stay off balance

2011-09-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

I'm in one of those do nothing slumps: when there is so much I need to get done that I do nothing. Anyone know what that is? I play too much "scrabble" and "words with friends" while I sit and look at the heap on my computer desk.

My laptop is running like a sloth and is in the floor of my office waiting to "target mode" it to do a disk check and repair.
I want to take all the photos off and have an external drive for my iphoto library.

I have yet to upgrade to Snow Leopard and now even that is a step behind.
I have a ton of household paperwork to get caught up on.
I have a ton of Dominic paperwork, too.
I have a couple house keeping chores that need doing, a tin kick plate to attach to the screen door to keep the cats in and to keep the door square, too.
Dominic's bathroom is getting a remod to give him a roll in shower and make it semi wheelchair accessible. Not totally ADA but a lot closer than it is now. I'm glad the state is doing that and not me. I have had a plan to do it for a while, but now he really needs it and the state agrees, so I get to watch it get done! One thing off my long term goal list!
I have been trying to get at least one thing done each day to keep some sense of momentum going.
Tomorrow is labs for me and time sheets so I can get paid for 150 hours/month of the 24/7 care Dominic requires. Glad for that pay, though, because I could never work a regular job around his schedule.

Saturday is Home Depot Day. Dom goes and does a project in the kids clinic. He gets to hammer a hammer while we keep our fingers clear of the strike zone.
October will be another busy month for me. Dom has two appointments and my mom has one.

Dom has another trip to Phoenix to adjust his VNS. His seizures have diminished quite a bit. Not sure if this next adjustment will bring the device up to full amperage or not. The computer controls how much it can be turned up each time.

The next week we fly out to Memphis for his long-term survivor study appointments at St Jude. We fly out on a Thursday and Friday we begin with early morning labs and run run til the last appointment at 4:30pm. Then fly home Saturday. The manager at our local Chili's restaurant wants us to come in next September and talk to the staff before their annual fundraising for St. Jude and give them our story so they have a better motivation. Taking the big story of all that St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital does and making it local and personal. I will take photos and video and make a disc for them to see what Dom does on his trips.
Then, just to keep things busy, in between these two trips we have Dominic's 28th birthday and Emily's 14th.
Guess I should head off to bed so I can get a full day's head start on October.

Apple Tech

2011-09-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been playing apple tech again. I tried to replace a shattered touch screen on my 3gs. I mangled some of the plastic along the side with the heat gun and somehow caused the home button to stop working. I took it apart a couple more times as the double stick 3m adhesive that came with the "kit" didn't stick. And even resorted to super glue. (it didn't hold the front glass to the plastic either.) So it sits in pieces waiting for another "kit". This one pre-assembled. I just have to slide the LCD in and manipulate those specks of metal they call screws. We hope to pass this phone on to my hubby when the iphone 5 comes out. Looks like another month to wait.
I have a tab open in Firefox from World Mag, http://www.worldmag.com/articles/18549 that talks about iPhone idolatry. Now is a good time to read it while my iphone sits unavailable on the hassock and the $$ for the upgrade is gathering a miniscule amount of interest in the savings account.

Frank leaves in the morning on a motorcycle trip with Matthew and Emily to CA to help with a "sell this condo" project for Matthew's mom. I will not have to cook real meals til Monday! I do have a couple of projects to get started on and not having cooking to interrupt me will help.

2011-08-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

Dancing With Max
I just finished listening to "Dancing with Max" by Emily Colson with prologue and epilogue by Charles Colson. Having this book narrated by the author and her father made this story so personal. It made me an intimate audience to Emily's day to day struggle between Max's needs and the "system's" demands. Each person created by God is unique. When you add to the situation, that person's ability to have and enjoy all that life has to offer being laid upon the shoulders of another, it creates a divine tension. I love this person and will fight to the death for their well-being and at the same time, when and by whom will that same thing apply to me? Listening to Emily tell the story really drew me into this struggle as well as giving voice to my own narrative. I am also a mother to a son with profound disabilities and through the outpouring of grace on his life I get to watch him touch and change lives by just being who he is.

2011-06-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Remember Xanga?

Well, I was mindlessly surfing and came across my old Xanga site. Haven't touched it in 2 years, but thought the posts were worth keeping. I subscribed to the premier level to I could download an archive. $4 is a good service fee, and yes, I unchecked the auto renew box!!

2011-04-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Enough, already!!

Okay, so the weather here has been so messy. We got the front yard weeded before Frank left and my legs are still stiff and sore a week later. I left the can in the yard thinking I could pick up piles of weeds and fill the can for the next trash pick up. Well, it won't quit raining and just to spite me, it's snowing, too. This is April and I live in the desert! Where is my sun?!! I want it to be warm.

I need to load the van on Monday and head down to the "valley of the sun" for District Council. I will be manning a display table for Special Touch Ministry, Inc. Promoting AZ Summer Getaway. With the dates of Aug 8-12th this year, the contacts I make at District Council actually have time to get applications in and we could have many new guests. I also want to promote the Caregivers in Training (CIT) program. We have teens, age 14-17, come and we pair them with a caregiver to form a training/mentoring relationship. It's a missions trip for them and they don't have to even leave the state.

I am spending the month of April without my husband. He is laid off the whole month and having always bemoaned the stories of people able to take a month and travel, we found this to be a God-send for him to do what he has always wanted to do. He is making it a game to spend as little as he can besides gas. He is calling it a "couch surfing" trip. He has his still camera and his new video one too and I hope he is taking pics. He wants to journal the trip and pictures and video always help tell the story.

My time alone is not without activities. I have a pretty full month. District Council next week with the day I return, hopefully getting to the practice for our first performance of a women's barbershop singers group I recently joined with my Mom. The concert is on Sat the 16th. We are sharing the spotlight with the City of Kingman Community Choir.
The rest of the month is filled with Dr's appointments and the such. I've been working in my office on paperwork that has created a small mountain.

I bought a program called Paperless. I need to start with tax related receipts but want to go through a lot of files and make files of important docs and get rid of the paper. (Looooooonng term goal)
For now, I need to file an extension for our '10 taxes because my back has had all the desk time it can take. And put together the stuff I need to take to Phoenix next week.

So even with the man gone, my life continues on it's merry, busy, way.

2010-12-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

One of the few Apps I have used in Facebook looked interesting. It's a year of status updates in a collage. I posted it to my facebook wall, but wanted to keep a copy, so here it is:

2010-10-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

I was thoroughly surprised by this book, thinking that the eagle symbolism has been used to exhaustion. I learned quite a bit. The way this book was laid out with the contributions of both generations was quite refreshing.
There are many ways this book can be used. You can simply read it and find much in the correlation of the life span of eagles and Israel’s maturation. You can use it to map out your own growth with the visual they provide in the introduction. Or, you can make it a personal study and journal your answers and applications from the personal application at the end of each chapter. As a bonus for an already complete work, there is a small group guide in the back to bring others along on your journey. The intimate look into the life of a young eagle juxtaposed along side the Israelites faltering steps is mixed with Avery’s personal stories of faith building experiences and Matt’s more current growth observations.
Having spent the time with these authors speaking to me through the book, it was sad to hear of Avery’s passing. I plan on picking up more of his works to glean from his years of maturing in Christ until his “graduation.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

2010-06-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Work

Well, my son has a litany that he goes through each morning. A teasing session of sorts. He pronounces that, "I am going to work! not you!!" Well, I ask him if I can come and he tells me, "no." Then he sentences me to "stay home and work!" He obviously has two totally different definitions of work. His work is good and my work is not. He will have fun and I will not.
Well, with the last few weeks being quite full, I have found myself "working" steadily to accomplish everything that needed to get done. I had deadlines to spur me on, but now I just have a to-do list. I am having to keep the bit in my mouth and keep moving.
This forced activity level needs to morph into a daily activity level. I didn't get to watch any TV while we were at Special Touch Getaway May 24-28th and just that week let me make a long enough break to not need to sit and watch all the stuff I used to. (There is scientific findings that you burn fewer calories watching TV than you do sleeping!)
Another thing I've been working on is losing the weight that I put on at an alarming rate when the Dr. tried a medicine to help with my pain level. I have found that the typical pain signal blockers do not work and the side-effects were quite detrimental to my psyche. The "activity level" I am keeping lately has helped in losing half of the weight gain. If I can use that as incentive, it is another reason to keep up the work and have it benefit my list as well as my scale readings.
I spent the morning helping a friend clean and rearrange her home and I really like the hard work, knowing I am pumping out those endorphins as well as burning calories. The satisfying feeling of cleared space is good for my brain, too. I'm not asking for more friends that need major help working, but I am thankful for the work this week to further my training of body and soul to greater health and productivity.

2010-01-09T09:56:00.001-07:00

When I picture Abraham standing and talking to the Lord, I wonder if he is counting Lot's family in his mind? Wouldn't he think to bring them back to him and destroy the cities as was the final outcome? As it was there were not even 10! And even after their salvation, had not Lot told his daughters how close their kinsmen were? When Abraham looked and saw the cities burning, did he wonder if "there were none righteous, no not one?" such great description in this narrative and so few answers.
Abraham asks the question, would the righteous be destroyed with the unrighteous? The righteous will live with the unrighteous until that day, with the possibility that they won't be destroyed. The fields are white unto harvest!
I think I will try setting the Proverbs reading to memory: For the Lord gives Wisdom...

2010-01-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

2010-01-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

As I enjoy the smell of spiral ham warming in the oven and anticipate a pleasant
evening at church fellowship dinner in a little less than an hour, I thought I
would share some thoughts from today's reading. I will try to do this often.
I found that two people were presented in the Old and New Testament readings
were ordained to bring relief. Noah's name, in vs 29, means: this one shall
bring us relief. And of course Christ, in whom His father is well pleased, will
bring salvation to the world in a short 3 years past the present narrative.
Noah was 600 before his name will have literal meaning. Christ was 30 years in
spiritual and physical growth and preparation.
We need to grasp every moment to become prepared for whatever God has in store
for our future. Whether that time is tomorrow, next year or in 20 years. We
need that time to be ready.
Just a short note.
You can post a note with your thoughts to help your fellow readers glean the
most from our daily readings.
Just 362 more days to go!!
Jean

2010-01-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

Starting a new year with a new Bible reading program. I'm joining the ladies of Arizona Women's Ministry, Advance 2010, using a reading plan mixing New and Old Testaments as well as Psalms and Proverbs.

http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2009/12/january-1st-one-year-bible-readings.html

this is a blog with some commentary, but not too much to bog down the daily plan. The other place I like to read from is

Every Day in the Word it has the scriptures as well as an audio option.

So here's to 363 more days of success.

2009-12-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

Since I didn't get to cards this year, I'll use this venue for my wishes.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes

for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress,

non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice

holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of religious

persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the

religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their

choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and

medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally

accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the

calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society

have helped make America great (not to imply that America is

necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "America" in

the western hemisphere) and without regard to the race, creed, color,

age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the

wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This

greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely

transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies

no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for

her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is

revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted

to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings

for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday

greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to

replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole

discretion of the wisher.

In other words,

a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Disclaimer: "no trees were harmed in the sending of this message

however, a significant number of electrons were slightly

inconvenienced."

I found this years ago and loved it!!

2009-09-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

My first book from NavPress Blogger Review Program was a winner!

I’ve read enough financial help books to know what I was in for, but having one written so recently, I knew it’s relevance to current economic conditions would be valuable. What made this one different was the way Matt Bell truly encouraged the reader that it is possible to be successful and to think big. What will life look like when you are free from the current troubles? What will you be able to do for God? It really set the stage to dig in and do the work. The chart referenced throughout the book is daunting at first, but Bell applies it’s uses in stages. He also doesn’t load the book up with easily referenced resources, choosing to direct the reader to internet sites of reputable organizations and ministries. He wraps up all the practical advice with a healthy dose of matters of the heart and that the way out of your troubles must be intentional. As you reach your goals, Bell has you be conscious of community. 2 Tim 2:2 tells us as we are entrusted with these truths so we can “teach others also.” I truly enjoyed this book and will read other titles by Matt Bell.

Check it out!

2009-09-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Been frustrated lately with Dom's aug comm device. A Dynavox VMax. It is supposed to be the end all of devices, but it keeps crashing. It has all the communication software as well as being a computer running XP. I have had many problems with it and had to send it in for more memory first and then for repairs. Makes me want the new touch screen mac to hurry up and get here.
I am going to Prescott Valley for a training with the Special Touch Ministry training team for Chapters . It will be local groups that can meet for fellowship and ministry. Summer Getaway is only once a year and this will help to keep the ministry flowing.

And in two weeks Frank and I get to fly away without the short one. Again, for a Special Touch event. Frank is thrilled to drive through the fall colors as we make our way from Milwaukee to Waupaca. We also get to see Gracey, Zach and whoever else tracks us down. I will stop at my brother's new house, too.

Women's Ministry is starting up again at Living Faith Assembly of God! We have a bible study and we will also meet once a month for fellowship.

2009-09-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

2009-08-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

So, lately I've been trying to find a bible study by someone who actually believes the bible alone without embellishments. Crossed two names off my list: one I haven't looked at before and one I had ready to use. I think the selfist, selfish, self-first, self-love, self-aggrandizement, self-protective, self-etc. attitude of america has left us with a self-created god. If we truley believed who God is and Jesus is and the Holy Spirit is, and who we are and where we came from and being loved before we knew we needed it, we would be much less self centered and more humbled and grateful.

2009-08-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

If morals and standards are "rules". What are they for. Are we taking them on ourselves and our life styles because we need unmoving boundaries? And why? Are they an entity unto themselves that we look to to have an excuse to behave? Hmmm. Just some ramblings and musings. I should come to some conclusions soon.

2009-08-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been thinking on a subject that I will attempt to put into coherent prose. Morals, standards and judging. I know, big subject. If Christ fulfilled the law, what are morals and standards. And what are people really trying to do when they judge.

I found the book "The Shack" at a recent thrift store forage and thought I would find out what the hullabaloo is about. I did get me thinking. I never like imagery of the sort used in the story. I don't mind fiction if it's based on reality, but not total fantasy trying to be real. (Now, fantasy stories that are allegorical I like. ) Any way, it's just some thinking I'm doing and I will cover it slowly as I mull. Feel free to step in and add to the flow - concise thoughts please, so as not to lose my attention.

I've also just finished my first book for review from NavPress. I need to write a 200 word review. Then I get to chose another book. Fun!

2009-07-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, life is speeding up again. Had a great birthday and anniversary. Now it's time to get busy again. I have my office back in the room, but far from settled. I can get to my desk, that's about it. I have a trip to Phoenix with Dom tomorrow, a concert I want to attend next week, Memphis trip to St. Jude's the 2nd week in Aug, Special Touch Chapter meeting the 3rd weekend. I need to hold a rummage sale at the church for the rest of WM's retreat registration monies, and the only time is the 8th, and that's not far away. We camp out with the church Labor Day weekend and the end of that same week is Wm's retreat! Alicia Chole, what a treat, can't wait. Then at the end of the month/beginning of Oct is a Special Touch Coordinator training in WI, and Gracey graduates in December. Frank and I haven't decided who goes to that. I would love for him to get away, but I would love to be there, too. We'll see. Then already already looking at next year, in March I have a trip back to Waupaca for Exposé. We could possibly put off the rummage sale. I'll have to check on what we have in the WM's account. Amazing what just thinking I have some level of adjustment in the schedule can alleviate some of the stress.
I'm almost done with the first book from NavPress. I signed up to review books and get to keep all the books I read. I will finish today and write and post maybe by the end of the week.

2009-04-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

The way things appear

My mind/emotions most of my life were formed by unhealthy people and environments. I waited a long time to develop the "self" that I needed before I could grow and mature. I used others personalities and tastes to portrait myself to the world. Now that I kind of know that I am wonderfully made by my creator and have purpose and a future, I don't have to worry that someone will find out that I may have been "bs-ing" them with a made-up person. I can just be me and let people like me or not. Well, lately, I guess the "me" that people see is someone who is competent enough to take on some pretty big positions. I travelled to Phoenix on Tuesday to attend the AZ District Council of the Assemblies of God. I went to a women's missions brunch because the Women's Ministry chooses a focus mission for the year and take pledges for that mission and raise funds all year. This year the focus is Special Touch Ministry, Inc. What a blessing to know there will be a large donation coming to this ministry which has captured my heart. I sat at the table with the coordinators for the Arizona Getaway as well as key people who put a lot of time and energy in and watched their thrill when the pledges of $44,750 was announced of which we will get about 43% of this time next year.
Later I was able to mingle in the open lobby where we had a booth set up to talk to interested people, I was acknowledged by several top people in the district. It was amazing that people recognized me and seem to have beeen seeking me out with intentions of connecting me to other key people. I met a mother of a teen with disabilities. Her husband is executive vice president of American Indian College In Phoenix. We had quite a lengthy conversation, but the thing that surprised me was that several people had sought me out to introduce us because they thought I had something to offer. That same day, the Women's Department Director asked if I would take on a Seconal leadership position. Regretfully, I declined, but offered her my cooperation should she need me for projects from time to time. I really felt my focus should be single right now and special touch is it. Then to finish off this astounding day, I was asked to take on a new position at our Arizona Getaway this June as Team Leader. This is a stepping stone, as the Arizona Coordinator wants to hand off their reins to me in the next couple of years! Who is this person that others see and where did she come from. I know where I started and with what few tools I had. Keeping this in mind, I can trust that who others see is someone purposely fitted into the body of Christ to further the kingdom. Fearfully, I advance in that direction and take on more than I think I am capable of only to see it accomplished to His glory. So, maybe I'll be able to call the Women's Department Director at a later time and take her up on her offer, after some of the fear and trembling has subsided.

2009-04-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished and came home a week early. I could have stayed the full time and just relaxed the last week, but it would have been eating out and I didn't want to do a lot of that. As it is, I didn't lose one pound the whole time I was there. I am really disappointed in the dieting and working my butt off. I know that it was also a way to get off wheat, though so in that sense it was worth it. I can back off on the intake here at home and see if it kick starts again. I have lost some weight since I started at the end of January and I knew it would be a long trek, so I'm not giving up yet.
I took my keyboard with me, on the basis of time I had doing nothing the last trip, but found that it was non-stop work this time and not even being able to get online for very long without falling asleep at the end of days. So I didn't even get the keyboard out til the last week!
I am glad that my part of this is done. Now it's just selling the house. The dumpster leaves tomorrow and I hope everything is in it. There is still furniture to sell and Judy's sale with some more stuff after which it will all go to the sparrow's nest.
Sorry to Vickie to still have loose ends, but at least she's only an hour away and not 1800 miles.
I have several projects here to start so I will be busy.

2009-03-03T09:50:00.001-07:00

Well, it's March already. I am preparing to be gone a month again. Hopefully for the last time. My next trip needs to be total pleasure. I leave the 15th and return a month and a day later. I am taking my keyboard with me this time. It was a long time without playing last time and I had other things with me that I never touched.

I'm attending the Special Touch Exposé in Waupaca. This ministry is what I really want to become involved in. I am pressing in, but with trepidation. I know that the fear is not God, it's just my flesh not wanting to be stretched and demanded upon.

I am reading a book on thinning out my lifestyle. I'm having a garage sale this weekend to rid myself of more things. I want to make enough for Women's retreat this fall and also give a tithe to Special Touch.

Arizona is really abdicating it's responsibility to those who are the most vulnerable. They are making immoral cuts in funding for services to the disabled, leaving some with no services seemingly overnight.

I'm almost done with our taxes, but will file an extension anyway to not have it on my list before I leave. Along that same route is getting out of debt. I have a couple of Dave Ramsey books to read on my trip.

I'm also on a body thinning route. I have gotten back down to my old friend, plateau. I am going to have to stick the induction out til I start to really lose. I will make a friend of hunger.

So that's it. My disjointed, chaotic life.

2008-12-20T19:18:00.001-07:00

okay, already, I'll add a new post

2008-09-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

This blog space is one I seldom use but want to keep active, so I'll update our nonstop life. We just returned from camping in Kaibab Lake park north of Williams. It was cooler and wetter than prior years and we didn't have warm enough clothes, but all in all it was a great time. More people from the church came up and that was wonderful. We ate well, as we always do when we camp! Now the slippery slope of the rest of the year sets in. I have a trip to Phoenix with Dom, my Soc class starts online, birthday plans for Dom along with a portrait session, and of course Christmas cantata practice starts at the end of October. Yikes!

2008-04-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

the summer has filled up already. No camping for Dom this May, what a relief. Class is almost over, too.

2007-06-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

Piano practice has begun in earnest again. I have a pile of songs all in the same key and I'm practicing. We now have a willing guitarist at church so I have to start "jamming" and I want to be ready.