Sunday, September 28, 2008
Prayers For Baby Gracie
I had called to talk to Melody last night and she told me I needed to hurry and start posting to my blog again because she had a prayer request. Her request is for a friend's 2 month old grand daughter, Gracie. Following a seizure Gracie was diagnosed with Lissencephaly, also known as 'Smooth Brain Syndrome'.
This is a somewhat rare disorder. Normally, while the brain is developing during pregnancy, neurons develop in the center of the brain and migrate to the outer layers of the brain, forming the hills and valleys of the brain . In Lissencephaly children, something goes wrong during this migration and the neurons are left scattered throughout the brain, leaving incomplete connections.
The doctors have told the family that Baby Gracie will probably not live longer than two years. I can't even begin to imagine how heartbreaking it would be to wake up every morning and wonder if this is the day that my baby will die.
We are praying for a miracle here. With your help it could very well happen. We are hoping for a world wide effort in prayers for this precious little one. Please right click on the Baby Gracie graphic above and display it on your blog and send it out in e-mails with the request that it be forwarded on. Feel free to copy this posting and use it in your e-mails and on your blogs. By one hand taking another hand, and another, and another we can form a prayer chain that reaches around the world and all take part in praying for a miracle to touch Baby Gracie.
I have created an e-mail account in case you would like to send a message of hope to Baby Gracie's family : Pray4babygracie@gmail.com
May you be showered with more blessings than you know what to do with.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Preparing for Winter
While I am tending to these lists and chores, I will be away for a week or two getting things accomplished. I will be posting when we know more about what is going on with Mindy. Until then, May God Hold You Safely In The Palm Of His Hand.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Urgent Request
Janice, please know that prayers are going up for the family, that you will feel God wrap you all in the warmth of His healing love and He will help you get through the days and the weeks ahead.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Meaningful Monday A Day Late
I missed posting my Meaningful Monday yesterday. Ike came through over the weekend and at the same time we had a cold front moving in, resulting in a double whammy. We lost our electric for about two hours and from what we are hearing on the news we were very fortunate. Many in the Columbus area are still without electric and not likely to have it restored until Wednesday, while some areas not until Sunday. With those storms moving in, my pain meter has been riding on the high side. After the cortisone shot in my knee, the blood sugar has been spiking into the upper 200's. Of course that puts me in a funky kind of existence. The desire to do something productive is there, but the get up and get-r-done is no where to be found.
When I found this 'Note To Self' graphic, it spoke volumes to me. I am a 'make a note' person. Almost as long as I can remember I have been one of those people that are constantly making notes to get things accomplished. When I was in school, it was so I would be able to remember when certain assignments were do so I didn't miss the deadline and get a BIG ZERO for my work being turned in late. As a young bride, it was just second nature to make notes, so I just continued the practice. Later on as a mother of two active children, those notes were my survival tool to make sure that all activities fell into place and I was where I was supposed to be, when I was supposed to be there. ( Of course there was that one time when I dropped Chris at school for a dance and went home to wait until it was time to pick him up. I fell asleep and awoke to the phone ringing and Chris asking, "Did you forget something?" when I answered the phone.) He still pulls that story out and uses it on me from time to time. These days, my notes are to make sure that I don't forget blood work, doctor's appointments, spending time with the kids, birthdays, grand children's activity schedules and of course grocery lists.
Growing up was not filled with the wonderful memories that most people have. To be quite honest about it, my father was an abuser. He was physically and emotionally abusive to my mother. He was abusive to his children in the order of our birth. His oldest daughter got the physical abuse while his oldest son received the emotional abuse. His youngest son received the physical abuse while myself, the youngest daughter received the emotional abuse. As siblings, we were set up to be dysfunctional by our father. The two that were physically abused, resented the two that were "just" emotionally abused. He created mistrust and jealousy between the four of us. My youngest brother (2 1/2 years my senior) looked for any opportunity to cause me pain. I remember him once waking me to pour pepper in my eyes.
From life with Daddy, I went to a first marriage that turned out to be just more of the same. Needless to say, The majority of my life I didn't have a very good self image, I was very selective about sharing my inner self with anyone, and I spent the better part of my life gathering up any fault that I found laying around, I was trained at an early age to claim it all as mine.
What a wonderful tool the "notes to self" would have been for me in those years. I don't care who you are or how wonderful your life is, everyone has a bad day from time to time. I know personally that I can be my own worse critic when I have a day like that. I think we could all benefit from little "notes to self' reminding us that there is a person within that needs to be reminded of our worth and that we are lovable.
Go ahead and write that "note to self". hoping that you have a day filled with many blessings.
"Note to self: It's OK to not feel good."
Note from Jo........ I want you to know that part of moving ahead with my life has been to accept all aspects of my life before, as the mold that has formed the person that I am. Had I not experienced that life, I would be a different person. Most days, I like who I am.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Continued Prayers
I wanted to give you an update on Mindy. After waiting a week for the results of the CT Scan she got the results on Thursday when she went to the doctor. They found one mass on her lung that is 1 1/4 centimeters in size. They also found numerous small specks all over her lung. The scan also showed that the bottom portion of one lung has collapsed. They found a Lymph node beside the lung that is 3 centimeters in size. The doctor gave her these results and then told her that he couldn't say that she doesn't have cancer, but then he couldn't say that she does either. With that he referred her to a pulmonary specialist. Thank you for all of your prayers and positive energy you have been sending Mindy's way. Your prayers are still very much needed.
I received this award from Tracy@ Spiritual Brush Strokes and I want to thank her for the honor. I just love that little kitten's face. I want to pay this award forward to:
~WELL~
I tried to choose 4 or 5 of my favorite blogs to gift this award to, but couldn't make a choice. Since I can't make a decision, if you are reading this please accept this award for your wonderful blog. I think all of you are just plain wonderful.
Current Addictions
Last but certainly not least, Prixie tagged me for this meme started by Being Brazen.
The rules are:
*Post at least five current addictions (with some details please).
*Mention the person who started this game of tag (i.e Being Brazen) and also the person who just tagged you.
*Type your post with the heading "Current addictions".
*Tag at least two people and pass on the above rules.
Here we go now.
- Coffee.... I love coffee but do not drink as much as I did when I smoked. If I drink it in the afternoon I can pretty much count on a good case of acid reflux. Still if I am offered a cup in the afternoon I will gladly drink it and suffer the consequences.
- Blogging.... Either posting or reading. I just plain and simply love blogging.
- Pogo.... Yes, I am addicted to Pogo. My screen name on Pogo is 'southernohiogirl'. If you play Pogo look for me and say 'Hi'.
- Popsicles.... I picked this little habit up when I quit smoking. I allow myself one a day, unless my blood sugar drops and then I get another one as a treat.
- Old TV programs.... WGN out of Chicago started Retro Night not long ago on Sunday nights. They show two episodes of 'WKRP', two of 'Newhart' and two of 'The Honeymooners'. Today is Sunday so that means I will be feeding one of my addictions tonight.
The two friends that I am tagging is:
Kate @ ....... Shambled Manor
Diane @ Diane's Place
That just about sums it up for today. We have grocery shopping to get done today and a little bitty rocking chair to pick up at Chris and Melody's, so Pappaw can work his magic and it tighten it all up for Seth. It was Alley Oop's rocker when she was little and they brought it down from her room to see if Seth would like it. He thinks he is big stuff sitting in that rocker. We are going to have to sneak it out of the house to keep him from throwing a fit. Wishing all a day filled with blessings and happiness.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
We Remember Our Military on 9-11
We will never hear them complain, because this is what they do. They serve their country and go where they are told to go. They fight whoever they are told to fight. They do this not only to protect their families, but to protect mine and yours as well. People they have never known, and probably never will. They do this because they are Americans called to serve and protect our country.
Not matter what you think about our troops being there. One thing I have heard over and over again from people that have taken a stand on our presence in the middle east. They all support our troops and pray for their safe return to their families and homes.
As we bow our heads today to offer a prayer for all the lives that the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001 have effected. While we offer a moment of silence to those who have lost their lives on that day and since. Please remember the families of our military that struggle and wait and pray for the safe return of their loved ones.
Please take this candle and place it on the side bar of your blog to show your support to our military men and women. May the light of the candles be bright enough to guide them safely home. Please countinue to read the next post, as it recounts the story of the day a sleeping giant was awakened. Wishing you all a day filled with blessings.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
9-11 Remembered
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say, "Good-bye". I Held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it Is OK..I am ready to go.'
I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn 't coming home that night.
Note from Jo: A special thank you to my dear friend Nanna's sister-in-law Cathy for sending this to me to post. Wishing all a day full of blessings.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Meaningful Monday
Wishing all a week filled with blessings and happiness. May some of your blessings be people that will serve as those pine prop poles to hold you up when you start to lean.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Wild Thing......You Make My Heart Sing
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Instructions For A Hard Life........
Monday, September 1, 2008
Meaningful Monday
So there you have it friends, yet one more of those beautiful examples penned by our friend 'Author Unknown' that circulates the inboxes. I did a google search this morning trying to find this poem some place out there with an actual name, but came up empty handed.
When I first read this poem it felt as if it was written with me in mind, because it speaks so clearly of the way I have felt most of my life. Here I am 59 years old and I still feel as if there is something more that I need to do. My belief has always been that we are all put on this earth with a purpose to fulfill. It is just a matter of sitting quietly for a while and listening to the world around you. When it is your turn to contribute, you will just know. I have also long believed that when we have fulfilled our worldly purpose then we are permitted to move on to a higher plain. I have a feeling that the beauty that we are given a taste of in this world can not compare to what lays in store. So take some time, sit, listen and be generous with the gifts you have been given to share with others.
Please hold those that are in the path of Gustav in your prayers. We have family and friends in the Lake Charles, Louisiana area and are anxiously watching the news reports his morning. May your week be filled with blessings.