tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91687275135379319242024-02-07T08:21:32.375-05:00Gypsy PrayerwagonA whole lot about nothing - and everything! A chance to share with family and friends about our travels and anything else we decide to have an opinion on. Also, to pass on to any and all prayer warriors the requests that come to us in our travels and to pray for requests that will be shared here.LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-60449370416374980302011-02-21T14:50:00.003-05:002011-02-21T15:22:47.391-05:00All Life's changesWhat an interesting couple of years! I haven't been using this blog since just before my mother passed away of cancer. Life got a little hectic there for awhile and I faced some depression. Then, our plans changed (about a dozen times in 2 or 3 months) and I ended up in Colorado Springs, CO for one year. John and I went through several things there - mostly bad weather in the winter time - and we also changed from our motor coach to a 5th wheel.<br /><br /><br /><br />After that, we went to Alaska for 2 1/2 months and then we came to Junction, Texas for the winter. Certainly can't complain about the weather here. The worst of the winter arrived sometime in late January and lasted until about mid-February (off and on). The days would hang at around 48 - 55 degrees and the nights were down in the teens. One night actually got down to 6 degrees and the pipes froze in the ground. We were 3 days without running water.<br /><br /><br /><br />But, for the most part, Texas has been a good experience for us. We found a lovely place on 5 acres just south of San Antonio and decided to buy the property. It is rented right now - and we plan to keep it rented for a while longer. We are not done traveling yet and can't afford to move into a house right now anyway - no furniture, no lawn mower, no washer/dryer, no surround sound tv system, etc. Will have to save a lot of money in the next couple of years to manage living in a house again.<br /><br /><br /><br />Meanwhile, my children have managed to move into the same state for the first time in a long time. Ray has retired from the Army and he and DeDe are in Sacramento. Greg is still in Santa Rosa and he and Kristine are expecting a new baby in October. I look forward to having the holiday season with them this year - and a chance to see Shawntea, Jonah, Brianna and Aiden for Christmas too!<br /><br /><br /><br />This blog has never been very structured - but I hope to use it for more than communicating our whereabouts and sharing pictures. We all have facebook for that! I plan to stay away from political issues - I disagree to some extent with almost everyone about some part of their philosphy. I'm a fiscal conservative, a social moderate with a few liberal ideas here and there. Makes it hard to talk about politics these days with all the hard headed, name calling, no compromise stances of most people.<br /><br /><br /><br />But, I do want to write again - now that I'm out of my funk. I see so many beautiful places in this country, so many beautiful sunrises and sunsets, wild animals, etc. I meet so many wonderful people all the time. I will try to keep it interesting but it may end up just being a diary of where G-d is taking me each season. I'm reaching that age where what is happening today reminds me of some things that happened when I was much younger so I probably should change the title of the blog to Grandma's Wanderings or something like that. But whatever comes of it, I will continue to write this time.LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-75856916510126644392009-03-05T08:38:00.003-05:002009-03-05T09:13:15.435-05:00This was such a good statement, I had to pass it on. I feel pretty much the same - and the facts are pretty much the same, except I went to work when I was 13 and I have (except for the part time thing that some call work) quit being the one that they take all the money from and have decided it's not worth it any more. This country no longer wants to reward hard work, conservative spending and saving. Politicians either allow the crooks to steal all our money or they steal all our money. So, when I get sick and need health care, I'll go to the government - and if they don't take care of my needs, then it will be up to my children - and if they don't take care of my needs, then it will be up to my church - and if they don't take care of my needs - well, gee, I guess I'll have to move to some country that will - think I could find help in Qatar?<br /><br />My children have no idea what it was like to live during the Carter era with unemployment at 12% and inflation at 18%; where buying a car or home was almost impossible because interest rates were 15 to 20% on everything except housing - that was more like 10-12%. They have no idea how horrible it was to watch Americans killed and captured and tortured - and have our weakened military not be able to rescue them - and our good hearted, well intentioned President unable to negotiate -- which kept the captives being tortured and paraded on world news networks FOR YEARS!!!<br /><br />I, too, am tired of watching crooked politicians who care more about themselves, their elections and their pocketbooks, than preserving the solid foundations of this country. I'm tired of being told that I am insensitive for declaring my faith, for standing for what I believe while I am supposed to stand mutely by and listen to filthy mouthed, ignorant people scream obsenities about the G-d I love and the country I love.<br /><br />So, while it is still legal to do so, I will pray, fervently, for this country and it's leaders. And I will buy my guns and ammunition and I will speak my mind in every forum that will allow it. And I will pray that the day never comes, for me or my grandchildren, that I have to defend from my own government, with my life, my right to do so.<br /><br />I'm Tired<br />Robert A. Hall<br /><br />I’ll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce, and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired. I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth around” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy or stupid to earn it. I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the leftwing Congresscritters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them—with their own money.<br /><br />I’m tired of being told how bad America is by leftwing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the religious freedom and women’s rights of Saudi Arabia, the economy of Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Gay people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela. Won’t multiculturalism be beautiful?<br /><br />I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor;” of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers;” of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery;” of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.<br /><br />I believe “a man should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin.” I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of President Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US Senators from Illinois. I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less in an all-knowing government.<br /><br />I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful. That thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress, that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his, that slammed Palin with two years as governor for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.<br /><br />I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.<br /><br />I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.<br /><br /> I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.<br /><br />I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military. Those are the citizens we need. I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people then themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years—and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops foundin Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.<br /><br />I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers—bums are bi-partisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bi-partisanship. I live in Illinois, where the “Illinois Combine” of Democrats and Republicans has worked together harmoniously to loot the public for years. And I notice that the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet are bi-partisan as well. I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught.<br /><br />I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor. Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing. I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.<br /><br />Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I’m not going to get to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter.<br /><br /> Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts state senate. He blogs at www.tartanmarine.blogspot.comLeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-89890026719960595072009-02-11T11:52:00.004-05:002009-02-11T12:45:32.399-05:00It is, indeed, a critical time of crisis and opportunity for the United States. Economically, we are in as bad a condition as the great depression. Perhaps, even worse because so few of our citizens know what it is to be truly self reliant and to take responsibility for their lives. And because the faith that sustained our forefathers has so shallow a foothold in our citizenry today.<br /><br /><br /><br />And politically, we live in even more dangerous times than the "cold" war with it's fears of nuclear extinction. History seems to have been rewritten by the news media and our world view is formed more and more by prejudiced news reporting (from ALL media outlets). <br /> The following is a good review of our past history with Iran. I send this not to condemn the efforts of our President, but to ask each of you to pray for an open heart in this country bent on causing chaos, for a new result and a real move to more reasonable dialog. I ask you to pray for our leadership, that they will be strengthened in their spirit and given the wisdom to find a way to true progress. And pray for the protection of all our men and women in service in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia - that their risk may not be increased in political gameplaying. <br /><br /> In other words, pray for true change - in the hearts of all who are engaged in these deadly games.<br /><br /><br /><br />An Opening to Iran?<br />Michael Rubin - Feb 16, 2009 Weekly Standard<br /><br /> During the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama promised to meet the leaders of Iran "without preconditions." He appears a man of his word. Within days of his election, the State Department began drafting a letter to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad intended to pave the way for face-to-face talks. Then, less than a week after taking office, Obama told al-Arabiya's satellite network, "If countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us." The president dispatched former Defense Secretary William Perry to engage a high-level Iranian delegation led by a senior Ahmadinejad adviser.<br /><br />The pundits and journalists may applaud, but their adulation for Obama's new approach is based more on myth than reality. "Not since before the 1979 Iranian revolution are U.S. officials believed to have conducted wide-ranging direct diplomacy with Iranian officials," the Associated Press reported. But Washington and Tehran have never stopped talking; indeed, many of Obama's supposedly bold initiatives have been tried before, often with disastrous results.In 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini's return gave an urgency to U.S.-Iran diplomacy. Many in Washington had been happy to see the shah go, and sought a new beginning with the "moderate, progressive individuals" -- according to then Princeton professor (now a U.N. official) Richard Falk -- surrounding Khomeini.<br /><br />The State Department announced that it would maintain relations with the new government. Diplomats at the U.S. embassy in Tehran worked overtime to decipher the Islamic Republic's volatile political scene.On November 1, 1979, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carter's national security adviser and now, ironically, an Obama adviser on Iranian affairs, met in Algiers with Iranian prime minister Mehdi Bazargan and foreign minister Ibrahim Yazdi to discuss normalization amidst continued uncertainty about the future of bilateral relations. Iranian students, outraged at the possibility, stormed the American embassy in Tehran, taking 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days.<br /><br />But the hostage seizure did not end the dialogue. For five months, even as captors paraded blindfolded hostages on television, Carter kept Iran's embassy in Washington open, hoping for talks.Should Obama send a letter to Iran's leaders, he would follow a path worn by Carter. Just days after the hostage seizure, Carter dispatched Ramsey Clark, a Kennedy-era attorney general who had championed Khomeini after meeting him in exile in France, and William Miller, a retired Foreign Service officer critical of U.S. policy under the shah, to deliver a letter to Khomeini. After word of their mission leaked, the Iranian leadership refused to receive them. After cooling their heels in Istanbul for a week, the two returned in failure.<br /><br />Shining a spotlight on private correspondence may score points in Washington, but it kills rather than creates opportunities.Obama's inattention to timing and target replicates Carter's failure. His outreach to Ahmadinejad comes amidst Iran's most contentious election campaign since the revolution. Allowing Ahmadinejad to slap a U.S. president's outstretched hand is an Iranian populists' dream come true. Alas, this too was a lesson Obama might have learned from Carter. Three decades ago, desperate to engage, Carter grasped at any straw, believing, according to his secretary of state, that even a tenuous partner beat no partner at all. Each partner -- first foreign minister Abolhassan Bani-Sadr and then his successor Sadeq Qotbzadeh -- added demands to bolster his own revolutionary credentials, pushing diplomacy backward rather than forward.<br /><br />Thirty years later, the same pattern is back. Ahmadinejad's aides respond to every feeler Obama and his proxies at Track II talks send with new and more intrusive demands.Once out of office, Carter aides sought to secure history's first draft with a flood of memoirs praising their own efforts. Kissinger aide Peter Rodman noted wryly in a 1981 essay, however, that pressure brought to bear by Iraq's invasion of Iran did more to break the negotiations impasse than Carter's pleading with a revolving door of Iranian officials.<br /><br />Carter is not alone in his failed efforts to talk to Tehran. While the Iran-Contra affair is remembered today largely for the Reagan administration's desire to bypass a congressional prohibition on funding Nicaragua's anti-Communist insurgents, the scheme began as an attempt to engage Iran. On August 31, 1984, national security adviser Robert McFarlane ordered a review to determine what influence Washington might have in Tehran when the aging Khomeini passed away. Both the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency responded that they lacked influential contacts in Iran. Because weapons were the only incentive in which the war-weary ayatollahs had interest, McFarlane decided to ship arms both to cultivate contacts and win the goodwill necessary to free U.S. hostages held by Iranian proxies in Lebanon. He failed. Not only did the Iranian leadership stand McFarlane up during his trip to Tehran, but the incentive package also backfired: Hezbollah seized more hostages for Tehran to trade.<br /><br />The stars seemed to align for George H.W. Bush, however. Khomeini died on June 3, 1989, and, two months later, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, whose pragmatism realists like Secretary of State James Baker applauded, assumed Iran's presidency. In his first address, Rafsanjani suggested an end to the Lebanon hostage crisis might be possible. Like Obama, Bush spoke of a new era of "hope." State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler described Iran as "genuinely engaged." Alas, as Rafsanjani spoke publicly of pragmatism, he privately ordered both the revival of Iran's covert nuclear program and the murder of dissidents in Europe.<br /><br />In his first term, Clinton signed three executive orders limiting trade with Iran and approved the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act. He and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright changed tack in their second term. Both apologized for past U.S. policies. The State Department encouraged U.S. businessmen to visit Iran, until Iranian vigilantes attacked a busload of American visitors in 1998. Not discouraged, and lest U.S. rhetoric offend, Albright even ordered U.S. officials to cease referring to Iran as a rogue regime, and instead as a "state of concern." Rather than spark rapprochement, however, it was during this time that, according to the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, Tehran sought to develop a nuclear warhead.While the press paints George W. Bush as hostile to diplomacy and applauds the return of Bill Clinton's diplomatic team under his wife's leadership, it is ironic that the outgoing administration engaged Iran more than any U.S. presidency since Carter -- directing senior diplomats to hold more than two dozen meetings with their Iranian counterparts. Yet, after 30 years, Iran remains as intractable a problem as ever.<br /><br />Every new U.S. president has sought a new beginning with Iran, but whenever a president assumes the fault for our poor relationship lies with his predecessor more than with authorities in Tehran, the United States gets burned.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and editor of the Middle East Quarterly, was an Iran country director at the Pentagon between September 2002 and April 2004.</em>LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-80835968869807584492009-01-26T12:54:00.006-05:002009-01-26T22:28:05.119-05:00New Prayer ListOur lives have been quiet - we are preparing to leave here in April and take on the very difficult task of spending the summer at Chocorua Camping Village in New Hampshire. Our job there - to operate the Doggy Day Care and do the weekly karaoke show! I know - tough work!!! But somebody's got to do it!!!!<br /><br /><br />G-d has directed that I use this quiet time to study and delve deeper into His Word. I have signed up with Koinonia Institute and begin classes on Feb 2. I'm also doing an in depth study on Romans - taking from two different courses at the same time - which provides interesting perspectives.<br /><br /><div align="left">Audra - thank you for your comments. Be sure to duplicate and digitize all those precious memories! They can't ever really be replaced!</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">Prayer List: </div><br /><a href="http://gypsyprayerwagon.blogspot.com/"><em>Pray</em></a><em> that G-d's hands will ensure a safe and effective surgery and that each will recover fully and quickly: </em><br /><br />Marla L - Going in on Feb 4 for surgery to remove fibroid growths. .<br /><br />Alan Stirnaman - going into the hospital on Feb 10th for hip replacement<br /><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Pray: As G-d directs </span></em><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><span style="color:#000000;">Kimberly B:</span> </span><span style="color:#000000;">needs to find work, a car and a place to live as soon as possible. Having just left drug rehab, she is in need of constant prayer support to protect her from the demons of addiction and to help her grow in her fledgling walk with G-d.</span><br /><br /><br />Jennifer (Gabriel's friend) - Searching for G-d and seeking salvation.<br /><br /><br />Karen P - Physical pain - needs healing and relief. Also needs prayer for understanding and protection.<br /><br /><br />Audra, Randy and Rowen - safe travel to Germany and a great learning experience when they arrive.<br /><br /><br />Annie F - diagnosed with breast and bone cancer<br /><br />Joan B - diagnosed with terminal lung cancer<br /><br />Audrey N - fighting cancer and a new tumor in her throat<br /><br /><br /><br />And please pray for Marla and I - that we may be in the right place at the right time, saying the right things that will bring G-d's will into the lives of those we love.<br /><br /><br /><br />As always, pray for our leadership, our country and Israel.<br /><br /><br /><br />Baruch aba b'shem Adonai!!LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-40049339729921755402009-01-12T10:16:00.004-05:002009-01-16T21:00:46.253-05:00Okay! For all of you who wondered why the sudden stop in blogging, I just had too many things going on in my head and could not sort them out at the time. Sometimes, especially as we get older, you have to review what's in the filing cabinets and clean out all the stuff that doesn't really ring as truth!<br /><br />Memory is not necessarily an accurate recorder. Memory only records our perspective and our emotions at any given time in our life. And perspective is certainly subjective to the emotions of the time thus distorting the truth with joy, fear, pain, etc. That concept is never more noticeable than when family members get together and reminisce about all the events of their lives for no one person will have seen the event the same as anyone else.<br /><br />I used to have journals that I could refer to to help me keep the memories clear. I started writing as a young child and kept my secret journals throughout my life. So, when confronted with memories of friends or relatives that conflicted with mine, I could dig back and find out what I thought at the time. Really helped keep me honest - and helped show me how I had grown and changed as the years went by (Praise G-d for that! I would hate to be the same person today that I was 30 and 40 years ago!). However, two housefires and lots of moving around have destroyed all the old journals. I can't look back and see how important that one boy was to me or how bored I was in school or how I felt about all things that were going on in my family at the time.<br /><br />I really miss having them!!! I used to use New Year's Eve and New Year's Day as time to sit, review parts of my life through my journals and formulate my personal goals for the new year. Oh, not the "I'm going to lose fifteen pounds" kind of goals - but the really important goals, like "I want to be a more generous person" kind of things. It takes a lot more time to review the past and reformulate goals when you don't have a true picture of your past perspectives. Thus, the time was needed to pull myself away from everything and everyone - and spend time in the presence of G-d reviewing, comparing and formulating the goals for this year.<br /><br />For my family - no, I was not depressed. I had some emotions that I needed to analyze and some serious praying to do. It is difficult to watch those you care about suffering pain, emotional stress, etc. but that is part of what must be accepted as the cycle of life. Sorting out how I feel about my place in that cycle was more of an issue.<br /><br />Suffice it to say that I have done my review, started a whole new set of journals, accepted my place in life and the goals that G-d has set before me and have begun working on the objectives necessary to reach those goals.<br /><p><br />Now, I must ask for prayers - the list is short this time - but we're back in touch now so keep an eye on this blog : </p><p>1 For my Mom, Joan, who has been in a lot of pain lately. Please pray that the days of her life will be filled with peace. </p><p>2 For my brother in law, John Lee, who is doing much better since he is under 24 hour care but doesn't seem to have recovered any short term memory. Pray that he will accept where G-d has placed him and will do what is best for himself, his family and his friends. </p><p>3 Amy - and Paige and Garrett - the twins that Amy is carrying. Pray that both babies will wait just a little longer to be born - and that they will both be healthy. </p><p>4 For Janet D - and for her daughter. Please pray that some of the stress of all these illnesses and caretaker problems will be relieved soon and that good health will follow in this year. Also pray that Janet will know that the L-rd is in charge and will bring peace to all who believe in Him. </p><p>5 For Dan and Liz - Dan lost his sister suddenly. Pray for his peace of mind and comfort from the pain of loss. </p><p>Praise report - After 6 months of prayer, my daughter's friend had his child returned to him from an ex-wife abduction. I did not have some of you with me on the prayer chain then - but it is a joy to report when prayers are answered.</p><p>Thanks for your prayers!!!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-9155337243894315962008-12-16T16:30:00.000-05:002008-12-16T16:31:02.476-05:00This blog is closed until after January 1, 2009.LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-65232225551984170122008-12-15T13:27:00.002-05:002008-12-15T14:38:33.182-05:00Quick CatchupIt's been several days since I last posted. Mostly, I did not try to keep up while I was traveling to and visiting in California as this was a trip specifically to spend time with my Mom and to visit John Lee. I was pleased to get the opportunity to visit with my lovely granddaughter, my son and Shawntea, Brianna and Aiden while Mom recuperated from our various excursions.<br /><br />It was an interesting week and I was thrilled to make a new friend in DeVawn, Johnny's home caretaker. I wish she had been around during the many months that I fought to bring my hubby back from his strokes! A positive attitude with a gentle heart and a spirit of joy makes the perfect compliment to her bright mind. Jordon and Janet are so lucky to have found her.<br /><br />But I am not recovering as quickly as I should from the trip. My stomach still doesn't know what time to get hungry and I want to nap in the middle of the day. I am beginning to wake up at the right time but I still have nightmares about the 2x2 coach space that bounced me through the storm front making it difficult to control my claustrophobia. Or maybe the memory of the airport food is the real nightmare!<br /><br />Emotionally drained, hurting for those I care about and missing others that I care about; my thoughts don't seem to want to coalesce into the good, and often funny things that I can share. <br />Soon, the chemical imbalances will level out, the memories of herd travelling will fade and I will have a more holiday-like outlook. <br /><br />I hope all the preparations for your holiday celebration are going well. Remember a little prayer for me - and lots of prayers for John Lee; my mom, Joan; my son, Greg; Jordon; Janet and Kimberly. I hope the season is filled with joy and peace and the sure knowledge of the Christ whose birth is celebrated.LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-68002625704767736082008-11-25T09:21:00.014-05:002008-12-01T10:15:08.671-05:00Prayer Requests - More1. <strong><em>Are you a prayer partner?</em></strong> Send me an email agreeing to being a prayer warrior. All we ask is that you sincerely pray for those requests that are posted (I will email the prayer requests only to you if you agree), contact or make your local prayer warriors aware of the list and ask them to pray, also. Then, be sure to send me - via email or comment - any prayer requests for you and your local group. Let's multiply the power of our prayer by adding more and more prayer warriors!!!<br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Prayer Requests: </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ff0000;">UPDATED 12/1</span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">RUTH G</span></strong> - Suffering with severe infections of the colon and the blood, fluid in the lungs, weight loss. Ruth battled colon cancer for a long time - thought it was beat - but is having difficulty with these complications. Pray that the L-rd brings her comfort and peace as well as restored health. Be with her and her family.</div><br /><strong>Mary N and her children, Kyle & Sarah</strong>. Mary was recently widowed (husband died of Leukemia) and the holidays are exceptionally difficult for the family.<br /><br />Woman named <strong>Sarah</strong> - lost her son to heart failure just before the holidays - please pray that she can find some peace through this difficult time.<br /><br /><strong>John Parsons</strong> - teacher and webmaster of "Hebrew4Christians". He has been layed off his job and is expecting a new baby in a few months. May his web site be fully supported, book sales profitable and his needs provided for.<br /><br /><strong>Kim V</strong> - Special prayers for Kim - that she may find a renewing faith and surrender her will to the Lord to become the warrior for Yeshua the Christ that G-d would have her to be. This is a critical time for her right now, the spiritual battle is extreme and difficult - please keep her in prayer.<br /><br /><strong>LeeAnn & John:</strong> Travel safety over the next 15 days. We are each travelling to visit family - separately this time. I am flying - John is driving.<br /><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ff0000;">THIS HAS BEEN VERIFIED (Thanks, Pete) BY <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,455066,00.html">http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,455066,00.html</a><br /></span><br />I have received a request to pray for the <strong>Christian believers and the YWAM workers</strong> in <strong>Orissia Provence of India</strong>. Because of the death of a Hindu priest that was wrongly blamed on the Christians - hundreds of believers and Christian workers are in danger, many have been killed. Pray for protection - and for truth to come out so the Christians are no longer blamed!<br /><br />I will try to reach some of my YWAM friends to see if this can be verified - but it appears to come from a legitimate source. Pray as G-d leads!!<br /></div><p>Pray for <strong>Luke and Marissa Ostby</strong>: Marissa is carrying twins in vitro. Pray for her to carry to term and have a safe delivery and healthy babies.</p><p align="left">Pray for <strong>John Lee</strong> - John suffered a stroke which has affected his short term memory - which affects his ability to keep his blood sugar and blood pressure properly medicated. Pray that he will recover to a good quality of life just as my honey, John has done.</p><p align="left">And add a few extra prayers for <strong>DeDe </strong>and her co-workers. They actually heard a blast and had to put on flack gear reminding her that she is drawing combat pay for a reason! </p><p align="left"><em>I've repeated a couple of these because we have some new prayer warriors - and a couple that would be exceptionally empathetic to these requests. Also, we need to keep them in prayer, especially. </em></p><p align="left">As always, <strong>pray for our leaders!</strong> Give thanks for the sane and orderly transition that is being made in difficult days and pray that sanity and the spirit of cooperation will continue in the many difficult days to come. </p><p align="left">And <strong>pray for Israel</strong> - there are so many things going on in and around the country. But this special land needs prayer for peace, acceptance, strenghth and wise leadership. </p><p align="left"><br /><em>1Ki 8:28</em> Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant's prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you today, </p><p align="left"><em>2Ch 6:19</em> Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant's prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you, </p><p align="left"><em>Mar 11:24</em> Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours. </p><p align="left"><br /></p>LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-89300641406150958392008-11-17T22:12:00.010-05:002008-11-19T18:17:49.409-05:00Such History I've SeenIt was 42 years ago that I first came to the beautiful southern state of South Carolina. I lived in a small one bedroom, concrete brick house on the inland waterway. The property was maybe a half acre and we had our own boat dock. I don't remember meeting our neighbors or making any friends that weren't part of the Navy base. I was really new to the gypsy lifestyle in those days - and I was alone a great deal of the time. I had not spent my three years in therapy or even learned much about being a woman yet. I was still just a young woman with only one dream - to lead a good life, raise a nice family and travel to a lot of interesting places.<br /><br />But I do remember casting crab nets with chicken parts tied to the bottom and then fighting the cat for the catch - sometimes lots of crabs and sometimes eels and bottom fish of some kind. I remember walks on the ocean beach in the moonlight, listening to the surf and the music from the nearby nightclubs. I remember working at Shoney's Big Boy and a jewelry store for a short time and preparing for our first overseas assignment - in Spain. It was in Charleston that I started bowling and golfing. And it was in Charleston that I started being more aware of the world around me.<br /><br />That all sounds so peaceful and nostalgic, doesn't it? But this was 1966 and the south was in a lot of turmoil in those days. As a Navy family, even in a town with a large base like Charleston, we had to have Navy stickers on our car so that we would not be mistaken for "northern organizers" that came to the south to start Civil Rights protests. There were a lot of angry white southerners that would have loved an excuse to beat the daylights out us. I also saw a large contingent of black citizens that were frustrated and angry. Others were resigned and kind of sad and, to be honest, there were a great many that didn't seem to care one way or the other - they just worked hard, trying to educate their children and survive in the world in which they were living.<br /><br />The white population didn't mix much with the blacks - and neither group seemed terribly upset about it. In some places, the black neighborhoods, schools, stores, etc. were just as nice as any in the white neighborhoods. But there were the "stereotypical" neighborhoods of rundown shacks, rusted out cars in the yards, etc. I was too young to care about the rest of the social stratas of the south. Being a western girl, raised to never see color, I had determined after a few months in Mississippi, Georgia and Louisiana that I did not belong in this part of the country. (That is another blog - another day). I was anxious to get overseas.<br /><br />But Martin Luther King and peaceful (and not so peaceful) protesters were on all the newcasts regularly (this was the OLD days - we only had 3 news channels!) and despite all the anger, the backlash violence and the horrific rhetoric of the times, I lived in hope that reason would prevail, this country would come to it's senses and people in general would recognize the equality of men and women of any color.<br /><br />Two years later, Martin Luther King was dead.<br /><br />Forty-two years later, we have elected a black man as President of the United States.<br /><br /><br />America has grown and changed in the past 42 years, almost as I had hoped it would. I can't really say that color had no place in this election - it very certainly did! But it was not a barrier to most people and that is a good thing. The minority communities should not feel disenfranchised any more and color of skin should no longer be any kind of a consideration for anything - at least to the majority of Americans. Unless you belong to an oppressed minority, you may not totally understand the elation, the tears and the pride that went through the black community on election night. But there is no denying the historical nature of the event!<br /><br />But it is a heavy load that Barack Obama must carry. So many people have put so much responsibility on him - and that is on top of the natural responsibility of being the "first black President". He is charged with reforming our very broken government, protecting us from terrorist attacks, reforming the financial system and pulling us out of one of the largest, government sponsored recessions ever to hit this country. This one man is being asked to reverse 60 years of government mistakes in domestic policies and organization, keep America safe and FREE in a world gone crazy, represent the USA in a world that doesn't appreciate the way we "spread the wealth" and "police the world" and efficiently and effectively run the business of one of the largest countries in the world. Oh yes, and add to that, secure a prosperous future for our upcoming generations while doing away with those "stereotypical" neighborhoods which still exist today!<br /><br />The man needs our prayers! The entire government needs our prayers! Since a majority of Americans seem to have chosen the path of "semi-socialism" (expecting our government to fix every problem for us - finance, education, health, religious and social) then all of us need to be on our knees praying that every governing person, but especially the President-elect, be given strength, wisdom and protection. <br /><br />I pray that wisdom will prevail over politics, morality over money and pride over power as this administration tackles the many problems we face. I pray that differing points of view will be reasonably presented and honestly considered. I pray that this country will not shame itself with violence and hatred as it has in the past and that President Obama will be able to serve his elected term with grace and honor - for the sake of every American of any color.LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-58035802401270067962008-11-14T11:15:00.013-05:002008-11-14T17:30:26.753-05:00Southern Family<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbohrFhk9KYYDFMmrrUCQHy5pBxf9sxZKgXshRW6fHvDLelyTzw0ky6MruAPT3f8FnGUnd-KTqUZkTK46CFid030brVLgmux0lYq7sEPd6ERwz9z7hzHzEjq8owEFEF1oEdiQDEyc3k4/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268549034642038098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 292px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbohrFhk9KYYDFMmrrUCQHy5pBxf9sxZKgXshRW6fHvDLelyTzw0ky6MruAPT3f8FnGUnd-KTqUZkTK46CFid030brVLgmux0lYq7sEPd6ERwz9z7hzHzEjq8owEFEF1oEdiQDEyc3k4/s320/002.JPG" border="0" /></a> Meet my sweet hubby (shown here with his daughter, Kimberly at the Mountain Ministries location in Washington) John W - Jack to his southern family and Papa John to almost everyone else. Born in Georgia and raised in Florida, he is definately the southern gentleman.<br /><br />Visiting here in the south has certainly been nostalgic for him. A couple of weeks ago, we went to Georgia to visit an old high school buddy and to see the "farm" where John spent a lot of his childhood. Shelly and Louisa have a great spot in the Georgia countryside and they welcomed us with typical southern open arms even though they hadn't seen "Jack" in over 30 years. After sharing lots of pictures and family history, they started teasing each other and talking about things done during high school days. Understand, this is two guys - each has had a stroke - each is at the age that they can barely remember what they had at their last meal - but neither has forgotten a single drag race, girlfriend, bad boy prank or other minutia from high school. I guarantee that one day was not enough for these two and we will be visiting with them again. I found it so very interesting to learn so much about the history of this man I live with!!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBirT0fXQO4njBm82EX4uQT8eLQ5EqUUZ8RtshKCVFB493tiFHPIY1UOUzAkiAAQ7Z0bOjugP0PKdeuGuUbmC-5f3Luq4BHmCQCd62a-LYYo6OIu2CvndN1BVOUpUsLwOYKBJl-EkgzE/s1600-h/075.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268553068395386242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBirT0fXQO4njBm82EX4uQT8eLQ5EqUUZ8RtshKCVFB493tiFHPIY1UOUzAkiAAQ7Z0bOjugP0PKdeuGuUbmC-5f3Luq4BHmCQCd62a-LYYo6OIu2CvndN1BVOUpUsLwOYKBJl-EkgzE/s200/075.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268554110802043602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 191px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBcA72QwpgCq2ZvmsNivrKADdvJWNJWfRGNKVB2PK8pqDUsbmRdHdVLy2TIemYSgH1hUYHLpmrMIemtht1ISwECEIXqbosjUmWoY1QaQdKFKadaHDuO6jsmRiUaHtb5aQX1OrnUKpGBQ/s200/074.JPG" border="0" /> Shelly & Louisa's Home & Shelly<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The Old Farmhouse - now abandoned.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3hcs2LTZH6Mvtb7f-JV4AO4tf71dg7ydwV4yZk3vtP_ig9MXhek-vPGTcDXYAlo0HUQl07HIpK0lG5nz31D1ga4YYlnFieIhP1MgcUBFSG5lyMweLumMTRx1Z7f1YAfFYVxUmI7L3QY/s1600-h/126.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268639059630074706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3hcs2LTZH6Mvtb7f-JV4AO4tf71dg7ydwV4yZk3vtP_ig9MXhek-vPGTcDXYAlo0HUQl07HIpK0lG5nz31D1ga4YYlnFieIhP1MgcUBFSG5lyMweLumMTRx1Z7f1YAfFYVxUmI7L3QY/s200/126.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Life on the farm must have been a great time in his life, too, because as we were travelling to the site of the "old homestead" , he regaled me with stories about the way they lived and then insisted that we eat some boiled peanuts! Now, I've actually learned to tolerate eating black-eyed peas even though they are somewhat like chalk with salt and pepper! But the boiled peanuts!!! YUCK!!! That's chalk without the salt and pepper with an added greasy mess of soft shell fragments to clean up!!! Well, okay - so I am a California salad with sprouts kind of girl and boiled peanuts, collard greens, grits and other such southern dishes do not tickle my pallet. It was fun watching John enjoy this mess, tho. He attacked them like a kid in a candy store - and for those of you that have seen him eat candy, you know what I'm talking about!!! But boiled peanuts is one southern delicacy I think I can live without.<br /><br /><br />The cottonfields in GA were mostly harvested. We were lucky enough to run across this one that was going to be harvested by hand. I have lots of other pictures to share like Charleston, Myrtle Beach, the campground that we are working for, etc. If one of the smart people out there would care to share how I can turn these into those neat little slideshow files and post them here, I'd certainly be grateful.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268640389865279890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHUTYnjO5v9pEJ71wa3MPj3mKLrOyJ6k34-plewrxVjyb1RrKkCxa1RWB6yHOQeo0A0KV5fzQ0FdgvHGm_JhpeZQzG3-tVTcYr9G0S0w49E81ltoqfjrvzx8OzYtKzNODaIHQmnVubnI/s200/089.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />But, for now, it is about time for Shabbat so I must leave this story. More on our southern adventures next week. For now, please continue praying for those on the prayer list and may G-d grant you a peaceful, blessed Sabbath - whenever you celebrate your Sabbath. Shabbat Shalom!LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-26921405339349806192008-11-13T17:28:00.006-05:002008-11-13T19:42:00.428-05:00Prayer RequestsWhat a great day! I actually got to share a few words with my daughter today on the facebook chat line. It wasn't much as my computer connection gave out on me (I'm in a bit of dead zone here) right in the middle of it. But any little bit certainly helps me feel a little closer.<br /><br />Okay prayer warriors!! In the words of one great American - Let's Roll!!!<br /><br /><br />Prayer requests: I am first going to copy a post from Krissy because this story also broke my heart when I read it. Read through - then add this to your prayer list. These practices have been going on for centuries, I know, but there must be some hope for this child.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Please <strong>pray for Matani Shakya</strong>. She is a 3 year old girl that lives in Nepal. She was just tested and approved to be the new "Kumari" or living goddess. The testing included seeing if she had perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect eyes, with out any scars on her body, and lives without any fear of the dark. To prove that she is not afraid of the dark she had to sleep in a room alone with the heads of ritually slaughtered goats and buffalo. Now that she is approved she will live in almost total isolation in a temple with out her parents only to have people come in and bow at her feet and place their foreheads on her feet. Until the time she starts to menstruate and then she is sent home to most likely never marry because of Nepalese folklore states that any man that marries a former Kumari will die young (not to mention the irreversible damage done to a child being completely isolated without her family) I read this and just felt lead to ask people to pray for her. She is 3 years old for goodness sake!!! To also pray for the continued work that is happening in Nepal to increase the rights of children.</em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><strong>Pray for Barbara O</strong> - looking at knee replacement surgery that should have been done last month but has been suffering from an infection of some kind and surgery had to be delayed. Pray for healing of the infection and a successful, uneventful surgery with a quick recovery.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Pray for Luke and Marissa Ostby</strong>: Marissa is carrying twins in vitro. Pray for her to carry to term and have a safe delivery and healthy babies.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Pray for John Lee -</strong> John suffered a stroke which has affected his short term memory - which affects his ability to keep his blood sugar and blood pressure properly medicated. Pray that he will recover to a good quality of life just as my honey, John has done.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Pray for Jordon, Sharin & Janet</strong> - that they may have the patience and the fortitude required to help John Lee in the very difficult months ahead.<br /><br /><strong>Pray for everyone at Mountain Ministries</strong> - These wonderful people are so committed to helping break addictions. They do great work and never ask for money, yet G-d provides every day. Pray for each resident to find recovery and freedom and for the teachers, counselors and supporters to be blessed in their work.<br /><br /><strong>Pray for Gabby Stirnaman</strong> - She had her first bad experience away from home and while not hurt, she was frightened. Please pray that she will learn from the experience and will gain strength and confidence to NOT maintain the attitude of a victim.<br /><br /><strong>Pray for Richard Wiggins</strong> - also a stroke victim but not recovering well. He seems to have given up on life before it was necessary. Pray that he will make the effort to recover and find good health.<br /><br /><strong>Pray for Rabbi Paul, Nancy, Peggy and Pastor Jim</strong> - They are travelling in Israel, working on a pregnancy education center there and touring a little in off times. Suffering with illness and fatigue, they need strength and good health and safety for the rest of their trip.<br /><br /><strong>Pray for DeDe and all our troops and civilian workers in Iraq and Afghanistan and the families they left behind</strong> - May G-d keep them safe and well and bring them home with pride and victory!<br /><br />And, always, <strong>pray for the peace of Jerusalem</strong>.<br /><br /><br /><br />Tomorrow, I'm going to introduce you to my hubby, John. We have been on a trip down memory lane, visiting his old homestead, the family graves and some friends from his high school days. Anybody know the difference between black eyed peas and boiled peanuts???<br /><br />Until then - ShalomLeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9168727513537931924.post-55002849374451086972008-11-13T03:25:00.002-05:002008-11-13T04:35:48.696-05:00A Sleepless NightIt's 3:00 AM and the only two people I know in this whole wide world that will be awake are DeDe (in Bagdad) and Pam (a night owl in Iowa). I've never done a "Blog" before but have enjoyed reading Audra's "Penquins" and, of course, DeDe's "Girl in the Sandbox". I can't compete with my very witty niece or my expert daughter in form or interesting content, I'm sure but I do find this a much simpler way to share with everyone what is happening in our lives. And, unlike email, this does not imply the need for a reply. Thus, it should reduce the number of internet forwards I receive each day.<br /><br /> Now, don't get me wrong!! Some of them are very interesting (the forwards, that is) and some make me smile. Some are even cute enough to send on to others. But, since I never receive an actual communication from many of you, I must assume that the forwards are your way of answering my emails. This will be easier. Is my logic flawed?? <br /><br /> As to why I can't sleep tonight - I don't really know. I have a long prayer list - several people are heavy on my heart tonight so that may be part of it. <br /><br /> Also, I'm missing my children and grandchildren tonight. The hardest part of leading a gypsy kind of life is not being any part of my family's life. We are all a rather independent bunch but we used to gather round for the occassional holiday or special event. Everyone is so scattered these days that it is difficult to get one part of the family together - much less all of them in one spot! And there is so much time between visits that it takes awhile to stop feeling like a stranger to my own family. At other times, I don't necessarily feel estranged - but I can't be there when I feel as though I could be helpful - like helping a grandchild through a rough time or helping out when someone is sick. So, some nights I miss the big Thanksgiving dinners, the birthday parties and the regular sharing that is part of the normal family life. <br /><br /> But, that's okay!! I'm always better in the morning!!! 'Cause we have never been normal and because I'm not cooking, cleaning or planning events. I'm golfing, sightseeing, learning a new language, learning how to blog or planning my next big adventure! This coming summer is New England and Nova Scotia and next summer is Alaska!!!<br /><br /> And in this age of economic chaos (and it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better!), world turmoil and cultural and class warfare, I simply feel blessed to be out and about enjoying the wonder and beauty that G-d created in this land. My children turned out to be wonderful , successful people in spite of my best efforts to ruin them and I really do enjoy their company. I apologize to them for not leaving the world a better place for them - but I left them better for the world. And now, I am blessed with the peace and contentment of this new lifestyle and I hope to enjoy it for a long time yet. Oh! And I will share pictures as soon as figure out how to do it.<br /><br /> Tomorrow I will post requests for prayers. I hope the various prayer warriors will activate the prayer chains for these requests and then bring me your requests that I might pass them on to the many others I've met in my travels. <br /><br /> Shalom - Baruch aba b'Shem Adonai - G-d Bless!LeeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12241917454351979479noreply@blogger.com1