We met all the Methodists down at the Pantry to pack food to give out Saturday. This months box is pretty awesome. 2 pounds of chicken, 2 lbs of beef, 3 boxes of jiffy corn bread mix, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, english peas, cans of fruit and other veggies, spaghetti and sauce. Cleaning supplies and milk and a huge box of cereal and cookies. Next month we have to spend the FEMA money so that will be on a ham for each box. We packed up 216 boxes. Last month we gave out 218 with a few left over. So this month there may or may not be any left. The Lord sends us the right amount of people each month. As our donations have increased the people coming have increased. Last month I had a huge donation of baby formula. We don't have any infants on the list. Then the last person that walked in the door last month had her great grand baby relocated to her home and they didn't have WIC. I loaded her car up with all that formula. He gives us what we need so that we can in turn give it back to the community.
After we loaded and stacked the boxes, we all went to eat at Vera Cruz. That blew my carefully planned dietary restrictions out of the ball park. I will have to be a really good girl for the next few days to make up for all the salt!
If you know of anyone that might have the need for the pantry let them know about it. I don't always have food there, but once a month we do. Give them my name or tell them to call Sr. Mary Jean at the Catholic Church or any of the Methodist churches in Bruce, Vardaman or Calhoun City. They will call me and get a box of food to the ones that are hungry.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
reconnecting with past people
The internet is a wonderful thing. Oh yeah it takes time to surf but it is great for finding out things. Take for instance, people. Back in my highschool days, when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth, my family played host family to some international students at Ole Miss. Two students, one a medical research graduate student from South Korea, and the other a business major from Japan. The Korean, Lee stayed in the US and had a medical practice in Illinois. WE hear from him time to time. He is now retired due to poor health. His claim to fame was he worked on the now widely used treatment for Parkinsons. The other student, Hideaki Beniya, went back to Japan and stayed with his family business. We visited him in Japan and it was a great experience to see that culture. He has been back here a few times when business travel brings him to the US. You know the Karaoke machines that you see in bars? I mean the real high dollar ones, not the cheap knock offs, well he is the mastermind behind those things.
We lost touch with him after Daddy died and I stumbled across his website yesterday. I sent an email and I heard back from him this morning. It was a surprise to him that I found his address and it was a surprise to me that the message I sent through the business information site actually did get directed to him. I can just see some little Japanese person seeing a message requesting that Mr. Beniya contact his sister in Mississippi USA. They are probably sitting there thinking, He has a sister in Mississippi? What is a Mississippi? The last time he came, he brought one of his business partners who had never been out of Japan. They came to Bruce, and this little guy couldn't speak any English. He did discover that food is a language all by its self. He discovered southern fried chicken and blackeyed peas and corn bread. We have never seen anyone enjoy something so much. By the time he left for Japan he was saying 'pass the chicken ya'll.' with a southern accent on his Japanese. It is good to reconnect with people that have crossed your path in life.
We lost touch with him after Daddy died and I stumbled across his website yesterday. I sent an email and I heard back from him this morning. It was a surprise to him that I found his address and it was a surprise to me that the message I sent through the business information site actually did get directed to him. I can just see some little Japanese person seeing a message requesting that Mr. Beniya contact his sister in Mississippi USA. They are probably sitting there thinking, He has a sister in Mississippi? What is a Mississippi? The last time he came, he brought one of his business partners who had never been out of Japan. They came to Bruce, and this little guy couldn't speak any English. He did discover that food is a language all by its self. He discovered southern fried chicken and blackeyed peas and corn bread. We have never seen anyone enjoy something so much. By the time he left for Japan he was saying 'pass the chicken ya'll.' with a southern accent on his Japanese. It is good to reconnect with people that have crossed your path in life.
A Thursday kind of GRRRRR!
Why do people that own dogs let them run loose at night? I have 5 cats. Well probably 4 since I haven't seen my oldest cat in the past 2 days. Duchess, the queen mother of all my cats is absent. Due to her advanced age and this cold weather I am hopeing that she has holed up someplace dry and warm. Last night or after midnight at least I heard a bark. Then growling. I opened my back door and there stood a very healthy and stupid black lab. Stupid because he didn't try to run from me. I was pretty stupid to jump right out on him too. He was harrassing my other 4 kitties that were all nice and dry and cozy warm in their little igloo that I have placed up high for them. It was all hair, teeth and claws in that thing. They would have won the battle if I hadn't come out side to run off the offender. He just doesn't realize how lucky he was.
But I still have to wonder about people that let their barking dogs run at night. Jerks!
Anyway you should try living next to a kennel. They won't call it that but anyone that has a bunch of dogs penned up is running a kennel. There should be a limit to how many dogs you have penned up. The smell is horrible in warm weather. And they bark. not in the day time. All night long. I have talked about it to both sets of neighbors and I won't do that again. Some people are just unreasonable or the fall into the classification of DGI. "Don't Get IT". I am sure all of you know a DGI. They are the ones that are oblivious to anything that is not bothering them. Like parking crooked in a parking lot so that your vehicle has to park even more crooked and it looks like you are the bad driver. Grrrrr.
But I still have to wonder about people that let their barking dogs run at night. Jerks!
Anyway you should try living next to a kennel. They won't call it that but anyone that has a bunch of dogs penned up is running a kennel. There should be a limit to how many dogs you have penned up. The smell is horrible in warm weather. And they bark. not in the day time. All night long. I have talked about it to both sets of neighbors and I won't do that again. Some people are just unreasonable or the fall into the classification of DGI. "Don't Get IT". I am sure all of you know a DGI. They are the ones that are oblivious to anything that is not bothering them. Like parking crooked in a parking lot so that your vehicle has to park even more crooked and it looks like you are the bad driver. Grrrrr.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
ITs Wednesday.
Man, if I don't hit the keys just right this thing will go all over the place. My pinkie wants to hit the enter key every time and I find myself having to back track constantly. Supper is finished (meatball hoagies with a salad full of good stuff!) I actually only ate half of the sandwich. Got to keep on watching my portions. I have set a goal and I am going to get there. slowly but surely.
Scott and E have been working on the lights again. Just a few more tweaks and they will be finished. The timing on the music and the lights is going pretty well. I just hope that the little thugs that cut all of my lights last year won't do it again. We had to rewire and replace a lot of them because the little creeps cut them off at the plugs. I hope they got a good shock. This year I will catch them cos they will be on video. I know who did it last year but I couldn't prove it. And some Moms just don't think their little precious would do such a thing. Ha ha. I know exactly what mine are capable of and I sure won't say they wouldn't do something. My girls know I'll bust them when they do something wrong. And vandalism is wrong. Last year it was on Christmas Eve and it just ruined our Day.
E has been working learning all about the lighting sequences. That will go under computer technology. She is working on some science now. We have all sorts of text books for her to use and plenty of subjects on cd-rom. She goes at her own pace which is slow at times. I have to light a fire under her ocassionally. She would rather not do work. She is also a night owl like me.
The weather here this morning was something else and tonight may prove to be rough too. I think that bad storm that hit the West Coast is finally on us. 65 mph wind gust and 2 inches of rain per hour. As expected the seepage started again in the laundry room. Good thing there is a drain in the floor. A river sure does run thru here when it comes a heavy rain like that.
I got the room I use for my studio just about organized late last night. It is a long narrow room and I have my freezers and an extra stove in one end of it. So its art and food storage. The upstairs kitchen wasn't built like I would have designed it but then that is what I get from a house built in the 60's. Its not the best designed kitchen. very little cabinet space or food storage. ANd you would just have to see the dinky little fridge. I will have to remove some cabinets to put in an updated model.
Well I think I will ease on to my drawing board and get to work on some paintings I planned out this morning. I've got to do 3 for Mom and her two sisters for Christmas presents.
Scott and E have been working on the lights again. Just a few more tweaks and they will be finished. The timing on the music and the lights is going pretty well. I just hope that the little thugs that cut all of my lights last year won't do it again. We had to rewire and replace a lot of them because the little creeps cut them off at the plugs. I hope they got a good shock. This year I will catch them cos they will be on video. I know who did it last year but I couldn't prove it. And some Moms just don't think their little precious would do such a thing. Ha ha. I know exactly what mine are capable of and I sure won't say they wouldn't do something. My girls know I'll bust them when they do something wrong. And vandalism is wrong. Last year it was on Christmas Eve and it just ruined our Day.
E has been working learning all about the lighting sequences. That will go under computer technology. She is working on some science now. We have all sorts of text books for her to use and plenty of subjects on cd-rom. She goes at her own pace which is slow at times. I have to light a fire under her ocassionally. She would rather not do work. She is also a night owl like me.
The weather here this morning was something else and tonight may prove to be rough too. I think that bad storm that hit the West Coast is finally on us. 65 mph wind gust and 2 inches of rain per hour. As expected the seepage started again in the laundry room. Good thing there is a drain in the floor. A river sure does run thru here when it comes a heavy rain like that.
I got the room I use for my studio just about organized late last night. It is a long narrow room and I have my freezers and an extra stove in one end of it. So its art and food storage. The upstairs kitchen wasn't built like I would have designed it but then that is what I get from a house built in the 60's. Its not the best designed kitchen. very little cabinet space or food storage. ANd you would just have to see the dinky little fridge. I will have to remove some cabinets to put in an updated model.
Well I think I will ease on to my drawing board and get to work on some paintings I planned out this morning. I've got to do 3 for Mom and her two sisters for Christmas presents.
Support Group
Well I have gotten several replies and calls already so this is my sign that the time has come. I don't know where we'll meet or who the sponsor will be but I am writing letters and making calls and getting this ball rolling. I just feel that the time is right for a local support group for survivors and caregivers alike. With the incidents of cancer that keep cropping up in our area, we all need to pull together and lean on one another. I adhere to the thought that laughter is the best medicine and it really helps people to heal and fight. Spread the word that we are trying to get a support group going. It'll be all women, you know that. Men just don't like to admit they need instructions or directions. But maybe we can wake them up too.
Help Fight Cancer. Buy that cookbook. ITs got great recipes from Relay team members. This county should be as famous as Paula Deen with all the great cooks out there!
Help Fight Cancer. Buy that cookbook. ITs got great recipes from Relay team members. This county should be as famous as Paula Deen with all the great cooks out there!
Trying to organize a Cancer Support Group
If anyone is reading this, I am trying to organize a Cancer Support Group. There is one in Oxford but not every one can drive up there or to Tupelo. I don't know how many people we would have to come to one but its worth a try to see I think. If you know of anyone that is in the Bruce, Calhoun City, Vardaman areas that would like to know about this tell them to contact me. or leave a comment for me and I'll get in touch with them. I've been very fortunate since my round with cancer that I had a lot of people to talk to and support me. I don't want anyone to go thru the experience alone or to think that noone understands what they are feeling.
Somewhere over the rainbow
There sure isn't going to be a rainbow today. I was partially awake most of the wee morning hours watching the storm as it moved thru. that's one of the drawbacks of being a weather spotter. Having to call in the weather reports to the National Weather Service in Memphis. Now there is hail predicted for this afternoon and I'm trying to figure out where to park vehicles so they don't get peppered with dents.
When the air temps get this unstable and its cold then hot then cold I start looking for funnels. Thank goodness for my partial basement. I do feel safer down here. Its probably a false sense of security but I'd rather take my chances down here than in the top of the house at the top of the hill.
The dry creek between me and Mom is so full that I can't see the rocks lineing the sides. This squalline dumped well over an inch on us in the past hour and more is on the way according to the radar. Guess it is time to pull out the ole leopard print water boots. So Chic!
When the air temps get this unstable and its cold then hot then cold I start looking for funnels. Thank goodness for my partial basement. I do feel safer down here. Its probably a false sense of security but I'd rather take my chances down here than in the top of the house at the top of the hill.
The dry creek between me and Mom is so full that I can't see the rocks lineing the sides. This squalline dumped well over an inch on us in the past hour and more is on the way according to the radar. Guess it is time to pull out the ole leopard print water boots. So Chic!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
My Fellow Relay for Lifers
Oopsie. Surprised ya'll with your pictures. Well You all represented our Calhoun County well and I'm proud of ya! Carolyn you know I'm over the top on some things. This ain't Vegas ya know. Sure do wish I could have gone with you all. Sounds like you had a great time. And we will all pull together again and git'er done right again in 2007. Love ya'll!
Oops on the Flamingos
I forgot to say that my Red Hat team raised that amount in 2005. I wasn't able to have a team in 2006 due to my reconstruction surgery. But my fabulous flock is just roosting in wait for the next time they can fly the soop and raise more money. Look out! they may be coming to roost in your yard some time in the future. The Survivor Team needs me now!!! Red Hat and all!
The Calhoun County Relay for Life Crew
Eyeball this "good looking" bunch!
We did the Toby Keith song, "I Love This Bar". Candi was Toby, Carol was a hooker, Darlene was a biker, Sharon was a drunk, Sandra was a psycho hitchiker, Chris was a trucker, Debbie was "girl next door dressed up like a movie star", Cassie was a redneck, & I was a LOSER! We had a blast!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! Calhoun County is known all over the Country... Everybody wants to know" Where is this County"... Well we are can located smack dab in the middle of North Mississippi and what a great County it is.... We are all committed and dedicated to helping find the cause and cure of cancer. We always hear about Meridian, Jackson, Tenn. Tacoma, Wa. Now they can add Calhoun Co. MS to the map... I have to add Ms, because there is a Calhoun in Alabama and I don't want anyone outside of Mississippi to get confused...(smile) Calhoun is #1 in the State and #8 in the Division.... Won the All American Relay Award, State, Division and NATIONAL!!!!!!! WE raised $ 116,824.28. Up from
$ 91,000.00 in 2005!!! The Calhoun County Relay for Life has it going on
We have a great group of volunteers in this County. Carolyn and Mother Relay and Little Rudy Tooty. Carol C. has made it a point to singlehanded fight for the cure! You should see her numbers from the past 3 years! This gal is on a roll. Good thang her husband is a trucker 'cos she just keeps on keeping on! Darlene used her relay work to help her overcome some serious pain in her life. We all know her heartache and stood there for support. Candy will be the Next American Idol after her performance at the Relay Reunion. You go girl! Hit me with your best shot is your song!!!! Dang what talent!!
WE may live in a poor county with very few people but there is not a one of us that has not been touched in someway by cancer. No way could we turn our backs on our brothers and sisters that need this money for research and development. I personally thank you for all you do and I know all the other Survivors do also.
So for 2007 our goal is raise $122,000 and make our little 'star' shine so brightly that we can be seen from space!!!
Caught in the act.
I raised about 2000 for the American Cancer Society with my flock of pink beauties. Good thing I have a flock of 18 of them now that they are no longer being manufactured. I love my little birdies. (I did ditch the colorful potty stool. It had outlived its usefulness. It sure did help loosen the purse strings to get that donation for ACS tho!!!)
I'm an owl not a lark!
Early morning and I are like oil and water. WE don't mix. But in the interest of my students I get up. I am such a bear until I have had that first glass of cold water and then my nice hot comforting cup of coffee made in my French Press. I let my dd#2 sleep. Aren't I the good mum?
The other kids that come here for homeschool trickle in through out the morning. The first one gets here at 7:15. He works steady for an hour and a half then has to run out the door and around the house the couple of times. His anti seizure meds seem to do that to him. Then he comes back in, has him a snack and we play a quick game of dominoes to work on his make skills, then its back to work. While I am 'playing' with him, one of the other students hops on his computer and does her lessons. The 3rd student, a 'senior' girl starts working on her lessons at 9 when she comes dragging in. She only lacks about 5 credits to graduate and I am really having a time getting her to finish. She has to be reminded constantly to do her work and to keep up to a schedule. I tried the unschool appraoch with her and she got so far behind that its taken us a year to finish one subject. She hates to read anything that is good for her such as a classic book. I can't even entice her to read LOTRs of a Harry Potter Book. Now if it was a Harlequin Romance or someother such drival, or something about some boy band, she would read it in a heartbeat. She suffers from sever immaturity issues.
I've been teaching other peoples kids for 7 years. At one point I had 17 plus my own 2. Its a challenge because I have to follow a set teaching pattern with the other kids. Most want to do this through the middle school grades and finish up in public highschool. The ones I have left with me now don't want to do that. But they still want 'structure'. I sort of have 'school' at home but its still pretty relaxed. We don't do it every day. Most of the kids do five days of work in 3 days.
I suppose I need to get in the studio and finish what I started yesterday. Its almost clean and organized. I have to sweep and mop now. Why is it that when you start moving things around, you discover that some gremlin has spilled the stickiest substance known to mom on the floors and it has glued things under the furniture or appliances or anything else that might be sitting in the floor? just something to make me go Hmmmmm!
The other kids that come here for homeschool trickle in through out the morning. The first one gets here at 7:15. He works steady for an hour and a half then has to run out the door and around the house the couple of times. His anti seizure meds seem to do that to him. Then he comes back in, has him a snack and we play a quick game of dominoes to work on his make skills, then its back to work. While I am 'playing' with him, one of the other students hops on his computer and does her lessons. The 3rd student, a 'senior' girl starts working on her lessons at 9 when she comes dragging in. She only lacks about 5 credits to graduate and I am really having a time getting her to finish. She has to be reminded constantly to do her work and to keep up to a schedule. I tried the unschool appraoch with her and she got so far behind that its taken us a year to finish one subject. She hates to read anything that is good for her such as a classic book. I can't even entice her to read LOTRs of a Harry Potter Book. Now if it was a Harlequin Romance or someother such drival, or something about some boy band, she would read it in a heartbeat. She suffers from sever immaturity issues.
I've been teaching other peoples kids for 7 years. At one point I had 17 plus my own 2. Its a challenge because I have to follow a set teaching pattern with the other kids. Most want to do this through the middle school grades and finish up in public highschool. The ones I have left with me now don't want to do that. But they still want 'structure'. I sort of have 'school' at home but its still pretty relaxed. We don't do it every day. Most of the kids do five days of work in 3 days.
I suppose I need to get in the studio and finish what I started yesterday. Its almost clean and organized. I have to sweep and mop now. Why is it that when you start moving things around, you discover that some gremlin has spilled the stickiest substance known to mom on the floors and it has glued things under the furniture or appliances or anything else that might be sitting in the floor? just something to make me go Hmmmmm!
Monday, November 13, 2006
evening blog
MMMMMM. I am enjoying a pumpkin cobbler. Must be the time of year. I will try and eat pumpkin 'something' everyday that I can. I use sweet potatos alot also since I live in the sweet potato capitol of the world. No joke. Just about all the sweet potatoes in the USA are grown right here in Calhoun County Mississippi and shipped out. The 'tater sheds' have tons of boxes from each state that they fill and send back. Louisana sweets are grown in Mississippi. Ahh truth in advertising.
Dd # 2 is plugging along as she learns. She takes her learning in spurts. The other kids that I teach really need the discipline of a curriculum. I am still pretty relaxed in how they do it tho. I do try and steer them in the correct way to write a paper since they are nearing time to take ACT and SAT to get into university.
I have been nesting all day. I am going thru a purge and clean phase. I have decided that if I haven't worn it and I sure can wiggle my matronly Ruebensque shape into those cute little outfits anymore, then out they go. And That goes for all the clutter. I swear I am on the verge of being declared a complusive 'collector'.
I have finally finished all of my reports in my transcription class. Now I am just waiting for my facilitator to grade them. As she grades a folder and returns it I send her another one. I have just one more test and then hopefully I get the certification soon.
My new LIMEX theology class started last week. session two was last night and it went well. This quarters class is on Moral Theology. I am enjoying this one. But I do wish the books were a bit more up to date. Just like the Catholic church not to have books from the current century in the reading list. Last summer (2005) I spent a summer session in Washington, DC studying at Catholic Theological Union. It was a fabulous experience both culturally and spiritually. I was there at the same time as about 20 Bishops and countless number of priests and Sisters. I heard some great lectures. The summer session was on womens roles in the Ancient Scriptures and the New Testament as well as the role of women in the first centuries of the church. It was very informative and interesting.
I have to check on my Mom now. I cooked a huge pot of Great Northern beans and a pone of corn bread. Dd2 took a plate and some cobbler down to her. Mom is slowing down now and that worries me. But that is why I am here. To care for her and my sister as they need me. I don't have time to get down myself. Its a good thing I don't require much sleep.
Dd # 2 is plugging along as she learns. She takes her learning in spurts. The other kids that I teach really need the discipline of a curriculum. I am still pretty relaxed in how they do it tho. I do try and steer them in the correct way to write a paper since they are nearing time to take ACT and SAT to get into university.
I have been nesting all day. I am going thru a purge and clean phase. I have decided that if I haven't worn it and I sure can wiggle my matronly Ruebensque shape into those cute little outfits anymore, then out they go. And That goes for all the clutter. I swear I am on the verge of being declared a complusive 'collector'.
I have finally finished all of my reports in my transcription class. Now I am just waiting for my facilitator to grade them. As she grades a folder and returns it I send her another one. I have just one more test and then hopefully I get the certification soon.
My new LIMEX theology class started last week. session two was last night and it went well. This quarters class is on Moral Theology. I am enjoying this one. But I do wish the books were a bit more up to date. Just like the Catholic church not to have books from the current century in the reading list. Last summer (2005) I spent a summer session in Washington, DC studying at Catholic Theological Union. It was a fabulous experience both culturally and spiritually. I was there at the same time as about 20 Bishops and countless number of priests and Sisters. I heard some great lectures. The summer session was on womens roles in the Ancient Scriptures and the New Testament as well as the role of women in the first centuries of the church. It was very informative and interesting.
I have to check on my Mom now. I cooked a huge pot of Great Northern beans and a pone of corn bread. Dd2 took a plate and some cobbler down to her. Mom is slowing down now and that worries me. But that is why I am here. To care for her and my sister as they need me. I don't have time to get down myself. Its a good thing I don't require much sleep.
long time nary a blog
I haven't been here in a while. I've been busy with homeschooling and dealing with oldest dd going back into the public school system. I am one loony mom over this. But she is a good kid and hopefully her 'raising' is rubbing off on some of the other kids.
My reconstructive surgery is coming along nicely. I feel really good about it. I just don't do pain well and it sure doesn't tickle.
now its a count down to Christmas and I have got to get at the drawing board and get a few things done for folks. So far I have decided to do portraits. And as usual I have waited unti the last minute. So what else is new.
I hear the coffee cup calling me and I need to get the beans soaking for supper. DH likes great northern beans and corn bread so that is the menu for the evening.
MOre later I am sure. I am going to start sharing my theology class questions on here. So if you aren't Catholic you might want to close your little eyes. OR better yet open your mind and read and discuss with me. I am quite ecumenical.
My reconstructive surgery is coming along nicely. I feel really good about it. I just don't do pain well and it sure doesn't tickle.
now its a count down to Christmas and I have got to get at the drawing board and get a few things done for folks. So far I have decided to do portraits. And as usual I have waited unti the last minute. So what else is new.
I hear the coffee cup calling me and I need to get the beans soaking for supper. DH likes great northern beans and corn bread so that is the menu for the evening.
MOre later I am sure. I am going to start sharing my theology class questions on here. So if you aren't Catholic you might want to close your little eyes. OR better yet open your mind and read and discuss with me. I am quite ecumenical.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Theology of Cancer
The Theology of Cancer
Vonda Tedford-Keon
A dear friend needed help and I answered her call today. I drove her to the Holy Ground that I will call the Clinic to see if they could ease her pain. As I sit here in the Clinic, I watch all of the people awaiting their treatments, each fighting the Enemy in his or her own way. There are those with lung cancer, breast and liver cancer and some that I have never heard of before. They are the very young and the very old and many ages in between. They are male and female, black and white. They are people and I watch them. Some will win and some will succumb to the cancer that has been steadily and sneakily taking over their bodies. There is one thing that cancer can’t do and that is it can’t take away the soul.
Just hearing the words, “you have cancer”, throws you into crisis mode. All of a sudden, those three little words shake your world. All of your neat little organized cubby holes and closets and nicely arranged desks become a house of cards that seem on the verge of collapse. Not only do you have to deal with the mental and emotional shock of the disease, but you must start dealing with the big question that starts looming: “Why ME Lord!” It screams out of your inner being. WHY? What have I done? What didn’t I do? What did I eat? What did I say? Was I bad?
If you live in the South, all through your religious upbringing you are taught that if you have lived the good and righteous life then all will be fine. You will live to be a wise old person and die peacefully in your sleep when your work here on earth is completed. But you know the dark thoughts will start to sneak into your mind; “I went to church every time the doors opened. I gave as much as I could of my time and talent and treasure. I’ve tried to obey God’s Law. It’s NOT FAIR! Why can’t I have a long, healthy, pain free life?” We sort of start sounding like Job did in the Old Testament don’t we?
And then, as if to pour salt into the wounded soul, there is always that one, well-meaning, misguided person that has the audacity to walk up to you and not so subtly say, that if you are ill with cancer then you must have done something to cause God to punish you. Not only are you dealing with pain, sickness, rollercoaster emotions, family and financial worries, now you start to feel let down by Abba, Father! “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”
Having cancer is the ultimate time for spiritual growth. Yes, I just said living with a cancer diagnosis is the perfect time for discovering the Theology of cancer. While you are struggling with pain from surgeries and sickness from treatments and side effects from medications, you are also working through the uncertainty and difficulty of your life. Your whole routine of day to day is shattered. Your belief system has to be realigned, rethought and refined. Old habits are set aside and new habits developed. You start seeing God in a new light.
Your relationship with God takes on a new meaning. The disease has become the catalyst to help you grow beyond just thought and belief. You begin to search, to yearn, for the first time, what your purpose in life is ultimately about. You begin to realize that God is refining you. You are walking through the fires of purification. Soon He will be able to see His reflection in you. You are becoming more spiritually focused. No, the theological question, “Why Me Lord?” is not answered, but this new found spirituality does create an intimate connection with the Source of all being. You find that you have become more heart sensitive, more attentive, more thankful for what you have been given. You start living in the present, not in the past that can’t be undone, and not in the future for which you have no control. You start to see how special the rising sun is and the glorious moon and the billions of sparkling stars that fill the indigo skies at night.
You find peace through the quietness of sitting in the softly falling rain and the gentle breeze as it wafts through the tender green leaves of the trees in early spring. You see the prayers of thanksgiving that nature provides as each new flower unfurls its blossoms and waves its leaves toward the heavens. You have slowly come to gain the knowledge that the path to God can be found in the beauty of His creation through nature and the music and art and poetry that it inspires. You see the face of God by looking into the faces of others and see His love. You finally realize that a relationship with God is not dependent on church doctrine or how well you have memorized the scriptures or how intelligent you are. Rather it is how you experience God in others and in His creation. He is showing you the multitude of blessing He is giving you.
After finding out you have cancer, you find that you are able to make do. You simplify your life and concentrate on what is dear to your heart. You live for the present and work to forget the past guilt and angers. You learn that you have the choice of how to respond to this ‘crisis’. You could get mad or you could get depressed. But you choose to use the pain and suffering for good. You remember that Christ’s Gift of Love for us was to suffer on the cross. So it is in suffering that you finally understand the gift of cancer and how it Graces you and brings you ever closer to God. And if you are one of the ones that is granted a longer life here on earth then use it wisely to tell others of how you were graced with a gift from God.
VT-K
June 20, 2006
Vonda Tedford-Keon
A dear friend needed help and I answered her call today. I drove her to the Holy Ground that I will call the Clinic to see if they could ease her pain. As I sit here in the Clinic, I watch all of the people awaiting their treatments, each fighting the Enemy in his or her own way. There are those with lung cancer, breast and liver cancer and some that I have never heard of before. They are the very young and the very old and many ages in between. They are male and female, black and white. They are people and I watch them. Some will win and some will succumb to the cancer that has been steadily and sneakily taking over their bodies. There is one thing that cancer can’t do and that is it can’t take away the soul.
Just hearing the words, “you have cancer”, throws you into crisis mode. All of a sudden, those three little words shake your world. All of your neat little organized cubby holes and closets and nicely arranged desks become a house of cards that seem on the verge of collapse. Not only do you have to deal with the mental and emotional shock of the disease, but you must start dealing with the big question that starts looming: “Why ME Lord!” It screams out of your inner being. WHY? What have I done? What didn’t I do? What did I eat? What did I say? Was I bad?
If you live in the South, all through your religious upbringing you are taught that if you have lived the good and righteous life then all will be fine. You will live to be a wise old person and die peacefully in your sleep when your work here on earth is completed. But you know the dark thoughts will start to sneak into your mind; “I went to church every time the doors opened. I gave as much as I could of my time and talent and treasure. I’ve tried to obey God’s Law. It’s NOT FAIR! Why can’t I have a long, healthy, pain free life?” We sort of start sounding like Job did in the Old Testament don’t we?
And then, as if to pour salt into the wounded soul, there is always that one, well-meaning, misguided person that has the audacity to walk up to you and not so subtly say, that if you are ill with cancer then you must have done something to cause God to punish you. Not only are you dealing with pain, sickness, rollercoaster emotions, family and financial worries, now you start to feel let down by Abba, Father! “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”
Having cancer is the ultimate time for spiritual growth. Yes, I just said living with a cancer diagnosis is the perfect time for discovering the Theology of cancer. While you are struggling with pain from surgeries and sickness from treatments and side effects from medications, you are also working through the uncertainty and difficulty of your life. Your whole routine of day to day is shattered. Your belief system has to be realigned, rethought and refined. Old habits are set aside and new habits developed. You start seeing God in a new light.
Your relationship with God takes on a new meaning. The disease has become the catalyst to help you grow beyond just thought and belief. You begin to search, to yearn, for the first time, what your purpose in life is ultimately about. You begin to realize that God is refining you. You are walking through the fires of purification. Soon He will be able to see His reflection in you. You are becoming more spiritually focused. No, the theological question, “Why Me Lord?” is not answered, but this new found spirituality does create an intimate connection with the Source of all being. You find that you have become more heart sensitive, more attentive, more thankful for what you have been given. You start living in the present, not in the past that can’t be undone, and not in the future for which you have no control. You start to see how special the rising sun is and the glorious moon and the billions of sparkling stars that fill the indigo skies at night.
You find peace through the quietness of sitting in the softly falling rain and the gentle breeze as it wafts through the tender green leaves of the trees in early spring. You see the prayers of thanksgiving that nature provides as each new flower unfurls its blossoms and waves its leaves toward the heavens. You have slowly come to gain the knowledge that the path to God can be found in the beauty of His creation through nature and the music and art and poetry that it inspires. You see the face of God by looking into the faces of others and see His love. You finally realize that a relationship with God is not dependent on church doctrine or how well you have memorized the scriptures or how intelligent you are. Rather it is how you experience God in others and in His creation. He is showing you the multitude of blessing He is giving you.
After finding out you have cancer, you find that you are able to make do. You simplify your life and concentrate on what is dear to your heart. You live for the present and work to forget the past guilt and angers. You learn that you have the choice of how to respond to this ‘crisis’. You could get mad or you could get depressed. But you choose to use the pain and suffering for good. You remember that Christ’s Gift of Love for us was to suffer on the cross. So it is in suffering that you finally understand the gift of cancer and how it Graces you and brings you ever closer to God. And if you are one of the ones that is granted a longer life here on earth then use it wisely to tell others of how you were graced with a gift from God.
VT-K
June 20, 2006
Saturday, May 13, 2006
blogging on painting
Every chance I get I go to the museum to paint on the mural. The forest has been an exhausting project. There is so much that has to be depicted and I don't just open up the cans of paint and voila! its a forest. It has to go in layers and then each layer will show me something else that needs to be done. Its a never ending thing! I hope to finish it this next week. Or at least I may just walk away from it and go on to the next 1/3 of the project and work on the school room. That one should go pretty quick because I am painting it to look like beadboard walls and some windows to the out doors. I am eager to try out my new graining tool.
Everytime I am down there, people come in. They usually just wantder on in and it turns out most are from out of town and they have some sort of connection to the area. I tell them about the museum and that we are looking for more items (give a little plug for the money needs) and listen to their stories. Some of them have been very interesting. I find it tells something that people that left in the 40's are coming back to live out the rest of their lives in this area. Their roots are calling them back to the place of their birth. Most of the folks I have talked to have very fond memories of Bruce. And they remember all sorts of things about the town, like how it looked and who worked in what store. I hope that we can pass on the legacy of our little town to the ones that are after us so that they will want to come back home too.
Everytime I am down there, people come in. They usually just wantder on in and it turns out most are from out of town and they have some sort of connection to the area. I tell them about the museum and that we are looking for more items (give a little plug for the money needs) and listen to their stories. Some of them have been very interesting. I find it tells something that people that left in the 40's are coming back to live out the rest of their lives in this area. Their roots are calling them back to the place of their birth. Most of the folks I have talked to have very fond memories of Bruce. And they remember all sorts of things about the town, like how it looked and who worked in what store. I hope that we can pass on the legacy of our little town to the ones that are after us so that they will want to come back home too.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Things that make you go hmmm
It drives me nuts when a student is supposed to be here and then doesn't even call to let me know that something has come up to prevent them from calling. I could rearrange another childs schedule so that everyone can get their work finished and there won't be any tripping over eachother later on this week.
I've been working hard at learning my medical terms so that I can do the first test. one of the words that I had to learn to spell was 27 letters long. I didn't know I had it in me! Getting these things into spell check is the longest part. I have to make sure they are spelled correctly to start with so that is a slow go at the moment. Its been interesting to see just how much terminology I do know from the root words and the suffixes and prefixes. It is a whole different language.
Darling hubby is on vacation this week. I have to go to the dr. for year mammogram and I don't like driving in Memphis, so he is going along. We get to secret shop a resturant afterwards. I like being a secret shopper. That can be a full time job in itself. I may do that over the summer for some extra income.
I've been working hard at learning my medical terms so that I can do the first test. one of the words that I had to learn to spell was 27 letters long. I didn't know I had it in me! Getting these things into spell check is the longest part. I have to make sure they are spelled correctly to start with so that is a slow go at the moment. Its been interesting to see just how much terminology I do know from the root words and the suffixes and prefixes. It is a whole different language.
Darling hubby is on vacation this week. I have to go to the dr. for year mammogram and I don't like driving in Memphis, so he is going along. We get to secret shop a resturant afterwards. I like being a secret shopper. That can be a full time job in itself. I may do that over the summer for some extra income.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
The attack of the Latte Frothe monster
I have NEVER used the frothing wand on my coffee machine so I decided that I needed to figure this thing out. How hard can it be? Just read the instructions. Right? riiiiight. took me SEVERAL trys before I finally noticed the part about the steam plug. So I had to dig in the drawers for that little item. Ok. insert plug and lock it in. check. pour in coldwater and lock on that lid. check. turn on the machine. check. have cold milk in large container ready. check. open valve. check check. wait for steam so I can put milk container under the nozzle. I waited and waited. nothing. then I read the part about only putting in 2 oz. of water. oooooops. I put in 4. now what. the expresso that I made earlier was gently warming on the warmer just waiting for some froth. all of a sudden, SWOOSH, there was steam and I stuck that milk under it and man did it make froth. And more froth and MORE froth. It was the attack ofthe froth monster. all over the counter, the floor, the steamer. I made not one, not two, not three but 4 tall lattes! Made a huge mess but by golly I made some good tasting lattes. even had enough steam to clean that puppy out. It would have made a great video for don't let this happen to you!!!! Now on to bigger and better things. Adding flavors and getting jiggy wit it!
Thursdays
I've been checking the gas prices and they are coming down today. I might actually be able to afford to put some gas in the 'Shamu' today.
The Mural at the museum is coming along nicely. People are starting to comment about it. I didn't go and paint this morning because I was feeling just a little puny. Nothing serious just a little under the weather. It is probably because I am converting slowly to a marcobiotic style diet and last night I ate some red meat and boy can I tell my body doesn't like it. So its going to be a rice sort of day today.
Darling youger daughter has expressed an interest in learning to belly dance. I have been checking in on it and found a class in the university town north of us. It seems very reasonable so I think I will sign her up. I might even sign myself up. Lord knows I have enough 'belly' to dance with! At least with belly dancing you don't have to be leaping around. You have excellent posture and graceful hands and those veils cover a lot of stuff .
The Mural at the museum is coming along nicely. People are starting to comment about it. I didn't go and paint this morning because I was feeling just a little puny. Nothing serious just a little under the weather. It is probably because I am converting slowly to a marcobiotic style diet and last night I ate some red meat and boy can I tell my body doesn't like it. So its going to be a rice sort of day today.
Darling youger daughter has expressed an interest in learning to belly dance. I have been checking in on it and found a class in the university town north of us. It seems very reasonable so I think I will sign her up. I might even sign myself up. Lord knows I have enough 'belly' to dance with! At least with belly dancing you don't have to be leaping around. You have excellent posture and graceful hands and those veils cover a lot of stuff .
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Random thoughts for Tuesday
The new kittens have all died. I thought they would pull thru but what ever nasty bacteria or virus hit them, it took them. The poor mama kitty is beside herself. She worked and worked to save her little babies.
I've been down working at the museum and getting ready to head out the door again with clean brushes in hand. I am oging this morning while its cooler. Its so hot in there in the afternoon with the sun beaming straight in! I get a sun burn inside! Its coming together tho. I am painting the foreground and laying in the blades of grass and vines. Its looking like a forest for sure.
Oldest DD has finished her schoolwork for the year. Now she is going to do some extra things in preparation for highschool next year. She really wants to attend public schoolfor the 11th and 12th grade. It flies in my face but she has got to try it find out. I would prefer that she not do it but she is old enough to make that decision and I have to honor it.
youngest DD is going to keep homeschooling a while longer. Thank goodness. She isn't ready for the wild world of public school. She is into the summer softball league at the moment. We will have the first softball game and dance recital on the same afternoon! That should be fun! Not!
She is good at gymnastics and would like to cotinue so I guess I will try and see if Ican find someone within a decent driving distance that can teach her. Just one more thing to add to my plate.
I've been down working at the museum and getting ready to head out the door again with clean brushes in hand. I am oging this morning while its cooler. Its so hot in there in the afternoon with the sun beaming straight in! I get a sun burn inside! Its coming together tho. I am painting the foreground and laying in the blades of grass and vines. Its looking like a forest for sure.
Oldest DD has finished her schoolwork for the year. Now she is going to do some extra things in preparation for highschool next year. She really wants to attend public schoolfor the 11th and 12th grade. It flies in my face but she has got to try it find out. I would prefer that she not do it but she is old enough to make that decision and I have to honor it.
youngest DD is going to keep homeschooling a while longer. Thank goodness. She isn't ready for the wild world of public school. She is into the summer softball league at the moment. We will have the first softball game and dance recital on the same afternoon! That should be fun! Not!
She is good at gymnastics and would like to cotinue so I guess I will try and see if Ican find someone within a decent driving distance that can teach her. Just one more thing to add to my plate.
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