Pirogue

Anybody for a swim? Does anyone have a perogue? We are wading through it. The water had gone down significantly by the time I took this picture. It will take the rest of the day for this to drain off. Nothing like a good old rain to clean things up.

















This was a good day to sleep in if you like hearing the pitter patter of the rain outside your window.

We are going to visit with the Seymours today. They are in town from (South or North) Carolina for the Holidays. It will be good to see them .

A prayer for you:

Ephesians 1:15-23
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love for all the saints,
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit {17 Or a spirit} of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

See you in church tomorrow. George

Topics, issues, New Year . . .

Bad weather - we are in the middle of it. We have prayed for no damage or anything more severe like a loss of life. The wind is howling and the rain is coming down in sheets (300 count - haha). Locked down everything outside just to be safe.
I just figured out how to get my color/font controls back, thanks to my wife. Blogger is now, from what I can gather, owned or control through or by Google. Google is like the new Wal-Mart of the Internet apparently. The entire system has been changed over after a 'beta' (test) period.
I had some blood work done this morning at Mary Bird Perkins - the white cell count, etc, looked good, but the liver enzymes were not ready yet. My sides, lower abdomen and ribs have been hurting on and off for about the last 2 weeks. Communicated with my M.D. Anderson Dr. about a possible trial that is going on in Arizona called 'Molecular Profiling'. It is still in Phase I. No definites though.
Every time the Angels appeared to someone in Scripture, their first words were "fear not", for they know that humans are by nature prone to fearing that which they do not understand. Therefore, when I do not understand, I am told to "fear not, for the Lord thy God is with thee". This applies to many different situations, for fear is an 'equal opportunity destroyer'. Rich, poor, educated or not, it does not matter. It can take the form of terror or procrastination. It is like a disease that can infect your soul, incapacitating you. It can even be passed down to your children by example. Fear is to be replaced with trust. Trust in God's Sovereignty - for He knows what is best. Remember when you were a kid, "my dad can beat up your dad"? We know whose DAD is the strongest now.
We have a new year coming. A calendar year to do all the things we have been saying we want to do. I am challenging myself to do them. And get about doing them soon.
This is going to be a great weekend, get ready for it.
God bless and guide. George

Old friend . . .

I got a call from an old friend I have not seen since the late 1980's and have not spoken to in probably over 5 years. Many know who Rodrigue is from SLU in Hammond, but some of you do not. He and I met in a class during our 1st year of College. He asked me "What's up" and I replied, "Jesus on the 3rd day" and we have been friends ever since. He is from the French Island of Guadeloupe and presently lives there with his wife. His parents are from Lebanon and he has a sister who still lives in Lebanon. He and his wife lived several years in Portugal, which is where she was born and raised. We caught up on alot of history in 1 hour. It was a blessing to hear from him. If any of you would like his e-mail address, e-mail or call and I will pass it along.

Warning: philosophical rant ahead . . .

I find myself sitting here writing, lost in thought even while typing about something else, frustrated about my mother having to go through chemotherapy treatments. As the Dr. told her, her hair would begin to fall out at so many weeks - and it has begun to fall out. She has also experienced the nausea and vomiting, to some degree, as predicted. The Dr. did prescribe medication for this which has helped alleviate most of these symptoms. And of course, the fatigue is present. It is still all too fresh in my own mind, these sysmptoms. I say all of this to express how I feel helpless - helpless to help her. And immediately attached to that thought was "no,you are not helpless". But what can I do? Pray, for one thing, call and encourage her and dad and my Aunt Eva. Spend time with them when possible. Then even further is the notion that we are all, to one extent or another, helpless. That is when the proof of the Divine Sovereignty of God is revealed. As the apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." I, and all who become aware of their own humanity and mortality, are the very proof needed to show there is a God. I am a part in the larger symphony overwhich God Almighty directs. So with this knowledge, I should no longer feel frustrated or helpless, for God is in control. I can do something to help - and not just for those I know and love. I now have confidence in Him, rather than in myself. I now have things in their proper order - how things are supposed to work.

I finally saw the movie "All the Kings Men" in which I was an extra. I could not find any familiar faces. The movie was slow at developing, and you had to really be paying attention to the details to keep up. We all felt it could have been so much more than it was. Many things were not covered that could have been. The deleted scenes and the featurettes at the end were very educational about all of the things Huey P. Long did for the State of LA. I am glad we rented instead of paying to see it in the Theatre. I would give it a C+. It is rated PG-13. I would say PG-16 myself.

I also heard that former president Gerald Ford died today. My personal memory of him is when he rode down the Mississippi River in a paddle wheel boat. For those of you who do not know, I was raised only a few hundred yards from the Miss. River - just over the levee. I found out when he would be likely passing by, climbed up into a big Willow tree along the bank of the river and waived like I was crazy. He did see all of us on the bank and waved back at us. I must have been barely a teenager. Time passes by so fast.

One last question: Is life simple complexity or complex simplicity?

Next time will be a list of things I am thankful for.
God Bless and let's get these resolutions cooking.
George.

The Buck Stops here....

How abou that rack? Robin's cousin Lloyd shot this 16 point deer recently. He said it weighed in at 185 lbs. He said this was the largest rack he has ever shot and yes, he was shaking when he saw the rack but did not fully appreciate the size and number off points until he got right up on it - and started getting the shakes all over again. That is quite a trophy buck.

We spent the evening in Bogalusa visiting with family. That is where we saw the pictures of the deer and the antlers. The food was way too good. I almost ate too much! That is one thing I have to be careful about - this time of year is dangerous for guys like me that can "graze". The food was good, yes, but getting to spend time with family means a whole lot more. That is another main reason for the season.

Life passes so fast, it is so short and yet in the beginning it seems as though it is not passing fast enough. Then you find yourself wanting for it to slow down, especially as the kids get older. This tells me that our time here is very brief, a one shot kind of thing if you will. So, I want to give it my best shot.

I would like to take this time to wish all of you a very blessed Christmas. That God's Presence would grace all of your family/friend time and that Jesus would be lifted up.

More later . . .

Christmas card . . .

This is a cool morning - very refreshing! We have been socked in with the rain for days.The yard was holding water and the path to the bunny cage required boots. We did need some rain, just not too much.
Me, Robin and the kids went to see the movie "Nativity" last night as a family. It was a good movie, but not anything to rave about. The story we already know, so maybe that is one reason since you know what to expect. It was a reminder, however, of what these two young people had to go through due to this miraculous event with Mary (which was misunderstood by those around her)and the current political circumstances (being a Jew whose land was occupied by some ruthless Romans). I could have enjoyed it at home just as much. But since it is the season, the big screen was okay. Plus, I like to support the good movies that are produced instead of just complaining about the bad ones.
Hope that all of the shopping is going smoothly and that you are finding everything you need for gifts. I have just a few things left.

If you would like to send a soldier a Christmas card (a little late, but better late than never)Go to the site listed below and select a card with the saying you like and Xerox will get it to a soldier for you. You cannot personalize the card or select to whom the card is sent. This is not a link, so you will have to write it down or remember it.

www.LetsSayThanks.com

Don't let the stress of the season, make a mess of the season.
Keep in the Spirit of God. Let Him guide you - easier said than done sometimes.

Talk to you later. George.

Shopping . . .

Shopping - I have made some of the most important purchases - finally. It just takes some time to figure out what to get. Then the thought of "I wonder if I could get this cheaper at the other store"? But then, you would have to not buy it at the first store, go to the other store (fighting traffic and finding a parking spot) and check their price - if it is more expensive, it is back to the first store. Hopefully, the thing you wanted is still there to buy and not sold out. Now I see why some people do there Christmas shopping during the Summer months.
I am now the proud owner of a new crown - on one of my teeth that is. I was in and out within an hour. Now that is a modern miracle. I just cannot eat sticky stuff or floss for 24 hours.
I did not see it, but I hear there was a fight at the Nuggets vs. Knicks game. That just goes to show you that more money (big salaries) does not make a better man. I am not against people being paid commensurate to their skills level, but this is rediculous. You pay me a 1/2 million dollars per game and I think I might possibly be able to control my temper.
I meet with my naturopathy doctor this week to go over blood work, etc. It should be interesting.
Me, my father and brother-in -law, Paul, Greg and Bill went to see the movie "Apocolypto". Not exactly what any of us expected. I would not recommend it to any kids, women or any guys with a weak stomach. Most of the middle to end of the movie is action. There is a good message woven throughout the movie about love for family, not giving up or allowing fear to "infect" your soul as the main characters father put it. Man's inhumanity to man is all throughout and reminds the viewer that we live in a fallen world that needs Jesus. I understand that all cultures have a right to develop and all cultures have their flaws, but some do not deserve to continue based upon their destructive practices. So read up on he movie befroe you go and see it. It moves very quickly and you don't realize that over two hours have passed.
Two prayer requests - a friend of mine from work is recovering from surgery (cancer), her name is Debbie. She is the fourth person from my work to have been diagnosed with cancer. The surgery went well I hear. And also Robin's cousin Barbara is in the hospital still with an infection. Thanks.
Remember, "don't let the stress of the season make a mess of the season."
George.

some of robin's thoughts

Just wanted to share some thoughts with you. The other day in worship the presence of the Lord was awesome. While captivated in His love the thought came to me, "God, I always say I NEED you. But I not only need you, I WANT you. WANT, DESIRE, LONG FOR, all of these words describe what I believe God longs to hear from us. If my kids just always told me they need me then eventually I would begin to believe that they only approach me because they have need of me. However, how I would long for them to want me. To want to spend time with me just because I am their mom and they love me. Bryan told me that this year for Christmas he is going to take me on a date. My heart leapt. Me son wants to spend time with me. I want God to know, "LORD I WANT you not just because I need you to heal my husband, supply for my family, sustain and sheild my children. No LORD i WANT you because YOU are all I need. You, Yourself Lord are enough to keep me. I desire your appearing, I desire to sit at your feet, gaze into your eyes and know your very heartbeat. Our GOD is GOD and there is no other. He is knowable and will share His heart with you. As pastor talked about being hidden, I realized that GOD is my hiding place. There, the Bible says, He sings over us songs of deliverance. Covered, kept, and held secure that is the place available to us in the LORD. Be blessed. RW

The Great hunt . . .

Well, here are two of the great hunters . . . or should I say "snipers". In a stand, you are kind of like a sniper, waiting for the deer to show themselves. For those of you who have never been hunting using a box stand or blind, it's kind of like stepping into your closet and sitting on a chair for about 4 hours - and just waiting... and waiting ... and waiting. Patience is most definitely a virtue in this game. No heavy lifting required other than standing up every once and a while to stretch. Since it was not really cold it was more enjoyable. I used the time to catch up on some prayer/intercession - but you still have to be watching your area for movement and listening for anything that even sounds remotely similar to a deer walking or running. The squirrels were driving me nuts (no pun intended) scampering around, making all kinds of racket. I did see one rabbit and also a large Owl came out of no where and attacked something on the ground about 40 yards to the North East (hunter talk) of me and then took off again. It is amazing what goes on all around you in the woods when they don't know you are there.
This year has been kind of slow, as far as the numbers of deer taken that is, according to Keith and the guys at the camp. My brother also says he has been experiencing the same over where he hunts in Mississippi. The weather has been warm, which may be partly responsible. Otherwise, the weather was absolutely beautiful, as was the scenery. The fellowship was also alot of fun. Keith and I shared a stand in the morning and then that afternoon we split up and covered different areas. The picture next to mine is the view out of one of the windows of the above ground stand. We finally did see some deer . . . off the side of the road on the way home! Well, better luck next time. A good time was had by all.

Tomorrow is visit the dentist day. I have to get the permanent crown put on. The drilling doesn't bother me that much, but I can see why people get a little freaked out about it - the sound does resonate in your head a good bit. Maybe this one will last longer than the previous one.

The kids are off for two weeks. Christmas is how many days away? I did get some more shopping done - I find that I have to walk around the stores and get inspired by what I see for most gifts. The ideas just don't flow freely all of the time. It wears me out.

Life happens. Whether it goes in your favor or not is not always your prerogative. We didn't ask for the storms to hit last year, but two did hit. Where was God? Right there where He has always been. Now, what we do with what happens is more our choice. We have to choose to believe God has our best interest in mind - and what is in our best interest is to glorify God in all things. The Apostle Paul put it best in Philippians 4:11-13,
11 I am not saying this because I am in need,
for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

This is going to be a busy week for all of us and I am sure for you too. Ask the Lord to guide your steps so that you may get everything done. Here is another George original.
Don't let the stress of the Season make a mess of the Season.
And how does one do this? By remembering the "reason" for the Sseason.
Have great week. George.

P.S. The picture on the last post is an upside down shot of the pond reflecting the
trees.

Don't do it. . .

Can you figure this picture out?


Yesterday, on my way to N.O., I was stopped behind a city bus and a fellow got off. (in front of the Conn's on Airline/Florida Blvd) Due to the construction, there was alot of mud washed around at the sides of the service road. The man got off the bus, walked to the edge and looked at the mud. The light had not changed, so I was sitting there assessing the situation from my angle and I was thinking, "don't do it man!"And just as I thought that, he stepped back a bit and launched out over the mud - he landed short of his goal, which was the dry concrete on the other side of the mud. His left foot made contact first and then his butt made the second contact. It was hilarious!!! His feet came out from under him and up into the air, just like you see on TV. He land on his butt and then his back. He jumped up just as quick as he had fallen and began slinging the mud off of his hands and wiping off his hind end. I had a roll of paper towels in my car. So I turned onto the service road, pulled up along side of him as he was walking and waved the roll of paper towels and saying "here are some towels you can clean up with" - he must not have heard me, so I repeated myself again, and again. He kept on walking and he was grinning from ear to ear, still wiping his hands. Then I thought," maybe he is deaf", so I pulled half way passed him so he could see me and began waving the roll of towels even more to get his attention . Still, no reaction, he would not even look my way! Then I thought, "maybe he is deaf in both ears and blind in his right eye". So I pulled ahead even farther and still no response. Then I finally thought, "maybe he's just plain ole'stupid" (naw, I did not think that, just kidding). So I turned around and went on my way. I was puzzled. Really, I was kind of struck as to why he refused any assistance. I didn't want anything from him, just to offer him something to help him get cleaned up. I pondered this for a while as I was heading to N.O. Then I kind of spiritualized the experience - does God offer some of us help, but we are just too embarrassed to accept it? Is it pride? "Do I do that to you Lord", I thought to myself. Do some of us fall into the mud of sin, refusing to let God offer to clean us up because we are too embarrassed or prideful. Could it be that we make poor judgements and then when we are paying the price as a result think to ourselves, "I got myself into this, so I will get myself out of it". Just a thought.

I had some other thoughts - about our value to God. I don't know how 'theologically sound' this is, but I have an analogy. I have two cats that we call "ours" since we feed them and pet them and have even given them names. There is a third cat that comes around and eats my two cats' food and intimidates them. I value the two, but do not value the third one. They are basically all three the same for all practical and biological purposes. But, I have placed value on the two. We are valuable, not because of who we are, what we can do or how much money we have or don't have. We are valuable because God loves us. That is what makes us valuable. His love for us causes us to have value, just like my care and concern for the two cats makes them valuable to me. I really could care less about the third one, I wish him no harm, but do wish he would find another place to go. I have value because of God's love for me. So do you. That is another reason we should value each other. This will keep us from geting the big head if we think of it in this light. It kind of reminds me of John 3:16.
Hope I did not bore you. God bless. George.

Foggy . . .

How about this foggy weather? It is a beautiful sight over the water, but not too good for those travelling the highways and byways.
I decided to go to N.O. today and visit with my parents and Aunt for a few hours since next week is going to be busy. We went to Academy to look at a few things for Christmas. I took off my windbreaker to try on a jacket and - you guessed it - I got home and realized that I had left the windbreaker on the clothes rack. If it had been really cold outside I would probably have remembered. So, dad and I drove back to get it and it was right where I left it.
I have started eating "Greens" - as in collard and turnip and mustard greens. They are not on the top of my list, but they are very good for you. Combined with other foods like cornbread or something like that I find it tasty. I am trying to limit - or should I say eliminate - corn and wheat products, but that is tough to do. Corn bread is something I could eat everyday. Bread can be replaced with sprouted breads like 'Ezekial' bread, but corn bread is one of a kind.
I am presently doing the flax seed oil / low-fat (organic)cottage cheese twice daily routine as prescribed by Dr. J. Budwig. She is(was) a German medical doctor who apparently had great success in healing various diseases including cancer using this combination of foods. Sounds a little odd, but you have to read everything to get an understanding of how it works. I whip up 1/4 cup of cottage cheese with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold pressed organinc flaxseed oil (both have to be kept refrigerated)and let sit for 5 minutes. I use a hand /stick blender which is very convenient - easy to clean up. You can eat it as is, but I like to eat it on Spelt(a wheat alternative)toast or use it as a vegi dip for broccoli and carrots like I did tonight. I get the oil and cottage cheese from Our Daily Bread food store. I am also eating alot of salmon (wild catch, not farm raised - since they feed corn and soy beans to the farm raised ones)and alot of vegis too. (I just found out that the farm raised salmon are fed a chemical to make the meat look pink, since many people relate quality of meat to the deep pink color normally found in salmon.) Other than the cottage cheese, I rarely eat any dairy products - but I used to eat a ton of cereal and milk before surgery, etc. I am also drinking the 'green stuff' which doesn't taste bad, but it is very green. It is loaded with good stuff. I am hearing and reading more and more negative things about the consumption of soy and soy based products. If you have not noticed, it is in everything! You cannot find a food bar that does not contain soy. Also, it is in much of the baby formulas on the market too. I wonder sometimes with this sudden surge of strange childhood diseases, if this, along with all of the other things we are eating,is not playing some part. It is definitly a 'buyer beware' world out there. Anyway . . .

I continue to pray throughout the day for those who need prayer as they come to mind. I have been trying to remain open to the Lord's direction in all areas of life. When you ask Him to lead and guide - you better be listening for just that. Jesus said to ask, seek and knock - and to do so continually. So let's keep on doing what He said.

I have more to say, but it will have to wait till tomorrow. God is good.
GW

Just got back from the funeral service for Mr. Wilson. It was really good to see all of those who came from Hosanna. I also got to meet all of Wil's family. I have heard the names for years and now I have a face to put with the name. This is a new season for their family and it will take time to adjust and to continue on. God was glorified during the service and I believe Mr. Wilson would have been pleased.
I think I might have eaten a bit too much afterwards at Wil's pawpaw's house. He cooked a kicking seafood gumbo. There was also alot of other food and we had time to visit with some old friends we have not seen in while.

Two more half days of school and tests.

I bred my buck (Thumper)to one of the other does (california breed). She seemed to handle it better than the San Juan did last Sunday. But she also let Mr. Thumper know when enough was enough - she snapped at him and made a barking/grunting sound. That makes it easier on me since I known when to take her out of the cage. You always bring her to his cage - the other way around can cause a fight. So this means that we may have two litters of kits - up to 16 possibly - come early January.
I am still working on compiling information for my book - The other "C" words. It will take some time and focus (focusing is the most difficult part). Also, I would like to get my songs completed and recorded on a sound track of some kind if possible - the longer you wait the harder it gets.

Eleven days till Christmas. I just have to keep reminding myself.
Here is a thought I had today:
"If you look at God everyday,
He won't be such a stranger upon your death".
God bless. George.

A picture says . . .

. . . a thousand words. This is a picture from the movie "The Passion". Did the man helping Christ carry the cross have any clue as to whom he was walking next to?
This is just one of the many awesome scenes in the movie - a movie which our generation needed to see.

It rained over here, did it rain at your house? We needed it. Did I tell ya'll about what 'Thumper" my male rabbit did to me? I reached into his cage to feed him and that cute thing bit my hand! He didn't draw any blood, but it shocked me. I figured he was still a little excited after the visit from his girlfriend Sunday. They can get territorial. I did give him a verbal warning to not do it again - and I know he heard me because he has really big ears!

Mr. Wilson Howell's funeral/wake ceremony is tomorrow night (Wednesday) between 6 - 8 pm at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Florida Blvd. We continue to keep Mrs. Howell and her children in our prayers.
Also, we just got word that Robin's cousin Barbara was admitted to the hospital with a possible infection. Please pray for her and her husband Don. Thanks.

Psalm 1:1-3
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever
he doeth shall prosper.

That is one of my favorite scriptures in the Psalms.

Is it 13 days till Christmas? Just thought I would remind you. George.

Last week . . .

This is the kids last week of school before the Christmas holidays. I am looking forward to the company. Hopefully, we can do some fun stuff.
We want to go see the movie "Nativity". Several people have seen it and they report that it is really good. Mel Gibson's movie "Apocolipto" has been reported as really bloody. That seems to be Mel's style. But the movie does end in a good way I was told.
The weather is wonderful! Cool and breezy.
I finally bred one of my rabbits. The brown doe, which is a San Juan breed, was bred Sunday evening with the New Zealand White buck. We should have babies in 28 to 31 days.
A friend of mine, Paul S., sent me a really good word with a modern twist.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The road to success is not straight.

There is a curve called Failure,
A loop called Confusion,
speed bumps called Friends,
red lights called Enemies,
caution lights called Family.
You will have flats called Jobs.

But, if you have a spare called Determination,
an engine called Perseverance,
insurance called Faith,
a driver called Jesus,
you will make it to a place called Success.

This a good one to remember.
George.

Last breath . . .

Wilson Howelltook his last breath on this side of eternity and his first breath on the other side late last night according to family. Please join us as our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Howell and her children during this time. Arrangements are to be announced.
Thanks and God be with you.
George

What does it mean when ....

What does it mean when you wake up in the morning, walk to your front door to take in the beautiful sunshine, open the door and notice on the bottom step of your porch a very large pile of - how shall I say - a very large pile of "processed" ALPO? Also known in certain areas of the country as an Alpo 'bomb'. Was it something I said? I know my dog could not have produced such a mass, so it had to be a neighbors dog. But why the last step and not the third or second? Is this a clue as to the height of the offending animal? Was the grass too cold last night? Are you trying to scare my cats? I guess I will never know - one of those unanswered mysteries in life.
Anyway . . . just a little true, real life humor to lighten your day.

There are several moral lessons we can learn from this story:

"When life puts poop in your path, just step over or around it."

"Even when life poops on you, God is still in love with you."

"Don't open the front door anymore, use the side door."

"Don't take things too personal."

"Not everything that happens has to be a sign from God - especially this."

If any of you can add a humorous line to this list of moral lessons, please do - we can all relate to being pooped on at some point in life - Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu or just a plain old 'heathen' .
It is a fun Friday kind of thing. Just leave your "moral lesson" under comments.
Your participation will bring laughs to many.
Have a wonderful and blessed weekend, making the most of your time.
George.


P.S. Happy Birthday to a friend of ours Jack Ortego and also to Mei Stewart our (little) cutie pie cousin.

Please also remember to pray for Wil's dad, Wilson Howell and his wife Elva during his battle with cancer.

Day at the Dr.'s . . .

I woke up this morning and decided I was going to go to New Orleans to visit my parents and my aunt for the day. I called my mom to tell her and she informed me that her Dr. had called and wanted her to come in for her first chemo treatment at 12:30 pm. Weeks earlier I had told moma that I was going to be right there with her at the first treatment if at all possible - and this one worked out perfectly - thanks be to God. I got there with some minutes to spare and we finished about 5 pm. He has a way of working things out. She had no bad reaction to any of the meds given and said it was really fairly easy. The nurse had to stick her twice - the first vein looked good but it "blew" as they say. We are so thankful.
I have noticed that when I do the Chelation, the next day or two it is hard to get up in the morning and that I feel fatigued during the day. It is supposed to be cleaning out the toxins, etc. and I have read that some people do experience mild to moderate side effects as a result of this "stuff" leaving the system.
On the way home the traffic came to almost a complete stand still a few miles before LaPlace along the bridge - then I could see what the hold was - the marsh was on fire just on the other side of the train tracks. I had never seen this before, and nor had my fellow travellers apparently by the way they were going 5 mph to "rubberneck". Things picked up after I passed up the fire.
I have been having some interesting thoughts about physical pain - the why's and how comes. I know that many books and even seminars have been produced to explain the concept and reasons for pain and human suffering. I have come to the realization (once again) that I am not my body. (This may be more philosophical than biblical truth). I live in the body temporarily. I am just renting it or leasing it from God. It is (in part) His gift to me and what I do with it is my gift back to Him. Suffering of all kinds reminds us once again that we are just passing through, "sojourners in space and time, knowing this is not our home". This causes us to look up - or it should - to God who is the giver of Life. So much more could be said about it. Life has enough pain and suffering without us piling it on in the way we treat each other.
We need more answers, we don't need any more people to cause problems, is what I tell my kids. I tell them that they are the future and that somewhere some little kid grew up and figured out how to prevent polio with a simple shot. Who would have figured? Some kid decided to become a surgeon and eventually performed surgery on me - earlier this year - and played a big part in saving my life. And 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born and raised and followed the will of the Father and as a result we have healing, salvation, freedom from death, hell and the grave as a result. Jesus brought the answer. Himself.
Now that is a great seg-way into the Christmas season. Have you done all of your shopping? I'm not telling. I just want to get the right thing but not over do it and forget what it is all about.
The Hosanna ladies won tonight. 30 to 20.
It has been a long day. Time to get horizontal.
God bless.
1 John 1:4-7
4 We write this to make our joy complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you:
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

George

Psalm 103:1-6 (NKJ)
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

Don't forget what God has done. What He is doing and what He is going to do. Stand firm knowing that God is in control.

James 4:7-8 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

George

Prayer request . . .

Please pray for Wil's dad, Mr. Howell, he is now in the hospital. Apparently he has fluid on his lungs according to family. He has be battling a recurrrence of cancer. We are asking God to move in and help him in Jesus Name.
Thank you. George.

Hard free tonight!

It is supposed to be a "hard freeze" tonight! So get everything covered and pets brought in if possible. Even those hairy, silly cats. I am setting up a warming system for the bunnies myself (with the help of pawpaw).

The school play/performance is tonight at Hosanna if anyone is interested. It is supposed to start at 7 pm.

I have a doctors appt. to get "chelated" today and also have to pick-up some prescriptions.
And I need to get some shopping done (why did I remind myself?).

Here is some good advice from Paul the Apostle:
1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle,
encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,
but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually;
18 give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
20 do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.
22 Avoid every kind of evil. 23 May God himself,
the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

More later . . . George

Stubborn . . .

Today's service was on key for me. Pastor preached on faithfulness. You need to get the tape. Here is a good quote from the message, "if you value and believe in something/someone, you will be faithful to it/them". This applies to marriage, your children, your relationship with God and what He has called you to do. Another quote is "a faithful person is one who is worthy of trust and who can be relied upon". During the worship part of the service, I began to think about being stubborn - as it applies to trusting in God and His promises. I need to be even more stubborn about this than ever before. No matter what the doctor and the CT results show, no matter what a spouse, parents, friends or even enemies says or do (or don't do) - I have to continue to be stubborn in my believe that "God is for me, therefore who can be against me"? When it hurts, when there is confusion or controversy, struggles of all kinds - no matter what - I need to be stubborn - persistent in my conviction that God is big enough to handle anything in my life. And no, I do not look forward to problems and challenges, but the word of God says that, (James 1:3-5) "the testing (trying) of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Being found faithful in the midst of the tests of life, that is our goal.
I went to the yearly XA Christian Fellowship Christmas get together last night in Folsom, LA., Saturday night. We had a great time together and it was so good to see everyone. Several people could not make it. There is never enough time to catch up on everything that is going on in everyone's lives. Two of my friends - Dolly and Angele - were hit hard by Katrina and are still trying to get back to normal. Last year was the Hospital for me and my familty and I missed it, but thankfully, one year later I was able to spend time with my friends from the mid 1980's (20 years ago???) - does that make me old - to be able to say 20 years ago? And many of us have kids in the teens now.
Thanks to Steve and Cindy for opening there home and hearts to all of us.
The Saints football team beat the 49er's today.
LSU is going to be in the Sugar Bowl playing against Notre Dame. Not everyone is happy with that decision. I will leave it to Dean - Carole's husband, to blog about that. That is out of my league.
Christmas is fast approaching - have you done all of you shopping? I know I have not. Especially to you guys, let this be an encouragement - get busy!
We just need to remember why we celebrate the season.

God bless and have a great start on this new week of opportunities. George.