Christian Photographers Community

Come and join us this week and share with us your plans and thoughts for the week!  We sing, share and encourage other members here.

Hope to see you posting this week!

• Prayer and Praise     Thanks for visiting this area of our site to share prayer requests and items for praise!

• See the last photos uploaded to our Gallery

---

Hello everyone,
Been busy busy around here... Ruth is almost completely potty trained.... tomorrow I go to meet with the surgeon to talk about when he can remove my gall bladder as I have been having lots of trouble with it NOT work (EF only 22%) been reading posts but with little miss running about haven't had time to respond Hope all is well in your neck of the woods have a great day
Sarah

Good thoughts for the week, Etta Sue.  We need to ponder the suffering of Jesus and His followers more often, and I really like the thought at the about the reason we are persecuted.

Hello, Sarah!  I've been thinking about you.  Good job on getting little Ruth potty trained!  And I hope your surgery goes well, too.

The book signing this morning was awesome!  I am praising God!  Pastor Kris let me bring Beth to the front and talk to the congregation for a few minutes, then we went to the foyer to sign books.  Pat was my very able and capable helper.  Thank God for friends.  I think we sold 18 books, and several were the hard back ones!  And some people said they didn't have the money with them but want a book next Sunday.

I got that room done I was working on yesterday, so now I'm ready to start on my studio.  It's a real mess, stuff piled on every flat surface.  But "inch by inch, everything's a cinch."   

I will be back later!

Ruth V:   You should visit  King City ,Oak Rides now it will shock you, since they are now connected to the big pipe it is housing explosion.

I would also like to move but at the present it is not possible, but to what location I do not know.

Betty:   I have been to your part of the country and it is beautiful.

We just got home from seeing Courageous, which the Methodist church showed.  What a wonderful movie!  Wow, powerful message, and so well done.

Darrel just turned on the TV and it's so loud I can't stand it, so I'm going to the bedroom!  See you tomorrow!

Hi, friends, well, it's late and I'm trying to wind down from such a busy schedule lately.

I've gone to both worship services today and also helped a friend install her "new to her" tv that I was able to get through Freecycle. She's SO happy, and was totally ignorant of Freecycle until I told her about it.

Love y'all,
Ruth Ann

Another wonderful day from the Lord's hand to us.  I pray to behave as truly his daughter today!  Thank you, Lord.

Ruth Ann, you continue to amaze me.  What a blessing you are!

I have been up since 5, so have gotten quite a lot accomplished already.  When I can't sleep anyway, I decided I might as well get up and use the time profitably.  I'd been awake since 3. 

I will be back later, after more of you have been in to post!

Hi everyone.  Just back from coffee and going for a walk around the church parking lot as there were a lot of very small children running hither and yon in the gym and then to Kroger to pick up medicine and finally to the gas station to fill the car up with gas.  It is a beautiful day here in Georgia with bright sunshine and it is suppose to warm up nicely before the day is done.  I have my men's luncheon at 1 pm today and then a meeting to attend this evening and that will be the day. 

Etta Sue, thanks for the devotional thought for this week.  It is a good one.

Sarah, you will feel so much better when the gall bladder is removed.  I know that was certainly the case with me a number of years ago as had suffered a lot of pain for a long time.  It sounds like that little girl is keeping you quite busy.

Janet, so glad that your book signing went so well.  Sounds like Darrel needs to investigate a headset for the TV where he can control the volume that he needs and you can do the same.  My best friend and his wife both have headsets and use them anytime they watch TV so they can each set the volume as they want it. Do hope you can find the time for a nice nap today since you got up so early.

Ruth Ann, nice that you were so helpful to your friend.   

Ruth, I find the thought of moving again very daunting but once the decision is made we always find a way to accomplish what we set out to do.

Well, everything got done that I had planned yesterday.  I went from one thing right on to another thing and finally home to crochet and watch some TV.

Sarah, I never had gall bladder problems but I know friends who have and they felt so much better even going back to their room after surgery.  Will this be in-patient or out-patient surgery?  Years ago, you were in the hospital a week!!

Janet, I know you are blessed with your book and doesn't it feel good that your home friends want to purchase the book?  If they are half as blessed as I was reading about Beth and you, they are blessed fully!

Ruth, I am done moving.  My next move will be into a home Jesus has for me.

Ruth Ann, you and me with busy schedules.  Do you ever wonder how you ever had time to work?  I do, many times.  I love being busy but I also love my leisure also.  Maybe Thursday this week!

Larry, it is to warm up here today also.  So far it isn't.  I don't consider it warm at all until the temp gets into the 40's.  Not yet.  Just two more months and each day it should get warmer!!

This afternoon I go to my Urologist for a cystoscopy to be told I am tumor free again!  My last tumor in my bladder was 10 years ago this month!!  Thank God for medical technicians and their knowledge!  After that I need to get some groceries, fill the car up with gas, and maybe stop by the hospital for some yarn if I get an email saying it will be there.  If not, I hope I can get it tomorrow when I go to the pool.  I would like it to give to a girl at Crochet Angels Wednesday evening.

Yesterday was super busy and ended with Small Groups.  We knew some were not going to attend so we sat around George's kitchen table.  We are studying Romans 1.  This week was to be Romans 1:8-17.  Well.....we got 8-10 done!  Three verses.  But I am learning more from this group than all the other Bible studies I have attended put together!  A great diverse bunch of people.  Love it!

Today is my Tony's 51st birthday.  He let me know last week that he can get some Sr. discounts.  What??  My son a Senior Citizen!  Now that makes me old!!

I got a letter from the clinic Saturday that my Doctor is not at the clinic anymore. The assigned me to am older doctor who did my colonoscopy. However, I want a female doctor, one who is a more recent graduate than 31 years ago. So many doctors are no longer taking Medicare or Medicaid patients and do not like Obamacare. Most of them that leave the clinics are going into private practice and taking cash only patients. No Medicare, Insurance or Medicaid. This is what Keith;'s dermatologist told him. She lfet the clinic and Keith drew the plans for her new office. I hope Obama doesn't get re-elected. What I have read int he excerpts of that bill we are in deep you know what as seniors and our health care.

Well another week stated, and more snow in the forecast.  Nevertheless This is the day that the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I am letting the fire die down so I can take out some accumulated ash.  As a result it is quite cool in here.  Time for a sweater!

John has a trainee with him, the living area of his truck is quite small so having the second person with him makes for cramped quarters.  He is so good at what he does that the boss likes to get him training as often as possible.  There are extra $$$ for this and after this last pay period that will be appreciated.  His miles have been down for about 2 weeks.

We are working on the renovations for an upstairs bathroom and the one empty bedroom.  We have to take about 32 inches off both bedrooms, in order to fit the tub and sink cabinet in.  It will be nice when it is done.

Well I am off to start the fire, and get 4 - 5 small jobs done.

Have a great afternoon everyone.

  Good afternoon to all here on C. P.  I have read all the posts and very interesting to here what is going on. 

Etta Sue.  Tank you for you devotion and it was very interesting and what the outcome that the disciples had.

Ruth Ann.  It is so nice to here that you are so helpful to others and that you are available for many others with the gifts that the Lord has given to you. Don't forget to take a break that you need once in a while. God bless you

Sarah.  Nice to see you posting again and as a grandparent I know how much fun it is trying to keep up with a two year old. Ihope that you get your surgery done soon as it is not easy when you have the little one.  By the way  where do you live as i checked your profile but no map. Look after yourself.

Well to all others on C.P. I have been a good boy since I saw the surgeon and have done what he told me to do and kept my hand upright and let me tell you it is so hard but I feel that the swelling has gone down but my middle finger was sore today so we will have to wait till Thursday and see what the Surgeon says so that's it for now.  It is very boring and can't do much but the Lord is so good and continues to give us strength day by day. Praise his name forever. Gordon AND Noreen.

Wow, what a Monday!  It's been wonderful....Got up way too early, got stuff done, such as condolence cards, bookkeeping chores for book sales, laundry, went to Pat's and had a cup of tea with her (she is leaving on Wed. to have surgery on her neck in Lubbock) mailed another book, made another bank deposit, sold two books while in the bank!  Then on to the senior center, where I sold another book, then took lunch to my wonderful chiropractor friend, and they had sold two books there.  When the mail arrived, there was another check and a wonderful and much-appreciated letter from Jane.  Thank you, thank you!

Beth called to say one of the nurses who quit was there to visit her and wanted a book, so back to town, sold that one, read to Beth from our book, and also an animal story from the other book I've been reading to her; back home, went for a nice walk (it was 75* here today!!) and when I came in there was a call from the library saying they have sold all but one of the books I left there, and to bring more!!  I am totally humbled at the reception the book is having, and the wonderful comments I am getting.  God is SO good to me!

Gord, good to see your post, hope that hand gets better and better each day!

I didn't make it into my studio today, so must get back in there and work some more.  My plan is to accomplish some each day toward getting it straightened up.

I wish you all peaceful, refreshing sleep--including ME. 

Yes, Janet, each of us can echo your statement, "God is so good to me!"

Well, Etta Sue, I think today was my "sabbath."  I rested, and rested, just about all day long. Now, catching up on emails, email bills, and then, it will probably be laundry time at my house tonight.

Love to all,
Ruth Ann

Hello everyone!!
Tomorrow is a travel day as Everett needs to get a dental matter seen to..... so shall have to catch up Wednesday.

Janet... no book yet, however will be here soon, I'm sure.

Love to all.... sleep tight!!

Folks Ruth is traveling south tomorrow and the weather is to be bad.  Freezing rain and snow.  Lets keep them both in our prayers.

Etta Sue, that was a wonderful devotion you posted for the week, thank you very much for bringing us that message.

Having just returned home from a 7-state, 2900+ mile trip over the past 9 days, I am catching up on a million things, including all your messages and updates.  Seems to be a number of causes worthy of both prayer and praise going on in our lives.  And I thank you for your prayers during my recent trips, as I was most definitely protected from danger as I cruised through black ice and freezing rain/fog (for hundreds of miles) without incident.

As I urged my pickup down the highway over the last 120 miles, I was eagerly anticipating getting home.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy traveling, seeing new things, helping my customers, and all that stuff, but coming home is always the best part of my journey.  Home - the place where I am loved, cared for, surrounded by people who provide encouragement, support, and joy.  A place where I can be most at ease and myself.  As wonderful as coming home is here on earth, I can't even imagine how awesome "coming to our Father's home" will be someday.

May you all have a great week, filled with opportunities to share your faith and fellowship.  You all remain in my prayers.

It is well,
Ken

Hi everyone.  My what a beautiful day we enjoyed here yesterday and today is suppose to be a repeat.  The big activity for today is to make a trip to Atlanta to have lunch with our daughter to celebrate her 47th birthday.  She has invited a friend to join us at a Mexican restaurant that we all like that is close by to where she and this friend have apartments.  We have not met this lady before but she suffers from MS and recently Stacey gave her the old powerchair that she has had stored since getting her new powerchair a few months agao.  Pat made a pumpkin pie with Splenda so I expect this is to be a part of the celebration today. 

Etta Sue, I find it amazing that in our Bible study with the pastor we can spend an hour on only a few verses of Scripture.

Marilyn, I also fear that health care for seniors is going to be controlled not by the doctors but by bureaucrats in Washington who are don't have to face the people whose  lives they will significantly impact by their decisions. I am sure this is very frustrating for the doctors.

Judy, that sounds like a big renovation project, particularly getting a tub upstairs.

Gord, glad the swelling is being reduced by your doing what you are suppose to do. 

Janet, what a busy day.  I am not surprised at the reaction to your book if people will only pick it up and start reading it.  Just remember the mustard seed story in the Bible as big things start from small beginnings and you are on your way. 

Ken, sounds like you had quite a tough trip with those road conditions.  Hope you get a few days at home to recoup from your trip.

This hymn has been playing in my head for some time now.  Thought I would share it.

I picked up the DVD of Courageous last night.  It will be a treat for John and I to watch.

As I was scrolling down to get to the Quick Reply, A comment of Janet's struck me as so right on.  We do need to ponder the sufferings of our Lord and his disciples.   We are His servants, how thankful we should be that the trials the disciples suffered haven't come our way.  How can we, His servants, expect our lives to be so good?  Why are we not expecting to suffer like he did.  I have heard someone demand money, financial prosperity, good health, and refuse to say, "Thy will be done." 

How arrogant can we as the church be..... OK,  I haven't seen any of those things here on this site, so please no offense is intended.  Just a person I know on FB is spouting these things, and I find her rhetoric to be so very offensive.

Thy will be done...... Case and point.  Look at how God is blessing Beth's illness through Janet's book.  God had a purpose in allowing all that Beth has gone through.....That His name be glorified.

We got our share of snow last evening but this afternoon I am planning on going out to do some grocery shopping.   A few of the items  are on sale

Also my plans are to shorten a pair of bedroom drapes I have them marked so all I need to do is measure pin and do the stitching. For me this is a relaxing job.

Tomorrow will be a busy day in fact I do not expect to be home, Several appointments and lots of driving between each one.   I am thankful that this is not a regular thing that I have to do.

About the moving some day into the future, aside from the packing we had movers do it for us the last time, although I must say we are older now and only God knows what is in our future.

Cheers    Ruth

Sunday evening my brother, Kaye Don, called to remind me and Ivalou that the Outback Steakhouse gift card they gave each of us expires the end of February.  And why not come to Florida and they would go with us to use it? 

Yesterday on my way home from the Urologist...which was great news.  No tumors and I don't have to go back to see her as long as I am getting Botox in my bladder.  That Dr. can do what she does!  So I mentioned to Ivalou what Kaye Don said about going to Florida.  I had told Ivalou that we could take more time in getting there and back if it was too tiring for her to ride that many miles per day!  She never said to go or not to go.

So she said she would like to go to Florida and thought that I didn't want to go since I joined in two Small Groups!  So I told her to look at her calender and see if she has a couple of weeks free in February! 

So as of right now, we are leaving here the 7th...a week from today and want to be home by the 20th!  Sunshine!!!  Ah!  Florida!

Then last night while eating out with Tony and Charlene, I looked at my Outback Steakhouse card and it isn't valid after Feb 10th!  So now Marge, Betty, Ivalou and I are planning on going to Outback this Thursday.  Ivalou and I were afraid we wouldn't get to Kaye Don's early enough to use it down there! 

Then Kitty let me know that she and Bob are going to be gone for a week starting this Sunday!  So I called Jane and she is going to kitty sit for me and get our mail.  Jane lives less than a mile away!

All we have left to do is for me to get a call back from our tax preparer to find out when we can leave our tax papers with her! 

I got up this morning, ate breakfast and fixed a Four Bean Casserole for the crock pot.  Then Ivalou and I left at 9:30 for the pool.  I told her she could come over for lunch.  Well, my kitchen socket where I plugged in the crock pot is loose and the plug wasn't engaged so it wasn't hot.  Ivalou and I went to Woody's for lunch.  So now Ivalou is invited tonight for Four Bean Casserole! 

We are having a heat wave!!!  57°!!  Partly sunny and breezy but not cold at all!  God is preparing me for Florida...

Hi, friends, that young man whose family used to attend our church and is now actively going to a church more near their home, came today, as he promised, and got everything hooked up for the television Freecycle provided for the lady on my floor. Oh, how good God is!!

And, since there were no impediments, such as taking folks to the doctor, etc., I was able to attend our devotional study downstairs. The topic was Deborah, the prophetess, and Barak's unwillingness to go to battle without having her tag along, and then her saying that, essentially, she would go, but to understand that God would provide the opportunity to win the battle through a woman, not through Barak. What a great lesson, and the lady who gave it is struggling with many, many handicaps, but her understanding of this passage (in Judges 4) was so clear and she delivered it well. As a neophyte Christian (actually, one who has returned to the fold after a years-long absence), she shows surprising spiritual maturity.

Now, for me to finish my tasks for today, and get that pot of kale greens cooked for my dinner. See y'all later!

Ruth Ann

Hi everyone.  We had a beautiful weather day yesterday.  I think this afternoon we may have some rain but still not too cold.  We have Bible study this morning and then this evening I have a business meeting for the group for which I serve as Treasurer.  I stopped to pick up some medicine I must have by this evening and had ordered last Thursday and they had not filled it.  So I will have to make another trip to the pharmacy late this afternoon to pick it up as the prescriptions are filled at a central location and brought to the pharmacy in the early afternoons.  So today will be a full day.  We had a nice luncheon with our daughter and her friend at Uncle Julio's Mexican place.  The food is always very good there.

Judy, we men were talking about the churches that preach the prosperity theme Sunday at lunch and noted that it is the the minister that has the huge homes and car and lives in luxury.  We have a couple of huge churches here in the Atlanta area that have gone that way and the ministers have been discredited and the churches fallen onto hard times. 

Etta Sue, glad you again got good news from your doctor.  Now you all can enjoy planning your trip.  I wonder how businesses get away with selling gift cards that have expiration dates on them.  They have the money and haven't provided the item or service. 

Larry, I certainly agree--NO gift certificate should have an expiration date!  As far as I'm concerned, that is just stealing!  As you said, they already got the money, so why impose time limits? 

I have been interrupted three times since starting this post, but for good reasons!  A gal who lived here many years and still gets the local paper read the article about my book and called to order one.  She said she well remembers Beth as a little girl and how cute and sweet she was, and when she had the feet and legs surgeries, etc.  So we had a nice visit.  She now lives in Idaho.  Then she called back again to ask about two other residents of the care home where Beth lives.  Nice to hear from her, and her book is now ready to mail!

Last evening I went to a concert in Garden City with the Seniors group on the bus.  It was a young man named Mark Masri, who had a wonderful tenor voice.  But I didn't enjoy it much because he sang in Spanish French, Italian, Hebrew and Arabic, and a very few in English, so of course I couldn't understand the words.  And when he spoke, he talked so softly I couldn't understand much of that, either.  So I was disappointed.

Etta Sue, great news!  Now go and enjoy that Florida  sunshine!

Probably several have posted since I first started this, so I will go now, and come back later!

Janet here in Canada it is illegal to have an expiry date on gift certificates, for the very reason you stated.  This has been in effect for years here.

It is/has been raining here. A gloomy day. 

Had a long nice chat with Gord last night.  He is managing to keep the bad had above the heart by using the other arm to support the bad one.  I know first hand how difficult that can be.  However he was able at that point (the chat) to move all his fingers.

I just heard a terrible wailing and meowing,  Couldn't figure out who it was as both inside cats were indeed inside.  I went looking and low and behold Tommy our wonderful BIG male cat was at the door wanting in.  I've never heard such crying!

Well i have 5 things to do.  Because I didn't sleep well last night, I am going to lay down this afternoon and see if I can get some rest.  That may help the energy as well.

I, too, have never heard of a gift card with an expiration date on it.  Ivalou would never say 'Let's go to Outback Steakhouse and use our coupons this Thursday' since she knows she wouldn't be the driver!  So it was totally up to me when to go.  And winter in Indiana...you never know.  I did have the card where I am frequently reminded but so glad Kaye Don mentioned it but he said last of February but on the card it is printed...not written...Valid 1-1-12 thru 2-10-12!  Hope they (Kaye Don and Barb) don't do that again! 

Ivalou did come back last evening and ate with me.  She brought a cake and Cool Whip so we had a pretty rounded out meal.  And guess what I am having for lunch?

Well, it is official.  We are planning on leaving next Tuesday morning...around sunrise.  Ivalou always thinks that is silly to leave that early in the morning but I probably won't sleep the night before so I might as well be on the road.  She can sleep in the car...I can't.  If I had my way, we would leave at 5am but I am thinking maybe 7am.

Of course, I have a lot more to take than Ivalou.  Laptop, crocheting or knitting, my pillow etc.  I couldn't find my earbuds this morning...they were in my laptop carrier.  I need them for my reading the Bible in a year and listening to it on Droid.  And I can use them on the laptop so the sound won't bother the others. 

I have been putting things on the dining room table that I want to take.  I am excited.  We haven't been on a trip since Ivalou's stroke Sept. 2009 other than a weekend in Michigan to attend a nephews wedding. 

I had better move on...

Etta Sue you are leaving on my Birthday. Not much new here. I have a loaf of Oatmeal Flax bread in the bread maker and I will be leaving shortly to go to Coquille to take Happy to the vet for his monthly checkup.

JudyB..... Thank you for requesting prayer for our trip. There was a lot of slush on the roads and we were often blinded my passing vehicles; especially large transport trucks. The trip went smoothly and Everett is now on antibiotics for an abscess caused by a root canal done six months ago. He has noticed a tremendous improvement since taking them.

Today is catch up day and Bible Study tonight.

Weather is cloudy and just under freezing.

Have a great day, everyone. Praying for all on the roads!!