thread for middle age to older Christian women.
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video-1544383610.mp4
Not sure if this will open but a friend sent this to me. It made me cry.
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Dear friends of faith,
I am praying that you can feel the peace in this banner. I know that this can be one of the most stressful times of the year and it is a shame that in our world today this is unfortunately the reality for many.
I had shared yesterday about the trial that I had yesterday in trying to get meds. I prayed about this and felt God saying trust me in this, I will work this out for you. I lost a swim session today because I spent an hour on the phone with my insurance. This person was a gem and was SO helpful. In the end God came through and beyond my expectations.
I will see the neurologist tomorrow that I have been waiting for weeks to see about this brain tumor. I am praying that I will leave her office with the same peace that I have had which has really been a miracle in and of itself. I know many have been praying for me and for that I am so thankful. I know those prayers have helped me get to this point. I know God will see me through to the finish however and whatever that may look like.
Praying that you all will feel peace today. One thing God has shown me throughout this year and that is don't sweat the small stuff. I know most of the things in the past I have worried and stewed about were small stuff in the big scheme.
Love,
Nancy
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The Christmas Peace banner is so peaceful & beautiful. I am dealing with some unreasonable and cranky customers (I hate to say it but the Christian buyers are really no nicer than the non ones - very sad!). I am trying to be kind and understand that they may be dealing with a lot on their plates too and don't have an outlet to vent to. I can and do pray for those crabby folks.
) Jesus loves them too.Nancy I pray your peace found in Christ alone will remain and you will get GOOD news from the neurologist. We're lifting you up in prayer. Praising Him with you about the medication ordeal! We sent in the new application and are now waiting to see if James will get the free medication for the NEXT year. (It is a BIG deal for us!)
I head off to Midland tomorrow for the 6-month Onc. checkup. Not expecting any surprises. Wishing it wasn't 3 hours away & the traffic wasn't so awful up there! Will be gone ALLL day. (But we get to have a dinner out - wooHOO!)
Joanne, praying for strength and peace for you, and of course praying for Teresa & Michelle.
A big Texas HOWDY to the ladies I haven't gotten to greet yet - WELCOME!
Love & blessings,
Ade
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Thank you Ade. Praying James can get good news on his meds being paid for and that your long commute to your MO is safe and hopefully not too exhausting. Have a good night.
Love,
Nancy
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Joanne, thank you for the update on Michelle. I know this is heart-wrenching and there are no words to help. Just know I pray for her and your family throughout the day as I remember. Chris
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Yesterday the Lord kept us safe as we traveled 3 hours for my 6 month onc. check up. (The traffic is NUTS up there!) My bloodwork shows little change and 3 years from my diagnosis I have graduated to just an annual check up. He said about 15% cannot tolerate the medications (I tried three) but he was confident that I had passed the most common reoccurrance time. Praising the Lord! I will try to get the spectacular sunset pix from the trip off the phone and post for you. It was amazing.
Nancy, do let us know what the neurologist says. In the meantime we will be praying for God's perfect peace and for a good report.
Joanne, we continue to lift up Michelle and all of you in prayer. We appreciate the update.
God bless and keep you all,
Ade
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Nancy, yes I made the road trip to see my mom and she is doing fine. She is still trying to wrap her head around this diagnosis because she has no symptoms whatsoever. So, I just don't think it feels that real that she even has it yet. We are going up there again on the 22nd of December, spending the night with her and having a family Christmas on the 23rd. It really is hard to see our mothers going through all this. How was your mom?
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One last thought Ladies. As I have been reading through Luke to prepare my heart for Christmas I have compared and contrasted zachariahs response to the angels message and Mary's response to the angels message. It seems easy to criticize Zachariah for his lack of faith in the Angels message. It wasn't enough that his name had been chosen by lot to go into the holy of holies and an angel was talking to him in there. He asked for more proof. I started to think about all the promises in the Bible and how they are just as reliable as if God himself was standing here telling us. And I had to examine myself and ask myself how am I responding to all these promises from God? Why do we find it so hard to just let go and let God? The Bible is chock-full of promises to us. Awesome things like all things are working together for our good, and he will be with us until the end of the age. I pray to live by faith!
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Hi ladies.
I had another doctor apt today and errands to run. I got home are really started feeling like I was getting sick. Trying to do laundry tonight and I still haven't had my play session with Cammie yet. UGH
I will have to make this short. Neurologist thinks my symptoms are coming from my neck and not the brain tumor. No brain surgery at this point. She wants me to repeat the MRI in 3 mos instead of the initial recommendation of 6-12. She said cancer almost never goes to that part of the brain. So why is she so concerned to move the timing of the MRI up. I don't know. I am not sure she is entirely is convinced this is a hamartoma which is very rare in the brain. Can be in all other parts of the body. She wants to see if any changes too.
So I get home and look at the MRI order last night at 12:30 and it says MRI of the cervical spine. WHAT????????? I sent her an electronic message knowing she may not respond for two business days. I asked my primary doctor who I saw today too about if the cervical spine MRI would show the tumor in the base of the brain and he said no. So at this point I can't schedule the MRI because she must have made a mistake.
I have already shared about my neck surgery in 2001. I have stenosis of the cervical spine and had horrible spinal cord compression where the spinal fluid was dammed up in my neck. I knew it could come back. So now the idea of having two issues has been pretty much of a bummer for sure. Also I am wondering if my low back is involved too since my right foot has been losing feeling. She asked me if I had low back pain which is really more of an issue than my neck pain. I have some weakness on the right side of my body after her doing some hands on testing.
So that is the deal. I know God will see me through whatever but the fact that I don' t tolerate pain meds makes any surgery very difficult for me as you can imagine.
I will have to respond to other posts later and when I am feeling better. I have read them but need to put clothes in dryer and play with Cammie. We haven't missed a session for months and I don't want anything regarding the litter box to go south again!
Love,
Nancy
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Hi dear friends,
Sorry I have been MIA. I am down sick with a cold. I haven't had a cold in years. Hopefully it will stay in my head only. I am just very tired and drained.
I do have to my an MRI of the neck first. I am assuming soon but I am supposed to be leaving for downstate on Thursday. Not sure if that is going to happen. I have two doctor apts this week too.
I am suspecting that neck surgery might be in the picture. My symptoms are looking like spinal cord compression. My balance is way off and my clumsiness is apparent and I am usually very coordinated so this is all very disturbing.
Joanne, I hope you are right. My searching has said neck surgery recovery 3-6 mos which is about what it was for me last time. I ended up with complications which lasted for a long time and some permanent. I also had a tremendous amount of support and had a wonderful faculty at my two schools who brought in meals for me for a month and some of that was in the summer when teachers are not in school. They even paid for me to have a cleaning lady for three times. I am very independent but in situations like these living alone is not easy. Now that I am not working I don't have that same network of support.
I would appreciate your prayers everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I am so sorry you are sick. It definitely makes things more difficult especially this time of year. Please be careful driving. I am praying God intervenes for you and your body improves so you can see your mom for the holidays. One of the reasons I am glad to be back in California is the support system I have here. I do not know what I would do without it and I pray you get the help you need. Do you have a small group at your church that would help? If you were closer I would share!
Joanne, praying things improve for you too and that you feel better quick.
I am finally over my pneumonia and feeling good that way, but I am emotionally struggling. It is probably all of the stress of finishing this remodel plus all I do for the holidays. My "system" has been all out of whack because I have had to get up early every morning and have not had good access to a bathroom during the day while the workers are here. They should finish on Monday...yay! I almost had a meltdown at the store today because I had to use the bathroom and couldn't get the door code to work! (A locked restroom is a necessary thing at the store where I shop in San Diego with all the homeless.) am strongly considering letting everyone know next year I am cutting way down on what I do for Christmas. It is just too much for me although all the online ordering has helped immensely! It is hard as I am the one putting the high expectations on myself.
Have a blessed Sabbath tomorrow.
Chris
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GK, Good word about standing on God's promises. I think the enemy sometimes gives us an amnesia in that area (but he's a loser and liar!) I pray the Lord grants your mom (and you) His peace.
Joanne and Nancy - so sorry you're not feeling well. Seems like all of us are lately sick and exhausted. I am lifting you up in prayer. The stress you've both endured can really cause problems in the way you feel...I know! May the Lord heal and comfort you.
Chris, glad your pneumonia is on the way OUT. I noticed you're on Letrozole. I was too and it completely did a job on my emotions to the point that I literally couldn't take it anymore. I can't even explain how bad I was emotionally. I am SOO much better off of it! I am ME again! Just wondering if that could be affecting you?
James has run fevers the past 3 nights (Oh NOT again!) and he is feeling really bad. Prayers appreciated please.
We may be in battles but we are NOT defeated because we are daughters of the King, His precious beloved children. May you all feel His comfort and peace in these trials. As the saying goes, "He's got this".
Love to you all.
Ade
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Joanne, that is beautiful! God is our STRENGTH and our shield. We can do all things through Christ Who STRENGTHENS us - and so much more.
Blessings upon your day,
Ade
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I praise the Lord that DH and I were able to go to church today as we were chosen by Pastor to light the 3rd Advent candle on the wreath. I wasn't in too much pain and didn't fall down the stairs on the way up/down the steps to the altar. This week's candle was the candle of JOY, so Pastor preached on having joy at this time of year, and how difficult it is as many of us are facing a lot of challenges: Pain/illness, suffering, stress over trying to get too much done, sorrow over losing family members this past year, to name a few.
I was even able to hang on to the row in front of me and sing the hymns and carols, which I haven't been able to do for weeks. Of course, NOW my back is starting to hurt, but the Lord took care of me earlier this morning, and I am grateful for that. I'm making a curry stew for dinner, and I will have to sit down to chop up all the vegetables and meat, but that's okay.
Even tho I don't post a lot on this thread, I pray for ALL of you. Despite all the crap we're going thru, may we all have a blessed, joyous Christmas. Pace yourselves, and let some things go. I used to decorate EVERY room, put holiday linens and/or place mats on every table, bring out the Rudolph Misfits collection, put up all my nutcrackers, etc., etc.
I don't do that anymore.
I pick out my FAVORITE stuff and just stick with those items. My family just has to understand. The more stuff you put up, the more stuff you have to take down.
Tidings of comfort and joy to you all,
L
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Very simple decorations on the Baby Blue Spruce we picked for this year. We will plant it in the back yard in January, and it will be the LEGACY tree I leave behind for my family. Have never done a tree w/white lights before. It only has glass ornaments on it and the angel. Easy to put up, and it will be easy to take down. It always took FOREVER when I did our usual tree, with all the Hallmark keepsake ornaments, other handmade ornaments, and the delicate ones that you have to unwrap and then wrap up again in January.
A joyous Christmas to all of you, my dear sisters,
L
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Lita, beautiful tree and I totally understand it all. So glad you made it to church today--I did too! It was the first time since the pneumonia hit me. But I did not sing in the choir. It was nice just to worship.
Last year we bought a 6' tree instead of using our usual 9' tree. It is easier to put up and take down, and takes less to decorate and less space to store. My DD and DH did all the lights and ornaments with some help from my 3-year-old GD (namely the bottom row!) We still put it up on a table so not to tempt my not-so-obedient GD and cat! But it is all good! Other than that, I put up my Simpich collector dolls, my DHs rubber Santa collection, and not much else. I only decorate the living room now, but that is ok. These pictures still have the bins around so they are a bit cluttered, but hopefully once the workers finish tomorrow I will have my shelves back. I will try to send a picture with the sunset in the background over the water tonight. So pretty. Oh, we also hang lights on the balcony and my DH wanted the front walkway lit so he did that. No climbing or things to nail. Easy-peasy!
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beautiful trees everyone!
Lita, your drapes look just like my moms.
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Ladies, your trees are breath taking! I didn't have the energy myself or the heart to ask James to do one here this year. Neither of us is really doing much more than necessary at present. He didn't have a fever last night, praise the Lord.
We used to decorate a beautiful fireplace & hearth plus tree in Ohio. I have a snowman collection that hasn't been seen since we moved here to TX (Maybe they melted!) :oD Anyway I did all of the laundry and baked a whole wheat honey banana bread with walnuts & mini chocolate chips, which I just put into the oven.
I admire all of you and hope you and your loved ones all have a wonderful Christmas season and new year.
Missing you, Nancy & praying for you. Stay focused on His Word and not the "what ifs". Sending a hug.
Love to all,
Ade
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Hi dear ladies,
Your beautiful Christmas trees and decorated houses I will have to pretend are in my house. This is more how mine looks and feels right now.
This whatever I have is apparently more than just a cold. It seems to be more like a book with chapters. I am in chapter two and hoping the last page is coming soon. If I feel like it I will have to scan a Christmas card my niece sent me.
I am reading and appreciating all the banners and pictures and prayers and shout outs. Keep them coming.
Love,
Nancy
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Thanks for the laughter everyone! Mine would have no decorations if I didn't have a 3-year-old living with me!
Nancy, praying diligently for answers for you. Jo, love your humor!!!
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Joanne, Cammie is too much a diva to put on a dog suit !!!!!!!!!!!
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Joanne that's so funny! (Looks good to me!) I'm glad your throat's better but sorry your hubby has it. May the Lord heal him quickly, the kids NOT get it, and may He grant you the energy to endure your blessings. Maybe in time the Lord will restore Michelle's memory. I pray for her peace and healing and WHATEVER the Lord knows she needs...to HIS glory.
Praising the Lord that James has not had fevers in a few nights and is almost back to his normal self! For those who prayed - thank you!
Nancy - sending you hugs and praying for peace and healing for you. The Lord will get you through this. Rest in Him.
Love & hugs,
Ade
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Jo, funny.
Ade, at least you got some yummy bread made!
As said by the Grinch,
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GK, this is the first day I haven't felt like the Grinch!!!!!! I guess that must mean I am feeling some better. I know it is difficult with your mom. My Mom's sense of time is way off so she may not be aware that Christmas is right around the corner and I am not there. I am still praying that I will be able to go sometime soon. Not on Thursday as I had planned.
Love,
Nancy
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Prayer going up for all the needs here to be met. Tough challenges for many of you. If I don't post again till after Christmas I pray that everyone has a blessed Christmas. Love, Jean
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Hello, sisters;
I don't post much but read and pray daily. Two new ladies I know have unfortunately joined the fight...a former sister in law in her 40's and a dear Minister Wife in her 70's. Praying for them and for anyone who just received the BC diagnosis before what is celebrated as "the most wonderful time of the year." Thanks to our Lord that even the most discouraging news is brightened by remembering His gift to the world ...His son Jesus. May He bring healing, comfort and peace to all.
I have no Christmas Tree photos...but I will share some "unusual" occurances this year that have made me smile...after the fact!
* Made a real effort to get our almost new pre-lit tree from storage....to find the lights don't work. So...had to go out and buy strings of lights to light a pre-lit tree. Bet some of you have done this too.....don't we get pre lit trees so we DON'T have the hassle of stringing lights????
* couldn't find my tree skirt...anywhere....searched every closet twice, especially the one I keep decorations in. Found it this week in an Amazon box in a hall closet..unmarked. I think DH may have decided he was tired of looking at it and decided to put it out of his sight...and mine. Better late than never!
* our 3 year old Yorkie mix has graduated to chewing artificial branches and attacking ornaments (last 2 years it was the bulbs). She took a photo ornament off our "Grandchild Tree" and took out the picture to chew....ironically, it was her own! Her ornament is on the small tree with the kids. See picture below...
Merry Christmas to all...yes, it is a different holiday when you fight hard to enjoy anything, you're tired and don't feel well, and you have illness and loss in your family. Clinging to His promises and celebrating His birth!
Wishing special miracles and memories for you all.....Love, Ellen
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Dear sisters,
I can relate to so much of what has been shared. I am attaching a photo that was sent to me yesterday and I hope I am not violating anyone's privacy because I don't know who this cat belongs to but I am attaching it anyway. It reminds me of how Cammie used to open my closet doors and I would find her laying on my hanging clothes. How do they do these things. You gotta love em.
Joanne, I am praying for all of your situations that you have mentioned and definitely for Michelle's surgery. I know this has been such a difficult time for you and your family. I am praying.
Jean, it is good to hear from you. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and are doing well.
Ellen, I think maybe Zoe and Cammie are somehow related!!!! Your preparation with the Christmas tree sounds like you have been reading out of my playbook recently. This has certainly been a different holiday for me and I knew it was going to be, going to a house all alone at my Mom's. However I had not counted on getting sick and not even sure if I will be there before Christmas.
I just about had a meltdown yesterday over trying to get needed meds. Ade, I am sure you can relate to this frustration as it sounds like some aspects are quite similar to your battle trying to get James meds. Between either lies or total ineptitude the meds I was supposed to receive last Friday weren't even shipped until Monday and I had a vacation override on them after a three way phone call with my insurance and the pharmacy prior to all of this. The meds were supposed to come yesterday and didn't. Now I am waiting for the mail carrier to bring them today.
I was to the point of going completely ballistic last night and I just had a conversation with the Lord because I knew I was totally losing it. He is our source and not the doctors, nurses or insurance people or pharmacies. There is NOTHING that we need that He will not supply. Sometimes we don't get what we want or are expecting because God has something better in mind. I think this all may have been so that I could recuperate at my home for more days that I would have. I was supposed to leave today for my Mom's and that isn't happening. I doubt if it will happen tomorrow either but God is in control and I am trying to give it all up to Him. If He wants me to spend Christmas alone in my house then that is what it will have to be.
When I think of how blessed I am I realize that I am sometimes no better than than the Israelites who were mumbling and complaining through the desert even as God supplied all of their needs. When I read about how ungrateful they were I realize judgment is creeping into my thinking. Then God allows me to look in the mirror and I am ashamed as I realize I am just like those Israelites. So hopefully with a humble heart I look at this Christmas season as definitely being different and a challenge but I know will come with treasures that I haven't even seen yet.
God bless all of you as you navigate this Christmas time with unbelievable challenges and heartaches. May God give you unexpected treasures and blessings as this special day nears.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy I thought this was probably close to home!
)Love you all,
Ade
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Ade, hilarious!
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Good one Ade. Is that one of your cats you used to have? I don't have a tree up because the place I would put one now houses Cammie's cat tree and she uses my floor stereo speaker to get a head start. That rules out the tree. When my Mom was at her house I would decorate for her and she had a little tree and Cammie liked to bite on it when she could.
I will not be able to make it to my Mom's for Christmas this year. I woke up feeling much worse today and just told my sister I would n't be making it. I was tickled that my Mom called and she could hear me. The last several months it would be hit or miss if she could hear me and very frustrating yelling into the phone. My sister took one of my Mom's hearing aides in to be cleaned and that was the problem. She will take the other one eventually too.
My Mom was very disappointed that I would not be able to be there for Christmas. I tried to explain that I couldn't come and make everyone there sick. I told her I just don't feel up to it right now.
So this is going to be very different for me being alone at Christmas. I did finally get my meds yesterday so that whole fiasco is over.
I did find my cold med at Walgreens I used to take for cold and flu for high blood pressure so I will take some of that tonight. My uvula is very swollen in my throat and it is much worse than it was yesterday.
Hope everyone's plans are coming together nicely for Christmas.
Love,
Nancy
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