#1: I haven't gotten rid of my kidney stone yet but PRAISE GOD I have been pain free since Friday night! Keep praying that it removes itself from my premises. I was to the urologist today and he said it definitely has moved but we're not sure where it's at. He wants me to come back in four weeks and we will see where it's at and make sure my kidney is doing okay....that is, if it doesn't pass before then. It has been an extremely painful experience and a trial of my faith. It certainly has made my time crying out to God a priority. I have a really good doctor which I am so thankful for.
#2: Dad and Mom just celebrated 53 of marriage. Dad made a special trip to the store to buy Mom a bouquet of flowers and a lovely card. Dad is 85 years old and Mom is 82. What a precious thing we have, and is rapidly becoming a rarity, to have parents who are committed to each other 'til death will them part'. So many kids are growing up in homes today having no idea what it is like to have parents who will stay together through good and bad times. And then to have loving parents makes them even more rare. Thank you, God, for parents who have been faithful to You and to each other!
After an attack of pain Friday night I wasn't sure how things were going to go with Christmas, family and friends coming into town, and being sick.
I cannot begin to tell you how good
God has been to me this week.
First, He took my pain after I cried out to Him and put Him in remembrance of His promises.
Then the food started pouring in as different friends begin calling and asking to bring meals in for us! I cannot express with mere words what a blessing it was to have all this delicious food coming in randomly from our caring friends. I have not had to cook at all (except breakfasts) and still have enough food for another meal. I feared at one time that the men in our family might lessen up on the intensity of their prayers for me because they were enjoying these delicious meals so much! (just kidding)
Thanks Sharon, Melissa, Joy, Caryn, and Fransene and families for blessing us in a way that you will never fully realize!
I hope I never take my church family for granted.
Christmas Eve
We all exchange names in October for our gift exchange for Christmas. It has become too expensive for each of us to buy gifts for all of us so we each just buy for one person. We post a paper in the kitchen where each person is to write something they would like to have. Now we are a hard family to buy for....not because we want so much or because we are fussy about what we get but most of us feel so blessed that we have a hard time thinking of more things we "need". Some we have to prod quite often to give us some ideas of things they would like to have. I love to see them sneaking in with odd looking packages or the "Mom, can you help me wrap this?", or "Mom, would you please tell so-and-so to write something on their list so I know what to buy!". Normally as we give our gifts we also share what we appreciate about the person we bought a gift for. This year we shared Christmas eve with our friends, the NY Weaver family, and they had their gift exchange along with ours. Kyle had my name and he blessed me with a large electric skillet that I wanted really bad and am looking forward to using it.
Christmas Day
Church was packed and overflowing.
Care packages were put together for the homeless from 9:30 to 10:15
and at 10:30 choirs, special music, and a message was enjoyed by many.
The Weavers, along with the NY Weavers, my parents, and Mullett extended family met out at Bethel Church Pavilion for Christmas lunch. I was not feeling 100% so I was given an easy thing to bring--dinner rolls, (Thank you for your consideration!). Ham, meatballs, mashed potatoes, Grandma Weavers corn, green bean casserole, salad, veggie tray, rolls, and dishes of calorie-laden, but scrumptious desserts were enjoyed immensely.
We could not stay long for the "Pinecraft Parade" was at 3:00. (can be viewed on YouTube)
The Pinecraft Parade is one-of-a-kind. In some ways it is a pretty pathetic parade and yet you have to go back year after year to see who is going to be driving what through! We enjoy it!
Several others in the family were not feeling well, too, so it was not our usual jolly Christmas dinner. After the parade and some visiting we went back out to clean up and hauled the food back to our place for a dinner of leftovers.
#3: I am enjoying having my niece, Monica, here and my sister, Janice. We haven't been over ambitious and are enjoying doing quiet things together and just talking for hours. Ah, the kindred spirits of sisters and nieces! Here they are reading blogs and facebook. (and yes, Janice looks like she could use some reading glasses!)
(Poor Monica has developed a fear of seeing me get my camera.
She knows she may end up on my blog!)
#4: Mom has been making handbags from plastic grocery bags. Yes, she is "going green"! They really are neat and a large one like this takes about 40-50 bags. She cuts the bags into strips and then crochets them into different sized bags. Mom is a giver so she gives them away as fast as she makes them, rarely do people come to visit her without leaving with a gift of some kind.
....and Dad and JR worked together to conquer a 1000 piece puzzle.
I had to take a picture of this because it is a very rare sight to see JR work on a puzzle.
So as you can see, there are lots of things going on around here....
...and the children are back on their regular work schedules...
Tonight I watched my front door revolve back and forth as they come in from work,
head right back out to volley ball, back in to shower, back out to a birthday party,
in and out, in and out.
This week is the peak of activity in Pinecraft.
Thursday is the volleyball tournament, Saturday is the basket ball tournament,
and Saturday night is the youth Lock-in!
The kids are thinking they would like to vacation in Florida sometime!
