Show and Tell

Tender Mercies... and... Ornate Blossom Thanks

Today is Monday, October 31. Halloween. And the last day of the month. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 my journey with Avastin and CPT-11, chemo drugs, begins.

Halloween first. I know that there is a lot of controversy regarding Halloween these days — especially in Christian circles. And our pastor has really given me some things to think about over the past few years. But I guess I'm not ready to give up our tradition of sitting in the cul-de-sac with the neighbors, eating pizza, sipping hot cider, and handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Of course, it's supposed to be cold and possibly rainy tonight so that may not happen anyway... but that is our usual.

And then the Avastin/CPT-11 combination... the way I understand it, it's supposed to be something of a wonder drug combination. And, of course, we're ready for something wonderful to happen. I'm not sure exactly what the whole process will be, but I think it will take several hours. They'll open up the port and start infusing me with the drugs. They expect me to be a little sick for a couple days and then feel pretty good. And I'm ready to feel good! 

I went to work for awhile again today. I really didn't want to go and felt pretty tired and lousy before going but once I got there and started working my spirits and energy level improved. I'm not sure that I was super productive, but it was good to get out, do a little work, and enjoy my co-workers. (Maybe the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha helped, too. :) )

 

My scripture for today...

Psalm 103:1-5

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 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 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!"

All of us have so much to praise the Lord for. He is filled with goodness toward us. Praise Him! And, of course, I would be especially attracted to the second part of the next verse:  He heals my diseases. And then the first part of the following:  He redeems me from death. How I would love to be healed right now and escape death for at least a few years. But, regardless, the Lord has filled my life with good things and His tender mercies are new every day. Spending time with Him renews me. It'll renew you, also. Praise the Lord!  

 

You may remember that I've been trying to build up a stash of cards to give to the folks are providing us with meals. Here are a couple more.

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As I like to do, I used the same stamps, different colors, and had two more thank you cards for the stash.  

 

 

 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Ornate Blossom, Thank You Kindly); cardstock is inexpensive white; ink is SU (Garden Green, Cajun Craze) and Papertrey Ink (True Black).

That's going to be it for today. I'm a little tired and I think I need to rest up for handing out candy to trick-or-treaters and then to watch Dancing with the Stars. Such a full evening! :)

Hope your evening is full of promise, too. And, if you think if it, breathe a prayer or two for me as my journey with chemotherapy begins. I so appreciate all your prayers! And I in turn I pray that your day is blessed with all sorts of good things! Love and hugs to you!

More Strength & Hope

Today is Saturday, October 22. So far today I've watched a lot of DVRed HGTV shows, taken a nap, and eaten lunch. Yep. It's been a pretty lazy day. But I've felt pretty good, so that's a blessing.

 

Here is the scripture that I selected for today. Very appropo, I think.

Psalm 91:1-4, 6, 9-12, 14-16

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.... Do not dread the disease that stalks in the darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.... If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.... The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. I will reward then with a long life and give them my salvation.'"

Aren't those words just a treasure trove of encouragement? God is my refuge. He is my place of safety. He is my protector and my rescuer. I do not have to dread the fact that I have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, because the Lord has ordered His angels to protect me wherever I go. And isn't that a beautiful visual picture?  

 

Here are a couple more cards for the food stash. We are so, so appreciative of all the people who have been providing us with meals!

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Once again... same design, two colors. Speeds things along, but keep it somewhat interesting. :)

 

 

 

 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Strength & Hope, Thank You Kindly); cardstock is cheapo white; ink is SU (Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler).

Those are last of my cards, so tomorrow may be a craft-less post. Or — maybe I'll take a little break and just watch some football and DVRed TV shows. Whichever I do, I'll let you know.

Thank you so much for stopping by today — I always, ALWAYS appreciate your visits and love hearing from you. I read every single comment and just wish that time and energy allowed me to respond to each one. Please know that I do read them all and that you are in my heart every day. Thanks for all the love and prayers! Sending you great big hugs today!  

Trust in God... and... Strength & Hope

Today is Friday, October 21. The morning started out sort of bad for me -- very weepy and frustrated with my lack of mobility. My legs are pretty weak and getting around is a little slow and frustrating. In fact, I've had moments of tears before but this was my first time of sobbing uncontrollably. It didn't last long and I always feel better after a good cry, so it was probably a needed release... but it came out of nowhere and sort of surprised me.

You know how sometimes the best thing you can do is the exact thing that you don't want to do? I had planned to go to work today so, even though I didn't want to, I fortified myself with a Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks and soldiered on in. And, of course, it was just what I needed. It got me out of myself and, although I was completely unproductive, it was great to be with people and catch up on what was happening at the office.

 

Here is some scripture for today. 

1 Timothy 6:17-18

"Teach those who are rich in the world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always ready to share with others."

Most of us who are reading this are so blessed materially. Of course, most of us have to set priorities, but it's not like we're deciding between feeding our children and paying the rent. I mean, my big financial decisions often involve how much I think I can get away spending on stamping supplies before Ken starts to protest. And sometimes I feel a little guilty about that. 

Now, I certainly don't have all the answers... or probably any of the answers. I just know that the Lord doesn't want me to put my hope in money. After all, money is a perishable item. But it also says in this passage that God gives us all things to enjoy. And not just to enjoy, but to use for good. And to share with others. I think this a really important part of Christianity... being ready to share with others. And I'm going to leave this for you to ponder. How are you using your resources? Definitely something to think about.  

 

Our supply of cards to give to those providing meals for us is getting low, so I started making a few cards to bolster the stash. 

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As I've been doing, I completed the same card in a couple of different colors. I really am not too into duplicating cards, but using varied colors satisfies my need to be different yet speeds up the creative process. 

 

 

 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Strength & Hope, Thank You Kindly); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White); ink is from SU (Riding Hood Red, More Mustard, Early Espresso).

That's all for today. Hope you've had a good one — and I hope to see you back here again tomorrow. Thanks for stopping in!

hello little baby

Today is Wednesday, October 19. I've been to work, taken a nap, and eaten lunch. Pretty productive for it being just 1:30 in the afternoon! And now I'm trying to get an early start on the blog post so that maybe I won't still be writing when I should be eating dinner. Hopefully that will work out well.

Well, two hours have passed — so maybe my plan to get this done early will not be realized. However, I've had great visits with precious friends this afternoon. One brought me four hats that she crocheted. Of course, pictures will be forthcoming. The other was one of preschool teachers who dropped off a meal and stayed for a nice visit. So — I'm kind of behind for the day (again) but connecting with people is so important, too. My natural tendency is to just hole-up and be by myself. I really like my own company and need my own space. But if I just stay by in my own little world all the time, I find that I get very selfish and ONLY want to be with me... and that is definitely not good. I don't know if that makes any sense at all... I'm just kind of rambling here... but I do so appreciate the visits, the gifts, the food and goodies... it can all be a bit overwhelming, but I'm so thankful for my many friends — both the real life ones and the virtual ones. :)

Since blog posts are more interesting with photos, here are a couple from this week.

Mom hadn't seen Ian's apartment so — since he had cleaned it up and painted an accent wall (!) — we were invited to pay him a visit.

And we also got to check out his big new TV — which I didn't take a picture of, but you can see that it is being enjoyed. :)

Since Ian's apartment is very close to Pinkberry it was a mandatory stop.

That was my out of sorts day and I even ordered in a crazy way for me... chocolate and peanut butter yogurt topped with almond slices and coconut. It was fine, but not my favorite and I left kind of wondering what I had been thinking. But, hey!...it was frozen yogurt so I'm not really complaining. I'll just order differently next time. :) (Which will probably be next Thursday after my oncologist appointment. Gotta have something to look forward to, you know?)

 

Today I am taking inspiration from the Psalms.

Psalm 89:1-2

"I will sing of the Lord's unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens."

I'm not sure when the last time it was that I just focused on some words of praise, but it sure seems like a long time. So, this is way overdue. 

The Lord's love is unfailing. No matter what is going on in my life, I know that the Lord loves me faithfully. And He will love me forever! He is entirely faithful and there is no one who compares to Him. He is more awesome than any heavenly being. They all stand in awe at His power. No one is as mighty as He. And He is entirely faithful. Oh, Lord, You rule all of creation. "Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand!" (v. 13)

I find it so reasuring to know that the Lord is in control of all of creation. Even when things seem to be spinning out of control, I have faith that the Lord has it all in His hands. Nothing gets past Him. He is faithful and His love for us is constant. Make sure that your children know, too... both young and old need to hear of the Lord's faithfulness! And, remember — His faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. You don't have to worry about it expiring... it lasts forever. That's something to think about, isn't it?  

 

I have a baby card for you today. It's rather non-traditional, but sometimes I like it that way.

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We have a new little baby girl on our street and that meant an opportunity to do something fun. I used a sort of bright palette and grounded it with gray paper. All the embellishments were leftovers from other projects. It always feels good to use up some of those bit of paper! 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Fox & Friends, Sweet Little Sentiments); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White); patterned paper is Bo Bunny Back to Basics plus some miscellaneous scraps; ink is SU (Orchid Opulence, Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight) and PTI (True Black); also used SU dies (Embosslit Beautiful Wings, Floral Fusion, Little Leaves, Lots of Tags Label 1), an SU punch (1-1/4" circle punch), bakers twine is Divine Twine (Cotton Candy), and a miscellaneous gemstone. 

Well, so much for getting done early today. Oh, well. I'll have to try again tomorrow. :) Thanks so much for stopping in for a visit. As always, I love hearing from you. Sending you big hugs today!

Producing Good Fruit... and... Happy Birthday, Nora Grace!

Today is Tuesday, October 4. The most special thing about today is that it is the 5th birthday of our next door neighbor, Nora Grace. But we'll get to that later in the crafty portion of the post.

For now, let's see... the steroid reduction has been OK. Nothing like a few weeks ago when I got all loopy. So, that's good. Wouldn't it be great to get completely off of them? I haven't asked if that's even a possibility at this point, but just that they can decrease the dose without losing me into some other world... well, I take that as a good sign.

I can't really think of anything else on the medical front. I still nap for about an hour each morning and that seems to do me for the day. Today during radiation they also took x-rays. I'm assuming that we may hear something about that tomorrow. But, as I've told you before, I really suffer from a deplorable lack of curiosity so if they don't offer any information I probably won't even think to ask. I know. I'm a little odd. :)

 

Let's look to the New Testament for some scriptural inspiration today.

Colossians 1:9b-10

"We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better."

My desire is always to honor and please God. I ask the Lord to give me wisdom and understanding. I certainly don't want anything I say or do to become a stumbling block for anyone, causing them to lose or question their faith. Or to question mine. I'm so happy that I live under a system of grace and mercy and forgiveness. That Jesus works in me to produce good fruit... meaning he helps me do things that honor Him. If you've been visiting with me awhile, you know this is a big theme of mine — just that I stay true to Christ and His message and don't stumble and lead others astray. 

So, I think the message in these verses is to stay connected to the Lord. Ask Him to give you spiritual knowledge and understanding. Listen to Him as He speaks to you through His Word and through others. Then you will grow in your faith because you will be gaining a better understanding of God and His ways. And as you grow and engage others, you will be producing all kinds of good things in your life and in theirs. And that's what your faith is all about. Learning. Growing. Sharing. Live your life to honor God and all of that will come naturally.

 

And now for a card. 

Today is our next door neighbor's fifth birthday. And, in my experience with five year olds, turning five is a big deal. Ask most new five year olds how old they are and they won't tell you... they'll show you. It's very cool to be a whole hand old. :)

So, today is Nora Grace's fifth birthday and, of course, that deserves a card just for her.

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Nora is very precocious, so this card is probably a little juvenile for her... but it was what I came up with, so I hope that at least the purple colors will inspire her. It seems to me that all five year old girls like purple and pink. :)

The premise of the card, though, is that it's a counting card. There are five of each image... all lined up... both on the front cover and inside the card, too. Then on the inside I also added the numeral because it's always good for a child to connect the counting with the symbol. There is also a size component, as the images go from small to large. I just can't help myself. Once a teacher, always a teacher I guess. (And, I feel like I have to say that I really dislike the way I stamped the raccoons on the inside, but what's done is done. Hopefully Nora won't mind.) 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Furry Folk, Simple Sayings II); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White); ink is SU (Lovely Lilac, Rich Razzleberry, Marvelous Magenta, Orchid Opulence, Mauve Mist, Perfect Plum); also used SU's Lovely Lilac marker and PTI's By the Numbers die. 

So, Nora Grace — Have a Happy, Happy Birthday! We love you and will be over with a present very soon. :)

And, to everyone else, thank you so much for stopping by and visiting with me today — some of you for the second time! I really appreciate your comments, your visits, your love, prayers, and support. You are special to me and I'm sending you great big hugs!

Be Encouraged... and... Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Tuesday, September 27. I slept in a bit this morning and, while that feels good sometimes, it also really makes me out of sorts because it makes the whole schedule a little more rushed. Of course, nothing has been normal around here for a couple of months, but the most usual thing seems to be that I wake up on my own sometime between 5 and 5:30. I read my Bible and a couple devotional books and then spend some time making a card or something. About 7:15 or 7:30 I start the whole grooming process and am downstairs for breakfast by 8:00. My radiation appointment is at 9:00, but we're usually there by 8:50 — and normally they take me in fairly quickly. This week, however, there have been a lot of new patients who take a little longer and today the machine lost power and had to be powered back up, so everything was way behind. Where I'm usually in and out quickly... today I didn't get out of the office until closer to 10:00. Not good when you're already tired and crabby! 

But, I came home and took a good nap. Woke up in a better frame of mind. Had some lunch. Had a couple visitors and now, at 3:30, I am finally getting to today's blog post. 

Oh! I got a couple of my Etsy and internet purchases today. Nothing like some happy maii, right? First the internet. I had ordered Flylady's water bottles because I was tired of the squishiness of the plastic water bottles from the grocery store. They make too much noise and are not very eco-friendly — so I thought I'd give the Flylady stainless steel bottles a try.

Pretty, aren't they? I'm using the smaller one right now am loving it.

And then Etsy. I love ordering stuff from Etsy because the sellers almost always do a little bit extra to make what is already fun mail into mail that is more fun.

Nothing like tissue paper and curling ribbon to make something you paid for seem like a gift. :)

And here's me wearing the chemo cap that was inside.

I figured that this color may be good for Panther's games, which I hope to start going to again. Or, at least, I can wear it while sitting on the couch eating crackers, cheese, sausage, and fruit cut up into an attractive display by Ken. :)

 

So — here's some scripture for today. Don't take this first part too literally, OK?

Psalm 69:29-33

"I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.

"Then I will praise God's name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves. The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God's help be encouraged. For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people."

In case you are wondering, I personally am not suffering or in pain. At least not so far. But it's great to know that if I ever am I can call out to the Lord for rescue. And because I know His character and because I'm confident of His great love for me, I know that whatever challenges come my way that He will help to see me through them.

But what God really desires from us is praise and thankfulness. He is the One who will meet all our needs and He deserves to be recognized for that. And He desires that recognition. I think that as humans we sometimes try to make deals with God. You know... God, if you get me through this situation, I'll ... whatever... stop swearing... go to church... be nice to that person I don't like... you fill in your own dot-dot-dot. I don't think God is really interested in making deals with us. He just wants our hearts. He wants us to be humble enough to admit that we're not in charge. That He is. It says here that when were are humble we will be able to see God at work. And, to me, that is encouraging. Really, I would much rather He be in charge of my life because every time I have tried to be in charge things haven't gone all that well.

And then most encouraging, I think, is the fact that the Lord hears us when we cry out to Him. I mean, face it. We are a needy people. What can we truly do without His help? Or may I should say, what can we truly do successfully... what can we truly do that will be of lasting value... without His help? He hears our cries. He does not despise us. He desires to help us. Shore up your relationship with Him. It is where you will truly find peace.  

 

And now it's time for today's card. It's the last card that I'm doing in this Farewell Tour for Stampin' Up's All-Year Cheer III — a very old Stampin' Up set that I'm purging from my collection and giving to someone else to enjoy. In case you've missed it, you can click here, here, here, and here to see the other cards I made using this set.  

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For not really having a plan when I started, I think it turned out fairly well. Of course, I rarely have a plan when I get started... I just kind of see where the supplies lead me. :)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (All-Year Cheer III, Spring Solitude); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream) and SU (Dusty Durango, Marigold Morning); ink is SU (So Saffron, Early Espresso); stickers are Martha Stewart (Harvest Collection Leaf); also used SU's Square Lattice embossing folder and Lots of Tags Label 1 die.

And since it's after 5:00 now, I think I'll close this up. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you've had a fabulous day! Sending you lots of love from me!

unfailing love... and... just a note

Today is Monday, September 26. It is after 1:30 as I begin this post and so far it has been a good day. And, you know that I love that! Of course, who doesn't love a good day? My definition of a good day has just changed somewhat. A good day around here now means a clear head and minimal naps. And time to complete a blog post and maybe watch a little TV. Quite a life, huh? Eventually I'll add going to work into the mix, but right now I'm usually so tired after a radiation treatment that I end up napping the morning away — and when your job is basically a half-day morning/early afternoon job... well, between treatment, naps, and lunch there's just not a lot of time or energy for work. I'm hopeful that once radiation is over, though, that I'll be able to get back to a regular work schedule... or close to it.

Today I learned that after tomorrow the focus of the radiation changes... meaning it becomes concentrated on a smaller area. The way I understand it is that right now, because there is a lot of swelling associated with the tumor, they have been targeting a large area — the tumor and all the swollen areas around it. After tomorrow, they'll narrow the focus and target the actual tumor. Of course, I may have that wrong... but that's what I understood them to say today. And, as is usual with me, I didn't ask how that will affect me. I guess I'll just see what happens. They are planning to keep my steroid dose the same throughout this week and I think try reducing it one more time at the beginning of next week.

I think that's the medical update for today. Boy, I long for the day when you don't have to endure those (and I don't have to write them)!

 

Now it's time for today's scripture — from the Psalms again. 

Psalm 69:5-6, 16

"O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you. Don't let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O Sovereign Lord of Heaven's Armies. Don't let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel....

"Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me for your mercy is plentiful."

Again I'm reminded of dcTalk's song, "What if I Stumble" (it's imbedded in this post). I've either commented on a similar verse before or just talked about this before, but one of my "fears" has always been that I'll do or say something stupid that will lead people astray. It remains a concern of mine... especially as I post so much here on the internet. I am often so very foolish and God knows that's true. I do pray that my foolishness does not cause people to lose sight of the Lord. And that when I temporarily lose my way that I am either quickly convicted by the Holy Spirit or confronted by another Believer. And I pray that my heart remains soft to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to me — because, really, I prefer His chastisement (especiallly when he's gentle with me) to something more public and humiliating. And, I'm not too fond of having to apologize. :)

Since my world is a bit isolated right now — I'm not going to work or out into public too much — it's pretty easy to remain focused on the Lord and be "more spiritual". Also, I do work in a Christian environment — which doesn't necessarily mean that we all always act in Christian ways, but it does provide us with a similar standard of behavior and understanding of each other. So, I realize that my situation may make it easier to live in a holy way. But I do believe that God provides help for us in bad situations. Sometimes all we have to do is ask.

I was in a situation once as a teacher where I felt like my assistant was persecuting one especially precocious child because he talked a lot and was a bit of a smart-mouth. (He was pretty funny, though. I stifled many-a-smile that year! :) ) Anyway, I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to handle it and after a couple days it finally dawned on me to pray about it. The next day, at the time of day where the clash regularly occured, the assistant came to me and said something like, "The way I've been disciplining so-and-so has not been working so I've decided not to do that anymore." I was so flabbergasted. And thankful for the speedy answer to prayer. So — I guess I'm saying, when you have a concern... pray about it! Seems obvious, doesn't it? So why does it often take us so long to think of that? The Lord wants us to be dependent on Him. He wants to help us in all sorts of situations. Nothing is too big or too small to take to Him in prayer. 

And, why does He do this (rescue us)? Because He hears our prayers. He loves us with an unfailing love. He loves to take care of us. And His mercy is plentiful. Could you ask for anything more? I think not!

 

Well, I spent a little time in the craft room this morning so I have something new to share today. That makes me happy. :)

If you've been around here for quite awhile, you know I decided to get rid of some of my stamp sets... but I wanted to have a party for each one before sending it off to live with a friend. Originally, I was doing that by using each stamp in the set... but I just couldn't get inspired by all the stamps in this particular set so I decided to break my rules. Instead, I'm just doing the images that I want to do. I guess when you make the rules you can break the rules. :)

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The little sentiment is the image from the set that I'm giving away.

And this is yet another card that didn't go exactly as planned. In fact, I'll explain my idea but it is still really hard to see, so I guess it didn't work out too well. My thought was that I would stamp the large image with Versamark, quickly cut it into strips, separate the strips in order, and then emboss every other one. Would've worked pretty well if I has separated the strips in order so I didn't have two unembossed strips in a row. Oh, well. Mistakes are opportunities for improvements, right? So I employed my favorite distraction tactic... strips of glitter. :) And I think that, somehow, I came up with a pretty decent looking card. 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (All-Year Cheer III, Bella Toile); cardstock is SU (vellum) and a pre-scored card from Halcraft (Natural Color Card Value Pack); ink is Versamark and StazOn (Jet Black); embossing powder is Stamp-n Stuff (Detail Clear); glitter is Prisma (ultra fine gold); stickers are Martha Stewart (orange-yellow dahlia); also used 1/8" Scor-tape.

Thought I'd show you a couple pictures from around here. This first one is from the spread that Ken puts out for us to eat while we watch our Carolina Panthers play football.

He's pretty amazing, isn't he? In the pre-brain tumor days when I was doing all this, there would have been a pile of cheese slices and a pile of sausage slices. No fruit. My only quirk with our sausage and cheese was that there had to be the same number of each and they needed to be fairly thinly and evenly sliced. Well, Ken has taken our Sunday afternoon football meal to new heights. :) (We also have a basket full of crackers and our own mustard preferences — Ken's regular old yellow mustard and my honey-mustard.) Anyway, every Sunday you can now picture what we'll be eating during the football game. Unless Ken changes things up a bit. Which could happen. :)

Then I thought I'd show you my morning nap couch companion.

Isn't she a sweetie? Actually, she doesn't stay on the couch with me for very long. She thinks I take up too much room. :)

And that's probably enough for today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I appreciate your visits so much! Have a great rest of your day — and I'm sending you hugs!

Rescue your beloved... and... for my mom

Today is Friday, September 16. Another step-down-on-the-steroid-dose day. I think this is the last change in the dosage for awhile. I hope so because it kind of stresses me out — and I am not the type of person who stresses out easily or often. But, I vividly remember the first time they reduced my doses and it was not pretty. Of course, this time the reduction has gone very well at each step, with the exception of my crabbiness, so hopefully this step will go well, too. I have learned a few things. It goes better if I go and do things or if I have visitors who keep me occupied. Go figure. Being distracted and not dwelling on my own stuff makes me feel better. :) (Don't know why it took me so long to figure that out!) 

Today so far I've read my Bible, been to radiation, made a couple cards, taken some card photos, had a nap, gone to work for a (very) short while, eaten (a few times, of course!), and am trying to get a really good start on this post before we go to pick my mom up from the airport. Pretty busy day. :)

And since I still have stuff to do... let's get into the Word. Today from the Psalms.

Psalm 60:3-5, 11-12

"You have been very hard on us, making us drink wine that sent us reeling. But you have raised a banner for those who fear you — a rallying point in the face of attack. Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power.... Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God's help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes."

I don't know who your enemy is right now, but I sure do know who mine is. My enemy is a brain tumor and, in many ways, that tumor has set a lot of people reeling... not just me. But I have a rallying point and it is my relationship with the Lord. I am His beloved and He can rescue me and save me by His awesome power. He is my help against my formidable enemy — the brain tumor. And with His help — brain tumor or no — I can do mighty things. Reassuring, isn't it? 

 

Now to the crafty portion of our day. :) 

Remember the "Farewell Tour" that I was doing? It's ba-a-c-k! Of course, I started it on January 1 of this year. This may be the longest-running retrospective ever. :)

It's my 4th Farewell Tour — where I pick a set in my stamp collection and give it some extra love before giving it away. The set I'm giving away this time is All Year Cheer III, an old Stampin' Up set that I just haven't used for ages. And I'm adjusting the way I do the tour. Previously I made sure that I used every single set in the box before letting it go. I'm over that. I just don't feel like doing a St. Patrick's Day, Anniversary, Halloween, Graduation, Christmas, or Valentine's Day card right now. So I'm not going to. They're my rules and I can break them, right? :)

So, today I'm saying good-bye to a little tiny stamp in the set.

SHOW

I usually make a card to have for visitors when they arrive, so this time I made a little cardlet for my mom — who is arriving today for a long visit. Probably by the time I get this finished and posted she'll already be here... I'm the slowest post-writer in the world! I think she'll appreciate the card, though.

AND TELL:  stamp is from Stampin' Up (All Year Cheer III); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White); ink is Stampin' Up (Almost Amethyst, Lavender Lace); stickers are from Martha Stewart (Dimensional Hydrangea); baker's twine is The Twinery (Lilac); also used SU's Square Latice embossing folder and Cuttlebug's Tiny Tags die. 

And we'll love having her here.

That should probably be it for now. Mom did arrive safe and sound — but the pictures that I took were not very good at all, so pictures of Mom will have to come later. But we'll have plenty of opportunities because she's here for a good long visit. :)

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I love hearing from you and will plan on being in touch again tomorrow. Sending you big hugs!

Don't Live in Dread... and... Cupcake Birthday

Today is Sunday, September 11, 2011. The 10 year anniversary of 9/11. Did anyone else see the beginning of the Bears-Falcons game? Wow. The guy that sang the national anthem really attacked it and, I for one, loved it! Well, I'm assuming the crowd did, too, because they cheered for the entire song... beginning to end. Beautiful stuff for a patriotic football fan! :)

I felt pretty great upon waking up this morning — always an encouraging sign. Five minutes from right now (which will be 2:00) I take the first reduced dosage steroid pill of this reduction go-round... and I'm pretty optimistic that this will be OK. At least, I'm trying to be. Our son is also flying home from his three weeks in Tennessee this afternoon, so that's exciting. I'm thinking that going to the airport with Ken to pick Ian up will be a good thing and a distraction for me — to keep me from thinking about what may or may not be happening in my head. So I'll do that, too. And, then, at 4:15 the Panthers football game is on. We will, of course, be glued to the TV for that. :) So — with all that activity, I'm hoping that this step-down in dosage goes without a hitch. (I'm sure I'll be giving you an update later down in the post — as there's no way that I'll be getting this done in the next 10 minutes before we leave to pick up the boy!)

 Here's some scripture for today. It is still — even after years of reading through a daily Bible — amazing to me how often scripture that is so, so appropriate for the day comes up. From the Old Testament for this time:

Isaiah 8:11-14a

"The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, 'Don't call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don't live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven's Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe....'"

Now — isn't that an encouragement for the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11? I mean... we don't have to live in fear and dread. We don't even have to think of the attacks as a conspiracy. Instead, we simply trust the Lord... make Him holy in our lives... fear (respect) Him. He is the One who keeps us safe! Sure — our world is a scary place. Bad stuff happens and there are people who have no regard for the lives of others. But, as one of our pastors pointed out this morning, Paul (in the Bible) started out as Saul who was persecuting and killing Christians. He ended up a foundational leader in the Church. So — we shouldn't count anyone out or give up on anyone. We are to love people to Jesus. And love is what will win them over. That's something to think about today, isn't it?

 

Moving on... 

It's time for a special birthday card now. This one is for a young woman that we refer to as our "adopted daughter". We met met Brittany during her senior year of college — 2005-2006 — but didn't really begin to become acquainted with her until she took the plunge and moved to Charlotte after graduation. It's a pretty cool story, we think, but probably too long to go into here. Suffice it to say, that the Lord definitely brought us together and has since knitted our families together — and it's been a beautiful thing!

So — today is Brittany's birthday... and here is her card.

SHOW

Adding a bit of colored cardstock to the inside seems to be working for me these days. Putting it on a nice shape adds even more interest. So to the right you can see the inside of Brittany's card.

I really, really wanted to buy a fancy cupcake to give to her, too, but with stamp club yesterday and then going out to dinner with her family, well — she "only" got a VISA gift card. Maybe she was happy to forego the calories for some shopping cash. :)

So — here is a picture of our dinner group.

You have Ken, me, Krista (Brittany's mom), Brittany the birthday girl, Sarah (Brittany's good friend who flew in for the occasion), and Mike (Brittany's dad). We had dinner at The King's Kitchen... a restaurant with a higher calling: the profits feed the poor in Charlotte and around the world and the restaurant provides employment for people who need a new start. Very cool concept — and the food is delicious. If you're near Charlotte and haven't been, I highly recommend it (and the fried chicken... :) ).

And here Ken & I are with the birthday girl...

You can't really tell that I have a pretty large bald spot, can you? Maybe I've perfected the come-over. :) But, I don't plan to rely on it... I think I'll start using the scarves, the wig, and hats... or just exposing my scalp, because I can be a bit lazy... 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Crazy for Cupcakes, Create a Cupcake); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White) and SU (Pink Pirouette); patterned paper from my very old stash; ink is SU (Pink Pirouette, Barely Banana) and PTI (True Black); also used a PTI die (Double-ended Banner) and an SU embossing folder (Square Latice), die (Lots of Tags Labels 1), and punches (Scallop Edge, Cupcake).

I mentioned that we were heading to the airport to pick up our son...

well... he arrived! I think that he's thrilled to be home after being gone for three weeks — but exhausted, too. We took him straight to his apartment and I supposed he's already asleep. He's definitely my child for whom sleep — and lots of it — is very important! 

Today I also thought it would be a good idea to start covering my bald patch with something besides a come-over when I go out.

This was today's look. Not too bad, I guess. But I think I may need to start wearing my contacts again because having my glasses squished against the side of my head is definitely not comfortable. By the time our football game came on I decided to just go with the bald patch. I don't think Ken or Roxy the dog cared. :)

And maybe that's enough information for today. It's after 6:00 now and so far so good with the steroid reduction. I know there are still many more hours to go, but I feel good so — yay and thank you, Lord! And thanks to you for all the prayers! (And please continue...)

Have a great rest of your day and I plan to be back here again tomorrow... so I'll "see" you then. Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit — I appreciate it so much!

Come with great power, O God... and... Christmas Sticker Tags

Today is the monthly meeting of the Stampin' Up stamp club that I'm a member of... and above is the teaser for that. :) But now — let's just get into the usual format.

Besides being a stamp club day, today is also Saturday, September 10. Since it is again the weekend, I am again uneasy about not having radiation treatments. I'm usually quite strong mentally. Lately, not quite so much. And I can't help remembering when the tapering down on the steroids caused me mental issues. A little reduction took place a couple days ago... and we're due to reduce more on Sunday evening. Yes, I try not to think about it but it is always there. I'd really like to get the dosage down where they want it to be, so I'm hoping (PRAYING!) my body and mind cooperate!

I also thought I'd give you an update on one of my concerns from early last week... the constipation and hemorrhoids. I know, not polite conversation topics... but it is one of my realities, so skip on if you don't like this kind of stuff. But — the news is all good! After prayer (including, of course, all of yours!) and some changes in what is "going in" — well, things are so much better. Now — this is not something the normal healthy person would want to do, but if you happen to know someone in my situation (or, I hope not, but if it is ever you) here's what is working for me right now. Upon rising I take one Dulcolax and one Colace... just the over the counter stuff (this was at a PA's suggestion). At breakfast I drink 4 ounces of water with Benefiber dissolved in it. I also have a prune or two. (Two because I usually can't remember if I've already eaten one or not — haha!) And if we have any bran muffins, I may have one... or two... or... throughout the day. Then when I'm going to bed I do the Dulcolax and Colace again. And — so far, so good! Whew! That's a relief. :) And since the pooping aspect is better, so are the hemorroids. All good news. 

Oh, today's scripture is so fabulous that I had to make it very person to my situation. Hope you don't mind. (You can do this, too. After all, we all of some sort of "stuff", don't we?)

Psalm 54 (personalized for me... :) )

"Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. For [a tumor is] attacking me; [an aggressive tumor is] trying to kill me. [It cares] nothing for God.

"But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them.

"I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you. I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over [this brain tumor]."

See how personalizing scripture can really, really make it come alive for your own life? After you do that, try reading it out loud. Multiple times. Powerful stuff, I tell ya! This one I think I'm going to copy onto another sheet of paper and carry it with me all day. Sometimes I just need a constant reminder... and carrying scripture around with me provides that. Maybe it would be helpful for you, too.

Now — how about a picture or two from a typical morning around here.

 Yes, it always involves a nap. At least one. Look closely at that picture. We have a black dog. Sometimes I'm fortunate and she'll share the couch with me. :) 

But sometimes she tries to keep it all to herself. Her being on my pillow is frowned upon by me... but she does look comfy, doesn't she? She also looks like she's just waiting for me to shoo her to the other end of the sofa... or off it altogether. :)

 

I think I'll move on to the crafty portion of our day, now. 

Our stamp club's swap theme for the month of September is packaging. I was going by memory (crazy for the brain tumor girl, right?) and was thinking gift item... but since it's packaged, too, I guess I'm OK. :)  

SHOW

I just folded over the Decorative Label punched paper, stapled, decorated, and used it for a bag topper. So, I guess that's the packaging aspect of my project. Easy-peasy, right?

And, in the bag? I stamped and punched sticker paper from an office supply store to make a set of holiday stickers — some for gift tags, others for sealing envelopes or decorating packages. And there's the gift idea for you. Now, I must say, I didn't try to peel the paper backing off the stickers yet... hopefully it's not too difficult. Maybe you can let me know... :) 

AND TELL:  stamps are Stampin' Up (Season of Joy, Delightful Decorations, Tags til Christmas, Tiny Tags); SU (Real Red, Kiwi Kiss, Summer Sun) and Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White); sticker paper; ink is SU (Always Artichoke, Summer Sun, Real Red, Brilliant Blue), PTI (True Black), and Encore (Ultimate Metallic Silver); marker (Chocolate Chip); punches (1-3/4" circle, 1-1/4" circle, 3/4" circle, ornament, decorative label, dotted scallop ribbon border, jewelry tag, punch pack).

Now, I better close this up and get ready to leave for stamp club. So I think I'll post early today. Today the steroids haven't seemed to be working quite as well. I'm hoping it's all in my head, because after stamp club — if I'm up to it, going out for a birthday dinner with our "adopted daughter", along with her parents. I'll let you know tomorrow, but I'm thinking it will be a very good thing. And it's less than an hour until my next steroid dose, so I should be juiced up and ready to go... right?

Thanks so much for stopping by here and for all your prayers. They are so, so, SO appreciatiate — and needed. Sending lots of love your way!