So far this has been a quiet Saturday. We went to three garage sales where Bob bought some paperback books. I don't know what is on the agenda except eating out tonight.
Scott called this morning rather distressed. The woman he is so enamored of has shown to have feet of clay (in his eyes). I told him there are no perfect women. He also has feet of clay but he didn't think of that, I guess. In fact, the more perfect people are, the less comfortable I am with them. I always remember the "perfect mother" type that was one of my friends when we lived in Bartlesville and the kids were small. I felt inadequate around her. Then I realized she also was not perfect and I loved her all the more.
We are all flawed people and the sooner we realize that, the happier we will all be.
We haven't done diddley squat today. I went through several "antique malls" in town looking for a couple of dishes I am missing. I didn't find them though.
Then I baked some cookies and Bob had a couple of them (he probably shouldn't have). Slinky had a small bite of mine and one of Bob's before we both remembered that he should not have chocolate chip cookies. Dogs are poisoned by chocolate. I have some ginger snaps I can give him if he simply must have a bite of cookie too.
I have tried to put him out several times today but he gets lonely out there by himself and wants us to come out too. It's a little too brisk for that so..he's in the kitchen utility room where he can see me...taking a nap. Spoiled rotten. What have I done???
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Surgery Day
This is the day we go to Bartlesville for Bob's surgery on his neck where he has that squamous cell carcinoma. We are wondering what kind of charges we are facing after Medicare pays their part. Bob has no supplemental insurance. But never the less, he must have the surgery so there's no sense stewing about it.
His local doctor also wants him to have his A1C test this morning too so we will be going back uptown for that before we leave for Bartlesville. If he is up to it, we will probably eat lunch in Bartlesville since his appointment is at 11:00.
We have had a terribly busy week and next week looks a lot better at this point. Bob has his two Red Cross classes Tuesday and Wednesday. He is going to skip the PINCH involvement with Creative Conversations on Monday.
On Thursday, our son, Keith, starts his trip back from Phoenix for the Thanksgiving holiday. He will take two days to drive it. It's a long ways from Phoenix to Coffeyville. That next week, I have kept free of involvement so we can have a good visit with him. If I can find a photo of Keith, I will post it here.
Bob and I attended the in service yesterday and I signed up to be one of the hospital chaplains. That will be a week every ten weeks. I guess I can manage that.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Doctor's Visit
Bob will go to the doctor this morning at 10:00 to check on his diabetes. He is very discouraged with his numbers. They fluctuate wildly. He watches his carbs religiously yet earlier this week, his glucose was 147 after being down to 116 and under for several weeks. We count carbs on every item we buy. He has lost a total of 24 pounds from just simply almost eliminating bread and potatoes and pasta from his diet. He is going to talk to Melissa about changing his meds.
Later at 11:30, we will go to an in service at the hospital mainly for those who serve as chaplains. Bob has given that up. He just isn't up to it anymore. He does well to take Slinky for his walk each day and even that is a lot shorter then it used to be.
We attended IMA yesterday. I am afraid the new president is not able to control the meeting. We had lunch at 11:30 and then the meeting began. It rambled on for quite awhile without much organization. Finally at 1:00, we needed to leave. We had an appointment at 1:30 and Bob still needed to stop by the cleaners to get some alterations ordered. John, the vice president was using the business meeting to talk about his congregation and Mike didn't seem to be able to get the meeting back on track.
They had forgotten our annual community wide Thanksgiving service so were trying to put the service together before the meeting.
It may be a difficult year.
On another subject, I have been asked to take the nomination for secretary of the Montgomery County Health Clinic board. I thought about it overnight and decided to accept. I will need to notify John this morning. I attend all their meetings anyhow as a board member. Taking the minutes shouldn't be a problem.
Later at 11:30, we will go to an in service at the hospital mainly for those who serve as chaplains. Bob has given that up. He just isn't up to it anymore. He does well to take Slinky for his walk each day and even that is a lot shorter then it used to be.
We attended IMA yesterday. I am afraid the new president is not able to control the meeting. We had lunch at 11:30 and then the meeting began. It rambled on for quite awhile without much organization. Finally at 1:00, we needed to leave. We had an appointment at 1:30 and Bob still needed to stop by the cleaners to get some alterations ordered. John, the vice president was using the business meeting to talk about his congregation and Mike didn't seem to be able to get the meeting back on track.
They had forgotten our annual community wide Thanksgiving service so were trying to put the service together before the meeting.
It may be a difficult year.
On another subject, I have been asked to take the nomination for secretary of the Montgomery County Health Clinic board. I thought about it overnight and decided to accept. I will need to notify John this morning. I attend all their meetings anyhow as a board member. Taking the minutes shouldn't be a problem.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Scott Left
Scott left early this morning. We had a good visit while he was here. Last night we watched Frontline...a program about the health care crisis in America and it was on PBS. I recommend it if you have not seen it.
After he left, we cleaned house and did laundry.
Then we went to Independence to the IMA meeting we thought we would miss. Afterward I got my hair done anyhow.
Tonight we will go to Leslie's for Movie Night at 7:00. It should be fun. I guess we will have our leftover chicken for supper.
It is a lovely day. Bob just took Slinky for a nice walk and Slinky was happy about that.
I need to re-make Scott's bed. I stripped it this morning. I also did a white load of clothes and put them away.
Busy, busy, busy!
After he left, we cleaned house and did laundry.
Then we went to Independence to the IMA meeting we thought we would miss. Afterward I got my hair done anyhow.
Tonight we will go to Leslie's for Movie Night at 7:00. It should be fun. I guess we will have our leftover chicken for supper.
It is a lovely day. Bob just took Slinky for a nice walk and Slinky was happy about that.
I need to re-make Scott's bed. I stripped it this morning. I also did a white load of clothes and put them away.
Busy, busy, busy!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Scott's Here
Well, Scott came in about 7:00 last night and we had the chili ready for him. Today I go to Independence to my clinic board meeting and he and Bob will go with me and do some looking around town while I'm in my meeting. Then after the meeting we will eat at Big Cheese and then come back home. Bob's doctor changed his appointment from today to Thursday morning.
I changed my hair appointment and canceled my breakfast for tomorrow. My appointment is at 8:30 Friday now. Scott will be gone by then.
Scott has a girl friend he is nutty about (again). That's all he talks about. He will leave sometime tomorrow, perhaps after noon. They have a date this weekend. He doesn't want a spare moment until then.
Tonight we will stay at home and watch TV. Frontline is on PBS.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Scott Is Coming
Scott called this morning. He has tomorrow and Wednesday off for Veteran's Day and is coming home. It will be his last trip before Thanksgiving. I will probably fix him something to eat when he gets here. It will be around 7:00.
We went to Independence this noon and took Leslie to lunch. I will go back up to Independence tomorrow for my 11:00 board meeting of the Montgomery County Clinic.
They gave out 420 flu shots on Saturday. I couldn't get Bob to go and get one.
Last night at Howard's birthday party, Dr. Shalah told Bob he should get one because of his age and diabetes. We went by the board of health this morning after we bought groceries and they said he would not qualify right now. They are using their limited supply for pregnant women. They also do not have the regular flu shots.
Jeff, Cyndi's husband is in the hospital with pneumonia and perhaps the flu. It's going around, that's for sure. Cyndi is sick too but not as sick as Jeff.
We went to Independence this noon and took Leslie to lunch. I will go back up to Independence tomorrow for my 11:00 board meeting of the Montgomery County Clinic.
They gave out 420 flu shots on Saturday. I couldn't get Bob to go and get one.
Last night at Howard's birthday party, Dr. Shalah told Bob he should get one because of his age and diabetes. We went by the board of health this morning after we bought groceries and they said he would not qualify right now. They are using their limited supply for pregnant women. They also do not have the regular flu shots.
Jeff, Cyndi's husband is in the hospital with pneumonia and perhaps the flu. It's going around, that's for sure. Cyndi is sick too but not as sick as Jeff.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Different Day
This has been a different day. I had the service all planned and the bulletin printed off for our service this morning when the phone rang at 7:00. Our guest speaker was sick all night and was having to cancel two hours before we usually leave for church. I assured her that we understood she couldn't help being sick and so I came into my office and began working on the morning's sermon. I have never written a sermon in two hours...before the church school service. I have written one the night before as when our last guest minister canceled because of the death of his grandson.
I was working along and a light went on in my brain. I called the woman back and asked if she happened to have her sermon on her computer. She did. I asked her if she would mind e-mailing it to me as an attachment. She said she would be happy to do that...and did. I prepared to use her sermon material for the morning..including her illustration....a pitcher of water and six empty glasses. It went well. The theme was "Give Your All". Here were her thoughts.
Give Your All
Mark 12: 38-44
Crossroads Congregation
November 8, 2009
Opening: Empty a pitcher into several glasses. Before filling each glass ask the congregation to name things that they give to (children, work, cleaning, church, God, etc.) When the pitcher is empty make remarks about how we sometimes give our all and it leaves us feeling empty.
Context
Our theme today “give your all” comes from the main lectionary scripture found in Mark 12:38-44. This is traditionally known as the story of the widow’s mite. Before I read the scripture, let me try to put this text into context for us.
I like the book of Mark because he tends to focus on discipleship. Mark likes to make fun of how slow the disciples are and often uses women as models of how true disciples should behave. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I appreciate all the advice I can get.
This story comes at the tail-end of Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus has made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the crowds shouting Hosanna. This is his second day in Jerusalem and the religious leaders have been busy testing him and questioning his doctrine. He is at the temple-the center of everything in Jerusalem, teaching the crowds and trying to teach his disciples. Jesus just had an encounter with a kind scribe who understood his teaching of the greatest commandments-to love God, self and our neighbors. This is one of the last opportunities Jesus will have to teach or reveal what our response to God should be. Jesus is on the last leg of his journey to the cross-to give his all.
Content
Read the scripture.
This story contains several important concepts.
It is a stern criticism of the scribes at the Jerusalem temple. They were greedy, dishonest, and arrogant. They talked the talk but they didn’t walk the walk. They were hypocrites.
It is also a criticism of the elaborate temple rites that developed out of the 613 Jewish laws.
It is also an example of the sharp contrast between the rich and the poor. There existed a huge gap between the rich people and the poor people. The rich flaunted their wealth by putting in large sums of money (large coins like this one that made a loud clanging noise when they hit the metal treasury container). The poor humbly put in all they could (usually small coins like this lepton that made a tinkling sound when they hit the metal). The gap between the rich and poor still exists today and is worthy of much discussion.
However, our theme today is “Give Your All”. What does God want us to know about giving? What lesson was Christ trying to teach to his disciples and the people gathered about giving?
1.Giving our all from our hearts-sincere, humble, joyfully.
2.Giving our all so we can be open to receive whatever God has for us-God’s will.
Congregation
What does this scripture have to say to those of us gathered here today as the community of Christ? What can we learn from it? How can we relate to a lesson from almost 2000 years ago to now?
I understand that your congregation has some very generous givers that enabled you to pay off your building in five years.
As part of the South Central States Mission Center, we can relate this scripture to our recent success at using generosity based giving to meet our Mission Center budget.
As members of a World Church, we can relate it to one of our churches enduring principles: Grace and Generosity. According to the principle of grace and generosity in the “We Share” document,
“We believe that God’s grace, especially as revealed in Jesus Christ is generous and unconditional.
We believe that having received God’s generous grace, we respond generously and graciously receive the generosity of others.
We offer all we are and have to God’s purposes as revealed in Jesus Christ.
We generously share our witness, resources, ministries, and sacraments according to our true capacity.”
The widow generously gave according to her true capacity. Why did she give her all? Because of her faith, she knew the Lord would provide for her needs. She trusted God with everything she had to give. Her open hands characterized her open heart.
Back to the pitcher and glasses:
Empty vessels are not dried up and broken-they are simply waiting to be filled. Ask “what spiritual disciplines help us get re-filled?” (praying, meditating, reading scripture, serving others, giving)
(Re-fill the pitcher with the glasses of water as they answer). When we give our all joyfully and humbly as the widow did, we do empty ourselves. We give our all so we can receive.
The miracle happens when we choose to put God at the center of our lives so God can use that empty space-our openness and vulnerability to bless us with something much greater than we ever imagined. God gives us grace.
I pray that God will continue to bless you with grace and generosity so you can be a blessing to others.
And...it went well. Ah the age of technology! It saved me a lot of work this morning. I fixed my dishes for the dinner and was comfortable using her material. Tonight we have another dinner. It is the 70th birthday of one of our "Living the Questions" members. We will have a dinner to celebrate that.
I was working along and a light went on in my brain. I called the woman back and asked if she happened to have her sermon on her computer. She did. I asked her if she would mind e-mailing it to me as an attachment. She said she would be happy to do that...and did. I prepared to use her sermon material for the morning..including her illustration....a pitcher of water and six empty glasses. It went well. The theme was "Give Your All". Here were her thoughts.
Give Your All
Mark 12: 38-44
Crossroads Congregation
November 8, 2009
Opening: Empty a pitcher into several glasses. Before filling each glass ask the congregation to name things that they give to (children, work, cleaning, church, God, etc.) When the pitcher is empty make remarks about how we sometimes give our all and it leaves us feeling empty.
Context
Our theme today “give your all” comes from the main lectionary scripture found in Mark 12:38-44. This is traditionally known as the story of the widow’s mite. Before I read the scripture, let me try to put this text into context for us.
I like the book of Mark because he tends to focus on discipleship. Mark likes to make fun of how slow the disciples are and often uses women as models of how true disciples should behave. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I appreciate all the advice I can get.
This story comes at the tail-end of Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus has made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the crowds shouting Hosanna. This is his second day in Jerusalem and the religious leaders have been busy testing him and questioning his doctrine. He is at the temple-the center of everything in Jerusalem, teaching the crowds and trying to teach his disciples. Jesus just had an encounter with a kind scribe who understood his teaching of the greatest commandments-to love God, self and our neighbors. This is one of the last opportunities Jesus will have to teach or reveal what our response to God should be. Jesus is on the last leg of his journey to the cross-to give his all.
Content
Read the scripture.
This story contains several important concepts.
It is a stern criticism of the scribes at the Jerusalem temple. They were greedy, dishonest, and arrogant. They talked the talk but they didn’t walk the walk. They were hypocrites.
It is also a criticism of the elaborate temple rites that developed out of the 613 Jewish laws.
It is also an example of the sharp contrast between the rich and the poor. There existed a huge gap between the rich people and the poor people. The rich flaunted their wealth by putting in large sums of money (large coins like this one that made a loud clanging noise when they hit the metal treasury container). The poor humbly put in all they could (usually small coins like this lepton that made a tinkling sound when they hit the metal). The gap between the rich and poor still exists today and is worthy of much discussion.
However, our theme today is “Give Your All”. What does God want us to know about giving? What lesson was Christ trying to teach to his disciples and the people gathered about giving?
1.Giving our all from our hearts-sincere, humble, joyfully.
2.Giving our all so we can be open to receive whatever God has for us-God’s will.
Congregation
What does this scripture have to say to those of us gathered here today as the community of Christ? What can we learn from it? How can we relate to a lesson from almost 2000 years ago to now?
I understand that your congregation has some very generous givers that enabled you to pay off your building in five years.
As part of the South Central States Mission Center, we can relate this scripture to our recent success at using generosity based giving to meet our Mission Center budget.
As members of a World Church, we can relate it to one of our churches enduring principles: Grace and Generosity. According to the principle of grace and generosity in the “We Share” document,
“We believe that God’s grace, especially as revealed in Jesus Christ is generous and unconditional.
We believe that having received God’s generous grace, we respond generously and graciously receive the generosity of others.
We offer all we are and have to God’s purposes as revealed in Jesus Christ.
We generously share our witness, resources, ministries, and sacraments according to our true capacity.”
The widow generously gave according to her true capacity. Why did she give her all? Because of her faith, she knew the Lord would provide for her needs. She trusted God with everything she had to give. Her open hands characterized her open heart.
Back to the pitcher and glasses:
Empty vessels are not dried up and broken-they are simply waiting to be filled. Ask “what spiritual disciplines help us get re-filled?” (praying, meditating, reading scripture, serving others, giving)
(Re-fill the pitcher with the glasses of water as they answer). When we give our all joyfully and humbly as the widow did, we do empty ourselves. We give our all so we can receive.
The miracle happens when we choose to put God at the center of our lives so God can use that empty space-our openness and vulnerability to bless us with something much greater than we ever imagined. God gives us grace.
I pray that God will continue to bless you with grace and generosity so you can be a blessing to others.
And...it went well. Ah the age of technology! It saved me a lot of work this morning. I fixed my dishes for the dinner and was comfortable using her material. Tonight we have another dinner. It is the 70th birthday of one of our "Living the Questions" members. We will have a dinner to celebrate that.
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