#366747

August 23, 2005 at 9:53am

My father passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2005, and already I miss him. But I've really missed him for quite a while. His Alzheimer's often took him away while he was still in front of us. As a young man, Dad wasn't very good at being a dad. But when we were all grown and started having kids of our own, my dad's parenting skills improved. And he was an awesome grandfather. Jim and I jumped into the car early Saturday afternoon to make the trip from Cincinnati, Ohio to... [Read more]

#332568

March 4, 2005 at 12:31pm

Who Cares?!? So what if Martha Stewart is getting out of prison. There must be other news! By Marilyn Mackenzie It was noon and as I switched from one channel to the next, the only news appeared to be that Martha Stewart was getting released from prison. But there really was other news that could have been aired. At the bottom of the page, words streamed by about local service men coming home from Iraq. That was news, and good news too. The temperature appeared at the corne... [Read more]

#329097

September 23, 2006 at 12:16pm

Here I am at my computer, trying to make sense of the time between June 2003 to present. As I look back upon that time, even I have trouble imagining that everything I remember is real. Let's begin with June 2003. My worker's compensation pay had been cut off in February, and the money I received as a tax refund had been depleted. Many generous folks donated funds to help, but I was in a precarious situation, I guess. That has to explain my lack of good judgment about love and men... [Read more]

#314400

December 13, 2004 at 6:19pm

Thoughts and Ponderings November 15, 2004 No, I still haven't done an update on my life in the past year. I will. Meanwhile, I've been writing and pondering more. And that's a good thing! Tainted People by Marilyn Mackenzie My honey and I ate dinner at a nice restaurant this weekend. Included with dinner was the soup of the day, vegetable of the day, choice of potato and salad. The soup was chicken rice, and my honey thought it was quite good. I ate it, but as ... [Read more]

#313907

November 11, 2004 at 10:29am

Much has happened since the last entry in June, 2003, too much to write in one entry. Unfortunately, I did not always have computer or Internet access in those months. I did keep notes in my journals, but not about everything as it happened. Fortunately, my mind tends to sugar-coat the bad things that happen in life, after they are over and done. As long as there are life lessons from them, and I don't repeat the same mistakes over and over again, I still feel blessed. I guess that... [Read more]

#245714

June 11, 2003 at 8:11pm

Having chest pains and spending time in the hospital - both as an inpatient and an outpatient - have left me way behind schedule in moving. My furniture left on Sunday. My son and I are still tying up loose ends and sleeping on the floor each night. That can't be good for this ol' gal's bad back! My son suggested that I just take everything that's left and dump it into boxes. I could do that, I guess, and if I take much longer I'll have to do just that. But that will ... [Read more]

#244827

June 5, 2003 at 5:36pm

Sigh. Instead of spending the day packing, I spent most of the morning at the hospital. Now, my chest pains and the mystery of their origin have cost me about 4 days. Days that I needed to make sure I was ready to move this weekend. When I arrived at the hospital, they wouldn't let me check in at the emergency room desk like I was instructed. I trudged over to the outpatient registration, only to find a gazillion (don't you love it when I exaggerate?) other people waiting for lab ... [Read more]

#244439

June 3, 2003 at 5:56pm

Sometimes I look around for the candid camera. Why else would things continue to happen to me unless it was all a sick joke? I received a call from the store where I had sold some brand new merchandise, getting ready for my move. I lost some on the transaction, but at least that was one thing out of the way. The check was ready and off I went to collect it. I drove from the store to the bank, then to another store to pick up a few things I needed. When I got back into my car, it wouldn... [Read more]

#244210

September 21, 2006 at 8:35am

Yes indeed, when it rains, it pours. I’ve been working hard at getting all of my belongings sold, tossed out, or packed for moving. Next weekend is when my belongings will move from Lake Jackson to Mineral Wells. And I’m nowhere near finished. Saturday, I packed most of the kitchen. Having knee and back problems means I’m not moving as fast as I used to. I should have been further along by now. Saturday night as I lay in bed, I couldn’t sleep. Sleep usually comes as soon as my head h... [Read more]

#243962

September 21, 2006 at 8:33am

Moving isn’t much fun. Actually, it’s the preparations beforehand that I hate. The throwing away past pieces of life, the packing. Selling or donating things that just won’t fit in whatever vehicle will be used for moving. Those are the things I really dislike. I’ve never envied my sister (you know, the one who is a VP for a major chemical company) before. But I realized today that maybe there is one thing I envy in her life. Every time she moves, the moving company comes in and packs... [Read more]

#242050

September 21, 2006 at 8:29am

I was driving to my own church this morning, when I felt that I was being led to another church. I'm glad I listened to what had to be God's Holy Spirit. The church I attended is one that my sister and her family and my mother attended when they lived here. Today, about 18 young people, probably ranging in age between 11 and 14, completed the confirmation process and became full members of that church. The service was beautiful. The young confirmands conducted the entire service... [Read more]

#241537

September 21, 2006 at 8:27am

It takes a lot to make me angry. Stealing from me is one thing that does it. Lying is high on the list too. And I just opened my bank statement and discovered why my bank account went into a negative status. It's because of a liar and a thief. Back in December, I gave a check to the man I'd been dating and thought I'd marry one day. He had complained that he always spent money to visit me. I sent a $100 check to him and told him that he could use it for the next time he came... [Read more]

#241446

September 21, 2006 at 8:26am

Just popped in for a short update. Well, you know me. Nothing is short. I did see the doc in Galveston today about my back. They took more xrays (the last ones were from December) and ordered MRI's on my lower back (for the pains that go from waist down my leg to my foot) and neck (for the loss of arm strength). Seems I'm actually losing strength on my entire left side - arm, hand, leg and foot - even though I've been diligent in exercising since worker's comp stopped payi... [Read more]

#239246

September 21, 2006 at 8:22am

Our speaker at church on Sunday was a lay person. He had never before given a sermon, but he did a fine job. His story, the one leading him to speak for the Lord, was interesting. Tom’s faith was much that of many Christians. He attended church when it was convenient. He prayed when he needed something. Then, someone invited him to attend a Walk to Emmaus and his life and faith were transformed. The Walk to Emmaus is something United Methodists do, but it isn’t limited to that denomin... [Read more]

#239089

September 21, 2006 at 8:19am

A week has gone by since I posted something here. It was a busy week, with some disappointments and some reasons to rejoice. I will have to write more about the week later, once I've sorted it all out. This morning as I was getting ready to attend my own church, I turned on the TV to catch Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. Joel said that we should be prisoners of hope and faith, and that we should live with expectancy. He reminded us of the importance of praying and... [Read more]

#237983

September 21, 2006 at 8:18am

After the Easter worship service today, the pastor invited people to pray at the altar, as usual. He invited anyone who had not accepted Jesus to come forward and pray. He asked those who had special needs to kneel at the altar. As we started to sing the last hymn, a small shy teenaged girl hobbled to the altar. Her legs are deformed and she is mentally challenged. (Is that the politically corret term now for mentally retarded or mentally handicapped? I think so.) Soon, her boyfrien... [Read more]

#237364

September 21, 2006 at 8:16am

While I was driving on my 375 mile trip last Friday, I heard about the comments that Education Secretary Rod Paige made in the Baptist Press article on April 7. I first heard about it on NPR, then switched to a Christian station where they were talking about it too. If you missed this controversy, here's a link: {link:http://www.mcjonline.com/news/03a/20030416a.shtml} Basically, Rod Paige said that all things being equal, he would prefer to send his own children to a school with Chri... [Read more]

#235948

September 21, 2006 at 8:09am

This time of year makes me feel so many different kinds of feelings. Even in Texas, where the winters are mild, there is evidence of the new life of Spring. That gives me a warm and happy feeling deep down inside. We’re approaching what should be the most important time of all for Christians – Easter Sunday. My emotions are, indeed, all topsy-turvy. I was born on Easter Sunday, 51 years ago. That makes this time of year a true celebration for me. I invited Jesus into my heart, accep... [Read more]

#235765

September 21, 2006 at 8:07am

After my pity party yesterday, God knew I needed some reminders of how much He loves me. I love the way God works. I forgot that the clocks were supposed to be changed last night or early this morning. I forgot that I was losing an hour of sleep last night, that it was time to "spring forward." Thankfully, the computer remembered to adjust its own time. That’s what reminded me. (I knew that I didn’t spend an hour getting my first cup of coffee ready!) With the time change, I w... [Read more]

#235690

September 21, 2006 at 8:05am

Well phooey. I certainly intended to write in this journal on a daily basis. But the old habit of grabbing a pen and notebook has been a hard one to change. Besides, when I thought about writing my thoughts on the computer, I’ve discovered my son in front of the screen. Sharing a computer with a 19-year-old is rather challenging sometimes. Oh well. It’s hard to believe that an entire week has gone by since my last entry. But, indeed, it has. Last week was rather disappointing. I’m... [Read more]

#234371

September 21, 2006 at 8:00am

Well, all right then. It's Friday, and it appears as if I've already abandoned my goal of writing here daily. I have been writing, though. Old habits are hard to break. When a thought burst through the gray matter and a notebook was close at hand, I did write down those miscellaneous ideas and phrases. If I gathered all those thoughts and made them into something sensible, they might be equivalent to a couple of inspirational books. That, in the end, is my goal. (My favorite ... [Read more]

#233927

September 21, 2006 at 7:56am

I did write some miscellaneous thoughts yesterday, but I didn’t place them here. Instead I wrote them in the margin of a notebook that holds more chapters of Jennifer’s Story . Hopefully, I'll be able to understand my own scribbling. ****** My mind is overflowing with thoughts this morning. Slow down mind! On Sunday night around 8:30 or 9 p.m., sirens screamed in the distance, then came closer. I’ve learned to distinguish the sound of sirens stopping at my apartment complex or ... [Read more]

#233714

September 21, 2006 at 7:50am

Something has been bothering me all evening, because of discussions I've had recently with a number of people. It's politically incorrect to comment on the physical appearance of one who weighs too much. The same rules don't seem to apply to one who is thin. I was reminded of that today, but for a strange reason. Why am I considered the "strange" person because I'm generally happy? I'm not crazy, just because I've learned to lean on God at all times.... [Read more]

#233478

September 21, 2006 at 7:48am

What a gorgeous day it is today! Of course it is. To me, each day offers sunshine, even when the sun is hiding behind the clouds or the sky is dark and rain is pouring down. I hope I never learn to see the world as others do, as a dark place. To me, this world, even with its problems, is a place of wonder. A few days ago, I quietly sneaked from my apartment in the wee hours of the morning to walk bare-footed in the puddles that formed on the sidewalk. I never want to lose that part... [Read more]

#233328

September 21, 2006 at 7:45am

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NIV This is my inspiration each and every day. I've often been asked if I have the sunny disposition that appears in my writings and in my exchanges with other writers. The answer is, "YES!" My life is full of joy. And the Lord is my joy and my strength. Today, though, I received a quotation in my email inbox, a word of wisdom amongst the spam. "It is only with the heart that one can se... [Read more]