The Nightmares Keep Coming

I'm in class teaching and the principal comes in. I can't remember the students' names. After they leave, the principal wants to know why I don't know their names. I explain to him that I have neuropathy of the brain (I think that's called Alzheimers!!!). I tell him I don't have full feeling in my feet or my hands, and sometimes my brain forgets too. He gets mad and fires me on the spot.

To understand the ridiculousness of this, you have to know that my principal is a kind, Godly man who is not at all unreasonable or impulsive.

To understand the plausibility of this, you have to know that sometimes I can't find my keys, my phone, or my purse.

I throw my keys in the trash at fast food restaurants.

I once put my phone in the fridge.

Usually my head is set straight on my shoulders, but...

Certain mornings of the week I'm not sure I know my name.

And Tuesday night at High Point(Kids Bible study), I kept calling a little girl who was visiting by the name of the little girl who had visited on Sunday morning when I directed Hallelujah Hut (music & worship for kids). They were both tall, slender and blond. What can I say?

I know everything. I just can't remember it all at the same time.

For Recovery, and Sanity (I hope!)

Pastor Phylis

Haiti

Haiti's Child Slavery Trade!

I just finished reading this article and my heart is breaking. I was last in Haiti in Summer of 2005. After that I was ill and haven't even tried to return. I really want to go back and see what we can do, even if travel there is not recommended by the U.S. Government.

Read this story. Warning: Grab a box of Kleenex first.

The surroundings that he describes are sooo real. It's bringing back memories. I'll look for my CD of Haiti pictures and post some. To remind me and you!!

Go read here!!

Feelin' Blue

Just Feelin' Blue

For whatever reason, my old depression has returned these last two days. Maybe a let down from the frenetic activity of the last month, maybe my hormones are returning (not a good thing), maybe an after taste of dealing with a reluctant-to-pay insurance company, or maybe it just is. So I'm outside getting some fresh air and sunshine (always a good thing), reading and writing. Bob brought home a book for me from his Christian Bookstore run this afternoon. A little Max Lucado book called YOU! God's Brand-New Idea. It looks ready-made to cheer me up. At least it got me thinking about posting something beneficial.

Topic 3, "No Two Alike," says, "Knitted together is how the psalmist described the process of God making man. Not manufactured or mass-produced, but knitted. Each thread of personality tenderly intertwined. Each string of temperament deliberately selected.

"God as creator. Pensive. Excited. Inventive.

"An artist, brush on pallet, seeking the perfect shade.

"A composer, fingers on keyboard, listening for the exact chord."

"A poet, pen poised on paper, awaiting the precise word.

"The Creator, the master weaver, threading together the soul.

"Each one different. No two alike. None identical."

Since I'm feeling blue in general, this afternoon I was driving along thinking about the weight I need to lose and recalling ills and insults that have befallen me and everyone I know. I remembered an incident at a Christian College in which they had a Chanel model (recently converted, of course) come and "teach" the girls about posture and beauty. (Yep! Truth!) She started with a lecture about proportion of body part. (Un-Huh, she did) Then moved to measuring the thighs of the unfortunate girls sitting there, and commenting on each. "You'll need to lose 6 inches on that thigh" etc. Almost none came up to the standard of beauty required by her rules.

So as I'm driving, I'm rehearsing what I would have done had I been there. I'm thinking, "I'd just walk out saying 'You must be dreaming.' For sure I wouldn't sit there!"

But then I remembered the pressure that comes sitting in a group. Suppose I am the heaviest one there. Then I'd worry that they would say after I left. (I do know what it's like to be called "Thunder Thighs") Would I have the chutzpah to walk out? Today. Yes. But this happened fifteen years ago....fifteen years ago to someone else...I only heard about it from my kids. And today I'm really angry! Now that is some bad mood.

But today I'm having trouble with the idea that I am created perfectly for what I have been assigned. Today life seems to make little sense. Today I'm remembering all my failures and failings. Today I'm sure that I'm not even close to fulfilling God's purpose in me. Today.

But scripture says, "You knit me together in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13 NIV) He wove all of these elements together to make me who I am.

Have I messed with the design? Today, my brain says that I have messed things up so badly that there is no reparation possible. Scripture contradicts my thoughts. I know which is right.

Jeremiah 29:27 says, "I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not evil." (PJDH translation)

So even today, I trust that God did, indeed, create me with purpose for a purpose. He has a plan for my life and my feelings need to go take a hike!!!

Or sit in the sunshine and read a book! That works too.

Can you believe that God was excited, inventive, exhilarated when he made you? And, don't forget, He can see the end from the beginning. He knew what you would become and he was elated about that! Even if your thighs won't pass the litmus test for a Chanel Model.

Pastor Phylis

JCC Ministering in New Mexico

Las Cruces, New Mexico
Just to prove we did something besides eat.
We sang, talked and smiled for the camera!!

At least I'm not dead!

Lord, save me from doctors!!!

I was wondering what to post about. It's been a busy, busy week. My mind is numb. Okay...more numb than usual? And my sister reminded me that the last time we talked, I was on my way to a doctor and asked for status. Let's see:

Rheumatologist: Your pain isn't arthritis or rheumatism. It isn't vitamin D deficiency. You have more restricted movement than myofacial disorder (Official diagnosis). I don't know what it is. Here have more pain killers. Let's double the dosage.

Primary Care Physician: Your blood pressure is a little high. Your cholesterol is high. Call for an appointment. Me: Oh sure. Soon.

Gynecologist: We can't get a good tissue sample. Everything is too dry. You probably need some estrogen...oh, you can't take that, you're on estrogen-killers, aren't you? Come back soon, now!

Oncologist: Your red and white blood cells are good. No cancer markers. Yes, you need to take the estrogen-killers for 4 more years. The symptoms will lessen with time. The neuropathy in hands and feet may or may not get better. Your blood pressure is within normal range. Everybody has high cholesterol these days because they changed the numbers. Used to over 200 was high. Then they changed it to 150. Soon it will be 100 and everybody will have high cholesterol. And good luck losing weight on these pills. They make it very difficult to lose weight.

Summmary:
Good News: No cancer (And I don't say that lightly, I'm grateful!!!)
Bad News: Unidentified muscle pain and restricted range of motion; dried up plumbing; high blood pressure, sort of; high cholesterol, maybe; peripheral neuropathy.

Diagnosis: old and dried up; battered and overweight.
Overall: It's better than the alternative!!!!

A beautiful orchid

The most lovely orchid plant . . . in my family room!

A Grace Gathering

Las Cruces, New Mexico

April 18-19, 2008
A Grace Gathering

Grace Gathering

Ministry team

I just realized that all of my photos are in eating places....I guess I must have been thinking about food. I shall have to borrow someone else's photos to post anything but landscape or food. :)

Jennifer, Shelby, Rob and Rachel

Bonnie and Maria

Bob and I with Michael

Laura's plate. It just looked good to me!
Laura and I
Even the waiter gets in on the photos!

NEXT DAY

Rick and Becky at the Gathering...eating

Are these the champion tamale eaters?

Are we having fun, or what??

Who ate those tamales???

Who? Us? We did not eat all those tamales!

Did you eat all those tamales, Doreen?

What tamales? Somebody ate tamales? Couldn't have been Josh.

And in yet another restaurant...we are...eating!

Cesar and Tim

Rod stops eating long enough to chat

Asia finishes off the evening with a bowl of chicken noodle soup

Truthfully, we did sing, worship, present the Word, and pray. But since all I have are photos of us eating, what else could I talk about??? Really?