thread for middle age to older Christian women.

Karen, thanks for the info. Can you watch a movie on one of your devices? Do something that will be a BIG distraction. When I was having so much tailbone pain I could be sitting on my heating pad and watch a movie and be so distracted for a while I didn't realize the pain so much. When is your next infusion? I will be praying for you.

Chris, one of my photographer friends from San Diego who I have met on the photography thread posted late last night about the earthquake. Did you feel anything from that or the aftershocks?

I talked to my Mom's facility today. My Mom depended on my sister and I to get her mail. I had sent her a photo card and I wanted to ask if someone could get her mail so she could get it. I was informed that even the mail delivery person was not allowed into the facility so their own workers had to distribute the mail themselves. Plus they are all eating in their rooms now. They are now set up to allow the family to video chat with the residents on their new ipad they have for this purpose. Each person is allowed 15 min. I don't have an apple device so I am not sure how this could be done. My sister seems to think a phone call is better and she may be right. Something new would make my Mom nervous esp. if someone was right there showing her how to do it. I am glad they are finding ways to keep family connected. It just makes me so sad knowing that so many loved ones have died alone without their family because of no visitors in most hospitals now.

There is an Asian surgeon from Texas who has been posting about the virus and what the healthcare workers do to prevent the virus to enter their homes. Ade, this doctor echoed what you had shared about the virus hanging in a cloud for 3hrs in the air. I may not be phrasing that the way he said it but it really spoke to the efforts of doubling down our efforts to be proactive with this disease. I don't remember his name but he has more than one video. In the one that explains just how the virus gets into our lungs a fair warning that he does use some four letter words a few times. He cleaned up his act in the second video because he must have heard about it! It might be worth it if you have a chunk of time on your hands and hear from someone on the front lines.

Have a good weekend dear sisters. I was blessed today with an unexpected visitor who is an angel in human form for me. She stood there with a little potted Pansy for me. We are both gardeners and flower lovers. She had visited this out of town nursery which we have been to together before. She is getting more groceries for me and yes.......................even toilet paper when they do a Costco run later this week. God is good.

Love,

Nancy

Nancy.....my next infusion is this coming Thursday, the 9th. Thank you for praying!

I have another prayer request, if y'all don't mind.
Lately, I have been having a very hard time drawing close to God. My prayer life has dwindled and so has my time in The Word. I feel like there is a wall up between myself and The Lord.....and no matter how much I know in my head that I need to press in, I just can't seem to get my heart to follow suite. Now is when I need Him the most, yet I feel so far away.
I know a lot of it has to do with being disciplined to just sit and read/pray, whether I feel like it or not. Anyway, I could use some prayers that my relationship with Christ becomes stronger, not weaker.
Thank you all!

Chris thank you for your kind concern. We are doing ok so far. Walmart online limits your purchases to one per item but that's ok and we understand why. The problem is your cart is half sold out by the time you get an order ready to place and then you have to come up with more items (IF you can find them in stock) to get your free shipping on a $35 purchase. Our daughter-in-love has been wonderful to offer to shop for us whenever she goes to the grocery. We are used to being socked in with Ohio blizzards so this is like a prolonged blizzard, only you can enjoy your porch! Since James' retirement 8 years ago we have been together EVERYDAY 24 hours. Good thing we get along! )

Great words from Joanne! Karen, Joanne's posts may minister to your situation in a wonderful way. We ALL feel distant from the Lord sometimes. The Lord just admonished me about not spending enough time in prayer. Of course I DO pray but could be praying more than I do. Things that have helped me are talking to Him out loud and also journaling. If you have a good devotional and will look up the scriptures mentioned in it this will help keep you in the Word each day and also MORNING, I think, is the key, before the day gets busy. James and I spend our first hour reading aloud, looking up the scriptures, and discussing our 7 devotionals (between us). We find they almost ALWAYS have the same running message so it is like an everyday church sermon for us. Then in the evening we are going through a Chronological Bible devotional (through the Bible in a year) which we take turns reading aloud and we LOVE it. I am blessed to have a partner to keep me accountable but you can do this by yourself easily. Don't be discouraged, you will get back to where you need/want to be. If you were straying TOO far from the Lord you would not have received His message through the Holy Spirit to come back closer!

Blessings upon your Palm Sunday, Sisters,

Ade

Joanne I especially love that last line: Blessing above all expectations! Thank you for sharing that!

I'm trying to find who recently quoted Viktor Frankl, but I can't. At least I think it was on this thread. I have his book somewhere, "Man's Search for Meaning", but I just purchased the Kindle version and am going to get the Audible version, too.

I'm dreaming about missing or forgetting appointments, or completely not understanding what the doctor is telling me. Kind of like the recurring dream of being back in school and realizing as I'm sitting for a final exam that I haven't attended a class all semester and haven't a clue how I got there. I wake up and play my Praise and Worship Playlist. I just can't sing along in the middle of the night and wake my husband! Sometimes tears will run down my cheeks when I hear the Live versions of some of the songs and hear thousands of voices lifted up in praise to our God. A teeny, tiny taste of what heaven must be like. As the Jeremy Camp song goes, "I Can Only Imagine"!

Love, hugs and blessings,

Carol

How many of you have had such enormous tasks in front of you that you were completely overwhelmed? Then, you gave that huge burden over to the Lord and you started putting one foot in front of the other with His strength guiding you. Then you looked at this enormous FINISHED task and was in awe and wonder that it was completed with such ease. That is what it is like turning it all over to the Lord.

We are all see that huge boulder in front of us today. Help us to completely give this burden to the Lord today and watch the miracles that He will do for you.

Love,

Nancy

P.S. Nancy you probably already know this but you can make a bleach solution or use hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting too. )

Ade, I am so excited to hear this news. God is able to move every mountain! Praise the Lord!

Carol, you are welcome. We will all certainly be praying for you as you go through your treatments. The waiting is the hard part but once you get a plan in place the apprehension of the journey will not be so daunting.

Ade, I AM SO THRILLED FOR YOU AND JAMES. I will continue to press in on this issue in prayer.

Here is one of my new babies in my new orchid growing hobby. I took this today and decided it would make a nice greeting card.

All of you are in my thoughts and prayers every day.

Love,

Nancy

Thank you Jean! Joanne, I just Googled that song and listened to it while reading the lyrics you shared. WOW! I love those words - especially, "Sometimes He calms the storm, sometimes He calms me." That's so true and so good to remember. Wishing all of you a day of perfect peace!

Carol

(My mom used to call me "Carol Sunshine" when I was young. What more could I ask for? Do any of you recall singing the song "Brighten the Corner Where You Are"? I remember singing it as a little girl in church and just belting out the words. I still want to "Brighten the Corner" where ever I am...)

Dear sisters,

I would appreciate your prayers. I took a nasty fall last night before going to bed and I hit my head on the wall pretty hard. Today I feel like I have been run over by a truck. When I got out of my bath today I thought I was going to black out. I am getting ready to ice my head as it really hurts. I hurt all over but especially the top of my head. I am of course fearful of a concussion. There is NO way I am going to urgent care and will wait to see about calling my doctor.

Joanne, I love the part of the verse in Amazing Grace about God being our shield and portion. I am especially praying for that today.

Ade, thank you. You are always encouraging. I will be praying for your video chat tomorrow. I did watch that video and it brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing testimony if anyone ever doubts that God is not a personal God and can work through many man made obstacles.

Going to ice my head now.

Love,

Nancy

Nancy I am SO sorry!

Lord Jesus, You are our Great Physician and our Healer. I pray that You will touch our sister,Nancy, right now with Your healing power. You created every cell in her body and knew her before You formed her. She is Your precious daughter and You love her and have compassion for her. Please right now heal her and comfort her. This we ask in Your great Name, Amen

I'm just getting caught up and read your post, Nancy. I agree with Sunshine. Please call your doctor's office or the nurse's line. Someone will be able to assess you for a concussion. They may even have you do a virtual visit. I am praying for your health and comfort in the hours and days ahead.

Nancy, how are you feeling this morning? Please, please call the doctor.

I woke up to this promise today...

Psalm 103:2-5 ~ Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's!

May you claim His promises today.

Hi dear sisters,

I called my doctor today and he was working from home and only doing video chats which I didn't realize can only work for them if you have an Apple device which I don't. So we had a phone visit. He ordered a brain CT scan stat. So I just got back from that. I had to have blood work before hand. All the things I did not want to do. They had heavy screening. My temp was 98 and they put a band on my wrist saying what my temp was. I didn't realize that until I just cut it off. That is high for me as my temp is in the 96 range but you can't tell any medical person that you have fever at 98. Anyway they said they would have results in an hour but I doubt if I will get to see that. I see my doctor tomorrow at 2 to talk about the results. My head is quite sore and my pinky and ring finger are NOT happy. Initially I thought I might have broken my finger when I feel. I do know that this box that housed my new pair of boots that I hadn't found a home for yet I smashed to pieces when I fell.

I do appreciate your prayers for me. If I hadn't read all of your pleas that I need to call the doctor I may not have. I will take it easy today as I did yesterday and not do too much to make things worse.

I do know how serious this can be as a friend fell on concrete and had a big brain bleed. When I saw her at Christmas time downstate after having major brain surgery she is still having trouble talking and I saw pictures of all the stitches she had so believe me I understood how these things can go. I am praying that I will be fine. Now if anyone accuses me of being hard headed then hopefully I will have proof of that if the news is all good!!!

Love,

Nancy