My Gratitude list

Today I am Thankful for alot.
I am thankful for my brother.
My brother was diagnosed with adinocarcinoma of the peritoneum last year and was given three months to three years. (Cancer in the sac in the abdomen).
He is still with us.
He was taken off of Chemotherapy a month ago because it wasn't doing what they thought it should, and he was sick alot. Well this past week he was sick again and Sherry took him into the emergency room tuesday morning at 2:30. She sat by his side all day long. They admitted him and will keep him yet another day just to see if he will be able to keep things in him. My heart breaks for him. We don't want to see him in so much pain but we don't want him to die either. Sherry has such love for that man.
I am thankful for Sherry.
He has what I have been searching for all my life. A spouse that loves him unconditionally. She was crying the other day telling me how much she loves him and the song "He gives and takes away" kept playing in her head. God gave her Mike and now he will be taking him away. I told her we might still have him for a few more years. We have given him to God and asking for His will not ours be done. That is so hard to do, but in order to keep our sanity we need to keep our Faith and know that whatever happens is for a reason and is in God's plan not ours.

My Faith has grown so much in the past few years. I have lost most of my fears.

I am thankful for my Faith. I come home from work and have no one to vent to and the trials I am put through sometimes can be too hard to bear, and the only person I feel I can turn to is God. I am constantly giving myself to Him. What I mean by that, is I trust in Him that His will is better than my will. I am thankful for every trial I am put through because that makes me turn to God and trust in Him. It has taken years to get to this point but what a freedom to not feel the fear I used to feel.
I am thankful for my sobriety. Without that, I would have nothing. Actually, working the twelve steps brought me to Faith.
I am thankful for my health. I have Diabetes which has weakened my immune system and whatever I am exposed to I come down with it. I also have arthritis. The pill arthrotec 75 they just put me on has been a wonder drug for me! I am so thankful that I don't have MS or some other debilitating disease.

I am thankful for my three cats that love me and fight over me when I come home.

I am thankful for my sister that loves me and is my friend. and her daughter Donna and son Tim, and my brother's son Galen. All are healthy and clothed and have a warm bed.

I am thankful for my freedom. Thank you to all the military folks that are out there fighting for our Country to keep us free.

Ah, life is good.

Update: Sherry and I had a quiet dinner at my house, after she took my brother home from the hospital. He is still sick, and the doctor told him that the hospital cannot do any more for him. They suggested him going into a place like a nursing home. I will call around tomorrow to find out how we can keep him home through to the end. I know of a system called COPES that will pay for home health. That is the best way.
Keep him and Sherry in your prayers please.

The 1863 Lincoln Proclamation

This was taken from christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-alincoln-tgiving.htmlFollowing is the 1863 Lincoln Presidential Proclamation - celebrated shortly after Lincoln committed his life to Christ and celebrated while America was still in the midst of its Civil War. It was this proclamation which eventually led to the establishment of our national Thanksgiving holiday.
by the President of the United States of America

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the field of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than theretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union. In testimony wherof I have herunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
[Signed]A. Lincoln

I noticed more history of Thanksgiving here. Interesting reads.Sit back and take a deep slow breath.Again. Now take a few minutes and reflect on the past year and your life and find the things you are thankful for. I have many!!
I pray everyone has a blessed and SAFE Thanksgiving!!

I posted this last year and thought it is appropriate again for this year.
God Bless you all and keep you safe.

Saturday

Here I am sitting in my spare room at my computer and I look out the window, and about 30 feet from where I am sitting is a pheasant walking slowly in the field just over my backyard fence. I giggle because this happens alot, and big hunter men are out loooking for them in the other fields. hehehehe Elliott sits in the window and chatters at them. Yeah, right Elliott, that bird is twice your size!
I went to work yesterday and feel MUCH better!! I had a reaction to the pills they gave me. Swell. I need to stay healthy!! I have 5 more years before I can retire!! God willing.
I need to get purtied up so I can go to the Gratitude Banquet at AA tonight. Whoot!
Well I have fun!!

This is how I feel!

All I want to do is sleep! I wake up and two hours later I am back in bed for another four hours!
I went back to work on Thursday. I went to my doctor and she found an infection in me so I am now on some kind of sulfa antibiotic. I thought I had a bladder infection but she said no. Friday I couldn't get out of bed so I called in sick! Today I got up at 10:00 and was back in bed at 1:00 and got up at 3:00 and now I am heading back to bed at 10:30.
G'nite

I'm back and all rested up!

What a beautiful place! The buildings are rustic and clean, the grounds are manicured.
Swans and ducks are swimming,

Even in the rain it is beautiful. And rain it did, all weekend!

The camp cat was friendly. He came and sat on my lap and purred for awhile in the Lodge. The cat, that is. This guy was at a different building for a couples retreat.

The food was served "family style" and there was plenty of it!

The one in the middle is Sherry. (my brothers wife).

The gal on the left is Janet.

God works his jigsaw puzzle constantly in my life. 28 years ago Janet came looking for work at a bar I was the bar manager at. She was not experienced, but I hired her and taught her how to be a good bartender. She met her now husband at that bar. We went different paths, and led different lives. I was sitting with the cat on my shoulder and she was sitting at the table with a huge smile on her face. I let the cat down and she screamed "PHYLLIS?" I looked at her then a few minutes later it dawned on me who she was!! Here we are, 28 years later at a Christian Women's Retreat up by the Canadian Border!! Who'da thunk!?! I certainly wasn't living the Christian life in those days. Nope!! I smiled and said "I won't tell if you don't tell"!! We both laughed heartily!

We rekindled our friendship during this weekend, and will keep in touch. She lives about 55 miles North of me, so we will meet once in awhile for lunch, for sure!

I'm off for the weekend!

In an hour I will be off for the weekend to a Christian Women's Retreat at Cedar Springs Resort in Sumas by the Canadian Border!!
My brother's wife Sherry and I are going with a few gals from my Church.
It will be alot of fun and just what the doctor ordered for Sherry!
Caregivers need a break once in awhile ya know!!
Y'all have a great weekend, I know I sure will!!
TA-TA!

Change has come

I was so overcome with emotion last night that I sat here and bawled! Then I prayed for Barack. I pray the the Lord covers him and his family with the Holy Spirit and protect them from evils within the Country.
We have witnessed history in the making! I remember the riots in the 50's & 60's, and Martin Luther King assassinated telling of his dream that happened last night!
No matter how you voted, (I didn't vote for Bush but I stood by him and supported him later), we all need to give Barack a chance and believe me, it won't happen over night. He has quite a mess waiting for him to come in and work miracles.
I am very proud of McCain's speech. After all the stupid dirty politics, we need to forget all that and move forward and do all we can to save this Country. We are teetering and ready to fall. I am ready to pay more taxes, nothing comes free (except Island Transit, we are fare free). We need to get this Country back on it's feet and work on healthcare, retirements, and local jobs. BUY LOCAL, folks.
I am going to sit and watch tv tonight with NO POLITICAL ADS!!
Goodnight.

No matter who wins the elections....

I saw this email and it says it all! I don't know where it originated, but I agree wholeheartedly. Too many people have been sendind stupid fear inducing, ignorant emails. No where in theBible does it say that the antiChrist will be a man in his 40's with muslim descent. Sheesh!!
Show Me!

Regardless of who wins the November Election...
TOP 10 PREDICTIONS NO MATTER WHO WINS THE ELECTION

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed teaching and healing.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL?!!!!
Ah, Just 2 more days!!
I pray for our Country. (by the way, I voted for Barack).