Our Lives

I have been very careful about what I post here because I sincerely do not want to offend any of my liberal friends and family.  However, I am so deeply concerned about the current administration, and both houses and the direction they are taking for our country that I can barely hold it in any longer.  This unloading of mine is going to take a couple of posts, because I have so much to say, but please read this no matter your political preferences…

Now with Specter  changing parties and Franken in MN still fighting for a seat in the Senate, the democrats will have their super majority and will not be slowed down with any filibusters.

Why do so many young Americans think the European way of government is so much better than ours?  Why do you support the socialist agenda of the Democratic Party?  I can’t think of anyone I know that is experiencing a real hardship that I know voted for Obama, so it can’t be the economy.   Is this economy, which I admit is partly the fault of the Bush administration, but if you look at the records of the house and senate during the last 4 years, you will see that the Dems had full control and did nothing about it, in fact in many cases made things worse.   The President (without the super majority) only has so much power when the oposite party has full control of the house and senate.

I guess I am saying that there is plenty of blame to go around.  But back to my point - I have a very good friend who is from Germany.  Her Mom and siblings still live there.  The stories she tells about what they endure as a socialist country are unbelievable.

For example:  At one point when she still lived there, the government said there was a housing crisis so everyone who had over x amount of sq ft in their homes had to take in a family.  No rent paid to the homeowner, just let them live their.  Her parent’s home qualified for this so she knows this first hand.

A couple of examples of nationalized health care:  Her mother has a sore on her leg that has been open for months.  It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  It is about the size of a lemon now.  My friend thinks she is probably diabetic, but the Drs havent done any tests for this - we are guessing because she is old.  They have given her some cream to put on the wound.

My friends brother-in-law and sister were just here for a visit.   On the plane going back, he passed out twice.  When they got home they made an appt with their doctor.  The did some tests and found he as a torn aorta.  Now I am no doc, but it seems to me that this is a medical emergency.  In fact, this is what killed John Ritter, the actor.  The Drs in Germany told him they “will keep an eye on it”.  What? Is a torn aorta something to just  “keep an eye on”?  He is a senior at about 70, smokes like a chimney and drinks so is that why they are just going to “keep an eye on it?”  Is he not worth saving in their eyes?

I have heard of many more instances of Government taking over health care in various European countries.  Most of the stories I have heard the people have said that the last thing we want is socialized medicine.  That they have waiting lists for open heart surgeries, and other major services.  They come to the US to have these things done from the UK as well as Canada.  There is a reason for that.

I have much more to discuss.  Yes discuss.  If you have a good explaination as to why I shouldn’t be concerned, I would love to hear it.

to be continued…

So, Sunday was another great day in the neighborhood! After Church (which was awesome as usual - great sermon - AMAZING music) We met Matt, Jen, Gracie, Tomi and Traci at The Farm.  Now if anyone reading this is in the Phoenix area and has never been to The Farm, you are missing a real treat. (click on any picture to view full size - these photo’s were taken by Matt, which is why they are so good!)

The Farm is an old pecan farm in Phoenix at 32nd street north of Baseline.  This is an organic farm where they not only have pecan groves, they grow all their other produce organically as well.  So if you get a sandwich with any kind of greens, etc, they probably grew them there.  There is also a farmers market toward the back, a little cottage with artist’s works for sale and displayed beautifully, a restaurant in the back and a little food “shack” in the front where you can order some great sandwiches - salads - deserts, etc and take outside to eat under the pecan trees.  It’s an awesome place with awesome food!

Parking is a little precarious, you have to park across 32nd st and make the trek across to get to The Farm, but the traffic isn’t too bad.

The day we were there, they were having some sort of “event” out back.  I guess they have a homeopathic Dr on hand there, and I think they were speaking there that day.

So great fun was had by all!  Even Gracie was getting into the spirit of the day!

Had a great Art Fair / Farmers Market last weekend.  Pat and Joe came down and spent Friday evening before the big event.  We just hung out on the patio and had a great dinner and really nice conversation.  While we were out there, a BIG spider, it looked like the wolf spiders we used to get in MI, came running (yes running) across the patio when I was trying to grill! Of course I screamed like a girl, but Jay came to the rescue and stepped on it (gross).

But Pat is worse than me when it comes to spiders.  She wasn’t comfortable the rest of the time we were out there.  I think she kept waiting for it to come back to life!  : D

So, anyway the next morning we went down to Estrella Mountain Ranch for the fair.  It was  a great event, lots of people.  We sold a lot of jewlery!  My sister Jen and her friend, Tomi came to the event.  Jen bought a couple of pieces then she found these great baubles and bows for Gracie at another booth.  They are too cute, and the young woman who makes them is just as sweet as can be. (Click on the photo to the left to get the full sized image)

What Fun!

Well I have 2 Stephen Ministry classes left.  Then at the end of the month we are commissioned.

What a mixed bag.  On the one hand, I have learned so much.  On the other hand I am a little scared about the responsibility that comes with being a Stephen Minister.

In the comfort of our class, doing role playing has been very useful.  The relationships we have developed over the last six months amongst our class have been really strong.  We have shared things that have been difficult to share in our role playing which has helped to strengthen the bonds that the 14 of us have built.  We have been practicing ministering to one another.

But to go out and minister to someone else is a little scary to be perfectly honest.  But I do think that the process of arriving at the care receivers home and taking a minute in the car to pray for the right words and the right responses is a great way to handle things.  After all, it isn’t us but God who is ministering to our care receivers through us.

I am sure that as we built caring relationships with the people in our class, we will, over time build the same kind of caring relationships with whomever we are assigned.  I just pray for strength in remembering to focus on the process and not to “get in the hole” with the care receiver - but to hold onto Christ for support and extend a hand to help bring my care receiver out of the hole.

What a great day…

Church this morning.  Always a great way to start the day.  Very good sermon today, kinda expanded on the topic from our Bible study last week.  Communion Sunday.  Always love taking communion.

Such a beautifully perfect day, I wanted to spend some time outside.  Well, after the Farmers Market on Friday, I was inspired to make some more jewelry, so I took all my supplies out back on the patio and made 4 necklaces.  They turned out really nice.  I was feeling very creative.  Watch for them on the Kindred Spirits Design site in the next couple of days.  (have to photograph the images and such first)

Then made a simple dinner, did the dishes, went for a walk up to the clubhouse to get the mail, listened to the coyotes all evening howling and carrying on.  Watched Brothers and Sisters two hour movie, did my Stephen Ministry homework and that’s it.

Lots of good accomplishments.  Another great day in the Valley of the Sun! Time for bed.