This blog is no longer active.

Feel free to visit http://walkinggodsway.blogspot.com/

to view that blog and read the latest post.

Greetings...

I know....it's been ages since I last posted on this blog! I guess I've lost a bit of enthusiasm for blogging.

Truth is, I'm finding it a bit difficult to share snippets of my life and NOT to include highlights and photos of my work and my lovely little charges, as I did in the past. If you readers recall that around mid-September I found it necessary to change direction of my blogging posts in an effort to more discretely protect information about my employer, her family and her work. It was much more fun blogging when I could share a slice of my life as a nanny and the various escapades of the three best kids in the world, but I completely understand the need for discretion in this crazy world we live in!

While I am quite thrilled with my life, I am sure that to most people, my daily life would appear very mundane and even 'weird'; maybe just plain 'nuts', to some! My "First Love" is Jesus Christ and serving Him in whatever way He needs. On a daily basis, I try very hard to stay focused on my relationship with Christ and the direction that He is leading me in service and in the work of His kingdom. I am not ashamed to say that it is my heart's desire that ALL of my thoughts would be from Him and of Him and that all my activities would fall directly under His umbrella of Godliness and Goodness. That is an extremely HUGE aspiration and I know very well that I am (and always will be) very far from that goal. HOWEVER, it is clear to me that just because a goal is HUGE and very lofty, it doesn't mean that I am excused from pressing on to reach the goal.

It is the Holy Spirit, I am sure, that is directing me to chose very carefully, the thoughts that I think, the words that I write and the messages that I share, specifically pertaining to blogging. Since I began blogging in early March of this year, I have maintained TWO blogs, one being about my work and related activities, and one that reflects my spiritual journey. While my "Walking God's Way" blog has very few readers, I have, nonetheless, decided that I will solely focus my blogging efforts on that blog, which is more in keeping with the goal for which I strive and the purpose for which I live. Therefore, I will discontinue THIS blog and will look forward to sharing my true and deepest thoughts and ramblings....about my first love...Jesus.

I completely understand if any current readers do not wish to 'follow' my blog 'footsteps' to my "Walking God's Way" blog. "Walking God's Way" is written to share where I am in my walk with Christ, to encourage other committed Christians in their own spiritual journey and to reflect on the teachings and Truth of Christ. If you DO read "Walking God's Way", you will soon learn that I have a deep love of Christ and very strong FAITH in God. In my life, there is little 'wiggle room' to make concessions or compromises that would condone or embrace other 'religions' or beliefs as Truth. For me, TRUTH is found in the Word of God; and it is my sole desire to live out that Truth.

Please understand that I am living a 'FAR from a perfect' walk with God! I am a WAY too weak and carnal Christian; and that grieves me much of the time. In no way do I want to condemn other bloggers or those who use blogging as a therapeutic activity or even as part of their income and work. I ENJOY blogging and writing as many others do and enjoy reading many blogs online! However, the choice to discontinue one of my two blogs, is one I'm making FOR ME, FOR NOW. This choice will allow me to focus more on Christ and the things of God; thoughts and words that have more 'eternal significance'.

While I will inevitably share some of the activities and events that are occurring in my life, please know that my writings in the new blog (well, new OLD blog) will be from the perspective that GOD is Creator and Controller of all things in my life and in this world. It is a Biblical foundation on which I stand and it is a Biblical perspective that leads me onward on my journey. At the same time, this spiritual walk, while I'm here on earth, is carried out while living in my own skin and body. Therefore, my walk varies; at times it is fallible or even foolish. "Walking God's Way" will reflect my spiritual walk...good and bad, certain and strong or weak and wavering. My heart to yours! Feel free to visit that blog at anytime or to pass the blog address on to others who may benefit from encouragement or the lifting up of the name of Jesus!

Sunday greetings!

Spent some time at the beach today. The sun was shining so beautifully and today was the FIRST day in over a week that I could walk without pain in my "innards" so a walk on the beach was due!

My beach combing finds were two pieces of sea glass (green and clear), two rocks that were just 'pretty' and a very nice shell that was in good condition. I also got to talk with a few fishermen as I stood at the end of the pier. I noticed they had caught what I thought was a large Blue Fish but after our conversation, I learned that there are much larger Blue Fish out there in the sound than this one! Actually, the fishermen had to tell me the type of fish they had caught....I hadn't even noticed the huge fish in the nearby bucket as I asked if they had caught anything! Anyway, I like talking to strangers and learning. As I headed to my car, I saw quite a few people standing around with LARGE telescopes focused on a large mound of rocks by the edge of the water. I retrieved my own pair of very 'little' binoculars and realized that these local ornithologists were observing (stydying) a beautiful large white owl perched on one of the rocks! It was quite a breathtaking site, even with my little binoculars!

Oh, I wished I had carried my camera with me...just to capture the 'feel' of the beach on this wonderful sunny November day. When will I learn? :) Above is a stock photo of a 'snowy owl'.

My walk ended with breakfast out at a local diner then my return home to do some blogging, emailing and other online tasks. Just finished listening to a radio broadcast that is presented weekly by a man with whom I used to attend Bible study. This was my first listen and I found it pretty darn good! There were weak areas, but overall I got his point and it was presented VERY well. I have a few exceptions with what he shared, but I am thrilled that he is getting out there and sharing the message of HOPE IN CHRIST!

Next for this day will be....crafting! I have been looking for red glitter to repair a pair of shoes for one of my charges. "Peanut" is SOOOOOOOO into glitter and sparkle and now has two little pairs of slip-on "Mary Janes" covered in red and hot pink glitter! Both pairs of shoes have lost glitter on the end of the toe so I was able to find what I think will be matching glitter and I will now set about repairing the shoes! I'll share photos of the 'before and after'!

OK...off I go a-glittering!

ugh.....i'm very bored with the look of this blog. blagh! i've used the templates on blogger to do my blogs and i can't seem to find a 'fit' that is right for me. i don't like the wide margins. seems like a total waste of space to me!

today was bible study at the mall.....which i love....then shopping and onward to another town to hit 'michaels' for craft supplies. i always go through the aisles practically SALIVATING with every new item and craft idea i have. yet.....i have MANY unfinished projects or visions...just waiting to be completed. motivation, motivation, motivation....

i decided to treat myself at Chili's for an early supper since there are no Chili's in the area where i live. so far i haven't felt any adverse effects from the "skillet queso" and tortillas that i ate. (you know....the whole possible "gastric" problems that i referred to in my last post)

i'm now home and trying to decide if i should take an Excedrin migraine for the headache i have. i haven't had any significant caffeine in over a week and Excedrin contains it. but....it also ALWAYS gets rid of my headaches. hmmm.

i'm going to relax a bit and pray :) more later bloggers.....

Hi friends,

I'm alive and well in Norwalk! It's been 12 days since my last post and I apologize to all who faithfully read this blog and who are not 'subscribed' to a feed, therefore needing to check daily on this blog site for a new post. Did anyone wonder what I was up to? :)

Of course, as with any story or commentary, there are always details that make a story LONG; I'll spare you all the details and just say that I've been busy with work and even more, I've been feeling "under the weather" the last few weeks. I'll keep the story short, but it begins with a VERY aggravating and painful 'rotator cuff' problem. I've had the same symptoms previously and I'm convinced the current symptoms will pass, but unfortunately the pain is effecting my work and my overall well-being.

In the midst of the rotator (shoulder) problem, my daughter, who moved to CT to spend some interim time with me, decided that a move BACK to PA would be best for her. She moved back to her home in Lock Haven on Thursday, Oct. 30. One positive note is that since her move, she has secured employment in PA and when talking with her on the phone, sounds quite happy and optimistic about the new job.

The day my daughter moved I woke up with a migraine headache, treated it as I always do, with Excedrin Migraine and a heating pad and felt fine within an hour. As the day wore on, I began to feel a strange sense of 'jiggling' just under my sternum/chest with every step I took. If I walked VERY slowly, the pain/strange feeling wasn't there. Friday morning and Saturday mornings I woke again with a migraine headache, but both days the same 'home remedy' relieved the symptoms.

The whole situation was beginning to trouble me a bit and by Saturday afternoon, I felt the strange symptoms were significant enough to get checked at the local emergency room. *I resisted a LONG TIME since I'm WITHOUT health insurance at present time! My plan was to wait until the beginning of the year to subscribe to the insurance since the new plan requires a large deductible which is calculated per calender year. I figured....two months..... what could possibly happen??

Well, the emergency room doctors did test after test, standard blood tests, chest x-rays and more....only to determine that they weren't sure of the problem! Additionally, they COULD NOT conclusively rule out a heart related problem. The ER doctor (and residents) wanted to do additional testing to verify any or NO damage to the heart and strongly suggested I spend the night in the hospital. One particular test required a follow-up blood test 8 hr. after the initial test as well as a walking and nuclear stress test.

UGH....well, I can report that I DID spend the night in the hospital and decided by Sunday morning that I needed to check out and trust God! I wasn't ignoring the medical wisdom, but considering my lack of health insurance and the unavailability of the technician to perform the stress tests, I checked out and went home! The Drs. suggested that the symptoms I presented COULD be a result of the large doses of Ibuprofen/Motrin that I take. (I take it for bone and joint pain from arthritis regularly and additionally I took it round the clock through the summer for a toothache and more recently for my rotator cuff problem) Drs. also suggested that the current symptoms COULD be anxiety related. I came home with a prescription for "Previcid", which may help if the problems are gastric/stomach related. I decided to take the following day off work to rest and recoup and then dug back into the 'daily grind' on Tuesday, November 4. I began my new regime of NO ibuprofen and two Previcid daily.

Today is now Saturday and amazingly, I am feeling quite a bit better as each day passes! I can still sense the 'jiggling' in my "innards" as I walk or move, but am definitely feeling better! (because I don't have a clue what area inside me is being affected, I've taken to using the term 'innards' to localize my symptoms) :) Oh....did I mention that I have not had ANY COFFEE since last Saturday morning??????? I have a small amounts of caffeine, but am trying to stay away from it in large amounts. Nor have I taken any ibuprofen or other Motrin based medication!

Anyway....all of the above sort of explains my absence and lack of enthusiasm for blogging and computer use. I'm slowly getting back into the 'groove' of life and things are looking up! I even had a call from the hospital that eased my mind a bit regarding payment. I will be deemed a "charity case" eventually and my bill will be reduced. (hopefully by a HUGE amount!)

I truly wanted to get back in touch with my blog friends, just wasn't feeling quite up to it this week. I DID think to snap a few photos in the emergency room to share with the blog world! That's not a corpse or anything, just the pillow at the head end of my gurney! :)

Best to all for this Autumn weekend!