Hello friends, isn’t the sunshine (Tuesday morning) gorgeous? Of course, by the time you are reading this, the sun is supposed to be long gone; though they, (the official forecasters) have been known to be off a little, at least by an inch or two.
Wilma just left; she told me that daughter Rita Jones was in bed at home (after a trip to the hospital Saturday night) with bronchial pneumonia. Wilma said she talked to her this morning and she is feeling a lot better. Wilma said she told Rita, you should have got those shots at the Health Department last fall like I told you to (Rita just covered up her head with a pillow.) Wilma said, “Maybe this year she will listen to me.”
Here it is the second week of the New Year and some folks are feeling the strain of trying to keep ‘resolutions’ or ‘goals’ they chose to set on January one. Personally I am basking in victory – I made it one whole week, so I bought myself a bag of candy for a reward…and it tastes really good too.
One of my goals was to increase my exercise level (not too difficult since I am, by nature, a rather devoted ‘couch potato’ – a trip to the mailbox is an accomplishment) and pledged (to myself) to make it to the ‘Y’ twice a week for a water workout. Victory is sweet…even if it takes a couple of Aleve and half a tube of Ben-gay, haha.
Along with several other like-minded ladies Monday evening, I attended the ‘Ladies’ Bible Study’ at Markland Baptist Church; it was really good. Melissa Park led us on an ‘exploration’ of a ‘Back to the Beginning’ study, starting (where else) in Genesis.
The study was very interesting and informational, well presented, and enjoyable – now what more can you ask. The fellowship afterwards was really nice too. It is Monday evenings at 6:30 if you would like to join in; all ladies are welcome (sorry guys, no males allowed.)
Carolyn Green was sounding, and feeling, much better when I talked to her Sunday afternoon; she said she thought she would be able to play Bridge this Wednesday (the holidays are over, it is time to get back to normal.) Rita Green will be the first hostess of 2012; we take turns.
There wasn’t any Spanish Class last Friday; Evelyn West was sick (she sounded awful and said she felt really bad with flu-like symptoms.) Evelyn said she thought she got it from her new daughter-in-law over the holidays.
Billy and Evelyn’s son and family from Texas, surprised them with a visit for Christmas. They hadn’t seen each other for several years and Evelyn said it was a wonderful ‘gift’; she and her daughter-in-law made holiday cookies together and just had a wonderful time in general. Evelyn said it was the best Christmas they have had in years.
We have had several birthdays the past couple of weeks: Morgan Nay (1st), Howard Hazeldean (3rd), Dylan Moore (6th), Taylor Gregory (6th), Billy Stearns (7th), Eldric Hazeldean (8th), Jade Mullins birthday is on Friday the 13th this year, Peggy Eckerty (15th), Lindsey Mangold (16th), Mike Miller (16th), Shyla Prince on the 17th and Jessie Bruce on the 19th .
We want to wish all of the above (and everyone else that has had a birthday), a very Happy Birthday. We pray that each of you will have a day filled with love and laughter (and good food of course) and that the next year will be filled with an abundance of God’s sweet blessings for you; Happy Birthday!
Saturday and after church Sunday, Mike and Mary went out to Nancy’s house for a family ‘wood cutting party’ (I use the word ‘party’ loosely as anyone who has ever cut or hauled wood knows). Rodney and Mike gathered their tools and everyone went over to brother Danny Stevens place to cut (Mary, Nancy, and Danny are siblings.)
Danny and LeAnn’s young son Connor was ‘helping’ and his eyes were kind of red; Aunt Nancy thought he had a allergy to the wood and she said to him, “Connor, you should see your eyes!” Connor thought for a moment then said, “Aunt Nancy, you are silly. I can’t see my eyes.”
Well the Bengals lost Saturday and Ana and I kept calling each other throughout the game, agonizing over each play and how we thought it should have been played. It was a pretty good game even if it didn’t end the way we hoped it would; at least Texas was happy.
Ana and I both thought that it was still good that the Bengals made the Play Offs, especially after last year’s season. The Bengals are essentially a very young team (this year) with a ‘rookie’ (even though he didn’t play like a rookie) quarterback and several other ‘new’ members in key positions. We are both looking forward to next year.
Marci Leap surprised Mary Monday morning with an invitation to lunch with several old friends (they all used to work together); they all met at the Mexican restaurant in Carrollton. Mary said they had a wonderful time, kind of like an ‘old friend’ reunion.
Markland Baptist Church will be having a ‘Fifth Sunday Dinner’ on the 29th of this month; the Hospitality Committee decided on fried chicken for the main course. The church supplies the meat and everyone pitches in with a covered (or uncovered) dish and lots of desserts. Let me tell you folks, this is some kind of ‘good eating’ – we have some great cooks in our little congregation – and you know, Baptists love to eat!
Wilma told me that she was over to Stacy and Billy’s house Saturday evening for Billy’s birthday dinner. She said Billy’s mom and grandmother, his step-father, and several friends were there too. Wilma said they had a really good time.
Friday I stopped in to see Patty and Mike Miller (after the ‘Y’ workout) and they were both doing pretty good. They did get some bad news from the family though: Mike’s sister, Emma Noble is in a nursing home in Cincinnati and they have notified Hospice; Mike’s brother, Bo Miller (in Hoovan) is in the hospital with heart problems; Mike’s nephew, Jake Scott in Cleves, is on life-support with a poor prognosis for life. Lots of bad news indeed.
Saturday I was ‘under-the-weather’ and did not get to attend the Commissioning Ceremony for Joshua Hazeldean, held at the American Legion Saturday. I spoke to Debbie Turner and she said it was great. Josh was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corp; he will take up his military duties in April.
Uncles, Howard and Eddie Hazeldean, pinned his ‘bars’ on his uniform and sister Jill Hazeldean (currently serving in the Navy) gave him his first salute. Deb said it was very moving; she told me that most of Josh’s family were there for the ceremony including his mom, Jan, sister Jill, grandparents, Joy and Eldric, uncles and aunts, and more friends than you could count.
Debbie told me that son Alex started a new school this month in Madison (Shawe) that she and Alton thought would give him an ‘intellectual challenge’. They didn’t think Alex was having to apply himself in his previous school nearly enough, hence, the switch. Do remember Alex in your prayers; no matter how smart you are, new environments are somewhat daunting.
Lucinda and Dan Mangold were at church Sunday but Lucinda didn’t seem as ‘chipper’ as she was last week; recovery never seems to stay on a steady upward swing but goes up and down like a roller coaster – sort of like our weather this year.
There are lots of folks around the county fighting different kinds of viruses, sinus problems, colds, flu-like stuff, you get the idea – wash your hands a lot, and remember to keep a close watch on your own health. The fluctuating weather (of extremes – up/down) in our odd winter conditions we are having this year makes it very difficult for the human body to acclimate to and makes us prone to ‘catching’ whatever ‘comes down the pike’; so be careful, prevention is easier than recovery.
Chester Meisberger is in The Waters nursing home in Madison; I haven’t talked to Debbie Allen (daughter) lately to find out how he is doing but friends at church told me that he was in the The Waters for recovery.
Please remember Emma, Bo, and Jake, and Patty and Mike, in your prayers this week and the rest of the family also. We had a lot of other folks on our ‘Prayer Concern’ list this week: Charlotte Kroening asked us to remember Nora Gross and her (born pre-mature) twin great-grandbabies (they are having early birth complications), Marty Park’s friend Ron Keller is back in the hospital – he has been battling cancer for a long time, Josh Hazeldean, Alex Turner, Lucinda Mangold (and Dan), Chester Meisberger (Maxine and Debbie too), Susie Chatham and her family, James Bruce’s dad Paul Bruce is in the hospital, Remember Jack Brown and Larry Rose for surgical recovery, Bobby Brundige (bad cold – he is still preaching on Ecclesiastes – not that has anything to do with his cold), Joy and Eldric Hazeldean, Vandora Bennett, Mary Davenport, Louise Rayles, Bob Baatz (haven’t heard anything about Bob lately either), Cindy White is having some medical problems, Charlotte Kroening (for recovery and pain relief), Dan Mangold’s sister Rose in Tennessee is back in the hospital from surgical complications, Unspoken requests and Unsaved loved ones, Service personnel and their families, and Christian teachers everywhere.
We offer our praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for answered prayers and His continued direction, especially for Marty Park and Mike Martin who have both started new jobs this month and for all the many blessings He has provided to/for us; thank you Lord!
Pastor is still preaching from Ecclesiastes (still not my favorite book in the Bible but he is making some very good points) and adds references from other parts of the Bible to reinforce his points. One reference particularly touched me; it is from Matthew 6:25-34 and concerns Jesus’ teaching about ‘worry’.
It concludes in verses 33 and 34 with this admonition, “But seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Like many other teachings of Jesus, this is easier said than done but when accomplished, provides heart-peace. Until next week, may the Lord cause His face to shine on you, to bless you and keep you safe from harm; may He lift up His countenance and give you the blessing of peace. Amen.