For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends!
I'm sitting here by the fireside this morning, keying to you. It is sunny but COLD outside (16F).
I want to say something this morning. This is the time of year when tempers easily flare. Don't get caught up in someone else's anger and don't become angry, yourself. Don't let the devil steal your joy. I am currently caught in between friends, trying to keep harmony and peace between them. It was not my choice. It's not like I stepped in intentionally to do this. I got caught in the middle by someone being inconsiderate and determined to have things their way. I didn't go through the proper channels as I should have when I tried to accomodate them. My excuse (everyone's got one, right?) is that I have become so accustomed to being the one in charge of many situations (including my Mom and her care, though this has nothing to do with her whatsoever) that I didn't even think to consult others in charge before making a decision to accomodate the person who was being inconsiderate. I didn't think of the possible effect on others in charge of a certain project. 
They became very angry, to say the least and it is ALL MY FAULT. I had to tell them that I didn't think to consult them before giving in to the person and letting them have their way. (The others in charge had put me in charge of the details of the project, though they are the ones over it.) I told them I was sorry and asked their forgiveness. Some of the work they had done had to be changed slightly to accomodate the person whom I gave in to having their way. Top it off, after they talked with the person, whom I agreed to let have their way,the person did not even act thankful and wanted things EVEN MORE their way. I ask for your prayers about this even though I can't put the details over the internet. Suffice to say, the devil will do anything he can come up with to try to take our joy if we let him. Also suffice to say that I've learned my lesson well about making sure I, myself, am considerate of others (especially those who are also in charge).
..Tonite will be the last Christmas Cantata practice after evening church service before this coming Sunday morning when we have the program.
Update: In making today's entry, I lost yesterday's entry. Please overlook that comments were made yesterday...they were to yesterday's entry. 
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Hope you're having a blessed day or evening!
Love, Maria
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends...
Hubby and I are watching tv...thought I'd say hello tonite... I visited Mom at the nursing home today. She seemed to be doing okay. Then I went to the next larger town over and walked around in stores after navigating the heavy afternoon Christmas traffic... Lots of things on sale. Didn't buy anything. It's very cold outside. I wore hat and gloves, jacket and boots with warm clothes. Looks like I'll have to shop for my Mom's Christmas gifts to others instead of taking her with me...she was wanting to go Christmas shopping, too, but I don't think it would be wise to get her out of the warm nursing home into the very cold air. Last year, I took her Christmas shopping when the weather was milder and after I got her into a store, she got overheated and I had to get her back to the car, then go back in (leaving her alone in the car) to pay for the items she chose for gifts...this is not to mention lifting her and her wheelchair and her bathroom break...I know she wants to get out of the nursing home for a while but it's not worth it to risk her health. So, I'll just do the best I can. 
The chocolate cake (turned out to be 13 layers) turned out real well and I gave away most of what wasn't eaten at the church Christmas party. Tomorrow nite is Christmas Cantata practice at church. 
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Hope you're having a nice day or evening.
Love, Maria
I ended up staying in and eating at home when husband came home. As I expected, he didn't want to eat out (he had to eat out 3 mels a day for a whole week while in Switzerland!) and I don't blame him for wanting to eat home cooked meals. Besides, it's easier on the diet front, this way...
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends...
It is raining here this morning and chilly but not as cold as it has been. I plan, Lord willing, on baking a chocolate layered cake this morning to take to our annual church Christmas party this afternoon. I was going to bake it last nite but got too sleepy sitting by the fire in the fireplace and went to bed instead. Hubby got up this morning and said, "I see that you didn't bake the cake last nite, did you?" (Some ingredients were still out on the kitchen counter waiting to be used in the cake baking.) I don't know if he was thinking more about the cake or more about his little muffin-sized cake I usually bake for him when I bake cakes. 
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Update: I finished baking, frosting, and decorating the 12-layer chocolate cake to take to the party in a few hours! WHAT A JOB!!! 
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Hope you're having a nice day!
Love, Maria
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends!
I'm sitting here by the fireside, keying to you. It is COLD outside and so WARM right here...I love it...looking at the fire in the fireplace. That's the good news...
The not so good news (but still good) is I decided to give up the new 3g mobile internet. I miss it already! Turned out that, though it worked wonderfully and was just about as fast as the wifi here at home, the little limited 250 mb/month plan is not going to be a keeper...It sounds like a LOT...but it actually is very little. Oh, it would work out if I didn't do anymore graphics on this entry (no pictures, animations, etc.) and only got online about an hour a day and never checked out youtube or any videos, etc. To upgrade to the unlimited 3g mobile internet plan, the price would have been double the price for 3 months, then even more after that. So, for now, the 3g mobile internet is...'gone with the wind'... Oh, well, still have the wifi internet at home for now and am happy with it and thankful to the Lord for it.
Today, I had lunch with a friend and she and I did a little Christmas shopping afterward. Later tonite or sometime tomorrow, I plan, Lord willing, to bake a chocolate layered cake to take to our annual church Christmas party tomorrow afternoon. (Although I'm really in the mood to bake Christmas cookies but I promised to bake a cake...which I'm actually much better at baking than cookies, hehehe!) It will be at least 4 layers and maybe even more...maybe 8-10...??? It will be a yellow cake with chocolate frosting in between the layers and on top. I may even sprinkle a few multi-colored Christmas sprinkles (tiny candy sprinkles) on top, since is IS Christmas, what do you think?
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Hope you're having a blessed day!
Love, Maria
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends...
Just got the 3g mobile internet service installed and am checking it out...so far, so good, here at the house. I will be leaving to take care of some errands shortly and will be taking my laptop with me and checking it at various locations.
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Hubby and I are to get the Christmas tree decorated hopefully tonite. The tree is up and looks pretty, though bare.
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Update: At a different location checking connectivity, etc. Appears to be doing well with the 3g mobile internet. 
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Evening update: 3g mobile internet doing real well. Checked it out at 3 different locations while out and about in my vehicle this afternoon and it did real well. While out, I visited Mom a little while this afternoon. She was doing pretty well. However, her new roommate hasn't been well at all and the EMS came and got her while I was visiting Mom to take her to the hospital. Please pray for her. From what I'm told she is a good Christian woman who taught Sunday School in her church in her younger years. She's been in a LOT of agony and Mom told me she spoke up for her to get some help and believes they listened to her why she was taken to the hospital. After they left with her, Mom told me she's already lost 2 roommates who occupied her new roommate's bed and she hopes she doesn't lose her new roommate.
On a different note, Mom asked me today how much do I weigh? To which I tried to dodge her question, as she is highly competitive, and has already put herself on a lose-weight diet by refusing her meals and making do with little snack s/w's. When I wouldn't tell her, she asked again, "How much do you weigh? 140?" (Close, hehe.) I answered, "No, Mom, I weigh more than that." (Though not much more, hehe.) I am glad she is feeling well enough to be wanting to be a healthier weight.
Oh, lest I forget to tell you, the Christmas tree is not only up, it is now DECORATED!!!
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Hope you're having a nice day!
Love, Maria
I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's roommate. I'm sure it is hard on her to keep forming connections to these people and then losing then. I will keep them in my thoughts.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends...
It is a pretty, sunny, COLD (20's F) morning here in S.C.
I visited Mom for about 2 hours yesterday afternoon. We had a good visit. She told me she'd changed her mind about the eye makeup. (Thank you for your suggestions regarding the eye makeup.) I didn't get her any, either, cause I didn't think she could apply it safely without risking getting it into her eye and she only wanted eyeliner pencil. She said that when washing her face, the corner of her washcloth had accidentally gotten into her eye and irritated it and she decided she didn't want to chance any eye makeup doing the same. So that was the beginning and the end of that conversation about the eyeliner. 
I took her a hamburger with lettuce and tomato on it and divided the meat into tiny little pieces with lots of ketcup on top to make it easy for her to eat and she ate that after earlier she'd refused to eat her lunch that was brought her on a tray to her room. She told a caregiver that came in and saw she'd not eaten her lunch that she didn't eat her lunch because she was on a diet (she put herself on) to try to lose some weight. She told me when they last weighed her (probably within the past month) she weighed 179. At one time years ago she was very heavy and told me at that time that she weighed 315. I didn't doubt it. She started replacing some meals with Slimfast and she lost about 100 pounds in about a year doing that. Eventually she decided that her goalweight was to be 175. She reached and passed that, going down to about 149 from losing her appetite and eating extremely little after she first went into a nursing home in early 2008, but she was very, very weak from malnourishment as well as extremely poor care at the first nursing home she was in. After she transferred to the nice nursing home she is in now about a year and a half ago, she put back on weight up to about 180. I reminded her that her original goalweight was 175 and that she's just a few pounds over that (so no need for a strict diet) when I was visiting her yesterday and she didn't comment.
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Christmas Cantata (a program of Christmas songs describing the Christmas story of Jesus' Birth being sung in church or at other location by a group of people) practice is again tonite. I am very happy over it and looking forward to it!
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Hubby and I finally got the Christmas tree put up last nite, was quite a job, only to realize we needed new lights, so off to the store we went and Hubby purchased new lights for it, but since it was late when we got back, we decided to wait to decorate the tree either today or tomorrow. It feels like time we get it up, it will be about time to take it back down, since we are running late putting it up.
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I decided to give the 3g mobile internet a try, so will be keeping the wifi internet we currently have now at the house while trying that out before deciding which one of the two to keep. The 3g card should be arriving tomorrow or Friday, I was told after ordering the service (which will be the same price we are paying now for wifi here at home, which the wifi is soon to go up almost double if we decide to keep it). With the 3g mobile internet, my understanding is that it will work ANYWHERE, including but not limited to only here at home. Thank you for your advice about it.
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Hope you're having a nice day!
Love, Maria
Your mom sounds like a pretty awesome lady!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends...
It is a pretty, sunny, COLD (20's F) morning here in S.C. I've had breakfast and will soon be out and about, taking care of some business as well as possibly having lunch with a friend.
Christmas Cantata (a program of Christmas songs describing the Christmas story of Jesus' Birth being sung in church or at other location by a group of people) practice is early tonite, so probably will not get the Christmas tree up today, as would have to wait on Hubby to get home from work this evening for us to move furniture to make room for the tree to be put up and then not have time to decorate it tonite... But, that's okay. I LOVE going to church and I LOVE playing the piano, especially playing Christmas songs!
It is looking more and more like Hubby and I will not be doing the big change of the dining room to another room off the kitchen anytime soon, so I've come up with a 'plan B'...which is simply keep the dining room where it is for now and decorate the table and 'MAKE ROOM!' for the tree in the living room by moving the piano from it's current position to another position in the living room, as well as moving furniture, too. 
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Question: (totally unrelated to the above) Have any of you tried 3g laptop card internet service for laptop computers versus having used wifi or other at home service? I currently am using wifi at home, which is really good and very fast, but the price is going up soon, almost double, and I've been offered 3g mobile internet with a free 3g card for laptops for the price I am currently paying for wifi. Not to mention, this is something I wanted when I first got my laptop computer but it was about 3 times the amount currently offered per month at that time. My understanding (please enlighten me if I'm wrong) is that with the 3g laptop card service, I could access internet on my laptop computer anywhere versus having the wifi internet only at home. As for speed, what I've researched so far appears to be FAST. There is no 4g in our area yet but we do have 3g according to an online map furnished by the company offering it, which is the same company I currently have wifi with. Anyone know anything about 3g speed versus wifi speed or anything else about using 3g on a laptop? Any experience with this, anyone???
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Hope you're having a nice day!
Love, Maria
Have a good one!
I can't help you with the computer question, although I do use a broadband internet card from work for my laptop on occasion. I love it because I can go anywhere with it. Good luck with your technology decisions.
No help on the laptop issue. I've never used on of those cards. Good luck!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Hello, Friends!
Hubby and I just got back home from church and visiting Mom at her nursing home. Mom was on the 'warpath' today! I gave her a pretty new tube of pink-red lipstick that I bought for her, identical to the one I bought for myself at the same time. She loves makeup. She was very happy over the lipstick because she'd complimented me on the shade I was wearing and I told her I'd bought her a tube identical to my lipstick that I was wearing. Then upon noticing my wearing a little eye makeup, which she also liked, she told me that she wanted me to buy her some eye makeup and when I told her no, because she (sometimes) shakes and she might get an eye infection if she accidentally puts eye makeup into her eye, she announced to Hubby and me that she was "not going to be happy until I get it!". She refused to listen to reason, saying she doesn't shake anymore (Parkinson's), which I have to admit, she hasn't been shaking for a while over the past recent visits, but I still don't trust her coordination to try to apply eye makeup without sticking the wand into her eye(s). Trying to change the subject didn't help, she was STUCK on having her way, like a 2 year old toddler refusing the answer no. Finally, Hubby and I told her we had to go and upon leaving, I told her I love her and she said, "I love you, too and bring me that eyeliner when you come back!!!" loudly and clearly, to which I didn't answer as I left.
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Soon it will be time this afternoon to go to piano and singing practice at church.
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Weighed in this morning at 144.0. Okay with that.
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Hope you're having a good day!
Love, Maria
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Merry Christmas, Friends!
Hubby and I put the outside decorations up yesterday afternoon. They were so pretty lit up in the dark last nite. We set the timer for them to come on and go off after a few hours in the evenings.
I've been having a mug of coffee this morning with my breakfast of turkey sausage and grits...
The Christmas tree is not up yet in the house, but maybe soon... Hubby and I are trying to decide whether to do some big moving of furniture and changing around or not...
Hope you're having a blessed day!
Love, Maria
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Merry Christmas, Friends!
This will be short...I've got things to do which include: DECORATING THE HOUSE!!!!
I've got a HUGE TREE to put up and decorate!
I'm fixing to get busy!
Update: No tree put up yet in the house but Hubby and I did get the outside decorations put up and they are lit up beautifully.
Hope you're having a blessed day!
Love, Maria
We'll get our tree this weekend, I think. I love the smell of a fresh Christmas tree (yum!), the whole house smells wonderful for a whole month! The drawback is the price, nothing below $100 around this area for a decent size tree! Enjoy decorating!
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Gotta love anything in red this time of year!!! For me I am sad to say I missed out on my red shiny toy :( Alas she will just have to settle for her leopard Liz Claiborne ;) LOL que sera!! I am already packed Maria....I am notorious for overpacking and since I have alot of winter clothes at mom's(planning to bring some back with me since it's been rather chilly here)So I don't want to go overboard, I even have a post it note ontop reminding me not to put ANYTHING else in there,LOL As I recall you are a bit of an overpacker as well right??? Well I hope your fingers are rested so you might play a little more musuc, I only wish I could hear it!!! Have a good night my friend :)
nita51 on 12/14/2010:
Hello :)
nita51 on 12/14/2010:
How's your mother doing?
nita51 on 12/14/2010:
Glad to hear that.:) Guess I'm going to try a little exercise now, and turn in early. Thanks for chattin with me. Have a good evening.
moogy on 12/14/2010:
I would prefer to be in your cosy home than my air conditioned one, it sounds lovely. Good shopping there Maria. Afternoon tea is a very English tradition dating back centuries, usually it does include tea and cake, fancy little traditional cakes. We don't drink tea or coffee and indeed wouldn't give it to the children if we did. I have a menu of hot weather and cold weather treats that I cook or prepare, including cakes like my buttermilk chocolate cake, spiders (ice cream and soda in a huge glass), jelly and ice cream, muffins, finger buns (iced sweet bread rolls which are buttered), homemade choc chip cookes or thumbprint cookies (the princess helps make these) I could go on, but I am sure you get the idea. Would you like to come??? LOL
moogy on 12/14/2010:
I would prefer to be in your cosy home than my air conditioned one, it sounds lovely. Good shopping there Maria. Afternoon tea is a very English tradition dating back centuries, usually it does include tea and cake, fancy little traditional cakes. We don't drink tea or coffee and indeed wouldn't give it to the children if we did. I have a menu of hot weather and cold weather treats that I cook or prepare, including cakes like my buttermilk chocolate cake, spiders (ice cream and soda in a huge glass), jelly and ice cream, muffins, finger buns (iced sweet bread rolls which are buttered), homemade choc chip cookes or thumbprint cookies (the princess helps make these) I could go on, but I am sure you get the idea. Would you like to come??? LOL
Umpqua on 12/15/2010:
I'm sorry to hear you are in a difficult situation. I hope it works itself out and people can find it in their hearts to be understanding and forgiving, particularly at this time of year. I hope you have a great day and stay warm!!
V on 12/15/2010:
:( I am sorry that you are going through this and you are so right about not getting caught up in someone else's anger, it is the Devil trying to work at you, I know you will not let him win! I hope your day gets better and yes I will pray for your situation
moogy on 12/15/2010:
Sometimes the peacemakers are the ones that take the flack. I am sorry that you got caught in the middle but I am so glad that you managed to stay gracious and calm. You have the right attitude, maybe you can step out now and let those in charge deal with the person being unreasonable. I hate being angry even if it is the appropriate feeling and tend to swollow it down ( something I learned to do in childhood) and then I swallow a lot of chocolate just to make sure it stays down!!!! Have a good evening Maria. I hope you are feeling calm and peaceful, you deserve it.:)
nita51 on 12/15/2010:
Don't let this situation damper your Christmas Spirits. Some people are joy stealer's. They will try to steal your joy, if you let them. Please move on, and chalk it up to the other person's selfishness and your kind nature. I am much like you, misunderstandings weigh heavily on my spirit. Keeping you in my prayers. Come on, GET HAPPY! Jesus has a big celebration coming soon, and we want to be in good spirits for the party. PS, Let nothing rain on your parade, I'm sure you meant well.
hopingforhealth on 12/15/2010:
Ugh. I'm so sorry to hear that. It is so hard to be caught between people...and it never ceases to amazing me the way adults can act like children. I hope that everyone understands that you were just doing the best you could to please everyone and that it gets better!
V on 12/15/2010:
Oh I am at the maintanence phase now...I am eating without weighing or measuring so I can allow my body to tell me where it is comfortable at...Not more than 140 if I can help it, It is not truly about the number but how my clothes fit on me now :)
V on 12/15/2010:
Oh I am 5'6ish
selina on 12/15/2010:
Enjoy the Cantata and have a joyful evening! Sorry to hear about your very difficult friends...
moogy on 12/16/2010:
Morning here in Sydney Maria. I hope that the cantata went well. I am looking forward to hearing about it. Thank you for your comments and prayer, I appreciate you very much.:)
moogy on 12/16/2010:
Hi Maria, How are you doing? Haven't seen a post in a couple of days. I am guessing you are on a little writing break. Yes, I did get a bit of a workout with the emergency arrangements yesterday. It was great fun. Hope you are well and happy.:)