Time for a Sponge Bath......

As you have heard me say before, my husband threw his back out and has been in significant pain for almost two weeks. 

He went to the chiropractor and felt better until he picked up something he shouldn't have and ended up hurting worse than before. There was a slight problem though, the doctor was on vacation and it would be a week before he could see him.

So being the loving, supportive, caring wife that I am I became his sweet nurse. Much like the picture above I was kind, always had a smile on my face and never became frustrated. 

Now there is just one problem with this picture. The problem is, the nurse described above is the one in my husband's dreams.

The nurse he ACTUALLY had was more like this one. Sometimes a little crabby, sometimes not compassionate and sometimes not understanding.

This nurse took care of her patient and tried to be cheerful but there were times she wanted to stick needles in her eyes and run into the night screaming or stick needles in HIS eyes!!!

However, my poor husband went to the chiropractor yesterday and today and he is SOOOmuch better. He can get around a lot better and even though he is very sore and tender he is not in excruciating pain anymore.

I guess "Nurse Bunker" can go on an extensive leave of absence. Maybe she should go to a spa for a facial (don't you think it would help!!!) and a massage. OOOOH, how wonderful.

I'm Pooped......So...

No Friday Feast today. The kitchen is closed and I am pooped. I'm afraid you will have to go to McDonalds or just go eat at someone else's table. 

Now, I am going to rest!!!

Thursday Thirteen #68

Thirteen Things I Would Like to Do

1. Get an RV and travel across the country with our family. We are already talking about doing this.

2. Have a get together of the blogger gals on the east coast. Wouldn't that be FAB!! Anyone want to organize that????

3. Lose these blooming 50 pounds!!!

4. Bounce my granddaughter on my knee.......I will in September after she is born !

5. Get caught up on laundry and clean out the closet so it all fits!!

6. Have a family reunion for my Dad's side of the family. We haven't all gotten together in a while and I think we need to.

7. Take my mom to see my cousin, Freida in Mississippi. Freida is the daughter of my mom's older sister. They are very close and haven't seen each other in a while.

8. Go back to NYC and stay long enough to see a couple of plays and do some shopping! Maybe even stand outside the GMA studios with a goofy sign and wave!

9. Get a full body massage. I could REALLY use one.

10. Go back to Ireland and then to Scotland. Ireland is SO beautiful and I want to go to Scotland because my ancestors came from there.

11. Have my 'waddle' removed. (Definition: the floppy skin below my chin!!)

12. Go to Australia. We have friends there and I would love to go see them.

13. Learn to belly dance. Hah! Gotcha.........I just threw that one in for fun.

Sunday Seven #20

A weekly meme for giving thanks and/or for noting important events in our lives.

1. This week we found our that the heart of our soon to be born granddaughter, Zoe, is beating normally. We thank God for that and for those of you who were praying with us!

2. On the other hand my mother in law was told she has Parkinson's. However, it is mild and the doctor thinks will be easily controlled with medication. We are thankful to know the cause of her symptoms.

3. Hubby is still struggling with back pain. His body is telling him to de-stress! He is taking most of July off so hopefully that will do as much as anything to heal his back. PRAY!!!!

4. I find myself in disbelief that another pregnant woman has been murdered by the man in her life. How can a man kill his unborn child? Evil is alive and well.

5. We received some much needed rain and we are thankful. We need more. We are in a terrible drought.

6. I watched a news story about one of our local young men who just returned from duty in Afghanistan. He is an attorney and went there to help establish a new court system. His family were members of our church when he was young and it was so wonderful to see what a fine young man he has become and to hear of the wonderful things he did for the children of Afghanistan.

7. On a lighter note, poor Paris Hilton can't seem to find anyone to interview her when she gets out of jail. Isn't that a shame??

Our Work in Venezuela

My husband has a blog where he shares information about the Methodist work in Venezuela. As you know, this is very close to our hearts. Below is an article he posted a few weeks ago prior to the June session of seminary. It explains one of the reasons we are in Venezuela and why we started the seminary. I would invite you to visit his blog occasionally and see what God is doing in Venezuela.

June Seminary

Last night I was asked to meet with the Mission Committee of a church that has been very supportive of the work at the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. They had questions for me to answer about the work of the seminary and their continuing support.

I struggled to find words adequate to describe the critical work of the Kingdom being done through the Wesley Seminary of Venezuela. Since I am so passionate about this work and so very much in love with the people of Venezuela, I am always amazed that others do not see the value as clearly as I do. However, I must realize that it is like the love for one's own child. Others may love your child, but they will never love him or her as much as you do.

After some time to think about it, here are some of the reasons for the passion we have for the work in Venezuela:

1. The greatest single need of the church in Venezuela is the need for trained and equipped pastors. For example, San Christobal is a city of 600,000 people. The evangelical (protestant) church recently celebrated 100 years in San Christobal. Yet the pastors estimate there are only 5-6,000 evangelicalChristians in San Christobal - after 100 years of ministry and dozens of churches. This scenario is repeated all across the nation. The level of training and the models of ministry embraced by the indigenous church have not been as effective as needed in reaching the lost of Venezuela. Pastors need and receive excellent quality education at the Seminary in a fashion that is relevant, affordable and accessible. The 90 students enrolled are getting a practical theological education at the undergraduate level that simply is not available in all of Venezuela.

2. The people of Venezuela are primarily a secular people. While most claim to be Roman Catholic, in fact a very small percentage of the people have any religious life. Secularism is the dominate religion of the population. This is a country that desperately needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is presented in our best Wesleyan tradition. Through the seminary we are making a significant difference in the practice and effectiveness of the ministry of our students and many new congregations and missions have been started as a result of the education received at Wesley Seminary. These new congregations and missions are the very best way to reach the lost of this great country.

3. The United Methodist Church of Venezuela is in its infancy. Wesley Seminary is providing the educational and spiritual foundation needed for the establishment of a strong and effective Conference touching the entire nation and impacting the church in all of Latin America. Venezuela is a strategic country in Latin America for many reasons. We desperately need a strong United Methodist Conference in that country. All the work of writing the Discipline and organizing the Conference has been led by the staff of the Seminary. This is even more critical given the political upheavals in the region.

4. The North American Church needs the enrichment provided by partnering with the church in Venezuela. Pastors here get embittered if the local church does not pay a minimum compensation package of about $60,000 (total cost to the church). Many pastors in Venezuela earn less than $4,000 a year. Churches here feel entitled to all the facilities, programming, budget and staff of a well established congregation. Many congregations in Venezuela have bi-vocational pastors, no other staff,minuscule budgets and have to meet in homes or rented garages. Yet they are joyful and thankful for God's blessings and generous with others less fortunate. We need a good dose of that in the US. Taking American professors, pastors and lay leaders to Venezuela to help with seminary allows them to be touched by some of the most dedicated servants of Christ I have ever known.

5. The work of the Seminary is a long-term commitment. Most churches use a shotgun approach to Global Missions investing limited time and money in many different places, resulting in very small long term gains. That is how I learned to do mission work and perpetuated that pattern for many years. However, a long term partnership with an indigenous church in another country resulting inspiritual and theological formation of the leadership of that church for several generations has far greater lasting impact for the sake of the Kingdom. Therefore, the Seminary needs many US partnerchurches to support and expand this great ministry. We do not need to cut back or lose any of the current support. We need to increase and expand the support for this great work.

One of the ways of looking at the ROI (Return on Investment) of mission dollars focuses on immediate gains of professions of faith or new members or churches. We certainly have those results in Venezuela. However, those are all immediate and measurable results and if they are the only criteria of measurement of effectiveness, we will miss the greater significance of the ministry of the SeminarioWesleyano de Venezuela. That is like measuring the effectiveness of a church solely on Professions of Faith. No District Superintendent in North Georgia has said more about the need for our own churches to be more effective in measurable ways, such as average worship attendance, professions of faith, net new members, etc. However, as a pastor for over 30 years, I know those are only part of the work. They are tangible. The intangible includes the spiritual growth of the pastors, staff and laity of a congregation, the primary outward focus of a local church, the holiness of heart and life of the people of the church, the generosity of the congregation toward others, the sense of divine call evidenced in the life of the laity and lay leaders of the congregation. The raising up of new mature lay and clergy leadership is of critical importance. It is not measurable, except anecdotally. However, it cannot be over-valued.

Finally, please pray for the seminary as we meet in June. David, Dean of the Seminary, will be teaching an Old Testament Course and I will be teaching a worship course, "Worship that Transforms." Also, please prayerfully consider how you can support this critical work.

Friday Feast - Have You Washed Your Hands???

Appetizer

Name a funny habit you have.

I talk to myself when I am alone. But my father told me it was OK as long as I didn't answer myself!!!!
Soup
If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick?
Piano. I took lessons for two years as a child but hated to practice and finally convinced my parents they were wasting their money! Now, I would love to be able to play.
Salad
How long is your hair?
Usually it is right below my ears. Right now it brushes my collar but it needs cutting!
Main Course
When was the last time you forgave someone, and who was it?
Probably my hubby for some silly something!!
Dessert
What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
My George Foreman Grill. I love, love, love it! It is great for cooking stuff for two people.

Thursday Thirteen #67

A Random T13

1. My orthopedist has released me and doesn't want to see me for two years!!! YEA!

2. Our DIL went to her doctor yesterday and little Zoe's heart is beating normally. Praise God.

3. The new season of "The Closer" started on Monday night. I love this show!

4. Last night I babysat for our DIL's three nieces, ages 12, 10 and 3. The three year old sat in my lap part of the evening and gave me some great hugs and kisses! You know I didn't like that!!

5. Hubby's back is getting better, little by little. God help me!!!

6. We finally got some much needed rain and we are very thankful. Today the sun is shining and the sky is blue and it is a gawgeous day!

7. DIL's parents are here....permanently!! Her father is going to be pastoring a Hispanic congregation and we are all happy they are here.

8. I heard Dennis Miller say this last night: "If Rosie O'Donnell becomes the host of 'The Price is Right' they will have to change the name to 'The Price is Left'!!! Now that's funny!

9. I am so distressed by the news of pregnant women missing from their homes. One was found murdered and the other has not been found. What is going on?

10. I am reading Mary Higgins Clark's latest book, "I Heard That Song Before". It's pretty good but not as good as her previous works.

11. We (the three girls and I) watched "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" last night. I had forgotten how much fun those movies were. I loved it!

12. Did you hear about the person who wanted to change their identity? The only problem was the identity they chose to be was "Herman Munster". Needless to say, that didn't last too long!!!

13. I can't think of anything else to say.....I am completely out of random ideas. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Give Me a Break!!

Rosie O'Donnell is talking with CBS execs about becoming the new host for "The Price is Right". Have you EVER heard anything so ridiculous? 

When asked about the idea she said, "I love that show. If they offer me the job, I'll take it". She knows that no one can replace the iconic Bob Barker but she says she will try to continue to make it fun.

According to a poll I saw recently, the odds of her getting the job were about 100 to 1. If CBS were to actually give her the job they would be effectively killing the show. The other contenders (John O'Hurley, George Hamilton, and Mark Stiennes(Entertainment Tonight) are MUCH better choices.

CBS.....PLEASE don't choose Rosie. She would be the death knell for The Price is Right.

Another Book Deal!!

Kris of "Not Enough Books" is sponsoring a contest for the month of September. She is calling it "Cozy Mystery Month".

She is encouraging as many people as possible to read as many "cozy mysteries" as possible. Since I am a big fan of cozies I have signed up. You can visit her site to learn more about the contest. It is going to be fun!

Sunday Seven #19 (for me!!)

My Sunday Seven is in honor of my father this week.

1. My father was a man of few words but when he spoke it was worth listening to. 

2. As a young man my father was known by many to be the best pitcher in the Mill League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and went to training camp but was too homesick to stay! 

3. My father had a great love for his family. Not only his wife and children but EVERY member of his family. They were all very important to him. 

4. Until the day he died he called me his "little girl". I loved that because I knew when he said it he was remembering when I WAS a little girl! 

5. My daddy was a man of faith. He was not very 'showy' about it but his life exuded an underlying belief in God that manifested itself in the way he lived. You knew by his actions in whom he placed his trust. 

6. My father was a man of integrity. His word was his bond. Honesty was very important to him. 

7. Most of all, he was a great daddy. He would go to any length to make us happy. If that meant stopping at some silly roadside attraction while on vacation...he did it. If it meant going to the Dairy Queen after supper for an ice cream....he did it. He just loved to see us smile.

Happy Father's Day Daddy. I miss you terribly and love you so.

Wanna Play......Click here for all the details!

The Right Decision

Mike Nifong, the District Attorney in the Duke University case, has been disbarred. That is absolutely the right decision.

Mr. Nifong forgot one very important aspect of our legal system....innocent until proven guilty. Because he wagged his tongue far too often, he had already tried and convicted these young men before they could have their day in court.

He put them and their families through a horrible experience. He tried to use this situation as a political stepping stone and almost succeeded in ruining the lives of these students.

Shame on you Mr. Nifong.

Great News for Book Lovers!!

I found out about this GREAT give away from Stac at Vader's Mom. Go and visit Jill and find out about "Jill's Book Bag. 

Jill loves to read and she will pick a "Book of the Month" and draw a name from those who have left their name at the above link. The winner will receive the book and some other goodies of her choosing all in a great little book bag.

So, if you love to read, go over and leave a comment and get in on "Jill's Book Bag" giveaway!

How cool is that!!

Friday Feast - Let's Eat!

Appetizer

Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is _________________…

...our view. We can see 1 mountain top and trees. It is very peaceful.

Soup

Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”).

"Stink No More"

Salad
What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer?
Photo Impression 6

Main Course

If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say?
Most Likely To wait until I can braid the hair on my legs before I shave!!!!!

Dessert
What two colors do you like to wear together?
Black and red or fushia or cornflower blue or turquoise or yellow or green or........

Rest in Peace

Ruth Graham, beloved wife of Rev. Billy Graham has died. She was surrounded by her children and husband as she went from this life into the next. Her example of a life well lived is one we all should follow.

The angels are singing now as Ruth Graham is welcomed into the arms of her Heavenly Father. She will be missed by more than just her family. Until we all get to heaven.....

Thursday Thirteen #66

Thirteen Reasons I Can't Do a Thursday Thirteen Today

1. I am still tired from all my travels.

2. My back hurts and I don't want to sit still long enough to write one.

3. I have to clean out my refrigerator and then load the dishwasher.

4. My dog needs a flea treatment.

5. I need to do laundry. 

6. We have no food so I must go to the grocery store.

7. I need to finish my letter to my pen-pal, Paris Hilton!
8. I can't think of anything to do a T13 about.

9. My hair needs to be washed.

10. I need to clean out my sock drawer.

11. I have the beginnings of a blister on my pinky finger and it hurts to type.

12. I just don't have the time today to think of 13 things to say.

13. I'll do a T13 next week, after all, next Thursday is another day!!!!

"She's my soul mate......"

Ruth Graham, wife of Rev. Billy Graham, slipped into a coma today and appears to be close to death.

Rev. Graham is quoted as saying, "She is my soul mate. I love her more today than I did when we met 65 years ago at Wheaton College. I can't imagine living without her. She is close to going home to heaven".

Mrs. Graham has been a wonderful example of a strong Christian woman. Her books on prayer and her poetry were inspirational.

She raised children who are in Christian service and has supported her husband's efforts. Soon she will hear the words of her Heavenly Father, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant".

Godspeed.

TRUE Desperate Housewives!!!

Pain, Pain and More Pain!

Bad news. DH was feeling so much better after we returned from the doctor yesterday. Then he laid down on the bed for a little while to rest and when he tried to get up he couldn't!!! He was in terrible pain. He finally was able to struggle into a chair.

After sitting there for a while I thought he was getting better. He did get a little better but by 10:30pm he just couldn't stand it any longer. We packed up and came home!!!

He is going to call the chiropractor and get in to see him today. He is SO upset about leaving the conference. He has NEVER missed a conference and it is killing him, especially this year with the elections.

Please pray for him. He has not had back problems like this in 25 years and he is not handling it very well. Pray for me too........pray that I don't kill him!!!! (Just kidding)

What a Fun Day!

As a result of sleeping on very hard beds in Venezuela and making one wrong move yesterday my poor husband threw his back out! He was almost unable to walk and groaned with every move.

We called our chiropractor and got an appointment this morning. We had to drive from Athens, GA back to Alpharetta, GA (about a 2 hour drive) to see the doctor. I drove and with every bump my DH's misery was compounded.

We finally arrived at the chiropractor's office. Dr. Rick worked his magic and when we left DH was able to stand up a little easier and actually took a nap in the car on the way back to our hotel in Athens. 

He goes back to the doctor next week but I hope he will be feeling better by then.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

A top Anti-American Terrorist has finally been captured. She had eluded authorities for quite sometime but, at last, her big mouth was her downfall. Authorities say she resisted very little but was making a furtive plea for Nair! When more info on the breaking news becomes available you will be notified.

We're in Athens!!!

Athens, GEORGIA, that is!!!! We are here for a week for our church's annual meeting. Our conference (North Georgia) is one of the largest in Methodism. This is time we discuss the business of the church. It is a very important time and many crucial issues will be discussed.

This year we will also we electing delegates to attend the General Conference of the United Methodist Church which occurs every four years. It is very important that we elect people who will uphold Biblical authority. So, if you can add this to your prayer list, I would appreciate it.

Of course, I plan to have a little fun too! While DH is in meetings I will be visiting with friends and catching up. There is always a luncheon for the spouses of ministers and we get to see people we only see once a year.

I will be checking in as I can. Have a great week and be thankful for all your blessings.

Sunday Seven #18

A weekly meme for giving thanks and/or for noting important events in our lives.

1. We spent time with our dear friends, the Cosbys, in Venezuela. They have been our friends for 35 years!!!!! We met in college and used to double date. It is hard to believe we have know each other that long. We are thankful for old friends.


2. We enjoyed worshiping in our son's FIL's church in Venezuela. He is a wonderful preacher and we are excited about them moving to Georgia this month. He will be pastoring an Hispanic congregation in our conference.


3. Being with the Christians in Venezuela is a shot in the arm. They are very encouraging to me in my faith and I appreciate that so much.


4. I did a LOT of walking on this trip. Of course, I had to walk through the airports and I walked from our hotel room to the restaurant and I walk in the mall (well, I do have my priorities) and I walked at the artisan's mall (more retail therapy!). I am very tired and little sore but I. DID. IT!!!!


5. I am extremely thankful for my comfy chair! When I placed my posterior in the seat Friday afternoon I was a very happy girl!


6. There is nothing like the wag of your dog's tale and his smile when you return from a trip! Smokie was very happy to see us and our cat, Boxer, has been very clingy as well. It is good to be loved!


7. Now that I have had a day and a half to rest, wash clothes and repack.....we are leaving today for Athens, GA for our church's yearly Conference. We will return on Friday. I am taking my laptop so I can stay in touch. It will be a busy week and an important one as the ministers and delegates deal with important issues. Pray for God's will to be done.

Wanna play??? Click here for details!

Venezuela Trip in Pictures!

We drove from Maiquetia (the location of the airport) to Barquisimeto (about a 5 hour drive) and the scenery is spectacular. The airport is located on the coast and you drive immediately into the hills.

The roads are curvy but it pays off. We made a few stops along the way for snacks and potty breaks and to snap some pictures.






Another shot from the drive through the mountains. The pictures just do NOT do it justice.











Here is one of many flower stands on the streets of Barquisimeto. They grow beautiful flowers of many varieties and they are very inexpensive.









I just had to snap this picture. There is a plastic chair in the tree! We decided it was a Venezuelan "high chair"!!










This is Wilmer and Juni and their precious new baby boy, Wilmer, Jr. They are active members ofLugar Altisimo UMC outside of Barquisimeto, VZ. They are a wonderful young couple.












Little Wilmer is absolutely adorable. He was all smiles and entertained us while we were there. He is three months old.










These are some of the seminary students. Each morning is started with a worship service led by one of the students. The singing is always beautiful. They are all so grateful for the opportunity to attend seminary and be better trained to serve their churches.













Here are three of the students at the seminary. They each have very effective churches. (L-R) Cheo,Thoby and Carlos are all passionate about their ministries and about reaching Venezuela for Christ.




We were able to spend some time with our dear friends, David and Carol Cosby, who are missionaries there and the Herrins who are also missionaries there. Please be in prayer for these families. There are shortages of many items including eggs, milk, chicken, cooking oil, toilet paper, sugar and butter. They can get these items sometimes but not all the time. The political situation is fragile and they watch things very closely. Pray for their safety and for their ministry with the people of Venezuela.

I'm Home and I'm Exhausted!!!

We are home safe and sound from Venezuela. We had a wonderful week of seminary and enjoyed visiting with our friends. 

I feel like I have walked 10 miles after walking through the Caracas airport and then the Atlanta airport. I AM POOPED!!! So, I will write a more detailed post about our trip (with photos) later. 

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I appreciate and love you loads!