Making a difference

 

The lad in this true story is Chase.  I have not met him, ( I know his grandparents ) but after reading this "Powerful" story I can say I  would love to be part of his circle of friends. 

A closer look... we hear the word, and who has not been touched by cancer, maybe a relative or dear friend.   

Our family has been touched too, but at the far right of the scale. Hubby had his 44 treatments of radiation with no side effects. None. We did meet others, every day in that waiting room who did have side effects.. those are stories I shared in 2018.  And I have several cousins who have faced hard times, very hard, during their treatments.   And it factors into the impact that this book has made in my heart and life.

I had read the first line of posts that updated readers, but it was not until I saw the post where Chase, turning 13, was asking for the same number/amount, as a donation to the doctors and staff of his "caregivers". Not for himself, or even his family, but for the people who had participated in saving his life. 
( Mama Ellie  has 14K followers on Facebook, she is an amazing writer )  

So, I ordered the book.  This story is the far left of any I know. I am sure there are others, but not that I have come to know.   Not just a cancer that was treated and back home and all good.  No, this was far more, and is on going.  

My mind goes to the Ukrainian war,  hear or read the headlines, but until you let yourself look at the pictures, hear about the horror on a day to day basis, it is hard to wrap your mind and heart around their situation. Maia has a daily update and it makes it more real and often very shocking
( Maia has 39K followers on Facebook, she is an amazing writer )

No, we cannot grieve for every persons hard circumstances, but, we can tune in to the needs/cares of those we are aware of and even someone right next door,  and we can  take the time to bow our head and pray for healing and comfort and also with thankfulness  for the blessings that most of us live with every day.

There is much more that I could share, but Ellie does a great job of showing the family, church, doctors and staff,  all who became a part of Chase's life, his story.  

So read the book.. 

And as Chase repeated and repeated  Joshua 1:9  Be strong and of courage,  do not be afraid, for the Lord is with you wherever you go

And He is.  

I live an exciting life 

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all in a day

 

it started out with  a little tooth  ache  and a hacking cough
     ( the ache was worse on Saturday after 2 scoops of ice cream
               the cough is a side affect of meds..now on a new one )

 Then off to Bible study...started 1/2 hour early for fellowship.
      (  I arrived 1/4 hour early, oops )

The lectures ended and my buddy Barbara insisted I take her left over cookies
     ( I try to do what I am told )

Home for a quick bite of lunch
Called Lady Z to make sure the technician came to fix her TV.   
      ( both are up and running )

Rest... a few chores.   zoom Bible Study
        ( this one is my favorite of the week
Dinner...manly leftovers ...zoom Bible Study

oops phone call

Lady Z says her TVs are not working.

Zip down 1/2 mile down the hill

Downstairs  TV,,, I can usually figure out
  Toshiba remote...tv on....Yes
Lady z  " that is the wrong remote, what is going on?"
I am already going upstairs.
Lady Z says " If the downstairs works the upstairs works"
Me ( silently, that's a new one, don't think that will happen _

Upstairs TV is new to her last year and has a different system. I can't figure out how to fix it.

So I let Lady Z pick up the remote and 
"What, no picture? Well I am sure the downstairs tv is not working either"

I am already heading to the front door and I can hear the TV loud and clear

She says " It hasn't worked since Sunday"
   ( I think she forgot to say thank you. My mistake.  Sleep well )

Lady Z is 93 and I need to remember that if I should live so long, I could be very very confused.

I live an exciting life 

When you have to say goodbye

Such a smile

Such a lady 

Marti 

 

She was a wife

  a mother of four

    a grandmother to seven 
      a great grandma to eleven 

        a friend to countless 

          a friend to me     

The friendship goes way  back  for my hubby.  He grew up in Spokane and Marti loved to remind him about some naughty things he would  instigate, but always with a smile. She had a great sense of humor

For many years we would visit Spokane and were always greeted affectionately by Bob and Marti.  They were such a big part of the gathering there on  Pacific Avenue . Hospitable and supportive to so many.  

When you travel with kids you don't have the opportunity to have one on one visits, but my memory will  always be with her hair so perfectly in place and always with a smile.  She also gave warm hugs. 

My last visit, (and one on one ) was a little over a year ago on her 94th birthday.  Her furnace was not working, but her fireplace was cozy. We were by ourselves, but the phone was busy with calls and a package or two came to the door.  I am so thankful for that sweet hour together.  

I believe she genuinely cared about our family and every family that entered her door, everyone that entered her life. 

I live an exciting life 

     

Trees

 Trees and more trees.

Starting out the holidays this year at the Sunset Club

back home and in my happy place 

Star tops the Conrad tree

All aglow at the Schirbers 

Ottopals with a few candy canes left 

And close to home, the Bellevue Square center court 

on to Enumclaw

Random visit to the new Christian Bookstore

On to the Dorge's 57th annual red balls, just a smaller version 

And today...  downstairs at our friends on the Lake

and upstairs at our friends on the Lake 

not to be overlooked... bedroom sparkle 

I can call this my favorite because it is mine and my friends decorate it for me every year 

and  I love this tradition and this tree and this season 

I live an exciting life 

.

A New Year

 

Happy New Year,  

                               especially to you Marti ♥

A "different" year for all of us.  Regardless of our age or location or health, it has been a different and sometimes difficult year.   

But here we are, January 1, 2023

These were sent to me... I have no clue how to generate such amazing posts

While there are still some events I would like to document from 2022, I take time out for today 

May we be thankful for each day and hour of life, and be ready to share God's good news when He gives us the opportunity. 

At the end of the day, or at the end of a visit, I often say "I'll see you in my dreams"  and my little man Tanner says "Dream about me and pray for me"      Amen 

I live an exciting life

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Baking night

Baking Night 2022

I start a few days ahead and get the dining room table covered with oilcloth.  I bring out all our cooking supplies and recipes from years past.  There are about 10 aprons I iron and display on the chairs ..for easy access to anyone  who  might need one.   The best menu is finger food.. mini croissants, cheeses, meats and fruit.  No need for dessert, but there is coffee and something cooler too. 

We have pictures from long  ago when friends would join us to bake sweet treats for Christmas

This favorite recipe is called stained glass windows

You melt chocolate and then "mix" colored marshmallows and nuts

together, roll into logs, refrigerate

When you slice them, they look like stained glass windows

they are very sweet

kids love them

Adults not so much

This is one of the favorite parts of the recipe 

This year we had some new and delightful additions.  The heart shaped are gluten free and who would guess...they were delicious.  Everyone takes home a basket of cookies... I get to keep some too

The group this year... photographer brought her little helper ...

(   notice the fun oilcloth ...tipsy angel, ..smiles.. )

Little helper brought us treats, but stayed close to her Mama in our kitchen

My little man, the only male this year, pulled out a huge musical toy to entertain Little helper.  She pushed a few buttons and smiled.     Maybe next year she will get into the action.


It was a great year

Every year seems a little different

Blessed with friends and family that work and play well together

I live an exciting life 

Thanksgiving

Something else that happens every year... 

                  ...how much we have to be thankful for.

My son in law enjoys making almost the entire meal 

Some things are pretty cute, even is they are store bought 

And yes there was pumpkin pie and pecan pie and.....

Happy 11th Birthday Tanner 

We watched a funny movie.   We had a very relaxing evening.  Always good to be together with family. And yes, he got to stay in this pj's all day.  

. but tonight I read the following and took the time to think about ...how much we have to be thankful for.

 

An old Thanksgiving piece from Parade Magazine, 2013. Why We Give Thanks

We didn’t say grace at our house when I was growing up because my parents were atheists. I knew even as a little girl that everyone at every table needed blessings and encouragement, but my family didn’t ask for it. Instead, my parents raised glasses of wine to the chef: Cheers. Dig in. But I had a terrible secret, which was that I believed in God, a divine presence who heard me when I prayed, who stayed close to me in the dark. So at six years old I began to infiltrate religious families like a spy—Mata Hari in plaid sneakers.

One of my best friends was a Catholic girl. Her boisterous family bowed its collective head and said, “Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts. …” I was so hungry for these words; it was like a cool breeze, a polite thank-you note to God, the silky magnetic energy of gratitude. I still love that line.

I believed that if your family said grace, it meant you were a happy family, all evidence to the contrary. But I saw at certain tables that an improvised grace could cause friction or discomfort. My friend Mark reports that at his big southern childhood Thanksgivings, someone always managed to say something that made poor Granny feel half dead. “It would be along the lines of ‘And Lord, we are just glad you have seen fit to keep Mama with us for one more year.’ We would all strain to see Granny giving him the fisheye.”

I noticed some families shortened the pro forma blessing so they could get right to the meal. If there were more males than females, it was a boy- chant, said as one word: “GodisgreatGodisgoodletusthankHimforourfoodAmen.” I also noticed that grace usually wasn’t said if the kids were eating in front of the TV, as if God refused to listen over the sound of it.

And we’ve all been held hostage by grace sayers who use the opportunity to work the room, like the Church Lady. But more often, people simply say thank you—we understand how far short we must fall, how selfish we can be, how self-righteous, what brats. And yet God has given us this marvelous meal.

It turns out that my two brothers and I all grew up to be middle-aged believers. I’ve been a member of the same Presbyterian church for 36 years. My older brother became a born-again Christian—but don’t ask him to give the blessing, as it can last forever. I adore him, but your food will grow cold. My younger brother is an unconfirmed but freelance Catholic.

So now someone at our holiday tables always ends up saying grace. I think we’re in it for the pause, the quiet thanks for love and for our blessings, before the shoveling begins. For a minute, our stations are tuned to a broader, richer radius. We’re acknowledging that this food didn’t just magically appear: Someone grew it, ground it, bought it, baked it; wow.

We say thank you for the miracle that we have stuck together all these years, in spite of it all; that we have each other’s backs, and hilarious companionship. We say thank you for the plentiful and outrageous food: Kathy’s lox, Robby’s heartbreaking gravy. We pray to be mindful of the needs of others. We savor these moments out of time, when we are conscious of love’s presence, of Someone’s great abiding generosity to our dear and motley family, these holy moments of gratitude. And that is grace

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Something to think about

Lots more to think about

Lots more to talk to the Lord about

Feeling very blessed

I live an exciting life

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