Portraits

 
 

These are two sketches I have been working on. I still have to work on the mouth. I sketched these people while sitting in the doctors office about a month ago and finally got around to drawing them today. I have no idea who they are. I am getting closer to a likeness. I need my grandson to give me some direction since he is excellent at drawing people.

Frozen Shoulder

Well, I just returned from my physical therapy sessions. Looks like I'll be going for treatments 3 times a week. Seems like I have a frozen shoulder. So now, here I am with weights (ugh) and heat (ok) and ice (ugh) to used throughout the day. So If you walk in my house and I'm hanging from the door, don't you dare laugh. Just keep all thoughts to yourself.

A BLESSING

Have you ever gone to the doctors and had to sit in the waiting room for long periods of time? No fun! But yesterday ended up being a blessing in disguise as I waited for over an hour for the nurse to call me into his office. Finally, I went to the window and asked how much longer it would be and their mouths dropped open and everyone scrambled around trying to find my paperwork. My name had gotten marked off the list. They actually didn't know I was waiting. Very apologetic. They ran to catch the doctor before he left for hospital visits and got me situated in one of the back rooms. The doctor rushed in and was very embarrassed. After checking me over and making a few changes I mentioned that I was looking for a new Nephrologist that was closer to where I live. I had put out feelers and was coming up empty. In fact I was getting discouraged. He asked me, "you want to meet someone right now?" I couldn't believe it. He had just walked in from his St Louis office and was going to share an office with my family doctor on a one day basis. He took me back to the office and introduced me to the Nephrologist, whom I might say, I liked him the minute I met him. We talked and kidded around until time for me to leave. You might not think of it as a blessing, but to me it was an answer to prayer. If I had not waited, I probably would have missed this opportunity.

Cold!!!!

Spring, where are you? Hurry and get here.

Time to Get off the Pitty Pot

I was just reading Bill's blog (weedon.blogspot.com) on the Canaanite woman who struggled with God for a healing for her daughter. Her faith and stick-to-it brought her to the feet of Jesus. She never blamed God for her daughter's illness, nor did she lash out at others for her misfortune. I wish I could say the same. We all handle hurts in different ways. By God's grace He will bring you back on the right path. It's easy to blame God for all your pain. I should know. I sure have blamed him much in the last few years. I think what always made me angry was the fact that 'if' He loved me so much, why so much illness and pain. My earthly father would have done everything in his power to make things better. The more I prayed, the worse it was. Was I doing something wrong? Where was my healing? Why with each year did I seem to get worse? These questions I just couldn't find answers for. It got so bad that my anger took over control of my whole being. I was on a downward spiral and no one knew it. I felt like my life didn't mean anything to anyone. I just wanted to be left alone. How do you overcome those feelings of being lost?

I have always had the scriptures at my fingertips. Never a day went by that even in my anger I didn't read His Word or write words that the Holy Spirit gave me. He has given me much but He still hadn't given me what I wanted. Healing for my body. I knew He loved me, I knew He cared. Then why? Was I such a bad person? It has taken me several years to find the answer and realized the answer was with me the whole time. "He would never give me more than I could endure." "It was a testing of my faith." "I will never leave nor forsake you." I needed to come to a complete understanding of God's purpose for my life. Not just to talk the good life but to live the good life no matter how I felt or what was going on in my life. To show the world that even in pain I could turn and trust in a loving God. That He knows my pain and cries with me. There is a purpose for everything under the sun.

Every Sunday at the table He is there. As I eat and drink strength flows into me. God is there. He is not in some far off place where you can't commune with Him. The healing I wanted might never come, but I receive a greater healing when I talk with Him at the altar of communion. I have been at altars before but Communion was just bread and grape juice. Nothing more and nothing less. It was always rush through, get it over with so we can sing praises.

Listen up, before you stand to take the bread of life and the blood of the lamb. Do some preparation first. When I enter the church I sit and quietly pray. Before I take the communion I stand at the table and thank the Lord for all He has done for me and ask forgiveness for those sins I knowingly and unknowingly committed. I tell Him I am His to do with as He pleases. I no longer belong to me for I am His. Then I know I am ready to take the bread and the wine. Praise be to God.

I received a letter from an old friend just last week that told me that because of my faith in God and because I always stood firm in His Word that she thought of me as a spiritual Mother to her. God knows when we need to be encouraged so don't lose hope but continue to be blessed and next time your at the altar, know that He is there with you and hears your every prayer and will answer according to His good Word. Amen!

Free to Roam

 
 
 

You never know what you'll see while hiking or riding around the Islands.

St Thomas

 
 
 

We arrived in St. Thomas on the 4th day out. Dave was heading out to do some snorkling while Sandy and I visited her friend Charlie at the jewelry store. You walk in to Charlie's's and the first thing they do is greet you with a hug. Then they take you to the counter and make sure you are comfortable and then they offer you a drink. You don't even have to tell them what drink because if you've there before, they remember. When you leave they make sure that lunch is on them. After leaving there and having lunch with an old friend of June's we headed back to the ship.

Poor Sandy couldn't get away from the ringing phone. Just one more day and then the calls would stop. No service out at sea or on the other islands. Dave and I never even turned our phones on while we were gone. We did have internet service to keep in touch but hated to use it too much because of the expense.

Pulling away from the St. Thomas I captured this beautiful sunset.

Ship Building Contest

 
 

Dave entered the ship building contest on board the ship. He could use only items found on the ship (no glass). It must float. He used soda bottles, drink glasses, straws, rubber bands, and napkins for the sail. The idea was to sail it across the pool. I thought for sure when he put it into the water it would sink, but to my amazment, it floated right on across. He told me that he had to experiment with different water levels in the soda bottles to get just the right amount of float. He took 2nd place. Of course to be honest, there were only 2 people that entered the contest. Give an applause to shipbuilder Dave.

Dominica and Greneda

 
 
 

The rainbow I happened to catch while the ship was coming into port at Dominica. This is the place Sandra, Dave and I went tubing down the River.
On Greneda, we took a taxi around town. The roads were very hilly and narrow. Potholes everywhere. The drivers have PHD (pot hole dodgers). No guardrails, no white lines.....so close your eyes or look the other way. The driver took us up on the mountain to see a waterfall and to meet some of the locals. Of course, don't let them see you take their picture because they would come after you for $1.00 per person. So snap and run. We were also introduced to one of the locals who is always looking for a banana. He will even search your person if you let him. You'll love his name, Lover Boy.

The people were very anxious to sell their wares. The jewelry they made was the only source of income for many of the locals. Some of the women came dolled up with the fruit piled high on their head willing to have their pictures taken with us for $1.00 per each woman. They would try and cram as many of the local woman as they could into the picture. Sandra and I said, "just a couple will do, thank you very much."

By the time the sun was setting we were back on the ship sailing to the next port. More later.

We're Back

 

Do we look like tourist or what? What a wonderful trip except for the tube trip down the river. That I could have done without. I took over 400 pictures which I won't bore you with, but I will download some of my pictures later on after I unpack. It's good to be home, but not to this nasty weather.

If you have never been on a cruise, you have got to give it a try. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. You were treated like Kings and Queens. All you have to do is pick up the phone and ask for something and it arrives within minutes. I would sit on my veranda and listen to the water laping against the ship and read my book, draw, or write in my journal.

I must admit that I enjoyed the casino and bingo. Since I always am a late night person I would hit the casino when my sister and Dave were already in bed for the night. I would come bouncing in around 2:00AM.

Hey Sandy, when are we going again?