Faith, praying for DH as he hopefully has his surgery on Wed. which is actually today since it is so late!! Praying for a successful surgery and that this will solve the problems he has been having. Peace for you as you wait .

Love,

Nancy

Faith, I am so glad DH finally got his needed surgery. I am praying that his pain control will be good and that it will be successful in moving forward. Our church just announced a parking lot prayer service on Sunday afternoon. I am afraid it is going to be a very long time before we have services indoors as we just have so many thousands of people to deal with.

I had what I think was a God event yesterday. I have mentioned the nursing home next to me having such an outbreak of Covid 19. They have 21 deaths now and currently 81 infected. I have avoided even walking by the facility. Yesterday I knew something was going on as the parking lot was completely empty and cars were lined up on the street almost to my house. What it turned out to be was a drive by parade with many residents outside.

I was upstairs and I heard all of the cars honking and I felt compelled to grab my camera (forgot my mask) and I headed as fast as I could to the facility. I stayed a distance away and remained inconspicuous most of the time hiding in their landscaping. I took fifty pictures. I am a nature photographer so this was definitely outside of my usual. I had to wipe away tears often as it was so emotional for me. It was a happy time and that was apparent. I came home and spent a couple of hours editing photos and picking 20. I had a hard time sleeping last night and ended up getting up around 5:30 and started printing out the photos. It took a long time but I wanted to get these photos to them asap. I wrote a long typed letter to them expressing my gratitude and sharing my personal experience with my Mom in a facility and not being able to see her since Christmas.

I called their number and it had been disconnected. I can only imagine the hundreds of calls they were getting daily. I did an online chat and found out later it was a robot. I drove over to the facility praying I would run into someone who would pass the photos to the head person. I got there just in the nick of time and a worker was pushing a resident in a wheelchair back inside. I was able to give him the photos and going home not feeling really confident that they would get to the needed person or really appreciate it.

To my shock my neighbor is ringing my doorbell and her new neighbor got this hand delivered card with only my first name on it. Luckily it made it's way to me. It was a nice hand written letter from the nursing home staff expressing their shock at me delivering the photos and letter and their great appreciation for me doing this. I had numbered the prints and said if anyone wanted more I could provide that for free. They said they would display these for the residents and staff to see. I have always wanted to use my photography for God's glory and money I have made with my photography has gone to charity. This was a unique opportunity for me to use my photography to lift others up and I am so grateful for this experience during this difficult time.

I am so wiped for lack of sleep but it was worth it.

Love

Nancy

Nancy what a wonderful testimony of a terrific "God thing"!!! Oh what a blessing for you to be able to do! The Lord understands the anguish you have had over your mom's welfare and not getting to see or even communicate with her. Trust in Him. We pray for your mother's safety and health as well as the rest of the residents and staff, and the folks up the street from you! Can you post your favorite shot here please?

We had two "God things" happen yesterday. James has agreed to speak with a VA psychologist about how the migraines are affecting his life. The first appointment was with a foreign doctor who James couldn't hear or understand (with his hearing impairment) and they couldn't get a video connection to do it the other day after several tries taking an hour. The next day a VA computer technician called to try to iron out the problem and we figured a way to NOT use our rather outdated phone - but to use my Kindle tablet instead - and it works beautifully! So then yesterday a DIFFERENT psyche doctor arranged another video visit and HE is WONDERFUL! He is kind, LISTENS, and James felt VERY comfortable with him! They talked an hour! He has set up weekly "visits" to help James and I really see the hand of the Lord in this.

The other "God thing" is that when we went to get our mail from a row of boxes a ways up the road - James key was missing! We left to drive home thinking he may have left it in yesterday's pants pocket. Then James thought maybe he could have dropped it when he got a package out of a bigger lock box. We turned the car around and went back and there it was - on the ground in the weeds! God is SO good!

Faith I am so glad your DH is now on the other side of that long awaited surgery. I pray for a swift, complete recovery for him and finally peace for you.

Chris, that's quite a load on you coming up! I pray it isn't overtaxing and that the onc will be ok with a little treatment delay. Enjoy the folks but take it easy if you can.

Nancy thank you for the BEAUTIFUL anniversary banner! We had a nice day. )

Our grandaughter, Greenly, (12) rescued a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest and Mama was nowhere to be seen when they found the baby. She took it in and fed it around the clock to save it. Now "Buddy" is thriving in a cage. He/she has no mama to teach it how to forage for food so they will keep it in the house safe from the neighbor's MANY cats. Greenly had to go to a special dentist 3 hours away today so the whole family went and we are BIRDIE SITTING. He's a tiny little thing but doing great. Feeding moist dog food (as advised) with tweezers. Here he is -

Love,

Ade

Nancy, I love your God event story. I’m sure you made many people happy with those pictures. What a wonderful gift to share with them. I imagine you were thinking of your mom and wishing something like that could happen for her. I pray that you connect with her soon. Thanks for your prayers for DH, he had another sleepless night but does seem to feel a little better now. I just keep praying that all will be well soon. This whole thing in the middle of the pandemic has taken its toll on both of us.

Ade, it’s great to hear your God event stories too. So happy that James finally found the right doctor and also the key. God is good! Thanks also for your prayers, we still need them.

Chris, I am praying for strength for you as you find out your treatment plan and then meet your new family. Even good things can be very stressful so be good to yourself. And cry of you want to, it can feel good to just let your emotions out and not keep that stress bottled up, which is not good for us.

Praying for everyone tonight, sleep well.

Love,

Faith (in the future).

I found this online today regarding the nursing homes car parade. I didn't realize a church was involved as well.

May 28, 2020, Naperville, IL – Naperville Covenant Church joins family & friends in Car Parade at Alden Estates of Naperville

Nearly 85 cars, including a dozen from Naperville Covenant Church, decorated in red, white and blue drove by Alden Estates of Naperville on May 27 to show their love and support during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Balloons, flags and signs were displayed as the cars "paraded" past 50 residents and 55 staff members lined up along Alden's front drive.
Many of the attendees in cars were family and friends of Alden residents. Signs such as "My Grandma is the Best" and "Love to Tom" were waved out of car windows and atop sunroofs for the residents to see. "We're all sobbing here. This is really nice for families to visit their loved one. It's so precious," said Ella, an Alden activities staff member.
"I'm enjoying being outside. All the people, cars and horns giving us support is really nice. I've tested positive twice for COVID-19 and have recovered, so it feels good to be out here," shared Pat, an Alden resident.
Members of Naperville Covenant Church (NECC) joined in the car parade as well. NECC has been conducting Sunday morning services since 1996 at the senior living facility, as well as hosting holiday parties and summer functions for the residents and their families. David Sladkey, Naperville Covenant Church Executive Board Chairman and member of NECC's Alden Sunday morning team said, "This is healing to be here with the residents after not being able to see them since March 8th when we had our last church service here. I was just weeping under my mask. It felt good to be able to 'do' something. We are so grateful to Alden Estates of Naperville for allowing us to join in the car parade."
Denielle, an Alden staff member said, "The car parade at Alden today was an enthusiastic and moving event for residents, families of the residents, church supporters and all the staff."
Alden Estates of Naperville has been particularly hard hit with COVID-19, where there have been 87 cases and sadly 21 deaths from the virus. Like most senior living facilities, visitation to residents has been discontinued since mid-March. Research shows that lack of contact with loved ones is particularly painful for seniors, and so NECC was thrilled to join family members and friends in showing Alden residents that they have not been forgotten or dismissed. Signs expressing appreciation to the staff were also displayed.
"Our congregation remains dedicated to the Alden community," said NECC Pastor Leslie X Sanders. "Even in the midst of this pandemic, we hope that the residents and workers know that we care deeply for them. I hope that our participation in the car parade can give just a glimpse of hope and serve as a reminder of God's love for each of them."

Contact: Pastor Leslie X. Sanders

I am in tears again just reading this.

Love,

Nancy

Ade, Thank you. Actually my Mom's facility did have a drive through parade. I have been left out of the loop on quite a few things lately. My Mom was in bed when it happened. Things are not good for my Mom and strained relationships as a result. It has been a hurtful weekend. I am glad you got to go out to eat. That has to feel good.

I will be traveling downstate in the near future but I want the rioting to subside and I am having a new AC unit installed before I go. Still haven't been able to talk to my Mom. She can't hear her NEW phone ring. It is a hearing aide issue which my sister will hopefully deal with this week.

I really need your prayers as I really hit a big low this weekend. On Sunday I woke up to crushing chest pain and upper arm pain. I had done some trimming with electric clippers the day before. I knew muscle pain couldn't happen that fast. I went back and forth regarding calling 911. I took a Tylenol and apparently went back to sleep and woke up feeling exhausted but the pain was not there. Then I toyed with the idea of going to urgent care to have cardiac tests and didn't do that either. I pretty much rested the whole day.

Today other than a bad headache I am doing okay.

Take care dear sisters. This is a tough time for our country dealing with two emergencies at the same time.

Love,

Nancy

Isaiah 41:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.

Thank you Chris. I appreciate your prayers. I got a text today from my sister. It was 2pm and she had gone to visit my Mom through her patio door and she was in bed. She was able to talk to her through the bedroom window and my Mom said all she wanted to do was sleep.

I had researched this fairly new appetite stimulant that she has been on since she is basically not eating her food but drinking Ensure and cookies. I was alarmed when my sister said they had a drive through parade at my Mom's facility and she was in bed when it was happening. I wondered if this new med could be causing her tiredness and I read that if the patient has unusual tiredness to call your doctor right away. I told my sister this today and she contacted the nurse even though she had already left the facility. Since we both have POA for our Mom the nurse said she would stop this new med.

I have an important apt tomorrow and I am to meet with the AC guy on Wed regarding installing a new unit in my home. Now with this news of my Mom I am really torn as to what to do. There has been rioting and protesting and burning in my hometown and my sister said there was a march of 1000 protesters going on just an hour ago. It is not safe to travel with all the unrest going on. Please pray for me. I need wisdom in knowing if and when I should leave for downstate to try to see my Mom.

Love

Nancy

Thank you Faith. I got a call tonight telling us about the 9pm curfew and I didn't realize there were protesters downtown at the time. That calm protest turned ugly apparently. I made a late night run to Walgreens and found them closed before 9pm. so I think many businesses that were open were told to close to be safe.

This whole thing has been so surreal going from one dangerous situation to a more frightening one if that is even possible. When I throw in my Mom's tenuous condition it really is a lot to deal with not knowing when it will be safe to leave for downstate. We have used our POA to take our Mom off of this med which was doing no good and only causing terrible side effects. I am praying that my Mom will rally once this is out of her system. We know that she will not be able to survive for long because malnutrition will more than likely be her demise. She has convinced herself that she doesn't like most foods and in her demented mind we cannot convince her otherwise. This has been a battle since she entered this facility but it has gotten really bad now.

How is your DH doing? I am praying that this will solve all of his problems and that he can recover from the surgery quickly. Once he is doing much better I am praying that your anxiety level will go way down.

Have a good night.

Love,

Nancy

Ade thank you.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me. I have had much peace today which is a total turn around from yesterday being so worried my Mom was going to pass before I got there. I know this was answered prayers.

I had an eye apt which was long overdue today and it was in downtown Naperville where a protest last night turned ugly. The bldg that I went to had all windows boarded up and my doctor took home the server and moved any equipment in another room in case something did happen. Another doctor was coming in carrying a big load of files. They apparently as a precaution took important files home last night. I never ever considered what this kind of damage could do to a doctor's office. As I was leaving they were boarding up the doors I came through. Many of the businesses were boarded up as a precaution and about ten business were damaged. I would have never thought in a million years this would happen in this town. We have been voted in the past as one of the Most Kid Friendly Towns and One of the Safest Towns and One of the Best Places to Live. My eye doctor showed me pictures of a Home Depot on the south side of Chicago that one of his friends owns. It was completely gutted.

I would never have thought that in a day Covid 19 would become yesterday's news.

I have another apt tomorrow and then will decide when I will leave for my Mom's. I want her to have a few days to get this medicine out of her system that I think was causing her to feel so awful and tired. I have to decide how fast I want this AC installed. I know God has this. I just need to rest in Him and know He will give me what I need. When my Dad died I was at my Mom's at the time and the hospital called and said we needed to come now. When we got there my Dad was totally unresponsive but still alive. He died while we were there and I never did get to say my last words to Him but I was there. I am not sure I will be able to be with my Mom if the lock down persists. That is why it is so important for me to just be able to talk with her. That is my prayer that this will come to pass.

Have a good night dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

Chris, I am glad you had a good visit with your MO and now have a plan of action moving forward. I am a little familiar with Xeloda as one of our sisters from this thread was on it several years ago. I certainly understand you wanting to take a break from everything so you can fully give attention to your family when they all arrive. When are they all coming in? We are all praying for you and I pray that you will have an awesome time with your family and your new family.

I got a text from my sister saying my Mom was much better yesterday and her doctor wants her to stay on this appetite stimulant for two more weeks. We'll see what happens. My sister said call her today and her phone should be okay. Well it wasn't. So disappointing. I am going ahead with my AC installation sometime next week and then go downstate for a visit.

Some of you may have one of these but it sounded like a winner. It is called the Air Scrubber and it is a whole house filter which some how puts out hydrogen peroxide in the air to kill even Covid 19 among other culprits. I am having one of those installed along with the AC. It is pricey but I think worth it for what all it is supposed to do.

Naperville had 33 businesses damaged so when I thought all the boarded up places were there for protection of what might come it was probably boarding up all of the damaged windows. Before Covid 19 we had a thriving downtown area. This is going to be adding salt to the already wounded as is the case all over the country.

I pray that our country can find a way to start working together and begin to start the healing process. It is time for a big change. I grew up next to an Afro American family and one of my friends I walked home from school with was also Afro American. I was young and naive but was not aware of the injustices that were probably still going on at that time. I just don't understand how we got to this place in 2020. Lord, show us the way to move forward so healing can begin.

Love,

Nancy

Nancy, I’m so glad to hear your mom is somewhat better and I hope you can visit her soon. We had an ultraviolet light installed on our furnace a couple of years ago to kill mold and bacteria and it also kills COVID-19. It’s called Bioshield, and it wasn’t really expensive. You might want to check it out.

I just had a call from my hairdresser about changing my appointment tomorrow. I go downtown and there are more protests planned again for tomorrow at the Band Shell at 2:00pm. She moved me up to 10:45, I sure hope things are quiet then as I really, really need a haircut and color.
I know there is so much social injustice in this world but I’m so concerned that all this looting and violence will set things back even more and we will never be able to come together in peace. Please God let this end peacefully.

Chris, I’m glad to you felt comfortable in your visit with your MO. I’m praying that the next treatment is the right one for you and it knocks back that cancer. Also praying you can enjoy your family visit and hopefully relax with them.

Love and prayers for all here and for our country. May God help us find a way out of this.

Faith (in the future

Ade, I think my AC guy explained this in a way that sounded more scary that it really is. I couldn't find any info on the internet regarding the hydrogen peroxide that he mentioned. I don't have any reservations at all and in fact I think it may improve my sinus issues.

Small world regarding your former pastors coming from Naperville. Our new pastor is from Ohio and our pastor that lost his father to Covid 19, also a pastot at our church as well moved to TX for a while and then came back. As I look back I can now see that he had time with his parents before his Dad died. They all lived together in the same house. God's plans for us are always perfect even though we can't always see that at the time.

I am praying for good news regarding the VA for both of us!!!!!

I do realize that all over where these protests have occurred with violence that it was a two separate groups and the group with the violence are bused in. In fact my eye doctor said they were renting Uhauls to transport these anarchists.

God is up to something in all of this turmoil of this year. God can always make good things out of bad situations and I am believing that to happen with what we are dealing with now but I think every one of us will be a part of that plan. We are His hands and feet.

Love,

Nancy

Have a great weekend dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

Yes, Ade, I am actually looking more forward to this Air Scrubber than the new AC! I really understand you wanting to stay inside during the hot times.

I have been outside mulching. The first day was a scorcher and I managed. I don't do well in the heat and humidity at all. Yesterday was cooler and not as humid but still hot enough for me. I was down on my hands and knees sitting in this shady area and was pulling some weeds and mulching. I was really getting tired and was just sitting thee. This lady that I don't know but walks by with this gorgeous and huge white dog stopped and said are you okay. I guess I must have looked as bad as I was feeling. We commenced to talk and her band director who passed away just shortly after he retired was her junior high band director from many years ago and I knew him well and had worked with him in the summer band program. So we had a nice chat. I appreciate the neighbors looking out for me.

Today I did my usual trip to Wendy's for their salad which I do regularly on Sundays and many other times during this pandemic. This one manager is so sweet and has always been so kind to me. She knows I am a cancer survivor and have other issues. She recently had on a really neat mask that had been embroidered. I told her I liked it. Today I go through the drive thru with my one of my new masks that came from Texas (really like them) and she had a little bag for me. I said what's this. Actually I don't even know what she said but when I opened it on the way home it was a beautiful black mask with sunflowers embroidered on it. I love it. I don't even know her name but I had been prompted to make them a photo card recently and never did do it yet. I will definitely make a thank you card for her and hopefully she will be working when I deliver it.

God shows up with blessings ALL the time. Some are obvious and others might just be a songbird singing it's little heart out. We just have to have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Have a great rest of your weekend dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

I love this version from a chapter I am sure we are all familiar.

Luke 12:22-32 The Message (MSG)

Steep Yourself in God-Reality

22-24 He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

25-28 "Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

29-32 "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

Faith, I totally understand your need to vent and complain. Vent away--I don't mind at all. Sometimes I just want to scream but obviously don't. I will continue to pray for you and your DH.