Hello there! It’s Thursday as I write to you. This morning was prayer group. There were 4 of us. It was good to see Missy , Linda and Pastor Jason. Jason had each of us pray for something for the church. For me it was for church leadership. I had trouble verbalizing my prayer. I do better writing than I do speaking. I did my best! I’m going to write my prayer here:
Dear Jesus I pray for the leadership of Grace – especially Pastor Jason and his family. He is being pulled in many directions and he’s tired. I pray you give him the strength and wisdom to wade through such rough waters. I pray you surround him and the leadership of our church with your protection and love. I pray for this fallen world – we need you now more than ever Lord. I pray for all my family and friends. Wrap your loving arms around them! Amen.
Hello to you. It’s afternoon as I write to you. I am fighting cravings for pizza. I have already gone over 2,000 calories for today so ordering a pizza is out of the question!
Today was bible study and there was a great turnout. I think we had 12-13 ladies. There were many I hadn’t met before. We are using the Truth Adorned book. We spent time in Titus. The phrase I had to read came from Titus 2:13 :
Titus 2:13New International Version
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearingof the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The focus of the “Truth Adorned” or “Adorned” style Bible study (frequently based on Titus 2) is living out the beauty of the gospel together through intentional, cross-generational Christian community and mentoring. [1, 2, 3]
The central idea is drawn from Titus 2:10, which states that believers should “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” in everything they do. Rather than reducing the Christian life to a rigid list of rules or trying harder on one’s own, the study emphasizes how God’s grace transforms character, behavior, and relationships.
Today was special. Taking and actually opening my Bible – using my Bible – was a first in a long time! During my last manic episode I was using my Bible practically everyday. I would read passages out loud and different voices came out as I read.
My friend Jeannie was with us. She’s been having a hard time with Roy’s two daughters. They keep dragging her into the middle of everything! They haven’t been very nice to her. We were going to get together and eat at the Sunrise but she can’t now. It’s ok and I understand! I wish things were easier for her.
Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:
God, I offer myself to Thee – to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!
alcoholics anonymous – the big book – third step prayer – 1939
Hello to you. It’s evening as I write to you. Today marks the end of summer and you can tell fall is here as it’s getting dark earlier! Some of the trees are changing into their autumn dresses. Such a beautiful time of year.
Self-care?! What’s that?! I don’t do much these days! The older I get the less I care about how I look. About the only things I do is trim my nails, color my hair and put lotion on my ever drying skin. I am doing the Tai Chi each day and try to get out and walk. As I get older I have resigned myself that I want to age gracefully.
Tomorrow I am going to Bible study at Grace House. It will be good for me to have something to look forward to each week. I will get to see friends outside of church – enrich friendship. I am not doing the book but just going for fellowship. I have been asking God what he wants from me and some of the answer has been getting out of the house and have fellowship with others. I hate leaving Link by himself but he’s a good boy while I’m gone. Even if he does his business in the house I have floors for it. Easy to clean up.
Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:
Dance as though no one is watching you, Love as though you have never been hurt before, Sing as though no one can hear you, Live as though heaven is on earth.
Today was both a celebration and a time of sorrow. Middleton Grace Bible church celebrated 10 years and we mourned the loss of 14 year old Carson Chrapkowski from a hit and run accident near Middleton High School:
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.
1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
2 I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. 3 He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c] God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.
4 I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts— men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They spread a net for my feet— I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path— but they have fallen into it themselves.
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. 8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
I have been praying about what Jesus wants for me – what should I be doing. Well he is working that out for me through one of my friends from church. Today Missy invited me to go to her bible study starting this Wednesday. I didn’t have an excuse to say no and sometimes the answer is yes! Missy makes it so easy to say yes – no excuses. I told her I don’t do books but come to listen and have fellowship. I have to remind myself about this life that it’s not what I can’t do but what I can. What else am I doing?!!
Hello to you. How are you? I’m feeling better than I did this morning. I went to my prayer group to start my day. I almost didn’t go because the pressure in my ears was so bad. I’m glad I went and I didn’t stay stuck in my head. I got to see Missy who’s husband we’ve been praying for. He is still having headaches but is home and doing better. Pastor Jason’s daughter Harper is doing well after her surgery. We had prayers and praises. The biggest prayer is needing more people to volunteer to keep pace with the needs of our growing church. I feel bad that I’m not doing more but with my stuff I have going on I am limited. I will keep on praying that Jesus will show me what I can do.
Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:
Always be full of joy in the lord. I say it again-rejoice!
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
It was good to see everyone. Jeannie said she almost didn’t come – just feeling so sad. She is having to say goodbye to Roy’s dog Pepper as she is being rehomed. She doesn’t get along with Jeannie’s dog otherwise she’d keep her. We were going to go to breakfast together but she had to go and get Peppers things together. I went to the Sunrise anyways. It was good as always. I also got to see Missy Burke whose husband has been in the hospital for bleeding on his brain. She said he’s doing better. So many to keep in prayer!
Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:
Each day is a blessing of epic proportions. I give thanks for what might seem meager comforts: real cream in my coffee, a day without a bill in the mail, the Paso Doble. Sometimes life is a dance a woman has to do backwards pushing against the wind and obstacles in the way. Thank You for being the partner who always leads.
If your pet could talk, what would be the first thing it says?
Hello to you today. How are you? I’m feeling a little sad. Yesterday being the day it was and finding out the Tik Tok creator I’ve been following, Steph, decided it was time to put her dog Clover to sleep. Clover had a tumor growing behind her eye and it was inoperable. All this triggered old wounds in me to open a bit! Saying goodbye to our fur babies is the worst of heartbreaks.
Farewell sweet Clover
Thinking about my Link I think if he could speak to me the first thing he would say is I Love You. This is something I say to him nearly everyday! The other thing he might say is when will we see Ruth and John again?! He loves going with me to their house to visit. Some people have set up little buttons that their dogs use to speak to them. I think a popular button he would push is “hungry!” He is such a foodie!
Spin of the Prayer Wheel:
When my time has come and impermanence and death have caught up with me, When the breath ceases, and the body and mind go their separate ways, May I not experience delusion, attachment, and clinging, But remain in the natural state of ultimate reality.
tibetan nyingma master – longchenpa rabjampa – 14th century
Hello to you, Today has been good. I went with my Aunt to the Sisters of Grace gathering in Nampa. There was a good turnout and lots of delicious food. I helped with a skit my Aunt put together called Fashion of a Lifetime- putting on the full armor of God – from Ephesians 6:11-18 :
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
I was the helmet of salvation in the skit. My Aunt gave me a gray felt hat to put on. There were no pictures taken but that’s ok. We all were in the moment which is rare these days.
Today is a good day to remember this passage with the 25th anniversary of 9/11. It’s one of the darkest days of world history. I will never forget it! I was sleeping after a 12 hour shift and was called by my coworkers and I went and turned on the tv and couldn’t believe what I was seeing! It just didn’t seem real!
Something happened that day – we were all united in a way that only such horror can do. We were all Americans and grieved together. We are living in a time of such division in this country. It’s like we have forgotten – we need to remember we are one.
What is a powerful quote for 9/11?
AI Overview
One of the most powerful and enduring quotes for 9/11 is inscribed on the wall of the National September 11 Memorial Museum: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.”
This line comes from Book IX of the epic Latin poem The Aeneid by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. At the 9/11 Museum, the letters were forged by artist Tom Joyce using pieces of steel recovered from the World Trade Center site. It honors the lives lost and promises eternal remembrance.
Hello to you, I hope this finds you in good health and spirits. Another friend from church is experiencing a health crisis. He had to have surgery for bleeding on his brain and isn’t doing too well. Is it just me or does it seem like more people are having health issues these days?! One minute they will seem ok and then out of nowhere a major crisis occurs!
A whole generation of us, Generation Xers (people born between 1965-1980), are getting older. Here is what the internet has to say about health:
Major Health Concerns for Gen X
Metabolic and Cardiovascular Conditions: Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure are becoming more common. Research indicates that metabolic shifts driven by obesity and diabetes are increasingly replacing traditional risks like high cholesterol. [1, 2, 3]
Chronic Stress: Gen X is often called the “sandwich generation” because they juggle raising children, caring for aging parents, and managing career and financial pressures. Studies show they report some of the highest daily stress levels of any adult group. [1, 2]
Mental Health Challenges: Anxiety and depression rates have risen significantly. Experts note that a cultural tendency toward self-reliance and reluctance to seek help can sometimes compound these mental health hurdles. [1, 2]
Hormonal Transitions: Adults in this age bracket group navigate midlife hormonal changes—such as menopause for women and testosterone decline for men—which can impact mood, energy, and overall wellness. [1, 2]
Cancer Risks: Recent large-scale data analyses suggest that Gen X and younger cohorts face an elevated risk for certain types of tumors compared to older generations born decades earlier. [1]
Spin of the World Prayer Wheel :
May the blessing of God be upon you …
May God keep you safe when you are in danger. May God guide you in the way of Love. May God support you in danger or hardship. May God lift up your heart when you are feeling low. May God comfort you when you are feeling lonely. May God give you strength when you are weak. May God bring you home when you are lost. May God surround you with loving care, always and forever.
You are holy, you are chosen, you are loved and you are blessed.
Today has been a good day. I’m just home from spending some time with my Aunt and Uncle. We had spaghetti and almost finished watching all of the Little House on the Prairie reboot. They did a really good job with it. My Aunt must have known I was thinking of them and hoping to be invited over! I like spending my Sundays with them!
The day began with church and I got to see and talk to Jeannie. She wasn’t sure she was going to make it to church with Roy’s passing. She shared that before he went he seemed to be reaching into the sky for something or someone that no one else could see. I have heard it said that we are not alone when we pass. I hope whomever or whatever comforted him. I think next Sunday Jeannie wants to go to breakfast with me at the Sunrise. She just needs someone to talk to after all she’s been through lately!
