Feeling Yucky

Tom and I have decided we need to be sick at the same time. It seems like one of us feels bad and then when one is well the other isn't. It's my turn today. I did go to church this morning but I couldn't sing because I was losing my voice. I tried to but some weird squeaky sound came out and I figured I better not try. I enjoyed hearing the voices around me but it just doesn't seem right not to be able to join in. I have to feel better tomorrow because our Monday afternoon lifegroup is celebrating a birthday at Olive Garden. I read awhile this afternoon - I've finished two more novels since Thursday but neither of them were good enough to blog about. Now I'm ready to read some blogs.

More Books and a Movie

Since I last wrote I have completed two books and today I saw "Marley and Me". I'll start with the movie. I cried. I was told I would cry but that didn't stop me. I love dogs and I have owned 9 dogs - ten if you count the only dog I had growing up. Most were shelter dogs and the two poodles of the three poodles were purchased. The most dogs we've owned at one time was three and now we just have one. I hope I always have a dog. Our preacher says there will be dogs in heaven and I believe he is right.

I just completed Change of Heart by Jody Picoult. My friend Sandy recommended this author and I have read 4 of her books now. They all leave you with something to think about. This one deals with the death penalty and also talks about the gnostic gospels, which if it weren't for Bobby Valentine I wouldn't know anything about. The gnostic gospels not capital or capitol punishment.

I read more fiction than non-fiction but I am trying to balance it out more. I also finished re-reading Renewing God's People by Gary Holloway and Douglas Foster. This goes along with our Sunday morning class on Discovering our Roots. Next I am going to reread Phillips Yancy's book "Whats so Amazing About Grace" because that is the topic of our Tuesday morning Ladies class taught by "guess who"- Bobby Valentine. If you are reading this Bobby skip the next line. I think BV is the best Bible teacher and preacher that I have ever had the privilege of listening to and I have heard a lot in 66 years. And it's not just because he thinks dogs will be in heaven.

Books and Movies

Night before last I finished reading Broken Paradise by Cecilia Samartin. I cried through the last four chapters. I wish I was a better writer and could give you a review
of it, but I will say I loved it. Go to the library or Amazon.

Yesterday I saw the movie Doubt. Go see it.

Ramblings

Since I am back to writing I decided to update my links and somehow deleted all of them. When I figure it out I'll try to get them back on.
We just finished our Monday afternoon Life group and it was quite interesting. We were talking about what we wanted to study and decided on trying to follow up on Sunday's sermon. Yesterdays sermon was "who needs Palo Verde" (the name of our congregation) We then had an interesting discussion about changes in the church. I won't go into any detail but I think this discussion is going on in a lot of places and not just here. All I am going to say about that is I am glad I am a member at Palo Verde because I think this is going to be an exciting year both for our church family and for me personally. On Wed night we have a Ladies class that is studying Beth Moore's series on Esther. This is the first Beth Moore study I have been involved in and I must say I am really enjoying it. We watch a video on Wed night and then there is a follow up on Sunday mornings which I haven't attended since Bobby Valentine is teaching on "Discovering our Roots" a study of the Stone Campbell Movement, which is excellent so I don't want to miss that. The study of Esther is helping me to look at my life and think about what God's purpose for me might be. I know he doesn't want me just sitting around and reading blogs although since I am retired I do that a lot.

New Years Resolutions

I haven't written on my blog since April of last year. I'm not sure why but I think it has to do with privacy and not being sure that I really want to share my thoughts or musings. I love reading blogs and I guess I want to be a part of this world again. So with that said here I go again.

Tom and I have made a commitment (not a resolution) to go the Y again and so far this week I have gone 4 times and Tom 3. This morning he was ready to go at 8:30 and I wasn't. I was ready by 10:30 and he wasn't so I went by myself. I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes and walked a mile and a half. I listened to Don McLaughlin's (North Atlanta Church of Christ) first sermon of the New Year on my IPod. I listened to Rick Atchley(Richland Hills Church of Christ) yesterday. Both were great lessons.

Of course the commitment that goes along with this is to eat more healthy and eat more meals at home. I have cooked more this week but we are easing into this more slowly.

I have also decided to keep track of the books I read this year. I got this quote from a book reviewer - Sir Francis Bacon's (1561 - 1626) creed, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body". So far I have read two - "The Little Book" by Selden Edwards and "Between Sundays" by Karen Kingsbury. I got both of them from the library. Both of these authors were new to me. It took 30 years for Selden Edwards to write his book and it has to do with time travel and was interesting. Karen Kingsbury is a Christian writer and has written several books. It was an easy read and very predictable but it was a good story. The next book which I haven't started is called "Broken Paradise" by Cecilia Samartin. I'll let you know what I think.

Update and Eagles

I haven't been reading blogs so much lately since I have found a web site that has me hooked. The web site is http://chil.vcoe.org/eagle_cam.htm My friend Sandy turned me onto this and if you are a nature lover at all I think you will enjoy it. The site explains it better than I could. When you go click on the Eagle Cam to see what I'm talking about. Let me know if you like it. I'm sorry I couldn't get add a link to work, so you'll have to type it in.

Tom Jr. began feeling better with his back but now has to have Oral surgery. He is going to have 3 wisdom teeth pulled (he already had one pulled several years ago) as well as two other molars, one top and bottom that match up. He is going to do all 5 on Friday, under general anesthetic. Say a prayer.

On another subject. Mike Cope had a post about Wed night Bible classes a few days ago and he ask people to comment on their feelings about attendance. I didn't comment but if I had I would have said that I really look forward to Wed. night - not just because Bobby Valentine is our teacher, but our six year old neighbor, Laura, loves to go with us. She and her brother and sister came to our VBS that we had over a weekend last summer, and has been coming ever since. Her brother and sister -both older come too but are not as regular as Laura. They go to the Catholic church on Sundays and all three were baptized there after they started coming with us. Laura says she likes our church better because we speak English. :) They go to a Spanish speaking church. Speaking of Wed night - I guess I better get ready to go. Check out that website!

Lazy Day

I've just spent the last 2 hours reading blogs. I realized I needed to update. The first thing is that I would like to ask prayers for my son Tom Jr. We went to CA a couple of weeks ago for a family wedding which I should have posted about because it was special. Maybe the next post. Back to Tom Jr. He helped by carrying a TV from the mother of the groom's (my cousin) house to the car, to the wedding site, to the babysitting room. On our way home on Monday, the wedding had been on Saturday, he was miserable and I did almost all of the driving. On the way over I had only driven an hour and he drove the rest. He has been in bed with a backache most of the time since that trip. He did go with Tom to work at Camp Christian Echoes to help prepare for the retreat coming up in two weeks. Tom really needed him to drive which he did and I guess he did some physical work while he was there, so that didn't help.

BTW Randy Harris is going to be the speaker for the Palo Verde's Band of Brothers Men's Retreat. This is the second year Tom has been in charge and he loves all the organizing, but that is about all I hear about until it's over. I'm actually going with him today, when I get off the computer to fill in holes. When they were down there - about an hr and a half south of Tucson - they dug holes with the help of a man with a backhoe(I think that is what is was). They are awaiting trees that are going to be planted. Now they have found out the trees won't be delivered until May 1st (while we are at Pepperdine) and since the camp will be occupied the next three weekends we don't want anyone falling in a hole. So since I didn't go to help dig, I am going to help fill in.

Thanks to everyone who gave their opinion about my hair. So far I have only had one person tell me I should dye it back and that person dyes her hair red.I'm still adjusting.