Overwhelmed to Overcomer Chapter Seven

The final chapter and tying up loose ends .....
September 4th 2017 .... thid will kind of be a "post script" for chapter's 1 -6
   In between all these situations .... there were a lot of emotions and life changing feelings that were dying off and some new ones coming alive through a series of UP's and DOWN's . Death of some dyed in the wool feelings, emotions, ideals and attitudes were VERY PAINFUL!! .... BUT OH SO  ... necessary!! I am going to write some of the things I have been through in this dying & coming alive process ... they may not be in chronological order but here they are ......

#1) The day after Christmas 2016 .... we discovered a large lump in the side of our Chocolate lab Molly's side .... trip to the vet confirmed our worst fears .... INOPERABLE TUMOR on her spleen .. it had already spread onto other areas of her organs .... Hubby was a mess, he was a broken soul, loosing his best friend and nothing could console him .... days turned into weeks of crying and depression for him ... I was worried sick for him .... Molly passed away @ home February 12th 2017 We had been blessed with her the day after Christmas 2008 when she wandered into my apartment complex cold and hungry and homeless ...... we had her for 9 years.

#2) Around December 30th 2016 ... I received a call from my sister ... Mom was being hospitalized ... she had had a bad cough for some time .... the short story is .... they found a tumor on her thymus gland ... a HUGE TUMOR .... she remained hospitalized for two weeks as they ran tests ..... she needed surgery!! As the tests rolled in we learned it was laying across her heart & lungs!! We also learned it was cancerous. .... my 83 year old Mom was in serious trouble!! ... THIS IS WHERE PRAYER WORKS!! calls went out all over the globe literally .... with a brother in California, and a sister who use to live on the other side of the world ... a prayer chain was set up of magnificent per portions!! ..... Her surgery would be a go on March 17th 2017 if she passed all the endurance tests she had to .... ENDURE!! to see if she could withstand this major surgery. The tumor was 6 inches in diameter and 9 inches long laying cross ways in her chest .,..... (plus it was cancerous) ......

#3) At the end of February several weeks after Molly passed away .... Hubby insisted I look @ a picture on his computer .... I thought it was Molly .... It wasn't .... SIGH .... I had encouraged him to wait about 3 months before getting another dog .... I felt he needed time to grieve and get past the depression ..... He felt he needed another dog ..... so off to Lexington KY he headed to look @ this other dog ...... Thor Hersey Chance Melee .... a registered Chocolate Field Lab .... an OX of massive proportions .... we decided Chance would be his called name .... he was not quite 2 years old ..... SIGH!! have you ever had a 2 yr old Lab? they are still a puppy all 85 pounds of his huge bouncy inquisitive huge block head frame!!! He had a love of anything plastic ... so everything plastic was at risk !! and FOOD ... he can open doors, he inhales food .... like a vacuum cleaner .... some of his new less then fond nicknames are "NO CHANCE", BLOCKHEAD, VACUUM CLEANER ....

#3) I took in a homeless lady around late February 2017 ... who was brought to my apartment complex by someone from Saint Vincent DePaul's society, they had put her up in a local motel and could not carry her bill any longer .... one of the lady's at the motel took her in ... God bless her .... for about two weeks .... then she came to me ... SIGH .... Dr Jekyll / Dr Hyde split personality .... stayed up all night and was HATEFUL .... OK ... I needed this slap in the face to wake up and see I didn't need to take in these kind of people!!! .... I was already dealing with SO MUCH !! then I took her in .... (side note: Fanny and Harry were still here with Pixie & Bubby) ..... and I had my poor stepmom Susie to contend with as she tried to survive in this atmosphere of CHAOS!!! (with Dementia it was not easy) .....

#4) I had been planning to go to New York for my Mom's surgery .... God was gracious and my sweet Hubby agreed to let me take his truck .... (side note: this was decided when I was determined to pack out all my daughter's belongings she had left here when she came to stay with us in October of 2014 before Hubby had his open heart surgery, to be here to help out .... ) I spent day's packing and repacking up Daughter's belongings .... BY MYSELF .... although I'd ask for help .... Hubby was in such a state of depression he was helpless and useless @ this point!! .... so I lugged and lugged and heaved everything and stacked everything in the truck .... Finally finished it in the evening of the 12th of March .... The game plan was .... Pull out the early morning of the 15th and arrive in New York the evening of the 15th ... have all day the 16th to recoup from the trip and do some visiting then on the 17th head to the hospital with Mom spend the week with her and head back home the 22nd.

#4)  ..... BUT GAME PLANS CAN GO OUT THE WINDOW FAST !!!! .... on the morning of the the Monday the 13th .... I was up @ my usual mid-wee hour dogs out run .... about 2AM .... my nerves were soooo jangled I couldn't go back to sleep .... I sat up in my Prayer Room, had some Chamomile tea and wrote in my journal .... checked the wood stove and it was Ok ..... about 3:30AM I got up and smelled smoke .... went out and the hallway was full .... SIGH!!! NOW WHAT?? wood stove chimney appeared to be leaking ??? .... NOT!! it was coming from the LAUNDRY ROOM and we had a house fire .... woke everyone up and said "GET OUT NOW"!!! Fire department arrived in minutes (we are about 5 miles from them .... ) .... God is so amazing!! .... JUST AWESOME .... the rest of this story ... some years ago we put all our water lines in the ceiling .... except into the laundry room and we ran them under the wall cabinets and into the water heater room. It was this decision that God was able to utilize in the saving of our home!!  The fire ... which was in the lint hose running to the outside had melted the hot water line and water was spraying on the fire and keeping it contained and downsized. .... I will try and explain the 2nd miracle in this picture ... the water lines ran on top of each other ... the cold line was on the bottom and the hot line was on top .... yet the hot water line melted .... which left our cold water in tack through out the house ... (maybe no hot water ... but we could still flush the toilets and have water to cook with and heat up if we needed to freshen up a bit ... This was for 8 of us ... living here .... ) SO GOD WAS GOOD!! .... 

#5) .... DECISIONS .... DECISIONS !!! the week prior to this the news media started talking about a weather front headed EAST! .... as we watched it and kept in the "KNOW" we realized that this storm was of massive BLIZZARD proportions and would hit around the 14th or 15th of March in upstate New York!!! the morning of the fire, I was watching this storm system and realized that God had, had me pack up early by the evening of the 12th and get my office in order prior to leaving work that Friday on the 10th. I made a decision to leave for New York on the 13th instead .... I was on the road by 12:30PM ... stopped by McDonald's grabbed 2 fish sandwiches some fries and a drink and I was out on the interstate ..... AGAIN ... God is soooo GOOD!! .... my bladder held, I required few stops except for gas and was in Northern Ohio by 6PM on Interstate 90 heading east ... as I paid for my gas and shared where i was headed the attendant informed me the storm was 20 minutes out behind me ... I hit the road rollin and ready!! LOTS OF PRAYER for no SNOW, NO FLAKES AND CLEAR AHEAD ...  I began praying in 5 mile increments .... "Thank You Lord of the next 5 miles all clear & no snow .... " .... after squeezing out about 100 miles like this I was getting weary!! It was then I heard God say ...  WHY don't you trust Me for this whole trip?? We've been doing 5 miles at a time ... " I saw my foolishness and lack of faith ... so I just handed over to HIM the rest of the trip!!
rest of the story ..... I arrived in N.V. New York at 10:30PM on the 13th .... NO SNOW yet and clear weather !! (sidenote ... I was going to stay @ my brothers in the Corning NY area but we all decided to have me go onto my hometown where my daughter lives ..... ) The snow hit @ 11:00PM and by about 3AM  on the 14th of March 2017 there was over a foot of snow that had dropped. Roads were impassable!! .... I stayed till Sunday the 19th of March .... another storm from was headed in on the 20th ......

#6) Mom's surgery .... The doctor was able to successfully remove the full tumor .... taking numerous biopsies as he went .... the tumor had adhered to the sack around her heart so tedious removal without puncturing the sack was imperative ... then onto off the lungs and the tumor was also wrapped around a major artery so delicate removal was again imparitive to her recovery ..... a long day for all of us .... BUT .... we she had an awesome doctor .... Dr. Khan ... incredible doctor and an incredible person!
Mom's stay was about 2 weeks in length ... the tumor had mis-shapened her heart so now it had to learn to function again without this heavy tumor laying on it .... She was discharged and went home to stay with my brother and sister in law .... all I can say is taking care of Mom was a new experience for them .... and Mom wasn't a happy camper ... she felt she needed to be UP AND DOING WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO .... SIGH!! .... lot's of prayers went up for my brother and sister in law .... and they were SAINTS through this whole experience!! She finally was able to go home after about 6 weeks .... The biopsies were all clear and no sign of cancer!! .... We were told that the cancer had stayed capsuled inside the tumor!! ISN'T GOD AWESOME!! Mom celebrated her 84th birthday @ my brother's .... PRAYER WORKS!!

PAST MARCH 2017 

#7) Fanny's older son had left a 25' camper trailer in our side yard when Fanny & Harry first moved in July 2016 .... we had been ask if they could "PUT IT HERE " for a few days ..... they (as in her son & daughter in law & 2 grandkids) ended up they wanted to live in it here .... about 2 weeks in and they left ... WITHOUT THE CAMPER .... forward to July 2017 >> It was still here and we wanted to find it a "forever home elsewhere" .... Missy K ( who is Pixie and Bubby's 1/2 sister, and her year old baby had been staying @ her Gpa's place @ my apartment complex. ... I gave her to June 1st to "get processed to live there" she never did .... her "WHINE WAS" I'm homeless with nowhere to go" ..... so like a fool for a sob story that I was .... I told her she could stay in the camper .... Along she came with her IDIOT boyfriend .... we told her he could visit but not LIVE HERE!! .... yep like she listened!! ... NOT!! ... the SHORT of this kinda long story was .... her IDIOT hooked up the camper and towed it out .... along with our floor jack for a car (one of the big garage types) our motorcycle jack ($300.00 one), two 6 man tents, a 12 x 12 canopy, a car radio that the front came off (expensive one) from our Jeep, a air hops with the air chuck on it, and numerous tools we have found to be missing ....  I filed a police report ....

#8) Lots of Move Ins and Move Outs @ my apartment property, lots of drama .... happening at work .

#9) on April 4th 2017 I fired Mike the maintenance guy ... originally when I hired him he was working for another person doing maintenance .... I told him "as long as this other job didn't interfere with the job he was doing for me"  One year down the road Mr Mike was working 24/7 toting his "superman abilities" and failing miserably and lying and stealing from the property, he was a bit delusional!! ... and to clarify the lying part ... he would tell me he did something and NOT DO IT .... again he was becoming more and more delusional as the days went by .... his mentally challenged brother also worked part time for me doing landscaping .... Mr. Mike was very verbally abusive to him and continually degraded him in front of the tenant's .... NOT A GOOD SCENE!! Everything came to blows on March 20th 2017 when I arrived back from New York ... piles of dead tree limbs and brush were still where they had been shortly after the wind storm we had gotten March 1st .... I walked Mr. "P" around the property and showed him what needed picking up ... he kept saying "I tried but Mike won't let me " ..... I told him to go get the wheel burrow and take them to the backside of the property and dump them .... that's when he told me ... the wheel burrow wasn't there ... Mike had taken it home ..... SAY WHAT??? about then MR MIKE came around from the maintenance shop .... telling Mr. "P" to get the garbage can and start picking up branches !! and THEN I exploded @ him "YOU GO GET THAT WHEEL BURROW AND GET IT NOW !!!! " ... MR MIKE ABOUT RAN TO HIS TRUCK ..... from this point on it was down hill .... Mr. Mike made Mr. "P" quit. When Mr Mike brought back the wheel burrow along came our power washer also ..... 

#10) I hired a guy that use to live @ my apartment complex .... Wayne .... he lasted about 3 to 4 weeks and was a NO CALL NO SHOW .... last I spoke with him, he was en route to hospital with his G'Friend.  ... Then I hired a friend's husband ..... he needed a job ..... SIGH!! BABYSITTING CITY!! this poor guy couldn't function without his wife holding his hand .... and she literally did the first couple of weeks then I said "HE NEEDS TO FLY SOLO or else!!! well ... that ended that he had a hard time showing up @ work ... FIRED!! ... SIGH !!! again .... then a girl walked in asking for an application .... I ask her if it was for a job or an apartment ??? she got wide eyed and said "WOULD YOU HIRE ME ??" I said here's the application let's see ..... YEP I HIRED HER !! ... and she's doing good so far .... Then I hired an "AS NEEDED" repair guy .... YEP He's working out good too 

Overwhelmed to Overcomer Chapter Six

April 3rd 2017

        Forgiveness is and can be a strange bedfellow ….. It can take you places you would have never considered or even felt you wanted to go …. YET …. there it is …. unexpected and creeping in …. Sigh!! ….. You want to …. NO !! …. you become determined to set your heart against such a thing again ….. You say it’s not a matter of forgiveness it’s a matter of I AM NOT A DOORMAT!! …. AGAIN …. reluctantly … there it is oozing it’s way across the surface of resilience and determination …. softening it like a cap of fabric softener in a load of wool blankets …. I feel bound and helpless as kindness and love slowly descend again into the places I chased it out of ….. PLEASE GOD!! I cry out; why??  WHY WHY WHY ??? Then I humbly fall and cry in agony as I get that flash photo of Christ on the cross and my life swirling around Him as the soldiers continue driving in those nails and pushing on that crown of thorns on His head …..  again my cry is WHY?? ….. I have forgiven over and over and others in my household have become fed up with my forgiveness and want “IT” all to end!! ….. and oh … we are so close to ending it …. this whole drama we have been put through, years of disrespect and verbal abuse, years of unkindness and outright insanity, years of being verbally slapped repeatedly in the face ….. then I hear this soft voice speaking gently in my ear ….. “You have begun to understand what I forgive my child” …. even in your life …. I have forgiven you ….. thus you have to forgive them …. I will teach you a new way … not the same old road but a new road that you will travel ….. 

     For every action and reaction there is a consequence it is the WORD! …. Nothing goes unnoticed …. NOTHING …. “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord I will repay”  

April 23rd 2017 

       Twenty days ago ..... but not all the story ..... not trying to steal a "quote"  ... here is the rest of the story ..... Actually this story began to unfold in December .... being housebound due to colder weather & being ill with pneumonia & bronchitis I suppose can alter and change people ..... BUT ..... the winds of personalities began to shift too .... Harry's paranoia started to surface and a low brewing undercurrent was detected .... Harry has always had a bit of a battle with paranoia ... long years of drug misuse, being abused as a child & mental illness had taken it's toll over the years. (to put it mildly) .... and Fanny thought her love for him would change him and heal him ... (and so did all his other female companions .... ) but she had married him. Fanny was his first wife and still is ..... Sometime after Thanksgiving and before Christmas Harry and Fanny got into it one night and Fanny went back to her sister's ..... she came back eventually .... then again both Fanny & Annie left .... this time Fanny came back but Annie stayed with her aunt. .... the atmosphere change .... to a brewing tension filled house .... 

Fanny turned on us ... as if it was our fault .... Harry's paranoia's became aggressively worse ..... he began to feel we were trying to "usurp his authority" yet he spent every waking moment in his room on his cell phone playing games and reading Facebook ... when he was home .... demanding Fanny stay in there 24/7 cause his Jealous Monster was rearing it's head too ... another ugly side of his uncontrolled paranoia .... Fanny wasn't allowed out and about the house unless he was home .... his fear of her "cheating" on him became his PARANOID INSANITY!! .... 

   
So forward to today .....    Monday September 4th 2017
  This chapter in my book of life has closed ..... and here is the rest of the story .....
Harry and Fanny moved out around June 1st 2017 ..... bought them a 38 ft camper trailer with their tax money. They moved it to a piece of property where Fanny's old drug buddies lived way out in the middle of nowhere ..... It was a black cloud hanging over our place till they moved ...... winds had shifted. They had becone even more reclusive, and easily aggatated .... the smallest things would trigger them into an explosive angry mess!! Then there is Bubby and Pixie .... caught in the wildfire of aggression and anger from Harry (Daddy) and stepmom Fanny towards Grandma & Poppy.The kids spent most of their waking hours watching TV, video's and playing outside.
     When they left, they left behind almost all the kids clothes and most of their toys ... first HUGE RED FLAG #1 went up .... plus they left some of their clothes ..... The bedroom was still set up with the kids bunkbeds  & thier queen size bed. Somewhere around August 28th Harry called me to see if I wanted the kids .... I said YES! ... around that time he was to bring them over ... he claimed  he had a bad tire .... yet he was seen picking up a girl by the name of Jessie and taking her 10 miles to another small town to buy drugs .... hummmm ??? RED FLAG #2 .... I decided I wanted the kids so I got him a tire @ my expense $35.00 .... SIGH!! He finally delivered the kids .... The 1st week of July was Bible Camp, the kids had gone the year before so I signed them up to go and they were able to go ... hallelujah!! a good break from the situation they had been in .... I had been hearing horror stories from their camper !! Fanny sleeping all the time .... Harry quiting his job .... the kids in the same clothes day after day .... no running water, little food, and a mean ornery stepmother, and having to stay outside everyday all day long. .... RED FLAG #3 ..... Then Pixie started to talk to everyone and anyone who would listen .... it was like a dam bursting open .... She told of the drug usage her and Bubby was exposed to on a daily basis ..... and the horrible treatment of Bubby and her by Fanny.
   On July 19th about 8AM in the morning I recieved a call from Harry, the cops were their @ the camper and they were doing a drug raid! .... "Please come and get the kids"!! .... I was on my way, had to get their older sister Missy K to go with me, as I had not a clue where they lived and she did. When we arrived there were state police and a social worker .... I was handed two very scared and happy kids!! "They handcuffed Daddy & Mommy" they said ....
     The days that followed were meeting with their case worker, I informed her that their "foster parents" who had them when they werer babies would galdly take them back .... and I was not able to keep them long term .... On August 4th 2017 a VERY EXCITED AND HAPPY Pixie and Bubby went to live with 2 very happy foster parents!!
    Harry and Fanny have been charged with 2 counts of 1st degree possession of a controlled substance, one count of 3rd degree possession of a conctrolled substance, Drug Paraphinilia, and child endangerment. .... they are currently NOT ENCARRCERATED .... and go to court in a couple of weeks ..... they said in court when the kids were "handed over to the state" they were getting divorced ..... Harry has currently missed two court ordered visitations ..... and Pixie and Bubby are adjusting to a very happy ending in their young lives!

Overwhelmed to Overcomer Chapter Five

Wrote from: September 10th 2016 to April 1st 2017      

    Started out sunny and then about 3PM it turned dark and RAIN!! …. lightening & thundered but nothing bad … just a regular ole storm, electric went off twice so we shut down lights and bedroom A/C’s went on fan so it didn’t hurt the compressor’s. … Hubby was in The Big City today with Molly his Search Dog @ a Hamfest …. LOL … I thought he was enjoying ham ….. it wasn’t that kind of “Hamfest” …. it was a ham radio operators gathering. My hubby is a ham radio operator. …. he just don’t have his base set up yet.

     … today is already Sunday Sept 25th 2016 ….. been 2 weeks since I last wrote …. on this letter.

      I have thought a lot about this letter writing thing ….. I had to run through a lot of thought processes and to be quite honest, a lot of feelings and emotions ….. What is appropriate to write, share, correspond, communicate to …. you all …. 

     I began this “noble adventure” with an idea of reconnecting with people I care about ….. but then all these child like feelings surfaced …. all insecurities of the "what if’s” …. It’s been a struggle with my feelings and attitudes, but with patience and fortitude in my arena of emotions  and after much soul searching and prayer I have came to the conclusion with God’s help “ I need to get over myself!” Sometimes we feel we have these marvelous ideas and implement them with grand ideas …. only to realize that the idea maybe didn’t happen the way I was expecting it to …. that’s where God had to help me …. The Garden of Eden didn’t turn out the way God wanted it too either. ….. disappointment in a relationship can be a real bummer ….. But the good news is God always had a plan despite how things turned out ….. and as I prayed and put my feelings before Him …. He began to take me on a inward journey to me ….. past all the feelings, emotions, attitudes, ideas, ideals, motives, ….. past all the past, to just simply me ….. and I saw that when I began this endeavor it simply was an outlet to say “HI” and just do what I love to do most and that is to write ….. so all said and put before you, without any expectations I am going to continue to write ….. 

     Our church has a wonderful publication …. I guess it would be comparable to the weekly sunday school papers we use to get as a child …. it’s called “The Lookout” they have been doing the “Fruits of the Spirit” each week they focus on one “fruit” …. I picked up this week's publication and it’s on patience …. another area I have developed some “pride” in …. SIGH …. and not the good kind of pride either ….. I have “prided” myself on how patient I “normally” feel ….. and have had to learn to be patient over the years in my job. …. that is until wanting my own way and patience collide …. UGH …. not a pretty collision ….. actually it can get pretty messy when they meet up. …. “ME - MYSELF and I” have some dyed in the wool ideas how something is going to work …. and God has a totally different plan in mind. I have a laid out schedule and all my blueprints for the particular idea sealed and stamped with my own agenda. …. AND IT LOOKS GOOD!!  …. and often I have found God allows me to run with these things …. at least to the end of my God attached bungee cord ….. then as they all kind of fall apart, and my emotions start that little self pity party whine .... I find myself reluctantly whizzing backwards at breakneck speed to ….. sigh ….. A God appointed & ordained time of correction. 

    My latest encounter has been with this false feeling of “Patience” …. It began normal enough, I had some good ideas and began to implement them , but the response time wasn’t budgeted in …. you see I had “ME” in mind and that was it …. As I read the article today about a girl who ministers in Germany on a college campus and she went through the same feelings of wanting things to happen before their time …. God gently tapped me on the shoulder and showed me the truth of things. When He calls us to do a specific task, He will enable us, provide for us and give us the needed tools and time to obey and respond to His leading and calling in the direction He wants us to go. It is not mine to set up timelines and boundaries but His …. in His time.  I am so thankful for timely corrections and words from God. 

     Updates: …. “MT” the “homeless vet” who now lives at my apartments is adjusting slowly, it is difficult for him as he learns new living “habits” and the feelings of being overwhelmed by the goodness of others. …. His wise wisdom & wit often astounds me at his observations about people. Please pray for him …. as he knows about God and believes but ….. is reluctant to open himself up to God. …. often learned responses we gather from life’s experiences we tend to  address God the same way. 

        Hubby has had to go to a tri-axle dump truck …. please keep his back in prayer as the vibrations from sitting in one of these wears on his back, but he has been able to get on a really good run, that may last for awhile. 

      Our backyard jungle is slowly getting re-discovered …. and I have discovered a plant called a Scourge Plant … at least that’s what it may be …. it has an oily toxin on the leaves that causes a burning sensation. (it is worse when they are dried … ie … cut and piled for removal) 

     Our blended family of 8 is flowing and fitting together as God teaches all of us the art of communication, patience, and acceptance of each other’s differences. Bubby is learning to read & spell … it is so neat to watch him enjoying learning ….. Bubby had an eye appointment this past week, and was were given some good news, his eyes are better from him wearing his glasses all the time, and Pixie went to her first invite to a birthday party today, she came home a bit too excited ….. which translated into a small attitude issue …. LOL … Grandma had a small discussion about feelings and how they will be part of her life forever …. and the importance of not using them to say or do unkind things. 

    We are drawing closer to Bonnie’s October appointment at the Rehab Center, for her testing to see how the Dementia is progressing, Fanny has agreed to go with me, she knows the big city a lot better then I do. I am so thankful, she can go.  

      The kids biological mother was the victim of a serious assault this past week on September 22 2016, it’s been in the news without any names …. we are trying to discreetly keep this information from the kids ….. Bubby has behavioral issues that seem to trigger strong emotional responses when any memories from his past are confronted by him. It’s been a tight rope walk with what he can do and who he can see ….. Harry and Fanny have had some difficult decisions to make for Bubby’s sake.

     October 19th 2016 @ 6:34PM 

It’s been almost a month … since the kids biological mother was assaulted … it has been a process of State Police questioning people and having several people of interest. In the mean time she came to stay with her father in law Gramp's and her daughter Miss "K" in Rivertown @ the request of the police for her safety. Friday October 14th she received a call from her probation officer, she had prior to the attack put in for a transfer to Maryland an so she could go live with her father. On October 14th she received a call that her transfer had gone through and she had to be in Maryland by Thursday Oct 20th for her first probation meeting. We all spent the weekend brainstorming and trying to find her a ride to Red City Ohio to the bus station well we were waiting for her Dad to send her money for the ticket.Then her daughter Miss "K" also needed to find a ride Tuesday to  Hilltown about 20 miles out of Rivertown for court.Yesterday . The evening of the 17th her Dad sent her the money from Maryland that she needed …. I found that if she bought her ticket online it was about $35.00 cheaper, so I helped her get one online. The morning of the 18th of October …. it was apparent I would be having to take her to the bus station PLUS get her daughter to Hilltown (20 miles in the opposite direction) as we were orchestrating all this (Miss "K" had to be there by 8:50AM @ the latest, and her mom had to be in Red City by 11:45AM @ the latest. ) ….. Red City is a good hours drive from us. I knew the bridge between Rivertown and Press City which we had to cross was down to one lane with a LONG RED LIGHT!!!  I also was aware of construction on the interstate split for Red City and Horse City. Which could be serious!! …. PRAYER WORKS!! ….. Ms."D"'s  oldest boy is 21 and he also had court that morning and wanted me to swing by his place and pick him up …. I said NO!! ….. Made it to Hilltown for Ms."K" she was able to get in and out …. "lil"Jr. had made it there and ask if he could ride along to Red City with us ….. I said ok …… A stop @ the store for last minute snacks an we were off …. construction at the split was slow but steady moving, we arrived at the bus station with 15 minutes to spare. ….. I felt I had “quit breathing” at some point ….. finally as she loaded on the bus I was able to breathe easier …. 

     On another front …. my apartments I manage ….. SIGH …. lots of interesting, nerve jangling decisions …. two households, horribly out of sync with the rules and regulations … two households catapulting toward eviction ….. both very very sad situations ….. the one I have given a 30 day reprieve …. the other may not be so fortunate …. either way it is very stressful for me …. especially with the holiday season right around the corner. …….. my heart’s pendulum swings from compassion to anger quite frequently with both …. 

     My son & his wife …. and their situation …. PRAYER is a need!! her Mom was taking it’s toll on everyone in their household both physically and mentally. They ended up calling the ambulance the other night and put her back in the hospital when she collapsed well they were trying to put her to bed. ….. They are going to put her back in the nursing home when she gets “better” again. …. they found she had another UTI. 

    October has been a rough month for many here ….. the 1st Friday in October one of my son's friends killed his wife and himself ….. by Monday the 10th there was a total of 3 couples who had died from murder-suicide …. one of the other couples had connections to our town too, he was Ryver's coach @ school. The 3rd couple was in  about 40 miles away. Kind of rocked my boat …. mentally with this …. another shocker before these ….. a young man who killed himself back on August 27th, he was at the apartments a lot; his ex & 3 kids live there. They found him 2 weeks later …. so …. all said and done …. a lot of people who knew these “ones” have been through my office doors in the last few weeks. 

November 5th 2016 …..  Another month has slipped away and we are in November …. the last few weeks have seen Harry with pneumonia, me with a coonhound hunting rabbits, cough, Fanny with a lot of pain from her hip, and the weather not changing a whole lot ….. a blessing for us who burn wood, and ….. not as much of a blessing for the farmers …. As of today we have 3 loads of wood. one load equals 2 weeks worth of heat. We have enough if we started to burn it today (which we have had a low fire going all day to keep the chill off the air) we will have enough to last till about December 16th ….. We also have lots of wood from our cut done trees we still are working on ….. The kids & I have been diligently cutting back our “jungle” in the back yard for Lee to find the wood to cut ….. we are making progress!! Today we spent a good portion in the backyard cleaning up and stacking wood, piling kindling …. and cutting weeds … and taking naps …. eating ….. LOL … Annie made gravy by herself and mash potatoes, I had cooked a large pork roast and she used the juice and left over meat. So we had a yummy lunch of hot pork gravy sandwiches and mash potatoes. 

November 8th 2016 ….. arrived @ work and was met by Daughter-in-law's brother, him and his family are some of my tenant’s. He let me know his mom had passed away this morning …. SIGH!! poor Charlotte!! … (and him and all the rest involved ) Going to be pretty hectic for a few days ….. One blessing that immediately comes to mind is my son & his wife had brought her mom home from the nursing home to try and take care of her at their house. After much thought and several strained backs and herniated disc’s later and counsel from the home health care nurses, and a stay @ the hospital everyone decide it was best to place her in the nursing home. She was there about two weeks before passing. I am so glad she is no longer suffering and glad she wasn’t at my son's  when this took place. Her funeral is November 12th in Indiana. A good friend and one of Charlotte's mother's pastor’s will do the service. 

November 17th 2016 …. @ 4:55PM   Ended up coming home today from work @ 10AM with an earache and headache …. sigh POLLEN is not my friend!! …. been doing the earache thing for several weeks off and on. Combine this with lots happening and not a lot of room to stop and take a break ….. I came to the end of myself ….. and had to give myself permission to be ill. 

    Charlotte's mom’s funeral was really good, Pastor Jenny did an excellent job.  

Exhaustion …. sometimes it has to kick you in the backsides to make you realize just how tired you are … 

November 23rd 2016 …. @ 7:39PM  What does Thanksgiving Eve look like at your house? 

wellll ….. Annie and I have been tackling the annual “Banana Bread Thing” ….. this is where I save banana’s in my freezer all year and then about holiday time get them all collected from all the freezer’s nook and cranny’s … thaw them out ….. and thus begins an annual tradition …. this year we are making a 13x batch ….. and Annie is learning a lot of math in the process. We have spent most of the day talking about the various stuff we are going to be doing ….. I am making 4 cream pies, 2 chocolate-peanut butter, one carmel-cheesecake, and one Pistachio. …. Lee is making peanut Butter cups …. Oh ….. are we suppose to have turkey, gravy, potatoes & stuffing? LOL …. I suppose we will have that too …. but dessert is so much more fun to play with. We will also be having green bean casserole.

and in between November 24th and January 2nd ……  

JANUARY 2ND 2017

Happy New Year to everyone ……   

Monday 3:31PM …. Wow didn’t do anything on this letter all of December … Between 7 out of 8 of us being sick and passing it back and forth (Lee drew the BLESSED STRAW!!) between Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Intestinal Flu, Stomach Bugs, Sinus Infections, ear infections and Strep throat …. we pretty much covered all medical aspects of contagious illnesses that aren’t too serious .… As of today January 2nd … we all are on the mends, HALLELUJAH!! …. 

    Starting this Wednesday our church is starting up Wednesday night Bible Study, I’m really excited … We are doing the “War Room” study …. 

and in between January 2nd and April 1st 2017 …….  

Overwhelmed to Overcomer Chapter Four

Wrote from: July 30th to August 28th 2016          

This is letter # 3 …. WHEW !!! …. time sure is flying by …. I am having to encourage my maintenance man Martin to complete my office … ordered my last two cabinets and Mike picked them up 2 weeks ago … I took a mini-vacation July 25th & 26th hoping to come back to a finished office ….. SIGH!! …. “nope” …. poor Martin …. he has adult ADD I think ... & is a inventor/genius at heart …. and his mind goes in a 1000 directions constantly …. and sometimes I have to be patient and I am learning quickly I have to be VERY DIRECTIVE if I need something done.  Well as of today Saturday July 30th …. my cabinets are in place, 2/3rd of the drawers have their pull handles attached … ( I bought pull handles for all my cabinet drawers, they didn’t come with any) several of the temporary counter top supports are still sticking out, all the paneling is in place around the counter top, now to get the trim on …. and the rest of the handles attached (Martin will have to go get longer screws to attach the rest of the handles, the ones that came with it were too short to go through the drawer fronts.

     My mini -vacation was to help work at vacation bible school, Sunday thru Tuesday evening, the theme was “The Rainforest - Sunquest” … I helped with the 3rd and 4th graders which worked out perfectly … none of my grandkids were in them grades …. Bella was in pre-K to 1st grade, Bubby was also in that group. Pixie was in the 2nd grade group, and Ryver was in the 5th and 6th graders. It was fast paced and fun …. this Sunday they get to bring home their crafts …. 3rd through 6th grade made Brazilian tree stump stools …. (I helped decorate an extra just in case a child showed up on Tuesday and needed one so i get one too …. YEAH!! ) Pre-K thru 2nd grade made stone ladybugs (from PinInterest)  …. they are really cute. 

    Hubby is in The Big City today taking Disaster Training Classes, he will be there next weekend also. Due to his corrective heart surgery in 2014, it is vital he has health insurance …. between the very vital necessary medicine he has to take daily and the vital blood work that is part of his monthly routine to keep check on his medicine levels it is a HUGH FACTOR!! ….. He has drove truck for years. several years ago the owner sold to another trucking company …. it hasn’t been “easy” since …. the ‘“company” now has put a young person at the dispatch post who has the “SHARE THE WEALTH PHILOSOPHY” …. that means if you have worked for the company for many years or if you have worked for few hours you all share the runs equally …. what this means for the older drivers with seniority is that their paychecks have gone from good wages during the season to mediocre …….. and health insurance is $135.00 a week right off the top of my hubby’s paycheck so often times his “bring home $$” is under $200.00 a week. For the older drivers with years in this company it has meant going from $800.00 to $900.00 dollars a week during the good running season where you can put money back to help you through the “famine season”  to $200.00 to $300.00 a week and just making your bills. Even through this God has blessed us abundantly and always supplies all our needs. It is sometimes pretty scary @ the eleventh hour but God has never failed us and never will!! ….. also … I realize I don’t mention specifically my Hubby a lot … He is involved in Gun Shooting Competitions, him and his “shooting buddy” Dippy have attended several of the national competitions in the last year. He also does "The Big City Search Dog Assoc." (that’s where he is this weekend) and he does Search and Rescue also in a near by county. This is his weekends (when he’s home he is playing his “game” on the computer “DELTA WARS” he has developed several friendships around the globe … literally …. he has several people he talks to in Germany, England and a couple other places regularly) During the week it’s truck driving.

     Sunday evening @ 9:44PM …. a leisure nap and coffee in the afternoon is always a relaxer …. till you get to this hour of the day …. and …. you realize being awake means you write … LOL.  Today was the last day our Pastor & his wife were with us @ ECC. … He is retiring from being a Pastor but will still be involved with Bible camp , and other ministries. I will miss them greatly but trusting the Lord for our next Pastor …. we also are on a journey and an endeavor @ purchasing a new building and moving as a church body into a bigger church building. 

     Listening to kids settle in …. everyone had naps and slept late today … but … school starts in 10 days here so parents are having the kids go to bed earlier …. right now they sleep in here because it is A/C and we have had a lot of storms come through at night where they were doing the mad dash through rain , thunder & lightening into the house Harry and Fanny feel more secure with them in here so everyone can get a good nights sleep. Thinking about this …. Tomorrow is already August! WOW!! …. 

    We are still a bit stunned here a man we knew died over the weekend, … he was a neighbor of ours, 60 years old … his name was Jimmy A.; he owned a small engine shop for years before he sold it and started working at a local business.  We did business with him …. in the first years we were here so many times we had old clunker lawn mowers he’d fix on credit for us till payday …. He was always so good and kind to us. … he will be missed!! 

     I went to a party @ a long time friend & acquaintance house yesterday, Sharon, met her and her family when i worked at the outlet mall 22 yrs ago … Sharon and her husband ran a jewelry store @ the mall and their daughter Sarah who was about 3 or 4 then … was a frequent visitor the clothing store where I worked part time. … Sarah is now 25 and lives in Chicago, and her sister Amy is 26 and lives in another state too. Sharon and Randy have a 8 year old named Lia who is just this incredible little girl …. Sharon is trying to sell Nerium … a skin care & health product line …. a bit over my budget but never the less she invited me … we had a chance to pray with another girl who attended the party too; Sharon met through their jewelry business. She had just moved here from down south a year ago … and was diagnosed with MS recently … and is facing back surgery Wednesday August 3rd of this week. 

    There is all a lot of different stories out about people, who they met, who touches their lives and the twists and turns each life can take …… It never ceases to amaze me the people who I have met here and their lives and how we often continually intersect and intertwine back and forth …. For Pastor’s last message he read the story about a guy who starts his day off with a lot of troubles and gets mad at God till God tells him about all the blessings He gave him inside those troubles ….. This morning the elderly man Gramps, who lives at my apts normally gets a ride with Fred, to church but Fred was speaking this morning @ the first service about our Brazilian Mission we support so I had to go get Gramps plus transport 3 kids to church …. AND THEN MY CAR WOULDN’T START  …. I immediately began to praise the Lord …. I found this frequently helps … opposed to anger, upset or frustration. …. needless to say my Hubby was able to jump start my car …  I took the kids to church, dropped them off headed to town to get Gramps … and arrived back at church 5 minutes after 10 … ! I think on the goodness of God’s preventive measures that i may not understand till eternity but yet I know this hiccup in my morning was a blessing He gave and bestowed on us ….. 

    Tuesday August 2nd @ 9:25PM …. one of those tired evenings …. had corn flakes for supper, Fanny and Harry made everyone pancakes (I had one, they were tasty too.) … yep … lots of carbs …. Today was one of those so much happened in 2 days my head is still trying to absorb it all …… more happening with “MT’s” process … that I mentioned in my other letter …. “MT” arrived at my office first thing Monday morning … I had placed two calls to the inspector @ the end of last week to no avail (all Section 8 applicants must have an inspection of their perspective apartment before the Section 8 Housing will authorize funding for the apartment) ….. I had been hoping to get “MT” moved in by or near the 1st of the month. When “MT” arrived I picked up the phone dialed the number and the inspector for the apartments answered on the first ring …. (miracle #1) then she said are you available today? I said “yes”  and she said “I am on my way” (miracle #2) normally every Section 8 inspection I have ever had, I had a 1 to 2 week process getting an inspector there …… She arrived within the hour, and we passed and I handed “MT” the key to his apartment …. He just sat there stunned and in tears ….. I then realized we hadn’t processed anything on our part …. (as far as my office goes) so I began flying through that process ….. I had “MT” call the electric company to get it turned on in his name …. another hurdle … apparently there was an old amount showing from 2006 that he owed $76.00 they couldn’t even locate the address where it was generated from …. he was in tears again because of the set back … I called a local pastor I know real well and after 2 days between meetings we made contact and he went directly and paid it for “MT” …. Pastor Charlie’s church is next door to the library where “MT” hangs out all the time …. “MT” had decided to wander by and see if he was out of the meeting he was in when we went there …. Pastor Charlie recognized “MT” and shared he knew me real well and was able to minister to “MT” also. “MT” was able to get his electric on right there and then after Pastor Charlie paid the old bill. As I think about the sequence of events leading up to today I sit as stunned as “MT” feels …. as I realize how strongly the hand of God has played a major role in this man’s life ….. and “MT”s response ?? all he wants to do is pay this forward and pay back all the kindnesses …. Pastor Charlie has suggested he become part of the Food Pantry help and “MT” has graciously accepted with joy. God is so good …. It’s not just “MT”s life events but all around me I see God’s hand working and sometimes miracles that only He can do …… 

     I think all of us has dreamed of winning that million dollar prize and what we would do with the money ….. my particular dream has always been on a bit grander “scheme” for some reason I have always thought I’d like 5 million … not just a million. I have lists and wishes made up of what I would do ….. BUT ….. the other day as I contemplated these wishy dreams of mine … I clearly heard the Lord speak ….. and i am positive I cannot repeat here word for word what He said but …. here’s the just of this conversation … occasionally …. and not all the time … when Power Ball and Mega Millions gets big ….. yep …. confession time …. I buy a ticket and spend time dreaming “if I win” ….. so in light of all the needs lately between my Hubby’s lack of work, and Harry & Fanny moving up to our place, my son & his wife's health issues and financial and housing needs …. my mind raced to see if the jackpot was worth buying a ticket …. it was then God had our discussion …… He said “ if you will trust Me, like you have been over these last few days in “MT’s” case and these other things you see me working in …. you can trust Me with all your needs and everyone else’s too…. you do not need to rely on the world’s system of money, you have Me!” WOW !! was all I could say and Yes Lord you are so right!!! ….. So with peace and my faith in place and my hand in His …. forward I go trusting Him with everything …..  and yes …. it won’t always be easy …. but walking sometimes blindly by faith takes a bit of practice and balancing skills ….. but for those of you who have some scary doubts or what if’s ….. I am out on the tight rope of life right now …. and I found that a upward look beats a downward glance anytime!!! …… and yes it is scary and downright frightening at times …. but His hand is steady and strong … and I have made the choice to follow and trust Him …. 

       August 6th 2016 Saturday @ 10:44AM …. I have been up since 6:30AM but it already feels like a whole day …. Fanny had a call from her sister, she needed her to babysit this weekend 35 miles away for her 4 kids ….Fanny ask me and I said GO! … Annie & the kids will be fine here. Annie & l had to be @ the high school @ 9:AM this morning to pick up her computer, for school. We had to be out of the house by 8:40AM …. took about a 1/2 hour @ the school … stopped by the store and was home by 10AM.  

     On Thursday Harry received a call from his employer …. they were laying off 40 employee’s he had his choice “lay off or go to 1st shift” they were only offering this to a few weekend employee’s of which Harry is one of them. He normally works from Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 6AM  to 6 PM …. he will now be working Monday thru Thursday from 6AM to 4:30PM …. and he looses the $2.00 and hour weekend bonus. All things considered we are discussing “the positives that can be” and not dwelling on the negatives that could be …. life is always full of choices …. 

        Sunday August 7th 2016 @ 6:18PM   Sitting here relaxing after a wonderful Sunday …. We had a dinner after church …. we had a special speaker today from the Solomon Foundation they spoke during Sunday School and church and also we were introduced to our new temporary pastor Brother Paul and his wife Lin What is so neat this morning God had me up early with a word …. TACTICAL WARFARE …. I sat for awhile with this “word” and pondered over it …. the Lord had me look up it’s meaning in my two dictionaries …. one is a Thorndike & Barnhart and the other is a Funk & Wagnalls …. As I proceeded to look up definitions the Lord impressed on me that it isn’t about me but it is about the enemy we face …. Eph.6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  v12 ... For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

    I first looked up the word TACTICAL … in the Thorndike & Barnhart … Concerning tactic’s characterized by adroit procedure and skillful expedients. 

(I looked up the word tactic: -“procedures used to gain advantage or successful methods - the art of arranging) 

Then I looked up the word ADROIT  …. it meant … expert use in the hands or the mind, skillful …. 

Then I looked up the word EXPEDIENTS … fit for bringing about a desired result; desirable or suitable under the circumstances, giving or seeking personal advantage; based on self-interest - useful means of bringing about a desired means or results 

This is from the Funk & Wagnalls TACTICAL ….. Pertaining to or like tactics, exhibiting adroit maneuvering - 

(TACTICS - The science and art of handling troops in the presence of the enemy or for immediate objectives - Any maneuvering to gain an objective. )

(ADROIT - skillful expert ) 

If we take these definitions and instead of trying to apply them to ourselves ….. we apply them to our enemy Satan …. it gives us a clearer view of what we are up against ….. He and his demonic troop have been honed …. in the art of warfare since the beginning of time … his objective is to use procedures and to gain advantage or use successful methods and the art of arranging to manipulate us to take our eye’s off Jesus.  He uses ADROIT procedures; he is an expert in the use  of the hands or the mind, he has skillful EXPEDIENTS … which are fit for bringing about a desired result; desirable or suitable under the circumstances he places in our lives, he gives and seeks personal advantage in all of us; he does this by using our weaknesses & deepest desires based on our own self-interest - he is crafty in using any  means of bringing about a desired means or results ….

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 New English Translation (NET Bible)

v10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him—for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, v11 so that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

Genesis 50:20

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

    As God began to speak to me on this I realized that we are our own worst enemy … and i need to do some deep soul searching to weed out and get it before God anything the enemy can use against me …. and right now I have been so “PROUD” of my lack of fear that it has become a target for the enemy …. and on top of all this is ideas, ideals, motives, thoughts …… that need to be checked and rechecked that they line up with the Word of God. 

    It is 8:01PM ….Harry & Fanny arrived home a bit ago … Harry was informed today that they have decided to lay 10 more people off and he is now one of them …. I told Fanny that I am so glad … they are here and not going to have to struggle else where …. 

     Sunday  August 21st  2016 @ 8:32AM  … Harry has a job he starts tomorrow … it is about 25 miles away, then yesterday he ran into a friend he worked with @ the old place and was told he’d already been called back to work and they were talking about they might need him back … so I am praying for God’s best for him. We are going to have to leave in about hour for church. The kids have had their bath’s and are dressed …. they get excited about going to church, matter of fact I do too … I really enjoy going. 

    

    Sunday August 28th 2016 @ 4:17PM     …. Had a great time at church today, Pastor Paul preached on John 3:16 … For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He brought a whole different aspect to it …. he had 3 points based on the “Good News” verse …. it is #1) Truthful News  #2) Positive News #3) Hopeful News …. I really enjoyed it.

     Over the last few weeks I have been spending time reading a series of Lori Wick books … called the Rocky Mountain Series. One of the theme’s throughout the books was learning to trust God … the other theme that was woven through the stories was “Learning to not judge” …. In the last book one of the characters faced the challenge of whether she was judging or “fruit inspecting” …. Then today as Pastor S. spoke, God spoke to me again in regards to this cliche “ We aren’t suppose to judge….

 Matthew 7: 1-4   v1 Judge not, so you aren’t judged.   v2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.   v3 And why do you behold the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the huge log that is in your own eye?  v4 Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the splinter from your eye; and, behold, a huge log is in your own eye?

Galatians 5:22-23   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance (control): against such there is no law.

Matthew 7:16-20  v16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  v17 Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.  v18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  v19  A tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. v20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.

Matthew 12:33   Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

For years the “common cliche” was “we are not allowed to judge but we can be fruit inspector’s” …. In a small loving voice over the last several weeks God has begun to show me this small white lie is right up there with “stick’s and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me” …… A true “FRUIT INSPECTOR” looks a piece of fruit over and looks for  the blemishes, rotten spots and imperfections ….. I am sorry to say this is JUDGING. The Bible no where says  …. “FRUIT INSPECTOR” !!! It only says Matthew 7:16a You shall know them by their fruits ….. somewhere over time we injected the “INSPECTOR” classification. …. that’s not what God’s word says at all. It is our job to look for fruit not for the blemishes, rotten spots and imperfections …. God wants us to be “Lookers for fruit” …. and along that line of thinking we are to be the Aaron's and Hur’s Exodus 17:12  But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 

 We are to be looking for the Zacchaeus’s who may be hiding up in the tree …… 

Luke 19:2 - 5 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

v2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. v3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.  v4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

v5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

We are to be the Ananias’s to all the Saul’s in our lives

Acts 9:10 - 13 & 17 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. v11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays, v12 And has seen in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. v13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:  Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto you in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  

     It is so easy to look at someone else's appearance, how they dress or don’t dress to our specifications, how they act or don’t act, and the acts they have committed against us or someone we love or care about … how they talk, the speech they choose to use, their manner’s they present in front of us, their physical features, their faces may mirror their hard life, or their lives in that moment, It is not our’s to judge or inspect. It is however for us to love them as Christ loved us and to begin to pray for them as God gives us utterance. Could you imagine Ananias if he had told the Lord … “I’m not going to help that murdering piece of trash!! he was responsible for the death of a lot of my friends”!! …… I can see Ananias now as he walked in and seen the man responsible for 100’s of saint’s deaths sitting there blind …. and trying to obey with all the emotions going on in his heart as he was trusting God’s word …. 

   Is this easy? … not at all!! … it will take a lot to change course in our minds and hearts especially if we bought into the “FRUIT INSPECTOR LIE” ….. 

       We are almost at the end of the month of August already …. I think back over the summer and how fast it went. …. Friday my computer died at work, I had to reluctantly contact my boss and tell her …. she wasn’t happy …. and my nerves were jangled but this too I had to hand over to the Lord instead of “worrying it to pieces” …. 

     We are adjusting to a family of 8 … and things are starting to flow and blend with God’s help. I am being forced to deal with my over-abundance of STUFF … I found prayer has helped in the getting rid of process …. and to whom …. 

   “Our Annie” is in 11th grade and taking Nursing courses through the Tech School. I forgot what it costs to have a kid in school and all the needs …. whew!! We were able to find one of her required school workbooks on the internet for fairly cheap. Bubby started out a little rough at first but is doing much better now and Pixie is doing good in school. …. Harry is adjusting to his new job and likes it …. he works for a place that makes classic car parts from antiques to more modern. …. 

    Hubby’s work is slowing down considerably even more so then it already was …… My maintenance man had a second call on the job he applied for …. so I am already praying if he leaves, for God to provide another maintenance person as capable as he has been …. and for wisdom for me as I interview … if it comes to that …. I believe a pathway to the future, laid with prayer is much easier to walk. Bonnie has been cut to 3 days a week and we had a meeting with her phycologist last week and discussed her meds she takes … he is a Christian and it shows, and i am so thankful we have him. Bonnie is having more and more memory issues and has lost a lot from her past …. it is sometimes difficult yet I know it is part of the process with this disease she has. 

    Well i am going to wind this down here ….. I am not sure how soon I will be getting another letter out  Love to you all and may God bless you. 

    

       

Overwhelmed to Overcomer Chapter Three

WROTE From ... Saturday JUNE 4th 2016  to Saturday July 16th 2016 

    Today is Saturday June 4th … my 14th anniversary @ my job. …. You know you’ve been at a job ……   A - L O N G  T I M E  when the kids who were “toddlers” and living @ the property you manage with their parents are now coming in to rent an apartment. 

     Doing some house cleaning and rearranging. Giving a dresser to Harry and his wife Fanny. (Harry has been in our lives for approx 27 years he moved here with our Tia Marie in June of 1995) ( Harry and his wife Fanny were living approx 35 miles away in a house for about a year or more .... they were renting this house from Fanny’s sister and it was furnished, they just moved back nearer to us) …. 2:59PM…. well I loaded the dresser in my car and took it down to them at their new apartment,  I was able to locate a card table & some folding chairs for them also. Fanny was really sick with bronchitis so I brought the kids ( Pixie & Bubby ) home for the day, so she could get some sleep. ….…. I let the kids play in the mud for awhile and was able to get some more cleaning done, then I had two alien looking creatures come to my front door insisting they were my grandchildren. I still think they were  creatures from the deep mud bog …. LOL ….

      June 11th 8:21AM …. lots of plans but not sure where they will all end up …. Hubby had ask if I would help him clean the garage & area around the garage up …. Laid to bed till 6:30AM and spent time just laying back so to speak and relaxing …. much needed ….. now it’s on to getting ready for the day, fixed a western omelet for us for breakfast with a couple of strawberries on the side …. had to get a bit fancy …. this is like once or twice a year I do this ….. LOL …. usually our mornings are jump out of bed, eat cereal and hit the road running. 

      My devotions this morning were on preparing our kids for their future …. (that’s not the title, that’s what i called it) made me stop to think on the small things we say in front of children or to them ….. how it can alter their view of things the rest of their life ….. and effect the next generation through our words to them, especially when they hear words from someone they trust. I think of a verse in a song I sung as a child, ‘O’ be careful little ears what you hear” ….. 

     Somewhere as a young person, I was in the hearing range of a story that was told from one person to another …. about a minister who prayed for his son then his son was killed in an accident ….. a frightening concept for a young person …. the message that day I heard was “don’t pray for your kids or God will kill them off” … just trust God with them. ….. Trusting God with your kids is fine but I have learned prayer is vital! …. I don’t often discuss this subject …. but as a part of my life sometimes it’s there …. with having 3 children already invested in heaven, my two remaining kids were raised by me with some less then ideal … ideas …. needless to say their road in regards to church and spiritual things has been somewhat strewn with misconceptions also …. Things I heard as a child took root and grew …. some to weeds and some things grew to fruited trees. It is now at this place in my life’s journey that I have come to realize my weeds for what they are, …. and now … the joint effort of God and me and the task of pulling them out, digging them out and destroying them …. 

      I am so thankful that God is the Master Gardener and I am His garden. He knows just how to weed out those things that have been hinderances and wrong mindsets. My life is a garden in process. The whole key though is “To let Him be the Master Gardener” ….   

       Sometimes the weeds in my life have been “COVETED” plants I have refused in times past to let Him pull …. I am so thankful that God has been patience with me, teaching me and showing me the deception of the weeds I thought were good plants … with the many weeds and hindering vines that have sometimes overgrown my life He has gently yet firmly continued to weed them out. 

   9:48AM …. I am working on my junk room …. that’s where I literally throw stuff I don’t really want but don’t have the mental energy or time to figure out what I do want to do with it …. I also have my cat area here and other things ….. like … BOXES …. some of my family understands about the boxes and those of you who would like to be “IN” on this …. the BOX THING is a family … kind of … tradition ….. LOL … I always have boxes of various sorts and sizes …. heavy duty ones to light weight shoe boxes …. not a lot of them mind you just 40 or 50 on a regular basis (LOL not really more like 15 or 20 for real)…. I keep them “turned over” so to speak … there is always people @ the apartments coming or going so I normally find myself transporting them to & fro ….. then there is the “care packages” I send occasionally to people. So boxes are a handy thing to have around …. then there is stuff that needs a box to transport it to the trash, . or to a closet or under a bed … enough said.  

     10:46AM …. it’s getting hot outside, suppose to be in the mid 90’s today …. and I have actually made a dent in the “Back Junk Room” …. taking another break as there is no A/C except in our bedrooms …. Hubby has worked diligently on our old trailer, trying to install lights on the back to make it more legal to take out onto the road. Our game plan originally was to get up @ the crack of dawn, and get the trailer loaded with stuff for the local dump …. Hubby did get the trailer parked in front of the garage …. then proceeded to try and get the tail lamps installed …. one went on fine the other one …. well it was a trip down “Patience Lane” … he had bought a tail lamp kit at a used outlet store, saved a lot of $$ but …. figured out quickly why it was at a second hand outlet store …. someone had failed to provide a place for the wiring to get through the back of the lens (in other words NO HOLES for wiring to run) …. he got past that dilemma, a drill helped a lot but we still have one light that will need some tender gluing now …. anyway …. it’s now too hot to be working out there any length of time …. I suggested we work all week at loading it up then haul it off next weekend. He liked that idea so next weekend it is … Lord willing …..  

   Came across a store receipt for 2 biscuits with egg & bacon and a drink almost $6.00 … whew breakfast isn’t cheap … I am going to buy biscuits, eggs and bacon and make some of our own … why pay $1.90 for one when you can make them for about $.75 cents a piece. 

    

    4:54PM … I just got up from a nap …. decided to call my sister Yvonne …. LOL .. she’s been trying to lay down & take one … but she keeps getting phone calls. ….. heheheheee

June 13th 2016 Monday @ 8:07PM …. been home for about an hour or so …. playing with my early birthday present or 4th of July present, to myself …. or it could be an belated Mother’s Day gift to myself …. whew the possibilities …. LOL … a young man named Devon B. came in to my office this afternoon and wanted to sell a brand new never been used tool box …. YEP!! … a tool box …. one of those 4 foot or so high ones with a lower box with several drawers and an upper box with 4 or 5 drawers … yep it’s a Stanley Tool Box …. God is so neat …. just the other day as I was rearranging my 2 tool boxes and one tool bag, and 2 milk crates that have been designated for bigger tools … I was just sayin … “Lord I sure could use a bigger kinda tool box” ….. well low and behold there it sat behind his car in the parking lot … he’d bought it to carry tools in his SUV … He’d taken the wheels off to “shorten it a bit ….. but alas it was too tall still …. he’d even permanently mounted the upper tool box to the lower one so it won’t slide off. It was one of those moments  when you hear music and your eyes get real big and you just looked upon a dream come true ….. before i knew it I had dickered with him, subtracted some money he owed me, and made a partial payment …. he was loading it up for me and even putting the wheels on the bottom, he’d taken off …. SO … all said and done …. it now sits plum full of tools in my house … aaAAHHHhh ….. and no plethora of various tool boxes sitting around ….. (Oh by the way Hubby’s tool box is in the garage …. ) …… another story with this is … my son and I use to case the pawn shops here in town … frequently contractors would pawn some pretty nice tool boxes and tools …. My son and i between us has quite a collection …. Sometimes he would take the tools and hand me the tool boxes …. 

        On another note …. As I began this letter, I have had some thoughts as I have been writing … I keep thinking … I need to clarify a few things ….  so …………

#1) I love to write … so some letters maybe longer and some shorter ….

#2)  Some may be funny and some may contain more serious content ….. 

#3) Often over the years we have concepts and ideas about people we know, family, friends and loved ones …. but like all of us over the years we evolve, transform, change, age, (LOL) our ideals and concepts grow with us or shrivel up ….. who I may have been or for that matter who you were 20 years ago may not be … and quite possibly …. may not even resemble who you are now …. for some of us it may be just about our personality for others our shapes, sizes, wrinkles and aahh-hum hair color may even change a bit (LOL) ….. For some of us it may be changes we have learned to embrace, for others it may be full till ahead …. for others it may be struggles, errors, and victories …. never the less …. change is inevitable. ….. so all said and done …. These letters will be about our lives, our ups and downs , who we are …. the good the bad and the ugly ….LOL …. 

     June 14th 9:58PM Tuesday night …. tonight I am the “Ugly” 😡 …. SIGH !! it’s been a “texting time” (a pun on wording here) between me and my tenant’s … I have a few who don’t understand what it means to respect others right to peace and quiet!!

     June 15th Wednesday 2016 @ 6:58PM …. Another perspective on last evening’s issue ….  well …. after spending all day @ work …. and talking to various tenant’s in regards to the “NOISE” issues …. I came to the conclusion it is more a perception issue then a actual noise issue. Sometimes …. time does “heal wounds” and perceptions too …. with much prayer and a few hours to contemplate I decide to write a letter to all the tenant’s involved and ask their opinion on how to resolve this issue and ended up having a meeting with about 7 tenant’s. We had a “thinking jam-fest” …. we came up with some good ideas …. Next is to implement them ….. Been a long day, and just got home.

    June 18th 2016 Saturday @ 9:25AM ….. been up since 6:15AM …. had to do a “Dog Walk” … our 85 lb. Black Lab-Blue Heeler mix Cobi …. will not walk with my Hubby … he lays there and gives me the saddest looks and posturing he can until I feel soooo …. guilty I go out and go for a walk with him …. LOL then he jets out the front door like a rocket …. wiggles and squirms with delight and just trots on ahead with his head up …. it’s called Owner Manipulation if I ever saw it … LOL. I know this dog is smarter then me cause I have a hard time motivating to go for a walk, and he knows how to get me out there in the great outdoors. …. We have about a 1/2 mile or longer of field road to walk so we can get in a few hills …. 

      Today I am tackling some much needed “Spring” cleaning although it’s officially Summer, window blinds …. and Citrus cleaner .. a soak in the tub and Wah-Laa …. clean blinds …. It’s just doing it that seems to elude me … BUT … right now all the blinds are in the tub having a bath! … have to pat myself on the back …. LOL .. now for the rest of the house … 

      SOCKS …. do your socks disappear in the dryer, drawers, or laundry room? Or do you place all your mismated socks together in a bag or basket or .. or  … in a certain spot, hoping to find the other mate? …. Single Socks make awesome “rice bags” or cleaning rags cut open …. or the tops cut off can lengthen a sleeve or bed pants …. BUT DO NOT LET THEM SIT TOGETHER TOO LONG ….. I have for years been told they are actually aliens who left alone too long multiply ….. LOL …. SIGH!! …. ( this is my story and I am sticking to it) …. At some point in the past … and I couldn’t tell you how long ago …. I placed gobs and gobs of unmated socks in a VERY  L A R G E  BOX …. then piled some give away clothes on top in my closet ….. 

not a good idea …. They multiplied!! ….. but that’s not all the story …. in the mean time I have collected socks in a milk crate, three large bags and a basket …. but finding my VERY LARGE BOX in my closet on Friday morning while looking for some “put up summer clothes” took me to hysterical  laughter!! ….. I could not believe I had THAT MANY SOCKS!! …. so … today I am tackling the SOCKS …. mate the ones i can …. and …. and … I’m not sure about the rest …. it will be a story for another day … LOL . (but I think I will pick out some good ones to make “rice socks” with and turn the rest into cleaning rags. ) 

       Spent time counseling Bonnie …. she learned yesterday @ her quarterly Neurologist appointment that she is going to have to go to the Rehab Center in October for testing that will take approx. two hours, this place is located in The Big City.  The last time she went, 3 years ago, it was 8 hours and very traumatic for her. It was to get a baseline on her dementia, and schizophrenia and find where she was at. This time it is to again to see where she’s at. I am so thankful for the great neurologists in this area that we have worked with. She has been keeping herself all worked up since yesterday … came into my room a bit ago wanting to know how long I have known about it …. I told her about 6 weeks now ….. SIGH!! ….. 

     What I have learned from helping Bonnie has proven to be very valuable lessons in dealing with those with Mental Disabilities, Handicaps and Disorders …. which I frequently deal with on a regular basis at the apartment complex where i work. I have had some very memorable memories from some of those encounters …. one that sticks out in my mind was a guy name Mark (Mark passed away September of 2014) Mark was our resident Mentally Challenged / Alcoholic …. he was generally quiet and a recluse who stayed to himself. But when he ran low on his “drink” he would go days without sleep. He would watch all the old westerns & detective stories for days ….. He loved Chuck Norris as Walker, “Texas Ranger” …. Mark came into my office one day dressed in a fringed leather coat 😳 …. and proceeded to tell me he was now working for the Texas Rangers on a missing person case 😣….. I realized instantly this was not the time to start laughing 😅 although I wanted too ….. so I became as serious as I could 😳 and ask him who was missing … he told me the guy in the wheelchair (another one of my tenant’s) …. we discussed the possibilities and he left … and … I immediately called his care giver … Pastor Chris from the First Baptist Church here in town. Pastor Chris had, had the privilege of being ask by Mark himself to help him … and he had accepted the challenge ….  What took place was Mark had become “WHO” he was watching on TV. A quick trip to the doctors and some medicine to help induce sleep was in order.  Mark and i had, had many chats over the years and some about the Lord …. he was always interesting to talk to. 

      Some Updates …. Our trailer in front of the garage …. today, it is week one … and it’s still sitting there …. and nothing in it except some old bark and weeds growing …. 

     Hubby is in Louisville this morning ….. an early search …. as he says a (recovery)  this is when the missing person as been deemed “gone too long” and the inevitable looms large ….. 

     Life as we know it ….. sometimes takes turns and unexpected twists and we started out with good intentions at point “A” but somewhere in “This Amazing Maze Called Life”  

we find ourselves somewhere lost in the moment of the maze and wonder “how did I get here?”  and what happen to the last week, … month, … year, … decade??? I can’t answer this for anyone but myself and possibly those who are traveling with me in the same household …. “It Is What It Is” now stop looking back and just keep moving forward … as we get on up that thing called the “Pathway of Life” and journey froward … (because there are no time machines on this pathway) enjoy life and embrace every moment.   … 

     2:27PM SATURDAY …  nap time is looking good ….. blinds all washed and rehung … Living room cleaned up & swept …. laundry still going, washed one of the fans in our room …. started looking more like a circular hairy dust dispenser then a fan 😩 …. the cost of animals and a old house …. sadly the socks are still in piles …. but there’s always later ….. 😄

Sunday June 19th 2016 @ 7:11 PM ….. Father’s Day .. and a day to remember  our Dad’s.

  Attended Sunday school but decided to head home afterwards …. Had ask before I left about lunch … Hubby was steak and my stepmom & I were pork chops. A stop @ the store (Wal Mart)  and I was ready to get lunch …. grabbed some Yellow Squash & Zucchini’s & some potatoes for our veggies. (NO DESSERT for us LOL) … Then off to slumber land …. aaahhh … a nice Sunday afternoon siesta …. (nap) …. my weekly routine …. Sunday’s is my day to relax and rest! 

Sunday June 26th 2016 … @ 8:11PM …. Another week …. Sock update …. well …. I now have about 150 pair of mated socks and still one bag to go to mate (all dark ones) …. whew … Earlier in the week I located another ….. SIGH …. box of socks in my spare bedroom …. I now am inquiring with everyone if they need socks …. I think everyone has the same problem …. too many socks .. LOL …… Next UPDATE …. another SIGH!! our trailer project is still sitting patiently in front of the garage …. EMPTY!! … the cost of getting older and a hot summer …. and sigh maybe a bit of procrastination ??!! LOL ……… I have acquired another pet of sorts …. a little raccoon that was helping its self to our cat food …. I quickly realized the little thing was in poor health and missing it’s left front “arm” @ the “elbow”  ….  (and more recently … realized it’s left rear leg / foot was mangled …. doesn’t make me fond AT ALL OF TRAPPERS!! …. anyway …. decided to feed it outside and close our back room @ night … (which means I have to let the dogs out for a potty break middle of the night now ….  ) Then behold I discovered another small family member of “Rocky’s” as I have dubbed this one is now here ….. so much for feeding wild life …. It’s either possums or raccoons … and I think I prefer raccoons. 

    This weekend was grandkids …. I had Ryver, Bella & Ryder Saturday afternoon for a few hours then my son came up to let Ryver shoot his gun ….. Then Pixie, Bubby & Annie came home with me after church today … (Annie is Fanny's daughter) 

      Another update from the previous letter …. my Counter Top Saga @ Work finally is coming to a close. I was able to pick up the last two foot portion of my counter top this past Thursday June 23rd at Lowes. … the girl in the counter top & appliance area was someone new and ask if I would sit down and talk with her about what happened … I said sure …. and we discussed the various difficulties I had experienced … and how it could have been avoided. Hopefully the store will remedy this situation seeing I learned it had been having a string of bad issues out of this particular dept. ….. Now for my maintenance man to finish my office up.  

    It’s 8:55PM … it’s still Sunday evening  … Stopped by my son's to drop off Ryver’s “coveted” jar of green slime …. it’s amazing how something like slime is so “loved” by a kid …. actually I researched how to make it and found a great recipe so I called Ryver and we have a “Slime Making Date”  …. (I will share the recipe)  …. My son offered me a cup of his Guatemalan Dark Roast K-Cup Coffee … as a coffee lover how could I refuse …. yep actually it was past my coffee drinking time like close to 7PM but it’s OK I had a nap which guarantees I won’t see the sand man  before 11 or 12 PM …… and that’s Ok …. anyway here is the recipe on the next page for the slime …

SLIME RECIPE

                1 teaspoon borax powder

1 1/2 C water, divided

4 oz (1/2 C) Elmer's glue, clear or white

food coloring ( may also use Elmer’s glitter glue or colored glues)

Instructions

1) Add borax powder to 1 cup of WARM water and stir to dissolve. Set aside. 

        2 ) Pour glue into a medium mixing bowl and add 1/2 C water. (you can add some of this water to glue bottle to get all the glue out) Add a few drops of food 

coloring until desired color is reached and then stir to mix glue solution until smooth.

3) Pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and watch the solids start to form. Stir for a few moments and then use your hands to gather the mass. The mixture will be very soft and wet.

4) Keep kneading until it firms up and feels dry. Discard excess liquid in bowl. 

The more you knead and play with the slime the firmer it will become. Store in a ziplock bag or air tight container and the slime will keep indefinitely.

*Note: that this is not a recipe for human consumption. It is for play purposes only. Make sure to supervise young children.

July 7th 2016 Thursday night @ 8:52PM  

     Well it’s been a week and a half since I wrote …. I not only made Slime for Ryver I first made some for Bubby, then Pixie … then I made Ryver's and Bella. We had dark yellow for Bubby, pink for Pixie, green for Ryver and light yellow for Bella. I found with variation in warmer temps of water the Slime becomes a bit harder … like a play dough consistency …. I used Clear Elmer’s Glue the 5oz bottle which actually is a 1/2 cup which you are suppose to use.  The kids loved the stuff …. 

     Lots of changes …Harry and Fanny, and the kids purchased 2 six man tents, and a canopy and moved onto our side lawn beside our garage …. After much prayer over the last few months ….. and …. Hubby and I had to come to some decisions and this is why …. physically neither of us can keep up with the large yard anymore …. and since the tree came down … it has added some difficulties …. like a way over grown back yard …. Between rain, broken down lawn mowers, allergies, and my severe allergy to poison ivy … our once beautiful manicured lawn and flower beds look like an over grown jungle of sorts. I knew we either had to sell and move to something more manageable OR …. let someone come here and share our place …. and help with it …. Hubby didn’t want to sell and I didn’t either really … we love the seclusion and peacefulness here …. so ….. I ask my son & daughter,  neither of them was interested … so I ask Harry …. and here we are today …. 

     Woke up at 2:00AM this morning … wide awake … ( I do this every so often) …. was reading in Romans 6 …. and in my devotional from Charles Stanley when this came to me ….. Why do we spend so much time blinded by darkness …. and have a difficult time seeing in the light? 

Thinking on small pet sins that we nurture and hold dear …. when we are really suppose to kill them off!! We deceive ourselves into thinking we can handle them until we become so accustomed and numb to their presence that we think they don’t exist anymore …… Till God slaps you up side the head @ 2AM with one of them and … it becomes time to repent.

    One of the biggest things I think I battle is addiction to sugar …. after that it’s just comfort foods …. that middle of the night munchie …. mine’s a slice of bread and butter (real butter) and sometimes a slathering of some jam (I prefer strawberry or orange marmalade) …. and this is more justifiable when the bread is 100% whole wheat …. BUT …. food …. in general is one of my pet sins … I am able to justify everything and anything I eat … I have 900 excuses why for all of it …. YET …. (and this is what God and I are working on is the word … GLUTTONY!!) Eating something excessively doesn’t necessarily mean eating a gallon of it …. if 5 or 6 potato chips are enough (as the bag says) then 1/2 a bag is gluttony …… (I personally can find ways to justify a whole bag …. then sit as the salt hits my system and I feel like YUCK!! and still make jokes and laugh it off ) …… God isn’t laughing!!  ….. OK enough said ….. 

      We spent the 4th of July watching and listening to RAIN … RAIN and more RAIN ….. My son, his wife and the kids came up to fire off fireworks between rain drops over the weekend. We had a nice two evenings in a row …. and it was relaxing …. My son is dealing with a herniated and tore disc … he had his 1st injection and not sure if he dares to take another one … left him feeling rather yucky. He had to go back to the doctors this week …. 

    Aaaahhh …  Friday evening July 8th … it’s 9:33PM …. Another long day @ work … I have been working with the VA (Veteran’s Assoc.) with a homeless vet … “MT” ... he’s been on the street for about 4 years … battling depression, homelessness, anger at the system …. inabilities to work because of physical disabilities and a VERY SMALL VA PENSION …. yet in all this there is a strength and kindness he possesses that impressed me from the get-go …. He arrived at my office with what he thought was a Section 8 voucher … he was overwhelmed with the packet … I opened it and realized it was just the application …. What transpired is …. I took the bull by the horns, filled it out for him & mailed it … then began a plethora of phone calls from me to the local VA to Washington DC to our congressman’s office …. God is good!! “MT” received thumbs up and his voucher is a go!! Today he arrived right after the storm … I got into my emaIl to find his online interview there & ready to do …. he completed it and now we are waiting for another packet of paperwork to process him for an actual apartment sometime in the next 7 to 10 days …. 

     My stepmom had her yearly case management meeting at the Handicap Workshop today I stayed in the loop via the phone … they cut her to 3 days … she has had trouble with going 4 & 5 days a week …. she is ok with this and so am I …. Her doctor and myself have taken her off Haldol a drug that is antipsychotic and helps people with schizophrenia. She had her last shot  May 2nd … I had begun to notice some behavior issues and disorientation issues with her …. now off the drug they have all cleared up … She is on medicine for Dementia and I think the two interacted somehow. Sue has become a very calm pleasant person who thinks pretty clear 99% of the time … I am really happy with the results. 

      Harry picked Pixie up from church camp this forenoon and got caught in the horrible wind and rain storm we had …. dodged falling limbs and branches driving back to our house. …. Amazingly God has blessed us where we live …. our place sits in a holler and often we don’t receive the wind issues  …. we had placed Bonnie’s large 10ft span wooden umbrella out back for Harry, Fanny and the kids …. when the storm was coming in I prayed for safety over our place ….. again God is SOOO good …!! The umbrella was still standing after the storm unscathed !! along with two tent’s and a canopy … I was able to practice my FAITH OVER FEAR Tactics …. 

On a funnier note …. I was at my office when this hit …. at the end of the storm …. I was in my small bathroom (one wall sits on and outside wall) when a HUGE GIGANTIC ENORMOUS CLAP OF THUNDER HIT !! …. WHEW!! the vibration alone stunned me … ummm I was enthroned and unable to move …. I felt like a drunken sailor coming out of the bathroom it literally rattled my brain!! …. then it kept rolling and rolling and rolling for a full 2 or 3 minutes … it was heart pounding noise!! ….. I called Harry he agreed with me, we had never heard anything like it before. …..  I also called my Hubby to make sure he was safe & ok … he had been heading back to the shop with the "big truck" when it broke loose … he had a branch come down and hit the side of his truck but no damage. I then called my best friend … Kara, she lives in Indiana … they didn’t get hit as bad …. it stayed on our side of the river. 

     Fanny is feeling much better since she moved … the place they had rented was full of mold, it really tore up her COPD the doctors wanted to hospitalize her …… like she says the fresh air and time will help but breathing all them mold spores will take time to get out of her system.

     Tomorrow Bubby gets to go to Bible Camp for the day … kindergarten and First grade have a one day session from 10AM to 3PM. He is all excited about his day at camp. …. Storm came home tired out!! …. My Pastor was in charge of the 2nd & 3rd graders this year so I am sure he was tired out too!! …. 

     

   Tuesday July 12th 2016 …. @ 6:28PM  Today has been a whole lifetime of moments since Friday …. We decided to get our dog Cobi to the vet today $$$$ … he has a severe ear infection but also has a tumor in his ear which prevented all the antibiotic we put in it to get to the source. So another trip in the morning to drop him off for surgery. $$$$ …. My car is @ my son's … my starter died …. ordered that … won’t be here till Thursday or Friday $$$$ Then he will put it in …. BUT …. my motor mount is broke so we will be having that replaced too $$ … and he’s going to try to put my front fender on that fell off when I hit the deer back in Feb or March … AT THE WORK FRONT …. my church is helping to pay for “MT’s” deposit on his apartment …. Our Benevolent Fund guy dropped it off … he is part of the group that helps decide who gets what  …. he lost his mom a few weeks ago …. she’d been in a nursing home …. I was able to encourage him … Ok back to my car …. it broke down @ the grocery store Sunday after church … I had stopped to get milk and a few things ….. there they sat in a hot car … that won’t start … called my son … he came to fix the car (or try to) and Harry came to get the kids & groceries so they didn’t sit in the heat in my car.

Saturday July 16th 2016 @ 3:44PM  ….. To continue the previous paragraph ….. Wed. morning Harry took Bonnie to the Handicap Workshop, Cobi to the vets and me to work … so thankful for his willingness to get up and run us where we needed to be. Hubby picked me up @ work Wed. afternoon and we went and picked up Cobi …. The vet bill wasn’t as bad as I had thought it would be … $282.00 for surgery ….. My car is @ my son's waiting for the starter to arrive …. Thursday morning I receive a text … starter will be here today … HALLELUJAH!! I do some phone calling to my son & Hubby …. I call Harry @ home to be on the look out for it … and the post office … in case it don’t fit in the box … UPS delivered it!! Thank You Lord!!  Harry calls me …. Hubby picks it up …. my son begins to pull starter ….  I have my car back Thursday night.  So thankful God held the rain storm off long enough to get this done …. we had a bad one later in the evening. …… Then Abby one of my dogs has a swollen back paw and won’t walk for a few days … we treated her with an aspirin and some dog de-flamatory meds and today she is fine. 

I am going to stop here …. Till the next time …. May God’s blessings flow abundantly in all your life …..