There's Got To Be Another Way

We went to the H2O revival last night--all 200 of us Christians.  There was an altar call--of sorts--and a few people responded and that's good.  He preached a heart-wrenching, emotion-driven sermon, though it was all over the place but basically about how we need to face our "demons" and get our lives in line with God's will for us. I'd say 60% of the people there were over 50 so he was preaching to the "saints."   He'd said he had ADHD and from his preaching, he was right.  He was all over the place--a sermon that could have been preached in 20 min that took him 1 1/2 hours.  Not looking forward to tonight.
Going to Irma's auction today--4:00-6:00, yes, 2 hours only.  We're going to help about 11:30 to set out the stuff.  H is in the hospital, doing better, but not enough to help. J, D and C will be there setting up and fixing lunch.  I'm thinking of staying for it and helping afterward.  They'll need extra help and maybe I won't have to go tonight to H20.  D and C could bring me home.  Just thinking.  Hate to leave Bill with it, but he volunteered to be a counselor so he has to go.
The ones for whom I've been praying in J's Operation Andrew prayers on Sunday are all young girls--I'm going to approach them one-on-one about becoming a Christian.  I think that's "another way."  There's no way a non-Christian would sit through a service like last night's, especially a child--he was pretty graphic in his description of his life before committing to Christ.  I'm so critical--It was not well-organized--just another MPBA event to put the faithful to the test, I guess.
Bill's getting a follow-up blood test today.  We're hoping all is well.

So Much Better

Things are so much better today.  The rain is gone, the sun is out and I'm wanting to create.  I even finished a dress (see it at  http://sallylsmith.blogspot.com/).  I'm so sad for my friend in the hospital, though.  It will be a long time for this friend to be right again-lots of prayers going their way today.

Down But Not Out

It's been a down day today and this afternoon hasn't proved any different from the rest of the day.  My mood is the same level as the barometric pressure--rain today.  The fact is, I've been giving so much lately that I'm all "gived-out."  I needed a day to do nothing, which I've had, but I feel guilty.  Now, what gives with that?  I feel I deserve a day off but since I really have "no job," I feel I still must do some work.  So...I put dishes in the dishwasher, put a roast in the crock pot, folded clothes, tried to do something creative (no such luck), cleaned out a filing cabinet drawer, made the bed, made lunch, washed some "creatin' fabric"--so after typing all that, I guess I really didn't to "nothing."  The afternoon's a downer because one of our church people tried to commit suicide and Bill, after just walking in the door, changing clothes and heading for his workshop, was sent to check things out.  Not only that, I was hoping we'd get to go to the show this evening--just the two of us, like a date or something.  But no.  Duty calls.  Sometimes I hate being a pastor's wife.  And...I'm angry instead of concerned about the person who is lying in the hospital.  They shouldn't have done that to themselves.  Now I really feel guilty.

Looking for Calm

Two funerals within a week has taken its toll on Bill and me.  We both need down time but the calls keep coming for Bill.  There's always a crisis with someone in a congregation of about 400--yes, that many.  Though only about half attend, Bill's on call for the whole 400 and some days it seems he gets that many calls.  He's meeting another crisis this morning and I'm getting ready, well, will be, to meet my cancer survivor friend.  It's always good to see her but I feel drained afterward.  I'm comfortable just being at home by myself but I feel compelled to reach out.  Hopefully, Bill and I will have a couple of days off tomorrow and Sat. without interruption.  Though the interruptions are just that, Bill thrives on being wanted.  Usually, if I'm left alone, I'm just fine.

A Weekend to Crash

Boy, the last two weeks have been stressful what with R's hospitalization, his being in hospice and brought home to die, his death last Sunday, getting M around while L went home to pick up family, visitation at funeral home, funeral and dinner (yes, even dinner was stressful.)  Bill and I have basically collapsed today.  I tried to work on another make-over skirt but I don't have the stick-with-it today.  I've culled old emails in my files, looked at blogs, magazines and cleaned some clutter today.  It's been nice.  I've got to contact my cancer-survivor friend to make plans for lunch for next week but have since found out Bill's aunt died and he's to do the funeral on Tues. morning which means a trip to St. Louis on Mon. afternoon late and then all day in St. Louis and back.  Yippee.  Life goes on at the Smith house.  Good thing for today.

Gone

R's gone to heaven.  M's exhausted, sad and overwhelmed.  It's been a very long two weeks for her--really two years.  The disease has gradually pulled him down and it's finally over.  The funeral should be on Friday and they are expecting all of their family. L's going home to wait for his wife, daughter and new grandbaby (if the pediatrician says ok.)  I'm waiting to see if she will need me to help her in the next couple of days to get ready for them.  She and L have a long day today planning the funeral and she will be alone on, probably, Tues and Wed--maybe most of Thurs, too.  Since Bill's illness at the first of the year, I'm more in tune with the possiblity of that kind of loneliness.  Though Bill's back to "normal" now, I'm not fearing his death, just realizing that life is so short and unpredictable.  But...life goes on so, "Bye for now."

Been Busy

M has needed me this week. (Thank you, Lord, that I've been able to rest up from our vacation.)  Things are not looking good for R.  I created three dresses for the shop on Monday  (not looking good there either), made supper for church, lunch for M, visited with M many times this week, shopped for felt and hand-dyed it to enhance the colors.  I'm making Fall Flowers to put in Relics.  It feels good to create after four days.  Off to bake bread to take to M--flowers come later.