Redeat

Redeat. How do you pronounce that name? Red eat... Ree deat...Red eee at...
Her name is Redeat - and she's three. Her birthday is just a week after our daughter's. She lives in Ethiopia. I was surfing the web today and came across the website for Mission of Mercy.
I couldn't resist the face! This little girl is just beautiful...so - we're now sponsoring her.
That makes two little girls we sponsor. The other, Yasmin, lives in the Dominican Republic. I couldn't resist sponsoring her either We sponsor Yasmin through another organization: Children International.

We've sponsored her for almost three years. Now - we add little Redeat.

We hope to teach our daughter a lot of different things by sponsoring these two girls. We're praying that she'll have a lot of compassion when she grows up. So - here's to little Redeat... (I can't find Yasmin's photo at the moment - but when I do - I'll post it too!)

Seen recently in the news: Plasma Ray Oven may soon replace the microwave

so....do I have your attention?

Good.

Don't know what a plasma ray oven is....made it up.

I had to say something to get you to read!

Yesterday, I posted this:

So...do you "google"? What is the most bizarre thing you have "googled". Please share - we all want to see just how weird you really are!

...anxiously awaiting your answers....

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

I've just discovered that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (okay, so I'm a bit behind...deal with it.)

Here are some sites you may visit --kids with cancer. I've been following their progress and praying for them daily. God is big - bigger than cancer --prayer works!
Everyone - pray!

Rebekah

Maggie

Joshua

Rachel

olivia after church 8-28-05

olivia after church 8-28-05, originally uploaded by beyondhope.

Here she is - Princess Olivia. As I type this --she is squishing cinnamon rolls between her fingers and watching the frosting ooze all over her "Elmo couch". (She's going to be a sculptor - or at the very least, a frosting consistency tester.)

Okay --I've gotta go clean her up, take the cover off the Elmo Couch and throw it in the wash - and then engage her in a spine-tingling game of Candy Land!

the electrical umbilical cord

I was browsing blogs and came across a post about our obsession to not sleep because we're "checking our email just one more time".... Yes. I'm obsessed. Just like that blogger.

It's pitiful, isn't it?, how we are somehow "attached" to these computers. As if they have some unseen electrical umbilical cord. In my case, it's even worse. In addition to the "regular" computer - I now have a laptop --so I never even have to venture off the couch. I can just slug here and read email - read blogs - reply to email - comment on blogs - check if there are any new geocaches nearby ( www.geocaching.com ) --or just spend endless hours "googling". If I lack something to do ...(no wait, let me rephrase that)...if I lack the ambition to clean my house...(when does THAT happen?!) - then I can just sit on the couch for hours and "google" things. What is the prognosis for my friend's disease? google it. How far apart do we put the new bluebird houses? google it. What is the actual name of the Disney Princess, Sleeping Beauty? google it. Who wrote that song that's rattling around in my brain? google it. That actress that you just saw on TV...what else did she play in? google it. How do we get rid of the pond scum in our pond? google it. What actually is IN that battery that would explode if we put it in a fire or an incinerator? google it. What do I use to get the ink out of the upholstered chair? google it - no wait --the result would be housecleaning. nevermind. What does a three-toed sloth eat? (oh wait...my feet each have five toes.....) 'enough said!


So...do you "google"? What is the most bizarre thing you have "googled". Please share - we all want to see just how weird you really are!

today - isn't over yet...

where do I start to record the happenings of this day?

Buster and Lisa called last night to ask if I'd watch JC because Buster's Dad, Harry, was having surgery today. (on the outside) - Of course, I'd be happy to watch JC!....(on the inside I'm saying to myself) what?!?! are you insane?!?! Do you have any idea what your day is going to be like with two 3-year olds - who are both 'an only child' - not understanding what it means to share - or wait your turn - or speak to each other in quiet, civilized voices? And, remember what happened the last time you babysat for Jim and Amanda? Gavin was here all day and then came that moment when he said to me, "Deb, I have to go to the potty"! NOW what do I do? I have a daughter...I don't know how to take a little boy to the potty. Well - at that time, my nightmare came true as Gavin climbed onto the toilet and placed his little bottom on the seat and then said to me..."You have to hold my pee-pee down". WHAT?!?! I have to do WHAT?!?!! oh brother. Needless to say - I "helped" him go to the potty --and we still managed to get half my bathroom soaked. oh no. What had I just signed up for? Well --the day was quite uneventful with the exception of the two cups of rainbow goldfish crackers being poured into one of Olivia's toys, the chocolate milk being poured all over the floor because JC didn't like the "squishy" straw that was in the sippy cup, the water all over the bathroom because he wanted to stick his head under the sink faucet to get a drink, the cookie crumbs all over the couch, the melted freezepops all over his clothes, and the red mark on his head caused by Olivia whacking him with the stick end of her hobby horse because he took her ball! But wait, it gets worse... At one point, he looked at me and said, "I have to poopy." no. please. not that. I reluctantly took him into the bathroom, lowered his pants, helped him onto the potty - all the while holding the door shut with my foot because Olivia was outside the door insisting on coming in - even though I had explained to her countless times that boys and girls don't go to the potty at the same time. After he was situated, I said, "Okay - I'll be back in a minute..." As I'm leaving, I'm saying to myself, now what do I do? Buster and Lisa had telephoned 30 minutes earlier to say that they were on their way to pick him up...are they here yet? please, Lord, let them be here....nope - no one driving down the driveway. JC calls timidly from the bathroom, "I'm done." gulp. deep breath. Okay. Let's get this over with. No, Olivia, you can NOT come in the bathroom to wash your hands with your Scooby Doo soap and no, you can NOT come in to help me get JC off the potty --he's a big boy - he can get off of the potty all by himself. well - that much is true. But, can he wipe himself BEFORE he gets off the potty? Of course, not...he's three! At this point, I'm REALLY wishing that I was back to that place and time when Gavin just asked me to do something SIMPLE like "hold my pee-pee down." But - not so. I had to do it. I had to wipe. Fortunately - it wasn't nearly as difficult a job as I had expected - and I'm sure that JC has long forgotten the event. But suffice to say, it's one moment in time which I will remember the rest of my life!!!

Olivia isn't potty trained yet. With her - it's not a big deal. She's my daughter.

Now...here's the worst part of this whole day. Harry's surgery was cancelled because his ProTime wasn't in the right range. (if you understand what that means, you're obviously a Med. Tech. or nurse or something - if you don't understand - don't worry about it - it's not really important as far as this blog is concerned.)
They've rescheduled Harry's surgery for Monday. So...what did I go and do??!? I offered to babysit JC AGAIN ON MONDAY!!! ....please, Buster and Lisa if you care anything about me as a friend, you will only feed JC a LIQUID diet on Sunday!



....that all said...for those of you who believe in the power of prayer....and there is a LOT of power in prayer....please pray for Harry. There is a concern that he may be facing small-cell carcinoma of the lung. not good. Part of his surgery will include a biopsy. I'll keep you posted.

Until my next blog....I'm outta here. Thanks for reading.

feeling the pressure....

Okay....I asked for it.

Finally - someone is reading my blog. (yahoo!) ---but now I have a WHOLE NEW dilemna --now I feel pressure to make sure that there's something in this blog worth reading! argh.

And, what I may feel is worthwhile reading - to someone else may be considered boring, rambling, drivel. double argh.

Okay - someone recently said that I radiate an upbeat, infectious personality. I replied that it was just a figleaf of her imagination. pressure. triple argh.

And....to top it all off --I have a splinter in my finger that is driving me absolutely batty ---but I don't DARE get out that needle to assist in the "de-splintering" process. (refer to previous post). quadruple argh.

okay...gotta go research some material.....

here's a thought...

Be who you are and say what you feel,
because those who mind don't matter
and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr. Seuss 1904-1991

a prize

that's it!
I'll offer a prize!
If you are the first person to comment in my blog (and relatives don't count --not that any of THEM read my blog either)...but if you're the first person to comment in my blog and you email me your address --I'll send you a prize.

There - NOW I'll get comments.

See....no one is paying any attention...

nobody is reading this.
who am I kidding?
I need a template with pizazz.
yeah, then all the readers will stop and read.
I wonder if my limited html will work here...
let's see....
is this working?
I guess I have to publish it to test it out...

if you read this...

if you read this....please leave a comment telling me where you live and how you happened to be reading my blog....that's all.
thanks. and happy happy,
Deb

anyone? anyone? Buehler?....

So...does anyone read this blog? Am I the only one? It's actually very therapeutic to record your thoughts. You should try it. Of course, most would be hesitant to record the deepest thoughts of their heart because, after all, anyone can read what you've written. But then again --no one reads mine.... And..you COULD create an anonymous identity - then no one would know who was writing those deep thoughts...

Speaking of deep thoughts...who was it that had 'deep thoughts' on that show, Saturday Night Live?....those were funny.

Okay ---off to think.

The Restoration...

I just read a verse in Job---that the Lord restored everything (and more!) to Job when he PRAYED FOR HIS FRIENDS......not just your average, "God bless, so and so..." But - fervent supplication --intercession. Continually uplifting our friends to the Throne....God actually chooses to reward us and restore to us what has been lost when we are obedient to pray for others. What an awesome God we serve.

This day, may I be faithful to pray for those around me who are in need - not because I am trying to get a blessing --but because I see them through the eyes of Jesus --Lord, give me Your compassion....

Hurricane Katrina

.....the devastation is unreal. The situation is critical.
Is everyone praying??

A Mindset of Faith

something I read today from Give Me 40 Days by Freeda Bowers: (my paraphrased version):

Embrace a mindset of faith. Webster's Dictionary defines a mindset as a fixed mental attitude formed by experience or education. I fixed my mind, not on my faith, but on the God of my faith.

Faith will be the key to opening the door to your first 40 days with God, and faith is an essential and vital tool in successfully submitting 40 days to the Lord. What is faith? Faith is much more than what you believe about God. Faith is trusting Him fully. Faith is placing your confidence in His voice even when you don't know what to do or where to turn. Faith is standing firm on His Word in the midst of every difficulty.

A.W. Tozer said that even though the Bible is clear about the importance of faith, outside of a brief fourteen-word definition in Hebrews 11:1, nowhere does the Bible give us a definition of faith, but it does give us numerous examples of people exercising faith without question.

Many have received powerful personal revelations on faith. One of my favorites came from Oral Roberts who once said that faith is the power to believe what is right. I decided that I would rather exercise faith than know the definition of it, and I embraced the power to believe what was right. In doing that, I put on a mindset of faith. My entire being was focused on God. When you focus on God, you come to trust Him. When you trust Him, you unconditionally believe that He can do the impossible for you. Such faith builds hope and confidence, both in God and in what He will do in and through you.

still praying

by the way...whether I'm psychotic or not...I'm still praying for Rebekah ---and I remind you all to pray as well. God is no respector of persons. He's going to listen to the prayers of a frantic, looney Mom in a panic over a lost sewing needle just as much as He'll listen to you. Trust me. He listens. I found my needle, didn't I?

PRAY FOR REBEKAH!!!

sewing needle...yet another psychotic episode

You know....I really think that I am losing my mind...at the early age of 45....Just now, I was doing some mending...hand sewing a pair of my husband's boxer briefs. They're black - fruit of the loom - but that's not important. I dug through my sewing box and found just the right shade of green thread. (Why should I sew black fabric with black thread?...that would make sense....). Anyway...I got the thread and the needle and sat down on the couch to sew. After about 20 stitches, I held the boxer briefs up to allow the needle and thread to dangle so that the 'twist' would come out of the thread. oops. The needle fell off the thread and landed in my shirt. But I couldn't find it - anywhere....oh wait, there it is...as I reached for it, it slid futher down the fold in my T-shirt and then it disappeared. I could not find it ANYWHERE! I was in an absolute panic - fearing that Olivia was going to step on it in her bare feet --telling her to "stay put" and "do not get off of your Elmo couch until I find this needle!" I looked for ten minutes --couldn't find it ---by this time I had broken out into a cold sweat (see....I told you I'm losing my mind...all over a stupid needle...). I went to retrieve a powerful magnet---thinking I'd run the magnet across the floor and the couch and my clothes....where is the needle?...still nothing. I went and got the sweeper and swept every inch of a four foot radius from the scene of the crime...and I prayed...and cried. (I TOLD you I'm losing my mind). WHERE IS THE NEEDLE?!?!? After I swept, I opened up the sweeper compartment---there, under the peanuts and popcorn and WalMart smiley sticker which I swept out from under the couch cushions...was the stupid needle. Finally. I could relax. Meanwhile...Olivia is walking around the house asking if I am all done crying. I'm telling you ---I'm losing my mind. Nobody believes me. Someday, you'll be visiting me in the psych. ward and I'll say, "I told you so."

Prayers for Rebekah

Rebekah

I am fairly new to this whole "blogging" thing....but not at all new to the situation involving a very precious little girl living in Banks, Oregon - named Rebekah. If I knew how, I'd create a link to her page...but since I'm not quite sure how to do that, I can direct you to this website: http://attorneyadams.com Once there, click on the link "Personal page" ...then click on "Rebekah's Blog". There you will be able to read Rebekah's story. I ask that you pray for this little one - who is so brave and so strong. She suffers from cancer - specifically, Ewing's Sarcoma. What she has endured thus far has been horrendous ---but she and her family continue to trust in God. They know that He will be faithful to carry her through this ordeal. They know that He could, in an instant, make her completely whole again...they know that He is in control of this situation...they know that He will work everything out for their good and His glory. They trust Him. They know that He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that they can ask or think....they continue to trust...they continue to believe...they continue to derive strength from Him. May we all be reminded as we follow Rebekah's story ---to trust the Lord. For HE ALONE is worthy of our COMPLETE devotion. ....dear reader...take a moment to read Rebekah's story and say a prayer for her....and think about your relationship with the Lord...do YOU trust Him in ALL areas of your life?...if not, why not? It's not an accident that you're reading this.....It's a divine appointment....Give God a chance. You will no regret it!

Still Summer

I read this today --thought it was good --thought I'd share:
From Guideposts Magazine August 2005 by Edward Grinnan - Editor-in-Chief:

Still Summer
Here we are in the hot heart of summer. I love thinking about our country in August--thinking about all those family reunions from Juncan to Jupiter Island, folks seeing one another for the first time in ages, maybe for the first time ever and maybe even for the last. I love thinking about those checkered picnic cloths spread across freshly mown grass,, baskets of secret-recipe fried chicken and tubs of Wilma's potato salad or Uncle Louie's ziti anchoring them against the stubborn breeze. And how many sand castles and mud forts will rise up only to be swept away by the heartless tide? Or a big wet dog shaking off a gallon of muddy lake water all over some heliotropic sunbather (who probably needed to cool off). Miniature golf, roadside tacos, soft serve ice cream and freezing cold movie theaters that reek of popcorn when the weather keeps you indoors and you've played all the board games in the closet. Or a baseball arcing through the sky like a satellite while an 11-year-old who's too small for his uniform circles uncertainly beneath it. Dear Lord, please let him catch it! And he does. Barely. While you clap so hard your hands sting.
The sun goes down late...though a little earlier each night, you notice. And there's just the barest chill in the air later when you blow out the citronella candles and bring the lawn chairs in. Always each season contains the suggestion of the next. And maybe you lie in bed and listen to the crickets or the rumbling of distant thunder (or was that just my stomach?) and think about how good it is--how holy, almost--just to be still.