If you could care less about my gallbladder you can stop reading now

but for those of you who are nosey, or bored continue on! :) If you remember I posted about my gallbladder trouble here about a month ago. Since then, i went for an ultrasound which revealed no stones and a perfectly normal looking gallbladder. Next step was a HIDA scan which showed that my gb was functioning at about 11% instead of the normal persons 45%. I went to the surgeon who apparently is not to excited about removing a perfectly normal GB that just happens to be sluggish. He advised me that it may be sluggish because I am a stressed person. Who me? You've got to be kidding, or it could be that I had a virus. Whatever! He told me to continue to eat low fat and come back in about 2-3 months if I still had problems. Have you ever heard of a surgeon who did not want to cut you?
Well, I have kept on with the low fat diet and have lost 18 lbs. Sad thing is I guess I needed to lose that and about 25 more because no one has really noticed. I have been pain free for about 10 days so I got brave tonight and ate meatballs and sure enough that nagging pain is up under my rib and shoulder blade.
Funny thing is in January I made this promise to myself to really clean up my diet and eat right. Be careful what you wish for!
As for me, you'll find me in the kitchen trying to figure out a low fat version of fried chicken and macaroni and cheese!

Supper ideas

If you don't feel like cooking after a long day, just suggest something you know everyone hates like, oh I don't know, chicken stir fry, and whaa laa, your husand will offer to buy Zaxby's!

$2.99

That's what I paid for this 100% cashmere sweater from Lands End that I scored at the Goodwill today. After buying Easter clothes for Leslie and Virginia that's all I could afford!

A good read

I just finished this fantastic book, Go Home and Tell about a missionary to China. Bertha Smith was a dynamo! She went to China in the early 1900's and was absolutely fearless! Talk about faith, she was a firm believer in boldly approaching God to ask for what you need. She recounts stories miraculous answers to prayers, including protection during the communist takeover of China, to exorcisms of demons, and includes many stories about faith healing. When she returned to the US, she was so sad to see so many American believers with such little faith.
If you want a faith building book to read, spend a rainy weekend curled up with this one!

Faith

Hebrews 11 defines faith as having confidence in what you cannot actually see with your eyes, but believing and hoping for what you know God can and do. This great chapter goes on the give review of great Old Testament saints who for various reasons demonstrated great faith.
To be honest, I feel like for the most part I've got really weak faith. Sometimes I think, God's gonna do what He wants, so does my praying really make a difference? Other times, I think, those kind of miracles were for the Old Testament people, and since we have the actual Bible we are never really going to see those wild and crazy things they did.

God has really confronted me and my issue of lack of faith. I've committed myself to really studying Hebrews 11 this next 30 days. Can I really trust God to save me, yet believe that He never really does amazing things any more, like cure cancer or provide things in the "nick of time"? I have thought alot about that lately. What makes us content with a Christian journey that doesn't expect supernatural displays of power as a normal event? Or is it that He is always working, performing supernatural acts, and I'm just not noticing. Maybe a little of both?

Like the official in the book of Mark, I have faith, but want so much more! So I say with him, " Lord I believe, help my unbelief!"

Pretend you won the lottery...(which is pretty impossible since we never play)

How would you spend it? (and you are not allowed to pay off any debt).....
Wayne said- "I would tithe (OK Wayne, you are obviously the spiritual one in the family!) then buy a camper with a big slide out."
Leslie said-"I'd buy front row seats to the Jonas Brothers concert."
Virginia said-" I'd buy a big dog."
I said "I'd take the family to Hawaii for a 2 week vacation."

How would you spend your lottery winnings?

car wash politics

If you are 15 and own a white car, keeping it clean is very important, especially when you live down a dirt road.

If you are the kid sister, and ever want to ride along in above mentioned car, you may have to wash tires.


If you are a sweet doggy, and promise not to lick the windows, you might just get to ride shotgun .

Happy Spring!

And here's how we celebrated.....

Wayne took me to the most wonderful B&B in Athens for my birthday. We both left work half day and drove up to Athens. We stayed at the Foundry Inn. It was so awesome. I got the full on spa treatment yesterday afternoon. I could so get a massage every week. It would drastically reduce my stress level. Wayne's reasoning is that if I got a massage every week it would be no big deal, and thus loose it's magic. I think that is just is economic reasoning kicking into high gear. :) Then he took me to Carabba's ( my favorite) for dinner. It has been a trick figuring out how to eat out and keep my gallbladder at rest. I am doing much better, and had the most delicious salmon. Wayne and I just talked and laughed. It seemed so carefree. Seems like for lots of different reasons we've been under stress lately and our usual conversation centers around those stressful things, but last night it was just talking to connect.
When we got home, I realized I had two whole hours to myself before I picked the girls up, so here I sit, telling by blogging friends how great my birthday was, how wonderful my husband is, and knowing that I've had enough goodness in the last 24 hours, to get me through for a long time :)

40

Here are my random birthday thoughts:
1) If I had written the story myself of turning 40, I could not have made it nearly as blessed as it is!
2)Wayne is my soulmate. I love him more than life itself. He has taught me how to love, how to laugh, how to appreciate life. I love him so much more than I did when I was 22, so much less than I will at 80.
3)Leslie and Virginia are my life's greatest accomplishments. I see two beautiful young girls becoming healthy, smart compassionate women in front of my own eyes. I can't wait to see where God takes them.
4)Who do you know that goes to work every day and loves it? I do! Everyday I get to do what I dreamed of when I was a little girl. I'll be a nurse forever, even after I retire, I'll never stop taking care of people.
5)My family and friends are entwined. Family is a sweet bond that is never broken, no matter how far distance takes us. Friends that are closer, become the family that is so far. Women old enough to be my mother, and young enough to (almost) be my daughter have made my life so rich.
6) The Cross. Thank you for the cross Lord, thank you for the nail pierced hand. Bearing all my sin and shame , in love you came and gave Amazing Grace.
7)More than I deserve, that's what I feel like. More blessed, more loved.

These are my random birthday thoughts.

Countdown to 40

In two days I will be 40! Forty! 4-0. I'm not one to get all bothered by a number, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I still feel like I'm 25. Being 40 is fabulous and I think I'm not nearly as old acting or looking as some people I know that are 40. Here is my secrets to youth:

1) Be active- running is now more about mental health than weight control. I am a straight up nut if I don't run.
2) Laugh- don't be so serious. Everything is funny, even you! If you haven't ever stopped and realized how utterly ridiculous you are, you need to loosen up!
3) If it looks fun try it. Go somewhere new, eat something you've never tried before.
4) Talk to strangers. Other people are incredibly interesting. It's not all about you.
5) Crossword puzzles. Stimulate the brain.
6)Lovin'- from my kids, from my dog, and especially from my man! Receiving and giving love is life's greatest gift.
When you feel young inside, you look young outside.

The Vine

I've been thinking alot about a verse in John 15:5

"I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Do you ever feel like your Christian journey is wearing you out? Recently, I've felt like it would be nice to just take a break. There are people and circumstances that have made me wonder is anyone real? What in the world are we trying to accomplish anyway? In the last week God spoke to me about my heart and has lovingly shown me that watching others, or living in my strength is useless. On the other hand, He wants me to be a branch that draws from the supernatural life giving source of Him. The Holy Spirit is the life flow that works in us to allow us to rise above roadblocks, live beyond circumstances, and focus on Him instead of others. Yes, producing fruit can only come from a branch securely attached to the life giving Vine!

Rough paths into smooth

And I will lead the blind

in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known

I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I will do,

and I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 42:16

automobile math

1 pretty little white car + 3 short months until 16 b-day= 1 happy daughter


1 work truck + 1 deer at 65 mph = 4-5,000 in damages and 1 sad husband

One week

What a difference a week makes:

A week later, there are these tiny blooms on the same tree:

my day

Today is completely mine. Wayne is working all day. Leslie is at Becky's, and Virginia is with Mema and Papa all weekend at the cousins. Seldom do I have a day all to myself. What to do, what to do:
1) I'm gonna watch my last Beth Moore DVD to Patriarch's Bible Study. Man I have enjoyed that bible study.
2)Unload all my spring and summer clothes from storage and pack up winter stuff. Is it too soon? Hope I don't jinx the warmth!
3) Go get a pedicure. It's flip flop weather ya'll.
4) Eat lunch all by myself as I read my new Jodi Picoult book.
5) Play my stereo really loud (Best of the 80's) while I elliptical.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Easter dresses, St. Patricks Day, etc. etc.

I might be wearing a turtleneck and chapstick, but spring has arrived in my heart.

This is my super on sale Easter dress. Love it Love it

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner which means my birthday is close behind.

I think me and Ginny will make these cute cookies to celebrate our Irish heritage.

spring is right around the corner

Despite the snow that fell yesterday, spring is right around the corner. I know it because I can smell it......
......fresh dirt when you turn the soil over in the flower beds to plant your annuals
......your room after the windows have been open all day
......rain falling while you sit in the rocker on the front porch
......sheets drying on a clothes line
......gardenias
What is your favorite spring time smell?