Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from Iowa on this wintry 2nd day of January, 2016!    2016.....already.  We received 9 inches of snow last Monday and our temperatures have dipped down into the single digits at night....wind chills below zero.  Yes, winter has arrived.  We actually had a dusting of snow for Christmas along with ice that arrived on the 26th.  Our son and his family did some two handed focused driving to get here that day.  The other kids were all staying at a local hotel and spent a good deal of time chipping ice off of their cars before carefully driving across town for the family celebration.

Speaking of that, we had 13 for Christmas Eve and I was able to go to church with them, coming home to eat a great meal together.  It has been at least 12 years since we worshiped on Christmas as a family.  Christmas Day we had a nice meal with 18 here, played a lot of cribbage and other games, and the grandkids were able to go swimming at the hotel that evening.  I was pretty sick by then with the virus that won't let go, so they left early and I went to bed and slept 9.5 hours which helped. Saturday we had a nice meal, visited with the family, many of whom played cribbage again along with games on Play Station 4.  I even tried "guitar hero" but did not have the energy to play very long. And I was lousy at it! The family from Des Moines were here for a few hours before heading home again and our youngest and her family headed home that day,too.  The rest stayed overnight a third night and we all met at the hotel for breakfast before they headed to their perspective homes in MN and WI.  It was so great to have them here on Christmas.  A rare occasion.

Joel is busy preparing for all the preaching he will be doing in January.  He will preach 3 of 5 Sunday's and 5 Wednesday night's at a church 45 minutes away from home.  He has been snow blowing, grocery shopping, keeping the house in order, and caring for his wife when necessary.  I love this cowboy preacher of mine!

I crashed from the virus Sunday, and did not really come back to life until New Year's Eve when I could watch a movie and not doze off....We saw "5 Flights Up" with Diane Keaton and Morgan Freeman.  It was very interesting and thought provoking for these two who are nearing 70.  We discussed it at length the next day along with those "what-do-you-want-to-do-with-the-rest-of-your-life" questions that come up at our age, at the closing of another year, and especially after dealing with cancer the past 4 months.  Yep.  Each day seems mighty precious right now.

Speaking of cancer, here is an update:  I really am not able to put into words all I have felt the past 4 weeks. The pain, the exhaustion, the effort it took to keep going in for radiation.  I am relieved it is over, and still a bit shaken by it.  The good news is that 98% of the burns now have their first layer of skin. This also means that I am not dealing with pain when they are open to the air.  I know the virus hit me so hard because my immune system was weakened by the radiation.  So, I am still sleeping 9-10 hours a night!  Also napping but down to only once a day.  I am feeling better and so grateful.  Thank you all for your prayers.

Joel and I also watched another movie, "90 Minutes In Heaven" and sadly it was one of the slowest, most boring movies we have seen in a long time.  Great story, told poorly.  I have read some, watched only 1 teaching this week, and have worked on a puzzle a little each day, as energy allowed. I have not walked for a month, which is so difficult for me.  I am really looking forward to putting on my tennies and hitting the pavement again.

So, here it is, another new year, another new beginning, another fresh start.  I look forward to catching up on your blogs, on Facebook, and with emails and texts.  We pray that your 2016 will e filled with joy, love, peace, and purpose.  And we find all of that when we keep our eyes on Jesus, don't we.

Happy New Year!  Until next time..............