betty.  I usually have some funny or inspirational thing to read but I don't have anything this time.  I may think of something.

Oh how the Post Office has changed over the years.  I can remember when I was young (OK, that's a long time ago  ) and deliveries were twice a day, regardless of the weather.  All during December there were deliveries on Sunday, and there was even one on Christmas day!  All that for three cents - and only one cent for a post card or if you didn't seal the envelope with the Christmas or birthday card, just tucked the flap inside. 

Hi everyone.  We had a very rainy night but it looks like the storm front has moved on as the sun has now popped out.  I have a meeting to attend this morning and then the rest of the day is free.

I was sorry to see the Atlanta Falcon's lose the game last night to New Orleans but they are still going to play in the playoffs.

Judy, sure that John could use the extra day to rest and enjoy being with the family.  Sounds like you had a nice Christmas celebration.

Al, I am sure you will make the right decision regardiing the surgery. 

Janet, the cataract surgeries seem to almost always turn out well.  It sure doesn't take them long to do it anymore, but see your later note that this is just he prelim visit.  Sorry you are having so much trouble with your mail delivery.  Maybe you could, via the computer, put in a hold request for a couple of days, and indicate that you will pick it up after the hold period.  So sorry that you are experiencing such frustration regarding the book.

Jeanne, having the Post Office work the way we remember it used to be has become a just a memory.  I have a friend who is retired from the Post Office and he was telling us at lunch the other day that the unions insisted the carriers only sort their mail to handle a certain number of pieces her minute while they would be able to do it a lot faster. 

John goes out on a short run today....and really isn't happy about it.  We get some of the family over on New Years Day, and that will be nice.

It is snowing, and according to the forecast will be snowing for the balance of the week. I guess winter is indeed here.

We got home yesterday about 2. I went to pick up the dogs right away came home made a loaf of Rye bread fed all the animals and deleted almost all the emails I got while I was gone except for a few. Then I started cleaning up my computer and uninstalling programs that I never use. Today it is back to the same of thing as I always do laundry, bake a cake ( haven't done that yet., hand washed some dishes that don't go in the dish washer. Went to the gym and to Bi-Mart to get my meds, Vitamins and Calcium. I have to bathe both dogs, they stink like the stable. We had a great time. Good weather going rained while we were there and lots of fog coming home. Saturday night at Gilbert's house at his in-laws on Sunday after church.

Keith gave me a beautiful  bracelet  for Christmas made with beautiful magnetic iridescent beads and the latch isn't a latch but two magnets that make it just  snap together when I lay it on my arm. I must have a lot of iron in my blood because that part sticks to my arm over my veins.

Hi, friends, this has been a very different Christmas time, and a memorable one.,

By the way, my little great grandson has figured out that he can try to say "Grandma" but it comes out "Murmer."  That's not too bad when he only gets to see me about every 6-8 months and he's barely 2 years old. How sweet to hear his chatter.

Well, I'll be praying with y'all for your requests.  Pastor Al, it's wonderful to hear from you.

And, it was so good to hear about your Christmas celebrations.

Love to you all,
Ruth Ann

WE HAVE A REAL BOOK!!!  yessss!

While we were on the way to Garden City, I called the PO and asked to speak to our carrier.  (She had been off for several days).  She said she noticed we had a lot of accumulated mail, and I told her we hadn't had mail since the day early last week when she brought it to the door.  I explained that neither Darrel nor I were supposed to shovel snow, and that we were on the way to Garden about his eyes, and asked if she could possibly just open the door and lay the mail inside.  "I would be happy to do that for you!" she responded.  I thanked her profusely and gave her a big "God bless you!"  And sure enough, when we got home, there was the envelope with the book, right on top of the pile!

Of  course, I looked it over quickly, then drove in to show Beth and John.  John was so intrigued by it that I let him keep it tonight, he is to bring it back in the morning.  Also, one of Beth's favorite nurses was there--the one who called our doctor and thus saved her life!--and I showed it to her.  She was SO excited!  Several nurses crowded around, and they all want a book!

Tomorrow, I should be hearing from a publicist, letting me know how soon I can order books!  It is hard to believe it is finally a reality!  And you all are among the first to know!

Larry, I know most cataract surgeries now have good results, but I always like to have any medical procedure covered in prayer.  They set the surgery for the first eye for Jan. 23, unless they get a cancellation and can get him in sooner.  Then the other eye will be done a couple weeks later.

I need to check email!  See you tomorrow!

I know how jazzed you feel about having your book in your hands!  Reality!  Did you sleep last night? 

Living out here in the rural country area, our mailman used to take things to a neighbor for nothing...things like eggs, recipes, pies etc.  They sure wouldn't do that today.  Once I even rode with him!

And we used to have a railroad track across the way, between us and the state highway.  You could almost time it when that train would be passing through.  If kids were standing outside, the engineer would blow the whistle and then throw candy out for us!  I would love to smell that train smoke again!  Ahhh!

We went to SAMs yesterday and then took some letters to the P.O. for Betty.  She said they were tax checks since she has to pay quarterly.  She said she never mails letters with big checks in them from home.  She is afraid someone would steal them.  I asked her have you ever had anything stolen out of your mailbox?  No.  Then she said that they weren't due until January but she always mailed the last one in December so it would be counted for this years taxes!!!  She's something else! 

Then Ivalou needed some RX from the drug store.  They had called her twice.  But they weren't filled yet so she still had to wait!  I needed milk and their milk was going to expire Friday so we went to the Dollar General where the milk would last a few more days! 

Today Kitty and I are going to Indianapolis to a mexican restaurtant and to an artist store where she needs to spend a gift certificate before the end of the year.  Probably a gift certificate she got LAST year for Christmas!! 

I don't know what else will be before we get home! 

Hi everyone.  We have a chilly but sunny and no wind morning here in the Atlanta area.  I have nothing significant on my agenda for today so plan to have a nice laid back kind of day.  We had a big group at coffee at McDonald's this morning, which was enjoyable.  I learned something this morning and that is there is a gourd magazine.  One of the men brought in something he had printed out with a picture of some of the unusual shaped gourds he raises.  I am sure you all wanted to know this. 

Marilyn, glad you had such a nice trip.  That sounds like an interesting bracelet.  I have heard of the magnets for necklaces but not for bracelets. 

Ruth Ann, those little children bring such joy as we see them develop and learn. 

Janet, so happy you finally received the actual book and know it must be so exciting.  You know that I also want to buy a copy as soon as you are taking orders.  Glad John was able to see it before he had to leave. 

Etta Sue, I agree with your friend in wanting to mail things directly at the post office.  It is frustrating when gift certificates have an expiration date on them. 

Larry, I'll trade you some of our wind for some of your sunshine.      The clouds are so heavy today that I need to keep lights on in the house and we're under a "wind advisory" until midnight.  Not an easy day to rejoice in, but I'm trying.

My new washing machine works wonderfully well, but now my microwave is kaput.  At least I think it is - it started to smoke from the little vent on the side wall.  I know that's not right, so I've pulled the plug.  Amazing to find out I haven't forgotten how to cook on the stove!   

Jeanne I'll gladly help you give away your wind if they will also take mine. we are supposed to have gusts up to 70 mph today. It is raining now and will be the rest of the week.

Janet you must be ecstatic, like Etta Sue said Did you sleep last night?

I had a real nice conversation the JW lady that comes here once a month. yesterday she just came to visit and explain to me why they don't celebrate Christmas. I had ask her that when she was here before Christmas but she was in a hurry to get to a meeting I was  busy too, and she  had just stopped her to drop off the latest leaflets. I have read some very interesting articles in those leaflets, even some  recipes.

Larry they have been making various types of magnetic bracelets for years, and selling them as an health tool for arthritis, just like the copper bracelets; but that is not what this bracelet is. It does work though. I was having some right shoulder pain for a couple of days I switched the bracelet to my right  arm yesterday and today the pain is gone. Who knows it could be that the pain just stopped anyway without the bracelet. The lady at the store swears by these bracelets, she wears one on each arm 24/7 and says it helps her be pain free. She just sells them on consignment for someone else.