|
| This has been a busy week, and next week also will be busy. I think that Mary worked every day this week except Sunday, and has tomorrow (a Sunday) off, and is back to work Monday. At least she does get Thanksgiving off, and we will get to be with family.
A former co-worker of Mary's is homeless, and moved in to stay for a month, this past Monday. What with Mary returning from giving love (and receiving love from) the granddaughters, late on Sunday, this has proven to be a busy week, and I am tired  . Just want to crawl into bed and pull the covers up. Instead, I will go participate in a church service in two hours, and then do cleaning, and out to get Mary from work at 10:30. Busy, busy, busy.
Do your weeks ever feel like they will never end? I always keep in mind that it may be...(fill in the blank), but Sunday is coming! I appreciate getting to go to the church. It is not running as well as I would like right now, but I have hopes of it improving soon. I know that there are a number of us making prayer a priority, and are faithfully serving in leadership positions. It has to turn around.
I think that is what makes a difference in my outlook, from the outlook of some of my friends here: I try to see the end result, and even though I am tired, I know it is worth it. This month three of my older siblings have their birthdays. They are all in their 70s. That seems so old. But thank God they are still alive, and in relatively good shape. I do have time to look forward to.
But, this afternoon I attended a Memorial Service for one of our male nurses at the Rest Home. Only 49 years old, he died of cancer last Monday. I got news on Thursday that our former Executive Director for OSEA, and past President, John Brown passed away on Tuesday at age 88. So, we do not know how long any of us will live. Therefore, we all need to be sure we are ready to go on to a better existence. I believe you prepare, here. Others may not. To each their own (but I'm still going to try to persuade you  ). That is it for this quiet Saturday.
| | |
| The craziest Christmas for us was the year we decided to spend Christmas alone, in a cottage in Lincoln City. Just Mary and me and our two teenage children, in the cottage owned by family friends. We had a donated AMC car that friends gave us when we moved out to "Boring", OR. We only had the Dodge Colt then, and I worked 15 miles away, and did not want to leave my wife without a car. We were home-schooling, so there was no concern about the children's education. But, we needed to make sure that she had a way to come in to church a couple evenings per week, and this car was the answer. Shortly after we moved out there, the Colt threw a rod and had to be put out of its misery.
So, here we were in our little AMC car, moving along after enjoying the day before with family on the northwest coafst of Oregon. It started to send down icy rain. The car slid. We moved on, but soon realized we had a mechanical problem. We pulled in at Tillamook, at a cozy little motel. That evening, as we prepared to open gifts, we fixed a simple dinner of hotdogs and mac and cheese. We used the fry pan for the mac and cheese, and boiled the hotdogs in the teapot. We had a laughing good time, and the next day got the car repaired, and headed home, stopping at the Mall to do a special purchase of Christmas gifts. The kids still talk about that Christmas as one of the funnest, craziest they ever spent at home.
| | |
| I've written that I don't want us to have a National Health Care program. I do believe that we have a superior system now that meets the needs, and people are free to choose the level of coverage they have. I would rather not see this "applecart" upset by the insurance companies being priced out of competition, and the choices available being limited for us. We will have less opportunity to choose what medical procedures to go through and how much it costs, if Congress has its way. Last Saturday, the people's House of Representatives passed their version of Health Care Reform. I think it is a mistake 
I am not as physically strong, and well, now as I was three years ago. About 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with Glaucoma, High Cholesterol, and something else. I walk with a limp now, because of arthritis in my knees, and my right hip, and the right knee surgery, one year ago, left me with less cushion on the knee joint. I have pain at the site of the surgery  . i do no understand why. I cannot run, and yet I used to walk to work, or drive, then run across the playground yard to unlock the gate on the other side of the field. Can't do it now. Luckily, my boss now does the task, as I was reduced in hours at work. I depended a lot on physical activity to help me maintain my weight, so I am trying to work physical activity into my non-work hours. Fortunately I am not gaining weight--yet I would like to lose 20 pounds. It will happen, but it is taking time.
Is having pain, and more physical problems inevitable as we get older? I'm setting a goal to run on my 58th birthday.
| | |
| Those of you who have read, or plan to read THE SHACK (please read it first), I want to ask a question:
What do you think about the marks of nail scars in Papa's hands? I found most of the portrayal of the godhead acceptable, and interesting, but this was something that I wondered how others viewed the idea.
Looking forward to responses.
| | |
| As a member of a labor union, I respect their goals. But I do not always (usually?) agree. This is one of those times. The AFT is trying to get all members to lobby Congress for affordable Health Care. Sounds like a good plan, doesn't it? The problem is that their proposals will cost each of us over $1000 more in Health Care costs per year. I have already seem my group insurance rates increase about $70 this past month. There is nothing in the proposed coverage proposals that will give me or my family anything we are not already getting. And, it will not be a choice: that is wrong! Some people choose not to take our Health Insurance coverage. That option will no longer be there. And, should end-of-life decisions be in the hands of each family and their personal physician for the loved one? Or should it depend on the advice of bureaucrats? That is EXACTLY where these proposals want to put it: in the hands of bureaucrats. And, coverage for all Reproductive choices being optional: forget about it--they mandate coverage of all matters including sex change and abortion. For those reasons, I will not agree, and will continue to fight this invasion of rights by the President and his evil minions.
Today, I was perusing the local newspaper, and found out that the AFT and NEA locals have filed a lawsuit to recover campaign costs from the sponsors of last years failed limitation tax measures on our Oregon ballot. They were recently sued for their inflamatory slander and name calling in the Voter's Pamphlet. I know the people involved, and there were NO untrue statements issued by the chief sponsor. He was exercising democracy. So, I stand with the oppressed, if the teacher unions want to sue. THEY ARE WRONG!
| | |
|
