So, I discovered that I still have a little daredevil left in me...!  Last week the holiday spirit really showed up at work.  There were young people chasing each other with big nerf guns and riding scooters in the halls.  I suddenly decided to join the fun and took off on Pastor Mathew's scooter....

One of the teenagers, Matt Forstner, followed and I challenged him to a race down the hall.  I think he was afraid to try to pass thinking he might make me fall.

So, I won....then I could not catch my breath....but it was soooo fun!!!

Christmas is almost here--I can hardly wait!  The presents are all gathered and most of them are wrapped.  I have watched soooooooo many Christmas movies and heard all of the carols 50 million times--love it!

The weatherman said that we have a tiny chance of snow for Christms.  Wouldn't that be wonderful?  Papa would pull out the sleds and the boys would fly down our driveway hill.  We might have a snowman on the deck again...!

Our tree is covered with the ornaments we have collected over the past 38 years.  Some were given to me by dear friends.  This year, when the grandsons helped us decorate, we did not break any of the ornaments. Yea!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Norma

I am in Jacksonville, FL, to be with my brother, Milton, and sister-in-law, Kristy.  Kristy was diagnosed with a large brain tumor three days ago and will be having surgery next week.  We have cried many tears and hugged a lot.  This is so very hard to see a family that I love struggling with the emotions and the decisions. 

I woke up early this morning and layed in bed praying.  I asked Yahweh to give each of us wisdom.  The scriptures say that if anyone lacks wisdom to ask of God--so I did.  There are thousands of people praying and we believe that Kristy will recover.

Now to being homesick.  I miss my husband who is returning today from a conference in the Bahamas. I miss all my family...especially Gabriel, Noah, Adam, Reagan and little unnamed one!  And, I miss my church family.  I know you are all praying for me as I try to encourage and support my brother and his family.

The sun is arising and I pray this will be a good day.  As my husband says....all the time....make it a great day!

I missed our church picnic today which was so diasappointing to me.  I missed all the great food and fellowship and watching my grandsons playing.  It was such a perfect day for a picnic. 

I was having some chest pain this morning and took a nitroglycerin tablet which seemed to help.  So, I headed for the picnic, stopped to pick up two buckets of KFC and felt some more pain.  As I headed toward the park, the pain became pretty intense.  Another nitro pill helped but I was hurting pretty bad by the time I got to the Medac near Landfall.  I decided I better stop and make sure I was OK.  Since I came in the door holding my chest, crying and looking pitiful....the doctor immediately called EMS while the nurses started an IV and EKG.   By the time I arrived at the hospital, the pain was gone.  Thank God!

I have had too many of these episodes which my cardiologist has diagnosed as Printz Metals.  This is a spasm of the arteries in my heart.  Ususally, it just hurts for a while but sometimes it get very intense.

So, I hope this was the last episode and I really hope I don't miss any more picnics.....ribs, spots, fried chicken, chocolate chip pies, banana pudding....!

Last night the women's ministry at The Rock had a really great event.  It was the Every Woman "Challenge" and the theme was "Is Your Table Prepared?".  When the ladies arrived they found that each table had a variety of items placed randomly.  More tables were filled with various food items and craft supplies.  There were six ladies at each table and the instructions were to use the items to set their table, create a floral arrangement, unique place cards and make canapes.

I was amazed at the creativity and the uniqueness of each table design the ladies created.  No two tables had any similarity.  I was reminded of how unique each of us are with talents that sometimes surprise ourself!!

Maybe I will post the devotional that I shared later.

Make it a great week!

Norma

So, I created a blog site at blogspot.com.  It is Nana's Thoughts.  Check it out.

If I knew how I would create a link to it...but I don't!  Hope you can find it.

We went to watch our grandson play football this morning which is what we are doing most Saturday mornings now.  Noah gives 110% when he is playing.  So, it is a delight to watch him.  He made over 13 tackles today.  Each time there was a pile up of players, I watched to make sure that Noah jumped up and could still walk..!  Maybe, this grandmother will relax eventually....!

The game was fun to watch even in the blowing rain.  At least the umbrella was to keep the rain off and not to create shade from the hot sun!

Last night our family went out for pizza to celebrate our son-in-law's birthday.  Don was 38 yesterday.  Happy Birthday, Don! 

As we gathered outside after dinner, I watched the grandchildren playing and listened to the laughter of our family enjoying being together.  I had mixed emotions as I thought back over the 38 years that Ronnie and I have been married.  To see this wonderful family that began with just the two of us actually brought a few tears to my eyes.  I hid them so that the kids would not make fun of this sentimental grandmother...

I love my life!